General Information:
Release Date: May 2017
Price Point: $9.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General (Toys R Us, Target, Wal-Mart etc.)
Accessories: None
Official images and text below in italics are from Amazon.com:
Transformers Generations Titans Return Legends Class figures are 3.75-inch scale figures. When this Legends Class Autobot Cosmos figure is in hovercraft mode, Titan Master figures fit inside. Additional figures are each sold separately. Subject to availability. In Titans Return, the Autobots and Decepticons unite with Titan Masters, small bots that carry a power boost. Titan Masters are key to controlling an ancient race of warriors the size of cities: the Titans. When loner Autobot Cosmos isn’t scanning enemy signals from space, he’s scaring the humans by hovering in their backyards at night. Lonely and friendless in outer space, he finds other ways of entertaining himself, like catching up on the latest sci-fi episode. Character Specs: Autobot Cosmos: recon & communications Figure Specs: Legends Class Autobot Cosmos Modes: robot, hovercraft Converts in 9 steps Comes with a character card with tech specs Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
Cosmos is one of the more unusual Autobot "Mini-Bots" to come out of the Generation One era. Instead of transforming into an Earth vehicle like a truck or plane, his alternate form was a flying saucer! For the most part over the years this character was ignored. In 2009 however a version was released in the Universe 2.0 line. Later in 2014, a Legends Class figure was released. Both of these versions were rather difficult to find at retail (I had to have mine sent to me by a friend in Canada!). Last year Takara Tomy released this figure as part of its "Transformers Adventure" line with a new deco. Finally, Hasbro has re-released Cosmos (minus his Micromaster partner Payload) as part of "Titans Return". Check out my Legends Class Cosmos review to see my original thoughts on the figure. This review will focus on the changes made to the figure for this release.
As an aside, this same sculpt was released as part of the Technobot boxed set in "Combiner Wars" as Scrounge.
Packaging:
Cosmos is packaged in blister card style packaging. The card features the "Transformers" logo in the front against a black background with the "Generations" logo above that. most of the card is taken up by Cosmos' artwork. Interestingly this wave of figures has artwork of the character's alt-mode instead of their robot form. The art is colored in a beautifully painted fashion that recalls the artwork from G1 toy packaging. On top is a small "Titans Return" logo. Wheelie himself is in robot mode inside the bubble with a collector's card behind him. The insert in front shows a photo of the figure in vehicle mode with the name "Cosmos" printed next to an Autobot symbol. The back of the packaging features a grey grid with CG renders of the figure on top in both modes. There is a brief blurb talking about the character. Overall it's really cool packaging and I'm happy the art features so prominently.
Robot Mode:
The most common question people asked when this figure was announced was "Is it the same as the previous release?" and the answer is absolutely not. The primary colors of green and yellow are both different shades than the previous release. The bright metallic green of the 2014 release has been replaced with a darker, flat green. The bright yellow is still a bright yellow, but a slightly different shade that is not quite as bold as the last one. The head and neck area are all red plastic as opposed to the original release which had silver at the base of the head. When you put the two side by side, the differences in plastic color are very obvious.
Much of the paint deco is the same as the previous release. Yellow is used on the shoulders, chest, waist and face. Metallic blue is used for the eyes, the "windows" on the chest and the series of horizontal lines on the waist area. The blasters on each leg are painted gunmetal grey, just like the previous release. There is one big paint difference: on the first release of this figure the Autobot symbol on the right shoulder was large, but on this release it is pretty small. While I would personally prefer a larger Autobot symbol, this does help immediately distinguish it from previous releases even if you do not have the previous release next to it.
All the joints on my copy of this figure are nice and tight. While he no longer comes with a Micromaster partner/weapon, you can still put 5mm peg weapons in his fists. Like the previous use of this figure as "Combiner Wars" Scrounge, this represents the modified version of the sculpt that can attach to Strafe when he is an arm for Computron.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach Payload if attached and set him aside.
- Push the robot head down into the chest.
- Swing up the panel with the thrusters on his back.
- Rotate the chest section around.
- Push each forearm up against the upper arms.
- Rotate the arms and swing them back.
- Swing down the thruster panel to connect the arm pieces together.
- Push the lower leg sections into the knee sections.
- Rotate the lower leg sections around and swing them back, connecting them in the middle so the blaster barrels point forward.
Vehicle Mode:
This mode shows off all the darker green plastic consolidated into a disc, so the color really makes an impact. Yellow paint is used on the thrusters in the back and he has the same "arrow" stripe patterns in the front that the original release had.
You can still attach Payload to this vehicle via the blasters. Also, in a bit of coincidental functionality you can actually use the gap on the bottom of the figure to "capture" a Titan Master by the head! It's kind of a silly feature, but it is fun.
Final Thoughts:
Many fans missed out on this Cosmos sculpt when it first came out. Even with its relase in "Adventure" it was still relatively limited so I am very happy fans now have a chance to get it again. I am also happy to see that after three prior uses, the tooling is still in good enough shape that the figure is not super loose or falling apart. If you missed out on previous releases, go grab yourself this figure!
Pros:
- Great sculpt in both modes.
- Pays homage to G1 Cosmos very well.
- Nice deco (though I prefer the original).
- Joints are still nice and tight despite three releases.
Cons:
- Lack of metallic plastic like the original.
- No Payload figure included.
