Since he's a ninja dressed up as a samurai, do you think we should really call him Samuninja Prowl or something?
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Since he's a ninja dressed up as a samurai, do you think we should really call him Samuninja Prowl or something?
"Samuninja" means "cold ninja." ;) Slangwise it can mean "lame ninja" (lame as in extremely sad/uncool). :p Also, samurai =/= ninja. (-_-)
I got the Arrival TPB today - first time I'd read TF Animated comics (aside from the one packaged with Safeguard). Ummm... how shall I put this... it's CRAP. The first issue is highly confusing and makes little sense if you've never seen the cartoon. It's like a trailer for the cartoon pilot. Then there's the human supervillains -- do they need to appear in the comics too?! There's an entire issue dedicated to Professor Princess! <insert.many.swear.words> A lot of the stories are just really campy.
And before anyone says "but it's for kids" - I started reading Transformers comics in 1984 when I was knee-high to a Protoform, and I gotta say, while the early G1 comics were kinda corny and did have some problems; they got nothing against Animated. It's the same criticism I had for Season 1 and some of Season 2 of the cartoon - the story just talks down to the audience, even as children.
Having said that, there were some parts that weren't totally hopeless:
+ "Stilleto" was an okay story. Not great, but the human villain was relatively less lame (compared to Prof. Princess and Angry Archer anyway) and the story did serve to advance the overall story arc. Mildly.
+ "'Bots of Science." A pretty good stand alone story, and of course the debut of Oil Slick. Didn't like the artwork in it though.
+ "A Few Loose Strands." Okay story and ties in well with the cartoon. Again, not fond of Boo Radley's art.
+ "Survival Skills." Okay story. Nice to see Sentinel Minor get put in his place for once.
+ "First (and Second) In Flight." This is the comic packaged with Safeguard. It's the best story in the TPB - what does that tell you?
...suddenly AHM looks like gold.
I'd just like to point out that it was written by Marty Isenberg who may be a writer and story editor for TV but it in no way mean that he's good at writing comics.
I think it was IDW who dropped the ball in this case. The Safeguard comic was (panel to panel) hard to follow. Clean sequential storytelling was negelected in favour of flashy panels that over lapped.
I'm sorely tempted to redraw it because I like animated so much...
While I'm a shameless TFA fanboy, I do have to agree with you, Gok. I thought the first issue was highly confusing, not least because it relied on the reader having seen the pilot. While I had done so, it still didn't flow very well as a story.
I'm not too fond of the art used in the first comic as well as other subsequent ones. This is because of the facial expressions. With few exceptions (primarily guys like Bulkhead and Lugnut without normal mouths), EVERY SINGLE ONE is 'D:', with the eyes as the only difference. THis is why I like Boo's art better-it actually manages to add variety to the characters faces, which is important in a series where the character designs largely reflect the characters themselves.
I think my favourites of this series, despite my general apathy towards it, would be 'Bots of Science', the Safeguard comic, and 'Everything Must Go'.
I like to think of the Arrival stories as one-shots that weren't really substantial enough to become entire episodes. Hence why they mostly suck.
So we can't really call Prowl a Samuninja, since he is neither cold nor lame. We can't call him a Ninjurai either, since that just sounds lame.Quote:
Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime
How about "Prowl"? I like Prowl. It rolls off the tounge :pQuote:
So we can't really call Prowl a Samuninja, since he is neither cold nor lame. We can't call him a Ninjurai either, since that just sounds lame.
I'd call them filler really. They weren't even substantial enough to fill an entire issue with one story.Quote:
I like to think of the Arrival stories as one-shots that weren't really substantial enough to become entire episodes. Hence why they mostly suck.
I've always thought Samurai Armor Prowl was fine...More importantly, where does Optimus' trailer go when he transforms?:D
To a New York strip club with Rudd. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Ode to a Grasshopper
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Sky Shadow
I found myself nto that impressed by Samurai Prowl either. I like the armour in a static pose but once it's on, it's very hard to get anything dynamic with it. Add to that the problem of lack of clips to keep the backpack on, you have a toy that isn't solid and is also top heavy. It's a nice gimmick though and I do find myself admiring the blue tints of the windows and lights.
Am irked by the fact that the ninja stars too.
Going back, I finally sat down and played with Lockdown. Stealth Lockdown to be exact. I'd been iffy on keeping the Stealth Lockdown as having played with LCZ128's I hadn't really been convinced by it so I wanted to return it to Target before the 28 days change of mind offer expired. But playing with it in the confines of my own humble abode, I really warmed to it and was glad that I'd decided against returning it.
Really love the way the arms form the back of the vehicle at the right angles and the way the legs work. The hands are a bit weird but after being told at that Southland thing that that was the way the hands were supposed to be, it really has grown on me. The design of the alt mode and the robot mode also help. Very unique in their own rights. Love the detachability of the weapon into two bits as well. I think it's a great toy overall and have every intention of doubbling up on Blazing Lockdown too. :D
finally saw swindle in store yesterday, can anyone tell me if all swindles have the stress marks and/or discoloured plastic on the bonnet near the Decepticon logo?
Kinda looks like the part was broken off a weapons sprig tree or something...
I've only ever seen my Swindle and dirge's and neither have those problems. Both have a problem of having "floppy bellies" though - seems to be a design flaw. :(
Good to see mine isnt the only one with "floppy belly" (a mutated version of Bli belly I believe).
On the Prowl name situation. I refer to mine as "Mr Happy-Mods" as Ratchet so eloquently put it.:D
A friend comes over "Cool, who is this?"
"that is Mr Happy-Mods!"
Confusion ensues, but I am happy!
Music to my ears. +999999999999999Quote:
Originally Posted by STL
I truly adore the Lockdown mold. It's not perfect but it stands as a very striking example of the line.
