Takara’s Masterpiece Rodimus Prime is finally revealed, but its $200 preorder price gives the Radio Free Cybertron crew pause. This August 4, 2010 episode, RFC’s first test of live Ustream video, also covers Hasbro’s Masterpiece Grimlock reaching US stores and Transformers 3 rumors about a mystery fire truck. A UK guest previews AutoAssembly 2010, now Europe’s biggest Transformers convention. The crew also shares what keeps bringing them back to Transformers.
News
Animated Rodimus and Ironhide Turn Up at Toys R Us
Transformers Animated Rodimus and Ironhide were found at a Toys R Us in Burbank, California. One host says a scalper cleared out a store by lunchtime. Brian really wants Rodimus, mostly because he has a bow. [Source: not found]
Power Core Combiners Wave 2 Hits US Retail
Power Core Combiners Wave 2, including Rallybots and Destructicons, is out at US retail. Rob offers a high-five to the first listener who finds him the Rallybots. [Source: not found]
Masterpiece Grimlock Reaches US Stores
Hasbro’s Masterpiece Grimlock has turned up at Toys R Us in Allen, Texas, for $69.99. Brian calls it worth the price at half the cost of the Takara version. [Source: not found]
Animated Voyager Optimus Prime Goes Black in Japan
The Animated Voyager Optimus Prime is getting a Black Convoy repaint in Japan. The crew thinks it looks more gray than black. One host can’t imagine an evil version of the very nice Animated Optimus Prime. [Source: not found]
Transformers MMORPG Announced for China
A Transformers massively multiplayer online game is in development in China. The crew jokes about a Farmville-style “Cybertronville” but would like the chance to play one in the US. [Source: not found]
Masterpiece Rodimus Prime Revealed
Takara’s Masterpiece Rodimus Prime finally has photos. Brian loves Rodimus Prime, one of his favorite characters, but $200 is a lot of money. One host expects the preorder price to come down once the final price is set. The crew hopes a Masterpiece Galvatron follows. [Source: not found]
Transformers 3 Rumors
A Transformers 3 producer says a transforming fire truck is not Inferno, Hotspot or Pyro, and the fandom will “faint” when they learn who it is. One host guesses Red Alert, another Ultra Magnus. A local news clip listed the new female lead’s character as Mikaela, but the crew believes reports that she plays Carly. The Mercedes-Benz may or may not be named Q, and Jolt is out of the film. [Source: not found]
Hunt for Decepticons Two-Packs
Two new two-packs are coming, including Blue Maximus versus Crosshairs. One host learned Blue Max was the nickname for a World War I pilots’ medal. [Source: not found]
War for Cybertron DLC Giveaway
Bweebum says TFormers.com is giving away five War for Cybertron DLC codes for PlayStation 3, three on TFormers.com and two on Facebook.
AutoAssembly 2010 Preview
A UK guest says AutoAssembly 2010 has sold about 525 tickets, making it Europe’s largest Transformers convention. Hasbro is sending 30 Challenge for Cybertron three-packs, given away through Willy Wonka-style golden tickets. Simon Plume organizes the show, with Kal-El Prime on the committee.
Guests include Garry Chalk, Scott McNeil and Nick Roche, plus Liam Shalloo, Chris Carter, Jason Cardy and Kat Nicholson. The guest says last year’s attendees uploaded hours of video, which helped sales grow. His advice is to expect nothing in the dealer room and enjoy the people.
What Brings You Back to Transformers?
Brian loved Transformers as much as ever this past year. Exvee came back with Transformers Animated, and the UK guest returned through Dreamwave’s G1 comics. Brian came back because he missed doing RFC, after listeners kept asking him to revive it.
Aimee, known as Lady Wreck, left after G1 and returned around Revenge of the Fallen by rewatching G1 on YouTube, then found the podcasts. Rob says he never left and blames OCD. He remembers the original commercial from kindergarten.
The crew agrees the fandom has extreme highs and lows. One host once estimated spending about $30,000 on his collection by 2002. Aimee urges fans to focus on what they love and avoid burnout from the fandom’s bitterness.
Twitter Theater
Rob’s pick is an old commercial for the View-Master Show Beam, which projects Transformers reels onto the wall. It ends with the kids shining the image on their mom.
Closing
The crew asks AutoAssembly attendees to send in high-five photos, and reminds listeners to follow RFC on Twitter and Facebook.
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.