Tuesday, December 31, 2019

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

  Despite the number of movies we've had lately, The Mandalorian really feels like the first Star Wars thing since The Force Awakens to really make an impact on pop culture and it's a real shame that Hasbro didn't seem to be prepared for it. I haven't even been able to track down the Mandalorian himself yet! Hasbro really offered about the minimum of what they could for The Mandalorian, which feels like another instance of Hasbro not having the opportunity to see much of the show in advance and thus having to stick to limited publicity stills and such to craft the toyline. For the Black Series we only have four figures: Cara Dune, who is excellent, The Mandalorian, who is impossible to find and outdated by the second episode, IG-11, who is a repaint with a new bandolier, and the Offworld Jawa, who is a repaint of the 40th Anniversary Jawa with a new cloak. Does that seem to be a lineup that gives the impression Hasbro had enough time or the confidence to craft a full lineup for The Mandalorian? Today I'm checking out the Offworld Jawa, one of the transplants from Tatooine who now dwells on Arvala-7. The Offworld Jawas appeared in Episode 2: The Child (one of my favorites of the season) and were part of one of the best action sequences on the show. Let's check out the Offworld Jawa after the break...

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Action Figure Review: Orko from Masters of the Universe Action Vinyls by The Loyal Subjects

    Merry Christmas! Who is going to be watching He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special today? I can almost guarantee we will, as my 6 year old loves it. Orko plays a major role in the show as he travels to Earth and learns about Christmas. This Orko Action Vinyl isn't specifically from that special, but he certainly has that Filmation flair, doesn't he? Lately Walmart has been stocking cases of series 2 of these figures and I was fortunate to walk in one that had a fresh case. Orko is packaged 1/24, so one in every two cases, making him a little more difficult to find (I still have never seen King Randor nor Zodack and Zodac, who are both much rarer. Still, Orko was a huge want for me as I love the little guy. Let's see how Orko stacks up to the rest after the break...

Action Figure Review: C-3PO & Babu Frik from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    The Rise of Skywalker definitely hasn't had nearly the amount of merchandise released as the previous two saga installments, although the figures we've gotten definitely are of a much higher quality than we've seen before. Today I'm checking out Target's exclusive The Black Series release: C-3PO & Babu Frik. Warning! Once we get into the review, there are going to be some spoilers for The Rise of Skywalker as I want to talk about C-3PO's role in the film, which I really liked. Seriously, C-3PO had one of the best roles for a legacy character in the sequel trilogy in TROS. Ever since we saw the trailer showing C-3PO with those crazy red eyes I've been curious about his role in the film. When this guy was revealed, I had even more questions. Was C-3PO going to be reprogrammed to fight? Why does he have Chewbacca's stuff? Is something going to happen to Chewbacca? Who is Babu Frik? This guy was a perfect release to get me excited for the film and he turned out to be a darn fine figure, too. Let's check this pair out after the break...

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Action Figure Review: Yoda (Force Spirit) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 Near the end of 2017, just prior to the release of The Last Jedi, Walgreens offered up an exclusive action figure of Obi-Wan Kenobi as a Force Spirit. This year, prior to the release of The Rise of Skywalker, Walmart offered up an exclusive version of Yoda as a Force Spirit. I wonder when we'll get Anakin? This version of Yoda is based on the Phase II figure with new paint applications and new robes. Hasbro has attempted many different ways of creating Force Spirit figures but as far as I can recall, the only version of Yoda they've attempted was the translucent version from 1998. This guy definitely shows a lot more effort at creating the ghostly appearance seen in the Original Trilogy. Let's check out Force Spirit Yoda after the break and see how he turned out!

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Action Figure Review: Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 So... what did you think of The Rise of Skywalker? Don't worry, I'm not going to get into spoilers her; I'll simply say that I liked it, although it felt like it included two movies worth of content to make up for The Last Jedi. That's not why we're here today, though. We're really here to check out Hasbro's Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight). Back in Phase II of he Black Series Hasbro released another figure of Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight), but that figure was based on Luke's appearance during his encounter with Darth Vader and the Emperor during the end of Return of the Jedi. This version is based on Luke's appearance when he goes to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt. This has always been one of my favorite Luke Skywalker costumes (something I say about nearly every Luke Skywalker outfit, it seems) so it's nice to finally have it in the Black Series. Luke Skywalker is a Walmart exclusive and I've been seeing him fairly regularly, so hopefully you'll have good luck tracking him down, too. Let's check out Luke Skywalker after the break...

Action Figure Review: Crackshot from Fortnite: Legendary Series by Jazwares

 We're so, so close to Christmas, so how about a Christmas themed action figure review from one of my favorite toylines of 2019? Today I'm checking out Crackshot from Jazwares' excellent Fortnite: Legendary Series line. I believe that Crackshot is a Walmart exclusive, so check your nearest Walmart as he seems to be rather plentiful. I've seen plenty in stores over the past few weeks although I ordered mine site to store and picked him up a few weeks back. Crackshot is a costume from Fortnite that is modeled after a traditional decorative nutcracker and was available for purchase in the Item Shop in December 2017 and December 2018. Fortnite sure has some crazy designs, don't they? I love the randomness of the sources of inspiration for the character designs. Let's check out this cool nutcracker themed figure after the break...

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Action Figure Review: Berserker Predator from Aliens/ Predator Classic Series by NECA

    NECA has brought back one of my favorite toylines of all time and I'm absolutely thrilled: They have resurrected Kenner's Aliens and Predator line! Ever since Funko and Super7 started releasing their faux-retro Kenner inspired ReAction figures 5 or 6 years ago I've always wondered who would be the first company to release action figures in the 90s Kenner style, similar to lines like Jurassic Park, Congo, multiple Batman lines, Swamp Thing, Beetlejuice, and more. It turns out it's NECA and they've hit a line I still actively collect. Well, two lines, really, but I'm counting them as one: Aliens and Predator were two different lines, although they crossed over so often that hardly anyone separates them. Ready to see how NECA did with a 1990's Kenner styled Predator? Then let's check out the Berserker Predator after the break...

