Categories:Toy News, People News Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 57,700
The tariffs have been a big part of the discussion for toy collectors all over the internet. We are currently waiting to see when Pulse updates their site with new prices, since right now no one can actually preorder anything anymore. Part of the discussion surrounding the topic was the idea to bring toy manufacturing to the US like never before. The issue is that, unlike Lego, Transformers toys and other action figures are made up of parts that need manual assembling. So labor becomes a much larger expense and it's always been handled in Asia due to cost. There is a video below of a car from Mattel being made and you can see how the labor component comes into play, as an example. All this is just to give context to the recent words from Mattel CEO, Ynon Kreiz, where he was asked if manufacturing in the US would be cheaper now that tariffs are in place. He simply answered "we don't see that happening".
The interview is very interesting for those curious about the toy industry He did follow that by saying that there is a toymaker association that is currently lobbying for toys to have zero tariffs. The logic behind that is that while the manufacturing component is done outside the US, all other steps of toy production are done in the US with Americans being hired as designers and engineers to make the toys. So the end product consumed by Americans is not an entirely foreign product. At least, that's how the CEO's words could be interpreted, he does get very word salad-y. The good news is that he said he didn't foresee Christmas shortages.
Trump did reply to those comments but misspoke, referring to Mattel as a country.
Categories:Toy News, Events Posted by:william-james88 | Credit(s): Dengeki Hobby Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 51,245
Evangelion is no stranger to the Transformers brand with Takara releasing an MP Optimus in Evangelion colours in the past. Well we have info from Dengeki Hobby that Takara will announce new Evangelion Collaboration products for their Transformers and Zoids brands at the Shizuoka Hobby show next week. As the previous Takara/Evangelion collabs, all shown below, these are likely to be redecos of existing products. Also, this year is the 30th anniversary of Evangelion.
Category:Toy News Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 65,834
We had posted that Hasbro was warning fans that preorder prices on Pulse would only be offered through the 8th. Well as the date nears, retailers are raising their prices and fans are getting alerts from Amazon that upcoming Transformers toys have risen in price. Entertainment Earth has updated their prices on both in stock and preorder prices and here is the list:
Deluxes 26.99
voyagers 37.99
leaders 59.99
Commanders 97.99
Titan Star Optimus Prime 163.99
Titan Trypticon 218.99
There are also reports about the MSRP for deluxes being 27.99 and voyagers 36.99, so we'll see what the correct prices are once Pulse updates their listings the 9th.
Categories:Toy News, Company News Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 68,710
Hasbro's CEO Chris Cocks warned early on that Hasbro would pass on any extra expenses they may incur from tariffs to consumers, and that it would disproportionally affect toys bought by fans so that toys targeting only kids and families would rise less in price. And it looks like that will be happening very soon. A message has been popping up on Hasbro Pulse that preorder prices can be locked in for the next few days but that will end May 9th at 12:01. So you have until May 8th to place preorders on the items you want, as prices will probably be higher on those same items going forward. Now prices going up was not said in their notice, but if not then why warn fans?
Categories:Toy News, Collectibles Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 64,287
Entertainment Earth has a new listing for an upcoming Hot Wheels case. This one is for the Color Shifters line, and if you are unfamiliar with it, we have a video review below as an example. What’s cool about this upcoming case/wave is that it includes a Transformers car. It doesn’t specify the character though but it’s most probably Optimus Prime as that is the only mainline casting that was made from the ground up for a Transformers car.
Here is the description and content details:
Hot Wheels Color Shift 1:64 Vehicle 2025 Mix 3 Case of 10:
Hot Wheels Color Shifters vehicles rev up the fun of sensory play with cars that change color when dipped in water! When kids dunk or splash their 1:64 scale Color Shifters vehicle with icy cold or very warm water, it instantly changes color. Change the water temperature and the deco changes back. It's like having two cars in one – hit the road, race the track and then change color and race again.
