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Review for IDW Transformers Beast Wars Issue 2

Date: Wednesday, March 3rd 2021 5:22pm CST
Categories: Comic Book News, Reviews, Site Articles
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 54,234

This issue was a series of interactions among various characters. Of course, that's what all stories are but what I mean here is that every 2 pages we got different characters talking to one another and this gave us a great sense of their relationships and personalities. It was basically a series of small character pieces all in one comic, ending with a pretty great action scene.

I especially like how different the Maximals are to the Predacons. All Predacon interactions are violent, with no sense of comradery. I loved the scene between Dinobot and Tarantulus, where the allegiance and disdain for hierarchy among Megatron's soldiers is made loud and clear. Dinobot is one of my favourite characters from my childhood and I am happy to see him interact with his fellow Predacons as an ally, since that's something we never really saw in the original Beast Wars show.

The other interaction I like is Optimus Primal and Nyx, but more for Primal's characterization. We see more of that younger and adventure hungry Primal here and how this side of him affects him as a leader. I like it. I already had the more world weary and pensive Primal, so it's fun to see this side of him. I also thought Josh Burcham drew him really well. The art will still not win a ton of people over but as someone who was not a fan, I did think Primal looked great. The simple approach to the fur in robot mode reminded me of the original toy where the molded fur detail would be more apparent at the edges. And speaking of the original toy, his transformation in the comic was a nice callback.



So, back to this less risk averse Primal, we see in this issue just what the consequences of this change can entail for the safety of his crew. It leads to a terrific scene with Terrorsaur. Once again Josh Burcham really delivers here with a great looking Pteranodon mode and some fun shots and angles, making for a very dynamic scene. I especially like the predatory POV shot we get (I won't spoil that shot in this review).



However, like I wrote earlier, the art in this issue won't change your mind. There are some odd choices, like how Scorponok's tail seems designed by Tim Burton and the lack of background in particular scenes is very glaring. The characters are expressive though, and the scenes are dynamic. So I choose to take the good and leave the bad. You do you.



We also get a small taste of the VOK and I am fine seeing them this early. We get a sense of all the players being brought to the table. I was never a fan of the VOK, they always felt anticlimactic to me in the original show, so I'll wait to pass judgement until I see more. At least their appearance this early already avoids the anti climax the show gave us when we found out what they really looked like.

Overall, I preferred this issue to the first, I really loved the character interactions. If you liked the characters from the original, especially the Predacons, then I recommend you check this out.


out of

Top 5 Best Thundercracker Transformers Toys

Date: Wednesday, February 3rd 2021 9:19pm CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 70,002

Every month now, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.


Top 5 Best Thundercracker Transformers Toys

After our previous Top 5 Starscream list, an interesting discussion ensued on our boards. While other Starscream molds were brought up, many felt that some worked better for other seekers. And that gave me the idea to look at every seeker as an individual character and revisit their history within the brand. It was fascinating to see how each seeker has their own idiosyncratic molds and some molds that they just own. Today we will cover Thundercracker.

5. Action Master Thundercracker Solo Mission Jet Plane

Thundercracker is the only other seeker released in the Action Master line and while he does share the same mold as Starscream, the toy is rather unique in other ways. First of all, that deco is CRAZY but in the best ways. Definitely screams more G2 than anything else and that makes sense since this was a (totally rad) 90s toy. He does have his own unique molding in terms of accessories which is a jet that he can pilot (just adding to the wackiness) that then turns into a mecha body for him. Fun playability all around and an iconic deco that is now remembered as Shatterred Glass Thundercracker.










4. Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Leader Thundercracker

While I was not a huge fan of this toy when it was released as Starscream, I thought it looked great as Thundercracker. It's a very imposing toy and makes a fun and affordable display piece, compared to the MP.






3. Studio Series Thundercracker

This is one of the few molds that Thundercracker has which Starscream does not. And unlike other instances (like the Cybertron line) this mold rocks! I really love how it blends the symmetry of the jet mode with the asymmetry of the robot mode. It also has a very satisfying and meaty transformation. Hasbro gave this release some extra attention in the deco department, as we see on the thunder motif tail and extra deco on the knees. I like that the new head sculpt is fairly Starscream-like but still unique and he is Titan Master compatible for even more fun. This was also one of the very last Toysrus exclusives ever available in the US, an extra piece of bittersweet trivia.








2. Earthrise Thundercracker

What a solid toy. I loved the Classics mold but the size just didn't work for me. So now that issue is fixed with the Earthrise toy and we also have him in more show accurate colours and improved articulation so it's just win win.






1. Siege Thundercracker

While both molds are good, I tend to preffer the Earthrise mold over the Siege one for Seekers. However with Thundercracker, there is a bit more at play since this Siege version gives us his first look in the cartoon. While Starscream is the main seeker, it was Thundercracker that we saw on Cybertron in this tetrajet form and unlike Skywarp, who accompanied him, Hasbro nailed the deco.










