Rodimus Prime [AMK Mini Series Wave 2]

Rodimus Prime is an Autobot leader whose own self-doubts often cloud his judgment. Considering he was practically thrown into the role unexpectedly… I don’t blame him. One day he’s just fishing with his little buddy Daniel, and the next he’s leading the Autobots after defeating Unicron. Add in his guilt over the death of Optimus Prime, and that’s a lot of weight to carry.

Honestly, I think Rodimus gets a bum rap over the whole Optimus situation. Megatron was already about to shoot Optimus while playing possum. Hot Rod tried to save him while everyone else just stood there. I’d like to think Optimus would’ve done the same — and decisions like that are probably why the Matrix chose Rodimus in the first place. After all, we all know how beaten down and war-weary Optimus Prime was. I’m sure he’d faced countless similar moments. Rodimus, though? He’s young, and literally was just fishing the other day.

Yolopark’s AMK Mini version of Rodimus Prime looks great and really captures his unique design. The detailing is well sculpted and he looks exactly like he should. They did a fantastic job with his flame deco, and I really like the chrome on his smokestack forearm guns. His twin Photon Lasers are also nicely represented and finished in that same chrome. That chrome means a lot to me for reasons I can’t fully explain — maybe because I’ve always loved how it was used on classic G1 toys.

The improved articulation introduced in AMK Mini Series Wave 2 really shines here. Combined with the included closed fists and open palm hands, you can pose Rodimus in just about any way you want. It’s especially fun to have him posed mid-speech, right before dealing with whatever nonsense the Quintessons or Decepticons are stirring up next. His colors look sharp against the angular sculpting, and the whole package feels very impressive — especially considering the kit assembles in just minutes.

There’s also a Shattered Glass variation available in the Wave 2 blind box releases, which is… awfully tempting. When they came up with that mirror-universe color scheme, they really struck gold. Sure, Rodimus may struggle with his own sense of self-worth most of the time, but at least he can feel confident knowing Yolopark made a great AMK Mini kit of him.

Hot Rod [Galaxy Version 08– One Shall Fall]

It’s been a little while since I’ve covered a Galaxy Version Blokees kit here — honestly, a little too long, considering my pile of unassembled Blokees continues to grow — but it’s time to fix that with a look at Hot Rod from Galaxy Version 08 – One Shall Fall. As the name of this case suggests, there’s a heavy 1986 movie flavor to this set, and I am absolutely here for it.

You know, I like Blokees for several reasons. For example: I enjoy building robot models, I like blind boxes, and I obviously love Transformers — to name just a few. But another big reason is that they remind me a little of the Takara Transformers SCF figures from the early 2000s. Of course, those were PVC figurines and not AMK kits, but the blind boxes, themed series, and proportions give them a similar charm. I loved those and I love these. Honestly, I would've been totally content back then just buying SCF figures… and I’m kinda leaning that way these days with Blokees. They're clearly singing a song I want to hear.

I haven’t gotten any of the 08 kits yet, but while ordering the Devastator parts kit, I snuck in an 08 to tide me over until getting a full case. Lucky for me, inside the mystery box was the new Hot Rod figure — and boy, was I excited! Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime is among my favorites in Transformers, and a specifically 1986 representation of Hot Rod is going to get me excited in the way only a rabid fan can. Careful, I’ve got a box knife.

One particularly fun addition to this figure is Hot Rod’s fishing pole. When he first appears in the movie, Hot Rod is fishing with Daniel and catches a big one. It’s a cozy little scene that helps show their relationship. However, his “big one” in Blokees form is a tiny Sharkticon! I didn’t notice it immediately from promo pictures, but upon opening the box I was ecstatic to see the little creature dangling from the end of his line. Seriously, be careful — I’ll cut someone. The dragon commands it.

