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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    I hadn't really taken a good look at her during the livestream; looking at some stills over on TFW, I see what you're saying. I'm thinking there's an armature within the lower legs that allows the lower legs to trapeze down and form the lower part of the bike while the thighs essentially form the fuel tank, or at least occupy that space. The arms clearly form the seat, and her bot chest can be made out sitting on top of the lower legs. It's a pretty interesting looking transformation. I was hoping they'd carry forward her little wings like the Prime design, but it doesn't appear so. Still, as a translation of the Prime figure, which I still consider in high regard, both retail and superior FE figs, to a WFC aesthetic, it looks alright. Ironically, I'm not interested in motorcycles in the least, but I totally dig transforming motorcycles, especially if they're done well. I think it's kinda like the cassette appeal- turning a small compact real world object into a robot is challenging, but really satisfying when it's done well. Conversely, I'm not really feeling what they've done with Bulkhead. I love both the Animated and Prime designs, especially the First Edition toy. I'm thinking Animated Bulkhead was the inspiration for this guy, as he bears no likeness at all to the Prime version, but he's even more simplified, to me anyway, than even the Animated figure. Alas, I'll still get him. But I kinda wish they'd gone more for the Prime design, although I know a Generations interpretation would never be as complex as the original Prime toy. Nice to see a return to Combiners that look more complex than the simplified CW figures. I get what they were going for with that line, but I'd rather see more complex figures that can still transform and combine. Third parties have been knocking it out of the park for about a decade now, and neither Hasbro nor Takara-Tomy exist in a vacuum. Even if there's no direct competition at CHUG scale going on right now, there's always that possibility, and as TF fans themselves, I'm sure the lackluster quality of the CW line makes them want better for their own collections, not to mention all the fan feedback. Anyway, it's good to see, and I'm hoping that a new Devastator and a new Bruticus are in the works at the same level of quality. I'd hope for new Aerialbots, but even with the uptick in quality, I still doubt that they be anything more than blocky bots with planes on their backs, and that just sours me on the prospect. Back to Kickback- doesn't look like the thighs collapse, so yeah, I guess they just straighten out, b/c they look wonky as hell all bent at the knees in the livestream. Kind of a bummer, as the grasshopper's hind legs are going to look disproportionately long. More than most, this fig really looks like a modified G1 toy, which is both good and bad. Nevertheless, bring on Shrapnel and Bombshell!
  2. M'Kyuun
    I'm down for the Legacy stuff except Laser prime, and even that, from a toy perspective, has my interest. I was never into G2 at all, so my interest there in regards to new toys will be based purely on just how much the toy appeals to me. WTH happened to Kickback's legs in grasshopper mode? Pretty sure the thighs are supposed to collapse into the shins (that's how it looked on the boxart). Kinda embarrassing when they mis-transform their product in such a show designed to promote the same.
  3. M'Kyuun
    @mikeszekely bet you're getting excited for some new Stunticons. 🙂 Also Laser Prime.
