Activision’s Transformers: War for Cybertron reveal broke the AllSpark on this December 9, 2009 Radio Free Cybertron. The crew also covers Transformers Animated heading to Japan and Michael Bell auditioning for the next Transformers series. Brian Kilby walks through RFC’s 2009 holiday buying guide, and part two of the Garry Chalk interview airs. The show closes with Beast Machines’ Fallout and a debate on whether Reprolabels lower a toy’s value.
News
Transformers: War for Cybertron Announced by Activision
Activision’s Transformers: War for Cybertron news broke the AllSpark this week. Brian hasn’t seen the Game Informer issue yet, but the scans suggest a G1-themed game. The crew remembers the poor Japan-only G1 game on PlayStation 2. They note that a new Transformers game no longer excites fans the way Beast Wars Transmetals did ten years ago. [Source: Game Informer]
Transformers Animated Coming to Japan in March 2010
Transformers Animated is set to air in Japan in March 2010. Rob jokes it could be called Transformers Animated 2010, after the Japanese name for G1’s third season. The crew expects strange items or black repaints, and hopes for a Voyager Slipstream. Brian wants Waspinator repainted as Dirge. A Cliffjumper listing turns out to be the Activator, and one host calls it a new outlet for the Arcee mold. [Source: not found]
Michael Bell Auditioned for the New Transformers Series
Michael Bell told Moonbase 2 that he auditioned for Ratchet and Prowl in the new Transformers series. He also read for General Hawk in the new G.I. Joe series. The crew says he did not get the parts. Brian calls it the first concrete sign of development on the new show, and RFC plans to ask Chris McFeely about it next week. [Source: Moonbase 2]
Fan-Made Cassette Robot and Masterpiece Skywarp Price Drop
The mystery cassette-style robot that surfaced online is another fan project. One host expects it to be overpriced and underproduced, and doubts it will fit inside Soundwave. Walmart dropped Masterpiece Skywarp to $49 online and in many stores, with free site-to-store shipping. Some hosts see plenty locally, while Brian has not seen one. [Source: not found]
This Day in Transformers History
JD notes that the Armada episode Overmatch premiered on December 13, 2002, introducing Scavenger, with his giant cloak. That started the Unicron Trilogy motif of a character who seems to be a Decepticon but may not be.
Big Bad Toy Store Picks
Big Bad Toy Store has the Henkei Generations Ghost Starscream for $89, a clear repaint the crew prefers to the die-cast reissue. Device Label items are in, including Grimlock and Trypticon mice and a Ravage flash drive. Pre-orders include Encore Cassette Big Mission 3 with Overkill, Ravage, Rumble and Frenzy, plus an exclusive Dark Skyfire for $95. Mighty Muggs wave four includes Shockwave, which Brian calls the cutest Transformer ever.
News from Cybertron
Turin reports that Wheeljack and Perceptor found that energon infused with phlebotinum eases robotic neural development disorders. The news is welcomed by the Dinobots, long diagnosed with robotism.
2009 Holiday Buying Guide
Brian walks through RFC’s 2009 holiday buying guide on tfradio.net, picked for quality and value. G1 picks include Masterpiece Skywarp at about $50 and the Transformers G1 complete series DVD set at $110. They also include the Perceptor and Insecticons reissues and Encore Metroplex, Bruticus, City Guardian and Sky Lynx. Brian says Sky Lynx is on Big Bad Toy Store clearance for $45 and warns of fake Encore Metroplexes. Newer picks include Leader Class Optimus Prime from Revenge of the Fallen, the AllSpark Almanac and Mighty Muggs Shockwave. The list adds Electrostatic Soundwave, the Target-exclusive Leo Prime and Universe Onslaught at $11. It closes with a Transformers Collectors’ Club membership and 25th anniversary Soundwave from Hasbro Toy Shop, with Ratbat.
Stump Monzo
Anyone who stumps Monzo by January 6 wins Electrostatic Soundwave with Ratbat. Questions must be good and verifiable, and they go to stumpmonzo@tfradio.net. Jaxxas asked for the first and last episode titles of Robots in Disguise, and Monzo answered Battle Protocol and The Final Battle. Monzo remains unstumped.
Interview: Garry Chalk, Part Two
Garry Chalk talks about working with Barbara Eden and Bill Daily on I Still Dream of Jeannie. He describes winning a small role as a general in Zack Snyder’s Watchmen after taking charge of the audition room. His strangest fan stories include a self-appointed sword-carrying bodyguard. He says fans are simply people who love what a show stands for. Chalk keeps toys from his roles, including He-Man, Transformers, Mega Man and Bucky O’Hara. He recalls a dad discovering his voice on an Optimus Prime toy at a park, and birthday calls to young fans. He also discusses Freddy vs. Jason, where he says “contain” in every scene. He closes by praising Beast Machines for showing teamwork, friendship, loyalty and honor, and he says, “Transformers, it’s better than crack.”
Twitter Theater: Beast Machines, Fallout
This week’s Twitter Theater episode was Fallout, the Beast Machines season two premiere, written by Bob Skir and Marty Isenberg. Rob says it is where Beast Machines started telling its own story, culminating Optimus Primal’s arc toward saving Cybertron. One host thinks the giant Optimus Primal looked silly.
From the AllSpark: Do Reprolabels Lessen a Toy’s Value?
The crew debates an AllSpark thread about Reprolabels. One host separates restoration sets from customizing sets, saying custom sets hurt resale while restoration sets are a gray area. He recalls a restored Jetfire selling for about 20 percent over average. Another host compares it to classic cars, where original parts command a premium. The crew agrees it comes down to ethics: disclose repro labels and it’s fine, but passing them off as original crosses a line. One host buys rare toys like Overlord and Star Convoy only mint in box. The crew also covers how reissues affect values and hopes for an American Artfire reissue.
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.