Review: #144
Name: Megatron
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Decepticon
Line: Generations
Year of Release: 2013
Size Class: Deluxe (Wave 5)
Variations: remolded into Generations Dreadwing
COMIC:
As part of the wave of IDW-inspired characters, Megatron comes with a comic book. It's an issue of The Transformers: Spotlight: Megatron. It's a much more serious story than Trailcutter's spotlight, so depending on your preferences, may enjoy this more or less. The story wasn't dynamic enough for my liking, since it was basically Megatron trashing Starscream throughout the whole 32 pages, and having these philosophical musings over the reason he leaves Starscream alive every time. There's not enough humor and the dialogue doesn't particularly stand out. It's an okay read.
JET MODE:
In a nice change, Megatron doesn't transform into a tank nor a gun, he transforms into a stealth bomber, and my oh my, this is a really good stealth bomber.
There are a few panel lines but they're easily excused as the unique detailing stealth bombers have. The back isn't that clean since it's formed by his robot feet. There's a lack of closure at the back of the jet but it's nothing serious.
Megatron doesn't have much underside kibble which is amazing. He also features a fold out front landing gear (with the wheel molded in). It's not really necessary as he sits fine with it retracted anyway.
There's no other play value here. As a jet, he has the advantage of looking bigger than he really is due to the width of the wingspan but there is no doubt that Megatron feels somewhat smaller and lighter than usual.
Megatron pegs in very well here. It holds together tightly and everything is fits somewhere, there's no awkward placement of any robot appendages.
A great jet mode. It doesn't particularly evoke Megatron in this mode though. Megatron just doesn't seem like the stealthy type.
TRANSFORMATION:
Going from jet to robot isn't nearly as bad as the other way around. Why? Megatron has all these tabs which in theory is great, since it makes the alt mode stay together very well. However, it's not designed very well and it ends up being more fiddly than anything when trying to line up and peg everything together. The loose-ish balljoints don't really help either. It's a decent transformation scheme, although it doesn't try anything new that we haven't seen before. The separating parts for his chest is a nice touch though. I wish that his legs would peg in together, since the panels just kind of fold towards each other but doesn't lock.
ROBOT MODE:
Now the robot mode, Megatron is absolutely stunning in this mode. He's look like a brute with a bulky upper body and powerful shoulders. He's also very comic accurate down to the way the torso breaks up.
Megatron has very little kibble, which is always a plus. His legs feel a bit hollow since the panels don't truly lock together but otherwise this is a very solid bot.
As per usual, the head sculpt is great and evokes Megatron (although it has a neutral expression and doesn't evoke the sophisticated and sadistic personality he had in the comic).
As with alt mode, Megatron is small in robot mode, and he feels it. He's slim but at least there isn't too many hollow parts (or at least, not as many as there could have been).
Next is his weapon, which is easily the most interesting part of the toy. It's formed by his two wing tips (which you detach when transforming him, so the core toy is even smaller than he first looks).
You clip it together, and then it extends to form a cannon-looking weapon. The translucent purple adds a lot of character and makes it look like an energon powered weapon.
You can attach it to either arm as his fusion cannon, I'm pretty sure he can hold it in his hand as well.
However, it's hollow down the middle so it looks terrible from those angles.
Articulation is great, although some joints are really stiff (such as his head and elbows). It would improve playability if the shoulders could lock and be fixed into place.
Megatron needs bigger heelspurs though to stabilize some of the more dynamic poses. For some reason, Megatron feels fiddly and that he needs a lot of care to make sure everything is as it should be when you're posing him.
This is a wicked looking robot, although it doesn't feel much like the classic Megatron we all know and love (he's too streamlined and not blocky or bulky enough). The colors work really well here with the purple and black.
OVERALL:
This is another solid Deluxe toy. Both modes are great and Megatron is not compromised by the need to transform (the jet mode is one of the cleanest ever). The robot mode looks good, even if it doesn't evoke the classic Megatron look too much. There are a lot of neat elements in this toy, from the sculpting on his legs the way the panels are arranged for his torso. Recommended if you like the look of him, but he isn't a must must-have.
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The other IDW Deluxe toys from the same wave have been reviewed here.