Friday, December 20, 2019

Action Figure Review: Ludwig from Super Mario by Jakks Pacific

 It's been the better part of a year since I last reviewed anything from Jakks Pacific's Super Mario line but when I stumbled upon the new Ludwig figure, I had to pick it up. One of the Koopa kids (who aren't considered to be Bowser's actual children anymore), Ludwig von Koopa is the eldest of the group definitely the one with the funkiest hair. I remember these guys first appearing in Super Mario Bros. 3 back in the day. It was pretty fun to see the roster of Bowser's minions expand so heavily at the time. This guy is definitely based more on his more recent appearances in games like the New Super Mario Bros. titles, though he hasn't changed that much over the years. Ludwig is the first of the Koopalings to appear in the Super Mario Bros. line, although Iggy was released in the World of Nintendo line (though I never found one). Let's check him out after the break...

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Action Figure Review: Charizard from Pokemon by Wicked Cool Toys

    Wicked Cool Toys has definitely been putting out some interesting larger Pokemon figures that go along quite well with Jakks Pacific's World of Nintendo and Super Mario lines and today I'm checking out another Pokemon who's one of the original 150: Charizard! As the final evolved form of one of the original starter Pokemon, Charmander, Charizard definitely is one of the most recognizable Pokemon of all time. He's pretty boss and it's great to have an easily obtainable and reasonably priced action figure of him. In the Super Smash Bros. series, Charizard could pop out of the Poke Ball but didn't appear as a playable character until Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Wii, where he was one of the three Pokemon uses by the Pokemon Trainer.  Charizard was a standalone character in Super Smash Bros. 4 but returned to the Pokemon Trainer's stable in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.  I didn't have Pokemon Red (I had Blue) but I imagine that those folks who did have Red probably prefer Charizard to the other starter Pokemon. Let's check this guy out after the break and see if he's a worthwhile addition to your team...

Monday, December 16, 2019

Minifigure Review: Scareglow from Masters of the Universe: Mega Construx by Mattel

    It's a Christmas miracle! Scareglow has been showing up at bargain outlets stores! Over the past year Mattel has really ramped up their dedication to the Masters of the Universe: Mega Construx line with the release of the Wind Raider, the SDCC exclusive Battle Bones, and even Castle Grayskull. The figures, however, were still sold as part of the Mega Construx Heroes brand, meaning that alongside the MOTU cast were also characters from Hellboy, Aliens, Star Trek, TMNT, the X-Files, Terminator, and more. While the MOTU figures seemed to sell well, it seems that Mattel wants to sell them under their own brand, so next year we're getting a specific Masters of the Universe range of figures. Anyways, what does this have to do with Scareglow? Well, Scareglow was part of the fifth series of figures (along with Stratos, Donatello, a grey alien and Mulder from the X-Files, and a blue Xenomorph) which showed up briefly in some Walmart stores and then disappeared. Walmart stopped carrying the Mega Construx Heroes figures, making Scareglow a victim of Phantom Series syndrome!  He's been showing up lately at places like Bargain Hunt and Essex, however, so get out and track down one of the coolest mini MOTU figures yet. Let's check out Scareglow after the break...

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Action Figure Review: Transforming He-Man from Masters of the Universe by Super7

   Well, this is it: The last figure in Super7's neo-vintage Masters of the Universe line. Due to the release of Mattel's upcoming Masters of the Universe Origins line it seems that Super7 is no longer able to keep releasing figures in the vintage style. Between their first releases in 2017 to the latest series inspired by the Filmation cartoons, Super7 did release quite a few figures. Still, there were so many more that fans wanted. Super7 did release quite a few He-Man variants and the last one out is Transforming He-Man. This glow in the dark figure is a simple "repaint" of the standard He-Man figure based on the transformation sequence from every episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. It's an interesting concept, although I do think the execution is a bit lacking. Let's check out Transforming He-Man after the break...

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Action Figure Review: Grayskull Mania from Masters of the WWE Universe by Mattel

    While Mattel's Masters of the Universe Origins line doesn't hit retail shelves until next fall, that doesn't mean that you can't get your hands on some of the figures and accessories early, and I'm not talking about the SDCC 2019 exclusive 2-pack of He-Man and Prince Adam, either! To either help get new kids and old fans hyped for that line (and possibly to defray tooling costs as well) Mattel has launched their Masters of the WWE Universe line. Yes, this is exactly what it sounds like: A WWE influenced Masters of the Universe line. Or a Masters of the Universe influenced WWE line. Take your pick! While I do like wrestling, y'all know that I absolutely love Masters of the Universe, so I'd be picking these up regardless. Some folks hate this concept, though, and see it as yet another installment in WWE's recent trend of crossing over with every property they can, such as Ghostbusters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I think this is more than a one time thing, though, and is actually part of a very smart, very planned effort on Mattel's part. I'll share more thoughts on that at the end but, for now, let's check out the Grayskull Mania set from Masters of the WWE Universe. While the single carded figures don't seem to have hit yet, the wrestling by itself has been out for a month or so. This set includes the same ring, I believe, but also includes John Cena and Triple H, giving you some figures to display with it. This line is a Wal-Mart exclusive and Wal-Mart seems to have been fairly consistent in putting these on display end caps where they're easy to find. Let's check out the Grayskull Mania set after the break...

