May 2007 Archives

Jazz had better speak jive!

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So this new trailer finally has more new footage.

I'm assuming the Allspark cube thingie which quickly appears and seems to be transforming and enlarging is an indicator of the Cybertronian's inherent ability to change shape.

Not that I'm mad or anything, but there goes an entire scene in Splintered where Hot Rod describes why Cybertronians can transform and change their form so easily. Hell, I even explained the Lithonians' abilities to transform as well.

Oh well. S'what I get for never finding the time to fully write Splintered anyway.

Maybe one day it will be finished.

i iz not pizza

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loltrek

I lost all interest in Star Trek ages ago but these are actually really funny in that internets-meme-sorta-way.

WRX Car Club

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WRX Car Club
Originally uploaded by revlimit
Revlimit posted another phenomenal picture.

He manages to get everything scaled perfectly to make these look like real vehicles.

What's great is he totally psyched out the first commenter on the photo.

So much to do...

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So I've been working on the exterior of the house, counting down the day until it goes on the market. As of today there are 25 days of work left until I have the "for sale" sign planted out front!

Hopefully I'll be able to wrap up the exterior work soon and get cracking on packing up the Attic.

I'm going to continue to try and snag at least one photo of each of my toys for insurance purposes so if all goes as planned I'll put up some new photos soon.

Well, and I have a shitload of Real Gear toys coming too!

So over a couple of evenings and mornings I've suffered through watching 1985's "Revelation of The Daleks".

I so totally and truly hate the Sixth Doctor era.

The 80s Who is just so hard for me to watch.

And this story is such a snorefest.

Of course, it also contains Davros, the bottom of the barrel for me in terms of Dalek concepts.

Thankfully, the new Who episode "Human Nature" aired Saturday night. It was quite possible one of the best episodes ever... and it is still only part 1 of a 2 parter! If the second part is even 1/4 as good as the first this may be some of the best Who ever.

2007_05_24_card.jpgIn two days I leave the wonderful world of scientific publishing and shift completely into the IT world supporting scientific publishing.

You may say "so what's the difference?" and actually, I'm leaving behind my job in an area I'm considered and expert in and braving new territory where I only have scratched the surface as a desktop windows and macintosh sys admin in.

But I'm ready for the challenge.

Anyway, today the staff decided to throw me a qoing away food spread. Of course, I'm like on day 12 of fasting so it couldn't have happened at a worse time for me but they went all out with a cake, sausage, dips, and one of my kryptonites: Sue L's Pepperoni dip!

I'm going to be so ill. Ugh! My guts are churning already.

I also got a great going away card in which Gobot Suk had to embellish with a little Shockwave action.

One can never have enough G1 Shockwave.

Cars, jets, and helicopters. Oh my.

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I've gone back and forth over what movie characters I might get.

Of course, we all know what a loser geek I am so we all know I'll end up with all of the mainline toys (not the gimmicky ones) but I swear to you I will only buy on sale or clearance for the majority.

With the bot modes not being my cup of tea I can now say, based on this photo by Remy Rodis, that the movie line will definitely be on my shelves in alt mode.

You can't knock the realistic appearance of these guys.

Same old. Same old.

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I love how "exclusive" really doesn't mean much anymore.

On one hand, you have the Hot Rod coming from SDCC that is indeed exclusive since it isn't mass retail.

Then, on the other hand, you have all these shelf-warming 3" Titaniums done up in 2-packs that are "exclusive" to some store but are the same old figures that have been out forever.

*sigh*

I remember when Takara used to do so many redecos and such that were exclusive to Jusco or other products.

Not the same shelf-warming shit! Something even mildly repainted!

Or. I suppose you could say even lacking in all color.

So. It looks like Alternator Hot Rod will indeed be a San Diego Comic Con exclusive, along with that Titanium Menasor made from Rodimus Prime.

Mr. B? Mrs B? Mister R?

Um... help a brother out?

In lieu of actually content...

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In lieu of plastic crack related content, here's a picture of The Hoont I took yesterday.

The Majestic Hensley Chu 1

Don't know if I'll have much to post over the next few days on account of the Countdown to sell the House of Love has begun. Not a lot of free geek time I'm afraid.

6" Titanium Beast Machines Cheetor

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6" Titanium Cheetor (cat mode)

Wow! He's a really good figure. Quite possibly one of the best representations of Beast Machines Cheetor around.

