Monday, December 31, 2018

Toy Review: Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6 from Matchbox: Jurassic World by Mattel

    Here's another somewhat obscure from Jurassic World and Fallen Kingdom released in Mattel's Matchbox: Jurassic World series: The Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6. This is another of those vehicles that I couldn't recall from the film but, after checking out the incredibly informative Jurassic Park Wiki, my memory was jogged. The InGen security team drives one of these in Jurassic World during and apparently one shows up at the creepy old Lockwood Estate in Fallen Kingdom. It's definitely another vehicle that doesn't scream Jurassic Park to me but I'm still digging the line, so why not, right? Let's check it out after the break...

Christmas Haul 2018: Chewbacca from Star Wars: Micro Force by Hasbro

    In my stocking this year I received a couple packs of the Star Wars: Micro Force figures. I reviewed quite a few of these earlier this year but after Series 1 they became kind of tough to find. I did find Series 2 once or twice but like most other Hasbro offerings lately, Series 1 seemed over ordered. Still, there are a few figures I was missing from Series 1 and Chewbacca was one of them. Guess what? I now have Chewbacca! Let's check out this miniature Wookie after the break!

Toy Review: Kawasaki Brute Force 750 from Matchbox: Jurassic World by Mattel

    Today I'm back with another review from Mattel's ever expanding line of Jurassic Park Matchbox vehicles and this time I'm checking out the Kawasaki Brute Force 750 from Jurassic World. The Kawasaki Brute Force 750 shows up a few times during Jurassic World both as the vehicle driven by Barry Sembene during the pursuit of the Indominus Rex and later driven by Owen and Claire through the streets of the main plaza of Jurassic World. It's a cool little vehicle and while it's not something that screams "Jurassic Park" to me, I'm definitely intrigued by how deep Mattel is going with this series! My buddy Kooshmeister has even let me know that more of these are coming soon, so we'll see how the line continues to grow in 2019. Who ever though we'd have so many of these, right? Let's check out the Kawasaki Brute Force 750 after the break...

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Christmas Haul 2018: Batman, Jade Wilson, Beast Boy, Superman, and Raven from Teen Titans Go! To The Movies by Mattel

    Today I'm showing off another cool toy that appeared under my Christmas Tree: The first of two 5-packs from this summer's film Teen Titans Go! To The Movies. I've watched quite a bit of the show with my daughter and I really dig it so I was excited to see the film. Man, not only is it hilarious but it truly is a love letter to DC Comics. There are far more references to obscure characters and events in Teen Titans Go! To The Movies than in the entire DCEU combined. I mean, the Challengers of the Unknown make an appearance. Multiples, actually. And Stan Lee! Multiple times! This movie is worth watching, folks. Mattel put out these five packs of minifigures for the film's release but I don't think they really ever hit shelves until stores like 5 Below started getting them. Toys R Us was pretty much the only store that carried the Teen Titans stuff and since they went out over the summer these really didn't get a retail outlet. I dig anything DC Comics and minfigures, so I figured these would be a hit for me. I'm kind of mixed on them, to be honest, but let's check them our more closely after the break to get a better idea of why I'm kind of mixed on them.

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Christmas Haul 2018: Ash from Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn: One:12 Collective by Mezco

     Today I'm going to begin slowly making my way through my Christmas haul and first up I'm checking out a gift I got to open on Christmas Eve: The One:12 Collective Ash from Mezco. Based on Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, this version of Ash features a ripped up and blood stained outfit, a chainsaw hand, and a sawed off boomstick. While Mezco has tended to favor Marvel and DC Comics in the One:12 Collective range this year has seen quite a few releases of one-off characters from other properties, including the excellent Michael Myers from this Fall. I've kind of backed off from many Mezco's due to the ever increasing price and some quality control problems but there are so few action figures of Ash out there that I'm glad I ended up with this one. Of course, one thing that's gotta be discussed is that NECA has also released an Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn two-pack this year including an updated version of their Hero Ash figure along with an Evil Ed figure and lots of accessories. For that reason alone I'm going to be comparing Mezco's Ash to NECA's Ash quite a bit as my guess is that some fans are going to opt for one over the other. Let's check this one out after the break...

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Toy Review: '15 Triumph Scrambler from Matchbox: Jurassic World by Mattel

   The Matchbox Jurassic World line has been crazy expansive this year! It's one of those lines that I figured would be a one off thing but it keeps going and going and going! Today I'm checking out one of three new vehicles I found a couple of weeks ago at my local Wal-Mart while out grabbing some Christmas presents. It's Owen Grady's '15 Triumph Scrambler, the motorcycle Owen uses to pursue the Indominus Rex and lead Blue and the raptor pack into battle. I had heard this one was coming out but I was still surprised to see it on a store shelf. Let's check it out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Tung Lashor from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe by Super7

    Today I'm writing my first review of one of the figures from the Filmation inspired He-Man and the Masters of the Universe line. Mattel began this sub-line of Masters of the Universe Classics in 2016 as Club Grayskull and Super7 picked it back up and continues to release new figures. Tung Lashor is from the recently released second series of figures under Super7 and I picked him up because, unlike most of the figures which are more simply styled versions of already existing figures, Tung Lashor looks incredibly different from his vintage and MOTUC counterparts. I do own a few figures from Mattel's offerings but this is my first of Super7's Filmation based entries. Being that it's my first, I will say I'm not too thrilled. This figure has some real problems. I've largely been happy with Super7's MOTUC offerings, as figures like Karg, Wrap Trap, and Quakke have been fantastic, though there have been some weaker offerings (Granita and Hawke come to mind). I did want to give Tung Lashor a chance since he looks so unique, though, plus this version of Tung Lashor is affiliated with the Horde rather than the Snake Men like the vintage figure, so he can be displayed with a completely different faction, too! Let's get the full scoop after the break...

