Its the 14th November 2010 in Japan now (as that are ahead) and as such it is 24 years to the day that Transformers 2010 (Headmasters) first aired and to commemorate this e-Hobby have updated their website with a page dedicated to Transformers United.  The page contains silhouettes of Scourge, Galvatron, Cyclonus, Rodimus, Kup and Wreck-Gar.  What is not clear is whether this means that there will be e-Hobby exclusive Transformers United figures coming soon, or just thast they will be stocking the toys.

You can view the page here.

The Hub have produced four new Transformers Prime promotional videos this time focusing on four characters.  You can view the videos below.

Transformers: Prime - Arcee Promo


Transformers: Prime - Bumblebee Promo


Transformers: Prime - Cliffjumper Promo


­ Transformers: Prime – Jack Darby Promo

You can also find still image galleries from the clips within the resource section of www.transformers-prime.com.­

• Jack Darby Promo
• Arcee
• Bumblebee
• CliffJumper

I have taken some low-resolution stills from the Transformers Prime TV-Spots which have aired which you can find both on Transformers-Prime.com and Transformers At The Moon.

To view the images on Transformers Prime simply visit the resource section of the site where you can find galleries for TV Spot1 and TV Spot 2.

On Transformers At The Moon, visit the Cartoon Section to view the same galleries.

Scottish Newspaper The Daily Record has posted an article about the backlash caused by the recent announcement of a name of an upcoming Power Core Combiner figure.  The figure called Spastic has caused backlash from UK based fans due to the derogatory and offensive meaning often used with the name that was originally used to describe someone with spastic paralysis.

This isn't the first time a Transformers name has caused trouble within the UK. In the past Slapper, Erector and, most thought off, Slag  have all lead to debates.  Hasbro were actually so concerned over the name Slag that they changed the Transformers Animated character from Slag to Snarl just because of the UK market (as confirmed by Derrick J Wyatt at Auto Assembly 2010).

UK fans need not fear that much though, the chances of the figure being released over here is slim anyway.

Paramount have announced the release of Transformers Animated Vol 6 on DVD within Japan.  The DVD will be released on the 21st Jan 2011 for 3129yen.  The DVD includes the episode "Mix Master and Scrapper" which has never been shown on Japanese TV.  The episode was called "Rise of the Constructicons" in the original English language, for those who don't recognise the name.

You can view an image of the cover below.

Two new TV spots for Transformers Prime have aired and as you would expect, are now available on YouTube.  You can view the two new trailers below.­

Amazon Japan have updated their product listings for both Masterpiece MP-1 Convoy and the Million Publishing Transformers Generations 2010 book with some new images.  The images include a first look at the back page of the Generation 2010 book.

Credit to Snakas for the report.

Peaugh has posted a YouTube video review of the upcoming Transformers Power Core Combiner Dinobot 5-pack.  You can view the video below.

Hasbro have issued the following press release via the Associated Press announcing that Transformers Prime, G.I. Joe Renegades and other new shows made for The Hub will air on Corus Entertainment in Canada

Hasbro inks deal with Canadian broadcaster
Hasbro Studios-produced shows will run on Corus Entertainment networks in Canada.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Hasbro Studios, the toy company's media production and distribution division, said Tuesday it has agreed to let a Canadian TV broadcaster air the TV shows it produces.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Corus Entertainment will broadcast shows including "Transformers Prime," "My Little Pony Friendship is Magic," "G.I. Joe Renegades," "The Adventures of Chuck and Friends" and "Pound Puppies."

The shows are airing in the U.S. on "The Hub," Hasbro's joint venture station with Discovery Communications.

Shares of Hasbro Inc. slipped 30 cents to $47.02.

­The Transformers Collectors Club Website was updated yesterday with the announcement of their latest 2011 exclusive figure, Transtech Cheetor.  The figure, which is a recoloured Transformers Animateed Blurr figure, comes with a new head sculpt designed by Transformers Animated lead designer Derrick J Wyatt himself!

