Toy Review: Tydirium Shuttle from Star Wars: Micro Galaxy Squadron by Jazwares

 

   My review of the Star Wars: Micro Galaxy Squadron Slave I/ Boba Fett's Starship seems to be quite popular so I've got another one line dup for you: The Tydirium shuttle. Tydirium is the Lambda-class T-4A shuttle (usually just referred to as an Imperial Shuttle) that Han Solo's team of Rebels used to land on Endor in order to knock out the shield generator for the second Death Star. It's a very cool looking ship and definitely a fan favorite. Jazwares released a previous version of an Imperial Shuttle in 2023 that is Palpatine's (the Emperor cruises around in one of these bad boys, too) and comes with some Imperial Forces as well as a throne in the back for Sheev to sit in. This one is specifically the stolen Rebel version, though, and comes with part of the Rebel Strike force. I've never owned any Kenner or Hasbro versions of this vehicle though I do still have a few Micro Machines versions of it along with the Action Fleet Imperial Shuttle from the Series Alpha line. This one is much larger and more accurate, though. Ready to check out the Tydirium Shuttle? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Shanks (Ver. 1.5) from One Piece Variable Action Heroes by Megahouse

 

   Ready for another One Piece review from Megahouse's Variable Action Heroes series? Then get ready for Red-Haired Shanks version 1.5. Yes, Megahouse (now a subsidiary of Bandai Namco) has been releasing and re-releasing more One Piece figures in this line, probably in part due to how the live action One Piece show on Netflix has brought in lots of new fans or renewed some interest in the series for previous fans. I've had Shanks on my "to be reviewed" shelf since early April but I'm finally getting to him after all this time! I really like the character, though from where I'm at in the show (just starting the Water 7 arc) I haven't seen the current time Shanks much; mostly just the flashbacks from Luffy's childhood. S.H. Figuarts has just recently put out a version of Shanks from Luffy's childhood, complete with a young Luffy included. I've seen it once, but I passed on it since I had just purchased this Shanks. Ready to check out Shanks (ver. 1.5)? Then join me after the break...

Toy Review: Boba Fett's Starship (EP 5) from Star Wars: Micro Galaxy Squadron by Jazwares

 

   It's been a few years since I last picked up and reviewed one of Jazwares' Star Wars: Micro Galaxy Squadron ships but I've really been admiring them lately and have got back into them. As a fan of the old school Galoob Micro Machines and Action Fleet Star Wars lines, these really scratch an itch for me. I also have this real infatuation with the idea of living inside of a spaceship. Like, I'm just oddly intrigued and comforted by the idea of a vehicle that's also like a little apartment, and looking at the Micro Galaxy Squadron vehicles that open up kind of channels that feeling. Weird, right? Anyways, today I'm checking out what I believe is the third release of Boba Fett's Slave I in this line (there was an earlier release based on the ship from The Book of Boba Fett and a release based on Episode II), which is based on the Episode V: The Empire Strikes version of the ship. Yeah, this one definitely stuck out to me. Now, like most stuff featuring Slave I these days, Disney and Lucasfilm are having licensees call it "Boba Fett's Starship" instead of Slave I, but we all know the ship's name. Ready to check out Boba Fett's Starship (EP 5)/ Slave I? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Monkey D. Luffy (Ver. 1.5) from One Piece Variable Action Heroes by Megahouse

Come aboard and bring along

All your hopes and dreams!

Together we will find everything

That we're looking for!

One Piece!

  Yup! It's time for another One Piece review and this time I'm checking out a fairly new figure from Megahouse's One Piece Variable Action Heroes line: Monkey D. Luffy (Ver. 1.5). Bandai/ Bandai Namco technically owns Megahouse now, but this line is much larger Bandai's other lines, so they are noticeably different in scale and style. With the renewed interest in One Piece and lots of new fans coming aboard, there's no shortage of One Piece collectibles available currently. I ordered this Luffy (and a couple others) from HobbyLink Japan back in March and have had him sitting here for well over a month now. I actually had this guy in hand before buying the S.H. Figuarts version of Luffy in this same outfit, but I think there will be room in my collection for a few different Luffys. Ready to check out Luffy in his post time skip outfit? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Michael Myers (Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers) from Halloween by NECA

 

   

   I'm back! Sorry for another slow week or so, everyone, but my wife and I celebrated our 20th Anniversary last week and we took the chance to get away for a few days. I also wanted to rewatch Halloween: the Curse of Michael Myers before reviewing this one and I got the chance to the night before last.

   I was really surprised when this Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers figure went up for preorder on Target.com during the Haulathon event this year. I was even more surprised when it shipped rather quickly. I've long hoped that NECA would start releasing Michael Myers figures from other Halloween films and this one is a nice start. NECA has covered Michael from the classic film and the Rob Zombie series years ago, and Halloween 2, and the Halloween 2018 films over the past 6 or 7 years, so it's cool to get one of the 90s films. While Michael Myers doesn't change his look up much, there are costume and mask differences and lots of new weapons and such here. Personally, I enjoy Halloween VI and really liked where it was going. I love the concept of Michael Myers as just an inexplicably evil guy with no backstory for his violence like we see in the original film and the 2018 series, sure, but I'm also intrigued by the Curse of Thorn and the roots to the darker side of Halloween/ Samhain that Halloween II hints at. The Curse of Michael Myers is a mess of a film at times, sure, but it has some great scenes and a great atmosphere, too (though the soundtrack is definitely weak compared to most other entries, in my opinion). Ready to check out a cool take on Michael Myers that I don't think we've seen in toy form before? Then join me after the break...

(Note: I've stopped referring to every NECA figure as "Ultimate Blank." It makes listing them in the archives annoying and it just seems unnecessary. I'm dropping it for my reviews.)

Action Figure Review: Creature from the Black Lagoon (Monsters of the Silver Screen) from Universal Monsters ReAction by Super7

 

   
   One of the things I really appreciate about my parents is that they've always been incredibly supportive of my hobby. They also love to drive around and go shopping in different areas, so pretty frequently I'll get a call or text from my dad about something he's found that looks new to him. Just a couple weeks ago he called me as he and my mom were at a Walmart and they found some new blind boxed Super7 Universal Monsters ReAction figures. That was a surprise to me as I hadn't heard about this set nor could I find any information about them online at the time. This is a new set of blind boxed Universal Monsters ReAction figures titled "Monsters of the Silver Screen." Why's that? Because they're in a grayscale, which is a very popular alternate color scheme for the Universal crew since, you know, the original films are mostly in black and white. My parents picked up two boxes, but guess what? Both were the Creature! I ended up giving my extra to the cousin of my daughter's best friend, a kid who is definitely at the right age to enjoy the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The other one? He's going into my collection, of course. Ready to check out the Creature, the illustrious star of the silver screen? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: She-Ra & Kowl #1800 from POP! Animation: She-Ra: Princess of Power by Funko

 

   It's an interesting and pretty exciting time to be a Masters of the Universe fan! While I've grown a bit bored with Masters of the Universe Origins, I'm still really liking Masterverse. I'm also getting pretty pumped for the upcoming movie, something that seemed like it would never actually happen. Lots of interesting stuff going on right now, really. 2025 is also the 40th Anniversary of She-Ra: Princess of Power, so Funko has released a set of characters from the classic Filmation animated series. I haven't picked any of the others up yet but I definitely grabbed She-Ra & Kowl #1800, a cool set with not just a great new She-Ra POP! vinyl but also a Kowl mini companion. Let's spend some time celebrating She-Ra and the wonderful world of Etheria after the break...