No complaints here.

He'll be going to my new office at work. I'm decorating with 6" Titaniums!

Titanium Cheetor is the 1865th Transformer that I've acquired.

Takara Micron Densetsu Wheel (Jusco exclusive)

This Jusco Exclusive Micron Densetsu Wheel is the 1864th Transformer that I've acquired.

I got nothing.

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I got nothing.

I want to lick him all over.

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2007_05_18_blackout.jpg

He is sooooooo the bright point for me for the movie and movie toy line.

Remy made him purty.


He's so beautiful.

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2007_05_18_deszarus.jpg

I don't believe in the AFA graded shit since all it does it give somebody the balls the add a shitload of money for what they want for something.

But I just gotta say... this Transformers Victory Deszarus really is incredible.

I have never ever seen an MISB that is so fantastically beautiful.

Why oh why.

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Why oh why would somebody be willing to pay $70+ for a figure that will be out in retail in a few weeks?

Prime will be what? $40 like usual.

Toys for sale! G1 toys for sale!

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So you want to buy some really fantastic G1 Transformers?

Well head on over to Gobot Suk's galleries and take a look at the crack he's got for sale.

He's a personal friend and co-worker of mine who needs to sell off his stuff. I'm don't get all wet over G1 stuff so I'm not interested at the moment.

He's the guy I bought my Fortress Maximus, G1 Scoponok, and a shit load of other stuff from.

If interested in his crack or you have any questions, you can email him at . Tell him you read about his crack at Plastic Crack!

I love lobster girls!

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I don't usually read Aquaman but I was reading Rachelle Goguen's Living Between Wednesday weekly haul review and I burst out laughing with her review of this week's Aquaman.

2007_05_18_aquaman_panel.jpg

I would so completely buy a monthly comic about Sandi the Lobster Girl!!!

Ewwww!

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2007_05_17_movieswindle.jpgSwindle's got a great alt mode, as almost all the movies do, but man oh man that "head" is just such utter crap.

There's only one Cybertronian that can pull off the 1-eye thing and we all know who the hell that is.

It is just so... so... so not a Transformer.

He may be different but I just don't think he's different in a good way.

So the full trailer is out.

And I really didn't give a shit until those few seconds hit of Blackout (from the side) transforming into bot mode.

I knew from the moment I saw the early model sheet that it would be all about Blackout for me.

And now I can confirm that.

Definitely a total Bay movie though and through.

Methinks I will enjoy being drunk with a couple of hundred TF geeks screaming at the screen on this one.

Will it be $50 worth of enjoyment?

Well that depends on how much Jack and Coke I have.

Yo! Botcon 2006 geeks...

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Alternators Ultra Magnus
Originally uploaded by JasonCross.
Remember when we were driving up I-75 from Lexington on the way back to the Cowlands and I saw that white pick-up with the blue stripes and I said they should just get it over with and repaint Alt Prime as Ultra Magnus like that?

Well... here's a custom repaint exactly like I figured he'd look.

Hell... he's got the stripes too!

Wreckage isn't really wreckage.

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Wow!

I totally like Wreckage,

While the head/fave trys to fit into the film aesthetic on the whole, he doesn't remind of the film bots at all but more along the lines of Energon Mirage.

I'll buy him!

Not bad. Not bad at all.

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2007_05_15_7skyblast.jpgNow I've never been one to knock the cheapest basic figures that Hasbro produces.

In fact, out of Superlink/Energon the basics are actually superior to the majority of the line for me.

And while I wasn't a fan of the Energon combiners, I did like the individual basics and 2 out of 3 of the "main" combiner parts.

That said, Energon and Cybertron basics are being repainted to fill the lowest price-point void in the movie line, under the Sector 7 branding or some shit.

I'm actually more impressed with these Sector 7 repaints than some of the original line version.

I love this new Sklyblast and I even love the metallic blue repaint of the Arcee that's coming out.

Alas, this Clocker repaint is kind of disappointing. I think it is the blue and grey combination. It is the same kind of palette that made my find Alternator Camshaft not worth opening.

Then again, I love the 2 Botcon repaints/retools of Clocker so that could have something to do with it too.

I wonder if they'll just do the basics and not try and fit some of the combiner parts into this Sector 7 thing.

There's no reason why not to release them in good colors. They don't have to have the combiner gimmick to be good figures.

