Maz's 3rd Party Articles & Reviews

DX9, the alter ego of Unique Toys, take another swing at a Transformers Masterpiece-scaled robot with D06 Carry, a toy paying homage to the Autobots’ post-Optimus leader, Rodimus Prime. DX9 have been doing very well of late, their Invisible figure was superb, Chigurh was a recent favourite of mine, their War in Pocket line is blossoming and now they take a hugely ambitious stab at an all-in-one Generation 1 styled Rodimus Prime, inspired by the anime stylings of Japanese art group Studio Ox.

Keep Calm and Carry On | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/...06/Carry21.jpg

All the best
Maz

Never put the two and two together about the Studio Ox connection this guy makes more sense now.

Does this mean we now need an CHUG shelf, an MP shelf, a G1 toon accurate MP shelf, and studio OX MP shelf?:)

In less than one year, vastly improved 3rd party company Unique Toys have started and completed a combiner project. With the upcoming release of the fourth and fifth members of Ordin (Abominus), UT will give Transformers collectors their first unofficial group of Terrorcons to stand beside either their Combiner Wars toys or other unofficial behemoths such as MMC’s Feral Rex or Maketoys’ Quantron.

Extra-Ordin-Ary – and Complete | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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All the best
Maz

Great pics! and awesome post as usual, thx Maz!

It doesn’t seem to matter what character FansToys announce, because of their incredible start to life as a 3rd Party company putting out TF-a-likes with Quakewave and the Iron Dibots, even a character so woefully under-appreciated as Perceptor garnered some solid attention. FT-09 Tesla is their Masterpiece-scaled representation of the Autobot Scientist, and the one I bought from TFSource has arrived. I was not obligated to review this one, it was a purchase purely for my own collection, but I can’t keep my feelings about him to myself

FansToys FT-09 Tesla: Perfectceptor | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/...07/Tesla16.jpg

All the best
Maz

FansToys, like BadCube and MMC, are doing the G1 Insecticons. FT-12 Grenadier is the first of FansToys’ Masterpiece-scaled Insecticons and is their version of Bombshell, the evil beetle. Grenadier comes in two versions, one with a purple toy-accurate chest, and one with a grey cartoon accurate chest. The figure itself contains Generation 1 toy and cartoon style parts that are interchangeable. Grenadier is, by my reckoning, a fantastic return to form for FansToys.

On That Bombshell | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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All the best
Maz

Cannot bloody wait for you to do a PE Leonidas review. That figure + your photography = me drooling.

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Originally Posted by SharkyMcShark

Cannot bloody wait for you to do a PE Leonidas review. That figure + your photography = me drooling.

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I'm sorry to say that's not one I'll be getting :(

Thank you for the kind words, though.

All the best
Maz

Here's my review of the MakeToys Visualizers for anyone interested:

Square One: MakeToys MTRM-07 Visualizers (MP Reflector) <- CLICK TO READ

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_wWvqIVzte...ualizers36.jpg

All the best
Maz

I have finished my review of MakeToys Axle though, for any interested parties :)

Square One: MakeToys MTCM-04A Axle (Groove)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PJ5I_YlXBv...600/Axle13.jpg

All the best
Maz

Looks cool, great review.

In all of those photos, except the close up, I swear Axle had a completely black head lol :p

Unique Toys are at it again, one of the most productive 3rd party companies of the last 12 months – whether it was under the banner of UT or DX9 – are doing Decepticon Triplechanger Octane. Y-01 “Provider” comes hot on the heels of Chigurh, the Triplechanger Astrotrain that DX9 produced earlier this year. With Sandstorm (Sworder) teased just yesterday, this company are not wasting any time nailing down this whole subsection of Generation 1 multi-changers who are yet to be spoken for at Masterpiece scale. Whether or not you agree that Provider is indeed MP scale is another matter, but my gut feeling is that’s what UT were going for with this.

