Tag: Superman Page 2 of 3

5 Questions With > Dr. Mrs. Ghostal

On August 20, 2009

Poe’s note: I’ve got a special treat for you all today: an interview with my one and only, Dr. Mrs. Ghostal. What can I say about my lovely, understanding wife that I haven’t said on this blog a dozen times already? Brilliant, beautiful, geeky, and more than I probably deserve.

Code name: Dr. Mrs. Ghostal, DMG, DottyGale
Specialty: Biochemistry, Knitting
Base of Operations: Brighton, MA.
History: Born and raised in SoCal as a child of the 80s, but was more into TV and books than toys. Got pulled into the world of action figures when I started dating Poe 5 years ago, and have had a house full of plastic men, women and creatures ever since.

1.) What were your favorite toys as a kid?

Like I said, as a kid I wasn’t all that into toys.Â I had a lot of stuffed animals of various sorts.Â My mom says that I was a “social doll player” in that if someone else wanted to play with the Barbies or the Cabbage Patch Kids I would play, too.Â I think the toys I really remember the most fondly were these little animals that my sister and I collected.Â They were plastic, but furry, and wore tiny doll clothes.Â We had bears, rabbits, little baby moles.Â I can’t remember what they were called, but we sure had a lot of them.

Perhaps the funniest thing I can remember is that when my friends, my sister and I played with toys, the story lines were really influenced by the TV my babysitter watched, which included a good share of talk shows and soap operas.Â I’m pretty sure that Barbie’s Dream Wedding was interrupted by a mysterious stranger with a scandalous past!

Paul’s Peg > DC Universe Infinite Morbidity

By RobotsPJs

On August 12, 2009

In Paul's Peg

If there was anyone who was looking forward to the DC Universe Infinite Heroes more than me, I doubt it. When the line first appeared I went ape nuts with the prospect of having tons of my favorite heroes in my favorite scale. Then they came out and boy, the joke was on us toy collectors with it’s overall poor sculpting and horrendous lack of articulation. Still, Mattel seems to be trying to make this thing work and they’ve finally come up with something I truly need:

SupergirlCrisisFigure

Odds ‘n Ends for 8/11/09

By Poe

On August 11, 2009

In Odds 'n Ends

Odds N Ends

As you can see, I’ve brought back the original Odds ‘N Ends picture. The newer version just never grew on me. Further bulletins as events warrant.
I noticed in the poll that a good number of people have listed “Other” for toy message boards they visit regularly. Just curious, what are they? What did I miss, or what am I missing?
In case you missed it, Mattel’s going to have flight stands for DCUC in early 2010. The post would seem to indicate they’ll work for MOTUC too.
As you may have heard, the Walmart DCUC 5-pack is popping up here and there. It retails for about $55, and in case you didn’t know, you can get the de-mulleted Superman and black-and-gray Batman separately.
Received my He-Ro. Review forthcoming. In case you’re wondering, I got a green gem, not that it mattered much to me. Although I didn’t really want red.
I beat Ghostbusters: The Video Game last night. It’s a great game, with what’s easily the funniest dialogue I’ve ever heard in a video game (slight spoiler: there’s a scene where the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man is climbing a building to get at them, and Peter looks over the edge and says, “I’m impressed with his agility, considering his complete lack of bones.” Murray nails the line and I had to pause the game until I stopped laughing). I initially beat it on the easy difficulty, and now that I’m on normal, I see why one reviewer referred to it as a “medic simulator.” The other ‘Busters go down every few seconds in the middle of a tough battle. Still, it’s a blast, and if anyone wants to try some multiplayer ‘busting let me know.
I can’t keep up with all the conventions. Seems like SDCC just ended and yet WizardWorld Chicago is already over, and now Joecon starts Thursday. Anyone going? I imagine this will be a pretty momentous one.
Is anyone else watching Warehouse 13? Have I asked this before? Well anyway, Dr. Mrs. Ghostal and I have added that and Eureka to our viewing pleasure. We have a lot of catching up to do on the latter, however. Anyway, regarding Warehouse 13, I like the new cast member they added, the computer chick–though is it me, or is that show becoming more about Saul Rubinek than the Scully/Mulder surrogates? Am I talking to myself here?

Show and Tell > Custom M-Wrestling Ring by Newton Gimmick

By Poe

On June 29, 2009

In Show and Tell

[Poe’s note: Custom figures and toys are fair game for Show and Tell. Just FYI.]

It’s weird the stuff that makes an impact on you. For my Show & Tell item I’ve ended up with a toy that I basically made. The toy itself isn’t that special, but it serves as a good gateway to what was one of the best times of my life both in terms of action figures as well as fun.

Before you is the M-Wrestling ring. What is that? Well back when I was starting to grow out of playing with toys I had a large collection and wasn’t sure what to do with it. For whatever reason, when you start reaching a certain age it becomes harder and harder to sit down with Batman/Superman/whatever and play a plot. I still loved toys, but I just couldn’t seem to get into voicing characters and sounds. It just seemed to disappear from me one day.

