The Energon Pub

[Counterpunch]

This series of articles will focus on what was good about certain toy lines of figures, focusing on the positive, rather than the negative: Transformers Cybertron

I thought the Armada article would be hard to write. Convincing people that Armada was genuinely a good series of toys was set up to be a challenge. The cool thing about that one was that there were all these cool little aspects of Armada that were largely glossed over. So, in pointing them out, and establishing the ‘Ah-HA!’ type moments, it was relatively easy to explain why I thought the series was great. Now I get to Cybertron and quite frankly, don’t know what to say. It very nearly goes without saying, in fact, that the Cybertron line is outstanding. Cybertron is a refinement of Energon, a technological leap above Armada, and draws a line in the sand between the New School and Even Newer School of toys (Movie & Animated).

I know, whether or not you as a fandom out there admit it, that you guys love this toy line. I know this, because the spreadsheet I keep for my collection shows that the secondary market value of Cybertron shows an approximate 100% increase in the value of these toys when compared to the retail value. What has that happened in, like 2-3 years?

Somewhere along the way, Cybertron became the newest collector’s line. While we all marveled at how wonderfully full the shelves were during its tenure in stores, apparently we failed to notice that those shelves were sold out by the end of the wave. To top it off, there weren’t a whole lot of repeat performances of figures in later revision waves. One board-member said it best when they described the situation as resulting from a discrepancy between when the characters actually appeared ‘on-screen’ and when they were released in stores. See, the toys always made their store appearances long before their TV ones. By the time we as collectors had gotten our fill of Scourge and Leobreaker, kids were now seeing these guys on TV and making them permanently disappear from the shelves. Hence, Scourge will now run you between $60-80 new and Leobreaker $40-60. Shelf-warmers my ass.

I can’t say that high prices are what makes me like this line, but what I really do think is fun about Cybertron is the near universal acceptance we grant to it. (well, as universal as Transformers fans can get…) Due to the nature of the fiction, we’ve got 5 different planets by which character design can wrap around.

Like those Beasties? We’ve got mechanical ones, just like in G1.
Are you weird enough to have enjoyed the post 86’ movie? We’ve got futuristic designs, just like G1.
Like those City Bots? We went and got you some Metroplex. Remember him from G1?
Realistic Alt Modes? Oh, there’s a few. If you’re into that kind of thing, I’d check out some G1.
And of course, there’s Primus. Thank Primus. (He was shy in G1… but still there.)

It’s almost as if, well, it’s almost like someone, somewhere went and, I don’t know…listened to Transformers fans? If only these toys had loads of articulation and avoided being flimsy…

Right, right…yes, I suppose they do all that too.

Transformers Cybertron is literally the most expansive TF line since G1. It is essentially gimmick free in that Cyber Planet keys are about as non-offensive as you can get. Add into the mix that we got some of the very coolest TFs ever from Cybertron and it is little wonder why we have a modern day collector’s dream.

Why I like this line essentially boils down to one fact: Everything we as fans disliked about Armada and Energon was done away with while providing us with more detail, articulation, and variety than ever before. Everyone knows that Primus, Optimus Prime, and Starscream (Galaxy Force version here, sorry Hasbro…) are simply outstanding. These three epitomize excellence in the series. I’ll go over 5 toys you might have glanced over, just to show how expansive this line is.

5. Metroplex
The toy actually has two distinct robot modes, essentially a short and tall version. Both are quite excellent and help to scale him depending on the situation. Metroplex may be the best articulated toy for its size in all of Transformers displaying a Marvel Legends style range of movement. The biggest critique of Metroplex is his alt mode, as apparently, it looks like “nothing”.

http://www.asnee.com/blog/wp-content/up ... Mover1.jpg

Metroplex would like an apology from many of you.


