Radio Free Cybertron marks its 475th episode and seven years of continuous podcasting, a return the crew credits to the late JD Church. Exvee gives hands-on impressions of Titans Return Fortress Maximus, and Deluxe Wave 1 turns up at a Texas Fry’s Electronics. Machinima’s Combiner Wars prelude debuts as a motion comic. Figure King shows how Masterpiece Inferno’s ladder transforms, and Toyworld tests an unofficial Masterpiece-style Conehead. Don earns a new segment for his bargain hunting.
Seven Years Back, Thanks to JD Church
Brian notes that episode 475 is also the seventh anniversary of RFC’s return to continuous podcasting. JD Church convinced him to bring the show back after nearly five years without an episode. The crew says they miss JD.
This Week in History
In 2005, the Cybertron cartoon premiered in the US with its third episode, “Hidden.” The crew calls it the most fumbled launch of the Unicron Trilogy’s best show. In 2006, the thirteenth Kiss Players radio drama aired in Japan, and Brian reads more of the show’s synopses.
News
It’s Happening! Titans Return Deluxe Wave 1 Sighted In US At A Texas Fry’s Electronics
Titans Return Deluxe Wave 1 has been spotted at a Texas Fry’s Electronics. The crew recalls Fry’s also got Classics first in 2006. Target’s Titans Return listings reuse Combiner Wars stock numbers, so they will not help track shipments. [Source: TFormers]
Machinima Combiner Wars Prelude Released – First Look at New Transformers Cartoon
Machinima released the first prelude to its Combiner Wars series, starring a G1-style Optimus Prime and Megatron. It is a motion comic, and the crew has heard the series itself will be full CG. One host wishes Optimus were written more like his G1 self, and one host notes the creator of Megas XLR is a writer. [Source: TFormers]
Masterpiece Inferno Photos In Figure King Magazine – See How Inferno’s Ladder Transforms!
Figure King photos show Masterpiece Inferno’s ladder folding into his chest. The crew thinks it looks good from every angle, though one host just does not care about Inferno. [Source: TFormers]
More Figure King scans show Masterpiece Inferno, Masterpiece Cheetor and Legends Ginrai, plus Shogo Hasui on Fortress Maximus. The gray Cheetor prototype shows every seam, and the crew wants to see it in color. [Source: TFormers]
The Hong Kong package confirms Master Sword’s tip detaches as a sword for Cerebros. It appears to split into three segments, and the crew wonders what the middle piece is for. [Source: TFormers]
Legends LG-31 Fortress Maximus TakaraTomy Titan Class Figure New Stock Photos
New stock photos show Takara Tomy’s Legends LG-31 Fortress Maximus. Exvee says the versions differ only slightly, though Takara’s has translucent red eyes. One host still wishes the sounds used Rebirth clips, and the crew likes Legends Blaster hooked up to it. [Source: TFormers]
Titans Return, SDCC Exclusives, And Combiner Wars Computron At Hong Kong Transformers Event
A Hasbro hands-on event in Hong Kong gave a good look at Combiner Wars Computron, due September 15. Opinions on Nosecone are split, and Strafe is the figure the crew most wants to handle. [Source: TFormers]
Titans Return Deluxe Brainstorm Retail Release Confirmed
A Walgreens buyer tweeted photos of Deluxe Brainstorm in retail packaging. Rob notes that does not prove it is a Walgreens exclusive. It means fans can skip the SDCC set to get Brainstorm. [Source: TFormers]
Transformers: Prime the Complete Series Blu-ray Boxset Coming August 2016
Transformers: Prime The Complete Series is coming to Blu-ray in August. Amazon lists it as an import for $145, so one host expects buying the seasons separately would be cheaper. The crew confirms the Transformers: The Movie Blu-ray includes a digital copy. [Source: TFormers]
First Look Crosshairs New Z06 Sighted Detroit Transformers: The Last Knight Location
A green Corvette Z06, likely Crosshairs, was spotted at a Last Knight location in Detroit. [Source: TFormers]
Knight Megatron New Official Image From Transformers The Last Knight
A new official image shows Megatron in The Last Knight. The crew jokes that he looks like Cthulhu. [Source: TFormers]
Squeeks’ Robot Head New Image From Transformers: The Last Knight Filming
A new photo shows Sqweeks’ robot head, which reminds one host of an Armada Mini-Con. [Source: TFormers]
Tyrese Gibson Returns as Sgt Epps in Transformers The Last Knight
Tyrese Gibson returns as Sgt. Epps. The crew mostly wants to see Epps punch Mark Wahlberg’s character. [Source: TFormers]
Toyworld Masterpiece-Alike Unofficial Conehead Seeker Testshot Images
Toyworld showed test shots of an unofficial Masterpiece-style Conehead Seeker. Don hopes it avoids the proportion problems of Takara’s Thrust and Ramjet. The crew notes it competes directly with Takara Tomy, and the black and green test shots could pass for Acid Storm. [Source: TFormers]
Also on TFormers
Exvee posted his Fortress Maximus unboxing and preview. Rob reviewed the final issues of Transformers vs. G.I. Joe and Sins of the Wreckers. He credits IDW for helping Nick Roche finish Sins of the Wreckers as sole writer and artist. Comparison photos pair Titans Return Hardhead with the Function X line, and the SDCC Fortress Maximus poster is shown.
Listener Question
Brandon asks about the separate combiner piece that comes with Toy World’s unofficial Devastator. One host says a Masterpiece-level combiner should not need parts added and removed. Another thinks the Titan Class Devastator is more of a Masterpiece. A third calls the piece a novelty others are unlikely to copy.
Donanomics
The crew decides that Don’s bargain buys deserve their own segment, Donanomics, starting next week.
What We Got This Week
Diecast got Unite Warriors Bruticus. He says Blast Off’s extra engineering, including ankle tilts, feels like a Takara Tomy design, and his review is up on RFC Reviews.
Exvee got Titans Return Fortress Maximus. He calls Cerebros big and chunky, about the size of a Beast Wars Mega. The transformation sound triggers too easily, and the waist and hips are loose in base and ship modes. He wishes it came with the gun from the package art, and the Rebirth-style face is growing on him.
Don has a Boosticus cassette coming from a friend for his G2 Bruticus. He also points to his $8 Alternity Dai Atlas.
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.