Grahf: Missing Link wasn't doing anything for me.

Then they announced this figure and got my attention.

They will also be getting my money as well.

But damn, what were they thinking back in the 80's putting orange and pink together as if it would be a good idea. No wonder the toy was cancelled. Sure the design itself isn't great but just look at the difference between this prototype colors figure and the animation colors figure. The animation colors look so much better and not just due to the fact that those are the colors we're used to. They're just less harsh overall. Had the original Arcee prototype been in a more flattering color scheme to begin with, we might actually have gotten it.

Maybe if this had been orange and blue or pink and a shade of green or even purple and yellow. Pink and orange are not it though. Don't people know how to color coordinate?

I can't wait to get this abomination though lol.

Grahf: Another Predaking...

Isn't this the one meant to "go against" Legacy Volcanicus?

Anyway, people confused about this being legends or core scaled. They're literally the same thing. Core class was the new name for legends class which was the new name for Cyberverse commander which was the new name for scout class which was the new name for basic class just as legends was originally the name for what's now called legion class. It's third party that lost the plot with the scale, not Hasbro.

Hasbro just keeps changing the names. At least deluxe has been the same since Beast Wars except for that name change during Armada to Super-Con class and Energon to Combat class.

However if this is the one meant to go against Volcanicus then I'll pick it up. I love when third party companies make stuff to go with actual Transformers. They'll get far more of my money when they do.

Grahf: So uh...why exactly was this brought back to the top of the new updates list? Nothing was newly updated on it. It's simultaneously a year late and 11 years early if it were to actually finally release.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm still looking forward to this. I mean this is right up BingoToys' alley. A big boobed yoga pose transformation.

I mean, isn't every Transformer is just one yoga pose away from being a "dragon"? The only non-yoga pose dragon I ever seen was Gigano Dragon from Dinozaurs. Now that's a transformation I'd love to see a "good" third party company take on. I'm sure there's a company out there now who can really make that design pop with full and tight articulation in both modes while retaining the uniqueness of the conversion.

Grahf: Not to steal Keng's comment but...

I too made the mistake of waiting too long to get their Ramjet and/or forgetting it was released before it "sold out". It too am also going to put down the preorders for this and Super Mode Starscream before I forget again.

I too also have their Starscream and love it and have been hoping to see more Armada Seekers done from MSS.

It too am very hyped to get these in hand.



I will add some original thoughts to this comment though.

That being that I also have all the Hasbro/Funpub deluxe versions as well as well as the Has/Tak Legacy voyager figures released so far. I don't have the originals though, not my jam anymore really.

So I can't wait to not only get the MSS figures but to also get the Has/Tak versions as well. That way I can have a little display with these up front, the deluxes behind them and the voyagers behind them. I just hope that's enough to tide me over and I won't have to get the originals back in my collection to put behind the Legacy voyagers.

Oh and I really hope both MSS and Has/Tak make Jhiaxus too. Don't leave him out, he did use this body too.

I also wouldn't mind to see Takara's colors too. I have both Hasbro's and Takara's T30 Armada Starscream as the decos between them really are rather different. Or rather, different enough for me to pick both up. So I'd like to see Takara do a Premium Finish style figure for the Legacy mold and for MSS to follow with one as well.

I'd also like to see Hasbro go back and do FoC Skywarp in colors based on their FoC deluxe release. As it stands, the SS Skywarp is colored more like the Takara version of Skywarp. Which is technically accurate to the games I guess but to me, Skywarp is black with a little purple and grey/silver and not purple and grey/gunmetal. So the FoC deluxe from Hasbro having at least some black, make me think more Skywarp and less Hotlink like the voyager and Takara deluxe remind me of. But that's a completely different issue and mold. It's just a similar situation to the Armada Starscream color debate.

Oh and because I'm crazy, I have similar small to large displays for WFC/FoC Starscream and Cybertron Starscream.

For WFC/FoC Starscream:

Shape Shift Inc Sky Snake > FoC deluxe > SS voyager > Planet X Mors.

This is a very nice gradient. Each one is roughly the same scale amount bigger than the previous.

For Cybertron Starscream:

Legends > Legacy > Galaxy Force > Maketoys Galaxy Meteor > Supreme.

The gradient on these aren't as good. There's no deluxe to go between the original Legends mold and the Legacy voyager. The Legends figure, while called legion now, is a smaller size class than new legends/core class, it's a rather beefy little figure so there's no need for a core sized one to go before a deluxe. Then further on the three in the middle are all pretty close in size. So maybe a core class and a deluxe class would be for the best to get the best gradient. Then after Galaxy Meteor and before the Supreme figure there should be at least two more as well.

This would never happen though unless someone made some wacky sized KOs at some point.

I'm sure I can do this with a more G1/Classics Starscream too but I don't.

RTS Legends/Dollar General legion > core > Henkei > Earthrise > MP version 1.5 or Maketoys Howling Meteor as that's what I have because it was super cheap here.

SS BB Starscream needs a few more entries as there's only the core and voyager...unless you count the ONE deluxe as it's also based on that design and even had the weapon.

