Friday, July 31, 2020

Trap Jaw-ly: Trap Jaw #487 from POP! Television: Masters of the Universe by Funko

    Today is the last day of Trap Jaw-ly and for my last review I'm checking out the Funko POP! Trap Jaw. Trap Jaw was released in May 2017 as a Funko Specialty Series release alongside of an FYE Exclusive comic colors Trap Jaw. Something interesting about this guy is that the standard Trap Jaw I'm checking out today is actually harder to come by then the store exclusive release. That's a bit unusual, right? I've really enjoyed looking at some Trap Jaw stuff this month and I hope you've enjoyed it, too. Trap Jaw is a great character with one of the coolest gimmicks in Masters of the Universe. Let's check out this POP! version of the this Evil Warriors who's armed for combat...

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Action Figure Review: Prince Adam #992 from POP! Television: Masters of the Universe by Funko

   Funko has put out a ton of Masters of the Universe POP! vinyls out lately, haven't they? Today I'm checking out the last standard figure from the most recent series of regular releases: Prince Adam! The colors of Adam's outfit definitely show that he's based on the Filmaton animated series "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" versions of the character who I have no shame in admitting is one of my favorites. I love Prince Adam and Cringer's overall goodness and silliness. I'd gladly wear an outfit like this all day every day if it meant I could hang around with Cringer, swapping witty banter. I'm allergic to cats in real life, though, so would I be allergic to Cringer? I would hope not! Let's take a look at Prince Adam, the recipient of Fabulous Secret Powers, after the break...

Sunday, July 26, 2020

Action Figure Review: Eternal Voyager from Fortnite: Legendary Series by Jazwares

 
    It's been nearly four months since I last reviewed a figure from Jazwares' Fortnite: Legendary Series but a few new releases have appeared lately, so expect to see some new reviews in the coming days. Today I'm checking out the Eternal Voyager, an intergalactic space explorer who appeared in Fortnite season 10. There are a few different color schemes for this guy but Jazwares went with an amazing black and electric blue design for this guy that is just absolutely amazing! I love the look of this guy! Unfortunately, he really suffers from probably the main problem of this line: Poorly functioning hinged hands. Jazwares has used the hinged hands on these guys since the beginning of the line and their ability to hold accessories has definitely been a bit inconsistent. Sadly, Eternal Voyager's hands are very, very loose. "Butterfingers" Voyager might have been a more apt nickname for him. Let's check him out after the break...

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Trap Jaw-ly: Trap Jaw from Masters of the Universe Classics by Mattel


   Trap Jaw-ly may be coming to a close soon but I'm still going to try to roll out a few more Trap Jaw reviews for you fine folks!  Today I'm returning to the greatest Masters of the Universe line of all time with a review of Trap Jaw from Mattel's Masters of the Universe Classics! I didn't start reviewing MOTUC figures until 2013 so I've been slowly filling in the gaps between 2008 and 2013. Trap Jaw was released in February 2010 as the standard monthly Club Eternia figure and his day of sale lasted 19 minutes which, up to that point, was the fastest sell out time for any MOTUC figure (he was released on the same day as Battle Cat and the Grayskull themed Battle Stands). Many of the early MOTUC figures came with multiple heads to give the figures different looks and Trap Jaw was no exception. One of the coolest things about this guy is that besides being a stellar homage to the vintage toy, he came with additional parts to turn him into Kronis, his pre-Trap Jaw self from the Icons of Evil comic from 2004. I think many MOTU fans would put the MOTUC Trap Jaw up there as one of the best figures ever released in the line, so let's take a look at this fan favorite after the break...

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Trap Jaw-ly! Trap Jaw ("GID Edition") from Masters of the Universe Acton Vinyls by The Loyal Subjects

    I've reviewed quite a few of the Masters of the Universe Action Vinyls from The Loyal Subjects but everything I've reviewed has been from the second series which feature a revised body design. Today I'm offering up both another review of Trap Jaw for Trap Jaw-ly and a look at one of the first series MOTU Action Vinyls. I have a couple Trap Jaw Acton Vinyls but today I decided to check out the 2016 The Loyal Subjects Web Exclusive Trap Jaw "GID Edition" figure. GID stands for glow in the dark, so this is a glow in the dark version of the deadly Evil Warrior with a cybernetic arm and jaw. This guy was part of a limited run of 750 and I purchased him from The Loyal Subjects' website during a Black Friday sale. Ready to check him out? Then let's get chompin' after the break...

