Blitzwing

"Destroy first, think later."

Ability as Triple Changer to rapidly transform makes him one of the most dangerous Decepticons. Cruel sense of humor, loud-mouthed, belligerent, and brash. Flies at mach 2.7, range 1500 miles, has heat-seeking concussion missiles as plane. As tank, has track-mounted cannon that fires explosive shells 3.5 miles. As robot has electron-scimitar and gyro-blaster rifle. Often gets stuck in mid-transformation.

STRENGTH

8

INTELLIGENCE

5

SPEED

9

ENDURANCE

8

RANK

6

COURAGE

7

FIREPOWER

7

SKILL

7

OVERALL

57

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

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 29, June 1987 / Issue 43, August 1988
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 88, November 22nd 1986 / Issue 283, August 18th 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 30 (Season 2 #14), September 25th 1985 / Episode 70 (Season 3 #5), September 19th 1986
First Toy Appearance - 1985

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Generations

Additions/Mods:
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the cockpit, covering the tampographed one
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the gun barrel
- Added a replacement head and missiles from the SXS Upgrade kit

Review

When I was a wee strip of a lad I remember eagerly picking up my Transformers issues from my local corner shop and I still remember seeing issue 123 and thinking what a cool cover it was. The tagline was 'Trouble...Times Three!' and it featured the three Decpticon Triple Changers. Although I never tracked down Octane, Astrotrain and Blitzwing were 2 of my favourite figures. 'Blitzwing' could very well be in the top 5 of the best names ever, so hats off to Budiansky for that one. As the name suggests, this is a military character; while the other Triple Changers sported at least one civilian alternate mode, both of Blitzwings modes were instruments of death. 'Blitz' because the tank he could transform into would not have looked out of place on the battlefields of WWII, and 'Wing' because he also transformed into an awesome Jet (albeit one with a tank turret hanging off the bottom of it). In 2006, I was obviously chuffed when a new version of Astrotrain appeared. I assumed that Blitzwing would be along directly. Only he wasn't. Then we got Tankor, who was the new version of Octane. This renewed my hope that Blitzwing would be next. But then months turned into years and still no announcement! Just when I had given up hope and I got ready to send FansProject an email begging for their intervention, Hasbro finally came through with an updated version of the character! But was he worth the wait?


Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
There are a few issues with this robot mode which prevent it scaling even greater heights, but in the main, Hasbro have done a great job. Blitzwing is a suitably imposing figure, and is instantly recognizable as the character of old. His chest cockpit looks great, as do the moulded tracks on his legs. He still retains the iconic tailplanes, which jut out from his broad shoulders. Unfortunately the Headsculpt is quite poor. I replaced the head with the SXS upgrade kit which also incorporates some additional weaponry and a shoulder fix. Unfortunately the colour purple the kit is cast in is incorrect. This does not affect the headsculpt though, which is improved and features decent light-piping. The detail on the face could afford to be a little sharper, though. When you put this chap next to Astrotrain and Octane you realise how large he is. He is a generous Voyager figure, while the other two are average deluxes. While this isn't a flaw in the figure as such, it is galling that he doesn't really fit in so well with his team mates. Perhaps this is an example of Hasbro learning that decent-looking triple changers at deluxe size are very hard to pull off. Blitzwing also comes with a curiously small rifle and his iconic sword is also present, hooray!

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 8/10
I would say of the two modes that the jet mode is more successful, so I will start with that. I actually think that the jet looks fantastic. It is large and imposing and has space to store both weapons in a way which actually enhances the look. The purple and beige colour scheme work so well in this mode, with excellent accents on the wings picked up in red. This plane looks brutal and functional, which suits the character perfectly. The tank mode is quite good, the barrel can be moved up and down and rotated, and also fires a missile when the barrel is 'pumped' (for want of a better word). The main problem with the tank modes is that articulation though, because rotating the barrel reveals a big gap of nothing towards the rear of the vehicle. While this is annoying, it is certainly no disaster, and Hasbro have really excelled in producing 2 alternate modes which have very little incongruous kibble on them. Certainly a step up from the likes of Octane and Astrotrain!