  4. M'Kyuun
    NP- you did good. Epic is a bit strong, but I'm glad you like them. I built a VF-4 precisely b/c I really liked the design, and when I started working on it, there were no toys. Yamato came along and gave us a pretty good one, but I never did like the immobile shoulders; that sort of limitation on arm movement just doesn't make sense for a combat mech, so I remedied that on my version. I'm glad that my models inspired you; I'm constantly amazed and inspired by other builders, mecha and otherwise. It makes me realize my own limitations, and having seen what's possible, makes me want to explore more ideas in my own building. I'm glad, for once, I could be on the giving end of that equation rather than the receiving end. Still a transformation, even if it's not overcomplex or fancy. My little forklift guy is simple but straightforward- nothing too fancy, just enough to get the job done. Be proud of your compact variable space tug (that's how I see it; sorry if I'm mischaracterizing). It's tough to make the smaller things transform, in my experience- not as much room to tuck things away. You did a good job of it, in an appealing and practical little model that can accommodate a minifig. All pluses. Looking forward to it. Every success to you. Sigh, LEGO's joints are both the wind beneath my wings, and the bane of my existence. They're great to a point, which I often exceed with my builds. I've long pined for more robust joints in the palette, but even with all the mecha sets they've been releasing, they don't seem interested in producing any joints beyond what's already on hand. The limitation courts creative solutions, as with the IDEAS Voltron shoulder solution, or the awkward use of Exo-Force clicky joints in concert with AT-AT leg joints for some of the larger mecha. These large mecha models beggar for dedicated compact ratcheting joints, but LEGO , for whatever reason, doesn't make them. Anyway, I've taken to cheating here and there with some of my models to try and extend the life of the joints. My VF-4 has little folded wads of paper in the ball and socket joints comprising the hips and knees. It's ten years old, and still holding up pretty well. I've also tried using small rubber bands inside the Exo-Force clicky joints to try and increase the ratcheting strength, with short-lived benefits. Those joints are great for their range and size, but they have poor endurance under any significant load. I'd love a more robust replacement for them at the same size. Tricky indeed. Alas, all part of the fun. I'm sure it'll offer you plenty of opportunities to exercise the spicier part of your vocabulary from time to time. If I had to put a quarter in a jar every time I swore at my LEGO stuff, I'd have to take out second and third mortgages.😄 Probably a good thing I don't have kids. Good luck with your project, Danth!👍
  5. M'Kyuun
    Dude! That's a pretty sweet little build! I was checking out the basic shape of it, and never even noticed the ball joints; they're pretty well integrated. Anyway, I didn't realize it transformed until I read the bit of text above the ship pic and scrolled down for bot mode. I can envision a swarm of these as utility bots maintaining a big ship or station, buzzing here and there (well not actually buzzing- there's no sound in space, silly). Man, I'm honored for the shout out, and humbled by the sentiment; I guess we never realize the influence we can have on others, and I'm glad mine was a positive one which resulted in a cool transforming mech. Not many folks do the transforming thing, even amongst some of the heavy hitter builders who attend big conventions or end up on shows like LEGO Masters. We're a rare breed within the community, and I hope this is the first of many more variable mecha that you grace us with. Leg godt, Danth.
  6. M'Kyuun
    True, the movie's set about the second year of his donning the cape and cowl, so he's still working on the persona of batman. But, you'd think a billionaire with all the resources at his disposal, as well as his polymath like skillset, could come up with something more stylish. but then again, Pattinson's Batman looks like he's going to be straightforward and brutal, and a tricked out muscle car works to that end- nothing too flashy, just an aggressive looking car with a lot of gallop. He should have had a tank. 😄
  7. M'Kyuun
    Still too funny.😄
  8. M'Kyuun
    Likewise; Blue Thunder was more realistic in its depiction of then current state of the art technology. I'm not sure about whisper mode, but there have been strides in prop design that vastly reduce rotor noise. The concept of Blue Thunder was excellent, and I absolutely loved the look of it, as well as the spec-ops nature of it as depicted in the film. I watched the series, too, but as I recall, it was cheesier than the film, although I liked the cast. Dana Carvey will forever be remembered for his SNL work and his portrayal of Garth in Wayne's World, not to mention his stand up comedy, but I've always held a soft spot for his portrayal of Clinton Wonderlove AKA JAFO, whose nickname is also an acronym which contains that most glorious of profanities around which they had to do some wordsmithing. I used to have debates with a fellow student concerning the virtues of BT over Airwolf when I was in middle school. With time having passed, there's certainly much more to love, IMHO, about Airwolf as a whole, haunting soundtrack notwithstanding, than BT, which is nearly forgotten. Stringfellow Hawke, which is probably the coolest tv character name ever, was played to a tee by Jan Michael Vincent, whose personal demons likely added to the edginess of the character. The chemistry between him and Dom felt real, and just made it that much more enjoyable. as to the chopper itself; it's undeniably gorgeous; hat's off to Bell for producing such a beautiful machine. However, its capabilities were exaggerated well beyond reality (where did they store all those missiles, which shot machine gun style from the same tubes? Dissymmetry of lift prevents high velocities well below supersonic, and even if the rotor was placed into autorotation, there's not enough lift generating surface on the Bell 222 to sustain flight without its main rotor. Where'd they hide the chaff and flare dispensers? TV bulletproof- all those hits and never a mark on her.😉). BT's depiction of its flight characteristics and onboard tech was far more plausible, but Airwolf looked and sounded better, even as she flew into the realm of tv fantasy.
