There's also the fact that this is a fan poll. We're still getting G1 gestalts, and they are in no way affected by this. This is an extra "bonus" combiner.

 

Hoping the combiner is all male. Expecting it to be female to pander to the rise of fembot fans.

If it's all female I won't buy it.

 

Just out of curiosity, is there a fan contingent for My Little Pony that is apt to campaign for more male characters?

 

So much this.


The biggest concern I have about the FBC is that, like Windblade, it'll be hard as hell to find in stores. And because of the FBC Gimmick online retailers will up prices in anticipation of high demand.

 

I always like hearing stuff from the people in charge. I do love the idea and the look of Combiner Wars, and I can't wait until I have the money to get some of these figures...

 

Pander? This is a poll. You can vote too, you know. If you don't want it to be female, then vote for male.

 

^ Don't bother with him. Like REALLY don't even try.

 

Then simply allow more females to emerge organically, not because "we need more women". Deny it all you want but it is agenda and world view driven.

And you can't claim to want more varity when petitioning from a line of repaints. Want diversity? Ask for new molds.

There was a whole team of female autobots to choose from. Ask for them, and not for a Kup or Alpha Bravo repaints.

 

If I see somebody say they don't want female characters without any reason, I'm going to go ahead and question their motives. Because if they have no reason, then why shouldn't there be more female characters?

Then there's handful of users I recognize from the last FBC Thread saying the same stupid things about it and can jump right to the "sexist moron" conclusion.

And when others' reason are "It's a boy toy", "Well most military is male." or "Men are stronger" or "Transformers are genderless anyway" those are all part of the problem.

And then there's the people who just claim this is all a ruse to introduce more female figures yet simultaneously think those figures will never sell because boys don't buy girls and that's why Hasbro doesn't make girl figures.

Which is dumb because it'd mean Hasbro is fixing the poll to sell something they know won't sell.

What's more "organic" than fans specifically voting to create a new female figure? Or is this all really just about ethics in action figure journalism for you?

 

What would be an "organic" process to introducing NEW female characters anyway?

 

*BINGO*

There is literally no more an organic way to introduce more female characters than to respond to growing fan demand to introduce them and make them.

Windblade happened because fans voted for her.
Arcee happened because fans demanded an accurate G1 representation.
I'd wager that Strongarm was also introduced to give us a less traditional female character as she turns into a truck instead of a jet or motorcycle AND is police-themed which has traditionally been Prowl or another male character.

Now we have a poll that will give us a chance to do it again. And hopefully we'll be able to create one or two new characters to mix into this team.

I don't specifically "want" an all-female team. But I'd certainly love the opportunity to see one lead by a female character.

 

There's no problem with someone wanting it to be, or not to be female. Some people are acting like "you must want it to be female or its sexist", that's not so, everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

 

Just make new characters that are female?

 

I don't call anybody sexist for not wanting women in the FBC. But I certainly will call them on it if their reasoning has to do with "what will sell" or "Transformers are genderless" or some other non-sense.

And that's really the thing. The bigger backlash is people who are whining about "dem feminists" who they think are bringing politics to their boy toys. You want to accuse me of being "political" for wanting more female characters in Transformers. Fine. We need the variety in our action figures. It's just as unhealthy for guys to pretend that stories of war and fighting are inherently male experiences.

My problem isn't with people who just prefer male characters, my problem is with those of "you" who are treating this as an opportunity to keep women out more than introducing a new guy.

 

... okay? I love Strongarm, I just don't get what makes her introduction organic and a character resulting from a poll inorganic and terrible. The character is still going to be made by a creative team and vetted by Hasbro, so why does the addition of a few details by fans make it not "organic"?

 

Good to know Devastator is a mass release.

Sucks no answer on Slingshot or Wildrider.

Hell Yes.

Definitely. I can't understand why it'll hurt to have one combiner.

I think this is a fair trade off.

Exactly.

 

I agree. I also fail to understand why people are acting like they're surprised at the small number of "female" archetypes in a toy line primarily marketed to a male audience.

 

Isn't that what the FBC is doing? Giving fans an opportunity to create that character if the majority so decides?

And yet the guy who wants it to be "organic" is also crying that those of us wanting a female team member or combined form are trying to "bring politics" to the process.

If, like Windblade, the fans vote for new female characters...how is that not organic?