Transformers Studio Series 2024 ranked

The 2024 line-up of Studio Series figures feels rather scaled back compared to last year if I'm being honest. Between the end of the Core Class size, the monotony of G1 crap, Gamer Edition feeling more spread out, listings of TLK Drift and a rumored Lifeline for Reactivate being dropped, and most telling of all being a much smaller and lower spread of TF One characters than with Rise of the Beasts in 2023, this feels a lot more conservative of a year than with prior line-ups earlier in the Studio Series run. Is it because of Hasbro's losses from 2023, or just Chris Cocks being a cheaper chump than the norm? Whatever the case may be, this is our selection of Studio Series characters for 2024, and I'm going to rank them from worst to best as a yearly tradition! Like last year, we'll split them into categories of Core Class figures, main movie figures, 1986 movie characters, and Gamer Edition releases. As always, be on the lookout for my other ranking lists regarding Legacy United and the miscellaneous Transformers purchases of 2024.

As always, we'll begin with the Core Class line-up of figures introduced in Studio Series 2 years ago, and this may sadly be the final rodeo for smaller-than-Deluxe characters. We may see them included with larger characters as some sort of price-hike justification, like Ramhorn can come with Perceptor to desperately be a Voyager Class set. But for now, let's look back on this mixed bag of a quartet of molds.

4. Steeljaw - Hasbro, what were you smoking when making this shitty excuse of a cassette deployer??? As much as I hate hearing Geewunners boast about their toys being the best, the original Steeljaw is worlds better than this dumbass piece of shit.

3. Concept Art Rumble/Frenzy - The Concept Art subline really is Hasbro trying hard to bulk up the Bumblebee movie roster more than it is trying to make characters who actually were meant to appear in a prior movie, huh? I'd be fine with Rumble if he matched the Battle at Half Dome design, but this toy, with its lackluster arm articulation, puny size, and pathetic alt mode, make this a worse figure than the pegwarming Ravage. At least Ravage was decently articulated. Also, Frenzy is a slap in the face for anyone hoping to complete the 2007 Decepticon collection.

2. Starscream - Now we have some genuine quality! This version's altmode looks much better than the Voyager while also having a transformation that feels somewhat more straightforward than its larger toy. Robot mode does have stiff neck rotation, but at least he looks sleeker than the Voyager. Still odd how he and Shockwave were some of the large-scale characters to receive Cores if you exclude Bumblebee (since he was redecoed from tiny dude Laserbeak) and the 86 characters like Ironhide.

1. Mohawk - The Last Knight may have sucked ass, but that doesn't stop me from loving this figure. The bike mode matches the on-screen altmode fairly well, the transformation is somewhat unique, robot mode has some of that personality representing Mohawk's loudmouth nature, and his removable head has an articulated jaw to boot! Now we need more of Megatron's shortlived crew.

Moving on to the main numbering system, I am including the two characters from Transformers One despite them being unconnected from the 7 live-action movies. Not only is it much easier to label this section as "mainline films" to separate them from the 1986 and Gamer Edition sublines, but there is so little TFOne rep that it wouldn't make sense to separate them. Let's carry on. 

8. Megatron (TF One) - For as rushed and watered-down as the film was, seeing D-16 become Megatron near the end of the movie was the one thing I liked most. From pulling Megatronus's T-Cog out of the dead Sentinel's body to him sounding less like the "stronger friend" character trope seen in many animated films to a pretty convincing Megatron, it did make me intrigued in owning the Studio Series figure as it's release date got closer. Sadly, it suffers from some uncharacteristically long legs (or having the hips connected to the skirt armor), having no silver paint despite the movie coating him in that color, not featuring the bulked out fusion cannon in this form, and missing the Decepticon insignia either etched by Sentinel or stamped at the end. Likely because of the mandate in having most of the characters in the Deluxe scale, Megatron suffers from having basic engineering that includes making a chunk of the altmode detached out of the box. Like with Legacy United Quake, it's not technically partsforming, but it shows how held back some characters could be in this scale.

