June 2005 Archives

1328 is a whole lot of wasted money.

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This afternoon's indiscretion puts me at 1328 pieces of crack with today's haul counting as the 1333 through 1337th Transformers I've bought.

Yeah. The ones sold on ebay in May have introduced the discrepancy between the # in my collection and my overall total. But such is life. No doubt the total # will decrease over the next couple of months by even more since I have an entire stack of things I wouldn't mind getting rid of.

But my 1337th Transformer.

My god I am really retarded.

I just had a moment of weakness.

It has been a long long time since I've had one but I just ordered (via Amazon.com) some new plastic crack. Their retail pricing was way better than any specialty online crack stores and shipping and handling for the order was barely above what BBTS and others are.

So in a week or so Cybertron Optimus Prime, Hotshot, Overhaul, Crumplezone, Scattershot, and Thundercracker will arrive.

Of course, most of the crack is boxed and binned up for an eventual move.

But I really needed something new and when I saw the prices were what one would expect for retail it made sense to just order them online.

And at least 4 of them were figures I knew I would buy eventually and didn't care about having the Takara version.

Yeah. No doubt Prime will end up being a shelf clogger and reduced to $20 in six months but since he's sorta-kinda Super Ginrai/Fire Convoy-ish I figured I'd get him.

I'm also keeping watch on one of my holy grail pieces. If I could snag that for $200 total I probably will get it. Yeah, it has been opened, but I would probably do so anyway since I love this translucent version of the Super God Fire Convoy.

AND IT HAS THE GOD MASTER SWORD!!!

Ok. Have to attend a going away luncheon and that godawful Champs generican restaurant.

Dragstrip... where the hell are you?

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06-30-05-dragstrip.jpgWhere the hell are you Alternator Dragstrip?

I've been patiently waiting for someone to report finding you on a shelf but you seem to be shy.

You really need to join your brethen because I need another yellow car on the shelf. Takara Binaltech Tracks is the only yellow car of his kind so far.

Are you AWOL with your fellow Alternator Swerve? He still hasn't appeared either. And Prowl? Where are you?

What gives.

Hasbro marketing? Huh?

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Please Hasbro I need you so badly to explain something to me.

How the hell can you repackage shelf warmers and put them back out on the shelves yet again?!?!?

Now I don't know the truthfulness of these since the past few days showed Transformers Universe packaging that looks like the new Cybertron line and not this old design packaging.

Maybe these are just old photos for ideas that were scrapped since other old repaint shit is going to be released in Cybertron-like packages.

See. The marketing staff will use words like "consistency" and "on message" and possibly even "brand synergy" when they are really trying to mask the fact that old toys, some that have sat on the shelf for over a year, are now in the new line's packaging to confuse people. I mean, most people, especially parents buying their kids plastic crack aren't going to notice the difference and so the same old shit may get bought again.

Now I don't know if this is the intention but it smells like it.

I don't see Takara doing this kind of thing so the Asian toy market must be substantially different.

Then again, Takara doesn't typically repaint the hell out of the same molds over and over and over again and try to sell them over and over and over again.

A comment left by Hellopike says it all...

...Rodimus is made up Latin for crappy leader...
True. But one day he will be redeemed. You'll see.

Ok. Remember the birth of SNATCH (Stupid Names of American Transformers Created by Hasbro) from a few days back? Well I'm broadening it to include "names applied to inappropriate Transformers by Hasbro".

Case in point, the first time ever issuing of the Takara-only Sixtrain to be known as Rail Racer.

Ok. So they reused the Team Bullet Train names from Robots In Disguise. Totally appropriate. No complaints.

And then they named the other 3 Overload, Tankorr, and Swindle???

Overload, Tankorr, and Swindle???

What the phrock!?!?!?!

Couldn't they have come up with new ones? Or even reuse some other G1 names that would make more sense for trains???

Arrrghhhhh!!! Hasbro... I know the kiddies don't care. But even the frigg'n name "Tankor" indicates the name was originally made for something tank-like. DOY!!!

