With just one month left until that date, Hasbro announced some SDCC 2024 exclusives today. Surprisingly, the dolls will actually be available for sale at this year’s show, rather than the online-only exclusives we’ve seen in years past. Click through to see some press photos and reactions!
First up is the Megatron and Orion Parkes set, which references one of their origin stories as friends. I’ve been buying more Transformers than usual lately, but I’m no expert, so I don’t have much to say about it, other than it seems to me that a set of the two main antagonists will probably be on retail shelves, so for SDCC this feels like it to me A little strange. Please feel free to tell me why I’m wrong in the comments below. The set retails for $74.99 and will be available online at SDCC at a later date in limited quantities.
This Maul and Accelerator set looks like it includes Maul from the recent Maul/Obi/QGJ three-piece set, just with a sarong for sitting on. He comes with a detection robot, a flying machine, a binocular, a robot control bracelet, and a lot more, although I’m not sure I think it’s worth $60. Luckily for me, I already have the Figuarts version of this, but the Maul portrait is one I wouldn’t mind having. I’m sure they’ll eventually triple dip with the release of a card. I do feel strangely nostalgic for the Episode 1 style packaging. It’s weird to be nostalgic for things I bought as an adult, but I guess that’s normal when you’re as old as me.
The name is Death’s Head. You heard me, right? Now this is a guy I’ve always wanted, so I’m feeling excitement mixed with a little worry that I won’t be able to catch him somehow at a show or later online. I think we’ll get him eventually since he’s in Hasbro’s four-inch line, but it’s been a long time coming. He’s priced at $40.00, which seems a bit high to me, but he looks like he’ll be reusing parts from Ronan the Accuser, so he’ll be a large figure. I really like the trading card style packaging and would love to see it again. Are there any ROM trading cards?
Finally, my favorite performance from this band, “I Was a Man!” Cobra Commander. The origins of Cobra in G.I. Joe: The Movie and Cobra Commander are controversial story choices in the fandom to say the least, but I absolutely love the pulpy wildness of it all. The set will come with a mid-transformation commander as well as a smaller near-final model that you can hitch a ride on the back of Barricade. Apparently the nice packaging illustration will be lenticular, which explains why this guy is a bit more expensive than the usual deluxe GI Joe figures at $39.99. I really like the snake texture on the new body parts they added on the retro Cobra Commander figure, and it’s really cool to see the inside of the CC panel. This is also interesting because I’ve been hearing rumors from reliable sources that Classified’s SDCC exclusive is the Raptor and the Pulse Con exclusive is the Stardustuster. I think this is a better exclusive than Raptor because CC has more general audience cache, but after this and the more beautiful box art of Nemesis Immortal recently, I wonder if Nemesis is actually a Pulse Con exclusive game.
Another interesting aspect of this whole thing is that now we’re rewarded with purchasing Hasbro SDCC exclusives at the show itself. I’m not really looking forward to getting back into this process, as getting Hasbro exclusives at shows can be a real pain, and it looks like we’re entering some sort of lottery. On the other hand, it’s nice to get them early. I just hope they still make the same quantities so those who need them can easily get them online. My impression of recent Hasbro exclusives is that they aren’t that hard to get in the US, but not in other regions.
Well, I absolutely love two, CC and Death’s Head, what are you after? Let me know in the comments!
