Hasbro publicly says it will not work with third-party toy makers, revealed at CybertronCon 2012 in Singapore, on this March 14, 2012 Radio Free Cybertron. The same show unveiled a Masterpiece Sunstorm, Generations War for Cybertron Starscream, Prime Breakdown and a wave of Asia-exclusive repaints. JD Church hosts with Exvee, Rob Clay and guest Nicole Hale. The crew also breaks down Transformers Prime’s Operation Bumblebee and a mystery purple Shattered Glass Optimus.
News
Mystery Purple Shattered Glass Optimus Prime
A blurry photo shows the Laser Optimus Prime mold in a purplish Shattered Glass color with a large Shattered Glass Autobot logo. A matching silhouette appears in the BotCon 2012 preview comic. JD isn’t sure whether it is an official BotCon item, and he hopes it is a Shattered Glass Shirt Shot. Exvee notes FunPub hasn’t responded to the Octopunch photos either. JD still hasn’t received his Overrun order from FunPub, and the crew jokes about FunPub’s credit card security breach. [Source: not found]
CybertronCon 2012 Reveals in Singapore
Hasbro’s CybertronCon 2012 in Singapore brought a War for Cybertron Generations Starscream, which JD is glad isn’t another F-15. Transformers Prime Kup will be a recolor of the movie-inspired Prime Ironhide mold, alongside Prime Rumble. Masterpiece Sunstorm, an MP-11 Starscream variant, is an Asia-only release, and it comes with Starscream’s coronation armor. [Source: not found]
Asia-Exclusive Repaints
Asia-only Legion repaints include Bluestreak, Motormaster, Thundercracker and Hoist, several with new weapons. Scouts include Sandstorm, Brawl, Dead End and Laserbeak, and JD might go for Dead End. Deluxes include Springer from the Tomahawk mold with a new head, Cliffjumper with a G1-style head, Swerve from Kup and an orange Wheelie on the Jazz mold. Voyagers include Powerdive, Hot Spot from the Inferno mold, Brawn from Prime Bulkhead and G2 Megatron from the Bludgeon mold. Leaders are G1-colored Dark of the Moon Ironhide and Starscream. The crew notes all of it will be expensive to import. [Source: not found]
Transformers Prime Breakdown Voyager
A picture surfaced of the Transformers Prime Breakdown Voyager, and JD can’t wait for it. Exvee notes it has two eyes and plans to modify it to match the show. [Source: not found]
Hasbro Takes a Stand on Third-Party Makers
At CybertronCon, Hasbro said publicly for the first time that it does not condone third-party toy makers and will never work with them. It did not say whether it would take legal action. JD says Hasbro adopting third-party molds was never likely, since it must meet safety and testing rules. Exvee sees the statement as the first step toward defending the brand. He expects pressure on retailers rather than makers, as Takara did against iGear, and as Hasbro did with Big Lots over knockoff Legends. Exvee notes this year’s BotCon dealer contract lets FunPub seize anything it doesn’t like from dealer tables. The chat asks about Reprolabels, which the crew sees as a legitimate restoration service. Exvee compares the situation to Hasbro losing the 12-inch G.I. Joe market to adult-collector makers like Dragon.
Brian’s Video: Enemy and Stealth Force Hound
In a recorded video, Brian shows off Enemy, packaged with the Encore Soundblaster reissue, and Stealth Force Hound, found at TJ Maxx for about $7. He says both are worth their price, even Enemy at around $70.
Chat: Rumble Red or Blue?
The chat debates whether Rumble and Frenzy are red or blue. Exvee notes Takara got it right with a red Rumble and a blue Frenzy for Transformers United. He wants a Scout Rumble and Frenzy two-pack with no label saying which is which. The crew also argues about whether Wheelie is the most annoying Transformer.
Transformers Prime: Operation Bumblebee
Operation Bumblebee, written by Marty Isenberg, has Mech stealing Bumblebee’s transformation cog, leaving him unable to transform or even use his guns. Ratchet calls the cog biological rather than technological. Exvee says that biological parts are ones Cybertronians can’t replicate, consistent with Metroplex’s stolen cog in G1. The episode recalls the movie prequel comics in noting that Megatron destroyed Bumblebee’s voice box. Mech’s homebrew Transformer body can’t use the cog until Starscream shows it needs energon. The crew debates who will double-cross whom. Nicole thinks Starscream will harvest more cogs, while JD notes Ratchet says Megatron reanimates the dead but isn’t ghoulish. JD likes the episode, and he says the Orion Pax three-parter started strong and ended weak.
Comics
More Than Meets the Eye #3 and Autocracy #5 are out, and Aimee’s review video will be on YouTube. The comics are available on Kindle Fire and Comixology.
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.