General Information:
Release Date: July 2022
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: Amazon Exclusive (with limited numbers sold on Hasbro Pulse)
Accessories:
Official images and text below in italics are from Amazon:
- WRECK ‘N RULE COLLECTION: If a mission is a lost cause, the Autobots call in their toughest task force: the Wreckers. This elite strike team is prepared to rush in blasters-blazing and get the job done
- THE MUSCLE: Bulkhead is a gentle giant, but don’t be fooled by his nature. His sheer size alone is enough to make enemies quiver, and his battle mace packs a punch!
- CLASSIC CONVERSION & ACCESSORIES: Prime Universe Bulkhead figure converts to military van mode in 31 steps. Includes mace, shield, hammer, and 2 blaster accessories
- ASSEMBLE THE HAMMER: Each Wreck ‘N Rule Collection pack includes with a piece of the Wreckers hammer. Collect all 5 packs to assemble and display the hammer (each sold separately, subject to availability)
- EXCLUSIVE PACKAGING ART: Packaging features a piece of exclusive artwork. Collect all 5 Wreck ‘N Rule Collection packs to piece together the full scene (each sold separately, subject to availability)
When a mission seems like a lost cause, the Autobots call in their toughest task force: the Wreckers. This elite strike team of hardcore warriors is prepared to rush in blasters-blazing and get the job done. Bulkhead is the muscle of the team. Bulkhead is a gentle giant, but don’t be fooled by his nature. His sheer size alone is enough to make enemies quiver, and his battle mace packs a punch! Prime Universe Bulkhead figure converts to military van mode in 31 steps. Includes mace, hammer, and 2 blaster accessories that all attach in both robot and vehicle mode. Remove the back cover of the army van to reveal a shield accessory that the figure can hold. The Wreck ‘N Rule Collection includes 5 exciting packs, featuring some of the most celebrated Wreckers throughout the Transformers multiverse! (Each sold separately, subject to availability.)
Background:
The roster of the infamous Wreckers team has changed quite a bit over the years. When they were first introduced in G1 they were mostly made up of characters who did not get much use elsewhere including the Jumpstarters. Over many years and multiple continuities, the roster has changed. In Transformers: Prime we would come to learn Bulkhead was a member of that universe's Wreckers. With Legacy focusing on a world where characters from multiple universes converge, Bulkhead was a natural choice for this Wreckers-based exclusive set.
Packaging:
I've said this before and I'll say it again: Hasbro is knocking its packaging out of the park. Bulkhead's box is part of a giant picture that will be made up by putting all the "Wreck 'N Rule" boxes together. His part is one of the middle sections, showing the character hunched over and ready for battle. This is all new art and not recycled Legacy art. You can also see part of the Emirate Xaaron statue behind him. The "Generations" and "Transformers" logos are set vertically to the right while the Legacy logo is on the lower left along with the text "Wreck 'N Rule Collection". His name is in a green box with the name "Prime Universe Bulkhead" as a nod to the origins of this deco. The colors on the box reflect the mass release Legacy boxes featuring beautiful purple and blue tones.
The back of the box shows Bulkhead in both modes calling out an 31 step transformation. It also shows off the new Hammer accessory included with the figure. Inside, the figure is packaged with a flat cardboard piece with graphics printed on it. This is intended to be part of the Wreckers Hammer which you can assemble by purchasing all the Wreckers figures and combining the parts included with each release.
Accessories:
Bulkhead includes three accessories. One of the features of Legacy will be the ability of weapons to be connected together to form "super weapons" via 5mm pegs and ports. This is pretty much the exactly same gimmick that was used in Energon except this time not all the accessories are translucent plastic. Here's a rundown:
- Tarp Cover/Shield: This is a large piece that covers most of the vehicle mode's top half. In vehicle mode it is meant to be a fabric tarp over metal panels, complete with cloth-like details sculpted in. This piece can be detached to be used as a shield. There are hinged pieces on either side so you can play around a bit with its configuration. There is a green 5mm peg on one side and a black one on the other. There is also a 5mm port so you can place a weapon on top of it in vehicle mode. This piece is cast in an olive green plastic, very different than the brighter green used on Legacy Bulkhead. The part that faces outward has black and brown deco on it in a camo pattern.
- Mace: One of Bulkhead's most iconic weapons is his mace, which would appear at his wrist. This accessory is grey plastic with silver painted on the outside. Flip the top of it open and you'll find the 5mm peg inside that can side into any character's hand for combat! In keeping with the play pattern of the line, the mace has three 5mm ports to attach other weapons or Blast Effects.
- Blaster: Bulkhead's blaster looks like a Cybertronian gatling gun, with multiple weapon barrels on a larger cylinder in front and more angled, bulky sections towards the middle and back. This piece is made up of translucent black plastic. The middle section has a 5mm port on either side to attach other weapons. The back has a smaller peg on either side used to attach to the figure in robot mode.
