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The voice of Transformers Animated Optimus Prime, David Kaye, won't be making a return in the newest Transformers cartoon - Prime. In a recent interview with the folks over at The Intergalactic Highway, Kaye reveals just that.
Q: Has there ever been a role you didn’t get that you were really disappointed about?
A: Ya funny enough. ANYTHING in the new Transformer series. But hey I’ve had a great long run and it’s a new deal for the creators of the new show and it’s a clean slate but I have to admit I was sad to see it go. That’s show business folks There’ve been a couple of animated features too, also Star Wars and even the new Transformer films
Feel free to check out the rest of the Transformers related interview here.
Keep it at Seibertron.com - The Ultimate Transformers Resource!
If you're a frequent visitor to Seibertron.com (as we hope you all are), you'll already know that we offer the most comprehensive coverage on the various Transformers conventions, both domsetically and abroad. While BotCon is easily the largest Transformers convention in the United States and TFCon can say the same for Canada, they are hardly the only TF conventions out there. "Across the pond" in the UK there is one annual Transformers event that has grown to the point that it has broken records and become Europe's largest Transformers convention, having pulled in just over 500 attendees last year. Recently, we caught up with Simon Plumbe, organizer of that convention which he has named Auto Assembly.
Delicon: On behalf of myself and the rest of the staff here at Seibertron.com, I'd like to say how privileged we are to have a special guest today in Simon Plumbe. Simon is the founder and the organizer of Auto Assembly, Europe's largest Transformers convention. Simon, we humbly thank you for your time today.
Simon Plumbe: It's my pleasure - thanks for being interested in us and for all your support over the last few years!
Delicon: There are obviously millions of Transformers fans all over the globe, but only a select few have been involved in putting together a Tf-themed event on the scale of Auto Assembly. What inspired you to take on such a venture and did you have any idea years ago how big it would eventually become?
Simon Plumbe: Well, I've been active in science fiction fandom for 21 years now and obviously involved with Auto Assembly for the last 10 years, and Auto Assembly's origin started then. Back in 1989 I founded Infinite Frontiers, Auto Assembly's "parent" organisation which is a non-profit making sci-fi group. Originally, it started as a Doctor Who fan club, but quickly evolved into a sci-fi organisation. A Star Trek fanzine soon followed, then a Star Trek convention in 1996, followed by a Star Trek club with regular monthly meetings. It was from these meetings that former team member Sven Harvey suggested doing a one-off Transformers meeting similar to our Star Trek ones. The event was planned, publicised on a limited basis and had a fairly decent turnout of 30 people - Auto Assembly was born! Another followed about 6 months later with 61 people, a bit more elaborate and ambitious and it seemed as if we were obviously onto something.
Delicon: Was there a particular year when you got a first real glimpse of just how big Auto Assembly could actually be?
Simon Plumbe: Things really took shape in 2003 when the UK's other Transformers convention Transforce took a gap year. We expanded quite a lot, hired a large hall, invited a couple of guests and had over 230 people attend from all over the UK. Auto Assembly had arrived!! Things just grew from there really. Since then there have been some behind the scenes changes and for reasons I won't go into here, I took sole charge of the convention for Auto Assembly 2009 and I'm now driving it with a new vision and it's grown into the sort of scale that I envisioned a few years ago making it into the sort of sci-fi conventions I used to attend and I think the attendees have responded really well to it. I brought in a new committee late in the day last year and they really rallied around me and helped save the convention and they have done a fantastic job. I've pulled talent in from a lot of the major UK forums and websites and fan groups and I think it really has added a lot to the convention and we've got a great team to really take the convention forward for the next 10 years and beyond!
Delicon: Last year it was well publicized that AA broke the magical 500 attendee mark. How many attendees have registered so far this year and is there any kind of limit as to how many guests you could possibly accommodate?
Simon Plumbe: This year it has been incredible! At this point last year we had about 120 pre-registrants but so far we are already up to just under 200! Going by that number, we are well on track to not only beat 500 but shatter that total. In fact, I think we're on course to have this year being the first total sell out so we will have to turn people away so I'd seriously suggest that people don't leave it too late to book their tickets! We have set an attendance cut off point of 550 people per day for the convention to keep things comfortable and within the hotel safety limits. As we are using four function rooms in the hotel we don't think any part of the convention will get too crowded at any time and we think that 550 will keep things nice and friendly and informal for everyone, including the guests. As I said, that figure is each day though, so the total figure could be a lot higher taking into consideration that some people may only be there for a single day.
Delicon: That brings me to my next question. Although there was some speculation otherwise, is it safe to say from your last statement that you will again be offering single day passes for the convention?
