Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Discuss any and all Transformers toys and merchandise here, from G1 to Kingdom and beyond!

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Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Time Traveller »

Anybody else collecting these? What are your takes, other than that this feels like Generations (2009) and Transformers 2010 (Reveal the Shield portion) all over again with the confusing division of who goes in what box?
I'm getting more OK with figures being sold as one size class larger than they should be (voyager Hot Rod) in order to have a nicer quality figure, but I'm still not sure how I feel about Rodimus being a Commander (like Sky Lynx and Jetfire) just because he has a trailer with a big drawer that doesn't even fit all his accessories.
I have to say, I'm very impressed with Cyclonus and Scourge. I think this is the first G1 style Scourge toy I've liked! I even like the G1 toy deco on Sweep, but I'm mad about him having the same style facial hair.
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Ultra Magnus »

I think this is their way of sneaking in the higher price point for the ever shrinking classes.

I mean, not only have Deluxes gone from $7.00 in 2007 (starting at Classics) to $20 today, but compare Classics Bumblebee and Cliffjumper to WFC of the same characters.

If I stand "voyager" Hot rod next to CHUG "voyagers" and deluxes, it is pretty obvious in which group he belongs. The only exception, naturally, is his CHUG self, which is a bit shorter, but a whole lot bulkier. Chug Hot Rod definitely is a lot more sturdy and weighs more. It definitely feels like deluxes are going to be scouts soon. This is another reason, I am only picking up a very select few here and there from now on.

I got the Hot Rod and Rodimus. I got a couple of "selects" seekers because the paint jobs are different that some of the previous deluxes. But for the most part, I am letting this line go as Hot Rod has a ton more yellow joint kiddle in alt mode than I was under the impression that "Studio Series" was supposed to allow. Though heavily stylized, even Titan's return did a better job in that department, and they really played fast and loose with stuff like that.

To me, this entire thing felt more like "Oh, no! We are out of excuses to re-release Jazz, Wreck-Gar, and Grimlock now that we are doing Beast Wars. And it has been two whole years since we released Jazz, Wreck-Gar, and Grimlock! Also, screw Brawn."

Oh, hey! Look at that! I am still a grumpy old man! :lol:
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Ultra Magnus »

If I did not make it clear, I am picking up the minis that are being released in a larger than legends size for the first time.

So, Bugbite, Pipes and Huffer, etc.
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Time Traveller »

Part of me understands the whole size class bumping thing. But, Deluxes ran for $10 from about 1996 to 2007, and I'm not sure how they maintained that price point for so long. The fact that prices rose from $10 to the current $22 in the course of around 10 years did kind of hurt, but it honestly hurt worse when the solution was to suddenly make figures shittier at the same time as a price hike, like the first wave of FOC. That Shockwave and Jazz were rough! I guess I'd rather pay the few extra bucks to keep the weight up and get a nicer design, like Hot Rod (albeit by virtue of accessories), or have the figure get a little smaller but still be a nicer design with a decent deco, like Cliffjumper and his mold brethren. Even the new Galvatron falls into this category. Great design, nice heft, spot-on deco, but on the shorter side. Sure they COULD have made him the size of a TF:Prime Weaponizer, but then he'd be as thin and hollow as one, too. Or he could be an unpainted sea of the same color plastic.

Also, all of this is happening during an unprecedented breakdown of the global supply chain. Raw plastic prices are up by triple digit percentages.

The one argument I'm susceptible to is the constant circling of G1, even as this was going to be a BW-centric line. Thing is, the BW they have come out with, most of the core season 1 cast, are fantastic. All huge improvements over "B1" as we've been calling Beast Wars proper at the shop. And the new G1 movie era guys are, by and large, also fantastic. If they keep turning out toys the caliber of Galvatron, Cyclonus, Scourge, Kup, and Blurr, I'll be happy buying whatever comes out!
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Ultra Magnus »

Meh, I am just salty due to having wanted a voyager Brawn (and by extension, Outback) since the launch of classics. There are 9 remaining autobot mini vehicles from all of G1 that had not had a CHUG+ deluxe size release. Six are dual mold mates. Bumblejumper could easily be done as one of a dozen existing molds. So, 7 out of nine make a lot of sense, and should have been made before now.

Them hinting at filling these gaps with Pipes, a mainline VW Bumblebee (and I completely understand it was VW that delayed that figure), Huffer, Bugbite, and Hubcap has only made me a tiny bit more grumpy that they keep dabbling and then pulling back.

I just don't want to have to wait five more Grimlock, 3 more Jazz, and 2 more Warpaths before they hit up a few of the bigger names from G1 that have been snubbed for almost 15 years, and are among the few that have not had a larger than legends release, when completely obscure and almost unheard of figures got a couple of tries already.

So, yeah. I am picking up a couple of the G1's from this line, but it is definitely not Jazz, nor Warpath, nor Cyclonus, nor Grimlock. [/soapbox]
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Time Traveller »

Well, you technically have Cloud voyager Brawn... But I get your point. There are so many interesting deluxes that could be made out of minor characters that only had small shitty toys in G1. I was big into Generations '09-'10 doing characters like Thunderwing and Skullgrin by combining the noteworthy traits of the shell with the vehicle mode of the inner bot.

What I'm surprised you didn't bring up was the ass-beating Bumblejumper got with "Buzzworthy" Bumblebee and Spike CLEARLY being a Mazda hatchback, but as Bumblebee and not Bumper. Poor guy has been done dirty at every turn!

