Opening Salvo
Well I’m back. News is getting thin but give it another month when we get more details on Hasbro’s plans for Christmas. It’s time to Transform!
Toys: What I got, what they got, and some news too
Nothing new on the Transformer front although I saw in a local TRU that the WWI Prime/Megatron Titanium two pack is out as well as a repackaged SW/TF Millennium Falcon. This time it is packaged in vehicle mode. I might go for this one and give up on the Wal-Mart exclusive set with two 3†Titanium vehicles.
Transformers has now broken the $700 million mark. Needless to say this movie has far exceeded the expectations of everyone. I’m sure by now all of you have gotten the various American exclusives that you want so you can now start saving for the Japanese ones. Lawson’s are offering a movie accurate paint of Blackout and most other Japanese stores will be offering a movie repaint of Spychanger Optimus Prime. I’m sure there will be more announced as time goes on so keep checking in. Talks about cashing in while the fire is hot not only are the writers in place for TF 2 but the first draft of the script is expected by the end of the month. Also the digital pre-visualizations are underway since everyone is scrambling to get as much done now incase there is a strike in Hollywood. In a recent interview Peter Cullen has confirmed that there will be at least two more Transformer movies.
It’s taken a little longer than I expected but Takara will be releasing the Classics figures in Japan with improved color schemes. The belief is that Megatron is going to undergo the biggest change by being repainted in his original G1 colors although nothing is set in stone yet.
The eighth figure in the Takara Encore line will be none other than Jazz. Sky Linx has been confirmed as 07 and not a New Years figure as first suspected.
The Japanese release of Ultimate Bumblebee is rumored to contain Die-Cast metal. Not sure how much or where, but I’ll keep ya posted.
Those of you who opted for the Best Buy exclusive Super Metal finish figures are reporting that on the box are pictures of Voyager Prime, Rescue Ratchet, and Thundercracker. Not sure if those will be exclusive to Best Buy or not but I’ll let ya know. I’ve never seen a line so milked for repaints like the Movie line, Hasbro better not do another repaint until the next movie line or else I do think wallets around the world will commit suicide. Now how about some good that Hasbro has done?
The Pros and Cons of Being a Transformer Fan: What Hasbro Has Done Right
Search any Transformer forum and you can probably find a thread or thirty about the evils of Hasbro. Today I thought it would be nice to take a look at some of the things they have done right over the years in regards to our beloved toy line.
Giving personalities to Diaclone- Takara may have made the physical toys but Hasbro and its PR partners gave them life. Diakron was a bust in the US but with a little personality and 80’s icon was born.
Making Prime go Ape- Whether you like it or not Beast Wars breathed new life into the Transformers line and returned it to its glory. If it weren’t for Beast Wars we probably wouldn’t have a 700 million plus movie now. Also the popularity of Beast Wars gave Takara the confidence to revive their Transformers line.
Bringing over the Masterpieces- Historically speaking Transformers over $30 don’t sell well, so it was a stroke of grace that Hasbro would bring over something like Masterpiece Prime and now Masterpiece Starscream for American consumers seeing as how both go for well over $40; or at least Prime did when he first came out.
They tried for an older market- Although it didn’t work out well for them Hasbro did invest time and money into creating two lines geared at older collectors; Alternators and Titanium. Both had their pros and cons and ultimately couldn’t find their audience but hey, at least Hasbro tried.
Well I could go on but I think you get the point. Next time you’re about to complain about how Hasbro has done this or that take a moment to reflect on the good they have done for us.
Surfing The Space Bridges
OK my peeps this week I want you to do something you’ve probably never done before; post one good thing that Hasbro has done. No you can’t use something off of my list.
The World Around Transformers
Nothing much in the way of news but I am working on galleries for Iron Gear and the Revolvtech Super VF-1J so look for some comments on them in the future. Funny, once I got Iron Gear I realized that I had a much smaller scale version of him as a child, probably a KO though.
Sixty-Second Review
Aqua Convoy
MSRP:$24.95
Out now
Don’t ask me why I like the Takara Sports Label line so much. The Shoeformers are just your basic shell formers so my pleasure can’t come from an enhanced level of articulation. I think it’s because Sports Label is one of the few truly original toy concepts to hit the market in the last ten or so years. The latest addition to the line is a repaint of Convoy, aptly named Aqua Convoy.
When I first opened Aqua Convoy I thought he was designed like a New Balance sneaker (The official footwear of the CE) since his paint and detailing was closer to one of their Cross-Trainer models. AC is the same size as the previous two Shoeformers and includes all the same accessories namely real shoelaces and a two-part gun.
Transformation involves splitting the guy down the middle and un-pegging his legs. Like I said before articulation is only a touch better than your standard TF due to the giant wings on his back. Many sites refer to this figure as Ultra Magnus due to the early photos of the figure showing it having light blue and white accents. Up close you will notice that the light blue parts are actually more of a sea green thus earning him the aqua part of his name.
As with the other Shoeformers I really can’t give you a single convincing reason to buy Aqua Convoy. I’m not sure where the line is meant to fit in the TF universe if at all. If you’re a fan of the fringe elements of our hobby then Aqua Convoy would be a great addition to your collection.
Parting Shots
Well that’s it for this week or should I say the past two weeks. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you back here again real soon.
The King of the Fanboys,
Charles