Simon Plumbe: We have had people asking us for a while whether or not we are going to be offering one day tickets again for Auto Assembly 2010. Well I can now exclusively reveal that not only are we doing this, but they will be going on sale in the next couple of days! We are doing things slightly differently to last year though. Last time we set an allocation for one-day passes then released them slowly over several months. This time we are limiting it to just 75 one day tickets for Saturday and the same for Sunday and that is it. All the remaining tickets are weekend passes only so once those 75 have sold out on your chosen, the only way you will be able to attend is to book for the other day, or the full weekend. Price wise, we are freezing the ticket price from 2009 and one day tickets will be £25 for adults, £18 for children, students and senior citizens, and free for under 5s.
Delicon: Can you let our readers know the time and place for Auto Assembly 2010, as well as the rest of the pricing structure?
Simon Plumbe: It's taking place over the weekend of Friday 13th(!)-Sunday 15th August 2010 in the Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre hotel, Birmingham, England. To avoid confusion, there are two Holiday Inn hotels in the centre of Birmingham but the one we are using is specifically called the Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre. We've got varying ticket prices dependent on age and discounts for families.Adult (16+) full weekend tickets are £45, Children, students and senior citizens are £35 for the weekend, and under 5s are free. We also do a family pass which is £145 which covers two adults and two children All of those are rates are for the full weekend. The Friday starts from about 6:00 pm until about 10:00 pm (really just as "starter" for the weekend) and the main convention is from around 9:30-5:30 on Saturday and 9:30-6:00 on Sunday. There is also a special evening programme on the Saturday from 7:30 until around 1:00 am that is exclusive for weekend attendees only (as is the Friday evening programme)
Delicon: What can you tell us about the Friday and Saturday evening programs that might make a prospective attendee consider registering for the entire weekend?
Simon Plumbe: Friday is very much a pre-convention social gathering - the dealers will be setting up and we'll still be doing some of the pre-convention setting up, but we're opening up the Main Hall and bar to attendees. We'll have some videos running, possibly a quiz or two, most of our guests will be around and we will no doubt have another one of our live fan dubs on the big video screen but really it's a pretty informal fun night. Last year we finished the night off with a group trip to the cinema to see Revenge Of The Fallen and we are still talking to the same cinema about trying to do something again this year.
Delicon: Wow, those are just the Friday activities?
Simon Plumbe: Yeah, that's just Friday night! Saturday night is another exclusive night for weekend attendees and this is probably the highlight of the weekend for me personally, because Saturday is party night! The main convention will end at about 5:30 pm and will re-open at 7:30 pm and the night is going to be running on until around 1:00 am. We're going to have two concerts by rock band Next Of Kin (one will be a set featuring covers of songs from the 1986 animated Transformers movie and the set later in the night will be a general mix of stuff into the early hours), we'll have a cosplay fashion show/competition, our script reading featuring Garry Chalk, our second voice actor and several fans performing a brand new script written by Simon Furman (see our Youtube channel for all three parts of last year's script) and maybe a few more surprises that we're working on...all this and a bar that will be open all night long! Most importantly though, ALL of this - the Friday night, the Saturday night mparty, the workshops, autograph sessions... EVERYTHING is included in the ticket price! Apart from your travel, hotel bill, food and whatever you spend in the dealers room, you won't have to pay for anything that takes part at Auto Assembly 2010. Well, obviously, apart from the raffle and auction!
Delicon: That sounds awesome! I imagine that beyond the parties, many many other things will be going on as well. Is it possible to explain in words to someone what Auto Assembly is all about and do it justice if they have never been to one?
Simon Plumbe: I'll try. We hope that from the minute people arrive at the convention, until the time they leave they'll find plenty to do and have a weekend that they will never forget! I don't think there's any one thing that I could single out about the convention, but over the years it's definitely changed, even more so in the last 18 months with our change of committee since I took sole charge of the
convention backed up by a new team... the main thing I would say is that it is a weekend long social event, a chance to spend a few days mixing with fellow Transformers fans One way I like to think of it is that you could go to the convention alone and go home with several hundred new friends! Last year, almost everyone said that they felt that meeting friends, and the social aspect of the convention was the hightlight for them so in a way, you could look upon the convention as a three day party! Obviously, there's a lot more to Auto Assembly than just a place for people to meet though. There will be dealers from all over the UK and further afield with toys for sale ranging from G1 to RotF and beyond, video screenings, rare toy and art displays, quizzes, competitions, workshops, games, a costume competition, a live band, guest talks including 8 comic guests, and 2 voice actors, a live script performance with our voice actors on stage...and that's not even half of it!!
Delicon: You didn't mention it just now but I've heard that AA has also become a haven for video gaming. Do tell!
Simon Plumbe: Most years we've tried to have a video games area at the convention and several times we've worked closed with games publishers to have their support - thanks to Atari one year we had Playstation 2 in-store units sent along to showcase their game, along with demo discs to give away to all our attendees and one fan went home with a PS2. This year we wanted to do something a little different. It's been 25 years since the first Transformers game was released on any format and we wanted to showcase the best (and worst) of these and give people a chance to play as many of these as possible and expand our games area as we could so we're getting as many old computers and games consoles as we can and the games to go with them, and setting up a dedicated Games Zone. We're going to have everything from the Commodore 64 right up to the Playstation 3 and everything in between and while a lot of games will be familiar to those attending, we're sure most people will see games they have never played before and we're pretty excited about it.
