TFTM '07 - Deluxe Payload

Yet another super illegally obtained figure. No photos because the in-laws borrowed our camera. But you've all seen the pics anyway.

ALTERNATE MODE

Payload looks very small compared to the other deluxe figures. He's even shorter than Jazz! I think it looks worse because he's supposed to portray a much larger vehicle. Just like Arcee is too big for what she is, Payload is too small. Still, the truck (Brinks-like) is nicely detailed. Truck is dark blue. There's a "Armored Security Services" logo on both sides with a small Decepticons logo. Textured metal plates on each side à la Longarm, except that they're only painted on the rear portion (they're plain grey on the rest of the lenght). Some painted lights all over. Silverish grey hubcaps red and white stripes on the hood. No visible robot parts, even looking under the truck.

TRANSFORMATION

Swing the front wheels to the sides to reveal the arms and peg the grey parts to the rear hubcaps. Split the front of the truck in two. Fold down the rear portion against the underside of the truck to reveal the upper torso and the head and fold down the panels (roof) on both sides. Push the torso assembly to the back. Swing down the legs (front halves) and rotate the waist around. Swing down the side panels on the thighs so they're parallel to the ground. Fold down the front of the front halves (what's behind the grill) underneath the hood halves. Swing the cab halves to form the feet. Rotate the arms, open arm covers, swing out the hands and close the arm covers. You're done! A lot of cool steps, and again, like most other movie toys, a transformation that has nothing in common with what we have seen before. Pretty hardcore for a deluxe! Not overly complex, but definitely enjoyable.

ROBOT MODE

Robot mode brings new metallic teal paint apps on chest, forearms, waist and hips. He also has grey knee pads. Articulation is really good, although the head can only turn a few degrees on each side because of the shoulders (that whole head/shoulders part is somehow removeable - it's pegged to the torso but it's solid). The open hands, done in a pearlized grey, have 4 fingers each. Lens head doesn't have lightpiping, which is too bad. But the black eye makes Payload look even more sinister. While there is no real automorphing gimmick involved with this figure, there's a cool gimmick. On the back of the figure is a long beam to which the front grill (who unfortunately likes to detach during manipulation - I guess it could be glued on?) is attached. Push it all the way to the torso and a huge capture claw will come out of the chest and spring forward! The thing is spring-loaded, so the claw won't stay extended, but it's still pretty cool. It makes the figure a bit back heavy (the beam sticks out about 3'' on the back), but Payload is still easy to pose. Oh, and the robot is quite short, maybe the shortest deluxe with Longarm.

Overall, a pretty interesting figure. I still find Dropkick and '08 BB to be superior figures, but he's very close. Another excellent movie toy!

If I was home, I'd take pics of mine.

He's my favorite deluxe, and the logo is just too damn cool.

Where did you get it?

Where anyone with a brain would go for test shots.

eBay!

Remember when I showed you the pics of him? I got him about a week later.

But that was just a drawing, I didn't know you were to get the figure. Why didn't you post about it then?

Yeah, I got it a week after that.

Remember when I got LoC Ratchet and BB first? I forgot to post about them, Payload went the same way.

I cannot wait for this guy. He looks like the only good "Shockwave Head" out there.




Hell if we dont end up with a movie Shockwave this guy is getting repainted as him.

I just got this guy today. If anyone's wanting pics I could take some.

I will say I'm not that good at posing figures, so they'd probably look a little boring.

Phill

Armored
Security
Services




that is fantastic. Sounds like another win. Will buy

Here's a couple of pics;









Unlike the reviewer I prefer this figure over Dropkick. My Dropkick got a HUGE stress mark on his right "wing" from just following the instructions, and not being over zealous with the pressure used. As such I was worried to move it any more and have now left it in a variation of the official transformation.