Convention Time!

Isn't everything great!?

Okay so in the world, on the grand scheme of things, most things aren't great, but let's just ignore that for one moment of utter selfishness and think about our own little cocooned world.

(I say our, mine really, the world of Transformers and Marvel toys.)

We are in that most exciting time of year - convention time! That means finding out about what we're going to get over the next year. Botcon was just over a month ago, and it seems we're going to get some great stuff. Before I talk about that though, it seems that there is a WST (nano-scale if you will) Predaking on offer at Wonderfest this weekend. You can bet that this is going to cost an arm and a leg for anyone, but if by any chance it just costs a leg I could well be tempted. (In my mind I'm seeing g1 Trypticon, WST Dinobots and now WST Predacons!!!)

So in terms of CHUG (Classics, Henkei, Universe and Generations) we didn't really see anything we didn't know about - Drift, Straxus (Darkmount) and Blurr. The exciting stuff was the stuff we didn't see - in the designers panel where they outlined the upcoming figures - Jazz, Scourge, Tracks, Perceptor with potential Skullgrin, Wheeljack and Reflector (and I assume Stepper) repaints. In one fell swoop they've more or less announced toys of every figure left that I want. The possibility of Kup was even mentioned.

Assuming Fansproject release their version of Broadside, and the likely repaint of Springer into Sandstorm, and given that I'm not too worried about the minibots, I think Blitzwing and Shockwave are about the only characters left of any significance who I'd like to see toys for. Hasbro I'm impressed!!!

I have wondered in the past about what would happen after the likely third iteration of CHUG - a fourth iteration would seem unlikely as they've virtually used up all the reasonably well known characters, what happens next? I don't think Hasbro have any plans for me to give up collecting just yet - the Hunt for the Decepticons line is movie based but with a bit more of the CHUG cosmetic - and I think this style is where the future lies for me.

I don't want another Optimus Prime or Megatron, but give me a new character (or possibly one homaging the more obscure elements of g1), preferably with an unusual or interesting alt-mode and I'm on board - Terradive looks awesome - I'm going to get him and make him a herald of Unicron in my little universe, and Highbrow - WWII inspired alt-mode, and I reckon he looks a bit like Crossblades (g1 mega pretender), I'm sure I can find a home for him. I think what I will do now is cherry pick the best figures from any line and then slot them into my neo g1 universe. Sorted!

I need a herald for Unicron because of the utterly awesome g1 remold of Armada Unicron from Takara. Did I mention it looks awesome!? Not tempted by Primus though.

And then we have the Seacons reissue, again, fantastic. A few concerns about quality control but still a much cheaper way of getting one of the best combiners. (I've already got the BWII redeco.)

We've also got the Bruticus upgrade from Fansproject, DL Blaster from Takara, Yoda in the Crossovers line (had to slip that in!), Grapple from Hasbro, Dinobots in the Powercore Combiners line, WST Blitzwing and Astrotrain from the people who made the WST Dinobots, Eject and Rewind from Perfect Effect, plus somebody's making KOs of the Japanese Animal Headmasters. It's a great time to be collecting, so many exciting things coming out!

The Marvel Universe is also looking just as exciting, Galactus looks superb, we're getting Carnage in the Spider-man line (yay!!!), plus Ghost Rider, Captain Britain, Iron Spider, Mystique and a host of others. I reckon Invisible Woman, Rogue and Beast are the most needed, followed by the remaining members of the Illuminati - Prof X, Dr Strange and Black Bolt then a few villains to round it out. Apocalypse would a very welcome addition.

For all the excitement of these figures, I think this time next year (when hopefully I've got them all!), I'm hoping it will slow down, and then there will just be the odd figure here and there - the yearly WST figure, some of the more obscure mutants released and less money spent!

SDCC starts in a couple of days so I will continue writing this blog in a couple of days..............

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Well, SDCC was fairly underwhelming really, some great news about Marvel Universe (and the Spider-man line) though - it was all about the villains! A new (posable) Venom - much better sculpting apparently, I have to admit to thinking it looked a bit more cartoonish but we'll see, and in Marvel Universe, Sentinel and Apocalypse! I'm very very happy about Apocalypse and it's great to get a Sentinel, the question is how many to get? (Also a question for Generations Scourge.) There's also a Loki figure in with one of the gigantic battle (with Frost Giant) as well so all good.

