Exvee hosts while Brian is away. The third HasLab Unicron update reveals a 32-page instruction book and a transformation that takes its own designer about 50 minutes. Five weeks of Transformers Tuesdays kick off with Generations Selects Hot House, which sells out on Hasbro Pulse within the hour. First looks at Earthrise Bluestreak point to another Amazon exclusive, and Transformers R.E.D. preorders slip to September 10. X-Transbots’ non-transforming Dr. Egg Quintesson judge lands at a startling $175.99.

The first two episodes of the new patron-exclusive This Week in History podcast are up for patrons, with more already recorded.

News

HasLab Unicron Production Update 3

The update arrived the day after John complained there hadn’t been one, so Exvee jokes that John willed it into existence. It covers packaging and the instruction book, which runs about 32 pages and had to be reworked late. A designer says following the instructions, the change from planet to robot takes him about 50 minutes. Mockup images are numbered past 260. One host sympathizes with whoever laid out the book but feels he spoiled the unboxing for himself. Diecast hopes the final colors lean orange, not Bumblebee yellow. Exvee thinks a toy this big is hard to really interact with. Another wants to see the robot in a dynamic pose, and Exvee notes it is still in the engineering pilot stage. [Source: Hasbro Pulse]

Five Weeks of Transformers Tuesdays

Hasbro Pulse, Big Bad Toy Store and Entertainment Earth will reveal one Generations Selects figure on Instagram each Tuesday through September 8. Data mining suggests the rest are G2 Megatron, Bug Bite, Black Roritchi and Ratchet. Exvee expects G2 Megatron to land in week three, and one host will skip it if it uses the Siege mold. [Source: tfradio.net]

Generations Selects Hot House Is the First Transformers Tuesday Reveal

Hot House is a straight redeco of Airwave in fire station colors. Its “fire station” tampo is upside down in every mode except battle station, where it is hidden. Several hosts prefer its G2-style colors to Airwave’s. It sold out on Hasbro Pulse within about an hour but stayed available at other retailers. Diecast missed it on Pulse despite his premium free shipping. The crew wonders whether vibrant decos or bots explain the quick sellouts. [Source: tfradio.net]

First Looks at Earthrise Bluestreak

An eBay listing first showed renders that looked like a blue Smokescreen. Then InDemand Toys posted an in-box photo with the correct Prowl-style parts. Exvee reads the product codes as pointing to an Amazon exclusive. He explains why a Walgreens exclusive is unlikely this year, after a question from Don. Preorders may open around September. Amazon’s Ramjet and Dirge set pre-sold out ahead of its August 15 release. [Source: tfradio.net]

Transformers R.E.D. Preorders Pushed Back to September 10

Diecast got an email from Walmart moving the first R.E.D. figures to September 10. Some fans are finally receiving their Netflix War for Cybertron preorders, though Diecast is still waiting on two Scrapfaces. [Source: not found]

Dr. Egg Preorders Go Up for $175.99

X-Transbots’ Dr. Egg is a non-transforming Quintesson judge with lights, sound, spinning faces and a remote shaped like a Quintesson ship. Diecast notes third-party prices have climbed sharply and thinks $120 would be fair. Exvee suspects the electronics and battery drive up the cost and complicate shipping. The crew also points out the “guilty or innocent” line belongs to the prosecutor, not the judge. [Source: Diecast, Twitter]

What We Got This Week

Exvee

Exvee got his third Earthrise Double Dealer, price-matched to about $30 at Walmart. He hasn’t opened it yet. His first went back to Amazon, and his second is just as defective. At this point it is a matter of principle.

Matt

Matt got two Slitherfangs from Brian as an early birthday present.

Diecast

Diecast got Magic Square’s Megatron, which comes with a light and tiny magnets. Don explains the magnets let Magic Square cassettes attach to the arm. He also got Magic Square Soundwave and the cassettes. Transform Element’s TE-03 Speedstar, their Mirage, was a QC nightmare with misplaced pins and over-long hips. His fix video is up at tfradio.net/reviews.

John

John had nothing this week.

Don

Don found nothing this week. The crushed Studio Series Roadbuster he mentioned last week is going back to Amazon.

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