Upcoming Universe Figures First Look From BotCon

neat stuff. Not sure if I need more Cybertron re-paints, but Acid Storm look cool.

Folks:

These things are IMHO *way* more cool than space-filler recolors ever should be.

New generic seeker in camo? Great. Dropshot? Neato, and here is why:

http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/D...t_%28Armada%29

Looks like the proper colors, too. Sneaky!

The Legends pack of gestalt leaders is delightful, too. Awesome.
What makes this all even better for me is that I never picked up
Evac or CD Scattershot, and never really liked CD-S because I felt that the little Basic was more suitable.

Things like this are why I *like* repaints, especially when Hasbro does cool things like Cannonball with them.

NM: And really, rainmaker Seekers and unlucky Armadabots getting toy characters is a sign of not trying? I think it's a sign that they finally *are* trying. "Energon <name>", "Powerlinx <name>", that was more like "not trying".

Someone should put Acid Storm in his sig with the subtitle: "Ha Ha Ha! You can have this!"

Eh. I already have Evac, it's a decent toy. I had Scattorshot for about two seconds then returned it. And I have enough seekers thanks to last year's set. I would buy a Quickmix repaint someday, but Heavy Load doesn't excite me. They aren't bad, but not compelling buys.

Oh sweet! It never even crossed my mind that Drop Shot could be a homage to, well, the unproduced Drop Shot G1 figure that got to be the unlucky looser in the Armada comic. That's awesome! Only thing is he's a Decepticon instead of an Autobot... but you're right... the colors match just about right.

cybertron repaints just arent goint to push my buttons, they are to be expected but its just all rather uninspired. i never cared for cybertron toys initially anyway.

the leadership legends look pretty cool (already had motormaster so he's not in it.)

Acid Storm eh? nice to see a no name appear and a new character.

Rainmaker seekers? WTF? Except for like 2 of you, who the hell has ever even heard of rainbaker seekers???? I never have! This should have been my Classics Thundercracker but instead I'm getting friggin raincoat seekers? Dude don't even go there!!!

This is total BS!

Look at Dropshit! You think that's trying? It looks like an unpainted prototype same as Jetstorm & Wingblade! LAZY LAZY LAZY!

Man, could you just, like, shut the fuck up?

Except the generic rainmaker was bright green wasn't he. I don't remember a seeker having the colors of Acidstorm. Still thinks its bad ass

Wouldn't mind seeing Blades in robot mode but other than that these do nothing for me.
Bring on the new molds.

I love your posts dude.

And, I've seen more than two people in various discussions (especially about the upcoming two online exclusives from Takara) where people have been asking for the 'rainmakers'. Also, I'd say ask anyone who watched G1 and they'll get the homage.

As for Drop Shot... it's an interesting homage with some obvious thought put into it if the homage is definitely what they were going for.

Guess some people are just never happy though.

Yeah, there were three... one was bright green, one was purple and another was orange-ish/yellow-ish (different colors from the one that eventually became Sunstorm from MTMTE as the rainmaker was predominantly orange where the one whom became Sunstorm was predominantly orange).

The colors I still say are a homage to an unproduced G2 Seeker... I'm going to have to find a pic of him or something...

Dropshot got so pissed off at the Autobots for letting him get killed that he defected to the Decepticons! A shame he's only a recolor and not related to either of his unreleased alt modes, but still, an awesome repaint. As in many cases, I have no clue what Noisemaze is complaining about.

Acid Rain is awesome, the first time in a while I've felt truly motivated to get the Classics Starscream mold (I sold it off and only kept the IMO superior Ramjet). He will definitely be mine, and I hope we get more cool and inspired recolors like him, and fewer figures like Universe Blaster or Classics Cliffjumper, even if they must end up as new characters. Fingers crossed for a new Ramjet or Mirage in the future, too. I haven't watched G1 in decades and I still knew who the Rainmakers were, so... yeah, only three people have ever heard of them. Sure.

I'm not particularly impressed with Blades, but I wouldn't outright reject it either. Never got a chance to own the Cybertron Evac mold.

The Target five-pack is hilarious. I don't think I'd go for it due to the frequent and usually poor reuse of the Cybertron molds, but these are better than most of the ones Hasbro tried during Classics. They would also practically force me to get the Legends Onslaught in Universe and/or Menasor from Universe just to even up the combiner team leaders.

