Transformers One Mans Obsession: Igear Cogz not Hasbro Transformers Gears Review

First Thing Thanks Dave U for this awesome new Banner and for this Cool little action figure!!

Every so often there is a character introduced in comics that just make you love them for years to come. When I was a kid, I got me Marvel's Transformers #3. I saw the cover at the local 7/11 and thought, "Cool! Spiderman vs Megatron!! " I honestly didn't notice Gears on the top left corner. Once I started reading, this angry grumpy Autobot just grew on me. He was actually keeping pace with Spiderman in the issue. It was too dang awesome. I ran to my mother and begged her to get me Gears. I just had to have him. To say I was sorta let down when we got him at the local Winn's is one way to describe it. Yet, Gears still earned a spot on my favorites' shelf and is still there till this day. When I saw that Igears was going to release him out in an updated mold I wanted him instantly. His price was a little high and the huge size difference from their Huffer remake Rager made me hesitate though. So I told my bro that I wanted to get him but I was honestly on the fence about him. A few months later Cogz arrived at my door with a note of "I got the Hint!! I want General Zod!! Hint Hint!!" I think he wants General Zod huh? Or maybe Chocolate covered sardines? I'll go with the sardines.

Eagle!!!!

So lets check this tough guy out shall we?

Vehicle Mode

Cogz is clearly based off his G1 predecessor. He is a blue and red 4WD Truck. The blue doesn't match the g1 toy ,and my wife hates the color, but it still works enough to pass as Gears. Cogz even has the M on his hood in respect to Takara's Microchange line's Micro Robo 04 4WD Off-Road. Either that or its a "W" in respect to magnificent agile Wallaby. The truck does look like an off road vehicle with its large tires just asking to go mudding.

Show me to the mud!!

My only complaint is that the panels don't mesh well so it has a lot of empty spaces. This can be seen where the cab of the truck meets the truck bed.

The cybertronian rolls pretty well. I was going to shoot him across the living room floor but my wife walked in and gave me the "DEATH STARE" I guess she still remembers the last time when she thought a toy was a mouse and ran screaming from the room. Ahhh good times. Good Times.... Gears does have a slot to pop in his weapon but I will need to shave the handle on the gun first cause it doesn't fit.

Robot Mode

Once transformed Cogz really has the same appeal and look as his Hasbro counterpart.

Unlike Bushwacker, Cogz is not full of ball joints. The only ball joints that I can see are on the elbow and where the shoulder connects to the body. The arm piece connector already shows stress marks unfortunately. He has a swivel jointed head, waist, upper legs and hips.
His head can also be turned around to change it from toy mode face to toon face.

Gears

"Most likely to wish everyone would shut the hell up!"

Class of 1984

Cogz is better without all the ball joints to be honest. His swivel joint on his left leg is loose but that is fixable. What are not fixable are the large shoulder pieces that hinder the movement of this collectible.

Freeze Soundwave!!

One little surprise is the addition of booster rockets on the warriors back. I believe this is an update to the rockets that the character had in the comic that gave him short bursts of flight.

Flight Pack On!!

Fire!!

I like the addition of these boosters it shows they attempted to match the cartoon in some way. But the hinge that is used to open the backpack is made of the same weaker plastic as his teammate Bushwacker. And as such has already developed stress marks, as can be seen below. Now someone has told me stress marks can be fixed with a hair dryer but I forgot to ask if I need to wash the toy's hair first? Oh and what shampoo I should use if so.

We don't need no Stinking Stress Marks!!

Weapon

Cogz comes with a triangle barreled cannon. I have never seen the character comic, cartoon, or otherwise with a similar weapon, so I can't tell you where they got the idea of it from. To be honest it feels more like a weapon that Age of Extinction's Kup, whoops I mean Bulkhead, no wait, what's that? Oh Hound. That's right AOE 's Hound would carry, not a minibot with depression issues.

Die and Burn in the Pits of Hell!!

"She who must Not be Named!!

This cannon suffers from the same over sized handle that Outbacks/bushwackers gun suffered from. The peg does not fit in the slot in vehicle mode and when put in the robot's hand it cracked his hand a little. So my only options are shave the handle or put it in it's box and leave it there.

Overall

This Decepticon buster is a pretty dang cool figure. I can even deal with his click pen style crotch and odd shoulders. What I can't deal with is the failure of quality control and lower quality plastic on Igears part yet again. Look I get it they need to try to save some cash but at this point they should know a factory that will give them a slightly better price on better plastic. The stress marks are inexcusable and honestly scary . I like to take several pics in different poses but was afraid to lift his shoulders. And the gun handle issue how could they not double check the peg size to see if the dang thing fits in their toy's hands? These are not issues that someone should be finding on a $40 figure. Heck, I get upset when I find it on my $15 figure Hasbro/ Tomy puts out. So like the girl my Son dates, who doesn't clean or cook, this figure is Eye Candy. Nice to look at, but lacking in substance. If Igear would have put a little more effort into this figure, Cogz would have been the best Gears toy out there hands down. My recommendation buy on sale or clearance. I have just been informed that my bud's figure doesn't have any stress marks. So it may be hit or miss on these. Good Luck!!