I'm probably the only person buying Transformers Ultimates from Super7. I finally got Megatron and Grimlock from Super7 direct. They are pretty much what you'd expect, though there were some things I didn't expect, both positive and negative.
Grimlock is MASSIVE. if you have other S7 Ultimates, think the size difference between Mumm-Ra the Everliving and the Thundercats, or Mon*Star and the Silverhawks. The package was nearly three times the size of Megatron's (which is slightly narrower than Optimus Prime's). He's in dino mode, which is what I'd prefer and why I ordered him. Standing straight up, he's a full head taller than Megatron and Prime, but at least double the bulk. I just put away my MP Grimlock, but I think he might actually be the same size!His sculpt is very basic, and faithful to the anime design. He has a fair amount of articulation, including jaw hinge, head ball/swivel, base of neck swivel/hinge, waist, ball/swivel tail at torso, ball/swivel tail at tip, ball/hinge hips, hinged knees, hinged front and back toes, swivel hinge shoulders, elbows, and wrists. Range of motion isn't awful. He comes with a ton of accessories, including a pair of straight claws and grip claws for a drink tray, six glasses, a big fish, a cloth goods apron, a crown, a helmet with a long hose attached. Of course, I won't use any of these and they went straight into a bag.
Megatron is about the same size as Prime, though a tiny bit shorter, and somewhat more lithe, but not by much. His proportions, like Prime's, seem a little odd, with heads just a bit too big. He has a double ball/socket neck, hinge/swivel shoulders, elbows and wrists, ab crunch, hinged chest plate, swivel waist, hinge/swivel hips, hinge knees, hinge/swivel ankles with limited movement. He has no bicep swivels, which is annoying. He does have a swivel below the elbows, which I thought was superfluous on the left arm, but on the right, it means he can reposition the cannon so it's atop his arm. The cannon is easily removable, but I wouldn't count it as an accessory. He comes with a pair of grip hands, a pair of wider clutching hands, a hand holding a half empty Energon container, a grinning head with Energon dripping from the corners of his mouth, a helmeted head (after all of the Megatrons I've bought, you'd think by now I'd know what that purple helmet is for, Kremzeek, some kind of mineral element, a chemical flask, a ball and chain, a static ball and chain, an energy sword, a pistol. Again, those all went into a bag, though I did swap from the stoic head that was already attached to the grinning head, after removing the dripping Energon. However, the acetone removed his face paint as well, revealing plastic of the same color. I still repainted the areas because it was a subtle but bothersome difference.
I'm not sure why I wanted these anymore. I do have the Hasbro RED non-transforming figures, and they're fun, but also SO MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE. These are stupid expensive for what they are. At least I paid the same price for Grimlock as I did Megatron, which seems like a steal, considering how Mumm-Ra and Mon*Star are at a premium for their size. I think it's really the wait between ordering and receiving that bothers me most. This whole model is bound to fall apart soon. I mean, it doesn't seem like there's any interest in the Transformers license in this format. I do have Soundwave and Starscream ordered at BBTS, but it'll be a while before they show up. At least I can cancel. I ordered these from S7 direct for some reason, and will never do that again.
Oh, totally forgot: Grimlock comes with a preposed Wheelie. It's not as bad as the one that came with SS Grimlock, this one has swivel shoulders, wrists, hips, but the hips are worthless. The figure is pretty worthless in general, since I'll never display it either.
Thanks for posting. I have Prime and was very curious about how Megatron turned out. I really, really wanted to like these but it sounds like there are too many issues for the costs.
I grabbed the Prime on sale from BBTS when wave 2 came out, so grabbed Megatron as well. I wasn't expecting to like Prime as much as I do. He's a solidly chunky version of the characters, who stands over most of my 1:12 figures in my random display. He can point, and look like the cartoon, so I'm pleasantly surprised by him. Megatron, less so. He's a little wobbly (standard S7 at this point), and I really wish they had made the big dumb purple helmet removable because I like that face better than the standard. I've also debated painting the grinning face because it's just so much better than the standard head which is pretty bland. He's got a gun arm, and a ton of accessories that will live in a bin for the rest of their life until I sell him in a few years (also standard S7 at this point).
The question for me is whether I'll grab Starscream and Soundwave when they're released, and whether they'll ever make more Action Masters like Treadshot. Can I please get a Treadshot?
I'm all for non-transforming Transformers, so I was very interested in this line at first. But yeah, the RED line is much cheaper and gives you pretty much the same thing at a smaller scale, with even better articulation. And the MDLX line gives you premium non-transforming Transformers that are pretty much perfect. They are a bit more expensive than the Ultimates, but I think they're worth the price. Ultimates are stuck in this weird middle ground where they're charging premium prices but offering basic figures. They're not really offering anything other than random easter eggs like a surfboard or a basketball. It works for ThunderCats Ultimates because there are no other options for fans of that IP. But for Transformers, we have a ton of options for both transforming and non-transforming figures.
