Blast Off

"I destroy Autobots by choice, not command."

Feels literally and figuratively about the other Transformers as he soars through outer space. Aristocratic, aloof -- disguises his long distance loneliness. Cruelly efficient at raining destruction on Earth. Flies at 26,000mph, stays in orbit for 8 months. Shoots powerful X-ray laser to hit target 12,000 miles away. In robot Mode, uses ionic blaster. Combines with fellow Combaticons to form "Bruticus".

STRENGTH

3

INTELLIGENCE

8

SPEED

10

ENDURANCE

3

RANK

5

COURAGE

5

FIREPOWER

9

SKILL

10

OVERALL

53

Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 24, January 1987 / Issue 43, August 1988
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 63, May 31st 1986 / Issue 137, October 31st 1987
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 58 (Season 2 #42), December 10th 1985 / Episode 98 (Season 4 #3), November 11th 1987
First Toy Appearance - 1986

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

AKA 'Explorer'
Manufacturer - FansProject
Toyline - Crossfire

Additions/Mods:
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the chest
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the nosecone
- Added Decepticon symbols to the wings

Review

"Houston, we have a problem." This is the line which has become synonymous with space-bound disaster, and it is a phrase I thought was appropriate when I first saw the 'Revenge of The Fallen' Bruticus set, which had only 3 unique moulds to cover off 5 distinct characters. Arguably, the worst affected by this mess was Blast Off, who had gone from being a Space Shuttle to a tank! A problem indeed. To understand why this happened, we have to go back about a decade and look at the budget available for some forthcoming Energon combiners, where it was decided to produce 3, with 9 unique moulds, as opposed to 2 with 10 unique moulds. For me, this was a terrible decision but one that did not have any repercussions for me until the Energon moulds were re-released as legitimate G1 homages of my favourite combiners. Luckily for Blast Off and fandom alike, FansProject decided to up their game from their Superion upgrade and produce entirely new figures to replace the originals. Thus, so it was that Blast Off ended up with a shuttle mode again. Was it worth it?


Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
Blast Off is one of my favourite FansProject figures, he scales perfectly with his other 'limb mates' but the superior aesthetic makes a huge difference. Blast Off is a scout-sized figure with a superb headsculpt. The colour scheme is very G1, this being the second release of the figures, which sport more authentic palettes. The mould itself is richly detailed and the only real downside for me is the kibble on his upper back, which I think could have been integrated more elegantly. Blast Off comes with a large sword which can also be weilded as a hatchet type weapon by folding it in half. It is also cleverly integrated as the shuttle tailfin in alternate mode. Overall this figure is a great success.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 7/10
In its unadulterated form, this vehicle was spectacularly dull, with there being very little in the way of paint apps and there was even no windscreen. This is because FansProject attempted to address the size disparity between the huge Space Shuttle and the miles smaller Humvee etc. by claiming that Blastoff was now an unmanned drone in alternate mode. This didn't wash with some fans and the second release of this figure saw FansProject add a rather rubbish tampograph for the cockpit. Still, a rubbish cockpit is better than no cockpit. Otherwise things are still rather dull but at least the Decepticon symbols I placed break up the monotony sonewhat. Colour scheme aside things are pretty good, but the tailfin is a little odd looking, because of its dual purpose as a sword. There is also no landing gear which is poor, but thankfully this isn't an issue when the shuttle is sitting on the back on Onslaught's trailer. I would just dread to see this thing land.


Transformation 7/10
Blast Off's transformation is pretty simple fare, and you will be mostly concerned with aligning the panels properly, with everything else being pretty intuitive. The head is hidden by the arms which are obscured by panels, with the aforementioned back kibble becoming the nosecone. The legs tab together and the thighs are slotted into the lower legs. The wings are then unfolded and of course the sword needs to be folded in two and placed into position, which can be pretty fiddly.

Poseability 8/10
FansProject seldom let anyone down in this respect and here we have another figure which is no exception to the rule. Blast Off has a ball-jointed neck, although alas waist articulation was lost somewhere along the line. He has ball-jointed shoulders, elbows and hips. He also has thigh swivel and jointed knees. For his size class, this is all you really need and the lack of a wrist joint is forgiven because the ball-jointed elbow is versatile enough to allow him to wield his sword at a variety of angles. The panels neatly tuck away and do not interfere too much with the articulation.


