On this day in America 10 years ago, the first BotCon by the current organizers (Fun Publications) officially began.
As bad as they may be to many fans, they've managed to survive 10 years and put on 11 BotCons so far.

This topic is for focusing on the Convention, not the organisers... so please only comment on BotCon in this topic.
If you want to air your grievances about the organizers, there is already a topic here for you to let it all out.

For some fans the Convention itself is one that is still loved and looked forward to each year. While for others, we just focus on the Convention while it is on and temporarily set aside any of the issues we might have from FunPub before the Convention.

This here is a little bit about BotCon 2005 from my perspective... to refresh some memories of anyone here who attended it, and to give those who didn't a little look at what the very first FunPub BotCon was like.

2005 was my sixth BotCon Convention, and seventh Hasbro endorsed/official Transformers convention (the 2003 convention didn't have the name BotCon)... and even though this one had some familiarity with it, there was a lot of changes to the structure and running of this one, to fit FunPub's existing GIJoe model. That made it both interesting, and a little daunting at the same time. (change can be good, but sometimes people don't like too much change)

It was held at the Embassy Suites (Hotel & Convention Centre), at Frisco, Texas (just north of Dallas), from September 22-25.
This first one by FunPub only had activities from Thursday to Sunday, but there was still an early-bird package pickup on the Wednesday night. The Thursday activity was just a pre-Con tour, as there were no Custom Classes this year.
Ever since then we've had Wednesday activities, but the official Convention dates still don't include that first of the five days.

There was one other Australian attending this year (that I knew of), and I ended up sharing a room with him after meeting up the year before (at BotCon 2004 in Pasadena).

(sorry about some of my photos being blurry... I had a cheap camera that year)
More photos, taken by FunPub, can be found here - BotCon '05

The hotel & convention centre.


It was next to a baseball field, and within 10 minutes walk from a Target, Walmart & ToysRUs. There was also meant to be a Kaybee nearby, but it might have just closed as I didn't end up finding it.


The interior of the hotel had a lot of open (wasted) space.


At least the Convention Centre was part of the hotel, so it was all inside (away from any heat or rain).


Thursday we got our first look at the large assortment of Convention toys and merchandise, which was something new for BotCon, as we were used to quality over quantity in the past. Just like when you buy Retail toys, you bond more to one or two toys bought at once, than 15-20 bought at one time.


The box set and at-show toys was a bit of a mix and match of toys from different eras, but considering the short time-frame they had on this first set, there are still some really good toys in the mix. With Ben Yee having a hand in most of it, there were a few good nods to existing characters in there.

Boxset - Deathsaurus, Buzzclaw, Dirge, Ironhide, Chromia, Ricochet, Fallback (800 boxed sets, 450 loose)
Attendee - Decepticon Flamewar
Large pair - Ratchet, Flare-up - (500)
Small pair - Virulent Clones (2-pack) - (800)(400 pairs)

(images here are from the BotCon website)


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The Club Store on Thursday night.


The Dealer Room being set up on Thursday night.


MSTF was back, on Thursday night.

 

Panels (Friday to Sunday)
Dobson brothers (Voice Actors)


Rarities, hosted by Rik Alvarez

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Hasbro & Takara with Aaron Archer and Hideaki Yoki


IDW doing their first BotCon (it was a new chapter for the Comic license as well as the Convention license)


Gen1 Wally Burr (Voice Director) & Michael Chain (Hoist, Powerglide, Red Alert)


Club panel, with Ben, Rik, Brian, Lanny, Pete.


Hasbro Designers panel, with Aaron Archer, Greg Lombardo, Eric Siebenaler. Each had been a part of BotCon for a number of years, so they became fan favourites from the Hasbro team.



The Dealer Room.


We had some giant banners already promoting the 2007 Movie, which was still very new at this stage.


Hasbro's corner

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In their toy display, they gave us our first look at the 10th Anniversary Beast Wars toys for 2006.


As well as the first of the new Star Wars Crossover toys.


Back then they were willing to put prototypes in the display case, of toys that were still a long way off.

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The exciting reveal for the year was Cybertron Primus.



