Today I will be taking a look at the BAB Burger – billed as for The Big Eaters.
This burger made up 100% of the options for ‘Big Eaters’ so if you don’t like beef you are out of luck
Available at the Commercial Hotel in Swan Hill, this burger comes in at the cost of $23 so I was expecting that it would be substantial (I’m guessing BAB stands for Big Arse Burger) and was not disappointed. However the size of this burger is really the only notable thing about it.
Presentation and Customization
A tower of beef!
First of all, I asked for my burger sans tomato and beetroot and as you can see from the picture above this was apparently too much effort for the chef, though he did remove the relish that I had wanted. Also as you can see from the photo there were four chips (well – 3 and a broken one) sticking out at an odd angle at the bottom of the burger on one side. However when looking at the rest the chips on the plate, one realized that they were not put in the burger on purpose, but must have just got caught up in its construction as the other chef dumped the chips on the plate.
The Eating
No burger too big!
Despite the pic above, this burger was too big to eat with the hands in a restaurant (you could probably get away with it at a truck stop cafe or something) so you had to disassemble it and eat it with a knife and fork. With double bacon, double cheese and the two huge patties there was certainly a lot to get through – you wont walk away hungry! However there was not a lot of taste to be found despite all the ingredients (they REALLY should not have left the relish off). The two patties were indeed huge in size, way more meat than you get with say a Mega Mac which boasts 4 patties, but they were made of cheap mince and quite bland. The underside of the buns were burnt and the egg yolk had disintegrated with the frying so tasted the same as the white. So a big burger, but every ingredient was either overdone or of such cheap quality that you’d need an electron microscope to search for the taste (for an example of how fine quality ingredients can make all the difference to a burger – read my review of the Cheeseworld Cheeseburger).
Overall
It’s a big burger and you get a decent amount of chips with it, so if your idea of a good feed is quantity over quality it is worth the $23 they charge. Again, you will not walk away from the table hungry after this. But if you are looking for something to dazzle your tastebuds or made to your particular specifications then definitely don’t bother with this. If you want quantity AND quality then try the meat at somewhere like The Kings Hotel.
Got something to add to the above or news of a great burger you would like to share? Pop it in the comments section below!
The Robots in Disguise(15) toyline continues, despite being wound down somewhat to accommodate shelf space in shops for the upcoming TF5 toys. Today we will be looking at the latest wave which oddly does not involve semi-creature modes in any form. No, this wave consists of new versions of much loved (in two cases anyway) classic characters. Despite being part of the Combiner Force subline these figures do not combine, but rather try to seduce you with a mixture of new alt-modes and nostalgia. So let’s take a look at the Warrior-classRobots in Disguise: Combiner Force Blurr, Windbladeand Soundwave.
Blurr – Robot Mode
I likes to play it fast baby!
Seems to be a nice amalgamation of Blurr’s look from Rescue Bots (which RID does do crossover episodes with) with the look he has been sporting in the Generations line. He has the more rounded head with the large goggles that he has in the RB cartoon/toyline but the lighter colours and high shoulder pads one associates with Generations/G1 Blurr. The proportions are quite nice and he is able to be posed in a number of positions due to the ankle, knee, elbow and shoulder joints. The head is quite maneuverable too, tilting in pretty much any angle you desire. Being from RID instead of RB, this Blurr is now sporting a blaster as well.
Blurr – Vehicle Mode
Sleek and Sexy!
Almost a cross between the first and second Generations Blurr toys. Most definitely a stylized Earth vehicle however with the distinctive pointiness that the latest Titans Return version has. Quite a sexy futuristic sportscar with its spoiler, big wheels and dome. The blaster can be put on either side of the vehicle or on top, giving you different battle options when at play.
Windblade – Robot Mode
My mask hides my pain. Well… actually it hides what is otherwise a cool face design.
Windblade is sporting here her battle mask and due to her having such a distinctive face it is a shame it cannot be removed, detracting somewhat from the figure overall. A nice touch I found was the different options you have with the sword and sheath. You can either have her holding her sword with the sheath on her hip (as pictured) or the sheath can act as a giant second sword. Also the sheath splits in two so you can have half on each hip if that is the look you like. The way her wings affix to her body looks far superior to the Generations version with which she shares the more lithe arms with. If it wasn’t for the head, overall I would say this is actually superior to the Generations version but as it is that one will have to go to the judges.
Windblade – Vehicle Mode
Do VTOL turbines still work if you cover them?
What is disappointing is that her wind turbines are covered by caps on the top in her VTOL jet mode. With the Generations version you could actually blow on the turbines and make them spin, here they are not even visible in her vehicle mode. It’s not a badly proportioned jet and is very indicative of the screen character. Her sword sheath can be affixed underneath but I only recommend this as a way to not lose the piece – otherwise it looks simply terrible and certainly ruins the aerodynamic look of the jet which is somewhat already hampered by the way the robot arms jut out from the sides, much like many of the Combiner Wars figures.
