Site sponsor Bigbadtoystore has updated with some new preorders from 3rd Party Group Igear. Up for preorder, and limited to 500 pieces, are MW-09 Tubes (a homage of G1 Pipes) and MW-01B Manatee (a homage to the Whale G.I.Joe vehicle). These two are available for preorder separately or together as a set. The figures are estimated to arrive in February.
Thinktank
According to his bio, Manatee was initially stationed in my home town of Kearney Nebraska.
How odd…
SurlyJ
Add an item to your cart, then change the quantity to something stupid high like 1748 and click update. It will reduce the number to how many they have available.
Vexwing
At that price he's tempting, but I think I'm going to hold off and see if he's still available after I get my G2 version from iGear to see how I like the mold. People always quote how many BBTS has left in stock but I never see that information on the product page, how does one check that?
Thundershot
Hopefully reprolabels takes care of Manatee like they did with Deep Dive!
Scaleface
Yes it is.
The Headrobots Snake and X-Transbots Power Rat also did similar homages to Joe packaging.
blackavar
don't have a pic, but worth mentioning the Manatee box art is a great homage to GIJoe toys of the 80s, too.
SurlyJ
Eh, I don't like GI Joe. I think I'm just being tempted by the almighty sale. Lol. Tho the chrome versio does look pretty nice. Suits the mold.
Scaleface
Well, it's an improvement. I got him for my Transforming GI Joe vehicle display. I already have some GI Joe themed Autobot symbols for him.
It's currently the cheapest way of getting this mold too. The originals are sold out, and the Chrome version is $30+.
SurlyJ
Is he worth $24? This is legend sized, right?
Thundershot
I wish they'd reduce the sets by the same amount. I want both Tubes AND Manatee..
Scaleface
BBTS just put Manatee on clearance for $24 each. Better than $40 for this guy. I have to put him with my GI Joe/TF crossovers (Grand Patriot, Snake and Power Rat)!
MW-01B Manatee (LE 500) – Third Party Transforming Toys & Accessories iGear
Shipped in February, on clearance by April. New record?
Anyways, I keep reading and watching reviews of Manatee, and people compare him to Deep Dive, the recolor of Voyager Seaspray, which is legitimate. But then they say Deep Dive is a Gobot homage… GOBOT? The Gobot submarine was DIVE DIVE! Nothing to do with Deep Dive.
Scaleface
Just noticed something. The tech spec numbers on Tubes, identical to Pipes. So that's one item pointing to the "it's Pipes" side of things.
Scaleface
So the bio for Manatee reads:
So anyone up for a game? Let's make up useless acrynoms for TFs and third party toys?
Faith Leader – Friendly Automated Indivudual Team Head Logistics Engineer and Detering Erroring Robots!
Apex – Automated Pounder of Evil X-Treemists!
Sonicron – Soundwave's One New Individual Casstte Recorder, Or not…
CZ Hazard
He actually said "think of it as Puffer, if you like". I think the sentiment is, the toy can be whoever you want it to be.
I have mine in hand. Very nice toys. The colours on Tubes really pop, the white breaking up the blue looks great.
MANATEE is fun, but honestly I'm thinking of dying the few dark green parts black, and just using him as Black Spray.
rosewater
I talked to Bal Dillinger on Facebook awhile ago, asking whether or not Tubes was getting a new head, and he said that Tubes is supposed to be Puffer. If you look at the paint on his face, it definitely homages the silver goggles that Puffer wears. Plus the white thighs, etc. I really think that iGear's real Pipes homage will be a totally new mold.
ae_productions
I think I saw Pipes on the iGear list of MiniWarriors somewhere. I am pretty sure that Pipes will get his own release. Especially if the line keeps doing well and continues on. Which I hope it does, cause every one of the MiniWarriors have been a real jem. Especially Hench. He just rules. And Gears. I cannot wait for Gears!
Scaleface
So is it possible that Tubes is not Pipes, but the blue Mexican Huffer variant?
STA: Transformers: Transformers Toys: Variations: Blue Huffer
ae_productions
Can't wait to see your pics.
Mine is waiting in my POL at BBTS.
jbot
Any in-hand pics of these guys yet? I'm curious to see the final product.
grandizerGo
well he arrived today and im so glad i ordered him..great generation one color scheme and no new head but they only painted the upper part of his head actually only the area around his eyes..nice little touch so looks real cool..sorry no pics at the moment..