7. Skywarp - After no Seeker repaints popped up in 2023, Skywarp at least completes the OG trio, though he still retains all the flaws from the other non-Thrust versions of the mold. I also have to knock points off for the bent up nosecones and the stress marks on some of the parts near it in robot mode; the opaque cockpit is also going to throw many off for how it doesn't match the more translucent ones on the other Seekers. And while this is the deco that he had in the movie, I think it looks more like a generic Seeker than a proper Skywarp. And Thew thought Siege Skywarp looked washed out!

6. Shockwave - It was about time this thicc-thighed Thoccwave got a larger toy after only having a Core Class figure in 2022. While that part is cool, he does function rather similarly to the smaller toy, albeit with the benefit of having his hands and wrists hidden away. That being said, I despise how he has no bicep rotation. We can have two thighs swivels but no bicep swivels? About as stupid of a choice as putting the Geewun designs in the beginning of the Bumblebee movie. OH!

5. Scorponok - Even though this Predacon is now a Troopbuilder that didn't transform (sadly), this figure did make me wish he actually had the concept art utilized in the movie. With how toyetic the Buzzworthy version looked, I'm happy to report that the same isn't said with this monstrous design. I also like that for once the scorpion claws become part of the shoulders rather than the forearms, and using the tail as a whip also works. Sadly, the ball-jointed feet are rather loose, and my copy's hips are unusually sticky. Not in a liquid substance way but for how stiff they are in addition to the plastic feeling slightly flexible. Still, this at least makes me interested in having Double Punch in 2025, and I am interested in a hypothetical Sandstorm.

5. Megatron (Concept Art) - For as overrated as the design and hype towards this figure can get, I at least appreciate the ideas this figure provides; this mainly revolves around a triple-changing Megatron, having as much articulation as possible, and even the fan mode potential many have taken advantage of. That being said, the two altmodes suck in either appearance or stability, he is missing wheels in the tank treads for a Leader Class, and doesn't have much in the form of accessories to loosely justify his price tag. I'm glad he was cut from the movie, but we'll see if the G.I.Joe crossover will fuck things up with continuity even more than the last few movies have.

3. Wheeljack - Forget that Downshift-looking dude. This is the real Wheeljack of the movie continuity! Even more screen-accurate than the mainline Deluxe, Jackie benefits from a more accurate transformation, altmode, and bot mode proportions. Sadly, he still has a generic gun, the transformation is more annoying to work with, and the wings are facing the wrong way. I wish there would be upgrade kits to fix that, but it seems butthurt mf's are more obsessed with giving him a Geewun head. 

2. Optimus Prime (TF One) - Even though I don't like the newest movie, I do like this figure apart from a few issues. The beige doesn't look that great, even if he did have a champagne tint on the silvery parts. His axe is somewhat inaccurate, the crotch comes off easily, and the cannons are useless in bot mode, but the transformation is decent, the robot mode looks accurate, the truck mode is more convincing as a Cybertronian design than the Siege version, and he even features a Matrix in this scale. With a larger scale, he could be even better, but this is an A-Level Deluxe due to Hasbro wanting the figures to be more accessible...even though $25 for a Deluxe ain't cheap.

1. Sunstreaker - A surprisingly good figure, Sunstreaker won me over with how inventive he felt, what with the alt mode having a mix of Corvette and Lamborghini elements, the versatility of his guns, and a design that isn't quite as Geewunish as other Autobots are. I wouldn't mind if he was in the movie since he'd be less likely to break continuity. He could use some black paint in bot mode, but he is a welcome addition regardless. Bonus points for making him an almost perfect companion for Gamer Edition Sideswipe.

Given how the 40th anniversary of the Transformers franchise mainly gave far too much attention to G1 than the 30th anniversary, the 86 subline continues getting more attention than it really needs at this rate, we have figures from that film to go over. Luckily, next year will change things up with the addition of Devastator. Until then, here are the characters we got this year:

8 and 7. Dead Ratchet and Brawn - A companion piece for the dead IronProwl set, this RatchBrawn set does a similar schtick of making Ratchet utilize no opaque parts, giving Brawn a torso molded in its color rather than have it painted on, and adding damage as well as screaming heads. Not much else to write home about at this rate with the concept, but it's proof that Hasbro will milk this fucking movie till it's dry no matter what.

