Artwork for the BotCon 2011 Animated Stunticons set arrived this week, and the crew revisits its interview with designer Derrick J. Wyatt on this March 9, 2011 Radio Free Cybertron. News also covers the 3D Dark of the Moon preview Optimus Prime, the Dark of the Moon game trailer and new Dark of the Moon toy leaks. The crew reviews the Transformers Prime episode “Convoy,” and Aimee breaks down the shocking events of IDW’s ongoing #17. The topic of the week asks whether it matters who Cyclonus and Scourge were before the movie.

News

Dark of the Moon Preview Optimus Prime Comes With 3D Glasses

One host shows off the Dark of the Moon preview Optimus Prime, wearing the 3D glasses that come with it. The figure is a brand new mold, not the old Legends Optimus with extra parts, and it adds a jetpack with removable guns. It is basic-size but Legends in design, for about $10. The glasses work with 3D images on transformers.com, though a red and blue Optimus clashes with anaglyph lenses. [Source: TFormers]

BotCon 2011 Stunticons Artwork and the Motormaster Debate

Artwork for the BotCon 2011 set arrived, and the crew is glad to see a female in the group. Derrick J. Wyatt, interviewed on RFC last weekend, designed the figures. The crew asked him about the controversy over Motormaster using the Optimus Prime mold instead of Wreck-Gar, and Wyatt didn’t know where it started either. One host says the AllSpark Almanac shows the Prime mold was the plan all along. One host says a Wreck-Gar on Fun Publications’ softer plastic would have been an engineering disaster. Wyatt didn’t pick the set either; it was chosen before he did the designs. Favorites include Breakdown and Wildrider, and one host says Wildrider looks like the Haunted Mansion’s Hatbox Ghost. [Source: not found]

Transtech Cheetor Comic and Figure Revealed

The Transformers Collectors’ Club posted pages from “Moving Violations,” a two-page Transtech Cheetor story drawn by Greg Sepelak. Fun Publications also revealed the figure, with a brand new head mold. One host learned from Derrick J. Wyatt after the interview that Animated Blurr was an homage to Transtech Cheetor. The crew jokes about making a furry Cheetor custom from shaved tennis balls. [Source: Transformers Collectors’ Club]

Dark of the Moon Video Game Trailer

The crew watches the Dark of the Moon video game trailer and calls it the best-looking movie game ever. It includes gameplay with strafing and a chainsaw arm. The game seems to use the Mech Tech weapon gimmick, which the crew says shows more thought than Mech Alive did. [Source: TFormers]

New Dark of the Moon Toy Leaks

New Dark of the Moon leaks include a deluxe Bumblebee the crew compares to a DeLorean Hot Shot. Voyagers Ironhide and Sentinel Prime also leaked, with Ironhide looking like the movie for once and hiding a dagger in his ankle. One host likes the red on Sentinel Prime. A Megatron mock-up in package wears a cloak the crew likes. [Source: not found]

E-Hobby United Three-Packs Delayed to April

The E-Hobby United three-packs are delayed until early April, and the Autobot set appears already sold out. Exvee is still hunting for a Wreck-Gar. Wheeljack is shipping to Big Bad Toy Store, and Reveal the Shield Voyagers are finally showing up in stores. The crew still needs the next Scout wave to find Windcharger. [Source: not found]

Transformers Prime Review: Convoy

With a spoiler warning, the crew reviews “Convoy.” One host expected to dislike it but credits Agent Fowler, voiced by Ernie Hudson, and Clancy Brown’s villain. He likes the action, the suspense and the continuity. Aimee calls it a weaker episode than “Scrapheap.” Exvee and another host say it builds the world the series needs. One host calls Transformers Prime the most G1 series since G1, especially seasons one and two. The crew also jokes that Ratchet never leaves the base.

Chat: Should the BotCon Stunticons Combine?

John DeLuna reports the biggest chat reaction: people wish the BotCon Stunticons combined. The crew jokes about rubber band bags, then debates whether a combiner kit could work for deluxes. The crew says it would end up like G1 Devastator or the Micromaster combiners.

IDW Ongoing #17

With a spoiler warning, Aimee recaps ongoing #17 by Mike Costa and Alex Milne. Optimus Prime shoots Soundwave in the head, and Megatron retreats carrying him. Jazz then shoots a human point blank to protect the Autobots. Aimee calls it the most absurd thing she has seen in Transformers fiction. She says Jazz can never come back from it. Another host argues it is a shade of gray because Jazz was saving a friend. Aimee thinks the arc is building to Optimus Prime being shelved as leader.

TFWiki Spotlight: The Headmasters

Chris McFeely spotlights the TFWiki article on the Headmasters cartoon, tied to news that Shout Factory is bringing the Japanese series to America. The article covers the making of the show, its split from Western continuity, the full voice cast and an episode guide. McFeely says the episode guide was one of his first major wiki projects.

This Week in History

JD Church marks March 10, 1992, when the Transformers: The Movie soundtrack was re-released on CD by Scotti Brothers Records. Several hosts still own it, and one had his copy signed by Vince DiCola.

Topic: Does It Matter Who Cyclonus and Scourge Were?

Exvee introduces the topic. The bios and fiction in the E-Hobby three-packs link Cyclonus and Scourge to Skywarp and Thundercracker. One host says it doesn’t matter, since the characters are different. He also notes it comes from Japanese fiction, a separate continuity. Another host argues the uncertainty is the fun part, like the Rumble and Frenzy color debate. He says naming the old identity diminishes the new characters.

Twitter Theater

Rob’s Twitter Theater pick is a comedy video about singing death metal without hurting your voice. The trick is an Optimus Prime voice changer helmet, the Garry Chalk version.

Coming Up

New Soundwave follows the live show.

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.

Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicAndroidiHeartRadioDeezerYoutube MusicRSS

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:02 — 31.2MB) | Embed

Subscribe: RSS | More