Ok that dead starscream is actually really tempting

 

So much for the next wave having 4 figures... Can't believe they actually went down. And just reuses of common characters...

I was trying to stay positive on this line. I do have remorse over buying Banzaitron at full price given the deep, deep discount you could recently get him at (what also happened to "made to order"?!?) but I still at least enjoyed him on the whole. And have been looking forward to Bludgeon and Tarn.

But recent moves don't have me excited for this line nor expecting it to last much longer.

 

FWIW, I never got that at all. It went straight from "Unfulfilled" to (attempt to actually deliver package) to "fulfilled" to (actual delivery of package)

 

I've learned my lesson with buying Ultimates at full price. Even the most recent TMNT ones have gone on discount very quickly. Feels like the Ultimates lines in general are in trouble.

 

I mean, they're not in conventional trouble. If Legacy figures all get cut to half price at Walmart and Target, Hasbro has to pay those retailers money and may opt to kill the line to cut liability.

With Super7, it's more or less the retailers screwed if everything gets discounted. The only downside for Super7 is smaller future orders (and then fewer discounts for us).

If anything, heavy discounts may help Super7 by getting new people hooked on the line.

The risk is if retailers stop carrying them, we'd end up having to buy them direct and pay $20 shipping and pay upfront. But, more likely, BBTS would simply charge a 10-20% non-refundable down payment and we could still use PoL/$4 flat shipping.

No. The discounts don't worry me about the health of a line like this.

What worries me is the dwindling wave size and mold use. Never really seen this from Super7 before. Even Toxic Crusaders increased their wave size from 1 to 3 and increased new molds.

Starscream, I could forgive in wave 4. Same sculpt but a new mold. (Ghost Starscream is molded hollow.) And Optimus in wave 4 got a new head, torso, and arms.

With wave 5, this is two new heads, a crown, a cape, and shoulder accessories. Maybe four new heads, actually? Looks like they fixed Starscream's. Okay... and a new left hand for Megatron.

This isn't inspiring people to buy in who haven't already.

That's the thing with these preorders. Super7 may close its orders but what happens to retail stock influences future orders. And people are still deciding whether to buy waves 2, 3, and 4. This may discourage them.

I think with TMNT and Disney, retailers just need to order less. Thundercats and Toxic Crusaders both go up in value after release (except for the ones that were reissued). There's no clearance problem there and TMNT demand seems healthy. I've seen plenty of reviews and photos of TMNT and Disney figures.

I honestly haven't seen too many pictures in-hand or reviews of TF Ultimates though.

I do think Super7 shot themselves in the foot with bad articulation choices, mind you. I think there's a market for non-transforming TFs. But you have a problem when the transforming ones pose better.

Super7 isn't big on articulation. I get that. But transforming Transformers themselves from Hasbro aren't big on articulation either! They both have around 12 points of articulation!

But with boxier shapes, things like where you place the articulation (closer to the inside edge, ideally) and the occasional double joint (which doesn't break the sculpt like it would on organic figures) can matter. And, of course, especially on boxier joints, you can hide in an extra point of articulation (such as knee swivel or elbow swivel) to make up for what you can't do. Robots don't have to move like humans. Dropdowns and skirt-flaps also help. And carve-outs don't look as egregious on robots as they do on muscle.

Sorry for the rant. Not worried for Super7 but am worried for this line.

I'd have taken one brand new character, even a higher priced one, over two reuses. This isn't encouraging.

I think what they should do -- if the line is this dire -- is double down on ONE, BIG figure.

Do an 11 inch Unicron similar to Silverhawks Ultimates Mon*Star for $84.99 and call that a wave.

THAT would stand apart. It's nearly as big as the 15" Armada/Platinum Unicron many of us are still hoarding/displaying and bound to be more animation accurate. It might not transform like the Haslab Unicron or be 27" but it'd be hundreds cheaper and wouldn't have some of the loose kibble.

If that doesn't work, throw in the towel. But don't throw us two small waves full of reuse without any new, distinct characters except Soundwave and expect a turnaround.

 

How to save ultimates and get rich quick:

Release teletran-1 and BW ravage. The end.

 

Fortunately, it does seem Super7 is listening to feedback re: the articulation, given how not only the render of Wave 4 Dead Optimus had modified arm sculpts compared to Wave 1 Optimus, but also how the physical sample of Bludgeon at that recent convention or show had noticeable changes to both the sculpt around the elbows to increase elbow range and to the torso to increase the range of movement of the shoulderpads to get them out of the way more. Hopefully stuff like that helps more people buy future waves so the line doesn't die so soon.

 

I don't want to be too negative because these both look pretty sick. That Starscream death face especially.

 

Wow, I do not need 2 Primes, 2 Megatrons, and 3 Starscreams in the first 5 waves. Between that and the fact that we've had waves of 3 and 2 figures now is ominous for the future of this line. I was so excited with the first three waves and my enthusiasm is now completely gone. I'm heading over to BBTS to cancel all of my preorders.

The crazy thing is I cancelled all of my GI Joe preorders a couple of weeks ago, based on the quality of the samples and hadn't looked back. Can't believe I'm doing it with Transformers now.

I may go back and buy a few of the TFs at a discount at some point, but no way am I paying full price.

 

I'm waiting for clearer images but at least it looks like that Starscream has two fixed heads.

Slap one of each on the two earlier Starscreams and it's cheaper than hiring a customizer for two heads?

That's me being optimistic.

EDIT: Nope. Those are the same heads.

 

Man, I’m glad we got two Action Masters but what the heck are these last two waves. Nightbird, Slizardo, Alpha Trion, Devcon, there’s easy money here for the MP collectors just left on the table.
Well, if remoulds can help pay for future new moulds then let’s hope for a better wave 6

 

I'm still eager to see those BW figures for the smaller scale. I feel like those were revealed ages ago and still haven't seen hide nor hair.

 

Please tell me they pack in a bag of gray dust so we can have an actual dead starscream lmao

 

lol That Starscream is great .

 

The Starscream is tempting

 

ahhh, the cheap repaint wave!
(well, not actually cheap....)

 

Not my thing. Really hope they get back to Pretenders and Action Masters and things like G2 Marvel Megatron.

 

Is that all for the wave? 2 figures?

 

Not *this* is how you do a proper version of this particular Megatron. EFF YOU, HASBRO AND YOUR LOW EFFORT RED FIGURE! And yes, even though I bought that one, he's going right in the bin as soon as this version arrives.

Super7, you'd better use black light reactive paint!!

 

We get crumbling Starscream, but  still no one can make a Dark Awakening \'zombie\' Optimus?  Lol. At first glance these seem simple but they aren\'t when you look closer. I like them but I\'m not sure I\'m going to buy them.