6. Scrapheap - Another Junkion retool made without one present in 2023, possibly since Junkyard warmed shelves. He at least has a gun and still has retooled parts of his own. Still, I'm through with this mold with how barely different the regular Junkions are. Good thing Legacy Evolution changed things up with their unique designs.

5. Blaster - A Target-exclusive variant of Kingdom Blaster, this version has brighter grays, a white face, and opaque plastic for the chest and Eject. If you got the original, you can skip on this. If you never got that version somehow, you could have gotten this. I did when the ROTB DVD was on discount, and it was a good bargain. Still, WHY WASN'T THIS WHAT WE GOT IN THE FIRST PLACE?!

4. Springer - As much as I don't like the way Hasbro had to justify calling this a Leader Class toy due to the triple-changing aspect Siege handled as a Voyager back then, the retooling and accessory count does attempt to justify it. I appreciate the new accessories and the efforts they put in retooling this figure. There is room for improvement, however, mainly for covering the wheels in helicopter mode as well as covering the gaps in the back of the robot legs. This may as well be the last Springer I'll need after thinking Siege would be it.

3. Bumblebee - I thought Netflix would be it for a G1 Bumblebee in my CHUG display, but then this figure popped up and may be a little more definitive in some cases. His alt mode rooftop could be rounder and his windows blue instead of black, but the latter can be fixed with Reprolabels unless you're fine with the toy-accuracy. I like that the figure captures the chibi proportions of the G1 series while also adding an Autobot insignia on the chest and hiding the one on the hood in bot mode. No partsforming is needed this time, though I can always have Legacy Goldbug be the design using the Netflix tooling.

2. Swoop - The G1 Dinobots are finally complete, and I'm happy to report that Swoop managed to be better than I expected. He has a good amount of accessories as well as a solid wingspan in Dino mode to make up for his leaner proportions, and I appreciate that his transformation isn't super basic. Swoop could have easily been a Voyager, but making him a Leader works well just so he can be in equal footing with his fellow Dinobots. He even has a sword meant for Grimlock. That being said, still waiting for the AOE Dinobots, Hasbro.

1. Optimus Prime (Commander Class) - Too easy and predictable. Still, I'd argue this toy has a great amount of passion put into it, arguably more than other Commanders apart from Earthrise Sky Lynx, Legacy Evolution Armada Prime, and this year's United Magmatron. While he is a textbook example of a mini-Masterpiece, the engineering thankfully isn't riddled with BS, the accessories he comes with are plentiful, and the trailer feels as dense as the G1 versions (for the most part). There are some things I'd fix, but he still feels like the final CHUG-scale Prime fans need, and I hope people get their hands on this instead of that shitty Devastation Deluxe Prime.

And finally, Gamer Edition takes the spotlight to wrap things up soon. Let's quickly go over Reactivate Bumblebee for a moment; he looks cool and represents a bit more creativity than other Reactivate designs using the G1/evergreen looks but with post-apocalyptic aesthetics. However, this was never part of the Studio Series line originally and thus won't be included. Stay tuned for where I place him in my miscellaneous Transformers ranking list. Spoiler alert, it may happen sooner than Reactivate updates.

4. Decepticon Soldier - As a heavy retool of Barricade, this Genericon consists of a chunkier bot mode design than the bad cop had, though with faintly painted metallic green accents on a light gray body. The head is kind of neat, and the figure is somehow less disappointing than Barricade. Maybe it's because I had fewer expectations for a no-name than a legacy-ish character. The mold is still mid, though.

3. Starscream - Looking more obese than the old toy, this Starscream suffers from a shorter wingspan, a bigger torso, and weapons that are mostly awkward for him to hold with how the handles are. The melee weapon especially looks goofy without him holding it in a higher part of the handle. Articulation is at least comparable to the old Deluxe, but there is a ton of room for improvement. I doubt Skywarp would be any better.