Skyblast... you are definitely going to be mine though!

Um.

Er.

Hmmmm.

Well, all I can say is she makes a good bike.

I just can't get into this design aesthetic at all.

WW Prowl. It does a body good.

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War Within Prowl? Yay!

Menasor from a repainted Rodimus Prime? Boooo!

They are grasping with the repaints here.

What next. The G1 Ultra Magnus done in Diaclone Powered Convoy colors?

Now that I might buy.

Then again, I can't even find a regular G1 Ultra Magnus or BM Cheetor.

Takara G1 Masterforce Godmaster Zetoca

Godmaster Zetoca is the 1863rd Transformer that I've acquired.

Takara G1 Masterforce Godmaster Aquastar

Godmaster Aquastar is the 1862nd Transformer that I've acquired.

I am so THE lame!

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Godmasters Zetoca and Aquastar in "engine" mode.

I am so THE lame!

Can somebody please tell me why I dropped so much cash on 2 tiny Godmasters that turn into this?!?!?!

2007_05_11_breakaway.jpgI'm just wondering something.

How many of you who read this here utterly pointless blog belong to the Transformers Collectors Club?

Now if so, I'm curious if any of you care about the yearly membership exclusive

This year's Breakaway is just around the corner and I find it funny that I really haven't talked to anybody who belongs to the club who gives a shit about this, the other previously released 2, or the future 2 at all.

I actually enjoy when they start shipping because I love to see how quickly it takes for a certain someone who frequents here to have it up on ebay. I think last year's was up on ebay in 5 hours from being delivered!

Now me? I've never opened them and really hated the Energon combiners for the most part. The reuse of 2 molds per combiner just didn't do it for me and the so-called hands and feet made out of the energon weapon things just made them all look kind of shitastic to me.

However, with that said, I'll be extremely happy if the center main figure is a repaint of Barricade, the Bruticus Maximus.

He's the only one I really love and his alt mode is great. Steamhammer blows and while I don't mind Storm Jet, his form as a combiner has much too weak a point of contact. My Superion Maximus just never stays together at the waist. It is just a poor design.

Oh well. What can ya do. Barricade will definitely be worth the $40 membership to me.

So. Do any of you give a shit anymore about this figure?

C'mon. I know deep down in the deepest depths of your geekage one of you must.

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The shit just keeps coming, and this time it is in the form of... ok... ready for this?

*drumroll*

Yawn!

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Ugh!

I think I would have been ballistic if I'd have gotten suckered into going to this shit.

hell-o Kit-ty ex-ter-min-ate!

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hell-o Kit-ty ex-ter-min-ate!
Originally uploaded by groc.
I so would buy one of these!

How could you not want to own one, two, a googleplex of them!

Hell, I'd buy a whole Hello Kitty-inspired series of Doctor Who figures because that's just the kind of geek loser I am!

My name is Balls.

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2007_05_11_balls.jpg

Woozy sent me a link to this soon to be released comic The Incredible Change-Bots, no doubt because of my affection for the term "balls".

I even had to cut out the above panel.

It is described as...

Far away in space, there is a planet full of robots able to change from robot form to vehicle form --- the Incredible Change-Bots! Leaving their war torn planet, the Change-Bots arrive on Earth, where their battle continues -- BUT AT WHAT COST?!

Part parody, part nostalgic tribute, part moral fable - with The Incredible Change-Bots Jeffrey Brown re-invents the shape changing robot genre into a heart stopping action comedy that’s full of romance, half drama, and epic battles! The first FULL-COLOR graphic novel from Jeffrey Brown is an all-ages friendly (one guy and some robots die) immersion into sci-fi fun. -- 144 pages.

There's a few preview pages too.

It reminds me too much of the hundreds of black and white alternative press gimmick/parody comics that came out in the 80s after the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became popular. It might have been funny 20 years ago but it is just too late for my tastes.

I wouldn't waste $15 on it but hey, no doubt somebody will. Then again, I'm trying to get rid of thousands of comics right now too.

Balls!

Ugh!

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There's nothing worse than coming home to a central air conditioning unit not working.

Joy.

Let's see what this bill will be.

Really. I just want to get the house ready to sell.

No more major dollars please!

The missing brother.

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Fortress and Brave keep whispering to me that they are lonely.

Should I?

Wait!?!?! Aren't you a dude?

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noob sent me this.

