Toy review roundup (via Fanmode)

May 22, 2009 | Poe

fanmode-copy Michael Crawford reviews the Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Militaries of Star Wars Republic Clone Trooper (212th Attack Battalion: Utapau version) Sideshow exclusive 1/6-scale figure. Excerpt: “… this is easily the lamest exclusive ever produced by Sideshow.”

yo go re reviews the Hasbro Star Wars 30th Anniversary Collection Battle-Damaged Darth Vader figure from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Excerpt: “The attachable armor isn’t the greatest example ever, but the toy is still fun, and there’s never been a Vader like it before.” (See also.)

Corey Tincher reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Parademon (green and yellow version) figure. Excerpt: “… a surprisingly great figure …” (more…)

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode)

May 18, 2009 | Poe

fanmode-copy Jeff Parker reviews the Hot Toys M-Icon Michael Jackson (Billie Jean/History Tour version) 1/6-scale figure. Excerpt: “To me, it’s in many ways a more important figure than any Batman, Terminator or Stormtrooper … because it’s a brave move and represents a popular cultural icon that was a huge part of the landscape …”

Michael Crawford reviews the Cast-A-Way Toys The Phantom FX Show exclusive figure. Excerpt: “Unfortunately, it was the body that caused me the most issues.”

Corey Tincher reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Gentleman Ghost figure. Excerpt: “Gentleman Ghost may not be a DC elite or appeal to every little kid out there, but there’s some definite charm coming through this figure.” (more…)

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode)

May 13, 2009 | Poe

fanmode-copy Artemis reviews the Playmates Toys Star Trek Warp Collection Cadet McCoy 6-inch figure. Excerpt: “… could pretty much stand for the line as a whole: not bad, but could’ve been plenty better. ”

yo go re reviews the Hasbro Spider-Man Juggernaut figure. Excerpt: “He plays well, give or take a few joints, and he looks very nice.”

NewtonGimmick reviews the Hasbro X-Men Origins Wolverine Cyclops (Comic Series) figure. Excerpt: “I find myself liking Cyclops more because of this figure.” (more…)

Combat Evolved

May 13, 2009 | Poe

redirect1

While it continues to disappoint me that the otherwise-excellent McFarlane Halo line is in a 5″ and not a 6″ scale, one figure I’d love to get in any scale is the Mark V suit from the first Halo. I’m not sure whether Joyride Studios somehow still has the rights to the first two games, or whether McFarlane just hasn’t bothered to pick up the license for anything other than Halo 3.

However, a good compromise might be a 5″ version of the Halo Wars armor, which is supposedly the Mark IV suit. Hence my extreme interest when the mysterious photo above appeared in a Figures.com article a few weeks back. After some searching, I was finally able to get confirmation that a 5″ Halo Wars Spartan is indeed in the works. (more…)

Movie Review > Star Trek

May 12, 2009 | Poe

1139413_height370_width560

I’m a second-generation Star Trek nerd. There exists a photo–I’ve got to ask my mom to dig it up, so I can scan it and post it here–of my dad and a bunch of his college friends in full classic Trek uniforms. This past Christmas, I gave him the Diamond Select replica communicator & phaser set, and I’m pretty sure I’ve never given him a gift he liked that much before. Ever.

Which explains why, in 1987, my dad was watching a new show called Star Trek: The Next Generation when his eight-year-old son wandered in. Catching sight of a man in a colorful uniform with some sort of strange robotic visor, who was in shock at the discovery of a frozen corpse, the son sat down and began a lifelong love affair with that which Gene Roddenberry had wrought. (more…)

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode)

May 11, 2009 | Poe

fanmode-copy Artemis reviews the Diamond Select Toys Star Trek Deep Space Nine Chief Miles O’Brien figure. Excerpt: “This figure could’ve been better – and hopefully someday DS/AA will revisit him with a sleeves-up version, and give the head another try – but it’s good enough.”

