Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere
Sunday, December 31st, 2017 10:29PM CST
Category: Toy NewsPosted by: Qwan Views: 64,797
Topic Options: View Discussion · Sign in or Join to reply
From the Facebook page of Marcelo Matere, the artist behind the package-art pencils for Combiner Wars' fan-built 'bot Victorion, we have a look at a similar piece of art for a much more recent combiner - Power of the Primes Volcanicus (comprised of the Dinobots being released in Waves 1 and 2 of the line).
Much like his work for Victorion and Combiner Wars Bruticus, this art of Volcanicus displays a somewhat 'rounded' and filled-out style, eliminating gaps and small engineering compromises found on the actual toys in order to present an incredibly intimidating-looking robot! Given that Volcanicus also has no fully-consistent "proper" limb configuration yet, which many of the G1-based updates from Combiner Wars and Power of the Primes do possess, it's also interesting to note the positioning of each Dinobot in this depiction - Swoop and Slug form arms, while Sludge and Snarl take on the heavy lifting as the legs.
Check out the pencil work below and on Matere's Facebook page, and share any thoughts you may have on this piece or the figure itself in the Energon Pub Forums!
Much like his work for Victorion and Combiner Wars Bruticus, this art of Volcanicus displays a somewhat 'rounded' and filled-out style, eliminating gaps and small engineering compromises found on the actual toys in order to present an incredibly intimidating-looking robot! Given that Volcanicus also has no fully-consistent "proper" limb configuration yet, which many of the G1-based updates from Combiner Wars and Power of the Primes do possess, it's also interesting to note the positioning of each Dinobot in this depiction - Swoop and Slug form arms, while Sludge and Snarl take on the heavy lifting as the legs.
Check out the pencil work below and on Matere's Facebook page, and share any thoughts you may have on this piece or the figure itself in the Energon Pub Forums!
Dinobots Combiner Volcanicus package art pencils from Transformers : Power of the Primes toy line -2017. #dinobots #combinerwars #poweroftheprimes #art #artist #marcelomatere #hasbro #transformers #toys #pencils #pencilsketch #volcanicus
Credit(s): Marcelo Matere
News Search
Got Transformers News? Let us know here!
Most Popular Transformers News
Most Recent Transformers News
News Categories: Toy News, Movie Related News, Cartoon News, Comic Book News, Site News, Rumors, Event News, Digital Media News, Collectables, Sponsor News, Game News, Site Articles, Store News, Reviews, People News, Company News, Sightings, Press Releases, Unlicensed Products News, Auctions, Transtopia, Interviews, Editorials, Collector's Club News, Knock Offs, Podcast, Heavy Metal War, Contests, Book News, Top Lists
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929095)
Posted by Qwan on December 31st, 2017 @ 10:35pm CST
Posted by Qwan on December 31st, 2017 @ 10:35pm CST
For curious minds, the above news article's "fun substitutions" are: VolcanyoubelieveI'mstilldoingthisicus, Volcaknightswhosaynicus, VolcaNEWYEARicus. I know that got really old a long time ago (especially by internet standards), but it's my thing and I'm gonna keep doing it anyway.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929096)
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on December 31st, 2017 @ 10:42pm CST
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on December 31st, 2017 @ 10:42pm CST
Here's the actual toy for comparison:
And differences there are, but not many noteworthy ones:
- Sludge and Snarl have switched positions, though the art is in line with his Earth Wars depiction.
- Snarl has his tail treated like Sludge's and Slag's, even tho the toy has it split, like the G1 one.
- Sludge has his back feet flip inward, something not possible with the toy. Also, the front feet seem to be twisted 180.
And differences there are, but not many noteworthy ones:
- Sludge and Snarl have switched positions, though the art is in line with his Earth Wars depiction.
- Snarl has his tail treated like Sludge's and Slag's, even tho the toy has it split, like the G1 one.
- Sludge has his back feet flip inward, something not possible with the toy. Also, the front feet seem to be twisted 180.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929119)
Posted by Rated X on January 1st, 2018 @ 6:56am CST
Posted by Rated X on January 1st, 2018 @ 6:56am CST
I got Grimlock last week and im sorry but Volcanicus is the ultimate floppy piece of s**t. Besides looking all retarded with the offical shoulder configuration, the damn thing doesnt even stay tabbed together. The fan mod version with the shoulders pulled in doesnt hold any better. They sacraficed so much to make them a combiner in the first place and the damn combiner was still a total fail. And then theres scale. Does anyone else think they should have done Predaking in deluxe/voyager format and saved the dino-combiner to be the titan class release?
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929121)
Posted by Munkky on January 1st, 2018 @ 7:34am CST
Posted by Munkky on January 1st, 2018 @ 7:34am CST
I got Leader Optimus yesterday, the main robot mode is great, and I love how involved the transformation from robot to trailer is. The truck cab is a horrible kibbly mess when viewed from any angle other than the front, it could do with a couple of extra panels on the sides to cover Orion's folded up arms at the back, though Orion's robot mode is a nice fun figure on his own.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929123)
Posted by YoungPrime on January 1st, 2018 @ 8:36am CST
I'm not Shocked and I'm not sorry for saying the obvious. We all seen this crap during various toy conventions last year. Prior to the CW line we've begged Hasbro for combiners and now they've gone overboard the the gimmick!
No one asked for combiner Starscream and I'm confident and saying that each Dinobot would've had better quality IF they weren't combiners either! I'm not even buying that Grimlock (FOC version will remain my placeholder).
Deluxe and Legends are the only standout in this line so far.
Posted by YoungPrime on January 1st, 2018 @ 8:36am CST
Rated X wrote:I got Grimlock last week and im sorry but Volcanicus is the ultimate floppy piece of s**t. Besides looking all retarded with the offical shoulder configuration, the damn thing doesnt even stay tabbed together. The fan mod version with the shoulders pulled in doesnt hold any better. They sacraficed so much to make them a combiner in the first place and the damn combiner was still a total fail. And then theres scale. Does anyone else think they should have done Predaking in deluxe/voyager format and saved the dino-combiner to be the titan class release?
I'm not Shocked and I'm not sorry for saying the obvious. We all seen this crap during various toy conventions last year. Prior to the CW line we've begged Hasbro for combiners and now they've gone overboard the the gimmick!
No one asked for combiner Starscream and I'm confident and saying that each Dinobot would've had better quality IF they weren't combiners either! I'm not even buying that Grimlock (FOC version will remain my placeholder).
Deluxe and Legends are the only standout in this line so far.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929127)
Posted by Randomhero on January 1st, 2018 @ 10:01am CST
Don’t forget about the biggest difference , that’s a drawing
Posted by Randomhero on January 1st, 2018 @ 10:01am CST
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Here's the actual toy for comparison:
And differences there are, but not many noteworthy ones:
- Sludge and Snarl have switched positions, though the art is in line with his Earth Wars depiction.
- Snarl has his tail treated like Sludge's and Slag's, even tho the toy has it split, like the G1 one.
- Sludge has his back feet flip inward, something not possible with the toy. Also, the front feet seem to be twisted 180.
Don’t forget about the biggest difference , that’s a drawing
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929130)
Posted by angtre on January 1st, 2018 @ 10:55am CST
Having a Titan class Dinobot Combiner would have been reeeeally nice. Since Predaking will lack a similar sized opponent (in the original cartoon he got Sky Lynx, but its most recent version is way too small, even in its Sky Reign combined form), this new Combiner would have been perfect for the role.
Also a shame that Slash doesn't get involved in any way.
Posted by angtre on January 1st, 2018 @ 10:55am CST
Rated X wrote:I got Grimlock last week and im sorry but Volcanicus is the ultimate floppy piece of s**t. Besides looking all retarded with the offical shoulder configuration, the damn thing doesnt even stay tabbed together. The fan mod version with the shoulders pulled in doesnt hold any better. They sacraficed so much to make them a combiner in the first place and the damn combiner was still a total fail. And then theres scale. Does anyone else think they should have done Predaking in deluxe/voyager format and saved the dino-combiner to be the titan class release?
Having a Titan class Dinobot Combiner would have been reeeeally nice. Since Predaking will lack a similar sized opponent (in the original cartoon he got Sky Lynx, but its most recent version is way too small, even in its Sky Reign combined form), this new Combiner would have been perfect for the role.
Also a shame that Slash doesn't get involved in any way.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929138)
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on January 1st, 2018 @ 12:15pm CST
And your point is?
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on January 1st, 2018 @ 12:15pm CST
Randomhero wrote:Don’t forget about the biggest difference , that’s a drawing
And your point is?
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929140)
Posted by Skritz on January 1st, 2018 @ 12:34pm CST
Posted by Skritz on January 1st, 2018 @ 12:34pm CST
I get the impression Volcaniconiconiicus Volcanicus is a bit more poorly received because he's an 'unwanted' combiner, since the majority of the fanbase did not want/expect a combining Dinobot. I mean, from what I can gather, the CW torso weren't received anywhere as poorly as the PotP ones but was it really due to better engineering or just because the G1 Combiners got new toys?
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929143)
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on January 1st, 2018 @ 1:07pm CST
I think it's more the Combiner gimmick is "too intrusive" on them? Swoop, Slag, Sludge and Snarl all seem to be perfectly made as limbs from the get-go, but Grimlock as a torso not so much. At this point we have Combiner fatigue, plus where's Piranacon?!
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on January 1st, 2018 @ 1:07pm CST
Skritz wrote:I get the impression Volcaniconiconiicus Volcanicus is a bit more poorly received because he's an 'unwanted' combiner, since the majority of the fanbase did not want/expect a combining Dinobot. I mean, from what I can gather, the CW torso weren't received anywhere as poorly as the PotP ones but was it really due to better engineering or just because the G1 Combiners got new toys?
I think it's more the Combiner gimmick is "too intrusive" on them? Swoop, Slag, Sludge and Snarl all seem to be perfectly made as limbs from the get-go, but Grimlock as a torso not so much. At this point we have Combiner fatigue, plus where's Piranacon?!
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929144)
Posted by william-james88 on January 1st, 2018 @ 1:11pm CST
The Menaspr torso was hated just as much.
Posted by william-james88 on January 1st, 2018 @ 1:11pm CST
Skritz wrote:I get the impression Volcaniconiconiicus Volcanicus is a bit more poorly received because he's an 'unwanted' combiner, since the majority of the fanbase did not want/expect a combining Dinobot. I mean, from what I can gather, the CW torso weren't received anywhere as poorly as the PotP ones but was it really due to better engineering or just because the G1 Combiners got new toys?
The Menaspr torso was hated just as much.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929146)
Posted by Skritz on January 1st, 2018 @ 1:35pm CST
Maybe its because I got back into collecting with Titans Return and only got a few CW figures after the line ended. To me this isn't as 'tired' or 'played out'. As for Piranacon, I speculated waaay back that he's entirely doable within the PotP lineup as a late-wave combiner. In fact, looking at Grimlock I wonder if he couldn't be re-engineered into Snaptrap. Sure, it would be a heavy retool but not an impossible one. Well, either him or Hun-Grr. The rest of the Seacons' seafood-with-limbs-design is entirely doable with pre-existing and/or upcoming molds, such as:
Posted by Skritz on January 1st, 2018 @ 1:35pm CST
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:I think it's more the Combiner gimmick is "too intrusive" on them? Swoop, Slag, Sludge and Snarl all seem to be perfectly made as limbs from the get-go, but Grimlock as a torso not so much. At this point we have Combiner fatigue, plus where's Piranacon?!
