Transformers Kingdom Rodimus Prime review

Hot Rod's gotten the usual amount of attention he's used to, but Rodimus Prime is a different story for a few good reasons: he's either hard to sell with his trailer at a reasonable price or they wanted to stick with his younger self while using the name "Rodimus" in older CHUG entries. Amusingly, this trend was seen after years of repaints of the Classics mold and the Hasbro version of MP-09, where we rebooted with a Legends Rodimus in Combiner Wars before getting the name "Hot Rod" back as a Titans Return Deluxe and having a Leader Class entry as Rodimus Prime in Power of the Primes. When the Generations line rebooted, Hot Rodimus Prime wasn't too far off as he received a Voyager in Studio Series 86 as his turbo-revvin' self before receiving a surprising Commander Class entry as Optimus Prime's successor! While a Broadside, Tidal Wave, or a Magnaboss would make more sense for Kingdom, especially given how massive those guys are, perhaps Rodimus can justify himself in the Commander Class price point?

Here we have the Rodimus unit on its own. It's a beefier take on Hot Rod's vehicle mode, turning it from a cool cruiser to a vicious vehicle. It's not as rounded as the younger form, nor does it betray the core concept of G1 Hot Rod. He lacks the engine block and looks taller, but it makes sense for a more serious take on the guy. The sculpted details especially sell the feel of this being a Heft Rod, which is always a treat when they make my toys look like they have effort put into them compared to the ReAction smoothness that bores me on some Transformers. The paint apps are greatly appreciative, and I like that they're both nicely applied like the spoiler or look crisp like the hood (the headlights could be better, though).

You can see how chunkier it looks from the side profile, as it doesn't look as rounded as Regular Rod is. Additionally, the pipes can use the flame pieces that give off bigger, deadlier flames that might do more damage than the normal ones. For some reason, they're cast in clear blue plastic yet are painted black. Maybe it's to make them more ephemeral, but I won't be happy with the lack of paint on the rims. I know this guy does so much, but for an $80+ toy, painted rims should not be excluded, especially when smaller toys would generally have their rims painted. 

The weapons can be stored underneath the car in the case of the sword and on the sides in the case of the folded-up rifle. Do keep in mind these aren't the only methods of storing these weapons for this toy, which is pretty sweet since the gun does look stupid when folded up.

For a size comparison, here he is with his smaller Hot Rod self, who is definitely the more rounded and fun-focused of the two. It's a major contrast between the two figures, with one being small and sleek while the other means business. The colors are different between the two apart from the obvious design choices, with Hot Rod looking more magenta and somewhat less vibrant than the richer colors of Rodimus Prime. This is especially noticeable with the flames, with Hot Rod lacking the black outline and prominent Autobot insignia that Rodimus has. Oh, and Hot Rod lacks the orange that Rodimus Prime's spoiler has. 

The flames can be juxtaposed by Hot Rod's smaller nitrous and Rodimus's toxic flame boosts, giving one a more speed-obsessed feel and the other a deadly attack. I also like how the back of the car mode doesn't look as rough for Rodimus Prime as it is on Hot Rod.

And with the base figure covered, let's take a look at the trailer. It's big, has nicely applied paint (especially for the flames), and the overall feel doesn't have that unsatisfying cheapness that plagued Earthrise Optimus Prime. I value everything that was added to make this figure feel more complete than it otherwise would be, especially since everyone wants to see how well it'd justify the Commander price tag that it is going for. If anything, this may be the best trailer in terms of form that we've gotten for a mainline release, beating both the Earthrise trailer and the Studio Series DOTM trailer. It's not 100% perfect, as we'll get to, mainly the way the sculpted details aren't as sharp as the sculpted details that Rodimus Prime has on his own as well as the pipes that have been broken up in order to allow the figure to slide into the trailer. It opens up as one would expect, but first, let's give it the ramps and the ability to store the cannon on the top! There is even a stand for the cannon when placed on the top. Also, the pipes look like it's trying to hold on something nonexistent.

Sliding Rodimus Prime into the trailer is pretty easy, with a tight connection between the toy and the trailer as well as a spring-loaded tab that further solidifies everything. When completed, Rodimus Prime definitely sticks out too much than it normally does, but that must be from how the figure is designed as well as the fact that this is an independent vehicle instead of a shite transitional mode that pre-dates the Cyberverse guys. The flame pieces on the back can be used in order to use the 

If you slide this tray out, you can store the flame pieces and the Matrix effet piece underneath here, and yes, it is a different part from what Hot Rod came with. Other storage options include the 5mm ports on said tray, and you even have a small compartment on the front of the trailer. Definitely a lot of places to store any extra pieces if you ask me!

