David Hingtgen

I thought the YF-23's restoration was done? There were pics a while back of it being "rolled out" and it looked spotless. As for the Phantom---a note at the end says it all (tongue in cheek): "Regarded as a monster in its day, the F-4 is about equivalent in empty and loaded weight to the Super Hornet and Joint Strike Fighter. It has rather less power than those aircraft, but (depending on variant) is about 500 mph faster and has a similar weapon load. Technology has clearly advanced a long way."

Any Storm Shadow is decently rare, but especially his "hooded with grey camo spots" look. As is Snake Eyes packed with his wolf.

They totally skip on how the shoulder transforms though, and show nothing about the gear.

Frameless=defeats the point. Having lensless frames would look much more correct. I will admit, looks better than the early promo pics.

I've put the pics side-by-side, and the only difference I see for Onslaught is the silver on the face, and the "waist lights". Am I missing some big obvious change? As for Silverbolt--I actually like the US one better. Still don't know if I'll get him---he looks like he might have G1 *limb* Aerialbot transformation.

The thing is--if you put dullcote over white paint---then the dullcote stays clear, but the white paint itself yellowed underneath---could you really tell *which* layer yellowed? (often brought up in "what clear coat/white doesn't yellow?" threads)

About that "2-packs as single cards"----would that include, say, Copperhead any time soon? Or will there be like a year delay, and we'll start seeing Ripper singly?

HISS driver is a very good figure IMHO. Simple, minimal accessories, but the best torso-joint of all. (looks a bit weird twisted to the side due to the chest plate, but the range of motion is the most natural and useful I've found). Going to repaint the black part of the mask though---none in the stores has the black paint in quite the right spot--either the "mouth" or visor have too much or too little paint. Is it that hard for the factory workers to follow the indentations? ::edit:: Except the one at JoeBattleLines, they got a "perfect" one--http://joebattlelines.com/reviews/toys/25thanniversary/cobrahissdriver.htm HISS driver's awesomeness means I might buy a black HISS just to get Rip-It. Unless someone's army-building HISS tanks and doesn't need all those Rip-Its. (I really only need one HISS, and I like the blue more than the black, so I'm already all set, HISS-wise) PS---going to paint the silver rims on the Lackey Viper's goggles, too.

I mean compressed, as in compressed so much there's a notable quality loss. Like a 99% vs 60% JPG.

I just pre-ordered Japanese shiny chrome movie Prime from LaF toys. Thundercracker is still too expensive--"only half of Botcon" is still too much for $9.99 toy. Not getting TC funds my chrome...

A LOT of cable HD isn't HD, it's simply "upscaled". And even if it really is filmed in HD---most companies squeeze a zillion channels into just a bit of bandwidth, causing lots of image/compression problems. All just depends. Unless you're using a Blu-Ray player or a PS3 or a 360, you're probably not getting full, pure, uncompressed HD. Unless you're lucky.

Strato-Viper is my most-wanted viper. A. They look cool. B. They pilot the coolest vehicle of all. C. There are multiple canon female Strato-vipers. For the cost of "1.5" molds they could make 2 characters. Or an AWESOME two-pack---1 male, 1 female. Especially since the Night Raven toy was built for 2---you always had to buy another separate Strato-viper to "fill up" the cockpit if you owned a Night Raven.

Wal-Mart is trying to delay the introduction of HD or something. Or at least, confuddle the masses even more so than they already are. Last week, I saw they had gotten in a bunch of "2009-ready" digital ATSC tuner-equipped, 20in CRT's. Yup. Cheap, old-school TV's, with built-in digital tuners. "With 480i!!!!" on the box... They're also flat-screens. Well, as flat-screen as CRT's get, which we all know means there's a flat pane of a glass up front, with a normally-curved CRT screen about an inch back behind that... Also, the picture itself just sucks. I doubt it can even do 480i, the sheer number of phosphors is about the lowest I've seen in many years on a CRT that size. Now, this week---same thing, but also in 13in! With built-in DVD player. Sigh. For everyone who will only be dragged into HD/digital kicking and screaming, Wal-Mart's got TV's for you. If you want a SD, digital flat-screen---they've got it. I doubt they even have S-video connections, much less component. But you can imagine how many people are going to think they're watching HD, now that they've got a "digital flat-screen" TV, and they'll brag how they only paid a hundred bucks for it...

Seconded. I'd pay a decent amount for a Classics TC.

Could come with the trailer full of toys---awesome accessory if you already have an AWE Striker. (Though I passed on the one at Target)

Are the sets going to be sold "everywhere" or semi-exclusive, or what? A big part of the reason I "hunt" is so I can pick out ones with the best paint jobs (since they vary a lot).

"Cobra CLAWS is coming to town"---not a mini-series, but a special. And probably the main "Covergirl" ep. She'd make a great "pack-in-exclusive".

Finally found wave 7 (well, most of it). Got HISS driver and Lackey Viper. Passed on Wild Bill. Note: HISS driver masks have WIDELY varying paint. None are perfect. Either the black is off (not enough/too high) on the "mouth" leaving too much red, or there's way too much silver from the visor spilling onto the "face". Just pick which one looks overall best.

Yeah, amazing how of all the shades of grey F-15's have been painted, they have yet to get ANY of them on a MP. MP-03 is green, and "G1" color is way too pale. (Now, an actual G1 SS is pretty close and probably the most realistically colored F-15 TF of all if you ignore the red and blue-----but they didn't make the MP version that color of grey) 36118, 36375, 36320, 36251, and 36176 are all "shades of grey used on many F-15's for years". And they are all much darker than the "G1" MP toy, and none have any green. (36375 is ever so slightly bluish, and 36320 is ever so slightly purple)

Am I the only one who thinks the head (especially the face) looks a bit weird? I've thought that from the very first pics.

So 200 people in the world will have them at that rate. That's worse than Botcon TC I think...

Make Robocop a chick. Get the mecha-valk-girl fans to watch.

I wouldn't be so annoyed with the constant CC's if ONE WOULD HAVE A CHROME MASK. Destro got his chrome, why not CC?

IMHO, if you buy just one game for it, then the PS3 will have paid for itself as a "gaming-capable" Blu-Ray player. I plan to make it my main DVD player too, based on its upscaling capabilities. My "long-term" set-up will have my 360 as my main gaming machine, while the PS3 will mainly be a DVD and Blu-Ray player, plus the occasional exclusive game. (like MGS4 and FF XIII)

Yeah---I think that TC will be only SLIGHTLY cheaper and easier to get than a Botcon one. Sigh. If I could "just order them" I'd buy both the SW and TC, despite already having a Target SW. (The lavender is just so much more correct on the JP version). PS---I am so getting shiny chrome JP Movie Prime: http://transformers.hp.infoseek.co.jp/cgi-...80521010409.jpg (link is wonky--sometimes works, sometimes doesn't--try reloading, right-clicking, etc)