This Hot Wheels Color Shift 1:64 Vehicle 2025 Mix 3 Case of 10 (977C) includes 10 individually packaged vehicles and includes:
1x Barbaric
1x Vw Drag Bus
2x Transformers
1x Nissan Skyline Gt-R (R32)
1x Mattel Dream Mobile
1x Trak Tune
2x El Segundo Coupe
1x Fast Felion
Categories:Site News, Twincasts Posted by:megatronus Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 72,521
The Seibertron.com Twincast / Podcast is back to discuss the Alpha and the Omega... Prime, that is. Your host ScottyP is joined by Aaarnhide19, Counterpunch, Kuhlio, Megatronus, and xRotorstormx to discuss the latest Haslab, odd looking alt modes, and see whether Transformers can break into the sports market in a way Starting Lineup simply could not. This, and more.
Episode #374 “Omega Crime” is available directly and in our RSS Feed, and should appear on Apple Podcasts and many other Podcatcher sites within 24 to 48 hours of when you see this news post.
Here's what we discuss in this episode:
Based on The Thirteen's art, we get a peak of what just might be Alpha Trion's alt mode. Wild speculation ensues.
With the complete cast ready to rumble, we move on to discuss our thoughts on the latest Haslab, and the QC issues that seem to plague Omega Prime.
The latest NFL collaboration has been announced, and they definitely look better than those shoe Transformers from a few years ago.
Supreme Optimus Prime came and went. Pour one out for our [luxury street wear cash grab brand that personifies the dark side of our hobby] homie.
We wrap up the episode with Bragging Rights that takes less time than you'd expect considering there are six people to go through.
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Category:Toy News Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 79,450
TF fan Kevin posted images as a response to our post about Zuru’s Transformers themed blind balls. Now we know the content, which also includes a sticker, a card and kinetic sand. You can check the images below. These should be out in the US in the summer.
Category:Toy News Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 81,199
There is a major issue with the torso sliding mechanism on the Haslab Omega Prime, which is causing internal breakage and cracks on the abdominal area. While the severity of results will differ from copy to copy, it is a structural issue, and anyone with the toy will see that this specific area of the toy requires more force than it should. Some people have opened up the body and found the fins that cause the friction all bent out of shape. We have images from various fans like Optionzero showing that.
Fellow Seibertronian ScottyP has a detailed fix below that should be done before attempting to transform the toy.
ScottyP wrote:Yeah they messed up the measurement on something by the tiniest degree, but when 90% of the assembly work is plastic on plastic, that can have nasty effects.
When the toy comes in, partially transform the cab of OP to inspect it but don't use the torso slider. At all. Don't try it. It has the high ground.
Assuming it isn't cracked already: Tools you will need
Small phillips-head screwdriver
Sandpaper or sanding sticks, maybe something around 400 grit
Optional - a second sandpaper or stick at a higher grit to do final cleanup. I used 1,000 grit
Towel or cotton swab to cleanup any plastic dust
Steps for Omega Prime Preventive Maintenance
Remove the head + backpack assembly. This is three screws. There is a pin in there, but it doesn't matter because only one end of it is gnarled. It will split down the middle.
Look at OP's back. Remove the two small screws from the back of the gray piece that connects to the arms. These two are smaller than the others, so set them aside in a different pile.
While still looking at OP's back, remove the four screws holding the torso together and separate the front and back sides.
Look at what's still assembled. The dark gray piece that was partially inside the torso is our target for this mission. This is where you should put the torso parts back on, but only one at a time just to get a feel for the fit. Notice how that dark gray piece feels way too tight? That's our problem. Those red inner teeth are going to be the minimum of what gets destroyed without doing this fix.
Hopefully obvious but just in case - set both torso parts aside again.
Optional but helpful - Remove the two screws from the middle joint that holds the pieces which slide in bot mode/fold over each other in cab mode, then separate the red middle piece and remove the gray part that is inside the torso when assembled.
Sand down the sides of said dark gray part a little bit.
Test fit it in the front and back of the torso to see if the dark gray piece can sit snugly without having to apply excessive force.
Test sliding action as best you can to see if the dark gray piece can slide snugly but easily without a massive amount of friction.
Repeat step 7 until satisfied with steps 8 and 9. This will take some iteration and you may have to judge it on vibes. You can do it.
When satisfied you've sanded enough, grab a high grit and polish up the sides a but, then remove any extra plastic dust. Don't breathe this! Remember, you're only cleaning up edges here, not grinding down further.
