The Energon Pub

Title says it all...Why the heck are there no other Dinobots in the Classics line? Why no Insecticons either?? Isn't this supposed to be the line for long-time/ Old-school fans?

Hasbro is bending over backwards to appease the old-school fanbase for Star Wars, but based on what I've seen and learned thus far....there isn't quiiiiiiite that same level of love being given to old-school Transformers fans. A point I think is being highlighted right now by the 3rd party companies that appear to be thriving. Indeed, this line appears to be almost a secondary concern for Hasbro.

Granted, I realize they've got a Movie line to market, but again, take Star Wars...Clone Wars is an active series right now, and while it's toys are dominating the sales for the entire Star Wars line, Hasbro is still giving the old-school fans prime attention. In fact, they've stated that this is a priority for them; vintage cards, cool mail-away promos, updated old-school favs and brand new fan-fav obscurities. I'm aware of the cost-factor between a Star Wars figure and a Transformer, but again as a fan of both SW and TFs, the amount of love and attention between the two is very apparent.

Adding to my confusion about this is the character choices recently. Staxus was a quirky choice, but more deserving of a figure than the other Dinobots? More deserving than Insecticons? Same thing goes for Drift; while I absolutely love the toy, I'd have taken an updated Headmaster in a heartbeat!

What's up?

Amen to that! I've been thinking about finding some G1 Dinos that would work all right for the Classics dinos, but alas there's just too many fakes out there for me to consider it seriously. If only there were to be an encore release or something...

I'd scoop up the insecticons too with great gusto.

While many wish that Generations/Classics/Universe would redo every character from Generation One, it's just not that simple. A new mold for every character is expensive, and I also sense that Hasbro has been stepping away from using Animal/Dinosaur Transformers. I don't think the Insecticons deserve Generations incarnations, yeah it would be cool but I just don't see them being very interesting at all. They're G1 Toys are fine enough.

We'll be getting Dinobots in 2011, just not in Generations and I'm not talking about PCCs either. I can't say anymore or I'd have to kill ya

The Star Wars comparison is not really legit, their fanbase is much larger than our own Their toy releases are much more rapid because they are simply figures, not transforming toys. The time it takes to engineer new Transformers toys is alot more complicated than the time it takes to sculpt a new Star Wars face.

Insecticons were just re-released as TRU exclusives

Illiamrichard wrote:Insecticons were just re-released as TRU exclusives

pfft. the G1 ones pop up at a local shop constantly for change, even boxed ones for under $10. The real troublesome ones are the Deluxes. Hasbro can't reissue them since Bandai owns the molds, and G1 aftermarkets are few around here.

I do kinda want that ladybug one.

Blurrz wrote:While many wish that Generations/Classics/Universe would redo every character from Generation One, it's just not that simple. A new mold for every character is expensive, and I also sense that Hasbro has been stepping away from using Animal/Dinosaur Transformers. I don't think the Insecticons deserve Generations incarnations, yeah it would be cool but I just don't see them being very interesting at all. They're G1 Toys are fine enough.

We'll be getting Dinobots in 2011, just not in Generations and I'm not talking about PCCs either. I can't say anymore or I'd have to kill ya

The Star Wars comparison is not really legit, their fanbase is much larger than our own Their toy releases are much more rapid because they are simply figures, not transforming toys. The time it takes to engineer new Transformers toys is alot more complicated than the time it takes to sculpt a new Star Wars face.

Some of us are not interested in movie-styled Dinobots. The thought of them makes me nauseous.
Guess it's time to pick up a KO Swoop and Snarl, and make do.

adamassc wrote:

Illiamrichard wrote:Insecticons were just re-released as TRU exclusives

pfft. the G1 ones pop up at a local shop constantly for change, even boxed ones for under $10. The real troublesome ones are the Deluxes. Hasbro can't reissue them since Bandai owns the molds, and G1 aftermarkets are few around here.

I do kinda want that ladybug one.

My point is that Hasbro just gave them some love by doing an official re-release and in beautiful packaging. As for the Deluxes, I have doubles of all of them, one set still in packaging un-opened after all these years (I bought them when they were first released) so that's not so troublesome .

