Tuned Agent wrote:From a collector's perspective, I view Siege and Earthrise as two parts of the same (very G1 cartoon-centric) whole. I prefer Siege, but that's simply because Siege had more figures that interested me than ER does. But since G1 cartoon-centric isn't really my thing, many of the figures just don't interest me like they do for much of the rest of the fandom.
From a more cynical perspective, however, I can't help but get the feeling that much of Siege was little more than what Hasbro did with Bumblebee in TLK's toyline, only to a much larger scale. Release a "lesser" version first, then release a "better" version later after everyone has bought the first one.
Okay, first off, there's a qualifier on the TLK Bumblebee thing: The proper version obviously wasn't ready in time for the movie's release, but they couldn't very well
not have a Bumblebee on the shelves when it came out. Would have been smarter to reuse the DotM mold rather than the AoE mold though.
Also, I really don't see the SIEGE versions as "lesser" versions - except for SELECTS Smokescreen. I see them as
different versions. Heck, since ER Megs' spear looks clunky compared to the SIEGE version's sword, I'd actually call the SIEGE version of Megs the superior one.
If there's any figures I'd denounce as giving us the lesser version first compared to Earthrise, it's
Power of the Primes Optimus and Starscream. They have some value (Orion Pax and the Matrix for Optimus, the combining and being a Voyager for Starscream), but...
Tuned Agent wrote:This would explain the cybertronian alt modes, the battle damage, the heavy amounts of detailing (that some considered excessive) all as ways to make them "off" enough to get fans to buy the later redos.
You know what else explains that? Giving them Cybertronian-altmode toys of these characters that
weren't the bloody Titanium Series. Making them different from the
Power of the Primes versions that came the year before. Hasbro's marketing department having a hard time letting go of a line gimmick once it's in their heads.
Also, Mirage, the Datsuns, and especially Sideswipe turn into Earth Mode stand-in vehicles, and Ironhide and Ratchet can pass as Earthly in a pinch.
Tuned Agent wrote:It's kinda tainted my view of Siege in hindsight, as it now just looks like a ploy to give fans what they thought they wanted, before ER gave them what they actually wanted all along, getting many to buy essentially the same thing twice. But that's all just my opinion.
It's not one I can agree with, considering what I said before as well as this:
Re-dos: Optimus, Starscream (and presumably the other Main 3 Seekers), Smokescreen (no sign of other Datsuns being re-done yet), Megatron.
New (for the trilogy): Wheeljack, Cliffjumper, Hoist, Trailbreaker, Grapple, Sunstreaker, Scorponok, Airwave, Fast-Track, Ironworks, Runamuck, Arcee, the Coneheads (we know they're coming thanks to Sky Lynx's box), Sky Lynx, Inferno (no actual picture yet but with Grapple existing...), Snapdragon, Quintesson, Allicon, Doubledealer.
Six re-dos to twenty-one new toys.
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 6:47 pm
