I'm not big on a lot of MT figures (I think hound is the only one I own), but I don't see how anyone can argue that MT's hound isn't damn near perfect. If you're a collector really jonesing for a perfect toon aesthetic, I can see how the FT version might be more up your alley, but MT's toy version with the big chunky feet is just glorious. What about him doesn't fit your image of the ideal Hound? I freaking love this guy.
- FT gets everything but the faces. Why the hell this eludes them is beyond me. It doesn't stop me from getting most of them, but it's certainly their weak spot. I'm waiting on the eventual fix on Forager before I complete the bug trio, as I'm not excited about all the reports of arms breaking off. I will be picking up FT Hotrod, as MP28 is a hunchbacked midget piece of shit.
- BC does a nice job with their minibots (Huff, Brawny, Grump), but I don't care for their stumpy insecticons, and my hatred for their short-torso'd, duck-footed sunstreaker is well documented. If they stick to minibots, I will continue to support them.
- KFC/XTB produces the best looking, most G1, all-around glorious mix of the toon and toys, but everyone is aware of their spotty QC record and habit of improving figures with a v2, basically screwing their early adopters. If they start putting out solid v1 figures like Andras every time (and no more Ollie/Boost/Hatch nightmares), they will be the kings of the hill. But that's a big "if".
- DX9 is hit & miss. Their quality is top-notch, but their look isn't for everyone. I love Carry, but I'm skipping their Galvatron and Blitzwing b/c they just don't hit the right notes. Invisible is a great toy, just not "MP enough" for most collectors.
- Ocular Max... I own Sphinx, but I cannot wait for someone to replace him. There is something about that figure that I absolutely hate, but it's simply holding a place on my shelf.
- Omni... it's one figure that had lots of promise, fell horribly short, but is salvageable with some effort. Still better than the alternative though.
I find that most 3P's bring something unique to the table, fill in a niche. None of them are perfect, and rarely do they deserve the heaps of praise or hate that they all get from one corner or another. I will buy from anyone that produces a good looking figure with tolerable quality. The turf wars and factionalization that takes place amongst TF fandom is comical. And don't get me started on the sanctimonious TT-only assholes. I want to hit them with a doorknob in a tubesock.