Poe’s Point > Vintage toys, eBay, and trading

August 19, 2009 | Poe

Recently I’ve been interested in tracking down the four original Ghostbusters from the 1980s Kenner Real Ghostbusters line. Of course, the first place I checked was eBay, the same place everyone else goes–including people of much greater means than I–thus ensuring that any and all auctions go for a price at the very high end of the market.

But my only other option is to scour yard sales, flea markets, and vintage collectible stores to try and find them at a reasonable price.

I’ve got plenty of old vintage stuff myself, and I’d much prefer to trade with some other collector without using eBay as a middleman, selling my vintage stuff online and then bidding top dollar on an auction on eBay, paying PayPal fees every step of the way.

How about a website that’s a sort of toy-focused, trading-based version of eBay, where collectors can put up all the items they have for trade and then look at other people’s wants and haves and make offers. It’s similar to what any toy board’s trade forum does, but a bit broader and with a way to search for specific items.

Of course, for all I know something like that already exists. Anyone know?

Ask Mattel > Mid-August Edition

August 17, 2009 | Poe

ask_mattel

Before we begin the Tri-Klops Day festivities, here’s my mid-August bout–er, round of Q&As with Mattel. –PG

DC Universe

1.) Emerald asks: Can we now be assured that the remaining Matty JLU 4-packs (Shazam, Doom Patrol, and Justice Guild) will in fact be released, and if so, what are the approximate release dates?

Yes, both Doom Patrol and Justice Guild will be coming out, but we do not have release dates yet. The future of the JLU line on MattyCollector.com will depend on sales of these remaining packs. (more…)

Odds ‘n Ends for 8/11/09

August 11, 2009 | Poe

Odds N Ends

  • As you can see, I’ve brought back the original Odds ‘N Ends picture. The newer version just never grew on me. Further bulletins as events warrant.
  • I noticed in the poll that a good number of people have listed “Other” for toy message boards they visit regularly. Just curious, what are they? What did I miss, or what am I missing?
  • In case you missed it, Mattel’s going to have flight stands for DCUC in early 2010. The post would seem to indicate they’ll work for MOTUC too.
  • As you may have heard, the Walmart DCUC 5-pack is popping up here and there. It retails for about $55, and in case you didn’t know, you can get the de-mulleted Superman and black-and-gray Batman separately.
  • Received my He-Ro. Review forthcoming. In case you’re wondering, I got a green gem, not that it mattered much to me. Although I didn’t really want red.
  • I beat Ghostbusters: The Video Game last night. It’s a great game, with what’s easily the funniest dialogue I’ve ever heard in a video game (slight spoiler: there’s a scene where the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man is climbing a building to get at them, and Peter looks over the edge and says, “I’m impressed with his agility, considering his complete lack of bones.” Murray nails the line and I had to pause the game until I stopped laughing). I initially beat it on the easy difficulty, and now that I’m on normal, I see why one reviewer referred to it as a “medic simulator.” The other ‘Busters go down every few seconds in the middle of a tough battle. Still, it’s a blast, and if anyone wants to try some multiplayer ‘busting let me know.
  • I can’t keep up with all the conventions. Seems like SDCC just ended and yet WizardWorld Chicago is already over, and now Joecon starts Thursday. Anyone going? I imagine this will be a pretty momentous one.
  • Is anyone else watching Warehouse 13? Have I asked this before? Well anyway, Dr. Mrs. Ghostal and I have added that and Eureka to our viewing pleasure. We have a lot of catching up to do on the latter, however. Anyway, regarding Warehouse 13, I like the new cast member they added, the computer chick–though is it me, or is that show becoming more about Saul Rubinek than the Scully/Mulder surrogates? Am I talking to myself here?

Review > Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man Bank

August 10, 2009 | Poe

stay-puft-marshmallow-manAs a kid I had a few Real Ghostbusters toys, including the ‘Busters themselves, but I didn’t love any of them as much as I did Slimer (originally called “The Green Ghost”) and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man (SPMM).

The original Kenner Stay-Puft figure was about 7″ tall and made from rotocast white vinyl with a smooth finish. He felt a lot like a dog toy, but I think that was part of his appeal.

In 2004, NECA released a titanic, 18″ SPMM. I was lucky enough to get one of these as a Christmas present just a couple years ago. It was rotocast but made from solid material, with a stucco-like texture, a far more pissed-off expression than the Kenner version, and mildly more articulation, though his arms were still stuck jutting out to either side. (more…)

Review > Egon Spengler & Slimer SDCC Exclusive

August 7, 2009 | Poe

egonWhen I came across NECA’s Slimer a few years back, I was excited–here at last was a Movie Maniacs-style Ghostbusters figure. The Ghostbusters themselves had been requested for ages by fans of McFarlane’s Movie Maniacs line, which by then (2004 or so) was more or less defunct, but NECA was already picking up the slack with their Cult Classics.

While NECA produced excellent versions of Slimer, Gozer, the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man and Gozer (I own Slimer and the SPMM, but man, do I wish I had a Terror Dog), they were unable to secure the likeness rights to the four main actors.

Enter Mattel, who–five years later–are finally offering the realistic, movie-based Ghostbusters action figures fans had been clamoring for since the days of the cartoon-styled Real Ghostbusters. Thankfully, Mattel appears to have thrown the weight of the largest toy company in the world behind getting Bill Murray to sign off on his likeness. (more…)

Review > Ghostbusters Minimates, Part I

August 5, 2009 | Poe

I am way late getting on board the Minimates bandwagon, and from what I can tell it seems I’m not alone–the Ghostbusters Minimates seem to be selling very well, which suggests to me that it’s attracting casual collectors as well as Minimate diehards (no doubt to their chagrin–I was lucky enough to score a the Ray/Marshmallow Man 2-pack shown in yesterday’s It Figures, while longtime Minimate fan Rustin Parr has yet to find one).

In general, I’ve never been very interested in “non-realistic” action figure lines–block figures, vinyl figures, and so forth. It was only my resurgent interest in Ghostbusters, along with a  strong recommendation from the aforementioned Mr. Parr, that got me to consider picking up a set. (more…)

Poe’s Point > SDCC Wrap

July 28, 2009 | Poe

sdcc_wrap

I’m not going to discuss what happened with the various exclusives and so forth–Rustin has promised a rant later in the week, and I’m sure that will cover it all and more.

Instead, I’m just going to list the things that interested me the most. (more…)

Show and Tell > The Official Ghostbusters Training Manual

July 27, 2009 | Poe

gb_cover

While not a toy, The Official Ghostbusters Training Manual was one of my prized possessions as a wee tyke. Published in conjunction with the movie in 1984, I probably got it only a couple years after I’d learned to read, which explains why there are lines from it that were so deeply embedded in my psyche that I never forgot them.

What I did forget, it seems, is just how much Ghostbusters was a part of my childhood. I’ve gone through nostalgic revivals of interest in He-Man, Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and paid tribute to smaller fads like Robocop, but I’ve more or less neglected Ghostbusters–despite the fact that, as a kid, my Kenner Green Ghost and Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man were two of my most beloved toys. With the imminent arrival of Mattel’s Ghostbusters line, I expect that to change soon. In fact, the entire Ghostbusters franchise seems to be in the midst of a cultural revival (with rumors of a new sequel a la Rocky Balboa, Rambo, Live Free or Die Hard and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). (more…)