Delicon: Something very enticing to fans at a large convention such as this is always the guest roster. You mentioned 8 comic guests as well as 2 voice actor guests. Now in past years, I know Auto Assembly has featured such "names" as Dan Gilvezan (he even mentioned Auto Assembly on the Shout! Factory Transformers cartoon DVD set), Ian James Corlett, Gregg Berger and Simon Furman. What special guests have been announced so far for Auto Assembly 2010?
Simon Plumbe: Well, we had more guests than ever last year but being honest we felt that we probably had too many and not only was the guest area too crowded but it didn't give the guests enough time on stage either, so we thought that this year we're focusing on fewer guests but choosing guests we know people want to see either returning or to see for the first time. So bearing that in mind, comic wise we have the return of Auto Assembly regulars Simon Williams, Liam Shalloo, Kat Nicholson, Jason Cardy and Kris Carter. Returning after a one year break is the legendary Simon Furman and making a welcome return after his Auto Assembly debut in 2006 is Guido Guidi. With our guests of honour, we have our first two confirmed - Garry Chalk who needs no introductions, and Transformers Animated lead character designer Derrick J Wyatt, who is being brought to the convention thanks to sponsorship from the guys over at http://www.transformertoys.co.uk and http://www.transformersanimated.com We are still in talks with our final guest of honour (who is our second voice actor for the convention) but we DO have another guest to announce right now and right here!!!
Delicon: By all means, don't you let me hold you up! I'm sure our loyal Seibertron.com viewers are eager to know!
Simon Plumbe: Well, he was such a hit last year that we couldn't resist inviting him back. We are proud to announce that once again we are going to be joined by IDW Publishing's artist/writer Nick Roche!
Delicon: That sounds like a pretty star-packed lineup to me. I understand that many of your guests will have items such as prints, original comic art, commissions, pre-signed comic issues and more for sale. Is it also true that they will sign all of these items for free?
Simon Plumbe: We always insist that our guests don't charge for autographs. If they bring things along with them to sell then that's fine with us, but if fans bring their own things then we don't allow guests to charge for these things to be signed. Artists will be selling prints and charging for sketches, and all our attendees will have postcards in their goodie bags with characters that the actors will have played so they have something that they can get signed, but
if they want to buy a photo from the actors then they can. Obviously, we want people to be sensible and not abuse it though. If people take a pile of comics to Simon Furman and ask him to sign all of them, then they have to expect him to say no at some point as it's not fair to expect our guests to sign hundreds of items for every attendee! However, our autograph and guest system is handled VERY informally so all attendees have the chance for autographs all weekend and our guests have plenty of time for themselves too!
Delicon: That's a really nice thing that you are able to do. Speaking of "doing nice things," I've heard that Auto Assembly has in the past used a portion of the proceeds to raise money for charity. Can you elaborate on that and will that continue this year?
Simon Plumbe: Yeah, that's something that we've always tried to do. We're a non-profit making event (ever since I set up Auto Assembly's "parent" organisation, Infinite Frontiers, back in 1989 it's been non-profit making) but for conventions at least, we've had some form of charity fund-raising element added to it. We tend to have a charity auction and raffle as part of the programme and - if we are in the position to afterwards - put some of the excess funds from the convention to charity as well. This year's auction is already looking quite impressive with a lot of signed photos of various voice actors from G1 onwards, original comic artwork, signed comics, and lots more besides! Last year Gregg Berger got involved in the auction and became a guest auctioneer for part of it, which really helped raise more money but really made it an entertaining part of the weekend as well and we hope to get one of our guests to do the same again this year.
Delicon: Earlier on, you mentioned that Auto Assembly now has its own Youtube channel. What sort of content is provided there and roughly how often is it updated?
Simon Plumbe: We're trying to use the channel in two ways - first as a news/information channel to give people as many updates on the convention as possible and all the breaking news and developments and go into the sort of detail that we couldn't go into anywhere else. Secondly, we have a massive archive of material that we have recorded since the first event back in 2000 and we wanted to share it with everyone so we're slowly going to be editing it and releasing it on there. Originally, we were looking into releasing a DVD from Auto Assembly 2009 and we had about 14 hours worth of footage to use, but as this plan has been shelved, a lot of this will be uploaded to Youtube in time but we decided to start with the interviews with Gregg Berger, Ian Corlett and Andrew Wildman along with the script reading. In terms of updates, we'll aim to upload at least one video a week, possibly more including our news bulletins.
Delicon: A lot of colletcors attending conventions are more and more interested in collecting exclusive items that are either only given away or put up for sale there. However, I understand it's a pretty difficult process to get exclusives produced. Where does AA stand when it comes to offering exclusives and where do you WANT to stand?
