The Energon Pub

For example, who is the best looking and awesome Optimus prime? Not as a character, but purely as a design? Armada? Prime? G1? Bayverse? Games? Comics?

I'll go out of the norm and I'll go with Grimlock.

His best and most awesome design so far is the new Bayverse Ages of Extinction.
Dat Dino-dragon mode who will cut you and make you bleed just by looking at him.
Dat anime-esque demon-samurai warrior looking robot mode.
Movie Grimlock is so awesome!

As for Bulkhead, I would love to go with AoE Hound, but he's not really Bulkhead. So, it's only between Animated and Prime. For me, Animated is the better one. I just love a big fat lovely oaf bot!

Finally for this post, I have a hard time chosing for my favorite character ever, Starscream. I love ALL of his forms, but which one is better? Well, I'll put the classic G1 design on an equal footing with the Bayverse one. Blasphemy some might say. I didnt even liked the Movie Starscream look at first, but HFTD Leader Starscream changed all that. That toy is that good.

I like the g1 pilot episode and 1986 Movie design.

Gf comes close second and CR Omega Prime the third.

4th place would be MF Ginrai though his prototype pics together with GB look even more awesome........too bad it wasn't economically feasible to implement.

For OP I'm going to commit major nerd blasphemy and say RID Prime/Fire Convoy. I am somewhat biased due to owning this toy, but I actually think Prime works better as a fire engine than a truck. It's more heroic, more fitting for the leader of the Autobots. Also, dat manly chrome six-pack.

For Megatron, I might actually say Armada Megs. The toy was a tad lame (although really only because of the articulation; the alt mode, gimmicks, sculpting and such was great) but the design is just awesome. Great big spiky monster tank of death, robot mode with Gunbuster shoulder pylons and ANTLERS, great big bulky limbs, and more weapons than Wheeljack's store cupboard. Really, every Unicron Trilogy Megatron was awesome, although Armada Megs is the only one I own. Energon Megs looks nice, and aside from his hideous colours (although the Galvatron redeco helps in that area) Cybertron Megatron looks good too.

I prefer Cybertron Megatron's original scheme over the Galvatron repaint, which I personally find predictable and dull, plus the random purple face in the middle of that sea of black, white, and red is just weird.

On the whole I can say there's a lot I like about the UT era transformers and the interesting departures from the norm that some of them made. Armada Optimus is actually one I like despite the terrible Super Base toy and barely passable Supercon/Deluxe one, as it's the one non-beast Optimus that doesn't pander to the ever 'required' design element of having window pecks, fake or otherwise. I'm also torn between Armada and Cybertron Starscream both for the sake of their designs, characterizations, and because they both have what I consider a much more tolerable color palette than other versions of the character.

If I had to pick absolute favorites though, right now I'd have to say I favor a lot of the unique designs from the IDW universe, such as stealth bomber Megatron and ongoing Optimus Prime/Orion Pax.

Agree on Rodimus. Excellent head sculpt. Mature Hotrod in all aspects.

Well, I'd give it a go, but...

Amelie wrote:
Starscream - Armada. No contest for me there. I really love that toy..

Amelie already beat me to it.

Yeah, Armada Starscream is my boo. I secretly wish that he'd get a Masterpiece toy.

...and it's no longer a secret.