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.

Blurr

"The faster it is, the better I like it."

Blurr is the fastest Autobot on land. He's a close descendent to a thoroughbred Cybertronic race horse, and a superior messenger. He can quickly whisk information from one place to another. In robot mode, he carries an electro-laser that reverses the polarity of an enemy robot's microcircuts and leaves them motionless. Range: 10 miles. In vehicular mode, he can travel faster than the speed of sound, leaving a blurred image in his trail.

STRENGTH

7

INTELLIGENCE

8

SPEED

10

ENDURANCE

6

RANK

7

COURAGE

8

FIREPOWER

7

SKILL

5

OVERALL

58

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 1, July 1987 / Issue 71, October 1990
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 84, October 25th 1986 / Issue 224, July 1st 1989
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 and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Generations

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

Review

Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
Let me start by saying that I am blown away by the colour scheme, which is so bold and vibrant. He really pops out and is close to my favourite. Unfortunately there is a lot of kibble on this guy. His guns are awesome. I do not like his headsculpt as it does not resemble the Blurr I remember. And no light piping here at all. So a lot that I love, and a lot that I am not keen on. Extra points for the fantastic colour scheme alone.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 8/10
I really like the car. What more can I say? I wish the rims were silver or white, but maybe that's just my dodgy taste. A job well done.

Transformation 7/10
Mostly enjoyable but the hip kibble in particular annoys me and tends to get into the way. An unorthadox leg transformation makes up for this somewhat.

Poseability 9/10
Almost perfect. I love the fact that he can hold his rifle 2 handed. The only flaws for me are that the feet cannot be posed at all, and the lack of a waist joint.

Quality 9/10
I have no complaints with this aspect, Blurr feels very solid. I guess this is helped by the lack of a waist joint, which I think would have caused the whole toy to be fragile, given how the various bits of kibble seem to put pressure on the waist when in vehicle mode.

Overall - 41/50
Blurr scores more highly than I would have thought, but then he has a lot of very good attributes with my only real criticism being 'is this Blurr'? Whoever he is, I like.

Dirge

"Fear is the element that unites all losers."

The sound of his engines causes petrifying fear in those who hear them. He's a master at handling fear... other Decepticons are put off by his mournful, silent ways. "He gives me the creeps," says Ramjet. He carries two concussion missiles. Needs to control a situation; otherwise, he too falls victim to fear, making him useless as a warrior.

STRENGTH

7

INTELLIGENCE

8

SPEED

8

ENDURANCE

6

RANK

5

COURAGE

4

FIREPOWER

8

SKILL

9

OVERALL

55

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 21, October 1986
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 88, November 22nd 1986 / Issue 279, July 21st 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 31 (Season 2 #15), September 26th 1985 / Episode 80 (Season 3 #15), October 21st 1986
First Toy Appearance - 1985

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Generations

Additions/Mods:
- Added a Small Decepticon symbol to the nosecone

Review

Dirge was another of those 1985 characters awkwardly shoe-horned into the cartoon continuity, showing up in Season 2 and immediately getting his butt kicked by Grimlock. He was a fairly non-descript character in all honesty - all of the coneheads seemed to be dumber versions of the original three seekers. But I had a soft spot for Dirge. I had the figure as a child and I always admired the almost electric blue paintjob, twinned with the caramel wings. What can I say, the eighties were an interesting time, style-wise and any colour combination was considered. Hasbro showed us Ramjet very early on in the classics line, and while the figure had its faults, it was really nice to see a conehead again. It would be some time before Hasbro would deliver Dirge, and by then, the seeker mould was already looking a bit old-fashioned compared to more recent figures. So the question is, has Hasbro left it too late with this guy?