High Octane | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/...Provider30.jpg

All the best
Maz

Decades, years, months, weeks, days, hours and minutes have been counted in my eternal wait for this character. It took 14 years for the 1989 Japanese exclusive Takara Transformers Victory sixchanger C-325 Greatshot to find its way into my collection in 2015, after a protracted period of longing. When 3rd party company Mastermind Creations revealed then released their Reformatted R-01 Terminus Hexatron interpretation of Decepticon Sixshot, the belief was that a Greatshot repaint was in the works. Despite teaser images, the Greatshot repaint had to wait its turn as MMC worked their way through Terminus Hexatron, Super Nova edition, Dark Emissary and Continuum releases before R-01G Grandus Hexatron got off the ground in earnest a couple of years or so later. Once announcements, production samples and pre-orders had become a reality, the countdown to R-01G’s arrival commenced. Here then is my review of the long-awaited MMC Grandus Hexatron.

MMC Grandus Hexatron – The Promised Land | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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All the best
Maz

Mastermind Creations have released a Masterpiece-scaled homage to the Generation 1 Autobot Spy Mirage, and they have done it in the style of celebrated Japanese animation gurus Studio Ox, responsible for so many beautiful illustrations in Television Magazine. Under their Ocular Max (read: Ox) guise, the ”Perfection Series” pulls no punches in registering what its intentions are. PS-01 Sphinx, their Mirage, is the inaugural release. It is perfection indeed, and I surely did fall to my knees.


Ocular Max Sphinx – Perfection Indeed | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/...1/Sphinx30.jpg

All the best
Maz

Curse you Maz. Your beautiful photography and excellent review has made this a must have for me. I will wait for the diaclone box version though.

It really does look good, I thought the other one looked good but like you say in your review, this looks even better. I'm torn though, I expect it's only a matter of time before there is a Takara version of this character in the Masterpiece line.

I too am keen for the Diaclone-style box, but that one will not come with the awesome parachute, and that would break my heart! So I have decided to get both :rolleyes:

I too believe Takara Tomy will tackle Mirage, but I am keeping Invisible and Sphinx regardless, because the world can never have enough brilliant Mirage-based Transformers. Sphinx is going to be very difficult to beat, it's more enjoyable to transform than almost every 3rd Party toy I've ever handled.

All the best
Maz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Maz

I too am keen for the Diaclone-style box, but that one will not come with the awesome parachute, and that would break my heart! So I have decided to get both :rolleyes:

I too believe Takara Tomy will tackle Mirage, but I am keeping Invisible and Sphinx regardless, because the world can never have enough brilliant Mirage-based Transformers. Sphinx is going to be very difficult to beat, it's more enjoyable to transform than almost every 3rd Party toy I've ever handled.

All the best
Maz

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so what are your top five favourite third party transformers to transform?

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Originally Posted by UltraMarginal

so what are your top five favourite third party transformers to transform?

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In no particular order, the Hexatron mould, Sphinx, Bovis/Fortis, Cupola and I guess one of the DX9 figures like Carry or Chigurh.

All the best
Maz

Pre ordered Sphinx after your review, I think MMC nailed it pretty well.

This. Is. Spartan. Mastermind Creations have finally given sections of the Transformers fandom a figure they have been craving for almost 30 years, Impactor. Of course, MMC’s Reformatted R-13 is called ”Spartan” and is based heavily on the IDW design for Impactor, as seen in Chaos Theory and Last Stand Of The Wreckers. Fans of the Marvel UK Transformers comics rejoice, the leader of the Wreckers is finally available in toy form – just ahead of the official Impactor that the official Collector’s Club will offer as a Combiner Wars repaint and in place of the never-released iGear Presser.

This Is Spartan | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/.../Spartan09.jpg

All the best
Maz

Ok then, here it is, the Voodoo Robots Salus review:

Square One: Voodoo Robots PS-01 Salus Review <- CLICK TO READ

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All the best
Maz

My full review and gallery of MakeToys Gundogs 2Y and 2N.

Square One: MakeToys MTRM-02 Gundog (MP Hound)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zzONPkwbcB...0/Gundog24.jpg

All the best
Maz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Maz

This Is Spartan | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/.../Spartan09.jpg

All the best
Maz

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you did it Maz, I saw this guy at the Penrith fair a couple weeks ago and bought him, largely on the strength of your review. It's a great toy. my only complaint is it's a little difficult to line all the segments up when converting back to robot. This is probably the best quality third party/independent figure I've ever had. Very happy, not to get hold of the other mmc figures that make up the DJD.