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Action Figure Review: Skeletor #998 (Disco) from POP! Television: Masters of the Universe by Funko

    Back on June 10th a friend email me to let me know that Funko was putting this 10 inch Disco Skeletor POP! vinyl on Funko-shop.com that day. Unfortunately, I didn't get home to check my email until late that night so I had to rely on someone from one of the Masters of the Universe groups I'm part of on Facebook to pick it up. This guy sold out quickly and his price has really jumped! Yes, I reviewed the standard 10 inch Skeletor last month but today I'm checking out the Disco Skeletor variant.  I've discussed the story behind Disco Skeletor before so today I'm just checking out this figure. Ready for an absolutely massive POP! vinyl of one of the gaudiest versions of Skeletor around? Then join me after the break...

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Old School MOTU: Skeletor (Gray Skull) from Hikari: Masters of the Universe by Funko

 
    Today on old school MOTU I'm showing off the first Funko Hikari Skeletor I've reviewed in the site: Gray Skull Skeletor! I've talked about Japanese soft vinyl toys before when looking at Super7's Beast Man Japanese vinyl toy and Medicom's Sofubi Batgirl as well as some of Funko's Star Wars Hikari minis. Hikari is the Japanese word for "light" and often refers to figures that are translucent or clear. The sofubi toy style is definitely an art form with toys made in smaller batches and handpainted rather than being assembled in a standard factory. I don't know how true to these roots Funko's offerings stick (they are made in China) but they were far less expensive than most Japanese vinyl pieces when they were released. Funko released this Skeletor in seven different color schemes but today it's the "Gray Skull" variant we're focusing. That's kind of a punny name, isn't it? Gray Skull, as in Skeletor has a gray skull, but you've also got Castle Grayskull, the object of nearly all of Skeletor's schemes. Clever!

Friday, July 17, 2020

Trap Jaw-ly! Trap Jaw from POP! + Pez Dispensers by Funko

 It's time for another Trap Jaw-ly review and this time I'm checking out the standard POP! + Pez Trap Jaw dispenser. I reviewed the chase variant minicomic Trap Jaw Pez dispenser a couple week ago so let's take a look at what the main release looks like. He's definitely more faithful to the vintage toy or the Filmation design. He has a hook, a claw, a laser cannon, a fly swatter, and an energy bow, but did you also know that Trap Jaw can dispense candy? Find out more after the break...

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Old School MOTU: Stridor from Masters of the Universe by Mattel


    Despite all of the craziness going on with the Covid-19 pandemic there are still lots of new toys being released right now. My shelf of cool stuff to be reviewed is currently filled with Masters of the Universe POP! vinyls and G.I. Joe Classified Series figures but I'm always excited to go back and review a classic MOTU item. Today I'm checking out Stridor, the Heroic Armored War Horse! Stridor was released in 1984 as part of the third series of MOTU toys and was available on his own or available in a gift set with Fisto. I received my Stridor for Easter of 1987 in the gift set, though this isn't my original Stridor I'm reviewing here today (though the Fisto in one of the pictures is my original Fisto). Stridor was an incredibly cool toy that wonderfully merged the barbarian fantasy element (armored horse) with the sci-fi element (robot) of the property. I realized I was missing Stridor's helmet a week or so ago and so I ordered one to get him back to his original glory. Ready to ride with Stridor? Then let's check him out...

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Action Figure Review: Luke Skywalker (Snowspeeder) from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary Collection by Hasbro


    The second wave of the Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary figures features a few new figures and I'm checking out another one of them today: Luke Skywalker  in his Snowspeeder pilot gear. Hasbro actually has a Snowspeeder released for the Black Series as well (it comes with Dak Ralter) so this isn't just a figure who is going to have to stand around without a craft to pilot! Luke Skywalker doesn't have a bad outfit in the Original Trilogy but his costume changes in The Empire Strikes Back are all pretty incredible (though nothing tops his "Bespin" fatigues). I have an attachment to his Snowspeeder pilot outfit because I remember a surprise gift from my parents of the Star Wars: The Power of the Force II Luke Skywalker in X-Wing Fighter Pilot Gear. That figure was misnamed as it actually turned out to be Luke in Snowspeeder Gear, so he went really well with the POTFII Snowspeeder. Here we are 25 years later and I'm still playing with a Luke Skywalker figure in this same gear! That's the power of Nostalgia, right? Let's check this guy out after the break...

