Ashley Wood; artist and co-founder of threeA has recently sat down for a Q&A session to reveal upcoming plans for his company. During the session, he revealed that they have acquired license to manufacture replicas based on the Transformers Franchise in 2014.
This is awesome news since threeA is known to produce some really cool action figures. Of course this isn’t the first time threeA manufactured robots, they had some experience with toy robots based on Real Steel. However, threeA figures are a bit expensive; starting from $25 they can go up more than $1000.
Since threeA has hands-on experience with Movie Figures, there is a huge possibility that these 2014 Transformers Figures might be from Transformers: Age Of Extinction.
Q: With 3AA almost upon us, I would love to know what licensed figures will we see in 2014? You mentioned Marvel specifically and hinted other designers and artists. I know that 3AA doesn’t have written in stone plan, but better hint would be great! SGDM and MaK maybe?A: Actually our plans are 90% original content, I see 3A’s strength as bringing original ideas to market, regarding licenses thought we have more Halo, Marvel, MGS, Valve universe and Transformers and not forgetting Micronauts. Thats more than enough! Naturally we have some surprises in these realms as well!
He didn’t reveal more than that. You can check out their previous work at World Of 3A.
NW86
Ha, thats fun Grish!
Grish
Ashley Wood posted a sketch/print for Toy Tokyo on his art blog today it's one of his WWR Bertie's dressed up as Megatron. It's pretty cool. I don't think it has anything to do with ThreeA x Transformers but who knows maybe it does.
Here's a link to the blog post too: ASHLEY WOOD: Toy Tokyo print thingy
NW86
That quote from Ash makes me think we will be looking at Movie Universe figs. Grish suggested maybe dinobots,..who knows. I'm looking forward to that typical blurry he will post when its farther along.
Rijie78
A bit of news in Ashley Wood's latest Q&A:
"Q: One million dollar question! In last Q&A, you briefly mentioned "transformers"….that got a lot of us buzzing, so are you making Transformers and will 3A Transformers Transform? Also, which series will they be based upon? G1 Hopefully!
A: I know, well we have been on it a while, and hopefully it can be shown very soon, its an exercise in crazy detail!"
… so, not saying much; but the fact he says "it" suggests it might be a one-off, and if it's "an exercise in crazy detail", I very much doubt it's geewun With that, and his hoping 3A can reveal it "soon", I'd guess maybe it is a Movie Prime – unless it is something otherwise entirely unexpected and of his own design.
Of course, if one G1 bot would need crazy detail.. and possibly the sort of size 3A goes up to (they've got a 24" 'bot coming out in one of their own lines).. it might be Unicron? One for Takara's market in their anniversary year, maybe?
Convotron
I like the idea of a company that has an art direction significantly different than the typical Transformers visual style getting an opportunity to make some Transformers products.
It would be interesting but difficult, I think, to have transforming toys that possess the art style that 3A is known for(exaggerated proportions, asymmetry).
I can understand the hesitation that some have over 3A designed Transformers toys. The vast majority of their work utilizes a particular art style that is from Ashley Wood. However, there are examples of 3A adhering more closely to the source material. The Halo figures as well as the Metal Gear Rex figure are examples of 3A work that sticks close to the source material.
I think that the finished products could go either way. I personally hope that there is a nice balance struck with uniquely "3A looking" Transformers toys that still retain the visual essence of the character they are based on. I may not buy them but I am looking forward to seeing how the toys develop.
LegendAntihero
I hope these figures turn out good. I'll buy them if they have decent articulation and are priced reasonably.
canonball
Nah. I think an open mind is always better than the crap you're spouting. Stop trying to pretend otherwise. You're acting like the little kid who is upset that mommy got a new boyfriend.
Ashley Wood isn't going to harm the license. I promise.
Autovolt 127
Wow, they do look nice.
NW86
i would be surprised if we even see a blurry proto pic the first half of this year…unless this has been moving along for a while. It took a long while with the Real Steel figs.
RKillian
Stop acting like being constantly stymied by a need to wait and see if this time will be different is somehow superior to knowing why you think the way you do.
Grish
I'm a long time fan of ThreeA and Ashley Wood and also a long time fan of Transformers. I understand the hesitation from the TF community. I would feel the same if it was announced that another company was designing ThreeA toys. It would just be weird.
And I also doubt Hasbro has anything to do with this. It's all Takara. Takara owns the micronauts too (and ThreeA has a micronauts deal with Takara) so they probably approached ThreeA with the TF offer.
I also know that Ashley Wood is a 70s-80s toy kid at heart and will most likely try his best to make these actually transform. His mind set would be "if it doesn't transform it be shit." I could be wrong but only time will tell.
davehammer
I collect 1/6 figures as well and have bought a few 3A humanoid and robot figures over the years. Their stuff are pretty meh in my honest opinion compare to the true industry leaders of those markets such as Hot Toys, Sideshow, Medicom or Enterbay. 3A just like repainting the same few mediocre molds they have over and over. Their designs really lack variety, humans are usually just some hip hop gears with a bunch of bags on them, robots usually have tiny limbs, oversize bodies and a whole bunch of bags on them… perhaps their whole weathered and worn out thing is just not my cup of tea.
seanb47
That's funny you guys mention that.I was just remembering last night, talking to my Gf,how we use to have those air filled standing bobble punching bag things as a kid. How funny would that be to see someone send one to some hardcore ranter on here?
NW86
Nice Cydonia def Bram Rijie78 …I have deimos and Brom.
Rijie78
They wouldn't like it. It won't transform, the size class will be too small/too large, it'll be too expensive, isn't available at local retail, or it'll have a Movie/Animated/Prime character on it.
NW86
Whatever Ash does with TF's…one thing i know is that they will look fantastic. If he gets the freedom to design them however he likes..then we will see people complain. Personally speaking, I appreciate his design choices for the most part..but we will see what 3A does!
seanb47
Didn't even know of 3A's existence until this thread! Holy Crap,they make awesome stuff……..but at those prices.Ouch.Maybe a tad out of my price range.That being said,they are like pieces of artwork and I can see how and why Wood's does what he does as far as quantity,non-variant(as stated on their website) unique one of a kind toys.The prices they charge,well,that's only justified to the person buying them and selling them based on all those factors.Take it for what it is.Also,I fear the same as LazyAza on this subject.I'm not too much of a fan of the movie based figures,minus Blackout and Barricade.
Rijie78
The impression I usually get is that 3A are not very well known among TF fans, even among a lot of action figure collectors. They're certainly "niche", so it's hardly surprising. Not that lack of knowledge ever gets in the way of people expressing an opinion round here
tonyformer
I'm a collector so if they make a few really great detailed pieces that are in scale to each other, I'd probably pick up a few.
Cax6ton
I get the whole "non-transforming" mindest, since I used to be like that a long time ago, but after seeing what they did with Metal Gear Rex, I don't think anyone could say that 3A TF stuff would be a "statue" or "doesn't do anything".
I'll see what they come up with. I'm not much into AoE at this point and that seems the most logical place for them to do something. I'd be the first to pass on a hyper-detailed movie figure that had tons of articulation and moving flaps everywhere and glowing eyes and all the rest of that, but I couldn't deny that it would be cool for those who liked it.