IDW's table, which didn't have much on offer yet, but were promoting their upcoming comics and selling their Issue 0 comic that had exclusive pages and cover for BotCon.


A diarama set up with the 2005 BotCon toys fighting each other.


Someone was selling a lot of the short-lived Built-To-Rule Energon sets... but they seemed to have wandered off when I was there.


On one of the tables in the Dealer Room were some mock-up Beast Wars card backs, but there didn't appear to be anyone keeping an eye on them either.

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Wally Burr was taking orders for selling copies of the 1986 Movie Script, Storyboards and Model Sheets... for $2000!

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Plus his original size-comparison chart for animators (not that they always adhered to it though)

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Not to be outdone, Aaron Archer was giving away some original concept designs at the Charity Auction, like this one.


And for his adoring fans, he was showing off his original concept for TF-Cybertron, which he wrote down on a napkin while at a Taco Bell one day.

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The art contest, being judged by Aaron Archer... or maybe he was just getting some ideas.


War Within Grimlock, Rack-n-Ruin, Impactor.


Masterpiece Powermaster Optims


Masterpiece Nemesis Prime


Winning artwork


There was a costume competition this year, but only two entries.



Friday night Casino & Auction

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Saturday night dinner, Awards & Script Reading (with two winners of the fan auditions).

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Does anyone else have any photos from that BotCon they want to share?


(If there is enough interest I might type up some of the highlights from the BC2005 panels, as I still have my notes, but never got around to typing them up.)

 

Very cool, thank you for sharing this.

It's very neat to see just how much has changed (and shockingly, how much hasn't) since 2005.

I hope that someday I will attend a BotCon again. After 6+ years of support and attending, I won't be going back in the near future. I still love the idea of BotCon, so I hope to return in the future.

 

Ah what wonderful memories. That was my first Botcon hanging out with the TFW2005 Crew:



I still want this suit jacket (he got it custom made):


...Megatron apparently got there before I did:


...Must be Ratchet had to go "recharge"


and here's my haul:

I managed to get a copy of the script from the script reading signed by all the guests.

 

Wow does that bring back some old memories. It's sad how many of the old TFW crew no long come to the show. Miss you guys.

I was a dealer as usual for the con and I remember that Katrina had only happened a couple of weeks before the show and I worried that it would be cancelled because of it. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of people there that year either. Tho, for those who did attend, it was a blast.

I was really happy to have my first Autobot, Powereglide, signed at the con.

 

My first Botcon! Despite being pretty anti-social at that show, I still have fond memories.

I was pretty surprised in 2012 how much it was still pretty much the same show. It's part of the reason I skipped this year.

 

That was my second Botcon and I did it on a shoestring budget by working a table (worked my butt off on opening and closing day). Was super fun and my first time meeting people like Colin and Hugh. Not the best Botcon, I think 2007 beat it just by virtue of almost everyone from 2005 making it there, but a special one none the less.

 

That's one of the awesome things about those Conventions, especially the smaller ones like 2005, you can end up scoring some amazing and odd items like a signed script, or get lucky with running into a feature guest and spending some time or even a meal with them.
That, and the meeting up with fellow board members or old friends, makes the convention like a school reunion every year.

Thanks for your photos. Nice Haul.

Yeah, Katrina was a big thing on people's minds at that convention, as it prevented some people from attending, and if I recall, there was a second hurricane bearing down on Texas that week that was forecast to be as damaging as Katrina (which had people worried about the Convention being called off)... but fortunately it wasn't as strong and didn't end up going as far north as expected.

Some more images I was able to scrounge up...

The info sheet for what Wally Burr was trying to sell.


The IDW comic that was exclusive to this convention.


The various business cards I must have picked up around the dealer Room, who must have been around 10 years ago... and most of those dealers are still around too.


The full set of BotCon toys, plus the freebie Legends Ramjet toy that was given out at the Hasbro table in the Dealer Room.


Some comparisons from the BotCon toys.

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The comic cover and other items with the Registration pack. (I guess I mustn't have entered the door prize drawings).

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Thanks for posting these pictures. Had a great time at BotCon '05. I had a single dealer table way in the back of the room. It was a strange situation though, with families fleeing from Hurricane Rita in my hotel. Otherwise, it was a really fun convention.

