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Top 5 Best Transformers Toys Redecos
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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
Quick Reviews of Transformers Galaxies #9, Transformers 84 #3, and Transformers My Little Pony #2
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It’s new comic book day again, the first in September, and we find ourselves here with a slew of new comics fiction to chew on and enjoy.
This week’s offerings include Transformers My Little Pony Friendship in Disguise #2, Transformers Galaxies #9, and Transformers 84 Truth and Lies #3. All 3 issues feature several covers some drawn and colored by IDW Transformers heavy hitters, for your collecting specifics.
No local comic shop? You can conveniently order them from the Seibertron.com eBay store!!!
Mini-Review of Transformers 84 Secrets and Lies #3 (Tigertrack)
This issue really had me at hello…as soon as Counterpunch said, “Megatron and Shockwave BOTH sleeping with the fossils…” like he’s a stereotypical 1920’s gangster stooge. I knew we were going to get to focus on some new (old) Decepticons. And that’s exciting, capiche?
Yes, this issue really more than the last issue goes it’s own direction and fills in details revolving around Straxus, Scorponok, and Thunderwing before they get their future moments to shine. Reminiscent of the IDW’s earlier Stormbringer mini-series bringing these big cons together (along with Shockwave) to discuss Thunderwing’s science, this issue tugs at those fond memories of that series, as these cons basically divide Cybertron.
That’s not all it has in common with that series. At the request of our spy-ally, Punch, our friends the Wreckers make their origin appearance. It’s nice to have the definitive start, and thankfully, it comes about a bit unconventionally. I was thinking they were started by Emirate Xaaron, Kup, or Magnus, maybe even Impactor, but I was at least, mostly wrong - Or at least by Punch's possibly skewed point of view, anyway. And that my friends is amazing, as well.
Just waiting on Ralph...I hear he really likes to Wreck-It.
BUT NOT ONLY ALL OF THAT… a little bot by the name of Star Saber makes an appearance (no misrepresenting cover syndrome here). I could go on, but I might ruin EVERYTHING, and you guys have to have something left unspoiled, right?
Cons to the left of me, cons to the right of me.
I can’t say enough how I love what Guido Guidi, and John-Paul Bove are doing with the art here. John-Paul shared via twitter his process and just how much effort and time it took to research and experiment to come up with the coloring and shading as he did, working to mix colors to get the original look, but with a little bit more modern twist. Phenomenal… And I will say his name one more time since I messed it up before, well done, John-Paul Bove (super-kind and forgiving individual, btw).
For the 3rd of 4 issues in a mini-series, I think this one has been my favorite so far, which is hard for 3rd issues to do. It did something with characters that I wanted or expected to see happen, perhaps in the Regeneration series. Didn’t happen there, but here it is! Good on you Guido, Simon, and John-Paul, another entertaining issue. My only teeny tiny quibble with the issue was for me there was no clear cut cover that I really wanted. Nick Roche and Casey W. Coller’s were too similar, in an inverted kind of way, so I am going with the regular cover by Guido Guidi of commander Star Saber! Plus plenty of other cool cameos and story additions that I don't want to entirely spoil. Think opposites of the Decepticons presented, and the Autobot I just mentioned.
Battle Up!
4.75
out 5 symbols_________________________________________
Mini-Review of Transformers My Little Pony Friendship in Disguise Issue #2 (Tigertrack)
Welcome back fans of kindness, silliness, and friendship! If you were hoping that Issue #2 would pick up where Issue #1 left off... I'm sorry, that's a different comic. Instead, we have two new crossover stories following entirely different cast members from each of these unlikely collaborators; the Transformers and the My Little Pony-ies.
Broken into two short stories like last issue. These stories are not disguising any silliness.
The first short focuses on Grimlock, who did appear for a moment in the first issue, left behind as the other Autobots headed to Equestria via the dimensional spacebridge.
This short sees Grimlock battling Devastator on Earth defending the ark from the those dastardly, cunning Constructicons. The dinosaur leader finds himself allied with Spike, a spunky, smart dragon and royal advisor in Equestria. Spike finds himself in a perilous situation after Grimlock is punted and squashed into submission. And the ending leads to a nice new friendship, and excellent, feel good message.
Me Grimlock, butt kicked!
The 2nd story is the Equestrian equivalent of a Food Network culinary chef show led by cute as a button pony, Pinkie-Pie.
Shockwave is ready to..."mix it up."
The surprising part of this is not the odd partnerships of ponies and robots, BUT the inclusion of brand new Transformers star Gauge. She's featured in Galaxies and also seems to be quite a successful chef, as well. Shockwave shows up as Gauge's foil, ready to -in a very twisted Grimm's fairy tale kind of way- see how many ponies it takes to make a pony-powered energon smoothie. It's another fun, silly story with more than a few slapstick moments. Gauge and Pinkie-Pie beating Shockwave on any day of the week is far-fetched, but the chuckle moments are many and it just adds to the story's expected over-the-topness.
"BAAAAMMMM!!!...time to KICK it up an notch."
Stay to the end, so you can experience the fun cultural 'food' exchange.
4
out 5 ! It had a dinobot and combiner!_________________________________________
Mini-Review of Transformers Galaxies Issue #9 (william-james88)
Full of spoilers below.
This is the story that closes out the Gauge, Greenlight, Arcee story. I'd say this is the best of the recent issues in this Galaxies arc, but there is still a lot to be desired. This is basically the story of someone who was indoctrinated into a cult and then rebels against the cult leader. What is tough here is that we the audience clearly know that Arcee and Greenlight are good guys and the cult leader isn't, so when Gauge talks about conflicting emotions and ideologies that battle in her mind, there is no conflict going on in the reader's mind since we know where she will side with. And even though Gauge states that she must become her own person and not listen to either side, we know that's also bogus because there isn't enough character development for her to be more than a "good" bot.
