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Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Best Giant Transformers Toys
Remember that scene in the Transformers movie where Unicron transformed? The whole time you just saw a big planet that destroyed other planets ala Death star. But then it Transformed and our notions of the limit to Transformers flew out the window. This was the instance where we all gazed at the wonder of this brand and saw that it was boundless. Since then, there have been many giant Transformers in the fiction and better yet, we eventually got their toys.
And this is what this list is all about. This is about those awe inspiring towering Transformers from the fiction and their wonderful toys. A quick note, this post was started January 2015. But with Hasbro announcing a yearly Titan class toy, I figured I should wait. Turns out nothing really changed from my initial thoughts of over 3 years ago.
One of the largest G1 Decepticon toy ever, he pulls off his three modes pretty well despite how simple he is and has loads of fun play features. His robot mode is huge and menacing, his scorpion mode looks very much like a giant mechanical scorpion, with moving legs and ratcheted pincers, and his base mode looks as good as any other base mode of the era with fun ramps for your cars to climb and exit from.
It is still crazy to think that we actually got a Unicron toy in the end. Not getting G1 Arcee was nonsensical since it was all about business and not getting any female transformer toys. But we all knew that a Unicron toy was unfeasible on a whole other level. And yet we got one, a HUGE one, and he was quite accurate (though not perfect) with a bunch of action features, a nice beard, and an actual planet mode that had pincers and a mouth. My personal favourite aspect is how they were able to give the planet rings and have them transform into his wings. He is also the most complex toy of his (supreme) size class.
I just love everything about this toy. It is an excellent homage to Omega Supreme while also being a totally new take. The transformation is simple, as is the case for many of these bigger bots, and yet feel dynamic. It brings back the element of parts-forming the original had but tones it down. The alt modes which serve double duty as weapon platforms can also fuse together to get you a really long armoured train which looks kinda crazy but in a fun way. Plus you have a headmaster unit which can interact with the two combining alt modes and its modeled after the Omega Supreme G1 Action Master. So this is homaging all interpretations of the past (at the time). While headmasters have come back in a big way since, it was a real treat to see a bot like this back in the day. This mold has also been very successful in different decos with Omega Sentinel and War for Cybertron Omega Supreme (which is still the de facto G1 Omega Supreme for CHUG enthusiasts).
Can you believe it, there is actually a Primus toy out there for any Transformers fan to own! And he doesnt disappoint. He is the best planet former out there with really cool details in that mode (including the city of Iacon and Kaon) and it is pretty incredible to get such a traditional looking robot mode from a spherical alt mode, with much less kibble than Unicron. The transformation is neat and uses the key gimmick well, you really feel you are unlocking the secrets to Cybertron with the Omega Lock. And as a true defender of the Cybertronian race, he is loaded with cannons and missile launchers (definitely puts Titans Return Fortress Maximus to shame in that department). And I cannot get over just how cool the robot detail is with the designers going out of their way to show you that he is made of Cybertron's inner workings. On the shoulders, for instance you can see beams, tubes and vents along with Cybertronian writing. The headsculpt is one of the best conveying hints to both Optimus Prime (with the antenna) and Rodimus (with the V shape crest), which ties into the very first appearance of Primus having callbacks to Rodimus. This toy is one for the ages.
I didn't think a G1 toys would be number one on this list. You would think that after all these years, Hasbro and Takara could outdo themselves with a nice new city transformer but Fort Max is still the undisputed champion of that category. Unlike the other G1 city formers, he is truly massive and also looks like an actual city, or at least the small downtown section of one (he actually reminds me of a level from Zone of the Enders: 2nd Runner). Just put him next to Metroplex or Trypticon and they just pale in comparison. Plus, this city transformers into a battle station, filled with an insane amount of weaponry and hidden guns, making him really a fortress. He also comes with smaller bots and fiddly bits which make him as much a playset as a figure. And not just any figure, but a headmaster. And not just any headmaster but a double headmaster. Which means the head of the big city robot transforms into a robot who's head also transforms into a smaller figure. And since an Encore version exists, a complete FortMax is now more a possibility to have than ever before. Also, to those who like to go one step beyond, feel free to substitute this number 1 pick with Grand Maximus.
Honourable mentions: Quite a few actually. Even though there are fewer giant Transformers than any other size class, the few that get approved are usually very good. As you can see, none of the Metroplexes are there and that is simply because I do not find that any of them have had a decent alt mode thus far that doesn't just look like them in some odd pose. Tidal Wave is pretty awesome but rather small compared to other bots that are supposed to be giant and while I like Trypticon fine, there was nothing truly mind blowing about him. His base mode has always been, at best, as good as Scorponok's to me. Yet that is his main alt mode, while Scorponok has a whole robot mode and beast mode as well.
Welcome back to the tentatively monthly series of exploration of the Transformers fandom, from a variety of perspectives and a number of voices, now with its own punny title: The Fandom Menace!
