TFWe Issue 06 - October 2011 - Happy Halloween Hangover!

Discussion in 'Transformers General Discussion' started by TFWe, Oct 6, 2011.

  1. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    [​IMG]
    Cover artwork, inks, and colors by shibamura_prime, layout by Joe Moore

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Happy (belated) Halloween TFWe readers!

    The leaves on the trees are turning (or already turned, depends where you are) and the cold weather is beginning to come rolling in. You may have even seen snowflakes already! The Holidays are fast approaching, and the first sign that you're about to experience Holiday Shopping Madness is the passing of Halloween, where you dress up for candy, candy, or just to have an excuse to party like you're in college again. We struggled a bit initially with what to do with this issue, as Transformers doesn't have any events that really celebrate Halloween ... but after a day or two of brain-storming, all the pieces just fell together and we have a pretty awesome issue for you this month.

    I'd also like to take a moment and welcome the newest member of the TFWe crew - Protoman! If you don't know him yet, you will, as he has plenty of experience in the Transformers land (part of our friends at CYBERTRON.CA and a TFCon staffer). He's got some treats in store for all of us in the future, and we're looking forward to being awestruck by his penmanship.

    With that, here's an ATFT!

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    [​IMG]
    written by Deefuzz and shibamura_prime, all artwork by shibamura_prime

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Featured Content

    [​IMG] - Staff Picks - October 2011
    [​IMG] - TFWe's Fall of Cybertron Wishlist
    [​IMG] - Marvel(ous) CHAOS - TFWe Debates What's More Exciting, Transformers #125 or Transformers #81?
    [​IMG] - Top 10 Dead Transformers

    T-O-Y-S!

    [​IMG] - Hot November Transformers, Shin Densetsu's Top 10 Transformers for November
    [​IMG] - The Halloween Horrocons
    [​IMG] - Gimmickry - Golden Dust in the Wind
    [​IMG] - Of Men and Monsterbots
    [​IMG] - The Ultimate Masquerade

    What's Left

    [​IMG] - Transformers Armada - A Video Game Restrospective
    [​IMG] - TFWe Halloween Cosplay Pageant
    [​IMG] - Brief Memorendum Gary Clark aka Optimus_Scourge
    [​IMG] - Issue Conclusion & Next Issue Preview
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 1, 2011
  2. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    STAFF PICKS - OCTOBER 2011

    Welcome to the latest feature of TFWe.

    Every month, various members of our staff (sometimes all of us) will give you, our readers, an idea of what exactly we're collecting (both Transformers and non-Transformers) related, and even make recommendations based on our likes/dislikes for you guys (if you find yourselves agreeing with a lot of what we say in these issues). It's nothing Earth-shattering, but we want to open ourselves up more so you guys get a sense that hey, we're fans and collectors too!

    [​IMG]
    Kickback
    RECENTLY PURCHASED: Do pre-orders count (Twincast and Soundblaster Encore reissues, mostly for the new casettes)? All I've purchased lately are old PSP titles of all my favorite RPG's (Lunar, Final Fantasy, etc.). Oh yeah, I bought an iPhone 4s. I'm renaming "Siri" as "Sari" and locking myself in my room for a week.

    RECOMMENDS: I will have a TON of stuff to recommend to you once my non-TF pre-orders from BBTS start coming in. Until then, I'd recommend "Dark World" by Zak Bagans (of "Ghost Adventures" fame). Whether or not you believe in ghosts, it's a very interesting read of trying to apply science to the unknown (ie: the age old myth of is it really there if you can't prove it/hasn't been proven therefore doesn't exist).


    [​IMG]
    Sol Fury
    RECENTLY PURCHASED: Wreck and rule! The newest additions to my collection are Generation 1 Roadbuster and Whirl! With them I have completed my run of US Generation 1 Transformers with the exception of Fortress Maximus (I already got Brave Maximus, and don't really have the space for two right now). Granted - I need to find parts for many of my TFs.

    RECOMMENDS: I've been having a lot of fun recently with the Human Alliance Basic series of Dark of the Moon toys. They are tons of fun to fiddle about with and well worth picking up, especially Tailpipe who I sold Secretcode on earlier this month. Also as and when he is released, Dark of the Moon Darksteel. He's a very good deco that takes Sideswipe and makes him a complete new character, and is a whole lot of fun as a toy. He's one of my outright favourite toys from the whole of Transformers Dark of the Moon as a toyline.

    [​IMG]
    Secretcode
    RECENTLY PURCHASED: An unusually big month for me. Thanks to Walmart's $5 off coupons, I have finally caved on a bit of the Dark of the Moon line: Cyberfire Bumblebee, Nitro Bumblebee (love the vehicle mode, reminds me of 90's Hot Wheels Fantasy Cars,) Human Alliance Whirl and mainly due to the insistence of Sol Fury, Human Alliance Tailpipe. Also, thanks to my good friend Omegus Prime, I finally was able to grab ahold of a RTS Lugnut. Non-Transformers-wise, I got an SH Figuarts Kamen Rider OOO TaToba, Figma Kamen Rider Scissors, Figma Kamen Rider Sting, Figma Kamen Rider Thrust, and my first Revoltech (Professor Layton.) Oh and I got another job, making BotCon 2012 a LOT more feasible and realistic.

    RECOMMENDS: Hey. Hey readers. If you haven't already, I recommend you watch some of that Transformers Prime. By the time you read this, the first season will be over. You have about a month to catch up, and if you want to see the best Transformers show since Beast Wars, I recommend you watch it now. Well not now, watch it after you read this issue. But watch it ASAP.

    [​IMG]
    Protoman
    RECENTLY PURCHASED: I buy so much stuff everyday and so much comes in the mail but as of this moment while I am typing I finally picked up DOTM Deluxe Laserbeak that I was kinda avoiding to pick up till much later (Along with a lot of his other fellow Deluxe toys). Movie toys always get uber cheap later.

    RECOMMENDS: KRE-O Transformers. I have the whole line and am slowing getting around to building every one of them in one mode then the other to get a feel of what will be displayed. The whole line is straight forward, simple and a lot of fun. Not to mention, those KREONs are to die for.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 1, 2011
  3. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    TFWe's Fall of Cybertron Wishlist
    [​IMG]
    Compiled by Kickback
    Contributions from Kickback, Sol Fury, Shin Densetsu, Joe Moore, Secretcode, Protoman, shibamura_prime

    Slowly but surely, High Moon Studios (thanks to GameInformer) is releasing more and more information regarding the much anticipated sequel to "Transformers: War for Cybertron" officially titled "Transformers: Fall of Cybertron" (or "FoC" as we've come to affectionally call it). Looking back at War for Cybertron about the high and low points, the staff of TFWe chimes in with their own personal hopes and desires for the first "sequel" Transformers game (we don't count the movie trilogy as "sequel games").

    Enjoy!

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Sol Fury: With the revelation that Grimlock is more than likely in the game, I feel we need him to be voiced by Gregg Berger. Gregg is to Grimlock as Peter Cullen is to Optimus Prime (no offense meant to Garry Chalk or David Kaye).

    I'm also wishing for a longer campaign mode. More single player levels, more environments, and more characters. War for Cybertron was excellent, but short. I'd love to see a greater number of levels and environments.

    Tied in with the above, War for Cybertron's downloadable content was all focused around the multiplayer. I'd have liked some single player content as well. A new pair of single player campaign maps, one for either faction, would have been extremely enjoyable. That is something I would like to see in Fall of Cybertron, DLC for the single player modes. But High Moon - please do not put the game's epilogue in as DLC ;) 

    Protoman: I am kinda hoping for a more sandbox style gameplay cause I really want to have a tour of Cybertron at my finger tips.

