Chris has Titans Return Legends Seaspray in hand and finds a hidden Easter egg: Cybertronian text on its forearms referencing the episode “Sea Change.” The final Subscription Service 5.0 shipment brings Toxitron, Counterpunch and a mystery Shattered Glass Starscream. New Hasbro trademarks, Cybertronics and Bee Vision, have the crew guessing. TakaraTomy shows its Legends Kickback, Brawn and Targetmaster Triggerhappy. The crew also weighs in on G1-only fans and why Transformers has to keep changing.
Show Notes
Don is selling JD Church’s BotCon 2012 Invasion box set on eBay, with all proceeds after fees going to JD’s widow, Amanda. He thanks TFU.info for helping him match JD’s loose Armada, Energon and Cybertron accessories. Brian is spending about 30 hours a week building the first new tfradio.net in nearly ten years.
This Week in History
In 2003, the preorder window closes for the e-Hobby Road Hauler and Sunstorm set. Road Hauler nods to a one-scene vehicle from the “More Than Meets the Eye” three-parter, and Sunstorm became the set’s lasting breakout. In 2007, the first theatrical trailer for the Transformers movie is released online. The crew still calls the first movie the best of the bunch.
Bad Poet’s Corner
Brian reads “Total Desolation,” a poem about a vast, empty void that turns out to be Transformers Prime.
Topic: G1 Fans and Change
Following last week’s Earth Wars comment storm, the crew reflects on nearly 20 years of online fandom. When stuff was scarce, fans clung to whatever they got, and the flood of product since has made them more accepting. Don argues Beast Wars saved the franchise, and pure G1 forever would have killed it. Brian says the problem is not liking one thing, but being belligerent when something else exists. One host notes the IDW comics and Generations have long mixed in non-G1 characters.
News
Final Subscription Service 5.0 Shipment: Toxitron, Counterpunch and a Mystery Figure
The mystery figure is Shattered Glass Starscream, made from the Combiner Wars Skydive mold with a Unite Warriors Ghost Starscream head. Many fans are underwhelmed by another Starscream as a lone combiner limb. One host notes it is a cheap way to fill a Shattered Glass Starscream slot. Toxitron gets praise for its paint, and the Combiner Wars Optimus Prime mold works well as anyone but Optimus. [Source: not found]
Clowder is a new faceplate on the Ramhorn body. Brawn gets an olive green and painted details, and one host likes it better than the Hasbro version. The crew agrees everyone is getting Triggerhappy, with a copper face that no longer looks like Deadpool in an Optimus Prime helmet. [Source: TFormers]
TaoDoll x Transformers: Optimus Prime and Bumblebee Cross Paths With Taobao’s Mascot
Taobao, which the crew describes as more like Amazon than eBay, has a mascot, and now it crosses over with Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. Diecast had already spotted them. [Source: TFormers]
One host guesses an electronics gimmick for Power of the Primes, but the filing lists buildable toy robots. That points to construction toys like Kre-O or a new robotics line. Bee Vision, another new filing, ties to Bumblebee movie prep, alongside a trademarked Bumblebee logo that looks a bit like the Charlotte Hornets. [Source: TFormers] [Source: TFormers] [Source: TFormers]
LEGO Transformers: Cool Projects for Your Bricks Book
The unofficial book shows brick builds that actually transform and look better than many Kre-O kits. Tracking down the pieces is the challenge. [Source: TFormers]
Rescue Bots Knight Watch Bumblebee Stock Photos and Product Listing
Bumblebee becomes a dragon with two smaller dragons that turn into axes. One host says anything named Night Watch should be in Night Watch colors, but this is Knight with a K. [Source: TFormers]
Some hosts lose interest seeing the team packs in box, though one host likes the Voltron-style packaging. The crew misses Power Core Combiners. [Source: TFormers] [Source: TFormers]
About half the footage is new, including a new Bumblebee sequence. One host saw the domestic trailer on a 4K Dolby laser projector and cannot wait to see the movie that way. [Source: TFormers]
Masterpiece Barricade and Other Transformers: The Last Knight Reveals
Amazon Spain listings confirm a Movie Masterpiece Barricade and other expected figures, with no photos yet. Diecast bought his five quarts of oil early for Valvotron and will use it in his lawnmower. [Source: TFormers]
Unique Toys Ragnaros: Archimonde and Gahz’ranka Figure Images
The unofficial Brawl looks barely acceptable, and one host, a self-described Bruticus fanboy, calls Swindle the worst third-party Swindle he has seen. John says they look like Combaticons from GoBots. [Source: TFormers]
FansHobby Feilong Unofficial Doublecross Recolor as BotCon TM3 Megatron
One host loves this crazy concept render, likely a limited release. The crew lumps it with Toyworld’s clear Cosmos raffle prize. [Source: TFormers]
Also on TFormers
Jack shared his Kabaya Optimus Primal candy toys. Exvee explained why “Crowbar” is really Clowder and reviewed the Turbo Changer Optimus Prime, Berserker, Legends Seaspray, Roadburn and Brawn. Rob reviewed Premier Edition Deluxe Bumblebee, and there is a 4K gallery from the international trailer. [Source: TFormers]
What We Got This Week
Chris
Chris got Titans Return Legends Seaspray on a tip from Don, along with Sqweeks. Seaspray’s hips are needlessly limited, and only a white panel covers the head in vehicle mode. The hovercraft fits in the cargo bay of the Voyager Seaspray mold. He also found Cybertronian text on the forearms naming Seaspray’s love from “Sea Change.”
Matt
Matt finally found Titans Return Kup and Topspin at his Walmart. He cannot pick a favorite between Topspin and Triggerhappy. Kup surprised him and became a favorite for how well it shifts mass between modes.
Don
Don got Legends Brawn, buying three and keeping one for himself. He also ordered Seaspray from Captured Prey without having to buy Cosmos, using store credit.
Rob
Rob had nothing in Transformers this week.
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.