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas: Bounty Hunters from Micro Machines: Star Wars by Galoob

   Merry Christmas!

   For today's installment of the 12 Days of Christmas I'm checking the last of my 12 favorite toylines of all time and this time we're looking at Micro Machines: Star Wars! Galoob (and later Hasbro's) Star Wars line of Micro Machines is absolutely one of my favorite toylines of all time. We're talking top three here. I've never lost my love for these and I'm always working to add in figures, vehicles, and playsets that I'm missing from the line. Today I'm checking out one of the cool figure packs from later in the line: Bounty Hunters. The Bounty Hunters have always been one of the coolest parts of Star Wars and Galoob delivered by giving us a nice 9-pack of microfigures featuring The Empire Strikes Back 6, Greedo, Princess Leia disguised as Boushh, and Chewbacca in his Snoova disguise from Shadows of the Empire. Let's check these cool guys out after the break...

Monday, December 24, 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas: Video Game Superstars Presents: Capcom's Resident Evil by Toy Biz





   Merry Christmas Eve! Today's toyline on the list of my 12 favorite toylines of all time is Video Game Superstars Presents: Capcom's Resident Evil by Toy Biz. Released by Toy Biz in 1998, the line had three series of figures that covered characters from Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2. It might sound kind of odd but I have really strong, nostalgic memories of this line. At the time when these were released video game based action figures were actually somewhat of a rarity, so these were a very big deal at the time. There have been many Resident Evil toys made by different companies but few have ever been as expansive as the Toy Biz line. For as massive of an entertainment property as Resident Evil is, no company seems able to sustain a toyline for very long. I've actually reviewed the entire line previously, so rather than offer a review I'm going to post links to all of the previous reviews and then share my wish list for a hypothetical fourth series.

Video Game Superstars Presents: Capcom's Resident Evil by Toy Biz (1998)
Chris Redfield & Cerberus
Forest Speyer & Maggot Zombie
Hunter & Chimera
Jill Valentine & Web Spinner
Tyrant

Video Game Superstars Presents: Capcom's Resident Evil 2 by Toy Biz
Ada Wong & Ivy
Claire Redfield & Zombie Cop
Hunk & Zombie
Leon S. Kennedy & Licker
Tyrant/ Mr. X
William Birkin & Sherry
William G3/ William G4


Sunday, December 23, 2018

Action Figure Review: Bounsweet vs Pikachu from Pokemon by Tomy

 It's been a couple of weeks since I showed off the Alolan Sandshrew  vs Jangmo-o set that I picked up on crazy clearance from Gamestop but I wanted to show off one more of the newer sets  picked up: Bounsweet vs Pikachu. It doesn't look like much of a fight is going on here, though, as Pikachu is sleeping and Bounsweet just looks too cute and helpless. While Pikachu is one of the most recognizable characters in the world, Bounsweet is a Pokemon that I wasn't familiar with before picking up the set. Bounsweet is a Generation VII Grass type Fruit Pokemon that apparently is supposed to look like a mangosteen. I've never heard of one of those, either. Interesting, huh? Let's check this set out after the break...

The 12 Days of Christmas: Sunshine [A] from M.U.S.C.L.E. by Mattel

 Merry Christmas Eve Eve! We're almost at the big day but that doesn't mean we need a big toy to have some fun! Today's entry on this list of my 12 favorite toylines of all time is Sunshine [A] from Mattel's M.U.S.C.L.E. line. In Kinnikuman, Sunshine is one of the Akuma Chojin and hails from Nazca, Peru. I believe he is meant to be made out of sand and thus is a shape shifter of sorts, meaning there are multiple different version of him in the line. I remember catching on to this as a kid and finding it very cool that this guy had different forms. I assumed he was a robot or made of blocks but being a sand construct makes sense, too. A lot of his different forms, such as an arch and a top, are related to his various wrestling moves. Maybe I'll get around to reviewing those figures someday as well. For today, though, we'll just check out the standard Sunshine after the break...

Saturday, December 22, 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas: Dracula Playset from McFarlane's Monsters by McFarlane Toys

    Back in the mid-late 1990s McFarlane Toys was one of the hottest companies around. McFarlane was synonymous with detailed sculpting, an unprecedented level of detail, and crazy designs and they helped to inspire other companies to up their games, too. In 1997 McFarlane Toys released the first four sets in their McFarlane's Monsters series, a series of miniature playsets with smaller sized action figures that evoked the Aurora model kits of the 1960s. I've reviewed a couple of these in the past as they've long been one of my favorite toylines. They just display so darn well that I've always made sure I've had space to display them in my collection. Today I'm checking out the Dracula Playset, one of the four series one playsets. I remember receiving this guy for my 14th birthday back in 1997 and I still love having him around. Let's check this guy out after the break...

Toy Review: Leonardo from Eekeez: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by FOCO

  Recently FOCO reached out to me and asked if they could send me some toys to check out and review. There are two things I never turn down and one of them is free toys (the other is smoked salmon) so I definitely let FOCO know they could ship some stuff to the top secret lair/ studio of Action Figure Barbecue Worldwide Limited.  FOCO sent me a few of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Eekeez figures and first up I'm checking out Leonardo. Leonardo was released as part of the first series of TMNT Eekeez which I believe released in January of this year. Alongside Raphael and the Shredder, Leonardo introduced FOCO's line of tiki inspired resin mini-statues to the masses. Let's check out Leonardo a bit more closely after the break...

