Awesome Toy Blog

With Comic-con right around the corner, Hasbro has gone ahead and released pricing details on all their exclusive items.  Below is a list of items and the price, and after the jump is the same info, but with a longer description of the item.  I do hope that I can score a Sentinel this year.

• GI Joe – Zarana – $14.99
• GI Joe – Starscream deco’d Skystriker with Cobra Commander – $49.99
• Transformers – Dark of the Moon Ultimate Optimus Prime – $79.99
• Transformers: Prime – First Edition Optimus Prime – $19.99
• My Little Pony – 2011 Special Edition Pony – $14.99
• Indiana Jones – Lost Wave figure set – $64.99
• Star Wars – Revenge of the Jedi 12 figure set – $129.99
• Nerf – Optimus Prime Blaster – $24.99
• Marvel – Mini-Muggs Avengers Set – $34.99
• Marvel – 16″ Sentinel – $59.99
• Marvel – Spider-Man Mighty Mugg – $15.99

Read the rest of this entry »

Proving that they still have a few aces up their sleeves, today via GeekDad, Hasbro revealed an additional SDCC exclusive!  This time up it is a Nerf N-Strike Barricade RV-10 Special Edition Transformers Optimus Prime blaster. Featuring an Optimus Prime deco and a super fantastic G1-esque package this motorized, semi-automatic blaster has a revolving barrel that holds 10 whistle darts.  This Nerf blaster runs $24.99 and will be available at the Hasbro booth; and will be available in limited quantities at HasbroToyShop.com after the show.

The final gallery I’m posting today has updated photos of all of Hasbro’s SDCC exclusives including the reveal of a previously unannounced Spider-man Mini-mugg!  Hasbro’s got some great product lined up for the show – I’m really feeling the GI Joe / Transformers Starscream Skystriker; the Marvel Universe carded Sentinel and the Avengers Mini-mugg set.  Check out all the images below – which of their convention exclusives is your favorite?

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The folks at HunterPR sent out a new batch of photos, including what’s the latest and greatest in Transformers.  Images include new Cyberverse, Dark of the Moon, Speed Stars and Rescue Bots.  Check out all the images in the gallery below.

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Just the other week I was fortunate to receive a copy of the Transformers: The Japanese Collection – Headmasters DVD set from Shout! Factory.  I’ve spent a good bit of time watching the series, and I want to share my impressions of the series and DVDs, which are set to be released July 5th.

The Headmasters series is the first real divergence point of US vs. Japanese Transformers.  In the US; the Headmasters were unveiled in the 3 episode arc “Rebirth” which composes the entire 4th (and final) season of the US G1 continuity.  In Japan, the Headmasters series continues the storylines set in G1 and kicks off a trilogy of Japanese-only series.  This release from Shout! Factory is the first release of this material in North America.  This set presents all 35 episodes of the Headmasters series on 4 subtitled DVDs.

• Picture and sound quality – Overall the quality of the picture and audio is typical of any 80′s cartoon.  While generally clear and high-quality the colors don’t pop off the screen.  It’s a bit tougher for me to judge the audio track – as there is only a Japanese language track…but the background music is clear and the series seems to have a pretty good mix.  If you’ve watched any of Shout! Factory’s Transformers or GI Joe DVDs, the quality is on par with those.
• Comparison to StarTV Dub – If you are among the fans who have viewed all of some of the Headmasters series through a bootleged recording of the english dub shown in Singapore you might be wondering how this DVD release stacks up.  The short answer is – it doesn’t.  Shout! Factory’s DVD release will have you tossing your bootleg out.  What is not preserved is the english dub itself, meaning the novelty of Blaster being ‘Billy” and Spike being ‘Sparkle’ is gone.  But for a clear image and more coherent plot; novelty is easily sacrificed.
• Bonus Features – This is one area where the set is a little slim.  The sole bonus feature on this set is an art gallery which features uncolored line art of the key Headmasters characters. The special features could have been beefed up a bit by adding a few commercials perhaps…or even a special feature addressing some of the quirks of the StarTV dub.

In summary The Transformers – Headmasters DVD set from Shout! Factory is a great opportunity for fans who thought G1 ended with the end of the American series.  While the tone and presentation of the storyline changes a bit to better accomodate a Japanese audience (more slapstick comedy, some significance personality shifts for several characters) – the overall story is still engaging and provides depth and character development to characters hardly explored in American Transformers mythos.

The Transformers: The Japanese Collection -  Headmasters is set to be released in a few days on July 5th.  Amazon has the set up for pre-order now (for under $20), or pick it up after Tuesday wherever you like to grab your DVDs.  The set has a suggested price of $29.93 – which is a good price for this set.

