Fun Publications says the breach of its club site was a simple SQL injection attack. On this March 28, 2012 Radio Free Cybertron, Peter tells Brian Kilby, Exvee, Aimee, Rob and John DeLuna why that is no excuse. The crew also covers BotCon’s ban on third-party toys and what it means for a fan convention. Fall of Cybertron gets an August 28 release date, and Transformers Prime’s Loose Cannons brings back Wheeljack. The monthly third-party roundup features a Sharkticon, Make Toys’ Giant and a Powermaster Optimus Prime armor kit.
RFC Moves to Thursdays
Starting in April, the live show moves to Thursdays at 8 p.m. Eastern. The podcast version of this episode includes extra content from Rob and John.
News
Fun Publications Blames a SQL Injection for Its Data Breach
Fun Publications revealed that its security breach came from a SQL injection attack. Peter explains that this is a basic exploit with simple safeguards, and he says Fun Pub failed to protect members’ addresses, credit cards, emails and passwords. He calls hand-coding your own e-commerce system the core mistake. Brian gives a lukewarm defense, noting how much a small company has to manage, but agrees customer data should be priority number one. He also faults Fun Pub’s handling of the news. Peter thinks Fun Pub should lose the BotCon license. Others note there is no obvious replacement, though they point to TFCon and SavCon as well-run fan conventions. [Source: Fun Publications]
Fall of Cybertron Due August 28
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron has an August 28 release date. A new trailer promised gameplay but showed about a second of Grimlock, and the crew says it mostly recaps earlier games. [Source: not found]
Takara Tomy Zombie Cliffjumper Pictured
Pictures show Takara Tomy’s Zombie Cliffjumper in clear purple, with a Ravage-like Minicon that has saws for legs. One host doubts the mold will come out in the U.S. and notes that Japanese Prime deluxes have been cheaper, with less paint and unassembled Minicons. [Source: not found]
Dreadwing Replaces Skyquake in Voyager Wave 3
A Voyager Dreadwing will ship in wave 3 instead of Skyquake. The crew thinks Dreadwing’s design recalls Depth Charge. [Source: not found]
Transformers Prime: Loose Cannons
Wheeljack returns, hunting Dreadwing for killing Seaspray. The episode ends with Dreadwing pledging himself to Megatron and Wheeljack staying, but not with the team. Brian sees echoes of the Beast Wars episode Deep Metal, with Depth Charge and Rampage. He calls it a step back after Operation Bumblebee. One host credits Operation Bumblebee writer Marty Isenberg for adding depth in a single line, like the Fusor reference. Another calls part one of Operation Bumblebee exactly the show he wants. Aimee enjoys Prime and loves sharing it with her kids, the way she watched G1 as a kid.
TFBBQ: SavCon
Rob is on the board of SavCon, a new fan convention in Savannah on June 23 and 24, at $30 for the weekend. Guests include Gregg Berger, Neil Kaplan, Lee Tockar and fan voice actor Daniel Ross. Pre-registrants get a Friday concert and a MegaToyFan parts party. A pink fire truck and police car will raise money for cancer awareness.
Classics Lines and Who Transformers Is Really For
In a bonus conversation, two contributors ask whether running a classics line next to the main line is a sign of a brand going stale. They note Generations outsells Dark of the Moon at many stores with no fiction or marketing behind it. One praises the simple Cyberverse Legion figures as true kids’ toys, like G1 was. He says complex figures like Generations Galvatron are built for adults. They argue that the video games and much of the brand now target teens and adults over kids. Fans should be confused by a healthy Transformers brand, they say, not right at home in it. One also expects third parties to take over the fan-friendly side, as happened with 12-inch G.I. Joe collectors.
Comic News with Aimee Morgan
Robots in Disguise #3 is out this week, and Autocracy #6 gets reviewed next week. Nick Roche will attend Auto Assembly 2012, and Alex Milne has shared concept art with Full Metal Hero. In Robots in Disguise #3, Ratbat’s death sets the factions against each other while mysterious bombs go off. Wheeljack investigates, and Starscream settles into a politician’s role. Bumblebee has to admit Starscream did the right thing, which splits the Autobots. Aimee praises Andrew Griffith’s art and Josh Perez’s colors and gives it 9 out of 10.
Third-Party Roundup
A Wheeljack faceplate upgrade matches the Transformers Prime look, and one host says Prime Wheeljack works as a G1 stand-in anyway. iGear’s TF005 Shark Century is a Sharkticon with a flexible tail. The crew calls its shark mode fantastic but expects a $100 price. One host likes the first look at Make Toys’ Giant Devastator. Each two-pack runs about $120, roughly $40 less than Hercules, at a smaller size. A newcomer, Bold Toys, showed a render of a G1 Megatron. The TF01 trailer is a Powermaster armor kit for Classics Optimus Prime. Brian, a lifelong Powermaster Prime fan, is excited about it. The crew is baffled by a replica of Metroplex’s eye from Ghost in the Machine.
BotCon Bans Third-Party Toys
BotCon’s dealer rules let organizers confiscate unlicensed merchandise. Pete Sinclair confirmed that third-party toys are banned, with no list of what is allowed. The crew worries about the vague wording, fan T-shirts and Artist Alley prints. They suspect TF Source’s mostly third-party table last year prompted the ban. They also point out that dealers turned to third parties because Hasbro’s product has been uninspiring. Brian won’t run a booth this year so he can spend more time with friends and listeners. He promises wall-to-wall BotCon coverage with TFormers.
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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