ODD: We’re swinging into high here at PGPoA with the Halloween fun. I realize the whole zombie motif may be a bit 2006, but it was the first idea I thought of. The good thing is we get it out of the way now and I’ll have to come up with something else next year. (more…)
Note: A slightly different version of this article was originally published on Biggerboat in October 2006.
A couple years ago, during the huge zombie fad of the mid-’00s, Mezco Toyz produced a short-lived figure line called Attack of the Living Dead. The figures are a combination of today’s advanced action figure design and those old gross-out toys of the 1980s (times ten).
Attack of the Living Dead isn’t based on any particular film, despite the “Living Dead” moniker (a quick check at the U.S. trademark office shows that Mezco was able to trademark the title, so it looks like George Romero and John Russo lose yet again, courtesy of the Walter Reade Organization). The line was originally going to be titled “After Life” (and Mezco had trademarked that as well), but at some point they must have figured out that the “Living Dead” phrase wasn’t trademarked and changed to the new title to capitalize on the name recognition.
That said, these zombies look more Return of the Living Dead than Dawn of the Dead. Romero’s zombies tended to look like pale-skinned humans (though they got a bit gorier in the last two films), whereas the Return of the Living Dead series offered a variety of zombie shapes and sizes.
While the days of long action figure biography text and power ratings seem sadly long gone, Mezco makes a passing effort at providing some context for the line. (more…)
Want to win some Z.O.M.B.I.E.s?
October Toys and Poe Ghostal’s Points of Articulation present the first annual PGPoA Halloween Sweepstakes!
OK, so my previous post was a gag (cribbed from an old entry on my other blog for BLITEOTW). I posted it to set the mood for this month’s theme…horror! (more…)
Obviously I stayed home today. It feels sort of surreal, sitting here writing a blog entry with all that’s going on…and wondering how long anyone will even be able to read this. How long will the electricity stay on? How long can people like me hide in their apartments and hope this thing blows over?
It kind of reminds me of The Stand. That novel scared the hell out of me. The idea of a superflu—it really wasn’t that far-fetched. Well, clearly. Not that this is a flu. The flu doesn’t make people…eat people.
The TV’s out except for WLVI 56, who are still broadcasting from their news station. I remember back when they used to have the Creature Double Feature in the ’80s. I wish they’d never canceled that…what the hell am I saying? I think I’m in shock.
Anyway, they had some fat bearded guy on, a scientist I guess, who said “every dead body that is not exterminated, becomes one of them. It gets up and kills. The people it kills get up and kill!” Thanks for the tip, fatty. Most of us already figured that out.
I guess it started a couple days ago, somewhere in Russia I heard. But it’s spread like wildfire.
God, there’s a bunch of them walking up the street right now. What I wouldn’t give for one of those assholes who always rips up the street in a pick-up. Mow those things down.
I might post again, if the power’s still on. And if they haven’t…I’m in a basement floor apartment, strong windows, strong doors. I can probably hold out for a while…
OK, I had planned on doing tomorrow’s posts today, but got sidetracked by the Mattel Q&A and other stuff.
As you can see, we’ve done some temporary remodeling around here to celebrate Halloween, my second most favorite holiday. And we’re not done yet–there’s more to come, but it won’t start quite yet.
Before I go any further, let me thank Red Kryptonite for her excellent artwork, and Webmaster OB1 for implementing the new design. PGPoA wouldn’t exist without the two of you.
For the rest of October, I’ll be putting up Halloween-themed posts related to horror toys, movies, comics, and other stuff. You’ll probably also get more than one mention of The Worst Witch…just humor me, please.
I’ll also be running PGPoA’s first-ever officially sponsored contest, complete with horror-themed prizes.
Keep an eye out…hanging on your cheek by a thread, preferably.
We’re back with another round of Ask Matty!
POE: Was the entirety of DCUC series 3 produced before the transition to the new vendor’s factory?
Matty: Yes. Wave 4 is the first Wave from the new vendor.
At this point, how many body types are there for DCUC figures, and would it be possible to list them?
Lets see, we have male medium (Captain Atom, Black Manta, Atom, others), male small (Sinestro by default though a production error), parts of male teen (Robin, Kid Flash), large brute (Lobo, Despero), part of standard female (Wonder Woman and Harley), Male suit (Riddler, Clark Kent), and there may be another. We are still working on female teen, super thin male, large female, small female and a few other surprises.
What process is used to paint intricate details such as the logo on the Sinestro Corps’ Sinestro’s chest on production figures?
It is called “tempo” which is the same process we use on CARS and Hot Wheels to apply decals. It is essentially a computer created “sticker” that is heat sensitive so it sticks to the plastic to look like a paint op in the end.
Would Mattel consider creating a new BAF Doomsday, or is that unlikely since he’s already had a figure?
Definitely on our short list. (although we would likely use the same sculpt, just scale him up to size.
Now that Mattel has a working relationship with DC Comics, is there any possibility of new DC-produced Masters of the Universe comics?
Could be down the road but nothing is in the cards at the moment to announce quite yet.
ODD: I spent twenty minutes making a list of movie sequel subtitles before settling on this one. The things I do for you people!
END: October is Halloween Month at PGPoA, and I am so not ready. The site’s design is prepped, thanks to the hard work of Webmaster OB1 (sounds like one of those novelty geek rappers), but I’m having to work on bringing the mojo. But fear not, the mojo shall be brought, even if I have to draw it out with leeches. (more…)
I’ve been running a bit short on toy-related topics recently (the oft-mentioned backlog of posts that I have require a significant amount of writing and photo-taking, and so I’ve been a bit lazy about getting to them), so instead, today you get a review of a toy-related videogame.
Like most kids for decades now, I grew up with Lego, though all I ever had were the basic blocks. Since then, Lego has made a fortune licensing all sorts of brands, from Star Wars to Indiana Jones to Batman. In another brilliant move, someone came up with the idea of creating videogames based on the Lego sets, and lo and behold, they were lots of fun.
Some of the reviews for Lego Batman have been tepid, lamenting that the game offered nothing really new from the earlier Lego Star Wars and Indiana Jones games. Having only played one of the Star Wars games, I guess I’m not as burned-out on the concept as others might be. (I think IGN may just have felt obligated not to break Batman’s epic run of mediocre-to-terrible videogames.)
I think the game is a blast. I bought it on Thursday and have already spent a good six or seven hours beating the first half of it. Like the other Lego videogames, it’s broken down into “episodes”; there are three superhero episodes and three supervillain episodes. (more…)
Mattel’s Scott Neitlich, a.k.a. ToyGuru, put up a post and poll on ActionFigureInsider, asking collectors what the company should do regarding chase figures in DC Universe Classics.
Got a question for fans around the world on the chase figures we are doing in the DCUC line. It is no secret that across the toy industry costs have gone up, manufacturing has risen and the overall cost to bring a 6 inch figure to market has skyrocketed in the the last year.
We are hitting a snag on our chase figures and want to run a possible direction by the fan base to keep the chase figures going.
The chase figures (because of the low quantity) are really making it difficult to keep the line at a low price at retail. We are charged a premium by our vendors for low run figures (which is why SDCC figures cost more to the customer).
One direction we have thought of to keep chase figures in the line is to put the chase figures up on MattyCollector.com about 2-3 months after the wave hits retail at a premium price (about 30.00 a figure).
$30 a figure? Woof…that’s $10 more than most online retailers are charging for chase figures in the earlier waves, and $10 more than already-controversial price for Masters of the Universe Classics. (more…)