4. Ransack GTS
A neat little repaint here and counterpart to the very popular Dark Crumplezone. Ransack GTS sports a surprisingly cohesive black, gold, and green color scheme. The figure itself is no different than the original release, but is instead indicative of how great the Cybertron repaints were in bringing out the beauty of some otherwise hidden details in the original releases.



3. Scourge
Has there ever been a dragon Transformer you wanted to get in a fight with…less? Scourge is a big dragon and an even bigger robot. Sure, his force chip gimmick is weak, but his big ass axe sure isn’t. Lots of Transformers bring their energon swords and spears to a fight. Scourge brought a giant axe. That’s a pretty good trick right there…



2. Mudflap
Personal bias be damned, this is a good toy and it was an undeserving shelfwarmer. Mudflap retains that old school boxy style while still displaying a full range of motion. His transformation is nearly kibble free and neither mode suffers for the other. Mudflap’s crane sits firmly under his arm as a melee style weapon. If only he had been painted neon green, someone would have loved him…



1. Cannonball
Yar…I don’t think Pirates are particularly cool, but Cannonball is for a variety of reasons. Cybertron did something very creative with this figure. They gave him a deco and back-story that made everyone notice an otherwise vanilla release. For those that don’t know, Cannonball is a space-pirate who uses his proceeds from villainy to purchase expensive deco schemes. Why he doesn’t just steal those too is a mystery of piracy. Cool thing about him, is that like the Dread Pirate Roberts, he ain’t the first. Oh yea, Hasbro did it, they gave genuinely cool back story to a random repaint character. He even has fiction over at the TF CC site.



Cybertron was an outstanding close to the trilogy. Love or hate the last 6 years of Transformers, you’d be hard pressed to ignore the leaps that Cybertron made in every regard for TF toys. There is enough in Cybertron alone to create your own modern day G1-ish population of Transformers. I like that a lot. The series was huge and full of redecos. All the same, it was a fun ride and it seems that no matter which camp of TF collector you fall into, something in the mass of releases in Cybertron was meant for you.

[Pot Bot]

i have to admit, cybertron was a cool line (and i love metroplex's alt mode lol) it did have the odd stinker, but overall far better than the previous 2, and i was one who loved both armarda and energon

[First Gen]

Thanks for pointing out and featuring Mudflap. He's one of my absolute fav's and he really goes unnoticed. He's the ultimate homage to Hotspot and he has awesome alt and robot mode playability.

[Nekoman]

One wouldn’t know how much I’m kicking my self now for not buying any Cybertron figures for the first year they were out… I liked them, but I was ticked off that it meant the end for Energon, which still remains as my favorite series.

Then came Christmas, my father bought me Armorhide, Overhaul, Scattorshot and Landmine, suddenly I felt this weird combination of regret and joy, thankfully though I was able to get most of the Cybertron figures I wanted most and recently Metroplex and Primus.

Cybertron also gave us the first Soundwave since G1, not to mention the Scarpmetals who were references to G1 Rumble and Frenzy.

[MaP_Prime]

Well I more or less missed Cybertron, for the same reasons I missed Energon and Armada, I just collecting during those years for reasons that escape me. However, I have had the opportunity to get my hands on some of the Cybertron repaints that have been popping up in the Movie line and they are some of my favorite pieces in my collection. Since I started coming to TF fan boards since the past summer I have always heard people talking down about Mudflap, and I was confused why after I took a look at his gallery. As soon as I saw him I wanted him, and that can be said for alot of the toys from this line. Makes me wish I had a time machine...

Oh well, I'm hoping to get to the Toronto TF con this June, so maybe I can find some cool Cybertron, Energon and Armada toys at the vendors table there and experience the fun alot of you other guys have had with these three lines.

[Overcracker]

Ahh yes Cybertron.. So many good figures so little cash.


I must agree that Cybertron had something for everybody, however the particular figures you chose, bar Metroplex which is one of my favorites from that line, did not really get my attention. I regret now not picking up Scourge or Cryo Scourge for that matter. But at first he really did not appeal to me. now I'm starting to warm up him. As for the rest, I never really liked Mudflap still really don't. Not sure what it is.

