Transformers Studio Series Commander Class Hook & Long Haul review

We are entering Part Two of the SS86 Constructicon hype, this time featuring two Voyagers now billed together as a Commander. Yes, it appears Hasbro is not content enough with making this price tag consist of larger bots, characters with trailers, and combiner frames; this approach can be a bit concerning with future characters Hasbro is afraid of putting for a normal price point, but it can at least be justified somewhat with the two forming the overall torso of Devastator. Combined that with a somewhat incentive feature of making a separate trailer made purely for Devastator as well as an option for Long Haul's altmode might help even things out in the end. Let's see if he and Hook are worth the purchase.

Here we have the Long Hook duo in their vehicle modes. They're both green with small bits of purple and black here and there, they have pretty decent plastic quality, and they're somewhat sparse in the sculptwork department. While it can be attributed to the cartoon accuracy the line arrives for, it kind of sucks that there isn't much to make these construction vehicles look undercooked in the visual department. That being said, they are at least able to fill out the Commander Class price tag decently, though not without issues. The trailer on Long Haul does at least add some extra length to him in a way reminiscent of ROTF Overload. I'm sure many would complain about how the add-ons work with him, but as stated before, it is optional. Meaning he doesn't have to use it in altmode. Same thing for Blitzwing's gauntlets (though I still find he isn't exactly worth $55). 

Long Haul can sort of dump his load, but 1) he has no space for his bed, and 2) the wheels get affected by this since they are attached to the bed. As for Hook, he can rotate his crane's base as well as extend it (somewhat) in addition moving up and down. Still better than Combiner Wars.

For a size comparison, the scale with the G1 Constructicons is whack, but I have to admit, I ma.hrowing excited in getting the rest of the team. Scavenger and Mixmaster can't come soon enough! Funny enough, if you swap Scrapper with Scavenger, you get the four alt modes of the Build Team from RID01.

Hook's transformation is pretty straightforward. Feels like you're adding a few steps onto the G1 version of the character. Granted, it is one of the things he does as a combiner, but after being used to the way Motormaster and now Superion work, he feels a bit underwhelming. His robot .ode looks about what I'd expect, down to the whole "looking-like-the-vehicle-stood-on-its-front-end". You even have the crane arm serving as the tripod for support since his feet suck at keeping him balanced. I don't think I expected him to have some creative license to look visually distinct, but he feels the least interesting out of the six. He's literally every Transformers costume in every viral video only his alt mode faces backwards.

His head sculpt is not bad, though it is the second Constructicon with a visor and exposed mouth. His articulation consists of a ball jointed neck, shoulder rotation, outward arm movement, bicep rotation, double-jointed elbows, universal hips, thigh rotation, hinged knees, and ankle pivots. No waist swivel, likely due to transformation.

As for Long Haul, he at least is a little more involved in his transformation, no doubt resulting in a more identifiable robot mode with his front end. While he still looks chunky as hell, it is at least nowhere near as morbidly obese like with the Combiner Wars version. See why I said the benefits of having Devastator's waist as a separate piece can help? He does look wider than the cartoon models but then again, I'd blame the cartoon for being too simplistic with its character models. That and he still needs color break up beyond the few paint apps on his chest and knees.

His head sculpt is a dome of silver glory, though ruined somewhat by the black panel on the back. But hey, Geewun accurate. His articulation is the same, though he has ball joints in his elbows. Still no waist swivel. 

Here we have all of the Constructicons available so far. I appreciate that Hook and Long Haul are taller than the Deluxe and Deluxe with Benefits. Let's see if Scavenger and Mixmaster will be good. Probably average but most reviewers will praise them for being Geewun accurate.

Turning them into is thankfully a little more involved with these two no doubt thanks to Hook becoming a fairly asymmetrical bust for Devastator as well as Long Haul integrating himself with his trailer to form Devastator's lower torso. Hook's transformation is more creative, however. I also appreciate that the tabs are heavy and sturdy. Better be since this thing is pricy. 

