Category Archives: Transformatorium

Big Angry Trev discusses the beautiful wonderful world of Transformers!

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Titans Return Soundwave

Leave a comment

Operation: Soundwave Review

Perhaps even surpassing Megatron, Soundwave is along with Optimus Prime the most recognizable and remembered characters and toys from the 1980’s – even non-TF fans remember Soundwave with a fondess – there was something just so cool about him!  A tape deck that ejected micro-cassettes that turned into animals and robots and was a bad guy had massive appeal.  And here we see Soundwave recreated yet again, this time for the first time as a Headmaster with Titans Return Soundwave.

DSCF5655

 Robot Mode

DSCF5657

It’s lucky that both Blaster and Soundwave are boxy characters, so with a simple palette swap, a new head and a shoulder cannon this does looks like Soundwave rather than a recoloured Blaster (which he is after all).  The proportions are ok though I would have liked to see more articulation.  Nothing beats a Soundwave that can actually bend his arm upwards and press his eject button (aka MP SW).  His gun is from Blaster and for those in the know it looks nothing like Soundwaves regular firearm which is a bit disappointing, but I suppose even Transformers are allowed to change their armament every few million years.

 Tape Deck Mode

DSCF5665

The smartest thing they did here was to change the way the speakers look.  It now looks like a tape deck from the early nineties rather than a proper Ghetto Blaster (all you kids born this century, you might have to do some research here to know what I am talking about).  The mode looks better than I thought it would; it looks sleek and somber, just a shame there is the odd little gap here and there.

 Base Mode

DSCF5668

This mode suits Soundwave far more than Blaster (who I still maintain should have turned into a DJ booth with dance floor.  For a review of TR Blaster – see HERE).   The darker colour scheme works for the mode as well as the extra cannon.  Overall better than I expected.

 Soundblaster

DSCF5663

For those that didn’t follow the JP G1 cartoon, Soundwave and Blaster killed each other but got rebuilt by their respective leaders, Soundwave turning into Soundblaster (the only difference with the toy besides a darker colour scheme was it could hold 2 cassettes).  Soundblaster has been brought back here but this time as Soundwaves head.  The funny thing is that they redid the face on his back to look like Soundwave, as well as his little head, but the legs are still those of Twin Cast (Blasters Headmaster partner) with the speakers on the front.  Since it would not have affected the face, they should have made his front much darker to represent Soundblaster more.

 Transformation

No change from Blaster.  If you haven’t converted Blaster know that this figure isn’t difficult for a leader class figure.  There is no real challenge here, however transforming him for the first time you have to engage your brain to turn him in to what is a reasonably two dimensional alt-mode as the Tape Deck.  Conversion to base mode is very straight forward.

Overall

Soundwave is one of two figures which can be said to be a crossover between Combiner Wars and Titans Return, given that CW Buzzsaw can be put into TR Soundwave in both Robot and Tape Deck modes.  Interestingly in the instructions it only mentions him being compatible with the upcoming Laserbeak and Ravage, most likely as these toys are to be released soon (bet Hasbro is just thrilled with IDW for having killed Ravage 6 weeks ago in MTMTE #55).  The fact you can insert these smaller figures into him along with the Headmaster gimmick and he is a triple changer means there is a lot of playability with this figure.  While certainly not the ultimate Soundwave toy, on the whole this one is pretty good and it’s nice to see Soundwave once again as a musical device rather than a van or truck.

Got your own thoughts on Titans Return Soundwave?  Would love to hear them in the comments section below!

DSCF5661

DSCF5658

Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – The Mayhem Attack Squad

Leave a comment

The Mayhem Attack Squad, a group of psychotic Decepticons grouped together to follow their leaders evil whims in the old G1 comic (and to give a reason to put new toys coming out into print).  Now decades later we see the group revitalized by the latest Transformers Collectors Club subscription service toys and with a new gimmick – they combine!  Lets have a look at this pack of alien-mechanoid rouges as well as their combined form – THUNDER MAYHEM!

 DSCF5608

Grabuge
Nicely proportioned, nice colours and they didn’t even need to bother with a new headsculpt since Off-Road was originally going to be Ruckus. I think the axe is a good choice for Ruckus – sorry – Grabuge. You can sorta balance his cannon in his backpack as a reminder of his Triggercon heritage but it doesn’t really work.

 IMG_3282_zpsipnhromr

Windsweeper

The wings can fold back but I prefer to leave them out, the silver on the wing missiles really pop and also this configuration makes the figure look a bit more G1-Windsweeper-ish. The head is really good on him and the colours overall work quite well.

