It is the end of the month once again. From this point forward, at the end of every month, I will make a post about all the Transformers I bought for that month. I started this last month in this post, and I think I will continue the trend. And just like Feb, I bought a bunch of TFs in March.

• DOTM Basic Human Alliance Half-Track, Target, $6.92

• DOTM Deluxe Soundwave, eBay, $34.15 shipped

• TF Prime RID Deluxe Wheeljack, TRU, $14.99

• Masterpiece Optimus Prime (MP-10), Wondercon, $200
• Star Wars Crossover Clone Pilot Arc-170 Starfighter, Wondercon, $10

• TF Prime RID Bumblebee, Walmart, $12.88
• TF Prime RID Ratchet, Target, $12.99

• DOTM Deluxe Barricade, Walmart, $7.27
• DOTM Deluxe Jolt, Walmart, $7.27

• PCC Skyhammer, CVS Pharmacy, $8.49

• TF Prime RID Soundwave, TRU, $14.99

Some random thoughts as I look at what I bought this month:

• I got 11 TFs for the month: 4 DOTMs, 4 TFPs, 1 MP, 1 Star Wars TF, and 1 PCC.
• I opened DOTM Half-Track, DOTM Soundwave, TFP Wheeljack, TFP Bumblebee, TFP Ratchet, and PCC Skyhammer. The rest are unopened.
• Vigilant readers will notice that in Feb I got TFP Deluxe Bumblebee, and mentioned that I returned him back to TRU. I did that so I can get him again this month at a lower price somewhere else.
• It is for this same reason that I haven’t opened TFP Soundwave. I’m hoping to find him again for cheaper later.
• I bought a TF from CVS Pharmacy for the first time. I don’t usually hunt there, but I happened to see PCC Skyhammer which I didn’t see anywhere else. So I snagged it. Price wasn’t too bad either. Most non-discount stores still carry PCC 2-packs at $9.99. I thought CVS was gonna mark this up like everything else, so I was pleasantly surprised when they rung up $8.49 at checkout.
• Speaking of Skyhammer, why is PCC Skyhammer a Decepticon? DOTM Skyhammer is an Autobot. I’ve grown accustomed to seeing a TF character appearing very different from line to line, but switching allegiances? That’s just weird.
• I haven’t had any time to mess with MP-10, and that’s why he’s still unopened. I need to make time for this soon, especially considering he’s by far the most expensive piece here. Very looking forward to some quality time with what many is calling the best G1-style Optimus Prime ever made.
• Other than at the Target where I bought Half-Track, I have not seen him anywhere else. I started seeing him at this Target several months ago, but did not buy him b/c he’s simply a Sandstorm repaint. I only got him now since he’s on clearance. I wonder why he’s so rare in my area? In the pic above you’ll see that his left arm dislodged from the socket, but the figure is fine once it’s re-attached.
• DOTM Soundwave was bought on eBay from a Taiwan seller. This price is not too bad, considering he’s now Asia only.
• TFP Wheeljack and Ratchet are some of the best deluxe figures out there right now. Do not hesitate to grab these two if/when you find them.
• Bewteen this month and last month, the only TF I got at a discount store is Icepick from dd’s Discounts. I’m still very much hunting at discount stores regularly. Guess they just didn’t get anything good lately.

Too many TFs, too little time. Transform and Roll Out!

I am back from this year’s Wondercon in Anaheim! I always have an awesome time at geek Conventions and this year is no exception. Once again I was there with Gemini. This is only our 2nd Wondercon. We went once before in 2010 when it was still at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. You can check out Gemini’s coverage of Wondercon 2010 here. Not sure why the organizers decided to move it to the Anaheim Convention Center this year in SoCal. But for me it really doesn’t matter since I’ve lived in SoCal and NorCal.

I was only there Friday and Saturday. I probably should have taken more pics, but still I’ll post what I have here.

 

Capcom Booth

 

This is the only pic I took at the Capcom booth. They were heavily promoting two games. One was Street Fighter X Tekken, which came out early March. I’m a big fighting game fan so I’ll probably pick this up later. The other game was Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, pictured above. This is an awesome looking game! I only vaguely heard about this, but seeing it live in person has convinced me that I must get this. RE Operation Raccoon City is a multi-player third-person shooter set in the famous city of RE origin. I don’t play FPS or TPS all that much, but this I must play! I’m a RE die-hard, having completed the original RE, RE Director’s Cut, RE 2, RE 3, RE Code Veronica, RE 0, and RE Outbreak. Not sure what the story is, but the players appear to be military forces sent in to contain the bio hazard outbreak in RC. Very cool. The game came out 2 days ago. Get yours now!

