This news came out of nowhere! A brand new 3rd party calling themselves Transform and Rollout is doing their version of not Jazz. Early pics are looking pretty awesome. This figure is sure shaping up to have enough style and flair to be everyone’s favorite special ops agent.
The figure is supposedly MP size. Some thoughts as I look at these early pics:
You can pose not Jazz with the doors out on the back (like the toy) or with no doors (like the G1 TV show), very cool
Right hand grappling hook can be attached
Speakers attachment is included, shown attached in alt mode, not sure if can be used in robot mode
Rifle looks very G1 accurate
Missile launcher not shown, wonder if it will be included
Overall appearance is very G1 accurate
Spoiler says “Master”, a reference to not “Meister”
I’m getting pretty excited over this piece. However this is a new 3rd party (in a world of already saturated 3rd parties) and this is their first entry. Their construction quality is a big mystery at this point. How this fig will turn out, your guess is as good as mine. MSPR is $89.99. All your favorite custom retailers are taking pres for this fig.
Today I’m going to feature some figures on the top layer of my Detolf shelf. I have assembled a collection of some of my favorite Season 1 Autobots from CHUG. For those of you that don’t know, CHUG is an acronym for Classics Henkei Universe Generations. These are all terms that Hasbro or Takara has used to label various Transformers lines that represent a modern update of classic G1 characters. I have also seen some fans refer to them collectively as G3, since it follows G1 and G2. Whatever you call it, they are all modern toy interpretation of Generation 1, though not necessarily in their exact G1 forms.
All these characters appeared starting in Season 1 of Transformers Generation 1.
There are a total of 6 figures here. I will describe each of them in depth, in the order of their release.
Optimus Prime, Classics, 2006
This Optimus Prime figure is part of the 6 initial figures that kicked off the Classics line back in 2006. It’s hard to imagine if Hasbro knew what kind of trend they were about to set in motion when these 6 figures took physical form. Hasbro tapped into something that was part of every action figure collector that grew up in the 80s with the launching of this Classics line. Anyway, this Optimus figure was one of only 2 Voyager size figures in the initial 6 (the other was Megatron, duh). To this day, this figure remains one of my favorite Optimus figures of all time. He looks good in both modes, the transformation was clever yet familiar for its time, and his overall appearance evokes instant G1 nostalgia while giving the character some mid-2000s updates. 9 years later as I write this, I still play with this figure from time to time. In the pics above he is holding his iconic G1 rifle that came as part of the BTS-03 G1 Prime Matrix of Leadership Upgrade Set by BTS Toys. I also have the FansProject G3 Trailer that can be added to this figure, but that was not featured anywhere on this blog. Maybe I should.
Sideswipe, Universe, 2008
For whatever reason, people love Sideswipe. I read a caption somewhere that stated he’s never done anything important, but he’s such a fan favorite. Maybe it’s because the G1 toy was such a good piece for its time. Or maybe it’s because he’s a fun loving character who does his job well without taking himself too seriously. Or maybe people just love his sexy Lamborghini alt mode. Whatever the reason, I gotta admit he’s also one of my all-time favorites. When the Universe toy came out back in 2008, I was beyond thrilled. And the toy did not disappoint. I knew Hasbro had no official licensing for Lamborghini, but I was pleased with the fictional alt mode they came up with to represent what would be a Lambo. The transformation of the figure is fun and satisfying. In the pics above, Sideswipe is using is G1 rifle and shoulder mounted missile launcher from the Heroic Duo Custom Kit Version 2.0 by Beelzeboss. I highly recommend this upgrade kit.
Jazz, Reveal the Shield, 2010
Jazz is another one of my all time favorites. Do a quick search for Jazz on this blog, and you will see there are many, many entries. Jazz is a character that has appeared in almost every TF continuity. In G1, Jazz completes missions with so much style and pizzazz, it’d be criminal if he was any cooler. This Jazz figure more than does justice to the Special Operations agent and Optimus Prime’s right hand man. I did a in depth review of the figure in this post, so I won’t do it again here.
Bumblebee, Age of Extinction, 2014
Bumblebee is a character that needs no introduction. He may be the most famous TF of all time, even surpassing Optimus Prime. Hasbro released so many CHUG Bumblebees over the years that I could have used many others for this lineup, but I used this one because I think he scales the best. And no, this is not the Generations Thrilling 30 Bumblebee. Though this is a exact repaint of the same mold, released as a Toys R Us exclusive 2-pack along with deluxe Age of Extinction Bumblebee (the modern Camero). That’s why I labeled it Age of Extinction above. This Bumblebee is a fun little figure. And I think that captures the spirit of Bumblebee. In the movie lines, Hasbro released way too many Bumblebees that are way too large and way too complicated. To me that is never Bumblebee.
