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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    I think you meant 'dipstick', not 'lipstick', but yeah, I see the correlation. 😉 Considering that the trailer is completely empty, that would seem to me to be the more likely gun storage option. It would also void this, erm, more uncomfortable option. 😈
  2. M'Kyuun
    I have yet to see a 3P G1 Megatron that does the character justice to the level of Magic Square's Doomsday. I say this acknowledging it's not a perfect toy, but in terms of looking the part in both modes, it's about as nigh perfect as we we've gotten from any company including Takara. I say this as an owner of Apollyon, who was a flawed but decent early placeholder in the MP scale until MP-36, which has its own issues and inaccuracies, came along. I own both of those figures, as well as NewAge's and Magic Square's Megatron figs. IMHO, Magic Square surpasses every other G1 Megatron toy in terms of the bot aesthetics, transformation (i.e. follows a similar pattern as the G1 toy), articulation (MP-36 notwithstanding- Takara has really upped their game in that dept w/ the MP line and MP-36 is no exception), accessories, and alt mode accuracy. TBH, I'm not a gun guy, so as long as he's a decent facsimile of the Walther P-38, as Doomsday is, I'm satisfied. This is the toy I want to see in voyager scale for my CHUG collection. Nothing else comes close. And while I love ER Prime, I'd happily take their Light of Justice V1 or 2 in voyager scale as well. Both are excellent representations of G1 OP that do things a little differently aesthetically, but I'd be fine with either one in my CHUG collection. While I'm wishlisting, I'd happily take New Age's Seeker design in voyager scale as well. It's a cleverly designed fig, and while it's still not perfectly accurate to the real F-15 (I think the OG MP Seeker continues to wear that crown- not perfect either, but really well done. The bot mode OTOH- ugh), it skews close enough, and presents far better than either the ER Seeker or the Classics Seeker upon which it was based and was more accurate in its alt mode than its successor. So much for progress. 🙄
  3. M'Kyuun
    Honestly, I don't get a Hot Shot vibe from this at all; rather, the Striker and the resultant bot are far more reminiscent of Beachcomber. We could just say this is Beachcomber's less hippie cousin. 😁
  4. M'Kyuun
    Very fiddly and fragile looking model, but pretty cool that it's both articulated and transformable at that tiny size. It's amazing what's possible these days.
  5. M'Kyuun
    My original observation stands with these G.I. Joe crossovers; they should have been their own characters absolutely divorced from any preexisting characters. It's from that lens that I really judge Bee here- give him a new head, get rid of the yellow paint, give him a custom paintjob and just call him Striker. I like the design, over-long arms and all. I think it's a better design than Megatron, as it doesn't look like it was designed to be Bumblebee with Striker parts tacked on, but a transforming AWE Striker with a Bumblebee head and some paint apps tacked on. My personal quibble aside, the limitations and looseness of the articulation is worthy of criticism, especially for the price. Too, as Mike said, the poseability and playability would have been improved if that roll cage could fold up a bit freeing the legs up. As-is, it's an easily avoidable annoyance that could have been easily remedied. Unfortunately, Hasbro seems to be taking the cheapest possible path with these, which is unfortunate, as many of us have been waiting for this crossover for a long time, and now that it's here, it's lackluster at best. While it's cool that they're upscaling these to fit the 3.75' vintage Joes, ultimately, I think the toys would be better served if they shrunk them down to CHUG scale and made the Joe figs smaller with rotating shoulders and hips (maybe knees too for proper sitting positions). And again, make them all their own characters. That's a subline I'd definitely buy into, although I've no idea where I'd put them. So many figs, so little room. As a disclaimer, like Mike, I was never really into G.I. Joe. I watched the toon and had a small handful of figs and the Dragonfly Helicopter, which ironically was based on the RW Bell AH-1 Cobra. I thought the toys were, and still are, some of the best military toys ever made, and the Joes themselves were probably the best action figs you could buy domestically. The only figs that overshadowed them, at least in articulation, were Takara's Microman figs. All that said, apart from the toys, my interest was lukewarm at best. Transformers was the epitome of cool in my eyes, and Macross aside, still is. Well, transforming toys in general, but Transformers make up the vast majority of my modest collection.
