The Energon Pub

o.supreme wrote:When a tertiary character like Autobot Inferno sells seemingly better than *arguably* the most popular character in all of BW...well, it's just food for thought.

I don't find it that strange. Most toys are sold to people just looking for a gift for a nephew, or for your Child's friend. Picking the red firetruck over the complicated dinosaur would be my plan of attack as well.

If the kingdom series would already be out on netflix, it might be a different story. But right now people just see a gorrila toy and not Optimus Primal.

I guess it depends on the kid
Dinosaurs were the **** for me at that age

Razorbeast88 wrote:I guess it depends on the kid
Dinosaurs were the **** for me at that age

Agreed... I don’t know if that’s changed that much...
My boys at that age would’ve only chosen a car over a dinosaur if the car was something sporty or in the realm of a military vehicle.

I will say those photos of Rodimus look better in terms of the face sculpt...
The angles don’t look so pronounced and exaggerated.
It will still take a good sale for me to go for that guy...
Definitely not dropping $80 for him.

I think people underestimate the popularity of Fire Trucks even if not Inferno himself. Many parents will buy a kid a fire truck toy even before a police toy, and it's been like this since I was a kid.

My mom got me Inferno because he wasn't something violent. I had to buy Prowl with my own money because she wouldn't spend money on anything 'violent'. I'm amazed I was able to get her to get me G.I. Joe figures at all. Megatron was never going to happen.

Sometimes it's about what a toy represents to the buyer, and not necessarily the "owner."

Pulse has sent out the automated 'stock came in before the date on the preorder' email for the wave 2 deluxes, so those should be fulfilling/available for purchase in the next week or two.

alekese wrote:Pulse has sent out the automated 'stock came in before the date on the preorder' email for the wave 2 deluxes, so those should be fulfilling/available for purchase in the next week or two.

I got the same notification for Kingdom Magnus.

Good News. Here's to hoping Amazon does the same thing. (they did get wave 1 early to customers, but I know there are no guarantees)

Scored the bot I wanted most at Walmart last night, and he has lived up to my hype. Ractonite is sweet!

The fossil Styracosaurus mode is really cool looking, and the robot mode aesthetic is fantastic. The beast mode puking out the right arm, the helmet head, the top heaviness, the way the fingers work with an Iron Man pose, it's all great! I love it!

I do need to clean up my spice Ractonite too

I hope if and earth mode Sideswipe is really gonna happen, they put out a G2 repaint. I missed out on the last one and its crazy prices on ebay. Also hope its not part of a big pack this time if it does get made. I already have the 3rd party G2 accessories pack for him and was thinking of getting Deep Cover as G2 SS.

My wrong item screw-up from Kapow Toys has finally been resolved and I've got my Airazor, and she's another fantastic figure! The falcon mode looks surprisingly good in its perching position, even if the wings folded up look a bit goofy. The original Airazor toy from Beast Wars was my third ever Transformer, the first two being Snapper and Armordillo, and she was the first toy of a character from the cartoon I ever had, so Airazor was one of the figures I was looking the most forward to Kingdom.

Slightly off topic, I'd say my Generations collection is getting close to a point where I'm completely happy with it, the only available-to-buy-now toy I still want is Studio Series 1986 Grimlock, and from future toys we know are coming from leaked store listings I plan on getting Studio Series Jolt, 1986 Slag, and Kingdom Rhinox, Tigatron, Tracks, Scorponok, Waspinator and the recently leaked Terrorsaur. I remember hearing "leaks" of a Studio Series 1986 Swoop and an Optimus Prime in his Age of Extinction/The Last Knight design, if they happen I'll get those too. After that I'm pretty much done, and may take a break from collecting, depending on what's in store after Kingdom. It's actually kind of harrowing to think about in a way.

Just picked up Paleotrex and core class Megatron. I like them both. Megatron definitely feels like the "Well, we made Prime, now here's Megs" but he's not terrible. Paleotrex is nice too, though I'm not too keen on his robot mode arms being so long

Sentinel_Primal wrote:Paleotrex is nice too, though I'm not too keen on his robot mode arms being so long

Well, he's a Fossilizer, so you don't have to stick to the official robot mode configuration.

Sabrblade wrote:

Sentinel_Primal wrote:Paleotrex is nice too, though I'm not too keen on his robot mode arms being so long

Well, he's a Fossilizer, so you don't have to stick to the official robot mode configuration.

