BotCon – Page 3

April 24, 2012 Phil

Press Release: 18th Annual Transformers Convention

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HASBRO BRINGS ‘MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE’ EXCITEMENT TO DALLAS WITH THE 18th ANNUAL TRANSFORMERS CONVENTION The TRANSFORMERS Global Entertainment Phenomenon Rolls Into Texas With Special Guests, Interactive Experiences and Much More PAWTUCKET, R.I. (April 24, 2012) – Thousands of TRANSFORMERS fans from around the world will celebrate the iconic brand from Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) in Dallas as the TRANSFORMERS fan convention known as “BOTCON” serves up a Texas-sized helping of AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS from April 27-29. Hasbro and the TRANSFORMERS Collectors’ Club, will be offering opportunities to engage in and learn about the TRANSFORMERS brand

January 19, 2012 Phil

BotCon 2012 Toy Reveal – Autobot Pretender Metalhawk

The sixth and final toy of BotCon 2012‘s box set has been revealed. We’ve known for some time that it was Metalhawk. We saw a blurry picture of him on the registration page. We saw control art for the toy. But BotCon has finally revealed the toy in full. Metalhawk was a Japanese-only Pretender released in 1988, and for the longest time he was one of Transformers fandom’s Holy Grails. He was unlike other Pretenders as Metalhawk had a removable helmet, had a full face, and most importantly, he was made of die-cast metal. But now he’s been reborn as

January 12, 2012 Phil

BotCon 2012 Toy Reveal – Evil Ultra Magnus

The fifth toy in the box set for BotCon 2012 has been revealed, and it’s Shattered Glass Ultra Magnus. Based on the Generation 2 Optimus Prime mold from the “Reveal the Shield” line in 2011, Magnus — wow. He’s got a face only his mother could love… But let’s get to the vehicle mode first. Sporting the colors of the original Diaclone “Powered Convoy” toy (which was homaged by the Japanese redeco of the Generation 1 toy as “Movie Preview” Ultra Magnus), Magnus here is a blue truck with a silver stripe and red highlights. The deco is… plain. I

January 5, 2012 Phil

BotCon 2012 Toy Reveal – Heroic Treadshot

The fourth toy revealed in the BotCon 2012 box set is the Heroic Decepticon Treadshot. Treadshot is a remold of Reveal the Shield Special Ops Jazz, with a different head (possibly the alternate head created by Hasbro itself). Treadshot is primarily blue and yellow (the same colors as Armada Side Swipe). And he’s GORGEOUS. Wow. Wow wow wow wow wow! This is what I want to see from the convention! This is an absolutely gorgeous toy. The blue body, the yellow windows and lights, the grey spoiler — this is not only a great homage to Side Swipe, but it’s also just a fantastic deco. I

January 5, 2012 Phil

BotCon 2012 Toy Reveal – Heroic Soundwave

The third toy revealed in the BotCon 2012 box set is the Heroic Decepticon Soundwave. Featuring a remolded head, this toy uses the 2008 Universe Ratchet/Ironhide mold in white, with blue and yellow/green highlights. And it’s… well, let’s get the good stuff out of the way. If you remember the minicomic “Desert Heat” that the Transformers Collectors’ Club released (see here and here if you don’t), then this should look awfully familiar. Soundwave was reformatted into this mode from his old Device Label MP3 player mode. This toy accurately reflects the art, down to the Cold Slither logo on the side. Sure, the side

January 5, 2012 Phil

2012 – The Geekly Fast Forward (Part 1)

Happy New Year! Okay, so it’s a few days past New Year’s, but really, we’re only about 1% of the way through the year; that’s not too much time to have passed. This year is shaping up to be another banner year for geekly stuff, but it’s hard to keep it all straight. So that’s where ASM comes in — to continue making it hard to make sense of it all. This list is not all-encompassing, nor do I make any claims as to its accuracy. Consider it just some ruminations on the year ahead. Let’s dive in!

January 4, 2012 Phil

BotCon 2012 Toy Reveal – Evil Tracks

The second toy revealed in the BotCon 2012 box set is the Evil Autobot Tracks. Using the same mold as Reveal the Shield Turbo Tracks, this is a new character from the Shattered Glass universe. It’s a dual homage to the Diaclone version of the Generation 1 toy and the eHobby exclusive Road Rage, which was itself an homage to the Diaclone toy (and a European version of the toy released in the Diaclone colors.) So maybe it’s only one homage. Or maybe it’s three homages. Or maybe it’s a recursive homage. Or… something. I liked the original Turbo Tracks toy (okay,

January 3, 2012 Phil

BotCon 2012 Toy Reveal – The Overlord Gigatron

Over the holidays, BotCon.com began revealing the toys in the BotCon 2012 box set. The first one to be revealed was The Overlord, Gigatron, a remolded Revenge of the Fallen Bludgeon, making the first time a quasi-movie mold has been used for a BotCon exclusive. Granted, Bludgeon was created to be both a “Movie-style” and “Classics-style” toy, and it’s not a Paramount copyrighted design, but still, it’s a first. The toy is meant to be a reimaginging of the Generation 1 character Overlord, but with a new name, it’s hard to say what the characterization will be. It’s said he

October 11, 2011 Phil

Toy Review – Transformers – Decepticon Slice

The Geek Bits Name: Decepticon Slice Toyline: Transformers Subline: Transformers Timelines – G2 Redux Size Class: Deluxe Released: BotCon 2010 Availability: The Official Transformers Collectors Club Includes: Slice, Energon weapons, tech specs card, instructions Worth the price? Since you’d have to buy this from a dealer or eBay, it’s hard to say. You’re getting this toy for the character more than the toy, in my opinion. DECEPTICON SLICE, also known as Slicer… or Shattered Glass Wheeljack… or… hang on, let’s start this again. DECEPTICON SLICE is the new trademark-friendly name for SLICER, a Decepticon who appeared in toy form very

July 15, 2011 Phil

Updated Convention Galleries Online

We’ve transferred a lot more of our old ASM galleries to our new format. Check out galleries for these conventions: BotCon 2002 – http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/BotCon-2002/index.html BotCon 2004 – http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/BotCon-2004/index.html Wizard World Chicago 2003 – http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/WizardWorld-Chicago-2003/index.html Wizard World Chicago 2004 – http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/WizardWorld-Chicago-2004/index.html Wizard World Chicago 2005 – http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/WizardWorld-Chicago-2005/index.html Chicago Comic-Con 2009 – http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/Chicago-ComicCon-2009/index.html Chicago Comic-Con 2010 – http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/Chicago-ComicCon-2010/index.html Wizard World East 2003 – http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/WizardWorld-East-2003/index.html Wizard World Philadelphia 2004 – http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/WizardWorld-Philadelphia-2004/index.html