Toy Aisle Trolls > Helldorado

October 25, 2011 | Poe

Toy Aisle Trolls is a feature highlighting acts of vandalism to in-store toy items. If you find a ruined package, a stolen figure, a swapped-out figure, or any other such acts, take a photo (cell phone photos are fine if they’re not blurry) and email them to poe AT poeghostal.com.

Power Pal Joe Amaro sends in this TAT from his new home in Texas:

I found this DCU switcharo at a local Wal-Mart.

Here’s what it’s supposed to look like.

Who the hell is that in there? And what is he wearing??

Any questions for Mattel?

October 25, 2011 | Poe

I missed the November 1 round due to NYCC and forgetfulness. These will be for November 15.

Sponsor News > MP-11, Star Wars, Thundercats, Marvel, TF, Statues & More

October 24, 2011 | Poe

Here is a quick update from http://www.bigbadtoystore.com about some new arrivals and a big batch of exciting new preorders!

————- NEW PREORDERS ————-

NEW THUNDERCATS LISTINGS

Bandai America has announced many new items in the Thundercats line. We have two new case assortments of 12 4″ figures for Series 02, and they are priced at $89.99 per case. We also have a 4″ Deluxe Figure Series 02 Set of 3, including Lion-O, Panthro and Slithe, and it is priced at $39.99. The Classic Collector line appears to have switched to a 6″ format, and the first assortment includes Lion-O and Mumm-Ra – we have them listed as a set of 2 for $31.99. The regular 6″ Collector Series 02 line has two different case assortments available, with each case listed at $63.99 and including 4 figures. The 12″ Armor of Omens Exoskeleton figure includes a semi-articulated 4″ figure of Lion-O within and is priced at $25.99. Finally, the Eye of Thundera 6-Pack includes Stylized versions of Lion-O, Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara, Mumm-Ra and Slithe, and is priced at $24.99.

 

BIGBADTOYSTORE EXCLUSIVE GI JOE SEVEN-PACKS – DREADNOKS, MARAUDERS

We are proud to announce the newest BBTS exclusives – two new GI Joe Seven-Packs! The Slaughter’s Marauders includes Bull (Taurus), Mercenary (Mercer) Red Dog and Falcon, along with Spirit, Low Light and Barbecue, while the Dreadnoks includes Road Pig, Zanzibar, Gnawgahyde, Burnout, Thrasher, Zandar and Zanya; each set of 7 is listed at $49.99. We also have them listed as a set of the two seven-packs at $89.99, and as a set of four seven-packs with the Resolute GI Joe and Cobra sets at $124.99.
MP-11 MASTERPIECE CORONATION STARSCREAM

We have just listed the newly-announced MP-11, Coronation Starscream. This new version of the Sky Commander will come with a crown, shoulder armor and multi-part cape, and appears to have newly-designed parts. We have this figure listed at $159.99.  (more…)

Review > Mummy & Dracula (Mez-Itz, Mezco)

October 21, 2011 | Poe

I’ve already given my rant about how the original Mez-Itz were great and the new ones, which are boring Mighty Mugg rip-offs, are yet another sad commentary on the decline of Mezco and the overall state of the toy industry. So instead I’ll just talk about these figures. (more…)

Odds ‘n Ends > October 19, 2011

October 19, 2011 | Poe

Today’s Odds ‘n Ends is sponsored by the letter Î©, who surprisingly had a PayPal account.

  • The Spawn Message Board was taken down last Friday. Rustin Parr of OAFE has written an excellent obituary here. His comment that the Spawn Board was the birthplace of the online toy collecting community is only mildly hyperbolic–I certainly got my start there, and many other well-known online toy personalities, such as Michael Crawford, congregated there in the late ’90s. I invented the pseudonym “Poe Ghostal” for that board, way back in 1999. Of course, I hadn’t visited the board in years–ever since McFarlane Toys began its long slide into sports and statuism after the Spawn lines of the early 2000s (with the one positive blip being Halo)–but the board’s demise is still worth some brief reflection.
  • Diamond Select has created a rather awesome “Mini-Mation” video starring their pirate-themed “Calico Jack” Minimates.
  • ItsAllTrue.net has a great review of the TRU-exclusive 1970s-style Arkham City Batman (it comes free with a purchase of the game at TRU, or, like me, you can buy it separately for $14.99). Of course, the actual 1970s game skin is a completely unique model, not just some new graphics over the regular suit…
  • BigBadToyStore has two major new exclusive G.I. Joe 7-Packs: Slaughter’s Marauders and the Dreadnoks. You can save $10 if you buy both sets together. The sets include a mix of new figures and repaints.
  • Bandai let me know they’re having a Ben 10 Sweepstakes. Kids can enter the contest by submitting codes from Ben 10 toys to helpben10.com. The winner gets an all-expenses paid trip for three to London to ride the Ben 10: Ultimate Mission roller coaster at the Drayton Manor Theme Park in Tamworth, Staffordshire — plus the winner will have a bonus chance to win $10,000 on top of the grand prize. So if you’ve got a child, grandchild, or nephew or niece who’s really into Ben 10, be sure to mention it to ’em.