Soundwave – Robot Mode
Soundwave superior-ish
Like Blurr being an amalgamation of RB and Generations Blurr figures, this Soundwave seems to be an amalgamation of the TFPrime and Fall of Cybertron Soundwave toys. The head sculpt is most definitely a carry over from TFPRime (the precursor cartoon to the current RID series) and the proportions are very in line with most of the other RID figures. However with the added shoulder cannon, distinctive chest and bulkier limbs he is certainly as shout out to the Soundwave figures of old. The light piping in the back of the head can make for some good effects and the shoulder cannon can be removed to be used as a handgun.
Soundwave – Vehicle Mode
Gun or periscope?
This is where the toy really calls out to the Fall of Cybertron figure. Ruby translucent wheels along with a roof cannon and a bulky blue Cybertronian-armored car is the flavor here and the flavor is good! He has a more distinctive cockpit which is a definite plus, but the peg that holds the roof cannon in is way too long, it makes it look ungainly sitting on top. Despite this I couldn’t bring myself to remove it as it seems intrinsic to an otherwise odd alt-mode. This peg flaw is made up for somewhat by the fact that the cannon can not only be swiveled 360 degrees but also be tilted up and down.
Overall
Well I’d say Blurr is a definite must-grab if you like the character and fits in well with the other multiverse versions of him. Windblade has her pros and cons and it will really be decided on whether you like the character and whether you already have the previous RID version of her. Soundwave… well… it’s damn hard to pass up a new Soundwave figure! However there is another SW RID figure on the horizon which, whilst looking inferior, will come with Laserbeak so it may be worth waiting for that toy to be released and then compare before making your purchase.
The LEGO franchise was always big. Now with a string of video games and DVD’s as well as being tied in to almost every popular franchise – from Marvel to Star Wars to even Ghostbusters – it is friggin huge!
A few years ago we all marveled at the first LEGO Movie. It was funny, interesting and had a lot of heart. One of the main characters in that movie was Batman. He was arrogant, even if highly skilled enough to warrant it, egocentric and obsessed with metal music and the colour black. The character has subsequently appeared in numerous tie-in DVD’s and has remained fairly faithful to this rendition of one of the most iconic super heroes of all time.
Now we have upon us the second of the Lego movies to hit the big screen and Batman has the starring role. So let’s take a look at The LEGO Batman Movie.
This movie is all about Batman’s personal emotional journey from the character we saw in the last movie to one that actually stands a chance of showing empathy and having a personal connection to others. We are treated at the start to a huge elaborate battle sequence between Batman and pretty much every villain that has ever shown up in the Batman Universe. Lead by Joker they are all here, from well known characters like Mr. Freeze and Catwoman to obscure characters such as Calendar Man and even Egghead (an egg themed villain from the campy 60’s show played by Vincent Price). Batman single handedly defeats every single villain, all whilst talking about how great he is, playing hardcore metal music and doing donuts in the Batmobile. It’s very adrenaline packed and there would be few male viewers who would not love to be in his blocky shoes.
At the climax of the fight, we get the stage set for the overriding theme of the movie. Joker appears to be genuinely hurt, even heartbroken, when Batman not only refutes that Joker is his arch enemy but states that Joker literally means nothing to him, no one does. After winning the fight, dropping by an orphanage to shoot miscellaneous Bat-merchandise at a bunch of orphans (and a young Dick Grayson whom returns shortly after) he goes home to an empty mansion, eating and watching movies by himself.
Things change pretty swiftly for Batman. Barbara Gordon becomes the new police commissioner and wants Batman to work with the police and within the constraints of the law. During her inauguration all the super villains show up and promptly turn themselves in, depriving Batman of anyone to fight in the future. It’s also at this time that Bruce Wayne unwittingly adopts Dick Grayson, agreeing to do by not even listening when the prospect is put to him and just blandly agreeing to whatever is said.
Deprived of his super villains to thwart Batman begins a downwards spiral and rejects Alfred’s suggestions to use this down time to make connections with people and focus on his personal life. Desperately needing something to do, Batman decides to send Joker to the Phantom Zone and has no compunctions about risking his new young wards life to do it.
This movie is really about Batman being a jerk and slowly learning not to be. Whilst the movie starts with him lapping up the attention we see showcased how he is unpopular with his fellow heroes (doesn’t even get invited to the Justice League party), disrespects Alfred, risks Robins life, refuses to work as a team with the police commissioner and constantly breaks the Jokers heart. We get a glimpse into why though, the death of his parents made a young Bruce refuse to let anyone else get close and his life became about his own ego and his obsession with being a vigilante.
