Next up we’ve got a look at one of the Legends class Generations toys who’ve yet to hit shelves – it’s Autobot Gears with Autobot Eclipse! This duo are a part of a Legends assortment which by all rights should be out right now – the following wave, with Cliffjumper, is already at US retail, so who knows when these two might make their appearance?
Gears is, simply put, fantastic. We’ve been waiting a good long while for an updated, Classics-style Gears to round out the original six Minibots (if you count Botcon 2007 Huffer – if not, rumor goes there’s a new one of him coming too…) . Like the Generation 1 toy, this new Gears shares a mold with Swerve. The truck mode is spot-on to Gears, with the robot mode only lacking a little red on the flat panel behind the head and the cheeks to really seal the deal. Like Swerve he’s got decent articulation, serviceable but not mind-blowing, and no head articulation sadly. Eclipse, an update of Micromaster Eagle Eye, is a cool little addition and as with Flanker, who came with Swerve, he makes a great gun for his partner robot.
Together these two make a great set, and will be worth tracking down, as and when they make an appearance at retail. Check out our gallery and see what you think:
plowking
I like Psychoshi's and Bogatan's ideas
Bogatan
The head isnt perfect (and I'd prefer a G1 toy style head anyway) but what I dont think is helping is the silver paint app either side of the head. Comparing it to G1 Gears the silver should be in the indent beside the head.
So I had a photoshop, the silver went a dark grey because…lazy, but I still think it looks better combined with the red paint app on the face.
Left the retail toy, middle with red paint app on face and silver paint apps moved either side which to me gets a lot closer to the animation model. And the right what I would have liked to have been made, but between leaning towards animation accuracy and the odds it was designed with a potential Brawn repaint in mind I guess it'll have to be another custom project I never get around to.
Jalaguy
I can't imagine so, considering the sculpt matches Gears right down to the two little nubs on top. I won't deny it looks quite Brawn-y painted all in silver, though.
slugslinger2004
I like the one in the center. The one on the right, while closer to the G1 animation looks stupid, to be blunt. Guess it's time to break out the red paint if I ever find this guy.
Death333
This mold is underwhelming and the new head is the smallest joke ever. O'well. I have other options for these guys.
down_shift
I still think the head looks like it was meant for Brawn, which I'm sure will be a repaint eventually.
stprime
love the third. how about one keeping the head as is but inverting the red and silver parts on each side of the head.
stprime
i think a red crotch would be more toy accurate.
TheSupernova
Good work!
In the absence of actually getting the one on the right, I wonder if, along with the red detailing on the head, if painting the blocks on either side blue would help that noggin not seem so lost…
MWG
The middle image shows that this head sculpt would work fine if it were painted. But painting it by hand and doing it right is beyond my skills. Obviously they wanted it to look different from Swerve and so painted different areas on the torso from where Swerve got paint. I also hope they don't try to get a Brawn out of this mold, they could make a figure with a similar transformation for Brawn/Outback but not this mold.
+-MWG-+
payres
Having just transformed Swerve I can see *why* why they've done it like that.
The problem is the toy's transformation: the sides of the chest swing back, pushing those square units beside the head forward, stopping them from using a flat face plate.
(robot arm folded out to the side in car mode to show what's going on)
It just doesn't look right though. 3P removable faceplate is the way forward.
payres
The one on the right is perfect.
3p companies: I have money for a face plate just list that that you can insert.
Psychoshi
I photoshop
payres
It's pretty close to Gears' Animation Model
Gears (G1) – Transformers Wiki
The problem is, as comparing toy to card art shows, it's too small. They probably should have done away with an articulated head and made a larger stationary faceplate covering the shoulder pieces.
Superquad7
Great work, bud!
payres
BBTS and Entertainment Earth have both had *some* but I don't think either has had their full allocation yet
Chaos Prime
I never owned the original Gears, so I'm looking forward to this.
Ironhide1234
Yipee, me likey!
I'd love an updated Brawn! Can't wait for Powerglide!
ORIO
See Brawn too.
Also, one of the old leaked Walmart lists had a legends brawn on it. Hopefully him and Huffer are on the way
Shark Jumper
So how hard would it be to repaint red on his helmet?