Jason Jankowski, who played Tommy Kennedy, shares 36 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage from the G1 “Season 5” wraparounds, and Brian calls it his favorite news of the week. Hasbro announces plastic packaging windows are returning for its collector lines, though Transformers is not named. JTPrime turns up Core Class Beast Wars Dinobot and Beast Machines Cheetor, and a Legacy Breakdown variant appears with a new head. Brian lands a big lot of G1 Micromaster patrols.
News
Hasbro Brings Back Plastic Packaging Windows
Hasbro told fan media that windowed packaging is returning, using plant-based or recycled PET. Marvel, Power Rangers and Star Wars are named, but not Transformers. Chris suspects retailers pushed back over returns from closed boxes. Don worries it becomes another excuse to raise prices. Brian expects prices to go up regardless. [Source: Star Wars Collector]
Legacy Breakdown Variant Identified
A Legacy Breakdown variant has a toy-inspired deco and a new alternate head. The crew guesses the head was made for an eventual G2 Breakdown. Chris notes Breakdown already had a running change into Legacy Evolution packaging. [Source: Autobase Aichi]
Core Class Beast Wars Dinobot and Beast Machines Cheetor Listed
JTPrime found 2024 Legacy listings for Core Class Beast Wars Dinobot and Beast Machines Cheetor. Brian says Core Class marks Dinobot as a core character. Rob adds that Core Class also covers figures built to accompany bigger toys. Blade Raider points out Cheetor translates best of the Beast Machines Maximals. [Source: TFW2005]
Tommy Kennedy Behind-the-Scenes Video From G1 Season 5
Jason Jankowski shared a 36-minute home video from filming the Tommy Kennedy sequences. Those 1987 syndication wraparounds are what fans call G1 Season 5. Brian watched every minute. He loved the segments as a kid and once relied on 17th-generation VHS copies. The footage shows the Powermaster Optimus Prime puppet in operation. Brian notes Peter Cullen overdubbed the lines later. [Source: Vimeo]
Rise of the Beasts Stock Photo Leaks
Stock photos cover Beast Mode Optimus Prime, Battle Changers, Beast Combiners, Deluxe Mirage and Battle Master Optimus Primal. Beast Alliance Arcee and Cheetor and Bumblebee movie repacks appear too. Chris notes Beast Mode Optimus Prime has been found in the UK. Brian kind of likes it. Chris points out Deluxe Mirage has the wrong-color tires. [Source: Autobase Aichi]
Rise of the Beasts Optimus Primal Nerf Blaster
A Rise of the Beasts Nerf rifle carries a gorilla and the Maximal logo. Chris wishes it looked like an in-universe weapon. [Source: Facebook]
Transformers x Mini World Revealed for China
Mini World playsets tied to a Chinese game turn the characters into small transforming cubes. Chris likes Bumblebee’s Autobot-headquarters look. Brian passes, noting the Brian of two years ago would have bought them all. [Source: TFW2005]
Mark Maher Posts G2 Beachcomber Behind the Scenes
Mark Maher says the parakeet depended on making the tires PVC. He also painted himself a custom G2 Beachcomber. The crew hopes for an official G2 release. [Source: Instagram]
Beast Wars VS Rhinox vs. Scorponok Up for Preorder
The Rhinox and Scorponok set is $69.99 on Hasbro Pulse. Matt skips it, holding out for a Fractyl and Packrat set. [Source: Hasbro Pulse]
What We Got This Week
Don
Don spent the weekend toy hunting with Brian. He got Legacy Evolution Crosscut at GameStop and a second Rhinox through a Target deal with Brian. A second Retro Hot Rod came from Hasbro Pulse, and he got the Rise of the Beasts Jungle Mission three-pack with Wheeljack, Cheetor and Nightbird. Brian also bought him a 50-pack of action figure stands from his wishlist.
Diecast
Diecast got a second Masterpiece Skyfire by accident and Origins Jazz from Hasbro Pulse.
Rob
Rob got Studio Series 38 Optimus Prime when it restocked on Pulse, thanks to a tip from Discord member Wheeljack64. He calls it complex without being frustrating.
Chris
Chris had nothing in Transformers this week.
Matt
Matt had nothing in Transformers this week.
Brian
Brian was given 1984, 1985 and 1986 G1 catalogs, mail-away flyers and Motormaster instructions. He got the Rise of the Beasts Jungle Mission three-pack, Battle Masters Skullcruncher, Rhinox and Cheetor, and two smaller figures for his kids. From Mandarake he got a sealed G1 Sizzle, a Japanese G2 Hero Optimus Prime and an e-Hobby enemy-colors Galvatron. His big buy is a box of G1 Micromaster patrols, from Battle Squad to Monster Truck Patrol.