So the fun yet predictable happens. Batman sends Joker to the Phantom Zone where he meets a ton of other evil characters from different franchises (including LOTR, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and even Dr. Who), brings them back to Gotham and proceeds to destroy the city. This forces Batman to actually work as a team with Barbara, Dick and Alfred and by doing so let them into his life. The finale of Batman’s emotional journey is him finally admitting to Joker that he hates him and that Joker is the reason he works so hard as a crime fighter. With this emotional rift healed Joker helps Batman save the city and Gotham is safe once more.
Just wanted to know he was hated
Overall I would say this is very much a boys movie. Batman is a total jerk and a very blokey kind of jerk. There is constant violence and lots of humor – I found myself chuckling a few times which is pretty good for me. I took my 4 year old son and nothing was too graphic or smutty to faze him, though he was a tad restless in his seat by the end. I’d happily recommend this movie to any boys under the age of say 17, or grown up boys who just cant get enough of The Bat.
Seen the movie and have a different opinion? Would love to read it in the comments section below!
Series – Generations
Sub-line – Thrilling 30
Wave: Wave 1 – 2014
Size/class – Deluxe
New/remould/redeco – New
Released here – Not yet
Approximate Retail Price – $28Aus
Approximate Size – 14cm
Allegiance – Predacon
Alt-mode – Wasp
Main Features/Gimmicks – Design based on IDW design
Main Colours – Green, Yellow, Brown
Main Accessories – IDW exclusive comic, Stinger Gun
Robot Mode *Quite good looking, faithful to both Beast Wars and the IDW incarnations. He has good articulation and the light piping works really well with his huge optics.
Wasp mode
*To my mind the wasp mode here is better than both the Beast Wars and the Animated versions of the character. Very compact, very well coloured and very well balanced. The flapping wings are a nice touch that add a lot of play value.
Transformation
This transformation would be far easier if the instructions were REMOTELY USEFUL! I was able to figure him out because, well, if I can’t after 30 years of collecting I should hand in my Autobrand right now. But I wouldn’t give this to a little kid or a novice who would try to go soely by the instructions because Waspy would be flung out the window after 10 minutes. Once you’ve done it though, it takes about 15 seconds to transform him back
Worth getting?
*For me, as more of a G1 than BW fan (technically the same universe I know), the only BW characters (besides the odd Robot Hero) I’ve bothered to collect over the years have been Depthcharge’s and Waspinator‘s so I was happy to grab this guy to add to the collection. I’ll be bypassing the new Rhinox & Rattrap figures altogether. But if you are a big Beast Wars fan I’d say this is the figure to get for the new year. Oh, and the free comic is a nice bonus too
Name: Thrustinator
Series – Timelines
Sub-line – TFSS
Size/class – Deluxe
New/remould/redeco – Extensive remold of Dirgegun
Wave – 2
Released here – n/a
Approximate Retail Price – $46.50
Approximate Size – 14cm
Allegiance – Predacon
Alt-mode – Techno-mutated Wasp thingie
Main Features/Gimmicks – Head can become purple stinger shooter
Main Colours – purple, green, yellow, grey
Main Accessories – One missile launcher, 2 missilesRobot Mode
They had to completely use their imaginations here since it’s never been properly on screen, but in the end I suppose it was heavily influenced by what went where from his alt-mode and Dirgegun where apparently the mold came from. Hideous but kinda interesting. I always have a soft spot for any robot that isn’t perfectly symmetrical. A cool concept is that you can retract his head and put a big missile launching stinger in it’s place, which also gives him a totally purple head which is a shout out to the cartoon.
Wasp…. thingie
Bloody hideous! But whereas in the cartoon he was just a Wasp with BM Thrusts head (which I’ve included an image of here), they’ve taken the meld to the nth degree here so well done them for putting a bit of imagination into it. Having different parts of Waspinators alt-modes body and head mutated and deformed in Thrusts colours is – while garish – a kinda cool concept. That said, it’s still the ugliest thing I’ve seen since the Fuzors.
Transformation
Takes about 13 seconds to turn him from Wasp to Bot. No challenge to be found here
Overall
Well, probably my least favorite in the latest subscription service figures for me as it’s a character I care little about and I very vaguely remember showing up briefly in the final episode of BM. Nevertheless, a very interesting looking figure and creatively designed toy. If you are a massive Beast Machines fan (are there any ) and not a member of the TFSS then wait till it turns up cheap on the secondary market.
I hope you enjoyed these classic reviews from years gone by. Got anything to add? Say it in the comments section below!