Appearance (Robot Mode) 6/10
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 'conehead' headsculpt is a really nice touch though, and actually differentiates the figures properly whereas the G1 originals were probably the first case of a 'fan mode' where the head was deliberately mis-transformed to provide the classic shape. The face is quite grumpy, and reminds me of an 'Easter Island' statue. 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. Dirge's colour scheme is vibrant, with the bright blue working well against the muted brown. I dislike Dirge's lower legs though, because they are rendered very bulky by wing kibble. I know that this was the original look, but things would have been helped by having the option to move them back a bit, as was the case with Ramjet.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 9/10
I absolutely love the seeker mould as an alt mode. Elegant and sleek, there is not too much robot kibble on display either. Dirge is no exception - I always loved the original figure and here the distinctive profile of the wings has been re-created perfectly, along with very clean paint apps and expertly-applied Decepticon tampographs, which I have augmented with a nice Decepticon symbol on the nosecone. Again, the colour scheme really 'pops' in this mode.


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. The difference being on this version of the mould that only tiny parts of the wing fold up to the torso, with the remainder being attached tot he leg. All that remains is to fold in the front landing gear to form the 'robo boobs' and the 'conehead' seeker look is complete.

Poseability 6/10
Quite poor, I have to say. The first issue that this mould encounters is very poor articulation. The head does swivel and the range of movement is better than the 'traditional' seekers because it is kibble-free. 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. However, because this 'conehead' mould has no significant upper wing kibble, the arms are unimpeded and can be posed in a greater variety of ways. Balance is not fantastic though. Dirge in particular looks pretty daft because the leg kibble has no joint to move it back, unlike Ramjet. You are left with mould which is extremely lacking in versatility and is pretty bad for a deluxe figure.


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
This Dirge homage is pretty decent, despite being quite weak in robot mode the perennially excellent alternate mode helps things somewhat. There is some added poseability as Dirge is unimpeded by having to have the wings off of his back, but this causes its own problems by making the robot mode ungainly. I would recommend this more highly if you were planning to display it in fighter jet mode!

Doubledealer

"The price of victory is never too high."

A ruthless, battle-ready robot for rent. A traitorous backstabber. Only loyal to the highest bidder. Valued by all, trusted by none. When binary-bonded to Knok, Doubledealer disguises himself as an Autobot robot. When binary-bonded to the bat creature, Skar, Doubledealer transforms into a Decepticon falcon. Armed with intercontinental ballistic missile that can travel 3,000 miles in 30 minutes. Equipped with enough explosives to flatten a mountain range. Uses solid light blaster in robot Mode.

STRENGTH

8

INTELLIGENCE

8

SPEED

6

ENDURANCE

9

RANK

8

COURAGE

9

FIREPOWER

8

SKILL

9

OVERALL

65

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 228, July 29th 1989
First/Last Cartoon Appearance -
First Toy Appearance - 1988

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Generations

Additions/Mods:
- Added an Autobot symbol to the chest
- Added a Decepticon symbol to the nosecone, covering the tampographed one
- Covered the Autobot symbol on the front of the tank

Review

I admit that pretty much all I know about this mould is from the Japanese 'Super God Masterforce' animated series where he operated under the guise of Doubleclouder. Not ideal I know, but the basic premise of the character is the same. Like Punch/Counterpunch, Doubledealer has 2 distinct modes and personalities. However, where Punch is the 'true' personality and thus an Autobot at heart, Doubledealer is a mercenary and your guess is as good as mine regarding his true allegiance. The truth is that Doubledealer is neither Autobot nor Decepticon, he will happily fight for good if the price is right or if it is to his advantage. So I struggled with where to place him. Unlike Punch and Counterpunch Doubledealer has only one tech spec, denoting only one personality, so where to place him? Well he isn't an Autobot as his duplicitous nature precludes that. He is also not a Decepticon because while he may be a bad guy, he has no particular affinity towards that faction of bad guys. Hence, he is another 'misc' character as far as I am concerned. Anyway, with that established, let's take a look at the figure Hasbro decided to homage him with. As a re-use of the Blitzwing mould, the choice is hardly ideal. So the question is, does it work?


