Looking at our unreviewed pile of toys, there are quite a few Transformers. There was only one solution: Transformers Week!! Every day this week, Vault & I will be reviewing a recent Transformers release. Mainly Generations, but some RtS will find their way in too. Today, I take a look at (Sergeant) Kup.
I am absolutely loving the Transformers: The Movie characters and it’s going to be a real challenge for me to not bore you guys with heartfelt stories about how the first movie I saw in a theatre was when my Dad took me to see Transformers. I was an only child for a very long time and most movies, sporting events, etc were attended as a trio. I don’t know why my Mom stayed home that day, but it cemented that day in mind as a special father/son trip. So no matter what I or others think of that movie as an adult, it will always be associated with that fantastic day and the new characters introduced therein have been some of my favorite Transformers ever since.
Kup also has a special distinction over the other new Autobots featured in the movie for me. I never had the original one as a kid (I didn’t get Ultra Magnus either, I scoffed at the toy being a white Optimus*), so this is my first Kup figure ever. It was never having one as a kid (and the over twenty year Kup drought) that led me to select Kup from our reader submissions for a Most Requested article last September. “Jason L.” if you’re reading this: mission accomplished!
* – It’s funny to think back on how I turned down a chance at Ultra Magnus as a kid because his toy was just “white Optimus”. I love the idea that he’s a white Optimus under all that armor now and yet I still don’t have a good Ultra Magnus toy to show for it. Someday, eBay, someday.
If it’s not clear by now, Kup first appears in The Transformers: The Movie. He doesn’t get a special introduction; he’s just there in 2005 when the movie starts. Hot Rod whips by him all speeding-like so that we instantly understand that Hot Rod is young & reckless and Kup is a grandpa-former. Kup as a grandpa bears out throughout the movie with his penchant for being reminded of something else every time something happens and then proceeding (or attempting to) tell a glorious story about it. He never really gets to show off in the cartoon, but the thing to remember about Kup is he’s a really, really, really, really, old soldier and soldiers don’t tend to get that opportunity. We know Kup doesn’t run from a fight, so it must be that he’s a grizzled, old badass. Sure, he’s a bit past his prime, but he can still be relied upon. That depiction has been adopted in recent years in the IDW comics and I think it suits him perfectly.
The new Transformers in the movie featured futuristic designs and Kup transformed into a Cybertronian pickup truck (with no tailgate – clearly, they’re not needed in the future). The Generations line has been keeping the alt modes relatively more realistic, so Kup has been toned down into a more traditional pickup truck.
It’s sort of a mix of an older style pickup with a newer feel since it’s more rounded and smoothed out. It’s not exactly a real pickup truck in that sense, but it could be so it fits the bill for Generations and it looks pretty cool to boot. The windows and headlights being clear plastic really sell the look, though I wish the rear lights could have been done in red instead. Still, a vast improvement over some of the figures with painted windows and lights. Oh, and his transformation allows for his “old-timey” tailgate to open. That’s cool.
I’m going to talk a bit about Kup’s weapon in his alt mode since it doubles as an exhaust pipe. It’s a “laser musket” which keeps in theme with the previous figures. All Kups have been given a weapon that was called a musket, but this gun finally lives up to the name. Sweet. I wish it had some paint or were done in a more metallic color, but it’s a cool accessory simply because it looks like a musket. As I said, it stores underneath in his alt mode as a second tailpipe, but it can also clip on to the c-clips on his roof and his forearms in his bot mode.
There’s not a lot else to say about this guy in his alt mode other than it’s pretty spiffy. I like it and I think it suits Kup just fine. The only things I didn’t like about this alt mode are the panel that ends up in his windshield (it looks like a flux capacitor in there) and the tires. I was rolling him around today and I’ve decided I really miss the “real” rubber tires of my youth. The plastic tires just aren’t as fun. Continue to Kup’s Bot Mode…
Thanks for the great review and the bobblehead tip! My Kup has the same problem but thanks to you I now know how to fix it without glue or screwdrivers (good thing I’m lazy enough not to have busted them out yet lol).
I was disappointed by the arm panels too. I wish they could have been attached to the legs somehow and just folded over or something. I don’t mind arm panels, in general, as long as they’re not overly-obstructive, which these kind of are. Instead of a head kit, maybe someone can make an awesome arm kit that takes care of those panels for us. Hey, you can’t blame a guy for hoping!
It’s also too bad they didn’t paint the exhaust pipe to match the gun, that would have been a nice touch. I guess I should just be glad they’re not price-jacking like Mattel. $17.99 for a DCUC? Get bent, Matty!
I was annoyed at Kup’s bobbleheadness for the first couple days until I figured out it could slide forward!
Having them fold down on the legs would’ve been great! An arm kit would be hilarious.
Good point on the other exhaust pipe! Hasbro seems to keep costs down in the paint department…
Kups vehicle mode is very similar to the HSV Maloo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSV_Maloo
Thanks, Cade!
Great job! I’m looking forward to your transformers reviews! Hopefully, we finally see Jazz & Tracks.
I really liked Kup. I think this is the best version of him ever. And I like the head sculpt too. He looks great in that yelling pic at the top.
Tracks is on top for TF week… Jazz… we’ll see. 😉
Glad you liked the pics!
Bah weep gragnah weep nini bong to you too!!
Works every time… 😀 😀
Love the review and love the Kup quote on the banner. I can’t wait to see what you’ve got lined up!
😀 Glad someone got that. Vault has Blurr up now, and then we’ll have three more recent TFs to look at to close out the week…
Great job as always!
Thanks!
Great review and I’m looking forward to the rest this week.
One suggestion: you might want to address the Japanese United version of these figures in case there’s others (like me) that are crazy enough to fork over 3X the amount of dough for paint apps that are more accurate to the G1 Cartoon. For Kup, they gave him a metallic paint job:
http://tfwiki.net/w2/images2/3/38/Unitedtoy-Kup.jpg
Oh and I think I will end up getting the 3rd party head molds.
That’s a great point on the United. I know that will definitely be coming up in one of the reviews…
I think this Kup works better than the United version though. It doesn’t happen often but he doesn’t seem as improved.
I think I’ll end up getting the 3rd party heads too.
Ah, the week of Transformery goodness begins here as promised! I look forward to yours and Vault’s thoughts on these guys. I think that if anything, a week’s worth of reviews of recent Transformers will highlight how spoiled us Transformers fans are, as Hasbro’s really been on a roll, arguably for a couple years now regarding G1 themed figures.
I’m glad that you mentioned the IDW take on the character, as his more Wrecker-ish tendencies and grit make him a lot more interesting to me as a character. I’m not a fan of characters reduced simply for comedic value – I like that his experience is a bigger trait of his nowadays, much like how I hated how the cartoon always used Grimlock as more of a clown than a a$$-kicking machine.
The only thing I miss is that I don’t have a lot of the figures from the previous releases. I don’t know where I was at the time…
Agreed on IDW they’re really helping the TFs to grow up… for the most part.
I like rubber tires too but they usually deteriorate a lot faster than regular plastic.
I only have a handful of my old 80s TFs around and the tires on them are still good. Course they used better plastics back then too…
Sorry for the double post, but if you want a more suitable head for Kup (with an extra one sporting a “Cy-gar”), check this out:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=IGR10009&mode=retail
Disregard this post, I posted it before I head read the whole article. 😛
Nothing wrong with a little excitement. Thanks for the direct link for the readers!
I still have yet to open Wreck-Gar, Jazz, and Scourge, but Kup is easily my favorite entry for this round of “Classics” figures and in my top ten overall.