Transformation 8/10
This is where things go slightly awry for Blitzwing, for a start it is a real challenge to push the head in to the correct position to allow the nosecone to be put in place. The default head is rubbery and sits on a powerful spring which you have to push down whilst simultaneously trying to slot the nosecone into a tab. The entire nosecone is made of rubber also, so this is tricky indeed. the 2 rubber surfaces catch on each other and make it hard to get the clearance required. This is why I feel the replacement head has really improved things as this whole affair is much easier. The shoulders also have a habit of moving out of position which means that when transforming the arms, you have to readjust the shoulders continuously. These gripes aside, thing are much better elsewhere. The hands are covered by panels secreted in the inside of the forearms. The arms form the top of the fuselage in aeroplane mode, and the turret in tank mode. The legs form the bottom, with the leg transformations reversed to fulfill both modes.

Poseability 7/10
Blitzwing has decent articulation, having head swivel, lateral and side-to side movement in the shoulder and the same in the hips. However, his shoulders have a mind of their own, and frustratingly pop out of position. He also has bicep and thigh swivel, elbow and knee joints as well as wrist swivel and poseable feet, being that they are comprised of the lower tailplanes. The only meaningful articulation Blitzwing lacks is a waist joint, as well as more movement in his head. There are no balance issues thanks to the articulated feet, so hats off to Hasbro again, it seems. His thighs are a little odd, though, being proportionally too stumpy when compared to his super-long lower legs.


Quality 6/10
The stock head of my figure had already lost paint, due to the incredibly awkward act of getting the nosecone into the right place. I now use a slither of paper in-between the 2 surfaces to minimise friction and paint loss during transformation. Even when in place, the nosecone feels like it is being stretched out of position, with a nasty gap where the tab engages. Again, I would recommend the head upgrade to alleviate this issue. Elsewhere, the quality of plastic feels decent, not necessarily up to the standard of 5 year old figures but good nonetheless. The weak tabs holding the shoulders in position are another cause for concern.

Overall - 37/50
I wish that Hasbro had ditched the face-swapping feature as I feel it forced them to compromise in ways that have ultimately made the figure worse. That is not to say that this is a bad figure by any means - it is certainly a massive improvement on Hasbro's other attempts at Triple Changers in recent years. I am so happy to finally have this figure, and I feel that overall Hasbro have done a great job of representing the original character.

Fireflight

"When I'm flying, no enemy is safe - nor friend."

If Aerialbots needed pilots' licenses, he'd never have gotten his... a hazard in the skies. Doesn't pay attention to where he's going since he's too busy marvelling at scenery. Flies at Mach 2.0, range 1000 miles. Carries flammable "fire-fog" missiles, uses photon displacer gun that effects sight by distorting light waves. With fellow Aerialbots forms "Superion".

STRENGTH

7

INTELLIGENCE

5

SPEED

8

ENDURANCE

8

RANK

6

COURAGE

9

FIREPOWER

7

SKILL

3

OVERALL

53

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

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 21, October 1986 / Issue 50, March 1989
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 63, May 31st 1986 / Issue 278, July 14th 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 57 (Season 2 #41), November 26th 1985 / Episode 98 (Season 4 #3), November 11th 1987
First Toy Appearance - 1986

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Revenge of the Fallen

Additions/Mods:
- Used parts from both ROTF Fireflight and Skydive, Repainted the chest, cockpit, wings and engines a more vibrant red
- Added Autobot symbols to the wings
- Added stickers to the cockpit

Review

Fireflight was always the clumsy oaf of the Aerialbots. Perhaps Hasbro had this in mind when they repurposed the Superion Energon combiner to be a homage to G1 Superion, for the resultant mess is one of the worst figures I have aver had the displeasure to set eyes upon. For why, read on...


