General Information:
Release Date: October 2022
Price Point: $48.99
Retailer: Hasbro Pulse Exclusive
Accessories: Blasters x 2, Rocket Launcher, Exo-Suit Figure
Official images and text below in italics are from Hasbro Pulse:
Discover a universe that shatters everything you know about the Transformers robots…an upside down world where the bad guys are good, and the good guys are bad. Welcome to Shattered Glass, an alternate universe where the heroic Decepticons battle the evil Autobots. Wait…what?
Fans can explore this topsy-turvy reality with the Transformers Shattered Glass Collection, featuring classic Transformers characters, with a twist! Slicer is a spy, an assassin, and an Autobot infiltrator. When the fate of Cybertron is on the line, his loyalties will soon be tested… if he has any left. This Decepticon Slicer figure converts from robot to racecar mode in 18 steps. Deco is inspired by the Shattered Glass universe, complete with a red Decepticon logo. Comes with Exo-Suit figure that converts to armored vehicle mode in 10 steps. Includes 2 combinable blaster accessories.
Look for other Shattered Glass figures to build the ultimate alternate universe collection (each sold separately, subject to availability). Includes 2 figures, 2 accessories, and instructions.
- SHATTERED GLASS COLLECTION: The Shattered Glass Collection shatters everything you know about Transformers figures. Inspired by an alternate universe where the heroic Decepticons battle the evil Autobots
- HEROIC...DECEPTICONS?: Slicer is a spy, an assassin, and an Autobot infiltrator. When the fate of Cybertron is on the line, his loyalties will soon be tested… if he has any left.
- CLASSIC CONVERSION: Decepticon Slicer figure converts from robot to racecar mode in 18 steps. Comes with an Exo-Suit figure that converts from robot to armored vehicle mode in 10 steps. Break apart Exo-Suit figure to weaponize Decepticon Slicer figure
- ALTERNATE UNIVERSE-INSPIRED DECO: This Decepticon Slicer figure's deco is inspired by the Shattered Glass universe, complete with a red Decepticon logo. Comes with 2 combinable blaster accessories
- COLLECT OTHER SHATTERED GLASS FIGURES: Look for other Shattered Glass figures to build the ultimate alternate universe collection (each sold separately, subject to availability)
- Ages 8 and up
Background:
The Shattered Glass universe has had a long history. It began in 2008 and would go through different iterations and continuities, the most recent being one by IDW Publishing. In both continuities the Evil Autobot Wheeljack was portrayed as a mad scientist whose design was a mash up of Cybertron Downshift (whose design was based on G1 Wheeljack's) and the colors of the G1 Action Master Decepticon Slicer. When Hasbro decided to create its own line of Shattered Glass figures, they took these influences and made a new version of Shattered Glass Wheeljack. In an effort to make the figure "dual purpose", they named it Slicer and even gave him a Decepticon symbol. That means you can use this character as a G1 Slicer or a Shattered Glass Wheeljack who (possibly?) switched sides. Slicer is a redeco of the Earthrise Wheeljack figure. You can check out my original review of that figure (and his redeco Exhaust). The review of Slicer below will focus on the changes made to the figure for this release.
To add to this connection to the G1 Action Master Slicer, Hasbro included a redeco of the Generations Selects Black Roritchi figure to serve as Slicer's "Exo Suit". Due to a lot of chaos at the time Earthrise was released, I never got to review Fasttrack or Black Roritchi, so this will be my first thorough look at that figure.
Packaging:
The Shattered Glass packaging is similar in shape to the Legacy boxes, starting with a rectangular shape but then adding angles and what look like broken edges of glass on the top part of the window. The Transformers logo is set vertically to the right side featuring a purple to pink gradient unique to this sub-line. The sub-line "Shattered Glass" is called out on the bottom with an Decepticon symbol that looks fractured. The front also features the character's artwork in one of the angled sections while the right and left sides both feature more of the character art. Shattered Glass is established as a sub-line of Generations via the Generations logo on the left side panel. The back of the box features Slicer and Exo-Suit in both modes calling out an 18 step transformation for Slicer and 10 step for Exo-Suit. Behind them is a beautiful pink and purple pattern against a black background. It also features a photo of Slicer "armored up" with parts from the Exo-Suit to show off the Weaponizer play pattern.
Unlike previous Shattered Glass releases, Slicer does not feature a plastic sheet over the window in the front of the box. Instead, the window is open with Slicer sitting in a cardboard tray inside (and his weapons with Exo-Suit wrapped in tissue paper under the tray). When it comes to mass retail releases, this open window can be a bit worrisome for fans who fear figures being stolen or damaged. However, given that Slicer is pretty much coming exclusively shipped from Hasbro Pulse, this is less of a concern.
Accessories:
It would not be entirely unfair to count Exo-Suit as a pile of accessories, but I will be reviewing it as its own separate figure below.
