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Halfshell
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Post by Halfshell »

Cliffjumper wrote:Only three of the fourteen designs in the series came out without some sort of modified version being released either alongside or after the initial release (for the trivia fans out there, they're the J-59 Jeep, the Porsche 935 and the Corvette Stingray
Baby you're much too fast?

Or did Diaclone not include a blue one?
Cliffjumper
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Nah, just did the red 'Road Rage' one - the Tracks scheme was, I believe, a Hasbro thing :) But probably only due to cancellation...
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Knightdramon
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Post by Knightdramon »

Only thing missing is the voice of a woman making comments taken straight from the chronicles of bimbo.

"Wow it looks so cool...-giggles-"
"Yeah the blue looks nice"
"Oh yes that joints goes there, otherwise it looks odd"
"Uh-huh"
"Totally awesome"

Can we get a director's cut?:clap:
Few stuff in the UK to trade/sell. Measly sales thread.
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ganon578
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Review of Universe Stormcloud-[PROOFED]

Post by ganon578 »

Name: Stormcloud
Function: Espionage
Allegiance: Decepticon
Group: Universe Ultra Classic Series

“The air is my playground."

An expert in electronic warfare, Stormcloud prefers to remain high above the battle, raining electromagnetic interference down on his enemies. His on board communications package is second to none, with the most advanced decryption software in the galaxy, and laser antennas powerful enough to insert data into radio transmissions as they move. He can insert corrupted data into Autobot transmissions without even needing to intercept them, causing chaos on the battlefield below.

Information/History:

Stormcloud was one of those Transformers that was most likely going to stay at the store because my budget wouldn’t allow him to travel home with me. However, when I got a gift card for my birthday, and with other Transformers that were on my “gotta have” list already in my collection, I decided to get him. It wasn’t a difficult decision; he already had a couple things going for him: 1) He’s got the decent Powerglide mold, and 2) He’s got one heck of a sweet paint job.

A short history lesson on Stormcloud: He’s a representation of the Generation 1 Micromaster Stormcloud that was part of the Air Strike Patrol set released in 1989. This set included Nightflight, Storm Cloud, Tailwind, and Whisper. Stormcloud was originally a black and light purple jet with a yellow face, and I think he’s faithfully recreated here, even though he was minuscule back in G1, and now he’s sufficiently HUGE. To the review!!!

Alternate Mode:

Stormcloud’s alternate mode is based on an A-10 Warthog military aircraft, and it’s pulled off relatively well. Proportionally, it works well; there aren’t any glaring issues like small wings, etc. The engines on the back of Stormcloud are a little large in my opinion, but hey, he’s a robot from space, so you have got to give it some leeway. Detailing of the mould is great, there are rivets all over where panels join, just like a real aircraft, and there are small vents and intakes all over that give Stormcloud a touch of realism. The color deco is good, and is a stark contrast to the deco of Powerglide. The black is a great backdrop for the silver and grey that marks the aircraft, and surprisingly, the purple stands out too. In this mode I was glad to see that there was minimal yellow paint to be seen, as it could have really wrecked the mode. I mean, it’s very difficult to be stealthy in battle if you’re yellow (unless you’re battling on the sun). Stormcloud has a couple cool paint apps: 1) MM-89 is painted on the engines, homage to “Micromaster” and “1989”, and 2) Silver Decepticon logos on the wings, done up with an aerial theme. Overall, the paint job is good.

As for his “in disguise” factor, all robot parts are tucked away nicely in this mode; his arms/hands fold up nice to make some below wing engines, and the head is tucked away so well you don’t even notice it’s there. The only part of kibble that you see is on the bottom of the plane, where a small part of the torso has no place to go, so it more or less just sits there. Stormcloud’s alternate mode is really durable; the only weak points would be the wing joints, and I fear if someone dropped him they would break off. I actually saw one in package at retail that had a dislocated wing; how that actually happened, I don’t know, all I know is that I didn’t buy that one.

I only have two other complaints: First, the front end sits a little low even when the landing gear is down. Come on Hasbro, spend the extra penny and make the front landing gear a quarter inch higher. Second, it’s difficult to get the Gatling gun to sit right if you keep the missile connected in the back. It kind of has to sit off to the side, forcing it to not point straight ahead; maybe Stormcloud wants to only give grazing shots while not really killing anyone.