Quality 7/10
Every FansProject figure I have ever held in-hand has at least one issue with their design or plastic thickness which makes me worry. On Blast Off it is the sword which I worry about, most of the thin panels are on ball-joints so in theory they will not break easily but there are some tight clearances on this figure so I advise caution when aligning the panels. It is an issue which FansProject continue to struggle with.

Overall - 37/50
This incarnation of Blast Off is 100% superior to the Hasbro offering, this is not to say that this figure is perfect in any way, because it is not. However Hasbro really did this character as disservice by thinking that no-one would notice if someone called 'Blast Off' was no longer a shuttle. Even if Hasbro had used Blast Off as the other helicopter and not Swindle, things may have made more sense. No matter. FansProject have ensured that those dark days never have to be referred to again.

Bombshell

"The mind is my playpen."

Can turn foes into helpless accomplices by injecting cerebro-shells into their head (robot or human) with his stinger...gives him control of their minds...has a cruel sense of humor...arms himself by having his victims debase themselves. In insect Mode this insecticon can fly 10km. In robot Mode wears head-mounted mortar...throws 25 kg explosive shell 15 km. Cerebro-shells can be used against him if removed from victim's head.

STRENGTH

5

INTELLIGENCE

8

SPEED

5

ENDURANCE

5

RANK

6

COURAGE

5

FIREPOWER

6

SKILL

9

OVERALL

49

Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 17, June 1986 / Issue 41, June 1988
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 88, November 22nd 1986 / Issue 289, September 29th, 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 15 (Season 1 #15), December 19th 1984 / Episode 70 (Season 3 #5), September 19th 1986
First Toy Appearance - 1985

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

AKA 'Stormbomb'
Manufacturer - FansProject
Toyline - Causality

Additions/Mods:
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the chest

Review

Bombshell was probably the most sinister of any Decepticon back in my youth, due to his ability to control minds. I remember one notable story where he fired cerebro shells into a human and it reminded me of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, where Checkov has a nasty alien crawl inside his ear. Needless to say, it gave me the willies. In fact, it still does today. Bombshell was one of the earler FansProject releases, and in truth I was never a fan of the whole 'ninja' aesthetic. My relief was palpable then, when FansProject released an additional set of G1 weapons alongside their Deluxe Insecticons box set. Let's see how well they have fared in homaging this sinister G1 character.


Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
All of the Insecticons stand somewhere between deluxe and scout class, probably closer to deluxe in height. What is notable about Bombshell is his impressive bulk - he looks squat and powerful. He does a good job of hiding his kibble, with the forelegs either visible or hidden behind his shoulders depending on your preference. The rear insect legs are neatly folded on the lower leg of the robot. His headsculpt is particularly impressive, with a menacing grille for a mouth plate punctuated by the demonic eyes above it. His expression is enigmatic - perfect to reflect this character. The new gun very much fits in with his overall appearance and I prefer it infinitely over the whole 'ninja' aesthetic. Colour-wise, this guy is spot on, perfectly capturing the purple, black and yellow of the original figure. Red is used sparingly, but effectively.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 7/10
A pretty successful analogue of the original, the rear legs work really well. My gripes are that the front legs tend to pop out of their clips every now and then because they double as auxiliary weapons (complete with metal chain attachments) and I'm not sure about how well the daggers serve as the 'mouth'. It's a shame that because of the different connector, there is no way to instead use the front of the rifle as the mouthpiece, as is the case with the Barrage homage. The Skyquake-esque 'pods' either side of the robot head make more sense in this mode, serving as 2 sets of creepy eyes, either side of the mouth. Very unsettling.


Transformation 8/10
This figure has a relatively simple transformation (especially for FansProject), although the arms take some mastery. The groin and hip panels are slid up to allow the legs to telescope into each other, which they do once they are rotated and tabbed together. The feet are then folded in, and the insect mode legs are then unfolded and moved into position. The head is covered by the insect 'mouth', which is folded up from its position on the back in robot mode. The both shoulder pads are rotated around, and the arms swing behind the back, with the fists slotting in to tabs on the underside of the leg. This step can be tricky unless the elbows are aligned properly. Then the ninja weapons are added to the stumps to form the front legs. Job done!

Poseability 9/10
Fantastic, there's not a lot that this figure can't do. From top to bottom this figure is blessed with a ball-jointed head, lateral and side-to side shoulder articulation, bicep swivel courtesy of a ball-joint, and forearm swivel. There is no wrist articulation but then this is not really needed thanks to the forearm articulation. There is also a ball-jointed waist and hips; with the bonus being that the hip and groin panels can be moved for a greater range of movement. This figure also has bicep swivel, jointed knees ankle tilt and swivel. The low center of gravity of this figure coupled with large feet and tight joints mean that this figure is super poseable.