Intervention: New Toy Addiction

There is nothing to transform.

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Wow. I haven't bought or received a Transformer since April 30.

That's 10 days!

Almost healthy!

I was just thinking.

I know there's a lot of collectors who like the new movie toys.

I don't think there's as many of them as there are people who like the Classics line but on the whole, a lot of the bitching has now quieted down since the crack-du-jour will be hitting shelves soon and addicts need their fix.

However, I'm wondering what Botcon 2008 will be like because odds are the movie toys will be the source of repaints for next year.

While there's been all kinds of bruhahah over this year's Seeker repaints I just don't see how much excitement will be generated next year over repaints.

And with Hasbro already repainting the flick figs into homages of their old school color palettes, that can't even be done for the Botcon set.

There are so few actual figures being released in this line there won't be much choice so I could even see FP doing fewer figures but doing the larger ones even.

That is unless Hasbro does release the regurgitated Galvatron, Ultra Magnus, Nemesis Prime, Cliffjumper, etc. from these in the main release line.

I can't see collectors going to Botcon giving a shit about the real gimmicky iterations at the different price points either. That could never justify the cost of a Primus package and certain for a non-attending package.

I'm actually excited for next year to see what FP can come up with that doesn't devolve into massive bitching and whining after the previous 2 years rather outstanding work.

And no, I don't think the Real Gear stuff would work but I could be wrong. You've at least got a G1 Reflector homage in there. The others could be new characters completely.

There are the Binaltech/Alternator molds though.

Oh future... what do you hold...

2007_05_09_mind_old.gifDamn! Even Grant Morrison wanted to write Mister Mind's metamorphosis closer to what I thought should have happened!!!

...although I originally wanted Mister Mind to metamorphose into a goofy-looking little butterfly wearing glasses. I thought it would be scarier if this tiny, supremely evil creature could do absolutely anything but I was overruled on the grounds that our lead characters wouldn't look very cool running from an angry Red Admiral with a two-inch wingspan.
For those of you who don't know who Mister Mind is, he's a small Venusian super-intelligent worm who first appeared in 1943 to plague Captain Marvel (the real one).


He's been revamped over the past 20 years to modernize him and on the whole, he just never reached the heights of evil that he had in the 40s.

Let's face facts... there is absolutely nothing wrong with a small 3" worm wearing spectacles being one of the most awesome personifications of evil villainy ever!!!

2007_05_09_mind_new.jpgNow in 52 #52 Mister Mind finally transforms from his worm form and it is into this hideously monstrous moth creature.

Fine. That's OK.

But damn! Why did the powers that be not see how much more frightening it would be if this hideously monstrous moth creature also happened to be totally near-sighted and needed glasses!!!

IT WOULD HAVE ROCKED!!!!

*sigh*

Comics. The other love-hate geeking of my life.

Morrison does unveil some threads that didn't get into 52 that will appear in the future and I am waiting on them now! Grrrr!

The same pitch also introduced two new Japanese pop-culture inspired superteams - the venerable monster-huntin' crew of Big Science Action and the Super Young Team (whose members include Most Excellent SuperBat, Big Atomic Lantern Boy and Shy Crazy Lolita Canary) - both of which will appear in my next big DCU project in 2008...

The idea behind the Megaverse is to basically create a number of big new franchise possibilities. It's like having several comics companies and universes under one umbrella, so, as I say, there could be one book or a whole line of books spinning out of the new Earth 10 (I handled that particular revamp, so I can tell you that the original concept of the Freedom Fighters on a world where the Nazis won World War 2 has been greatly reconsidered, expanded and intensified into something that's a bit more Wagnerian and apocalyptic and a bit more adult) That's how I'd like to see the Megaverse played out as we move forward. And no crossovers! Each of the parallel universes should exist in its own separate stream with no contact from the others - not until we have a story worthy of bringing them together.

I am so there!

The guardian of the Attic of Love.

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The Hoont

The never-ending comics sorting...

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So I spent 3 more hours working on the comic tonight.

I got all of the Vertigo and Wildstorm stuff sorted and boxed and am unfortunately found 2 miscellaneous boxes of DC and Marvel shit I need to fit back into the already completed crap.

I pulled Giga's Marvel Doctor Who comics out and also all the stuff that I intend on keeping.

Doctor Who: The Lazarus Experiment

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So you can probably get the gist of this episode from the title alone.

