|
|
Post by legios on Feb 19, 2009 12:54:32 GMT
My copy has also shipped from the warehouse. It appears to be on its way to their local post-office in Gunma province. The journey begins.
Karl
|
|
|
|
Post by grahamthomson on Feb 20, 2009 14:31:35 GMT
The excitement!
|
|
|
|
Post by legios on Feb 23, 2009 12:41:57 GMT
According to Parcelforce's website I have received and signed for the book at 10:10 this morning at my house. *looks around office* I've been here since 9am and it doesn't look very much like my house, and the signature I apparently gave them earlier on looks a lot like the one I gave at the depot in Edinburgh about two years ago........
Karl
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 23, 2009 13:02:40 GMT
What? Are they still pulling that crap? How many times have Parcelfarce forged your signature now?
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by legios on Feb 23, 2009 13:12:34 GMT
What? Are they still pulling that crap? Yep, I'm afraid so. I really should have been expecting it - after all there was no customs charge and it was a flat, thin item. A pattern is forming now... As I recall this is the third time - once on the Macross Song Collection CD set, and then subsequently on the Trianglar and Don't be Late singles. Basically anything they can shove through the letterbox they lob through and use the signature I gave when I retrieved my VF-0 from the depot. Karl |
|
|
|
Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 23, 2009 17:52:11 GMT
tell em you've changed your signature
|
|
|
|
Post by Andy Turnbull on Feb 23, 2009 19:49:48 GMT
Better yet go in and tell them they are breaking the law and you want to complain about the fraudulent use of your signature.
Andy
|
|
|
|
Post by grahamthomson on Feb 23, 2009 20:41:03 GMT
A signature is only legally-binding when accompanied by a date (in the same handwriting). Next time, make sure you include the date with your signature to stop it from happening again.
Bastards.
|
|
|
|
Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 24, 2009 21:28:58 GMT
So is the book any good Karl ?
|
|
|
|
Post by legios on Feb 24, 2009 21:39:40 GMT
A signature is only legally-binding when accompanied by a date (in the same handwriting). Next time, make sure you include the date with your signature to stop it from happening again. Bastards. An interesting factoid to know. I shall bear that in mind. On to the book itself though, now that I have had a chance to peruse it:- It is certainly a very nice looking tome. I was half-expecting it to turn out to be more a mook than it actually is, but no it feels like a reasonably sturdy, if thin, book. The dust jacket is a nice glossy one with a front cover group shot of both versions of Alternity Convoy along with Masterpiece Grimlock. The inside front and back leaves have photographs of Henkei! Henkei! Convoy (with a box-art grid backdrop) and the red and silver Alternity Convoy's parked on the hood in front of the engine of whichever car type they are. (As I have said before, I don't reliably know from cars...) The actual front and back covers of the book itself, beneath the dust jacket has a white-on-black grid pattern and a grey-scale photographic line up of various versions of the original Convoy toy. It is quite effective in a plain sort of way. The books opens with two pages of comic, featuring Mirage (obviously tieing in to the toy offer) and hinting at an involvement of a ghostly Starscream. The we are into the meat of the book, starting with a section ostensibly aimed at the 25th anniversary. This kicks off with ten pages dedicated to Alternity Convoy. This is mostly photographic, with a vast array of photographs of the toy from just about every conceivable angle, a photographic guide to the transformation and a character bio(which I sadly cannot read) and techspecs (with English numerals so we can have a fair guess at what each category is (not that it matters - he is Convoy and in line with recent tradition any stat that isn't a 10 is a 9). The section mostly concentrates on the red version, with the silver version getting a single page devoted to it. From Alternity to Mickey, the next five pages are devoted to photographic coverage of the Mickey Mouse Convoy toy. It isn't really my thing (although I quite like the look of the Black and White version), but I'm pleased to see it get decent coverage. In fact it gets only one page less than Masterpiece Grimlock who follows it. Again, the photographic coverage of this is fairly comprehensive - looks like a nice rendition too. (And I never get tired of seeing the photo of the hairdryer for his dinosaur mode). The next section of the book covers those things considered to be 2008 toys - the Henkei! Henkei! line (where each toy gets a half page to accomodate a shot of both modes and a comparison shot of the US version - except for the Japanese exlusives who all share a page). The Masterpiece jets get much the same treatment, with USA Edition Starscream and Thundercracker spliting a page between them. Encore gets the "photo of each mode" treatment but with more toys to a page, and finally the Marvel Crossover transformers are shoehorned into one page as rather an afterthought. If you thought we were done with Convoy think again though. Having started the book with the latest (at the time of going to press) incarnation, we come to a whole twelve pages on the original Convoy toy. It is a comprehensive photo shoot of all the major releases of the original Convoy toy, from Diaclone through major Hasbro releases to New Year Convoy, Commemorative series, 25th Anniversary Optimus Prime etc. I'm not sure if twelve pages for one toy (and the two Ipod docks) isn't perhaps overkill, but it is the anniversay and it is Convoy so perhaps they can be forgiven... If you like TF catalogues and leaflets then there is something here for you as well - eight pages reproducing an array of US, UK (and even a catalogue from NZ) catalogues, mail-away campaigns etc. It covers a lot of the expected suspects - S.T.A.R.S, the Powerdasher/Omnibots/Time Warrior campaign, the original UK catalogue for example. (Sadly no S.T.O.P/H.O.P.E). They are printed sufficiently small that making out the text (where it is even possible) is a bit of a strain on my old optics, but it is nice to see them nevertheless. Up the back of the book is the stuff that really caught my attention. Amongst a couple of designer interviews are to be found thirteen pages of concept art all of it reproduced crisply and cleanly at a nice size. Not only does this include things like the concept art for Alternity and Mickey Convoys but also three pages of Henkei! Henkei!/Universe concept artwork. There are some fascinating pieces in here - a closed cab version of Hound, more closely based on a militarised civilian off-roader than an old Jeep (and with a pink repaint reproduced next to it as well...) and a couple of early versions of Galvatron's alt-mode (one of which looks like it is channelling Gunhed rather a bit). Six pages also cover concept art that dates clear back to the days of Diaclone - an early version of the Fire Engine Robo and of the F1 car that became Mirage are highlights here. There are also more alternate takes on trailers for Battle Convoy than you can shake a stick at. Trailers that turn into missile bases, into multi-leveled repair bays, into enormous squad-support weapons (that is a truly terrifying thought, a giant robot scaled machine-gun...). Even one take on Powered Convoy that appears to be made out of a motorcycle transport trailer with the motorcycles still on. It is fascinating to see some of this stuff. (And it exercises my brain trying to work out who did some of it - some of the Convoy trailers look a lot like they are the work of Miyatake Kazutaka but there is just enough doubt in my mind that I wish I could read the Japanese to know if they were credited at all) . For me the concept art, both for old and new toys is fascinating, and almost worth the price of the book in itself. (I suspect it holds more appeal to me than for many folk here though). But even without that, this is a very good visual guide to the recent toys(and to the first Convoy!). The photography is excellent and the fact that the book is so visually focused means that I don't feel so bad about not being able to read the text. Definitely a worthy addition to my bookshelf (assuming I can find a space for it amongst the various art-books and TF guideboks that are starting to accumulate there). Karl |
|
|
|
Post by blueshift on Feb 24, 2009 22:45:43 GMT
Does the Galvatron concept art shed any light as to the tank-feet and arm-hook the figure has? I assumed it is a leftover from originally planned features....
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 24, 2009 22:54:04 GMT
When it was originally a larger size class it was to have a third mode where it walked on four limbs like a walking tank of death.
Info from a recent Hasbro Q and A.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by legios on Feb 25, 2009 7:28:55 GMT
When it was originally a larger size class it was to have a third mode where it walked on four limbs like a walking tank of death. Info from a recent Hasbro Q and A. -Ralph The concept art for that mode is in the book too . It looks a bit like a snapping turtle with a turret on its back. Didn't realise it was designed as being larger though. Karl |
|
|
|
Post by blueshift on Feb 25, 2009 9:50:22 GMT
Any chance we could see that?  |
|
|
|
Post by grahamthomson on Feb 25, 2009 10:27:33 GMT
Just a side-note about CUTA on this.
There is zero-rated VAT on (that is, no VAT) books/comics/magazines in this country, so HM Customs should have no right to charge duty on things like this. So if they do, you have every right to contest it.
|
|
|
|
Post by grahamthomson on Feb 26, 2009 9:00:25 GMT
My copies arrived this morning! One for thumbing through and getting fingerprints on and one to keep nice on the bookshelf!
Can't wait to pour over the concept and catalogues later!
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 26, 2009 14:31:41 GMT
I am looking forward to this, though I am SAL shipping to save cash so probably another week before it turns up. Looking forward to seeing the Convoy concept art!
-Ralph
|
|
dasi
Scraplet
Posts: 33
|
Post by dasi on Feb 27, 2009 16:12:04 GMT
Got this today by SAL from HLJ. Had a quick flick through, very nice.
I'd have preferred they were doing two 150 page books instead of 3 100-pagers, though.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 28, 2009 11:06:11 GMT
Mine turned up this morning. Hurray. The version of the TF logo it uses is very spiffy when seen in print.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 28, 2009 16:18:26 GMT
Mine came today. It's all good stuff, well apart from the mouse.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 28, 2009 18:58:19 GMT
Had a proper look. Another home run from Million Publishing. They can do no wrong in my eyes. Nice to see the catalogues get some love. Especially pleased to see a nice clear reproduction of the wee 5-panel Decoy strip. Very pleased to see that.
Nice format of focus on new toys and looking back to the past. Worth it for the Convoy concept art alone. The many pages of Convoy photos turned my mind to mush! Good stuff.
No duplication of Generations original/Deluxe.
I shall be back for volumes 2 and 3.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by legios on Feb 28, 2009 20:27:02 GMT
No duplication of Generations original/Deluxe. I shall be back for volumes 2 and 3. -Ralph As shall I. They have really pitched the book perfectly - mixing the old and the new judiciously, and turning up some real gems into the bargain. Karl |
|
|
|
Post by grahamthomson on Feb 28, 2009 21:05:24 GMT
I didn't realise there were three books in total. Yay!
I wish now for a series of Generations Books covering 1996-2006!
|
|
|
|
Post by Fortmax2020 on Mar 2, 2009 12:41:45 GMT
Grr... you guys are making this sound very tempting!
|
|
Gav
Drone
John Travoltage!
Posts: 2,047
|
Post by Gav on Mar 2, 2009 12:59:35 GMT
Grr... you guys are making this sound very tempting! Indeed, methinks i'll have to investigate this... |
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Mar 2, 2009 22:59:14 GMT
Generally the Japanese TF art/toy books can sell out quick and be hard to come by later on so I have a policy of grabbing them quick and I know if I don't like one it'll be easy to sell. Haven't bought a bad one yet though.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 15, 2009 16:18:12 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Mar 15, 2009 17:12:57 GMT
A fascinating read!
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by legios on Mar 15, 2009 20:50:29 GMT
That does make for some interesting reading. Always fascinates me to get a little bit of information from working design staff - and it is fascinating to see who designed whom.
Karl
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on May 5, 2009 15:11:03 GMT
|
|
