I have to be honest, I ordered BadCube’s OTS-01 Huff (aka Masterpiece Huffer) just to see if it was any good. I fully expected to like it less than their Brawny, since that was a newer design. But, in hand, I love Huff! The transformation is simpler but just as effective!
The Box
The box is primarily two colors based on the toy inside.
After writing “Like every other Masterpiece, Brawny includes a special accessory to recreate that one moment from the cartoon” in my Brawny review I have to take those words back since this Masterpiece does not have one. BadCube, if you’re reading this: next reissue, you need to include a tiny version of Lorry that fits into the cab so that we can recreate the single most brain-bending scale issue of the entire series.
The Figure
One obvious flaw with this figure is that the paint on the die-cast parts is several shades darker than the orange plastic used on the rest of the figure.
So, that’s where the truck goes.
The Truck
Much longer than the original but still clearly Huffer.
I recently decided to stop waiting for official masterpiece mini-bots and start filling out the ranks with third-party equivalents. At first, I assumed that I had missed out on BadCube’s Brawny (aka Masterpiece Brawn) since the reissue was sold out everywhere. Fortunately for me, one appeared very briefly on Big Bad Toy Store while I was poking around so I grabbed it.
The Box
The box is a bit plain compared to some of the other third party releases but does emulate the color scheme of the figure inside which is nice.
What really matters is what’s inside the box: Since this is the second edition, it includes some bonus parts originally available only in BadCube’s Quint Journal accessory pack (on the left side of the photo) including a large cannon with roof mount, welder arm attachment and a G2-worthy rage face.
The Figure
The robot mode is very faithful to the original cartoon with both the vehicle cabin backpack and hood sticking up behind his head.
Brawny is no slouch in the weapons department with both a pistol and cannon.
Fully armed and dangerous!
Like every other Masterpiece, Brawny includes a special accessory to recreate that one moment from the cartoon.
Welder arm, only for use on sinking oil rigs
The Land Rover
Like the original G1 toy, Brawny is a modified Land Rover with a grill borrowed from a Jeep.
Brawny’s small pistol stores inside the fuel can that mounts on the back of the vehicle mode. This is probably the only “complaint” that I have, you cannot mount the fuel can without the pistol since that is what holds it together. Due to the “hinge” detail, you need to assemble the fuel can in the correct order, starting with the top half, labeled “L” which snaps onto the post on the front of the folded pistol then the bottom “R” part onto the back post.
Here he is fully tricked out with all of the vehicle mode accessories.
The Masterpiece
(Autobot symbol sold separately)
Brawny fits in well with other Masterpiece-styled figures and gets me one step closer to finishing off the 1984 team.
(Autobot symbol sold separately)
The Conclusion
Brawny, the quicker picker-upper!
This is my first BadCube product but it won’t be my last. In fact, Huff (aka Masterpiece Huffer) is already here. After that the only one of their mini-bots that I won’t be considering is Wardog (aka Masterpiece Warpath) which just doesn’t work for me aesthetically.
The second half of Dreadwing has arrived at Junkion HQ! Now Dreadwind won’t be lonely anymore.
The Card
My version of Blackwing came with a card for Megatronus Blackwing.
The Robot
The robot mode is very close to the original and is very clearly “Darkwing” despite the copyright-inspired renaming.
As with Dreadwind, the armor mode is a bit awkward.
The Jet
Blackwing is a remold of Combiner Wars Air Raid, which is a close match to the original.
The Powermaster
Like with Dreadwind, the combiner hand can be used to replicate the G1 Powermaster feature.
Prime Master Integration
While I still don’t like the chest armor, it does look a little better with a Prime Master in place of the included plug.
Dreadwing
Like the originals, the PotP versions can combine into a super jet mode. It’s not terribly stable since the two are held together by a single post. One interesting thing to note is that the instructions label this combination as Duocon Dreadwing.
The Combiner Limb
Like the other Deluxes in this line, Blackwing can also become a combiner limb.
The instructions say he goes with Hun-Gurrr but I’m not buying that. I just wish we had two more jets in the line to complete a Super-Seeker gestalt.
Power Masters United
One nice feature of the cover plates that these two come with is that they match closely with Titans Return Overlord and make passable stand-ins for the missing Giga and Mega.
Today’s post is a Clearance Catch: ACE-02 Hiccups, aka Masterpiece Hubcap.
There are some figures that catch your eye but not quite enough to convince you to part with the cash required to click the “buy” button. Hiccups was one of those for me. I wasn’t too interested in their first figure ACE-01 Tumbler (aka MP Cliffjumper) mainly due to the head which seemed a bit “off” to me. Some of that disinterest may have colored my opinion of Hiccups even though I never had a problem with his head design. But now that the price has dropped to half of the original it seemed like a safer risk.
The Box
The box includes full-color art that can be placed beside Tumbler’s box to make a larger scene.
The back of the box features a quick bio for the Hiccups character.
Unlike Tumbler he does not include any Kryten-esqe spare heads and instead has a nozzle called Roscoe that can be attached to the end of the figure’s arm.
The instructions are a weird hybrid that shows both ACE-01 Tumbler and Hiccups in a split view. Although the Roscoe nozzle is shown on both sides of the instructions it was only included with Hiccups. The instructions also show an “alts head” for Hiccups that is the head that came installed on the figure. The head shown attached in the instructions has a narrower silver crest and is not included in the box.
The steps on the back of the instructions start at the bottom of the page and move upwards.
The Display
One really nice thing about the ACE figures is that they come packaged in a display case.
I’m special!
The bottom of the case can also be used as a display base complete with a flight stand. The stand can be attached two ways, I’ve set up the photo below with the stand hooked up for the most height.
There is also a spot on the bottom of the base where you can store the display stand when not in use.
The Figure
Many fans find the short arms to be a big issue with this figure. As you can see below, they are noticeably shorter than Bumblebee’s even though Hiccups is half a head taller.
The Porsche
No penny-racer here, Hiccup’s alt mode is a fairly accurate representation of the Porsche 924 that inspired the original deformed vehicle mode with the exception of the air scoop that should be on the hood. The biggest drawback of the vehicle mode are the front wheels: like Bumblebee, they do not lock into place nor is there anything behind them to hold them in place. Unlike Bumblebee, the hinge is a bit loose making it much easier to accidentally nudge them under the hood.
Like the main Masterpiece line, ACE is using the robot mode to set the scale of this figure so the vehicle mode looks very small next to a full-sized Autobot car.
The Conclusion
Although I like the idea, the die-cast feet really do not work for this figure. The extra weight in the feet makes the figure’s legs feel very floppy when handling and makes dynamic posing extremely difficult, especially when on the flight stand.
This figure is OK as a display piece and, once properly badged, will have a place as my official Masterpiece Hubcap.
My version of Hun-Gurrr came with a card for Prima Hun-Gurrr.
The Robot
I have to say that I don’t like the pseudo-rubsign on his left shoulder which gives the figure a lop-sided look as if they mistakenly put on the wrong sticker. I would have preferred if they just went one way or the other: either a real rubsign or matching symbol.
The combiner feet actually make passable arm blasters.
The Beast
The dragon is probably the weakest mode due to the extremely small front legs and large purple belly. Still, it’s hard not to love a two headed dragon!
The Combiner Torso
Hun-Gurrr is also the core of Abominus, the only original G1 combiner to continue the Combiner Wars Voyager/Deluxe theme in this line. Sadly, I’ll have to wait for the third wave of deluxes to complete this picture.
The Enigma of Combination is nicely position in the combiner’s chest.