We can’t ignore the elephant in the room, because it’s an elephant. They’re huge. Who even let it in here anyway? Don’t they know I have a box knife and a dragon giving orders? It hungers. Obvious to fans of the 1986 movie is that Hot Rod has his traditional colors here and not the pink/fuchsia colors he appears in the film with. All his toys and his Season 3 appearances use the darker red/magenta we’re used to. There’s been very little merchandise in his show-accurate colors — most notably the Retro Series release from a while back. Luckily, most folks don’t really care either way, which is good because it allows us to carry on and not get bogged down in semantics.

One huge difference in the new kits in 08 is another round of improvements. The past few Galaxy Version series had adopted a newer construction style that provided a more stable build. As far as I can tell, starting with this series, they’ve improved the kits even more! Not only does Hot Rod have the stronger upper torso, but now the hips and thighs feature more articulation. There are thigh swivels, and the hips allow for greater torso movement. Hot Rod’s abdomen can even dip into the waist, allowing for more expressive and dynamic poses. I’m extremely impressed with this innovation — this is something that generally costs 5–6 bucks and features articulation usually reserved for more expensive toys. That’s neat!

Hot Rod comes with the aforementioned fishing pole as well as his saw blade attachment. He used it fighting off underwater creatures after he and Kup crash-landed in a body of water on Quintessa. The blade spins, and maybe he plans to use it on that Sharkticon at the end of his fishing line. The saw blade plugs into the forearm where one of the included hands would go. Of course, those hands are the typical closed fists and open palms normally included with Blokees kits.

Not included, however, is the display base — something I’ve been expecting to eventually disappear. At some point, the little Autobot/Decepticon symbols for the bases were discontinued, and now the base itself is gone completely. I’m not sure if that started in 08 or happened during 07, which I still haven’t gotten yet. I’m not terribly sad to see the base go, but I always thought its inclusion was neat. I’m assuming the new parts ate into the budget.

This is an awesome AMK kit of Hot Rod that’s full of character and expression. I continually can’t find anything I don’t like in Blokees products, and the ongoing improvements just keep making them better overall. Not to mention — dude, Hot Rod. I like him.

Rodimus (IDW ver.) [Flame Toys Furai Model]

Flame Toys Furai Models are model kits that, once assembled, result in high-quality action figures full of detail and style. I’ve got a few, and for whatever reason, haven’t really talked about them here. My intention to feature more models over the past few years has already brought in kits from Blokees and Yolopark. Both brands I outright love. I’m pretty fond of Flame Toys as well.

Being our first post after this year’s epic Halloween season seems like the perfect time to look at one of their offerings. I’ve been sitting on this Rodimus kit for quite some time after buying it earlier this year, and spent a few Sunday nights in October building it. I’ve admittedly gotten used to Blokees’ simpler kits, as Rodimus seemingly had a million parts. I think I spent two hours one night just working on his legs.

“Intricate” is the word here, as each body part is composed of several tiny pieces joined together. Of particular note are the joints where his legs meet at the waist—holy crap, I had a hard time with those. What you see as ball shapes were actually the halves of that ball, with a joining piece in the middle. There’s a little peg that inserts into a little hole in each of those halves. That doesn’t sound too bad, but those holes were very tight, and the small parts were just the right size to not fit well in my fingertips. I’m used to a little pain after assembling a model, but those freaking joints had my thumb tips sore for a few days. *Ow, dammit*

That’s all part of the process, though—taking a bunch of parts and assembling such an ornate figure. It’s really therapeutic going through the sprues with my nippers and putting it all together piece by piece. Sore fingertips regardless.

The IDW Comics incarnation of Rodimus, as he famously appeared in the Lost Light series, is a very stylized design. Being a model kit and not a toy sharing an aisle with Paw Patrol allows for a much more accurate finished product. All those points and edges would have to be rounded off for safety purposes otherwise. Thankfully, that’s not the case here. Rodimus both looks and is very sharp.

*Also pointy. Very pointy*

Once fully assembled, our Autobot Cavalier stands just under six inches tall and features more than fifty points of articulation. All those movable joints make for one expressive robot. Adding to that are three different sets of hands: closed fists, slightly open poses that can be used in a variety of ways, and a kung-fu-grip style for holding his guns.

