San Diego Comic-Con 2018 has started! And we have our first look at new toys from Bumblebee: The movie for your viewing pleasure. On display we have:
- Studio Series Deluxe 2-Pack Bumblebee Then & Now – A new Deluxe Bumblebee: The Movie toy packed with The Last Knight Wave 3 Deluxe Bumblebee.
- Bumblebee Vol. 2 Retro Rock Garage – A shiny gold redeco of the Studio Series Deluxe Bumblebee: The Movie toy with new redecos of the Dino-Cassettes Dairu and Uruaz.
Check out the images from our news crew on the scene after the jump!
TheSoundwave
I wonder what ever happened to the RC car from the leak way back in January? We never heard anything more about that. It had black stripes on the sides, I'm curious if the final release will do away with them (none of the other toys have stripes, except the gold Deluxe Bee.)
Purple Heart
View attachment 28038386
Those all look amazing IMO, and I’ve never been tempted to collect Legion figures.
Houstonian Prime
so in order to get the better (battle-mask plus weapons) version of VW BB, you have to purchase the tlk wave 3 deluxe. that is f*d up. shame on hasbro. that kind of marketing really irks me..
HunterRose
I love that Legends VW Bee! Just needs some detailing on his torso and he looks fun!
Bumblethumper
There's a new legends class vintage Camaro Bee that I haven't seen any discussion of. This is the best pic I've come across so far:
View attachment 28036318
A cropped closeup of a photo from Tformers. I still have the original legends class from TF1. The redo was warranted.
Bumblethumper
I have felt that sense of stagnation somewhat, although every once in a while I find a figure with a well put together original transformation. Most recently the Studio Series have been impressing me moreso than Generations. It used to be the other way around, but with all the combiners and headmasters and mold-sharing, things got to be very samey and repetitive.
In case I'm being unfair to Hasbro, it does seem likely that they were working from early concept work and didn't get the design revisions in time. My suggestion that the Studio series be reserved for revisiting characters is fine in theory, but I know they want to have it running when the movie goes on release, and there is commercial pressure for them to have a Bumblebee in the line from wave 1. One benefit of doing a shell-forming figure like they did, is you get a more seamless vehicle mode; – it may have even been a requirement from VW. I know that was an issue for some licensed altmodes with the alternator line years ago.
Commercial factors and lack of time can be used to explain away all manner of shortcomings, and I don't dismiss that, but ultimately I wouldn't be bothered much by the lack of accuracy if I didn't like the new design as much as I do. I think it's awesome. One of the best things for years. I really hope they get a chance to redo the figure at some point.
AnonymousDwell
If MPM-7 has the same issue (assuming the rumors of it being BB are true,) then I'll worry. But I think I can live with this and I really want the cassettes lol.
On the bright side… this is the first movie design I've ever wanted to own personally. Ever. So… they've evangelized a G1er at least with this? I might even see the movie. A little 80s makes up for a lot for me I suppose.
HunterRose
I think it's important to make the distinction between marketing and design decisions.
I think that TF07 and TFA had similar innovations in Transformation and that innovation continued on through ROTF.
The problem here is that although it is possible to design something super complex, that doesn't make it a "fun toy" (looking at you ROTF Mixmaster and Prime!).
I think the Movie line really settled into a nice grove with DoTM. Even though the movie and characters are complete garbage, those toys were actually quite nicely balanced for accuracy, complexity and fun.
But the mainlines for TFdaterape and TFballsack or whatver the last two movies were called were clearly limited as well as simplified.
But I don't think that's due to lack of technology or innovation. I think that is 100% a marketing and budget oriented decision.
LZS is right in that the mainlines are going to be mostly stagnant and simplified.
The bummer here, is that the Movie-Studio-Series was presented at first as a collector oriented line.
But in less than a year it's devolved into repaints of randos and reused molds and other cost cutting bs etc.
I'm still not super upset that the first Bee Toys are off model. So long as the QC is better than the first Studio-Bee.
