The Energon Pub

[shortround]

But there a bunch of transformers that will never be reissued no matter how much we may wish. So here is a at least three of them one of these three is a group and I'm sure people can and will add others to this topic.
1. the dinobots
2. mirage
3. wheeljack

[City Commander]

Technically they all have.

While HasTak no longer have the molds, other companies do.
Mirage has been rereleased in a range of colours, and I'm sure Wheeljack has.


The Dinobots I'm not so sure about. But WST versions are and have been released; which are identical to orginals in everything but size.

[Ramrider]

I don't have a pinata, so you can puke away, lad.

Personally, I'd say 'never say never'. Hasbro have said many times before that they'd never do something, then go back on themselves and do it anyway. Didn't they once say they wouldn't be reissuing Soundwave?
And the 'moulds beyond repair' excuse doesn't hold water anymore; we're seeing a flood of figs being KO'd onto the market for which they've said the moulds were destroyed, so somebody must have found a way to reproduce the moulds. If it's worth their while to do this, I don't see how it'd be any different for HasTakTom. To be honest, I'd have thought they'd work on reissuing the figs just to try and scupper the reproers.

[Ramrider]

Technically they all have.

While HasTak no longer have the molds, other companies do.
Mirage has been rereleased in a range of colours, and I'm sure Wheeljack has.


The Dinobots I'm not so sure about. But WST versions are and have been released; which are identical to orginals in everything but size.

I don't know about Wheeljack, but there's already talk on this here forum regarding reproed Dinos...

[Justicity]

If we are referring broken to molds here, I'm pretty sure Hasbro could just remake the mold. Is that such an unfeasible idea? Knock off company's do it all the time, get ahold of an original G1 Grimlock, take 'im apart, make new stickers & such, make molds from the existing Grimlock, remake thousands of other Grimlocks... I don't really see how that's too difficult, but then again I've never done it. Anyone care to explain why this isn't possible?

[iron maniac]

But WST versions are and have been released; which are identical to orginals in everything but size.

^^^^I was just about to say that. WSD are an EXCELLENT alternative to the real thing. Their size makes them extra cool. Don't forget that their coloring and paint is cartoon accurate unlike the originals.

[DavidT]

They just keep saying that the reason they won't reverse engineer is that its not cost efficient. However I see the knockoff companies making tons off the their reissues. Especially Mirage

[skyblast]

But there a bunch of transformers that will never be reissued no matter how much we may wish. So here is a at least three of them one of these three is a group and I'm sure people can and will add others to this topic.
1. the dinobots
2. mirage
3. wheeljack

Just curious but what was your source on this one? Did you talk to a Hasbro person?

[Autovolt127]

But there a bunch of transformers that will never be reissued no matter how much we may wish. So here is a at least three of them one of these three is a group and I'm sure people can and will add others to this topic.
1. the dinobots
2. mirage
3. wheeljack

Mirage has been reissued as a K.O (Unliscened) and Wheeljack is next.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

But there a bunch of transformers that will never be reissued no matter how much we may wish. So here is a at least three of them one of these three is a group and I'm sure people can and will add others to this topic.
1. the dinobots
2. mirage
3. wheeljack

The last two will be impossible to reproduce to a full 100%, and I'm not talking about the mold: it's the stickers. Both Mirage and Wheeljack had advertisements all over the car (royalties, people), which forms another barrier to reissuing.

[Ramrider]

But there a bunch of transformers that will never be reissued no matter how much we may wish. So here is a at least three of them one of these three is a group and I'm sure people can and will add others to this topic.
1. the dinobots
2. mirage
3. wheeljack

The last two will be impossible to reproduce to a full 100%, and I'm not talking about the mold: it's the stickers. Both Mirage and Wheeljack had advertisements all over the car (royalties, people), which forms another barrier to reissuing.

The adverts were misspelled, I believe (Mirage, for instance, promoted Citanes (the real company is called Gitanes), while Wheeljack advertised Alitalla instead of Alitalia. I'm assuming this was at least partially to avoid this very hurdle. Whether the trick still works, I'm not sure.

[shortround]

The dinobot info comes from a thread on here somewhere it was asked at botcon this yr about the dinobots and a hasbro rep or someone with hasbro said they would never be reissued and I beleave the samething was said by takara. As far mirage and wheeljack it has to do with ad's on car as well as the car design itself I'm not sure why but that is what has been floating around.

[Ultra Prime]

I can't tell you the exact post or posts this information was mentioned but it is my understanding from various posts on Seibertron.com that the follwoing issues are what has kept various TF's from being reissued.

Dinobots - Hasbro stated at Botcon 07' the molds were lost/ broken beyond repair.
Wheeljack - Takara has claimed the mold has been lost/broken.
Mirage - Takara has claimed the mold has been lost/broken.
Sunstreaker - Takara has claimed the mold has been lost/broken.
Shockwave, Omega Supreme, Jetfire, Deluxe Insecticons, Whirl & Roadbuster - Those molds supposedly belong to other companies and therefore Takara or Hasbro cannot reissue them.

With SkyLynx being reissued there may be a mold or two here and there that Takara/Tomy now has the rights to which would open up the possibility for other reissues.

As for the various KO's being made. Sure the different companies probably got a hold of a vintage piece to reverse engineer it so they could make the figure. But consider that the quality of KO products are generally quite lower quality than the original Takara & Hasbro product. Maybe Hasbro & Takara/Tomy won't do it because to reverse engineer AND improve the new mold to be indentical to the quality of the original is too cost prohibitive. Unless anyone on this board works for either company we'll probably never see the proof to that statement.

