Walmart Collector Con and San Diego Comic-Con both start the day after this episode. JT Prime says the Velocitron Speedia 500 collection leads Walmart’s lineup. Hasbro sets PulseCon 2022 for September 30 and October 1. A first look at Velocitron wave 2 reveals Crasher, and Amazon listings leak Legacy deluxe wave 3 with Dead End, Skullgrin and Pointblank. Chris finds Studio Series 86 Arcee’s new waist joint too loose, and Don snags the Creatures Collide set before Target’s reset.
News
SDCC and Walmart Collector Con Start Tomorrow
SDCC opens the day after recording, and the crew will not livestream it. JT Prime reports Walmart Collector Con also starts tomorrow. Walmart’s lineup includes the Velocitron Speedia 500 collection, R.E.D. Thundercracker, R.E.D. Prime Optimus Prime and Megatron, and reissues of Rattrap, Terrorsaur and Maverick. Brian wants the whole Speedia set except Scourge. Cosmos is packed one per case and will not reship in wave 2. JT Prime adds that Walmart got solid cases for online orders, and Hyper Shouta says these are orders, not preorders. The crew still expects Walmart to botch the launch and scalpers to flood eBay. [Source: not found]
Hasbro PulseCon 2022 Set for September 30 and October 1
Hasbro PulseCon returns September 30 and October 1. Brian is unsure he will be invited back after criticizing the last fan wall. Don weighs renewing Pulse Premium for $50, and one host argues five to eight Pulse orders cover it in shipping savings. Brian dislikes the Hasbro Pulse app hijacking links, but he likes that order history is now searchable. [Source: Hasbro Pulse on Instagram]
First Look at Velocitron Wave 2 Crasher
Wave 2 of the Velocitron collection includes a GoBots Crasher homage. It puts the toy-accurate Mirage head on the Kingdom Mirage body in Crasher colors. Brian is extremely pleased and calls it the Crasher he always wanted from this mold, though he wishes it had a domino mask. One host notes Hasbro likely avoided the Crasher name because of the GoBots rights split with Bandai. Matt now wants a red Diaclone Mirage from the same parts. [Source: Autobase Aichi]
A Better Look at Studio Series 86 Wheelie
New photos push Don off the fence. He is bothered that the core class Wheelie cannot fold its hands away. Chris points to parts count and assembly costs on a $12 toy, and the rest of the crew expects to buy it anyway. [Source: Autobase Aichi]
Legacy Deluxe Wave 3 Leaks via Amazon
Amazon listings reveal Dead End, Skullgrin and Pointblank, and the earlier Crankcase leak likely rounds out the assortment. Pointblank comes with Peacemaker, which insiders say is not a Battle Master and has two transformation steps. Don wants properly colored Targetmasters for every character that needs one. Another host explains that modern Targetmasters use a nylon parts tree that cannot be painted, which limits color accuracy. [Source: not found]
Studio Series Movie 15th Anniversary Five-Pack Hits Amazon
The $140 five-pack reissues figures from the 2007 movie with less paint. JT Prime found the Amazon listing, which ships October 1. Brian has no interest but is glad it will lower aftermarket prices for collectors who missed the originals. Diecast is the one who wants it. [Source: Toy Hype USA]
An Optimus Prime Funko Pop Mask, Just for Diecast
Disguise teases a Funko Pop-style Optimus Prime mask. Brian jokes he would punch Diecast for wearing it to his house, and Don calls it wasted plastic. One host says a proper version should be a big block of foam rubber instead of a flat plate. [Source: Disguise on Twitter]
Star Saber and Victory Leo Shown at SDCC Preview Night
Bromiel shared T-Formers photos from preview night, and TFW2005 posted more detailed shots during the show. One host says the robot-mode Star Saber appears to be in production plastic colors, while the vehicle sample is hand-painted. Brian thinks it already looks better than the Masterpiece Star Saber, and he loves that it is already paid for. [Source: not found]
What We Got This Week
Don found Studio Series 86 Arcee on Amazon but has not opened her. He also got Diaclone Twin Twist and another Cliffjumper from Target. His big find is the Creatures Collide set, which rang up before Target’s reset. He is keeping Goldbug and Ransack and passing Sky-Wasp and Scorponok to a friend.
Chris opened Diaclone Twin Twist and says the old mold feels worth $25. It ships wrapped in cardboard bands with no tray. His Studio Series 86 Arcee adds an ab crunch and waist joint. The nylon peg has no grip, so the torso falls apart. Other Discord members report the same problem. Otherwise he likes the poseability and the intuitive transformation.
Rob finally got DK-2 Guard from Big Bad Toy Store and calls it a really nice figure. His Studio Series 86 Sludge is half good, with one bad hip and one loose wing. Even so, he finds it solid in both modes.
Diecast got Studio Series 86 Sludge, and his copy is much better than Brian’s. He nearly threw away the gun, which was taped to the back of the packaging.
Matt‘s pickups this week were not Transformers.
Brian picked up Nightprowler at Walmart and thinks the quality control is better than his original. He got a Studio Series Arcee but does not care for it. Two Dollar Tree squishy figures, Megatron and Bumblebee, feel horrible in hand. His favorites are R.E.D. Shockwave and Galvatron, the first R.E.D. figures he actually likes.