I do like that Heretech was fleshed out in this reboot. While he was a James Roberts character, we saw very little of him (though I did make the most of it by breaking down a James Robert script page starring Heretech and Megatron in gun mode). He is of course very much a copy of the cult leader archetype trying to make every drink the Kool Aid but I think that's fine since Transformers fiction is always incorporating archetypes into the Transformers world/lore.
Thew best part of the issue, and why I think a Transformers fan should look into it, is the final fight with the three heroines and Heretech. It is almost fully in alt mode. So not only do we have transformations in a Transformers comic, but we see how the alt mode can be weaponized. Heretech becomes a drill tank, which is a vehicle very dear to the heart of Transformers fans. I also like the callback of him (wrongfully) thinking he is the chosen one and becoming the same vehicle that Rung was forcibly converted into in the James Roberts comic book run. Both lend to the theme of false beliefs, lies, heresy and not being the chosen one after all.
In the end, this was fine. Not amazing or groundbreaking, but I still enjoyed it and appreciated seeing more Heretech and drill tanks.
3
out 5 symbolsComic Reviews for TF vs Terminator #3, TF '84: Secrets and Lies #2 and TF / My Little Pony: Friendship in Disguise! #1
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We just wanted to remind you that there is a great variety of comics fiction to be consumed coming out this week (and one from previous weeks).
Just in case you missed it, ScottyP reviews the Transformers Rise of the Decepticons Issue #22.
Also coming available this week, Transformers Vs. The Terminator Issue #3 (mini-review by williamjames)
A lot has happened since the first issue was released for Terminator Vs Transformers 1 but the main things in relation to this books as that since then I watched Terminator Dark Fate and Netflix's Siege series. Both left me underwhelmed. They were both trying something new but also failing at it. Transformers vs Terminator 3 acts as a palette cleanser to both of those by being a fun retelling of the first episodes of the G1 Cartoon and adding the Terminator to it. Everything you'd want as a G1 fan is here including a fight between Optimus and Megatron using their respective energon weapons. And there are transformations aplenty. Everyone feels on point, especially Optimus who is truly the Optimus of yore. It was impossible not to hear Cullen's voice, as it was in the 80s, while reading this comic. All the classic lines are said, and while I didn't need them there, I didn't mind. They at least fit with the G1 pastiche the author is going for. I also really like the fact that the cast is much smaller than other Transformers comics and the Siege show. It makes for a more focused story. Then again, smaller casts on both sides, and one side being warriors while the other one is scientists really speaks to me as a big Beast Wars fan. It's a good formula.
It's basically a greatest hits album
This issue also reminded me of how much of a failure All Hail Megatron was. In just a few panels, this issue shows us just how easy the Decepticons could take over if they were unopposed and we see the destruction and death they cause, something lacking from the actual story of Megatron taking over Earth unopposed. As for the Terminator angle, it was most present at the cliffhanger and while I am impressed at Starscream's genius, it isn't clear how he arrives at his conclusions. I did like the interactions between the Terminator and Arcee.
Speaking of Arcee, she is given a nice new alt mode and Alex Milne has a field day with how it integrates into her robot mode, creating a similar silhouette. I like Milne's art for the most part though I do really miss the cleanliness from his MTMTE days. He adds a lot of lines here to add shadow (like cross hatching without the cross effect) but I don't think it works with the colourist's attempt to show that shadow by using a darker colour. Hand drawn shading is meant to be used to differentiate light and dark against the same colour, so using a darker colour for the shaded parts just makes everything much darker than it needs to be. Still, that doesn't detract from some really mouth watering splash pages. Overall, not only did I enjoy this issue but it's something I needed.
![:rodimusstar:]( "Rodimus Star")
![:rodimusstar:]( "Rodimus Star")
![:rodimusstar:]( "Rodimus Star")
out of 5 stars
Would you believe it, also available for purchase this week, is Transformers 84 Secrets and Lies Issue #2 (tigertrack shares some thoughts)
I think this series is being written for me. I’ve read and re-read the original US Marvel comics series many time, and also the UK Marvel comics series and kind of love consuming them, but they have gotten a bit too familiar, somewhat stale. This series adds a new level of detail and understanding to what previously was. It’s amazingly and lovingly drawn by Gudio Guidi to match classically created character art…even down to the color work done by Jean-Paul Bove being simpler-reminiscent of the 80’s style. Do I think it’s necessary? No. Is it fun. Yeah, I think it is -it totally immerses you into feeling like you are consuming material from the original time period. I also think it allows people newer to the fandom to experience and consume the older stuff without making commitments to whole collections, or graphic novels.
So Marvel TF readers, if you’ve ever wondered what the heck the Dinobots were doing on Earth, when they did not seem to be a part of the ark crew that we knew about (remember this is comics, so not cartoon origin), why Shockwave was not boarding the ark to attack the Autobots pre-planetfall and yet ended up on Earth, or how warlord Straxus received his new home (with a smelting pool even!), you get your answers here. For those up on current and previous IDW lore some of this is going to look REALLY familiar, something writer Simon Furman confirms in his afterthoughts.
Yes, all to familiar and repetitive (*clears throat, whistles*)
I recommend this comic for G1 Dinobot, Shockwave, and Counterpunch fans, as well as, fans of 80’s Marvel series Transformers (hence the title), or someone looking to dip a toe into that end of the fandom. It really is fun, and a nice change of pace from other current fiction. It includes a lot of action, ‘easter eggs’ and adds to the lore, albeit a bit needlessly...Fun, overly thought through continuity hole filling fun.