2. Sideswipe - This guy is not as bad as I anticipated. Though he suffers from having no ankle pivots, I can at least say more effort was out into this design thanks to a more inventive transformation, weapon integration that fits his proportions, and overall being an improvement from the old Deluxe, which was retooled from that shitty Deluxe Jazz mold from FOC.

1. Ratchet - The best Gamer Edition figure we got yet, and it does at least prove that making these kinds of figures is not downright impossible for Hasbro. His alt mode and bot mode are equally good, articulation isn't missing any key points like ankle pivots, there is storage for the weapon and - *GASP* - the right forearm, too?! The only issues I have are how cheap the white plastic sort of feels without a wash to reduce the likelihood of this toy yellowing, and the arms can be somewhat shorter if it weren't for the shoulder pads. Still, those are handled better than on Legacy Laser Prime and Armada Megatron.

And that about wraps it up for the 2024 line-up! We'll see how good 2025 can be, with a mostly promising lineup of figures in the first wave alone, but we also have more figures coming soon with Que and a long-overdue AOE Prime joined with a new G1 Megatron and other Constructicons. Let's just hope 2025 manages to be tolerable as a year.

Transformers Legacy United Quake review

The Legacy United line reaches its end with the last newish mold to discuss. While there have been some heavy retools like Quake like Fractured Friendships Optimus Prime or Rukus from the Doom & Destruction Amazon collection, they're more or less similar to the figures they're retooled from. Quake at least has plenty of differences to make him feel like a new toy, similar to turning chopper Dropkick into AOE Drift in the Studio Series line. That being said, while that felt like a genuine glow-up since Dropkick was shit, I doubt there would be any major improvements for Quake, especially if we're going from a sort of unique Pretender Shell design to a more generic robot mode.

Here we have Quake in his vehicle mode. This feels like a poorly thought out design if you consider the proportions and how each part is layered from the treads to the turret. The bottom part looks mostly fine apart from the missing armor plates are the front. The parts that will later become the arms and front of the robot flow poorly if they're trying to be a turret. Things get worse with the blue also adding some unintended color-breakup, with the gray turret feeling like a tiny bun on a sandwich by comparison. I know tank modes can be tiresome to do if you're stuck with late-G1 characters that aren't significant like Bludgeon or Spinister, but at least put some effort in this altmode! It's almost as bad as Titanium Megatron, though IDK which of the two is worse.

The turret can rotate ever so slightly before the part holding the barrel untabs itself from the turret. At least the barrel can hinge up and down, but this may as well have the same functionality as Titanium Megatron's turret.

The Double Targetmasters can peg on the top, but they'll end up making the alt mode worse than it already is.

For a vehicle mode size comparison, here he is with Needlenose from last year. While I felt that toy was a rather plain plane, even for Deluxe standards, at least there is a nice-looking part of the altmode that can be appreciated without looking at the undercarriage. His own Double Targetmaster partners also don't clash too much with the look of the altmode, which just makes the ones on Quake all the more egregious. 

And here he is with the sculpt he is retooled from, representing the G2 Cybertronian from last year's Buzzworthy Troopbuilder pack and Skullgrin from regular Legacy. Interesting how they churn out this mold at the end of the end of the year in their respective line. Though the prior two uses of the mold look rather mediocre, they at least try to look more sci-fi in appearance than whatever aesthetic Quake is trying to be. Is it Earthly or Cybertronian? The old toy turned into a real-world tank, so is this one trying to do the same?

The transformation is mostly the same as on Skullgrin, though now with tank tread pylons that are more likely to pop off the hinges than they ever had. The upper body transforms the same way. The robot mode does look like a refined version of his G1 toy, but so are many figures in the line. At least there are things to like about the design, such as the tank tread legs, the blue almost looking like a bulletproof vest, and the dark color scheme. I also like that his colors are in-between the standard palette of Needlenose and the fashion-like late-G1/early-G2 color schemes. That being said, he could almost pass off for a Targetmaster with how little of him looks like a Transformer.

