We have found some new trademarks filed with the USPTO. The trademarks are:

1. BOTCON

You can view all of the details of these and other trademarks within our exclusive Trademark Application area of the website which features trademark applications from 1984 through until the present day.

We have found some new BOTCON

You can view all of the details of these and other trademarks within our exclusive Trademark Application area of the website which features trademark applications from 1984 through until the present day.

Pete Sinclair, best known for working with both 3H and Fun Publications on their Botcon shows, has announced that he is running his own convention this summer called Pete's Robot Convention. Whilst the website, petesrobotcon.com is currently offline, you can find out more below.

The Summer Robot Convention lives on with Pete’s Robot Convention this June 23-24, 2017 at the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter!

Cincinnati, OH –Dating back to 1994, the Summer Robot Convention has been a time-honored tradition for fans of all ages and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to keep that tradition going. Pete's Robot Convention makes its inaugural launch this year, taking the Robot Convention concept back to its roots with a renewed focus on the vendors and the thousands of amazing robot toys they will have for sale, while also providing a great venue for fans to come together and make it the social event that we've all come to enjoy. And like we said, there will be thousands of robot toys for sale! 
We are offering Pre-Registration for anyone who wants to take part in both the Friday evening activities as well as the Saturday show. Click the Pre-Registration link today to sign up for only $59.75! Check out everything you get for this low attending price! We will also be offering at-the-door admission. Teens and Adults are $10. Kids 12 and under are FREE!
The Transformers, Gobots, Voltron, Robotech, Exo-Squad, Power Rangers, Z-Bots, Commandrons, TriBots, and classic characters from across the last 50 years… Fans of all these great properties and so many more are all welcome at Pete's Robot Convention!
Please visit PetesRoboCon.com for all the details and additional info. We look forward to seeing you this summer at Pete’s Robot Convention!

About Pete’s Robot Convention
The organizers behind Pete’s Robot Convention have been a part of the Transformers and general sci-fi genre for over 30 years. Co-organizer Pete Sinclair was part of the former Official Transformers Collectors’ Convention BotCon in various capacities since its inception in 1994, with his last role being that of a Senior Marketing Manager for licensee Fun Publications, tasked with the marketing of both BotCon and the Official G.I Joe Collectors’ Convention GIJoeCon, the former Official Transformers Collectors’ Club and the Official G.I. Joe Collectors’ Club, developing exclusive product and fiction for each. © 2017 Pete’s Robot Convention. All right reserved. 

RollOutRollCall have announced, via their Facebook page, that the "sold out" Botcon 2016 Megatron and Airazor figures will be available bo buy at the show in July. Whilst the prices have been increased since Botcon both figures are cheaper than eBay especially Megatron who has been selling for over £400

You can read the press-release below

OK, so we said there was some exciting news, we can reveal that Energon Ticket & Crossover Ticket holders not only receive Terrorsaur, but as part of the privilege of either the Energon Ticket and Crossover Ticket, you can purchase the following exclusives:

Megatron £110
Airazor for £55
or both together for £150, saving £15

Since neither of us could make it out to this years Botcon we thought that we would post a summary of lins to both Seibertron.com and TFW2005.com's coverage since both US news sites often get "special access" to the show.

Seibertron.com

#BotCon2016 'Dawn of the Predacus' Box Set Images: Tripredacus, Ravage, Tarantulas, plus Terrorsaur

#BotCon2016 Exclusive Souvenirs Images: Megatron, Airazor, Tigatron, Unit-3, Reflector, Custom Class

#BotCon2016 Exclusive Souvenir Bios and Artwork

#Botcon2016 Galleries: Hasbro Floor Display - Warrior Bisk, Warrior Scatterspike, Titans Return, Robots in Disguise and More

#BotCon2016 Hasbro Floor Display: Robots in Disguise Products

#BotCon2016 Titans Return: Powermaster Optimus, Voyager Astrotrain, Wheelie, More

#BotCon2016 Generations Combiner Wars Box Sets: Victorion and G2 Bruticus

#BotCon2016 Generations Alt-Modes, Merchandise and Miscellaneous

#BotCon2016 Confirmation and First Look at Transformers Titans Return Wolfwire and Highbrow

#BotCon2016 Videos: Promotional Clips, Robots in Disguise Windblade, Ratchet, Titans Return Fort Max

TFW2005.com

Botcon 2016 Hasbro Display Platinum and Combiner Wars Images

Botcon 2016 Hasbro Titans Return Display Images – First Glimpses at Wolfwire, Highbrow, Alpha Trion, Getaway Titanmaster & More!

