Transformers Age of the Primes TFP Smokescreen review

The TFP version of Smokescreen already got a bit of review rep last year when I got a hold of the Takara Go version. I already mentioned that the figure had flaws yet it was the best version of the mold we can get (ignoring Prowl and Barricade). Now, the Age of the Primes line has another TFP character to Generationize, and we're about to not only see how a design fairly close to the G1 silhouette but modern turned out, but also ask ourselves if it actually is better than Beast Hunters. Let's dive in!

Here we have Smokescreen in his vehicle mode. Surprisingly, it manages to be the closest to his proper TFP model unlike his fellow cast members. Cliff was second closest to his design, Arcee, Knockout, and the QuakeWing brothers deviated further, and Bulkhead was nothing like his TFP self. While some of the details aren't exactly 1:1, such as his headlight not having covers and the door decals not matching the style the show had them as, it's at least better than I expected in the accuracy. While we have enough color break up so he isn't blindingly white, he should use some silver paint for the rims at least. Also, the front ends where the wheels are tend to have difficulty tabbing in place, though that stems from the somewhat tight space with the arms tucking underneath the front of the car while also form part of the hood.

What will be his robot mode blasters end up on the rear bumper and serve as nitrous pipes, though sliding them in place requires that the pegs (which are still 5mm in width but not in overall circumference) are vertical and not horizontal. Also, while he could use a bit of paint on the back for the taillights, he also struggles to tab in place somewhat in the back. 

Here he is next to his TFP counterpart, and you can see how close the two almost are aesthetically. J wouldn't be surprised if the paint app layout of the Go version was what the Hasbro team used for their new Smokescreen, though likely because they can't access the CG models for some reason like they could with the dead RED line. However it seems they traded silver rims and headlight covers for an Autobot insignia and silver headlights.

Transformation is closer to the G1 Jazz transformation than a version of the Datsun trio. Granted, they both have fairly similar designs but with different proportions for the chests and the latter having door wings (Jazz is inconsistent with whether he has them or not), but we now use chunks of the altmode front for the shoulders while the legs use no waist rotation. In fact, the rear wheels now face forwards like with Jazz rather than backwards. The robot mode takes the similarities even further with the proportions better matching the RID 2015 version of Jazz than TFP Smokescreen. I know we have the broad strokes still present for Smokey, but between the bulkier upper body, the chest sort of facing forward and not being broken up, and the part layout  matching what we saw in the sequel series, it's almost like Jazz is what they had in mind for this toy before they decided "wait we can make a slightly different white car bot out of this from the Aligned Continuity and sell it first because TFP sells better for nostalgia than RID15). Not a bad thing necessarily but I have to wonder if they will repeat the same thing and turn this into Prowl for a Beast Hunters lore cut despite him already still being white. As for the design, it still has the general identity down, but I feel like the torso is confused as whether it's trying to match the TFP design or stick with the limitations of using real parts. On the plus side, he doesn't have the entire halves worth of hood and roof kibble on his forearms, and I appreciate that his feet aren't wonky as hell without any proper engineering implementation or ankle joints. Still, does anyone feel like his chest sits up a little higher than it should?

Head sculpt is less stylized to better match the overall Generations design philosophy, but while the red paint apps are accurate to the show, they kind of make for a weird beard at the bottom of the face rather than matching the proper placement they had in the show. Perhaps they would look better if they were a darker shade. Articulation consists of a ball jointed neck, shoulder rotation, outward arm movement, bicep rotation, double jointed elbows, waist rotation, universal hips (though the mushroom joints used for the front and back movement are curiously hidden behind a codpiece panel), thigh rotation, hinged knees (with a weird click that also involves the tabs for straightening them, slight hinges for moving the feet up as well as pivots.

