Megatron Monday - Special Delivery

Okay it's a week late, but here we go.  I've been collecting Megatron's for a long time, but not since the beginning so there's been quite a bit I've missed.  And there aren't a lot that have come out in the states either.  So I've looked online and picked up a few that have before now slipped through my fingers - Alternity Megatron (Black Edition), Legends Cybertron Megatron, and World's Smallest Transformers Megatron.

I'm not going to be doing full reviews of these, but I've had them all just under a week (Legends only arrived today).  I've got Transmetal Megatron coming too, but since I've had him before (lost him to GPS - Got eaten by a Puppy Syndrome) so there's no need to wait for him.

I am so happy to get these guys.  I've been looking online for Legends for a long time, but I've been afraid to get anything off the internet, especially eBay.  I had bought G1 reissue Megatron a long time ago, but he was someone I needed to have.  Anyway let's get started here.

Alternity Megatron here is pretty damn sweet.  I knew he was a bit smaller than Alternator scale, but I was shocked by exactly how small he is.  Even though he's smaller, he still packs a ton of detail and articulation.  He's certainly got the samurai look going for him with both swords, the loin cloth-looking thing, and the shoulder pads.  He's even got those blades on his wrists that give him some extra weapons, but where the hell is his cannon?  Prime kept his gun, but Megatron loses it?  Bullshit.

I do have to admit that he can pull off some epic poses with or without his swords.  He's got plenty of articulation in his feet giving him lots of possibilities for wide-legged poses.  I'm happy with the guy, even though I would have preferred to get the silver version (but I wasn't about to pay the extra $20 for him).  As cool as this figure is, he still doesn't make up for the fact that Megatron was totally left out of the Alternator line.

Legends Cybertron Megatron, like i said before, is one of my most wanted Megatrons.  Okay I goofed here, he's Galvatron, but I always hated the Megatron color scheme in Cybertron.  It's crazy that he gets a Galvatron upgrade, but instead of purple, he gets an original Megatron color scheme.  Anyway, he's a pretty good representation of Leader class Galvatron.  I'm pretty surprised by all the articulation he's got.  The only thing he's really missing is the elbow joints.  

I was really surprised here that Cybertron is so big.  Look at how much bigger he is than the other Megatrons!  I thought he was almost Scout class sized!  When I was first collecting Legends figures, all of the Cybertron figures had been repainted to the Classics line.  All of them except out guy Megalvatron!  What the hell?  They couldn't have repainted him and called him Dragstrip?  Dead End?  Any of the Stunticons?

Anyway, after transforming them all, he stands just a little taller than the rest of them.  He fits in nicely and is still one of the most articulated Legends figures.  I do have the same problem with Leader class Megalvatron - it's hard to balance the guy.  There's so many joints in his legs, but his lower leg and feet are so damn big that it's hard to get the feet flat.  Half the time he's just on the cusp of falling on his butt.

Last but not least, we've got WST Megatron.  Here he is against Mp Prime's Megatron pistol.  Can you tell the difference?  Yeah of course you can, but they're pretty damn close in size, which is astounding.  Besides a few colors, they're practically the same.  I said earlier that I have reissue Megatron, but he's still int he box, so there's no way to compare them.

 Here he is in robot mode with MP Megatron.  I'd show them both in gun mode to see how close they are, but there's no way I was about to try to transform MP Megatron.  Fuck that!  I can't believe they got that robot mode in such a tiny package.  I've never played with the original Megatron so I can't compare the two, but I wish the little guy had some tabs to peg the arms in the side of his torso.  Did the original have them, or did everything just kinda sit together and fall apart when he touch him?

Anyway, yeah these guys are the newest additions to my collection, which is getting way too big.  Honestly, once Transmetal gets here, I think I've got all the ones I need until Reveal the Shield shows up.  I guess I could get some Voyager movie figures.... and Activator... nah screw that, those movie toys can kiss my ass.

Protofriday - Shadowcaster

Shadowcaster

Function: Aerial Surveillance

Motto: “Watch your step and you miss the view.”

Is usually so obsessed with flying that she spends all her time watching the skies and missing the targets on the ground she is supposed to track. Very arrogant because she is the only Prototytan that can fly in both modes. Often ignores orders for cooperation if she feels she can do better on her own. In jet mode, has a top speed of Mach 1.3. Engines can create thick seeded clouds that can cover her movements. Can release a charge into the clouds causing massive lightning bolts. In robot mode, arm mounted engines allow her to fly, but maneuverability is low. Carries a liquid-nitrogen gun.