I think part of what is holding them back from doing proper deluxes is the fact the cartoon portrayed them as being knee-high like the original G1 toys, rather than Brawn being comparable in robot height to the other trucks like Trailbreaker or Ironhide/Ratchet. Even 3rd Party Masterpieces seem hesitant to break that barrier and accept that Brawn and his kin should be bigger than a Countach or 280Z.

How are you feeling about Puffer? Also, is he Mexican Puffer or French Puffer? both were blue recolors of an unchanged Huffer mold!
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Ultra Magnus »

I think you know why Cloud Voyager Brawn does not count.

I only dropped that money on the mold flogging in that gimmick line 1 time, and it was a much better representation. Speaking of which, isn't the Sandstorm/Springer mold the perfect excuse for a Sureshot? How in the world did they miss that easy opportunity?
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Time Traveller »

The T30 Springer mold is one of the greatest of all time, and I'd buy it in Beast Machines Rattrap colors if they issued it. That said, Sureshot would have been a great use of the Sandstorm retool, yes, and would have left me crying for the other two TM, just as Siege Crosshairs did. One day, they will stop doing the Targetmasters dirty (except the '87 Cons, who lucked out in Titans/Legends with Siege guns).

Back to the contemporary Movie 86 stuff, I would like to think that putting out high design budget, gimmick-free, cartoon-accurate CHUG scale toys will hold off new versions of these characters for a few years, because, like your original point, I'm getting a bit tired of the constant issuance of all the A- and B-listers with every. damn. line. And so many are phone-ins, like Titans Galvatron or POTP Grimlock. Give em' a rest, do something a LITTLE different!
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Ultra Magnus »

Had PotP Grimlock's bot form hands been able to hold the Volcanicus feet into place for the Grimlock alt mode's feet, that would be one of my favorite releases ever. Some say the tail is a bit on the wide side, but I have never turned my nose up at a little middle with wide bootie.
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Time Traveller »

If you want a stompy Grimlock, FOC Grim's fists are in just the right spot. Speaking of which, we've gotten 86 Grimlock and Slag, and it sounds like Sludge is slated for next year. The big Q is: Will we get Snarl? He wasn't in the movie, and he'd have to be a leader to match (I'll accept a voyager for Swoop). If you're gonna make me buy Dinobots, gimme the damn matching set! That's like the ONE thing POTP Dinos did right.
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Sideways »

The PoTP Dinobots are just fine for my collection.

I just picked up Kingdom Tracks. Overall, I'm pleased with the figure. It's hard to say whether I like the RTS or the Kingdom version better. My favorite is MP. I had the MP's stand break at the post a few weeks ago, I'm bummed. I did find there's a 3D printed replacement that I can buy, which I plan on doing. Then I'll carefully drill a hole in the old post and pull it out of the figure.
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Time Traveller »

If you've got a drill, get yourself some Plastruct, and drill, pin and Plastruct that peg.

As for KD Tracks, it seems like he's a mini-masterpiece. As long has he doesn't break as a result of being scaled down from a much larger figure, I'm happy with him. He seems like a weird choice for KD, since everything else G1 has pretty much been movie guys (except for Huffer and Warpath I suppose)
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Ultra Magnus »

So, everyone knows that when you paint flames on a car, it makes the car go faster. And we all know Tracks is pretty fast. Now, I understand for the sake of the cartoon, they did not paint the yellow outline on the flames for Tracks.

But, we are talking the real world here. So, when we apply real world physics, the lack of yellow on the flame makes Kingdom Tracks lose 40% of the bonus of having flames painted on it.

Thus, Kingdom Tracks is a pass, unless reprolabels (I can never remember their new name) does an upgrade set for him. Also, someone would have to buy that upgrade set for me, and then convince me as to why I need Kingdom Tracks as opposed to the last deluxe figure that released for him (RTS, I think?).
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Sideways »

I will be keeping my eye out for the reprolabels set, cause I think he could use some love.
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Time Traveller »

Those hacks over at ToyHax will undoubtedly do an upgrade set. Why do you need it? You probably don't. RTS Turbo Tracks is a fine figure, with a detailed deco from years with larger dx class budgets. Unless you're particularly fixated on cartoon accuracy or C3 Corvettes, Turbo Tracks has aged well as an adequate CHUG representation of the character.
As for making Tracks faster, flames would help a great deal, although perhaps not as much as a more competent fuel injection system; as Regular Car Reviews unfortunately called it, "a splatter disaster".
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Ultra Magnus »

Time Traveller wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:19 pm Regular Car Reviews
If Tracks heard you infer that he is at all regular, he would be highly offended. I am pretty sure he is the most fabulous of any TF to date.

https://youtu.be/Z0BdLOdCT5k?t=28
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Time Traveller »

Sorry, Tracks. Your stunning auto mode got 13 mpg and barely coughed up 190 hp. Prowl and Bluestreak were as fast, WITHOUT flames.
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Ultra Magnus »

How are you going to try to bring real world physics of gasoline consumption into a discussion about a dude that fuels himself by eating purple jello and flies with the help of two thin strips of sheet metal that are less than a foot wide and way too short in length?
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Ultra Magnus »

Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in. Slammer and Artfire added to the Pipes Pre-Order.

Effing Slammer....
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Re: Studio '86 and Kingdom (G1 portion)

Post by Time Traveller »

Are you also planning to grab Road Ranger and Puffer? Or at least comment on the fact that the name "Puffer" is canon now?
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