Lights, Camera, ACTION FIGURES!

Spectacular Spider-Man: Electro-Blast Spidey (Hasbro)

2012-02-23T10:48:00.010-08:00

My favorite superhero, from my FAVORITE superhero cartoon... The Spectacular Spider-Man, though it only lasted two seasons (whose ass needs to be kicked for that decision?), was everything that it's name said it was, exceeding the "Spectacular" title entirely. If I could describe it in a word, I'd say it was stellar.

Now, I'm not going to pretend that I watched from day one, not even close. I couldn't set aside my own nostalgia for the 1990's animated show and, while it was actually on the air, I never watched it.

A couple of guys I work with however, insisted I watch it, aaaaand I did. - I was BLOWN AWAY! It kicked the 90's Spider-Man series' butt! I regret getting in on the series so late, and I especially regret getting in on the action figures so late. Why?

The prices on the secondary market for these are a little outrageous at times. Luckily, I got ol' Spidey here for just about $20 shipped (new), and I paid the same for the Green Goblin (new). So let's get in on the review, aye?

These figures were produced a few years ago (2008 or 2009), and the articulation is what you'd expect from that time, not to mention this line wasn't exactly "premium". It it what it is, it was a toy line for kids, but that isn't to say that Hasbro probably didn't get into the wallets of a lot of adult collectors either.

Now, I'm NOT saying the articulation is bad, you can get Spidey in a LOT of awesome poses! I think my main gripes are lack of ball joints for the shoulders/hips (both are ball/hinged) and bicep swivel... swivel/hinged elbows would have been a fantastic touch too, but alas, they're just hinged. He does also feature a thigh swivel, ball jointed head, ball jointed (I think) torso, double jointed knees, hinged ankles, and swivel wrists - which were a very nice surprise, so you can really get him into those web shooting poses easily.

All in all, he IS one well articulated Spidey, which ALL of his modern day figures should be. Poseability for THIS guy is key, no matter what incarnation of the character it may happen to be. If Peter Parker's figure isn't able to hit those right stances, someone isn't doing there job.

Detail and sculpt are just wonderful too, Hasbro REALLY nailed the likeness to the figure's actual cartoon counterpart.

According to a lot of people, apparently the first wave was based on a design for the show that wasn't finalized, so some things were a bit off. The head was a little bit differently shaped, the webbing was a LOT tighter on the costume, and even the figure itself build-wise was a little different, being that the torso joint wasn't in the same spot for example.

The paint deco on mine COULD be better, there is one line under his right eye that is a bit too thick, but I'll manage to live with it, hahaha. If I had been into the show when it was airing, I'm sure I could have sifted through the pegs and found one that was perfect. Aside from that issue, I'm very happy with my purchase. This line, of course was mass produced, so I'm not going to expect perfection from it.

And yes, he did come with some gimmicky accessories, and yes, I purposely left them out, because well... I'm not a child, and I don't care about goofy accessories that Spider-Man never used. That stuff was for the youngsters, I just care about the character itself.

That being said, that'll wrap it up for this one!

Thanks for reading!

-Adam

Sucker Punch: Amber Mini Bust (Gentle Giant)

2012-01-31T05:12:00.000-08:00

You will be unprepared.

Played by Jamie Chung, Amber was the pilot of Babydoll's fantasy team in the Zack Syder film, Sucker Punch, a film layered in three different worlds jumping from the "real" one of a girl being thrown into the Lennox House for the Mentally Insane, to the world of a brothel where she befriends four other girls in which we see them all as dancers, into finally the over the top world where the five girls are a team, sent to retrieve items, which is then mirrored back into the other two worlds to make escape from the brothel/insane asylum possible.

Gentle Giant has impressed me several times over in the past, and once again this is no different.

At the 2011 San Diego Comic Con they unveiled their first Sucker Punch mini bust for purchase of Emily Browning's character, Babydoll, which was limited to 500 world wide (which I have yet to pick up myself), and while this statue's edition size is increased by 200, I don't see it lasting much longer before fans and collectors alike snatch all of these up as well.

This mini bust features the fierce pilot wielding her side arm, as if it was just taken from it's holster, as the closure looks to be freshly opened, and on the opposite side of her torso she features two magazines of ammunition. Sculpted leaning slightly back, this is a very dynamic piece for the collection of anyone who is a fan of this film.

The paint apps accent the sculpt extremely well with little to no paint slop at all, even the small details such as the buckles and zippers seem to have the utmost care put into them. The blending on her skin is done beautifully for a pre-paint, and the dark olive green costume looks wonderful.

My biggest concern when buying action figures, statues, busts, or what-have-you online (I purchased this girl through BigBadToyStore.com), is that I am always weary of how well the eyes will be painted. Far too often often it seems I come across collectibles with the eyes painted slighty off center, and sometimes even the extreme is true, and they are painted with one eye at least somewhat cross-eyed. Luckily, that isn't the case with Amber here.

This mini bust also includes an alternate head, and while the portrait of Jamie's face my be the same, the inclusion of the helicopter pilot's helmet is a welcomed edition, and is exactly how I plan to display her.

The graphics applied to the helmet are gorgeous, but I'm not 100% sure if they are just decals sealed onto the polystone. In any case they look fantastic and add a superb look to the overall bust.

My only real gripe here seems to be a majorly universal one. Female characters in general are just harder to nail likeness-wise, and while Gentle Giant did a good job overall on this bust, I can't help feeling that, going back to her eyes, they seem to just be slightly off. - And I figured they would be, it's NOTHING against the company, and it's certainly damn near unavoidable, but Jamie Chung's character here, at least for me had very memorably sexy eyelashes in the film. Granted, this is a 1/6th scale bust (standing just around six and a half inches), so it isn't like they'd be a joy to sculpt, and I'm sure the very thin and fragile pieces would most definitely be the first things to break.

Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase, she retails around $75.00 USD, and on the secondary market Babydoll is reaching prices around double that, at $150 USD.

Are they pricey? Yes. Is the quality you get return for your money worth the price? In my opinion, yes again.

I hope that in the future we get mini busts of other characters from the film, in that of Rocket, Blondie, and Sweet Pea. Gentle Giant is also planning to release eighteen inch statues of all of the girls, plus one of the steam-Nazi-zombies, and I am already planning to pick up AT LEAST Blondie and Sweet Pea. Those are due out sometime in the 3rd quarter of 2012.

Keep your eyes peeled for those!

...and oh yeah, one more thing...

Thanks for reading!

-Adam

OMFG! Series 1 (October Toys)

2012-01-24T06:43:00.000-08:00

Before we get started, this is the inaugural post with the brand new domain name, LightsCameraActionFIGURES.com! GenericToyReviewBlog finally has a better, less generic name!

Secondly, this is the second time I'll be reviewing an awesome line from the incredible people over at October Toys. You may remember the first post, that dealt with their Z.O.M.B.I.E. line and the color mutating colorway (plenty of other colorways released as well, photos here). Well, now we're looking at the OMFG! (Outlandish Mini Figure Guys) line, specifically in the photos here, this is the University of M.U.S.C.L.E. exclusive yellow set.

