



Thanks to the kind people at Kapow, I’ve been offered a chance to assess a pre-release figure for the first time – Fanstoys FT-10 Pheonix, their Masterpiece version of Jetfire/Skyfire. I’ll be preparing a full review this weekend, but in the interim…

Not all KOs are equal. It used to be that buying a KO meant sacrificing quality. Nowadays, that isn’t always the case. While it’s certainly true that some knock offs are still low-brow alternatives of the source material, it’s not uncommon for modern KOs to match or perhaps even better the original.

Finally got my hands on an RiD Soundwave. Nice figure. The arms a little fiddly in bot mode but he’s got a pleasingly interesting transformation and I like his unconventional (for Soundwave, at least) alt mode. Certainly puts the somewhat disappointing Starscream to shame. Man, what a fall from grace compared to the incredible First Edition Deluxe TFP mold that was. Not to say he’s without credit – the bot looks very sleek indeed, but the tolerances on the legs are all over the shop and those shoulders like to pop out far too easily. Neither compares to Megatronus, OBVIOUSLY, who is one of the best deluxes in recent times are arguably the high point of the RiD line? Although there’s some fine competition – Fracture, Drift, maybe Optimus and even the humble Bumblebee are all fine bots.


Apologies for the ongoing lack of ‘proper’ reviews. I’m getting a lot better with my new meds so reckon I might be up to some photography soon (and there are OH SO MANY figures to choose from – Maketoys Downbeat and Gravity Builder in particular screaming out at me). I’ve also been bogged down in another big project which has just entered a bit of downtime, so fingers crossed.
You know that thing where you take a punt on a Transformer you’ve been eyeing for a while, and you don’t really know what to expect, and then it turns up and it’s just an absolute delight? Well, I missed the boat initially on both of the Takara TAV Optimus Primes. However, I saw both the vanilla and the Supreme versions on Chimungmung recently and took a punt on the pricier one. And he’s glorious! He’s absurd, obviously, and in no way fit for a TF Prime collection due to the obscene size. But he’ll make the most joyous of additions to one of my Optimus shelves.
I take particular delight in the way you think the roof of the cab is missing, but then the feet swing all the way from the bottom to the top to complete it. Fittingly ridiculous. God, I love it.
(And props to Chimungmung – he was only dispatched late last week owing to Chinese New Year and he’s here today, complete with a complimentary emblem sheet).

I think Capaldi is a great actor, he’s had (contrary to what at time feels like the negative popular opinion) some incredible episodes. Like, some really, really incredible episodes. And he’s most definitely a good Doctor.
… I think it’s the right time. For me (and my daughter, with whom I was discussing this topic only yesterday) his Doctor is not as satisfying to watch as (the incredible) Matt Smith. Or David Tennant, for that matter. As nervous as I am about Moffat jumping ship, a brand new writing team with a brand new Doctor will at the least shake things up and make for an interesting refresh.
Go on BBC, have the spine to give us a female Doctor, yeah?
I’ve not had much of a chance to get bots into the lightbox recently for an assortment of reasons. I recently had a bit of a health scare and whilst all is fortunately fine (horrific MRI claustrophobia panic attack aside), I am on some new meds and they’re knocking me for six. Plus, I’ve got a potentially big project (Transformers related!) in the very early and still shouldn’t be getting excited about stages that is hoovering up the time in which I am well enough to work.
I have been enjoying some bots though!


Spent a very happy day playing with Generation Toy Gravity Builder (pictured here next to Maketoys Giant). Will try and get him in the lightbox soon!
