General Information:
Images:
Tech Specs:
Each Transformer from the basic sized figure and up comes with a Cyber Planet Key. Quickmix comes with the standard "Earth" Planet Key. Unlike the Japanese Galaxy Force "Force Chips", these have codes printed on them that you can use on the official Transformers web site to unlock extra content. Quickmix's code is ve37 and his unlocked material reveals an image of his color chart and the following text: Those Giant Planet Transformers MUST have come from Cybertron originally, because there is an ancient Transformer (actually he's from 1988) that was named Quickmix too! The 'original' Quickmix was an Autobot chemist and he also turned into a cement mixer! Maybe this was the Gigantion Quickmix's great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather!? Quickmix is one of the late additions to the Voyager class assortments in the Cybertron toy line. Featured heavily in the "Giant Planet" based episodes of the series, Quickmix has been shown to be loyal to his leader, Metroplex. The figure itself is a bit of a triple G1 homage, and that will be touched upon during the course of this review.
Vehicle Mode: Stripmine is cast in blue, yellow and clear plastic. Most of the top and bottom of the vehicle are blue while the middle and Mini-Con peg are yellow. The radar dish and the wide end of the drill are cast in clear plastic. These colors differ quite a bit from the main figure (which is mostly orange, though it does have yellow) but they do hark back to two characters some fans may not think of. The main figure, Quickmix is a homage to the G1 figure of the same name. That character came with two Targetmaster figures, smaller figures that transformed into weapons. One of those Targetmasters, Boomer was primarily blue. The other, Ricochet was primarily yellow. Stripmine takes the primary colors of both and gives them to one character. This color homage makes even more sense if you consider that you can swing the treads back to expose a Mini-Con connection point. Attach that to Quickmix's arm and you essentially have a Mini-Con Targetmaster. Transformation to Robot Mode:
Robot Mode: Like many Mini-Cons Stripmine does not have any proper hands. You can sort of imagine his left arm has a big claw at the end holding the Mini-Con peg and the right arm is just a big cannon. When it comes to Mini-Cons I really don't find this as much of a problem as I would with larger Transformers. Stripmine is still mostly blue in this form as he is in vehicle form, but there is more yellow. The sections between his chest and arms are yellow as well as his upper legs. The eyes are painted red and his chest's "U" shaped detail is painted silver.
Vehicle Mode: Quickmix is mostly cast in orange, yellow and various shades of grey. The front section, driver's cabin, sides, elevated platform and back are all mostly orange. His tires and parts of the middle section are gunmetal grey. Other parts, mostly joints are y ellow. The mixing drum is a flat grey color. An off white color is used on the front and back ends of the mixing drum. Gunmetal colors are used on the smokestacks and the sides of the wheels. Red is used for the circles on the front grey piece and the sides of the platform. An Autobot symbol is tampographed on the left side of the platform's control panel section. I mentioned earlier that this figure is a bit of a "triple" homage. Stripmine's colors and "Targetmaster" type ability is one. The second are the colors. While Quickmix is in design a homage to the G1 character, his colors are not. The orange and yellow colors match colors used on one of Quickmix's fellow Targetmasters: Scoop! Quickmix isn't just an innocent mixing machine, he's combat ready in vehicle mode. Swing the platform control panel back, and then swing up the mixing drum to point forward. Insert his Cyber Key and the mixing drum opens up to reveal a missile launcher. You can arm him even more by attaching Mini-Cons to his front Mini-Con peg and Energon weapons to the hole on the platform control panel and the holes on his sides above the dual wheels. At the back of the vehicle is another Mini-Con peg. Quickmix almost serves as a mobile command center or mobile battle station of sorts, which definitely makes him much cooler than just a simple construction vehicle. Transformation to Robot Mode:
Robot Mode: Part of the idea of the Giant Planet Transformers is that they are much larger in size than most of the Transformers from the Cybertron show. Few things convey a sense of scale more than intricate detail, and that is something Quickmix has in abundance. The chest has multiple layers of details ranging from a circular piece (whose purpose each fan can imagine for themselves), vents and wires. On either side of the chest are Mini-Con pegs. Practically speaking they don't do a whole lot to add to his appearance or functionality. Lower down on the main body is a large piece that has everything from wheels to wires to circles that look like bolts. His arms and legs also have a ton of details including tubes, pistons and cross hatching. I was really quite surprised at the amount of detail on this guy. He simply looks fantastic in this form. Quickmix's colors all carry over from the vehicle mode, but more yellow shows such as the headpiece and the joints. His left fist is painted yellow as well. Silver is used on various sections to fill in details such as the shoulders and chest. The Cyber Key gimmick works in this form as well, revealing his missile inside the mixing drum (which shares colors with Stripmine, interestingly enough). On his left arm is a dual barreled cannon that also has a Mini-Con peg on it. Quickmix has twenty points of articulation, which also surprised me. Usually larger, more bulky Transformers don't have that many points of articulation and I am glad to see he was an exception. Like his vehicle mode, the variety of holes and pegs on Quickmix allows you to arm him with more than just want he comes with. You can attach Mini-Cons or Energon weapons to his Mini-Con pegs and his fist does have the standardized hole that allows you to have him hold a weapon-based Mini-Con or Energon weapon. Interestingly, you can sort of give Quickmix a right "hand" of sorts as well. Turn his arm around and swing down the control panel to expose the hole on the platform from the vehicle mode. Then transform Stripmine into vehicle mode, and swing his treads out so they serve as fingers along with the drill bit. He connects to the hole via the peg on the back and voila, a three fingered hand! It is this type of extra "hidden" functionality that I love finding in Transformers. It reminds you of part of the strength of the line, being functional beyond just a plain robot or vehicle.
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