Pete's Robot Convention - June 23-24, 2017

Surprised he didn't call it "RoBotCon". Who actually owned the rights to the name BotCon anyway, I was always under the impression he did and not Hasbro?

Emerje

Botcon the name was owned and founded by the Hartman Brothers.
They licensed it to 3H when they brought in Glen Halit.
Then when they split, the Hartman's took the Botcon name with them in the early 2000's.
Glen kept the Official Convention License and rebranded as OTFCC.
The Hartman's had Botcon as a competing Unofficial Event during the same year.
Then when Hasbro took the official license away from Glen and 3H, they awarded it to Fun Pub.
The Hartman's were brought into work with Fun Pub and eventually signed the Botcon trademark over to Fun Pub and/or Hasbro.

It's speculated that Fun Pub still owns the name Botcon, but won't use it as they won't be an official convention anymore. Hasbro obviously has no more use for the trademark as they are moving forward with Hasbrocon.

$60 and it's in Cincinnati?
Finally, a TF convention I can both afford and go to!

Definitely going. I can afford to miss one day of school.

You know what's funny? There really isn't much information here, and yet what we're given tells us much more about this convention than what info Hasbro has given us for Hascon tells us about Hascon.

Between the two, I'm leaning more towards this than I am Hascon, as its seems more like the spiritual successor to BotCon (minus the exclusive toys, the exclusive fiction, the Club membership perks, and the official Hasbro presence that would involve the reveal of new toys and media) than Hascon does.

I've already registered. For sure going.

P.R.Con huh? Okay then.
But seriously I've never been to a convention, what's the point? What do you do to merit the 60 bucks?

LE0KING wrote:P.R.Con huh? Okay then.
But seriously I've never been to a convention, what's the point? What do you do to merit the 60 bucks?

That's all in the eye of the beholder. Figure the breakdown like this:

$10 Admission
$20 T-shirt
$15 Movie Ticket
$10 Appetizer and Drink at Movie
$5 for raffle tickets, lanyard, and early admission to dealer room.

If going to TF5 and the T-shirt don't appeal to you, you're better off going General Admission for $10. The convention itself offers an opportunity to walk a Transformers Flea Market for you to shop in, converse with other Transformers fans, obtain comic artist autographs or personalized sketches, as well as Q&A panels where you can ask questions about the comics and other things, such as Pete's experience working for Fun Pub the last 11 or so years.

If you're in the Cincy area, or nearby, it is an affordable option with General Admission to pop your convention cherry.

It's certainly a nicer price to pay than the $300-$500 minimum that Primus Package attendees had to pay for the BotCon registration of the past decade.

I'd gladly go to a BotCon successor con for a mere $60!

New Message from Pete's Robot Convention:

https://www.facebook.com/PetesRoboCon/photos/a.411692949174597.1073741828.411623719181520/415842708759621/?type=3&theater

There are so many amazing rare and unique items, both pre-production and production, that have been viewed online over the years. Some things have never been seen at all. What are some of the items would you like to see in person? Maybe we'll have "a few" on display at Pete's Robot Convention June 23-24 at the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter. Stay tuned for more info and be sure to preregister today at https://petesrobocon.com/pre-registration

So, how many here are looking to go to this thing? I'm definitely considering it.

Some of the rare items teased by last Friday's post. Even MORE will be on-hand!!

Sabrblade wrote:So, how many here are looking to go to this thing? I'm definitely considering it.

I'm on the fence, I only live two hours away, but I've never been to one of these. It's probably worth it, but I don't know.

As you may remember, Pete's Robot Convention will be taking place this June 23-24 in Cincinnati, and is a fan run event. Friday, it was teased that a bunch of rare and one-of-a-kind figure will be put on display for people to take a peek at. Well, we can give you a partial list of these special figures, courtesy of Pete's Robot Convention Facebook! Some of the included figures are the G2 Stunticons, the G2 Protectobots, all of the G2 gobots, a photo sample of a blue Waspinator, and much more! Check out the poster below, and let us know what you think of these rare figures making an appearance in the comments section below.

"to be opened"

"to be opened"

"TO BE OPENED"

Sigma Magnus wrote:

"G2 Combat Hero Megatron
**on sealed card to be opened during the convention!!**"

"to be opened"

"to be opened"

"TO BE OPENED"

That was my reaction too. Why is it going to be opened? Is it going to be a magic trick and it'll turn out that it was never opened in the first place? I'd someone buying it and planning to snort the 1990s-era air inside? Is it going to catch fire and the only way to save the toy will be to crack the package?

I'm all for opening my toys and playing with them, but even I know this is a no-no. Why in the heck would you open this up?

