Very well said!

 

I feel the same way as well. I like the nod to G1 with many of the newer toys, etc., but at the same time it does get old. I tire of toy X of character X that MUST look like their G1 counterpart or else the fandom rips in two. Optimus Prime? Perhaps. Megatron? Maybe. I think I side with Hasbro with those two iconic characters [if they're included in whatever line, but I'll be so bold to say that I don't necessarily feel we have to have those 2 particular characters leading each faction in every series either *gasp*], but aside from them, I'm fairly open. Does this mean that any character besides them should just have any kind of facelift? That's not what I'm suggesting at all. Do many characters have certain attributes that comprise their "essence"? Of course. What I'm talking about is the knee-jerk reaction from a fandom that has to have a "Martini" label on any incarnation of "Jazz" when it's just not applicable, etc.

QFT. Honestly, I've felt this way about Armada/Energon and to some degree Cybertron. While they were different in their own right, I just felt certain characters were squeezed into the series from a G1 character that just didn't transfer well. I really hope for future series that aren't "connected" to G1 as much (like an animated series perhaps) will have less ties to G1 now that we have a movie (which I hope will have all of the G1 nods needed, but will continue in the direction its going).

This is one of the reasons I still enjoy the Alt/BT series so much is that it is a nice balance of old/new. That really continues to fuel my own creativity for my own customs and artwork as well as keeping me excited about the future of Transformers.

That being said, I'll still say that MP-01/04; 20th Optimus Prime/DVD Optimus Prime is probably my favorite toy (G1 nod) and obviously the Alt/BT line is my favorite (G1 nod). I'm a huge softie for G1 (G1 um nod  ), though I'm often accused of not being as "hardcore" as some (which still baffles me). I think it's pretty clear I love G1, but I also love new and fresh ideas that still continue to carry the brand at its core essentials. This is why I also like variety because it allows for a buffet of choices. I may not like Beast Wars, but I don't make the sum of a fandom. I just like for people of all agas and interests to have something in a brand they enjoy; I think that's one of the things that makes Transformers a cool brand and that concept in itself could make it even cooler  

[*You'll note that I quoted a sentence from ams twice; this was intentional. ams, I hope I didn't butcher your quote too much, hehe]

 

Stop me if I'm wrong on any of this:

If a Deluxe figure takes, say, $6 to produce, Hasbro will sell it to the stores for $8, then the stores will sell it for $10. Both parties thus make a profit of $2.

But if Hasbro can sell the toys for $10 directly from their own website, well, that's much better for them, isn't it?

If that's the case, I don't think I can blame them for not wanting to place restraints on online sales...

 

Prime had a wind vane?
Soundwave was a brick?
Megatron was also a tank!?
Grimlock's feet were really his head?!
Mirage was anorexic?!
Perceptor was a mobile missile launcher!?
ULTRA MAGNUS=WHITE PRIME!
MINICONS!


Oh so accurate indeed...I'd rather have Alternators Mirage over Classics Mirage 8 days a week.
DN

 

Hasbro Toy Shop still has a staff and a warehouse to pay. It's not like Hasbro is shipping them out directly from the factory.

 

They may also have to keep the price up to match normal retailers. I used to work for a computer peripheral company that had to do that same thing - or else they'd anger their distributors and possibly lose business.

 

Yes very interesting read. But I'd still love to see Thundercracker and co. in the Universe/Classics line. Unless I get a really good job in the near future, and buy them all on Ebay for $300 a pop. Which most likey won't happen anytime soon, so I will never own them.... (sigh) Oh well.

 

Surely you jest! You mean to tell us that our toys aren't magically made by the Hasbro elves? That just shatters my little world . . .

 

I'm sure Robimus' would have preferred a VW bug and an accurate g1 Megatron color scheme. Wasn't possible, but his argument still sticks with me.

 

Times change. I thought Classics is being renewed because it was so successful from all the Joe Schmoe's purchasing them (in addition to collectors). So aren't they continuing them just because fans like them?

Robimus is right. The classics line is the closest thing to g1 accuracy, size, and for my sake, simplicity. Titanium and Alternators (I only bought Tracks and Hound to go with my MP04) weren't even close for me. If you liked alternators because the line brought a fresh perspective, well, then good for you. I'm glad Hasbro puts out different things for different people.

Anyway, Classics were an awesome nostalgia hit that inspired people to get them. Hopefully that nostalgia will push the next wave to do well and further it.

