AUS Toy Fair 2009 Transformers wrap-up.

[griffin]

Finally got all the photos from both cameras processed and uploaded to the server. Sorry for the delay. Some of these photos have already
been posted in other topics.

(could other sites interested in something in this posting like a photo or two, please mirror those selected images, and not just give the link to this topic - that'll help make sure this topic doesn't go down due to bandwidth limits - thanks)

Big thanks to Ben from Hasbro for giving up heaps of his time and info for this report. :)

The 2009 Australian Toy, Hobby and Nursery Fair was held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre over four days from March 20 to March 23.

This was the second year I was able to go down to Melbourne to cover the Transformers products on display by Hasbro, and the relevant
License holders. I spent about 6 hours there on the Friday, with a couple other board members (Demonac and Linthart). Additional cursory
coverage was done of a small number of other major toylines, which was mostly for me to get a feel for how possible it would be to do a
more extensive coverage in future years of the entire event. I ended up working out that a decent coverage of the trade fair for our toy
news website would take at least a day, day and a half, of taking photos and details, with an extra day or so to do up the reports.
Fortunately, that will be something I have a year to think about wanting, or needing, to do.

For now, here is the primary focus of my time there this year - Transformers.

2009 will see the launch of the Second Movie Toyline, for 'Revenge of the Fallen'. The current two lines, Animated and Universe will continue
this year as well, with the Universe line taking a break from release from May while the Movie product is being released. It is expected to
return later in the year (maybe even early next year after the second 'peak' of the DVD release in November), but no official word on when.

Release of the Movie line from May will also see a lot of licensed merchandise this year, to hit stores at about the same time.

First up, the Hasbro exhibit.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair09.jpg


Inside the Hasbro Exhibit, the main Transformers Display, covering the Movie line, Animated and Universe.

(image removed at request of Hasbro)

2009 Movie.
The main part of the Movie products can be seen in the photo above, with one side display, and a single figure in the Playskool section of
their exhibit.
In the main 'core product' exhibit above, there was a very small sample of most size/gimmick classes. Often just one or two example figures
of each class.

Preview figures - Soundwave and Bumblebee. To be available from 15th May, which is only a couple weeks before the first wave this time (the
2007 preview wave was at least a month prior to the first full wave).

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair38.jpg http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair39.jpg

Just a bit of interesting info - According to the Hasbro Manager, the size classes to be packaged in robot mode are Legends and Scouts (to
fill out the packaging more, making them look like better value), and Leaders (to make the larger toys look more impressive in their
packaging). The preview figures seem to be an exception to that rule.

Legends Class - Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Jetfire, Autobot Springer.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair54.jpg http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair55.jpg
http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair56.jpg http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair57.jpg

Scout Class - Rollbar, Dead End.
http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair52.jpg http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair53.jpg


Deluxe Class - Sideswipe, Sideways, Rampage.
Voyager Class - Demolishor, Optimus Prime.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair24.jpg

Leader Class - Jetfire, Optimus.

(image removed at request of Hasbro)

(image removed at request of Hasbro)

(image removed at request of Hasbro)

(image removed at request of Hasbro)

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair29.jpg

Supreme Class - Devastator.
Hasbro is hoping retailers will price it somewhere around AU$150-155.
The figure on display was an unpainted, unstable prototype, tied up with fishing wire, and with several parts piled up behind it. The second
photo shows the gimmick - push down the chest to open up the mouth to eat Autobots with.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair31.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair32.jpg


Ultimate Class - Battle Charged Bumblebee.
It looks like I didn't end up getting a separate photo of this figure, so just refer to the 'Main Transformers Display' photo above. Both this
figure and the Devastator are not likely to be release here until November, with the DVD release. Probably a good idea, as Hasbro have just
been flooding our shelves with the 2007 Ultimate Bumblebee in the last few weeks, and it is not likely to be sold off before the release of
the 2009 Movie line.


Fast Action Battlers - Electro Whip Jolt.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair46.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair47.jpg

Power Bots - Bumblebee, Devastator (unpainted prototype), Optimus Prime (representing the combined form with Jetfire).