Those same nubbins attach to the forearms to serve as his blasters. Kind of a cool way to show the TFP weapons coming out of the forearms schtick, but they look like G1 punch dildos. Also this trick, while a common thing for most Autobot Cars, was commonly done with Sunstreaker and any of the taller characters that are still shorter than Optimus.

Here he is next to the Beast Hunters version for a bot mode comparison. While I prefer my TFP bots to better match the show they come from, I will admit that the Smokescreen mold at least does a few good things worth acknowledging, especially when it comes to kibble management and articulation. Hell, the altmode resembling what we got in 2012/3 is a huge plus over what everyone else got. However, I still think the best Smokescreen is neither one of these molds; maybe we can wait for APC Toys or Gear Factory to get around making one with a huge level of improvements, but for now, I think this mold is decent yet could work better as an entirely different character. RID15 Jazz or even a TFSS style Barricade would be sweet.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

McFarlane DC Multiverse CW Supergirl & Superman Returns review

A decade ago, we had a Supergirl show air initially on CBS before uniting with other Arrowverse shows on The CW. While it suffered from the social commentary issues that were a rising trend for media since the late 2010s, it is still the best kind of live action rep for Kara Zor-El compared to what we got in 1984 as well as what little we got with The Flush and now the seemingly barely promoted Supergirl flick for this year. A decade earlier than that, we got Superman Returns, the first movie for the DC mascot since the abysmal Quest for Peace after Warner Bros failed to come up with a new film between for nearly 20 years. Unlike CW Supergirl, Superman Returns came and went as it didn't do too well in the box office, and it was too early to join the trend where Hollywood would retcon specific sequels and try to go "no wait this is the TRUE sequel to the last successful movie in this series" (looking at you, Terminator) while retreading plot points for nostalgia points (Farce Awakens anyone?). Both characters may now be replaced by their DOA DCU counterparts, but we at least get some recognition from them via McFarlane Toys. Lets see how well these two turned out.

Here we have Supergirl in-hand. Near as I can tell, this is either a wholly new sculpt or uses one of the prior Supergirls as a basis (either the Gold Label version from Target or the Page Punchers one based on the awful Woman of Tomorrow story). Accurate to this costume is the navy blue and blood red that honestly makes her appear somewhat regal, and that also goes for the blue background in the chest emblem unlike the usual yellow found. I honestly prefer the gold trim around the logo rather than the yellow some media are using nowadays since it technically makes use of the yellow-like color without a redundant border that doesn't look as nice as a black border on some merch. The proportions seem accurate to the actress's build, though some may say she should have a bit more muscle. As for the cape, it's much thinner in width than the usual Superman cape dimensions, but it is accurate to the way it appeared in the series, and, more importantly, it's wired!

The likeness to actress Melissa Benoist is a pretty good one, even if she looks like she's brainwashed or something with that slightly uncanny smile. It looks better than the smile Christopher Reeve Superman head, but it does look slightly weird for the mouth region. Articulation is the same as usual, though I'll need to make a disclaimer that the flight stand is not included with her. For the price you're getting with her, she should at least come with that if we're not doing the mini poster thing this time. Yeah, we're back to not including the double sided mini poster like we did with only the Nolanverse Joker & Bane wave that had SuperReeve. Sure, the Returns wave not the Gunn Superslop movie didn't have mini posters, but at least he consistent with including or excluding them rather than make them a one off thing, Todd!

Some of her alternate hands include a right hand either suitable for karate or saluting as well as a left pointing hand, though she also comes with accessory holding hands presumably to showcase how her alternate head looks when shaved completely bald. Seriously, at least replace these hands with another head for a neutral expression. Also, the hands have blue paint to better go with the sleeves on the costume design. 