Simon Plumbe: We have been trying to arrange for an exclusive toy for a LONG time but it's difficult. Not being an official convention takes away a lot of power from us to be able to do something like that, and even if we were, the cost would be astronomical and we would need a business partner to take on the cost risk. We have been approached several times now by companies who manufacture the
unlicensed accessories such as Powered Commander, but that's not a route I want to go down - either we get something official, or not at all. That's why I was so excited last year when we had the convention exclusive cover variant of All Hail Megatron #13 and I'd like to do something similar again this year.
Delicon: Well, while it may not be a special edition figure, Auto Assembly does still give out something called "goodie bags." Can you explain the kinds of items that are included in those?
Simon Plumbe: The goodie bags are something we have been doing since 2003 and it's just something we wanted to do as a "thank you" to all our attendees for coming along to the convention. We know that for some people, the cost of attending the convention can be quite high so even if someone doesn't have enough money to buy a lot, we wanted EVERYONE to be able to go home with something so the goodie bag was born. We don't know exactly what will be in this years yet apart from 2-3 postcards, a keyring, comics, stickers, pin badges, but what you get will vary depending on when you register - the earlier you book, the more you get! We're also going to have some more exclusive postcards in our goodie bag - we're looking at either two or three new postcards and a keyring in the bag for everyone, and we may have more keyring designs on sale. As always, I am constantly going to be talking to companies to get more items donated right up until the last possible minute to give everyone the best bag of gifts we can!
Delicon: What can you tell us about the workshops that will be held this year?
Simon Plumbe: Last year we ran a number of workshops over the course of the weekend and we know they were all a hit with the attendees and we are hoping to run all of these again. We have already confirmed that we will be runing a comic colouring workshop with IDW colourists Liam Shalloo and Kris Carter, we are hoping to have another children's art workshop as part of our dedicated children's programme of activities and if we can persuade him again(!), we would hope that Nick Roche will do another art workshop. As well as that, we are hoping to run another kitbash workshop over the weekend so there will be plenty of hands-on activities for people to get involved in. If anyone else wants to run workshops, activities or events of their own over the weekend, we do have our Alternative Programme Room that is bookable by attendees so it's completely open-ended. Right up until the convention itself, we have no idea what extra programme items could be taking place!!
Delicon: In the past, UK transformers fansite Transformers @ The Moon has been on hand to show off some ultra rare figures, notably their massive Lucky Draw display last year. Will TFTM be participating in a similar fashion this year?
Simon Plumbe: Well, Steve and Dave Mapes from Transformers @ The Moon are now official sponsors of the convention - they're bringing Derrick Wyatt over - but they are also members of my new committee and they are in charge of the toy display! They do have an idea for something special this year. It won't be lucky draws this time as they wouldn't be able to top last year when they showcased their entire collection, but they have got some pretty good ideas lined up, some of which are still in the works.
Delicon: We're just about out of time today. Simon, is there anything you'd like to say in closing, either to returning AA attendees or those who are reading this and possibly still on the fence?
Simon Plumbe: I just want to thank everyone who has registered so far for AutoAssmbly 2010 and to thank everyone for their support last year in helping make Auto Assembly 2009 the biggest Transformers convention in Europe and smashing the 500 barrier that we've wanted to break for so long, especially after the problems I had in the run-up to the convention making sure it actually still went ahead. If you are planning on coming this year, all I will say is hurry and book up while we do still have places available as you won't regret it, especially as we make more announcements over the coming weeks and if you're not sure about coming just check out the videos on Youtube -
ours and ones other people have recorded - and see what you missed last time and maybe that will change your mind!
Delicon: Can you give everyone one last quick reminder of the time and place of Auto Assembly 2010?
Simon Plumbe: Yeah, it's 13th - 15th August 2010 at the Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham, England. Auto Assembly will start at around 6:00 pm on Friday for weekend attendees only and at around 9:30 am on Saturday / Sunday for single day attendees.
Delicon: Thanks so much, Simon! For more information on Auto Assemby 2010 and further updates as they become available, please visit http://www.autoassembly.org.uk. You can also find AA2010 on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/auto_assembly) and Youtube
(https://www.youtube.com/autoassembly) Of course, Seibertron.com will continue to have extensive AA2010 updates, also. Simon is also a registered member of our Energon Pub forums so he is accessible there
as well.
Earlier this month, we brought you the news that Transformers 3 was supposedly going to be bringing back core mythology to the movie franchise.
What that exactly meant for the upcoming film was and still is the subject of some debate, but TF3 star Josh Duhamel was interviewed by MTV News yesterday and offered his take on the script. We'd like to thank brand new Energon Pub member jynxer for finding this information for us.
"I read it yesterday," he said of the script. "I think that after reading it, I was really pleasantly surprised and happy. They did a great job."
While Duhamel was understandably tight-lipped about plot details, he did reveal that the script includes new robots and story elements from foundational "Transformers" story lines. "Some really cool stuff happens," he said. "They put a lot of time and thought into this. What I think is really cool is they went back into the history of 'Transformers.' They didn't really make anything up. They're using stuff that actually existed in the story from before."