Put things back together, curse Hasbro, put it all down for a few hours, then come back and enjoy. Or skip some of those steps, up to you.
It's an easier fix than all that text makes it look. Annoying, but easy. Good luck out there y'all.
Categories:Cartoon News, Toy News Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 102,687
We thank Sabreblade for posting about the recent episode for Takara's Wild King line. But that is not all he did, he has also been helping fansub these episodes. Below you will have the first two episodes in Japanese with notes on how to have English subtitles on Youtube. AND there is also an upload for those same episodes with fansubs. We have fan subs for the first 3 episodes and for the 4th, we have the Japanese upload which you can translate with the youtube trick highlighted.
We thank Sabrblade for his notes, and his help in the translation. Let us know if you likes these episodes!
Sabrblade wrote:The first two episodes of the Wild King cartoon have been uploaded by Takara in one video:
If you turn on the closed captions and switch the language to auto-translated English, you can get a not-terrible English translation of the dialogue with a decent understanding of what the characters are saying.
Also, at the end of the video is a toy advert for Optimus and Lightlong's toys, which shows the full transformation of each. Optimus's toy transformation is nigh identical to that of the Generations Thrilling 30 Legends class Optimus toy from 2013.
Sabrblade wrote:The fansubber uploaded a newly revised version of their fansub for the first two episodes. It's a much better translation quality overall. Still a few small typos here and there, and the episode titles in English are incorrect, but an overall significant improvement than before.
Sabrblade wrote:Fansub of Episode 3.
This time, I and a few others actually got to help contribute to this translation after reaching out to the fansubber to help polish it up. One minor typo slipped by us at the beginning ("Elemental Energy" should be "Element Energy"), but everything else is up to spec.
Sabrblade wrote:Episode 4: "The Kindhearted Hydrophant".
We get three new Energy Beast characters: the titular Hydrophant, a Spinosaurus with Earth-element Ground Energy, and a fire-element lion named Ignite Leo. The Spinosaurus's name is a bit tricky to determine at this point, but it's something like "Spirituan" or "Spirichuan" (スピリチュアン). Every Energy Beast has something related to their element in their names, but the ground/earth elemental aspect in his name doesn't seem to be as obvious.
Another unseen character, Drillnohorn, gets name-dropped in the episode by Lightlong.
Categories:Toy News, Reviews Posted by:william-james88 | Credit(s): see links in article Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 73,132
Takara's exclusive Wild King line is out now and fans are posting images online. Many also got the free weapons kits that are redecos of the FOC Grimlock weapons in 4 different colors. While the images show us the various configurations, we also now get a sense of scale. Optimus and Megatron are voyager height, slightly taller than the generations Optimus toys from the recent lines. The limb bots are deluxe sized. The images do confirm that the limb bots don't differ much in tooling from on to the next aside from their front and back removeable animal bits. You'll let us know what you think!
Categories:Toy News, Collectibles Posted by:william-james88 | Credit(s): Entertainment Earth Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 71,425
Have you ever seen those blind bag type spheres in stores? A few companies do it, like Zuru, and their next blind ball set will be Transformers themed. It will be a set of 10 non transforming figures and vehicles showing the main characters in their evergreen looks. The gold Bumblebee alt mode will be the chase. These should be out in late summer, you can check out the images below.
Category:Toy News Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 76,098
The NFL Transformers crossover has been revealed. These are deluxe class figures which all share the same mold, with some different headsculpts, which into helmets for the teams. We have preorders for some below along with images and the press release.
HASBRO AND THE NFL UNITE FOR EPIC COLLABORATION, INTRODUCING TRANSFORMERS CONVERTING NFL HELMETS INCLUDING THE DALLAS COWBOYS, PITTSBURGH STEELERS, GREEN BAY PACKERS AND KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Tune-In to Julian Edelman’s “Games with Names” Podcast to Learn More about the New Line
PAWTUCKET, R.I. – April 22, 2025 – Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company, today announced a special collaboration line with the National Football League (NFL) for a first-of-its-kind lineup of TRANSFORMERS x NFL action figures. The first wave of officially licensed NFL TRANSFORMERS robot characters includes: Dallas Cowboys Starblitz, Pittsburgh Steelers Steelsmash, Green Bay Packers Tundra Prime and Kansas City Chiefs KC-59. Additional product information and images can be found HERE.