Toys R Us today announced their SDCC exclusives which will be available at the show at the Entertainment Earth booth and online at ToysRUs.com.  The items are:

• Transformers Masterpiece RODIMUS PRIME – $60
• ThunderCats “Classic Lion-O” Action Figure – $40
• HALO Master Chief Platinum Action Figure – $20
• Star Wars: Republic Commando Action Figure Set – $50
• DC Universe vs. Masters of the Universe- Bizarro vs. Faker – $40
• Mortal Kombat Dark Raiden Action Figure – $20
• Flocked Sonic Action Figure – $30
• Minimates ”MARVEL® vs. CAPCOM® 3: Fate of Two Worlds” Figures – $20

Check below for images of these items.

In the event you’re in the mood for an action movie with giant robots – this is your week.  ‘Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon’ is released tomorrow (June 29th) with many theaters having midnight showings.  If the movie inspires you to head out and buy some toys, be sure to check out Target – which has the toys on sale and has a few printable coupons.  To get the coupons, head to the Target coupon site – and choose the category toys.  There you’ll find a $3 off a Voyager toy, $10 off a Leader toy.

Based on reports coming from the Tokyo Toy Show and a listing on Amazon.jp, the Transformers:Encore line is returning!  Next up on the release horizon is a boxset of the Devastator in his much homaged green glory.  The information available places him around $150 and available at the end of the year.

This is great news, as there hadn’t been too much news on the Encore front in some time, and I’m thrilled to see reissues continuing.  Selfishly, I’m a bit bummed that Devastator is getting a reissue – since my G1 set is just about 15 feet from where I write AwesomeToyBlog.

Botcon brings us images of both Transformers SDCC exclusives in package; which usually isn’t anything awesome, but this year they’re doing something special.  First up is the Transformers: Prime Optimus Prime figure; this is the one that was previewed a week or so ago.  This figure comes packaged in a plastic blister pack shaped like the Matrix of Leadership – it even includes straps so you can wear it around your neck.  Very cool, well…you know what I mean.  The second exclusive, the Ultimate Optimus Prime is packaged in vehicle mode and has a very G1 feeling to it with the box mimicking G1 Optimus’ trailer stripe.  Check out both toys below.

CAMBRIDGE, UK – JUNE 2, 2011 – Jagex Games Studio, one of the largest independent games developers and publishers in the world, today announced the much anticipated name; TRANSFORMERS UNIVERSE for the upcoming MMO based on the iconic TRANSFORMERS brand from Hasbro, Inc. as well as plans to attend TRANSFORMERS BotCon 2011, the official TRANSFORMERS fan convention, to unveil their vision for the browser based MMO for the Western World markets.

Visitors to BotCon will be the first to see the graphical style and direction for the game and be able to see firsthand how the Jagex development team is working with Hasbro to create the look and feel of it through live concept art and animation demonstrations at the Jagex booth.

The Jagex booth will offer fans a chance to meet and engage with members of the development team, and watch exclusive video footage of how a TRANSFORMERS character is developed in-game.

Those visiting the booth will also have the unique opportunity to design their own TRANSFORMERS character from in-game assets and take away a printed copy of their AUTOBOT or DECEPTICON creation. The ability to design and customise your own TRANSFORMERS character will be a key feature in the game and fans will be getting a first taste of what they can look forward to from this new MMO.

Jagex will also be welcoming the TRANSFORMERS community to contribute their thoughts and opinions about AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS in the video area of the booth, where the first battle for supremacy will begin. Who will come out on top?

Mark Gerhard, CEO at Jagex Games Studio, commented: “BotCon is the world’s premier destination for TRANSFORMERS enthusiasts and, with so many loyal fans gathered together in one place, it’s the natural event to unveil the very first details of TRANSFORMERS UNIVERSE. It will be great to meet the TRANSFORMERS fans in person and we are especially excited about offering them the chance to design their own TRANSFORMERS character, which will be a key feature of the game when it launches next year.”

Mark Blecher, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Gaming and Media at Hasbro, commented: “The unveiling of some of the first details of TRANSFORMERS UNIVERSE from Jagex at BotCon, where Hasbro celebrates all elements of our hugely popular TRANSFORMERS brand, is an extremely exciting prospect for both Hasbro and the dedicated fanbase attending. We are delighted to welcome Jagex to the show and are sure that what the fans will able to see, participate in and take away from their experience at the Jagex booth will make them as excited about the upcoming MMO as we at Hasbro are.”

TRANSFORMERS BotCon runs from the 3^rd – 5^th June at the Pasadena Convention Centre, California. The Jagex booth can be found in the Main Conference Hall.

To register interest in TRANSFORMERS UNIVERSE, fans can now visit: www.transformersuniverse.com