Another week, another fantastic set of toy reveals. Oh, Hasbro (and Takara), you really are spoiling us!
This time around, we’ve been treated to several Transformers Legacy toys that are part of a broader set of releases known as a ‘Wreck ‘n Rule Collection’, with more yet to follow. They’re already creating quite the buzz online, so let’s dive in and see what it’s all about!
Last time we looked at Impactor and Spindle; now we move on to the 2-pack containing Leadfoot and Masterdominus!
#10: Leadfoot is a Generation 2 character from 1994
First, we turn our attention to Leadfoot, a character long-rumoured to appear in the Legacy line, although one who is still at least slightly surprising to see given a new toy! Why’s that? Well, as one of the many original moulds of the 1990s’ Generation 2 line, he’s been all but forgotten in the decades since. Sadly that’s true of many of his contemporaries, too, mostly in favour of the repainted G2 colour schemes seen on the designs inherited from G1 back in the day, leaving them feeling like the Transformers equivalent of Spider-Man’s Clone Saga somehow!
It’s not like Leadfoot was ever a big name at the time, mind. However, he did make a reasonably memorable (albeit brief) appearance in the Generation 2 Marvel comic, first siding with the Decepticons after he was created before realising that his allegiance lay with the Autobots at heart.
Transformers: Generation 2 #7, artwork credit: Galan / Amash
#9: He was originally part of the Rotor Force
Leadfoot was one-quarter of the Rotor Force, which were released in 1994 as individual toys. The subgroup was cross-faction, with Leadfoot and his partner, Manta Ray, having land and sea alternate forms, whilst the Decepticons stuck to the air. Like many G2 toys, the Rotor Force was distinguished by one singular gimmick, in this case, the ability to fire a spinning rotor blade using a small wind-up motor. The firing mechanism forms part of each vehicle (leaving Leadfoot’s rotor blade to sit rather bizarrely atop his Indy car alternate form!), or it can be used as a handheld weapon in robot mode.
Sadly, the rotor gimmick is nowhere to be seen on the new toy but still, it’s outstanding to see some of these original G2 designs being given new life!
The Rotor Force featured in a rather painfully-epic 1990s TV advert, with Leadfoot gifted a CGI animation model, too! Even more bizarre, he’s briefly voiced by none other than Garry Chalk, who Transformers fans will surely know as performing Optimus Primal in Beast Wars and Optimus Prime in the Unicron Trilogy cartoons.
#8: He is a retool of Kingdom Mirage
As many have speculated, Leadfoot is a retool of Kingdom Mirage, with the most obvious difference being the new head that closely resembles his G2 toy. The colour scheme looks similarly on-point, although he now has the blue Wrecker emblem adorning his chest, as mentioned in part 1.
#7: The character has already appeared in the IDW comic
IDW’s Transformers: Wreckers – Tread & Circuits #2, artwork credit: Lawrence / Peer
If the various rumours hadn’t convinced you that Leadfoot was likely to show up in Legacy, surely this would have been enough to arouse some suspicion! Yep, the character has made several appearances in the current IDW comic surrounding the new Wreckers team and clearly presents closely to his new toy look. His star is on the rise!
#6: Masterdominus is a heavy retool of Kingdom Ractonite
Turning our attention to the second member of this set, we have the rather amusingly named Masterdominus! This rather bizarre-looking lad is a clear retool of Kingdom Ractonite, although extensively so. Again, this Fossilizer has been imagined as a Wrecker, bearing the emblem on his chest.
#5: It features numerous new parts
As with Spindle, Masterdominus is a sizeable departure from his mould-mate, featuring a new beast head, tusks, a new robot head and a new chest design, amongst other parts. Also fun to see is a pretty nifty feature that Hasbro designer Mark Maher showed off, as he revealed that you can combine a piece of Masdominus with another part from Spindle to make an entirely separate Fossilizer head design! That’s pretty nifty.
Photo credit: Mark Maher
#4: The mould now transforms into a mastodon
In a bit of a departure, this Fossilizer is now no longer a dinosaur! Instead, Masterdominus is, as the name suggests, a mastodon, which is a term for several extinct elephantine mammals that first appeared in the early Miocene (23 million to 2.6 million years ago) and continued through the Pleistocene (2.6 million to 11,000 years ago, which is when it is believed they went extinct). Mastodons were found worldwide, with their remains now being quite common.
#3: Each set contains a piece of “the Wreckers hammer”
One mystery about these new toys so far is what the bonus accessory in each box is all about! The promotional blurb states, “ASSEMBLE THE HAMMER: Each Wreck’ N Rule Collection pack includes with (sic) a piece of the Wreckers hammer with (sic). Collect all 5 packs to assemble and display the hammer (each sold separately, subject to availability)“. So, um… what’s all that about then? No one knows yet, but it’ll be fun finding out!
#2: The box art will form a display
Collectors who enjoy keeping their packaging are in for a bit of a treat as if you pick up all five sets in the Wreck ‘N Rule Collection, you’ll be able to assemble a large box art display! We’re still two reveals away from seeing the full thing, but that hasn’t stopped speculation running rife already…
#1: Whose legs are these anyway?
Yes, it seems as though we’re building to some sort of mysterious figure in the background of the artwork, with what first appeared as a set of twin towers now evidently meant to be a pair of legs instead! The early signs of this character’s identity seemed to point one way…
Except now, the final piece of the puzzle has seemingly leaked online and… well, it’s unclear! Is that Emirate Xaaron? Or someone else entirely? We’ll talk more about the red and blue drill guy another time – this needs to be solved!
I’ve seen arguments both for and against it being the wily old buzzard from the Marvel UK G1 comic, so I suppose time (and higher-res images!) will tell…
Be sure to join us for part 3 soon, when we’ll be looking at the rest of the Legacy Wreck ‘N Rule Collection!
TTFN
WHAT HAVE TRANSFORMERS DONE FOR ME?
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