The Energon Pub

[Rocketeer]

I was going through Target's toy department today, and I had printed off the $10 off coupon for Animated Leader toys.
I was hoping beyond hope that they would have Leader Ultra Magnus.

I've been drooling over Leader Magnus since the first pictures were released.
This was *the* figure I wanted.
It was #1 on my wish list. (Well... #2 if you count MP Grimlock.)

Lo and behold, Target did have a Leader Magnus.
He was stuffed away on the back of the shelves, behind two Leader Megatrons.

I had Magnus in one hand and a $10 coupon in the other.
It should have been a very good day.

As I looked at Leader Magnus, though, my enthusiasm quickly - and unexpectedly - died.
The white parts were a grayish blue - which I had seen pictures of and thought I could live with.
In person, however, the colors just looked... dull.

An evern larger problem was that Leader Magnus just didn't look good to me.
He looked well-articulated, and his gimmicks all seemed to work fine.
And yet, it felt like I was holding a kindergarten toy instead of a bada$$ robot.
It's like expecting LEGO Indiana Jones and getting toddler Duplos, if that makes any sense.

I don't know... Leader Magnus just seemed bland to me.
The colors were dull, and his paneling was just too smooth.
I want details in my robots (maybe Universe 2.0 and the MPs have spoiled me in that way).
Maybe it was the chunky monkey hands on Magnus.

It seemed to me that a kid would get more joy out of playing with this figure than I would out of displaying him.
I ended up putting Magnus back on the shelf.
With the coupon.
Maybe some kid will get it for Christmas because of the coupon.
I dunno.

What's wrong with me?
Am I losing my fanhood?

[Seibermore]

I dunno if ur losing ur fanhood but ur stupid kuz u should of gotten him for ME!!!!!!!!

[Rocketeer]

Lol... sorry, Nevermore.
I hadn't considered the financial gains of scalping him.
Perhaps he'll still be there tomorrow.
Next stop, Target. Then... eBay!

(Nah... I'm kidding. He'll be gone tomorrow anyway.)

[Sledge]

It happens. Sometimes something seen in the flesh doesn't live up to expectations. I've passed on Universe Onslaught a few times now because of that. Maybe Magnus is something to buy when you see him for a lower price?

[Nujevad]

As one of the biggest Ultra Magnus fans out there, I share your disappointments with the Leader Magnus. If you had opened him, you would've been even more disappointed. While he is articulated, the joint placement on the shoulders as well as the overly bulky shoulder pads prevent him from getting into great poses. I also thought that he should have been given some wrist articulation, so he could hold the hammer with both hands better.

[Cheetron]

As much as I hate to admit it, it happens a lot to me anymore. I buy toys that look good or seem really really cool. 90% of them aren't and I regret the purchase. Now I stand in the toy wing (it's not an aisle anymore) and just check them out forever before I put them back. I got my hands on the $70 Prime and saw everything Seibertron said about him. It makes me feel old.

[Rocketeer]

Yeah, it's just frustrating.
Seeing something presented in its best form online just doesn't represent it properly.
It's really difficult to anticipate something so much for months on end, and then to either (a) buy it and be disappointed, or (b) find it in the store and not buy it.

I had the same sort of thing with U2.0 Powerglide.
I'd seen the pictures of the sleek Ultra-class A-10 (my favorite kind of plane), and I was primed and ready to buy it.
When I saw it in person, however, it just didn't speak to me, y'know?
Then I later saw the full galleries of the figure, and I was glad I passed due to the heavy backpacking on him.
Why was that experience not so difficult as passing on Ultra Magnus?

On the other side of the coin, I'd seen Universe Onslaught once at the store.
Same day as my Powerglide sighting, as a matter of fact.
The figure hadn't really been on my radar, but I looked at him in-box anyway.
Then I looked at pictures and realized what a great figure it was, and now I can't find him anywhere.

What is worse (1) to buy a figure and be disappointed, (2) to find a figure and be so disappointed you don't buy it, or (3) to unknowingly ignore a great figure and then never see it again?
We collectors have tough choices. Lol...

[Delicon]

Nothing to be ashamed of, just go with what you like, man.

[Savage]

I haven't seen Leader Magnus in person yet, but I've heard a lot about people being disappointed in him. Unless he really dazzles me when I do see him in the store, I'll probably pass on this figure. City Commander Magnus is all I need.

[Rocketeer]

At the risk of sounding like a snob, I guess that the main reason I was turned off by Leader Magnus was that I was very aware that he was a toy.
Most of my figures seem more like poseable/transformable statues.
They have a certain detail and believability to them - even the Animated Deluxes.

Leader Magnus, on the other hand, just seemed to be function over form.
He was too smooth and too Duplo-ish.

I like my Transformers with lots of details.
In the words of Slartibartfast: "I've always been rather partial to the little fiddly bits around the fjords."
That's one of the reasons I enjoy MPs and Universe 2.0 more than Animated: there's all sorts of bumps, buttons, and detail work that has no real function but just serves to make it look more like a real thing.

