The Ballad of Exhaust continues as Hasbro Asia reportedly cancels its distribution of Masterpiece Exhaust. Big Bad Toy Store still cannot sell it in the US. New photos show Masterpiece Tracks with Raoul, and a museum exhibit reveals an unproduced Voyager Starscream. DX9 unveils Carry, a not-Rodimus Prime, while Exvee hosts in Brian’s absence.
News
Humble Bundle 2 Raises Over $150,000
The Transformers Humble Bundle ended with nearly 13,000 purchases. It raised more than $150,000 for the Hasbro Children’s Fund. Exvee thanks everyone who bought in and recommends watching for ComiXology sales. [Source: not found]
The Ballad of Exhaust
Hasbro Asia has reportedly canceled its distribution of Masterpiece Exhaust, so its exclusive coin version will not be available. Big Bad Toy Store says it still cannot sell Exhaust in the US, because Philip Morris is not satisfied with the deco changes. Its email ends: “We look forward to less complicated Takara Transformers releases.” Robot Kingdom still plans to fill orders, without the coin. One host calls the situation blown out of proportion. Another explains that Philip Morris must avoid any appearance of marketing to children, and Hasbro’s US headquarters makes it cautious too. The crew advises fans with active preorders not to name their retailers. [Source: Big Bad Toy Store]
New Photos of Masterpiece Tracks with Raoul
Raoul and his blaster have no painted eyes, as the crew expected at that tiny scale. One host notes that small pre-painted model railroad figures rarely get face paint either. The crew loves Tracks’ balanced blue deco and his flight stand. [Source: not found]
Enhanced Photos of TakaraTomy Go Shooter
The Transformers Generations 2014 Vol. 2 exclusive is a Go Shooter redeco of the Nightbeat mold. Two hosts see it as a likely BotCon impulse buy if the price is right. [Source: not found]
Unproduced Voyager Starscream at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum
The Robots in Disguise exhibit shows a Voyager G1 Starscream that appears to be the Legends design scaled up. The crew would buy Voyager Seekers if the figure had knees. One host wants the Fall of Cybertron Seeker mold to replace the retired Classics Seekers. [Source: not found]
Leader Class Megatron Reaches Walmart
The Leader assortment is turning up at US Walmarts. That should help fans find Thundercracker and Ultra Magnus later in the year. Several hosts have not seen it locally, likely because of the port slowdown. [Source: not found]
Out-of-Box Images of Leader Class Thundercracker
One host will pass unless it hits clearance. Another reads Leader Class Seekers as Hasbro’s way to make the jets tower over individual combiner members. The crew expects Skywarp in early 2016 and wants an orange Sunstorm. [Source: not found]
Third-Party News
DX9 Reveals Carry, a Not-Rodimus Prime
Carry has an all-in-one transformation like the Titanium Rodimus Prime, with no separate Hot Rod mode. It stands shorter than MP-10 but larger than the Autobot cars. Exvee wishes Brian were there to weigh in, given his history of exploding Masterpiece Rodimus toys. [Source: not found]
A Masterpiece-Size Not-Sunstreaker
The not-Sunstreaker figure is about 6.3 inches tall, close to Masterpiece Sideswipe. One host thinks third parties are racing to beat TakaraTomy to Sunstreaker. Another expects Takara to wait, since Sunstreaker has few redeco options to help pay for the tooling. [Source: not found]
Around TFormers
Rob wrote a feature explaining who Minimus Ambus is for readers who skipped More Than Meets the Eye. Exvee has now reviewed every Combiner Wars Legends figure, and Blackjack is his favorite. One host admits Bombshell bores him. Inventory leaks point to 2016 figures, including a Legends Shockwave, a Chop Shop and the Bruticus and Scattershot Voyagers. That makes a Kickback unlikely before next year.
RFC at Joelanta and the Twitter Contest
Brian, Diecast and Rob Springer host the RFC panel at Joelanta in Atlanta at 2 p.m. Saturday. John announces that the Combiner Wars Huffer giveaway went to Twitter user Ixion AE. A new contest for Combiner Wars Blackjack is running now.
This Week in History
On March 11, 2002, Sony Wonder and Maverick Entertainment released a UK DVD of five Transformers: Generation 2 episodes. Those episodes carry the CGI Cybernet Space Cube effects. Exvee says G2 was the first Transformers show he saw, and he still looks for the Space Cube transitions. Another host remembers getting up early for the US debut, expecting a brand-new series.
What We Got This Week
Matt got The Complete AllSpark Almanac and calls it fantastic, thicker than his local phone book.
Diecast got Leader Class Armada Megatron and the Robots in Disguise Warrior Class Drift and Optimus Prime. He likes Armada Megatron’s look and will review the others after Joelanta.
Don got Warbotron’s Whirlwind and now needs only the not-Onslaught to finish his Warbotron Bruticus. He was tempted by the One-Step Fixit but will wait for the Legion version.
Rob found a Beast Wars Razorclaw at a thrift store for $1.50.
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.