Canadian Transformers News and Discussion Forum

[Blurrz]

I posted this over at Seibertron, and I'm pretty sure I would get some interesting responses over here too....

There's been an issue in the past few toylines that has begun to agonize me. It's extrapolated in the Revenge of the Fallen toyline, and now I just can't stand what's going on. I'm talking about how similar the Transformers Movie toylines are with TMNT toylines. Now it might seem a bit off to think that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles could be related to Transformers, but with ROTF, it's become ill apparent that they are getting ever so closer together.

What I'm getting at is repaints. It happens in TMNT every single line, and no offense to TMNT collectors - their four favourite characters always get repainted or put into a new suit of equipment over and over again. That's cool and all, and there's not much that can be done seeing as Leo, Raph, Mike and Don are really the only four main characters. I don't mind the Deep Divin' Turtles, or the Fightin' Gear Turtles, or the Ninja Knight Turtles, or the Air Ninja Turtles; it doesn't get old because it's imaginative and it ties in with other figures being released. Now apply that to Transformers and....




... you get really bad results. Repainting is a staple in Transformers toylines. It's existed since it's creation. It's how Hasbro thrives. BUT FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING DOES IT HAVE TO BE BUMBLEBEE! What really ticked me off in N.E.S.T. Global Alliance toyline - which is the second half of the Revenge of the Fallen toylin - there are two Bumblebees being released in the first waves. One of them is practically unavoidable, Battlefield Bumblebee, which is included in a 2-pack and comes with a Certificate that is mandatory for Mail-Order Ravage. The second is N.E.S.T. Bumblebee, a repaint of RotF Bumblebee. Add the fact that there was Cannon Bumblebee previously, and RotF Preview Bumblebee... makes it 4 times we've seen the mold this year. Then add everything from the first movie and... well..yeah, you get my point.




Seriously! What justifies this? I know repainting is cheaper than making a new mold. I understand that. But for once, wouldn't it be nice to have the third Arcee bike? Another Constructicon? Perhaps even repainting something else that isn't Camaro Concept Bumblebee? I know Bumblebee's the face of the franchise, he's the kid-favourite, he's the star..... it would be nice for once in awhile, that we get something different. It started off with the 2007 Movie, didn't falter in Animated, and now in every class, every scale, there's Bumblebee.

And while I started off comparing it to TMNT, I think Hasbro's take on Bumblebee is even more excessive. Atleast the Turtles get cool Scuba masks, shining armor, or air kites. All we see, day in and day out, is a yellow turd car on the shelves.

Do we really need this? Do we want 30 versions of Bumblebee by the end of the Movie Trilogy? I don't. I'm sure some collectors, specifically Bumblebee collectors will disagree with me. But there's nothing more of a turnoff to someone like me, or any younger collector without much money, is the same character, being repainted over and over again. Hasbro's aim is for the younger generation right? Please... they don't want Bumblebee. I don't want Bumblebee. Stop this madness.

Someone save us...


~Blurrz

(As I write this, Hasbro is planning a repaint entitled Human Alliance Nightwatch Bumblebee w.....)
(Turtle Pictures Courtesy of http://ninjaturtles.com/)