Ask Skeletor > Round 2 Answers

March 20, 2009 | Poe

ask_skelGreetings–it is I, Skeletor, Overlord of Evil!

I couldn’t help but notice the mailbag is a bit thinner this time around. Not that I care, mind you–the less I have to deal with your inanity, the better–but I would think you’d want to do this for yourself. Here’s your chance to probe the incredible brain of a modern evil mastermind, and you’re squandering it!

Ahem. Again, not that I mind. On to the questions…

Andy asks: Dear Skeletor, you’ve had the rasp for over twenty-five years. Don’t you think it’s time to cut down on maniacal laughter?

Actually, it’s not the maniacal laughter that gives me this rasp–it’s THE COMPLETE LACK OF VOCAL CORDS. Duh.

PrfktTear writes: What do you think is hotter, chicks with green skin, yellow skin, pale white skin, or tan skin? (more…)

New DCUC8 & MOTUC pics

March 20, 2009 | Poe

p4013_hordak_fullsizeimage1aCaptain Collector over at AFTimes has gotten his hands on some figures from DCUC8. He has some initial photos up and will have more later. Based on the interval between him getting wave 6 and my receiving it, you should see the first PGPoA review of a wave 8 figure around May 20.

From the initial photos, the figures look great. Hawkgirl and Vigilante both come with three weapons each…the spear will look good with Wonder Woman. Even better, Hawkgirl has two open hands, so she can actually hold her mace two-handed.

Meanwhile, Mattycollector has posted official photos of Zodac and Hordak. How happy are you, Hordak fans? (I wish I could follow that up with, “Very, I assume!” but these are toy collectors we’re talking about. )

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode)

March 19, 2009 | Poe

fanmode-copy Newton Gimmick reviews the Character Options Doctor Who The Tenth Doctor (Aged and Ancient) set from Last of the Time Lords. Excerpt: “(Re: Aged version) He sort of eerily looks like my Grandfather.” (See also.)

Newton Gimmick reviews the Character Options Doctor Who Magnus Greel and Mr. Sin set from The Talons of Weng Chiang. Excerpt: “… I liked them MUCH more than I ever thought I would.” (See also.)

Newton Gimmick reviews the Character Options Doctor Who Captain Jack Harkness (Gelth Phantom Wave version) figure. Excerpt: “I simply love how the clothes are made on these figures.” (more…)

The Top Ten Mail-Away Action Figures of All Time

March 19, 2009 | Poe

fett-offer-back

For young action figure collectors in the 1980s, the most desired, treasured, magical items were those enigmatic mail-away (or “mail-in”) figures. Unavailable at regular stores, they required a quest in order to get them.

It was a quest that required begging one’s parents for enough action figures to cut out the required number of Proof-of-Purchase cards, then begging them again to write out a check for the $5 or so needed for “shipping and handling.”

And even once that was done, you had to wait six to eight weeks for the figure to arrive–an eternity in childhood.

But one day, your parents would come back from getting the mail and hand you a small, nondescript brown or white box, labeled only with your address and a return address of “Hasbro” or “Kenner.” And inside would be a little clear baggie, and inside that…

At that moment, you knew what it felt like when Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb–or when Indy first laid eyes on the Ark. (more…)

Want a Dinosaucers action figure? [Update: Sold!]

March 19, 2009 | Poe

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A collector from Brazil has contacted me to let me know he has three Dinosaucers figures for sale (seen above). They’re used and have no accessories, but obviously they’re very, very rare items.

[Update: Sold!] The seller is interested in selling the figures and/or trading for a MOTUC Faker. If you’d like to get in touch with him, email me and I’ll pass it along.

Poll results & shameless shill

March 18, 2009 | Poe

skeletor_throneFirst off, the results of the most recent poll, which asked what extra features people would like to see on a re-release of MOTUC Skeletor. I was sure the alternate Keldor head would win, and it did, but the real story is how incredibly close the removable cape option was throughout the entire poll. It lost by only two votes, 40 to 38.

A new 2002-style Skeletor head won a respectable 29 votes, while more people voted to reissue the figure as-is than give it a 2002-style Power Sword or 2002-style paint applications.

For the record, what I meant by “2002-style Power Sword” was the two sword halves that came with the 2002 Skeletor, not the techno-sword that came with He-Man–but it’s my fault for not making that clear. The Horsemen designed those as the actual 2002 Power Sword, but Mattel changed the techno-sword the Power Sword. I tend to forget most people don’t follow the Horsemen’s unpublished idea for the line as the official canon.

The new poll is in regard to a question I’m often curious about–obviously, I mostly cover DCUC and MOTUC on this site, since those are the two toy lines I cover. I suspect that’s also the fandoms where my readers tend to come from, but my intention from the beginning was to offer a broader look at toy collecting and the industry. With that in mind, I’d like to know whether there are any specific lines I’m not focusing on that you’d like to see more coverage of here on PGPoA–or whether you’re happy the way things are.

jokersquadeeFinally, on a related note, I’d be remiss if I didn’t plug Entertainment Earth’s awesome Star Wars Joker Squad pack. The set features the first-ever female Stormtrooper, a Sith lord with a poseable cape, and a bunch of other Stormtroopers with removable helmets. It’s $39.99, and until March 31 EE is offering free shipping on orders over $99. And for every set you buy, God gives a kitten a belly rub.