I really do feel lucky for not being the biggest Dinobot OR Insecticon fan. Actually, it is probably people like me who have caused Hasbro to neglect these groups of characters in certain lines. I'm sure I will get my turn being disappointed though-Hasbro will stop making alts based on machines.

Mkall wrote:Amen to that! I've been thinking about finding some G1 Dinos that would work all right for the Classics dinos, but alas there's just too many fakes out there for me to consider it seriously. If only there were to be an encore release or something...

I'd scoop up the insecticons too with great gusto.

Agreed, I'm not even into Neo g1(though I'm slowly getting interested) and I really wish these'd be made.

Voyager at least, they were kinda big in the cartoon.
As for the Insecticons, they never get toys, they NEED them.

I can't say anymore or I'd have to kill ya

Cool....but if you mean Movie...eh it's doable, tons of custom...ing and you could probably make them fit into non movie stuff.

MagnusPrimal wrote:Some of us are not interested in movie-styled Dinobots. The thought of them makes me nauseous.
Guess it's time to pick up a KO Swoop and Snarl, and make do.

zenosaurus_x wrote:

I can't say anymore or I'd have to kill ya

Cool....but if you mean Movie...eh it's doable, tons of custom...ing and you could probably make them fit into non movie stuff.

Great guesses, but nope. Well, I'm not sure if we will be getting Dinobots in the movie verse, but they aren't the ones I'm hinting at

So can you tell me and resurrect me or something?

Anyhow, I can't...well, I have an idea....

Well Blurrz you certainly got me intrigued with that.

But as for the topic at hand, I would love to see Classics/Universe/Generations Dinobots, especially after Classics Grimlock, but I don't expect it to ever happen for some reason.

Something I'd really like to see though is Fansproject make a upgrade/armor set for Classics Grimlock... Something that would make him a voyager class- or at least more imposing. Cause how he is now is just not.


As for the Insecticons, I'm happy with the G1's. To me their good enough.

What bugs me about G1 figures, at least from Grimlock, is that they feel so cheap and easily breakable...though the Aerialbots seemed ok...

Blurrz wrote:

MagnusPrimal wrote:Some of us are not interested in movie-styled Dinobots. The thought of them makes me nauseous.
Guess it's time to pick up a KO Swoop and Snarl, and make do.

zenosaurus_x wrote:

I can't say anymore or I'd have to kill ya

Cool....but if you mean Movie...eh it's doable, tons of custom...ing and you could probably make them fit into non movie stuff.

Great guesses, but nope. Well, I'm not sure if we will be getting Dinobots in the movie verse, but they aren't the ones I'm hinting at

I know exactly what you're talking about
I remember when you and the other guys in the know first revealed that big golden nugget of info a while back.
I just hope it turns out to be true, can't wait!!!!

I think the Insecticons original G1 toys were more than good enough. If Hasbro or Takara Tomy decided to make them in Generations (or the Dinobots for that matter) then that would be great but like the others have said, I think with the Classics Grimlock, Masterpiece version, Insecticons reissue and next year's release, I don't see it happening.

Catalyst Prime wrote:Something I'd really like to see though is Fansproject make a upgrade/armor set for Classics Grimlock... Something that would make him a voyager class- or at least more imposing. Cause how he is now is just not.


As for the Insecticons, I'm happy with the G1's. To me their good enough.

I think FP can handle making an all-new toy if they were to do Grimlock...or any other characters, pretty much. No need to restrict themselves by trying to adapt Hasbro's Classics design into something more like the original toy. With MP Grimlock, I'm not sure we'll need one anyway. The other Dinos? Oh, yes please!

The G1 Insecticons weren't bad, but I'd like to see them with updated articulation. Ravage being included with Hound had me excited for the prospect of releasing smaller characters along with with normal releases. The Insecticons, as well as obviously the other Cassetticons, would be ideal for this.

Blurrz wrote:We'll be getting Dinobots in 2011, just not in Generations and I'm not talking about PCCs either. I can't say anymore or I'd have to kill ya

Well, if they're not Classics, I could really care less, to be frank. If they are movie designs, or are somehow related to the movie then that is even less consolation. Commemorative releases would be sweet, but what I want is a Classics style figure; updated sculpt, updated articulation.

