Bios- Octopunch

Anything that can sink is worth sinking.

The terror of the deep. If he's not stealing sunken treasure or ancient artifacts, he amuses himself by smashing holes in submarines and cruise ships. Electrically-charged, razor-tipped harpoon gun momentarily short-circuits on contact. Also armed with vice-like tentacles that stick to any surface. So strong underwater that he can wrestle a whale to a standstill. Inner robot converts to metal-rending crab creature equipped with depth gauges, deep-sea radar and acetylene torch gun.

A Grand Time

Siege, Earthrise. Both Transformers toy lines with heavy focus on Micromasters. Earthrise even makes a point for multiple Micromaster bases in it's ranks. Let's go a few lines back, Power of the Primes and Titans Return, also featuring small toy play. Titanmasters in fact had very similar play features and so may of the larger bots in Titans Return had base modes.

I'm making a badly formed case for Grandus to make his return. Look at him, a toy so wonderful they came up with a new way to say grand. He'd be perfect, he'd be wonderful, even grand. Honestly, I don't know why there isn't a Grandus sitting on the shelf of my local Walmart. Hasbro could be coy. They could disguise him as one of the G1 reissue line. The more legit members of society would get it. We'd know what the score is. I'd even go buy some grands biscuits to make it a thing. I'd have a grand ass day.

A Star [Convoy] is born

Damn, that's sharp!

Images of a new Star Convoy toy were all over the place today as his release as a Generations Select is imminent. Made from the Power of the Primes Optimus Prime, the toy is gorgeous. The POTP Optimus toy was already great looking as is, but with the Star Convoy additions... dang. I'll be trying to get one of these upon it's release as Star Convoy is one of those forever awesome Transformers to me. Forever awesome.

Prime time.

There's a bit of a dual homage going on here. Sure, in evolution mode, that's a super Star Convoy update. Though I noticed the standard robot mode, with the new parts to turn the Orion Pax into a traditional Optimus Prime, they've almost replicated the old Battlestars/Return of Convoy back of box art.

 

See it now?

I'm not sure if that was the intent, but it sure is neat. 

 

Here's hoping it comes with a Micromaster Hot Rod.

Transformers Generation 2019 cover!

こんばんは、ヒーローXです。12月10日発売『トランスフォーマージェネレーション2019』現在、編集作業のクライマックス。もうすぐ完成です。ではさっそくカバーを大公開！　今回カバーイラストを描き下ろしてくださったのは、トランスフォーマー35周年にふさわしく、レジェンド・上田信先生！ pic.twitter.com/WSJZbbS9p7

— ヒーローＸ！ (@heroxnet) November 27, 2018

Good evening, Hero X. Released on December 10, "Transformers Generation 2019" is now the climax of the editorial work. It's almost finished.　Now, the cover is very public! It was drawn to draw down the cover illustration this time, worthy of the Transformers 35th anniversary, Makoto Ueda legend!

Man, when I saw this this morning it was super exciting. Of course I've now just got the time to talk about it because it was super dooper sleepy time. I love, love, love G1 box art and seeing the Power of the Primes toys in a very G1 box art bit of art is just the perfect thing. Needless to say it's my current lock screen. Some folks complain (shocking, I know) about the G1 with knees design aesthetic of recent Generations toys. Not me though, I loved it. If I was taking a selfie with it, I'd be sure to do that heart with my hands thing.

Power of the Primes Wreck-Gar

I was really happy to find this years Walgreen's Exclusive toy on the way to a Pumpkin Patch with my wife. Weirdly enough, the annual Walgreen's exclusive Transformer has become a big deal for me. It's one of the bigger moments in Transformers toys for me each year and Wreck-Gar is definitely a good choice. Using  Combiner Wars Groove as a base mold, Wreck Gar has a new head and includes his axe weapon from the Reveal the Shield Wreck-Gar toy. Since this is a POTP toy, Wreck-Gar comes with a POTP Primemaster armor hand/foot unit.

Bright Light Monday

He's practically a light source.

I've been particularly busy this weekend. I don't know if any of you reading this might have noticed, as I scheduled all of the past few days posts ahead of time. It dawned on me as Monday is sort of a dead posty day around here, that I should make a semi-regular Monday post. Like a, what the crap I did this past weekend post. I mean, sometimes I post during the weekend among the scheduled posts. Sometimes I don't. I assure you this is very important to do. I think. I'm sure.

