2009 will mark the 25th Anniversary of the Transformers toys, comic books, and cartoon.  I find it hard to believe that they've been around that long.  It just doesn't feel like it's been 25 years since Optimus Prime, Megatron, Jazz, and Starscream burst forth on an unsuspecting world to create a phenomenon that would still be going strong a quarter-century later.  Naturally, Hasbro plans to celebrate this event with the Transformers Universe line where they will release a number of toys celebrating 25 years of Transformery goodness.

To kick things off, Hasbro has released a modified reissue of the original Optimus Prime, hitting Wal-Mart stores now for pennies under $70.  I say modified because the smokestacks are shorter than on the original or the recent Japanese Encore version.  Despite the argument that Prime is a "collectible," he's still a toy and must pass US safety standards.  So, the smokestacks have to be trimmed down.  Optimus also sports a slightly different paint job, to better match his appearance in the original cartoon.

But wait, there's more!  Also included in this gift set is an Autobot symbol shield that can either stand on your shelf or clip to your belt.  Pressing the button at the top of the symbol activates the transforming sound or key phrases spoken by Optimus Prime himself, Peter Cullen.  The beginning (or end if you prefer) of the cycle has a really short excerpt from the original Transformers theme song.  Also included is a reprint of the very first issue of the Marvel comics 4-issue mini-series that went on to produce 79 more issues afterwards as well as several miniseries, including a cross-over with G.I.Joe.

The last piece of this 25th Anniversary box if fun is a DVD that features the original 3-part Transformers cartoon series, More Than Meets The Eye.  This is the series that changed the Transformers from just a toy line filled with robots to a world-wide phenomenon.  It features the story that brought the Transformers millennia-long war to a familiar blue and green planet called Earth.  The Autobots befriend a couple humans while the Decepticons rape the world of it's natural resources.  It's slightly dated, but holds up well I think.

While some fans balk at the shortened smokestacks and the different colors, I applaud Hasbro for bringing back this icon to the toy shelves.  The price tag is a little steep and some already plan to wait for what may well be the inevitable clearance.  Look at it this way, the toy originally sold for $40 I believe.  Add $10 for the DVD and maybe $5 for the comic book, since that's what some individual issues go for these days and if you account for inflation on the 1984 dollar, it's not a bad deal.  If you're a fan, support Hasbro and pick this set up.  I don't think you'll be sorry.

To be honest, I'm a little surprised I have this set.  I just showed it to my wife while we were at Wal-Mart earlier today and she said to put it in the shopping cart.  I am the luckiest man in the world.

Transformers Cybertron tells the tale of the Autobots searching the galaxy for the legendary cyber planet keys that, when combined with the Omega Lock, will save their home planet of Cybertron from an ever-growing black hole created from the destruction of Unicron. The Decepticons want the keys and lock as well, but merely for the power they possess. Thus, the war between the Autobots and Decepticons rage across several planets in the latest Transformers series to hit DVD.

The animation and voice acting is very well done. Gonzo, famous for their anime, does a superb job with the CG used for the Transformers and the cell animation used for the non-Cybertronian cast. They don't mesh perfectly, put it's a better effort than older attempts to mix CG and cell animation.

Garry Chalk and David Kaye once again reprise their roles as Optimus Prime and Megatron. With the exception of "Robots in Disguise" and the more recent "Transformers Animated," They have played those characters, or incarnations of, for over 10 years.

The rest of the cast does a fine job, though the producers this time around decided to give the cast of characters an international flavor. Jetfire is Australian, Red Alert is British, Scattershot and Thundercracker speak with a southern accent, Backstop is Jamaican, and one planet is home to nothing but Irish Transformers. It takes a little getting used to, but it works out all right.

The story starts with the Autobots evacuating Cyberton to Earth. Here, they will be in disguise and cars, trucks, scooters, phone booths, and traffic lights, just to name a few things. During a surprise attack by Megatron (who steals the map to the keys) and Starscream, Landmine is warped to Earth where he's found by three human kids; Coby, his brother Bud, and their friend Lori. The kids help patch him up and thus the war is brought to Earth.

Eventually, the Autobots find their way to two other planets, Velocitron (the Speed planet) and the Jungle planet, always two steps behind the Decepticons. Fonrtunately, our heroes have teamwork on their side and despite both sides gaining allies, the Autobots come away from both planets with the keys and the lock.

Starscream later betrays Megatron and finds his own army of Decepticons to find Earth's key. Eventually, the battle goes to Gigantia, where the final key is located and a very long and dangerous battle is fought between the Autobots, Megatron's Decepticons, and Starscream. I won't tell you how it ends, but being it's a cartoon I'm sure you can figure the basics out.

