No, we didn't scan props from Back to the Future: Part II.
You would be hard pressed to find two other characters with larger cult followings than Dead End and Nightbeat, which is why they've received so many new figures in recent years. Let's take a look at their Revenge of the Fallen scout class incarnations.
You took the wrong Detour, pal. This here is a Dead End.
Dead End and Nightbeat's alt-mode is based on the Peugeot 9009 concept car. They took some creative liberties that I suspect were necessary due to the limitations of the scout class size, but it is mostly faithful to the concept. It is not a spectacular looking car, but it reminds one of every futuristic flying car from 80's science fiction movies. Dead End is a vibrant red shade with black trim and bronze flame details on the sides. The bronze on the rims looks really nice and it makes the red plastic pop.
Somewhere the clock strikes midnight and there's a full Moon in the sky.
Not to be outdone, Nightbeat matches almost all of Dead End's details with an opposing color scheme. He answers Dead End's red with an equally vibrant blue and the bronze rims are now silver. Nightbeat has some yellow things on his doors. I'm hesitant to call them flames, because they don't look like flames. I get what they were going for, but I don't think it really does the job of conveying G1 Nightbeat's flame decals.
Boot or trunk? The war rages on here at the Block.
Both figures pay a fair amount of attention to the rear end of the alt-mode. Dead End has two different paint colors enhancing the detail of the engine block, which are bronze and a gun metal kind of silver. Nightbeat's engine block is just straight silver, but he makes it for it with his Autobot symbol, license plate, and painted rear lights. Dead End has a Decepticon symbol and a black decal nearly surrounding it, but no other paint apps enhancing the detail, not even on the gas cap.
In robot mode this mold is monstrous and menacing. I am really struggling to think of other figures that combine the aesthetics of classic monsters and robots as successfully as this mold.
Listen to them: the protoforms of the night. What sweet music they make.
Dead End's bio describes him as a Cybertronian vampire. He needs to feed on the parts of living Transformers in order to stay alive and I think this mold conveys that exceptionally well in robot mode. He looks exactly like a robotic vampire. Dead End is frail, jagged, and menacing. His mouth opens wide to reveal rows of fangs and his claw hands have sharp pointed fingers. The skeletal extremities are a very nice touch and really nail home the desperate animalistic character. The head sculpt also seems to purposefully reference a DC Comics superhero by the name of Hawkman.
Open your mouth and say, "SWEET MOTHER OF PRIMUS! KILL IT WITH FIRE!"
These exceptional qualities do not translate well with Nightbeat.
It took mother and father three weeks to notice the maid wasn't feeding me.
ROTF Nightbeat's bio is just a regurgitation of G1 Nightbeat. There is a lack of explanation as to why an ordinary Autobot would look exsanguinated and monstrous. I suppose the default gray plastic was chosen in an effort to hide some of those details and make him less vampiric, but it's still obvious. The gray plastic actually hurts Nightbeat as it makes him less interesting in comparison to Dead End who just has details flowing throughout.
A common problem I have with this mold are these flaps just behind their shins.
I have seen the enemy, they are shin flaps.
These damn things love to pop off with little force. It's not a big deal since they can pop right back on, but any fiddling necessary to get their feet the way you want them will inevitably result in those bastards popping off.
One of these guys is an introverted detective, the other one will eat you. Just FYI.
I concede that Nightbeat marginally wins this comparison when it comes to how well they look in alt-mode. The attention to detail on the back was just slightly better than Dead End's. However, he looses miserably once they're both in robot mode. There really is no comparison, Dead End just looks better all around and his character suits the mold much better than Nightbeat's.
Pros:
Sleek no-nonsense alt-mode that is reminiscent of classic 80's futuristic toy cars.
Monstrous mold conveys a character suffering from exsanguination.
Oceans of detail.
Multiple character references spanning over two different companies.
Simple transformation.
Two distinctly different decos.
Cons:
Two annoying parts that tend to pop off easily.
Nightbeat's deco washes out a lot of the sculpted detail.
Dead End doesn't have as many paint apps in alt-mode.
Nightbeat's bio does nothing to explain why he looks like your worst nightmare.
The Bottom Line (Dead End)
Price: $7.99 or less
Location: Most online stores.
Vehicle Mode: 7/10
Robot Mode: 9/10
Overall: 16/20, strongly recommended.
The Bottom Line (Nightbeat)
Price: $7.99 or less
Location: Most online stores.
Vehicle Mode: 7/10
Robot Mode: 5/10
Overall: 12/20, recommended only if you have an attachment to the character.
There was one other use of this mold. His name was Slap Dash and he came in a two-pack with Trenchmouth. It is best that we pretend he does not exist.
There was one other use of this mold. His name was Slap Dash and he came in a two-pack with Trenchmouth. It is best that we pretend he does not exist.
MY RETINAS!
4 comments:
Nightbeat really could have used a better mold. It's definitly better suited to Dead End.
I think the Breakdown mold would have suited him nicely.
I Bought A Vampire Car! Starring Neil Morrisey. I am very tempted to get Dead End now, though I passed on him the first time. Nightbeat, however, just doesn't look right. I doubt even a new head would make this mould fit him.
OH, how you will incur my wrath!
That Walmart repaint is the TRUE character....ignore the SlapDash moniker.
THAT IS WHEELIE.
Those red and blue repaints were somehow time-tunneled into coming out first somehow.
That blessed orange bastard is the true toy!
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