Springer (Car and Attack Helicopter) [Wheels CO2 & CO3 Wreck 'n Rule 2 & 3]

@robfromzonebase Springer (helicopter and car) [Transformers Blokees Wheels CO2 & CO3 [Wreck 'n Rule 1 & 2] #zonebase #transformers #blokees #blokeestransformers #blindbox ♬ Witching Hour - NECRONOMIDOL

When it comes to my name, people automatically assume it's a screen name or ask if I'm related to Jerry.

Ironically, I'm related to a Jerry, yeah—the guy on TV.

No, not that one. The guy who robbed a gas station.

Either way, the answer is no, and it just happens to be a slightly common name. For example, an artist on the original Transformers comic was named Frank Springer. However, Springer allegedly wasn't named after him either.

I say allegedly because the name apparently comes from his special ability to jump or his tendency to jump into battle. Transformers are more than meets the eye, and getting "Springer" from that is a pretty big leap.

I'm guessing Frank pissed someone petty off somehow.

In 1986, Springer made his big-screen debut in Transformers: The Movie. I was there opening weekend, drinking my cherry ICEE next to my Mom, who kept nudging me with a smile every time they said his name. My brother was sitting with a kid from the bus who'd apparently been there all day watching every showing.

To this day, I wonder if I know him now as an adult fan.

This past weekend, like many of you, I went to see the 40th anniversary showing at the theater. This time without the cherry ICEE, because I'm older now and that's too much sugar.

In case it isn't completely obvious, this post is my way of observing the occasion.

Springer's Wheels releases were spread between the two different cases in the Wreck 'n Rule series, with the car appearing in Part 1 and the attack helicopter in Part 2. Both also have special editions, the Hologram and Titanium versions, in addition to the standard releases.

Both of mine are the standard editions, which I'm perfectly fine with. Though those Hologram versions are mighty neat looking.

Springer's Wheels kits are based on his appearance in IDW's Last Stand of the Wreckers. The car looks a bit different from his traditional design, while the attack helicopter isn't too far removed from what we're used to seeing.

Blokees Wheels are specifically sharp-looking kits, and Springer definitely falls into that category. Both kits use that super-satisfying compound known as Solidex, and it just brings them both to another level.

Seriously, Blokees. Just make the entire thing out of the stuff. I love it.

The combination of the design, Solidex, and the smaller scale makes these completed kits feel like a high-caliber product. Blokees Wheels almost feel like a more sophisticated model kit.

Does that make sense?

I had absolutely no problem assembling the car. None.

The attack helicopter gave me some trouble, though. A lot of that had to do with my ongoing issues with reading the instructions clearly. The main body piece that everything assembles out from? I had it backwards for what felt like forever while trying to decipher what I was supposed to be doing and what I was doing wrong.

I enjoy the helicopter blades resembling swords. I don't recall if they did this in Last Stand of the Wreckers, but since the helicopter blades normally become his sword, it was a nice touch.

Another nice touch is that the Wreckers Hammer that comes with Cosmos in Wreck 'n Rule Part 1 can also be mounted on the car.

Overall, these are just neat kits, even if I had a little trouble assembling the attack helicopter. Like I've said a few times before, I'm surprised by just how much I'm enjoying these Wheels kits.

They're just really freaking neat, you know?

Overlord (Plane and Tank) [Wheels CT-02: Wreck n' Rule]

@robfromzonebase Overlord (plane and tank) [Transformers Blokees Wheels CO2- Wreck 'n Rule] #zonebase #transformers #blokees #blokeestransformers ##blindbox ♬ Catcat Heaven - The Lethal Weapons

I know I talk about "back in the day" a lot around here, but I'm going to do it again for just a minute.

Overlord is one of those really big-deal Transformers characters. No matter how many toys get made of him, every new release feels like an event. That goes all the way back to his introduction in Transformers: Masterforce as one of the series' original characters and toys. Aside from a European release of the original figure, Overlord didn't really get a worldwide release until around 2003, when his Super Collection Figure PVC was released under Hasbro's Heroes of Cybertron line named Powermaster Gigatron. Even then, it was pretty much a one-off until Overlord exploded in popularity thanks to Last Stand of the Wreckers in 2010. That IDW incarnation won over a whole new generation of fans and has led to a steady stream of new toys ever since.

