Review – Transformers Prime Vinyl Shockwave Figure

Last year at SDCC I bought the Transformers Titan Warrior 5-Pack* from the Hasbro booth for $40. I hadn’t even expected to find that set of five vinyl action figures at the show, but once I had them in hand I was quite happy with my purchase. $40 for five articled vinyl action figures? Awesome!

Well, my collection of 6-inch tall Transformers vinyl action figures got a little larger when I encountered this Transformers Prime Shockwave toy at the local HEB. $6 for the toy? Sweet!!! There was no way I was going to head for home without this vinyl Shockwave, and I was certainly not going to snap pics and share it with all of you just as quickly as I could.

I Love This Guy!

It makes me a little sad to see that the Transformers Titan Warrior 5-Pack* has only a single review at Amazon — and it’s a one star review at that — because that shows me just how few people really know that these toys even exist. Non-transforming Transformers toys may be a little strange for many, but getting great articulated vinyl figures for under $10/each is an awesome deal . . . especially when you consider what Japanese and designer vinyl toys cost. A toy of this size would easily be $30 to $80 if it were from an artist and not from a company the size of Hasbro.

Articulated!

Shockwave features a total of four points of articulation with swivels at the shoulders, waist, and neck. This exactly matches the articulation found in the Transformers Titan Warrior 5-Pack*, and the “2013” copyright dates on all of the toys makes me think Hasbro designed/tooled all of these around the same time. I’m not sure why I didn’t see Shockwave until this year — or why I’ve never seen the 5-pack toys at retail — but there must be some logic behind the timing and release of the toys. After all, logic and Shockwave always go together perfectly, right?

Sculpt and Paint

Both are a bit soft and fuzzy in places, but that’s to be expected from small vinyl action figures that cost less than $10. But both are quite acceptable and in no way detract from what’s most important about this toy: I found a vinyl Shockwave action figure at a grocery store! Seriously, life can’t get much better than that. The greatest Transformers character ever in a fun and playable design for $6? Parents everywhere should be buying these for their kids right now!

Closing Thoughts

Since I may be the only person in the world who was happy with the 2013 SDCC exclusive Transformers Titan Warrior 5-Pack* I should accept the fact that I’m unlikely to see more of these 6-inch tall vinyl toys at retail . . . or at all. With that in mind I think I should make sure to grab the others in the series that were at the store, because I believe in supporting fun stuff and this line is pure fun for me.

I’m highly recommending this entire series to any Transformers fan who also collects designer and Japanese vinyl toys. I know that these don’t transform, and that they’re a bit flattish, but when you look at the price point on the toys these truly are a remarkable deal. And besides, maybe if enough of these toys sell we’ll see Hasbro take a chance and make a few more of them. The tooling can’t be all that much for a company of Hasbro’s size, and just thinking about the idea of a Constructicon or Insecticon box set of vinyl figures has me wanting Hasbro to get busy right now.

Get with it, world, and support these toys! They’re inexpensive, fun, and don’t take up much space at all in a collection. Get a little variety on your shelves and snatch these up today. I know I am going to buy all of the different figures in the line, so who is with me?