    As for characters, hell Hot Rod (Appeared in the WFC DS games called Hot Shot..... we need to fix that) and I guess fill out the gaps of 1984-86 characters missing from the fray. Blurr would be nice too.

    Shin Densetsu: More realistic controls for flying characters, for example, the wfc setup is like StarFox where the triggers roll the aircraft to either side. A simple switch to using the analog stick to roll is preferred. A hint at stuff that bridges the gap from WFC to TF Prime would be cool too.

    More melee attacks woulc be cool, like if they could be chained for combos also.

    Secretcode: I made a list because lists are cool.
    - More multiplayer variety, in terms of game types and player customization.
    - A more solidified tie-in with Transformers: Prime.
    - More characters and chassis
    - More classes
    - The return of Escalation.
    - A PC Version

    Character wishes:
    - Autobots: Hot Rod, Prowl, Drift (Why not?), Wheeljack, Kup,
    - Decepticons: Cyclonus, Scourge, Lockdown, Cannonball, Knockout, the Predacons
    - Overall: More non-G1 characters like Lockdown, Cannonball, Knockout, Blackout, etc.

    Kickback: I'm hoping for more "character creation" in terms of online play, but I also think it'd be sweet to create your own character to play through the campaign. That way you're not forced to choose between a cast of characters, but you create your own character and meet your favorites as you go.

    I guess my emphasis is just really on the multiplayer. I played it and enjoyed it, but I have to admit, picking between what, three classes that all end up playing/looking the same but with different colors? Wasn't my cup of tea. I really hope they expand the heck out of it so people can have the same basic character but with enough aesthetic differences to make it worthwhile.

    Sol Fury: Character hopes, well, the Grimlock fan in me is overjoyed to see Grimlock, now let's see Hot Rod in there as well to make it two for two on my favorite Autobots. I'm hoping Warpath returns, he was fun in the first game. Cliffjumper - perhaps redone with elements of Prime - would be a great addition to the cast and a good way to tie in the two series. And Arcee as well, preferably again in the Transformers Prime style.

    For the Decepticons, I'd really love to see Lugnut get in on the action, even if it's just as a cameo. Slipstream would be a nice change though I pretty much know we're going to get the original three Seekers as our fly-guys. One thing I loved in the first game was the use of Micromaster Barricade and I'd love to see some more unknowns get pulled in - there's a whole wealth of Micromasters and guys like Krok who've had very little love. With beast modes in thanks to the Dinobots, perhaps we can have Weirdwolf, Mindwipe and Skullcruncher or even the five Predacons?

    Lots of direction we can go in with this game - I'm looking forward to seeing just where it goes.

    shibamura_prime: Bots/AI teammate options in Escalation Mode (if they offer it again). For the times I just wanna shoot things and nobody wants to play with me.

    Joe Moore: While I loved War for Cybertron, there are something I think could use some improvements.

    - This game needs to convey scale. Even during the large boss battle of WFC, things felt contained...Small. Transformers should feel huge and weighty. I'd love for them to be able to convey a sense of how large these guys can truly be.

    - The environments need to feel like they can be lived in. WFC, while pretty, had very dull, lifeless environments. The ability to destroy and interact with the environments would go a long way to making this a more rounded and complete experience.

    - Don't force the single player campaign to be played as a corridor shooter. Have sections where you are free to roam, if even just a bit. Make it so there are large areas to traverse, giving greater need to use you alternate modes.

    Shin Densetsu: I think it would be cool to involve something akin to KOTOR; game is influenced by your decisions and you can end up as Autobot or Decepticon depending on outcome. This, if character creation becomes possible in campaign.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Our conversation obviously evolved as more information has become available, as GameInformer continues to release information from High Moon Studios about the game. We know we've got Dinobots coming, we know we have Insecticons coming, but what else? What do you want to see in TFFoC? And yes, FoC is the greatest acronym ever.

    Sound-off!
     
  4. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    MARVEL(OUS) CHAOS
    TFWe Debates Between Transformers #125 and Transformers #81

    [​IMG]
    Compiled by Kickback
    Contributions by Sol Fury, Shin Densetsu, Secretcode, Protoman

    By the time this article hits, we'll be knee deep in TRANSFORMERS: CHAOS from IDW Publishing, the latest story arch (and last) from famed and/or hated writer Mike Costa. We were teased, however, at BotCon 2011 in Pasadena, California about the big issue that comes up at the end of the CHAOS mini-series ... and that is Transformers #125 - the Death of Optimus Prime.

    However, at San Diego Comic Con, IDW Publishing also revealed that they've decided to go ahead and answer the call of many comic fans ... and are allowing famed and beloved Transformers writer Simon Furman to continue and complete the original Marvel G1 Transformers, starting with Transformers #81, running for 20 issues until it reaches #100.

    So TFWe Editor-in-Chief Kickback decided to get the staff together (over the course of a couple of weeks) and asked them the obvious question - which title are you anticipating more, Transformers #125 or Transformers #81?

    The sound-off begins ... NOW!

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Sol Fury: I'm looking forward to Transformers #333 ;) 

    Marvel Generation 1 is the series that I grew up on, and the conclusion always felt a little rushed to give the series an ending before cancellation. I understand the fear that the series can never live up to the standards of the original run, but having heard Simon talk about this at conventions, and read his recent (well, 2008 so not that recent) run on the UK Movie comic, I think he'll surprise a lot of people. The promise is that issue 100 will be a definitive ending to the continuity, and I'm looking forward to the journey there.

    Transformers #125, well, I'm not the biggest fan of the IDW comics storyline since All Hail Megatron. If you were asking if I was excited for what follows this, with the two new series More than Meets the Eye and Robots in Disguise, I'd have a harder time making a clearcut decision. I'm sure 125 will be a fitting endcap to the Ongoing series / All Hail Megatron era chapter of IDW Transformers comics - it's just a chapter that I never fully enjoyed.

    So of these two, definitely more fired up for seeing Simon Furman go back to the series he helped create and make so memorable for so many of us. I've no doubt he will do us proud.

    Protoman: I am going say what everyone at Botcon 2011 felt at the IDW panel "Look, we don't care about your ongoing series, tell us more about #81"

    I buy every issue and I am up to date, but it's so hard to get behind their writing.

    Shin Densetsu: I haven't really followed much since AHM started, latest I've read is The Transformers Vol 2. Ditching much of what Fuhrman did with the original IDW series in AHM left a bitter taste in my mouth, so I'm more excited about the Marvel restart, since he's writing it.

    Secretcode: I really don't care overall. Not a fan of the comics.

    Protoman: As I always hate to say it........ I miss the tree that Dreamwave was barking up so to speak before "The Pat Lee Purge"

    Kickback: I am beyond jubilated for the return of the original Transformers comic storyline. That was back in the days where comics weren't written for graphic novel format, stories could carry on for 30 issues no problem, and the conclusion to a built up storyline was more than 3 splash pages.

    No offense meant to IDW in terms of their on-going series, but it has failed to capture my interest. I've tried, I've given it plenty of chances, I've purchased a good number of comics on my phone via Comixology, but none have captured my interest like digging up a good piece of story-telling from the Marvel days.

    Simon Furman gets 20 issues to finish the story (they gave him to 100, right?) ... and I'm sure it'll be amazing. I don't care if it "ruins G2!" because let's face it, G2 was more "gimmick writing for a toyline" than anything, and the only reason they got away with carrying over the G1 stuff was because Marvel and Hasbro didn't care, the comic was only slated for a year anyways.

    That being said, #81 can't get here soon enough. Welcome back to Transformers, Simon Furman and Andrew Wildman, I think I speak for a majority of Transformers fans when I say ... WE'VE MISSED YOU.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    So there you have it! A resounding "Transformers #81" from the staff of TFWe. What are you looking forward to most?
     