These 5.5-inch figures convert from robot action figures to football helmet modes in 23 steps. With intricate poseability and accessories like a mini football that the figure can hold and a mini helmet that the robot figure can wear, these unique collaborative action figures make spectacular additions to any TRANSFORMERS or NFL collection.
“Teaming TRANSFORMERS up with the NFL is an extremely exciting milestone as we explore strategic and innovative ways to grow the franchise,” said Tamara Grindrod, Global Play Leader, Action Brands at Hasbro. “TRANSFORMERS continues to deliver a …MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE experience for fans through epic storytelling, toys and more. This latest collaboration is a great example of how we’re connecting new and passionate fanbases with our iconic characters.”
These premium products were spotlighted earlier today on the “Games with Names” Podcast featuring New England Patriots’ Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman and will air on YouTube today at 3pm EST. The episode featuring the new TRANSFORMERS x NFL collectibles is now available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, among other platforms.
“I’m honored to be teaming up with Hasbro once again to support an iconic collaboration between the TRANSFORMERS franchise and the NFL,” said Julian Edelman, New England Patriots Super Bowl MVP. “It is a dream to see two of my passions come together for this unique collaborative product line. I can’t wait for TRANSFORMERS and football fans to get their hands on one of these premium collectibles and see their epic conversions. Tune in to my latest “Games with Names” podcast episode where I chat more about this awesome project!”
Fans can pre-order this new product line today at Amazon’s dedicated TRANSFORMERS store at amazon.com/transformers, which features over a hundred TRANSFORMERS products, including Amazon exclusives and great value with special deals. In addition, fans can also find the hottest new items inspired by the NFL. Prime members enjoy fast, free shipping on every order.
Category:Movie News Posted by:william-james88 | Credit(s): Deadline Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 102,585
It's been bad news after bad news for the Transformers Live Action film franchise. While Paramount was working on a Transformers GI Joe film, they lost their director and the only news we had regarding a script was that it was not done yet. Fans waited to see if there would be any news at Cinemacon, since that's where the project was officially announced in 2024, and there was 0 news on it.
Adding to that is the fact that with Hasbro losing money on their film investments, they pulled the plug on any financial backing of their film projects, meaning that Paramount would have to find other investors for Transformers films to happen. And remember, Hasbro's money was the only reason we got more films since The Last Knight.
With all this bad news, how about some more? As a response to Trump's escalading trade war against China, China has released an official statement where they state the following:
“The wrong action of the U.S. government to abuse tariffs on China will inevitably further reduce the domestic audience’s favorability towards American films.”
“We will follow the market rules, respect the audience’s choice, and moderately reduce the number of American films imported.”
While this won't make or break the majority of US films, the Live Action Transformers franchise has made a big bulk of its business in China. For the latest film in the franchise, Rise of the Beasts, the Chinese Box Office accounted for $91M out of the film's total $441M gross, so 20%. With so many factors working against getting financing for that franchise right now, this is another to add to the list. Not showing this film in China reduce the return on investment and it could potentially limit Chinese investment as well.
Of course, the statement did also say that the Chinese government will also respect audience's choices so if they notice a high demand for a Transformers film to be distributed, it still could. But these choices come after a film is made, and the uncertainty in China's added revenue would come into play at the financing stages.
You'll let us know what you think and if you see a path forward for the live action Transformers film franchise to continue.
Categories:Site News, Twincasts Posted by:Aaarnhide19 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 97,142
You may be Stunticonned into paying high import costs but you can tune into episode 373 of the Seibertron.com Twincast / Podcast for free. Host Scotty P is joined by Kuhlio and Aaarnhide19 to talk all about recent Tariff announcements as well as the responses from toy industry figures on how these import costs will effect toy prices going forward. Things get back to their usual lighter mood after that with plenty more to discuss like 2026 leak lists and Kickstarter campaigns. There's even a listener question or two to round out a loaded up episode.
Episode #373 “Fair Trade Blend” is available directly and in our RSS Feed, and should appear on Apple Podcasts and many other Podcatcher sites within 24 to 48 hours of when you see this news post.
