RUMOR: Hasbro to reissue Artfire?!

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RUMOR: Hasbro to reissue Artfire?!

Post by Cyberstrike nTo »

NEWS/RUMORS: Rumour has it that some TRUs have a listing on their computers for a Hasbro reissue called Artfire. Could this be true? Are Hasbro going to release Steppers partner? More news as we get it!
Source: Geocrum, TFW2005



I got this from Seibertron

Edit: Click here for the link to the article
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Post by RID Scourge »

That would rock! :headbang:
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Post by Civ »

Why? If I remember correctly, Artfire is nothing more than a repainted G1 Inferno. I guess this can be classified as another Stepper phenomenon meaning a toy hardly anyone has ever heard of which sells for $1000 on e-bay is going to get widely distributed now. With all of these repaints coming out, I think I'll keep my fingers crossed for a blue Bluestreak.
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Post by RID Scourge »

Well, I like the Inferno mold and the targetmaster concept, so a combination like this is just awesome.
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Post by deej »

not to mention it'll effectively kill off the market for $1000+ ebay auctions for an artfire, which only scalpers will cry about.. Makes sense tho - They've released stepper/richochet, they're also releasing Soundblaster (well, takara is.. one can only hope for a Hasbro Soundwave/blaster reissure to turn up).. so why not one of the other obscure moulds noone's really heard of, yet seem to pay lots of money for ?
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Post by Warcry »

Neat. :up: I can’t say no an Inferno repaint. I’d rather have Cyclonus or Scourge, but this is cool.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Originally posted by Civ
Why? If I remember correctly, Artfire is nothing more than a repainted G1 Inferno. I guess this can be classified as another Stepper phenomenon meaning a toy hardly anyone has ever heard of which sells for $1000 on e-bay is going to get widely distributed now.


Or could it be some of us like both the basic mould, and the rather nifty colour scheme, and are just simply glad a nice toy is finally actually a realistic purchase for us?

Just because some tossers use a toy's exclusivity as some sort of gloat factor doesn't mean it's not a decent toy. Loved the way you said that about Artfire, btw, and then say you're hoping for a blue Bluestreak - at least Artfire's a Transformer...
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Post by Ranma »

artfire?

could some one provide a picture for the curious please?
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Post by deej »

http://www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/vjap1.html <-- scroll down the page a small bit... Stepper & Artfire are there..
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Post by Civ »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
Or could it be some of us like both the basic mould, and the rather nifty colour scheme, and are just simply glad a nice toy is finally actually a realistic purchase for us?

Just because some tossers use a toy's exclusivity as some sort of gloat factor doesn't mean it's not a decent toy. Loved the way you said that about Artfire, btw, and then say you're hoping for a blue Bluestreak - at least Artfire's a Transformer...


My question of why was more in wonderment of how many people would buy it. If there's a rather large demand for it amongst TF fans, then that makes sense to reissue it.

As for blue Bluestreak being a Transformer, well he was certainly advertised that way at least twice to my knowledge. Once in the 1984 catalogue and the other on the Takara Meister reissue recently, Autobot symbol and all. Those particular colors weren't issued for the G1 version of Bluestreak, but then again, G1 Arcee, Impactor, Rack-n-Ruin, Emirate Xaarote, and others never had official toys and they were considered Transformers. If they can be considered TFs, then why not the blue version of Bluestreak?
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Because it wasn't, unlike those you list, ever used as a Transformer in any media... Accidental box-art or catalogue uses aren't really media, are they? Or maybe half the stuff Hasbro have cocked up invarious advertising stages count as modes and fiures as well? Maybe we can have the Special Edition Half-Arsed RiD Ultra Magnus Truck Mode or something?

The figure's never been issued as a Transformer. The comparisons with Arcee and the Marvel characters are rather spurious and irrelevant, as there's no comparison situation... they're all unique characters. Bluestreak was a silver Datsun, right? With an "anime" look that involved some black, right? Then who's the blue guy? Some unseen version, like Character Development Bluestreak, or Vaguely Decent Dialgoue Bluestreak? Or maybe just an unused Diaclone scheme that got a bit more exposure than most becuse Hasbro could care less how much their catalgoues ressembled the line, and didn't realise people would care about box art, and also got helped out a bit by fans misunderstanding his name?

Mind, Takara in part and eHobby in particular are making it up as they go along, so who knows?

As for how many would be interested in Artfire, I'd say at least as many as were interested in Stepper or Soundblaster, and considerably more than would be interested in a reissue of six common-as-muck Minibots, three even commoner Insecticons, or 50+% of eHobby's output.
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Post by Civ »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
Because it wasn't, unlike those you list, ever used as a Transformer in any media... Accidental box-art or catalogue uses aren't really media, are they?