Quality 8/10
Something about the plastic that FansProject use always makes me worry somehow, for me there seems to be less 'give' in the plastic, in that it feels very good quality but is slightly brittle. Maybe this is unfounded but I am always more careful with the FansProject stuff (perhaps the price might have something to do with that!) I have no specific worries with this figure, because there are no transformation steps which make me wince.

Overall - 40/50
FansProject have taken on 3 classic figures that have been sadly neglected by Hasbro and have re-imagined them to good effect. As I have already said, I am not a massive fan of the ninja weapons but thankfully this has been addressed by not another 3rd party, but FansProject themselves! Bombshell is certainly my favourite figure of the 3 original Insecticons, and should certainly be considered for any collection, as he was pretty decent value, to boot.

Junkyard

Assembled and raised in the scrap pile, Junkyard is a supremely resourceful bot. It was he who helped orchestrate the repair and reboot of the disabled Ultra Magnus. the mighty Autobot was so impressed with the talent of Junkyard that he encouraged Autobot Ratchet to spend an extended leave on planet Junkion to hone his repair skills.

STRENGTH

6

INTELLIGENCE

4

SPEED

8

ENDURANCE

6

RANK

4

COURAGE

5

FIREPOWER

6

SKILL

8

OVERALL

47

Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) -
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 146, January 2nd 1988 / Issue 187, October 15th 1988
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - The Transformers: The Movie, August 8th 1986 / Episode 85 (Season 3 #20), November 12th, 1986
First Toy Appearance - 2011

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

AKA 'Junkheap'
Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Generations

Additions/Mods:
- Added an Autobot symbol to the windshield (covering the smaller tampographed one)

Review

Junkyard was a peripheral character, but whenever he popped up in the comics I always thought he looked really cool with his shades. Also, I had a Wreck-gar who needed to ride something (That's what she said) so buying this guy made perfect sense.

Appearance (Robot Mode) 7/10
He's a good-looking bot, sharing the same mould as the Junkion leader. His paintjob is limited but effective, and his camp face makes me laugh. But for some reason, his shades just don't align with hs face properly, and the paint that is on them is atrocious. The eyes are too important to be rendered sloppily in my opinion.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 8/10
I'm so impressed on how little robot kibble is visible. You can see the hands above the engine if you look carefully, but that's about it. What paint there is is very nice but there is definately too much grey plastic on display.

Transformation 7/10
The exceptionally clever transformation is marred somewhat for me by the automorph feature, which apparently puts great strain on the rubberised handlebars. I haven't had an issue myself yet, but I have read examples of people snapping them.

Poseability 7/10
This mould is capable of most of the articulation you would expect from a modern deluxe figure. The way that his head is set into his neck and the surrounding kibble give it a limited range of movement, and also he bends at the knee oddly because of how his legs are used in the alt mode.

Quality 7/10
I have worries regarding this figure, and they are centered around the automorph feature, and also the fact that the rubbery handlebars deform quickly when packed away, which is why when I store this mould I do so with the handlebars bent to the side, rather than facing out.

Overall - 36/50
Junkyard is a must-have for anyone who has the Wreck-gar figure (unless you want to lay out serious dollar for Scrapheap) so buying him at a low price is a no-brainer. I guess it would be odd if he looked as good as Wreck-gar anyway. If you have Wreck-gar, you are duty bound to own him, and you won't be too disappointed with what you get.

Mirage

"Who and what I am I hide from the enemy."

Mirage is not thrilled about being an Autobot freedom fighter. Prefers hunting turbofoxes on Cybertron with his high-priced friends. Effective fighter, more effective intelligence gatherer. Electro-disrupter can cast illusions altering his physical placement and appearance for up to 6 minutes. Expert marksman with armor-piercing rocket-dart hunting rifle. Unsure of Autobot cause... can't be fully trusted.

