#Really wanted to include a non G1 character here but it's top 5 not top 10

[fraudulent-cheese]

Yeah sure why not

okay lets do something fun... reblog this with a poll of your top five favorite female total drama characters so people can vote on your favs!

[mk-wizard]

Top 10 Predictions in the next Transformers Era

Hello, fans.

As mentioned in another post a while ago, the closing of the Prime universe marks the end of another significant Transformers universe. It brought on a lot of things we wanted to see in Transformers for a while now and I predict Transformers will continue the progressive and experimental trend after the booming success of the Prime era. Like I also mentioned, it is very likely that the next era won’t be for another few years and it is likely that it will take place in when my son is five (he’s a baby now) which will mark his introduction to Transformers. I’m very positive about the future and I think Hasbro is finally listening to its fans. With that said, here are the things I think are going to happen next in Transformers. Note, that this is based on theory not wish fulfilment. I want to be unbiased and take into account that it can’t do everything all at once. Moreover, I don’t expect all of these things to happen in one show, just in the one era. Anyway, onto the list;

1- Rodimus Prime will take the lead. - After seeing Bumblebee come out into his own and seeing Rodimus gain a huge following especially with his progressive views in the IDW comics, I think it is very likely that in the next Transformers Era, Rodimus will be the Prime that leads the way. I don’t know if he will be presented as being in training and eventually take up the mantle, or be in charge from the get go, but I think that when the next era comes, the world will be ready for Rodimus with open arms especially if he is as open minded and interesting as he is in the comics.

2- Positive LGBT representation. - After seeing Transformers finally do female representation and black representation right, I think it goes without saying that proper LGBT representation that is open and tasteful is next on the list. Sure, we got Knockout who is out and proud, but Hasbro wouldn’t let him say it and did a “not so nice D word” move of forcing him back into the closet by denying his homosexuality. I think Hasbro learned its lesson and won’t do such a thing ever again.

3- A woman leader. - While I doubt it will be the main series that marks the era, I think the next era will at long last introduce us to a series where the boss is a female. I believe this because after seeing Cyberverse, I feel Windblade is the one really wearing the pants in the series not Bumblebee. Moreover, I see more and more female characters no longer playing the part of love interest, so I think this is a build up to a woman taking the reigns.

4- More positive multi racial representation. - I think it is safe to say that Transformers has made its characters more and more colourful especially in Rescue Bots and Prime. I think the inclusion of more prominent non-white characters will become even more natural and more expanded in the next era. I won’t even be surprised if the next main human character is of colour.

5- Another series that is not Autobots vs Decepticons. - After the success of Rescue Bots, I am convinced Hasbro is going to test more waters. And it should do that! There are other things Transformers can do with its lore like maybe space exploration or another Rescue Bots based show.

6- An on screen wedding. - I say this because of how TV shows for kids are going in general. There is no longer a stigma towards showing romantic love as being natural in a tasteful way in cartoons, so I think it is very likely that in at least one series in the next era, one couple will have an on screen wedding. Now, I don’t know if it will be opposite gender or same gender, or if it will be a human or Cybetronian wedding (I would love to see two Transformers officially marry personally), but there will definitely be two people saying “I do” in the next era at some point and time. And I think it will be great.

7- Humans will no longer be victims, but characters with equal footing. - The biggest shift in the Prime era was how human characters were written. They’re not just victims anymore, but capable team members who can hold out on their own and at times, can be dangerous villains even towards the Transformers. I think that in the next era, this portrayal of humans will become normalised.

8- Another fan favourite character will be spotlighted. - The Prime era was many things, but it was also a very obvious valentine to Bumblebee. I mean, he even got his own movie. With that said, I think Hasbro will try to strike lightning again by spotlighting another fan favourite. I have no idea who it will be though I think it is likely to someone from the top ten list so it might even be a Decepticon.

9- Bulkhead will become a regular character. - Quite simply, almost everyone knows who Bulkhead is now including most of the G1 generation. I think it is safe to say that in his next appearance, he will just need to show his face plate and everyone will be able to point and say “that’s Bulkhead”.

