The Energon Pub

News Credits: 131 · Mon Jan 14, 2019 2:44 pm

Spotted this guy today...

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Priced as marked.

MyFigureCollection.net collection · Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:01 pm

-Kanrabat- wrote:Mandrake

Mandarake - Mhan-dah-rah-kay :HEADHURTS:

Sorry, couldn't take reading that any more. :-P

Emerje

Tue Jan 15, 2019 1:06 pm

I see that Prime is starting to show up in certain areas and on Ebay.

Do we know when Soundwave is going to hit and how much $$$ it will cost yet?

News Credits: 4877 · Tue Jan 15, 2019 1:55 pm

JasonM32 wrote:I see that Prime is starting to show up in certain areas and on Ebay.

Do we know when Soundwave is going to hit and how much $$$ it will cost yet?

No to both questions, sorry

Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:27 am

My local Walmart finally got the G1 Optimus Prime in stock. They had 6 or 8 of them on the shelf. I grabbed one and I'm going to wait to see if the price ever goes on rollback. If so I'll get another one. I also got a second Bumblebee today because it was marked down to $5.

Now I'm just going to be counting the days until Soundwave shows up. Exciting times for a G1 fan. ;)^

Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:40 am

No doubt! Been getting my 5-year old into the G1 cartoon and toys. I'm only recently addicted to the TF nostalgia of my childhood, but thoroughly enjoying it.

News Credits: 65 · Wed Jan 16, 2019 1:20 pm

JasonM32 wrote:My local Walmart finally got the G1 Optimus Prime in stock. They had 6 or 8 of them on the shelf. I grabbed one and I'm going to wait to see if the price ever goes on rollback. If so I'll get another one. I also got a second Bumblebee today because it was marked down to $5.

Now I'm just going to be counting the days until Soundwave shows up. Exciting times for a G1 fan.

I'm probably picking up this Optimus Prime as well. I already do have the 25th Anniversary version from Hasbro's Transformers: Universe (2008) line, but I want this latest reissue for the original smoke stack length, better red plastic coloring, and the fact that the silver stripe on the cab is painted on, not stickered!

As for Soundwave, I was all ready to pass on him, but after looking over my SDCC 2009 Soundwave, I noticed the sticker placement (most were pre-applied in package) is rather messy. I might pick up this one too when it comes out to get a Soundwave with the stickers applied carefully and cleanly by myself.

News Credits: 56 · Thu Jan 17, 2019 9:40 am

My Walmart has a shelf FULL of G1 Optimuses(Optimii?), like no more Hot Rod or Starscream, just G1 Prime everywhere. There's like 20 of them here! But for 50$ each... I'll pass. They did look nice though. First time I ever saw any version of the G1 Prime mold in the flesh(or box/plastic/whatever)

Edit:Tried to upload a pic from my phone but I don't know how. Can anyone help?

News Credits: 22 · Thu Jan 17, 2019 10:03 am

Nathaniel Prime wrote:My Walmart has a shelf FULL of G1 Optimuses(Optimii?), like no more Hot Rod or Starscream, just G1 Prime everywhere. There's like 20 of them here! But for 50$ each... I'll pass. They did look nice though. First time I ever saw any version of the G1 Prime mold in the flesh(or box/plastic/whatever)

Edit:Tried to upload a pic from my phone but I don't know how. Can anyone help?

Click on the attachment option of the post and you should be able to put in the file name of the photo.

Thu Jan 17, 2019 2:39 pm

I've decided that someone in my area either A) works for Walmart and keeps snagging the good stuff from the stock room before putting on the floor or B) is an avid collector who snags the good stuff like a ninja.

The Walmart off of 136th Ave in Westminster, CO has not even set up their new display yet and all 6 Optimus are gone. Thankfully, I picked up a couple from a neighboring store.

Sooo, if it is an employee and they are on this forum... share the love and PM when stock comes in! Ha!

News Credits: 22 · Thu Jan 17, 2019 5:59 pm

jnerock1 wrote:I've decided that someone in my area either A) works for Walmart and keeps snagging the good stuff from the stock room before putting on the floor or B) is an avid collector who snags the good stuff like a ninja.

I will admit to doing this, but not because I'm a d-bag scalper. I work for Walmart and I check incoming stock a few times a week. Well, today at the end of my shift I checked for Optimus Prime and saw that we had a case of 6 in but it hasn't been put on the shelf yet. So I went to the back and found the case. So now I have a reissue Prime. :-D

The other 5 will be fair game as soon as they get put out. Call it one of the very few perks of the job.

Sooo, if it is an employee and they are on this forum... share the love and PM when stock comes in! Ha!