STRENGTH

6

INTELLIGENCE

9

SPEED

7

ENDURANCE

5

RANK

7

COURAGE

5

FIREPOWER

6

SKILL

10

OVERALL

55

Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 1, September 1984 / Issue 50, March 1989
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 10, MJanuary 26th 1985 / Issue 47, February 8th 1986
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 1 (Season 1 #1), September 17th 1984 / Episode 64 (Season 2 #48), December 16th 1985
First Toy Appearance - 1984

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Classics

Additions/Mods:
- Added an Autobot symbol to the leg, to cover the rubsign
- Added an Autobot symbol to the chest
- Added various 1:32 scale racing labels
- Added the FansProject G3 trailer weapon

Review

Mirage is as duplicitous in name as he is in nature. On the one hand, Mirage represents what for me is the darker side of the Autobot cause. He clearly is uninterested in the war, and has been dragged in regardless, which for me goes against the 'free will' principles the Autobots so staunchly defend. On the other hand, Mirage is a bit of a spoiled brat, who has had to climb down from his ivory tower (or whatever the Cybertronian equivalent is) to rough it with the proletariat. This is what makes Mirage one of the more interesting characters. Who is he? Where do his loyalties lie? Even his special power promotes distrust and sneakiness. All this psycho-babble aside, I was a big fan of the Mirage figure, which turned into an awesome racing car. OK, the livery may have been subtly altered to 'Citanes' but everyone knew what sneaky Hasbro were getting at. Let's see how the 'classics' re-interpretation fares.


Appearance (Robot Mode) 7/10
In this incarnation, Mirage is incredibly slender, and is cinched in at the waist like a fembot. In fact, Arcee would be jealous of his figure. He also has an incredibly tiny head, which reminds me of Egyptian death masks for some reason. I'm not a fan of the mould, but the paint apps are lovely. In it's own right this is a good-looking piece; incredibly elegant and sleek but aesthetically he is at odds with every other 'classicsverse' figure. He has diddy hands with non-standard holes (as is the case with Hot Rod) and is supposed to wield his front spoiler as a weapon, which in my opinion looks absolutely terrible. The FansProject shoulder launcher adds some much-needed oomph, and I also feel the racing labels I have applied make the figure a bit more interesting.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 8/10
Based somewhat on a F1 car, this alt mode is not as nice as the original, which was one of my favourites. Still, it is great to look at, and the attention to detail is fantastic, eclipsing later toys from the same range. I particularly like the 'Witwicky Sparkplugs' decal on the rear spoiler - well played, Hasbro. I augmented the already-sumptuous detail with some slot car decals, many of which can be seen on the G1 car, although this time they are spelled correctly!


Transformation 8/10
The upshot of Mirage's slender and slightly odd proportions is a transformation sequence unlike most other figures. The head is stowed in the 'cockpit' and the entire front chassis ends up behind the head in robot mode. This is achieved by rotating the shoulders into position. The only concession to parts forming is the detachable front spoiler, which for me is a poor representation of a weapon. The legs are rather obviously made from the rear section of the car, with the spoilers becoming feet.

Poseability 9/10
Mirage really shines in this respect, being a quite superb poser. This is due firstly to his articulation: He has a ball-jointed head, shoulders (which also tilt up and down) and hips, additionally he has waist swivel. He also has bicep swivel, elbows which are effectively double-jointed, knee joints and multiple points of articulation in his feet. A surprising omission is the lack of thigh swivel, although it is understandable due to the transformation. Mirage's large feet and slender frame mean that he is a breeze to pose in all sorts of configurations.


Quality 7/10
Due to his wasp-like waist, I think that Mirage could end up in 2 halves extremely easily. The front and rear fender are made of (necessarily) thin plastic. Having said that, this figure is already over 6 years old and feels very solid, and his white parts are still nice and white, with so far no sign of the dreaded yellowing.

Overall - 39/50
Mirage is a very nice figure who doesn't really fit in, which is perhaps appropriate given his proclivity to bugger off and change sides. In fact, the only Transformer that he really displays well with is Hound, who is also a bit of an oddity when surrounded by his Autobot brethren. Oh well, at least the two of them had quite a few scenes together in the cartoon. This figure's poseability is exquisite, which brings him up a few notches in my estimation.

Runamuck

"The road is my playpen, cars are my toys."

Cackling like a mechanical wildman, this Battlecharger is a twilring, tumbling two-lane terror. Spreading fear is his favorite pasttime. Admires junkyards like humans admire art museums. Maximum Speed 180 mph. Range: 600 Miles. Uses friction rifle that increases kinetic energy of its target's molecules for 5 minutes. Even the slightest movement resulst in tremendous friction, causing flames and melting. Afraid of heights.

