Lots to catch up on, I haven't been to this thread in almost 3 weeks.
so, let's start with the reveals:
Wildrider: this one got my hopes up for the Stunticons. I actually really like how this one looks. i will get this one.
Elita: She doesn't really appeal to me, I love the PotP one. I look forward to the mold as Minerva though.
Tarantulas: It looks like a good toy. It took me a day to figure it out, but it doesn't really appeal to me as much as I had hoped it would, and that is because the Transmetal look is THE look for me. It's odd to see him back in his season 1 body. Doesn't help that Sins of the Wreckers made his TM form his main mode but still gave him a fully organic beast mode.
Knockout: this one really bothers me. Prime Arcee ended up working as a Prime figure mostly, and is a pretty nice figure. Bulkhead is not the Prime character to me, the head and wrecking ball are about the only things that work for me as that character. Knockout falls into the Bulkhead status. He needed a new mold. He is too bulky/square, and the head sculpt is a disappointment. He's the wrong shape for Knockout, and simplifies some of his most distinct features. for me, Knockout is another victim of G1-ification, and it sucks to see him done dirty this way.
Jhiaxus: I enjoy this one a good bit. He feels too skinny though. he seems off somehow. That headsculpt is utterly wonderful though.
Soundwave: don't care.
Blitzwing: he ugly.
Motormaster: this one wiped out the goodwill I had towards the Stunticons after seeing Wildrider. I just don't like him that much. Too much cartoon, which is OK, I'm not the audience for him.
Now, as for wave 1 figures, I got Arcee, Ignuanus, and Bulkhead.
I got Arcee first. She is actually quite adorable and fun. The aesthetic changes hinder her as a Prime figure, but her design is pretty good. Transformation is really good, they nailed that. I wish I could give her her wings without having to put the wheels on her back too, but it's necessary since I will not use those wheels as a gun. Overall, very nice, I like her.
Iguanus is as good as I could have hoped. He's so posable too! I love this lizard man, they understood the assignment and they killed it. I look forward to more Pretenders like this.
Bulkhead isn't too bad. He is not the Prime guy to me, it just doesn't work. But I'm thinking he can be my Wrecker Bulkhead, giving him a spot to go. I think a lot of my issues with the guy would be resolved if he wasn't explicitly called "Prime universe Bulkhead." He seems like a good figure. joints are pretty stiff too, so he can hold those poses really well. Hoping we can maybe get Pyro from him. That's a Wrecker I need.

