Maybe its because I got back into collecting with Titans Return and only got a few CW figures after the line ended. To me this isn't as 'tired' or 'played out'. As for Piranacon, I speculated waaay back that he's entirely doable within the PotP lineup as a late-wave combiner. In fact, looking at Grimlock I wonder if he couldn't be re-engineered into Snaptrap. Sure, it would be a heavy retool but not an impossible one. Well, either him or Hun-Grr. The rest of the Seacons' seafood-with-limbs-design is entirely doable with pre-existing and/or upcoming molds, such as:
- Rippernsapper into Overbite and Scalor
- Swoop or Cutthroat as Seawing
- Blot heavily retooled to Tentakill
- Nautilator as a new legends-class figure who turn into a gun
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929155)
Posted by Twitchythe3rd on January 1st, 2018 @ 4:12pm CST
Maybe it's both? Forced combiners for the sake of gimmickry plus the looming threat of CW levels of mold reuse?
Posted by Twitchythe3rd on January 1st, 2018 @ 4:12pm CST
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Skritz wrote:I get the impression Volcaniconiconiicus Volcanicus is a bit more poorly received because he's an 'unwanted' combiner, since the majority of the fanbase did not want/expect a combining Dinobot. I mean, from what I can gather, the CW torso weren't received anywhere as poorly as the PotP ones but was it really due to better engineering or just because the G1 Combiners got new toys?
I think it's more the Combiner gimmick is "too intrusive" on them? Swoop, Slag, Sludge and Snarl all seem to be perfectly made as limbs from the get-go, but Grimlock as a torso not so much. At this point we have Combiner fatigue, plus where's Piranacon?!
Maybe it's both? Forced combiners for the sake of gimmickry plus the looming threat of CW levels of mold reuse?
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929157)
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on January 1st, 2018 @ 4:28pm CST
Could very well be. Though mold reuse has been less obvious, less numerous by Wave 3, and it's more Titans Return-style part sharing:
Metalhawk into Alpha Trion
Sludge shares with Slug
Cutthroat shares with Swoop
Starscream into Elita-1
Hot Spot into Inferno with redecos of Hun-Gurr's Engima and Combiner feet.
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on January 1st, 2018 @ 4:28pm CST
Twitchythe3rd wrote:Maybe it's both? Forced combiners for the sake of gimmickry plus the looming threat of CW levels of mold reuse?
Could very well be. Though mold reuse has been less obvious, less numerous by Wave 3, and it's more Titans Return-style part sharing:
Metalhawk into Alpha Trion
Sludge shares with Slug
Cutthroat shares with Swoop
Starscream into Elita-1
Hot Spot into Inferno with redecos of Hun-Gurr's Engima and Combiner feet.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929158)
Posted by Skritz on January 1st, 2018 @ 4:46pm CST
Posted by Skritz on January 1st, 2018 @ 4:46pm CST
One gets the impression Hasbro did indeed drop the ball for the end of the Prime Wars trilogy and I suspect this is probably the result of poor planning/not knowing what the main gimmick of the last one should be, resulting in them mashing everything together in hope it works. That said, the fact we're at least getting (at least) two more pre-existing Combiners who didn't show up in CW is still a plus: Abominus and Predaking are 100% confirmed with Monstructor somewhat hinted by an odd Cutthroat-with-Wildfly-head and Piranacon as pure speculation right now.
Honestly, if they wanted to make Combiner Wars 2.0 they should just have done so, given that people complain about characters whose nature as a combiner torso make them weaker figures. Granted, Dinobot combiner is exactly where I'd go if I was Hasbro and realized most named combiners left are Decepticons. So, really, even in the hypothetical scenario I do think we'd have ended with a Dinobot combiner. Predaking as a regular CW combiner could have certainly filled waves and they could have potentially used him as a basis for a new combiner to fill the Autobots rank which brings me to the frankly wasted potential of a CW 2.0: we could have had entirely new stuff and saved all the bitching from 'waah they ruined a Starscream/Jazz' because at least it would have been a line upfront about doing unfinished or new combiner teams rather than use existing characters as combiner components, which was something which had already sat poorly with fans during Combiner Wars.
Of course this lead to the problem of Leader class figures not integrating with the gimmick when all you do are combiners, which is why I think they wanted to keep the TR elements with the Prime Masters, Enigma and Matrices. Which I do not one bit hate. But! But, one get the impression the planning was certainly poor and that PotP was the rushed finale since the leader evolution+not!powermaster gimmicks make one seriously wonder why the fuck a Powermaster Optimus remake wasn't in this line. Had it been planned properly from the get go, he would have made more sense: that way a PM Optimus could have a proper Powermaster, same with Overlord and we'd have been spared the wonkyness that is Orion-Optimus Evolution.
But is there nonetheless a positive to PotP? Can it be salvaged or is it a doomed last dying grasp of a 'trilogy' which overtook the Generations line for years? Well, I do think so. Sure there is some mold reuse but so far it has been decent, with the Aerialbot reuse that are the Dreadwing and Darkwing duo. Whose still have their original gimmick relatively present (the Prime Masters doubling as Power Masters) and they combine with each others. Meaning these guys are perfectly valid as a duo to play with without needing them to be assigned to a torso. Their limb mode is a bonus, really. Abominus still looks promising and there are still chances we may see some unfinished combiners in the last waves, with early waves being a bit of a 'filler' aside from Dinobots and Terrocons. Oh and we got new Pretenders. Yay?
Seriously, my take out from all this is: PotP is not all doom and gloom or the worst toyline yet. There is good stuff in between the bad, even if its less solid than CW or TR.
Honestly, if they wanted to make Combiner Wars 2.0 they should just have done so, given that people complain about characters whose nature as a combiner torso make them weaker figures. Granted, Dinobot combiner is exactly where I'd go if I was Hasbro and realized most named combiners left are Decepticons. So, really, even in the hypothetical scenario I do think we'd have ended with a Dinobot combiner. Predaking as a regular CW combiner could have certainly filled waves and they could have potentially used him as a basis for a new combiner to fill the Autobots rank which brings me to the frankly wasted potential of a CW 2.0: we could have had entirely new stuff and saved all the bitching from 'waah they ruined a Starscream/Jazz' because at least it would have been a line upfront about doing unfinished or new combiner teams rather than use existing characters as combiner components, which was something which had already sat poorly with fans during Combiner Wars.
Of course this lead to the problem of Leader class figures not integrating with the gimmick when all you do are combiners, which is why I think they wanted to keep the TR elements with the Prime Masters, Enigma and Matrices. Which I do not one bit hate. But! But, one get the impression the planning was certainly poor and that PotP was the rushed finale since the leader evolution+not!powermaster gimmicks make one seriously wonder why the fuck a Powermaster Optimus remake wasn't in this line. Had it been planned properly from the get go, he would have made more sense: that way a PM Optimus could have a proper Powermaster, same with Overlord and we'd have been spared the wonkyness that is Orion-Optimus Evolution.
But is there nonetheless a positive to PotP? Can it be salvaged or is it a doomed last dying grasp of a 'trilogy' which overtook the Generations line for years? Well, I do think so. Sure there is some mold reuse but so far it has been decent, with the Aerialbot reuse that are the Dreadwing and Darkwing duo. Whose still have their original gimmick relatively present (the Prime Masters doubling as Power Masters) and they combine with each others. Meaning these guys are perfectly valid as a duo to play with without needing them to be assigned to a torso. Their limb mode is a bonus, really. Abominus still looks promising and there are still chances we may see some unfinished combiners in the last waves, with early waves being a bit of a 'filler' aside from Dinobots and Terrocons. Oh and we got new Pretenders. Yay?
Seriously, my take out from all this is: PotP is not all doom and gloom or the worst toyline yet. There is good stuff in between the bad, even if its less solid than CW or TR.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929192)
Posted by Wolfman Jake on January 1st, 2018 @ 10:42pm CST
Posted by Wolfman Jake on January 1st, 2018 @ 10:42pm CST
Happy New Year, Seibertronians! Power of the Primes has FINALLY come to the Twin Cities area in full force. I was able to pick up almost everything from the first wave between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day between Target and Toys 'R' Us. I've opened up everything except for the Prime Masters (because Target wouldn't sell them to me, more on that later) and the Leader Class figures, as I'll get to those after work tomorrow evening.
First, with the Prime Masters, I ask if anyone else in the U.S. has bought them from Target? The ones I found on the pegs last night were marked with a street date of 04/20/2018! I had no idea until they tried to ring them up at the register. I was able to purchase the Legends and Deluxe figures without problem. In fact, one of the employees stocking the shelves was kind enough to open up a fresh case of Legends figures from the back so I could pick out the best paint jobs available. Ultimately, the management of the store decided to give me a discount of $5.00 off each of the Legends figures instead of just selling the Prime Masters, so it's not a total loss, but still, I want my Prime Masters! I wasn't able to find them at all today. No other stores I checked even had them yet, and they were completely removed from the shelves at that same Target when I checked again today. A clerk at the store looked into it for me and discovered they were put back away in the stock room because of the "04/20/2018 street date." Again, they refused to sell them because of such. Luckily, I found Leaders Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime had been put out on the shelves of that same Target today, so I grabbed them up too. The trip wasn't a total loss. There were only one of each.
Now, with that rant out of the way, here are my musings on what I've gotten my paws on so far. First, the Legends figures are all excellent. Windcharger looks fantastic in person. He's deliciously G1. The face sculpt doesn't bother me at all, and the coloring is pretty much spot on. He's way better than his Combiner Wars version from a few years ago, especially in terms of proportion (no skinny legs or tiny pin head). Beachcomber is pretty much perfect. Again, very G1 with a simple and effective transformation. Slash is pretty fun too. She's got no G1 equivalent, of course, but does seem to fit right in with the rest of the Dinobot crew. I like her transformation, which turns out to be a lot easier than you might think at first blush, looking at her robot mode. I didn't pick up the reissue Shrapnel. I've got the Takara version for my "Classics" shelf and three of the Thrilling 30 release as his clone swarm.
Next, the Deluxes. Jazz is a neat little toy. There's nothing egregiously wrong with him, if you need a Classics Jazz for your collection, but the Reveal the Shield/Transformers United version is a superior figure in every way, honestly. The only thing that might make PotP Jazz more appealing for some would be a more cartoon accurate silhouette, what with the front tires moved behind the shoulders and the door wings missing in robot mode. This Jazz will eventually serve as a combiner limb in my collection, as RtS/United Jazz will remain my defacto Classics version. Dreadwind was a nice little surprise too. The retooling from his original Arialbot form is extensive and well done. It's a satisfying little transformation, despite being pretty played out for half of the steps. I definitely look forward to getting Darkwing and combining the two together in alt mode. The paint work on Dreadwind is great too. Very nice for a Hasbro release.