  5. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    Dead Transformers
    Kickback's Top 10 Dead Transformers List

    [​IMG]
    written by Kickback

    A lot of Transformers have died in nearly 30 years of story-telling. I went through and picked, in my opinion, the 10 Best Dead Transformers! Either they went out with a bang, were very memorable characters that were murdered off, or simply because they fit the idea of Halloween.

    Have your own list? Let's here it in discussion after the article!

    10. Unicron (G1 Cartoon)

    [​IMG]

    I'm including Unicron as #10 simply because he was the original bad-ass, the original "OH MY F'ING DIETY" reaction as a child. He started as a creation by some alien monkey to consume matter to create energy, and somehow has transformed in to a God (thanks in part to Simon Furman). And his original story was pretty cool looking back - sought out the Matrix of Leadership (his only weakness) and decided to destroy Cybertron as a form of pain and suffering on the entire Transformers race. He ends up dying and his head becomes a replacement moon for Cybertron (how is that NOT creepy? The head of the planet-sized-Transformer that tried to eat your home is floating around your planet in orbit to always remind you how you almost got served).

    To your glorious ending and the glorious legend you have become, I rate you #10 Unicron.

    9. Ironhide (Movie)
    The movie franchise is a hot-topic amongst Transformers fans of various ages. Some people detest them with their every living fiber, others think they're the greatest thing to ever happen to the brand. For those people, and the casual movie-goer who managed to enjoy themselves for these movies, one of the favorite characters amongst kids and older collectors was that of Ironhide, the gun-toting Wolverine-wanna-be badass who wanted to shoot Sam's dog (he just wanted to show him his cannons, okay?).

    [​IMG]

    They did give Ironhide all the cool scenes in the first movie, and he got a pretty awesome scene in Dark of the Moon, but all that was thrown in jeopardy when he died suddenly and without warning thanks to Michael Bay's reimagining of Sentinel Prime (why is it everyone who is involved in Transformers loves to make Optimus Prime's predacessor's all traitors and bad guys in disguise?).

    8. Ratbat (Marvel G1)

    I think it is safe to say that the only "cassette" Transformer that ever received ANY personality in the original G1 cartoon was Rumble - you know, if on his turf you should tumble, blah blah blah. That's why it was such a treat in the comic book to see a different cassette Transformer receive the most personality - Ratbat!

    [​IMG]

    It's kind of funny that so many Decepticons chose to follow Ratbat, even after the death of Shockwave. And don't forget - Ratbat was in control of Trypticon, who one could argue was (at the time) the most powerful Decepticon. He met a rather untimely demise at the betrayol of Scorponok in an attempt to take the power of the Underbase. But for all intents and purposes, he was pretty sweet.

    7. Shockwave (Marvel G1)

    Let's be real for a second. In the original Transformers cartoon, Shockwave was a totall wuss. All he did was sit around Cybertron waiting for Megatron to get in touch with him. Sure, he had an android army at his will, but he never, ever, achieved victory. He was beaten by female Autobots, the Combaticons, and even Spike and Carly gave him the run-around.

    But in the Marvel Comics continuity? Different story, bro.

    [​IMG]

    Shockwave wanted to rule the Decepticons. And he succeeded. He beat Megatron at every turn (just check out the above image!). And then, after he died (but not really), he comes back and starts a Decepticon Civil War in the middle of preparing for the arrival of Unicron! He was cold, calculating, and ruled by logic. It's only logical to state ... he was a bad-ass. As far as we know, he died when the Ark crashed (again) in Issue 79 of the original Transformers. Will he come back for Transformers #81? We will wait and see...

    6. Scorponok (Marvel G1)

    Simon Furman, the writer for the end of the Marvel Generation One Transformers comics series, had the ability to turn characters that were already pretty bad-ass and make them even MORE bad-ass. In the case of Scorponok, he really tested the idea of the "bonding" process between an organic being and a Transformer. The "flaws" of Zarak's humanity made Scorponok all the more human.

    [​IMG]

    By the time Scorponok was gone (RIP), he had not only seen the error of his ways and forged an alliance with the Autobots to stop Unicron, it can be argued that he was well on his way to becoming an Autobot himself. He died after seeing (what it appeared) Optimus Prime possibly die at the hands of Unicron, and choosing to rush the Chaos Bringer head-on, ripping at his foot. Unicron breathed fire on him, killing him. In his final words to Optimus Prime, "Did I do good?" ... yes, Scorponok, you were freakin' awesome.

    5. Starscream (Armada)

    Looking back at Transformers Armada, it's hard to point out many bright spots. The Mini-Cons (as toys) were pretty awesome, and to this day we continually have Mini-Cons released in the Transformers (heck, there's even a Mini-Con "Original 13 Transformers" apparently). The cartoon for Transformers Armada left ... a lot to be desired. The animation was pretty spotty at best, but there was one part that made it seem ... tolerable.

    [​IMG]

    Starscream was the cartoon's tolerable piece. He started off as any Transformer named Starscream would - power-hungry, driven to take control of the Decepticons. But after befriending one of the human characters (Alexis) he changed ... and his friendship with her caused his character to more or less change. Although the story really sucked at explaining it, Starscream (looking like Thundercracker) battles Galvatron (the name Megatron gave himself after being recolored) in an attempt to get Galvatron to realize that he has to ally with the Autobots to defeat Unicron.

    Starscream dies (at the hands of Unicron) and Galvatron finally wises up. Starscream does come back in the sequel series, Transformers Energon, but is absolutely nothing like his Transformers Armada incarnation ... he in fact is so loyal to Galvatron in the Energon series that he follows him blindly in to a star. Boo Energon, yay Armada.

    4. Bludgeon (Marvel G1)

    Again - the amazing thing about Simon Furman was how he could turn "nobody" characters in to fan-favorites. A prime example of that is the Monster Pretender Bludgeon. Originally designed to be a gimmick (he's a pretender, who looks like a MONSTER!), Bludgeon is now considered a dark-arts master, skilled in various forms of Cybertronian martial arts, and cuts things with his sword.

    [​IMG]

    After Scorponok's death, Bludgeon takes control of the Decepticon side of the Autobot/Decepticon alliance on Cybertron. He eventually betrays the Autobots (blows up their ships as Cybertron tears itself apart) and goes on to conquer the planet of Klo. He is defeated by the revived Optimus Prime, but goes on to build a PLANET ship during the sequel Generation Two comic series. He dies quickly and uneventfully to Megatron in Generation Two.

    3. Zombie Optimus Prime (G1 cartoon)

    Credit to Protoman for reminding me of this character. While you can argue that Optimus Prime cannot fit on this list because he was alive at the end of the G1 cartoon (true), he was originally killed AGAIN for a SECOND TIME in the episode "Dark Awakening". But like in the animated movie, Optimus Prime went out with a bang.

    [​IMG]

    Brought back to life in a zombie-like-state by the Quintessons, Optimus Prime rejoins the Autobots and leads an all-out assault on the Quintessons. Little to the Autobots' knowledge, it's a trap ... and Optimus Prime knows it but can't quite seem to come to grips with the whole thing. We have a battle royale between Optimus Prime and Hot Rod for control of the Matrix of Leadership (which Hot Rod gave to him because Hot Rod is stupid) ... and Optimus Prime (while winning) gives it back to Hot Rod. That's right - Zombie Prime wins every battle. He then has the Autobots withdraw their assault and leads the flagship, alone, in to the trap set by the Quintessons, blowing up in the process.

    Until some humans snuck in with a YOINK! and pulled him to safety. But originally, Optimus Prime wasn't coming back to life (original ending of "Dark Awakening" was simply Optimus Prime's face in the stars, no voice over about "OPTIMUS PRIME WILL RETURN!").

