Transformers disruptions and updates due to COVID-19

[reillyd]

IDW did suspend comics digitally (you can?t sell those print copies at stores if people have already bought the digital versions) but DID release two or three non-tf on Saturday. Of note is that one of these is the highly anticipated Clone Wars comic, which should see heavy sales and thus revenue to idw to keep it going. It?s also a weekly comic for five issues, to promote new clone wars cartoon. Things should revert back to normal shipping this week to all comic stores through Diamond, and we should start to see new comics again. I?m pretty sure IDW will survive this one.

Of note, to ?See? the new Star Wars Adventures: Clone wars comic you need to be using a VPN but can then download it normally.

[griffin]

This year's NYCC has also been cancelled, as the virus didn't just disappear as quickly in America as it was assumed it would earlier this year.

It looks like they will be looking to do some online presentations like SDCC did last month.
I'd also expect Hasbro to do some product reveals online during that time like they've done in the last month in place of their usual SDCC reveals.

[griffin]

A very early announcement - New York Toyfair next year (February) has been postponed for a few months... which I don't think that there would be enough change in Covid between a few months. If it doesn't go ahead in February, I'd be surprised if it goes ahead at all.

[griffin]

The Australian Toy Association has just announced that they will be waiting until October 31st before making a decision on if next year's Melbourne Toyfair. If the virus is still active enough in Victoria to believe that it would prevent a public event in March, then it will go virtual like the New York Toyfair.
Since that is a four month gap from the decision to the event date, there is no way they could know for sure what the situation would be in March. Even if the virus was reduced completely to zero new cases in Victoria by the end of October, it only takes a couple of weeks of cross-border cases or foreign returns to have a city or state in lockdown or limited crowd numbers in public.

The only way we will have Toyfair next year in Melbourne is if before October 31st we have a vaccine approved for Australia and a full rollout is announced to happen by the end of the year.
It will be a shame though, as I've been travelling to Melbourne for the Toyfair (and meeting up with fans) since 208 and next year will be the first year I won't be.

[griffin]

An announcement by Hasbro that an upcoming licensing fair in October for Europe will be digital/virtual/online... and it notes that 2021 will be the 35th Anniversary of Transformers, which I'm sure was meant to refer to the 1986 Movie anniversary.
With Unicron coming out next year and a number of 1986 characters rumoured to be released in the Studio Series line, this isn't much of a surprise... but a useful confirmation.

[griffin]

The American Toy association has announced plans to delay their 2021 Toyfair event until May (it is usually in February).... obviously if they have the virus under control by then, or have a contingency plan in place if it isn't.

At this stage, the Melbourne Toyfair hasn't been postponed yet, so could still be on for March if Melbourne re-opens before the end of the year. If we still have ours in March next year, we could have a first look at some toys before America... unfortunately, it could most likely mean that we wouldn't be allowed to share photos of the exhibit if Hasbro America hasn't revealed them by then.

[griffin]

The US (New York) Toyfair has been officially cancelled, due to the worsening situation with Covid. It was postponed to May 1st, but instead of having a digital version like SDCC and the Melbourne 2021 Toyfair, they have decided to just abandon it completely this year.
Expect some online reveals for Transformers (and other toys) like they were doing last year around SDCC and NYCC times.

As noted in the Oz news section back in November, the Melbourne Toyfair for 2021 was already decided to go online, in case the virus situation wasn't resolved in time for it to be safe for people to travel around the country to Melbourne.

Meanwhile, the event in Japan (Winter Wonderfest) that is usually on at the same time as the US Toyfair in February, has also been announced to be cancelled for 2021.

With the rollout of the vaccine in America falling way behind, and the delay in the amount of time a full rollout will stop the spread of the virus among those who are not vaccinated, I'd be surprised if SDCC (in July) goes ahead this year as well. And if it does, they might limit attendance to people who can prove that they have been vaccinated.