DCUC > Tux Joker & White-Face Harley revealed

May 27, 2011 | Poe

I’ve never been as bothered as some collectors about the blue on the original DCUC Harley’s face, but those who are will be happy to see the first pics of this two-pack, which also features a tux-wearing Joker. I’m more excited about the Golden Age Joker coming as part of the Batman Legacy line, but I’ll be getting this pack too.

These pics evidently surfaced at an Asian auction site, so presumably we’ll be seeing these on shelves in a few months.

Like most DCUC Toys R Us exclusives, this is based on Alex Ross art, specifically the famous Tango of Evil.

(via Toynewsi)

Toy Aisle Trolls > Bait’ll They Get a Load of Me

May 10, 2011 | Poe

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 AT poeghostal.com.

Joker Black Manta 2-pack

Submitted by: Mainman

What It’s Supposed to Look Like: This

The Problem: There have been many, many terrible Aquaman storylines over the years, but I doubt anyone remembers the one where Orin’s soul was exchanged with the Joker’s.

Karmic Payback: Every single time the douche who did this goes on yet another desperate date through an online dating service, the person he meets will always be approximately 20% older, 75% uglier, and of a 60% different gender than what the person’s profile picture showed.

Writes Mainman: “Here’s one where the Aquaman from the Undersea Assault set has been replaced with a DC Superheroes Joker. I love that this particular troll didn’t think the customer service staff would notice anything odd about the Joker being in Aquaman’s spot, as long as they included Hawkgirl’s spear to fill in for the missing trident. Because without the spear, the jig would surely be up…”

Mattel brings back Manglors!

May 9, 2011 | Poe

No, not really (sorry for getting your hopes up, Manglors fans!).

One of my favorite toys as a kid were Manglors. Made by Ideal in the 1980s, Manglors were rubbery figures, and the idea was you could tear off their limbs and then stick them back on. It didn’t really work out in practice–once you’d torn off the limbs and re-assembled them, they looked pretty sad and were never quite the same. It’s the sort of toy that lasted maybe a week.

Photo from Plaidstallions.com

Memories of those toys came to me today when I saw Mattel’s pics of Swamp Thing’s articulation, with noticeable tearing at the wrist.

Click for larger version

Of course, this is (presumably?) a prototype, so it’s hard to know whether this will be an issue with the production figure. Mattel’s track record has most fans assuming it will be, though.

On a side note, a lot of people are already comparing this to DC Super Heroes Clayface. I must admit to having never encountered any problems at all with my Clayface (knock on wood)–after plenty of display and posing, both of my figure’s arms are dark and there is no tearing. Perhaps I just got a really good one.

Ask Mattel > May 1 Edition

May 3, 2011 | Poe

Damn, I love that art.

Anyway, it’s time for another round of Ask Mattel. (I refuse to acknowledge a corporate mascot by name, nor pretend he actually exists.) My thoughts are in the blue boxes/captions. –PG

1.) Poe asks: Are there any plans to do more Arkham City figures beyond Batman and Two-Face in the Batman: Legacy line?

Yes. We’ll have the next wave at SDCC to show off.

Awesome.

2.) Toyman2581 asks: What is up with those strange yellow lanterns that come with all the Sinestro Corps figures in DCUC and DC Retro action? In the comics, all the yellow lanterns look just like the green ones. (more…)

Attack of the Show to Queen Marlena: Drop dead.

April 29, 2011 | Poe

Video Game – E3 2011 – AOTS Exclusive

Is the post title uncalled for? I don’t think so. Poor Queen Marlena.

It looks like AFOS wins the contest, since he guessed Marlena and Stay Puft. A few other people got one right, but not two. AFOS, shoot me an email to poe AT poeghostal.com and I’ll set you up with the gift certificate.

ItsAllTrue.net has some good screencaps of the video. Mattycollector/Facebook will presumably offer better pics later today.

More info from ToyGuru and my own thoughts on the reveals after the jump. (more…)

Ask Mattel > Answers for mid-April

April 16, 2011 | Poe

1.) Zach asks: Over the past three years, the DCU figures have seen a 50-80% price increase, with little to no increase in quality or value. This is almost to the point of MOTUC prices, minus the shipping, and those figures arguably have better quality and more accessories. Going forward, will there be anything added to these figures, besides a little useless pin, to justify this massive increase?

At this point we are fighting to keep the figures at $14.99.  Highly articulated collector figures are very expensive to make and the cost of labor and raw goods continues to rise. We will do all we can to maintain the price point without sacrificing quality, but there are no plans to plus them up further at this point.

2.) Valo487 asks: I’m glad to see the Horde getting fleshed out a bit, but it seems like the rest of the Horde as well as the Snake Men are more unique sculpts. Can you give us a rough idea of when we’ll see the next Snake Man or Horde member? (more…)

Toy Aisle Trolls > I C Dead DCUC

April 8, 2011 | Poe

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 AT poeghostal.com.

Poester JHndz sends along a pair of DCUC swaps.

Supposed to Look Like: This and this

Problem: The DCUC Green Lantern Hal Jordan has been swapped for a DC Direct Hal Jordan; not actually that bad a trade, to be honest. Kinda weird really, since this is the most easily-available Hal Mattel has made, whereas that DCD Hal Jordan is harder to find. The second figure is a JLU Black Manta in place of Deadshot, and it’s clearly wrong.

Karmic Payback: The troll or trolls who perpetrated this crime are caught on camera self-pleasuring to World of Warcraft, which is then uploaded to YouTube for all to see.

Ask Mattel > Answers for Mid-March

March 16, 2011 | Poe

1.) The Batman : Legacy figures look great. Regarding Two-Face: will he come with an alternate, non-coin-holding right hand (hopefully one that can hold a gun)?

No.

2.) The Movie Masters figures tended to be in a slightly smaller, more “realistic-to-humans” scale than DCUC. Will the Arkham Asylum figures be closer to Movie Masters or DCUC, in terms of scale and style? (more…)

Poe Plays Favorites 2010 (The Awards Post)

March 8, 2011 | Poe


Wow, am I late with this thing. Frankly the only reason I’m even doing it is to placate my obsessive-compulsiveness–there must be a PPF for every year, even if it takes me three months into the following year to do it.

(more…)