Tag Archives: Transformers

#4150: Jetstorm

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

JETSTORM

BEAST MACHINES (McDONALD’S)

In this site’s 14 year run, there have been only two McDonald’s Happy Meal toy reviews, and only one of them was actually written by me.  These days, they don’t tend to be anything all that impressive, but back in the day, back in the ‘90s?  Well, also then they were frequently not that impressive, let’s all be honest.  But every so often you got some that went above the grade.  Offered something at the very least close to the level of quality you might actually even intentionally pay money for.  Today’s one of those.  Let’s talk about Beast Machines.  After a successful three season run with Beast Wars, Hasbro decided they wanted a sequel show, with the remaining cast of Wars returning to Cybertron after leaving prehistoric Earth, and facing Megatron and his army of Vehicons.  While Beast Wars was certainly no stranger to some pathos and serializing of the story, Machines took it even further, and the results were…well, they were mixed to say the least.  Between the two shows, two of the surviving Maximals, Silverbolt and Rhinox, found their sparks reformatted and transferred over to the bodies of two of the Vehicon generals, Jetstorm and Tankor.  Intrigue!  Silverbolt’s kinda my guy when it comes to Beast Wars, so keeping with that theme, I do also kinda like Jetstorm, and I’m looking at his Happy Meal toy today!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Jetstorm was released as one of the 9 available toys in McDonald’s Beast Machines promotion, which ran in August of 2000, alongside the show’s second season’s debut.  They covered pretty much the whole core cast of the show, with figures that could transform into both modes for the characters, at least to some degree.  In his robot mode, Jetstorm is about 3 1/2 inches tall (I won’t say “stands” for reasons I’ll get to shortly) and he has 7 workable points of articulation.  So, why not “stands?” Because he really doesn’t.  In the show, Jetstorm would simply hover around when in his robot mode, and as such doesn’t *really* have legs.  The Hasbro figures (which were all quite off model) just gave him legs.  This one, on the other hand…well, you can split the nose of his jet mode in two and make it sort of sit flat, so there’s I guess sort of a way to make him stand like that.  It’s not really very stable, though, and obviously not accurate.  For most of the photos, as you can see, I’ve got him on a flight stand I personally provided, but he’s otherwise not great with remaining upright.  How’s that sculpt, though?  Honestly?  Not terrible.  Sure, he’s kind of chunky and clunky and all the other “unkies,” but compared to what Hasbro put out in the main line, it’s probably the closest any Jetstorm figure gets to actually being show accurate.  He’s even kind of posable, and also pretty decently painted, again, given the market here.  He transforms into his jet-mode, as you would expect, and it’s obviously gonna be pretty simple, but it works well, and the mode is sufficiently different from the robot one, as well as being decently accurate to the show model.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I watched a *little* Beast Wars when it was on, but not much.  Beast Machines, on the other hand, I actually saw a lot of in its first run.  Fox Kids was also running Avengers: United They Stand and Digimon in ’99, so I got into pretty much watching the whole block, Machines included.  I didn’t *love* it, but I dug the Jetstorm stuff, and then some re-runs of Wars caught me up to speed on Silverbolt, and I really liked him, so that kind of stuck.  Back in 2000, my cousin Rusty got this guy, and he didn’t really care about it, so I ultimately got to keep it, and I always rather liked it.  I couldn’t tell you what happened to it over the years, but I missed it.  Seven years working at a toy store gives you a lot of access to pretty much everything, so I did eventually see this guy come through, and Max pretty much forced me to take him home.  He really had to twist my arm on that one, I swear.  He’s fun.  He’s basic and clunky, and definitely a toy that came packaged with some food, but within the confines of what he is, he’s really cool.

#4142: Megatron

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

MEGATRON

TRANSFORMERS: MACHINE WARS (KENNER)

