Hasbro’s Jan Donahoe confirms the Beast Machines toy line will continue through 2001, with Mega Rattrap due around Christmas and more Vehicon drones on the way. This September 30, 2000 Radio Free Cybertron is hosted by Brian’s Computer while Brian is under the weather. John DeLuna’s ATT Buzz calls Spark War Part 1 the best Beast Machines episode yet and sizes up the coming TransTech line. Matrix Prime reviews Car Robots Black Convoy, and Rhino announces its next G1 video volumes.
News
Rhino Announces Next Three G1 Video Volumes
Rhino’s next releases are Volume 10, Megatron’s Master Plan Parts 1 and 2, Volume 11, and Volume 12, Child’s Play and Microbots. [Source: not found]
Hasbro’s Jan Donahoe Answers Beast Machines Questions
Alter States Magazine, at skyjammer.com, ran a Q&A with Hasbro’s Jan Donahoe. Megatron was always designed as a Mega release, though John still calls him too small for one. Mega Rattrap should reach stores around Christmas, and the Beast Machines line continues through 2001. More drones are coming beyond the Sonic Attack Jetstorm repaint, possibly new molds. John thanks Donahoe for acknowledging the fandom, and he is disappointed by ATT posters who called the interview fake. [Source: Alter States Magazine]
TransTech Toys May Add Electronics
Reports suggest TransTech deluxes may get electronic features such as light-up headlights or talking, and Megas may be carded. John suspects Rattrap, Cheetor and Silverbolt will return yet again. He argues it is time for new core characters, saying Beast Machines was one series too many for them. [Source: alt.toys.transformers]
ATT Buzz
John says flame wars nearly ruined ATT for him this week and argues flames have no place on the newsgroup. He calls Spark War Part 1 the best Beast Machines episode of either season. He likes debut episodes and enjoys new Vehicon generals Obsidian and Strika. He hopes for a deluxe Obsidian and a Mega Strika toy next year.
News from Cybertron
Grimlock says he enjoyed Dinosaurs, until Perceptor points out he was watching Beast Machines season two. RFC marks the 15th anniversary of Enter the Nightbird.
Toy Review: Gundam Epyon
New contributor Mirai Prime shares his Transformers background, from Powermaster Optimus Prime to Beast Wars and Beast Machines. He then reviews a 1/100 scale Gundam Wing Epyon model kit and gives it a 9 out of 10.
Toy Review: Car Robots Black Convoy
Brian’s Computer reads Matrix Prime’s review. Black Convoy’s truck mode is a menacing black tanker with a chrome trailer. Robot mode stands about 7.5 inches, has 12 points of articulation and is his favorite figure to pose. The base mode serves its purpose, though his air pump launcher came crimped. He gives Black Convoy a 9 out of 10 and doesn’t miss the dropped electronics.
Interview Clip: Vancouver Voice Actors
RFC plays the first five minutes of an interview from WeezyBucket.com. One voice actor explains he originally planned to be a filmmaker and now works strictly in voice, theater and television in Vancouver. The rest is at weezybucket.com.
TFC Comic Update
Silverbolt Maniac says season one files are downloadable again, and season two is two episodes from done. He reviews episode 2, Friend or Foe, which introduces Fasttrack and Steelshot, the first Gravicon. First Strike will return in season three.
Bad Poets Corner
This week’s poem, Radio Interference, pits Blaster against Soundwave and ends badly for Bumblebee and Chip.
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.