The Star Wars comparison is not really legit, their fanbase is much larger than our own Their toy releases are much more rapid because they are simply figures, not transforming toys. The time it takes to engineer new Transformers toys is alot more complicated than the time it takes to sculpt a new Star Wars face.

Actually, believe it or not, the time it takes to design a Star Wars figure is about the same amount of time to design a Transformer toy. Designing a Star Wars figure still has it's own complexity, because with respect to the face, we're often talking about capturing the physical likeness of a real person, which isn't exactly an easy thing to do when considering the scale. Star Wars fans are sticklers for likeness accuracy too. Add in the rest of the body sculpt; Star Wars figures don't use generic bodies like G.I. Joe; every character has a unique design sculpt and scale. Then add in the tooling costs in added articulation for every unique figure, and finally, the whopping licensing fee that Hasbro must pay Lucasfilm for the rights to make Star Wars merchandise... and what you have is a process that's not anywhere near as simple nor as cheap as one might assume.
So, yes, while they're obviously different in terms of process, to assume that one is a great deal more complicated than the other isn't quite accurate. Different areas of complexity.

Now, in terms of the SW fanbase being bigger, I don't see how that would negate the initial point. To clarify: I'm not talking about TFs matching SW on a figure per figure basis every year; I'm talking about TF fans, Old-school TF fans getting the same amount of love that Old-school SW fans are getting. Love doesn't always means quantity, it's quality, and giving the fans exactly what they're asking for. And in the case of TFs, that means getting all our favourite characters from yester-year reincarnated into fresh new toys. It doesn't matter to me if it takes longer, so long as Hasbro says it's going to happen.
The examples of Drift and Straxus still stand, especially Straxus. I mean, he showed up in two issues of the classic comic series, and was destroyed in the second...and yet this character is more important than an updated version of Slag, or Shrapnel?? There isn't a person here who wouldn't eat those up if Hasbro made them, especially if the Dino's were Voyager sized. So Hasbro needs to make them, because it would make us all very happy!

Rodimus the Prime wrote:The examples of Drift and Straxus still stand, especially Straxus. I mean, he showed up in two issues of the classic comic series, and was destroyed in the second...and yet this character is more important than an updated version of Slag, or Shrapnel?? There isn't a person here who wouldn't eat those up if Hasbro made them. So Hasbro needs to make them, because it would make us all very happy!

Straxus had a much larger role in the UK version of the original G1 comic, and has never had a figure of hs own. I can think of quite a few people who have been wanting this figure for YEARS.

Drift, on the other hand... the durn God Mode Stu irritates the bejeezus out of me, and it's doubly irritating that upcoming Generations Blurr is a retool of Drift instead of vice-versa.

I gotta agree with the ridiculousness of Drift getting a mold while the Dinobots and Insecticons don't. I've got the TRU reissues, but they're not Classics-style. These are iconic characters that need some love!

Grimlock isn't enough. Hell, he's one of my least-favorite G1 characters. Gimme Sludge, Swoop, Slag and Snarl!

I think star wars is just more popular than transformers. star wars is just cemented into American culture. i think thanks to micheal bay, whether you hate the movies or not, is going to put transformers uop there with star wars. besides i'd rather see kup and shockwave get the classics treatment!

Blurrz wrote:

MagnusPrimal wrote:Some of us are not interested in movie-styled Dinobots. The thought of them makes me nauseous.
Guess it's time to pick up a KO Swoop and Snarl, and make do.

zenosaurus_x wrote:

I can't say anymore or I'd have to kill ya

Cool....but if you mean Movie...eh it's doable, tons of custom...ing and you could probably make them fit into non movie stuff.

Great guesses, but nope. Well, I'm not sure if we will be getting Dinobots in the movie verse, but they aren't the ones I'm hinting at

Thank God!
And thank you for telling us that!

Who knows, maybe Blurr's Dinobots are Generations 2.0 or toys for the non-toy Prime show. lol.

