Dave's Transformers Cybertron Rant:
     
     Legends of Cybertron Wave 4:
          Optimus Prime (not reviewed)
          Thundercracker
          Hot Shot (not reviewed)
          Sunstorm

     LoC is finally breaking out of the "small chains" distribution, as I saw
these (and the wave 3 ones) at Toys R Us.  This wave is almost entirely
recolors: Optimus Prime in the "black replaces blue" Galaxy Force color
scheme, Hot Shot in the Excellion colors (but still called Hot Shot) and
Starscream recolored as Sunstorm.  Thundercracker is the only new mold.  I
only got Sunstorm because it looks kinda nifty, and given how much I was
dropping on that TRU trip (found Primus and the 3" Titaniums too) I decided
four bucks more wouldn't hurt.
     The P/Ns for Thundercracker and Sunstorm end in 1800 and 2000, so I'm
guessing Optimus ends in 1700 and Hot Shot in 1900, but I neglected to note
the numbers at the time.
     If I get Hot Shot later on, I'll amend the review, but I'm not at all
interested in the Prime recolor.  Oh, and between this wave and Galvatron,
every one of the first wave LoC's has been recolored now.

CAPSULES

     Optimus Prime: Original version recommended, and I prefer the colors of
the original.  Mildly recommended if you don't have the original, neutral if
you do.  $3.99 at TRU
     Thundercracker: Some minor problems with joint popping, but good in both
modes, one of my favorite LoCs.  Recommended.  $3.99 at TRU.
     Hot Shot: I like the Excellion colors better, but the mold not so much.
Mildly recommended either way.  $3.99 at TRU.
     Sunstorm: Original version is recommended, and this is a good color
scheme.  Recommended if you don't have the original, mildly recommended if
you do.  $3.99 at TRU.


RANTS

     Packaging: See above for P/N's.  3 twist-ties on Thundercracker, 2 on
Sunstorm.  Packaging design the same as previous waves, both packaged in
robot mode (as are Prime and Hot Shot).


DECEPTICON: THUNDERCRACKER
Alt Mode: Sukhoi Flanker hybrid jet
Bio Note: Hyperactive DECEPTICON air warrior and daredevil

STR 8  INT 6  SPD 9  END 6  RNK 5  COUR 5  FRB 6.5  SKL 6  Avg 6.44

     Same stats as the Deluxe version.

     Robot Mode: 3" (8cm) tall at the head.  The arms, feet and inner torso
are medium blue (roughly 0066FF), the rest of him is made of dark gray
(333333) plastic.  The head is painted a very good match of the blue plastic,
although you can tell them apart with UV (the blue plastic reacts moderately,
nothing else does).  The eyes, wingtips, cockpit and tail elevators are
painted a slightly metallic orange.  The face, forehead, missiles (there's
only two of them, not the four on the Deluxe) tailfins and thigh fronts (jet
intakes) are painted silver.  He has a Decepticon symbol printed on his back,
in the same location as on the Deluxe.
     Shoulders and hips are ball joints, but the hips are restricted to
almost being swivels.  The ankles bend on a transformation joint.  The head
does not turn.  The center panel of the upper fuselage can flip open, even
though it's not necessary for transformation and the upper fuselage does not
become the rifle.
     Unlike Deluxe Thundercracker, this one has hands on both arms.  The
rifle is attached to the forearm by a bar with ball joints on either end, and
is made from an underside piece.

     Transformation: A simplified version of the Deluxe version, with the
feet simply folding up, the arms setting to the sides, and the rifle angling
over to cover the underside.  The rifle strut pops off kinda easily, and it
takes a little practice to get it right, but it's not hard to put back
together.  

     Vehicle Mode: 3.75" (9.5cm) long, 2.75" (7cm) wingspan.  It doesn't have
the separate canards of the Deluxe version (and therefore, strictly speaking,
isn't as much of a Flanker), and the robot arms are a tad on the obvious
side.  Still, it looks pretty good, and you can even make the Cyber Key
weapon panel flip up.  So sue me, I'm a sucker for pointless details that
give more play possibilities.  :)

     Overall: By the standards of the Legends of Cybertron toys, this is very
good.  Still kinda floppy and poppy, but they made good choices in changing
the transformation scheme and avoiding overly fiddly bits without giving us a
total brick like Red Alert.  Maybe my opinion is colored by contrast with the
largely disappointing wave 3, but I still liked this one.


DECEPTICON: SUNSTORM
Alt Mode: Aerospace Fighter
Bio Note: Diabolical, super-powerful DECEPTICON thug.

STR 10  INT 5.5  SPD 9  END 9  RNK 6  COUR 7.5  FRB 10  SKL 8  Avg 8.125

     As far as I can tell, these are new techspecs for Sunstorm.  They differ
from the G1 seeker jet recolor and the Mini-Con versus pack member, and the
Universe recolor of A.Thrust didn't have techspecs.

     Color Swaps: Dark blue-gray becomes a pearly white, light gray becomes a
bright yellow.  The pearl reacts moderately with UV, the yellow reacts
strongly.

     Paint Apps: The forearms are painted totally silver, as is the face.
The helmet, cockpit, jet thrusters and most of the feet tops are painted
black.  The bits that are gold flanking Starscream's head are red here.
There is extensive use of metallic orange (coppery) paint on the torso,
wings, shoulders and shins, but not in the same patterns as on Starscream.  A
Decepticon symbol is printed in the center of the chest, and is a few tenths
of a millimeter smaller than Starscream's.

     Other Notes: While the robot mode looks very nice, the balance on the
vehicle mode isn't as good.  The unhidden head stands out a lot more than I'd
like, and the black nose clashes with the yellow body.

     Overall: I think that if they'd made the helmet and toes a less extreme
color, it would have solved my problems with it.  But it's otherwise pretty
good, and worth picking up.

     Dave Van Domelen, spent half an hour today putting toys in storage to
make room for all the new stuff he got....