 IMG_4240_zpsqosjjmpc

Spinister
The head is a little squarish and the optics a tad big but otherwise pretty good. Nothing new otherwise physically with the mold. Certainly a lot less stocky than G1 Spinister and the colour scheme is dead on.  The two targetmaster partners work well both as guns or as sidekicks.

 IMG_3465_zps20usf3qv

Needlenose

A very nicely proportioned robot and while they got the face just right I would have liked to see more work on his helmet.  The colours are pretty good and his Targemaster partners sit snugly in his grip as well as looking good as little sidekicks.  I’d say this is probably the best Needlenose figure we have ever had so kudos to Funpub for coming through.

 DSCF5600

Bludgeon

By far his strongest mode.  Bludgeon is a character that is strongly associated with his Pretender Shell and it’s not been often he has been depicted just as the robot beneath (the G2 and DW comics do spring to mind however).  I found this to be a most excellent representation of how Bludgeon would look without his shell if he just concentrated on beefing up his robot mode.  The proportions are really good, the colour scheme works a lot better and they did the headsculpt very well.  Add in a couple of giant swords and the robot mode is a real winner overall!  However it is really hard to beat ROTF Bludgeon for a look that encapsulates both the inner robot and outer shell look combined.

Master of Matallikato and Fan Dancing
Master of Matallikato and Fan Dancing

Grabuge – Off-Road Truck

A shame that Beachcomber did not crop up in Combiner Wars as it would have nice to see Ruckus – sorry – Grabuge – done as a Dune Buggy rather than a ute, however it’s still a good choice for the character. The colour scheme is nice, though they have what were relatively small stickers on the original Ruckus into a major part of the colour scheme of the back of the ute here. Still, the paintjobt is pretty good considering that many the G1 Decepticons from 87 onwards had pretty awful colour schemes and the original Ruckus is part of that era. Attaching the cannons in the tray of the ute somewhat gives a shout out to his Triggercon origins.

IMG_3284_zpszghljpg2

Windsweeper –  Attack Jet
A shame there wasn’t a deluxe CW mold that was a bit more like his G1 incarnation, they would have had to go with Silverbolt to get something more indicativie. But it’s a pretty cool looking jet and the colour scheme not only is fairly character accurate but makes the colours work a bit better than the original toy did.

IMG_4239_zpsjf234cd5

Spinister – Attack Chopper
I’m not a great fan of how slim this mold is, it didn’t quite work for me as Blades and Vortex and I get the same feeling with Spinister. Still, they got that garish 1988 colour scheme just right! One thing – do NOT try to put the Targetmaster partners into the little black exhaust hubs on the sides of Spinisters vehicle mode. I tried and not only are they that mill too thick but trying to push them in will wear the black paint off very easily and show the pink underneath. You have to attach them via turning his arms around so the fist is up which puts his missiles in an awkward position.

IMG_3463_zpsvne7cwpg

Needlenose – Fighter Jet

They really did a nice job of homaging the original figure here and I really like that unlike Spinister you can connect his Targetmaster partners under the wings.  They have done their best with the G1 colour scheme they had to use and made it look a lot more stylish than it used to.  As ever the letdown is those damn arms sitting out at the sides of the jet, I wish they had fixed that.

DSCF5599

Bludgeon – Anti-Aircraft Truck

Whilst not a tank which most Bludgeons over the years have turned into, this feels like a tank on steroids that mutated into a anti-aircraft truck.  Whilst the green is a bit strong and garish, the browns help even the colour out somewhat, though then you deal with the two purple cannons on top.  It’s pretty cool overall but there is one significant drawback – the dome of Thunder Mayhems head is very noticeable sticking out of the top.  Really looks like he is about to pop up at any moment like a freaky jack-in-the-box.

DSCF5593

Thunder Mayhem

Thunder Mayhem is made up of the 5 members of the Mayhem Attack Squad.  The reasoning behind the combined mode is that Thunderwing, not Bludgeon, was the leader of the Mayhem Attack Squad so their combined mode becomes an homage to him.  The Thunderwing head is very good, perhaps with more expression than any of the Gestalts from both the CW and UW lines – got a real psychotic sneer to him!

DSCF5614

The colour scheme however is a real hodge-podge.  It’s pretty unavoidable considering the different characters that make up this Combiner but when compared to the likes of Superion, Defensor and Devastator you see why having team-mates with similar colour schemes is a good move for Combiner groups to have.  Bright greens, dull reds, purples, yellows, greys, blues etc etc – it looks like Primus swallowed a kids paint palette then threw up on the poor guy.  But he is supposed to be a monstrosity powered by a corrupted matrix so monster-wise it works.

