The Energon Pub

Vroom, Crossblades, and Thunderwing wouldn't settle for plain old Pretender shells. They insisted on ones that could transform and they could combine with in vehicle mode. We present the latest three additions to the Seibertron.com galleries Mega Pretenders Vroom, Crossblades, and the always popular Thunderwing!



Vroom


Crossblades


Thunderwing

What? Thunderwing didn't have a gallery yet?! I think they all look cool but the bots inside should be bigger! But I sure enjoy these galleries!

You've made all three of these look great, once again! I own a complete G1 Thunderwing and a complete Vroom, but I always thought Crossblades' main altmode looked pretty ugly, so I haven't yet tracked him down. Looks like I wasn't wrong... Vroom's pretty ugly too, but his inner bot / car looks excellent in both modes. Still, nowadays I have a perverse attraction to the ugliest of Transformers, and even Staxx looks good to me.

I've always had an affinity for Crossblades, since the first time I saw him in a toy catalog of 1989. Glad to see him get more exposure.

On that note, any luck on the Victory Crossformer gangsters?

I really have to get these. Might take me a while since these go for pretty high dollar. I love the idea of mega pretenders. So much more fun than ordinary pretenders. The only pretender I currently own is Grimlock. Used to have Skullgrin as a kid but that went the way of so many transformers we had as kids.

Again, another nice gallery. I've often wondered why Thunderwing is so much more expensive on the secondary? I have Crossblades, and look forward to acquiring Vroom next. Thunderwing and Bludgeon will be the last Pretenders I get because of the price.

Thanks!

Execellent galleries here.

I've got to dig out my vroom though as he's never been able to connect his rear wheel to his large gun like in the pics and the instructions - he's complete and genuine - does anyone know of a running change on this guy?

My version of the rear wheel hasn't got that additional tab on it.

Nice! Crossblades is one of my few G1 figs. Mine isn't in that condition, though!

GetRightRobot wrote:Again, another nice gallery. I've often wondered why Thunderwing is so much more expensive on the secondary? I have Crossblades, and look forward to acquiring Vroom next. Thunderwing and Bludgeon will be the last Pretenders I get because of the price.

Thunderwing and Bludgeon are so expensive because of Simon Furman and his awesomeness of storytelling. I've been hoping to catch those two myself, but I've been forced to use the HftD Bludgeon and Generations Thunderwing as standins.

adamassc wrote:Thunderwing and Bludgeon are so expensive because of Simon Furman and his awesomeness of storytelling. I've been hoping to catch those two myself, but I've been forced to use the HftD Bludgeon and Generations Thunderwing as standins.

You know my favorite thing about lesser popular characters getting new figures is putting them next to their original versions and seeing what cool little design cues were carried over. Furman is the man but boy he did me no favors by driving up the price on an otherwise goofy transformer like Bludgeon. Although, if that helped the HASTAK team push through the KILLER movieline Bludgeon, I guess we are even 'cause that figure ROCKS!

Cat-tonator wrote:What? Thunderwing didn't have a gallery yet?! I think they all look cool but the bots inside should be bigger! But I sure enjoy these galleries!

Had no plans to do these galleries any time soon about a year ago ... and then Hasbro came out with Generations Thunderwing. I started the Thunderwing pictures last November and only finished them about six weeks ago. These galleries were a lot of work because of all of the different combinations and my inability/lack of desire to take shortcuts with the pics. Also didn't help that Crossblades had some really bad sun damage / yellowing, so I had to learn all about the H2O2 fix for him. His face is still faded, but if I didn't tell you guys that you probably wouldn't know the difference.

Bit of trivia ... Vroom is from the Jon Hartman Collection that he sold at BotCon 2006.

alldarker wrote:You've made all three of these look great, once again! I own a complete G1 Thunderwing and a complete Vroom, but I always thought Crossblades' main altmode looked pretty ugly, so I haven't yet tracked him down. Looks like I wasn't wrong... Vroom's pretty ugly too, but his inner bot / car looks excellent in both modes. Still, nowadays I have a perverse attraction to the ugliest of Transformers, and even Staxx looks good to me.

All three have their pros and cons. These galleries were the first time I ever put my hands on Vroom and Crossblades even though I've owned them for 5 and 4 years respectively. Crossblades was MISB until this gallery. I was crushed when I opened him up for the first time to see how sun damaged he was ... but fortunately was able to fix him with some H2O2. I had fun with these figures. They definitely harken back to a simpler time in this hobby. Plus how can you not love Thunderwing if you're a fan of the Marvel Transformers run? Great character!

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:I've always had an affinity for Crossblades, since the first time I saw him in a toy catalog of 1989. Glad to see him get more exposure.

On that note, any luck on the Victory Crossformer gangsters?

Not yet ... their time will come, just need to find them in the right condition (i.e. gallery worthy) at the right price.

Heinrad Prime wrote:Execellent galleries here.

I've got to dig out my vroom though as he's never been able to connect his rear wheel to his large gun like in the pics and the instructions - he's complete and genuine - does anyone know of a running change on this guy?

My version of the rear wheel hasn't got that additional tab on it.

I'd be very interested in seeing pictures of the gun for your Vroom as well as his tire. Please post the picture in this thread if you can.

