Hasbro Transformers designer Mark Maher has once again taken to his Instagram account for another behind the scenes post. This time he’s revealing for us some secrets and hidden details of the Transformers Legacy: Evolution Deluxe Breakdown.
Here’s the breakdown on Legacy Deluxe Stunticon Breakdown. So glad everyone is able to finally finish the whole Stunticon team, another post I’ll go ham on a photoshoot of fully combined Menasor, but for now, lets talk some behind the scenes deets!
When I was first told we had to redeco Wildrider into Breakdown, I was a little weary, but a miracle happened, this wave had moved out into the start of the Legacy Evolution year. I’m suped that @bmacatron84 was able to keep the first year Legacy package styling so the whole stunticon team would match in prestine mint box editions for your shelf. I was also incredibly suped that we got a new tool so we could add some more Breakdown flavor to the Wildrider body.
Hats off to the incredible supreme master Hasui san from Takara Tomy for stepping in on this guy and making him look stellar! He drew up the design plan and I really loved the animation accurate head design along with the chest and waist details. We both felt the spoiler was needed so he came up with this cool evolution fusion to make an handheld axe blade, WICKED! 😎🤘🏻I was hoping to shell over the canopy on the vehicle mode but alas the new mold was jam packed full.
I threw in a comparison shot of how this guy first came in with production deco at our engineering pilot stage. I thought it was interesting that the front bumper was bright metallic blue and the front color design is drastically different from my deco spec. The process is a wild ride, ahem, 😝! I did paint the eyes to bring him more to life as the light piping just didn’t have the color pop I was looking for.
Oh yeah, I knabbed a sample from @king_samlock s stash to get Shadow Strip in the mix. These two just look kinda sick together I thought. I meannnnnn, the whole stunticon squad, together, oooowweeee!!!
What combiner shall enter the battle next? Sound off below!
“Everybody out on bad behavior”
Click on the bar to see the new images and then click on the discussion link below and share your thoughts on the 2005 Boards!
Catswithlaywers
Per Mark Maher:
His standards for what he considers to be miracles must be pretty low. My MHZ Tigerwing with its actual lambo laughs at his pathetic Dollar Tree hybrid miracle car design.
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Foster
A g2 Stunticon box set would leave me with an extra Shadow Strip, so no thanks.
MegatronsLoyalSycophant
Anyone banking on a G2 box set? Just me? Ok.
Afterburner
Painted windows are one of the premium features that makes TF's stand out amongst the crowd. The realism is what brought people in. Model cars with stylish, well armed robot modes.
Painted windows aren't the worst, if they're done with care. See Henkei Ironhide (good) vs Universe Ironhide (bad). But again, clear windows add that premium look and feel.
ClearAsChristal
Same!!
VerdantWind
I'm unfamiliar with most G1 toys, but I agree with the rest of what you said. As long as they engineer it smartly and use it sparingly to minimize unnecessary breakages, then I'm all for it.
It's nice to have, but it's not a must for me. I mean, Motormaster looks just fine without the translucent windows.
Vanya
Got Wildrider today.
Kinda, meh-ish.
Having him in hand really solidifies my disinterest in getting Breakdown.
Spikeytigertron
First MP I ever accidentally broke… fuck those doors. Luckily other than the act of transformation… I can 'fix it' by just pegging it in…
OverloadedTaco
Finally someone who understands
Boople Barp
I am glad you can have fun with it, but G1 toon Masterpieces are panel messes that transform like a demolition derby. I agree that it is incredible what they can manage, but is it fun? Not for me.
HAL237
Yup, there’s nothing wrong with it from a design standpoint. It’s an amazingly engineered piece, especially for its size.
mx-01 archon
MP Hound is an amazing figure, design-wise. He was hamstrung by some undisclosed factory error.
Boople Barp
Right up there with MP Hound, I heard!
mx-01 archon
People favour clear windows because that's how it was done overwhelmingly in G1. It's all part of the aesthetic and "tactile" experience. Translucent windows just look more convincingly of glass, whether there's anything to see inside or not.