Appearance (Robot Mode) 9/10
Firstly I wasn't happy with how Hasbro made a bit of a hash with this character. They chose to make the robot mode 'neutral' with the tank and jet modes Autobot and Decepticon respectively. I rectified this by firstly slapping an Autobot symbol onto the robot. Then the idea was to have the tank neutral and the 'plane Decepticon. This is largely what I have done, however I played around a bit and came up with what is (for me) a passable bird-like mode for the Decepticon character. While not ideal, it at least makes sense in the context of the G1 character. I won't say too much about my Decepticon fan mode other than I think it works reasonably well. Onto the Robot mode which shares all of the merits and flaws of Blitzwing, with the exception of a smaller and hard plastic head out of the box, which causes far less issues with the nosecone. The headsculpt is decent, with great red light-piping. The proportions and size of the robot are imposing, evoking a very military feel. The legs are too much calf and not enough thigh, but this isn't too noticeable. Doubledealer comes equipped with the sword and gun - I actually only use the sword in the alt modes and my bird fan mode as the tail. The main difference between this and Blitzwing is the garish late '80s colour scheme, which I happen to love. The blues are particularly vibrant, and the gold paint apps are a nice touch. Due to the colours and better headsculpt, I prefer this use of the mould over Blitzwing.

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 neon colour scheme really pops in this mode, with the bright orange cockpit glass contrasting excellently with the off-white surround. The shark tampograph on the nosecone is beautifully done, and allowed me to get creative with my fan mode and give it a 'face'. 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.


Transformation 8/10
Again, this mould is improved over Blitzwing because you do not have the rigmorole of trying to insert an overly-large soft plastic head into a soft plastic nosecone. Thanks to the hard plastic head, there are no issues with this mould in that respect. The nosecone fits snugly but does not deform or feel under undue pressure at all. The shoulders still have the habit of moving out of position which means that when transforming the arms, you have to readjust the shoulders continuously. This is somewhat worse in this use of the mould. I have made a couple of inserts which fix this problem altogether and do not affect transformation or the silhouette of the figure. This criticism aside, things 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. This is also an extremely versatile mould which allowed me to come up with my fan mode easily.

Poseability 7/10
Doubledealer 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. I have fixed this though. 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 this mould 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 7/10
The head and nosecone issue is thankfully absent, but still, the weak tabs holding the shoulders in position are cause for concern and can be incredibly frustrating. The truth is, that Hasbro should never have let this happen. Elsewhere, the quality of plastic feels decent, not necessarily up to the standard of 5 year old figures but good nonetheless.

Overall - 39/50
I prefer this use of the mould over Blitzwing, partially because the head-to-nosecone clearance issues are not present thanks to the redesigned and smaller headsculpt. Also the colour schem is just excellent. I guess that some people may find it a bit too much, but for me, this figure leaves me in neon nirvana!

Hoist

"You have to be rolling before you can be fighting."

"No exceptions!" -- All Autobots must submit to his maintenance schedule... knows they must operate at peak efficiency in battle. Jovial, enjoys job and is good at it -- will find any problem, from engine overhaul to smallest leaky gasket. As tow truck, hauls 40,000 lbs. As robot, very strong -- launches heat-seeking missiles from wrist sockets. Full spectrum multi-sensor behind his head determines an objects' composistion, density, tensile strength, energy properties.

STRENGTH

8

INTELLIGENCE

6

SPEED

3

ENDURANCE

7

RANK

4

COURAGE

8

FIREPOWER

6

SKILL

9

OVERALL

51

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) - Issue 78, September 13th 1986 / Issue 83, October 18th 1986
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 30 (Season 2 #14), September 25th 1985 / Episode 58 (Season 2 #42), December 10th 1985
First Toy Appearance - 1985

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Generations

Additions/Mods:
- Added an Autobot symbol to the bonnet, covering the tampographed one
- Added an Autobot symbol to the radiator grille
- Added various Reprolabels

Review

So after Trailbreaker got himself a (mostly) decent sized 'classicsverse' figure it stood to reason that Hoist would get the same, right? Well, yes, and it wasn't a long wait before Hoist was announced. I was excited by this because it meant that I could finally ditch the legends version I have been using as a rather inadequate stand in. In the cartoon, Hoist spent a lot of time with Grapple, given that they both debuted at the same time. They soon struck up a 'bromance' as they meandered from one doomed construction project to another. In the comics, I can't really remember Hoist doing much of note. Nonetheless, it is high time that one of the original moulds (he may not have debuted until 1985, but he shares the same Diaclone ancestry as many of the other Autobot cars) was given a fresh update.


Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
The first thing to say about Hoist (and indeed all of the 'thrilling 30' figures) is that the figure is designed to represent the IDW version of the character. The signature block above his head is there, as well as the overall colour scheme and paint apps. The headsculpt is very reminiscent of the original, although the light piping is pretty limited so his orange eyes can't be seen to their maximum potential. He is leaner than his G1 counterpart, with a defined chest and upper body tapering to a waspish waist. Unfortunately his legs seem slightly too short proportionally. Speaking of short, there was some worry that he would follow the trend of the 'Fall of Cybertron' deluxes and be laughably small, but thankfully he is the same height as Universe Ironhide which is good enough for me. His lower legs are glaringly hollow, as is his back. I felt that the figure overall was a little flat and lacking in paint apps, so I remedied this with Reprolabels which really added some nice detail. Weapon wise, the hoist from vehicle mode folds cleverly into a pretty decent gun.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 7/10
There are two key things wrong with this figure in vehicle mode - the first is the diminutive size, and the second is the lack of paint apps. I will address the size issue first. This incarnation of Hoist is a fairly rugged looking SUV, with very large tyres, armour plating, and a tiny windscreen, which all serve to reinforce the idea that this would be a biiig ride. But then you sit it next to Bumblebee, who is supposed to be a compact hatchback, and Hoist is dwarfed. The vehicle is so stumpy looking. It's odd because as a robot, Hoist is just about large enough, but he condenses into a really tiny car. I'm not one for generally posing alt modes together in groups, so it's not disastrous. As for the lack of paint, it's really bad. The signature stripes are present, albeit rather sloppily applied. The radiator grille is unpainted and the light clusters are inexplicably silver. The stripes on the weapon/hoist are rather sloppily applied. That's it. Luckily Reprolabels have come up with a fantastic set which makes this vehicle look much improved, there are now details all over the place, although the vehicle is still criminally undersized for what it is. You can appreciate how undersized it is when compared with Windcharger, who is a member of the now-defunct Scout size class yet scales perfectly with Hoist.


Transformation 7/10
This invokes the nightmare of Perceptor, but thankfully there is enough room for manoeuvre and you do not feel like you are destroying the figure. The head forms the 'sunroof' and is pulled upright and rotated. The hoist is removed to become the gun. The arms are pulled out from underneath the chassis and are rotated so that the front wheels end up inside the car. The middle of the bonnet (with the tampograph on it) is pushed down and tabbed into the waist section of the figure. The rest of the bonnet and front of the roof both fold down to from the chest and neck respectively. The arms then have to be moved up into place, with the correct shoulder position allowing them to tab into the wing mirrors, although this does not hold together particularly well. Finally the legs are pulled out and swung into position. Once you have transformed this figure a couple of times, it becomes very intuitive.

Poseability 8/10
Hoist has pretty decent articulation, consisting of: Neck and waist swivel, ball-jointed shoulders and hips, bicep and thigh swivel, elbow and knee joints, as well as limited wrist movement (although it is really a transformation joint and isn't really useful for posing). He seems to balance pretty well, although is a little flat-footed and stumpy as I have mentioned before.


Quality 8/10
Despite the fact that he is pretty hollow in places, all of the plastic used is tough and flexible. There are no sections that feel brittle and the figure certainly feels robust enough to be pulled about a bit during his transformation. He seems like a step in the right direction when compared to the extremely diminutive and anaemic-looking 'Fall of Cybertron' figures.

