Canadian Slag Episode 73 - Slagged All Over Botcon

[GMfan]

Another year...another Botcon. Our two Botcon "veterans" returned to the land of California for this years convention bringing their wiry friend for his first American Transformers convention. This episode is PACKED over looking what the convention offered this year, the dealer room, Hasbro and TFCC reveals, and of course...what you all really want to hear, the recollection of crazy stories from your favourite (and often inebriated) podcast hosts. Sit back and enjoy a lengthy episode with special guest Andy/Cooksux.

Canadian Slag Episode 73 - Slagged All Over Botcon (http://www.cybertron.ca/podcast/Canadian%20Slag%2073%20-%20Slagged%20All%20Over%20Botcon.mp3)
Host: Chris w/ Ian, Daniel, Wendel, and Andy
-Botcon 2013 discussion

DOWNLOAD NOW! (http://www.cybertron.ca/podcast/Canadian%20Slag%2073%20-%20Slagged%20All%20Over%20Botcon.mp3)


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[Robimus]

This should work good. I have to clean tonight so I can put you shmucks on in the background :p

[Stapler]

Listening to it now. My take on the club Rampage and Transmutate story is that it will just be a fun little story that can be ignored easily. And I really doubt it would be in the same universe as Beast Wars. These takes on the figures are probably alternate universe versions and don't affect the classic fiction at all. I don't see the need to get worried or frustrated over it.

Good to have you guys back. :)

[Bruticus82]

Man, this is fun to listen to, but wow....I'm 2 hours in and the end isn't even in sight!

I can't listen to this all in one sitting!

[Shockwave 75]

Listening to it now. My take on the club Rampage and Transmutate story is that it will just be a fun little story that can be ignored easily. And I really doubt it would be in the same universe as Beast Wars. These takes on the figures are probably alternate universe versions and don't affect the classic fiction at all. I don't see the need to get worried or frustrated over it.

Good to have you guys back. :)
That's generally my view of the Botcon fiction as a whole. Some is good, some sucks, but it's all just really expensive fanfic to me!

[GMfan]

That's generally my view of the Botcon fiction as a whole. Some is good, some sucks, but it's all just really expensive fanfic to me!

Yup...over glorified fanfic that certain sites take as official fiction which drives me up the wall.

[Metroplex79]

Downloading now....

[CobraCommander]

Man, this is fun to listen to, but wow....I'm 2 hours in and the end isn't even in sight!

I can't listen to this all in one sitting!

Tell me about... I fell asleep at some point, now I know how Wendel feels :p

I'll give it another listening too when I'm in better spirit.

[Stapler]

Botcon and the club should really call their universe JFX4, Just For Fun For Fans. :P

[chovner]

:| ... you guys sound very unhappy overall lol...I'm gonna go back and count the amount of "meh" and "retards" I heard lol

[Corvicron]

I think you guys where tough on botcon, and I apprecate that its comming from guys that decided to make their own convention. Too many people bitch but don't do anything about it. If TFcon wants to be the heavyweight you're certainly rising to the task.
I think most people are being too hard on the excustives for this years Botcon, it was a theme exciuted well. They have had issues with poor heads in the past but this year no custom head was anything but great.

And please don't scream like that on the podcast again it came out of nowhere and bothered me so much I had to post it here.

[Robimus]

I think you guys where tough on botcon, and I apprecate that its comming from guys that decided to make their own convention. .

Doing something about it would require simply not going, not making ones own convention :p

Anyway, keep in mind that the Slag crew are vetran convention attendees who have attended likely hundreds of these types of things - When one gets out and attends dozens(or hundreds) of these things they get to see what everyone is doing and it gets easier to see the faults.

I liked the sound of the small lineups, for both Exclusives & Autographes. But only 22 total Vendors sounds pretty lacking, as did the G1 availablity. And it wouldn't be lacking at another smaller convention - but this is Botcon - this is suppost to be the grand daddy of them all for Transformers fans - and it sounds like I can see just as many Transformers Vendors at C4 in Winnipeg(if not more), so something is definitly off about that.

[Corvicron]

Doing something about it would require simply not going, not making ones own convention :p

I meant that they have better ground to stand on then people who just bitch and don't run a convention and just attend cons. But since you said that I'm starting my own convention....

