Tag: Predator Page 1 of 7

Battle Armor Lost Predator Review Addendum – Chest Armor Paint

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Update on my review of NECA’s Battle Armor Lost Predator: I was at my local Toys ‘R Us and found two Battle Armor Lost Predators. One looked more or less like mine, above – missing the blue paint on the torso armor – but the other one looked much better. Not as good as the earlier figure (above right), but much better than mine. So it does appear to be a quality control error.

Odds ‘n Ends > Star Wars Rebels, NES Predator, Funko ReAction, & more

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  • Starwars.com revealed a new character from Star Wars Rebels, C1-10P, a.k.a. “Chopper,” a “grumpy” astromech droid. He reminds me a bit of Claptrap from Borderlands, although it should be noted that Claptrap probably doesn’t exist without R2-D2. Chopper is directly inspired by early McQuarrie concept art for Artoo himself (particularly the arms on the head). The video on Starwars.com includes a quick look at Chopper’s 3.75″ figure as part of Hasbro’s Rebels line (static photo here). I’m really everything I’m seeing and hearing about Rebels, and I find myself hoping we see Chopper or the Grand Inquisitor in the SWB 6″ line. Given Hasbro’s tendency toward media synergy, it’s more likely than, say, Kyle Katarn in SWB. On a side note, I love the whole Inquisitor concept, which originated in the Expanded Universe, I believe.
  • Speaking of, I also hope the rumors of strong synergy between Rebels and Episode 7 are true, and to a lesser extent I hope the Mara Jade rumors are true, because if any EU character deserves to be enshrined in the film canon it’s Mara Jade. I mean yeesh, Dash Rendar is (indirectly through the Outrider) canon.
  • And finally on the Star Wars topic, here’s the latest leaked list of Star Wars figures for 2014, including Star Wars Black. The list doesn’t differ much from what we’ve seen in previous rumors; at this point, Chewbacca, Jedi Luke, Darth Vader, a Clone Trooper, and a redeco of the Sandtrooper all look like a lock. The upcoming wave with Bespin Luke, Prequel Kenobi, the Stormtrooper and the Han Solo carry-over is listed for February-May, while the June assortment is Anakin, Prequel Kenobi carry-over, Chewie and the Clone Trooper, and a mere month later is Vader, Jedi Luke, Sandtrooper redeco and Chewbacca (carry-over). I’m guessing the Sandtrooper redeco will be white, since black would be pretty boring. Here’s hoping the figure gets a new left hand that can actually hold the blaster cannon. Look, I understand re-use is necessary to keep a line like this going – NECA re-uses its molds more per wave than this line does – but couldn’t Hasbro at least replace the carry-over figures with some redecos? It sucks we get the Sandtrooper redeco and the Chewie carry-over in the same wave, particularly when the carry-over figure counts as part of the case. Why do they even bother with four-figure waves/cases? I’d rather get less frequent waves with four new figures, or more frequent waves of three figures, than this four-figures-including-a-carry-over thing we’ve got going now. I’ve got a few friends’ kids who are going to be getting a Prequel Kenobi and a Chewbacca in the near future.
  • Okay I lied, one more Star Wars thing:  here’s some neat fan art by Li Jia Tan (who did some concept art work for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II) of Han & Chewie working on a mech. Love the crotch-cockpit that looks like a 1930s sedan. It’s interesting to see a mech cockpit there, instead of the head or the torso.
  • The Four Horsemen have announced their annual Toypocalypse show at Tokyo Kid during Toy Fair next month. They’ll have factory paint masters of some of the Power Lords figures, as well as the “rebirth” of the FANtastic Exclusive project.
  • The Horsemen also released a ton of in-progress production photos of the Gothitropolis Ravens, along with the news that the Ravens will probably be delayed about two months, but they’ll be produced by the same folks who did such a great job on Scarabus.
  • NECA posted a photo of their next NES figure, the Predator. At this point they really need an unofficial name for this sub-line…
  • NECA also released a photo of in-progress classic Planet of the Apes Dr. Zaius. Seeing that name should immediately make you think of this.
  • A friend of a friend is looking for an experienced customizer to make a Doctor Who custom. Anyone have a rec/referral?
  • Jeff Cope has a revealing interview with Brian Mariotti of Funko regarding their plans for the ReAction brand. Definitely worth reading if you’re interested in the line. I need to do a write-up on ReAction. I have really mixed feelings about the line.

Review > Battle Armor Lost Predator (Predator 2, NECA) – w/ Sculptors’ Commentary!

