BotCon 2015 Transformers: Official Pics of "The Boss" Megatron

The back part uh, really doesn't work as a tank.

After being treated to full galleries of the actual figures (that were taken with official permission, I might add) whats the point of even showing these photoshopped images ?

Because Botcon says so, probably.

Rated X wrote:After being treated to full galleries of the actual figures (that were taken with official permission, I might add) whats the point of even showing these photoshopped images ?

I think they'd be appreciative of our coverage for one thing. Other sites will news it. Maybe some viewers haven't seen our gallery (and can thus find it via this newest article). Aaaaand... because we news'd the other official reveals.

Am I the only one who doesnt get it? The Megatron toy looks fine but I don't know what it is or who it is. Which Megatron is this? I thought the Botcon toys were all about giving us toys we couldnt get elsewhere or a reimagining of sorts (like the Beast Wars set or the Animated set) in a unifying theme. This line just looks random. Especially the Megatron since we already have several classics/generations Megs (legends, deluxes, voyager and leader now) in both Tanks, Guns and a Stealth Bomber. And we already have a voyager DOTM Megatron toy that is obviously more screen accurate. We also already have a Megatron who is a combination of movie verse and G1 in the form of Prime Megatron (also in many scales). So I am wondering, is this just the representation of characters from a comic they will write? So like toys of fan fiction?

I really hope I am not coming off as a complete noob but I just dont see what going on with these toys here. I would love to get my hands on that breakdown mold though, but it will pretty much cost the same as hunting down a version of the takara one.

It makes no sense... it's completely random and not anything anybody wanted. Definitely some people will think it's cool, but it works better as a custom and not a $60 exclusive wasting a new head. It's crap

See what's in bold text:

Sabrblade wrote:Jesse Wittenrich's words on the Megatron figure (note that the "gallery" he refers to is Ryan's Megatron gallery):

He is a very nice dull olive green - the comic preview overdoes it significantly, and the lighting in videos makes it look darker than it actually is. That gallery though captures it almost exactly.

Boombox can be handheld, plug into the top of Megatron's forearm, the side of the forearm, or yes on the shoulder or back. Depending on where you like Megatron's fusion cannon to sit. And of course Megatron's hands rotate into his forearms so that Heavyweight can be a hand-replacement weapon just like the Energon Mace in G1.

The figure was always envisioned as a Movie-inspired Classics/Generations toy, which means the G1 face was central to the entire idea. Of course then a few of the movie design's flourishes were added to the classic bucket head look to tie further into that inspiration as well as to tie into the few random spikes on the Breakdown body. This is a toy that movie viewers who were interested in a semi-truck Megatron but don't collect movie toys can add among their G1-inspired toys and have him not look out of place. After all there's no shortage of Movie Megatron toys out there, so it was never the intent to try to recreate that look entirely.

Fiction-wise, he's from a universe with events similar to what happened in the movies... Only he of course doesn't die. And we get a Rodimus Prime, and an Optimus who stays dead. That doesn't mean he has to have the movie aesthetic since, well, again it's a universe that simply mirrors the events.

Also:

Those running to the toy chests, do remember that the actual truck used for Megatron in the movie and the Hasbro toy color scheme are fairly dissimilar. So much so that when Takara Tomy had a chance to color correct the Voyager for the "Chronicle" release, they went all-out altering everything about the beige and gray.

We know what he's meant to be. It's not hard to see what they were going for... the question was why.

Thanks Sabr. It really sounds like fan fiction to me though, and a toy based on it. The only place I would put that toy on a shelf would be next to RTS Lugnut, which is oddly specific and the only place I can see it fit. But even then, this is a classics reinterpretation of a movie toy. That's never happened before right? Or do we just call that the Prime line ?

Actually, come to think of it, this could work facing off against Hasbro's Evasion Mode Optimus Prime, who is a cross between a movie toy and a classics reinterpretation of the movie aesthetic.

There's also Frank Welker's coming to BotCon, so it's likely they wanted to do some kind of Megatron toy to honor his appearance. And it helps that Welker voiced DOTM Megatron in some non-film DOTM media.

