Action Figure Review: General Grievous from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 While Hasbro has offered some deluxe releases in the Black Series for some time, last year they started offering some oversized retailer exclusive figures as deluxe releases, such as the Target exclusive Gamorrean Guard and Moloch. General Grievous is the first mainstream release to be numbered in the deluxe series and he's been hitting lots of online retailers and even a few brick and mortar stores as well (I've seen reports of the figure at Best Buy and GameStop). Considering he's one of the main villains of the Prequel Trilogy and the Clone Wars, Grievous is another character whose absence from the line has been incredibly conspicuous. We've finally got him, though, and it's clear that Hasbro has put some real effort into this release. Let's check out the deluxe release of General Grievous after the break...

Action Figure Review: Mekaneck from Masters of the Universe ReAction by Super7

    Finally I'm reviewing a hero! Today I'm checking out another figure from the newest series of Masters of the Universe ReAction figures and this time it's the Heroic Human Periscope, Mekaneck! Mekaneck isn't necessarily one of my favorite MOTU characters but for some reason he's one I always like to draw on the place mats at restaurants. There's something fun about his helmet and goggles, plus getting to draw a long crazy neck. Mekaneck is one of the figures from the third series of vintage figures and definitely seems to be one of the figures that most folks remember. Having an extendable neck is pretty memorable, don't you think? So far as I'm aware, he's the first figure from the Masters of the Universe ReAction line to have an action feature (Scare Glow really glows, so maybe that counts?). That's pretty cool! Let's check him out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Faker from Masters of the Universe ReAction by Super7

   Today I'm checking out a very classic evil twin who is part of the newest series of Super7's Masters of the Universe Classics figures: It's Faker! I love Faker. Evil twins are always a fun (though) usually silly trope in fiction but Faker is one of the best because he so clearly doesn't look like He-Man. He's blue with red hair. And He-Man isn't. While the Filmation Faker made more sense since he was a magical creation that pretty much looked like He-Man, the toy Faker was clearly robotic in nature due to the title on his card (Evil Robot of Skeletor) and the electronic panel on his chest. A number of years ago I started writing my own Masters of the Universe stories based on the MOTUC bios for fun and here's my take on Faker: While based on an experimental android created by Man-At-Arms, Skeletor got his hands on it and used evil magic to create an evil clone of He-Man utilizing some of He-Man's blood and tissue left on the evil half of the power sword after a previous battle. Some of Skeletor's blood found its way into the mix, though, leading to Faker being a magic clone on an android base body that took on the characteristics of both He-Man and Skeletor. That's a pretty cool origin, right? Now let's check out this faux vintage figure of Faker after the break...

Action Figure Review: The Flash from DC Primal Age by Funko

 I'm kind of speeding through reviewing series 2 of Funko's DC Primal Age so it only makes sense that I'd check out the fastest of the fast, The Flash! Series 2 offers up the rest of the Justice League introduced in the DC Primal Age comic (anyone else find it odd that Cyborg wasn't in the comic? He could have had a real Roboto vibe here) with the Flash and Superman. Let's check out the Flash after the break...

Action Figure Review: Black Manta from DC Primal Age by Funko

    It's time for a look at a another figure from the second series of Funko's DC Primal Age figures and today I'm checking out one of Aquaman's arch foes: Black Manta.  While most of the figures in this series have stayed within the realms of traditional barbarian fantasy, Black Manta brings some technology into the Primal Age roster.  Black Manta is a very cool character and I think that Funko's design for the figure is one of the best for the character I've ever seen. I love the old school diving outfit on this guy! Let's check out Black Manta after the break...

Action Figure Review: Bizarro from DC Primal Age by Funko

 I just got my Pile of Loot from Big Bad Toy Store and inside of it was series 2 of Funko's DC Primal Age toyline from Funko. I really enjoyed series one and series 2 looks to add to the fun. First up from series 2 is Bizarro. Let me tall you that while this is supposed to be a faux vintage styled Bizarro based on the aesthetics of the vintage Masters of the Universe line and it's many imitators, this is perhaps the creepiest looking toy of the character I've ever seen. While He-Man had Faker to contend with, in DC Primal Age Superman gets Bizarro. Fitting, right? Let's check out the fearsome opposite of Superman after the break...

Confirmed Epic Podcast #104: The Joker Trailer

The original Confirmed Epic Podcast team of The Reel Brad Bell & Jerry 'Barbecue17' Reed return to give their thoughts on the first look of one of their most anticipated films of 2019 as they breakdown the first trailer for Todd Philip's Joker.

As always we also get into what we have been checking out (Back to the Future Funko Pops, Funko's vastest Reaction Figures, The Man Who Laughs Diamond Select Gallery Figure, The Masters of the Universe DC Omnibus), and the epic news items of the week (Disney's tentative MCU Phase 4 Plans for Black Widow and Dr. Strange 2, as well as the latest on James Gunn's Suicide Squad 2).

You can always contact the show directly via email at thepicreview@gmail.com or on twitter @thereelbradbell