The Transformers Collectors Club has posted images supplied by Hasbro to give a sneak-peek at a number of the figures in the upcoming Transformers Classics Line. These images are available exclusively to members of the club. The images include robot and alternate forms of Optimus Prime, Starscream, Hot Rod, and Astrotrain (shuttle mode, not train mode). Also included are sillouettes for a previously unannounced figure whose picture will be made available in the next issue of the Newsletter. It does not appear as though this mystery figure is actually Megatron, so it should be new. It sort of looks like a mini-van with a spoiler. So if you have a membership, go check out these pictures.

The picture used in this post is the previously seen proto of Astrotrain in shuttle mode. The pictures available through the club are fully painted.

“I bet you wish you were a member of the club now, don’t you?” – Sam

[Update – Crazy: I was looking through some prior posts and noticed we had a possible case assortment for the first wave. If this is true, then the mystery figure lends itself to be Bumblebee, as he is the only figure we have not seen yet.]

We’ve seen sketches and speculation, but a scan from a Japanese toy magazine gives us the first look of an actual Starscream prototype.
He’s uncolored, but looks every bit as detailed as Optimus Prime. A dead-on likeness for the animation and comics. One question: Where is his smirk?
Link: TFW2005
UPDATE!
Here’s a new picture from “Figure Oh!” magazine via Fan2Fan
Some translated text also gives us some new details. The figure will retail for 10290 yen (roughly $91 US) and will be 22cm tall in robot mode and 32cm long in plane mode. This make Starscream a bit shorter than Optimus Prime, but still a good deal taller than any Alternator figure. The base shown holding the plane will be included as well, and though its slated for a September release, the designs we see are not final.

Still no official word from Hasbro about a US release, but with the summer convention season and the unveling of Transformers Classics and the movie line still to come, they’ll have plenty of oppurtunities to announce it.

TFW2005 is reporting that the next Alternator to be announced will be Autobot Camshaft, a repaint of Alternator Prowl. They have a number of pictures posted on their board here. Oddly enough his license plate says, “BLU STRK”.

The big big news is that Latino Review got a hold on the script to Transformers and gave it an A+. As is standard, they only really cover the first act (to keep some surprises in), but the description of the action is enough to make me hopeful.
If you read that script review you may come across some distressing names like “energon cube” being used to reference what is obviously the Matrix, and previous posts to (producer) Don Murphy’s board suggested things like Devastator being just a tank. Michael Bay has swung in to allay those fears via his site:

Many of the names in the script are aliases. The only people that know the real names of many of these characters are the COO of Hasbro, their corporate lawyer and myself….So rest assured AKA Devastator, is really not Devastator.

The Fantastic Four sequel (why?) has also shifted release dates off the big TF opening weekend of July 4, 2007.
This upcoming July 4th, we’ll see a teaser poster AND trailer hit theaters.

The Botcon site has put up a guest list for this year’s convention. Since it’s the 10th Anniversary of Beast Wars, there will be a heavy emphasis on that series. Having said that, the guests listed thus far are Blu Mankuma (Tigatron), Richard Newman(Rhinox), Pauline Newstone (Airrazor) and Scott McNeil. Scott is the voice of Beast Wars Rattrap, Dinobot, Silverbolt, Waspinator, and Armada/Energon Jetfire among many many many others. The convention will be taking place in Lexington, KY this year: September 29th through October 1st.

From an unknown source, TFW2005 got their hands on sketches of Optimus Prime and Hot Rod from the forthcoming Transformers Classics line.

If these highly detailed drawings look insanely good to you, theres a reason. Thats Don Figueroa’s signature.

EDIT: Well it turns out that Hot Rod is just a concept, and not the classics model.  Don posted a message to TFW2005 declaring all future leaks off limits, and they’ve taken down Hot Rod in accordance with that.  I’m personally on the fence one whether to remove the image from this site as well, but adding this disclaimer that it is just a sketch…

E3 Rolls on like an unstoppable tank. Many of the big announcements are made, so today and tomorrow will focus primarily on 3rd parties showing off all the games they’ve been whipping their development teams to get demo ready for the last month and a half. So today is the chance for the press to play the games, try to get a few more questions answered, and meet Adam West.

An amazing thing has happened to Mario. While Galaxy grabbed the glory in the press conference and initial reports, fans are rallying around Super Paper Mario on GameCube. It looks to be as much a classic throwback as New SMB on the DS. One fan I heard even called it the Yoshi’s Island of the Cube: A game on a near defunct system that pushes the limits technically and creatively. Luckily, Cube games will still play on the Wii, so I have no doubt if this turns into a great game it will find its audience.

Since its quiter clear we all love Wii now, WiiGamer has nabbed some screens of the Virtual Console. You get box art and a screen that maps out your controller before getting into your classic game. If you still don’t believe, then theres lots of people who do. The line to play Wii is 3+ Hours. Thats longer than any line as Six Flags, folks.
Most impressive thing I’ve seen today is Sonic for PS3 and 360. I thought the Dreamcast version of Sonic Adventure 7 years ago looked
pretty spiffy, but its amazing what a little more horsepower can do. I’m willing to forgive the less pleasurable elements of the last few Sonic games if this one can deliver.

In somewhat disheartening news, Nintendo may be finally laying down the Game Boy. N-boss Iwata says the DS is such a success they’re in no position to develop another portable to succeed the GBA.

Peter Moore rather succinctly summed up my opinion of the PS3 price: “Tell me why you would buy a $600 PS3. People are going to buy two (machines.) They’re going to buy an Xbox and they’re going to buy a Wii… for the price of one PS3.” Kaz Hirai insists gamers are getting a deal, and that fans will stay loyal to the PlayStation. For your sake I hope that works out, Kaz. People ain’t flocking to the PSP.

Optimus Prime also showed up at E3. Why? Heh, no idea. Haven’t heard word one about Activision’s Transformer game.

Scouring the internets, I had a hard time finding anything else that was actually “news.” Its all just impressions and previews now, which is fine and good by them, but I see no reason to link 3rd party conjecture when I can’t offer my own.

TFW2005 is reporting a RUMOR, and I emphasize that this is just a rumor at the moment, that Alternators Nemesis Prime will be a San Diego Comic Con Exclusive. Nemesis Prime is a black repaint of the currently available Alternators Optimus Prime. This might not be that far of a stretch since last year Legends of Cybertron Skywarp was a Hasbro exclusive at the convention.

Remember, this is strictly speculative at the moment and has not been confirmed.