iGear reveals PP03E - MP Dirge

[FFN]

Oh boy, they even use the official Dirge MTMTE art on their solicitation image. (http://www.igeartoys.com/?page_id=604)

[kristofferrer]

oh krud -
that's just brilliant.


this isnt good for my pocket.

[TheFallen]

I have to admit, that looks pretty damn good. And with Ramjet and Thrust in the silhouettes that makes it even more exciting

But how far can iGear go before Hasbro puts the kabosh on them? However, there are still plenty of knock off companies out there making G1 KO's so I guess that will make iGear safe

I just don't want to see one bad apple ruin the tree. I don't want anything bad to happen to FansProject :)

You can't really hate on a company that is giving you items that Hasbro can't or won't :)

[foor]

Very awesome!

[Deceptic_Optic]

oh you sweet sweet suculent < is that how you spell it? > mini mp conehead you will be mine...lol

[SamLoi888]

oh you sweet sweet suculent < is that how you spell it? > mini mp conehead you will be mine...lol

Succulent.


That Dirge looks massive. Is that an MP Prime it's standing next to?

[1AZRAEL1]

That Dirge looks massive. Is that an MP Prime it's standing next to?

Nah that would be their mini MP Prime they did a little while ago. Same engineering, just smaller :p

[SharkyMcShark]

It's their MP Prime downsized knockoff - ostensibly their upcoming Dirge will be the same size as the Masterpiece seekers.

Anyway this is ridiculous, although I'm sure if Hasbro had any intention to shut them down they would have already.

Still personally I'm not going to support them with my money - as nice as a Masterpiece Dirge would be I'm not forking over to a company that is now habitually ripping off 90% - 100% of the engineering of HasTak with each of its releases. As well as artwork now aswell.

[1AZRAEL1]

As well as artwork now aswell.

This may become the catalyst. Who knows. All I know, is HasTak needs to release the Coneheads as MP, because obviously the fandom want them. And primarily, it's the fans that buy these.

[SharkyMcShark]

This may become the catalyst. Who knows. All I know, is HasTak needs to release the Coneheads as MP, because obviously the fandom want them. And primarily, it's the fans that buy these.

Well see that's the thing that rubs me the wrong way about this release.

With their Faith leader, copying MP Prime and downsizing it is a dick move in itself but Prime had been released a lot of times. Whereas this is now moving into areas that HasTak might be going into in the future.

Which sets a dangerous precedent if they let it go.

I'm not saying OMGZ MP LIEN RUINED or similar but it doesn't sit right that they've gone from copying stuff that exists to (while still copying HasTak designs and engineering) making official Transformers characters that HasTak may make in the future.

I just don't think the 'well maybe if Hasbro gave us what we wanted this wouldn't happen' excuse holds water here.

[Deceptic_Optic]

Well see that's the thing that rubs me the wrong way about this release.

With their Faith leader, copying MP Prime and downsizing it is a dick move in itself but Prime had been released a lot of times. Whereas this is now moving into areas that HasTak might be going into in the future.

Which sets a dangerous precedent if they let it go.

I'm not saying OMGZ MP LIEN RUINED or similar but it doesn't sit right that they've gone from copying stuff that exists to (while still copying HasTak designs and engineering) making official Transformers characters that HasTak may make in the future.

I just don't think the 'well maybe if Hasbro gave us what we wanted this wouldn't happen' excuse holds water here.

lol stop your whining...lol *peace* for primus sake id buy!:D it to me its not a KO at all since HASTAk dont have it yet.

[1AZRAEL1]

lol stop your whining...lol *peace* for primus sake id buy!:D it to me its not a KO at all since HASTAk dont have it yet.

Just a remoulded smaller version of the seekers that they have released :p

[Deceptic_Optic]

Just a remoulded smaller version of the seekers that they have released :p

yup...not listening :rolleyes: and still not a KO...lol

[1AZRAEL1]

yup...not listening :rolleyes: and still not a KO...lol

Exactly, KO are of existing figures lol, this is kinda new.

[SharkyMcShark]

lol stop your whining...lol *peace* for primus sake id buy!:D it to me its not a KO at all since HASTAk dont have it yet.

Who used the word knock off?

Anyway whether HasTak have done it or not is irrelevant. That's a similar argument to the popular yet misguided 'if they gave us what we wanted' argument. It's HasTaks mold, HasTaks engineering. It belongs to them and they can do what they want with it - whether that includes releasing a Masterpiece Dirge or not.

[FFN]

It can be called a KO because it uses most of Hasbro/TakaraTomy's MP Starscream mold.


But how far can iGear go before Hasbro puts the kabosh on them? However, there are still plenty of knock off companies out there making G1 KO's so I guess that will make iGear safe As I understand, nothing. The most Hasbro can do is pressure online retailers in its markets from stocking iGear merchandise (like they did with Ages 3 & Up, whose owner openly supported KO G1 toys and attacked Hasbro for not "supporting collectors" like the KO makers were apparently doing), but that wouldn't work in this case, because (as I understand), iGear sells the KO MPs themselves.

[Lord_Zed]

That`s pretty nice, but its nothing more than a promo.

