Guest Review > Beast Saga Series 1 (Takara-Tomy)

When I first heard the news earlier this year that Takara was tackling their phenomenal Battle Beasts line again with all new toys, I wound up in the emergency room with a severe concussion sustained from fainting and my head landing onto a comically large anvil. The doctors then told me I had a bad case of the retrovirus…not the virus that has genes encoded in RNA instead of DNA, but rather the one I suffered due to the announcement that a favorite vintage toy line of mine was being remade and that my wallet had better be prepared. Did they live up to my ridiculous expectations? Let’s find out! (more…)

Interview > Monster Artist Extraordinaire Matt Frank

MattFrankArt.com

Matt Frank

Specialty: Drawing monsters
Base of Operations: MattFrank.com. You can find much more of his monstrous artwork here.
History: Matt Frank is based in the Golden Land of Texas. He likes pineapple juice. He also loves to draw monsters and anything else that happens to be very, very cool. His comics work includes IDW’s Godzilla and Transformers: Flash Forward and Bluewater Productions’ Ray Harryhausen Presents: Wrath of the Titans.

What toys did you collect as a kid, and what do you collect now?

When I was but a lad, my room (and our storage space) was practically bursting with toys. I had substantial collections relating to Power Rangers, Transformers, Jurassic Park, War Planets, Mighty Max, Ultraman, and, naturally, Godzilla. Largely this was thanks to my grandmother, God rest her soul, and her predilection towards expressing love via large purchases.

Nowadays, as an adult, I’ve had something of a change of priorities without a loss of motivation. My tastes have been refined, somewhat, in that I’ve trimmed my collecting habits down to mostly Godzilla and Ultraman related swag, with the occasional Transformer, but mostly keeping an eye open for the more interesting or unique toy/figure. For example, I came across a model of Osaka Castle that was quite nicely detailed, and it goes perfectly with my six-inch Bandai Godzilla figures! I also came across a rare Reptilicus figure (an exclusive for the Asian Fantasy Film Expo in 2000) while in New York City, and snagged it for my “rare and cool” shelf. (more…)

Toy Aisle Trolls > Rodimus Crime

Toy Aisle Trolls is a feature highlighting acts of vandalism to in-store toy items. If you find a ruined package, a stolen figure, a swapped-out figure, or any other such acts, take a photo (cell phone photos are fine if they’re not blurry) and email them to poe@poeghostal.com.

Submitted by: DB

DB writes: “If you were going to steal a “free” (worthless) bonus t-former, why would it be Rodimus? Karmic payback: Eternity for this troll will be spent in an RV with no electricity, parked in the shadow of a Peterbilt rig truck!”

BBTS has Diamond, Koto, FansProject, PlanetX, LotR, NECA & More

 

‘Best of’ Minimates Wave 02
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DMC11861&mode=retail&picture=out

Knight Rider – 8″ David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DMC11863&mode=retail&picture=out

Alice – Madness Returns- Royal Guard
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DMC11862&mode=retail&picture=out

Batman – Killing Joke – ArtFX Statue
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=KOT11004&mode=retail&picture=out

Mass Effect – Commander Shepard – ArtFX 1/6
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=KOT11001&mode=retail&picture=out

New 52 – Aquaman 1/10 ArtFX Statue
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=KOT11003&mode=retail&picture=out

FansProject – Crossfire 02 – New Color Repaint Set – Parts for Bruticus Maximus
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=KOT11003&mode=retail&picture=out

(Bruticus Maximus = http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=TAK11568&mode=retail&picture=out )

PlanetX – Genesis
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=PLNX10000&mode=retail&picture=in

(more…)

Video > Sculpting Toys with Scott Hensey

I’m willing to bet most Poesters can name the Four Horsemen, and probably quite a few recognize names like Kyle Windrix and Jason Frailey. But there are also sculptors like Scott Hensey, whose work you almost certainly owned as a kid. Hensey was responsible for many of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures in the ’80s and ’90s, as well as Playmates’ Star Trek figures and even Playing Mantis’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer line.

The above is a very cool video interview with Hensey by Make Magazine, part of their “new series about the people who bring fantasy to life. We will spotlight miniature-making, sculpting, molding, figure-modding, latex mask-making, and much more with tutorials, interviews, reviews, and good stories.” You can follow the series at www.makezine.com/go/believe

More importantly, be sure to visit Hensey’s website, where you can see just how much of your childhood came from his tools and imagination.

Thanks to Topless Robot for the tip.

New OMFG “Blood Rage” Exclusives On Sale Monday

I know a lot of you are fans of October ToysOMFG figurines (as am I), so I figured you’d want a heads-up on the upcoming translucent red “Blood Rage” exclusive versions of waves one and two, which will go on sale this Monday at noon at Shelf Life. Single sets will be $10 with a two-set limit for each of Series 1 and 2.  Combined shipping available up to the four-set maximum. The Blood Rage editions are exclusive to ShelfLife but in Japan a limited number of sets will be available through Fig-Lab.

On an unrelated note, I’m going to be clearing through a lot of stuff this weekend, so for those of you who catch up on your PGPoA on Saturdays and Sundays, you’re in for a treat.