The Energon Pub

[DeathReviews]

See? I knew Hasbro was holding out on us with wave 2! It's not just PotP. Hasbro has been really iffy with almost all their lines that are under the Generations umbrella. Most folks never did see Twin Twist in stores from Titans Return. But to be fair, they seem really on the ball with the lines we DON'T want, like RiD and the movie toys. There are always plenty of those....

[DeathReviews]

So in other words people who already have Wave 2's and are looking for Wave 3's will have to put up with Wave 2's shelf-warming since wave 2's still won't go to the places that missed them back in Feb. and the same will happen with wave 3's now which is why at this point I'm almost glad this line was short since, between the poor quality of Voyagers, Leaders and Titan's caused by stupid gimmicks no one asked for and that annoying Studio Series crap taking up Generations space (Shelf Warming of course), I'm just about done with TF collecting this year anyway....

Not until I get my Abominus!

[-Kanrabat-]

See? I knew Hasbro was holding out on us with wave 2! It's not just PotP. Hasbro has been really iffy with almost all their lines that are under the Generations umbrella. Most folks never did see Twin Twist in stores from Titans Return. But to be fair, they seem really on the ball with the lines we DON'T want, like RiD and the movie toys. There are always plenty of those....

Don't forget the second player of that ball game. The retailers filling up their stock with wave one to the brim is a problem too. Because they won't order anything new untill they sell of that wave one overstock.

It's the same bullcrap repeating itself over, and over again...........

[Va'al]

Also from Seibertron.com friend and Transformers toy and concept artist Ken Christiansen, we get - after Rodimus Unicronus as reported here - a look at the original designs behind the Voyager class figure from Power of the Primes Elita-1, and her combiner torso mode for Elita Infin1te!

The character designs are shown below mirrored from Christiansen's Facebook page, and feature all three modes, along with the official packaging art for the toy. Check it all out and join the discussion in the Energon Pub discussion boards!

Power of the Primes Elita-1 concept art!

Bot mode, Combiner mode to form Elita-Infin1te, and her new jet mode.

Drawn over the molds of PotP Starscream, here's what I came up with to inspire the final product.

I scored one in a Target last week; I'm super proud that I got to work on this character, and the Hasbro/Takara team did a great job on it.

Commission in partnership with Hasbro, Inc. Copyright 2018

[Lore Keeper]

There has always been an arguement of whose fault poor distribution is. There answer probably varies with each situation, but based on all of my observations, the blame for PotP's distribution woes seems to sit squarely on Hasbro's shoulders. The Walmarts in my area have had empty spots for PotP Deluxes for weeks if not months. I chalked this up to them not wanting to order new stock. However, we just had a brand new store open in my area, and I went in there day one. Conspicuously, everything was nice and stocked except those Deluxes. It does not behoove a store to open up with empty shelves. This makes it very likely even Walmart just can't get these toys right now.

[gothsaurus]

It dawns on me that I am buying my new figures... just like vintage ones. Scrounging for sellers and paying disheartening markups... never seeing them on the shelves. The more I think about it, the weirder it gets.

What kind of Shattered Glass dystopia is this??

[Lore Keeper]

It dawns on me that I am buying my new figures... just like vintage ones. Scrounging for sellers and paying disheartening markups... never seeing them on the shelves. The more I think about it, the weirder it gets.

What kind of Shattered Glass dystopia is this??

If only this were Shattered Glass. At least then the vintage figures would be cheap.

[RiddlerJ]

I still can't figure out why they do this wave system at all. Release the whole line in one wave. More variety means less shelfwarmers and they stores will reorder as the figures run out. Putting things out in waves makes no sense because retailers don't pay attention to the wave numbers. If figures are shelfwarming, they will not order the next wave even if it counts as different product.

[o.supreme]

Conspicuously, everything was nice and stocked except those Deluxes. It does not behoove a store to open up with empty shelves. This makes it very likely even Walmart just can't get these toys right now.