![:RUBSIGN:]( "Rubsign")
![:RUBSIGN:]( "Rubsign")
![:RUBSIGN:]( "Rubsign")
1/2 out of 5
And finally, from last week, a little share about a little comic subtitled, 'Friendship in Disguise'. There's no doubt about it 'Transformers and My Little Pony' is an unexpected, and fun crossover (thoughts shared by tigertrack and sons).
Fun and friendship is the name here. My boys loved it—and I enjoyed it too). I’m a casual MLP participant, but my boys (8yo and 11yo) are much more refined reading the comics, and watching the movie and cartoons. They were surprised by the crossover idea, and immediately opened it to read when I gave it to them, consuming it in no time.
There’s a lot of tongue-in-cheek fun, and this issue doesn’t take itself too seriously, as I imagine the series probably will reflect that as a theme, as well. Plenty of silliness, and some great sincere messages as well. Sometimes characters play very simple (Windblade, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime), trying to stick close the the main themes, and sometimes they play pretty deep (Arcee). The art reminded me of the ol’ ‘Robot Heroes’ toys from a few years back working to match the style of the ponies in their world. I don't think it's 'just for kids' though. There's fun to be had here for older Transformers (and pony) fans too. Just don't expect anything much above G-rated fun (maybe a little PG). For those with loved ones who like MLP, this is a nice way to introduce them to your love of Transformers, and get to understand their world of MLP, a little better too.
Oh Bumblebee, there's our innocent, thoughtful youth
Yes, there's evil in this book, but it's nice evil...CUTE evil
If you want to be a part of something pretty different in Transformers crossovers, give this a try. You may be happily surprised. And the next issue features a cover with Grimlock and combiners, so… interest level even higher? Or a cover lie? I excitedly cannot wait to find out!
It's worth a shot on cute and fun, but not a great story, yet.
![:HASBRO:]( "Hasbro")
![:HASBRO:]( "Hasbro")
out of 5
All three issues have several covers to choose from, and of course, your mileage could vary from ours.
Check out the VSD entries to see them all.
Transformers Vs. The Terminator Issue #3
Transformers 84 Secrets and Lies Issue #2Transformers and My Little Pony Friendship in Disguise Issue #1
Top 5 Best Shark Themed Transformers Toys
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Posted by: william-james88
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Top 5 Best Shark Themed Transformers Toys
There are some animals that the Transformers line keeps going back to for inspiration and cool designs. The shark is one of the main ones, and it's been a staple of the brand since the 86 film. So now, let's look at the best shark themed Transformers we got so far.
5. Transformers Beast Wars Fuzors Air Hammer
I just like the insanity of this toy. It combines water and air together, as a Sharknado predecessor and I feel it pulls it off quite well. The beast mode looks good, especially with the awesome paint job that we would never see today which has that fading metallic blue and every feather's tips painted, even on the underside of the wings. While I am not a gimmick guy, I do like chomping options whenever a beast mode has sharp teeth and we get that here in both modes. While the transformation is not mind blowing, I do like that the axis of the figure is flipped and I really like that the dual beast theme is present on the robot mode as well with he head being reminiscent of Airrazor with the three crests but having the middle crest be more prominant, referencing a shark fin. It's just a brilliant design.
4. Transformers Cyberverse Spark Armor Battle Class Skybyte
This toy came out of nowhere. Firstly, the Cyberverse line, in its first year, was just for a younger audience with emphasis on gimmicks with simpler transformations and less articulation and only had G1 characters (or retroactive G1 characters like Windblade). And then we get a line with scout sized figures that had traditional complexity (for a toon based line) and articulation and no obtrusive gimmicks aside from small vehicles that could split up into armour and weapons that attached with 5mm ports, and are also compatible with the Siege line. Plus, we got a new Sky Byte out of that, a character from RID who was a redeco of a Beast Wars toy. So it was really a breath of fresh air in a toyline that seemed rather uninspired in every way. The Transformation to shark mode is great. I really like how the legs are just the right shape to become the shark body. It’s the perfect complexity for a toy this size and both modes look great for an adorable little Sky Byte.
3. Transformers Super God Masterforce Submarauder (Gilmer)
This is one creepy looking Pretender. Submarauder is a mixture of a lot of horific designs like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, a classic Kaiju and something out of the late great H.R. Giger’s twisted imagination, all rolled up into a Shark themed monstrosity with the gills and very prominent fin. There is a lot more at play with the combination of the carapace-like armour design, gribbly pseudo-organic tubes on his chest, strange fin and sucker details and those horrible orange gills in place of a mouth that take him up a notch than just being an upright shark. His inner robot, whilst abstract like most Pretenders, kinda resembled a horseshoe crab in vehicle mode too so at least they keep the water theme going there too. This toy is as good as any other pretender but its look really sets it apart fro the rest.
2. Transformers Legends Gelshark (Generations Sky-Byte)
This is an extremely underrated toy which came and went with few caring. And that is a shame. Not only was this the representative of the Robots in Disguise 2001 / Car Robots line in the thrilling 30, he was also one hell of an update. He was still a shell former like his previous Beast Wars mold roots but unlike his original toy, the shell was very compact and made for elegant wings in robot mode which did not take any attention away from the robot mode. Also, and I can never stress this enough, Takara outdid themselves on the engineering of the chest. The original toy was a shark who transformed into a robot who had a shark-like face on his chest that was a different colour on each side (giving a hint to his states of mind). Of course, the real shark head was still somewhere on the toy (part of his massive shell) so the chest was more of a reference that he was a shark and not supposed to be the shark head. This update however had the shark head actually be the chest as well. No fake parts this time, reducing the shell considerably and making the robot far more sleek. There was even a nice panel flip on the shark's nose to give the chest new robot mode detail and to further look like the original cartoon model. Takara's improved deco for Gelshark goes a long way, longer than any other improved deco, turning a toy many dismissed into, what I consider, a must have. The deco has the head of the shark mimic the asymetric deco of the original toy's chest, something the Hasbro version ignores.