 

Kotobukiya Booth

 

The Kotobukiya booth was located right in the center of the dealer’s room, so there’s no way to miss it. And chances are you would pass by it multiple times. They are releasing some very cool figures at reasonable prices. There’s a figure of Christie from Tekken that is begging for me to buy. I really don’t collect bishoujo figures anymore, but part of me is still tempted, so it took a lot of willpower to walk away. Still, if I find one someday for cheap, I just might buy it. I took several pics at this booth and they appear below.

 

Avengers Booth

 

This is a booth promoting the upcoming Avengers movie this summer. The booth was quite large. Hollywood booths are always grandiose and extravagant. I’m not sure what was happening here when I took this pic. We have some nice cosplayers of Cobra Commander and some random Cobra chick. They were doing some kind of dance and moving way too fast for me to shoot a nice pic. Not sure if they were fans or hired.

 

Other Dealers’ Booths

 

Below are some pics of smaller local retailers. I took pics of their items. I’m always left in awe at how much stuff they bring to these events.

 

Cosplayers

 

No anime/comic/toy convention is complete without Cosplayers. There were some good ones at Wondercon 2012, but I only managed to snap one pic of these gorgeous ladies below. I don’t know who they’re supposed to be though.

 

Last but certainly not least…

 

Sara Jean Underwood! Yes gentlemen, the beautiful Sara Jean was on hand to sign autographs. I probably should have lined up to take a pic with her. The line was not that long and she seemed real friendly with the fans. If you don’t know who she is, this should help educate you. NSFW!

 

My Wondercon 2012 Haul

 

No trip to any anime/toy/comic convention is complete without acquiring some loot. And so I proudly present my acquisitions from Wondercon 2012 :

• Masterpiece Optimus Prime MP-10 – I have been wanting to get the latest Masterpiece figure of the legendary Optimus Prime for some time now. This is a brand new mold from MP-1 or MP-4. He is smaller like the more recent MPs and he doesn’t have any die-cast, but he is more show accurate and he’s got even more features than before. I’ve seen many YouTube reviews about this figure already and there’s nothing but praises. I can’t wait to open mine, when I get some time. Best part: a dealer I know at Wondercon hooked me up with this MP-10 for only $200!
• Star Wars Transformer Clone Pilot Arc-170 Starfighter – I’ve seen this figure before, like at TRU or Walmart. A dealer saw me eyeing this and offered it to me for $10. I’ve been disappointed with most of my SW TFs recently, but for $10 you really can’t go wrong so I figured why not.

Before I wrap up this post, I’ll include some misc and random thoughts:

• On Friday there was a panel with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill to promote the opening of 21 Jump Street. We didn’t try to go, but I can only imagine what a mad house it must have been. I don’t think we could’ve got in even if we tried.
• On Saturday there was a panel with Milla Jovovich promoting the 5th Resident Evil movie. Me, Gemini, and his wife tried to go to that. We made it up to the 3rd floor right before security stopped people from going up the escalator. We barely made it, or so we thought! When we finally got in line, security quickly pointed out that if you’re behind a certain spot in line, you probably won’t get in. We were way behind the spot and so we left. We then learned that some people have been lining up since 7AM. Crazy!
• Parking for Wondercon 2012 was a total bitch. On Fri I waited about 15 min on Katella Ave before I got into the parking sturcture. On Sat I waited about 30 min. I can’t even begin to imagine what parking would be like for the BIG conventions, like SDCC or AX. Speaking of AX…
• My very first Anime Expo was in 94. Back then it was at the Mariott Hotel right next to the Anaheim Convention Center. That was my first geek convention of any kind. In 94 it broke records too, with about 2000 attendees. Parking and lining up for things were not an issue at all. Seeing that Mariott again after all these years, it sure brings back memories. Good memories. And I’m left amazed at how far these conventions have come.
• There was a girls’ Volleyball thing going on right next to Wondercon, in the same convention center. That was pretty big too. I wonder what those girls thought of Wondercon…
• Eating near Anaheim Convention Center for Wondercon is not an issue. We ate at a nearby IHOP and a Chinese place that’s like a Panda Express. Getting a seat is no problem, unlike going to AX these days.
• As a TransFan, Wondercon is probably not the best convention. But tickets are affordable and they’re easy to get. I had fun so I do recommend it.
• Oh yeah, on Fri at the con I checked March Madness scores. That’s when I found out that my pick to win it all lost in the 1st round! Stupid Missouri. Total bummer for me.

