Linkfest - Upcoming

The theme of this linkfest edition seems to be “upcoming” as there are a slew of new official and unofficial (but expensive) toys that are coming out in the next few months. All of them drool worthy, especially for G1 fans. The links includes galleries to Takara next wave of Masterpiece toys, Kreon Wallpaper, new TFC Toys, iGears and Mastermind Creations toys along with a review for a Hercules add-on.

Upcoming Takara MP Releases - MP-12 Lambor/Sideswipe | Red Alert, Soundwave | Video
Hit the link to look at the next new Masterpiece molds from Takara. Sideswipe and Red Alert is the smallest MP toy they have made yet as designed to be to scale to MP Prime and fit inside his trailer. The toys have been officially licensed by Lamborghini to give it that extra authentic look. The figures will be out by end of the year for around $90 each. Shockwave is getting the MP upgrade, retaining his classic boom box look with Laserbeak cassette but with a whole lot more detail and articulation. I would be very surprised if Hasbro didn't bring one or all of these molds stateside sometime next year. You can also hit the video link for a look at the figure but no subtitles to understand what the engineer is saying.

Kreon Wallpaper
Hasbro has released wallpaper for many of their upcoming Kreon figures. CGI images include Ironhide, Megatron, Prime, Wheeljack and more.

TFC Toys Photron Gallery
Hit the link for a better look at third party maker TFC Toys Photron toy with new alt mode that looks like a modern DSL camera complete with shoulder strap and LCD lights. The camera is really three robots that merge into one alt mode, something unusual for the Transformers line with the mail away order Reflector from the 80s being the inspiration for this update. The toy will be released sometime in October for around $125.

New Masterpiece Seeker Galleries - Thundercracker | Sunstorm
Two new Masterpiece toys have hit, one in the states and the other in Japan. Toys R Us exclusive MP Thundercracker is a blue repaint of Takara's MP Starscream 2.0 mold from earlier this year (but minus crown and cape accessories). My local TRU didn't have the toy in stock but they did have shelf space allocated for it with a price tag of $69.99. MP Sunstorm is the yellow repaint of Starscream 2.0 with modified color scheme for the crown and cape accessories. The average cost to import this figure is $209.95. I highly recommend at least adding one version of this seeker mold to your collection with Thundercracker being the best bang for the buck.

TFC Toys Hercules Repaint
Speaking of TFC Toys also revealed Perses which is a "Shattered Glass" repaint of their large not Devastator Hercules (that cost around $600 total). The "Shattered Glass" universe is one created through Botcon that pits the good guy Decepticons against the evil Autobots for the fate of the universe. All the familiar characters are there but with new color schemes (cause of Botcon exclusive repaints) including the red and white Constructicons that Perses is a homage too. No details on release date, price or if releasing as a box set or not.

Official Transformers Collectors Club Subscription Service
Hasbro's official club has officially opened up orders for six exclusive repaints at a total cost of $285 + shipping per figure so around $48 each plus estimate $10 for S&H. That doesn't include the $42 or $65 to join the club. Orders will be taken until September 10th 2012. The six figures are Prime Slipstream, Classics Circuit, Beast Wars Ultra Mammoth, Animated Jackpot, Universe Classics Breakdown and Generations Robots in Disguise Scourge. Release order will be random so will not know what is coming until get it in the mail. Personally I can't recommend such a cost for what is normally a $15 deluxe figure that has already had 3+ repaints already at retail but they call it a collector's club for a reason. Hit the link above to try to learn more.

iGears New Release Galleries - Hench & UFO | Medical Specialist | Weapons Specialist
Another third party release, this is for not Brawn and not Cosmo from IGears. The toys are essentially a re-creation of the G1 characters with much greater detail and articulation then any Hasbro release. The expected release date is in the next few weeks with a price tag of $34.99 for the Cyberverse sized figures. Not Ratchet and not Ironhide are out now with a price of $120 each. These are the closest re-creations of their G1 cartoon look (even though Hasbro's Classics version came close). Next for iGear will be not Beachcomber, not Outback, and not Swerve.

Mastermind Creations Seeker Galleries - Air Screech | Awakening
Hit links for galleries to two upcoming toys (of several planned repaints) from their Hearts of Steel line. Air Screech (not Starscream) has a price tag of $90 while Awakening is a black and white repaint of the same mold being used as exclusive for conventions and some online stores.

Alternators Artwork - Part 1 | Part 2
Above are two TFSource articles that explore the artwork that was created for the Transformers Alternators toy line that Hasbro released years ago before the movies came out. The line was created by Takara and called Binal-Tech in Japan. It used officially licensed vehicles from mostly Japanese manufacturers as most American automakers didn't want to be associated with a "war" type toy line. How getting paid to get another company to promote your vehicle brand to future car owners is a bad thing is beyond me. Any case it was the first time in probably more than a decade that Transformers vehicle alt modes where actually based on real world vehicles. The toys where detailed with complex transformations so acted as a precursor the Masterpiece line. In Takara the first few waves where made with die cast metal parts for very heavy and well painted while Hasbro re-released the vehicles in all plastic part for a then expensive $20 price point but now would be considered a steal considering how much the price of TFs have gone up (and their corresponding size has gone down). The line had a huge volume of repaints but still was one of the best every produced by either company. I still have mine on display. If ever sold my collection they and select Masterpiece toys would probably be the ones I would keep.

Rage of Hercules Add-On Video Review
So you know how Hercules cost around $600 to complete? Well add another $50 for this add-on set from TFC toys that gives him a little bit of a more G1 look. The add-one comes with new head mold, visor, face plate, gun, shoulder extenders, and forearm pieces. The review from Peaugh may help in deciding if worth that extra cost.