1. Transformers Beast Wars Cybershark
An extremely efficient transformer whose body length shell serves as a great disguise to a very poseable robot. The shark mode has beautiful deco which looks as good as any plastic shark toy found in toy stores in the 90s. What is amazing is that, despite it being a shellformer, it has great alt mode integration that is very reminiscent of traditional transformers with having the head of the alt mode as the chest. A main aspect of the original toys that make up what we call G1 was the disguise component and how they could infiltrate other toylines which didn’t transform. With its phenomenal alt mode, this sharkformer is a perfect example of this legacy. The deco on this toy is as masterful as that headsculpt and he comes armed to the teeth with extra shark themed projectiles (that can be stored within his back) and his pincertail. Of course, that is aside from his hammerhead shark head which he can shoot from his body!
Honourable Mentions: Sharkticons!!!!!!!!!!!!
The main army builder in any Transformers collection turns out to be shark themed too. I was personally never a huge fan of the more rotund look but I won't write a best shark themed list without mentioning these guys!
Also, very important caveat, I did not consider Energon Sharkticon for this list. Though the name is shark themed I felt the figure itself was just tangentially related to the animal and thus I considered more shark-like toys. If you want to see a proper entry for that toy, here it is: /transformers ... oys/35168/
The Netflix Transformers Spoiler Pack was a Spoiler After All
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Posted by: william-james88
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The infamous $50 Walmart exclusive Spoiler Pack had the words "spoilers inside" that referred to the Netflix series we had not seen yet and Hasbro had advised we only open it after watching the Netflix show. Now I see that the advice was sound. Not because it meant that we would spoil ourselves (which is probably what they meant) but because it would only make sense once we watched the show.
In the show, Ultra Magnus dies. It is a rather brutal death at the hands of Megatron and is what makes Jetfire switch sides.
Now that we know this, the toy's deco makes much more sense. For those who do not have the spoiler pack Ultra Magnus, the toy is made up of a lot of grey plastic with colour sprayed on. Many found the deco underwhelming as it didn't really look like battle damage. That's because it is not. It is Ultra Magnus having just been killed and his colour fading, making him become grey, just as Prime did in the original 86 film. Below is an image of the toy and you will see how that interpretation makes far more sense than anything else. The inclusion of rung, along with that pink colour scheme remains unexplained.
Top 10 Best Shockwave Transformers Toys (Updated)
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Top 10 Best Shockwave Transformers Toys
This will be my third time doing a list of best Shockwaves, something I haven't done for any other character. There is a reason though, for a long time there was some sort of drought for the character to the point where people (including me) were using redecos of Whirl and Jazz as stand ins on their shelves for a decent Shockwave. Well, with Hasbro doing their best to give us definitive toys of the various versions of Shockwave out there, I can finally do a list including only toys that were made primarily with Shockwave in mind. It's pretty cool that we live in an age now where I can make a list of top 10 Shockwave toys and no longer need to include redecos. Hopefully this list can stay as it is for a while, now let's get to it!
10. Transformers Energon Shockblast (Laser Wave)
Now this is a fun figure and a nice new take on Shockwave. He has all that you would expect from a Shockwave figure such as a gun arm (the biggest he has ever had!), a perfect headsculpt, and a hexagonal chest. This is a solid figure where everything perfectly clicks and fits together just fine. What I really love is how his cybertronian cannon mode has his head and chest visible (since as with most Shockwaves, the alt modes are rearranged robot parts with no new alt mode detail) but the angle of his head is flush with his shoulder making a smooth uninterrupted surface, hiding the head in plain sight. The robot chest also blends well by being mirrored on the back, adding a nice sense of symmetry and integrating the chest as the alt mode’s body. This figure is an interesting study of contrast between symmetry in the alt mode and asymmetry in the robot mode. It’s like Shockwave himself, perfectly logical, but dark and twisted.
And for fun, he also has a 4th fan mode that works ok.
9. Transformers Combiner Wars Legends Shockwave
Combiner Wars Legends Shockwave is a perfectly fine legends class toy and deserves some praise. His alt mode can be both a space ship or a gun which fits in the hands of Combiners, like Bruticus, letting fans recreate a favourite G1 scene. The robot mode is spot on for Shockwave and I like how they used clear plastic effectively on this toy for a stunning deco.
8. Beast Hunter Shockwave
This is a solid and great feeling toy. He has a hulking robot mode with the widest chest/shoulders found on any Shockwave design. Unlike most versions, this mad scientist seems to be as strong as he is intelligent. The legends class "Cyberverse" figure transforms just about the same way. While that makes for a great smaller figure, that means that the transformation is a bit lackluster for a voyager class figure. The alt mode is thus not much to go on but the robot mode works well. I especially like how they hide the hose as a tank thread in the voyager, as well as the working wheels found under the feet that only touch the ground in alt mode, it’s very well done. Speaking of things that were well done, the cyberverse version of the mold was surprisingly well served as Bludgeon. This toy does pale in comparison to the other toys found in the Prime line and the odd alt mode and big gimmicky gun arm (two issues also found with Energon Shockwave) keep him from being higher on the list.
7. Transformers Cyberverse deluxe Shockwave
The colour, is a nice full grape colour. Not too dark ala G1 toy but still very full. The deco is pretty great, with a nice use of panel lining on both the front and back. There are some neatly painted pink highlights across the figures, as if to give a sense of the energy coursing through him. While the alt mode is new for Shockwave, a spider-tank, the designers did keep gun barrel element from the G1 design on his legs. It's a nice touch. They also went out of their way to fully transform the hands to spider tank feet and make the spider tank head more different than just his robot mode chest, by adding palps. This not only makes him more screen accurate but it also adds to the spider theme.