Friday, December 21, 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas: Zuckuss from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    I have collected many different Star Wars lines since 1995 but Star Wars: The Black Series has absolutely become my favorite Star Wars action figure line. While it's probably the newest entry on this list (the first figures arrived in 2013) it has become my favorite to the quality of the figures and the way Hasbro continues to improve the line. Originally I planned on being highly selective with the line but over time (probably sometime during the the release of the figures from The Force Awakens) I decided I was all in on it. Throughout my time collecting the line, however, there was one group I have always longed to complete: The Empire Strikes Back bounty hunters. Finally that goal is complete! With the release of Zuckuss, originally intended to be a Toys R Us exclusive but now moved to a Disney Store exclusive, I have completed that incredibly awesome sextet of bounty hunting coolness. Let's be honest: They're probably one of the most iconic teams in Star Wars and probably one of the collecting goals of a lot of folks, right? Let's check out Zuckuss after the break...

Thursday, December 20, 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas: Lodar from Masters of the Universe Classics by Super7

   I'm a bit late on today's entry but for this installment of The 12 Days of Christmas, celebrating my 12 favorite toylines of all time, I'm checking out a figure from Masters of the Universe Classics: Lodar! If you're really going to nail me down on my favorite action figure line of all time, it's Masters of the Universe Classics. It's fun, diverse, colorful, well made, nostalgic, and it just keeps going! What was originally intended to be a small nostalgia based line with just a handful of characters expanded into a crazy huge line with prototype figures, dragons, horses, vehicles, and even playsets! Heck, even after Mattel decided to "end" the line Super7 picked it up and has continued releasing figures for it. Today I'm checking out Lodar, a minicomic based figure from the second series of Collector's Choice figures released by Super7. Lodar was just released this fall and I only obtained him recently, so he's getting the review treatment. Let's check out Lodar after the break...

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas: Prince Theodred from The Lord of The Rings Trilogy: The Two Towers by Toy Biz

   To make today's review a little bit more Christmasy, I'll paraphrase Mr. Charles Dickens: "Theodred was dead, to begin with." Yup...this is pretty much a figure of a dead guy. As I'm going through and checking out one review of my 12 favorite toylines of all time I'm using different criteria to make my selections as to who I should review. Sometimes I'm selecting a favorite figure. Other times I'm selecting the newest figure in the line I've acquired. Today, while writing a review for Toy Biz's The Lord of the Rings line based on the Peter Jackson films, I'm going with the strangest: Theodred. Theodred, the son of King Theoden is the Prince of Rohan who dies pretty much as soon as he appears. I mean, he spends more time onscreen being dead than being alive, which wasn't much time at all. To be honest, the thing I remember most about Theodred is Theoden's quote: "No parent should have to bury their child."
   Toy Biz began releasing figures when The Fellowship of the Rings opened in theaters in 2001 and continued releasing them through 2006. All in all they released over 200 releases for three films. That's insanely impressive for a film that isn't a Star Wars film, isn't it? While Toy Biz released a line of figures for each film, after the release of The Return of the King in 2003 they began releasing figures from all of the films in smaller packages, dubbed the Trilogy figures and later Epic Trilogy figures. Theodred was released in the fourth series of The Two Towers: Trilogy figures in 2005, which was pretty far into the line's lifespan and thus Toy Biz was really having to dig pretty deep in the line for characters and thus Theoden's dead son was released. Toy Biz, you truly were awesome toy makers. Let's check out Theodred after the break...

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas: Indiana Jones with Ark from Indiana Jones by Hasbro

   For today's installment of the 12 Days of Christmas, which this year is comprised of a review each day from one of my 12 favorite toy lines of all time, I'm checking out the deluxe Indiana Jones with Ark from Hasbro's 2008 Indiana Jones toyline. Raiders of the Lost Ark is tied with Ghostbusters as my favorite film of all time and I've always been a huge Indiana Jones fan for nearly as far back as I can remember. Heck, for years I used my General Hawk v2 action figure as Indiana Jones as the only figure I ever owned as a kid from Kenner's The Adventures of Indiana Jones line was Toht. In 2008, in conjunction with the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Hasbro released a new series of 1/18th scaled action figures that covered all of the films in the series. In addition to the standard figures, Hasbro also released a number of deluxe two packs. Today I'm checking out the set of Indiana Jones in the robes he wears while looking for the ark and entering the map room in the ruins of Tanis. It's a pretty cool set although, to be honest, Indy wears this outfit while looking for the ark but he discards the robe before finding the robe. Still, it's a great set so let's check it out after the break...

Monday, December 17, 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas: Jungle Fighters from Guts! by Mattel

    For today's review from one of my twelve favorite toylines of all time, I'm checking out the Jungle Fighters from Mattel's 1986 minifigure line Guts! Most of these guys are my original childhood figures as I've owned most of the line since I was pretty young. While plastic army men are one of the toys that nearly everyone has owned at some point, Guts! went a step further by giving us really unique sculpts with painted details. These are some of my favorite minifigures of all time and they've always been a toy that I've never had any intention of getting of. Today I'm checking out the Jungle Fighters set, one of the six sets in the Guts line. Available in 2-packs, 5-packs, and a 10 pack, the Jungle Fighters definitely had a bit of a Missing in Action/ 80s action movie vibe to them. To be honest, I always used most of them as bad guys as they kind of reminded me of some sort of guerilla faction. They're definitely the faction with the most character, so that's why I'm showing them off. I've talked about my love for Guts! many times over the years but I'm finally getting the chance to show them off! More after the break...

