Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Cheap and Classy!



The other day I got my latest Transformer figure. Walmart is having what appears to be a regional if not nationwide price cut on their TF figures. The Voyager sized figures are $13, the Power Core Combiner 2 packs are $7.50, the Scout class figures are $5, and the Legends class are $3.50. Not the greatest sale ever, but it makes each one just a bit more attractive to the thrifty TF fan!

I picked up one of the Scouts that I had been wanting to get, but the price kinda kept me from pulling the trigger. Scouts aren't the biggest Transformers (they stand roughly 5 inches tall), but they are very nicely made. Seeing one for $5 is much better than seeing one for $10.



This is Hubcap. He's an Autobot warrior (I guess-- they used to give them neat titles like "spy" or "commando", but now they just call them "Autobot" or "Decepticon.") who transforms into a classic hot rod. My dad says it looks like a 35 or 36 Ford... they can't really mimic some cars exactly due to licensing issues, so they sometimes get really close without being exact.



The car mode has a lot of style. I love classic cars, and it's really rare to see a Transformer who turns into one.



The car has a LOT of detail hidden here and there that didn't really need to be addressed in such a small toy. The door handles, gas cap, rumble seat handle, and even the tire air nozzles are sculpted in minute detail. On the front right tire there is even a sculpted tire balance weight that isn't sculpted on the others. That's a really nice bit of detail that really makes the toy stand out!



He's perfectly scaled to the Classic Voyager Prime, so that's nice. I love scale, but I've learned to live without a set scale in the Transformers toy universe!



The robot mode is just fantastic. He has a very dynamic build with just enough bulk to make him look adequate as a warrior, but with a lean enough frame to make him look like a spy.



Curved forms are rare on Transformers, so it's always nice to see it used well.



He's very poseable with at least 17 points of articulation (not including the parts that move when he transforms). So he can take on great action stances...



... as well as more subdued poses.



He looks great with other Scouts...



... and even better with the larger Voyager class figures.



Pretty spiffy!

The only drawback to the figure is a blatant lack of weaponry of any kind. His hands are molded open, and he can't really hold any standard TF weapons, which kinda sucks. I'd have been happy with guns molded into his arm panels, or the exhaust pipes pointing straight back in the car mode so they could be arm cannons in the bot mode... instead they bend outward, so they can't really be used that way.

Other than that, this is one cool little dude. If you dig little toys, robots, Transformers, and/or classic cars, take a look at Walmart while they last. $5 ain't bad at all for a super poseable action figure that's engineered to turn into a classic ride!

No comments: