General Information:
Release Date: March 2023
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth etc.)
Accessories: Blaster, Booster Engines x 2
Official images and text below in italics are from Amazon:
- CELEBRATE THE LEGACY: Transformers Legacy Evolution celebrates the last 40 years of Transformers history. The Autobot Devcon action figure is inspired by The Transformers animated series
- 2 EPIC MODES: Transformers action figure converts from robot to Cybertronian aircraft mode in 13 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: This Autobot Devcon toy for 8 year old boys and girls comes with blaster and 2 thruster accessories that attach to the figure in both modes
- EVOLVE THE BATTLE: Transformers toy robots are upgraded with Evo-Fusion battle features! Evolve the battle by combining the blaster and 2 thruster accessories into a laser cannon accessory
- REVEAL TECH SPECS: Scan the code on each package to reveal character tech specs! Collect other Transformers figures to discover facts and abilities (each sold separately, subject to availability)
The battle is evolving with the Transformers Legacy Evolution Deluxe Class Autobot Devcon action figure! Devcon is a bounty hunter, tasked with hunting down anyone too dangerous for the other Autobots to take on. Transformers toys are upgraded with Evo-Fusion technology! Experience the evolution and combining the blaster and 2 thruster accessories into a laser cannon accessory to prepare for battle! Celebrate the last 40 years of Transformers history with Transformers Legacy action figures for boys and girls. Transformers Legacy opens the portal to a whole new universe of -- More Than Meets the Eye -- bringing together every generation of Transformers like you’ve never seen before. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Legacy lineup. Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro. Hasbro and all related terms are trademarks of Hasbro.
Packaging:
Devcon is packaged in the standard Legacy Evolution Deluxe Class box. This rectangular box features angles on the top and left side (if you are facing the box). As part of Hasbro's "plastic free" packaging there is a window in the front of the box showing off the figure from the chest but, but there is no plastic window. The Transformers logo is set vertically to the right and the Legacy logo is also on the front towards the bottom. The figure is sitting on a cardboard tray in robot mode with an illustration of his vehicle mode with his weapons attached. The left side features artwork of Devcon in robot mode. The back shows off Devcon in both modes calling out an 13 step transformation and the "Evo Fusion" ability of his accessories combining into a large weapon.
Background:
In the G1 episode "The Gambler" fans were introduced to a new Autobot named Devcon. Unlike most Autobots in the series, this one worked by himself as a bounty hunter and quickly became a fan favorite even though he only appeared one time in the show. He would later appear as part of a Botcon exclusive story (and years later would be a Botcon exclusive figure).
Now as part of Legacy we have a new Devcon figure. While this figure looks like a new sculpt he is actually a redeco and retool of Studio Series Blurr. Mind you, the retooling is extensive which I'll go over below.
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Accessories:
Devcon includes three accessories: a blaster and two rocket engines.
Blaster:
One is a small blaster weapon based on the one Devcon used in "The Gambler". It is mostly cylindrical with three distinct sections, a barrel in the front, a larger section in the middle and a smaller one in the back. This piece has a 5mm peg at the bottom and two 5mm ports on the sides. His "Evo-Fusion" feature involves attaching his rocket engines to the blaster to form a "super weapon". The front of the weapon has a tip that allows you to attach a Blast Effect. This piece is made up of blue plastic with most of it painted silver.
Rocket engines:
When Devcon transforms into vehicle mode in "The Gambler" two large rocket boosters wind up on the back of the vehicle mode. These chunky looking boosters are new accessories included with this figure. You can attach Blast Effects to both the front and back of the boosters. These pieces are made of blue plastic and painted red to match the animation.
Robot Mode:
I mention above that this figure is a redeco and retool of Studio Series 86 Blurr, but the retooling goes way beyond just slapping a new head sculpt on the figure and calling it a day. Instead, almost the entire body features newly sculpted parts. The only obvious parts carried over from Blurr are the thighs and feet. It is possible some joints may also carry over (like the knees) but they are less obvious.
G1 animation was inconsistent sometimes and in the case of Devcon, his proportions shifted from scene to scene in the episode, but this figure manages to capture a lot of sculpted details that reflect his animation model. These include:
- Head: Long before Scourge and the Sweeps came about, Devcon's head featured a "helmet" section with a scope (or mini blaster if you prefer) on top of his head that has a small point sticking out in front. The "helmet" itself is curved on thop and sides with sections that extend forward near his cheeks.