That about covers it. My experience at Wondercon 2012. It is growing and I think next year it will be even better. Until the next convention… Transform and Roll Out!

It is once again St Patrick’s Day! Last year for St Patrick’s Day I took pics of all my green Transformers, and this year I’m going to continue that tradition. Below are more green TFs I’ve bought since then.

The Decepticons
TFC Toys Hercules (left), Reveal the Shield Voyager Lugnut

 

The Autobots
Front row (left to right): DOTM Human Alliance Sandstorm, ROTF Scout Firetrap, PCC Heavytread, DOTM Commander Guzzle, DOTM legend Flak. Back row (left to right): DOTM Human Alliance Roadbuster, DOTM Deluxe Ratchet, ROTF Deluxe Ratchet, DOTM Deluxe Roadbuster, DOTM Deluxe Air Raid

As I look at my mix of green Transformers from last year to this year, here are some random thoughts:
• The first two figures I bought from DOTM were both green, Deluxe Roadbuster and Sandstorm. In fact, most of the green Autobots featured are from DOTM.
• In both years there is one Air Raid. They’re both green. Is that Air Raid’s new color?
• Hercules by TFC Toys is pure awesomeness! I must do a post about this set soon. Good thing TFC Toys made him this year or I would only be left with one green Decepticon.
• Lugnut should have been included last year since I already had him by then. But I missed including him for some reason, so he appears now.
• Last year I featured 19 green TFS. That’s from a collection of over 7 years. This year I feature 17, and that’s from one year alone. Adjusting for Lugnut, that’s still 20 and 16. This is further proof I bought way too many TFs this past year.
• For the Autobots, I have a lot of small tanks or artillery vehicles: Firetrap, Guzzle, Flak, and Heavytread.

Just like last year, March Madness started this weekend. I picked Missouri to win it all, and they’re already eliminated in the first round! OK technically now they call it Round 2, but you know what I mean. Missouri is a 2nd seed, and before today, a 2nd seed has only lost 4 times in the first round in NCAA history. Today we lost two 2nd seeds (Missouri and Duke). This is just a weird year. Regardless, my bracket is totally busted. I don’t even feel like watching the rest of it.

I’m also presently attending Wondercon in Anaheim. Look for a coverage soon… Transform and Roll Out!

Happy New Year! To kick off 2012 right, I’m going to show off my FansProject Insecticons. All 3 figures were released in 2011, and by now there are so many other reviews out there that go into the awesomeness of this trio. I mentioned buying them back in this post.

For those that don’t know, FansProject is a third party not officially associated with Hasbro. And since Hasbro won’t do Insecticons in the CHUG line for reasons that elude me, FansProject saw fit to give us proper homages to this mischievous Decepticon subgroup. They’re not cheap though. Each figure cost about $50. But they are well worth it. FansProject’s interpretation of these characters appear to be insects that transform into mechanical ninjas. Personally I think that’s an excellent interpretation, since in G1 the Insecticons were small, quick, and causes lots of havoc.

However, there is one glaring weakness with these figures, and it is the dull grey plastic look of their weapons. So once again it’s Gemini to the rescue. He painted the weapons silver and shiny. Check out the before and after pics.

Before:

After:

The silver paint really brings out that extra something in these figures! I really admire FansProject, but why didn’t they paint them silver to begin with? Would silver paint really cost that much more to do? I don’t know, but I’m glad I had mine painted.

Below are more pics to show off all this bling.

Insecticons forever! Transform and Roll Out!

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone got what they wanted this Holiday season. There’s no better way to celebrate the Holidays than to get some new TFs! OK maybe there are, but new TFs are worth celebrating any time of the year. Below are some TFs that I received or found in the past week or so.

