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With the US release of the Beast Hunters Ultimate Class - which will feature Beast Hunter Optimus Prime and Beast Fire Predaking - drawing ever nearer, Target have begun to put out the shelf tags for both of these releases. By way of 2005 Boards member JamesBenjamin who passes this information to us we can confirm that the price for both toys will be $59.99. The Target DCPIs are also as follows:

Beast Fire Predaking: 087-06-1976
Beast Hunter Optimus Prime: 087-06-1967

No word as yet on when these can be expected - but with them out in Australia and now the shelf tags appearing in Target, a first sighting at US retail is potentially days rather than weeks away.

Vangelus and Seth Buzzard hook up with one Icha-B-zero-D to chat about old-timey Transformers fandom and the power of a simple napkin.

You can download and comment on it here: WTF @ TFW - Episode 251

If you use iTunes and regularly subscribe to podcasts, you can add us to your player and have the software download each episode automatically each time we update. To do that, and give us a reviews on iTunes, click here: Transformers Podcast on iTunes.

The Official Transformers Facebook page has posted official images of the new Beast Hunters Cyberverse vehicle set, the Autobot Driller. It's a redeco of last year's Decepticon Driller and it comes with a redeco of Beast Hunters Cyberverse Bumblebee. Check out the images at the link above or attached to this post.

With the release of Beast Hunters Ultimate Class Optimus Prime and Predaking at Australian retail, lots of pictures have been coming our way from Australian fans who have been lucky enough to add these two to their collections. We have mirrored a selection of the best images here, but open the links below to check out lots more photos:

Beast Hunter Optimus Prime by griffin-of-oz and Kal El of Krypton
Beast Fire Predaking by griffin-of-oz, LMiura, and Ozformers' member Colin78


Also, check out Kal El of Krypton's video review of Beast Hunter Optimus Prime:

A brief promo for the next episode of Transformers Prime aired at the end of Project Predacon. Chain of Command sees Ultra Magnus, Wheeljack and Bulkhead journey to the Scottish Hebrides to stop the Decepticons' latest plot. Will the former Wreckers and Ultra Magnus be able to put aside their differences and fight together against the Decepticons, or will Wheeljack's recklessness and Ultra Magnus' by the book approach cause a scism in the Autobot ranks? Tune in to Hub Network next Friday at 7:30 ET to find out - and check out the preview below:

Examiner has posted an article mentioning that Transformers 4 filming is underway in Austin, Texas. That’s not the only thing the article reveals; it also highlights the character name of Mark Wahlberg.

"Di Bonaventura Pictures and DreamWorks SKG in association with Hasbro are set to begin production on the Paramount Pictures science fiction action film "Transformers 4". Casting directors are auditioning actors in Los Angeles, as well as Austin, TX where filming will take place beginning late May, 2013. The extras will be cast throughout filming. Additional shooting will take place in various locations including China. This project is currently being referred to as "Untitled Transformers Sequel," and will the first feature film to be shot using smaller digital IMAX 3D cameras.

Starring in "Transformers 4" is Jack Reynor in the starring role of a race car driver. The talented and beautiful Nicola Peltz has been cast in the female lead role of Reynor's girlfriend. Mark Wahlberg has signed on to play Nicola's father Flynn Vincent. Sophia Myles will play a major role as a scientist. Peter Cullen returns as the voice of Optimus Prime, and Glenn Morshower reprises his role as General Morshower. Kelsey Grammer was recently cast as the lead villain named "Harold Attinger". Directors Guild of America DGA Award winner Michael Bay will return to direct his fourth installment of the film series from a screenplay written by Ehren Kruger."

For more information and how to become an extra, visit Examiner.com.

2005 Boards member Cobra Zartan has shared with us more images of the test shot of Generations Trailcutter. These new images show both modes of Trailcutter, and of interest to many of you will be the size comparison images, showing how Trailcutter scales up against Prime mainline Bumblebee and Generations Fall of Cybertron Soundwave. Read on to check out the images.

Those of you watching Transformers Prime Beast Hunters last night might have been pleasantly surprised to see that the opening has been updated with some new footage! The new opening follows the same three-stage format of the original but with tweaks and changes throughout:

• The theme music now features a deeper rhythm behind the main theme.
• Bumblebee now appears in his new black "Stealth Bumblebee" deco
• Optimus Prime now appears in his new beefed up "Optimus Prime 2.0" form
• The Predacon makes a couple of appearances, breathing fire on the road at the beginning and then again on the battlefield at the end of the intro
• The Autobot's team pose at the beginning is now a battle-ready one, with weapons drawn.
• Shockwave now appears alongside Megatron and Starscream in the final battlefield sequence.
• The intro now ends with Optimus Prime delivering a "dragon punch" to the Predacon.
• In spite of all this, several ongoing characters are absent from the intro, including Knock Out, Smokescreen and Soundwave.

Check out the new intro below:

Site sponsors Captured Prey and our own Internet Personality Vangelus have joined forces to help further the fight against Juvenile Diabetes. They are having a charity raffle with the prize being the very pre-production model of the FansToys Quake Wave reviewed by Vangelus.