The success that was Transformers in the ‘80s sort of waned as they moved into the next decade, with the Generation 2 rebrand never really finding its footing in the market.  The franchise was given new life, however, in 1996 with Beast Wars, which shifted the focus to creature-based alt-modes, and found a solid fanbase, which was a mix of old and new fans.  Some of the old fans were still longing for vehicle-based Transformers, and Hasbro/Kenner gave it another try in 1997, with the KB Toys-exclusive Machine Wars line.  It wasn’t really a smash success, running only 12 figures across different sizes, all of them re-using molds from earlier runs.  It did, however, serve to get some unused and rare molds out, so I guess that was pretty nice.  And, in a weird turn of events, it got me a Megatron.  Let’s look at that figure today!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Megatron was released as part of the “Basics” assortment of Transformers: Machine Wars, which was the smaller scale line of figures.  He was one of four basic Decepticons, all of them jets.  Megatron shared his mold with his “clone” Megaplex (and indeed the art of the two characters is swapped between their packaging, with the Megaplex art appearing on Megatron’s card and vice-versa), and they both served to finally release the cancelled G2 Skystriker mold.  In his robot mode, the figure stands 4 inches tall and he has 9 workable points of articulation.  The articulation on these smaller guys was pretty solid, offering a good basic assortment of joints, with a good range of motion.  The arms and legs are all balljoints, so there’s a lot to be done with them, keeping him on par with the typical Legends/Core class figure of the modern line.  His mold is a good precursor of things to come.  It feels stylistically a lot like a G1 animation based figure, with a lot of good classic robot elements at play.  Though not sculpted to *be* Megatron, the head has a certain degree of a Megatron vibe to it, especially with the helmet shape.  Megatron’s alt-mode is an F-22 Raptor fighter jet, which he transforms into with some spring assistance under the back of the figure.  The arms and legs fold up decently enough, but definitely do just hang there a bit.  He’s got some landing gear, which folds out of the legs and the nose of the cockpit.  The color scheme here is a sort of turquoise/sky blue and white set-up, which doesn’t feel very Megatron-y, and in fact feels a bit more heroic, if I’m honest.  This, coupled with his lack of any sort of faction symbol, does kind of muddy a bit who he’s meant to be.  Megatron is packed with a blaster with a removable muzzle.  It can be disassembled and stored in the backs of his legs for when he’s in jet mode, or just doesn’t feel like carrying around a gun, I guess.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Megatron was more than likely my first ever Transformer, but I didn’t know it at the time.  My grandparents on my dad’s side got the four grandchildren each one of the jets for Christmas in 1997, and Megatron was the one I got.  I tore him open at our Christmas gathering, and the packaging certainly didn’t make it home, so I didn’t know his name or the line he came from.  When I actually got into Transformers later on, this guy’s total lack of any markings led me to believe he was a knock off of some sort.  He did get a lot of use, more often than not with my Star Wars figures, where he served as a droid companion.  Over the years, he fell to pieces and I honestly don’t know where any of my original figure ended up.  A few years ago, one of the later re-decos of this mold came through All Time, which led to me realizing it was an official Transformer mold and doing a little digging, resulting in my discovery of who exactly this guy was.  And then, not terribly long after, a full run of Machine Wars came through, giving me a chance to snag this guy to replace my original.  I really quite like this one.  He still doesn’t feel like Megatron, but perhaps that’s why I like him so much.  He can just be what he was to my much younger self, which was just a cool transforming robot toy I knew very little about.

#4134: Snarl

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

SNARL

TRANSFORMERS: BEAST WARS (KENNER)

“Snarl is seldom seen until the instant he attacks. His camouflage coloring allows him to sneak into Predacon base-camps undetected. Powerful legs give him the ability to lunge forward to attack startled enemies, and in robot mode he can jump straight up to escape incoming missile fire. Snarl is a fearless fighter whose gnashing, serrated teeth and razor-sharp claws are enough to fend off would-be attackers. if they know what’s good for them!”

If there’s one era of Transformers I’m decidedly light on coverage around here, it’s Beast Wars, which is, honestly kind of amusing, given its the incarnation of the franchise that really introduced me to the whole concept.  I guess I had other focuses in the ‘90s for the most part, so they never quite clicked with me.  As such, I don’t have a ton of connection to this version of things (with the most notable exception being Silverbolt, who is one of my favorites in general).  That said, it didn’t *totally* pass me by back in the day, so let’s look at one of the very few figures I actually got during the original run, Snarl, who, it should be noted, is not the G1 guy who turns into a stegosaurus.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Snarl was released in the second year of Kenner’s Beast Wars line, as part of the fourth wave of “Basics,” the smallest of the main classes.  In a three figure assortment, he was the lone Maximal.  Yay for good guys.  Snarl was notably not included in the cartoon, so he’s just a toyline guy (though his Japanese equivalent, Tasmanian Kid, was in the Beast Wars II anime, so there’s *sort of* some cartoon coverage there).  In robot mode, the figure stands about 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 11 practical points of articulation.  Beast Wars marked a real turning point for articulation in the Transformers world, and Snarl showcases that, with a range of motion that’s on par with, if not a bit above the standard for the era in which he was released.  His robot mode is a pretty fun, rather basic and by the numbers design.  It’s got a bit of kibble, especially on the back, but the main bot works in the beast elements rather cleverly.  He’s got sort of a cannon thing that mounts on his arm, which is neat, if not terribly involved or anything. Snarl’s alternate beast mode is a Tasmanian devil…well, allegedly, anyway.  Whether it, you know, actually looks like a Tasmanian devil is a different matter.  Common opinion is that he looks more like a quoll?  Honestly, I don’t really know much about either animal (at least in real life; I’m obviously familiar with the Looney Tunes character, who this beast mode *also* doesn’t look like).  It’s at least a pretty neat look, with a fairly intuitive transformation sequence, and the end result is sufficiently different from his robot mode.  The cannon thing becomes his tail, and it is tied into his action feature.  There’s a spring-loaded launching thing, which, in contrast to the usual set-up, actually has the spring in the “missile” part, which launches the main figure forward.  It doesn’t do a lot, really just scooting him forward maybe an inch if he’s on a smooth surface, but it’s good for general amusement.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