The dimensions are like all the other recent combiners, the legs are a bit stubby and the feet too small whilst the arms are almost orangutan like in their length.  But Thunder Mayhem in the end is no worse for wear than any of the others and considering he is made up of 2 jets, a helicopter, a ute and an anti-aircraft truck you can forgive these imperfections.

Weapons-wise Bludgeons twin-swords match his stature quite well and of course you can take the cannons off the back for him to use as pistols.  It’s a shame there is no clear place for the four Targemaster partners to go – plenty of places to connect them but none really seem to fit and they look ludicrously small in his hands.

DSCF5616

So overall a freaky-yet-fun Gestalt and a pretty cool combiner group.  For the most part I will be keeping the Mayhem Attack Squad separate so I can finally have the likes of Windsweeper and Ruckus sitting in my Generations Display.

 

DSCF5609

Random Reviews, Transformatorium

Comic Shop Review: Good vs Evil

Leave a comment

Living in the countryside for a pop-culture fanatic can be hard.  Everyone plays footy instead of watching sci-fi and good luck when it comes to finding someone that can translate a Klingon text for you.  However if you are in Victoria, at least if you are into comics you are covered, thanks to a shop called Good vs Evil.

IMG_3470

Located in Bendigo, Good vs Evil would easily have the biggest comics range in central Victoria.  A whole wall in adorned in comics and there are usually plentiful stacks of all the latest issues to come out that week sitting on the counter for you to peruse.

IMG_3472

 

Like many comic shops these days, Good vs Evil has diversified to take into account the ever expanding needs and interests of the Pop Culture enthusiast.  There are sections of DVDs, a full section of various Manga and of course the obligatory collectables such as Pop! figures and and board games based on movies and video games.

IMG_3473IMG_3474

There is also the Games Workshop section.  Now all that stuff is kinda a closed book to me, I tend to look at it in the same way outsiders look at me collecting Transformers, thinking “Wow – do the guys into this ever get laid?”.  But I’ve seen on Saturday afternoons the store opened up with tables set up for big groups of guys all sitting there playing this stuff so it must have its appeal, and its great to have somewhere to meet to indulge the interest.

IMG_3475

Speaking of Transformers, here is why I personally shop there. Matt, the owner, is a fellow TF fan and I have been relying on his faithful service to get me every TF comic I require for the past five years.  He always comes though, and something that is a sign of a proprietor that genuinely cares about his clientele, I’ve often rocked into the store for him to say “Trev, I saw this and knew you would want it and chucked it aside for ya”.  After this fashion I’ve gotten all the FP TF publications over the last few years as well as the physical copies of what were originally net comics.  And if ever I find out about a comic that is now years old that I want, Matt is sure to do his best to track it down for me – a top bloke indeed!

How can you not trust two dudes in Grimlock t-shirts?
How can you not trust two dudes in Grimlock t-shirts?
So if you are after a Comic Shop experience where the owner is the guy behind the counter and will look after ya, will cater for everything you need to the best of the stores ability, and can be a great place to just hang out, then I heartily suggest visiting Good vs Evil in Bendigo.  Tell’em Big Angry Trev sent ya!

 

P.S: There has been no ‘Comics for Comments’ deal here.  If anything I’m slightly resentful towards Matt – I’d love nothing better than to run my own comic shop and that bugger is living the dream I should be!

 

Note: If in one of the major cities I can recommend Pulp Fiction in Adelaide and Comics R Us in Melbourne.  Pulp Fiction is small but the owner is great for a laugh and will pour through box after box to find you what you want.  Comics R Us in Melbourne has a funny crew of guys who have often had Bill Hicks playing on the store speakers of a Sunday morning and their glass cabinets often have a range of old 80’s toys in there that the rare toy hunter will drool over.  Minotaur in Melbourne has a huge range of pop culture stuff but it can all be quite expensive.  There is also Kings Comics in Sydney that I visited many years ago that I found some HOC figues at and I quite liked Daily Planet comics in Brisbane.  I’ve been to one other there but can’t remember which.  Should I ever hit up these big cities again a more detailed review will come your way!

 

 

Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Titans Return Blurr, Hardhead, Scourge and Skullsmasher

Leave a comment

The third in my reviews of the first wave of the new Titans Return toyline, today we are looking at the Deluxe figures.  This is the only size that is evenly distributed, two Autobots and two Decepticons.  And like the Voyager line they all have Cybertronian alt-modes.  So lets have a look at what is predominantly the cast list from Seasons 3 & 4 of a cartoon decades old – Blurr, Hardhead, Scourge and Skullsmasher.

 

Blurr – Robot Mode

The fastest bot in all Cyber-Mexico!DSCF5579

The fastest bot in all Cyber-Mexico!