Honourable Mention

Transformers Convention Club Shattered Glass Thundercracker

While the calssics mold is somewhat covered with the Earthrise mold already on the list, I wanted to mention it again here, especially since there was an exclusive release by the Transformers Club which gave us the Action Master deco through their Shatterred Glass Thundercracker.

Review of IDW's Transformers: Beast Wars 1

Date: Monday, February 1st 2021 11:37pm CST
Categories: Comic Book News, Reviews, Site Articles
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 48,356

I often see older fans ask for a straight up G1 reboot that is as close to possible to the original and I always think it would serve of no use. We already have lots of G1 reboots (like Cyberverse and Netflix's WFC) and if that's not G1 enough for you, then the original show is still there. With this first issue of Beast Wars, all that is reinforced for me. I am a huge Beast Wars fan and I never needed a remake of the first episode's opening segment. And yet, now we have one. So yeah, if you watched the first 10 minutes of the first episode of Beast Wars, very little in the comic will feel new. And the fact that it has random new characters makes that even more odd. So it's a faithful retelling, only not, which just makes it feel off. To all the Beast Wars fans out there, let me know if this scene rings a bell?



Most of the characterizations are as you'd imagine, with Optimus Primal being the one with the biggest change. He is far more of a hot head here, hoping for something exciting to happen and a shoot first kind of guy. That difference was interesting, as was seeing Megatron get the golden disk (though fans had already seen the Club's take on that in the past as well). There isn't much in terms of story beyond that since as soon as they get their beast modes, the issue just stops. What we get in terms of story is not bad at all, but it is a complete retread so that we can proceed to more stories within the exact same premise. I am pretty sure that the following issues will be different stories than what we saw (at least not as identical) but the fact that we had to go through all the motions again wasn't exciting. Especially not with this art accompanying it.



So let's get to the art. As with the story itself, it is not bad, at all. As a sequential artist, Josh Burcham is a beast (ha!), and I really liked seeing all the characters in their Cybertronian bodies first. It's something I always wanted to see in the original show and it was fun guessing who is who.



All that good stuff aside, I just didn't feel this Scotty Young type art style was the right fit. It also feels very bare. The backgrounds themselves were rather bland in this comic. And the lack of detail simply does not work with the organic beast modes, some of which look terrible (especially the new Nyx character). There's a part dedicated to explaining the fur found on Primal's gorilla body and yet all we see is just black with some non contrasting flecks. It felt like the writing was at odds with the art or Burcham simply took too much on by providing every aspect of the art from "penciling" to colouring.



In the end, the issue was ok. Not great, but not bad either. Nothing new or exciting for me as a Beast Wars fan but I will definitely give it a chance since I can see how the repetition here could be a necessary evil to set up a similar premise to the show we all love. And the art is the same as the cover we have seen for months. If you were not on board then this issue won't change your mind.

I give this issue 3 gorilla hairs out of 5

Top 5 Best Starscream Transformers Toys So Far

Date: Wednesday, January 6th 2021 4:30am CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 120,334

Every month now, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 Best Starscream Transformers Toys so Far

While anticipating the next Masterpiece Starscream, I just wanted to cover all the great toys that we got of him so far. This is one of the few characters that has been a mainstay through different eras, almost as much as Optimus Prime and Megatron (even more so than Bumblebee who was absent for the Unicron Trilogy). And since Takara's best designer is a fan of the character, he was always given some extra love in the design department, and as we're about to see, it shows.


5. Studio Series Starscream

Upscaling a toy might be an easy way to put "new" products on the shelves but it can also result in great toys, like Beast Hunters Voyager Predaking. And the result for this voyager Starscream is awesome! Even being familiar with the deluxe mold from Dark of the Moon, the bigger pieces made for a very fresh transforming experience. And it being an upscale did not feel in any way like it had less parts than it should. It felt complex enough for a voyager. I really appreciate the attention to detail like covering parts that used to show hollowness adding parts to beef out the sides, add detail to the sculpt and, best of all, use that now famed Takara MP Beast Wars technology for adding a digital textured deco layer all across the alt mode. Really cool. The tatooed redeco for the Revenge of the Fallen version is just as good.










4. Transformers Prime: First Edition Starscream

This is one of the best seeker molds of all time. The design choice to have the robot mode be so slim and sleek makes him look creepier than any version of Starscream before. I am so impressed with how they were able to pull off a robot mode as skeletal as the one depicted onscreen and yet still have him perfectly transform into a tight and smooth jet mode where no robot limb protrudes, as is often the case with jets.






3. Transformers Cybertron Starscream

It is really too bad that the voyager Starscream toy in his show colours was never released by Hasbro, but at least fans got to experience this excellent mold in other colours, such as a very Thrust like burgundy and in blue with Dirge. And yes, even with the Siege mold out there, this is the better looking Cybertronian mode we've ever gotten for Starscream.










