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Thread: BotCon 2012 "small" news and info

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by griffin View Post
    Of the 15 toys this year, 11 of them are Mirror-verse characters... which is essentially "all new" characters. Something that could be difficult for fans of "classic" Transformers to embrace or be too excited about.
    I think that's a huge stretch.

    This year, BotCon is releasing over a dozen toys that are all homages to something or other - mostly G1. And people are whinging that it's the worst BotCon ever for exclusives. Compare it to:

    1995 - only one exclusive. Not a homage.
    1996 - only one exclusive. Not a homage.
    1997 - only two exclusives. Not homages.
    1998 - only two exclusives. Not homages.
    1999 - only two exclusives. Not homages.
    2001 - only four exclusives. One homage.

    Would they really prefer one to four non-homage toys than what they have this year?

    This year I think we have:

    Shattered Glass Tracks - Geewun/Diaclone homage.
    Shattered Glass Soundwave - Geewun/Music Label homage.
    Shattered Glass Longarm - Geewun/Animated/Binaltech homage.
    Shattered Glass Junkions - Geewun homage.
    Gigatron - G1 Homage.
    Metalhawk - G1 Homage.
    Octopunch - G1 Homage.
    Spinister - G1 Homage.
    Kick Off - G1 Homage.
    Shattered Glass Darkmount - G1 Homage.
    Shattered Glass Ultra Magnus - G2/Diaclone homage.
    Shattered Glass Treadshot - Universe homage.
    Shattered Glass G2 Optimus Prime G2/Shattered Glass homage.

    People just like whining.

  2. #12
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    Yes, we do like whining...
    Although, to be fair, those of us who spend a lot of time and money getting here, are entitled to be a *little* more critical, because we expect more from the Convention toys than would those who don't attend (instead, end up getting the toys "cheaper" and easier... than the cost of going to BotCon that is).

    But you compared this year's (FunPub) set with pre-FunPub years, before they were easily allowed to use official names (to make a homage from).
    FunPub are able to use almost any character, and most official names (if they clear legal), so it feels like the regular "Hasbro half-homages" we get in the mainlines, when something uses colours or alt-mode similar to a classic figure, but ends up getting a name or allegiance that doesn't match.
    FunPub are supposed to be able to avoid that, by being "fan focused", to give us full-homages, not half-homages.

    At least with the pre-FunPub years you listed, those original characters weren't trying to copy or homage an existing character/colour-scheme. The Mirror-verse are claimed to be "new", but some borrow heavily on pre-existing elements.
    And there was mixed support back then for those new characters too... the ones who were supportive were mostly excited about there being an exclusive, limited-edition toy to go with the convention. Many, if not all, of the characters themselves, haven't attracted any long-lasting/permanent fan-following.
    The years/toys that did? The ones homaging existing characters.
    Something Mirror-verse toys this year distorts too much to be an acceptable (to the whiners ) full homage, because we already have those homage toys in their PROPER colours from Generations/RTS/etc.
    Junkions (for example) coloured as Insecticons are a homage? The ones already released by Hasbro and Takara are the homage... these are a distortion of reality, that aren't homaging anything. Same with Straxus/Darkmount. More so with Ultra Magnus with the skull face. That ruined the Diaclone homage of that one.
    Red Tracks is at least a workable homage of the Mirror-verse figures, because there is an existing Gen1 toy in that colour.
    Soundwave, Treadshot , Optimus, and Longarm are homages I guess, but not to their Gen1 versions... which seems to be the theme to this Mirror-verse storyline.
    And Straxus/Darkmount


    Don't get me wrong - I do like the creativity, and the concept of mixing up elements of one character/group with another character/group (ie Insecticons & Junkions), but they should leave that for the comic, and give us toys of the Gen1 (or other pre-existing) characters that Hasbro haven't done, or the ones that they feature in their BotCon comics.
    It's such a tease seeing all those Gen1 or pre-existing characters, and instead end up getting toys of their own creation.
    In a way, it's like their "Gen2" year (2010), not having a whole lot of toys homaging characters that were new to Gen2. It would be like having a "Rebirth" themed BotCon and just releasing homage toys Seasons 1-3 characters just because they were in Rebirth.
    I think FunPub are padding out this Mirror-verse concept because they used up so many Classic homages already with their 15 toys-per-year format. They have run out of options from the moulds currently available to fill up a full BotCon roster of toys, so keep going back to this Mirror-verse of theirs (which is barely above the concept of a "what if" fanfic to a lot of more dedicated long-time fans). They've fleshed out the Mirro-verse now, and I think fans want to either move onto something new, or go back and flesh out something pre-existing (like 2006 did with the BW story, and 2011 with Animated).

    So if it is so difficult to get approval from Hasbro to produce 15 toys that reflect their original intention of a year's theme - is it better to still have 15 toys that ends up disappointing fans (as this year's seems to have, with the boxset not selling out, like it did in 2005 & 2009), or, is it better to have half as many toys that capture the theme perfectly and have a more positive response from the fans?
    I'd prefer the latter, as it would be quality over quantity (to me at least).

