Gigawatt

 Gigawatt

Transformers Back to the Future Mash-up - Hasbro

As I have said before, I’m not much of a gearhead.  However, my love of pop culture does extend to various rides, wheels, and random vehicles associated with my favorite properties.  Most of this bleed-over is satiated by smaller, cheaper Hot Wheels, but lately Hasbro has been delivering the goods in a larger scale with a twist:  Transformers masquerading as movie rides!  What would be on top of the list, after Ecto-1/Ectotron?  Why the Back to the Future Delorean time machine of course!

Instead of having these transform into mech versions of the movie characters, like the horrible Star Wars Transformers a decade and a half ago, these have been given unique/original Transformers identities.  Sure, Gigawatt is loaded with movie specific references/designs, but he’s not a Doc Brown mech: the goggles, the integration of the flux capacitor in the chest, lightning rod,  the Mr. Fusion canon...but without the weird hair!

The transformation to the car is much smoother than it was for Ectotron.  It’s fun, simple, and works with little frustration.  I didnt even need the instructions on the second go-round.  Of course the gull wings work and are integral to the switch!

The silver parts have a neat striation/grading texture to them to simulate the stainless steel body of the car.  The minimal paint is appropriate and applied well.  Little details, like the license plate and gizmos on the back end, are well defined.  The tires can be rotated downward for 2015 hover conversion.  Sadly, he does not sport BTTF III 1955 substitution parts or tires...that may be one variant I would pay for, if it came with a dusty, dirty paint deco throughout.

The bot’s gun can be stored within the body of the car...something that most Transformers are lacking.  Mr. Fusion can plug onto the gun on the top or back end, and the lightning rod makes a secondary hook weapon to Gigawatt.  I’m not sure what all these power ups do...maybe they explain in the comic book crossover from IDW?

Like Ectotron, Gigawatt came in a retro-Transformers packaging, complete with robot tech specs on the back.  This is of the few toy packages I plan on keeping.  He looks great with Ectotron.  I hope Hasbro continues to drop surprises like this in the future.  Spoiler warning:

In the meantime, take a look back at Ectotron in detail:

https://terribletoyman.blogspot.com/2019/07/ectotron-and-starscreams-ghost.html

WWE Slambulance

WWE Slambulance

Mattel

Mattel is taking a page from the Jakks Pacific days with a new, 7-inch scale vehicle/playset.  It has been a while since the Slam Mobile, so the Slambulance is a welcome addition.

It features opening/tear-off driver, passenger, and rear doors.

There is some nice detailing with the seats, dashboard, and center console.  The back bay has some nice stickers already applied.

The hood can be smashed in or ripped off to reveal the engine.

The roof can be smashed in or outward.

There is a large, breakaway portion on the side.

The other side has two removable storage compartment doors.  It looks like there are pegs and tabs inside that were meant for some extra gear that got cut?  In any case, you can store some goodies here.  Too bad the doors were only made to come apart, and not open for equipment access.

It comes with a stretcher accessory to be used with the main action feature.  When you press the license plate on the front, the stretcher shoots out the back doors and rolls a short distance.

Without the stretcher inside, there is a lot of room.  Heck, even with the stretcher, there is more than enough room for several figures.

Since the Ghostbusters are currently missing their iconic ride, they got the first spin in the Slambulance.  I might have to get another to customize into an Ecto-2 (IDW Comics’ RV unit) of sorts, and keep the other a plain ambulance.  At $40, here’s the question to Hasbro:  how much could the GB and Cadillac license possibly cost for you to make a profit and still keep the bottom line down for the consumer on a scale Ecto-1?  We heard the B.S. answer from Mattel back in the day...$250?!  Like I sad before, it doesn’t need all the bells and whistles, or be 100% accurate.  Just look at the Kenner classic!  The Plasma Series figures almost fit in that, for cryin’ out loud!

Ectotron and Starscream's Ghost

Ectotron and Starscream's Ghost

Ghostbusters/Transformers

Hasbro

Gozer is trying her hand at taking over Cybertron and the Transformers dimension.  Sure, why not?  That's the Traveler's MO and team-ups seem to be IDW's thing these days.  I liked the Batman/Ninja Turtles book, and all of their Ghostbusters books so far.  I haven't read this one yet, so I'm not sure how or why the Ecto-1 becomes a sentient Transformer...but it sure looks cool!  So cool that backstory isn't even necessary.  This is the kind of mash-up toy I had hoped for with the Transformers Star Wars letdown.  (The robots were basically mech suits that looked like their drivers instead of being separate characters.)