Those guns are a particularly clever detail. Some of you may remember the original G1 Hot Rod toy came with two pistols, while the G1 Rodimus Prime had a rifle. This gun can separate into two pistols or join together into one rifle. I don’t recall if that was something used in the comics this kit is based on, but it’s neat regardless.

His stickers took a bit of extra skill, and thankfully I had my curved-tip tweezers handy to apply them—especially those little black dots on his upper thighs. They look great, but putting them on took a lot of patience. I think the Autobot symbol came out a little crooked, but that’s okay. Sometimes they’re like that when applied in factories.

Speaking of tools, I misplaced my hobby knife, so it was absent from this project. Normally I use it to shave off that little excess of plastic left from the sprues. For the most part, I was able to trim it away with my nippers, but there are a few parts that could use the extra precision of the knife. Whenever I locate it, that’ll be a small task to revisit later.

In the end, Rodimus came out looking great. Despite all the trouble assembling him, the finished product looks amazing. I’ve got a few more Flame Toys kits in my model backlog that’ll make for great future projects.

Welcome aboard. Maybe you’re not good. But you’re sure as hell good enough.

Hot Rod and Bumblebee [Swapticons]

It's time we look at the newest 'silly' Transformers line from Hasbro called Transformers Swapticons. Swapticons are a new line of smaller, simpler Transformers obviously intended for younger children, yet being enjoyed by a middle aged robot nerd.

These fall in line with other silly, but fun lines like Q Transformers, Kre-O, Bot Shots, and BotBots that I've enjoyed in addition to my 'serious' Transformers. Swapticons are similar to Micromaster Combiners in that an individual figure makes up one half of an alt mode. You combine 2 for a full vehicle or animal. These little bots are chunky little blocky guys with extremely simple transformations. Combination into alt mode is done by interlocking the robot heads together. The fun part is in the variety, you can get creative and stick any 2 Swapticons together. The silliness is played up as the characters have BotBot style silly faces.

Now that we've spent all that time explaining a silly toy, let's take a look at Hot Rod and Bumblebee. The main figures come in 2 packs for not a lot of money. As you can tell by this pack, they tend to be good pairings. I really like Hot Rod, the little blocky body really works well with his traditional looks. It's just a solid little representation. Of course his wacky face give it a bit of goofy characterization... but it works pretty well. Articulation on these guys is basic to put it mildly. They have little simple fold out arms that are just enough to express that they are arms. The toy is in the gimmick more so than the figure.

Bumblebee looks pretty good too, though I admit some of his detail is lost in all the yellow. He's your standard Evergreen Bumblebee. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just that Hot Rod looks so much more detailed next to him. They're a solid duo regardless and their combined vehicle mode is pretty cool. Hot Rod forms the rear end with Bumblebee becoming the front. It's a neat looking combination of the two. I'm really having fun with Swapticons so far. Right now I have no complaints... though like with other smaller toys... I wish they came with a sticker. A Bikkuriman style sticker would go perfectly with these little bots. Regardless of my endless fascination with autocollants, these are great.  I look forward to filling a shoe box with these silly little bots.

Autobot Hot Rod (Retro Series)

Like Hound, Hot Rod is another reissue of a classic G1 toy in cartoon accurate colors. This is a little extra special as G1 Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime toys have never been accurate to the 1986 movie. Instead of the dark reds we're all used too, Hot Rod was a more pinkish color in the film. With this release we've got a toy that nails that color scheme down pretty accurately. This is a special kind of toy as it's a 'finally' type of moment. Despite all sorts of Masterpieces and various updates... nobodies ever made what folks have been clamoring for. Pink Hot Rod. It's only fitting that when they've finally made one, it's the original toy. This is one of those neat moments that happen as a fan.

