I sent the guy a quick suggestion via eBay contact (I didn't want to post on his blog ... I wasn't invited) ... he got back to me quickly and seemed interested. So I sent this via email ...
(I tried to answer a question he posted on there, acting like it was a coincidence ... because
I want to be invited to the blog, without buying something from eBay. :chuckles: )
[your products]
After seeing the potential your product holds and your ability to customize as you see fit ... I'm very motivated to lend a suggestion when possible.
[Spirit of Optimus Prime]
The Spirit of Optimus Prime figure really caught my attention. This is a figure for the ages.
In 2005, Takara released a special edition "Sonic Convoy". This figure was a Japanese Toys R Us exclusive limited to 1,000 pieces. What really set it apart was it's crystal colors. (trying to be specific as possible by providing pictures along the way)
box front
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...nvoy-Front.jpg
box back
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...onvoy-Back.jpg
actual figure
I'm seeing the Spirit of Optimus Prime as a G1 version of this ... with corrected colors. The leg color seen in the last photo is excellent, but the upper body's red is completely off. I've been all over the internet trying to find samples of what would look great, here's what I found.
Leg color
This is a bit of a darker shake of blue. It's still clear and holds true to the shade used in G1.
Chest & Arm color
This color is a true red. It's not a maroon-ish blend that came out of Sonic Convoy. This is very close to a shade used for the G1 Prime.
Trailer
I'm having a bit of a time finding the color I'm looking for. I'm seeing a shade of smoke grey closer to the center of this image (where the light is shining though)
If you're interested, I have a few more ideas for Optimus Prime colors. (not just the spirit figure, but entire new themes)
[and a material suggestion]
There are 2 types of crystal clear plastic and this is determined by the vendor.
Option 1: Textured (recycled image)
This offers a textured surface which is more durable. It will allow light to shine though, but is not exactly clear as glass.
Option 2: Clear (recycled image)
This is a totally clear, tinted piece of plastic.
Option 2 is great to look at, but is terrible surface in general. It will scratch easily and tends to crack with minimal effort. I highly doubt a G1 Prime made of option 2 will last more than 10 transformations. The red color sample, shown above, is taken from an Xbox controller. Controllers take large amounts of abuse, yet retain their look and feel. The textured crystal plastic is the way to go. (Option 1)
[Other Prime generating ideas]
Ever consider selling just the sticker sheet? Reprolabels offers cab and trailer sets for an EXPENSIVE $32. (
http://reprolabels.com/optimusp.html) If you offer sticker sheets to the public for less, you'll be under cutting the only competition available.
If you like the sticker sheet idea, why not make one of the pre-Transformer Optimus Prime? (
http://www.toyarchive.com/DiacloneOptimus.html) Diaclone is highly collectible due to its age and place in TF history. These pre-Transformers are impossible to get. With the placement of a trailer sticker, anyone can have a replica of their own.