Botcon 2016 Robots in Disguise Display Images – First Looks at Warrior Bisk, Ratchet, Scatterspike & More!

Botcon 2016 – Apparel and Misc Merchandise Display Pics

Botcon 2016 Boxset In-hand Images

Botcon 2016 Souvenir Exclusives In-hand Images

Long time friend of the website Nic "Duckstar" Hughes tweeted out an image of the letter confirming that this year is the last official Botcon Transformers convention. This is the first official statement put out by Hasbro since their decision to expire Fun Publications license between October and December of last year.  Our sources within Hasbro tell us that plans are being made for future celebrations but that is is very much early days and that nothing is finalised.  

It remains to be seen as to whether Fun Publications decide to carry on running a non-official Botcon convention or whether they will simple leave the space rather than compete more directly with other unlicensed shows.

It's official #botcon2016 is the last Botcon in its current format. pic.twitter.com/YDJm2YMd4C

— Nic Hughes (@duck_star) April 7, 2016

Botcon have announced, via their Facebook page, that Aaron Archer shall be a guest thiss years Botcon. Here is a copy of the announcement

"Our other big announcement is that our final guest for BotCon 2016 is none other than Aaron Archer! From the Beast Wars line through Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Aaron has been part of the production of thousands of Transformers toys. Aaron was also part of the Hasbro team that worked with Paramount and Michael Bay to bring the Transformers to life across four films and Transformers: The Ride. During Aaron’s time on Transformers he worked to expand the Transformers mythos beyond toys to publishing, television, movies, video games, and fan conventions."

Having left Hasbro to work on his own thing, Aaron returned to the toy industry giant to work on other brands.

In a series of tweets Fub Publication have announced that this years Botcon comic Dawn of the Predacus will be produced by IDW Publishing. The comic has been written by John-Paul Bove with art by Corin Howell

Tweet 1

We are thrilled to announce that we have partnered with @IDWPublishing to produce this years BotCon Comic Transformers: Dawn of the Predacus

— BotCon 2016 (@BotCon) March 4, 2016

Tweet 2

Transformers: Dawn of the Predacus is written by @wordmongerer and drawn by the very talented @Rin237. It is going to be a GREAT book!

— BotCon 2016 (@BotCon) March 4, 2016

Tweet 3

Transformers: Dawn of the Predacus will be available 1st at BotCon and will have an exclusive cover and all the BotCon program information.

— BotCon 2016 (@BotCon) March 4, 2016

Tweet 4

Lastly, this years story is set within the IDW Transformers continuity that features The Ascending and The Gathering. Going to be great!

— BotCon 2016 (@BotCon) March 4, 2016

Botcon posted a new preview video yesterday featuring David Kaye which ends with a suprise reveal image of Megatron in what clearly is a recolour of the 2001 Transformers Robots In Disguise Megatron (Car Robots Gigatron) figure. You can watch the video below.

The Transmetal 2 coloured Megatron based on the RiD Megatron figure is a concept that was designed by 3H and never used. You can view a drawing of those designs below.

Ticket information for Roll Out Roll Call 2016 has now been announced with bookings opening shortly.

Join Transformers, G.I. Joe and Action Force fans from around the world 8th to the 10th of July at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel, London Heathrow.

There are a total of five ticket options available. Pick from one of three Limited Edition Ticket options that will rewards you with special access to special items, Standard Weekend Ticket or Sunday Ticket (please note Sunday is the only single day entry option).

What's more, children under the age of 12 enter FREE when accompanied by a paying Adult, Senior or Teen Ticket holder.