One thing I'm really thankful for is the lack of stickers. Not that I think they normally don't look good, it's just the paint and tampographs look amazing. That and regular G1 Hot Rod has these thigh stickers that always catch on his car knees when transforming... I've always hated that. Though the many reuses and recasts of this mold is showing. Hot Rod has some loose joints and that's... a little sad. I don't know how much work they're willing to put into maintaining this old toy mold. There's eventually going to be a point when it's retired or newer fixed toolings are going to start getting worse. I particularly like the almost pealescent white used for his dual guns and exhaust pipes. They really stand out from the brightness of the pink. This is a very BRIGHT toy that almost glows. I don't think they meant to hint at those Toxitron Collection colors when homaging the original movie Hot Rod... but they kinda did. This is a special toy. I would have expected this at a much higher price and exclusive to some higher ticket event. 

Up to Energon

 

The Unicron Trilogy era was a pretty fun time. Transformers as a brand was huge and there was a ton of available product for fans at pretty fair prices. Didn't like Armada/Energon/Cybertron? There were reissues, Universe, Alternators, Robot Masters, etc to pick from. Armada has a lot of derision in the fan base. Well, it had a lot of derision from the loud mouths who talk over everyone else. It was fairly popular and sold gangbusters. To be fair, the cartoon had it's issues and the toys were quite different from what came before. Like I said, it sold very well. Money talks and bullshit walks.

By summer 2003, Energon was gearing up to take over and fan excitement was high. After initially being developed as Super Cross, the line as a whole was very similar to Multiforce with the combination gimmick for the Autobots. As early looks and leaks made their way out, fans eagerly gobbled up every bit of it. Rodimus was a big deal. At the time, the only Hot Rod or Rodiums Prime stuff was from the G1 version. The only new products of him would be reissues or random merchandise as well. Several (including myself) wanted a Rodimus Primal in Beast Wars or thought Sideburn should have been Hot Rod. So when Rodimus finally made a return, it was a joyous occasion. Energon was a pretty good time with some great toys. Sure the cartoon had it's issues, but once again it sold well. For a pretty good reason.

Rodimus Prime (Kingdom)

 

Rodimus Prime is one of my favorite Transformers characters. Like Galvatron, after his introduction everything changed for the better. His latest figure is a large Commander Class figure that the Mrs gave me for Christmas. She knows how much I like him and this is one impressive gift. Like the Kingdom version of Galvatron, this Rodimus Prime works as both a Generations and Studio Series version of the toy. It's also a very pleasantly chunky robot toy that I had a lot of fun with. As you'd expect, Rodimus turns into his trademark Winnebago of Doom. What you probably didn't expect was the front 'cab' portion separates into the car Rodimus changed into as Hot Rod. As a kid, this is what I wanted the original to do. In a way, it makes him more like an Optimus Prime toy when the cab separates from the trailer.

The 'trailer' portion of the alt mode converts into a battle platform similar to the original toy. Now, however, the cannon is detachable and has treads for movement. It can be used as a portable weapon as well. There's plenty of connection ports in the battle deck for various Weaponizers and other add on fun. Rodimus comes with plenty of those energy action effect thingies, they make good blast effects for the cannon. Rodimus himself is contained within the car. This leads to my only dislike about the toy. I hated transforming it. He's a pretty tall robot that unfolds out of that car in not the most graceful manner. The end results are great, but the trip from A to B was a nightmare.

Transformation aside, in robot mode Rodimus is very sharp looking and well articulated. He has some great accessories including his Photon Eliminator rifle, Sword of Primus, and a Matrix of Autobot Leadership that stores nicely in his chest. There's even one of those energy effects thingies just for it! There already has been a Masterpiece Rodimus toy, but I am WAY more impressed with this figure than that one. There's even removable smoke for the smoke stacks! This is one of those toys that feel proud to own, like it could be a showcase piece. I've been really happy with Transformers toys in general over the past few years and this definitely is a solid example as to why.