STRENGTH

6

INTELLIGENCE

6

SPEED

7

ENDURANCE

7

RANK

6

COURAGE

5

FIREPOWER

7

SKILL

8

OVERALL

52

Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 23, December 1986 / Issue 75, February 1991
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 255, February 3rd 1990 / Issue 279, July 21st 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 80 (Season 3 #15), October 21st 1986
First Toy Appearance - 1986

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Transformers Collector's Club

Additions/Mods:
- Added a large Decepticon symbol to the roof, covering the rubsign

Review

I received the original Runamuck as a kid, and my first thoughts were 'well, this is crap'. The Battlecharger robots were designed to transform automatically if you pulled them back and let them fly, in much the same way that the throttlebots later would. Because of this, they had zero articulation. The robot mode absolutely sucked. But not all was lost, because the vehicle mode was pretty cool. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found out that the excellent Wheeljack mould would be used to finally do Runamuck justice. FunPub couldn't possibly mess this one up, or did they?

Appearance (Robot Mode) 9/10
After all the furore surrounding his 'brother, Runamuck's arrival was extremely uncomplicated (Thankfully). He shares the same headsculpt as Runabout, and his off-white and orange colour scheme is very nice indeed. Unlike Runabout, most of his parts are moulded from plastic of the correct colour, whereas Runabout's red parts were all painted. Runamuck wins on that. He obviously shares all of the plus points as his mould mates, but, like Wheeljack, his legs are transformed from the front of the bonnet, rather than the rear, and for some reason this makes him a bit stumpy. A real shame because his big chunky feet are great.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 10/10
I didn't think that I would prefer Runamuck to Runabout in this mode, but I do. Something about the almost pearlescent white with gold stripes and orange/purple accents is just perfect. I think I even prefer this alt mode to Wheeljack's. The gold paint lines are immaculate, as is the tampographed Decepticon sign on the bonnet. Funpub did a brilliant job.

Transformation 7/10
Tricky and seems impossible until you have successfully transformed him a few times, then everything clicks into place. The automorph feature worries me slightly, because the arms and head are both slid into position by the roof, which feels a bit flimsy for me. The best thing about this mould is that it allows you to differentiate the look of the figures quite a bit, so I have Runamuck/Runabout transformed to homage their G1 counterparts.

Poseability 8/10
Nice long feet coupled with multiple points of articulation make this guy a pleasure to pose, but he looks a bit squat in some poses, owing to his inexplicably shorter legs.

Quality 8/10
This mould feels well thought out and put together. My only concern is the automorph feature, as I worry about the stress put on the roof.

Overall - 42/50
When I first got Runabout, I didn't think that Runamuck would be able to hold a candle to him. But, surprisingly, this guy turned out even nicer, for my money. I am so pleased that I have them both, and that they have both turned out so well. For me, Runamuck just about edges it, mainly due to the staggering beauty of the alt mode.

Scrapper

"My work is a monument to - and of - my enemies."

A wizard at designing fortresses and energy plants, but modest. Shows his true malevolent genius by incorporating defeated Autobots into his buildings' structures. Shovel can slice through 12in. thick carbon-steel, lift 30 tons. As right leg and part of torso, combines with fellow Constructicons to form giant robot "Devastator".

STRENGTH

8

INTELLIGENCE

8

SPEED

4

ENDURANCE

7

RANK

5

COURAGE

5

FIREPOWER

3

SKILL

9

OVERALL

49

Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 10, November 1985 / Issue 41, June 1988
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 61, May 17th 1986 / Issue 279, July 21st 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 16 (Season 1 #16), December 15th 1984 / Episode 96 (Season 4 #1), November 9th 1987 First Toy Appearance - 1985

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

AKA 'Front End Loader'
Manufacturer - Maketoys
Toyline - Type 61

Additions/Mods:
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the shoulder
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the wheel-arch

Review

Serving as the right leg of Devastator, Scrapper serves a pretty important purpose, as the malevolent green ogre has stuck his boot into many a robotic backside in his time. Scrapper also has one of those industrial monikers which make me chuckle, much like 'Sludge' or 'Slag'. It's pretty no-nonsense, much like the original toys transformation sequence, which was simple to the extreme. Maketoys have decided to flip this on its head somewhat and endow Scrapper with a pretty fiendish transformation sequence. But, have they over-thought it? Read on...


Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
In a nutshell, Scrapper looks damn good. He is neither too lanky nor too stumpy (a criticism which can be levelled at some of his Constructicon brethren). He also has my favourite of all the Maketoys headsculpts, resembling Nemesis Prime somewhat. As usual my gripe is that there is no light-piping, but I will get over that one day, I promise. The way that the scoop sits behind the shoulders looks fantastic, really adding some bulk to the upper body. The insides of his forearms are hollow, but other than this Scrapper looks almost perfect in this mode, until you turn him around and witness the odd kibble which has to accomodate the removable engine. He is covered in beautifully-rended paint apps and sculpted detail, though.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 7/10
The alternate mode is OK, but no better than that. This vehicle suffers from low ground clearance, as is the case with his fellow 'limb mate', Mixmaster. My major issue though is with the cabin - which is hollow at the back, and also just kind of sits there, only partially covering up a stub which is used in the combined mode to represent some giant hydraulic 'shin'. There is an annoying gap directly behind the cabin and the rear of the vehicle as well, which I can't help but think could have been fixed with a little more thought. The scoop looks pretty nice but is only articulated at one end, which is a shame, particularly because it can 'get in the way' in robot mode. The massive engine is a nice touch, though. This vehicle also has a trailer hitch.


Transformation 4/10
I really find this annoying. I know that some people love a challenging transformation as do I, but if anything this invokes memories of Universe Galvatron for me which is never, ever a good thing. It's funny because I really like transforming the legs and I have never seen feet created in a way anything like this. Basically some of the rear panel wraps around the underneath the chassis and these plates are re-configured and slid into the ankle to create feet. It really is very satisfying indeed. But the top half of the figure is nightmarish. First off, the front wheel arches need to be rotated along what feels like a very flimsy cylinder and I just can't get used to it. Then the cabin kind of collides with the scoop which needs to end up at the back of the robot, and the engine is removed and added to the ugly back kibble. It is just irritating and a chore from start to finish. To top it all, there is a button which needs to be pressed to loosen the waist slightly, this is also used for the combiner mode. This button is located in a very narrow recess which only an Autobot of Scrounge's talents would be able to easily access.

Poseability 8/10
Scrapper is a good-looking robot and he can also pose pretty well. His head is ball-jointed and recessed slightly so that he doesn't suffer from skinny neck syndrome. However, his head really can't move much because the scoop which adds so much to his appearance gets in the damn way. Much like Mixmaster, he does have an ultra-poseable waist though. His shoulders and hips are ball-jointed. He has single joints in his elbows and knees. There is no articulation in the wrist save for the joint which allows his hands to unfold from the lower arms. There is limited articulation in his feet. But even with average articulation, Scrapper poses well simply because his proportions are bang on and that head sculpt is awesome.


Quality 7/10
Despite the great materials used in this figure, I feel that a couple of the aspects of the design will put undue stress on some weak points. Firstly, it is not ideal the way the scoop impedes head movement, as this could lead to the 2 surfaces rubbing together causing scratches or stress marks. Secondly, the front wheel arches feel quite flimsily attached, and these not only have to moved quite a lot for transformation, they also have to bear the weight of Devastator, because they act as the 'heel'. However, the engine block is used to strengthen them somewhat in the combiner mode.

Overall - 34/50
I really like the aesthetics of Scrapper, but I just find transforming him a real chore. It's a shame then that one of the stronger figures judged on looks is let down badly by needlessly fiddly issues with the transformation, which leads to some question marks about the overall durability of the figure. My advice would be to determine what mode you like him in best, and then never transform him again!

Soundwave

""Cries and screams are music to my ears."

It is said Soundwave can hear a fly sneeze. Uses anything he hears for blackmail to advance his status. Opportunist. Despised by all other Decepticons. Sensors can detect even lowest energy radio transmissions. Able to read minds by monitoring electrical brain impulses. Acts as radio link for others. Locates and identifies Autobots, then informs Decepticons. Carries a concussion blaster gun. Often target of retaliation by his comrades.

STRENGTH

8

INTELLIGENCE

9

SPEED

2

ENDURANCE

6

RANK

8

COURAGE

5

FIREPOWER

6

SKILL

10

OVERALL

54

Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 1, September 1984 / Issue 77, April 1991
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 14, March 23rd 1985 / Issue 289, September 29th 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 1 (Season 1 #1), September 17th 1984 / Episode 94 (Season 3 #29), February 24th 1987
First Toy Appearance - 1984

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Takara
Toyline - Music Label

Additions/Mods:
- Added a large Decepticon symbol to the chest (covering the white tampographed one)

Review

Soundwave, the loyal and dependable yang to Starscream's cowardly and treacherous yin. Megatron's most trusted lieutenant who made sure that his leader wasn't left behind after that battle in Autobot city. His enduring popularity as a character saw him outlast pretty much every original transformer, as he made it all the way through the US cartoon run and even got a nice new paintjob in the Japanese Headmasters series. Soundwave has no official 'classics' figure, so you are left with a few choices. You can either use the wholly repellent Cybertron release, the laughable Titanium figure, the pretty nice but Aesthetically jarring WFC figure, or 'Music Label' Soundwave. I plumped for the latter.


Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
This Takara Tomy release is a very faithful copy of the original figure, scaled to fit in nicely with the 'classics' line of figures. He has a pretty simplistic deco, unencumbered by the masses of stickers the original had. This makes Soundwave look fairly sparse to some, but I think he looks very 'chic'! I am quite disappointed with the head sculpt though, which just seems pretty undefined when compared to other classics figures. There is no light-piping which is a shame. Also, the head is mounted on a spring, and does not sit completely flush to the neck area (on mine, at least). Overall he is pretty impressive-looking, though, and will have you feeling all nostalgic in no time. He also comes with his original weapons plus 3 sets of hands (2 closed fists, 2 with open trigger fingers, 2 with extended trigger fingers). My favourite set of hands to use is the pair with slightly open trigger fingers, as these fit into the alt mode as well. There is nowhere to store the spare hands other than the box.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 9/10
Again, this is a direct copy of the original alt mode, but scaled down. It looks wonderful, if a little plain. The best part of this alt mode though (and the single best part of the figure) is that this is a functional mp3 player. All of the buttons are real and actually perform their corresponding actions! As an mp3 player it is very simplistic, especially because it is a few years old. There is no screen for one thing, but then who cares. It works, damnit! The casette window ejects and houses a micro-SD card and away you go. Just plug in the supplied ear buds. Make no mistake that this is a thing of beauty, and illustrates how far Transformers has come since the days when a working transforming watch was awesome. Actually, a working transforming watch is still awesome.


Transformation 8/10
This is an intuitive transformation which you will pick up immediately even if you don't have or remember G1 Soundwave. One word of caution though is that the elbow/bicep area needs to be positioned correctly to allow a snug transformation back into 'casette player' mode, otherwise there will be gaps and the arm joints placed under continuous tension. Not good!

Poseability 9/10
When I first bought this guy I was disappointed because he kept falling over backwards, then I read the instructions and spotted the extended heels, which fold down. D'oh! These long feet give Soundwave some much-needed stability and allow for some great poses. In terms of articulation Soundwave has it good, with a full range of motion at the shoulder, ball-jointed hips, bicep/thigh swivel, elbow/knee joints and ball-jointed wrists. The extra hands even allow for more dynamic poses (he can press his own eject button, how cool is that.) I'm slightly disappointed that his head isn't ball-jointed, and he has no waist swivel - but that is understandable due to the fact he hosts a working mp3 player in his torso.


Quality 8/10
I've had this guy for several years and all of the joints etc still feel tight. As I have mentioned, exercise caution with how you transform his arms back into the alt mode, and you will be fine.

Overall - 42/50
In most cases, I like to see a bit of re-invention when assembling my modern-day Transformers cast, but in this case I can make an exception. G1 Soundwave was one of the finest Transformer toys of his era, and his overall look still feels very fresh, despite his alt mode being long-obsolete. When you compare the likes of Optimus Prime and Megatron to him, their robot modes feel very dated indeed, so I was very glad with the modern spins HasTak put on them. But here Takara have used the faithful mantra 'if it ain't boke, don't fix it' to great effect.

Swindle

"Make deals, not war."

Easy-going and good natured, but within him beats the fuel pump of the most greed-driven street hustler. Thrives on wheeling and dealing, works for his own personal material advancement. A one-robot "black market". Uses a scatter blaster that sprays explosive pellets, gyro gun that disrupts Transformers' balance center. Combines with fellow Combaticons to form "Bruticus". Prone to overturning on sharp turns.

STRENGTH

5

INTELLIGENCE

9

SPEED

5

ENDURANCE

6

RANK

6

COURAGE

5

FIREPOWER

7

SKILL

10

OVERALL

53

Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 24, January 1987 / Issue 47, December 1988
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 63, May 31st 1986 / Issue 137, October 31st 1987
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 58 (Season 2 #42), December 10th 1985 / Episode 98 (Season 4 #3), November 11th 1987
First Toy Appearance - 1986

Click here to see Figure Details

Figure Details

AKA 'Munitioner'
Manufacturer - FansProject
Toyline - Crossfire

Additions/Mods:
- Added a Decepticon symbols to the chest
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the rear of the Jeep
- Added Decepticon symbols to the front wings

Thundercracker

"The deadliest weapon is terror."

