Soundwave [Studio Series/Deluxe Class]

Prior to the Bumblebee movie, Dark of the Moon was my favorite of the Transformers live action movies. So various Studio Series releases of the characters from that film tend to catch my eye. The Mrs. probably didn't know that when she picked up this Soundwave for me as a Christmas gift last year. It was originally released in 2019 with a Target Exclusive reissue last year.

I had completely missed out on it's initial release and the universe just made it happen. Neat! Soundwave was pretty cool looking in all his movie appearances, but his DOTM look was really slick. He changes into a licensed Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which is a really expensive car. According to Google, in 2011 (when the movie was released) it cost from $169,800 to $275,000. I hope nobody scratched it during filming. 

Yikes.

This is a very well done representation of Soundwave from DOTM, looking like he just walked off the screen and very sleek. He comes with a tiny Laserbeak whom can perch on his arm or top of the car. In robot mode, Soundwave is very articulated and can be put into all sorts of poses. Like all the Bay era film designs, there are a lot of sharp points and edges. These are present... but cast in a softer plastic for safety reasons. He is very well sculpted and there is a lot of detail. More than you'd expect for a standard retail figure. I guess Mercedes had requirements for their licensees.

Transformation is the standard car mode layout you can expect, but man it is a tight fit. There's hardly any wiggle room getting everything into place and that can be frustrating. You might notice in the pics mine doesn't look completely connected in car mode. That's because it isn't, I have no clue what black magic it takes to get everything to align properly, but I gave up after taking too long trying to get everything into place. His robot mode hips are between the forearms in car mode and that tight fit meant something was clearly off just a touch right there and I could not figure it out. Even with some gaps in the panels, that is one sleek looking vehicle. Thanks to various pictures online, I don't have to imagine just how sleeker it is without those hips causing a problem. Despite the frustration, I really enjoy this figure. Studio Series is supposed to be the higher quality representation of the on screen characters and it's shows here.

Bios: Laserbeak

"The only point I like in Autobots: melting point."

Function: Interrogation

Laserbeak takes pleasure in hunting his prey -- usually the straggling survivors of a battle. Noticeably not brave. Will run for safety if threatened. Flies at speeds up to 250mph. Uses two independently targetable laser cannons with extreme precision to get information from capitves. Shortage of ruby crystals that powers the lasers can panic his systems into shutting down.

Strength: 5 Intelligence: 6 Speed: 8 Endurance: 5 Rank: 6

Courage: 2 Firepower: 8 Skill: 9

Superior to the Core

I picked up Core Class Soundwave this past weekend. I really like this new size class Kingdom introduced. Seeing as it's continuing in Legacy and being worked into Studio Series, I'm not the only one. Soundwave is a really nice toy for what's is the new basic size.

He's pleasantly articulation. Mostly due to transformation, but I'm not complaining. In fact, it almost makes him comparable to the Microman figures he originated from. Soundwave turns into his traditional cassette player and even has an opening door complete with Laserbeak in tape mode!

Laserbeak doesn't transform, but it's still a nice extra. I have no complaints with this figure whatsoever. I do wish his robot mode feet tucked away better in alt mode from abetter looking tape player. So far Core Class has had some really great figures. I'm really looking forward to more as it's been great so far. This one though, is going to be pretty hard to beat.

Making Soundwaves

After Christmas, like many of you, I was doing a gift card shopping spree. While doing so, I lucked up upon the new deluxe Cyberverse Soundwave figure. I've liked the warrior class version of Soundwave and jumped at the nicer toy.

The design is a cool mix of traditional G1 Soundwave and Euro G1/Early G2 styling. The old school nature of the warrior class toys made him feel like one of those late G1 European toys lost in time. The deluxe is like a modern Generations update of that toy. 

Soundwave comes with Laserbeak who turns into a cassette that can be loaded into his chest. However Soundwave turns into a type of armored truck instead of a tape deck. They don't make those anymore, shit happens. I do like this truck a lot. Not sure if it'd make a good communications truck, but it looks cool.

Like I said, Laserbeak can store in Soundwave's chest. What I didn't say was he can also perch on his arm or shoulder via a peg. There's also an action effect thingy that you can plug into his radar dish or gun. That's to show a sonic attack emitting from the dish or gun. It's in his name. It's a sound wave.

Laserbeak is pretty basic and hollow. Considering he's not much more than an accessory, I guess that's understandable. It would have been nice if he was a little better. He makes me think of those trays Coke vendors have the bottles in while they refill the cooler at Circle K. Like if one of those was broken and it kinda looked like a bird.

Soundwave himself is a decent figure. He's got a good bit of articulation and his transformation isn't too hard. There's some hollow parts from storage in alt mode present in robot mode. There's also that big backpack that's the trucks roof. It's a little in the way. Honestly it just feels like he needed another pass over in the design stages. Not bad though, just could have been a little better. 

It's hard not to like this version of Soundwave, those design cues just look so good. I'd love to see some repaints inspired by his Machine Wars toy or even a Stalker made from this toy. The thought of a Ghostbusters version just popped in my head and I can't ignore it. A little far fetched... but I kinda thing it'd be awesome. Admittedly, I have Ghostbusters on my mind. As usual. Afterlife yo.

Soundwave Superior

Another of my Christmas gifts from the Mrs. was the new Netflix War for Cybertron Soundwave. Like all other Netflix Transformers toys, he's exclusive to Walmart and quite the hot commodity right now. While most of the Netflix lines is repaints of prior Siege and Earthrise toys, Soundwave is a remold of his Siege toy. In Siege he had a pretty G1 faithful robot mode and turned into some kind of space ship. Now with a few remolded parts, he can turn into a very faithful version of his G1 tape player mode. 