Is it better than MakeToys Visualizers? No matter what else gets covered in this review of FansToys FT-11 Spotter - their stab at a Masterpiece version of a well known transforming evil 3-guy camera - that first question is one I have been asked non-stop since teasing my first image of the review last week, and one that a number of purchases depend on for people. Not necessarily my answer to that question, but generally. Many collectors may have held off buying the MakeToys Visualizers because they needed to see how Spotter turned out. This is not surprising as FansToys have tended to be the go-to 3rd party company for Masterpiece style figures, and the Visualizers were not hands-down winners for everyone on release. Let's see if we can answer that burning question, as well as everything else we need to know about FT-11.


Spot On (FansToys FT-11 Spotter) | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/.../Spotter42.jpg

All the best
Maz

Well, 2016 is off to an excellent start! FansToys, 3rd Party makers of toys that aim to unofficially complete your Masterpiece Transformers collection, bring us the fourth in their series of Iron Dibots, transforming dinosaurs not completely unlike those Dinobot fellows you may have heard of. FT-07 is Stomp, the brontosaurus of the five-member team, following Scoria, Soar and Sever. It has been clear that FansToys have improved every release so that the newest Dibot is a little better than the last, and Stomp is absolutely no exception. This pre-release test shot Stomp demonstrates that FT have learned lessons from those previous releases, and applied them successfully to this absolute beast of a figure. Stomp is wow factor incarnate.


Stomp! (FansToys FT-07 Stomp) | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/...01/Stomp32.jpg

All the best
Maz

Awesome review Maz, I can't wait to get Stomp and your comments have only made that wait alot harder 😉 Stomp looks fantastic.

I have been a fan of the Iron Dibots and I am looking forward to completing the set

I'm seriously considering jumping in on the entire line.

my only holdback is the best price /availability for the Scoria is the X version which seems to have shiny silver paint as opposed to Grey plastic. I'm a little concerned it will stick out too much against all the other grey plastic members of the team. but maybe that's a good thing a bit more variation and individuality amongst the group.

I pinged Maz on the Twitters and he's never seen the X version in person so couldn't really provide an in hand opinion. which I totally appreciate.

If I knew for sure that they'd release them all in the X variants, I'd sell off my normal releases and buy them instead. They look heaps better. But since I'm not sure, I'll stick with the toon versions (which also look awesome)

Mastermind Creations continue to do that which many others dare not, explore the realm of the current IDW Transformers comic universe and give us figures of characters that Hasbro never will. No Masterpiece mimicking here, no hundredth version of the same character or combiner, but instead we have toys of characters seen sparingly in the comics. That is not to say evil buggers Anarchus and Commotus were bit part and forgettable, quite the opposite, but from a handful of memorable appearances to actual 3rd party product with not insignificant price tags? We should applaud and thank MMC for these.

Comic Book Villains (MMC Anarchus & Commotus) | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/...Commotus07.jpg

All the best
Maz

Great article once again Maz, I completely understand what you're saying about the upper thigh guard in the transformation of Spartan. Once I had that figured out I too found the final transformation to be more satisfying.

I have ordered both Anarchus and Cynicus on the strength of this toy and your reviews. I totally agree that the DJD is a part of transformers fiction too dark and heavy to ever receive an official product.

I look forward to a full set of DJD from MMC down the line.

Cynicus is the most posable transformer I have so far. Anarchus is really fun too. Love the Scorpion mode. :)
Doesn't seem to be a lot of love for Grandus Hexatron though.

I've also ordered hexatron, I hope I like it because I've been umming and arring over it for literally years now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by UltraMarginal

Great article once again Maz, I completely understand what you're saying about the upper thigh guard in the transformation of Spartan. Once I had that figured out I too found the final transformation to be more satisfying.

I have ordered both Anarchus and Cynicus on the strength of this toy and your reviews. I totally agree that the DJD is a part of transformers fiction too dark and heavy to ever receive an official product.

I look forward to a full set of DJD from MMC down the line.

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Thanks so much!

With Cynicus, full disclosure, I have had to ask for replacement parts 3 times. Once was the tiny delicate shoulder wing attachment on the ring, second was the connecting arm that connects the backpack to the waist (it was highly stressed) and third was the waist connector that the two halves close around, that stressed and snapped. It's a shame, because it's a wonderful toy with a superb transformation and two killer modes. The robot mode is to die for.