Roar (aka Snarl), ToyWorld, 2014
Not counting the upgrade kits, Snarl is the only 3rd party figure on here. Technically he’s Roar, ToyWorld’s homage to Snarl. This figure is a gift to me from my fiancee. For a long time now, I was wondering why no third parties would do CHUG size Dinobots. Hasbro did do a deluxe size Grimlock, but that figure is not well received by most hardcore TransFans. No other CHUG Dinobots were made by Hasbro. Dinobots are forever fan favorites, so it seemed like a natural fit for third parties to come in and do what Hasbro will not. So it was a real mystery to me why no third party would attempt this. And believe me, there are no shortage of third party these days. But then all of a sudden, starting I think in early 2014, a whole bunch of third party companies announced that they will be making Dinobots. Off the top of my head, I can think of 4 CHUG size lineups (ToyWorld, FansProject, GCreation, Planet X) and 3 Masterpiece size lineups (FansToys, Bullsfire, GigaPower). Anyway I’m getting off topic. I love Dinobots, and I love ToyWorld products, so I had to have their Snarl. The toy comes in dino mode. Transformation to robot mode is well engineered and fun. I love how the hind dino legs can fold into the robot legs. This appears to be the trend with all the modern Dinobots. Construction of the figure is solid. Both modes look very G1 accurate. This is a third party figure I highly recommend. I already have TW Corelock (aka Grimlock) on preorder.
Jetfire, Generations Thrilling 30, 2014
Jetfire is a character with a rather complicated history in the world of Transformers. Originally based on the Takatoku toy of Macross VF-1 fame, Hasbro got the right to the merchandise of this toy and created the character of Jetfire. I’m not sure why he is called Skyfire in the G1 cartoons, or why the show designers decided to give him a somewhat different appearance from the toy. Whatever the reason, Jetfire became an instant fan favorite. As one of the very few Autobots that could fly in Season 1 of G1, the Jetfire toy was sought after by nearly every kid who was interested in Transformers at the time. Very early in the Classics line, Hasbro came out with a Voyager class toy that resembled the G1 cartoon look for Jetfire. That is an excellent figure, but in 2014 Hasbro released a Leader class figure that is even better! This Jetifire is a must-own. Both modes look sweet, and he looks like he jumped straight out of the show. Transformation is fun without being overly complicated. Some might even consider him too simple for his size, but I can easily overlook it due to the sheer fun factor. His massive size scales nicely with other CHUG figures. Jetfire gets the vote for figure of the year from many fans, and it’s certainly very hard to make a case against it. As of this writing, Jetifre can be found in store and online at MSRP (sometimes below MSRP). Make sure you pick up yours while you can!
Here is a Transformers T-shirt that I recently found at Kohl’s. I saw it and had to get it! The shirt was only $12.99, not the $20 you see on the tag.
This is the all-star Autobot team! From left to right: Bumblebee, Jazz, Optimus Prime, Hot Rod (or Rodimus), and Grimlock. All characters in their G1 bad-ass selves! If I had to pick 5 of the most famous Autobots, this would probably be it.
As testament to the popularity of this quintet, let’s examine how each character is updated in the more popular TF lines. In CHUG, Prime, Bee, and Hot Rod appeared in the very first wave! Grimlock followed shortly. It took Jazz a few years later to appear, but they all made it eventually. In the Movie-verse, Prime, Bee, and Jazz appeared in the very first film. Grimlock is confirmed to be the 4th movie. No word on Rodimus. In Animated, all 5 characters make appearances. In Binaltech/Alternator, the only one to not appear is Bumblebee, while the other 4 are re-imagined. And in the MP line, we got Prime, Grimlock, and Hot Rod. Bee is coming soon. Hopefully Takara will take a stab at doing Jazz.
All G1 Fans should get this should they see it! Transform and Roll Out.
I hate reality TV. Some of the things they do on these shows are completely absurd. I also question the supposed realism, as I believe all reality shows are to some extent scripted. Despite my best efforts to avoid them, every so often I find myself watching select seasons or episodes of a show that I normally hate. Reality shows are like junk food. They’re both guilty pleasures that are easy to digest, but leave you with nothing of real value.
I’m cognizant of the fact that reality shows are not going anywhere, and will forever have a place among mainstream TV. I know one guy that really wants to go on Survivor. He applied multiple times, unsuccessfully. Another friend is always saying that he would be good for The Amazing Race, since he travels so much. That would be his show of choice if he was forced to participate in reality TV. He’s always asking me which show I would go on. Honestly, I can’t think of a single show that I would be good for.
Recently news broke out that China is doing a reality show to to recruit Chinese actors for Transformers 4. And all this gets me thinking: which TFs would be good for which shows? I mean, if Transformers came to Earth, some of them would be perfectly suited for some of these lame shows. So perfect that they could easily win, or make themselves stars of the show. Below I present 10 TFs and the show that they should go on.