For the record, I'm sure I've said this before here, but I'll say it again for clarity and because... because. I work overnight. Generally from 6pm -7am with a few extra hours put in Saturday morning to assure I don't need to come back in to finish anything up. So, usually my weekends are spent with my wife whom I don't see a lot during the week (thus the mostly scheduled posts). Today, I actually had to come in a few hours earlier for a work related class. So my internal clock in way off.

Saturday, after getting home, instead of going to sleep for a few hours, the wife and I went out after I showered so we could hit a few stores as they first opened. Following the beginning of Halloween several stores have their official launch of seasonal products, so we wanted to get to Bath & Body Works as well as Yankee Candle to get an early start on their Halloween products for this year. Well my wife did, it's more her thing, but I felt like coming along. We also hit up Walmart and Target where I scored a Dracula Mego and POTP Novastar. I had intended to grab the Cyberverse Scout Starscream and Megatron, but the Cyberverse toys were wiped out. That's right haters, they're selling. I live in the rural outskirts of a major American city, so I don't know if that's much of an indication, but you know... perhaps. So it looks like I have to wait for a restock on the remaining Scouts but was happy that they sold well.

After waking up, I watched the new episode of Ninja Steel on my DVR. I enjoyed how it obviously segways into the 25th anniversary episode showing Tuesday night (Happy Early Power Ranger Day!) and introduced the Blaze Megazord into the show. People crap on Ninja Steel (go figure), but this was a pretty decent episode. The use of classic Power Ranger music in recent episodes is a definite plus.

Cyberverse finally showed on my DVR listing so I set my recording schedule. I'm aware that a few episodes are already available on Cartoon Network's site and app, but I plan to watch them off my DVR as they broadcast. Though, keep such things as Cartoon Network posting them on their app and site or setting a DVR in mind for when people who manage to watch shows that don't come on in their country complain about the shows time slot.  Just watch, somehow they just can't figure out how to watch it.

Speaking of Cyberverse, earlier today when I was making myself sleep all day so I could be functional off my normal schedule, I spied some stock photos of upcoming toys online. It's nothing new, toy's we've known are coming, but it did sell me on Acidstorm. Before I hadn't noticed just how freaking eye searingly bright he is. Maybe even brighter than Actionmaster Thundercracker and that's saying something! So, of course I have to have it. He's so bright, he might just make a good back up flash light.

Burn baby burn, Autobot Inferno

Earlier today, or I suppose yesterday... Friday morning. Friday morning (exact days can be confusing when you work over night) I stopped by Walmart on the way home from work to pick up some cat food. A quick visit to the toy aisle and I picked up Power of the Primes Inferno. I was pretty happy for this as I wanted him, but also... man I like Inferno. I just really like Inferno. I can't say I have all of his toys, but I do got a good bit and always glad to get another. There's just something about a red fire truck I guess. It doesn't hurt that I can't think of an ugly Inferno toy. He usually comes out looking great. I guess the traditional Inferno look just translates well into toy form. You got a fire truck, who doesn't love a fire truck? The traditional can chest really works well making this big beefy guy. He's just hard to hate.

This Inferno is based on the Combiner Wars Hot Spot toy mold. Which works pretty well, though I keep thinking it would have made for a perfect Pyro update. Probably because of the design of fire truck. His combiner form makes for a good modern Guard City. Some have been sticking Protectobots on him to serve this purpose. Me? Well, I've discussed before how I'd utilize other combining figures not in use and I plan to do so. New Guard City if you will. It's not an exact update, but it's not really intended to be. Just a clever nod for those in the know.

Whoahbots

This morning Amazon updated listings for the soon to be released Repugnus and Punch/Counterpunch. Honestly, I had assumed these were vaporware as they were just names on a list without any solid information for so long. I'm also pleasantly pleased as I really want Repugnus and even though I was first pretty meh on the idea of Counterpunch, seeing it makes me really want it. I'm still in the middle ground for Blast Off that seems to be part of the set. I'd like it, but not going to worry to much if I don't (my Bruticus is fine with the CW Blast Off... honestly, I just like the way the brown jet looks). I'm worried these will be another case of going up while I'm working or sleeping and sell out instantly like exclusives before (really hoping other places have them as well, to help out with chances). I also wonder if this will be some sort of Black Friday/Cyber Monday thing. I mean, here we are in July, the holidays will be here a lot sooner than you'd think and this does make for a good holiday grab. I just really want that Repugnus. Like, maybe a little too much. I don't mean to harp on the whole missing out on something because it sells out so fast, but it really is disheartening and has happened more often than I'd like. Which being only human and all...