Following up on the generally disappointing Dalek 2-parter is "The Lazarus Experiment", which I actually totally loved.

2007_05_08_who_lazarus.jpg

*spoilers ahead*

They sure ain't Macra!

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I'm a little late on this since I waited for both parts to be finished to discuss the new two-part "Daleks in Manahattan" and "Evolution on the Daleks" episodes of Doctor Who.

2007_05_01_doctorwho_banner.jpg

*spoilers*

The GAYest toy I've ever seen.

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Um.

Er.

Um.

Hmmm.

Woozguy sent me a link to a "Who Girls" drawing.

What's really sad is I can tell you who all the girls are.

What's really great is that the artist chose to start them in black and white and then proceed to color with Liz Shaw just like it was in reality.

And note... Zoe is in her catsuit!

However, one main female companion is absent. However, I've never considered her one of the Doctor's "girls" based on the way she interacts with him. A few others aren't here but including them would be really thin in terms of "compantionship".

Who do you think is missing? (And no, I'm not counting non-televised media here!)

2007_05_07_optimash.jpgNow I'm definitely getting the Optimash Prime here for my new office.

I have absolutely no qualms about this kind of fun cross-brand promotion at all and the Star Wars variations, while I don't own them, pretty much foretold the coming of this here guy.

However, the major reason I'm gonna buy this is the fact that he's a G1 Prime.

I find it funny that Hasbro so often seems to want to abandon the past but here's another example where they deemed it appropriate to totally change "Optimus" for the movie yet a cross-promotional toy is designed around a 20-year-old appearance.

Then again, there's a shitload of late 20-something males that will see this and know immediately who it is without even having to see that name.

There's something to be said for icons.

There's also something to be said for childhood-toy-cartoon-marketing brainswashing too!

(Kudos to Hasbro for making a little truck too!)

2007_05_07_postcoitus.jpg

So I'm looking at this still from the movie and I'm thinking... "That looks creepy."

All I can think of is Spike and Carly (or whatever her name is in this flick) in a post-coital embrace on the hood of Bumblebee while Ironhide and Ratchet just watched them shag.

I wonder what whiney emo-band will be playing over this scene.

Oh wait. This isn't Smallville.

Comics comics shitloads of comics.

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So.

I managed to get many hours in on the paper crack yesterday and can now say that the DC and Marvel shit is all sorted and boxed up.

I'm now working on Vertigo, Wildstorm, First, Eclipse, and all the other minor things I've bought.

Man. There's so much shit there.

I did make the mistake of going on ebay and looking what comics are going for.

Let's just say the comics I sold for 50 cents at the toy & comic show last weekend are actually selling on ebay for a shitload more.

I can't be mad though. If I had the time I should have checked on that and put those up. The problem with selling comics on ebay is the weight. They just get heavy so fast and the shipping then becomes greater than the worth.

But really. There's only value to some people. 99% of comics are practically worthless the moment you hand your retail wad of cash over to the comic store. It is such a dying industry and I don't see much longer term survical out of the collectibles market once the production of printed comics no longer becomes feasible. (I'm in publishing... I watch printed periodicals dying every day!)

Yes I'd like to recoup some of the tens of thousands of dollars spent over the years but that's just not feasible. Surprisingly, once reboxed and stacked in the basement, the comics don't seem to take up as much space as they did in the attic.

I received an email this morning with a link to this advert.

I have a feeling that we'll be deluged with all kinds of "transformation" advertising above and beyond all the cross-marketing promotional crap for the the film itself.

And quite frankly, if there was ever something that could completely make me want to get the hell out of this sick toy collecting addiction it may be the forthcoming movie.

I already get, on average, four to five "Do you know there's a Transformers movie coming out?" questions directed at me on a weekly basis.

Actual Transformers Movie spoilers

"LASERBEAK LEAVE MY ASS ALONE! TAKE HIS INSTEAD!"

Soon.

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2007_05_04_soon.jpg

I really don't know why but I think this lolcats pic is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

I actually lol'd which I rarely do.

Holy shit!

I figured out what my personal Hasbro demand of TF entitlement should be!

I demand a completely exclusive Classics Shockwave with full electronics and an audio chip in him.

When you press a button on the back, his eye glows and he says "And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers other than me... And you will know my name is Shockwave when I lay my vengeance upon thee!"

See? Isn't that better than a Starscream repaint?