Personally I am hoping that with the encore series they release Thrust, Ramjet & Trailbreaker. I am just giddy to pick-up re-issues from 2001 that I missed out on. Hell, that's why I'm getting Ironhide and Ratchet even if the original G1 toys are atrociuosly ugly. I'd be one happy GeeWunner if they reissue molds they already have. It increases my chances at getting the three I mentioned!

[Deceptiwho?]

God a reissue Wheeljack would be cool!!

[Ultra Prime]

Yeah maybe if we all think hard enough the mold will miraculaously be fixed and or available. But seriously, I hear you Deceptiwho?. I would love to see an authentic Wheeljack reissue as well.

[shortround]

I think you have a better chance of them redsigning the transformers for the next movie so they at least look something like proper transformer, then ever seeing mirage or wheeljack reissued.

[Random]

I can at least see a remold of Grimlock for the MP line. Given he was the most popular of the Dinobots, it would make sense to only make him.

Seems a shame that the original molds were lost/stolen. You think those would be worth mega bucks and would be kept pretty secure.

*Just a note to the OP. I hope this pinata deal isn't some childhood nightmare that is resurfacing. My B-day falls on the 5th of July, whereas all the leftover fireworks went into my cake until I was 7. There were only two pics taken of me at this occasion. One of me looking excited by the cake, and another of me crying, covered in cake, when it went off...

Editors Note: The above statement is a total fabrication. I do not advocate putting fireworks in your childs birthday cake. The above statement was made for entertainment purposes only and I will not be held responsible for giving you the idea.

[sto_vo_kor_2000]

I don't have a pinata, so you can puke away, lad.

Personally, I'd say 'never say never'. Hasbro have said many times before that they'd never do something, then go back on themselves and do it anyway. Didn't they once say they wouldn't be reissuing Soundwave?
And the 'moulds beyond repair' excuse doesn't hold water anymore; we're seeing a flood of figs being KO'd onto the market for which they've said the moulds were destroyed, so somebody must have found a way to reproduce the moulds. If it's worth their while to do this, I don't see how it'd be any different for HasTakTom. To be honest, I'd have thought they'd work on reissuing the figs just to try and scupper the reproers.

Well.....the rumer is that the KO's are being made from molds that were somehow removed from Takara/Hasbro wearhoues's long ago....and that their in better shape the the one's that T&H still owen.But if this is true I'm shocked that the KO guys waited so long to make them for mass production.
Anyway I THINK [and dont quote me]that the problem lyes on the safty laws.I thing theres a sub claues that stated that any new toy molds must reach safty standereds that a collectors reissue doesnt have to reach.And I know that Japans safty laws arent as strict as ours but its something I heard from a friends father who used to work for Bandi.

[sto_vo_kor_2000]

If we are referring broken to molds here, I'm pretty sure Hasbro could just remake the mold. Is that such an unfeasible idea? Knock off company's do it all the time, get ahold of an original G1 Grimlock, take 'im apart, make new stickers & such, make molds from the existing Grimlock, remake thousands of other Grimlocks... I don't really see how that's too difficult, but then again I've never done it. Anyone care to explain why this isn't possible?

Its posible but Takara has said that its not cost effective.That the price point on the figures would double or triple ,compaired to other reissues in the same size catogory, to cover production cost...and since Hasbro wont contribute to the cost of such a reproduction cause U.S. safty laws states that all NEW MOLDS must reach and past certent safty laws test, and almost all the G1 designs would fail today.The laws differ when the use of a old mold is conserend.

[sto_vo_kor_2000]

They just keep saying that the reason they won't reverse engineer is that its not cost efficient. However I see the knockoff companies making tons off the their reissues. Especially Mirage

And there selling them for about $300.00 bucks each.

[sto_vo_kor_2000]

But there a bunch of transformers that will never be reissued no matter how much we may wish. So here is a at least three of them one of these three is a group and I'm sure people can and will add others to this topic.
1. the dinobots
2. mirage
3. wheeljack

Just curious but what was your source on this one? Did you talk to a Hasbro person?

Hasbro has made such staements but the facts they have sited are in question.But I dont think that its far from the truth considering that reissues of G1 toys have been being released for about 10 years now and these figures have yet to be reissued.

[sto_vo_kor_2000]

But there a bunch of transformers that will never be reissued no matter how much we may wish. So here is a at least three of them one of these three is a group and I'm sure people can and will add others to this topic.
1. the dinobots
2. mirage
3. wheeljack

The last two will be impossible to reproduce to a full 100%, and I'm not talking about the mold: it's the stickers. Both Mirage and Wheeljack had advertisements all over the car (royalties, people), which forms another barrier to reissuing.

Very true.But they did work their way around that for both the Jazz and Bluestreak [Silverstreak] reissues.....but the changes on the decals werent as major as it would be for Mirage and Wheeljack.

[Bonger]

2 points

1: Ultra Prime is dead on right.

2: Chinese KO's do not count as reissues. They count as really nice KOs. They are still not an official product and are made of inferior materials.

[shortround]

Also thought as far as Mirage and Wheeljack went they couldn't get the rights to use the designs for these cars.

[Ultra Prime]

2 points

1: Ultra Prime is dead on right.

2: Chinese KO's do not count as reissues. They count as really nice KOs. They are still not an official product and are made of inferior materials.

Thanks for the credit Bonger. I'd like to believe I was paying attention in class.

Getting the rights to use the cars for Wheeljack and Mirage is pointless if the molds are broken beyond repair or lost. Unless some miracle happens official Mirage & Wheeljack figures will not see the light of day.