Maz's 3rd Party Articles & Reviews

The road to Feral Rex continues with the release of the Mastermind Creations Reformatted Ground Assaulter R-05 “Fortis”, a 3rd Party product based heavily on the original Transformers Generation 1 Predacon “Headstrong”, one fifth of MMC’s combiner “Feral Rex”. The G1 Predacons were famous and loved throughout the Transformers fandom as they combined into one of G1′s most adored combiners, the mighty Predaking.

MMC’s Feral Rex – or Not-Predaking – looks by far the best of the three offered by 3P companies and has already received considerable praise. R-05 Fortis is the second Feralcon to see release, following hot on the heels of R-03 Bovis. So how does Fortis measure up, is it a standalone success or just a means to an end?


Meeting Expectations – Part 5 | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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All the best
Maz

Could this be a masterpiece, or a Masterpiece, even? It was meant to be. Once upon a time Takara Tomy considered releasing a Huffer (or “Drag”) to go with Masterpiece MP-10 Convoy but the idea never came to fruition. So, with their debut offering, have Cubex nailed Masterpiece levels of aesthetics, quality, design in their Not-Huffer “Huff”, allowing him to be seamlessly integrated into a Takara Tomy or Hasbro collection of Masterpiece Transformers? Is he even the best Not-Huffer on the market? Good luck finding a majority opinion, but if you’re interested in mine, read on!

Masterpiece or Not? | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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All the best
Maz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Maz

Could this be a masterpiece, or a Masterpiece, even? It was meant to be. Once upon a time Takara Tomy considered releasing a Huffer (or “Drag”) to go with Masterpiece MP-10 Convoy but the idea never came to fruition. So, with their debut offering, have Cubex nailed Masterpiece levels of aesthetics, quality, design in their Not-Huffer “Huff”, allowing him to be seamlessly integrated into a Takara Tomy or Hasbro collection of Masterpiece Transformers? Is he even the best Not-Huffer on the market? Good luck finding a majority opinion, but if you’re interested in mine, read on!

Masterpiece or Not? | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/.../02/xhuf06.jpg

All the best
Maz

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I am sooooooo close to getting this. The only thing that is stopping me is the reported issues, which vary greatly. And to a lesser extent, the prospect of an official release.

I think I might bite with the second release. Thanks fo rthe review Maz, good to hear more positive comments

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trent

I am sooooooo close to getting this. The only thing that is stopping me is the reported issues, which vary greatly. And to a lesser extent, the prospect of an official release.

I think I might bite with the second release. Thanks fo rthe review Maz, good to hear more positive comments

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Hi Trent,

I would recommend waiting for the 2nd production run for sure. By that time hopefully you'll have a better idea of how it might scale with a potential MP Bumblebee and the little kinks will hopefully have been straightened out.

All the best
Maz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trent

I am sooooooo close to getting this. The only thing that is stopping me is the reported issues, which vary greatly. And to a lesser extent, the prospect of an official release.

I think I might bite with the second release. Thanks fo rthe review Maz, good to hear more positive comments

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Tony has the second round up for PO


http://chimungmung.com/product_info....oducts_id=1654

The cancellation of Transformers Animated was a tragedy to many collectors and fans, in no small part due to the fact that a fourth season expanding the Animated universe never came to be, meaning the fandom missed out on many characters – and toys – that would have been touched by the genius, freshness and Derrick J Wyatt-inspired style of Transformers Animated. But Animated isn’t the only line to have gaping holes in it that Hasbro and Takara Tomy never filled. Masterpiece, Generations, they’re everywhere. So we turned to 3rd party companies to expand our universes, to fill the gaps, and to give us things that are completely new. That brings us nicely to Mech iDeas, their Techno Toon Titans line and the inaugural releases within that line, TTT-01 “Bluster” and “Trench”.

Mech Ideas Bluster and Trench – TF Un-Animated | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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All the best
Maz

Sophomore, a second effort. FansToys return to the 3rd Party Transformers scene after the universal success that was FT-03 Quakewave, a toy so revered that it is almost unanimously accepted as the Masterpiece Shockwave and an essential addition to any collection, official or otherwise. After delays and a long build-up, FansToys have released their answer to Masterpiece Dinobots, the FT-04 Scoria from the Iron Dibots series – 3rd Party MP Dinobot Slag to you and me. Just like Quakewave, “Scoria” has become an entity – almost a category – unto itself, for reasons positive and otherwise.

Sophomore | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ


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All the best
Maz

We saw the test shots, we saw them displayed at conventions, we've anticipated and heard the death knell, then the song of resurrection...finally they are here. Mech iDeas Bluster and Trench. Almost. While the Techno Toon Titans line from Mech iDeas are aimed at filling all the gaps that the cancellation of Transformers Animated left, inaugural release TTT-01G is actually a repaint of the moulds for Animated Huffer and Pipes. The Transformers Animated colours are to be released later this year, but the Mario and Luigi repaints exclusive to TFCon in Canada and Auto Assembly in England are out.

Square One: Bluster and Trench - TFCon/AA exclusive (Mario/Luigi)

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All the best
Maz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Maz

Sophomore, a second effort. FansToys return to the 3rd Party Transformers scene after the universal success that was FT-03 Quakewave, a toy so revered that it is almost unanimously accepted as the Masterpiece Shockwave and an essential addition to any collection, official or otherwise. After delays and a long build-up, FansToys have released their answer to Masterpiece Dinobots, the FT-04 Scoria from the Iron Dibots series – 3rd Party MP Dinobot Slag to you and me. Just like Quakewave, “Scoria” has become an entity – almost a category – unto itself, for reasons positive and otherwise.

Sophomore | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ


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All the best
Maz

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Great article Maz :D

I totally agree with your points. I was also one of the lucky ones to get a near perfect figure.

My only complaint (which you have mentioned) is the ability for Scoria to hold his weapons.

I pre-ordered Scoria as soon as it was available, and I was concerned with some of the QC problems others were reporting (mine was sent late for some reason) so I held off getting Soar. That all changed once I opened Scoria, I will be getting the entire line. It might sound lame but I have only had 2 figures that have taken my breath away when I have opened them, Scoria was one of those figures.

I was already on the Fans Toys bandwagon after Quakewave, I am well and truly at the front of the wagon after Scoria.

I keep thinking this series of articles have been put to bed, and that newer Masterpiece or 3rd Party toys can go under a new banner. However, in order to keep these posts more article and less review, I’ve had to come up with a common theme, and the Meeting Expectations series is as appropriate as any to place Mastermind Creations Reformatted R-04 Squadron Commander Leo Dux (MMC Not-Razorclaw) and Mech iDeas Techno Toon Titans TTT-01G Bluster and Trench (Mi Not-Huffer and Not-Pipes in Mario/Luigi colours) into.

Meeting Expectations – Part 6 | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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All the best
Maz