- Hammer: A new accessory included with this et is a hammer. Now, we can read this in two ways. First, there is the iconography of the "Wreckers Hammer" so it is fun to think about this representing that. I personally think this is more of a clue for a potential redeco/retool of this figure as Bulkhead's nemesis from Transformers: Prime: Breakdown! That character had a hammer attachment to his arm as a weapon. It would not shock me if this hammer will be used eventually for a redeco/retool. This hammer has one angled side and one rounded side. The accessory has a 5mm handle and 5mm ports on the sides. The piece is made of black plastic with silver paint on the top section.
Robot Mode:
As I discussed in my Legacy Bulkhead review, the biggest hurdle with this figure is accepting a blocky looking figure as the character who is so normally associated with being round in shape. Once you get past that and just accept this figure as "bulky", it works as a new interpretation of the Autobot Wrecker. There have been no sculpt changes that I can see on this figure, so it retains the same appearance and functionality of its predecessor.
Bulkhead's new primary colors are green (the same one as on the canopy accessory) and black. The torso is made up of the same translucent black plastic as the blaster weapon. There is a really good amount of deco on this figure including green (which matches the plastic nicely), brown and black camo patterns. Orange paint is used on the headlights and one of my favorite details is the light blue Wreckers Autobot symbol under the chest. His eyes are light blue and the face is a light grey color. Overall, I prefer this deco over the one from the previous figure. This darker green and the camo pattern gives this more of a military vehicle feel than the brighter green on the previous figure.
All the joints on my copy of this figure feel the same as the previous version. The 5mm ports seem to also have the same tolerances. His previous weapons can still attach as they did before such as the blaster connecting over his shoulder and the mace attaching to his hands. The hammer weapon can attach to the mace weapon to create an arm mounted weapon or he can hold it in one of his fists. I love the addition of this weapon and it really helps distinguish this release from the previous one aside from the deco.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach all the accessories and set them aside for now. Technically you can leave the shield attached to the back during transform but I prefer having it out of the way.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Separate each arm (via the shoulder area) from the torso section, then swing each one down.
- Swing the torso section up.
- Swing the top half of the body back on the central hinge.
- Swing the black piece in the waist area up.
- Swing the enter upper half of the body on the hinge in front of the middle section. This will "snap" a bit when you move it so don't freak out (I totally did).
- Push the head into the torso cavity.
- Push the panel inside the torso cavity up to fill in the hole where the head was.
- Swing both arms down and in, connecting the shoulder sections together in the middle using the tabs and corresponding slots.
- Swing the forearms into the bottom of the torso piece.
- On the torso piece there are two "fake" wheels that were behind the head. Swing these down and out to the sides.
- Swing the back panel on each lower leg out to the side. Then swing out the fuel tank pieces out and rotate them around, then swing the green panels back in place.
- Swing each lower leg back at the knees, then clip the tabs on the insides of the fuel tanks into the corresponding slots on the sides of the thighs.
- Swing the panels behind the lower robot legs back down.
- Push the lower legs together.
- Swing the heel pieces into the underside of the feet.
- Swing the robot feet up.
- Swing the black waist piece up.
- Swing the lower body forward, compressing it against the front section. The two connect using the tabs in the front of the fuel tanks attaching to slots on the front cab section.
- Both the mace and blaster accessories can be stored using the 5mm ports on the back of the robot legs.
- Reattach the shield on top and fold the sides down, then tab it into place.
Vehicle Mode:
Bulkhead's vehicle mode appears to be based on a Rába H18 military truck. It has the same boxy shape as their truck and the back has a tarp just like the real life vehicle. The real life vehicle is also a six wheeler with tanks on either side. There are some differences of course (since this is not a licensed vehicle mode). The H18 has an angle in the front section at the bottom that this figure lacks. The "tanks" in the area between the front and rear wheels are larger than the ones on the real life vehicle (proportionally speaking that is). Even with those differences, the similarities are really obvious when you look at this figure side by side with photos of the real life vehicle. Some fans will also draw parallels to The Last Knight Hound's vehicle mode, which is also a very fair comparison.
The vehicle mode features no new tooling so it is the same as the original figure. That said, the new deco really does an amazing job of making it look different. This form really consolidates the green, black and brown colors and helps sell the "military vehicle" disguise. All the accessories can still attach to the vehicle including the hammer.
Final Thoughts:
For a couple dollars more than the mass release, I think this version of Bulkhead is much more worth it. I dig the deco a lot more and he comes with the extra hammer weapon and rocking cool box. This is a really well done exclusive and if you waited on Bulkhead, this is the version I recommend you get!
Pros:
- Nice sculpt (in general, even if you don't like it as Bulkhead).
- Complex yet straight forward transformation.
- A much nicer deco than the original release.
- Adding in the hammer accessory is a fantastic touch.
- I appreciate Generations for contuing to move beyond G1 continuity for inspiration.
Cons:
- The "G1-ification" of Bulkhead is going to turn some fans off.
- I still wish the vehicle mode had more deco in the back section.
