novaBBS - alt.toys.transformers - Dave's TF Legacy Rant: most of Toxitron Capsule

Dave's Transformers Legacy Toxitron Collection Rant:

G2 Universe Autobot Jazz (Studio Series '86 redeco with some new bits)
G2 Universe Laser Cycle (Speedia 500 Road Rocket redeco)
G2 Universe Autobot Mirage (Earthrise Mirage redeco)
G2 Universe Sideswipe (Kingdom Sideswipe redeco)
G2 Universe Dead End (Legacy Dead End redeco)
G2 Universe Toxitron (Legacy Laser Optimus Prime redeco)

Permalink: http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Legacy/Toxitron

The Toxitron Collection is what's being referred to as a "capsule"
series in Walmart's internal stuff, just as Speedia 500 was (my receipts even
had "TRA CAP" on them). I guess because it's meant to be self-contained, a
single wave to get everything out (not that Speedia did that, thanks to the
straggler two Deluxes).
I skipped Grimlock (to me, "G2 Grimlock" is blue, and the yellow scheme
doesn't grab me enough to drop $55 on it) and Cloudcover (I own way too many
variants of that mold already).

Yeah, a lot of redecos of retools, getting a lot of mileage out of a few
mold families. The unreviewed Grimlock is also a Studio Series '86 mold (but
without Wheelie), and Cloudburst is an Earthrise conehead with blue digicam
and go-go chex.

http://www.dvandom.com/images/ToxitronCapsule.JPG for a group shot in
robot mode.

CAPSULES

$25 Deluxes and $55 Leaders at Walmart.

G2 Jazz: Original mold was recommended, this adds some accessories and
the colors mostly work. Recommended.

G2 Laser Cycle: Original Road Rocket version was a "mild avoid," and
frankly all this one has going for it is the "unused Jazz design" concept.
And yet, that was enough to get me to drop the money on it, I guess.

G2 Mirage: Original Kingdom version of the mold was recommended with the
proviso that it didn't really get the classic Mirage silhouette. This is
intentionally ugly, and might be worthwhile to some just on the strength of
that.

G2 Sideswipe: This tooling was solidly recommended back in Kingdom. The
change to the missile is a downgrade, though, and this is one of the more
unfinished-feeling designs. Mildly recommended.

G2 Dead End: Original mold was mildly recommended. This is about as
finicky as the original, more of a "true G2" design than most of this
"Capsule" line, but the colors were done back in Combiner Wars. Very mildly
recommended.

Toxitron: Original of this mold was recommended, if something of a
disappointment of the "might have been" variety. This is a faithful
rendition of the abandoned (and later used as convention exclusives) color
scheme from Universe, and notable as a completely new character rather than
just being Toxic Optimus Prime or something. Recommended.

RANTS

The premise of this capsule is that they're using (mostly) unreleased
redeco schemes, mostly from G2 (Toxitron himself is from Universe, IIRC).
Mostly unreleased, since G2 Dead End did actually come out in VERY limited
numbers in the 90s (like, sell your house to buy one rarity) and that color
scheme got used in Combiner Wars as well. Toxitron has been used for a
number of convention exclusives, but this is his first reasonably-wide
release. It's playing on the reputation G2 has for garish colors, and some
of these were deemed too garish for G2.
There's not much lore, here's Toxitron's own info from the walmart.com
website:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unleash a storm of toxic destruction with the G2 Universe Toxitron action
figure! This converting Transformers action figure for boys and girls is
inspired by the original color designs from the G2 toy line in the '90s. The
bright color scheme of this Transformers toy is sure to stand out in any
fan?s collection. This G2 Universe Toxitron toy makes a great gift for
Transformers fans and collectors. Look for more Transformers Legacy toys to
add to your collection (each sold separately, subject to availability).
Includes: Figure, 4 accessories, and instructions.

Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.

