Strafe - Reveal The Shield - Figure


Fanboys are always looking for homages and tributes to the Autobots and Decepticons they grew up with. In response, Hasbro gives us different attempts to do such. Sometimes, they hit a line drive. Other times, they fall off the mark. This review looks at Strafe, which borrows a mold from the previous movie line. Can a Bayverse figure really make a good G1 tribute?

Bio

Most of the time, Strafe is a pleasant guy to be around, if a little bit jumpy. But if something startles him, it's a better than even chance that everything around him will end up with at least one hole burned through it. Loud noises, alarms, bacon sizzling - pretty much anything can set him off. Other Autobots tend to stay away from him on the battlefield, preferring to let his spastic fighting reaction burn itself out on Decepticons before they move in to capture the cowering survivors.


Strength     
Intelligence
Speed
Endurance
Rank
Courage
Fireblast
Skill

Robot Mode

Strafe is a straight repaint of ROTF Mindwipe. While the coloration is more in line with the Technobot's G1 figure, they don't seem to work as well on this mold. The glossy PVC gray and white make the red stand out too much. The head sculpt is a carry-over as well, which doesn't even come close to matching Strafe's. The only real G1 comparison is with the rubsign on his right shoulder.

All the MechAlive gimmicks that were present with Mindwipe are present here. The blades on his arms flip out via a lever and the microblades extend when the wings are folded back. The gap in the chest plate is more obvious with the new colors, as is the extremely long neck.

Articulation

Feet:Pin hinges, 90 degree bend
Knees:Pin hinge, 135 degree bend
Hips: Floating ball joint, 135 degree 6pt ratcheting bend, 90 degree spread and unlimited leg rotation
Waist:Pinned for unlimited rotation
Shoulders:Toothed pin hinge for unlimited arm rotation, pinned for 90 degree spread. Pinned below shoulder for unlimited arm rotation
Elbows:Pin hinge, 90 degree bend
Head:Ball joint for unlimited rotation, pinned at neck for 90 degree downward bend.

This is perhaps Strafe's best quality. Just be careful of the hair-trigger blades.

Robot Mode Specs

Height:7.13in/181.1mm (9.5in/241.3mm including wings)
Width:6in/152.4mm
Depth:2.25in/57.2mm (3.25in/82.6mm including wings)
Supplied accessories:None

Transformation

Exactly identical to Mindwipe's.

Alt Mode

Strafe's stealth bomber alt mode is nothing near the throwback that his G1 futuristic jet was. Don't get me wrong, the mold itself is nice but in black it looked at home. Sporting a mostly gray body with red and orange accents makes it look a bit off.

The three point landing gear remains, as does the exposed head under the belly. Quality control issues were a bit more evident in alt mode as well, such as overspray on the cockpit glass.

Alt Mode Specs

Length: 8.5in/215.9mm
Wingspan:7.25in/184.2mm
Height:1.63in/41.4mm
Scale Ratio:N/A
Wheels: 3pt landing gear, pinned wheels
Detailed cockpit:N/A

Value

Were this to be found at retail for $19.99, I couldn't recommend it. Although it's a stellar mold, it just doesn't feel right. Plus the sloppy paint shows what a rush job this might have been. Best to search mass discounters.

Summary

Everyone wants to ride the retro trains. Pulling the heart strings of 80s fanboys, which now have jobs, can be an easy sell sometimes. However, you can't just slap a nostalgic paint job on any figure and call it a hit. Such is the case with Strafe. The Mindwipe mode is a great mold, but using it for Strafe wasn't the best idea. If you can find it at TJ Maxx, then it might be worth considering. If you find it at a retailer, pass.

Final Verdict

Overall:

Class:Voyager

MSRP:$20

ReviewerBlitzwing  
DateAugust 1st 2011  
Score 5 stars (5 out of 10)  
Reads14241


Back to Reviews Index
Advertise on TFormers.com








This site uses cookies for site configuration, advertising, and analysis. By using this site you accept our policies - Read Full Site Policy OK
Sign Up For The TNI Newsletter And Have The News Delivered To You!


Forums Communities: Toy Fans - Marvel Fans - Transformers Fans

@ToyNewsI Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

@MarvelousNews Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

@Tformers Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

@JediInsider Socials: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

Entertainment News International (ENI) is the #1 popular culture network for adult fans all around the world.
Get the scoop on all the popular comics, games, movies, toys, and more every day!

Contact and Support

Advertising | Submit News | Contact ENI | Privacy Policy

©Entertainment News International - All images, trademarks, logos, video, brands and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies and owners. All Rights Reserved. Data has been shared for news reporting purposes only. All content sourced by fans, online websites, and or other fan community sources. Entertainment News International is not responsible for reporting errors, inaccuracies, omissions, and or other liablities related to news shared here. We do our best to keep tabs on infringements. If some of your content was shared by accident. Contact us about any infringements right away - CLICK HERE