Combining the three components results in a limbless Devastator. You can complete the look with the chest plate to cover up his gappy structure. So far, the figure looks sturdy apart from the treads untabbing from the chest, and at least Scrapper won't crumble thanks to a weak ass tab. Until Devastator gets his right arm and left leg, I will recommend you get this set if you are already committed to the rest of the Constructicons. Hook is a bit lame apart from his torso transformation, Long Haul is at least the literal better half of the set, the trailer at least adds some value to this Voyager 2-pack, and Devastator is at least shaping up to be a good combiner. Otherwise, you don't need this if you aren't into the team; I say that because unlike their ROTF Constructicons, there is little identity beyond the alt modes. Cue the triggered Geewunner tears.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Transformers Generations Thrilling 30 Sky-Byte review

Another haiku?

One made by the great Sky-Byte?

The world shall rejoice!

Last time we saw him,

He was the old toy, you see;

Dated yet still cool.

In twenty-fourteen,

A brand new version was made!

From the ground up, too!

With Age of the Primes,

Having it's own haiku shark,

We must ask ourselves:

Is T30 good?

Or does it fall short from age?

Let's find out today!

Here we have Sky-Byte in his shark mode. While it's curved in a way that makes it dolphin-like instead of a shark (as dolphins point up and down while sharks instead turn left and right), this isn't entirely out of the norm for his character. He did clap his fins like a dolphin and also swam the ocean like one in the end of the series. Though it does add some personality to his beast mode, he is going to need the aid of a flight stand to keep him from appearing dead and tipped over. The sculptwork is reduced in this figure than on the original, which may be a way to help it match the show and possibly the IDW Comics he appeared in. Yes, the original IDW continuity, itself inspired by G1 but with more modern influences, has a tendency to use characters from post-G1 media for their cast. Some made sense like Waspinator and Rhinox, while Armada Starscream was just a form that the former Air Commander took in his weird character development quest. See, whenever the writers weren't busy doing any OCs with varying degrees of quality, they used whatever toys Hasbro was making at the time to help boost sales in their comics, especially when they used to actually come with them compared to that stupid mini-comic wave Marvel Legends had a while back. Anyways, Sky-Byte is in a bit of a gray area since RID 2001 is seen by the US and rest of the world as its own continuity. Meanwhile, Japan would make it part of their own version of G1 continuity (which combined almost every piece of JG1 media in one universe compared to the US separating Marvel, Sunbow, Dreamwave, IDW, etc). 

Anyways, back to the figure itself, the beast mode only has articulation at the jaw, though with how little it opens, combined with the pre-posed nature of the beast mode, it doesn't provide much. For a comparison with his RID 01 counterpart, both are relatively comparable in scale, what with Mega figures being the original Voyagers. The original was much more intricate with its details and paint apps due to its origins as Transmetal II Cybershark. The Thrilling 30 figure scales the detailing back, though they still have some of it. The colors are also distinct, with the new one introducing the baby blue on the shark head as well as making the blues brighter. He does retail the spinning tail gimmick, though it looks different than the one on the original.

Transformation is almost similar to 5he original figure, only with less shell forming this time around, the actual shark head forming the chest instead of the butt, and the robot mode facing forward instead of being backwards. The resulting robot mode is mostly close to the old show, but with some IDW influences like the arms. It looks good for the most part though the arms do look a bit shorter than normal. The right arm especially, what with it actually forming a part of the shark mode and looking a bit undersized in some weird the trick manner. The kibble management is handled better, but I don't like how hollow his lower legs are from the back. If the shin panels could cover the hinges, then that would be better. The chest sticks out more, though that is due to it being the actual shark head this time. I'd argue that a lot of Voyagers do a pretty good job in being well-enginerted and not being too hollow like with some 2012 offerings, so this figure turned out well apart from the right arm and lower legs. 

