Mbilia Studios’ officially licensed Transformers comic book statues sell for $4,000 apiece, and the crew calls them awful. Blokees Wheels reveals its first wave, Age of the Primes Leader Big Convoy shows up smaller than hoped, and Commander Onslaught’s prototype surfaces at MCM London. Eric Siebenaler also returns to the Hasbro Transformers design team. Diecast, Matt and guest Miguel report back from TFCon Chicago, where Artfire drew Brian’s name twice in a raffle he wasn’t there to claim. In What We Got This Week, Miguel lands a Lucky Draw Godfire sword, Matt brings home a boxed G1 Raiden and Brian finds Brazilian Estrela minibot store displays.
News
The Transformers: Comic Book Edition Statues by Mbilia Studios Cost $4,000 Each
Mbilia Studios revealed limited Transformers: Comic Book Edition statues at around $4,000 each. The crew called them hideous. Soundwave carries two-thirds of Megatron’s fusion cannon, appears to have Optimus Prime wheels on his leg, and his leg seems to clip through his waist. Some suspect the promotional art is AI generated, but one host stresses that nobody knows that for a fact. Either way, it’s an impressively bad job. One host does like the graphic comic deco and would welcome it on a better figure. The statues are officially licensed, which surprised part of the panel. [Source: TFW2005]
Blokees Wheels Transformers Wave 1 Shown in Package
Blokees Wheels wave 1 includes Optimus Prime, Rodimus Prime, Scamper, Hound, Mirage, Prowl, Dragstrip, Runabout, Megatron, Swerve, Gears and Swindle, plus alternate-finish variants. Optimus Prime, Rodimus, Swerve and Gears clearly draw on IDW comic designs. These kits are larger and more complex than the Defender-scale vehicles. Chase variants of Optimus Prime and Rodimus add a hologram driver minifigure at a 1-in-144 ratio. Swerve even carries a My First Blaster turret on his truck. One host plans to buy all of them. [Source: TFW2005]
Age of the Primes Leader Big Convoy In-Hand Images Reveal a Smaller Convoy
In-hand images of Age of the Primes Leader Class Big Convoy are out, and the reaction is mixed. One host loves Big Convoy but calls this one “smaller convoy.” The crew debates whether the original Beast Wars Neo toy belongs in Leader Class or Commander Class. Either way, the original carried a lot more bulk. Despite the size, one host has already preordered it. [Source: TFW2005]
Age of the Primes Commander Onslaught Prototype Shown at MCM London
Hasbro displayed a gray prototype and an engineering pilot of Commander Class Onslaught at MCM London. Photos placed him beside Blast Off, Brawl, Studio Series 86 Optimus Prime and Soundwave. Onslaught’s robot stands about Soundwave’s height. His trailer becomes an artillery emplacement rather than the launch platform fans hoped for. The fake cannons on his back drew complaints, though they keep his silhouette distinct from Bruticus. The vehicle mode is now a cab and trailer, and Brawl or Blast Off can ride on the flatbed. A comparison photo shows him smaller than the Combiner Wars version. The crew expects at most one redeco, likely G2. One host balks at roughly $250 for a full combiner and would rather put that money toward a Magic Square Bruticus. [Source: TFW2005]
Eric Siebenaler Returns to the Transformers Design Team
Eric Siebenaler, a designer from the Transformers Animated era, is back on the Hasbro Transformers design team in a temporary role. One host met him at TFCon Chicago, got a signed print and pitched a Dark Awakening Optimus Prime. Siebenaler said the role isn’t permanent for now but didn’t rule it out. His work could start reaching shelves around 2027. The crew notes the collector design team has been just Evan and Mark for over a year. They hope his return brings unreleased Animated designs, like Marauder Megatron, closer to reality. [Source: TFW2005]
TFCon Chicago Recap
Diecast, Matt and guest Miguel, also known as Lugos Minor, all attended TFCon Chicago. The show was so crowded that organizers stopped admitting day-pass holders for an hour and a half or more. The crew expects TFCon to return to Chicago in a bigger space. Deals were everywhere, from a loose Energon Omega Sentinel for $100 to an Animated Ultra Magnus for $45. Artfire ran a huge raffle for its store’s 10th anniversary at $10 an entry. During the in-person-only round, the random number generator drew Brian Kilby twice in a row for a boxed Japanese Devastator. Chuck answered over the microphone with “Curse you, Brian Kilby.” A young kid won two prizes, including Star Saber and Raiden. Diecast also sat on the podcasters panel, which Mike Seibert moderated.
