2005 Boards member Gaokaiser dropped by to share with us an image of an advertisement for a new Bic Camera exclusive Transformer. Dark Steel, who will be called Dark Iron on his US release, will be released in Japan as a Bic Camera exclusive item. Don’t worry US fans, he will still be a general release as a part of Wave 5 as well – this promotion is like the old “USA editions” of days gone past.
Additionally, this advert marks the first publicly available image of Dark Iron / Dark Steel. As revealed at Botcon he’s a retooled version of Sideswipe in black and teal, who gains a lot of yellow in robot mode. He also wields a reworked version of Starscream’s MechTech weapon! The new head is unfortunately not very easy to see on this image. He’s supposed to be a Beast Wars Quickstrike homage, how well do you think he pulls this style off?
UPDATED with clearer images of Dark Steel courtesy of Snakas & Autobase Aichi!
OmarJT82
Why call him Dark Iron/Steel? Why just simply call him Quickstrike? Was Hasbro unable to secure the Quickstrike name?
Nope
Not what I expected, but still very cool. If he wasn't a Quickstrike homage I'd still buy him. I just wish he had less black.
2ndSndWve
Agreed. I'm not much of a repaint fan, but man, that thing is cool.
ThisGuy
I only have one word for DOTM repaints lately, and that word is UGLY.
Yellow? WTF? PASS!
SoundMaster
Not as Quickstrike-y as I would like, but it still looks good.
Black Convoy
Awesome remold a MUST!
Argentenoboy
Awesome, I want it!
Paxtin
Meh, I'm not impressed.
Force 21
If I ever saw a car painted like that in real life I'm not sure if I would laugh or throw up.
hthrun
I was planning to buy DotM Sidewsipe soon, but now I'll wait and get this guy instead. I already have two movie Sideswipes, it'll be nice to get this mold as a different character!
Prime_Directive
I'm buying it. I'm a sucker for homage toys.
Lock Cade
That looks awesome! *Adds to ever-growing TF wants list*
Anguirus
I should have known this would make you happy. Love the Beasts, but they had to pick my least favorite character (except for maybe Terrorsaur) in the whole series to reference! I'll probably get him just for being Black Evil Sideswipe With a New Head.
Certainly, there is!
Railguard
This looks awesome!!! I can't wait to get it when its released!!! YAY!!! When is the ferrari being released, the Mirage car?? For that matter when is the next waves being released??
EnerJohn
Okay, since it comes with a new head I'll buy it.
Cadbane
I like the way of attaching weapons at rear sides.I need to check my regular DOTM sideswipe, is there a peg hole there?
Jetbolt
Wait, a BW nod on a vehicle mode and it's not some club exclusive item in the states? Yessss!!!
I can't wait to slap a Predacon logo on it when I get it.
Autobot Burnout
Not exactly. There's been a few cases of twin Autobots other than the Lambos (even though they're the most common appearing pair):
Jazz/Ricochet – sometimes they are treated as twins (in the SG verse, they ARE twins)
Starscream/Sunstorm – Sunstorm is sometimes refered to as Screamer's "Evil twin", since Sunny was the defective, insane, and radioactive Starscream clone in DW's run.
Jetfire/Jetstorm – Animated's Jet Twins, the first experimental "flying Autobots" and could combine into Safeguard.
Skids/Mudflap – Movie Twins. Probably the least successful twin-pair in Transformers history (although the fact they were supposed to be twins probably wasn't the reason they were so unpopular).
I think another reason is that Hasbro can hold on to the Sunstreaker name more easily than Sideswipe. "Sunstreaker" is a made up name that isn't exactly used in nomal conversation unless the subject is about a streaker in the sun, but sideswipe is a term used to refer to a kind of encounter involving moving vehicles on the road.
Anguirus
Thanks. I'll have to ask Vangelus.
I should probably make an on-topic comment…that being, I love the car mode to death but the robot mode looks awfully clashy, so it's a maybe for me.
I do quite love this mold…
NYFUNNY07
Add more yellow and it will lean more to a homage to Sunstreaker.