For that matter, Jazz has great paint work too, though it's a bit sad that, given they went to the trouble of making him form accurate to the cartoon, they didn't get some of the finer coloring details right on robot mode, like black hands, unpainted kneecaps, blue highlights on his pelvis, silver abs, etc. Again, the RtS/United version of Jazz does the coloring details far better and looks perfectly fine in form compared to the original G1 toy. The sad part about PotP Jazz is that Takara won't be touching up Hasbro's paint job at all, so there is no hope of a "perfect" cartoon Jazz figure, at least not any time soon.
The two deluxe Dinobots, Slag and Swoop, are good figures. They don't really blow me away, per se, but there's nothing very "wrong" with them, as far as I can tell. The combining gimmick is not obtrusive in either. It would be nice if they were a little bit bigger, but honesly, what are you gonna do? It was going to be deluxe or nothing for everyone but Grimlock. The paint work is good, and I like the effect of painting the clear plastic underneath the surface to give each that "glassy shell" look of the G1 toys.
Now for Grimlock. The Target I got most of my figures from had no Voyagers on the shelf. Grimlock was the only figure I had to get from Toys 'R' Us instead (for $29.99 at that). Grimlock is a good figure, but does have a bit of a flaw in that he doesn't tab together as tightly as I would like. You can eventually get everything to sit in the right place in robot and in dino mode, but you can't really fiddle or play with him lest something pop out of place. The flaw, I think, is in the plastic used. The tolerances for the pegs are off, so they don't really "snap" in tightly. Grimlock looks great posed on my Classics shelf, though, along side Slag and Swoop. Again, it would be nice if he were just a bit bigger, but he sure looks the part of G1 Grimlock, despite only slightly edging out Classics Voyager Optimus Prime in height. I gave PotP Grimlock the sword from Fall of Cybertron Grimlock and Titan Master "Clobber" as his blaster. Sadly, I can't find a good way to attach the shield accessory from FoC Grimlock to his PotP counterpart. TRU didn't have Starscream, so I've got no opinion on him yet.
Like I said earlier, I haven't opened up Optimus Prime or Rodimus Prime yet, so I'll give me thoughts on those another time. With any luck, I'll be able to track down the Prime Masters again before too long.
First, with the Prime Masters, I ask if anyone else in the U.S. has bought them from Target? The ones I found on the pegs last night were marked with a street date of 04/20/2018! I had no idea until they tried to ring them up at the register. I was able to purchase the Legends and Deluxe figures without problem. In fact, one of the employees stocking the shelves was kind enough to open up a fresh case of Legends figures from the back so I could pick out the best paint jobs available. Ultimately, the management of the store decided to give me a discount of $5.00 off each of the Legends figures instead of just selling the Prime Masters, so it's not a total loss, but still, I want my Prime Masters! I wasn't able to find them at all today. No other stores I checked even had them yet, and they were completely removed from the shelves at that same Target when I checked again today. A clerk at the store looked into it for me and discovered they were put back away in the stock room because of the "04/20/2018 street date." Again, they refused to sell them because of such. Luckily, I found Leaders Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime had been put out on the shelves of that same Target today, so I grabbed them up too. The trip wasn't a total loss. There were only one of each.
Now, with that rant out of the way, here are my musings on what I've gotten my paws on so far. First, the Legends figures are all excellent. Windcharger looks fantastic in person. He's deliciously G1. The face sculpt doesn't bother me at all, and the coloring is pretty much spot on. He's way better than his Combiner Wars version from a few years ago, especially in terms of proportion (no skinny legs or tiny pin head). Beachcomber is pretty much perfect. Again, very G1 with a simple and effective transformation. Slash is pretty fun too. She's got no G1 equivalent, of course, but does seem to fit right in with the rest of the Dinobot crew. I like her transformation, which turns out to be a lot easier than you might think at first blush, looking at her robot mode. I didn't pick up the reissue Shrapnel. I've got the Takara version for my "Classics" shelf and three of the Thrilling 30 release as his clone swarm.
Next, the Deluxes. Jazz is a neat little toy. There's nothing egregiously wrong with him, if you need a Classics Jazz for your collection, but the Reveal the Shield/Transformers United version is a superior figure in every way, honestly. The only thing that might make PotP Jazz more appealing for some would be a more cartoon accurate silhouette, what with the front tires moved behind the shoulders and the door wings missing in robot mode. This Jazz will eventually serve as a combiner limb in my collection, as RtS/United Jazz will remain my defacto Classics version. Dreadwind was a nice little surprise too. The retooling from his original Arialbot form is extensive and well done. It's a satisfying little transformation, despite being pretty played out for half of the steps. I definitely look forward to getting Darkwing and combining the two together in alt mode. The paint work on Dreadwind is great too. Very nice for a Hasbro release.
For that matter, Jazz has great paint work too, though it's a bit sad that, given they went to the trouble of making him form accurate to the cartoon, they didn't get some of the finer coloring details right on robot mode, like black hands, unpainted kneecaps, blue highlights on his pelvis, silver abs, etc. Again, the RtS/United version of Jazz does the coloring details far better and looks perfectly fine in form compared to the original G1 toy. The sad part about PotP Jazz is that Takara won't be touching up Hasbro's paint job at all, so there is no hope of a "perfect" cartoon Jazz figure, at least not any time soon.
The two deluxe Dinobots, Slag and Swoop, are good figures. They don't really blow me away, per se, but there's nothing very "wrong" with them, as far as I can tell. The combining gimmick is not obtrusive in either. It would be nice if they were a little bit bigger, but honesly, what are you gonna do? It was going to be deluxe or nothing for everyone but Grimlock. The paint work is good, and I like the effect of painting the clear plastic underneath the surface to give each that "glassy shell" look of the G1 toys.
Now for Grimlock. The Target I got most of my figures from had no Voyagers on the shelf. Grimlock was the only figure I had to get from Toys 'R' Us instead (for $29.99 at that). Grimlock is a good figure, but does have a bit of a flaw in that he doesn't tab together as tightly as I would like. You can eventually get everything to sit in the right place in robot and in dino mode, but you can't really fiddle or play with him lest something pop out of place. The flaw, I think, is in the plastic used. The tolerances for the pegs are off, so they don't really "snap" in tightly. Grimlock looks great posed on my Classics shelf, though, along side Slag and Swoop. Again, it would be nice if he were just a bit bigger, but he sure looks the part of G1 Grimlock, despite only slightly edging out Classics Voyager Optimus Prime in height. I gave PotP Grimlock the sword from Fall of Cybertron Grimlock and Titan Master "Clobber" as his blaster. Sadly, I can't find a good way to attach the shield accessory from FoC Grimlock to his PotP counterpart. TRU didn't have Starscream, so I've got no opinion on him yet.
Like I said earlier, I haven't opened up Optimus Prime or Rodimus Prime yet, so I'll give me thoughts on those another time. With any luck, I'll be able to track down the Prime Masters again before too long.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929196)
Posted by bodrock on January 1st, 2018 @ 11:34pm CST
Posted by bodrock on January 1st, 2018 @ 11:34pm CST
I already must have Abominus, but I would have to buy an update for Piranacon and Monstructor -- here's hoping.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929205)
Posted by ebo716 on January 2nd, 2018 @ 12:44am CST
At nycc, when they showed off Cuttroat, he had a head based off of Wildfly from the Pretender Monsters, so we are most likely getting Monstructor in some form.
Posted by ebo716 on January 2nd, 2018 @ 12:44am CST
bodrock wrote:I already must have Abominus, but I would have to buy an update for Piranacon and Monstructor -- here's hoping.
At nycc, when they showed off Cuttroat, he had a head based off of Wildfly from the Pretender Monsters, so we are most likely getting Monstructor in some form.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929207)
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on January 2nd, 2018 @ 1:41am CST
At the very least he was considered in the design, that's something.
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on January 2nd, 2018 @ 1:41am CST
ebo716 wrote:bodrock wrote:I already must have Abominus, but I would have to buy an update for Piranacon and Monstructor -- here's hoping.
At nycc, when they showed off Cuttroat, he had a head based off of Wildfly from the Pretender Monsters, so we are most likely getting Monstructor in some form.
At the very least he was considered in the design, that's something.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929241)
Posted by Munkky on January 2nd, 2018 @ 11:10am CST
The way I see it, Power of the Primes has been okay so far, but I'd prefer if the Prime Masters did something other than just clipping into things, if they were more like Mini-Cons or Cyber Planet Keys where plugging them in to somewhere unlocks a hidden feature on the main toy. Personally I'm tired of Combiners, so when I do get every PotP Dinobot I don't intend to display them as Volcanicus, or even combine them at all, but that's just me.
Posted by Munkky on January 2nd, 2018 @ 11:10am CST
Skritz wrote:One gets the impression Hasbro did indeed drop the ball for the end of the Prime Wars trilogy and I suspect this is probably the result of poor planning/not knowing what the main gimmick of the last one should be, resulting in them mashing everything together in hope it works. That said, the fact we're at least getting (at least) two more pre-existing Combiners who didn't show up in CW is still a plus: Abominus and Predaking are 100% confirmed with Monstructor somewhat hinted by an odd Cutthroat-with-Wildfly-head and Piranacon as pure speculation right now.
Honestly, if they wanted to make Combiner Wars 2.0 they should just have done so, given that people complain about characters whose nature as a combiner torso make them weaker figures. Granted, Dinobot combiner is exactly where I'd go if I was Hasbro and realized most named combiners left are Decepticons. So, really, even in the hypothetical scenario I do think we'd have ended with a Dinobot combiner. Predaking as a regular CW combiner could have certainly filled waves and they could have potentially used him as a basis for a new combiner to fill the Autobots rank which brings me to the frankly wasted potential of a CW 2.0: we could have had entirely new stuff and saved all the bitching from 'waah they ruined a Starscream/Jazz' because at least it would have been a line upfront about doing unfinished or new combiner teams rather than use existing characters as combiner components, which was something which had already sat poorly with fans during Combiner Wars.
Of course this lead to the problem of Leader class figures not integrating with the gimmick when all you do are combiners, which is why I think they wanted to keep the TR elements with the Prime Masters, Enigma and Matrices. Which I do not one bit hate. But! But, one get the impression the planning was certainly poor and that PotP was the rushed finale since the leader evolution+not!powermaster gimmicks make one seriously wonder why the **** a Powermaster Optimus remake wasn't in this line. Had it been planned properly from the get go, he would have made more sense: that way a PM Optimus could have a proper Powermaster, same with Overlord and we'd have been spared the wonkyness that is Orion-Optimus Evolution.
The way I see it, Power of the Primes has been okay so far, but I'd prefer if the Prime Masters did something other than just clipping into things, if they were more like Mini-Cons or Cyber Planet Keys where plugging them in to somewhere unlocks a hidden feature on the main toy. Personally I'm tired of Combiners, so when I do get every PotP Dinobot I don't intend to display them as Volcanicus, or even combine them at all, but that's just me.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929243)
Posted by bodrock on January 2nd, 2018 @ 11:23am CST
I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this!