The pic above are the 3 Transformers Prime figures that are now out in mass retail. I went into TF Prime figures in this earlier post.

TRU Exclusive Rodimus appears in the lower left in the pic above. I have yet to open this, and I’m hoping this version is equivalent to the Japanese MP Rodimus Prime 2nd Release since the 1st Release is not without its faults. It will be interesting to see if this US version can attach the Japanese trailer in alt mode. In the lower right of the pic is PCC Double Clutch. Haven’t opened this either, but he seems promising for a PCC. In the upper left is the Walmart Exclusive Deluxe DOTM Optimus Prime. I opened this figure and he’s not half bad. The alt mode comes together well, transformation is not overly difficult, and I like the MechTech weapon. And last but not least, in the upper right is Skywarp. Did any of you out there think this is the Japanese Exclusive Takara DOTM Skywarp? Look carefully. It is inside the Japanese packaging, but it is actually a custom made by my buddy Gemini. He took a DOTM Deluxe Starscream and painted it into Skywarp. Very cool. Look for a review of this custom in a future post.

And finally, yesterday I found some Generations Junkheap. Wreck-Gar was such a pain in the ass to find when he was released. In fact, I didn’t find any in retail until this past November at discount stores. So I kept my eyes open for Junkheap. Last year a new Target opened near my home in SoCal that is within walking distance. I had some free time yesterday so I walked over. The trip paid off with these 2 Junkheaps.

This is probably the last post I will make for 2011. Looking back on 2011, I think I bought a record number of TFs for the year. It’s hard to say what Hasbro has in stored for us next year, but I’m curious to find out. See y’all in 2012! Transform and Roll Out!

About a year ago, I reviewed Generations Thunderwing. A repaint of this figure was finally released recently, also in the Generations line. Today we’re looking at Sky Shadow. Longtime TransFans already knew this was coming, because in the instructions for Thunderwing, the diagrams was illustrated with Sky Shadow’s head (go look at it if you don’t believe me). We didn’t expect Hasbro to take a year to do it, though.

I won’t go into the mechanics of this figure. Read the Thunderwing review to get my thoughts. I’ll just say that I really like the look of Sky Shadow. The black color fits well for a stealth jet fighter. I like the head mold, as its different from Thunderwing’s. The only other mold difference I detect is in the chest. Check out the pics for yourself.

Joints on Sky Shadow seems to be a little tighter than Thunderwing. Other than that, they are virtually the same mechanically.

If you missed your chance on Thunderwing, or if you just really like this mold (like I do), then by all means pick up Sky Shadow. It’s good to see Hasbro return to the Generations line. And I like the recent trend of making minor modifications when they release a repaint, so it doesn’t feel like you’re buying the exact same thing in a different color.

More TFs to come on Christmas… Transform and Roll Out!

EDIT 01/04/2012
Here is a pic of Sky Shadow with his arms raised completely forward. To do this you must rotate the shoulder guns to the side.

As the most recognizable character in the TF franchise, it’s no wonder that Hasbro keeps churning out new figures of the great Optimus Prime. Sometimes they are new incarnations, a brand new design of the Autobot leader that deserves to be made into a figure. Sometimes they are simply repaints or slight retools of a previous figure, in which case purchase of the figure is questionable. And sometimes Hasbro/Takara goes back to the drawing board, and gives us new and improved versions on a previous design of Optimus Prime.

On Nov 23rd, 2009, I made a post about all my Optimus Prime figures. That was more than 2 years ago, so I think it’s time for another update. Below are the Optimus Prime figures I have bought since that time. And just like Nov 23rd, 2009, I have nothing better to do today than watch football and make this post.

From left to right:
Front row: Reveal the Shield (G1, legend class), Dark of the Moon (commander class, with 3D glasses)
Middle row: Reveal the Shield (G2, deluxe class), Generations War For Cybertron (deluxe class), Animated (Cybertronian mode, deluxe class)
Top row: Dark of the Moon (voyager class, Walmart exclusive), Dark of the Moon (voyager class)

Below is a pic in their alt modes.

Below are two more Prime figs that I never opened.