For a size comparison between some other leaders released in the WFC line, he fits in quite appropriately with them, I'd say that while he stands out amongst Optimus and Magnus for not being a truck, his trailer definitely feels closer to what it has been in G1 compared to Magnus's Earth take on the Siege trailer and Optimus's cheap and less exciting rendition of his famous trailer.

Transforming Rodimus Prime may seem like it's an upscale of the Studio Series 86 Voyager, but its new steps, such as the way the torso transforms without a faux chest, the wheels protruding slightly on the shoulders, the way the arms swivel around are relatively new for this guy. It's a great way to help Hasbro make the figure feel consistent with the previous guy in terms of transformation without making him feel too much like an upscale of the older toy. It's a different take on how the Studio Series Starscream was more than just an oversized version of the DOTM Deluxe; apart from its nicer plastic quality and sharper details (and the more robust joints as well as added chest covers), Studio Series Starscream's nowhere near as divergent from the mold it's inspired by compared to Rodimus Prime. And the resulting robot mode is amazing! It's able to give Rodimus an appropriate amount of mass without making him too lanky like Hot Rod or bulky like Optimus Prime. The figure also feels much more impressive than Hot Rod ever was, combining the lovely sculpted details with the new posture he has where he feels much more alive than the straight up and down look of Hot Rod. He does have a backpack but it is forgivable since it's fairly compact overall, and the spoiler sticking out from the back looks great whether it's shown from the back or from the front, and can I get a hell-yeah for the linework on it?!

Head sculpt is very stern and older than Hot Rod's face was, but I think it fits him very well. I also love the silver face he has to further make him look older and wiser than he was as Hot Rod. The subtle darker paint apps are kept intact for his head, too. His articulation is about the same as what we got with Hot Rod, but it's even slightly improved, shall we say. The head is on a ball joint while the neck is on a hinge, the shoulders move front and back, in and out, they're on butterfly joints (with added flexibility when the panel around the collar is untabbed), the elbows are on two points, the biceps swivel, and the wrists can swivel as well, but new to this are not just inward wrist curling but also added finger articulation reminiscent of some Masterpiece figures of the index finger and the conjoined middle, ring, and pinky fingers. The waist swivels, the hips move front and back as well as in and out with new skirt panels, the thighs swivel, knees bend at two points, and the ankles hinge as well as pivot.

The flames can be attached on the forearm pipes as expected, which give off a more noxious attack that may be even deadlier than the normal flames to the Decepticons. His rifle can also be held on two hands and be compatible with the various effect pieces, though 1 or 2 piece combos are recommended.

This is the total amount of pieces you can get up to with the different effect pieces available. IF you want, you can use this on Grimlock if it was orange or maybe T-Wrecks. Additionally, Rodimus Prime comes with the Matrix Sword, a surprising addition to the figure since it's based on the niche Regeneration One finale where he used it in the final battle. It has a 5mm peg that can be taken out and be used on his back or on any other part of the trailer for storage. Additionally, he is likely the only Transformer meant to hold it since his hands are able to clip it onto them no problem, which cannot be said for Optimus Prime nor Primal.

The Matrix Chamber opens up to reveal the artifact inside, and it looks pretty good inside the decently painted storage compartment. Not many paint apps in used but the sculpted details are sufficient enough to me.

It's great to have him not just come with a Matrix but also the effect pieces and articulation appropriate for him. You can also use plenty of display options with Studio Series 86 Hot Rod to display his transformation from turbo-revvin' punk to Autobot Leader. Hell, let's add Optimus Prime into the equation to give him the "Arise, Rodimus Prime" line!

Opening up the trailer grants you the ability to bring out the cannon of the Mobile Defense Bay, which is nicely done as far as functionality is concerned apart from the lack of wheels, and I like how the cannons have some black fade to make it look worn from constant use. There's a good amount of space for someone like Blurr to be on the platform with him while Springer has to reside with being on the ground. The battle platform can be detached and you can use the trailer for any kind of weapon storage, as seen here. LEt's take it a step further by hinging the back of the trailer down to reveal it has some A.I.R. Lock clips to allow you to connect the trailer with any other bases! You will need either a Battlemaster like Soundbarrier or use the ramps that come with the Modulators to better connect the Mobile Defense Bay with the Combat Deck of Optimus Prime. Oh, and as much as I'd never thought I'd say this, but Rodimus's trailer is way better than Optimus's. There, I said it.