Grapple. Perhaps while not the most unpopular, perhaps the least loved (does that mean the same thing?) of the 84/85 Autobot Car characters. It’s surprising since the Constructicons were so popular and Grapple was the only Autobot equivalent, but not many people really digged our resident Autobot Architect. Nevertheless, the 85’ toy was pretty cool and gave some variety to the Autobot lineup and we now see that replicated now 22 years later in the Masterpiece toyline with the newest figure Masterpiece Grapple.
The Master Builder
Robot Mode
I really enjoy the different features offered here. You get three different faces, two different chests and even different coloured arm blasters to replace his hands! The proportions are very good and you can either have an orange helmet to match his cartoon appearance or a grey one to match his toy one. The articulation is excellent with nearly every joint being swiveable which provides one with a multitude of posing capabilities.
Vehicle Mode
Battle Crane Truck Mode. Because…. well… why the hell not eh!
This is where we get down a little. It’s a great crane truck, don’t get me wrong, its just that like MP Inferno the cartoon version had less detail than the toy and since the MP line tries to replicate the cartoon we lose out on some of that detail here. It’s a very nice Crane Truck though, and it comes with optional extras such as the hook being replaced with a grabbing claw or bucket (as was demonstrated in two of the G1 cartoon episodes). The colour is nice, the proportions are nice – just could have stood to have more detail.
Transformation
Surprisingly actually harder than MP Inferno. You’d think Grapple would be easier considering we have dealt with this figure before but there are a bunch of new little tweaks which can be damn annoying. Whilst not the hardest MP transformation by far, it can offer moments of frustration.
Overall
Grapple, as previously stated, is not the most popular character. But to anyone who is a big G1 lover or is a Masterpiece completionist then this is very much a necessary character. And trust me, you will enjoy him more than you think!
Here we are – up to Wave 4 of the Titans Return toys already! Today we will be looking the Autobot Deluxe figures from that wave; three figures which featured heavily in the IDW comic ‘Last Stand of the Wreckers’ – namely Perceptor, Kup and Topspin. The two former will be known to fans of the original 86’ move and associated cartoon but for those not in the know, this is a Topspin based on the 1985G1 toy rather than the DOTM movie version. As you will see, he is awesome!
Wreck and Rule!
Kup – Robot Mode
“Did I ever tell ya about the time someone turned my head into a little robot?”
No backpack, hollow arms and his colour scheme is too light. He is a lot more G1 accurate than the previous Generations Kup toy but looks inferior in every way. His Titan Master (Flintlock – originally a name given to one of G1 Landfill’s Targetmasters) partner is sculpted well to look like a grizzly old coot and the cockpit on the chest and proportions aren’t bad. It’s just had to get past those awful arms and the substandard colours. He is just… just too plain. That said, if the arms were grey he would be an almost perfect representation of how Kup looked in the old Marvel comics!
Kup – Vehicle Mode
I’m haulin’ Cyber-Hay to the market!
Very faithful in shape and style to the G1 concept. It’s a shout out to your nostalgic membrane to see Kup done like this, much in the same way that TR Blurr gave us that same tingly feeling (for a review of Blurr see HERE). His guns can be placed in the tray of his Cybertronian-ute mode (that’s what I’m calling it anyway) much like the 87’ Targetmaster version of the toy did. His Titan Master partner fits snugly inside the cab. I would have liked the cab to be a whiteish-opaque rather than clear but what can ya do – at least the cab seems to be on the requisite angle.
Perceptor – Robot Mode
I may speak softly, but I carry a BIG sniper rifle!
Nicely proportioned and well articulated. The microscope cannon on his shoulder is a tad big but t’was the same with the original toy and for the required alt-mode there is nothing much you can do about it. The colour scheme is spot on as is the transparent plastic on his chest. He has the hollow forearms which is a shame but what I really like is that he comes with his sniper gun that he toted for a while in the IDW All Hail Megatron comics – very cool! One minor flaw I found with mine was the socet to attach his Titan Master was very stiff – quite hard to connect and disconnect.
Perceptor – Microscope Mode
You don’t need a funny caption – you just need to appreciate that this is cool!
Yeah maybe the Generations version had a bit more playability with a firing missile and a vehicle mode, but for those purists it’s great to get another Perceptor that turns into a microscope! The proportions are great but a real letdown is that the the microscope lenses barely work in comparison to the original toy and it’s a shame that its 32 years later and the new toy actually has less functionality than the original, though at least the knob is useable. Still, a nice looking Perceptor for the purists.
Perceptor – Cybertronian Tank Mode
I’m not in the instructions – that’s because I shot the editor!
Was never shown in the cartoon and rarely in any comic but the original Perceptor could turn into a weird tank (hence the tank tracks on the back of his calves) and this one is no different. Though it’s not listed in the instructions, if one examines the toy you will find some black tank tracks that serve no purpose in his microscope or robot modes. It looks kinda cool and you can attach his sniper rifles on the side as well as giving Convex somewhere to sit, rather than him just being a specimen for study in the microscope mode.