I would　prefer Hasbro to make this toy though so its on scale with the rest of the seekers.

[SharkyMcShark]

It is on scale with the rest. That's their copycat MP Prime it's next to.

[Hursticon]

Whilst he does looks nice, I must say that I was immediately hit with a feeling of "Something isn't right with this?". :rolleyes:

I'm all for 3rd party products based on the TF franchise but personally, I feel that taking proprietary property - scaling it - retooling it & repackaging it does not constitute this as anything less than copyright infringement.

Groups such as Fansproject have the right approach, designing products that are completely new IPs (Intellectual Properties) that are made to either envoke the likeness of a character or to compliment a pre-existing figure to envoke a character.

Now, I do realise that even Fansproject tread a fine line but it is in my opinion that Igear have well and truly crossed the line with this figure and probably even the Faith Leader figure before it.

With all that being said, if anyone here wants to and purchases this figure, by all means go ahead as they will probably end up looking really good in a collection (albeit it a heap of leg kibble :p), but I wont be getting one - Too many bloody official products to throw money at. :p

[kup]

I am not for what IGear is doing. Releasing this Dirge and hinting on a following Thrust and Ramjet have now negated what could have been a very possible official TakaraTomy releases in the near future.

Unlike the use of long abandoned 1980s concept drawings that don't have a chance in hell of ever being used and realized into a toy, IGear has grabbed a still financially viable mold from an ongoing existing line and beat the legit company in releasing a viable re-mold that may actually have been within their forthcoming plans.

[bruticus]

ermm... for those that are bagging igear, you should understand that igear did not make these. Partner Products did, hence the PP03 number...
igear are just selling them.

anyways, im curious to know why this thread was moved to the KO section??
last i checked, HasTakTom has not released any of the MP coneheads.
so... they are a KO of what, exactly?

Igear's website pics (http://www.igeartoys.com/?page_id=604) even says that it is based on designs by the TF customiser "wheeljack (http://www.sector70.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=31219)". To me, this thing is a Custom TF project but has been mass produced so that more people around the world can own one. Heck it was probably made using genuine Hasbro MP starscream/skywarp parts for all we know....

[griffin]

I didn't think anyone was bagging igear.

I moved it here because it was suggested that they were re-producing the entire MP toy, not just selling add-on parts. If they are replicating (pirating) any or all parts of an existing TFs toy, then it is just like any other KO.

If they are only providing add-on parts, or are buying MP Starscream toys and turning them into Dirge, then this will be re-located into the Unlicensed section.

Is there anyway of knowing yet if this is a full reproduction (like the mini MP Optimus), or a mass-customising of MP Starscream toys?

[kup]

.

Is there anyway of knowing yet if this is a full reproduction (like the mini MP Optimus), or a mass-customising of MP Starscream toys?

I seriously doubt they are going through the expense and effort of purchasing and customizing MP Starscream toys to make this given their history.

They are replicating most of the mold and then modifying it to suit the unreleased MP conehead seeker character but 95% of the actual mold remains an unlicensed replica.

[gamblor916]

It should have been an add on kit, it would have been perfect for Thundercracker.

[Jetfire]

It should have been an add on kit, it would have been perfect for Thundercracker.

Well I'm not 100% on this, but it looks to me like these are retail MP Thundercrackers modded with Dirge wings? I think the MP TC didn't sell as well Starscream and Skywarp, so maybe it would make sense to buy up excess stock cheaply, make some molded Dirge wings to fit, a couple of missiles etc. head?

I mean, that's the only real differences right? I can't see this being a reverse engineered mold including the stand and the small missiles.

I could be wrong...

[kup]

Well I'm not 100% on this, but it looks to me like these are retail MP Thundercrackers modded with Dirge wings? I think the MP TC didn't sell as well Starscream and Skywarp, so maybe it would make sense to buy up excess stock cheaply, make some molded Dirge wings to fit, a couple of missiles etc. head?

I mean, that's the only real differences right? I can't see this being a reverse engineered mold including the stand and the small missiles.

I could be wrong...

That's not what this IGear toy is about. It's a whole figure out of the box.

[Jetfire]

That's not what this IGear toy is about. It's a whole figure out of the box.

Ok, but I'm not saying it isn't but having a closer look now the colouring is pretty different.

[FFN]

ermm... for those that are bagging igear, you should understand that igear did not make these. Partner Products did, hence the PP03 number...
igear are just selling them.

anyways, im curious to know why this thread was moved to the KO section??
last i checked, HasTakTom has not released any of the MP coneheads.
so... they are a KO of what, exactly?

Igear's website pics (http://www.igeartoys.com/?page_id=604) even says that it is based on designs by the TF customiser "wheeljack (http://www.sector70.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=31219)". To me, this thing is a Custom TF project but has been mass produced so that more people around the world can own one. Heck it was probably made using genuine Hasbro MP starscream/skywarp parts for all we know.... Venksta at TFW (who seems to be involved in some way with several Chinese "fan companies", is of the opinion the Partner Products thing is just a cover for when iGear knows that a product is too on the nose legally.

[kup]

Apparently Wheeljack never authorized his custom to be mass produced.

[kelvinchang99]

Wheeljack did ...