This concept for these mini figures couldn't be any more rad either, over at the October Toys Forums over forty designs were posted by various artists, votes were cast by forum members, and the top five designs were then produced. The characters in series one are:

Multiskull (designed & sculpted by Charles Marsh)

Stroll (designed by Spanky Stokes & sculpted by George Gaspar)

King Castor (designed & sculpted by Dominic Campisi)

The Phantom Shithouse (designed by Kyle Thye & sculpted by Ralph Niese)

Crawdad Kid (designed & sculpted by Daniel Yu)

The line was funded via Kickstarter, and really is a great homage to the M.U.S.C.L.E. and Monsters in My Pocket toy lines of yesteryear. The details on these little figures couldn't get any better either, and in my opinion smoke their predecessors.

While this quick look was done with the yellow colorway, there are plenty of other colors out there for you to hunt down!

Black (Kickstarter Exclusive) - No longer available
Flesh (October Toys Exclusive)
Yellow (University of M.U.S.C.L.E. Exclusive)
Green (LittleRubberGuys.com Exclusive)
Bright Blue (Rotofugi Exclusive)
Pheydon Blue (Onell Design Exclusive) - No longer available

I'll have all of the colors (minus the Onell set) photographed and up on my Flickr page soon enough, also keep an eye out on the October Toys forum, as an Artist Proof HOT PINK set is slowly appearing (you have to buy each individual figure from the artists who designed them)!

Thanks for reading!

-Adam

The Walking Dead (TV): Rick Grimes & Black and White Rick Grimes (McFarlane)

2012-01-12T08:11:00.000-08:00

After a ton of anticipation, I've finally got my hands on the McFarlane Walking Dead television series one, Rick Grimes figure.

Not only did I score one the regular figure, but I also picked up the blood splattered black and white variant exclusive to Toys R Us. Now, this is mainly going to be a review on the full color Rick, but photos of the black and white figure will be posted below.

First things first, while I mentioned in the comic book figure review that I was surprised at the amount of articulation they had, the TV series on the flip side has been quite a bit more pre-posed. Rick still offers up a good amount of articulation in his head, shoulders, elbows, hands, knees, and feet, but it isn't anything as awesome as his comic counterpart. Oh, also, he has a v-cut crotch. I hate that articulation, to be honest.

The likeness to Andrew Lincoln, who plays Rick Grimes on the TV show is pretty damn accurate, more so than I would say the Daryl figure is to the real man himself, Norman Reedus.

The only thing that I think makes this not look identical to Andrew Lincoln, is a little bit of spottiness in the paint work on the face. Firstly, the pupil is painted blue, while the iris is black... at least, that is exactly how the eyes come off looking to me. Secondly, he has a dark line between his lips, as if to show a little depth. I'm not too keen on that, but it's passable.

The only other thing I can nitpick on this figure are the hands... I get it, it's a five inch scale action figure, not everything can be perfect... but the hands just look too cartoony. Come on guys, I KNOW you can do better than that!

In the way of his accessories, Rick comes with his Colt Python, a 9mm Beretta, a shotgun, grenade, baseball bat, and his walkie talkie. Unfortunately the walkie talkie is not able to be attached to Rick's belt, also unfortunate is the lack of Rick's hat (which I have noticed around the web is a pretty big complaint. On a cool note though, all of the accessories included he has used in some pivotal moments in season one. The baseball bat was used for Rick's first zombie kill, the Beretta and grenade were acquired in the tank, the walkie he uses in attempts to contact Morgan, and the shotgun (I believe) is supposed to be the same one used in the "Vatos" episode.

While there is no real difference between the two figures aside from deco (black/white/bloody Rick has the same accessories, except you know... in black and white), I thought I would still post some shots of the exclusive Toys R Us variant. Enjoy!

If you are a fan of the series, I recommend pickin' these up!

Thanks for reading!

-Adam

The Walking Dead (TV) Daryl Dixon & Zombie Biter (McFarlane)

2012-01-03T06:07:00.000-08:00

It's no secret how big of a fan of McFarlane Toy's first series of The Walking Dead's comic inspired line I was - in fact, I have the whole set including both of the exclusive Rick figures, being the black and white (Toys R Us) and bloodsplattered (NYCC 2011) versions, along with the black and white zombies.

Now the television series has hit the market, but how do they stack up?

I realize a lot of folks out there with a keyboard and an internet connection have been very critical of BOTH of the lines - writing very passionate reviews with an iron fist, or spouting off at the mouth with a silver tongue. Well, here I am to tell you what I think, and in one shot I did the whole base set of the comic figures. Today, I'm splitting it up.

We're taking a look at Merle Dixon's brother, Daryl - AND having a look at my favorite "walker" from season 1, the deer eating zombie played by special effects aficionado, KNB's own, Greg Nicotero.

First up is a character that unequivocally and undoubtedly has become a fan favorite the world over, both with the hardcore source material comic book fans, and those who only know the show, in Daryl Dixon.

Daryl was introduced to viewers after his brother was left handcuffed to a rooftop in Atlanta, and after coming back from a hunt (in which he finds the zombie we'll be looking at, eating the deer he was tracking) a very angry Daryl confronted newcomer to the group, and the man responsible for leaving his brother there, Rick Grimes.

Daryl comes wielding his trademark crossbow, which he first used to put down the Nicotero/"Biter" zombie (after it's head was cut off). He also comes with the string of squirrels he had brought back from his hunt, a hunting knife that fits beautifully into a sheath that is attached at his side, a pick axe, and an axe. I have to really give McFarlane credit here, the plastic they are using on the accessories is AWESOME, it's all very sturdy, and nothing (aside from the strap on the crossbow, which is a softer plastic) came warped out of the package.

In the way of the strap being warped, I just used a blow dryer for about twenty seconds to soften the plastic, and get it into a more realistic hanging position. I also have to admit that I LOVE the way the strap is attached, via two small O rings, which gives it great freedom in moving about.

The paint apps are nice, as is the sculpt. In package I thought the figure looked awkward, the sculpt on his pants looked strange (articulation-wise), and his hands looked bizarrely small. However, once out of the package, and posed, he looks FANTASTIC and everything looks great. The only thing I am critical of at all at this point, is the headsculpt. I know from seeing an interview with Todd McFarlane the actors all had their heads scanned - so that IS in fact Norman Reedus' actual face there. BUT, the likeness due to paint, I'd say is a little bit "so-so". It's not a deal breaker, but it does leave me with an eyebrow raised at times.

His articulation is all over the place, the head is on a ball joint, shoulders have full range of motion via a ball/hinge, biceps are swivel cut, hinged elbows, REALLY AWESOME ball/hinge wrist, t-crotch allowing forward and back movement, swivel thighs, hinged knees w/ swivel above, AND ball jointed ankles. Although the character is pretty much pre-posed, you do still get plenty of articulation out of him.

Next up is the zombie "Biter", which I much prefer over the other undead offering in this series, the "Walker".