Sabrblade wrote:There's also Frank Welker's coming to BotCon, so it's likely they wanted to do some kind of Megatron toy to honor his appearance. And it helps that Welker voiced DOTM Megatron in some non-film DOTM media.

They could have made an update to Prime's Megatron instead. With a better alt mode, or what he would have looked it he took on an earth vehicle instead, giving people a decent Prime Megatron toy. I would have much preferred that. Welker is better known for voicing that Megatron than the movie related media.

william-james88 wrote:Am I the only one who doesnt get it? The Megatron toy looks fine but I don't know what it is or who it is. Which Megatron is this? I thought the Botcon toys were all about giving us toys we couldnt get elsewhere or a reimagining of sorts (like the Beast Wars set or the Animated set) in a unifying theme. This line just looks random. Especially the Megatron since we already have several classics/generations Megs (legends, deluxes, voyager and leader now) in both Tanks, Guns and a Stealth Bomber. And we already have a voyager DOTM Megatron toy that is obviously more screen accurate. We also already have a Megatron who is a combination of movie verse and G1 in the form of Prime Megatron (also in many scales). So I am wondering, is this just the representation of characters from a comic they will write? So like toys of fan fiction?

100% agree

william-james88 wrote:Thanks Sabr. It really sounds like fan fiction to me though, and a toy based on it.

No more fanfic-y than the stuff Roberts and Barber do in the IDW comics (i.e. - Brainstorm's briefcase contains every universe inside it and created the multiverse, that's way more fanfic-y than anything the Club has done). Roberts even sometimes takes inspiration from the fanfics he wrote back in the day.

Sabrblade wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Thanks Sabr. It really sounds like fan fiction to me though, and a toy based on it.

No more fanfic-y than the stuff Roberts and Barber do in the IDW comics (i.e. - Brainstorm's briefcase contains every universe inside it and created the multiverse, that's way more fanfic-y than anything the Club has done). Roberts even sometimes takes inspiration from the fanfics he wrote back in the day.

But I still make a distinction between the IDW comics and the Botcon comics. It probably wont be logical, but it's what I feel. While Hasbro does influence the comics to help them promote their toys, you did point out that they still exist to make their own stories and sometimes the designs even help inspire toy designers (Brainstorm was the best example of this right?). But it seems that the way Botcon works, (correct me if I am wrong people), the comic is just there to give reason to the toy's existence. Sure, that is how Transformers fiction is traditionally done (toy first and then show fiction to promote it) but that's for new lines, new toys, new characters or new interpretations. This here isn't that, especially with Megatron. He, to me, is the same as the bio of the RID Air Attack Optimus Primal toy. Now that is a great toy and I am thankful for his existence, but I can assure you that I consider him Optimus Primal from Beast Machines and not a time Traveller visiting Fire Convoy and helping him out. I do not consider the blurb which exists solely so that he can be finally released as part of a different line to be his backstory or reason for existence.

But in this case, with Megatron, it is. His blurb (the one you quoted above) is contrived just to make this toy happen. A toy that is not relevant anywhere aside from that comic (at least Primal was relevant, he was a show accurate Primal from Best Machines!). This toy exists to back up its fiction which only exists to back up this toy. That sounds like someone who has run out of ideas.

I will gladly take one of these Megatron figures off someones hands if they dont like it Not sure where I would put him either but he just looks too sweet not to get. Plus I dont have a figure of that mold. Only one of the Botcon figures I like enough to put money on so far.

I think the Breakdown toy would have made a better Primal than a Megatron. But then, I think every toy should be remoulded into Primal, so...

Well Transformers fiction only ever exists to back up the toys anyway, so who really cares? The toy looks good, the mold is AFAIK a good one, and it's another Megatron. I don't really care about the others but I love the look of Megatron, and I hope he shows up on eBay for reasonable prices. I do wish he was grey but the olive drab looks good too. I'm gonna make him a tarp/cloak though for sure.

WJ, you make excellent points and I agree. Usually it wouldn't bother me since I think the Botcon stories are unique and diverse, but it's such a mixed bag this year that pulling it all together for a cohesive story seems like a herculean task.

I guess he exists for fans who really didn't want Megs to die in DOTM?

shajaki wrote:WJ, you make excellent points and I agree. Usually it wouldn't bother me since I think the Botcon stories are unique and diverse, but it's such a mixed bag this year that pulling it all together for a cohesive story seems like a herculean task.