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Click on any photo for a larger version

Please note: NECA provided me with the figure for this review. -PG

For a film that grew out of a Rocky sequel joke, Predator and its sequels have proven to have some serious pop culture legs. Matching it with the Alien franchise was – let’s face it – a step up for Predator and a step down for Alien, but it arguably increased the popularity of both franchises. (I still maintain the best AvP media to date was the original Dark Horse miniseries.)

In order to produce as many different Predators as possible, NECA has spent some time mining the “Lost Predators” at the end of Predator 2. Played by Los Angeles Lakers players (who had a little fun with it offscreen), the designs for these characters were mostly variations on the designs from the first two films.

One, however, had a look that was radically different from the rest – the so-called Borg Predator. His armor was more intricate and lacked the tribal look of most Predator armor, more technological. He’s the Yautja Boba Fett. [Ed’s note: That is the nerdiest sentence ever written.]

Pic of the Day > Christmas Predator by ridureyu

Christmas Predator

Christmas Predator by ridureyu

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Pic of the Day > Scythe by ridureyu

Scythe

Scythe by ridureyu

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Pic of the Day > NECA Predator – Lava Planet Predator by Ed Speir IV

NECA Predator - Lava Planet Predator

NECA Predator – Lava Planet Predator by Ed Speir IV

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Review > Hive Wars Predator (Predators, NECA)

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Note: this is a sponsored review. The figure was provided by NECA.

In the late 1980s, there were few action figures I wanted more than a Predator. Sadly, by the time Kenner started making Predator figures in the 1990s, I had entered the four-to-five-year period where I was more interested in Magic: The Gathering cards than action figures. I did, however, pick up the Alien vs. Predator two-pack, because I couldn’t resist movie-accurate versions of the Predator and Alien. but all the other crazy, weird variants Kenner made were completely uninteresting to me.

Today, I still want to have a regular “classic” Predator before anything else, but I already have that. At this point in my life, I’m able to appreciate the creativity that went into Kenner’s line. The figures had unique accessories, bright colors, and the exaggerated muscle sculpting that marked many 1990s toy lines (including, hilariously, the first few waves of Kenner’s comeback Star Wars figures). I think that sort of grotesquely-muscled, semi-posed design was due to a stylistic hangover from the immense popularity of Playmates’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (whose own style had been influenced by Masters of the Universe).

Those original Kenner Predator figures were designed to appeal more to kids than cynical teenage collectors. In the 1990s I was both too old and too young to appreciate Kenner’s work.

Pic of the Day > Kenner Aliens Hive Wars – Warrior Predator action figure by splittyhead

Kenner Aliens Hive Wars - Warrior Predator action figure

Kenner Aliens Hive Wars – Warrior Predator action figure by splittyhead

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Pic of the Day > Cleaning the Trophies by MCcustoms

Cleaning the Trophies

Cleaning the Trophies by MCcustoms

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Odds ‘n Ends > Halloween begins, S.H.MonsterArts AvP, random plugs

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  • It’s Halloween season! For as much holiday fun as can be fit into a blog, be sure you’re following Dinosaur Dracula, the current blog of Matt Caracappa, one of the minds behind the late, great X-Entertainment.com. Oh, and be sure to keep an eye around here as well, of course.
  • Pixel Dan has three new video reviews of upcoming MOTUC figures: Geldor, Strongor (Strongarm), and everyone’s favorite(?) pink bunny dictator, Plundor!
  • Speaking of Pixel Dan, it looks like he’s getting another #MyMosquitor – a new Mutagen Man for the current TMNT line, coming in spring. (I must confess I prefer the more grotesque vintage version a bit more.)
  • I’ve never even seen Alien vs. Predator: Requiem – even though it evidently sucks, I probably should get around to it anyway – but I’m still intrigued by the upcoming S.H.MonsterArts versions of the characters. Here’s the official Tamashii Nations page for them. They’ll run $60 apiece, of course, but they’ll be better-articulated then NECA’s figures, offer more accessories, alternate heads, and I believe they will be closer in scale to 6″ lines like Marvel Legends, Star Wars Black, and DCUC than NECA’s stuff (which is in a 7″ scale). While the movie may be dreadful, I don’t mind the designs themselves, so I’m considering getting these. The scale will probably be the determining factor for me, so I may have to see them either in person or next to some other figures first.
  • Requested plugs: T-Rav from Doomkick.com is running a contest for some cool classic villain drink coasters; Acheson Creations is about 1/3rd of the way to their goal for their Kaiju Kaos: Super Robot StratoMaxx resin kit figure with just five days to go.

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