Hasbro

After Hasbro’s announcement last week that they had bought back many of the Sunbow produced episodes from TV Loonland, TVShowsonDVD have sort clarification from Hasbro on what they have bought for $7million.

In a statement, Hasbro now have the worldwide rights to everything and have only just started planning what to do with them, but a 2009 release is most likely.

Hasbro has reacquired the worldwide distribution rights to everything, including the rights to release the shows on DVD in the U.S. and Canada. The reacquisition is a result of two transactions. The first transaction is with TV-Loonland, and the second is with Sony BMG Music Entertainment, who had held a distribution license from TV-Loonland for the North American home video/DVD rights. TV-Loonland held the rights as a result of contracts that were executed a long time ago. Rhino was a sublicense of Sony BMG.

TVshowsonDVD.com have also received word that Transformers will be coming on Blu-ray on 2nd September in North America. We hope to get more confirmation on this soon.

Figures.com have taken some photos from the New York Comic Con currently going on, and as awlays, Hasbro have a display.

There weren’t any Transformers only lines, but some of Hasbro’s new Marvel Transformers Crossovers line, which features transforming Marvel characters. Iron Man, Spider-Man, Venom and the Hulk make up the first wave and will be released in August in North America, priced $14.99.

Entertainment Earth have posted the first details on the second wave of Transformers: Animated deluxe figures. There will be 8 figures in the case assortment, but only 6 different figures,

2x Optimus Prime (Cybertron Mode)
1x Prowl
2x Bumblebee
1x Lockdown
1x Ratchet
1x Blackarachnia

There have been lots of sightings of Transformers: Animated toys in the USA and now Hasbro have confirmed that Cincinnati Ohio has been selected as the primary area for the toys first release due to BotCon 2008 later this month.

Look out for them in Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, and K-Mart stores.

UK retailer Play.com have put up preorders for the first wave of the Transformers: Animated figures. The figures are listed for release in June, July and August.

2nd June
Optimus Prime vs Megatron DVD Pack

30th July
Deluxe Class Optimus Prime Figure (Cybertronian Mode) (Wave 1)
Deluxe Class Bumblebee figure (Wave 1)
Deluxe Class Lockdown Figure (Wave 1)
Deluxe Class Prowl Figure (Wave 1)
Voyager Class Starscream (Wave 1)
Voyager Class Megatron (Cybertronian Mode) (Wave 1)
Voyager Class Bulkhead (Wave 1)

30th August
Leader Class Megatron
Leader Class Bulkhead

Coming off the news we gave you yesterday on The Entertainer listing Transformers: Animated & Transformers: Universe, we now have news on Toys R Us computers listing upcoming figures.

Forum member prime_time has had a sneak peak at the Toys R Us computers, and found some Animated and Universe stuff listed, so expect them soon, maybe late April/May. He did find an interesting listing, a Leader figure “Metropolis”, which he assures us was not spelt Metroplex. Could this be a cityformer or something else, we’ll just have to wait to see.

BotCon.com have uploaded the schedule for the 3 day 2008 convention. As usual, lots of things are happening, including, an IDW Comic Pan, Transformers: Animated Video preview and voice actor Q & A, Fan Film Festival, a Hasbro Transformers Team DVD Commentary, a TCCMagazine and Comic Q&A, Hasbro Toy Panel and and a Hasbro Designers Panel.

The full sechedule can be read here.

Forum member Entertainer has kindly posted some details on pricing for the first waves of Transformers: Animated and Transformers Universe toys at The Entertainer.

No dates have been revealed, but we’re still expecting a June/July release date for Animated toys and August/September for Universe.

Transformers: Animated Leader Bulkhead  £39.99
Transformers: Animated Leader Megatron  £39.99
Transformers: Animated Quickshift (Optimus Prime Handheld Game)  £19.99
Transformers: Animated Deluxe  £10
Transformers: Animated Voyager  £20
Transformers: Animated Battle Pack with DVD £20
Optimus Prime Roll Out Command £49.99
Transformers: Animated 12″ Figures  £19.99

Transformers Universe Deluxe  £10
Transformers Universe Ultra £25
Transformers Universe Voyager £20
Transformers Universe Heroes  £6

Some more Transformers figures have appeared on ebay, this time, 7 BotCon 2008 Exclusive figues.

For sale are Grimlock, Jazz, Goldbug, Wheeljack, Divebomb, Razorclaw and Rampage. They all appear in a plastic bags.

Thanks to forum member drlsword for the news.