Jazz – Dancing with the Stars
Most TFs don’t dance, but of the few that does, Jazz does it with the most style. In G1, we often see him dance whenever there’s music. And in the 1st Bay movie, we saw Jazz perform a windmill dance move when he first meets Sam and Mikaela. That’s pretty good for someone who just arrived on Earth. If Jazz was to go on Dancing with the Stars, he could give the audience something they’ve never seen before. His robotic body will allow him to perform moves that no human can ever do. Finding a partner for Jazz may prove to be difficult, however.
Soundwave – Celebrity Poker Showdown
You want a poker face? You got one in Soundwave. He’s totally unreadable and he gives away nothing, making him the perfect poker player. He’s also got a photographic memory, making counting cards second nature. I like to hear him go “Soundwave Superior” in his robo voice whenever he wins a hand, annoying the hell out of the other players. Shockwave would be good for this too, but I give Soundwave the edge because of one other reason: Soundwave can detect all forms of wave communication, even human brain waves. This means he can read the minds of the other players, and know exactly what they have. Good luck beating Soundwave at poker.
Starscream – Big Brother
Starscream was built to be on Big Brother. All the secret alliances, all that back-stabbing, all the drama, and all the house politics, they would all be child’s play to Starscream. For someone that near manipulated his way to Decepticon leadership (and would’ve easily succeeded if Megatron wasn’t around), winning the battles in the Big Brother house would prove almost too easy for the Decepticon air commander. Of course I much rather just see Starscream blast the brains out of some other house guest with his null rays if s/he puts him up for eviction.
Bumblebee – Cash Cab
For this to work, I’m thinking of the NYCC Exclusive TF Prime Taxi Cab Bumblebee. And this needs to be a talking Bumblebee, like G1 or War For Cybertron, but preferably more like Animated. That Bumblebee’s got some serious spunk for extra entertainment value. So instead of Ben Bailey driving around NY in his stupid cab, you have Bumblebee driving around doing the same thing. That would be way cooler. Bumblebee would need a hologram driver to attract unsuspecting riders. After they enter, Bumblebee bombards them with true Cybertronian lights and sounds. The game would proceed the same, except Bumblebee asks the questions while driving them to their destination, and it’s all TF trivia. If and when the players get 3 strikes, Bumblebee transforms into robot mode and kicks out the riders to the curb himself.
Swindle – The Apprentice
Of all the TFs ever created, Swindle is the only one that is interested in making money as an entrepreneur. And he’s pretty damn good at it. The epitome of the shrewd businessman, Swindle has mastered his craft of war profiteering by being a black market weapons merchant. He has even gone so far as selling the parts of his fellow Combaticons for money. All this makes him the perfect Apprentice for The Donald. As far as I know, Trump is not in the business of war. But that doesn’t mean has hasn’t looked into it, and Swindle would be his perfect partner. Of course Swindle has to first win the “3 month long job interview”. If The Donald ever tries to fire Swindle, I suggest Swindle fire back, literally, with his scatter blaster and destroy that comb-over once and for all.
Black Arachnia- America’s Next Top Model
I’ll admit, this is not a show I have watched. I change the channel as soon as it comes on. I rather take a nap than watch a bunch of women compete to be a model. However, if Black Arachnia appeared on the show, that would get my attention. I first thought about putting Arcee on here since she’s the most famous female TF, but she would probably hate being a model. So this gets me thinking about other TFs of the fairer sex, and Black Arachnia came to mind. The feisty female Predacon would enjoy the experience a bit more. It does take some cunning to win these reality competitions, and she’s got more than enough to spare. And if she doesn’t win, it would be entertaining to watch her transform into that giant black widow and watch the other wannabe models freak out.
Prowl – Cops
The granddaddy of reality shows just won’t go away. People can’t seem to get enough of Cops. I suggest using some TFs as police officers, and Prowl would be the perfect choice. His alt mode as a police vehicle already does half the job. And being the strict disciplinarian that he is, he probably volunteer for the show. Imagine some local lawbreakers trying to outsmart the police, only to find they are dealing with Prowl! Law enforcement never looked so good. Criminals beware!
Grapple – Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
On every episode of this show, some deserving family in poverty gets their house renovated by the Extreme Makeover team. What they come up with is pretty good, but I know how they can do it better: get Grapple on the team! Forget Ty Lawson or Paige Hemmis, you need a real architect who’s good enough to design solar power towers. Grapple’s buildings are considered great works of art on Cybertron, before the war. Designing a house for humans wouldn’t even be a challenge to the famous Autobot architect. Grapple would probably build energy collection modules into the homes for humans, the result being that the family residing there would live in constant fear of a Decepticon attack. Small price to pay for getting a brand new home for free.
