Figure King photos reveal MP-26 Road Rage, a Tracks remold with a new head and slimmer parts. BotCon 2015 unveils The Loose Cannon, an orange Shattered Glass Stepper, and The Boss, a Megatron on the Breakdown mold. The crew is lukewarm on both. Hasbro’s earnings call confirms the cinematic universe and Transformers 5 for 2017, with Michael Bay working on it. Brian finally gets Masterpiece Exhaust, free from a listener.
News
Transformers and Marvel Lift Hasbro’s Quarter
Hasbro’s quarterly sales jump is led by Transformers, Marvel and other boys’ lines. The crew notes My Little Pony is still the cash cow, and Don expects Star Wars to boost later quarters. [Source: not found]
Hasbro Confirms the Cinematic Universe and Transformers 5
CEO Brian Goldner confirmed the Transformers cinematic universe, with Transformers 5 expected in 2017. Paramount’s Rob Moore says Michael Bay is working on it. Don does not blame Bay but wants a new director, while another host still enjoys the films. [Source: not found]
Combiner Hunters One-Shot Coming in July
Mairghread Scott writes the one-shot, which features Windblade, Arcee and Chromia with matching new weapons. Chris thinks it may premiere at SDCC and could promote a three-pack of those figures. [Source: not found]
Figure King Reveals MP-26 Road Rage
Road Rage gets a new head plus a slimmer waist and smaller hands, without changing the car mode. Don spots a hinge that may let the chest panel flip to hide the Autobot symbol. [Source: not found]
Combiner Wars Ratchet Hinted in Design Art
An alternate head in First Aid’s design art looks like Ratchet. Most of the crew calls a Ratchet from that mold a cheat, though one host notes it could arrive late in 2016. [Source: not found]
Cyber Commander Optimus Prime
The 11-inch, $20 figure looks like a G1-flavored take on the current Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime. One host dislikes that it has no knees. [Source: not found]
Robots in Disguise Warrior Sideswipe and Jazz In Hand
In-hand photos cool one host on Sideswipe’s big feet while warming him to Jazz. Another misses a visor on Jazz. [Source: not found]
BotCon 2015 Reveals
The Loose Cannon Is Shattered Glass Stepper
The third reveal is an orange Shattered Glass Stepper on the Reveal the Shield Jazz mold. The crew likes the car mode but finds the black face loses all detail. They also point out the reveal video showed the legs mistransformed. One host notes the Targetmaster can clip onto the speaker. [Source: not found]
In-Hand Photos of Packrat
One host has warmed to Packrat, while others find the blue too dark and know the mold’s problems. [Source: not found]
The Boss Is Megatron
Megatron uses the Arms Micron Breakdown mold, minus the Silas plate, with a deco loosely based on Dark of the Moon Megatron. He includes three Arms Microns, with one as a pink mace, one as a scalpel and one as a fusion cannon. The crew likes the deco and head but cannot see the figure as Megatron. [Source: not found]
Speculation on the Fifth Figure
A shape in an earlier reveal photo looks like Oil Master, a canceled double Pretender. A reveal video said the last two figures need major retooling. Most hosts say the set hinges on that last figure, with Battletrap the main draw so far. [Source: not found]
Third-Party News
DX9 Legends-Scale Constructicons
DX9’s small Constructicons form a mini Devastator, with Hook’s crane forming the chest. Several hosts are interested if they can buy them a few at a time. [Source: not found]
Unique Toys Ordin in Full Color
Diecast already has some of the not-Abominus limbs and predicts people will regret skipping it. The crew thinks the combined mode looks better proportioned than Feral Rex. Limbs run about $100, and Blot is the one to get if you buy just one. [Source: not found]
DX9 Megatron Upgrade Vehicle Mode
The kit’s tank mode lets small figures ride on top. Most of the crew is happy with Megatron as is. [Source: not found]
Also on TFormers
Chris reviewed Windblade #2, also known as Combiner Wars chapter 3, and wrote about what a cinematic universe means for Transformers. Combiner Wars wave 3 photos are rolling in. A forum member named Siegfried07 digibashed Hot Spot in many color schemes, which the crew loves. [Source: TFormers]
This Week in History
On April 21, 2004, the Zone OVA was released on DVD in Japan. On April 22, 1996, Beast Wars premiered in the US, 19 years to the day before this recording. The crew shares where they first saw it, and one host started with the season two finale run on Toonami.
What We Got This Week
Chris
Chris picked up Iron Factory’s Legends-scale Windblade for about $23 before shipping. He thinks it may be better than the official Deluxe and suggests looking for it at BotCon.
Diecast
Diecast got Mastermind Creations Cynicus, the not-Vos, for $85. He praises the build quality and paint but finds the thin sniper rifle mode fiddly. He also found Combiner Wars G1 Megatron at Walmart, which he has not opened yet.
Don
Don’s AD-31 Optimus Prime is on the way from The Chosen Prime for $79.99 shipped. He has fallen for the mold.
Brian
Brian’s Megazarak from HLJ arrived as a giant, soft rotocast Scorponok with about $160 to $170 into it after shipping. He also received Masterpiece Exhaust for free from listener Eddie Arregas after hearing his plea on the show.
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Radio Free Cybertron 923 – Twas the Slump Before Toy Fair