But at least the damn things are going to be released. The Universe line looked dead and I don't care too much for anything Cybertron-related right now.

We may just see the Devestator-colored Landfill and the Seacons yet.

SNATCH: The birthing.

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Ok.

Mr. E. said...

Why even call it Metroplex????

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/thread76621.html

And it's even ugly too.

And then Giga said...
Ah, as the thread said, he's actually Megalo Convoy, which is ok with me. I'm done with Stupid Names of American Transformers. (SNAT).
And then Mr. E. replied...
I think you just coined a great acronymn. Should get lots of use in the future. But maybe we can add a couple letters: Stupid Names of American Transformers Created by Hasbro -- SNATCH.
And there you have it. The birth of SNATCH.

What stupid American Transformer names can you think of? Let me know for the official SNATCH page here at naladahc.com.

*sigh*

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And let me just tell you that the typical sick and pathetic life of a Transformer collecter isn't all shits and giggles.

If you stab us, do we not bleed?

*sniff*

The big question: Do I or Don't I?

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So Mr. E. has decided to go to BotCon '05 and I'm thinking that I will probably end up going too.

Black Zarak in the house again?

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Energon Scorponok as Black ZarakSo once upon a time, back in the yonder years of the 80s during what is now known as Generation 1, there was the Decepticon Headmaster Leader Scorponok (Mega Zarak in Japan).

Figure-wise he was actually pretty shitty visually and like the majority of the figures of that later G1 era was brick-like and clunky. At least in the Japanese Headmasters show he had a ton of screen time.

Now Takara retooled and repainted him into the much nicer Black Zarak who appeared in Masterforce.

Black Zarak kicks major ass and his PVC figure is one of my favorites.

Anyway... in 2004 in the Energon line they introduced that line's version of Scorponok and it was ok. A little too clunky in bot mode and a little too useless in the cartoon but overall ok.

Well rumors abounded and prototype pictures popped up that Takara had retooled the mold for Galaxy Force's force chip gimmick and it appears to be true.

There will be a "Black Zarak" version of Energon Scorponok released.

He looks better but he really needs the G1 Black Zarak's red spear. That to me added so much to the figure in the same way that my much beloved Master Sword adds to Fortress Maximus and God Fire Convoy.

Perhaps I'll end up getting him. I bought an extra Energon Scorponok to someday repaint as Black Zarak. Like that'll ever happen.

Holy plastic crack addicts Optimus!

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Holy fucking shit!!! I can't believe how fucking expensive it'll be if I decide to go to Botcon 2005.

It is insane!

Ok. $129/night for room (so let's say $65 because I'd split it).

Now I can either pay $265 for registration which includes a ton of useless paper shit, the seven-figure exclusive set (repaints ahoy), the right to attend the seminars, and some special piece that can only be picked up in person.

If I don't want to attend but want the figures it'll still cost $265 and I won't get the special gift since I won't attend in person.

If I just want to go to the sales floor it'll cost $9 per day.

Airfare, at this moment, would be around $350-$400.

Ok. Now all dealers must get a Texas sales tax number and charge 8.25% sales tax!!!

It will cost me around $750 before tax is added to just fucking get to the convention!!! And I've got to do more than the sales floor because I'd lose my mind walking around there for 2 days looking at the same old plastic crack over and over and over again!

I spent about $800 on toys, travel, meals, and alcohol last year at the 'con in Chicago. It will cost me more just to get to this con than I spent on toys last year!!!

And thank god I paid $40 to be a club member because it'd cost closer to $950 just to get there!

And with my wallet already minus $800 I still haven't even puchased any toys in the display room!!!

So the way I see it, I'm be spending around $1600 just to go attend the Botcon this year.

And to top all of this off all of the brochure materials still look like they were produced by amateurs with no concept of kerning, leading, placement, etc. with Microsft Publisher. Kids with crayons have better sense of placement. Hell, I'd donate my design skills for all their materials if they'd give me the big package!!! (Ok. I'm really bitching now. But I need slick design to justify certain expenses.)