Nightbeat – Cheaters
Only the most hardcore of G1ers would know about Nightbeat. He is a Headmaster that came in the 5th year of G1. The US G1 animated series already ended by then, so we only got to see him in comics. Anyway, he’s a detective. Why Autobots would even need detectives is beyond me, but his particular skill set gives him plenty of opportunities on Earth. One of those would be a private investigator for Cheaters. All that Autobot technology, reduced to spying on sexual infidelities. And as a Cheaters detective, his Headmaster partner can be Joey Greco. They would drive around day and night (mostly night), following their targets and monitoring their behavior. And when it’s time for “The Confrontation”, imagine the surprise of the cheater when accosted by a giant robot! No man or woman will ever stray again!
Grimlock – Master Chef
Grimlock would be horrible on any reality show, including Master Chef. I just want to see him appear on a show where he gets to wear his apron like a chef in training. I can see it now: a big, clumsy robo dino in the studio, wearing the apron and bowtie, knocking over everything and trying to eat all the food. Grimlock’s preferred method of food preparation has gotta be flame broiling, using the flamethrower built into his jaws. Though he’s more likely to burn down the whole studio. He would only attempt to follow directions for so long, before he loses it and makes a mess of everything. Gordon Ramsay may think he can scare all the contestants into submission. Good luck with that with Grimlock around. The famous chef can consider himself lucky if he doesn’t become human BBQ at the end of the show.
I will admit that I watch Cheaters if I happen to catch it. But the rest of them, I avoid like the plague. And they are all still running too, as far as I know. They say TV turns your brain to mush, and in the case of reality TV, it’s very true.
When it rains, it pours. Like Cybertron Acid Rain! Or Hurricane Sandy. October was a downpour full of Transformers, I was finding newly released figures multiples times per week. This will be a long post. Prepare yourself.
Generations GDO Swerve, toysrus.com, $14.99
Generations GDO Springer, Toys R Us, $14.99
Generations GDO Wheelie, Toys R Us, $14.99
Generations GDO Cliffjumper, toysrus.com $14.99
Generations GDO Brawl, Toys R Us, $9.99
Generations GDO Laserbeak, toysrus.com $9.99
Transformers Prime Rumble, Walmart, $15.47
Transformers Prime Airachnid, Target, $15.49
Transformers Prime First Edition Terroron Cliffjumper, Toys R Us, $14.99
Transformers Prime First Edition Vehicon, Toys R Us, $14.99
Transformers Prime Voyager Dreadwing, Target, $21.99
Transformers Prime Kup, Walmart, $15.47
Transformers Prime Vehicon, Walmart, $15.47
Generations Fall of Cybertron Onslaught, hasbrotoyshop.com, $14.99
Generations Fall of Cybertron Blastoff, hasbrotoyshop.com, $14.99
Generations Fall of Cybertron Vortex, hasbrotoyshop.com, $14.99
Generations Fall of Cybertron Swindle, hasbrotoyshop.com, $14.99
Generations Fall of Cybertron Brawl, hasbrotoyshop.com, $14.99
Generations Ultimate Gift Set (Jazz, Combat Hero Optimus Prime, Motorbreath, Thundercracker), hasbrotoyshop.com, $29.99
Generations GDO legend Silverstreak, Toys R Us, $5.99
Generations GDO legend Thundercracker, Toys R Us, $5.99
Whew! That’s a lot of TFs! I knew October was gonna be special, when back in this post I said October is off to a great start. 24 TFs for the month. That’s gotta be a new single month record, even for me. 7 figures came out of TF Prime, and the other 17 all belong to Generations. And out of the 17 Generations, 5 are Fall of Cybertron, and the rest GDO. I guess this month more than makes up for the last few months, where I found virtually nothing in the stores.
Out of the 24 figs, 13 are repaints of molds I already have. Still, Hasbro made them different enough for me to want them. They sure know how to keep me interested.
Notice I bought the little legend GDO Thundercracker twice. First came with the Ultimate Gift set from hasbrotoyshop.com, and the second was a standalone purchase at Toys R Us. I guess I could’ve left the the 2nd one on the shelf, but these little guys are rare finds so I couldn’t help myself.
But yeah, so many TFs in such a short span. I’m barely able to process it all. The pic below shows the only figures that I opened so far. And believe me I plan to open them all (except for the 2nd Thundercracker).
I recommend all these figures that I opened. Well, maybe except for Airachnid. Her robot mode is pretty crappy. But the heli mode is cool and she is a rare fig, so there are still some reasons to get one.
Today is also Halloween. So I thought I do a shot of all my orange TFs with a stuff pumpkin that I have. Check it out below.
