Longtime BotCon friend LV, also known as Graham, joins John DeLuna to explain why he stopped buying Generations and skipped Combiner Wars. He is far more excited by the 2015 Robots in Disguise series, with its Bumblebee-led team and all-new Decepticons. The two review the first Warriors toys, including Grimlock, Bumblebee and Drift. They close by explaining why both gave up on Transformers Battle Tactics.
Old BotCon Friends
LV went to every BotCon from 1997 in Rochester through 2012, then missed 2013 and 2014. He says the shows matter less now because news and exclusives hit the internet within seconds. For him, missing BotCon mostly means missing friends.
Why LV Skipped Combiner Wars
LV says he burned out on G1-style Generations around the comic-based wave with Orion Pax and Trailbreaker. He had no end game for a classics shelf that is never finished. He prefers Transformers Prime and the movie designs, and does not feel he must own every cool toy. John still collects Combiner Wars but admits the classics run, going since 2007, is now longer than G1 ran in the US. LV hopes Hasbro can someday take a Beast Wars-style leap, though the movies make that hard.
Robots in Disguise 2015
Neither host has watched the show yet. LV likes that it continues the Prime universe and that Bumblebee, not Optimus Prime or Megatron, leads. He is thrilled to hear Khary Payton in Transformers and likes the all-new Decepticons, from a crab man to a shark. Both welcome a lighter tone after the serious Prime.
Warriors Grimlock, Bumblebee and Drift
LV has not broken Warriors Grimlock’s elbows despite online reports and calls him the best of the first four Warriors. He finds him too small, though, and calls the single collector scale the line’s biggest problem. LV pre-ordered the Japanese version of the three-step Grimlock for its extra paint. He loves Warriors Bumblebee and strongly recommends Drift for his transformation, swords and color scheme. John plans to finish the set with Steeljaw.
Out of the Battle Tactics Honeymoon
LV quit after losing repeated progression matches, then returned when a free Space Bridge drop gave him a high-tier Skids. The Menasor event lets players earn Stunticons as event rewards. [Source: Graphic Policy] LV worries that rewards like the Stunticons will tilt player-versus-player even further. He balks at paying about 1,000 gold for only a chance at Circuit. John stopped after reaching his goal of Sky Shadow, collecting Runamuck along the way. He suggests random rare drops could pull lapsed players back.
Contributors: John DeLuna, LV (Graham, guest)
Your snack-size Transformers podcast every week. Get in-depth reviews, commentary and more in 30 minutes or less!