BotCon 2011 is a week away, and RFC is teaming up with CapturedPrey.com for a $75 gift card contest. This May 25, 2011 Radio Free Cybertron previews the BotCon panels and asks what the Hasbro panel might reveal. Exvee reviews the hard-to-find Generations Warpath, and Brian shows off a new Transformers history book. The news includes a Transformers Prime MMO for China and a Moscow world premiere for Dark of the Moon.
News
Transformers Prime MMO Coming to China
A Transformers MMORPG in development for China will be based on Transformers Prime. The crew remembers the game’s announcement last year and assumes it was reskinned from a movie theme. A separate MMO is in development for America from the makers of RuneScape. [Source: not found]
Dark of the Moon World Premiere Set for Moscow
Dark of the Moon has its world premiere on June 23 in Moscow, with the U.S. release on June 29. The crew jokes about piracy and Russia’s new billionaires. One host plans to see it in IMAX, and the crew argues IMAX versus 3D. [Source: not found]
Possible Revoltech Dark of the Moon Optimus Prime
A Revoltech Dark of the Moon Optimus Prime may be coming. The crew thinks the Revoltech style may suit the heavily articulated movie designs. One host expects it to include the big jetpack. [Source: not found]
TFormers Reviews Shout! Factory’s Beast Wars Season 1
TFormers has an early review of Shout! Factory’s Beast Wars Season 1 DVD set. [Source: TFormers]
BotCon 2011 Panel Descriptions
Official BotCon panel descriptions are out. Panels include the Hasbro brand team, Dark of the Moon video game and Collectors’ Club roundtable. Others cover the making of Transformers Prime, a Prime script reading, comics, 25th anniversary movie voice actors and G1 voice actors. One host says the Hasbro toy panel has become a bet on which toys you’ll never be able to buy. The G1 Legends from last year’s panel are finally showing up at Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls. [Source: not found]
Japan Generations 2011 Book Exclusive
Japan’s Generations 2011 book comes with an exclusive Ricochet, also known as Stepper, at 4,700 yen, or two for 8,800 yen. One host asks listeners in Japan to hook him up with one. [Source: not found]
Simon Furman Talks Transformers 81
The Allspark interviewed Simon Furman about Transformers 81. The story is planned but needs more support before IDW will greenlight it. The crew hopes it happens and expects fans to buy at least one issue, though one host warns it only works if Furman has a sense of humor about his own writing. [Source: The Allspark]
Listener Event for Dark of the Moon Opening Day
Listener Sean Casey, also known as Slug Slinger, is hosting a Dark of the Moon opening-day event in Savannah, Georgia. He has a hotel conference room with a toy display, screenings of the first two movies, goodie bags and a dinner before the film.
The Week in Comics
LadyWreck reports that the next issue of Heart of Darkness is out, though it still isn’t working for her. She received the Dark of the Moon movie adaptation and Peter David’s novelization, which is about 100 pages longer than the Revenge of the Fallen book. IDW’s August solicits include ongoing #23, James Roberts’ second issue, and #24, which starts Chaos. Andrew Wildman will provide art for Classics UK Volume 1. LadyWreck will sell custom shirts at BotCon.
BotCon Coverage and Auto Assembly Europe
RFC will cover BotCon live, with Peter and Jack on site and the main show produced remotely. Auto Assembly Europe has been announced, with details at autoassembly.org.uk. Chatters want reports on Warpath, Scourge and Kup, and Don jokes he’ll faint if Hasbro announces a Generations Arcee.
This Day in Transformers History
JD notes that May 25 is Towel Day for Douglas Adams. He also ties in Wonko the Sane, Waspinator’s handle in Dark Designs. Beast Wars Metals was released on VHS on May 25, 2000.
Toy Review: Generations Warpath
Exvee calls Warpath’s tank mode solid, with four C-clip bars that don’t suit every accessory, though Kup’s muskets work well. The transformation is smooth and simple, apart from a leg panel that bends the wrong way. He is impressed by how the torso locks together with no gaps. The head reveal and treaded roller-skate feet are highlights. He compares Warpath to Jazz: not remarkable, but a really good normal Transformer. He has bought five already. The crew notes that the most sought-after toys right now are Warpath and Windcharger.
TF Wiki Spotlight: Movie Timeline
Chris McFeely rewrote the TFWiki’s live-action movie timeline into three articles. The main timeline covers the films, IDW comics, novels, Titan comics and Cyber Missions, up to Dark of the Moon. Side timelines cover the Sector 7 alternate reality game and the Titan comic’s own continuity.
Crave Corner
Rob and Cole Stickler of Crave look at vintage G1 listings. They point to a $9 incomplete Alternators Sideswipe and Needlenose with both Targetmasters. They also like a custom G1 Roadbuster by Dark Cave and a set of Triggercons. Rob credits the UK comics for his interest in Needlenose. Crave’s redesigned homepage lets users vote on new categories. Cole will be at BotCon with a table and an after-hours meetup.
Brian’s New Transformers Book
Brian shows off a Transformers history book he got for $18 on Amazon, with a $35 retail price. It includes official tech spec reproductions with a decoder and a Unicron prototype photo. It also has the TF:TM poster, a Rodimus animation model and coverage of Japanese exclusives, Beast Wars Second, Machine Wars and Battlestars. It even includes some Pat Lee art. He calls it great for nostalgia fans, though not an all-inclusive history like the Allspark Almanac.
BotCon Contest and Predictions
RFC and CapturedPrey.com are giving away a $75 gift card. Follow @TFRadio and tweet during BotCon with the hashtag through June 12; details are at tfradio.net/botcon. RFC will also hand out business cards with a QR code. The crew hopes the Hasbro panel shows Transformers Prime toys, Voyagers and new Generations figures. They expect a surprise toy that becomes the talk of the show, as Bludgeon did in 2009.
Twitter Theater: Hong Kong Happy Meal Ad
This week’s clip is a dramatic Hong Kong McDonald’s Happy Meal commercial for Transformers toys. The crew notes the toys look like Activators.
Next Week
Next week’s regular show will be a skeleton crew while others travel to BotCon. RFC will also stream from BotCon Thursday through Sunday.
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.