 

That's what it was, Hurricane Rita. It was forecast to go as far north as Dallas (including Frisco), and since Rita was given the same category and intensity as Katrina 3 weeks earlier by the weather people, many people were asking that week if BotCon was going to be postponed (which had me worried as I wouldn't be able to fly back to America from Australia).

Many of us were watching it's progress (I remember tuning into the Weather Channel each day while I was there), and I think it was the Thursday that it changed direction or lost intensity once it hit landfall, and I don't think we ended up getting much rain at all in the end. And since it was coming from the south in the Gulf, it wouldn't have impacted on too many flights.

This was Wednesday, with barely a cloud in the sky...


It was actually quite warm that weekend, so it was good to have the hotel and convention center all self-contained.
It just sucked walking around to each of the toy stores, which included crossing a major highway that was currently being widened with heaps of roadworks and fencing/barricades... and no sidewalks or crossings anywhere.

 

Thanks everyone for sharing! This is the only one of theirs I hadn't attended. My first was 2006 and I had a blast. Can't wait to see the thread for that.  

 

this is really a good flashback you did here hope you have some 2006 pic

 

I went to this botcon...man I remember you could have literally bought about 50 of those ratchet/flareup packs if you wanted, lol! That complementary breakfast bar was hands down the best I have ever had. The made to order omelettes and waffles top anything I have had. I bet they don't even have that any more, or if they do, you to pay extra for it.

 

The details from the Panels - I've been typing them up in the last week from my notebook (so it is the first time they've been posted online).

This was before the news sites were posting up much detail from the Conventions, so some of the info will be new to fans, while other bits will be an amusing reminder of what was "news" in 2005... particularly the things that had changed since then or never happened.

FRIDAY 23rd SEPT - 9am - DOBSON BROTHERS

From left: Paul - Brian - Michael.

Their main roles in Transformers...

Brian Dobson -
Armada - Red Alert, Sentinel Minor
Cybertron - Red Alert, Clocker
Go-Bots (Playskool) - Silver-Bot, Strong-Bot

Michael Dobson -
Armada - Starscream
Energon - Starscream, Signal Flare
Cybertron - Starscream, Brakedown, Colonel Franklin, Ernesto

Paul Dobson -
Beast Machines - Tankor, Obsidian, Diagnostic Drone
Armada - Sideways, Nemesis Prime
Energon - Rodimus, Superion Maximus
Cybertron - Landmine, Overhaul, Signal Lancer
Go-Bots (Playskool) - Aero-Bot

Scott McNeill (best known for Beast Wars Rattrap, Dinobot, Waspinator & Silverbolt) got them into Voice Acting.
Michael was a live-role actor. He met with Scott, who talked him and his brothers into Voice Acting and introduced them to the right people.

Paul was on Reboot, as the character Matrix.

The Unicron Trilogy (Armada - Energon - Cybertron) was recorded as ADR (active dialogue replacement), which records the lines AFTER the animation is drawn... which is a lot harder and time-consuming for Voicec Actors. Recording is often 6-12 hours per day, and when it is really busy they can be recording for 7 days a week for 15 hours per day.
ADR recording would sometimes require them to adjust the length or speed of the dialogue during the recording sessions, if the lines didn't fit the animation timings. (especially as the Unicron Trilogy was being translated from Japanese)

The Voice Actors were told to do accent changes for returning characters in Cybertron, but not told why.

Michael auditioned for the role of Armada Cyclonus, but was offered Starscream instead.

They never see or watch a majority of their recordings/roles.

Their Favourite Roles...
Michael - Armada Starscream, Cobra Commander.
Paul - Energon Rodimus, Cybertron Landmine, Reboot's Matrix, MOTU Trapjaw (likes evil characters most though).
Brian - MOTU Skeletor, King Hiss.

Voice Acting has been growing in recent years because of the increase in CGI cartoons and Computer Games... but is still very competitive.