[Limitbreaker]

Downloaded the episode and listened to it during the work commute today. Good long episode! Listening to the Botcon experience you guys had makes me that much more to looking forward to coming to TFCon this year.

Will the character spotlight segment come back in future episodes? It's always fun to listening to them.

Keep up up the good work and see you guys at the con!

[GMfan]

Tell me about... I fell asleep at some point, now I know how Wendel feels :p

This is why I recommend people take this in hour long increments :P

:| ... you guys sound very unhappy overall lol...I'm gonna go back and count the amount of "meh" and "retards" I heard lol

I had a blast on my vacation...it just wasn't because of the convention.

Will the character spotlight segment come back in future episodes? It's always fun to listening to them.

It's something we'll do from time to time, not every episode, and usually if time permits but lately we had been getting a bunch of listener questions and never really had time to squeeze it in. We TRY to make episodes round 2 hours. Seems to keep attention best and have the best balance between quantity and quality.

Keep up up the good work and see you guys at the con!

Totally! If anyone wants to say hi, you'll know where to find us that last weekend of July ;)

[Undrave]

So what would YOU guys do for a Botcon set theme?

[Bruticus82]

IAN, I agree completely on the free wifi at cheap hotels!

The more expensive the hotel, the more they nickel and dime you for "extras" like wifi, breakfast, etc. etc. It bothers the hell out of me.

I don't mind paying for the wifi, but when the hotel is $300, throw in free wifi and charge me $325 instead - don't charge me $300 for the room and 12.50 a day for wifi...

[Protoman]

So what would YOU guys do for a Botcon set theme?

Honestly.

Animated.

You want an excuse to get that Blackout mold out there? That Hydrodive Bumblebee? That Jetwing Prime?

Heck you don't want to keep it as those dudes?

I got a story for you FubPub.

So take Jetwing Prime, make him Ultra Magnus and tell the tale of how he rose to Magnus and got the Magnus Hammer (Which also comes with the Jetwing mold). Have it as a story in the vein of King Arthur and his search for Excalibur. Then use those other unused molds mentioned to make the fans happy and then be creative with other Animated molds that never got a 2nd repaint (Not to mention we see how much a new head works WONDERS).

Look at Oilslick. TOTALLY missed a chance for a Cykill homage or Sideways, or dare I say, just something new character wise.

Botcon 2011 was such a winner on so many fronts, the Boxset was just the beginning and the old saying goes "Any great journey always starts with that first solid step"

[Undrave]

Nice! It sucks there isn't more animated toy tough... I hope Hasbro brings out a new one for the Thrilling 30.

Cykill Oilslick is pretty cool an idea, so is Sideways, so maybe even use both. And I bet you could do a convincing Flareup with the Prowl mold, it's just feminine enough to pull it off.

Who would you make Hydrodive Bee into?



Me I'd do a Dawn of Future's Past style story but for the Beast Wars II and Neo guys. Can you imagine the Prime Breakdown mold as Big Convoy? I sure can. That Beast Hunter Starscream as Hydra, that Beast Hunter Bulkhead as Big Horn and Rumble as either Stampy and/or Dead End.

[Malwave]

you guys mentioned those old exclusive offerings like Tigatron or Windrazor...I'm curious (and feel free to use this as a listener question I guess?);

what would you want to see made for those exclusive offerings if they brought that concept back?


also for God's sake have Cooksux back as a special guest again. I haven't laughed that hard listening to Slag since the TFcon retrospective of last year :p

[Metroplex79]

This podcast was a marathon. *whew*

Regarding BotCon 2013's dealer tables:

Exhibitor booths are $425. Fee includes two 8’ tables, one 6’ table and 2 Dealer badges. Booth size is approximately 11’ wide by 8’ deep.
Single tables are available for $275 and include one badge.

It was a pretty thorough run through of BotCon.

I really enjoyed the outro.
:rofl:

[GMfan]

So what would YOU guys do for a Botcon set theme?

Daniel picked the other one I wanted so if I HAD to do A theme...I think I'd rather do a mix of Classics with some old recognized characters and throw in some original characters that would be introduced and seen in the ongoing fiction.

