G2 Redux

Generation 2: Redux

(or: A Robots in Disguise Post in Disguise)

Right, so, this entry will not at all be about the actual G2: Redux stuff from a couple years back.  We're going a bit further back, to the year 2002.

 Today we'll have a look at Robots in Disguise Dreadwind and Smokejumper.  Here are their individual jet modes, and for clarity, that's Smokejumper on the left and Dreadwind on the right.

 They do have a combined mode, which is basically accomplished by having Smokejumper penetrate the backside of Dreadwind, to form Dreadwing.  I didn't make this up.  Well, the whole penetration part, sure, but that's actually a really accurate description of how they combine.  Whatever you were thinking about I can't account for.  

Dirty jokes aside, this mode bores me.  I find if they're going to be displayed in vehicle mode that it's much more satisfying to have them separated, as the combined mode just sort of looks like Dreadwind with his gun moved and some extra tailfins attached.  

Before I move on, I want to solicit a ten years late QC warning on the stickers on Dreadwind's wings.  They have precut slots in them to allow for the spring jointed wings to raise up.  There's just one problem with this, as shown below.

The stickers may or may not actually be cut properly to allow for the spring joint to move.  This is very, very easily corrected by taking a hobby knife to them, but you want to do that before you transform him!  Also, you could move the sticker to accommodate the cut, but there's a very specific panel line pattern this is meant to fit in, so I found the hobby knife route to be a better option.  

Continuing on at our look at Dreadwind, we'll have a look at his tank mode, which is cool in 98 languages.  A bit more detail on the underside of the wings would have been nice, but that's a minor complaint, since I own paint.  This mode probably gives the best sense in the entire set that this guy is loaded with weaponry and ready to make your day pretty miserable.  Yes, I think I forgot to mention, this set comes with 14 losable missiles all ready to frustrate you the next time you move your collection around.  If you wonder why I'm slightly bitter about the loose part count, come check out my original G2 version of this sometime.  I am down to 8 missiles, possibly less, and who knows how they got lost.  

Back to the review of the tank mode, let's talk about how you get the wings to snap up into that position.  

Actually, let's not.  That's also a dirty joke waiting to happen.  

Instead, the next thing to see here is Dreadwind's robot mode.  

 "Close" up

Full shot.

Eh.  Not bad, just wish it was more pose-able.  The legs are big but don't move very much to the side, so you can't get overly dynamic.  Very cool that you can still attach the missiles, to the wings, and though I didn't go that route here, he can also hold the missiles all Transmetal Optimus Primal like.  In this case, he's just holding one of Smokejumper's guns, because he's a dick about letting people dual wield.  I would not play Halo 2 with him, ever.  Yes, Halo 2, because new games suck, and because Perfect Dark gives me motion sickness now.

There's another component to this set, and for some reason I'm going to skip straight into robot mode for Smokejumper.

  Up close (camera has no focus from this distance, but it is almost as old as these toys!)

Proportions?  What are those?

Of course, the only really disproportionate thing here is his gun, but I can get over that.  Smokejumper oozes G2 Cyberjet goodness, and is a fitting commander for them.  I don't know if he's actually meant to be, but he ought to be.  

The size of Smokejumper is a great contrast to Dreadwind, and due to this, or maybe just the green-ish color, I get a Cybertron Crumplezone/Ransack vibe from them.  Except that Ransack was a horrible character, and I imagine Smokejumper as a smarter, more badass version.  Ransack GTS, if you will, due to the green.  Definitely not Gasket Police Type, which is just lame.  Actually, not lame, I just don't have it and don't want to pay that much for that mold.  Guess I'll never own Cybertronian Rattrap ever again either, huh?

Way to totally wreck my own attempt at a comparison with a completely unnecessary rant. 

This is, in my eyes, a Robots in Disguise toy, despite the late in the line appearance and Armada style packaging.  So, here they are with some buddies.

Back when the Decepticons actually had an Air Force and weren't ad-hoc designated as seekers.

That's really all for the review here.  

To conclude, a quick word on the overall blog layout and the title.  I'd like to pay a lot more attention to this, and also make it mostly Transformers oriented (though I'd plan on seeing a Gundam kit or two in here on occasion).  I'd also like to improve the layout even more.  For now, I'm using a generic as hell background, and slightly amatuer-ish title bar shot, but it was better than my shoes and hairy legs (note: blog traffic is significantly increased since removal of my feet from the top).  So, suggestions there, or places to look where I can infringe+appropriately credit someone else's work are appreciated.  

Also, the title.  It took me way too long to think of that.  It was going to be some form of play on words of "Transform and Roll Out", but after the best I could do was "Cry Fury and Roll Out", "Concatenate and Roll Out", and "DesuDesuDesuDesuDesuDesuDesu Roll Out", I shortened it.  It doesn't mean anything in particular, and may be subject to change again.  

All of this was "just in case you were wondering".  I wouldn't count on me following up on the "attention" part, but hey, this is two decent posts in three days!  

'Til next time, 'til all are one...