True Been trying out some different ones but haven't found one that resonates with me yet. Still, he's definitely not a bad figure

Sentinel_Primal wrote:Just picked up Paleotrex and core class Megatron. I like them both. Megatron definitely feels like the "Well, we made Prime, now here's Megs" but he's not terrible. Paleotrex is nice too, though I'm not too keen on his robot mode arms being so long

Am I the only one to really like Core Meg's?
He's my favorite of them all.

-Kanrabat- wrote:

Sentinel_Primal wrote:Just picked up Paleotrex and core class Megatron. I like them both. Megatron definitely feels like the "Well, we made Prime, now here's Megs" but he's not terrible. Paleotrex is nice too, though I'm not too keen on his robot mode arms being so long

Am I the only one to really like Core Meg's?
He's my favorite of them all.

Oh, I do really like Core Megs, I just feel like he wasn't given as much love by HasTak during the design process. He's got the best headsculpt in my opinion, and a lot of small details that are nice like his gun being his G1 alt mode and pegging into his back to give him his barrel, but compared to the other core class figures he just feels like they didn't really care too much about making the colors match and making sure his articulation wasn't too hindered. I'm mostly nitpicking because it's almost perfect.

Hopefully the rumored Soundwave is good too, and we get some other Core Class Autobots so it's not just Prime and Rattrap against the Decepticons

Sentinel_Primal wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:

Sentinel_Primal wrote:Just picked up Paleotrex and core class Megatron. I like them both. Megatron definitely feels like the "Well, we made Prime, now here's Megs" but he's not terrible. Paleotrex is nice too, though I'm not too keen on his robot mode arms being so long

Am I the only one to really like Core Meg's?
He's my favorite of them all.

Oh, I do really like Core Megs, I just feel like he wasn't given as much love by HasTak during the design process. He's got the best headsculpt in my opinion, and a lot of small details that are nice like his gun being his G1 alt mode and pegging into his back to give him his barrel, but compared to the other core class figures he just feels like they didn't really care too much about making the colors match and making sure his articulation wasn't too hindered. I'm mostly nitpicking because it's almost perfect.

Hopefully the rumored Soundwave is good too, and we get some other Core Class Autobots so it's not just Prime and Rattrap against the Decepticons

The only true flaw of Core Meg's is the lack of hinges for the threads to streamline his backpack. But appart that, the sculpt and paint is stellar. Plus the tank turret can still turn. Only Megs that is as good for that size is the RTS legion.

Looking forward how they will handle Core Soundwave as well.

Munkky wrote:
Slightly off topic, I'd say my Generations collection is getting close to a point where I'm completely happy with it, the only available-to-buy-now toy I still want is Studio Series 1986 Grimlock, and from future toys we know are coming from leaked store listings I plan on getting Studio Series Jolt, 1986 Slag, and Kingdom Rhinox, Tigatron, Tracks, Scorponok, Waspinator and the recently leaked Terrorsaur. I remember hearing "leaks" of a Studio Series 1986 Swoop and an Optimus Prime in his Age of Extinction/The Last Knight design, if they happen I'll get those too. After that I'm pretty much done, and may take a break from collecting, depending on what's in store after Kingdom. It's actually kind of harrowing to think about in a way.

Yeah I hear ya... I’ve thought for a while now that my days of regular/frequent collecting are limited.
There’s a short, although still important to me, list of characters I want:
I will get Galvatron, Sweeps, & Slag (even without seeing him, Grimlock has me feeling very confident about this)
The other 3 Dinobots
A Blitzwing, an Astrotrain, & a 3 pk of Reflector that I actually like
The 3 Insecticons

Maybe’s: SS86 Kup, Wreck-gar, Gnaw, ER Sidedwipe, Kingdom UM, Core Megatron & Starscream, & Weirdwolf (if I ever see him again).
Then a few others I may go back for depending on what I end up with from that maybe list.

But once that first list is completed, anything else like a new Blaster & Perceptor will just be “icing”.
I may add to my small MP collection, but of course that depends on what’s released, & other than having Starscream preordered, that doesn’t seem likely right now.

It’s kind of nice thinking that in the somewhat near future I’ll only be buying a few figures per year.

They've done such great versions it's hard to see them improving on them.