And that would be a theme I would continue with every year. To keep growing that G1 universe since that's always the most successful.

you guys mentioned those old exclusive offerings like Tigatron or Windrazor...I'm curious (and feel free to use this as a listener question I guess?);

what would you want to see made for those exclusive offerings if they brought that concept back?


I liked expanding the ongoing original continuity...maybe something like that, using existing characters and adding new ones with modern molds, like back in the day.

This podcast was a marathon. *whew*

Regarding BotCon 2013's dealer tables:

Exhibitor booths are $425. Fee includes two 8’ tables, one 6’ table and 2 Dealer badges. Booth size is approximately 11’ wide by 8’ deep.

Single tables are available for $275 and include one badge.

It was a pretty thorough run through of BotCon.

I really enjoyed the outro.
:rofl:


Ouch...that's mucho $$$

[FEZaid]

Even though it was a near 4 hour podcast, toke me 2 days to listen, I enjoyed it, somehow ended up being not enough for me.

From what I understand, you have attending Botcon for many years and experience some good/bad. If it ends up at California again, I might go to be honest just to so what an 'official' convention for Transformers looks like.

Not to start anything, but you know that guy...."that guy" people hate. why doesn't anybody tell him to shove his ego up his arse?

[zuffyprime]

Honestly.

Animated.

You want an excuse to get that Blackout mold out there? That Hydrodive Bumblebee? That Jetwing Prime?

Heck you don't want to keep it as those dudes?

I got a story for you FubPub.

So take Jetwing Prime, make him Ultra Magnus and tell the tale of how he rose to Magnus and got the Magnus Hammer (Which also comes with the Jetwing mold). Have it as a story in the vein of King Arthur and his search for Excalibur. Then use those other unused molds mentioned to make the fans happy and then be creative with other Animated molds that never got a 2nd repaint (Not to mention we see how much a new head works WONDERS).

Look at Oilslick. TOTALLY missed a chance for a Cykill homage or Sideways, or dare I say, just something new character wise.

Botcon 2011 was such a winner on so many fronts, the Boxset was just the beginning and the old saying goes "Any great journey always starts with that first solid step"

I'm with daniel on this one :)
Animated was great, forget Cykill, we need a MURDERBIKE !!

[Robimus]

Exhibitor booths are $425. Fee includes two 8’ tables, one 6’ table and 2 Dealer badges. Booth size is approximately 11’ wide by 8’ deep.
Single tables are available for $275 and include one badge.



This is pretty standard 'big' convention pricing. Central Canada Comic Con is $315 including GST for a single table, Calgary Expo(when I last checked for 2012) was $275 plus tax for a single table.

The booth price is actually not that bad all things considered. As a vendor I'd jump at those prices if the show came to my town.

[Cheers Ian]

I think you guys where tough on botcon, and I apprecate that its comming from guys that decided to make their own convention. Too many people bitch but don't do anything about it. If TFcon wants to be the heavyweight you're certainly rising to the task.
I think most people are being too hard on the excustives for this years Botcon, it was a theme exciuted well. They have had issues with poor heads in the past but this year no custom head was anything but great.

And please don't scream like that on the podcast again it came out of nowhere and bothered me so much I had to post it here.

Honestly, I wasn't trying to be tough on Botcon, but I've been to DOZENS of conventions, and Botcon being the big daddy of them all, I was a little disappointed in the overall convention. And that opinion has NOTHING to do with my personal affiliation with TFcon. Don't get me wrong, I had a FANTASTIC time, but that was mostly due to being in California and spending time with 4 of my good friends that I don't get to see that often.

It's hard to give this year's Botcon a good grade, when 2 years ago you had both Steven Speilberg and Michael Bay show up - even if it was only for a short part at least you got to sit in an Audience with those two present. Plus the addition of many G1 voice actors and almost the entire Prime cast, that's a pretty big deal.

This year, we had Glenn Moreshower and the guy that played Tommy Kennedy. Who in my opinion, almost seem like joke guests "Hey, check it out - We got that guy from all 3 Transformers movies, Look the kid who talked to that big Powermaster Prime in little seen segments of G1"

And really, I saw very very small children at this convention - Most of the attendees were grown adult collectors, I'm not sure who the entire cast of "Rescue Bots" was supposed to appeal to.

