Subject:
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Re: Starscream, Prime and Megatron Preview
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.build.mecha
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Date:
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Tue, 17 Dec 2002 22:34:18 GMT
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Viewed:
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512 times
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I'm 27, not exactly Luke to your Obi Wan. I think your giganticon sounds
cool, I once had imaginings of putting together a Devistator out of several
of the yellow technic sets (I could only build one vehicle at a time though
back then). The technic set that I had was one which built some relatively
small scale construction vehicles. I never had enough bricks back then to
do much with it. Now I don't like to build that big, but I think I'll
attempt a Devastator some time down the road a bit.
Now as for jetfire, I think he was called skyfire on the show, and believe
it or not, I like the way he looks on the show a little better than his
macross toy. If I build him, I'll probably go with the cartoon version. I
don't think he's next, probably a ways off. After this first wave of 6 or 8
I am thinking of doing the Dinobots, then after that probably Devastator.
The possibilities with these are endless, and I'm really happy with how
these are turning out.
Non-transforming is the only way to go in my opinion. The transformer toys
are excellent, and their robot forms are good for nostalgic reasons, but
most of them don't look that good in reality as robots, nothing like the
cartoons. The compromises you need to make in Lego just prohibit making
really aesthetically pleasing robots that transform (with some notable
exceptions of course).
If you haven't seen it, go to www.foundrydx.com, Sun Yun has created a great
transforming version of the Jetfire Macross toy, he even sells them as kits
when they're available.
Glad to be able to stir up some nostalgia for you. Let me know when
Giganticon 2 is ready for prime time.
-Dave Jr.
"Michael" <Buttonscomics@aol.com> wrote in message
news:H7A5Mz.C4G@lugnet.com...
> In lugnet.build.mecha, David Thomas Jr. writes:
> > I've posted a preview picture of my 3 finished Transformer figures.
>
> Absolutely amazing work. Inspirational. I was lucky enough to see the
> original series air in chronological order starting back in back in • '84(?).
> I might be dating myself here, but we're talking Lego & TF's! We would • rush
> home straight from school in gr. 9 to watch everyday. There was nothing • even
> close to this stuff in terms of coolness on TV back then.
>
> > using
> > primarily the Dreamwave comic covers as reference
>
> The Dreamwave comics are excellent. But if you can, try getting a hold of
> the artwork used on the original Japanese boxes. Actually, even the larger
> Kenner(now Hasbro) boxes were good too. The toy 'instruction manuals' are
> also a must, though. They have the TF drawn to spec in both modes • perfectly
> in B+W against a grid-like bkgd. I would use these as reference for my
> pencil drawings because many of my boxes "went missing" :(
>
> > Let me know what you think
>
> Excellent work undoubtedly. Would love to see the new pics. Hard figure • out
> from the one picture some of the pieces you used. I hate to ask but, did • you
> paint or modify any of the actual Lego? Some of the plates on the legs • look
> unique, but I'm not totally up to date on many of the current Lego pieces
> produced these days.
>
> The last Lego set I got was in '85, & didn't buy another until '99 when • the
> SW sets first came out.
>
> But back to TF's!
>
> Your work is inspirational & somewhat a trip down old-school Lego memory
> lane! In '87(yes, 1987! I'm 31!) I built a 36" tall non-transforming
> all-Lego "merge-bot" (nickname then for a Constructicons->Devastator type • of
> Transformer). We called him "Giganticon" because it was 3x as big as any • of
> the real TF's! None of the five seperate vehicles transformed, but all I
> cared about was what they all transformed into a huge robot!
>
> One arm was a racing-car, the other was jet, each leg an indentical • tank(so
> the thing would stand!, the torso was a huge truck trailer & the truck cab
> attached for front armour. The 'hands' were seperate blue fists which
> doubled as extra engines for the race-car. One held the missiles from the
> jet which connected to make a launcher, & the other held the exhaust pipes
> from the cab which made a gun. The jet wings also were detached & put on • the
> shoulders for a 'Mech' effect. The head was completely seperate (like
> Devastator's) & was stored in the truck trailer. A 9v 'black box' for the
> lighted head was stuck on top of the already huge trailer while in truck • mode.