This figure was either my first or second Transformer…I don’t know exactly which, but definitely in the first two.  I got him on a trip to, I think either Toy Works or Toy Liquidators, which I went on with my Nana, most likely in celebration of finishing up Kindergarten (which also means it was probably my last notable day of fun before I fell down my parents’ kitchen stairs and broke my collarbone, landing myself in a brace for most of my first summer break), where I was allowed to pick out a selection of stuff.  The break down was two Toy Biz Marvels, a Tom Cruise from Mission Impossible (bought because his name was also Ethan, and pretty much no other reason), and this guy, who I mostly got because he turned into a Tasmanian devil…or at least a close approximation.  I don’t know why exactly this guy called out to me, or even why he stuck with my collection, but he did, and I even managed to unearth his tail a few months ago to complete him.  He’s just a thoroughly fun little figure, and I quite like that.

#4126: Advanced Stealth B.A.T.

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

ADVANCED STEALTH BAT

G.I. JOE AND THE TRANSFORMERS (COLLECTOR’S CLUB)

“OLD SNAKE’s first attempt to harness a strength similar to the AUTOBOTS, that he once tried to capture, resulted in varied results. The hulking robot of Old Snake’s creation truly did possess brute force as well as great intelligence, however, the interference from former GENERAL CLAYTON “HAWK” ABERNATHY and the EARTH DEFENSE COMMAND caused the loss of any semblance of control over SERPENT O.R. Not willing to commit the same error again, Old Snake decided to forgo intellect in his next endeavor. Mimicking the programming from COBRA’s prolific but now-outdated Battle Android Troopers, Old Snake upgraded the COBRA B.A.T. with added size as well as the ability to disguise themselves as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Although not quite the height of the Autobots, the lithe and agile STEALTH B.A.T. can maneuver in ways that most of the robots from CYBERTRON cannot even imagine. To further aid in espionage as well as assault operations, each Stealth B.A.T. also features a detachable bat-like NIGHTSHRIEK remote unit that can access small spaces and create havoc through sabotage and data breaches.

A Stealth B.A.T. has the potential to become the truly perfect soldier, with the sound of their mighty steel boots causing fear and panic wherever they march. With each attack that they commit, COBRA comes closer to regaining the greatness and glory it once possessed!”

As two Hasbro-owned properties depicting a pair of warring factions embroiled in a heavily sci-fi-based war, G.I. Joe and Transformers are no strangers to crossovers.  While the cartoons in the ‘80s merely suggested a crossover (with the character “Old Snake” clearly being an older Cobra Commander after his organization has fallen away), the comics have had a number of direct crossovers, and, eventually, so did the toys.  Hasbro had some offerings of their own, usually pairing off G.I. Joe figures with non-transforming vehicles done up to match the colors of proper Transformers, and that was further built-upon through some crossover projects between the two franchises’ respective Collector’s Clubs.  In 2015, the Clubs collaborated on a set sort of based on “Only Human,” the episode of Transformers that featured Old Snake, with a pack that featured Snake himself, as well as two upgraded versions of the Cobra B.A.T., now featuring a transformation gimmick.  Today, I’m taking a look at one of those B.A.T.s!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

The Advanced Stealth B.A.T. was released alongside Old Snake and a duplicate B.A.T. as a three-pack in the G.I. Joe and the Transformers line, a 2015 joint-exclusive between the G.I. Joe and Transformers Collector’s clubs.  The set was the second such exclusive.  While Old Snake was a more direct cartoon-adaptation, the B.A.T. is a unique design, albeit one that’s a fairly sensible one within the context of the story they’re setting up in the bio.  The figure stands about 5 1/2 inches tall and has 23 workable points of articulation.  All of the Collector’s Club figures were rather heavy on re-used parts, so as to keep costs down.  In the B.A.T.’s case, they’ve opted to use the 2012 Transformers Prime Soundwave mold.  I’m a big fan of this mold, and I think it’s a really well implemented translation of the cartoon design, which is itself a pretty great design.  It poses well, and its transformation, though a little bit fiddly, works well, and holds together nicely.  It’s also a good mold in terms of capturing the general B.A.T. feel, since the face plate kind of follows the same general layout, and the more angular body shaping goes well with the usual B.A.T. depictions.  The only real downside is those fins on the back, which were prone to warping on the original use of the mold, and are even more warped on this release.  The color scheme is classic B.A.T, leaning more heavily into the cartoon look, especially with the red visor.  Like the original version of the mold, this figure transforms into an aerial attack drone, which feels like a good fit for the B.A.T.  I love that the red visor remains present in the alt-mode as well.  The Stealth B.A.T. includes “Nightshriek,” a recolored version of Prime Laserbeak, who matches the B.A.T.’s color scheme, and even adds a little bit of turquoise, simulating the chest panel of the original B.A.T. when placed on this figures torso for storage. 