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Action Figure Review: Stratos from Masters of the Universe by Super7

    I'm almost finished with my reviews of series 4 of Super7's neo-vintage Masters of the Universe line and, sadly, it doesn't seem there will be a series 5 (for the time being, anyways). Super7 is having to out the brakes on things do to the upcoming Masters of the Universe Origins line from Mattel. Now don't get me wrong, I'm very excited for MOTU Origins, but I really like what Super7 has been doing with these Filmation inspired vintage styled figures. Things started off a bit rough, particularly with the He-Man/ Skeletor/ She-Ra/ Hordak series, but Super7 has really improved these. Interestingly, when I first received this set in the mail Stratos was kind of a treat as I had never owned a vintage Stratos. Between getting this figure in the mail and writing this review I did manage to find a vintage Stratos at Retro-Toy Con in Greenville, SC (I also met Pixel Dan there, too). Stratos has never been one of my favorites. I guess it's possible it's simply because I never owned him as a kid, but I tend to think that he's less interesting because he doesn't have a unique weapon of his own. Fortunately, Super7 fixed this by giving him two accessories he can interact with so he's not just standing around with empty hands. Let's check Stratos out a bit more closely after the break...

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Minifigure Review: Series 1 (Flesh) from Run-A-Mucks by Last Resort Toys

    Ready for another group of crazy little minifigures? Then check out series 1 of Run-A-Mucks from Last Resort Toys. Run-A-Mucks was a Kickstarter funded project from earlier this year that arrived in my mailbox a week or two ago. Like so many other great minfigure lines in recent memory, particularly O.M.F.G., Run-A-Mucks uses designs from multiple different sources all sculpted in a somewhat uniform aesthetic. They're all very unique, but they "feel" like they belong together. Most of the figures in the set also seem more elaborate than many other M.U.S.C.L.E. styled lines out there, making these some incredibly impressive minis to look at. Let's check out the first series of Run-A-Mucks after the break...

Monday, December 9, 2019

Action Figure Review: Shadow Orko from Masters of the Universe by Super7

    I've now covered all of the uniquely sculpted figures from Super7's most recent series of neo-vintage Masters of the Universe action figures but that doesn't mean there aren't a couple of variant left. Today I'm checking out the first of the two color variants from series 4: Shadow Orko! In episode #73 of She-Ra: Princess of Power, Shadow Weaver ends up stealing Orko's shadow, along with his magic. It turns out, though, that Orko's shadow ends up acting on its own! This really isn't Shadow Orko; it's Orko's shadow! I love Orko and I'm not sure I could get sick of Orko variants. Well, I'm sure at some point but for now I think this turned out to be a pretty cool variant of Orko, which Super7 released in series 3. Let's check out Shadow Orko after the break...

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Road to the Rise of Skywalker: Luke Skywalker (Yavin Ceremony) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 Two days ago I reviewed the exclusive Luke Skywalker (Skywalker Strikes) figure which features Luke in his snazzy yellow jacket and comes loaded with accessories. That figure was based on Luke's appearance in the first six issues of Marvel's Star Wars comic series that started in 2015. Today I'm checking out the standard release of this figure which is called Luke Skywalker (Yavin Ceremony). OK, actually it's called Luke Skywalkwer. Yes, Skywalkwer. With a typo. This is the 100th numbered standard figure in Phase III of the Black Series and Hasbro misspelled Luke's name. That's pretty crazy, right? Anyways, this figure is nearly identical to the exclusive/ deluxe release although the accessories are different: The Skywalker Strikes version comes with all kinds of cool stuff while this version only comes with Luke's Defender blaster pistol and Luke's medal from blowing up the Death Star. Let's check this guy out and see out he fares after the break...

Action Figure Review: Xenomorph (Ice Blue Metallic) from Aliens Action Vinyls by The Loyal Subjects

 Ready for yet another look at a mighty cool stocking stuffer? Today I'm checking out another impressive paint variant of the Xenomorph Action Vinyl from The Loyal Subjects! This one is Ice Blue Metallic, baby! Recently The Loyal Subjects sent me some Action Vinyls and I've had a great time reviewing them. I reviewed lots of the Masters of the Universe Action Vinyls earlier this year, but now I'm getting the chance to check out a few of their other properties, such as Game of Thrones and Aliens. There's a list of retailers for these little guys but I've also been seeing them at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has recently added a collector section to many of their stores in electronic where they are carrying many figures from NECA, McFarlane, Funko, and now the Loyal Subjects. I was in a Wal-Mart yesterday that had just gotten a brand new case of the Aliens and Masters of the Universe Action Vinyls. These guys are getting easier to find, hopefully, so make sure to keep an eye out for them when you're out doing your shopping! Let's check out the Ice Blue Metallic Xenomorph after the break...

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Action Figure Review: Shadow Weaver from Masters of the Universe by Super7

    Today I'm checking out one of the most exciting releases in Super7's Filmation inspired continuation of the vintage Masters of the Universe line: Shadow Weaver. I'm willing to bet if you calculated which He-Man or She-Ra character had the most screen time in the cartoons while still not having an action figure in the vintage toyline, it'd probably be Shadow Weaver (Madame Razz and Broom would be my second and third guesses, respectively, followed by Queen Marlena and Scorpia). Shadow Weaver was such a major part of the Evil Horde in She-Ra: Princess of Power that it's baffling as to why she never had a toy in either the MOTU or Princess of Power lines. Having an official release in this scale and style definitely feels like a major victory for fans of the vintage line. While it was fun getting Filmation inspired versions of vintage characters in the line, Shadow Weaver feels like the kind of figure this line was made more. I'm quite happy with her! 2019 has been a big year for Shadow Weaver, so let's check out another cool toy based on the Evil Mistress of Dark Magic after the break...