As for Prime Masters, I'm surprised Target imposed a street date on them, making them unavailable for sale. Sounds like a data entry error to me. My TRU actually got them first and no issues buying from them.
I'll hunt for Leader Op, today!
Posted by bodrock on January 2nd, 2018 @ 11:23am CST
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:ebo716 wrote:bodrock wrote:I already must have Abominus, but I would have to buy an update for Piranacon and Monstructor -- here's hoping.
At nycc, when they showed off Cuttroat, he had a head based off of Wildfly from the Pretender Monsters, so we are most likely getting Monstructor in some form.
At the very least he was considered in the design, that's something.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this!
As for Prime Masters, I'm surprised Target imposed a street date on them, making them unavailable for sale. Sounds like a data entry error to me. My TRU actually got them first and no issues buying from them.
I'll hunt for Leader Op, today!
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929248)
Posted by Rodimus Knight on January 2nd, 2018 @ 12:07pm CST
Posted by Rodimus Knight on January 2nd, 2018 @ 12:07pm CST
So this whole thing with Battle Trap, gives me hope that they might do the Multiforce from Transformers Victory. It would be really cool, especially if they can work them into the combiner mode as well.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929253)
Posted by Wolfman Jake on January 2nd, 2018 @ 12:13pm CST
Undoubtedly, someone derpped on that. It's frustrating that Target can't seem to figure out how to undo it, at least not in a timely manner.
Posted by Wolfman Jake on January 2nd, 2018 @ 12:13pm CST
bodrock wrote:As for Prime Masters, I'm surprised Target imposed a street date on them, making them unavailable for sale. Sounds like a data entry error to me. My TRU actually got them first and no issues buying from them.
Undoubtedly, someone derpped on that. It's frustrating that Target can't seem to figure out how to undo it, at least not in a timely manner.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929260)
Posted by bodrock on January 2nd, 2018 @ 1:25pm CST
Posted by bodrock on January 2nd, 2018 @ 1:25pm CST
No Leader love in Oregon. No traces of Prime Masters, Deluxes or Legends, either. Only Voyager Starscreams. Perhaps later this week or next, Op and Roddy will make it out to the West Coast....
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929264)
Posted by william-james88 on January 2nd, 2018 @ 1:58pm CST
It is definitely an error on their part. No one else has a street date like that on these. Maybe they got confused with Wave 2 or something.
This is my main problem with this line. Their over arching gimmick is just aesthetic and doesnt really contribute to anything (and I dont think it looks any good when used, like on the Prime Armour
). The Titan master were heads, thats a pretty big deal. But these prime masters dont add anything significant. They end up actually being better used on Titans return Overlord than any other toy in POTP so far.
Posted by william-james88 on January 2nd, 2018 @ 1:58pm CST
Wolfman Jake wrote:bodrock wrote:As for Prime Masters, I'm surprised Target imposed a street date on them, making them unavailable for sale. Sounds like a data entry error to me. My TRU actually got them first and no issues buying from them.
Undoubtedly, someone derpped on that. It's frustrating that Target can't seem to figure out how to undo it, at least not in a timely manner.
It is definitely an error on their part. No one else has a street date like that on these. Maybe they got confused with Wave 2 or something.
Munkky wrote:The way I see it, Power of the Primes has been okay so far, but I'd prefer if the Prime Masters did something other than just clipping into things, if they were more like Mini-Cons or Cyber Planet Keys where plugging them in to somewhere unlocks a hidden feature on the main toy. .
This is my main problem with this line. Their over arching gimmick is just aesthetic and doesnt really contribute to anything (and I dont think it looks any good when used, like on the Prime Armour
). The Titan master were heads, thats a pretty big deal. But these prime masters dont add anything significant. They end up actually being better used on Titans return Overlord than any other toy in POTP so far.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929278)
Posted by Burn on January 2nd, 2018 @ 2:46pm CST
Posted by Burn on January 2nd, 2018 @ 2:46pm CST
171 pages, everyone enjoying their first wave ... and still no sign of them in Australia.
Any day now ...
If you live in a capital city, or not too far from one.
Which isn't me. May as well just wait for TT.
Any day now ...
If you live in a capital city, or not too far from one.
Which isn't me. May as well just wait for TT.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929282)
Posted by o.supreme on January 2nd, 2018 @ 2:53pm CST
Well I've only seen the smaller ones if that makes you feel any better, no voyagers or leaders in my area.....
So, is it too early to start talking about Toy Fair? Just 46 days away! - We'll probably get full blown PotP wave 2 and 3 reveals and packaging, and hopefully a look at Predaking. I'm hoping for some news in early January from
regarding their plans for any possible Voyager or combiner team packaging...but I guess we'll see.
Posted by o.supreme on January 2nd, 2018 @ 2:53pm CST
Burn wrote:171 pages, everyone enjoying their first wave ... and still no sign of them in Australia.
Well I've only seen the smaller ones if that makes you feel any better, no voyagers or leaders in my area.....
So, is it too early to start talking about Toy Fair? Just 46 days away! - We'll probably get full blown PotP wave 2 and 3 reveals and packaging, and hopefully a look at Predaking. I'm hoping for some news in early January from
regarding their plans for any possible Voyager or combiner team packaging...but I guess we'll see.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929286)
Posted by william-james88 on January 2nd, 2018 @ 3:04pm CST
Posted by william-james88 on January 2nd, 2018 @ 3:04pm CST
So now that people have the leaders, what are your thoughts on them. I personally find them both underwhelming so I am curious if I am maybe not seeing something or if people agree.
Also, currently writing a top 5 list for best Hot Rod/ Rodimus toys and I dont know if 5th place should go to Leader Rodimus or Energon Hot Rod. I am wondering which is a better toy, and I am not sure. probably the leader but he has so many flaws that I dont know if they are a bigger issue than Energon Rodimus' lack or articulation.
Same with Voyager Starscream. Lots of feedback on Grimlock, but little on his wave mate.
Also, currently writing a top 5 list for best Hot Rod/ Rodimus toys and I dont know if 5th place should go to Leader Rodimus or Energon Hot Rod. I am wondering which is a better toy, and I am not sure. probably the leader but he has so many flaws that I dont know if they are a bigger issue than Energon Rodimus' lack or articulation.
Same with Voyager Starscream. Lots of feedback on Grimlock, but little on his wave mate.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929287)
Posted by Burn on January 2nd, 2018 @ 3:10pm CST
But you've seen SOME. So no, that does not make me feel better.
Posted by Burn on January 2nd, 2018 @ 3:10pm CST
o.supreme wrote:Burn wrote:171 pages, everyone enjoying their first wave ... and still no sign of them in Australia.
Well I've only seen the smaller ones if that makes you feel any better, no voyagers or leaders in my area.....
But you've seen SOME. So no, that does not make me feel better.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929291)
Posted by Wolfman Jake on January 2nd, 2018 @ 3:28pm CST
To be fair, though, even Headmasters (Titan Masters) are really just an aesthetic gimmick for Transformers toys. It seems like a bigger deal to us now because it was a big deal for a couple of years during the G1 line. Adding a Head/Titan Master doesn't do anything but make part of the transformation process "partsforming." Swapping heads around doesn't usually look right on figures they don't originally belong to, just as strange as the "Prime Armor" accessories look slapped on Deluxe Class figures' bellies. Transformers toys haven't really had any kind of compelling "action" gimmick line-wide since Transformers: Cybertron with the Cyber Planet Keys. A return to that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but adding in worthwhile "action features" to figures is going to mean compromise when it comes to things like sculpting, articulation, and poseablity.
The Power of the Primes line feels very disjointed, that's for sure. Every size class seems to be doing something radically different, where as with Titans Return, all Deluxes, Voyagers, and Leaders had Titan Master partners. The Titan Master Class were extra heads with added accessories for the bigger sized classes. The only odd ones out were the Legends figures, which were simply a larger means of conveyance for Titan Masters than their transforming weapons. Compare this to Combiner Wars, where the only two size classes that really mandatorily interacted were the Deluxes and Voyagers. Only a small handful for Legends figures served as weapons or armor for the Combiners. The Leader figures had nothing to do with combination whatsoever, except maybe Ultra Magnus with a little Minimus Ambus figure inside. There wasn't even a $5.00 price point size class yet.
I think Power of the Primes is somewhere in between the uniformity of the Titans Return line and the barebones minimum thematic relationship of Combiner Wars in terms of cross size class interaction and playability. Every size class in PotP directly interacts with at LEAST one other size class. The Prime Masters can "accessorize" any Deluxe, Voyager, or Leader figure, whether that be as an ornament on armor, on gauntlets, in an Enigma Chamber, or in a Matrix of Leadership. Their accompanying Pretender shells can become weapons for any larger size class, Legends through Leader. The Legends figures again can be personal transportation for the smallest size class, the Prime Masters, just like in Titans Return. Deluxes and Voyagers obviously interact again in terms of combining with each other in Scramble City fashion to create combiners, both classic, new, and anything you can imagine. The Leaders now have a new thematic gimmick that puts them in the spotlight as "evolved" forms due to interaction with the Matrix of Leadership. That's the most interesting they've been, unless you were really in love with the "base modes" from Titans Return.
The Prime Wars Trilogy peaked with Titans Return. Power of the Primes as a follow up doesn't quite hold a candle to that, but it's definitely far better thought out and implemented than Combiner Wars was overall.
Posted by Wolfman Jake on January 2nd, 2018 @ 3:28pm CST
william-james88 wrote:This is my main problem with this line. Their over arching gimmick is just aesthetic and doesnt really contribute to anything (and I dont think it looks any good when used, like on the Prime Armour
To be fair, though, even Headmasters (Titan Masters) are really just an aesthetic gimmick for Transformers toys. It seems like a bigger deal to us now because it was a big deal for a couple of years during the G1 line. Adding a Head/Titan Master doesn't do anything but make part of the transformation process "partsforming." Swapping heads around doesn't usually look right on figures they don't originally belong to, just as strange as the "Prime Armor" accessories look slapped on Deluxe Class figures' bellies. Transformers toys haven't really had any kind of compelling "action" gimmick line-wide since Transformers: Cybertron with the Cyber Planet Keys. A return to that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but adding in worthwhile "action features" to figures is going to mean compromise when it comes to things like sculpting, articulation, and poseablity.
The Power of the Primes line feels very disjointed, that's for sure. Every size class seems to be doing something radically different, where as with Titans Return, all Deluxes, Voyagers, and Leaders had Titan Master partners. The Titan Master Class were extra heads with added accessories for the bigger sized classes. The only odd ones out were the Legends figures, which were simply a larger means of conveyance for Titan Masters than their transforming weapons. Compare this to Combiner Wars, where the only two size classes that really mandatorily interacted were the Deluxes and Voyagers. Only a small handful for Legends figures served as weapons or armor for the Combiners. The Leader figures had nothing to do with combination whatsoever, except maybe Ultra Magnus with a little Minimus Ambus figure inside. There wasn't even a $5.00 price point size class yet.