The brothers compete for roles, but (apparently) have covered for each other occasionally. (I think that means they have voiced lines when one is missing during a shared recording)

They have recorded up to Episode 17 of Cybertron at the time of this weekend. (which could be episode 18, or thereabouts, as the first two episodes were re-edited to result in one half of the story being episode 52)


FRIDAY 23rd SEPT - 10am - TOY RARITIES

No photos were allowed for the slide-show, but a handful of toys were on display that we were allowed to photograph at the end.

The panel was hosted by (J.E.) Rik Alvarez, who was one of the volunteer staff this year for being on the "Transformers Council".


Toys shown on the slideshow were both rarities, unreleased and prototypes.

Takara Gen1 Verses sets
- VSX - Convoy Verses Megatron - released
- VSY - Grimlock Verses Soundwave and Frenzy - released
- VSZ - Skids and Sunstreaker Verses Buzzsaw - released
- VSA - Superion Verses Menasor - unreleased, but apparently two of this set was produced.

Hasbro Gen1
- (Canada) Pepsi Prime - released
- (France) red foot Optimus Prime - released
- (Mexico) solid nosecone Seekers (I think instead of rubber) - released
- (Canada) Springer & Ricochet (can't remember what these were)
- (Europe) Red Tracks - released

Takara Gen1
- Prowl (can't remember what was significant about this one)
- Headmaster heads (Kirk, Lione, Loafer, Shuffler, Trizor, Rodney) - released
- Guard City - released

Takara Lucky Draw
- Junior set (Convoy, Rodimus, Fortress, Ginrai, Starsaber)
- Gold Rodimus (100 produced)
- Blue Ultra BW Optimus Primal (10 produced)
- Silver BW Transmetal Optimus Primal
- Gold BW Transmetal Optimus Primal
- Silver BW Transmetal Megatron
- Gold Lioconvoy (10 produced)
- Galva-Lioconvoy (10 produced)
- Gold Gen1 Convoy (gold smokestacks & rims)
- Clear Gen1 Sixshot
- Black Gen1 Sixshot
- Black Car Robots Fire Convoy (100 produced)
- Micron Legend (Armada) Ice Magnus (100 produced)
- Black Micron Legend Megatron
- Gold Superlink (Energon) Optimus
- Gold Superlink Rodimus
- Gold Masterpiece Convoy (20 produced)
- Green Micron Legend Unicron (10 produced)

Factory Samples of recent Gen1 Reissues (5-10 test-shots produced for toys before full production begins, to make sure the moulds still work, often in odd colours)
- Clear Jazz
- Clear Prowl
- Translucent black & blue Riccochet
- Clear Silverstreak
- Clear Tracks
- Clear Sideswipe
- Clear Skids
- Translucent green Inferno
- Clear Inferno
- Clear Optimus Prime with trailer
- Clear/green/white/blue Houd
- Clear Starscream
- Translucent yellow Starscream
- Translucent black Starscream
- Translucent Gen1 colours Starscream
- Clear Astrotrain
- Clear Soundwave
- Clear Minibot set
- Clear Hotrod
- Clear Megatron
- Shiny silver Optimus (maybe testing for lucky draw?)
- Shiny silver Starscream
- Shiny coloured Starscream
- Shiny blue "Thundercracker"
- Shiny yellow "Sunstorm"
- Shiny silver Soundwave

It was noted that clear plastic figures yellow/cloud fast, even when kept out of the light.

