Chris gets Combiner Wars Leader Ultra Magnus early and finds a great design held back by loose joints. Minimus Ambus turns out to be tiny. Paramount adds Robert Kirkman and others to its Transformers writers room. TFCon Charlotte opens registration 20 weeks out, while BotCon pre-registration still has not appeared less than a month before the show. Takara teases a Unite Warriors Defensor with a Deluxe Groove, and BotCon’s souvenir Waspinators point to a ‘most wanted’ theme.

News

Robert Kirkman Joins the Transformers Writers Room

Robert Kirkman, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, Zak Penn and Jeff Pinkner have signed on to write Transformers films. The crew calls having writers a step forward but says the director matters at least as much. [Source: not found]

TFCon Charlotte Registration Opens

Registration is up 20 weeks ahead of the October show. The $250 package includes earlier TFCon exclusives such as Vanguardian and Roswell, and the weekend pass is $50. Brian will register without the exclusives. [Source: not found]

BotCon Pre-Registration Still Missing

With BotCon less than a month away, pre-registration and shuttle details still are not posted. Don, who likes the Fun Publications crew, asks that this be the last year of registration trouble. Brian suggests a few books on business process improvement. Another host notes that TFCon does not have to work within Hasbro’s licensing rules. Two hosts have dropped plans for the Primus Package. [Source: not found]

Hisashi Yuki Teases Unite Warriors Defensor With a Deluxe Groove

A motorcycle part on the leg points to a Deluxe-size Groove in Takara’s Defensor. The crew guesses the mold may become a Victorion member later. Since it may never come to Hasbro, one host suggests waiting before buying a full set of Protectobots. [Source: not found]

Takara Legends Leader Megatron and a Possible Armada Megatron

Photos of Takara’s Leader Megatron also show what may be its own Armada Megatron in a different deco. One host would love an Armada Galvatron deco. [Source: not found]

Titan Class Devastator Briefly Listed on Amazon

The listing came down quickly, likely because retailers must wait for an agreed listing date. It did offer cleaner stock photos of the Constructicons. Quickslinger and Brake-Neck also appeared briefly on Amazon. [Source: not found]

Takara Legends Ultra Magnus on HLJ

One host reports HLJ has Takara’s Ultra Magnus with Alpha Trion up for about $49.62 at current exchange rates. [Source: not found]

BotCon 2015 News

Generations Waspinator in Four Decos

Four Waspinators surfaced alongside last week’s black Skids. One matches a canceled Walmart Halloween deco, and another matches a Diaclone Waruder toy. Fans guess the white one is Bug Bite. Chris reports Pete Sinclair described the theme as the toys fans want most, which explains the canceled-toy homages. [Source: not found]

Dealer Room Rules Get Clearer

After Renderform asked, Fun Publications said character heads cannot be sold, but weapons and armor can. Generic parts like antennas and gears should be fine. [Source: not found]

Third-Party News

Iron Lady Kit for Generations Chromia and Arcee

Most of the kit duplicates swords expected with official figures. The highlights are an axe for Chromia and a canopy that doubles as a shield. [Source: not found]

Unique Toys Reruns Yellow Giant

The new Yellow Giant run brings the fixes from Green Giant and brighter yellow. One host says Hercules is a modern Devastator, while Giant recreates the G1 look. Don adds that Giant’s smaller figures are harder to transform. MakeToys Dystopia is also still available. [Source: not found]

Unique Toys Buzzing, Formerly Runman

The Masterpiece-size not-Blurr includes a Targetmaster. One host says the blues will make or break it, while another host has no use for a big Blurr. [Source: not found]

Shapeshift Skysnake and Heavy Metal

These small test shots homage Fall of Cybertron Starscream and Ironhide. One host would buy only the Seeker. [Source: not found]

Ocular Max Maximus Pro

The not-Hot Spot render arrives late, with a great official Hot Spot already coming. One host says Feral Rex’s lead designer wants to produce Studio Ox combiner designs, which may explain it. [Source: not found]

X-Transbots Eligos Robot Mode

Robot mode images arrive for the not-Cyclonus. Andras, the not-Scourge, is $149.99. The crew says it looks better than KFC’s Tempest but will cost far more. [Source: not found]

John relays a point from Liquid Velcro: third parties know how to design transforming robots but not characters.

Also on TFormers

Rob posted his first Protectobot video review, Blades, with the rest coming soon. Chris reviewed The Transformers #41, and the site has Alex Milne’s female character designs for More Than Meets the Eye #41. [Source: TFormers]

This Week in History

On May 22, 1984, the first known online mention of Transformers appeared on net.comics. The poster called Transformers #1 a contender for worst comic of the year, and the crew admits he had a point.

BotCon Survival Tips

Don and John share advice for first-timers. Make a ranked list and stick to it, and visit the Japanese and international booths before the big retailers. Watch for the Sunday sell-off, when dealers dump big Masterpiece cars. Check card totals before paying, carry some cash, and budget for real meals. Pheasant Run is isolated, so someone in your group needs a car. Do not photograph the Hasbro panel, skip the front rows reserved for Golden Ticket holders, and ask fresh questions.

What We Got This Week

Chris

Chris got Leader Ultra Magnus early. His left arm ratchet does not catch, and weak ankles let him tip backward, though others report different issues. He likes the design overall and says the deco works better in person. The hands do not grip the square-handled weapons well, but the hammer locks into a wrist channel.

John

John got Subscription Service 3.0 Carzap with GB Blackrock. Carzap’s head is cleaner than Nova Prime’s, but the gas pump cannon has no real instructions. He plans live Periscope unboxings this summer.

Diecast

Diecast’s X-Transbots Apollyon arrived. The arm sockets are too loose, and the included replacements are too tight. He still says it looks better than Hegemon or Masterpiece Megatron, with nice extras such as Laserbeak for the arm.

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