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Minifigure Review: Krampus (Blood Red) from Kaiju Kaos: Smackdown by Acheson Creations

   While we're definitely late for Krampusnacht I still want to show off a cool new Krampus minfigure I picked up from Bailey Records. Krampus is a new addition to the Kaiju Kaos: Smackdown line, a line of hand cast resin minfigures that can be used as pieces for a board game. Krampus is available in multiple colors and I picked mine up in Blood Red, a fitting color for this old Christmas demon, don't you think? Let's check out Krampus after the break...

The 12 Days of Christmas: Firefly from G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 by Hasbro

  I know I'm doing these alphabetically but, if we were going by order of merit, Hasbro's G.I. Joe Sigma 6 line would easily be in my top 5 toylines of all time. Not only do I love these figures, which are much larger than your standard A Real American Hero G.I. Joe figures (but smaller than the classic 12 inch Joes) but I had a blast collecting them and interacting with the small yet passionate Joe community who dug these guys. I wrote a lot of guest and co-reviews for these guys but I do believe that Firefly is the first figure I've ever reviewed specifically for Action Figure Barbecue. The Sigma 6 line was divided up into Soldier and Commando class figures. Commando class figures sold for around $15 dollars and came with larger accessories and packaging that converted into a footlocker while the Soldier class figures retailed for around $10 bucks and came with fewer accessories on a standard blister card. Firefly was a Soldier class figure, part of the third series of Soldier figures, and I think you're going to be wowed with how many accessories he comes with. These figures were loaded with play value! Let's take a look at Firefly more closely after the break...

Saturday, December 15, 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas! Wonder Woman from DC Universe Classics by Mattel

  For the second day in this Christmas countdown where I'm reviewing one figure each from my 12 favorite toylines of all time, I'm checking out a Wonder Woman figure from Mattel's DC Universe Classics from 2008. Now, to be fair, I'm not just counting DC Universe Classics by itself when factoring it in as one of my favorite toylines of all time: I'm also counting Batman Unlimited, the DC Universe Signature Collection, DC Comics Multiverse, and multiple other smaller lines that used this same scale and style. DC Universe Classics lasted the longest, however, and it delivered dozens of unique DC characters rarely (if ever) seen in action figure form. I was trying to decide who to review so I asked my daughter, who is fascinated by my DCUC collection. She first suggested Superman but then decided that Wonder Woman would be a better choice. I agreed and thus we're reviewing the DC Universe Classics Wonder Woman. Originally released in the fourth series in 2008, this version of Wonder Woman is honestly one of my favorites. The DCUC line was expansive, fun, and incredibly diverse over the first few years of the line's lifespan. Let's take a look back at this incredible version of Princess Diana that is now over a decade old...

Friday, December 14, 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas! A.T.A.X. from Aliens by Kenner

    This year in the lead up to Christmas I've decided to take a step back and show off 12 toys from what I believe are my 12 favorite toylines of all time! Since narrowing the list down to 12 was difficult enough as is, I've decided to present these in alphabetical order for the sake of simplicity. Today we're jumping back to 1992 to check out a figure from Kenner's Alien/ Predator line: A.T.A.X. from series 2 of the Alien line. I reviewed all of the first series figures quite a few years ago back during my The Epic Review days and I have't really reviewed any more of Kenner's offerings from the series since. Aliens was one of those toylines that introduced me to an entertainment property, in this case the Alien franchise. I was only nine when these came out and they blew me away. A neighbor who was a year or two older than me (remember Freddy and my K-Mart bag wrapped Gorilla Alien?) introduced me to these and for at least a year or two they were the subject of many playtimes. I didn't see Aliens for years (probably not until I was in late middle school or early high school) but my friend Freddy had and so he was obsessed with ensuring that all of the marines from the film were represented. This meant Ninja Turtles and Batman figures with paper armbands taped on that had the characters' names written on them (I'm pretty sure Midshipman Mike was Lt. Gorman). When A.T.A.X was released, however, it was a big surprise. He just seemed to appear out of nowhere. Fortunately, the comics included helped to flesh out his character a bit as a highly skilled special operative who wore a disguise to sneak into Xenomorph hives and eliminate alien queens. Pretty cool, right? Let's check out A.T.A.X. after the break...

Monday, December 10, 2018

Action Figure Review: Alolan Sandshrew vs Jangmo-o from Pokemon by Tomy

 A couple of years ago I discovered that Tomy was making Pokemon action figures and I picked up an Ash Ketchum and Pikachu set to go along with my World of Nintendo figures. I haven't purchased any since then but I have been tempted a time or two. On Friday I stopped by a GameStop to pick up a controller for my Switch to better play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and I found all of GameStop's Pokemon figures on clearance for half price with an additional 50% off the clearance price, meaning I paid a little under $2 for this set. Anyways, I'm not the biggest fan of the games but I really do like Pokemon and I love minifigures, so these are cool little minifigures. The Alolan Sandshrew vs Jangmo-o set features two more recent Pokemon that I wasn't entirely familiar with but I always love the designs, so who cares, right? Let's check out this set after the break...

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Action Figure Review: Val (Vandor) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

   Today I'm checking out the last figure in the newest series of Star Wars: The Black Series figures and whether she's the best or not may just very well be a matter of personal opinion. Val is absolutely another star of the Black Series this year and is another figure likely to end up in the top 10. I really like Thandie Newton's role in Solo but, sadly, it was very short. Like with Rio Durant, Val really didn't get that much screen time to be fleshed out fully as a character. It's possible that this was done to not allow us to get attached to the characters and then have our hearts broken, like in Rogue One, but it still would have been great to have more time with Val. Hasbro certainly didn't skimp on the figure, though, so let's check her out more closely after the break...

