33 replies to this topic

[Esser-Z]

Mm, fair enough. I've seen bootleg used much more loosely as well, though.

Edited by Esser-Z, 02 July 2014 - 12:39 PM.

[Verity Carlo]

SEND THE BOOKS

[Cat]

Looks like there's THREE possible toys with the issue. All KO's, of course.

 

I'm checking to get more info, and hopefully, photos.

[Boltax]

Time for some more magazines! Remember how I said K-Zone had a more accurate guide than Mania... but also a much more cluttered cover? Well check out this cover:

 

 

Yeah... believe it or not, K-Zone *still* isn't the most over-the-top cover design. Without doubt the worst, most insane cover design belongs to the magazine called Krash. But... I'm getting ahead of myself.

 

Here's the guide I was talking about:

 

 

And hey... they also have a review for a computer game.

 

Sorry, "review". 

 

 

--Andrew S.

Edited by Boltax, 06 July 2014 - 07:07 PM.

[Boltax]

So... I guess it's time for a little bit of education. The latest issue of mania is out, and it looks like this:

 

 

In fact, this is what every single one of these magazines looks like when it's on the shelf -- it comes in a plastic packet with some sort of 'free gift' inside it. Considering Mania has a cover price of $5.95, I'm not sure if that "free gift" counts as free. I suspect... and maybe I'm wrong here, maybe I'm just being cynical, but I think maybe the cost of that 'gift' is factored into the cover price.

 

 

So this issue has a gift of an okay knock-off toy! 

 

 

See the Mania branding and such? This knock-off has come with many issues of Mania in the past -- recycling gifts is not uncommon. I've seen this knock-off at least four times before. This is just the first time I've seen it with actual Transformers content on the cover of the issue.

 

So... yeah... let's look at the cover again, in detail! After all, the last issue promised us this would be an awesome Transformery issue!

 

 

Okay, let's see what other Transformers stuff is inside!!

 

 

Yeaaaah... that's it. Damn you Mania, I hate you so much.

 

--Andrew S.

[abates]

I feel like I know less about Transformers after reading those guides!

 

(They should have just had a blank two-page spread with "http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Main_Page" printed in the middle.)

[Cat]

Wow.

 

That's not what I was expecting.

 

That's so close to Henkei Wheelie.

 

And now there's MORE reports of Jazz being found too.

 

I don't know if I believe that though.

[Chris McFeely]

On the one hand, I want to vomit into my own rage, but on the other, I kinda appreciate their candor. "Hey kids! Bitter thirtysomethings hate this! Woo! YOLO!"

[HellCat]

Wait, they themselves use Bayformers to announce where the movie series began, then a page over add a not that the term was actually coined by older fans to be offensive?

 

.....Why are these people getting paying journalism work when I can't even get an interview?!

 

Regarding the included toy- It wouldn't surprise me if there is more than one mold. UK magazines for the last two decades have been the same with freebies and it's not unheard of for one to have like eight different variations, with only 2-3 getting a photo in the magazine or a specific one or two appearing in individual stores.

[Boltax]

Okay... the last Magazine for now is Krash. Krash is a dollar more expensive than Mania and is about a dollar more garish in its cover design. This issue came with TWO "free gifts". Including a knock-off Transformer (see if you can guess who -- like with Wheelie this guy has shown up on these Magazines many times) and a free Krash-themed watch! The watch band is actually a snap-band thing, like from the 1980s. These seem pretty common in these Magazines -- I got a Regular Show based one with an earlier magazine.

 

 

How much more garish is Krash than Mania? Mania came in a clear plastic packet, check out the back of Krash's packet:

 

 

And check out how much crap there is on it without the magazine:

 

 

This can actually be a pain in the arse, because when the person tries to scan the barcode (which is on the magazine, not the bag) they have to shuffle everything around to get to it. I've bought these things and had the checkout chick have to enter the code manually because the barcode wouldn't scan.

 

Oh well. Here's the knock-off:

 

And here's the cover of Krash:

 

 

Despite its protestations to not accept any immitators -- take notice that this is issue 127 of Krash, and Mania is at issue 166. Just sayin'.

 

So here's the first Transformers themed article. A vs. article (which are very common in these magazines -- in fact Krash has one every single issue) which pits Optimus Prime against Ratchet! Oh yeah!

 

 

Wait... that's not the Ratchet I was thinking of!

 

 

The final article is what the cover promised -- the Transformers Mega Quiz. And they weren't messing around. This is a four page article -- those are incredibly uncommon in these magazines:

 

 

 

--Andrew S.

 

 

 

[Steadfast]

That's so WIKKID, Andy.

[abates]

Krash's toy takes all the fun out of guessing the mould breakdown. I don't recognise who that's a knockoff of though.

[Servitor 2152]

Krash's toy takes all the fun out of guessing the mould breakdown. I don't recognise who that's a knockoff of though.

 

Here's a hint: you got the name right.  You just spelled it wrong.

Edited by Servitor 2152, 07 July 2014 - 11:38 PM.

[abates]

Ahhhhhhh, yes!