Third-party makers have six Masterpiece-scale Springers announced, and John DeLuna wants to know why. In this RFC-sized Mini-cast, filling in for a week with no Radio Free Cybertron, John, Rob Clay, Don and Matt debate Springer’s sudden popularity, whether Arcee has lost her mystique, and how much IDW’s comics really steer the Transformers toy line. The episode closes on IDW’s Revolution crossover and whether it landed with a bang or a thud.
Why Does Third Party Love Springer?
John opens by asking why Springer, of all characters, is getting the third-party Masterpiece treatment, with six announced versions. Rob Clay credits IDW’s Last Stand of the Wreckers for reminding fans Springer existed, followed by demand for the Generations Voyager Springer. He still prefers the Sandstorm version of that toy because the head stays on during transformation. Rob suspects third-party makers saw Springer as a safe pick Takara would not rush to make, then piled in once there was “blood in the water.” Matt calls Springer one of his favorites from Season 3 of the cartoon, but he does not buy unofficial Masterpiece-scale figures. John wonders why Arcee gets nothing comparable.
Has Arcee Lost Her Shine?
Don argues Arcee is still a core character of the movie era, yet she has not received a definitive Masterpiece-quality figure. He would like one with an optional Headmaster partner, posed without robot cheesecake. Don also feels more female characters like Chromia, Nautica and Elita-1 have made her less unique. Rob says the Generations Arcee was close enough to let the air out of the demand, though he would still welcome a Titans Return version. Matt keeps his Arcee displayed with his Season 3 cast. He believes her robot-to-car design is the real obstacle to a Masterpiece, which is why the Deluxe carries a giant car shell on its back.
Is IDW Too Influential on Transformers?
John asks whether IDW’s comics carry too much weight with the toy line, given they skew toward older fans. Rob is unsure, noting Robots in Disguise reached roughly wave eight or nine, which he calls unheard of for a TV-based line. He admits he does not follow that line closely. Don, who has mainly read Regeneration One, points to Mastermind Creations’ Carnifex as an IDW-style Overlord he does not connect with, since his Overlord is the Masterforce version. He still credits IDW’s writing and art for earning its influence. Matt argues the reverse: IDW follows the toys. He cites Starscream’s comic body changing with each new toy, including the Combiner Wars Leader Class Jetfire mold, and the comics building storylines around Combiner Wars and Titans Return. Matt also notes the IDW-inspired figures, like Leader Class Ultra Magnus and Legends Class Swerve and Tailgate, have mostly dried up, with Titans Return Chromedome’s Titan Master face as a recent exception.
Did Revolution Land With a Thud?
John felt IDW’s Revolution crossover came and went without the aftershocks he expected. Matt has not read it and was happy to see it stay contained to the comics. Rob calls the aftermath more low-key than expected and sees it as an effort to expand IDW’s Hasbro comics, not the start of a multimedia push. He also felt the crossover’s treatment of the other properties often made them antagonists of the Transformers. Don has only read the free preview. He reads Revolution as Hasbro showcasing what it owns and hopes it leads to new toy lines, without derailing the ongoing Transformers stories.
Contributors: John DeLuna, Rob Clay, Don, Matt
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