Hello folks! Sincere apologies for not updating my blog, been busy on the travelling side as I visited Beijing, China sometime last week. Back and refreshed from my trip, here to preview another anticipated release, this time straight hot off the highly anticipated upcoming annual USA-themed Transformers Convention- Botcon, which is slated to take place sometime in April 2012.
The Overlord@ 'Gigatron' homage was the first reveal from the Themed Boxed Set of 6 remoulded/ repainted Classics/ Henkei figures, this time with Fun Publications utilizing the Classics Bludgeon/Banzaitron mould. Today, courtersy of
Hong Kong Fans Group - '
Transformers Galaxy', we get to examine up-close the detailed changes made in terms of how the color scheme matches the original Generation One Masterforce Overlord.
This incarnation of Overlord is derived from the inspiration of how uber Transformers artist Nick Roche, depicted the Emperor of Destruction is the highly acclaimed and mind-blowingly rated Transformers Graphic novel: 'Last Stand of The Wreckers' (LSOTW)
When TFW2005 picked up this story on their front page news, and I knew I had to feature this on my blog for one of two reasons: First: It's the very first time, ever, that the Overlord character was remade into a homage in toy incarnation since it's original 1989 release; and two, when the first pictures surfaced, the majority of fickle Transformers fans reaction of the chosen mould- Bludgeon, was received with much scorn and trepidation. Admittedly, I was one of those who thought that the great history and reverence of such an important character such as Overlord in the fandom should at the very least receive the highest form of treatment it deserved. The head sculpt then, looked certainly quite unfitting on Bludgeons body, but oh how perceptions can change once better and clearer quality pictures of this toy surfaced. He certainly looks miles better and the sculpt is nothing short of fantastic- pouty lips and all- in the same vein as Roche's depiction as seen in LSOTW-
Tank mode is pretty spot on, because it works- while looking menacingly like his original Generation 1 predecessor, albeit without the 'Mega-Jet' portion to combine into his robot mode. I have to admit that using the tank-mode from Bludgeon is a stroke of genius. The colors pay a great homage to the 'Giga-Tank' original, and works well in both modes. As his Bio is shown, from Transformers Wiki.com, he has a ruthless history littered with violence and anarchy. True to his namesake, he is merciless and unrepentant...all the qualities of a tyrannical Decepticon leader.
Dreamwave Generation 1 comics
Gigatron was an ancient Cybertronian, who developed an idea to allow Decepticons to survive on alien planets by biologically integrating local inhabitants into their systems. In modern times, Gigatron's records were uncovered and used to develop the Powermaster process. More than Meets the Eye #8
[IDW Generation 1 comics
| “ | A good strategist is half psychologist and half sadist. And I was the best. | ” |
—Overlord, Last Stand of the Wreckers #3
| ||
In the days before the Cybertronian civil war, Overlord was an avid spectator of Megatron's gladiatorial matches. Like many, this led him to join the charismatic pit fighter's army and bear the badge of the Decepticons. Megatron Origin #2
However, Overlord perhaps didn't join for the right reasons. He was enthralled not with the loftiness of the Decepticon cause that Megatron espoused, but more with the glorious excess of the gladiator battles and the freedom of making entire worlds his arena. ToOverlord, the ends didn't matter overly much when the means themselves were this pleasurable. As a result his tactics developed a reputation as unsound, and his schemes as nothing more than flights of brutal whimsy. Unlike many other powerful Decepticons, he had no interest in command, only in taking his slaughter to the next stage. Megatron was not convinced, however, believing the image of Overlord as simply interested in killing to be a façade, and began searching for a way to exert greater control over him.
Last Stand Of The Wreckers/ Overlord Copyright IDW Publishing'/ Hasbro & Takara 2011
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