HasLab Deathsaurus launches as the surprise of Hasbro’s October 27 stream, passing 5,600 backers within days. Ben Maher reveals it was once planned as a mainline Legacy toy. Holiday Optimus Prime is unveiled at MCM London Comic Con with a new cab mold and a December 1 ship date. Selects Magnificus is revealed, and Hasbro sells Boulder Media. Plus Transformers Segway scooters and a Bumblebee silver coin.
News
HasLab Deathsaurus was the surprise of Hasbro’s October 27 stream, and the campaign stood at 5,613 backers during the show. At MCM London Comic Con, Ben Maher said Deathsaurus was first planned as a mainline Legacy toy before it was upgraded for HasLab. Photos show it about as tall as combined Victory Saber, and it costs the same. The stretch goals are listed up front: weapons, including a chain mace, at 14,000 backers, then the throne and stand. One host argues it belongs on HasLab, since retail would have cut the Breastmaster and Powermaster gimmicks. One host guesses Road Caesar is next, and another wants Liokaiser. A third would jump faster at a HasLab Beast Wars II Galvatron. [Source: Hasbro Pulse]
Holiday Optimus Prime Unveiled
Generations Holiday Optimus Prime was unveiled at MCM London Comic Con and ships December 1. It pairs a new cab mold, the Volvo electric semi from the cancelled Amazon Optimus Prime, with an Earthrise trailer. Ben Maher said the mold will be used again. The crew debates whether a Hero Optimus Prime or a Scourge redeco is next, and one host doubts the long-nose cab really suits Hero Optimus. Brian is amazed it ships in a month without leaking. [Source: Hasbro Pulse]
Selects Magnificus is on Hasbro Pulse for December or January. The crew has no strong feelings. One host wishes it used the Titans Return mold, for a working Titan Master and a better tank mode. [Source: Hasbro Pulse]
Hasbro sold Boulder Media, the studio behind Rescue Bots Academy and Cyberverse, which it bought in 2016. The crew sees the new CEO undoing the push to become a media company. Brian wonders whether Hasbro will start selling off brands, though nobody can think of a buyer for Micro Machines. [Source: Deadline]
Transformers Segway Scooters and Go-Karts
Segway quietly announced Transformers products in July, including a Megatron scooter and Optimus Prime and Bumblebee go-karts. The announcement went almost unnoticed. Brian says it costs more than he would ever pay for something like this. [Source: Instagram]
New Zealand Mint Bumblebee Silver Coin
The New Zealand Mint offers a one-ounce Bumblebee silver coin for about $100. Brian would buy it if it were legal tender. [Source: New Zealand Mint]
Elf on a Shelfwarmer
Brian kicks off Elf on a Shelfwarmer again, his favorite thing RFC does all year. He asks listeners to buy clearance toys and drop them in local donation boxes, because kids care about toys, not brands. Post a photo with the hashtag and RFC will share it. Listeners without a local drop-off can use the low-cost wish list at tfradio.net/elf, and Brian will donate the toys locally.
What We Got This Week
Don got Minerva, Velocitron Crasher and Shadow Strip, and he hopes for more G2 Stunticons. He also got the A Hero Is Born two-pack, Shattered Glass Flamewar with her Axer partner, and Shattered Glass Slicer with Exo-Suit. Bumblebee movie Thundercracker was $15 with a coupon, and Studio Series 86 Ironhide is on its way. On sale he got Mastermind Creations’ Cybertron-mode Roadbuster. He is most excited about the first figure in Toy Easy’s naval combiner, a destroyer.
Rob got Studio Series Bumblebee movie Ironhide for $15 on Amazon. It is floppy between modes but solid in both, and he likes it.
Matt got Studio Series 86 Frenzy, which Hasbro calls Rumble, and Shattered Glass Slicer with its eyesore of a buggy. He calls the A Hero Is Born set an impressive remold, especially Alpha Trion. Velocitron Crasher has a mascara-like face deco and does not peg together well in car mode. He loves Shadow Strip and calls Minerva great.
Brian got the Slicer two-pack, Crasher, Shadow Strip, Minerva and DK-3. He likes the A Hero Is Born set but does not need another Orion Pax. He also got a box of BotBots and a cheap Mandarake find. The G.I. Joe crossover Bumblebee A.W.E. Striker is a competent approximation of the vehicle. Platinum Edition Unicron turned out to be a different deco, so he still needs the Amazon version.
Chris finds Core Class Bombburst gummy and disappointing. Core Class Rumble is fine but easy to steal from its package. He does not like Studio Series 86 Ironhide, which is fiddly and missing the yellow stripe, and he is glad he kept Earthrise Ironhide. His Crasher arrived with a chipped chest, but Minerva looks great. He is happiest with a complete Titans Return Sky Shadow.