Is it worth $50?  Depends.  The concept works:  I think both car and bot mode look great.  The transformation is simple enough.  I like all the Ghostbusters nods like the name tag and the ecto-goggles on the head. Having the proton pack rigged inside the roof rack worked better than I thought it would.  The packaging was a nice throwback to old-school, Generation One Transformers. (This is one box I might keep.) 

There are a few gripes to mention.  The knees on mine are a bit floppy, making this photoshoot a bit frustrating.  The proton pack kept falling off the back, and the blue hose kept falling out of it's port on the wand.  The wand is not hidden in the transformation (a peeve of mine with all Transformers:  weapons not being properly integrated into the "disguise.") and is just pegged onto the side of the rack.  The articulation on the bot makes it difficult to hold the wand proper two-handed, Ghostbusters-style.  There is no logo on the back door.  And I hate that the Slimer figure has a Ghostbusters 2016 sculpt!  (Might be the biggest offense of all.)

Size comparison: just a bit smaller than the Jada die-cast, but should still look good with the GB minimates.

It would have been nice to have a few more, standard GB accessories, like a proton stream and a ghost trap.  I mean, how is Ectotron going to wrangle and incarcerate my bootleg/knock-off of Starscream's Ghost?  Yes, news of this figure had me searching again for the translucent seeker that Hasbro should have given us a decade ago.  I think it ended up costing me about $15 from China.  It has a few problems, like the shoulder ports for his guns being too loose to hold them, and I had to dremel down a metal pin that kept the cockpit area from transforming properly.  Still, I love that classics sculpt!

I preordered Ectotron on Gamestop's site some time ago, but it has since sold out.  He is a bit pricey considering Voyager Class Transformers go for about $30 these days, but I assume the extra went into making this happen with rights/licensing fees.   I hope to be able to track down the SDCC exclusive Optimus Prime in Ghostbusters deco soon to really make this mash-up pop.  Then the only problem I should have is which collection shelf they should sit on!  I would love for Hasbro to work out deals to turn other classic screen and television cars into Transfromers.  The Delorean time machine, 007's Aston Martin, KITT, the A-Team van...just as long as they are each given their own sentient identity or that of an existing Transformer character.  (Man, I'm really bitter about Star Wars...)

Ninja Turtle Ghostbusters

Ninja Turtle Ghostbusters

Playmates

Such a strange mash-up considering Turtlemania pretty much killed Ghostbusters' Mass Hysteria in the early 90's, but cool enough considering both share 1984 as their genesis year.  I guess there are no hard feelings between them, as they have also teamed up in the recent IDW comics series...twice so far!  So strap a proton pack on your shell and grab a slice of pizza before jumping into the Ecto-1, dude!  I ain't afraid of no anchovies!

The figures share the same bodies, just with different colored elbow pads.  They also share the same gear: pack and wand, trap, and PKE meter.  The wands are a nice (and better executed) throwback to the old Kenner GB stream gimmick.  The sculpting is great all around, but the packs could use some extra paint detail.

The heads are each unique, with the Turtles personalities matched as best they could to the four Ghostbusters.  It's kinda goofy...and weird to see the hair!  The Winston 'stache on Raph is the most unsettling of the four.  I wish they had included plain Turtle heads, but the execution is still pretty good.

Each Turtle comes with a different GB ghost.  Even though they are hollow, 1/2 representations, the sculpts are decent, the translucent coloring pops, and it's great to get a bad guy with a good guy in the same pack (another great Kenner nod.) 

Like the WWE mash-up figures, these are about 6 inches in scale (rather than Playmates 4-5 inch regular turtle lines.)  Another odd choice, but they do fit in nicely with Diamond Select's 7 inch Ghostbusters.

These were Target exclusives that I missed out on last year.  Not one Target in my area stocked these...shocking, right?!  With some time and patience, I scored the whole set loose for less than retail.  Cowabunga!  If you love either property, they are a fun novelty to add to your collection.