Head sculpt is detailed and looks great, though it could also pass off as one of the recycled designs seen in the late-80s. Articulation consists of a ball-joint at the head, shoulder rotation, outward arm movement, bicep rotation, elbow bends, waist rotation, universal hip joints, thigh rotation, hinges knees, and ankle pivots. 

For a robot mode size comparison, here he is next to Needlenose once again. I could show Spinister but he'll make both of them look like crap because he rules.

The funny thing about Quake is the fact that the turret comes off, and it is not attached while in-package. This is the result of being a retool of Skullgrin.

And of course, here is each character's Double Targetmaster partners, with Quake's Heater and Tiptop on the left while the others belong to Needlenose. Once again, they're static and only have barrels on hinges for gun mode. One issue for Tiptop is that he is lathered in purple paint rather than actually be molded in that color; this means his barrel detaches whenever you try to hinge it in either place. The paint covering the area where the barrel connects also scrapes off rather easily. Where was QC on that day??

And here he is with Skullgrin and the G2 Cybertronian once again. He is taller than both of them, and I do appreciate that he is heavily retooled to the point where he looks and functions like a new mold. We have gone a long way from reuse potential back then. That doesn't excuse the way the figure turned out with parts popping off more than on its mold mates or terrible tank mode. With the likelihood of seeing Generations figures at discount near your local Ross or Ollie's, you can get him for cheap and feel less ripped off than you would paying him for full. Out of the Double Targetmaster we got since Siege, Spinister remains the best while Needlenose is average, and Quake is as poor as a fake.

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

McFarlane DC Multiverse Green Lantern (Silver Age/Digital) review

McFarlane DC Multiverse reviews may start to form a bigger presence now than they did even in 2021! After feeling disappointed by the Mattel DCUC offerings as well as lacking confidence in DC Collectibles or Icons having a complete roster I can track down with no issue, the McFarlane line does at least provide me with the opportunity to catch up with the offerings they had in the past. Even if there is a 1% chance the license will be dropped, I'd take that as an absolute certainty by getting a figure like Green Lantern. I previously took a look at the John Stewart last year and put him in my Snyder Cut display, but that was a more modern design part of the 2018 relaunch. Let's see how Hal Jordan turned out for this review because he's the reason you'd want to get this figure in the first place; no flimsy terabyte-drainer needed!

Here we have Green Lantern in hand. The details of his costume are applied via paint, with the base mold originating from possibly the Blue Beetle/Booster Gold 2-pack. In my opinion, having details of a costume be raised in relief from the rest of the design does vary on the character in question; I like seeing a more three-dimensional chest logo for Superman and Batman to add a bit of layer to the iconic S-shield and Bat-symbol (especially if the latter has to be on a yellow oval). In the case of the Green Lantern, I'm fine with having it tampo'd on given how much simpler it looks compared to the other examples I mentioned, with the main priority for the paint transfer to be crisp, aligned properly, and opaque. McFarlane did a great job ensuring all paint details on the costume are applied properly and with a little to no QC errors as possible, whether it's the flesh tones on the neck or the color breakup between the black on the arms compared to the green on the torso or white of the gloves. The proportions are also great for a comic book character with a decent build, as Hal Jordan's physique doesn't have to be super-dynamic given his main strength lies in the power of his ring rather than prioritize the brawn you'd normally see on characters like Superman. The only oddity would have to be the choice of the diaper-piece associated with almost every McFarlane figure. While it makes sense for Superman and Batman to hide the hip joints, it comes off as an extra piece of the costume that normally isn't present on a Green Lantern. Beyond that, the figure looks great, with the actual main issue I have is how awkward the indents on the ankles are, making it difficult to have the figure standing straight.