I do dig the aesthetic of these figures. I like that they are meant to look like the cartoons, and they totally do. But look good is about all they can do. Posing is not up to today's standards. And there's really no excuse for that. They include so many accessories that wind up in a bin. Maybe that's my fault for not considering them some kind of priority? Not valuing them in a way that makes me feel like I've gotten my money's worth? Honestly, I'll be happy to finish this off with the Soundwave and Starscream that I preordered. They're part of the magnificent seven anyway, or whatever they call the most recognizable TFs. I supplement the line with RED Bumblebee, so I've got a decent core group once I get the other two Decepticons. But this line really has no legs. Handsome, you have a point with other licenses like T-Cats and S-Hawks being the only game in town, but there are SO MANY better options for Transformers to spend money on.
I just got Grimlock from the BBTS sale. It's my first Ultimates Transformer and while I'm very pleased, the joints are a little loose and that's getting old with this overall line. I LOVE the apron and will probably display him with it along with his tray of drinks. It's so stupid and fun at the same time. I think Wheelie will have a permanent spot on his back too. I know he doesn't match the apron look, but I have a lot of Grimlock figures and this one doesn't need to fit in any specific display.
Meanwhile, I impulse-purchased Pinky and the Brain from the BBTS sale, and they're absolutely adorable. Technically speaking, they're also probably actual-sized.
They're more articulated than I expected, but at the same time lack a foot swivel that would help them stand more solidly.
I picked up ReAction Ultra Magnus, Wreck Gar, and Quintesson Judge from Target today. They were on sale, but also started off overpriced at 20.49 or something stupid. Sale brought them down to $16.30 something. Not sure why or what sale they were qualifying for, but I picked them up anyway.
Apparently, Super7 direct is now shipping the latest wave including Soundwave and Starscream, but for once, they are shipping before BBTS for some reason. And of the figures I've ordered, these are the ones I POed from BBTS instead of S7. The figures from the previous waves I ordered from S7 and they were the ones who shipped late.
Received the ReAction Beast Wars set over Xmas on clearance. Despite their lines being way to fragile, overpriced and not having the best quality control - I really like them for what they are. Hopefully they do more.
With the arrival of Starscream and Soundwave, I feel like I have a very good core group now.
Starscream is fine. I don't have the ghost version, so I don't know how they compare. This one is all new to me. The sculpt is good, though feels a little thin. The toon heads don't seem to have enough forehead, like the face is too long. Articulation is actually pretty nice, with 90º range in the elbows and knees, good motion from swivel hinge shoulders and hips, no waist swivel, but a limited ab crunch, and ankles that pivot up and down but no rocker. The wings plug into the back on ball sockets, but they're real tight. Each wing is hinged too. The null ray cannons are removable and can rotate. He poses well.
He comes with fists, grips, and a right open and left grasping hand, a claw extension hand, two aforementioned toon heads (peeved and smirking), and a toy head. Also a sniper rifle, a Megatron rifle, and an Energon cube.
Soundwave fares a bit better in several ways. Sculpt is solid, articulation is also good, though his backpack blocks waist rotation. He does have functional ankle rockers, and a nice pivot in the mid torso. Both he and Starscream have much better range than Optimus. Soundwave has a couple additional features. His chest opens up to store a Laserbeak cassette. His "battery pack" has a panel that slides open, and his shoulder cannon and rifle can be stored inside, like the G1 toy. The rifle has a telescoping barrel to allow for this.
He also comes with a toy head, and a comic head that reveals the lower part of his face! I thought it was an oversized Rumble head at first. He also includes an empty Energon cube, a tape deck version of him, fists, trigger grips, C grips, open right and pointing left. The storage features really set him apart from all of the other S7U TFs I have.
This three on three match up is just about perfect for what I want from this collection. While I'd love Shockwave and Jazz, I'm pretty confident I could end the line right here. With little on the horizon, I don't think I need to think about this line at all anymore.
Saw an alert on Twitter (X, whatever) that Transformers Ultimates wave 3 were on sale at Entertainment Earth for $41, or down to $37.12 with the influencer discount (pretty sure it was ToyBro).
That's about the right price for me to bite on Alligaticon... except the shipping cost for just the one figure is $17.10 - so that's an automatic no fly zone.
I looked and saw they had the Super7 Bludgeon on sale for $32.44 as well - the only other one I considered buying. But even with the two in my cart after the ToyBro discount they only added up to $68 and I have to spend $79 or more to qualify for free shipping.
Off to find $12 worth of junk to add to my order to save $20 on shipping costs... sigh
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