10- The status quo of “Autobots good” and “Decepticons bad” will finally be broken. - I know this sounds like wish fulfilment, but it really isn’t. Hear me out. At the end of Prime, Megatron lost all desire to conquer and left peacefully meaning he had good in him even as a Decepticon. Also, in the comics, Megatron became an Autobot for a while and showed genuine remorse for all of the damage he had done. Heck, he even became friends with Rodimus Prime. And he wasn’t the only one. A lot of Decepticons turned out to be good people who were just following orders. On the flipside, it was revealed that many Autobots were far from good. I think there is a good chance that in the next era, Transformers will no longer be good or bad by way of their faction and the issue of a bot not needing to convert to prove they are good will happen. Even in War for Cybertron, both Megatron and Optimus are shown in much grayer shades.

Anyways, those are just my predictions that are most likely. And like I said, they may not happen all at once or in the same TV show. Some may never happen in the next era or only a few will.

What do you all think and tell me, what do you think will happen in the next era?

PS: If you have an obscure Transformers theory you want explored, tell me about it in my ask box and I will get to it. Please keep it tasteful and kind though. Note that I only do theories that can actually be possible.

See you next time.

[allspark]

Blasting into the Allspark Studio a from a past that never was is the first half of the second wave of Super7 ReAction Transformers!  Will they fill the cartoon figure void deep within your soul, or just stand at attention on your shelf like they were designed?  Tune in after the break to find out!

When I first saw images of the ReAction Transformers line, I was not totally convinced I would buy them.  In general I do not buy non-transforming Transformers, so things like the recent Dollar Tree blind packed mini-figures did not get my attention.  I have seen other ReAction lines at brick and mortar retail, and some were a hit, and some were a miss.

  Maybe it was the impressive card art that finally got me interested in checking this line out, since I like to rotate out pop-culture images in the background of my office where I hold video conferences.  All I know is I took a leap on a purchase here, and I am glad I did.

  Carded or No?

The card art for these figures is really cool.  The base for the front of each card is the classic red or purple grid with the fade to black gradient.  On top of that is a beautifully rendered classic Transformers logo, with a garnish of either the G1 Autobot or Decepticon symbol and descriptor in the upper right and the classic “More Than Meets the Eye” tagline on the bottom left.  This is enveloped in the grey that forms the “frame” for each character.

  Floating just inside the frame is a darkened background of a Cybertronian city, in front of which is posed each of the featured characters, floating just inside and outside of the frame.  All of the Transformers are posed in a way that embodies each individual character, from Grimlock’s all assuming power stance to Rumble’s “punk with guns in hand”.  I would really like to know who did the cart for this line, because they look like someone I would like to follow on Twitter or Instagram.  The art is very classic, cartoon inspired, and alive.

Each of the characters is named in a yellow box just above their bubble.  Note that Frenzy/Rumble is called Rumble here and Jetfire is Skyfire, which makes sense since this line is heavily based on the animation.  There are no sub-designations on these figures.  They are simply tagged “action figure”.  To the right of the bubble is the blue and white ReAction logo.  Within the bubble on each card you will find the figures standing straight at attention, which is in line with a series that is trying to give you lots of properties based on the Kenner Star Wars 5 POV look that was iconic in the early 80’s.  If the character has a blaster, it is included in the tray within which they rest.  Grimlock gets his sword and blaster, Rumble gets his backpack weapons that double as blasters, and Skyfire and Shrapnel (both of which appear to be registered trademarks now…does this mean the end of Skrapnel?) get their weapons from the cartoon.  It is interesting to note that Shrapnel is the only one from the set with a closed fist, as his right hand cannot hold his weapon.

The back of the cards is the same for each figure, apart from the logo that references their allegiance, and the barcode.  There is no individual information, like a mini-bio, tech spec, or anything else that would set the backs apart.  It is a classic 8-back cross sell, just letting you know if you only see some of the figures that your collecting is not done.  It is still visually impressive, as it gives you a better view of the background from the front of the card.

The figures I have came from BBTS, and appear to be made for a EU market release.  I am not sure if they are all like that, or if there is a US/Americas version of the card backs as I have yet to find any of these in brick and mortar stores, and will likely not be looking anytime soon since the area I would search is high risk now due to the corona virus pandemic.

These figures display impressively as carded, mint pieces.  They look like beautiful retro cartoon artwork that can be mounted on a collector’s wall.  While I always open my figures, I have chosen specific characters to use as carded art in my office.  From the first half of wave 2, I am keeping a carded Skyfire.  The line is a little expensive for what you get, however, so I do not expect most collectors will be following suit.

