March Hauls!

[Shockwave]

Last weekend I got Henkei Grimlock and G1 yellow Cliffjumper. Grimlock was right in front of me and hella cheap for a Henkei so I couldn't pass on it.

[Onslaught Six]

How's he compare to ClaGrims, since you just recently got both?

Anyway, I went to my mother's and picked up three huge boxes of old stuff to dig through. Some of it will end up in a big "To Sell" pile but I'll give you all first dibs.

[Shockwave]

How's he compare to ClaGrims, since you just recently got both?

Anyway, I went to my mother's and picked up three huge boxes of old stuff to dig through. Some of it will end up in a big "To Sell" pile but I'll give you all first dibs.

The biggest difference is in the Dino modes and really it's from the torso of it up. The chrome/gold neck combo I think really looks better than the grey plastic one we got here. I'll take some comparison pics later but it's one of the reasons why I like a lot of the Henkei versions so much better than the US ones. The rest of the figure seems more or less the same otherwise.

[BWprowl]

Target got Kre-On Micro-Changers in, the current wave of not-blind bags as well as the Combiners, so I used the opportunity to snag Devastator along with Hook (maybe Long Haul’ll show up in a future wave?). First thing I did when I unpackaged everyone was to snip the chest/front off of the flak jacket pieces, and I regret nothing. Now I can actually see the printed details on everyone’s chests, and they can still wear their vehicle-kibble backpacks (which I actually like since they diversify everyone more and make them more identifiable). They’re what I like about the Micro-Changers, cute lil’ ActionMaster Elites that they are, and some, like Scavenger and Bonecrusher actually have decent vehicle modes. Scrapper’s cool just for being Scrapper, Hook’s pretty good too, and Mixmaster, well, they can’t all be winners. They’re fun on their own, but the combined mode runs into the same problem I have with Kre-O as a line: it’s just way too much hoo-hah to go through to get from one ‘mode’ to the other. One thing I like about ‘regular’ Transformers is that I can transform them, including combining them, in my lap if I’m watching TV or at the computer or something. I can’t do that with Devastator here, I have to set aside 10-15 minutes and clear half a table to get the job done, and that is the exact opposite of fun. The combined form is a cute little mini-gestalt, yeah, but I don’t think I’ll make it worth it to combine them into him again anytime soon, the individual figures are more fun to fiddle with on their own. Might get more of these lil’ guys, though, especially seeing some of the characters who are coming out in future waves (one advantage to all the ‘regulars’ already being released as Kre-Ons in the sets is that these single-packs can now get taken up with less expected characters). Not sure if I’ll spring for any more combiners though, maaaaaaybe Predaking.

Fun fact: Scrapper is one of the very few characters I will admit to having a fondness for purely because I had his toy as a kid. Sideswipe I kinda got over, and Hubcap never effin’ *does* anything, but I really dig Scrapper.

[138 Scourge]

De-vesting 'em? Bold move. That doesn't interfere with the combination or anything?

Totally get where you're coming from about building the different modes being a time-consuming thing, but I saw that a something I wanted from these combined sets, so I was okay with that.

If you're okay with the Devastator, then I totally recommend Predaking. If for no other reason than the neat finger claws he's got going on.

[Onslaught Six]

I went through those boxes, which yielded, among other things:

-RID Ultra Magnus, who appears to have yellowed slightly in the six years he's been in the attic. Sad, but perhaps inevitable.
-RID Sky-Byte, who is joining my quickly growing RID Predacon/Decepticon gang, now that I have Scourge and Gigatron.
-RID Build King, who is complete and just as awesome looking as ever.
-Armada Tidal Wave, who is Tidal Wave
-Primus and Unicron, who are still huge and I still don't have any room for them
-Armada Wheeljack, who still holds up (but is somehow missing a missile).
-Universe Optimus Primal
-Almost all of my non-show random BW stuff, some of which needs repaired
-A badly chrome-flaking-off Ultra Jetstorm. (I am very disappointed.)
-Powermaster Prime, still broken, still missing pieces
-Polar Claw, still broken, still in need of repairs.
-BW Rampage, damn near complete.

And a shitload more, some of which I will be trying to hock onto you guys. So be ready!

[BWprowl]

-A badly chrome-flaking-off Ultra Jetstorm. (I am very disappointed.)