Here's what we discuss in this episode:
The episode begins with a discussion of the new tafiff announcements set to greatly impact the toy trade between the U.S. and the various countries Hasbro and other companies choose to produce their product. Also discussed is the Hasbro as well as other BBTS and TFsource's responses to the news.
The crew moves onto some comic talk with the Marvel Transformers G1 Comic Compendium crowdfund from Skybound, and they ask themselves "How heavy are these books gonna be?"
The toy talk begins with the recentleaks of upcoming Age of the Primes and Studio Series toys set to release in 2026. Highlights include Big Convoy, Brawl, Sureshot (Finally!!), Armada Sideways, Kranix, and TFone Alpha Trion!
Open your wallets because the full reveal of an upcoming MPG-17 Optimus Prime and what it may mean for the future of Masterpiece design going forward is discussed.
Recent in hand photos of a Deluxe Earthspark Soundwave show the toy line isn't going out without a fight!
A pair of Listener Questions from TK415 regarding how to utilize Galvatron as a character and what would the crew change about any particular piece of fiction are answered next.
Bragging Rights finishes things off as it usually does
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Category:Toy News Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 104,147
The lead designer on Transformers Age of the Primes toys, Marc Maher, has been posting images of the uocoming 13 Primes. His latest post is for Alchemist Prime and there’s lots of fun photos to share. We also included the previous post on Onyx Prime. Enjoy!
Let me introduce a powerful yet humble member of the 13 primes, Alchemist Prime is ready to grace your shelf with his divine and handsome presence! Move over and make some room, this guy exudes clear the path vibes even though he’d probably be the most enjoyable of the primes to just hang out with.
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Tomo san really flexed his creative muscles on the transformation sequence of the mighty McAdams. Not to mention this guys proportions are incredibly unique and a rarity amongst many TF toys.
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All the more reason to pour yourself a chalice of energon and lets get into the deets. I utilized the main inspiration for this guy from the McAdams,hmm I mean @toygrind appearance in cyberverse. I sprinkled in the covenant unique Prime esk shape designs but all the while thinking of the comic bartender apperance. The mustache and head sculpt might be my favorite aspect but the colors hit hard in hand, not to mention the easter eggs riddled all over his awesome artifact The Lenses! Which we increased the scale and made them split to become daggers, the idea here is that he would be able to utilize his mystical powers of the elements to change the weapons into any heated metal or even iced out adamantium or whatever and wherever your imagination takes you.
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I always imagined his vehicle mode to be somewhat of a cybertronian all terrain vehicle. You can extend out his feetsies to urilize the 5 mm ports for a lil high speed action.
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What I wouldn’t give to sit at a cybertronian pub and drink an energon pint and listen to wonderful stories of early cybertron and Alchemists outlook on life. Lets here the modules tune in their optics to sound off the details they see in the Lenses down below”
“At last, Onyx Prime has decided to grace your presence with his divinne beast kingdom glory! All behold the Triptych Mask artifact that has unique powers and will be welded to defeat any who oppose him. It is my great pleasure to bring this prime to your Age of the Primes toy generations collection at none other than leader scale at that!
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As always, huge shouts out to Shu san from Takara Tomy, my beast wars brethren who always turns it up on these out of the box characters.
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I really seasoned this spicy character with all sorts of cooking love. Shout out to @ken_christiansen_art and @aaronarcherofficial for putting the early look of this dude together. I even got a lil love from @marcelomatere on how techno-organic should I go on his tail…which did I mention, I made it a cool bow and the mask has been upgraded to a wicked spear/arrow! Went wild beast mode on the sculpt, threw in eagle references, horse references, gargoyle references all sorts of spikes, horns, and angular cybertronian angles, WOOF ! Colors were a challenge but I feel I dialed in the tones enough to get that good contrast, the metallic hits hard in hand!
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The multitude of abilites on this guy, phew…really just bewildered by this beast, lemme see if I can give ya the quick Marky shake down. The front hoofs in centaur mode can be cascaded around his beefy shoulders, you have a wide array of versatility in between centaur and beast mode, his head can be transformed into a more beasty look for centaur mode but can be left upward to showcase his wide array of optics in robot mode. His spear has many different places for all sorts of cool poses and storage, his wings have a great range of articulation which I tried to showcase here.
