Transformers

  On 2/22/2020 at 10:17 PM, Gabriel said:

I pre-ordered it like an idiot, because maybe it's a misprint.  I have a bad feeling it isn't.

Can you email them to get clarification?

  On 2/22/2020 at 11:35 PM, BeyondTime said:

Can you email them to get clarification?

Now why are you talking sense on the internet?

I just sent an email asking.  I'll let everyone know if I get an answer.

  On 2/22/2020 at 11:39 PM, Gabriel said:

Now why are you talking sense on the internet?

We’ll since I’m on a roll. Dollfie Dreams have spoiled you for shorter toys, haven’t they?

  On 2/22/2020 at 10:55 PM, growcian said:

Since doing an extremely stupid amount of overanalysis is my thing,

No no no, that's my thing. 

Edited February 23, 2020 by cfx

 

He can grab Arcee...

 

Like my Gravity Builder XDD (LG10 Arcee)

Edited February 23, 2020 by Testament

This page:

https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/seibertron-covers-earthrise-reveals-at-hasbrotoyfair-2020-with-sky-lynx-allicon-arcee-scorponok/44549/

...has this specific image:

Scorponok is huge compared to Sky Lynx. I think my theory about someone being careless with writing BBTS's product description page has a lot of weight.

I could believe that both Scorponok and Skylynx are about 11 inches tall in base mode.  I didn't get Omega, is he as tall as Metroplex/Fort Max?  I thought he was shorter, and I think I read somewhere (TFW2005, probably) that Scorpy will be shorter than Fort Max, more like 20 inches.  

Doubledealer looks cool, and appropriately big.  The G1 toy is huge.  I like that his Powermaster partners are included in the cassette 4-pack, and Doubledealer fits cassettes into his chest.   

  On 2/23/2020 at 7:44 AM, Galvatim said:

I didn't get Omega, is he as tall as Metroplex/Fort Max?

No. Titan Omega is 19.5 inches.

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by growcian

  On 2/23/2020 at 1:56 AM, BeyondTime said:

We’ll since I’m on a roll. Dollfie Dreams have spoiled you for shorter toys, haven’t they?

I've always liked my toys BIG!  

  On 2/23/2020 at 7:23 PM, Gabriel said:

I've always liked my toys BIG!  

Here you go:

 

TF Source is listing the same 11 inch height as well.  Odd.

  On 2/24/2020 at 5:06 PM, Gabriel said:

TF Source is listing the same 11 inch height as well.  Odd.

Hasbro has spent years mis-transforming their own products for promotional photos, now they're trying mis-measuring.  

Pretty sure he says Scorponok is about 20 inches in this video.  

I actually made this kit purchase shortly before the "Decepticon version" was announced. The only differences between that kit and the one I bought are the box art, the included insignia, and the included face (with a different facial expression). I don't feel the differences are worth buying the same kit twice.

While I realize Megatron becoming an Autobot was a significant plot point in one of the IDW comics series, I find the concept to be morally(?) wrong. I wasn't going to use the included Autobot sticker on his chest. I used something I received from Toyhax and made him a proper Decepticon.

His elbows and knees are double jointed. They will bend further than what you see here.

Side by side with the IDW version of Prime.

Things not pictured in the photos above: A pair of open hands included with the kit. He only comes with closed fists and open hands in terms of hand options.

Pros:

• Fun to build.
• The head sculpt is fantastic.
• The insignia on his chest makes no difference with how menacing he looks.
• Fun to pose.
• Minimal paint applications can make him look great.

(Decepti)Cons:

• Tolerances of how parts fit together reminded me of some of the crappier Kotobukiya kits.
• The kit is expensive when compared to robot kits of similar size/complexity manufactured by Bandai and/or Hasegawa.

While I can gripe about the price all day, that's not the main problem with the kit. The main problem is the tolerance. A large percentage of parts are a bit on the tight side. I had to shave down the plastic in a number of instances in order to get the parts to fit at all. While I didn't break anything during the kit's assembly, considering how tight the parts fit, I easily could have.

I would not consider this to be a kit for beginners so I wouldn't recommend it to n00bs. I would say this kit is better suited for builders with intermediate skills.

Edited February 25, 2020 by growcian

Edit: Got a response.  Quoted below:

  Quote

Thank you for your email. The height that we reported was what was initial provided to us by the manufacturer. It sounds like the figure is expected to be about 21 inches in robot mode, and 11 inches in scorpion mode. This mode difference is likely the cause for the confusion.

So it looks like the information Hasbro gave retailers to list says 11 inches.  And from the way it's said above, the correction that BBTS has done to the listing is due to what was said in the linked video above or some other statement somewhere.

Pre-edit:

BBTS hasn't responded to me as of yet.  But I do notice the listing for Scorponok now says 21 inches.

Edited February 25, 2020 by Gabriel

My own Star AYIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE arrived.

I won't have him attempt Gerwalk mode.

Unfortunately, Amazon sucked with its packaging here so he was shipped in a padded envelope instead of a box. As a result, the already flimsy packaging got dinged up in transit.

Size comparison with the IDW kits.

Looking good.

Alt-mode.

Just got an email from BBTS stating that Earthrise Optimus has been delayed until June.

Oh well, I guess I can go ahead and ship my pile of loot now.

CG renders only. Earthrise Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker were announced:

https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-earthrise-deluxe-class-sunstreaker-and-trailbreaker-revealed/44583/

Any comments by me are a bit premature because the images are renders and not near-finalized prototypes. Having said that, I like Sunstreaker's vehicle mode and Trailbreaker's robot mode. I'm hating on Sunstreaker's head sculpt and Trailbreaker's vehicle mode. I also know I'm spoiled because of MP-39 and XT Aegis. I hope I feel different about what I don't like once images of actual prototypes are released.