Vehicle Mode: Cessna Citation III

Strength: 7

Intelligence: 9

Speed: 9

Endurance: 6

Rank: 8

Courage: 7

Firepower: 5

Skill: 9

I posted this picture of Shadowcaster a while ago, but I never really introduced her, so here's my chance. Yes, you read right there - this is another female Transformer. See, I've got no problem with female TFs, I prefer their inclusion in the stories. I know that opens up the whole idea of TF relationships, but that's easy enough to ignore. I will admit here though that I gave her a really sexist robot mode. Thigh high boots, a mini-skirt, and a tube top. It's hard to believe you can design a Transformer to incorporate all that, but I think I got it down right.

Originally she only had the boots and the top was a complete mystery to me. I was so afraid her torso would be just one boring white.... tube. I tried to figure out how to fold something up to cover her top and give it some actually geometry, but nothing would have looked good. Along with that, her crotch was exposed, which would be inappropriate for a lady. I thought the tops of her boots may cover it, but to give her long enough legs, they'd be too short. I did figure out to have half the top slide down to become the skirt though, and would give her a bare midrif. That's not just for the look; I'm hoping to get some waist pivot articulation there, and hopefully a swivel.

I was also working on the arms which are to the right. I had to figure out how to fit the forearms into the shoulder pieces, which are the ends of the plane. She's going to have huge shoulders, with half of the t-tail and an engine on each of them. I think I have the forearms will fit pretty well up there. The chest will flip open and her head will come out.

The legs are pretty basic; split apart the front, extend legs down, split the nose from front and back to get her high heels. Yup, she's even got high heels. Wings fold in half and an extra panel on her butt folds up to uncover the back of ther legs. For articulation, you know.

Fear Factor

Megatron Monday - The Way of the Gun

Special Delivery will be a week late, so instead, I'm going to be focusing on all the Megatrons.  Or the essense of Megatron, more specifically.  I've always been a big fan of Megatron just because of his power and intimidation.  While Starscream may be more popular because of his treachery or Soundwave because of his minions, Megatron's my favorite because of his sheer ruthlessness.  There's a reason he's the leader of the Decepticons, no doubt about it. 

Of course, since there's been so many of them, some stand out more than others.  Surely Beast Wars Megatron is a fan favorite due to his unrivaled cunning.  I don't think any Megatron has had the brilliance to formulate such plans or the guts to pull them off.  Hell, he even took over Cybertron (though I guess G1 Megatron did before the movie came out, I always seem to forget that).  Animated Megatron is another of my favorites for finally putting down Starscream, even if it didn't keep.

With the good, there's always the bad, and there's definitely a few lackluster Megatron's as well.  Robots in Disguise Megatron was supposed to be a powerhouse, yet left everything up to his flunkies, including the planning.  And all the Megatrons of the Unicron Trilogy are disappointing.

But overall, Megatron still is a high point in the Decepticon ranks and only limited by his troops and the required losses in children's shows and Hollywood movies.  In almost ever incarnation, I find myself hoping someone would write a darker storyline where Megatron actually wins (unless Shane McCarthy writes it, yuck).  Do I wish the general Megatron persona was different?  Yeah a bit, like treating his troops as more than just cannon fodder, though that only seems to show up in the comics.  But overall, he's still the best villain to come out of Saturday morning cartoons.  What other villain from the 80's could compare to Megatron?  Cobra Commander?  Too much of a wimp.  Miles Mayhem?  Too much like Wilfred Brimley.  Mumm-ra?  Too much like a Mexican wrestler.

So that's why I like Megatron; because I do.  Seriously, does any of this make sense?  Of course not.  It's a 33 year old guy talking about a kids' cartoon character.  Anyway, more modeling will be posted on Wednesday so come back then - at least most of that stuff can make sense.

Identity Crisis

Missing

Back to Work

On vacation all of this week, but things will return to normal on Monday with a Megatron Monday Special Delivery.

Protofriday - Training

When I was in my first 3D modeling class in school, the final project I had to do was build a moonbase.  It included about 37 distinct structures and vehicles; a power plant, a med bay, a shuttle, etc.  It tested everything I had learned in the class up to that point; polygons, geometry, splines, bevels, again etc.  I got a B- on it. 


So now that I'm learning Lightwave, I've decided I'm going to do the same final project to learn everything I need to.  I don't remember everything that the first project required, but I'm making up a new list that will again have 37 different objects.  I've got a lot longer to finish it than my class offered, but I have to figure it all out, model and surface it by the end of the year.  So far I've made this rocket.

It's not much, but it was quick and helpful,  And I think it was a great starting point.  From now on, 3D updates like this will be posted on W3Dnesdays, and Protofriday will stick specifically with the Prototytan sketches, designs, and profiles.  Megatron Monday is on hiatus this week because of a vacation, but will be back next week as well.  So come back often and see how this is going.

Confrontation