Unreleased figures (in varying stages of mockup-prototype-testshot-samples)
- Micromaster playset (grey prototype)
- Micromaster command centre with 2 vehicles (grey prototype)
- Actionmaster suit with snap-on parts (grey prototype)
- Actionmaster vehicle
- 1986 organic pods (looked like Krang from TMNT)
- Gen1 Unicron concept prototypes (both versions)
- JP Beast Wars Neo Unicron prototype
- 1986 GIJoe Transformers crossover toy (it might have been this)
- Modified Gen1 Gnaw/Sharkticon
- Gen2 Hero Optimus in dark blue
- Gen2 Hero Megatron in army camo (see photos below)
- Gen2 Desert Attack Ramjet (shown as light blue & grey, but a desert camo version is also known that had a proposed name of Sandstorm, so this colour version might have been a different name and Desert Attack is Sandstorm)
- Gen2 First Aid, Streetwise, Groove, Blades.
- Gen2 Dragstrip, Dead End, Wildrider (Breakdown was produced for BotCon 1994)
- Gen2 Motormaster
- Gen2 Sergeant Hound (Autoroller redeco)
- Gen2 General Optimus (Autoroller redeco)
- Gen2 Soundwave (lasercycle redeco)
- Gen2 Jazz (lasercycle redeco)
- Gen2 Megatron & Starscream (Dreadwing redeco)
- Gen2 Gobots (unnamed Jeep & Car)
- Gen2 Gobot launcher/truck with Greasepit Gobot (redeco Soundwave)
- Gen2 Black Camera Megatron (a mockup made from a Gen2 Tank Megatron)
- Beast Wars Tarantulas and Scorponok with translucent parts (as seen in promo pictures)
- BW Green Ramulas (based on a BotCon character)
- JP Beast Wars Lioconvoy in pale green & blue
- Assorted Beast Machines packaging concept styles.
- Beast Machines Megabolt Megatron concept with no spider-legs to be more show accurate.
- JP Black Rodimus (could be the reissue)
- JP Worlds Smallest Transformers Tracks & Skids
- Transtech Starscream (a number of Transtech toys made it to prototype stage)
- Universe Astrotrain (redeco Armada Jetfire) (noted as abandoned - actually released later by FunPub)
- Redeco Gen1 Seacons (noted as still looking for a Retailer - later released by BBTS)
- Black Energon Megatron (noted as being a Target exclusive that was cancelled)
- "Santa" Redeco Energon Optimus (red/white body with black drones) (also noted as a Target exclusive that was cancelled)
- Menasor (redeco European Thunderclash to look like Gen1 Motormaster)
- Light blue Jetstorm (Beast Machines Ultra?)
- Toxitron (yellow/black Gen2 Laser Rod Optimus)
- "Safety" Megatron (Gen1 Megatron with bright orange and shiny blue to make it legal in America, but didn't rate well, so was abandonned)
- Laser Rod Optimus with Armada Megatron colours.

Toys on display at the end of the panel - Gold Galaxy Force (Cybertron) Convoy, Gold Superlink (Energon) Omega Supreme.


Two different unreleased Gen2 Hero Megatron in camo colouring, redeco Beast Machines Megabolt to be more cartoon accurate (Takara ended up releasing a more cartoon accurate version), Clear Optimus/Convoy test-shot, a varient of Gen1 Twintwist (not surewhat was different about it), black Superlink (Energon) Megatron.


Silver Galaxy Force (Cybertron) Convoy.



These BotCon 2005 events have been archived here.

 

FRIDAY 23rd SEPT - 11am - HASBRO & TAKARA

Hasbro & Takara Working Together - What goes into making a worldwide toyline. Presented by Aaron Archer (Hasbro) & Hideaki Yoke (Takara). In attendance was another Takara Designer Hasui Shogo, but didn't join the panel.

(no photos allowed of the slideshow)

IN THE BEGINNING (the 1980s)....

Hasbro approached Takara with their Transformers idea, which had its challenges...

Communication back then was limited to faxes, phonecalls, and (flying to) physical meetings (before skype & emails)

Hasbro had to explain their "Transformers" idea, showing Takara their market plans, product timings, and consumer trends.

Compromises ended up being made for the greater good, to secure the deal.

Yoke then moved to Rhode Island (Hasbro HQ) for a year to be the direct Takara liason with Hasbro (in a time before emails & internet video calling).

The partnership has since dealt with different unique markets for this global toyline.

Slides were shown of the planned production schedule, with sample models, colour guides, animations and then choosing names (I cant remember which series was used as the example).

A team photo was shown of the Hasbro & Takara people at the Takara offices (not sure if it was early era or recent).
Other photos were shown of business meetings and team photos throughout the years.

We were then shown some concept diagrams for Energon's product planning, and its story outline. (apparently it had one   )
A photo of Tokyo was shown, but not sure why.