Advertising the same thing on two separate occasions with nearly a 20-year gap is considered accidental? If it was done once and never again, then yes, I would consider that a mistake, but twice is a little hard to swallow.

From my understanding, the word "media" stands for a means of mass communication. Considering the 1984 catalogue scan came with every figure in 1984 and such, would that not be considered media since it's an advertisement even if it was fairly focused on the people who already bought a figure in 1984?

Or maybe half the stuff Hasbro have cocked up invarious advertising stages count as modes and fiures as well? Maybe we can have the Special Edition Half-Arsed RiD Ultra Magnus Truck Mode or something?

If it worked for Hauler and Sunstorm since they were originally cartoon one-timers/goof-ups, then why not?

The figure's never been issued as a Transformer.

True, but does it really need to be issued to be considered a TF or is a picture of a Blue Autobot with a symbol on his foot enough to consider it one while appearing under the Transformer banner?

The comparisons with Arcee and the Marvel characters are rather spurious and irrelevant, as there's no comparison situation... they're all unique characters.

From my understanding, there is a comparison, that being they've all shown up in media but never in toyform.

Bluestreak was a silver Datsun, right?

Yes, in released toy form.

With an "anime" look that involved some black, right?

Yes.

Then who's the blue guy?

Apparently the 1984 catalogue and the 2003/4 Meister catalogue version of Bluestreak.

Some unseen version, like Character Development Bluestreak, or Vaguely Decent Dialgoue Bluestreak? Or maybe just an unused Diaclone scheme that got a bit more exposure than most becuse Hasbro could care less how much their catalgoues ressembled the line, and didn't realise people would care about box art, and also got helped out a bit by fans misunderstanding his name?

Maybe. I don't know what went on back then that caused the catalogue advertisement, the actual toy, and the anime version to look so different for each version of Bluestreak. If we knew the answer to that, then maybe we'll get an answer for the Rumble and Frenzy mix-up.
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Post by Brimstone »

Originally posted by deej
http://www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/vjap1.html <-- scroll down the page a small bit... Stepper & Artfire are there..
Hmm...interesting, a white Inferno.

Given the light of the TF script info...maybe they should call him Ratchet...
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Advertising the same thing on two separate occasions with nearly a 20-year gap is considered accidental? If it was done once and never again, then yes, I would consider that a mistake, but twice is a little hard to swallow.
What colour are Shockwave's shoulder pads? Really, I don't see what the frequency of the mistake has to do with things.
From my understanding, the word "media" stands for a means of mass communication. Considering the 1984 catalogue scan came with every figure in 1984 and such, would that not be considered media since it's an advertisement even if it was fairly focused on the people who already bought a figure in 1984?
Yep, poor choice of term in "media" by me. Fiction would be a better one. The character's history of representation comes to a couple of catalogues [can anyone give me a bit more background on the Meister reissue thing? Was it a scan? Or those lists of each year's toys in the data file bit? Because if it was in that, either Takara made a mistake, or it was a nod to fans... it's not entirely impossible they're using the original 1984 advertising shots for those things, is it? I mean, can you see them buying the F-SRL line in mint 100% condition, and photographing them?] and some box art [and I'm sure it's not the only boxart error in history either...]. The character, in effect, is not a character. It's a miscoloured Bluestreak, no more of an individual character than the red Reflector robot in TF:TM. Artfire, however, had a unique tech spec, and a bloody name. He was also released as a Transformer.
If it worked for Hauler and Sunstorm since they were originally cartoon one-timers/goof-ups, then why not?
Hey, sure, eHobby haven't done a Datsun recolour for ages, there's only about 52 variants avaliable [though I would've thought we'd have seen it before Pointless Chrome Streak]. I'm not saying "THIS TOY SHOULD NEVAR B A TFORMER THAT WULD BE A TRAVESTY ONE!". I'm saying it hasn't been a Transformer, yet, and that Artfire is a much more viable reissue.
Maybe. I don't know what went on back then that caused the catalogue advertisement, the actual toy, and the anime version to look so different for each version of Bluestreak. If we knew the answer to that, then maybe we'll get an answer for the Rumble and Frenzy mix-up.
Actually, this has been about as solved as it's likely to get. It's 99% certain that the cartoon's variances in scheme compared to the toyline and the comic model sheets [any differation from the latter is entirely due to the ineptitude of Crayola Yomtov] was because, with an animated cartoon, Sunbow had to get cracking earlier. Therefore may models were later tweaked. It's also entirely possible some changes were made for cosmetic reasons - Thundercracker's blue was made lighter to contrast him more with Skywarp, Ironhide was given balck to make him less monotonous, and it's possible Bluestreak was given the black for the same reason, though the "anime" scheme being a Diaclone makes the latter unlikely.