For a size comparison, here is Rodimus Prime with his predecessor, his previous form, his predecessor's mortal enemy, and his own mortal enemy who is the reformatted version of his predecessor's mortal enemy, a.k.a. Optimus Prime, Hot Rod, Megatron, and Galvatron, respectively. He's definitely got some height over his younger, pluckier counterpart, and he maintains a respectable height next to Optimus and Megatron; it's Galvatron who's taller than all of them, though it makes sense given how he was released with his two-piece canon, the Matrix on a chain, and his guns in one set. I don't know if Galvatron was taller in the cartoon or in the comics, but if so, then the toy does an appropriate job of making Galvatron look like a threat as well as Kingdom Rodimus Prime does at making his appearance look accurate to how it should in the character model.

And for one more comparison, here he is with the 1986 Movie cast newcomers in the form of Springer from Siege, Arcee from Earthrise, Ultra Magnus from the same Kingdom line that he's from, and both Blurr and Kup from Studio Series 86! These figures do look great together, seeing how we have a much more consistent line-up of G1 characters in the CHUG line given how we previously had to contend with Fansproject-upgraded Rodimus and Magnus from Classics, Warbot Defender, whatever 3Ps had for Arcee, and Generations Blurr and Kup as far as 1986 Autobot display options were concerned one decade ago. Also amazing that we have beaten the Masterpiece line by having twice the characters represented in this line when they only did Rodimus, Magnus, and Arcee. All we need now is Wreck-Gar and the upgrade kit to make the Wheelie that came with Grimlock better. Overall, Kingdom Rodimus Prime does enough to justify putting him in the Commander Class price point. Between the amount of paint and engineering spent in making the figure feel robust and complete, on top of him being a meaner fighting machine take on Hot Rod, this guy feels like the best that we've gotten out of Rodimus Prime overall. He's not 100% perfect, though. I do wish his rims were painted, and the trailer not lining up even when closed all the way does get on my nerves. But that doesn't mean I hate him! He's an impressive toy that doesn't feel like I need any stinkin' upgrade kits nor does he fall apart out of the box like MP-09! Thank you, WFC line, for making me a happy G1 Transformer collector!

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Marvel Legends Infinity Saga Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger 2-pack review

The MCU tends to have a trope where the villain is basically a copy of the good guy after they were tired of being in their shadow or envy their capabilities. While there have been villains that do act similarly to their rivals in terms of powers (Darth Vader from Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy, General Zod from Superman in Man of Steel), but the villain tropes we got from the MCU generally got tiresom for most solo films. It's especially annoying when we have a rich guy pull the strings while the more powered villain does everything overall. At least with Obadiah Stane, he felt better executed than Justin Hammer or Aldrich Killian; it's not the fact that they did similar roles to Stane, but they feel way less interesting than the man himself. We've had merchandise before for Iron Monger, but mainly a 6-inch gimmick figure from the first movie and a Hot Toys that probably has been out of stock for so long. Let's see what Hasbro's new take on the guy has to offer.

Let's start with Obadiah Stane, who has been given the generic suit body that you've likely seen on plenty of Legends from time to time, like Tony Stark, J Jonah Jameson, etc. It makes sense, and the fact that the suit is pretty basic for either comic figures or live-action figures makes it pretty versatile. I think the wrinkles of the outfit, combined with the tie's detailing and the undershirt make it feel more like a completed look that one would expect from a figure like this. The shoes are a nice, shiny black plastic to help them stand out more from the fabric, and they both make them look like proper shoes, too. Some may say the proportions don't quite fit the bodyframe of Jeff Bridges, but it does to me, at least.

Head sculpt is very accurate to the actor in 2008, and I appreciate how there's a good amount of deco applied to make the likeness more life-like, a feat Hasbro have been improving over the years. The beard and the stern expression especially help. The articulation for this guy is on-par with one would expect: ball-joint and neck for the head, shoulders that move 360 degrees, move in and out, bicep swivels, double-elbows, wrist swivels and hinges for in and out movement, ab crunches and waist swiveling, hips that move front and back, in and out, thigh swivels, double knees, and ankle swivels as well as hinges and pivots. You don't need to put him in any action poses apart from him holding his black suitcase and the arc reactor he stole from Tony. It's nicely detailed and was one of the pivotal aspects of his creation of Iron Monger. Both accessories can be held decently on the respective hands.