I should mention the electronic sounds that somehow justify an Ultra price point: In his alternate mode, Stormcloud has three sounds. Push the big red button and you get a “whoosh” sound that could be him taking off or launching a missile. There’s also a sound that’s hard to describe, but sounds like engines revving. The third sound is a machine gun sound that will last as long as you hold the button. All three sounds are accompanied by red LEDs flashing in the back of the engines and in the cockpit. All in all, the alternate mode is pretty nice despite some minor flaws.

Robot Mode:

I’m usually a big fan of the robot mode in favor of the alternate mode, and Stormcloud doesn’t disappoint. The color deco stands out well here, with the black backdrop, grey highlights, along with some purple and silver thrown in for good measure. To keep in line with the ’89 Micromaster, Hasbro decided to include a little yellow for the face and knees. If you look at stock photos of Stormcloud, you would initially think the yellow is really bright. I was pleased to see when I opened him that this isn’t the case; it’s duller than I expected, and doesn’t look as gaudy as I originally imagined. The purple of the mould is more apparent here, as his forearms are completely purple. It breaks up the black a little, and adds a little depth to the figure. A silver ‘Con symbol adorns his chest, and that’s about all the paint detailing you get.

There is quite a bit of detail in the mould itself, and it goes a long way to making him look robot-esque (is that a word?). Durability is still good in this mode, and the weak wing joints aren’t as noticeable since they lock into the upper torso. He does have some spindly thighs though, which makes him look like a 70’s disco-former wearing bell-bottom pants, but it’s not too bad. On that note, the only major complaint I have about this mode is his proportions. His legs and arms are quite thin, while his torso/upper body is just massive. It makes him a little top heavy, and therefore hard to pose. Plus, the other Decepticons probably don’t play sports with him, since chest bumps after a good play would cause major damage. Seriously, the huge chest makes him look like he has giant blue boobs. One other side note, the button that activates the electronic sounds (which you only get the machine gun sound in robot mode) also activates small LEDs in the eyes and boobs/engines, and they’re red. An upgrade to a blue or purple would have been nice, but maybe they wouldn’t show up as well. On the positive side, the articulation in robot mode is very good, and if you can get him to balance correctly, he can be put into some dynamic positions. I know I really kind of slammed him in this review, but he’s not bad by any means. The mould is still great, even though it’s somewhat unbalanced. Plus, Stormcloud has a really sleek-looking color deco, and a great alternate mode to go with a very cool robot mode, not to mention the nostalgic “transform” sound he makes when switching between modes.

Marks out of 10:

Transformation: 8. It’s fun, and not terribly difficult. There isn’t anything that will surprise you, but it’s well engineered.
Durability: 8. He’s pretty durable, but there are some definite weak joints at the base of the wings.
Fun: 6. He’s cool and has a firing weapon along with an electronic sound gimmick, but most of his weight rests in his upper torso, making positioning a chore. He’s a good display piece though…
Price: 6. He gets a low score because of the Ultra price (~$25-30 US). He could have easily been made into a Voyager Class Transformer, and the electronic sounds aren’t enough to warrant the higher price point.
Overall: 7. Stormcloud is very cool, that’s for sure. He has a great paint job (I like it better than Powerglide), but if you already own Powerglide, even though the mould is good, it’s hard to recommend the purchase. Should you run out and buy it? Probably not. But if you don’t have Powerglide, he’s definitely worth considering.
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Sunstreaker2
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Post by Sunstreaker2 »

I must say, I like this one. He caught my eye at the store when Powerglide never had. I do think I'm going to pick one up if I get the chance.
No longer looking for RID Dreadwind, but I still need Smokejumper. I'm also in need of Mammoth Nemesis Prime's tail piece, as my figure lacks it. Send me a PM.
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ganon578
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Review of Universe Starscream-[PROOFED]

Post by ganon578 »

Name: Starscream
Function: Air Commander
Allegiance: Decepticon
Group: Universe Generation 1 Series

"Conquest is made of the ashes of one's enemies."

Starscream is one of the deadliest warriors ever to emerge from the early battles of the civil war. He allied himself early on with Megatron, realizing that the Decepticon way was the easiest path to absolute power. He takes joy in destruction, his shrill laughter echoing across any battlefield over which he flies. Despite his power, he is a coward at heart, a bully more than a tyrant. He lives to lord his strength over those weaker than him, but he lives in fear of anyone stronger.