My Swindle has a slightly floppy waist, but I don't find it to be that great an issue.
No stress marks on the bonnet, but there are a couple of stress marks forming where the stomach plate connects with the crotch.
Scored myself Blurr and Swindle the other day (Bu passed on Hound from Classics. Not sure why....). and like both. Blurr is more fun the further I play with him, and i adore his car mode. Swindle is ok, but doesnt feel as fun to me as many of the other animated figures do. i hate his hands, and his car mode isnt quite cartoony enough.
Still they aint bad. Hoping for Wasp and Sidecar Prowl soon.
I finally picked up Waspinator today and i have to ask why did they even bother with instructions:confused: you flip down the bug head and thats the pretty much it, still a cool looking figure.
oh...and a like it how with Swindles BFG you put the missile in and it changes colour to make it look energised/loaded:D (btw i am easily amused)
I think it's perfect bar the limp wrists (If his toy was anything to go by you'd think Lockdown has a pretty weak hand shake :p) and stationary head.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stompy
The legs are the definite highlight for me *wolf whistles* - I love clipping the front spoiler part to form the thighs. Such awesome design!
I was given Blazing Lockdown today and am really glad to now have the chainsaw. :D
The hooked wrist adds to his "crooked" alien like appeal. I too love the legs. The chainsaw is ok. I still prefer the hook but now I can pimp up Lockdown by having either 2 of the engine guns or a hook and saw on each arm respectively.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...tGroupShot.jpg
LOCKDOWN FEVER!
:o You're not alone.Quote:
Originally Posted by loophole
oooh, need to get around to opening my Blazing Lockdown. Grabbed him just before the end of the sale. Looks great.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stompy
Had my Shockwave/Bumblebee 2-pack show up in the mail yesterday.
Purple animated Shockwave is one of the worst Transformers of all time, but simultaneously one of the coolest figures I own: the tank/crane altmode worked much better in the original colour scheme - this just looks likes a robot lying down, or as my partner put it, a little kid in purple pyjamas throwing a tantrum.
The robot mode(s) make up for it though, however the Longarm disguise is really pretty useless. Can't remember seeing an Autobot entirely dressed in purple before, but oh well. The main Shockwave mode is awesome and makes him well worth owning.
And the little Bumblebee activator is great too, I've been meaning to pick him up for ages.
I probably would have opted for the normal-coloured Shockwave, but they were roughly 30% more expensive on Ebay which probably has something to do with the $5 pricing stuff-up in US Targets. This pack set me back $45au including postage and arrived in a week, pretty happy with it overall.
I know it was a bugger to find an original Animated Shockwave at a decent price (mostly because US sellers gouge you for price of postage). dirge finally found one for me from a Singaporean seller - AU$43 for the toy w/ AU$20 postage.
Check out eBay Singapore. This one has a Buy It Now price of SG$42.74 (AU$39.99) and ships worldwide (and shipping from Singapore to Australia is much cheaper than from USA)
That's hysterical! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Sutton
Just a few pics to demonstrate the absurdity of the Longarm mode with this paintscheme...
No, Mr Ultra Magnus sir, I haven't seen Blur in stellar cycles...
Wait, you're the Decepticon spy we've been looking for?!
"BLAU!!!"
Magnus got totally Palpatined on that one...
It's HAMMER-TIME, Bitches :D:D:D
Logically, you should give me your lunch money...
awesome
Heh yeah... when was the last time you ever saw an Autobot painted purple? ;)
Don't ask, don't tell policy?:D
They do tend to shy away from that colour, don't they? Most of the time, the closest they get are those colours used on Warpath, Perceptor, Skyfall and bits of Getaway and Joyride. Still, I don't think Autobots should automatically shoot at anything with a bit of purple on them. Some Autobots I can think of with notable use of purple include:Quote:
Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime
- Grotusque, RID Skid-Z, 2003 Universe Silverbolt, Armada Cheetor and Armada Airazor,
- the Japanese versions of Whisper, Storm Cloud and Flattop,
- and maybe Go-Bot Ironhide's pants.
(Unless those are pink. Which is even worse, really...
http://tfwiki.net/w2/images2/f/fe/G2Gobot_Ironhide.jpg
"Every time I look at my pants, Prime, my circuits sizzle. Why the hell did you have to throw a red sock into the wash?")
Autobots are purple-phobes... :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Ode to a Grasshopper
From the Human Error Part 2 thread:
I agree, but for me it's different with Animated. I'm sure that from the very inception of Animated Hasbro had the intent of making this a toyline, but decided to design the characters for the cartoon first and then asking TakaraTOMY designers to engineer toys from Hasbro's animation models.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbot
I watched the first five minutes of "Decepticon Air". Gok - I know you'll appreciate it that Sentinel orders his crew to 'bot' their posts rather than 'man' them.
That's exactly how they did it. There's interviews out there that confirm it.Quote:
Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime
Love it or hate it, one has to admit that the design ethos in Animated is very coherent, and the toys amazingly accurate in most cases.
But bot, is he a jerk about it! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Sky Shadow
Jazz really should smack him upside the skidplate with his nunchuku.
Bot, Trunks! Sentinel can't botage to bot such an imbotsse ship as just one bot - he's only hubot! That's why he debotded that his bots botdatorily bot their posts. I botstioned it because I botstally fear that the bots being held in rebotd are going to be ebotcipated!Quote:
Originally Posted by i_amtrunks
Oh, holy smurf!Quote:
Originally Posted by Sky Shadow
:D
You sir deserve a cookie.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sky Shadow
Someone please ebotcipate me from this botdane botiacal and botic botifestation of mirth and mayhem! I can't botage any more of this!! :p
<Kirk> BOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! </Kirk>