I guess he exists for fans who really didn't want Megs to die in DOTM?

Actually I think they said he exists for the fans of DOTM megatron, but not the movie aaesthetic. Which kinda defeats the purpose in my a opinion because if you liked dotm Megatron, then you were fine with the movie look, which is what defined the appearance of the character, so making it G1 kinda removes that agency.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

shajaki wrote:WJ, you make excellent points and I agree. Usually it wouldn't bother me since I think the Botcon stories are unique and diverse, but it's such a mixed bag this year that pulling it all together for a cohesive story seems like a herculean task.

I guess he exists for fans who really didn't want Megs to die in DOTM?

Actually I think they said he exists for the fans of DOTM megatron, but not the movie aaesthetic. Which kinda defeats the purpose in my a opinion because if you liked dotm Megatron, then you were fine with the movie look, which is what defined the appearance of the character, so making it G1 kinda removes that agency.

Yeah, that definitely falls into my argument too that it just doesnt make much sense. But you add that to the fact that it is also movie megatron since he has the same backstory and that this movie megatron is the boss in a storyline they concocted that also has a shattered glas figure and

Not to say that I don't like this figure. I just feel that it has no purpose in a set like this at every angle it can be analysed and I can guarantee 100% that it will not be utilized in the way it is presented. And fans deserve better from a company that's sole existence is based on serving to them. If they wanted to make a classics version of movie figures then awesome, make a set out of that. They could all accompany Evasion Mode Prime on a shelf, that would be awesome. You could have movie drift colors and tooling on Animated Samurai Prowl. You could have movie Crosshairs using the generations Drift mold. It could have been fun, but now its just a hodge podge that is not referencing anything as a whole.

Everyone of these figures would have worked better as next year's subscription service. And instead of making nonsense that Megatron lived at the end of DOTM to be able to tell a story, you could just release him on his own as a new classics Megatron homaging movie megatron (or like I said, Aligned Megatron in an earth mode).

In the end, I still think its a nice figure, but this isnt the place for it and it really looks like the people that are supposed to be there for the fans are
now pulling stuff out of their a$$ and wasting time and assets.

PS: I also just realized that Movie Megatron isnt even dead, and he's still a truck, but humans call him Galvatron now. So even then

william-james88 wrote:But I still make a distinction between the IDW comics and the Botcon comics. It probably wont be logical, but it's what I feel. While Hasbro does influence the comics to help them promote their toys, you did point out that they still exist to make their own stories and sometimes the designs even help inspire toy designers (Brainstorm was the best example of this right?). But it seems that the way Botcon works, (correct me if I am wrong people), the comic is just there to give reason to the toy's existence. Sure, that is how Transformers fiction is traditionally done (toy first and then show fiction to promote it) but that's for new lines, new toys, new characters or new interpretations. This here isn't that, especially with Megatron. He, to me, is the same as the bio of the RID Air Attack Optimus Primal toy. Now that is a great toy and I am thankful for his existence, but I can assure you that I consider him Optimus Primal from Beast Machines and not a time Traveller visiting Fire Convoy and helping him out. I do not consider the blurb which exists solely so that he can be finally released as part of a different line to be his backstory or reason for existence.

But in this case, with Megatron, it is. His blurb (the one you quoted above) is contrived just to make this toy happen. A toy that is not relevant anywhere aside from that comic (at least Primal was relevant, he was a show accurate Primal from Best Machines!). This toy exists to back up its fiction which only exists to back up this toy. That sounds like someone who has run out of ideas.

I have read every piece of TCC fiction that Fun Pub has produced, be they BotCon comics, magazine comics, text stories, or other things. I can say wholeheartedly that not every piece of TCC fiction has been made to promote a specific figure or figures. A lot of times in the past, a story was made for the sake of progressing and fleshing out the ongoing narrative of the stories the Club was trying to tell. The three TransTech text stories from 2008, for instance, each starred a character or characters whose toys were neither Club/BotCon toys and predated the stories by a number of years (G1 Hubcap, G1 Jackpot, G2 Bulletbike, the e-HOBBY G1 GoBots, etc.). And every one of the TransTechs themselves are fiction-only characters since there has never been and likely never will be Transcendent Technomorph toys.

