Cruel, viscious, but apparently built with a few wires crossed. Talks to himself in a sing-song backward way: "Destroy the Autobots I shall. Tear them to scrap metal I will." Binary-bonded to Monzo, a brutish, profesional hyperwrestler-turned underworld nightclub owner. In robot mode, uses photon pistol and thermal sword. In wolf mode, nose module is equipped with various tracking sensors. Can leap .8 miles.
First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - The Transformers: Headmasters Issue 3, November 1987 / Issue 80, July 1991
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 130, September 12th 1987 / Issue 199, January 7th 1989
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 96 (Season 4 #1), November 9th 1987 / Episode 98 (Season 4 #3), November 11th 1987
Figure Details
AKA 'Quadruple U'
Manufacturer - FansProject
Toyline - Function X
Additions/Mods:
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the chest
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the back of the wolf
Review
Weirdwolf for me evokes a canine creature who is a little odd but then that's because I think outside of the box. Anyway, with my prerequisite sarcasm out the way, I must confess to a soft spot for all of the Decepticon
Headmasters. This is because they were all monsters which, by 1987, were infinitely more fun than the myriad of contemporary vehicles and futuristic vehicles which comprised the Autobot ranks. My particular favourite was Apeface, but the non-Horrorcons were also a lot of fun. For a start, they had bonkers colour palettes. Weirdwolf shared little of the subtle colouring you would find on a real wolf, where stealth is obviously a big part of their arsenal. He flew in the face of convention by painting himself bright yellow and turquoise (the colour of the universe, according to David Icke). I guess
that is where the 'weird' comes from. Anyway the G1 figure was a fat, dumpy brick with tiny limbs and an over-sized head (in both modes) so I was really excited with how
FansProject would right the wrongs of the past, after seeing their very competent take on
Chromedome. Is this another 'hit' to add to their growing 'Function X' line?
Appearance (Robot Mode) 9/10
This figure will definitely polarise opinion but I absolutely love it. I mean, it is slightly bow-legged and has rather obvious paws where the front of his hands should be but I really don't mind. In fact, I think these quirks enhance the look. Unlike the other Headmasters, FansProject have done away with the gun for this character but have more than made up for it with a striking sword. This weapon adds to the lithe and nimble feel of this robot - the paws actually look like armour and the slightly odd gait make this figure appear ready to strike at any time. He looks like a modern samurai. This lends itself beautifully to the alternate mode, he is wolf both in body and spirit. It is rare to see such a match between modes, and ultimately personality and form. You may think this a pretentious load of babble and I would hasten to agree but it really is something special. You may wonder why then in my opinion that this robot does not deserve a 10 - my answer being that the thumbs do not lock into place in any meaningful way, which I feel is an oversight. Elsewhere the paintwork is superbly applied as per usual, and the headsculpt is a suitable mixture of pensive and brooding.
Appearance (Alternate Mode) 7/10
Gone are the days of the fat wolf, which has instead been replaced with a lithe beast deserving of the name. A shame, then, that the ultimate hunter cannot turn its head. I would have liked this to be the case, although you can pitch it up and down a bit, plus open the jaws. I haven't come up with a way to make the wolf stand level though with his front standing lower than his hind quarters, this annoys me a bit, with the wolf constantly looking like he has been told off for eating its owners slippers. The limbs themselves are suitably lithe and really convey a canine stance when you pose them correctly. The 'line' of the figure is slightly ruined by the cockpit which is there for his Nebulan partner - I would have preferred a cockpit flush to the back, which may have been possible had Monzo been asked to sit very uncomfortably. Also, the sword, so effective in robot mode, makes for a very alert-looking tail. I'm not sure it would have been possible to make a nicer wolf mode than this, so perhaps my relatively harsh score is indicative of the limitations of even modern technology.
Transformation 9/10
You may be bored of me using the term 'innovative' in relation to FansProject but when they keep making figures like this I am unapologetic. They managed to keep the wolf slimline by turning the lower torso of the robot 90 degrees. The knees are then swung around and tabbed together to form the wolf hips. The lower legs of the wolf are swung out from the lower legs of the robot, which are tucked out of the way. The robot chest is opened up allowing the sides of the torso to collapse upwards. The wolf head and neck then slot into place. The wrists are bent forward to form the feet, with the thumbs being folded back behind the leg. This is another surprisingly simple and intuitive transformation, which still retains the innovation that FansProject are so famed for.
Poseability 9/10
The head is on a swivel, and can also tilt down which is a nice and unexpected bonus. The waist also has a swivel. The shoulders and hips are both ball-jointed, but the shoulders are slightly hindered by their design. Bicep and Hip swivel are both present. The elbows are jointed and the knees give you and angle of at least 90 degrees. There is no wrist swivel but, forearm swivel is present which means that, crucially, many awesome sword-wielding poses are possible. The feet offer some poseability. This figure has an impeccable centre of balance and just looks so damn good - and he can even be posed removing his head. FansProject have done a really, really nice job with this one.
Quality 9/10
This is a real improvement for FansProject because the transformation is incredibly innovative, with no scary moments which are synonymous with older FansProject figures. Also, the plastic feels very good quality and all the joints feel tight and resilient. The paint apps are also of FansProject's typical high standards, and overall new heights have been reached with this figure. FansProject seem to be working hard on banishing their Achilles heel.
Overall - 43/50
I can't wait for the rest of the Decepticon Headmasters to appear. In my opinion, they have already tackled the most difficult of the 3 originals and passed this initial test with flying colours. I'm hoping that they will also tackle my favourite, Apeface in due course. I would thoroughly recommend this figure if you have any interest in the Headmasters.