One issue that arises with this figure is the hair doesn't really go in all the way whenever you switch between heads as this picture kind of shows, so you need to make sure that the head is not attached into the body yet. That way, it's easier to attach the piece onto her. The heat vision eyes are decently conveyed on this face, though I can't help but find it funny she looks like she's in the middle of an exorcism. Oh and she also has fists. While she turned out better than I was initially expecting, I still question why she was made a Theatrical Deluxe; maybe it's to have that synergy with the barley marketed Supergirl movie that'll probably come and go, but the accessory count is lesser than the Christopher Reeve Superman figure. Both versions, in fact. I'm not sure if you can get her for sale, but if the CW stuff isn't as popular as it once was, maybe it's possible to do just that. In the meantime, I will look for the titular Green Arrow of the same universe and Grant Gustin Flash.

As for Superman Returns, this figure is logically a retool of the Reeve body. Given Returns was supposed to be connected to the old quadrilogy (or at least the first two movies), why not go this route? New to.the sculpt are a head sculpt that looks better in hand than initial photos made it appear, a chest logo that is slightly larger than it was on the film suit, a set of trunks with the accurate logo on the belt (which is not from the Page Punchers version based on Lee Bermejo's art), and a pair of boots with texturing applied...that the rest of the suit could really use given that's how it appeared in the movie. Even the old action figures had that texturing, or at least most of them did. Not only that, but ignoring the flight stand (once again), what you see is what you get. Despite being a reuse of the Reeve body, we have no alternate hands for him, nor do the ones that come with Reeve even color match the skin tone on this figure. Worst of all, his cape has no bendy wire implemented! And it doesn't help that the Heat Vision BVS Superman retains his! What's going on with the selective choices between Todd and pals?!

Here he is along with Reeve and Cavill Supermen for an idea of what the Holy Trinity of actors who played the character was, is, and always will and should be. While I would love to have George Reeves to go with Adam West or maybe either Nicolas Cage for a deep lore cut (probably not so deep anymore given The Flush exists) and maybe Tyler Hoelchin so CW Supergirl won't be alone, this is a good selection of iterations to have on my display. Still, I can't help but feel bad that even in figure form, Routh gets the short end of the stick compared to Reeve and Cavill, especially with the wired cape situation.

Here he is with Christian Bale Batman in the Begins suit so we can get a bit of a "what could have been" in regards to a World's Finest match up if the DCEU castings didn't happen. I chose the Begins suit because it's closer to a comic aesthetic while retaining some realism and because it's the one Baleman from McFarlane I still have. Apparently, a Kingdom Come version of Routh is possible as a Platinum, but that should have been a thing to go alongside the regular Returns one. Also, even though I am happy to own A version of SuperRouth, I always say there is more room for improvement; the retooling could have gone further than it currently is, and even though he isn't a Deluxe Theatrical release, why can't he have alternate hands or a flight stand? And how many times am I going to bring up the cape. I would only recommend him if you're super into the movie, because while I have a soft spot for Returns and will easily prefer it over the 2025 scream fest from Gunn, I still find it out of place compared to other CBMs from the 2000s. While just about every title had either a present-day setting or was set in a specific time period for plot reasons, Superman Returns was said to take place 5 years after the second Reeve movie yet there is a jump in technology released during 2006. And most damning was that while the average 2000s CBM had the perfect balance of action, story, and kept things modern for new audiences being introduced to these characters, SR ends up feeling dour in aesthetics, was quieter for most of the movie, and was a mix between a vague hint of nostalgia and an awkward story of romance given Supes basically left Lois behind after a memory wipe...and pregnant no less while her husband had no idea of his superpowers. Maybe it holds up better in retrospect, but it's not a movie I would revisit immediately. And while many point out the pedophilic tweets Gunn made or some of the actions implied to paint him in that light prior to 2014 (not to mention associating himself with some sick freaks and poorly disassociating himself from them), we don't know if he's actually diddled kids the same way director Bryan Singer and Lex Luthor actor Kevin Spacey...but back on topic with the review, I can only recommend SuperRouth if you're a completionist or a diehard fan of the actor's portrayal. Now to see how he'll look on the Kingdom Come body.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (CW Supergirl)

⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Superman Returns)

Yolopark Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Megatron review

The AMK Pro series of reviews continues as we go a bit out of order and take a look back at Revenge of the Fallen's version of Megatron. I've already reviewed the Studio Series version of the design waaaaay back in 2018, but my hunger for more Bayverse merch in an era where we Hasbro wants us to dick ride G1 nostalgia bait has made me explore for any options beyond the Studio Series and MPM lines. You already saw how much I loved Yolopark's TLK and ROTB versions of Optimus Prime as well as Mirage, but now we're about to go a bit bigger and better with a beefcake who will remind you all that there is no command but his. We've been held back in reviewing this because other things popped up to review, and now we will finally give it the spotlight it deserves!

Here we have Megatron fully assembled. The level of detail put in this thing is through the roof. We already have it looking super accurate to the CG model, but boy is he loaded with even greater detail to match it better than even the Studio Series figure. From the asymmetry found in the arms to the lesser utilized details like the pistons between the tank treads and the inner mechanisms we can only look up close for, this could easily be mistaken for the ThreeZero or Prime 1 Studio statues, yet one big pro for this is you're paying for a premium quality figure for the price of a modern Leader Class Transformer and it looks much better than what HasTak puts out. Sure, one transforms and the other doesn't, but given the nearly comparable price tags, this is an easier comparison to make (Hasbro vs a licensee) than whatever Baltmatrix thought of (a $15 Warrior vs a nearly $200 unofficial MP-like figure). And hey, the fact you're assembling this figure makes it feel like you're technically creating the CG model like the ILM crew did, albeit in tangible form. The paint alone sells the accuracy by not just being shiny silver, but there's the addition of weathering and rust paint apps to further convey his bare metal's exposure to slight corrosion from being underwater for so long. The rust spots here and there could look a little more naturalistic, but for the price, I am a bit more forgiving towards a figure with this level of quality selling for a good price. Best part is the height combined with the die cast frame results in a heavy ass model kit, with the feet's treads likely made of rubber rather than plastic.

His head sculpt looks great as they generally do, even if the eyes are slightly inaccurate given there is supposed to be a line between his eyes to represent the alien nature of the Decepticons. It's also interesting seeing those fins in the back since they would normally not be that visible given they blend in with the silver throughout his body and the overall bulk he gained. With the same light up eyes we normally see in these model kits, Megatron's articulation consists of a double neck joint, jaw-ticulation, shoulder rotation, outward arm movement, a rotary joint for the further arm/butterfly range, bicep rotation, double jointed elbows, individually articulated fingers, ball jointed wrists, a double jointed system for the torso, double hip joints (one for normal front and back movement, another for an even higher kick due to the bulk of the design), outward leg movement, thigh rotation, nearly double jointed knees, and ankles that hinge somewhat with a bit of pivots to boot.

His sole accessory beyond the same base and magnet (that might be weighted down by him yet at least uses the updated peg system rather than a cradle) is his fusion cannon. It, too, can light up with a dedicated blue LED for it, though you could theoretically swap them if you want to give Megs blue eyes. The fusion cannon does articulate at the two digits of the claw, though the blade does not retract. It would be nice to see this figure with a damaged right arm & face option for the final battle between him and Prime, but the height, paint quality, and articulation for his claws, he does more than enough with a design like this. I'd argue we should expect more for the 2007 and DOTM designs when we get to them!

For a size comparison, here he is next to two Voyager versions of himself, though the former isa KO of the Studio Series version latter is his G1 counterpart from the Henkei line. He is closer to the Leader scale we got from the Weaponizer days to some of the WFC Trilogy era dudes, meaning he's going to naturally tower over some of his AMK brethren.