A jump back to early 1980s now with photos of some early toy designs.
- a toy design dated 1983, that would become Soundwave.
- early Prowl & Jazz drawings.
- Breakdown (Stunticon)
- A city toy that was probably Metroplex
- an alternate Metroplex design from the late 70s (apparently) with a Headmaster head and turned into an island resembling Easter Island. (a real shame that photos were not allowed because this is hard to explain)
- Pre-Transformers Megatron
- Diaclone Convoy trailer (possibly one of the early versions)
- Diaclone Convoy

Convoy (Optimus Prime) was worked on by sevearl designers because one person wasn't able to do the whole job (apparently). (Kojin Ono started on the Convoy design and passed it off to be finished.)


At this point (based on my notes) it looks like Q&A...

The merger between Takara & Tomy was acknowledged, but no comments by either.

More Masterpiece toys? - looking into it, but might not be for a while.

More Reissues? - Currently depends on what Hasbro are able to distribute to stores in worthwhile quantities.
The decisions of which ones also depends on which ones have toolings (moulds) still available. (Wheeljack & Mirage are confirmed to be gone - as they were looked at doing them.)

Alternators & Energon distribution - the fluxuations (drop) of the TFEnergon sales caused a limited run and release of late wave items. Alternators suffered from too much early wave stock that were solid cases, and are only now sending out mixed cases, which is slow to release. (it was obviously too late to save the line)

With the Hasbro questions popping up, Greg Lombardo (Hasbro Marketing) joined the panel.

Alternators licensing - some companies come to Hasbro, while others are still hard to approach and gain licensing.

Yoke started his career designing Microman for a number of years before Transformers came along.

Future Hasbro reissues? - Astrotrain will be released (in Dealer Room display case). But no others are currently planned.

Car Robot Brothers moulds are now worn out, so we shouldn't see any more of them. (maybe just meaning Prowl, who had the most uses, but maybe Sideburn and X-Brawn were worn out as well)

Alternators/Binaltechs that are not cars - looking into it, but if it happens it won't be for a long while.

The change of story concept for these toys by the Takara Designers (from lifeless Earth robots in Microman to sentient aliens in Transformers) was hard to accept at first.

Aaron Archer started out as an illustrator, then got a job at Hasbro.
Greg Lombardo started out with a Marketing degree.

Price-point differences were noted by region. Hasbro has less price-points as they are sorted and priced according to a size-class, while Takara prices them according to their features.

2007 Movie toys? - nothing has been started yet. They need to wait until there is a story & character details first. Dreamworks has been given a fair bit of freedom in "their" Transformers Movie.

Hasbro won't be releasing the Worlds Smallest Transformes toys, due to safety issues.

Aaron Archer (at this time) does all the Techspec/bio numbers on any Hasbro toys that have them.
Forest Lee (at this time) writes all the bios.


FRIDAY 23rd SEPT - noon - IDW COMICS

Hosted by Aaron Meyers (IDW Manager) - Aaron Archer (Hasbro) - Dan Taylor (IDW editor)


There was a slide-show, but for some reason I didn't take any photos, so I only have my notes...

This was IDW's official introduction to the fandom after gaining the Transformers comic license a few months earlier in the year.

IDW's other notable comics - Angel & CSI.

Their first Transformers comic will be called Infiltration.
Writer - Simon Furman
Artist - EJ Su
Colourist - John Rauch
Editor - Chris Ryall

Issue #0 will have EIGHT covers!
- Decepticon (regular edition)
- Autobot (regular edition)
- Optimus Vs Megatron (regular edition)
- Megatron (regular edition)
- Shockwave (retailer incentive variant)
- Hasbro toy designs (BotCon 2005 exclusive)
- Optimus Head (Retailer Summit exclusive)
- Megatron Head (Retailer Summit exclusive)

Humans to be in the comic cast - Verity Carlo (16 year old female - streetsmart), Hunter O'nion, Jimmy Pink (mechanic).

Robot characters to be in the first six issues...
Autobots - Ratchet, Prowl, Jazz, Ironhide, Sunstreaker, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime.
Decepticons - Runabout, Runamuck, Starscream, Skywarp, Blitzwing, Astrotrain, Megatron

No Shockwave, despite being included on one of the Issue 0 covers.
No Soundwave yet.

