Optimus Prime (2007 Movie Version) [Classic Class]

Lately, a documentary about the live-action Transformers films has been making the rounds, and honestly, the random behind-the-scenes insanity has been pretty funny. It also got me thinking about those movies again—which, despite how much people complain about them, always seem to be playing on some FAST channel. Funny how that works.

As I’ve said before, flaws and all, I have fun with the movies. It felt like a good excuse to dig into my ever-growing backlog and finally build this Blokees Transformers Classic Class kit of Optimus Prime as he appeared in the 2007 film.

This one was a Christmas gift from the Mrs and works as a nice counterpart to the 2007 Megatron kit I covered earlier this year.

 I still remember when early images of this design started circulating around 2006. People lost their minds—mostly because the leak was of the truck mode. Instead of the classic flat-nosed cab, we got a long-nose truck with blue and red flames, and for some reason a lot of folks expected a straight G1 adaptation. Personally, I was kind of hoping he'd be for something closer to the G2 Laser Rod Optimus Prime design due to the truck… and, hey, he did end up with glowing swords.

At that point, after 20-something years of Transformers, I was already used to redesigns. I thought the movie designs looked cool—leaning more into something alien—and I was always ready for something new.

This kit ended up being a really pleasant surprise. Not just because I like Transformers or Blokees, but because the build itself was more involved than I expected. Most Blokees kits are quick, but this one took some time. All those layered details in the movie design? They’re layered here too.

I assumed parts like the chest might be larger, single molded pieces—but no, it’s built up from multiple components, which gives the figure a lot of depth. There’s also a solid amount of paint detail on things like the flame deco. It looks great—likely tampographed, which I’m totally fine with.

One thing that I've always noticed with this design is just how long and skinny his legs are. It never fully clicked until I was putting him together, but they honestly look like a pair of flared jeans with flame airbrushing—like something you’d find at Hot Topic in the late ’90s or early 2000s. I have no idea if that was intentional, but I can’t unsee it now.

Once assembled, Optimus is nicely articulated and can pull off a wide range of poses. He comes with his blaster, both swords, and multiple hands to make the most of it. Like other movie Blokees kits, he also has a light-up feature… and like my robot mode Optimus Primal kit from Rise of the Beasts, the battery was dead out of the box. Awesome.

My only real complaint with the build is that some parts require a very specific touch to get seated properly. I’ve got big fingers, so that didn’t help, but a few pieces definitely tested my patience. The sides of his head, in particular, kept popping off even when they seemed secure. After a few attempts—and some wiener voiced cursing—I ended up disassembling and rebuilding that section entirely. No idea what I did differently the second time, but it worked.

Also worth noting: to equip the swords, you’ll need to partially disassemble the forearms. It’s not a huge deal, but something to be aware of.

Despite a few frustrations, this was a really fun build. I enjoyed the layered construction, and the final result looks fantastic. There’s also an “EX” version with metallic parts and upgraded paint, paired with an “Iceman” Megatron in a two-pack. Based on how good this standard release turned out, I imagine those look incredible.

On its own, though, this Optimus already feels like one of the more premium Classic Class kits—and it looks the part.

Windcharger [Studio Series 86 / Deluxe Class]

It’s been a while since I’ve talked about traditional Transformers toys here, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been buying them. Quite the opposite—if you read the Monday updates, you already know. It’s more that I like posts to fit the vibe here on Zone Base, and Windcharger definitely fits in.

I recently received his newest Transformers Studio Series release as part of my birthday presents from the Mrs, and it is excellent. As part of the Studio Series ‘86 line, he’s meant to represent his appearance in The Transformers: The Movie. That movie is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and as someone who was there opening weekend, it’s getting a ton of love from me. Windcharger’s role in the movie was brief—he’s taken out during the brutal opening battle of Autobot City—but before that he was a regular in the first two seasons of the original cartoon. This toy is a great representation of that animated look.

Windcharger is something of an oddity in the original Transformers line. His toy came from Microman’s Microchange series, but that design actually started life even earlier as part of the Mysterians. The Mysterians were Knickerbocker Toy Company’s attempt at a transforming robot toy line in 1983 that never fully materialized. The company was purchased by Hasbro in 1984, and Windcharger—along with Brawn, Huffer, and Gears—was originally intended for that line. The molds eventually made their way into Microchange before becoming Transformers. Just in case you ever wondered what the “M” on the original Windcharger’s belt stood for.

