Pic of the Day > “A smell of brains and cheap perfume…” by Compulsive Collector
Pic of the Day > G.I. Joe Techno-Viper action figure by Cool and Collected
Pic of the Day > Arctic Threat by MCcustoms
Toy Aisle Trolls > “There’s Something In That Package, And It Ain’t No Spirit Iron-Knife”
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: 3B
I found this one at Ross about month ago. Went back there yesterday and needless to say, it’s still there.
Karmic Curse: May you grow two more hands to scratch all your itches.
Pic of the Day > Necro Viper by Geek Creek
Does Mattel Hate Geeks? Ctd
Following up on yesterday’s post, a few responses from the comments:
Stories like this make me very thankful for the always awesome guys (and girls) at Hunter PR who handle Hasbro’s PR stuff at Toy Fair and various other conventions. I have literally NEVER had a bad experience with them, and they treat even us small potato folks with respect and courtesy.
I think many collectors make comparisons between Hasbro and Mattel, and while Hasbro has certainly made its share of missteps, I think it’s demonstrably clear the company values the fans of its brands (particularly the homegrown ones, G.I. Joe and Transformers, but also Star Wars and Marvel). Mattel inevitably suffers by this comparison, which baffles me, since they’ve made it clear they want to establish a TF/GIJ-like media franchise in Masters of the Universe. (more…)
Pic of the Day > airborne by Johnson Cameraface
5 Questions With > Phil Reed of Battlegrip.com
PHILIP REED
Real Name: Philip Reed
Base of Operations: Battlegrip.com
History: Philip Reed has worked professionally in the game industry since 1995 and has been a geek ever since he first encountered comics and action figures in the late seventies. He can often be found walking on the abandoned roads of America, head staring down at his BlackBerry as he answers e-mail while avoiding pot holes and spiked pits.
1.) First, the basics: what are your toy collecting credentials? What were your first toy(s), what were your favorite lines growing up, and have you been a lifelong collector or did you lose interest and get back into it at some point?
As a kid I was a fan of Star Wars, then G.I. Joe, and then Transformers. At different stages of the seventies and eighties I collected those toys, but it wasn’t until 2007 that my attention turned to designer toys. In late 2008 I had the idea of creating my own site dedicated to toys — www.battlegrip.com — and since that time my collection has exploded. I don’t really focus on any one line — or even type of toy — but instead grab whatever I think looks fun. (more…)
How to Make a Monster (Photo, That Is)
Last week, I ran this Pic of the Day by Ed Speir IV. Featuring Hasbro’s G.I. Joe Hazard-Viper and Zombie-Viper, I declared it one of my favorite POTDs ever.
Given its cinematic look and style, I asked Ed if he wouldn’t mind describing how he made it. –PG
Here is a brief description of how the “How to Make a Monster” pic came about. I have included three pics for reference as well.
First, we’ll start with the props. There are basically three layers to this shot. (more…)