General Information:
Release Date: July 9, 2015
Price Point: $179.99
Retailer: San-Diego Comic-Con Exclusive, Hasbrotoyshop
Accessories: In a boxed set with other five Constructicons. Includes Devastator forearms/weapons x 2; Chest plate/weapons; Rifle (splits into two weapons)
The largest Transformers San Diego Comic-Con 2015 exclusive was a boxed set featuring the Decepticon Combiner Devastator. Based on the "Combiner Wars" version of the character, this set included all six Constructicons and featured an exclusive deco and packaging. This review will focus on Bonecrusher.
Vehicle Mode:
Bonecrusher's vehicle mode is a bulldozer, the same as his G1 counterpart. The basic layout of the vehicle mode is the same as the G1 Bonecrusher. The front has a shovel, though unlike the G1 version this one has small blades along the edge. There are huge treads on the sides. The middle of the vehicle has two raised sections (these looked like smokestacks on the G1 toy). The back section has an area for a driver to sit inside. This is a bit different than the G1 version which had a canopy cover in the back, suggesting a driver would sit in an open seat in that version.
There are some nice smaller details on the vehicle. This includes headlights in the front above the shovel, rungs in the back (helping to give a sense of scale for the vehicle), cross hatch patterns on the sides and wheel details sculpted int other sides of the treads. I appreciate small details like this. They help add to the sense that this is meant to represent a "real" working vehicle.
Bonecrusher is mostly bright green in this mode. There are some small black plastic parts including the "smokestack" details on the top of the vehicle and the back section. The green includes the treads, which may seem odd at first but this is a reflection of G1 Bonecrusher who is also mostly bright green. The paint colors on this mode include purple, black and silver. The purple is mostly used for the windows on the driver's section. Silver is used on the headlights and for what look like a pair of lights on top of the windshield section. Silver is also found on the cross hatch patterns on the sides of the vehicle. Rounding out the painted details are tampographed designs including hazard stripes on the sides and on the shovel as well as a Decepticon symbol in the center of the shovel. Black is mostly used for the sides of the treads, which offers a nice visual contrast. The hazard stripes on the sides and the Decepticon symbol on the shovel are both callbacks to G1 Bonecrusher who had similar details.
Based on the promotional photos of the mass release of this figure it appears the hazard stripe details and the black paint on the sides of the treads are both exclusive to this release. The mass release version also seems to have less silver detail. While the mass release version has the headlights in the front, it doesn't seem to have them on the lights over the front window. That definitely helps elevate this figure above its mass retail release.
The vehicle rolls on two small wheels on the underside of the tread along with a drum piece towards the back in the center. The shovel and swing up and down as well. My only regret is that you can't attach any extra weapons to the figure.
Transformation to Robot Mode:
- Swing the treads out to the sides.
- Swing the driver's section panel up.
- Swing the tread sections down and push the waist piece together in the middle.
- On each leg pull the larger section down to extend it and reveal the knees.
- Flip out each half of his robot feet.
- Swing the thigh sections up.
- Swing the black piece on the underside of the vehicle down.
- Swing the back piece of the vehicle back.
- Holding on to the front section, swing the robot head out from the back section.
- Swing the halves of the middle section out.
- Push the rear section forward, pressing it up against the chest panel.
- Swing the shovel section down, then up against the chest.
- Extend each robot arm out and rotate it around, then straighten it out.
Robot Mode:
Instead of my normal progression in reviewing the robot mode I have to talk about the biggest design flaw of this figure: the lower body design. Theoretically the halves of the waist section are supposed to clip together but they don't - at all. I keep pushing them together but they won't stay intact. Because of this the leg stability on this figure is very suspect. He can actually stand on his own just fine, but add weight (like weapons in his hands) and suddenly he's doing splits. The shame is his legs are designed to provide lots of poses, but the waist section doesn't have the stability to hold them up.
All that said, there are some redeeming features of the sculpt. The overall design is very close to the G1 version of the character. This includes a head sculpt based on his animated counterpart with a flat panel on the top of his head, visor eyes and a raised section that outlines his face. It's a very distinct head sculpt and it looks great. The chest design borrows from the G1 toy and cartoon. This includes raised vent details on the sides, rectangles of varying sizes on the top and right under are the hinges for the shovel. His arms are based on the G1 action figure with rounded shoulders and layers of detail that include a triangular point right under the elbows. Putting the issue above aside for a second the sculpt is fantastic and really does a good job of paying homage to the original Bonecrusher.
Bonecrusher is mostly bright green plastic. Some black plastic is used on the head and a section on the back. This may seem like a bit much bit it's true to the original Bonecrusher. The paint colors on the figure include silver, black, red and purple. The deco is sort of a mash up of his G1 toy and animation model. The silver is used heavily on the face, arms and chest. Black is used on the shoulders and elbows. Red is used on the elbow section and the vents on the chest. Purple is used for the rectangles on his chest and fists. The final touch is a tampographed Decepticon symbol in the center of the chest. Deco wise I really appreciate how hard the designers paid attention to the original toy and cartoon model. It should be noted that the red and black decos on the arms appear to be missing from the mass release of this figure (based on promotional images).
There are thirteen points of articulation on this figure. Eight of these points (including the shoulders, elbows and hips) are all ball joints, so there is a wide range of articulation on this figure. To my earlier point, if you just pose the figure on its own he stands fine. It's once you add in additional weight where things become a problem.
Final Thoughts:
I've been really enthusiastic about this set overall, but this one figure is a disappointment functionally speaking. The sculpting and deco are fantastic, but the waist really needed more work. The connection point either needed a clip or maybe even a peg to keep things in place.