2. Transformers Hunt For The Decepticons Leader Starscream and MPM-10 Starsceam

These two toys are both great and achieve the same purpose so what I saw for one is almost the same as I'd say for the other. They are relentlessly detailed and screen accurate (obviously, the MPM more so). There are many separate pieces which shift in perspective by being moving from the background to foreground while transforming him to the point where it really feels like there is a robot inside the jet made up of all the jet parts and you uncover him through the transformation. Both of these toys show us what perfection is in a different way. With the Leader class one, we have a much cleaner jet mode and a satisfying while intuitive transformation but the robot mode is not as detailed. With the MPM one we have the most perfect robot mode we will ever get for the movie Starscream design. However, it is far more fiddly and the jet mode, while still looking sharp, does have an undercarriage which looks more out of place. So these toys tell us that while you can't have absolute perfection, you can still have two incredible toys.










1. Transformers War for Cybertron: Earthrise Starscream

I have made lists for seekers and jets in the past and while I always included the classics mold, I did always wish it was bigger. I loved the look of it though, as well as the simple yet smart transformation. It seems Hasbro was thinking the same thing, and now I realize there is a trend in good Starscream toys being the result of upscaling a good deluxe toy. With this toy, we have what I would call our definitive Starscream for a classics scale. Plus with this being the same scale and overall aesthetic as the Siege tetra jet, you can form a really awesome armada of seekers varying in designs and colour with Starscream in the lead.

Seibertron's 2020 Year End Review

Date: Saturday, January 2nd 2021 1:41am CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 71,108

Seibertron's 2020 Year End Review

On this glorious 1st of January 2021, we said goodbye to 2020 and while there are no wishes of faring well to that year, it did give us quite a bit of Transformers product. Gone are the years of just one line on the shelves to support whatever show is on, we had several lines celebrating current and past Transformers eras. This year gave us an Arcee for every line as well as the best deluxe Bumblebee figures (plural), among a myriad of other toys, and now we look back on all of that. Please share us your thoughts with what your picks would be for each category.




Deluxe Thunderhowl. Unique transformation and weapon storage in wolf mode. - Bounti76

Ultra Rack'n'Ruin. I haven't had much experience with the Cyberverse figures, but I did get to play with a fellow collector's Rack'n'Ruin figure earlier this year. It's got some fun play gimmicks, but the obvious draw is that this is the first toy version of the character, though the Cybertron redesign does differ quite a bit from the original G1 character model. Here's hoping we get a repaint of Earthrise Doublecrosser as Rack'n'Ruin at some point!-Wolfman Jake

Deluxe Arcee. Arcee was a super fun character on the show, especially thanks to VA, Jaime Lamchick, and the toy conveys her lax and gunslinging personality well. With the other crappy Arcee toys this year, having one with a manageable (and actually accurate!) backpack, along with other pros, this one easily takes the cake. Greatly posable, real dynamic, and hey, she comes with an actually useful Maccadam part (hammer)! -notsoalex

Tiny Turbo Changers Sharkticon/the Sharkticons from that one set with black one-step Rodimus. They are just too adorable for words. It's too bad Tiny Turbo Changers badically don't exist in America anymore, as this means troopbuilding opportunities are limited. -ScottyP

I really like deluxe Arcee. The alt mode is a really cute take and the robot mode is very show accurate, right down to how the backpack looks. - William-james88

Hard to call between Ultra Class Thunderhowl and...Actually, scratch that, I'm just calling it for Thunderhowl! -ZeroWolf






Tie between Devastator as a whole, and the Chromia, Elita-1, and Arcee 3 pack. Hasbro showed us that at the complete opposite ends of the scale, they can do well engineered toys. Plus we FINALLY get movie Elita-1 in her proper altmode. - Bounti76

Leadfoot. This guy has been a long time coming. The original Deluxe Leadfoot figure's release was cancelled in most markets, so there was no way to complete the Wrecker trio at that scale unless you imported the scarce Takara Tomy version. More importantly, the figure is well designed, fun to transform, armed to the teeth, and oozing with "Nascar" charm. Although pre-order quantities were limited for this Target exclusive in the U.S., Studio Series Leadfoot was a rare success story in brick-and-mortar availability, unlike many other Transformers retailer exclusives this year. -Wolfman Jake

Devastator. This one might be cheating, but Hasbro released it as one boxset so it's one toy in my book! Absolute behemoth comprised of multiple great toys on their own. He feels like an event or a spectacle. It's amazing we finally have an awesome toy of this big action set-piece from a crap movie. No mark against the toy, this set is amazing, with a giant combined robot mode! -notsoalex

Overload. Even if the combiner is ugly as sin, the Devastator journey is finally over and the individual robots we got out of it all rock. -ScottyP

Got to be Devastator, a true beast of a combiner. -ZeroWolf

Movie 1 Megatron for me. I remember loathing the original toy from 2007, and disliking the design in general, which I have adressed in my top 5 worst lists. Hasbro really went out of their way here to give us an involved transformation with distinctive looks for both modes and they didn't cheap out on the paint. -william-james88