This dates at least back to the early 2000s, when AEC was coming out. The overall prevailing opinion was that people hated the painted windows on toys like Armada Hot Shot and Energon Ironhide. The Takara version of Classics Camaro '07 'Bee was a hot import because they used translucent windows, over Hasbro's painted-over ones.
One of our old-school users, Phazer, would even swear holy hell every time a vehicle TF had painted-over windows, in much the same way that the lack of ratchets Beetlejuice-summons Biomec nowadays.
HAL237
You trippin. MP Sunstreaker is one of the best transforming G1 carbots ever, official or otherwise.
StarMaverick
Absolutely agree!
TFXProtector
&
I don't know, they were fun for the time and it was a much easier time. Sure, we didn't have all of the online retailers that we do now, but people weren't as bitter and asshattery as they are now. It's not just us, it's the entire world. It was easier and a lot more fun back then. Odd gimmicks, crazy combos and designs, homages, and much better prices. Those days won't come again, be thankful they happened. Besides, there's a silly charm to those old combiners. Goofy as Hell, but charming. (Led to new combiner tech, too!)
I doubt they'll give us a Breakdown update that will combine with *this* Menasor, and if they do give us a combining one, I'd imagine it'll come with another Menasor to complete. I'm fine with this as-is or I can have 3rd party give me one. I really don't mind a cheap imitation (with new parts!) if it's over and done with. I've had various Menasors, and now this one. I'm good, I'm burnt out. Give me a "definitive" one and that be the end of it.
A lot of us are getting burnout, here. You're not alone. Don't get me wrong, visually, the SS86 Ironhide looks like the cartoon and that's great but the ER version just came out. I don't like that they clearly plan on redoing all of the figures we just bought in WFC (which seem poised to be mini-MPs at affordable prices) in SS86 when they're supposed to be companion lines. ER Optimus (that mold, at least) is supposed to be Evergreen, meaning they plan on using it for the foreseeable future (as they did with Classics Optimus) and then it'll be replaced when the time is right (which could be a decade or more), yet Evan's already talking about wanting one in SS86. Do we really need it, though?
Burnout is real and stuff like that only makes it worse/faster.
I'd say just oil the hinge of the windshield on ER Ironhide and he'll last. (I found out you can use a bit of vegetable oil in place of silicone. No WD-40 and no petroleum based oils as they'll eat through the plastic with time.) The SS version is nice, but the ER version does its own thing, too. No need to absolutely replace him if he makes you happy.
Dang, that sucks. I'm sorry.
Indeed. Translucent plastic is a real pain. So far, so good with SS86 Ironhide, but if it ever does fail on me there are tons of points where failure can occur. Yikes.
Oh, I'd be so happy to have opaque plastic back. Oh, yes please!
Oh, come now. Your car's interior doesn't look like a disembodied robot head? Tsk. You must have one of those fancy cars, then.
No, in all seriousness, I fail to see the purpose of translucent plastic on these figures. I think that was part of the reason the windows were tinted on the original G1/Diaclone/Microman toys. They knew it wouldn't look like a legit vehicle with all of that crap in there.
T-Hybrid
My guess would be because it was a thing older Generations figures had and people liked how it looked compared to painted or *no* windows (think G1 Jazz). They probably could pivot to get rid of them completely but then there's gonna be some bullshit from the broader fandom online.
I think in the long run they'd be better off for it, but then I also don't have the sales figures in front of me so…what do I know?
I wouldn't dismiss this one so quickly. Looking over at the JP market you've got stuff like Minipla and Yudo which are highly articulated figures that use user-applied stickers rather than paint for the details. Since PotP was first out the gate following the HasTak co-branding agreement it's entirely possible Takara countered the concerns about paint apps with "stickers?"
The drawback being the stickers that came pre-applied during Prime Wars were not of the same quality as the stuff you see in Minipla or Yudo. I would think if HasTak tried it again we'd see something closer to that….which we'd then apply ourselves.
Boople Barp
Not sure how you got that out of what I said. One day I hope you don't feel constantly persecuted.
The clear window problem is an interesting one, because I don't recall all that many people calling for it before it became commonplace, at least in the American/Euro sphere. I remember they justified foil stickers by saying Asian markets liked them, so maybe something like that.