And speaking of orange, here’s a plug for a totally unrelated topic: San Francisco Giants are world champions! As a sports fan living in the SF Bay Area, it’s something I must mention. Their colors are orange and black, very fitting for Halloween. Coincidentally, the victory parade is also on this day. It will be crazy in the city! I wanted to take a pic of my orange TFs with some Giants memorabilia, but can’t find any. Earlier in the year I went to a Giants game, and I got a Brian Wilson gnome as a stadium give-away. I sold it on eBay for $50, which I’ve come to regret now for 3 reasons: 1) It’s a great piece to take a pic with my orange TFs, 2) Now that Giants are world champs, it’s probably worth way more than $50, and 3) It’s a great memento to keep around for a championship year. Though Brian Wilson has made no contribution to this championship run since he’s been hurt since May, so maybe it’s not a big deal.
September is yet another month where I found virtually no new Transformers in the stores. But I did manage to get some figures online. And for the first time in a long time, I bought a old figure from a discount store.
Generations Fall of Cybertron Jazz and Optimus Prime, Amazon, $24.98 shipped
Masterpiece Thundercracker x 2, toysrus.com, $69.99 each
ROTF Hatchet, dd's Discounts, $5.99
First up for the month is Fall of Cybertron Jazz and Optimus Prime. These 2 are old news by now. I waited so long because I already have on order a set of the Wave 1 from TFSource, which includes these 2 and Shockwave. I kept waiting for that to ship, but the green Giant set is holding up the stack. Sometime this month, Amazon had a sale for Jazz and Prime, which was $24.98 for both. I couldn’t wait anymore so I went ahead and bought both of these. At the time I thought this was a good deal. Turns out, TFSource also had these on sale at about $12 each, and BBTS at about $10 each. I guess Hasbro made way too many of these. Regardless, I opened both figures. I like Prime. Both modes are solid. His overall cheap plastic look leaves a lot to be desired, but overall he’s a good figure. Jazz I’m not too fond of. I got no complaints about the alt mode, but I find the robot mode disappointing. I don’t like the big hole between his head and chest, and his arms seem too long. It’s a shame too, because he’s so cool in the Fall of Cybertron game. Speaking of which, I finally finished Campaign mode today. That last chapter was totally epic! I’m gonna go back and try to get more trophies.
Masterpiece Thundercracker is a Toys R Us exclusive. I watched my TRU store for weeks, but he was nowhere to be found. Finally, he was reported to be available at toysrus.com. That’s where I got mine. TRU appears to be releasing him in increments. He would be available for a little while, then quickly go back to being out of stock. For me, TRU Masterpiece exclusives are near impossible to find in the store. The last such MP I found was Grimlock, I never saw Rodimus or Thundercracker. Anyway, I didn’t open Thundercracker yet, but reviews report him to be nothing short of amazing. This is my first MP seeker using the new mold, so I’m really looking forward to playing with this piece.
Lastly we have Hatchet. I saw him last summer when he first came out. He did catch my attention, since he looks kinda like Ravage and he’s got a cool jet mode. But he was one of those borderline figures for me, and eventually I just forgot. Last week I saw him again at a discount store for cheap. And since we’re in such a TF shortage, I figured why not. I opened Hatchet, and he’s not half bad. The robot beast mode is refreshing, and the jet looks cool too. My only complaint is that, in jet mode, there’s too much bulk where the arms go, under the wings. If it wasn’t for that, his jet mode would be perfect. But even as is, I do recommend the figure. Though he’s not a must-get by any means.
I checked TFSource earlier today, and green Giant is finally in. So next month I will have more TFs for sure. Transform and Roll Out!
At lunch today I went to TRU. I made my way to the TF aisle like I usually do, and was surprised to see a whole bunch of people crowding the space. I saw some guys hovered over a specific section of rack space, and so I look in that direction. To my surprise, I see that TRU already has Fall of Cybertron figures!
I knew these figures were coming since there are tons of reviews on YouTube already. Not to mention that many online dealers have them in stock. I just didn’t expect my TRU to have them so soon. I visited TRU to find TF Prime figures, but was pleasantly surprised to see FOC figs nonetheless.
However, my concern was realized when I saw that there is not a single Shockwave on the racks! Out of the 3 Wave 1 FOC figs, Shockwave is the most sought after. My feeling is this is the figure that will be very difficult to find, similar to TF Prime Vehicon (which to this day I still have not found).
I made a comment on Pax Cybertron about my concern for Shockwave. And so, last night I made a order at TFSource for all 3 of the Wave 1 FOC figures. Set for all 3 is $47.95. That comes to about $16 per fig. TRU has each of these at $14.99. After taxes, it will be more than $16 per fig (CA state tax is pretty painful). So by buying from TFSource, I’m actually getting a better deal (no taxes and free ship). But the real reason I made the order was to lock in Shockwave. I knew he would be hard to find, and so far that seems to be the case.
Anyway, I left Prime and Jazz on the racks. The 3 FOC Wave 1 figs are part of my current stack at TFSource, along with TF Prime Voyager Breakdown and the green Giant set. As soon as Giant comes in, I will get them all! Can’t wait!
