The Dark of the Moon trailer has fans picking apart its moon scene, now said to show the Ark. The crew sizes up the e-Hobby Autobot set with a clear Matrix-glow Hot Rod, and Jim Sorenson’s scan of the 1986 Transformers: The Movie script. Aimee covers the Foundation prequel comic, and Chris McFeely spotlights the First Seven of Sector 7. Then Rob takes Optimus Prime’s leadership apart, piece by piece.
News
Dark of the Moon Trailer: The Moon Ship Is the Ark
The new Transformers: Dark of the Moon trailer left the crew mostly underwhelmed. Nelson, an administrator of Michael Bay’s Shoot for the Edit forum, called the moon ship scene the Ark scene, so the crew treats it as confirmed to a point. They then pick apart the plot logic, from the Ark’s arrival to a 20-minute dash across the moon. Their advice is to stop thinking and focus on the explosions. The chat reports that listeners are heading to the bar. [Source: not found]
e-Hobby Autobot and Decepticon Sets Revealed
Exvee has preordered the e-Hobby Autobot set but skipped the Decepticon set. One host calls the Decepticon set boring rather than bad. The Autobot set brings an original-deco Junkion, whose head is still obscured, plus Kup and a clear blue Matrix-glow Hot Rod. The crew expects that deco to come back someday as a Masterpiece Rodimus repaint. [Source: not found]
Battle in Space Two-Pack Begins Shipping
The Battle in Space two-pack is shipping from online retailers at about $23. The crew expects it to reach stores, and one host hopes to find it at Ollie’s for around $10. [Source: not found]
Windcharger and Brimstone Turn Up in Canada
Windcharger and Brimstone are out in Canada. The crew thinks Brimstone’s skull face would make a great Psykill, and they want one. [Source: not found]
Jim Sorenson Scans the 1986 Transformers: The Movie Script
Jim Sorenson scanned and OCR’d a script for the 1986 Transformers: The Movie, following the online auction the crew discussed weeks earlier. It includes the Anabots and plenty of gruesome deaths, including Windcharger raining down in flaming pieces. The crew would happily watch a hard-R version. [Source: not found]
Motorcycle Triplets Combined Mode Photos Surface
Nevermore posted pictures to the Allspark of a gray combined mode for the motorcycle triplets. Brian thinks it looks wrong, and another host compares it to John Carpenter’s The Thing. One host says it looks like only two of the three bikes are there. The crew doubts the poster’s claim that Hasbro sent him the images. [Source: not found]
Slagacon Comic Posted to DeviantArt
The Slagacon comic is up on DeviantArt. Brian finds the story confusing but likes the G2-inspired art and gives it a thumbs up. Rob says a Slagacon trip in 2011 is more likely than BotCon in California, since Indiana is a 10-hour drive. [Source: not found]
From the Chat
John DeLuna reports that the trailer talk sent the chat to the bar, which may at least lower expectations. Chatters also want Classics Hot Rod and Galvatron reissued, since many newer fans missed them. Brian would welcome a Double Dealer reissue. The crew agrees Hasbro could make a much better Hot Rod today.
Comic News with Aimee
Sector 7’s latest issue was delayed, and Aimee will tweet the new date. Foundation #1, a four-issue movieverse prequel about Optimus Prime and Megatron, is out next Wednesday, with Rising Storm also on the way. Rob predicts three issues of reminiscing before anything happens. The Ironhide miniseries trade paperback is now available. The crew praises its art and first three issues, but Brian suggests buying another copy of Last Stand of the Wreckers instead.
This Week in History
JD Church notes that “The Masquerade” aired on December 16, 1985. The crew revisits how five Autobots posed as Menasor, held together by Windcharger’s magnetism. They debate why Hound, not Mirage, made the illusion of the head, and agree the plot still beats a Michael Bay movie. JD also marks December 14, 2009, when TFWiki reached its 10,000th post.
TFWiki Spotlight: The First Seven
Chris McFeely picks the First Seven, the founders of Sector 7. Their names began in the Sector 7 alternate reality game, and IDW’s Sector 7 miniseries gave each one a full identity. Chris praises writer John Barber for weaving in Herbert Hoover, the Boxer Rebellion and Bonnie and Clyde. He says the comic deserves far more readers than it gets.
Classic RFC Bits
The break revives two old-school RFC pieces: the “Transforming in the Wind” song parody and the “Galvatron for President in the Year 2000” campaign ad.
Toys for Tots Raffle
Peter Van reports that E&I, parent company of T-Formers.com, is raffling an Optimus Prime collectible autographed by Peter Cullen. Tickets are sold at the Gaithersburg and Frederick, Maryland locations of Beyond Comics. All proceeds go to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program, and the raffle ends December 18.
BotCon Custom Class Prices on eBay
John DeLuna missed BotCon 2007 and has been casually collecting its toys. He found unassembled custom class figures on eBay: this year’s G2 Sideswipe at $1,350 and the 2007 Grimlock at $2,000. Only about 50 of each exist. John admits he wants the Sideswipe, and the crew trades joke lowball offers.
RFC Year-End Giveaway
The RFC Year-End Giveaway has two weeks left. Prizes include Showdown, All Fall Down, Last Stand, Matrix Quest, Treason, Second Generation, Fallen Angel and Perchance to Dream, plus toys such as Blurr and Darkmount. Enter by following RFC on Twitter, Facebook, Ustream or the new YouTube channel, where full episodes now post. Entries close December 29 at 8 p.m. Eastern, and winners are named on that show.
Topic: How Has Optimus Prime Changed?
Brian asks how Optimus Prime has or hasn’t changed over the years. One host thinks he has become more boring and more violent. Rob takes over with a long riff on Prime’s leadership, from the movie Optimus and the Fallen to the Unicron Trilogy habit of leaving the planet. Rob likes Marvel’s Optimus best after his Powermaster return. He argues Rodimus, Fortress Maximus, Grimlock, Blaster, Prowl or Ultra Magnus could lead better, with Prime as a great soldier. Another host counters that fans remember Optimus because he was first.
Twitter Theater
Rob shares “Motor,” a single-frame Russian fan video. It shows the Transformers as buddies until a movie director makes them fight, then pays them in Energon. Highlights include Starscream on guitar and Bumblebee riding Thrust like a horse. One host calls it the best Twitter Theater ever, and Rob agrees.
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.
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