G1 Apeface

Robot Mode: First thing about Apeface, there are actually three different posable configurations for his robot mode. It all depends on how you position the beast mode legs which form his shoulders. In the pictures above I set them so the ape's knees are pointing up, giving the robot very high shoulders. The second option is to fold them further back so the ape's knees are pointing backwards, giving Apeface flat shoulders. Finally you can fold the ape's legs down so they lie along the robot's midsection, giving him even flatter shoulders and a much broader torso. Personally I like the first option best, so that's the one I took pictures off, but you can use any of the three options.

Apeface's robot mode has good posability for a G1 figure. He can move his legs at the hip and the knees, as well as the arms at the shoulders. No elbows, sadly, and his feet could do with some proper heels, as a big backpack makes him a bit prone to toppling over backwards. It's not a big impedement, but for some poses you need a bit of time to find a proper balance. Apeface is armed with a big red rifle and an 'electro-shield', which can fasten to either shoulder.

As a Headmaster Apeface's head can detach to become the separate figure Spasma (see below). When the head is plugged in you can see Apeface's tech spec ratings underneath his chest plate. According to them he's strong, but not very smart. And relatively fast, too. His general body shape emphasizes the strong part, being rather stocky, and not necessarily the fast part (that's probably his jet mode, anyway). The only real complaint I have about Apeface's robot mode is that his arms seem a bit too short to me. Apart from that, though, pretty good.

Alternate Modes: Apeface is a triple changer, so he has two different alterante modes. The first one is a beast mode, where Apeface becomes (surprise! surprise!) a big ape. Probably meant to resemble a gorilla, not sure. Spasma, who forms the head in robot mode, becomes the head of the beast mode, too. The head's just turned around and plugged into a different place, that's all. The ape looks pretty powerful overall, but does have two problems. One, the head's set pretty far back, giving the ape one hell of a big chest. This actually works a bit better when you put the ape on all fours, but sadly the head doesn't have a neck joint, so when on all fours he's constantly looking down. And second, the arms of the robot mode are clearly visible hanging off the ape's legs. One might argue the merit of the ape's 'hands', which resemble hooks more than anything, but for some reason I like them. So all in all not a bad beast mode, but one would never ever mistake it for anything but a transformed robot.

For a second alternate mode Apeface has a jet. This jet doesn't resemble any particular real-world model I know of, but it's unmistakably meant to be a flying craft of some sort. The jet looks pretty good for the most part and features a very nice cockpit for Spasma, the Headmaster figure. Now the jet looks pretty good as long as you're looking at it from the front, but it does have one problem: Obvious robot bits sticking out the back. Both the robot's arms and the beast mode legs are sticking out past the wings and lateral fins of the jet, looking rather out of place. Also, Apeface has holes to peg in weapons on either side under the wings, but seeing as he comes with just one rifle for some reason, that's kind of superfluous. It looks stupid to have a gun on just one side of the jet. So all in all not a bad jet mode, but with some of the same design problems as the beast mode.

Partners: Apeface's Headmaster partner is Spasma, pretty much a typical Headmaster figure from that time except for the fact that he's got 'faces', so to speak, on both sides when he transforms into head mode. The robot mode face adorns his legs, while the ape's face is on his back. Spasma's 'robot' mode looks pretty good, though some of his detailing, especially on his face, gets lost thanks to his uniform white torso and head. Spasma has the typical posability of an early Headmaster figure, able to move his arms at the shoulders and his legs at hips and (joined) knees. So all in all a good, if somewhat plain looking Nebulon.

Remarks: Much like his Horrorcon partner Snapdragon, Apeface isn't exactly a widely known character. He appeared in the G1 cartoon finale "Rebirth", where his high points were being shot by his own commander (Cyclonus) and being the only Transformer in the entire G1 cartoon history to ever use the word 'puke'. His one memoriable appearance in the Marvel Comics was when, during a Decepticons vs. Decepticons scuffle, he used his own ripped-off arm (he didn't do it himself, but saw it as an opportunity when it happened) to beat up on Rampage.

As a toy Apeface is quite good, though he comes in a distant second when compared to the much better Horrorcon Snapdragon. Both alternate modes don't know where to put the robot mode arms and Apeface really needs to have two rifles instead of just one (and a place to put them in beast mode). He still looks quite cool and dangerous in all three of his modes and he's a great partner for Snapdragon, but if you want to buy just one Horrorcon for some reason, then there is no contest, it'll have to be Snapdragon, not Apeface.

Rating: B