Combiner Wars Wheeljack is a Horrible Pegwarmer

[Zobovor]

Not sure what it is about poor Wheeljack, specifically, that repels people. It's true that he shipped both in even quantities with Hound and Smokescreen and Trailbreaker, but was later in a case assortment with some Combaticons, so I guess he's seen slightly more action in the shipping ratios. But still.

Everywhere I go, stores are flooded with Wheeljack. Sometimes they have Combaticons, sometimes not, but they always have Wheeljack. It's so sad, especially since it's arguably one of his better toys (far less floppy and fiddly than the Generations toy, that's for sure).

Is it because of the lack of paint applications? Is it because people already own Breakdown and Sunstreaker and they're just tired of the mold? Is it something to do with the character, specifically?

I love Wheeljack and to see him go unloved like this troubles me.

Also, it's probably his fault that my store hasn't gotten any Titans Return toys yet, because we're seriously sitting on like a dozen Wheeljacks.


Zob (hey, I did my part and bought one)

[banzait...@gmail.com]

I'm shocked you haven't picked up and extra or two to repaint into action master slicer or exhaust? Also, surely there has been a miscolored g1 cartoon wheeljack that you have given a backstory.
So, you see... I really think you are to blame for all of this!

-banzaitron

[brianj...@gmail.com]

Crankcase!

[Gustavo Wombat, of the Seattle Wombats]

On Sunday, July 31, 2016 at 3:31:28 PM UTC-7, Zobovor wrote:
> Not sure what it is about poor Wheeljack, specifically, that repels people. It's true that he shipped both in even quantities with Hound and Smokescreen and Trailbreaker, but was later in a case assortment with some Combaticons, so I guess he's seen slightly more action in the shipping ratios. But still.
>
> Everywhere I go, stores are flooded with Wheeljack. Sometimes they have Combaticons, sometimes not, but they always have Wheeljack. It's so sad, especially since it's arguably one of his better toys (far less floppy and fiddly than the Generations toy, that's for sure).
>
> Is it because of the lack of paint applications? Is it because people already own Breakdown and Sunstreaker and they're just tired of the mold? Is it something to do with the character, specifically?

It's the lack of paint. He looks terrible, especially on the card. Sometimes Hasbro gets too cheap, and it hurts them.

I passed up the Commander class RID2 Strongarm today, since she was missing window paint. I am getting picky.

(I did buy the White Sideswipe, who had painted windows, is the best representation of the character -- the only mold that doesn't suck, and a color scheme that doesn't resemble the hated character... They should have added lights on the roof and a few stickers to make RID2 Red Alert. (RID Alert?))

> I love Wheeljack and to see him go unloved like this troubles me.
>
> Also, it's probably his fault that my store hasn't gotten any Titans Return toys yet, because we're seriously sitting on like a dozen Wheeljacks.

I'm not sure if I will get all the Titans Return toys or not. Combiner Wars has the combiner gimmick and a lot of added play value, which makes up for the great cheapening. I don't think I care about detachable heads as much.

Do I really need another Soundwave? Masterpiece and G1 might be good enough.

[Zobovor]

On Monday, August 1, 2016 at 2:05:24 AM UTC-6, Gustavo Wombat, of the Seattle Wombats wrote:

> I'm not sure if I will get all the Titans Return toys or not. Combiner Wars
> has the combiner gimmick and a lot of added play value, which makes up for
> the great cheapening. I don't think I care about detachable heads as much.

I care about detachable heads on the right characters. If they have to institute a series-wide gimmick and give us Headmaster versions of Galvatron and Blaster just so they can also give us Headmaster versions of Skullcruncher and Highbrow, then the choice seems clear.

I was happy when they gave us Generations Nightbeat, but I was perturbed that he had no Headmaster functionality.

> Do I really need another Soundwave? Masterpiece and G1 might be good enough.

I actually kind of dislike the look of Titans Return Soundwave. He's so chunky. Even Music Label Soundwave, whom I've always sort of unofficially considered part of my Generations collection, looks better. I guess we've reached a point where future updates for characters are not necessarily going to be the definitive updates. They're merely going to be the most current updates. It's not difficult to improve on a given G1 toy, with their limited articulation, but they may not ever give us a Cyclonus better than the Universe edition or a Tracks better than the Reveal the Shield toy. Different, yes (there's never been a Combiner version of Sunstreaker before, and there's never been a Headmaster version of Blurr before), but not necessarily better.