    2. Dinobot (Beast Wars)

    Beast Wars version of Grimlock lived an honorable life. He betrayed both sides a few times, but in the end, Choppaface (as Rattrap refers to him) did the most honorable thing one can do ... he gave his life to protect the ancestors of the human race, stopping Megatron and all his Predacons single-handedly before going offline.

    [​IMG]

    Granted, Dinobot would return as Dinobot II (a Transmetal 2 in fact) and retain his memories in time to save everyone AGAIN (seriously, the Maximals would be SOL without Dinobot saving their asses a few times in this series), but it just adds to this character even more. Dinobot's character is truly one of a kind which should be evident with his induction in to the Transformers Hall of Fame on the very first year by fan-voting.

    And that leaves us with another original character...

    1. Starscream (G1 cartoon)

    The original traitor. Nearly 30 years of Transformers history and the name "Starscream" and the term "traitor" are always together - very very rarely do we ever see a loyal Starscream in ANY Transformers series ("Energon" and "Shattered Glass" are about it). Every character since named Starscream is based off the original red, white and blue seeker. The best part about Starscream is that no matter how many times you kill him, he just won't die!

    [​IMG]

    Starscream tried to betray Megatron all the time. In the end, he didn't have to, he just had to throw him out of Astrotrain in the middle of space. He died for that, but he came back as a ghost and continued to haunt Megatron (now Galvatron) and even brought Cybertron to the brink of disaster just to get himself a new body from Unicron. The last time we saw him was after he received his new body and was blasted (again) by Galvatron as he floated through space ... as well as a ghost again in Beast Wars, as Starscream travels through a transwarp portal and takes control of Waspinator. We just don't know if that's pre-"Ghost in the Machine" G1 episode, or post.

    Either or, Starscream is the best "dead" Transformer. Agree? Disagree? Give us your list!

    NOTE! Many images were used for this article. They are not copyright TFW2005.COM, and simply fall under fair use laws.

    -Kickback
    TFWe Editor-in-Chief
    Follow me @rankal on Twitter, and @tfw2005 for all your Transformers news!
     
  6. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    Hot November Transformers
    Shin Densetsu's Top 10 Transformers for November

    [​IMG]
    written by Shin Densetsu

    With the Dark Of The Moon line, Generations, and Japanese releases available like the Transformers Masterpiece line, there's plenty of Transformers toys to choose from! Here at TFWe we've compiled our 1st "Top 10 Transformers Toys" list. So what do we think you'll be hunting for between now and November? Check out our list:

    Unicron with Kranix (Amazon Exclusive) - Transformers Generations - TFW2005
    [​IMG]
    Unicron. Ah yes, the almighty Unicron. Originally released in late 2002 for the Transformers Armada line, this figure stood out. Why? For one thing it had full articulation, which many Armada Transformers lacked. Also, it was our FIRST ever Unicron figure! Also, according to Aaron Archer, the Beast Wars Neo Unicron was very floppy in-hand, so presumably Armada Unicron would've been the better toy. While Armada Unicron was a good mold for its time, it's paint scheme was rather toyetic. The Amazon release not only features a paint scheme based more on G1 but also the more accurate head sculpt from the 2010 TakaraTomy release!

    Convoy Version 2.0 with Spike - Transformers Masterpiece - TFW2005
    [​IMG]
    Sure if you're a diehard fan, you probably already have the 1st version(s) of Masterpiece Optimus Prime. However, as awesome as this toy was back in 2004, over time, there were some fans who craved more. Do you like the way Optimus looked in the original cartoon? Did you want a more realistic truck mode? How about mini-figures, do you like those? If you answered yes to all the above, and have the funds, MP10 Masterpiece Convoy V2 is the Prime for you!

    Rodimus Convoy - Transformers Masterpiece - TFW2005
    [​IMG]
    The 1st release of Masterpiece Rodimus Prime was flawed, and was fixed recently with the V2 release. This is pretty much the definitive Rodimus Prime toy, and looks good with the aforementioned MP10 Masterpiece Convoy V2! Skip the V1 Masterpiece Rodimus Prime and get the V2. You will pay more but it's worth skipping the headaches and frustrations associated with the 1st release. However, there's another Rodimus you may like....

    Masterpiece Rodimus Prime With Offshoot
    [​IMG]
    This figure reportedly has better quality control than the 1st release of TakaraTomy's Masterpiece Rodimus Prime, AND, comes with a unique addition, Targetmaster Offshoot! Also the deco is different. If those 2 weren't incentive enough, the price is only $59.99. Sure you don't get the space winnebago battle station, but you pay less than half the price of the Japanese MP Rodimus. Weirdly enough, the elbows have been retooled, and in this respect, the V1 Japanese Rodimus has better elbows.

    Darksteel - Transformers 3 Main Line - TFW2005
    [​IMG]
    Dark Of The Moon Sideswipe had potential to be the best deluxe movie Sideswipe figure, but was stopped short due to the obvious lack of paint. What happens when you repaint the mold with actual, PAINT, give it retooled Mechtech weapons AND a new head paying homage to a popular Beast Wars character? You end up with Dark Steel, the highlight of DOTM wave 5! Finally, the DOTM Sideswipe mold is done justice. What a "quick strike" har har har

    Leadfoot with Steeljaw and Sergeant Detour - TF3 DOTM Human Alliance - TFW2005
    [​IMG]
    The Wreckers were the highlight for some in Dark Of The Moon, and Leadfoot here manages to be a Target exclusive three times! What makes this Human Alliance figure unique? This is the 1st HA figure to feature a pet! Steel Jaw even turns into a MechTech weapon, launches a missile, and even has a leash. We don't have that many physically FAT Transformers aside from Bulkhead, so Human Alliance Leadfoot is a unique addition to your collection.

    Optimus Prime (Striker) - Transformers 3 Main Line - TFW2005
    [​IMG]
    Did you like Optimus Prime's shiny new weapons in Dark Of The Moon? Angry that aside from his battle axe and Cyberverse Battle Steel Optimus, NONE of the Hasbro DOTM Optimus Primes feature any of his movie weapons? Did you skip the voyagers and wanted a retooled version of the venerable ROTF Leader Optimus mold? Well pony up for Striker Optimus Prime. Featuring a souped up alt mode inspired by the RPM Stealth Force toy, as well as the shield and gun he wielded in the movie, THIS Optimus Prime may be the definitive DOTM Optimus toy.

    Space Case - Transformers 3 Main Line - TFW2005
    [​IMG]
    Good ol' Space Case. Who would've thought that we would EVER get a G2 reference in a movie line, much less a Cyberjet homage at that? If the translucent plastic didn't grab your attention, maybe the new head sculpt will. Gone is the amphibious look of Terradive, in is a more meched out look! Terradive was one of the popular 2010 deluxes, but Space Case might have him beat. Best of luck trying to find him too, as he is packed 1 per case and rather scarce.

    Autobot Guzzle - Transformers 3 Cyberverse - TFW2005
    [​IMG]
    The Cyberverse line surprised us with the addition of both a Targetmaster Blackout and a G1 based Powerglide. Another surprise that snuck in during the cons was GUZZLE! Fans rejoiced, and with a micromaster homage in the Cyberverse line, all was well. Even at its small size, Guzzle even comes with combining weapons. A nugget that's chock full of fun. Right now this is THE Commander figure to buy.

    Grimstone with Dinobots - Transformers Power Core Combiners - TFW2005
    [​IMG]
    Who DOESN'T like Dinobots? In fact this set is what drew some fans who ignored Power Core Combiners, to the line. This set did not make it to many stores, so fans rejoiced when it started to show up at TJ Maxx/Marshalls stores. For only $13 you can't go wrong, and it's arguably one of the best PCC Combiner sets/teams.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 1, 2011
  7. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    The Halloween Horrorcons
    [​IMG]
    written by Sol Fury

    Transformers have had exclusives in all kinds of styles before now, but few have ever been themed around the time of year (those Easter basket KOs in their wild colors don't count).