This show was not made with the US audience in mind. It was produced in Japan and edited for America. There are a number of inconsistencies the editing creates and while it's branded as the sequel to Transformers Energon, it doesn't make sense since in that series, the humans worked with the Autobots and were well advanced in their technology. Cybertron places Earth in a more believable modern setting and the human populace doesn't know there are aliens among them for about half the series.

All things considered, Transformers Cybertron is an enjoyable show to watch. The transformation sequences get old quick though, since they reuse the footage almost every time someone transforms, especially Optimus Prime. However, it's beautifully made with a great cast of actors. If you're a Transformers fan, you should check this series out.

Transformers Animated: Transform & Roll Out chronicles the first few episodes of the current Transformers Animated series airing on Cartoon Network. Initial reactions to the series based on a lone piece of art featuring Optimus Prime was almost as negative as the initial reaction to the recent movie Optimus Prime's flame deco on his truck mode. However, like the movie, the animated series has proven itself to be more than meets the eye.

The show opens up with footage from the original Transformers series in a newsreel type setting, being watched by the current Optimus Prime who leads a small space bridge repair crew of Autobots. Through some mishap, the come across the Allspark, the device that gives all Cybertronians life. It was lost to the space bridge network years ago to keep it out of Decepticon hands. Unfortunately, the Decepticons find them and through deceit and treachery, the Transformers once again find themselves crash-landing on Earth, this time it's modern day Earth. The Autobots awaken 50 years later in a futuristic Detroit and find themselves cast in the role of heroes against human enemies and Decepticons alike.

The animation used for this series is nothing like anything seen in Transformers before. It is an anime-like style, reminiscent of the Teen Titan series. Speed lines and transformation shortcuts are used. As an example, Prowl does more of a morph than a transform in a couple scenes. This can take a little getting used to, but a speedier transform does get one into and out of battle quicker.

As usual, the voice work is top-notch. David Kaye voices Optimus Prime this time around where he usually gets cast in the role of Megatron and has been for most of the series between Beast Wars and Cybertron. Corey Burton, the voice of the original Grimlock is back, this time as Megatron and Ratchet. Tom Kenny, voice of Spongebob Squarepants, does a remarkable job as the voice of the ever-treacherous Starscream. There are more, but to name them all would make this a longer and probably a more boring review.

In conclusion, Transformers Animated: Transform & Roll Out is a good introduction to this great series. Fans of the original series will appreciate all the homages to that show and fans for the Beast-era series will appreciate the smaller cast with it's more defined characters. If you do decided to pick this up, do so at Target. They include a bonus disc with another episode you won't get on DVD anywhere else, yet.

It wasn't supposed to happen.  I was done buying Transformers.  Star Wars won and while I was still a fan of those robots in disguise, I wasn't going to be spending money on them anymore.  The designs for the current animated series didn't sit well with me.  They looked too goofy, yet somehow the toys mimicked the look of the show pretty closely.  Then, I started to watch the episodes on YouTube.  Considering I'm not in the target demographic, I found myself enjoying it, to the point of anticipating the next week's episode.  Since the toys weren't due out until late June, I figured I was safe.  But, Hasbro decided to release them early in Cincinnati, Ohio as a test market to coincide with BotCon (which is going on right now and through the weekend) and people in the area gobbled them up for themselves, to help other fans, or scalp on eBay.  I found the temptation too much to resist and so I was "helped."

Optimus Prime and Bumblebee arrived at the end of last week, thanks to a bloke by the nickname Blackout05.  Despite how many pictures there are of these things on the Internet, provided you look where I looked, they never do the toys justice in-person.  I was a little leary of Bumblebee especially since I had read a somewhat-negative review on him early last week.  Both have met my expectations and in some ways exceeded them.

If Optimus looks a little weird it's because this is his pre-Earth or Cybertronian mode.  It's almost like a design from the animated Transformers movie from 1986.  The wheels roll and there are smaller wheels under the back section to help move him along since the treads don't work.  Not that non-working treads are a bad thing.  Only one Transformer ever had working treads, Rampage from the Beast Wars series, and they had their problems if not aligned correctly.  His axe is hidden between the legs, gripped by both hands, a unique way to hide a weapon in my opinion.  All in all, Optimus is a neat tank/truck.

Bumblebee, on the other hand, is in his Earth mode, which he got from a scan of the Detroit police chief's car in the series, sans the rockets.  It rolls well, but the panels don't always align perfectly, leaving a slightly disjointed look to the car.  The rockets are removable, though them help in the transformation to grip the back panels they attach to.  They're from an episode of the cartoon, though I don't recall all the details.  He's more like Hot Shot from the more recent Transformers cartoon than the original Bumblebee, so he's obsessed with speed.  Anyway, Bumblebee is pretty nifty.