Demon General Abominus

I got the rest of the Terrorcons this past weekend at my local Walmart (because wave 3 is going to be impossible to find *snicker*) and am really looking forward to assembling my Abominus on July 4th. I got Rippersnapper with my birthday presents in March and Hun-Gurrr some time back, now all I need is the spare time of a holiday to enjoy them all. I was pointing out to my wife that Abominus is my favorite combiner and realized, I sure do have a lot of him. The original (including countless individual Hun-Gurrrs), a great color reversed ko, two different variations of the Beast Hunters version (I think I got extra Hun-Gurrrs there too), the Kre-O version, Infernocus, (who's basically the movie version, and is made of the Beast Hunters Abominus) and now the POTP version. Honestly, I could use a couple more. I find myself often wishing there was an Action Master or a SFC version.

What's not to love about that abominable fella?

King of Kong

I guess Hasbro decided to make this years SDCC exclusives the freaking bomb or something, because, in addition to that amazing Bumblebee set I talked about last week, they unveiled this amazing thing today. Just look at that thing, that's amazing. They've taken the POTP Optimal Optimus, colored him like BW season one Primal and gave him a throne to display all his Primemasters on as well as a magic mace to use them with (because Gauntlets are so last week) and most importantly, a freaking crown. I really want this, and once again the crushing reality of the online sales of these exclusives are usually sold out within minutes insuring a busy working professional like myself to miss out. Sucks, but I guess that's the trade off. That's really awesome though, I mean... MAN THAT'S AWESOME.

Hey Hasbro, you know you could send me some review copies right?

You know, I actually like your stuff right?

Right?

Power of the Primes Battletrap

When I talked about Battleslash and Roadtrap, I said they were parts of a combiner that's the newest incarnation of Duocon Battletrap right? That's right I did and here is is in all his Trappin and Battlin glory! The two toys form a pretty well done new version of the classic character.

The two smaller robots form Battletrap who's roughly deluxe size. He's the sum of both parts and it shows as the two distinct forms show clearly, which is part of the Duocon theme after all. I can't find any fault with this approach and hope Flywheels gets similar treatment (I've always liked him).

As I've noted before, the two toys are nice looking, but are obviously intended to form a bigger mode and it really pay's off here. I can't really find any faults with the toy as he forms together pretty well. If I have anything negative to say, it's pretty minor. I'm not fond of how parts of Roadtrap come loose easily in leg form, making the knee's look a little messy without sticking them back together (that could also be just mine though) and that helicopter blade of Battleslash is just kinda stuck in the back of Battletrap kind of awkwardly (I did say I'm usually never happy with how helicopter blades work out). There is an attempt to stow it between parts, but the bottom half is still dangling.. I'm sure if the components were deluxe or larger, there would be an additional few steps to work this out better. As is, it's just part of the scales economy and not the end of the world. Two minor gripes in an overall great toy is pretty reasonable and there's always a little give and take with any combiner.

Power of the Primes Battleslash

Battleslash, like his partner, is the other part of Battletrap in Power of the Primes. Giving the helicopter portion of the Duocon a life of his own and serving as a stand alone toy as well. Oddly enough for a toy that turns into a helicopter, Battleslash is very stocky looking. Wide chest, big thighs, aside from the propeller on his forearm, you'd never know he turned into a helicopter.

Probably owing to his colors and that helmet, Battleslash makes me think of Astrotrain. I'm sure I can't be the only one, but for now let's just assume I'm crazy and just said something ridiculous. Of course with his wide stature, the only thing that really clues you into his alt mode is the propeller on his arm serving as some sort of melee weapon. That's a drawback in helicopter modes for me. Most of the time the blades are kinda just there in robot mode or combiner mode (more on that later this week). At least Battleslash has a weapon thanks to the propeller and it matches up with his name. You see he will slash you, presumably in battle. Or if you said something about his Momma, then he might cut you. I guess they could have called him Mommacutter.

Like I said, he turns into a helicopter, and unlike his partner, it's a much easier transformation. I really like this mode, just a good helicopter that's not too unrealistic for a space robot that turns into a helicopter. Fortunately his combiner mode doesn't impose too much into the toy aside from some visible hands and a hidden away head (and they're decently hidden). Though I'm sure there's a fair complaint for the connector outlet on the helicopters nosecone, it doesn't bother me regardless.

Battleslash is a fairly neat toy that's fun on his own aside from the combination gimmick, and I really like the colors. I really wish I could find more words to say about him, but it's really as simple as that.

Duocons, Throttlebots commercial 1987

Power of the Primes Roadtrap

Somebody at Hasbro had a great idea, taking the classic Duocon Battletrap and turning his two vehicle forms into separate characters. That's what we got here with Roadtrap, now the SUV portion of the robot is his own character as well part of the combiner. The end result is pretty neat, with Roadtrap (now his own bot) making for a pretty decent little toy.