Deluxe Cliffjumper. Even though the figure is small, he's got some amazing engineering and fantastic paint- almost all the Red seen on him is paint. Mini-Masterpiece indeed. - Bounti76

Scorponok. It's boring to pick the Titan, but Scorponok is outstanding and is maybe the most well-rounded, fully realized entry to the Titan Class ever. -ScottyP

Voyager Starscream. This figure has been an even longer time coming! We waited nearly 14 years for a new G1-styled "Seeker" figure. The original, and prolific, Classics 2006 mold was great, but too small. Many fans dreamed of an "upscale" of that figure. Now it's finally here, and I couldn't be happier. Starscream is easily one of the "Mini Masterpieces" that many, including myself, have been raving about since the beginning of the War for Cybertron Trilogy. -Wolfman Jake

Earthrise gave us a lot that I am thankful for but I think my favourite is Snap Dragon. Triple changers always have a weak mode out of the three but I find this one is solid all around. I was waiting quite a while for this toy (ever since Hasbro made all their voyagers triple changes in titans Return) so I am glad my patience paid off. -william-james88

Commander Class Sky Lynx. Such a fun toy, nothing complicated, satisfying joints and transformation, looks great in all its modes (along with a base mode that isn't terrible), and it's friggin' Sky Lynx! He is the best. -notsoalex

Has to be his magnificence, Sky Lynx. A fantastic update. -ZeroWolf






Night Club Dance-frenzy Rung. It even included a bonus Ultra Magnus accessory! -ScottyP

Netflix Soundwave. He is amazingly well done, and finally turns into his G1 altmode. And though I'm a sucker for toy accuracy, I love that he has his red visor. - Bounti76

Walmart Netflix War for Cybertron Trilogy Bumblebee. This little guy is a big deal. Many fans anticipated an eventual Bumblebee redeco of Earthrise Cliffjumper, himself a very satisfying figure, but no one could guess that Hasbro would get the license to use the classic G1 Volkswagen Beetle! This is the BEST iteration of G1 Bumblebee we've gotten in a mass-market modern Transformers line, and to think, this time Bumblebee is the redeco and retool! Again, this is a "Mini Masterpiece" of a figure, right down to the real world vehicle mode details. -Wolfman Jake

Hasbro finally released Prime Breakdown. FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and he comes with jet vehicon, another toy they never released? Well, I won't say no. -william-james88

Pulse exclusive War for Cybertron Trilogy Deluxe Centurion Drone. The Brunt mold is easily the best Siege Weaponizers in my opinion and having the toy in nicer colors is, well, nice. It is good to see the robot mode in the ACTUAL colors it was made for, y'know? Not only is the toy great, but the accessory pack is also great fun. Some of it is a bit... useless to me, but others really help enhance their respective toy. -notsoalex

The Pulse Exclusive 10th Anniversary Prime Jet Vehicon and Breakdown Boxset, a very nice surprise for once! -Zerowolf






With Piranacon, we finally got the last of the Scramble City style combiners. The level of deco and paint on these figures is insane, Skalor/Gulf in particular. The figures are great on their own, but then combined into Piranacon, it's somehow cranked up a notch. Out of any of the CW style combiners, he just has PRESENCE that the others don't. And then they gave us Selects God Neptune out of that. The paint on that figure is stunning, and painstakingly accurate to the original Beast Wars II toys. Plus we got remakes of toys from a Japanese only cartoon. How's that for obscure toy lovers? Also, the fact that Scylla got some major retooling is pretty impressive. - Bounti76

Netflix Optimus Prime. While Earthrise Prime looked good, I was not interested in another trailer, and I didn,t like the grey on the legs reminding us all that the lower half was using recycled bits from the Siege mold with vestigial parts. But along came the Netflix release which gave me pretty much what I wanted in the first place. I now got to experience this excellent mold. -william-james88

Earthrise Optimus Prime. Yes, this challenges what it means to be a "retool." Earthrise Optimus Prime shares much of the truck bed assembly with Siege Optimus Prime, while creating a brand new mold for the truck cab, resulting in a new transformation that is even more interesting than that of the Siege version, and even more accurate to the original cartoon's stylings. Like Starscream, we've been waiting since the Classics line back in 2006 to have a proper modern update of G1 Optimus Prime. As good as some of the "re-interpretations" have been in the Generations lines, no collection is truly complete without a "definitive" Optimus Prime, and this is it. Dare I say it once more, but Earthrise Optimus Prime is truly a "Mini Masterpiece." - Wolfman Jake

Netflix/War for Cybertron Trilogy Deluxe Class Bumblebee. I didn't really think the Earthrise Cliffjumper mold was worth the asking price, but I still got his other 3 reuses at full price, no respect for myself and all that. Do I regret it, not a chance, all of them are great toys and improve upon the original, especially Bumblebee. He gets the distinction of turning into the first licensed vehicle in years (or maybe the first in general?), at least for mainline-ish G1-update toys. Excellent 70's Volkswagen Beetle mode and an extremely fun robot mode. Sweet boy. -notsoalex

