Another Version of Knockoff Devastator in the Works

I'm going to buck the trend here...as a kid I absolutely LOVED Devs ( aside from the fact that his vehicle modes were WAY too small ). I found them @ the stores one and two at a time so there was always that antici-



-pation of getting the next one. And you gotta love the way they combine...so UNIQUE...not like the generic combinations that followed (aerialbots, stunticons, etc ) Don't get me wrong I loved them too.

I'd pick up this KO if for no other reason than to display it in its box. (I can still remember the day so long ago when I decided I didnt want to keep the boxes anymore so I cut out the box-art, taped it on my wall & threw the rest of the box out...'sigh')

And as someone asked before...where can you find these 2x, 3x sized combiners?

Ebay. and there isn't one of Devy.

Dammit. We need an oversized KO of Devastar, badly!

i may have just locked one up with a little luck

It feels like the new trend in KO's apparent value is not so much the quality of the figure or the mold but the G1-esque MISB box. I think they have found that the appeal and desire goes way up when in trying to appear as vintage G1 opposed to the exact same figure on a bubble-card named "Buildertron Roboteam." I mean, Why do metal parts when a large number of your customers are never going to open them?

Which is why Hasbro has had to actually do something. They bit the hand that fed them.

Most of the combiner molds are lost to time... Unless Takara wants to foot the bill of recasting molds from a mint set of Constructicons... it'll never happen, since the original Takara molds for the Constructicons were pretty much worn out after the G-2 molds were done and thus destroyed.

This is also the reason why were not getting any of the combiners besides possibly Bruticus, The Seacons, Dinoking, and Abominus later on in the encore line. (as they are the only surviving Combiner molds)

I know Takara has recasted parts for the TFC/Reissue line over a few years ago, but they haven't as of yet recasted an entire mold.

According to Jordan Derber, he read something that said the reason Takara never did a Devastator reissue is because of all the knockoff Devastators that Kidi Toys flooded the market with around 2000. I don't know how much truth there is to that, but it's an interesting thought.

If a market is flooded with a similar but cheaper alternative with reasonable quality, releasing your product is a bad business decision, that is basic economics. So it is not absurd to believe that would be the motivation, especially with the G1 repro boxes we are seeing with the newer KOs.

Personally I like the Bookshelf Reissues because they can display in common areas without being overwhelmingly tacky.

I'm inclined to agree. But that makes me wonder how it is that Ages 3 and Up, the group (unfairly, I don't dispute) singled out for Hasbro's attention, is selling these now.

Dinoking and Abominus are still surviving (And the others aren't)? Where does this info come from?

he's not.

I am very happy with the Metroplex reproduction (though never having owned the original - a friend had one - I can't really give an educated statement). It seemed like they put a lot of care into it (even though it was really expensive). Though, if an Encore version was released, I would likely upgrade.

As for Devastator, I'll wait for the reviews to come in. I still don't own one (and I REALLY enjoy opening the box for the first time) so this might prove to be a reasonable alternative. We will have to wait and see...

Hey!

Was there a time frame given for the release?

Back in early 2000 Takara took stock of the Molds they had, besides the Molds that have seen reissues Dinoking and Abominus were each only used twice, once in japan, once here. The molds (current reissued and otherwise) were left in storage untill Takara discovered them again.

But im guessing the Combaticons have one good run left in them and they'll be done.


The current Molds they have now: (using American names)

Optimus Prime (G-2 retooled)
Megatron
Starscream (Also for Thundercracker/Skywarp)
Dirge/Ramjet
Soundwave/Soundblaster (retool)
Blaster/Twincast
Combaticons*
Various Minispys
Insecticons
Seacons
Terrorcons
Sideswipe/Red Alert
Hound
Ironhide/Ratchet
Hoist/Trailbreaker
Inferno/Grapple
Perceptor
Hot Rod (retooled from Targetmaster mold)
Rodimus Prime
Kup
Wheelie
Tracks
Jazz/TM Ricochet (retool)
Prowl/Smokescreen/Sliverstreak
PM Optimus Prime
Predaking
Astrotrain
Blitzwing
Fort Max
Trypticon
Glavatron
Ultra Magnus
Skids
Grimlock (Testshot stamped "Hasbro 2003" surfaced online via E-bay auction in 2005 but Reissues were canceled by this time).
Sixshot
Decepticon Cassettes (Laserbeak/Buzzsaw/Ravage/Frenzy/Rumble)
Autobot Casettes (Rewind/Steeljaw)
Various E-Hobby reissues
Star Convoy


Recent G-1 reissues: (Encore)
Optimus Prime
Skylynx
Omega Supreme
Various Minispys
Ironhide/Ratchet
Jazz


Known destroyed/lost molds:
Swoop
Sludge
Slag*? (Last used in G-2 but was missing In takara log of Useable molds)
Snarl*? (Last used in G-2 but was missing In takara log of Useable molds)
Sunstreaker
Mirage
Protectobots (Last used in G-2 but was missing In takara log of Useable molds)
Monstructor
Constructicons* (Pending further investigation)
Superion (Last used in G-2 but was missing In takara log of Useable molds)
Menasor (Last used in G-2 but was missing In takara log of Useable molds)
Shockwave
Reflector
Thrust* (Large wings/Tail wings)
Greatshot
Wheeljack


Unused molds:
Metroplex
Scorponok
Throttlebots
Flipchargers
Cyclonus
Scourge
Ramhorn
Slag*
Snarl*
Protectobots*
Jetfire
Roadbuster
Whirl
Deluxe Insecticons
Blurr
Springer
Wreckgar
Nightbeat
Various Powermasters (Too many to search)
Various Headmasters
Various Targetmasters
Camshaft
Overdrive



I will update this list as I research my records there's a lot to go through a lot of stuff I printed out over the years...

*waits on encore Cyclonus*

Wait, Shockwave mold has been lost/destroyed? Well f*** me.

Looks like there's no hope for a Dinoking reissue either...assuming the lost/destroyed status applies to the robots and not the outer shells?

I'm waiting for a Scorponok reissue myself though.