The crew of The Lost Light, past and present, in CHUG form

[JediTricks]

I have been sitting on this one for a while, but since so much of it is about to change (swapping out Cyclonus, Ultra Magnus, and adding the Protectobots) I figured now is as good a time as any to share what's been hanging out on my shelf.

[andersonh1]

Nice display!

[JediTricks]

Thanks! It started out as reading MTMTE and saying "oh, I have this guy, I have that one too...", it just kept growing. A post from a while back about needing new Rodimus and other stuff was largely borne out of creating this display.... so I guess I set this up on April 11th.

[andersonh1]

It certainly makes me appreciate how many good remakes of older characters that we've gotten in recent years.

[Dominic]

Not sure if I count all of those as being in the same aesthetic. Bayformers III seems to have been a splitting point. Of course, the newer stuff is almost cycling back to what was coming out a decade or so back, putting modern figures on a level with 2006 Mirage.


I tend to think that you are using the best possible Cyclonus for your display though. Short of getting the RTS variant and removing the rub-sign, you cannot get much better than any pressing of the 2009 mould. The current figure is specifically not supposed to resemble the comics. (Besides the file card being different, it is safe to assume that Hasbro would have made the effort to sculpt a more gaunt face on the modern figure if it was meant to resemble the comics.)



You never got Hoist?

[Shockwave]

That is a nice display, although CW Magnus could probably swap out the white Optimus, which would also give you Minimus. Also, who's behind Swerve, between him and Brainstorm?

[Onslaught Six]

That is a nice display, although CW Magnus could probably swap out the white Optimus, which would also give you Minimus. Also, who's behind Swerve, between him and Brainstorm?

It appears to be FOC Magnus.

You missing Hoist too, JT? I missed him when he originally came out, still need to track one down.

I've seen lots of MTMTE crew displays over the last few years, but remarkably few RID shelves. Probably in part due to that book's large cast and the lack of servicable toys--until this year, you couldn't have Superion, and you still can't have any of the Dinobots.

[JediTricks]

Not sure if I count all of those as being in the same aesthetic. Bayformers III seems to have been a splitting point. Of course, the newer stuff is almost cycling back to what was coming out a decade or so back, putting modern figures on a level with 2006 Mirage.

I like 2006 Mirage, he's got more detailing than the other Classics and a unique look, even if it isn't pure G1.

Yeah, DOTM was the point that pulled the quality down across the lines, but I am not seeing a problem with the Generations figures in my collection as much as it hurt that line. Hell, I'm not even that thrilled with half the older CHUG figures - Rodimus, Perceptor, Inferno/Grapple - don't hold up that well, they're adequate filler but feel significantly lacking in one way or another.

I tend to think that you are using the best possible Cyclonus for your display though. Short of getting the RTS variant and removing the rub-sign, you cannot get much better than any pressing of the 2009 mould. The current figure is specifically not supposed to resemble the comics. (Besides the file card being different, it is safe to assume that Hasbro would have made the effort to sculpt a more gaunt face on the modern figure if it was meant to resemble the comics.)

He's too short, his articulation is awkward, and his alt mode is frustrating. I have the CW Cyclonus and in person he's better than I expected, I haven't decided on which I like for this collection better yet. CW Cyc has more sculpting going on than he seems.

You never got Hoist?

Naw, I don't love the Trailbreaker mold it's based on that much, I had a lot of challenges with it, it doesn't have the gun hand, and they did stupid scammy shit with the tow truck accessory and leaving the scanner thing above the vehicle mode so prominently.

That is a nice display, although CW Magnus could probably swap out the white Optimus, which would also give you Minimus.

That's the idea, swapping CW Magnus in. Interesting idea about using CHUG Magnus as Minimus, but the size is kinda large, I will have to see how they look together.

Also, who's behind Swerve, between him and Brainstorm?

Ha! It's also Ultra Magnus. I couldn't decide which CHUG Magnus I liked better as a stand-in for MTMTE Magnus, the FOC Magnus has the coloring and head but is tiny, while the white Optimus is a better size. So at first I tried to do a Master Blaster setup with FOC Magnus on Classics Magnus' shoulders but it wasn't stable enough, so I had them both there kinda eyeing each other trying to figure out which one deserves the slot.

It appears to be FOC Magnus.

Bingo. I thought it was funny, at least.

You missing Hoist too, JT? I missed him when he originally came out, still need to track one down.

I don't have him, I had several opportunities but passed him up because I didn't have the scratch and don't love the cheap-looking alt mode.

I've seen lots of MTMTE crew displays over the last few years, but remarkably few RID shelves. Probably in part due to that book's large cast and the lack of servicable toys--until this year, you couldn't have Superion, and you still can't have any of the Dinobots.

There's nothing cohesive about the RID cast either, there isn't much camaraderie and teamwork involved, it's very divisive. Plus it's not even political anymore, which was at least interesting. Who are the major players?
Bumblebee (dead)
Metalhawk (dead, no modern figure)
Starscream (multiple modern figures of this one exist from this run alone)
Ratbat (dead, no modern figure)
Arcee (hard-to-get modern figure with inappropriate smiling face)
Ironhide (all eh figures)
Wheeljack
Dirge
Swindle (also eh figures)
NAILs as a group (several figures)
Shockwave (dead)
Dinobots minus Grimlock (no modern figures)
Prowl
Hardhead (no modern figure)
Wheelie (closest modern figure is hard to get)
Jetfire
Jazz
Kup
Galvatron (inappropriate modern figure)
Cosmos
Combiners as groups

Come to think of it, is Starscream even part of RID/TF anymore or is he really a "Windblade" character now? Yeah, making the RID crew isn't easy.

[Shockwave]

Interesting idea about using CHUG Magnus as Minimus, but the size is kinda large, I will have to see how they look together.

That's funny, I actually just meant using the Minimus figure that comes with Leader class Magnus. Although, using whitimus as a larger cab form of Minimus isn't a bad idea either.