No it's not my problem because I can tell the difference, again you're another one that misses the point that the "masses" can not and it will still alienate girls and women of all ages from ever being Transformers fans because you need a porn toy.

 

I'm not sure how that answers my question. Why is this a sexist trope but Master of the Universe isn't a sexist trope against men? It still feels to me that, by condemning this kind of figure as a fetish model, you're saying that fetish models should be ashamed of what they do. Aren't we past that in this day and age?

Also, is the flame toys line targeted toward children? As you note, there's nothing on the packaging that says it's for adults only, but I'm not aware of anything that indicates it's specifically meant for children either. I would have thought their target audience is adult collectors but I'm not aware of any substantial evidence either way.

So why does Blackarachnia get a a pass? Why is it acceptable that she was designed the way she was back in the Beast Wars days? Did it demean her character to have an appearance akin to a semi-nude (or at least wearing skin tight clothing) human woman?

I hope this isn't coming across as antagonistic - I am genuinely curious about this issue. I can understand that from a puritanical pearl clutching point of view a sexy robot would be considered shameful just as a sexy anything would be, but I thought that sort of thinking had generally fallen out of favor and it doesn't sound like most of the people complaining are of that general mindset. I legitimately don't understand how a woman can celebrate her body and/or sexuality and it's considered courageous and wonderful but an artistic interpretation of - and I cannot stress this enough - a fictional character along the same vein is shameful. If Windblade were a real person... err, robot, and decided of her own volition to have her body reformatted to look like this figure, would that be okay or would it be shameful?

And let me add that I'm not completely obtuse. I do understand that there is a history of valuing women for their looks and not valuing them for their minds and abilities and yes that mindset can result in women struggling to fulfill their potential and yes, that is absolutely sexist. But, in our modern society, we do our best (and yeah we still need to work at it) to keep things professional in professional environments and courteous in casual environments. We have sexual harassment and discrimination policies in the workplace to help counter the old mindset and help women escape from being held back by it. But along with that, we have also come to realize that shaming them for how they choose to use their bodies is equally negative. So yeah, as I've been saying, I'm having a really hard time reconciling that with the idea that fictional female characters should not have pinups or pinup figures made of them.

 

Loving the Windblade design! ...and I'm going to be pissed off if it gets canceled because of internet whining...

 

The word "Transformers" is on the box, not to mention children in the 5+ ages have been building difficult models of planes, cars, etc decades before you have ever been born, so yes models still count as children toys.

 

Are you familiar with term "male gaze." Do you know what a "power fantasy" is?

The issue is that men typically design male characters that they view as the ideal. Big buff macho men with muscles and guns and take no prisoner attitudes. Because in their mind it's a big power fantasy. This is what men dream of being. Likewise, men have traditionally designed women to fit into that same fantasy. This is what a man pictures the perfect woman to be like. Sexy, subservient, etc.

This conversation has been going around fiction for decades, and if you listen to the women who also write fiction...the running gag is that what men consider powerful and sexy is the opposite of what women look for. Women laugh at the kinds of things men consider "the ideal man" because they know what they like and men don't care enough to listen.

You gotta learn to read dude. Blackarachnia exists in a universe of diverse female characters. It wouldn't have been out of character for her to be portrayed like this for the model kits. It's incredibly stupid to take Windblade, who wasn't and try to force her in to it.

 

You seem a bit triggered. Calling people dense because they have legitimate counters to your point. Referring to this model as porn. You might need to take some time away from this thread. Eat a snickers. Something.

 

I'm guessing it has to do with violence being part of Transformers to begin with though like you said IDW took it many steps forward with that. All the same those are valid points you've made and really having a Windblade design that's more sensual looking isn't the most offensive thing to come out of the Transformers brand ever. Not when things like Kiss Players exist.

 

And even if the model is marketed at 15+, kids have been working with parents on model kits for decades. The only think that makes Furai suddenly "adults only" is people need an excuse to justify this Windblade figure when up until then there would have been no issue with kids and their parents working together on Prime, Bee, or any of the other hyper-stylized designs.

(People who aren't fans of stuff like this Windblade typically aren't fans of KISS Players either.)

Hell, I'll go one better. I loved Victorion and Megatronia...but I was still disappointed that *this* was the pic they chose to use to represent the latter.



Compared to Grand Galvatron, who had a similar concept (dudes hanging out in a hot tub) and did this...

 

I seriously doubt that kids will take the time and day to buy this kind of thing.

 

So, just like Windblade then?  

 

Those are not legitimate counters in any form of debate and the toy is designed by a porn artist and was posed in sexual ways in the official photos, so yes it's porn.

 

Enlighten me

 

Honestly, if kids can buy kits than whatevs. The whole “think of the children argument” has always chalked down to people needing to grow a sack and take some responsibility.

It’s cool that kids buy nichey kits like flame toys, though.

 

the point of my previous post is that I don't see implied robot buttcheek as the most damaging thing to happen to the brand or children when compared to the mature themes pushed by extremely popular segments of the brand.

kids will not be any more scarred by this than they will be disturbed by the smelting pool in Marvel UK, or that girl washing Skids. The few kids that would have ever been exposed to this kit will have much better options to be "exposed to the evils of the world" within the Transformers brand. They probably would end up fine, too.

 

I didn't realize female Romance Novels were Power Fantasies for men...

EDIT: Also, regarding the age restriction not being in the box, I checked the other day a review of the Flametoys Optimus Prime figure and I do recall seeing one, though I don't remember if it was at the back or the front, the point is that it's there.

 

Plus catering and bending the knee to moral guardians will bankrupt them *coughs*

 

so this is still going on...

It's interesting to me how people don't get that to more effectively "boycott" a product you need to make it irrelevant rather that outrage-trending; a couple hundred likes on twitter posts by people who would have NEVER EVER bought that Windblade probably count less than the people who found out because of the same posts and now will buy it, making it sell more that what would have in the first place and starting the cycle again with the next possible Arcee or Slipstream kit in the future.

 

If this got cancelled due to social media outrage mobs, I truly hope that those people one day realize they should not be proud of this. As a buyer of these kits, I was greatly looking forward to Windblade and I'm afraid for the health of the line now. Countless hours went into this design, and it appears it was nearing completion.

I hope that, if this kit is cancelled, all the people that smeared it go out and buy up some model kits. We already have a world that is a little less interesting and artistic, but at least the talented creators that tried to make something won't be a little more poor.