Dave's Transformers Universe Rant Crystal Widow vs Oil Slick This is NOT a "Battle In A Box" set, although it's in K-Mart's computers as such. It seems to be off in its own little world, an Ultra price point Universe set in a weird box, with the figures in robot mode, but not actually fighting (the Battle In A Box sets feature the figures in a combat pose). Crystal Widow is the second Universe recolor of BMac Blackarachnia: http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/BMac/BMDelux2 Oil Slick is a recolor and slight remold of Armada Sideswipe: http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Armada/Deluxe4 CAPSULE Um, the box is nice while it's closed. And these are both decent molds, if you don't have previous versions. But the changes from the previous versions are laughably minor...one or two plastic colors changed, swapping faction symbols, and keeping the old paint applications otherwise. Mildly recommended. $19.99 at K-Mart RANT Okay, as these are both recolors of toys I've already reviewed, the most interesting thing about this set is the box, so I'll review that first. The box is an irregular hexagonal prism, which is to say that the top and bottom are irregular hexagons and the other sides are rectangles. The front side is 10" (25cm) wide. The two angles back from the front are not 90 degrees, but instead are more obtuse at 100 degrees. The main sides are 5.5" (13.5cm) long, and end in 95 degree bends inward. The back is essentially three panels at shallow angles. The central back panel is 6" (15cm) wide, and the flanking panels are 3" (8cm) wide. Each flanking panel forms an angle of about 165 degrees with the central panel. The box is 7.75" (19.5cm) tall. There's actually not much tape holding the box closed, it relies more on a bunch of tabs and slots, which invariably rip as you try to open them. However, because of the cardboard box inside with the Transformers Universe logo on it, you have to open up almost the entire box to get the inner tray out, not just one side. This is annoying. On the left side panel is the regular Universe storyline blurb in English, Spanish and French. On the right side panel is the specific storyline for these two. The front and top are mostly window, with the names, main logo, and so-so character art. This mediocre art is also shown uncropped on the bottom of the box. The rear shows photos of both toys in both modes, and lists Nightbeat as merely "Hidden search and destroy robot!" No name for him inside, either. I think I'll call him Notbeat. Of course, I could call him Nightbeat, since aside from a slight batch-variation in the yellow plastic, he's identical to the original. There are no co-sell pictures of other products. Inside, there's a corrugated cardboard tray taped around the bubble. Fortunately, the bubble isn't glued to the tray, it just slides out once you cut enough tape. Both figures are twist-tied to the inner bubble with black twist-ties, in robot mode. Notbeat is twist-tied in as a motorcycle. There's a small baggie taped below the Mini-Con with Oil Slick's pistol and dagger. It's taped to the back of the bubble. Crystal Widow is secured with four ties (waist, left arm, both ankles), and Oil Slick with five (across legs, both feet, both punchers). Overall, the packaging looks very nice if you never open it. But it's a pain in the skidplate to get open, and doesn't really reclose well. [Later note: I have been informed by others that, unlike almost every other Transformers box (leaving aside 20th Prime and the Commemorative Series), this is designed to be opened from the top, not the size.] Here's the storyline for these two. They have no individual techspec cards or anything: TRANSFORMERS are not created AUTOBOTS or DECEPTICONS, they choose their affiliations. Among each group are those that walk a fine line between heroism and villainy, switching allegiance at the slightest notice, and bringing their MINI-CONS with them. Some, like OIL SLICK succumb to a desire for the power promised by UNICRON. Others, like CRYSTAL WIDOW, join the AUTOBOT warriors out of fear of the ultimate goals of the planet-eating UNICRON. Those who switch sides often find themselves alone, hated by those they betrayed, and mistrusted and misunderstood by those they now call comrades. Some of them slip back and forth across the line from light to dark, acting as spies, double-agents, saboteurs. These TRANSFORMERS fight a dark and secret war that lies underneath the roiling surface of the unending battle between the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS. DECEPTICON: OIL SLICK Mini-Con: Unnamed (Notbeat) Original Mold: Armada Sideswipe Here's the changes: blue plastic replaced with purple, yellow plastic a tiny bit more orangey, hood faction symbol remolded as Decepticon, optics painted purple, no fender-tampo'ed faction symbols. That's it. All the other paint applications are the same as on Sideswipe, all the other plastic is the same. His Mini-Con, as mentioned above, is functionally identical to Nightbeat. Still has the 2002 trademark/copyright stamps. Kinda disappointed that the paint applications aren't significantly different. I seem to recall early pictures where they were. Oh well. AUTOBOT: CRYSTAL WIDOW Original Mold: Beast Machines Blackarachnia Just like Oil Slick, this is a "change one or two plastic colors and the faction symbol" mod, this time from the Universe Blackarachnia. Replace the orangey yellow on UniBA with red, and the orange transparent to a more reddish orange (and again, this might be a batch variation). The paint apps are the same, including paint over the spider eyes to cover up the moving eyes feature. The almost invisible Decepticon symbol behind the purple plastic on the abdomen is now a fairly visible Autobot symbol. Overall: this is a set to buy and keep in the box, sadly. So little differences between the previous versions and these, and a box that falls to pieces once it's opened. If you don't have either of these molds yet, it's worth getting for that...but Sideswipe is still on shelves some places, as is Universe Blackarachnia. Dave Van Domelen, might do some repainting on Oil Slick to make him more different....