Yeah that should never happen, you are correct. I remember a Walmart store that opened in the summer of 2003. I walked right in with no problem.(not knowing it wasn't officially open, all people in the store were not dressed like employees, so I thought they were shoppers). I saw the pristine look of a brand new toy aisle, clean and fully stocked. Also it was the first time I saw Armada Unicron! Of course when I went to check out and pay for it, security bombarded me, and I was unable to purchase the item. Unfortunately Walmart employee intelligence has not improved over the past 15 years, which is why occasionally going there will bring me the joy of seeing something new, but more often it brings disappointment.

This is one of the major drawbacks of not having a dedicated toy store. Walmart and Target employee usually for the most part, just don't care.

[YoungPrime]

So in other words people who already have Wave 2's and are looking for Wave 3's will have to put up with Wave 2's shelf-warming since wave 2's still won't go to the places that missed them back in Feb. and the same will happen with wave 3's now which is why at this point I'm almost glad this line was short since, between the poor quality of Voyagers, Leaders and Titan's caused by stupid gimmicks no one asked for and that annoying Studio Series crap taking up Generations space (Shelf Warming of course), I'm just about done with TF collecting this year anyway....

Not until I get my Abominus!

Quality wise, the Terrorcon Limbs (Deluxe's) are the highlights of this current line IMO. Which is saying a lot considering that the more popular Dinobots and Predacon's are part of this line to.

[dryxler]

I work at Target, and I personally stock all Transfomers at my store. We had two cases of Wave 2 deluxes, with just two Wave 1 Dreadwinds staying put. Never saw Hun-Grr and Elita-1, got an Inferno (skipping that one), and more Grimlocks and Starscreams. And we have several Liege Maximos, no other Prime Masters! The distribution is HORRIBLE. I may have to hunt Hun-Grr online, the skipping waves thing is painful. And I did have to order Misfire online. Found two Slugslingers though, one for me and the other for a friend. Felt like a lottery win.
I’ve told plenty of parents about collecting Volcanicus, and only have Grimlock to offer.
Whether it’s the retailers or Hasbro they need to get their crap together. How long does this go on?

[Va'al]

We have sighting from the UK - thanks to our fellow Seibertronian Crankcase79 and the UK Sightings thread - for the second wave of the Transformers: Power of the Primes figures! Deluxe class Moonracer, Sludge, Rippersnapper and Blackwing are the ones in the image below, which hails from the Smyths toy store in Leeds Crown Point and shows the £16.99 price point for each, but there are reports of Voyagers making their way across the country too.

If you find these or any other Transformers figures, why not help fellow fans and collectors out by marking it down in our Sightings Database right here?

[blackeyedprime]

Sweet, time to head to Crown Point Thanks!

[fenrir72]

After Onyx Prime/Predaking, there are still 5 more Primes of the 13. 5 more "pretenders" to be released? Or 5 more figures with no shells? What of the upcoming Cybertron watchamacalit line?

[blackeyedprime]

Masterpiece Starsabre arrived this morning and there is no need for hasbro to do a new POTP version at all, I was using the distribution lulls to fill in my huge backlog of MPs that I am missing. The torso combine gimmick just feels like a POTP leader prequel figure and the way the deluxe robots hands cleverly extend leaving hollows seems to be mechanics they have used to effect in titans return figures. Looking forward to the wave 3 deluxes if/when they arrive over here tho I wish hasbro used takaras plastic tie less packaging like the legends line.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

After Onyx Prime/Predaking, there are still 5 more Primes of the 13. 5 more "pretenders" to be released? Or 5 more figures with no shells? What of the upcoming Cybertron watchamacalit line?

At least one will be Waverider, retooled from Cloudburst. Predaking had a list of all 12 Prime Masters (The Arisen is not taken with the count, as he's represented by any Evolution Leader), the one coupled with Waverider should be black and off-white to grey:



Prima seems to be closest match, so that leaves Amalgamous and Nexus.