Friday, December 6, 2019

Road to The Rise of Skywalker: Luke Skywalker (Skywalker Strikes) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    Does anyone feel like having an opinion on Star Wars one way or the other is like wading into a minefield these days? Sheesh!
   That being said, despite not liking The Last Jedi very much, there's still quite a bit to like about the Disney era of Star Wars with one of the best things being the steady stream of quality comic books from Marvel. I really love the ongoing Star Wars series from Marvel set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back (which is getting ready to reset its numbering since it will not cover time between Empire and Return of the Jedi) as they absolutely remind me of the stories I imagined as a kid playing with my Kenner POTF2 figures. When Kenner finally released Luke Skywalker in his slick yellow jacket, he became my go to Luke. I was thrilled that Marvel used this outfit for Luke's default look in the new comic series, too. Hasbro has released two versions of this figure in the Black Series and today I'm checking out the deluxe version that is based on the comic appearances (the other version is referred to as Yavin Ceremony). This guy is referred to as "Skywalker Strikes" and he comes in a cool display box that is loaded with accessories from the comic series. Let's check this version of Luke out after the break...

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Action Figure Review: Xenomorph (Black Battle Damage) from Aliens Action Vinyls by The Loyal Subjects

   Ready for another look at a mighty cool stocking stuffer? Let's check out a really cool Xenomorph Action Vinyl from The Loyal Subjects! Recently The Loyal Subjects sent me some Action Vinyls so I'm having a fun time reviewing them. I reviewed lots of the Masters of the Universe Action Vinyls earlier this year, but now I'm getting the chance to check out a few of their other properties, such as Game of Thrones and Aliens. I'm definitely an Aliens fan and getting a Xenomorph covered in green, acidic, alien blood is definitely a reason to celebrate. The Aliens series has quite a few figures in it with plenty of Xenomorph variants. Let's take a peak at this one after the break...

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Action Figure Review: Evil Seed from Masters of the Universe by Super7

    It's been a few weeks since I last reviewed one of the figures from Super7's latest series of Masters of the Universe figures but I'm back and today I'm checking out Evil Seed! Evil Seed is one of the most memorable of the "villain of the week" characters from the Filmation animated series although he was never granted a toy in the vintage toyline. That wasn't unusual, though, as very few of the Filmation created characters made their way into the vintage MOTU toyline. Evil Seed also appeared in the 200x/ MYP cartoon series, but again he was never turned into a toy there, either. It wasn't until 2015 in Masters of the Universe classics that Evil Seed got a toy made. That one was based on his 200x appearance but shortly afterwards he got a figure based on his Filmation appearance in the Club Grayskull/ He-Man and the Masters of the Universe toyline. What about fans of the vintage toyline, though? When would they get their Evil Seed. Now. Now they have one. Super7 has mostly remade vintage figures in a Filmation style but the newest series does offer up a couple of characters with no toy counterpart in the vintage line which are pretty exciting. Let's check out this vintage styled Evil Seed after the break...

Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Road to The Rise of Skywalker: Wedge Antilles from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    The premiere of The Rise of Skywalker is getting ever close and I'm still making my way through Hasbro's latest from the Black Series. Today I'm checking out Wedge Antilles, one of only a handful of characters who appeared in every film in the Original Trilogy. Wedge is an interesting character as he definitely is mentioned by name in A New Hope and The Empire Strikes and partied with the Ewoks in ROTJ, but I doubt most casual viewers would recognize him. Despite surviving all three major battles in the Original Trilogy, he really wasn't given much character until the Expanded Universe books and comics and his appearances in various video games throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. While he never had a vintage toy, Wedge has appeared in the modern Star Wars line a few times and it's nice that he's finally made his way into the Black Series (we've had his droid, R2-A3, since 2016). Let's check out Wedge Antilles after the break...

Friday, November 29, 2019

Action Figure Review: White Walker from Game Of Thrones Action Vinyls by The Loyal Subjects

    I've got another review of one of the cool Game of Thrones Action Vinyls from The Loyal Subjects and this time it's a White Walker! The Loyal Subjects recently sent me a box of Action Vinyls to check out and since it's Black Friday and time for Christmas shopping (admit it, some of y'all are reading this in the holding tank because you sucker punched someone in the gut at Wal-Mart this morning at 3am over the last $5 DVD copy of Detective Pikachu) I'm suggesting you check these little guys out as stocking stuffers. They come in cool little boxes and slip right in to a stocking or a small gift bag easily. Lots of places sell these, so you should be able to find someone who has them in stock. Let's check out the White Walker after the break...

Minifigure Review: Skeletor (Clear Blue) from Masters of the Universe Micro Vinyl by Super7

   Today I'm checking out another Micro Vinyl figure from Super7's Masters of the Universe line and this time it's Skeletor molded in clear blue plastic. I love Skeletor (doesn't everybody?) and considering I have a fairly sizeable collection of various vinyl Skeletor toys and this just seemed like another good item to add to the set. Let's check out this very cool, very ice blue version of Skeletor after the break...

Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Road to The Rise of Skywalker: Jannah from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    It's time for another Star Wars review and today it's another review of a figure from the upcoming The Rise of Skywalker: Jannah! Jannah's a new character and we really don't know much about her at all. She's played by Naomie Ackie, she's from the planet Kef Bir, she uses an energy bow, and she leads a group of warriors against the First Order. She's one of those characters that we're just going to have to wait and see how she fares once the film comes out. Jannah definitely has a unique look that seems a bit more post apocalyptic  than many other Star Wars characters. There are definitely folks having a difficult time accepting her look but I think it'll turn out fine. She does have lots of cool little details on her, too, as well as some interesting weaponry. Her weaponry has a very primitive feel to it, so it'll be interesting to see why she carries it. Are these standard weapons for her people or is she kind of a hipster? Let's check out Jannah after the break...

