| Transformers are a big franchise not only for its expanded universe spilling over various media from graphic novels and videogames, but also a plethora of characters that rarely gets a spotlight. Some of them are just background characters that in the original G1 animated series are also mistaken error.
But since most of the characters never got screen time in the original cartoon their stories are told in the comicbooks originally published by Marvelm its UK piblication, then by Dreamwave, and now with IDW Publishing. Hubcap is one of these characters are considered deep cut from this expanding TF universe. |
Hasbro & Takara Tomy has produced its most recent figure for the Generations Selects toyline. Hubcap is a retool character based on the penny racer toy that was originated by Bumblebee and Cliffjumper. There’s not much Hubcap to go around as the character was not even shown in the original G1 series, and if he did it might have been a non-speaking cameo appearance.
But in the comicbooks and compiled graphic novels it’s another story that reveals Hubcap’s personality as a practical joker with a dark personality that most Autobots won’t even put their trust on. In short, Hubcap is a a mini bot who is just trying to get by and that like society he just needs a little respect and some attention.
Packaging | Brown Box Mailer
The Hubcap figure is a retooled version of the regular released Cliffjumper from the first wave of Earthrise, and Hubcap is an add-on to this series. He was an online retail exclusive at the same time an alternative in case you missed out Cliffjumper.
Generations Selects started as a unified toyline between Hasbro and Takara Tomy that first started appearing in 2018 and this comes in a brown mailer box that says the Transformers War for Cybertron Trilogy branding. It was released in the Philippines sold as a general retail appearing in all local stores like Toys R’ Us, Toy Kingdom, and selected Rustan’s Department stores.
But most of these Gen Select assortments can be found at both TRU and TK stores. Though TRU gets the most bulk of the variety and consistent stock where Hubcap was found including the most recent releases for 2021.
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Robot Mode | Yellow-faced Mini Bot
When you open the brown boxed mailer it reveals the figure in robot mode with all the accessories tied up in the translucent plastic tray while the instructions reveals this is from the Earthrise range of assortments some of the next ones would carry over the “Earthrise” branding despite that the current toyline is now part of “Kingdom.”
Like all the figures from the WFC Trilogy they’re all trying to be scaled together unlike the previous trilogy, and it’s surprising that Hubcap despite his diminutive size he falls into the Deluxe Class category. Hubcap is also a unique character not because he was a retool of Cliffjumper or Bumblebee dating back to his original toy this bot’s toy form has a very dark yellow face.
Featured Articulation:
- Tight Joints
- Swivel Elbows
- Rotating Waist
- Limited Head Movement
Deluxe Class | Size Matters
Hasbro has been labeling small characters with their own size class from Scout, Legends, and currently Core Class. But Hubcap doesn’t fall into these category since they’re trying to streamline the characters in their characters Hubcap and his other contemporaries that were produced before him using the same body and size is a Deluxe Class assortment figure.
Size comparison with previous classes will give you an idea why Hubcap and his contemporaries are now the basis for this size. But would it be better to bring back that “Scout Class” assortment label for these mini bots instead? The price point is a bit steep for a Deluxe Class, but that’s also the same challenges in understanding Optimus Prime for being a Voyager Class now bumped up to Leader Class because he comes with his trailer could make some sense.
Transformation | 3 out of 5
Despite the size class it will also come with extreme care to be careful with Hubcap’s transformation. There are some tabs not only in how the placement of the kibble goes it’s also where the accessory goes that uses these things and plastic doesn’t last sturdy forever when you’re keeping them even though in storage.
There are a lot of things to consider and why the instruction manual is your best friend even though some of the details are not clear or sometimes confusing. Sometimes ‘blind transformation’ (not using the manual) could be the only way and just use the instructions as just a guide and to figure it out.
Vehicle Mode | Mitsubishi Starrion
Hubcap inherits the same vehicle mode Cliffjumper had a mix of licensed cars, but mostly familiar as a Mitsubishi Starrion. The bright yellow clearly catches your eye eve in robot mode, but the vehicle mode is where you see it how bright it is and quite a narrow small car it was compared to the other cars before.
The same features that Cliffjumper had, Hubcap can reassemble the bazooka to be store in car mode where it mimics the ski mode by tabbing the weapons separately underneath. But overall Hasbro and Takara Tomy could have figured out other weapons for this character than recycling the same one.
Earmode Car Features:
- Weapons stores as front under skis and side boosters
- Tinted Dark Windows
- Detailed Wheels
- Unpainted Rear Tail Lights
Overall Hubcap fills the gap in someone’s collection that missed out the Cliffjumper or even the heavily coveted Bumblebee from the Netflix series. But this is just for the average non-completest fan that had known the character. Hasbro definitely is known for this in bringing the character and at the same time maximizing the use of the mold.
For a Generations Selects character it is pricey most definitely for non-fans who just collect them and hardly known the character ever had a backstory in the first place. But for the true fans it’s something you never expected to get a modern update, and also at the same time renew the trademark in hoping it would be reuse again in the next five years.
Generations Selects | Deluxe Class Hubcap is now on clearance in general retail in the Philippines and also availabe in select markets and from onlimne retailers across Australsia and Southeast Asia. This was acquired at Toys R'Us in Glorietta in Makati City originally retailed at:
₱ 1,499.75 Pesos | $ 43.54 AUD | $ 30.10 USD
Currently on Clearance Retail at:
₱ 900.00 Pesos | $ 26.13 AUD | $ 18.06 USD
Product Rating:
Transformation (Difficulty): 3
Aesthetics: 8
Quality: 8
Robot Points: 8.0
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Some of the Product Description Courtesy of TF Wiki
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