Then there's the Siege mold.

And also the Titanium mold.

And the Impossible Toys mold.

There's a lot of Tetrajet molds huh. Shame they're all different. Another shame is that the Maas Toys Tetrajet was never made. They could at least have made Starscream before stealing those people's money from the fundraiser lol. Or at least sell the designs to another company to do. Who am I kidding though, it's difficult enough for most third party companies to do anything other than G1. There's no way we can get one to do "MP" Tetrajets now that Maas Toys folded.

For the display of what's left though;

SS BB core > SS ONE deluxe > SS BB voyager?

&

Titanium > Impossible Toys > Siege?

Yes, yes, I'm crazy. I already said that. It's just that I'm going to be working on displays soon...ish and am working things out in my head.

Oh wait, the "F-22" "G1" Starscream has several figures too, as does the F-22 movie design lol.

Iron Factory "Slipstream" Starscream > Iron Factory > T30 legends > OSKO Iron Factory > OSKO T30 or Cyber Battalion > CW leader.

Sure they don't all have the same jet mode per say but the robot modes all share the same design.

Tiny Turbo Changer > 2007 Legends or DotM Legion > 2007 Fast Action Battler or RotF Activator > DotM deluxe > SS voyager > 2007 voyager or RotF voyager > RotF leader/MPM-01 or MPM-10.

Now we just needs more Blitzwing figures made to be Starscream to go with Cloud SS.

Okay I'm done. But only because I

Grahf: Oh boy, a $100!?! upsized KO of one of the most overrated transforming Transformers of all time.

I sure can't wait.

Sure the robot mode looks fantastic. It always has and that's never been the issue.

It's the fact that not one but BOTH of it's alternate modes suck.

They're not even trying. Every transforming figure is just a yoga pose in disguise, it's just that some use other parts to disguise it to actually look like something. But the thing is, this one doesn't. The "tank" is barely that and the "jet" is just bad outright and it could've been better if they just had the legs work a bit differently for this mode.

Oh but what's that? They're showing off all the fan modes that people "found" when the base figure first came out and are now passing them off as "official" modes as if this is Gigatron or something.

Gigatron this is not.

This figure's design is 100% made up. Megatron never appeared in the movie and he didn't even have a character model. So when they decided to make a concept art figure, they could've done ANYTHING.

And so they took inspiration from perhaps the most hyped cancelled Megatron figure that will ever exist. That being Animated Season 4 Marauder Megatron.

Seriously, go look that thing up. It's a work of art. A thing of beauty. It's like Cybertron Megatron in a way but WAY better. Like Beast Machines Megatron combined with Tankor and Jetstorm but better. LOOK AT IT: tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/9/96/MarauderMegatron.jpg

So you'd think that any figure based on that design would've been good, great even right?

RIGHT???

Nope. Instead we got this.

A great robot mode and garbage alt modes.

Why even say that you took inspiration from Marauder Megatron if this is the end result? It's like someone's attempt if they didn't know what Marauder Megatron looked like or even heard a description of it more than it had a "tank" and a "jet" as alt modes.

Again, great robot mode. It's beautiful and well articulated.

But this was supposed to be a converting Transformer and not an Action Master.

And this price?

Is this made of gold or something? Even factoring in the non-gold metal and lights in the OSKO 3D print designed weapons I don't see this being more than a $65 piece at most and that's pushing it. It's not THAT big and the figure is not THAT complicated. And it's not like they even designed those weapons either. Don't believe me? Here: www.ebay.com/itm/286254196474?_skw=megatank&itmmeta=01K181AXB9T9XXG5JEVPVM67V7&hash=item42a61466fa:g:lF0AAOSwMMNnfpEC

At least they have that badass back cannon. That was the only thing I bought for mine as it was the only upgrade I seen that looks like it belonged on the base figure and doesn't need to be moved for any mode or during "transformation". Everything else was either too over or too under designed as seen with that Fusion Cannon and the sword. But that back cannon is just right.

The base figure could've been anything, ANYTHING...and Hasbro chose this.

I swear, if whatever this new fan vote thing that Hasbro is doing is doesn't result in them making Marauder Megatron or at the very least, Cybertron Megatron then I don't know what changing a character's alt mode is even for. I will also accept BWII Galvatron as well assuming Galvatron is one of the four options to change their alt mode or whatever the fan vote this is about.

Grahf: TFSource has the preorder at the $150. BBTS has the preorder at $140. Both for this same version. I've read on a forum from TFW2005 that this listed price from the company itself was in fact in USD and not any other currency. I also noticed that this was apparently known since January. So this is new here and to me in general. If you want it slightly cheaper, the company has it listed on their site for "US$115" but with $15 shipping. So $130 but then you'd have to worry about tariffs and import costs yourself.

Grahf: Now that this is shipping, a word of caution.

Be careful taking apart Megatron/Galvatron.

The screws Hasbro used for these figures will strip out very easily. So make sure to be careful not to do that. Don't use cheap screwdrivers or ones that only kind of fit the screwheads.