(image removed at request of Hasbro)

(image removed at request of Hasbro)

(The Optimus figure has flip out wings when you press the gold plate on his crotch. It also has a huge handle at the back for kids to
hold and make a flying/swooping motion with the toy as if he is flying. Hasbro referred to it as the 'Buzz Lightyear feature')



Robot Heroes - Sideswipe Vs Sideways.
Packaging shows other 2-packs - Autobot Springer Vs Starscream, Optimus Prime Vs Blackout, Bumblebee Vs Long Haul.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair44.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair45.jpg

Gravity Bots - Bumblebee, Starscream, Optimus Prime.
These are the big new gimmick item that the Hasbro Reps were really pushing. They are proper converting toys, that convert automatically by
dropping/placing them on their backs or standing them up. Using Bumblebee as an example, standing it up on its rear end from vehicle mode,
the arms are weighted to fold out and down (by gravity), causing the chest panel to rotate 180 degrees (internal gearing), revealing the head
and chest. Then when it is placed (or even dropped from a small height) onto its back, a lever sticking out underneath pushes all the
internal mechanisms back to their resting positions (arms slide back up to the front and chest panel rotates back).


http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair48.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair49.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair50.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair51.jpg

Roleplay - Bumblebee Voice Mixer Helmet, Bumblebee Blaster Cannon.
The Helmet was a fully working item, with music and sound clips, but the voice changer gimmick was either still being tweaked, or it is just
not going to be a significant 'change in sound' as the Optimus Helmet.
The Blaster Cannon is not for the large-handed people, as it requires your hand to slide into a much smaller space than the 2007 Movie roleplay
guns. The sound and light effect is very close to the 2007 Movie sound, and the outer barrel even 'recoils' as you fire it, revealing the
inner barrel which has the red lights (the 'energy blast' discharge).

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair42.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair43.jpg

[griffin]

RPMs - Robot Powered Machines.

These will not be found in the Action Figure section of the toystore or department. These will be found in the toy car section, because Hasbro
are using the Transformers Movie franchise to break into the toy car market. Probably to take on Hotwheels/Mattel, who dominate that part of
the Toy industry.
The RPMs toyline will be broken up into 3 different gimmicks - die-cast cars, remote controlled cars, and 'bumper' cars.
The die-cast cars will be available in 3 ways, single packs, 2-packs, and in playsets.

Each car is a non-convertable vehicle, with the robot moulded into the underneath, so that the vehicle can stand up on its rear bumper
as if it has transformed, without affecting the functionality of the slot car itself.
On display were:
- Single pack Optimus Prime, Autobot Ratchet, Megatron, Bumblebee.
- 2-packs Optimus Vs Bonecrusher, Bumblebee Vs Barricade, Autobot Jazz Vs Decepticon Brawl.
(each 2-pack had a number out of 8, but surely there would be more planned, as those 3 packs are 2007 Movie characters)
- Performance Track Set - Constructicon Devastator Showdown with Autobot Skids.
(doesn't look like you can customise the track setup, so like other fixed die-cast-car track-sets out there, this could be an expensive set that
gets boring real quick once the 'single' novelty feature is done a few times)
And that single novelty feature is launching a car up the track from the starting block (bottom middle), which goes around the track, setting
off the Devastator head to look like it is trying to eat the car, and dislogding a boulder that follows the car back down to the exit of the
track. A singular track with only one way for the car to go, and doesn't look like it can be built in any other way to customise it (which
would add to the play value).
The cars look really good, and hopefully cheaply priced (if they intend to take on Hotwheels), but this first track set looks a little
disappointing.


http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair15.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair16.jpg

(sorry, I don't seem to have a close up of the individual packs :( )

The next RPMs item was a Remote Controlled car, which they had a Bumblebee one on display, and it was a fully working sample.
The third RPMs sub-line are 'Battle Chargers', with Sideswipe and Bumblebee on display. These are pull-back-and-release type toy cars,
that reveal the robot hidden inside the 'cabin' when the front bumper hits something. They didn't have any out loose, so we could only
push in the bumper by hand, which released the top of the car 'cabin', allowing a robot torso to pop up. Like the Gravity Bots, this is
an auto-converting gimmick line, and should be in the toy car section (but stores may well put all Transformers branded toys in the action
figure section for convenience).
http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair17.jpg