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Action Figure Review: He-Man on Battle Cat #84 from POP! Rides: Masters of the Universe by Funko


 
    The latest series of Masters of the Universe POP! vinyls from Funko not only includes multiple standard figures and the 10 inch Skeletor but it also includes a POP! Rides release: He-Man on Battle Cat! I don't know that there is a more iconic 1980s toy pairing than He-Man and Battle Cat so putting these two together makes perfect sense. While He-Man has understandably been a staple for Funko,  Battle Cat himself has also shown up in some of Funko's other lines including Dorbz Rides, Pint Size Heroes, and VYNL. This is a pretty decent sized POP! and it's been shipping for the last month or two. Do you need yet another Battle Cat and He-Man for your collection? Find out after the break...

Sunday, July 12, 2020

Trap Jaw-ly! Trap Jaw from Masters of the Universe by Mattel

   I've been rearranging my photography area so I'm doing something a little different and using my lightbox for this review. Let me know what you think about the pictures. Do they look clearer or do they look a little too "bluish?" Let me know what you think!

    As Trap Jaw-ly continues on let's take a look at what may be my second favorite Masters of the Universe toyline: The 200x/2002 Masters of the Universe line. The 200x line retained the overall looks and colors of the vintage toys but they added some wicked cool details and designs that really brought the denizens of Eternia to life. One of the coolest new designs was Trap Jaw as the Four Horsemen really ran with the idea of Trap Jaw having been modified with multiple cybernetic parts. The Icons of Evil comic from MVCreations further explored the identity of Kronis, the leader of a group of bandits who wars against Skeletor and is destroyed in the process. Skeletor burns Kronis' face, causing it to take on a sickly green color, destroys his right arm, and finally rips off his lower jaw. Rebuilt by Tri-Klops, Trap Jaw becomes a formidable member of Skeletor's Evil Warrior and a regular part of the Mike Young Productions cartoon series. Trap Jaw was released in the third series of figures in early 2003 along with Teela, Orko, Tri-Klops, and some He-Man and Skeletor variants. Let's take a look at Trap Jaw after the break and see why he's one of the most popular 200x redesigns...

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Action Figure Review: Duke from G.I. Joe Classified Series by Hasbro

   It's been awhile since I've purchased a new G.I.Joe item. I have written a G.I. Joe review or two since then, because the Sigma 6 line is one of my favorite toylines ever, but I haven't really been very interested in any of Hasbro's releases over the past 7 or 8 years. Honestly, Hasbro hasn't done much with G.I. Joe since the film Retaliation other than things like the failed Kre-O brand or the subscription figures put out by the G.I. Joe Collector's Club. With the move towards 6-7 inch action figures sort of becoming an industry standard collectors have long speculated when we would see Hasbro tackle G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero in the 6 inch scale. The G.I. Joe Classified Series is the answer to that speculation and it launched with an exclusive Snake Eyes figure and a case of five of the most well known names in G.I. Joe fandom: Snake Eyes, Destro, Scarlett, Roadblock, and Duke. Today I'm checking out Duke as he was the first figure I was able to get my hands on. I would wager that G.I. Joe fans have kind of a love/ hate relationship with Duke as he's a solid character and has been one of the faces of the brand for decades now, even though he wasn't part of the Original 13 members of the G.I. Joe team. Hasbro sure loves him, though, and during the 2000s and early 2010s they put out dozens of Duke figures. He was the face of Sigma 6 as well as G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra, so it only makes sense that Hasbro would include him in the first series of figures. Duke provides a nice dose of the military realism that has always been part of G.I. Joe's DNA since the 12 inch era while still sporting some of the futuristic elements that are part of the design aesthetic of this line. Ready for a closer look at Duke? Then hop to attention and join me after the break...

Monday, July 6, 2020

Trap Jaw-ly! Stratos, Trap Jaw, & Prince Adam from Masters of the Universe Classics by Super7

   Today you're getting a triple-sized review for Trap-Jawly as I'm checking out Super7's 2017 PowerCon exclusive 3-pack which includes Stratos, Trap Jaw, and Prince Adam in their minicomic looks. Super7 took over the Masters of the Universe Classics line from Mattel in 2017. During that first year they offered up some reruns with only minor differences called the Ultimates figures (which may have been produced at Mattel's factory if I recall correctly) and two exclusive 3-packs for PowerCon 2017 which were the first MOTUC sets Super7 produced on their own. Collectors of MOTUC had long wanted to see more comic themed variants in the line and Super7 definitely delivered by offering up three of them at once. This is a large review and I'll be talking a bit more about each character while reviewing them so let's get things started after the break...

