I went with preferred molds here rather than consistent scale. (If I can remember where my Botcon Huffer is I could complete the set.) Both Bumblebee and my custom Cliffjumper are sporting Renderform weapon upgrades (not that Bee’s is really visible in this shot).
Two Heads Are Better Than One
“And this is Spare-Head #1, we only let him out on weekends…”
Brawns
The modern Brawns – they get better every time. The Henkei version is decked out with a ToyHax upgrade set.
The 2007 Transformers movie introduced many things to the franchise including several AllSpark powered robots created from common appliances. One of the more persistent was a Mountain Dew vending machine called Dispensor, aka Dewbot. You’ll note that I prefer the name Dewbot and will obstinately use that for the remainder of this post.
When Titan Returns’ tablet-based Rewind figure was released it inspired several of the more creative members of the Transformers community to create their own Dewbot.
ToyHax’s Contribution
ToyHax, formerly known as Reprolabels, released a decal set to convert Rewind into Dewbot, or as they call it TR Spensor. Both modes get the full Mountain Dew treatment but the alt mode is where the set really shines.
The TR Spensor label set will allow you to convert Rewind without making any physical changes to the figure. However, if you don’t mind some minor alterations, there’s a solution for that too…
If you look closely at the barrels of the weapon and the back of the head you’ll notice that they include a cool soda can top detail.
I ordered mine in Green Strong & Flexible Polished which came out a little grainy as you can see in the photos. I mainly display my Dewbot in vending machine mode so I haven’t gotten around to painting the 3D printed parts quite yet. Some silver detailing should really bring out some of the finer details.
Before and After
Some comparison shots of the fully-dewed Rewind compared to the standard version.
Yesterday’s post was inspired by the arrival of Topspin and I didn’t take the time to dig out the original G1 figures for a full comparison. Part Two corrects that omission:
Clone Generations
Both Clones are roughly the same height and are clearly the same design.
That shared design extends to the vehicle mode where the two have pretty much the same transformation.
Sadly, Fastlane is missing his spoiler, he probably left it “somewhere safe.”
Jumpstarter Generations
It is clear that these are both the same bot. But it is equally clear that the Titans Return version is a much more advanced and modern design that greatly benefits from the removal of the Jumpstarter gimmick. For my money exchanging the G1 gimmick with the Titan Master is more than a fair trade.
-Hey buddy, don’t loose your head! -Quiet tiny!
One of the trademarks of the G1 Jumpstarters was their transformation: step one – fold in half, step two – there is no step two.
Titans Return is a line full of the unexpected. We’re seeing toys based on G1 figures that I thought would never have been considered, much less released. I’m still kind of stunned that I have modern versions of both a Clone and a Jumpstarter sitting beside me on my desk. The very idea that the Twin Twist and Pounce are already announced and Cloudraker and Wingspan practically guaranteed is just mind boggling.
The Clone
Part of the Chaos on Velocitron box set, the diminutive Fastclash (Fastlane to his friends) is the first modern clone to arrive on the scene. The figure itself is pretty simple and has, except for the missing hip swivel, about the expected amount of articulation for a figure of this size. In the center of the chest is a tribute to the heat sensitive sticker unique to the G1 Clones that identified which vehicle each clone transformed into.
Transformation is simple, fold in the fists, pivot the arms onto the chest, snap the legs together, fold down the feet then pivot the head so that the spoiler is on top.
Just like with the G1 version, the drag racer mode is, let’s say; not quite an accurate representation of a real-world vehicle. However, the new fold up driver seat for Titan Master drivers is a nice touch.
The oddest thing about Fastclash, aside from actually being released, are the extra hinges built into his hips. These strange hinges seem to imply sort of secondary combined configuration with the yet to be announced Cloudraker. I can’t quite imagine what that configuration could be but there must be some reason for it aside from enabling cheerleader poses.
The Jumpstarter
Part of the fourth wave of deluxes, Topspin is an impressive modernization of the character. Back in the day, I only had Twin Twist in my collection so this purchase was just a preview of the figure I really wanted. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like this mold. The transformation is fun and the robot folds up in a fashion similar to Combiner Wars limbs to give the vehicle mode a nice solid feel.
As with all headmasters, transformation begins by decapitating the figure. The back panel of the legs pivots out allowing you to fold the feet into the robot calf. Pushing the calves up will slide them over the robot thighs, the legs then snap together. The hips fold forward and the knee flaps fold in to become the air intakes of the jet mode. The bottom half of the figure rotates to move the back of the legs so that they face the robot chest. The front of the robot chest then spins so that the hips can be locked onto the robot shoulders. The nosecone folds down to reveal the Titan Master cockpit. Make sure that the peg on the back of the Titan Master legs is pushed in at the very front of the slot in the floor of the cockpit or the canopy will not fully close. A door on the back of the robot forearms opens so that the fists can fold in and the forearms can be folded back over the upper arms. After closing the flaps the arms slot snugly beside the cockpit and snap into place. The robot weapons slot into the underside of each wing to complete the transformation.
The Conclusion
I’m quite pleased with both of these figures but Topspin is, by far, my favorite. My anticipation for Twin Twist is even greater now that I’ve had such a great introduction to the mold.
