Happy Mosquitor Day!

December 17, 2012 | Poe

Another month, another massive hit to my wallet courtesy of Masters of the Universe Classics. It seems like ages ago that Pixel Dan reviewed Mosquitor (it was about a month). Sometimes I feel like those previews diminish my excitement for a figure…it’s as if it’s already old news by the time the sale happens. Hell, Dan’s already reviewed Ram Man.

Also for sale this month is Procrustus, the Eternian god found in a two-page appearance in a vintage minicomic who I never, ever thought would get an action figure; and, of course, Granamyr, the largest figure in the line and again, something I don’t think I ever expected would be made into a toy.

Oddly enough, I think I’m most excited about Procrustus…I just love his Ray Harryhausen-reminiscent design, and the Horsemen’s sculpting here is fantastic. Granamyr is one of those toys I’ll have to judge when I have it in hand. It should be noted that Granamyr is evidently running late and hasn’t arrived at the warehouse yet, so even though you can order him today he won’t ship immediately.

DC-wise there’s Platinum & Tin, as well as Lead, and a JLU three-pack of Dr. Destiny, Toyman and Firefly. Or was that offered before?

Then there’s the usual assortment of other items. I keep considering picking up a set of flight stands but they always seem to be sold out.

Poe’s Point > Cy-Chop Addendum

December 17, 2012 | Poe

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I just wanted to offer my two cents on Cy-Chop. This isn’t a second review – Doc Thomas’s is the official review for PGPoA. But I wanted to offer my own thoughts on the figure, and this is my site so it’s my prerogative to do so.

I rather like the scissor-hands and the head. I don’t think the whole Micronauts-homage thing was a good idea, because I just don’t think it makes much sense (i.e., keep your peanut butter Micronauts out of my chocolate MOTU), but I like the design of the scissors and the sculpt of the head, and I don’t mind the silver. I like that the hands are interchangeable with other figures as well.

What I don’t like are the clear Roboto-style torso and the Beast Man limbs. Though in my Roboto review I wrote, “from an aesthetic standpoint I think [the clear chest] looks good,” over time I’ve come to like it less. It looks too cheap and toy-like, and feels brittle (and in Roboto’s case, for many collectors it was). As for the furry limbs, I just don’t think they work with the character design. They’re what make him look so slapdash to me; they clash thematically with the character’s “cyborg” design and demonic head.

If I’d been designing this figure, I would have recommended something like the Trap Jaw/Roboto upper legs and Hordak‘s or Horde Prime‘s lower legs, and perhaps the arms of Icarius, which we haven’t seen often in this line. That would give the character more cybernetic and Horde touches, which would have gone a long way toward making me like this figure more.

Contest > Win a Funko Dark Knight Rises Batman from Superheroden.com!

December 14, 2012 | Poe

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Superheroden.com has kindly donated a Dark Knight Rises Funko POP! figure for a contest here on PGPoA. Make your other Funko POP! figures swear to him by filling in the blanks in our second “Bat-Libs” contest!

Here’s how to enter: I’ve written a small paragraph about Batman and Robin engaging in their usual heroic derring-do. (To avoid any accusations of having tailored the paragraph to a particular entry, I’m sending it to the Power Pals ahead of time.)

This paragraph has a few blanks – blanks YOU must fill. In the comments below, provide the following:

  • An adjective
  • A plural animal/person noun (cows, punks, etc.)
  • A transitive verb (i.e., a verb in which you do something to something else – push, kiss, kill, etc.)
  • A person’s name

Entries are due by 11:59pm Monday, December 17. The winning entry will be selected by me and will be announced by the end of next week. Good luck, and be sure to visit Superhero Den for more great Batman and superhero merchandise!

Rules:

  • Winner must have a U.S. shipping address for the prize to be mailed to.
  • PGPoA Power Pals and Poe’s friends and family not eligible.

Doc Thomas Reviews > Cy-Chop (Masters of the Universe Classics, Mattel)

December 14, 2012 | Poe

Note: The following is a review by Doc Thomas, and does not necessarily reflect the views of Poe Ghostal. You’ve been warned. –PG

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Cy-Chop is the absolute most balls-to-the-wall bizarre action figure in this whole shambolic Masters of the Universe Classics mess. And it IS a mess – between the toyline and the hype and the problems with Digital River and the problems with not-all-inclusive subscriptions and with customer support and and WSODs and reuse and quality control and every other stupid thing that has gone wrong with the whole line it is a CRAZY mess, and there is no disputing that. I have said frequently that long after MOTUC is over we’ll be looking back at it as one of the best action figure lines ever, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t completely fraught with avoidable nonsense and things worth getting up in arms over, especially considering the premium we pay on these figures.

So here’s Cy-Chop, and he’s weird. I mean, he’s more than just weird, he’s COMPLETELY BIZARRE, and there are a lot of reasons why. There are a lot of reasons to like him, and a lot of reasons NOT to like him. Let’s try to break this down, shall we? (more…)

Odds ‘n Ends > Rising action figure prices, articulation debates, Hoverboard disappointment, Pacific Rim

December 13, 2012 | Poe

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LOT of ground to cover today folks, so let’s get right to it.

–ODD–

Phil Reed of Battlegrip recently posted “Five Reasons Why Action Figures Cost More Today.” Phil knows what he’s talking about and you should check out the whole thing, which focuses largely on economic factors such as rising labor and materials costs. But one thing that interested me was the first comment on the post, which mentioned the declining birthrate in Western countries. That reminded me of this post by Richard Gottlieb that I read recently, “U.S. Birthrate Plummets; Look for Fewer Children in Four Years.” Richard begins the article with, “If there was ever a case to be made for marketing toys to adult end users…” Hasbro has clearly embraced this idea, but if I had to guess I’m willing to bet there’s still a struggle going on at Mattel between the generations over how to approach the collectors’ market. (more…)

Free your MOTUC figures

December 13, 2012 | Poe

An increasing number of male MOTUC figures are coming with armor that covers their entire chest, thereby limiting the armor movement to “weightlifter arms” practically sticking out horizontally due to the armor increasingly the amount of plastic beneath the armpits. Other figures have restrictive plastic tunics, skirts, or loincloths. Some have both (I’m looking at you, Dekker.) What’s an articulation lover to do?

Well, it all depends on how much you love articulation and whether you’re comfortable with taking a razor to your figures. If you are, however, then Poester Dayraven has passed along a few pointers for freeing up your MOTUC figures. He sliced up his Castle Grayskullman to give the figure a greater range of arm and leg movement. He doesn’t have any before pictures (though anyone with a CGM has that), but here are some “after” pics, and a description of what he did. (more…)