With a yellow Spoiler and red Helmet

I've always been partial to Rodimus Prime. There's something about a cocky hot shot that turns out to be the chosen one who has imposter syndrome. I think we all can relate with being suddenly thrust into an important role and plagued with self doubt. It's an analogy for growing up as a late bloomer, something I can definitely relate with. I also think he looks cool.

It's hard not to like that mixture of orange, red, and yellow. The Winnebago of Doom alt mode is pleasantly weird too. In either the aerodynamics of it's original design, or the more blocky military-esque recent looks. It's just a neat vehicle. As much as I love the original years of Transformers with it's hybrid of Diaclone and Microman designs, I do favor the space opera post movie years more. Being raised on an unhealthy diet of Star Wars will do that to you.

Bios- Targetmaster Hot Rod

My actions speak louder than words.

He dreams of great heroics, but he acts like an immature adolescent. Impulsive, friendly, not to good at following orders. Often goes off on his own adventures with Firebolt, his electrostatic discharger rifle, who led a quiet scholarly life as Nebulos' top atomic physics scientist until he became the thrill-seeking Hot Rod's partner, Firebolt is excited, but nervous, about the prospect. In vehicle mode, maximum speed: 330 mph, range: 150 miles.

Latam Fan Summit Studio Series Reveals

 

Transformers Studio Series –51 Deluxe Class Transformers: Dark of the Moon Soundwave (HASBRO/Ages 8 and Up/ Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/ Available:01/01/2020)The 51 Deluxe Class SOUNDWAVE is a 4.5-inch collectible action figure inspired by the Transformers: Dark of the MoonSerengeti Hideout scene where SOUNDWAVE and LASERBEAK patiently await orders from MEGATRON. This Studio Series 51 Deluxe Class Transformers: Dark of the Moon SOUNDWAVE figure is highly articulated, features vivid, movie-inspired deco and converts from robot to car mode in 19 steps. Fans can use the removable backdrop to pose and display the SOUNDWAVE scene with their own style. Also included is 1 detailed LASERBEAK figure accessory that attaches to SOUNDWAVE’s arm. Reach past the big screen and build the ultimate TRANSFORMERS collection with Studio Series figures, inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the TRANSFORMERS movie universe. Each Studio Series figure sold separately and subject to availability at most major toy retailers on01/01/2020

Energon Igniters Hot Rod and Barricade (Speed Series)

 

Since Hot Rod and Barricade share a base mold, I thought it best to post them together. The toys are very similar to the  2007 Transformers movie Legend/Legion Barricade toy. I don't know if it's a coincidence, purposely using the engineering, or a heavy remold. Either way, in this toy they turn into a generic 70's/80's muscle car. Barricade a Police Car and Hot Rod that car the neighborhood bully drove while listening to Judas Priest. Aside from some basic deco differences, the two have different heads and Barricade has a light bar. As all Energon Igniters, they are compatible with the Power Core blocks. There are some pretty good little figures and at $5 each, they're hard to pass up.

Energon Igniters Power Series (wave 1)

From left to right: Hot Rod, Bumblebee, Megatron, and Dropkick in vehicle mode

The Energon Igniters toy line from the Bumblebee movie created a new size class called the Power Series. These are relatively simple figures with a lot of charm. If you're confused about them, don't worry, I was too at first. News sites didn't give the Energon Igniters the best coverage information initially and I thought these were a renamed version of Scouts. If you were to look at them in stores, you'd think they were Turbo Changers at first glance as they have the same style packaging. Once you get past the initial confusion, there's a fun little series of figures to be found.

What the heck did I do this weekend?

This weekend was pretty laid back. Though, I suppose I should bring up Friday, Friday morning I swung by Walmart on the way home from work and got the reissue Starscream and grabbed one of the new Speed series (formerly Legion Class) Bumblebee toys. They had others, but seeing as I was grabbing a $35 figure... I felt like waiting to buy the rest. The following Saturday morning I went with the wife to pick up our groceries and stop by Target. While At that Walmart I picked up the Bumblebee Power series Hot Rod.

