Robosen teases a second Transformers robot with Dan Gilvezan’s Bumblebee voice, ahead of Hasbro’s Fan First Tuesday on April 12. Flame Toys shows a Furai Model Arcee prototype at WonderCon, and Don says it just looks wrong without the backpack.
A Legacy Blaster with a second head hints at Twincast, and leaked listings point to Shattered Glass Blaster and Soundwave. Mark Maher shares the first Kingdom Cheetor concept model, and Diecast lands Fans Toys Chomp.
News
Robosen posted a teaser for its second Transformers collaboration on April 1, then confirmed it was no joke. The teaser features Bumblebee dialogue by Dan Gilvezan, though the silhouettes do not look like a Volkswagen. Brian notes the Robosen Optimus Prime drew little buzz after release, likely because of its price. The crew agrees the buyers of high-end tech and Transformers fans barely overlap. They hope a smaller Bumblebee means a lower price, perhaps around $350. One host suspects movie cross-promotion planned before Rise of the Beasts was delayed. [Source: Facebook]
Transformers Fan First Tuesday Set for April 12
Hasbro announced a Transformers Fan First Tuesday for April 12, the same day as the Robosen reveal. A Power Rangers block follows, which some suspect will reveal a high-end Dragonzord. [Source: not found]
Furai Model Arcee Prototype Shown at WonderCon
Flame Toys showed a Furai Model Arcee prototype at WonderCon. Don says the aesthetic is completely wrong, closer to first-form Frieza than Arcee. Someone on Twitter pointed out the missing backpack, which throws the look off further. Don worries the line keeps missing on its female characters after Windblade. He wants Flame Toys to make characters look like the characters, with variations later. Paint may help, but he says the sculpt is fundamentally off. [Source: Reddit]
Legacy Blaster Alternate Head? Is This Twincast?
A Legacy Blaster turned up with a different head, likely an assembly error like the screaming-face Earthrise Starscream. The head may belong to Twincast or a Shattered Glass Blaster. Manny Car shared leaked Shattered Glass listings in Discord: Deluxe Wheeljack, Voyager Soundwave, Voyager Blaster and Leader Ultra Magnus. Don expects Blaster and Soundwave to come as a two-pack. Chris says they only need to share an assortment. [Source: Reddit]
Mark Maher posted the first concept model for Kingdom Cheetor, built on a Power of the Primes Moonracer. Chris stresses it was a mock-up, never meant to transform, with a scribed cheetah toy for the beast mode. Don thinks the realistic Cheetor would sell well in zoo gift shops. Mark, Sam Smith and Evan Brooks have all been posting design process material lately. Evan says the team is trying to be more open about how toys get made. Mark also shared a cel-shading concept that led to the 30th anniversary Siege Optimus Prime deco. [Source: Instagram]
Remembering Stephen Keener
Don offers condolences to the family and friends of voice actor Stephen Keener, who passed away March 30. He voiced Fortress Maximus, Scorponok, Hardhead, Hun-Gurrr, Mindwipe and Scattershot in The Rebirth. Don and Brian, both Rebirth fans, recall Fortress Maximus’s lone line: “Decepticons, prepare to face Fortress Maximus.”
What We Got This Week
Brian got two Silverstreaks. Black Ironhide, sold as DK-2 Guard, arrived the day of the show, still unopened.
Chris got Silverstreak through Target. The front end will not align in vehicle mode, and his copy has two of the same leg flap. A replacement is on the way. He still calls it a super pretty toy, with glossy blue and a clean silver hood.
Don found Legacy wave 1 at Target and picked up Arcee and Kickback despite mixed reviews. Kickback was his first Insecticon as a kid. He also got Legacy Laser Optimus Prime. Thanks to photos from Sixo, he tracked down the Thrilling 30 Platinum Edition Optimus Prime and Megatron set for about $70 shipped.
Matt finally got Legacy Blaster from Amazon and loves it, though the arms took a minute to figure out. The clear plastic Eject already shows stress marks in the package. Matt guesses Twincast will come with a red cassette, likely Ramhorn.
Diecast got the Modern Icons Optimus Prime helmet. It is hard to see through, fogs up, and the back flap does not lock, so it is a display piece. He also got Silverstreak and X-Transbots Fuzz, their G2 Streetwise. He worries the rest of that team will be TFCon exclusives. He picked up a TDW upgrade kit for the Combiner Wars Seacons. His big pickup is Fans Toys Chomp, their Skullcruncher, which sold out within minutes. He plans to have it custom painted in Optimus Prime colors.