JoeCanuck

Optimus as a Mobat? Lame.  Considering the dinky sized G1 toy he got, Warpath would have been a better pick.

I think it comes down to limited options for what they could make Optimus Prime turn into from the Joe vehicle list.

The more obvious choice might have been the APC which would have give us a "cab" mode for Prime and the back could have converted into a battle base of some kind.  However I think the size of the vehicle might have been an issue.  Same thing goes for the HAVOC, which would have been my preference for Prime.  Could you imagine Optimus Prime as the HAVOC?  The front end could be Prime and the back end could be a naturally folding out base mode while the hover sled could be Roller.  Of course there might be an issue with the giant windshield and how to hide it in robot mode, but I would think the simplest thing to do would be to just remove it in robot mode.  They had no problem with parts-forming Megatron to hide his face in vehicle mode so why not the same for Prime?

Again though, considering the cost of Soundwave I would hate to see what they might try and ask for something as big and complex as Prime as the APC or HAVOC. 

As the MOBAT, if true, it give them an alt mode that is slightly smaller and being a traditional tank also gives them easy options to make the transformation work and hide the robot mode.   I mean they have been doing tank alt modes forever so I would hope they can do Prime justice this way.   The one thing is that I am fairly certain it will not have the motorized function.

The increase in prices at TRU is insulting.  It isn't like the stock is flying off their shelves.  And with the current case assortment of a single figure per case, there are going to be some serious peg warmers.  They need to learn how to discount and move stale merchandise.  Target is the king in the US at getting older peg warmers to fly off the shelf.

Well they have done a pretty great job of shrinking the boys toys section down by half so they can add in their HMV section!!!!   Good job!!!!  I mean HMV is such a strong brand the easily survived the early 2000s and downloading/streaming right?  So why not double down on that in a kid's toy store!!!!   Makes perfect sense to me.  What could possibly go wrong??  I mean look at all the books they have been selling.  So many that they shrunk that section down and moved it away from the prime real estate near the front of the store.  A sure sign of success.   

Anyway.....

Just got my latest order from Amazon.  I had preordered the Techno Viper (x2) a while back with a gift card.  So I got them for less than retail, even the recent price drop Amazon had on them.  Surprisingly I didn't get a notification for them, but I also just ordered Airborne and 60th Action Soldier with another gift card and all 4 figures came today in one box.

Wow.  Good job Amazon.  I am used to multiple boxes/shipments with different orders when it would make sense, and save money, to ship them all together, and you did just that.  Chalk one up for logistics this time.

Techno Vipers are great, as usual.  Airborne is surprisingly fantastic in hand.  I liked him from the start, but in hand he is just more strikingly than the pictures made him out to be.  Can't wait for the Dragonfly to arrive later this year.  60th Action Soldier is great as well.  I'm not a big fan of the figure itself, or the camo pattern, but man all the accessories and soft goods really make this figure stand out in the Classified line.

I missed out on the boxed Eel so I was glad to get a chance at this one.  Also it looks like, from early views, that these will be plentiful because so far only a few places have sold out.

Also I decided on just one Ferret for now.  I know it sold out, but I'm sure it will be back much like the Trouble Bubble.

I love the concept, but the transformers looks a little wonky. They should have gone with some kind of masterpiece level design... then you would have the best of both worlds. Neat idea, but not sure I will cave in. The thunder machine looks cool though

Couple things for the idea of a Masterpiece level of design.

1)  Right now the price is already pretty high, and sales don't look to be all that great with each release going on sale/discount (Soundwave hasn't yet but he will).  Trying to go even more detailed/intricate would increase the price even further.  I don't imagine there is a large enough market for $200US+ offerings.  Also remember that the Masterpiece line has a large Asian fanbase as well that probably wouldn't be anywhere near as big if it was Joe/TF crossovers.

2) The designs are already pretty intricate for what they are, and I don't know that further engineering would make much more difference.  Remember there is a point where you can't do anymore with a product due to plastic tolerances, and design/model requirements.  Unlike the Transformers who were designed from the start to be able to convert from robot to vehicle, none of the Joe vehicles ever had that mindset behind them.  So to shoehorn in a robot mode after the fact means that unfortunately there are going to be sacrifices no matter what.  As well as making them be able to hold figures in vehicle mode.  Masterpiece or not.

In the end this line is one of the best things going right now for me and I love it.  Especially since we are getting new O-ring figures as well with each release on classic cards.  Soundwave is by far the best of the three  released so far, and maybe part of it is also the designers getting their heads around the process.  So the first couple of releases are a bit wonky, but now they are starting to hit their stride and better know what does, and doesn't, work for making these toys.  Bumblebee is a pretty good design as well considering it is an open air vehicle that has to hold figures.  Unlike other "car" Transformers which have closed roofs and windows/doors, the AWE Striker has none of those to help with hiding stuff during transformation.

Can't wait to see the Triple-T/Kup and Mobat/Optimus Prime.   Hopefully one of them gets revealed soon.

Rumour is that the Ferret w/Scout is going to be $55US (Pulse Exclusive) when it goes up for preorder later this week.  Everyone was speculating that it would be more expensive than the Trouble Bubble, maybe even up to the HMS ($75US), but hopefully this rumour is true and the Ferret should sell like hotcakes.

Got Techno-Viper and 60th Sailor/Diver from Walmart yesterday.  Both look great and I love that the window packaging is back.  Great number of accessories for the Sailor/Diver and I really like the Techno-Viper's holographic display.  Although I do wish it was blue instead of red.  The tubing is going to be an issue over the long term in regards to sticking in the backpack while moving.