Knockoff Sunstreaker to be released

[reillyd]

I don't buy this 'too expensive' crap either. I have seen several G1 accurate KOs in person and they are indeed very competent with Die cast and not that different from Modern reissues as in they often have the same flaws when compared to the original.

I can't comment on any of the 'diecast' KOs. I did buy recently a Shockwave KO, which looks absolutely GORGEOUS by the way on display. I'm on a disability pension, so there's no way I could -ever- afford to buy a MISB version, and can't touch/play with used ones.

But competent? Quality? It's a pale imitation. The electronics in him makes an ANYONING as hell sound, and the "sound selection" switch is missing - I suspect they never were able to reverse engineer the originals, and figured once its sold only a few people would even take him out of the box. His feet are so loose that when in gun form, they drop out again and just hang. The lights a re a little dodgy and flash too quickly. Joints are too tight or too lose. No sticker sheet, no metal Decepticon logo. And from a distance, the box looks actually really perfect. Turn the box around, and you'll find the "top" of the box is about half an inch too tall for the printed back matter, so you've got ugly blank cardboard.

I never bought any of the other reissues, so I can't say whether some of them are "better" in quality. But the joints on encore issues are perfect, and they've even IMPROVED defects in the original toys eg. Bumblebee's face in the minibots.

[MV75]

Sadly Sunstreaker's mould is own the list of rumoured lost ones so a reissue is unlikely. I wish I'd known about this KO earlier as I delibrately put off buying a Sunstreaker with the mindset "It won't be the last one I find."

Bah.

Meh, doesn't bother me, my point was more of steering clear of ebay and just getting whatever they reissue through tak/tom / hasbro instead.

[kup]

I can't comment on any of the 'diecast' KOs. I did buy recently a Shockwave KO, which looks absolutely GORGEOUS by the way on display. I'm on a disability pension, so there's no way I could -ever- afford to buy a MISB version, and can't touch/play with used ones.

But competent? Quality? It's a pale imitation. The electronics in him makes an ANYONING as hell sound, and the "sound selection" switch is missing - I suspect they never were able to reverse engineer the originals, and figured once its sold only a few people would even take him out of the box. His feet are so loose that when in gun form, they drop out again and just hang. The lights a re a little dodgy and flash too quickly. Joints are too tight or too lose. No sticker sheet, no metal Decepticon logo. And from a distance, the box looks actually really perfect. Turn the box around, and you'll find the "top" of the box is about half an inch too tall for the printed back matter, so you've got ugly blank cardboard.

I never bought any of the other reissues, so I can't say whether some of them are "better" in quality. But the joints on encore issues are perfect, and they've even IMPROVED defects in the original toys eg. Bumblebee's face in the minibots.

I am not condoning KOs and have no experience with Shockwave KO but others that I have seen are very hard to tell from the original article with the biggest factor for identification is that they looked too suspiciously new. However ultimately they are not original and they are illegal KOs so its always bad news when they pollute the market and although I did say that they can be competently made they often have discrepancies - KO Ratbat for example doesn't fit properly inside Sounwave's chest because he is about a mm too thick.

Another KO which is very difficult to spot unless you know what you are looking for is KO Optimus Prime. That guy is near perfect and the only identifier being that his trailer has a 'Made in France' with a partially 'covered up' copyright. That Optimus Prime could easily pass as a legit reissue when it comes to quality and I have often seen them circulating in the market loose as if they were legit with the guy selling having no clue that its KO.

I imagine that the minibots KOed would also be very difficult to spot when loose.

That's why I am hoping for KO Sunstreaker to have some damning obvious flaw to him such as some mold defect or something lacking. KO Wheeljack is easy to spot in box as he has no stickers applied but I am not sure how hard he would be to spot if he were loose with stickers applied.

Thankfully the KO Shockwave is also easy to spot as he does look to have several defects such as a purple barrel which makes it easy to ID plus the other flaws you mentioned. Therefore not a great danger to collectors as the other figures.

[blackie]

i just had a squiz at the places i see KO's and these are the others im seeing:
Octane
Springer
Sideswipe
Red Alert

all listed as coming this month...
this isnt great, i wanted all those figures

[liegeprime]

bad news for me as Im only after parts of these figs. what's to stop those unscrupulous ebay sellers flogging off fake parts as well for as if original prices. darn

[1AZRAEL1]

bad news for me as Im only after parts of these figs. what's to stop those unscrupulous ebay sellers flogging off fake parts as well for as if original prices. darn

That was the next big thing I was worried about.

I think I am going to stick to local sellers, such as Jamie, when it comes to buying parts, as at least I can physically look at them. On ebay, you have no hope until you get it, then have to file paperwork and too much hassle. I know my selection will be limited, but I'm in no real hurry to complete all my figures.

[kup]

bad news for me as Im only after parts of these figs. what's to stop those unscrupulous ebay sellers flogging off fake parts as well for as if original prices. darn

The good thing about Sunstreaker is that every part that I have seen has a bit of grime or dirt on it due to all the ridges and things that the shoulder rockets have that trap dust and dirt in them. I have also noticed the fist as a bit grimy for some reason. The missiles can be tricky but generally if they are too new or in its frame, then its KO.

[TF76]

Great I might just repair/repaint my one for now. I think missiles is all i need. Been looking ages for a nice sunstreaker.

[yukitora]

does a ko have a different date on it? or colour or weight difference to the original? and what makes it a ko? i thought everyone would like a sunstreaker since the ori mould got screwed.

[GoktimusPrime]

i thought everyone would like a sunstreaker since the ori mould got screwed.

The Sunstreaker mould is _rumoured_ to be lost, it hasn't been officially confirmed. And just because a toy is rare and there's a chance that it cannot be reissued, doesn't mean that we are all willing to accept a counterfeit as a substitute. Depends on your own standards/opinions as a collector. This is discussed in further depth here.