Whilst not as tall and lanky as the original it does look really good.  You can position the noscone from the hovercar mode either on his arm to simulate the shield the original toy (and the Animated toy) had, or you can put it on his back to simulate the original toys backpack which is where it is supposed to go anyway for transformation.  Very easy to pose with lots of points of articulation.

Hardhead – Robot Mode

DSCF5530
Very indicative of the G1 version of the character. I think it’s a nice touch that you can maneuver the cannon on his back to sit up or over the shoulder. Quite good articulation, well proportioned, good colour scheme, poseable.   Only downside is his size – he could stand to be a bit bigger, especially when compared to his G1 and Universe incarnations.

Skullsmasher – Robot Mode

DSCF5588

The eyes on Grax are a bit too dark, and while this simulates the G1 toy I think the Takara head looks better.  The tail, like the G1 toy, becomes a hand weapon but it’s a bit too big and can’t really be positioned on any great angle.  Out of the four new Titans Return deluxes he is certainly the weakest of the four.  Also his alligator claws come off really easy in this mode.

Scourge – Robot Mode

DSCF5569

Fracas is a bit too boxy and the laser on the top doesn’t stick up enough to be properly noticeable.  Besides that this is a pretty good looking Scourge with a good colour scheme, articulation and the proportions and wings work well.  I think he will be serving as a Sweep next to the G1, Titanium and Generations versions in my collection.

Blurr – Cybertronian Hovercar Mode

DSCF5582

Now THIS looks like the speedster we all know and love, not a recoloured Drift.  Very compact and sleek, it’s a great representation of the character.  The laser under the front even works well.  The little hatch for his Titans Return partner is good and it even incorporates the little gap between the back and the cabin that the original toy had – top marks!  Only one big downside is for a Titan Master to have his own vehicle you unattach the nose of the car which leaves the front of Blurr looking gutted and horrible.

Hardhead – Cybertronian Tank Mode

DSCF5535
A bit flatter than the G1 version, very streamlined, very much how he looked waaaay back at the start of the IDW comics before they gave him his Universe-styled body. Once again the cannon is maneuverable and like the G1 toy you can place a gun in the top of the cannon. Furos can either sit in the cab or the back of the cannon opens up so he can be stood there. He looks a little weird standing right back on the pegs he is supposed to so I personally reposition it so that he looks like he is operating the gun.

Skullsmasher – Cybertronian Gator Mode

DSCF5589

A really good looking gator!  Very long and well proportioned.  They have done their best with the colour scheme so it doesn’t look as sickening as the G1 versions does and I really like the details in the mouth with all those individual teeth and the segmenting detail on the tounge.  The head can swivel somewhat which is good, but it can be hard to make the tail sit flush with the gators arse.  Grax’s compartment actually has a rubber hatch which is an odd choice and the placement has changed, instead of being afraid he would get swallowed like the G1 toy, in this case he already has been and is half way to the gut.

Scourge – Cybertronian Hovercraft

DSCF5571

Like Blurr he is really compact and really good looking.  One of the most triangular of body in shape ones I’ve seen done of the Sweep class, looks a lot like they did in some episodes the Season 3 cartoon.  You can put his big blaster on the front of the hovercraft which makes him look pretty badass, but obscures a lot of the nicer details of the mode.  I actually think Scourge having a small cockpit works, it is flush enough with the rest of the hovercraft that it doesn’t change the aesthetic much, however it’s still noticeable and the dark blue hue suits it well.

 

Overall

The Titans Return toyline, as well as acting as a revival for the Headmaster gimmick, is filling a lot of holes for peoples Generations collections.  We now have a Scourge that’s not a flying wing, a Blurr that’s not a terran car, a Hardhead that’s not a SWAT armoured vehicle and our first Skullsmasher(cruncher) of the line.  G1 fans will be very happy with the appearance of these four, others may be happy with the versions they already have.  But between the great alt-modes, the little Titans Return partners and the overall decent quality I heartily recommend these four figures.

 

Note: For a more detailed review of Hardhead, check out My Hardhead review thread on Ozformers

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Titans Return Galvatron and Sentinel Prime

Leave a comment

The second in my reviews of the new Titans Return toyline, today I am looking at the Voyager-class figures, namely Galvatron and Sentinel Prime.  As both former leaders of their factions its nice to see them get bigger figures based on the characters – lets see if their new triple changer/headmaster forms work shall we (rhetorical question – we shall.  Otherwise you just clicked on this link for no reason and y’all don’t have the time to waste on such frivolous actions now do ya?).

 

Galvatron – Robot Mode

Who says I'm compensating for the lack of a penis?!?!
Who says I’m compensating for the lack of a penis?!?!

