Hasbro files a US trademark for “Cybertron Con,” the name of its Asian fan event, and the crew guesses what it means here. TakaraTomy announces MP-30 Masterpiece Ratchet, and the crew finds it even less appealing than Masterpiece Ironhide. The Transformers: Earth Wars mobile game appears to preview Titans Return Soundwave as a Blaster repaint. Planet X’s Vulcan, Mastermind Creations’ pricey Seraphicus Prominon and X-Transbots’ unofficial Scourge lead the third-party news. Exvee hosts while Brian is away.
Network Updates
Radio Free Cybertron, the RFC Mini-cast and Being Awesome with Rob Springer now have their own iTunes feeds. The combined feed still carries everything. Diecast’s reviews now have their own YouTube channel, RFC Reviews, at tfradio.net/reviews. Diecast also recaps his first time selling at New Jersey Collectors Con.
This Week in History
In 1987, “The Rebirth” miniseries premiered in the US, and its third part ended the original series. Don says the story was first planned as five episodes and cut to three. The crew wishes the Headmasters and Nebulans got more room. Don still loves it for finally bringing Headmasters and Targetmasters to the screen.
News
Hasbro Files a US Trademark for Cybertron Con
Cybertron Con is the event where Hasbro reveals products for the Asian market. One host wonders if it will name Hasbro’s Toy Fair event. Others think Hasbro may just be protecting the name. The crew stresses it is too early to say it replaces BotCon. [Source: not found]
MP-30 Masterpiece Ratchet Announced
MP-30 Ratchet is a remold of Masterpiece Ironhide. Matt hates the mold, and most of the crew thinks Ratchet looks even worse. Don holds up two older figures with Ironhide and Ratchet heads and says they look better to him. A single front crotch plate and gaps behind the arms worry the crew. Don later notes Ironhide appears to have separate flaps after all. [Source: not found]
Is Masterpiece Quality Slipping?
The crew worries a faster Masterpiece schedule is costing engineering time. Rob notes Ironhide and Ratchet’s cartoon design is nearly impossible to build. One host says designer Hasui has moved on, and a returning designer now leads the line. [Source: not found]
Unite Warriors Devastator Gets Elbows and New Guns
New photos show the Unite Warriors Devastator decos with new guns and added elbows. One host thinks the guns look out of place. Another canceled his preorder, while a third bought it for a second Devastator. [Source: not found]
Transformers: Earth Wars Previews Titans Return Soundwave
The new mobile game uses toy-based models. Its Soundwave appears to be Titans Return Soundwave, a clear Blaster repaint. Diecast says that surprises no one, with Ravage and Buzzsaw already coming. [Source: not found]
Transformers: Rising Shuts Down November 30
Transformers: Rising will close on November 30. None of the crew had played it. John is still finishing his credits in Transformers: Battle Tactics. [Source: not found]
Transformers: The Movie Cels and Backgrounds Gallery
Rob shares an Imgur gallery of cels and backgrounds from the 1986 movie. Some images look like stitched screen grabs, but one cel is signed by Peter Cullen. The crew loves the Autobot City panorama and calls the movie a visual feast. [Source: not found]
Third-Party News
Planet X Vulcan Near-Final Test Shots
Planet X’s Fall of Cybertron-style Grimlock looks great. One host notes how close it is to Hasbro’s Voyager Grimlock. Another would pick Planet X if he went all in on third-party Dinobots. [Source: not found]
Mastermind Creations Seraphicus Prominon Color Test Shots
Mastermind Creations’ Reformatted Nova Prime is about $200 with the trailer at early-bird pricing. The cab robot and trailer sell separately, like an installment plan. Most of the crew says it is too much, but Diecast is buying it as an MMC fan. [Source: not found]
X-Transbots Final Production Photos of Its Unofficial Scourge
X-Transbots’ Masterpiece-size Scourge looks great and lights up in three places. The lights take nine uncommon batteries. It can do the flying boat head mode. Diecast wants one in hand before he trusts X-Transbots’ quality. [Source: not found]
This Week on the Network
On Being Awesome, Rob Springer wins an Angry Birds Transformers Halloween tournament. On TFormers, Rob reviews Robots in Disguise 4 and Combiner Wars Mirage. TFormers also has a Battle Grimlock review and a gallery of Masterpiece Optimus Prime and Soundwave painted to match Transformers: Devastation. Rob explains why the Robots in Disguise comic is ending, and the Devastation preorder DLC is now on consoles.
What We Got This Week
Diecast is playing with his Provider. He placed his first Taobao order, for an upscaled MP-10 knockoff. MMC Spartan and Masterpiece Tracks are on the way for RFC Reviews.
John got Mastermind Creations’ Grandus Hexatron. He likes it a lot, though he has had another version of the mold for two years.
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.