Most of the crew got Studio Series 86 Megatron this week, and everyone has thoughts, from Matt’s cracked chest tabs to Brian refusing to ever transform his. The news opens with the passing of Larry Gillstrom of Kick Axe, the band behind “Hunger” in The Transformers: The Movie as Spectre General. Grimlock beat Mirage in the first Activate Your Alt Mode vote, and Retro Seaspray, Age of the Primes Flatline and Blokees Champion Class Megatronus get a look. The SmallRig x Transformers filmmaking gear leaves the crew baffled. Brian also warns that import duties have already hit his Mandarake orders ahead of the de minimis change.

News

Import Duties Arrive Early

Brian placed nine Mandarake orders to beat the end of the de minimis exemption, set for around August 29. DHL still billed him $50 in duties on one of them. Mandarake also split another order into two EMS shipments, which may now arrive after the deadline. Brian’s warning: if you’re buying from Japan right now, duties could hit you. A separate DHL mix-up sent a package to the wrong address before it finally arrived. [Source: not found]

Larry Gillstrom of Kick Axe, Known to Fans as Spectre General, Passes Away

Larry Gillstrom, guitarist and co-founder of Kick Axe, has passed away. Transformers fans know the band as Spectre General, the name on “Hunger” in The Transformers: The Movie. One host added the story because the show rarely learns who did what behind the scenes. He hadn’t realized Spectre General was a pseudonym. The Canadian band couldn’t use the Kick Axe name in the U.S. [Source: Sleaze Roxx]

Grimlock Beats Mirage in the First Activate Your Alt Mode Vote

Grimlock beat Mirage in round one of Activate Your Alt Mode, and the show notes added, “In other news, the sky is blue.” A couple of hosts would have voted for Mirage. One host expects a one-off toy before everything reverts to normal. The crew joked Hasbro could repaint G2 Grimlock blue and call it Mirage, or ship an empty box since Mirage turns invisible. That led to a tangent on how the cartoon swapped Hound’s and Mirage’s powers. [Source: TFW2005]

Retro Carded Seaspray In-Hand Images

In-hand photos show the retro carded Seaspray, a little bigger than Cosmos. The crew likes how the blue and yellow match, likely because each comes off a single sprue. One host keeps checking the Walmart collector section with no luck. Another wants a G2 version, ideally in the rare purple chrome. That sparked memories of off-color vac-metal batches, including one host’s purple Optimus Primal that Garry Chalk signed. [Source: Snakas Blog]

Age of the Primes Voyager Flatline In-Hand Images

Age of the Primes Flatline looks good in its colors. One host explained Flatline is a Decepticon medic created for IDW’s movie comics, then brought into its G1 continuity in 2012. He was originally designed around a Trailbreaker remold. One host loves that there are now two evil Red Alerts, Flatline and Cannonball. Another preordered him but is happy to wait for an Amazon discount. [Source: TFW2005]

Blokees Champion Class Transformers One Megatronus

Blokees announced a Champion Class Transformers One Megatronus. Champion Class figures stand around six inches when built, near Voyager scale. It pairs with the Optimus Prime and Soundwave already in the line. Champion Class was formerly called Classic Class. The crew was also stunned to learn Rob still hasn’t watched Transformers One. [Source: TFW2005]

SmallRig x Transformers Collaboration Announced

SmallRig, which makes camera cages and filmmaking accessories, announced Transformers-branded battery packs, tripods and lights. One host explained the products and listed the problems. Nothing has a price yet, only reservations. He also doubts many filmmakers want bright yellow Bumblebee gear, and the branding is from Dark of the Moon. Don sees Hasbro selling the license to whoever pays. Rob noted Canon at least made a Reflector version of its Transformers camera, a minor miracle in licensing. [Source: TFW2005]

What We Got This Week

Matt

Matt loves Studio Series 86 Megatron but warns of one issue. Small tabs inside the thighs pressed into loops on the chest plate during transformation and cracked both sides. He has seen no one else report it, so line up the legs carefully. He dislikes the Fusion Cannon and the denser surface detail compared to Optimus Prime. He won’t force the sword into the hand for fear of flexing the thumb. He also got Scavenger, a simple and satisfying figure. And blaming Don, he started a second Devastator with another Scrapper and Bonecrusher.

Diecast

Diecast got Scavenger, which leaves him one leg away from finishing Devastator. He still feels the arm figures play like upscaled Legends, though Scavenger is the better of the two. Another host suggested the price point forced simplifications, like hollow upper arms and ball joints. Diecast also got Studio Series 86 Megatron and admits the tank mode is well done. Last, he paid $20 at NJCC for the Walmart retro Bumblebee on a pristine card for his wall. He wishes it had the toy head shown on the card art.

Don

Don got Studio Series 86 Megatron but hasn’t opened it, plus Scavenger. He completed his set with Studio Series Gamer Edition Thundercracker and picked up Transformers One Starscream and KSI Widow from Amazon. Hearts of Steel Megatron and Bumblebee came from Hasbro Pulse. Craftsman Toys’ Scattershot and Afterburner two-pack brings his Legends-class Computron two steps closer. Last, he got the Mecha Invasion yellow Devastator gift set. Selling his Studio Series 14 Ironhide for $120 covered more than half its cost.

Rob

Rob had nothing in Transformers this week.

Chris

Chris finally got Rathalos Prime. He has only looked at it in the package so far, but the dragon mode’s paint and sculpt look fantastic.

Brian

Brian also got Studio Series 86 Megatron and, after Matt’s warning, will never transform it. He calls the robot mode nearly perfect and close in height to Galvatron. His one complaint is the tiny Megatron gun mounted on a peg instead of a handle. From Mandarake, he got Robot Masters Mirage, Universe Megatron in its Hasbro Toy Shop display box, and a sealed Armada Scavenger. More arrivals: Air Attack Optimus Primal, another X9 Ravage, a sealed Micron Legend Unicron, a sealed Ramjet, Alchemist Prime and Henkei Cheetor. He also got the Shining Thunder Core Bumblebee and a carded Beast Wars Quickstrike, one of his all-time favorites. A long-wanted boxed BotCon ’97 Japan exclusive came from a friend, and he restored it with water-activated tape and a repro bubble.

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