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I’m just very proud that I could help bring these 13 primes to life. Alchemist Prime, pass me a cool glass of energon and lets talk over some tings!”
Category:Comic Book News Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 95,939
In case fans didn't know, Skybound has special editions of the G1 Transformers comics compendiums that they are releasing through Kickstarter. These are different from the retail version. There has been some confusion on that, especially since certain versions of the compendium weave stories from the UK and US together and fellow Seibertronian Sabrblade thoroughly explains all that below.
What's fun is that this Kickstarter was funded in 2 minutes and 9 stretch goals have been unlocked since. You can read their post about that accomplishment below followed by the breakdown of what's included by Sabrblade.
Kickstarter Project wrote:WE DID IT! We can't thank you enough for your overwhelming support! Because of your efforts, we funded this Kickstarter campaign in 2 minutes and hit $1 million in 2.5 hours! Autobots, Decepticons, and all allies - thank you for enlisting in our ranks and powering up this mission!
Sabrblade wrote:So, there's a bit of confusion surround these reprints, and I think I've figure out what's what.
"The Transformers Compendium" is a two-volume reprint of the Marvel US stories, with the first 46 stories of the main series and the four-issue Headmasters mini being in the first volume, while the second volume's contents are yet to be known at this time (but will presumably contain the remaining 34 stories of the main series and other stuff to match the first volume's 50 issues' worth of content). These two volumes will be normal retail releases.
The Kickstarter campaign is for hardcover editions of eight individual Compendium volumes. Two of these hardcover volumes will contain all the US stories (presumably the same volumes as the two described above, but with special edition hardcovers), two more volumes will reprint the UK stories, and the other four volumes are a Kickstarter-exclusive "Til All Are One Definitive Edition" four-volume set that contains all of the US and UK stories arranged together into a single narrative.
So it looks like there's actually three different options here:
The normal-retail two-volume US reprints,
The special hardcover two-volume US reprints and two-volume UK reprints (which may be a Kickstarter exclusive; the text is vague on the matter but since the information come from Kickstarter...),
The four-volume "Til All Are One Definitive Edition" that reprints the US and UK stories together in one narrative (which IS a Kickstarter exclusive).
There are also a few other unknown factors related to this. Like, if the reprints will be newly remastered by Skybound or if they'll just use the same remastered versions that IDW used for their "Classics" reprints, which were also used by Hachette for their UK/Ireland-exclusive "The Definitive G1 Collection" reprint volumes.
And regardless of whether they use new remasters or the same ones from IDW, there's also the notion that using the US versions of the US stories creates some continuity issues with the UK-original stories, as several US stories had some edits made to them for their original UK releases in order to make them better fit with the continuity of the UK stories, such as adding references to Galvatron being on Earth as he was in the UK stories, removing references to Cobra since the G.I. Joe crossover was out-of-continuity with the UK stories, changing the dialogue of Shockwave's "death" to make it more apparent that he didn't die so that the UK stories could continue to use him after he stopped appearing in the US stories, and more.
When Hachette used the IDW remasters of the US stories for their "Definitive G1 Collection" reprints, the IDW remasters were of the US versions of the US stories, which lacked those UK edits and made for a slightly awkward reading experience.
But of course, even if the US stories were to be reedited to put back in the original UK edits, that would make things awkward regarding the G.I. Joe crossover since it is in-continuity with the US versions of the US stories, as it tells how Bumblebee became Goldbug. Since the UK stories ignored the crossover (and did their own unrelated crossover with Action Force), Bumblebee was given a new origin story for Goldbug in the "Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!" mini-saga set between certain US stories. So the US and UK comics are already separate continuities on their own, with the UK continuity having slightly altered versions of almost all the same events from the US continuity.
Category:Comic Book News Posted by:Seibertron | Credit(s): Lunar Distribution Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 78,924
Skybound just leveled up The Transformers Compendium Vol. 1 with a Direct Market Exclusive featuring the artwork from the cover of Marvel's The Transformers #1 by the legendary artist Bill Sienkiewicz. That’s right—cybernetic war meets comic book royalty. The standard edition still slaps with art by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer, but this exclusive? Straight fire.
