Sabrblade wrote:The crown jewel of the dealer room, however, was unanimously the room's corner display, watched over by Shawn D. Tessmann (longtime host of the BotCon customization classes), at which were many rare and never-before-seen-in-person pieces of Transformers history, such as several unreleased Generation 2 toys, production materials from G1/G2/Beast Wars/Beast Machines, non-final factory samples of past BotCon/TCC exclusives compared with their final versions, and a particular art piece dated back to 1996 that absolutely no one, not even the convention runners, could figure out what it was supposed to be: It was concept art for some kind of feminine-looking blue and yellow robot with a jet-like altmode, whose crystalline design looked like something out of Transtech, but the 1996 date nixes that theory.
The unreleased Generation 2 toys on display were loose samples of the five Protectobots, loose samples of the five Stunticons, both a loose sample and a MOSC sample of Combat Hero Megatron (a gray redeco of the purple Hero Megatron), MOSC samples of the Laser Cycles Soundwave and Jazz, and loose samples of the six unreleased G2 Go-Bots (plus all the redecos of the four who did later see release in the 2001 Robots in Disguise toyline). Also on display were cardbacks for the G2 Laser Rods, two different cardbacks of Action Master Treadshot, a cardback for Action Master Jazz, an unpainted prototype of G1 Sixshot, a MOSC Beast Wars Torca, a non-transforming hardcopy of Torca, a boxed Beast Wars Neo Elphaorpha, early packaging designs for the Beast Machines toyline, and even the original Beast Wars catalog versions of orange Tarantulas, blue-green Waspinator, and alternately-colored Grizzly-1/Barbearian figures (along with a MISB Polar Claw). In addition to these were also concept art for Beast Machines Rattrap, Night Viper, and Mirage, an original cardback sample for orange Beast Wars Tigatron, a large rendition of Beast Wars Torca's card art, concept designs for Transtech Starscream, two preproduction cardback samples (one Maximal style and one Predacon style) for Beast Wars Jetstorm that named him "Dragonfire", and undeveloped G1 Micromaster concept art.
And now we come to the BIGGEST deal of the display case: The unproduced BotCon 2017 boxed set figures, attendee figure, souvenirs, and custom class figure, as well as three other concepts that served as backup alternative options for the proposed exclusives, and finally the remaining unproduced Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover "Only Human" figures. All of these were customized by Shawn D. Tessmann himself.
The BotCon 2017 boxed set, titled "Action on Hydrus Four", was to have been an Action Master-themed set of Titans Return molds all done up as new Headmaster-gimmicked Action Master characters:
1 - Actionmaster Optimus Prime (redeco of Voyager class Optimus Prime's body) with Optimus Prime (redeco of Titan Master Infinitus), Rad (redeco of Titan Master Diac), and Lionizer (redeco of Sawback's Titan Master Vehicle lion)
2 - Actionmaster Skyfall (redeco of Deluxe Highbrow's body) with Skyfall (redeco of Titan Master Apeface)
3 - Actionmaster Sprocket (redeco of Deluxe Triggerhappy's body) with Sprocket (redeco of the Japanese Transformers: Legends Weirdwolf's Headmaster) and Attack Cruiser (redeco of Brawn's Titan Master Vehicle jeep)
4 - Actionmaster Megatron (redeco of Leader Six Shot's body) with Megatron (redeco of Titan Master Nucleon) and Devastator (redeco of Titan Master Repugnus)
5 - Actionmaster Gutcruncher (redeco of Voyager Megatron's body) with Gutcruncher (retool of Titan Master Doomshot/Hazard with a new face) and Scout Tank (redeco of Terri-Bull's Titan Master Vehicle tank)
The attendee figure for BotCon 2017 was to have been Dion (redeco of Deluxe Sergeant Kup's body) with Magnum (redeco of Titan Master Hyperfire).
The souvenirs would have continued the use of Titans Return molds, but as legacy characters from several past series, rather than just Action Masters:
1 - Doubledealer (redeco of Deluxe Hardhead's body) with Knok (redeco of Titan Master Nightbeat) and Skar (a significant retool of Titan Master Sawback with new bat wings, new bat feet, and a brand new face)
2 - BotCon Heritage Onyx Primal (redeco of Deluxe Mindwipe's body) with Nightwatch (redeco of Titan Master Infinitus) and swords from TF: Prime Deluxe Wheeljack/Dead End.
3 - Unicron Trilogy Anniversary Armada Hot Shot (redeco of Deluxe Chromedome's body) with Alexis Thi Dang (retool of Titan Master Stylor with a new face, the one on display was just Universe Hot Shot's face glued onto the Titan Master) and Jolt (redeco of Generations Legends class Targetmaster Blazemaster)
4 - Unicron Trilogy Anniversary Energon Megatron (redeco of Leader Sky Shadow's body) with Leader-1 (redeco of Titan Master Ptero but with Ominus's face) and sword from Construct-Bots Megatron
5 - Troop Builder souvenir set: Cassettron Rosanna (redeco of Legends class Rewind), Cassettron Decepticon Enemy (redeco of Legends class Rumble) and Cassettron Flipsides (redeco of Legends class Rewind)
One more souvenir set would have been a successor to the Kreon packs, a pack of six Titan Masters done up as Pretenders.
1 - Pretender Starscream (redeco of Titan Master Crashbash)
2 - Pretender Jazz (redeco of Titan Master Xort)
3 - Pretender Bumblebee (redeco of Titan Master Firedrive)
4 - Pretender Crossblades (redeco of titan Master Diac)
5 - Pretender Metalhawk (redeco of Titan Master Revolver)
6 - Pretender Vroom (redeco of Titan Master Grax)
The 2017 customization class figure was to have been Actionmaster Rumbler (redeco of Deluxe Triggerhappy's body) with Rumbler (redeco of the Japanese Transformers: Legends Weirdwolf's Headmaster, just like Sprocket) and the B² Attack Team (two redecos of the Arms Micron B.H., the wrecking ball one that came with Japanese Prime Bulkhead).
The three Other Concepts likewise made use of Titans Returns molds as legacy characters:
1 - Armada Jetfire (redeco of Voyager Sentinel Prime/Astrotrain's body) with Comettor (redeco of Titan Master Apeface)
2 - Devcon (redeco of Deluxe Brainstorm's body) with Slizardo (redeco of Titan Master Hyperfire)
3 - Turbomaster (redeco of Deluxe Highbrow's body) with Take Off (redeco of Titan Master Blowpipe)
Finally, the remaining Transformers/G.I. Joe "Only Human" figures would have been:
1 - Only Human Autobot Springer with Newtronium Munitions Case that converts into artillery platform
2 - Only Human Ultra Magnus with Missile Stack & Jack Armor (LOL!)
3 - Only Human Victor Drath
Dude... That's Gutcruncher! One the most highly sought after Action Masters ever.