I think Power of the Primes is somewhere in between the uniformity of the Titans Return line and the barebones minimum thematic relationship of Combiner Wars in terms of cross size class interaction and playability. Every size class in PotP directly interacts with at LEAST one other size class. The Prime Masters can "accessorize" any Deluxe, Voyager, or Leader figure, whether that be as an ornament on armor, on gauntlets, in an Enigma Chamber, or in a Matrix of Leadership. Their accompanying Pretender shells can become weapons for any larger size class, Legends through Leader. The Legends figures again can be personal transportation for the smallest size class, the Prime Masters, just like in Titans Return. Deluxes and Voyagers obviously interact again in terms of combining with each other in Scramble City fashion to create combiners, both classic, new, and anything you can imagine. The Leaders now have a new thematic gimmick that puts them in the spotlight as "evolved" forms due to interaction with the Matrix of Leadership. That's the most interesting they've been, unless you were really in love with the "base modes" from Titans Return.
The Prime Wars Trilogy peaked with Titans Return. Power of the Primes as a follow up doesn't quite hold a candle to that, but it's definitely far better thought out and implemented than Combiner Wars was overall.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929297)
Posted by no-one on January 2nd, 2018 @ 3:55pm CST
Posted by no-one on January 2nd, 2018 @ 3:55pm CST
Yes, no, maybe? When I picked up some wave 1 legend class figures, they had a stock date (three days from the day I got them) and I had to have them get them out of the warehouse. Their system did allow me to buy them though. Could be a thing they are doingwilliam-james88 wrote:Wolfman Jake wrote:bodrock wrote:As for Prime Masters, I'm surprised Target imposed a street date on them, making them unavailable for sale. Sounds like a data entry error to me. My TRU actually got them first and no issues buying from them.
Undoubtedly, someone derpped on that. It's frustrating that Target can't seem to figure out how to undo it, at least not in a timely manner.
It is definitely an error on their part. No one else has a street date like that on these. Maybe they got confused with Wave 2 or something.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929309)
Posted by Rated X on January 2nd, 2018 @ 6:58pm CST
Am I the only one thats glad this years kiddie gimmick can easily be tossed in the parts bin? Im cool with no "playability". These figures homage 1980s characters and are mostly bought by adult collectors in their 40s. Kids dont play with action figures, they play with video games and cell phone apps. Let the Generations line stay gimmick free please.
Posted by Rated X on January 2nd, 2018 @ 6:58pm CST
william-james88 wrote:Wolfman Jake wrote:bodrock wrote:As for Prime Masters, I'm surprised Target imposed a street date on them, making them unavailable for sale. Sounds like a data entry error to me. My TRU actually got them first and no issues buying from them.
Undoubtedly, someone derpped on that. It's frustrating that Target can't seem to figure out how to undo it, at least not in a timely manner.
It is definitely an error on their part. No one else has a street date like that on these. Maybe they got confused with Wave 2 or something.Munkky wrote:The way I see it, Power of the Primes has been okay so far, but I'd prefer if the Prime Masters did something other than just clipping into things, if they were more like Mini-Cons or Cyber Planet Keys where plugging them in to somewhere unlocks a hidden feature on the main toy. .
This is my main problem with this line. Their over arching gimmick is just aesthetic and doesnt really contribute to anything (and I dont think it looks any good when used, like on the Prime Armour
Am I the only one thats glad this years kiddie gimmick can easily be tossed in the parts bin? Im cool with no "playability". These figures homage 1980s characters and are mostly bought by adult collectors in their 40s. Kids dont play with action figures, they play with video games and cell phone apps. Let the Generations line stay gimmick free please.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929310)
Posted by steals_your_goats on January 2nd, 2018 @ 7:12pm CST
Posted by steals_your_goats on January 2nd, 2018 @ 7:12pm CST
Rated X wrote:Am I the only one thats glad this years kiddie gimmick can easily be tossed in the parts bin? Im cool with no "playability". These figures homage 1980s characters and are mostly bought by adult collectors in their 40s. Kids dont play with action figures, they play with video games and cell phone apps. Let the Generations line stay gimmick free please.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929311)
Posted by Sigma Magnus on January 2nd, 2018 @ 7:12pm CST
I'm a kid. I play with action figures. My ten-year-old cousin does too (including Transformers). We also play video games. They aren't mutually exclusive...
As for the Prime Master gimmick...I do feel like it was a good concept. But it really should have been a Cyber Key/Mini-Con sort of thing.
Posted by Sigma Magnus on January 2nd, 2018 @ 7:12pm CST
Rated X wrote:Kids dont play with action figures, they play with video games and cell phone apps.
I'm a kid. I play with action figures. My ten-year-old cousin does too (including Transformers). We also play video games. They aren't mutually exclusive...
As for the Prime Master gimmick...I do feel like it was a good concept. But it really should have been a Cyber Key/Mini-Con sort of thing.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929317)
Posted by Ultra Markus on January 2nd, 2018 @ 8:21pm CST
its like a case of cartoon vs toy like we had with G1 were the toy barely resembles the cartoon
and in some ways converting a drawing from artwork to a toy doesn't always get best results
but its definently a closer adaptation to the drawing than what a G1 adaptation would have been
Posted by Ultra Markus on January 2nd, 2018 @ 8:21pm CST
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Here's the actual toy for comparison:
And differences there are, but not many noteworthy ones:
- Sludge and Snarl have switched positions, though the art is in line with his Earth Wars depiction.
- Snarl has his tail treated like Sludge's and Slag's, even tho the toy has it split, like the G1 one.
- Sludge has his back feet flip inward, something not possible with the toy. Also, the front feet seem to be twisted 180.
its like a case of cartoon vs toy like we had with G1 were the toy barely resembles the cartoon
and in some ways converting a drawing from artwork to a toy doesn't always get best results
but its definently a closer adaptation to the drawing than what a G1 adaptation would have been
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929324)
Posted by Skritz on January 2nd, 2018 @ 9:01pm CST
Yeah, see, I'd almost be tempted to agree with this notion buuuuut...
1) Anything past the first few years of Transformers was nothing but line-wide gimmicks, like headmasters, targetmasters or pretenders.
2) You're so absolutely wrong, we barely account for less than half of their sales.
So yeah, quite the butthurt you got there. Look, 'adult retro collectors in their forties' aren't even the majority in this fanbase anymore. Hell I'm getting in my thirties and am about to be thrown into the 'old foogey' category. It's a decade-old fanbase, it's not 'owned' by geewunners.
Beside, you want stuff for collectors? Buy masterpieces. They're made for people like you and I hear they are amazing. Never got to buy one yet, sadly. Oh and lastly? Please, if you're going to whine about a toyline being essentially a waste of plastic you are barking at the wrong Transformers toyline, buddy or you've only been buying online because if you want to see absolute garbage go look at anything not a Generations toy. Like, say, the entire RiD line which has stuff on par with a bad chinese KO.
Posted by Skritz on January 2nd, 2018 @ 9:01pm CST
Rated X wrote:Am I the only one thats glad this years kiddie gimmick can easily be tossed in the parts bin? Im cool with no "playability". These figures homage 1980s characters and are mostly bought by adult collectors in their 40s. Kids dont play with action figures, they play with video games and cell phone apps. Let the Generations line stay gimmick free please.
Yeah, see, I'd almost be tempted to agree with this notion buuuuut...
1) Anything past the first few years of Transformers was nothing but line-wide gimmicks, like headmasters, targetmasters or pretenders.
2) You're so absolutely wrong, we barely account for less than half of their sales.
So yeah, quite the butthurt you got there. Look, 'adult retro collectors in their forties' aren't even the majority in this fanbase anymore. Hell I'm getting in my thirties and am about to be thrown into the 'old foogey' category. It's a decade-old fanbase, it's not 'owned' by geewunners.
Beside, you want stuff for collectors? Buy masterpieces. They're made for people like you and I hear they are amazing. Never got to buy one yet, sadly. Oh and lastly? Please, if you're going to whine about a toyline being essentially a waste of plastic you are barking at the wrong Transformers toyline, buddy or you've only been buying online because if you want to see absolute garbage go look at anything not a Generations toy. Like, say, the entire RiD line which has stuff on par with a bad chinese KO.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929326)
Posted by kurthy on January 2nd, 2018 @ 9:56pm CST
X does say a bunch of bad stuff. But don't throw shade at the RiD line.
The RiD warrior class is one of the best size classes to come out in a long time, especially the decepticons, and has *gasp* actually created totally new characters without trying to shoehorn them into G1. All you have to do is look at the last top 5 where RiD warrior Drift beats out Generations Deluxe Drift. That said, anything involving 1 or 3 steps and the larger figures is crap.
The problem with MP is quantity. It's a little under 50 characters right now and only a handful of new characters a year. Also, you find out just how much shelf space you have very quickly with MP.
Anyway, if you want to throw shade at plastic, throw towards the power rangers movie line.
Posted by kurthy on January 2nd, 2018 @ 9:56pm CST
Skritz wrote:Beside, you want stuff for collectors? Buy masterpieces. They're made for people like you and I hear they are amazing. Never got to buy one yet, sadly. Oh and lastly? Please, if you're going to whine about a toyline being essentially a waste of plastic you are barking at the wrong Transformers toyline, buddy or you've only been buying online because if you want to see absolute garbage go look at anything not a Generations toy. Like, say, the entire RiD line which has stuff on par with a bad chinese KO.
X does say a bunch of bad stuff. But don't throw shade at the RiD line.
The RiD warrior class is one of the best size classes to come out in a long time, especially the decepticons, and has *gasp* actually created totally new characters without trying to shoehorn them into G1. All you have to do is look at the last top 5 where RiD warrior Drift beats out Generations Deluxe Drift. That said, anything involving 1 or 3 steps and the larger figures is crap.
The problem with MP is quantity. It's a little under 50 characters right now and only a handful of new characters a year. Also, you find out just how much shelf space you have very quickly with MP.
Anyway, if you want to throw shade at plastic, throw towards the power rangers movie line.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929327)
Posted by Burn on January 2nd, 2018 @ 9:59pm CST
Please don't say that. Those gimmicks hindered what could have been fantastic figures if they didn't have to engineer around the gimmick.
Posted by Burn on January 2nd, 2018 @ 9:59pm CST
Sigma Magnus wrote:As for the Prime Master gimmick...I do feel like it was a good concept. But it really should have been a Cyber Key/Mini-Con sort of thing.
Please don't say that. Those gimmicks hindered what could have been fantastic figures if they didn't have to engineer around the gimmick.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929329)
Posted by Sabrblade on January 2nd, 2018 @ 10:03pm CST
Posted by Sabrblade on January 2nd, 2018 @ 10:03pm CST
I agree about the Mini-Con activation gimmick hindering most of the Armada figures, but the Cyber Key gimmick was mostly non-intrusive for the much better articulated Cybertron figures.Burn wrote:Sigma Magnus wrote:As for the Prime Master gimmick...I do feel like it was a good concept. But it really should have been a Cyber Key/Mini-Con sort of thing.
Please don't say that. Those gimmicks hindered what could have been fantastic figures if they didn't have to engineer around the gimmick.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929330)
Posted by william-james88 on January 2nd, 2018 @ 10:05pm CST
You saying these stock images from Hasbro are meant to attract adult collectors in their 40s ?