  6. M'Kyuun
    Along w/ Minerva, I missed the PO window on Pulse for Bomb-Burst. Guess maybe that wasn't a bad thing. Much like Iguanus, I was going to get him for the novelty rather than any nostalgia, of which I have zero. I always thought the G1 Pretenders were an atrocious affront to everything cool about Transformers. As such, like Mike, I much prefer the eschewing of the stupid fake skin cocoon and just making the character a proper transforming robot. Since they are core class, I don't have high expectations from them in pretty much any aspect so long as they have basic articulation- hips, knees, shoulders, elbows, and head on ball joints. Anything beyond that I consider a bonus. Long gone are the days when a small fig would have the engineering and parts count of a fig like Universe Breacher, who was a scout class toy at similar scale to core class. But scale is where the comparison ends.
  7. M'Kyuun
    That's the most detailed breakdown I've seen. Appreciate it. I was aware that pilots preferred the more conventional design of the YF-22. I was also aware that the 23 was both faster and stealthier, which were two of the main requisites for the ATF. I also knew that while weapons systems needn't be operative for the demonstration, Lockheed had them operational while Northrop didn't. I didn't know that it was only on one plane. I also didn't know about TRs on the YF-23, or even the early requisite for them. I also wasn't aware of the corporate culture at NG. All interesting stuff. I did figure that they sided with Lockheed particularly b/c Northrop was under contract for the B-2, and at $2B per plane, they were getting a payday and essentially it was Lockheed's turn. I'm sure it goes much deeper than that, but for simplicity's sake, that was a motivating factor towards the ultimate choice of the F-22. I'm sure there's a bit of a 'share the wealth' mentality at the Pentagon/DoD to keep all the various contractors in business, both from a production POV but also for competitive reasons. In the end, we're stuck with the F-22; I think they chose wrong, but I appreciate your laying out the various factors that contributed to their decision. Since more rival countries seem to be borrowing from the YF-23, perhaps our 6th gen fighter will follow suit.
  8. M'Kyuun
    'Random widgets under glass'- LOL. I like that. And yeah, it's one of my favorite features from the G1 toys and box art. I still think it looks rad. Your observation about 'toon accuracy', an oxymoron if ever there was one, is on point. Indeed, Skids was spared Dery-fication. Back to the box art for Skids, it's a bit puzzling why the artist drew those shindows, as the toy certainly didn't have them, so it's a surprising bit of license when they generally tried to capture the look of the toy even while trying to make them look dynamic. Regardless of the why, I'm glad they did- shindows FTW! 😍😄
  9. M'Kyuun
    I wanted it for the improved spoiler/wings and for the more accurate shoulder cannon. Unfortunately so. I wish there was another option that made more limited sheets with just the essentials. Toyhax tend to go a little overboard. I got the Go-Better GX-30B kit for Kingdom Sideswipe. I accidentally ordered two, so I'll probably end up painting the second kit and using it on Red Alert or Clampdown. Yeah, their Sunstreaker kit is excellent. The leg fillers are a little bit of a pain to manipulate during transformation but improve the look of the bot. Love that the gun can fold and store in the legs in car mode. Wish Hasbro themselves would do more of that. At this point, perfect integrated weapon storage should be the standard, not the exception. Alas, while some things have improved, like articulation, they've taken some steps back as well, especially in their zeal to conserve plastic per mold. I think rotating wrists and opening hands should also be standard from deluxe and up. Maybe in the next decade, but I doubt it.