In robot mode, both are impressive even if the scale is off as Optimus is about twice as tall as Bumblebee in the cartoon.  Both have innovative parts to their transformations the details of which would likely bore most people.   Articulation is fantastic on both, though Bumblebee's can be somewhat limited due to his car parts hanging off in places.  Optimus' axe has a dual-blade mode, single-blade mode, and can combine with his shield which I don't know what that's supposed to do for anyone, but whatever.  Bumblebee has flip-out "stingers" in each arms that can combine together when both arms are stretched out in front of him.

So, there's (part of) my shame.  I can feel the desire to own the rest of this series building up inside me.  With so much cool Star Wars (and Indiana Jones) stuff coming out later in the year that I hope I can control my impulses better and make the best choices for all the things I'd like to collect.  I may not be able to collect them all, but I can make sure I collect what I will enjoy.

Now that I'm on Multiply (cross posting to Blogger/Blogspot), I've decided to start working on consolidating my work on the web here.  This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time now, years in fact, ever since my last web site went under because I just couldn't get up the motivation to keep it running.

So, I've started importing my Transformers reviews (which you can read here).  The first three are still in the top 25 at TFormers, the site that I used to "work" for and cites opinions and misinformation as truth (see my dissection of their Transformers Jazz article here).  Anyway, I picked these three since they're the easiest for me to find and the masses still apparently like to read them.  Also, I am proud of them.  They come from a time where I really enjoyed Transformers toys, cartoons, comics, etc.

So, what are you still doing here? Read my reviews already. :-)

Set Includes

Energon Optimus Prime is quite different from those who have carried the name before. Elements of Prime's of old are present in this futuristic design: the basic red cab, though there is a lot of blue and white on it this time around, the gray trailer, as well as the basic design of the transformation of the cab to a certain extent. What remains a little unclear is the positioning of the super-robot helmet in vehicle mode. Prime comes packaged with it laying flat, atop the cab, while the pictures on the box show it pointing upward at all times, even in robot mode. I've found that it looks good in cab mode upside-down, resting on his arms.

In addition to his trailer, missile, and a rather puny launcher to fire said missile, Optimus comes with four different Assault Vehicles (OP1: Fire Truck, OP2: Helicopter, OP3: Drill Tank, OP4: Submarine) each with it's own unique features... except the submarine. The fire truck's ladder can extend and has a rotating, dual-barreled, front water cannon. The helicopter features a rotating propeller and flip-out stabilizer. The drill tank's front drill spins rather quickly when rolling across the table. The submarine... well, it rolls.

And while that may seem like a lot, Optimus also comes with a tech specs trading card. This card features artwork of the smaller robot on the front and his stats on the back, naturally, he has all tens. While it would have been nice to have even the faintest hint of a bio, this is a step in the right direction as far as I'm concerned.

Start-Change...

To transform the cab into robot mode, start by swinging the legs down and flipping the feet and stabilizers down. Bring the arms around from the back and slide the fists forward using the tabs on the arms. Swing the rear wheel assembly up at the first hinge and down at the second. Flip the robot head up and you're done. I usually have the flip-up helmet facing right-side up, resting on the platform on his back.

To transform the trailer into base mode, flip the trailer hitch down and set the trailer on the side the hitch stuck out from. Swing the rear struts and rear stabilizer down. Raise the radar dish and open up compartments one, three, and four from the front and compartment two from the side. The last step forms the helicopter landing platform.

Robot & Base Mode

In robot mode, Optimus is rather chunky looking. He reminds me of Trailbreaker, only with articulation. Speaking of which, Prime has full hip and knee joints, though his design prevents him from being able to sit down fully, His shoulders rotate and can be positioned up as well. His elbows bend and his head can turn 360 degrees. Outside of the chunkiness, his robot mode looks all right, though the white on his chest and arms don't fit in too well with the rest of his colors. On his back is a switch with four positions and a button right above the switch. Depending on the switch's position, the button activated one of four different (and annoying) sound effects: truck horn blasting twice, three shots, a loud engine-like noise, and three radar beeps. Two AAA batteries are required to activate the sound and are not included. Also, Prime can store his launcher on his back.

The base mode isn't all that inspiring, but it functions well. the first, third, and fourth bays all have levers on the outside that can help "launch" that vehicle forward. Bay two's helicopter platform is not quite wide enough, so the helicopter has to be right on the edge for the rotor to be able to spin properly. The radar unit pivots as well. I'm unsure what the struts are for, however. They could be cannons and if that's the case, the should be positioned upwards or outwards unless Decepticons sneaking up from behind are a problem.