This second editorial piece springs, after some deliberation, from a point raised by Twincast Podcaster ScottyP - also one of my fellow administrators on Seibertron.com - about the nature of the fandom more in general. Where last month I looked at how people participate as people in various aspects of Transformers, this month we'll be looking at which part of the franchise is The Hook.
And it really just comes down to two major areas: toys and fiction.
Hypothesis: There is a substantial and distinct divide between those invested in Transformers as toy collectors and those invested in Transformers as a fictional property, and the Venn diagram has an uneven overlap with blurred edges.
This was ScottyP's point, and something that was raised by another point of his on Twitter a while back:
We've seen through the years differing approaches between how the fiction and related toys cross over, merge, find themselves completely out of sync and back again, either with toys supporting the release of a movie or a cartoon series, or the two never really working together at all for a number of logistical reasons (distribution, lack of sales, series cancellation, etc).
it really just comes down to two major areas: toys and fiction.
Most recently, however, Hasbro themselves have been laying down heavily their new Story First approach to the various brands they have control over, Transformers included. Whether this is actually true in practice is not my aim for the piece, but rather the shift from 'stories written to sell toys' to 'toys that fit a story being told'. And there is that potential divide again.
We've seen in the Transformers fandom a lot of focus on toy collecting, since pretty much the start. Anecdotes tend to talk about seeing a cartoon episode or a movie or a comic, and then 'wanting to go buy a toy of the character(s)'. Given my own approach to this 'collecting' business, the whole conversation piqued my interest even more, and I decided for a totally scientifically accurate exploration of it: ask Transformers Twitter about where they stand. Four options to choose from, and the results are below.
Hey #Transformers Twitter! A question for an upcoming piece: are you in the fandom for mostly...
35% ..toys first, then story.
46% ..story first, then toys.
08% ..just the toys.
11% ..just the stories.
369 votes
Ignoring how the grammar doesn't actually work in the poll, and that only asking this on social media will not give a full picture of the fandom, it's interesting to note that in this part of the conversation, story still comes first - and only very very few people are in it for the toys or the stories alone.
Of course, by story and fiction here I mean a variety of media: comics, old and new; live action movies; animated series, old and new; personal fiction that has been 'officialised' somewhat (accepted or widely known fanon, for example).
in this part of the conversation, story still comes first
The option I did not include, which is perhaps where I place myself even more in line with - along with some impressively dedicated readers of comics (within and outside of the Transformers community) - is artwork. You can see this in the collection of Dutch fan Sprite Anansi, artists such as Andrew Turnbull, TFNation's boss Tori O'Regan, and their different facets of art collecting, from commissions to doujinshi, to original art used in official media and fan commissions.
Moving back to the fiction first faction, though, Marian Hilditch touches on this in her TFSource collector interview, too. New media, especially IDW comics and the live-action movies, have seemingly brought back this new approach of only wanting a limited selection of characters to be immortalised in their plastic forms, be it the Wreckers or the Lost Light crew or Team Bee.
This does speak back to points raised multiple times throughout podcasts, discussion on boards and elsewhere, and something at the foundation of toy collecting in general. As we saw on the Netflix documentary The Toys that Made Us, in the words of sociologist John Tenuto, many of us feel the need to need to touch or hold something physical that represents something intangible. Becka also mentions this point in her blog post at Refined Robo Co, discussing similar topics to this series of articles - though we might engage with fiction, we need that physical presence as a supplement (something not necessary, but that adds value if present) to the experience.
repeated incarnations meant to evoke more-or-less the same source material can and does lead to fatigue
To bring it back to a toy-first approach, from a company perspective, might even result counterproductive, as well as counterintuitive - on this,
ScottyP raises a good point.
ScottyP wrote:I think the "Classics" re-tread toy releases drove me more towards the fiction but not because of anything Hasbro did on purpose - or was it possibly on purpose? G1 provided beloved characters limited in toy form by their era and genesis. Many "needed" new toys, and that they have received them has been great for the hobby. But then you get to the 6th-ish "new" Optimus Prime, 3rd Bumblebee, 2nd Jetfire, 2nd Grimlock, 2nd Mirage, 2nd Megatron, 3rd Starscream, 2nd Skywarp, 2nd Ultra Magnus, and... oh dammit Ramjet I can't finish this joke but regardless, when the re-treads have almost all been re-tread it has led me to want something more out of these things than just the play experience. While that can lead to a feeling of fresh new adventure, repeated incarnations meant to evoke more-or-less the same source material can and does lead to fatigue.
When I think back on the history of Transformers, the most successful times for the franchise outside of G1's early years have been when the cycle of reinvention yields fun toys of new characters supported by good fiction. Beast Wars, Armada, and the 2007 Movie were as successful as they were for a reason, and that was the well timed (or at least sensibly timed, mostly. Usually.) release of new or new-ish characters while a compelling tale about them was still fresh.
We've seen droves of established toy collectors who had taken a break return to the Transformers precisely because of the new fiction rekindling that spark of the hobby - but also, where the lack of adequate fiction was felt, creative fandom rose to its own challenge. And not too long after, those same milestones in the stories told about giant transforming robots (not quite), along with the later addition of IDW's presence too, has brought a whole new story-first set of fans to the experience, and Hasbro seems to have noticed.
