The Energon Pub

Va'al wrote:All of this is fascinating, and fascinatingly off topic.

Please return the train back on its rails, and feel free to use this section to talk about reviewers and reviews for official figures, and this one for third party products.

I created a thread here if anyone wants to keep talking about the transformation section of video reviews.

sweet superion

Victor Wong has posted a handful of images om Facebook featuring Transformers Combiner Wars Legends Class Rodimus! He of course is a retool of the previously released Combiner Wars Legends Blackjack and made to fit with the Voyager Optimus Prime/Motormaster mold. You may notice that Rodimus is pictured with his trademark back fin, but it's not actually possible to do that with without a home remedy like (what appears to be) sticky tack. Scroll down to see the pics, and stay tuned to Seibertron.com for all your Transformers News!

no pics of him on menasor and prime's chests?

Meh. Seems rather contrived to me. I'm curtain a better Rodimus than this can be produced.

I understand the context of which this figure is made for but i'm not too into it. Plus i think if he's just gonna be a chest shield the name Hot Rod would have been a more fitting name.

peaces wrote:no pics of him on menasor and prime's chests?

Forget that: who is he supposed to go with according to the packaging?

I'm disappointed at how lackluster these Legends repaints have been, especially given how the new molds have been near-consistently AMAZING! Cosmos, Powerglide, the Insecticons, they're the definitive versions; but Rodimus, Huffer, Warpath just don't cut it.

I might be tempted to get this to represent an updated version of Micromaster Hot Rodimus.

he goes with optimus maximus, the wave 4 white prime

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

peaces wrote:no pics of him on menasor and prime's chests?

Forget that: who is he supposed to go with according to the packaging?

Argh, why don't these people take pictures that really give a hint?

So far I have found these team colors (you can see the team color on the top strip of the card, and around the 1 of 5, and on the "Combine to form" sticker on the front of the bubble.)

YELLOW - Silverbolt, Air Raid, Alpha Bravo, Quickslinger, Skydive, Firefly, Powerglide
PURPLE - Motormaster, Dragstrip, Offroad, Brake-Neck, Dead End, Breakdown, Blackjack
TURQUOISE - Hotspot, Blades, First Aid, Rook, Streetwise, Groove
DARK BLUE - Viper, Cyclonus
SKY BLUE - Optimus Prime
LIGHT GREY - Rodimus

I like a good Hot Rod/Rodimus figure. This isn't one.

It isn't a bad figure; it just isn't a good Hot Rod. I think it would have worked better as Roadhandler (to juxtapose the Blackjack reference) or in yellow as Sparkplug. Heck, I would have settled for a second Legends version Bumblebee or Cliffjumper...or even paint it blue and call it Roller. But this just isn't Rodimus or Hot Rod.

Tresob wrote:It isn't a bad figure; it just isn't a good Hot Rod. I think it would have worked better as Roadhandler (to juxtapose the Blackjack reference

Roadhandler would have made more sense as you say opposite Blackjack, and the body and paintscheme look far more like him than a Rodimus should. Just needs the hood flame painted over in red, and a more Roadhandler-esque headsculpt from some other similar sized figure and you're done.

I like him. I'm gonna get him and hope Reprolables gives him chest flames.


And I'm pretty sure Hasbro can't call him Hot Rod cause of copyright/trademark/whatever reasons.

Yweggo wrote:And I'm pretty sure Hasbro can't call him Hot Rod cause of copyright/trademark/whatever reasons.

Trademark, and the "Hot Rod" name is in the firm hands of Mattel for their Hot Wheels line. So Hasbro can't use it at all, not even as "Autobot Hot Rod".

peaces wrote:he goes with optimus maximus, the wave 4 white prime

... which I'd like to see confirmed on the packaging

I believe "hot rod" is public domain and not trademarkable for a toy car, unlike Bumblebee, which is not a word or name you would typically associate with a car.

He looks nice...even if he is too small

I'm perfectly fine with this little re-purposed Roddy. He's not perfect, but it harkens back to the Star Convoy/Micromaster as already mentioned (which I love). Bring him on!

That Bot wrote:I believe "hot rod" is public domain and not trademarkable for a toy car, unlike Bumblebee, which is not a word or name you would typically associate with a car.