And the final Movie toy, which was hidden over in the Playskool section of the Hasbro Exhibit.
Mr Potato Head - Bumble Spud.
Optimash was Gen1 themed, while this one is Movie themed.
http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair35.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair36.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair37.jpg

The product and promotion schedule for Australia.
Reveals a Red Rooster meal toy promotion for the Movie.
http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair41.jpg

And for an idea of how profitable the 2007 Movie has been for Hasbro Australia, this graph shows the sales here for the last 2 years, compared
to the 2 years before that.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair40.jpg

The Animated portion of the display, covering:
- 2-pack with Jetfire and Jetstorm (currently being advertised on TV)
- Activators Dirge, Grimlock, Bandit Lockdown, Cliffjumper.
- Deluxe Waspinator, Samarai Prowl, Blurr.
- Bumper Battlers Jazz, Soundwave, Stingracer Bumblebee.
(nothing new)
New product is scheduled to be released every month from April to November.
We aren't likely to see any new Voyager sized Animated figures here until after the Movie season, as retailers just aren't interested in
them. It has always been a difficult size class to push to retailers in Australia.


http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair11.jpg

Universe.
Even less on display, because Hasbro will suspend selling the product from May. All that was on display was:
- Deluxe Cyclonus, Starscream, Smokescreen.
- Superion.
- 25th Anniversary Optimus
http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair12.jpg

Mighty Muggs - were included in with the Universe display (and even had a shelf tag saying they were part of Universe).
On display were Optimus, Megatron, Bumblebee, Soundwave.
Recently it was suggested that the Mighty Muggs TFs were being axed because online stores were removing wave 3 listings. It looks like the
reason could be because Hasbro will be releasing Movie Mighty Muggs, so that 3rd wave is probably just being pushed back (it was originally
scheduled to be a June release - which is the Movie season). No word yet on how many or exactly when these Movie Mighty Muggs are being released.


Star Wars Transformers Crossovers.
Again, nothing that hasn't been released globally yet.
Pictured are the Replublic Gunship, Snowspeeder, TIE Bomber, Grievous Starfighter, AT AT (remould), Imperial Shuttle (black redeco).
http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair61.jpg

Marvel Transformers Crossovers.
Only Wave 2 and 3 items (which have been released globally already), and the 2-pack, which is already known and should be released soon
anyway. So again, nothing 'new'.
A product release chart suggested that we will only be recieving new stock of these in July and November, but hopefully that means AFTER we
catch up with America first (we still only have the first wave in chain stores here).
On display:
Basic - Captain America, Thor, Human Torch, Ironman (black redeco), Carnage.
Deluxe - Spiderman and Ironman 2-pack.
http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair62.jpg

Hasbro merchandise.
These are items actually being released by Hasbro, and not a licensee.
Jigsaw puzzles. The ones on display were old ones, so I didn't take a photo.
- Puzzle with Robot Heroes Optimus Figurine (released last year here)
- 100-piece Movie Puzzles.
There will probably be others, as the 2007 Movie saw a greater range of puzzles.

That wraps up the Transformers part of the Hasbro exhibit.
Up next is the licensed Transformers merchandise at other exhibits.

[griffin]

TGA Unlimited.
This company has the license for several Transformers merchandise items like watches, torches and other electronic stuff, but all they had on
display was glow-in-the-dark puffy stickers for Animated.
http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair63.jpg


