The Energon Pub

News Credits: 2024 · by **Hotrod** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:50 pm

Awhile back we reported about the first prototype images of Transformers Movie voyager class Optimus Prime. Now ebay seller kayotoys-cn has put up an auction for a colored prototype of voyager class Optimus Prime. Here are the mirrored images from the auction:

News Credits: 3 · by **Kayevcee** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:10 pm

The doors open! Neat! The smokestack shotguns continue to be awesome. The only thing I would've done differently would have been a ball & socket joint on the neck rather than just the rotation.

-Nick

News Credits: 1 · by **Duke of Luns** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:12 pm

Well, there goes the part about "cars driving themselves", but I guess it makes for a better disguise. Looks ok, I guess.

by **ATAKTICON** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:21 pm

Optimus shoots a super soaker now?

News Credits: 2024 · by **Hotrod** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:29 pm

For some reason I like this version more then the leader class version.

News Credits: 337 · by **Air Commander Starscream** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:34 pm

Hotrod wrote:For some reason I like this version more then the leader class version.

I do as well, and wow that is awesome.

by **Ramrider** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:35 pm

As much as I'm digging the Leader class, this looks really cool, too. The driver is a great idea - is he retractable or something?
I have to question the logic of the Autobot insignia on the grille, though. At least Deluxe Bumblebee has the good sense to hide his in vehicle mode.

News Credits: 1 · by **edcomics** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:05 pm

What an ugly face... Still, I like this a lot better than the Leader Class version.

News Credits: 668 · by **Autobot032** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:06 pm

Weird. When I saw the unpainted protos, I liked this one and not the Leader Class.

Now that I've seen both in color (and pretty much finished), aside from the fact that the Voyager comes with PETER CULLEN...I must go with the Leader Class.

This one, now finalized, just doesn't do it for me.

Even more money saved. Whee!

News Credits: 7 · by **Zeedust** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:15 pm

Two big shotguns, and a driver... Love it. Is there any other american TF with a driver? The only one I can think of is Armada Sideways and I'm not sure he counts.

News Credits: 1 · by **Redimus** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:21 pm

The only think that bothers me is the paint job, I dunno why, but it detracts from the proto shots we saw. I hope thye paint the eys, cuase the head looks wrong with eyes that are the same colour as other parts of his head.

And as I said with the leader one, they could have at least chromed the grill...

News Credits: 38 · by **TheMuffin** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:24 pm

Redimus wrote:The only think that bothers me is the paint job, I dunno why, but it detracts from the proto shots we saw. I hope thye paint the eys, cuase the head looks wrong with eyes that are the same colour as other parts of his head.

And as I said with the leader one, they could have at least chromed the grill...

Agreed. The paint clashes really badly with the grey plastic. It would have been better if it had all been painted or molded in a lighter color.....$5 says the driver ends up being Cullen.

News Credits: 2024 · by **Hotrod** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:27 pm

Nightwatcher wrote:$5 says the driver ends up being Cullen.

That would be awsome it that were the case.

by **Maldroth** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:35 pm

love it the only thing i'm not digging is the face. Seems like he's going for a KISS look with blue eyeline makeup rather than haveing those grey grills near his mouth piece.

Looks much sleeker than the Leader version and at a $20 price point (assuming Voyagers will still be the $20 price point toy) definately worth getting.

As for the leader class one, well going to come down to features and posability since it seems to be a display piece now more than anything.

News Credits: 3 · by **Kayevcee** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:35 pm

Duke of Luns- what are you on about? TFs have boasted fake or projected drivers since the word go- in the cartoon Hound could hologram one up, and Roadhandler and the other Micromasters had fake fellas that popped up out of their seats in the comic. It's hardly the end of an era when the era was never there to start with. Plus, driving around without a driver is a pretty good way for an alien infiltrator to get his cover blown in a hurry, doncha think?

Hasbro don't seem to use chrome much these days at all. I'm trying to think of the last time I saw any on a main-line toy. Maybe it's the cost, or maybe it's some mad new safety regulation concerning daffy kids chewing their figures.

-Nick

News Credits: 8 · by **Flashwave** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:40 pm

Kayevcee wrote:Duke of Luns- what are you on about? TFs have boasted fake or projected drivers since the word go- in the cartoon Hound could hologram one up, and Roadhandler and the other Micromasters had fake fellas that popped up out of their seats in the comic. It's hardly the end of an era when the era was never there to start with. Plus, driving around without a driver is a pretty good way for an alien infiltrator to get his cover blown in a hurry, doncha think?

Hasbro don't seem to use chrome much these days at all. I'm trying to think of the last time I saw any on a main-line toy. Maybe it's the cost, or maybe it's some mad new safety regulation concerning daffy kids chewing their figures.

-Nick

And that's ignoring the pic of hoist (I think) DRIVING Prime in the cartoon.

EDIT: After looking up the leader, I'm torn. I like the Voyager Prime, it looks more poseable, or less block in the way of the knees. But The Leader Class Prime does have some neat features

News Credits: 8 · by **Liege Evilmus** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:42 pm

I like him.

I'm gonna get a few, cause he's gonna see some paints when I do.

News Credits: 23 · by **1337W422102** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:43 pm

DO NOT WANT. Nice truck, but terrible-looking robot. Articulation doesn't look too good from the waist down, either. And the head is a serious failure.

News Credits: 1 · by **ZenithF0RTE** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:51 pm

For some reason, this looks more like a Deluxe Class rather than a Voyager Class. I'm only saying this based on the design of the hands. It's like nearly identical to hand design on the Protoform Optimus (also from the movie) but Protoform Optimus is smaller than Classic Voyager Optimus Prime. :-?

by **DesalationReborn** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:03 pm

A better coat of paint would have made this a class-A figure.

News Credits: 2024 · by **Hotrod** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:09 pm

Remember guy, this is not the finished product.

by **Predaprince** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:09 pm

Eyes are too large, but definitely the best depiction of this Optimus Prime I have seen yet.

by **Nemesis_Apoc** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:16 pm

wow. that kinda sucks. just like the Megs voyager. why can't they just leave those bots to just one size? the leader class figs are fantastic. what is this? beast machines?

News Credits: 665 · by **Skowl** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:32 pm

Hotrod wrote:Remember guy, this is not the finished product.

I think it is. Everytime a badly painted toy comes out, everyone says it's not the finished product, then we get the finished product and it looks exactly the same.

The mold looks great, but the bot mode desperately needs some paint detailing. His legs are so bland and his arms look horrible - he's like a big mess of gray with a couple of red and blue squares painted on here and there.

His lack of colour completely ruins it for me.