Appearance (Robot Mode) 5/10
For everything that Hasbro got right with Air Raid/Slingshot, they got wrong with this mould, for it is damn ugly. It's difficult to know where to begin, so let's take each part in isolation. The head is rather wide and insectiod, and is crowned by some guns which make the head look even more insectoid. The torso sports the 'middle aged spread' look, and is made to look even podgier by the snake-like hips lurking beneath it. The lower arms end in lumps as opposed to fists. The legs are as skinny as the hips, and there is a silly amount of kibble attached to the upper body. At least the gun/shield is pretty nice, but that's only because FansProject designed them, and not the Hasbro work experience guy who came up with this risible robot mode. Knowing I could do little about the look of the mould, I instead tried to make the colours better by combining two figures to make a nearly all-grey robot, and then painted over the horrible maroon with red. The result is a figure which doesn't necessarily match the colour scheme of the G1 robot, but at least it isn't quite so obnoxious now.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 6/10
Thankfully the alternate mode is a vast improvement, but still not nice enough to warrant the detestable robot mode. At least here we have a well-proportioned aeroplane, the same model as Powerglide by the looks of it. I still don't think that an Aerialbot should have this kind of layout though, and would have preferred a more F15-like layout. I prefer the colour scheme of the plane now that I have painted it, as at least it is not quite so jarring with the other Aerialbots.


Transformation 7/10
Part of the reason for the odd proportions in robot mode are due to this transformation sequence, which is actually pretty imaginative. The wings and surrounding area fold back to reveal the legs, which are then pivoted to align with the waist. It is this act of stowing the legs that make them necessarily thin. The legs also are seperated and then fitted back together differently to put the figure into 'combiner' mode. The fists become the jet engines which is also why they are pretty awful to look at.

Poseability 5/10
The articulation on this figure is actually good, especially considering the size class. His head swivels, as does the waist. The Hips, Knees, Shoulders and Elbows are all on ball joints. Even the antannae-like guns on his head can pivot back and forth. Unfortunately, the excessive kibble in the rear of the upper body gives this mould severe balance issues. Add to this a fairly gawpy-looking robot mode, means that you spend most of your time tying to find a non-stupid pose where he doesn't fall over.


Quality 7/10
This figure seems obstinately tough. It knows how ugly it is, and you sure as hell ain't breaking it any time soon. However, the gun emplacement which attaches to the head is very loose, and will certainly be lost should you decide to drop-kick this monstrosity down the stairs.

Overall - 30/50
The mould used to make these poor figures should never have seen the light of day. I guarantee that these figures would have been smelted down in their millions were it not for the fact that they are required to make Superion. This figure is really ugly and does not fit in with the Aerialbot aesthetic, either as a robot or a plane. The only hope is that FansProject one day replace the 2 figures that share this mould with new moulds, as they did with Bruticus. I am happy now that his colour scheme is not quite as awful as it was, though!

Frenzy

"Sow panic and surrender will bloom."

If FRENZY needed to breathe, war would be his oxygen. He knows no cause, only craves to spread fear and destruction. His efforts are appreciated by other Decepticons. His devotion to warfare makes him hard to deal with on a personal level. Can roll his drums to produce high-pitch, grating sound of 200db. Disorients and disrupts electrical flow in opponent's circuitry which makes them malfunction. Physically weak. His manic attack can be countered with cool logic.

STRENGTH

2

INTELLIGENCE

5

SPEED

2

ENDURANCE

6

RANK

5

COURAGE

10

FIREPOWER

9

SKILL

6

OVERALL

45

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

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 2, November 1984 / Issue 41, June 1988
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 59, May 3rd 1986 / Issue 100, February 14th 1987
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 14 (Season 1 #14), December 1st 1984 / The Transformers: The Movie, August 8th 1986
First Toy Appearance - 1984

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

AKA 'Shadow Warrior PE01-F'
Manufacturer - Perfect Effect
Toyline -

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

Review

Frenzy has long been classed as 'the other one' when people eulogised about Rumble, but I always thought that his sonic weapon was better than Rumble's piledrivers. Perfect Effect have accepted the task of bringing this conniving little Decepticon to life. Read on to see if they have done him justice. Before you do so, please bear in mind that I believe Frenzy is blue, not red. The cartoon was wrong, you see.