Galvatron X wrote:Nice! Crossblades is one of my few G1 figs. Mine isn't in that condition, though!

Nor was mine after I opened it.

Seibertron wrote:

Heinrad Prime wrote:Execellent galleries here.

I've got to dig out my vroom though as he's never been able to connect his rear wheel to his large gun like in the pics and the instructions - he's complete and genuine - does anyone know of a running change on this guy?

My version of the rear wheel hasn't got that additional tab on it.

I'd be very interested in seeing pictures of the gun for your Vroom as well as his tire. Please post the picture in this thread if you can.

I can only apologise for the delay in getting round to doing this, but I have taken a picture of my Vroom which there is no way to attach the gun. Apologies for low res/ poor images.

I am in the UK so this could be a European difference? I don't know anyone else with a complete vroom to check

Heinrad Prime wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

Heinrad Prime wrote:Execellent galleries here.

I've got to dig out my vroom though as he's never been able to connect his rear wheel to his large gun like in the pics and the instructions - he's complete and genuine - does anyone know of a running change on this guy?

My version of the rear wheel hasn't got that additional tab on it.

I'd be very interested in seeing pictures of the gun for your Vroom as well as his tire. Please post the picture in this thread if you can.

I can only apologise for the delay in getting round to doing this, but I have taken a picture of my Vroom which there is no way to attach the gun. Apologies for low res/ poor images.

I am in the UK so this could be a European difference? I don't know anyone else with a complete vroom to check

There should be a peg on the backside of that wheel that pegs into the hole on the top of the gun. If there isn't a peg, then there was a weird running change at some point. Attached to this post is a picture of the peg on the other side of that wheel.

Perhaps you don't have the original wheel for this figure? Did you purchase this new or did you open it as a MISB item by any chance?

Can anyone confirm if that wheel was ever used for another toy line like GIJoe or something out of the ordinary?

*Heads over to Thunderwing gallery*

El Duque wrote:Vroom, Crossblades, and Thunderwing wouldn't settle for plain old Pretender shells. They insisted on ones that could transform and they could combine with in vehicle mode. We present the latest three additions to the Seibertron.com galleries Mega Pretenders Vroom, Crossblades, and the always popular Thunderwing!



Vroom


Crossblades


Thunderwing

Thanks for the pics.

dare I say those are the best after 1987 TF g-1 usa toys in existance.

If I had my way & worked for Hasbro/Takara. their'd be $27 usa ultra sized classics toys of those 3 mega pretenders. with super poserable pretender shells,with basic sized inner robots.

deathy wrote:Thanks for the pics.

dare I say those are the best after 1987 TF g-1 usa toys in existance.

If I had my way & worked for Hasbro/Takara. their'd be $27 usa ultra sized classics toys of those 3 mega pretenders. with super poserable pretender shells,with basic sized inner robots.

You're not alone in your wishes. I'd love to see them revisit the Pretender concept. I think current toy technologies could do the Pretender concept right!

Heinrad Prime wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

Heinrad Prime wrote:Execellent galleries here.

I've got to dig out my vroom though as he's never been able to connect his rear wheel to his large gun like in the pics and the instructions - he's complete and genuine - does anyone know of a running change on this guy?

My version of the rear wheel hasn't got that additional tab on it.

I'd be very interested in seeing pictures of the gun for your Vroom as well as his tire. Please post the picture in this thread if you can.

I can only apologise for the delay in getting round to doing this, but I have taken a picture of my Vroom which there is no way to attach the gun. Apologies for low res/ poor images.

I am in the UK so this could be a European difference? I don't know anyone else with a complete vroom to check

Hmm, strange... I have a complete Vroom, but it is in 'deep' storage (external storage unit) currently. I can't actually remember how that wheel looks, but I also can't remember ever having had trouble with attaching the wheel to the big gun. Actually... I can't remember ever HAVING attached the wheel to the big gun, so I'm wondering if my wheel is missing that peg too.

I remember seeing Vroom on the store shelf in 89 and thinking 'Wow!' and finally years later I got him...

I would love it too if Hasbro could redo the Pretenders....I'd love to see super detailed highly posable figures too....i was always intrigued by the double pretender prototypes too..

As to Vroom and his gun/ wheel combo it is on the instructions (I don't have original instructions though) but it doesn't show how to connect them...i always have to keep the wheel hanging off his butt..

Heinrad Prime wrote:I remember seeing Vroom on the store shelf in 89 and thinking 'Wow!' and finally years later I got him...

I would love it too if Hasbro could redo the Pretenders....I'd love to see super detailed highly posable figures too....i was always intrigued by the double pretender prototypes too..

As to Vroom and his gun/ wheel combo it is on the instructions (I don't have original instructions though) but it doesn't show how to connect them...i always have to keep the wheel hanging off his butt..

There's a peg on the wheel. The peg connects to the gun.

No peg on my wheel though...

You can plonk the gun and wheel together for as long as you like, it ain't going to attach...

I'll try and get better lit pictures/higher res of this

i can just about see a peg on the gallery pictures <<big up the galleries>> but it's not there.

As far as i can see there isn't any sign of wear or a snap.

It seems a fairly minor thing but I've always been mildy confused every time i see Vroom with his wheel attached to the gun.

tres mysteriouse as the French might say...