Duhamel's comments confirm what Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner told MTV News earlier this year. "You're going to see that great core mythology brought to the fore, and Michael [Bay] is hard at work at making this a reality and we're very excited about it," he said.
Does that mean we might catch a glimpse of the Dinobots, those classic robots who morph into dinosaurs? Duhamel paused when asked that question before admitting, "I can't tell you."
He could tell us that after reading the script, he's got his fingers crossed for some more screen time in this third installment of the franchise. "It all depends on what happens in the editing room," he said. "I hope so. I think I've got to butter up Michael Bay a little bit more."
If you're here visiting Seibertron.com, chances are you're a Transformers fan. Transformers fans come in all shapes and sizes and express their fandom in all sorts of unique ways. Of course, an increasingly popular form of celebrating "TF love" has been attending Transformers conventions. That's something that isn't easy for everyone to do, especially if a TF convention hasn't taken place around where you live. However, for Transfans in the Northwest US, there is a surprisingly affordable convention that has been running for several years now. We caught up with the organizer of that convention, Greg Gaub and asked him some questions about his annual event.
Delicon: Hello, loyal Seibertronians. It is my honor today to be able to speak with Greg Gaub, the organizer of the annual Transformers convention known as CybCon. Greg, thanks so much for your time.
Greg Gaub: Not a problem. Happy to contribute.
Delicon: I guess it's probably best to start from the start. For those who are unfamiliar, what exactly is "CybCon" and how did it come to be?
Greg Gaub: CybCon, short for The Cybertronian Conference, is a gathering of fans of The Transformers of all kinds. It started as a mailing list, in about 1997, which was intended for local fans, but has fans from all over the world on it. A couple years after the mailing list, which was very strong at the time, I decided that I was tired of missing BotCons due to the expense of going, and so invited locals to my house for a get together on BotCon weekend. We did the BBQ and toy run thing for a couple years, which was fun, but then we decided to make it more convenient for more people by having it in a meeting room and making it more of an open invitation. It kept growing from there.
Delicon: Wow, talk about an "underground movement." So, how many years was this at your own house before you took it to a larger stage?
Greg Gaub: 3 years in total. The first two were great, but for whatever reason, the third year was a flop. Only Richard Mistron showed up that time, who had become a partner of sorts with his contact with Zobovor who made us some cool toys. Because of the poor showing that year, we decided to make it a real event for people to look forward to, rather than a "BBQ at Greg's house."
Delicon: That makes sense. So, what steps did you take to make it more of a real convention and not just a small informal gathering?
Greg Gaub: It wasn't hard. I located a rentable room in the city, Auburn, and then rented it for a good date and spread the word. I live in Auburn, WA, which is where it all started. We moved to Tacoma when we outgrew the places in Auburn.
Delicon: I noticed that you have been in Tacoma for a few years now, will that be your permanent home from here on out?
Greg Gaub: Since we moved to a large ballroom in Tacoma, we haven't exceeded its capacity. We've been there since 2006, and I don't expect, or want to grow out of it.
Delicon: Approximately how many people attended CybCon when you first started and approximately how many people do you average now?
Greg Gaub: Well, the BBQ at Greg's House version topped out at like...8 people I think. Maybe 7, I forget. We average between 60-80 people these days. I don't think we've broken 100 people at the convention, but last year I had just over 100 registered people. Some didn't show for whatever reason.
Delicon: What you mentioned earlier regarding your reasons forstarting CybCon was very interesting. A big criticism that many people have about the larger conventions is the pricing. Even when an event such as BotCon comes within reasonable distance of a Transformer
fan's hometown, many people feel that they really have to drop a lot of money to be able to fully participate in the event. CybCon, on the other hand seems incredibly affordable. Can you explain how you manage to make that happen?
Greg Gaub: CybCon is priced specifically to cover my costs. The primary cost is that of the hall for the event. Then pizza and other food items we include. My intention is only to break even on the costs and for everyone to have a good time.
Delicon: I was amazed to see that for as little $5 someone could attend CybCon and not only have their lunch covered but also be entered in a raffle. That's pretty unheard of, honestly.
Greg Gaub: The dealers help a lot. I also do an auction sometimes to help cover costs, but lately we've have enough attendance that it hasn't been necessary.
Delicon: Okay, so walk us through what a Transformers fan can expect to encounter when he/she attends CybCon. Other than the dealer tables and having the company of other fans, what events are going on?
Greg Gaub: It's actually a pretty crazy day of fun. From the time people enter and start perusing the dealer tables, I'm running raffles every hour on the half hour, sometimes more. I, or a helper, am also running various activities for people to enjoy, from toy transforming "races" to trivia contests and video game battles. There's also usually a display table of some kind showing cool artwork or rare and interesting toys. Sometimes people come, buy, and leave, but usually they stick around and enjoy the day. Lunch is often an interruption to get through. [laughs]
Delicon: What is the farthest someone has traveled to come to CybCon? I know this started as a "local event" but as you have said, it has grown quite a bit over the years. Do you find that you're starting to get people coming in from all over?