Super Megatron elevates the TR Galvatron mold to an amazing level and accomplishes some crazy feats along the way. Never thought we'd see this toy but I'm so glad we did -ScottyP

Netflix Transformers War for Cybertron Spoiler Pack 2# Nemesis Prime. The choice to use the Siege Prime mold with the trailer was inspired, meaning that Nemesis owns the mold for himself. -Zerowolf






Mp-50 Tigatron is the standout. I really love how massive that toy is and how we get a similar looking robot mode to Cheetor's (as it should be) but a totally different transformation. I am really happy Takara did not go the easy way out on this one. william-james88

MPM Ratchet. It only took 13 years to get a decent, screen accurate version of Ratchet, and kibble in altmode aside, it was worth the wait. - Bounti76

MP-50 Tigatron, almost by default! It was a slow year for Masterpiece with most of the releases being repaints. MPM's entries were both ok and Lio Convoy was fun, but Tigatron delivered in every way for me. A complex but not impossibly so transformation, excellent sculpting and a heavy dose of presence make this the real Tiger King. -ScottyP





Transformers: Galaxies comic. I wish this was an ongoing series, because I find it much more engaging and interesting than the main series. - Bounti76

War for Cybertron Trilogy - SIEGE. I liked it. Ditto with EARTHRISE. - Wolfman Jake

Cyberverse Chapter 3/Bumblebee Cyberverse Adventures. Woof, what an exciting journey from beginning to end. I forgot what it felt like to have good on-screen Transformers media! IDW2 narrowly made it, but I had to lend it to Cyberverse, especially season 3. This "Chapter" blew me away with a fun team dynamic, actual stakes with threatening villains, great dialogue and storytelling, and an all-around fun time. Looking forward to the Cyberverse TV movies! -notsoalex

Cyberverse Season 3 and nothing else even came to mind. This is possibly the only highlight in an extremely bad year for storytelling in the Transformers universe. Honorable mention to the Transformers manga volumes from Viz as the other bright spot in our darkest hour. -ScottyP

Has to be Transformers Cyberverse Season 3, it upped the ante significantly, and proved that Cyberverse was far from what first impressions made of it. -ZeroWolf

Cyberverse season 3 was a blast. That first half was excellent with a really great take on Hot Rod becoming the hero in the most organic way we have ever seen in Transformers media. I know a lot of fans have been asking for a reboot of G1 and this is it. Plus, since it's a kids show (just as G1 was), it's a great way to introduce your passion to your kids. -william-james88






Cyberverse Clobber. Her transformation is both interesting enough for adults, and easy enough for kids. Plus, I always enjoy fembots who don't look typically feminine. - Bounti76

Cyberverse 1-Step Whirl. This was a hard one as I don't own many easy-to-transform toys, so I chose the only one I own, but it is a really good one. Whirl then, it's a shame his last toy was just fine, not really scratching that MTMTE itch, and surprisingly, this 1-Step does! Cyberverse Whirl himself is a fun guy, thanks to the voice-work of Jeremy Levy, and the toy brings that light hearted-ness! Fun and addictive transformation, certainly a good pick-up. -notsoalex

Cyberverse Battle Call Optimus Prime. I would have loved this to pieces when I was 6. -ScottyP

Rescue Bots Dragster Chase, i will let this picture speak for itself. -william-james88




Worst Transformers Toy of the Year

Any Micromaster. They have extremely limited articulation, limited usability, and they took up peg space that could have been better utilized. The only exception is Blast Master and Fuzer, and only because of their very cool combined mode. - Bounti76

Earthrise Arcee. It's bad, folks. It's better as Netflix Elita One, despite the new shoulder clearance issues introduced with that remold, since it's at least painted adequately. Arcee doesn't even have her face painted to contrast with her white helmet. Even Lifeline, the Paradron Medic, got that much.
- Wolfman Jake

Earthrise Arcee/Netflix Elita 1- these two can share the award, and I just can't square the circle that these were from the same designers as all the other Earthrise toys. Better Arcee toys exist in the Deluxe Class, and no doubt will in the future. -ZeroWolf

Earthrise Quintesson Judge. I don't own the exact toy, I own the superior colored and also pre-assembled WFC Pit of Judgement Judge, though flavoring in what others have said, the Earthrise Judge is not a good toy! I understand the toy isn't supposed to do much, it's a Quintesson Judge, some goofy design that isn't Really Anything after-all, but what they chose to do with it is... boggling. Too much partforming and balancing pieces onto other pieces, and it doesn't even look good! Just keep it in the Judge mode, yeah, at least, IF you can. The horror stories about those faces, yeesh. Feel bad for the folks that spent a ton of time into a toy that comes out as just ok-to-bad. Also, was it asking too much to have all of the faces have moving mouths? I guess so! -notsoalex

Earthrise Arcee for being an action figure strapped to the flimsy shell of a space car. Arcee is a wonderful character but this toy was terrible. -ScottyP

Netflix Elita 1. I know people say it has the better deco but it adds an extra annoyance of limited posing due to remolded shoulders, making a really bad toy become even worse. -william-james88

Out This Week! Transformers Escape #1 and Transformers Galaxies #12 Mini-Reviews

Date: Thursday, December 31st 2020 10:49am CST
Categories: Comic Book News, Reviews, Site Articles
Posted by: Tigertrack | Credit(s): IDW Publishing

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Views: 92,513

New this week!