His head sculpt is easily the best part of this figure, and I love how gnarly it turned out thanks to the sharper detailing and yellow paint applied. I wish the fin was silver to match the cheek guards. His articulation consists of a limited ball joint at the neck, swivels at the shoulders moving front and back as well as biceps and thighs, hinges for the arms moving in and out, elbows, knees, and ankles, and universal joints for the hips. Two of the claws can now splay outwards like on the old toy, and he now has a spring loaded missile in his in his left arm instead of a separate blaster. The missile admittedly looks a little phallic.

As far as reuses are concerned, TakaraTomy's Gelshark is much closer to the old show, from the darker colors to the larger use of silver in the deco. Even the iconic two-tone chest has the silver on one side. The hips and missile are now blue.

As for Cloud Hellwarp, he represents an upgraded Skywarp from the brief Transformers Cloud series, which consisted of figures ranging from the oldie but goodie known as Classics Optimus but with white thighs and a wind vane colored like the G2 soundbox to a purple Whirl now named Shockwave. This figure could use a deeper shade of purple, or at least have it be metallic, but it does make for a slick contrast from the mostly blue sea Sky-Byte swims in. That being said, missed opportunity to not have a Cybershark repaint. 

For a size comparison, he is taller and overall more athletic than the original figure. While it does deviate in some areas, I'd argue that the Thrilling 30 version still manages to be a good take on the character. It does show its age with the lack of ankle pivot, hollow spaces, and the inward elbows, but it's still able to hold up for today's standards in spite of the early-2010s budget. Even with the AOTP version out there, I still recommend this figure for a way to showcase how each decade separates the main three versions of this character. 

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Transformers Collection Blaster review

Blaster's more than just an Autobot Soundwave; his more outgoing personality and overall love for Earth culture give him an extra bit competition with Jazz. That's for the cartoon most people would know about, because the Marvel Comics depicts him as a brooding warrior who hated Decepticons with a passion and was more than happy to kill them all after what they did to Scrounge, his longtime friend. Whatever personality you associate with this boombox boy, he's taking the review spotlight from the first and probably only ever Collection reissue (sorry, Starscream but you got replaced by the 2023 Retro version). These reissues are known for their book box design with a bit of history to the character at the time while occasionally including Dreamwave artwork. In spite of the company's shortcomings, some of their art was pretty decent; with that aside, onto the review!

Here we have Blaster his ghetto blaster boombox altmode. And for anyone accusing me of being racist for using that term, that is what they described this alt mode due to its size and overall design. While not exactly a 1:1 size, this boombox is at least able to capture the mass that the real world item would have, from the smaller tape deck juxtaposed by the rest of it to the larger speakers. This is the kind of thing performers had on their shoulders and bopped their heads to in the streets. The color combination of red, yellow, and gray surprisingly works, making this feel more in your face and eye-catching compared to Soundwave's more traditional color scheme. Though the sculpted details are primitive, I appreciate the molded linework and fake buttons to make this look like a bit of a roleplay toy. Blaster features three functional buttons: an eject button, a stop button molded from the two middle buttons, and a start button.

The back of the tape deck mode has nothing much to show, but there is a fake earphone port and a handful of screws to plug the gun in. Apparently, the original Micro Change versions functioned more like proper radios, to the point where the back panel can house a real cassette while the chest compartment held the functioning radio. This fact, 40 years later, made some 80s man baby on Youtube deluded in thinking he was "ripped off" the whole time when the facts were there for years. "Look at me, my name's Surge! I read TFWiki!"

The tape deck works well thankfully, though don't be surprised if older copies had theirs stuck due to some internal misassembly. 

For a size comparison, here he is next to Soundwave. My copy is the Commemorative Edition, which Takara previously used for their Collection line along with the Soundblaster that used the appropriate double decker tape door chest. The scale is not accurate but it works well for what are basically two roleplay toys that double as robot action figures.

