BotCon 2014 Coverage: Hasbro Display Galleries of Masterpieces and SDCC Exclusives

Next up on the BotCon agenda, we have our Hasbro Display galleries of soon-to-be releases of Generations figures! Nothing seemingly new here, though there are some oddities (such as Nightbeat's packaging sporting the Reveal the Shield Jazz mock-up as opposed to using the final product). View the preview gallery below, or view the full gallery here!

DAT SHARKBYTE.

I can't put into words how in love with that figure I'm in.

Finaly an AOE EM Optimus that has paint apps that match the instruction sheet....

Coming up next in the initial BotCon craze are the Hasbro Display galleries of both the Generations portion and the simplified Robots in Disguise portion of Age of Extinction! Per usual, there is nothing actually new, save for our actual first look at the Camaro 2014 upgrade of Bumblebee (our first reported look was of the leaked product images of the Evolutions two-pack which contains this Bumblebee and Generations Legends Bumblebee that comes with a yellow version of Dark of the Moon Jolt's MechTech weapon).

View the preview gallery below, then view the full gallery of Age of Extinction's Generations and Robots in Disguise galleries at their respective links!

I think they made Bumblebee a shellformer so they could remold it into Stinger by changing the vehicle parts, but not the robot parts so that the robot mode looks the same as Bumblebee's, but not the vehicle since the vehicle parts are a shell rather than being part of the robot mode.

To round off the BotCon current and soon-to-be-released galleries, we have some miscellaneous product to show off: Loyal Subjects, Construct-Bots, Kre-O, and Rescue Bots!

Not much new for Rescue Bots. However, Dinobots Bumblebee, Boulder, Chase, and a smaller version of Optimus Primal were on the scene! View the gallery for the Rescue Bots here!





Next we have some Kre-O! Not much was shown, though we have some nice looks at upcoming Micro-Changers and the Grimlock Unleashed set. The Kre-O gallery can be viewed here!





Finally, we come to the Loyal Subjects, makers of the super adorable Super Deformed Transformers. The Loyal Subjects will be featuring new three-packs available at San Diego Comic Con 2014: Shattered Glass Dinobots, Autobot Cars, and Decepticon Coneheads! The Shattered Glass Dinobots set will include Grimlock, Snarl, and Slag; the Autobot Cars set will feature Generation 2 Sideswipe, Smokescreen, and a translucent Mirage (imitating an invisible effect); and the Decepticon Coneheads will feature translucent versions of, you guessed it, Ramjet, Thrust, and Dirge! Their gallery can be viewed here.

For me the new BUmblebee is alright.. But Lockdown kicks ass! Awesome!
I wanna see Stinger now ...

Was Roadbuster packing that much heat last time we saw him? DAMN, that is a lot of guns. Looking forward to his arrival!

I love Windblade's jet mode. It's one of the sexiest Transformers jet modes I've ever seen. I also love how she's almost completely jet black (see what I did there ?) in jet mode but transforms into this beautiful red bot mode. She's one of the most creative and impressive offerings I've seen in the CHUG line for quite some time and for a new character, they did a lot to sell me on her and of course the great fiction developed by IDW for her doesn't hurt either.

I want MP Prowl. I want MP Sunstorm. I want the SDCC sets. I want them ALL.

MenaceRX wrote:Please please please let that last Grimlock box be a MP level movie Grimlock.

It's actually the packaging of the SDCC 2014 Dinobots exclusive, which can be converted into Mount St. Hillary and the Ark.

It looks like Bumblebee may have a flip-down battle mask, which would make it even easier to retool into Stinger.

Is it just me, or does that Loyal Subjects Ramjet look like a Klansman?

Anyone else notice that Sunstorm's box uses the old Seeker mold? I wonder how long Hasbro has been working on him? That's two figures at BotCon where the figure on the package isn't the same as the figure in it (Nightbeat being the other). Strange stuff happening at Hasbro.