Smitty.1981
It's TR Leader class Soundwave with no extras so $47 is not too bad of a price. All the tapes came with 1-step Bee Movie Bee.
ckhtiger
Do we have any idea how much the target Soundwave is going to be? I have one sitting in my BBTS pol for $47, and I'm not sure if I should cancel it or not. Aside from the front-top of the boombox with the dials, I don't see any other retooling, and can't tell which tapes he comes with.
LZSchneider
Bumblethumper makes a good point. You can visually track the progress in toy design through the movie lines of toys but it seems, at least for the last couple of years, the progression was kind of stagnated. The Studio Series line is perhaps the only one where you can see the design continue to evolve and become better, but the SDCC reveal is suggesting we're in for more stagnation.
I may be completely off base of course but boy, that shitty toy sure makes it seem that way. Oh well, kids will buy them in droves is what Hasbro mainly cares about at the end of day.
Bumblethumper
Having followed Hasbro for years, I am disappointed, but not all that surprised. I'm pretty sure both doors are there in their entirety folded in half behind the windows. The way the parts are arranged on the back is one of the best things about this design. Other parts of body shell could be accommodated in the shins, torso and lower arms. Not an easy job to do on a deluxe budget, but an impressive challenge for an ambitious designer.
To me they are repeating all the old bad habits and recycled transformations from the past 10 years. I was hoping for a breakthrough figure, like the first movie line's original concept camaro deluxe, which was totally different from anything Hasbro had done in the past, and almost miraculous in terms of translating what seemed like an impossible design at the time.
What we have here is a car with a lanky folded up action figure inside that 'transforms' into an action figure with a folded up car on his back. Still a desirable toy, but leaves far too much room for improvement.
Feralstorm
Kinda funny that the smallest toys and some of the gimmicky ones seem to capture the 'spirit' of the on-screen VW-BB better than the Studio series, for virtue of being simpler with less obvious door wings.
Shin Densetsu
Love the concept behind the target exclusive Soundwave set and the set for his tapes. Hopefully we can get a set for Blaster's tapes too(come on Eject!).
Surprised Soundwave doesn't have a red visor. Dig the retooling.
AnonymousDwell
Vol 2 preorder Transformers Studio Series 20 Deluxe Bumblebee Vol. 2 Retro Pop Highway Exclusive
TheSoundwave
I love the deluxe Bumblebee so much. I can't wait to get my hands on it. I don't understand why some people are saying he doesn't look like the movie design. I mean, all toys take liberties. I actually feel like this toy captures the look very well. The biggest departure from the film design are the wings. And who knows, they might be visible at some points in the film, we've only seen a couple minutes of footage so far. We also haven't seen his gun or sword yet.
I also love the amount of accessories. My only real gripe are the wheels on the knees and the rather skinny legs. I hope the wheels can be swiveled down to bulk up the lower legs, that would be perfect.
HunterRose
As a follow up – Although I'm more than a little embarrassed that i just paid $70 for dumb deluxe that's going to be shelfwarming everywhere in about 2 months.
I'm fine with it not being completely ON MODEL with the movie.
I love Bee and I love the VW. I'll pretty much buy any VW transformer (come on blue or white repaints! Glyph/Bugbite for lyfe! Also Wasp but I think he looks better as a CJ remold)
So when they re-do it in a year, I'll be happy to have that one too.
Lets be honest, all have multiple versions of every character anyway, and most of them aren't "accurate" to anything specific, right?
User_136440
Yeah i don't think it's an SDCC exclusive per se, but an Entertainment Earth exclusive maybe. Though one of the online sellers in the UK has it up for presale, also for October.
HunterRose
Entertainment Earth is selling the Beetle as well. Probably onsite at SDCC but also on their website. It's REALLY expensive, mine came out to about $70 after shipping.
And the Website is slow and buggy as hell (probably flooded with orders). But I managed to order one.
Website release seems to be October. So maybe they aren't available onsite at SDCC(?) I dunno.
ambitron
View attachment 28035218
Lots to like, but if only the door wings could have folded away, as others have said. I love the new movie design, so I just have to keep my fingers crossed for a faithful MPM version. Aside from the doors and the back kibble, this is a decent first stab, though. You can see that an MPM version could hide those rear wheels away inside the large calves, and concentrate on tidying up the back.