Yeah, I think that's a good way of thinking of it.

 

Tigertracks looking excellent. Better than sunstreaker imo.

 

Yeah, that's been my guess, given Volkswagen's original reasoning for not allowing Hasbro to have the license at ALL pre-Masterpiece Bumblebee. Also explains why the hell they gave Berserker a toy in the TLK line instead of Dreadbot.

 

the figure is so tiny that asking $20 is a real stretch. I don’t think it would be asking too much to give it a flipable faction panel like Jetfire has or the Original MP Bee. I’d way rather have that than shoehorn CJ’s gun into the character (both Hubcap and Bee)

 

White Bumblebee head on a white Cliffjumper body?

 

We kinda had the same problem with the Star Seeker Pirates.
Flamewar, Brimstone, Scorponok, Ferak, Tornado, Shockaract, Pounce/Wingspan inspired Vehicons. All Decepticons/Predacons

 

It would be asking too much, because with how relatively densely engineered the figure is (in addition to just its pure size), there's no room for a flipping faction symbol. It just wouldn't be able to fit.

 

they could have it rotate then.

 

What I mean is, there isn't room for any kind of faction symbol panel that moves on that part of the figure. There is no room for it to flip, or even to just rotate. The roof/chest piece is too thin, and there's too much stuff directly behind it.

 

I played with the thought that a revisited / upgraded Classics Prime would be something cool 3P companies could tackle. Like, keep the aesthetic but tweak the transformation scheme a bit so that we end up with less kibble and improved articulation. Because I agree, Shattered Glass Prime looked best as the Classics version.

This Earthrise mold however is possibly the best mainline Optimus Prime yet so I'm quite happy to get my hands on it.

 

The thing is, mercenary "factions" are a real thing. Private military companies like Blackwater are basically mercenary factions. In earlier times, when nations hired mercenaries to fight in their wars, they didn't hire individual soldiers, they hired a captain and his men. In this case, Doubledealer is the captain and the mercenary faction is his men.

Or if you need a more individualistic example, the adventurer's guilds found in rpgs and fantasy fiction. Adventurers are mercenaries with a more heroic name. Some times they all join up to take the same contract (like town/nation defense), sometimes they take competing contracts, and sometimes they just take individual contracts with no intersection. And in a lot of these stories or games, the guilds have their own names or symbols, and the adventurers ultimately answer to the guild leader (again, Doubledealer).

 

Actually, I would say Soundblaster is the Mercenary Guild leader after watching Siege. He just oozes it, and I love it. Fits him perfectly as a “failed clone” of the ultimate master of intelligence Soundwave is usually portrayed as.

Also, a quick google on Blackwater lead to some interesting information. Apparently there are a greater number of mercenaries in the world today then ever before, and that the US is the largest contractor of them(big shock there.) So.... maybe the Mercenaries faction is long overdue for Transformers. After all, when a third(or so) of your planets population engages a civil war you know there are going to be those who don’t like either side. The Autobots and Decepiticons accept many amongst their ranks, but they might be considered absolutes. There are others(and no, not just pacifists) who might seek out a different way, be in Mercenary work or something else entirely.

 

While less historically accurate, I like to think of the mercenary symbol to be like the Jolly Roger. Flagging a willingness to act like a mercenary (rather than a bloody pirate). Something to be used by multiple guilds, companies, and individuals.

 

I like Cliffjumper and Hubcap, no doubt I’ll like BB and Bugbite, but I really wish that they’d given everyone their own weapon instead of recycling Cliff’s.

I’ll still take Glyph and Tap-Out if made though.

 

Those are all good points! You’ve convinced me, it’s reasonable to have a “faction” of mercenaries.

But I still don’t like the design of the symbol, haha.  

 

So for Transformers Tuesday, they've revealed, in this order, Hot House, Bug Bite, Black Roritchi, Autobot Cordon and Spin Out, and Shattered Glass Optimus Prime and Ratchet. Quite a few toys.

 

Yup. Now we’re just waiting for the amazon exclusives.

 

Still 29 days last I checked too!  

 

Honestly the TF Tuesdays were a good run!
Hot House should have been a main release (or at least a store exclusive).
Black Roritchi and the Countaches are incredible additions for people looking to rebuild classic toylines.
Bug Bite and the Shattered Glass set, the only two I ordered, are great for people who couldn’t attend past cons.

 

I want to get that Earthrise Netflix Bumblebee for my son, he likes G1.

Has it already come to stores and disappeared? Or is it due out soon?