And here he is between Mirage and Prime, proving my point by being a metallic beefcake in comparison to the Autobot duo. I'm super happy I finally assembled this thing after my backlog got in my way, and with more AMK Pros coming soon, what better time to get to this Megatron than now? If you already loved what they brought with their live action designs, then you should not skip out on this figure. And believe me when I say the weight of the completed kit will impress you more than Hasbro's handling of the current Studio Series line-up.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Transformers Legends LG-EX Super Ginrai (Magnus Prime) review

I'm sure every Transformers fan knows who Optimus Prime is by now, on top of having so many different iterations since 1984. It would be criminal to not know who he is, but there is one character that hacky YouTubers would make shitty video essays on: Ginrai. A human taking on a visage or the Autobot leader we all know and love, this 80's style Mamoru Chiba was thrust in a new life fighting against Decepticons of both fully robotic and Transtector variety. Hearing about this story already makes him feels more like the TF equivalent of Supaidaman, but fear not, he eventually splits apart from the non-sentient truck and trailer so the human can live on his own while the robot moved on continuing the good fight. Eventually he would become Victory Leo after dying in battle, serving as an upgrade for Star Saber. While I would love to get my hands on that HasLab Victory Saber set someday, I at least have the slightly more accessible version of this character in the form of Legends Super Ginrai...or Magnus Prime as the Hasbro version is called; for simplicity sake, I will name him Ginrai.

Here we have Ginrai in his vehicle mode. Like most modern Ultra Magnus toys, this is an all in one set up where the cab cannot separate from the trailer without disassembly. As far as matching the old toy is concerned, the general design is faithful yet the cab is much more stylized in addition to using an extra set of rear wheels not normally found on the Powermaster cab. Then again, this was made from the era where HasTak weren't going on the realm of super cartoon accuracy, so this is meant to be closer to the older CHUG aesthetics. Still, it is Ble to capture the look of the old design with a few liberties taken from being a CW Magnus retool. That being said, don't expect it to carry any Deluxes inside despite reusing the same mold we had with the City Commander; the new chest gets in the way for any cars, and the ramps for the trailer barely work since the tabs break easily. I may have to glue them in without compromising the transformation.

The Titan Master can pilot inside the cab, something Minimus Ambus couldn't do with the Ultra Magnus head taking up space. Looking closer at it, and the colors are less Hi-Q/Ginrai exosuit and closer to the usual Optimus Prime palette. His head mode matches one of the ways Prime's face is depicted in some G1 media.

Transforming him into his base mode is sort of like doing the same with the trailer, only what were the ramps on Magnus now serve as loose equivalents of towers while the cab stays in place. At least it has a ramp on the bottom. It's about as comparable to a base mode like the old one, but with fewer ramps and no regular bot mode for Ginrai. I always wondered if this was planned right when Hasbro was working on the Combiner Wars line, especially knowing how forward thinking they grew to become with what figures to retool after messing around with the base mold. Maybe Magnus had his own base mode done for fun and the team thought it would make sense to retool him into Optimus Prime for Titans Return. Oh and he can combine with other Leaders and Titan Trypticon for further play pattern fun.

And now for the robot mode, which transforms more like an Ultra Magnus would thanks to the aforementioned retooling. It still fits this figure somewhat, just in a slightly different context. While this is lighter and cheaper feeling than the likes of SS86 Magnus, I can at least defend this and say the size makes him slightly easier to transform. However, those trailer ramps tuned shins barely like to peg in place with everything else. The resulting robot mode looks awesome, especially with this feeling more like a souped up take on the Powermaster Prime/Ginrai look. Super Ginrai wears it even better since I always imagined this would have made more sense of a design due to the extra flares compared to the slightly more conservative aesthetics on Powermaster Prime (at least the non-Titans Return one). One of the other telltale signs that this is "Magnus Prime", however, is the blue waist piece rather than a red and white one like on the proper Takara version. Not the end of the world, but it should be worth mentioning if you want to get this figure in the aftermarket. The only issue I have with this figure is that the ramps from the top of the trailer kind of look bad under his arms, but I know many will have issues with the feet looking wonky as hell. The heels are arguably the worst part, but tightening the screws has made it easier to work with.