To enter, here is what you need to do:

1. Visit JDRF.ORG.
2. Click on the "Donate" button.
3. Select "General Donation", and donate at least $5.00.
4. Take a screenshot and send it, or forward your confirmation to:jdrfdonation@capturedprey.com by 11:59PM Eastern time on May 27th, 2013
   
   That's it! You'll receive a ticket number back in a few days, and we'll draw for the winner soon after the entry period closes.

Now, here's the technical stuff:

• You may enter as many times as you like, HOWEVER, to do so, your donations MUST be above the minimum amount. IE, you can't enter twenty times with twenty $5.00 donations. But you CAN enter twenty times with, say, twenty $10.00 donations. Multiple $5.00 donations are awesome, but they will be combined in pairs if submitted.
• Entries close at midnight on the morning of May 28th. Any entries received after this time will not be eligible.
• Captured Prey will provide shipping, at our discretion, to the winner. The shipping method and speed will vary depending on where you are located.
• Your prize is a production sample. It is identical to the retail figure, but does not include packaging. We will include the solid-color hand and gun arm parts, and the winner will receive the alternate forearm parts when those are released, too.

Just recently, the Transformers: Legends game by Mobage just wrapped up a game event, "Unleash the Beasts". Hopefully, gamers are ready for more, as an new event titled "Cold Delivery" is now live! The event features Cosmos, Jetfire, Sky Lynx, and Omega Supreme as the bosses. For this event the special Spacebridge characters are two of the most feared Decepticons to be spawned by Unicron, Scourge and Cyclonus! TFW2005.COM member puma was not only kind enough to let everyone know about the event, but also took a screen shot of the start page.

If you have an iPhone or an Android, this is a free downloadable app that you can download by clicking here (data transfer charges apply, of course). This game is a multi-player card-based battle game that features much of the Classics-Generations characters, featuring new character artwork on each of the battle cards. This game allows the player to go through stages as well as teaming up with allies to beat bosses during events like the one reported here!

TFW2005.COM features an ongoing discussion for the game itself going on here, as well as a the Transformers: Legends Mobage Social Group. If you're jumping in on the fun of this game, then jump into the discussions here as well!

Takara-Tomy has added a promo to their Youtube channel for their iteration of the Bot Shots line, BeCool. The video features some cute stop-motion of the toys and an irritatingly catchy song to go with it all. Check it out below:

The guys of Charticon announce another update on their upcoming, inaugural convention with yet another guest - Ken Christiansen, an illustrator who has been working on Transformers in a variety of capacities over the last few years. The Charticon organizers had this to share with us:

We are very happy to announce another guest! Ken Christiansen will be joining us for the show as well!

Ken Christiansen has been working as an illustrator and concept designer for over fifteen years. Starting as a video game concept artist, at Nintendo of America (Ridge Racer 64, Pokemon Puzzle League), then moving to Los Angeles to work in games for the Walt Disney Company (Kingdom Hearts, Finding Nemo). In 2004, Ken started his own company, Bad Flip Productions, working for video game clients like Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, and Activision. After working with Activision on Transformers the Game, and the Revenge of the Fallen game, he began working freelance in media development for Hasbro Inc. (Transformers), doing concept art for their film, tv, book, games, and toy initiatives. That expanded into media development beyond the Transformers brand, including Star Wars, Spider-Man, and more.

Ken’s current work includes the cover runs on the Transformers Prime series (IDW), Star Wars Fighter Pods, and Ultimate Spider-Man Spider Pods. Along with other random bits and pieces, hanging off pegs in the toy aisles, book shelves, and video game departments…

Bad Flip Productions' Facebook Page

Bad Flip Productions' Blog

You can find out more information about attending Charticon by going to their website as well as their Facebook page. Join in on the discussion about this convention here on our forum as well!

We have been getting reports that the next assortment of Beast hunters Cyberverse Commanders have been released in the US. Reports of sightings have come to us of Cyberverse Commander Shockwaves in both Washington State and also in California. Shockwave is not the only new toy in the assortment, as the remolded Commander Starscream is also in this assortment - so both should now be at retail if you are searching for these new releases.

The sightings were made at the South Center Target in Kent, Washington and also at the Fox Hills mall Target in Culver City, California - so if you're on the West Coast, check your Targets - they seem to be getting these in first. Happy hunting everyone!

Artist Ken Christiansen has posted up a new piece of preliminary design work that he did for Hasbro during the development of Transformers Prime and the Aligned Continuity. The latest post on The Bad Flip blog shows off an unused tank alternate mode for Megatron - a sleek combination of realistic and futuristic design sensibilities which pays homage to tank form Megatrons from across the Transformers series.

Do you prefer this to the alien spacecraft that Hasbro ran with in the final version, or do you feel that a sleek tank form would have lent some nice variation to the Decepticons of the Aligned Continuity? Hit the discuss button below to share your views.

Make of this what you will! IDW will be crossing over Transformers with the breakout hit of the Hub Network, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, in a convention exclusive cover which will be offered at Botcon 2013 in San Diego.

Check out the original report at Comic Book Resources. You might note that the cover is listed as "convention exclusive" rather than "Botcon exclusive" so it might well be offered at other events, such as San Diego Comic Con.