    But this was not always the case. Back in 2004, we got a glimpse at some very unusual decos for a group of Beast Wars toys. These would have been a part of the Transformers Universe line, which was in full flow at the time. However it was not until 2006 that we learned these were intended as Wal-Mart exclusive value two packs called "Halloween Horrorcons", when Hasbro accidentally put up a toy list on their site with details of many toys that did not make it.

    [​IMG]
    Halloween Horrorcon Nightprowler, a Beast Wars Cheetor Redeco

    [​IMG]
    Halloween Horrorcon Leatherhide, a Beast Wars Mutant Soundwave Redeco

    So, what were the toys? There were four in total. The Maximal Cheetor was redone in a soft gray colorscheme, with yellow for the robot mode parts, and the Beast Wars Mutant Soundwave was ironically redone in far more Soundwave-esque blue tones. These two looked alright as far as decos go - nothing dramatic or gaudy, nothing particularly eye-catching. From the listings, these two would have been Nightprowler and Leatherhide, respectively.

    [​IMG]
    Halloween Horrorcon Blackarachnia, a Beast Wars Blackarachnia / Tarantulas Redeco

    [​IMG]
    Halloween Horrorcon Waspinator, a Beast Wars Transmetals Waspinator Redeco

    It's the other two toys that were the stand-outs of the four. Nightprowler and Leatherhide each represented one-half of their respective two packs - Nightprowler would have come with a redeco of Transmetal Waspinator, and Leatherhide would have been packed with a redeco of the original Blackarachnia. Waspinator and Blackarachnia were real gems of toy decos. Both were primarily black, with a secondary neon tone for added effect, and this gave them a lurid, creepy feel - the best comparison I can think of is the so-called special "fifth ink" used in the old DC Comics Underworld Unleashed crossover. These neon tones made both Blackarachnia and Waspinator pop as far as decos go - they stood out and felt almost "otherworldly" compared to the more down-to-earth decoed toys they would have shared the two packs with.

    Perhaps that was the whole point of the two packs, though?

    In any case, we'll never know. Due to a glut of exclusives released - and selling poorly - through Wal-Mart under the Universe banner that year, these two packs were cancelled. Other than the handful of images from Ebay auctions in 2004, and the swiftly-removed information from Hasbro's website in 2006, these toys are all but forgotten. Which is a great shame, because Waspinator and Blackarachnia really shine with their black and neon decos.


    We would like to thank 2005 Boards member and TFWiki editor Nevermore for archiving the images which you see here, which would otherwise have been lost forever.
     
  8. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    [​IMG]
    #05- Golden Dust in the Wind

    [​IMG]
    Written by: Secretcode

    Happy Halloween, dear readers. There are many things in this hobby that are a bit horrifying to behold. TFWe reader Optimus84 had poor experiences with the Concept Camaro Bumblebee's chest gears. Kuhlio had (and as far as I know, is STILL having issues) with overly touchy electronics on Armada Jetfire. WTF@TFW Podcaster Omegus Prime's initial TFCC Sideburn had a shattered elbow due to a misfired pin (which was replaced by the Transformers Collector's Club.) But the one I want to highlight today is from a TFW user by the name of GeneralTekno, who had an experience that's far more on topic than he anticipated.

    "When I was a kid, one of my favorite Beast Wars figures was Transmetal Megatron. Megatron being a character I liked, the figure got heavy use until it broke, which was, thankfully, around the same time I got the Transmetal II iteration - and for years I thought nothing of his broken arm. Years later, after I'd since gotten into collecting, and the mold deteriorated further, I decided to pick up a replacement at TFcon - I'd found a loose one that was complete and unmarred for a reasonable price. This was going to be the year I'd acquire all the figures in order to properly display that awesome scene in "Coming of the Fuzors" with the Predacon lineup at the sunset! And then he broke while in my luggage on the way home."

    While not being the exact same situation or materials as Gold Plastic Syndrome, the subject of this month's Gimmickry, it is often considered the be of the same caliber as Gold Plastic Syndrome. What is Gold Plastic Syndrome? Gold Plastic Syndrome is an issue with thin parts of toys with plastics of a golden or bronze variety with a very visable swirling in the plastic becoming increasingly brittle as time goes on, eventually reaching the point where the stress on the plastic becomes too much and the plastic begins to crumble into many, many pieces quite possibly due to the metallic pigments and colorings not being properly mixed into the plastics, causing obvious seam lines and swirls in the plastic leading to increased fragility.

    While the exact causation for GPS isn't known, it hasn't stopped people from trying to figure it out. The most logical theory regarding the process is from TFW2005's Aernoroth, who discussed at length the possible reasons for Gold Plastic Syndrome on Canadian Slag (Transformers Podcast on Cybertron.CA, sister site of TFW2005. You can find this specific episode over here.)

    Aernoroth's theory basically breaks down (DO HO HO) into the metallic flakes not being properly mixed into the base plastics, leading to the trademark swirly-patterned nature of the Gold Plastic, and as time goes on the bond between the plastic and the flakes through either a process of oxidation, general wear and tear (or a mix of both) until eventually the bond itself just gives. As the bond slowly gives, gaps start to form in the plastics making it more brittle and sensitive until the inevitable happens and the plastic shatters. There's nothing to do about it, and unless one has access to a zero-g, zero-gravity and zero-stress environment to store their collection in, there's no way to avoid it. To be honest, I find it hilarious. Well not hilarious. It's amusing. "How so?" you might ask. Well it's just a bit of ironic humor, to know that the downfall of so many of these toys will be their plastics crumbling away to nothing, all through use of their individual Gimmickry. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way and THAT is why GPS is being covered in Gimmickry and not as a stand-alone article.

    Despite what some people may think, Gold Plastic Syndrome is something that stuck around for over a decade in the toyline, lasting (as far as we know) until the 2000s Universe catch-all line ranging all the way back to the later days of the Generation One toyline. As the name does suggest, the syndrome normally effects toys with golden/bronze/brass-colored plastics with the infamous swirly plastics.

    [​IMG]
    Black Zarak, Fresh out of package​

    The first and quite possibly the most infamous example of Gold Plastic Syndrome, is Black Zarak from the Transformers: Masterforce toyline in Japan. What exactly is effected by the GPS? His four antenna, his four twin cannons, the gun cover, his sheild, his feet, his Headmaster, and his companion Black Roritchi (repaint of Fasttrack) that is composed almost ENTIRELY out of gold plastic. Expensive and rare enough as it is, being a Japanese-only G1 toy, the toy has become somewhat of a collector nightmare to find in complete or mint conditions due to the sheer number of parts effected by GPS.

    As Generation One slowly came to a close, several other GPS toys were released (Bristleback, Skyhammer, Slog, Killbison, Roadblock- in particular) and the transition phase between G1 and G2 began in something called a "Europe", which from what I understand from watching TV and using the internet is a magical place of brightly colored plastics, metric systems, and the majesty that is known as "Tahdon Rakastella Sinua". In a brief period between Generations One and Generation Two this "Europe" released several new molds that were effected by the Gold Plastic Syndrome: Thunderclash (His feet are made of the stuff, which doesn't help considering they are on ratchet joints), Pyro (not as badly effected most other GPS toys, with his waist joint being the only piece that's normally effected, although his feet, forearms, missile launchers, rims and gun are made of the material as well), and the big GPS victim himself: Skyquake, whose gimmickry (DO HO HO) itself cannot be used without breakage. You see, Skyquake was a part of the Predators (or in this so-called "Europe", the Scopemasters) which was a subgroup of Decepticons from G1 whose primary gimmick involved a scope known as the Megavisor. Through the attachment of the other Predators (other than Stalker,) to the actual scope-piece normally ends up in a mess of bronze shards and various debris.