http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair64.jpg

Ikon Collectables.
A heap of merchandise items, mostly imported foreign licensed items. I might be getting sent to me product images and details from
them, and when I do, I'll post them in the AUS news section. But for now, I have a product booklet of theirs (I won't post any scan unless
I don't get the promised material from them), and these items were listed for release here:
- Whizz Watch (watch with IR remote control vehicle) RRP $30 (Wesco)
- Walkie Talkie watches (set of 2, range 30 metres) RRP $30 (Wesco)
- Wacky Wobblers (Bobble-heads - Movie Optimus, Bumblebee, Megatron) RRP $23 (Funko)
- Retro Wacky Wobblers (Gen1 Optimus, Bumblebee, Megatron) RRP $23 (Funko)
- Projection Torch (with 3 projector disks) RRP $15 (Wesco)
- Movie character Keychains (Optimus, Bumblebee, Starscream(TBC), Megatron(TBC)) RRP $9 (Popbox)
- Bumblebee LED torch (car mode with pop-out torch) RRP $18 (Wesco)
- Bumblebee LED torch keychain (small car mode with headlight LEDs) RRP $13 (Wesco)
- Projector keychains (six styles available - push-button image projection) RRP $8 (Popbox)
- 3D magnets (7 styles - allegiance symbols and character heads) RRP $8 (Popbox)
- Optimus Projection Alarm Clock (3 phrases, theme music and projects Autobot symbol) RRP $55 (Wesco)
- Bumblebee light and sound clock (theme music and red glow alarm) RRP $30 (Wesco)
- Lenticular alarm clock (Optimus image when off, Megatron image when on) RRP $25 (Wesco)
- Lenticular wall clock (Optimus and Megatron) RRP $35 (Wesco)
- Lenticular glowing alarm clock (allegiance symbols) RRP $25 (Wesco)
- Lenticular glowing wall clock (allegiance symbols) RRP $35 (Wesco)
- Talking Money Bank (Optimus Prime) RRP $40 (Wesco)
- Projection wrist watch (Bumblebee, with projected Autobot Symbol from side) RRP $16 (Wesco)
- Interchangeable watch (reversable, with Optimus and Megatron on each side) RRP $10 (Wesco)
- Disc-firing watch (fires 3 discs from launcher) RRP $25 (Wesco)
- Lenticular-strap watch (Bumblebee) RRP $25 (Wesco)
- Dual Dogtags (6 styles - characters and allegiance symbols) RRP $7 (Popbox)
- Dogtag insignia danglers (6 styles - characters and allegiance symbols) RRP $7 (Popbox)
- Optimus Electronic Bust (29cm plastic/metal, light sensor eyes, sound recorder) RRP $400 (Popbox)
- Bumblebee Electronic Bust (25cm plastic/metal, light sensor eyes, sound recorder) RRP $300 (Popbox)

No guarantee that all of these will appear in stores, nor would all items be available at any one store. All have a May release date.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair65.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair66.jpg


Hunter Leisure.
Heaps of stationery merchandise, plus costumes and other play things.
Some of the stationery and activity packs.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair67.jpg

Marbles.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair68.jpg

Inflatable punch bag (similar to the 2007 Movie punch bag).

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair69.jpg

Old Movie costumes in new packaging.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair70.jpg

New Movie costumes, including Optimus, Bumblebee and the retard crew - Skids and Mudflap. (like kids are gonna want to dress up to look
like characters that appear to be deformed?)

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair72.jpg

Animated costumes.

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair71.jpg

Sports helmet (not a bike helmet, but I spose could be used as a bike helmet).

http://www.otca.com.au/09toyfair73.jpg


And that covers all the Transformers related stuff I was able to find at this year's event.


The non-Transformers part of this report will be posted in the non-Transformers section of this board, covering Lego, Star Wars, Marvel,
GI Joe, Nerf, Terminator, Star Trek, TMNT, Smurfs, Ben10, DBZ, and MMPR. There were a couple of other toylines I wanted to cover as well,
but seemed to have forgotten them before I left (it was a long 6 hours, and Demonac had to leave in a hurry). I'll try to put in more effort
next year.

A big thankyou to Demonac for the transport from the airport to the venue. And thanks to Linthart for helping post up a number of his photos
to the board, because I wasn't able to until the following day.

[SentinelPrime]

Great report Griffin, thats for the hard work... big ups to Demonac and Linthart too!

Maybe next year Hasbro might think of breaking news at the Aus Toy Fair instead of showcasing alot of leaked stuff.

Awesome eye candy non the less.