 

Oh well. Thanks for clearing things up for me. It's too bad it turned out this way.

 

I agree, to an extent, and of all the Classic toys, the ones I enjoyed the most were Bumblebee, Mirage, Grimlock and Jetfire. Because 3 of those are among the few NOT to be homaged/remade/etc excessively since 2002, and Jetfire was just a superb toy.

But I think a LOT of people are getting the wrong idea about Universe 2.0 I strongely believe we are NOT going to see the degree of new molds as we did in Classics with Universe 2.0, and like Universe 1, it is primarily going to be line of repaints designed to take advantage of a brand high.
Hasbro didn't renew Classics, Hasbro is revisiting Universe to milk the brand's current success as much as they can, much as they did in 2003

 

The way that I understand it, is that the Universe line in '08 will be a continuation of Classics, and that we should expect new molds (like Galvatron, Octane, etc.). Also, the way that it was presented, and the way that they stated it, is that the only reason that it's going under the Universe name, is so that it actually has a name of it's own, to help seperate it from other TF lines (like Animated).

Edit: Just remembered something. They also said that they were wanting to come up with new molds that could be easily repainted into multiple characters. So, in a way, we will be getting plenty of new molds, but, we will also be getting repaints of those molds. Prowl as Silverstreak and Smokescreen comes to mind, as well as Red Alert from Sideswipe.

 

Bumblebee's still a little yellow car, close enough!

Actually Bumblebee and Megs are the two I skipped thus far. Hasn't seemed to hurt the sales numbers though. Of course Meg's as a nerf gun is kinda lame, and I by the time I decided to pick up Bumblebee they were all gone. When was the last time they even did a Bumblebee figure at all? That said I've bolstered my collection of classics by custmoing/repaint Mirage as Dragstrip and Cliffjumper twice for Runabout and Runamuck.

There's nothing wrong with the Alt line at all, I'm just saying its seperate from the G1 cartoon. The idea of using real cars as bases is actually brilliant and I'm sorry the line wont continue for those who liked it.

For me the movie toys have some nice G1 esque stuff as well. Of course things are going to get updated slightly. If you don't like Primes slight modifcation for classics then you likely don't like movie Prime either. Its about keeping the characters and story similar enough for my tastes. All the toys will be updated of course, If I didn't want them updated I'd stick to the reissues.

So yeah, Bumblebee's a hatch back with a spoiler(though I'll be taking the spoiler off when I finally get him). I'd love a Megtron that doesn't transform just for a G1 accurate one to face off with Prime(I might repaint the Nerf). Grimlock's OK, I think he'd be better as a voyager. If you get real silly Cliffjumper didn't have any silver on him, Astrotrain was a locomotive-not a bullet train and they released an Ultra Magnus thats just a repaint, cause that would work at retail even though Thundercracker wouldn't  

Bring on Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Jazz, Octane and the rest because its G1 all over again 20+ years later. These next few years are going to be an amazing time to be a Transformers fan!

 

Hasbro already confirmed Sideswipe/Sunstreaker as a new mold and Octane as a new mold. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker I believe were said to be the same mold but with different heads and weapons. So we'll definitely be seeing some new molds. Hasbro also said that if they do Galvatron it will be a new mold, not a repaint of nerf Megs. I'm sure it will be a mix of new molds and repaints, not just one or the other.

 

I applaud Kickback for his efforts - a very nice read indeed. 
(if there was a applause emoticon, I would have used it instead)

About the Botcon '07 set - I stopped caring about 2 1/2 months ago. Nothing I say or do will change anything, so why give myself more stress? Just let it go.

Sarcasm on
If you really want to change what Hasbro does, here's how:
1. Go to college.
2. Get a business degree.
3. Get a low- to mid-level job at Hasbro.
4. Work your ass off.
5. Get promoted.
6. Become CEO.
7. Have at it.
Sarcasm off

 

But so's Classics!

 

In Your Opinion!

Now if the idea for the classics line came from somewhere other than the G1 cartoon lemme know. I'd love to hear how they came up with it.

 

So, by your argument, I'd like to ask you where they came up with the idea for the Alt line if not to update G1 Characters. Both lines are G1 Homages in idea and form. If you want to believe one is and the other ain't, that's your poragative. But the idea that both toylines is G1 based is not an opinion, it's a fact.