'I don't know what's gnu with you?'-- some joke from my childhood.

Transformers Galaxies Finale - Issue #12



Leading into…

Transformers: Escape - #1


And, finally Transformers War World (ongoing) Issue #26 is available digitally this week, and printed next week! Review by ScottyP coming next week.




You can buy these issues including variant covers like the one above in the Seibertron.com eBay store!

Exclusive Transformers ReAction Dead Prime and Toy Megatron Redecos Found at Target

Date: Sunday, October 11th 2020 8:45am CDT
Categories: Toy News, Site Articles
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 41,742

The Target exclusive Reaction figures are available in the US. The picture below comes from Rob on Facebook's Cybertron Cafe. These include a grey redeco of prime called Fallen Leader Optimus Prime, so this means we are getting two exclusive dead Prime figures in the same year. The other exclusive is a silver/chrome version of Megatron, to reflect his toy colours. These should be available at targets everywhere around the country by now.

Exclusive! Q&A With Shawn Hawkins, Voice of Mirage in Netflix's War for Cybertron: Siege Series

Date: Monday, September 28th 2020 8:29pm CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, Event News, Site Articles, People News, Digital Media News, Interviews, Contests
Posted by: Bounti76

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Views: 207,900

Greetings Seibertronians! Even though the Earthrise toyline is in it's waning stages, and the Siege cartoon dropped on streaming service Netflix just a couple of months ago, we got a trailer for the upcoming Earthrise cartoon this weekend at Hasbro PulseCon.

That doesn't mean we're done with Siege stories, however. Seibertron is proud to exclusively bring to you an interview/Q&A with actor Shawn Hawkins, who voiced Mirage in the Siege cartoon! Read on to find out what he knew about Mirage prior to voicing him, how he feels about the Transformers fandom, and find out the 'bot he originally auditioned to voice before landing the role of the disappearing Autobot illusionist, Mirage!




Shawn Hawkins: Taylor! What a great surprise to wake up to this morning! Huge thank you to you and Ryan for having me on!

Taylor: It's our pleasure! So, Shawn, Tell us a little about yourself, your career, and how you came to voice acting. Is it a main focus of your career?

Shawn: Yeah so I’m originally from Upstate New York where I started in music. Ever since I was a kid I had a guitar in my hand and ended up playing in a few bands around New York. Then I went to college in Nashville, TN for music and business and ended up touring with some bands up and down the east coast. But at one point I just knew I wanted to get back in to acting. I had been a part of some theatre in high school but was interested in film and TV. So I ended up joining the theatre department at my college and then moving to Los Angeles right out of school. It was the best decision I ever made but it was definitely a big move. I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of some really fun and creative projects in my time here. A lot of indie film work and some television stuff as well, but voice acting was something I always wanted to do. I would make voices, probably just like everyone else as a kid but for me it continued and continued haha. I did some smaller (voiceover) stuff along the way but finally got this audition for Transformers WFC and I was sold. It was an absolute blast and I’m so thankful to have been a part of it. Sharing it all with the fans has been an incredible pleasure in my life!

Taylor: What was the audition process like for the Siege series? Did you read or audition just in general, or did you always know you'd be playing Mirage specifically?

Shawn: So I originally auditioned for the role of Bumblebee. We weren't told at the time what the project was. It had a code name and character code names but I knew reading it that it sounded a lot like Transformers. Of course, then I found out it was and that I was up for Bumblebee. Then after a few callbacks, they ended up giving me Mirage. And I am so incredibly thankful they did. I feel right at home with Mirage and I love his role in the series. As well as his role with the fans! I’m excited to share the next two seasons with you all and see what unfolds!

Taylor: How much did you know about Transformers before landing the role of Mirage? How much do you know now?

Shawn: Oh man! Well I grew up watching some G1 and saw all the Bay movies but I didn’t dive in until taking on Mirage. Now I’m learning things everyday. And it is mainly thanks to the fans! The Transformers community has been so welcoming and supportive. I am amazed at the interaction we get to have together. I wouldn’t trade it for the world and I look forward to many more meaningful interactions over the years. But yes, my capacity for Transformers material just keeps growing haha!

Taylor: How much interaction have you had with Transformers fans since the series aired? Were you a fan yourself before you got the role?

Shawn: Oh man! A ton!! I love it more than anything. Getting to meet all the fans and hear their stories. I actually pride myself on running a really interactive Instagram account where I connect with the fans on a daily basis, run giveaways and answer questions. If you’d love to connect, hit me up @shawn_hawkins. I was a fan before but not to the extent that I am now. It’s a whole new ball game!