For a suit comparison, here he is in-between Charles Xavier from the 2000s and Logan from his final movie. Indeed, the suit design is different from the torso between the three of them, and if we exclude Charles out of the equation, the professionalism of Obadiah is more present in his attire than Logan's, with the former being more uptight and the latter looking more worn out. Also, the legs appear to be the same, but Logan's are more bent out of the packaging as expected with Hasbro figures due to the plastic used. One thing I noticed is that Obadiah's head is probably smaller than the X-Men's, which may or may not be accurate depending on how he looked IRL (and it's not easy to have 2000s Patrick Stewart, 2008 Jeff Bridges, and 2017 Hugh Jackman together).

And now we have the main attraction, the Iron Monger suit. This behemoth is about the same height as with a majority of BAFs released by Hasbro, but I feel he's quite heavier than most of them in terms of how he weighs in-hand. The sculptwork for the figure is nicely done to make it feel rough dense as it was in the movie, and while it is a monochrome suit, there is a nice color breakup between the gray plastic and the gunmetal paint on some areas of the design. The arc reactor, guns, pistons, and the under parts of the armor are my favorite parts of the suit, as it makes it feel more mechanical than without those, even if it's not as smooth as Iron Man's suit (or the Hulkbuster, for that matter). Let's be honest, the older Stark Tech from the pre-Phase 3 MCU movies felt cooler than the new stuff, even if the latter's more convenient.

Head sculpt is done up rather nicely, capturing the more bucket-head look that it's known for rather than the sleek appearance that Iron Man has. It's like an uglier version of the Mark 1 head, especially with the eyes and mouth being more repugnant than they already were. And the eyes are given a nice amount of paint without being inaccurate. Some would want the armor to look more reflective, but it's fine with me. Iron Monger's articulation is a little different from the man underneath the suit: the head is on a ball joint, shoulders move front and back, in and out, swivel at the biceps (with plastic pistons that flex when you move the arms around and even slide out to allow for more range), 90 degree elbow bends, wrist swivels and hinges for in and out, there is a diaphragm joint, hips move front and back, in and out, thigh swivels, knee bends, and ankle hinges as well as pivots. You can add a mini rocket on one of the bars that house the shoulder pads (which can also move around like the pistons) as well as swap the fists for open hands for an alternate display pose.

As far as the other accessories are concerned, you can pose him with an ammo belt that pegs on the machine gun and a blast effect piece that, while normally used for Iron Man's repulsor blasts, are given a rapid fire look that makes sense for this figure's weapon. Another display option is a smoke piece that helps make it look like finished unloading its ammo. Some may think it looks like a sperm, but get your mind out of the gutters because I don't think we've ever gotten figures with a smoke effect piece on a gun.

For a size comparison, here he is with his civilian identity in front of him, Leader Galvatron from Kingdom, and McFarlane Darkseid from the DC Multiverse line. He's definitely got an equal height to Darkseid yet is much heavier than him, and he's even taller than Galvatron, with my impression thinking that he'd be just a head taller than the Voyager with Benefits. Some may wish he was even bigger because Obadiah was pretty small underneath the suit, but in its defense, I think Hasbro made up for the somewhat inaccurate height by having him be heavier than expected. And inb4 people say that they want to fit him inside, good luck managing that without compromising a figure designed for articulation more than suiting up.

Overall, Iron Monger is another win in the few Infinity Saga Legends that I plan to buy, which is pretty great since we never got any new Hasbro representation of this specific design since 2008 from Hasbro. I know they tend to market whatever they put out these days, but Iron Monger feels right at home along with the rest of Phase 1. I have had peace with the recent films after seeing how the handling of them is better than the Hamadaverse (on top of 2018 honestly being a stronger year than 2017 and 2019 by having 2 good films while the former had 1 decent flick and the latter being junk), but the older films have a more satisfying feel to them that makes me think less of them being commercials for films that have yet to come out. Basically, quality over quantity. As for the figure itself, it's great that we have it as part of the multi-pack instead of a BAF because the heft, added pistons, and some of the subtle paint apps make him feel more like a centerpiece for an Iron Monger display rather than the BAF of the wave. And yes, Iron Man's aided by War Machine because it's now a 1v2!

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Marvel Legends Infinity Saga Iron Man Mark III review

Phase 1 of the MCU is undoubtedly my favorite part of the series, no doubt due to the better tone, less shite writing, and less of a made-by-committee feel that the series tends to be in recent memory. See, it was less about quantity and more about quality. I miss when it was about those days because everything tends to be pretty lackluster when it gets all bloated and whatnot. Remember those days? I love it when those were the times we had. Now then, let's be real here: Iron Man is one of the strongest movies we've gotten in the overall series, as it felt like a proper movie instead of a rinse and repeat of what the MCU later became. I'm serious when I say that, but at least I won't get annoyingly ratio'd by some punkass bird app accounts with irritating comments. Anyways, here's my review on Marvel Legends Infinity Saga Iron Man Mark III!

