Today we talk about... Botcon exclusives. Since I uploaded the photos sort of backwards, we must start from the last. Then again, I shall go by... year. Since it is thematically easier, since same year = same continuity.
A short note - since Cybertron only came out in 2006, it stands to reason that the exclusive recolours (what an oxymoron) only started in 2006.
Botcon 2006
Dawn of Future's Past
They're basically the same characters from Beast Wars - before they got beast modes.
1)Axalon Rattrap
Rattrap
Gasket/Ransack as Rattrap? Not a bad choice, considering their similar charaters. Of course, the colours help alot to transplant one image onto another toy.
And also, remember Rattrap's Transmetal alt mode? It sort of fits the motorcycle theme. I guess painting buckteeth on also gives that image.
It's a nice homage. :) Is the word even homage? I don't know.
2)Axalon Rhinox
Rhinox
Taken from the Guardshell/Landmine and given a green spin on it. Does it work? Mmm...
Not really. I can't offhand say who would have made a better mould - perhaps Moledive/Menasor, actually. I always thought of Rhinox as this big green brown lug - kind of like the Hulk, actually. So this doesn't really fit my impression of him.
And where are his giant chain guns? Or at least some overdeveloped weaponry. Oh well.
3)Axalon Cheetor
Cheetor
Even before this redeco, I've always thought of Skids/Clocker as having this berserker mode - where his tailpipes would become claws and he'd go all Wolverine. His recolour, Swerve, gave more of that feel.
So when I saw that Cheetor was using the Skids mould... oh. Somebody had the same idea, evidently. Haha.
4)Darksyde Dinobot
Dinobot
Hmm using the Longrack mould really, really doesn't work for me. Surely a figure with more features could have been chosen? After all, Dinobot really had an arseful of weapons - spinning sword, tail shield, eye beams.... the list goes on. An arseful arsenal.
I think... Noisemaze/Sideways would have been a better choice. Especially with his wing/shield weapon accessory.
5)Axalon Optimus Primal
Optimus Primal
I got to say that features-wise, Landbullet/Crumplezone really nails it. The over-the-shoulder cannons. That is the one reason to use Landbullet's mould.
But the whole feel of it is a little strange. Maybe because I thought Optimus' alternate pre-beast mode would be more of a... Inch Up/Dirt Boss kind of vehicle. Not something that is ostensibly sleek.
Nevertheless, not a bad choice, really.
6)Unit 2/Tigatron
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Tigatron
I don't know why it's sideways, either.
While #1 to #5 were part of a set, this figure was only available to those who picked up their box set in person. Sweet. A recolour of a recolour. Haha.
7)Darksyde Megatron
Megatron
This is good stuff, really. Megatron alone is bigger than any of the Maximals (althought that isn't the case in the show) (not until Dragon Megatron anyway), and he could probably take them all on.
Yes, I like First Gunner/CD Red Alert's mould for Megatron. It's apt and it's really a very mould. Countdown is simiarly spectacular.
I guess it's the phallic cannon. The massive power it wields... Yeah.
Good stuff. Pity his underling, Waspinator, wasn't a Galaxy Force recolour, otherwise I'd include him. As it stands, I have to get them both anyway - since they came as a set. And only 500 in the world! Sigh.
Botcon 2007
Timelines
Apparently, Timelines is the catchall umbrella category for "alternate timelines". Works for me. It's also the least thematic of the Botcon exclusives, in that they're not really along the same lines.
1)Alpha Trion
Alpha Trion
Finally, an Alpha Trion toy!
But he's a recolour. Of a nifty character, no less. I've always liked Vector Prime. He's the quintessential Cybertronian Transformer. Although here, he is the Shattered Glass version.
And his Minicon is called Beta Maxx! ROTFLMAO.
Nice. Although he was packed with Weirdwolf, and there are only 1, 400 of them in this universe. Oh well.
2)Weirdwolf
Weirdwolf
What I said about Fang Wolf/Snarl's mould has come back to haunt me.
Why Weirdwolf? I still remember this horrid Malaysian commercial for Headmaster toys, and the narrator saying Weirdwolf in that weird Malay accent. Really spoilt my image of the Decepticon Headmasters (I thought they originated in Malaysia).
He doesn't even have a Minicon partner or something. Why Weirdwolf? Why not Steeljaw or one of the Predacons?