He's short and squat, owing to the fact that his third form is a pair of legs. Often with combiners you have to sacrifice a little for the combined form and that's true here as well. Fortunately, it's not too bad and Roadtrap's still a pretty satisfactory little figure. I'm really impressed with the articulation, which owes more to his various modes and the means to put the toy into them than anything. Which equals a pretty articulated little guy. However, it that means to transform between the forms leads to my only real problem with the figure. I don't like transforming him.

While at first glance, he doesn't seem to challenging, but to go from robot to truck, there's a bit of magic with his chest that must be done that I didn't enjoy doing. It wasn't terrible or anything, just a little more fiddly than I'd like for a smaller figure. This partially owes to the fact that he also turns into a pair of legs (more on that later this week), but it still hampers the fun of the stand alone toy. Either way, I quite like the little guy despite a little trivial inconvenience. It's nice to see a little original thought go into a update of a classic character and add to him a bit.

Power of the Primes Tailgate

It was a big relief when I stumbled onto POTP Legends class wave 2 at my local Walmart. The class is one of my favorites to buy and just like Titans Return, I don't want to miss a single one (still cheesed about the few Combiner Wars ones I missed). In all actuality, just like the Windcharger before it, I was a bit confused for a new Tailgate. Both Windcharger and Tailgate got new Legends scale figures not very long ago and I'd figure they'd want to use the resources towards new molds of other characters first. Though just like Windcharger, I was very pleased with the end result as the new mold is a big improvement over the prior toy. Actually, though Tailgate is basically the same toy with a different head and colors, I like him a lot better than Windcharger. Sometimes it's the little things than can make a big difference.

Tailgate is a short, squat little guy with plenty of articulation for his size. Sure, you can't roll him up into a ball, but he has a pleasant amount for a smaller figure that turns into a car. He also benefits from a  limited color deco being used wisely. Tailgate's always been pretty basic on the color front, but those basic colors look really nice here. He's just a good looking toy.

In his car mode, Tailgate is completely adequate. He looks exactly like he's supposed too with no real surprises, and that's ok. Some people have complained (take a shot) that Generations toys from the past few years are really just G1 toys with better articulation. Which is pretty much the same thing as complaining that water is wet. These are meant to be updates to classic characters, and just happen to be that. I'm sure if they would look up they might see the point sailing over their heads somewhere in orbit.

In all I'm really happy with Tailgate, more so than I thought I'd be. I'm a little surprised just how much I like him as I technically already have the toy since my wife got me Windcharger for Christmas. Like I said, sometimes it's really the little things that can make all the difference. It doesn't hurt that I've been in that frame of mind I get where I can see all sorts of different used I could get from a toy mold if I was in a position to come up with such things. This is a mold that I can see plenty of other uses for, and with the Tailgate head, I can get more out of it mentally.

The Walgreen's Wreck-Gar Saga continues

In what has seemingly become a legendary adventure, it's seems Walgreen's exclusive Wreck Gar is soon to becoming a reality. My main man at Walgreen's shot me some more info regarding the release. Like the past 2 Transformers exclusives, Wreck Gar will be available in the fall/winter.

Credit: Homeslice from Walgreen's

That date implies an arrival of September 28th 2018, though considering it's in a deluxe shipment, that's not a hard date (so settle down if it's not at your store until a little later). The past two exclusives have been making appearances anywhere from October - December, so this shipping date falls in line with the same general expected time frame.

Also of note, looks like the smaller Authentics figures will be making an appearance at Walgreen's too. Hoping this leads to a few more molds, I'm sure enjoying the silly little things.

Bilz and Pap commercial featuring TF

Ok, so I live in the soda capital of the world and I'm not in the region that sells Bilz and Pap, so I can't participate. However those are some great 3D models used in the commercial, they all looked really good. Though I couldn't help to wish I had those larger scale Cyber Battalion toys that kid had...

Combiner Wars: Bruticus vs Sky Reign commercial

For some reason, I've been thinking about Combiner Wars toys. Specifically the deluxe class. Ironically, in a line focused around combining, I found myself really enjoying the individual members on their own. While some complained (take a shot) about the rampant reuse of engineering in the line (they wanted scramble style combiners, but I guess not the working system?), It never fazed me. I really liked the proportions of the figures and the overall build of the robots. I found myself really liking the odd members of more random combiners like Sky Reign that were composed from classic characters that were traditionally not combiners. There was just something about those proportions that just clicked with me as a figure. Sometimes I'll find some customs or digi-bashes of the toys and wish they could have been real. Not that I minded the Titans Returns figures or anything (man, I love that line, it's right up there with Beast Wars as far as favorites go), but it could be part of the reasoning that I enjoy the Power of the Primes figures so much, even though they've got somewhat different proportions.