The other accessories included with this set include:
- Rocket Launcher: This non-firing weapon is the same one included with Earthrise Wheeljack. This time out the weapon is made of black plastic with the rocket tip painted red.
- Rifle: The rifle is one of two new weapons included with this set that are based on the weapons included with Botcon 2010 Slice. This rifle has a long barrel and a small rectangular section in the back. The weapon features two 5mm pegs at the base. You can also attach Blast Effects to the peg at the end of the weapon barrel. The weapon features a hinge towards the back so you can attach it to the ports on the back of the vehicle mode or his legs in robot mode. This piece is translucent red plastic with no paint applications.
- Shotgun: The other new weapon included with the set is the shotgun! This dual barreled weapon features a peg on the bottom and one on the side. There is also a 5mm port on the bottom of the weapon. This weapon can also bend at a hinge to use in vehicle mode. It is made of translucent red plastic with a metal pin inside the hinge.
I think it is absolutely fantastic that this set includes new weapons based on the Cybertron Downshift sculpt (which would later become Botcon 2010, Slice). That's a big plus in my book. Adding the hinge to make the weapons more functional is a fantastic addition to the set.
Robot Mode:
Slicer is a straight up redeco of Earthrise Wheeljack with no tooling changes. It is a fun repeat of history since G1 Action Master Slicer was also a redeco of Wheeljack (with no retooling). Slicer is made up of blue, black, gunmetal grey and translucent red plastic. The colors are all beautiful. The blue is a particular shade inspired by G1 Slicer that is not often seen on Transformers figures. The grey has a nice metallic shine to it under the right light and the translucent red contrasts nicely against the blue and black colors. Paint colors include blue, black, red, gunmetal grey and gold. My favorite patterns are the red and black on the chest and legs, both of which are callbacks to a similar pattern on G1 Slicer. The gold on the head offers a particularly beautiful splash of color on the figure that pops wonderfully against the darker colors on the rest of the figure. A finishing touch is the Decepticon symbol on the right shoulder. It has been painted a pink-ish color so you can use this as a Shattered Glass Slicer/Wheeljack or a G1 Slicer. I really appreciated this touch.
When I heard this figure was being released, I was very worried that it would suffer some of the same quality control issues as Exhaust, who was basically a floppy mess. I am happy to report that the folks at Hasbro did some serious work to make sure this figure did not suffer from those issues. The joints on this figure are actually tighter than some of the ones on my copy of Earthrise Wheeljack. All his ports are also nice and tight so attaching accessories is no problem at all.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the launcher and set it aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Rotate the "wings" together to form the spoiler.
- Swing the chest panel down.
- Push the head down into the chest.
- Swing the arms up to the sides.
- Rotate the lower body around.
- Point each foot down, then swing it inward.
- Swing each leg out to the sides.
- Swing up the curved, translucent red pieces.
- Swing the lower legs up over the thighs.
- Swing the arms back, pushing the shoulders together to form the rear of the car.
- Rotate the forearms up, then swing them forward to complete the sides of the vehicle.
- The weapon can be attached to the top of the car.
- The additional weapons can be folded on their hinges and attached to the ports on the back so the barrels face forward.
Vehicle Mode:
Like the robot mode there have been no tooling changes made to the vehicle mode. The vehicle is really sleek and with its curved windshield and spoiler it greatly resembles a car inspired by the Lancia Stratos which of course was the car G1 Wheeljack took on as his vehicle mode. Like the robot mode this mode shows off blue, black and translucent red plastic. Paint colors include red, black, blue and silver. The vehicle is really beautiful, complete with the curved red and black details on the hood that call back to similar details originally used on G1 Action Master Slicer's chest. I'm also super happy the sides of the wheels are painted silver. The color really pops against the darker tones on the rest of the figure.
As mentioned above, the ports on the back allow you to attach the two new translucent red weapons. They are standard 5mm ports so you can connect bits of the Exo-Suit too if you wish.
In the G1 series Masterforce, the Destron Black Zarak had an army of worker robots known as the "Guardminders" who were based on G1 Fasttrack. The Guardminders had a "General" of sorts known as Guardminder A in the credits of the show. In 2020, Hasbro released a figure based on this lead character named Black Roritchi. It is that figure that serves as the foundation of this "Exo-Suit". The lack of a distinctive name suggests this figure represents a kind of drone instead of a distinct character. That would also fit its place as a modern day version of the vehicle that came with G1 Slicer.
Robot Mode:
I usually like to start a review of a figure with whichever mode it is packaged in. However, Exo-Suit comes in package wrapped in tissue paper split into different parts. So I'll just start in robot mode since it is pretty easy to figure out how to assemble that. The body of this figure is based off the G1 toy and animation model of Fasttrack and "Guardminder A". The most distinctive features include the windows on the chest (which wind up looking almost like the eyes on a skull) and the head sculpt featuring a crest, panels on the sides and a mouthplate. The shoulders are roughly rectangular in shape while the forearms are cylindrical. The legs feature wheels mounted onto the sides. For any fans of G1's Headmaster era, this design will be instantly recognizable.
