Paramount eyes a Transformers cinematic universe with Akiva Goldsman leading a writers room, and the crew debates which spin-offs could work. A blue Masterpiece Bluestreak limited to 2,000 pieces sells two hosts on sight. BotCon 2015 lands Frank Welker as a guest and reveals Packrat. TFCon organizer Colin Douglas closes the show with details on Toronto and the new Charlotte convention.
News
A Blue Masterpiece Bluestreak Is Coming
Long-time collectors finally get a blue Bluestreak, named for the character’s Japanese name, Streak. It is the civilian car rather than the police car and comes with real missiles. One host thinks it mixes in Prowl parts. The run is capped at 2,000 pieces, with preorders closing around April 10. Two hosts preordered right away. [Source: not found]
Paramount Eyes a Transformers Cinematic Universe
Paramount has Akiva Goldsman heading a writers room for a wider Transformers film universe. The article suggests Transformers 5 will wait for Michael Bay to finish his current project. The crew would welcome any other director, with Brad Bird as one host’s pick. [Source: not found]
Robots in Disguise Comes to McDonald’s Happy Meals
The next Happy Meal promotion features Robots in Disguise, split with My Little Pony. The crew notices Strongarm and Steeljaw are missing. Several hosts still rank the Beast Machines Happy Meal toys as the best. [Source: not found]
New Robots in Disguise Product Images
Images cover Hyper Change figures, Steeljaw, Minicons, Deployers and a 19-inch three-step Bumblebee. One host likes the Minicon concept and the package art. Another wishes Hasbro would box small figures the way Takara does. [Source: not found]
Generations Leader Thundercracker Wins Over a Host
New photos make one host fall for Leader Class Thundercracker, especially the jet mode. He wants the mold in Skywarp, Starscream and Takara’s orange Sunstorm colors. [Source: not found]
Generations Leader Ultra Magnus
Don thinks Leader Ultra Magnus is a great figure for IDW fans or anyone skipping the Masterpiece. He already owns Masterpiece Ultra Magnus, Citizen Stack, Fansproject City Commander and Titanium Ultra Magnus. Preorders suggest Magnus ships in solid cases rather than mixed with Thundercracker. [Source: not found]
Combiner Wars Wave 2 Ships From Hasbro Toy Shop
Hasbro Toy Shop is shipping its Combiner Wars wave 2 preorders and upgraded the first batch to overnight delivery. Don warns that a large chain near him, Toys R Us, raised Combiner Wars deluxes to $19.99. [Source: not found]
BotCon 2015 News
Frank Welker Will Attend BotCon
Fun Publications is selling a separate Frank Welker package above the Golden Ticket. The crew is glad the panel will be moderated, though they hope he still does a few voices. [Source: not found]
Packrat Revealed
Packrat looks good but surprises no one. One host wonders whether Fractyl could follow as an add-on using the Stealth Bomber Megatron mold. [Source: not found]
Nova Prime and Subscription Service 3.0 Photos
Nova Prime is a paid club figure, and its deco pales next to the free Lio Convoy. Photos of Subscription Service 3.0 Carzap and Krok also surface. One host loves Carzap, while others prefer Ghost Shooter. [Source: not found]
Third-Party News
Toy World Shows Its Not-Grimlock Combiner Core
Most of the crew finds the Toy World Grimlock off, from the long neck to a chest that recalls Big Convoy. Don likes it and has always wanted a Dinobot combiner. Asked to pick a maker for third-party Dinobots, the crew names Fansproject, FansToys and Planet X. [Source: not found]
Perfect Effect Combiner Upgrades Open for Preorder
Preorders are up for the Superion and Menasor parts. One host will buy only the Menasor hip and torso pieces. [Source: not found]
Mastermind Creations Kaon Prototype
Mastermind Creations shows a prototype of Kaon from the Decepticon Justice Division. Their Vos was reportedly delayed because its instructions were printed too large for the box. [Source: not found]
Also on TFormers
Rob and Chris analyzed why the Play With This Too Kickstarter fell short by about $8,400 and what could help a second try. Rob reviewed the Walgreens Easter basket knockoffs for April Fools’ Day. Masterpiece Star Saber topped one Japanese toy sales chart, and the crew guesses Victory Leo could follow. [Source: TFormers]
This Week in History
On April 1, 1998, Beast Wars II premiered in Japan. The crew wishes someone would subtitle it, since watching it raw makes little sense.
The Transformers Cinematic Universe
The crew could live with Transformers and G.I. Joe sharing a Paramount universe. Don pitches a Beast Wars series set before the films, in the style of Agent Carter. Rob doubts a TV show is likely, since budgets and coordination are hard. Other ideas include a Sector 7 series and stories built on characters the films dropped. The crew mostly hopes any change brings new directors and writers.
Interview: Colin Douglas of TFCon
Colin Douglas explains that TFCon has run in the Toronto area since 2002 and expanded to Chicago last year. This year brings TFCon Toronto in July, with Peter Cullen as a guest, and TFCon USA in Charlotte in October. He credits David Cunningham for pushing to bring a convention back to Charlotte. Charlotte gets a bigger panel room, and pre-registration should open in April. The full interview runs on RFC Extra.
What We Got This Week
Diecast
Diecast got a FansToys Sever test shot from FansToys to review. He says it does not feel like a test shot and found he can angle the tail for a bulkier look. His video review is on the RFC YouTube channel.
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.