---
So what about your story? Was it the fiction that first shaped your interest in Transformers? Are the toys your primary way of engaging with Cybertronians? Is it an equal split, or do neither attract you as much as other parts, and you don't see yourself as a collector at all?
This is our space to share these tales, I hope you'll join me.
Synopsis
The Falling, Part 2: The arrival of Onyx Prime throws Cybertron into chaos—because he hasn’t come alone. Onyx’s treacherous companion forces Soundwave to finally make a choice: is Optimus Prime a friend... or foe?
...
Story
John Barber is extremely busy this week, with his handiwork appearing in two major stories for the Optimus Prime series, and one of his greatest strengths appears loud and clear in both: his knowledge of the franchise and how to weave together multiple pasts into something that makes complete and utter sense in a new story thread, be it through one line comments to Aligned, cameos from Beast Wars, or anything in the Annual (see review here!).
Hey, it's Alpha Bravo!
To add to all that, Barber's Soundwave is one of the better developed, multi-faceted, and narratively functional for experimentation in script and page layout characters that has emerged out of the IDW universe of Transformers - and this issue cements it. You almost miss the point of view just before the climax of the issue, until you realise you hadn't, you just skipped a beat.
my heart just did again
That said, I'll also reiterate what I had mentioned previously to ScottyP about Onyx Prime, with an added caveat that comes out of this issue specifically: he is terrifying, imposing, well-crafted and grounded in enough lore and versions of reality to make him come across as the threat that he is, and what his presence means to the different characters who face him.
More Beast Wars!
With those two major points in mind, though, there is one dangling issue I want to address with regards to the pacing and the narration: the story will most definitely feel chaotic, fragmented even, at times - but hold on to those fragments, as they serve a purpose, and they're never entirely unintentional.
Art
Kei Zama on lineart truly does wonders with her darker inks and shadows, even for an issue that deals a lot more with nuance than it might initially look like. The art, then, perfectly fits the script, the fear and threat that both Onyx Prime and Liege Maximo have brought to Cybertron are physically palpable. Additionally, the page and panel layouts are gorgeous and gorgeously functional, especially with Soundwave at the centre.
literally, at times
And if Zama's art is well suited to the script, Josh Burcham's colouring work on the lineart just makes sure that is most definitely indeed the case. It helps us work through the fragments and the parallels alike, where the art might at times throw a little more shade over comprehension than is perhaps necessary.
unf
What is left of the visuals, then, is what holds the narrative together - which would otherwise be a headache-inducing task, were it not for the balancing act of Tom B Long and his careful lettering of dialogue, captions, and placing on the page and in the panels. There is no unintended misdirection.
As for the covers, the one thumbnailed spotlights Casey Coller and John-Paul Bove's variant for this arc, with the silhouette suggesting the point of view taken in the issue. The other two, the main Zama/Burcham early Cybertron take on a happy family (*my heart*) and the Marcelo Matere (no colour credit given) Prime on Prime action can both be seen in our database entry here.
Thoughts Spoilerish ahead
Any story that features John Barber's Soundwave is already looking good to me (there are some exceptions in the recent past, but let me have this), and linking current day situations with the character's parallels from his own personal and ideological past is a great way to frame a story that already did something similar, yet entirely different, with the Mistress of Flame last month.
lol jk
There is politics, there is personality, there is a strand of dark humour that just works when spoken deadpan (again, Soundwave) and with the artistic team working so hard to make this story come across for the weighty matter that it is, you might even miss a twist that may or may not be there - but if it is, and once it kicks in, you'll grin worse that Onyx Prime's apparently permanent grimace.
NOTE: The Annual is out on Wednesday, but to avoid discussion about it clashing too much with the other Optimus Prime comic book also out this week, this review is published before the release of the book. There are no spoilers insofar as we were able to keep them in check.
Synopsis
THUNDERCRACKER IN: STARSCREAM: THE MOVIE! The good news: somebody finally gave Thundercracker money to make a film. The bad news: it's Starscream, and he wants a biographical picture to win over the people of Earth. Will Thundercracker stand by his principles or... well, no, he makes the movie.
His FACE
Story
Annuals are a strange thing, in comics series, arriving as they do from outside the narrative, but still usually relevant to the main strands of stories told in the main series they refer to. In Till All Are One's case, we saw it actually being a conclusion; in Optimus Prime, we see a long-frame of rounding out and rounding up some moments regarding Starscream (in deferred time) and Thundercracker himself.
our noble hero
And the result is something that truly excels at highlighting the troubled past of the Seekers and the Decepticon ranks and faction, through the focus of the former's leader Starscream, and the lens of Thundercracker - and it does so injecting some actually surprisingly serious, resonating moments in an apparently light-hearted framing.
what humour
The story, then, takes place across a number of moments that follow Starscream's rise to power and later fall (hence my reference to the TAAO annual above), as Thundercracker starts the work and only concludes it much, much later. Barber's script, as I will say in the other Optimus Prime comic review this week, is a mine of delights for anyone with any interest in Transformers lore, and choc-full of cameos and references.
you're gonna need a bigger bot!