Emerje

damnit i was hoping the prices would go down but i guess not, looks like ill be limiting my transformer purchases even more and hoping for sales & coupons. Any word on if the 4th wave of kreo will ever be released? Ive been keeping an eye on TRU & target but neither have had any kreo blind packs in months. Only one i want is rodimus but at this rate ill probably never find one.

Lockdown looks like crap, but Bumblebee's engineering looks sweet. Can't wait to see the figure in Stinger colors/parts!

Megatron Wolf wrote:damnit i was hoping the prices would go down but i guess not, looks like ill be limiting my transformer purchases even more and hoping for sales & coupons. Any word on if the 4th wave of kreo will ever be released? Ive been keeping an eye on TRU & target but neither have had any kreo blind packs in months. Only one i want is rodimus but at this rate ill probably never find one.

They're at walgreens.

durroth wrote:

Megatron Wolf wrote:damnit i was hoping the prices would go down but i guess not, looks like ill be limiting my transformer purchases even more and hoping for sales & coupons. Any word on if the 4th wave of kreo will ever be released? Ive been keeping an eye on TRU & target but neither have had any kreo blind packs in months. Only one i want is rodimus but at this rate ill probably never find one.

They're at walgreens.

Checked 2 walgreens & a buddy of mine checked another, they had nothing

That sky bite figure looks really sweet. Saving my money away from those painfully disappointing AoE figures and saving it for those beautiful masterpieces, especially that grimlock! I've been trying hard to get him but just end up getting no luck! I know it might be hard to believe but frankly I never owned a masterpiece and after looking at masterpieces online, it just changed my world! (Not really) but does anyone have any tips on how to get masterpieces easier? As well as any info on the release dates of prowl and sunstorm?

ALCblackout2498 wrote:...but does anyone have any tips on how to get masterpieces easier?

If you are desperate for Masterpieces, online shopping will be your best friend. If you don't live in Japan, most Masterpieces are only available online, with American releases being exclusive to Toys "R" Us these days. Last year was Soundwave (with friends) and Acid Storm (who is still shelf-warming as we speak), the year before Optimus Prime (with all his accessories) and Thundercracker. Soundwave and Optimus Prime particularly were insanely difficult to find, and both of them go for buttloads of money online.

Long story short: online shopping is your best bet.

As well as any info on the release dates of prowl and sunstorm?

It's weird, actually. Sunstorm's placard says "NOW", yet we've yet to have any confirmed sightings. On the flip side, Grimlock's placard says "July 2014", and we've had several reports of him showing up already. Prowl's placard says "August 2014".

they named the wolf steeljaw well thats depressing, anyone snag a pic of it cause id like to see what the robot mode looks like. But not to much there really peeked my interest, was hoping for some more obscure characters getting brought back not more redos of what we've seen from the past few years. I am glad to see that the generations will retain the comics & adding cards for the legends, hopefully they dont use that as an excuse to jack prices up again. I have a hard time justifying the deluxes as it is and refuse to pay $10 for the legends, any higher and ill have to shop strictly off clearance and discount stores.

Product reveals from the Hasbro Panel will be posted in this topic: botcon-2014-coverage-hasbro-s-transformers-brand-panel-t100631.php

I just made my tf buy list for this year, Windblade, AOE lockdown, Arcee, and 2014 bumblebee

I need Krok and Nacelle from TFSS 3.0.

Mindmaster wrote:The Masterpiece figures Hasbro will be pumping out this year will be Prowl, Sunstorm, and a reissue of Grimlock. ]

Any indication of pricing on the Hasbro masterpiece Prowl?

amtm wrote:

Mindmaster wrote:The Masterpiece figures Hasbro will be pumping out this year will be Prowl, Sunstorm, and a reissue of Grimlock. ]

Any indication of pricing on the Hasbro masterpiece Prowl?

If I remember correctly, the computer scan said $59.99.