[Kyle]

Thanks for the lovely report as usual griffin. :) Have to say the Bumblebee Blaster Cannon looks better than earlier roleplay weapons. I think I'll pick up this one. I'm glad the RPMs don't appeal to me, so I can save money for other toys. The exceptions being the Battle Chargers, since they still transform and I'm a sucker for the Bumper Battlers/Cyber Slammer type toys. :p

[Gutsman Heavy]

hmm, so I better import Shocky and Wreck-Gar then :(

[Robzy]

Great coverage Griffin :)


hmm, so I better import Shocky and Wreck-Gar then :(Not the best news... :(

[liegeprime]

hmm, so I better import Shocky and Wreck-Gar then :(

Not to mention Inferno as well.......:mad: This is gonna be pretty pricy

[griffin]

They mentioned the Animated Voyagers, but it could also affect the supply of the Universe Voyagers as they begin to wind up soon.

[tron07]

I just wonder do you need a new Optimus prime for the jetfire to combine or the old 07 leader class prime do?? Does it just clip on like wing sabre on galaxy force prime?

[Zippo]

I must say that I am looking forward to seeing some of those mech items, though I don't expect to see much down this way at all.

Devy still looks stupid, and im going to limit myself in the first few months as I expect high prices for these items this year, as well as mega sales in a year (not to mention premiums)

[MV75]

Under ikon collectables, wth is that?! That thing is creepy.

[GoktimusPrime]

Whoa whoa whoa, did you say Slot cars?! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slot_car) That's seriously COOL! But the image doesn't look like slot car tracks... are they really slot cars like Scalextric or something different? I wonder what the scale will be and whether they'll be compatible with other slot-car sets... because that would be really awesome. ;)

The wristwatches interest me too... hrmm...

[griffin]

I just wonder do you need a new Optimus prime for the jetfire to combine or the old 07 leader class prime do?? Does it just clip on like wing sabre on galaxy force prime?

I think that since it is a new Optimus mould, the combiner feature may require the 2009 toy.


Under ikon collectables, wth is that?! That thing is creepy.

Which thing?

[i_amtrunks]

Whoa whoa whoa, did you say Slot cars?! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slot_car) That's seriously COOL! But the image doesn't look like slot car tracks... are they really slot cars like Scalextric or something different? I wonder what the scale will be and whether they'll be compatible with other slot-car sets... because that would be really awesome. ;)

The wristwatches interest me too... hrmm...

I'm pretty sure that they aren't slot cars, just die-cast cars ala hot wheels. othewrwise they would not be able to run on the plastic track.

I think the UK got a movie Slot car set, but the cars were apparently incompatible with Scaletrix sets. Not sure about compatibility with AFX sets.

[Saintly]

great wrap up coverage griffin. very detailed as always :) thanks!

[griffin]

Okay, I fixed up the 'slot car' bit. Changed it to 'die-cast car'. Even though most people have already visited this topic already.
I didn't realise until now that 'slot car' was not the appropriate term, as it refers to those electric race-track sets, which these RPMs are not.
I couldn't use 'Hot Wheels' type cars, because that's a brand name, and a competitor at that.
Calling them 'die-cast' cars doesn't specify how big they are, so I guess it is just automatically assumed to be that standard 'Hot Wheels' size.

[SilverDragon]

We aren't likely to see any new Voyager sized Animated figures here until after the Movie season, as retailers just aren't interested in
them. It has always been a difficult size class to push to retailers in Australia.

Well, maybe if they weren't so expensive, people would actually BUY them. -__-

Also, nice coverage. It's good to know when I can keep an eye out for the preview Soundwave.

[MV75]

I think that since it is a new Optimus mould, the combiner feature may require the 2009 toy.



Which thing?

Did noone else see it? Next to hawk beak prime.

[griffin]

- Optimus Electronic Bust (29cm plastic/metal, light sensor eyes, sound recorder) RRP $400 (Popbox)
- Bumblebee Electronic Bust (25cm plastic/metal, light sensor eyes, sound recorder) RRP $300 (Popbox)

[SGB]

Movie Devastator looks f***ing awful! How the hell did that design get approved?!

[GoktimusPrime]

And to think that it can't even fully properly transform (into the individual robots). (-_-)

[tron07]

I think that since it is a new Optimus mould, the combiner feature may require the 2009 toy.



Hope its a new mold... not really keen on repaints with some minor mod jobs

[Gutsman Heavy]

Hope its a new mold... not really keen on repaints with some minor mod jobs

don't worry its definitely a new mold, look for some comparison pics, then you'll notice a huge difference