6. Studio Series Shockwave
Say what you want about the Bay movies, the design for Shockwave was pretty spot on for that world. He looked like a badass sci fi robot. The portrayal is another story, but the movie design translated perfectly well into the toy, who looked a bit smoother than the usual movie figures up to that point. I would even say Shockwave is the best movie Bayverse design we got. It looks enough like Shockwave, yet also very alien and robotic, yet with some organic aspects adding the fact that these mechanical beings are a living species in their own right. The single eye helps a lot to convey the robotic elements.
I was gonna put the two best movie Shockwave toys on this list as a tie since I like them both as much but in different ways. However, I have a top 10 for different Shockwave molds so I wanted to highlight them separately and give my thoughts on them individually. While it's a marginal range in my admiration of the figure, I would say that while this toy looks amazing in robot mode, imitating the best Transformers design from the Michael Bay series, as a toy I still prefer the voyager. But I'll talk of that one shortly, let's get back to this behemoth. I just love how imposing that robot mode is. The rib cage has a nice Geiger feel to it, creating an unsettling feeling. The dry brush paint job is a big plus too. I could have done with more articulating with the hands though, along with less of that easily mishapen soft plastic and greater stability in the ankles. He will stand fine, but posing him is always a bit harder than it should be. I also totally buy him as a leader class toy. While he may seem small for one, especially since he takes some cues and parts from the voyager Megatron mold, when comparing to the previous voyager Shockwave we have, its clear this is much bigger. And I never heard complaining about the DOTM Shockwave toy not living up to its voyager name, so this leader toy warrants his class name just as much.
5. Transformers Dark of the Moon Voyager Shockwave (Movie the Best Shockwave)
While the Studio Series leader is more accurate, I really love what the designers did with this toy. For a simple example, look at the thrusters on the robot mode's back. The leader class doesn't do anything with them, while in the voyager toy they are split up into becoming wheels for the alt mode. It's a rather complex transformation with a lot more folding than you'd think, especially in the leg area, creating different panel detail for the robot and tank mode. I also love how the hands fold away into groove on his arm and attach to the vehicle. It just feels really structured as a transformation. Plus we have a nice face mask, to help the aspect of visible head syndrome and add another level of uniqueness to the alt mode, making it more than just the robot in a different pose. All this effort to provide us a classic conversion experience for a character that didn't transform in the movie really scores bonus points for me. And even better, the most recent release of this toy, the "Movie The Best" version, has an amazing deco.
4. Transformers Animated Shockwave
This toy is unlike any other Transformer ever designed by Hasbro. Spoilers for the Transformers Animated series abound. The idea behind this toy is for it to be Shockwave disguised as an Autobot who looks completely different with a different alt mode. The real fun is converting him from small stocky Autobot Longarm into the Decepticon Shockwave. The little hands turn into claws, the normal looking autobot face loses his mouth, nose and eyes for only the red cyclops eye to remain and the stocky limbs lengthen to reveal a tall and lean creepy silhouette. Speaking of height, this is a tall voyager figure, just look at that picture of him next to Megatron. I can’t think of that many Transformers which had as much value as this one. Definitely one of the best Transformer toy designs of all time.
3. Transformers G1 1985 Shockwave (Laserwave)
The G1 toy is still an amazing toy. Any lack in articulation is offset by the playability factor and heft. It's an awesome space gun that turns into a cool looking robot, the argument stops right there!
It still holds up and I really like how he looks, his articulation, and his lights and sounds. - Nathaniel Prime
2. Transformers Masterpiece MP 29(or 29+) Shockwave
While not overly complex, this Masterpiece gets the job done. It's Shockwave as anyone may have expected him. They basically modernized his transformation, and added more articulation from his G1 toy. I really like the light piping here, Takara really made sure it would pick up any light around and amplify it as much as possible. Both decos are nice, depending on what you want though I can definitely see how that + version's purple may be more appealing. And this is one MP toy what I find really warrants those electronics.
1. Transformers War for Cybertron Siege Shockwave
I love how unlike the Mastepriece version, this being a definitive Shockwave figure was just a building block to build more upon. To me this is not the Shockwave figure to own if you can't own the MP (ala POTP Leader Prime). Instead it is simply THE Shockwave to own. - William-James88
He has everything a Shockwave could have in a CHUG size package( properly voyager size too). I really like his extra bits he comes with, and some of his combinations with them are really cool. I really like his superstarship mode, but come on, he finally gets a gun mode in this size, even if he has to Sixshot his way for one. Did I mention his colors and articulation are perfect too? -Nathaniel Prime
Top 5 Best Nemesis Prime / Scourge Transformers Toys
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5. Legends EX Black Convoy (Scourge/Nemesis Prime)
Firstly, the truck mode is a beautiful love letter to the original RID Scourge. And I really like it as an update. While the truck mode looks the part, it gives us a new take on the transformation by having the tanker segment incorporated into the robot mode, which also looks the part. And you can now have an RID Scourge in your classics collection. Of course, this deco works much better for this mold than the original release's red and blue Optimus Prime colour scheme but I even think this mold works better as Scourge than it does Octane, with those pop up antennas working much better on an Optimus style head. This, along with the various ways to position the shoulder pylons and wings adds to the versatility of the look to distinguish this from Titans Return Optimus or any other generations voyager Optimus figure. In the end, this toy looks the part, with the deco being a labour of love to the original, and has an interesting transformation. The plane serves as an extra and you can choose to ignore it without it detracting in any way.