And as for the other dudes that were in the aisle, none of them bought anything. Some commented on the high price tag. Some were probably just looking for Shockwave. Some of the other individuals there, like moms and kids, were probably just there by accident and not looking for FOC. It was just weird that so many people were at that aisle at the time.
The Fall of Cybertron has begun! Transform and Roll Out!
I am a big fan of War For Cybertron. Later this year, perhaps around fall, the sequel Fall of Cybertron will be released. But what’s even better is that there will be figures from FOC! Just like WFC, figures from the sequel will be released in the Generations line.
The following pics are previews of all the deluxe figures planned for FOC. While we only got 5 figures from WFC (Optimus, Megatron, Bumblebee, Soundwave, Cliffjumper), we’re gonna get so much more for FOC! That’s right TransFans. Hasbro loves you. They’re even doing a combiner team that really combines! No release dates are given yet, but most likely the 1st wave will hit store shelves around the same time as the game. Fall of 2012 will be the Fall of Cybertron! Hey, that makes me wonder if there are seasons on Cybertron.
Fireflight doesn’t look right to me. I think this figure makes a better Strafe, with that head mold, alt mode, and the colors. But I like Aerialbots too, so I can live with it.
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting all of them. Transform and Roll Out!
Today I’m showing off all my Human Alliance TFs. They’re called that because each TF comes with a human figure. All HA TFs are of the Movie-verse. Hasbro started this in ROTF. I don’t have that many. Here they are in a group pic.
The following are my scout class HA figs, all from DOTM.
Tailpipe and Pinpointer, with Sergeant Noble
Tailpipe is the black motorcyle, and Pinpointer acts as his Targetmaster weapon. The pic above has Tailpipe in robot holding Pinpointer as a weapon, while in the first pic, Sergeant Noble is riding Tailpipe as a bike while Pinpointer is a robot standing to the side. This figure is alright. Tailpipe is not a bad figure with both decent robot and alt modes. But Pinpointer is very poorly constructed. I like him as a weapon, but his robot mode is a joke. It’s difficult to place Sergeant Noble on Tailpipe to make it look like he’s riding. Attaching Pinpointer as a weapon on Tailpipe in bike mode also takes some work.
Sandstorm, with Private Dedcliff
In my opinion, this is the best of the HA scout figs. Sandstorm has both a spectacular dune buggy alt mode and a balanced robot mode. He’s well constructed and he holds poses well. Transformation is refreshing for a scout class figure. There’s good amount of detail too. Getting Private Dedcliff to ride in the dune buggy is also easy since there’s plenty of room and the roll cage can be lifted to get him in. If you can only get one one scout class HA fig, get this one. When the DOTM toys came out, this was one of the first TFs that I got and that was a good decision.
Whirl, with Major Sparkplug
Whirl is not too bad. I like him a little better than Tailpipe, but he’s not as good as Sandstorm. I like the helicopter mode. The chest area is a tad bulky in robot mode, and he appears as if he’s on skis. Transformation is fun. Major Sparkplug can fit inside the helicopter without too much trouble. I’m pretty sure this Sparkplug is an homage to the G1 character in name only.
Technically, all the scout class HA figs are triple changers. They all have a 3rd “weapon mode”. However, this 3rd mode doesn’t really do it for me. It seems like the toy designers simply chose some halfway configuration between the alt and robot modes and called it a 3rd mode. I usually don’t bother with this weapon mode.
Below are the full size HA figs.
Leadfoot and Steeljaw, with Sergeant Detour
Leadfoot is the red Target Impala. I like the alt mode. The sports cars is nice and sleek. He rolls well on a flat surface and all the pieces come together well. However, getting Sergeant Detour inside takes some work. There’s not enough area inside for the legs. Leadfoot has probably got one of the worst robot modes in recent TF memory. And because of that, I can’t really recommend this figure too much. Steeljaw is the robot dog next to him. He turns into a weapon.
Bumblebee, with Sam Witwicky
These two partners need no introduction. Some fans have argued that this is the best Movie Bumblebee figure ever made, while others think this figure is pure crap because of how the seats appear on the arms in robot mode. Personally I can’t decide which is the best Movie Bumblebee figure. They each have their strengths and weaknesses. But as for me, I like the HA figure. I have no complaints about the alt mode, and in robot mode the seat issue is not nearly as distracting as some fans make it out to be. If I’m forced to pick one, I probably choose deluxe Battle Blade Bumblebee from ROTF as the best Movie Bumblebee. But the HA figure would be a close second. The human figure looks kinda like Sam too so that’s a plus.
