The TCC are currently doing their annual Botcon roundtable presentation, and our team are sitting in with the presentation. This presentation includes word on upcoming exclusives, including a G.I. Joe Vs Transformers set which gives us an individual release of Masterpiece Ratbat, and the full reveal of the TCC Figure Subscription Service 5.0. Spoiler warning – they’re releasing the Grand Maximus Pretender shell in this series.
The panel kicks off with the usual explanation of the design process, focusing on the current round of exclusives. There’s a moment of reflection on the 11 Fun Publications Botcons – looking back in particular at Shattered Glass, Elite Guard, G2 Redux, and the 2012 Invasion set.
There’s news on the Club Skywarp and Ramjet figures – they were delayed as the new heads did not fit into the space correctly when the toy transformed. So if you’re wondering where those two got to, that is your answer.
Getting on to the good stuff, now. There’s a new G.I. Joe Vs Transformers set, which has a G2 colored version of the Legends class tank Megatron, the aforementioned Masterpiece Ratbat (redecoed in comic colors), and three G.I. Joe figures – versions of Scarlett and Dr Biggles-Jones from the Transformers / G.I. Joe crossover that kicked off Transformers Generation 2, and a version of Cobra Commander based on his design from the comics in the same period.
This was followed with the reveal of the Figure Subscription Service Series 5.0. The figures in the final subscription services are:
- Pretender Optimus Primal from Botcon Oilmaster
- Paradron Medic from Generations Arcee
- Pretender Megatron, shell is a redeco of the one included with Grand Maximus. Inner robot is based on the unreleased Generation 1 Combat Hero redeco, and is another redeco of the Legends tank mold. Comes with a Targetmaster, redeco of the one that comes with Legends Cosmos, done up to look like the club’s Astrotrain exclusive. Really cool.
- Combiner Wars Toxitron, a redeco of Combiner Wars Motormaster, using the Optimus Prime head.
- Combiner Wars Counterpunch, a redeco of Combiner Wars Wheeljack.
- Pre-Beast Wars Fractyl and Scorponok. Fractyl is a redeco of the Botcon 2016 Terrorsaur. Scorponok is a redeco of Generations Scamper, who was included with Metroplex.
All in, a cool six-figure set that nicely caps off the Figure Subscription Service. Preorders for this series are set to go live in two weeks time.
Images of the seven new reveals are attached to this post. Paradron Medic is courtesy of @ThatJohnD on Twitter, the rest come via our own Bruticon!
G.B. Blackrock
This is bordering on thread necromancy, so I'm not sure which set (there have been a few) you're referring to. These are the sets that came out since last September.
neocon
Where can I find images of crossover set packaging, or can anyone post them here?
G.B. Blackrock
Assuming you mean the Joe/TF crossover figures (I won't have any information about Joeclub stuff not connected to TFs), they haven't already been released.
I'm anxious to see those made available, too.
Chaos Prime
Okay, yea. That was the last email I got on the matter too. I think I'm just getting antsy at this point 'cuz I don't know what's going on. Thanks.
OriginalFire
So are the GI Joe figures still coming or have they already been released
G.B. Blackrock
That's probably because little information has been released. Not that we've expected any, beyond what has always been true for these figures.
The second (let alone final) payment never takes place until after the first couple of figures have shipped.
That said, here is the full text of a relevant e-mail we got in July:
Thundershot
The first payment is done. That takes care of the first two figures. The second payment will be after those first two ship out. The final payment will be after the 4th figure ships out.
Chaos Prime
I'm asking about subscription service number 5. Fun Pubs final one.
I think the first payment was what….June? July?
The next payment should be coming up, right?
Or when shipping begins.
I'm just having a difficult time finding corrent information.
G.B. Blackrock
Do you mean the service that hasn't even started mailing yet? Or the one that's just recently completed?
If the one that hasn't started yet, I assume that they'll follow the pattern of having payment only after the first shipment, although it does seem likely that both payments #2 and #3 will be right on top of each other.
If the one that's just finished, the final payment should have happened some time ago. Before the final figures were shipped.
Chaos Prime
Hey quick question, and I apologize if this is in the wrong thread, but this is direct from a google search.
When is the final payment for the subscription service?
flux convoy
How would it have been any different than Ravage, really? Not much, I'd say.
PoweredConvoy
Yeah it would be cool, but not sure how you'd get all that black shading on the figure. Tape mode might end up very weird.
flux convoy
That Blackcat deco would have been amazing on an actual cassette. You're crazy, Randy.
Starscream 91
This set already sold me with Megatron, Cobra Commander, and Scarlett. Wasn't interested in Ratbat as he was a Masterpiece but I've accepted that if I got this he would be my CHUG Ratbat till they make him in Titans Return or something. But then you throw in Blackcat and Toaster! Hell to the yes, give me that!
bradforj
I really wish the club would have included a rail gun accessory for us to put on an original HISS in place of the turret on top. The HISS with rail gun is easily the most recognizable COBRA vehicle from the G2 crossover comics.
Fortress Prime
from HISSTANK
new picture of the set from joecon
JoeCon 2016 Comic G.I. Joe Ninja Force and Transformers – HissTank.com
Predakwon
Wow, looking at the TFwikis for Toaster and Blackcat, I'm impressed.
PoweredConvoy
The set was always going to be Scarlett, Cobra Commander, Biggles-Jones, Megatron, and Ratbat.
Having Blackcat and Toaster as accessories is a way of getting them into the set without adding the extra cost of a fully fledged figure.
Think of it as a little extra bonus to the set. That rather than coming with another G.I. Joe gun or sword, it comes with two new characters that are accessories to what's already present in the set.
Plus Blackcat's color scheme would have made for a really weird / bad looking cassette.
Randy
flux convoy
They didn't create them. Using non transforming toys for Transformers characters is dumb. I thought it was dumb with Afterbreaker and just as much so, here. I'm totally on board with the characters. Just not the toys used. I'd rather have nothing than not doing it right. Toaster was always a toaster, right? Not that it's a great toy but wouldn't Ejector be a better choice? You know, because he's a toaster.