Toy review roundup (via Fanmode), 1/9/09

January 9, 2009 | Poe

fanmode-copy Tom Prankerd reviews the Bandai Soul of Chogokin (SOC) GX-44 Tetsujin 28 set. Excerpt: “This beauty does all you’d want from a Tetsujin 28 toy, and is a must for any fans of pretty diecast robots.” (See also.)

Updatedude reviews the Bandai Motion Revive Series (MRS) Monster Hunter Kado Karyudo Kirin C trading figure. Excerpt: “… easily the best 3.75″ base figure out there right now …”

Corey Tincher reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Superman figure. Excerpt: “… a well made figure with solid sculpting and above average mass market paint makes him feel worth it.” (more…)

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode) 12/30/08

December 30, 2008 | Poe

fanmode-copy Corey Tincher reviews the Mezco Toyz Hellboy II: The Golden Army Hellboy (black-shirted version with cat, six-pack and Samaritan) 7-inch- scale figure. Excerpt: “It might be a few dollars overpriced, but he’s just a really well made figure that uses a strong, heavy plastic that feels like $16 in your hands.”

Michael Crawford reviews the Diamond Select Toys Star Wars Ultimate Quarter Scale Darth Maul figure. Excerpt: “I had to actually get THREE of these figures, because the first two broke right out of the package.” (more…)

Odds ‘n Ends

December 30, 2008 | Poe

Odds N Ends

  • To answer the burning question first: yes, I’ve got MOTUC He-Man and Beast Man and I’ll be reviewing them this week. I’m waiting/hoping for a particular birthday present (my family exchange is tonight) before I take the photos. Let’s just say, though, that I can’t wait for Skeletor.
  • I had lunch with fellow toy collector Rustin Parr (who really needs some sort of Facebook page or something I can link to; otherwise people are going to think I’m making a bizarre, obscure reference to The Blair Witch Project) on Saturday. ‘Twas fun. We had pizza and discussed how we would run DCUC were we the brand managers.
  • Word to the wise: if you’re going to order any figures off Mattycollector.com, including Skeletor and the Starfire/Adam Strange two-pack (both on sale Jan. 15), make sure to pick UPS ground shipping, not economy postal. Trust me. UPS will be a bit more expensive but far more reliable.
  • I found a giant pile of DCUC wave 2 at my local Target yesterday. My local Target has been a frickin’ DCUC wasteland for over six months, so I was a bit shocked to see all those figures, particularly the five long-haired, modern Aquamen. I decided to pick him up, only to remember once I got home that DC had already reverted Aquaman back to his classic costume. Bastards.
  • Just a reminder–Toy Bender’s “Joes for Tots” contest is still going on. Enter. Now.
  • This will be the last you’ll see of this particular Odds ‘n Ends pile this year–I’m going to shoot a new one for 2009. Anyone care to try and identify all the stuff in it? I’ll give the first person to post a comment correctly identifying at least five (5) of the 12 items a prize…hmm, let’s see…how about a Satellite Iron Man?

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode) 12/24/08

December 24, 2008 | Poe

fanmode-copy Dave Van Domelen reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Deluxe class Blurr, Swindle and Blazing Lockdown figures. Excerpt: “(Re: Blurr) A very good updating of the original toy, and an amazingly solid toy in its own right.”

yo go re reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Leader class Ultra Magnus figure. Excerpt: “Ultra Magnus is fun in both modes, and has lots of play features all around.” (See also.) (more…)

Hasbro’s Marvel Museum (SDCC 2008)

July 25, 2008 | Pete

(Full pictures of everything I discuss are right here.)

Hasbro sure does show us a lot of Marvel figures, considering that they haven’t actually sold us many in the last 8 months or so.

Still, Hulk Legends has made it to retail (and Foom is worth it, even if a few of the figures aren’t), and other lines are on their way. In a weird move, Hasbro has shown another Wal-Mart exclusive wave, with no standard HML 4 yet to appear. I hope they don’t plan to continue this trend of ML appearing only as exclusives… (more…)

Odds ‘n Ends > Acula Edition

June 10, 2008 | Poe

(For the record, sometimes I just choose random words for the “edition.”)

ODD: Looks like people really dig the Heinz Burger Blaster. Who knew? I’ve got to dig up some other random old toys like that. Can’t think of any off the top of my head right now, though.

