Walmart’s Star Raiders capsule leaked with Ferak, Filch, Cannonball and Lockdown, and Chris is not happy about Lockdown.
Amazon’s first 2024 exclusive sets pair Chop Shop with Barrage and Windsweeper with Breakdown.
Hasbro scheduled a reveal stream every Thursday in March, the day after RFC records.
HasLab Omega Prime passed 17,400 backers, and a credible rumor points to a Lego Bumblebee this summer.
Diecast lands an orange Toy World Constructor Devastator.
News
HasLab Omega Prime Update: 17,404 Backers
With eight days left, HasLab Omega Prime sat at 17,404 backers, with no surprise add-ons yet. Don backed two of his three that day. Chris notes the Deathsaurus bonus Micromasters were not announced until after that campaign ended. The crew expects it to clear 20,000. They are impressed by how steadily it has gained about a thousand backers a week. Diecast still says it has nothing to do with the 40th anniversary, and Don still disagrees. [Source: TFW2005]
GoFundMe Launched for Writer Ron Friedman
Transformers: The Movie writer Ron Friedman is battling cancer, and a GoFundMe has been set up to help with his medical expenses. The crew wishes him well. [Source: GoFundMe]
Hasbro Announces Transformers Reveal Streams Every Thursday in March
Hasbro will hold a Transformers livestream every Thursday in March, the day after RFC records. Chris expects one stream to cover Walmart’s Star Raiders capsule and Collector Con, with Legacy United wave two preorders opening the same month. Splitting streams also lets Legacy and Studio Series each get their own spotlight. [Source: not found]
Legacy United Doom ‘n Destruction Collection: Chop Shop, Barrage, Breakdown and Windsweeper
Amazon’s first 2024 exclusive sets pair Chop Shop with Barrage and Breakdown with Windsweeper. Chris likes Barrage but dislikes the exposed mushroom peg at the shoulder. Windsweeper’s Targetmasters are painted silver instead of retooled into flip-out guns. Nonnef already has an upgrade kit ready. Nobody cares much for the Breakdown, and Chris expects that set to drop to half price. [Source: TFW2005]
Legacy United Voyager Cybertron Starscream First In-Hand Images
Legacy United Cybertron Starscream turned up at retail in Chile, confirming it is the Cybertron version. Silverbolt and Sandstorm showed up at the same store a week earlier. The Cyber Planet Key is tiny, about half the size of a Titan Master. Chris calls it the best-looking take on the Tetrajet design. Rob plans to get one. [Source: TFW2005]
Walmart Star Raiders Capsule Leaks: Ferak, Filch, Cannonball and Lockdown
Leaks show the Walmart Star Raiders capsule. Ferak is a Kingdom Cyclonus retool with a new chest, head and wing details, and the crew finds it pretty. Filch, from Kingdom Airazor, is the first proper figure for the Robots in Disguise character. Cannonball is another Skids mold retool, and Chris hates the eye-patch paint with an unmatched visor. Lockdown is a new head on the Axlegrease mold. Chris thinks Axlegrease was always meant to be Lockdown, and that Legacy United Chase would have suited him better. [Source: TFW2005]
Takara Tomy Listings Show Studio Series Bumblebee Movie Starscream
Takara Tomy solicitations give a first look at a Core Class Bumblebee movie Starscream. The crew is lukewarm. Chris advises an Amazon preorder, since Walmart is dropping Core Class in both lines. [Source: TFW2005]
Generations Selects Legacy United Sunstreaker Additional Images
In-hand photos of Sunstreaker from the Autobots United five-pack show consistent yellows. Next to the Earthrise release, the fix is dramatic. Don had forgotten the Earthrise Sunstreaker existed, and the crew says blocking it out is justified. [Source: TFW2005]
Transformers Legacy United Deluxe Shard New In-Hand Images
New photos show Legacy United Shard, the rock helicopter. One host likes it, another is not moved. Someone suggests a Prime Airachnid repaint. [Source: TFW2005]
Rumor: Transformers Lego Bumblebee in the Works
A supposedly credible rumor points to a Lego Bumblebee this summer at about $89.99 and roughly 900 pieces. Joe Kite, who designed Lego Optimus Prime, is reportedly involved. Chris finds $90 far more approachable than Optimus Prime’s price. The crew notes Lego sets rarely go on sale. [Source: TFW2005]
Dr. Wu Grand Galvatron Two-Packs
Brian preordered one of Dr. Wu’s three mini Unicron and Galvatron two-packs, choosing the animated colors. Each pairs a small Unicron with a new-head reissue of Dr. Wu’s Galvatron, in toy, cartoon or reformatting colors, at about $28. [Source: TFormers]
What We Got This Week
Don
Don got Kill Bison from Iron Factory’s legends-scale Liokaiser for about $35 shipped from Show-Z Store. It comes with Drillhorn’s add-on shell for stability, several chest and hand options and spears. He expects Leozack next, and Iron Factory is also doing Death Cobra.
Matt
Matt got the retro 40th anniversary Soundwave with Laserbeak and Ravage. He calls it gorgeous, though it feels lighter than the original; the feet and tapes are still die-cast. He also got the red Armada Hot Shot repaint from the Hasbro Pulse outlet for about $31 and likes its Mini-Con.
Diecast
At NJCC, Diecast bought 3D-printed stands for the Ark and Nemesis with Energon bridges between the ships. He also found a sealed orange Toy World Constructor Devastator for about $300, which Chris envies. He also got the Zeta Toys little legends-scale Skydive to replace one he broke.
Rob
Rob had nothing in Transformers this week; his packages are lost in the mail.
Chris
Chris got Powerlinx Hot Shot from the Hasbro Pulse outlet and loves the new Jolt Mini-Con, which now stands thanks to heel spurs. He got the Wardome two-pack with Dion and Ariel for $29.50. He also got the Reactivate Optimus Prime and Soundwave two-pack for about $30 after Amazon credit. Optimus looks fantastic but hurt him to transform, while Soundwave is simpler and sturdier. Diecast gifted him Studio Series Rise of the Beasts Wheeljack. He loves the Volkswagen bus mode, but it is tiny for a Deluxe and a nightmare to transform.
Brian Kilby
Brian received both Missing Link Convoy versions and is selling the one without the trailer, since the toy version is better. He got the Core Class Bumblebee and Optimus Prime two-pack from the Hasbro Pulse outlet. He also added a sealed Armada Unicron to his sealed Unicron collection.