Sigh.
3)Springer
Springer
This is one of the oddest recolours I've seen. Springer? Using the Exigeyser/CD Hot Shot mould? But Springer is almost always a helicopter. What happened this time?
Indeed, even the colouration is odd. Ah well. Hit or miss.
He came packed with Huffer, and yes, 1, 400 only on this planet.
4)Huffer
Huffer
OK lah. An Armourhide recolour (gets more repainting love than Saidos/Backstop), he does remind me of that small guy. Points for the effort
But the colour scheme is just weird, to me.
Botcon 2008
Shattered Glass
So Shattered Glass was cool because it was one of those worlds where the good guys were bad, and the bad guys were good. It's basically the logical extreme of why Nemesis Prime is so appealing to so many people. Make everyone a Nemesis!
Except that here, they're born evil. And Megatron is good! Heh. I like it already.
The problem is that the entire boxset only has 3 Cybertron figures, with the rest being from other lines. Meaning that if I want to get those 3, I must get the entire boxset. Ouch.
1)Goldbug
Goldbug
Nicely done! A Stealth/Elite Guard Bumblebee colour scheme always looks good. The Exillion/Hot Shot mould is already wonderful. So to have these two together...
Except that Goldbug isn't that cool. But then, this is the Rule of Cool. If it is cool, you can get away with it.
Thus Goldbug gets away with being just so uber cool.
2)Autobot Jazz
Jazz
Once again, nicely done! Sweet Autovolt/Crosswise mould, spiffy Jazz colours. And it really does fit a Jazz look. I think it's the chest.
I wonder if JazzyMartini has this.
3)Starscream
Starscream
Jetfire as Starscream as Jetfire as Starscream. Except this Starscream is good. As in, he's a good guy, not just that he's a cool mould to begin with.
I saw him before. And I didn't buy him. *SLAP*
I love all Starscream moulds now. Gotta catch em all!
4)Ricochet
Ricochet
Ricochet is a recolour of Jazz who is a recolour of... you know, as pretty as a Transformer might be, you can only sell him a limited number of times. And Ricochet kind of wears out that welcome.
Mainly, of course, because I do not know who Ricochet is a homage to.
5)Blurr
Blurr
Armada though he may have been from, but then he got a Cyber Key augmentation, so here he is now from Cybertron, or so I count him.
But he comes with two others I'm not that interested in. Sigh. Money money money.
The Blurr mould is actually not bad, as in it isn't dated. And the Force Chip update makes it cool again. So hey, thumbs up for Blurr playing... Blurr.
Botcon 2009
There was no discernable theme this time. Oh yes, there was! Wings of Honour, and the Elite Guard. This one had the most Galaxy Force recolours yet.
1)Kup
Kup
Getting First Aid/Red Alert to play Kup was a really good idea. The vehicle looks so retro and old, while the figure itself is really less than imposing.
And he bears more homage than Brakedown GTS, really.
2)Flak
Flak
OK, I'll admit I don't know who Flak is.
But when you have Backgild/CD Scattorshot kind of arms, nobody's going to wonder who you are. They're just marvelling at all that raw power you wield.
3)Scourge
Scourge
The irony is that there is already a Scourge in that line, but intended to pay homage to a completely different character (I believe).
And you know, when there is a Scourge... how could you not have an army of clones to follow?
The Noisemaze/Sideways mould is also a good fit. The alieny, Cybertrony goodness just screams Unicron sometimes. And who made Scourge, again?
4)Sweeps
Sweeps
When you have a Scourge, you got to have his troops, the Sweeps.
And remember Noisemaze, everyone? He had an army builder figure too - Noisemaze Mass Production Type. Expensive, but then so are the Sweeps here!
5)Elita-1
Elita-1
Nevermind that Chromia/Thunderblast don't look like Elita-1 at all. At least she's pink, and she got made.
I think I will like her in the days to come.
6)Razorclaw
Razorclaw
Finally! The last figure. Although I'm not too sure who Razorclaw is, besides being a Predacon... maybe if I got 6 of him, I could make a Predaking who only had arms but no other limbs.
And that rounds it all up (for this year) (or till they announce new Botcon figures).
How much would all this cost? At least $10,000, I say. Mad? Possibly.