All Titans Return Leaders have their heads covered by helmets to bulk up and better fit with the proportions of the body. Unlike the Voyagers, who use spring loaded ears or shitty masks, these actually look much better. That being said, the eyes are sunken in more. I'd argue it works better with Soundwave from the same line, or anyone who has their Titan Master faceplates more visible underneath. 

Articulation consists of a neck swivel, ratchets for the shoulders for front and back movement as well as in and out, bicep rotation, ratcheted elbows, wrist rotation, ratcheted hips, thigh rotation, ratcheted knees, and ankle pivots. Ginrai's guns are newly made rather than reusing the Combiner Wars Magnus guns, and they better match the ones found on the original toy. You can sandwich them together to make a double barrel cannon for a Titan Master to sit in, but I can't seem to find a good spot for it, and given the bulk of this figure, I don't think he can easily hold it with both handles at once.

For prior reuses, we will go backwards with each version of this figure before Magnus Prime was released. This is the proper version of Super Ginrai, who has grayer windows, a red and white crotch, and smaller Autobot insignia pushed closer to the front of the trailer. The Ginrai Titan Master, or Head Stage figure, looks closer to what we saw with Masterforce or Hi-Q in American media thanks to the proper color break up and the face being painted.

This is the 2-pack version, which came with see through windows and chromed parts, though the latter is mostly used for Godbomber. The ankles are remolded as a single hinge for better stability.

The original Hasbro version had a more stylized cab (similar to but not exactly) like Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus as well as for the chest, but the retooling wasn't as extensive as on Ginrai given he retains the same feet with no ankle pivots as well as guns with articulated hands that can't really grip them. The wheels are unpainted, the colors look like they're based on an aged copy from the 80s instead of a fresh copy, and Apex, a renamed Hi-Q, comes with worse color break up yet has a faceplate based on Orion Pax.

We got a black and gold repaint as part of a collab with Primitive Skateboarding. The colors are closer to Dark Guard Optimus Prime than Nemesis Prime, and the Titan Master is named Shreddicus Maximus. The little guy even comes with a railgun ramp to skate on with his board based on Daniel Witwicky's!

And finally, we reach Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus. Before Siegedom and SS86, this was seen as pretty close to what fans could get to an all-in-one Magnus without spending too much on MP money. The colors are sort of like Sky Lynx from the same line where they look a bit zestless and washed out, but they kind of fit the pseudo-grunge aesthetic of the IDW comics he is based on. He even has Minimus Ambus to represent the time when this tiny dude took on the visage of the big Wrecker himself. The rocket hammer is the best part of this set.

Takara's version of Magnus has more saturated colors to match the cartoon, which makes the figure feel slightly less cheap than it already is. Those rims help it even further. Minimus is repainted as Alpha Trion as the Legends mini comic showcased.

And finally, a 5-pack including Thrilling 30 Arcee and Springer as well as original Generations Kup and Blurr gives us an Ultra Magnus to lead the whole set with metallic paint jobs. I'd say this version is second best between the very nice Legends version and the drab Combiner Wars one.

For a size comparison, here is Super Ginrai/Magnus Prime/Powermaster Optimus Prime next to SS86's versions of Optimus and Ultra. It's ironic how a figure that was cheaper than two Commanders in terms of engineering yet is taller than both of them (in addition to costing less depending on where you get him). Size class heights since Siege are a funny thing to think about. While I have issues with this figure when it comes to both the issues this mold has to begin with as well as the new ones introduced, I still think this is the best version of the mold we have. The Takara version in the 2-pack with Godbomber is slightly nicer, but if you wanted to get this mold and hope to combine him with the apex drone, then you can do much worse. I'd argue we're not done yet with this figure because said apex drone will get the review spotlight very soon...

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