Hell. And I even demand David Warner be hired to record the line!

Remember I wrote the other day about knowingly mistransforming toys depending on if I like the way it looks?

Well I just found something mistransformed that is actually really kind of funny given the final attempt to make the alt mode look plausible without instructions.

So I've been thinking of something to make my GRC more enjoyable.

Since the customizing classes are full I should hold my own unofficial customizing class.

I'm thinking it'll consist of one or two things.

Everyone gets a can of gold spray paint and you get to make a "Takara Lucky Draw" figure or we just sit around talking about the custom figures we'd want to do if we really wanted to actually customize a figure.

Personally, I'm thinking the latter is more likely.

Gold spray paint kinda smells like a nursing home.

Never confuse bizarre speech impediments with personalities. (Please Save Me Robots)

Grimlock, Soundwave and Wheelie didn't have character, they had bizarre speech impediments.
Agreed.

I'd go so far to even say that even the few who do (Bumblebee and Starscream) are really pretty much just cliche as can be in terms of characterization.

Let's face it.

The tech specs on the back of the boxes often had more character than an appearance on the show.

Is that why some of characters are so popular? Purely off their tech specs?

Hmmm...

While I'm only interested in the Shockwave chibi thing, I finally looked at the other ones and I just have to wonder...

What the hell's up with the "Optimus Prime Pointing Like Chris' Evil Monkey In The Closet" pose?

2007_05_04_heroconvoy.jpg

This pose is like a default now in the small toys and has been used several times.

Personally I think it is awful.

But where does it come from and why is it now seeping into Prime designs and sculpts?

2007_05_04_poster.jpg

The first time I seem to recall seeing it was on the Dreamwave Autobot poster (above) that I think Pat Lee did.

Of course, Pat Lee + Transformers brings up all kinds of bad crazy fandom drama but I honestly don't recall the pointing Prime before that.

Titanium Series - War Within Optimus Prime

The 3" War Within Rhoids Prime has it (above).

3" Titanium G1 Optimus Prime (in Evil Monkey In The Closet mode)

The G1 3" Titanium has it (above) and of course, so does the battle-damaged repaint.

Optimus is totally doing the "evil monkey" pointing!!!

What is up with this pose?

I just find it so funny that it just keeps popping up on Prime and now the Robot Heroes version has got his evil pointing action going on!

Is it all Pat Lee's fault?

So I'm sitting here in the soon-won't-be-mine office looking out the windows and watching the sun come over the Cowlands horizon and thought to myself "Oh well. Let's see what's on the front pages of the TF geekdom sites."

That's pretty much where I should have stopped.

Yes. I once again made the mistake of actually clicking on a link to forum responses regarding some of the recent Botcon figures.

Why oh why do I do this?

Anyway, are there just a certain percentage of TF geeks who are clinically retarded?

I'm beginning to think that every fandom, regardless of the flavor, has a constituency that is roughly 20% retarded.

And I feel bad even saying that because it makes those people who are truly mentally retarded embarrassed that I group geek retards in with them. No doubt the AAMR will be on my case now.

OK. How many Botcons has Fun Pubs run now?

Two done and a third on the way right?

Right.

OK.

So for the past 3 years the way they run their shows and the way Hasbro works with them is now historical fact and all the data you'll ever need about how a Botcon will play out is there right?

Right.

OK.

So you know that if FP maintains the Botcon license they are likely to do a box set of 5 figures with some "theme", a con attendee-only figure, and more than likely a minimum of 4 show-only exclusives right?

Right.

OK.

2007_05_02_has.jpgSo why oh why oh why must the 20% mentally retarded still bitch and moan about the fact that these figures should have been mass retail figures and that there's "no way" they are paying so much for these figures when the set should run $60 and such!?!?!

It just blows my mind.

Now it is true, I have some bad feelings about wasting money on toys. Any reader of this here crack site or my other sites will know my personal love-hate relationship with my toy problem. The mere fact that this site exists and that I waste time on it is clearly indicative of the core of my problem: I just can't walk away from my personal and private TF geekdom yet regardless of how often I want to! (Yes. It is rough being the World's Most Beloved Polish-American Plastic Crack™ Addict.)

Anyway. I digress.

I'm just blown away by the people who continue to be blind to the fact that there's a Botcon historical pattern now and regardless of if you like or don't like FP, you as a TF geek are now getting more options than you ever would have gotten from anyone else. And that includes Hasbro!