Invisible Woman was hinted at (in one of the silhouette teasers I believe) so will be good to finish one of the teams. I'm sure Mattel said a while back that there would be some big news regarding 3.75 inch DC figures but that doesn't seem to have happened. I'm sure it'll happen in the future though.

Not related to SDCC but Headrobots have released some more pictures of 'Blood' and 'Gyro' - Bludgeon and Whirl upgrades for the Movie figures. Blood looks pretty amazing, like most people I'm fairly happy with Voyager Bludgeon, but this has got me thinking, especially when most TRU's around the world seem to have lots of those 2-packs still sitting on their shelves.

It's all looking rather exciting for the next year or so, roll on Christmas!

Knock-Offs

Knock-Offs - KOs, definitely a dirty word on some discussion sites. Never has there been a topic which divides fans more, views seem very polarised but I'm of the opinion that it's not a black and white matter, it's several shades of grey. For instance I think a rough separation of the different levels might be something along the following lines:

Reprolabels
'Repro' Parts
non Takara WSTs
3rd Party Transformers
Shoddy KOs (the ones with rubbish stickers and random colours)
High Quality KOs
Metroplex KO (in Encore box)

Repro labels and parts are still imitations of official Hasbro/Takara products but because they're not the whole thing just a part no-one seems to worry. Similarly other small KOs seem to be fine - WSTs for instance.

I know 3rd party Transformers aren't KOs but they still are imitations of trademarked characters. Definitely some dodgy legal ground. We all have different levels of acceptance (although I'm sure nobody thinks the Metroplex KO is acceptable), I guess most people fall somewhere in the middle of that list in what they deem 'acceptable'.

Some people take a moral stance, some a quality stance. Let me address both of those: I've experienced figures from all of the categories on that list (except Metroplex) and I can say that high quality KOs are just that, I had a chance to look at the recent Shockwave KO and it was fine, virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. Equally Fansprojects and the WST figures have been amazing in their quality. (Obviously shoddy figure are just that but they are good for customs.)

KO figures are either rubbish, or if they're any good people are upset because you can't tell them apart from the real thing. I maintain if you buy Transformers with a bit of common sense then you'll be fine - watch out for MIB/MISB Transformers, watch out for 'mint' Transformers at a low price, these are all giveaways. Look at the reputability of the seller. For me Metroplex being sold as an Encore is the only figure that has overstepped the mark.

You could say that KOs damage Hasbro/Takara, firstly because people conclude all of their products are of low quality (which let's be honest, some of the official figures are) and secondly there's reduced demand for official figures.

I really can't believe that people buy a KO G1 figure, find it's rubbish and then decide not to buy any new figures (e.g. Movie or Generations). It's just not going to happen.

The reduced demand argument does hold some weight, but again I don't understand (and I guess we're talking G1 here) why anyone would buy a KO if that has been reissued recently or is to be reissued shortly. Doesn't make any sense. Buying a KO Sunstreaker, Mirage and Wheeljack makes sense as they're almost definitely never going to be reissued. Prowl and Sideswipe? Why?

The final point that some people make is that it's copyright infringement - it's illegal. This is true and I can see that for some people doing anything illegal is a no-no. Let me consider this further though, laws are created by humans, laws are broken by humans. Every single person has broken a law at some point, stealing a grape, dropping litter, drinking underage, speeding, the list is endless. We have all done it but we deem it acceptable as it 'doesn't hurt anyone'. Does buying a KO Transformer hurt anyone?

One counter-argument here is that, yes because in the long run, Hasbro sells less Transformers and so creates less new products. Possibly, but I don't know about you but I'm pretty excited about all the new stuff coming out. Doesn't seem to be a problem.

My final point is that by being consumers we are all harming the environment in some way, however small our actual individual impact. Yes by buying KO Transformers we might be harming Hasbro, but if we can all forget about the damage we're doing the Earth surely it's not a huge step to not worry about the damage we're doing Hasbro. Global warming suggests that we're damaging the Earth, increased profits for Hasbro suggests what exactly?

I wouldn't declare myself to be a supporter of KOs, but equally I wouldn't say I'm against them for the simple reason I think it would be hypercritical - I own KOs of WSTs - Skywarp and Thundercracker and to condemn KOs of actual G1 Transformers whilst saying these are okay is quite contradictory.

Again, I believe with a bit of common sense it's possible to avoid KOs, if you want to but the question is are most people that concerned?