In the cartoon, Windcharger was given a different face than his toy, and that’s the look this version proudly uses. With a lot of these Minicar updates showing up in vintage-style packaging with toy-accurate heads and decos, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a version of that original Mysterian-inspired look pop up on shelves down the line.

The toy itself is great. As I always say, it looks like he walked right off my TV screen. Windcharger comes with his blaster and an effect piece meant to represent his magnetic abilities. The effect can attach to his chest or the hood in vehicle mode, and both it and the blaster can store on his back in robot mode.

In robot mode, he’s very well articulated, and combined with the sculpted face, he’s surprisingly expressive. He almost feels alive. Transformation is straightforward, though there are a few tight joints and clearance spots—take your time with him. Car mode is a solid approximation of a Pontiac Trans Am, and the blaster stores neatly behind a rear wheel for a clean look.

Overall, this is the slickest Windcharger has ever looked in toy form—and that’s saying something, because he’s had some pretty great releases over the years.

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.

Autobot Ratchet (Studio Series 86/Voyager Class)

I happily picked up Ratchet shortly before Christmas. I say happily as I've been quite endeared to Ratchet since the early days of G1. In particular, during a time when my family was moving to another state, my older brother and I found ourselves often staying with family as our parents locating us a new home. During that time, well, it wasn't terribly exciting. I often found myself re-reading issues of the Marvel G1 Transformers comic. In those early issues, Ratchet took a starring role for a bit. I fondly look back at the frames of Ratchet helping campers cook hot dogs still to this day. Of course this toy of Ratchet is meant to represent him as he appeared in the 1986 movie, being a Studio Series toy and all. I've made my fondness for this series of figures known and having this very screen accurate figure of Ratchet is a real treat.

Of course Ratchet is a remold and repaint of the Voyager Ironhide figure I've talked about before. I raved about that Ironhide... and that's pretty much the same opinion of this Ratchet. A truly excellent toy of a classic character. Let's look at their differences. Not just a simple recolor as you'd assume, Ratchet has some new molded parts. A new head, as Ratchet traditionally has a chevron on his helmet as opposed to Ironhide's 'mowhawk'. Being an ambulance, of course he has a light bar. Most notably and something they really could have not done is Ratchet features a different waist piece. To differentiate the two back in the day, there were slight differences in their show models. Something like a slightly different waist made for a somewhat different looking character. In a toy though... I probably wouldn't have noticed. That little extra attention to detail is appreciated. Ratchet retains the dual pistols Ironhide was packing, they both used them. Ratchet is sporting a show accurate deco that really pops on this toy. Of course the Red Cross markings on his shoulders have been replaced with the Autobot variation seen in recent toys for legal reasons. Like Ironhide before, this is my favorite figure of Ratchet to date. As a legacy character, he gets plenty of updates. This one, however, is special. It feels like a much more premium figure than it should for a standard retail release. That's a good thing and this is a good toy.

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. 

Autobot Hound (Retro Series)

Reissues of older Transformers toys are nothing new. However when Walmart started selling them, it was a lot of fun as the availability got a better as did the pricing. Neatly enough, the 'Retro Series' over the past year had changed up the game a little. Instead of being close approximations of the original toys (there's a little difference here and there) in retro packaging. The newer 'old' toys are in a neat Transformers The Movie inspired line with cool movie versions of the retro packaging and the classic toys in cartoon colors. They've done 'anime' edition reissues before, but these are really close to the characters on the screen. Unfortunately distribution on these has been less than ideal as I'd love to get them all. Fortunately this lead to a few being marked down heavily recently. A special version of a G1 toy for $9? Sure! 

I've made my love for Hound known before. Obviously this was something I was wanting. This version uses the 2004 reissue mold sets. Which used repaired and recast toolings from the original Diaclone molds. There's some noticeable differences if you compare a 1984 Hound to this one aside from the colors. This one does have Official Jeep copyrights on it that prior versions didn't as does the box. G1 Hound's an Officially Licensed Jeep now! Neat. While it's not super noticeable to the naked eye, the cartoon accurate deco is miles apart from the toy version. The chrome, something I normally love, is gone. Green's are also softer. There's a really close match to the colors from the cartoon on robot bits that I'm really impressed by. Usually these are a sorta clay gray on toys. This really feels like a more premium edition of G1 Hound that I would expect to pay a lot more for. 