We really have needed a Voyager-class CHUG Galvatron for some time, as with the current line up of Generations figures the Generations version just doesn’t cut it.  The closest we have had is the Energon version (which I really wish I had bought back in the day).  The huge orange cannon on him really works well, it looks like it could blast through the side of a space station!  It is very well proportioned and very indicative of the Galvatron cannon.  Only thing is the mask that comes up to cover Nucelon – it doesn’t sit quite flush at the front so it looks like it is a mask covering something else.

Sentinel Prime – Robot Mode

DSCF5554

His robot mode is fairly customizable in regards there are plenty of different places to place his gunds/cannons as well as how much you can angle the wings at the back.  Personally I chose to have the cannons sticking up over his shoulders and the wings as back as I could with them placed there in order to emulate how the character looked in the Origins: Megatron comics on which this character model seems to be based.  He is fairly big and bulky and the Infinitus face looks kinda like Optimus but not quite which is how it should be.

Galvatron – Cybertronian Cannon Mode

DSCF5548

Like we have needed a big CHUG Galvatron figure, we’ve also needed one that turned into a cannon emplacement.  This figure does this quite well, though I can’t say it is brilliant looking.  It does however do the job.  No real spot that makes sense for the Titan Master partner though.

Sentinel Prime – Cybertronian Shuttle Mode

DSCF5559

No cockpit visible which makes sense for a character not intending to carry humans.   Like the robot mode there are multiple places to place the guns/cannons which is cool.  The dimensions of the shuttle work well and Infinitus can sit either in a cannon on the side or in the cockpit on top, I think he works better in the cockpit otherwise the shuttle looks too lopsided to be aerodynamic (I suppose that doesn’t matter in space though).

Galvatron – Cybertronian Jet Mode

DSCF5551

This makes more sense as a third mode than a pistol.  Very Cybertronian-esque and the cannon sticking out the front is indicative of Animated Megatron.  Though this mode also doesn’t look perfect, it looks quite cool and gives the Titan Master figure an excuse to sit in the cockpit.

Sentinel Prime – Cybertronian Train Mode

It's the great space coaster - get onboard!
It’s the great space coaster – get onboard!

Very reminiscent of Energon Omega Supereme.  Lots of cannons all over and certainly wouldn’t fit through a terran train tunnel.  This is the mode that Infinitus works best in the cannon emplacement on the side on.  While the colour scheme is good, the orange and red and too strong and too similar to make out all the little details within the mode, and the cannons could have used their own colouring.

 

Overall

Both these figures work pretty well.  Sentinel Prime has not had a CHUG figure to date (DOTM and Timlines yes) and Galvatron has had one that was far to small in comparison to the rest of the lineup.  What I like about both these figures is that neither is trying to shoehorn in a terran mode – both are Cybertronian characters who have no interest fitting in on earth so don’t try and by not making concessions to do so make their alien alt-modes work better.  As both triple changers and Headmasters they both have a lot of play value and so in my book are worth the associated price tag.

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Titans Return Blaster and Powermaster Optimus Prime

Leave a comment

Well, the Titans Return line is finally upon us.  The successor to Combiner Wars, this line – despite the Titans Return moniker – is pretty much a Headmaster line, with the smaller robots being dubbed ‘Titan Masters’ rather than ‘Heaedmasters’.  So lets look at the first two Leader-class toys – both Autobots – Blaster and Powermaster Optimus Prime.

 

Optimus – Robot Mode

DSCF5459

Very nicely proportioned, though has solid panels under the arms which are quite noticeable whenever positioned in a heroic pose.  The way the helmet goes over Apex is very much like Energon Optimus but it works quite well.  Little touches such as the silver on the chest, shoulder cannons and the red hands are very indicative of the original Powermaster Optimus Prime.

Blaster – Robot Mode

DSCF5505

It’s nice to see a robot that actually looks like Blaster rather than a recoloured Soundwave (though the FOC version wasn’t bad).  The visor/helmet that encases Twin Cast looks very much like a battle version of the original Blaster figures head.   Everything from the set of the shoulders to the hand weapon is a great reimagining of the figure.

Optimus – Truck Mode

DSCF5471

Very compact, I actually thought it would look a bit bigger.  But the red cab and grey paneled trailer we have come to expect.  The black guns on top at the back don’t really add much, looks like he is going to shoot himself, but the two cannons at the front are quite good.  The feet stick out a little at the back but it’s not too noticeable.  It’s a very nice touch you can put Apex in the cab to drive it.

