Hasbro’s first pre-Toy Fair details on the post-Beast Machines line, TransTech, lead this September 22, 2000 Radio Free Cybertron. John DeLuna’s ATT Buzz covers the all-vehicle line, early reviews of Takara’s God Magnus, and his own new Beast Wars Metals Ravage. Silverbolt Maniac gives a TF Legion comic update. Heath from coldhardslag.com reads the September Transformers Market Watch, where nearly all of the 1988 G1 line rose in value.
News
Hasbro Reveals TransTech as the Line After Beast Machines
Pre-Toy Fair media gave fans their first details on Hasbro’s next line, TransTech Transformers, expected around the summer of 2001. From what John DeLuna has heard, it is an all-vehicle line. He calls that a natural progression from the half-vehicle Beast Machines. Preliminary names include Rattrap, Cheetor and Silverbolt, and John believes these are the Beast Wars characters in vehicle form. He jokes it would be poetic justice if Cheetor’s car looked like Hot Rod. Some fans think the line could be repainted Car Robots, possibly including a Super Fire Convoy. John hopes the line is all new and expects it will be. [Source: alt.toys.transformers]
God Magnus Reviews Arrive From Japan
Takara’s God Magnus came out in Japan the week before, and fans in the U.S. are starting to get theirs. ATT reviews range from good to great. He combines with Super Fire Convoy, and his big gun turns out to have four or five sound effects. John expects his God Magnus and three Super Car Robot Brother repaints by Friday. [Source: alt.toys.transformers]
Super Car Robot Brother Repaints Come Boxed in Robot Mode
The Super Car Robot Brother repaints will come in boxes in robot mode, unlike the carded originals. John notes that most of the second wave of Car Robots has been boxed in robot mode. He suspects Takara wants the repaints to look like new toys to kids, which he calls sleazy but not surprising. [Source: alt.toys.transformers]
ATT Buzz
John DeLuna bought Takara’s Beast Wars Metals Ravage. He says not to pay more than $30 to $35 for it. He calls the jaguar mode hideous, just Transmetal Cheetor with kibble hanging from its stomach. But the robot mode looks close to Ravage from the Beast Wars Agenda episodes, and the quickdraw pistols are a nice gimmick. He compares Ravage to a giant Action Master and recommends him at the right price.
TF Legion Comic Update
Silverbolt Maniac reports that Shadows of Darkness Part 2 is delayed to next Wednesday as the comic returns to a weekly schedule. The season has three episodes left. He looks back at the first episode, The Dark Times, which began as 3D art built in a Quake 2 editor. He asks readers to send questions, since the message board is quiet.
Transformers Market Watch for September
Heath from coldhardslag.com reads the monthly Market Watch. The coldhardslag.com price guide now covers Toy Fair values as well as Lee’s Action Figure News and Toy Review. Almost every 1988 G1 toy gained value in Lee’s, including the Sparkabots, Firecons, Seacons, Triggerbots, Triggercons and Targetmasters. The 1986 cassettes and several Action Masters also rose. In Toy Fair, Metroplex, Blurr, Kup and Scorponok climbed, along with many 1984 and 1985 toys. Heath suspects a possible typo behind Windcharger’s sealed jump from $50 to $300. He expects Jetfire to stay flat for a few months, then rise again. He advises buying now and links the rise to renewed interest in anime-style jet robots.
Transformers Song
Mop-Boy says there is no Ask RFC this week and plays a Transformers song by Mr. Goon, found on mp3.com.
Radio Free Cybertron is the world's first and oldest toy and action figure podcast — broadcasting from the heart of the Transformers fan community since October 1999. What started as a scrappy fan show has grown into an institution, with nearly 1,000 episodes and over 25 years of coverage. Every week, host Brian Kilby and the RFC crew dig into the latest Transformers news, toy reveals, collecting, and everything hitting shelves from Hasbro, Takara, and beyond. No fluff, no hype — just informed, passionate collectors who have been doing this longer than anyone else on the planet. The original. The longest running. Till all are one.