Hound also has all of his accessories from the G1 release. They're in matching cartoon colors, though it's worth noting his missile launcher does not fire. This is a holdover from those early 2000's reissues. Several Child Safety Laws had changed from the 80's and still are in place today. This lead for the American versions to either have extra long missiles or neutered ones like in this case. Frankly, I'd rather a kid not accidentally choke on a toy and would take a non-firing version over the longer missiles. In cases like Starscream's Null Rays, it looks fine. In other toys... not so much. Hound has a good bit of extra accessories from vehicle mode you'll take off to transform. Those older Diaclone toys were just full of features. I am kinda surprised there's no official Jeep branding on his spare tire. Speaking of, Hound has no stickers. They've all been replaced with tampographed on details. It really adds to the overall look... and I don't mind their absence. They look great when properly applied, but can be a hassle. The tampographs really blend into the overall cartoon accuracy better too. 

I am completely happy with this Hound toy. Admittedly I'm a fan of his, but this special edition is really nice. I'm sure his stubby arms would be a turn off for some and mine's front section doesn't want to lock in place well when not on the ground... but this is overall a great little figure. The die cast legs give this little toy some nice heft and it's just overall a great looking figure. Like I've said, the cartoon accurate colors really pop. I'd been happy paying full price, but glad to pay only $9. 

Prowl 86 20BB (Buzzworthy Bumblebee)

Prowl was found down the hall. A lone body who's spirit has moved on and now possibly another otherworldly resident of the house.

Coming with Ironhide in the Buzzworthy Bumblebee two pack of dead robots is Prowl whom also was killed in that same scene. There was a few others, so I wonder if there'll be future installments of dead robot toys? I don't know if the release time frame was intentional and there's nothing specifically Halloween-ish on the packaging... but it all works out. Like Ironhide, Prowl is a remold of his Earthrise toy released as a Studio Series figure. I took several Earthrise toys to be Studio Series toys released under another banner... so it works for me. It occurs to me that I haven't spoken of the mold here before. Like other Earthrise toys, the pandemic caused some distribution issues. I did get Bluestreak from the Buzzworhty Bumblebee line (dang, that's one all encompassing little imprint), so I have experienced it before.

Prowl transforms into his classic Fairlady Z police car here in a fairly accurate toy. Like other recent figures, he really looks like the cartoon model come to life. Transformation is pleasant and fairly simple without being too easy. He's packing his trademark Acid Pellet Gun but unfortunately missing the shoulder rocket launchers. The original Earthrise toy was also missing these as they're not a part of his show model. That's fine, I just like them. As part of the dead guy remolds is a wound from the fatal laser fire and a VERY accurate face sculpt of childhood trauma is being enacted on the move screen. All that's missing is the smoke... literally as there's blaster effects to plug in the fully recreate his getting shot to death. This set is ridiculously morbid and I'm all here for it.

Ironhide 86 24BB (Buzzworthy Bumblebee/Deluxe Class)

Nobody knows when it happened or who did it. Ironhide was found laying on his back. Mouth agape with a large wound signaling the arrival of his passing.

Don't look at me, but Hasbro thought to make a set of a dead Ironhide and Prowl in the Buzzworthy Bumblebee line. These are Studio Series 86 figures released under the Target exclusive banner meant to represent them during their deaths at the hands of the Decepticons during Transformers The Movie in 1986. Today we'll be looking at Ironhide... as you've probably figured out by now. Ironhide is a slight remold of the Earthrise Ironhide toy. Now with a uh... dying face and a wounded chest. While I don't have it pictured, the toys also come with blast effects that can be plugged into the wounds to replicate the laser shots that did the killing. Dang Hasbro, you took it to an extreme... and I dig it.

While it's not as great as the Voyager Studio Series Ironhide, this is still a solid figure. To be honest, I just like classic Ironhide. It's hard not to love that bright red on grey and that boxy robot body. They really took the Diaclone toy and improved on it with the Sunbow animation model. Ironhide of course transforms into a van. This time a van that's been shot up. His twin pistols can store on the roof like other of his toys of late. He has a decent amount of articulation and is an all around a good figure. The transformation is pretty easy, but not super simple. I like this toy and had the same opinion with DK-2 Guard whom shares the mold. It's hard not to like Ironhide and even harder to hate a good Ironhide figure. A dying version is unique and the blast effects are a great morbid bit of fun.