Initially I thought the Power series was a new name for Legend class (like Speed for Legion), and seeing the packaging I thought they were Turbo Changers... I was wrong. Power series is a new size class obviously aimed at children, that like the Speed series works with the Energon Igniters power brick thingies. On it's own though, it's a fun little basic figure. When they first showed up online, I had said they remind me of G2 toys... and it still does. The figure is very similar to a standard Generation 2 toy without it's gimmick weapon. That certainly works for me as I've always really dug that style of toy. Hoping to see these continue and maybe even stretch out into something with more traditional robots.

We ate lunch at McDonald's, where my wife grabbed the TF happy meal toys for me. We pretty much stayed home the rest of the weekend aside from a quick run out for Subway for lunch Sunday and a quick drop by the Dollar General. I was hoping to score the Mummy Army set, continuing from last Halloweens skeleton army set and went home with two! Most of Sunday was spent organizing my toy room. It's a project I've been putting off for some time now and plan on spending the next few Sundays doing. Not just for the sake of cleanliness, but also there's going to be a few weekends with my Mom staying over coming up and the futon in there serves as a guest bed. Not to mention we hope to move next summer (and this time we mean it), so having it mostly packed up ahead of time is a good thing. I recorded a new Transform Squadron episode that should go up soon, so hopefully you all will enjoy that.

The Last Knight Hot Rod

When the first sneak peaks of Hot Rod in TF5 hit the internet around summer 2016, I was excited. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime is one of my favorite Transformers characters and even though his design wasn't traditional, I thought he looked pretty cool. So when the TF5 movie toys began coming out, Hot Rod was exclusive to Walmart (like Stinger before). Though for whatever reason, waves past the initial push didn't come to stores in the standard time frame or not even at all. Hot Rod was available online, but not on shelves (except for a 3 step toy). Fortunately in the recent months he did appear at Ross stores and his deluxe figure has been making appearances at the stores in the recent weeks. So, you can get a Hot Rod and an ugly pair of Nike at the same place!

Hot Rod is based on the Age of Extinction Lockdown deluxe mold with a new parts and color deco. This works really well and makes for a better Hot Rod than Lockdown oddly enough. It's a good toy mold with ample articulation and good use of color and sculpting. It wouldn't be mistaken for the more premium Studio Series figures, but does look really nice.

If I had any complaints in this mold, it's that the joints on mine were a little too tight and I was worried I'd wrench a part off. The only loose part was one of his weird shoulder pad thingies that came off way to easily. Fortunately it went right back into place, but not without getting cursed out for it's annoyance. I wish Hot Rod had an accessory. Maybe his time freezing gun from the movie, or a cool movie style Targetmaster. That'd be really neat actually. I know, I know, I can buy a gun on shapeways or something. But I bought the figure for 9$, spending 20$ plus shipping for a gun isn't exactly something I'd like to do. That'd be like paying 5$ for french fries to go with a 2$ burger.

Speaking of expensive choices, Hot Rod's car mode is a Lamborghini Centenario. Which is a very fancy car that costs more than I can fathom. Seriously, I've never spent more than 25k on a car. I'm very simple. Seriously, what's making that car so fancy? Does it have cup holders that fit those really big drinks or something? Regardless of the pricey car, it's really cool looking. This is a car I could see a traditional Hot Rod turning into and a little eagle eyeing the car's details could show how a clever paint job could make him look even more G1.

Transforming him, however, wasn't something I enjoyed. I don't hate it or anything, but I don't want to do it often. It's not overly hard, just fiddly enough to get everything to snap into place to be frustrating. One you do, it's in place though. Just like going back to robot mode, just frustrating to get everything into place. Though considering the smooth looking car mode and solid robot, if that's the only complaint, then there's nothing major to complain about.

Like if his name was Rodimus Major.

Autobot cars 1986 UK commercial

Man, there's just something about that announcer that makes me love this commercial. His voice, accent, and just general 'alright fellows, let's go!' vibe to his delivery that makes this commercial more fun than it already is. As is, it's a basic selling of the 1986 movie Autobot car guys (that look to be in darker colors, but that could just be the video quality). The most noteworthy thing outside of the awesome announcer is the framing, that mirrors G1 packaging. Which is rad.

