Botcon 2009 Toys Redone

[llamatron]

This is a copy of a thread I made on the 2005 boards, I wanted to get your guys opinions too.


----------------------------

It’s pretty clear that this year’s Botcon set has not been a smash hit (in terms of popularity) like the 2006/2007 set was. Of course we haven’t seen the fiction yet and that can change people’s minds, but to me at least, it’s a big dissapointment. Some of the choices have made my head explode, simply unable to comprehend the decisions made. But rather than sit back and critisize (which is so easy to do) I thought – could I do any better? And I don’t mean the typical HEY GUYS YOU SHOULD REPAINT UNIVERSE 2.0 TOYS AND GIVE EVERYONE A NEW HEAD AND COMPLETELY IGNORE THE WAY THE MOLD SPRUES AND PLASTIC COLOURS WORK. I’m testing a theory:

Even a fat neckbeard like me can dream up a better Botcon set in a few days.

The rules that I stuck to: Only me. I didn’t consult anyone. All came out of my head. I limited my choice of molds to what they would have had available – in essence everything from Armada / Energon / Cybertron, minus anything that has previously been used as an exclusive. I stuck to realistic colourings – by realistic I mean paying attention to what part of the mold each colour belongs to, you know, how particular parts belong to a certain part of the mold that is a certain colour and you can’t just pick and choose colours willy nilly. Realistic amount of paints apps. Realistic amount of new parts (based off previous years). I put together my set of toys and then went about throwing together some “mock concepts” – cheap and dirty digibashes. They’re just done to convey the idea and make it more tangible. Obviously some things could be changed. Keep in mind that my photoshop skills are weak at best, for new molds I just copy/pasted an old head on top that was the rough look I was going for.

Now, I restricted myself even further to stay within their basic premise. That is a young Kup joining the Elite Guard back in the early days. And I tried to make sure I used molds that they are using in the set already.

I’ve slapped a poll up so that you can be the judge. The question is simple – would you rather have the official Botcon set or my half-assed effort?

Now, I have a rough fiction planned out for all of this, but it’s not fair for me to put that out when the official Botcon hasn’t put out theres. I’ll just line out the very basic tease which is kind of what they’ve given us.

It’s Kup, in his old age, telling a war story. A story about how he started off in the Elite Guard and how he came to get his trusty laser musket rifle. Of course, Kup is pretty old and his brain ain’t all there, so his memory might be a little flakey…

PRIMUS PACKAGE BOXED SET


Elite Guard Commander THUNDERCLASH

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/2021/lquakero.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/9628/lquakeveh.jpg


Elite Guard Intelligence Officer CHROMEDOME

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/8414/rdownshift082.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/5484/dshift.jpg

(note that the grey crap is supposed to be chrome. As an added bonus the Cybertron Downshift toy can actual hold G1 Chromedome's guns perfectly)


Elite Guard Rookie KUP

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/2586/kupoverride1.jpg

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/5008/kupoverride2.jpg


Autobot Informant COSMOS

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/1112/noisemaze09.jpg

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/4012/noisemaze04.jpg


Decepticon Grunt BLITZ

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/6282/backpack12.jpg

http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/6056/backpack05.jpg


Decepticon Fighter WING

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7982/rskyblast024.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8929/shyblast050.jpg


The idea with this set is to try and give a “shout-out” as such to as many different aspects of Transformers as possible. Euro G1, Headmasters, ’86 movie, diaclone, triple changers, clones, minibots, etc. Personally, I cannot figure out why on Earth FP did not use the Landmine mold to make Thunderclash. Seriously. I cannot figure it out. It’s a perfect match. Oh well. It should be noted that only Kup has a new head in this set, but he also has a new rifle, based off his G1 gun. I’m guessing that if they could give Thrust new wings in ’07, then they could make a new gun and I think that would be a nice way to mix things up a bit.


ATTENDANCE FREEBIE

Decepticon Swordsman LEOZACK

You know what? I really like what they did with this guy. Credit where credit is due. He can stay.