And that is something that Barber is very good at, leaning onto it in full force for a lot of beats in the issue. Using the framing of Thundercracker to give us a story about Starscream was good. Very good. It then turns to Thundercracker again, almost suddenly, and it gets perhaps even better, reminding us of how powerful he actually can be, and what his background is.
Art
The general framework of the light-heartedness of the script suits Priscilla Tramontano's art style perfectly, and John-Paul Bove's colours just help it that little more, keeping in line with the likes of MTMTE #57 in Titans Return, and the general silliness-but-not-really of Thundercracker's emotive side, even just as we open the issue on the title page. It's just.. fun.
niiiiiiice
An unexpected - though entirely by my own fault - surprise comes in the small parts in which regular Thundercracker artist (from xRID and Transformers days) Andrew Griffith was brought in, with colours by Josh Burcham, to round out some flashbacks and cutscenes. And paired with Tramontano, and the framing of the narrative devices, it just works. Beautifully so.
Seekers: Origin
As for the joyous touches added by the lettering, we see Shawn Lee feature back in, and having probably as much fun as the rest of the creative team on this, with some particularly fun parts in Buster's various noises, and the sound effects that manifest in various forms throughout.
We've seen both of the covers available for the issue, and both are viewable in our database entryhere, but I chose the Andrew Griffith / Josh Perez for the points made above: having him show one of his old 'creations' was a lovely touch.
Thoughts WARNING: this may contain spoilers
A script that takes itself nowhere too seriously, with art that combines the more significant beats with the overall joyful, gleeful fun that the team clearly had while working on this project, with a spotlight on some of the lesser seen moments of Decepticon and Cybertronian history, and a bot-load of character work worthy of the best bottle episodes out there. You really should pick this annual up, with one caveat...
me, humbly, with this review
...Barber's strengths may also be the hurdle to new readers coming to see Thundercracker doing fun movie fanfic things and being more influenced by humanity than Decepticonism. The references, the interviews, the cameos - they may not work for a newer Transformers fan (but which also speak to readers of Revolutionaries, GI Joe, xRID, and more). At the same time, they do not, in any way, detract from the overall enjoyment of the story, as those very same references also branch out to wider points, such as commentary on fandom, and popular media in general, references to specific franchises, and more. I repeat myself: pick this up.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Best Optimus Prime Super Mode Toys
No adversary is too great for Optimus Prime / Convoy. When everything seems bleak or when the challenge seems to tough, you can always count on him rising up to the occasion, often times in a super mode. These temporary evolved forms have been part of the franchise since the very beginning and are a mainstay of Japanese pop culture. It is always fun to see just how glorious that super mode will look like and the best part of this fiction being used to sell toys is that we do get the toys of these super modes. We even have super modes that don't even have fiction attributed to them like our first pick...
This is overkill in the best way possible. I love how the trailer adds those wings flaring all about. This really looks like the very last thing you will see before being blown to bits. My only problem with this toy is how the combined form is rather immobile and how the armor is very tricky to bring back to trailer mode. Still, its super cool to see Optimus integrate with his trailer in such a symbiotic way.
This is a combination of Robots in Disguise (2001) Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime (known as God Magnus and Fire Convoy in Japan). The only issue with this toy is stability. Aside from that, awesome! The chrome just shines and that unique head sculpt is killer. I will admit that he is not simple to combine but the result is well worth it and it definitely makes up for how lackluster the Ultra Magnus component is in robot mode.
I love how solid the connection of the added pieces are. The rearranging of the legs is very clever and the literal backpack is just so much fun. I love how you can have two ways to arrange the weapons as either shoulder cannons or underarm mini-guns. And he just looks so good. Of course, if you wish, this can extend to the other configurations using this mold though I much prefer the Sonic Wing mode (with Wing Saber) over the Savage Claw mode (with Leobreaker).
Thanks to reissues, both the Japan and US versions are as affordable and attainable so I am making this a general entry for this true staple of later G1 toys. For many, this was even their first Optimus and what a great way to go about it. What is truly fun about this set is the added level of just how much you want to add to Prime in both his modes. For vehicle mode, when linking his trailer you can mount his guns like you want, arming him to the teeth. You could the add and his canon. In robot mode, you do get a very small transforming Prime and his small stature just adds to the impact of how big you can make him. Not only can he become Power Master Optimus but you can also bring in his friend Godbomber for the power up to end all power ups. He just looks magnificent. While the articulation isn't there, going from a small cab into his Power Master form is a feat the newer Generations Powermaster Optimus does not do, technically removing the notion of being a super mode for Optimus. But that doesn't matter, we have the original (which stands better). And lest we forget the Fire Guts Ginrai re deco which references his ultimate super mode in the show.