Or they might just be a part of an upcoming Beast Wars revival line?! In that case, Transmetal I Dinobots all the way! Hell, I don't even need a vestigial third mode for them either.

"Dinobots, Maximize!" and "Insecticons, Terrorize!" have a really natural ring to them. Also, Beast Wars fans are now getting to the age of disposable income.


*Fingers crossed and contemplating a new Tigertron.*

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:I gotta agree with the ridiculousness of Drift getting a mold while the Dinobots and Insecticons don't. I've got the TRU reissues, but they're not Classics-style. These are iconic characters that need some love!

Grimlock isn't enough. Hell, he's one of my least-favorite G1 characters. Gimme Sludge, Swoop, Slag and Snarl!

I would love to see newer versions of these guys as well, but let's not knock on Drift. I'd no idea the character existed prior to this toy release, since I generally don't follow the comics (or video games, or whatever he's from), but I'm thrilled they made him. It's a solid toy, with a rewarding yet not overly complicated transformation and some great weapons. I could see a kid really loving that toy (and demanding an updated version twenty years from now ).

Several people on this thread talk about how Hasbro is aiming this line for older fans and collectors, but I think that's a ridiculous conceit. We make up such a tiny portion of their market. I think they are being very gracious in throwing us a few bones here and there, particularly in the Classics/Universe/Generations lines, but they don't need us to survive. I imagine their goal is to continue producing iconic toys, and if a few happen to reference a fan favorite of one type or another, so be it.

Regarding the dinobots -- and again, I would love to see new versions of these, as well as some re-releases of the old molds -- I think there is an added difficulty of creating logical repaints once the molds have been used once. With the Seekers, Hasbro can afford to give us a complete set (assuming, of course that Thundercracker eventually makes his appearance), because each one requires minimal effort, if any, to retool. Not to mention that planes will always be somewhat desirable to their primary market: kids. But dinosaurs are a bit out of vogue in pop culture right now, so even one Brontosaurus (or Apatosaurus, if you don't want to piss off any paleontologists) runs the real risk of being a peg-warmer, never mind a repaint.

I'm sure we'll see what we want in time, but in the meanwhile, I'm more than willing to buy any characters Hasbro puts out, as long as the molds are well-engineered.

A "ridicous conceit?"
Dude...The way to get anything in this life isn't to just sit at the edge of someone else's table and hope they throw you a bone, and be thankful if they do for even bothering thinking about you. If you want something, you have to demand it. That is capitalism! I'm an active member in Star Wars fandom, and I can tell you that fan-demand power is exceedingly effective when people rally for something. There have been a few figures that Hasbro said they would never make, but fans said "screw that, we want it!" and they got made eventually. It comes down to how badly we want these things. I do; enough to hammer Hasbro relentlessly until they do it.
The case of the 'Ice-cream Maker Guy' in Star Wars: ESB is the perfect example. This was a really obscure background character. A lot of fans didn't know who he was, but a small but extremely persistent group of fans rallied, formed petitions, kept on Hasbro's case, and the figure got made at last, and made extremely well. That is the power that even a relatively small group of fans amidst a bigger sea still has.

Rodimus, his name is Wilrow Hood, IIRC.

Re: tooling and such, it'd be mildly interesting to see what percentage of repaints the SW line has compared to the TF lines. Sure, SW has a lot of unique sculpts that couldn't really be used for other characters, whereas most TFs could theoretically get put out as a new character or as some alternate version of the one they were designed as...however, there's a hell of a lot of droids and clones in SW these days. I've not bought any for years, but have the same Clone Trooper mold in at least 4 different skittles flavours.

craggy wrote:Rodimus, his name is Wilrow Hood, IIRC.

Re: tooling and such, it'd be mildly interesting to see what percentage of repaints the SW line has compared to the TF lines. Sure, SW has a lot of unique sculpts that couldn't really be used for other characters, whereas most TFs could theoretically get put out as a new character or as some alternate version of the one they were designed as...however, there's a hell of a lot of droids and clones in SW these days. I've not bought any for years, but have the same Clone Trooper mold in at least 4 different skittles flavours.

Skittles?

"TASTE THE PAIN-BOW, JEDI SCUM!"