  9. M'Kyuun
    It's too plain for my liking; there's nothing delineating this as a Batmobile; it could just as well be a car from Fast and Furious. Granted, I'm glad they didn't go to Schumacher extremes; he went just a little overboard with all the neon and flashy lights. 🤮 I wish there was more to the Pattinson-mobile, aesthetically, than just a black muscle car with good ground clearance. Kinda boring as Batmobiles go, and the Batmobile is always going to be a star in its own right in a Batman production, be it animated or live action. I believe modern expectations are that any new Batmobile design is going to bring something new and unique to what has really become a genre unto itself. This one is unique, but misses the mark for me. Maybe I'll change my mind after seeing the film, but right now, with toys and such already becoming available, it lacks that impact and appeal I was hoping for.
  10. M'Kyuun
    Got my version of the System Tumbler today- been waiting while its been in Fed Ex limbo for the past few days, but well worth the wait. I have the first edition of the UCS Tumbler, and while that's a cool set, I'm more of a System scale guy, i.e. everything scaled to minifigs, and the previous Tumbler sets at that scale left somewhat to be desired. It's taken 16 years, but LEGO has finally delivered a respectable minifig scaled model that depicts the iconic Tumbler with a fair bit of accuracy. This Tumbler is also a 2 seater, taking advantage of the base plate that forms the chassis of the 8 stud wide Speed Champion vehicles, a welcome change from the old 6 wide cars, IMHO., as well as the previous two single seater System Tumblers. Just for a memory jog, these are the previous releases Both the Tumbler and The Bat leave somewhat to be desired from an accuracy POV, but I have to admit that little Tumbler was fun to build and play with. As toys both succeeded in being fun representations, albeit with a bat-load of liberties taken. And this is the new hotness:😍 Of course, LEGO loves its shooters, but I'm happy to say that they're built in fairly discreetly on the front wheel mounts, and if you remove the gold studs used as ammo, they're barely noticeable, looking more like mechanical bits than guns. However, being LEGO, it's a a fairly easy mod to remove them if they hurt one's sensibilities. The build was innovative for how the various angles were achieved, and there were were even some parts in the set that I've never seen before in person (the modified plate with an angled panel attached sitting in front of the rear tires. I knew that part existed, but this is my first hands on. It was perfect for this application). Anyway, if you can't tell, I'm extremely happy with this set. It took a long time, but I feel that the designers really delivered, not an easy feat at this scale. And because I'm greedy, and love the Nolan Batman films, I'm hoping The Bat will get a similar treatment after the rather lackluster first attempt. A new camo Tumbler modified with retractable rocket launcher from DKR would be nice, too, while I'm making wishes. It would be a glorious thing if the new Bat set also came with a HEMMT with a bomb for Batman to carry out to sea. I love the HEMMT, and this as good an excuse as any for LEGO to give us an approximation- their no modern warfare policy would preclude an exact representation, but if they came close, that'd be fine by me. As for the figs in this set, Batman is a decent representation of Bale's suit, with both sides of the torso being printed. Arm and leg printing would have been nice, though, to really raise the fig above standard and impart some further armor detail. He comes with a second head to represent his creepy look to a fear gas infected Crane- pretty neat addition. His cape is of the soft material and unlike the starched fabric capes, only has a single neck hole. While the cockpit of this set is fairly spacious compared to many other superhero sets, it can still be a little challenging to get Batman to sit without some finagling, and the soft cape helps. The villain in this set is Dr. Jonathan Crane, better known by his nom d' guerre, Scarecrow. While they did an arguably good job of depicting his mask via printing, both front and back of the minifig head, it feels off to me somehow. I'm not sure how they could improve it short of making a specialized molded head, but it does the job. Since the bad guys in the first two Dark Knight Trilogy films didn't really have vehicles, per se, there's really nothing for the Tumbler to go up against set-wise, and by the mid-second and third films, Batman was driving the Batpod around, having crashed the Tumbler in TDK. There's a little bit of a void there so far as playability, but nonetheless, I love me some Batmobiles, and this new Tumbler is most welcome. I hope LEGO's not done revisiting the DKT.
