Toy review - The Last Knight deluxe Cogman
Series - The Last Knight
Sub-line – Premier Edition
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco – New
Wave – 4
Released here - N/A
Approximate Retail Price - $29 (Australian deluxe-class price point)
Approximate Size – 14cm
Allegiance – Autobot
Alt-mode – Aston Martin DB11 V12 coupe
Main Features/Gimmicks – Headmaster
Main Colour – Grey
Main Accessories – Cogman Headmaster, sword
Vehicle mode
https://i.imgur.com/j8douFR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/32KBlIS.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3LUIyUX.jpg
An Aston Martin DB11 V12 coupe, presumably one of several cars owned by Sir Edmund Burton. The grey isn't quite screen-accurate, and the lack of paint on the body may be a turn-off for some. The roof, side mirrors, front splitter, sills and rear diffuser are painted black, and the taillights are painted red.
https://i.imgur.com/s7rlSsv.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ZzgVLZ6.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/fRTpts2.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CexySzF.jpg
The roof hinges open, allowing Cogman (or any other Titan Master) access to the cabin. Impressively, elements of the interior are recognisable from the DB11, namely the centre console and the pattern of the stitching on the seats.
Ground clearance is an issue, though. One section has hardly any clearance from the ground, meaning it's liable to scrape when rolling the car.
https://i.imgur.com/33HI3uH.jpg
Cogman's weapon is a sword, which takes design cues from the swords used by Arthur and his knights and notably the talisman sword. This item is moulded in black plastic with a grey blade, and stores under the car.
Interestingly, John Warden, Hasbro's Design Manager for the Transformers brand team, made a point to refer to the Aston Martin as Cogman's Transtector. This makes sense, since Cogman himself is a diminutive robot represented here by the Titan Master.
Cogman
https://i.imgur.com/MyYNn14.jpg
If you've seen a Titan Master, you know what to expect in terms of paint and articulation, although Cogman's arms are painted where most Titan Masters lack paint on their arms.
Transformation
Not very complex. The way the arms swing down is reminiscent of AoE Bumblebee.
The bonnet and roof compact fairly well, so Cogman is left with a backpack that isn't massive.
Robot mode
https://i.imgur.com/bp17U4E.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/hXydROp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/57QWD7q.jpg
Cogman winds up reproducing many of the design elements of his on-screen robot mode, save for the compromises that make him a transforming toy where the on-screen character didn't transform into a car.
There's no shortage of moulded detail on Cogman, particularly the torso, which has lots of the toothed gears that give Cogman his name. Seemingly reinforcing the 'knight' theme that appears throughout the movie, the shoulder armour vaguely resembles pauldrons, and the design of the feet gives the impression of a knight's sabaton, or foot armour.
https://i.imgur.com/pBPnjDX.jpg
While the vehicle mode was lacking in paint, the robot mode has a substantial amount. The face in particular has quite a detailed paint job. The torso, shoulders, shins, and feet have been given a black 'paint wash' which accentuates the moulded detail and makes for an almost metallic effect on the grey plastic. Some areas have gold highlights.
https://i.imgur.com/YgZxrTT.jpg
Articulation is typical of a contemporary deluxe class figure. The knees are a bit strange, though, because they 'lock' into place when straight, unlocking at roughly 45 degrees, and have what feels like a mild ratchet to them when unlocked. This, and the limited downward movement of the feet, could potentially limit some of the more deep, dynamic poses it's possible to put Cogman in, although his feet are large enough to support him in many instances.
There was supposedly intended to be a scene wherein Nitro Zeus is decapitated and Cogman transforms into a new head to control Nitro Zeus's body; this would explain why Sir Edmund called Cogman a Headmaster. We don't know how far along this scene got before ultimately being cut, but it got far enough for Hasbro to design Nitro Zeus with Titan Master compatibility in order to recreate the scene.
https://i.imgur.com/lJFoxsp.jpg
Verdict
I was always going to have a hard time saying no to a licensed Aston Martin Transformer, but Cogman is an interesting figure in his own right.
He's not perfect - the chest ground clearance is an issue for anyone who wants to use the figure as anything more than a static display piece - but he looks good in both modes and the Titan Master gimmick adds some play potential.
If you like realistic, licensed cars and/or the detailed robot mode, or just like Cogman, go for it, but the cost of having him posted could make him pricey for a deluxe, and there's currently no indication if and when he'll show up at Australian retail.