  Open ‘Em Up!

So, I have to open my figures.  This line is no exception, in-spite of the designs.  Each figure has 5 points of articulation, just 2 points short of the Action Master line from the 80’s.  The designs are nicely cartoon inspired, if not a tad simplified to with the with theme of the line.  The lines on each mold are nice and crisp when straight, and beautifully curved when the character design calls for it.

The colors are nice and appropriately cartoon level bright, which really makes each figure pop.  Grimlock’s red and yellow are especially striking.  Skyfire is a little off-white for my taste, but considering the base material of the figure, it probably would not have remained bone-white forever if it had been done in that shade.  All figures come with cartoon inspired faction symbols.  Also great is that Autobots have blue eyes, Decepticons have red.  As it should be.

Due to the 5 POA, there is not a lot of dynamic posing that can be done.  Grimlock and Rumble get into nice “G1-art style” poses that nicely fit their characters.  Shrapnel and Skyfire look great standing at attention (animation bumper style).  I also really like pairing Skyfire with Wave 1 Starscream.  The original “science bros”.

The original #sciencebros…

That is about it for action poses.  What did you expect with only 5 POA?  Still, I love the looks on these figures, and definitely want all of the line, free from their plastic prisons, standing on my shelves in cartoon goodness.

Paint Ops

The paint is a mixed bag on these figures.  Some lines are super crisp, some of them are not.  While you can see this in the pictures, I have to say it is not near as noticeable as the images here make it out to be.  I think if you see them in person, you will realize this as well, so I do not deduct any from their overall score.

Final Thoughts

This is an impressively packaged, well designed retro-line of Transformers that is fit into the theme of a larger line.  This line is not for everyone, in particular due to the price, which some may find high for the level of POA and the fact that the figures do not transform.  I anticipate some readers will react negatively to this review for many of above points.

Let’s take into account however, that the fact that this line (or the Dollar Tree line for that matter) exists because the Transformers brand is strong.  Strong enough that not only do we have multiple lines now that cater to completely different types of collectors (movie, classicverse, children (Rescuebots)), we also have 3rd party companies willing to pay licensing fees to Hasbro just to be able to sell their own Transformers merchandise.  This is a great thing for fans.

That being said, I love the Super7 ReAction Transformers line!  The retro-cartoon look, beautiful card art, and display-ability really let it stand out as a great pop-culture representation of my favorite line of characters ever.  I am all in, and if any of the above interests you, I recommend you buy them too!  Who knows, the kiddoes (those that are not in danger of swallow hazards) may be fans of them as well.  If they express an interest, let them try it.  Worst case scenario, you have one more thing in common.

  Want to interact with more Transformers fans? Be sure to check out our forums or you can join our discord by clicking on this invite link: https://discord.gg/ZnUQxya You can also follow us on Twitter via @AllsparkNews or join our Facebook group!

  The original #sciencebros…

If Rumble were “in scale”.

Super7 ReAction Wave 2.1 Gallery and Review! Blasting into the Allspark Studio a from a past that never was is the first half of the second wave of Super7 ReAction Transformers! 

[allspark]

Blasting into the Allspark Studio a from a past that never was is the first wave of Super7 ReAction Transformers!  Will they fill the cartoon figure void deep within your soul, or just stand at attention on your shelf like they were designed?  Tune in after the break to find out!

When I first saw images of the ReAction Transformers line, I was not totally convinced I would buy them.  In general I do not buy non-transforming Transformers, so things like the recent Dollar Tree blind packed mini-figures did not get my attention.  I have seen other ReAction lines at brick and mortar retail, and some were a hit, and some were a miss.

Maybe it was the impressive card art that finally got me interested in checking this line out, since I like to rotate out pop-culture images in the background of my office where I hold video conferences.  All I know is I took a leap on a purchase here, and I am glad I did.

Carded or No?

The card art for these figures is really cool.  The base for the front of each card is the classic red or purple grid with the fade to black gradient.  On top of that is a beautifully rendered classic Transformers logo, with a garnish of either the G1 Autobot or Decepticon symbol and descriptor in the upper right and the classic “More Than Meets the Eye” tagline on the bottom left.  This is enveloped in the grey that forms the “frame” for each character.