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Long before I had anything to do with Transformers, I was a pretty involved G.I. Joe fan, and I have always particularly liked the B.A.T.s and their various incarnations.  When I finally *did* dip my toes into Transformers, the first one I picked up for myself, just of my own volition was the Beast Hunters variant of Prime Soundwave, because I’ve always liked Soundwave, and I just liked the look of the mold.  It’s become perhaps my favorite mold of one of my favorite Transformers, so when I found out it was used for a B.A.T. in the crossover, I was certainly intrigued.  Of course, it’s not like the set’s super plentiful and easy to find, and it’s enough of a slog to get one that even Max, my go-to Transformers expert guy, didn’t have one.  When this one came into work, all by himself, with no Old Snake, and no duplicate B.A.T., I wanted it, but also was completely content to let Max have it, since he was the Transformers guy.  That’s what he does.  That’s his thing!  And he was gonna take it, but, at the last second, he handed it over to me, because he felt like it would mean more to me, what with it being a G.I. Joe crossover figure built on a Soundwave mold and all.  Because he’s nice like that.  That’s also what he does.  That’s also his thing!  I do very much appreciate Max’s sacrifice on this one, because this is honestly a favorite of mine, and has remained on a shelf next to my desk, frequently serving as the figure I idly fiddle with while working, for most of the four years since I got him.

#4086: Ultra Magnus

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , ,

ULTRA MAGNUS

TRANSFORMERS REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

Would you believe that I’m back at Transformers after a months long break and I’m returning with a review of an Ultra Magnus?  Pretty crazy, right?  I think so.  I’m very unpredictable like that.  Right, so the last Ultra Magnus I reviewed actually transformed, which you’d think would be the norm, but as it turns out, maybe not so much, because the two I reviewed before that didn’t.  And, I’m not helping matters, because today’s Ultra Magnus *also* doesn’t transform.  I might be bad at buying transforming Transformers, if I’m honest.  Anyway, here’s an Ultra Magnus.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Ultra Magnus was released in the eighth wave of Super 7’s Transformers ReAction Figures line.  Wave 8 was the last set of the line, and was entirely populated by repaints of prior figures, so it was a great excuse to release an inner bot Magnus as an Optimus repaint, though it’s an interesting case of the “let’s repaint Optimus” variant coming *after* a proper armored up Magnus.  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  As touched on above, his mold is the same as the Wave 1 Optimus Prime figure.  As I touched on in my armored Magnus review way back when, one of the stylistic choices Super 7 made on this line is making everyone about the same height, so that means that both armored and unarmored Magnus are essentially the same size.  It’s kind of odd to behold, but it’s I guess a less notable issue the more you encounter it.  He’s notably less pigeon-toed than the other two I own from this line, which is a plus, and makes him marginally less goofy.  The sculpt also does seem a bit sharper, but that might be more to do with him having less paint than the other two figures.  Unlike the entirely painted armored Magnus, this one is a lot more molded coloring, which works well enough.  What paint is there is cleanly applied and generally a good selection of colors.  Since he’s not based on an animation model, he’s actually got some metallic coloring for the silver, which helps him stand out a bit from the rest of the line.  Magnus is packed with Optimus’ blaster, but molded in white to match the rest of the figure.  It’s fine.  It’s not really a Magnus part, but it’s fine.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Back when I started collecting Magnuses, I was fairly firm on not collecting the “just a white Optimus” figures.  It was really the Classics figure that changed me on that, I guess, since I got his third party armor at the same time.  But, it was enough to nudge me in the direction, and I guess here I am?  I honestly wasn’t going to get this one at all, because they aren’t the cheapest figures, and I certainly wasn’t going to go to the trouble of ordering him online.  Then I had to kill some time at the mall with my daughter while Rachel and Matty were seeing a movie, so we spent some time in the Toys “R” Us, and they had this guy, and there was a sale, and I’m also maybe a bit weak.  Anyway, now I have him.  He’s fine.  None of these are amazing or anything, but they’re a neat novelty, I suppose.