Lucky Logician wrote:

Sigma Magnus wrote:

"G2 Combat Hero Megatron
**on sealed card to be opened during the convention!!**"

"to be opened"

"to be opened"

"TO BE OPENED"

That was my reaction too. Why is it going to be opened? Is it going to be a magic trick and it'll turn out that it was never opened in the first place? I'd someone buying it and planning to snort the 1990s-era air inside? Is it going to catch fire and the only way to save the toy will be to crack the package?

I'm all for opening my toys and playing with them, but even I know this is a no-no. Why in the heck would you open this up?

Ask Ryan, he opened one, too, and an Optimus Prime.

Emerje

Emerje wrote:

Lucky Logician wrote:

Sigma Magnus wrote:

"G2 Combat Hero Megatron
**on sealed card to be opened during the convention!!**"

"to be opened"

"to be opened"

"TO BE OPENED"

That was my reaction too. Why is it going to be opened? Is it going to be a magic trick and it'll turn out that it was never opened in the first place? I'd someone buying it and planning to snort the 1990s-era air inside? Is it going to catch fire and the only way to save the toy will be to crack the package?

I'm all for opening my toys and playing with them, but even I know this is a no-no. Why in the heck would you open this up?

Ask Ryan, he opened one, too, and an Optimus Prime.
Emerje

His toy do with as what he wants no rule against it

A fine wine is no good if it just sits on the shelf. In the same way, a rare toy cannot be fully appreciated until it has been opened. Gotta be able to display it, transform it, etc.... otherwise, you might as well just have an investment bond.

Orange gummy Tarantulas hype!

I guess I'm one of the few happy people about this being opened. If the guy was going to be opened anyway, I guess it's a good way to do it. I could never stand to leave a toy inside its box.

LE0KING wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:So, how many here are looking to go to this thing? I'm definitely considering it.

I'm on the fence, I only live two hours away, but I've never been to one of these. It's probably worth it, but I don't know.

Lemme put it this way.

You enter a world of wonder and amazement as you are surrounded entirely by people who all know and love Transformers, whether it's G1, the movies, or anything in between. There's always someone to talk to and geek out with about our favorite robots in disguise.

And then you come to the dealer room, a magical reality in which row upon row, wall upon wall are filled with Transformers toys, and other nerdy toys, from all walks of life. Vintage or reissued, Hasbro or Takara, vehicle or beast, Diaclone or Microman, GoBots or Power Rangers, it's all there! And it's all for sale! A rare opportunity that eBay could never hope to amount to. Of course, the prices will vary depending on rarity or availability of certain items, but the vast variety in and of itself is glorious.

Not to mention the guests and the panels. Ever wanna hear a personal recount of a voice actor's or a comic artist's career, filled with anecdotes and inside info on all they've contributed to both the Transformers brand and to other works they've done? It's all right there! And depending on the popularity of some of the guests, you can get an autograph from them or even hang out with them at their booth. I myself got to have an up close interview with Japanese Transformers writer/artist Hayato Sakamoto at BotCon 2016, asking him questions about his work on the Legends and Unite Warriors fiction, as well as just making good conversation about the Japanese G1 cartoon continuity as a whole (although, the whole correspondence went through an English-Japanese translator, so it wasn't only between just me and Sakamoto-san).

And though he wasn't a guest to the con, I finally got to meet Jim Sorenson in person at the last BotCon. I'd seen him before at previous BotCons but never really got the chance to have a one-on-one conversation with him before the 2016 convention.

And really, at the heart of it all, it is the people you get to meet and hang out with that really makes these events special. Ryan once described BotCon as being like a family reunion that only happens once a year, but with a family of nerds who cmpletely get you and your enthusiasm with this toy robot hobby. It's one thing to talk to people online in message boards and forums, but it's another experience entirely to meet and be with the people you talk to online in person. It's all the more real.

Now, with this Pete's Robot Convention being a new thing that likely won't be as big a deal as BotCon had been for last several years, and won't have any of the exclusive merchandise or fiction that BotCon had been known for for the majority of its run, at the heart of it all is still a group of fans who love and enjoy the same toy robots as we all do. I want to support this con and encourage everyone who loved going to BotCon on a regular basis to give this con a chance as well. I hope to see as many of this site's BotCon regulars at Pete's Robot Convention, to come and enjoy the most that we can get out of it.

Sabrblade wrote:

LE0KING wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:So, how many here are looking to go to this thing? I'm definitely considering it.

I'm on the fence, I only live two hours away, but I've never been to one of these. It's probably worth it, but I don't know.

Lemme put it this way.

You enter a world of wonder and amazement as you are surrounded entirely by people who all know and love Transformers, whether it's G1, the movies, or anything in between.

You get that here, but face to face? Sounds like hell.