Overall - 38/50
This is really not a bad figure. I had hoped for a return to the larger and more substantial deluxes of a few years ago, but I think those days are gone for good. Instead we have a figure which manages to look good (and crucially large) enough to warrant a place in my lineup as a robot, but really disappoints in vehicle mode. I don't think most collectors will care too much about that. Plus you get his excellent 'spotlight' comic thrown in for free. Reprolabels have made a real difference to this figure, because it is now sumptuously detailed, and also crucially more 'in keeping' with earlier 'classicsverse' releases. I definitely recommend you pick this set up to bring the mould to life. Without it, I'm not sure I would vouch for this figure.

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.

Kup

"The past is the greatest teacher."

Kup is an old veteran warhorse with a thousand tall tales from his ten thousand adventures. He has a motto or word of advice for any situation and he's as brave and loyal as they come. In robot mode, he carries an old-style musket laser that shoots short bursts of metal corrosive hydrochloric acid. Range: 5 miles. Speed: 100mph. Kup sees himself as a seasoned campaigner with more knowledge and experience to share. Other Autobots aren't always receptive to his advice.

STRENGTH

9

INTELLIGENCE

7

SPEED

6

ENDURANCE

9

RANK

8

COURAGE

9

FIREPOWER

6

SKILL

8

OVERALL

62

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 1, July 1987 / Issue 80, July 1991
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 84, October 25th 1986 / Issue 254, January 21st 1990
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 'Sergeant Kup'
Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Generations

This is one of the iGear heads. I like it.

Additions/Mods:
- iGear head
- Added Autobot symbol to the bonnet, to cover the smaller tampographed one
- Added Autobot symbol to the chest, to cover the smaller tampographed one

Metroplex

"Vigilance is the foundation on which victories are built."

Startlingly versatile, staggeringly strong, the Autobot's last line of defense... a mighty insturment of titanic destructive force. Extremely modest about his achievements... berates himself for not doing more. In robot mode, he can lift 70,000 tons, has shoulder-mounted twin high-energy maser cannons and omni-directional receiving and transmitting antenna. In city mode, has helipad and fully equipped repair bays that can handle four vehicles at once. Left rear tower transforms into tank, Slammer, who has rocket-propelled mortar cannon. Scamper is sports car with side mounted electro-blasters; transforms into robot, uses high-energy particle beam pistol. Six-Gun is small robot, has ion-pulse rifles for arms, twin surface-to-air guided missile launchers on back, acetylene pistol. In battle station mode, uses all these weapons and twin disrupter rays, laser lances, powerful anti-matter projectors.

STRENGTH

10

INTELLIGENCE

8

SPEED

2

ENDURANCE

9

RANK

8

COURAGE

10

FIREPOWER

10

SKILL

9

OVERALL

66

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 186, October 8th 1988 / Issue 187, October 15th 1988
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - The Transformers: The Movie, August 8th 1986 / Episode 94 (Season 3 #29), February 24th 1987
First Toy Appearance - 1986

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Takara
Toyline - Generations

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

Review

I have to admit that I was rather late to the party as far as Metroplex was concerned. Apparently it was he in the movie whose defenses were activated; albeit manually because his Transformation cog was knackered. Is this the first retcon in the cartoon continuity, or were the writers acutely aware that Metroplex would have easily beaten all the Decepticons, without the need for Optimus Prime to sacrifice himself? Either way, Metroplex was reduced to a weapons platform as a small part of the sprawling Autobot City complex. He did feature relatively prominently in the next series of the cartoon, but unfortunately some of the storylines he was involved in were very daft, as was the case when his eyes were stolen to replace Unicron's in one of the most notorious cases of mass-shifting in Transformers folklore. Metroplex was but a component of a large city, Unicron was a planet. How their eyes would have been therefore interchangeable is beyond me. Never mind. It was really the single comic story that Metroplex appeared in which caught my attention - during the UK Space Pirates story, Metroplex is awoken to dispatch the Quintessons and, boy, is he impressive. The sheer size he is portrayed at is just awe inspiring. He is able to squish multiple Quintessons under foot, for starters. Then way later, Metroplex got his own IDW spotlight where he incapacitated the most powerful Phase-sixer, Six-shot, with one clumsy stomp. So for me the key aspect of the character I most enjoyed was sheer size. But the G1 toy was not really very tall at all. And he was a brick, and an extremely flimsy one at that. For this reason, I was never inclined to get the figure. Then, last year, rumours began to surface of a new Metroplex figure. Buoyed by a prominent role in the very successful 'Fall of Cybertron' videogame, I guess Metroplex suddenly became viable for Hasbro again. I expected a redeco with maybe some minor retooling of an Energon figure, as was the case with Omega Supreme, but to my surprise, we were treated with a brand new mould. And a figure big enough to topple Fortress Maximus as the tallest Transformer of all time. Oh boy.