Greg Gaub: The farthest was CrazySteve, hands down. He did our exclusive toys for a couple years, and finally was in the country during the time of the 'con, so he came. I believe he took a bus from somewhere in the middle of the country. Many states farther than anyone else had come. We get regulars from Oregon, Canada, and Eastern Washington, though.
Delicon: You've mentioned the magic word for a lot of fans and that's "exclusives." Do you currently offer any exclusive toys?
Greg Gaub: The toys are interesting. They are often a last minute thing. For all but one year so far, we've had something made by someone in enough numbers to call it an exclusive toy. One year we only had one figure, which went at auction. Usually the toy sales pay for the toys themselves. At this point, we do not have an exclusive
for 2010. But that doesn't mean we won't. Anyone out there who wants to have their name on a convention exclusive toy, feel free to contact me. You won't be making a profit, unfortunately but your efforts will be much appreciated.
Delicon: Okay, so now that our viewers have a good concept of what CybCon is all about, what would they need to do if they wish to come, as either just a normal entrant or a dealer?
Greg Gaub: Easy as 1 2 3. Fill out the registration form, send in their money, and come. They can do #2 last, but they have to do #1 or they can't come.
Delicon: Fair enough. As we stated in an earlier story, you were gracious enough to offer a special discount to the viewers of Seibertron.com. Can you explain what it is and what they need to do to get it?
Greg Gaub: I've extended the Early-Bird pricing just for your readers until the end of March. They need to put the code "SEIBCON10" in the comments of the registration form and I will send them instructions on how to pay the appropriate price.
Delicon: To clarify, the early bird pricing is just $5 for regular registrants and only $25 for dealers? Also, they are not to pay until after they register if they are taking advantage of this deal?
Greg Gaub: That is correct. After Martch 31st, the price will go up for them to the current normal pre-pay prices of $10 and $30 for attendees and dealers, respectively.
Delicon: I have to say, that's still quite a bargain. Well Greg, I think you've covered the bases pretty well here. Is there anything else that you'd like to add before we go?
Greg Gaub: Only a reminder that CybCon is all about the fans and having fun and that I hope everyone in the area who has held off coming for some reason finally makes it a point to come. They won't be disappointed.
Delicon: Care to refresh everyone of the time and place for CybCon 10 one last time?
Greg Gaub: Sure! CybCon 2010 will take place on August 21st, from 10am to 5pm, at the King Oscar Hotel and Convention Center Tacoma, at 8820 and 8726 South Hosmer. The convention center is in the back.
Once again, on behalf of myself and the rest of the staff of Seibertron.com, I'd like to thank Greg for his time spent with us today. If anyone reading this interview has questions of their own regarding CybCon 2010, feel free to post them in our Energon Pub forums. Greg would be more than happy to answer them for you.
If you're like every average Transformers fan these days, you can't wait for the newest Transformers video game, War For Cybertron. Right now Spike TV's Game Trailers Television seems to have the scoop on the game, as they were the one's that offered the first 'Gameplay' trailer. The follow up is an interview by Geoff Keighley with the High Moon Studio's Game Director - Matt Tieger. There's some interesting information in the interview, so check it out for yourself embed below or through the link here.
Keep it at Seibertron.com for the fastest Transformers news on the net!
Thanks to a sit down with the good people at Comics Continuum, we have an interview with IDW's Head Guy - Andy Schmidt. He talks about Bumblebee #4, the short mini-series that focuses on everyone's favourite yellow character. Check out the interview below!
Keep it at Seibertron.com for the fastest Transformers news for the net!
Would you play a multiplayer video game in which you only controlled one limb of a character, while your friends controlled the others?
Looks like we won't be seeing any 'combiners' in the upcoming Transformers video game, War For Cybertron. As reported by the Godzilla of video game websites 'Kotaku', we won't be playing with the likes of Devastator, Superion and so forth. Check out a snippet of the article below...
Matt Tieger, lead designer of the War for Cybertron games, said that this is an idea his team has thought of, but it doesn't seem like it would ever work. Consider the gamer who would play as the Mixmaster of Scrapper, the Constructicons who formed Devastator's legs. Said Tieger: "They guy who is the kneecap, what does he do?"
Recently we were fortunate enough to catch up with the Transformers Collector's Club's Pete Sinclair, aka Pete@BotCon, and asked him a few questions about working with the Club and learing how Club exclusives are created. He was kind enough to field all our questions and is too nice of a guy to take a bribe. Check it out below:
First Gen: Pete, thank you so much for talking with us today. Well, first thing I'd like to get into: You're considered one of the "BotCon Elite" having been to every event. How has BotCon evolved over the years and what's your favorite part of it?