Cannonball repaint of Red Alert, not a bad figure but definitely not worth a second purchase.

Ransack there is just something about Motorcycle TF's i just can;t handle.

Anyway Cybertron gave us such gems as Downshift, Dark Skorponok, Scout Scattershot, Hot Shot Repaint Excellion. But then there were failures, although quite scarce compared to other lines. However scarce they were they were also monumental. Cybertron Thundercracker/Skywarp: just the big honking unsightly blaster arm was enough to deter most people from buying it. But since I needed a Skywarp and at that time, Classics hadn't even begun to rear its prototype face yet.


Still if Cybertron is remembered for anything its for bringing us a big honking Starscrea ... Wait no that's not it. Ahh yes: Bringing us the home planet of the Transformers itself, and God of all transformers: Lord Primus. Not many transformers can come close to the wonder that is Primus. Full of detail, with acceptable articulation. He is a Sold piece unlike Unicron (not that hes a bad figure).

The only other mistake I would really hold against Hasbro in this line would have to be the Starscream Issue. Why o why did they think a Supreme class Starscream should preclude the individual release of a Voyager sized figure. Instead we got a Target Exclusive packaged deal in Thrust colors. And while the scheme is pretty good, the release was extremely difficult to come by, and you would have to buy Vector Prime to get it. Still a Mystery to me.

I just hope Hasbro decides to re-release that mold for Universe in some way. But I guess the Botcon exclusive Heroic Starscream kind of puts a dent in that idea.

[Tigertrack]

Cybertron defense Team anyone? Gotta love bots with a lot of ifrepower, and Scattershot was such an upgrade from his original form...so cool!

Oh, and don't forget Excellion, best Hot Rod, I mean Hot Shot, I mean Hot Shot repaint ever...

The show didn't do much for me, but the toys sure did.

Oh and how about the return of Soundwave in a form meaningful today, and yet, reminiscent enough of his G1 self. The cartoon even tried to give him a funny voice similar to his G1 self.

Then there was a beastie of pure love, well artiulcated, nice weapon, good alt.-- Snarl to you and me, Wolfang elsewhere.

Oh and I know it wasn't in the US, but black repaints!!!!!!!!! Gotta love it!

And then of course, you have you homage to RID Prime, and Star Convoy in Optimus Prime.

And Unicron as a tank... what else could anyone want???

[shortround]

Yeah and my version of cannonball was really rare in that the green paint glowed in the dark for some reason.

[8 bit]

but what I really do think is fun about Cybertron is the near universal acceptance we grant to it.

I think you hit the nail on the head there. The Cybertron line, I think, was the epitome of what the Transformer universe should be in terms of robot and alt mode aesthetics; not to mention the diversity of the toys (vehicle, city, and beast modes), as you described.

[Redimus]

I cannot, and will not agree with people's love of Metroplex. That toy is NOT worth the rrp, and frankly, isnt worth the rrp of a deluxe (especilly concidering UK prices). I have never liked this toy from the moment I saw it's first photos. But I thought, 'why not? Every time I've disliked the photos of a cybertron toy, then bought it, I've loved it, I'll buy him too.'

Well, I was really disapointed. Yes, he's articulated, he really really is, but that dosnt stop me disliking him intensly.

Anyway, now I've gotten that rant out of the way, I wholeheartedly agree with everythign else that was said in this artical.

As far as I am concerned, Cybertron is THE best transformer line there has ever been, and quite frankly, as much as I love everything I've seen of Animated (and I really do), I cant see that line changing that statment.