At least I can log off here and get away from you lot.

If I'd known about this a few months earlier, I may have been able to save enough to attend. Seeing the G2 Menasor and Defensor alone would make it worth it. As it is, I'm still holding out hope for a CW G2 Defensor at some point, since we got almost every other combiner in their G2 colors.

dragons wrote:

Emerje wrote:

Lucky Logician wrote:

Sigma Magnus wrote:

"G2 Combat Hero Megatron
**on sealed card to be opened during the convention!!**"

"to be opened"

"to be opened"

"TO BE OPENED"

That was my reaction too. Why is it going to be opened? Is it going to be a magic trick and it'll turn out that it was never opened in the first place? I'd someone buying it and planning to snort the 1990s-era air inside? Is it going to catch fire and the only way to save the toy will be to crack the package?

I'm all for opening my toys and playing with them, but even I know this is a no-no. Why in the heck would you open this up?

Ask Ryan, he opened one, too, and an Optimus Prime.
Emerje

His toy do with as what he wants no rule against it

You say that like I said there was something wrong with it. You are absolutely right, it's theirs to do what they want with. It's like owning an antique car and leaving in the garage all the time. Where's the fun if you don't spin the wheels? I just hope Pete takes the same care in opening it that Ryan did so it can be returned to the package for display later.

Waitaminute, Pete didn't actually buy Ryan's opened one on eBay did he?

Emerje

Bounti76 wrote:If I'd known about this a few months earlier, I may have been able to save enough to attend.

$60 bucks is too much?

Sabrblade wrote:

Bounti76 wrote:If I'd known about this a few months earlier, I may have been able to save enough to attend.

$60 bucks is too much?

Might be more dealing with travel costs.

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Bounti76 wrote:If I'd known about this a few months earlier, I may have been able to save enough to attend.

$60 bucks is too much?

Might be more dealing with travel costs.

And for some people, yes, it can be.

Va'al wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Bounti76 wrote:If I'd known about this a few months earlier, I may have been able to save enough to attend.

$60 bucks is too much?

Might be more dealing with travel costs.

And for some people, yes, it can be.

*raises hand*

TF_JW wrote:Some of the rare items teased by last Friday's post. Even MORE will be on-hand!!

rare_ad.jpg

Those G2 rare combiners are loose or MISB? Did they actually reach the boxing process? How many are there know to exist? How are we sure they are like legit?

Aside from the Combat hero stuff, I wonder if Ryan also owns some of those G2 "eye numbing" figs?

^ I wouldn't worry a out the legitimacy. As far as quantity, I'd wager there are dozens of complete sets somewhere in existence. Maybe a dozen dozens of the limbs. I mean, there were two sets for sale last Botcon and Transformerland has been cycling through limbs, and all this was after the $26k Menasor thing a couple years back. Those G2 Combiners are very rare, but not on the level once believed and there are some folks sandbagging on quantities to keep the prices high.

Thanks to the convention's own twitter, we have confirmation that the upcoming Pete's Robot Convention this summer will not only show the proposed toys for a Botcon 2017 - one that unfortunately will never happen - but will also give away what would have been the 5-piece set as a possible prize to anyone who pre-registers the convention, which you can do on their website - just make sure to do it by April 15th!

While the identities of the four other figures in the set are unknown - though four Sixshot silhouettes loom suspiciously in the background - the Twitter account has revealed the first figure to be Skyfall; the Action Master who achieved some infamy among the fandom through an IDW prose story! Made from the Titans Return Highbrow mold and using the Titan Master Apeface, he is a very faithful re-creation of his original toy's colour scheme.

In addition to this extremely illustrious prize, we are also told that there will be a panel featuring the creative team behind many Botcon exclusive toys over the years, not to mention a look at some of the many unused concepts during their time on the job. Take a look at the image posted to the convention's Twitter, be sure to visit their website, and tell us what you think of all this in the forums!

Gonna go out on a limb and say the Sixshot silhouettes mean one of the exclusives is Greatshot

Are the toys licensed in any way, or customs?

It says: 'Be part of the Action'

I think that would've been will be is the theme. Gutcruncher? Mainframe?

This is why I'm glad that Botcon is ending!

I actually want these exclusives that I will never have heck I want that Skyfall even with no attachment to the character but it's Titans Return I want everything related to that line.

Sigma Magnus wrote:Are the toys licensed in any way, or customs?

They're mockups, hand-colored from physical toys so in a sense they're customs. They're merely for advertising and promotional purposes to entice Hasbro to produce them. Don't know if they're supplied by FunPub, that would have made them semi-official I guess? Had FunPub the TF license still, we'd would have had a BotCon 2017 plus these planned toys.

