Okay gang, this is one of the big ones for the whole convention. The staff is ready to roll on Hasbro's New Product Unveiling. The team from Hasbro is on hand to give us this year's preview of things to come. Aim your mouse at our report that we've just completed and get the skinny of so many news bits we can't cover in anything but our report -
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+ Technical difficulties with Hasbro's mic - standing by... mic fixed - APPLAUSE!!!!
+ Panel includes: Forest Lee, copyrighter for TFs. He comes up with the character bios on the packaging (his first BotCon). Aaron Archer Toy Designer, Greg Lombardo Marketing Director, Eric Sabenhauler Toy Designer.
Hasbro Presentation
+ Hasbro said they have a really cool thing to show at the end of panel. The Paramount people are here to show us some special things.
+ NO PHOTOS ALLOWED!
+ Aaron takes us thru Transformers Movie update. July 4th there is a movie coming. Unique previews May 2nd preview figure. Main toy line is due out - June 2nd. The big release date for everything!
+ Two new movie preview figures will be released May 2nd.
+ Cybertron is wrapping up this year.
+ Classics line, everyone is excited.
+ These are to fill the gaps between end of Cybertron and the movie.
+ Harkening back to the past. The Mini-Cons are back! Started with all 2-packs and then had the opportunity to do 3-packs, which is why there are some unique pairings. First time doing beast Mini-Cons. Everyone likes the Snarl, Dreadwing, and Overbite Mini-Con set.
+ Thought process for working on Mini-Cons: A continuation to G1, almost a sequel. Forrest can’t remember if there is a story of how Mini-cons are part of G1, but he thought they were important part of the mythos.
+ Oil Slick has been requested to be a redeco as Big Daddy.
+ Fireflight was supposed to be Poweglide, but they couldn’t get that name.
+ All the new Mini-Cons were shown in the case yesterday at the booth.
+ About DVD TF Optimus Prime Vs. Megatron. The new mold of Optimus and Megatron are inspired by G1 and G2. They wanted to put together a DVD that chronicles the basic of what TFs are - Transformers 101. A toy created for getting kids and adults back into it for in time of the movie using Armada, Cybertron and Energon clips. They brought Chalk in to redo it though.
+ Cliffjumper Classic coming - repaint of bumblebee. Cliffjumper will be in the case today.
+ Hasbro says they will leave it to our imagination of what they will do with the Ramjet. -[We guess joking that we can expect to see Dirge and Thrust repaints.]
+ Talking about Megatron's colors - They did not want to make it look like a real gun.
+ Jetfire's design is as close as they could get with the Classic form. Don decided to use that form for the comic. Hasbro says the jetpack comes off.
+ 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime - They wanted to do something to commemorate the celebration of the DVD re-release. Same mold as the first one. No DVD included. - Someone yelled out "Where's the trailer?" - Archer replied: Takara has done one now and everything they do Hasbro has access. So you never know?
+ G1 Soundwave reissues TRU exclusive with Ravage and Laserbeak. a very unique box and that will be in the case today. It will hold two tapes.
+ Skywarp an Ultra Magnus two pack Target exclusive - straight redecos.
+ Devastator is a Wal-Mart exclusive. Looks like the Energon reissues. Classic colors. Will be in the case later.
+ Alternators is coming to an end for now - for the movie. Decepticon Rumble is coming though. The Honda Civic with no hands - he just pounds. The Ravage Jaguar that looks like a cat will also be released, which will be the final 2 Alternator figures. On display later.
+ Titanium 6-inch Fallen and War Within Megatron set.
+ Titanium 6-inch real Ultra Magnus - not a a redeco.
+ Titanium 3-inch Predaking.
+ Hasbro is working with Hot Topic to re-release the Heroes of Cybertron and some clothes
like tee shirts and hoodies. This isn’t 100% done, but most likely. Notes that large and extra large will be available.
Sony BMG Presentation
+ Gave thanks to Ben Yee and some others who advised them on this project.
+ Showed side-by-side panels of old and new versions of DVD movie.
+ Special features overview.
+ Cast and characters and Death of Optimus Prime are the two features.
+ Greeting from advisory panel: Nelson Shin, Flint Dilly and Susan Blu (Arcee).
+ Matrix of knowledge.
+ Movie Pop-Up-Facts ala MYX Pop-Up-Videos shown.
+ Scramble City will be on the DVD. Takara gave that to them. They were not able to use the Japanese voice actors.