This gives fans the best homage of the original Soundwave as a Generations toy. Prior to that was the Masterpiece toy which can command a pretty high price these days and may not be as easy to find. Now you can easily go to your local Walmart and pick one up for $40. Not a bad deal at all. Now the only issue is if he's in stock, which results may vary.

Like I said, he's a very faithful recreation of the Soundwave from G1 and looks very much like his cartoon appearance. He even comes with a Laserbeak and Ravage. Those are direct reissues of the Siege versions as far as I can tell. I'm a big fan of the Laserbeak, though Ravage is a much blockier cat than you expect going in. I don't mind it, but there's no ignoring it either.

Soundwave can store a single cassette in his tape door and the eject button opens the door as you'd expect going in. The transformation from robot to tape deck is pretty simple and not very much different from the original G1/Microman toy. You do have to get a few things exactly right or he won't tab together correctly. It's not too hard thankfully.

Soundwave overall is pretty great. I already really liked the Siege version. I can't really complain about an improved version of it. He's classic G1 Soundwave with modern toy upgrades such as plentiful articulation. When you buy this, you know 100% what you're buying it for and you're getting exactly that. 

I'm not sure if he can still change into the spaceship mode the original Siege toy has. I didn't even bother trying, I already have that toy (and Soundblaster) and wanted this for the obvious reasons. I don't really have anything to complain about either. Though have seen some complaints about some of the random gaps in robot mode from part storage in alt mode.

That's kinda a 'is what it is' thing with Transformers though, just going to happen sometimes. I've seen others complain that it's another G1 update, which is another 'is what it is' thing. Hasbro is a big successful company, their going to do what makes them money. That's just how the world works. It is what it is.

For me, Soundwave is another one of those classic characters I just can't get enough of. I don't mind when they get experimental with him or when they do something like this. He's one of the more iconic parts of Transformers and as the line approaches 40 years it's legacy is going to be more and more important. They'll make a brand new looking Batman and release a traditional one right after. They'll be a new bad guy in Star Wars and a updated Darth Vader figure on the hooks as well. That's just how legacy brands work and I don't have a problem with that. I'm happy to have another updated classic Soundwave.

R.E.D Soundwave Can Push His Own Eject Button

After waiting for quite some time, Transformers R.E.D (Robot Enhanced Design) figures finally started showing up at my local Walmart stores. The wife picked me up the Soundwave on a recent stop for a few things and it's nice to finally have one of these guys in hand. I've mentioned a few times in prior posts about my looking forward to them, so I won't go much into that intentionally in this post. When she handed me the box I had gotten so used to them not being at the store that actually having one I was truly surprised. 

For the last time, these toys do not Transform. I don't want that to be the focus whenever I talk about these. That's not the point. These are show accurate versions of the characters that have the features nicer action figures intended for adult collectors generally have. I get it. The lines name is Transformers. I know. It is what it is and these are what the are.

Ok then.

Out of the box, Soundwave is a solid feeling figure with quite a bit of articulation. You can put him in a variety of poses, no shit. Included in the box is his signature shoulder cannon and laser gun as well as alternate hands and Laserbeak in cassette form. Soundwave has four different hands. Two fists and two that allow for holding his laser gun and pointing to mimic the famous pushing eject pose. 

The hands can be swapped out with a simple peg system that locks the hand into place. I did have a little trouble keeping his shoulder cannon in place. Not sure if that's a plastic issue or maybe mine was a little tighter fit. Hell, it could have been just me. Same with getting that gun in his hands, that took a little more work than I thought it would. Either the plastic was to rigid or my fingers were too big. I can't do anything right. Shut up.

I said recreate the eject button pose right? You totally can and the eject button even works! Just push that mofo and the chest door opens! 

I'm totally serious, it fucking does!

 

Since it does that we might as well have a tape for commanding to eject. In this case we get Laserbeak, who's usually the first for Soundwave to deploy. It could have just been a little plastic cassette tape painted in his colors, but instead they sculpted the underside of the tape so his birdy robot parts can be seen. They literally didn't have to do that, but it adds a little more niceness to the toy. Laserbeak can be stored inside Soundwave's chest and ejected. Hell yeah.

I doubt these new R.E.D figures will take SCF's place in my heart. They're on the way to being a proper replacement for a line that's been over for a pretty long time though. So far from what I've seen and with Soundwave here in hand the sculpting is pretty similar. It feels like a natural evolution of that Mega SCF I keep comparing these too. 

Maybe unfairly as I've taken other similar ideas separately as their own thing and not compared them to something I've held in high regards as a fan. The mind works as it's going to work I suppose. It's that SCF mindset though that's been kicking in since the introduction of these guys and the one I can't shake. I don't think I want to either. Even though I'm not hunting down blind boxes and ordering figures from Hobby link Japan... it's a similar kind of fun with the figure. I know that probably doesn't make sense to anybody but me, but this is a blog and a not a review. Y'all just reading my thoughts and the occasional bad joke. It's hardly an expose. You think Laserbeak shits in Soundwave's chest?

I like my R.E.D Soundwave toy. It would be pretty cool to have a shelf of these guys representing the classic cast. I generally don't do the big displays, I kinda just stick them on a shelf where they fit. With these guys though... I'm kinda tempted. I don't know if it'll fade later, but right now my enthusiasm is pretty high for the R.E.D line. Soundwave is a pretty good representation of how he appeared in the classic cartoon and a nice figure in general. Which is what I wanted, so yay me.