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
Mech iDeas Bluster and Trench - TF UNAnimated
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 - FT Scoria Article
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
Meeting Expectations Part 6
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
Fans Toys FT-05 Soar (Not Swoop)
FansToys have created a problem for themselves, their first 3rd Party offering Quakewave was almost universally acknowledged as one of the best 3rd Party products ever to hit the Transformers collector market. After that, their decision to tackle Masterpiece-style Dinobots, or “Iron Dibots” led to their version of Dinobot Slag, FT-04 Scoria, and certainly I believed it to be every bit as good as Quakewave although well-documented issues with looseness and some QC niggles cast some doubt over their ability to maintain their mantle as the top 3rd Party guys in town. FansToys’s next offering, FT-05 Soar (Not Swoop), is absolutely key in helping the company to re-establish themselves as the go-to guys for filling Masterpiece-sized gaps in the official line-up. Available in both Diaclone/cartoon blue and toy/comic red, we’ve got a test shot of the blue version for review.
FansToys FT-05 Soar (Blue) | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ
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All the best
Maz
Not Powered Convoy - DAI Stack
Not-Powered Convoy is a wholly accurate description of KFC’s D.A.I. Commander stack repaint of the earlier ”Citizen Stack”, KFC’s attempt at a Masterpiece Ultra Magnus. That’s not to say this isn’t a great figure that’s fit for a purpose, however the question is whether or not it actually fulfils any of the purposes it was designed for, that is, a Masterpiece Ultra Magnus or a Masterpiece Diaclone Powered Convoy. With my personal area of interest and specialism being Diaclone for over a decade, and having owned more than five Diaclone Powered Convoys, I can hopefully provide perspective on how this figure appeals to me and whether it’s successful on any level compared to something Takara Tomy would produce for MP-22′s potential Powered Convoy repaint.
D.A.I. Stack – Not Powered Convoy | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ
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All the best
Maz
Alberich - Not Just A Great Arm
There are no shortage of 3rd Party Transformers-inspired combiners around for collectors to choose from. There are multiple projects - completed and ongoing - covering Predaking, Computron, Bruticus, Menasor, Defensor, Devastator and now Hasbro has entered the fray with Combiner Wars offering an alternative (yet classic) concept, value for money and simplicity with trusted quality over high end collector's items. Not to mention being able to officially badge it as Transformers, Superion or Menasor. So, in order for a 3rd party combiner to stand out now, it has to be unique. So how appropriate it is that Unique Toys are currently the only company tackling the Terrorcons and the monster combiner Abominus.
Alberich - Not Just A Great Arm | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ
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All the best
Maz
Continuum Hexatron - The Perfect Upgrade
First there were Transformers. Official Transformers. I liked those. Then there were 3rd Party figures based on Transformers. I ignored those for the most part, before FT Quakewave was forced upon me. Prior to that, one design caught my eye and I always looked at the galleries and teasers despite standing firm against the unofficial onslaught of Not-Transformers product. That design was the original Mastermind Creations (MMC) Reformatted R-01 Terminus Hexatron, the first unofficial Sixshot. Having been a lover of Sixshot and Greatshot for over a decade (never even knew about it as a child), the dynamism of Hexatron captured my attention. Every scene has its landmarks, and Terminus Hexatron is a landmark figure in the world of 3rd party Transformers. Supernova and Shadow Emissary editions, together with add-on parts aside, Hexatron is reborn. This is MMC’s Reformatted R-01C Terminus Hexatron Continuum, and it is phenomenal.
Continuum Hexatron – The Perfect Upgrade | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ
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All the best
Maz
GigaPower Guttur full review
Chigurh - The MP Astrotrain?
I didn’t know I needed a Masterpiece-scale Astrotrain. Most of us probably didn’t really, and were happy to wait for Takara Tomy to sort us out somewhere in the next 5 years. With the choice of DX-9′s ”Chigurh” seen here or ToyWorld’s ”Evila Star”, I suspect a third choice of ”neither” to be just as prevalent. That is no slight on the quality or brilliance of the two Not-Astrotrains currently offered, just that if one doesn’t fit you or your collection well seeing as how both companies have gone in very different directions, there’s no obligation to pick one or the other. Interesting, then, that as someone who was not fussed about either Astrotrain before, I ended up very fond of Chigurh and very interested in Evila Star too. For now, here’s DX-9′s divisive effort.
Chigurh – The MP Astrotrain? | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ
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All the best
Maz