#4042: Ultra Magnus

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

ULTRA MAGNUS

TRANSFORMERS: MISSING LINK (TAKARA)

It’s been not only a hot minute since I’ve looked at any Transformers, but an even hotter minute since I looked at one of my two most frequent Transformers guys, my personal favorite Autobot, Ultra Magnus.  But, where the last two Magni I looked at here were non-transforming, this one is actually a proper transforming one.  My lone TF review of 2025 was from Takara’s then relatively new Missing Link line, which recreates the original toys with modern articulation and engineering.  The line’s made it up to 10 separate releases, with Magnus, the most elaborate thus far, taking that spot.  Let’s see how he turned out!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Ultra Magnus is figure C-10 in Takara’s Transformers: Missing Link line.  While most of the figures to this point have been released in pairs, Magnus is on his own.  For now, at least; there’s a Delta Magnus using the same molds but with the original Powered Covoy colors that’s next on the docket.  In his fully armored up robot mode, the figure stands about 8 1/2 inches tall and he has 23 practical points of articulation.  His height is almost identical to the vintage Magnus, with this one sitting just a skosh taller than the original, but only in a manner that’s actually noticeable when you have them right next to each other. In terms of styling of the sculpt, Magnus is quite clearly patterned on aping the original molds as much as possible, but offering some technical improvements.  He’s a little more crisp on the details, and the elements that were decals on his original figure and all of its recreations are now actual sculpted elements.  His head, classically a single piece, is now multiple pieces glued together, which helps the different parts stand out a bit more from each other, which is quite nice.  But the biggest change, of course, is movement.  The original super robot form of Magnus was limited to movement only in his arms, due to how the inner robot sat within the main body of the armor.  This figure keeps everything the original had, of course, as well as adding outward movement on the shoulders, and posable fingers on the hands.  The inner bot’s re-use of the Missing Link Optimus parts means he gets neck movement as well, even in super robot mode.  Before this figure was fully unveiled, there was a lot of discussion about if they’d sacrifice lower body movement for the sake of keeping him as close to the original construction as possible, but then we say shots with his hips and knees bent, which was a somewhat pleasant surprise.  I was curious to see how exactly that would work.  It’s…a bit finicky, but honestly, I expected that.  The original Magnus more or less just had his inner bot just sort of set in the armor, with only two small connections at the front to actually hold him in place.  This one adds a pair of clamping clips around the waist, as well as two pegs on articulated arms that plug into the backs of the legs, allowing them to move when the legs are posed…sort of.  It works okay, but not great, and you’ll need to be careful with how you pose, as well as needing to sort of shift some parts into more proper orientations when you’re done.  You don’t get any incredible motion on the hips or knees, but you get enough to give him some better variety of posing.  He also adds some ankle rockers to the mix, which are fantastic for helping with his stability.  One other bit of new ingenuity on this release is the inclusion of a removable Matrix of Leadership, which has its own special housing in the torso of the core robot.  The super robot actually gets a hinge on the torso, however, meaning he can access the Matrix while armored up, which is very cool, and very unexpected.  Like his original figure, he gets his rifle, shoulder rocket launchers, and four rockets.  The rifle’s basic, but looks the part and fits well in his hand.  His rocket launchers, which originally had to sit at different heights due to how the pegs on the shoulders worked, now have moving pegs, so you can have them sit more properly.  The rockets mimic the sizing of the originals, rather than the longer rockets used by the reproductions, but are now non-firing as a safety precaution.

As with every properly vintage-inspired Magnus, the this figure has a core robot.   He’s about 6 inches tall and he has 28 practical points of articulation.  As noted above, he’s using a lot of tooling from this line’s standard Optimus, with some tweaks to the legs to better match the vintage figure.   Like the armored Magnus, the elements that were previously handled via decals are now sculpted onto the figure, giving him a more polished and finished look overall.  Right out of the box, he’s got the housing for the Matrix installed in his torso cavity, but you can pop that out of place if you’re looking for a more true to the vintage stylings look.  Like his original figure and the Optimus he’s patterned on, the core robot Magnus turns  into a Freightliner.  It’s not too far removed from the original in terms of how in works, though there’s some adjustments, like his hands folding into the center, rather than having to be removed.  The armor once again transforms into Magnus’s car carrier mode, with a transformation scheme that’s pretty much identical to the original, apart again from the lack of need to remove his hands (though the larger hands *are* removable if you so choose).

This figure includes recreations for all of the parts included with the domestic release of Magnus, but doesn’t just stop there.  The original Diaclone release of Powered Convoy actually included two additional items, which this released recreates and updates.  Powered Convoy actually had an additional transforming robot included, the Powered Buggy, a smaller single-seat vehicle that also transformed into a robot.  It’s been recreated here as “Deerstalker” a version of the buggy colored to match Magnus’s updated color scheme.  His robot mode’s a bit more rudimentary, and he’s kind of hard to keep standing, but it’s neat nevertheless.  Also included in a small figure of Spike Witwicky; since Diaclone was a line based around piloted mechs, not sentient robots, they had “Dianoauts,” small pilot figures with a striking resemblance to Microman (which makes sense, given Diaclone is effectively a spin-off of Microman), and Spike has been re-imagined here in that style.  He’s just over an inch tall and has moving arms and legs, as well as some (rather weak) magnets in his feet  Spike fits in Deerstalker’s buggy mode, Magnus’s truck cab with the Matrix mount removed, and even the small vehicle made from assembling Magnus’s helmet and chest plate.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