Topspin – Robot Mode
I finally got a cool toy!
Bloody excellent! What a great looking robot! Colour scheme and proportions are a big shout out to the original toy whilst making him look as cool as he did in the comics. The Titan Master head is great – everything about this toy is great, including his two guns (though they could have stood to not be hollow).
Topspin – Cybertronian Hovercraft Mode
Who knows what vehicle this is – and to be honest if you like bitchin’ alt-modes you just wont care!
There are not many Generations characters where you think ‘this is all the original toy should have been’ but Topspin encapsulates this sentiment. They have taken the essence of the original toy and expanded it to be a brilliant looking alien vehicle repleat with guns, cockpit and a bunch of huge thrusters on the back. This is to my mind the definitive Topspin – certainly makes me glad I skipped that awful FOC version of him released a few years ago.
Flintlock, Freezeout and Convex
“Three Headmasters are better than one. Wait… we are TITAN Masters? OK, disregard”
All do their job well as Headmasters (sorry – Titan Masters). Each looks sufficiently like the heads of their counterpart robots to complete their assigned task. Convex looks like Perceptors cartoon model rather than his toy model, Flintlock looks old and grizzled for Kup and Freezeout has a great sneer going on for Topspin. Like the three main toys, I find Freezeout to be my favorite the same as Topspin is. I would put up photos of their robot modes but its not worth it – very little detail and the faces are the same colour as the rest of the body so you can’t even see any definition.
Overall
Not a bad wave at all. I haven’t touched on the Titan Master component of these figures much as it’s all par for the course now – you can swap their heads. I will say that Kup is worth getting if you want a new version of his G1 alt-mode. Perceptor is worth getting for pretty much the same reason but Topspin is an absolute must have!
Got an opinion about these three Autobots? Would love to read it in the comments section below!
Spoons. Not just a catch cry for the superhero ‘The Tick’ but also a riverside restaurant to be found in sunny Swan Hill.
My wife and I have been eating at Spoons a few times a year since we moved to the area back in 2011. What I’ve always liked about the restaurant is the majority of what is on the menu are meals that you would never cook yourself or have little idea how to. I remember years ago when there eating slow-cooked pork belly on a bed of popped barley and warm grapes! While not the cheapest restaurant in town, you usually get value for money and rarely walk out of the place disappointed.
Today for my meat review I will be looking at their latest offering: Pulled BBQ Wagyu on soft pretzel bun with slaw and fries.
Tastier than I look!
Yep, it’s just a fancy beef burger. But a damn fine fancy beef burger! The meat was indeed very tender and unlike some restaurants (I’m looking at you Cactus Jam) they did not rely on the meats succulence alone to sell the meal. This had a mild BBQ flavoring which was very pleasant; it may surprise many that I’m not a big fan of BBQ sauce on the whole – I find it too strong and it overpowers the flavor of the meat. This BBQ flavoring served to enhance the meat rather than overpower it, something you don’t find too often. Whilst the slaw seemed more like something you would find at a backyard barby, in this burger it served as a crisp counterpoint to the pulled Wagyu.
I gots to get me one of those little baskets!
The meal came with a little cage of fries, designed to look like a deep fryer basket which was cool. What was disappointing was that they came out stone cold. However when I brought this to the attention of a waitress she whisked it away and in quite literally under a minute I had a new cage of fries before me, lovely and warm and overflowing. This is impressive from Spoons, their speed has really picked up over the past 12 months; my main gripe about them used to be you would on average wait over an hour for your food but that seems to thankfully be a thing of the past.
My wife had the Spoons prawn and avocado salad with mustard and dill dressing.
The detail is in the de-tailing
It was quite nice and what I liked was that the prawns had been de-tailed. I find it really annoying when a restaurant leaves the tails on when there is sauce everywhere, making you get your hands sticky and filthy just to eat your meal (something I have known another Swan Hill restaurant – Quo Vadis – to do more than once). Washed down with a couple of glasses of sparkling wine and both meals were delightful to have for a Valentine’s Day lunch.
So overall I heartily recommend the Pulled BBQ Wagyu burger and indeed Spoons in general. It may be the most pricey place to eat in town but it is not ruinously expensive and you always feel like you get value for money. Try the Mallee Tasting Platter while you are there – Manangatang rabbit terrine, kangaroo chipolatas, Spoons picked pear and Chillingollah pheasant farm paté. I’ve known the guy that owns the pheasant farm for years and he is a gun at grinding up a bird! This combined with the rabbit and kangaroo equates to an entrée you are unlikely to get anywhere else.
Have you eaten at Spoons yourself? Will you eat there after reading this review? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
Earth, fire, wind, water, heart – go planet!By your powers combined I am cap…. er… Megatronia!