+ The people from a panel will do commentary thru it. Explaining it as it goes.
+ There is a bunch of Easter eggs on both discs.
+ Shows the Lenticular cover by Don Figueroa. They said it won't be glued to the package so people can take it off.
Questions and Answers
+ Where is Classic Soundwave? Because they are doing the reissue it didn’t make sense to do another.
+ Rumor of re-release as Optimus Prime thru the years - not happening.
another.
+ Will Alternators be in the comics? - No because of the licensing issues.
+ No plans for Classics to be in the comics. Though if IDW wanted to use the look they could and are with Jetfire.
+ The movie line is a full line.
+ Will Alternators come back after the movie? Yes there is a chance and are looking of a lot of ways to do it.
+ They feel the movie will help them broaden getting real licenses to do more.
+ Can the classic Mini-cons be used with Unicron? They are not associated with Unicron.
+ The line for the movie will be broad and have multiple scales.
+ They came up with the characters they launched with for Classic because they wanted to do a broad veriety that were recognizable.
+ If the market does well and they come back to Classics we will likely see Cosmos, Jazz, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker.
+ Fans have been cruising the Japanese patent office what is the thoughts on that? Will you comment on cell phone and game machine? - Can’t talk about those items.
+ What is your feeling on the KISS play line? - They are allowed to do in their market whatever they want but doesn’t make sense to Hasbro.
+ Can we see an animated DVD Classics movie? - No plans but its a cool idea.
+ Will we see Maximals and Predacons again? - Titanium Cheetor but no plans to a line of Beast Wars right now.
+ Was Takara not wanting to do the Ravage jag cause they were hesitant to have a cat ship with the KISS girls? - everyone laughs
+ Any plans for other Classic Dinobots? - They are on the short list.
+ Any chance of War Within figures done in plastic other then the titanium line? - No plans.
+ Transformers Heroes Rumor? - Can’t talk about it. Working title is just a Hasbro title. It will be an American based developed show.
+ Any plans for classic or titanium headmaster? - No plans.
+ Micromaster Superion set, when will we see it? - Its out at KB Toys.
+ What up with Cannonball pirate faction, will they ever touch on it? - Maybe, you never know?
+ The Cadillac XLR Alternator, will it happen? - It was something they were looking into but dropped since Alternators went on hiatus. It would have been Megatron!
+ Will there be a traffic light figure from Cybertron? - Maybe if they find a home for it.
+ Will there be any other G1 re-releases after Soundwave? - No plans.
+ Movie designs who had the most input, Hasbro or Michael bay? - It’s a great partnership. Trying to make cool characters that looked good on the screen, but wanted to have some heritage. It’s been fun.
+ Optimash Prime? - No comments but use your imagination.
+ Seacons? - Is done and ready but looking for a home for it.
+ Blue Scrapmetal? - No plans.
+ Will there be larger Titanium's other then 6"? - No plans and no combiners.
+ MP Starscream by Hasbro? - If they do it will have original colors.
+ What is the Tan Abrams tank artwork shown online? - Was a fan made experiment by friends of Hasbro outside of company. He wanted to see how people reacted if people put that online.
+ More Spaceships for titanium? - Maybe.
+ Will we see a Fort Max size toy? - No plans.
+ Yes, War Within Grimlock is on the rollout for titanium 6-Inch.
+ No plans for other Classics combiners other than the Devastator and if they do the Seacons it would likely come in Classic packaging.
+ No plans for a mini-con base at this time.
+ Any new Attackix molds? - Likely.
+ What about the voice in the sound base for 20th Anniversary Prime? - A local guy [was hired], we wanted Peter but they had just developed a relationship with Sony so we couldn't get the sound clips and they didn't want to go to Peter cause they didn't want it to interfere with his work on the new movie. And because they needed it out in time they opted to just go with the voice they got.
Now a clip from the movie plays...
+ People saying they are Michael Bat talking about BotCon.. Then the real one shows in Yellow Corvette.
+ Pics of Prime as Truck.
+ Autobots hood ornament on prime.
+ Army Scenes, explosions. Lots of them....
+ No scenes shown of any of thing in robot mode.
+ Plays an encore.
+ Michael Bay says he’s sorry he couldn’t be there in the clip.
+ Yellow corvette again.
+ A jet fly’s by.
+ Bus blows up while driving.
+ Hummer shows up.
+ End.
Panel over.
