Hasbro’s pre-Toy Fair 2019 reveals show Siege Omega Supreme in full, with his Micromaster partner Countdown. Fan-vote winners Mirage and Impactor get their first images, and a new $80 Commander Class Jetfire is clearly Sunbow Skyfire. The crew also weighs a rumored MP-45 Masterpiece Bumblebee Version 2 and MP-18+ Bluestreak in animation colors. G1 reissue cassette two-packs and 35th anniversary art leak ahead of the show. Chris hosts with Brian away, joined by Don, Diecast, Jason and Eric.
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IGN Reveals Studio Series Optimus Prime and Car-Mode Dropkick
IGN debuted the Bumblebee movie Voyager Optimus Prime and the first look at car-mode Dropkick. The crew thinks the car looks far more like Dropkick than the helicopter figure did. One host immediately wants it repainted as Cybertron Downshift, and the crew agrees that deco would look stunning. A chat suggestion of Big Daddy also works, though the hosts still prefer Downshift. [Source: not found]
Toy Fair 2019: New Siege Toy Previews: Mirage, Impactor, Omega Supreme, Jetfire
Siege Omega Supreme’s full robot and base modes appear, along with his tiny Micromaster partner Countdown. The tank and rocket come off, and the rest of the body folds down into the rocket base. One host calls it very G1, apart from the heavy panel detailing. Another would rather pay the $159 MSRP for Omega Supreme than for Trypticon. The press release lists him at two feet tall, likely counting the tracks, so he may stand close to Devastator. The crew jokes that Diecast should bring Devastator to Toy Fair for a comparison. [Source: TFormers]
Mirage looks better than most of the crew expected. Impactor’s face looks off and flat to several hosts, and he may be the one Deluxe without ankle tilt. Chat points out the Marvel UK influence. Don notes Impactor finally gets the white-outlined Autobot symbol, which Sideswipe needed more. Chris likes that Classics, Combiner Wars and Siege now give each Mirage-type character a distinct body. [Source: TFormers]
The mysterious Siege Commander Class listing is Jetfire at $80. Chris had guessed on TFormers that the new price point between Leader and Titan meant a big character like Skyfire, and the toy is clearly Sunbow Skyfire. Eric loves Jetfire but hates the head without its antennas. One host wonders whether stores will give shelf space to an $80 figure. The product copy also points to HasbroPulse.com as Hasbro’s new e-commerce home. One host called Hasbro, who said Hasbro Toy Shop’s relaunch is behind schedule and much of its stock went to Hasbro’s eBay store. [Source: TFormers]
Rumor: MP-45 to Ship in September as Masterpiece Bumblebee and Spike Version 2
The reflexive reaction is that it sounds dumb, but Chris sees a possible reason. A cartoon-style, super-deformed car could test whether minibots can skip vehicle licensing. If it works, Cliffjumper could follow. Fans online keep asking why it is not another minibot. Chat suggests a 35th anniversary tie-in, and everyone would still rather see Hound. Winter Wonderfest on February 8 could bring answers. [Source: TFormers]
New Reveal: Masterpiece MP-18+ Bluestreak Animation Version
The Takara Tomy Mall exclusive costs about 9,000 yen, with preorders through late February and delivery in late July. The crew likes the new head and the blast effect parts. One host is more tempted by this than by any plus version so far. [Source: TFormers]
Pre-Toy Fair Leaks Begin With G1 Tape Reissues
Rumble, Ravage, Frenzy and Laserbeak return as G1 reissue cassette two-packs, timed to the Soundwave reissue. One host heard $35 a pack, and the crew hopes that is wrong; most guess around $20. One host needs a new Rumble, since his old one’s head no longer pops up. The crew loves the G1 package art. [Source: TFormers]
35th Anniversary Wheeljack, Soundwave and Grimlock Coming Soon
Leaked 35th anniversary art shows Wheeljack, Soundwave and Grimlock. Chris links it to earlier packaging mock-ups that included a Grimlock box. Another host thinks it is just evergreen art. [Source: TFormers]
Review: Siege Leader Optimus Prime (Cybertron)
A video review shows the Siege Leader Optimus Prime based on Cybertron Optimus Prime. Chris misses some of the original toy’s charm. Others like the new weapons and the retooled cab robot, which looks a bit like Star Convoy. One host is legally obligated to buy any non-G1 Optimus Prime. The crew debates whether a Nemesis Prime or purple Amazon exclusive could follow. [Source: TFormers]
Official Images: Golden Lagoon Soundwave Wonder Festival 2019 Exclusive
Titans Return Soundwave gets a Golden Lagoon redeco. The crew is unimpressed, and one host fears a Golden Lagoon Omega Supreme next. Another host calls that possible but unlikely. [Source: TFormers]
What’s on TFormers
Jack’s new gallery of the Encore Big Convoy compares it with several versions of the mold, including gold Lucky Draw figures. The crew loves the bright animation colors. The blue Encore Big Convoy is due in late February.
What We Got This Week
Chris got Studio Series 38 Bumblebee movie Optimus Prime, a solid Voyager with truck panels wrapped around a sturdy core. The grille never quite lines up. The robot mode is well proportioned and a bit taller than Siege Megatron. He says it works as a neo-classics G1 Optimus Prime and recommends grabbing one before Rampage clogs the pegs.
Diecast found Studio Series Jetfire and Dark of the Moon Megatron at Target. He also got TransformElements’ Optimus Prime and says it fits his Masterpiece shelf better than Magic Square’s, which Chris disputes. His upgrade kit for Power of the Primes Optimal Optimus arrived, along with DX9’s Henry. A DNA Design kit means he can finally open his Power of the Primes Predaking. Fans Hobby also sent him a review sample, and his 57-minute video review is up.
Don found Dark of the Moon Megatron, his favorite movie Megatron, and the first new Transformer he has seen on shelves since before Christmas.
Jason found Siege Optimus Prime at Walmart and stripped the battle damage paint with 91 percent isopropyl alcohol and about 50 cotton swabs. He cleaned up Siege Megatron too. He likes Optimus Prime’s transformation and truck mode better than Megatron’s bulk.
Eric got the Siege Micromasters. The Battle Patrol and the Decepticon packs are good, but the Autobot Race Car Patrol is garbage. He also got Robots in Disguise Crash Combiners Saberhorn, Shocknado and Galvatronus, and simple toys are winning him over. Last is Power of the Primes Elita-1, bought to finish the combiner, though its feet are on the wrong sides.
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.