... Change-Finish

To transform Prime into his Powerlinx Super Mode, retract the fists (you don't have to, but I prefer to do so) and bring the arms up. Flip the feet and stabilizers on his legs up. Swing the helmet around and fit on top of the robot head. Rotate the outer antennae 180 degrees as you bring the side panels they're on down. Swing the front chest panels outward to reveal a Matrix-like chest design. When the left panel is pushed back, it hits a small button, just under the driver's side window. This activated another sound effect, an explosion and laser-blast, as well as flashes the red light in the center of the chest three times.

Now, you're ready to attach the Assault Vehicles in any one of 24 possible combinations. Each vehicle's transform is identical for the most part. To form arms, swing the rear section of the vehicle up. With OP1 and OP2, you'll have to flip open the front sides of the vehicle as well as the front so Prime will have hands. OP2's stabilizer must be in it's retracted position for both modes and the prop as well for the leg mode. OP3's cockpit can be positioned down, flush with the vehicle. OP4 has no additional steps required for arm mode. To transform the vehicles into legs, simply swing the front of the vehicle up. Use caution with OP3 as the instructions make no mention that the cockpit must be moved before the drill. Now, attach whatever limb to any socket, preferably the arms to the arm sockets and legs to the leg sockets to finish.

Powerlinx Super Robot Mode

At a towering 9 1/2", Optimus Prime is quite a sight to behold. The red from his cab mode is almost complete obscured by the white chest panels and arm components. His face seems a little lost with the larger helmet now in place, but he seems to have some helmet-cannons to give him some added firepower. Prime has full shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee articulation and can move his head from side to side slightly. If OP1 is in place as an arm, Prime can also bend his wrist inward 90 degrees. As with the smaller robot mode, Prime can store his launcher on his back. While some may say Powerlinx Super Optimus Prime is reminiscent of a Power Ranger Zord, it does work fairly well for him. Shame that the smaller robot mode has to suffer due to the design.

Overall

While not the perfect Optimus Prime toy ever, Energon Optimus Prime is a step in the right direction following the rather lackluster Armada version. The combined mode and base are the better parts of this toy while the sound effects could have been left out in my opinion. That might have even lowered the cost, which, at $40 presently, would be a nice thing since he's not quite worth that much. Still, he's better than Armada Prime.

Final Grade: B-

In a world or Powerlinxing Autobots, Terrorcons, and an endless sea of repaints, 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime comes along to remind us where it all started and in a big way. You could say that this is the toy people have been waiting 20 years for and you wouldn't be far from the truth.

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From the back of the box: "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings..." That quote is what makes Optimus Prime the most fearless and revered of all Autobot leaders throughout time. As keeper of the awesome Autobot Matrix of Leadership, he is an eternal symbol of hope in the battle for peace in the universe. Optimus Prime is the protector of all life and the embodiment of wisdom, courage, and the unquenchable spark of true heroism. Even in the face of the harshest odds, this Autobot comrades draw strength and inspiration from his selfless acts of valor as he leads them on the path to victory against the evil Decepticon forces. Optimus Prime leaps into battle with his arch enemy, Megatron, equipped with the massively powerful Ion Blaster, highly advanced communication, interception and defense technologies, and the ability to retract his hand and replace it with a deadly Energon Axe."

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Packaging

A unique toy needs a unique box and Optimus Prime is no exception. At over 15 inches in height, this box is decked out in G1 style and has a huge window showing off the Autobot Commander. An Autobot logo is printed on the clear window on the top of the box, surrounded by a red grid system with red lightning throughout. Just below, on the front of the box, if the G1 Transformers logo. Imprinted on the box near Prime's feet is a Matrix with the words "1984-2004 20th Anniversary" all in foil lettering. Below, a foil Autobot symbol is alongside Optimus Prime's name.

The back of the box features the above text and pictures Optimus in both modes surrounded by yellow lightning and orange blocks. The same grid pattern is present going from a dark background at the top to the lightning variety surrounding the pictures. A ghostly red Autobot logo rests to the right, above the truck mode picture.


Through the gigantic window stands Prime. He is holding his rifle, in this case it is gray rather than black. To the left of his head is the Matrix of Leadership. To the left of his legs is the Energon Axe. Above Prime's head is the anti-matter gun, Megatron, with silencer, scope, and stock. The stock is bent down on a hinge to fit in the tray.