I agree. And if anything "Hot Rod" is a magazine thats been around since 1948 as per Wikipedia. You dont see them going around suing anybody who prints the word hot rod on their product. Hell, WWE has let Rowdy Roddy Piper use the alias "Hot Rod" on his shirts for the last 30 years. This whole trademark/copyright a word thing hasbro cries about is a bunch of BS. Theyre all just a bunch of legal wusses.

Rated X wrote:

That Bot wrote:I believe "hot rod" is public domain and not trademarkable for a toy car, unlike Bumblebee, which is not a word or name you would typically associate with a car.

I agree. And if anything "Hot Rod" is a magazine thats been around since 1948 as per Wikipedia. You dont see them going around suing anybody who prints the word hot rod on their product. Hell, WWE has let Rowdy Roddy Piper use the alias "Hot Rod" on his shirts for the last 30 years. This whole trademark/copyright a word thing hasbro cries about is a bunch of BS. Theyre all just a bunch of legal wusses.

TFWIKI wrote:Next to Bluestreak, "Hot Rod" is the most well-known case of a name unavailable to Hasbro. Mattel has registered various "confusingly similar" trademarks over the years, among them "Ho! Ho! Hot Rod", "Hot Rods" and "Hott Rodd". Hasbro's original substitute name for the Commemorative Series line of reissues was "Rodimus Major"; "Rodimus" was used for Energon and then later also for the Classics Deluxe toy and the Universe Legends toy; and the toy based on the Animated Rodimus Prime character was called "Rodimus Minor".

Mattel's to blame for this, and in the case of trademark disputes, the company with the most valid uses of said trademark retains the right to use it. Hasbro will not begin battles it knows it can't win.

In regards to Powerglides inclusion on Superion, I've current got PG filling duty as shoulder cannons, by plugging him onto Supes back and bending the cannon/engines over the shoulders.

I like lil Rodders just fine. Its a fun mold. I'm gonna pick him up and let him run amuck on my various shelves getting into all kinds of trouble.

Rated X wrote:

That Bot wrote:I believe "hot rod" is public domain and not trademarkable for a toy car, unlike Bumblebee, which is not a word or name you would typically associate with a car.

I agree. And if anything "Hot Rod" is a magazine thats been around since 1948 as per Wikipedia. You dont see them going around suing anybody who prints the word hot rod on their product. Hell, WWE has let Rowdy Roddy Piper use the alias "Hot Rod" on his shirts for the last 30 years. This whole trademark/copyright a word thing hasbro cries about is a bunch of BS. Theyre all just a bunch of legal wusses.

I'm kind of impressed that you managed to misinterpret me that badly. Also, trademarks for toys and games is different from other trademarkable areas. You can use Hot Rod in a magazine and on a t-shirt and it doesn't impact your ability to trademark it for a toy.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

TFWIKI wrote:Next to Bluestreak, "Hot Rod" is the most well-known case of a name unavailable to Hasbro. Mattel has registered various "confusingly similar" trademarks over the years, among them "Ho! Ho! Hot Rod", "Hot Rods" and "Hott Rodd". Hasbro's original substitute name for the Commemorative Series line of reissues was "Rodimus Major"; "Rodimus" was used for Energon and then later also for the Classics Deluxe toy and the Universe Legends toy; and the toy based on the Animated Rodimus Prime character was called "Rodimus Minor".

Mattel's to blame for this, and in the case of trademark disputes, the company with the most valid uses of said trademark retains the right to use it. Hasbro will not begin battles it knows it can't win.

And there we have it.

Eh, Combiner Wars Hot Rod doesn't look good to me. He's definitely a pass.

I wonder what other redecos/remolds are planned for this mold, because to me he really only works as Blackjack. I do like the look of Hot Rod in vehicle mode, however.

Autobot032 wrote:Eh, Combiner Wars Hot Rod doesn't look good to me. He's definitely a pass.

I wonder what other redecos/remolds are planned for this mold, because to me he really only works as Blackjack. I do like the look of Hot Rod in vehicle mode, however.

Well Takara is making a Runabout out of it, so it gives us an idea of what's possible.