Appearance (Robot Mode) 10/10
I must say that this mould is fantastic, not only for the fact it is resplendent with detail, proportionally spot on and with an amazing head sculpt, but the size is super impressive. I could stop here but I elected to plump for the Takara version, which is superior to the Hasbro version for a number of reasons. Firstly, there are soo many more paint apps, and in key areas these have made a fundamental difference to the figure. The Hasbro version, nice as it is, is just too sparse when it comes to paint. One of the main criticisms leveled at the figure is the blank white face as opposed to the chromed original. I am pleased to say that the shiny chrome is present and correct here. And the lower legs provide a great contrast to the rest of the figure as they are now finished in dark grey instead of white. There are also individual changes too numerate to mention which all add up to make this figure look so much more substantial and balanced. It's not just big, it is extremely elegant at the same time. Secondly, There are far less stickers to apply on the Takara version of this figure. Don't get me wrong - there are still about 80 stickers, but this is a vast improvement over the hundred plus required to make the Hasbro version look less sparse. Metroplex comes with 2 large shoulder mounted guns, and 2 absolutely huge (probably ultra-class height) rifles, which unfortunately do not transform into Sixgun. There is also no Slammer but Scamper does get an update and is Legends sized. Metroplex is designed to work best with figures on this scale, but he dwarfs any other figure anyway. Omega Supreme was my largest Autobot prior to this acquisition and he is about half the size. The headsculpt is large, and therefore one could expect a lot of detail which is what we are presented with. I particularly like the visor which is optional, so Metroplex can walk into a (very large) nightclub at night without looking like a massive idiot. The eyes are not light-piped but then who needs that archaic effect when the eyes light up via battery instead? As well as this light up feature, Metroplex also repeats several phrases lifted from Fall of Cybertron and can also make a mean omelette (OK, I made that last bit up). Despite this being a Japanese toy, the sound chip is identical to the US version so Metro speaks English, hooray! One last thing and than I shall move on - I was never happy with the windows immediately below his 'neck' as they had stupid stickers of Prime, Arcee and some other Autobots which just looked awful. Thankfully, Takara have had the good sense to paint the windows on in a nice, solid red, and thus you can display this bloke with one of the aforementioned Autobots without it looking like they are in 2 places at the same time. Phew.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 7/10
I suppose that not only is Metroplex the tallest Transformer ever, but he is also the tallest triple changer ever, to boot. To be honest, base formers are pretty uninspiring and pretty easy to achieve since most of the time you are merely putting the robot into a vaguely pornographic pose and unfolding a few ramps. The only large Transformer who ever had a decent alt mode for my money was Scorponok. But I digress. Metroplex had a base mode and a mobile aircraft carrier, both of which are present here. Starting with the base mode this is definitely the most accomplished, featuring a multitude of ramps and a helipad. All of the guns form various towers in this mode, although they could only conceivably accommodate humans given their relative size. There are a couple of nice play features which are compatible with Legends class toys: A gun platform under the robot head and another in one of the forearms. A lot of stickers are employed in this mode to flesh out some of the nice moulded panels, providing screens aplenty. My main issue with this mould is the stowing of the hands, which are just very obviously folded over, but equally obviously hands. This is an issue with both alt modes and almost makes you hanker for the days of removable (and inevitably lost) limbs. The Aircraft carrier on wheels concept is still pretty daft, although the multiple stickers at least add some depth to the runways. There is a small articulated crane which adds another dimension and a smaller helipad, but, yeah those are really obvious hands at the back there. Not bad overall but definitely Metroplex's alt modes remain pretty weak.


