Botcon.com has posted the fourth figure in the Botcon 2007 exclusive box set of five. Bugbite is a straight repaint of Classics Bumblebee. He is another Decepticon and supposedly the leader of the pack. Bugbite is actually not a new character. Similar to Sunstorm, the Bugbite character originates from an E-Hobby Exclusive repaint of the Generation 1 book-format reissues. In the reissue set, six minibots were included with Bumblebee featuring a retooled, cartoon accurate face (see post banner). This set’s E-Hobby exclusive counterpart featured repainted versions of the six minibots with new names and some new alliegances. It is also worth mentioning that the names given to the repaints were all former Go-Bot names with similar alt modes (Pathfinder, Smallfoot, Bug Bite, Treads, Bad Boy, and Road Ranger).

 

Bug Bite photos from Botcon.com
Bug Bite E-Hobby Exclusive face picture from tfu.info.

Botcon.com posted some images today of Exclusive Classics Thrust that have eased any concerns I had on the figure. Images of both modes have been mirrored below. As the last of the original seekers to be revealed, it was significant that his wings have been remolded to more accurately portray his original namesake. Dirge and Thundercracker did not really need any retooling. While all the ‘coneheads’ (Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge) had differently molded wings, Ramjet and Dirge’s wings were similar enough that a straight repaint was not out of left field. Thrust, however, had very different wings in that they had VTOL fans in the center and were placed in the mid section of the fuselage with additional tail fins, whereas on the other jets the main wings were based further back on the fuselage.

You can view some pictures of the original toy and its cartoon counterpart here. To see the previously announced exclusives, see here for Dirge and here for Thundercracker.

The Transformers Club was kind enough to update their site again without sending a complimentary heads up email to members of the club. I’m not bitter though. I enjoy reading about club updates on other news sites even though I’m a paying club member.

Anywho, the club has posted some teaser art for the summer comic. Art is by Alex Milne and story by Forest Lee. Below the art is the following text:

I have mirrored the art below. Its interesting, in that, it shows some new characters/molds. In the forefront appears to be a repainted Cybertron Armorhide in blue and yellow (Punch/Counterpunch??), Cybertron Thunderblast as Elita-1. Behind them is Classics Ultra Magnus. I believe a repaint of Cybertron Defense Hot Shot (in green? Springer?) is to Magnus’ left. Grimlock is on his right. Two others are in the further background that I cannot make out. Let the speculation begin!

Earlier today, I posted that the first figure in the Botcon box set had been revealed last week. That figure was Dirge. I’m pleased to say that the second figure in the set has been announced today. Thundercracker. “The ringing in your ears is the sound of your own destruction.”

For those who keep track, it appears Thundercracker will feature the running change on the seeker mold that I mentioned in this video on Classics Skywarp.

Outside of that small factoid, there’s not much else to say. The figure is pretty much exactly what we were expecting (and hoping!) to see. A straight up repaint of Starscream/Skywarp with the appropriate colors. As always, images mirrored below.

Source: Botcon.com

 

Botcon.com has posted images of the first exclusive from the Transformers convention boxset “Games of Deception”. Dirge is a direct repaint of Classics Ramjet featuring a paint scheme pretty close to the G1 version. I have mirrored the images below. It should also be noted that this exclusive has nothing to do with the Botcon 2005 Exclusive Dirge.

The pictures were followed by this quote: ” Talk all you want loser! The only sound you
make that I’ll listen to is a death rattle. ”

 

I have also included a couple side by side shots with the G1 version of Dirge and the Botcon photos for comparison

 

You’ll note that the nosecone is flipped down in robot mode for the G1 figure. The boxart for G1 Dirge shows him with the nosecone of the jet down, whereas in the original cartoon it was straight up, giving he, Ramjet and Thrust the nickname of the Coneheads. There are also no vertical tailfins on G1 Dirge. That was specific to Ramjet’s wings which is carried over from the original mold for this figure. G1 Dirge’s wings also featured a small wing just in front of the main wing. Most of the differences that will exist between the G1 versions and the Classics versions of the Coneheads will be localized to the wings and missiles. Those are the main identifiers for each of the first Coneheads from G1 outside of color.

More exclusives will be revealed in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

As promised, here is Part 2 of this feature on the Target Exclusive Classics 2-pack for Ultra Magnus and Skywarp.
You can see the first part of this segment here.

Show Notes after the jump.
[Read the rest of this entry…]

This is the first in a two part episode. Originally this was supposed to be one episode but it was just too amibtious to cram it all into one. The second half is forthcoming.

Show Notes after the jump
For Part Two of this feature, go here.
[Read the rest of this entry…]

As an added note the original mold for G1 Jetfire was a Macross VF-1S Valkyrie with “Super Valkyrie” armor according to wikipedia.