As I said before, this guy was played by Greg Nicotero of KNB Effects (who are behind the special effects and zombie design of The Walking Dead TV series), and he was the first zombie to come near the group's camp outside of Atlanta. While his presence was short lived, as the group made good on disposing of him, for me he was the most memorable of all of the undead in season one.

After having his meal of the deer Daryl was hunting interrupted, he was subsequently beaten, and was decapitated. THEN he was shot through the eye socket by Daryl after his head was still active... what a way to go!

Now, while Mr. Dixon may boast a myriad of articulation, that is where this guy suffers the most... and what a lot of people seem to have a problem with. The whole gimmick with this figure is that his jaw opens and closes via a button on his back, hence the name, "Biter". However, the head does not rotate, the shoulders are the same as Rick's from comic series one, he has hinged elbows, swivel wrists, a V-crotch, hinged knees, and ball jointed ankles. That's it.

Where does this figure shine if it isn't in articulation you might ask?

Duh, it's the paint and the sculpt!

The folks at McFarlane did an awesome job as far as the looks are concerned. The dress shirt looks worn and beaten, the hunched over pose looks imposing, and while the paint isn't as impressive as the prototype on the back of the packaging - it is VERY solid!

Sure, this figure isn't as "interactive" as the two from the comic book series, but in terms of sheer appearance, he might just be my favorite figure of the bunch thus far, out of BOTH lines.

Now, I know a lot of other people are probably scowling at that comment because his articulation and poseability isn't that of a Revoltech - but it doesn't have to be! He's a zombie after all!

And after all, these are made by McFarlane, so at this point you should really know what to expect from those guys.

In closing I wanted to touch on one last thing, going back to the Daryl figure I have read and watched some reviews which state he doesn't hold the crossbow well. I disagree. If you place it as I have (refer to the photos above), he holds it REALLY well. Just use his left hand to cradle the underside, it can be a bit tricky to properly get it into his hand, but I promise it can be done. After that, put the handle into his right hand. It ain't goin' nowhere after that!

I have one more photo to share before I go, the Biter with the "Deer Eater" bust by NECA!
-Thanks for reading!

NYCC 2011 DEADPOOL CORPS Minimates

2011-12-18T13:15:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to review this set ever since I received them shortly after the 2011 New York Comic Con, for whatever reason I just really never got around to it until now. As a BIG Deadpool fan when the Corps exclusive set was announced, I was more than elated. But a couple of things bothered me about the set...

For those unacquainted with the Corps series from Marvel, Deadpool was joined by alternate universe versions of himself. Lady Deadpool, Kidpool, Dogpool, and Headpool. - He even gave them all nicknames, Lady Deadpool was "Boobs", Kidpool was "Tito", Dogpool was "Cujo", and Headpool was "Shorty No Pockets".

For whatever reason (probably budgetary, which I understand), we didn't get a Dogpool, but instead got a later character by way of Championpool. "The Champion" (from what I remember) was an alien whom was supposedly the most badass of all in the universe... when the Corps were to engage him, a distraction was created and (I think it was) Kidpool stole his intergalactic motorcycle, and they left him stranded on an uninhabited planet (the whole storyline takes place in space, duh). Later on, The Champion comes back, joins up with the Corps, and then once again is shafted in hilarious fashion, and that's pretty much it for his character... you could basically call him "throwaway".

Would I have preferred Dogpool? Of course! But I do understand it was probably more cost efficient (especially for an exclusive set) to not make a new one time use mold, and instead release this guy. Championpool comes with the bulky torso piece, and a couple of rad swords.

Deadpool himself of course needs no write up. He's Deadpool. If you don't know Deadpool... well, what are you doing reading this? Okay, I'll say this much... the figure is good, but it isn't as good as the previously reviewed 'Pool I posted...

Next up we have Kidpool, who was a student in an alternate universe at Professor X's school for Gifted Youngsters where he picks on a young Scott Summers (Cyclops).

So Tito here (Kidpool) comes with two... well, I'm not going to lie, they couldn't say it in the comics, but he has light sabers. Yup, light sabers.

Before he left to join Deadpool and the rest of the gang, he took them from the Danger Room, and kept them throughout the story.

I didn't forsee him becoming possibly my favorite character, but he was good stuff.

His minimate comes not only equipped with his special weapons (which I would have honestly liked to of seen a translucent green plastic used for the "energy" portion instead of the painted version released), but also with a neckpiece to make his costume more comic book accurate.

Lady Deadpool here, or Wanda Wilson is from an alternate reality, Earth-3010, and was originally debuted in the Merc With a Mouth series, issue #7 if I'm not mistaken.

As I mentioned, when Deadpool doles out nicknames he gives her the wonderful designation of "Boobs". Yup, Boobs.

After that initial mention, I'm pretty sure she's never referred by that name again... whereas Shorty, Tito, and Cujo are often called by their new Wade Wilson assigned monikers.

Lady Deadpool becomes an integral part of the team, often kicking ass or distracting adversaries with her, ahem... assets. Sadly in that respect, much like Wade, her body is severely scarred all over.

I'm not particularly sure if she was to include specific weapons, the set mainly includes submachine guns, and swords... sooooo I gave her one of each.

Last but not least, we have Shorty No Pants... a floating head.

The severed head of Deadpool... a zombie head from the Marvel Zombies universe to be exact, that happens to zip around in the air... but he wasn't always that way. In the story, he's found at sea, and taken to an island. Goat Skull Island.

The man in charge more or less, Dr. Killcraven is an inventor and likes to do genetic experiments. Headpool's captors take him to Killcraven, where Deadpool eventually shows up and helps lay some smackdown. The propeller atop Shorty was one of the inventions found where he was being kept, it was held on via a chin strap... which I really wish would have been at least painted on for representation.

Although in photos he appears to actually be floating, he's mounted on top of a clear stand that is just blown out in the photos... he stands as tall as the rest of the figures easily.

All in all, while the set was pretty pricey for me when I had purchased it, I'm glad I did. I really don't think Hasbro will ever release these characters, aside from Deadpool, in the Universe or Legends line, so if you want the Corps represented in your collection (even at the sacrifice of not having Dogpool), you'll have to settle for this set.

And I don't mean "settle" in a bad way either, these are GREAT figures! Pick 'em up!

-Adam

"Spectacular" Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock Playset

2011-11-21T03:11:00.000-08:00

SPECTACULAR SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN!

Earlier this year, a couple of guys at work asked me if I'd ever seen this awesome cartoon called "The Spectacular Spider-Man" - to be honest, no. No I had not. I still had my memories invested in the 90's Spidey cartoon, and was not ready to move on. Hell, I didn't even know the show ever existed... which is funny, because I have a Spider-Man tattoo on my wrist. No, really - I do. Click here, SEE?!

Anyway, one of them had the series and let me borrow 'em (thank you TJ!), and at first I was wary. I was told the characters had a stylized design, and while I am a fan of that sort of thing... I was still stand-offish... after all, there are several adaptations of Spider-Man I just don't like. Luckily, this wasn't the case at all with "Spectacular". I really did dig the story, the characters, and most of all the look. None were more surprised than this guy.

So yesterday, I walk into my local Big Lots! and what do I find? A wicked awesome box set!