Zob (woof)

[Gustavo Wombat, of the Seattle Wombats]

On Monday, August 1, 2016 at 5:09:54 AM UTC-7, Zobovor wrote:
> On Monday, August 1, 2016 at 2:05:24 AM UTC-6, Gustavo Wombat, of the Seattle Wombats wrote:
>
> > I'm not sure if I will get all the Titans Return toys or not. Combiner Wars
> > has the combiner gimmick and a lot of added play value, which makes up for
> > the great cheapening. I don't think I care about detachable heads as much.
>
> I care about detachable heads on the right characters. If they have to institute a series-wide gimmick and give us Headmaster versions of Galvatron and Blaster just so they can also give us Headmaster versions of Skullcruncher and Highbrow, then the choice seems clear.
>
> I was happy when they gave us Generations Nightbeat, but I was perturbed that he had no Headmaster functionality.

I have a few headmasters, and they are fine. But, I can live without the head detaching and becoming a robot if the vehicle and large robot modes look right.

New Headmaster Nightbeat, for instance, will come with no body. (Now, if we were getting bodies that could take spare heads... that would be something)

> > Do I really need another Soundwave? Masterpiece and G1 might be good enough.
>
> I actually kind of dislike the look of Titans Return Soundwave. He's so chunky. Even Music Label Soundwave, whom I've always sort of unofficially considered part of my Generations collection, looks better.

Is there something wrong with Music Label Soundwave? He always looked nice to me.

> I guess we've reached a point where future updates for characters are not necessarily going to be the definitive updates. They're merely going to be the most current updates. It's not difficult to improve on a given G1 toy, with their limited articulation, but they may not ever give us a Cyclonus better than the Universe edition or a Tracks better than the Reveal the Shield toy. Different, yes (there's never been a Combiner version of Sunstreaker before, and there's never been a Headmaster version of Blurr before), but not necessarily better.

There are a lot of Pretenders that haven't gotten a decent update yet. Bludgeon is probably the only one that has.

> Zob (woof)

Is that a furry thing?

[Zobovor]

On Monday, August 1, 2016 at 4:55:22 PM UTC-6, Gustavo Wombat, of the Seattle Wombats wrote:

> Is there something wrong with Music Label Soundwave? He always looked nice to
> me.

The "correct" way to transform his legs results in them looking rather plain, but if you leave them backwards (so his knees bend the wrong way) they're much more like the G1 toy (which also had backwards-bending knees).

> There are a lot of Pretenders that haven't gotten a decent update yet.
> Bludgeon is probably the only one that has.

I think the new Thunderwing was great. He totally fulfilled my desire for a modern-era Thunderwing, despite not being a functional Pretender. Bludgeon was a little less satisfying for me, because they took the vehicle mode for the inner robot (tank) but gave the robot mode the styling of the outer Pretender shell (samurai skeleton). I don't know what would have made me happy, short of a more slavish revival of the Pretender concept.

When and if they do a whole Pretender Wars series, they won't be able to do the toys in the old style. The outer shells need to have full articulation somehow. Whether this means that the inner robots will be super tiny, and will fold up so compact that they can fit inside the outer shell's torso, I cannot say. Maybe the gauntlets and boots of the outer shell could snap to the inner robot's arms and legs somehow. But then I'm not sure how the outer shell could be assembled on its own.


Zob (maybe this is why Hasbro hasn't tackled this problem yet)

[Iaclonus Warp]

On Sunday, July 31, 2016 at 6:31:28 PM UTC-4, Zobovor wrote:
>
> Is it because of the lack of paint applications? Is it because people already own Breakdown and Sunstreaker and they're just tired of the mold? Is it something to do with the character, specifically?

In my case, it is most definitely the lack of paint. I've bought every Wheeljack toy I could get my hands on (G1 Wheeljack was my first TF ever, so I feel obligated), but I once I saw CW Wheeljack in person, I just couldn't bring myself to pay for a toy that looks so ugly and half-finished.

I appreciate that white or white-ish plastic tends to look worse than other colours when left unpainted, so maybe I'm being unfair. The same exact paint applications on a dark blue toy would probably look fine to me (it just wouldn't be Wheeljack any more... call it Tailspin and I'd buy it, though). But yeah, as it stands-- looked cheap; didn't buy.

J (should also point out that the comic shop I saw him at is asking for $28.99 CDN... so that was also a factor...)

[Travoltron]

I'm still seeing these guys everywhere.

On 8/1/2016 1:05 AM, Gustavo Wombat, of the Seattle Wombats wrote:
> It's the lack of paint. He looks terrible, especially on the card.

Yes, plus that awful shade of plastic they chose. He's this dingy
off-white that is ultimately off-putting.

[banzait...@gmail.com]

Anyone tried to salvage this mold with a toyhax sticker set? Any better?

[Travoltron]

On 8/29/2016 7:54 PM, banzait...@gmail.com wrote:
> Anyone tried to salvage this mold with a toyhax sticker set? Any better?

It does help a lot. (They have pics up at their site.) I've decided to
double-dip and buy the Takara one, though.