Calling Optimus Prime and His Transformer Minions

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How big will ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ be this summer? On June 24, the ‘Bots are back with Megatron among them and, according to screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, one inspiration for the film was ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and the dark ordeals it presented for all the characters who triumphed in its popcorn predecessor. That may be promosing for casual film fans, but for some truly obsessed followers of the Autobots and Decepticons, their interests in the shifty big guys requires more than meets the eye at local theaters (yes, we had to use the line...).

We’re talking about the fans who covet a 1984 Optimus Prime in a pristine box or spend hours privately polishing their rare Voyager Class Autobot. For them, there’s the 2009 Transformers fan convention, better known as ‘BotCon,’ which will be held on May 28-31 at the Pasadena Convention Center.

To celebrate Hasbro’s 25th Anniversary making those wily ‘Robots in Disguise,’ the convention will feature the new 2009 Transformers toys just in time for the new movie. There will be the opportunity to buy, sell or trade the one’s you already own or perhaps pick up some new toys so you can practice the difficult task of going from robot to vehicle and back to robot again.

There will be a trading floor, panels, costume fun and then there’s this enticing competition: The Transformers Challenge is a mad-scramble contest that awards prizes to the nimble-handed geek who can convert their Transformer robot to vehicle mode the fastest. Sweeeet. There’s only one catch: You have to be 5 to 14 years of age to be eligible, and yes those are chronological years, Mr. Roboto.

- Michelle Castillo