There's a bunch of screws to take out to access the shoulders to replace them and each of them can strip easily. You're gonna have a bad time if that happens.

Also pay attention to their placements too as there's many different size and length screws. So you might end up putting a screw in the wrong spot and either stripping the screw head trying to take it back out or you could end up damaging the part the screw goes into.

It's not a difficult mod all things considered, it's just the screws make it a pain in the ass.

Also, be careful when taking apart the turret to take apart the torso to take apart the chest to take apart the shoulders. There's a spot in the turret that you might have to break or modify in order to get to another screw. You might be able to get to the other screw if you try though. It's just another thing to look out for.

There should be plenty of tutorials now on how to take that mold apart due to this being the fourth shoulder replacement kit that I've seen. So use that knowledge to your advantage.

Otherwise, have fun.

It might seem like it's not important that those shoulders don't move like the original figure but once you do the mod, you'll quickly realize how wrong that line of thinking was. It really make a huge difference. They're just too tall to not move. Laser Prime's shoulders are shorter so it's not quite as bad that his don't move like the original toy. But with Megatron/Galvatron, it's almost a must that they move like the original toy. And if these new shoulders are better than the other ones out, and they SHOULD be, it'll make it all the better.

So I look forward to getting these sets in and having them on but I'm not looking forward to installing them. Especially since I already installed a similar set on my Megatron so the screws are slightly stripped from the start. Even when taking care the screws will strip. And I had to do it twice so I really messed up the screws. I almost want to just get a new one and start over. Luckily I never did anything to Galvatron in hopes that DNA made some. DNA didn't let me down...this time....so far as it still remains to be seen how well the new shoulders hold up. They should be fine though as they're not 3D printed parts.

Grahf: A translucent version now?                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                    
No thanks. Call me when they finally make one in the correct colors. Three releases and each have the wrong combined shades of each color. Take the lighter grey from one, the darker from the other and the orange from the other other and make the perfect Unicron already.

But to anyone getting this; I really hope it works out well for you. I don't have one myself to see how the joints work or the thickness of the plastic and how those would possibly affect the translucent parts. So I just wish you all luck.

Grahf: Wow.

It's Lazorbeak.

I was expecting Fractyl or even Hydra first but no, Lazorbeak.

Yes, there are differences between Hydra and Lazorbeak. However, while we can't see the alt mode yet, the face is the major difference in robot mode. Lazorbeak has a red face while Hydra's is rose gold (light pinkish tinged silverish) colored. Oh and you can see just enough of the legs below the knee to tell the color. Lazorbeak's are red while Hydra's are again, rose gold.

While this mold isn't the best thing ever, it is really good. It does more than just fill the spot of Terrorsaur.

So if Metagate is doing more, I'll be here to buy them.

Fractyl. Green/white/gold.

Terranotron. Pewter/orange/purple/yellow.

Strafe. Blue/black.

Swoop. White/orange? Silver/red? We don't know, it was cancelled and the artwork is fuzzy and bad.

Toy color Terrorsaur. Red/black/purple/green.

Hydra. Slightly darker almost more purplish blue than Lazorbeak/brighter almost more pinkish red than Lazorbeak/rose gold.

The toy color Terrorsaur and Hydra will have to be at the end now though.


So yeah, I'm interested.

Grahf: Nice to see they don't also have to form cubes too like the WWI Constructicons.

While I do love having several sets of Dinobots, I'll have to see a bit more though. And we have plenty of time considering this is the first of seemingly six figures and it's supposedly due out at the end of next year.

But it is nice to see a small Volcanicus that didn't also have to be a Trojan horse of sorts to get the Dinoforce out. Although, the Dinobots got the better end of the deal than the Dinoforce considering they were always meant to be the Dinoforce. But that's just how it goes in order for Hasbro to get super obscure characters out there sometimes. It really would've been nice had they worked in a few more parts to make them look a tad more like the Dinoforce though. While it was nice to see new robot mode heads and the different weapons and actual combined feet, it would've been all the better had the dino modes also had new heads. Because they don't, they just look like goofy redecos of the Dinobots instead of the Dinoforce.

Again though, we don't have to worry about any of that here. These are the Dinobots and were always meant to be the Dinobots from the start.

However, I do look forward to the more substantial retool of core class Volcanicus into Monstructor though. Was hoping it was revealed last month but no, we still have to wait.

Oh, and it is nice to see Grimlock come with his gun and his sword in the correct color. Still would also like to see the other gun more often. The rocket launcher one. Grimlock, Slag, Snarl and Sludge all had one alongside their swords and non-firing guns. Swoop though, had two rocket launcher guns with his sword instead. But they all had two guns and one sword each. I'd like to see that as the normal loadout for Dinobots again. That little sword even has a side peg for storage. Nice. Even at that small a size Dr. Wu worked standard storage options in. DNA should take note. Using the standard storage for swords that the rest of the parts use is infinitely better than using a proprietary system as seen on Vector Prime and Nova Prime in particular.

I'm getting off topic though. But I mean, it's not like a single picture leaves much to stat on topic about especially when it's part of a set that won't fully be out until 2027