SDCC 2022 day 1 - Thursday July 21st

[griffin]

A lot to go through, from a lot of different sources... but I felt underwhelmed by the smaller-than-usual amount of reveals this year, and a limited access by the major fansites, probably due to covid restrictions (just about everything came from just TFW and some guy on twitter which was noted on BWTF).

I was also puzzled that there were no SDCC exclusive toys this year for Transformers, when usually (pre-covid) there would be 3 or 4 exclusives that we would all have to fight over from secondary sources, or from Asia. There is one "Pulse exclusive", but it is a pre-order for release in November... so it isn't an SDCC exclusive.

A quick list of what to expect in the next few posts (as I can't post anything with more than 3 links at the moment)...

- Legacy wave 3 (only a teaser, as the full reveal will be done online on August 16th)
Deluxe
- Blanker (Targetmaster Pointblank - using the Japanese name for some reason),
- Stunticon Dead End,
- Skullgrin (odd to not be the same size class as Iguanus),
- Crankcase (said to be derived from the Skids mould)
Voyager
- Armada Starscream
- Beast Wars Inferno
Leader
- Transmetal II Megatron (dragon)

- Hasbro Pulse exclusive - A Hero is Born - Alpha Trion (redeco & new head SS VOY Scourge) & Orion Pax (redeco & new head SS DLX Kup - just like the Ehobby Orion Pax from about 15 years ago).

- Shattered Glass Flamewar & Fireglide (redeco Legacy Arcee & Siege Pteraxadon)

- GEN Selects DK-3 Breaker - blue Trailbreaker

- Licensed statues
ThreeZero
Diamond Select
Flame Toys

- SDCC exclusive Pop Vinyl Jumbo size Unicron - Already out in Australia at various online sources listed here in the OZ news section for $90-95.

- Walmart Collector Con (not sure if it is linked to SDCC, as it would be a coincidence to do the big launch on the same day if it wasn't being promoted at SDCC as well - The Hasbro Pulse site certainly thinks so, as they included them with their new SDCC pre-orders.)
Velocitron wave 1
Vintage Beast Wars - Retrax & Terrosaur
Top Gun Maverick
.

[griffin]

Legacy wave 2 and Hasbro Pulse exclusive 2-pack.

The presentation panel details and images from TFW.

• Bot modes of new wave reveals (alternate modes and accessories will be shown off August 16th)
• Skullgrin first
• Merged pretender shell with robot mode
• Mark worked with Yuuki-San on Skullgrin
• Next is Blanker (Pointblank)
• Blanker will have minicon accessory
• Trying to create cohesiveness on dioramas since there’s no official story
• Mark worked with Hisui-San on Blanker
• Next is Crankcase who is a partial use of Skids
• Last deluxe is Dead End
• Team worked hard for cartoon look
• First Voyager is Armada Starscream
• Mark worked with Atoku-San (whose last generations character was Armada Starscream before moving to MP)
• Starscreams booster flaps flip up
• Next is BW Inferno (worked with Tomo-San)
• Color-matched CG model
• Leader class TM2 Megatron revealed
• Sam worked with Hijima-San
• Megs packaging revealed
• Legacy reveals done, on to Q&A
• Favorite collabs/wants for collabs
• Ben – GI Joe
• Evan – wants transforming Chocobo
• Isabella – wants Pokemon collab
• Sara – wants other Nickelodeon properties
• Reptar from Rugrats suggested
• More IDW and Nautica asked for
• Minivehicles (Brawn, Gears, etc.) will make it in eventually
• Potential for rerelease of Coneheads in Legacy
• Maybe Armada Optimus for 20th anniversary??
• Final reveal is Pulse exclusive Orion Pax and Alpha Trion w/ Vector Sigma set
• Pax from Kup, Trion from Scourge
• 2-pack box revealed
• End of panel

Official images were released of just the robot modes (as noted above).















The back of the Megatron box, said to be from someone else on twitter, showing us the dragon mode.

[griffin]

- Hasbro Pulse exclusive - A Hero is Born - Alpha Trion (redeco & new head SS VOY Scourge) & Orion Pax (redeco & new head SS DLX Kup - just like the Ehobby Orion Pax from about 15 years ago). Also looks to come with a Vector Sigma (golden globe) and Key... from the cartoon.

Included in the presentation panel in the post above, but first revealed by IGN website with release details - November 1st release, but the pre-order listing on the Hasbro Pulse site isn't there yet.












