Botcon 2015 - Chicago June 18-21

[griffin]

if fun pub were smart it would be one of the at show exclusives.

If FunPub were smart, they'd be revealing the at-show toys as well, to get the fence-sitters signing up just to secure any popular at-show toys.
We've had years when at-show toys have sold out, or out-sold the boxsets, that could have helped FunPub with attendance numbers or helped sell out boxsets.
They only need the attendee and Custom Class toy to be a secret for the at-show surprise element of the show... as people don't sign up and spend several hundred dollars to be surprised by their toys, they will only spend hundreds of dollars if they know what they are getting.
I'm someone who loves the surprise reveal of toys, but not two-thirds of the toys I'm spending a couple thousand dollars on a trip to get... or for other people back home who only get about 24 hours to decide.

[CHILENO20]

Shout out for SG Stepper!!!!! Love Shattered Glass!!!!

[griffin]

The gallery of Packrat at Seibertron was of the pre-production sample that Pete has, but now comes a gallery from an Asian source that should be the factory version. Not too different, but to me the blue and gold look a little different (which could just be lighting).

I don't get why the rat's butt & tail is white though. The original Packrat toy only had the tail white, and that was only because of gang-moulding requirements, so doing it by choice in this version doesn't look good. If they wanted to break up all that blue in rat mode, then maybe a lighter shading of blue air-brushed from one direction to give it more texture and shading.

[fatbot]

Number 4 is "the boss", Megatron using the TFPrime Breakdown Mold done in an army camo style pattern, a homage to DOTM Megs.

He comes with three microns, Scalpel, Boombox & Heavyweight.

The head is a combination of movie and G1 style. He looks bloody good!



https://twitter.com/BotCon/status/59...551104?lang=en

[UltraMarginal]

I think this figure is really nice, especially if you don't have the mould yet, which a lot of Americans wouldn't. If I was going I'd be happy to have it a third time.

There are 2 Voyager class figures in the set this year! massive. Apart from packrat, all the other moulds are excellent selections

[Sinnertwin]

Number 4 is "the boss", Megatron using the TFPrime Breakdown Mold done in an army camo style pattern, a homage to DOTM Megs.

He comes with three microns, Scalpel, Boombox & Heavyweight.

The head is a combination of movie and G1 style. He looks bloody good!

Sure does.
I want him.
And Stepper too.
Maybe Packrat. Nah, scratch that.

[griffin]

It's worth noting that Pete has mentioned on TFW that it is NOT the Silas Breakdown version of the mould... there is NO human in the chest.

It was in the better half of the TFPrime/Arms Micron moulds, and it was a shame that it didn't get released as a TFPrime toy... instead Hasbro released toys of characters or colours that weren't even in the cartoon.
(Breakdown was by far the heaviest of the Voyagers, so I think it just came down to cost - it cost more to manufacture each unit, and cost more per unit to ship around the world from the factory... and that extra cost was probably very small. )

I think this figure is really nice, especially if you don't have the mould yet, which a lot of Americans wouldn't. If I was going I'd be happy to have it a third time.

A agree that they should be targeting moulds not released by Hasbro, if they can repurpose them and it make sense. The Hasbro Online Store when it first started, was doing direct imports for American collectors, but after a couple years, stopped... leaving it to the official club to pick up the slack.

There are 2 Voyager class figures in the set this year! massive.

Two Voyagers is indeed huge for a Boxset, but the fifth figure is supposed to be a Legends toy (with or without a "shell" that they might sell separately like the Soundwave bandanna in 2012), leaving us with two Voyagers, two Deluxe and one Legends.
But, compared to recent years...
2013 (Machine Wars) also had two Voyagers, but with three Deluxes.
2009 (Elite Guard) was the same with two Voyagers and three Deluxes.
2014 (Pirates) was about the same as this years set, by having an Ultra toy (between Voyager and Leader) with four Deluxes.
2012 (Invasion) had six figures, with one being a Voyager,
2010 (Gen2/Euro) was probably the biggest ever with a Voyager, Ultra and 3 Deluxes.
(2011 on the other hand, was the smallest since 2007 with just a Voyager and 4 Deluxes... and the 2006 Beast Wars year was the smallest ever with just a Voyager, 2 Deluxes and 2 Basic)

So at least their boxsets are not getting smaller... which would be hard to except when they keep raising the price by $20-30 each year.

[griffin]

FunPub have posted up a teaser from the comic, of Packrat and Megatron.

The comic this year is drawn by Matt Frank.

[fatbot]

Frank Welker VIP ticket is $200,


Gallery of Megatron http://www.seibertron.com/transforme...e-boss/3656/1/

Frank Welker VIP details http://www.botcon.com/BotCon2015/bc15welker.cfm

vip deets:

• One (1) autograph signed in person by Frank Welker
• One (1) professional 5x7 photograph with Frank Welker (Saturday afternoon)
• Exclusive Megatron art print
• Exclusive Megatron Cloisonné Pin
• First seating at the Frank Welker Panel


Limited to 300 people, 150 each on Friday & Saturday

No conflicts between GT & VIP events

Photos on Saturday

they also reckon the brochure will be up in the next few days

[UltraMarginal]

Wow, that's pretty expensive, but it's also really awesome! such a rare opportunity to meet him face to face.