If the rumors I hear are true and Lightspeed is a retool of Prowl but not Wheeljack, well then glad I'm already considering not picking this up if it happens.

 

I keep reading how horrible Scattorshot is. I just don't see it. I pulled up pics of G1 Computron and Scattorshot, CW Betatron and Scattorshot along with G1 Superion to compare the similarities and differences. What is below is just my opinion and what I accept as fine is not what others do. I do not fault anyone for disliking Scattorshot and the upcoming Computron.

The color and placement of color on CW Scattorshot compared to G1 Scattorshot is very close.

The Jet mode of Scattorshot other than being more sleeker in CW retains most of the same shape. Wings are similar, the cockpit area looks similar. Other than having a more traditional tail wing on CW version. It looks good in my opinion.

The robot mode of Scattorshot to me is also pretty close, they're both bulky. Other than a few maroon and red color switches, it's pretty faithful to the original.

As for the combined mode, the red dominates the color palette. However that's pretty accurate to the original which is also very red. The place where it deviates the most color wise is the legs. The CW version has very little white where as the G1 version has white legs.
The center shield armor piece is different than G1, but comparing the overall chest shape, Computron and Superion have some similarities and for me I feel it's understandable why they wouldn't remold the chest. The head sculpt between G1 Superion and G1 Computron also have some similarities. They both have the head covered by a helmet look. They both have visors and both have two antennae on the side of the helmet, though the length is very different.

Knowing that Hasbro has to use their budget in a way to get us the most characters, I feel like the choices made are all understandable. I figure it would have come down to getting a somewhat remolded Computron now or wait years for a completely unique mold. The drawback to waiting is it may not have the Scramble City style and it may have a different aesthetic.

Me personally I would rather have a more remolded version of Scattorshot, but what we're getting I think is just fine. I know we got a lot of unnecessary figures in CW Sunstreaker, prowl, Cyclonus, 2 Optimus Primes and so on, but for those who missed out on those previous Classics/Generations/Universe figures this was a great opportunity, and me getting a somewhat compromised Computron is worth it to me.

 

Mostly from googling pictures and watching the cartoons G1 Superion has a mouth plate and Computron doesn't, which should have followed into CW. I'll probably pick up the PE set for Computron to give him the correct G1 head. I've also seen Superion without the mouthplate, but maybe that was from the comics and not the toy or the cartoon.

 

Actually I guess the g1 Superion toy also lacked a mouth plate, so the facial differences i remember are from the cartoon.

 

If Hasbro had colored Betatron's head to match Superion it would've worked infinitely better. Beyond that the only other difference would be to swap out the antennae for something slightly different.

 

But the COLOR on the head is all wrong! And, what's worse, the helmet on Betatron is all paint, rather than plastic. There's really no excuse for not even trying to emulate the Computron head color, even if they couldn't be bothered to remold a mouth....

 

I could not disagree with this more. The whole thing with the G1 Scattershot toy is that he has a big imposing cockpit area. Its a gorgeous and massive 80s-era spaceship. And then it forms this nice triangular shape (more like a giant cone). its also hefty all around and in no way flat looking.

The CW version couldnt be further from this look. It loses all the nice bulk aaspect and instead goes with a pencil dick approach. An asteroid field wouldnt feel it penetrating in the least. And then since its a retool of silverbolt, you are stuck with the really shitty aspect of that mold where the whole robot is a square under the plane. That was never the case with Scattershot. he used his robot limbs to blend into the vehicle not just hide under it. We accept it for silverbolt because its a fun nod to the original toy, but it ruins scattershot completely. You end up with a flat pencil dick spaceship, taking away anything that made that initial toy design so interesting.

 

I get why this would be a box set and not retail release. All the maroon, orange, and brown may not look great on store shelves.

 

EDIT: I misunderstood what you were saying. I just looked again at my CW Superion and I saw the mouth plate instead of a regular mouth. For me it's such a relatively small detail that I didn't even notice the difference.

 

Agreed.

 

I agree there is a lot less bulk to CW Scattorshot and doesn't have that cone shape. True the G1 version looked like an 80's space ship, CW looks like a futuristic version of the Concord. For me these differences aren't deal breakers by any means. It simply looks like a sleek updated version of the character which is what Generations have always been. There are certainly compromises to the characters' design, but given the limitations, this is an acceptable change (for me).

 

Wouldn't it be funny if Hasbro and IDW somehow worked out a story where there were two Scattershots? Perhaps one is a clone, or from another universe, or an imposter? One Scattershot formed Computron the other Betatron. Collectors would need BOTH toys.

 

The robot and vehicle mode for Scattershot are absolutely fine. The robot mode is, in fact, pretty close to perfect. The torso mode is a bit bothersome to me (and why I hope they make a few slight modifications for the boxed set). The head is the wrong color - and I don't really even mean this in a must-be-G1-way, but just a whuh? kind of way- it doesn't go with the rest of the deco at all. Had it been red or that brown-ish color G1 Scattershot had, the sculpt differences might not be an issue to me. Even white would have been less weird.

The chest in overwhelming red is accurate, and I'm not sure I have a strong feeling over the "exact" design of Computron's chest plate (e.g. it doesn't have to be identical to the G1 toy to please me). The real problem is that between the head and the lack of any new detailing for combined-mode chest, he's going to look overwhelming like Superion's red brother when they're near each other on my shelf, and that's problematic to me.

Let's be honest, though, I'll be buying this either way. If they don't fix anything, I'll hope for a PE upgrade.

 

Yeah, the combined head is different in color and I would prefer the color be similar to G1. It's a moderate issue, but nothing that would keep me from buying CW Computron, considering it didn't stand out to me when I was comparing the two.

 

All those things you said I would have preferred. I do think he's going to look a bit like Superion's red brother. Though I would probably only think that if they were standing side by side. The overall feel of Scattorshot in combined mode is pretty much there. I think I have a bigger problem with the red legs instead of white than the wrong colored head. Though if they made the connecting parts on the limbs white, that could make it better.

 

It's funny that we both updated our posts  . The mouth plate vs mouth thing has been an issue other figures and it never really bothered me then either.

 

They pretty much went ahead and used the planned Silverbolt retooling they're gonna use for this TB set for case filler Betashot, to try and recoup some of the money they spent on the retooling. Probably did the head the way they did so the fig could sort of act as a standalone one, and not be rendered completely pointless by the TB set's Scattorshot which might have more done to it. Possibly a different more accurate deco, and a new actual Computron head. Or atleast they'll paint the Superion head much more accurately.

 

That's what I haven't been able to put my finger on. The red thighs, should be white. I never had Computron and never spent a lot of time comparing pics, but I knew that was just too damn much red. Yeah, if they'd paint the backs of the forearms white, or something to compensate.

Otherwise, he's going to look like a red / Orange blob standing there with one white arm, and a partially Brown leg.

 

I've been saying since SDCC....and everyone doubted me.

Man it feels good that its gonna happen.....I hope.

The rumour said it was a heavy retool of Groove, so maybe it might happen?

They called Scattershot's combined form Betatron, so yeah it was always part of the plan.

My theory is that Scattershot's deco will be less accurate but the combined is friggin perfect.

thus you have to buy both.

I really hope that's not the case.

Veirdvulf is perfect...do it Hasbro!

 

My hope would be the Scattorshot in this possible set will have a torso mode that has a new combiner head and some new remolded details to make it look more than just an all red Superion torso.