This happened to the one I pulled out of storage as well. It might just be a thing with that toy (which yeah, is disappointing, since it's a really cool mold otherwise).

And a shitload more, some of which I will be trying to hock onto you guys. So be ready!

Maybe if I can just drive over there and pick it up...

[Onslaught Six]

I'm getting there! I'm kind of in the hole bad right now. Kind of an emergency "my girlfriend will lose her job if we don't come up with over $600 in the next month and a half" thing.

[Dominic]

Small haul"

-"Marvel Legends" Iron Patriot: As unahppy as I am that the movies are all but guaranteeing that we will never see a correctly done Patriot and Dark Avengers on screen, they are at least making it possible to get good figures of some of the Patriot and (likely) a few others. Given Hasbro's recent drop in standards, this is a suprisingly good, though far from perfect, figure. (I managed to find one with competently applied paint, which is about the best I can hope for.) Depending on what the second wave figures are going to be, I might actually buy all 6 and make Iron Monger. (I have no desire to buy "Heroic Age" Iron Man otherwise.)
Grade: B



-customizing yielded TFU Legends class Dion:
I finally (after about 3 years) got around to customizing that RotF Shadow Striker figure (sharing a mould with Wheelie) in to Dion. I am not entirely happy with the results. I could ot figure out a way to map the relatively small amounts of orange/yellow on to the figure and have it look good. The blue and light grey work nicely together. but, I cannot figure out how to map orange/yellow on to the figure and have it look good. I am going to call this figure "done", but am not going to rule out more work in the future.



Dom
-still needs to make an Orion and Barrel Roller.

[JediTricks]

TF:G Ramhorn & Eject - Eject is an upgrade from Frumble with new legs, torso/head, and arms. Ramhorn is all new and all awesome.

Star Wars TVC Special Action Figure Set AT-ST Drivers - Decent set, has Marquand and Watts and the sculpts are accurate to this (those characters are played by their namesakes, director Richard Marquand and producer Robert Watts), good body design. Odd that they don't have the helmet with the goggles up though, but oh well.

75 Nerf N-Strike Elite Darts for $18
Wrap-around clear safety glasses
Ping Pong balls and paddles kit

Also, after having a Nerf shootout with my niece, I got out my whole Nerf arsenal in preparation for an upcoming battle and gathered it all together before I added the 75 new darts:
http://tfviews.com/nerf.jpg
And all of that is in my HasbroToyShop SDCC bag.

I went through those boxes, which yielded, among other things:

-RID Ultra Magnus, who appears to have yellowed slightly in the six years he's been in the attic. Sad, but perhaps inevitable.

Sucks big time! My Hasbro Star Wars figures from 2004 are yellowing horribly even when having never been exposed to air or light, so it's definitely inevitable.

-Primus and Unicron, who are still huge and I still don't have any room for them

Unicron is worth making room for. Primus is rougher because he's not as big and not making as large a statement, so you have to make a totally DIFFERENT place for him which is doubly difficult. I've got my Primus in planet mode for now under Unicron's bot mode until I make room on other shelving.

-Armada Wheeljack, who still holds up (but is somehow missing a missile).

That is weird, aren't those missiles inside the doors and fully incapable of eject without a minicon?

-A badly chrome-flaking-off Ultra Jetstorm. (I am very disappointed.)

Ugh, yeah, that is a huge bummer, prepare for nearly all the vac metallized coloring from that era to look like that sooner or later, I have gone through that.

Good luck with the fundage, I'll keep an eye for the thread when you post it.

-customizing yielded TFU Legends class Dion:
I finally (after about 3 years) got around to customizing that RotF Shadow Striker figure (sharing a mould with Wheelie) in to Dion. I am not entirely happy with the results. I could ot figure out a way to map the relatively small amounts of orange/yellow on to the figure and have it look good. The blue and light grey work nicely together. but, I cannot figure out how to map orange/yellow on to the figure and have it look good. I am going to call this figure "done", but am not going to rule out more work in the future.

Meant to text you this in response last night, Orange at the hips, shoulders and helmet should do nicely. Surprised you didn't see it yourself. I'll do a quick digibash to show what I mean:
http://tfviews.com/dion-digibash.jpg
I didn't realize though that this leaves the vehicle mode without any orange. You can probably just paint the rear of the boots orange and they'll turn into the back of the car.