The Energon Pub

I finally opened up my Voyager Blackout... and I notice some black staining/smears on him... is this supposed to be on him? like a "weathering" effect? or did I get a factory screwup?

It's primarily on his tail section... but theres a little bit in various sections...

Can you get a pic of it?

Here ya go...



The flash makes Blackout look a lot brighter than he actually is... but you can see the smearing on his tail and on his wing...

It doesn't rub off by hand.

All of them have that, it's to give it a well weathered effect. You can't expect a war machine to look all new & shinny

I checked in some shops here, where they had Blackout in stock... Those didn't have those marks.

could see through the box.
IF they're still in stock (we get quite few voyagers in each restock (and they sell quite well, along with LC Prime which I wanted.) I'd check it out, and maybe get a pic. but my camera on my phone sucks (Sony Ericsson z530i = shitpile with dents) and it looks strange if someone pulls out a camera in a toy store and starts to take pictures lol.

But, hey. I'll see what I can do.

Although I believe those at the local shop, could be differing from the produced ones, from other countries, outside Norway.

I think it's supposed to be like that - both of mine are (did you recently buy it or have you had it a long time as you say you finally opened it?)

I've had it for at least a month... Just wanted to make sure I didn't get some weird Hasbro manufacturing error... a little sloppy though, but I suppose a lot of Hasbro's paint applications are inconsistent and imperfect (Concept Bumblebee Deluxe for example)

I've had mine since the middle of July, so unless it's a mistake that Hasbro class as minor and can't be bothered to change, I think it's definitely supposed to be like that

mineralblue wrote: I suppose a lot of Hasbro's paint applications are inconsistent and imperfect (Concept Bumblebee Deluxe for example)

That all depends on how you get your 08 'Bee cos I got mine from the OP/BB twin pack and mine is perfect, whereas the ones bought by themselves have the bad paint apps.

Speaking of twin packs, I've just had a brainwave. If anyone who bought the Desert Attack twin pack could check for the black marks on their Blackout, then we would be able to tell if it is an error or whether they are intentional.

Mine does not have the smears.

If it was meant to be grease and dirt from combat, wouldn't the entire figure have that kind of effect, not just the top rear section?

I've had my Blackout since August and he also has some black marks. However, it is along the crevices on the tail, and not all over the top in smears like in the picture. It's not excessive and it looks nice.

I think your Blackout got a terrible hi-lite job and snuck through QC because that looks like someone just took their finger and swiped the body with black paint to me.

The weathered look he's supposed to have, like others have mentioned, should be slight and only in the cracks (almost like a wash)...that's how mine looks anyways.

-B

Mine has blackwash smudges in the tail section to, but not as much as the one pictured.

I believe they are meant to be there. See a bunch of them has it. However, they seem applied pretty randomly, so some can look quite crappy.

nothing like that on mine, and if it had, he would have gone back.

if I'm tempted to "clean" up the smears a little bit, what would you recommend to gently clean it without ruining the paint and plastic?

I bought mine the day they first went on sale opening day,
The one I have has a black wash over the whole thing not just on the tail, it is light but does not look like a hand smear just on the tail.
as for cleaning it off I bet any solvent type that will take it off will also take off the all paint and may damage your paint.
if it really bugged me I would use sandpaper start with 1000 grit and end with 2000 or higher and sand really lightly.

Clusterprime

Mine have those marks too.

Mine has it as well. I always thought it was due to crappy quality of plastic.

If it's a planned out paint app., ummm ... YOU'RE FIRED Mr. Painter Hasbro Guy!!!

I assumed it was planned. Mine has them in some places.

AlienQuiksilver wrote:Mine has it as well. I always thought it was due to crappy quality of plastic.

If it's a planned out paint app., ummm ... YOU'RE FIRED Mr. Painter Hasbro Guy!!!

Go to Donald Trump's office to get your separation pay.

Leonardo wrote:I assumed it was planned. Mine has them in some places.

Not very well planned. No 2 are alike.

I just noticed the other day that my Blackout has a smear like that too, only it's on the top of the right-side fuel pod/stubby wing thing. I thought it had become dirty somehow, didn't know anyone else's Blackout had it too.

Yet another direct hit from Hasbro's ever-impressive QC.

rob_charb wrote:I just noticed the other day that my Blackout has a smear like that too, only it's on the top of the right-side fuel pod/stubby wing thing. I thought it had become dirty somehow, didn't know anyone else's Blackout had it too.

That's where it is on mine. I think I also have one on the side of the helicopter, near the cargo hold windows.

Lapse Of Reason wrote:Mine has blackwash smudges in the tail section to, but not as much as the one pictured.

mines exactly the same. It's subtle and looks nice.