Heck Yeah Memorial Day Weekend!

Sadly I cannot get these anymore

Memorial Day Weekend is finally here and boy are my arms tired. Because I work a hella lot and haven't really had much of a break this year. So, of course I'm heavily looking forward to Memorial Day, but really I do every year. Even though as an adult, summer doesn't quite mean as much to me as it did when I was a kid, I still look forward to all the fun it has to offer. Memorial Day pretty much was the kick off to summer break, which is the reason why stores around here sell fireworks for Memorial Day. Because it's time to have a ton of fun ya'll.

I know it's technically still spring, but I live in Georgia and it's already 90 degrees outside. The heat sucks, but is part of the overall fun. This weekend first thing I have planned is... well I got to buy some tires. So... you know... that's not really fun... but after that, heck yeah. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon releases this weekend and I've already got my joy cons charging in anticipation of some monster fighting fun. See, I've always joked that I start mentally doing Halloween in spring and a big part of that is summer has always been my prelude into Halloween. Christmas in July, Halloween in May.

When I was a kid, I usually spent my summer breaks watching tons of horror either on VHS from the local video store or on TV as most channels seemed to play the crap out of 80's slashers during summer break. I just automatically associate the season with horror and it leads directly into the horror holiday. Worked into that is 80's metal. I genuinely love 80's metal as is, but it's also something I closely associate with horror and Halloween. Not only is the genre used a lot in soundtracks, but the imagery is pretty much Halloween decorations. It just goes together. Needless to say my horror movie viewing and 80's metal listening goes up during summer. I've literally been listening to Slippery When Wet non stop while at work.

I also spent most summer nights playing games all night long, and even though as an adult the only thing keeping me from doing that is adult responsibilities, mentally, summertime is gaming nirvana. So, I don't have to explain anymore why a spiritual Castlevania sequel is 100% what I want to play all weekend. Know what else? I love popsicles. Summer is obvious high time for the treat and I'm probably going to eat more than I really should this weekend. I'm just having a hard time picking out what kind to add to my grocery order.

I'll be seeing Solo: A Star Wars Story Sunday. I've already got my tickets and am really looking forward to it. A new Star Wars each year is still amazing to me and even though I have to adjust to summer releases as opposed to the Christmas time releases of the past few years, it's still a high point for me. The wife is planning on cooking some BBQ to have ready for when I get home, so man, talk about the perfect day!

Speaking of the wife, we plan to do some shopping over the weekend and I'm really hopping to find a TF5 Hot Rod at Ross. He never showed at any of my Walmarts, and even though I managed to get both legions of him (thanks Shawn!) I also really wanted his deluxe toy. According to folks, he's been showing up at Ross lately, and even though I was just there last weekend, I'm sure I'll have no problem talking the wife into stopping by in hopes of scoring him. Sure, he's far from traditional Hot Rod, but I'm a big Hot Rod/Rodimus fan and like snatching his toys up when possible. Not to mention, I like the design. I like Transformer movie toys. I like Transformers. All of them.

So, needing a much needed break this weekend loaded with fun and quality time at home, I'm most ready to do this. It's a holiday weekend to kick off a summer full of robots, monsters, and misadventure. Which, is what the site is all about y'all.

I'm more excited for this than I really should be

 

Walmart has put up a listing for the Hot Rod reissue I previously talked about. It looks like there is some minor color differences in his stickers, which I think is a neat way to differentiate this release from the prior releases and honestly, can I be real here for a second? I'm super excited to buy this guy. Sure, I already have a Hot Rod... but... look man, there's just something awesome about buying G1 Transformers at Walmart again. I'm going to walk in (or Walton in), grab a Hot Rod and maybe a pair of cargo shorts. Because it's summer. I also like to put my phone in the cargo pocket. It's convenient. Then I'm going to post all sorts of pictures of him, but not my cargo shorts. I don't think Instagram cares about those as much as I do.