And these figures, as they are revealed, would never have existed in retail.

Never ever ever.

They only exist because FP has had them made for Botcon and Hasbro is making a certain dollar amount from them!

There never was going to be a Classics Thundercracker or a Classics Dirge or Thrust.

Never ever ever.

You can keep thinking that these should have been released in the retail chain but they never existed as viable figures until FP forked over the money to Hasbro to make them.

It is that simple.

Every single figure in the Classics line that was displayed at Botcon 2006 in Lexington was released! No more. No less.

Just like Hasbro said the line would play out.

The same can be said of the Alternators.

The final two have been released and unless Hasbro says differently during a panel, Classics and Alternators are probably end-of-line with the possible exception of TakaraTomy and/or E-Hobby doing their own thing.

These figures exist for collectors and collectors only! They are not aimed at you buying them from your Target or Wal-Mart or WeBeToys on clearance!

To continually bring up the fact that the FP prices are so high for these figures is ridiculous! These figures can have whatever price FP wants to put on them since they would not exist without FP!

Crawl back into your private geek fantasy that Hasbro is dicking you over personally and was secretly going to release these figures in the Classics line. If that makes you happy and keeps you going throughout the day keep believing it.

But just remember something... (and of course, this is always aimed at myself too)...

They're just toys. You either buy them or you don't. You either pay the price someone wants for them or you don't.

There's a reason why theyrejustfuckingtoys.com points here!

For all my adult toy collecting lameness I never ever ever let myself forget that they are just fucking toys!

You either buy them or you don't.

Nobody is out to get you and personally piss you off.

(Or are they?)

My paper heaven hell.

| 1 Comment

So I got a few hours in on the paper crack down in the basement.

I may actually have it all sorted and reboxed by Saturday afternoon depending on how my back is.

I also need to plant some flowers out front so they fill in over the next few weeks and that is going to totally kill me too.

Why is this "character" popular?

| 17 Comments

2007_05_03_dreadwing.jpg So the final Botcon set figure Dreadwing has been revealed and as expected, it is a repainted and slightly head-retooled Classics Jetfire.

I'm no fan of this year's set.

It isn't because of FP's attempts here, I suppose I just don't give a shit about these characters.

I'm not a die-hard G1 purist at all so I can take or leave G1-inspired characters.

Dreadwing here is pretty much a non-entity to me as a character so there's absolutely nothing fiction-wise to excite me. He's just a grey toy repaint that could have been named anything.

If TF Universe was still around as a line we'd probably get a more garishly painted Jetfire repaint so I suppose the more subdued Botcon palette should be applauded here.

I suppose the apparent love some TF geeks have for the Dreadwing character comes from the Marvel US or UK comics which I just can't read for more than a few minutes.

Oh well.

Like Bugbite, Dreadwing will no doubt make a ton of people happy.

Hell, they even spent the cash on retooling the "regular" head too.

I'm now officially more excited about tracking down the Botcon 2001 Tigatron exclusive than any of this set.

Personally, I can't see how people can be more excited about the 2007 set and now say the 2006 was lame.

I just don't see it.

I think it is utterly hilarious that it is practically impossible for any surprises to come out for TF toys anymore.

There's still the "is it or is it not" question regarding that Botcon Alpha Trion but on the whole, the internets have totally destroyed toy (and other geek) surprises.

Case in point: the inevitable repaints of movie toys, this time in G1-inspired color schemes.

So far we got a more ambulancey Ratchet and a G1-ish Starscream with the Thundercracker head.

This will probably be the Ratchet I buy if I buy any at all.

I like the alt mode done up in the white and red far better than the yellow original one.

The Starscream does absolutely nothing for me whatsoever and for a second I thought it was just the Energon Starscream repaint based on the thumbnail.

Well duh!

| 7 Comments

2007_05_02_shockwave.jpg

Yes. It is true.

I MUST HAVE THIS FIGURE

2007_05_02_realgear.jpg

I so loves me some of the new Real Gear figures.

This is what I'm truly waiting for this summer.

You can have your movie figures. This is where it is at for this loser geek!

Arcee McRepaints

| 3 Comments

So the "Sector Seven" repaint of Arcee has popped up on Ebay and all I can say is that it looks good in a metallic blue.