SOUVENIR PACK 1

Elite Guard Warrior SONIC BOMBER with micromaster SONIC

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/5521/sonicbomber.jpg

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8858/rsoundblaster057.jpg

(I ain’t gonna lie, I think Sonic Bomber looks pretty terrible. BUT the toy is a really good match for him, perhaps with a bit of a tweaked colourscheme and paint apps he could come out pretty decent)


Decepticon Weapons Researcher APEFACE with prototype SPASMA unit

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/6277/primal10th10.jpg

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/6796/primal10th04.jpg

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9412/primal10th17.jpg



SOUVINER PACK 2

Decepticon Infiltrator MEGAPLEX

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/957/energonstarscream11.jpg

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/6828/energonstarscream01.jpg


Decepticon Crystalocution Master BANZAI-TRON

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/5721/cunicron09.jpg

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/3605/cunicron03.jpg



So there it is. Ten figures I just kind of crapped out. Are they any good? Do they suck? It’s kind of hard to be impartial, but I am extremely fond of the Thunderclash and Banzai-tron. Well, Thunderclash makes me sad because it’s what we should have gotten. Oh well.

Anyway, thoughts and feedback and comments and all that are welcome. Feel free to rip me a new one, because I’ve been fairly harsh on the official set. I still think it’s a poor effort, but maybe it’s just me.

[kup]

Yours wins hands down. There is absolutely no argument that if the official set had been like this, I would be going crazy right now trying to secure the toys.

[Paulbot]

Wow! This is great work!

Chromedome is fantastic
Cosmos is great
So is Banzaitron
The split Blitzwing is very clever
Apeface is cool too
Kup is really nice idea.

:)

[Sky Shadow]

I do like Banzai-tron and Apeface (and I'm amused by Spasma.) I'd love to see a thread like this using Animated recolours. Animated Cybertron Optimus Prime would have made such a perfect Kup.

[optimus1]

I'm liking Cosmos the best :)

[Lord_Zed]

Your set, but mainly because of Banzai-tron! The rest seem more like the standard Botcon toys we see, but that Banzai-tron one is thinking outside of the box. :)

[STL]

Dude, your Banzaitron would've been an absolute killer. Love the Thunderclash too - just shows how uninspired the Botcon people were this year. Much more well thought out by a long shot.

I would've also liked to see you use the exact molds that Botcon are using too just to show us how much better things should be.

But now you've got me thinking what could've been :(

At least though you've given me an idea for future customs :D

[Deonasis]

I like your set. Yes FP's Leozack (and I like Skyquake) can stay but if they added THIS Thunderclash with the other less-than-meh homages I'd have bought the set. That Thunderclash rules and the Blitzwing reference is very creative.

I too have been planning to make my own Chromedome from Cyb Downshift's mould (and I think Needlenose could be squeezed out of a Cyb Soundwave too).

[iceburn]

woot!! definitely a winner here llamatron!!

[kup]

I read the comic preview pages and it seems like a nice G1 cartoon universe centered story but even so that doesn't really make up for how uninspired and uninteresting the official Botcon 09 toys are.

[jaydisc]

Great effort, but I'd pass on yours too.

[Gutsman Heavy]

I'd buy that set! YOU WIN!

[i_amtrunks]

Overall I like your set more, but there are still figures I am not sold on, like Kup, the Override mold was among my least favourite of all the Cybertron toys.

Thunderclash is fantastic, beautiful Digibash there, and Banziatron would be a figure that would be fetching crazy amounts of $$$ on ebay for years to come.

Splitting Blitz and Wing was clever, I was half expecting the other attendee set to be Astro and Train!

Add the two Energon Screamer repaints to this set of yours and it would be much the better for it.

[Adzma]

I dig Chromedome, he's great, but the rest don't really interest me.

[turtle boy]

Sorry, I'd pass on both, Not impressed at all. Wow that suck :( I don't want to feel that way.

[fatbot]

Wow! So much better then the offical set!

[Bartrim]

I'd love to see a thread like this using Animated recolours. Animated Cybertron Optimus Prime would have made such a perfect Kup.

I totally agree with this.