Brian and Don worked a smaller regional toy show the same weekend, where the toy side was much quieter than the card side. Don’s boxed Stunticons set, priced at $400, drew questions but no offers.
What We Got This Week
Miguel
Miguel picked up the Ocular Max exclusive Megalith, which Diecast grabbed for him on Friday. From a room sale he added a Japanese-boxed Beast Wars Second Apache, a loose, complete Ultra Class Optimus Primal and the BotCon 2008 attendee bonus Ricochet. He also found a loose Universe figure on the Transmetal 2 Iguanus mold, minus one frill. At Chosen Prime’s loose bins he paid $5 for a red Rescue Force Leozack redeco. He also grabbed a Japan-only Energon gift-with-purchase weapon set and the BotCon 2012 Kickover for about $70. The large Telemocha Megatron and Optimus Primal from Japan’s Beast Wars 10th anniversary line came home too. His big get came from Artfire’s table: the Lucky Draw Godfire sword for Brave Maximus, whose hilt Brave Maximus can actually hold.
Matt
Matt bought Eric Siebenaler’s Animated-style Galvatron print. A Saturday room sale gave him carded G2 Accelerators Turbofire and Rapido in their U.S. versions. At Artfire’s table he picked up a boxed Sixtrain to go with his Sixliner. He also landed a complete, boxed G1 Raiden.
Diecast
Diecast got a Gigawatt stand that can hang on the wall. He picked up carded G2 Go-Bots Ironhide and Double Clutch. He also added a second Fans Toys Outrider for about $90 and an exclusive Fans Hobby repaint. Third-party picks included Ocular Max Megalith, X-Transbots Ballistic in its animation version, an Asian-release Ocular Max Stray and Ocular Max Ramhorn. Blokees finds included Megatronus, the original Defenders box set from Rick Alvarez’s table and the Devastator combination kit. He also scored the Calvin Johnson Megatron, Legacy Voyager Metalhawk in Asian packaging for $18 and his usual black Ironhide, DK-2 Guard. From Artfire he added a G1 Sixliner. He also got a Megatron print from Eric Siebenaler.
Don
Don received the second Transformers Compendium, completing his run of the G1 and G2 comics. He ordered Starscream from the Masters of the Universe x Transformers crossover, styled as Scare Glow, whose wings and blasters double as battle axes. At his toy show he paid $5 each for Blokees Grapple and the metallic Grimlock chase variant in Dinobot mode.
Rob
Rob grabbed Studio Series Rise of the Beasts Wheeljack from Amazon for a little under retail. It makes a nice, very small Volkswagen bus.
Brian
Brian got Don’s original G1 Swoop box, plus a reproduction bubble. He found a Core Class Ironhide at Ollie’s. From Mandarake he ordered a boxed Beast Machines Vehicon Jetstorm and a better-looking Beast Wars II God Neptune set. His dealer friend supplied a sealed Predacon Drill Bit with a $5 Kmart tag and a sealed Transmetal Cheetor. More came from the same source: a boxed Robots in Disguise Scourge, a sealed Beast Wars Depth Charge with a $6 Walmart clearance sticker, a sealed Armada Tidal Wave and the sealed second release of Cybertron Primus with the Unicron head. At the regional toy show he found two Brazilian Estrela minibot store displays, hooks included. He also found a huge Gears flag, probably a store banner.