ALL THINGS TRANSFORMERS!!!!

[koolkollectibleskhai]

Here's my look at the recent Fans Toys FT-13 Mercenary (aka Shrapnel) 3rd party Insecticon. Overall another fantastic figure from Fans Toys that fits in well with the official TF MPs.

As always, I struggled with the transformation, especially in pushing the legs into alt mods. So excuse the swearing at that point lol!!

 

[dajuice]

Finally shipped my Pile of Loot from BBTS and I'm as giddy as a school girl. My G1 collection is just getting bigger and better. If you are in the Takara-only camp, please give 3rd party a look. They look great. It beats waiting to see if and when TT will make that character.

Got these on Friday:







I canceled this guy but after seeing review videos, I changed my mind. Ironhide looks great.

 

[MxBxM]

My favorite G1 episode is "The Return of Optimus Prime".

I also like the episode where Tracks and Blaster are in the club. It was the first G1 episode I watched in 1989.

 

[thecorsair]

Finally shipped my Pile of Loot from BBTS and I'm as giddy as a school girl. My G1 collection is just getting bigger and better. If you are in the Takara-only camp, please give 3rd party a look. They look great. It beats waiting to see if and when TT will make that character.

Got these on Friday:

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Nice pickups, Badcube Sunstreaker is in my top 3 favorite figures, Shrapnel isn't my favorite FT figure but still great and I'm looking forward to recieving Reflector in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Reinhardt]

Fantastic haul dajuice! I agree, 3rd party is amazing. I think I have about as many 3rd party figures as official releases.

 

[Ra88]

Hasbro unveiled Titans Return Fortress Maximus at Toyfair this weekend. Actually pretty damn cool. Also a heavy retool of Metroplex, so he'll be the same size as the original. Still a double headmaster as well. More here.

 

[thecorsair]

Fantastic haul dajuice! I agree, 3rd party is amazing. I think I have about as many 3rd party figures as official releases.

I've currently got a few more Takara MP figures but that'll change over the next year or so as I'm focusing entirely on 3rd party.

Ra88,
I think that looks much better than Metroplex as it's not such a scrawny looking robot.

That said, I don't think it'll be worth the inevitable UK price of £150 plus.

 

[Levit05]

who has the biggest and closest to Masterpiece scale Devastator out there....I want to have something on my shelf but don't know what direction to go....I have the old Hercules one and I think I can definitely upgrade....and also....are any of the devastators out now?....thanks...also....if there are pics...I would love to see them here...thanks guys...

 

[franpincho]

who has the biggest and closest to Masterpiece scale Devastator out there....I want to have something on my shelf but don't know what direction to go....I have the old Hercules one and I think I can definitely upgrade....and also....are any of the devastators out now?....thanks...also....if there are pics...I would love to see them here...thanks guys...

I'd go with Takara Unite Warriors Devastator

It's really the best looking one available right now IMO, and it won't actually break the bank like the 3P options out there.

Credit for the pic goes to Spanbauer, who MADE me buy one because of his pics.

You can go back some pages and see more of his pics, here is one:

 

[Levit05]

thanks I have that but the plastic is cheap looking...I like the size...but I think that some of the 3P companies is where I was going with....I had read somewhere that we were suppose to get a 3P devastator that was suppose to be 30 inches tall...but again....don't know where I saw that and I would hate to sift through the countless pages on here...lol...thanks Franpincho for your input

 

[Reinhardt]

Toy World has one that is ~20 inches tall - Toyworld Constructor (Devastator/Constructicons) - TFW2005.com

Generation Toy has one that is ~16 inches tall - Generation Toys-GT-01 Gravity Builder (Devastator) - TFW2005.com

Both are about 3-4 figures in for the 6. Pics for both on the first page of the links. For me, I like the size of Toy World, but like the aesthetic far more for Generation Toy, which is what I buying into.

 

[Levit05]

thanks Reindhart....that's what I was looking for....I think for sure I will go the toy world route....I want a massive devastator (that's what she said) on my shelf....