The side panels show off the features Prime has. The right one shows the Matrix, the opening windows to reveal said Matrix, the light-up Matrix Annex, and his DataCom Interfaces. The left side panel shows the Megatron pistol, Ion Blaster, Energon Axe, and the Turbo Contact Support Extensions and Superstructure of the rear wheels.

The interior of the box should be familiar to anyone whose ever owned the original Optimus Prime. It resembles the Combat Deck from the original Prime's trailer, complete with crane arm and side panel details.

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Robot Mode

Standing just a couple hairs under 12 inches, Optimus Prime is a magnificent piece of engineering. His head is typical for Optimus Prime: blue helmet, gray face, mouth plate, and vent. His eyes are a metallic light blue. His upper torso and arms are mostly red. Two gray vents, one on either side of his head, reside on the top of his torso. Above each window are two gray mounts with orange, nonfunctional lights. The windows are lined in silver with one gray wiper on each. His mid-section has the typical silver stripe separated by the chrome grill in the middle. Blaster damage is visible on his right side, below the stripe, and grill.


Prime's left shoulder has a molded-on Autobot insignia painted red with a white border. Scorch marks surround the insignia in a right-to-left angle. Each arm has a chrome smokestack on the side. These are on springs so that in case you push on the top of them, the entire stack moves slightly. These are much nicer looking than the longer stacks of the Japanese version, judging from the pictures I've seen. Each forearm features scorch marks on the front-most portion of the arms. Unlike the original Prime, silver stripes line a portion of the outer sides of the forearms. Prime also has two yellow stripes and a triangle pointing towards his hands.

And speaking of those hands, they feature an amazing amount of articulation. Each finger bends at the back-most knuckle and the thumb is on a ball-socket joint. So, Prime can give the thumbs-up sign, The wrists rotate 360 degrees and pivot side-to side with the help of some pistons. The elbow joints also have pistons: one in the front and two in the back. Along with a swivel joint, this allows for nearly a full-range of motion. The shoulders rotate and bend as well. Prime's head is on a ball-socket joint, allowing for a wide range of positions. Clearly, this is the most expressive Transformer ever designed.

The lower torso and upper legs are a light gray with some yellow highlights on the cod piece. The lower legs and mostly blue with silver fuel tanks and hubcaps and light and dark gray paneling and detailing. The front of each foot have green lights on the outside and red with yellow lights on the inside. Prime rotates at the waist and has a plethora of articulation points throughout each leg. The toes, ankles, and knees bend. Each hip rotates 360 degrees and can be positioned forward, back, and out to the side.

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Accessories and Gimmicks

Starting with the head, the first of Prime's many gimmicks is a small button on the back of his head. Pressing this will cause his mouth plate to move down. Pressing repeatedly will result in a talking motion. The antennas also move back and forth. This is mainly for the transformation later on, but it can help give mood to Prime. Position them forward for an angry Prime, back for a happier Prime.

Next up is the opening chest. It splits open down the center and opens outward. Some dark gray paneling is now shown. Open that up to reveal the Matrix Annex. Pressing the button to the left of Prime's head back will activate the light in the center of the annex. The Matrix, which can open and close, fits in the center quite snugly and will light up as well when the button is pressed. Unlike reports I've read on the Takara version, there is no problem with placing and removing the Matrix while in robot mode. Prime can also hold the Matrix with both hands as though he were opening it up to end the Hate Plague.

On the outside of each forearm is a small panel that can open up to reveal a DataCom interface. The inner panel is dark gray with white-painted buttons. On the flip-up screens are one of two characters. The right arms shows Starscream while the left shows Bumblebee. One has to wonder if Starscream is up to something by calling Prime. Could this be another plot to replace Megatron as leader of the Decepticons?

Next up are Prime's weapons. He can hold his Ion Blaster in either hand. Make sure you push the fingers against the handle well and the thumb across the side or the blaster will fall right out of his hand. The Megatron gun can be held with or without the accessories by simply sliding the handle down slightly. It is a faithful representation of the original Megatron's Walther P-38 form right down to the little purple Decepticon emblems above the trigger.

To attach the Energon Axe, slide one of the hands into the lower arm by positioning the fingers with the thumb pointing down and the four fingers curled in. Swing the panel on the underside of the arm down, then pull it back to retract the hand. Then lock the panel back into place. The axe can rotate at the base 360 degrees.