4. Transformers Go! Hunter Nemesis Prime
Another toy which works much better in this particular deco. For some reason, the Hasbro version of the Optimus deco went for a greenish theme and gave him such an odd smiling headsculpt. But here we get that awesome black with teal highlights and red windows deco and a bad ass headsculpt. This toy's proportions works really well with the idea of Nemesis Prime being an intimidating threat and the wings and shoulders give you options as to how to present him on your shelf. He works really well in truck mode too with those extra teeth/spikes in the front giving him that extra murderous edge.
3. Transformers Robots In Disguise Scourge (Black Convoy)
This is basically G1 Nemesis. Well, G2, but you know what I mean, he's the original. And this is the toy that influenced the idea of Nemesis Prime we have in our collective minds (for the most part). Not only do we get the previously mentioned deco, but we also get the fact that this Prime looking figure is not the same as Optimus Prime since in that same line, Optimus had a very different look. Along with the toy's bigger stature, this sets a precedent for Nemesis needing to distinguish himself from Optimus and being imposing. Hence why I always favour Nemesis Primes that have a more unique look like different details, different molding, variation in presentation, rather than the straight up black Primes we get in the MP line.
2. Power of the Primes Nemesis Prime
If not for how unique Number 1 is as a concept, this one would take the cake. He is basically the ultimate Nemesis Prime figure. Not only do we get a very different and bad ass head sculpt for the leader class robot, but we get a different headsculpt for the smaller Optimus figure too. Plus we get a weapon that turns into a bird, reminiscent of the arms mircon line, a red sword homaging the multitude of red weapons Nemesis Prime toys got throughout the years and arm cannons from the Armada Nemesis Prime. So you get two toys in one encompassing many versions of Nemesis Prime with a bunch of new exclusive weapons made just for this toy. It was sold in a much bigger box than any leader class toy we've ever seen in the generations line and yet was still sold at the leader price point, which was a really cool surprise.
1. Transformers Universe Nemesis Prime
This Big Convoy redeco is a beast! I am still so amazed that this is how Hasbro chose to release the mold in the west. We finally got an incredibly fun toy, but in an excellent deco. Between the viking-esque horns, massive gun, and blood red matrix, this surprisingly well articulated recycle of the older Beast Wares Neo figure is the perfect vessel for a bad as bones Nemesis.
Speaking of which, he gets major points for the PG13 blood on those horns, which look evil as all heck. You don't want to be caught out alone on the icy tundra, that's for sure!
Top 5 Best Female Transformers Toys
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Top 5 Best Female Transformers (Fembot) Toys
We had covered the top 5 female transformers characters a looooooong time ago. And it was suggested we also cover the best Transformer toys made for female characters. Now, I was a bit apprehensive because, from my memory, that would be a very short list. But we've come a long way from the days where the gender was only decided in the fiction after a non gender specific toy was done. We've even had 2 fully female combiner teams. So let's have fun and get to it!
5. Transformers Animated Arcee
We often get sleeker versions of earth based cars (like Cybertron Hotshot) that don't capitalize on the potential of designing vehicles from other worlds. This one totally fits the bill though. Unlike so many other alt modes, it bravely crosses the line between being a futuristic design to a full blown cybertronian one. It is a great homage to G1 Arcee which is followed through in robot mode and I like the added massive spoilers in the back. That detail gives it enough variation from the traditional Arcee model. Too bad it has exposed hands in vehicle mode though. Props go for it having that signature Arcee backpack without going the easy route and making this a shellformer. - William-james88
4. Unite Warriors Mega Empress (central element of Megatronia, Takara's version of Victorion)
While this is a retool of Hotspot, the new chest, hands, combiner bits and head completely change the identity of the mold. The chest manages to be subtly feminine, the headsculpt is excellent with its classic finned helmet and noble, elegant face, and the hands are definitely female whilst still looking powerful. The holdovers from the original mold work well too, with the massive shoulder pauldrons making her look suitably imperious and her gauntleted hands and booted feet looking properly brutal. On top of that, you can fold the "ladder" over her shoulder or under her arm to form her railgun, which is a feature she does in the fiction.
Megaempress is decked in a very Megatron silver, black and red colour scheme with hints of dark grey and some magenta for the combined mode.
Her greatest triumph, however, is that she takes the old chestnut of "What if (insert character here) was a girl?" and makes it work! The toy looks great, is a lot of fun to play with, AND she's a combiner torso- and a damn good looking one to boot! All Hail Megaempress! - Black Hat
Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Victorion Gallery
Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Pyra Magna Gallery
3. Transformers MP-46 Masterpiece Blackwidow (Blackarachnia)
This is easily the best representation we've ever had of Blackarachnia, who I find to be the best female character in the entire Transformers franchise. The paint is sublime and I can see where all my money went since the robot mode is perfect. However as a Transformers toy, it falls a bit short since there isn't much to the transformation and the beast mode is nothing to write home about. But all around, it is still a toy I am happy to own in my collection and I recommend it to any Blackarachnia and fembot fan. -William-james88
2. Transformers Legends Arcee/Nightbird Shadow
It is great to see a deluxe come with so many accessories and different places to store them in both robot mode and vehicle mode (the vehicle mode storage where Arcee’s robot hands hold a gun into place is really clever). While this is not a masterpiece, it looks exactly like the G1 cartoon model. Especially with the softer Takara deco which looks like it is made of delicious candy. For those who don’t know, this is the only toy from this line (Thrilling 30) to be designed partly by Takara instead of simply Hasbro. Since this is the very first toy of G1 Arcee, Takara felt it would be a disservice for it to be an update to her G1 self, which is the theme of the Generations line (and all the other “classics” lines.) So they stepped in and made her design reflect her G1 self as much as they could. That dedication and passion makes this toy extra special.- William-james88
1. Transformers Beast Machines Blackarachnia (Black Widow)
Even with the MP out, this remains one of the better Blackarachnia figures. I really like the transformation, which gives us a great spider mode even though the details don't match up perfectly with the show. And it gives us the multiple eyes gimmick in robot mode too. I find it the best toy done for a female character, emphasizing the different body type a female Cybertronian could have. It's just a well done toy all around, conveying the essence of the character and the biotech theme of the show, regardless of its accuracy. - William-james88
Honourable mention: Takara Transformers Adventures TAV-52 Strongarm and Sawback (Battle Pack Strongarm from Robots in Disguise)
I really like Strongarm's design. While she is female, she doesn't have the typical fembot physique, and instead is more in line with the classic boxy image of Transformers. And doesn't that make more sense? While her warrior class toy was not one of the standouts in the line, her two smaller toys were pretty great. Her Legion toy was already on our top 10 list for that class and now I would like to highlight her Battle Pack class toy. Especially the Takara version which had the best deco of all Stong Arm toys. In a line that fans first feared to be simpler, these Battlepack toys had the perfect articulation and complexity to go with the size. I find it remarkable how the designers were able to achieve the same bot and alt mode in this smaller scale.