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Minifigure Review: Alien from Playtive Junior: Series 1 by Lidl

    Last month while grocery shopping for Thanksgiving at Lidl my daughter and I stumbled upon a series of blindbagged minifigures from Playtive Junior, a product range of kids toys that seems to be solely distributed by Lidl. They have lots of wooden food items, toy cars, games, and such, but the little blindbagged minifigures definitely were what caught my attention. Most of the minifigures were pretty standard things (traffic cop, doctor, Sherlock Holmes styled detective) but the Alien stood out t me. Thanks to his domed helmet he was easy to find and I picked him up for the somewhat steep price of.... $1! Yup! These little guys retail for $1. I'm not that into the rest of them (I do dig the Sherlock Holmes, I guess) but the Alien was a must have, especially for the price. He's a very traditional looking space alien design and seems like something out of a 50s or 60s low-budget sci-fi film. Let's take a look at him a bit more closely after the break...

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Action Figure Review: Rio Durant from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 I'm getting ready to chastise Hasbro two times, but for completely different reasons. First: Darn it, Hasbro! Why in the world was Rio Durant not released as part of the initial line up of toys for the Solo product debut? Seriously, Hasbro: You should have had characters like Rio, L3-37, Tobias Beckett, Dryden Vos, and Qi'ra in the outfit she actually wears for most of the film ready for the film's release. What the heck? Now, for the second chastisement: Darn it, Hasbro! How am I supposed to make a list of the ten best Star Wars figures of 2018 when you keep putting out better and better figures? Rio Durant is another figure could easily be one of the best of the year. Discover why this Ardennian is one of the best Black Series figures yet released after the break...

Monday, December 3, 2018

Action Figure Review: Rey (Jakku) from Star Wars: The Vintage Collection by Hasbro

 I've only bought a handful of 1/18th scaled Star Wars figures in the past five years or so but every now and then I'll snap up a new one. A week or so ago I was at a Bargain Hunt close-out store and found this Vintage Collection version of Rey in her Jakku outfit for around $4 dollars. At that price I decided to pick her up just because I really do like Rey's role in The Force Awakens and I love her costume. This version of Rey is really just a repack of the Wal-Mart exclusive 1/18th scaled Black Series Rey from the end of 2015/ early 2016 but I never owned that figure so it was new to me. Let's check Rey out a bit more closely after the break...

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Action Figure Review: Princess Leia Organa (Hoth) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

   Today I'm checking out another figure from the most recent series of Star Wars: The Black Series figures and it's another one I've been really looking forward to: Princess Leia Organa in her Hoth gear. I've always liked this costume and it really ranks pretty high up there as one of my favorite looks for Leia ever (my favorite Leia costume ever is actually the Terry Dodson design from the Mark Waid penned Leia comic. This Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson Leia image is possibly my favorite piece of Leia art ever), plus it's from The Empire Strikes Back, so that automatically makes it vital for a respectable Star Wars: The Black Series collection. Let's check out this new version of Princess Leia Organa after the break...

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Action Figure Review: Hero Ash & Evil Ed from Evil Dead II by NECA

    While the had released a handful of figures from Army of Darkness over the years, in 2012 NECA finally released some action figures from Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn. It's been a few years since then but NECA did release a deluxe Ultimate Ash in 2016 that largely reused pieces from the previous sets with improved leg articulation. NECA has teased this set for a few years, however, and it finally made it out this year. This set includes the "Hero" Ash figure, which features Ash Williams in his standard outfit with a ripped, bloody shirt, and "Evil" Ed Getley, Professor Knowby's assistant who becomes a deadite. It's a good concept for a two-pack as we get one tweaked Ash with lots of accessories and a brand new deadite figure. I like it and I hope that we see a few more Evil Dead figures at some point (NECA needs to take a swing at the Pit Witch from Army of Darkness, Evil Ash, and some characters from the original film). I recently received this set as a gift and I'm eager to take a look at it. Let's check it out after the break...

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Action Figure Review: Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

   I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! With all of the cooking I've been doing (and eating) and a house full of family, I took some time away from reviewing stuff. I'm back now, though, and this time I'm checking out another figure from the newest series of Star Wars: The Black Series figures. This time it's Lando Calrissian in his Skiff Guard disguise from Return of the Jedi. Isn't it interesting how Jabba's Palace is pretty much the most toyetic part of the Original Trilogy and yet it's one of the scenes we've received the least amount of product from in the Black Series. What do we have from there other than Jabba and a Gamorrean Guard? Both of Leia's costumes and... that's it, right? I mean, I know R2-D2 came with Luke's lightsaber and Bossk and Dengar are in the background, but Jabba's Palace been pretty underutilized by the Black Series thus far. We need Bib Fortuna and we need him now! Anyways, this release of Lando in Tamtel Skreej's outfit gives us another figure from Jabba's Palace and another version of Lando (we now have half of his OT outfits!). Let's check him out after the break...