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Transformation

And now for a blow by blow of Prime's transform:

1. Retract each hand into the lower arm as described above and turn the upper body around 180 degrees.
2. Press the lower portion of each fuel tank on the sides of the legs and slide the lower legs up.
3. Swing the middle portion and heel of each foot up.
4. Rotate each foot around 180 degrees and swing down the middle portion of the foot.
5. Connect the two legs together, but at this point, you have two choices: either swing up the gray tab in the center that forms the trailer hitch or leave it down.
6. Separate the two panels linked at the center on Optimus' back.
7. Open up the chest panels and flip the grill down and swing the lower body back.
8. Fold the silver sections on Prime's chest down to the sides. Rotate them so the headlights of the truck mode are facing the front.
9. Flip the panel that guards the Matrix up and rotate it around 180 degrees.
10. Pull that panel out and the Matrix chamber will become loose. Rotate the Matrix Annex, turning the left side down.
11. Swing the Matrix Annex down to reveal that the panel that protected the Matrix is the front bumper and grill section of the truck. Attach it to the lower part of the headlight panels.
12. Open up the square, back panel, behind Prime's head. Swing Optimus' antennae back and then flip the entire head section 180 degrees, placing the head inside the chest. Flip the gray seat up.
13. Bring the forearms up and swing the shoulder sections back. Next, bring the lower arms forward.
14. Swing back the panels atop each front tire and close the windowed chest panels.

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Vehicle Mode

In vehicle mode, Optimus Prime is 9 1/2 inches long, 3 1/4 inches wide, and 4 1/2" high to the top of his smokestacks. Optimus is a flat nose semi-truck, somewhat resembling a merger between his cartoon model and his original G1 toy. The front bumper and grill are completely chrome and the four headlights are a clear plastic with either a white or gray dot painted behind them.

From the back view, the elbow pistons are visible and the shoulder joints are somewhat visible on the upper portion of each side. The tail lights are in their proper alignment with the yellow turn signal on the upper outside and the brake light on the lower outside. The rear wheel sections feature the aforementioned Turbo Contact Support Extensions and Superstructure, shock absorbers to you and me.

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Overall

the 20th anniversary edition of Optimus Prime is an excellent toy. Though it is designed with the collector in mind what with all the die-cast metal and the high price point, he also has a number of fun play features. Though some may not enjoy the shorter smoke stacks and scorch marks, I prefer these over the Takara version based on the pictures I've seen. 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime gets my highest recommendation.

Final Grade: A

Today, the BotCon site debuted pictures of two more of their toys from this years exclusive "Shattered Glass" mirror universe Transformers box set.  You can also see Grimlock, Glodbug and Optimus Prime there of which only Optimus Prime really strikes me as cool.  Grimlock is just boring to me, a complete lack of effort in my opinion.  Goldbug is okay, but doesn't come across as a mirror-universe "evil" Bumblebee to me.  Optimus is pretty darn nifty that isn't the traditional black recolor into Nemesis Prime or Scourge that they usually do.  They're saving that for the San Diego Comic-Con.  As for Jazz here, well I like that he's the same colors are good guy Jazz, but shouldn't he have some sort of inverted color scheme?  I do like the "Kill to Win" and "Massacre Racing" detailing in vehicle mode, but it seems almost too over the top to me.

It also strike me odd how for CybCon, we recreated characters for the exclusive toys for years before BotCon started doing it.  Previously, BotCon toys were almost always new characters.  Now, we get retreads with new heads (sometimes).  Also, some of the color schemes we've used for toys have ended up being used as official Hasbro releases.  So, I still believe that Hasbro and it's affiliates have my computers bugged and are using me as an idea diving board.  So, if you're reading this Hasbro, and I know you are, I want some kick back from all the ideas I've given you these past 15 years or so.  And I'm not talking about the Insecticon either.

If there's one thing Hasbro likes to do with their products during a movie year it's trying out new and different styles of toys and price-points. Enter the Unleashed Turnaround Optimus Prime. The Unleashed line, primarily used for their Star Wars license and a dead line at that except for the smaller sets, gives the buyer a figurine at a higher price point that usually sports a more dynamic sculpt and superior paint applications.

The Unleashed Turnarounds sport two sides. One has Optimus in robot mode, crouched and ready for battle. The other has Prime in truck mode driving off a cliff with a giant Autobot symbol molded into the side of the cliff. A wall of flame separates the two sides so that both can be showcased independently of each other without the other in the picture. Well, you do see robot parts poking through when looking at the truck side. The sculpt looks fine. It's the paint applications that are lacking. There's far too many unpainted areas that shouldn't have been neglected.

See, when this first hit the market, it retailed for $25-30, depending on where you got it. I remember almost buying it until I took it to a scanner at Toys R Us and found out it was $30. See, from the base to the highest flame, this is 7 inches tall at best. Take into account the lack of paint apps and I put it back real quick. Tonight, while shopping at Target with Mrs. GripX, I spotted a few of these on a clearance end cap. Looking it over, I found the price; $12.48. That was good enough for me. Part of me wanted to wait for a 75% markdown, but I didn't want to miss out. With three more Unleashed Turnarounds due to be released later (Megatron, a Decepticon duo featuring Blackout and Barricade, and an Autobot duo featuring Jazz and Ratchet), I wonder of those will come to store shelves or if they've gone the way of the other Unleashed and the Titanium lines?

