Takara Tomy reveals Unite Warriors Convoy Grand Prime, whose sharper decos make the crew wish Hasbro’s Autobot combiner looked this good. A silhouette teases a proper Masterpiece Hot Rod, and leaked factory photos show Masterpiece Tracks. Combiner Wars Onslaught’s alternate Demolisher head baffles everyone, while Brawl’s production sample looks great. The Combiner Wars animated series gains Megas XLR creator George Krstic as a writer. DX9’s Tyrant has Don ready to pair it with Carry.
This Week in History
In 2005, Fun Publications holds its first BotCon, ten years ago this week. John lived about 20 minutes away and remembers the extracurricular fun more than the small show. The crew notes Fun Publications had only months to prepare. They praise the convention set’s Energon Towline-mold Ironhide and Ratchet. The same week, Metrodome released The Headmasters on DVD in the UK with commentary from Chris McFeely, and that set included the English dub.
News
Combiner Wars Brawl Production Sample
A production sample of Combiner Wars Brawl shows off its colored plastic. The crew says it looks much like the painted sample from BotCon. They are glad to see a new mold, especially with next year looking light on them. [Source: not found]
Leaked Factory Photos of MP-25 Tracks
Camera-phone photos of MP-25 Tracks appear to come straight from the factory. One host says seeing it in someone’s hand makes it less magical, though it still looks good to others. The crew suspects factory scheduling explains the delay. Don laughs that the size comparison uses an Asia-only deluxe Leadfoot. [Source: not found]
Combiner Wars Onslaught Gets a Demolisher Head
A new alternate head for Combiner Wars Onslaught is Demolisher from Armada. The crew likes the sculpt but says it does not suit the Hot Spot-based body. Several hosts think it would fit Brawl’s tank far better. They joke that Hasbro picks heads by blindfolding someone in a room full of resin head sculpts. [Source: not found]
Silhouette Teases a Masterpiece Hot Rod
A silhouette appears to tease a proper Masterpiece Hot Rod. The crew is glad, since MP-09 was built around Rodimus Prime and many copies have fallen apart. One host says Hot Rod should scale with the Autobot cars and Rodimus with Optimus Prime. [Source: not found]
Unite Warriors Convoy Grand Prime Revealed
Takara Tomy reveals UW-05 Convoy Grand Prime, its version of the Combiner Wars Autobot combiner. The crew agrees the Takara decos look far better than Hasbro’s, especially Sunstreaker, Mirage and Prowl. Optimus Prime gains red on his midsection and blue feet. One host notes Takara keeps splitting parts into new plastic colors to avoid unpaintable plastic. The torso deco nods to Energon Optimus Prime, known as Grand Convoy in Japan. [Source: not found]
Michael Bay Not Yet Committed to Transformers 5
Michael Bay says he has not officially joined Transformers 5, as with the previous two films. The crew reads it as a contract dance rather than a denial. Most would welcome a new director, and Brad Bird comes up as a favorite. One rumor says the writers room produced two scripts: an animated prequel and Transformers 5 by Akiva Goldsman. [Source: not found]
Combiner Wars Animated Series Writers Revealed
Rob reports that the New York Comic Con panel announcement names writers for the Combiner Wars animated series. Eric Calderon of Afro Samurai: Resurrection appears to be head writer, and Megas XLR creator George Krstic is also writing. Several hosts are now enthusiastic about the series. [Source: TFW2005]
X-Transbots Boost and Hatch
X-Transbots reveals Boost and Hatch, unofficial Windcharger and Tailgate. One host held its Beachcomber test shot and was impressed, though he did not transform it. The crew wants these figures but will not buy first runs given the X-Transbots and KFC pattern of fixing problems later, as with Apollyon. [Source: not found]
Fans Project Continues Its Dinoking Combiner
Fans Project shows the next two pieces of its Ryu series Dinoking homage, Dino Shi and Dino San. Two hosts want them because a G1 Dinoking costs too much. Limbs run about $69 and torsos about $89. One host worries about committing to a team released one piece at a time. The crew expects a boxed Monstructor version and wonders about pricing for the shells. [Source: TFW2005]
MakeToys and KFC Unofficial Reflectors
MakeToys and KFC both show unofficial Reflectors. The crew agrees the MakeToys version looks much more like Reflector. The KFC figures stand a head taller and look too narrow. [Source: not found]
DX9 Tyrant New Photos
New photos show DX9’s D07 Tyrant, its unofficial Masterpiece-scale Galvatron. Don says he will have to get it to go with Carry. One host loves the frown and the glittery arm cannon like the original toy, while another dislikes the hands. One host canceled his Carry preorder after seeing the Masterpiece Hot Rod tease. [Source: not found]
Play With This Too Kickstarter Returns
The Play With This Too Kickstarter is back with a simpler pitch and cheaper figures. It has raised about $23,000 of a roughly $90,000 goal with 25 days left. The crew says the company clearly listened to criticism of its first campaign. [Source: not found]
DX9 Shattered Glass Rodimus
DX9 will repaint Carry as a Shattered Glass Rodimus, which the crew finds ugly. They would rather see the black e-Hobby Masterpiece Rodimus deco. Several hosts would buy that on a figure they trust not to fall apart. [Source: not found]
What We Got This Week
Diecast
Diecast got Generation Toys Scrapper and calls it nice but not perfect. His review includes an alternate transformation that lets the scoop sit lower. He also got a Freedom 2016 Optimus Prime shirt from fan Michael Kincaid. His New York Comic Con press pass and an invite to Hasbro’s pre-show event arrived too.
Chris
Chris got the Perfect Effect PC-04 kit, a body filler for Menasor, and does not think it lives up to the Perfect Combiner name. It forces the legs into a wide stance that does not suit the Hasbro feet and gives up hip articulation. He skipped the alternate head and sword spacer because they fit badly. At about $30, he says it was not worth it and plans a TFormers review. He also got Transformers Adventure Runabout and Override but has not opened them.
Brian
Brian got a Masterpiece Starscream, thanks to Don.
Don
Don found two Masterpiece Starscreams, one for Brian and one for a friend. He also picked up the Combiner Wars wave four Autobot limbs and Rodimus but is debating whether to keep the limbs.
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.