Do keep in mind, since I wasn't watching the show, I was oblivious to the merchandise... I really didn't pay attention, at all to much in toy isles for a good while. *sigh*

Anyway, I've long been a fan of mini figures, and what led me to finding this was actually something I found a couple weeks back. A single carded "Marvel Heroes" Spidey. I picked it up, and was hoping to find one more. No dice. However, tucked away on a bottom shelf I found this instead. The "Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock OSCORP Ooze Playset" - now honestly, I didn't care about the playset, I just LOVED the mini-figures! These little dudes are only 2.5 inches tall! Sure, the articulation is basic at best (standard 5 points), but the sculpts and paint are KILLER!

The set includes: Classic Red/Blue Spidey, Black Symbiote suit Spidey, and a really awesome Doctor Octopus. The "playset" itself is underwhelming, and a gimmicky... in fact, I didn't even photograph it because well, it's just dumb to me. It's two pieces that connect and the back wall has a (bad) "cement truck" that is supposed to dump "ooze" onto the figures. The only part of the truck that is painted on this "wall" (it is molded in) is the mixing tank. Other than that, the details are hard to make out.

Now maybe if I was a youngster I'd appreciate the "play" aspect a bit more, don't get me wrong, it's GREAT that a kid would pick this up, but for me, I'm afraid whatever gunk is included would just get into the cut swivel joints and gum it up.

All in all, I'm really happy I snagged this. Turns out after a little investigating a Green Goblin set, and a Venom set were also released. If I can ever find the figures individually, I'll definitely get them too.

The set only ran me $10 (was marked for $13), and for three little toys, yeah, I probably over spent, BUT IT'S SPIDER-MAN DAMNIT! And I'm very happy with my purchase. So damn awesome. Thanks Hasbro!

-Adam

THE WALKING DEAD - "Bicycle Girl" Mini Bust (NECA)

2011-11-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

So I was just browsing around AMC's online store the other day, and had to take a double take when I read this bust was "in stock".

I was under the impression the "Tank Zombie" and this one (the Bicycle Girl) weren't even due out until December... needless to say, after purchasing the SDCC Exclusive bust, I had to jump on this.

"The Walking Dead" has been pretty much devoid of zombies with a personality, or a story of their own, and being that the series is centered squarely on the human characters, and not so much the zombies (aside from how they live in a world overrun by them), it makes sense. However, the "bicycle girl" was an exception. In the pilot episode "Days Gone By", Rick Grimes encounters this woman, who was evidently torn in half in an attack, and eventually turned...

Later on, Rick returns, and puts her out of her misery. Inside the book, "The Walking Dead Chronicles: The Companion Book" it's said that they purposely did certain things with her design (such as angling the eyebrows to give her a 'saddened' look) that would make the viewer feel sympathy for her. Well, you got me guys, it worked.

In fact, the character (as minimal as it was), was such a hit with audiences, and stood out so much that AMC went ahead and shot six short stories they posted as "webisodes" on their site, and if I'm not mistaken they were directed by Greg Nicotero (of KNB Effects).

The mini-bust here, which was designed and sculpted by the folks at KNB, and released by NECA captures her very, very well. The sculpting is breathtaking, and the paint apps are awesome, especially for a pre-paint.

I'm really crossing my fingers that we get a second series of these, possibly with human characters. I'd love to see Rick, Shane, Andrea, Daryl, or Dale... and if we get more zombies, I personally want the zombie that made his way onto the RV in season two's episode, "What Lies Ahead?" - which Andrea promptly killed with a screwdriver through the eye.

Only time will tell if NECA and KNB Effects keep their relationship going, and for the sake of the fans, I really hope they do. These busts are just too awesome, and I totally plan to pick up the "Tank Zombie" and finish off my set.

If you're a fan of the comic series, or the television show I do recommend picking this girl up, she'll run you around $50.00 right now, but as hot as The Walking Dead has become, I'd imagine once they're all gone, the price is easily going to double on the secondary market.

Do remember this is a MINI-BUST, and as such is around six and a half inches tall. Also, she is solid resin, so keep her away from anywhere you may suspect that she could fall and become damaged.

All things said, this is an amazing piece to have in your collection, and I will gladly display mine with my other bits of merchandise from this license.

That's about it for me, thanks for checking this out, and as always do click the images and check them out in full resolution (right click, open in new tab/window if you don't like the flash pop up)!

Thanks for reading!

-Adam

The Walking Dead - Comic Series 1 (McFarlane)

2011-10-12T12:59:00.000-07:00

They're FINALLY HERE! The figures from the hit comic series that inspired the hit tv show, "The Walking Dead" by McFarlane Toys! And I am going to review them ALL in one zombie head-splitting shot!

When I first heard McFarlane got the rights to do these figures (which is no surprise considering how close Todd McFarlane and series creator Robert Kirkman are), I was anxious, a little worried, and VERY excited. Anxious, because I wanted them immediately ("patience" is not in my vocabulary), worried because I didn't want little plastic statues, and excited because it's THE WALKING DEAD!

Not to worry, these have turned out to be some of the coolest action figures I have ever seen/owned in my lifetime. - And at a retail price between $16-$20 (USD), they should deliver!!!

So here we have them, in a very photo heavy review. Deputy Rick Grimes, the badass zombie slaying, sword wielding Michonne, and two (awesome) zombies.

Sit back, and don't get scared.

So the first figure I have to delve into is obviously the comic and the television series' main character, Rick Grimes.

McFarlane did NOT skimp on this guy, Rick comes decked out in his uniform complete with his signature (non-removable) hat. He also features four shotguns, a bag for the shotguns, pistol, and his trusty hand axe.

Rick also has TWENTY-THREE points of articulation (THANK YOU MCFARLANE!). You can have Rick in a wide array of poses, no static piece here! From top to bottom you've got a ball joint head, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel/hinge elbows, swivel/hinge wrists (which sorta snap into place LOVE IT!), swivel waist, hinged hips, ball jointed thighs, single jointed knees, AND ball jointed ankles!!! AWESOME!

The amount of badass in this figure is undescribable by normal standards in accessories and poseabilty alone. But wait, oh there is more, so much more. McFarlane didn't stop the awesomeness there, it carried over into paint deco and sculpting in a big way.

The attention to detail in this line, especially with Rick is off the charts, especially when you consider their size.

The Walking Dead line comes in around the five to five and a half inch mark, not small, but not your standard 1:12 scale figures either. I have heard some folks complain that because of the size, they should be cheaper - I couldn't disagree more. These are QUALITY action figures, and the proof is in the proverbial pudding here.

Take a good long look at Rick, for those familiar with the comic series you should spot his bandaged hand, which by the way, the bandages are part of the sculpt! Now, if I'm not mistaken this is due to the I.V. Rick in, from his coma (correct me if I'm wrong, please).

The paint work is clean, the sculpting on the uniform is absolutely superb, the guns look fantastic... but I do have one gripe here. Something is missing. WHERE IS RICK'S COLT PYTHON!?! Perhaps it was a rights issue, I don't know, but I really hope later on down the road, Rick get's his trademark fire arm. Pretty please?