Yup an Energon Autobot toy gets to be number 1 on a list, doesn't happen every day. But this is because this combination is the only thing that makes up for how lackluster both of these toys are on their own. Wingsaber (an awesome looking Star Saber homage!) doesnt even have any head articulation since it splits in half for the combined form! But what a combined for it is. It has solid latching on points and greatly improves on both articulation, which lacked for Wingsaber, and proportions, which lacked greatly for Optimus. Plus, you can actually switch the boots for the gauntlets to have two totally different looking super modes and both are as fun and bring out a different deco element while always remaining very red and blue which is so fitting to this awesome Optimus Prime Super mode. This brings back the idea of the deluxe and mega Autobots who can act as both pants and shirts for a super robot, but with better results than anything else in this line. Wingsaber was so expensive that it was actually cheaper to hunt down the Takara version but I found it well worth it in the end simply because the combination was so much better than a sum of its parts.
Honourable mentions: I wouldn't have picked any of these in a top 5 but in case you were wondering what else was out there, well you had the Arms Micron Unicron super mode toy that worked with First Edition Optimus Prime from the Prime toy line. You also had the Powerlinx Prime which used the drones that came with Energon Prime in a Voltron fashion, and you also had the multiple Armada Prime configurations, along with the Movie Jetfire combination, just to name a few. Oh and of course, Ultra Prime from Combiner Wars.
Hoping this does not get lost in the sea of Toy Fair and Wonderfest news that has been erupting this weekend, we bring you the monthly instalment of the Transtopia creative round-up, which includes some Valentine's Day material, as well as New Lunar Year and your regularly scheduled works!
Take a look below at the works of creative side of the Seibertron.com community, including Transformers paint jobs, customs, touch ups, fan fiction, artwork, builds, mods, comics, photos, and more. Make sure to comment if you like what you see, and support the creators in their threads, too!
THE HELP DESK
Seibertronian customiser Yankee0 is looking for some tips for the optics on a Combiner Wars Megatron - help them out with our suggestions here.
After the coverage we offered yesterday of the investor meeting from Hasbro, including the various slides made available during the call itself, in two of our stories - respectively, the future of the live-action Paramount movies and the general Transformers brand from a company perspective - we return today to New York City, to cover the Hasbro Entertainment Brand Preview!
Ranging across their several franchises, the event covers the likes of My Little Pony, Star Wars, and more, including of course our favourite transforming robots. Check out below as we update the story as the event takes place, featuring figures from multiple Transformers lines like Power of the Primes, Studio Series, Masterpiece (now that Takara Tomy and Hasbro have unified their brand efforts), and more!
!!MAKE SURE TO REFRESH THIS STORY FOR LIVE UPDATES!!
Derryl DePriest (main GI Joe brand manager) is MCing the event, and various housekeeping announcements are taking place, including the HasbroPulse app. You can check out Hasbro Pulse here. The app will be free, and will allow you to create wishlists among other features.
Brief introduction to Stretch Armstrong relaunch.
First brand up is Mighty Muggs, as we have covered in our preview story here, featuring Marvel and Star Wars, plus My Little Pony and Transformers, featuring Bumblebee, Starscream, Optimus Prime, and Megatron.
Followed quickly by Marvel.
Infinity War toys to come up soon, as Black Panther currently taking the spotlight. Superhero Adventures for the younger fans. Marvel Legends talk about various waves from Spider-Man BAF Lizard onwards, plus Ultimate Rider Wolverine with motorcycle. Next are Doc Ock, Cloak and Dagger, Bullseye with new BAF SP//dr. Avengers line will include Antman and Wasp from movie-verse, using photoreal technology to capture likeness of actors. X-Men wave including Wolverine and Sabertooth. Venom wave with Eddie Brock, Scream, Spider-Ham to coincide with Sony movie. More reveals later in the year. More Deadpool offerings too, to coincide with Deadpool 2 movie, including NERF blasters. Bishop, Lady Deadpool, Deadpool in boxers - BAF is Sauron (pterodactyl X-Men villain).
More Black Panther figures being announced, including Walmart exclusives, and wearable Infinity Gauntlet. Plenty of Fantastic Four figures appearing at Walgreens, including Silver Surfer.
10 products for each of the 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, from Iron Man (2008) to Infinity War (2018): Walmart Iron Man two-pack with new head; Iron Man 3 Pepper Potts and Mandarin; Target two-pack for Age of Ultron Hulk vs Hulkbuster; Crossbones vs Captain America with new Chris Evans.
Moving to My Little Pony.
In a first time of showing actual products during the presentation, we have new products of characters Trixie, Lulamoon and Starlight Glimmer from fan series. New Tempest Shadow from My Little Pony movie, with lightning glow. New animation accurate of Mane 6, and Cutie Mark Crew, a new line of cutesy collectibles.
Season 8 of the Friendship is Magic animated series will introduce Sea Ponies, premieres on March 24th.
Introducing new characters: Yona Yak, Smolder (dragon), Cozy Glow (new pony).