You know, I was wondering if anyone would contest that, but no one did
Just an FYI about the first 2 three step figures (BB and Grimlock). Those were actually made by Hasui, the guy who designed the Masterpiece toys. He was interviewed and was just as happy making those and providing fun transformations (for the intended age audience) as he was doing the same with MP figures.
Also, yes, that Power Rangers movie line was awful. I have no clue what they were thinking. Who would have thought that the worst zords ever would come from the film trying to bring new life to the franchise. With no exageration, the imaginext zords are far better than any movie zord.
Posted by william-james88 on January 2nd, 2018 @ 10:05pm CST
Rated X wrote:These figures homage 1980s characters and are mostly bought by adult collectors in their 40s.
You saying these stock images from Hasbro are meant to attract adult collectors in their 40s ?
kurthy wrote: All you have to do is look at the last top 5 where RiD warrior Drift beats out Generations Deluxe Drift.
You know, I was wondering if anyone would contest that, but no one did
That said, anything involving 1 or 3 steps and the larger figures is crap.
The problem with MP is quantity. It's a little under 50 characters right now and only a handful of new characters a year. Also, you find out just how much shelf space you have very quickly with MP.
Anyway, if you want to throw shade at plastic, throw towards the power rangers movie line.
Just an FYI about the first 2 three step figures (BB and Grimlock). Those were actually made by Hasui, the guy who designed the Masterpiece toys. He was interviewed and was just as happy making those and providing fun transformations (for the intended age audience) as he was doing the same with MP figures.
Also, yes, that Power Rangers movie line was awful. I have no clue what they were thinking. Who would have thought that the worst zords ever would come from the film trying to bring new life to the franchise. With no exageration, the imaginext zords are far better than any movie zord.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929334)
Posted by bodrock on January 2nd, 2018 @ 10:29pm CST
I'm with Burn on this.
The only character I've enjoyed that required a Transformation gimmick is G1 Doubledealer. Of course, if I lost either engine block, I'd probably hate it.
Posted by bodrock on January 2nd, 2018 @ 10:29pm CST
Burn wrote:Sigma Magnus wrote:As for the Prime Master gimmick...I do feel like it was a good concept. But it really should have been a Cyber Key/Mini-Con sort of thing.
Please don't say that. Those gimmicks hindered what could have been fantastic figures if they didn't have to engineer around the gimmick.
I'm with Burn on this.
The only character I've enjoyed that required a Transformation gimmick is G1 Doubledealer. Of course, if I lost either engine block, I'd probably hate it.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929337)
Posted by william-james88 on January 2nd, 2018 @ 10:42pm CST
I agree on the point that the face swapping gimick doesnt really work well since the faces do seem to go only with the ones they come with. But I wouldnt say they are purely aesthetic. meaning that you can choose to never have the Prime Master integrate with your deluxe and voyager toys, but the Titan master is a must for any deluxe or voyager figure in robot mode. So I do see a pretty huge difference there. Plus the face swapping does work when using the Japanese continuity of having different bots pilot different bodies, or to simulate possession like with Starscream's ghost and Octane. Plus, they add a whole new layer to the transformation possibilities. By not having to hide a head in alt mode, this frees up for new methods. The best example would be with Blurr which is a transformation we couldnt have seen exactly if he had a head there. It helps to clear out a cockpit area which can then be used for the small transformed robot to pilot. It adds a lot of playability in alt mode.
So I definitely see the headmaster units as more effective and plyable and cruciual than the prime masters and it has nothing to do with my G1 nostalgia, (which doesnt exist, since I was born in 88).
Posted by william-james88 on January 2nd, 2018 @ 10:42pm CST
Wolfman Jake wrote:william-james88 wrote:This is my main problem with this line. Their over arching gimmick is just aesthetic and doesnt really contribute to anything (and I dont think it looks any good when used, like on the Prime Armour
To be fair, though, even Headmasters (Titan Masters) are really just an aesthetic gimmick for Transformers toys. It seems like a bigger deal to us now because it was a big deal for a couple of years during the G1 line. Adding a Head/Titan Master doesn't do anything but make part of the transformation process "partsforming." Swapping heads around doesn't usually look right on figures they don't originally belong to, just as strange as the "Prime Armor" accessories look slapped on Deluxe Class figures' bellies.
I agree on the point that the face swapping gimick doesnt really work well since the faces do seem to go only with the ones they come with. But I wouldnt say they are purely aesthetic. meaning that you can choose to never have the Prime Master integrate with your deluxe and voyager toys, but the Titan master is a must for any deluxe or voyager figure in robot mode. So I do see a pretty huge difference there. Plus the face swapping does work when using the Japanese continuity of having different bots pilot different bodies, or to simulate possession like with Starscream's ghost and Octane. Plus, they add a whole new layer to the transformation possibilities. By not having to hide a head in alt mode, this frees up for new methods. The best example would be with Blurr which is a transformation we couldnt have seen exactly if he had a head there. It helps to clear out a cockpit area which can then be used for the small transformed robot to pilot. It adds a lot of playability in alt mode.
So I definitely see the headmaster units as more effective and plyable and cruciual than the prime masters and it has nothing to do with my G1 nostalgia, (which doesnt exist, since I was born in 88).
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929338)
Posted by Madeus Prime on January 2nd, 2018 @ 10:44pm CST
Posted by Madeus Prime on January 2nd, 2018 @ 10:44pm CST
I know I'm a bit late to the party, but OMG Battletrap/2 is gorgeous. They somehow perfected the Powerlinx/RID formula of combining 2 bots top/pants style.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929344)
Posted by Wolfman Jake on January 3rd, 2018 @ 12:26am CST
You are in luck, WJ88! I opened up and transformed Evolution Optimus Prime and Evolution Rodimus Prime earlier this evening!
I'll start with Evolution Optimus Prime. It's strongest mode, by far, is as Optimus Prime. He's not perfect, mind you, but he's really good enough that any improvements would be fairly small by comparison to his other modes. The sculpting is great. He looks the part, and there is a extensive amount of paint involved, despite the use of stickers for some details. Hasbro used a good gray color plastic this time, eschewing the weird "beige-gray" they were so fond of with Powermaster Optimus Prime in Titans Return. Next, I'll tackle Orion Pax. He looks really good...from the front. His back is just so obviously Optimus Prime's chest, but it's hard to think of a way that could have been hidden without having a mess of cosmetic panels to unfold like a plastic origami project to hide it all. He looks like he stepped right out of the G1 cartoon, so the sculpting is really spot on. The blue should be a little lighter, and he's missing a few tiny details from the animation model, but he's mostly correct. Honestly, I can understand the blue being darker as it's ultimately a better match to Optimus Prime's color palette. The trailer for truck mode is pretty well done, all things considered. Yeah, a lot of red plastic/paint peeks through, especially on the top and front of the trailer, but it doesn't look bad. The sticker stripes on the sides are fairly well aligned and have reasonable sculpted recesses in which they fit and don't cover up any obvious sculpting detail. It would have seemed easy to paint the back doors gray, as those would just be the bottom of Optimus' feet, but maybe it's unpaintable plastic? Regardless of those color details, the trailer gets the job done. The glaring problem with this toy overall is definitely the truck cab. There's just no way to explain away the mess that is the back half of the cab. The front looks perfect, but halfway back, it just turns into a jumbled mess of robot kibble. Here is where it would have been worth it for Hasbro designers and Takara engineers to use some "plastic origami magic" to hide that unsightly mess. Orion Pax doesn't look so great from the back, and even Optimus Prime obviously has Orion's legs folded up on his back, but at least the robot modes look good from most forward facing angles, which is how they'll be displayed. The truck cab only looks "right" from head on. Sideways, it's very bad, and that's exactly how most people would display it, because of the trailer component that completes the look. Overall, though, I like Evolution Optimus Prime as a fun Transformers toy that commemorates an old storyline from the second season of the original cartoon in an interactive, tangible form.
Next up is Evolution Rodimus Prime. His strongest mode, I believe is the "Space Winnebago" alternate mode. It's nice to finally have that form of Rodimus Prime in a big, chunky toy for the first time in the "Classics" era of Transformers. It looks pretty good, all told. The stickers aren't intrusive and work well with the sculpt, much like with Optimus Prime's trailer mode as mentioned above. There are a few little issues, like some gaps on the sides where the "Suepr Car" spoiler pokes out, or the obvious Rodimus Prime fists sticking out on the front of the trailer portion, just above the car's cabin. The next best mode, in my opinion, is actually Rodimus Prime's robot mode. He's sufficiently chunky and imposing. He really looks like a viable Autobot leader, especially standing next to Optimus Prime. I love the face sculpt, which conveys the increase in experience, wisdom, and confidence that Rodimus Prime cultivated during his tenure as "Prime." Much of the "super armor" to form Rodimus Prime is in a darker, more maroon leaning shade of red, contrasting the brighter "cherry red" that dominates more of his "unevolved" self in both robot and alternate modes. Again, this gives a nice sense of maturity in the evolution of the character and calls back to details from the original cartoon as well. It's a little bit disappointing that the Rodimus Prime arms require "partsforming," but it's understandable. Some downsides include, of course, the backpack. I'm usually pretty lenient on robot backpacks, as I understand them to be a necessity of engineering transforming toys and probably the best choice for compromise on where to stash that "extra mass" from alternate mode that the robot doesn't need. In this case, though, it does make the trademark yellow spoiler look a little strange when viewing Rodimus Prime from the back or side. There's some "gappiness" in a few areas around Rodimus Prime's torso too, and yeah, you can see the Hot Rod arms on the sides, but they also blend rather well too. They just don't seem to bother me like they do some people. I think the biggest disappointment, though, is that gap between Rodimus' neck and collar. Next up, the Super Car mode. There isn't a lot to really say here. It's Hot Rod's classic alternate mode, though and through. Nothing about it is really that special. It's been done many times before now in the "Classics" era. I might dare say, though, that this rendition is the least interesting. It's a bit blocky and the proportions are a little bit off. He's kind of "flat" top to bottom and a little wide too. Finally, that brings us to Hot Rod's robot mode. This is the weakest mode, but not really terrible. He definitely looks the part to a "T." The transformation is VERY simplistic, though. Almost the entire robot hides as the car's undercarriage. You basically just stand him up and stretch him out a bit. The robot chest is a faux piece too, which is kind of sad, as I believe all previous Hot Rods have been able to legitimately integrate the car hood into his robot mode. I do like the robot head reveal, though! Hot Rod also suffers from a rather obvious "butt flap." It does call back to the original G1 toy, but come on! It was silly then too! The butt flap is painfully obvious from ALL angles, even the front! It's not something that, from an engineering stand point, would have been that hard to fold up onto his back either. It's just a shame. I also don't like how far his "sleeves" reach over his robot mode fists. I know this has been a trend with "simplified" transformations for Transformers toys for several years now, but this is an extreme. The side panels reach out far beyond the end of the fists. You can't even see his hands from certain side angles. This would be a great update to the 2006 "Classics" Hot Rod toy, if it weren't for the fact that the Tians Return/Transformers Legend version came out in the past year or so. THAT is my definitive Hot Rod on my "Classics" display shelf now. Again, though, Evolution Rodimus Prime is a great toy and commemorates another classic story line from the original Transformers series in plastic form, letting you recreate the magic of that moment from the 1986 movie.
