Review: #422
Name: Black Convoy
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Decepticon
Line: Legends
Year of Release: 2017
Size Class: Voyager
Mold Status: repaint of Generations Titans Return Optimus Prime
PACKAGING AND INSTRUCTIONS:
Black Convoy is an exclusive from the Tokyo Toy Show 2017, and like a lot of TakaraTomy's exclusives, he comes in a grayscaled box.
Interestingly enough, this is the second Scourge homage that has been done for the Tokyo Toy Show after the one from 2015.
The instructions sheet is coloured though with a nice piece of artwork.
There's also a small four-page comic like the rest of the Legends line.
HEADMASTER:
As a repaint of the Titans Return line, Black Convoy comes with an unnamed Headmaster.
It is itself a repaint of Optimus Prime's Diac. The light grey used for the torso is actually quite nice and has a slight metallic sparkle to it.
The articulation remains limited balljointed shoulders and neck.
TRUCK MODE:
Like the original Black Convoy from the Robots in Disguise (2001) line was a repaint of G2 Optimus, this version here is also a repaint of the homage toy of G2 Optimus. As a result, it's a perfect update to the character.
The tanker truck is pretty good, and the tank itself is painted in silver (far cry from the chrome of the original but less tacky).
He features ten wheels which roll. This is a fairly good truck mode except for the following flaws: it is one solid piece so there is no hitch and the cab can't turn separately from the tank, and there is a gappy middle.
A comparison against the original use of the mold, the black and silver suits it very well, although the neon pink windows isn't so hot. A darker shade would have been nicer.
Above is a comparison against Titans Return Astrotrain. Black Convoy comes off a being just a tad bit thinner than you'd like.
The Headmaster can't sit in the cab but as the next best thing, there is a space behind the cab to put him in. Slightly annoying is that the only painted part of the smokestacks silver and it sticks out like a sore thumb (it is a hinge used for transformation but no reason why it could be painted either).
The weapons can attach to each side but ruins the realism.
A good truck mode, while there are some flaws, the black and silver looks so great together on the vehicle that you'd forgive it.
TRANSFORMATION (TO JET MODE):
Black Convoy is a triple changer (in line with the original mold) and going from truck to jet mode is quite easy. Most of it just involves opening up the middle to unfold the jet parts and then pegging them back together again. The cockpit unfolded from the back, the wings from the middle and the tail from inside the cab.
JET MODE:
One look at jet mode and you can tell it is the weakest mode out of the three.
To be fair, there are some clever tricks such as using the tank as the fuselage and air intakes, and utilizing the ten truck wheels in jet mode to still allow it to roll.
A quick comparison against Optimus Prime as the truck cabs tucked underneath each wing is still the biggest flaw and the biggest eyesore. It doesn't help that the neon pink windows really sticks out here.
Jet mode is too chunky to feel good, if the wings were longer then it would have helped with the look. It also doesn't help that the wings are unpainted plastic which contrasts greatly against the silver fuselage and deep black.
The jet mode uses the same space for the Headmaster to sit down.
As well as the weapons using the same spots as truck mode too. One good thing is that the figure doesn't have any stickers, phew.
A weak jet mode although the duller colour helps hide some of the chunkier elements such as the cabs.
BASE MODE:
While this is not official, this mode does show up in the included comic, and is supposed to be a base mode to somewhat homage the original toy's base that was formed from the tank trailer.
To be honest, it's actually not too bad (since the Leader class's bases were to this dodgy degree anyway), you've got ramps, two gun emplacements and a solid look overall.
TRANSFORMATION (TO ROBOT MODE):
Going from the jet mode to robot mode is also fairly simple. The robot arms form from the cab's halves, the legs from the fuselage and of course, you just pop the head on.
ROBOT MODE:
And now, of course, the main reason to get this figure and that is the robot mode. He looks absolutely stunning here.
He carries a fair bit of a backpack which thankfully is compressed, they are the jet mode's wings and rear thruster. He wears the tanker pieces on the back of his legs.
The headsculpt is pure Optimus but in traditional fashion, in black with metallic teal highlights.
You can either have the pylons on either side of the head up or down, although without them, the head does look a tad bit proportionally too small compared to the body.
In a comparison against the original mold, you can tell most of the paint applications is in this mode. The way the chest windows and the shoulders are painted to mimic the original is stunning in pictures and moreso in person.
Size-wise, Black Convoy is decent and feels hefty in your hands. There are no obvious hollow limbs which is great.
Poseability is excellent, although his shoulder cannons gets in the way when trying to rotate his shoulders. You can't quite get up to 90 degrees which is a disappointment.
On the other hand, his large feet and the fact that all his joints are swivels and hinges, means you get stability and less potential looseness from wear and tear.
He features an upside-down G2 Autobot insignia, this was the original cartoon's way to depicting the Decepticons.
Black Convoy has two weapons, his laser sword and a double-barreled gun.
Both weapons can be held in either hand. The clear pink sword is actually accurate to his original toy.
Unfortunately, he doesn't have any sort of wrist articulation, nor does he possess enough finesse to hold it with two hands.
You might have noticed all the metallic teal highlights, they look really nice in person and serves to highlight the figure and sculpting.
The forearms are slightly awkwardly shaped due to being formed from the front of the cab, so the wheels underneath each hand.
If you have any other Headmasters or Titan Masters, you have able to pop their head modes onto this body as well.
While the legs may seem bulky, they do not hinder articulation at all.
A fantastic robot mode that serves as an amazing update to the original toy. While if you compare side by side the animation and this toy, the proportions are slightly off, you will still appreciate the amount of effort that has gone into replicating some of the elements.
OVERALL:
It really is too bad that Black Convoy had to be an exclusive, it would have been much better for a general release. Even if you have no attachment to the character, this is a really nice repaint and carries a premium feel to it. He certainly goes well with UW-EX Baldigus. If you have the means, then he is definitely a good buy.
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