TF Views

Red Alert!

I knew if I waited long enough that Hasbro would release this fairly obvious repaint of the Universe Sunstreaker/Sideswipe mold, and that I didn't need to spring for the Henkei version. If you've got either of the prior releases, you'll know that this is one of the best Transformers to come down the pike in a long while. The design trick with the rotating waist which allowed the repaint/remold of Sunstreaker into Sideswipe to look quite different was a great gimmick. And now we've got Red Alert, who is a repaint of Sideswipe with a lightbar added, just as the G1 figure was.

I've never quite figured out how a fire department rates a Lambo for the chief's car, but that's what we get here. The deco has been updated and is not a direct copy of the G1 deco, but is still recognizable as the same general scheme. White, red and black is a simple but effective color scheme, and it looks good on this mold, in both modes. And we finally, finally got a red Autobot symbol with a white outline, just like the old days. Hasbro's been going cheap with the single-color insignias for awhile now. It's good to see at least one classic-looking Autobot sigil.

The bio references Red Alert's paranoia, but spins it as a positive trait for the security director. His stats start out fairly similar to the G1 stats, but vary quite a bit by the end.

I got mine for $9.00 at Wal-Mart. It's well worth the purchase.

Dominic wrote:My Nenkei Thundercracker has loose cannons.

You're a loose cannon, Thundercracker! You're off the force!

Got Dirge. Pretty much the same as the others, except the cheapest-looking deco of the lot so far, but the G1 figure's to blame for that. I'm really growing tired of this Classics Starscream mold, it's nowhere near as good as what they've been doing since then, they need to get TC out quick and then move on to a new Starscream with a better jet underside and less lazy transformation with better clearances.

138 Scourge wrote:Dang, and after trying it again, I'm sticking with my first opinion, the transformation on this WFC 'Bee is an unholy bear to pull off. Once it's done, though, either result looks really good. The auto mode is a neat little thing, totally like a Tron-esque Beetle, and I love the look of it even if I can't quite get every panel to line up. It's pretty great. The robot mode looks really cool, too, in the box he looks a little hunchbacked, but once you mess with the backpack some, that issues smooths out. Only downside to the toy? If I want to enjoy both modes, I might have to buy another one, because I'm not sure I ever want to transform it again.

That said, I'm gonna figure out something really easy in the next couple of days that makes the whole process a breeze, but man, that is some effort.

Did you start with the instructions? The order is really important to that area, it sticks if you start it too late, and gets in the way if you start it too early.

BTW, I still absolutely don't see the Autobot logo on WFC Prime's back.

JediTricks wrote:BTW, I still absolutely don't see the Autobot logo on WFC Prime's back.

Really? Even I've been able to see it. And the Decepticon logo on Megatron's back.

JediTricks wrote:BTW, I still absolutely don't see the Autobot logo on WFC Prime's back.

Are you looking at his actual back? Or the kibble-panel that hangs out in front of it? Look at his back *behind* the panel, the symbol's sculpted on there.

BWprowl wrote:

JediTricks wrote:BTW, I still absolutely don't see the Autobot logo on WFC Prime's back.

Are you looking at his actual back? Or the kibble-panel that hangs out in front of it? Look at his back *behind* the panel, the symbol's sculpted on there.

THANK YOU! That was the key, I was looking at the kibble panel backpack, not the actual back since it's hidden. Of course I see it now, although it's an odd misshape at the top.

JediTricks wrote:Did you start with the instructions? The order is really important to that area, it sticks if you start it too late, and gets in the way if you start it too early.

Instructions? What're those?

Nah, I never start with the instructions, I try to figure 'em out blindly the first time, and if I get stuck or want to double-check if something's right, then I'll go to the instructions. So therein lies my problem, I guess. Still, I have more fun treating the toys as a puzzle to solve at first, then as a toy or display thing later. Plus, y'know, as many used toys as I've bought, kind of got into the habit of going that route.

Thunderwing! He starts in jet mode so that's what I'll start with.

Jet: The top of the jet looks awesome, very much like his G1/IDW counterpart. And it has a drone on the front that can detatch for recon missions. Awesome. Flip it over and... it's 100% robot. Seriously, to transform it you basically just stand him up. It's actually more complex than that, but there's so much of the robot just tacked onto the bottom of the jet that that's what it ends up looking like. And it's already mistransformed right out of the package. The piece on the center of the chest actually does flip up to cover the head, but that wasn't done on the one I bought. Covering the head really helps to hide the fact that the bot mode makes up the underside, but the rest of it is still there and pretty apparent what it is.

Transformation! The tail fins fold down, pointed outwards (they can be folded the other way, but it interferes with the transformation). The wins then flip up to the back of the robot, and the wings split and swivel for extra detail in bot mode. After the wings flip up the back, the nose is folded down on top of that. The robot chest lifts up, revealing the rest of the robot legs which flip down. Split the afterburners for feet, peg the guns in his hands and you're done. It's an easy one to figure, but still good fiddle value.

Bot mode: This is where the figure looks best. It's pretty clear to me that this was the mode they started with and designed the toy from there. It really captures the look and feel of the character well and I think the detachable drone is an homage to the original toy which, if I'm not mistaken had the inner robot's jet mode attach to the front of the spaceship mode for the outer shell. It's a nice touch. I really have nothing bad to say about the robot mode they just pulled it off so well.

Overall: I would recommend Thunderwing. The robot kibble under the jet is pretty common enough feature on most Decepticon jets that we really should all be used to it by now and in defense of the toy I think trying to hide it would have actually detracted from the look of the robot mode.

Skullgrin: He's Straxus. With Skullgrin's head. Still an awesome toy and I like the color scheme on this one. It works well for both modes. The tank is beleivably gray and the robot is colored reminiscent enough of the original character that it really does work. Especially if you pose him with the scythe in O6's trident mode.

Cliffjumper: Again, he's Bumblebee with a different head. Color works good and is darker than most of the recent Cliffjumpers from recent years, which gives the feeling that it's more true to the original toy.

These are good figures and have really nice paint apps. I would recommend them, but you'll have to decide whether or not it's worth getting the same figure in a different color just to have a different head. Or if you perhaps like the characters enough to warrant that. I have both going on so this was a no brainer for me, your mileage may vary.

Hey Shocky, what's the take on Thunderwing's deco? The pics I've seen of this figure all have cheap-looking decos thanks to the use of shitty off-white plastic as the base. I was thinking of waiting for the repaint.

138 Scourge wrote:Instructions? What're those?

Nah, I never start with the instructions, I try to figure 'em out blindly the first time, and if I get stuck or want to double-check if something's right, then I'll go to the instructions. So therein lies my problem, I guess. Still, I have more fun treating the toys as a puzzle to solve at first, then as a toy or display thing later. Plus, y'know, as many used toys as I've bought, kind of got into the habit of going that route.

I hate seeing fans bash a figure over that sort of thing. It's not the toy's fault that you didn't solve the puzzle right.