In a way, it is still a little sad that Takara will be releasing these figures completely unaltered from Hasbro's production versions in their own markets, meaning that some of those small little details that would make these figures even "better" (e.g., more animation accurate), won't happen. However, even Takara's knack for paint application improvements will only make the best modes of these two toys just slightly better at best and won't do anything to help some of the inherent flaws, which are mostly a matter of design and engineering budget limitations.
So, overall, my assessment of the first two Leader Class figures for Power of the Primes is thus:
They are first and foremost great toys with a lot of playability options. Secondarily, they can be good display pieces and offer a lot of different display options, though some are better than others in each individual case. These are definitely NOT Masterpieces, in any sense of the term, but they aren't "bad" figures, and they're certainly not "bad" toys. If you love Transformers at all, Evolution Optimus Prime and Evolution Rodimus Prime are not a waste of your money or time, in my honest opinion.
Posted by Wolfman Jake on January 3rd, 2018 @ 12:26am CST
william-james88 wrote:So now that people have the leaders, what are your thoughts on them. I personally find them both underwhelming so I am curious if I am maybe not seeing something or if people agree.
Also, currently writing a top 5 list for best Hot Rod/ Rodimus toys and I dont know if 5th place should go to Leader Rodimus or Energon Hot Rod. I am wondering which is a better toy, and I am not sure. probably the leader but he has so many flaws that I dont know if they are a bigger issue than Energon Rodimus' lack or articulation.
Same with Voyager Starscream. Lots of feedback on Grimlock, but little on his wave mate.
You are in luck, WJ88! I opened up and transformed Evolution Optimus Prime and Evolution Rodimus Prime earlier this evening!
I'll start with Evolution Optimus Prime. It's strongest mode, by far, is as Optimus Prime. He's not perfect, mind you, but he's really good enough that any improvements would be fairly small by comparison to his other modes. The sculpting is great. He looks the part, and there is a extensive amount of paint involved, despite the use of stickers for some details. Hasbro used a good gray color plastic this time, eschewing the weird "beige-gray" they were so fond of with Powermaster Optimus Prime in Titans Return. Next, I'll tackle Orion Pax. He looks really good...from the front. His back is just so obviously Optimus Prime's chest, but it's hard to think of a way that could have been hidden without having a mess of cosmetic panels to unfold like a plastic origami project to hide it all. He looks like he stepped right out of the G1 cartoon, so the sculpting is really spot on. The blue should be a little lighter, and he's missing a few tiny details from the animation model, but he's mostly correct. Honestly, I can understand the blue being darker as it's ultimately a better match to Optimus Prime's color palette. The trailer for truck mode is pretty well done, all things considered. Yeah, a lot of red plastic/paint peeks through, especially on the top and front of the trailer, but it doesn't look bad. The sticker stripes on the sides are fairly well aligned and have reasonable sculpted recesses in which they fit and don't cover up any obvious sculpting detail. It would have seemed easy to paint the back doors gray, as those would just be the bottom of Optimus' feet, but maybe it's unpaintable plastic? Regardless of those color details, the trailer gets the job done. The glaring problem with this toy overall is definitely the truck cab. There's just no way to explain away the mess that is the back half of the cab. The front looks perfect, but halfway back, it just turns into a jumbled mess of robot kibble. Here is where it would have been worth it for Hasbro designers and Takara engineers to use some "plastic origami magic" to hide that unsightly mess. Orion Pax doesn't look so great from the back, and even Optimus Prime obviously has Orion's legs folded up on his back, but at least the robot modes look good from most forward facing angles, which is how they'll be displayed. The truck cab only looks "right" from head on. Sideways, it's very bad, and that's exactly how most people would display it, because of the trailer component that completes the look. Overall, though, I like Evolution Optimus Prime as a fun Transformers toy that commemorates an old storyline from the second season of the original cartoon in an interactive, tangible form.
Next up is Evolution Rodimus Prime. His strongest mode, I believe is the "Space Winnebago" alternate mode. It's nice to finally have that form of Rodimus Prime in a big, chunky toy for the first time in the "Classics" era of Transformers. It looks pretty good, all told. The stickers aren't intrusive and work well with the sculpt, much like with Optimus Prime's trailer mode as mentioned above. There are a few little issues, like some gaps on the sides where the "Suepr Car" spoiler pokes out, or the obvious Rodimus Prime fists sticking out on the front of the trailer portion, just above the car's cabin. The next best mode, in my opinion, is actually Rodimus Prime's robot mode. He's sufficiently chunky and imposing. He really looks like a viable Autobot leader, especially standing next to Optimus Prime. I love the face sculpt, which conveys the increase in experience, wisdom, and confidence that Rodimus Prime cultivated during his tenure as "Prime." Much of the "super armor" to form Rodimus Prime is in a darker, more maroon leaning shade of red, contrasting the brighter "cherry red" that dominates more of his "unevolved" self in both robot and alternate modes. Again, this gives a nice sense of maturity in the evolution of the character and calls back to details from the original cartoon as well. It's a little bit disappointing that the Rodimus Prime arms require "partsforming," but it's understandable. Some downsides include, of course, the backpack. I'm usually pretty lenient on robot backpacks, as I understand them to be a necessity of engineering transforming toys and probably the best choice for compromise on where to stash that "extra mass" from alternate mode that the robot doesn't need. In this case, though, it does make the trademark yellow spoiler look a little strange when viewing Rodimus Prime from the back or side. There's some "gappiness" in a few areas around Rodimus Prime's torso too, and yeah, you can see the Hot Rod arms on the sides, but they also blend rather well too. They just don't seem to bother me like they do some people. I think the biggest disappointment, though, is that gap between Rodimus' neck and collar. Next up, the Super Car mode. There isn't a lot to really say here. It's Hot Rod's classic alternate mode, though and through. Nothing about it is really that special. It's been done many times before now in the "Classics" era. I might dare say, though, that this rendition is the least interesting. It's a bit blocky and the proportions are a little bit off. He's kind of "flat" top to bottom and a little wide too. Finally, that brings us to Hot Rod's robot mode. This is the weakest mode, but not really terrible. He definitely looks the part to a "T." The transformation is VERY simplistic, though. Almost the entire robot hides as the car's undercarriage. You basically just stand him up and stretch him out a bit. The robot chest is a faux piece too, which is kind of sad, as I believe all previous Hot Rods have been able to legitimately integrate the car hood into his robot mode. I do like the robot head reveal, though! Hot Rod also suffers from a rather obvious "butt flap." It does call back to the original G1 toy, but come on! It was silly then too! The butt flap is painfully obvious from ALL angles, even the front! It's not something that, from an engineering stand point, would have been that hard to fold up onto his back either. It's just a shame. I also don't like how far his "sleeves" reach over his robot mode fists. I know this has been a trend with "simplified" transformations for Transformers toys for several years now, but this is an extreme. The side panels reach out far beyond the end of the fists. You can't even see his hands from certain side angles. This would be a great update to the 2006 "Classics" Hot Rod toy, if it weren't for the fact that the Tians Return/Transformers Legend version came out in the past year or so. THAT is my definitive Hot Rod on my "Classics" display shelf now. Again, though, Evolution Rodimus Prime is a great toy and commemorates another classic story line from the original Transformers series in plastic form, letting you recreate the magic of that moment from the 1986 movie.
In a way, it is still a little sad that Takara will be releasing these figures completely unaltered from Hasbro's production versions in their own markets, meaning that some of those small little details that would make these figures even "better" (e.g., more animation accurate), won't happen. However, even Takara's knack for paint application improvements will only make the best modes of these two toys just slightly better at best and won't do anything to help some of the inherent flaws, which are mostly a matter of design and engineering budget limitations.
So, overall, my assessment of the first two Leader Class figures for Power of the Primes is thus:
They are first and foremost great toys with a lot of playability options. Secondarily, they can be good display pieces and offer a lot of different display options, though some are better than others in each individual case. These are definitely NOT Masterpieces, in any sense of the term, but they aren't "bad" figures, and they're certainly not "bad" toys. If you love Transformers at all, Evolution Optimus Prime and Evolution Rodimus Prime are not a waste of your money or time, in my honest opinion.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929350)
Posted by bodrock on January 3rd, 2018 @ 1:16am CST
Posted by bodrock on January 3rd, 2018 @ 1:16am CST
I always intended on picking up Optimus, but it may be hard to resist Rodimus now -- thanks for the details and thoughts, Wolfman Jake!
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929367)
Posted by Sigma Magnus on January 3rd, 2018 @ 6:00am CST
Exactly. And I'm sure it could be done even better with modern engineering. It wouldn't have to be anything huge, just some pop-out guns or something small that would (hopefully) not inhibit the figure too much.
Posted by Sigma Magnus on January 3rd, 2018 @ 6:00am CST
Sabrblade wrote:I agree about the Mini-Con activation gimmick hindering most of the Armada figures, but the Cyber Key gimmick was mostly non-intrusive for the much better articulated Cybertron figures.Burn wrote:Sigma Magnus wrote:As for the Prime Master gimmick...I do feel like it was a good concept. But it really should have been a Cyber Key/Mini-Con sort of thing.
Please don't say that. Those gimmicks hindered what could have been fantastic figures if they didn't have to engineer around the gimmick.
Exactly. And I'm sure it could be done even better with modern engineering. It wouldn't have to be anything huge, just some pop-out guns or something small that would (hopefully) not inhibit the figure too much.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929370)
Posted by Rated X on January 3rd, 2018 @ 7:20am CST
You saying these stock images from Hasbro are meant to attract adult collectors in their 40s ?
I dunno about you, but when I was that "kids" age, I was on the brink of chasing girls and my money was being spent on rap music cassettes. Of course that is only me and I cant speak for all 11-13 year olds. But if your going to base your opinion of whos really buying toys from a paid actor/model, your generalization isnt much better than mine.
I cant respond to every comment on here, but the consensus seems to be gang up on big bad X because hes a grumpy old kid hater who fails to realize these are toys.
I might be the only one here not afraid to sugarcoat things, but does anyone remember the Hasbro of 2006-2012 that focused most of their attention on everything except G1 homage toys?
Does anyone remember when the Generations line was called "Universe" and you were lucky if each wave got one crate in your local store compared to the 10 crates of movie, animated and Tf Prime figures aimed at "kids"?
Does anyone remember when scalping was a serious problem for generations collectors? The one crate of "Universe" figures hit your local store would get bought by an adult and sold on ebay to another adult who lived in the middle of nowhere (no offense Burn) Half of yall would come on here and bitch how your local toy store was clogged with Bumblebeee movie figures but no Generations figures in sight?
I know im talking to deaf ears, but I remember those days real well. Now all of a sudden G1 homage toys are the latest craze and Hasbro thinks every "kid" gives a crap about a 34 year old cartoon. All of a sudden kids want combiners you say? All of a sudden kids want headmasters you say? All of a sudden kids demanded a cartoon accurate Jazz (robot mode) with no wings because RTS Jazz didnt tickle their 1984 pickle? If you believe that than theres no hope for you.
