Word reaches us of another pair of new Masterpiece Transformers series releases! Online retailers have been getting solicits for a lot more than just what we were able to reveal to you yesterday, with two more Masterpiece releases in the pipeline. These are:
Masterpiece MP-10B Black Convoy – finally confirmed, this is the silhoetted Optimus Prime recolor seen in some Japanese magazine scans. According to information coming at us via our sponsors TFSource this one is coming out in March 2013 and will not include Roller or the trailer.
Masterpiece MP-16 Frenzy & Buzzsaw – MP-16 will be another cassette two pack for Masterpiece Soundwave! MP-15 is as we were able to confirm yesterday Ravage and Rumble, we can now confirm that Frenzy (the blue one) and Buzzsaw will be sold as a second two pack. Estimates from our sponsors also indicate that you can expect these, along with the MP-15 set, in March 2013. There’s some disagreement though over whether Rumble is red or blue – but according to a leaked solicitation document posted by the ”NAUGHTY GUY” Facebook page and Tempting Collectibles Facebook page Takara-Tomy is going with the original toy naming, making Rumble the red one and Frenzy the blue one. Until something official is posted, this is probably the closest we will get to an official word on the names.
All of these, plus those that were revealed yesterday, are up for preorder on TFSource as well as on Big Bad Toy Store, and will be soon at Tempting Collectibles.
GAUGE
…yay, …another repaint. …yay
naldopr
I like black repaint and this will be mine lol
Stepper
Black convoy another repaint,is it worth the price tag which i do not thk so.
Hybrid Style
Ask yourself this question;
Is the TF Club Scourge worth $100?
Hybrid Style
It could just be my perception of it. Obviously, I am taking the regular mass released-kid focused lines out of the equation and focusing more on the adult collector lines. It has really come on strong in the last few years with the "explosion" of 3rd Party companies.
If there wasn't a market for the high prices these figures command then the 3rd Party revolution would have died a horrible death. And it all has to do with the perception of value for money. I use Perfect Effect as an example because I own some of their products and I personally feel I was taken for a ride for the cost of Shadow Warrior(and it's subsidiaries) compared to the value I got out of it.
In my opinion, the Fort Max reissue is not worth $350 but people are jumping at it. I just don't understand how some people can preorder that without blinking an eye. In its basic form it is a 30 year old toy. Compare that to the recent Big Millenium Falcon, which was $150 here, it has a much better value for money toy, IMO.
As I said, it might just be my perception from what I have seen in various fandoms but I know I have been scratching my head myself in disbelief on how much money Transformers fans are willing to spend on certain items.
SMOG
Now this is interesting… I mean, I don't often think that much about other fandoms, so it's odd to hear about Transformers fans having a rep for "deep pockets". In fact, I kind of assumed it was the other way around.
I have bought some expensive toys in my time… my biggest individual purchase was $230 (Soul of Chogokin Gunbuster), a rarity. FP Hercules was also a big deal, but I don't think of him as being one purchase, but rather 6 related smaller purchases (yes, that does help me sleep at night).
However, I never thought of Transformers fans being as spendy as other fandoms. For one thing, most Transformers are still widely distributed at retail, for very affordable prices. I only very rarely buy outside the "mass retail" window, and I assume this goes for many fans. The only vintage figures I have are my originals from the 80's and yard-sale finds.
I think Transformers have only recently become firmly recognized as an "adult collector" franchise. Unlike Star Wars or some other lines, I think it was assumed that Transformers was still mostly kid stuff. I guess that first crop of 80's TF fans finally got to the age that the hobby took on a bit more respectability (not much, but y'know… ).
Also, until recently, the breadth of Transformers merchandise was relatively limited. The amount of peripheral collectibles only expanded significantly since the Bay movies. Lines like Star Wars or Gundam have an absurd array of rare specialty items and ephemera… Transformers aren't quite there yet…
Yeah… ditto.
But then… I think about the amount of money I've seen people spending on reissues and completing their G1 collection (or worse, those collections with 3 versions of each toy… one for bot mode, one for vehicle, and one MISB), to say nothing of the 3rd Party explosion…
But compared to Hot Toys? Wow. On the other hand, I'm betting that TF collectors buy more volume than Hot Toys collectors… hm.