Appearance (Robot Mode) 9/10
I finally opted for the toy-accurate colour schemes of Perfect Effect's 'Shadow Warrior' mould, and I'm very glad that I did. The mould itself has always been great, and now that the colour scheme is accurate to Frenzy (or Rumble, if you like being wrong) this little guy is pretty much perfect. His little punky face is full of attitude and it is remarkable that one of my favourite faces is on such a small scale. I stick the piledrivers onto his back, to differentiate him from Rumble.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 6/10
Well, it's a gun. I'm personally not a fan of alt modes which cannot 'support' themselves, with the exception of Megatron, I suppose. It is nice enough to look at, though, but it just kind of sits there. It would make more sense if it was being wielded by Shadow Commander. I'm convinced that I should be able to come up with an unofficial alt mode but I really am too lazy.


Transformation 7/10
Surprisingly complex for what is a small figure, Perfect Effect really know how to add value to a small robot. The legs fold in on themselves and the arms tuck into the legs, and the large gun barrels clip over the shoulders, once the head has been folded away, that is. The gun handle can be tricky to connect to the gun, though and has a tendency to pop off.

Poseability 9/10
I would be happy if there was this amount of poseability on a deluxe, but for a legends-class toy, it really is outstanding. The head swivels and tilts (albeit downwards only) and the waist swivels too. The shoulders and elbows are ball-jointed, as are the hips and knees. The feet are also on ball-joints. My only criticism is that there are certain positions where the joints like to 'rest' so getting poses in between these spots can take perseverance. But this is more to do with size limitations rather than anything else.


Quality 8/10
He feels very solid for his diminutive size - there are no anxious moments when transforming or posing him. A miniature marvel. That said, his left hip has a tendency to pop out of its socket. Maybe I am unlucky, because Rumble (and the 2 Shadow Warrior variants) do not have this issue.

Overall - 39/50
Perfect Effect have carved a niche with their tiny figures, which are an absolute joy to own. I'm very pleased with the accurate colour scheme, as I have long been a fan of the mould. The one letdown is a slightly prosaic alternate mode, but then I guess cassettes were never very exciting.

Headstrong

"The best advice is not to listen to advice."

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.

STRENGTH

7

INTELLIGENCE

5

SPEED

4

ENDURANCE

7

RANK

5

COURAGE

6

FIREPOWER

8

SKILL

6

OVERALL

48

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

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
First Toy Appearance - 1986

Click here to see Figure Details and review

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!

Hot Rod

"My actions speak louder than words."

Hot Rod is an all-American-boy Autobot. He's a typical adolescent who dreams of being heroic and important. He tends to not follow rules too closely. Although he means well, Hot Rod's impulsive actions often get him into trouble. He carries two photon lasers that temporarily electromagnetize an enemy robot's microcircuts. Speed: 120mph. Range: 4 miles. He can be hotheaded, but he's always a well meaning, admirable lad and a brave and honorable fighter.

STRENGTH

6

INTELLIGENCE

5

SPEED

6

ENDURANCE

8

RANK

5

COURAGE

10

FIREPOWER

7

SKILL

6

OVERALL

53

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

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - The Transformers: Headmasters Issue 4, January 1988 / Issue 80, July 1991
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 78, September 13th 1986 / Issue 186, October 8th 1988
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - The Transformers: The Movie, August 8th 1986 / Episode 98 (Season 4 #3), November 11th 1987
First Toy Appearance - 1986

Click here to see Figure Details

Figure Details

AKA 'Rodimus'
Manufacturer - Takara
Toyline - Henkei

This is the Henkei version

* These Tech Spec scores are from the 'Targetmaster' version of the figure as the original scores for Hot Rod are absurdly high, with no less than 6 scores of 10! This was obviously a mistake on Hasbro's part as Hot Rod is a bit of a bumbling wimp in the movie.

Long Haul

"A battle front is only as good as its supply line."

Unhappy with unglamorous role, but understands its importance... helps build Decepticons' massive energy-recovery installations. As vehicle, can carry 90 tons for 1200 miles, use a dual heat-seeking missile mount. As torso module, combines with fellow Constructicons to form giant robot "Devastator". Can be goaded into a fight in which he's overmatched.

