Doesn't listen to anyone, particularly his friends. Smug, arrogant. Puts up a stubborn front to hide deep-rooted insecurities. More vulnerable to psychological rather than physical attacks. In rhinoceros Mode, his horn can puncture 3-foot thick steel, release corrosive acid. Uses plasma-sphere shooter that emits explosive energy balls; has light distorting diffraction sword. Combines with fellow Predacons to form Predaking.
First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 25, February 1987 / Issue 50, March 1989
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 96, January 17th 1987 / Issue 279, July 21st, 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 70 (Season 3 #5), September 19th 1986 / Episode 79 (Season 3 #14), October 31st 1986
Figure Details
AKA 'Fortis'
Manufacturer - Mastermind Creations
Toyline - Reformatted
Additions/Mods:
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the chest
Review
Headstrong, like
Ramhorn, turns into a rhino, however unlike Ramhorn this particular rhino is rather large, and part of the most feared unit of combiners ever known, the
Predacons. He is quite the formidable opponent so thank Primus for stupidity, otherwise this character would be far more effective. He, along with his other cohorts, very nearly dispatched
Optimus Prime, in a typically decent Simon Furman-penned story called 'Prey'. Perhaps 'Pray' would be more appropriate. This was the single appearance which really impressed upon me how feared the Predacons were. Headstrong is the second member re-imagined by MMC, and he shares the same mould as
Predaking's other leg,
Tantrum. I thought Tantrum was decent enough so let's hope for the same.
Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
When I first saw this figure I was somewhat disappointed, although it has grown on me since I started messing around with it. My initial bad impression was due to the size of this figure - he is a tall and bulky voyager. Too big? I guess only time will tell - this is only a limb-bot, after all, but absolutely dwarfs the components of any other combiner in my collection. The headscuplt is way less offensive then Tantrum's, being a rather neutral expression in this case. My other complaints about the head still stand, though. The red visor is practically indistinguishable from the red of the helmet. In actual fact, the visor is painted in a nice metallic hue but it is head to discern. The face is painted but it is yellow over a very vibrant red, so the coverage is not ideal. Also, the definition of the face is lost because of the thick paint. I would have preferred an extra piece of plastic, cast in yellow for the face. With those gripes out of the way what remains is a really great-looking figure, with nice proportions, and a colour scheme which perfectly recalls the original. I prefer the more contrasting colours over Tantrum. headstrong comes with 2 arm-mounted guns which cannot be wielded otherwise, but in a nice touch they have extendable barrels. His 2 knives are also easier to attach to his fists, but I don't really like them anyway. The lower legs are rather on the wide side, but this helps to emphasise the sheer power of the character. This is definitely a better robot mode than Tantrum.
Appearance (Alternate Mode) 8/10
This mode is a really nice, with a head which is more in proportion with the figure, and some impressive detailing. Again things feel slightly sparse overall, with the expanses of yellow and virulent red punctuated by blacks and greys. Unfortunately the usually ever-reliable Reprolabels produced 2 sets for Tantrum, both of which are crap so I don't think I can rely on them to enhance these predacons at all. I would have liked to see some more paint apps, although what is in place is very high quality. There is a decent range of movement in both legs, you can also splay them as well. The eyes in the headsulpt are much more easy to discern than Tantrum, not being as deep-set. But when the beast mouth is open (even a crack) it is all-too-easy to notice the robot face, lurking within. It should have been handled better.
Transformation 8/10
This area is where I think MMC excel because they have struck the right balance between an overly-simplistic transformation and one you lose sleep over. The wrists fold into the forearm and then the forearm is connected to the upper arm. The front feet are unfolded from behind the upper arm and click securely into the resultant 'stump' to form the front beast leg. The large pods on either robot leg are pulled free of their tabs, and again the lower beast leg is unfolded and slotted into place, in the manner of the front legs. The robot head is rotated and slotted into place to form part of the lower jaw. The large robot feet are rotated and tabbed onto the lower leg, and the waist is rotated. Then the robot legs fold back on each other and form the rear of the beast mode torso. You are then left with a very squat and imposing rhino.
Poseability 8/10
This figure comes with a lot of articulation, but in one or two places the actual positioning of the panels gets in the way of a decent range of movement. He has lateral and side-to side movement in the shoulder and hip area, as well as a swivel waist and ball-jointed head. He is equipped with both bicep and thigh swivel. He has double-jointed elbows and wrist swivel, and also the fold inwards necessary for transformation. The knee joints offer good poseability, and the ankle is ball-jointed with an additional joint towards the 'toes'. It is unfortunate that the shoulder movement is largely impeded. He is a heavy figure but stands up well thanks to the large feet. Most of the joints are very tight and some offer ratchet-like performance which is great on a figure of this size.
Quality 8/10
I have heard reports of the right elbow ratchet stripping, and although this is a purely cosmetic issue (apparently) it is still a real shame. Because in every other respect, quality is probably the most impressive aspect that MMC have to offer. Anyway, I removed one pin from the assembly which allows you to face the joint the correct way. Basically there is a tab which strips the gear from the right elbow because it is the wrong way around, youtube reviewer Peaugh details the fix which took me about 2 minutes. The plastic used is extremely durable and feels fantastic in hand. Just the weight of this figure is incredibly impressive, and I have no doubt that this figure will be able to stand up to the rigours of being the limb of an absolutely massive (and heavy) combiner.
Overall - 40/50
This figure builds on the Tantrum mould and actually improves it with a better headsculpt (in both modes)and a more inspiring colour scheme. Regarding the elbow issue, I have heard that MMC are going to issue replacement parts for free once they have tooled them. Headstrong also comes with a replacement arse for Tantrum, I'm not really sure why to be honest but it is a good sign that they are making these amendments. This is a largely successful figure, and a really positive sign of things to come. I can't wait for the rest of the Predacons to arrive!
