John DeLuna returns to the show full time with a blunt review of Masterpiece Raiden, which he calls a disappointing combiner.
Target’s Legacy United four-pack leaks with Tarn, Tarantulas, Prime Cliffjumper and G1 Squeezeplay.
MP-56+ Riggorus, the Dramatic Capture Nemesis Bridge set and the Yolopark AMK Pro Optimus Prime show up in hand.
Chris gushes over Legacy United Gears, which he says is the first really good Gears toy.
Plus a New Zealand Mint silver poster coin and an Arizona beer that borrows a little too much from Optimus Prime.
News
Target Legacy United Multipack First Look
JT Prime leaked a Target-exclusive Legacy United four-pack about an hour before the show. It includes Cyberverse Tarn, catalog-inspired orange Tarantulas, Prime Cliffjumper and G1 Squeezeplay. Squeezeplay is the clear winner for most of the crew, and the tech spec detail on his chest earns praise. Chris points out that Cyberverse Tarns were generic troopers by the show’s end. Don wants everything except Tarn and plans to sell his. The orange Tarantulas uses the toy-accurate head and pairs well with box art Blackarachnia. One host now wants a Legacy Armordillo. The set is due June 21, which happens to be Don’s birthday. [Source: TFW2005]
Mark Maher Posts New Photos of Ferak and Cannonball
Mark Maher shared new photos of Ferak and Cannonball from the Star Raiders capsule. The crew credits the orange-red highlights with tying Ferak’s muted colors together. Concept art shows the team considered basing Ferak’s head on the Transformers: The Movie DS game Cyclonus. Cannonball was nearly built on the Reactivate Soundwave mold, but the production timelines overlapped. Don does not miss the targetmaster, since Ferak only had one because of the original mold. [Source: Instagram]
Mark Maher Shows the Deluxe Insecticons, Breakdown and Windsweeper
More photos show the Deluxe Insecticons and the Breakdown and Windsweeper set. The crew likes the Insecticons more than they want to. Better photos make Barrage look less wonky. Don sees what the silver Targetmasters are doing to suggest Windsweeper’s arm cannons, and Nonnef already has a proper kit in the works. One host would buy the set only if it drops in price, since he has no need for Breakdown. [Source: Instagram]
Transformers Masterpiece MP-56+ Riggorus In-Hand Images
In-hand photos show MP-56+ Riggorus, a Diaclone-colored mix of Trailbreaker and Hoist. Brian thought he already owned it and says he is over Masterpiece. One host would buy it on a price drop for the Diaclone colors. Another finds the cartoony Hoist legs an odd fit, which gave the episode its title. Don disagrees, since Hoist’s legs came from the Diaclone toy. [Source: TFW2005]
Takara Dramatic Capture Series Nemesis Bridge In-Hand Images
The Dramatic Capture Nemesis Bridge set looks nicely painted in hand. Brian canceled his preorder and is now second-guessing it. He wishes Megatron came with the Lincoln Memorial chair. One host notes Shockwave is brighter than the Siege version but still not the redder cartoon purple he wants. Soundwave adds painted missiles, shoulder cannon and forearms over the Netflix release. [Source: TFW2005]
Yolopark AMK Series Pro G1 Optimus Prime In-Hand Images
Final in-hand photos of the Yolopark AMK Pro G1 Optimus Prime look great. Diecast is excited and notes the eyes light up when the magnetic gun touches the head. Ten years ago he would never have believed he would be excited about a non-transforming figure. Rob recommends Yolopark’s small model kits, about $13 each on Amazon. [Source: TFW2005]
Hot Wheels Skate Transformers Bumblebee First Official Image
Hot Wheels Skate showed a yellow Bumblebee fingerboard. The crew is sure it is somebody’s jam. They try to date the old SDCC skateboarding Optimus Prime and settle on 2017. [Source: TFW2005]
New Zealand Mint Transformers 40th Anniversary Silver Coins
New Zealand Mint’s latest are silver poster coins featuring Bill Sienkiewicz’s cover for Transformers #1. A five-ounce version is $500 and limited to 200, and a one-ounce version runs about $115 to $150. The crew notes the pricing is about $100 per ounce of silver, and the coins are legal tender in an island nation. Brian admits it looks nice but not $500 nice. [Source: TFW2005]
An Arizona Beer Borrows Optimus Prime’s Look
An Arizona brewery is selling a fruity beer with art very close to Optimus Prime, including a lime on its head and a modified Autobot symbol. The crew expects a cease and desist. Chris notes that putting toy iconography on alcohol raises marketing-to-minors concerns that Hasbro cannot ignore. Don points out that local breweries do this with plenty of brands. [Source: TFW2005]
What We Got This Week
John DeLuna
John DeLuna received the final Masterpiece Trainbot, completing Raiden after a year. He likes the six Trainbots as individual robots and loves the train modes. The combined Raiden is a disaster, though: over two hours to transform, with flimsy tabs and almost no shoulder articulation. He plans to separate them back into Trainbots and gives Raiden a thumbs down. He says the Moon Studios version looks better as a combiner.
Chris
Chris got Legacy United Gears and Cybertron Starscream from Big Bad Toy Store. Starscream goes through the motions without understanding the original toy’s design. The robot mode is poseable, but the jet nose tilts up and the arm cannons pop off easily. Gears, he says, is the first really good Gears toy. The transformation joints double as articulation, and the accordion-style transformation feels novel. It is also just shorter than Beachcomber, as an angry little man should be.
Matt
Matt had nothing in Transformers this week; his Legacy Animated Optimus Prime is still in the mail.
Diecast
Diecast also got the final Trainbot in the big collector box. He plans to keep all six sealed.
Rob
Rob had nothing in Transformers this week.
Don
Don’s on-topic pickup was a stretch: a Brave series Fire Dagwon from Metamorphosis, his favorite non-Transformers transforming robot. Listeners also sent his cat Hank some treats and Don a bookcase from his wish list.
Brian Kilby
At Toy Atlanta, Brian completed all three Omnibots and found a complete G1 Starscream with paperwork, toward his complete G1 collection. Sean also bought him The Great Car Rally storybook, which he loves for its art.