Blaster – Ghetto Blaster Mode

DSCF5511DSCF5512

Looks like a proper ghetto blaster, not that anyone under 20 would know what one of those are these day anyway.  I didn’t think this would have much play value for kids as besides pressing the eject button it doesn’t do anything, however my son picked it up and started dancing which was so cute to see! And he was thrilled when he found out the likes of Stripes and Rewind slot into it.

Optimus – Base Mode

DSCF5473

Probably his weakest mode, the base mode for the original PM prime was far cooler looking and even though it can hook up to Fortress Maximus it does so on a very odd angle so I just sit it on one side.  The fact Apex can sit in one of the cannons like Emissary does with Fort Max is cool, but there is little else for the tiny figures to do.

Blaster – Base Mode

DSCF5519

I’m conflicted here.  On the one hand the base looks much better than PM Optimus Prime, more gun ports, better ramps and overall better proportioned.  However I think they really missed out on an opportunity here to make the set up a DJ booth with dance floor – the speakers lying down could be dance floors, the cannons at the top could have been spotlights, the cassette deck the DJ booth etc – it really would have suited Blasters character for him to turn into a nightclub rather than a battle base.  If ever I get a second version of the figure I might do some heavy modifications.

Optimus – Transformation

Quite straight forward for a leader-class figure.

Blaster – Transformation

Surprisingly it took quite a few moves to get him into his ghetto blaster mode, I suppose it’s the challenge of making such a proportioned robot into what is almost a 2D alt-mode.  Not hard, but more challenging than you would think. His conversion to base mode is fairly straight forward.

Titan Master – Apex

DSCF5462

The face is very ‘Orion Pax’.

Titan Master – Twin Cast

DSCF5507

Considering that you only see the face in alt-mode it’s a shame they didn’t make his body blue instead of red, just makes him look like a tiny Blaster.

Overall – Optimus  with Apex

He is a pretty cool shout out to the original Powermaster Optimus Prime.  Only problem is that he is a Headmaster, not a Powermaster.  This is a real shame because otherwise there is little to fault with this figure.  I’ll be using this one for my ‘Optimus with trailer’ display and getting the Ginrai version as well so I have a Generations version of that character as a robot.

Overall – Blaster with Twin Cast

I really like this figure.  I think it is a and the great rendition of the character and the leader scale works really well for him.  All three modes are winners and the Titan Master feature adds some play value.  Well worth getting.

 

So up to you kids if you get these figures.  Both (especially Optimus) have had plenty of CHUG figures based on them before, and neither are really known as Headmaster (sorry – Titan Master) characters.  But I quite like them and will be glad to pop them on my display shelves.

DSCF5524

 

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toy Review – Timelines Ramjet

Leave a comment

Well, here we are.  The final of the ‘free’ subscription service figures’ you get for paying a small fortune to belong to the official Transformers Collectors Club.  In past years nearly all the figures sent out have been based on G1 or BW figures, but the final one is based on a Universe figure which was originally based on an Armada figure – and the figure in question is Ramjet.  Lets see if he was worth being a subscribing member:

 

RAMJET
Series – Timelines
Wave – The last!
Size/class – Deluxe
New/remould/redeco – Redeco of Timelines Aramada Skywarp
Released here – Only as part of the TFCC
Approximate Retail Price – $50
Approximate Size: 14cm
Allegiance – Decepticon
Alt-mode – ‘Cybertronian Jet Fighter’
Main Features/Gimmicks –Pushfire missiles
Main Colours – White, Blue, Red
Accessories: 2 x Swords

Robot Mode
Very nice paint apps. The face has been done well, especially the fiery mouth and eyes, to portray a servant of Unicron. Well proportioned, feels new yet an obvious homage to the Universe: Ramjet that was based on the Armada: Skywarp figure. I just had some trouble detaching his swords for the robot mode – they seemed pretty jammed.

IMG_4260

Vehicle Mode
I don’t know why, but this looks and feels nicer than Generations Armada Starscream. Really portrays a Cybertronian Fighter Jet. There is the missile firing capability which adds more play value for the younger fans.

Transformation
Very simple transforming from robot to jet and back again. Instructions not needed.

Overall
This is a nice final figure from the TFCC and the quality feels better than a lot of their previous figures that felt like they were put together in sweat shops by some poor buggers earning 13c an hour in 3rd world countries.  I didn’t think I would like this homage to Universe Ramjet as much as I do. But well done to Funpub for taking a very obscure character/toy and giving it a new lease of life. It may not be G1, it may not be BW, but it’s a good enough curtain call for Funpub to feel good about sending it out to it’s members (even if it is sans the Mini-Con figure the original toy came with) in its final year of having the TF licence.

