The crew recaps BotCon 2012 in Dallas on this May 3, 2012 Radio Free Cybertron, calling it one of the best-run shows in years. The Transformers Collectors’ Club stole the show with a Junkion souvenir set and its subscription service, while Hasbro’s panel was light on new reveals. The US Masterpiece Optimus Prime, announced at the show, looks better and cheaper than Takara’s MP-10. Jim Sorenson and Bill Forster preview Transformers Legacy, their G1 and G2 box art book, and Jagex talks about the Transformers Universe MMO.
Brian is joined by Peter Van, Rob Clay and John DeLuna. Everyone but Rob attended BotCon.
BotCon 2012 Recap
The Exclusives Beat Expectations
The crew agrees the BotCon exclusives look far better in hand than online. Spinister is a hit, and one host has come around on Octopunch after a club panel joke about the crowd knowing tentacles. One host calls Kickoff one of the most handsome Transformers ever, with a perfect deco and an exclusive head sculpt. Metalhawk’s human face paint is inconsistent, with John’s copy fine and JD’s cross-eyed. The surprise Junkion souvenir set was popular, though one host found its link to the Insecticons loose and skipped the exclusives, buying Brave Maximus instead.
The Club Panel Steals the Show
For the first time, the crew says, the Transformers Collectors’ Club panel outshone Hasbro’s. Brian loved the new subscription service, especially the G.I. Joe one. Club reveals included Ultra Mammoth, Jackpot, Circuit, Slipstream, a red Scourge and next year’s club freebie, Depth Charge. Rob is disappointed Scourge went to the club, since he had hoped for a mass release. Another host argues club exclusives may end up cheaper than short-packed retail toys.
A Quiet Hasbro Panel
One host expected sketches of 2013 product, but Hasbro showed mostly Fall of Cybertron toys and a recolor wave. The crew notes that nearly everything shown later appeared publicly, except Thundertron. One fan’s loud complaint about the First Edition Transformers Prime toys confused the panel. First Edition figures in the dealer room sold out by Saturday, with Bulkhead at $100 to $120.
US Masterpiece Optimus Prime
Brian is glad he didn’t buy Takara’s MP-10 in the dealer room. The US Masterpiece Optimus Prime revealed at the show has slightly different coloring, long smokestacks, a windowed box and a much lower price.
Show Highlights
John calls it one of the best-run BotCons, smooth and low stress, with a good Thursday night line. Brian’s highlights include hanging out with Headmaster Don, Zombie Cliffjumper and the club’s subscription service. Peter enjoyed being around other fans and the toy hunts on the road trip. Dealer room prices were all over the place, and the popular tables were picked clean by Sunday.
Comic News with Aimee
Aimee reports that August is Dinobot Month at IDW, with annuals in August and September. Jim Sorenson and Bill Forster are making a book of G1 and G2 box art and want fan help, via the Disciples of Boltax blog or transformersthearc@yahoo.com. In Robots in Disguise #4, Prowl solves a murder in ten seconds and corners a brainwashing Decepticon in the sewers. She says John Barber has made Nick Roche’s Prowl his own and gives it 5 out of 5. Autocracy #8, where Orion Pax and Megatron take on Zeta Prime, also gets 5 out of 5. Regeneration One #80.5 arrives on Free Comic Book Day.
Interview: Jim Sorenson and Bill Forster on Transformers Legacy
Jim Sorenson and Bill Forster say a box art book has always been on their list. They explain that the AllSpark Almanac began as a pitch for an animated version of their earlier Ark books. Cartoon Network handed over models, storyboards, scripts and backgrounds, so the Almanacs grew to fill the three months they had.
IDW Panel and Games
The IDW panel brought Regeneration One, a major Primus story arc teased on a More Than Meets the Eye cover and Dinobot Month. One host calls More Than Meets the Eye his favorite Transformers run so far. High Moon showed Dinobot gameplay from Fall of Cybertron. Jagex let fans reserve names for Transformers Universe, and Brian got Blaster’s Japanese name, Billy.
Guests
Dan Gilvezan was very nice, while Buster Jones seemed overwhelmed and struggled with the script reading. The Garry Chalk and David Kaye panel was borderline R-rated. The crew learned that David Kaye got into voice acting through his neighbor Garry Chalk.
Rising Retail Prices
The chat discussed rising prices, with Generations Deluxes now $15 MSRP. One host says a former Toys R Us employee, William West, told him of a Bump Up program that lets managers raise prices on collector items. Targets are also marking Dark of the Moon Deluxes back up to $16.
BotCon 2012 Montage
The video montage includes dealer room footage. It also features Jagex’s Steve Huckle on Transformers Universe, a browser-based MMO about 18 months into development and due at year’s end. Pete Sinclair of Fun Publications calls the Junkions and Spinister big hits.
Final Thoughts
The crew calls it one of their favorite BotCons, helped by Fun Publications being based nearby in Fort Worth. Rob wants fans who couldn’t attend to see the commitment to improvement online, not only in person. The crew agrees Brian Savage’s apology was poorly worded in text, and Brian is willing to forgive if action follows.
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.