I so badly wanted to get out of Ohio, get Mr. E. drunk on shots at the hotel bar, meet some Cowtowner crack addicts, and just have a silly geeky loser time.

But now? Geesh!!! I just don't know.

---

Looks like I'm not the only one that freaked:

From tfw2005: Anyone want to buy my kidney so I can AFFORD BotCon? forum thread.
From Allspark: Registrations forms are up, And prices... are... thread

Need more info!

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So I ran home for lunch and Master Collector was in the mail.

I'm very livid that it is now June and they are still being very vague over the details of the Botcon for this September.

I still will probably go even if it means charging it to plastic (which I rarely ever use) but I want details!!!

I want to know if it is going to be worth my money to get on a plane and go to frigg'n Dallas.

I'd love to meet some Cowland Crack Addicts and I can see myself going to the con purely to sit at the bar and watch geeks again.

Grrr... and the Master Collector TF insert?

Man they must have an amateur laying this out in MS Publisher or something. There's definitely not a whole lot of publishing and design skill going into these things.

Takara To Reissue Brick

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So while there doesn't appear to be an official news release from Takara (or whatever it is called now) there's rumors aplenty that Star Convoy will be re-issued.

Do you like your bricks as reincarnated version of Convoy? Sure ya do!

Will I get this? Hmmm... hard to say.

I'd probably get it for the Micromaster Hot Rod more than the blocky Star Convoy.

I mean, if I get Star Convoy, I then have to get Mr. E.'s favorite Grandus.

$60.00? Bwhahahah!

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Hah! The Transformers Club is selling the Skyfall figure online for $60.00!!!

Hahahahahah!

The 2005 Collectors' Club Exclusive

So my Transformers Collectors' Club exclusive figure Skyfall arrived.

Quite frankly there's nothing to get excited about here. While I like the use of translucent plastics to evoke a specific "effect", like the 2000 Osaka Toy Show Car Robot Brothers, this just looks cheap to me.

I can't say I'm a fan of a combiner exclusive either. I mean... I have to wait 4 more frigg'n years to finish the damn figure! That like... how does one say... um... sucks the balls plastic!

Always something.

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So strange.

Unicron vs. the Death Star: who would win?

Hitler

And that's the strangest random "Hitler reference of the day" that I've come across in a long time.

Coolness.

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Mr. E. sent me this news article from Seibertron.com that was welcome news on the animated TF front.

"'Transformers The Movie - Reconstructed' will be released on 29th August 2005. We're going back to the original picture negative and doing a brand new telecine. It will be 16:9 Widesceen Anamorphic, but will have curtains as the viewable image is 1.33:1 and 1.78:1 and it changes scene by scene. We wanted to give the fans the maximum possible Transformer image. Everything the laminators drew will be visible and this will be the first time anyone, anywhere would have seen the whole movie in its original form. It should be quite something".

"'Transformers Takara Headmasters' will be released in a 4 disc box set on 26th September. This will have brand new English subtitles and the original English dub so you can watch it in whatever way you want."

Ok. The movie thing is cool but really it no big deal. So you see tiny bits of bleed off of the sides of the screen. So what. All film animation has this though it doesn't really exist anymore due to computer-assisted camera work.

And while they may market it as "cool" it is more than likely due to the fact that different groups were farmed out parts of the movie (hence why the animation style is all over the place) and their camera equipment was different for their in-house methodolgy.

But what is really cool news is the region 0 sub-titled Transformers: Headmasters release. That is frigg'n fantastic!!!

The horrible version available in bootlegs of the Hong Kong English dub is a nightmare to watch and this DVD is a welcome thing indeed.

Headmasters's isn't all that great mind you. It is a Japanese-produced but heavily American-styled which is kinda meh.

Now if they somehow can do this for Transformers: Ch�jin Master Force and Transformers: Victory I will have the moistest panties in the world. Specially to see Star Saber all crystal clear and not all shitty.

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