Yes, the Planeteer’s are all either in prison or selling their bodies on the street and Captain Planet himself is dead from taking a swim in the Yarra River, but a new team wielding all their powers has come along, and when they combine they don’t become a blue guy with green hair and red undies – they become a gigantic female robot bent on her enemies destruction!
Monstructor in drag
With the Combiner Wars over to make way for Titans Return, the Unite Warriors line is also coming to a close with only two figures left. Today we will be looking at the second last one, a reimagining of the fan-created female Autobot team – the Torchbearers. While this new team has yet to be given a name, they have a pretty nifty back story and are made up of some great looking figures! So let’s take a look at Unite Warriors Megatronia!
Note: Due to each of these toy molds having been used and reviewed a copious amount of times already, I will be focusing more on the new colour schemes and the characters themselves.
Trickdiamond
Weapon:Quake Shield
Robot Mode
Earth…
A little blocky for a Femmebot but considering the mold used not too bad. I like that she has little scars on her face, very befitting a character who has spent time in jail and now even has dealings with the Chaos Bringer. The shape of her head is interesting too, almost like an American football.
Vehicle Mode
Knightrider for the ladies
Too much black. But then according to the comic on the back of the instructions Trickdiamond is worried about her weight and since black is slimming maybe that’s why she chose it. Despite this terribly stereotypical paranoia, I think some yellow highlights on the bonnet would have spruced up the look of her sports car mode that bit more. Otherwise good.
Lunaclub
Weapon: Flame Sword
Robot Mode
Fire…
Quite a nice robot mode and the red goggles work surprisingly well on her. The pink peg does not stand out as much as the blue one on her sister and her weapon suits her more than any of the other limb figures.
Vehicle Mode
Combat Barbie’s Dream Chopper
Once again quite nice. I’m trying to figure out if we’ve ever had a Transformer this shade of pink before. It’s not the generic ‘girlie’ pink of Arcee or the eye-searing pink you find on say the G1 Seacons. Whatever shade it is it works and makes her my favorite vehicle from the team after Flowspade. Speaking of which…
Flowspade
Weapon: Tornado Cutter
Robot Mode
Wind…
Probably my least favorite robot out of the five, simply as she looks too much like Nightbird from the Legends line. Certainly could have used a new head. Like Trickdiamond I feel the mold is a little too blocky for a Femmebot, especially after we have had toys like Windblade and Black Arachnia in recent years. According to her character bio she was swayed by Megaempress’ charisma. This must be true considering the artwork on the instruction manual shows her soaping up her leader in the shower!
Vehicle Mode
Dontcha wish your sports car was hot like me
Conversely, whilst Flowspade is my least favorite robot out of the five she is also my very favorite vehicle. They really got the colours spot on, it’s a very sexy sports car and I think the best use of this overused mold to date! Really looks like an evil Con Femmebot in alt-mode should look. The purple is also possibly a shout out to the fact she used to be an agent of Shockwave.
Moonheart
Weapon: Blizzard Blade
Robot Mode
Water…. (er, I mean ice. Bah, same thing!)
Not bad, is very lithe which suits the character. The colour scheme is a bit too Chromia for my liking, though she has more black then Chromia does. I think bottom half of the connector peg could have been coloured black so it did not stand out so much, as it is being in blue cast against the black on either side it is very obvious. Her weapon also does not suit her, neither matching her colour scheme or the fact that it is supposed to create blizzards.
Vehicle Mode
Sisters are doing it for themselves
A nice chopper and the silver, blue and black all work well together. The colour scheme could be indicative of that she used to work for Soundwave as a trainee medic.
Megaempress
Weapons – Rail Fusion Cannon and Judge Pickel (funniest TF weapon name ever!)
Robot Mode
Heart…
I’m conflicted about this character. On the one hand I think it’s a bit lazy for them to just do her as a female version of Megatron, colour scheme and all. On the other it makes for an interesting back story; she was created out of Megatron’s spare parts and now rules the Female Decepticons. She also has the power to seduce any Transformer, the naughty minx! The silver on her is stunning and I particularly like her face, imperious yet feminine. Definitely could steal your heart and then cut it out.
All shall love me and despair
Vehicle Mode
Made out of Megatron’s spare parts. When the hell was Megatron toting an extension ladder?!
The paintwork on her is great and the silver is flawless. Considering her ladder is supposed to be a rail cannon I would have liked to see some modification to it to seem more weapon like. Otherwise very good.