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by griffin View Post
    The years/toys that did? The ones homaging existing characters.
    Something Mirror-verse toys this year distorts too much to be an acceptable (to the whiners ) full homage, because we already have those homage toys in their PROPER colours from Generations/RTS/etc.
    Junkions (for example) coloured as Insecticons are a homage? The ones already released by Hasbro and Takara are the homage... these are a distortion of reality, that aren't homaging anything.
    Surely Junkions in Insecticon colours are the sort of thing people want. If Geewunners don't want Shattered Glass toys, just stick Decepticon stickers on them and it's an instant 'Classicsverse' Insecticon collection. If they can accept that the Bludgeon mould is Banzai-tron or Overlord, that the Straxus mould is Skullgrin, that the Jetfire mould is Dreadwind, that the Drift mould is Blurr (etcetera, etcetera) why can't the Shattered Glass Junkions be the 'Classics' Insecticons that fanboys have been whining for and Hasbro hasn't released.

    But anyway, enjoy the convention, Griffin!

  4. #14
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    Some clear pics from the Early Bird pickup.

    Boxset contents.

    Attendee free figure "Straxus" (has no name on the biocard, and had a typo on the bag as "Praxus")

    Some of my own pics...

    Mirror-verse Straxus.


    The main colour plastic is glittery, and almost makes you worried that it is GPS type of plastic. It is also such an odd mustard colour that looks brown
    or yellow, depending on the amount of light in people's photos.


    Boxset & attendee figure in robot mode.


    And in vehicle modes...


    (I think this is the first time since FunPub started in 2005 that I actually took the time to transform the boxset toys... Maybe I should be "sick" at
    BotCon more often)

    The full package that I picked up Yesterday...


    I just got back with the at-show toys, so will need some time to get them out, photograph them, and upload them... until that happens, there will be
    pics on the global fansites soon anyway.

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sky Shadow View Post
    why can't the Shattered Glass Junkions be the 'Classics' Insecticons that fanboys have been whining for and Hasbro hasn't released.
    Because the only Transformer to successfully pull-off being an Arthropod and a Motorcycle with an ounce of originality was this guy :




    Personally, I think the whole concept of a 'Mirror' universe is nothing but laziness disguised as creativity; The original Shattered Glass Botcon set was cool, it should've ended with there.

    There are a stack of other ideas they could've gone with (Micromasters ) but instead they pedal this sort of thing, this year's set pales in comparison to last years Animated set and feels like such a backward step IMO.
    (The saddest thing is, FunPub hold exclusive worldwide Official Convention rights )

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by griffin View Post
    Some clear pics from the Early Bird pickup.

    *snip*
    Whoa!

    That Straxus... It's confusing the hell out of me!

  7. #17
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    At the Thursday Club Store opening.

    I got down there about 10 minutes before they opened for Golden Ticket holders at 5pm, and I was one of the last Golden Ticket holders in that exclusive line.

    But 5 minutes before they were to start, they had to have all those people in the Credit Card line (people not paying Cash), to follow one of the Staffers upstairs because they couldn't get a signal with the Credit Card machine on the bottom floor.
    So after buying the at-show figures upstairs with my credit card (which took just over an hour), I then had to go downstairs to buy other non-FunPub items (for others). But at least the Golden Ticket got me in, barely minutes before the regular attendees started going in. (that would have been another 2-3 hour wait without it -and the non-Golden Ticket people had to wait after their 6pm start, until all those GT people had been served)

    The small set (Kick Over/Off & Gen2 Optimus) is US$95
    The big set (Octopunch & Spinister is US$89
    (that is NOT a misprint - the bigger pair IS cheaper than the smaller pair, and would be the more popular pair as well, being the more Gen1-accurate coloured pair)
    The Junkions 3-pack is US$99
    (anticipated, but still surprising, is that the Junkions each have the 3 different heads released by Hasbro & TakaraTomy - which will drive up the price this year, as people are less likely to sell off 2 of the "duplicates" of previous years)

    The two lithos were not yet signed by the Artists, so I didn't buy them yet (they had the unsigned copies though).
    Also available this year:
    Soundwave Headband - US$5 (comes with a collector card - limit 1 per person, even GT holders)
    Small poster prints of the program-guide cover image - $25 (only 100)
    Autograph/collector cards (similar to last year) were available in two sets (with random chase cards), or as an uncut sheet (with or without chase cards) in VERY limited quantities.
    I think they were selling this year's boxset as well, but it wasn't on the order sheet, so can't recall the price.


    The Golden Ticket may have cost a hefty amount, but the time saved so far is certainly a good thing (especially in my current condition - I was struggling to stand for the single hour I was there)... and if they keep the concept, it will be very useful in years that they actually have something in stock of limited numbers (from mainstream lines). This year though, they didn't have a single thing I wanted that wasn't a FunPub item, which was a little disappointing.

    Photos to come.

  8. #18
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    Only just got yesterday's photos uploaded (yet to do todays, thanks to a new computer and passwords not working).

    These are the biocards for the first 6 toys.


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    And a collage I did up of their character art.

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by griffin View Post
    Soundwave Headband - US$5 (comes with a collector card - limit 1 per person, even GT holders)
    Aargh! For the love of... So what about people who ordered the extra bag as well as the box set? They only get one headband for Soundwave?

    Man I never thought a headband would annoy me so much!!

  10. #20
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    Man I need these toys - well, aside from Octopunch and Spinister .. they don't do anything for me even though I do like the mold. However all the 'Classic' (CHUGRtS) toys need to find a way to my collection, and multiples of said toys so I can build my fantasy mega Classics display !

    Ok it will never happen as I missed out on the 2007 and 2008 sets and not having enough income stopped me from getting the 2010 set ..

    But yes, I love these!

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