I'm glad to see seekers being made other than the Big 3(or 6). But I thought Classics was going to be comprised of takes on old characters. I've never heard of most of these names until now.

Hun-Grrr!!! They got the rights back to the name!

And now I'm glad I didn't yet buy Cybertron EVAC and CD Scattershot, these paint apps. are much better!

For those who don't know who Dropshot is: Micromaster Dropshot. The alt mode is close (though 'Flak' would have been a better name for this repaint), ironically, the original colors are closer to Dropshot's old colors.

Not sure about ACid STorm, but a generic seeker can't hurt (I know, Hasbro can't release Thundercracker) and at least it's not Sunstorm... ever since DW I'm sick of that seeker...

Only one I'll surely pass is Heavy Load. Quickmix is already a great 'Classics' version of G1 Quickmix with a minicon painted like his targetmaster Richochet, there is no need for an obscure RID hommage.

sweet another classics seeker...my legion is growing

If you knew how badly I've been wanting a cool CD Scattorshot repaint you wouldn't say that. It might be a homage but it's a really plain,unpainted, prototype lookin homage.

Acid Storm says you should quit whining if you don't have a Classics Thundercracker. Because he's totally Machine Wars Thundercracker.

(and yeah, that Legends set is totally a Black Friday deal. Good thing there are a buttload of Targets near me.)

Hey, that works well enough.

Still, I'll be treating all the Cybertron recolors (and any Armada or Energon if they do them) as characters from A/E/C. I figure he'll fit right in with Astrotrain's crew (I've got him leading the pirate gang on my shelves and not Cannonball).

As for Noisemaze... well, he's just Noisemaze. Very noisy and his thoughts are much an enigma to the rest of us apparently. I've just learned to take anything he says in stride.

Color wise I think the Henkei Screamer is better than the Classics version... I just prefer the silver paint to the flat grey plastic. That's a personal thing though.

And, agreed about the Rainmakers... not to mention, as I already pointed out, in the thread discussing the two upcoming Takara exclusives people have been asking for them (along with Sunstorm who I'm hoping gets made by either company)... so, more than just three of us know about him.

Eh, I love the Evac mold... easily one of the best Voyagers from the Cybertron line IMPO. I'll gladly buy a good redeco of him (and put him w/my A/E/C Autobots) though I'd like to see his robot mode at this point...

I don't collect legends so these don't interest me, but if I did this is cool enough for me to pick up. I also think it's a really neat idea. Considering that we're getting Ultras of Onslaught and Silverbolt... I wonder if we'll see Ultras or Deluxes of the others in this set too? Probably wishful thinking on my part though...

Eh, your opinion dude. I understand if you don't, but some of us do. Get yourself worked up about it if you want though. No skin off my back really. Frankly I think it is cool.

Well, the Legends guys are all G1 characters...so they're good.
Blades is obviously supposed to be the protectobot...
Dropshot is based on an axed G1 toy...
Acid Foo' is based on an axed G2 toy and cartoon seekers...

So really all that leaves is Heavy Load *shrug*. Think of it like Star Wars does the "Expanded Universe" these guys are like the Expanded Universe characters from the G1 lore.
DN

We can always pretend he's Flak! (and re-do the classic scene with Flak from the UK comics, which would be quite ironic given the size increase he got...)



But I agree, he's quite missing in the decorations department - and I hope he might get some military camo deco like Acid Storm.

As for the Classics Seekers, as I expressed in the Heinkei 'Thrust' thread, I'm, 100% with you... But Hasbro can't do that. All our prayers are with Takara.

And for once, I'm glad it's not Sunstorm...

I might as well just turn over my paychecks to Hasbro as I'm loving 95% of what I'm seeing!!

While the homage of Drop Shot is odd, I love that mold and will buy it again despite the bland deco. Acid Storm = immediate buy. Heavy Load = buy b/c of it's Mini-Con. Love the mold, but I still prefer the original deco. Still wonder why he wasn't painted red/white to begin with. Blades = buy as well. Another great CYB mold. Blades or Whirl, doesn't matter to me. Heck, they could've painted him orange and called him Sandstorm and I would've still bought it!

Acid Storm.

Want. Need. Gimme.