END: Had the day off yesterday. I had lots of big plans, but ended up mostly just playing the new Incredible Hulk game for the 360. I just read IGN gave it a rating of 6/10, which I’d say is a bit on the low side for how much fun I’m having playing it, but it’s true it isn’t as fun as Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction from a few years back (despite cribbing from that game). I suspect the new Hulk also suffers from comparisons to the free-roaming city of GTA IV. Anyway, I’m enjoying it. I also got the Simpsons game from my cousin Ed  (a.k.a. Mistah Plow), so I’ll have that when I get sick of Hulk. Speaking of new fan-favorite Mistah Plow (judging from my readers’ comments), check out his review of Mario Kart Wii. (more…)

Flippin’ Through ToyFare #131

May 22, 2008 | Poe

Again, all apologies for the scattershot posts this week. Between how busy I’ve been at work and my webhost’s endless problems with a file server on my cluster (causing significant slowdown problems here on PGPoA), it’s been hard to get through an update. But now I’m back and rarin’ to go, the site speed seems to be flying, and I’ve got content up the wazoo!

Today I’m going to discuss ToyFare #131, which hit comic shops last week (and will hit newsstands this week or next).

On the cover we’ve got the 6″ Target exclusive movie Hulk, which is a repaint of the Marvel Legends 1 Hulk with a new head. The ML1 Hulk mold doesn’t come close to the perfection of Face Off Hulk, and I can’t see Ed Norton in that head sculpt the way I can in the movie stills. However, if you missed the boat on previous 6″-scale Hulks, this one might be passable. He is the first 6″ Hulk to feature non-purple pants.

Page 3: Big ol’ ad for DCUC wave 3. Here’s hoping they ship before, say, the end of July…

Page 9: An ad for the new Indiana Jones toys, which seem to be selling well, though I’m not sure if they’re being bought by kids or Star Wars collectors. It was smart of Hasbro to include figures from all four films. (more…)

Odds ‘N Ends > Authentic Edition

May 20, 2008 | Poe

ODD: Where did all the comments go? I leave for a few days and the comments dry up like Aquaman in the desert. Come back! I promise I’ll be interesting!

END: Good news for fans of NECA’s Ninja Turtles line. First, it appears the line is selling quite well. That’s great news; perhaps NECA will be inspired to create more heavily-articulated figures. Second, it appears to be confirmed that the SDCC exclusive is a Mouser 3-pack. Add another exclusive to the pile I’ll be begging for come July…

ODD: From the looks of the toy aisles when I hit Target or TRU, Iron Man seems to be a rousing success with the kids as well as adults. All the 6″ figures have disappeared, though I notice plenty of those Superhero Squad and dress-up sets. Hint hint, Hasbro!

END: Please join me in congratulating Paul of Toy Bender, who entered into wedded bliss this past weekend. I’ll be joining him in just a few scant months. See you on the other side, Paul!

ODD: The next issue of The Toybox will be delayed until the first week of June, due to a hectic schedule for both Red Kryptonite and me. But I’m hoping to put something together to tide you over in the meantime, as well as expand the Toybox world.

END: The latest issue of ToyFare (which I’ll recap tomorrow) has a big ad for wave three of DC Universe Classics, possibly the greatest wave of superhero action figures since ML6. I imagine packaged pics will show up on the Net soon, though I still don’t expect to see my set until late June. If you think you know better, be sure to enter the contest!

Odds ‘N Ends > Iron Edition

May 6, 2008 | Poe

ODD: Yes, I saw Iron Man over the weekend, and yes, in the parlance of my home region, it was wicked good. Or at the very least, it was an entertaining blockbuster action flick with no pretentiousness, pretty good pacing, good acting, some great humor and good characterization. I’ll probably see it again, since Mrs. Ghostal-to-Be wasn’t able to come along this time. Incidentally, somehow I completely missed the fact that there was a post-credit sequence; if anyone else was that oblivious, you can see it here. (more…)

The Legend of Marvel Figures–Impressions from NYCC 2008

April 20, 2008 | Pete

Legend (n): 1 a: a story coming down from the past; especially : one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable b: a body of such stories <a place in the legend of the frontier> c: a popular myth of recent origin d: a person or thing that inspires legends e: the subject of a legend <its violence was legend even in its own time — William Broyles Jr.>

With the arrival of the New York Comic Con, news about the long-questionable status of the Marvel Legends toy line has finally come to light, and Hasbro has definitively confirmed that its status is still questionable.

Wait, what? (more…)