Protectobots

The modern comics universe has had such a different take on G1, one that's significantly represented by the Generations toys, so they share a forum. A modern take on a Real Cybertronian Hero. Currently starring Generations toys, IDW "The Transformers" comics, MTMTE, TF vs GI Joe, and Windblade. Oh wait, and now Skybound, wheee!
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Dominic
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Protectobots

Post by Dominic »

Apparently, with all of the buzz about the new combiners, these (understandably) got buried.

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-new ... es-180802/


I really wanted to like these more than I do. But, this set is a mess.


Hotspot in G2 colours...and using a base mould that is not even a fire engine (and lacking the Target Master and Minicon components that Takara used to half-ass a firetruck alternate mode for Artfire).

Blades in G2 colours, a Bayformer mould packed with a Hotspot (a CHUG mould).

Then, there is a box of "Prime" moulds.
Streetwise: A faux G1 coloured use of the Prowl mould.
First-Aid: G1 coloured use of the Ratchet mould.
Groove: A gender-bent recolour of "Prime" Arcee (despite Groove being depicted as male last year as part of a "Kre-O" set).


Mis-matched moulding and inconsistent colours, missing accessories, along with a gender-switched character.....


I actually wanted these until I saw the pictures.
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BWprowl
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Re: Protectobots

Post by BWprowl »

The worst part is there's already a perfectly good Hot Spot version of the Inferno mold (the Chinese market recolor) with a new head and everything, they could've just recolored that in red if they wanted to! Groove and First Aid are hilariously bare in terms of color, and Streetwise is barely different from Arcee on account of being still blue.

If these were coming out later, I'd peg 'em as trying to ride the coattails of the Combiner Wars assortment, but instead they're apparently due out soon alongside the AoE line? As-is, they heavily remind me of the horrifically cheap-looking 'Machine Robot Rescue' recolors of the RID molds that got put out in the original Universe.
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Shockwave
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Re: Protectobots

Post by Shockwave »

These guys are so much instant skip for me. I'll wait until we get a reveal about an actual set of combining Protectobots.
BWprowl wrote:The worst part is there's already a perfectly good Hot Spot version of the Inferno mold (the Chinese market recolor) with a new head and everything, they could've just recolored that in red if they wanted to!
I am so glad I'm not the only one who thought this.
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Dominic
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Re: Protectobots

Post by Dominic »

"Universe" Inferno/Red Alert was actually good. The Ratchet was laughably bad though. (It was arguably worse than the G1 figure.)


I might get the Hotspot to customize in to Hauler (eHobby colours). But, I may not even bother with that.
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Shockwave
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Re: Protectobots

Post by Shockwave »

Dominic wrote:"Universe" Inferno/Red Alert was actually good. The Ratchet was laughably bad though. (It was arguably worse than the G1 figure.)


I might get the Hotspot to customize in to Hauler (eHobby colours). But, I may not even bother with that.
Why was one good and the other bad? I seem to recall it was the other way around, with Red Inferno having some garishly huge Autobot logo on him while the worst thing Ratchet had was a ladder on the roof. And, being a repaint of X-Brawn, Universe Ratchet would automatically have way more articulation than the G1 bot, not to mention an actual head. That's like ten levels of intead better right there.
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BWprowl
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Re: Protectobots

Post by BWprowl »

Shockwave wrote:Why was one good and the other bad? I seem to recall it was the other way around, with Red Inferno having some garishly huge Autobot logo on him while the worst thing Ratchet had was a ladder on the roof. And, being a repaint of X-Brawn, Universe Ratchet would automatically have way more articulation than the G1 bot, not to mention an actual head. That's like ten levels of intead better right there.
Not just the ladder, all of Universe Ratchet's fire-truck details were hilariously obvious tampos, though that ladder was indeed the worst one. Don't know that you can even compare it to G1 Ratchet though, given how different in design and altmode it is, the name was practically a coincidence. The base mold is fine, but the deco is just...hilariously bad. It's almost a parody of cheap redecos.

Inferno...I actually like giant faction symbols, I loved Dropkick from the first Movie line, and would like to get that RTS repaint of Mindwipe with the giant Autobot symbols on the wings. Really, the most amazing part of Universe Inferno was his characterization: He's Beast Wars Inferno, reincarnated as a fire-rescue Autobot. Completely bonkers.
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Shockwave
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Re: Protectobots

Post by Shockwave »

I don't recall that being too particularly egregious. I mean, if they were going to put those with that mold, what were they going to do? Remold the figure? We all know that wouldn't have happened. And even if they'd made them extra accessories there'd be nowhere to store them in alt mode. I guess maybe I just wasn't as bothered by it as most people, but I think I would still agree that most of Universe 1.0 is better left forgotten.
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Onslaught Six
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Re: Protectobots

Post by Onslaught Six »

They could have painted him in a colour scheme that made any sense. I know they were weirdly doing rescue redecos so they could use the Machine Robo Rescue name because they stole it from Bandai (that was really dirty, by the way) but they could have painted him as some kind of police SUV instead and it would have worked just as well, if not better. (In fact, seeing the Super Prowl colour scheme applied to the X-Brawn mould would look pretty sweet, and allow you to have an entirely blue set of "matching" Cario Bros. if you had the right versions.)

"Inferno" on the other hand was awesome.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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Tigermegatron
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Re: Protectobots

Post by Tigermegatron »

I think these are going to get released in 2014, Most likely as store/site exclusives. Maybe as Black Friday exclusives.

Noticed these do not have the,"Combiners Wars,logo on them. So there not part of the combiners wars universe or story line.

Also noticed these are already in boxes, So there probably set to get released really soon in 2014.
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