Very sad that Nightracer ended up on the Club's cutting room floor.

Anyone I can come out with next Botcon?

It's such a shame that that beautiful packaging had to be destroyed in order to get the toy out.

Sabrblade wrote:It's such a shame that that beautiful packaging had to be destroyed in order to get the toy out.

Mine's had its bubble knifed open, still looks very nice. Beast Wars had some sturdy packaging!

So i've been looking around online, is it fair to say Botcon Cannonball has acute Gold Plastic syndrome, exacerbated by the Misassembly?

SW's SilverHammer wrote:So i've been looking around online, is it fair to say Botcon Cannonball has acute Gold Plastic syndrome, exacerbated by the Misassembly?

What are you talking about? I find it highly doubtful he has GPS, as it takes years for it manifest and Hasbro has all but eliminated it by avoiding the types of plastic affected.

I will admit the Prime Ratchet has some rather precarious areas, most notably the hinges the windshield pieces are on.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:So i've been looking around online, is it fair to say Botcon Cannonball has acute Gold Plastic syndrome, exacerbated by the Misassembly?

What are you talking about? I find it highly doubtful he has GPS, as it takes years for it manifest and Hasbro has all but eliminated it by avoiding the types of plastic affected.

I will admit the Prime Ratchet has some rather precarious areas, most notably the hinges the windshield pieces are on.

ScottyP twitter wrote: Oh good GPS already on my @Botcon Cannonball. Ffs

Counterpunch Twitter wrote:My @BotCon Cannonball is breaking at one of his misassembled knees. This shouldn't happen. These figures are too expensive for this

Scotty's twitter

^ Yep, and it was a very GPS-like crack. Just rotated the hip, nothing more or less, and a clean shatter for no apparent reason. All the gold on him feels weird and super cheap. Not exactly like the 90's-infamy gold but it's clearly got issues nonetheless.

Huh, that's peculiar. But I wouldn't say it's GPS per se just because it's gold colored plastic. I've had PCC Skyburst and its repaint Darkstream break on me in much the same way, but the plastic was black.

It's not that I don't think it's GPS, it's just I hate it when people grab the worst case scenario from the get-go. It could simply be weak plastic or too big of a ball joint. >:oP

Well, scotty, if you don't mind me asking, did the breakage have any of these symptoms of gps proper (from TFwiki)
GPS breaks often leave a powdery residue and shards of plastic (though not always), the result of the plastic actually physically crumbling.
GPS breakages don't need to involve any excess stress or force on a toy—simply handling a toy can cause the breakage.
GPS breaks often have rough, uneven edges with no stress lines around them. This is important—usually when plastic snaps it snaps cleanly (as is common with clear plastic), or it bends first (leaving a torn-off piece, or clear stresses around the break). If a break is uneven, with different colours and textures in it, yet there are no stress fractures around the wound, and especially if it leaves a powdery residue as well, it's almost certainly a GPS break.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Huh, that's peculiar. But I wouldn't say it's GPS per se just because it's gold colored plastic. I've had PCC Skyburst and its repaint Darkstream break on me in much the same way, but the plastic was black.

It's not that I don't think it's GPS, it's just I hate it when people grab the worst case scenario from the get-go. It could simply be weak plastic or too big of a ball joint. >:oP

As someone that's run into GPS plenty of times before, this was just like it. It wasn't a grab at straws or being overly negative, it's a, for now, assumption based on evidence. Time will tell though.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Well, scotty, if you don't mind me asking, did the breakage have any of these symptoms of gps proper

Yes.

ScottyP wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Huh, that's peculiar. But I wouldn't say it's GPS per se just because it's gold colored plastic. I've had PCC Skyburst and its repaint Darkstream break on me in much the same way, but the plastic was black.