Contemptuous of anything that cannot fly. Not totally convinced of the Decepticons' cause, but they persuaded him to continue battling Autobots. Flies at speeds up to 1500 mph... produces controlled, deafening sonic booms that can be heard for 200 miles. Equipped with powerful drone rockets and incendiary gun. Doubts about cause sometimes impede effectiveness.

STRENGTH

7

INTELLIGENCE

7

SPEED

9

ENDURANCE

7

RANK

5

COURAGE

5

FIREPOWER

8

SKILL

7

OVERALL

55

Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 1, September 1984 / Issue 50, March 1989
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 9, January 12th 1985 / Issue 100, February 14th 1987
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 1 (Season 1 #1), September 17th 1984 / The Transformers: The Movie, August 8th 1986
First Toy Appearance - 1984

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Generations

Additions/Mods:
- Added Decepticon symbols to the wings, covering the tampographed ones
- Added a Small Decepticon symbol to the nosecone

Review

Of the three original seekers, Thundercracker was most likely to fade into the background. For a start, he wasn't as obnoxious or demanding as Starscream. He didn't have an awesome ability to fall back on like Skywarp, either. His 'power' consisted of flying around loudly which I assume most jets capable of breaking the speed of sound do. He seemed to be less than convinced by the Decepticon cause so probably hid behind other robots not fighting much. As a character, I just did not care about him. As a toy though, I was smitten. I just thought his shimmering paintjob was great, really striking and a class apart from Starscream and Skywarp's more modest colour palettes. In truth, I was more excited about having a Thundercracker homage over any other seeker which is why I became perturbed when every other seeker appeared, even Acid Storm, with no sign of a Thundercracker, other than as an expensive or shoddy exclusive. So imagine my joy when Hasbro finally came good...


Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
Thundercracker has been given an absolutely brilliant paint job, and the sparkly blue plastic used is the best quality I have seen in years. He really does look great! The Seeker mould is long in the tooth and is not without its faults - it is smaller when compared with more recent deluxes, and the forearms are hollow. The forearms are a bit too stumpy as well, and there is no light-piping for the eyes. The headsculpt is pretty decent. Also, Hasbro have evoked memories of the original seekers figures very well by ensuring that the cockpit is in place, alongside the shoulder-mounted weaponry and the classic silhouette.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 9/10
I absolutely love the seeker mould as an alt mode. The plane looks really elegant and there is not too much robot kibble on display either. His paintjob is also flawless with great paint apps sitting against a sparkly and vivid blue plastic. What a nice-looking plane.


Transformation 8/10
The transformation successfully homages the original, and is a lot of fun. The legs are created by pulling the rear section of the plane out and apart, and the fuselage opens up to allow the arms to be moved to the side, and the fists unfolded. The cockpit and nosecone are 'snapped' downwards and rotated, before the whole assembly hinges and slots back into place with a reassuring click. The tailplanes are rotated into position and the wings are folded up. All that remains is to fold in the front landing gear to form the 'robo boobs' and the classic seeker look is complete.

Poseability 4/10
Quite poor, I have to say. The first issue that this mould encounters is very poor articulation. The head dose swivel but the range of movement is extremely limited, owing to the kibble attached to it. The shoulders offer lateral and side-to side movement, and the elbows are jointed but shockingly there is no bicep swivel. There is no useful wrist articulation. There is also no waist swivel. The hips offer a similar range of movement as the shoulders and the knees are jointed, unfortunately there is no thigh swivel but a rather less useful lower-leg swivel is provided. The second issue is that the positioning of the wings prohibit any real movement in the arms when the weapons are attached. Balance is not fantastic either. So you are left with mould which is extremely lacking in versatility and is probably the worst apart from some Energon redecos.


Quality 7/10
I haven't had issues with any of the Seekers, but all the joints seem like they could snap relatively easily - there are few ball joints here (there are only any in the hip) which means that if breaking points are reached then you will end up with a broken figure, as opposed to the more recent toys which are designed to pop apart and then can be re-attached. The mould seems a little dated, and is consequently more fragile than later ones.

Overall - 36/50
Thundercracker is the best example of the Seeker mould. The quality of the plastic used and the brilliantly realised paintwork lifts what is a fairly poor figure into a pretty decent one. If you were only to have one example of this mould (but why would you want to do that?) then I would heartily recommend Thundercracker over the other seekers.