Sample images were shown from issue 0 (out this month, and we would get the BotCon exclusive version in the Dealer Room tomorrow).

Issue #1 is scheduled for January 2006, and will have four covers.
- Ratchet (by EJ Su)
- Bumblebee (by Guido Guidi)
- Humans (by James Raiz)
- Battlechargers (by Andrew Wildman)
Each issue of Infiltration will have at least 4 cover versions, and then evaluated to see if it is popular.

Beast Wars the Gathering - 4 issue mini-series starting February/March 2006, for the 10th anniversary of Beast Wars.
Writer - Simon Furman
Artist - Don Figueroa
Colours - Josh Burcham

Some sample images were shown. It will draw from the TV show universe.

Generations - will be a reprint of the original US Marvel comics.

Transformers Evolutions - will be non-canon stories (from the main comic series), like "what if" type stories, set in different historical eras. To start April 2006.
First story will be "Hearts of Steel", set in the industrial revolution era. (it would end up being the only story in the Evolutions line)

IDW will try to get access to Dreamwave comics, and would like to finish up the unfinished comics. It is still off limits though.

It is too late to start a TFCybertron comic.

A GIJoe crossover is NOT planned.

Profile books (like Marvel's Universe or Dreamwave's MTMTE) - interested, but nothing planned.


SATURDAY 24th SEPT - 10am - HASBRO TOYS

This year we had three Hasbro panels covering their Transformers toy products. This one was mostly for unveiling their 2005-2006 toy products, and some would then be added to their display cases in the Dealer Room today (in the Hasbro Display page).

Hosting it was Aaron Archer (Design) and Greg Lombard (Marketing).... and as the photo below says, there are no photos for this page, just my notes.


First up, a Movie update.
- Release date was announced for July 4th 2007.
- It is by Dreamworks & Paramount, with Steven Spielberg as Exectutive Producer and Michael Bay as Director.
- Hasbro are still waiting for the final script. (it is still almost two years away)

Transformers Cybertrton
- The toyline/series is scheduled to run from August 2005 (last month) until end of 2006.
- The cartoon will be on Kids WB until the end of 2005, then on Cartoon Network for 2006.

Toys shown...

Redecos
- brown/black redeco Crumplezone - Decepticon
- Nemesis Breaker (black/silver Leobreaker) - Decepticon
- black/purple redeco Jetfire - Decepticon
- red/gre/black redeco Override
- Excellion (red/yellow Hotshot - Hotrod colours)

New moulds
- Cybertron Defence Hotshot
- Cybertron Defence Red Alert
- Cybertron Defence Scattorshot
- Downshift (black/green car)
- Lugnutz (motorcycle)
- Soundwave (blue jet) & Laserbeak

Giant Planet - Construction vehicles, Giants with Minicons
- Menasor - drill/excavator (with Heavyload minicon) - Ultra - April 2006
- Quickmix - cement mixer (with Stripmine minicon) - Mega - July 2006
- Metroplex - excavator (with unnamed minicon) - Super - unknown date
- Primus - Cybertron planet (with a bonus mystery feature not on the Takara version) - June/July/Fall 2006
- Unicron - tank - Deluxe - unknown date

Legends
- four Retail waves (12 unique, 4 redecos)
- US$4 each
- 2 Convention exclusives (we found later that it was Skywarp & Ramjet)

Minicon 2-packs (Battle packs - Autobot vs Decepticon)
- 12 packs of redecos
- US Fall 2005 (Sept) to US Spring 2006 (Mar/Apr)
- new mould Minicons from Sept 2006 (I think these ended up being released in the Classics line at the end of 2006, and resorted into 3-packs - which would explain why they don't fit the Classics aesthetic)

Alternators
- Six new cars and Four redecos planned for 2006 (this didn't end up happening, as the line was axed during 2006, with some ending up as Walmart and SDCC exclusives )
- New packaging style for the new year
- Re-releasing early wave products by the end of this year.