When this line launched, I was very hopeful we might see a proper Magnus, but not immediately certain.  Sure, a re-color for the core bot felt like a lock, but the whole armored up bit?  It seemed tricky, but, like I said, I was hopeful.  As soon as we heard he was coming, I was a lock for getting one, and that only became more true with each subsequent reveal about him.  It’s been a bit of a wait, and he’s got a pretty hefty price tag, but boy is he cool.  I love the vintage figure, and I love keeping those aesthetics, but with a bit more playability.  There’s some compromises here to make him do everything they want him to, but nothing that breaks the figure at all.  And now I’m out of this line until the inevitable Soundwave.

Shoutout to my friends at All Time Toys, from whom I purchased this figure for review!  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3994: Soundwave with Ravage, Laserbeak, & Buzzsaw

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , , , ,

SOUNDWAVE with RAVAGE, LASERBEAK, & BUZZSAW

TRANSFORMERS: STUDIO SERIES (HASBRO)

I went through a lengthy stretch of Transformers being a regular fixture here, but these days….well, not so much.  I reviewed a single Transformer last year, and that was all the way back in February.  Only a few months before that, I took a look at the at the time most recent update to the G1 Soundwave, an updated version sold at the Leader Class tier so that he could be packed with his cassettes.  Great, I don’t need more of those, right?  Well, you know, until today, when I’m looking at an updated G1 Soundwave, sold at the Leader Class tier to that could be packed with his cassettes.

THE FIGURES THEMSELVES

Soundwave (with Ravage, Laserbeak, and Buzzsaw) is part of the first Leader Class assortment of Transformers: Studio Series.  At this point, the “86” sub-line has been fully folded into the main line, so they’re just fully inter-mingled.  Like the Legacy Soundwave, he uses the Leader Class price-point to release what is really a Voyager Class Soundwave, alongside three of his cassettes.  They’re all equally billed on the package, but obviously Soundwave is the main star here, so let’s review him as such.  In his robot mode, Soundwave stands about 6 3/4 inches tall and he has 32 practical points of articulation.  This figure’s sculpt is specifically focused on recreating Soundwave’s animation model from Transformers: The Movie (which was of course the same model used in the show, albeit with a bit more polish in the movie), rather than the slightly more generalized approach of the War For Cybertron molds.  They’ve moved away from not only the “greebles” of those molds, but also more of the panel lining, so this figure’s sculpt is a much cleaner look on the surface  Also, he’s scaled more directly to the other Studio Decepticons, which is why he’s about 1/2 inch taller than the earlier figure.  There are parts I still prefer on the older figure, but also parts I certainly prefer on this one.  The forearms in particular are nice because they lack the leftover elements from first Siege mold, as well as leaving him without the gaps on the interior for where the hands fold up.  I also generally like the proportions better on this mold than the Netflix one.  I do miss some of the detailing on the upper arms, though, as they look kind of bland this way.  I’m also not a fan of how the “knees” collapse into the legs without much resistance, because it’s a pain to get them back out again in robot mode.  As is the usual for Soundwaves, he gets a spring-loaded chest cavity, which is slightly more complex on the interior than the WFC molds.  It’s still compatible with the same size cassettes, though, so he remains compatible with the earlier releases.  Since he’s directly based on the ’86 movie, his alt-mode is once more a cassette player.  The transformation scheme isn’t too terribly different than the Netflix mold, nor is the size of the final product.  There are a few more panels that fold out to cover things up, resulting in a look that’s a little bit cleaner.  It’s still kind of off when viewed from any angle but the front, but it’s not as bad as the earlier look. Soundwave’s color work is another change-up, as this one favors flatter finishes than the metallic look of earlier releases.  I do generally like it, and it’s still a little bit more metallic than, say, the RED or Super 7 releases, but it’s certainly closer to the animation.  Mine has a notable spot on his mouth guard, which is annoying, but otherwise the coverage isn’t bad.  Soundwave is packed with his usual shoulder cannon and handblaster.  The blaster can collapse, again like the usual.  He is also packed with new versions of Ravage, Laserbeak, and Buzzsaw.  They’re all-new molds, though, obviously, Laserbeak and Buzzsaw share the same mold.  The bird mold is decent, but perhaps a bit underposable in bird mode.  I actually quite like the Ravage mold, which surprised me, because I’m usual not very impressed by Ravages.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I didn’t really *need* the last Soundwave, but I bought and I liked it, and I kind of figured that would be all I’d really need at this scale.  He kind of seemed to fill the ’86 spot well enough and all.  But, as I saw with Magnus, doing a proper ’86 release is bound to drag me back in, and that’s what this one’s done.  He’s fun.  I don’t know that he’s my favorite Soundwave I own, but I certainly like aspects of him, and he’s an interesting, if somewhat different, approach to this style of figure.  The new cassettes are very nice, and feel like a genuine step-up from the prior ones, bringing them up to the level of the improved Frenzy/Rumble mold.  So, here I am with another Soundwave.  Oh, darn.