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Action Figure Review: Webstor #997 from POP! Television: Masters of the Universe by Funko


   Funko put out POP! vinyls of quite a few of the main Masters of the Universe villains previously but this series adds yet another to the ranks of the Evil Warriors: Webstor! Webstor did appear in the Filmation cartoon series, both in He-Man and She-Ra, where he looked quite faithful to his vintage action figure. He was released in the 3rd series of figures in 1984 and was quite popular due to his menacing appearance and his cool working grappling hook feature. Yes, Webstor is based on a spider (an early working name for the character was Black Widow) but he uses a grappling hook to get around. That's MOTU for you! There's apparently a metallic variant coming out as a Hot Topic exclusive, too, which really makes this a big year for Webstor based figures. Has there ever been a time where we got two different Webstor toys in the same year? I don't think so, so there's one good thing about 2020 at least! Let's check out the POP! Webstor after the break...

Friday, July 3, 2020

Trap Jaw-ly! Trap Jaw (Lavender Stem) from POP! + Pez Dispensers by Funko

   Let's kick off Trap Jaw-ly with a look at the the chase variant of the Trap Jaw POP! + Pez dispenser from Funko! This version is based on Trap Jaw's appearance in the vintage minicomic "The Menace of Trap Jaw" where the character was depicted with pale green skin. I actually got this guy for my birthday last year as a present from my wife who ordered me a couple of Masters of the Universe t-shirts from Hot Topic. She ordered a Trap Jaw Pez dispenser, too, and I was surprised that the Chase edition arrived. I was was really excited about this and I thought my wife had tracked this one down. It turns out it was just a happy accident; my wife didn't even know I already had the standard Trap Jaw dispenser. Funko has used the minicomic version of Trap Jaw for a few different variants (the POP Price Guide refers to this as the Lavender Stem version) as it's really the only easy paint variant for Trap Jaw. I've reviewed a few of the POP! + Pez dispensers over the last few months and while there isn't a ton of new stuff to say about them they're still fun to check out. Let's check out this minicomc inspired Trap Jaw after the break...


Thursday, July 2, 2020

Action Figure Review: Tung Lashor #994 from POP! Television: Masters of the Universe by Funko

    Funko's Masters of the Universe POP! vinyls keep coming (on June 30th they announced the "SDCC exclusive" Clawful and Blast-Attak) and today I'm checking out the first representative of the Snake Men in the POP! vinyl range: Tung Lashor! Seemingly more of a Poison Dart Frog rather than a snake, Tung Lashor was one of the original Snake Men from the 1985 Masters of the Universe toyline. While you'd expect that we would see King Hiss first Tung Lashor was a nice surprise. Oddly enough Tung Lashor appeared in the Filmation She-Ra: Princess of Power series but he looked completely different. I prefer his vintage toy styled appearance but I still find it funny that these figures are listed under the POP! Television brand and yet we didn't get the version of Tung Lashor from the cartoon. This guy has a great color scheme, though, and it makes him an amazing looking figure for the shelf. He sure does stand out, doesn't he? Let's check this guy out after the break...

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Action Figure Review: Clone Commander Bly from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro


   I recently found Commander Bly who was the only figure from the most Black Series set I was looking for (I'm skipping the Sith Jet Trooper), so let's take a few minutes to review him. Clone Commander Bly, officially known as CC-0252, appears in a few Clone Wars episodes, some Legends comic books, and in the film Revenge of the Sith where he receives Order 66 on Felucia and assassinates Aayla Secura at the Emperor's command. The clones have been extremely popular among Star Wars collectors and Hasbro has done a pretty admirable job of mixing them into the Black Series. They haven't flooded the line with them but they do keep them coming at a steady pace to keep interest. Let's check out Clone Commander Bly after the break and see if he is another worthy addition to the ranks...

July 2020 is Trap Jaw-ly at Action Figure Barbecue!


July 2020 is Trap Jaw-ly at Action Figure Barbecue!

Why Trap Jaw-ly? Why not? Trap Jaw is one of the most popular of the Evil Warriors and his name made a good pun when paired with July. It was just too perfect to pass up! I'm really having fun with these themed Masters of the Universe months and I hope you're enjoying them, too. So far we've had Moss May and JuNe Adventures and now we get a month filled with Trap Jaw reviews. Awesome!

Before things kick off, here's a sample of the Trap Jaw reviews already featured on the site:

Masters of the Universe by Super7 (2017)
Trap Jaw

Masters of the Universe: ReAction by Super7 (2015)
Trap Jaw (Cartoon Colors)  

M.U.S.C.L.E. Masters of the Universe by Super7 (2015)
#1 Masters of the Universe Set (Green)
Skeletor, Beast Man, & Trap Jaw