I mean, (andI dotn think this was picked up enough in the artical) the detailing. In no other previous line, had so much detailing been included on every figure. Whereas in previous lines ther would have been large holes and/or blank bits of boring plastic, here there was nearly always molded detail that looked stunning and really made the robot modes look solid. Fine example, the voyager Starscream mold, there is a peice of fantastic detailing on a peice of plastic you only ever see during the transformation process. Can you imagine, even 4 or 5 years ago, a transformer having THAT MUCH DETAIL? Hell, MP Prime dosnt have that kinda detailing.

[UltraPrimal]

Yeah, Cybertron was I great line. I still think it could have done without the whole Cyber Key thing though. And one of the reasons why it was so great is because it had so many great homages. It had even more than Classics. Let's list them shall we?

Pipes(Armorhide)
Blurr
Kupp(Brakedown GTS)
Buzzsaw
Cyrotech(Cryo Scourge)
Black Zarak(Dark Scorponok)
Wheeljack(Downshift)
Hot Rod(Excellion)
Hot Spot(Mudflap)
Star Convoy/PM Prime/RiD Prime(Optimus Prime)
G1 Megatron(Galvatron)
Leobreaker(Lio Convoy)
Longrack
Soundwave
Lazerbeak
Soundblaster
Buzzsaw
BW Megatron(Beast Megatron)
BW Primal(Beast Optimus)
Metroplex
Ravage/Nemesis Prime(Nemesis Breaker)
Elita-1(Override)
Primus
Ramjet
Thrust
Sunstorm
Repugnus
Runamuck
Rumble(Red Scrapmetal)
Frenzy(Blue Ramble)
Skywarp
Smokescreen
Wolfang/BW Silverbolt/BM Jetstorm(Snarl)
Pre-G1/WW/Coronation Starscream
Swerve
Swindle
Unicorn

I think that's everyone. That's 40+ homages. Twice as much as Classics. A line that was completely dedicated to homages. And there are more less ovious homages.

For example, I consider GF Prime to the closest thing to a Guiltor release we'll probably ever see. Even though he's not red, blue, and grey, the black and red color scheme is quite menasing. And seperates him from simply being another Nemesis Prime. And I like to think of the planet symbols on his shoulders as planets he's destroyed. Like how fighter pilots put a mark on their jet for every enemy they've killed. Then there's the alt mode. Similar, though he has 2 cannons instead of 1. He's even got a jet mode, so there's a little bit of Starsceams influence there.

[Lapse Of Reason]

Three cheers for Cybertron!

Loved Primus, Galaxy Force Starscream, Optimus Prime, Scourge, and all the cool Botcon repaints that came out of the line.

Metroplex, Menasor, Quickmix, Red Alert, Cannonball, are not stand-outs for me (I still like Cannonball's backstory), although I own them too.

[Valandar]

To date, the only actual Leader class figure I have purchased was Cybertron Prime (in the 2-pack with Wing Saber), though I may get Premium Movie Prime.

Cybertron came out about the time I really got fully back into collecting, but it was coming to an end by the time I reached my "Ohh, that's cool! Gotta have it!" stage. I regret now missing out on a ton of Deluxes from the line, and only recently got my hands on the best Chopper ever, Evac.

Cybertron gave us some new alt modes, as well, ones that either never existed before in the actual TF line (like the submarine minicon), or we had only seen as Micromasters (Downshift's muscle car mode). While it was rather contrived to have five planets colonized all tending towards a single alt-mode style, it gave an excuse to make nearly any alt mode you could imagine. You had Earth for the Realism fans (and they, themselves, had four of the best figures of the line - Evac, Downshift, Armorhide, and Mudflap), Cyberton for the sci-fi fans, Speedia (?) for the car fans, the beast planet for BW / BM fans, and the Giant Planet for Big Bots.

It also gave us the wonder of the original batch of Legends figures. Far more articulated and true to their 'bigger cousins' than the Movie legends, they made me go "Wow!" in a way few others of their size have. And since I could snag one with pocket change (they were cheaper than even the 2-packs of minicon repaints released later), I rapidly got several of them.