Pete Sinclair: Yes, and actually, there are 8 of us who have been to every show. There are things that have changed through the years and a few things that have stayed the same. I think what has been a constant, all the way through Fun Publications taking over in 2005, is that sense of community. Even with the show now attracting several thousand walk-ins, there is still that small group feel. Having the dinner and other "collector" events clearly facilitates that. Now, that said, what has clearly been part of the evolution is what I just mentioned. The thousands of walk-ins. BotCon is clearly a mainstream show now and that to me is the most exciting part!
FG: Yeah, last year was huge. Of course it didn't hurt having all those pretty girls doing promo flyers just outside the Convention Center. So, seeing as you've been part of BotCon for so long, exactly how long have you been involved with Transformers? Or to rephrase, how long have you been with the Transformers Club?
PS: When Fun Publications took over the Convention and Club license in early 2005 I, along with Jon and Karl Hartman, Ben Yee and Rik Alvarez, was asked by Hasbro to help Brian and his team get up to speed on TF's. What started out as a basic consulting gig led to me doing part time contractual work for them and then to a full time position. I currently am involved with the marketing (which I have a degree in), PR, sales and editorial side of the business. This extends to both brands we handle for Hasbro, Transformers and G.I. Joe. I went full time back in April of '08.
FG: Wow, now that’s pretty sweet. Its refreshing to see that Hasbro asked fans to help out and turned around and wanted you full time. So, seeing as Hasbro went to the "pros" for help, can you tell us exactly why the Transformers Collectors Club was formed?
PS: Many reasons I would think. To give collector's a chance to own product made just for them. Also, it’s a way for Hasbro to connect directly with the fandom and collector community. A lot of that is done through the Collectors' Club Magazine. It is really enhances the collecting experience, an additional outlet if you will...
FG: The magazine is a nice treat to get bi-monthly. With regards to the magazine and the Club overall, can you tell us how many people are part of the staff that works on the Transformers Collectors Club? And if any, what sort of volunteer/employment opportunities does the Club/FunPub/Master Collector offer for TF fans looking to contribute or become more involved in the evolution of the franchise?
PS: Outside of actual Fun Pub employees, I have about 6 people who do regular "staff" work for the club. In addition to that we obviously contract out art as well. Dan Khanna is drawing this year’s Club Comic and Casey Coller will be doing all of the Club profiles. Many of the people who do work for us are fans who were just looking to get in on something official. We are always open to people contributing, whether it be art or other ideas. Actually, many of the artists for TFs over the years were fans who got a break, either from Dreamwave, IDW or us. Evan Gauntt is our resident artist and has done quite a bit of work for us.
FG: I noticed in the last Club magazine that the art contest was back in effect. Looks like I gotta break out the crayons. Moving on, how exactly is the BotCon staff formed? And following that, what is the most difficult thing for organizing BotCon every year?
PS: That is all handled by Brian. I just show up and do what is on my schedule lol. But seriously, it is always a daunting task, that is for sure. I know he spends hundreds of hours working on the details. There are always problems that arise during a show of this magnitude, but never letting the public see the problems is a sign of a highly professional team. And that, I hope, reflects in the show we put on year in and year out!
FG: Well taking it to the other side of the spectrum, what's your greatest experience or experiences from BotCon?
PS: At this point, just seeing people excited about the exclusives. And personally, since I am the editor for our fiction, seeing people sitting down and reading the comic. That is actually even more thrilling to me...
FG: Hey since you brought it up, lets talk BotCon Exclusives, the pride of every collector’s collection. BotCon sets (attendee figures included) have gotten larger (in terms of the number of toys included) each year since Fun Publications took over the convention license. Do the larger sets make the conventions more viable or is there a chance we will see sets with fewer toys but of a larger size class?
PS: I think collector's can expect to see the same formula for the immediate future. Though the last couple years we have tried to offer a couple larger scale toys while we have all but eliminated the scout class. That is not to say that we won't maybe change things up down the road.
FG: So, with in regards to the BotCon sets and Club figures, can you elaborate on the Transformers Club's relationship with Hasbro and Takara, especially regarding the process of getting relatively small production runs of toys made for Club exclusives? Also, do you feel that instances of Japanese exclusive figures which tread the same ground as BotCon toys present competition and if so, is it a situation that can be avoided via communication?
PS: I wouldn't say competition. We do work with Hasbro to make sure we offer items that they do not have planned and will not be producing down the road while also making sure that they are characters and molds that our target audience will be eager to get. I think this year's Club exclusives and Convention exclusives will be just that.
FG: I know the Club exclusives are. This year's Punch/ Counterpunch and Shattered Glass Cyclonus are dreams come true for a lot of fans, and who would have thought the free Club membership figure Elite Guard Dion from Universe 2.0 Hot Shot would look so good? Oh yeah, that’s right, you guys did. On the subject of Counterpunch/Punch, it has been stated to have a new head mold. Will there be a functional hand remold as well since they would need to be reversed for the transformation?