Transformation 7/10
This is simple stuff really, again due to the somewhat suspect alt modes mainly you are just revealing panels and unfolding them. Anyway for the base mode, the head folds forward to reveal a gun platform, with the rear of the head lifting up to provide a sight and frontal protection for the gunner. The legs are folded backwards and the ramps are unfolded, this forms the base of the base(!). One leg is pivoted outwards to an angle of 45 degrees. The right arm is lifted straight forward and kind of sits there, and the hand kind of sits there too. There is a weapons platform which is unfolded from the forearm and then slid forward. The rear of the lower legs are opened up to reveal things vaguely resembling open-roofed rooms and the knee pads are lifted slightly to form roof-type things? I don't know really. The left arm is folded behind the back, as if a meddlesome bully had just done it and the chest splits in 2 to reveal the helipad. Then you just have to swing out a few tower-like appendages and pull a ramp out here and there, attach the guns in vaguely tower-like configurations and you are done! Moving onto the carrier mode, and the head is transformed in the same manner. This time Metroplex's legs are moved forward, with what was the bottom of the figure in base mode becoming the top. There is a crane appendage rather close to the groan area. Both arms literally pivot back and just kind of sit there. That's really kind of it, with the exception that the legs are slotted together in this mode as well.

Poseability 9/10
Well, colour me impressed. Metroplex offers the following articulation for your posing pleasure: Head and waist swivel, lateral and side-to-side ratcheted shoulders, with the same on the hips. He also sports sturdy elbow and knee ratchet joints, bicep and thigh swivel, Wrist swivel and tilt, individually articulated fingers (although no secondary joint) and even articulated eyes. Yes, eyes. You can move the 'iris' of each eye from side to side, very much like the old Action Man figures. Obviously, this is only apparent when you activate the light 'n' sound feature. My only gripe is that there is not really much in the way of ankle articulation, but still, this figure is more poseable that I would expect, thanks to super-strong ratchets which help him hold dynamic poses even under all the weight of his huge guns and forearms. I am seriously impressed by how dynamic you can pose this figure, who manages to look intimidating and massive without looking remotely lumbering or clumsy.


Quality 9/10
This figure feels extremely well balanced between something of huge size whilst retaining flexibility. The plastic used is great, and the additional paint apps provided courtesy of Takara really add to this figure. All of the paint is well applied and the chrome is spectacular. Even the decals are very high quality. The ratchet joints take me back to a time before ball-joints existed, and add a real qualitative weight to the figure which is quite rare in this day and age. They all feel suitably large and hard-wearing enough to cope with the load and you can be pretty rough with this figure without ever feeling like something is in jeopardy. Really fantastic work courtesy of Hasbro and Takara.

Overall - 42/50
I am the first to criticise Hasbro when they make moulds which are skinny or just too small, so it is only fair that I praise them when they deliver a product as good as this. This is probably one of my favourite figures they have ever produced, in terms of sheer size, quality and aesthetic. This can slot straight into a 'classics' collection or easily sit with War For/Fall of Cybertron figures. You could probably even surround him with Bay-verse figures and he would look at home. This is some achievement and it feels like Hasbro have managed to get it just right in terms of the look this figure evokes. For me, this is the figure which finally fulfills the promise of the original G1 character. I only have one criticism of this figure, and that is how the hell do my Decepticons hope to compete? It doesn't matter how many combiners I have, they all pale into insignificance when faced with this behemoth. So now, I am tasking Hasbro to bring me a Trypticon on the same scale. Then when they get time, an updated Scorponok and Fortress Maximus would be nice!

Orion Pax

A laborer robot who enjoyed peace and prosperity in an era known as Cybertron's Golden Age, some nine million years ago. He and his good friend　Dion, who also transformed into a transport vehicle, conducted delivery work at the energon storehouses. His body was composed of two autonomous units and could divide into the main module, Orion, and the industrial droid Barrelroller, who could transform into an electromagnetic lift handle. Later, he would be severely injured in an attack by Megatron, but at the hands of Alpha Trion, who recognized in Orion an uncommonly strong spirit and ability to get things done, he would be reborn as the first of Cybertron's new defenders, Optimus Prime.