Taylor: What did you know about the character of Mirage from the original cartoon series? Did you ever listen to the original voice actor to get a feel for his interpretation of the character?

Shawn: Well I knew he was the elite and also walked both sides of the fence. I knew that I was diving in deep because Mirage had such a unique voice in the original cartoon and I wanted to live up to that but also bring my own spin to it. Our sound engineer for WFC brought some great ideas and feedback to the table in a way that made me feel comfortable and confident with what I was bringing to set. For me I envisioned him sounding a little younger and I think the WFC team did as well. It was like watching this spunky rich kid who thought he knew more than everyone else but also sometimes.. he did. Haha! I loved it. And from what I’ve heard so far, the fans have been happy with the interpretation. I can’t ever predict that but I just brought my heart and soul to it and I always said, “There’s a reason I’m here on this mission... maybe this is it!!”


Taylor: What kind of direction were you given for the character? How is direction given for voice acting? Is the director in the studio with you when you record?

Shawn: Yeah so the direction was great. The VO director, Phil Bache, the engineer and the rest of the team had a really great idea of what they wanted already which made my job a lot easier. So we would go over individual lines and what they meant and I would just give a couple takes of each that were my interpretation of that. And we would go back and forth until we got something we were happy with. But yes, the director was always in the room and the guidance was top notch. I felt incredibly comfortable and free to play as well which is something you really appreciate as a voice actor.


Taylor: What's next for Mirage? Do you know if you'll be reprising him in the follow-up series to Siege?

Shawn: What’s next?! Well I’ve got some things on the plate. I don’t know what I’m allowed to say but I believe you’ll be seeing more Mirage in the near future! I am so stoked for the next two seasons to air and to celebrate with the fans. Other than that I’ve got a few smaller projects in the works and I’m also launching a Youtube channel for the Transformers fans and community. I’m incredibly excited to share that with you all. Be sure to check me out on Instagram @shawn_hawkins for when that drops and more cool Mirage stuff!

Taylor: What's next for you professionally?

Shawn: Professionally, I’m going to take a nice vacation haha. We have planned to go visit some family in Sedona Arizona here in October to just relax and reconnect. I keep myself pretty busy all the time so remembering to relax is important for me. But lots of cool things. I’m working on that Youtube channel and I also oversee a couple small businesses as well as audition regularly here in LA. There are a few films and shows on the horizon so I will have to keep you all posted! Thank you guys so much for having me and keep up the awesome work you’re doing at Seibertron! Such a pleasure to chat with you and connect with the fans.




And as for keeping connected with fans, Shawn has some exciting news for you, Seibertronians!

We wanted to do a special GIVEAWAY with everyone who keeps up with Seibertron. I will be giving away a signed Mirage figure from the WFC Netflix series to one lucky winner. If you’d like a shot at winning this you just have to follow Seiberton (Instagram @seibertroncom) and go over and give a follow to @shawn_hawkins. After you follow me, shoot me a DM with the word SEIBERTRON! So stoked to get to meet you guys and good luck with the giveaway! We will run this for two weeks from the date of posting. Much love to you all and thanks for letting me be a part of your world! )

Many thanks to Shawn for your time and talent, and willingness to share with us some fun insights into the world of a Transformers voice actor!

Pictorial Review for Transformers Masterpiece MP-50 Tigatron

Date: Monday, September 28th 2020 3:40pm CDT
Categories: Toy News, Reviews, Site Articles
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 51,136

Tigatron just arrived from Amazon Japan. He had shipped Friday so this is pretty lightning quick for a toy arriving from literally the other end of the world.



We have had many in hand images, so you know he looks great.
We had a conversion video so you know he's complex.

But two questions remain: Is he a good toy and, more importantly, is he worth it?

That's what we will explore now in this review, that's all that's left to discuss and it's what matters most.

I will start by addressing something, though his design has callbacks to Cheetor's (since their original toys were the exact same), this is a completely different toy. Then only aspect of the transformation that is similar is that the front legs end up in the back and can connect together in a cross pattern. That is it. Every single other element is completely different offering fans a new transforming experience.

And I'll tell you, this is a better toy than Cheetor. With Cheetor, you had a very sleek build so there was some extra kibble in the rear area. But with Tigatron, the designers really went out of their way to highlight the musculature of tigers, which are the largest felines out there.





That larger mass permits the leg kibble and feet to integrate within the beast mode. It becomes my favourite part of the transformation. While a lot of it is panel-y (or shellformer-y to some), that foot transformation is just one of those wow moments that use simplicity and precision to fully convert an elements while using the some of the same parts. You can see it below.







The Tiger mode does suffer from a lot of panels though, so posing him or inserting the gut gun will have some panels detach while to try to reconnect others. I don't know why they didn't have the thigh panels fasten properly. They end up leaving gaps and it's not like they are shaped this way to fasten more properly in robot mode.



