Hasbro needs to retire it and create a new Seeker body-type. Seriously, between the defective Henkai Thundercracker and Universe Starscream, it's like the mold is already on its last legs. Not to mention it seems that folding up the vertical stabilizers on the legs enough times causes the plastic to split on every version of the mold, eventually resulting in the stabilizers BREAKING OFF COMPLETELY. This horror befall my BotCon Thundercracker and I can see the start of it on my Target Skywarp. I can't be the only one with this problem... Does anyone think if the Classic filler line returns, or if we get a new, post-movie line with G1-inspired figures, we'll see a new Seeker toy? I hope so! Maybe they could use the original IDW Seeker design or the later "Masterpiece" one, but downsized to be a Deluxe or Voyager? And this could be an ideal way to give everyone a chance at having Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker in one fell swoop without hurting the aftermarket rap..ur..the aftermarket "value" of the earlier exclusives. Oh, and I'd really like a new Starscream toy that can point his nullrays forward without making his wings "break".
I never thought of that, but now that you've brought it up. Yes! THIS! Maybe that upgrade in size can allow some different and better engineering in places (THE WINGS!) and thicker plastic in places (THE VERTICAL STABILIZERS!). And Con jets bigger than Bot cars? Delicious!
I like the deluxe mold. the only ones I have with the stabilizer problems are the original starscream and thundercracker. acid storm and universe starscream are fine. hell, universe starscream is the most solid version of the mold I have. mine isnt defective at all.
I love the mold. It's accurate to cartoon and comic models in both molds. However, it has been used 83.5 times in the past couple years, and I would be happy with seeing a new version. I would also like to see a new Universe/Classics Prime, since that's also been used several times and it's odd for univers to not really have its own Prime release. My Universe Starscream is also my most stable variant of the mold to.
I like the seeker mold a lot, but I agree that it should be retired...after they put out Sunstorm. He's stumpy and the characters they can get out of it has pretty much run its course. A Voyager version that's an amalgam of the Classics Deluxe and the Masterpiece would be awesome. A lot of people complain about loose joints/pegs and cracking stabilizers. If a significant percentage of the figures going out have these defects, I don't see how pointing to one example and saying "mine is fine, all is well" means anything other than YOU happened to get lucky and buy a good one.
I'm not saying that because I havent encounted the problems means that the problems dont exist. to the best of my knowledge based on the acid storm and universe starscream I own, the tailfins were retooled with acid storm to make the fold smoother. it looks like they were retooled, and it feels like they were retooled.
I think you may be overreacting to his statement. As with any release of a toy, those with problems will be loud about it. Often times, that causes the amount of defects to get exxagerated. There may be QC issues, but there is with anything, and I think the whole mold degeneration thing is a silly argument when it comes to current toys.
Actually it was used about 15 times since it came out, twice for each individual seeker, Acidstorm, Uni Starscream repaint and clear 'screamer. But that's still a lot more then the average mold sees in terms of usage. But it can still see some more usage, with two more rainmakers (including Sunstorm) and maybe even a Leader 1 repaint. Personally, I was never too impressed with the mold, it's not that great. But it's not bad either, none of my Seekers have any real issues. But I wouldn't complain about a new SS design, especially if it's a voyager. I just want a good looking toy is all.
I'm sure it's not what you mean, but... uhh. Skywarp? Which, is, of course, my favorite coloring of the mold.
That's the problem, though. If your basing your knowledge of the mold's shape solely on your figures, that's a very isolated sample, to the point of basically being useless for all practical purposes. I have quite a few Seekers, and joint-wise they seem fine, though I don't doubt the people who are having problems. And as for the Acid Storms being retooled: mine has a cracked tailfin. I don't doubt that there are people who have a-ok figures, but the most reliable (though admittedly flawed) way to base my opinion of this mold's condition is to refer to feedback from a collection of owners. I agree with you about those with problems being loud about them, which may artificially inflate the actual occurrence of problem toys out there. I'll concede that it may be hasty to say that the mold is degrading. The actual rate of problem figures may be much lower than one would assume from reading the forums, though I've heard enough similar specific complaints (cracked tailfins, loose joints) to make me suspicious of how well the mold is holding up. I don't care to argue whether the mold is or isn't degrading however. I just took issue with what I perceived to be faulty reasoning.
I always liked the mold, but somehow I could never convince myself to keep buying it over and over. I pretty much just have Classics Starscream, and he's still pretty darn stable after a few years of playing with him. I still lament not picking up Ramjet back then. I do think it's time to rethink the mold, though, and toy with a new design. Isn't that what Universe was for? But no, we got a million seekers and Cybertron recolors. Which I bought. >_>
I'm luck that my retail and botcon seekers have none of the problems you've mentioned. But yet, I agree the molds been used to death. Wouldn't stop me from getting a Sunstorm though
I don't think it's the mold degrading. But that there is a daughter mold that was never any good. Most of the complaints about Henkei TC ans SW were levied against classics Starscream in 2006.