It's not that I don't think it's GPS, it's just I hate it when people grab the worst case scenario from the get-go. It could simply be weak plastic or too big of a ball joint. >:oP

As someone that's run into GPS plenty of times before, this was just like it. It wasn't a grab at straws or being overly negative, it's a, for now, assumption based on evidence. Time will tell though.

It looks and sounds like just a bad toy or a bad example. I had a clip on the black plastic of his backpack break as well so I already had to get an extra one from eBay. I thought that was odd but now that I see that you had a different piece break on him it looks like it's a case of poor plastic quality.

Gold plastic syndrome takes at least a few years before it becomes a problem. Transformers Star Wars Chewbacca was a perfect example. Initially it was fine, I thought we were past the GPS ordeal. I do his gallery a few years later and Chewwie's leg shatters. The "shattering" into little pieces is a big indicator of GPS whereas a crack is just poor plastic.

Other recent similar examples of breakage where GPS wasn't the culprit:

1. One of the yellow leg clips on IDW Generations Bumblebee snapped the first time I transformed him

2. The upper left leg ball joint sheared off on Generations Skids when I tried popping the legs off to do the leg swap.

I wouldn't even blame Fun Pub for this. Just seems like lesser quality plastic is being used.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Scotty's twitter

If the issue is the crack in the upper leg there, that's just a regular plastic break. GPS would have shattered and the leg would no longer be attached to the ball joint. If it was GPS, the plastic wouldn't be bending at the split and a piece would have shattered off. Plus the age thing is the other issue (still waiting for HFTD Leader Class Starscream reports to start coming in one day).

Also the golden "swirls" are missing from Cannonball (which are absent from the pic and from my Cannonballs as well), where you can see them in the Chewbacca GPS pics.

One more pic for the GPS evidence book ...

This pic is a great example of a break that follows the swirl patterns in two different places.

Apparently you can't use GPS as a colloquialism for "garbage plastic that cracks for no reason in a similar manner but maybe not exactly like late 80s - early 00s gold colored plastic". K. >:oP

ScottyP wrote:Apparently you can't use GPS as a colloquialism for "garbage plastic that cracks for no reason in a similar manner but maybe not exactly like late 80s - early 00s gold colored plastic". K. >:oP

All we're saying is plastic breaks can have a multitude of causes, and Gold Plastic Syndrome is a rather loaded one, given its inevitability and randomness, and the fact it can make a figure crumble just by looking at it funny. Besides, not all gold plastic is susceptible to GPS, but you may already know that.

Still, I would ask around and see if there are others who have similar problems with similar breaks. That's a sign that either genuine weak plastic or a mold defect is involved somewhere, then the cause can be investigated.

Midnight_Fox wrote:Very sad that Nightracer ended up on the Club's cutting room floor.

What nightracer? Assuming she was to be a TFSS release? What mold, did they say? (Presumably taking Zap's place?)

Flashwave wrote:

Midnight_Fox wrote:Very sad that Nightracer ended up on the Club's cutting room floor.

What nightracer? Assuming she was to be a TFSS release? What mold, did they say? (Presumably taking Zap's place?)

At the BotCon Retrospective Panel, they showed us 20 concepts for BotCon/Club figures that never came about. Nightracer, Flamewar, and a third black & green Decepticon fembot (whose name I didn't catch) from Animated Arcee was one of the 20 dropped proposals.

Is this Loyal Subjects Ramjet?



Is he going to be for sale, or is this some sort of unfinished prototype? Considering all the white.

Oh man....I always loved this mold, I have Optimus and Nemesis and Ultra Magnus in this mold. I really want this especially since I have the original Fire Guts God Ginrai on my shelf.

if anyones interested, i just got an email notification that my iacon package has been sent. maybe this means theyve gotten around to us canadians now?

Rodimus Prime wrote:Is this Loyal Subjects Ramjet?



Is he going to be for sale, or is this some sort of unfinished prototype? Considering all the white.

Their convention exclusives are for sale online https://www.theloyalsubjects.com/store/transformers