Charticon co-organizer Eric Warren joins the show a month before the Charlotte convention, with pre-registrations already past expectations. Masterpiece Soundwave and Acid Storm briefly appear on the Toys R Us eBay store before those orders are canceled. A third-party Overlord homage looks huge next to the original. Leaked photos of the club’s second subscription lineup and the San Diego Comic-Con G.I. Joe crossover round out the news.
News
Toys R Us Lists Masterpiece Soundwave and Acid Storm on eBay
Masterpiece Acid Storm, and possibly Soundwave, showed up with Buy It Now on the Toys R Us eBay store before the July 18 release. Brian suspects inventory software listed them automatically. The orders were canceled, which the crew says reflects badly on the retailer. [Source: Seibertron]
A Third-Party Overlord Homage Dwarfs the Original
Comparison photos show a third-party Overlord homage in robot mode beside G1 Overlord. The crew says the robot mode is spot on and enormous. The tank looks odd, and the full jet mode needs the ship, tank and jet combined. It even includes little Powermasters, and the crew expects a price near $200 or more. Brian shares a photo of the G1 Overlord he once owned. [Source: not found]
Leaked Photos of the Club’s Second Subscription Figures
Unofficial photos show the next subscription lineup. Jackpot looks great, though one host dislikes the mold. Circuit is a better idea than a toy, and Slipstream’s face disappoints one host. Exvee and another host like Ultra Mammoth’s colors but do not want another copy of the mold. JD has the subscription and offers a figure for sale, but Rob says he is broke. [Source: not found]
Classics Jetfire Reissue Could Hit Stores
The Classics Jetfire reissue may be a Platinum release or a regular store item. The crew thinks stores could carry it at about $40, unlike the $90 Platinum Ultra Magnus. One host owns Treadbolt and Dark Skyfire, and Exvee pulls out a G2 Jetfire. [Source: not found]
Fans Toys Repaints Quakewave as Shackwave
Fans Toys showed Quakewave repainted as Shackwave, the Radio Shack version of the original Shockwave toy. The crew questions the official-looking art on the box. The new release moves the arm hose to the bottom of the arm, fixing a common complaint. [Source: not found]
Out-of-Box Photos of the SDCC G.I. Joe Crossover
Out-of-box photos show the Comic-Con Skystriker Jetfire and VAMP Hound. The crew calls Bludgeon gorgeous and one of the best ideas for these crossovers. Baroness’s head looks too big for her body, and Ravage is a new, unposable sculpt. The set also includes Snake Eyes, which sparks a running joke about a silent Snake Eyes and Bumblebee team-up. [Source: not found]
Charticon’s Landshark
About 50 Landsharks were made, and Don plans to sleep at the convention doors. He recalls being at the dealer room door by 4 a.m. at BotCon 1994. [Source: not found]
Interview: Eric Warren of Charticon
Eric Warren, one of Charticon’s organizers, says the team has worked on the show since July 2012. Pre-registrations passed 160 against a projection of 125, with fans flying in from Oregon, Texas and Maine. The Aftershock exclusive is sold out, though one may go to Saturday night’s charity auction. Get Right Robot made Landshark on its own, and it goes on sale only at the show, Saturday at 9 a.m. for pre-registered fans. Eric models the show on fan-run BotCons of 1997 to 2003, with BotCon 2001 as his own first convention. IDW artists Brian Shearer and John Wycough will host a how-to-draw panel on Friday night. He teases one more exclusive for fans of Decepticon Double Targetmasters. The next Charticon will likely come in 2015, because he wants quality over an annual date. It will be Diecast’s first Transformers convention.
Q&A with Rob Springer
Gabriel Owens, host of the network’s MMA show, sends a joke question. Jason Van Meter asks whether current upgrade parts fit a G1 Devastator. Rob says they should, since the kits target reissues made from the same molds. Knockoffs may not fit, and joints on a vintage figure could feel a little loose.
Comic Con Coverage
RFC will stream live San Diego Comic-Con coverage on Saturday, starting around noon Eastern.
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.