Information/History:

Starscream is definitely my favorite character in Transformers lore. His Classics version got me back into collecting after years of being dormant, and it still holds a special place in my heart. When I heard Hasbro was making a new Starscream, I was initially confused, seeing as they just released him a couple years back. However, it seems that with the Henkei version getting a more cartoon accurate deco, the Hasbro faithful cried out in pain at being slighted with a not-so-common deco for the US release. Hasbro answered this cry, and delivered a cartoon accurate color scheme using the same mould (while allowing them to milk more money out of their Classics/Universe cash cow Seeker mould). I, personally, own several versions of this mould already (Classics Starscream, Skywarp, Ramjet, and Acid Storm), and was initially going to pass on this version. However, I saw him in the store and became weak in the knees. I purchased him, and I must say that I’m pleased with my decision. There are, however, positives and negatives to this new color palette. Review time!!!

Alternate Mode:

Based on an F-15 fighter jet and highly reminiscent of the Generation 1 Seeker mould, Starscream’s alternate mode is great. It is widely considered to be one of the best Seeker moulds in years, and it’s arguably the best one ever. Previously I told myself to not buy this figure, seeing as I already own Classics Starscream. But when I saw Starscream in the store, the new light grey plastic really caught my eye. There’s not much that can be said about the mould itself that hasn’t been said before, so I’ll focus on the deco and point out a couple of minor complaints I have with the mould.

There are major deco differences between this version and the Classics version, aside from the aforementioned light grey plastic. There’s a lot less red on the wings, and the designs are definitely straight from the cartoon. Also, gone is the rub sign of old, and replacing it are two purple Decepticon logos on the wings. I like the change, and it gives a little more to the alternate mode, while giving Starscream a more G1 feel. The red used in the color scheme is definitely more eye-popping than the old version, and a little touch of silver on the main wings and tail wings round out the details. The mould itself has decent detail, small panels are noticeable, and make it look more realistic. The only problem with the mould is the underside of the jet, which doesn’t hide robot parts too well. The chest definitely stands out, and the spot in robot mode where the cockpit rests is little more than a cavernous hole on the bottom. The alternate mode is quite durable, and it seems as though dropping it wouldn’t matter too much (sure the missile launchers would fall off, but they can be easily reattached). Other than firing missile launchers, there are no gimmicks to be seen, and that’s a good thing. Starscream has a good alternate mode, and gimmicks would just detract from the sleek and powerful look and feel it portrays.

Robot Mode:

Ah yes, the robot mode. Starscream’s robot mode is great, and it’s a great representation of the G1 Seekers. The color deco really stands out in this mode, and differences between this and the Classics version are very apparent. This version sticks to the light grey, red, and blue of the cartoon. One really nice addition to this version is the newly painted face, which is a pewter color that mimics his G1 cartoon appearances, and is far better than the unpainted Classics face. However, I’m really kind of torn between this deco version and the Classics version in some respects. The Classics version had more paint detail to go around especially in the robot mode; this time the shoulders are left blank, there’s no other color than red on the intakes that sandwich his head. His knees are no longer gold either, and the deco can be somewhat dull at times without anything to break up the standard colors. Granted, he was projected to be more cartoon-accurate, but I feel like Hasbro just kind of slapped him together to appease rabid fanboys. The red on his chest, while brighter and more eye-catching, looks kind of cheap, and in some aspects he almost looks like a knock-off. Some detailing on the landing gear would have been nice too, but apparently small dabs of paint are too much to ask for.

Starscream is decently durable in this mode, but it’s really noticeable that the quality of the mould has deteriorated. I’ve noticed from my Classics ‘Screamer and Ramjet to Acid Storm and now this Starscream that the joints are getting looser as I write this, and I’m sure the mould will just crumble into dust if they use it again. Quality issues aside, the balance of this figure is pretty good, and you can get him into some cool positions due to good articulation. He’s a great toy for play or display, and there’s a lot of fun to be had here, regardless of the paint apps. He’s got two firing missiles, a decent amount of articulation, and he’s a great representation of the legend that is Starscream. If you want a cartoon accurate Starscream, or missed out on the Classics version, this one’s for you. However, if you already own the mould (as phenomenal as it is), and don’t really care for Starscream, save your money. Otherwise, buy him! He’s a great toy!

