BotCon 2015 - Transformers Collectors Club Panel Images and Updates

The BotCon 2015 Transformers Collectors Club Panel has just completed. Get a look a the many image slides and updates from the panel. We will have report to post soon, in mean time get a look at the design specs for this year's figures and what's to come from the TFCC in near future.

On panel: Brian Savage Lanny Latham, Pete Sinclair

The panel began by showing design material for the box set. Special attention was paid to Oilmaster, including showing the original G1 toy protoype, and the 3d print prototype of the boxset figure. They went in to how the inspiration started with trying to top Scorponok last year, and working out what would be financially viable for their use, eventually settling on working with Boss Fight Studios to create the new Pretender Shell.
They went in to the deco sheets for the whole range of toys, lleading to Pete revealing the inclusion of the Sgt Hound and General Optimus because of his admiration of the original unreleased toys, and Roadbuster already having a similar head shape sealed the deal. Other details included that Lift Ticket was going to be called Salvage, but it was changed so the character would have a more original name.

Upcoming reveals started with the membership incentive figure, Universe Ramjet, a retool of Generations Armada Starscream. And as they said, with the new head retool you can't do this and not do the club store exclusive, which is "Universe" (Armada) Skywarp, sharing the tooling.

Coming to the store as additional crossover exclusives are Rodimus Prime and Arcee figures using GI Joe bodies representing them from Only Human, following on from Old Snake. These will be available to both club stores just like the first crossover sets.
Subscription Service 4 was revealed, according to everyone's expectations. The set is themed around the Mayhem Attack Squad, and uses molds from the first two waves of Combiner Wars for the limbs as follows:

+ Windsweeper from Skydive

+ Ruckus from Offroad

+ Spinister Alpha Bravo

+ Needlenose from Firefly

The core body figure will be Bludgeoon, developed from the Onslaught version of Hot Spot's tooling, and the tentative name of the combined form is Mayhem Maximus. The 6th figure from the set was not available to be revealed right now, but they hope to do so by the end of July. The freebie 7th figure will be a Deluxe, suggesting the 6th figure will be the Legends component.

A few of the question from the Q&A session proved to have interesting answers:

Q: When will crossover exclusives (Marissa, Old Snake) be available?

A: In transit now, hopefully to ship in July. Having GI Joe figures produced in one location, Transformer figures in another, and packaging in a third caused logistic issues they couldn't resolve.

Q: Will we see Oilmaster again?

A: All but saying yes.

Q: Will registration be on time next year?

A: They're separating from their previously standing service provider and migrating to another one right now. There may be some down times in the interim, but they hope to have the new, permanent system in place in plenty of time for next year.

Many thanks to John DeLuna for the images.