Rob and Chris launch the TFormers Wave Tracker, a one-stop status page for every upcoming wave of official Transformers. Machinima’s Titans Return Episode 4 brings Overlord and Emissary, and the crew finds the pacing padded. The comedy duo Downtown become Headmasters on a mail-away Cerebros in Japan. Chris finds the first Power of the Primes Prime Masters well sculpted but repetitive. Diecast shows off a 300-piece convention-exclusive Red Dragon.
News
Introducing the TFormers Wave Tracker
Rob and Chris spent months building the Wave Tracker. It shows at a glance where each wave stands: shipping, preorders, sightings, reviews and galleries. It covers Hasbro Generations, TakaraTomy Legends, Masterpiece and oddities like the Street Fighter crossovers. With two people maintaining it, they are limiting it to official transforming figures from Hasbro and TakaraTomy. Don jokes that they should add third-party releases, since he has waves of Springers. [Source: TFormers]
Machinima Titans Return Episode 4: ‘Overlord and Emissary’
Brian has not watched yet, but he says Overlord sounds more like Colonel Sanders than Foghorn Leghorn. Those who watched say there is some comedy, while Emissary is a non-factor. One host says it is better than Combiner Wars, but not by much. Another says the longer episodes are padded with long pauses and do not add story. The voice talk turns into a Golden Girls casting bit. [Source: TFormers]
Downtown Cerebros Update: Fortress Maximus Face and Figure Photos
Rob explains that Downtown is a famous Japanese comedy duo known for a year-end show where comedians are punished for laughing. Buyers of that special’s home release can send away for this Cerebros for about $100, with a Japanese address. The order cutoff is January 31. The crew finds it hideous and wonderful, and Diecast wants to hear its sound chip. Chris notes the five- to six-month wait shows how long factory turnaround takes. [Source: TFormers]
G-Shock x Transformers Collaboration Ad
Casio showed a 30-second ad at Tokyo Comic Con with Optimus Prime turning into a G-Shock watch. The watch itself does not transform, which disappoints Brian. He wants a third party to make a new transforming watch. [Source: TFormers]
MPM-5 Movie Masterpiece Barricade Packaging Images
The box looks nice, and Barricade always looks good in car mode. Rob says early movie designs look like bags of knives in robot mode. Don is happy with his Human Alliance Barricade and will pass. [Source: TFormers]
Power of the Primes In Hand at a Hong Kong Fan Meetup
Fans posed Power of the Primes figures in whimsical ways, including Optimus Prime with mismatched parts and Rodimus Prime holding his own head in the Matrix. One host notes this is why Hasbro dislikes early photos. The crew wishes US fans got meetups like these. [Source: TFormers]
Power of the Primes Voyager Starscream In-Hand Video
A video shot on a mirrored surface makes the jet look like Starscream lying down, which the crew admits is accurate. One host says it fully unsold him on the figure, and the stickers do not help. [Source: TFormers]
Star Wars Powered by Transformers: Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced X1 Colors
New color photos show gray plastic with black and silver highlights. One host would buy it for up to $30 at Hasbro retail but not for the $55 to $60 import price. [Source: TFormers]
Legends LG50 Sixshot and LG53 Broadside In-Hand Comparisons
One host had canceled his LG50 Sixshot preorder, but the blue deco and new face change his mind, and he orders one on air. Broadside looks less changed, with more red plastic and an opaque gray gun. Chris notes his Amazon Japan orders arrive fast and still cost less than US sellers. [Source: TFormers]
Third-Party Arcee Photos Sent to Retailers
Diecast asks about more photos of a third-party Arcee posed with Springer. Chris says the suggestive shots appear to have been sent to retailers by the company itself. The crew calls it unprofessional. Brian’s test is whether the photo would get you fired if seen at work. [Source: not found]
This Week in History
In 2002, the Spy Changer versions of Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, X-Brawn and Scourge were released in Japan. One host owns hand-painted customs of these, including a Scourge Zobovor repainted as Laser Optimus Prime. Chris loves the line’s weirdness but would never chase every packaging variant. In 2010, Transformers Prime premiered on The Hub with Darkness Rising. The crew recalls recording a reaction podcast that night and the quick death of the Rock-voiced Cliffjumper.
Listener Feedback
Listener John Triclops, who has done work for Hasbro, texted about last week’s Jazz art story. He says Hasbro calls any outside group or person billing Hasbro for goods or services a vendor. That fits the crew’s guess that a contractor made the art change.
The Last Knight Before Christmas
Matt took part in the show’s Toys for Tots drive, The Last Knight Before Christmas, and donated twice. Brian asks listeners to donate a toy and tweet a photo to @TFRadio before collection ends.
What’s on TFormers
Rob reviewed Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #5, the final issue, and praises Alex Milne and Josh Perez. Chris reviewed Lost Light #11 as a study of how Getaway has changed. Chris also posted video reviews of the Power of the Primes deluxe wave 1.
What We Got This Week
Diecast
Diecast jumped on Black Friday deals: Masterpiece Shattered Glass Optimus Prime for $100 from Big Bad Toy Store and Contact Shot from TFSource. He also got a cheap Dr. Wu cane kit for IDW-style Bumblebee. His big pickup is a convention-exclusive Red Dragon from SGC 2017 in Shanghai, number 143 of 300, which spent three weeks lost overseas. It is based on Doublecross with retooled wings. Jason Kirk notes Big Bad Toy Store now has a regular release for preorder at $120. Diecast posted an unboxing on RFC Reviews.
Don
Don got a marked-down bike robot from Big Bad Toy Store for $30, after buying the leader version at TFcon. He also replaced the box for his scratch-and-dent 2007 anniversary Optimus Prime when Amazon dropped it to $29.99. His Target finally had Power of the Primes deluxes, so he grabbed the ones he lacked. His last third-party order included a Sweeps three-pack he picked up for Brian, plus the second car of a Trinity Force combiner. Don calls that a needed upgrade over Road Caesar. He also found Power of the Primes Legends Beachcomber, Windcharger and Slash.
Chris
Chris finished Power of the Primes wave 1 with the Prime Masters Skullgrin, Cloudburst and Metalhawk. He praises the sculpts and decos but finds them repetitive, so he suggests buying favorite characters only. Thanks to Don he also got the Titans Return clone two-pack of Wingspan and Cloudraker. He calls Wingspan magical and Cloudraker inferior. From TakaraTomy Legends he got LG51 Doublecross with Haywire and LG52 Misfire with Aimless. He likes Doublecross’s darker colors, though quality control is no better than Hasbro’s. Misfire’s extra paint pops more in hand.
Matt
Matt had nothing this week.
Rob
Rob got Power of the Primes Swoop, which Hasbro sent to TFormers, and agrees with Chris’s review. He wishes something held the beak to the robot face. He also got the Prime Master Cloudburst and ordered the rest from Hasbro Toy Shop.
Brian
Brian got Wingspan and Cloudraker thanks to Don. He ended up with Masterpiece Lambor after ordering it from two stores. At Acme Comics in Greensboro, he replaced the Machine Wars Optimus Prime he once got rid of, for less than eBay prices. He also bought a local artist’s print of Grimlock with G1 Optimus Prime riding him.