Friday, November 23, 2018

Action Figure Review: Fang-Or from Masters of the Universe Classics by Super7

    Guess what it's time for? Another Masters of the Universe Classics review! Today I'm checking out the third figure I've looked at from Super7's first series of new MOTUC figures and it's a new character: Fang-Or, the Freakishly- Fanged Snake Men Warrior. Well, Fang-Or isn't new but this is his first action figure. Fang-Or first appeared in one of the MOTUC minicomics (The Second Ultimate Battleground) and was created by Scott Neitlich to be a new character for the MOTUC storyline. He's easily one of the best new characters to come out of the MOTUC era due to how well he fits in with the Snake Men faction. Heck, if you showed him to someone who wasn't obsessed with Masters of the Universe they might believe that he was a character who existed in the vintage line. He's a great design and while he might seem like a strange choice for Super7's first series of Collector's Choice figures, he definitely is a solid one. Let's check him out after the break...

Monday, November 19, 2018

Action Figure Review: Wrap Trap from Masters of the Universe Classics by Super7

    Today I'm checking out the third figure from the second series of Super7's Masters of the Universe Classics figures and I'm thrilled that it is Wrap Trap, AKA the Horde Mummy. Based on a concept drawing by Ted Mayer, the Horde Mummy has been known to the fan community since 2001 when he was first shown to the public in issue #89 of Tomart's Action Figure Digest. He's been one of my favorites unproduced concept characters since I first learned about him and I really am glad that Super7 turned him into a toy. Like Karg, Wrap Trap seems very influenced by Tom Bryski's concept art from Brian Rooney's The Fwoosh article about potential MOTUC characters (they called him Wrapper, but I like the old fan name, Fear-O, better). I'm a sucker for the horror themed MOTU characters and I really hope we get the concept green witch at some point, too. Maye in the soon to be announced Series 3 of the Collector's Club? Let's take a closer look at the horrific Horde mummy, Wrap Trap, after the break...

Confirmed Epic Podcast #102: Stan Lee Tribute Show





After a long parenting hiatus The Confirmed Epic Podcast is proud to present your regularly scheduled programming.  Starting with episode #102 The Confirmed Epic Podcast is back weekly!

Unfortunately we have some sad epic news that brings us back to the mic with the passing of Marvel Icon: Stan Lee.  Join The Reel Brad  Bell and The Mother of Beagles herself: Abby as they countdown the Top 10 best Stan Lee Cameos of all time, and celebrate the positive impact that Stan and his creations have had on their lives.  You also will not want to miss The Reel Brad Bell's retelling of his epic meeting with Stan Lee at Heroes-Con 2012.

As always we will get into what we have been checking out (Hereditary, Scream Magazine, Crazy Rich Asians, and Mondo's new Matt Ryan Tobin A Quiet Place Vinyl) as well as the epic news items of the week (Game of Thrones Season 8 Teaser Trailer, the Toy Story 4 Teaser Poster/Trailer, Jack White in a Star is Born, and the new Child's Play remake Teaser Poster).

You can always contact the show directly at thepicreview@gmail.com

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Action Figure Review: L3-37 from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    Today I'm checking out another figure from the newest series of Star Wars: The Black Series figures and this time it's a character from Solo: A Star Wars Story: L3-37. A droid who is constantly improving herself, often literally, L3-37 has oddly became a popular character to hate on by many Star Wars fans. Portrayed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, L3-37 is a a droid companion of Lando Calrissian who has cobbled herself together from a variety of droid pieces. She's also very interested in the concept of droid rights, and it seems to be for this reason that the character is getting so much hate. While C-3PO wasn't what anyone would call an activist, aren't there plenty of times when he opines about how droids are treated? It seemed like a logical perspective for an in-universe character to have to me. Anyways, I'm still mystified why Hasbro didn't release many of these main Solo characters when the film was released but we're just now getting a few of them so let's check out L3-37 after the break...

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Action Figure Review: Kane from WWE Zombies by Mattel

  While I ordered the rest of WWE Zombies series 3 from Ringside Collectibles, they didn't have Kane in stock when I made my order. I ended up stumbling across Zombie Kane at a Wal-Mart near my office, which was pretty cool. I wasn't expecting the WWE Zobmies to appear in retail stores yet so making an in-person find was a real treat. Kane definitely seems to be the most popular of the series 3 figures, probably because he's been wrestling for over 25 years and you'd have to be living under a wrestling ring to not know who he is. Heck, the man just wrestled at Crown Jewel recently in a tag team with his "brother," the Undertaker. Wrestler. Insurance Salesman. Dentist. Mayor of Knox County, TN. Christmas Creature. Movie Star. World's Greatest Director of Operations. The Devil's Favorite Demon. Kane is all of these things, and more. He's the Big Red Machine and now he is a zombie. Let's check him out after the break...

Friday, November 16, 2018

Action Figure Review: Imperial Patrol Trooper from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    The first time I saw Solo I immediately pointed out the Patrol Trooper in the film and leaned over to my wife to tell her "I hope Hasbro makes that guy." Guess what? They did! Now, I cannot began to reason why Hasbro didn't release the Patrol Trooper with his C-PH patrol speeder bike, but they didn't. That would have been like getting a Scout Trooper without a speeder bike. Still, at least we got the troop and he makes for another nice addition to the ever growing Imperial legions that Hasbro has been cranking out. This guy is part of the newest series of Black Series figures, so he comes shipped along with some really amazing figures. Is he up to par? Let's check him out after the break...

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Action Figure Review: Shinsuke Nakamura from WWE Zombies by Mattel

    Today we're checking out the zombie version of Shinsuke Nakamura, the King of Strong Style, but there's a catch! He's a zombie! Yup, it's time for another review from series 3 of Mattel's WWE Zombies line and this time it's Shinsuke Nakamura dressed in one of his very cool outfits that really seems to bear a resemblance to Michael Jackson's outfit in Thriller. It's a cool not and the bright red outfit makes Shinsuke stand out in this line. Let's get ready to check out a review of a zombie who makes a better entrance than nearly any other after the break...