Next is Power Rangers, as pre-announced during yesterday's news cycle.
Introduced by Brian Casentini, executive producer of the series, partnered with Nickelodeon through 2021. 26th season launches in early 2019: Power Rangers Beast Morphers, as the new direction takes hold. No products shown yet, as launch is still far away.
Next brand, finally, is TRANSFORMERS.
Ben Montano and the brand team presenting, wearing I LOVE 84 t-shirts, with Takara team also present, thanking the fan community for their support, several rounds of applause.
Sean Carmine Infantino presents the Transformers: Cyberverse animated series with some test animation, to illustrate how the series will eventually look, showing the lore, backstory, history and characters - effectively the story of Autobots and Decepticons, their origins, teammates thrugh the perspective of Bumblebee. Animation style looks to be a mix between Rescue Bots and Robots in Disguise.
For the toyline: On the Decepticon side Megatron, Starscream, Shockwave on the Autobot side Optimus, Windblade, Bumblebee, Grimlock. Shadow Striker - new Decepticon female character - will arrive later.
Brought a fresh take to G1 designs for the toys, with Cybertronian influence, to new Scout, Warrior, Ultra, Ultimate classes of figures. Infusing new play pattern: "action attack" uses conversions to power a "signature move" which is accurate to the show.
John Warden introduces the Generations line, which as of March 9th will include ALL of the music for Transformers to be available on colored Vinyl. Lead into Machinima's Power of the Primes animated series, with poster featuring Optimus Primal.
Prime Master Quintus Prime with Bludgeon Decoy Suit
Megatronus with Bomb Burst Decoy Suit
Solus Prime with Octopunch Decoy Suit
Wave 2
Legends: Tailgate, Battletrap
Deluxe Terrorcons forming Abominus, revealed in a black box, with G1 accurate paint and deco, and new tooling.
Voyager Elita-1, with combined form called Elita Infin1te. The 1 is intentional.
New product: Nova Star, looks to be a Moonracer retool to join the Elita-1 team.
Predaking shown on stage. One of most popular combiners, comes with Matrix of Leadership that houses only Onyx Prime Prime Master of entire toyline. Divides into five voyager Predacons, Cybertronian animals - Tantrum is renamed Torox.
Next direction for the line is War for Cybertron Trilogy, different from the old videogames (but same name, totally not confusing), going to correspond to 35th anniversary of G1, starting in 2019. Sounds like this is Cybertronian war pre-Earth, Tetra Jets will likely be there.
Fan vote poll for a deluxe class:
#Needlenose vs Tracks (brother vs brother),
#Spinister vs Wheeljack (Saboteur vs Scientist),
#Impactor vs Mirage (Greater Good vs Greater $$$)
Vote by hashtag Tuesday 2/20 - Friday 2/23 on Facebook and Instagram (hashtags above). Winners will be sold separately, but share story.
Deluxe / Voyager / Leader classes
Most accurate newly rolled figures fans have experienced, licensed vehicle modes, in scale with each other, numbered packaging.
New Deluxe Jazz and Lockdown
Also shown are Ratchet Crowbar Stinger and Bumblee, as covered here.
Voyager Starscream
Voyager Optimus and Megatron from ROTF
Voyager Brawl
Thundercracker from Nitro Zeus
Leader Grimlock
Leader Blackout, with licensed helicopter.
Release due for April 2018.
Full brand team, from Hasbro and Takara Tomy
Next brand is Star Wars.
They're really excited about Porgs
Presenters dressed as Han Solo and Chewbacca pajama jumpsuit.
Plenty of villains to appear in Solo spin-off movie, NERF blasters, tiny little Black Series Porgs, Amazon exclusive R2-X2 astromechs, most figures feature photoreal technology, Kessel run Millennium Falcon, new Stormtroopers, new force link 2.0 figures (Han, Qi'Ra, Chewie), NERF glowstrike, and ultimate co-pilot Chewie.
Showing Tobias Beckett, Walmart exclusive Mimban Stormtrooper with weathering, Range Trooper. Kylo Ren from Jakku. The Vintage Collection featuring Death Trooper, Assault Tank Driver, Han Solo, Dr. Aphra, Cassian, Luke from TFA, Range Trooper and more from Solo movie, all series will be numbered. Imperial Assault Tank with molded coffee cup on the dash. Coming in 2019 is Saelt-Marae (Yak Face). Introducing #TheVinmtageConversation to discuss toylines with fans and get feedback.
Final reveal is the Hasbro Crowdfunding platform, HasLab, launching with Star Wars (but hoping to expand to other brands): funding for the largest Star Wars vehicle... Black Series Return of the Jedi Sand Barge. Big enough to fit a Jaba The Hutt inside of the barge, has pilot seat, prison cell, galley/kitchen, smuggler's compartment, Jabba will be included (with photoreal technology), all sorts of cool stuff. Over 2.5 sq ft of display area.