Well... From Sunstreaker it looks like now that Hastak has got everyone used to the new smaller size, they're going back to open gaps everywhere.  Look at those hollow legs, thighs, and upper arms.

 

  On 2/29/2020 at 3:46 PM, Gabriel said:

Well... From Sunstreaker it looks like now that Hastak has got everyone used to the new smaller size, they're going back to open gaps everywhere.  Look at those hollow legs, thighs, and upper arms.

 

You skipped Siege Impactor?  He's one of the worst offenders, with multiple 3rd party filler kits already.  There's no reason besides cost cutting for his lower legs to have big gaping holes, it doesn't effect the transformation.  

It is disappointing to see the hollow, gappy look continue, though.  Sunstreaker's lower legs might at least be due to transformation.   

 

  On 2/29/2020 at 4:47 PM, Galvatim said:

You skipped Siege Impactor?  He's one of the worst offenders, with multiple 3rd party filler kits already.  There's no reason besides cost cutting for his lower legs to have big gaping holes, it doesn't effect the transformation.  

It is disappointing to see the hollow, gappy look continue, though.  Sunstreaker's lower legs might at least be due to transformation.   

 

Yep.  I skipped Impactor.  It wasn't a legacy character I remembered.  I'm not a big fan of the figure's  colors.  And it just didn't tickle my fancy for robot or vehicle mode.  So I didn't pay much of any attention.

I'm not super against gappy figures.  Like you say, it's just disappointing.

I totally understand.  Impactor was a major character in the 1980s Marvel UK comics, but hasn't appeared outside of them until recently.  And for that matter, it's only been the past few years that those comics were reprinted outside the UK.  They are a fun read, if you enjoy the Marvel Transformers comics.  

I'm glad these old comics characters are getting modern updated toys, but Thunderwing is taking way too long.  

Maketoys Maestro, AKA G2 Jazz!

Should I stick a G2 Autobot symbol in that spot?  

With his G2 pal, Sideswipe.  

I added some G2 faction symbols to Jazz.

They mirror the vintage toy in placement, left front wheel well, and the belt buckle.  I'm well aware that the G2 Jazz used G1 Autobot symbols, but =my other G2 guys (Sideswipe, Bumblebee, Beachcomber and Seaspray) all have the G2 Optimus face Autobot symbol.  

Lio Convoy!

He's cool.  The instructions are awful.  

ThreeA/ThreeZero Optimus.

Non-transforming, but incredible sculpt and paintwork. 

It's Cab!  Or Hosehead.  The is a gray version of this kit, but it was around $50 for just this one.  Unlike Siren and GoShooter, or Nightbeat and Minerva, the differences between Cab and Hosehead aren't that great, so just this one figure works as either.  I might add a Titanmaster port neck piece someday, but the new head from the kit is pretty nice.  

I got Earthrise Wheeljack and Starscream recently.  I'm very happy.  Both were much better in hand that images suggested.

I swooshed Starscream around in jet mode for quite some time.  Very happy to have Seekers back as F-15s.  I'm really looking forward to the potential of Thundecracker, Skywarp, Thrust, and Dirge.  I just hope they don't give the others goofy faces this time.

My main gripe are those forearms.  They're a pain in the ass for transforming.  They've done this same kind of folding in on itself mechanic a zillion times before.  Why did they overcomplicate it this time? 

Tri-Jet Starscream got immediately retired, but that version is pretty fun too, so he'll stay out for a while.  He just doesn't get to hang out with the other Siege figures anymore.

Earthrise Wheeljack reminded me for the first time in a very long time why Wheeljack was the first Transformer I ever got.  I fell back in love with his car mode.  Robot mode is... well, it's Wheeljack robot mode.  It looks right.  I can't complain much.

The nits that I have are: there's no outward rotation/swivel of the forearms due to how the joints work.  It's not a big deal, but mildly annoying.  The spoiler is a bit too large due to it's new dual role as spoiler and "wings" in robot mode.  The bit of the transformation about having to flip the leading edge of the cockpit window out of or into the legs is fiddly.  

But the transformation is interesting, even if it doesn't feel very similar at all to the classic figure.  The detail job on the figure looks great.

Earthrise Wheeljack immediately replaced Combiner Wars Wheeljack for me.  CW Wheeljack is getting put away in a box, and probably will only ever be a combiner limb going forward.  Earthrise Wheeljack got to join all my "main" transformers.

Very happy with both.  

I'm going to do something slightly different with this post compared to just posting photos like I usually do. I mentioned in the Action Figures / Toys thread how I have a need for swappable faces with action figures. This is true with TF toys as well.

Now I'm going to paste links to my NSFW photo comics behind the spoiler tag.
 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

https://growcian.blogspot.com/2020/03/you-cant-punch-what-you-can-smell-1.html

https://growcian.blogspot.com/2020/03/you-cant-punch-what-you-can-smell-2.html

All the horrible TF photo comics I ever made: https://growcian.blogspot.com/search/label/Transformers

 

Below are images from the NSFW comics without the dialogue. Sure, they lack context but you're also not subjected to NSFW dialogue if you choose not to click on the links hidden by the spoiler tag.

 

The original MP-19 release didn't have the multiple faces option so aside from being a TF Masterpiece figure, MP-19 doesn't provide much value to me. MP-19+ provides tons of value to me thanks to the swappable faces.

Pros:

• Multiple faces which can be swapped in and out. 😄
• Fun transformation.
• Despite its light weight, the parts tab in properly so the toy feels solid.

(Decepti)Cons:

• Um... Doesn't have more swappable faces.

I can't think of much of anything in terms of negatives.

In other posts I made in this thread, I mentioned some toys are borderline recommendations. With MP-19+, it's not borderline. I can give the MP-19+ an enthusiastic recommendation.