Ater Beta today, one of those figures that's understated but really sleek. Like a lot of MMC products, it felt too expensive for what I got at first, but now that I've had time with the figure I've grown to appreciate how dynamic of an action figure MMC made.

 

Friggin winter camo tank top dork-ass

 

Onslaught

 

Iron Factory Blue Flash. Not that it looks like it.

 

Starsaber returns

 

Hands, ratchets, sword upgrades?

 

G1 Powerglide

 

Just chest repaint , ratchets and sword upgrades awhile back

 

G1 Sixshot

 

Siege just keeps hitting me with these iconic characters.

Well, I say iconic. If I really think back hard Prowl didn’t actually make a tremendous impression on me as a kid. It’s really just been the IDW characterisation of the ‘bot that’s pushed him to the forefront of my mind.

But, as is so often the case, I’m getting ahead of myself.

The most prominent memories I have of Prowl are actually for the 1985 annual. ‘Plague of Insecticons’ was a weird, intense, creepy story that didn’t belong to the continuity. But I loved it. And read it over and over. Prowl felt like a total hard ass throughout it, but then seemed to die? Aside from that I mainly remember him petitioning Prime to make the ‘Ultimate Autobot Warriors’ to wipe the ‘Cons off the planet once and for all in ‘Crisis of Conscience’ . Beyond that? Well, nothing. Jazz, Ratchet, and Wheeljack all got a lot more page time, as far ‘Ark crew’ went.

So why does Prowl feel so iconic? Well, the little matter of his face being the basis of the Autobot insignia could have something to do with it? But maybe it's just that feeling that this guy should have been next in line to command the Autobots, before things got messier from 1986 onwards.

Which, curiously enough, seems to be how the IDW version of the character seems to see himself. Well, maybe not the figurehead leader, but certainly the guy who made all the big strategic decisions.

I loved Prowl in Furman’s ‘-ations’ stuff. Here was a character that added real spice every time he showed up. Either arresting his colleagues, hiding information from Prime, or bickering with Hot Rod about the chain of command. This was built on, perhaps to excess, by Roche, Roberts and Barber until Prowl became one of the most important characters in the IDW Universe.

I never got my hands, or even catch sight, of Prowl when I was a kid. Nor, any of the ‘Datsun Bros’ for that matter.He was one of those far off, unobtainable, mystery figures to me. One that I’d imagine how he transformed. It wasn’t until my 35th birthday that I actually got a G1 Prowl of my own.

I think he was one of the first ’84 cars I got when I started collecting again, along with Jazz, and I couldn’t believe how small he was! Stunning, but so small! When I think back to those formative tactile Transformer experiences I realise that all the bots I handled, like Optimus, the Dinobots, Seekers, Grapple, and Hot Rod were bigger than those classic cars.

But who gives a fuck about size? Prowl is one of those near perfect Diaclone molds. The big bonet chest, the wing doors, and ‘back of the car’ feet, that perfect headsculpt (which, as we all know, was the basis of the Autobot insignia) . Like Jazz, whom he shares many design commonalities with, he also winds up with some excellent arm articulation due to his transformation sequence. His legs are another matter, but who needs leg articulation when you have wheels on yer feet?

I think the Nissan Fairlady Z may be my favourite of the old Diaclone Car Robot models. Much more than lamborghini or the Porsche, this is the classic car that really just speaks to me. That long bonet, distinctive headlights, and the way the roof curves down to the boot are all just such beautiful features. Maybe only Tracks, with his Corvette Stingray alt mode, comes close. So cool was this car that I couldn’t believe it was ever a police car. Like, every police car I ever saw in real life was some hideous, boxy looking thing. Never anything as sleek as this. I always thought this was one of those dumb TF things that it was better just to accept, like Mirage driving down the street in his racecar mode. It was only when I was an adult that I found it these were really used by the Tokyo Municipal Police force.

So usually I think summing up a figure in just one line is kinda cheap and trite. That said, Siege Prowl is everything that’s wrong and right about the line.

Now, I should clarify by saying that I actually really love this figure, and that he feels like one of the stars of the whole line. But he comes with some real…issues.

Good things first. He looks the part. This, very satisfyingly, captures the look and character of Prowl beautifully, from the stern expression on that headsculpt to the classic contours of that hood chest, to the all important door wings. And all of this is achieved while creating a unique Cybertronian alt mode that still evokes the curves of of the Fairlady Z.

The first time I saw this alt mode, with it’s almost flat roof, I felt sort of revulsed, but now that I’ve spent more time with it I find myself loving it. Like, the fact it doesn’t really have much space for a driver is…perfectly fine. There’s always been something odd about Cybertronian alt modes having driver’s areas (yes, except for Headmasters, ok), so it’s kind of refreshing to see that sort of addressed. And I think the vehicle mode doesn’t suffer for it. It feels odd writing this, but the rear of the vehicle mode is really surprisingly good.

But those wheels suck. And they suck hard! Does anyone think clear plastic wheels are good? i really struggle to understand the reasoning behind this choice. I seem to recall nearly everyone utterly hating them on TR Chromedome, and Hasbro have proved themselves to be fairly attentive to fan feedback. Beguiling!

I tell you what else sucks; his lower legs. They’re so flimsy looking and obviously hollow from nearly every angle. I’ve found it hard to pose Prowl for a photo where it’s not an irritating eyesore. They’re up there with MP Starscream’s horrible heels as one of the most irritating design choices made in these modern lines.

And the mention of the MP line brings me neatly to my other concern. In many ways, Siege Prowl feels like a modified, downscaled version of his MP counterpart. I had the same feeling with Sideswipe. And while I totally approve of re-using smart design solutions it does take away a little from the feeling that you’re playing with a new toy.

My final whinge is that he looks pretty shabby from the back. Not something that I’ve come to expect from Siege.

This Prowl confuses me. He’s a much welcome upgrade from the old Classics version and I have truly loved playing with him, posing him, getting him to interact with the other Siege Autobots, and the camera loves him. But amidst all that joy is that nagging feeling that something just isn’t quite right. Which is kinda galling considering I’m almost certainly going to be buying this mold another three times.

 

roughly the same when I googled fire convoy’s alt mode ... Japan’s civil service forces has one of the sleekest vehicles choices in the world if you asked me.

 

Ooh, I've never done that. Brb!

 

If that yellow paint on top of his waist was on the top of the black thigh tops level with his crotch it would tighten it up. At the moment there's a slight disconnect between upper and lower body. Also the bicep area up to elbow where you've got his cop stripes should be white, would be a nice tweak.

 

Solid observations. I agree on all this.

 

Today it's Iron Factory's Decepticon Justice Division. My favourite of these today though, is that creepy little scumbag Vos. Look at him enjoying the fireworks even more than I enjoyed setting them off.

 

The Herald of Unicron, the Fallen, has returned... 



Combiner Wars/ Power of the Primes Megatronus Galvatronus for today.

 

Potp octopunch