The staff of Seibertron.com would like to wish to all our fans and followers who observe the lunar calendar a happy new Year of the Dog - make sure to wear red, don't shave or wash your hair on the first day, eat aplenty, and store all those lucky red envelopes for more Transformers toys and comics!
Chinese New Year celebrations will last from 16th February until 21st February, so don't expect too much news from the likes of Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai based companies, retailers, and users - shipping and pre-orders included - but do enjoy a small selection of canine-themed robot friends below from the Seibertron.com archive.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. This week, I am joined by Cobotron. These are our opinions so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Best Ultra Magnus Transformers Toys
From day one, Ultra Magnus toys were always closely related to Optimus Prime toys, with his first toy being a redeco with a different trailer which turned into a powersuit giving him a totally different look from Prime. Toy designs and ideas evolved from this giving a wide variety to Ultra Magnus toys where some are Prime redecos, others more extensive retools and others being fully original. We will explore the rich history of this autobot's toys by looking at the best ones to have come out so far.
This is the grand pappy of all Ultra Magnus toys and probably the most important Ultra Magnus toy out there. Unlike even the Masterpiece toy, this toy includes an extra level of playability by having the trailer become the armour for the transforming cab. This gave everyone the option to form their own stories and ideas about this character. Is he a white optimus with armour? Or is the that simply the transformation process for his one and only form being that big armoured fellow? It was and still is ultimately up to you to choose. This legitimizes every future attempt at having Ultra Magnus be simultaneously a redeco/retool of Optimus Prime as well as his own mold. - william-james88
Speaking of being an offshoot of Optimus, this is by far the best version of that (well, maybe tied with the commander class version which is a gorgeous G1 homage and a perfect retool). So much love went into this retool, making him look just two smokestacks away from his show model, and making him own this mold even more so than Optimus. It almost feels like this is who the mold was made for all along especially when comparing to the show models.The added shoulder cannons work great and let you position them as you wish, giving you extra fire power in a sweet G1 homage (while the earlier PRID Magnus only gave you one shoulder cannon, why?!). You even get a nice hammer and a pair of wings, just for added playability. While simply having Ultra Magnus be a redeco/retool of Prime always felt a bit lazy, this is one instance shows us how that can sometimes work, and work wonders. - william-james88
This is THE titular leader class Ultra Magnus toy. This is the best Ultra Magnus toy from the golden age of Transformers toys where it seemed no expenses were spared. This toy is beefy, the plastic is solid, the transformation is complex yet intuitive, he has a bunch of pop out weapon gimmicks, none of which are intrusive, along with electronics. This toy happens to also be a perfect rendition of the cartoon model which was a fresh new take on the character where he, and not Optimus, was the leader of the Autobots. You can feel that magnitude in your hands as you play with this toy or when you see him on your shelf. All of the top three toys on this list are amazing and the only reason why this toy is not higher is simply because his alt mode is a little underwhelming, especially in the back area, and his hip ratchets are quite restrictive. - william-james88
Like all Masterpiece figures, 22 is a work of art. On heft alone this figure is awe inspiring. While I was always a fan of the idea that Ultra Magnus was a smaller bot in a suit of armor, I can't deny that the feat of engineering it took to get the character to be all-in-one is amazing. For me, the fact that I made it through his intense transformation without instructions was a huge relief. I can't say that for every Masterpiece.That meant I could enjoy this highly detailed representation of one of my favorite characters without the burden or fear of being bogged down by the process. It's involved, but it's intuitive. Which equals fun.
While I would have prefered a little more painted/tampoed detail and color, he is till an amazing design. In robot mode he retains all the design elements I loved about the original, but is presented (obviously) in a much more contemporary package. 22 has great articulation for the hoops he has to jump through to transform. He has that "mighty leader" posture no matter how you pose him. And he is a huge and intimidating presence on your shelf.
The carrier mode is perfection. Everything you would want it to be. It's hard to believe it's NOT a white MP-10 pulling that trailer, and of course it can fit any of the Autobot cars. The Fun-O-Meter shoots straight through the roof when you have the ability to roll out an entire team on some perilous adventure all contained in the mighty Magnus in MP scope and scale! - Cobotron
An overly involved puzzle of a transformation is one kind of fun, but it can get in the way of another kind of fun. When I'm imagining my way through an intense adventure situation on my coffee table, I can't be bothered with overly difficult transformations. I lose steam. The adventure losses momentum. And that's why Combiner Wars Leader Ultra Magnus beats his Masterpiece counterpart out of 1st place. Playability!
While his transformation is really kind of a truncated version of the MP's, it's simplified enough to be fast and efficient. With enough twists and turns to be fun and you get really close to the MP version, but for a fraction of the cost of the MP.
Another merit is his aesthetic design. He sports a fresh modern updated design in both modes that pulls from some great sources, but maintains his iconic stature. I was absolutely thrilled with the inclusion of the hammer. For me, with this figure,it declares that that is Magnus's weapon now and it's here to stay. And with Minimus Ambus we still get the smaller bot in a suit of armor mythos we expect from the character.