  10. M'Kyuun
    @mikeszekely I was looking at your Wheeljack in the previous post and noticed you had the Go-Better upgrade kit, which I recently ordered and should be in my mailbox any day. I also noticed you had the Toyhax sticker set, but that you used very few of the stickers to spruce up your fig. I was also contemplating the set, but like you, I would probably only use the Alitalia and Lancia labels (I'm good with the stock paint and tampo for the car- actually I think they did a really good job with it, even if the number on the door is inaccurate). I'd likely use a few of the labels for his bot mode, as well, but paying $15 for a label sheet and only using about a third of said sheet feels like a waste of money. I kinda wish they'd do limited sticker sheets with just the sponsor labels and maybe the lights for $5. Probably not cost effective to do, though. Anyway, I also bought upgrades for my ER Sideswipe (accidentally ordered two kits- must've fat fingered it). Maybe I'll paint the second set white and use it for Clampdown or Red Alert. I keep hoping for one of these upgrade makers to make a kit to replace Legacy Skids' toy-based shin panels with panels that are more reminiscent of his G1 box art with those lovely windows encasing robo stuff. I think I'm in a minority of one for preferring that look. 😄 Wish the toy's head looked more like the box art as well.
  11. M'Kyuun
    Looks really good. Curious if the heartbeat she feels is Grace Augustine's. NGL, that's a resurrection I wouldn't mind. Edit: After doing a bit of reading, Sigourney is playing a role, but not as her older self, but as that of Kiri, Jake's and Neytiri's teenage daughter. TBF, Sigourney still sounds like she did in her twenties playing Ripley in Alien, so I don't find it that much of a stretch. She'll bring a bit of an 'old soulfulness' to the character. Hard to believe Sigourney is 73. Still lovely and oh so cool. Is it weird that all through the trailer, I kept thinking this and that would make for a great LEGO set? Totally down for this in January. That crabsuit mech. 😍 Wish they'd brick-built that whale's head instead of making a huge one-time use mold. It would have been worth the additional $50-60 to have all those additional pieces in dark blue. Moreover, it would have made it a really good parts set, as dark blue is still a bit of a rarity in any quantity per a single set. Hope the large watercraft with the clamshell doors gets a set. Still hoping they'll make a set of the big command ship from the first film as well.
  12. M'Kyuun
    I was thinking the same. It's too much to hope for, but it'd be cool if it came with a black Roller, too. Just noticed that the front wheels snap onto the same trans-green plastic that forms the headlight lenses. Not sure that was the best decision given transparent plastic's tendency to become brittle and crack over time. 😬
  13. M'Kyuun
    Saw it last night and enjoyed. it. That said, there's a lot going in in this film and it might have been better explored as a series, but my observation's moot at this point. Good story, and I liked how they protracted Black Adam's backstory in bits throughout the film. He's an interesting character, and Dwayne Johnson did a really good job portraying him. It does bug me, however, how in so many films, this one included, characters who are thousands of years old are resurrected and speak perfect un-accented English. Really good CG and SFX throughout. I was unfamiliar with the Justice Society. I knew of Dr. Fate and Hawkman separately, but Atom Smasher and Cyclone were new to me. Actually, my only reference to Hawkman was the excellent Justice League cartoon which ran from 2001-04 which featured the Thanagarian backstory for both he and Hawkgirl. Wiki set me straight on Carter Hall's backstory, which was the original story for the character, no less interesting.
  14. M'Kyuun
    In-hand images of the Transformers- G.I. Joe crossover Bumblebee AWE Striker have been posted over on TFW2005. While I didn't get this or Megatron, it looks to be far better executed than Megatron. I still think they should have made this and the HISS, as well as any further crossovers, their own characters instead of trying to awkwardly make these fit established characters. Moreover, it would give the designers license to use the vehicle parts better towards realizing the bot mode instead of trying to work around an established bot mode. They didn't do that as much with AWE Striker Bee, thankfully, but the HISS definitely suffered by trying to make the bot mode a G1 Megatron with huge tank bits hanging off of him.
  15. M'Kyuun
    Agree. I've always maintained that when Lockheed won the competition, America lost. I say that as a fan of Lockheed. In this instance, though, Northrop offered the better product according to USAF requirements. The 23 is slowly getting her comeuppance as we see more and more planes, both real and conceptual, borrowing from her design. Closer to home, the YF-21 took some design cues from the YF-23, and early concepts for the VF-19 looked vaguely familiar. Kinda wish Kawamori-san had kept that look.