Maybe when Leader Magnus has his Roadbuster redeco I'll be more interested.
A little camo paint could do wonders for the mold.

[Nujevad]

Oho, a Douglas Adams fan eh? Anyway, with all my negative comments about leader Magnus aside, I'm still waiting for the Roadbuster repaint (like I said, I'm a big Magnus fan). I also hope that they release a legends or an activators version of him, maybe it'll make me appreciate the leader mold more.

[Lapse Of Reason]

It is a bland figure but I still like it. It fits in well with the other Animated figures.

[WolfDawg]

Weird. Ultra Magnus is one of my favorite figures from the animated line...and really high up on the list of my favorite TF's period. Sure the baby blue portions should be white, and his shoulders and a huge turn off, but her just looks awesome. Once you get over the lack of white paint aps, UM is one of the few transformers figures that actually looks like a leader who commands respect.

[Downshift7]

Yes, I made a post concerning this very topic here http://www.seibertron.com/energonpub/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=45909
I too am very disapointed. I complained to Hasbro on there web site. They responded quickly and said they are looking into the matter and would forward my e-mail to upper management. I would strongly recomend telling Hasbro your feelings as well. While they may not be able to alter the mold- they can resolve the color issue no problem. It sounds like they have had many other complaints about this very problem. Ultra Magnus needs the white not whimpy robin-egg blue. E-mail Hasbro- it will be worth it in the long run.

[Downshift7]

I may wait for Roadbuster.He looks awesome. That is to say, if they don't change his color.

[Dagon]

I may wait for Roadbuster.He looks awesome. That is to say, if they don't change his color.

See, now here's my problem.
That thing looks amazing, and I really don't care for the Animated line despite the few I have. From the pictures it looks like it would look great in nearly any color with nearly any name attatched to it or whatever. I keep looking for it at every store I go to.

But I have this terrible feeling that when I see it in person I'm going to hate it.
Just like Classics Powerglide......

[WolfDawg]

This issue is really no different than the pictures we see of gorgeous models in magazines or dazzling celebrities on billboards and movies. It's a little thing called photoshop and editing.

If the media does it to humans to make them look more appealing and beautiful to sell a product, best believe they'll do it to the actual product as well. It's nothing new.

[Dagon]

This issue is really no different than the pictures we see of gorgeous models in magazines or dazzling celebrities on billboards and movies. It's a little thing called photoshop and editing.

If the media does it to humans to make them look more appealing and beautiful to sell a product, best believe they'll do it to the actual product as well. It's nothing new.

Yeah, but it works in reverse also. Sometimes ads make things look like poo and in real life they're great.

[Nujevad]

The Roadbuster Magnus still has a blue head? Yuck. They should've repainted it as well.

[Cheetron]

What is worse (1) to buy a figure and be disappointed, (2) to find a figure and be so disappointed you don't buy it, or (3) to unknowingly ignore a great figure and then never see it again?
We collectors have tough choices. Lol...

I once passed on Beast Wars Tigatron and I still regret it. I ended up getting the Takara one many years later but I still regret not picking him up.

I've bought tons of figure I've been disappointed in. I've found guys and been been so tempted I wanted to throw it across the store. I'd go with option 3.

[Rocketeer]

Verily, 'tis better to have bought and hated than to have never bought at all?
That about right, Cheetron?

Having seen these pictures of Roadbuster Magnus again... I dunno.
The blue head does kind of clash.
The color scheme looks OK, and it seems to break up the monotony of the figure.
I guess it's another "wait until it's in the store" thing.

[dragons]

i dont know ive givne up on finding ultra magnus where i live now how long since he was released 3- to 5 months now and still nothing has popped up.

hell probably show up around december most likely.

i had the sdame situation i wanted the the cyberrtron soundwave figure but i almost setteled for soundwave repaint to blaster i just dont like the colors on that figure g1 blaster i like but anyother version of blaster that are repaints i dont like i decided not to get blaster & get cuybertron soundwave on one of the site sotres.

[Agent 007]

I found an ultra magnus at the target where I work. He's got great paint and I have the add for $10 off and I have my discount card so I'm gettin him today for $27 that's a pretty good deal!

[Chaoslock]

I got my hands on the $70 Prime and saw everything Seibertron said about him. It makes me feel old.

Which Prime?

If that's the Supreme Roll Out Prime, I don't know, but that's the first TFA figure that is priced down to insane levels in my country (average price of supreme toys here is 100$, Prime is now around 50$) and I can't get myself to buy it, even if I have the money... I buy deluxes for 20$ anytime, but that Prime is such a meh... The last time I felt this was during the movie line, during the nameless drones and repaints.

[Powersa]

Same here. On last Saturday I saw 3 at a store, also first time in person, with a $10 off coupon in hand as I planned to get a Magnus. After looking at the toys, I left without buying.