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) -
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 59 (Season 2 #43), December 25th 1985
First Toy Appearance - 2005

Click here to see Figure Details

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Generations

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

Red Alert

"Caution can never be overused."

Nothing escapes his notice, no matter how small. When his sensors are activated, thinks trouble is coming. Edgy... unpopular with comrades, but appreciated. Can trigger alarms in other Autobots. Excellent sensory perception. Fast in vehicular mode. Carries 25 mile range rocket launcher and particle beam rifle. Prone to rash judgements which can lead to injury to himself and comrades.

STRENGTH

5

INTELLIGENCE

7

SPEED

8

ENDURANCE

5

RANK

7

COURAGE

7

FIREPOWER

7

SKILL

8

OVERALL

54

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
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 15, April 6th 1985 / Issue 254, January 27th 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 30 (Season 2 #14), September 25th 1985 / Episode 63 (Season 2 #47), January 8th 1986
First Toy Appearance - 1985

Click here to see Figure Details and review

Figure Details

Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Generations

Additions/Mods:
- Added an Autobot symbol to the rear spoiler
- Added the Beelzeboss 'Growing Pains' upgrade kit (New head, gun and rocket launcher)

Review

Red Alert was not seen much in either the cartoon or comics, but he certainly made an impact in his main cartoon appearance where he was revealed to be somewhat of a lunatic. Unfortunately the figure was a bit of a disappointment as the Generations version just looked like Sideswipe dressed as Red Alert. This was because the headsculpt was the same as sideswipes, but luckily Beelzeboss have stepped in with a new head and some extra accessories to boot. So, does this new headsculpt invoke the latent madness behind Red Alert's eyes?


Appearance (Robot Mode) 8/10
The new headsculpt, weapon, shoulder pieces and missile launcher really make a difference to this figure, and it now screams Red Alert. The red head is a great colour match for the existing red plastics and paint. However, the headsculpt is not without its problems. The face is too small and has a slightly disturbed look to it, which is perhaps appropriate for a robot with Red Alert's troubled history. Elsewhere, the base figure is really nice, with decent paint apps and tampographs. The inside lower legs are hollow which is a bit off-putting, but other than this the robot mode is great.

Appearance (Alternate Mode) 9/10
Looking like a few different Lamborghinis rolled into one, this is my second-favourite car sculpt in the entire line. The paint apps are brilliant, and the tampographs on the doors and bonnet are very well-applied. I prefer to dislay the car without the supercharger, which should really only be used with the Sunstreaker version of this mould. The lack of Supercharger also makes the lines of the car nicer, which are already interrupted somewhat by the lightbar.


Transformation 8/10
The legs are formed by splitting and unfolding the rear of the car, and the arms are stowed underneath the bonnet and middle of the car. The bonnet is then pulled out and folded over the reveal the chest. I particularly like the automorph feature whereby the cabin is spun around to reveal the head.

Poseability 8/10
This mould sports decent articulation, with a ball-jointed head and waist swivel. It also has ball-jointed shoulders and hips, bicep and thigh swivel. There are double joints in the elbows and wrist swivel. In addition to this there are jointed knees with an added side joint used in the transformation sequence, and the feet also have 2 joints. The lack of a heel means that there can be some balance issues, and also the legs can look strangely splayed.


Quality 8/10
This mould feels well thought out and put together. It locks together exquisitely in car mode, although some stress is needed to initially move the panels apart to change into robot. My only concern is the automorph feature, as I worry that it may fail one day.

Overall - 41/50
This mould is a real favourite of mine, because it supports 2 distinct robot configurations, and the alt mode is just so damn nice. Beelzeboss have really assisted in giving this mould a very distinct 'Red Alert' feel, upgrading the existing pea-shooterish weapons with some much needed firepower. Well played.