And while the dealer room was large, the selection of dealers was just O.K. like we said, there were very few unique dealers - Say if the primary reason I was traveling was to purchase Transformers, I would have very disappointed, it's a long and fairly expensive trip to come, I would have done just as well with a closer convention like TFcon or Steel City Con.

Also, I thought the exclusives this year were pretty weak. If like me, you aren't a fan of Machine Wars or G2 there wasn't really much for you, and these aren't cheap figures either most Botcon figures will run you about $40-50 each on average.

Plus keep in mind, how much are you spending to go to something like this for a Canadian

Flight - approx $600
Hotel - approx $200-300 (if you are splitting a room with people, could be more if you stayed on your own, like 400-500)
Food - approx $150-200 for the weekend (more if you like to drink)
Admission - $375 if you get a Primus package
Exclusives - Easily another $200-400 depending on what you want to get

Plus other expenses like Transportation and if you want WiFi or do any of the Botcon Tours or what do see the city...

So already we're looking at $1500-2000 and we haven't even included dealer room spending money or other spending money if you go out in the city.

For that kind of investment, I'd really want my socks to be knocked off, and this year - they weren't.

Doing something about it would require simply not going, not making ones own convention :p

Anyway, keep in mind that the Slag crew are vetran convention attendees who have attended likely hundreds of these types of things - When one gets out and attends dozens(or hundreds) of these things they get to see what everyone is doing and it gets easier to see the faults.

I liked the sound of the small lineups, for both Exclusives & Autographes. But only 22 total Vendors sounds pretty lacking, as did the G1 availablity. And it wouldn't be lacking at another smaller convention - but this is Botcon - this is suppost to be the grand daddy of them all for Transformers fans - and it sounds like I can see just as many Transformers Vendors at C4 in Winnipeg(if not more), so something is definitly off about that.

Well said Rob. You summed up how I felt very well.

IAN, I agree completely on the free wifi at cheap hotels!

The more expensive the hotel, the more they nickel and dime you for "extras" like wifi, breakfast, etc. etc. It bothers the hell out of me.

I don't mind paying for the wifi, but when the hotel is $300, throw in free wifi and charge me $325 instead - don't charge me $300 for the room and 12.50 a day for wifi...

Honestly, one of my biggest Pet Peeves. When I travel I rarely spend much time in the hotel. It pisses me off to no end when I stay at a nice hotel and they want $8-$12 for WiFi - yet when I'm staying at a small hotel/motel like Motel 6 or Microtel, that provide everything I really need (Clean Rooms, Bed, Bathroom) they provide FREE WiFi and usually a free continental breakfast. For most of the time half or less of what I would pay for a higher end Hotel chain.

And don't even get me started on Hotels that charge for parking:argh:


So what would YOU guys do for a Botcon set theme?

Honestly, anything in the "Classicsverse", a TRUE G2 set (None of this late G1, Euro stuff, Unreleased G2), or a Diaclone based set.

[GMfan]

YES!! Proper G2 or a Diaclone set from me too...

A G2 Silverbolt using the universe 2.0 mold would sooo get money thrown at it like a cheap whore

[Corvicron]

Honestly, I wasn't trying to be tough on Botcon, but I've been to DOZENS of conventions, and Botcon being the big daddy of them all, I was a little disappointed in the overall convention. And that opinion has NOTHING to do with my personal affiliation with TFcon. Don't get me wrong, I had a FANTASTIC time, but that was mostly due to being in California and spending time with 4 of my good friends that I don't get to see that often.

It's hard to give this year's Botcon a good grade, when 2 years ago you had both Steven Speilberg and Michael Bay show up - even if it was only for a short part at least you got to sit in an Audience with those two present. Plus the addition of many G1 voice actors and almost the entire Prime cast, that's a pretty big deal.

This year, we had Glenn Moreshower and the guy that played Tommy Kennedy. Who in my opinion, almost seem like joke guests "Hey, check it out - We got that guy from all 3 Transformers movies, Look the kid who talked to that big Powermaster Prime in little seen segments of G1"

And really, I saw very very small children at this convention - Most of the attendees were grown adult collectors, I'm not sure who the entire cast of "Rescue Bots" was supposed to appeal to.

