Both characters are supposed to be part of Walmart's fall Collector-Con event on October 13, 2023:

https://tformers.com/40th-anniversary-reissue-blaster-soundwave-sets-official-images-product-details/51046/news.html

This is also the first peek we've gotten at the 40th anniversary trade dress, which I expect we'll be seeing a lot of in the 2024 product year.

Soundwave has got red eyes, a blue-tinted cassette door (looks like it's the normal Soundwave depth and not the Soundblaster depth, so one tape at a time), and a bright yellow border around the tape door. He looks so amazing.. I painted an old, beat-up G1 Soundwave toy to look more or less like this, years ago, and I always wished they'd do an official toy in these colors.. He comes with Ravage and Laserbeak, also in cartoon colors. (I feel like we missed an opportunity to get cartoon-colored versions of Rumble and Frenzy, since the G1 edition has NEVER been sold in a lavender purple color before. Oh, well.)

Blaster looks like Blaster. Blue eyes, no stickers, some of that same Gundam-style detailing that Perceptor got, and some odd tampograph choices. Realistically, they should have given him an all-new head sculpt, too, since he's still wearing the Batman mask. He comes with cartoon Steeljaw, and it will be nice to have one without that weird starburst sticker on his butt. I wonder why Soundwave got two tapes but Blaster only got one? Sad face.

They are going to sell for $44.97, which isn't a completely terrible price if you figure the cassette 2-packs were selling for like $19.87 at Walmart a few years ago. That basically makes Soundwave $25 and Blaster $35 if you assign some presumed pricing to the tapes.

Zob (I don't need to keep buying these toys over and over again, but I totally keep buying these toys over and over again)

I have discovered that I am much more susceptible to buying toys if I'm writing about the characters. It doesn't look like I'll be able to buy these in the UK, but I suddenly really want Soundwave, Ravage and Laserbeak!

Velvet Glove (At least I have G1 Blaster and Steeljaw...)

On Sunday, October 8, 2023 at 1:03:08 PM UTC-6, Velvet Glove wrote:

> I have discovered that I am much more susceptible to buying toys if I'm writing about the characters. It doesn't look like I'll be able to buy these in the UK, but I suddenly really want Soundwave, Ravage and Laserbeak!

Have you ever ordered from Hasbro Pulse?

https://uk.hasbropulse.com/

Looks like you get free shipping with orders over £50, so if you bundle your purchases wisely...

Zob (or I'll buy an extra one and send it to you for cost plus shipping)

On Monday, October 9, 2023 at 10:54:57 PM UTC+1, Zobovor wrote:
> Have you ever ordered from Hasbro Pulse?
>
> https://uk.hasbropulse.com/

So it *will* be available in the UK? I'll bear it in mind. I don't really like Soundwave... but maybe I will by the time I get round to finishing this story--got sidetracked by real life and in the cold light of day, I'm a little less excited by toys.

> Zob (or I'll buy an extra one and send it to you for cost plus shipping)

Aww, I won't take you up on it, but the offer is much appreciated!

Velvet Glove (who had Perceptor arrive today, so the inexorable slide into a full-fledged toy collection is most definitely continuing)

On Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 12:56:21 PM UTC-7, Velvet Glove wrote:
> On Monday, October 9, 2023 at 10:54:57 PM UTC+1, Zobovor wrote:
> > Have you ever ordered from Hasbro Pulse?
> >
> > https://uk.hasbropulse.com/
> So it *will* be available in the UK? I'll bear it in mind. I don't really like Soundwave... but maybe I will by the time I get round to finishing this story--got sidetracked by real life and in the cold light of day, I'm a little less excited by toys.
> > Zob (or I'll buy an extra one and send it to you for cost plus shipping)
> Aww, I won't take you up on it, but the offer is much appreciated!
>
> Velvet Glove (who had Perceptor arrive today, so the inexorable slide into a full-fledged toy collection is most definitely continuing)

I'm also super excited for this set, even though my vintage Soundwave continues to hold up just fine. My understanding is that this will be a mass-market release, but I am happy to be corrected.