Action Figure Review: Jon Snow from Game of Thrones Action Vinyls by The Loyal Subjects

    Recently The Loyal Subjects reached out to me and sent me a box of various Action Vinyls to review. The holiday season is quickly approaching (Black Friday is coming!) and folks are always looking for stocking stuffers. These little articulated minifigures from The Loyal Subjects definitely make a pretty good gift for someone in your life who loves Game of Thrones and collects toys, but they also make a pretty good gift for someone who is not out there hunting down Game of Thrones action figures but who very well might display a trinket on their desk. While I have admittedly only watched Game of Thrones into the third season (I have read all of the books, though-🤓) I know who Jon Snow is, and I know that he knows nothing. The Loyal Subjects has at least four Jon Snows out there, but you're only going to find a few of them as one is a Club 28 version (they only made 28 of him) while the other is gold, and there is only one of him. Dang! (There's also a SDCC exclusive Jon Snow Betrayed for sale on their website.) This guy is your standard, garden variety Jon Snow and he comes packed 2 to a case of 12. Let's check him out after the break...

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Action Figure Review: Doom Slayer from Doom by McFarlane Toys

    I have many, many fond memories of playing Doom. I've mostly always been a console gamer so Doom coming to the Super Nintendo was a big deal when I was in sixth grade. Remember the blood red cartridge? Getting Doom 64 on the Nintendo 64 was even better! I've played lots of versions of Doom, including the GameBoy Advance Doom, the cellphone exclusive Doom RPG, and of course the newest Doom, just called Doom. Doom 2016 is a fantastic game. Seriously, it's one of the best games I've played in recent memory and it really captures the classic Doom feel while offering lots of cool new ideas, too. The sequel, Doom Eternal, comes out March 2oth of 2020 and this is actually what McFarlane has based the Doom Slayer figure on. While most folks have always just called him the Doomguy or the Doom Marine (in the old novels he was Flyyn Taggart), the new series of games calls the classic protagonist the Doom Slayer. He has more of a "chosen one" background as a lone individual, possibly gifted with divine powers, who battle against the forces of evil over the ages. I've always wanted a figure of the Doomguy. As a kid I had a few G.I. Joe figures I'd use as the Doomguy (the DEF Shockwave was my go to), so actually having a legit Doomguy to go along with my Duke Nukem and Quake Marine figures just feels right (I do have that 1/6th scale B.J. Blazkowicz but I wish we'd get a 1/12th scale version). Let's check out McFarlane's Doom Slayer after the break...

Monday, November 25, 2019

Road to The Rise of Skywalker: First Order Jet Trooper from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

   Guess what? This is my first review of a figure from the upcoming The Rise of Skywalker! How crazy, right? We've had at least a dozen books over the past few months, the premiere of The Mandalorian, and the launch of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Next up on the list: The Rise of Skywalker. Yeah, I'm being cautious but I'm hoping for the best with this one. Right now I'm just going to focus on a new trooper type for the ranks of the First Order. The Jet Trooper (also called Rocket Troopers) aren't a new concept at all. Heck, First Order specific Jet/ Rocket Troopers appeared in the first issue of the Poe Dameron comic back in 2016 and in 2017's Star Wars Battlefront II. This guy is part of the second wave of figures released since Triple Force Friday, so he's really just starting to show up in decent numbers. Let's check this guy out after the break...

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Action Vinyls from The Loyal Subjects: Masters of the Universe, Aliens, and Game of Thrones


    Hey everyone! I imagine that most of us are starting to think about doing are Christmas shopping and if you're looking for a great stocking stuffer for the action figure fan in your life then The Loyal Subjects has a great suggestion for you: Action Vinyls! According to the The Loyal Subjects:
"From Aggretsuko, Hot Wheels, Aliens, WWE and Game of Thrones. The Loyal Subjects pride themselves on imagination over quantity and quality over price points. Turning those warm memories into a tangible reality where figures with extensive detail and great features help us recall stories from our favorite shows! The Loyal Subjects’ signature Action Vinyls™ are a hybrid commingling of stylized features, artful and detailed deco from the Designer/Art Toy/Vinyl world, and the poseable dexterity found in Action Figures; hence “Action Vinyls” – a cool “Vinyl-like” collectible. The figures stand at about 3.25”, have up to 15 points of articulation, are accompanied by a collector card, and have interchangeable accessories. TLS pays homage to its collector base by including rare figures and “Easter eggs” in its product lines."

The Loyal Subjects reached out to me and asked me to show some of these off to you, so here we go! I'm going to be reviewing a few of these over the next week or so. I actually really like these, particularly the Masters of the Universe line, which I've reviewed many of here on Action Figure Barbecue. Heck, I bought a full case of Series 2. Let's check some of these out after the break...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Action Figure Review: Amphibian Man from Guillermo Del Toro Signature Collection by NECA

    Today I'm checking out the fifth releases in NECA's Guillermo del Toro Signature Collection: The Amphibian Man from 2017's The Shape of Water. The Shape of Water isn't my favorite del Toro film but there's no denying that it's a very good movie, it garnered some serious attention (and won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Production Design, and Best Original Score), and it had some great performances. Doug Jones portrayed the Amphibian Man, who looks like a cross between the Creature from the Black Lagoon and Abe Sapien from Hellboy. I really wanted this guy to be part of The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror but he arrived to me very late in October and I just had too many other things lined up. While last year's sole release was Santi from The Devil's Backbone, all of this year's releases thus far have been from Pan's Labyrinth, so getting a character from another film is a nice change of pace. Let's check out the Amphibian Man after the break and see what magic NECA has worked this time around...