    [​IMG]
    Euro G1 Skyquake, in Vehicle Mode with his Megavisor on top intact.​

    Transition period ends, and G2 comes around with two cases of GPS that I'd like to mention. The first of which, I won't spend too much time on as the reasoning for the breakage is pretty simple. A component of the Generation 2 version of Superion, G2 Slingshot is nearly entirely composed of the golden plastic. Being part of a combiner, actually plugging in the Slingshot toy into Silverbolt to create Superion is an extremely high risk, as odds are it will completely destroy to your Slingshot, as well as leave an abandoned nub inside your G2 Silverbolt.

    And here we are, finally, to the toy that I personally consider the most infamous of all toys that suffer from GPS, Generation 2 Electro, a toy that will do everything in it's power to make you break it. "But Secret," you begin to ask "How can a toy do that? Toys can't think or feel!" Well for starters, that's called personification, deal with it. Second, the toy is more or less a giant cobbled together mess of everything that sets off GPS into a single, fragile toy. You see, Electro is one of the few non-Action Master uses of thick fragile rubber bands known as "O-Rings: in Transformers toys. Via twisting on the O-Ring or pulling a part attached to it, you were able to approximate waist articulation. Unfortunately, O-Rings have to be positioned and secured via plastic hooks or loops, and in Electro's case, Golden Plastic hoops. Too much stress, and boom. Now you have two Electros, in both Torso and Crotch varieties. Oh, but that is not all. After all, Electro is a masochistic little toy. He wants to you hurt him. In fact, he wants you to hurt him with his own sword. Jab the handle into his tiny golden fist. If the act of putting it in doesn't make something break, pulling it out sure would. And hey, try and move his knees and elbows too. Disintegration is fun!

    [​IMG]
    Generation 2 Electro, in a rare state of not being broken.​

    Post-G2, GPS has become a somewhat rare occurance as Hasbro has claimed to have stopped using the breakage prone plastics. The final era of toys that have somewhat infamous GPS victims is Beast Wars; which while it does have some big offenders such as Mutants Soundwave, Grimlock, and Torca;, it doesn't have anything that outright breaks due to it's own gimmick. That is, until you take a look at the Japanese side of things, specifically: Randy, one of the many spring-loaded flipchangers from the Beast Wars line. While I could describe how the GPS itself happens on this toy, or what GPS looks like overall, I feel it's best just to show you. Well, not me. Big thanks to TFW2005 Member Clay for letting me use the video for this as well: Gold Plastic Syndrome

    The Beast Era reached it's climax, and the Gold Plastic Syndrome began to slowly subside and eventually become dormant due to new plastic mixing techniques and choosing non-fragile plastics instead. That's not to say there were no more examples of GPS in the history of the toyline since the Beast Era, it is just that the occurence is now considered to be a bit of a rarity in the modern Post-Beast lines. In fact, the only three toys since that era of Transformers that are 100% confirmed and outright known to be victims of GPS are Universe Megabolt, Micromaster Superion, and the Star Wars Crossovers Millennium Falcon. While it's been a few years since the last known sufferer of GPS, it's impossible to tell if we really have seen the last of it, as it's been proven with the SWTF Millennium Falcon that the plastic is still in use, albeit on very rare occasions. Will we see GPS again? Will we undoubtedly hear screams from various fans when a new toy (one that's probably highly anticipated) is found to suffer from GPS? Who knows. All I know is that if it does happen, we'll hear it.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 30, 2011
  9. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    Of Men and Monsterbots
    [​IMG]
    written by Sol Fury

    As this is a Halloween special, I thought it was a cool idea to highlight a section of Transformers lore that has started to fall by the wayside with the increased emphasis on "realistic" alternate modes. I am talking about the fantastic cousions of the beastforms - the monsterform Transformers.

    Beastform Transformers were there from the very beginning of Transformers - the likes of Ravage and Laserbeak were there from more or less day one, and their gigantic scale in fiction made them appear monstrous. Dinobots - mechanical dinosaur Transformers - followed very shortly after, as did the gigantic insects that were the Insecticons. Your mileage may vary if you class these as monsters or not - certainly they were big and dangerous, but they were still grounded in reality.

    [​IMG]
    Gnaw the Sharkticon was the first Transformer to have a "monster" alternate mode.

    Our first monster Transformers would come onto the scene in 1986, as a part of the new "futuristic" twist on Transformers. Our first introduction to a monster Transformer was the Sharkticon. They might have been named for a real creature, but these little squat balls with teeth and spindly arms looked nothing like real any real beast, and more like monsters - especially with the pit full of them which the Quintessons would pitch prisoners into. The Sharkticons were quickly followed in 1986 by Trypticon, a big Godzilla styled dinosaur, and Sky Lynx, a literal chimera of a lynx and some kind of dinosaur bird thanks to his combination style.

    [​IMG]
    The Monsterbots - Doublecross, Repugnus and Grotusque

    1987 is where the titular Monsterbots made their debut. The most outright fantasy based creatures yet, the Monsterbots were variously a hydra, some kind of bug, and what I assume is a jabberwocky or griffin. Okay, so other than the two headed dragon Doublecross I've no idea what these guys are. But they're the most monstrous Transformers yet, and they also breathed fire using flints in their chests. 1987 also gave us the first of a trio of monstrous combiners, the Decepticon Abominus / the Terrorcons, the Headmaster Horrorcon Snapdragon, and depending on your perspective, Scorponok. Another monster from 1987 was Fortress Maximus - a monster in size and pricetag - especially today's aftermarket prices!

    [​IMG]
    A selection of the Decepticon Pretenders, showcasing their monstrous Pretender shells.

    1988 and the monsterform literally exploded. Decepticon Pretenders, Firecons, Seacons, Headmaster Juniors... odds are if you were a 1988 Decepticon then you'd have a monster form, unless you were a Triggercon or Targetmaster Junior. The Firecons were like discount versions of the Monsterbots, they also shot sparks and had similar concepts for beast forms. The Seacons were another combiner team, this time themed around sea monsters. The Decepticon Pretenders are worthy of note though - except for one or two like Carnivac and Roadgrabber, every single one had a monstrous outer shell. Some were truly terrifying creatures, although the limits of the molding of the time meant the utter creepiness evident in the concepts could not be fully explored. For example, Bomb-Burst, a vampire bat, looks utterly evil with the larger wings shown in Masterforce. The Decepticon Pretenders ran the gammut of creatures, using mythical beasts like the minotaur and gargoyles, to sea monsters (Finback, Submarauder, Octopunch in 1989). One of them, 1989's Roadblock, seemed to be taking a cue from the Zoanoids from the Guyver series. Just imagine, now, what a series of Robot Replicas / Revoltech Pretender shell toys, with Macfarlane levels of detail, would look like. Those would be some real Halloween Horrorcons.

    [​IMG]
    the Fuzors, from Beast Wars. Chimera-styled hybrids of two animals. Very Doctor Moreau.

    1989 had more Pretenders with monsterforms, plus the Kaiju styled Deathsaurus in Japan, but the concept had peaked by this time, and there were no monsters at all in 1990, and largely none through the run of Generation 2 (except some recolored Firecons). Beast Wars had the Fuzors, blends of two different kinds of animal with frequently monstrous results, such as Injector (nyuk nyuk), which was a nice return to form, although many did not capture the imagination in the same way the likes of Bugly did in Generation 1. Beast Wars also gave us a dragon Megatron, finally doing an honest-to-goodness dragon Transformer. It's surprising that we'd only had two headed dragons and other winged monsters before this, but there you have it. There were also the bionic Transmetal IIs, cyborgified beasts, and in Japan, Beast Wars Second released a quartet of Cyber-Beasts which went along the same lines, and had a certain degree of Frankenstein's monster in the mix.