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – TAV08 Gregevor, TAV37 Megatronus & TAV38 Thunderhoof

Leave a comment

The Japanese Adventure Toyline currently being made is an interesting one.  It consists exclusively of recolours from different toylines such as Animated, United and Generations.  Today we will be looking at three Decepticons based on the current Robots in Disguise (15) toyline – TAV08 Gregevor, TAV37 Megatronus and TAV38 Thunderhoof.

Note: We will be looking at Thunderhoof and Megatronus mainly, we will briefly examine Gregevor at the end.
IMG_4244 IMG_3619 DSCF5360_zps6bxe9lar

Robot mode – Thunderhoof
It continues the aesthetic that permeates much of the RID(15) toyline. Quite blocky legs and arms with a rectangular torso. The arms can be somewhat of an irritant. You can keep them in close to the body which looks good but limits their maneuverability, or otherwise you can pull the spindly little connectors that connect his shoulders to his body out which makes them far more poseable but looks extra silly considering the giant shoulder wheels he has. The colour scheme is very nice, much better on the TAV version than the regular Warrior version, although it has that annoying scanner badge on the chest. The antlers do not look much like the cartoon, the 3-step changer does a better job of that, however this concession is required for the vehicle mode to be more screen accurate.

DSCF5363_zpsmyzunml6

Robot mode – Megatronus
Actually quite nicely proportioned and the TAV colours make him all shiny and evil.  The small purple and blue highlights work quite well and I like that you can attach his sword staff either to his arm or he can wield it in his hand.  Only part lacking with the toy is the head – it’s a tad small for the figure and it would have been great if it could have had a retractable mask like in the cartoon.

 IMG_3622

Vehicle Mode – Thunderhoof
One of the main reasons I grabbed this guy is as a Mallee Boy I just can’t resist a farm-themed vehicle. It’s quite a nice looking and well proportioned tractor and indeed my brother owns one of this same colour. One thing though – it is small. Like, really small! Sure one could say compact but let’s be honest here – it’s small. It’s a good thing they labelled these ‘Warrior Class’ toys because they sure as shinola are not deluxe class, which is shrinking every year anyway.
The fork configuration on this version is far more screen accurate than the 1-step and 3-step changer versions. However I had to look into what this particular type is, it’s a ‘stick push rake’ attachment which you don’t often see in Australia – quite an interesting choice. I’ve never seen one in real life.

DSCF5372_zpscdbum3b1

Vehicle Mode – Megatronus
Looking at it, it looks like it should be baring the name ‘Galvatronus’ rather than ‘Megatronus’.  Rather than the Cybertronian tank from the end of season one of the cartoon, which the huge 5-step changer looks like, it really just looks like a cannon with a couple of tank tracks attached.

 IMG_3623

 

Transformation – Thunderhoof
Fairly simplistic which characterises this toyline, the only thing is it can be quite fiddly on the first attempt to get the arms and shoulders in place to become the back half of the tractor. The instructions for this toy surprisingly are not great, they have both missed steps and redundant steps. I find this a bit odd because usually Takara instructions far better than Hasbro ones. Once you’ve transformed him though it takes you about 15 seconds to transform him back.

 Transformation – Megatronus
Once again, fairly simplistic.  You will not be flexing any of your brain muscles in trying to transform this figure in either direction.  Makes it a good toy for a younger TF fan but a bit boring for us of the older persuasion.

 

Overall – Thunderhoof
Well, the puns with this character abound. In robot mode he kinda has a head like a deer, as a vehicle he kinda looks like a John Deere tractor . Chuck in a New York mobster accent for someone that turns into a farming vehicle and he is all over the shop. But he is one of the more interesting Con characters from the new show and has a very nice (but small) looking alt-mode. I don’t mind if I miss a lot of the RID(15) figures but rather glad I got him, even if the arms detract in robot mode and the size detracts in vehicle mode. Grab the TAV version if you can, it’s a perfect example of how a great paintjob can make a difference.

Overall – Megatronus
It’s not like we get a toy of one of the Original 13 Primes every day (though we do have an Alpha Trion coming up in the Titans Retun toyline) so that alone makes him worth getting.  Besides this novelty there is not a lot to recommend this toy, it’s deinetly an ‘ok’ toy but not spectacular in any regard.

 

Toy Review – Gregevor

A basic colour repaint of RID(15) Strongarm (so a sex change straight off the bat!) which in itself is a pretty basic and uninspired toy.  I just got him for the name…

IMG_4245

The tale of his name is an interesting one.  G1 Swindle got recoloured into RID(01) Rollbar. This toy was then named in the Japanese version of the cartoon Greejeeber.  Now this recolour of RID(15) Strongarm has been reoloured as an homage RIDJP(01) Greejeeber but was deemed too hard for western fans to pronounce to got reduced to Gregevor.