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Road to The Rise of Skywalker: Cara Dune from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    We've had two episodes of The Mandalorian so far and darn is it good. I'm loving it! Today I'm checking out Cara Dune, a new Black Series figure of a character from The Mandalorian who hasn't appeared in the show yet. Even waiting until after the second episode I still can't tell you anything about Cara Dune except that she's played by Gina Carano and she's a darn fine action figure. Seriously, she really is a highlight of the line with a great arsenal of weapons. Let's check out Cara Dune, a former Rebel trooper now turned mercenary, after the break...

Monday, November 18, 2019

Action Figure Review: Man-At-Arms (Metallic) from Masters of the Universe ReAction by Super7

   Super7's mystery boxed Masters of the Universe ReAction figures had some interesting color variants mixed in alongside of the standard figures. I don't have many of them but I did find a good deal on this Man-At-Arms (Metallic) loose and I had to have him. It's Man-At-Arms (cool) with his stache (very cool) with metallic green armor (even cooler) but his body glows in the dark (the coolest). This guy isn't based on anything so far as I'm aware: He's just an amazing looking variant. Let's give ol' Duncan a quick review after the break...

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Road to The Rise of Skywalker: Clone Commander Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars: The Black Series Phse III by Hasbro

    I've been checking out plenty of the new Star Wars: The Black Series releases in anticipation of The Rise of Skywalker since October but, thus far, I haven't reviewed a single figure from the upcoming film. I've got some coming, don't worry, but the product Hasbro has released from Jedi: Fallen Order, The Mandalorian, the Original Trilogy has been more interesting lately. Now Hasbro is even mining the 2003 Clone Wars series for inspiration (that's different from The Clone Wars, kids!). Today I'm checking out the very cool Walgreens exclusive Clone Commander Obi-Wan Kenobi. Walgreens has offered many cool exclusive Black Series figures over the past few years and this version of Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the coolest. Combining the Jedi with the Clone Trooper armor was always a win in the coolness department and Obi-Wan just looks awesome in this outfit. Let's check him out after the break...

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Action Figure Review: Modulok (Top Toys Variant) from Masters of the Universe ReAction by Super7

   Today I'm checking out another of Super7's Masters of the Universe ReAction exclusives from NYCC 2019 and its.... another Modulok variant! Seriously, 2019 might be the year of She-Ra but it's also the year of Modulok. Super7 has already released four different Modulok figures in the ReAction line and now here comes the fifth! This guy is pretty unique, though, as he's based on the Top Toys version of Modulok (called "Modulock" on his packaging) that was released in Argentina in 1987. Super7 has done some cool figures based on obscure international variants (the Malaysian Hordak and the Leo variants come to mind) and this guy definitely is one of the more unusual international variants. I mean, it's Modulock but now his limbs are green. He's like a Christmas version of Modulok! Let's check him out after the break and see if he's worth another purchase...

Friday, November 15, 2019

Action Figure Review: Gengar from Pokemon by Wicked Cool Toys

   Confession time: I've never been the biggest fan of the Pokemon games but I love the character designs and the show. The last of the actual Pokemon games I played to completion was Pokemon Yellow, which was way back in 1999. I really liked Pokemon Snap, too. Since then I've messed around with a few of the releases and my daughter and I play Let's Go, Eevee! from time to time, but I'm way more interested in the characters, the designs, and watching the show. Last year Wicked Cool Toys began producing Pokemon toys (I think Tomy was producing them before) and so far they seem to be offering a nice selection of characters. They seem to mostly focus on the first generation characters, which works great for me. I certainly love some of the newer Pokemon, but the original 151 is where my heart lies. Now that my 6 year old daughter is obsessed with all things Eevee, my enthusiasm for Pokemon has been back, too. Today I'm checking out Gengar, one of the Battle Feature Figures that features a legitimate action feature. Gengar is a hybrid Ghost/Poison type Pokemon who is the evolved form of Ghastly and Haunter (those guys need to be made as toys soon, too!). Let's check him out after the break...

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Action Figure Review: Killer Croc from DC Comics Multiverse by Mattel

   Mattel previously released Killer Croc as a Collect & Connect figure in the DC Comics Multiverse line, but that figure was based on the Suicide Squad film version of the character. It also just wasn't very good. Prior to that, the last comic based Killer Croc in this scale and style was back in 2005 in the D Superheroes line. Croc was due for an update and this one is a massive version that looks incredibly fearsome. Most of the last series of DC Comics Multiverse figures is worth picking up on their own but, when you factor in this sweet Killer Croc, you really have a reason to pick everyone else up. I haven't completed a Build-a-Figure this year that I can recall, but this guy had me very excited. Let's check out Killer Croc after the break...

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Road to The Rise of Skywalker: IG-11 from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

   I write my reviews a day or so in advance usually so while today is November 13th, and I probably have watched The Mandalorian, I'm actually writing this on Monday the 11th. I'm really looking forward to the show, though, and I hope it turned out awesome. I don't actually have the Mandalorian himself yet, which is definitely frustrating me. He's been tough to find! He's actually been the only standard figure from the Triple Force Friday launch that's been hard to find, so I'll still be eagerly searching for him for the near future. Today I'm not checking out the Mandalorian, though, but IG-11. IG-11 is an IG unit programmed to follow Bounty Hunters Guild protocols and, thus far, that's all I know about the character. Well, other than the fact that he's voiced by Taika Waititi, the director of Thor: Ragnarok and the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder and the voice of Korg. IG-11 was very easy to find as he is a Best Buy exclusive, you can easily order him from their website or have him set aside at a store, and they seem to have plenty in stock. Since he's an IG unit, like IG-88, Hasbro reused the body from the 2015 IG-88 figure from the Black Series Phase II. That figure had some flaws that feel like they are only amplified here. Let's take a look at IG-11 after the break...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Action Figure Review: Alfred Pennyworth from DC Comics Multiverse by Mattel

    Today I'm checking out the last standard figure in the last series of Mattel's DC Comics Multiverse line and it's Batman's stalwart ally, best friend, and surrogate father, Alfred Pennyworth. Alfred has shown up in many toylines before including DC Direct's Batman: Hush line, Hasbro's Batman the Animated Series line, Diamond Select's Gotham line, and Mattel's The Dark Knight Rises line. Of course, since Mattel has been making comic based DC figures in a similar scale and stlye for well over 15 years, the lack of Alfred Pennyworth in that style has been a noticeable omission. Finally, after all of that time, it's very welcome to get Alfred in the last series of figures. He turned out well. Very well, in fact. Seriously, Mattel gave this guy some incredible accessories that really make him stand out. Alfred Pennyworth has been the hardest figure to find from this series, so let's find out why after the break...