PS: To keep the item in budget we had to forgo a hand remold. Fans, I am hoping, will be ok with that as we decided to put our budget towards an amazing head sculpt and not hands.
FG: That makes perfect sense. So, what are this year's BotCon Exclusives gonna be?
PS: I was trying to think of a witty response, but then even if I say something totally ludicrous there will be that one guy mad at us for NOT making that set...
FG: Ha, the funny part is your 100% right on that one. Why can't there be a "Battle for the Sewers" set? But hey, I had to try. Since we're talking about the set, when picking the molds for the boxed sets and attendee figures for BotCon, how is it determined which molds to use? Does Hasbro have a say and is there any specific formula they try and stick by (scout, deluxe and ultra ratio?
PS: It's a back and forth. We initially find out what basic lines are available to us, whether it be Classics, Universe, AEC and so on and then go from there. If Hasbro has certain molds in production then we may be unable to use that mold. I think people will be pretty excited when they see the molds in this year’s set. And the characters are going to be an awesome surprise as well...
FG: Ah Pete you're such a tease. On a personal level, do you have a favorite Transformers character?
PS: Sideswipe... He was my first one as a kid. The Grandfather and I were at a Gold Circle and I asked him to buy it for me. He said if he got me that one I would want them all. I assured him that this would be the only one I ever wanted...
FG: So are you a "geewunner" or did you fall in love with another era of Transformers goodness? Oh, and you can't answer with BotCon exclusive. *wink*.
PS: What is a geewunner? I ask that rhetorically only because I grew up on G1, loved the cartoon and the comic even more. Saw the ‘86 film in the theater. But then when Beast Wars hit I remember being just as excited, even more in ways, because the storytelling was just so good. I remember calling Karl after the Agenda Part 3 and telling him he was not going to believe what I just saw. So, no, not a geewunner. I think so many parts of the franchise have been great.
FG: So, if one were to try and bribe you for info on the upcoming set, where would we send that bribe, hypothetically speaking of course?
PS: It'll be worth the wait. Actually, we are working on the script as we speak. I'll be putting some news out about that soon as well.
FG: Ah, yes. Strike two, I won't go for a third. Well, Pete, I think I took enough of your time, jeez and hour and a half! Anything you'd like to say to Seibertron.com?
PS: Well, shameless plug... This year’s Club comic takes place in the Wings of Honor Universe. Part 1 of the story, which debuted last issue, was a prologue of sorts. Part 2 of the Coming Storm will begin the focus on the Elite Guard. Since we only have 6 pages per issue, we try and get as much story in to each page, and let me tell you, all kinds of surprises in these next 6 pages! I even have a bit of a preview for you of one of the Elite Guard members who will be serving alongside Dion so enjoy!
Here's a nice exclusive sneek peek at one of the upcoming members of the Elite Guard, courtesy of The Transformers Collector's Club: Elite Guard Overrun!
(Sorry Seibertronians, no plans for a toy of Overrun at the time of posting.)
FG: On behalf of Seibertron.com, I'd like to thank you for being so gracious with your time and answering a few questions for us. You rock my friend.
Seibertron.com would like to thank Pete Sinclair, Brian Savage and The Transformers Collectors’ Club for making this interview possible.
Are you a member of the Transformers Collectors’ Club? Have you renewed your membership? Now's the time to get it in gear as all Club members who are active as of March 16, 2010 will be receiving the newest free membership figure, Elite Guard Dion with Micromaster Cop-tur. And if this interview wasn't enough for you, check out our official Transformers Collectors’ Club Q&A Thread and ask the folks at the TFCC your own questions and check out BotCon.com for all the latest information on the upcoming event being held in Orlando, Florida at the Dolphin and Swan Resorts located in DisneyWorld!
Keep your optics locked right here at Seibertron.com, your Ultimate Transformers Resource!
An MTV Movies exclusive interview with Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner sheds some light on the possible background of Transfomers 3.
"You’re going to see that great core mythology brought to the fore, and Michael is hard at work at making this a reality and we’re very excited about it,"
"What we’re really doing is getting back to some of the core character development and storytelling. And I think there’s some elements of the core story that the filmmakers, Michael in particular wanted to tell,"
There are more goodies over at MTV Movies Blog, as you can check out the entire interview there.
Keep it tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest Transformers news on the net!
Andy Schmidt, the brain behind it all over at IDW Publishing, has been interviewed by the good people at Comics Continuum. This time around, Andy talks about the newest Spotlight issue that focuses on a character who needs a little extra character development - Prowl. It looks like the fans had a big part on this Spotlight's existence and release date. You can check out why embed below, or via Comics Continuum here.
Keep it at Seibertron.com - The Ultimate Transformers Resource!
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SOUNDWAVE Transfor ...
TARN + NICKEL Tran ...
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MEGATRON + KREMZEE ...
WRECK-GAR Transfor ...
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OPTIMUS PRIMAL Tra ...
REFORMATTING MEGAT ...
STARSCREAM Transfo ...
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