FOC is April 21.
Both covers hit shelves May 28, 2025.
Old-school fans and new recruits—this one’s for you.
? Check out the full message from Skybound below for all the exciting details.
Here's the information we received from Lunar Distribution:
Skybound wrote:A Note From the Publisher: THE TRANSFORMERS COMPENDIUM DM EXCLUSIVE COVER REVEAL
Retailer Partners,
We have added a Direct Market Exclusive Edition with a cover by comics legend Bill Sienkiewicz for the upcoming The Transformers Compendium Vol 1. This book will FOC on MONDAY, APRIL 21 and has a standard edition cover by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer!
THE TRANSFORMERS rocked the comic book world with their debut that was truly MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE, and now you can experience every issue—from the original series and tie-ins—in this new reader-friendly compendium format for the very first time.
Discover the heroic Autobots, the evil Decepticons, and the galaxy-spanning war that will leave you breathless in this first volume perfect for fans new and old.
Transformers collectors — and anyone with a pop culture pulse — just took a direct hit in the wallet. On Tuesday afternoon, TFSource and BigBadToyStore sounded the alarm with urgent messages about massive import hikes. Then less than 24 hours later, Trump rolled out a 90-day “pause” dropping most tariffs to 10% — except for China, which got slapped with a brutal 125% rate effective immediately. No delay. No forgiveness. Just full send on the pain.
This tariff rollercoaster affects everything from figures and toys to comics and statues — the lifeblood of collector culture. So we’re cutting through the chaos with a no-BS breakdown of what’s changed, what it means for your wallet, and what insiders are saying. Plus, out of respect for their transparency, we’re publishing full statements from both TFSource and BBTS — two longtime giants in the Transformers game and former sponsors right here on Seibertron.com.
? What Just Happened? The Pause Heard 'Round the World
According to CNBC and India Express, President Trump’s latest tariff shake-up includes:
A 90-day "pause" slashing new tariffs to 10% for most U.S. trade partners — including Vietnam and Japan
A jaw-dropping 125% tariff slapped on China, effective immediately
A global panic moment, followed by a scramble for negotiations after fierce backlash
Translation:
Products made in Vietnam or Japan? Still in the game… at least for now.
Made in China? Say hello to potential sticker shock — especially for Transformers, third-party figures, and collectibles.
? Straight Talk from Retailers
Before the pause announcement dropped, both TFSource and BBTS sent urgent messages to customers on April 9, 2025. We’re publishing both in full below, out of respect for their candor and longtime support of the Transformers fandom. Their messages paint a clear picture: the collecting world was bracing for impact.
? TFSource Customer Update – April 9, 2025
Click to view TFSource message
Subject: Note About Tariffs and Their Impact on Collectibles
Dear Valued TFSource Customer,
First, thank you for being a part of the TFSource community. We don’t take your trust for granted — and we always want to be upfront with you, especially when changes are coming that affect your collecting experience.
Recently, the U.S. government announced new tariffs on imported plastic hobby toys, effective April 2 and April 9, 2025. These tariffs are significant, and they affect nearly every product we carry.
This is a fluid, government-driven situation, and like many other companies in our industry, TFSource is having to quickly react and adapt to these changes in real time. We’re hopeful the current administration will reach agreements with the affected countries — which could lead to reduced or even eliminated tariffs in the future. In the meantime, we want to be transparent about how this impacts pricing and availability moving forward.
What’s Happening
The new tariff rates are now being applied and vary depending on the country of origin:
China: 104%
Vietnam: 46%
Japan: 24%
Because so much of the collectible toy world is sourced from these regions, these changes are hitting our entire industry — including TFSource. Nearly all of our items are sourced from these regions. Once items arrive in the U.S., Customs applies these new tariffs, which must be paid before we can receive and ship the goods.
Impact on Pricing
The good news is that all in stock or currently domestic in transit products will not be impacted by current tariffs. Until then TFSource has no choice but to increase prices on many upcoming preorder items, both new and previously announced.