And I think that Arcee, next to the G2 Spychangers, must be one the most repainted figures of all time.

Hell. After 3 of them at Botcon 2005, multiple Takara and Hasbro versions, and now these, Arcee will definitely give the G2 Spychangers or the Car Robots "Autobot Brothers" a run for the repaint money.

Botcon exclusive Alpha Trion?

| 14 Comments

2007_05_02_botcon_atrion.jpgSo if rumors around the geek TFandom are true we may be getting a Cybertron retooled figure as Alpha Trion.

There's been a few customs and kitbashes of this but if this is true, I'm actually more excited about this being a possible figure than any endlessly repainted Starscreams.

I didn't expect this figure at all so it could be a really nice surprise.

The con itself isn't proving to be much at all for me but some of the non-set figures could very well be great.

I think it is kind of silly that they have to do a repaint of Roots though. Yeah, I'm sure the figure is on the same tool/mold but does it have to be made too?

I can say for certain, since Kabaya released just a bunch of Roots, that a separate mold for him must exist or the ability to avoid filling the Vector Prime parts of the tool.

I suppose the sword is necessary to compelte the alt mode. I guess the same logic could be supplied for Roots too.

I wonder what fiction that'll create for him. Beta?

All in all, this one's got me more excited than any of the others so far.

Botcon exclusive Bugbite

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2007_05_02_botcon_bugbyte.jpgSo the pics are up of the new Bugbite figure for the GRB set and quite frankly, like Classics Cliffjumper, he just looks like a Bumblebee repaint.

I didn't realize how that mold, being a perfect Bumblebee, just will never look like anything other than a Bumblebee to me.

I know that it is all a part of the tool but I probably would have left off the waverider sled. Sure it becomes the flight pack but that just makes it even look more like just a straight up Bumblebee figure.

This guy's definitely the "calling it in" figure for this year's convention set much like I felt Dinobot was last year's cop-out figure. (That said, I haded that Armada mold though.)

I actually like the pearly-white on the body but the head, which in these pics appears to be totally white, is kind of jarring when looked at from afar.

Who knows.

I'm sure there will be a lot of people that like this.

The whole set I could pretty much take or leave.

Revoltechs are so much fun!

| 1 Comment

A shady character
Originally uploaded by revlimit.
The always impressive revlimit does another fun and excitingly different Revoltech shot.

We loves the Revoltechs!

From Kelmeister.

| 1 Comment

Rise of the Chevy Autobots.

I'm surprised Toyota didn't want a piece.

Hell. Even Volkswagen would have had much needed exposure.

And yes, Bumblebee should have been a New Beetle.

Yeah. I went and had X-rays taken yesterday.

Not good.

This took its toll on me over the past year. I had some fears it would and sure enough it has.

I basically have a pinched/compressed and quite irritated disk between my L4 and L5 vertabrae right above my sacrum (S1), which of course explains the slowly increasing pain I've had and more than likely the problems beginning in my left hip.

They shot cortisone into my lower back/upper ass in the hopes it would help me.
There's no arthritis there but man oh man I can barely get any work done in any timely matter.

I've got the Attic to do. The basement to finish. The painting to finish. New gutters and drains to install. And hell, boxes to pack and move.

I didn't need this affecting me at this moment.

Balls!

Balls of major suckitude.

I can't even do my cardio like I was doing since I can't stay upright on the cross-trainer for more than 10 minutes without my hips feeling numb.

I know my weight problem is returning to haunt me.

This isn't helping much.

And no, stinky meowy butt, once considered the cure-all for any disease or condition, hasn't helped much.

One thing that you may not realize is that for all of the work I did on the basement and other rooms, I sacrificed the hours needed to maintain... and I use that would very sparingly... the so-called Attic of Love™.

Over the past 12 months it has devolved into The Attic of Disaster™.

Oy koledy! What a mess I have to work with.

The Attic of Disaster - Victory Saber should be my task master!

With Star Saber as my guide and task master I will endeavor to spend 10-15 hours a week on the Attic in conjunction with finishing up the comics in the basement and all the other items that need to be completed.

Awesomely rare crack on Ebay

| 7 Comments

So I'm put'zn around ebay this morning and I came across a ton of new and extremely rare plastic crack that I have never had the privilege to actually physically see or hold.

And I love it in a totally non-gay way!

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This page is an archive of entries from May 2007 listed from newest to oldest.

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