    [​IMG]
    Robots in Disguise Bruticus, a Cerberus monster out of the pages of myth

    Beast Machines came and went, and with it the Noble Savage, a dragon / werewolf creature. A Cerberus was also planned and found its way into Robots in Disguise as Bruticus, and in some ways was a last hurrah for monster forms. For all his flaws, Bruticus was a proper monster design - multiple heads and all. Since then, there's only been a few beasts in Cybertron that really fit the bill, and of those, it's only the mighty Scourge - a dragon with additional flip out heads - who truly fits the bill of a monster. With the onus nowadays on realistic vehicles, and beast Transformers in general being few and far between, have we seen the last of monster form Transformers? Probably not - like any good monster, they're just lurking in the shadows, waiting to leap out and terrorize collector's shelves all over again.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 1, 2011
  10. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    The Ultimate Masquerade - Third Party Transformers
    [​IMG]
    written by Kickback

    Halloween.

    The time of year where children and the slightly deranged older audiences dress up and wander around seeking out treats or find yet another excuse to party (guilty as charged!). So what does Halloween have to do with Transformers? Well, frankly, nothing. Transformers have never celebrated Halloween (save for that one Transformers Animated episode) and as far as toys go we only once almost got something (check out Sol Fury's article by clicking here!).

    But there is a real-life situation that has come up in the last 18 months. Something that isn't Transformers, but totally is. It's a hot-topic where those who are against it have slowly had their voices drowned out by the clamoring masses who demand more, more, more.

    Yes friends, the ultimate Halloween costume - third party Transformers items.

    What started as innocently as UNICRON.COM third-party accessories (energon cubes, the Unicron stand, the Vector Sigma accessory via BotCon) and began to slightly impede on Hasbro's intellectual property (FansProject City Commander, A Rabid Squirrel's miserable ARC product), has become a full-blown enterprise (Casuality series, iGear's Masterpiece Knock-Off's, KO Toy's cheap KO repaints, that big Devastator looking thing). And while a lot of them are totally cool (I'm looking at you, Casuality series by FansProject), you have to be able to call them as they are - products masquerading as Transformers.

    I would dare say that more collectors are licking their chops in anticipation of the next third-party item than they are the next Transformers item. But why is that? Why would the third-party market now have a stranglehold on the wallets of collectors everywhere? Let's wet our thirst for answers with a look at the current market for Transformers.

    Do you like the movie Transformers? Do you like the attempt at replicating what you see on screen in toy format? If you answered yes, then congratulations, you are the demographic Hasbro is banking on to carry them through third quarter earnings. But if you're like me (a fan for over 25 years) and tolerated the movie designs (I use that term sparingly), then right now you're saving a TON of money because NONE of what you see on the shelves interests you (except you Powerglide and Guzzle). I found myself in this dilemma before - nothing on the shelves interests you, what you really want to buy (right now, Prime toys) aren't even available yet, so you find yourself doing things that still take up your money (girlfriends, beer, iPhone 4s). But then you log on to the Internets one day and discover that new Devastator third-party figure set has new pictures ... and those Insecticon-looking things are available and in-stock, and that new Seaspray looks interesting, and you always wanted a Masterpiece Dirge figure ... and suddenly you're back in to it, but none of it is Hasbro, it's all third-party.

    The Honeymoon period is over my friends.

    If you disliked the design athestic of the movie trilogy then you're probably slightly put-off by the design athestic of Transformers Prime, which is going to save you even more money (for me, their continued "shove-down-our-throats-the-Cyberverse-line" is really turning me off to Transformers as a whole). I'm calling it right now - to save money down the road, you'll see less and less "deluxe" and "voyager" sized Transformers in favor of "Legends" and "Basics" ... or whatever the heck they're called now (I just got used to calling them by their Armada-named size classes).

    You want more Generations toys. Well, all you get now is repaints. You want an awesome comic book. You have to wait for Simon Furman's #81 (before this, it was CHAOS or BUST!). You want a TV show you don't have to download on the Internet ($14.95 additional for the package to get the one channel you want). You want a good movie (.....cricket chirping, discuss that all you want in our Movie forum, I'm not touching that debate!). It's almost as if Hasbro is pushing the older collectors straight in to the hands of the third party groups. Takara-Tomy is doing their part to keep our interest (the Chronicles are kind of cool, especially if we get Shockwave) but even they are falling on re-releases of stuff they just released (Encore Soundblaster and Twincast, I'm looking at you). Don't get me wrong - I am all for supporting Hasbro and their enterprise 100% (and not because they used to pay me way too much to make sure their toys were out for sale). But right now they're not giving me, a 30 year old collector, anything to support.

    The best Halloween costume this year belongs to the Third Party groups/companies/whatever - for once, most everyone might agree, they're doing more stuff Transformers than Transformers is.

    Do you agree? Sound off on this rather touchy subject.

    -Kickback
    TFWe Editor-in-Chief
    Follow me @rankal on Twitter and always @tfw2005 for Transformers news!
     
  11. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    Transformers Armada - A Video Game Restrospective​

    Written by Joe Moore​


    [​IMG]

    When Transformers Armada (the show and toy line) was first announced, it was filled with such promise. Initially, there was so much mystery surrounding it. But as the real details started to come to light, it quickly began to divide the fandom. and while the toys sold extremely well, the show had a much harder time holding an audience, especially among fans. When a Playstation 2 video game was announced by Atari, and then postponed numerous times, the fandom didn't hold out much hope. Previous attempts at bringing the Transformers to video game consoles had ranged from poor to disastrous. And as the game was continuously postponed, the outlook wasn't good for this game.

    [​IMG]

    During the development of the Transformers Armada game, it was revealed that Takara was also developing a Playstation 2 game based on Generation 1. Dubbed Transformers: Tatakai, the game would feature a ton of playable G1 characters. The fandom really started to side with this as the definitive Transformers game, especially after a fantastic CG trailer was released. However, Transformers Tataki really started to show some cracks in the armor as screen shots and game play videos began to surface. They showed an extremely poor looking game, with repetitive game play. And when the game was released in October 2003, the worst fears were confirmed...This was a really, really bad game. The fandom's collective heart was broken, and they begrudgingly turned their sites to the Transformers Armada game, which was being released well after the Armada toys and show were finished.

    [​IMG]

    One positive thing the Armada game had going for it, early previews were getting some seriously positive buzz. Atari, along with Melbourne House (the games producers) and their PR firm Electronic Artists, were all really going out of their way to market directly to the fandom. They began working directly with fan sites to promote the game. This promotion really came to a head in April of 2004, when Atari allowed the staff of TFW2005 to host one of the first ever public (and playable) demos for the game at Cybercon Expo. It was at this point that I personally (and those that played it) realized this was not destined to be another poor cash grab, but an actual good game.

    [​IMG]

    Just a short month later, in May 2004, Transformers Armada finally landed in the hands of gamers and Transformers fans. and while some initial complaints about it being an Armada game (as opposed to G1), most easily looked past that at the game we got. The graphics were some of the best we had seen on the PS2 at the time. It was a game that encompassed all that worked with Armada, while leaving behind all of what people hated about it. Stuff like the annoying kids, the poor stories and the bad animation were absent here. The game controlled fantastically, made excellent use of the Minicon idea and featured huge and varied environments. A lot of the cut scenes featured dialogue straight from G1, and the game featured other G1 inspired nods as well. The biggest selling point for the game, though, were the epic boss fights this game featured. Battling the various Decepticons from the game provided some serious challenges, as well as some serious eye candy. The most memorable being the fight against the behemoth Tidal Wave. That may rank as the best boos fight from ANY Transformers game to date. A the end, they even threw in a battle, on Cybertron, against Unicron's planet form. Another thing that won a lot of fans over were the amazing amount of extras the game packed into the package. You could unlock things like G1 "Public Service Announcements", character renders, concept art, to music tracks. It was one of the most comprehensive set of extras compiled in a game at its time.

