[Bainreese]

Ok Ladies.

Here he is.  I had to keep quite about this until I actually had him in my hand but now that I got him....I give my fellow Tfan friends their first truly indepth look and review of PRIMUS!!

Pictures have been Re-hosted by Jaguaratron.  Thanks Jag!!

Planet Mode

Cybertron.  Where to start?  I'm not going to explain the obvious things that you can see in the pictures easily.  However, the black spines are a hard rubber.  They bend and I am sure this is a safety issue.  However the four black feet on the bottom do not bend.  So I'm not sure how they get by with that.  The four minicon towers on top do nothing.  Now mind you, and I will repeat this several times, this is a proto.  So there could be some point for them in the future other than holding a minicon, but as I see it they perform no function otherwise.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07262fs.jpg

Here is an image that we really haven't seen yet.  The planet from the side as opposed to front and back.  Here I have the Autobot Force Chip that came with him inserted into its slot.  It extends the gun turret and the cannons extend.  This is the same on both sides.  No sounds accompany this mechanism.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07273ho.jpg

Other than lighting up when inserted into Primus, the Chip Square itself does not have anything special going on.  Here you see it with all three of the Planet Convoy's Force Chips.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07295yy.jpg

Robot Mode
As I thought when first seeing the unpainted protos of this guy, the Chip Square actually is essential for the transformation of Primus.  You use it in four different areas on the Bot.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07303oz.jpg

Once inserted you push the Chip Square back and the upper shell of the planet extends out and the main cannons flip forward.  At this point a transforming sound is made.  This may be different on the US version and/or changed for production to something different.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07310bk.jpg

Pull the lower half down, which are his legs, and you can begin to see the robot take shape.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07323ve.jpg

Once you get to this point he can be stood up.  The hips need to be swiveled around to the front.  Which also answers some questions as to whether he had rotation at the hips.  The answer is, Yes.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07331dy.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07343dj.jpg

This post has been edited by Bainreese: 03 September 2005 - 12:04 PM

[Bainreese]

At this point you bring into play the Chip Square again.  It is inserted into the side of the half dome and spun.  This swings the half moons around a full 180 Degrees.  It also lifts the cannons in his shin.  Something to note.  The lower heals of Primus are part of the planet dome.  However, if enough pressure is used they do have a break away feature.  I like the thought that went into that as otherwise it would have been really easy to snap that plastic.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07357fa.jpg

An interesting, yet simplistic gimmick in his leg is that the golden city pushes forward and extends another set of missile batteries in the half dome connected to his leg.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07366gf.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07374ll.jpg

Yet another interesting gimmick in the half dome.  This hook which is imbedded in the upper part of the dome.  It has a minicon port on the side although not all minicons could connect to it in this position.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07380ns.jpg

When you extend the hook forward, which can only be done in Bot mode, minicons could be attached easier.  However it is a very flimsy piece and I don't see how it could support them without the hook falling to the leg under the weight.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07398gr.jpg

The next part of the transformation involves inserting the Chip Square again into his front, pictured directly below.  Once inserted you push up.  This produces four effects.  #1. It extends the two halves of the chest plate just above it out.  #2.  That movement forces the shoulder wedges up and suspends them so the arms can be easily moved.  #3 It pops the head out the top of the torso.  #4.  His eyes light up red and another electronic transformation sound, different from the first, is heard.  One thing to note.  The cannons over his shoulders must be twisted and brought down manually in order to face forward.  They also each have one projectile missile that launches when the button is pushed.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07407cy.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07417xe.jpg


Next you can pull the hands out from their cubby in the forearms.  They extend straight out.  His hands and fingers are as articulated as Unicrons except that the thumb doesn't move sideways, just in and out.  The fingers are also skinnier than Unicrons.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07427ki.jpg


There has been some speculation on whether the T shaped flap on his backside can be flipped up toward his back.  I am sorry to report that this cannot be done.  The position you see below is as high as it will go.  If you aren't careful it gets in the way when rotating the legs around during transformation.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07452qt.jpg

This post has been edited by Bainreese: 01 September 2005 - 06:51 AM

[Bainreese]

There has also been great speculation as to the overall size of Primus since seeing the first pics of him on ebay up against 20th. Anniversary Prime.  So I've pulled Supreme Starscream and Unicron from my collection and done some comparison shots.  All of these shots were efforted so that I would be taking the picture right in line with Primus' head.  As you can see by both pictures he is shorter than both by a head.  Although I do not have a comparison shot, I also compared and measured both Unicron and Primus planet modes.  With the exception of the blockiness of Unicrons lower half  they look very close.  Primus measures 21.9 inches in circumference and Unicron measures 24 inches.  So there is definitely a difference and I attribute this to Unicrons lower portion.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07465cl.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07472ye.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07487is.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07497ci.jpg

And just for a little fan fun....CHAOS BRINGER
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Jaguaratron/img07506fa.jpg

Overall I am really impressed with him as a Planetformer.  He pulls off both modes well and has a ton more fire power than Unicron.  Some thoughts before I depart.  If you prefer your Supreme toys to have a difficult transformation, you might be disappointed.  He is fairly simple.  If you like detail then you will not be disappointed.  He is full of it.  Articulation is great and I believe he is smoother and more easily manipulated than Unicron.  However, the shoulder pads do prohibit him from raising his arms straight above his head.  Although if you bend the arms at the elbow they extend up ok that way.  Let me list the articulation for you.

Head rotates right and left
Hips move at the point where the light blue and dark blue meet.  His crotch basically.
Arms at the shoulder move both back and forth and out.
Elbows bend and swivel.
Hands do not Rotate like Unicrons.  They are fixed.  However fingers are fully articulated.
Upper thighs move at hip joint, rotating both front, back, and out.
Knees bend and swivel.
Heels and toes do not move.

Any other questions just post them and I will answer.  If there is a request for pictures you'll have to give me more time but I'll take them.  However, as I'm sure the above pictures demonstrated...my specialty is not with the captured image.

Happy Reading All!

(UPDATE)

Some have asked for additional pictures.  Here you go.

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/2415/img07519ly.jpg

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8743/img07523hb.jpg

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3143/img07534ml.jpg

This post has been edited by Bainreese: 01 September 2005 - 09:12 AM

[**VPrime**]

Awesome.  Can't wait to get him.  Thanks for the review.  Curious, how much did he set you back if you care to say?

[Bainreese]

Less then I expected, but more than most would think sane.  $600 total with shipping.  He got here five days after I paid for him though.  So that was nice.

[spartanwarrior]

NICE. MUST HAVE PRIMUS :luv  :drool  :drool

This post has been edited by spartanwarrior: 31 August 2005 - 06:33 PM

[Lord Madhammer]

I like the planet mode a lot.

Man, this thing needs a different color scheme though.

Excellent score BR :thumb

[ErikB]

yes yes yes!!!!! awsome stuff, thanx for the pics!!!

[Heat Guy]

:drool
Worth every penny then ey?

[Bainreese]

Heat Guy, on Aug 31 2005, 09:42 PM, said:

:drool
Worth every penny then ey?
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To me?  Absolutely.  Heh.