Ticket options:

Limited Edition Energon Ticket £75
1 X General Weekend Entry, 1 X Transformers Item + option to purchase 1 of each other Transformers Items*

Limited Edition International Hero Ticket £75
1 X General Weekend Entry, 1 X G.I. Joe Item + option to purchase 1 of each other G.I. Joe Items*

Limited Edition Crossover Ticket £105
1 X General Weekend Entry, 1 X Transformers Item, 1 X G.I. Joe Item + option to purchase 1 of each other Transformers & G.I. Joe Items*

*Option to purchase Items Friday 8th/ Saturday 9th only. Any unsold Items by Sunday 10th will be available for purchase to general public.

General Weekend Entry
Adult (18-59) £45
Senior (60+) £25
Teen (13-17) £30
Child (0-12) FREE
Upgrade Adult General Weekend Ticket to either Energon or International Hero Ticket £30

Sunday Entry
Adult (18-59) £25
Senior (60+) £20
Teen (13-17) £20
Child (0-12) FREE

In addition enjoy the show even more by benefiting from Roll Out Roll Call discounted room rates and stay at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel over the duration of the show.

Early ticket booking and room reservation booking is highly recommended to avoid disappointment. Booking will be available shortly.

Registration for Botcon 2016 has now opened with reports coming in that the new registration system has removed most of the troubles that have plagued the official convention for the last few years and comes after increased concern at some of the more recent emails being sent out be the club. At the same time Fub Publications have announced, via Twitter, that there will be at least 9 toys for this years event which use the Combiner Wars figures. The breakdown includes 7 deluxe (the four confirmed limbs plus the probably the Terrorsaur with two others still be be announced), 1 Voyager (Seaclamp, the body) and an unknown Legends Class figure.  Fun Pub have also announced that the Golden Ticket holders will receive another exclusive figure.

Molds utilizing Combiner Wars Deluxe class figures - 7, Voyager class -1, Legends Class -1

— BotCon 2016 (@BotCon) January 20, 2016

Away from Botcon, tickets continue to be on sale for TFNation in August here within the UK with tickets for Roll Out Roll Call, also here in the UK in July, expected to go on sale in the next month

Botcon have released the box art for this years box set with the exclusive combiner team Predacus. The artwork shown below also reveals another character from this years event

If you look closely at the top left you will see a red jet with a orange nosecone and teeth like markings. This appears to be a previous unannounced Combiner Wars Terrorsaur figure!!  Also at the bottom left is an overturned vehicle, its hard to tell who this is but it with Terrorsaur being the first non-boxset toy you have to ask yourself "where are the Maximals?"

TFNation issued the following release on Saturday evening announcing that tickets will go on sale to the UKs newest dedicated Transformers show at noon this Friday!

TFNation shall be launching a brand new website which runs over HTTPS with an extended validation certificate meaning that not only is all traffic on the website encrypted but that the company behind it, TFNation Ltd, has also been checked to ensure security and safety.  The new website, which is set to be revealed at the same time that tickets go on sale, fully supports mobile and tablet devices and has was designed by half of the Transformers At The Moon team.

Here is a copy of the full press release

Transmission_Initiated
TransmissionID: 000013
TFNation_2016
Operation: Ticket Sales

The convention rumours continue it seems as a report over on The Allspark points that the rumour that Fub Pub will be loosing its Transformers Convention license just doens't seem to want to go away.  We find that unlikely considering howPete Sinclair mentioned that the Botcon 2018 theme was coming along well whilst at RORC 2016.

The Allspark reports though that the Official Collectors Club, the TFCC, will be ending in December next year regardless of when you renew your membership with the same happening for the G.I.Joe Club.  The membership normally runs for 12 month but as the US fansite points out BOTH the Transformers and G.I.Joe collectors club stores report that "all memberships will terminate with the December 2016 issue of the club magazines".

What does this mean? Who knows. There is no specific mention of Botcon, JoeCon or the figure subscription services so it may just be the end of the printed magazine no doubt time will tell and rumours will continue to fly around.

You can view their post here as well the TFCC listing here.