Review > US Agent (Captain America: The First Avenger, Hasbro)

June 9, 2011 | Poe

Today’s review is a bit unusual for me, as I haven’t reviewed a Marvel Comics toy in ages. I spent about a year loving Marvel when I was 13-14, then my second Transformers era took hold and I didn’t get interested in Marvel again until the era of Marvel Legends.

However, I did always have a certain fondness for the subject of today’s review, US Agent. I’m not sure why–maybe it was because I found the real Captain America a bit dorky. US Agent, to the young teenage Poe, was the “cool” version of Cap; plus he had a more interesting costume. If I’m being honest, I didn’t really know who US Agent was–I just liked the character concept, and the look. In retrospect, of course, the character was kind of Azrael to Captain American’s Batman–a more brutal, less idealistic, and generally darker replacement (though I should note that the Cap-replacement storyline took place in the late ’80s, years before Knightfall).

Anyway, it was that mild nostalgia that led me to make my first Marvel Universe purchase since my last and heretofore only one, brown costume Wolverine. We never got a Marvel Legends US Agent, so when I saw this one I just couldn’t resist. (more…)

Odds ‘n Ends

June 1, 2011 | Poe

  • The upcoming redesign/relaunch of PGPoA continues apace. Rome wasn’t built in a day, when it’s done, Valve time and all that. Hopefully it will seem worth the hubbub once it’s revealed. I will say we have a pretty cool contest planned to coincide with it.
  • In the meantime, as I’m sure is obvious, I’ve been on something of an unofficial hiatus for a few months now. It was a nice break, and necessary, I think, but things should start picking up soon. April and May were very busy months for me, but things appear to be calming down now.
  • So, DC is rebooting their entire universe. I have a lot of reservations and many questions, but the first one I want answered is: does this mean Damian Wayne can finally go away? More significantly, though, it occurred to me that the comics themselves are really the least relevant form of media for superheroes these days. My Batman is the Batman of B:TAS, the Burton & Nolan films, and Arkham Asylum/City. And action figures, of course. As long as DC still produces Elseworlds-style side comics like Batman Beyond and one-offs like Brian Azzarello’s The Joker, while making animated adaptations of Batman: Year One and Dark Knight Returns, I’ll be fine. What are your thoughts?
  • BotCon is this weekend…anyone going? Anyone interested? Anyone else find it painful Michael Bay is being feted?

Toy Aisle Trolls > The Cursed Avenger

May 26, 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.

Submitted by: OrccaCast

The Problem: The Bucky-style Captain America that’s supposed to be included in this set has been stolen and replaced with a War Machine figure.

What It’s Supposed to Look Like: This

Karmic Payback: Yet another example of stealing from a toy intended for little kids. I believe there’s a special circle of toy collector hell reserved for these sort of trolls. It’s filled with bratty, irritating children smashing every toy the troll ever wanted or ever will want. Amazing, lifelike 6″ action figures with incredible sculpting and articulation being torn apart. If the troll every manages to pick up one of the toys, it’s yanked out of his hands by one of the kids and smashed flat.

Also he’s on fire.

Toy Aisle Trolls > Lando’s Gone-Missing-An

May 20, 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.

Colt 45 not included.

Submitted by: President Juggernaut

The Problem: A Vintage Collection General Lando Calrissian has been swapped with a Power of the Force version from the 1990s.

What It’s Supposed to Look Like: This

President Juggernaut writes:

Here’s another one from the Framingham, MA Wal-Mart, the same store which was featured in Toy Aisle Trolls a few months back with some similarly swapped Star Wars Vintage Collection Sandtroopers. This time it was a Vintage Collection General Lando swapped out for his POTF2 counterpart. This one really hurt, I was excited to finally see this hard to find figure on the pegs, it really made my day. And then it really ruined it when I actually examined the figure. May their punishment be severe!

Karmic Payback: Ugh, that post title is terrible. Sorry.

This is the closest Walmart to my own house, but I have to say I’m not surprised this was found there–it’s easily the worst, most horrible Walmart I’ve ever seen. If the Framingham TRU is the “magic” TRU (though I’ve recently considered giving that title to the Dedham TRU), then the Framingham Walmart is the necromancer of Walmarts. No, necromancers are competent and kind of cool; the Framingham Walmart is messy, depressing, and never offers anything worthwhile. Ever.

So no, it’s no surprise that a troll got away with this at that place. Nonetheless, I am duty-bound to curse him. I got lazy about it, so I asked Poester Sped, who came up with this: “May he get jumped by cosplayers at his next convention and have the video go viral on YouTube.” I suggested changing the “j” to an “h,” but whatever, works for me.

On a side note, seriously, what were we all smoking when we thought the POTF2 figures were great? That Lando is only slightly less ripped than the earlier POFT2 version, but it still looks like Barry Bonds has been spiking his Colt 45 with creatine.

Toy Aisle Trolls > D’oh Joe

May 4, 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.

Found by: EV

What It’s Supposed to Look Like: This, this and this

The Problem: They’ve all been replaced with other figures. I have no idea what those are–anyone know?

Karmic Payback: The trolls’ entire toy collection is melted in a house fire. Also, his house burns down.

Writes EV: “I found this at my Target in Sagamore Hills Ohio. I thought I found a rare Joes at first but to my dismay it was a Troll’s doings.”