The RFC Mini-cast – 033: TFCon Charlotte with Headmaster Don

Headmaster Don walks John through TFCon Charlotte 2015, which John missed. Don calls the hotel the best he has seen at any con, and the dealer room packed despite more space than Chicago. Fans Project’s first Not Dinoking Triceratops shell sold at $70, convention only, which left Don torn. The pair also question third party’s habit of big ideas and slow execution.

The Hotel and the Crowd

Don arrived Thursday to hang out with Diecast and Matt, and Brian joined Friday. He calls the hotel the best con hotel he has stayed in, with suites, a fridge, a microwave and breakfast included at about $149 a night. He raised the amenities at the organizers’ panel and hopes other conventions take the hint. The dealer room was so crowded you could not move, even though it was bigger than TFCon Chicago’s.

Karaoke Night

The hotel bar hosted a 21-and-up karaoke night. Don wanted to be first to sing Stan Bush’s “The Touch,” but the catalog did not have it. He sang “Eye of the Tiger” instead. He liked the idea but thinks an enclosed room would have kept people engaged.

The Dealer Room

Don liked the simple, roomy layout. He estimates the mix at about 60-40 in favor of Hasbro and Takara product, mostly G1 and Classics/Generations, with little Robots in Disguise. Japanese Adventure figures were plentiful, though he never found Adventure Optimus. Much of the third party sat along one wall, including Fans Project, where Don was helping out.

Fans Project’s Not Dinoking Shells

Fans Project had the first two Not Dinoking figures and, for the first time, the Triceratops shell. Don says the shells look to be convention-only because they are costly to make. The Triceratops shell is about the size of a football and has no articulation. At $70 each across six shells, he passed. He hopes Fans Project finds wider distribution, perhaps a Kickstarter with a variant color run.

Third-Party Reveals and Fatigue

Don was “whelmed” by the reveals, since most were better pictures of known items. Highlights included a super-deformed Trypticon with a city mode and a color shot of a third-party Metroplex-style figure. In person, its contrasting purples and greens nearly changed his mind. John argues third party is big on ideas and small on execution. Don points to Fans Project’s Headmasters, which have trickled out since 2012. Both are tired of more Dinobots and Constructicons.

Moving Past 1984 to 1986

Don praises Fans Project’s new City Commander armor that no longer has to be removed for transformation. He is glad to see Japanese combiners such as TFC’s Liokaiser. John wants more G2-era subjects, and Don wants more lower-cost Cyber Jets like Mech Ideas’ Jump Starters and DX9’s War in Pocket line.

Deals on the Floor

Don says the convention floor beats online prices. He saw complete third-party combiner sets, a Make Toys Quantron for $298 and Devastator sets from $298. He resisted a black and purple Feral Rex because he wanted it for the colors, not as Predaking. Don bought Devil Star with $20 off for a broken box. He also picked up the first three Not Dinoking figures for about the price of two once the third arrived Sunday.

Panels and Final Thoughts

Don’s standout was Rick Alvarez’s panel on why the Aligned continuity failed. His takeaway is that the Prime production company, the Hub and Hasbro all wanted different things. Diecast and Rob Springer represented RFC on the multi-podcaster panel. Don found the con comic-heavy but well run, with fast, well-moderated panels and plenty of room on Sunday to dig through boxes.

Contributors: John, Don