There were only a very few flubs IMHO in the entire line. While beastformers aren't really my taste (too many are of the "Stand up, flip head down, put tail in hand as sword" type), Backstop really should have been named "Doorstop", because he's about that useful. Scout sized Scattorshot really disapponted me with his lack of articulation as well, but he wasn't as bad. And whoever thought of turning Nitro Convoy into a transgendered robot for the US Show should be chained to a desk writing "Robots do not need gender" a thousand times.

I honestly believe that the Classics would not have been as awesome as they were had the designers not had the experience of Cybertron.

[kirbenvost]

Another great article!

I agree that Cybertron is one of the best lines we fans have ever been graced with, if not better than Energon, at least as damn good as.

I too share the love for Mudflap. As I was considering thinning down my collection today, I just couldn't bear the thought of letting him go.

[Gasper]

Armorhide is simply my favorite figure from Cybertron. It's also about the only figure from Cybertron I have, as I just wasn't a fan of the molds. Yet, after getting Movie Hardtop, (in turn a redeco of Swindle I think), I have to say that the Cybertron Scout class just had some bitchin' posability.

Otherwise, I missed out on a few good ones. I'd still kill to have the Lucky Draw Sky-Lynx Redeco of Scourge.

[Counterpunch]

I have to admit, I really like how you all as the readers of these contribute with details that would have otherwise made the article unreadable.

It's cool to see/hear some of the things I would have liked to have said but couldn't due to space restrictions.

[Energon]

I find that my tastes run differently than many fans, probably due to the difference in age group. I love the Cybertron toys and Metroplex is one of my favorites. It is his blockiness that I love as well as how he clicks when you transform him. I love robots that click loudly. Metroplex is one of the few than haven't gone into storage at my house. The only negative about him is that his weapon does not attach well in alt mode. Cannonball is another one of my favorites, not because I like the mold, but because of his redeco. Many Cybertron toys appeal to me and I have quite a few, but have never seen the Cybertron cartoons.

[Optimist_Prime]

Cybertron was the last Great toy line. Classics was awefully good, but in a different league.

Not only did the Cybertron line have somthing for everyone, they had somthing for everyone's buget. Depending on the paycheck we had, if I am not mistaken, 7 size classes to choose from. The brand new Legends class, Scout class, Deluxe class, Voyager class, Ultra class, Leader class, and finally Supreme class. This line brought with it( as far as we know) the death of the supreme class. I highly doubt we will see one for a very, very , very long time if ever which is too bad. Dispite thier heftey price tags, I always enjoyed the supreme class stuff.

[Dagon]

Cybertron is/was the best toyline in Transformers history. I wonder almost if the Animated line came before the movie stuff if it would be recieved better by some fans. Animated in many ways is just the next step in the evolution from Cybertron, and if it weren't for peoples' disappointment/elation over the movie toys, perhaps we'd have less moping about Animated.

Anyway, Cybertron was so great, that even if the movie toys were any good the line still would have been a letdown.

[City Commander]

That mining thing is friggin scary.



The only thing that ruined this line for me is not having enough money

[Pot Bot]

I miss the supreme class, my SS is great, i love him to bits. As for blockyness, thats what i love too. Im a G1 addict so i love the more blocky bots, which is why i think rescue ratchet is by far the best movie toy, and the good thing about cybertron was they were all bulky toys that looked like big war fighting machines!!!


btw MB, just noticed the sig quote, Tek will be honoured

[Kryptikore]

I have admit the Cybertron line is great! I do enjoy the different directions they went with as far as all the transformations. I really didn't care for the cyber keys at first either, but it's not like that gimmick wasn't a transformed version of the little energon peices from the Energon line. Only differnce is thay actually do something now! I just wish I got into the toy line when it was on the shelves. After draining my funds heavily into Reissues, Alternators, and almost nearly every Energon figure; I had to take a break.