Throughout the commute to class this morning ans class itself, I found myself thinking about my uncle. I found myself hoping for the best, yet oddly at peace with whatever may come his way today. To be honest, I am hoping he'd recover enough so that amputation wouldn't be necessary. I talked with my parents briefly after arriving home and there's been no word. Like my Mom said, "No news is good news." For now, I'll hold onto my faith and hopes that things turn out well.

During class, we talked about Mark chapter 8, verses 31 through chapter 9, verse 1. In it, Jesus has what my professor calls the first of three Passion Prediction where Jesus foretells his own death. At first, I didn't think it a big deal. But, as we talked about it more and took each line under scrutiny, I found myself fascinated by the message. What I got out of it was (and this may sound a little preachy to some, but I don't intend it as such - just my own personal take) that if we are to expect everlasting life, we don't need to fill our current one with things and objects but with love. And that's love for all people, creatures, God, what have you. It struck a resounding chord in my ongoing, inner struggle with my collecting habits.

And of course this comes on the heels of word that Masterpiece Starscream has begun to hit Wal-Marts in the middle of the US somewhere. Man, I really want that. It's only $50, which is less than I expected considering the cost of his counterparts in Japan and the 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime. Starscream also sports a more recognizable color scheme than the Japanese release, which was a large strike against the Japanese version in my book. I only hope it's made completely of plastic. No die-cast for me, thanks.

Now, I'm hungry and I have a half hour before I have to leave for work. So, I think I'll make a sandwich. Mmm... Maybe.

I picked up the Optimus Prime Blaster Rig yesterday, which completes my Halloween costume. I had the Prime helmet already and ordered the G1 Optimus chest shirt from 80's Tees last month, so I just needed the blaster to finish the look, such as it is. I figured that since I have to close the store on Halloween, I may as well dress up. I haven't dressed up for Halloween since... oh, before you were born. I probably won't wear the helmet all day as I have a hard time seeing out of it since my head is so big. So... I've been toying with the idea of dying my hair dark blue and maybe having my hair styled like Prime's helmet. But, that may cost more than it's worth, so if I do anything, it'll be the dye job.

When I found those new Star Wars figures last week or so, I stopped myself from buying the Optimus Prime Beamer at Target for $7.48. Well, I'm glad I did. After my doctor appointment this morning, the last one I'll have for my once ailing foot - one less doctor to see - huzzah, I stopped by Target to pick up some cold relief and wandered aimlessly through the toy section, hoping to find Starkiller Hero or the McQuarrie Snowtrooper to no avail.

Buuut, on a back end cap I saw a similar Optimus Prime beamer. Only this one was marked down to $3.74. Well, shoot! I had the cash and that price was too good to pass up, so...

For what it does, I suppose it's worth the original $15 retail price. It's a nice looking bust of Optimus on a good sized base, making it a decent display piece. A switch controls what setting it's on; night light, flashlight, or off. As a night light, where a light behind the head on the base will stay lit for 10 minutes once the button in front of the head is pressed, which also activates one of three "Transformers" sounds. None of them are very Transformery. A handle can be pulled out from underneath for use as a flashlight. The light comes out of the eyes and is very bright. It may be an awkward flashlight and one not to be used in horror movies because of the sound effects (which have three volume settings), but it works pretty well in a dark bathroom. I am glad I didn't pay full price for it.

Pictured are the Best Buy exclusive Robot Heroes Battle Damaged Optimus Prime and Cliffjumper. Some call them repaints. Others call them recolors. I don't like either term really. It's not like Hasbro took the Optimus Prime and Bumblebee toys and painted new applications over the existing ones. Recolored sounds even sillier, but doesn't seem as bad as repaint if that make sense. So, I guess mold-brothers would be a more correct or say that they share the mold with. But even then, copyright dates may change or a mold might be tweaked before used again. So, there's really not any term I can think of for two toys that look alike but are painted different. Hmmm... TTTLABAPD. Nah, that'll never catch on.

Both of these toys have a significant number of additional paint applications than they're TTTLABAPD. You can't see it too well because 1.) my camera isn't the best and 2.) I'm not the greatest photographer. I do wonder why Cliffjumper is now only a TTTLABAPD of Bumblebee and not a new mold unto itself. It didn't used to be this way. So, why start now? It would have almost made sense to have the Prime in this set be Ultra Magnus if they were going to go the different-color = different-character route. But, what can ya do?