Anarchus, man that's a solid hunk of gorgeous.

Thank you for sharing my pain about the thigh guards, it has totally changed my feelings towards that toy. I literally can;t put it down now, the transformation has become one of my favourites.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mido

Cynicus is the most posable transformer I have so far. Anarchus is really fun too. Love the Scorpion mode. :)
Doesn't seem to be a lot of love for Grandus Hexatron though.

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Oh, mate, I LOVE Grandus Hex...

http://tfsource.com/blog/top-5-2015/

All the best
Maz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Maz

Thanks so much!

With Cynicus, full disclosure, I have had to ask for replacement parts 3 times. Once was the tiny delicate shoulder wing attachment on the ring, second was the connecting arm that connects the backpack to the waist (it was highly stressed) and third was the waist connector that the two halves close around, that stressed and snapped. It's a shame, because it's a wonderful toy with a superb transformation and two killer modes. The robot mode is to die for.

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I had the entire left arm replaced as the toy had two right arms instead.
It did happen quite quickly after I contacted MMC myself. The retailer wasn't very helpful

The battle has been joined proper, with 3rd party companies left, right and centre putting out figures to fill gaps in Masterpiece collections. BadCube had already released Huff, Brawny, Backland, Wardog and the Evil Bug Corps, but Sunsurge is arguably their most ambitious stab at a slice of the MP market so far. For some time competing with Omnigonix’s Spinout (don’t get me started on that name), Sunsurge has comprehensively won the race to be the first MP-style release to homage the unforgettably yellow, self-adoring, other half of the most famous set of Cybertronian twins, Lamborghini Countach LP500S Super Tuning. To say that Sunsurge has been well received by collectors is an understatement. Everywhere you look, people are raving about what a great job BadCube have done and how it is comprehensively their best figure to date. I’m now ready to give my own opinion on that.

Sunstruck | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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All the best
Maz

Nice review.

Huge fan of Sunsurge, transformation is complex but the pay off fells worth it, mine locks up nicely too.

Also I think the front bumper not sitting flush, in on purpose to allow clearance for the front of his bonnet boots to rotate.

Amway, Badcube have gone from being one of countless 3rd pary companies to one of my favourites, I can't wait to see what they do next.

FT-13 Mercenary is FansToys’ second evil insect after FT-12 Grenadier, and has a lot to live up to thanks to the success of the latter. Based on what was originally called a lamellicorn type beetle insect robot, Mercenary recreates the look of the original toy and on-screen inspiration. With die cast, chrome and clear plastic chest flaps a staple of FansToys’ Masterpiece-style bugs, a collector could either leave the figures stock and enjoy the cartoon accurate look or go full G1 toy-centric. Grenadier’s success was based on good quality, a lovely finish, fun transformation, multiple display options and a very good looking accurate evil insect/robot which was faithful to the source material – albeit with two releases to cater for which source material a person saw as greater priority. Mercenary has similar toy and cartoon appearances, so only one release was necessary.


Mercenary | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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All the best
Maz

MakeToys MTRM-05 Wrestle (Masterpiece Grapple) FULL review and Gallery now live!


Square One: MakeToys MTRM-05 Wrestle (MP Grapple)

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All the best
Maz

Having been in the making for something like 4 years, a hefty lead time even for the most sedate 3rd party release schedule, Mastermind Creations’ Reformatted R-11 Seraphicus Prominon is ready to be released. The Moritorus Sovereign, as the box calls him, is almost an amalgamation of characters from the Aligned continuity and the IDW universe of Transformers going by the aesthetics of the core robot and the armoured bot respectively. Whether that was the designer’s original intention or not is another matter, but that’s certainly how it appears when each element is studied individually. First teased in 2012, MakeToys have since released Hypernovae who references the same character, but MMC finally unleash their own version, which at around $200, is not exactly a cheap alternative. Let’s see if it was worth the wait and the cost.

MMC Seraphicus Prominon | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/...16/02/SP15.jpg

http://tfsource.com/blog/wp-content/...16/02/SP04.jpg

All the best
Maz