Here is the official announcement:

Cheetor loves the thrill of the chase. When his turbo sensors lock on to the taillights of a fleeing Decepticon, and he pushes his accelerator to the floor, Cheetor's head gaskets receive a rush like nothing else! The only problem is that sometimes he gets a little too focused on his games of cat-and-mouse. His optics lock in on the perp, causing his surroundings to fade into a blur as he races after the bad guy. Street signs, traffic flow, even that unfortunate 'bot caught crossing in his path! Nothing else matters to him during his race to catch the bad guy. That's no doubt the reason that the Precinct is constantly rotating Cheetor from partner to partner; no one in their right processors would want to get stuck with an eager rookie like Cheetor watching their back!

TT Cheetor is a Deluxe sized Animated figure who will fit right alongside all of your Animated toys. Cheetor features an all-new head sculpt by Transformers Animated Art Director Derrick J. Wyatt. The toy is packed in a convention style box with a foam insert for easy removal and display.­

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From reading the Million Publishing Twitter page it seems that the company is still deciding on who to use as their book exclusive figure for the upcoming Transformers Generation 2010 book.  This morning they blogged that their first recommendation was to produce two exclusives for the book a gold and a silver Rodimus. The toy, I assume, would use the Henkei (Classics) mold and would be based on the Super-Link figures (Gold SuperLink Rodimus, Silver Superlink Rodimus).  Though personally speaking I would rather they did a chromed Masterpiece Rodimus as other than looking nicer it would be a homage to the Primus figure they did as well as being harder for knock-offs to be made.

As my brother Moonbug  pointed out, the toy could well use the Animated Rodimus mold, which would be a safer choice, but I'd still like to see a Masterpiece used.

If you read the previous news story you may have wondered where those facts came from, well the answer is from a series of auctions by Ro­n Friedman (one of the head writers for the first two seasons of Transformers Generation One and Transformers: The Movie) who has placed several auctions on the website Heritage Au­ctions.com.  The auctions include the G1 series bible, character sheets (originals with the character in colour which reveal differences with characters like Arcee and Galvatron)  and a whole host more.

You can view a high-resolution mirror of all of the images here which also includes all of the links and information you can find below.

Auction #1

Season 1 Original Scripts for "Heavy Metal War" and "Plague of Insecticons".
Season 2 Original Scripts for, "City of Steel", "Changing Gears", "Traitor", "Attack of the Autobots", "The Immoblizer", "The Autobot Run", and "Atlantis Arise".

Auction #2

Photocopied scripts for the original "More Than Meets the Eye" mini-series as well as revised drafts of the first 6 episodes immediately following.

Auction #3

A ring binder that includes photocopies of the scripts for episodes #10-16.

Auction #4

A binder with photographs, designs, and model sheets. This includes several lists of characters that changed name between the design and the final  drafts.

Auction #5

Scripts for "Day of the Machines," "Enter the Nightbird," "A Prime Problem," "The Core," "The Insecticon Syndrome," "Dinosaur Island, Part 1 and 2, "The Master Builders," "Auto Beserk," and "Megatron's Master Plan Part 1."

Auction #6

A binder including images of prototype Ultra Magnus as well as scripts for "Fire in the Sky," "S.O.S. -- Dinobots," "Fire in the Mountain," "War of the Dinobots," "The Ultimate Doom Parts 1-3," "Countdown to Extinction," "Heavy Metal War," and "Plague of Insecticons".

Auction #7

More character design sheets, notes and bios, as well as audition dialogue for the Season 2 characters.

Auction #8

A 53-page revised story treatment for the 1985 feature film

Auction #9

Two sets of photocopied character guide pages compiled for the first season of Transformers, including thirty-eight 8" x 14" color guides, and another set of eighty-nine 8.5" x 11" black and white pages.

Auction #10

A set of four large black and white photocopies of Transformers characters including Wreck-Gar

Auction #11

Transformers: The Movie poster that hung in Ron Friedman's office

Auction #12

Photocopied scripts for "Transport to Oblivion", "Roll With It", and "Divide and Conquer" with hand-written changes, from writers Dick Robbins and Bryce Malek, Douglas Booth, and Don Glut, with revisions from Ron Friedman.

Auction #13

Photocopied scripts "Blaster Blues", "A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court", "The God Gambit", "Make Tracks", and "Microbots."