For me, Blaster, Perceptor, Blitzwing, Sandstorm, Octane, Brawn, Gears, Windcharger, Swerve, and good earthmodes for the cars that were made in Siege plus the ones we know are coming.

Basically, 84-86 cast. The combiners would be nice, but for me I'd have to get Unite Warriors rather than Combiner Wars if I ever did it.

Core Megatron is, IMO, not a very good figure. I don't like the way his arms rub on the tank parts over his shoulders, I don't like how obtrusive the backpack is, I don't like that the hole on top of his canon isn't a 5mm port (and the opposite peg isn't either) making it just a useless hole, I don't like how dark he is, I absolutely hate that his tank barrel is just a hand gun, they should have given him a proper extension as a barrel. I don't under stand how a figure with this many parts and this many moving points can be this poorly conceived. Nothing against anyone that likes him, we have our own tastes, but he doesn't do anything for me at all.

Now Starscream, that's so far my favorite Core figure. The hinged wings, the correct guns, the articulated tail wings, all of the articulation is unhindered and that ridiculous spinning torso transformation. And his yet mode is among the best from the top and side. Doesn't look great from underneath, but most jets don't.

Emerje

Just got Cyclonus and Scourge, transformed them once so far but had to post my first impression -- wow wow wow!

A lot of the new CHUG are basically smaller scale Masterpiece now: the cartoon-accuracy, the articulation (both which are easy to take for granted currently) the face-sculpts, the weapons, and the way the characters look in both modes. Even the colours are spot on (or perhaps with a few inaccuracies.)

Only real difference is that their hands don't open. And that MP have now evolved into almost untransformable state (they're transformable, they're transformable... you just have to clear your day first.)

Love the way Cyclonus hides the nose cone (when will Starscream?) even got landing gear and translucent pieces in places where he had light in the cartoon at least once.

Scourge gave me flashbacks to the old X-Men figures. It's the fact that they sculpted his hands differently and that he's a lil weird looking (for a Transformer.) And I finally have a purple blast-effect!
His Decepticon tampos are a bit misaligned in jet-mode, but oh well. Anyone has that, too?

Kind of makes me want to pick up all the SS86 & WfC, but I'm trying not to get sucked into it again. Will get Galvatron of course, to go with those two. And maybe Grimlock cause he looks really nice. And maybe Huffer.

I can't find any flight base ports in their jet-modes... anyone? Is that not the standard anymore?

And did they start including those holographic cards with Kingdom or did I accidentally throw them away before?

There were cards with the Combiner Wars / Titan Return / Power of the Prime trilogy. Those were lame though.
Then the cards made a return with Kingdom but in a much more fancier state.

I think the on Scourge's hood in space-boat mode is misaligned for everyone. It is for mine too anyway.

And yes, it's true. Most of the WfC trilogy figures and the SS86 ones are absolutely fantastic and can stand as "budget masterpieces." You should definitely get Leader Optimus Prime if you haven't already. He's mind-blowing!

-Kanrabat- wrote:There were cards with the Combiner Wars / Titan Return / Power of the Prime trilogy. Those were lame though.
Then the cards made a return with Kingdom but in a much more fancier state.

I think the on Scourge's hood in space-boat mode is misaligned for everyone. It is for mine too anyway.

And yes, it's true. Most of the WfC trilogy figures and the SS86 ones are absolutely fantastic and can stand as "budget masterpieces." You should definitely get Leader Optimus Prime if you haven't already. He's mind-blowing!

Thanks!

Is that a "Bayverse" Prime?

Not that it matters, just curious -- how come Cyclonus is WfC and not SS86?

Cyberpath wrote:
Thanks!

Is that a "Bayverse" Prime?

Not that it matters, just curious -- how come Cyclonus is WfC and not SS86?

Kingdom Optimus is just a re-release of Earthrise Optimus. He's pure "geewun" down to the Matrix of leadership in his chest.

As for why the SS86 figures are a thing, the 1986 movie is a movie and the SS line is about movie lines... but the real reason I guess is to release more "G1" figures than the current line is allowed to contain. (Also, get SS86 Jazz!)

Anyway, back to Optimus:


Only difference between the Kingdom and Earthrise versions are the box.

Oh yeah, I have Earthrise Optimus Prime on the shelf. He's great, love how the front of the truck folds so compact into his pecs.