Hunt for the Decepticons, Battle Hooks leader class (left), Hunt for the Decepticons, Battle Blades voyager class

I seriously thought I bought more OP figures in this 2 year span, but I guess this is it. Most of these were bought on the cheap too. The G1 legend figure was found at Marshalls for $3.99. The DOTM commander class figure I got for free. Deluxe Animated Prime I got from TRU when they were clearing them out, I think for $7.99. The Walmart exclusive DOTM OP figure was $18.77, but he came as a two pack with Comettor. As for the unopened Primes, Battle Hooks leader OP I got for $19.99 from Ross (you can still see the price tag in the pic). As for Battle Blades voyager Prime, I first got him when he was only $10 at HasbroToyShop.com. That one was defective however, so I returned it and I got him again from BBTS.com at regular price.

Interestingly enough, the only figure here that I have multiples of is the Reveal the Shield G2 Laser Optimus Prime. I guess it’s because I keep finding him at discount stores for cheap, and I need at least one extra to turn into Nemesis Prime / Scourge (in case Hasbro does not do one). It also helps that FansProject is releasing Battle Tanker. When that happens, this figure may be a sought after item.

In the words of Optimus Prime, Transform and Roll Out!

As a fan of Transformers since 1984, I’m always excited to see new developments and new initiatives in the franchise. Even back in G1, Transformers did not feel the same from season to season. With every new season, Hasbro introduced us to more characters, more stories, more transforming gimmicks, and of course, more toys. In retrospect, some of the things that Hasbro developed were pretty forgettable. But as true fans we still eagerly anticipated what Hasbro would come up with next.

I stopped buying TFs in 1988, and never imagined I would come back to it in 2004. During this 16 year “hiatus”, I’m only vaguely aware of developments that occurred in the world of TF. But since I came back in 2004, I witnessed growth and maturation in the franchise that I never dreamed possible. What brought me back in 2004 were G1 re-issues. It didn’t take me long to move to Binaltechs, Alternators, and MPs, being that they were direct extensions of G1. I was so impressed with the engineering put into these figures, I could not believe what I had in my hands. From there I collected whatever was in mass retail at the time, including Classics (in all forms of CHUG), Titanium, Movie (all 3), Animated, and even Crossovers. I have watched TFs actively evolve in the 7 years since my return, and I’m always thrilled to see what will be the next step in the evolution of TF.

And that brings me to Transformers Prime. In case you don’t already know, Transformers Prime is the latest animated series in this long running franchise. The show is a reboot of our favorite robots in disguise, and it draws inspiration from many of its predecessors, including G1, Movie, and Animated. To this day, I’ve only watched 14 eps (I know I’m behind), but I can already say that this is a series worthy of the Transformers name.

It goes without saying that, with the creation of every new show, the figures won’t be far behind. Although the influence from previous shows is obvious, TF Prime makes some radical changes in character design. Off the top of my head, Arcee, Starscream, and Soundwave are some prominent examples of characters that look vastly different from their previous incarnations. How this was going to translate to the actual figures remained to be seen. Toy engineers at Hasbro certainly had a challenge on their hands.

TF Prime figures appeared in online stores sometime in October (possibly even earlier). I started to see them in local retail this week. The first 3 figures in Wave 1 is now readily available. Taking a cue from the Japanese TF lines, figures in TF Prime are all numbered. 001 is Bumblebee, 002 is Arcee, and 003 is Starscream. In October, NYCC had an exclusive TF Prime 2-pack of Bumblebee and Arcee, repaints of 001 Bumblebee with New York taxi colors and patterns and 002 Arcee in her G1 pink. I wasted no time buying this set from Hasbrotoyshop.com when I learned of it. Then sometime this week I found 003 Starscream at my TRU. So I now possess the first 3 molds of TF Prime.

I’ve opened all 3 figures, so let me just say this now: Transformers Prime figures are awesome! I didn’t think it would be easy to translate the “TF Prime look” into real physical manifestations and still have working figures with both robot and alt modes resemble their show appearance, but Hasbro designers have outdone themselves. The engineering put into these figures is brilliant. Arcee and Starscream is particularly impressive, considering their skinny robot frames and sleek alt modes. Transformation of these two figures are both refreshing and ingenious. Bumblebee ain’t too shabby either, it’s just that we’ve seen similar figures of this quality from the Movie deluxe figures of the same name. But don’t let that stop you from buying one. If these 3 figs are a sign of things to come from the TF Prime line, then I’m looking forward to some great things.