Dropshot's colors on that mold are a bit odd looking. However, I dont own Scattershot and I heard he's great, and I dont need an excuse to buy more Decepticons. Also, in an attempt to make my Classics mini-cons more G1, I refer to them as Micromasters, with the tank being Bombshock, who incidentally was in Dropshot's team. This should be interesting

Blades isn't the first choice I would've gone with for an Evac repaint (seeing as how we already got Whirl as a Legend and I like that idea better. Hell, I actually liked him best as Evac because I thought it was cool to have him as a unique squad leader/Convoy, rather than as a low-ranking troop), but the colors look nice, and just as with Scattershot, I dont own it yet and want to.

And Acid Storm, of course, rules

No. Only the brand new molds like Sunstreaker, Prowl and Galvatron etc... are subject to the realistic aesthetic "rule". Repaints are repaints. The movie line may have been picky about which molds from previous lines to repaint but I doubt such a thing will happen with Universe.

Yay... more old shitty molds from awful lines being passed off as "new". I'll never get tired of that trend... and evidentially, neither will Hasbro.

Elitist G1 homage or not, I can't say I'm terribly excited with Acid Storm. I'm no fan of Sunstorm, but at least a repaint of him would have made *some* sense.

I'll get Acid Storm (and any other Seeker mold repaints they come up with), and I may get Blades, if (a) robot mode looks good and (b) they release Hot Spot as a Voyager or Ultra (a slight retool/recolor of Cybertron Mudflap would work, IMO).

...My thoughts had nothing to do with Classics vs. Henkei. My preference for Ramjet was never about the colors, but the mold. The nosecone behind the head limiting neck articulation, those damn way-too-tight tailfins that actually cracked on my Starscream, the wings obstructing arm articulation... not one of those problems extend to good old Ramjet.

If Acid Rain was a recolor of Ramjet, I'd go so far as to track down a test shot from China once they appeared. I've avoided Dirge and Thrust only because of the expense, but let's NOT get into that industrial-sized can of worms.

Acid Storm and Dropshot will definetly be mine when the come out. The Seeker mold never gets old, imo, and I never was able to find CD Scattershot when he was out. I will most likely also get the Legends 5-pack. It gives me a kitbash idea I never thought of (Scattorshot from Vector Prime), so I might actually do that instead of my The Fallen plan. Would be easier in the long run as I wouldn't have to dye anything, lol. Not sure about the others.

Someone is off their meds I think.

But seriously... I have no idea what Noisemaze is on about with his "prototype colours" nonsense. That Dropshot is in desert tan and military colours... I mean, what else could you ask for in that mold?

You are, unfortunately, correct. And I already have the first versions of these molds, so looking at these, I'm just seeing a painful urge to buy molds I already have. Damn you Hasbro, for making repaints actually tempting!!

I'm sure this is marketing strategy. Fans will buy a good mold up front, but if you give them the colours they really want in a repaint, they'll compulsively buy those too! Argh!

zmog

You are, unfortunately, correct. And I already have the first versions of these molds, so looking at these, I'm just seeing a painful urge to buy molds I already have. Damn you Hasbro, for making repaints actually tempting!!

I'm sure this is marketing strategy. Fans will buy a good mold up front, but if you give them the colours they really want in a repaint, they'll compulsively buy those too! Argh!

zmog

My impressions

-Blades, wish like hell it had been Whirl.
-Acid Storm, want. Hope that he'll have Sunstorm and G2-esque Ramjet for company.
-Legends 5 pack. Mother. Fucking. WIN!! Want badly. And now I'll need to buy legends Onslaught. WAs only going to get SS and Red Alert.

My thoughs;
So it appears that Hasbro is going to use Universe to get out the rest of the Cybertron repaints that never happened (as others have said). The movie line gave us the previously non-existant repaints of Downshift, Landmine, Mudflap, and Wingsaber. Already announced Universe has re-colours of Soundwave, Quickmix, Evac, and CDF Scattorshot. I'm not counting the Scouts or beast-formers, yet. So that leaves. CDF Hot shot (a big maybe, with new head=Harddead ), Sideways (classics Cyclonus anyone?), Unicron, CDF Red Alert (Perceptor!), Menasor (Twin twist). And Primus.

Acid Storm makes Acid Wing a very happy Con' fan.

Repaints are not looking bad either, hopefully we'll get info on new molds later.