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

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

    Recently I ended up with the newest series of figures from Star Wars: The Black Series and I think it is easily one of the best series of figures they've released yet. Today I'm checking out Dengar who may very well be the best figure in the series. In fact, Dengar could quite possibly be the best figure released in 2018. When I originally began collecting the Black Series I wasn't planning on going all in; my goal was to pick up cool figures I liked until I assembled the six bounty hunters from The Empire Strikes Back. Well, that plan changed, didn't it? Still, assembling the crew of bounty hunters has been my number one goal in this line and I'm glad to say I've accomplished it. It may be a week or more until I get around to reviewing Zuckuss but I now have him, I'm checking out Dengar today, and I've reviewed Boba Fett, Bossk, IG-88, and 4-LOM. It doesn't get any better than this, right? Let's check out Dengar and see why he's one of the best releases of 2018.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Minifigure Review: Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, & Andre the Giant from M.U.S.C.L.E.: WWE by Super7

    Today I'm checking out the fourth and final set of Super7's WWE M.U.S.C.L.E. figures which are exclusive to Ringside Collectibles and, brother, are you getting a trio of pure power right here. Not are you getting some top tier sports entertainers but you're also getting some major acting power, too. First up is "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, not only of the best wrestling heels of all time (and a trainer for the Iron Grenadiers) but also the star of  John Carpenter's "They Live." Next up is Andre the Giant, an absolute legend, the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame, and one of the stars of The Princess Bride, and, lastly, the Macho Man Randy Savage, easily one of the best guys on the mic ever and the actor behind Bonesaw McGraw in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man. Let's check out this group of champions after the break...

Monday, November 12, 2018

Action Figure Review: Admiral Piett from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

  While this is the first Christmas season in a few years that we don't have a Star Wars movie to look forward to, that doesn't mean that Hasbro is skimping on the toys. 2018 has probably been the best year ever for the Black Series since the line debuted in 2012 thanks to the robust character selection and the newly debuted face printing technology. While Hasbro certainly has delivered a fairly robust Solo line this year, they've also done a fantastic job of filling out the cast of the Original Trilogy. In that respect it's kind of nice to have a large gap between The Last Jedi and Episode IX as it gives Hasbro more time to focus on releases from previous films. There have been a lot of exclusives this year (it's really quite crazy) and one of them is the shared online exclusive I'm reviewing today: Admiral Piett. Appearing in both The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi, Admiral Firmus Piett is the commander of the Executor, replacing the late Admiral Ozzel. Other than Grand Moff Tarkin, Admiral Piett is easily the most quotable of the Imperial officers so enjoy having Piett opine on bounty hunters, talk about older codes, or simply respond to Darth Vader. There's no end to the fun you'll have with Admiral Piett! Let's check this one out after the break...

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Minifigure Review: Ric Flair, Iron Sheik, & "Mean" Gene Okerlund from M.U.S.C.L.E.: WWE by Super7

    Woo!!! Today I'm checking out some more WWE M.U.S.C.L.E. minifigures from Super7. We've got the great humbler Iron Sheik, "Mean" Gene Okerlund (Gene Mean was the best man at the Iron Sheik's wedding!), and Ric Flair, the stylin', profilin', limousine riding, jet flying, kiss stealing, wheelin' n' dealin' son of a gun! Woo!! This is a pretty cool trio of figures and definitely a fun group to have in scale with your classic M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. Super7 has done a nice job with these minifigures which are exclusive to Ringside Collectibles. Let's check these minifigures out after the break...

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Action Figure Review: Stridor from Masters of the Universe Classics by Super7

    One of the last releases in Mattel's Masters of the Universe Classics was Night Stalker, who came out in October 2016. Although Stridor wasn't officially announced by Super7 until April of this past year I think we all knew he was coming. Night Stalker and Stridor are really and truly the same toy with different paint schemes. Super7 put Stridor on preorder from April to May and then delivered him over the summer. I just got picked mine up last week, however, and man, does he look nice! As Mattel was phasing out of MOTUC there were definitely a few purchases I held back on at the time but now I'm catching back up and gathering up some of the late Mattel and early Super7 releases I missed out on. Stridor was a huge want for me as I remember getting the original toy in the two-pack with Fisto for Easter (probably in 1987). Ready to check this updated version of Stridor out? Then join me after the break...

Friday, November 9, 2018

Minifigure Review: Million Dollar Man, Sgt. Slaughter, & "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan from M.U.S.C.L.E.: WWE by Super7

 "Let's get ready to...review some minifigures!!!" On Tuesday I reviewed one of the four sets from Super7's classic WWF themed M.U.S.C.L.E. figures (of course, they're legally still labeled WWE) and today I'm checking out another one. This set includes three more WWE Superstars: The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, wrestling star and G.I. Joe team member Sgt. Slaughter, and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, the winner of the first ever Royal Rumble. While I'm disappointed that Super7 has gone the blind boxed Keshi Surprise route for the new She-Ra minis, I'm happy to say that the WWE M.U.S.C.L.E. figures are some of the best that Super7 has released. Let's check out this classic trio after the break...