STRENGTH

9

INTELLIGENCE

5

SPEED

2

ENDURANCE

9

RANK

4

COURAGE

8

FIREPOWER

7

SKILL

4

OVERALL

48

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 93 (Season 3 #28), November 19th 1986 First Toy Appearance - 1985

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

AKA 'Dump Truck'
Manufacturer - Maketoys
Toyline - Type 61

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

Review

I often wonder what my beloved Transformer characters were doing between the early 1990's and, say 2005 and in Long Haul's case it is clear he has been hitting the steriods big time. As the crotch of Devastator, this unfortunate robot always had the hardest burden to bear, so it's perhaps not surprising that he turned to drugs. Long Haul was also the most prosaic of the Constructicons; the other vehicles had exciting functions, whereas a pretty standard dump truck failed to excite. But, as a toy, is this Maketoys incarnation similarly bland?


Appearance (Robot Mode) 9/10
Long Haul is incredibly squat, and powerful looking. I think that this annoys some collectors, but for me he perfectly epitomises what the Constructicons are about. This guy is the engine room for the whole combiner so has to be pretty damn solid. From his wide-legged stance to massive fists, Long Haul looks like a brawler - the blunt instrument you use when more precise methods fail. He is Devastator in a nutshell. I really admire the head scuplt which is appropriately industrial. As in all cases with these Maketoys bots, the paint apps are well-judged and immaculate. I guess they learned some lessons on yellow Giant, after all.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 9/10
The dumptruck mode is equally formidable. The tyres are superbly sculpted and chunky, and have the added bonus of having 'steering'; not rack and pinion exactly but it works well enough to make interesting poses. The cabin area is absolutely dwarfed by the huge tyres beneath it and you really get a sense of the size of this vehicle. The combiner chest kibble can be smartly stowed in the rear of the huge bed. I'm very pleased overall with this dump truck, which once again conveys brute force and horsepower. The lime green matches so well with the G1 original and the paint apps are, once again, understated and very neat.


Transformation 7/10
One thing you can feel when transforming this figure is how substantial it is, both in size and weight. The truck bed splits in half to become the arms, but not after first folding the arms back on themselves. It is a pretty imaginative way of forming them and better than the usual 'hide the arms under the chassis/fuselage' fare. There is some manipulation required around the crotch piece (that's what she said) but nothing too taxing. The headlight assemblies fold in to form a more svelte waist and the somewhat diddy feet fold out from the shins. It is very difficult to reattach the front portion of the truck bed though as the instructions explain it, as you have to push them over very wide tabs. This requires herculean effort and can cause serious damage to the figure unless you come up with your own method. After I join the arms back to form the truck bed, I pitch them down slightly, to make placement of the 2 flaps easier.

Poseability 8/10
Long Haul's head and shoulders are both ball-jointed. His elbows are double-jointed and his almighty fists also rotate at the wrist. He has ratcheted joints in his waist, and 2 ratchets in each hip allowing for comprehensive yet supportive movement. Bicep and thigh swivel are both present, and Long Haul's 'toes' are also on a ball-joint. Disappointingly, his knees are very low, but his function as the combiner lower torso probably made this necessary. Apart from this issue, Long Haul is surprisingly poseable, and thanks to his low-wide-legged stance, he has an excellent center of gravity.


Quality 8/10
I would love to mark this figure higher because he is heavier and more substantial than any of his fellow Constructicons. He has superlative hip joints, with no expense spared on keeping them as rigid as possible, bearing in mind the sheer weight this guy carries around when forming Devastator. He is extremely well made out of very high quality plastic, surpassing all but the most recent FansProject efforts in my humble opinion. I only mark him slightly lower because of the difficulty with getting the front of the truck bed to rest back accross the cabin in alt mode and the extreme force required (unless you alleviate it somewhat by re-jigging the transformation sequence) to do so.

Overall - 41/50
I really have a lot of time for Long Haul. He shines in both modes and embodies what I have always admired in the Constructicons. He is a pretty perfect robot, and poses so well, adding some much-needed weight to the Constructicon ranks. If not for that one very scary aspect of his transformation, then this guy would be getting a couple of extra marks under his belt. But even with these issues, Long Haul is the most successful of Maketoy's reimaginings, and my favourite to boot. Just don't tell the others.