I bought this both for my friend Greg, and myself Trevor – Gregevor – get it?!  That’s why mine is will be kept MOSC, because after buying and playing with Strongarm I know I’ll enjoy his name more than the toy.

 

Please note: None of these figures reviewed are available in Australia.  If you are after them you are best to order them from a Japanese online store.

Fan Interviews & Art, Games & Competitions, Transformatorium

Transformers Trump Card Competition Winners!

Leave a comment

Well done to the winners of the Transformers Top Trumps Competition!  People had to either write a poem or create a picture that involved me and the Transformers somehow.  We have our two winners below: Brody wrote a poem chronicling the dramas I had getting my PC fixed when I turned up and the old owner, who was also a Transformers nut, had sold the business.  Scottie (our resident fan artist extraordinaire!) has created a simply awesome pic which hopefully bodes well for the future casting decisions of upcoming Transformer movies.  Well done guys, your Top Trump cards will be sent out to you soon!

 

A poem by Brody

You took your pc to get fixed,
The owner was new,
And he you knew,
He also liked Transformers
It took you a while to remember the former
Rhyming is hard,
I’m not Wheelie,
Really!!
Thirty-Five words,
I’m not the Riddler
I am not a Fiddler
Don’t linger,
Just be careful of Dipstick’s finger!

 

A picture by Scottie 

ScottiePic

 

Transformatorium, Transformer Toy Reviews

Toys Review – RID Deployer Decepticons

1 Comment

The Deployer toys from the RID(15) series certainly cause conflicting reactions amongst TF fans.  On the one hand they are very simplistic toys with very simple transformations and models.  On the other hand they come with Mini-Con partners which turn into either discs, missiles or cyclone spheres which they can shoot in either their robot or alt-modes.  Anyway, lets have a look at the three Decepticon ones that have been released to date – namely FRACTURE, OVERLOAD and CRAZYBOLT.

Please note: As Fracture was released so long ago I will mainly focus on the other two which can still be found on store shelves.  I will still touch on the Bountyhunter Deployer from yesteryear though.

 

ROBOT MODES

Overload

Very stock standard but a vast improvement on the first round of Deployer toys (Fracture and Drift). Some poseability but not much. Decent proportions, looks like a real bruiser!

1a

Crazybolt

Some sort of weird stylized chameleon lizard thing. Looks a bit of a hodgepog with bits of the alt-mode going every which way. When not sporting a Cyclone-Sphere Mini-Con the jaw comes up, leaving the launcher hanging below awkwardly. When having a Mini-Con in place the jaw extends down much like a snake eating an egg so it looks like he is coughing up a Cyclone Sphere to spit at someone which is kinda cool.

mm mmm

 

VEHICLE MODES
Overload

Very stock standard again but ok. Just looks like they changed the Megatronus mould a bit. At least his vehicle mode still kinda works without the Mini-Con attached – again, a great improvement over the likes of Drift.

5 3

Crazybolt

Looks like a pretty cool, stylized Cybertronian Dragster, would not have been out of place from the Speed Planet line of toys in the Cybertron series. Very nicely proportioned and the touches of dull-orange help to add contrast to the light blue and white colouring overall, especially on the dual-triple flame exhausts that cleverly come from the lizard modes toes.. The Mini-Con launcher is set at the back of the car, which while not as aggressive looking as say the placement on Overload, makes sense if it’s a dragster character who is always going to be racing ahead of whoever he is battling.

mmmm

 

MINI-CON PARTNERS

Backtrack looks like he would fit in well with one of the new Star Wars movies, whilst Hammer looks like a prehistoric chicken!

6 6a

 

FRACTURE with AIRAZOR

When I first went to open this toy I was thinking “Wow – the robot looks a helluva lot better than the Drift Deployer – this might be good”
Fracture
Then I opened him and realised the deployer mechanism does not detach – what balls! It looks so stupid and unsightly sitting up over his right shoulder!
I don’t mind the motorcycle mode too much – looks suitably Cybertronian and it looks like it could be a Cybertronian side-car. Not nearly as detailed as the robot mode but with the awful backpack that is how is gonna live.
I quite like Airazor especially his leg structure, its nice to see something a bit different and it looks pretty cool. Only let-down for me is the face – looks like some bad lava-moster. And all the extra bits you can attach to him don’t look as good as other Mini-Cons out there.

 

Overall opinion of the Decepticon Deployers

Look, none of these three toys are great.  But then none of the RID(15) toyline figures are so at least these come with little Mini-Con partners they can shoot.  If you are a fan of the cartoon or a completionist then these three are worth picking up on the cheap if you can find them.  If not, then do not bother my friends, very average figures indeed.