The eyes are articulated and can be green or orange since the spheres that make the eyes are green on one side and orange on the other and they can turn on a 360 axis for you to alter colours. It's too bad that the exposed part of the gut gun is not the part with the tiger stripes, making the beast patter on the gun fake kibble. It is the only fake bit though, since, unlike Cheetor, the Tiger head is used in both modes.



So, back to conversion, while there is a lot of undoing panels and flipping and folding, I found this far more enjoyable than Cheetor or other recent MPs. There are tiny pegs and latches that do require some finesse, and folding certain pieces of Tiger skin was really stressful due to how tight they were, but nothing broke on me. And best of all, I did something rather risky, I didn't use the instructions. While I recommend you follow instructions, the fact that I was able to get from one mode to the next without them meant that it wasn't obtuse. My favourite part was the legs since that is a completely different transformation to any Beast Wars MP to date. Another part I liked was at the very end where it seemed I had finished but the hips still seemed to be facing backwards, since that robot detail was on the back. What usually happens is you reorient the entire hip but the swivel didn't allow for that kind of movement. As it turns out, that specific robot mode detail can rotate around the hip to face any direction you want.









Most joints are super tight, except for the knees. And that is my biggest gripe about the robot mode, his knees suck. They kind of remind me of Siege Megatron's ankle tilt where you felt you were undoing something rather than bending. I have a neo dodging bullets pose below that shows how he looks like with bent knees. Not great. Another aspect that could have been easily dealt with is the arm kibble does not tab into his arms. I guess it makes it slightly easier if you want to pose his hands but that could just as easily be achieved if you had a small peg you could unpeg.





He is back heavy but his heels are extra tight so I have had no problem keeping him up. And speaking of the backside, the muscular frame of the tiger alt mode is really highlighted there. He has these massive calves (probably from holding up so much upper body mass), it's pretty cool that the strength of the animal mode is conveyed in the robot mode. As for the head, while he comes with 4 extra faces, I really did not care to change them. Aside from my memory of him being really frightened once or twice, the face I most associate with Tigatron is a stoic one with his mouth closed. He was always more of the silent type. The light piping is excellent.







So, let's get down to brass tacks with the following questions:

a)Is this a good figure?
b)Do I see where all my money went?
c)Do I regret spending this much on a toy?



Answers:

a)Yes
b)Yes
c)No

Mine cost $160 USD (before shipping and duty fees). That's almost double Optimus Primal. While I can see exactly where all my money went, part of me will always think that these figures are more than they should be. But that's just the name of the MP game at this point. I prefer this toy to almost all other Beast Wars MPs and I feel as satisfied with him as I do with Dinobot or Megatron, both of which were far more costly.

I will tell you this though, he is definitely the type of figure that is way more fun to convert from alt mode to robot than from robot to alt mode. I'm going to bring him back to beast mode now, wish me luck!

Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos

Date: Sunday, September 6th 2020 11:28am CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 80,037

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are our opinions so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.


Top 5 Best Transformers Redecos


Redecos are very common within the Transformers brand. We've had them since the very beginning and the initial batch of the G2 line was mainly all about that. Every once in a while though, we are given a truly ridiculously awesome redeco and those are the ones I am looking at today. Some of these do also sport some slight retooling, like new heads, but some are just straight redecos with nothing changed aside from the colours.

5. Transformers Convention & Club Exclusives Shattered Glass Thundercracker

I don't often put club exclusives on these lists, but a list without this Thundercracker just wouldn't feel the same. It's a wonderful homage to the ridiculous colours found on Action Master Thundercracker.






4. Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise Dead End

This redeco came out of nowhere and it sure ain't your G1 Dead End. This is probably the loudest colour scheme I have ever seen and that new head with the light piping in the mouth just adds to how insane the look of this toy is. Insane in a good way of course.






3. Transformers Cybertron Cannonball

Cannonball is a pirate themed Transformer and this redeco goes to town with that idea. The face deco is meanto to simulate and eye patch and there are skeletons "airbrushed" on the roof and two sides. While that is of course a reference to the Jolly Roger iconography, the fact that they are fluorescent on a black station wagon also gives it a 70s black light poster look which I just think is awesome.










2. Transformers Cybertron Longrack

I still can't believe this is a thing that happened. We had an excavator Transformer in the Armada line and it was repainted into Longrack with a nice new head (and other slight modifications to make it work with the Cybertron line). Longrack was a transforming Giraffe from the Japanese Beast Wars animated show and this was the first time that character had a toy released in the west.










1. G2 Combiners

These redecos are RAD!!!! They scream pure 90s as loud as can be possible. What I love most though are the Combiner Wars redecos which give us the best rendition of these crazy colours. We finally have a G2 Menasor that everyone can own and we finally have a G2 Superion whose gold plastic arm doesn't shatter. I really love the attention to detail on these redecos, like that lovely multicoloured tampograph on Wildrider.


Transformers Generation 2 Bruticus Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Superion Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Menasor Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Brake-Neck Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Motormaster Gallery