Transform Squadron 12: Back to Ghoul

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This month Rob talks back to school supplies leading into the beginnings of this years Halloween season. That’s before we go to crazy town with a ‘what if’ scenario for Cyberverse!

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

Haunted House at Camden Park

There was once a time where haunted houses had a charm to them that they just don't have anymore. It's hard not to see this commercial and not want to drop by Camden Park to ride the Haunted House. Obviously the perfect thing to do this Halloween season. You might just end up riding with the Wolfman! What happened to the guy? He was wearing a different outfit, so he couldn't have changed into the Wolfman. So... did the Wolfman kill him before taking his place and date? She seemed pretty happy about it. Who could blame her? The Wolfman was dressed pretty sharp. Bet the other guy smelled like farts.

Little Black Truck

 
It's said that dynamite comes in small packages, and I don't know if that's true but... that was a horrible start. Whatever. Robots in Disguise (2001) was the Transformers line that brought Autobots and Decepticons back into the fray and ended the beast era. Some like to argue that RID was part of the beast era due to the Predacon characters. I've also seen people argue with the cashier at Arby's that they sold cheeseburgers, sssssooooo....

Any who, RID was a unique line in the history of Transformers. Transtech was intended to follow Beast Machines as a hybrid beast/vehicle series. For whatever reason is given today plans were changed and the decision to go a new route was made. That new route ended up being Armada and needed a little more time to develop. In Japan Takara had already experimented with a more traditional TF show called Car Robots. Hasbro fast tracked Car Robots into Robots in Disguise to have a Transformers series on shelves and on TV to fill the time needed. Car Robots was a relatively short anime with a small toy line mostly consisting of repainted toy molds and a few new toys. Hasbro took that and added more repaints to fill out the line. One of the new Decepticons was a evil clone of Fire Convoy/Optimus Prime named Black Convoy/Scourge whom was a black and teal repaint of the G2 Laser Optimus Prime toy.

Hasbro expanded the Spy Changer by releasing same sized versions of the shows main characters. This was probably the most direct beginning of the Legends/Legion style of toys offering lower priced figures of the main characters. It was in this assortment that we got the really neat Spy Changer version of Scourge. Spy Changers were originally made from the G2 Gobots toy molds and were really great little toys. Basically you had a Hot Wheels size car that was even compatible with a Hot Wheels car track! They'd transform into simple robots full of charm. It's not hard for readers to guess I loved them.

For a short time it looked like this was the only toy of the character getting made and the Spy Changer versions were flying off the shelves! Unlike other Spy Changers, Scourge didn't come with a weapon, nor did he have his trailer. During this time there was a ton of people creating their own custom weapons and trailers for the toy. It was pretty fun to take in and watch.

In what has to be the only time it happened, a toy based on a repaint of another character got repainted into the original toys colors. Later a Spy Changers version of Optimus Prime was made from the Scourge toy as part of a line of Spy Changers based on the classic G1 characters. That was a mess of words that barley formed a coherent sentence and I'm not sorry for it. This little line was available as a discount line at Family Dollar type stores, though a year prior were exclusive to Kay Bee Toy stores in different packaging. Laser Optimus Prime was a good looking toy, Scourge was a good looking toy, so it goes without saying this was a good looking toy.

This little series was fun to collect, easy and cheap, you couldn't help but to acquire multiples without thinking or worrying about it. At a small local sci fi con, I had ran a Transformers panel and had them on hand as raffle prizes. I don't think I know anyone who hated them and if anyone did hate them... how? This great little mold got another use just a short while later in a really fun way.

I don't have to tell you the 2007 Transformers movie was a big hit. It's just a fact and there's no arguing that. Unless you're stupid and well, you're on your own there dummy. A movie meant to sell toys is going to have a ton of merchandise, it's why they made it. One such thing was a the pictured above pre-order exclusive for the DVD in Japan.

That pre-order exclusive was the last version of the great little mold, but what a way to go out! Now as the movie version of Optimus Prime the toy looks awesome. I distinctly remember the summer before the movies release (which is an awkward was of saying 2006) pictures of the movie characters first started hitting the internet and everyone was talking. Optimus's truck was shown before his robot mode and while some were hung up on G1, several thought they looked cool (money walks and bullshit talks). I saw the long nose truck and hoped for a repeat of the Laser Optimus toy as it was excellent and man those flames looked cool. While the actual toy was pretty different, I clearly wasn't the only one who had that idea.

Lost in the Shadows

The Lost Boys came out when I was in elementary school and was serious business. The terrifying nature of teenagers to a dorky kid was scary enough despite being vampires. Did I mention satanic panic was rampant in our area? I'm not sure if you realize it, but Satan was behind every corner in the 80's somehow. Even at the Circle K. I saw him there once.

I'm not joking, this is serious business. There are satanists sacrificing kids (like me) in the woods and those kids in black coats on the bus are vampires. My brother totally seen them kill somebody, he told me. OMG what am I going to do? Now I've got to deal with vampires? Crap. Why are there vampires? Don't even get me started on the haunted house down the street. I saw that guy who lives the other day and he's been watching me. I heard he was satanic, what if he's the lead vampire?

I am so screwed.

Epic Universe

Universal Orlando announced earlier today (yesterday for you) the upcoming new park at their resort called Universal's Epic Universe. This will be the fourth park at the resort and second park since Comcast bought the company. I'm pretty excited even though it's years away from opening. I've been watching the developments of this on theme park blogs as the land was being purchased and various plans were changed and names were thrown around (it was at one point called Fantastic Worlds). While in their press conference, they gave a light description without going into too many details. That's fine, that's to be expected as they're literally still clearing the ground. This is a huge undertaking and in the end will be something amazing.

This preliminary picture of the park gives a general idea of what to expect. The new park will have it's own Citywalk and resorts. It's practically a brand new Universal Studios on it's own. While details are scarce, the underground rumblings that have been right all along are saying details that just seem amazing. Nintendo is going to be here. While originally going in the original park, then planned to be spread across all the Orlando resort parks, now the plan is to be here as a basic clone of the Japanese land. The same scuttlebutt claims there will be also a Fantastic Beast's land (more Harry Potter), a How to Train your Dragon land (probably will be a DreamWorks area in general), and a Universal Monster's land (you know I'm practically pee'ing myself over that). What makes this so great is, if you'll notice how Diagon Alley is and look at the plans for Super Nintendo Land in Japan (coming here), you'll have a good idea how this park is going to work by the above picture. Basically self contained themed lands that are accessible by a central hub that will be full of Universal Studios style total immersion. Universal Studios original slogan was 'ride the movies', and as they've been doing in the recent years with additions, they mean it. You're literally going to walk into the movies world and that is AWESOME. 

The Chucky Song

Believe it or not there was a plan to end Child's Play with a Rankin/Bass Holiday Special style song during the end credits. The song was recorded and ultimately cut from the final product and frankly we're all a little worse for it.

Ride way to the Side rapidly

As we're sliding into Halloween around here on Zone Base, I thought a creepy and kinda supernatural bad guy with a habit for wearing disguises would be a good idea. Sideways is just the bot to lead the Halloween charge! I plan on focusing on the Armada toy, if you want to know more about his other toys and fictional appearances, I suggest checking out his wiki page. Sideways was a neat toy. His Mini-Con gimmick was a homage to Headmasters while still being unique (as Armada had a way of making homages still different). If you'll look at the above picture, you'll notice he has two Mini-Con partners instead of the standard one packaged with him. The two could merge into a larger rider body for the motorcycle, or both ride independently leading to a lot of play value in motorcycle mode.