I really hate the packaging's character art

[JediTricks]

You know, the face in the upper right corner of the character, and elsewhere throughout the design. I very much hate this face, and it appears that the actual "face" part is largely generic, all 3 deluxes seem to have the same face and just different helmets, colors, and bodies. And it's a creepy, icky face with soulless eyes (rare for TF) and a weird open mouth.

Anybody else share my distaste?

[onslaught86]

While I thoroughly approve the return to package art, I agree. ALL the art for Universe is terrible. It's so static and lifeless and not remotely exciting, nothing about it says "Buy this toy" let alone "Retro pop-art" or "I want this on a t-shirt NOW". I've heard rumours Hasbro actually requested the art be like that.. Why, the mind boggles. Throw fruit at them at SDCC for it!

[138 Scourge]

Yeah...I noticed how completely screwed-up the faces looked. Maybe, for some reason, trying to make 'em look more like regular robots?

[JediTricks]

Why would they request it to be like this? It's just awful!!! That makes no sense to me, I hope someday they explain this.

[onslaught86]

About the only reason I can possibly think of for them doing this is to get around the odd European laws on product depiction. Apparently a lot of the x-treme boxart poses are not considered accurate representations of the product inside, hence having pictures of the toy where there'd normally be boxart. Perhaps this lame art is acceptable.

[Sparky Prime]

I've heard rumours Hasbro actually requested the art be like that.

It's not a rumor. Marcelo Matere (the artist that drew the box art for these figures) commented about the style on his Deviantart page. For his post showing Prow's art he said it was Hasbro's request to make the art more static, like statues. But yeah, why Hasbro would request this is beyond me... I prefer the dynamic poses personally.

[Onslaught Six]

It's not the poses I'm pissy about. It's the DULL SURPRISE expressions.

[CrossRook]

It's not the poses I'm pissy about. It's the DULL SURPRISE expressions.

Indeed, they could have at least put a smile on that face. Ba-Dum-Pshh.

They do seem to be getting better though. Silverbolt has a snarl, and the leaked packing for Ironhide shows him posed.

[JediTricks]

Oh, I see, they wanted them to look regal, important, like statues. And then the artist decided that he'd just make them look like F-grade ass instead.

[Onslaught Six]

Like I said, it's the faces that's doing it. The rest of it's cool. And I still say it was Hasbro's fault.

Of course, he could've been interpreting awful early pics--I remember thinking Prowl's face was just dreadful when pics first hit. It was only after getting him and really looking at his face that I got it.

With this post, I have overtaken 86 in the post count department. Fwahaha! Race you to a thousand!