Auction #14

A  binder that includes various Transformers Facts including Hasbro notes, toy photographs, a copy of Transformers#3 (guest starring Spider-Man), scripts for "Desertion of the Dino Bots, Parts 1 and 2," and "Megatron's Master Plan Part 2."

Auction #15

This is the final draft for Transformers: The Movie. It included a 179-page revised draft and 17 page character notes

Auction #16

Transformers: The Movie Revised Final Draft Script (Sunbow Productions, Inc., 1985).

Auction #17

Transformers: the Movie Script Group (Sunbow Productions, Inc., 1984-85). This was Ron Friedman's original unproduced first draft script dated November 12, 1984 (132 pages), plus two sets of revisions including the complete revised script dated February 13, 1983 (184 pages).

Auction #18

The G1 Series Bible.  This contains character design pages and information on all of the original character from the show.

Auction #19
Coloured character sheets for Arcee in robot and vehicle mode.

Auction #20
Coloured character sheets for Galvatron in robot and vehicle mode.

Auction #21
Hand coloured character sheets for Scourge in robot and vehicle mode.

Auction #22
Hand coloured character sheets for Cyclonus in both robot and vehicle mode.

Auction #23
Hand coloured character sheets for Blurr in robot and vehicle mode.

Auction #24
Hand coloured character sheets for Wheelie in robot and vehicle mode.

Our thanks go out to both Ron Friedman and Jared Egol, who reached out to the Transformers community on behalf of Ron.

Don't forget to check out our image mirror here.

1. Did you know that Jetfire was originally going to be called Fireball before being changed to Skyfire and then eventually Jetfire?
2. Did you know that, when he was Fireball, Jetfire's function was Autobot Aerospace Commander which was latter changed to Autobot Air Guardian?
3. Did you know that Grimlock was originally going to be called Trapjam?  He was also known as Jawbreaker as well.
4. Did you know that the Sharkticons were originally known Sharkons before being changed to Sharticon. It was only on on reviewing the name that the k was added and they finally became the Sharkticons.
5. Did you know that Quintessa was originally known as the planet Sharkon?
6. Did you know that in one of the meetings regarding the cartoon series when the crew discussed the characters for the Transformers Megatron was described as "more like Destro - icy" and that he "doesn't make jokes".
7. Did you know that in the same meeting, they described Starscream as "more like Cobra Commander, psycho, more wild, violent.
8. Did you know that in the original plans when ever Unicron spoke in the whilst in Robot mode in Transformers: The Movie, lightning rods were suppose to slash from his eyes, while other colours flashed from various parts of his body.
9. Did you know that in the original scale of Unicron, Earth was going to be the size of one of the spheres that are on Unicron's rings.
10. Did you know that Unicron, originally referred to simply as "The Planet Entity", was designed with rings simply because Saturn has rings and is a similar word to Satur, which is synonymous with the Devil?

I was recently informed that many Chinese knock-off makers have now realised that there is good money in making high-quality knock-offs of many of the Classic / Henkei figures and to expect plenty of fakes over the next year to of not only these but other high-end Transformers figures.  Well it looks like the weight has already stopped as bot TFW2005.com and KOToys.com have images an information on the first wave of these new KO items, the Million Publishing Henkei Thundercracker and Skywarp along with Electro Disruptor Mirage and the Botcon 2007 clear Mirage.  All of the Henkei figures come in replica packaging and are proving difficult to spot.

KOToys.com  has all the images, where as TFWorld2005.com note that at the moment the Botcon Mirage appears to be a slightly different shade and comes without the rub sign.  You can view the images here, here, here, here and here.

Other new knock-offs (as you may have noticed from that last link) include a blue and white G1 Bumblebee (on card) as well as diecast HFTD Hubcap (in multiple colours).  Yes Die cast! The knock-offs are being made from better materials than the originals!

Finally there are also KO die cast Transformers Animated Activator Bumblebee in  various colour schemes including Skids and Mudflap from Transformers Revenge of the Fallen.

Genzhao comments that these items weight approximately 2.5 times as much as the originals

Remember ALL of these items are fakes