Next up we have Michonne... a woman that is extremely hard to really figure out. She's tough as nails, and knows how to decapitate a zombie though.

Upon her introduction to the series, I had no idea what to make of her, carrying a katana, and having zombies on leashes for Christsake... she was the wildcard to say the least.

Michonne features pretty much the same articulation as Rick (minus the ankle joints and wrist hinge). Where she really shines though, is in the accessory department.

The one story arch everyone and their mother seams to love, was the prison... which *spoilers* lead to introduction of one of the most vile villains EVER - The Governor. This sadistic man not only cut the hand off of someone crucial to the story, but he also tortured and raped Michonne. Eventually, she got her revenge, and she comes with those tools. Now, I did need to heat and straighten her katana, but the other accessories I didn't need to. Those are; a power drill, hammer, spoon, and needle nose pliers (the last three of which are not pictured).

While Rick and Michonne turned out amazing, what would The Walking Dead be without THE ZOMBIES?

Series one brings us two of them, with some awesome features to go along with jaw-dropped paint deco.

First up, we have the "Zombie Lurker", which sure features more limited articulation, but an incredible fun factor in the way of DISMEMBERMENT! WOO! The head/neck is on a swivel/hinge (I believe), and the top of his noggin is removable, revealing the bottom of his brain underneath! Swivel/hinge shoulders - which right below detaches to reveal bone! Hinged elbows, hinged wrists - which right above also detach to reveal more bone! Swivel thighs, hinged knees, and a ball-jointed right foot to help you balance this guy.

Unfortunately, there is no hip articulation, or waist articulation... but there is some awfully rad about the waist torso area...

YOU CAN HAVE IT SEVERED! You can turn this dude from the walking dead, to the crawling dead!

The "Zombie Roamer" is next... and is the weakest in the way of articulation. Featuring only swivel/hinge shoulders, hinge elbows, swivel waist, v-cut hips, swivel right thigh, hinged knees, and a ball-jointed left ankle... you can't really do a WHOLE lot with him in the way of posing... buuuuuut...

What this guy DOES have is something even better.

Not only can you do the same sort of stuff with his arms as you can with the "Lurker", but his head also EXPLODES! How? Well, on his back is a knife shaped lever, and a small button below it. You press the button, it releases the lever sending a gruesome blood and brain matter fountain jutting from the neck while splitting his head in half! Perfect for a faux-shotgun blast to his dome! KILLER!

To reform the head, you just push the lever back down in place which will move the splatter down into the torso, and the head just fits right back together, no problem. Out of all of the zombie figures I've seen in my day, these rank up there as the best, simply stunning work!

Now, I believe I'll leave you all with a few more shots, enjoy!

Thanks for reading! Pick these up IMMEDIATELY!

Minimates - DEADPOOL (Series 28)

2011-09-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

"The Merc with a Mouth" is here! You might be asking yourself, "where is Wolverine? Didn't he come with Deadpool in this series?" Yes, he did.

However, I picked up this figure on eBay, by HIMSELF. All I wanted was this Deadpool. He's one of my FAVORITE comic book characters, and I didn't need no stinkin' Wolverine to go along with 'em, bub.

So let's talk some CHIMICHANGA!!! ...I mean, Deadpool. For those unaware, Wade W. Wilson, Wade T. Wilson... errr, whatever name you choose - was a failed Weapon X project. Yes, THAT Weapon X, which gave Logan his better known character. Wade's character had cancer, a side effect of the healing powers that the X program gave him, super-charged the tumors he was dealing with, causing massive scarring all over his body. Basically, homie ain't so hot under that mask...

The other, big time side effect, was that it drove him completely and utterly batty and insane. And no, if you're new to the character, he ain't at all what was portrayed in the X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie.

So what exactly do I like about this character? Well, for one his the quintessential badass. For two, he's hilarious and there isn't a fourth wall he's met that he won't blow all to Hell and break. Three? Well, he's just a fun character, he's everything wrapped into one: comedy, action, and violence with a tinge of darkness and tragedy.

Enough about that, let's talk FIGURE!

So, like I said I picked this little dude up from a seller on eBay, at a pretty steep price for being solo ($25 w/ free shipping), but I'll be honest - it's my favorite Deadpool I've seen from the Minimates line, so I was more than happy to pay it, and pick him up. If you're wondering who the seller was, look up "toysarefyn", I do recommend them, packaging was nice, and the shipping was WAY fast!

As you should be able to tell, the ariticulation is the same as I spelled out in the Green Goblin/Unmasked Spider-Man review. Fourteen points in total... but with a downside. Sadly, since he is PACKED TO THE FREAKIN' GILLS WITH ACCESSORIES, they can sorta get in the way.

But seriously, what would Deadpool be without being strapped for action? Well, he'd be a disfigured guy that could still kick your ass in tights, duh.

Anyway, let's give him the accessory count:

-TWO pistols.

-TWO Sub-machine guns.

-TWO katanas.

-One sai.

-TWO masks.

...all on a two inch mini figure. Every bit of it can easily fit on him at one time. To say I was impressed, would be a grave understatement.

The downside though? Because of the design of the figure, and the closeness of the accessories to the body, most of the weapons were warped... and despite my fixing the warping for the photos, I do fear it'll happen all over again.

Now, that should not put you off to picking him up solo, or with Wolverine. He is a FANTASTIC figure, and easily the best Deadpool they've put out, with the most gear to boot.

It should also be noted, that under his mask(s), is an awesome face! All scarred and mangled, as it should be.

A quick little tidbit here, at the upcoming New York Comic-Con there is an EXCLUSIVE Deadpool Corps Minimates box set due out... which I totally plan on nabbing, and reviewing.

In closing I'll say if you're a collector of the line, a fan of this character, or just love action figures and toys, you should pick him up. The paint detail is fabulous, the accessory count (and quality) is tremendous, and uhhh... he's just fantastic.

A solid A+ all the way.

PICK HIM UP! And now... more pics!

Thanks for readin!

-Adam

Minimates - "Unmasked" Spider-Man and Green Goblin 2 Pack!

2011-09-21T12:06:00.001-07:00

Here's a line I never got into... until now. Diamond Select's "Minimates".

Reminiscent (to me at least) of the Mez-It (Mezco), Kubrick (Medicom), and Cosbaby (Hot Toys) lines, I'm now pretty stunned I never got into these until now. Minimate's are DEEP into the numbers when it comes to their series, so expect me to do PLENTY more reviews of their sets in the future!

Now, I don't know which company had what line out first, and I really don't care - the thing is, I love mini figures! Especially stylized ones... why these fell under my radar for so long, well your guess is as good as mine. That aside, let's get on with this thing!

I thought, when I saw this set in a local store, it'd be fitting to do my first Minimate review on two characters I grew up loving, and still do to this day. Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and the Green Goblin. How much do I love them? Well, the Spider-Man tattoo I sport on my wrist ought to be of at least a minor indication! And yes, I have thought about getting the Goblin too.

The stand out of this two-pack to me, is easily the Green Goblin - if you've bought this set, I'm willing to bet it wasn't for Parker.