  11. M'Kyuun
    Brian Goldner, Hasbro CEO, Dies at 58 (msn.com) Sad news. While I may have taken the odd pot shot at Mr. Goldner over the years when expressing dissatisfaction with this or that in the world of Transformers, Hasbro prospered under his leadership, and that ultimately benefitted me and every other fan who still collects official TF toys. His passing leaves a huge void, and I can only hope that his replacement bears the same business acumen and passion for playthings that Mr. Goldner brought to bear. He died too young, and my heart goes out to his family, friends, and all the folks at Hasbro that knew him and relied on his leadership. RIP Brian, and thanks.
  12. M'Kyuun
    As do I. Still the best MP scaled set of Constructicons, IMHO. As to that particular version, I'm generally indifferent to cell shaded paint jobs, but when they're done well, you can't help but think, "Wow!". I didn't realize how much mileage TW got out of their Constructor set; even in Communist China, the spirit of capitalism is alive and well.
  13. M'Kyuun
    Beautiful set for sure. Now we need the RMS Carpathia, one of the heroes of this tragic maritime story.
  14. M'Kyuun
    Good review of Thunderbolt, Mike. Blitzwing is my favorite of the triple changers (Astrotrain is a very close second), primarily due to his very complimentary , and very cool, alt modes. That said, his tank turret is an albatross that virtually every Blitzwing toy has to deal with, and it makes me wish I could jump back in time and change the original design to better incorporate it into the jet mode somehow. Even with today's engineering and tech advantages, that turret continues to be so much luggage under the jet on most Blitzwing toys. Digressing a little, I hope Fans Toys arrive at a favorable solution for integrating the turret on their version. Turret aside, MFT did a commendable job at legends scale. It favors the G1 toy, especially in tank mode, and I think their jet mode improves on the G1 toy's double wing anomaly. Not a bad thing. FWiW, I think the jet thrusters sticking out of the tank's backside are pretty cool too. I'm trying to chill on the legends stuff, and I passed on all these guys, but I can appreciate what MFT have accomplished with these toys. Good stuff!
  15. M'Kyuun
    It's funny b/c it's true! But yeah, 13 year old me knew nothing about cars, and never questioned any of the alts, except Mirage, who I knew wasn't a streetcar by any stretch. Like most kids in the 80s, my BS tolerance was pretty high, or stuff like A-Team, Knight Rider, Airwolf, Transformers, GI Joe, M.A.S.K., etc ad nauseum wouldn't have achieved the staying power they have. I wish Hasbro would bring back M.A.S.K.- the premise was cool, the toys awesome, and it'd be great to see it revived. These absolutely reek of Bay, especially the Decepticon vehicles. Not instilling me with confidence. Thus far, no reveals of the beast characters, either, AFAIK. At this point, however, my interest has waned off scale low. I think Bumblebee will be the exception to the rule in TF live action movies.
  16. M'Kyuun
    Finally, the first baby steps towards getting Macross merch in the West! I guess these are showing at NY ComiCon, so that's a good indication, hopefully, of more to come. I also filled out Bandai's survey. I'm glad I've seen all the major series, as I was able to check off their entire list. Anyway, I'm hoping maybe the YF-21 will make an appearance at Toy fair in February. Tthat would be awesome, and hopefully usher in the end of midnight madness.
  17. M'Kyuun
    @mikeszekelyI'm back home today, and discovered that my copy of Kingdom Slag is due to be delivered. Pretty excited to get him in hand. I was also able to PO Terrorsaur on Amazon, so while I won't be needing your extra copy. I'm extremely grateful for the offer and opportunity.