And I just got Apeface, neat little guy. And it amazes me how well he suits Skyfall.

as long as it has nothing to do with combiner wars I'm good. Don't need any more super-expensive/hard to find exclusives to add to that list.

Sigma Magnus wrote:Are the toys licensed in any way, or customs?

Customs. Note the word "proposed", these hadn't gone through any of the typical Hasbro vetting that all the TFCC and Botcon exclusives did.

ScottyP wrote:

Sigma Magnus wrote:Are the toys licensed in any way, or customs?

Customs. Note the word "proposed", these hadn't gone through any of the typical Hasbro vetting that all the TFCC and Botcon exclusives did.

So these are like the customs that Cheetimus would make for the Botcon guys to see how a purposed figure would look?

People wrote:Stuff and things

Alright, fair enough. Just wanted to be sure. As for Skyfall, head choice is surprisingly spot-on, but I'm not sure if the body is a good match...

Sigma Magnus wrote:

People wrote:Stuff and things

Alright, fair enough. Just wanted to be sure. As for Skyfall, head choice is surprisingly spot-on, but I'm not sure if the body is a good match...

I was wondering about that myself, especially since his kibble would seem to denote a cybertronian jet. But then how much would Triggerhappy fit him?

Deadput wrote:

ScottyP wrote:

Sigma Magnus wrote:Are the toys licensed in any way, or customs?

Customs. Note the word "proposed", these hadn't gone through any of the typical Hasbro vetting that all the TFCC and Botcon exclusives did.

So these are like the customs that Cheetimus would make for the Botcon guys to see how a purposed figure would look?

Pretty much. Wouldn't be surprised if all or some of these customs turn out to be Cheets' handiwork.

His or Jesse's.

Are the other four reveals going to be sour grapes?

Damn you Hasbro, I loved the botcon figures they were always a hight light of my year, there had better be a better replacement because the crap that comes from SDCC will not replace the great obscure characters Botcon would do.

ausbot wrote:Damn you Hasbro, I loved the botcon figures they were always a hight light of my year, there had better be a better replacement because the crap that comes from SDCC will not replace the great obscure characters Botcon would do.

You do know about Hascon right?

Deadput wrote:

ausbot wrote:Damn you Hasbro, I loved the botcon figures they were always a hight light of my year, there had better be a better replacement because the crap that comes from SDCC will not replace the great obscure characters Botcon would do.

You do know about Hascon right?

And have they said anything about what is going to be at Hascon?

Lucky Logician wrote:

Deadput wrote:

ausbot wrote:Damn you Hasbro, I loved the botcon figures they were always a hight light of my year, there had better be a better replacement because the crap that comes from SDCC will not replace the great obscure characters Botcon would do.

You do know about Hascon right?

And have they said anything about what is going to be at Hascon?

No exclusives have been mentioned, if that's what you're referring to.

At this point, even if there are to be no more official U.S. convention exclusives, I'm still more inclined to go to Pete's Robot Convention than Hascon for the fact that PRC feels more like what BotCon was than Hascon does, and the chance to hang out with the BotCon crowd again sounds great in and of itself (so long as people from said BotCon crowd do decide to go to PRC, that is).

Kurona wrote:

Sigma Magnus wrote:

People wrote:Stuff and things

Alright, fair enough. Just wanted to be sure. As for Skyfall, head choice is surprisingly spot-on, but I'm not sure if the body is a good match...

I was wondering about that myself, especially since his kibble would seem to denote a cybertronian jet. But then how much would Triggerhappy fit him?

I don't think Triggerhappy was even available for use. Remember, this would have been for 2017 which makes TR Wave 3 too recent (as in Hasbro is still using it for production, others have to wait their turn).
If Action Masters really would have been the theme, Over-Run would have been a more suitable character for the Highbrow mold, especially with his helicopter vehicle:



Just saying, not to knock on what they wanted to do

Sabrblade wrote:No exclusives have been mentioned, if that's what you're referring to.

At this point, even if there are to be no more official U.S. convention exclusives, I'm still more inclined to go to Pete's Robot Convention than Hascon for the fact that PRC feels more like what BotCon was than Hascon does, and the chance to hang out with the BotCon crowd again sounds great in and of itself (so long as people from said BotCon crowd do decide to go to PRC, that is).

I hope there are no more exclusives I can't even get there in the first place due to travel costs and even if I did I'm not going to be able to afford their overcharged exclusives (I understand why their that price doesn't mean I have to like it).

Kinda why I don't have any connection to Botcon despite always wanting to go to one.


Is Pete's Convention just a one off thing or is he going to do this every year?

Deadput wrote:Is Pete's Convention just a one off thing or is he going to do this every year?

I think the answer to that question will depend on how this first one goes.