Jazz, with Captain Lennox
HA Jazz is without a doubt the best Movie Jazz made, and to my knowledge this is something most fans agree on. The deluxe Movie Jazz is a horrible figure. HA Jazz has none of those weaknesses. He’s got both a solid alt mode and a robust robot mode. This figure comes with a bike for Captain Lennox, and the bike becomes a weapon for Jazz in robot mode. He does have one weakness in car mode. There’s too much stuff underneath the vehicle, so on a flat surface there will be other things touching the ground in addition to the wheels. As a result he does not roll well, but that’s a small gripe. The Captain Lennox figure leaves a lot to be desired though. He looks nothing like Josh Duhamel.
Roadbuster, with Sergeant Recon
Roadbuster is the green Chevy Impala. He is by far the most difficult HA figure that I have come across. In fact, I think the difficulty here rivals most Binaltechs and Alternators. The HA figure is way better than the deluxe. He’s got a good alt mode and a good robot mode so definitely pick him up, but smaller kids will most likely need help to transform the guy. He’s also quite large when he’s standing in robot mode. If you can only get one HA fig from DOTM, get this one.
I really should have took pics of these guys in robot form, but I was too lazy to transform them all. Oh, BTW, all of these are Autobots. I think some Decepticon HA figures are slated for later, but we’ll see. Transform and Roll Out!
Happy New Year! This is the first post for 2011. And as the first order of business, I’m going to review Special Ops Jazz from the Reveal the Shield line of TFs.
Jazz has always had a special place in my passion for Transformers. I have loved the character ever since G1. He’s one of Prime’s go-to guys. His alt mode is a Porsche. He’s got crazy sounds and light shows to disorient bumbling Decepticons. He’s got above average combat skills. He’s resourceful. And last but not least, he’s just too damn cool. He completes his missions with so much flair and pizazz you can’t help but like him. Oh, and his G1 toy ain’t too shabby either. Of all the Diaclone cars, G1 Jazz is among the best molds, along with the toys for Smokescreen and Sideswipe. I think his G1 toys still holds up well today. As a kid, I would sometimes pretend I’m a Transformer. Very often Jazz would be my character of choice.
When rumors first broke of a new Jazz mold that will be released to fit into the Classics universe, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. I waited a good portion of last year for news of this to materialize, and finally towards the end of 2010, we got Special Ops Jazz in the Reveal the Shield line. And it’s about damn time too. Most other non-special-team TFs from the first 2 seasons have been re-made in some form in the CHUG line. Jazz is such a recognizable character that he really should have been one of the first. But, better late than never I always say.
I documented my purchase of Jazz in this post. He comes with those famous rub-signs that all true TransFans should be familiar with. I think that’s suppose to be the gimmick of the “Reveal the Shield” line. Hasbro could not secure the rights to use the name Jazz, so they had to call him Special Ops Jazz, after his G1 function of Special Operations. I like this better than the lame Autobot Jazz or the Japanese name of Meister.
First lets take a look at the car mode.
In alt mode, this is vintage Jazz. Hasbro did not get licensing rights to Porsche, but they have came up with an alt mode that resembles the Porsche in always every way without actually being a Porsche. This is an alt mode worthy of Jazz with its sleek and sexy body outlines. The colors are a pure homage to the G1 figure. The white overall color scheme, with the blue and red racing stripes and the number 4, is unmistakably G1 Jazz. Below I have 2 pics of this Jazz with the G1 figure side by side. That’s an actual G1 folks, not a re-issue!
As far as construction goes, I see no issues with Special Ops Jazz. All the pieces come together quite well to form one cohesive unit. The car is balanced on a flat surface and it rolls well despite the plastic tires. I kinda wish that the tires are rubber like the G1 figure, but Hasbro seemed to stop doing that for $10 figures long time ago. The gun (not pictured in alt mode) sticks right underneath the hood, so you don’t have to worry about if there’s a place for it. The gun needs to be transformed to be able to fit, but the mechanism is simple yet robust. The storage mechanism here is way better than the one used for the CHUG Prowl/Smokescreen/Silverstreak mold. In that mold, the gun attachment is weak, and is constantly falling off the car. This is not an issue with Jazz. The gun sticks well when properly tucked.
To please us G1 fans, Hasbro implemented Jazz’s famous G1 speakers into the figure. In alt mode, you open the doors and flip out the speakers, if you want to simulate Jazz blasting music or noise like he does in the G1 cartoon. Very very cool!
The rub sign is located on the roof of the car. These rub signs used to be square with the shape of the insignia centered in the middle. For the Reveal the Shield figures, the signs are modified so that the shape of the sticker is the shape of the symbol. Not sure that I like this approach, but it’s just a personal preference and does not affect how I like this figure one way or the other.
Now about the gripes. The most obvious one is the lack of paint or detail in the back of the alt mode. Many fans other than myself have pointed this out. See for yourself.