  18. M'Kyuun
    No, I'm at a convention in Seattle, and can't remember my Amazon password to save my life, so I just figured I'd pass on him. But if you're getting an extra, I'll take it off your hands. Thanks, Mike.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Crap, I missed the Pulse offering yesterday; I was on the road heading to Seattle. Another example of why exclusives suck, and suck the joy out of this hobby. I'm a little surprised, for some inexplicable reason, that they repurposed Airrazor into Terrorsaur. I imagined a new mold, but we're talking Hasbro here, and my own surprise surprises me. ☺️ Doesn't look half bad; honestly, it's the best he's ever looked, looking back at the sparse Terrorsaur toys of yore.
  20. M'Kyuun
    I feel the same towards most of the Japanese Transformers. Stuff like Ginrai and Star Saber feels more like Super Robot than Transformers to me, and I'm not really a big Super Robot fan. I watched a little of the Unicron Trilogy, enough to know it held no appeal for me whatsoever, and the toys didn't really grab me either, although I admit I did buy a few of them, including the Fire Engine Prime. But unlike the vast majority of my TF collection, those UT toys never held any lasting affinity for me, and they've long been boxed up and forgotten in storage. Regarding the animation/literature, it always seemed to me that the Japanese definitely went their own direction with the franchise apart from the G1 toon we were watching in the West, and from what little I've seen, I'm not missing out on anything.😄
  21. M'Kyuun
    Agree. While the heft feels good in the hand, as I said, it takes its toll over time, and is something that should be used judiciously, as in armatures and such to which chunks of bot need to swing into place, and where plastic would tend to weaken, bend, or break over time, or with repeated manipulation.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Speaking of too much die cast, FT's Swoop's lower legs are die cast and deceptively heavy for the size of the figure. I'm not sure if that's to blame,, although I think the weight is a contributor, my copy nearly faceplanted out of my Detolf last week when I opened the door to place a fig inside. Swoop's right up in front of the rest of the Dino's directly behind the door, so when I opened it, he went with it, something that's never happened before. Upon examination, one of the double hinges had become floppy due to a completely stripped screw which I couldn't remove regardless of what I tried. It would just spin in either direction without coming out. I tried a magnet to no effect, and I broke the tip of a fine tipped set of tweezers trying to get some purchase on it. Finally, I gave yup trying on the screw and resorted to putting an ample amount of Gorilla Glue, which hardens to a rubbery consistency, on the joint. Thus far, that seems to be working, as he's standing tall for now. I haven't handled him since I applied the glue (I keep forgetting), so one of these days I'm going to have to monkey with it and make sure everything still moves and he can transform ok. But yeah, anyone who's handled any of FT's Dinobots knows they love their die-cast. It feels great to the hand, but sometimes it comes at the cost of joints weakening under the weight. I used to be one of those who decried Takara's cessation of using it in the MP line, but ultimately, I think the toys hold up better with everything plastic. Rubber tires, or a synthetic equivalent, would be nice though.
  23. M'Kyuun
    So just got back from seeing The Movie. Spoiler: Prime Dies! Honestly, it was kind of a sad turnout; the showtime was 7PM, whereas Sunday's showtime was a more kid and work friendly noon, so I assume the majority of folks who wanted to see it in the theater went then. Tonight only about 8 peeps showed up, myself included, and the douchebag in front of me who continually kept looking at his phone got up and left about half way through and never returned. Not sure I'd want to pay $16 and change to see a film and then walk out, but I certainly didn't miss that bright phone screen flashing me every five minutes. Anyway, I was hoping for a little camaraderie amongst Transfans, but everyone kept to themselves. I went alone, as my wife wasn't into it, and she still hadn't come home from work when I left anyway, so I didn't even have anyone to bounce lines off of, or help answer all the trivia questions that played before the movie started. Ah well, I finally got to see it on the big screen, and it was an enjoyable experience. I appreciate the Jolt review. Initially, I was interested in getting this guy, but after reading through Mike's review, and having watched one or two vid reviews, I think I have a better figure in my DotM Jolt, even if he isn't blue. I have to say, I'm not at all crazy about the overlong hip kibble; it reminds me of the abhorrent belly plates on the YF-21, which is the only part of that Valk, besides the extraordinary overuse of animation magic, that I dislike. Those hip panels give off a similar vibe that I know would bug me in hand. I appreciate that it's blue, and bears a greater resemblance to the CG art than does the DotM, but the DotM version utilizes more of the car parts in the robot mode, has a more complex transformation , and is unhindered by hip and arm kibble. In short, IMHO, it's a more interesting toy that does any number of things better than its modern counterpart. To that end, I think I'll save my ducats, and spend it on a fig that interests me more. Til All are One!😊
