Toy Review - HAULER (Legacy)

[G1Optimal]

It's a face that almost demands he be placed in an action pose, otherwise he's just standing there gaping.

Could be yawning

[Sutton]

It's a nice deco of a great figure, but the use of the same head design (different expression or not) makes it a pass for me. There's no real need for it either, since the Grapple head is simply because of the weak G1 repaints in the past for this guy - no reason they couldn't have given him a new head altogether to really flesh him out as a character. And if it borrowed design elements from existing Constructicon heads, that would help build some visual storytelling too.

I like repaints that have new heads - makes it feel like these are different characters that were always part of the crew, but just in the background, out of sight, guarding the base etc. This just feels like Grapple doing cosplay, trying to sneak in to the Constructicon's camp to steal some power tools.

Often if I'll just do my own head-swaps where Hasbro doesn't - a bit of resizing of ball joints is usually all it takes - but this guy would be a little trickier given his head attaches in an unusual way on a mushroom peg. Although a simple way around it would be to just lose the peg and glue a head in place (forgoing any turning articulation).

[Tha_Phantom]

I swapped over Hauler and Kingdom Inferno's heads and I'm happy with the end result.

Inferno had two different animation models in the cartoon, so there is nothing wrong at all giving him the head that came with Hauler.

Meanwhile, the more toyetic head that came with Kingdom Inferno makes Hauler more faithful to his original Ehobby toy - the eyes are even the right colour!

My OCD also likes the fact that Kingdom Inferno and Earthrise Grapple now have matching head sculpts while Velocitron Hauler and Gen Selects Artfire match also.

Apologies for the crappy photos (and the folded-away ear wing things on Inferno). These are just some images I took for a group chat on Saturday but thought I may as well share here.

[Seraphim Prime]

Nice choice - and definitely works to distinguish Hauler from Grapple.

I personally remember Inferno first as a toy as I had the G2 release as a kid so enjoy that Inferno got the squared head.

I do have a PotP Inferno though that is due to become a Transtector for Cab, so I might see how that head works out.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Apologies for the crappy photos (and the folded-away ear wing things on Inferno).

Y'know I was willing to forgive everything else, but NOT FOLDING OUT INFERNO'S EAR WING THINGS?!?!?!?

BLASPHEMY!

(that was a joke),

I actually thing the head swap looks really good and not a bad idea at all.

[GoktimusPrime]

I swapped over Hauler and Kingdom Inferno's heads and I'm happy with the end result.

Looks awesome! I got a loose KD Inferno just to do this, but I was unable to remove Inferno's head. The tweezers actually scratched off some of Inferno's helmet paint in the attempt.

[Tha_Phantom]

Looks awesome! I got a loose KD Inferno just to do this, but I was unable to remove Inferno's head. The tweezers actually scratched off some of Inferno's helmet paint in the attempt.

Ouch! Yeah, unfortunately it's very tough getting both their heads off for the swap. I found that swivelling the head sideways/diagonally a bit helped, but there's just not a lot of room to work with in there.

[Sutton]

No rules about what Hauler is actually hauling...this works pretty good IMHO. Still need to figure out a unique head for him, but I've got a few in mind.

[Tha_Phantom]

Meant to post these a while ago but there seemed to be an issue. Anyway, here are some better pics of the head swap and the gang together.

[Tha_Phantom]