Other examples are the Shattered Glass text stories that continued the story of that continuity. Almost none of those stories main characters had any toys at the time they were written and published. Only those more minor characters who were carried over from the original, 2008 comic story, or the occasion odd repurpose of some older toy from retail, had toys. One of the more memorable stories, 2009's "Blitzwing Bop", starred the SG versions of Blitzwing, Soundwave, Blaster, and Thunderwing in pivotal roles, and not a single one of them had any toys of their own at the time of the story's release (Soundwave was then in his Universe Ironhide-based body, but that toy wouldn't see release until 2012). Another story, 2011's "Transhuman", focused more primarily on the human characters of the story, and there's no way any of those guys would be getting toys. A SG Shockwave (drawn as a yellow and blue redeco of Energon Shockblast) was also focused on in that story, but he has no toy to this day either.

Backing up again to the TransTech stories, the magazine "Transcendent" comics featured a few character (Blackarachia, Nightscream, Scavenger, and Immorticon) who were all in TransTech bodies, but were secretly characters from the Beast Wars: Uprising universe. But even with the BWU universe finally getting some toys in recent years, there remain many many many characters from its fiction that are toyless.

Bottom line is, oftentimes the Club will create stories and characters that don't serve the purpose of promoting toys. This new Megatron coming from a universe where he survived the ending of DOTM is hardly that different from the other kinds of otherworldly stuff the Club has done with its fiction.

As for that Air Attack Optimus Primal bio, no one really takes it to heart since the figure (along with Megatron Megabolt and RiD Bruticus) was meant to be a Beast Machines figure but was carried over into the RiD line since the Beast Machines line had ended by the time the toy was to be released.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

shajaki wrote:WJ, you make excellent points and I agree. Usually it wouldn't bother me since I think the Botcon stories are unique and diverse, but it's such a mixed bag this year that pulling it all together for a cohesive story seems like a herculean task.

I guess he exists for fans who really didn't want Megs to die in DOTM?

Actually I think they said he exists for the fans of DOTM megatron, but not the movie aaesthetic. Which kinda defeats the purpose in my a opinion because if you liked dotm Megatron, then you were fine with the movie look, which is what defined the appearance of the character, so making it G1 kinda removes that agency.

It is possible to like a character or the idea of a character without liking the way they look.

For instance, I think Movie 1 Arcee is a very cool character in the comics she appeared in like "The Reign of Starscream", but I also feel that her design is downright hideous and unappealing to me. If the Club or anybody were to make an updated figure of that character from a mold that doesn't look so butt ugly, I'd buy it no problem.

william-james88 wrote:Yeah, that definitely falls into my argument too that it just doesnt make much sense. But you add that to the fact that it is also movie megatron since he has the same backstory and that this movie megatron is the boss in a storyline they concocted that also has a shattered glas figure and

Not to say that I don't like this figure. I just feel that it has no purpose in a set like this at every angle it can be analysed and I can guarantee 100% that it will not be utilized in the way it is presented. And fans deserve better from a company that's sole existence is based on serving to them. If they wanted to make a classics version of movie figures then awesome, make a set out of that. They could all accompany Evasion Mode Prime on a shelf, that would be awesome. You could have movie drift colors and tooling on Animated Samurai Prowl. You could have movie Crosshairs using the generations Drift mold. It could have been fun, but now its just a hodge podge that is not referencing anything as a whole.

Everyone of these figures would have worked better as next year's subscription service. And instead of making nonsense that Megatron lived at the end of DOTM to be able to tell a story, you could just release him on his own as a new classics Megatron homaging movie megatron (or like I said, Aligned Megatron in an earth mode).

In the end, I still think its a nice figure, but this isnt the place for it and it really looks like the people that are supposed to be there for the fans are
now pulling stuff out of their a$$ and wasting time and assets.

PS: I also just realized that Movie Megatron isnt even dead, and he's still a truck, but humans call him Galvatron now. So even then

All I can say to this is, in Axiom Nexus, diversity is the norm.

Click to enlarge.

