Studio Series discussion

[LordGigaIce]

Ultra Magnus was a special situation in that the designers weren't willing to pretend they were happy with how Kingdom Magnus turned out. It was a point of professional pride to show us they can do better than that.

Thing is I prefer KI Magnus and I guess that's my point.
I don't mind Hasbro redoing stuff from only a few years ago if the new version is dedicated to doing something different (screen accuracy and car carrier vs in scale robot mode and armour gimmick).

Choice is good, and I'm not gonna bash Hasbro if double dipping on characters in a short window in the name of exploring different aspects the earlier version didn't touch on.

 

[Dake]

It's a bit of a 'shop, but tformers did this one.

 

[LordGigaIce]

Meanwhile, Thrilling 30 Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus is crying in the corner over how no one remembers him.

For me the IDW aesthetic had a shorter self life than maybe I thought it would. So CW Magnus is just... fine I guess but that style isn't my cup of tea. Though he's fun to break out with KI Magnus and do the IDW thing where they're both two different characters wearing different versions of the Magnus Armour.

 

[LordGigaIce]

Thing is I prefer KI Magnus and I guess that's my point.
I don't mind Hasbro redoing stuff from only a few years ago if the new version is dedicated to doing something different (screen accuracy and car carrier vs in scale robot mode and armour gimmick).

Choice is good, and I'm not gonna bash Hasbro if double dipping on characters in a short window in the name of exploring different aspects the earlier version didn't touch on.

City Commander was the first 3P thing I ever bought, and probably the first thing I "splurged" on as a TF fan. I loved that thing but he was not without his flaws. The giant stuff gun was the worst offender, but you can kind of see how that idea got refined through Siege and Kingdom.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

I wanted to like CW, but I just see the broken forearm armor and wonder how this aesthetic was ever a thing.

 

[The Mighty Mollusk]

I liked the CW design, but some of those ratchets were so stiff that I was afraid of breaking things just transforming him, so I kept the Siege spoiler box version instead (which, to be fair, I only bought at Ollie's for half off). Haven't cared enough to pick up another version yet.

 

[Princess Viola]

I somehow don't have any version of G1 Ultra Magnus.

Closest I've got is SG Collection SG Ultra Magnus lol.

 

[Sabrblade]

CW Ultra Magnus was made so people could do this:

 

[Mat-Man]

Meanwhile, Thrilling 30 Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus is crying in the corner over how no one remembers him.

I never saw CW Magnus in stores or I would have snatched him right up!

 

[CoffeeHorse]

It's not a good toy. You might have high hopes for it because the transformation is pretty neat, but pictures can't convey how horrible the joints feel.

 

[unluckiness]

Still have my CW Magnus but he doesn’t see display any more. Neat transformation but build quality’s not great and my opinion on that era of fiction’s cooled since then. Most noticeably, his foot design is an active detriment to posing. He doesn’t have ankle joints which is fair enough but the position his feet end up in are just awkward. It’s like he has anti-ankle joints. He also can’t hold his accessories well which is an annoyance.

 

[Mat-Man]

Well, crap. Guess it's good I never saw him then.

 

[unluckiness]

Despite how scathing my last comment was, it’s not terrible. Just don’t break the bank for it.

 

[TheSupernova]

I still haven't replaced CW Magnus in my collection yet.

All the criticisms listed above are valid, but I couldn't justify the price difference from old Leader to Commander class.

Though as time has gone on, I have regretted it a bit.

 

[LordGigaIce]

It's not a good toy. You might have high hopes for it because the transformation is pretty neat, but pictures can't convey how horrible the joints feel.

Or how he can't hold his guns. Or even his Animated hammer easter egg.

I wanted to like CW, but I just see the broken forearm armor and wonder how this aesthetic was ever a thing.

My last inklings for the IDW1 aesthetic died when I saw Legacy Skids and realized he's everything I ever needed from the character and Generations IDW Skids just looked... off

 

[unluckiness]

It’s ironic how the T30 Skids mold has gigantic clown shoe feet and the biggest problem is that it has poor balance.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Diaclone era Autobots tend to have huge boots, which are great for balance. IDW1 liked to isolate the feet and pile a bunch of junk above the ankles. I never liked it because it destroys the tapering flow so many G1 legs have, and it means the feet have to do all the work to support the toy on their own. You can see it in the Ultra Magnus lineup. Most of those Magnuses have huge wide feet incorporating the outer leg armor. CW Magnus isolates the feet, and the rest of the leg armor is just floating.

T30 Skids' feet are on their own, and they need help.

 

[Exatron]

Something I've always wanted to see was a big group shot comparing all the different Ultra Magnus toys (CW, Siege, Kingdom, SS86) with each other, as well as with FansProject City Commander since that toy was kinda the first one to really go for the armored look that Hasbro neglected for what felt like so long with just nothing but white Optimus toys, before finally giving us one with CW Ultra Magnus. But alas, I doubt anyone still has all of those toys (including City Commander) to take such a group pic.

Ask and you shall receive.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

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[Badgertron]

It's a bit of a 'shop, but tformers did this one.

I've seen this and it's a good illustration of how lighting changes colours in photography. Here, Studio Series Magnus looks a lot closer to the G1 toy shade of blue, whereas in person it's a MUCH more purpley shade of blue. As a fan of the G1 toy I was very disappointed (it's still a nice toy though).