First Edition Voyager Bulkhead
Price: $30 USd (BBTS)
Available: Now

This is one of those toys I saw on the store shelf exactly once--and never again. Fortunately, BBTS eventually got some in-stock as an exclusive so I snapped him up. Overall, FE Bulkhead is a solid toy. He looks good in either mode and wasn't too difficult to transform (although he was a bit worse then the Deluxes I reviewed for this issue). His only weapon is wrecking ball. It doesn't light up or unfold--and I'm fine with that. His hands can be flipped around to connect the ball to a hole on the opposite end (like FE Cliffjumper and his weapon).

Verdict:  Excellent. A must-buy for anyone who loves Prime and likes Bulkhead.



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RID Voyager Bulkhead
Price: $30
Available: Now

Chronologically, I bought this toy first, a couple of months before the FE version (which I didn't know would be re-released at the time). This guy is the same size as the FE toy but ever so slightly bulkier looking. He is also a bit more kibble-ly then the FE toy. Not a bad toy overall and a fairly good representation of Bulkhead if you can't get the FE toy or don't want to buy it too. RID Bulkhead has an extra arm gun (better then the FE guy and his lone weapon). I had a little bit of trouble transforming him to car mode, but both toys were close in difficulty level. I would deduct points for his crappy fold-out light-up mace thing (the gun for Dreadwings is worse though). I much prefer the FE version's simple plastic ball. As the pictures below show, the weapon looks huge and kind of stupid in vehicle mode when attached.

Verdict:  Very Good. In my opinion, the FE version very slightly edges out the RID toy--but only just. This toy will satisfy the Prime fan just as well.



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RID Voyager Dreadwing
Price: $30
Available: Now

This toy is of a character I find cool in the cartoon (not too impressed by his fate near the end of season two). In robot mode, the toy is quite nice looking and definitely faithful to the show appearance. It's the plane mode that's a bit of a mess. The plane is floppy and doesn't really lock together too well. Also, as others have pointed out, the the tail fins are made of soft plastic for some reason (yet the sword is made of firm plastic!) Also, his head is soft plastic (why?) and so are his knee guards. The soft plastic issue makes little sense--I understand that the toy might be played with little children but then why is his sword so hard? Or his nose cone in jet mode, for that matter? Or is his head? Also, his gun is another one of the fold-out light up gizmos that doesn't really work all that well as a weapon for the toy. Once you get over the annoying gimmick it just doesn't work. Transforming the toy also took me some time as he was hard to get together right (the Commander toy was slightly easier but also a pain).

Verdict:   Average. A nice character design hindered by bad design and some stupid plastic choices.