That's what the Sightings Forum is for! ;)^

News Credits: 25 · Thu Jan 17, 2019 7:09 pm

All my area Walmart's have this guy well stocked now. The nostalgia feels hit hard when you see this guy, and pick him up.....

then you see the price and those feels vanish in a hurry! I'll wait for the clearance price. :lol:

Thu Jan 17, 2019 7:09 pm

No doubt! Perks of the job for sure. I'd do the same. Glad you're checking the stock and keeping an eye out. I'm looking forward to Soundwave.

News Credits: 656 · Fri Jan 18, 2019 2:25 pm

After buying one of the new Optimus reissues, I know why it's $50 (other than Hasbro and Walmart wanting to make money) - it's nice. Some key points follow.

It has two guns because they're the different sculpts! The skinny gun even has the post that's just long enough for him to hold it not at an angle.
Ultra Magnus cab length front axle, which means less wobbly wheels.
None of the die cast has been replaced with plastic.
Rubber wheels
Long smokestacks
Best I can tell the sticker sheet is entirely new, and features a deco adjustment on the "knee" stickers that places the yellow block at the bottom on both of them. As a fan of symmetry, I dig it.
Joints are nice and tight, nothing gave me that "this mold is worn out" feeling.
Headsculpt seems crisper than it has in awhile, but I could be off here as I didn't get the Encore, Chronicle, or BAPE versions of G1 Prime.

Basically, I think someone saw the pricepoint to hit and decided to do the cab and do it right instead of doing the full package and compromising it. It's ok to not like $50, but I feel like there was at least some effort put into justifying it.

Sat Jan 19, 2019 10:12 am

For those who've opened theirs: Is Optimus' trailer hitch peg still solid or is there a hole in the middle now like in the last Ultra Magnus reissue(which is based on Chronicle Optimus Prime[G1 & DOTM 2pack])?

News Credits: 101 · Sat Jan 19, 2019 10:20 am

Ebonsaber wrote:For those who've opened theirs: Is Optimus' trailer hitch peg still solid or is there a hole in the middle now like in the last Ultra Magnus reissue(which is based on Chronicle Optimus Prime[G1 & DOTM 2pack])?

Solid.

Sat Jan 19, 2019 10:34 am

Thanks!

So it appears to be based off the Encore version of the mold, so good to see it hasn't been permanently changed.

News Credits: 10 · Sun Jan 20, 2019 12:47 am

Check your clearance sections at Walmart, fellow collectors. At least here in Tucson, Mini-bots are going on clearance! Our two favorite mini-bots from More Than Meets the Eye, serendipitously.

Mon Jan 21, 2019 8:03 pm

I only ever saw Hot Rod twice at the Walmarts in my area in California. I was about to give up until I saw JazZeke's post before me. There is still hope.

MyFigureCollection.net collection · Tue Jan 22, 2019 4:17 am

JazZeke wrote:Check your clearance sections at Walmart, fellow collectors. At least here in Tucson, Mini-bots are going on clearance! Our two favorite mini-bots from More Than Meets the Eye, serendipitously.

My one local Walmart that actually got these put them on clearance a few weeks ago, but just put the last two Swerves back on the shelves at full price. After the winter store reset there's now four pegs for these to the left of the Siege figures so I wonder if the next batch of Mini-Bots is coming soon?

Emerje

News Credits: 131 · Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:52 am

Emerje wrote:
JazZeke wrote:Check your clearance sections at Walmart, fellow collectors. At least here in Tucson, Mini-bots are going on clearance! Our two favorite mini-bots from More Than Meets the Eye, serendipitously.

My one local Walmart that actually got these put them on clearance a few weeks ago, but just put the last two Swerves back on the shelves at full price. After the winter store reset there's now four pegs for these to the left of the Siege figures so I wonder if the next batch of Mini-Bots is coming soon?

Emerje

The stores I've checked have yet to clearance the minibots. They are on pegs and I didn't even think to check the tag. The toy sections have been reset, but I just assumed they were there by mistake.

News Credits: 22 · Tue Jan 22, 2019 10:52 am

I wonder if the new release of the reissue Soundwave will affect prices for the originals in the secondary market. I still need to get him but I would prefer a loose piece over a brand new reissue if the price is right.

Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:31 pm

I made the mistake of only purchasing one Starscream that I unboxed (because I'm trying to relive my youth and all). When they went on clearance, I scoured the area through Brickseek and every single store that showed 2 to 4 quantity were out. I had the Walmart stores double check and their quantities match. People must have ripped them off for the quantities to still show. It's a shame.

Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:59 pm

Fortunate timing for me today. I was able to get another HotRod and it was marked down to $7.

...and, Hotrod is facing the right direction in the box. :DANCE:

The other day I got Bumblebee for $5 so now I don't feel so bad about paying $50 for Optimus Prime.

MyFigureCollection.net collection · Wed Jan 23, 2019 2:22 am

This is what I was talking about with Swerve being returned to the shelves with four fresh pegs added (they were in the big Bee movie display outside Electronics before).

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I have to believe it's all preparation for the next run of characters.

Emerje