Transformers Tuesday reveals core class Bomb-Burst and Rumble, and the crew declares Bomb-Burst the best updated Pretender yet. Studio Series adds Leader The Fallen, Crosshairs and Hot Rod, while Legacy shows Skullgrin, Inferno, Crankcase and Transmetal 2 Megatron in full. Royal Mail announces Transformers stamps with Andrew Wildman art. Brian retires the RFC Roku channel, and Don’s Velocitron Override breaks during his first transformation.
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RFC Retires Its Roku Channel
Brian has taken down the Radio Free Cybertron Roku channel. It kept breaking, he had no time to maintain it, and its Vimeo hosting cost too much once views collapsed. The livestream continues, but Brian wants to double down on RFC as a podcast first.
Studio Series Leader The Fallen, Crosshairs and Hot Rod
Transformers Tuesday focused on Studio Series. Diecast calls Leader The Fallen a mess at $55, though others point out it matches the movie model. Paladin in Discord jokes that he has fallen and can’t get up. Crosshairs is probably the best version yet, though maybe too green. Hot Rod looks great in both modes. Studio Series Ironhide turns out to be deluxe-sized, with two guns that store as exhaust pipes. The crew hopes a Buzzworthy reissue swaps its clear windows for opaque plastic. [Source: BWTF]
Legacy Crankcase, Skullgrin, Inferno and Transmetal 2 Megatron
Crankcase splits the crew, and Don first mistook it for Animated Soundwave. The crew comes around on Skullgrin, which works in more Pretender shell details and a rotating turret. Matt is anxious about Inferno, and one host notes Mark Maher said Inferno’s engine became its weapon, so an upgrade kit will finish it. Mark Maher is also pushing to complete the Targetmasters, which gives hope for Sureshot. Transmetal 2 Megatron still does not work for the crew. Sam Smith said its CAD file is bigger than Masterpiece and Titan files because of the scale detail. [Source: BWTF]
Core Class Rumble and Bomb-Burst
Evan Brooks shared follow-up posts for core Rumble in blue, closer to lavender, with pile drivers. Bomb-Burst is the crew’s new favorite and looks like the best expression of updated Pretenders so far. Brian owned Bomb-Burst as a kid. One host argues Skullgrin would have turned out better as a core class toy. The crew now wants a Commander class Thunderwing. [Source: Evan Brooks on Instagram]
Royal Mail Announces Transformers Stamp Collection
Royal Mail’s Transformers stamps feature Andrew Wildman pencils, Stephen Baskerville inks and John-Paul Bove colors. Sets pair characters like Optimus Prime and Megatron, and metal ingots are also available. Brian calls Andrew Wildman one of his favorite pencilers and loves the Megatron. [Source: BWTF]
World’s Smallest Transformers Add a New Set
Super Impulse’s tiny figures add a Kingdom-style Arcee with her car shell as a backpack. Brian is not a fan of the line, but the crew finds the Arcee hilarious. [Source: Amazon]
Transformers Kindergarten Series
A licensed, crowdfunded series aimed at the Chinese market reimagines characters as kids. Hot Rod comes with a Sharkticon on a fishing line. Beast Wars Megatron comes with a rubber ducky inner tube, which the crew says validates the whole project. [Source: Autobase Aichi]
Official Images of Reissue K-9 and Iguanus
Hasbro Asia posted stock photos of the Beast Wars reissues. Nothing obvious is missing, unlike the Rattrap reissue that lost some legs. Brian may be done with the line at $25 a figure, though he found reissue Squawkbox marked down to $15. [Source: Autobase Aichi]
Dr. Wu Sword Dancer Slamdance Set
Dr. Wu’s third-party Slamdance comes in G1, black and green versions and may ship next month. Brian liked the company’s Squawkbox set and expects this one to be worth getting. [Source: TFW2005]
What We Got This Week
Chris got the Wreckers G2 Leadfoot and Master Dominus set for $16 after reward points. Master Dominus holds together better than Spindle, and Leadfoot’s metallic blue is gorgeous despite a common paint error. Legacy Knock Out looks better than Jazz in car mode, but roof paint rubs off onto the instructions in the packaging. Elita-1 has loose ankles, but Chris loves her stompy proportions.
Diecast got an unbroken Velocitron Override, his favorite toy of the year so far. He also got third-party G2 Breakdown from Ocular Max, a Masterpiece-style Arcee and a tiny Arcee from Mechanic Studio and Dr. Wu. He also picked up Road Hauler.
Don hit Walmarts on a trip to West Virginia. He found Clampdown, Road Rocket, Road Hauler, Red Cog, Scourge, and clearance Cybershark and R.E.D. Knock Out. Movie Masterpiece Blackout arrived crunched. His Override broke during its first transformation. The disc that holds the arms cracked around its pin, which the crew blames on a factory flaw.
Rob likes Override and its heavy paint, though Walmart delivered it in a crushed box by hand. He also got Buzzworthy Kup from Pulse and Legacy Skids.
Matt loves the neon green Road Hauler. He also got the Wreckers Impactor and Spindle set.
Brian got the Leadfoot and Master Dominus set. Diecast picked up Road Hauler and Override for him. Amazon replaced his Prime Universe Bulkhead after first sending a resealed regular Bulkhead. At McKay’s in Winston-Salem he found Universe Sideburn for $20.