Dave's Super Throwbot Rant:

     Fusion (Blaster, Spark and Flare)

CAPSULE

     Fusion is the biggest of the Super Throwbots, but suffers from
instability, odd proportions and a lot of "just tacked on" stuff.  Also has a
weak waist.  Still, it's marginally better than the Dragon Chicken
(officially known as UltraRex) and the component toys are good.  About $27-28
to get all the component robots.

RANT

     As with the other two Super Throwbots, I'm going to start with a quick
"leftover parts" inventory.
     Blaster: Nothing left.  Every piece of Blaster was used in Fusion (and
Blaster's legs are taken directly).
     Flare: The torso piece and a couple small pieces.
     Spark: Almost every purple piece and several large pieces.  Spark is
definitely the fifth wheel here.  On the plus side, it means that if you
can't find Spark (he seems to be elusive), it shouldn't be too hard to find
replacement parts in Millennia to make Fusion.
     There are no "spare" parts that aren't required by the component
Throwbots but are required by Fusion (was was the case with an extra 6-length
rod included with Turbo).

     Unlike with the first two Super Throwbots, Fusion has complete and clear
instructions for every step.  For some this is a plus, for others it removes
some of the challenge...read it as you prefer.  The instructions only came
with Blaster, since his booklet was already bigger than normal.

     Fusion stands about 9" (22cm) tall when finished, a head taller than
RoboTops and a head and a half taller than Millennia's super mode.  All
joints are very poseable and even the waist has several ball joints involved.
However, the weakness of Blaster's ankles makes it hard to pose this toy
nicely without it falling over...it's too tall to use its thrower-staff as a
support like Blaster can.  Additionally, the waist isn't held together too
strongly, and it's really frustrating when it comes apart.
     A lot of parts seem to be draped on the figure just to give them
someplace to go.  The gears tabbed onto the right arm and the spare head on
the left arm are definitely cases of this.  There's also a weird and not very
strong "belt" of sorts that seems like mainly an excuse to use up lots of
extra pieces.  However, the belt does have a useful property, of making the
waist look higher and defusing the "stumpy legs" problem you get from using
the legs of a 7" figure on a 9" figure.  Fusion also has a tail, which looks
mostly like a cheap way to get the fourth throwing arm used.
     While Fusion has it all over RoboTops and the Dragon Chicken in
poseability, it's not as easily modifiable, at least not with "native"
pieces.  I also suspect that using less pieces could result in a better Super
Throwbot (like using some of the wingplates to create an abdomen rather than
hanging them out as a butt-cape).
     Overall, it's interesting to build, but not as good in final form as I'd
expect from a second generation Super Throwbot.  Not as disappointing as
Millennia's Super mode, though.

     Dave Van Domelen, restarting his job search from scratch, sigh....