And here he is next to the SS86 version. The newer version is originally from the Kingdom line, which had the rich sculptwork that made it feel more complete for the robot mode, though I know some 80s purists will probably prefer the smoother surfaces to make them feel all warm and fuzzy inside with nostalgia. You know the rest.

Blaster's transformation is similar to Soundwave's, only the arms and legs work slightly differently on the Autobot in comparison. Mostly the arms being already there before hinging them forwards, extending them be less stumpy than they already are, and not rotating the legs 90 degrees. The robot mode is somehow boxier and flatter than Soundwave was. Honestly, he looks more like a vinyl figure that looks presentable from the front but looks empty from the back. Soundwave at least had some definition, even with a flatter tape door. That being said, I appreciate the stickers on the shoulders breaking up the red squares he calls shoulders. And while it's nothing but sharp angles, the transition from the waist to hips at least has some shape to it. The placement of the rubsign is eyebrow raising, though. 

Head sculpt is has a bit of an Optimus Primal motif with the mouthplate ridge surrounding his lips, with the dome on the head looking more like a knight visor lifted up. His eyes are yellow, which is a reminder that this was a Micro Change toy before it became a Transformer. His articulation is found only at the neck, shoulders, and wrists, with a bit of outward leg movement. His Electro-Scrambler rifle can be held in his cuboid hand.

His cassette partner is Steeljaw, who has a sticker pattern that looks wonky as hell yet does have a neat sunlight pattern which I feel should be on the opposite side to resemble a lion mane? Beast mode is as flat as Ravage, but I'll easily take this over the SS86 piece of crap anyday.

Here he is next to Ramhorn. That version is based on the 2024 reissue of Bombshell. Yes, instead of making a set with Rewind and Eject, the included him with an Insecticon. And for anyone wondering, I don't have the version that comes with Perceptor and Ratbat.

As far as reuses are concerned, this is the Universe 2.0 version that was slightly altered for the Platinum Edition line. No, idk why Rewind is missing.

The cartoon-accurate colors were reused for last year's reissue, meaning he has a painted tape door and no stickers. Steeljaw has gold painted to match the weapons on Ramhorn.

Twincast was a retool of Blaster, now blue instead of red and able to house two cassettes. He does look a bit bootleggish but this was an upgrade he had in The Headmasters series, where he, named Broadcast in Japan, was killed and turned into Twincast. Omni Productions named his first form Billy and his next form as Blaster. The red on his chest is meant to decode a weakpoint on Scorponok.

Twincast was later reissued for eHobby with a repaint of Rewind/Eject as a new character named Flip Sides. Not to be confused with Rosanna, who is from the true dirty bastardization of the Transformers brand known as Kiss Players.

The figure was later reissued in the Encore with a more cartoon-accurate deco for the head, but he came with Nightstalker and Stripes. The former is a black repaint of Steeljaw with Ravage's weapons while the latter is a repaint of Ravage, only with the Steeljaw weapons. 

And finally, we have the Shattered Glass version. He comes with tribal decals on his shoulders and has a more subdued selection of colors in spite of his baby blue tape door. Normally, I'd question where are the complaints for this if Allspark blue normally gets shat on, but this still works regardless.

Oh, and here are the Micro Change versions, with more generic/bootleg-looking color scheme as well as the aforementioned radio system included in them. 

For a size comparison, here he is next to G1 Soundwave in one photo and SS86 Blaster in another. The toy was pretty tall compared to many Autobots, with this size discrepancy easily contributed by the Diaclone and Micro Change lines never intended to be compatible. For anyone wondering, I don't have Titans Return but he would make for a decent Masterpiece stand-in since all TakaraTomy made was an accessory for their Tracks. As for G1 Blaster, he may not be as cool as Soundwave, but he still makes for a neat toy regardless of how wonky he comes across as. He is fairly affordable in the aftermarket, and maybe his recent reissue has been discounted. Happy hunting either way!

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