Octopunch

"Anything that can sink is worth sinking."

The terror of the deep. If he's not stealing sunken treasure or ancient artifacts, he amuses himself by smashing holes in submarines and cruise ships. Electrically-charged, razor-tipped harpoon gun momentarily short-circuits on contact. Also armed with vice-like tentacles that stick to any surface. So strong underwater that he can wrestle a whale to a standstill. Inner robot convers to metal-rending crab creature equipped with depth gauges, deep-sea radar and acetylene torch gun.

STRENGTH

8

INTELLIGENCE

5

SPEED

1

ENDURANCE

9

RANK

6

COURAGE

8

FIREPOWER

5

SKILL

7

OVERALL

49

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

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 60, December 1989 / Issue 80, July 1991
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 229, August 5th 1989 / Issue 286, September 8th 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance -
First Toy Appearance - 1989

Click here to see Figure Details

Figure Details

AKA 'Shattered Glass Octopunch'
Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Botcon

Additions/Mods:
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the chest, covering the tampographed 'heroic Decepticon' one

Omega Supreme

"Unyielding resolve has no conqueror."

The ultimate defensive force. Great strength, even greater courage. Serious, even grim... last line of Autobot defense. Protects the Ark and all else vital to his cause. As robot, can shatter a mountainside, lift 300,000 tons with clawed arm, destroy 12' steel cube with plasma blaster arm... has head-mounted laser cannon. Can transform to laser cannon tank and launching pad with rocket. Rocket can achieve planetary orbit.

STRENGTH

10

INTELLIGENCE

5

SPEED

3

ENDURANCE

10

RANK

7

COURAGE

10

FIREPOWER

10

SKILL

6

OVERALL

61

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

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 14, March 1986 / Issue 50, March 1989
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) -
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 39 (Season 2 #23), October 23rd 1985 / Episode 85 (Season 3 #20), November 12th 1986
First Toy Appearance - 1985

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Platinum Edition

Additions/Mods:
- Added an Autobot symbol to the shoulder, covering the tampographed one

Review

Omega Supreme: Awesome. That was my esteemed opinion as a young chap despite the fact that the toy was derpy at best, with roughly 1,000 seperate parts to lose down the back of the sofa. In the cartoon, it would later transpire that he and Devastator had a rivalry spanning millions of years, which makes his absence from the Movie even more bizarre. Without Devastator being able to smash up Autobot city pretty much unopposed, would Optimus Prime have had to pay the ultimate sacrifice? This kept me awake at night after tearfully witnessing Prime's death back in 1985 - where was Omega Supreme? IDW later attempted to explain this absence in their Movie adaptation by pitting him and the 2 Autobot combiners up against Menasor and Bruticus. I make that 3 against 2, so that explanation is rubbish. Even in the UK comic, when Ultra Magnus was getting his butt kicked by Galvatron in Target:2006, Omega didn't appear, despite Magnus even discussing the use of him as a possibility. I have therefore decided that for all his strength, Omega Supreme is a bit of a coward. Despite this, I still leapt at the chance to buy this great retool of the Energon toy of the same name. And unlike the fictional character, at least the toy showed up when I needed him.


Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
The Chinese year of the snake has been the Transformers collector's gain with this quite ace retooling of Energon Omega Supreme. One change is the new head, which is no longer detachable but is frankly amazing. The face looks so good and is masked by the sheen of clear plastic which really evokes memories of the G1 figure. The light-up gimmick is gone, which I won't particularly miss but some might find this a shame. The major change, however, is the completely new 'claw' forearm, which is suitably impressive and upsized as if to resemble 'War For Cybertron' Omega Supreme. In fact the whole colour palette is reminiscent of the videogame character. Considering the quite loud paint scheme employed for the Energon toy, this paint job is remarkably coherent and understated. I do have 2 gripes though and they both center around the legs - The 'Omega Train' leg is too bright a red and I would have loved to see a more burgundy hue used, and the 'Omega Battleship' tower is black, when matching burgundy would have the more obvious choice. The copper highlights are fantastic though and really bring out the impressive amount of sculpted detail on this huge robot. I didn't mention how massive this figure is. He dwarfs Devastator and Bruticus with ease, and only Unicron is taller in my collection. He is also extremely barrel-chested, with huge arms which just evoke extreme power. 'Last line of defense' indeed.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 7/10
First off, I am not going to complain about the various alt modes at your disposal too much when it comes to this figure, since the G1 original was pretty odd in this regard. The spirit of the original has been referenced here though because the alt mode comprises of 2 seperate entities - The Omega Train and the Omega Battleship. I really like the battleship because it is bristling with weaponry - the three turrets near to the bow rotate in unison which looks both impressive and menacing at the same time. There are also firing missiles on the largest gun, and then another gun to the stern. It's a slightly incongruous mode in the Transformers universe but I guess he can always hang out with Broadside. Then there is the Omega Train which is also pretty nice, were it not for the previously-mentioned bright red areas. There are 3 small cranes as well as the massive rear crane, which adds significantly to the play value of this toy. These 2 individual vehicles can be combined to form a mega-massive combined trousersnake train thingy but frankly I don't have room to photograph such a large object. There are also 3rd modes for the 2 sections, one being a crane and one being a weapons platform. Both of these kinda resemble Omega split in half and leaning over, which is appropriate because they are just that.


Transformation 6/10
Transforming this figure is pretty much the matter of bisecting the poor chap at the torso, which may come in handy if I decide that he and Bludgeon should have a fight. Other than this the legs and arms are moved about a bit, and that's pretty much it. For some reason Hasbro determine that this is an 'advanced' transformation - not sure if moving a few bits around justifies that categorisation. Oh yes and the head sinks into the surrounding plate and the whole thing is swivelled out of sight. Not necessarily a bad thing though, a bit of simplicity.

Poseability 6/10
I feel like this figure is missing some key articulation especially when they had such a large dude to work with. The head is on a swivel, there is no waist swivel though, which is pretty forgivable. There is front-to-back and side-to-side jointing in the shoulder, as well as elbow swivel and forearm rotation. The claw actually has 'knuckles' and is surprisingly poseable with the abilty to grip even small objects. The hips are articulated as per the shoulders, and the knees are jointed with lower leg swivel. So why the low mark? Because there is no bicep or thigh swivel. This severely limits poseability and is a real shame because the centre of gravity and other articulation have the potential to make this great.


Quality 9/10
This figure would probably become shelter for Cockroaches in the event of nuclear destruction. It is incredibly solid, in part due to its simplicity and also sheer mass. The plastic feels a world away from more recent Hasbro offerings and I'm sure could stand up to much battering at the hands of an overzealous child.

Overall - 36/50
This huge figure should be added without consideration to any collection, unless space is of a real concern. It really is an example of Hasbro maximising the potential of moulds from other lines and making them work perfectly with a few tweaks. This may be the best we can hope for in these austere times. I just hope that they do the same with their Unicron trilogy versions of Scorponok and Metroplex so there are a few more classic names ticked off the list. This is a great homage to an imposing (albeit cowardly, if you subscribe to my controversial beliefs) Autobot legend.

Outback

"Rules are detours on the road of life."

Thinks going by the book is going the long way. Doesn't follow plans - or roads! Cuts across parking lots, sidewalks, backyards to get where he's going. Travels at 110mph, range 800 miles, his 4-wheel drive handles roughest terrain, climbs grades up to 50 degrees. Carries turret-mounted mortar cannon that shoots armour-piercing shells.

