For more pics, click on the image above


Robot Mode: Darkmount is modeled after a comic character from the original Marvel comic series (more on that see below), so let’s look at the resemblance first. The head is spot-on and still looks quite spooky more than twenty years later. The torso is also a very close match, including the blue and red paint job (though the character’s paint job changed almost from page to page due to the old comics’ limited color palette). The legs look different, but that’s a transformation requirement, and the original didn’t have any back kibble, but then again the comic character was never meant to be a transformable toy. Posability is quite good for this figure and he isn’t hindered by the shoulder or back kibble at all. I’ve heard some people wonder if the legs are stable considering their design, but I can tell you: they are. Darkmount has a stable stance and can pull off lots of poses.

Darkmount’s main weapon in robot mode is an axe, a near-perfect replica of the weapon he wielded in the comics (and used to slice unlucky Autobots apart). Thanks to his excellent posability he can easily hold it two-handed if you like and it fits well into his superbly sculpted hands. Additionally Darkmount has three clip-on weapons, which can attach to various points on his body (upper legs, lower legs, shoulders). Personally I wouldn’t have needed those, but you can use them or leave them without any negative impact on the figure or any of its modes. The clip-on weapons can also be used by other current Transformers figures (i.e. Hubcap).

Just about the only bad thing I can say about this figure is that I wish they’d done him as a Voyager-class figure, seeing as he towered over most other Transfomers in the comics. That, and we need a Blaster of comparable scale (again, see below). Apart from that, though, a superb robot mode that almost perfectly captures the old comic character. No complaints.

Alternate Modes: Darkmount’s main alternate mode is a so-called half-track tank, meaning it has tracks on the rear of the vehicle, but wheels on the front. Darkmount’s axe becomes the barrel of the tank’s main cannon, while the clip-on weapons can once again be attached at various spots. They look better here than in robot mode in my opinion, but once again: Use them or not at your own discretion. The main gun of the tank can angle upwards quite a bit and the turret can turn a full 360 degrees. So all in all the vehicle looks very decent and has no obvious problems.

Darkmount has a sort-of third mode, which pays homage to the alternate mode the character had in the Marvel comics. There he transformed into a flying tripod-mounted gun thingy (somewhat like Galvatron’s cannon mode. So Darkmount’s tank mode can be modified to resemble that. Basically the tracks angle down to turn into ‘legs’ (a quadpod, if you will) and the grey handles Darkmount had on his knees in robot mode now turn sideways, so a Scout-sized figure can function as gunner. The final result looks more like some kind of artillery than the flying tripod thing from the comics. Personally I don’t have much use for this mode, but it doesn’t hurt the other two in any way and it’s a nice nod toward the original.

Remarks: In the G1 cartoon series Cybertron was, for the longest time, an all-but abandoned planet, populated only by Shockwave, some generic Seekers, and (for all of two episodes) a few female Autobots. Not so in the Marvel comics. Here Cybertron was still a war-torn planet with a sizeable population, ruled (mostly) by Decepticons. And one of the most powerful Decepticons at that time was Straxus, who ruled the city-state Polyhex from the fortress Darkmount. Straxus was created exclusively for the comics and was destroyed within a few issues at the hands of Blaster. He later returned as a severed head in the Marvel UK comics and ended up in a new body cloned from Megatron before killing himself (long story, don’t ask!).His catch phrase “Mercy is not dispensed here, fools, only death!” is quite famous in the Transformers fandom.

Not sure why this figure is called Darkmount and not Straxus (the Japanese version will in fact be called Straxus), probably a copyright problem of some kind, but it’s definitely the same guy and the designers did themselves proud here. There are differences from the comic version, of course, but considering that the comic character was never intended to be a transforming toy in the first place, the resemblance is excellent. The look of the figure fits with both the Generations and Movie-verse style (and War for Cybertron, too, if you like), so Straxus/Darkmount can easily be part of whatever toy line-up you personally prefer. The bottom line: A very cool figure that I fully recommend.

Rating: A

 

OK, I don't consider myself an anal retentive person, but all the reviewers calling Straxus tank are going on my bloody nerves.

STRAXUS IS NOT A TANK, HE'S A SELF PROPELLED ARTILLERY GUN!!

Howitzer to be precise.

See this is a tank



and this is a SPAG.



See the huge ass shock absorbers above the barrel on the SPAG picture?

Straxus has them, and that, as well as the whole turret, caliber, barrel length and most importantly the vertical angles that the barrel can have and the range separate it from tanks.

 

Yeah? Which of those is the halftrack that Darkmount actually IS?

Mercy is not dispensed here, fools... ONLY TANK SEMANTICS!

 

I'm going to put a little tank top and cutoff track pants on my Darkmount and display him on a race track inside of a fish tank. Cover all the bases that way.

 

Seriously, you guys are going to make me get this figure for the lulz value alone.

 

Again with the tank thing. Straxus is not a tank. Calling Straxus a tank is like calling Jeep Patriot a car like Ford Focus. (Hey, they both 4 wheels and 4 doors you know)

I suppose MLRS is also a tank, no?




Being halftrack is not important. There are SPAGs mounted on chassis' with wheels only.

PS. I added the properly hosted pictures to my previous post.

 

Darmount is easily my favorite Generations figure.

I realize this might be getting old but here goes:

Mercy is not dispensed here, fools... only pez!

 

I still don't have the figure.  

 

after all the positive reviews, i might pick him up along with thrust.

 

I'm starting to think this figure is a must have.

 

This figure is so fun to mess with. Not to mention he is badass

 

Yes, Yes he is. I was lukewarm on him before, as I knew nothing about the character, but having him in hand is aw some. And his altmode is killer. Another nice thing about him is having that little cockpit windshield on his shoulder. It really sells the scale.

 

He is. Not just because of the meme, and not just because he's a Marvel Comics character we never thought we'd get. From an objective engineering standpoint, he is just a very cool figure. Personally, I find him more impressive than Wave 1's trophy boy Drift.

 

This! The only thing even remotely giving away what his altmode is are the treads on his back. Everything else is solid robot. You can't look at any one part of his robot mode and say it looks like this or that vehicle part. Almost everything about the vehicle mode is cleverly hidden or disguised. Also, as I said before-LOVE THAT ALTMODE! The fact that hes an old comic character is just another added bonus to me.

 

<3

 

Found him today at target in middletown NJ, had no intentions of buying him but i did it anyway..., BOY WHAT A SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!! AN AMAZING FIGURE OVERALL!!!!!

totally rocks!! a must buy!!

 

I think Darkmount is a great figure.

For those of you who think that the Device Label Blaster is a tad too big, may I offer up this suggestion: track down an Action Master Blaster. I think he's a perfect fit, and it also helps if you've got Legends Warpath, Cosmos and Beachcomber.  

(I just drove up the going rate for an A.M. Blaster, didn't I?)