This special episode remembers JD Church, the longtime Radio Free Cybertron contributor who died in February 2014. It marks the fifth anniversary of the show’s return to a regular schedule, a return Brian credits to JD. The episode features JD’s first appearance on the show from 2000, clips chosen by friends and fans, and his final moments on the show from January 2014. JD’s wife, Amanda, shares a message of thanks to listeners, and Rob Springer offers his own remembrance. Brian closes with a personal farewell to his friend.
Why This Episode
Brian explains that the show held a tribute during its Toy Fair 2014 coverage, but it could not capture everything JD meant. He sets this week aside each year going forward to remember JD. The clips come from fan requests and many hours of archives, much of it unpublished.
JD’s First Appearance: Optimus Prime for President
JD first appeared on Radio Free Cybertron in 2000, during a mock presidential campaign between Optimus Prime and Galvatron. JD voiced the campaign ad for Optimus Prime, and Brian notes how little JD’s voice changed over the years.
JD Hosts: Masterpiece G2 Sideswipe
In a fan-requested clip from 2013, JD guest hosts and gleefully keeps Don and Diecast in line. The crew discovers the reveal of Masterpiece G2 Sideswipe mid-show. When Don points out the missing bandoliers, JD sends him to timeout. Brian admits JD was right.
A Message from Amanda
Amanda thanks listeners for their generosity and support after JD’s death. Her fondest memory is JD’s infectious laugh, especially when he was laughing at himself. JD often said he had not accomplished much, she says, but the fans are the proof he was mistaken. Brian echoes her thanks.
JD and Cold Hard Slag
An early interview from around 2000 captures JD, also known as Unicron Spawn, talking about his start in the fandom. He returned to Transformers in late 1997, began writing toy reviews and ran the alt.toys.transformers Who’s Who. He joined the Cold Hard Slag team by pointing out the site needed toy reviews, then designed its logo. JD also tells how he found Radio Free Cybertron and listened to the whole archive in one night.
Episode 315: The Bet
Hosting episode 315 while Brian was away, JD jokes that he won his bet to trick Brian into bringing the show back.
Archive Moments
A string of clips captures JD’s humor. Pre-show talk about fast food turns into a debate over Miracle Whip. JD defends Generation 2 as top-tier Transformers fiction and needles friends over the price of a God Ginrai reissue. Brian notes that JD knew how to push the show’s boundaries while keeping it close to PG-13.
BotCon 2012 Hall of Fame Night
Brian recalls a road trip to BotCon 2012 in Dallas, Exvee’s first BotCon and JD’s first in 11 years. In a clip recorded that night, JD recaps the Hall of Fame dinner, including the tribute video for Chris Latta and Simon Furman’s speech. The Shockwave video ended with a surprise Transformers Prime clip of Shockwave that left the room floored. Fan choice Wheeljack won.
Rob Springer Remembers JD
Rob Springer says JD’s death came as a shock, since it seemed JD was about to pull through. He will always remember JD’s distinctive laugh and a Doritos joke JD once made. Rob credits JD with talking Brian into bringing the show back, and he asks listeners never to forget their friend.
JD’s Toy Reviews and Hunts
In a classic review, JD gives Beast Machines Battle Unicorn four God Magnus thumbs up while calling it one of the worst-named toys in years. In another clip, he cheerfully confesses to becoming a toy hunter, finding Dark of the Moon Voyager Sentinel Prime at Ross. He also shows off the Dark of the Moon preview Optimus Prime that came with 3D glasses.
JD and Fort Max: The Road to Tulsa
The most requested clip comes from Superhero Time. JD and Fort Max argue at length over the best route from Dallas to Tulsa. Brian says he has listened to it dozens of times and it never gets old.
JD’s Last Moments on Radio Free Cybertron
Before playing the end of JD’s final episode from January 2014, Brian shares a few words. He calls JD one of his best friends and says JD changed the trajectory of his life. He thinks about JD every day and will miss him forever. The episode closes with JD’s last exchange with Don.
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.