BotCon 2011’s Wildrider is the Lockdown mold with a new head, and a fourth head will go to the attendee figure. This February 16, 2011 Radio Free Cybertron also covers Dinobot Mini-Con recolors and Transformers United waves 3 and 4. Bweebum reports from Hasbro’s Toy Fair 2011 presentation on Dark of the Moon, Transformers Prime toys and the Starscream Skystriker. Aimee reviews Transformers: Infestation #2, and Brian Kilby warns fans off the Takara Masterpiece Rodimus.

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BotCon 2011 Wildrider Uses the Lockdown Mold

The BotCon Twitter feed revealed that Wildrider is the Lockdown mold with a new head. A fourth head will go to the attendee figure. The crew calls it a little crummy for non-attendees but understands BotCon wants people there. Exvee jokes he will find the attendee figure in a comic shop for $40 in five years. [Source: @BotCon on Twitter]

Dinobot Mini-Con Recolor Set Revealed

Photos show a Mini-Con three-pack of Cybertron-era molds in Dinobot colors, along with another shared exclusive Mini-Con three-pack. Brian likes the Dinobot set, especially the sabertooth, though Exvee has no urge to own those molds twice. At $15 for three Mini-Cons, the crew calls it steep. [Source: Entertainment Earth]

Transformers United Waves 3 and 4

A hobby magazine scan shows Transformers United wave 3, and stock images show wave 4. The crew sees little change from the Hasbro versions except a brighter Wreck-Gar with a silver face. One host notes the United mini Optimus Prime’s blue translucent plastic should light-pipe better. Exvee says his Hasbro version can’t hold its sword at all. [Source: Allspark]

Dark of the Moon Stars to Be Daytona 500 Grand Marshals

Listener Trax shared that the stars of Transformers: Dark of the Moon will serve as Grand Marshals at the Daytona 500. The crew admits it doesn’t care about NASCAR unless a pit crew dresses as G1 construction workers. [Source: TFormers.com]

Transformers Prime Episode 6 Review

One host found the Skyquake episode a monster-of-the-week story, with a new villain introduced and killed within 20 minutes. Others did not hate it and note it could bring a larger roster and more toys. They found Skyquake’s voice forgettable for such a big character. Brian says he looks forward to the show each week and calls it competent with lots of potential. Others note Beast Wars also took several episodes to hit its stride.

Comic Review: Transformers: Infestation #2

In a pre-recorded segment, Aimee reviews the second and final Transformers chapter of the Infestation crossover. It picks up with Kup run through by Bayonet and recaps who Brit is and what she wants. Kup’s breakdown, set up in Spotlight: Kup and All Hail Megatron #15, lets him see through Brit’s perception tricks. Prowl’s hidden protocols let him resist her. On Galvatron’s idea, Kup redirects the portal to send Brit to the dawn of the dead universe and is pulled in himself. Aimee praises Nick Roche’s art and Joana Lafuente’s colors. She recommends both issues and says they set up Heart of Darkness.

Brian on Masterpiece Rodimus

Brian has not dared to fully transform his Takara Masterpiece Rodimus after spotting stress marks at the knee. One shin guard snapped off in his hand. He calls it fragile, more like a shell-former than a masterpiece, at $100. He finds the robot mode nice, the hands unable to grip the gun and the trailer superfluous. He tells fans to wait for the Hasbro version, ideally with Firebolt, or buy a $6 Revoltech Rodimus instead. He contrasts it with the rock-solid Masterpiece Convoy and Grimlock. The crew also discusses the Takara Predaking reissue and the e-Hobby Diaclone Magnus.

TFWiki Spotlight: Matrix of Leadership

JD Church and Chris McFeely spotlight McFeely’s week-long overhaul of the TFWiki Matrix of Leadership article. It traces the Matrix’s conceptual history and every appearance across the Marvel comics, the cartoon, Japanese series, the Beast Era, Dreamwave, IDW, Robots in Disguise, the Unicron Trilogy, the movies, Animated, Prime and video games. Its toy appearances fill a separate page.

Toy Fair 2011 Report

Bweebum attended Hasbro’s pre-Toy Fair presentation and calls Toy Fair a business-first show, like CES for toys. The big buzz was the Starscream Skystriker, a G.I. Joe Skystriker repaint piloted by Cobra Commander. He calls Mech Tech weapon-combining nothing new. Cyberverse interests him most, with Legion and Commander class figures and an Ark playset with Roller, reminiscent of Micromaster playsets.

He describes the Transformers Prime deluxes as sleek and show-accurate, though Bumblebee’s vehicle mode reveals robot parts underneath. He accidentally knocked Arcee off the display, and she survived without a scratch. Security guards flanked every Dark of the Moon display, which the crew links to a fan who once broke toys at Toy Fair. Hasbro rushed through Transformers but confirmed Generations will continue and that Prime will be its own line. He also liked the Rescue Bots, and Rob arrives just as the show wraps.

Radio Free Cybertron: The Transformers Podcast

Brian Kilby

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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