Today we're looking at the Plane and Tank kits from Blokees Transformers Wheels CT-02: Wreck n' Rule.

It's been a little while since I've talked about a Blokees Wheels kit here, and honestly, I've built up a bit of a backlog. Thanks to the move, I've still got most of CT-02 sitting unbuilt and CT-03 completely untouched. Like a few other things I've yet to cover here, expect the TikTok and Instagram pages to suddenly get flooded with assembled Wheels kits. I hate to be one of those guys, but if you'd like to follow me over there, I'd really appreciate it. Those pages have become an extension of Zone Base and are a fun way to share things that don't always become full blog posts.

For those unfamiliar with them, the Wheels series focuses entirely on vehicle modes. In the case of Transformers, that means building the alternate modes instead of the robots. It's a surprisingly fun twist, and while they share some similarities with the Defender Version vehicle kits, they're definitely their own thing.

The tank is a simpler build than the plane, although I did struggle with the instructions a bit. Like the Defender Version kits, Wheels uses those tiny instruction cards, and sometimes the illustrations are just a little too small to make out clearly. For the most part I did fine, but the Universal Chassis Connector, the rear tread assembly, and one tiny black piece that fits beneath the turret all had me scratching my head for a few minutes. Once everything finally clicked together, though... it just worked.

The tank also uses some of that wonderfully satisfying Solidex, which immediately made me forget any frustration I'd had. I really do appreciate that stuff.

The plane, unfortunately, doesn't use any Solidex.

Blokees...

Why?

I honestly can't even tell you exactly where it would have been useful. I just know I'd have appreciated more of that magical material. What if they made an entire kit out of Solidex?

Whoa.

The jet itself assembles fairly easily. Once again, I stumbled a little on the Universal Chassis Connector, though I have to admit that's mostly a me problem. I seem to trip over that step on almost every Wheels kit I build, so I can only blame the instructions so much. If the Universal Chassis System were made of Solidex, I'd probably get it right every time.

My only real complaint with the plane is the landing gear. It's awesome that they included working landing gear, but the pieces have a tendency to pop off pretty easily.

It's also worth mentioning that these kits represent the IDW Comics version of Overlord rather than his original G1 design. The tank isn't dramatically different, but the jet is much sleeker and honestly looks like something straight out of a 16-bit shooter.

Everyone take a shot.

I compared a toy to a non-related video game.

Of course, these kits don't combine into Overlord's robot mode or city mode.

They do, however, combine into two different super jets that I think look absolutely fantastic.

You can replace the tank's treads with the plane's wings to create one heavy duty looking fighter, or attach the treads to the jet itself before combining everything into a much larger super aircraft. Once again, my brain immediately goes to old shooter games. These things just have that aesthetic. I'm convinced they'd have starred in some long-forgotten multi-platform shooter with several sequels, brutal difficulty, and incredible music.

Naturally, the CD-ROM version would have fully animated cutscenes.

I've probably spent way too much time on that analogy, but that's honestly how strongly these designs hit that part of my brain.

Speaking of the designs, Overlord's classic black and teal color scheme looks absolutely fantastic on these kits. They're sharp-looking models, and while I understand that blind-box packaging makes special editions a little less practical, I'd still love to see alternate versions someday. Cast them in translucent plastic. Give them metallic paint. Throw some glitter in there.

The possibilities are endless.

Awesome job, Blokees.

Fisitron [Age of the Primes / Wreck ’N Doom Collection]

Back in the day, Ironfist was a bit of a Mandela Effect for many Transformers fans. He was released late in G1 in European markets, in that gray area between G1 and G2 often called G1.5 by many fans. Like many other G1.5 toys, he was also released in G2. This tends to be confusing, as everything is pretty identical and G1.5 toys are often lumped into G2. To be fair, it is a bit confusing.