Good old Gobby here comes with a swappable hand holding a pumpkin bomb, an awesome glider, a stand made of flames to simulate the afterburn, a "rope" you can use to dangle Peter with, AND a swappable alternate portrait of Norman Osborn (see photo).

Problems? Well, he stands on the glider extremely well via a peg (a rather large one at that), and the glider pegs into the stand the same way... however, I did have to doctor up the glider, as one wing was warped pretty badly in package. I personally, cannot stand reviews with warped limbs and accessories. FIX YOUR STUFF!

One other thing I'd like to say, is that reading and watching other reviews, I can't seem to figure out why people have the pumpkin bomb hand as his right hand... it makes more sense to me, to have it as his left hand, so the face of the bomb is facing outward, as opposed to inward. But I digress.

Peter... urrmmm, "Unmasked Spider-Man" (who comes masked in package, wtf?) isn't as heavy on the accessories.

Pete comes with a hair piece for his unmasked portrait, a Spider-Man mask (which you can totally see webbing under the eyes), and a... well, sorta goofy web I didn't even bother taking a shot of. I will give Diamond select credit though, what he lacks in the extra's department, he MORE than makes up for in deco/detail.

The torn clothing looks AWESOME! All the lines are bold and as crisp as can be.

I was also surprised at how poseable these little figures are. For only being two inches tall, they feature FOURTEEN points of articulation! And Spidey can hold a kneeling pose PERFECTLY! With no aid at all, amazingly balanced.

In closing, I have to say that I totally recommend picking some of these little dudes up if you haven't already. I plan to add MANY more to my collection (and already have a Deadpool on the way!).

Thanks for reading!

-Adam

Marvel Universe - Cyclops

2011-08-23T05:48:00.001-07:00

First things first, let me start out by saying Cyclops (Scott Summers) was my favorite member of the X-Men team as a kid, and to this day remains as such.

Why? Perhaps it's the same reason why I have an affinity for Leonardo of the Ninja Turtles (and thus have him permanently tattooed on my right forearm)? I've always gravitated toward characters in a strong leadership role. - And by my account, Cyclops fits and embodies that persona perfectly.

Though he has had many different looks over time, being that I grew up while the animated X-Men series was going strong, whenever I hear him mentioned, my first thought is of the Jim Lee version. A true classic in the blue and yellow.

In fact, I was majorly disappointed in the live action X-Men movies, because Scott wasn't given, at least I feel, as much attention as he should have been. The movies all seemed to gravitate toward Wolverine... and well, I'm just not THAT big of a Wolverine fan. I'm sorry. Just never really appealed too much to me.

In all honestly, if you asked who was my second favorite member of the team, it wouldn't be the typical answer of Gambit either (although he would be number three), it would be Rogue. Again, same reasons I like Cyclops so much. I have always felt through the cartoon, and through the Uncanny X-Men comics, that if need be, she could take the reigns of leader easily, despite her times of self-doubt and loathing.

That's neither here nor there, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS FIGURE!

As previously mentioned, this is the Jim Lee design, and it's SICK! The sculpting is jaw dropping, from the facial likeness of this version (which blows all other variations out of the water), to the musculature, to the harness and belt (which is a separate piece itself).

I just really love how he's captured here at an astonishing 18th scale, but that's really no surprise because Hasbro has been doing a fantastic job with this line for a good long while now. Whoever tooled this one out, my hat is off to you!

I felt pretty damn lucky when I got this guy a couple of months ago, typically I like to be in store, and sift through the figures myself to find the best paint job. Unfortunately, I had to rely on eBay for this guy, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned. No knock to Hasbro, but sometimes the paint apps can be well... hit or miss, and when it's a miss, it's a pretty big deal breaker.

The wash against the blue costume came out absolutely stunning, really highlighting his build (which thankfully, wasn't the same puny build as the X-Men Classics figure by Toybiz). If I could give the paint one small critique, I would have liked to have seen a LITTLE wash of black on the yellow straps, pouches, boots, and gloves, to give those bits a little texture... but hey - maybe it would've looked bad. I do want to note, all of the straps DO have gold paint apps added to them.

On the articulation side of things, this dude is AMAZING! Ball jointed head, with the inclusion of a hinge at the neck too, so he can REALLY look up, ball jointed shoulders, bicep swivel, single jointed elbows, swivel wrists, articulation at the diaphragm, swivel waist, ball socket hips (which do occasionally cause the legs to pop off), thigh swivel, double jointed knees, rotation at the boots, PLUS hinged ankles WITH SIDE TO SIDE PIVOT! All in all, this guy is SUPER poseable and I LOVE the positions I got him in for these photos. Really captures Mr. Summers insanely well, and I am very pleased to say the joints are all pretty damn tight on my figure too, leading him to holding the poses awesomely.

There is one problem everyone does seem to have with this figure, and I'm sure you've noticed it in the photos, because to be frank, it stands out big time.

That problem is the hinge in the ankle... I don't have any idea why Hasbro molded it in blue, and not in yellow. Maybe it was because the majority of the figure was already blue? I don't really know, but yellow would have looked a thousand times better. Does it bother me THAT much? Does it take away from the overall figure? Nope!

One very last thing to talk about, since we hit the biggest con, I have to mention what is the biggest pro about the action figure. His left hand. While double jointed elbows would have helped out here, it is possible to get his hand up for his iconic "optic blast", it might take a little work, but it works very well when the head is positioned just right. Seriously, because of this pose, it makes me WANT to by the Sentinel, and create a street diorama of the X-Men taking 'em out... and that's the plan.

As always I do appreciate the support! Thanks for reading!

-Adam

October Toys - Z.O.M.B.I.E. Series 1: COLOR MUTATING ZOMBIES!

2011-08-16T04:30:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have known me, through forums, my other blog, in real life, or just through social networking may know that I have enjoyed the "Toy Break" video podcast for a handful of years now. Well, those awesome folks over at Toy Break operate their own little toy company, called October Toys.

Up until now, for some reason I've never bought any of their swag... I don't really know why, I guess for a while it just kept slipping my mind. FOOLISH ME!

Around a week ago I saw a video in my youtube subscription box, and behold - I HAD TO HAVE WHAT WAS IN THAT VIDEO! So I headed over to Zombies & Toys (where they are exclusive to), and picked up a pack. I also snagged some pins, a plush, and some other goodies, including the white set of these little zombies.

Remember when you were a kid, and a lot of toys had the gimmicky, "changes color in warm/cold water" thing going on? Pretty much the idea here, and I looooove it! Nostalgia in the house!

Okay, so maybe you aren't as old as me, and your childhood was deprived of color changing plastic crap, but I seriously doubt that. Anyway, lets talk about these little dudes, shall we?

If you're unfamiliar with this line, Z.O.M.B.I.E. stands for, "Zillions of Mutated Bodies Infecting Everyone" - and while only one series has been released containing five figures, there have been a LOT of different waves featuring different colors for you to hunt down. Among the characters you will get in each set are, Rockabilly, The Ape, School Boy, School Girl, and Bathtime.