Rise of the Beasts

I tend to see movies on opening weekend as opposed to opening day. I specifically perfer to see them on Sunday mornings to avoid a big crowd. That being said... I just saw Rise of the Beasts and boy are my arms tired... wait. So anyway, I'm here to talk about this movie today! Since this isn't a clickbait news site, there'll be no intentional spoilers. However I will be talking about some of my views of the movie, so there will likely be some. With that in mind, if your reading this on the main page, please continue after the break if you'd like. If you followed a link, fair warning.

MAYBE SPOILERS BELOW

Bumblebee (Beast Alliance/Battle Changers)

Transformers Rise of the Beasts means a lot of new Transformers toys. Ever since it's announcement, I've been most interested in the Beast Alliance sub-line. Featuring the return of Battle Masters and partner figures for larger bots that are a mixture of beast and traditional TF characters... it's the kind of thing I really go for. Not to mention, it's priced very fairly. That's been a sticking point lately. In some ways Beast Alliance is similar to the Energon Igniters from the Bumblebee movie. A simple, gimmick based line obviously intended for children as opposed to the more serious and costly Studio Series offerings. However, Beast Alliance is a much better toy line and striking a positive chord within a large part of the Transformers fandom. I like it too.

Today we're looking at Bumblebee from Beast Alliance, or more specifically his Battle Changers figure. Battle Changers are more simple figures sold for around $10. They're mostly compatible with the Battle Masters and to scale with the other figures. In the case of Bumblebee here... he feels like a sized up legion/legend class toy and lacks compatibility with Battle Masters unlike the others in this class. Honestly, he feels like a holdover from another design stage before the gimmicks were decided on. The simpleness can be ignored easier with the other figures in this class thanks to the gimmick integration. Bumblebee can't hold a Battle Master, nor can one plug in anywhere. Considering how gimmick heavy Beast Alliance is, the lack of comparability is impossible to ignore. Aside from that, Bumblbee is a pleasant little figure.

Bumblebee returns to his Camaro alt more we're used to in the movies. However this time, it's a fun off road variation that I'm pretty fond off. I can't stop thinking that this is an up-scaled legion/legend toy as the transformation is VERY similar to prior movie Bumblebee toys of that class as is robot mode. Perhaps the engineering was reused or this is a modified CAD model. One neat feature Bumblebee has that seems to be a standard feature in Battle Changers (or all the ones I've seen) is a flip out weapon. You can spin his right hand around giving us that trademark buster style gun BB uses in the movies. It's simple, but satisfying. Speaking of simple, in robot mode he has basic arm and leg articulation. That'll be a sticking point for some people, as would the basic nature of the toy itself. With the others in the class I looked it over with the gimmick capability. I'm only harping on it so much here because it's impossible to ignore considering just how largely it plays into the rest of the line. 

Beast Alliance Battle Changers Bumblebee is a very pleasing figure. His simple design allows for fast transformation. Perfect for playing around with while watching TV or a little buddy to carry around with you. If you enjoy a desk bot, he'd make a good one. While working at the computer, the need to take a little break happens and a little something to fiddle with is a good way to  clear out the mental fudge. Drive him around and getting in an epic shoot out with the stapler, or just transform back and forth a few times. We're starting off with our dive into Beast Alliance with arguable it's weakest figure, but still a fun little one regardless. It's uphill from here... and this is not a bad start at all. 

Bios: Fracture

Dedicated to Megatron and the Decepticon cause, Decepticon Fracture is a dangerous enemy. She is totally fearless, and probably a little bit crazy, as she dives directly into any battle, regardless of the odds. Although she carries a powerful negative energy blaster, she prefers to use the seismic energy dischargers on her feet to smash the surrounding earth to pieces. Any battlefield on which she walks shudders with the force of her steps.

Strenght: 7 Intelligence: 4 Speed: 8 Endurance: 8

Rank: 5 Courage: 10 Fireblast: 8 Skill: 3

Ironhide in 1986 Missions

Studio Series 86 figures are really neat. They're updates of the classic G1 characters as they appeared in the 1986 movie. Like all Studio Series figures, they're a higher grade toy. Ironhide here is a voyager class toy that's way nicer than I thought he'd be. Going in, I was prepared for just another Ironhide... just bigger. Instead I got a very premium feeling figure that almost feels like the first draft of a Masterpiece Ironhide toy. He's surprisingly good, especially considering just how simple the toy looks.

