Coming to us from PrimeVsPrime on Youtube, we now have our first in-hand images of the new Transformers Legacy Leader Class Black Convoy (RID Scourge).
This is the inevitable black redeco of the Legacy G2 Laser Optimus Prime mold (expected to be part of the Walmart exclusive Velocitron sub-line) and we are sure your optics will be really pleased with the result. While it was kind of a surprise to know that this figure was listed with the original Japanese name Black Convoy instead of Scourge or Nemesis Prime, now we can see the reason of this change. The figure deco is heavily based in the color of the original Car Robots Japanese Black Convoy toy with vibrant pink plastic parts and Combatron insignias instead of Hasbro’s red plastic and Decepticon insignias seen in RID Scourge. A very interesting choice for sure!
Check it out after the jump and let us know if you’re interested in picking him up on the boards!
KodyCrimson
I got a Ross one too, but I haven't opened it.
Pun-3X
Yeah, mine do that (also got it at Ross). Seems like that's part of the design. Instead of making them stiff/tight at the shoulders, they gave it this two-click 'ratchet' thing that makes it so you really can't pose the arms in between straight-down and whenever they start to get 'frictiony' at the first ratchet point. I don't know who's design idea that was. And considering his arms are way too thin, AND the non-rotating shoulder pauldrons, it really doesn't help his look to not give him that extra bit of freedom in his articulation.
Autobrat Leader
Just picked this up from Ross for $17. Can't find any info, but is there a fix for the arm ratchets? They seem to automatically go flat to his sides once they get close like they needed two more ratchet clicks.
Boople Barp
Perhaps, but I find it startling that the Sac area, a major population, hasn't seen a non-yellowed Cyberverse Arcee. It's just an example, but anyone who bought one here got a yellowed copy. It's not just a small group, it is entire areas.
If these issues are truly exacerbated by an environmental factor, I would pay attention. Toys may be more exposed to the issue in my area, but it means your toys are just as susceptible. Basically, my toys aren't at risk of looking like yours, but yours are at risk of looking like mine. The yellowing issue is something anyone who bought in the last few years should be following, imo.
Myself and others have given information in the actual yellowing thread in the toy discussion section. After following it for a while, I have very little confidence that any data is going to assist us in identifying the issue any time soon. There are too many variables for us to factor in to be able to create an amateur hypothesis. Our guesses have so far been incredibly vague and unactionable. Reports seem to indicate an unknown environmental factor but there is still a lot we can't measure or observe as customers. This is a situation where actual details of the manufacturing process are probably needed to narrow down the issue.
I appreciate that you don't assign value to your toys, but I keep the price tag in mind when I am essentially looking at a figure I don't find acceptable to display less than a year after it came out. The 1k is all based on retail prices, what I paid, not secondary market, which would probably be 2 or 3 times more.
Check out the actual thread for this. There has been some work to test certain theories on this QC issue. I have little hope that we will actually find a sufficient answer, but the effort is something to watch. It's also just a good resource to track which releases are affected.
Missing Sunset
It would be interesting to see someone purchase a bunch of different figures from the same affected batch number and subject each one to different conditions.
Fenrys
As far as data goes in my case
Location: coastal(ish) VA so it can get pretty humid weather wise in the warm months
my collection is stored in cases with glass doors, my room is a converted attic. Persistent temp in my room is 68-70 degrees F (depending on warm or cold season) with the ac/heat set to eco mode during the day when no one is home so the air inside is far less humid than the air outside.
Not 1 single figure I've bought since the start of WFC has showed signs of yellowing.
PlanckEpoch
You know, I choose not to even worry a damn bit. I actually have less yellowed figures than people have reported myself. My SG Starscream got hit. Boo, but my SG Soundwave is still white as snow. It might be predominant, but as I've always said, it's worthless to just say something is yellowed and that's it. I want DATA. Where are you storing it. What's your weather like. How are you storing figures. How humid is your area. We don't actually know what causes yellowing so at least providing data can build a framework to at least get an idea of what factors could lead to yellowing quicker than others, or at all.
I feel my collection has a monetary value, but that value is something for my family or the people hired to liquidate my estate to worry about once I'm dead. But when I'm alive they're toys and and I'll keep or get rid of them as I please for as much or as little as I please.
Fenrys
Oh I know I'm lucky in that regard, but as an example, my SG Soundwave hasn't yellowed one bit (neither has Tigatron, ER Megatron or any of the figures that are cited as having issues). Those that it's happening to will always be the most vocal because people that it's not happening to have no reason to complain. Like I said, it's likely some sort of environmental factor that is causing the polymers to break down at a faster rate than normal, and this was also likely caused by shortcuts done at the factory during covid. I'm not dismissing anyone that it has happened to because it truly does suck, what I'm saying is that it may not actually be a prevalent within the larger collecting community (people outside the core collecting fandom) as the threads here would have one believe.
