Hasbro’s Reveal the Shield launch for The Last Knight fizzles, with most stores showing empty shelves on April 24 while online retailers ship on time. Chris walks through why, and the crew debates retailer fatigue and what Hasbro can learn. Soldier Story teases more statue lamps, including a planet-mode Unicron that has Don swooning. Valvotron details emerge, and Hot Rod’s second alt mode is revealed as a 1960s Citroen. There Goes My Money returns as a segment, with Diecast reviewing The Last Knight Berserker.
There Goes My Money
Diecast brings back There Goes My Money as a segment covering preorders and finds. Titans Return Deluxe Wave 4 and The Last Knight Deluxe Wave 1 are up as sets at Big Bad Toy Store, though Slash is a less interesting redeco. MAAS Toys’ CT001 Skiff is a cartoon-accurate, Cybertronian-mode Bumblebee at $39.99, and the crew hopes production paint fixes the test shot’s patchy yellow. A new KO Corner covers a Toy House Factory KO of MP-13 Soundwave with all six tapes for about $80 shipped, though a chat viewer calls the quality poor. A Yes Model KO of MakeToys Cupola runs about $60, and Don is taking a chance on it after liking Yes Model’s Thrust. [Source: Big Bad Toy Store] [Source: The Chosen Prime]
This Week in History
On April 24, 2002, Dreamwave releases a second printing of Transformers: Generation 1 issue 1 and its preview issues, and Titan Books releases the Transformers: Primal Scream hardcover in the US. Don recalls being on the hype train before reality set in. On April 26, 2012, BotCon 2012 opens in Dallas. The crew remembers it as the last time they hung out with JD Church in person and Don’s first appearance on RFC.
Bad Poet’s Corner
Brian reads “More Prime Than Prime,” a poem he wrote at 20 that ends with Rodimus Prime playing basketball. The crew is still mad that the Masterpiece Optimus Prime skipped the basketball.
Reveal the Shield
Can’t Find Transformers: The Last Knight at Your Local Store? You Aren’t Alone and Here’s Why
Hasbro promised all three lines would hit shelves on April 24. Online retailers shipped on time, but most stores had nothing. Chris explains that Hasbro’s Instagram said that morning the toys would be in stores on Friday. One Target told Diecast even the Hasbro rep could not find product. Brian points out Hasbro cannot force stores to stock shelves, and one host’s Toys R Us had the whole line out but locked until June. One host suspects retailer fatigue, since sales have shrunk with each movie line. Don recalls stocking a Target’s shelves himself on the 2007 launch day. [Source: TFormers]
News
Soldier Story Planning More Statue Lamps: Another Unicron, and Rodimus Prime
The new lamps look smaller, and the planet-mode Unicron has Don wanting both. One host thinks the Matrix will make a great light source for Rodimus, though the sculpt looks like a puffed-up DX9 Carry. The crew credits Soldier Story for finding a middle ground on surface detail. [Source: TFormers]
TakaraTomy Legends, Transformers: The Last Knight and More in Figure King 231 Scans
The scans show the Hasbro Kup and Hot Rod fitted with Takara’s new parts, including Hot Rod’s clear, back-sculpted chest and the new Targetmasters. They also show Bumblebee’s sword, a spend-and-get campaign item in Japan. [Source: TFormers]
Legends Black Convoy: Official Photos of LG-EX Robots in Disguise Scourge
The Tokyo Toy Show exclusive uses the Titans Return Optimus Prime mold. Matt does not need a third version of the mold. Chris likes the stark silver vehicle modes but would rather track down the earlier Scourge on the Generations G2 Optimus Prime body. [Source: TFormers]
IDW’s Next Hasbro Universe Event Revealed: First Strike
Some of the crew are tired of crossover events so soon after Revolution. One host is interested because Mairghread Scott is co-writing, and Cobra declaring war on Cybertronians is an appealing hook. Revolutionaries ends just before the event. [Source: TFormers]
The Last Knight and Valvoline Valvotron Promo Figure: New Details Discovered
AutoZone promo material says buying five quarts of Valvoline synthetic oil and uploading the receipt gets you in. It is unclear whether that wins a figure outright or enters a drawing. The crew still argues over whether Valvotron transforms. [Source: TFormers]
Transformers: The Last Knight: Soap Studio x Soldier Story Remote-Control Optimus Prime Statue
A remote control opens and closes Optimus Prime’s shield. One host wants it to walk his dog for what it will cost. One host thinks the new faceplate makes Optimus look a bit like a bird. [Source: TFormers]
Transformers: The Last Knight Hot Rod Details Revealed
Hot Rod’s second vehicle mode is a 1960s Citroen, which fits his French accent. Chris has known since his August set visit. [Source: TFormers]
Transformers: The Last Knight More Packaging Asset Samples Leaked
One asset may be a Bumblebee and Hot Rod two-pack, notable since no Hot Rod toy is revealed yet. Another may be a side panel for the $150 Toys R Us Cybertron playset. The placeholder text is Latin-style filler. [Source: TFormers]
The Last Knight Voyager Megatron Transformation Demo Video and In-Hand Gallery
Wave 2 Voyager Megatron looks good, though not as good as the Leader. One host wishes a Leader had launched in Wave 1, and another notes staggering avoids competing Optimus Prime price points. [Source: TFormers]
Transformers: The Last Knight Tiny Turbo Changers In-Hand Look at Soundwave and Blackout
The blind bags have a small window on the back. Hasbro said codes can no longer be printed on bags because of state gambling laws, which baffles the crew. [Source: TFormers]
FansHobby Gunfighter II Unofficial Laser Optimus MP-Alike New Test Shot Gallery
The new test shot has a Matrix that looks upside down. One host does not need a Masterpiece Laser Prime with the Chaos on Velocitron version and a Toyhax kit coming. Diecast reviewed the earlier Archenemy on RFC Reviews and has seen reports of arms snapping off. [Source: TFormers]
Perfect Effect PE-DX08 Origin Leonidas Updated Not-Lio Convoy Figure
The update adds a new chest, head and weapons. The crew is happy to see third parties go beyond G1, but Perfect Effect pricing is a stumbling block. [Source: TFormers]
Also on TFormers
Jack shows off his Transformers Junior collection in a 47-photo gallery, all the way up to Star Saber. TFormers also reviewed Optimus Prime issue 6. [Source: TFormers] [Source: TFormers]
What We Got This Week
Chris
Chris finally got the Cloud Starscream he has wanted for three years, for $40 shipped from someone on Twitter. He also got The Last Knight Barricade. Its transformation is not intuitive at first, but it locks together solidly, and the blue is much richer in person.
Diecast
Diecast got an upscaled Arcee, about Voyager size and a good match for Masterpiece Hot Rod. He also got Takara’s Laserbeak, which looks far better than Hasbro’s. A friend at a 24-hour Walmart found him all four Last Knight Deluxes at midnight. He has opened and reviewed Berserker, a brand-new mold he really likes.
Brian
Brian found G1 Bumblebee and Robots in Disguise Grimlock Pez dispensers at Jungle Jim’s in Ohio. His goal is every version of Grimlock.
John
John had nothing in Transformers this week.
Don
Don preordered Mastermind Creations Spartan after Matt and Chris raved about it. A listener, Ryan, sent him a Powermaster Optimus Prime travel mug along with a replacement Doctor Who mug.
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.