Classic Ironhide is a pretty standard looking robot that turns into a boxy van. He's pretty plain. Who'd have thunk they'd given him so much articulation? You could probably roll him up into a ball. Considering this is a Studio Series toy, one could probably reenact some of his famous scenes from the 1986 movie. Shoots a gun or gets shot by a gun. Considering he's hardly in the movie and got a fairly accurate toy in Earthrise... I'm guessing somebody REALLY wanted to make this figure. I'm glad they did, because it's a really nice toy. If I had any complaints, I found the transformation to be a little tricky. Not particularly hard or anything, just fiddled with his parts more than I would have liked. Not enough to ruin it though. In my mind, this is probably the best toy of G1 Ironhide ever made. You heard me.

Wild Boy in Core Missions

Folks like to dump on Wheelie, but every time he gets a new toy, they gobble it up. Despite all the hate, he has a neat design. Most of the vitriol comes from the annoying voice from the cartoon. It doesn't bother me a lot (but does get old at times). A lot of my love for Wheelie comes from 'The Story of Wheelie, the Wild Boy of Quintesson'. This is a children's story book that paints a much more badass picture of him. I had gotten this book right around the time Wheelie started appearing on the show and it shaped my view of him. I'm always up for new toys of him... the kid's a badass.

This new figure of Wheelie was another Christmas gift from my wife. She absolutely spoils me on holidays, so there's gonna be a lot covered here... and stuff not. As a Core Class toy, Wheelie is excellent. Admittedly I'm hard pressed to not enjoy a Core Class, but Wheelie is exceptionally well done. As a smaller character he generally gets smaller toys and they nailed it this time. Wheelie is fairly articulated and is packing his trademark sling shot that can store easily in car mode. If there's any negatives about Wheelie, it's that his hands just hang off the back in car mode and don't tuck away any. I suppose if the size class's limitations were going to kick in... its here. Aside from that, this may be the best toy of the character yet.

Transform Squadron 39- Pine Scented

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It's Christmas on Planet Zone! Rob talks Rise of the Beasts and Christmas time! Don't shoot your eye out and listen now!

Poindexter Robo

I've always liked Perceptor. There's just something charming about him. Before we go any further, I vastly prefer the cartoon version to the newer sniper version. This isn't a battle line to fight over, just a preference. That's why we'll be looking at the Studio Series 86 figure of Perceptor toy. I got it a few months ago, that ever growing backlog keeps getting bigger. If this was a review site, I'd be more hard pressed to get posts out about certain toys faster. That's just not what I do here though.

What I'm doing here though (today anyway) is looking at this newer figure of a classic character. It's a really solid update of Perceptor. Like other newer updates of classic Transformers, Perceptor looks like he just walked off a cartoon screen. He's pleasantly articulated and has the gun you expect him to have. Of course a microscope is the alt mode and just like always... it's not the most accurate microscope, but it'll do. Once again, it looks like how you'd expect it too. The tank mode (yes, he was always a triple changer) is right along with the same accuracy to the original. I don't know if it could fit a Microman, maybe something smaller. I didn't test that out. I could see a Mega Construx figure sliding in there without any issue.

This is really just a new update. That doesn't bother me and Perceptor is a character I'll always appreciate getting a new toy. The last one can out 5 years ago. Not the worst timing for another new figure. I've always liked his reds and blues. The bright colors really pop against such a rigid looking robot design. His design always reflected his personality to me in that way. Perceptor is this really smart bookworm who'll give you the most elaborate answer you didn't want. Then he'll drop something and say "oh dear" before hitting his head. That design is the genius, the color is the silly. I never outright desired a microscope that also turned into a tank and a robot... but I learned a long time ago that one was necessary.

Transform Squadron 34- Code Orange is Go!

 LISTEN NOW!

The spooky season is upon us as Rob discusses the first Halloween event of the year! Pumpkin spiced mayhem aside, talk of Star Wars Micro Galaxy Squadron is talked. Then, Rob speaks on what it was like as a Transformers fan 15 years ago before the movies. Happy Halloween, everyone... too soon? Every day is Halloween at www.zonebase.org!