Boople Barp
I have had it happen to over 20 of my figures and I have seen instances of it on over a dozen toys on store shelves. For certain releases, I have never seen a non-yellowed version in person. I have valued the affected product in my own collection at just around $1k. It's a problem enough that I don't purchase certain releases. I'm glad you haven't had it be a problem, but judging from the thread full of people reporting the problem, you are lucky. It's not prolific around you, but it was very prolific around me.
People aren't making a mountain out of a molehill. This was and continues to be a pretty catastrophic flaw in the materials used on several years worth of releases. From a collecting perspective, that is beyond significant. There is 0 reason people should be able to guess that a release will suffer yellowing, then the first in-hand pictures have yellowing present. It isn't happening to you quickly, but for many fans and customers, it's happening before the product even reaches us. Refer to the SG Soundwave feedback thread if you want plain examples of it.
Fenrys
The yellowing issue is not as prolific as the boards make it appear to be, it's just those that are very vocal about it will constantly harp on it (and I don't really blame them if it's actually happened to them). I've bought nearly every WFC figure and a good chunk of the first year of Legacy and none of my figures (including ones that seem to be common offenders) have yet to yellow. It's possible there are environmental factors at play that exacerbates the process for some, but at least in my own anecdotal experience it's not something that absolutely will happen quickly.
Mimmers
How exactly do you pluck off the shoulder cover? I'm trying to disassemble my Laser Optimus in preparation for eventually doing the shoulder swap with Scourge, the missile covers came off just fine but the shoulder covers feel like they're pinned at least and there's a screw directly behind them that's preventing me from removing the clear plastic bit. I tried prying off the shoulder cover, but it wasn't coming off and I was scared I'd snap something off or break the toy entirely
EDIT: Man, took a lot but I managed to get it off! A friend showed me that he did it by prying off the covers with a tiny flat-head screwdriver, that helped a ton in wedghing them out
AutobotJazz1
Ok Bruh you taking this way to serious with these long drawn out philosophical sentences. All I'm trying get at is that there shouldn't be yellowing on figures no matter what. It's starts with yellow and then the next thing you know the quality gets worse and people are making excuses for that. Either way I'm done with this conversation because it's supposed to be about scourge
Boople Barp
I don’t really know what you mean then. You seem to be saying thag we should expect bad QC because they already have our money and they technically delivered the product, but also that you do want more so you don’t buy third party? I’m saying that you should push for more than you are already getting. It isn’t unrealistic to say that someone should notice the toys are color shifting almost immediately.
I don’t see what any of that changes. You’re saying something true, but I’m going a step further. They want your money, so why not make them work for it?
legotron123
Hmmm. Tempted, but not a big fan of how the grey on the chest isn't color matched to the grey on the toy.
Snakeguy
Here's what it did for mine (Note: the stickers from that set on mine are the shoulder trim, missile pod outsides, chest, and waist outlines, otherwise it's all reprolabels) basically I'd say this set is good if you just want to spruce up the robot mode. Labels seem sturdy enough (chest ones haven't torn after a few transformation tests)
Sammael
Companies are supposed to make profit for their shareholders and conform to regulations. NOTHING else.
Goodwill of customers ensures some profit, but reduction of costs does the same, and looks better on reports. Expect more cost cutting in 2023.
G1Prowl
First off, it's ALL true. Second, I DO expect more from the company. It's why I support them instead of those fragile 3p hunks of shit. And lastly, how is understanding what you collect an unhappy disposition?
And that is exactly how I know you're not interested in discussion, and that no amount of facts will sway you from "your truth". Whatever the hell THAT is.
Doubtful, but go ahead…
Supposed.
In what way has Hasbro NOT done that? They've produced a complex toy that functions exactly as it is supposed to. Hell, yellowing over time is a matter of physics, so that's to be expected as well.
Agreed, that's kind of the whole point behind the capitalist market and goods system.
But the toys aren't messed up. They function exactly the way they're supposed to.
Boople Barp
The product is yellowing on the shelf, and most likely before it even reaches the stores. This isn’t long term wear or damage from use. I expect my stuff to not last forever, but I think it should at least last until it reaches the port. Why are customer expectations so low? What is the benefit of lowering your expectations to meet the current status quo? You and I deserve to have product that is not suffering QC issues immediately after production.
I don’t expect them to compensate anyone after the fact, which is just unrealistic, but I think pointing out the bad and acknowledging it as a screw-up is necessary.
Prime of Shadows
Don’t forget about Black Zarak!
mx-01 archon
From the tail-end of G1, actually, with a number of the Pretenders using gold plastic. Roadblock, Slog, Bristleback, and JG1 Metalhawk are notable offenders.