Top 5 Best Transformers Botbots Series 2 Toys
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Posted by: TF-fan kev777
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Top 5 Series 2 Botbots Toys
So with series 1 out of the way here(add link), it is time to take a look at Series 2 of the Botbots. This series for me is the one that solidifies the Botbtos line as a true Transformers line. Why, you ask? Repaints! Repaints everywhere! From the lazy, lets make the pink ruler now yellow, to the somewhat clever, hockey puck into smart speaker, this line combined a number of repaints with a number of new molds. Don’t get me wrong, some of the repaints are pretty useful, like the food items. I have a fairly large TF collection to feed at home so extra food is always welcome. Anyway, this list will stick to the new molds because I didn’t feel any of the repaints were really outstanding enough to warrant a spot on the list or even an honorable mention. Now onto the list.
5. Grampiano
Grampiano takes the last spot on the list for me. The alt mode does scale decently enough for your various masters (Titan/Prime/Battle/Micro) to play. It even works as a ridiculously undersized piano for your bigger bots. The transformation is fun, and I love that the sheet music becomes the hair for bot mode. It also pulls of a grumpy old man face well very well. Articulation is different from most bots with 2 rotating joints on each arm, instead of either a single ball joint or a single rotating joint. This allow you to use his arms a bit more than most bots, and I love the pincher type hands. There is virtually no kibble as all the piano parts are used in bot mode, and the black color helps the legs blend in for piano mode.
4. Ollie Bite
Ollie Bite is another great new mold turning from a hat into a legged shark monster thingy, basically a Sharkticon junior. The transformation is pretty fun and has a few more steps that most Botbots. Bot mode is great with good arm articulation, and the bill of the hat becoming the shark tail helps counterbalance the rest of the hat being fairly front-heavy, so he is actually pretty easy to stand and pose. In hat mode, everything hides away nicely with only the teeth line on the hat giving away that it isn’t just a hat. The hat is right-sized for most combiners and larger bots. You can pull of a 3rd fan mode of being just a shark by leaving the arms and legs tucked away. Ollie Bite also happens to be my daughters pick for Series 2, what can I say, she has good taste.
3. Bottocorrect
Okay, so I’m old enough to have actually used white-out in school, so this hits a little bit of nostalgia for me, but Bottocorrect makes the list on his own merits, no nostalgia needed. This mold gives us something we have not seen in Botbots before, a built in cannon complete with sights!!! That would be enough to secure a spot on this list alone, but the bot mode pushed him up to number 3. The bot mode is fantastic. Both arms have good articulation with shoulder ball joints, and the cannon arm also has another ball joint allowing you to aim the cannon. The transformation is fun, but the legs can be a little deceiving. They look like they should fold out to be straight with the rest of the body, but they don’t. The body is actually angled backward to offset the weight of the cannon in front. The bot mode face is perfect for a maniacal bot with a cannon arm, and the single eye gives me Plankton from Spongebob kind of vibe.
2. Big Cantuna
The alt mode of a rotting can of tuna with the lid peeled back and a dead fish head sticking out had me at first sight. The Spoiled Rotten clan was a great idea for redecos of unspoiled food from Series 1, but also they ended up with one of the most unique overall molds of the whole line. The transformation is fun and pretty intuitive for a disk to bot change. I love that the fish head is the bot head. There really is no kibble since the whole can gets used for the limbs and torso. This figure actually has some of the best articulation of the whole botbots line as well with double ball joints on each arm, ball joints for the hips and even a neck ball joint. Yep, you can give him an upside-down head if you want. The only real downside is the overall size and shape in alt mode makes it hard for many other TF’s to hold.
1. Javasaurus Rex
Here we are at the top of another list and this time the choice was easy. Javasaurus Rex might be my favorite mold of the entire Botbot franchise so far (up through Series 4 as of writing this list). Javasaurus Rex would take the top spot based on transformation alone, but is actually solid in both modes as well, making it a no-brainer here. The transformation is probably the closest one in all of Botbots to the mainline Transformers, and you could easily see this upscaled to be an appliance bot for the movie lines with a movie type deco. The transformation uses one of my favorite things, rotating the waist 180 degrees. For articulation, there are ball jointed shoulders giving full range of motion for the arms. The mouth can be open or closed. The legs are only on rotating joints, but when you combine that with the holy grail of Transformers, the waist swivel, you have possibly the best combination of proportions, weight balance and articulation in all of Botbots. For the alt mode of the coffee maker, the only real downside is the visible eyes, and that was nowhere near enough to keep him from the top.