Shoutout to my friends at All Time Toys, from whom I purchased this figure for review!  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3787: Cliffjumper

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

CLIFFJUMPER

TRANSFORMERS: MISSING LINK (TAKARA)

I haven’t done any Transformers reviews since back in November, but it’s okay, because they’re coming back around again!  Last year saw the launch of Takara’s Missing Link branding, which sort of takes Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Origins approach of “vintage style figure with modern engineering” and applies to TFs, giving us figures that look like the original G1s, but without being the generally static bricks those were in robot mode.  The first two figures were both Optimus, and I’m not an Optimus guy, but now we’re getting into some of the other characters.  That some of the other characters includes Cliffjumper, who may not be Magnus or Soundwave, but is still rather high up on my list.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Cliffjumper is figure C-04 in the Transformers: Missing Link line.  Thus far, this line’s been releasing figures in pairs, and Cliffy is paired off with Bumblebee, with whom he shares a bit of his tooling.  In robot mode, the figure stands just a hair over 3 inches tall and he has 21 workable points of articulation.  Right off the bat, this guy’s definitely tiny.  Like, I knew he would be, since they’re aiming to replicate the sizing on the originals, but the pictures just didn’t really prepare me for how small he was in person.  He’s just a cute little guy.  Cliffjumper’s sculpt is obviously patterned on his original figure, and in that respect, it’s a good recreation.  It looks a lot like that earlier figure, but he’s less stiff, and the details are all a lot sharper.  His posing is a little bit restricted by his somewhat boxy frame, but it’s honestly not bad.  My biggest issue with mine is that the shoulders can be a touch tricky to pose, and are maybe a hair looser than I’d like.  I’ve heard there have been issues with the heels cracking during posing, but I haven’t had that issue with mine.  Cliffy is packed with a bazooka and a smaller blaster, bith of which are chromed and very cool.  He also includes a sheet of stickers, for those interested in changing up his look.  I’m good with the basic look, so those are staying on the sheet for me.  Like his original, this guy turns into a little tiny car.  The transformation’s pretty easy, but at the same time not too simple.  On mine, the hood doesn’t *quite* seat against the windshield the way it should.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I’m a fan of this general concept of figure, but with Optimus being the launch and me not being an Optimus fan, I couldn’t justify the cost to jump in.  Cliffjumper, however, being the Ultra Magnus to Bumblebee’s Optimus, is right in line with my sort of off-brand Autobot sensibilities, so he gave me the opportunity to try this line out.  He’s very fun, and I like him quite a bit.  And, of course, I want a Magnus now.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3736: Soundwave – G1 Universe

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

SOUNDWAVE — G1 UNIVERSE

TRANSFORMERS: LEGACY UNITED (HASBRO)

Transformers, a brand with virtually no footprint here on the site for my first five years, is sort of returning to its roots, I guess?  I don’t really talk about it as much any more.  I mean, sure, I looked at one of the Blokees back in October, but the last time I reviewed one that actually transformed was back in May.  It was a Soundwave, which is sensible, since he’s one of my two go-tos.  And, you know what?  I’m gonna go to it again.  Here’s another Soundwave, you guys.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

G1 Universe Soundwave is part of the third Leader Class assortment of Transformers Legacy: United, the third year of the Legacy branding.  This marks Soundwave’s third inclusion under Legacy, at a third size-class no less.  We’ve had Core and Voyager, and now Leader, so all that’s left is some form of Deluxe?  Go for the full spread?  Whatever the case, this guy is, as his name denotes, another G1 Soundwave.  In his robot mode, he’s about 6 1/2 inches tall and he has 25 practical points of articulation.  Structurally, he’s exactly the same as the Walmart-exclusive War For Cybertron release from 2020, which is a mold with less uses than you might expect for such a solid updating of the G1 Soundwave figure.  Prior to this year, it was only available in its initial run and as Shattered Glass Soundwave in 2022.  Earlier this year, it got another re-use in the Dramatic Capture three-pack, and now it’s been used again here.  Yay!  It’s a re-working of the Siege mold (which was *also* re-released in Legacy), and still holds up as a strong offering four years after the fact.  Since he’s using the WFC mold, that means this guy’s alt-mode is a cassette player again, which is how Soundwave do at his Soundwave best.  As with prior instances, it’s good when viewed from the front, but a bit spottier at the back.  This Soundwave’s color work isn’t drastically different from the Walmart release, but it tweaks things every so slightly still.  It adds back in the missing red details from that release, and also makes the other colors match-up a bit better with each other, so no mixes of yellow and gold, and the greys and silvers are also a little closer in finish this time.  It results in a slightly punchier look.  The real test, of course, is whether this one will face the same discoloring issues as the last one.  Like the last release (and the Siege release as well), he gets his two cannons and folding gun, and to justify the Leader class price point, he also adds in three cassette buddies: Ravage, Buzzsaw, and Frenzy Rumble.  Ravage is once more using the Siege mold, with a deco that matches the WFC pack-in, albeit with black limbs now instead of grey.  Buzzsaw’s actually a big deal because this is the first time he’s been done in the Siege compatible style.  That took a surprisingly long time.  He’s a repaint of the WFC Laserbeak re-tool, which isn’t much of a surprise, I suppose.  Frenzy Rumble is re-using the Studio 86 mold, just now in proper toy colors.  Of course, he’s named “Rumble” on the box, despite “Frenzy” very definitely being the name on the blue cassette guy for the toys, but I won’t split hairs here.  I know what his name is in my heart, and that’s all that truly matters.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

