I do wish that I had time to read the Transformer comics, but between family, work, and my various hobbies, I simply don't have the time. Despite that, I'm excited to get my hands on Spark Toys Spartacus. I loved their version of Optimus Prime, and Spartacus does not disappoint.
Tank mode is not the worst H-tank or armored vehicle I've seen. The paint application and line work provides much visual interest. The cannon on the left has about one click of articulation up and down. The small cannon on the right can swivel in its port. The center cannon does not move. The mine sweepers in front are on hinges. He has rubber treads that don't work all that well. The undercarriage is basically a robot performing a squat. His sword can store underneath, pegged into a rather unfortunate location.
Transformation between modes is not fun. You are going to scratch paint because the tolerances and clearances are too tight in some areas. In particular, the red and black panels that form the back of the tank can scratch the bottom of his backpack so use some extra care. There is some parts-forming involving the front of the tank that turns into his shield.
Like Alpha Pack, Spartacus did not skip gym day. He has a robust and beefy look to him that I really enjoy. I love all the paint applications and line work on his chest. The shiny metallic paint on his body gives him a more premium feel. While Alpha Pack seems stockier, Spartacus is bristling with weaponry. My only complaint is that he's a tad shorter than Alpha Pack.
His head is on a ball joint. He can look down more than he can look up. His shoulders are on ratcheted swivels and hinges that let him raise his arms out and up not quite 90 degrees. He swivels at the biceps, wrists, waist, and thighs. His single-jointed elbows only curl 90 degrees. His thumbs are fixed and the rest of his fingers are single-pinned, with his pointing fingers articulating separately from the rest and having an extra knuckle each. He has an ab crunch that gives you one click. His hips are on ratcheted universals that allow him to perform a full side-splits, but not a full front splits. He has single-jointed knees that curl just shy of 90 degrees. His ankles have tilts and rockers. His toes are on hinges, but you don't get much waggle from them.
His accessories include two cannons and his over-the-shoulder cannon and a missile for it, a sword, a shield, and four faces in total. The fusion cannon for his arm could have been larger. It is simply black plastic with some line work and can peg onto either forearm. The smaller cannon is also black plastic and has the same kind of peg. The red missile goes with his shoulder cannon, which boasts a pretty powerful spring launcher. The sword has purple and metallic silver paint applications. The line work gives it an interesting design. The inner blade extends. It uses a Masterpiece-styled tab that works better than most but is finicky to place. The shield is the front of his tank and is covered in the same metallic silver paint as his body. It also has some gunmetal paint applications and detailed line work. It pegs onto the side of his forearms. The paint on the peg is going to rub off at some point. Two of the faces are probably inspired by the comics with the chin sculpt and the other two are more reminiscent of G1. They have expressions ranging from neutral to maniacal laughter. The face swapping mechanic is easy to use and does not require messing with screws.
Spartacus will be joining Alpha Pack on my War Within shelf. Even knowing nothing about the War Within series, I'm excited about this line of figures, especially if Spark Toys can make a hat trick with their upcoming Grimlock figure. There are some tolerance issues during transformation, but that's not enough to dampen my enjoyment of this figure.
