Masterpiece Ironhide’s prototype has fans divided, and John, Diecast and Don weigh in on the waist, the silhouette and the scale. Diecast walks through building lit IKEA Detolf display cases. The crew shares second thoughts on Titan Class Devastator and the Collectors’ Club G.I. Joe crossover sets. They close on how third-party toys now compete for the same collecting budget.
Building a Lit Detolf Display
Diecast is building three IKEA Detolf glass cases with light kits for his living room. He spent about two hours per case running and tying the wires down the back rail so they don’t show. A Detolf runs about $70 and a white light kit about $20, so roughly $100 a case. Don admits his collection sits on $25 Walmart bookcases, and someday he plans to pare it down to his top 500 pieces.
Second Thoughts on Titan Class Devastator
Diecast likes Devastator for the limits the designer faced. He notes that, per an interview, the designer saw this as his closest chance at a Masterpiece-sized Devastator. Don thinks it turned out well for a mass-market toy despite Hasbro’s “crippling fear of paint.” He is also getting the TakaraTomy version for the paint and weapons. His plan is to display the Takara Constructicons separately in front of a combined Hasbro Devastator.
Collectors’ Club Crossover Sets
The club store opened orders for the G.I. Joe crossover sets: Marissa Faireborn with Afterbreaker, and Old Snake with two B.A.T.s based on Prime Soundwave. Diecast loves the idea but not the $75 price. He wishes Hasbro would bring crossovers to retail. Don likes Marissa but would rather have seen a three-pack of B.A.T.s, and he hopes the sets sell well enough to get Springer and Rodimus figures. [Source: not found]
Masterpiece Ironhide and the Future of Masterpiece
John admits he defended Masterpiece Ironhide when the prototype broke, but the more photos he sees, the weirder it looks. Diecast says fans should speak up, pointing to how Masterpiece Ultra Magnus got tweaks after feedback. His main issue is an oversized waist piece some have called a diaper. He will still buy it. Don says the chest looks too big for the head and the overall silhouette doesn’t look right. For now he sticks with his iGear Weapon Specialist and Medical Specialist. [Source: not found]
Scale draws debate. Don argues that consistent Masterpiece scale is still new since MP-10, so every character is a reset. Diecast counters that a standard now exists. Both expect Ironhide to stand about chest-high to Optimus Prime. John is more interested in the Ratchet redeco. Diecast is a near-Masterpiece completist but will skip the cartoon-shaded Thundercracker at around $200. Don is “Seeker’d out” and passing on Masterpiece Starscream, Ironhide and Ratchet for now.
Toys R Us Pricing and Where the Money Goes
The Toys R Us Masterpiece Starscream pre-order sold out in about an hour at roughly $60. Diecast blames limit-five scalpers and a likely pricing mistake, and Don expects cancellations. Don also notes that Toys R Us raised Devastator from $149 to $169. Diecast says club sets are harder to justify next to third-party Masterpiece figures like Fans Toys Tesla at about $100. Don points to Make Toys’ Visualizers, a Masterpiece-style Reflector, at $145. The crew adds that TakaraTomy and Hasbro prices are now close enough to compete.
Contributors: John DeLuna, Diecast, Don
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