- Shattered Glass Flamewar & Fireglide (redeco Legacy Arcee & Siege Pteraxadon) officially revealed on the Hasbro Pulse facebook page, and on youtube...

[griffin]

- GEN Selects DK-3 Breaker - blue Trailbreaker - revealed by Hasbro on their instagram.

It is now up on the Hasbro Pulse site for preorder - us$25 for December 1st.

The DK-3 Breaker figure is based on the 4WD Hi-luxe Diaclone figure, originally released with black, blue, and yellow deco variations. The DK-3 Breaker figure is released with blue deco, inspired by the Diaclone blue deco variant. This figure converts from robot to camper truck mode in 19 steps. Figure comes with a blaster accessory that attaches in both modes.
F3073

[griffin]

- Licensed statues

ThreeZero - Last Knight Optimus Prime
Prime1 Studios - Beast Wars Transmetal 2 Dragon Megatron (this one is massive!)

Diamond Select -

• Premier Collection Beast Wars Statues
  
  • Optimus Primal
  • Megatron
  
  
• Transformers Minimates
  
  • Wave 3: Galvatron, Coronation Starscream, Galvatron and Jazz.
  • Future products: Thundercracker, Ultra Magnus, Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime, and “Sleep Mode” Optimus Prime (gray Optimus Prime redeco with opening chest).

Flame Toys -

• Furai Model – Model kits
  
  • Soundwave & Ravage (prototype)
  • Arcee (prototype)
  • Devastator (color sample)
  
  
• Kuro Kara Kuri – Premium quality action figures
  
  • Rodimus (prototype)
  • Victory Saber (color sample)
  • Nemesis Prime (color sample)
  • Jazz (prototype)
  
  

[griffin]

- Walmart Collector Con (not sure if it is linked to SDCC, as it would be a coincidence to do the big launch on the same day if it wasn't being promoted at SDCC as well - The Hasbro Pulse site certainly thinks so, as they included them with their new SDCC pre-orders.)

From the Walmart product page...

Velocitron wave 1 - release date August 8th (Walmart) & August 1st (Hasbro Pulse)
Deluxe - us$25 (Cosmos page has been removed from Walmart site - unknown reason as other items remain listed that are sold out) (Clampdown sold out on both sites)
Voyager - us$34
Leader - us$56 (Scourge sold out on both sites)

Vintage Beast Wars - Retrax & Terrosaur - us$25 (each) - release date August 12-16 (Walmart), August 1st (Hasbro Pulse - Retrax listed as November, likely in error)
(Retrax already sold out on Walmart site... yes, it's true... it has to be an error, or else it was produced in much smaller numbers based on it's feedback)

Top Gun Maverick - us$45 - release date December 20th (Walmart), November 1st (Hasbro Pulse - could be wrong)

[griffin]

As for the Australian status of the exclusive items...

- Velocitron set - we noted last time that it is scheduled for Kmart in August, but that is just an expected release month. The Velocitron series copies the format of the Netflix series, with 4-5 Deluxe, 2 Voyager and 1 Leader exclusive to Walmart in America and Kmart in Australia. However, since Kmart dropped the Leader class after the first one for Netflix, we are not sure yet if Kmart will be taking on the Velocitron Leader class, or if it will go to online outlets like the other two Netflix Leaders (which ended up at places like EBGames and Amazon Australia).


- Top Gun Maverick - the likely reason the second version isn't coming here is the slow sales of the first one.


- Shattered Glass Flamewar - we are seeking information on this one, but since we aren't getting Slicer, we might not see Flamewar here.


- GEN Selects DK-3 Breaker (blue Trailbreaker) - I think that we should get this, but it is strange that pre-orders haven't been listed at the usual places yet (like EBGames and Amazon). We are seeking information on this one too.


- Studio Series 15th Anniversary Autobot 5-pack - still no sign of it on Amazon Australia, so might not be coming here. We are seeking information on this one.


- Pulse exclusive "A Hero is Born - Alpha Trion & Orion Pax" - No word yet on this one coming here, and we are seeking information on this one too.


- Vintage Beast Wars - the release schedule for Australia at BigW (subject to last minute change of dates, as only two of the June toys came out in June)...

June - Scorponok (released)
June - Wolfang (released)

June - Tigatron (delayed release)
-
August - Cybershark
August - Retrax
August - Terrorsaur
-
October - (toy yet to be officially revealed)
October - (toy yet to be officially revealed)

[griffin]

The last word of the day from one of the Hasbro people at the SDCC, noting that they didn't live-stream the presentation but will be having one later (August 16th), and that the Legacy Transmetal Megatron will be on display at their exhibit (hopefully someone posts up some photos). He also notes that they still have the exclusive unboxing of the Haslab Victory Saber set to come this weekend, with the finalised packaging, to be live-streamed.