  24. M'Kyuun
    I wish I had a friend here that was into it. Alas, I'm going to see it alone on Tuesday. There were only four seats reserved, so I had a decent pick, although it's being shown in one of the smaller screening rooms, and with the recliners, there's probably only enough room for forty or so people, and with Covid, they're requesting folks sit a couple seats apart, so the seating will be even sparser. But, I'm just glad I'm finally going to get to see it on the big screen. I didn't get to see it in the theater as a kid, so this will probably be my only opportunity. C'mon man, they can't even get it right now, so an Arcee in the 80s would have been unmentionably bad. I'm hoping the rumored '86 Studio Series Arcee will be a completely new mold that actually transforms, and not a repaint of the disappointingly lackluster Kingdom figure. At least the Thrilling 30 figure could transform into her car instead of making like Solid Snake and his cardboard box. I still think T30 Arcee, the first G1 version ever made by HasTak, is a really good representation, even if 2/3 of her car mode end up on her back- still better than Kingdom's entire car.
  25. M'Kyuun
    Just watched a vid detailing rumored leaks for next year: I was hoping that the next large throwback Creator set would be a Classic Space homage, much like the pirate ship of 2020, and this year's castle set, both of which are beautifully done, but apparently next year's big Creator set is going to be a Viking ship. Given that LEGO is a Danish company, with proud Viking ancestry, and the fact that they've only ever done one Viking theme in all these years (I still have the large Viking ship set from that line), it's cool for folks who missed out on that original line, and it celebrates Danish history, which is cool, even if the the Viking way of life probably contradicts LEGO's violence policy, at least theoretically. Alas, my hope for a small revival of CS via Creator is dashed for now. perhaps we'll get another big set in the second half of 2022 that's reminiscent of the old space themes. Fingers crossed. There is, however, rumored to be more City Space coming next summer in the form of three sets, including a moon rover, a lunar space station, and a lunar research station. I very much enjoyed the last spate of City Space sets, and should the rumors prove true, I'm looking forward to these lunar sets. In the absence of a dedicated space theme, City and Creator have become our refuge for original space themed sets, and I'll take whatever LEGO will give me. I've mentioned before that I'm glad LEGO has the Star Wars license; I've bought A LOT of Star Wars sets over the years, and I love them; but, growing up with Classic Space and continuing to collect their other original Space themes over the years (I wish vehemently I could go back in time and pick up any number of those old sets that I passed on), I miss the wonderful mix of creativity and play that LEGO brought to their own Space themes, as do so many other Space fans around the world. With their ever growing palette and advancements with techniques, it's maddening to think of what could be achieved in original space themes, but that potential goes undiscovered for whatever reason. As LEGO begins moving in different directions and picking up ever more IPs, I find my interest waning. If it keeps the company profitable, I'm happy, but they're making less stuff that interests me these days, which is ironic, as they continue to push more product every year and in many different directions. I applaud their attempts to appeal to an adult audience; we've been there all along (I have for sure), but it's nice to see acknowledgement of that consumer base in a pointed marketing strategy. I think they can do away with the all-black backgrounds on adult targeted sets, though- adults like nice graphics, too, especially on a set like The Daily Bugle, or a UCS Star Wars set. LEGO has some seriously talented artists working for them, and it'd be nice to see appropriate backgrounds framing these sets on the boxes rather than an all-black landscape. Just my $.02. Returning to my point, even with all the diversity that LEGO has been introducing, I've slowed down on my buying over the last few years, as LEGO's not making as much stuff that interests me within System, and though I don't really have the space for it, and it's saving me money, I kinda miss the thrill of having themes like Ultra Agents and Space, or sets like they made for the NInjago Movie (some of the best sets to ever come from LEGO IMHO- just incredible!).
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