I’m currently working on an article for an upcoming issue of ToyFare, but I thought I’d take a few minutes to peruse the latest issue.

Cover: For some reason, Harrison Ford’s face seems to be difficult to sculpt (much like Bruce Campbell), but the larger the format, the easier it appears to be–and Sideshow nailed it with their Premium Format Indy here.

Customizing 101: I’ve never been clear on the whole “Sucklord” thing. How can he sell action figures made from molds of real Star Wars figures? This is one of those underground things I’ve never looked into, like the Church of the Subgenius. Still, that figure’s cool.

Hot Plate: “Aquaman the A-Lister…I like the sound of that.”

Page 16-17: Most of the figures on these pages are cool, but the only one I’m positively getting is the Wendigo–whom ever time I think of, I hear the goofy voice from the early-90s X-Men arcade game screaming “Weeeendiiiiigoooooooo!!!”

Page 20-21: I wish the Hulk movie line was 6″-scale like the Iron Man line. Supposedly there’s going to be a 6″ Target-exclusive Hulk, but I haven’t heard anything about that beyond a mention in a Fwoosh Toy Fair article.

Page 24: I’m still not sold on some of these Heroes sculpts, but Future Peter is awesome.

Page 26: We get a Farkus figure what, five years after the figures first came out? I guess this means NECA will be re-releasing the Christmas Story. I’m still waiting to find out more about the Conan figures, since supposedly one of them will be as articulated as some of NECA’s other recent offerings (such as the Ninja Turtles). And once again, ToyFare squeezes in a shot of David Bowie’s package, juuust in the bottom of the frame.

Page 30-31: I have to admit, these Transformers Animated toys are kinda awesome.

Page 35: Is it me, or does DC Direct’s 13″ Hal Jordan look a bit like Dr. Cox from Scrubs? I think it’s the neck that does it. And the expression. Also: Abin Sur seems to be staring into my soul, and it creeps me out.

Page 39: I know, intellectually, that Hasbro’s Cloverfield monster is an ugly, probably over-priced toy. But it’s a giant monster, people! Me want. Incidentally, did you know the Cloverfield DVD comes out this month?

Page 42: More revamped Madballs! Oculus Orbus shall be mine.

Iron Men in Tights: I like the dog one. And the guy who made his out of Arizona Iced Tea jugs.

Page 49: WizardWorld Philadelphia is going to have a sculpting tutorial featuring the Four Horsemen, Clayburn Moore and Robert Tonner. That is pretty darned cool.

Speed Racer features: Good stuff. I’m not into Speed Racer at all (just before my time, I think–I was more of a Force Five kid when it comes to early anime), but the “Race Against Sanity” piece is funny.

The Jones Collector: All this and no 6″ action figure line…just like Star Wars. Sigh…

House of Lords: Fellow ’80s-phile Ben Leach writes the definitive Power Lords retrospective. A toy line that was way before its time. I’ve only got Sydot (see the menu on the left) and Arkus, both eBay pick-ups,
but someday I hope to get them all.

Twisted ToyFare Theater: “Catch a Rising Starscream”: What’s weird is my cousin and I once had a play session when we were kids that oddly mirrors aspects of this TTT, right down to Starscream taking over the Decepticons and tank Megatron showing up to crash the party (though in our case, we had two Megatrons who consulted one another). Also, I had that Shockwave ActionMaster.

Page 92: Winner of Poe’s ToyFare Word Balloon Gag of the Month!