These also aren't the biggest boys on the block either, they stand roughly at around two inches tall, and while that isn't a lot, the detail in the sculpts are AMAZING. While lurking around the October Toys forum, I've learned they're pretty much 1:1 scale from sculpt, to actual figure! How crazy is that?!

On top of that, ALL of them are balanced well, and stand up on their own. I only had to heat up one of them (Bathtime), and do a little finagling to get him to stand.

So basically, if you haven't clicked on the video link up above, these figures start out a cool bluish tone, and when there is a little heat applied, turn a wonderful salmon-pink color... and if you do it just right, the color changing REALLY brings out the details in the sculpts superbly.

I'm not going to lie, taking photos of these before they got TOO cooled off was a royal pain, eventually I just said screw it, and took a hair dryer into the room I use for the photos.

I also had the idea (as seen above) to get a toothbrush and some cold water, and sort of flick the water onto the warm Rockabilly figure, to give it a cool splattered look.

All in all, I'm insanely impressed with these, and do recommend picking up a set - they'll run you about five bucks, but they're SOOOO worth it, especially if you're a zombie nut like I am.

So that's just about it, take a look at the last few pictures, salivate over how rad they are, AND GO SPEND SOME MONEY!!!

Thanks for reading!

-Adam

THE WALKING DEAD - "Deer Eater" SDCC '11 Ex. Mini-Bust

2011-07-30T11:02:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile since I've done a review, but I can't wait any longer to post this AMAZING piece.

I've never bought ANY San Diego Comic-Con exclusive before... well, aside from Mattel's WWE "Undertaker" figure from 2010. Basically, it takes something pretty awesome to impress me enough to shell out (usually) double or triple the price at the event through a secondary seller on Ebay.

While I know NECA released their exclusives in a limited quantity on Amazon.com, I unfortunately missed the boat on it.

So, cue up Ebay. I picked this up from the seller BESTDAMNTOYS, and I'm thrilled I did. They got it out to me within two days of the con being over, and packed 'em up really nice for me. Plus, their price was the most reasonable on ebay, and the shipping was FREE. I highly recommend them.

Now, let's cut the "me me me me me" business, and get down on the bust!

First of all this bad boy is solid resin, and a hefty 2-3 pounds standing about 6.5 inches tall. He's not the biggest zombie on the block, but he IS one of the damn coolest.

Now, I don't know if it was a group effort or one individual, but NECA told me through Facebook that KNB Efx Group (the awesome guys who work on The Walking Dead tv series) are the ones responsible for the sculpt.

All in all, the sculpt is MORE than what I'd hoped for having it in hand, KNB did a phenomenal job on this, hands down. The "flesh" looks old and decayed, the teeth look like a dentists nightmare, the shirt and tie are tattered VERY well in the scuplt... and all of it is accentuated with wonderful paint apps.

They say that the busts are hand painted, and you can easily tell that a lot of care went into it. Nothing paint wise is out of place, they didn't get heavy-handed with a wash... all in all, it's damn near perfect for a pre-paint. Just breathtaking.

One of, if not the BIGGEST selling point to me on this limited edition (1200 worldwide, with 200 artist proofs) was the inclusion of a signed COA from Greg Nicotero, one of the most widely acclaimed special effect artists in the entertainment industry - as well as one of the founders of KNB. The other really cool aspect is, as I am sure any fan of the TV series knows, is that the zombie this bust is based on, was played by - yeah, you guessed it... GREG NICOTERO!

The one gripe I do have, and it is a VERY minor one, because I feel like I have to have ONE... is that one pupil is painted a hair off center. That's it. That's the problem. Easily fixable too if I ever felt like it. However, if took me having to look at full sized photos to really notice it, so it's not any kind of real bother to me at all.

I think the photos speak for themselves better than I can about the bust itself. Just go ahead and click on the pics to view the hi-res images I posted (if you haven't already), and do let ME know what you think. - I totally do recommend picking him up if you are in fact a fan of the show, the comic series, or like me - BOTH! The Deer Eater set me back about $100 - and you know what? It was damn worth it! If you can find him a reasonable price, you have to have him in your collection! Below are a couple more images, enjoy!

As always, thanks for reading!

-Adam

Duke Nukem: NECA - HAIL TO THE KING, BABY!

2011-07-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

The most badass man on the planet is BACK!

While Duke Nukem Forever got generally bad reviews, the merchandise made for the title came out AWESOME. -- And for the record, I own DNF on the PS3, and THOROUGHLY enjoy the game. Duke's hilarious one liners and over the top alien and pig cop slaying keep me entertained. I don't care about critics reviews, or anyone else's opinion, I like what I like and I make no excuse for it.

Babes, beer, guns, and explosions. SIGN ME UP.

This isn't the first incarnation of Duke in action figure form, ReSaurus in the 1990's had a line of figures, that I guess in their own time were good looking toys, but NECA gave this character a shot in the ass with some serious steroids and produced a brilliant figure that blows the old Duke right out of the water!

Sure, there is a huge difference between a figure produced in 1997, and this one made in 2011... but what are the pit falls of THIS one?

Well, for starters Duke only comes with two accessories - his trademark 1911 Colt custom pistol, and a cigar. While both are sculpted, molded, and painted well, I would have LOVED to have gotten at least a tactical shotgun too since it is one of the more well known weapons (aside from the pistol) that Duke uses. I also, at first wasn't sure how to react to the "straps" over his shoulders not being glued down to his chest... but after opening him up, and having him in hand, I understood why NECA did this, and it does make sense.

There is one other downside, and isn't really about the figure itself... it's that NECA currently (from what I have read), has no plans to continue the Duke line any further. Huge bummer for me.

It feels incomplete on my shelf, as awesome as the figure is to not have, at the very least a Pig Cop to display with him... or even just a generic "hot babe".

Still, this is a HELL of an action figure! Loads of articulation, including some brand-spankin' new ones in the arms - at the bicep, which allow for the bulked-up badass to practically be "smoking" the cigar he is included with.

I don't normally reference other toy review blogs here, or on WFR.com - but there is something out there that REALLY does bug me to death. DO NOT PHOTOGRAPH FIGURES/ACCESSORIES THAT ARE WARPED! Every single review of Duke here that I have read prior to my own, I saw that his pistol was noticeably bent at the barrel/laser. I understand that plastic bends from sitting in package... and I don't know why no one else seems to bother fixing it!

Forty seconds with a hair dryer on high, and the pistol was soft and easy to straighten out again, after blasting it with a little heat, I hit the "cold shot" button until it was set again... and it looks perfect now. It ain't hard guys, at it makes all the difference atheistically in the world to take care of it... maybe it doesn't bother you, but to me it looks awful.

Now some people may claim Mr. Nukem hasn't aged to well in the last twelve years, and to those people I say to pull the stick out of your rectum and straighten up.

While this figure may never have an alien all it's own to kill and maim, there is a myriad of other intergalactic creatures to pair him up with...

Duke Nukem, part of NECA's Player Select line is one of my most favorite action figures to have ever been made to date. He is an action hero video game icon, a gun tote'n, babe lovin', shotgun blastin', alien killin', beer swillin', joke crackin' S.O.B. - I'm proud to say that I love DNF, and I love this figure.

