Universe Special editions (OP, Megs, Drag Strip & Overkill)

[griffin]

Will these figs be available here then?

According the Hasbro AUS back at the beginning of August, these should be in our stores by late November:

...we are planning on running some newly developed deluxe Classics items separately across TBD accounts late this year. The first wave will hopefully be in the market by late Nov (depending on production) and will include a Premium Optimus Prime, Premium Megatron G1 grey deco, Decepticon Dragstrip and Overkill. We may also be able to get a second wave (possibly next year tho) which should include Premium Cliffjumper, Red Mirage and Nemesis Prime. The packaging and products look great from what I have seen.

[Kyle]

A little disappointed by these "Premiums". They're certainly an improvement in terms of paint app and packaging. But I was hoping they would have been Hasbro version of Henkei.

The probably means Nemesis Prime will be a repaint of this smaller Prime again, and not the SDCC version.

[FFN]

Hasbro has quite the racket going with packaging toys in fancy packaging that could be sold for much lower prices in normal packaging.

Example: The Star Wars Vintage figure collection were originally premium figures in terms of articulation and detailing, packaged in vintage reproduction cardbacks in clamshell protective cases. However, regular Star Wars figures have since caught up in terms of articulation and detailing, and about half of the 'vintage' figures have been repacked and sold as normal Star Wars figures anyway.

So, essentially, people were paying to get a certain figure mold first, and in fancy packaging.


In this Universe 'Special Edition' case, we aren't even getting a new mold, just the fancy packaging.

[lcz128]

Wow !

I actually like them!
Megatron is a buy for me, as mine just went off to Canada for Liokaiser, and I wasn't that a big fan of the original's colours! {and I may try chopping up that spinning arm to add an elbow joint... Hrmmsss }
Optimus... I already made my own premium... :\
Dragstrip and Overkill, depending on pics as they're released, I'll probably get them! Cool! Thanks Hasbro AUS for the info before and now that they're coming, I'm really glad! ^_^ I just hope they're not too expensive!

[liegeprime]

Wow !

I actually like them!
Megatron is a buy for me, as mine just went off to Canada for Liokaiser, and I wasn't that a big fan of the original's colours! {and I may try chopping up that spinning arm to add an elbow joint... Hrmmsss }

Ooooh cool lcz! I always thought the mold would be a perfect one for kitbashing it to a G1 Bludgeon (IDW universe) the green tank mode fits well as all else in the mold, based from what he looks in the Strombringer story arc. Its like it was intended to be Bludgeon but they refitted the head into Megsy and changed the right hand to a spinning blade instead of giving it a hand so he can have a sword. Always wanted to make mine into one but dont know how heheh . itd make a cool as Bludgeon. Ill get one megs when it comes out ( provided its not too pricy) and rename the one I have in the two pack as Classics Bludgeon, maybe even "skullify" the face to fit.

[i_amtrunks]

The Special Edition figures have appeared at Hasbro Toy Shop now, I wonder what that means for non US markets?

I'm thinking store exclusive...

Can't wait to see Dragstrip and whom the red Mirage repaint will be, it's a great figure.

[1orion2many]

UUUMMMM what line was Megatron released in as I don't remember having the mould in my collection.

[i_amtrunks]

UUUMMMM what line was Megatron released in as I don't remember having the mould in my collection.

He was released in the Classics line as part of a Deluxe 2 pack with Optimus Prime. I think the pack was called "Ultimate Battle". TRU and Targets were flooded with them for quite a while.

[Sky Shadow]

You're not a Classics Fan? *shakes head*

My biggest problem with the Classics line is... well... the concept. In the eighties and 1990-91 I was excited by Powermaster Prime, Pretender Grimlock, Action Masters Shockwave, Action Masters Elite Omega Spreem etc, because it had seemed like we'd never again get a chance to own those characters (or, at least, a version that was minty fresh and not old and battered like our beloved original toys from the mid-eighties.)

But life's not like that any more. So many years later I have no interest in an eleventy-tenth version of G1 Optimus Prime, Starscream, Grimlock etc. I love Animated, because it brings something new to the floor. I understand that for most people who aren't me, Overkill is not a 'classic'. But until Classics starts bringing us more characters that haven't been done to death (like Overkill - one of my favourite G1 characters/toys) then I'll keep spending my money solely on Animated toys.

Edit: Actually, now I think of it, it's even more than that. Classics was the first Transformers line that ever actually inspired me to stop collecting. Because to me, Transformers describes more than just the fact that the toys change forms. It describes the whole line, which is supposed to be constantly evolving. First the line was just minicars - that's all anybody knew Transformers were. Then they were cassettes, then larger cars, planes, guns, gestalt construction vehicles, dinosaurs, triple-changers, futuristic vehicles, Targetmasters, Headmasters, Powermasters, Pretenders, Micromasters, Action Masters, etc. For me, Classics isn't fun and it's not new - it's retro nostalgia. Animated is progressive and fun and I love it.

[iceburn]

1orion2many.... trunks is right. the cheapskate version... Ultimate Battle 2-pack