In a world of wonky scale his size class puts his robot mode right in the sweet spot among Voyagers and Deluxes. He's got good articulation where he needs it, and is a joy to pose.
Would I have prefered that his carrier mode could tote Deluxe class cars? Sure, but I'll take what I can get. He can hold a fare amount of Legends class figures and he looks good doing it.
When I walk into my collection and get that Magnus hankering, he is now the one I reach for first. He is fun to transform, fun to play with, and looks great. In the race for best Ultra Magnus figure, he is a hard bot to beat. - Cobotron
Now I know William James likes to keep the lists to main line releases, and I agree. It's the broadest stroke and allows the lists and the conversation to reach the largest audience. But I would be remiss if, on a list of possibly my 2nd favorite heroic Autobot character of all time, we didn't include one of my most favorite versions. I talked it over with Will, and he said he'd let it slide. This one time.
I'm honestly not a huge fan of a lot of the TFCC toys, but I think Ultra Mammoth is one of the smartest repaints they ever did. Before I ever saw the Beast Wars cartoon, I assumed that Beast Wars was just a new iteration on a classic theme, and that the Transformers had rescanned their alt modes to fit some new scenario. I like where the cartoon took us, but I still revert to my original interpretation for fun and play sometimes. When I saw Ultra Mammoth I think I fell over. I had to add him to my Beast Wars collection. The mold fits the character really well. Those tuskes as a new take on Magnus's iconic shoulder pylons is just brilliant. And instead of just painting this Prime white, they went the extra mile and designed his color scheme to emulate Magnus's complete form. He's the appropriate size, and an appropriately powerful beast to use as this large and in charge character for the Beast Wars world. -Cobotron
Synopsis
MACGUFFIN QUEST! The Scavengers have never had it so good. The war is a receding memory, their patchy service records have been forgotten, and the five of them can roam the galaxy as they please. All’s well that ends well? Not quite. Because unbeknownst to Krok and Co., their next adventure… will be their last.
Canhuddleing
Story
It's been a surprisingly short time since the last issue of Transformers: Lost Light, and we may be finally catching up not only on releases, but also with the story and the various threads (bare?) running through the series up to this point - though in an entirely different direction this month! How so? Read on below.
oh just ignore us major villains floating away
First off, I want to say that I really enjoyed this issue in spite of/despite all my misgivings for the run so far, and I can find no discernible reason why that may be the case. I have two major points to address in terms of execution, but overall, issue #14 is enjoyable, extremely important from a plot perspective, and does some very good work with an established cast.
they're good Cons, Brent
My issue then: the pacing. There is a lot going on in the issue, and that is an entirely welcome development for the series, as I said above, as it feels more like we're catching up to speed with where the rest of the universe is. But, that said, some of it feels a little too fast, even with the lynchpins of Nickel and Grimlock serving to anchor the threads in the book.
Hi, lynchpins
On the flip side, those very same story plot threads are incredibly entertaining, and develop some mysteries that are not entirely out of left field but tie up with some of the more established lore so far, while also providing answers to some old and running questions. And to top it all off, the Scavengers' chemistry is a joy to read.
Art
Let me be quite direct here: Sara Pitre-Durocher and Brendan Cahill do some amazing work, each in their own part of the book, and taken alone, they work perfectly fine - I did, however, find a jarring shift between their styles as the books switches. Which is a real shame, as Cahill's chins and panel layouts for some of the more action-based scenes, and Pitre-Durocher's enjoyful villainy at the start and page layouts overall are gorgeous.
Dat perspective
I was wondering if it was, after all, a lack of cohesion in the colouring, by Joana Lafuente puts in some masterful levels of efforts and work in finding the tones and hues that do indeed bring consistency between the styles (different setting also helps) but there's still something clashing between the two takes of the same cast, in my view.
This is pretty spectacular
The lettering, and I know I say this a lot with Tom B. Long, but it is - is just amazing. The sound effects at times take over the soundscape of panels in such a way that makes the action or the silence work perfectly, and they work so well with the colours and lineart.
We've seen the majority of the covers in previous news coverage, from the main Lawrence/Lafuente piece to the variants by Nick Roche and Josh Burcham, and the thumbnailed Cahill/Lafuente one - so you really have a choice of Grimlocks to pick from this week - to check them all out again, head to our database!
Thoughts Spoilerish ahead
I really enjoyed this chapter in the story, even with the issues I've highlighted above. Discussin it with other staff it feels like the rushed pacing has definitely had a different impression on different readers, so it may very well indeed be more to your speed - and it definitely is good plot propelling and enough of a combing of knots to prepare for what's to come.
Me reading this? nah, too dark
And even with the unfortunate speed bump in art - by no fault I think of the artistic teams, but rather an odd choice of pairing (not the first time this has happened of recent, actually) - catching up with the Scavengers also gives us a really, really intriguing development, with an initial hook (Shockwave and DJD) that has already annoyed a lot of readers I've seen comment; but given that it was, indeed, a hook, it was mischievously well played.
. out of
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