While some of these are pretty cool, I'm getting sick of these repaints taking the spots that new molds could have in the line.

Ah, I see. Never had any of those problems with either SS mold (Classics or Henkei), but I definently would have been turned off to the mold too if I had. I guess the cone limiting the neck articulation never bothered me.

Yeah, let's not... there's been too much of that this week.

Yeah, that was my thoughts too. Though, I'm not sure who I'd really want out of any of those Cybertron molds that hadn't recieved a repaint. Still, if they're good and I like the mold I'll pick them up... I'm always willing to bolster my Autobot and Decepticon forces from A/E/C.

Eh, they only intend to do new molds in the Deluxe and Ultra price point... so the only one that's even remotely taking a spot away from a potential 'new mold' is Acid Storm. The Voyager price point originally wasn't intended to be in Universe as of last Botcon.

Very cool! Man my wallet is gonna hurt.

Like Morbo says - Repaints do not work that way! They aren't "taking up" any spots. If they didn't exist, there wouldn't be any new molds in their place.

I cant believe it. I like Acid Storm. WTF is wrong with me. I wish he was MP Japan Screamer colors though.

New molds have to be created waaaaaay in advance, which means that their spots in the line are pretty much reserved. A repaint can never take an original mold's spot.

Hahaha...this is EXACTLY what was running through my head when I was looking at the photos...unbridled fury at the flat-out insult.

"We won't give you characters you want in colors you want, but you can have this obscure Camo Repaint!!!"

Hell, at the very least they could have released him in PALE blue as opposed to the dark Botcon blue...something...ANYTHING.... throw us a freaking bone here Hasbro!

It's like they gave us Larry and Curly, and have no problem giving us alternate costumed versions of both of them, but OH NO, you can't HAVE Moe...

Still Bitter. I got 99 Repaints but a Thundercracker ain't one.

I love Acid Storm!!! Also the repaint of Scattershot looks really cool!!! I will have to pick these up you know....WHENEVER THEY COME OUT!!!!!!!!!!!

awesome, already want those legends and the seeker

Love Acid Storm and the LOC. Not sure about the rest of the repaints though.

If they couldn't release Thundercracker in his G1 colors, they should really have done Thundercracker in his Machine Wars colors... perhaps with a different name or something.

hmmm

we got this early picture of Dropshot
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-...achmentid=6565

and this newer one
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-...-0090.jpg.html

the yellow looks radically different. Is the 2nd one more accurate? Cos boy does it look ugly.

I don't hate Acid Storm.
I wish we were getting some of the actual G1 Seekers though.

I don't want Universe to get any more Cybertron molds.
If something that makes no sense like Marvel Transformers can get entirely new molds, then why not Universe?

I love that Acid Storm references this guy: http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Rainmakers
I mean clearly the color isn't quite the same (god forbit given that green) but given the name I think it's a pretty clear reference.

I've LONGED for the generic Seekers from the toon to get names and identities. That's SOO coool.

Now if they could just do a few more of these guys:
http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Seeker


-ZacWilliam, who LOVES the concept of that 5 pack. A great creative idea that makes me want wekk overused toys.

If you're not being sarcastic, they don't actually 'repaint' old stock.

Some people think Hasbro does get old toys and literally repaint them with paint and resell them.

I take it you've never seen an MLRS before (multiple-launch rocket system), because that's what Scattorshot and Drop Shot transform into. The launcher itself is pretty made up (but not totally unrealistic), but the vehicle's hull is obviously inspired by the Merkava 2 tank that Galvatron turns into.

So yeah, Dropshot fits fine with the realistic aesthetic.


Thing is, they're not thinking of "hey, fans", but from a business perspective, they are considering the hundreds of thousands of other customers who got into Transformers through the Movie line. They're providing the same sort of 'realistic' styled toyline on the chance some of those customers aren't into Animated.

While Horsie Dropshot is better known, there was also a Decepticon Micromaster named Dropshot. He turned into a military vehicle, too, but he was blue.

Erm, dude, they're from G1.

http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Rainmakers

Yeah, Acid Storm isn't bright green or something like in the cartoon, because if they made a bright green Seeker toy, everybody would complain. His colours are based upon a G2 seeker redeco.

I hate to agree with Noisemaze but...I do.

Someone at Hasbro yacks on a Screamer mold...and they sell it?!

Screw that, give us Cracker!