But enough yapping from me. Check out the pics below for yourselves.

I may do reviews of these outstanding figures in the future. But if you don’t already have them, get them before they’re swiped off the shelves. Make no mistake. TF Prime figures are the real deal. Transform and Roll Out!

In my last post, I mentioned that I found a whole bunch of Reveal the Shield Legend Figures. However, the one that I really wanted out of the series still eluded me, which is Legend Megatron.

Well, this week I went back to that same Marshalls. And lo and behold, I found him!

This time he was the lone RtS Legend figure sitting with a pile of Hunt For the Decepticons Scout figures. I’m really happy to locate this little guy. To me, Megatron should always be a gun, and this figure stays true to that ideal. The fact that this Megatron is a G1 homage is also a plus.

Over the weekend I was at a different Marshalls near where the GF lives, and I found RtS Legend Prowl there. Again, he was the only RtS Legend figure sitting with a bunch of random TFs. Since Classic/Universe Prowl is such a awesome figure, getting RtS Legend Prowl is not as high a priority. Still, I wasted no time to pick him up.

This means the only RtS Legend fig that I don’t have is Starscream. I like to get him too, but if I don’t, I’ll live.

I might do a group pic/review of these little dudes in a future post. Legend class figures make great ornaments on the Christmas tree. Maybe I’ll try that this holiday season. Transform and Roll Out!

I think by now, all hardcore TransFans are aware of the serious distribution issues with Transformers figures from the Reveal the Shield (RtS) sub line. The usual hunting grounds for TFs, such as Target, Walmart, and Toys R Us, carried very little stock of figures from RtS, if at all. Being the avid TF hunter that I am, I was still able to find most of the ones I wanted from this line at the retailers I frequent. However, many figures were still nowhere to be seen.

That all changed when I started looking for TFs at discount stores. And by that I mean Ross, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx. In the last few months, I was able to get some RtS figures that I couldn’t locate anywhere else. The discount stores also carry them at a much lower price. I’ve found Grapple, Lugnut, Deep Dive, and Strafe, all at $9.99 each. I’ve never seen the Voyager class figs at the usual places. Then came the Deluxes, usually at $6.99 each, such as Jazz, Tracks, Bumblebee, and Perceptor. These I’ve seen before, but it was still good to get extras at a discount.

But one class still eluded me: the small Legend class figures. I’ve seen the Legend RtS figs at BotCon, but I was not gonna pay what the dealers ask on them. BBTS had them for a while, but they quickly sold out. Sometime in the summer after BotCon, I was at a TJ Maxx near where the GF lives, and found Gold Bumblebee. I kept telling her what a rare find this was. And of course I quickly grabbed it. That was the only time I saw one. Until today! Feast your eyes on all the Legends that I was able to snag at Marshalls.

I grabbed everything I could find. Toys at discount stores are usually piled in a mess so you really have to dig through things. But it was well worth it. Like I said, I already have one Gold Bumblebee (and also its original repaint, Bumblebee from Universe), but it’s still good to get one extra. Besides that I found one Optimus and two Trailcutters. As far as I know, Trailcutter is the only update to Trailbreaker in any of the modern TFs, so I must have one (or two). At only $3.99 each, they were very affordable.

Unfortunately, RtS Legend Megatron was still nowhere to be found. That’s the one I really want too. Oh well, guess I’ll keep looking. Starscream and Prowl would be good to get too, if I see them.

As a sidebar, other than the 3 Legend figs that I can’t find, the only other RtS figures that I’ve never seen at any retailer, discount or otherwise, is deluxe Wreck-Gar and scout Windcharger. I got Wreck-Gar direct from Amazon one night when they had it for $14.99. Prices are usually much higher, and BotCon dealers wanted $40 to $50 for one. My buddy Gemini found a Wreck-Gar at Ross. Windcharger is officially cancelled by Hasbro so technically he shouldn’t be available anywhere, but some fans have reported seeing him in stores. I got mine from the Hasbro booth at BotCon, but I was forced to buy him along with many other figures.

I had started to give up on finding the Legend figs, but today’s hunt proved they can be found. Keep looking my fellow TransFans! Transform and Roll Out!