Adding to his Mandela Effect–ness, he’s often been confused for an Ironhide toy. This is due to the fact that the Generation 2 Power Master Ironhide toy has a similar alt mode, and obviously the names are similar as well. At some point he was redubbed Fisitron. This cuts down on the confusion—not only is it similar to Ironhide, but there’s also a Marvel superhero named Iron Fist. Fortunately, that one doesn’t have an alt mode.

Fisitron comes in a 2-pack with Carnivac (we’ll be looking at him a little later) as part of the Amazon-exclusive Wreck ’N Doom Collection. The name plays up Fisitron’s role in Last Stand of the Wreckers. This 2-pack was one of my Christmas gifts from the Mrs. this past year, and I was pretty excited to get it.

Fisitron hadn’t really appeared in any official Transformers fiction outside of a toy bio until around 2010, when he showed up in both IDW’s The Last Stand of the Wreckers and Fun Publications’ Wings Universe stories. He’s got two distinctly different personalities in each, though I tend to favor the Wings Universe incarnation. I’m a cartoon guy, and the G1 cartoon is my preferred fiction for these GeeWun bots; Wings Universe is set in an alternate version of the classic cartoon.

Not to mention, he’s a gun nut there, and I absolutely cannot not associate Fisitron with Doom Guy / Doom Slayer due to his appearance in this toy. The Wreck ’N Doom Collection name doesn’t hurt either, as you’re all well aware I enjoy playing Doom for hours on end. For what it’s worth, it’s hard not to love Fisitron in Last Stand of the Wreckers as well—I’m just more of a cartoon guy.

Fisitron is a pretty extensive retool of the Legacy: Evolution Detritus toy we looked at a little while back. I enjoyed that figure quite a bit, but I can honestly say I like Fisitron a whole lot better. The new parts really upgrade the mold for the better. I’ll be focusing on Fisitron in this post and his differences, so feel free to check out my take on Detritus in his post.

This version of Fisitron is a combination of his different designs. There’s a mix of the G1/G2 toy along with his IDW and Wings Universe looks. It makes for one attractive toy, though I do find his mostly gray alt mode funny, as it resembles that G2 Ironhide a bit. It never ends.

Fisitron has a new head that, of course, resembles him instead of Detritus. Most notable are the new roof and windshield areas, which cleverly change a Jeep into an armored truck. Is that called a canopy? I have no clue. If I were an influencer, I’d say “let me know in the comments” (cringe).

Speaking of that vehicle roof area (maybe it is a canopy, who knows), they’ve added some new parts that are removable and can be used in robot mode.

Those parts resemble the original Ironfist’s Lightformer gear when in vehicle mode. Unfortunately, they don’t form a cannon like the original does, but I appreciate the effort. The parts can be removed from the roof (can we call it a canopy?) and used in robot mode. Well, the laser gun can, obviously. But also the round dish-like thing—whatever the hell it’s supposed to be—can be removed and used as a shield if one so chooses.

The other portion remains as a backpack, which is where I chose to leave mine’s dish-like thing in this post’s pictures. It never occurred to me that it could be a shield; you don’t have to let me know in the comments. The laser makes for a nice rifle, with a bright yellow that contrasts nicely against Fisitron’s grays, blues, and copper colors.

I really like this toy—more than I thought I would going in. Detritus was already a good toy, making a solid base for the new parts to improve on. It’s like that extra pass over the mold provided room for improvement. Not to mention, Fisitron just looks sharp.

It’s a great-looking figure of a formerly obscure character who, despite a little time in the limelight, seems to be slipping back into obscurity. Hopefully this great figure inspires future uses of him in Transformers media.

Weekly Spotlight: Ironfist

A brilliantly designed piece of firepower is a work of art to me.

A most distinguished weaponry mastermind. Strong, silent, and likes his action fast and furious. Easily eats up every type of ground, no matter how rough. As a vehicle, attacks with recoil-action, visible tracer missile launcher. In robot form this provides cover as a free-standing launcher weapon.