Part One of Many

 

Let's look at one more of Sakomoto's E-Hobby pitches while we're on this tangent of unused concepts. Transformers Part One was similar to Bravemasters in that it would have used non-screen character toy molds from the movies. However, instead of a series taking place in a specific timeline, it was seemingly a general classic characters line. I'd like to think there would have been some fiction to go along with and give the toys a setting for these new looks to take place in. It makes me think of Machine Wars a little as is. The way we've got the classic characters in new bodies made from older toys with no apparent setting. Either way, it looks like it would have been a lot of fun.

Mastering the Brave

 

Transformers is a pretty big brand that's been going for a pretty long time. During that time and growth, there's been a lot of ideas that never became real. I'm going to talk about one of those right now. Mainly because it's something that I wish would have happened. That would be New Transformers: Bravemasters. Bravemasters was a proposal by Hayato Sakamoto for an E-Hobby exclusive toy line. The line was to use non-screen character Transformers movie toys in new colors as new characters.

The setting would have been the time period between Headmasters and Masterforce. A new group of Deceptcions led by Master Hell would have attacked Earth. A lone Autobot still on Earth named Brave would have been the first line of resistance with others to join him as things progressed. The series would have been a triple threat. New fans would have a virtual clean slate to pick up from. Older fans would have a look into a time that hadn't been explored much. Third, it would visually appeal to fans of Brave and give them something new.

Personally, I would have loved to see Bravemasters become a reality. It's such a cool idea and theoretically would have given some great toy molds some much deserved attention. I wasn't there at BotCon 2015 when the information was revealed at a panel featuring Sakamoto. However it's been something I've wished for since reading the panel notes. I'd have been a big fan of this series and I'm pretty sure others would have too. Ultimately, a lot of the concepts pitched at the time would have led way to Transformers Cloud. Itself a neat line exclusive to E-Hobby.

Bios: Swindle

 

Swindle is just one of many Decepticons brought to Earth by Megatron to cause as much trouble as possible for the Autobots. He's not a great fighter, but he makes up for it in the amount of pleasure he takes just in blowing stuff up. His extending torso cannon fires explosive rounds, and he leaps around like a madman, firing randomly in a fight. Battling Swindle is like battling a crazy bundle of living dynamite!

Galvatron (Kingdom)

 

When it comes to Transformers, the movie and it's post years are a particularly favored era for me. The space opera, far out designs, and darker tone improves what was already a solid formula. Galvatron is a much more interesting villain than the earlier version of Megatron. Like Rodimus Prime with Optimus, he influenced the writers when it came to making Megatron more interesting. It seems like that to me anyway. This Kingdom version is something of an anomaly. It's the Generations version of Galvatron and the Studio Series 86 toy as well. Like Cyclonus and Ultra Magnus, it's clearly intended to fill both roles.

Galvatron will be re-released in Legacy sans the signature War for Cybertron battle damage deco as well. I'm ok with or without it, but you may have your preferences. I'm not sure if I'll get that Legacy version, but am really tempted on the Pulse exclusive version. I just like Galvatron, and I'm pretty fond of this toy as well. I'll admit though, to date my favorite version has been the Energon version. It's a mix of classic and update that's also really cool. This however, is a strong contender for that spot. 

The toy is 100% classic Galvatron. Robot mode to laser cannon, everything looks and feels right. A nice little extra touch is replacing his classic rifle with one that looks like the ship Unicron gave him in the movie. Another extra is the Autobot Matrix of Leadership dangling from a chain to be worn around his neck like in the movie. The gun and Matrix can be utilized in cannon mode and add a little extra to an already cool toy. I like both modes, but don't like transforming it. It's not hard or anything, I just don't enjoy the transformation. I'm not sure of there's an official laser gun mode, but sure one can be pulled off. The original wasn't that amazing to begin with. 

Galvatron is one of those great characters that doesn't always get the best toys. Usually the better ones have an all new design as the original is pretty hard to pull off. His cartoon appearance took some liberties with the toy design that went on to define the character. This is a good version. It looks great in both modes and is a solid toy as well. Plenty of articulation, the cannon is sturdy, and everything serves a purpose. This is another Christmas gift from the Mrs and it's a great one. He's big, evil looking, and imposing. All hail Galvatron!