  16. M'Kyuun
    I would highly recommend visiting the AF Museum in Dayton. I've been twice (the first time, a number of planes, including my beloved YF-23 were unavailable for viewing since they were still working on the hangar, IIRC), and their collection is quite eclectic and impressive. Fortunately, I got to see the YF-23 in person on my second trip. What a beauty!
  17. M'Kyuun
    You make a good argument; as you said, the folks buying Star Saber and Deathsaurus are already aware of it, and the price is a bit steep for most parents/grandparents to drop on a kid, unless said guardians are wealthy and don't mind dropping that kind of cash on a toy. I doubt the cost of licensing would be much given Hasbro's long partnership with Takara, but the dubbing, or even subbing of such, as well as distribution would be an added expense that might not yield a greater audience. I use myself as an example; I wouldn't buy it, and I have no interest in Star Saber or Deathsaurus. Ultimately, these Haslab projects are aimed at an adult fanbase with plenty of disposable income. That's a long road trip for a toy. I don't like driving, which is why I'm glad virtually everything is available online these days- let Fed Ex or USPS do the driving. While I'm not a fan of parts-forming, I'll concede that Has/TT did a good job realizing the character and the gestalt, achieving a pretty stable and toon-accurate (we'll overlook Breakdown's, erm, breakdown in that dept) gestalt within the limited budget. It's miles better than the wobbly and decidedly non-G1 accurate Combiner Wars version. The only points I give CW is that the limb bots actually formed the limbs rather than just being snap-on deco. Alas, 'toon accuracy'. 🙄 Of course you do!😁 Glad they're very likely making a new one to accompany the original for your collection. I must admit to being curious as to how it's going to look. Honestly, I think that Christmas Prime looks alright with that leg configuration. The fact that you can essentially get two different looking figs, kinda like Punch/CP, just by a difference in config opens it up to more possibilities for various releases. 👍
  18. M'Kyuun
    Saw this over on Twitter, and some of those folks were predicting Hero Prime as well. I guess the Hasbro folks said this mold is going to be reused, so it's almost a certainty. One more Prime variant to check off your list, Mike. I've never been a G2 fan, and honestly, that original Hero Prime toy does nothing for me. That said, I'd at least be interested in seeing what a repaint/retool into the character would look like. But god, that awful, awful color scheme. 🤮 IMO, G2 is like the 70's of Transformers- chintzy designs and tacky upchuck-worthy colors. I consider it and UT to be the absolute rock bottom of the franchise, with Bayformers coming in a close second (for different reasons).
  19. M'Kyuun
    I think it'll get funded too, but like you said, folks may not want to go all the way in just for a lackluster looking stand and a throne. On the periphery of my memory, I somewhat recall those shows being released on DVD. Needless to say, although I'll say it anyway, I didn't pick them up. I wasn't sure if Hasbro had put them on their YT channel or not; I know all the G1 stuff is there, but I didn't know if they put the Japanese shows on there too. Might've been a good strategy, prior to revealing both Star Saber and Deathsaurus, to get those shows dubbed and put on there to attract more of an audience leading up to selling toys. I'm no marketing exec, but that kinda seems right to me. They have been making some odd, and IMHO, questionable decisions of late which, despite their motto, are doing us fans no favors. I wasn't aware that the Cyberverse look was supposed to be evergreen. To my eyes, the Earthspark designs aren't that far removed, and personally I don't mind a bit of diversity in the designs. There's still a similar design language. What I call into question is stuff like Prime's entire truck nose just folding back into a huge backpack when the entire section seems to serve no other purpose. If it was a shell to hide the arms, ok, there's justification, but it could have been designed as a cabover saving all that plastic for perhaps more limb filler or more accessories. I suppose one could make the same complaint about Legacy Breakdown and Wildrider, where the entire front end of the car serves no other purpose except to become a big backpack, albeit one that needlessly expands out for no reason whatsoever. 🙄 Ah well, not the first time we've gotten superfluous chunky alt mode bits just hanging off a fig and almost certainly won't be the last.