I think the fact is that among TF fans/collectors, there is a very wide variety present. If you're a Hot Toys or Chogokin collector, everything is expensive. You aren't f***ing around. Transformers meanwhile runs a full gamut of budgets, from casual to hardcore.
Seriously? Joe fans? But GIJOE stuff is even cheaper than TF stuff! Weird.
zmog
soundwave69
I don't know where on earth you got that idea. Next to GI Joe fans, I think TF fans are pretty, um, thrifty.
Anguirus
Really? I don't know much about collectors, but Hot Toys are like 2-3 MPs each and I"ve never seen a Star Wars collection smaller than fucking huge.
Starfire22
Seeing as how Lambor/Red alert may not make it here, the chances of soundwave coming stateside next holiday season seems likely.
Hybrid Style
I think I should apologise for being too general in my description of Transformers fans. Not all fans are the same.
I am not a full time Transformers fan so I guess I could be called an outsider. As an outsider, what I mentioned about Transformers fans has been mentioned by a few fandoms. Transformers fans are looked at as people with very deep pockets and on the equivalent to Hot Toys collectors.
SMOG
…
durrrrrrrrrrr….
(okay, okay… but we know WHY they didn't release that one at least)
This is reductive logic. Transformers fans are also pedophiles!
Well… I'm sure that some of them are, so that must speak for YOU too, right? I mean, that's the logic we're using here.
Instead of saying "Transformers Fans THIS" and "Transformers Fans THAT", you might want to acknowledge that we are a group of individuals with a wide array of distinct interests, habits and economic means. We buy for a variety of reasons, not just because we're mindless completist sheep who will throw down absurd amounts of money for anything with a cartoon-accurate headsculpt.
Now me personally…
I wouldn't pay $100 for a deluxe…
but I paid $80 (shipping incl) for 3rd Party Voyagers (Herculoids, bigger than deluxes, otherwise I'd never have bought them)… who just happen to combine into Devastator
I wouldn't pay $50 for a scout…
but I paid $90 (shipping in) for an awesome foot-tall Bruticus (FP Causality), who also happens to break into smaller bots.
(all my Hasbro combaticons were bought on sale way back Energon, so they would only contribute another $20 tops)
I would never pay full price for a bland old repaint…
but I paid $5-10 each for remolded deluxes (Tracks and Wheeljack, on sale, of course). Nice job Hasbro! Loved Drift and Blurr too!
So yeah… $30 each for… what. A very nice Cyberverse Commander? That's about the size we're talking about here, with a bit more articulation. That's a bit much for me… not just as a "Transformers fan", but me, personally.
I'm not saying I'm not tempted… I mean, c'mon… BUZZSAW… but I have my limits.
zmog
Cyclonus79
I buy only Takara or 3rd party. Does that make me a sucker? I hope not. I demand perfection , an WILL pay whatever price to get as close to it as possible.
Bountyan
>implying the fandom is one person
"You're not allowed to complain about prices because other people in your fandom bought toys for prices similar to these!"
sh002
I want a MP Devastator released by Takara.
MagnusPrimal
So you're saying we'll pay any price, except when we won't?
So, just like anyone else?
soundwave69
Not sure why it matters that his alt mode isn't marketable. You think a lot of parents are buying their kids $60-$80 Hasbro MPs to play with? Adult collectors are their target demo, by far.
PolythenePrime
MP Trypticon? I would orgasm at the thought.
Hybrid Style
I find it funny to see Transformers fans complaining about price.
Transformers fans;
– pay $100 for 3rd Party deluxes (TFC Hercules)
– pay $50 for 3rd Party scouts (FP Causality)
– pay $50 for 3rd Party legends (PE Shadow Warrior)
– pay $350 for a 30 year old reissue (Fort Max)
– pay $12-$15 for a repaint (CHUG Tracks/Wheeljack)
– pay $100 for a repaint (Punch/Counterpunch)
Transformers fans cannot complain about price because you have proven that you will pay any price or simply go without.
Pravus Prime
MP Megatron waves at you.
Fallout
those cassettes are ridiculously expensive. $30 or $35 would've been a lot easier to swallow.