Monday, November 11, 2019

Action Figure Review: Evil-Lyn from Masters of the Universe by Super7

    I'll be making my way through series 4 of Super7's Neo-Vintage Masters of the Universe toyline and today I'm checking out the figure of a character who truly deserved a Filmation accurate figure in the line: Evil-Lyn. Being one of the main Evil Warriors in the cartoon, Evil-Lyn had a unique appearance in the animated series that was quite different from her action figure counterpart. While the action figure Evil-Lyn was simply the Teela figure with a new head and paintjob, the cartoon Evil-Lyn really offered up a great design that fully realized Evil-Lyn's role as an evil sorceress. She turned out great and is definitely one of the best offerings from Super7 in this line. Let's check out the mystical and malevolent evil warrior goddess after the break...

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Road to The Rise of Skywalker: Cal Kestis from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 The next few months are going to be crazy for Star Wars fans: Besides the massive amount of new action figures (well, at least The Black Series figures as the traditional 3 3/4th line has gotten the short end of the vibrostaff) and books that are being released there is the premiere of The Mandalorian on Disney+ on the 12th of November, the release of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order on the 15th of November, and The Rise of Skywalker on December 20th. Today I'm checking out Cal Kestis, the protagonist of the video game Jedi: Fallen Order. Cal Kestis was one of the initial Triple Force Friday offerings and was one of the figures I most wanted from the initial batch (I still haven't found my most wanted figure, the Mandalorian himself). Kind of like Kanan Jarrus/ Caleb Dume, Cal Kestis is a Padawan who survived Order 66 and is hunted by the Empire. I have high hopes for the game as it's been awhile since we had a Star Wars game designed as a single player story and it's always fun to lose yourself in a playable version of the Star Wars galaxy (I liked the campaign in Star Wars: Battlefront 2, but it was clearly designed as a multiplayer game first). Let's see how Cal Kestis turned out after the break...

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Action Figure Review: Buzz-Off from Masters of the Universe by Super7

   Today I'm beginning to make my way through series 4 of Super7's neo-vintage Masters of the Universe line and I'm starting with the Heroic Spy in the Sky, Buzz-Off. Buzz-Off was not a figure I owned as a kid. In fact, I probably didn't have a Buzz-Off until about 9 or 10 years ago. He's definitely a figure that stands out, though, thanks to his yellow and brown color scheme. While Buzz-Off showed up in the Filmation cartoon in four episodes, he definitely isn't one of those characters that jumps out at me as a must-have in the Filmation style. I really would have rather had characters like Ram Man, the Sorceress, Catra, Adora, or my beloved Cringer before Buzz-Off. Still, a nice looking figure is a nice looking figure and Buzz-Off definitely feels like a figure that Super7 put a lot of effort into. I would wager he's a favorite of someone at Super7 to get this kind of treatment. Let's check out Buzz-Off after the break...

Friday, November 8, 2019

Action Figure Review: Abstrakt from Fortnite: Legendary Series by Jazwares

   Well, both Halloween and Re-Halloween are officially over now, so it's time get back to just reviewing regular action figures. I mean, yeah, I've been doing that, but I've also reviewed horror themed figures every day for 38 days (in addition to regular reviews). I might be taking things a bit easier for a bit, although that's tough to do with so much cool stuff coming out. Today I'm checking out another figure from Jazwares' excellent line of Fortnite: Legendary Series figures. This time I'm checking out Abstrakt, a graffiti artist decked out to cause some havoc. Jazwares has released Abstrakt's female counterpart, Teknique, in the 4-inch line, but I'm not collecting those. I would love to see her in this line, though, as she has a very cool design. I mean, all the Fortnite stuff does, doesn't it? Let's check out this urban tagger and see what he's all about after the break...

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Action Figure Review: Gold Statue He-Man from Masters of the Universe by Super7

    Today I'm checking out the third figure in the Super7 "Statue Variants" miniseries and this time it's Gold Statue He-Man. I've never been a fan of toy companies going to gold and silver variants for action figures, misguidedly assuming that it gives a figure some additional level of prestige. I'm thinking of things like the old McFarlane gold Spawn variants or the gold Star Wars figures being released for Rise of the Skywalker. Of course, when you have something where a gold variant legitimately makes sense, it can be kind of cool. Gold Statue He-Man is a metallic variant that is legitimately based on an episode of the Filmation cartoon series, The Shaping Staff, where He-Man is turned into a gold statue so that he can be replaced by Faker. It's a pretty scene specific variant, but you know what? I'll take it! Let's check out Gold Statue He-Man after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Harold #846 from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark from POP! Movies by Funko

