The extreme color difference does a great job making these to figures seem much more different than they really are. As I mentioned above, they share the exact same body and articulation. There’s a ball jointed head, shoulders, wrists, hips, and ankles. Due to the transformation designs their biceps and elbows are hinges. There’s also a hinge in the wrists and knees. All this articulation lends itself to some great posing and I tend to have Wheeljack standing up straight while Dead End is hunched over with almost a pouncing look.
Each figure does have an entirely new head sculpt though. Wheeljack’s is just a slight variation on his classic looking ear lights and masked mouth, making the figure instantly recognizable. I was a bit disappointed in his light piping though. The plastic they used seems to be a bit thick, making it difficult for light to make it all the way to the eyes.
I love pretty much every aspect about Dead End’s head. The sculpting is fantastic, giving him a crazy screaming face that resembles a wild animal more than a robot. His light piping also works extremely well, lighting up his eyes and mouth with a sickly green glow.
Both figures come with the same weapons: two katana-like swords. Wheeljack’s are the classic gray with silver blades, while Dead End has black hilts with neon green blades. Both figures look great dual wielding these swords, but I tend to put Dead Ends backwards to give him a less refined looking style.
Both of these figures make great additions to the Transformers Prime line. The body sculpt and design is expressive and fun to play around with, while the new head sculpts and paint jobs on each figure give them a definite personality. Obviously my favorite is the neon insanity that is Dead End, but I definitely would feel my collection was incomplete without his more reserved brother-by-design, Wheeljack.
-Vault
Speaking as a mad scientist and fencing enthusiast, I have a soft spot for similar characters, and have become a bit of a Wheeljack fan, so this version was a must-get for me, since it combines mad scientist and swords in one guy. Love the design in both robot and car modes, very poseable and fun.
Speaking as a manic-depressive, I also have a soft spot for the character of Dead End (the mopey G1 version, anyway), who always found a way to make everyone feel even worse. I’m not too fond of this version, though; it’s too bright and vital-looking. Considering the swords, if they’d released him as Banzai-tron, I would’ve gone for it. He just doesn’t look emo enough to be Dead End, in my mind.
I’m not averse to garish toys per se, so long as the wild colour scheme is in keeping with the character. But Batman can’t skulk around in the darkness very well if he’s wearing a white suit with fluorescent yellow lightning bolts on it. And for every Neon Grappling Jet-Pack Laser Ninja Batman that Kenner released, I kept thinking: “There’s a spot in that case that could’ve gone to a criminally-underproduced villain.”
Oh, yeah, I forgot: Great review and fun pics, as ever!
you know, I have both of these, but it took me a minute to remember I had Wheeljack. I know I bought him mainly for nostalgia reasons, even tho I didn’t have the G1 version. I think I had the 4″ version that didn’t transform from early 90s, tho?
Dead End I could have easily passed by if I was told “he’s just an ugly repaint”, but seeing him in person sells it. It’s something about that paint scheme that sounds garish on paper, but WORKS in person.
btw, who is that teal car at top of p2?
That looks like Rumble or Frenzy, can’t remember which one it is.
Great review, now I’m almost tempted to go grab Dead End. I really like this Wheeljack as his body really does lend itself to the matching blades.
Tis Rumble.
Never owning a Wheeljack I went for generations Wheeljack and did dig him. This review and the new TF fan has me looking but dunno if he has seen Prime. I haven’t seen it yet. This mold looks fun in bith just to me Dead End being a stunticon of old it would be neat if the others of the group get made that they had a secret combiner form you only find out about after you get Motor Master.
They did make Breakdown (though I think at this point he’s Japan-exclusive, because Hasbro has no idea how to handle their toylines), but he’s not a thing like his G1 version. He’s a Voyager (or whatever they’re calling that size class now) humvee-like truck, so he probably wouldn’t make a good Menasor limb.
More Takara’s fault than Hasbro. Takara apparently made him in a financial no-Man’s land where he was too expensive to release at one price point but not expensive enough to release at another.
isn’t Knockout a Stunitcon, too? I saw a refresher case today that had him and Wheeljack in it.
oh, and BBTS has “Dark Energon” versions of Wheeljack (trasp.blue!), OP, Megs, others.
OP/Megs: http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=BBTS10024&mode=retail
deluxe: http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=BBTS10023&mode=retail
Starscream looks like Skywarp and Megs almost makes me want to like him enough to buy. almost.
Takara are actually releasing their OWN redeco of Wheeljack as a different former Stunticon, this time Wildrider. Remarkably, considering it’s Takara, it’s not just a thirty-second hackjob G1 Colors Directly On A New Mold deal, and he’s much closer to the original than Dead End while still looking quite nice. So that’s 2/3 of the way to an extremely ungainly Menasor (and Motormaster and Drag Strip have both made WFc/FOC appearances!).
Fun review! I always love your pics.
Though Wheeljack has always been one of my favorite Transformers, I’m not crazy about this one. Though I do love the his alt-mode, I’m not crazy about his bot mode. His arms seem way too long, and the fact that his shoulders are so high up, it makes him look very simian to me.
Great review Vault!!!
I bought Wheeljack here only because I wanted to complete the on-screen team, and, like a few of the TF Prime toys, I kind of regret it. The squat little hunchback look does nothing for me.
Like most of my Transformers purchases, I’ve been cherry picking the prime figures, focusing only on characters or designs that catch my fancy. So far that’s just meant that I have amassed a five Vehicon battalion (I’m a sucker for army builders and black and purple color schemes so I never stood a chance).
Dead End was one of the few must haves for me both because I love the color scheme and because the Revenge of the Fallen Dead End figures were literally the figures that got me interested in Transformers. A vampiric/cannabilistic Decepticon just seemed super cool to me.
I found myself surprised how much I liked Wheeljack, given he doesn’t have my beloved bicep swivels. His overall likeness and good articulation regardless add up to one of my favorites in the line. I dig the faceplated head, but bought an extra Jacky to accommodate Dr. Wu’s 3rd party mouthed head.
As for Dead End, he’s so crazy he works. These Transformers with raging, open-mouthed heads always remind me of the Ice Cream Phantoms from old Scooby Doo cartoons:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ln3qVx2yxK8/UEVr8yGv6NI/AAAAAAAAACo/7jJpE0m6KbE/s1600/ep15pic8.JPG
I’m pretty sure I’m the only one that gets that feeling, but there you go.
First picture at the top of the second page, who is the blue car?
Nice review! I’ve been tempted by Wheeljack, he’s one of my favorite TF’s. He hasn’t been given much love as of late, other than a repaint back in one of thos compared to the mainstays like Bumblebee, Ironhide, or Ratchet, so its nice to see him get included in Prime and get a figure.
Dead End is both hideous and glorious at the same time. He jumps out at me, sort of like a 200x MOTU Disco Skeletor.
i bet your a fan of python patrol. dead end looks normal compared to the python patrol crimson guard.