The Transformers Collectors Club unveiled a six-figure subscription service at BotCon 2012, led by an Ultra Magnus-colored Ultra Mammoth. This April 28, 2012 Radio Free Cybertron was recorded live from BotCon in Dallas. The crew also recaps IDW’s tease of Primus and Regeneration One, and Hasbro’s Voyager War for Cybertron Soundwave with auto-transforming cassettes. A Toys R Us-exclusive MP-10 Convoy and a surprise Shockwave reveal for Transformers Prime round out the night.
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Transformers Club Unveils a Subscription Service
At the club roundtable, Brian Savage again apologized for the club’s credit card problems, though one host says he still deflected blame. The club is upgrading its back end so members can buy and track orders online. Its new six-figure subscription includes G1 Breakdown on the Classics Sideswipe mold with the club’s G2 Breakdown head, and Jackpot on the Animated Jazz mold with an expected new head. It also includes Circuit on the movie Axor mold, Slipstream on the Prime Starscream mold, a Scourge recolor of Black Convoy and Depth Charge on the Terradive mold. The centerpiece is Ultra Mammoth, a Beast Wars Neo Big Convoy in Ultra Magnus colors. Figures would ship two a month, unannounced until the first arrives. Pricing is unknown, and the crew expects it to run high. [Source: Transformers Collectors Club]
IDW Teases Primus and Regeneration One
IDW’s panel teased Primus showing up as the More Than Meets the Eye and Robots in Disguise timelines converge. Regeneration One arrives in July alongside a Decepticon Month, and a Dinobot Month will put the Dinobots in every series. Simon Furman said Regeneration One continues the US Marvel comic, draws on G2 and the UK comics, and runs to issue 100. Deaths in his series will stick. Jim Sorensen and Bill Forster are compiling a G1 and G2 box art book covering US, Japanese and European art. They are asking collectors with original production art to contact them. [Source: IDW BotCon panel]
Voyager War for Cybertron Soundwave Leads Hasbro’s Panel
Hasbro showed a new Voyager class for Generations, starting with War for Cybertron Soundwave. His chest panel ejects three Legends-scale data disk cassettes that auto-transform like Bot Shots. Ravage, Ratbat, Rumble and a black Soundblaster follow. The War for Cybertron Shockwave recolor is Fireflight, and a toy of a character from the Exiles novel is coming to Prime. The Activision-colored Bruticus is a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive. The crew notes Hasbro already has its 2013 lineup planned but would only say “wait and see” about which eras it covers. [Source: Hasbro BotCon panel]
MP-10 Convoy Coming as a Toys R Us Exclusive
Hasbro confirmed a US MP-10 Convoy as a Toys R Us exclusive. One host saw a fan open the $250 to $280 import he had just bought at the show and regret it. [Source: Hasbro BotCon panel]
Shockwave Revealed for Transformers Prime
JD Church reports that the Hall of Fame dinner ended Shockwave’s induction video with a Transformers Prime clip of Starscream introducing Shockwave to the Autobots. With no toy or show hints beforehand, the room was floored. [Source: Transformers Hall of Fame ceremony]
Voice Actor Panels
The crew calls the voice actor panels fun but not newsworthy. Buster Jones answered the drive-thru impression tradition with “why.” Dan Gilvezan received a needlepoint doll and called it creepy and cool. Garry Chalk and David Kaye went blue, and Kaye has been invited to voice two special episodes. Kaye also gave Chalk his demo reel when they lived six houses apart.
Transformers Hall of Fame Dinner
JD Church says the late Chris Latta received a tribute video and standing ovation, with his daughter accepting. Simon Furman gave a speech that ended in Furmanisms. Grimlock, Jazz and Shockwave were inducted, and Fall of Cybertron Grimlock footage drew cheers. Wheeljack won the fan vote over Rodimus, Beast Wars Megatron and Skybite. Aaron Archer oversaw the ceremony, and attendees received inductee cards.
BotCon 2012 Impressions
Brian says panels like the club and Hasbro brand team remind him why he loves being a fan, since Hasbro’s team is made of fans who care. The crew met Peter Cullen, Exvee and many listeners, and they thank Steve for helping with coverage. They promise interviews later in the week and a full recap on the Thursday live show.
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.