    [​IMG]

    It's easy to look back favorably on the Transformers Armada game. Until War For Cybertron was released many, myself included, felt that this was still the best Transformers game available. Even today, it's an enjoyable game to revisit. It certainly doesn't have the impact it did in 2004, but it was certainly the first game worthy of sporting the name Transformers.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 1, 2011
    • Like Like x 1
  12. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    TFWe Halloween Cosplay Pageant
    [​IMG]
    compiled by Sol Fury

    One of the great things about Halloween is seeing people pull out all the stops for some awesome Halloween costumes. But in the Transformers fandom, we go one better and do not wait for Halloween! Transformers costuming is a fun area of the fandom which has expanded considerably in the last five years - from just two people in costume at my first Auto Assembly in 2006, to a whole pageant at Auto Assembly 2011. Here's a selection of Transformers costumes from across the years we think would win any Halloween party:


    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
    As the most recognizable character in Transformers, Optimus Prime is always a popular choice for a costume. Here's a quartet of Generation 1 Optimus Prime costumes from various conventions we have attended.


    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Botcon 2011 brought with it some very impressive Generation 1 inspired costumes. The Grimlock, Devastator and Ultra Magnus you see here each stand over seven feet in height and are very imposing.


    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Auto Assembly 2011 featured a Transformers costume contest that brought out a wide variety of different costumes. Here are just a few of the costumes from the weekend, including the Blackarachnia costume that took top marks.

    [​IMG]
    A groupshot from the San Diego Comic Con 2009 showing that even the unique aesthetic of Transformers Animated can be adapted as costumes, with a little imagination and effort. Photo by Mirai Baby of the 2005 Boards.


    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Here are a few more modern era Transformers characters adapted to costumes, including a trio of Movie Transformers - their intricate designs are perhaps the greatest challenge of all for costumers.


    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Although more modern Transformers series present a real challenge to costume designers, there is something to be said for recreating the look of the classic characters. Here are a few more Generation 1 inspired costumes.


    That's all for our Transformers costuming article! There were loads more great costumes that we would have loved to have given the spotlight to, as every Transformers costume represents a lot of time and effort on the part of the costume designer. I leave you now with one final picture - a group photo from a past Auto Assembly of three excellent Seeker costumes and one crazy guy in a Megatron mask (Hi Ninety!)


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 30, 2011
  13. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    Remembering Gary

    [​IMG]
    Bottom right of the image, Gary Clark and his wife, Luisa

    One of the most magical things about online communities is that you become just that - a community. Friendships are born, relationships are made, and when you physically lose someone from that community, the sadness is shared throughout.

    On Wednesday, September 28th 2011, the TFW2005.COM family lost one of their own. Longtime member, former moderator and former staff member, Gary Clark, also known as Optimus_Scourge, passed away at his home in Massachusettes. He was only 34 years old.

    Gary was a veteran of TFW2005.COM and the TFW2005 Forums. Over the years he had attended many conventions, including all the New Jersey Collectors Conventions, and had made numerous friends along the way. One of the first things anyone will tell you about Gary was how passionate and enthusiastic he was about Transformers (and G.I. Joe). Even if he didn't know you very well, by the end of your conversation there was guaranteed to be handshakes, high-fives, or shoot, even a hug. That's just the type of guy Gary was - passionate and out-going. For his friends, nothing was out of the realm of possibility in terms of what lengths he would go to, to try and help you out.

    He was truly one of a kind and a class act. He has left us too soon.

    Gary is survived by his two children, as well as his wife.

    [​IMG]
    Former TFW2005 moderator DevilzFan with Gary.

    On Sunday, November 20th there will be a Transformers-related birthday/meet-up in honor of Gary. If you're from the Philidelphia area, or have the ability to get there and want to see some other TFW2005 members, then here's where you want to go!

    Casa Brazil Brazillian Barbecue
    6222 Bustleton Ave
    Philadelphia PA 19149

    For more details and how to RSVP, please check out our on-going Philadelphia Meet-Up thread. All the information will be updated there before the actual date.

    Rest in Peace, Gary. And thank you for the memories.

    [​IMG]
    Gary Clark and his wife, Luisa
     
  14. TFWe

    TFWe TFW2005's e-magazine

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Posts:
    38
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Likes:
    +1
    Thank you for taking the time to read the latest issue of TFWe! We apologize that we were a little tardy on this one ... real-life sucks sometimes and takes away the time we WANT to spend on our favorite hobbies! Sadly, TFWe Issue 06 fell victim to such a thing. But our next issue won't suffer the same consequences!

    NEXT ISSUE PREVIEW!

    It's a giant-sized double issue of TFWe! Our 7th issue will be double-sized for the Holidays. It's important to note ... our next issue will cover BOTH the months of November and December. The month of October was a surprisingly busy month for myself and my dear friend Sol Fury, causing both of us to rush last second to try and put everything together. Forecasting an even busier month of November (this is the first time, writing this, that I've had more than 20 minutes to spend in front of a computer screen) we decided to be proactive instead of reactive.

    So what can you look forward to?

    Protoman will write his first (and probably second and third) article for TFWe! Secretcode will deliver a Holiday-themed Gimmickry article. Shin Densetsu will take a ton of pictures for something awesome. We'll take a look back at 2011 and a look forward at 2012. And we may even throw a couple humor pieces in for effect.

    See you in 45-50!

    -Kickback
    TFWe Editor-in-Chief
    Follow me @rankal on Twitter, and @tfw2005 for all your Transformers news!
     
  15. Kickback

    Kickback @GeekWithChris Administrator News Staff

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2002
    Posts:
    40,472
    News Credits:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    447
    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Likes:
    +607
    Ebay:
    Facebook:
    Twitter:
    Instagram:
    YouTube (Legacy):
    Tumblr:
    A little late (sorry, real-life sucks), but it's here! Enjoy! Feedback please!
     
  16. Arcee

    Arcee Optimus Scourge Forever TFW2005 Supporter

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2004
    Posts:
    3,174
    Trophy Points:
    216
    Likes:
    +1
    As always fantastic job you guys. And again thank you for all your support. I know he is up there and can see how loved he was. His spirit will live on through all those that loved him.
     
  17. Protoman

    Protoman The Legendary One Veteran

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2005
    Posts:
    3,919
    News Credits:
    34
    Trophy Points:
    322
    Location:
    Montreal, Canada
    Likes:
    +599
    [​IMG] DWAH!? Oh man Silas! LOL
     
  18. Kickback

    Kickback @GeekWithChris Administrator News Staff

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2002
    Posts:
    40,472
    News Credits:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    447
    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Likes:
    +607
    Ebay:
    Facebook:
    Twitter:
    Instagram:
    YouTube (Legacy):
    Tumblr:
    I forgot to show that to you? Hmm. :lol 
     
  19. General Magnus

    General Magnus Da Custodes of the Emprah

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2007
    Posts:
    14,675
    Trophy Points:
    362
    Likes:
    +2,310
    Not bad. I liked the part on GPS.
     
  20. DJW107PRIME

    DJW107PRIME Autobot Hero

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2007
    Posts:
    7,857
    Trophy Points:
    367
    Likes:
    +352
    Ebay:
    Great stuff. Though I felt all the deaths in the 86 movie could have had a spot.