Back from TFCon Chicago, the crew reports that BotCon 2015 is headed to Pheasant Run in St. Charles, Illinois. A Leader Class Ultra Magnus surfaces in a retailer’s system at $44.96, and dueling third-party Astrotrains arrive from DX9 and Toy World. The live TFCon segment covers the third-party panel’s Dino King reveal and Aaron Archer’s remarks on third parties. The crew also gives frank feedback on the fan documentary Transform Me. Plus the crew’s TFCon hauls, from Toy World’s Grant to Fans Project’s Diaclone-colored Dinobots.

News

BotCon 2015 Heads to Pheasant Run

BotCon 2015 was announced during TFCon, and Fun Publications left flyers in the dealer room. The venue is Pheasant Run in St. Charles, Illinois, which puzzles locals. Exvee, who lived in the area, warns it is an hour or more from O’Hare. The crew shares booking tips: the hotel charges a night in advance, and calling the front desk can find rooms the website misses. One host is thinking of skipping next year.

Leader Class Ultra Magnus Spotted in a Retail System

A Leader Class Ultra Magnus appears at the bottom of a retailer’s list at $44.96. Don explains that the position may just reflect a bulk data update. The price rules out a Masterpiece. One host wants it sight unseen and debates whether to sell his third-party City Commander. [Source: not found]

Dueling Third-Party Astrotrains

DX9 and Toy World both show Leader-scale Astrotrains. One host has already preordered the DX9 version and calls it phenomenal. The crew finds the Toy World version short on detail. Don points out that the DX9 modes look nothing alike, which they count as a plus. Toy World’s Infinitor, a scaled-down Fortress Maximus with a working power gauge, also gets a nod. [Source: not found]

X-Transbots Apollyon

X-Transbots unveiled its Masterpiece-style not-Megatron at the third-party panel for about $150. The crew calls it far better than Hegemon and likes its extras, including a Prime-style control helmet. They note that X-Transbots and KFC are closely linked.

Play With This Too Reveals Jet Wash

Play With This Too reveals Jet Wash, a nod to Pretender Starscream. Brian is more excited by this group than most third parties because its members are known former Hasbro staff. Aaron Archer and Simon Furman join Rick Alvarez and Trent Troop. Archer told fans to embrace transforming robot play wherever they find it. He called much of the third-party scene “weird copies,” and he called the movies’ homicidal Optimus Prime “unfortunate.”

Robots in Disguise Plans 78 Episodes

TFormers has the Robots in Disguise character bios, which say 78 episodes are planned over two years. Takara Tomy will air it within a couple of months of the US. TFormers also reviews More Than Meets the Eye #34. [Source: TFormers]

Last Subscription Service 2.0 Figures Go on Sale

The Collectors’ Club puts the last Subscription Service 2.0 figures, Rewind, Chromedome and Treadshot, in its store. Rewind is $49. One host who bought Treadshot says it feels like a retail recolor rather than a club exclusive. [Source: not found]

Toy World’s Not-Throttlebots

Don learned from TFSource that Toy World’s not-Goldbug will also come as a Cliffjumper with a new head and slightly retooled body.

Live from TFCon

Recorded Saturday night at TFCon, this segment adds Rob Springer and friends of the show. The crew saw the Audio Knights Theater script reading with Dan Gilvezan and Alan Oppenheimer. They also watched Transform Me, a fan documentary David has worked on for a decade. Brian’s feedback is that it runs an hour and a half and should be cut to about 40 minutes, with less focus on David. He also wants it to show real transformation and to drop its focus on women’s bodies. Several hosts say it felt like a portrait of the fandom from 10 or 15 years ago. Don, who appears briefly, declines to judge because he has known David so long. Back in the studio, Brian stresses that the film is salvageable with an outside editor.

The third-party panel moved fast through about seven companies. Fans Project finally showed a Skullcruncher prototype, and DX9’s armor kit appeared in color. A third-party Protectobots set looked strong. Don learned that Mastermind Creations is working on a Greatshot version of Hexatron. The surprise final reveal was a Dino King, and the crew debates whether it needs Pretender shells. Brian admits third-party panels leave him cold, since he buys so little of it. The crew rates TFCon highly, and Diecast thought it was run by an official company.

This Week in History

For Halloween, Brian marks Nightmare Planet, which debuted on Halloween 1986. The crew remembers it for Springer riding Razorclaw in a joust against a giant dragon.

TFCon Chicago Recap

Brian was surprised by how many fans listen to the show and enjoyed meeting other Transformers podcasters. He names Transmissions, the Shattered Cast, Uncut, WTF and TFW, plus Duron, Protoman and Megamus. He even met fans who believed RFC’s founder had left the show, and he introduced himself. The con shared its hotel with a much larger Supernatural convention. JD Church’s collection sold well from Brad Russell’s table, and TF Marketplace bought a large lot.

At the Aaron Archer panel, Don asked about an idea Hasbro never approved. Archer described an Optimus Prime in the style of Shogun Warriors, with launching fists. Exvee revisits the story of Generations Arcee’s designer, whose BotCon Japan custom became the toy. Don asks why it took so long. One host credits IDW’s comics with helping Hasbro see female characters as viable toys.

What We Got This Week

Brian Brian’s favorite pickup is an Aveo Swerve that Don passed along after Brad Russell gave it to him. He also got Master Shooter’s Ballgag and Hustler, Impossible Toys’ Requiem, Hilljumper and Bump, and a Transformers polo. He is happiest with DVDs of Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo.

Don Don picked up the first three Warbotron figures after deciding he was being silly to ignore a Bruticus. He also got the Master Shooter two-pack and Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo DVDs for a friend.

Matt Matt gave in on Fans Project’s Columpio after seeing it in person. He spent most of his money in Artist Alley, including a Wreckers blanket from the Shattered Cast table, and bought several Master Shooter figures.

Diecast Diecast went for exclusives: Mastermind Creations’ TFCon Azalea, Fans Project’s Diaclone-colored Kubrar with its pilot Rockford, and the exclusive Columpio. A Fans Project representative told him the rest of the Dinobots will get exclusive versions. Diecast pitched a set of the small weapon partners. He also got Toy World’s Grant and explains that its stickers are car-style decals.

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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