STRENGTH

4

INTELLIGENCE

5

SPEED

6

ENDURANCE

5

RANK

4

COURAGE

9

FIREPOWER

6

SKILL

5.5

OVERALL

44.5

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

First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 41, June 1988 / Issue 47, December 1988
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 98, January 31st 1987 / Issue 245, November 25th 1989
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 66 (Season 3 #1), September 1st 1986 / Episode 83 (Season 3 #18), November 11th 1986
First Toy Appearance - 1986

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

AKA 'Bushwhacker'
Manufacturer - iGear
Toyline - Mini Warriors

Additions/Mods:
- Added an Autobot symbol to the chest
- Added Autobot symbols to the doors
- Added various Reprolabels

Review

You may well have no idea who Outback is, because he was used pretty sparingly in the cartoon. He arrived with a whimper in the post-movie lull, and received zero character development. In the UK comic it was a different matter, as he was instrumental in stopping the Wreckers executing Optimus Prime, after they wrongly deduced he was an impostor. He was nearly torn in half by a guardian robot, before Prime nursed his wounds and ultimately got him patched up, once the Wreckers realised their mistake. Then he was pretty much absent from any fiction again, but the plucky little Autobot had made his mark on me. Let's hope that iGear manage to homage him without one of their trademark screwups.


Appearance (Robot Mode) 5/10
As this shares a mould with Brawn, this figure suffers from the same defects as him - massive balljoints, crappy plastic and rubbish to non-existent paint apps. This figure is also laughably large - as big as Bumblebee - when you consider that this mould was supposed to be somewhere between legends and scout size, you can perhaps appreciate why the detail is quite so sparse. The only difference between Outback and Brawn is the headsculpt, which is pretty decent. However, Outback has a very signature chest, which has not been incorporated at all. When you consider that iGear did at least give Gears and Swerve different chests, this smacks of laziness. headsculpts but both are pretty poor. The figure itself is well-proportioned, and evokes the original character successfully. This would've worked pretty well as a scout-sized figure. My main gripe is actually the colour scheme used, I mean all iGear had to do was source some beige and brown plastic. Instead the brown areas are a dirty yellow (suspiciously the exact same shade of yellow as Brawn, perhaps they had some leftovers?) and the beige areas are white. Honestly, this washed-out figure looks like a test shot or a prototype and thankfully the Reprolabels guys have at least made some strides to rescue this spartan figure.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 5/10
The alternate mode looks quite nice but looks and feels very cheap in hand, again due to the fact it was lazily upscaled. The tyres are nicely sculpted albeit somewhat sparse. This is not helped buy the extremely washed out colour scheme. Outback does come with his signature cannon at least, but in an inspired feat of engineering the cretins at iGear managed to make the cannon handle way too large for either the fist or the tyre hole. I had to shave off an awful lot of plastic just to have the gun fit, which means I could never now sell this piece of junk on even if there was someone as stupid as me who would buy the thing. The reprolabels go some way to improving the look, with nice window stickers which at least provide a splash of colour. A shame, then, that the main colour is wrong.


Transformation 6/10
Outback actually has a nice transformation sequence. The doors slide up and then the sides of the vehicle are pulled out and folded back on themselves to form the legs. The waist is twisted 180 degrees and the arms pull out from the recesses either side of the torso. However, the lower legs are extremely difficult to split apart and given that your only grips are on the wheels, this worries me a lot. I don't want to inadvertently bend a pin holding the wheel in, but this figure puts you exactly in that predicament. This was not an issue with the Brawn figure.

Poseability 7/10
Outback has some tight balljoints, but nothing as bad as Cosmos. His head is hard to move anyway because of the cavity it sits in. He has ball-jointed shoulders, hips, elbows and knees. His waist swivels. His knee joints are very far up on the leg, although not as bad as RID Ultra Magnus. He has some balance issues due to the tabs which form his 'heels'.


Quality 5/10
Tight and loose balljoints, and parts which are nigh on impossible to separate, coupled with a gun which does not fit and iGear seem to care less and less with every half-assed figure they produce.

Overall - 28/50
This is another crap figure from the iGear stable. I just hope that the remaining 'Mini Warriors' are actually delivered in the scale they were designed for. I'm OK with larger figures if the quality has been upped along with the scale. Unfortunately this is the most representative figure of Outback by some distance. If something else comes along which is a bit nicer, I will chuck this piece of junk in the bin where it belongs. iGear have actually shocked me with this figure, because they have made Brawn seem not so bad in comparison. At least Brawn can hold his damn gun without the use of a scalpel and lots of bits of shredded plastic. Pathetic.