Some of you collectors got kids yourself and others dont. (I dont...straight up) But for like the last 10 years all of you (including myself) have bullied Hasbro on forums and at Botcon pannels to bring back G1 accurate characters in plastic form. You told them for years: "screw what your experts think kids want, make toys for us late 30s early 40s balding geeks because we know whats best".
And now amid slumping toy sales, multiple toy selling chains filing for bankruptcy, and a 4th and 5th movie most of yall didnt support, Hasbro decides to invest in you guys....
But most of you are in denial and think they are doing this big 4 year G1 homage push for kids.
You do realize all Hasbro sees is numbers right? When was the last time any of you (scalpers included) had to fill out a survey with your age on it to buy a "Generations" themed toy?
A unit sold is a unit sold to Hasbro. Even if 50% of their stock is sitting MISB in basements around the world waiting for ebay buyers that dont exist. (but scalpers seem to think they do)
So this is where I ask you guys to take a deep breath while you scratch your bald spots and try to take it all in...
Now ask yourselves, why all of a sudden does Hasbro give a s**t about G1 accuracy?
Why all of a sudden does Hasbro give a s**t about making every obscure charaacter from a 34 year old cartoon?
Im sure every 7 year old in the world has been throwing a tantrum for the last 5 years because Moonracer never got a retail toy until now. (Or at least some of you would seem to think so based on all the "toys are for kids" comments slamming me)
How many of you are actually parents on here? I know a lot of parents on here claim they enjoy collecting Generations figures with their kids and I applaud that.
But on the flip side, how many of those kids would even know G1 existed if those collector parents didnt force feed it down their their kids throats?
Cmon son, you dont need a drone or an x-box...collecting transforming robots from a 1980s cartoon is so much cooler !!!
I hate to sound cynical, but you know a lot of that s**t goes on around in the collectors world. And its hard to deny it when many reviewers talk about their kids on the youtube videos in front of a wall full of toys in their man cave.
Of course, I could be dead wrong. Maybe kids all around the world just magically find the G1 cartoon on their own on those cell phones you say kids arent playing with. And when they discover G1, they fall in love with it so much they put down the phones, drones, and video game controllers and beg daddy to buy them Overlord so they can re-live the Japanese only cartoon in its greatest glory here in the good ol USA !!! (MAGA anyone?)
Or maybe im right and Hasbro is trying to milk the last of a dying G1 fandom before their money starts shifting towards medical expenses and saving for college tuition.
But then again, what would I know about anything? Im just some crazy guy from from Miami that trolls forums for fun, right?
Nothing Rated X says makes sense. Ignore him guys...
Heaven forbid "transformation" be the gimmick.
G1 homages are for kids and kids cant re-live their favorite 1980s cartoon without goofy gimmicks that sacrafice cartoon accuracy. Surely they will riot if the Dinobots dont combine and Perceptor is not a headmaster microscope.
Posted by Rated X on January 3rd, 2018 @ 7:20am CST
william-james88 wrote:Rated X wrote:These figures homage 1980s characters and are mostly bought by adult collectors in their 40s.
You saying these stock images from Hasbro are meant to attract adult collectors in their 40s ?
I dunno about you, but when I was that "kids" age, I was on the brink of chasing girls and my money was being spent on rap music cassettes. Of course that is only me and I cant speak for all 11-13 year olds. But if your going to base your opinion of whos really buying toys from a paid actor/model, your generalization isnt much better than mine.
I cant respond to every comment on here, but the consensus seems to be gang up on big bad X because hes a grumpy old kid hater who fails to realize these are toys.
I might be the only one here not afraid to sugarcoat things, but does anyone remember the Hasbro of 2006-2012 that focused most of their attention on everything except G1 homage toys?
Does anyone remember when the Generations line was called "Universe" and you were lucky if each wave got one crate in your local store compared to the 10 crates of movie, animated and Tf Prime figures aimed at "kids"?
Does anyone remember when scalping was a serious problem for generations collectors? The one crate of "Universe" figures hit your local store would get bought by an adult and sold on ebay to another adult who lived in the middle of nowhere (no offense Burn) Half of yall would come on here and bitch how your local toy store was clogged with Bumblebeee movie figures but no Generations figures in sight?
I know im talking to deaf ears, but I remember those days real well. Now all of a sudden G1 homage toys are the latest craze and Hasbro thinks every "kid" gives a crap about a 34 year old cartoon. All of a sudden kids want combiners you say? All of a sudden kids want headmasters you say? All of a sudden kids demanded a cartoon accurate Jazz (robot mode) with no wings because RTS Jazz didnt tickle their 1984 pickle? If you believe that than theres no hope for you.
Some of you collectors got kids yourself and others dont. (I dont...straight up) But for like the last 10 years all of you (including myself) have bullied Hasbro on forums and at Botcon pannels to bring back G1 accurate characters in plastic form. You told them for years: "screw what your experts think kids want, make toys for us late 30s early 40s balding geeks because we know whats best".
And now amid slumping toy sales, multiple toy selling chains filing for bankruptcy, and a 4th and 5th movie most of yall didnt support, Hasbro decides to invest in you guys....
But most of you are in denial and think they are doing this big 4 year G1 homage push for kids.
You do realize all Hasbro sees is numbers right? When was the last time any of you (scalpers included) had to fill out a survey with your age on it to buy a "Generations" themed toy?
A unit sold is a unit sold to Hasbro. Even if 50% of their stock is sitting MISB in basements around the world waiting for ebay buyers that dont exist. (but scalpers seem to think they do)
So this is where I ask you guys to take a deep breath while you scratch your bald spots and try to take it all in...
Now ask yourselves, why all of a sudden does Hasbro give a s**t about G1 accuracy?
Why all of a sudden does Hasbro give a s**t about making every obscure charaacter from a 34 year old cartoon?
Im sure every 7 year old in the world has been throwing a tantrum for the last 5 years because Moonracer never got a retail toy until now. (Or at least some of you would seem to think so based on all the "toys are for kids" comments slamming me)
How many of you are actually parents on here? I know a lot of parents on here claim they enjoy collecting Generations figures with their kids and I applaud that.
But on the flip side, how many of those kids would even know G1 existed if those collector parents didnt force feed it down their their kids throats?
Cmon son, you dont need a drone or an x-box...collecting transforming robots from a 1980s cartoon is so much cooler !!!
I hate to sound cynical, but you know a lot of that s**t goes on around in the collectors world. And its hard to deny it when many reviewers talk about their kids on the youtube videos in front of a wall full of toys in their man cave.
Of course, I could be dead wrong. Maybe kids all around the world just magically find the G1 cartoon on their own on those cell phones you say kids arent playing with. And when they discover G1, they fall in love with it so much they put down the phones, drones, and video game controllers and beg daddy to buy them Overlord so they can re-live the Japanese only cartoon in its greatest glory here in the good ol USA !!! (MAGA anyone?)
Or maybe im right and Hasbro is trying to milk the last of a dying G1 fandom before their money starts shifting towards medical expenses and saving for college tuition.
But then again, what would I know about anything? Im just some crazy guy from from Miami that trolls forums for fun, right?
Nothing Rated X says makes sense. Ignore him guys...
Heaven forbid "transformation" be the gimmick.
G1 homages are for kids and kids cant re-live their favorite 1980s cartoon without goofy gimmicks that sacrafice cartoon accuracy. Surely they will riot if the Dinobots dont combine and Perceptor is not a headmaster microscope.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929383)
Posted by TF-fan kev777 on January 3rd, 2018 @ 8:44am CST
Not quite. It would be more like, "Nothing Rated X ever says is positive, just bitching and moaning. Ignore him guys..."
See when 99.9% of your posts are not only negative, but seem to go out of your way to bash Hasbro/Takara, and now other members of the boards, I gets hard to even pay attention to you. Which is sad because many of your points have some merit. But one can't even read your points without the condescending, know-it-all attitude dripping through just about everything you post.
That is why most of the board seems to rail against your posts. It isn't your points, it is the internet-tough-guy type attidude you use in making your points. Or, not sugarcoating it as you call it, which is really just internet for acting like an a-hole.
Posted by TF-fan kev777 on January 3rd, 2018 @ 8:44am CST
Rated X wrote:Nothing Rated X says makes sense. Ignore him guys...
Not quite. It would be more like, "Nothing Rated X ever says is positive, just bitching and moaning. Ignore him guys..."
See when 99.9% of your posts are not only negative, but seem to go out of your way to bash Hasbro/Takara, and now other members of the boards, I gets hard to even pay attention to you. Which is sad because many of your points have some merit. But one can't even read your points without the condescending, know-it-all attitude dripping through just about everything you post.
That is why most of the board seems to rail against your posts. It isn't your points, it is the internet-tough-guy type attidude you use in making your points. Or, not sugarcoating it as you call it, which is really just internet for acting like an a-hole.
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929387)
Posted by william-james88 on January 3rd, 2018 @ 9:03am CST
Thanks a lot for that Jake! Do you mind if I truncate that into a paragraph for an upcoming list ?
Posted by william-james88 on January 3rd, 2018 @ 9:03am CST
Wolfman Jake wrote:
So, overall, my assessment of the first two Leader Class figures for Power of the Primes is thus:
They are first and foremost great toys with a lot of playability options. Secondarily, they can be good display pieces and offer a lot of different display options, though some are better than others in each individual case. These are definitely NOT Masterpieces, in any sense of the term, but they aren't "bad" figures, and they're certainly not "bad" toys. If you love Transformers at all, Evolution Optimus Prime and Evolution Rodimus Prime are not a waste of your money or time, in my honest opinion.
Thanks a lot for that Jake! Do you mind if I truncate that into a paragraph for an upcoming list ?
Re: Transformers Power of the Primes Volcanicus Package Art Pencils by Marcelo Matere (1929391)
Posted by Wolfman Jake on January 3rd, 2018 @ 9:28am CST
You are most welcome, bodrock.
You're welcome too, WJ88. And no, I don't mind if you quote me.
Posted by Wolfman Jake on January 3rd, 2018 @ 9:28am CST
bodrock wrote:I always intended on picking up Optimus, but it may be hard to resist Rodimus now -- thanks for the details and thoughts, Wolfman Jake!
You are most welcome, bodrock.
william-james88 wrote:Wolfman Jake wrote:
So, overall, my assessment of the first two Leader Class figures for Power of the Primes is thus:
They are first and foremost great toys with a lot of playability options. Secondarily, they can be good display pieces and offer a lot of different display options, though some are better than others in each individual case. These are definitely NOT Masterpieces, in any sense of the term, but they aren't "bad" figures, and they're certainly not "bad" toys. If you love Transformers at all, Evolution Optimus Prime and Evolution Rodimus Prime are not a waste of your money or time, in my honest opinion.
Thanks a lot for that Jake! Do you mind if I truncate that into a paragraph for an upcoming list ?
You're welcome too, WJ88. And no, I don't mind if you quote me.