Honourable Mentions: I’ll once again be doing these a little differently, more of a bullet point list pointing out a few other botbots that I wanted to give a shout out for a specific reason.
Drumbeats gets a mention here because I played the drums when I was younger and really appreciate the leg detail they gave him to make each leg look like a bass drum pedal. That attention to detail really impressed me.
Hamauri gets a spot here for being the first Botbots partsformer with the ham bone becoming his knife and bringing another typical feature of the other TF lines to Botbots Alt mode weapon storage. The knife can also be held by many other bots that have the 3mm openings on their hands. For that matter, the entire ham can also be held by other Botbots with the 3mm hands.
Hawt Mess gets a spot here because everyone loves tacos and he is also a very solid mold overall, he just missed getting a spot on the list.
Overpack gets a spot here for being another solid new mold, and I particularly like how the backpack straps kind of look like dreads in bot mode. Dreads Junior for your movie line?
The Music Mob tribe in general gets a mention here as since they all scale well with the various Generation “Masters” as well as being ridiculously undersized instruments for your regular bots. Grab some masters, the Botbots instruments and a TR Soundwave or Blaster and you have yourself a concert.
Top 5 Best G1 Styled Megatron Transformers Toys
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Posted by: william-james88
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Top 5 Best G1 Styled Megatron Toys
Megatron has had loads of toys throughout the years and unlike Optimus, they have all been very very different from one to the next. That's because his original alt mode, a realistic 1:1 gun, is not something that can be made a toy of as easily as a truck. We already made a list of the best toys to sport the Megatron name but with such varied toys representing his G1 self alone, we thought it could be fun to look at just those. This refers to toys that evoke the original look of Megatron we all know and love. Unlike Optimus Prime, that look has changed throughout the years since Megatron toys released in the US could not turn into realistic life sized guns, but the general theme and aesthetic was still maintained.
5. Transformers Reveal The Shield Legends Megatron
This toy HAD to be on this list, at all cost since it is much more significant than one may think. It is, to this day, Hasbro's final stab at a Megatron toy that turns into a hand gun. Sure, he is small, but that comes with its own set of advantages. For one that means you have a G1 gun Megatron to scale with larger toys like Generations Metroplex, joining other G1 styled smaller toys like Optimus and Starscream. Plus, him being so small, means you have a transforming Megatron toy that can be held by Masterpiece Starscream. In fact, in terms of cross compatibility, Megatron in his gun form can be held by Starscream in both robot mode(thanks to a peg at the handle) and jet mode (thanks to the clip underneath).
Image from Yatsuya Reviews
4. Transformers G1 1984 Megatron (Reissue)
While G1 Megatron may look of with propotions and a trigger hear his crotch, I feel this is one of the main G1 toys everyone should experience. The transformation is very clever and it is very impressive how back in the 80s they could have a realistic gun turn into a robot. There are plenty of reissues available, so taht helps, and it turns out the reissues are even better than the original. The original Hasbro version couldn't fire pellets while the original Takara release was not silver but several reissues give you the best of both worlds by having a silver/chrome finish gun that actually fires.
3. Transformers United Megatron
For over a decade, this was the best G1 styled Megatron toy. The design is still great and very smart. I espeially love how the legs become different parts of the gun's alt mode and yet are identical. While the Hasbro deco was a bit off, with some purple and neon green, the Takara versions and the recent Platinum release have some very nice paint schemes.
2. WFC Siege Megatron Netflix (specifically the Netflix boxset)
This toy was a looooooong time coming. While we had several Classics Megatrons over the years, they were either too small or too big or a redeco of another character (like Blitzwing or Bludgeon). And finally in the Siege line, we got a G1 styled Megatron who was the right size and not someone else's mold/body. That is worth celebrating, let alone the fact that he is a fun toy. The proportions are nice, especially the size of the fusion cannon, and while the tank mode could be better the robot mode makes up for any alt mode shortcoming. I especially recommend the Netflix version since the deco is more apt, especially int terms of the weathering, and it fixes an issue with the ankles. Plus it comes with targetmasters we actually needed like a properly coloured Lionizer and pinpointer.
1. Takara Transformers Masterpiece MP 36 Megatron
I will be honest, I had my doubts with this toy. The price was the highest I had ever paid for a Transformers figure and the intricacies of the transformation worried me. The previous MP Megatron was not fun to transform and this one was even more complex.
But all those worries melted away when I first transformed the figure. Well, even before even because i was amazed at how solid the robot was. This toy has great articulation and parts don't unclip, he really stays together as a full fledged action figure. And then when transforming him you see just how many parts are involved and you wonder just how it's possible that you have all these small moving piece that can disconnect and reconnect themselves in different positions to form two solid modes. The transformation, while complex, was not annoying. Every part had a place to go, it felt like a pleasant journey. I especially liked the side of his abdominal area disappearing within the body of the gun. I also like transforming the legs since there are smaller pieces used just for the robot mode to fill out the legs and since they disappear when forming the gun handle, it really gives the impression that the toy is morphing to accommodate closer proportions to what we see on the show even though initially the handle of the gun simply split into two legs.
Whether that last part was clear or not doesn't matter, what I want to get across is that I felt I had a great toy and a great experience and that it was money well spent. I do not know if this is the best Masterpiece toy of all time but it is easily the best G1 Megatron toy by a country mile.
Honourable Mention: The Combiner Wars leader class Megatron is an ok toy, and looks the part, especially the headsculpt. But unlike any of the figures above, it just didn't break any new ground. It was also a very basic toy for the leader price point and it started the now aborted budget MP scale which I still have a tough time remedying within my collection (and eventually sold).
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