New Alternators
- Ricochet (black Smokescreen) - Feb 2006
- Rollbar (orange Hound) - Feb 2006
- Optimus Prime (new - Dodge Ram SRT 10) - May 2006 (slightly larger but same price point)
- Mirage (new - Ford GT) - June 2006

Beast Wars 10th Anniversary
- Six toys in the main set, all Deluxe
- January 2006
- US$15
- Includes a DVD with a single episode AND bonus toy part to build Transmutate
- Each is recoloured to better resemble the cartoon, including allegiance symbols painted on them.

Wave 1 - Rhinox, Cheetor, Waspinator
Wave 2 - Dinobot, Transmetal Rattrap, Tarantulas

Plus, late 2006 will see a new Deluxe Megatron & Optimus Primal.
Something was noted about a chip feature that I didn't understand at the time. (I later realised that these were TFCybertron toys with Cyber Keys, that were being recoloured and released in the BW 10th packaging - and brough forward to mid-2006, which ended up leapfrogging in before their TFCybertron release)

No other Beast Wars anniversary toys are planned beyond these.

Exclusives
- Gen1 Astrotrain reissue - December 2005 - HasbroToyShop exclusive
- TF Universe Constructicons 2-packs (redeco RID Build Team) - March 2006 - Target (TBC - if not, they will be sold at the HasbroToyShop)
- Seacons (redeco set shown at the Rarities panel yesterday) - ready to go but still trying to find a store for them because of the effort put into finding and testing the moulds, as well as the recolouring, bio and packaging.

Star Wars Transformers
- Eleven planned for 2006, from January
- No continuity connection to either universe, they are just transforming Star Wars vehicles.
- Showed Luke/X-wing & Boba Fett/Slave-1.

Titanium Transformers
- Diecast figurines
- 3 inch
- from August 2006
- Showed Unicron, War Within Optimus, Gen1 Starscream

Attacktix
- Battle Figure game
- 24 different figures from June 2006

A promo video was played, from SDCC, for the new movie... with the title "Prepare to be Transformed".

Will there be another Transformers computer game? - not until the 2007 Movie.

Will we be getting all three coloured Spider Tanks (Ramble from Galaxy Force - was called Scrapmetal in TFCybertron)? - No. The orange version first, and maybe another colour (blue or yellow) later.
(we ended up getting the yellow version mid-2006)


(That's five of the nine panels so far - the other four will be posted up in the next day.)

 

This was one of my most favorite conventions. The hotel was the best we have had EVER!!!! The rooms were good, the convention room was close, free food and drinks every night. I stayed with Shawn, Fred, and meet great people whom I still enjoy the once a year company of to this day. Mike, I remember setting up with you and Dawayne. I remember Rita coming close by and everything getting dark. The windows were shaking. It was really weird for someone who has never been close to one. I remember a case of G2 Breakdowns being opened and being able to finger every one to find my holy grail. I remember talks of Dawayne's Annihilus, anti fort max.

I also got to meet the great people of Texas for the first time. I've been back several times since and have nothing but good experiences. On this particular time, I was flying standby home. I was upgraded to first class due to the full flight (something which never happens to me) BUT My flight was delayed and eventually cancelled. I had no where to go. While we were waiting to hear if the flight was cancelled, I talked to the guy next to me whom worked for Delta. He was stationed in Cincinnati but was from Texas. After they cancelled the flight, I said in passing "guess I'm sleeping in the terminal". He responded with nope your coming home with me. His mom and dad greeted us with open arms and provided "left overs" for a late dinner......"left overs" consisted of a huge steak and a baked potato bigger than my head!!!! The next morning we flew out. These are the people who reside in the great state of Texas. I've had similar kind gestures while there but this one stands out the most. Overall a great trip, a wonderful convention, and memories that will last forever. Afterall, isn't that why we go?

 

^Amazing story, Bret. My fourteen hour drive home to Chicago the following Monday was far less glamorous. Haha. Like you said, the company we keep and the fond memories is the real reason why we go to these conventions. The reward lies in so much more than just the shiny new toys we take home. It's the camaraderie we share and the good times with our fellow fans with our silly hobby. BotCon 2005 may not have been the best BotCon ever for some, but it was a great time for many of us.

Griffon, thank you again for posting all these images and news items from the show. It is much appreciated.