Buzzworthy Bumblebee grows into a full subline of Studio Series repacks and a Mega One Step Changer, and Chris makes the case for a Target exclusive. The crew shares favorite Transformers Christmas memories, from a Jetfire swapped for the Aerialbot gift set to the sounds of KB Toys.
Chris reviews Kingdom Cyclonus and the Kingdom Wave 1 deluxes, calling Blackarachnia the best show-accurate version yet. John ships Earthrise Thrust to nearly the whole crew, and Brian works through a pile of Netflix deluxes and Selects figures.
News
RFC News Desk 125: Buzzworthy Bumblebee
Chris follows up on News Desk 124 and the new Buzzworthy Bumblebee Core Class Bumblebee with Spike. Target’s inventory system lists that two-pack at $14.99, right where Chris predicted. In-Demand Toys shared stock photos of a Studio Series deluxe assortment of repacks under their original numbers. It includes Studio Series 16 Bumblebee with Charlie, World War II Bumblebee, Shatter in car mode, and Revenge of the Fallen Bumblebee with Spike. A Mega One Step Changer Bumblebee with Age of Extinction branding also turned up at a Target in Wisconsin. Chris expects Cyberverse figures later. The package style matches Target’s 2018 Bumblebee exclusives, so he strongly suspects a Target exclusive subline. [Source: TFRadio]
Favorite Transformers Christmas Memories
Brian asks the crew for their most memorable Transformers Christmas gifts. Don remembers getting Perceptor, Jetfire and Scorponok one year, and his disappointment that Jetfire was not the Aerialbot gift set. His mom took him back to Toys R Us the day after Christmas, where he dug out the one Aerialbot set and swapped it. He had already bought the Stunticon gift set at a Sears Catalog Outlet for $17. Scorponok inspired him to save up and buy the only Fortress Maximus he ever saw in a store.
One host recalls a brother getting clearance Generation 2 Optimus Prime and Megatron the year he got Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Another remembers Rodimus Prime with Kup and Blurr, and a Powermaster Optimus Prime another year. One host got Trypticon and Scorponok, and still has a childhood Grimlock he used as a bath toy. The crew trades memories of KB Toys, Roses, Sky City and Sears, including Brendles clearance finds like Sixshot for $25.
What We Got This Week
Brian got an Authentic Starscream from Kim and the Cordon and Spinout set, which has matching colors. He found Netflix Soundwave, Bumblebee, Elita-1, Impactor and Wheeljack, and says Bumblebee is the best version of the Cliffjumper mold. Selects G2 Megatron and Selects G2 Sandstorm arrived, and he wants a G2 Ramjet next. He also opened the Prime Anniversary Breakdown and Air Vehicon. He picked up the Universal Studios Transformers: The Ride 3-D Megatron and the late-shipping Flame Toys Bug Bite model kit.
Diecast got the Netflix figures thanks to Rob, and likes Soundwave far more than he expected. He also got the Optimus Prime Funko Pop, despite hating Pops. Kingdom Paleotrex shipped early from Amazon, and he also has the Cordon and Spinout set.
Don got Earthrise Thrust from John and thanks him. He can get anyone a Studio Series Jetfire, since his local Target restocked three.
John shipped Earthrise Thrust to nearly everyone on the show. He says Dirge and Ramjet flatter the Seeker mold more, so Thrust ranks third of the trio. Selects G2 Sandstorm has a great shark deco on the nose cone. He also got Cordon and Spinout and opened the Prime Anniversary packs, and still loves the Vehicon as a troop builder.
Matt got Selects G2 Sandstorm 21 days after its label printed. He also found Netflix Bumblebee and bought Netflix Elita-1, whose face sculpt he really likes.
Chris got Nonnef Productions upgrades, including a green spoiler for Selects G2 Sideswipe and launcher and rifle kits for the Earthrise Datsuns. Ness sent him Netflix Soundwave, a big step up from Siege Soundwave. Of the Kingdom Wave 1 deluxes, Cheetor is the weakest, with fragile yellow plastic and a broken tab. Blackarachnia is the best show-accurate version yet, though small for the price. Paleotrex is a fun skeleton puzzle, and Warpath is solid but smaller than earlier deluxes. Kingdom Cyclonus is the 2008 Universe toy turned up to 10.5. He has Kingdom Megatron on order from GameStop.