Megatronia
By your powers combined…
Again, I’m conflicted. Megaempress makes up the torso and is the female version of Megatron so the name makes sense, but it feels lazy to me. However this is a really great looking combiner, all the colours work together despite the fact they should clash, thanks to each characters paintjob containing a healthy dose of black. The chest works too, the striking purple providing a counterpoint to the more subtle colours. There is no sixth character here like with the Protectobots and Torchbearers so no motorcycle on the chest which helps differentiate her a little from the competition. I would have liked to see a new head too, I was never a fan of Victorion’s even if I did have to concede it was novel. I do like Megatronia’s blue goggles but to me overall her head still looks like parody of a Native American Feathered War Bonnet.
Destopia Sword
Suck on this every other edged weapon ever!
What a friggin kick arse sword! Looks awesome! The fact it can split into five separate weapons for each of the 5 characters makes it even more impressive. I think it is the coolest looking weapon I’ve ever seen a Transformer toy wield, certainly in my collection anyway.
Comparison between Victorion and Megatronia
There is always an evil twin, just one of those laws of the universe
There are pros and cons here. Victorion has one of the most consistent colour schemes of any Transformer combiner toy ever, but they are pretty ugly colours. She also is made up of six characters instead of five. Megatronia’s colour scheme clashes but looks pretty cool despite she is one character down. Victorion also was way cheaper and came with a poster and trading card. Combine that with having six bots and she certainly seems better value for money.
Yew stole ma man! I kill you you bitch!
But I believe Megatronia is undeniably cooler. I like the individual bots a lot better – both as toys and as characters and her sword kicks Victorions swords arse! I also found that all figures had nicely tight joints and it’s always telling just how much better the Tak/Tom paintjobs are than Hasbro’s. It’s just a shame about the price tag – this is a damn expensive Unite Warriors toy compared with most of the rest of the line due to it being an exclusive. If it wasn’t the last Unite Warriors/Combiner Wars gestalt I am buying I may have skipped it. As it is I’ll be keeping Victorion in her combined mode and using Megatronia for her individual bots. Either way, it’s been great to finally get some female combiners in the overall Transformers toyline and if you are a big TF nut you will probably want both these hefty gals in your collection.
Oh those wacky Japanese artists, bless’em all!
Got something you would like to add to this review? Would love to read it in the comments section below!
Super Ginrai. Not just the Japanese version of Powermaster Optimus Prime but a character unto his own right. Finding himself to be not just an ordinary human but to be an actual Autobot Godmaster (how’s that for a bitchin subgroup name!) who could bond with a Transector in order to don the visage of legendary Autobot leader Optimus Prime and fight the evil Destrons…
… or so the story goes. It may be a different character technically but in reality it’s pretty much the same damn toy. The G1 Super Ginrai and Powermaster Optimus had very few differences, even if one was a little Japanese dude obsessed with his big hair in a mech suit and the other was Optimus Prime on steroids.
Here we are 30 years later and we have a similar thing happening. The (US) Titans Return toy is ‘Powermaster Optimus Prime’ whilst the retooled (JP) Legends version is ‘LG35 Super Ginrai’. Both toys have their pro’s and cons. Six months ago I reviewed the Optimus toy (which can be read HERE); today I’m going to give a quick overview of the Legends Super Ginrai version and then most importantly engage in a comparison. This way you, my loyal readers, will know which to shell out your hard-earned money on.
First off – Super Ginrai!
I’m not Optimus Prime, I swear!
Truck Mode
No, I’m not Optimus I said!
Very nice and solid. Unbeknown to most there is a small screw between the cab wheels you can loosen so that the cab does not have to sit flush with the trailer. The trailer is very reminiscent of the original toy and the trailer has all the armament that the G1 version did. The end result is a Mad Max’esque tractor trailer in a world gone mad – nice!
Robot Mode
Look, I’m not f*cking Optimus Prime OK!?!
Instead of Ginrai turning into the engine of his Optimus (but not Optimus) mech he now turns into the head. While still a cool concept I liked the engine gimmick better simply as it was that bit rarer. Very nice proportions, decently articulated and a nice paintjob. Good overall.
Base Mode
And no, I’m not ‘Optimus who got stuck in a particularly challenging yoga pose’ either you f*cking smartass!
Really does not stand up to the original G1 toys base mode. There are some gun turrets that Ginrai can sit in and all the guns from the other two modes are useable here. But it looks sparse and everything looks a bit flimsy – like he got stuck in mid-transformation.
Comparison between Legends LG-35 Super Ginrai and Titans Return Powermaster Optimus Prime
Vehicle Mode
Ginrai looks a lot more similar to the original toy whereas Optimus looks like an updated version, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The black guns on the top of trailer work a lot better on Ginrai and his robot feet sit a lot more flush at the back. I have to give points to Optimus for a new style and Ginrai for a more balanced look.
