Odds ‘n Ends > Post-SDCC Ennui Edition

August 4, 2010 | Poe

  • Apologies for the lack of updates the last couple of days, but in the wake of SDCC there’s really just not much news going on. Feel free to pass along something…maybe a Toy Aisle Trolls? Anyone…?
  • I saw the NECA Predators at TRU last night. They looked great, but there was no classic Predator, which is the  one I really want. Have they officially announced when we’ll see a masked one?
  • On a related note, NECA’s kicking ass with their Bioshock stuff. I haven’t even played BioShock 2 yet and I want some of those toys.
  • Dr. Mrs. Ghostal and I saw Inception over the weekend. I loved it. I don’t think it’s a whole lot more than an incredibly creative heist movie–to paraphrase Treebeard, Christopher Nolan has a “mind of  metal and wheels,” but I find his movies lack emotion–yes, even Inception with all its characters’ angst about the nature of reality. (I do think The Dark Knight managed to get at some disturbing emotions, primarily due to Ledger’s performance.) But I digress–I really enjoyed Inception.
  • I love this fake Oregon Trail movie trailer–“Here Lies Poopface” had me laughing for ten minutes straight. It’s really only funny if you played the game as a kid, though. I agree with DMG that it’s probably only funny as a trailer. Hollywood, listen to me: do not make this movie.
  • Oh, some MOTUC notes, in case you haven’t been checking out the Poester Gallery (and if not, shame on you): The Heroic Guards 2-Pack has been delayed to December so that they can give the guards Keldor boots, rather than He-Man boots. The guards will still come with shin-guards. Also, they’re hoping to give Battle Armor Skeletor purple feet, like the vintage figure, and King Hiss’s big snake head will have an articulated jaw.

SDCC > Rustin Parr’s Report, Day 5

July 26, 2010 | Poe

Sunday 7/26

140,000 people, 4.5 days, 1 convention – it all comes down to this.

The morning was spent re-orchestrating all of the previous buys into a somewhat manageable series of bags, you see typically we bring down large boxes to fill up but all of box army fell in battle against Recycle-Or several months hence. Once in order we checked out of the hotel, loaded up the car, then headed back down to the Hall for the final hurrah. (more…)

SDCC 2010 Odds ‘n Ends

July 23, 2010 | Poe

This was definitely the year for me to go to SDCC. Shoulda tried harder.I’m terribly jealous of everyone’s who’s there. Crowds, stink and all.

Anyway, the big Mattel fan panel, which will reveal all the new MOTU & Ghostbusters figures, will be at 4pm ET. I’ll have my thoughts up, hopefully w/ pics, soon after.

In the meantime, here’s a list of the things I’ve found interesting that has come out of SDCC so far:

  • Guillermo Del Toro’s first post-Hobbit project is…a Haunted Mansion reboot? Rustin Parr: “Why can’t this man stay away from everything I love?” (Rustin is one of the few people I know who dislikes everything GDT’s done, including Pan’s Labyrinth). Personally I like GDT’s work and am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Mignola will do some design work for it (frankly that’s almost a certainty, if he has the time.) Still, though, has there ever been a reboot of a movie franchise this soon after the previous movie?
  • The Tron Legacy trailer is awesome. I wasn’t quite as amorously invested in it as Rob at TR, but it looks great. I’m starting to think this could be something of a Wizard of Oz for the 3D revival. Anyone not rooting for this movie to be good is a registered Commienazi.
  • Though I haven’t played the game in six months, I can’t wait for NECA’s Claptrap from Borderlands.
  • OK, Mattel…I’ve been iffy on your Ghostbusters stuff lately, but I may have to get that PKE Meter. Then I’m going to walk through the streets of Boston with it prominently held out before me, occasionally stopping near high-traffic public buildings, waving it around, and then rushing off with a worried expression.
  • Lots of Magma Corps on display at the Four Horsemen’s booth, along with the expected Symbiotech and OSM. Scarabus is still looking great…hope we get to own that guy soon.
  • It’s cool that The Walking Dead is getting a TV series, but holy crap, if it’s at all true to the book, that show is going to give Battlestar Galactica a run for its money for Most Depressing Show Depicting Humanity At Its Nadir Lifetime Achievement Award.

SDCC News > Rustin Parr’s SDCC Report, Day 1

July 22, 2010 | Rustin Parr

Wednesday – 7/21

Preview night is always the worst and best day of the con. The first hour is being reminded of why you hate this place and how much better it used to be. Every company has a massive line for figures, the crowds are bigger than the Saturday horde a decade ago and all you can do is fight to survive. But once you find that first purchase (Batman and Joker Nlammoids for $3 each, in my case) the whole thing starts turning around. You get into the fun of the hunt once perusing seller booths and by gum you’ll see some really cool reveals at big companies. (more…)

Doc Thomas Probes > Most Wanted

July 17, 2010 | Doc Thomas

These days, we collectors have a lot to be thankful for – the shift in quality of action figures over the past two decades has turned once-small, barely recognizable, barely moveable plastic playthings into fully articulated, awesomely detailed, instantly identifiable works of art that we’re glad to have displayed in our kitchen, to be briefly admired by last night’s mistake before we kick her out of the apartment. Yes, toys have come a long way, and with the expansion of the market has come a bigger range of great properties picked up and plasticized for our collecting pleasure.

If you’re anything like me, and I know I am, you can look in front of you right now and see an amazing range of amazing toys including Bender from Futurama, the Heath Ledger Joker from The Dark Knight, several Daleks, the amazing Masterpiece Grimlock, WALL-E, at least a dozen different Skeletors, Big Daddy holding a Little Sister’s hand, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cobra Commander, an entire shelf of friggin’ Muppets, and Richard Nixon’s head. That is range, my friends. The sheer mass of different characters that have been made into great toys is amazing and wonderful – and yet, there are still plenty of favourites that are yet to be immortalised in plastic. These are

<<MOST WANTED>>

(more…)

Predators packaged pics are several ugly mother&*%#ers

June 29, 2010 | Poe

Dreadcentral.com has put up packaged images of NECA’s Predators figures. The packaging looks great–much more innovative than the usual–and I can’t wait for that Classic Predator. Still not sure about the articulation, though. I hope it’s better than the McFarlane version (it has to be, right?).

Head to Dread Central for a larger version of the pic.

Doc Thomas Probes > Action Features, Part I

June 25, 2010 | Doc Thomas

Last week I poured my heart and soul into a well-received little shindig on Holy Grails. (Thanks for all the excellent comments! I hope you all can one day find the Holy Grails you seek, as well as a good wife! Not like mine, of course, who’s dead!) This week I’m continuing my insane ramblings with a contentious topic I have a lot to waffle on about: action features.

My good friend, mentor and Karate Buddy has already weighed in with his thoughts on action features in an article spawned from a message board debate (the source of most of history’s finest intellectual discussions and genocidal wars) and also included a nifty little poll to the side there asking readers what most drew them to an action figure as a wee child. It’s very interesting reading, though I think Poe’s focus is slightly to the side of the real issue. I feel that, like tacos, USB gadgets, the papacy, and nearly everything else in life, action features aren’t necessarily a bad thing –they’re just done badly the majority of the time, which makes them seem worse than they actually are and gives them negative stigma and connotation of childishness. (more…)