Oh man Sabr, I absolutely LOVE that image! Can't believe scattershot is there front and centre but I am glad he is.

And I get where you are coming from with the fiction but as I said, it just doesn't make sense to me personally even if it can be logically explained at certain angles. The arguments you present are fine but still do not explain why it makes more sense to release these as a box set instead of making them individual subscription figures.

Oh and thanks for letting me know of the transtech stuff, it's something I always wished Hasbro would come back to. Is the Botcon 06 set Transtech or just the Cheetor made from animated Blurr?

william-james88 wrote:Is the Botcon 06 set Transtech or just the Cheetor made from animated Blurr?

Dawn of Future's Past? No, those are Pre-Beast Wars forms of the cast. Kinda the same idea as the current Beast Wars: Uprising; Maximals and Predacons as vehicles.

"Transtech Cheetor" is Animated through and through, the fiction states he works under Sideswipe from the BotCon 2011 Souvenir sets.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Is the Botcon 06 set Transtech or just the Cheetor made from animated Blurr?

Dawn of Future's Past? No, those are Pre-Beast Wars forms of the cast. Kinda the same idea as the current Beast Wars: Uprising; Maximals and Predacons as vehicles.

Though with the specific difference of "Dawn of Future's Past" being the pre-beast prequel to the cartoon proper, while Uprising is a wholly new reboot set on Cybertron with no signs of the characters ever assuming beast modes or going to Earth at all.

Basically, Uprising is to the Mainframe cartoon what IDW's G1 is to the Marvel/Sunbow/Dreamwave G1s.

Sabrblade wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Is the Botcon 06 set Transtech or just the Cheetor made from animated Blurr?

Dawn of Future's Past? No, those are Pre-Beast Wars forms of the cast. Kinda the same idea as the current Beast Wars: Uprising; Maximals and Predacons as vehicles.

Though with the specific difference of "Dawn of Future's Past" being the pre-beast prequel to the cartoon proper, while Uprising is a wholly new reboot set on Cybertron with no signs of the characters ever assuming beast modes or going to Earth at all.

Basically, Uprising is to the Mainframe cartoon what IDW's G1 is to the Marvel/Sunbow/Dreamwave G1s.

Aligning Club Fiction's Universe is so confusing.

The final reveal, the Bounty Hunter, should be tomorrow right? And we have no single clue as to who he is, except that he seems to be from BotCon 1996. The suspense is killing me!

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:The final reveal, the Bounty Hunter, should be tomorrow right? And we have no single clue as to who he is, except that he seems to be from BotCon 1996. The suspense is killing me!

It's in 90 minutes.

ScottyP wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:The final reveal, the Bounty Hunter, should be tomorrow right? And we have no single clue as to who he is, except that he seems to be from BotCon 1996. The suspense is killing me!

It's in 90 minutes.

This is why I love living on the west coast, 11:30 AM EST, 8:30 A.M pacific.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Is the Botcon 06 set Transtech or just the Cheetor made from animated Blurr?

Dawn of Future's Past? No, those are Pre-Beast Wars forms of the cast. Kinda the same idea as the current Beast Wars: Uprising; Maximals and Predacons as vehicles.

Though with the specific difference of "Dawn of Future's Past" being the pre-beast prequel to the cartoon proper, while Uprising is a wholly new reboot set on Cybertron with no signs of the characters ever assuming beast modes or going to Earth at all.

Basically, Uprising is to the Mainframe cartoon what IDW's G1 is to the Marvel/Sunbow/Dreamwave G1s.

Aligning Club Fiction's Universe is so confusing.

The final reveal, the Bounty Hunter, should be tomorrow right? And we have no single clue as to who he is, except that he seems to be from BotCon 1996. The suspense is killing me!

Isnt the reveal going to be Oilmaster?

william-james88 wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Is the Botcon 06 set Transtech or just the Cheetor made from animated Blurr?

Dawn of Future's Past? No, those are Pre-Beast Wars forms of the cast. Kinda the same idea as the current Beast Wars: Uprising; Maximals and Predacons as vehicles.

Though with the specific difference of "Dawn of Future's Past" being the pre-beast prequel to the cartoon proper, while Uprising is a wholly new reboot set on Cybertron with no signs of the characters ever assuming beast modes or going to Earth at all.

