The full crew takes on the state of IDW’s Transformers comics on this April 21, 2010 Radio Free Cybertron, panning the ongoing series and Spotlight Prowl while praising Last Stand of the Wreckers. News covers the War for Cybertron Shockwave video, the Transformers Collectors’ Club Dion delay and Japanese Transformers Animated pre-orders. Guest Billy the Fish reports that Hasbro’s profits have tripled and that Sky-Byte is coming as a BotCon set. Twitter Theater looks at the G1 episode “Starscream’s Brigade.”
News
War for Cybertron Shockwave Video Released
GameStop released a video of Shockwave from Transformers: War for Cybertron, showing him turning into a spacecraft or jet. The crew jokes about GameStop’s sweet deal with Game Informer and complains about being pitched a subscription at the register. [Source: not found]
Rumored San Diego Comic-Con Exclusive Three-Pack
A rumor points to a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive three-pack of Classics-style figures, possibly including Cyclonus. One host guesses Galvatron as the third figure, which another calls his least favorite toy. The crew notes it is reporting the rumor so it has something to take back later. [Source: not found]
Japanese Transformers Animated Pre-Orders: Wingblade Optimus Prime and Voyager Rodimus
Pre-orders are up for Japanese Transformers Animated toys, including Wingblade with a Voyager Optimus Prime and Rodimus. One host has already pre-ordered from Big Bad Toy Store. The crew treats this as its one shot at these molds, given what happened with Robot Heroes. Japan’s Wingblade comes with a Voyager Prime, while the US version was planned with a deluxe Battle Begins Prime repaint. [Source: not found]
Transformers Collectors’ Club Dion Delayed to May 31
The Transformers Collectors’ Club’s Dion figure is delayed until May 31. The crew says it saw that coming and jokes about blaming Iceland’s volcano. One host explains the toys are allegedly shipping out of China in the next few days, with the delay in getting them to Fun Publications and back out. [Source: not found]
John Malkovich Likes Money
The last news item of the week: John Malkovich likes money. [Source: not found]
This Week in History
JD Church notes that George Takei, voice of Yoketron, was born April 20, 1937. A host shares a story of Takei spotting a friend dressed as Freddy Krueger in a convention elevator. JD also marks April 22, 2004 and Dreamwave’s Energon #22, which the crew mocks. One host says the short Energon one-shot stories were good, so why not a decent monthly story?
Big Bad Toy Store
Through Friday, Big Bad Toy Store is taking 15% off everything except new, pre-order and back-order items. BBTS also listed a wide range of upcoming Japanese Transformers Animated figures. Use tfradio.net/bbts so BBTS knows you came from RFC.
Billy the Fish: Hasbro Profits and BotCon Sky-Byte
Billy the Fish reports from the morning news that Hasbro’s profits have tripled in the last year, mostly thanks to Transformers. A host credits Michael Bay. Billy also notes Sky-Byte is coming as a BotCon set, though no pictures are out yet. The crew wishes for a Sky-Byte soundboard.
IDW Comic Reader App for the iPad
IDW has its own comic reader app for the iPad, with Transformers comics inside. The app is free, but the comics cost money. One host calls comics the killer app for the iPad. Another questions buying into an app that limits what you can read.
The State of IDW’s Transformers Comics
One host reviewed Last Stand of the Wreckers #4 for TFormers.com and calls it awesome, with great characterization, action, art and writing. He says it is very possibly some of the best Transformers fiction there is. The crew is far harder on the ongoing series. Hosts mock it as pages of robots standing around, and one host compares Spotlight Prowl to a fly in chicken soup. They say the Autobots’ IQs drop 50 points once the war ends, and the Optimus Prime surrender doesn’t make sense. One host says his local comic stores order few or no Transformers comics. The reviewing host adds that IDW has been responsive to his criticism, and another host calls IDW a great company.
Twitter Theater: Starscream’s Brigade
This week’s Twitter Theater episode is G1’s “Starscream’s Brigade,” which one host ranks in his G1 top ten. The crew likes its glimpse of the Transformers penal system. They question Starscream putting sparks into an old truck and a space shuttle that ends up Lincoln Town Car size as Blast Off. Swindle is again the highlight. The talk drifts to Megatron’s exile logic, Laserbeak’s endless spying on the Autobot base and Ratchet and Wheeljack giving the Dinobots small brains.
Coming Up
Next week RFC is live and taking calls. Email questions, recorded audio or your Skype ID to brian@tfradio.net. Other tfradio.net shows include Fanboy vs. Fanboy, Outside the Cage, Superhero Time, New Soundwave and RFC Throwback.
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.