Some clever searching on Target.com has turned up a surprise: the first images of yet another Target-exclusive Scout-class repaint. Allspark Power Storm Surge is a Sector 7-branded repaint of Cybertron Shortround, in red, white, blue, black and grey. TFW2005 board member Thoughtcrime found the photos of the toy under a Star Wars listing on the site, which means unfortunately we don't have any clues on a release date or what else might be in the case assortment.

The images are available under this General Grievous listing on Target.com. Discuss in Triblurr's thread. 

An eBay seller has put up an auction for a testshot of Transformers: The Movie EVAC. The auction contains several nice images of the Blackout repaint/remold that shows off the his detailing. It also gives us a look at his gun's life boat mode, and a glance of how it looks stowed away!

You can see the auction here. 

According to Lost Skywarp, the fifth wave of Real Gear Robots has been released, although you may want to treat this as as a rumor until we get some kind of confirmation (like a receipt scan).  This fifth wave of Transformers: The Movie Real Gear Robots features Highline 1070 (Cell Phone redeco), Hacker X-3 (Video Game redeco), and Foton T-34 (Digital Camera redeco).

See his post in our sightings thread here. 

Comics Infinity has the first two volumes of the Transformers: Animated TPB for preorder.  The books are essentially episodes of the upcoming television show presented in book form (using screen captures and text).  While one of the promotional images is simply the same image of Optimus Prime we have already seen, the Megatron featured looks very much like G1 Megatron and sports an arm cannon.

See the preorder pages for Volume I and Volume II, or discuss in TriBlurr's thread. 

IDW Publishing has updated it's new releases page with a preview for its Transformers Spotlight: Ramjet comic due out this Wednesday. Although he has made an appearance in the New Avengers vs Transformers mini series, very little has been seen of Ramjet in the IDW-verse so far. So now we'll get to see just how this deceitful 'Con operates!

You can see the preview here. 

In a blog update, Simon Furman focuses on the script for the IDW Arcee Spotlight that his putting the finishing touches on. He talks about robots and genders, as well as gives a broad (very broad) overview of the plot for the Spotlight. From the sounds of things, we can expect a vastly different Arcee from the one we've come to know.

You can see the blog entry here. 

From multiple news sources, including TMZ.com, comes this item from the "Law and Order" cutting room floor.  Transformers: The Movie star Shia LaBeouf was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing.  Police said the 21-year-old child star turned budding A-lister and giant robot sidekick refused to leave a downtown Chicago Walgreens store and appeared drunk.  Shia, please tell us this is just a brief drunken episode.

Actually, "brief drunken episode" is exactly what this sounds like at this point.  According to news reports, police characterized him as "very courteous and polite" after his arrest.  LaBeouf posted bond a few hours after he was cuffed and is scheduled to appear in court in Cook County, Illinois toward the end of this month.

JRS Toyworld has started a discussion thread at the Allspark Forums, including a link to another account of the story from the Chicago Tribune.

Dark days are ahead in 2008... TFormers has a low-res photo of an upcoming Allspark Power Deluxe named "Overcast." The toy is a repaint of Transformers: The Movie Deluxe-class Dreadwing, with a new solid black and yellow color scheme. No picture is provided of the back of the box or the character's bio, so about all we know is he's still a Decepticon.

View the full-size image at TFormers, and discuss in TriBlurr's thread.

TFW2005 has posted an exclusive interview with Hasbro Transformers Senior Designer Eric Siebenaler. Siebenaler discusses his history with the company, from his ill-fated design debut with Armada Laserbeak through the current Animated line. He also offers thoughts on  his dream projects, a summary of the design process, advice for aspiring designers, and even a fashion tip. 

Read the full interview on TFW2005, and discuss in Dreadwings' thread. 

Happy Well International Enterprise Limited, makers of the Alternator-esque Roadbots, have branched off in a new direction. A new page on their web site advertises a line of robot/animal/Transmetal-ish vehicle triple changers called "X-Bots," in Zoids-like Eagle, Lion, Tiger and Elephant forms. As with the Roadbots, these are entirely new molds, though closer inspection may reveal some design aspects cribbed from existing toylines. No word on a mass U.S. release, but BigBadToyStore and others have carried the Roadbots and may sell these as well.

Allsparker Detour found the listing, and you can find discussion in his thread and images on the Happy Well site.