I think Hasbro could have at least painted the rear windows here, so it doesn’t look so plain. Maybe add some color to the tail lights, or paint the rear bumper red like the front bumper. Or maybe color the tailpipes silver, like his face (more on this later). While we’re at it, I think the rims could have been painted silver too, like Reveal the Shield Tracks (a review for this figure will come later).
The overall paint job on Jazz is only mediocre in my opinion. While what’s there is adequate, Jazz does look kinda plastic-y, if you get what I mean. Since he’s white, he looks unpainted. Its kinda like putting together a car model that is already white, and then you only apply the stickers for the racing stripes. That’s how Jazz looks in alt mode. On my figure I also detect slight paint splatters.
The above pic has Special Ops Jazz with Animated Jazz and Alternator Jazz. Special Ops is about the same size as Animated in alt mode.
But other than these weaknesses I mentioned, the alt mode still gets high marks. The shape of the car looks good, and functionally there is nothing wrong. Now let’s look at the robot mode.
Take a look at the above pic, and I dare say this is the most G1-like Jazz Hasbro has ever made. Everything about his appearance is a G1 homage. I already mentioned the colors, and in robot mode it’s really no different. The shape of his chest, legs, arms, wings, his face and head, they all scream G1. Of course this is 25+ years later, and with the toy technology we have today, Hasbro has managed to produce a Jazz robot mode that looks both like the G1 toy and the G1 cartoon. Before this figure, the most G1-like Jazz produced would be the Binaltech/Alternator version. While that’s a great figure, his legs looked very different from G1, and he’s only white (assuming you don’t use custom Repro Decals). Special Ops Jazz is the definitive G1 update. I’m especially impressed by the shape and look of his feet and shins. This design is pure G1.
Transformation from car to robot is nothing we haven’t seen before. That should be obvious by looking at the robot mode and seeing where all the car parts go. The only major difference between this and G1 is the arms. G1 has the arms fold rectangularly under the hood, while Special Ops Jazz folds them to the side by the doors. It seems as if Hasbro simply took the G1 mold and updated it with 2010 toy technology. I think in this case it’s really not a bad thing. The G1 transformation is tried and true, and don’t fix it if it ain’t broken, I always say.
The biggest knock against G1 figures is articulation, or lack of it. G1 Jazz is no exception. Special Ops Jazz addresses that and then some. This figure is capable of a wide array poses. I won’t describe it. Just look at the pics.
The gun can be held in either hand. I guess I’m a little disappointed that they didn’t include a missile launcher like his G1 self, but I’ll get over it. And just like the car mode, the speakers can fold out over the doors/wings.
As far as construction, I see no issues with the figure. The joints are just right, not too loose and not too tight. This means he can hold his poses well. Jazz is also nicely balanced. He’s not front or back heavy, and in my opinion he’s got just the right amount of kibble. He stands easily on 2 legs, even if you choose to do action poses. Transformation difficulty is just about right too. He’s complex enough to be regarded as a real Transformer, but simple enough to be fun.
Below is a shot of the back in case you’re wondering.
As for size comparison, below is shot next to Generations Dirge. Everyone should know the size of CHUG Seekers by now so its a good standard to use. Jazz in robot form is pretty tall for a deluxe.
Unfortunately there are weaknesses in the robot mode as well, and once again it has to do with the paint. I think his paint job in robot mode is better than the alt mode, simply because he’s got other bits on him other than the white, so he doesn’t look so plastic-ish. However, some gray plastic bits really stand out, like the abdomen, shins, and feet. If Hasbro painted these silver like his face, they would look so much better. Oh, I should point out that the paint job used on the forearms look really good. They are plastic, but the paint makes it look die-cast. Bravo!
One other gripe that other fans have is that his chest doesn’t lock in place in robot mode. This means if you want to raise his arms, his chest will go back up. While I do consider this a minor issue, as a G1-er, I instinctively hold down his chest if I want to move the arms because in G1 the chest/hood didn’t lock either. So if you’re like me, you may not see this as a big deal.
The pics below show off Special Ops Jazz with Jazz from various other TF lines in robot mode.
That very last pic above, that’s Pretender Jazz if any of you are wondering. That’s right, Jazz was made a Pretender late in G1. Pretender Jazz is without a doubt the worst Jazz ever made. Even worse than Movie deluxe Jazz, and that’s saying a lot. But Pretender Jazz is not something you will see often so I put him in these pics for pure awe factor. In case you’re wondering just how bad he really is, check out this review below (not by me).
There you have it, my review of Reveal the Shield Special Ops Jazz. I pointed out a few gripes and they’re mostly paint issues, but overall he’s still highly recommended. This Jazz is definitely in my top 2 of all Jazz ever made. I have a hard time deciding which Jazz I like better, this one or the Binaltech/Alternator. Do not hesitate to get one if you see one in the stores. He’s still pretty rare right now. I had to get mine from HasbroToyShop.com.
“Do it with style or don’t bother doing it!” Transform and Roll Out!