Here we have Iron Man Mark III in-hand, and I have to say that as far as accurately capturing the look of the figure is concerned, they did a great job in terms of the details and proportions that Iron Man is known for. Mark III is a design I particularly like, especially since it's one that I've seen frequently in the movie overall. While this armor may not have the same amount of color variety or sculpted details that future suits have, it at least looks easier on the eyes without it being too overly elaborate or weirdly smooth. It's the perfect balance between complexity and simplicity, and inb4 you tell me to say the same with the Beewun aesthetics, know that those cling onto G1 while MCU Iron Man is an adaptation of the character instead of being a super faithful sculpted muscles suit. As far as deco is concerned, it's consistent overall outside of a few mistakes, but the most interesting aspect is the spray effect on the arc reactor; at first I wasn't sure if I'd like it but it's nicely subtle when applied on the core, and it ends up being the best ways to paint the core reactor on an Iron Man figure. And while not 100% perfect on the application of paint, at least the red plastic and the plastic that's painted red are consistent!

Helmet sculpt is spot-on to how it should look in the movie, and while some may wish the eyes would be more prominent, they at least don't look too big on the face as one would normally expect if they saw other attempts back in 2008. I do wish that the black paint for the mouth was slightly better applied. The articulation for this guy is on par with what we previously received with other Legends Iron Men; the neck is on two ball joints, and the shoulders can move front and back and in and out with the shoulder pads integrated. There is a bicep swivel, a double-jointed elbow, and both hands can swivel on their peg as well as hinge in and out. The torso has a limited diaphragm joint, which can function the same as the waist swivel and ab crunch. The hips can move front and back as well as in and out. There are thigh swivels, double-jointed knees, and the feet hinge front and back as well as pivot side to side somewhat. If the first pose isn't Iron Man-y enough for you, you have the first option of replacing his fists with repulser blasting hands. While you lack the ability to add repulser blast effect pieces, the cores are at least painted nicely to make the palms look less underdone. Still wish he'd use those ports but he doesn't come with any effect pieces. Weirdly, the left gand is looser than the right hand socket; must be a molding error but it otherwise stays in place.

The right forearm has 3 alternate pieces apart from the stock one, so you can have him displayed either with the forearm missiles best remembered from when he fired at an enemy tank before walking away from the explosion. The missiles are nicely painted, as is the alternate forearm piece that may be for when he's doing repairs or if it's being attached onto him. I need to rewatch the movie to better understand, but he also has a half-unmasked head. The paint apps are nicely applied but it looks about as much as Robert Downey Jr as it does a skinny, younger Dr. Phil. I've seen worse likenesses but this one isn't their best (then again only his face is partially exposed.

For an armor comparison, here he is with the only other Iron Man figure I own, that being the Mark VII from The First Ten Years line of MCU Legends. I still like that figure, and the design is good in its own way, but I always found the gray thighs and the weird twists on the boots to be unusual. I also have to give credit to the more accurate eyes and the arc reactor to be better done on the Mark III than on the Mark VII. That being said, while they can fight each other on who would be the more definitive Iron Man, they're both good in their own right on an objective level; on a subjective level, I just prefer Mark III. 

You can switch the heads of the two molds, but keep in mind that the alternate head will sit up higher on the neck due to it adhering to the proportions of Mark III. Not awful but you know what I mean. And here is my favorite Iron Man suit next to my favorite War Machine design. Once again, a great way to contrast the two without having War Machine be a slightly different design from Iron Man; both are similar yet manage to look distinct in terms of proportions and design traits. I know some would prefer the more recent armors but at this point I kinda prefer the older designs. That and their CGI looked way better than the new films.

And that sums up my review on Iron Man Mark III. He fills a gap from my childhood the same way MPM-4 Optimus does; I had a mainline Mark III made by a less experienced Hasbro back when the movie came out, and it was okay yet not 100% perfect because of the shoulder pads popping off, the paint rubbing off, and the awkward hip articulation; Hasbro learned a lot from their mistakes with their new Legends; I'm not going to act like a bootlicker of theirs because they do have duds in their waves at times, but they manage to win overall with a figure like this. I don't think I need another Iron Man apart from the classic one for the 50th or 80th anniversary. We'll see! But this won't be the only time we'll see this guy on the review table...you'll see what's to come in the future...

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