[griffin]

Ooops, forgot the images and info for Retrax and Terrorsaur...

Originally leaked from walmart listings.

Transformers Vintage Beast Wars Terrorsaur
(Re)start a vintage Beast Wars collection with this Transformers: Vintage Beast Wars Terrorsaur figure! Inspired by the classic 90s toy, this Terrorsaur toy is designed like the original version — including figure styling, packaging, and art from the 1996 Beast Wars releases, plus classic tech specs and features.
Striking from the sky like a demonic dragon, this organically enhanced robot warrior is seldom seen…until it’s too late!
Terrorsaur figure comes with blaster accessory and converts from pteranodon to robot mode in 6 steps.

Clip out and save the on-box tech specs to share, then see how this figure stacks up against other heroic Maximals and evil Predacons (each sold separately).
Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
Includes: Figure, accessory, and instructions.
Figure scale: 5-inch
Ages 8 and up
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD – Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
© 2022 Hasbro. All rights reserved.

• RE-CREATION OF THE ORIGINAL BEAST WARS DESIGN: This vintage Beast Wars Terrorsaur figure is inspired by the original 1996 Beast Wars release
• CLASSIC CONVERSION: Terrorsaur figure features classic Beast Wars conversion from pteranodon to robot mode in 6 steps
• VINTAGE WEAPON ACCESSORY: Terrorsaur figure comes with a secret blaster accessory that stores behind the head in robot mode
• RETRO PACKAGING: Inspired by the original Beast Wars packaging in the “rocky bubble,” this pack features the original Beast Wars logo, and character art
• TECH SPECS: Tech specs are included on the pack in the classic Beast Wars style fans know and love. Compare figures’ strength, speed, firepower, and more

Transformers Vintage Beast Wars Retrax

Re)start a vintage Beast Wars collection with this Transformers: Vintage Beast Wars Predacon Retrax figure! Inspired by the classic 90s toy, this Predacon Retrax toy is designed like the original version — including figure styling, packaging, and art from the 1997 Beast Wars releases, plus classic tech specs and features.
Retrax survives in a series of cool, cavernous tunnels lined with the remains of his fallen enemies. He can roll over a similar-sized enemy and crush their body upon impact.
Predacon Retrax figure comes with spring-loaded pincers and tail stinger features and converts from pill bug to robot mode in 12 steps.
Clip out and save the on-box tech specs to share, then see how this figure stacks up against other heroic Maximals and evil Predacons (each sold separately).
Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
Includes: figure and instructions.
Figure scale: 5-inch
Ages 8 and up
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD – Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
© 2022 Hasbro. All rights reserved.

• RE-CREATION OF THE ORIGINAL BEAST WARS DESIGN: This vintage Beast Wars Predacon Retrax figure is inspired by the original 1997 Beast Wars release.
• CLASSIC CONVERSION: Predacon Retrax figure features classic Beast Wars conversion from pill bug to robot mode in 12 steps
• VINTAGE WEAPON FEATURES: Predacon Retrax figure can roll into a ball and comes with spring-loaded pincers and tail stinger features
• RETRO PACKAGING: Inspired by the original Beast Wars packaging in the “rocky bubble,” this pack features the original Beast Wars logo, and character art
• TECH SPECS: Tech specs for Predacon Retrax are included on the pack in the classic Beast Wars style fans know and love. Compare figures’ strength, speed, firepower, and more

I find that the product descriptions are a bit misleading, by claiming that they are "inspired by the classic 90s toy", but they are reproductions... the toys that are inspired by the original toys are the Legacy toys (at least for Terrorsaur).

And I see that they are trying to make Retrax sound more complex than it really is by claiming that it has 12 steps to its transformation. Those of us who have this toy already know how simple it's transformation is, to wonder how they get "12 steps". Looking at the image for the back of the card (at the link, not mirrored here), it includes the activation of the gimmicks for the first 5 steps, and the final step is just turning the toy around, so it is really just 6 steps.
(also see how both modes of Retrax have errors - the beast mode doesn't have the legs pointing down to the ground, and the robot mode is missing the beast leg on the black abdomen piece... and the bug antenna are upside down compared to the original toy)

[KELPIE]

All the new reveals seem so blocky.

We pretty much predicted the Crankcase/Skids. Skullgrin just seems weird.

Pointblank is the star of the show.