{"id":29350,"date":"2014-10-01T02:27:52","date_gmt":"2014-10-01T07:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=29350"},"modified":"2014-10-01T09:53:40","modified_gmt":"2014-10-01T14:53:40","slug":"transformers-masterpiece-wheeljack-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=29350","title":{"rendered":"Transformers Masterpiece
Wheeljack Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a> I\u2019m on a streak \u2013 four reviews on time. I want to go for five, but I\u2019m not in the best place to write a toy review right now (I\u2019ll explain that later). I needed to get away from MOTU & controversy, so I thought I\u2019d skip to a toy line that never gets very much traction here at IAT: Transformers. If you’re reading this, I made it! <\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure why Transformers doesn\u2019t get as much attention at IAT. I think it\u2019s because there\u2019s not a lot of crossover between the 6\u201d collecting world and the TF world. I love both, but as I\u2019ve gotten back into toy collecting, I do have to admit that Transformers really wants to be a in a monogamous collecting relationship. It\u2019s an expensive hobby, both officially and unofficially. Unofficially, you can drop an entire MOTUC subscription worth of figures to build one 14\u201d tall bot. Officially, you can make out better with some nice $10-15 retail pieces from Hasbro \u2013 or you can really go for broke trying to collect Takara\u2019s Masterpiece line. <\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve tried being patient and waiting for Hasbro to do their import thing. But it hasn\u2019t worked out for me \u2013 I saw one MP-10 Optimus Prime. No Grimlocks. No Soundwaves. I still haven\u2019t even seen Prowl stateside. So I opt to pay out for Takara\u2019s work. I do so excitedly. Takara can have my money for that upcoming Ultra Magnus. I easily get drawn into silly repaints just cause they\u2019re cool (Do I need Marlboro Wheeljack? Maybe?). And every time I\u2019ve imported one \u2013 the Lamborghinis, the Fairladies, the Primes, the Cassette Players, and the Cassettes \u2013 I\u2019ve been amazingly satisfied. Until now. <\/p>\n

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Maybe framing it like that sounds like it\u2019s not worth the money spent. I have to point out that it\u2019s not that. I\u2019m terrible with money. I kinda resent needing it. And after all the bases are covered, I\u2019m woefully wasteful with it (I\u2019m a downright recovering spendaholic). So, no, it\u2019s not that Wheeljack isn\u2019t worth the $60-80 \u2013 heck, maybe none of these MP cars are, but it’s not about that with Wheeljack. It\u2019s something else. <\/p>\n

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By the specs, Wheeljack should rock as hard as the previous releases. His alt mode is gorgeous. A fantastic update to the vintage diaclone and a great representation of the original Lancia Stratos, including the Alitalia markings. I\u2019ve been waffling on picking up his moldmate, Exhaust, in a few months and if anything will put me over \u2013 it\u2019s the alt mode and how it will look great with another race car design. It\u2019s also well executed as a toy \u2013 the wheels roll freely, none of the transformation drags or catches, it really works like a car toy should. <\/p>\n

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When transformed to his bot mode though, an ineffable feeling sits in. The figure is thankfully going for the cartoon model and ignoring the monkey-armed vintage toy. I appreciate that. And it isn\u2019t the transformation itself that confounds me, it\u2019s actually rather slick. Each time an MP comes out, I remember and worry about those old RID days (Afterburner! Ugh!), but the MP designers keep it amazingly simple. Like past releases, it\u2019s easy and rather intuitive. I have a hard time getting the \u201cwings\u201d into position, but that\u2019s partially due to my own fear of breaking them and perhaps being overly delicate. Other than that, I had it down in one try and enjoy switching it back & forth. Continue to Page 2…<\/a><\/p>\n

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Once in robot mode, there is a lot to like. The parts all transform in the right ways to get the animation model right. The head sculpt is vintage goodness. And the articulation is pretty good too \u2013 the legs can be hard to pose, but nearly every joint you want on a 6\u201d figure is available here in one form or the other: there either are or essentially are ball-joints at the neck, shoulders, hips, ankles, and kinda sorta the wrists doe to the transformation, elbows & knees are hinged, and the biceps, thighs, waist, and wrists all swivel. A 6\u201d line would call that hyper articulated. <\/p>\n

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So what\u2019s wrong? Well, it must be one of those eye of the beholder things because he just doesn\u2019t look right to me. It\u2019s cruddy because he\u2019s been generally well received and I just can\u2019t seem to join in, at least not completely. Is it that he looks a little lanky to me? Maybe. Is it because his hip assembly, while cartoon accurate (& therefore sacrosanct?), looks like an unfinished Gundam? I know Tim Gunn wouldn\u2019t approve of those metal pins showing, but maybe that\u2019s being too picky? I\u2019m just not sure. <\/p>\n

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One thing I know I don\u2019t like is the finish. It\u2019s not as noticeable in car mode, but in his bot mode the white plastic looks like\u2026 plastic. Normally, that\u2019s not a bad thing, but all the other car MPs so far have featured a nice glossy finish for a more realistic look. Maybe the Stratos is a flat finished car, but it inadvertently gives Wheeljack a more Hasbro\/toy feel instead of that fully painted precedent the previous six cars set. <\/p>\n

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This version of Wheeljack included two accessories: a gun and a missile launcher. Oh, technically, he also includes two sets of his side mirrors as they\u2019re removable and aren\u2019t attached in package, but I don\u2019t think those count. The gun is a nice looking G1 piece and perfectly doubles as an exhaust pipe. The shoulder launcher is also nicely sculpted, but it has some oddities like how close it sits to the head in bot mode and how the missile is separate but can\u2019t really be sent flying. There\u2019s no inner mechanism or even enough friction to flick it out like a Lego one. I know I\u2019m an adult, but I don\u2019t care! In vehicle mode, it does that awesome 80s thing where it plugs into the roof and looks simultaneously badass and out of place. <\/p>\n

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Overall, I\u2019m still going to call this one good. I\u2019ve feel like I’ve certainly got some valid nitpicks like the hard to move wings and the lack of a truly spectacular finish, but it\u2019s more that he just doesn\u2019t look quite right that bugs me. I look at him and I know it\u2019s just not as right as the ones that came before even though I\u2019m not sure what would fix it. That aside, he\u2019s well received so I\u2019ll join that particularly bandwagon until I figure it out, if I ever do. The alt mode looks sharp, the bot mode is thankfully on model to the show, and the articulation and easy transformation make for a fun toy. That\u2019s a tough combo to beat. <\/p>\n

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Related Reviews:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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For Even More Reviews, check out our Review Index<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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