Basically, Uprising is to the Mainframe cartoon what IDW's G1 is to the Marvel/Sunbow/Dreamwave G1s.

Aligning Club Fiction's Universe is so confusing.

The final reveal, the Bounty Hunter, should be tomorrow right? And we have no single clue as to who he is, except that he seems to be from BotCon 1996. The suspense is killing me!

Isnt the reveal going to be Oilmaster?

That's our (well, Sabrblade's) best guess, based on the first public appearance of his prototype.

Its' oil master, and they have a pretender shell with legends and swerve his hetero life mate.

Ok, that's freaking cool. Well done.

Its impressive sorta. The shell's nice and yes that's the spectacle, but honestly, is Oilmaster actually that impressive visually? Personally i would've rather bandito Spider, who compared to a gorilla in armor, is/was more unique. Anyway what dosen't work for me, is generations swerve. It's too, new compared to the old pretender styled shell, with the basic kenner articulation. Because of the one of them feels to anachronistic. Either Oilmaster has to little articulation to work with swerve, or Swerve isn't G1 enough for oilmaster's body. I wonder if there was a G1 mold available that could fit in the shell.

Oh and also, now I'm worried they blew their load with this figure's tooling, and now most of the polybagged figures are going to be lacking.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Anyway what dosen't work for me, is generations swerve. It's too, new compared to the old pretender styled shell, with the basic kenner articulation. Because of the one of them feels to anachronistic. Either Oilmaster has to little articulation to work with swerve, or Swerve isn't G1 enough for oilmaster's body. I wonder if there was a G1 mold available that could fit in the shell.

My guess would be no, or any of the G1 inner pretender bots available were gangmolded with shells they didn't need? Alternately, doing a Legend and a Micron buddy to go inside was a way to somewhat pick up the gimmick of the inner bots combining into one larger one. There's an argument to be made there for using some of the Landcross pieces, but maybe that was too big a gamble/they didn't feel like they could do just 2/6.

Where's my Pete signal, I wanna know about the abandoned concepts on this one

I am just speechless. They weren't kidding with the last reveal topping last year's Scorponok.

And just so you all know Oilmaster uses no new tooling whatsoever from what I can tell (ok, maybe the head), that shell is a pre-existing mold. In fact, that very shell is made from the actual Double Pretender prototype, first shown at BotCon 1996. Unreleased back in G1, now sees the light as a BotCon toy!

Also worth nothing that only the shell seems to have made it to the hard copy stage, the inner bots never did. In other words, there were no molds for the inner bots to use.

ScottyP wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Anyway what dosen't work for me, is generations swerve. It's too, new compared to the old pretender styled shell, with the basic kenner articulation. Because of the one of them feels to anachronistic. Either Oilmaster has to little articulation to work with swerve, or Swerve isn't G1 enough for oilmaster's body. I wonder if there was a G1 mold available that could fit in the shell.

My guess would be no, or any of the G1 inner pretender bots available were gangmolded with shells they didn't need? Alternately, doing a Legend and a Micron buddy to go inside was a way to somewhat pick up the gimmick of the inner bots combining into one larger one. There's an argument to be made there for using some of the Landcross pieces, but maybe that was too big a gamble/they didn't feel like they could do just 2/6.

No I agree that of all figures to use, the legends duo is the most appropriate, I just feel it's a little out of place considering they went so Classics 2006 bordering on G1 with the shell. I know, by no means the could've done something like Primo's Customs figures, but I personally feel that the shell is a little too 80's for it's own good, in aesthetic and function (articulation). Also the head sculpt is still hella swerve, and I cannot, not see swerve in oil master proper.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Its' oil master, and they have a pretender shell with legends and swerve his hetero life mate.

DO. NOT. WANT. Only getting 1 figure from this boxset (Packrat), the rest are fucking awful.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:I am just speechless. They weren't kidding with the last reveal topping last year's Scorponok.

And just so you all know Oilmaster uses no new tooling whatsoever from what I can tell (ok, maybe the head), that shell is a pre-existing mold. In fact, that very shell is made from the actual Double Pretender prototype, first shown at BotCon 1996. Unreleased back in G1, now sees the light as a BotCon toy!

