Hey gang I wanted to do a bit on one of my favorite statues. I was here during its release but wasn't posting yet. I never got a chance to post pictures. This is not a review but a small info dump about the first and second release to help new buyers compare the two with issues I have encountered with the re-release. Everyone's experience will be different. You may have gotten a perfect statue in the second round like I did with the first but with all the gossip on IA's Transformers line especially the downgrade in materials I felt I needed to do this.
The reason I purchased a second statue was to harvest parts from it to replace a damaged piece that I dropped from my first. This hasn't gone according to plan as IA decided to switch the magnets polarity between them and the piece will not fit. It's just as well because my SW2 is a mess.
For reference SW1 is first print & SW2 is second print. In my pictures side by side the first SW is SW1 & the second is SW2 to avoid confusion. It's pretty obvious which one's the stinker.
I received SW1 flawlessly. I have no idea what happened with SW2 at the factory. Nothing fits properly. I can assure everyone both versions boxes are the same size. SW1 came with black velcro straps. SW2 did not, only tape. Both are made from the same material and very heavy.
No vinyl or PVC. Minus the heads for lighting. Wiring/electrical/batteries/switches are the same.
SW2's alt head doesn't fit so there's a small gap and Ratbat's peg hole is not drilled down deep enough so he looks like a lollipop. Ratbat's wing also rests on SW's head to keep him steady and from falling out. That's not supposed to happen. The mid torso pieces (both) are not cut properly so the magnets can't catch, so his upper weight drags him down at an angle. (this happens with both display options) Also his upper leg joints don't sit properly into his crotch. Ravage came with a leg that does not want to go into it's hole which makes him seat poorly. SW's right foot does not sit into the base as well.
Other thing's I've noticed. All the holes are cut rough where SW1's are smooth and professional. My Rumbles head was loose rumbling
around in his bag. SW1 Rumble and Frenzy, their heads have magnets so you can turn them. SW2's do as well but the heads are glued on for some reason. Someone placed glue over Rumbles head magnet so it can't turn. Paint issues range from SW1 Laserbeak weathering color being put on SW2's Ratbat. Paint missing where joints fit in. You can tell in the leg/crotch picture the right leg is painted silver and not black. Can't hide it because it doesn't fit.
So all in all this re-release was a miss. I may have gotten a bad one and I received the IA standing Starscream the same day and had zero issues with it. I did contact BBTS and I'll see what happens. I just hope going forward with the material changes and overstuffed factories we don't see a drop in quality and care for future IA Transformers. I have a few of my own conspiracy theory ideas of what's going on as I've dealt with the same issues with F4F's re-releases but no solid proof, just my eyes and gut. If you have any questions or if you are a new owner of this statue and not sure of something by all means ask. It really is a fantastic statue without the issues. We have a few different Soundwave statues on the horizon so it's a great time to be a SW fan.