- Torso: Devcon's torso features a raised, pointed section on the chest while his mid-body features four vertical lines flanked by small, cylindrical shapes. These are all taken right from the animation model.
- Back: On Devcon's back there are nicely sculpted details including two horizontal bars. These come right from the design seen on the back of the animation model.
- Arms: The shoulders each feature raised circles on them while the elbows and forearms are cylindrical shapes.
- Legs: The lower legs are curved with knee armor that comes up to a narrow, rounded shape over the knees.
This sculpt is absolutely fantastic. The designers did not just use the animation model as the reference, they added details such as line details on the shoulders and knees.
Devcon is made up of blue, silver and red plastic - all key colors of the character's animation model. Paint colors include silver, red and blue. I am really impressed by how much the paint has been used to match up with the animation model. Such details include the four vertical lines on his mid-body being painted red and the heavy use of red on the lower legs. Overall, Devcon looks fantastic.
There are twenty points of articulation on this figure including four in each arm and five in each leg. Each arm has three 5mm ports, one on the shoulder, one on the side of the forearms and of course, the fists. The ports on the side allow you to attach his weapon the way it was shown in the cartoon and add to play value. He also has 5mm ports on the bottom of his feet and two on his back. The ports on his back are fun because they allow for weapon storage or you can use his booster accessories and create a "rocket pack"!
The figure feels solid and all the joints are nice and tight, so no worries about this figure from a quality assurance perspective.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the blaster and boosters. Set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Swing the arms out to the sides.
- Swing each foot up so the "toes" are against the lower legs.
- Swing the front halves of the lower legs out to the sides.
- Push the two lower leg sections together.
- Swing the lower legs up over the thighs.
- Swing the panels with the feet on them in, covering up the thighs.
- On each arm, push each fist down, rotate it around so the thruster is revealed, then push the piece back into place.
- Rotate the forearms and line up the slot on them to the tabs on the sides of the vehicle mode and connect them together.
- Swing the back piece up and over the robot head.
- Attach the blaster to the underside of the vehicle's front end.
- Attach the rocket boosters to the 5mm ports on the back of the vehicle.
Vehicle Mode:
Based on the last scene in "The Gambler", Devcon's vehicle mode is a spaceship. Shortly after transforming, he chases after Astrotrain and the Decepticons who were heading into space. This vehicle has most of the details seen in the episode including:
- Front: The front end is triangular in shape with a blaster sticking out in front (alluding to the "blaster" on top of the robot head).
- Sides: The sides of the vehicle are formed by the robot arms including angled fins on the bottom with thrusters in the back.
- Middle: The middle of the vehicle has a section with four sculpted lines that are painted red. This is meant to allude to the similar detail in robot mode but was also seen in "The Gambler" as the cover for his passenger compartment.
- Rear: The rear section of the vehicle is raised with the boosters attached on either side.
This vehicle mode is kind of odd, but looks great and fits in with the aesthetic of Transformers who have not been hanging out on Earth as seen in the G1 cartoon. This mode also shows off a ton of sculpted detail that was not obvious in robot mode including details on the front end that allude to the Autobot symbol and mechanical details on the back in between the boosters.
This mode mostly shows off blue plastic. Silver and red paint make up most of the paint details. In many ways, this figure is actually more detailed than the animation model. To be fair, his alt-mode appeared for less than a minute on screen, but this figure has to look good on your shelf as long as you own it so the painted details are most welcome.
This mode has eight 5mm ports: two on the bottom and four on the boosters/thrusters. The ones from the forearms are on the sides, allowing you to attach additional weaponry. Interestingly, the barrel in the front of the vehicle is a 5mm peg with no attachment point for Blast Effects. Blast Effect fans should not worry however. You can attach them to the blaster weapon and the front of the boosters.
Final Thoughts:
When I was a kid I always wanted a Devcon figure, but I figured he was too obscure for Hasbro to ever even consider making one. When the Botcon version came out I thought "Great! That's as good as it will ever get.". Now here we are many years later and we have a version of the character that is faithful to the G1 cartoon and it's fantastic. I love this figure and it is highly recommended!
Pros:
- Excellent retooling of the Studio Series Blurr figure that represents the G1 character beautifully.
- Fun and intuitive transformation.
- Given that the base Blurr sculpt has been used multiple times it was a relief to see the joints are all nice and tight on this figure.
- Plenty of attachment points for accessories and Blast Effects.
Cons:
- Some fans won't like that this is a retool but it is extensive and looks amazing in my opinion.
