Hasbro’s Toy Fair sneak peek brings Combiner Wars G2 Bruticus with a G2 Shockwave, plus Titans Return Powermaster Optimus Prime. Packaging art colors Optimus’s Titan Master as Ginrai, and Robots in Disguise adds Cyclone Mini-Cons and Deployers. BotCon 2016 books Scott McNeil, and the Titans Return fan vote pits Trypticon, Scorponok and Omega Supreme. TFC Toys’ Hades and Poseidon lead a big third-party week, with DX9’s Blitzwing close behind. Brian finds Mastermind Creations’ Sphinx outclasses Masterpiece Tracks.
This Week in History
In 2002, Spy Changer versions of Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, X-Brawn and Scourge came out in Japan as USA Editions. Brian misses Spy Changers. The crew notes Spy Changer Scourge reached US stores first, as a Toys “R” Us exclusive. [Source: TFWiki]
News
Show notes now have shortcuts, such as tfradio.net/444.
IDW Comics Review: Sins of the Wreckers #1
Sins of the Wreckers #1 is out, and Rob reviews it on TFormers. Don worries one of his favorite characters may not last. [Source: TFormers]
BotCon Announces Scott McNeil for 2016
The next Beast Wars cast member at BotCon 2016 is Scott McNeil, his seventh BotCon. One host calls him a favorite guest. Don might visit the hotel bar this year just to see which voice comes out next. [Source: TFormers]
Titans Return Fan Vote: Trypticon, Scorponok or Omega Supreme?
Voting has closed on the Transformers Facebook poll for the next Titan. Don voted Omega Supreme to face Devastator. One host likes Trypticon with a deluxe robot that becomes his head. Another host expects all three within a few years anyway. [Source: TFormers]
Combiner Wars Sky Lynx First In-Hand Photo
Sky Lynx has turned up in hand. Brian wants it, though he wishes it split in two. One host recalls Hasbro saying a Lynx mode is possible by turning the toy around. [Source: TFormers]
Robots in Disguise Kinder Surprise Eggs
Robots in Disguise toys are coming in Kinder Surprise eggs. The eggs are banned in the US because they hide toys inside food. Brian really wants the Grimlock. [Source: TFormers]
Packaging Art for Powermaster Optimus Prime: Titan Master Ginrai?
Hasbro Pulse posted Titans Return packaging art for Powermaster Optimus Prime. His Titan Master Apex is colored like Ginrai from Masterforce. Brian would rather have Ginrai, but another host thinks the presentation colors are accurate. Don and Brian split over Masterforce’s English dub. [Source: TFormers]
Toy Fair 2016 Sneak Peek: G2 Bruticus and Powermaster Optimus Prime
Combiner Wars G2 Bruticus comes with a G2 Shockwave in Action Master colors. Blast Off again uses the Quickslinger mold, so a G2 Defensor likely means a G2 Rook. Powermaster Optimus Prime is a retool of Ultra Magnus, closer to shared engineering. The full reveals are on RFC Extra 20. [Source: TFormers]
Robots in Disguise Cyclone Mini-Cons, Deployers and Battle Packs
New Mini-Cons and Deployers are revealed, and fans like the armored battle packs. The crew notes season two has only 16 episodes, which feels like the end. Don hopes season two ties the show more closely to Prime. [Source: TFormers]
Third-Party News
MakeToys MTCM-04E Katana New Photos
Katana is MakeToys’ Blades homage for its Guardia combiner. Brian ranks MakeToys alongside Mastermind Creations, Fansproject and Fans Toys. [Source: TFormers]
Mastermind Creations Anarchus, an Unofficial Kaon
Anarchus turns into an electric chair and a scorpion. The crew says these are characters Hasbro will likely never make. One host says the robot mode reminds him of Air Man from Mega Man. [Source: TFormers]
Iron Factory Prototype Legends-Scale Figures
Iron Factory shows Legends-scale Azalea, Blitzwing, Deadlock, a War Within Optimus Prime and a Black Shadow. One host says Iron Factory has found its niche at about $20 a figure. Don suggests Micromaster combiners at that size. [Source: TFormers]
TFC Toys Poseidon Seacons Prototypes
TFC Toys shows three of its unofficial Seacons. One host is not sold, given TFC’s track record. [Source: TFormers]
TFC Toys Hades, an Unofficial Liokaiser
Hades looks better than the crew expected from TFC Toys. Don still worries after TFC’s Aerialbots, though he wants a Liokaiser he can handle. Brian wonders who the audience is, but another host says Liokaiser fans want an affordable version. Don hopes it opens the door to Road Caesar or Raiden. [Source: TFormers]
Third-Party Reveals From a Chinese Event
DX9’s Blitzwing stands out to Brian. The event also shows Mastermind Creations’ Carnifex, an IDW-style Cyclonus and a Sandstorm. One host admits his Generations Blitzwing is now up for sale on eBay. [Source: TFormers]
This Week on the Network
RFC Extra 20, hosted by Rob Clay, covers Hasbro’s new reveals. Being Awesome with Rob Springer covers Q&A and the week’s news. TFormers ran Combaticon Awareness Week, with Rob’s history articles and Chris’s reviews of the four deluxes. Chris also reviewed More Than Meets the Eye 47.
What We Got This Week
Brian got Legends Nightbird, Blackarachnia, Slipstream and Ultra Magnus, plus the Rumble and Frenzy reissue. He also got Mastermind Creations’ Sphinx and Spartan, Masterpiece Tracks and the metallic Encore Sixshot. Spartan is amazingly solid. After handling Tracks, he decided Sphinx is not so bad after all. At about the same price, he finds the third-party Sphinx nicer than the first-party Tracks.
Matt calls his Masterpiece Tracks “Masterpiece Disappointment.” He likes it well enough, but it has major problems.
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.