Floating just inside the frame is a darkened background of a Cybertronian city, in front of which is posed each of the featured characters, floating just inside and outside of the frame.  All of the Transformers are posed in a way that embodies each individual character, from Prime’s powerful leadership stance to Starscream’s confident (but ready to stab you in the back) hands on the hips look.  I would really like to know who did the cart for this line, because they look like someone I would like to follow on Twitter or Instagram.  The art is very classic, cartoon inspired, and alive.

Each of the characters is named in a yellow box just above their bubble.  They are simply tagged “action figure”.  To the right of the bubble is the blue and white ReAction logo.  Within the bubble on each card you will find the figures standing straight at attention, which is in line with a series that is trying to give you lots of properties based on the Kenner Star Wars 5 POV look that was iconic in the early 80’s.  If the character has a blaster, it is included in the tray within which they rest.  Megatron only comes with his arm cannon, permanently attached.  Starscream, however, comes with a gun-mode Megatron.  That just feels perfect.

The back of the cards is the same for each figure, apart from the logo that references their allegiance.  There is no individual information, like a mini-bio, tech spec, or anything else that would set the backs apart.  It is a classic 6-back cross sell, just letting you know if you only see some of the figures that your collecting is not done.

The image is still visually impressive, as it gives you a better view of the background from the front of the card.  The figures I have came from BBTS, and appear to be a EU market release.  I am not sure if they are all like that, or if there is a US/Americas version of the card backs as I have yet to find any of these in brick and mortar stores, and will likely not be looking anytime soon since my community is on lockdown now due to the corona virus pandemic.

These figures display impressively as carded, mint pieces.  They look like beautiful retro cartoon artwork that can be mounted on a collector’s wall.  While I always open my figures, I have chosen specific characters to use as carded art in my office.

From this wave I am keeping a carded Optimus, Bumblebee, Megatron and Starscream.  The line is a little expensive for what you get, however, so I do not expect most collectors will be following suit.

Open ‘Em Up!

So, I have to open my figures.  This line is no exception, in-spite of the designs.  Each figure has 5 points of articulation, just 2 points short of the Action Master line from the 80’s.  The designs are nicely cartoon inspired, if not a tad simplified to with the with theme of the line.  The lines on each mold are nice and crisp when straight, and beautifully curved when the character design calls for it.

The colors are nice and appropriately cartoon level bright, which really makes each figure pop.  All figures come with cartoon inspired faction symbols, and Starscream’s are appropriately upside down in his robot mode form.  Also great is that Autobots have blue eyes, Decepticons have red.  As it should be.

Due to the 5 POA, there is not a lot of dynamic posing that can be done.  Prime and Megatron can look like they are leading troops as they point forwards.  Bumbleebee can look like he is sneaking around as a scout.  Starscream can look like he is ready to kill as he points Megatron at his target.  Soundwave stands stoically, ready to carry out Megatron’s command.  Jazz can get into a surprisingly decent breakdancing pose.

That is about it for action poses.  What did you expect with only 5 POA?  Still, I love the looks on these figures, and definitely want all of the line, free from their plastic prisons, standing on my shelves in cartoon goodness.

Final Thoughts

This is an impressively packaged, well designed retro-line of Transformers that is fit into the theme of a larger line.  This line is not for everyone, in particular due to the price, which some may find high for the level of POA and the fact that the figures do not transform.  I anticipate some readers will react negatively to this review for many of above points.

Let’s take into account however, that the fact that this line (or the Dollar Tree line for that matter) exists because the Transformers brand is strong.  Strong enough that not only do we have multiple lines now that cater to completely different types of collectors (movie, classicverse, children (Rescuebots)), we also have 3rd party companies willing to pay licensing fees to Hasbro just to be able to sell their own Transformers merchandise.  This is a great thing for fans.

That being said, I love the Super7 ReAction Transformers line!  The retro-cartoon look, beautiful card art, and display-ability really let it stand out as a great pop-culture representation of my favorite line of characters ever.  I am all in, and if any of the above interests you, I recommend you buy them too!  Who knows, the kiddoes (who are not in danger of swallow hazards) may be fans of them as well.  If they express an interest, let them try it.  Worst case scenario, you have one more thing in common.

  Super7 ReAction Transformers Wave 1 Gallery and Review! Blasting into the Allspark Studio a from a past that never was is the first wave of Super7 ReAction Transformers!