Review – Transformers – Movie – Jazz
Posted in2007 - Transformers (Movie)

Review – Transformers – Movie – Jazz

There have been a lot of rehashed Transformers characters since G1.  Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Ironhide, Mirage, Prowl, they all top a list of popular G1 characters that have seen their share of remakes over the years.  Some of these made sense such as pretty much any of the Starscreams.  Others were kind of odd such as Energon’s formula car Prowl.  Still, there are those characters that were both popular and important to the show that haven’t had such a treatment.  Soundwave comes to mind.  He was Megatron’s right hand man.  He’s gotten what?  That Cybertron stealth bomber?  Then there’s one…
Review – Transformers – Cybertron – Soundwave
Posted in2005 - Cybertron

Review – Transformers – Cybertron – Soundwave

Ah yes, Soundwave. One of the few G1 transformers that has been hardly ever remade but really probably deserved to be. We've had a ton of Megatron's and Starscreams but Soundwave has had what, that Beast Wars bat that turned into an Alligator? I've always thought Soundwave was cooler than Starscream personally, and who is more deserving of a remake than Megatron's right hand man? Of course the original Soundwave was a cassette deck. So how do you remake him? Cd Player? MP3 Player? Stereo system maybe? The newer lines haven't really used the idea of mass displacement. It's really…
Review – Transformers – Cybertron – Crosswise and Smokescreen
Posted in2005 - Cybertron

Review – Transformers – Cybertron – Crosswise and Smokescreen

It seems to me that Hasbro was strongly considering the upcoming classics line near the end of Cybertron. We got Blurr, we got Breakdown GTS, and we got Smokescreen, right at the tail end. It's actually fairly rare for Hasbro to release a G1 homage recolor and actually get the name correct. We're lucky that Smokescreen wasn't named Ironhide or Silverstreak really. But no, this color scheme belongs undisputedly to G1 Smokescreen, and the appropriate name was assigned. Still, that's only one hurdle for Hasbro to overcome. The other is mold. This deco could have easily been applied to a…
Review – Transformers – Cybertron – Downshift
Posted in2005 - Cybertron

Review – Transformers – Cybertron – Downshift

Transformers have had a pretty low point in their life the last few years. Armada and Energon has some fairly weak toy design in terms of sculpt and articulation. Seriously, what’s up with Armada Hot Shot’s shoulders? Still, Energon was better than Armada, and Cybertron has been better than Energon. Lately, Cybertron has even been better than itself. The toys are starting to receive joints that make sense again, they have all sorts of neat detailing, they have better alt modes, and better transformations. One of the latest Transformers released to the market is Downshift. Now, you may remember Energon…
Review – Transformers – Energon – Alpha Q
Posted in2004 - Energon

Review – Transformers – Energon – Alpha Q

Every once in a while we get a Transformer’s toy that doesn’t actually Transform into anything.  Alpha Quintesson (Alpha Q) is one such Transformer.  We first met the Quintessons back in Transformers the Movie.  They led a pack of hungry Sharkticons and liked to toss random bots into pits of doom.  As it turns out the Quintessons were more intertwined with the history and origin of the Transformers race then was originally believed.  Of course those Quints also looked like Eggs and had 5 faces (of darkness!).  This is Energon.  I couldn’t tell you what alpha Q’s role is in…