Artemis reviews the Playmates Toys Star Trek Warp Collection Cadet Chekov 6-inch figure. Excerpt: “… there’s not a lot that says Star Trek about this figure, and aside from the lack of leg joints, that’s really the biggest weakness it has to deal with.”

Scott Rubin reviews the Playmates Toys Terminator Salvation T-R.I.P 3¾-inch-scale figure. Excerpt: “It’s got the looks and the size, just lacking a little in the articulation and accessory departments.” (See also.) (more…)

Odds ‘n Ends

May 11, 2009 | Poe

odds_n_ends_09

  • Saw Star Trek over the weekend. Review to follow anon. Short version: loved it. I’m glad the figures aren’t that great, or I might be way too tempted to collect them.
  • CornerStoreComics and ETC will begin shipping DCUC8 this week. I’m very proud to say I never broke down and got any figures–not even a single Parademon–off eBay or anything.
  • I’m surprised no one has taken advantage of my Most Wanted feature. Send me those submissions, folks!
  • I’m also going to start making the interviews a weekly thing, interviewing collectors as well as industry types. If you’re interested in being interviewed (and showing off some pics of your collection), email me.
  • On a random note, why hasn’t DC incorporated Space Ghost and some of the other Hanna-Barbara characters into the DCU now that Warner Bros. owns the H-B library? Seems to me Space Ghost would be a perfect fit for their cosmic books, and they already did the Space Ghost miniseries. I’d love to see SG face off against, say, Despero. And Space Ghost has way more name recognition than, say, The Shield.
  • Remember, Friday is Zodac Day, and the following Monday the subscription plan will go on sale. I’m very curious to see how quickly Zodac sells out compared to Mer-Man.

Paul’s Peg > The Toy Aisle That Time Forgot!

May 8, 2009 | Paul

In the Northwoods of Wisconsin there is a toy aisle hidden in a hardware store that time has forgotten. Most of the toys for sale there date back to the early 1990s and a some are even older than that. This hardware store in question is located in a town neighboring the one where I grew up, the population of which is only about four hundred people. In my youth, the store had more than one toy aisle, but as the stuff sells, they seem to be reordering less. It’s a surreal experience that I just had to share. Now let’s check this stuff out:

hardwarestorethattimeforgot06

It’s a toy oven sporting a Care Bear on it. Yeah, I know. I’m guessing its from the 1980s, since that’s an old school styled Care Bear.

That Colorblaster is also friggen old, judging by the hot pink flamingos on the box that just scream horrid 90s art style. My wife has also informed me that she got one of these for her 11th birthday and she just turned 27 this week. I’ll let you do the math.

(more…)

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode)

May 7, 2009 | Poe

fanmode-copy Michael Crawford reviews the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Iron Man Mark II 1/6-scale figure. Excerpt: “Recognizing that certain aspects of this figure cost less because of the re-use, they added in more stuff to give you that additional value.”

Jeff Parker reviews the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Iron Man Mark II Sideshow exclusive 1/6-scale figure. Excerpt: “As near to perfection as it is possible to get in this scale …”

yo go re reviews the Jakks Pacific WWE Deluxe Build N’ Brawl Sgt. Slaughter figure. Excerpt: “… the toy would be a bit small if he were a Joe release. Other than that, however, the figure blends perfectly.” (more…)

New Topless Robot list – 10 Most Famous Geek Arguments

May 7, 2009 | Poe

I totally spaced on the fact that Topless Robot posted my list “The 10 Most Famous Geek Arguments” yesterday.

Reading through the comments, my favorite thing about the whole article is everyone’s arguing about what arguments should have been included.

(For the record, I skipped Kirk vs. Picard because I already had the Star Trek vs. Star Wars question on the list, and wanted to spread the love around. Furthermore, all the captains and commanders that have come along since–Sisko, Janeway, Archer–have muddied the issue. However, it is a famous geek argument, so point taken.)

UPDATE: Rob of TR just pointed out to me that the list made the front page of Digg yesterday. Dude, where was I?