As someone who got the Walmart release at retail (which is something an unfortunately high number of collectors can’t say), I didn’t *need* this release.  Of course, it *is* a Soundwave, and it *is* different from the prior offering.  On top of that, the pack-in cassettes do a lot to sell me on it this time around, since I’ve been waiting patiently for Buzzsaw since 2019, and I also won’t say no to a toy-colors update to the 86 mold of Frenzy.  I’m glad I snagged it because, if nothing else, I got to mess with the Walmart mold one more time, and I do always forget just how much I like that particular mold.  This is a nice set if you missed the Walmart version, and honestly the superior offering if you have that one already, so I’m happy with my purchase.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3705: Ultra Magnus

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , , ,

ULTRA MAGNUS

TRANSFORMERS GALAXY VERSION (BLOKEES)

I haven’t reviewed anything Transformers-related here on the site since way back in June, when I left off with a Ultra Magnus that didn’t transform.  I’m picking things back up today with….an Ultra Magnus that doesn’t transform.  Look, I just always come back to the Magnus, alright?  Today, I’m diving into new thing, Blokees, which, despite the fact that my mind keeps reading it as “Bloke-ees”, is actually “Blok-ees”, you know, like a “block”.  Clever, right?  I mean, I guess.  Anyway, Blokees is a company that does little small scale figure model kits, with their first major endeavor being Transformers.  There’s an Ultra Magnus to be had, and who am I to say no?

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Ultra Magnus is part of the Transformers Galaxy Version line’s fourth assortment, dubbed “Fractured Space-Time.”  He’s one of the standard 1 in 9 blind box figures from the set, making him an even chance compared to all the other standards.  This is the line’s second Magnus, following up on the requisite white Optimus repaint in the third series.  This one, however, is the proper fully armored Magnus that everyone really wants.  Since these are model kits, they’re unassembled right out of the box.  You get three parts trees and a bag of loose parts, which you assemble to get the figure.  Assembly isn’t bad.  It’s not too intense, but you definitely want to make sure you get things right the first time around, because it holds together really tightly, and it can be tricky to pull things back apart to fix them.  But, as I said, once assembled, the figure holds together really well, and gives him a pretty solid weight.  When assembled, the figure stands 4 1/4 inches tall and he has 18 points of articulation.  The sculpt for this guy is clearly animation based, specifically on the G1 cartoon, as are most of the Galaxy Version kits.  A lot of the core parts are shared between all of the figures in the set, and those all work well.  The Magnus-specific parts are all really nicely handled, very clean, and mesh well with the standard parts.  There’s some slight deforming to the design, but it’s pretty minor on Magnus specifically.  Magnus’s color work, which is largely achieved via the separate plastic pieces, is quite vibrant.  There’s a little bit of extra detailing on a few of the parts to fully sell the design.  Magnus’s build also gives him two sets of hands to swap out (gripping and open gesture), his rifle, an energon cube, a faction insignia, and a stand.  That’s actually quite a bit for such a small package, and covers pretty much all of your bases.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Blokees just sort of materialized out of nowhere, but they’ve been everywhere and I was very definitely curious about them, and was looking for a good jumping on point to try.  Hey, there’s a Magnus!  That sure is a nice jumping on point.  Of course, they’re blind boxed, so I couldn’t just grab one.  But, if you buy a whole case, you’re guaranteed a full set, so, you know, easiest way to get a Magnus, right?  Look, don’t fight me on this.  I actually wound up getting the whole case so that I could try them out with Matty, who’s always looking for fun things to occupy his time.  We’ve been having a great time building them together, and I got a little Magnus out of the deal.  It’s a really fun little figure, and a really fun product in general.  Just a great all around product, especially for the price.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.