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Action Figure Review: Hawke from Masters of the Universe Classics by Mattel

   Today I'm checking out another Masters of the Universe Classics figure from Super7's continuation of the line: Hawke. While she's based on her Filmation appearance, Hawke appeared in both the Filmation series and in the 200x MYP series as one of the Avionian Bird People. In the Filmation series Hawke is just a random traitorous Avionian but in the MYP series (and in Classics canon) she is Stratos' heroic sister. Of course, what's interesting about this figure is that she includes an alternate head to turn her into Delora. Delora is Stratos' sister in the Filmation series (she's basically Hawke with blonde instead of red hair) but in the minicomics and various storybooks she is Stratos' wife. Sister/ wife/ random antagonist; makes sense. Hawke has long been one of the most requested figures for MOTUC and while she is very Filmation inspired, Super7 put her in the Collector's Choice/ MOTUC line. She was part of the first series that was released this spring and is definitely one of the figures I had heard some less than favorable things about. Want to check her out a bit more closely? Let's get it started after the break...

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Action Figure Review: Granita from Masters of the Universe Classics by Super7

    Today I'm checking out another figure from the newest series of Super7's Masters of the Universe Classics figures and this time it's the third member of the Comet Warriors: Granita! Way back in 2013 I reviewed the SDCC 2013 set of Rokkon and Stonedar, the two Comet Warriors from the vintage MOTU line, and here we are a little over five years later finally completing the trio. Granita was apparently originally planned for the vintage MOTU toyline at one point but never made her way to toy shelves. She did, however, make two appearances in the Filmation She-Ra: Princess of Power series (The Rock People and The Light of the Crystal) and it's probably for that reason that she has long been one of the most requested figures. While Rokkon and Stonedar had vintage figures to base their MOTUC classics figures off of, Granita only had her Filmation appearance. She fits quite nicely into the MOTUC line (she is quite similar to Tim Bryski's proposal art) and completes the Comet Warriors faction, so that's a big plus. Unfortunately, she does have some problems that definitely seem to make her the least well received figure of series 2 of Super7's MOTUC. Let's check her out after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Power Up Space Jump Pumpkin from The Grossery Gang: Time Wars by Moose Toys

    Happy Re-Halloween! Halloween 2018 was filled with some really great stuff, wasn't it? It's been a pretty good one and I'm excited to wrap it up with a look at a pretty cool pumpkin based action figure from the Grossery Gang: Time Wars toyline by Moose Toys. Today we're checking out Power Up Space Jump Pumpkin, a radical cybernetic pumpkin who apparently can travel through time like a gourd version of the Terminator. I actually own a nice handful of Grossery Gang minifigures but this is the first of the larger action figures that I've owned. I believe these are supposed to be powered up versions of the regular minis, and thus these are in scale with those figures (technically, at least). These have been rather difficult to find as the distribution has been fairly limited. They're quite cool though, although I did limit my self to just the Pumpkin since y'all know how much I love anything related to pumpkins. Let's check out the Power Up Space Jump Pumpkin after the break...

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Minifigure Review: Jake Roberts, Ultimate Warrior, & Junkyard Dog from M.U.S.C.L.E.: WWE by Super7

    A year or so ago Super7 showed off these very cool classic WWF WWE minifigures from their M.U.S.C.L.E. revival. It's been a long time with little to no information but last month they popped up as exclusives as Ringside Collectibles. There are four packs of these guys and each set is filled with three figures of some of the biggest Superstars of the 1980s and early 1990s. The first set includes Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Ultimate Warrior, and Junkyard Dog. It's pretty cool to have actual WWE Superstars in the M.U.S.C.L.E. style since the original M.U.S.C.L.E. figures appeared during the then WWF's massive surge of popularity in the mid 1980s. Let's check out these three small sports entertainers after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Freddy Krueger from Savage World: Horror by Funko


    We're almost to Re-Halloween and I've decided to pull out one of the big guns again: Freddy Krueger! This isn't just any old Freddy Krueger, though; this is the Savage World Freddy Krueger from Funko! Imagine Freddy if he were running amok in a barbarian fantasy world such as darting across the Dark Hemisphere of Eternia or plaguing the children of Hyboria and this is what you might get. I reviewed the Savage World Michael Myers last month so you probably know that these are Funko's take on horror icons if they had existed as 5 and a 1/2 inch Masters of the Universe styled action figures. These are a bit more modern in design, however, with overall better sculpting than you might have expected from the 1980s. The charm is still there, however, so let's check out another of these charming, creepy cretins after the break...

Monday, November 5, 2018

Action Figure Review: Matt Hardy from WWE Zombies by Mattel

    I'm going to keep it simple: This is an action figure of a zombified Matt Hardy that can split in half. It's three crazy things (zombie wrestler, Matt Hardy, and a toy that splits in half) that make this figure exponentially cooler than anything else you'll find. Matt Hardy may or may not be retired now but there is no doubt the man is a future hall of famer (possibly two time hall of famer for both himself and his tag team work with Jeff Hardy as the Hardy Boyz) and has made a huge impact in the WWE. He's also known for being insanely entertaining and has been well known over the past couple of years for his Broken/ Woken gimmick. Of course, now he's a green zombie that splits in half. Literally "broken" you might say, eh? Let's check out the incredibly cool zombie Matt Hardy after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Vampire & Monster 9307 by Playmobil

    For today's Re-Halloween special I'm checking out final of the three Halloween 2-packs released by Playmobil for Halloween 2018: The Vampire & Monster! These are definitely not the first figures of a Vampire or a Monster released in the Playmobil line, the ability to snap them up in one set for about $6. This another set I snapped up from the incredibly cool Dancing Bear Toys in Hendersonville, NC at the beginning of October, so these cool little guys have been chilling with me for most of the Halloween season. Let's check out this spooky duo after the break...