We understand this is disappointing, and we want to be transparent: honoring earlier preorder pricing on many items is no longer feasible.
We’re doing everything we can to manage the impact, including:
- Absorbing costs wherever possible
- Minimizing increases on in-stock items (while inventory lasts)
- Continuing to offer Free Shipping, Source Points and loyalty rewards
Thank you for sticking with us through this — and for being part of a community that continues to inspire our team every day.
With appreciation,
The TFSource Team
Your Source for All Things Transformers
? BigBadToyStore Customer Update – April 9, 2025
Click to view BBTS message
Subject: BBTS - Update on Tariffs
Hi Everyone,
I’m writing to share with you how we are working to handle the rapidly escalating tariff situation. I want to be transparent and honest with you about the impacts of these tariffs. This is a complex situation, but I feel it is important to be as clear as possible in this difficult time.
Tariffs – What Just Happened
China: Tariffs have escalated to 125%
Vietnam: Initially set at 46%, now reportedly paused for 90 days
What is the Impact
This is going to result in price increases on new and open pre-orders. We are working hard to minimize these increases by negotiating with vendors and optimizing logistics.
Who Pays Tariffs
Tariffs are a tax on the US consumer. Foreign governments do NOT pay them. U.S. importers do — and unfortunately that cost rolls into product pricing.
When and How will Prices Change
We will add a "tariff surcharge" at the time of product arrival for new preorders. You will be notified of the full amount and may cancel if needed. We expect surcharges to range between 15%–40%.
Thank you for your continued trust in BBTS.
Sincerely,
Joel Boblit
Founder and President
BigBadToyStore.com
? What This Means for Transformers Collectors
With Chinese goods still facing a crushing 125% import duty, expect prices on Transformers preorders, third-party figures, and even official Hasbro imports to rise — unless those products are sourced from Vietnam or Japan.
Both TFSource and BBTS have said they can no longer honor previously announced preorder prices for some items, and surcharges will likely be added as affected shipments arrive.
? Comics: Exempt for Now, But Not Out of the Woods
Many reports — including from Comics Beat — indicate that printed books (including comics and graphic novels) are currently exempt from these tariffs. However, toys, collectibles, and premium box sets related to comics are not exempt.
Image Comics, for example, has raised the price of Spawn from $2.99 to $3.99 — a move attributed to rising production and paper costs, much of which comes from Canada.
With trade tensions shifting rapidly, there’s no guarantee that exemptions will last.
? Final Thoughts from Seibertron.com
This is a complex, fast-moving situation. If the 90-day pause holds — and negotiations go well — we may avoid the worst of the price surges. But with China excluded from the pause, much of the Transformers toy ecosystem remains vulnerable.
Stick with us. We'll continue reporting as this develops, and we’ll do our part to support fans and collectors through these uncertain times.
— The Seibertron.com Team
Trumpticon unleashes tariff havoc upon Mudball Earth’s weary fleshlings. Yeah, that’s next-level AI chaos — powered by yours truly. Took about two hours of fine-tuning prompts and stitching together six different AI generations in Photoshop to Frankenstein one killer image that actually captured the vibe. Crazy times call for crazier methods.
Category:Toy News Posted by:william-james88 Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 81,125
Earthspark still has some gems to give us this year. Fans were excited for the new Soundwave deluxe but there was still question about the alt mode. Well, turns out it looks great too. Unlike many other plane transformers, this stealth bomber is very flat and has a nice wingspan. The Images from Omega The Real on Twitter also show waist articulation and the size, which is the standard deluxe size in the line.
Category:Toy News Posted by:Emerje | Credit(s): Target ad Topic Options: View Discussion · Views: 95,113
All this week at Target Transformers figures will be 30% off. That's a pretty massive savings just in time for the latest Age of the Primes and Studio Series releases. There isn't much available on Target.com but with some luck you find something new in stores. That's not to say there's nothing of note online. The Legacy Evolution Devcon rerelease is available for pre-order for $17.49, The Sonic the Hedgehog Collaborative set is also still available for pre-order for $35, Studio Series Constructicon Overload is available for only $38.50 as is the Legacy United 4 pack at $56.
Get any good deals at Target this week? Let us know in the Energon Pub forums!
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