Posted September 12, 2012 at 1:58 am
Yay, it's a Dreadwing.  It's hard to believe we first saw the grayscale prototype for this guy at BotCon 2011, which was a while ago.  So long ago, the toy was gonna be Dreadwing's green brother Skyquake at that point in time.  But now we get Dreadwing (who's alive) first and Skyquake (who died in his first appearance) in a later wave.

This is my second "Robots in Disguise" Voyager!  I have First Editions of Starscream, Optimus Prime, and Bulkhead, so other than Megatron, the first few waves of Voyager Class product had been a wash.   (He's the first Prime Voyager I've bought in a store, come to think.)  And since Dreadwing is RID instead of FE, that means he comes with one of those big-ass unfolds-from-giant-block-into-weapon-with-electronic-lights things.  Megatron's similar deal only activated his sword; his giant cannon stayed as you'd like it while in default mode.  Dreadwing's, like everyone else's big weapon, does not.  The reason it doesn't stay in this unwrapped mode is because the weapon's LED lights up as it does so.  It's the gimmick.

And so I shoved a toothpick in there because I want Dreadwing's gun to look like the weapon he has on the show instead of a big mess of parts that's taller than it is long.  I wonder how long the battery will run.  (If you don't want to use a toothpick, you can prop the finger catch on the butt of the weapon into Dreadwing's chest as he holds the gun, as shown in the photo.  That'll cram the weapon in place while looking somewhat natural.)

Dreadwing also has a sword which can attach to the gun like a bayonette, also as seen on the cartoon.

The toy itself is complicated!  Not aggravatingly so, except for in one spot.  There are many series of kibble panels that form Dreadwing's robot mode, and as you get him towards jet mode, they all converge on a spot near the center of his fuselage, just behind the cockpit.  You have to order these strata just right.

He is, of course, a jet with a couple of giant robot legs hanging underneath him.

And let's not talk too much about the two robot hands grabbing out of the back near his thruster all goatse-like.

I am satisfied with him.  He looks like the character, has an interesting transformation (so many surface panels of the jet move around to seamlessly form pieces of him!), and he's a pretty cool jet if you don't look underneath him or from the side.  (If you collect Transformers, that's just kind of a given that you accept, so.)   It's too bad about that weapon.  I mean, I understand why.  It's for kids, and they like glowing.  Hell, I like glowing.  But fun-hating adults like myself may sometimes get cranky about it.

(Dreadwing is voiced by Tony Todd, who also voiced The Fallen, btw.)
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