John DeLuna returns to the ATT Buzz after three weeks and reports that nothing happened on alt.toys.transformers. On this November 4, 2000 Radio Free Cybertron, he covers eToys shipping the wrong Beast Machines Deluxe to Savage Noble buyers and his new Generation 2 collecting habit. He also asks how big the Transformers fandom really is and predicts BotCon attendance won’t grow. Brian Kilby previews RFC’s one-year anniversary show and explains his public flame of a troll on ATT.
Opening
Brian thanks Mop-Boy for filling in the last two weeks while he was away. He says the Rob Zombie album worked well for the Halloween special. He concedes that Ravage did not actually speak in that show, only through proxy, and a listener poll is still up. Next week brings the presidential election wrap-up, where listeners choose between Optimus Prime, Galvatron and the real candidates. Brian credits J. Dale for spearheading it.
Site Plugs
Brian points listeners to Cold Hard Slag version 3.0 at coldhardslag.com, saying the site simply rules. He also plugs J. Dale’s attwhoswho.com, a directory of fans on alt.toys.transformers that anyone can join.
Brian’s Flame on ATT
Brian addresses a flame he posted on alt.toys.transformers this week. He calls the target a regular poster who trolls the group, perhaps without meaning to. He admits the man deserved a less public reminder but says he isn’t sorry. He argues the newsgroup is for discussing Transformers, not a chat room.
RFC’s One-Year Anniversary
The show is short because Brian is saving material for the one-year anniversary show on November 19, 2000. He recalls that test listener Jason Tron called the very first, pulled RFC nine minutes of his life he wished he could have back. The anniversary show should bring the next part of the Transformers: The Movie parody and possibly an interview.
ATT Buzz
John DeLuna is back after three weeks and says nothing happened on ATT, with no news on new toys and the cartoon rumbling along. Beast Machines is almost over. John notes the newsgroup has gone apathetic after the first season’s uproar over organic versus techno.
eToys Ships the Wrong Beast Machines Deluxe
eToys listed the Beast Machines Deluxe Savage Noble as in stock early, then shipped buyers Skydive or whatever Deluxe it had on hand. John recalls Transmetal 2 Blackarachnia once being sold as Beast Machines Blackarachnia. That turned out to be a good deal, since the toy now sells for more. [Source: not found]
John Gets Into Generation 2
John has finished his Car Robots collection, apart from a pre-paid clear God Fire Convoy set, and has turned to Generation 2 on eBay. As a kid he struggled to find the G2 Constructicons and gave up on the line. Now sealed G2 Sideswipe, G2 Inferno and the Combaticons cost $50 or less, against hundreds for G1 originals. He loves the neon camo Combaticons and has all but Vortex. He has grown to like the G2 Megatron tank mold. He calls Magmatron a useless brick with no neck and notes Brave Maximus has none either.
How Big Is the Transformers Fandom?
John says ATT is a mess, with more fringe fans who know little about Transformers before 1996 or 1997. He wishes they had more reverence for Hasbro, Takara and the line’s history. He puts the number of real fans at 5,000 at most. He calls Transformers an expensive, hardcore hobby, since a BotCon trip costs around $400 all told. He expects next year’s BotCon to draw 1,200 to 1,300, down from about 1,500. He tells fringe fans that positive, useful posting is what matters.
Radio Free Cybertron is the world's first and oldest toy and action figure podcast — broadcasting from the heart of the Transformers fan community since October 1999. What started as a scrappy fan show has grown into an institution, with nearly 1,000 episodes and over 25 years of coverage. Every week, host Brian Kilby and the RFC crew dig into the latest Transformers news, toy reveals, collecting, and everything hitting shelves from Hasbro, Takara, and beyond. No fluff, no hype — just informed, passionate collectors who have been doing this longer than anyone else on the planet. The original. The longest running. Till all are one.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:53 — 14.3MB) | Embed
Radio Free Cybertron 794 – Skull Green
The RFC Mini-cast – 018: Botcon 2015 Reveals
Radio Free Cybertron 726 – The Old Diecast and the Sea