Botcon 07!
 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1108946...7600698924945/

Yeah, I'm disappointed with the photo set too. I wanted to post everything I've got, but apparently FlickR gives you limited space. I could've post a few more pics if I'd bothered with shrinking them down, and worrying about that sort of thing.

However, I've got way too many pics to do that with, and I don't have (or at least I don't think I have) a program that will allow me to do that in bulk. Plus, Flick-R only lets me upload 5 pictures at a time.

I mean, I'd have liked to give you everything, including random shots of ppl's hands, but I can only work with what I got.

(However, if anyone knows where I can upload my entire set easy, please make a suggestion...)

Despite have a tricky back (it just went out & was suggesting it wanted to do so again), I had loads of fun. I'm still kicking myself for missing out on the dealer room on Friday, but bad signs & misinformation confused me.

See, the dealer room was placed right behind where we registered the prior day, so I didn't think anything else was up there. It didn't help that the Hasbro Toy Store & the place where they kept Optimus & the Sector 7 truck opened up at the same time. Plus, when I asked the door attendants they were completely clueless & convinced me that no such event was taking place.

As for what I bought, I had pre-ordered the Seeker set, because I wanted the experience, and to get into the Awards dinner. However, now that I've got them, I'm not sure if I want to keep them. I also picked up an Alpha Trion/Weirdwolf. Best exclusive figures they had. I'm keeping A3, but I'm going to certainly sell WW.

I got the novel, the prequel comic, a few music CDS, WST Grimlock, a Botcon backpack & free lithograph (which got slightly bent in my suitcase).

I didn't attend many panels or anything. Most didn't interest me, and the ones that did interest me, I couldn't stay for. The MSTF one, went too late & the humor was starting to fail for me. The Hasbro panel, well I had to head home partway into it...

Here's what I was able to stay for...
Upcoming 2008 TF movie toys: SUV, Dune Buggy & Osprey. All based on vehicles from the movie.

As for Animated, I was only able to stick around for the animation models, not the toys themselves. (Except for a parting shot of Optimus) I will tell you that the animation models don't look nearly as bad as the preview pictures suggest. They're all warped & funny because they're jumping out at us. (Although the green one still looks funky).

I'll only cite Autobots I don't think I've seen in the preview pictures:

Ratchet, vehicle mode looks similar to the movie model, but smoother. Robot form is a mix of classic G1 & whatnot. In red/what colorscheme.

Prowl, blue/grey motorcycle.

Grimlock, looks a bit better than Classics Grim, and moving a bit closer to his G1 appearance. While not shown, it was mentioned that there would be 2 other Dinobots in addition to him.

Also, Optimus & possibly others will get two toys. One being a Cybertronian mode, the other being their Earth modes.

Megatron: Looks very G1. They also mentioned by the end of the series he'd change, so I can only assume that means he'll get a non Cybertron mode by the end.

Starscream = Cyclonus. At least jet mode is a spot on copy. The head, not so much....

Blitzwing! Nifty tank/jet TF. I think he was in mostly done in Grey w/ bits of purple. It was also suggested that he'd have a split personality.

Legnut? I couldn't read the name, but that's what I was told he was called. A purple carrier jet.

Black Arachnia finished off the Decepticon cast.

For now, that's all I've got to share... But here's some linkage to other coverage:

http://www.allspark.com/content/view/1518/20/
http://www.allspark.com/content/view/1526/20/
http://www.allspark.com/content/view/1531/20/
http://www.allspark.com/content/view/1537/20/
http://www.allspark.com/content/view/1543/20/
http://www.allspark.com/content/view/1544/20/

SWB

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1108946...7600698924945/

This makes me happy to no end.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1108946...7600698924945/

I want to make out with my girlfriend in this car.

Did you get any shots of the Transformers:Animated toys? I really want to see Grimlock, 'cause I think I'm gonna love his toy.

I believe I read somewhere else they didn't allow photos of those.

Yeah, the Animated stuff was a no picture event. Plus, as I stated, I only got to see the animation model, not how it translated into toy form.

For all I know, it could be Energon Grimlock all over again.

You might want to check one of those All Spark posts, they'd be all the more informative. Heck, I didn't know about Classics 2.0 until I got to read them.

Plus, I hope you know that Ratchet/Megatron mesh was a fan-made display item (much like Mirage Vs. the Ghost of Starscream). So there isn't going to be a toy like that. Sorry.

SWB

Oh I knew Mega-chet wasn't going to be released. It just made me endlessly happy.

Well looking around, I found out some new to me info...

http://forevergeek.com/news/transfor...otcon_info.php
http://www.unicron.com/news_item/1000/

Ultra Magnus, Arcee, Jazz, & Blurr will also be appearing in the series. (Info that apparently came from the panel w/ David Kaye.) The Unicron.com link has linkage to YouTube video, which I'll have to check out.

Also, apparently there will a Dumptruck character voiced by Weird Al.

Here's linkage to some Podcasts... http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/d...38F5F0B87FAFF8

SWB

Word on the streets is the dump truck is Wreck-Gar. Could be speculation, but it would be very fitting.

And there's another Transformers thread populated exclusively by SWB and Mirai with me occasionally guest-starring. :D

This is a pretty fine run down of everything I heard at the Hasbro panel, plus some stuff I didn't get to hear. And apparently a Titanium WW Grimlock & WW Prowl have been made, but they're having difficulty getting buyers.

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=139268

Well I do the comic, SWB went to the con and helps me out with said comic, and well, "Meister".

Oh, so, they started to figure out that a show and toys about Transformers based off of Pokemon doesn't sell too well?

Not soon enough.

On a serious note, I'm hearing alot of stuff about "Let's Make The Show Good Before We Start Shoving Gimmicks Down People's Throat," which worked out really well for Beast Wars so I'm rather happy.

Also: Titanium W.W. Grimlock? SOLD!

Hey, it just goes to show, having no life, a ton of free time on your hands, and a reasonable amount of cash to squander isn't totally worthless. I just wish my body didn't crap out on me just before the con. I'd have brought back better coverage, but my body crapping out is part & parcel with me.

One little caveat there (thank you Weird Al for new words!), I saw on another site, with coverage of the same panel, that the prospect of a Tit WW Grimlock is iffy. They've made the mold, and I think they've produced a final version. But I'm not sure about the numbers. If WW Grimlock does get made, I'd buy him on-line the first chance you get. It did sound like he wouldn't get produced in the same numbers as other TFs.

That isn't entirely true. The toys will be gimmick-free, the characters will not. From the sounds of it, they have plans to bring back the special powers (Hounds holograms, Mirage's invisibility, Bumblebee's ability to get in trouble, Tracks being super annoying), but from the sounds of it, said gimmick won't make it into the toys.

So you'll have to find your own Plexiglas box again.

Here's a thread on Allspark that's devoted to pictures of the Con, might be worth a looksee.

SWB
PS - Somebody should tell Brian that its Ironhide, not Ironside.