[City Commander]

I miss the supreme class, my SS is great, i love him to bits. As for blockyness, thats what i love too. Im a G1 addict so i love the more blocky bots, which is why i think rescue ratchet is by far the best movie toy, and the good thing about cybertron was they were all bulky toys that looked like big war fighting machines!!!


btw MB, just noticed the sig quote, Tek will be honoured

Funniest thing I'd read all day


Distribution was much improved for this line, even over here in GB.
While Armada was relatively easy to find (due to its low numbers of character figures; stores often became full of figures that everbody already had), and Energon was rather difficult, Cybertron seemed to have a very even spread. Nearly all of the figures were available at any good toy store, and had at least 2,3 or 4 of each figure on the shelves.



I miss the days of Cybertron. That was the time when transformers inhabited two isles at TRU. Now they just inhabit half of one.
We do still get the cheesy tf music playing in the isle though, I suppose

[Nekoman]

Cybertron is/was the best toyline in Transformers history. I wonder almost if the Animated line came before the movie stuff if it would be recieved better by some fans. Animated in many ways is just the next step in the evolution from Cybertron, and if it weren't for peoples' disappointment/elation over the movie toys, perhaps we'd have less moping about Animated.

Anyway, Cybertron was so great, that even if the movie toys were any good the line still would have been a letdown.

I’d still hate animated all the same no matter when they made it.

Sorry to say it, but Animated just isn’t my cup of tea and the movie has nothing to do with it. I think the reason I hate animated so much is because the designs commonly differ so much from what I like and what I like is stuff more along the lines of Energon.

When I got heavy on collecting Transformers I didn’t get into them because they looked like Jay Leno, I got into them because I was familiar with the way they looked, they reminded me of mech like Gao Gai Gar and some other Japanese robots that I like quite well.

Basically, Animated is not what I like about Transformers and not how I think they should look.

[Dagon]

Cybertron is/was the best toyline in Transformers history. I wonder almost if the Animated line came before the movie stuff if it would be recieved better by some fans. Animated in many ways is just the next step in the evolution from Cybertron, and if it weren't for peoples' disappointment/elation over the movie toys, perhaps we'd have less moping about Animated.

Anyway, Cybertron was so great, that even if the movie toys were any good the line still would have been a letdown.

I’d still hate animated all the same no matter when they made it.

Sorry to say it, but Animated just isn’t my cup of tea and the movie has nothing to do with it. I think the reason I hate animated so much is because the designs commonly differ so much from what I like and what I like is stuff more along the lines of Energon.

When I got heavy on collecting Transformers I didn’t get into them because they looked like Jay Leno, I got into them because I was familiar with the way they looked, they reminded me of mech like Gao Gai Gar and some other Japanese robots that I like quite well.

Basically, Animated is not what I like about Transformers and not how I think they should look.

Right on man, I'm just postulating. It seems to me that Animated furthers the cartoonish nature of some of the Cybertron ideas, and was just thinking that maybe if we weren't given 'hyper realistic' movie figures before the more and more cartoonish Animated ones, maybe some people would have different opinions or the general opinion may be different. I don't know, people like what they like and don't like what they don't like, and I'm not even trying to say everyone would like Animated more if it came before the movie toys.

Personally, most people's complaints about the Animated toys are how I feel about the movie toys. Sure they're different, and sure, we should certainly give different a try. But that doesnt mean I have to love it. Sure, movie toy alt modes are 'ultra super realistic', but robot modes look like crap. If movie figures are so amazingly detailed, why can't I discern a face on Ironhide? If I wanted extra real vehicles, I'd build models or collect die cast cars or something.

I wasn't like, trying to change minds or anything, just pointing out that if it weren't for Animated---the most stylized TF line--- following the movie line---(arguably) the most realistic TF line---, opinions may not be so divided. As much controversy as the movie designs sparked around here, before the movie came out and suddenly everyone was an expert about Transformers, I don't remember it being half as heated as the uproar/division that Animated is causing. Just tossin' in my idea.