Marks out of 10:

Transformation: 8. It’s not tricky at all, but it gets high marks since it’s fun. You can transform him multiple times, and it doesn’t get old.
Durability: 8. He’s durable, but I think the mould’s quality has definitely decreased over time. The joints seem to get looser with each recreation.
Fun: 10. He’s Starscream! The deco is good, the mould itself is great, and he comes with two firing weapons. Articulation makes him a great display/play piece. And you can practically hear him saying to Classics Megatron “Oh, how it pains me to do this!”
Price: 9. At retail, he’s only $10 US. That’s not bad at all considering he’s a great mould and a lot of fun, with a cartoon accurate deco.
Overall: 8. Ah, I hate to do that to ‘Screamer (I’m a huge fan), but he goes down a couple points for the decrease in quality, and the fact that he’s already been released using this mould in Classics and Henkei. If you don’t have a good Starscream, get him. If you have the Classics or Henkei, it’s a tough sell based on a new deco alone. However, if you do pick him up, you’ll get a great toy for a relatively inexpensive price.
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Transformer Kamen
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Post by Transformer Kamen »

*sigh* Mold deterioration is an ugly thing. Hopefully, they'll be able to at least squeeze out a G1 decoed Thundercracker before it is totally destroyed. :up:
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ganon578
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Post by ganon578 »

Yeah, the other Seekers getting released via Hasbro in a non-Botcon version would be nice. It's just weird how noticeable the quality of the figures is turning out compared to the earlier versions. Man was it tough for me to score a Starscream at an 8, I wanted to give him a 10 just because he's Starscream. But alas, I couldn't bring myself to do it...
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ganon578
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Photos & Tech Specs

Post by ganon578 »

Strength: 7
Speed: 10
Rank: 8
Firepower: 8
Intelligence: 6
Endurance: 6
Courage: 4
Skill: 8
Attachments
Universe_Starscream_Alt.JPG
Universe_Starscream_Robot.JPG
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ganon578
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Photos & Tech Specs

Post by ganon578 »

Strength: 4
Speed: 8
Rank: 7
Firepower: 2
Intelligence: 8
Endurance: 5
Courage: 3
Skill: 9
Attachments
Universe_Stormcloud_Alt.JPG
Universe_Stormcloud_Robot.JPG
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ganon578
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Photos

Post by ganon578 »

Photos:
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ganon578
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Photos

Post by ganon578 »

Photos:
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Universe_AcidStorm_Robot.JPG
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zeoman4.5
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Post by zeoman4.5 »

Thanks for the photos. Corrections/comments noted. Sorry, not trying
to ignor anyone who posted on a reply to my review. I can only do reviews/
editing during Christmas break and Summer months. College is hard.
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zeoman4.5
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Post by zeoman4.5 »

Cool review Blackjack. I'm honored you mentioned me. These are great
little fellows aren't they. I own all the classics minicon teams and now that
I've read your review, I'm gonna pick these ones up as well.

Its also very good to know that there are more little TF fans out there like myself and numbat.
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Blackjack
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Post by Blackjack »

Proofed! I hope to get Screamer as well... I am a big fan of him!
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Treadshot A1
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Post by Treadshot A1 »

zeoman4.5 wrote:Its also very good to know that there are more little TF fans out there like myself and numbat.
Make that a total of 4.

Phew, finally read the whole thing. :lol:

About Skyhammer's part, though. You can't really call him flatfoot, because the underesides of his feet are, for lack of a better word, serrated, and the top of his feet are slightly round. ;)

Oh, and Backstop (CYB) actually has hands less weird than this backstop. At least he has one proper hand.

Otherwise, i liked this review. Which is a first. :up:
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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Treadshot A1
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Post by Treadshot A1 »

Great review. THough i do remember reading another review that has an overall section split into 'biased' and 'unbiased' sections. If you really wanna give him a ten...

I want this guy now, but only if Acid's sold out.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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secretcode
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Post by secretcode »

I had to change a piece on my Cheetor review, nothing major.
Image
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TF Total: 173 ---- Non-TF: 32
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Transformer Kamen
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Post by Transformer Kamen »

Treadshot A1 wrote:Great review. THough i do remember reading another review that has an overall section split into 'biased' and 'unbiased' sections. If you really wanna give him a ten...

I want this guy now, but only if Acid's sold out.
...If the Acid's sold out, I know a guy who knows a guy...:glance:
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Transformer Kamen
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Post by Transformer Kamen »

Nothing wrong with your photos Ganon, but since you've got the same ones up for the other Acid Storm review I thought I'd allow for some slightly different pics. (And it allows me an excuse to dabble in my current photographical obssession. :up:)
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