I wonder - as this is a reissue, will there be any objective difference from the original in terms of build, quality, or construction? Debating investing in this, too - for no other reason, maybe, than the benefit of plastic that isn't four decades old ...

I love the sense of community that continues to characterize good old ATT. (Zob, I may ask if you might be willing to buy and send one to me for cost + shipping, if that is OK - if not, no worries at all).

JB

On Friday, October 13, 2023 at 3:49:04 AM UTC-6, Joseph Bardsley wrote:

> I'm also super excited for this set, even though my vintage Soundwave continues to hold up just fine. My understanding is that this will be a mass-market release, but I am happy to be corrected.

I'm pretty sure it's a Walmart exclusive, actually. They seem to have had exclusivity rights to all the recent G1 reissues.

> I wonder - as this is a reissue, will there be any objective difference from the original in terms of build, quality, or construction? Debating investing in this, too - for no other reason, maybe, than the benefit of plastic that isn't four decades old ...

Well, the tape deck door hinge won't be the same as the American G1 release.. Takara redesigned it in the 1980's to make it less fragile—I've always thought it was for the 1987 Soundblaster version, but reportedly they were also selling a redesigned Soundwave prior to that. Regardless, that's been the way every G1 Soundwave since then has been built. It's just been a matter of whether you get the double-deep Soundblaster tape door that can hold two cassettes. The upcoming cartoon colors version looks like it holds one tape.

Modern plastics are also much more resilient than the brittle stuff they were using when Soundwave first came out. So, you could theoretically drop the toy on your bathroom tile floor and he won't shatter (something that could not be said of the 1984 version). But, Soundwave is a G1 toy that they haven't had to constantly retool and fix, so aside from the modified tape deck hinge, there shouldn't be any significant differences in design or build.

To me, the most exciting change is to get a version of Soundwave in that glorious cartoon color scheme, which is something I've wanted for pretty much forever. The red eyes, the stripes on the wrists and guns... these things are important!

> I love the sense of community that continues to characterize good old ATT.. (Zob, I may ask if you might be willing to buy and send one to me for cost + shipping, if that is OK - if not, no worries at all).

Well, the cartoon Blaster and Soundwave toys went live this morning for pre-order. Blaster ships around January 15, 2024, and Soundwave is supposed to ship in February. I was able to place a second Soundwave pre-order for you. If you are not able to order him yourself, then I got you taken care of!

Zob (got up too early and needs caffeine)

On Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 12:45:22 AM UTC-6, Joseph Bardsley wrote:

> I can PayPal you, or whatever is easiest.

The payment won't come out until February or so, so we can talk about it then!

Zob

On 10/19/2023 10:59 AM, Zobovor wrote:
> On Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 12:45:22 AM UTC-6, Joseph Bardsley wrote:
>
>> I can PayPal you, or whatever is easiest.
>
> The payment won't come out until February or so, so we can talk about it then!
>
>
> Zob
They billed me for all three toys at once. Take care that they didn't do
this to you.

On Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 12:45:22 AM UTC-6, Joseph Bardsley wrote:

> Thank you so much, Zob! If you could shoot me an email with the total, I can PayPal you, or whatever is easiest.

I just got an e-mail from Walmart saying they decided to cancel the pre-order that I've had in place since November. So unfortunately, I will not be able to fulfil this promise. I'm really sorry!

Zob

On Sunday, February 18, 2024 at 4:47:57 PM UTC-8, Zobovor wrote:
> On Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 12:45:22 AM UTC-6, Joseph Bardsley wrote:
>
> > Thank you so much, Zob! If you could shoot me an email with the total, I can PayPal you, or whatever is easiest.
>
> I just got an e-mail from Walmart saying they decided to cancel the pre-order that I've had in place since November. So unfortunately, I will not be able to fulfil this promise. I'm really sorry!
>
>
> Zob

All good! (Got the email, too, Zob - thank you for following up). :)

- JB