Newage Toys, via their Facebook account, have shared images of the new variants of their H49 Hammond (Legends Scale G1 Wheeljack).
Newage impressive cartoon-accurate rendition of G1 Wheeljack for the Legends scale has got two new color variants:
- H49B Caligari – Shattered Glass deco with a slightly retooled head. He comes with a a new pair of rocket launchers and a new red clear rifle.
- H49M Fantomas – Diaclone “Marlboro” deco with a new head. He comes with a new pair of rocket launchers and the gun of the original release.
See all the mirrored images after the jump and then sound off on the 2005 Boards!
Tanafor
Huffer, Magnus and Blaster are three toys that just came into my mind. Of course you have your own opinion. Some people even discuss wether this or that Takara MP is really a MP (trains, Skids…) so I won't go down that path. But I clearly remember most people calling these things MP styled back then. Certainly the talk was there before Prime. Prime began the rather tedious 'make this MP scale' topic.
OP's topic can be interpreted both way (NA's or general 3P early days), so it's ok. Anyway, NA begun doing what the did, it was a decision. I guess eventually they decided to change it and go for a more MP style and engineering, but without abandoning their first customers? I don't really know, but it's a fact NA's car robots keep the slightly chibi, simple (as opposed to complicated) designs, while the rest of their toys are more complex.
Mechman42
It’s not about Legends early days, it’s about Newage early days. Just because another company was at it before them doesn’t mean they weren’t new.
zeroblue2099
I like them too. I think Jazz actually has better proportions then the Datsuns, but they look pretty good.
NA Flipper actually came out at about the same time as MS Inferno and Grapple. But I agree: IF, NA and MS have always had their own styles.
I own a lot of the same characters from all three companies. They all have their pros and cons, but they generally always fit in well with their respective lines.
bignick1693
Eh at that time the only MS figure that could be considered MP level was the V1 Optimus. NA’s Datsuns are as basic Datsun as you can gets and I feel like it’s on par with the Takara MP. Now I never said the Datsuns and Jazz were bad. I still enjoy them. It’s Wheeljack that I find to be about a C grade figure.
Tanafor
I don't feel the Datsuns or Jazz are dated. It was a design decision. Magic Square were making Masterpiece style legends toys before New Age existed, so I don't feel it is a matter of 'legends early days'. I still love the Datsuns and Jazz, they are really, really fun.
Mechman42
They're not really bad, they're pretty good. But they pale in comparison to modern legends.
WhiteMocha
I like the NA Datsuns and Jazz too. I’m always a little puzzled when I see people talk about them like they’re terrible. Sure, if they were made today they might be a little more refined (and not use as many balljoints), but they’re still great little figures in my opinion.
Pun-3X
Yeah, the Datsuns I've raved about in the past. Still some of my favorite legends figures. The simplicity and ease of the transformation is one of the highlights–being able to flip back and forth quickly. But the bot modes are cool, even if the car mode is a bit big on them. Yes, they've gotten to look better (mostly–hate the V2 CliffBee set), but I do miss that simplistic nature that still includes so much great articulation at their size.
TFRob
Having only Hound, bumblebee and cliff jumper as Newage comparisons I can say that he is my personal favourite of the bunch. I have mostly Magic square in my collection currently so yes, he seems a little on the small side. However I feel that most of Newage is a little on the smaller side of the legends scale. All in all a great little mold. Good job Newage.
Zentropy
Funny, I like Jazz and the Datsuns. Stepper is one of my faves, and I even have Porsche Shockwave.
Also ironic that one of my gripes with Hammond is that goofy head, with its too-close eyes. Fine for toon fans, but I wanted a toy head sculpt for the EX.
DarthBacon101
I've had a chance to fiddle with mine too and he's pretty cool!
Jazzymouse
Agreed, I actually prefer him to Hound by a bit. He's a ton of fun IMO and looks great in hand. Looking forward to Slicer and Exhaust
Mechman42
Yeah, he's probably my favorite carbot so far. I don't understand how you can hate him and like Mirage or Hound, much less Jazz or the Datsuns.
Spiffy
well it’s entirely possible a whole pack of people complaining are like me, waiting on Exhaust and EX and havent actually had this guy in hand yet…
werewolfspice
Every time I catch back up with this thread I think “surely I got a different figure from the one everybody is upset about.”
TIKnTIN
agreed… the datsuns and jazz are what really got me into 3pl and newage. i was absolutely FLOORED by how amazing they were given how TINY they were, especially the alt vehicle modes. fast forward to today and yes those are dated now but they still impress me with their certain charm. the alts i feel are still one of their best works. just put them besides MS offering and even with MS advancements, there's still no contest in my eyes.
i think that's why ppl are ragging on wheeljack as much as we are. three years later we've been spoiled by advancements in both engineering and sculpt. but because of that, wheeljack seems like a step backwards and somewhat of a disappointment for some as we're expecting more/better.
Spiffy
Yeah, if anything Newage has stayed true to their aesthetics over the years with their autobots. If you didn’t like Jazz you should probably stop collecting the carbots new or old. Me, I think he’s fun looking,poseable, and rides a fine line of robot proportion, toon look, and toy sensibility.
I think people who dislike the carbots tend to enjoy Magic Square more. Those people tend to enjoy Newages’ Decepticons because they are bigger and more ‘heroically’ proportioned, and are perhaps annoyed the autobots don’t follow suit.
bignick1693
I got the Datsuns and Jazz when they originally released. So at the time when those figures released they were great. But that was early in the 3PL game. Another thing those figures have is a simplistic charm. Wheeljack is overly intricate for what the final results turned out to be. While I don’t mind the Datsun’s proportions at all I get that Jazz is a bit janky for today. But Wheeljack is equally as janky 5 years later. So Jazz as the edge as his alt mode is as good, robot mode is equally as weird looking but again released 5 years ago and transformations is enjoyable and didn’t feel half assed for its time.
Fenrys
Jazz was the figure that got me into collecting Newage
Teletran-1
I still love the Datsuns/Jazz for vehicle modes, Wheeljack might have a weaker vehicle mode with those flat pins looking like extra wheels in car-mode.