There was a whole mess of schemes being thrown around on what seems to have been a very tight schedule, and I expect sooner or later Sunbow just had to start work, and then Hasbro simply changed which of the three 'standard' Datsuns they were going with [actually, as an aside... off the top of my head, none of the 1984 cars have "extra" paint apps like the ones on Anime Streak, do they? It could be they went for the cheapest avaliable scheme] too late for Sunbow to change it. The boxart was most likely a mistake which Hasbro didn't care to change, and I expect their packaging team from '84 would be laughing their arses off at the "blue Bluestreak" myth they created by wanting to hurry up and knock off for lunch.

The Rumble/Frenzy mix-up is actually solved... Sunbow, at an early stage, messed up, and named the blueish one "Rumble". The TF writers' bible, the toyline and the comic all say the red/black one's Rumble. Sunbow simply shrugged their shoulders and kept the mistake consistent.
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Post by Civ »

The frequency thing meant that I'm sure Takara/Hasbro are well aware of what happened 20 years ago with the blue Bluestreak mistake. They'd be fools if they didn't especially since they used the gray Bluestreak for the 1985 catalogue, so I doubt what happened with the Meister box was a mistake.

Speaking of which, I actually dug mine out and flipped to the small window showing the blue Bluestreak. First, no it's not a scan/copy and paste job from the 1984 catalogue. The picture in the 1984 catalogue scan has the camera pointing downward towards the TFs. Also in the picture, Bluestreak's wings aren't symmetric. In the Meister catalogue, the camera is on a more level view showing Bluestreak's front and left side. You can see his belt and chest unlike the 1984 pic. Also, the Meister BStreak car mode is pointing in the opposite direction than the 1984 pic. I'd provide a scan but I don't own a scanner. Another note is that you can make out the words "Fair Lady Z" in the Meister pic and two Autobot symbols are on the figure. In conclusion, they are definitely two different pics. I think they did that as a nod to the fans as you stated.

Alright, I can accept that the Blue Bluestreak hasn't been a Transformer yet, but I'm hesitant to call it a fiction. I mean if Takara either kept or made a blue Lady Bird Z around to take the pic for the Meister box, they went through an awful lot of trouble. Even if it's a Silverstreak redone in Photoshop, that would still be a lot of trouble to go through. Maybe "limbo" would be a more appropriate term?

And finally from the TV show, ah, so that's what happened.
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Post by Nevermore »

If you consider "blue" Bluestreak to be a Transformer in his own right, how about "tech spec/TFU profile accurate" Sunstreaker and Sideswipe with swapped molds? Or how about those that were actually released? Red Bumblebee? Yellow Cliffjumper? Red Feet Euro Prime? Red Euro Tracks? Bumper? Whoops, forget the last one. Stupid Dreamwave.
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Post by Civ »

I'm not entirely sure about what you're getting at, but I think you're asking me whether or not I would consider the ones you named to be Transformers. My answer then is as long as it's under the Transformer's logo, carries some official Transformer faction symbol (Autobot, Decepticon, Maximal, etc.), and is/was able to transform at some point, at least in theory, then yes, I would consider them TFs.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Originally posted by Civ
carries some official Transformer faction symbol (Autobot, Decepticon, Maximal, etc.)


Micromasters aren't Transformers then?
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Post by Civ »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
Micromasters aren't Transformers then?


That's funny. I thought they did carry symbols. **scratches head in ponderment**
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Post by Roadstripe »

A few Micromasters did, but most lacked any faction insignia on the toys themselves.
Also, it should be noted that some Generation 2, Machine Wars, and the first year of BW toys lacked any faction insignia as well.

Of course, Civ also didn't say where the insignia was carried. In all cases, the packaging held the insignia.
Of course, that also throws Bumper, yellow Cliffjumper, and red Bumblebee into the mix, but you could easily say that they, too, are proper Transformers who weren't lucky enough to be officially defined as characters by Hasbro at the time.
It'd be interesting to see an official take on the 'mis-colored' minibots and Bumper. It would also be interesting for a blue-colored 'Bluestreak' to make its way into official Transformer lore somehow. Not likely to happen, but a fascinating thought experiment all the same.
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