The Exo-Suit has a very distinct color pattern consisting of pink, red and black plastic. These colors are inspired by the vehicle that was packaged with G1 Slicer. I love how absolutely bold colors. Paint colors include pink, black,gunmetal grey and silver. Like Slicer, the Exo-Suit has a Decepticon symbol on the left shoulder. Pink and red are not colors you often see together on a Transformers figure, and they work together to demonstrate just what a different time the late 80's and early 90's were in terms of color design in the toy world. It's a wonderful nostalgia hit.
There are twenty four points of articulation on this figure including five five on each arm and six on each leg. The joints and parts are all just as nice and tight on my copy of this figure as my Fasttrack figure and a bit tighter than those on my Black Roritchi figure. Each fist and forearm has a 5mm port. There are also 5mm ports on the back near the shoulder area. Two more ports can be found on the top of the shoulders. Each of the Exo-Suit's blasters can fit over the fists or shoulders. Each blaster is designed to fit a Blast Effect at the front of the barrel, which is always a fun touch. There is also a small blade weapon included with this figure. The blade has a 5mm port at the end, allowing the figure to hold it in either hand.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the arms and set them aside.
- Detach the back pack.
- Pull out the chest piece and set it aside.
- On the section formed from the legs and waist area, rotate the "L" shaped red pieces up.
- Rotate the mid-body section around.
- Swing each lower leg over the thighs.
- Swing the feet down and connect them to the tabs on the red waist pieces.
- Connect the robot chest/head piece to the back pack.
- Turn the robot head around.
- Connect the cockpit section to the wheel section (start with the small tabs on the back).
- Attach the arms to the sides and be sure the weapons are in the hands.
- The blade can attach to the small pegs on the shoulders.
Vehicle Mode:
G1 Fasttrack was a small attack vehicle in his alt mode, so that mode carries over to this figure. It's a fun little vehicle featuring a cockpit in the center and weapons mounted on the robot arms to the sides. The six wheels on the sides give it the appearance of a Lunar Roving Vehicle.
This mode features all the same colors as the robot mode with its combination of red, pink and black colors. The contrast is pretty heavy between the various colors and it looks great!
In an effort to pay further homage to G1, the designers at Hasbro decided to create and include a "hidden" vehicle form. Starting with the legs extended and detached from the waist piece, you can do the following:
- Swing the thighs out from the leg pieces, but keep the feet pointed down.
- Attach an arm to each leg.
- Angle the arms so the fists can connect to the pink pegs on the section with the robot head.
- Attach the cockpit section to the back of the piece with the robot head.
- Attach the rocket launcher to the peg on top.
- The blaster weapons can attach to the other side of the fists.
- The blade weapon can attach to the 5mm ports on the side which kind of calls back to G1 Slicer's vehicle.
- Slicer has 5mm ports on the back of his legs. These can attach to the pegs on the Exo-Suit legs to keep him attached. The waist piece can then be placed into his hands to act as a "steering wheel".
Now, I have two somewhat competing perspectives on this form. The teenager in me is absolutely delighted. It's a wonderfully goofy looking vehicle-thing that call back to (frankly) a very goofy era of Transformers. On the other hand, it doesn't look too great because Slicer is just bigger and wider than the vehicle. Of course, the Fasttrack/Black Roritchi sculpt was simply never intended to do this so it is kind of a minor miracle that any such form can even be achieved. In the end, my teenage fanboy self wins in this case and I really appreciate what was done here.
The instructions point out multiple configurations for the Exo-Suit's parts to serve as shields, weapons and even a snazzy pair of roller skates. I'm not going to go into paintstaking detail on every single one. Instead, check out the pics in the gallery below which show off the various ways you can configure the Exo-Suit parts to form accessories for Slicer. Suffice it to say, there are quite a few ways to do this which really elevates the play value of this set.
Final Thoughts:
I am an absolute fanboy when it comes to G1 Action Master homages. Action Masters may not have been the best Transformers toys ever, but they were the first line of Transformers that I was able to completely collect with my own money and I had tons of adventures with them in my younger days. Add to that the "exclusive mystique" of the European exclusive releases and this set really hits that nostalgia funny bone just right. Nostalgia aside, this set is just fun and it looks great. Highly recommended!
Pros:
- The Wheeljack tooling has been fixed up so it has none of the floppiness of Exhaust.
- Beautiful decos all around.
- Extra weapons that pay homage to both Cybertron Downshift and Botcon Slice deserve high marks.
- The inclusion of the Exo-Suit is a brilliant idea.
- It's a homage to a European Exclusive Action Master (which in itself is a reason to celebrate).
Cons:
- The vehicle form of the Exo-Suit is goofy looking (this can be a pro or a con depending on your perspective).