I thought long and hard about the Cobra Legions 5-pack I picked up a few days ago. After deliberation, I decided I don't like it well enough to keep it. So, I packed everything back up and took it back to Target during my lunch break tonight.

I did, however, decide that I wanted the Target exclusive transforming DVD case with comic book and as luck would have it it was the same cost as the Cobra 5-pack. Only problem was, the endcap was empty. I went to a back endcap and it was empty too. Wait. Is that? Yes! One copy left. Hey, laughing boy, one buwwet left! (points to those who get that reference) The case is pretty nifty if not a bit flat, but that will just make it easier for me to integrate it into the Prime collection showcase. So, now I own two copies of the movie on DVD. Bravo, Paramount, for your marketing on this release. Bravo.

Grabbed the Best Buy Transformers DVD exclusives this morning. I got the 2-disc set with 2 exclusive Robot Heroes toys, metallic-painted Ratchet, and the Megatron Lithograph. I'd say more, but I'm out the door to the dentist to see what can be done about the tooth that broke yesterday. *sigh*

So, where was I? Oh yeah, Best Buy. I got there about 45 minutes early and waited in my car until 9:40-ish. Slowly, but surely, the amount of people waiting to come in built up. I'd say about 1/2 were there for Transformers and the other half for Planet Terror, which I also picked up. What struck me as funny, yet irritating, was the man telling people there were only 30 copies of the movie in the store while we waited. I counted the number of movies I could see facing out, with each face-out having 5-10 behind it. I saw 41 copies, though there was more than a few hundred to go around depending on if you wanted the regular edition, the 2-disc variety, the 2-disc with the Robot Heroes of Cliffjumper (a Bumblebee recolor) and Battle-Damaged Optimus Prime (an Optimus Prime recolor that some sites were calling Ultra Magnus because all Prime recolors are Magnus), or the HD-DVD. I told one guy there were more and pointed out all that I could see. We had a Quintesson chuckle between us as the idiot kept spouting his unclean gospel.

Atop the display, I could see two each of the metallic Ratchet and Megatron toys. Then, some employee grabbed one of each with about 5 minutes left before opening. I thought maybe they were gonna display them at the register, but it turns out he bought them. Considering that store only had two of each figure, employees really should be the last people to get them. That' how good customer service works in corporate America. But, what can ya do? The doors opened and off we went. I grabbed the 2-Disc set with the Robot Heroes and the lone, remaining Ratchet. I thought about getting Megatron too. This version is much nicer looking than the regular retail version, but I promised Mrs. GripX I'd only pick up Ratchet and stuck to that. I'm sure she would have understood if I'd bought both, but I figured someone else could better enjoy it than I.

I fought with the display to get a Megatron lithograph. Seems only me and one other guy bothered with it. I'm not sure what I'll do with it, but it was free. I grabbed a copy of Planet Terror and went off to search for an iPod Nano Video case, but they had none. So, I guess I'll just have to be careful with the new iPod for little while longer.

As an aside, my cell phone's screen cracked on Sunday. So, I went to where I bought it from since we had insurance to get a replacement and they said they don't do that and I should check with the corporate store at the pther end of the mall. So, I hobbled down there, as fast as I could considering the amount of pain I was in from last week's operation, only to be told to check with the first place about the insurance. A few minutes later and I talk to a guy that actually wants to help me and he gives me a phone number to call for a replacement. When I get back to work, since I did this on my lunch break, I call the number and will have a new phone UPSed to work (hopefully) by the end of the week.

And I get to shell out $630 for a crown on my broken tooth. I can't tell if today was awesome or if it sucked.

I picked up two more Robot Heroes packs on Tuesday with, oddly enough, the Heroes season one box set. I got Prime vs Blackout and Ratchet vs Megatron. Going by what I saw in the movie, those are odd pairs. I mean, if we were talking about comic book Ratchet Vs Megatron, no problem. Comic book Ratchet, well Marvel Comic Ratchet that is, could kick Decepticon butt very well. Movie Ratchet seemed more interested in smelling pheromones and not being worth a crap in battle to help Bumblebee or save Jazz. Some medic he turned out to be.

That aside, I really like the Robot Heroes line. Prime's neat with the blaster and holllier-than-thou pointing action he can do. Ratchet is always giving the thumbs-up for some reason. Jazz is super-swell with a smirk and decent arm poses. Frenzy is creepy looking in a child-friendly way. Blackout seems to be trying to surprise people in that he looks like he's jumping out of a cake. Megatron... well, he's just too darn happy for words. These guys are kewl.