Death's Head
16-08-11, 08:30 AM
I love this toy! I think it is fantastic. Short review, huh? No, but really I really, really like this guy. I've always liked Skullgrin. I enjoyed his goofy turn as an unlikely movie star in #45 of the US comic. A daft undercover mission to procure resources for the Decepticons, it was an amusing piece of fluff. His toy wasn't as impressive, being a blunted blob of a thing that gave way to one of those anorexic looking Pretender robots. This Generations version is a more hefty, if small, take on the character that does pretty well in updating Skullgrin (although it is a bit of a shame that Hasbro didn't go all out and give us a twenty-first century spin on the Pretender shell).
This mould was previously used for Darkmount, whom was better known as Straxus. I wasn't bothered for owning Staxus. He's not a character with immense appeal to me, being something of an ignorant tyrant. I was also a little unsure about the mould, as it looked like quite a fragile and odd looking thing. The more I studied it, the more I found that actually, I would like the prettier looking Skullgrin version (plus: awesome head sculpt!).
As is par for the course for modern Decepticons, Skullgrin had a choice between a tank or a jet for an alt mode. So Hasbro have made him a tank. It's one of those half track things that I never really understand the point of. As unimaginative as the choice of alt mode is, it rather suits Skullgrin whom can lay a greater claim to this alt mode than many of his other Decepticon chums that have been forced into this form, having been a tank in the first place. Overall, it’s a really nicely crafted mode. The wheels aren't just lazy plain black blobs, and there's plenty of rails, rivets and panels, plus neat little paint apps to pick out the detail. Only that impossibly small cab on the front of the vehicle destroys any attempt at realism. He comes with three clip-on weapons that can be swapped about and pegged on at different points too.
He has an intermediate cannon mode, which is a bit weird looking (its basically the tank slightly upended with his arms and legs poking out a bit is the best way I can describe it), but makes for some great interactive fun as he can be manned by any Scout class toy.
Getting Skullgrin to robot mode is a bit of a fiddle, but nothing outrageously complex. The difficulty is in going back the other way, with arms being a particular annoyance. Essentially, the legs form out of the turret, the arms pop out from behind the treads and the head is hidden away inside the torso. It all slots into place nicely, and I'm particularly fond of how the front wheels slide into the torso. The robot mode is suitably tough looking, although those tank parts dangling off his back are a bit rubbish.
The outwardly grey alt mode gives way to a robot mode with a nice match of crimson, gold and black. The best part is that awesome head sculpt. Equal parts ram and Death's Head II, it really looks quite fearsome with those red eyes and silver teeth. Oh yes, Skullgrin is like one of those ridiculous gangsta's whose had their teeth done. Or he's British, in which case it’s just the silver sheen from all those fillings. He brandishes a sort of jabber/ pitchfork thing which looks ace - and he can hold it with both hands!
On top of all this, Skullgrin has one of the best toy bios of since, well, I don't know when. A fearsome and capable warrior, he struggles to rein in his more violent, almost bestial urges which makes him way more interesting than the usual half arsed efforts that pass for toy bios these days (Seriously, how tired am I of reading bios way the character is defined purely by his weaponry? Booooriiing!).
If you've already picked up Darkmount, there probably isn't much point in forking out for Skullgrin. However, Skullgrin just looks that bit better thanks to a more realistic paint job and some nice paint apps and a better head sculpt. Plus it's Skullgrin! Who is better than stupid Darkmount.
190191
This mould was previously used for Darkmount, whom was better known as Straxus. I wasn't bothered for owning Staxus. He's not a character with immense appeal to me, being something of an ignorant tyrant. I was also a little unsure about the mould, as it looked like quite a fragile and odd looking thing. The more I studied it, the more I found that actually, I would like the prettier looking Skullgrin version (plus: awesome head sculpt!).
As is par for the course for modern Decepticons, Skullgrin had a choice between a tank or a jet for an alt mode. So Hasbro have made him a tank. It's one of those half track things that I never really understand the point of. As unimaginative as the choice of alt mode is, it rather suits Skullgrin whom can lay a greater claim to this alt mode than many of his other Decepticon chums that have been forced into this form, having been a tank in the first place. Overall, it’s a really nicely crafted mode. The wheels aren't just lazy plain black blobs, and there's plenty of rails, rivets and panels, plus neat little paint apps to pick out the detail. Only that impossibly small cab on the front of the vehicle destroys any attempt at realism. He comes with three clip-on weapons that can be swapped about and pegged on at different points too.
He has an intermediate cannon mode, which is a bit weird looking (its basically the tank slightly upended with his arms and legs poking out a bit is the best way I can describe it), but makes for some great interactive fun as he can be manned by any Scout class toy.
Getting Skullgrin to robot mode is a bit of a fiddle, but nothing outrageously complex. The difficulty is in going back the other way, with arms being a particular annoyance. Essentially, the legs form out of the turret, the arms pop out from behind the treads and the head is hidden away inside the torso. It all slots into place nicely, and I'm particularly fond of how the front wheels slide into the torso. The robot mode is suitably tough looking, although those tank parts dangling off his back are a bit rubbish.
The outwardly grey alt mode gives way to a robot mode with a nice match of crimson, gold and black. The best part is that awesome head sculpt. Equal parts ram and Death's Head II, it really looks quite fearsome with those red eyes and silver teeth. Oh yes, Skullgrin is like one of those ridiculous gangsta's whose had their teeth done. Or he's British, in which case it’s just the silver sheen from all those fillings. He brandishes a sort of jabber/ pitchfork thing which looks ace - and he can hold it with both hands!
On top of all this, Skullgrin has one of the best toy bios of since, well, I don't know when. A fearsome and capable warrior, he struggles to rein in his more violent, almost bestial urges which makes him way more interesting than the usual half arsed efforts that pass for toy bios these days (Seriously, how tired am I of reading bios way the character is defined purely by his weaponry? Booooriiing!).
If you've already picked up Darkmount, there probably isn't much point in forking out for Skullgrin. However, Skullgrin just looks that bit better thanks to a more realistic paint job and some nice paint apps and a better head sculpt. Plus it's Skullgrin! Who is better than stupid Darkmount.
190191