I guess you really can buy anything at Walmart

I admit to liking the giant logo across the picture

So, the scuttlebutt of today in the Transformers news is listings of a reissue Hot Rod on Robot Kingdom. Allegedly this will be a Walmart exclusive in June for 35$. Walmart has certainly had it's share of exclusives before, but a G1 reissue is more of a boutique item that's normally at some form of specialty store. So it's kinda random for Walmart to have it, but I'm not complaining. There's a billion Walmart stores where I'm at and the bulk are open 24 hours. So unlike a Toys R Us, I can swing by on my lunch break or on the way home in the morning pretty easily. Not to mention, being at Walmart, it's going to have a more fair price. Sure, I got the last reissue at Toys R Us in 2002 for $19, but at the time I was also getting deluxes for 9.99. Now they range from $15-20$. Hot Rod is not much smaller than a modern voyager and has die cast parts. He's a big chunky brick of plastic and metal that's honestly almost as dense as a modern leader class figure. So 35$ in 2018 isn't too bad, that's what a Megazord runs. Not to mention, once again, this is a more specialty boutique item, it's going to cost a little more.

I do wonder if the path is being cleared for more items like this at stores like Walmart and Target as Toys R Us is going out of business. If you're going for a physical retail location, might as well go for the biggest players in the game. Both chains in my areas have dedicated areas for collector driven items already, so it's not big of a stretch to see them add to that idea.

So outside of wondering if these stores are going to carry more stuff like going forward, I wonder, are we looking at more G1 reissues at places like Walmart or Target? I'm actually really hoping so. Sure, I have most of them already, but what about an odd one I don't or maybe there's some random differences in these new reissues I dig? All we have is a picture of that Hot Rod to go by, but what if say he has extra stuff in the box? A booklet, new accessories, a back drop, or who knows? This could be really neat and really neat things are the basis for having a hobby.

Either way, I'm buying another Hot Rod at Walmart.

And probably some cat food.

Shattered Glass Rodimus

To the victor go the profits.

Rodimus was once a mercenary who commanded a team of fellow mercenaries known as "The Wreckers". They plundered resources across Cybertron and preyed upon the weak. While Rodimus always believed in Optimus Prime's vision of conquest, he did not want to be a follower. During the battle of Praxus-Delta, Optimus Prime hired Rodimus' team to bolster his own forces. In the battle, the Decepticons managed to destroy every member of the Wreckers except for Rodimus. Despite the heavy losses, Rodimus wanted to fulfill his contract with Optimus, so he fought on. As a result, the Autobots were able to retreat that day without further casualties. Optimus Prime was impressed with Rodimus' fighting ability and asked him to join the Autobots. Rodimus agreed. He is determined to eventually take leadership for himself and turn the Autobot forces into the largest mercenary group the galaxy has ever seen!

Titans Return first impressions

So, this morning after I got home from work, I watched the first two episodes of Transformers Titans Return on the Go90 app. I was pleasantly surprised to like it. So far it seems to be a better overall production with more solid characters and so far plot. I'm honestly curious and excited to see where this show goes.

I was never bothered by the animation in Combiner Wars, but there was a few sticky moments in the animation that's still present here. Will Wheaton is the voice of Perceptor, who I admittedly haven't ever enjoyed in anything after Stand By Me. Just his voice just doesn't fit in for me. Maybe he'd be a better fit in another character.

I've always preferred Judd Nelson as Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime and it's great to see him back in the role (his bit in Animated was a nice surprise at the time). Not to mention it's great to see Hot Rod acting like Hot Rod. I hope the show continues on the path it's on and continues to improve.

So far, it's just nice to see it as an overall improvement over Combiner Wars.

I like the idea of a cartoon exclusive to an app. It seems silly and would make more sense on YouTube, but in a world where I do literally everything with my phone, it just makes sense.