>
> The head turned side-to-side on a 4x4 circular disc(from a late-70's set), • &
> tipped down (on 2 2x4 hinges)until stopping on the front armour. The head
> details incl. trans. 'yellow' 1x2 bricks w/ 2x4 lighted bricks(similar to
> the current train headlights) behind to make the eyes glow amber from the
> front, & to illuminate the 'cockpit' for the driver! Yes, driver! I made • the
> head open from behind so I could put the real Frenzy TF inside to operate
> the controls! All I had were several original Space sloped 'computer'
> elements for the side screens & one large blue sloped 'screen' for the
> center control. The wires which came out of the light bricks looked like
> hoses or cables which Frenzy could use for controls. I also tried a • steering
> wheel & a two-piece shifter, but took them out to leave more room for a
> bigger throne for Frenzy. A big sophisticated robot like that wouldn't • need
> to be 'steered' anyway(hello power rangers?)!! I also used trans. bricks • for
> the nose(blue) & mouth(red), so you got a bit of glowing effect there as
> well. You could see that something or someone was behind that face!
>
> Unfortunately only the tank-legs & front section of the head are still
> together today (Giganticon took 'heavy damage' in the final ultimate TF
> battle we staged!), & are packed away with all my 'old' Lego(abt 10000 • pcs).
> I don't have any good pictures either, but your work has got me thinking • an
> attempt at rebuilding Giganticon might be in order! It would be old-school
> for sure, but all the newer SW Lego combined with the classic Town & Space
> might be perfect for a retro Lego Giganticon v 2.0! Let me know what you • think!
>
> Back to YOUR current work! I'm sure you're going to get the question, "but
> do they transform?". This is a long dead issue for me. If you can build • each
> as a 'robot' & vehicle seperately, then it doesn't matter. The original TF
> toys (myself & a friend collected the entire original series) most often
> looked good & were sturdy as toys in either one mode or the other, rarely • in
> both (I know everyone has their opinion on this). The way they actually
> transformed in the cartoon wasn't (obviously) accurate to each toy. • Neither
> were the relative scales. Megatron was half the size of Shockwave as toys,
> but was similar on the show. Many Autobots towered over Optimus as toys • and
> vice versa. This was all part of the fun of the watching the show & buying
> the toys. You had to suspend your disbelief, and use your imagination.
>
> > Any suggestions on which autobot to do next? There are so many to choose
> > from I'm having a hard time picking one.
>
> Oh, this one's easy in my opinion. In 'robot' mode, nothing compared to
> Jetfire, with full red body armour & huge black cannon-gun. Only problem • is,
> & I'm sure you know, he's an Autobot-ized Macross. There were legal issues
> back in the day. Bandai(I think?) filed some lawsuits. I think Kenner only
> obtained the rights to use the mould for the toy, the image for the box &
> nothing else.
>
> On the show Jetfire was rendered totally & very disappointingly different.
> His character was changed from the Macross-like Scientist/Warrior (his
> 'stats' on the box averaged out only 2nd behind Optimus), to wimpy &
> wishy-washy! Totally awfull!! In the original Marvel comic(TF#12) his nose • &
> cockpit were totally changed, & again the character was wimped-out. From • the
> size & price of the toy, I think Kenner originally intended him to be • second
> in command, & to give the Autobots some air power against all the • Decepticon
> jets.
>
> If you want any pics of Jetfire, just email me: buttonscomics@aol.com
> I have the original box w/ color art & profile in exc. cond. & the
> instructions with the B&W art.
>
> Keep up the awesome work!
> You've inspired a veteran. I feel like old Ben Kenobi seeing a young brash
Jedi!
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Starscream, Prime and Megatron Preview
|
| (...) I'm curious I was planning on doing devastator as my first transformer, I picked up the cheap $10 knock-off on ebay to use as a model. BTW, if you want one of those chinese rip-offs for a collection, DONT the quality is absolute crap. But I (...) (22 years ago, 19-Dec-02, to lugnet.build.mecha)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Starscream, Prime and Megatron Preview
|
| (...) Absolutely amazing work. Inspirational. I was lucky enough to see the original series air in chronological order starting back in back in '84(?). I might be dating myself here, but we're talking Lego & TF's! We would rush home straight from (...) (22 years ago, 17-Dec-02, to lugnet.build.mecha)
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