Also worth nothing that only the shell seems to have made it to the hard copy stage, the inner bots never did. In other words, there were no molds for the inner bots to use.

Boss Fight Studios made the shell.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:I am just speechless. They weren't kidding with the last reveal topping last year's Scorponok.

And just so you all know Oilmaster uses no new tooling whatsoever from what I can tell (ok, maybe the head), that shell is a pre-existing mold. In fact, that very shell is made from the actual Double Pretender prototype, first shown at BotCon 1996. Unreleased back in G1, now sees the light as a BotCon toy!

Also worth nothing that only the shell seems to have made it to the hard copy stage, the inner bots never did. In other words, there were no molds for the inner bots to use.

Boss Fight Studios made the shell.

Then I wonder who supplied the specifications of the original mold

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:I am just speechless. They weren't kidding with the last reveal topping last year's Scorponok.

And just so you all know Oilmaster uses no new tooling whatsoever from what I can tell (ok, maybe the head), that shell is a pre-existing mold. In fact, that very shell is made from the actual Double Pretender prototype, first shown at BotCon 1996. Unreleased back in G1, now sees the light as a BotCon toy!

Also worth nothing that only the shell seems to have made it to the hard copy stage, the inner bots never did. In other words, there were no molds for the inner bots to use.

Boss Fight Studios made the shell.

Then I wonder who supplied the specifications of the original mold

Don't know, but it is different in regards to it's sculpt in the legs, chest, head, and maybe the arms.

BotCon has revealed the 5th and final exclusive figure from this year's BotCon 2015 "Cybertron's Most Wanted" box set. The last figure, Oilmaster "The Bounty Hunter", revives an abandoned Hasbro G1 concept of the "Double Pretender". The original Double Pretender Gorilla Pretender shell was first shown by Hasbro at BotCon 1996 alongside a Double Pretender Spider mold, the original G1 Unicron that was never released, and several other abandoned concepts that were never released at retail.

Apparently, the all-new Oilmaster Pretender mold was a joint venture between Fun Publications (the folks behind BotCon) and a company called "Boss Fight Studio". Here's a quote from their Facebook page regarding Oilmaster:

Boss Fight Studio is proud to have worked with Fun Publications on the 2015 Botcon convention exclusives - most especially the all new mech-gorilla Pretender shell for OILMASTER! This guy was a fun one!

To the best of our knowledge, the inner robots for Oilmaster were never made or never made it to the hard copy phase. To replace the inner robots, Oilmaster will utilize the Generations Swerve mold with his Mini-Con partner to simulate the two-robots-in-one-Pretender-shell concept.

Without further ado, please check out this exciting reveal that BotCon posted earlier this morning ...







Share your thoughts about Oilmaster by clicking here.

Overall, this set is very underwhelming. I absolutely disagree with Oilmaster being a bigger deal than Scorponok, and I didn't think Scorponok was a big deal. I wouldn't mind owning 1, but not for the price he goes for.

I think it would have been more creative to actually put the inner robots of Oilmaster into the last shell, and revealing them that way, instead of the long, boring, and uninspired way they did it.

The only figure I have a mild interest in is Battletrap, and only because I like the mold and the color. If he had Stepper's blue Micron weapon, it would be better.

So, yet again, close to $1000 saved by not going to BotCon or getting a set. I'm still interested the add-on figures, especially if the aforementioned Rodimus will be included.

Hmm. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I guess my mixed emotions all cancel each other out and leave me feeling just general apathy. I... guess it's cool? But, I dunno.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:I am just speechless. They weren't kidding with the last reveal topping last year's Scorponok.

And just so you all know Oilmaster uses no new tooling whatsoever from what I can tell (ok, maybe the head), that shell is a pre-existing mold. In fact, that very shell is made from the actual Double Pretender prototype, first shown at BotCon 1996. Unreleased back in G1, now sees the light as a BotCon toy!

Also worth nothing that only the shell seems to have made it to the hard copy stage, the inner bots never did. In other words, there were no molds for the inner bots to use.

Boss Fight Studios made the shell.

Then I wonder who supplied the specifications of the original mold

Don't know, but it is different in regards to it's sculpt in the legs, chest, head, and maybe the arms.