And while the dealer room was large, the selection of dealers was just O.K. like we said, there were very few unique dealers - Say if the primary reason I was traveling was to purchase Transformers, I would have very disappointed, it's a long and fairly expensive trip to come, I would have done just as well with a closer convention like TFcon or Steel City Con.

Also, I thought the exclusives this year were pretty weak. If like me, you aren't a fan of Machine Wars or G2 there wasn't really much for you, and these aren't cheap figures either most Botcon figures will run you about $40-50 each on average.

Plus keep in mind, how much are you spending to go to something like this for a Canadian

Flight - approx $600
Hotel - approx $200-300 (if you are splitting a room with people, could be more if you stayed on your own, like 400-500)
Food - approx $150-200 for the weekend (more if you like to drink)
Admission - $375 if you get a Primus package
Exclusives - Easily another $200-400 depending on what you want to get

Plus other expenses like Transportation and if you want WiFi or do any of the Botcon Tours or what do see the city...

So already we're looking at $1500-2000 and we haven't even included dealer room spending money or other spending money if you go out in the city.

For that kind of investment, I'd really want my socks to be knocked off, and this year - they weren't.

I don't think you where overly hard, just rightfully critical. Botcon can do better, and has. I am very happy the only year I've gone to Botcon was the 2011 year and it was awesome. (except the lines)
It is my baseline and it sounds like this was a slide to previous years.

[Protoman]

How about just a theme that actually sticks to being THE THEME. Seems why the 2011 set gets love is cause they stuck to something, while 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 were all over the place with an "umbrella title"

[Jawz. D]

Anyway, keep in mind that the Slag crew are vetran convention attendees who have attended likely hundreds of these types of things - When one gets out and attends dozens(or hundreds) of these things they get to see what everyone is doing and it gets easier to see the faults.

"Wisemen learn more from fools than the wise." - Fortune Cookie :)

[Metroplex79]

"Wisemen learn more from fools than the wise." - Fortune Cookie :)
So you're the guy taking my cookies off my desk!!!
:argh:

[Big Filipino]

In case anyone is in the same situation like I'm in where my car's CD player can't play mp3s and I don't have an audio jack to play the podcast via a portable device, I've used the following free program to split up and convert the mp3 into smaller WMA files to then burn onto CDs.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

(reading what I just typed this makes the process seem so antiquated :D)

[Shockwave 75]

Haven't quite finished listening to the whole podcast, but there is something I have to clear up: Maurice LaMarche WAS NOT Destro in the 80's series, Arthur Burghardt was.

RAH: Arthur Burghardt
DiC: Maurice LaMarche
ST & V vs V: Scott McNeil
Sigma 6: Marc Thompson
Resolute: Eric Bauza
Renegades: Clancy Brown

Just had to get that off my chest.

[Cheers Ian]

Regardless of who produced it, Maurice did voice Destro in the "G1" GI Joe continuity at one point.

[Shockwave 75]

I suppose. If you consider the DiC series part of G.I.Joe's "G1". Personally I consider it their G2, what with all the neon and all.

Listening as I write this and it brings up something I've been wondering for a while; which is how long before G1 prices start to come down? There are some figures who will always command a higher price for various reasons, but others are just ridiculous.
One fig I'm looking for is Gnaw, but on eBay he's going for almost and over $100! For Gnaw!!

[Protoman]

I suppose. If you consider the DiC series part of G.I.Joe's "G1". Personally I consider it their G2, what with all the neon and all.

Listening as I write this and it brings up something I've been wondering for a while; which is how long before G1 prices start to come down? There are some figures who will always command a higher price for various reasons, but others are just ridiculous.
One fig I'm looking for is Gnaw, but on eBay he's going for almost and over $100! For Gnaw!!

How the market functions right now is if there is not a Classics version of the character (as in official not 3rd party), then the G1 version still commands a high value. Like the second we get legit Headmasters, those prices will drop.

Reissues and modern takes always put a sword in the back of the vintage market, but even now, it's not doing well so "What goes up, must come down.............. but it will come down HARD"