you just have to throw away the storyline, and look at the toys... I've always been on the fence about homages. the past 4 series have all had their share, and it's hard to look past them when they're so obvious. because of this, the classics line has seemed partially redundant.

so I wanted to see how many figures released in the past few years that could be used to make a really solid, g1 redux force. unfortunately, all of my tfs are in storage, or I'd take a pic to prove the point. aside from two that would have to be modded/painted, here's a list I compiled while being bored at work that could be used to bolster the "classics" line.


'84 autobots:
ratchet: botcon 2005 ratchet
ironhide: botcon 2005 ironhide
wheeljack: energon downshift
mirage: robotmasters mirage
prowl: rid prowl
bluestreak: rid super prowl (light bar removed, white doors painted blue and silver on the hood)
sideswipe: armada wheeljack (come on, dead ringer, just paint him red!)

'85 autobots:
inferno: energon inferno
grapple: energon roadblock
grimlock: energon grimlock
swoop: energon swoop
omega supreme: energon omega supreme

'86+ autobots:
ultra magnus: rid ultra magnus
rodimus prime: energon rodimus
springer: energon bulkhead
kup: cybertron gts brakedown
superion: energon superion


'84 decepticons:
soundwave: cybertron soundwave
laserbeak: cybertron laserbeak
buzzsaw: galaxy force buzzsaw (exclusive w/sb)
starscream: armada starscream
thundercracker: armada thundercracker
skywarp: armada skywarp

'85 decepticons:
shockwave: energon shockblast
devastator: energon devastator

'86+ decepticons:
galvatron: energon galvatron
bruticus: energon bruticus
slugslinger: energon slugslinger


comments? anyone agree, disagree, or have others to add?

 

You have a good point, but I would say Energon E. Starscream as a classic for the original.

 

Don't forget the shiney metalic goodness of Cybertron Galvatron as an homage to G1 Megatron.

 

What about Alternators?

 

Good point, now if only I could figure out to to make a good arm cannon for him.

 

nope, I'm looking at main line ones. and I left out prime, megs, and all of the others that are being covered in classics. although I put in the three armada seekers for continuity.

 

No Cybertron Blurr for the '86ers?

Or Cyberton Runamuck for that matter, though I certainly wouldn't begrudge his omission.

 

I agree, Alternators (which I love) are their own deal. The "mainline" toys I get anymore are the worthwhile, highly detailed, mini-Alternators type figures. C. Crosswise (GF Autovolt) is one of my favorites, and he looks good next to my G1 reissue Tracks I just got yesterday.

 

I agree with most of your list. They will play well with the Classics line. I've been thinking about that since I heard of Classics.

 

Repugnus: Universe Repugnus
Outback: Botcon 2005 Fallback
Seaspray: repainted Cybertron Shortround
Sureshot: Energon Cliffjumper
Rumble/Frenzy: Red and blue versions of Scrapmetal/GF Ramble

...and others I can't seem to think off right now.

 

I see where you're coming from, but I think homages are more just throwbacks to the fans whereas Classics ARE the original characters updated. There are some exceptions of course, since Energon Downshift is pretty much Wheeljack verbatim. Others like Omega Supreme have little to do with their original counterparts. Really the only thing similar between that and the G1 version is the name and the face.

 

which was my point exactly. if you throw out the story and just look at the actual FIGURES, what you have with my list is a batch of about 30 figures that are modern remakes of G1 toys, making the idea of the "classics" redundant.

 

Classics line is just another toy line with "G1" stamped on it, metaphorically, so people give it more acclaim than it is really due. If it were by any other name, we'd be hearing "OMG PRIME L00KZ TEH ARMORHIDE" and seeing fanboys seppuku themselves over it.

I think it's an amazing deception, really, and so simple to pull off.

That being said, I see some cool new toys on the horizon, and will purchase all of them that I've seen so far.

 

     

I'm inclined to agree with the OP that we've been getting stuff like this for years, and I've always been annoyed at the (sometimes insulting) begging for a line like Classics. Yes, it's nice to have a megatron gun again, but we really have been getting this stuff all along. My personal faves are energon shockblast, rodimus, and galvatron; and cybertron soundwave. Shoot, we even got Energon wing saber as an homage to the japanese-only G1 wing saber.

In other words, quit bitching   and say thanks for some of the bones they've thrown us, and be greatful we're actually getting the classics line as I'm sure it won't be nearly as popular as cybertron (man I hope I'm wrong).

 

Uhm, 'homages' are not the same thing as 'remakes.' What we've gotten since RiD has been homages. What we are getting in the Classics line are 'remakes' of G1 figures.

Classics = G1 characters remade.
Homages = new characters with new alt modes that share similar paint scheme or design to a G1 character.

Energon Rodimus =/= G1 or Classics Rodimus. Different characters, different alt modes, same paint scheme.

If you think 'homages' are 'good enough' remakes of G1 figures then your not getting the point of the Classics line or its piont is really not relevant to you. Either way, it doesn't matter. We're all getting great toys and I don't understand why it should bother anyone that G1 is getting remade properly.

 

you only look at mainliners, but then you count exclusives? that doesn't make any sense to me. I don't see how you can count the ironhide and ratchet from botcon as a legit homage when the mass public didn't even know they existed, only hardcore fans. on top of that, a homage and a character upgrade isnt' the same thing.

 

Roughly the same can go for Robot Masters Mirage. That was not a "Main Line".

 

I think you guys are missing the point I was trying to make. the way I look at it, the only reason these figures have been "homages" is because they were part of a specific storyline, i.e. armada, energon, etc. however if you were just to put them all in "classics" packaging and remove them from their respective toylines, I think they would work out great.

another way to look at it would be this: if you hadn't been part of the fandom, but watched g1 as a kid, and then walked into a store and saw energon downshift, or rid magnus, you'd probably be like, "wow, they remade wheeljack" or "magnus" don't you think?

as far as the "main line" comment goes, I don't think it's fair to talk about alts/bts, or masterpiece figures in this discussion, but all of the other ones, such as the exclusives or rm mirage, were just color variations of figures that were released in the main line, that worked VERY well once colored like their g1 counterpart.

 

I see your point more clearly now ckhtiger and I partially agree with you but not completely. Without really thinking too deeply, I think that only a few of the homages we've gotten could pass off as "legit" "remakes" in my eyes. Figures like E-Rodimus, or any of the Starscreams we've had since Armada, I wouldn't accept as proper 'remakes' because the designs don't closely enough resemble the G1 versions.

If you look at the Classics figures we've gotten so far, you can see how the -entire- design is based off the G1 figure. I mean, when was the last time we had a Starscream figure with G1 colors, F15 alt mode and G1 robot design in the main line?

People can argue that Hot Shot has been a continuous Hot Rod homage since Armada but the problem there is that Hot Shot's robot mode has never resembled Hot Rods. Now look at Classics Hot Rod-- that's undeniably Hot Rod.

So my point is that because of the design changes the "homage" figures have gotten-- I couldn't see many of them as "good enough" remakes of G1. The only ones I'd accept, off the top of my head are RiD Magnus and Energon Downshift. But even Downshift does not completely satisfy me because its only the paint apps and the molded head that make him into Wheeljack. Remove those two things, and the figure is no longer Wheeljack. G1 Wheeljack had a very distinct robot and alt mode forms-- even without the distinct head design and racing paint apps.

But of course, those are just my 2 cents on this and I can be hard headed and too traditional.

 

interesting, that was the kind of discussion I was looking for