Transformers Stockade Review

Stockade likes Gatorade! No, he doesn't, it just rhymes... Stockade is one of those vehicles in the first TF Movie line which had a similar stunt double, but didn't actually transform or was called by their figure name. Stockade is based on the vehicle used by Sector 7...

Stockade's vehicle mode is a Cadillac Escalade SUV, of course made by GM. It's not an exact replication of and Escalade, there are some minor changes like the grill. It's not a single piece, but rather it's split into three sections, also some additions and lack of other detail. Colors featured are black, silver, red, and translucent dark blue. On the grill is also a Decepticon emblem, and S7 and symbol on the driver and passenger doors. It's really a great vehicle mode overall. There is a luggage bar on the top that's just grey, nothing painted, it really sticks out though...

Nothing too hard about his transformation. It's really easy, but effective...

Now, this is where he shines. Stockade is a short, stocky robot, and has a gorilla like appearance to him. Not Optimus Primal gorilla, but his physique. He features long arms that almost reach the ground, he also has a wide chest. You can pose his with his fist impaled to the ground and his legs slightly bent for the gorilla look. What you really have to appreciate about this mold is the detail. IT'S EPIC! I can't quite explain all the detail, there is so many. There are panels, internal wiring, something the looks like disc brakes, and some vents. The head is cool with some details too. He has a Prime-like face mask, but he features bar-like details around his head. He doesn't feature a black pipe lighting in the back of his head, but rather the top of his head is like a separate piece and the dark blue light piping wraps all the way around his head. The way his top half has a ridge makes his look evil...

Now that he's unfolded into robot mode, you notice some new colors, and more of the same colors. Of course he still has the main characters of black, red, silver, and translucent blue. There is also an addition of a dark grey, "AllSpark" blue and more of the plain light grey plastic. It doesn't take away from the appearance, but I think anything that's bright or light takes away from the Decepticoness of the character.

Articulation is good, just enough to get some good poses. He features a limited ball joint head because of his bulk around the head. His shoulders are balljointed, double hinged elbows, and two hinge joints on his knuckles. His waist rotates 360 degrees, his hips are balljoints, hinge knees, and hinged ankles. It's a pretty decent set of POA, expecially the fingers.

Like most figures from the TF Movie line, it features an Automorph or now called Mech Alive gimmick. Stockade's gimmick is his luggage bars that are molded plain light grey. When you push them up, he'll gain additional arm length when his "internal" forearms slide out, giving him a wingspan of about 12 inches, more or less. He's known for punching the crap out of Autobots, or Autobots trying to punch the crap out of him. While not necessarily an Automorph gimmick as it doesn't help with transforming Stockade, it can be considered a Mech Alive Gimmick...

Overall this figure is great, the mold is great too. Looking at him now, he has a Nemesis Prime fell to him, and since I'm lacking a Nemesis Prime he looks to be a great substitute. They are releasing a Gears in this mold, but I like the original color scheme better, but you gotta pick up the mold, even if it's not in Stockade's colors. I'd have to give it a 10 out of 10. It's simply one of the best molds, and coolest character designs created.

Animated Ultra Magnus Update

There are some stuff I failed to mention as I played with the figure more last night...

First off, his Elite Guard Autobot symbol has lights too. I didn't see it because the Elite Guard symbol is made of clear plastic, but it's painted red. It flashes when you use his robot talking gimmick or when you flip his shoulder blades up or snap them on for transformation.

There is a red button on the side of vehicle mode that creates shooting blaster noises, and will flash the Cannons that were on Magnus' shoulders. On the opposite side there is the battery compartment which uses 2 AA batteries already included.

That's about it. I don't know if anything else is missing, it was mostly minor features...

Animated Ultra Magnus

Blah, I don't like the Animated TF series that much. I only watched one or two episodes. I do like the somewhat G1 styles though. Some designs are cool too, but the strangest of them prevail. Out of the Animated Series I have, Swindle, Soundwave, Samurai Prowl, and Ultra Magnus...

Ultra Magnus is a leader in the now defunct Animated line. Leaders of the Animated line usually run for $39.99 or more depending on the store. TRU is having a sale right now with the Animated Leaders and Supremes half off, so I got mine for $20. Who knows if this means the Animated Leaders and Supremes will be on clearance forever...

Magnus comes packaged in robot mode in the recognizable animated style box. There is a whole in the front to allow the person to push his Autobot insignia and make his mouth move with one of the three phrases:

Ultra Magnus Here
Don't be a hero Optimus... it's not in your programming
We must return the AllSpark to Cybertron

The speaker is located on the stomach, and the mouth opens and his "eyebrows" tilt to the side. In which his optics will have green lights, as well as yellow lights on his shoulder cannons. These are really decent features for a Leader Class...

The robot mode is great for Animated Magnus, not for the G1 counter part. The head is about the only G1 thing about him. Ultra Magnus is huge, it's like he's from Texas or something. Big shoulder pads, big arms, big legs, and his big Mass Hammer. Though not show accurate, it's better than not having one at all. The sculpt is pretty good, but basic. Some of the complex sculpts include rivets and wiring details, but it's basic enough to include flat sculpts with only indents of other shapes. The Elite Guard insignia is nicely sculpted. The paint on UM is pretty good. Mostly blue, some light blue, plastic grey, "AllSpark blue", red, silver, yellow, and black. He does have translucent tealish blue on his shoulder cannons and his Mass Hammer.

Part of his features also include the weaponry found on Ultra Magnus. Weather it be hidden or in plain view. As mentioned a few times his shoulder cannons folded on his back, goes on his shoulders. On the side of the cannons are tabs, you list it up in the groove and push it forward to reveal tank line cannons, or heavy cannons as the box calls it. Inside the shoulder is a battleship type turret. The shoulder pads are hinged in the front, pull the turret out and push the peg to extend the barrels. He's still not done. There is a bar on each shoulder on the front. It reveals Gatling guns, which are a bit hard to get out because I had excess plastic restricting it. His Mass Hammer extends when you pull the Hammer base. He's fully loaded, there's no competition!

Articulation is weird...a 360 degree cut swivel head, moving mouth, and eyebrows if you'd like to include that. Swivel shoulder, hinged shoulders at three places. On his shoulder blade, back of his bicep and his shoulder...Swivel bicep, hinged elbow, and hinged fingers, no individual finger movements. Hinged-swivel hips, hinged knees, and swivel thighs. His hip armor is also on hinges. His other weapons have movement, but it's more necessary to use them, that's why if you'd like to include his facial movement as articulation. One problem I do have is the weak click joints. You can't pose his with his Hammer straight out, his arm just tilts back down.

His transformation is pretty basic. The Classic Transformation sound are located on the shoulder blades when you unpeg them...

His vehicle mode... The box calls it an Assault Carrier. I can see that, it just looks weird. It's probably me because I'd rather have a truck or car carrier mode. All his weapon features are still functional in Assault Carrier mode with the exception if his Mass Hammer. It's a pretty solid vehicle mode though. He has eight nice rolling wheels. All is good in vehicle mode, maybe the back is kinda bare.

Overall a very well made TF. He's packed with fun, his full range of arsenal is something to be feared for any Decepticon. You guys should pick him up while he's on sale now. Tomorrow's the last day. A great figure with great features and tons of play value. Clearly a 10 out of 10, despite his shoulder problems.