 

[BetterThanKenobi83]

Hasbro unveiled Titans Return Fortress Maximus at Toyfair this weekend. Actually pretty damn cool. Also a heavy retool of Metroplex, so he'll be the same size as the original. Still a double headmaster as well. More here.

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That made my jaw drop when I first saw pics of him and I will have him in my collection to go along with Metroplex !

 

[thecorsair]

I think CW/UW Devastator is a poor substitute for a Masterpiece as it looks so cheap and primitive, especially the individual Constructicons.

At UK prices it also isn't worth the money for either the Hasbro ($220 plus) or the Takara version ($300 plus) especially when you factor in the additional costs of upgrades to improve the combined mode and to completely replace Mixmaster.

The Toyworld and Generation Toys efforts do a lot of things well and for the higher price you do get something that resembles a higher end product but the overall aesthetic on them is the sort of Classics/MP hybrid that's the stock in trade of the lesser 3rd party groups and whilst impressive in their own right neither hit the mark in terms of filling the Masterpiece shaped gap in the combiner market.

Rather than waste money on inadequate stand ins I will wait for someone to do it properly.

 

[generalgrevious]

yeah you will be waiting a long time. im satisfied with the UW from takara as I wont like the price for a mp style devastator as the price will be outrageous

 

[Pro Design]

i agree the cw devy looks a little on the cheap side with the plastic... BUT

it is a phenomenal base if you have the time to do a weathering job! and take some time to do it up right... this thing can be amazing!

pics of customs i've seen:

 

[franpincho]

Nah.

Stock is just fine.





To me, TW devastator looks wrong, the head is oversized and he's shaped like a gorilla.

And for that absurd asking price, that shouldn't be a problem. But hey, there will be add ons for sure.

 

[thecorsair]

yeah you will be waiting a long time. im satisfied with the UW from takara as I wont like the price for a mp style devastator as the price will be outrageous

Waiting isn't a problem, it just gives me more time to set some cash aside.

pro_design1,
The weathered pics you posted do improve it from the stock look, but it doesn't really fix the individual Constructicons which have nice headsculpts but are otherwise poor, even by Hasbro mass market standards.

If I'm paying UK 3rd party prices for a combiner I want the complete package, it needs to be great in all 3 modes and not require any additional upgrades or painting.

 

[Pro Design]

pro_design1,
The weathered pics you posted do improve it from the stock look, but it doesn't really fix the individual Constructicons which have nice headsculpts but are otherwise poor, even by Hasbro mass market standards.

If I'm paying UK 3rd party prices for a combiner I want the complete package, it needs to be great in all 3 modes and not require any additional upgrades or painting.

no i agree! each in bot mode are a little hinky to me! but combined i really dig the look... which is how i'll always keep mine. but also in the US we can get this guy for around $120 to your door (which is what i just paid for mine) so it's relatively cheap to what guys overseas are gettin hit with and a good option in my opinion for the price.

 

[thecorsair]

no i agree! each in bot mode are a little hinky to me! but combined i really dig the look... which is how i'll always keep mine. but also in the US we can get this guy for around $120 to your door (which is what i just paid for mine) so it's relatively cheap to what guys overseas are gettin hit with and a good option in my opinion for the price.

If UK prices were more in line with what you guys pay I'd likely be much less picky, I just think that if I'm going to commit to a combiner I have to be 110% certain the one I go for is what I'll be happy with.

I had a new figure arrive today, my MMC Ravage is here!

Due to some unexpected bad news earlier in the day I've not really been in the mood to do too much with it and I haven't transformed it yet but I've had a look at the packaging and did a quick shot of him trying to fit in Soundwave ,


I think he's wishing he didn't buy a spare mass displacement circuit off Swindle

The packaging is my new favorite on any Transformer, you can't get much more 80's than an actual cassette box and the instructions are the inlay sheet, Genius!

It does also come with a cardboard box and a styrofoam insert for the cassette box so it's nice and protected.

He's a very hefty figure for the size and from the official video the transformation looks like it's going to be an intresting one with an awesome jaguar mode at the end of it.