TOXITRON COLLECTION: A collection of Transformers robots has risen out of the
Toxic Sludge Swamps of Cybertron! Toxitron is unleashing radioactive mayhem
with a team of toxic warriors
G2-INSPIRED DESIGNS: These action figures are inspired by some of the
unreleased color designs from the original G2 toy line. Featuring bright neon
color schemes, these figures will stand out in your collection

2 EPIC MODES: Transformers action figure for boys and girls converts from
robot to truck mode in 30 steps. Truck rig opens up into a battle station

AWESOME ACCESSORIES: This G2 Universe Toxitron toy for 8 year old boys and
girls comes with a Energon axe, sword, blaster, and Matrix of Leadership
accessories

CELEBRATE THE LEGACY: Transformers Legacy Evolution celebrates 40 years of
Transformers history. Collect different characters to create your ideal
Legacy lineup (each sold separately, subject to availability)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The other toys have substantively the same entries, just swapping in
their names, altmodes, and the accessories.

Packaging: Basically Legacy Evolution trade dress, but with a lot of
"toxic green" color added, and comics-style character art on the left side.
Orange dripping goo is also added around the place, and the back panel has a
purple background with black Kirby Dots. Both halves of the right side mural
are present, with no particular pattern to who gets the left side and who
gets the right. The art has been modified to use comics-style line art and
more green.
There's no QR codes, which is normal for store exclusives Each toy has a
toxic faction symbol, which oddly is a G1 Autobot symbol (regardless of
character faction) in purple on an orange splat and combined with a biohazard
symbol. The actual nameplates use the G2 faction symbol relevant to the
character.
Inside, each toy is held to a cardboard inner tray that is mostly purple
with the orange "biohazard Autobot symbol" deco in the bottom half. The
instructions are monochrome purple with green accent color, including green
ooze details drawn here and there throughout.

AUTOBOT: G2 UNIVERSE AUTOBOT JAZZ
Assortment: F7510
Altmode: Sportscar
Transformation Difficulty: 20 steps
Previous Name Use: None (plenty of Autobot Jazz, though)
Previous Mold Use: Studio Series
Origin Universe: G2

Packaging: Three rattan strings hold the robot to the tray. The rocket
launcher (Hound accessory) is in the upper left held by a corner flap and a
twisted-end string, the regular rifle is held in the lower left by just the
corner flap, and the other new pistol from Hound is in the lower right with
flap and string and that's barely enough to keep it in place.

Color Swaps: Black becomes orange including the wheels (which
fortunately are dipped in black paint), white becomes red, and the clear
plastic is yellow. The new weapons are orange plastic.

Paint Apps: Lots of orange on the chest/hood, fading away as airbrushed
edges. It's also used on the visor for some reason, which makes it blend
into the helmet unless you look under UV, in which case it glows strongly.
Silver toes, shins, wheel hubs, main rifle, and warhead of the missile
launcher. Red paint on the roof and window borders. In vehicle mode,
there's orange dorito shapes on the spoiler and doors. The grille is black,
the headlight and chest G2 Autobot symbol are yellow. And, as noted, the
wheels are completely covered in gloss black paint.
The left the collar area unpainted red, but the panel that fills in the
hood in vehicle mode is properly painted to match the rest of the hood.

Mold Changes: Extra weapons planned for Hound (according to TFWiki) used
to let him have a shoulder launcher in robot mode. They're a sort of
hairdryer-looking pistol and a shoulder missile that Jazz can't mount on his
torso, but using the hairdryer as a strut lets you fake it. The pistol is
1.25" (3cm) long with a 5mm peg grip and a 5mm aperture muzzle. The rocket
launcher is 2" (5cm) long with a 5mm peg grip and a 5mm socket in the back
for backblast or attachment of other stuff.
The instructions just say to pick one of the three weapons to attach in
vehicle mode, they didn't retool to add more 5mm sockets. But you can kinda
kludge the three weapons into one big C-shaped thing.

Click here to read the complete article

Subject	Author
Dave's TF Legacy Rant: most of Toxitron Capsule	Dave Van Domelen

A journey of a thousand miles starts under one's feet. -- Lao Tsu

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