I think it's based on it visually, but it is a new mold. Maybe Pete can clarify for us?

Rodimus Prime wrote:So, yet again, close to $1000 saved by not going to BotCon or getting a set. I'm still interested the add-on figures, especially if the aforementioned Rodimus will be included.

I'm kinda bummed because I have a friend who lives in Chicago and we talked about splitting for this year's box set when they announced the convention would be in his back yard. But this set... there's nothing in it that appeals to me, just my luck. :\

Rodimus Prime wrote:Overall, this set is very underwhelming. I absolutely disagree with Oilmaster being a bigger deal than Scorponok, and I didn't think Scorponok was a big deal. I wouldn't mind owning 1, but not for the price he goes for.

I think it would have been more creative to actually put the inner robots of Oilmaster into the last shell, and revealing them that way, instead of the long, boring, and uninspired way they did it.

The only figure I have a mild interest in is Battletrap, and only because I like the mold and the color. If he had Stepper's blue Micron weapon, it would be better.

So, yet again, close to $1000 saved by not going to BotCon or getting a set. I'm still interested the add-on figures, especially if the aforementioned Rodimus will be included.

It'd be funny if it's just the springer mold repainted like cloud rodimus in polybags

While some of you will not understand my excitement for this figure, I think Oilmaster might be one of the best Transformers exclusives ever. This product will not appeal to everyone.

For me, it is the history behind this item that has me really excited. BotCon 1996 was my first BotCon. I got to see in person the Double Pretenders alongside G1 Unicron and a few other canceled Transformers toys 19 years ago at BotCon. It was really exciting because, at that time, so little was known about canceled concepts, products, etc. It was the first time those products had been shown publicly. Seeing that we'll be getting some version of this toy after all these years is really exciting to me.

Botcon exclusives should be items like that. Bringing back old concepts, finding old molds for new purposes, being a way to bring products that would otherwise never see the light of day because it is the die-hard fans that continue to fuel BotCon year after year who would be able to appreciate unique items like that.

Seeing this product continues to give me hope that we will one day be able to purchase replica vintage G1 Arcee and G1 Unicron ... and now possibly the Spider Double Pretender (maybe with an Insecticon repaint?). Fingers crossed!

SW's SilverHammer wrote:It'd be funny if it's just the springer mold repainted like cloud rodimus in polybags

I would actually prefer that. It most likely would be cheaper than the Cloud Rodimus figure.

I don't own any versions of the mold, but I might pick up all 4 of them now.

Rodimus
Springer
Sandstorm
Battletrap

JazZeke wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:So, yet again, close to $1000 saved by not going to BotCon or getting a set. I'm still interested the add-on figures, especially if the aforementioned Rodimus will be included.

I'm kinda bummed because I have a friend who lives in Chicago and we talked about splitting for this year's box set when they announced the convention would be in his back yard. But this set... there's nothing in it that appeals to me, just my luck. :\

So why don't you still come to BotCon as a regular attendee? Seems like an opportunity to get to hang with one of your friends, get to hang out with all of us from Seibertron.com, and opportunity to buy other Transformers toys in the dealer room still seems like a great trip, regardless of whether or not you get the box set.

Seibertron wrote:

JazZeke wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:So, yet again, close to $1000 saved by not going to BotCon or getting a set. I'm still interested the add-on figures, especially if the aforementioned Rodimus will be included.

I'm kinda bummed because I have a friend who lives in Chicago and we talked about splitting for this year's box set when they announced the convention would be in his back yard. But this set... there's nothing in it that appeals to me, just my luck. :\

So why don't you still come to BotCon as a regular attendee? Seems like an opportunity to get to hang with one of your friends, get to hang out with all of us from Seibertron.com, and opportunity to buy other Transformers toys in the dealer room still seems like a great trip, regardless of whether or not you get the box set.

Believe me, I am thinking about it, I had a blast at TFCon last year (and it was cool to meet you, by the way). I'm not sure I can swing the money for it though. It depends on how I'm doing financially in the next couple months.

It's certainly one of their most ambitious things I've seen them do, but I'm not a pretenders fan, so the shell will stay in the box.

Evil Swerve looks like fun though.