Abominable Beastking thinking

Earlier, I lucked up on finding Hun-Grrr from Power of the Primes when the Walmart by my work apparently got a few cases of Voyagers. I had been slightly worried as the Terrorcons are kinda a big deal to me and I had been hoping to get my new Abominus without much trouble. I've had Rippersnapper since March when the wave 2 deluxes were part of the birthday presents from my wife. Then as luck would have it, POTP toys started getting spotty distribution for awhile there, I started to worry I'd have to pay too much on ordering him or the Takara version.

It doesn't help that so much doom and gloom is going around and making the outlook look like we'll never get these figures. Facts are facts and we know POTP is shorter than anticipated and Transformers is having a bit of a slowdown. But if one remembers the giant leak from last summer, it outright outlined the majority of the toys in the line. It just so appears that the line is a bit shorter than we're accustomed too for whatever reason. But assuming Studio Series is in the general same arena as Generations toys to the corporate offices of Hasbro, it might be a little more easy to see. And frankly, if War for Cybertron is running side by side with more Studio Series figures (and by all accounts looks to be) it may be a little shorter as well. Because they may consider it in the same basket at those corporate offices (it's not a stretch to see how and why they might). Or they all could simply be coming from the same factory in different production cycles.

What helps me form that train of thought is looking at how the line has played out in release. First waves were at stores right before Christmas. Second waves started right as spring started hitting and by late spring it was all Studio Series. Until what is now early summer as those are at retail saturation for the first waves and what do we have? Well the rest of those POTP wave 2 voyagers have been popping up as well as the third wave voyagers are showing up. It's like something came unplugged in the distribution channels all the sudden right? Looks like the Studio Series initial push might have bottle necked things a little, at least to me (this is all my opinion after all). But thinking about it, since wave 2 was so sparse after first showing up 2-3 months ago, I wonder if it's still shipping?

Now, what about those wave 2 Legends. Well, wave 2's are usually harder to find in any line and man I really hope I find them sooner or later or I'm going to cry a big old pile of tears. BUT, what about that dooming and glooming that's been crying out? What about wave 3 deluxes, will we ever get those? Well, look at that pic of Abominus above. It's an official image, it's from those image leaks from last October, before all the recent doom and gloom. Read the other three members info.

Coming late 2018

So, seeing as we don't know about things until after the decisions are already made (everybody is just an arm chair quarterback in this game after all), I think the rest of POTP is intertwined between batches of Studio Series and that first batch of Cyberverse (due in the fall). When in that Financial call report, it's reported that by December 2018, "Power Of The Primes will effectively close down the Prime Wars ‘event’ which took place under the Generations banner.". So going by the picture up top, that report, and just putting things together, I think everything's going to be fine. Just spread out and maybe a little janky in distribution (there could be another dry patch in between batches). Though I have been wondering if Hurricane Harvey might have caused a brief plastics shortage since it happened. That could have also come into play if it did have any cause and effect.

Of course I don't know for sure, I don't claim to know everything. Just I've been at the TF game for a long time, and I've learned how to anticipate things. Professionally, I've worked a lot in logistics and various contract based businesses that require multiple factors and different hands at parts of the process to complete a product on time. I have seen what issues can and will happen if one of those hands has a problem and boy it can be a mess. Hell, maybe the sky is falling and it's as grim as the gloomy prediction readers see in their java script crystal balls. Who knows for sure? Time will tell, but we just have to wait for time to tell.

Pretender Megatron

I'll make no bones about it. I want a Pretender Megatron (and the Optimus and Oilmaster as well, but I'm talking about Megatron here). Full stop, he could have been anyone else. Just as long as it had that sweet reuse of the Grand Maximus shell. That was a great use of the mold and in the dark colors just looks great. When the TFCC's final year of existing brought this out to play, I was amazed. I really wanted to subscribe to the subscription service to get it, but alas, it was not to be. Sometimes money doesn't always fold the way you'd like it, and it didn't fold in the favor of getting this guy. Really, it could have been anybody in that shell and I'd been sold (though Spacewarp is a really great idea). Anybody who reads Zone Base knows I'm a Pretender fan and at the time those new Pretenders from the TFCC was a siren song. Fortunately Primemasters came along and gave me Pretenders in a new flavor. Unfortunately, there's not enough of them. I want like, billions of them.