[william-james88]

Amazon.com updated their Transformers Power of the Primes Counterpunch listing with not only a descritpion of the toy but a new name for the listing itself: Transformers Power of the Primes Punch-Counterpunch and Prima Prime

That right there gives us two solid new bits of info where we learn that the Prime Master the toy will come with is Prima Prime and that the toy can turn into both Punch and Counterpunch. The description states that this toy is meant to reflect the G1 toy and that it will be a premium release similar to the previous Arcee and Grotusque special releases.

Below is all the Amazon listings gives us for the descprition. It seems to be a completely new mold for it to achieve what is described.

Special Edition Transformers Generations Power of the Primes Figures
Deluxe Class Punch-Counterpunch figure converts between Autobot, Decepticon, and sports car modes
Punch-Counterpunch figure is designed to reflect the G1 release with 2 distinct robot modes and features premium details
Includes a special edition Prima Prime Master and comes in special edition packaging
Includes Deluxe Class Punch-Counterpunch figure, special edition Prima Prime Master figure, 2 accessories, and instructions. Ages 8 and up.

Celebrate the Prime Wars Trilogy with this special edition Power of the Primes Punch-Counterpunch figure. Featuring 2 robot modes (both Autobot and Decepticon) and a vehicle mode, the Autobot double agent was a huge hit when he was originally released in 1987. This version has been faithfully designed to reflect the original G1 figure. Plus, it comes with the special edition clear ice blue Prima Prime Master figure. The 5.5-inch scale Deluxe Class figure comes with a 1.5-scale Prima Prime Master figure and a Prime Armor accessory. Insert the Prime Master figure into the accessory, attach it to the figure's chest, and imagine Punch wields the power of a Prime. The Punch-Counterpunch figure converts from Decepticon to Autobot in 9 steps and from robot to sports car in 13 or 18 steps. The Prime Master figure converts between robot and spark modes in 1 step. Transformers all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Of note, this will be the second of the "lost" Prime Masters released, after Onyx. Better, the Prime Armor is included! Calling Waverider right here and now!

[Wireless_Phantom]

YES! Now I'll never have to buy that tiny headed over priced exclusive to complete my rebirth cast!

[chuckdawg1999]

Looks like Punch/Counterpunch is only going to have one blaster between both modes since one of the accessories has to be the Prime Master papoose.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

O crap, misread. No Decoy Armor, but Prime Armor, the Hand kind... Still calling Micronus/Cloudburst retool.

[Emerje]

O crap, misread. No Decoy Armor, but Prime Armor, the Hand kind... Still calling Micronus/Cloudburst retool.

Oh crap, I misread that, too. Puch/Counterpunch is going to be one complicated figure basically having five modes: Punch, Counterpuch, car, arm, and leg. I was happier thinking he wasn't going to be a combiner and they'd be able to do something more G1 with the figure like giving it proper four arms. But either way I'm buying two.

So that's all of the exclusives counted for, right? I wonder what the plan will be for the last two and if they regret including Megatronus a second time with Blast Off?

Emerje

[Jelze Bunnycat]

O crap, misread. No Decoy Armor, but Prime Armor, the Hand kind... Still calling Micronus/Cloudburst retool.

Oh crap, I misread that, too. Puch/Counterpunch is going to be one complicated figure basically having five modes: Punch, Counterpuch, car, arm, and leg. I was happier thinking he wasn't going to be a combiner and they'd be able to do something more G1 with the figure like giving it proper four arms. But either way I'm buying two.

So that's all of the exclusives counted for, right? I wonder what the plan will be for the last two and if they regret including Megatronus a second time with Blast Off?

Emerje

Repugnus, in addition to Titan Master Dastard (drat and double drat), will come with Solus Prime, who's normally available with Octopunch in Wave 3. So count a second one for the "regret"

[Blitzwing is bae]

so is this one of the $5 figs?

[Victinoko]

I can't wait until this comes out! I never thought we would ever see a G1 accurate Punch any time soon. The collectors club one is nice, but expensive, and I would like something better than that.