Now remember, this was all before the internet was common place, there was no Ebay to buy things or digital cameras to make comics with toys. You either played with your toys, or you didn’t. I’m also a big wrestling fan and things were just starting to get interesting to me with wrestling. So my best friend (Who was also suffering from Growing up-itus) decided to try our hands at something new… Wrestling with toys.

Show and Tell > DC Direct Cyborg Superman by Fengschwing

By Poe

On June 26, 2009

In Show and Tell

When I decided to do Show and Tell, I immediately decided on the figure I’m going to review.

Subsequently I thought that it wasn’t interesting enough to write some kind of article about–the standard of the other articles was really good. I started to hunt through my collection for ever more obscure collectibles, but at the end of the day, if the house goes up in flames, I’m grabbing my DC Direct Cyborg Superman.

Odds ‘n Ends

By Poe

On March 24, 2009

In Odds 'n Ends

odds_n_ends_09

You thought I forgot again, didn’t you! Well, you’re right, I did.

Believe it or not, my case of DCUC7 may actually ship today or tomorrow. Then the clock will reset for DCUC8…and this time, I won’t break down and buy any of the figures ahead of time! Except maybe Hawkgirl. If I see her in a store.
The Fwoosh has an early review of Mer-Man. Looking good.
Entertainment Earth is offering the two different DCUC8 Parademons as a set.
Don’t forget to vote in the next round of FANtastic Exclusive. (Yes, I’m looking for filler today.)
Video that made me laugh my ass off while researching a freelance piece: The Sword and the Sorcerer
Books I’m reading: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck; The Death of Superman by Dan Jurgens (to be followed by World Without Superman and The Return of Superman).

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode)

By Poe

On March 16, 2009

In Fanmode

Artemis reviews the Diamond Select Toys Star Trek Deep Space Nine Colonel Kira Nerys Previews Exclusive figure. Excerpt: â€œâ€¦ sheâ€™s up to the standard Iâ€™m looking for – not perfect, but very good â€¦â€

Newton Gimmick reviews the Character Options Doctor Who Vashta Nerada Suit Creature figure. Excerpt: â€œâ€¦ it does look a lot like a Scooby Doo villain â€¦â€ (See also.)

Newton Gimmick reviews the Character Options Doctor Who Supreme Dalek (Vespiform Wave version) figure. Excerpt: â€œThe Supreme Dalek is the biggest and baddest Dalek in all the land, so he makes an excellent addition to your collection.â€

Review > Recovery Suit Superman (DC Universe Classics)

By Poe

On March 10, 2009

In Reviews

In the early 1990s, the comics boom was fueled by the likes of the X-Men, Wolverine, the Punisher, Ghost Rider, and especially Cable, the time-travelling, Terminator-like cyborg superhero with a mysterious past (and future). Created by Rob Liefeld, Cable’s big robotic muscles, rectangular guns, and thigh-pouches came to represent the quintessential 1990s superhero cliche–so much so that Magog in Alex Ross’s Kingdom Come was designed as a parody of the character.

Rather than jumping on board the bandwagon, the editors at DC decided to show readers what it would be like if DC’s classic heroes were “modernized.” Batman was out of commission for a while in the Knightfall storyline, which saw the Bat-mantle taken up by a newcomer named Azrael, whose Joe Quesada-redesigned costume sent fans screaming back to their 1970s Batman trades. As for Superman, after his “death” at the hands of the very Image Comics-esque Doomsday, Superman was replaced by four heroes–a hip young teen, a Cable-like cyborg, an urban hero of the streets, and the borderline insane Eradicator. When Supes himself returned, he was initially dressed in a black “recovery suit,” and since his powers hadn’t returned to him, he equipped himself with some very Cable-style guns.

(I particularly love Steel’s little dig at Cable–you can’t tell me that’s not a deliberate reference to Marvel’s then-cash cow.)

Toy review roundup (via Fanmode)

By Poe

On March 2, 2009

In News

Poe Ghostal reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Classics Stratos Mattycollector.com exclusive figure. Excerpt: â€œâ€¦. he looks a lot better with the wings in front of his arms.â€

Michael Crawford reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Classics Stratos Mattycollector.com exclusive figure. Excerpt: â€œWhile Stratos might have his own individual problems, I have to say that this line is a tremendously fun series of toys.â€

Michael Crawford (part 2) reviews the Sideshow Collectibles Indiana Jones Dr. RenÃ© Belloq Sideshow exclusive 1/6-scale figure from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Excerpt: â€œPerhaps more interesting than the figure itself is the Fertility Idol Environment that the exclusive version came with.â€

Review > (Return of) Superman (DC Universe Classics)

By Poe

On February 24, 2009

In Reviews

After his unfortunate accident, I was forced to replace my red-and-blue Superman figure from DCUC Wave 6. Fortunately, the new one I traded for is in working order. (Thanks to anti-hero from the Fwoosh for the trade.)

A few years ago, in a rare rave review of the DC Super Heroes Superman figure, I wrote: “This is everything an action figure should be, and the Four Horsemen and Mattel should be proud.” I stand by the latter part, but it turns out I was perhaps a bit wrong on the first part. As good as DCSH Superman was, he could be even better. Unfortunately, DCUC hasn’t quite gotten there yet.