Triple Takeover Toycast

As another year of collecting draws to a close, the Triple Takeover crew sit down to reflect on the Transformers toys that defined 2025 for them.
Rather than chasing completeness or release lists, this episode focuses on personal favourites — the figures that made the biggest impression in hand, sparked the strongest emotional response, or simply reminded us why we enjoy collecting in the first place. From the long-anticipated Missing Link releases to standout modern designs and ambitious large-scale projects, it’s a year that offered a surprising amount of variety.
We talk through what made figures like Sunstreaker feel genuinely special, why releases such as HasLab Omega Prime and Age of the Primes Superion stood out in a crowded landscape, and how 2025 balanced nostalgia with forward-looking ideas. Along the way, the conversation naturally widens into thoughts on collecting habits, changing priorities, and what really makes a toy memorable over time. It’s a reminder that the value of a collection is often measured in experiences rather than numbers.
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Chapters
0:00:00 Intro
0:06:09 Setting the discussion rules
0:11:05 Sponsor chat
0:13:58 Jason's first choice
0:23:20 Liam's first choice
0:38:39 Sixo's first choice
0:48:30 Jason's second choice
0:56:04 Liam's second choice
1:08:17 Sixo's second choice
1:18:45 Honourable mentions
1:32:52 Patreon Q&A
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Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...
Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.com
Join the conversation with us on Discord
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

IDW artist Nick Roche returns to Triple Takeover to talk Transformers Generations: Thrilling 30 — the 2013–2014 toy line — and the unusual creative journey that links Sandstorm and Springer.
Nick discusses supplying an original Sandstorm concept to Hasbro, how that design eventually became a finished toy, and how it was later retooled into Springer — released first, and coincidentally based on Nick’s own comic design for the character as seen in IDW’s Last Stand of the Wreckers.
Along the way, the conversation drifts (as it tends to with Nick) into nostalgia, collecting, community, and the realities of working across different parts of the Transformers brand — including his more recent design work on Transformers Earthspark. Expect equal parts toy history, behind-the-scenes insight, and good-natured chaos.
This episode began life as a commission from our patron, Josh Bell.
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Chapters
0:00:00 Intro
0:05:54 Thrilling 30 In Context
0:10:58 How the Sandstorm Concept Came to Be
0:23:35 Nick's First Impressions of the Toys
0:42:28 Translating From Sandstorm Into Springer
0:49:27 How Nick Designed Springer for IDW
1:02:04 Owning Toys of Characters You've Created
1:18:53 TFSource Sponsor Segment
1:28:35 Patreon Q&A
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Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...
Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.com
Join the conversation with us on Discord
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

The Transformers Collectors’ Club (TFCC) and Figure Subscription Service (TFSS) are front and centre this week as we delve into one of the most fascinating — and at times frustrating — eras in Transformers collecting.
We were never members ourselves (thanks, geography!), but that didn’t stop us getting FOMO from afar. Today we're diving into the toys, the distribution choices, the aftermarket drama, and the nostalgia surrounding a club that often felt just out of reach for anyone outside the US.
From brilliant figures and wild character choices to eye-rolling shipping costs and maddening accessibility issues, we explore how the TFCC shaped collector culture during a very unique period for the brand — and why it inspired equal parts love and confusion.
So sit back and join us for a fun but honest look at the highs, lows, and “you had to be there” moments of the Transformers Collectors’ Club.
This episode began life as a commission from our patron, Siege Maximo.
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Chapters
0:00:00 Intro
0:04:58 Sponsors: TFSource & Valart Studio
0:09:21 What Is the Transformers Collectors’ Club?
0:13:46 TFCC Distribution Woes
0:19:47 The Aftermarket Implication
0:28:52 Why Were the Toy Choices So Intriguing?
0:32:24 TFCC’s Influence on Modern Generations
0:41:25 Customer Service Drama?
0:49:25 Favourite TFCC Toys
0:56:42 TFCC Conclusions
1:06:31 Patreon Q&A
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Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...
Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.com
Join the conversation with us on Discord
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

Studio Series has been a cornerstone of modern Transformers collecting since its debut in 2018 — but what exactly does the line represent today?
Originally conceived as a celebration of the live-action movies, Studio Series has steadily expanded its remit. With characters from The Transformers: The Movie (1986) now sitting alongside Bayverse designs, the line’s identity has become broader — and occasionally more ambiguous — than first intended.
In this episode we take a step back to examine how Studio Series has evolved, how collectors have responded to its changing focus, and where the line might realistically head next. This discussion began life as a commission from our patron Ross — thanks for the great topic — so join us as we explore one of the most interesting sub-lines in modern Transformers collecting.
This episode began life as a commission from our patron, Ross.
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Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...
Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.com
Join the conversation with us on Discord
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

Some Transformers comic panels stick with you forever — and not always for the right reasons.
In this episode we take a look at some of the most memorable moments in Transformers comics, focusing on panels that shocked, unsettled, or simply refused to be forgotten. From unexpectedly brutal imagery to moments that still make us wince, it’s a tour through the darker and more infamous corners of the franchise’s comic history.
This topic was suggested by our patron Duggertron, and it quickly grew into a full-length discussion — so join us as we explore the panels that left a lasting impression, for better or worse.
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Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...
Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.com
Join the conversation with us on Discord
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover