Hasbro and AllSpark Pictures plan a shared movie universe for Micronauts, Visionaries, G.I. Joe, ROM and M.A.S.K., leaving Transformers on its own. Combiner Wars G2 Superion reaches Walmart Canada, and Toys “R” Us Canada lists G2 Menasor, Victorion and a mystery Platinum Planet of Junk set. IDW’s Deviations asks what if Optimus Prime survived the 1986 movie. A Titans Return Leader Blaster test shot surfaces, and Mark Wahlberg confirms his return for Transformers 5. Exvee hosts and warns listeners off Combiner Wars Scattershot.
This Week in History
In 1989, Sohbi Kikaku released The Transformers: The Movie on LaserDisc in Japan. Exvee adds that the G1 episode “Masquerade” premiered this day in 1985, much to Don’s delight. [Source: TFWiki]
News
Hasbro Cinematic Universe in Development, Without Transformers
Hasbro’s AllSpark Pictures is building a shared universe from Micronauts, Visionaries, G.I. Joe, ROM and M.A.S.K. One host expects it to cross into Transformers once it finds a following. Another notes most of those properties could simply meet on Earth. Don just wants a M.A.S.K. movie with real transforming vehicles. [Source: TFormers]
IDW Explores Alternate Timelines in Deviations
IDW’s five-week Deviations event in March includes a Transformers issue asking what if Optimus Prime did not die in the movie. The crew loves the cover of Kup holding Hot Rod back. The talk turns to how the movie’s deaths hit them as kids. [Source: TFormers]
James Roberts and Tom Scioli Up for Comics Alliance Awards
More Than Meets the Eye’s James Roberts is nominated for Outstanding Writer. Transformers vs. G.I. Joe’s Tom Scioli is up for Outstanding Artist. One host notes ROM proved toy tie-in comics can be well written. [Source: TFormers]
MP-26 Masterpiece Road Rage In-Hand Images
Road Rage looks good, but it is still the Tracks mold. Matt’s stuck leg tabs on Tracks leave him wary. One host will buy it anyway, and the crew pitches a Masterpiece Skids for a Crosscut repaint. [Source: TFormers]
Titans Return Test Shot Leader Class Blaster Surfaces
A test shot of Titans Return Leader Blaster turned up on Taobao. Most of the toy appears to be one plastic runner. Its clear helmet shows how small the Titan Master head is inside. [Source: TFormers]
Combiner Wars Box Set SKUs Appear at Toys “R” Us Canada
Canadian Toys “R” Us listings show G2 Menasor, G2 Superion, Victorion and a Platinum Planet of Junk set. The crew has no idea what the Junk set is and hopes it stays a surprise. At about $109 Canadian, the crew guesses it holds two or three figures. [Source: TFormers]
Combiner Wars G2 Superion in Stock at Walmart Canada
G2 Superion is in stock on Walmart Canada’s website for about $150 Canadian. One host has heard hints of US orders around New Year’s, but nothing is confirmed. Another is waiting for G2 Menasor. [Source: TFormers]
Combiner Wars G2 Superion In-Hand Photos
An in-hand gallery shows G2 Superion and his box. One host loves the packaging, though he wishes it matched the Fall of Cybertron G2 Bruticus set. [Source: TFormers]
Unite Warriors Grand Galvatron Webcomic
TakaraTomy Mall’s four-page webcomic places Grand Galvatron ten years after Headmasters. Galvatron’s head rides in Cyclonus’s torso, and Unicron offers the ghostly limbs instead of his own wreckage. The crew likes the Sakamoto art. [Source: TFormers]
Mark Wahlberg Confirms His Return for Transformers 5
Mark Wahlberg confirmed in a video interview that he returns for Transformers 5. The crew says he did not need to come back. One host admits he is at least better than Sam Witwicky. [Source: TFormers]
Third-Party News
Jinbao Into the Sky, an Upsized Feral Rex
Jinbao’s knockoff scales Feral Rex up to roughly Leader size per figure. John says his Feral Rex is already about 14 inches tall and needs no upsizing. Don would consider a black and purple version. [Source: TFormers]
Mastermind Creations Anarchus In-Hand Photos
MMC’s unofficial Kaon becomes an electric chair, a scorpion and an operating table. Don is amazed it packs so cleanly into robot mode. One host praises MMC for making characters Hasbro never will. [Source: TFormers]
TFC Toys Minos and Thanatos New Color Photos
TFC Toys’ Hellbat and Killbison look nice in photos. One host who saw the prototypes at TFCon says they still look like TFC. Don still wants a Liokaiser he is not afraid to touch. [Source: TFormers]
This Week on the Network
On RFC Mini-cast 38, John, Don and Brian rethink the Transformers mythos. Being Awesome with Rob Springer covers Grand Galvatron and a Q&A. The Superhero Time After Show discusses fixing Scattershot’s deco. TFormers posts video reviews of Legends Shockwave, Buzzsaw and Chop Shop plus a Unite Warriors Defensor preview. Rob reviews Robots in Disguise Animated 5.
Don asks collectors to help confused parents and grandparents find the right toys this season.
What We Got This Week
Don got Robots in Disguise Overload, whose Mini-Con launcher fires clear across the room. The arms are a bit hollow, but the treads cover the back in vehicle mode. He also has Legends Chop Shop and Shockwave, unopened, and TakaraTomy Devastator is shipping.
Diecast got his upscaled MP-10 knockoff, which is bigger than his head. He says it beats the original with more paint applications and die-cast feet. His review is on RFC Reviews. DX9’s Tyrant and X-Transbots’ Andras are on the way.
Exvee got Combiner Wars Scattershot and now hates it. The combiner head is white plastic painted gunmetal, so it could have been any color. The deco mixes toy and cartoon colors, and the torso mode needs Computron’s brownish-red and white thighs. He also got the Unite Warriors Defensor set, about $170. Groove feels like a third-party Combiner Wars toy, with a steerable front wheel and clear guns. Unite Warriors Onslaught has the gray chest and tighter joints than Hasbro’s Hot Spot.
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.