Fortune's reporting is a bit more straightforward:

Toys 'R' Us May Close 200 More Stores

In sightings news, there was 2x each of wave 2 legends, 1 Snarl, 1 Hun-grrr at AV walmart as of 1AM last night (after I grabbed the only Sludge, Elita, Rippersnapper and a Legends set for myself. Found Hun-grrr and Snarl at Roseville WM.

Now I just need Moonracer and Blackwing; if anybody sees 'em/ has extras, I'm into it.

ALSO: got my first 3P figure in the mail today: Hot Soldiers Soundtrack! IMO, he's amazing. Great quality, great price for a Scout Class figure. Perfectly scaled to the deluxe Dinobots.

 

Soundtrack is solid. I have whatever the cartoon colors version is called. I generally prefer iron factory for my legends, so he's a bit out of scale for me. Still, he's what I want in a soundwave, and I dig it.

Speaking of things that are small and not scaled well.... Here's a little more perspective about the Studio Series:


That's the SAME. MOLD, for the SAME. PRICE, but with essentially 25% less figure.

Here's some added nonsense:



He's shorter than Battletrap, even.

Welp. I think I'll be avoiding this line for the most part except for figures that are new molds or significantly better versions (Grimlock, Lockdown). I haven't minded a lot of the changes they make, but some extra paint apps are not worth losing that much figure.

 

Gonna do my usual apropos of nothing and completely random call for anyone who is interested in selling their UW/CW stuff that I've got figures I'm still hunting so if you're on the fence I may be able to help tip you towards selling.  

I know *someone* here as a Grand Galvatron....

 

Question: I'm not in MN anymore, but where the devil did you folks manage to find the beautiful and perfect TLK Wave 3 'Bee? I could never find anything past Wave 2...

 

I found one at Eden Prairie Walmart. There was like 1 load of wave 3 that hit Walmarts in the south metro, and I happened to snag one. Still had to get Cogman off Amazon for like $38, tho.

Also, he is neither beautiful nor perfect. He looks good, but it took me 5 minutes just to get him to stand because his hips and ankles are a hot, loose mess. That seems to be a problem with the mold anyway, as Baltmatrix's Studio Bee had the same problem (while my studio bee didn't)

 

The studio line isn't intended to be in scale with anything other then it self. All the figures in it are scaled in robot mode to how they were portrayed in the movie. So guys that are cars are going to be small.

 

That's all well and good, but I'm still gonna have to pass on scout-deluxes.

 

The only way that Hasbro will stop shrinking and worsening the QC of their figurines will be if people stop buying them and spread the word because of it. I'm amused that the Studio Series is now the last straw for some people, but yeah. Be the change you wish to see in the world.

I only buy Hasbro figures second-hand or on sale.

P.S. Now that I said all that, if anyone finds the perfect and beautiful TLK Wave 3 'Bee, would you kindly pick him up for me?

 

If people stop buying Transformers they'll just stop making them.

We have to either accept the reduced size/complexity or accept a more significant price increase.

And guess which option is more likely to drive away the core audience and is thus untenable in the long run.

 

1 Moonracer at Stillwater/Oak Park Heights Walmart tonight.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XD6C36W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Transformers Platinum Edition G1 Reissue Conehead Seeker Ramjet Thrust Dirge Set is down to $59 on Amazon. Low enough to make me bite finally.

 

Downtown Target has a Tailgate, 2 Battleslash, and 2 Roadtrap. No other Wave 2 yet.

 

I know this may be a loooonng shot but has anybody spotted a PotP Grimlock in the retail store wild lately in the Twin Cities area?
I'm not willing to pay the $45+ price on the bay or Amazon...

 

I still see Potp Grimlock around at Target and Walmart on the East side in the last few days, I can't remember which exact store now but I'll report it if I see it again.

 

They'll be everywhere soon.

 

Bloomington Target off 494 and Penn had one as of last night.

 

He's repacked in Wave 3 with Inferno so if you haven't found one by then you'll have a pretty decent second chance.

(Mostly because a *lot* of people will already have Grimlock and Inferno is a repaint so etailers won't be able to jack up prices very much.)

 

4 PotP Starscreams sitting on the shelf at Coon Rapids Target today. If that doesn't tell you that no one cares for the figure for the most part, I dunno what will.

 

Indeed. I am very done with fake cockpits.

And everything else that's wrong with that mold.

 

They're using the same DPCI for wave 2, right? IE, there's no way to use Brickseek to see which stores have the new stuff? Man that was nice to have for W1!