You can see all my photos from NYCC here.

This was my first trip to New York Comic Con. After not having visited New York in years, I was there twice in about six months. The NYCC was held in the Javits Center, just like Toy Fair.

I was only at NYCC for about a day and a half, but I made sure to visit all the major toy booths. Hasbro, Mattel, Bandai, and Square Enix all had a significant presence. I also visited the Four Horsemen and, of course, attended the Mattycollector panel on Saturday.

The first thing I tried to do at NYCC was pick up the Arkham City “Sickened Joker” exclusive. That failed miserably because I got in to the ‘con about 4pm and it turned out I had to have picked up a wristband at 10am. Annoyed, I moved on to the Bandai booth, where I found the amazing MonsterArts Godzilla figures. They had three displays showing Godzilla, MechaGodzilla ’93, and the new-to-me MOGUERA ’94 and SpaceGodzilla.

One display featured Godzilla & friends destroying the San Diego Comic Con, another the Javits Center (above), and another appeared to depict a scene from Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla. Of course the toys look absolutely amazing, and I’m sorely tempted to pick up both MechaGodzilla and the two accessory packs as well as Godzilla himself. (You can check order them all via BBTS.)

All that said, the strong focus on the Heisei era puzzles me. Is that really still the most merchandise-friendly era of Godzilla? I sincerely hope we get some Showa-era toys as well.

Next up is the Mattel booth. I’ll get to Masters of the Universe in a bit; let’s talk DC Universe first.

Batman Legacy, Young Justice, DC Universe Classics:

• There was a First Appearance Batman. While I like the figure, it’s true that he does have a pinhead. I hope that get fixed before production, but prior experience suggests otherwise. This is, I believe, the first DCUC Batman to have a cape that entirely covers his shoulders.
• Golden Age Catwoman. Not a figure I’m super-excited about, but I’ll get it.
• Arkham City Nightwing. A Four Horsemen sculpt.
• Arkham City Catwoman. Very annoyingly, she appears to be taller than Batman. If that’s not corrected before production, I’ll be pissed. Incidentally, I have no idea what the deal is with that blue-shaded Batman next to her. He doesn’t have the yellow oval so he’s not the TRU exclusive (which I picked up this weekend and will be reviewing soon, I hope).
• I only got a good picture of the Batman (because I thought his head looked significantly different than the production figure) but there was also a pair of white figures of Arkham City Batman and Catwoman that I thought were prototypes. Rustin Parr noticed the Catwoman had red goggles, so they’re probably some sort of exclusive based on the game’s marketing art.
• 6″ Young Justice Batman. I’ll get him to go with my YJ Robin…plus he looks cool.
• New DCUC Two-Packs: Battle-Damaged Batman vs. Red Azrael, Sinestro Corps Hal and Blue Lantern Kyle Rayner. Due in the spring. I’ll get the Azbats set, but I have to say I don’t see the appeal of these GL repaints.
• Metron!
• There was one figure from the “revamped” DCUC on display: Larfleeze. There will also be a Super Powers-colored Penguin. I neglected to take photos of these figures, but fortunately the Internet exists.

DC Direct:

As neat as all the Mattel Batman stuff was, I can’t deny that DC Direct blew them away with their Arkham Asylum/Arkham City offerings. On display was the previously-seen AA Killer Croc and AC Robin and Harley, but also the Penguin, the Riddler, Catwoman, the incredibly cool AC Mr. Freeze and a gigantic AA Titan Joker that I’m half-expecting to be cancelled. There was also an oddly-colored AC Batman that’s apparently some kind of variant–perhaps a “Detective Vision” Batman? Anyway, I’ll be getting them all.

Play Arts Kai

Of course, I also visited the Square Enix booth to drool over their upcoming Play Arts Kai Batman: Arkham Asylum figures (Batman and the Joker). These are due around February. There was also some graphics showing their next two planned figures: armored Batman and Harley Quinn.

All these awesome Arkham Asylum/Arkham City toys make me confused and dizzy. And poor.

Masters of the Universe

I attended the Mattycollector panel on Saturday (alongside MisterBigBo, as well as Lemonjuicemcgee from MTV Geek and Rob from PopCultureNetwork, whom I saw in line). As you all know by now, the only real news since PowerCon was the reveal of Snake Man-At-Arms and Horde Prime. SMAA is a bonus figure and features a 200X-inspired color scheme on his armor and a snake circlet, which they’re hoping to do in die cast metal. Horde Prime comes with a bunch of accessories, including a removable helmet, alternate head inspired by the incredibly goofy Sea Monkey-style U.K. comics version of Horde Prime, a staff, and interchangeable gauntlet and crossbow arms. His actual head will remain a secret until the figure ships to collectors. Scott “ToyGuru” Neitlich of Mattel told me later that the Horsemen actually sculpted four different heads, and in fact Neitlich and the Horsemen had only decided on which head to use just the night before. (Neitlich also told me that Horde Prime had originally been planned as the 2012 subscription figure, and had only been bumped after the Filmation rights came through and Shadow Weaver became an option.)

At the panel, the Horsemen talked about how they tried to incorporate everything they knew of Horde Prime from the cartoon into the figure, then fill in the rest of the details themselves. Clearly he has a strong Hordak influence, which makes sense since they’re supposedly brothers.

Now, as for Snake Man-At-Arms: the figure has already caused an uproar among collectors. They’re upset they’re being offered what amounts to a repaint with a new head and a little accessory, and I have to agree. It was asked at the panel if the figure could include MAA’s 200X-style arm cannon, and while the reply seems to suggest no, I think that may be the only thing that could save this figure. It’s just not different enough from the regular Man-At-Arms to warrant a place in the line, even as a bonus figure. (A giant right shoulder pad and a more technified mace couldn’t hurt, either.)

Anyway, those were the toys that specifically interested me. I also had a nice chat with Zach Oat at the Diamond Select booth, as well as Justin Aclin at the Hasbro booth. Both are fine gentlemen whose respective companies are producing excellent new toys for you and me. Other websites have covered those toys in much better detail than I, however, so I leave you to them.

I also had a nice talk with Eric Treadaway of the Horsemen and Matt Doughty of Onell Design. It sounds as if the Outer Space Men are doing quite well, and the next wave is being produced in China as we speak.

Also, I was in a cab that almost ran over a guy.