Transformers Figure Subscription Service

In 2012, Fun Publications revealed the Transformers Figure Subscription Service. With this, a greater number and variety of exclusive toys from the Timelines toyline could be made and sent out to members of the Transformers Collectors' Club.

Subscription details

The Subscription Service was an optional add-on to Fan Club membership. Each year's lineup consisted of six exclusive Transformers. As they were not part of a themed box set like BotCon toys, they could pull from a variety of universes and styles. Toys were shipped out one per month for six months, though the order the toys were shipped in was kept a secret.

Payment for each year could be made in one lump sum, or split into three smaller payments on a regular schedule. Obviously, missing a payment deadline meant no more toys get shipped to the delinquent until things are caught up.

Any toys left over from each shipment were subsequently put up on the Fan Club's store (except for the 2014 "bonus" figure) for individual purchase by anyone with a Fan Club membership, though at a slightly higher price tag than the per-unit cost of the full subscription.

Toys

Series 1.0 (2013)

The initial year had some hiccups in its delivery. Meant to start shipping in early 2013, the toys did not actually get shipped from the factory until summer, under the mistaken notion that they were part of the BotCon 2013 toy assortment. Thus, they ended up shipping in the latter half of the year.

1: Scourge 2: Slipstream

3: Circuit 4: Breakdown

5: Jackpot 6: Ultra Mammoth

Prime Slipstream

Series 2.0 (2014)

For 2014, the Service changed things up quite a bit. First, by offering a seventh "bonus" figure for subscribers that was not made available for individual purchase. And then by adding Mini-Con partners to three of the toys by making use of the Arms Micron molds which had previously not been available in the US. Another manufacturer's delay occurred, causing the initial shipment to be scheduled to arrive in Dallas in the final week of May 2014 and start shipping to customers in the first week of June 2014.

1: Barricade (w/ Frenzy) 2: Fisitron 3: Thrustinator

4: Treadshot (w/ Catgut) 5: Chromedome (w/ Stylor)

6: Rewind 7: Eject

Rewind

Series 3.0 (2015)

Not much new going on here. More Arms Microns, more obscure characters.

1: Carzap (w/ G.B. Blackrock) 2: Nacelle 3: Serpent O.R.

4: Tarantulas (w/ 2 Spider Drones) 5: G2 Starscream

6: Krok (w/ Gatoraider) 7: Nightracer (with Shakar)

Serpent O.R.

Series 4.0 (2016)

In a change from the previous lineups, the fourth edition of the service features a unifying theme based on Combiner Wars, with individual figures derived from the Mayhem Attack Squad, a then-underrepresented-in-toy-form Wrecker, and a long-beloved misconception. Five of the figures combine into Thunder Mayhem.

1: Needlenose (w/ Sunbeam and Zputty) 2: Grabuge

3: Spinister (w/ Shrute and Singe) 4: Windsweeper

5: Bludgeon 6: Impactor 7: Bluestreak

The Mayhem Attack Squad.

Series 5.0 (2017)

Yup. The fifth series features two Pretenders!

Meanwhile, Toxitron, Counterpunch, and Fractyl can combine into Wreckage, with the two missing spots being filled by either last series' Impactor and Bluestreak, or Combiner Wars Alpha Bravo and Offroad.

2016 was the last year Fun Publications had the license to run the Fan Club from Hasbro. Because of this, the TFSS 5.0 was moved forward, with intent to be released in the second half of 2016. However, manufacturer delays pushed the final figures to a late February/early March 2017 release. Additionally, due to the delay, the figures were shipped in "combination" boxes, with the first four originally-separate figures now coming in packs of two, and the final shipment with the final three figures (a Voyager and two Deluxes). Which led to some pretty dang big boxes, given the first four also all had "partner" toys included.

Set 1 1: Fractyl (w/ Scorponok) 2: Lifeline (w/ Quickslinger)

Set 2 3: Double Pretender Optimus Prime (w/ Hi-Q) 4: Double Pretender Megatron (w/ Spacewarp)

Set 3 5: Toxitron 6: Counterpunch 7: Shattered Glass Starscream

Double Pretender Megatron

Notes

• The Transformers Subscription Service was preceded a year earlier by a similar service for the G.I. Joe Fan Club, also run by Fun Publications. That Service though had 12 toys a year, due to the much lower cost per figure to manufacture.

External links

• Figure Subscription Service 2.0 FAQ