    Happy Re-Halloween! Today I'm checking out something really cool that I didn't know existed until I stumbled upon it at my local GameStop last Friday: A Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark POP! vinyl of Harold the scarecrow! I've been a fan (and afraid) of Alvin Schwartz's terrifying trilogy of scary stories for nearly as long as I can remember and I was really, really excited for the film released a couple of months back. While it didn't perfectly capture the sheer unquantifiable terror of the books or, more aptly, the unsettling and indescribable illustrations of Stephen Gammell, I thought it was a pretty good movie. It's a scary film that still manages to be fun. It kind of reminded me of a cross between the Goosebumps film, Trick 'R Treat, and The Ring. The film did a pretty good job of taking elements from the stories and bringing them together in one plot line. While the story "Harold" from the Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones is quite different from the film's segment featuring the character, the character is still pretty recognizable. This works on so many levels as it's a figure from the movie, the book, and also just a cool looking evil scarecrow. What a time we live in, right? I mean, who would have ever thought we would have toys based on Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark? Let's check out Harold on this wonderful Re-Halloween...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Action Figure Review: Jonesy from Fortnite: Legendary Series by Jazwares

   It's time for another review from the excellent Fortnite: Legendary Series by Jazwares, and this time it's Jonesy! I'm not a Fortnite player but I believe Jonesy is the default male skin in the game and the primary protagonist in one of the story modes, so he definitely warrants a position in the line. Interestingly, Jonesy is the first figure in the line to feature any reused parts (other than accessories). He reuses much of the body of the Skulltrooper and the head from the Rabbit Raider, but that makes sense as in-game those skins are placed over the Jonesy model. It's accurate to the source material, so good going Jazwares! Let's check out Jonesy after the break and see what's going on with him...

Re-Halloween Special: Pack B (Flesh) from Keshi Surprise: The Worst by Super7

   Since I've checked out both of the Teal sets and the Flesh colored Pack A, now it's time to check out the Flesh colored Pack B which includes the evil brains of the operation, Cortex Commander, the beautiful but slithery Shedusa, and everyone's favorite character: Werewolf Biker! To celebrate the upcoming gritty, reality grounded reboot of the film, simply titled Werewolf J. Biker, Super7 has really been putting out some quality merchandise. I know that Joaquin Phoenix's performance as the Joker has been getting all of the attention this year, but I'm really curious to see his take on Werewolf Biker. Throughout the film's many installments, the 3 live action television shows, and the two different animated shows, along with various foreign adaptations and television appearances, 73 1/2 actors and actresses have played the Werewolf Biker. I really think Joaquin is going to bring something to the character, which is tough, as such esteemed actors and actresses as Daniel Day Lewis, Dame Judy Dench, Danny Trejo, Jennifer Lawrence, and John Reynolds have portrayed the character over the years. Let's see how this Werewolf Biker minifigure compares to others!

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Minifigure Review: Multi Pack from Pokemon by Wicked Cool Toys

   The Pokemon toy license has gone around like crazy and the latest holder is Wicked Cool Toys. I'm not a hardcore Pokemon collector but I am a huge Nintendo fan and I love the characters from the Pokemon game and show. Detective Pikachu was also one of my favorite movies this year, so I'm definitely a fan of the brand and have been since I first awaited Pokemon Blue back in the day! I'm most familiar with the original 151 Pokemon, plus a few other special favorites (my daughter's obsession with all things Eevee and her many evolutions has definitely worn off on me) so this set was a nice find. Usually these figures retail for around $7-$10 dollars for a two-pack with the larger ones (like Psyduck) selling for around $7-$10 each. This set features twelve Pokemon, nine of whom are Generation 1, and it was only $30 bucks. Not a bad buy for a very nie set of painted minifigures. Let's check these little guys out after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Jack Torrance from 5 Star: Horror by Funko

  For today's Re-Halloween special I'm checking out a figure from Funko's 5 Star: Horror line that I was really hoping would arrive in time to be part of The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror, but that sadly didn't: It's Jack Torrance from The Shining. We've been seeing more licensed items from Stanley Kubrick's classic adaptation of The Shining and I have hopes that someday Mezco will release Jack Torrance in the One:12 Collective line. Apparently Jack Nicholson might be pretty controlling of likeness rights, though, so, maybe it's a bit of a pipe dream (although Hot Toys did get Jack's likeness for their Joker figures from the 1989 Batman film). Still, I was pretty excited to see this figure being released and he was only one of the two must haves from the 5 Star: Horror series for me. Since Doctor Sleep is coming out this weekend, now is a great time for a review of Danny's dad. Let's check out Jack Torrance after the break...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Action Figure Review: Punisher: War Machine from Marvel Legends Series: The Punisher by Hasbro

   Back when I picked up the Fan Channel Exclusive Punisher from GameStop, I also grabbed this very cool Punisher: War Machine. This is only the third Marvel Legends figure I've purchased this year but, for some reason, I always pick up Punisher figures. This one is very different, though, as it's Frank Castle's version of the War Machine armor. I really don't keep up with Marvel comics so from what I've picked up, Nick Fury offers Frank Castle the War Machine armor so he can take his war on crime to the next level. I've seen the prop replica helmet for this armor before, so I knew it was a thing, but I didn't know much about the storyline. Well, I really still don't to be honest. It's just a cool looking figure that I knew I needed to pick up. Ready to check it out? Then join me after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Pack A (Flesh) from Keshi Surprise: The Worst by Super7

    This year I'm using the week of Re-Halloween to fit in some of the spooky toy reviews that didn't fit into the movie monster theme for The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror and it just so happens that I actually ended up with two different sets of the second series characters from Super7's The Worst. I looked at the teal figures a day or so ago and now I'm going to check out the "flesh" colored figures from NYCC 2019. Due to the love of M.U.S.C.L.E. by nearly everyone who loves minifigures, the fleshy pink color scheme for these little guys usually ends up being the most popular look around for minifigures. This set, called Pack A, features Captain Deadstar, Frankenghost, and Red Tiger. Let's check these guys out after the break...