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Yeah, I think the timing is poor. As you said, Christmas is coming and folks, especially those with far less disposable income, are going to be priced out. I have no interest in the vast majority of Japanese Transformers, so no bite from me either. I think they should have made this a next summer release to give folks time to raise the funds. It's not crazy expensive like Unicron, but $180 is still a lot of money to spend on a toy. Honestly, I'm curious why Has/TT never agreed to dub and show the Japanese TF show in the US and Canada as a lead up to this and Star Saber to try and gen up more fans. It's a fairly obscure thing- I've been a TF fan since 1984 and my knowledge about these characters is still next to nil since I've never really been exposed to the Japanese shows. Too, I'm not at all crazy about the super robot aesthetic that many of the Japanese Transformers share. I'm just not a super robot fan in general, but especially when it comes to my beloved Transformers. The general Diaclone/ Microchange aesthetic with realistic alts and bots made up of those alt mode bits in one form or fashion has been at the core of the appeal of Transformers for me from the beginning. Still, for those who are fans of the Japanese TF shows, with Star Saber already in production, it's cool that his nemesis will be available, too. I hope it reaches full goal, as it looks like a nice piece for those interested. Pics from the London Comic Con are up on TFW2005. Nothing new for Legacy, but the wave 2 Earthspark figs are on display. The two that stand out to me are Thrash and Soundwave. I wish Megs had a better chopper mode, but that thing looks wonky. And Prime looks like he carries the entire nose of his cab on his back which beggars the question why not just make him a flat-nosed cab and eschew the backpack.
  21. M'Kyuun
    I hadn't considered Timm's actions in that light, but you make a fair point. Considering how many people to whom Andor owes money, and being a seemingly small community, it's no secret that Andor's shady. In that light Timm's betrayal is his way of saving Bix from Cassian's shenanigans.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Just finished watching Exception on Netflix. While billed as a horror anime, in IMHO it's more a sci-fi anime with a bit of a who-dunnit kind of story- not a murder but something else which I won't spoil here. Anyway, I thought it was pretty well- written and acted (good ole Nolan North supplies the voice for a character) with an interesting story and an art direction that skews more towards Arcane than typical anime character designs. I binged it this evening and consider it time well-spent.
  23. M'Kyuun
    Just missed getting Minerva- had her in cart before sold out, but showed up as sold out by the time I went to pay. Figures she's an exclusive (Walgreens, IIRC). 😒
  24. M'Kyuun
    Agreed. An excellent summation of his motivation. In the case of Skeen, though, in retrospect, I think there be some principle there; maybe for the first time beyond his 'foster' family, he felt a part of something, a kinship if you will, with Vel's gang and an alignment with their goals, something bigger than just himself. It was personal, yes, but more to the point, Skeen's proposition was at that point a betrayal of the cause, and that was too great an affront to allow. Perhaps that was the intended difference between his hesitant slaying of the Morlana cop, and the immediate killing of Skeen by the writers/director: the first was for self-preservation, the latter was a direct answer to betrayal of Vel and the Rebel cause, the cause being more important to Andor, hence his unhesitant reaction. Just spitballing- I don't know my arse from my elbow most days. 😊
  25. M'Kyuun
    True, he did, so there's some honor there as well. As good guys go, he's a bit of a grey area, but perhaps my judgment of his character was a bit too cynical. That 'greyness' makes him a more interesting character, though. I very much enjoyed the darker tone of the series. Well, not really- Timm made the choice to alert the Empire, so that was entirely on him. He acted out of jealousy, knowing that Bix and Andor have a close post-breakup friendship, which I'm sure he was aware of before hooking up with Bix. Regardless, he made the call, betrayed Bix, and ironically got shot. No tears here. As for Andor, he is scuzzy, so....😆 Beyond that, Bix is lovely, so I can't really blame the guy, even if it is poor form. I think we've established that Andor is an anus. 😉
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