I seriously hope the folks at NECA rethink their apparent decision to not make any other characters from the 'Forever game, I have read that tons of other people would purchase more than just Duke, and I'm on board with those sentiments. Even a limited edition Pig Cop would make me happy.

Just don't make me wait another 12 years just for something else, would ya?

Thanks for reading guys!

-Adam

NECA - "Berserker" PREDATORS

2011-07-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've done a review, over a month! I've been very busy with work (and photography, and editing) that I just really haven't had much of a chance to get back into this little hobby, BUT FEAR NOT! I'm back!

Today we're taking a look at one of the most impressive offerings (I feel) from NECA in recent history - the PREDATORS Series 2 UNMASKED Berserker!

Being a HUGE Predator/AVP fan, when I saw this guy in a local shop, I had to jump on it and pick him up. I know a lot of folks were hard on the film this guy is from, but as a total Predator geek, I fell in love with it. Lots of nods to other movies, and even some novels and comics, it was awesome to see that happen on the silver screen.

So let's not waste any more time and dive right into the figure. Firstly, the paint apps and deco is jaw dropping for an action figure produced on such a large scale. The bluish/grey skin tone used is beautiful, the spots and added red stripes look awesome and have some flow to them, and of COURSE he has the red tips on his dreads!

Hands down this figure is just ALL KINDS OF BADASS! The sculpt is just gorgeous, a huuuuge improvement from the AVP:R Wolf Predator, in my opinion. The body itself is in a neutral "upright" stance, and isn't exactly in a... more or less, static pose. A lot of people have knocked NECA for making "statuesque" figures in the past, and I like the changes I see here. A good deal of articulation was put into the Berserker, and it shows big time!

The articulation here includes a ball jointed head, ball jointed shoulders, bending at the elbow as well as swiveling, bending and swiveling at the wrist, a swivel waist, v-cut crotch, swivel at the upper thigh, bending as well as swiveling at the knee, and rotation at the ankle/boot.

Another point I'd like to touch on, is that (while I do not own it), the first series Berserker (I believe) had a much more inaccurate deco, the skin tone was more of a tan/green/yellow, and the spots had a lot less cohesion than on this guy. Huge, insane improvements from the guys at NECA, and I wanted to point that out.

This is just a SERIOUSLY killer figure, that I highly recommend everyone go out and purchase. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for the rest of set! Keep yours peeled for future PREDATORS reviews!

MMPR 2010 - White Ranger

2011-05-23T04:16:00.001-07:00

One of my MOST anticipated figures of 2010 was this guy. Ever since the 2010 toy line of the Power Rangers was announced (coinciding of course with the reboot of the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers), I wanted a WHITE RANGER! I wanted one BAD!

I checked forums and eBay constantly and never heard any news... eventually, I gave up hope for a while.

Cut to January 2011, and I by chance decided to look at eBay one more time, and BEHOLD! THERE HE WAS! ...for the low price of FIFTY DOLLARS!?!?! WHAT!?!

I decided before I bite the bullet I would do some local searching and hunting. Checking Wal-Greens, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Big Lots, etc. Nothing. No luck. HOW COULD THIS BE? THERE HE IS ON FREAKING EBAY!!! SOMEONE HAD TO HAVE HIM!

Unfortunately, I would learn the crappy truth online shortly there after. I looked up Ranger Board, and began reading and found out that sadly, he seemed to be exclusive to Rite-Aid only. LAME.

So I decided the next best thing, since a lot of people know me through my other blog, was to ask for some help acquiring him, as I have no Rite-Aid's near me for over 400 miles.

I waited a few days, and nothing turned up. I was pretty anxious, and said, screw it. I'll pay the RIDICULOUS mark up from the damn 'Bay.

So I searched for him again, and found several auctions that were from $30-$100, YES, you read it right, ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS BUY IT NOW. Crooks.

So I "watched" an auction, and pounced at the end, and scored him for the mere "low" price of $38 and some change. Hey, for what it was worth, this supposedly came from a "collector" too (yeah right), and it was much cheaper than the others. A few days later, I got him!

Now that we have my little story out of the way, let's talk about old 'whitey, shall we? As if you haven't clicked on any photos yet, hahaha. No really, strap in, HEEEEEERE WE GO!

So Tommy (you know, the White Ranger), comes with two accessories, his sword Saba... which, being pretty much 1:18 scale (that's 3.75 inches for some of you), looks decent. Sadly, it's solid silver, with no paint apps to speak of (which still looks better than the crappy flat black weapons the other Rangers brought to the table).

He's not without flaws, for whatever reason the designers made him, and all of the others, proportionately screwy. Smaller head sculpts, large hands, etc. It's not bad, just a little cartoony. But I dig it, enough to shell out the cash anyway.

The the rest of the crew, his articulation is a bit basic. Ball jointed head, ball jointed shoulders (which are hindered due to the power shield), single jointed elbows, swivel at the forearm, legs go forward and back, bend at the knee, and swivel at the boot.

For what it's worth, and for what it is, it is NOT a bad figure. Worth the mark up online from scalpers? Well, that's your call. I personally wanted him enough, so I spent the cash. Oh, and that other accessory, well... it's just a small power coin (the RIGHT Tiger coin this time around). Nothing to amazing, but it is nice to look at, I guess.

Thanks for reading!

-Adam

Marvel Universe - Black Suited Spider-Man

2011-05-22T04:38:00.000-07:00

INAUGURAL FIRST POST!

When I think back to my childhood a few things really stand out to me. Pro-wrestling, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, X-Men, and Spider-Man.

Flash forward over twenty years, and I can't deny those were easily my favorite things I could watch, or read, and I can't look back on all of it (no matter how cheesy) and not smile.

Spider-Man was always my favorite super-hero, he was a normal guy, with his own struggles and tribulations, yet was always there for anyone who needed his help. Fortune and wealth were shoved aside, fame not seeked out... just a guy doing the right thing, no matter how much his own personal life suffered.

While this figure doesn't celebrate the classic and iconic blue and red costume, it is in fact one of MANY fans favorite looks, the black symbiote suit. The detail on the figure from the sculpt, to the paint is just killer. I really dig the blue wash, as it accents the figure very well.

The articulation on here is awesome, and left me VERY surprised. He has single jointed elbows, double jointed knees, a ball jointed head, abdomen/chest, swivel biceps, ball jointed hips, swivel wrists, and swivel ankles, aside from the obvious shoulder articulation. Not to shabby for a figure that is around the 3.75" scale at all.

Now, I know later Marvel Universe figures have MORE articulation, no one needs to point that out... but for what it is, this is one awesome figure.

I've seen this guy sell on eBay for a good chunk of change, but I do recommend picking him up - especially if you're like me, and just now getting into the Universe line.

Do keep checking back for more reviews, as well as more on the Marvel Universe figure line (as I have picked up several more figures very recently).

I'm going to be covering a lot of different lines and characters, so there will be something for everyone! Thanks for checking us out!

-Adam