The head sculpt suits Hal Jordan perfectly, with the hairdo and domino mask already signature traits of the character design. What elevates this further is the appropriate size for the white eyes on said mask as well as the slight smirk befitting Hal's character. Being a fighter jet pilot before his role as the Green Lantern of Earth, he grew to develop a somewhat cocky attitude that'd almost make him perfect for any military movie if he was never given the power ring. Speaking of, you can see it sculpted and painted on the right hand as it should be in the articulation photo next to the head sculpt pic. Also speaking of, he has a double-ball neck joint, ball joints for front and back motion in addition to having them shift around with the rotator cuffs hiding said joint, hinges for outward arm movement, bicep rotation, double-jointed elbows, and double-purpose wrists that can rotate at two pegs, with the connection at the forearm allowing the hands to hinge either vertically or horizontally. The torso includes a diaphragm joint and dumbbell waist, hips can move front and back as well as in and out, slight thigh rotation is included, knees bend with double-joints, and the feet can rotate, hinge, and pivot. Finally, the toes can bend for natural walking poses. Though he has no flight stand, you are free to supply one for him from any other Dc Multiverse figure that comes with one.

The figure comes with two punch effect pieces, which fit snugly into either hand (the right one moreso than the left hand). These are appropriate for any Green Lantern figure given their whole schtick being the power to generate weapons or enhanced attacks thanks to their rings. Also suitable for a Green Lantern to come with is a lantern to hold. While I'd like to see Green Lantern have some additional accessories that'd allow for more display options, what he comes with is at least enough for the price tag we're offered...for the most part. Also, not pictured is the the splayed-open alternate hand that we'll see later down in the review.

Here he is next to the Green Lantern I reviewed last year, and while many have their issues with McFarlane's DC Multiverse line, be it for genuine criticisms or whiny shit people spout (similar issues with Marvel Legends criticisms but not as prominent), I love it when the company can improve their body sculpts in terms of proportions and where it is appropriate to make suit cuts for articulation. I like putting my John Stewart with my ZSJL figures, but I know his proportions seem fairly wonky thanks to the length of the arms in addition to how much the upper body slopes downwards compared to the way they look on Hal. I also like it when we have the option to give figures alternate hands rather than leave them with their hands constantly in a C-joint pose if they're not holding their accessories. Despite both being from the same universe, the different costume aesthetics don't make them as much of a match compared to other versions of John Stewart. Unless you're fine with mixing and matching different versions of the Green Lantern Corps, then you should find versions that match either version. Also, I wanted to talk about the display base being distinct for the new logo and what that entails.

This whole digital thing essentially means you have the opportunity to get an NFT equivalent to a digital action figure in a virtual showroom, with CAD files you can place wherever you want after everything is minted. It's a very complicated process that I don't see interest in. I've never been a fan of the whole NFT concept, as it's much easier to just mess with the figure than deal with a 3D environment with less of the fun you'd get from animating in Blender or playing a game. There are things Todd McFarlane doesn't deserve the blame for, but this is probably his stupidest idea ever.

For a group shot with some of the Justice League members I have out of their boxes, here he is with Black & Grey Knightfall Batman, Action Comics #1000 Superman, and Collector Edition Wonder Woman. Fun fact: I was going to use the regular Knightfall Batman, but then I remember I prefer my Batman in black and gray a la the Animated Series, Arkhamverse, Batfleck, etc. I'm already more impressed with the higher variety of body types and unique sculptwork between the male characters in the McFarlane line, especially after the way the DCUC characters turned out. That being said, some may say that either Wonder Woman is a little taller than normal or Superman is not tall enough. Oh, and Green Lantern has his second alternate hand. It's odd how the other set of alternate hands are exclusive to the left side, but I perhaps it makes sense if he's going to showcase that ring constantly as a fist. Overall, I'm pretty happy with how Green Lantern turned out, even if there are some things I'd change here and there. At the very least, I got him for a slightly cheaper price after he was sold out everywhere, not to mention my huge lack of interest in the NFT concept. I'll stick with just the action figure, thank you very much. Also random fact: I spotted this same figure at a FYE when I checked out a mall yesterday and was not impressed by that $39.99 price tag. I'd rather buy that Superman vs Ultraman 2-pack with the smiling Pepe the Frog looking ass Supes head if it was at a discount.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