Base Mode
6 of 1, a half dozen of the other. Both don’t look flash to me. There are a few differences with the different chest pieces that come up to be the central seat for the Headmaster. The towers on Ginrai work being put higher due to you being able to place the black guns half way up, something you cant do with Optimus due to his robots hands not rotating.
Robot Mode
‘One of these bots is not like the other…’
One of the most significant differences are the ankles. Ginrai’s have been extensively retooled in order that they pivot better and provide more height. This makes Ginrai slightly taller than Optimus overall. Optimus’ hand guns look that bit more impressive but Ginrai is able to hold his better due to maneuverable wrists. The chest armor is slightly different as well. Overall I think Ginrai does look that bit better than Optimus here.
Apex vs Ginrai
Two heads are…. no, wait, too obvious a joke. I’ll come back.
Apex is the name of Optimus’ Titan Master partner whereas Ginrai is, well, Ginrai but as stated turns into a head instead of an engine. When comparing the two, Apex transforms into a head which looks a lot like Orion Pax, with the Optimus helmet going over the top. Ginrai turns into an Optimus head with… er… an Optimus helmet going over the top (the definition of redundant). So Apex wins the alt-mode race but the robot/human mode race is no race at all. Ginrai has lots of detail and (even though you probably cant tell with my bad camera) even has a little human face. Apex by comparison has bland colours and a featureless head.
Ones a robot, ones a human in a mech suit. Both have absolutely screwed torsos
So who to choose?
Look, I got both because of the displays I wanted to create. One display is of Optimus Prime figures which turn into trucks and have a trailer so Powermaster Optimus Prime goes there. The other is robot modes of all the different Generations (and Generations subsets) characters and while I have plenty of Generations Optimus figures I didn’t have a Ginrai one so he goes there. That said, I still feel like I wasted my money a bit by getting both. They are just too similar to warrant the expenditure on two Leader-class figures.
If I was to pick one I’d pick Ginrai. The robot mode is better and the Headmaster partner is a lot better. Ginrai wins. But then I guess, if you get both, you can at least join them up in to one super base like I have below!
Got something you would like to add to this ‘comparison of toys’ review? Would love to read it in the comments section below!
Brainstorm, a character that has gone from relative obscurity to a fan favorite in recent years, thanks mainly to the More than Meets the Eye comic series. Now gone from being a bit player in the short lived season 4 of the US he is everyone’s favorite amoral weapons designer. However the version we are looking at today is an homage to his much larger television outing in the Japanese Headmasters series. So without further ado, from the Legends series let’s have a look at LG39 Brainstorm.
Japanese TF boxes, so plain but with such great artwork!
Vehicle Mode
It wasn’t until I took the gun out of the box and realized that it was a match for Titans Return Blurr’s (for a review of TR Blurr see HERE) that I had a better look at Brainstorms Cybertronian jetfighter mode and realized the whole figure is a retooled Blurr. And once you can imagine the wings being gone it becomes quite obvious. That said, it’s a very nice looking version of Brainstorms alt-mode with the twin guns at the front, sleek nose and slim wings. The orange cockpit makes a nice counterpoint to the rest of the colour scheme and Brainstorms Headmaster partner Cana fits nicely inside.
Robot Mode
A bit small for my liking but it means that he scales well with the rest of the Legends/Titans Return figures. You can remove the nosecone and add it to the arm for extra firepower or leave it attached to his back where it is only noticeable when looking through the legs. The figure has good articulation and once again that lovely Tak/Tom paintjob.
Somebody messed with the wrong Wang today!
Cana and Synapse.
Pimp Daddy Cana’s a bit spoiled for choice!
Synapse is actually the name of the drone vehicle that comes with Brainstorm. This can either be in a jeep mode for Cana to drive or turn into a double-barelled blaster for Brainstorm to weild. Given the colour scheme one could almost mistake it for a mini-Kup.
Cana has been based on Brainstorms JP Headmaster appearance with the removal of the faceplate. He is nicely detailed in both his modes. When compared with Arcana from the Thrilling 30 version of Brainstorm you can see the difference in size between the two figures, its just a shame you cant swap them over from one body to the other (trust me, I tried). Given the differences in size and facial structure, it makes Legends Brainstorm look like Generations Brainstorm’s younger brother.
Overall
To be honest, I actually still kinda like Generations Brainstorm better. He is bigger, bulkier and his removable vehicle weapons to use as pistols is very G1-toy accurate. However Legends Brainstorm scales well with the current series of toys, has a great colour scheme and comes with not only a Headmaster partner but a drone as well. Depends if you are a fan of the HM cartoon or MTMTE as to which one you may decide to get – or if you are an obsessive fan like me you can just get both!
*Quite good looking, faithful to both Beast Wars and the IDW incarnations. He has good articulation and the light piping works really well with his huge optics.
) and not a member of the TFSS then wait till it turns up cheap on the secondary market.
