First looks at Transformers: EarthSpark show Nick Roche’s comic-book style designs, and the crew is all in. A BotBots cartoon image and a leaked March 25 date hit Netflix listings.
A rumored LEGO Optimus Prime would transform without disassembly, and Paramount confirms more Transformers movies. Kotobukiya’s Bishoujo Optimus Prime and Megatron win Don over.
News
Transformers: EarthSpark and BotBots Cartoon First Looks
Transformers: EarthSpark, the Nickelodeon series due this fall, showed its first look. Nick Roche is among the designers, and Brian says the faces look straight out of an IDW comic. It is different, he says, but a good different. Don does not judge a show by its teaser, but the quick transformations remind him of Beast Machines. He hopes for a middle ground between those and Cybertron’s long stock sequences. The BotBots cartoon release date leaked briefly and was pulled. A fan site now lists it for March 25 on Netflix, though Netflix’s media site does not yet. The one image released strikes the crew as chibi, or super-deformed. [Source: TFRadio]
Paramount Confirms Transformers Movie Slate
Paramount confirmed three upcoming Transformers films. Brian agrees with Chris’s TFRadio take that the slate names three films, not necessarily a trilogy. An animated Transformers film was also mentioned earlier. [Source: not found]
Rumor: LEGO to Release a Transformers Set
A German site with a decent track record reports a LEGO Optimus Prime, said to have about 1,500 pieces. It reportedly comes with a blaster and transforms without disassembly. One article ties it to Rise of the Beasts, which the crew treats as speculation. The crew finds a transforming LEGO set odd, since rebuilding is the magic of the LEGO Creator line. They note Hasbro’s own Kre-O is effectively dead. [Source: BWTF]
Kotobukiya Bishoujo Optimus Prime and Megatron
Kotobukiya solicited Bishoujo statues of Optimus Prime and Megatron as anime-style young women. Don likes them and calls them tasteful, nothing like Kiss Players. He compares the pair to Project A-ko and hopes to afford Optimus. Don wants the line to add characters like Tai from Robots in Disguise, Carly or Jessica Morgan. Brian does not care for the idea. [Source: not found]
What We Got This Week
Don had nothing on topic this week. His Walmart got the Beast Wars reissue Scorponok, but he will not pay $42 for it.
Matt got the R.E.D. Reformatting Megatron to go with his Generations Selects Galvatron, his first and probably last R.E.D. figure. The arms are too short, but it is purple and lovely. He also got Diaclone Lift Ticket and loves it.
Rob got Generations Selects Black Zarak. The red is all paint, so it will stay boxed for a while.
Diecast got the Transformers: The Ride 3D Leader Megatron from GameStop, his favorite movie Megatron.
Brian got a G2 activity book with Snarl on the cover, though three pages were written in despite an excellent-condition listing. He found two Walmart Beast Wars reissue Tigatrons and two Scorponoks, and will open one of each. He also got Selects Galvatron, which he finds pretty but boring. His big pickup is a boxed, complete Mystery of Convoy for the Famicom for about $20.