Action Figure Review: Trap Jaw #90 from POP! Retro Toys: Masters of the Universe by Funko

 

   Sometimes you pick up a new garden variety POP! vinyl. You know, one of those little 4-inch pop culture vinyl toys that stand neatly in ever-growing clusters on your bookshelves, TV stands, and mantles. Somedays, however, you pick up a massive POP! vinyl that would win a ribbon at the county fair. The new 10-inch scaled Trap Jaw #90 from Funko's POP! Retro Toys: Masters of the Universe range is one of those giants who you'll have to dedicate some serious space too. He's quite cool, though, and part of the newest wave of Funko MOTU releases. He's been out for a month or two at this point but you can still find him. Trap Jaw was released previously when Masters of the Universe stuff was released under the POP! Television banner (Trap Jaw #487) but this new oversized POP! has an updated sculpt that's quite a bit more expressive. Ready to check out the 10-inch Trap Jaw? Then join me after the break...

Toy Review: He-Man and Wind Raider & Skeletor and Land Shark from Hot Wheels Premium: Masters of the Universe by Mattel

 

   On July 22nd, 2021 Mattel put two items on its Mattel Creations website that were probably intended as SDCC 2021 exclusives: The Masteverse Scare Glow from Masters of the Universe: Revelations and the Hot Wheels Premium 2-pack of He-Man and the Wind Raider and Skeletor and the Land Shark. My Hot Wheels set arrived back in August (while my Scare Glow only arrived on Saturday!) and I've had it sitting here for a moment. So, what's the big deal with this set? Honestly, it's a repack of the previously released Wind Raider and Land Shark Hot Wheels Premium vehicles in new packaging with a die-cast He-Man and Skeletor in the respective vehicles. Honestly, it's not that big of a deal but since I was grabbing Scare Glow I went ahead and grabbed this set too. Let's take a look at this one after the break...

Action Figure Review: Harley Quinn (The Suicide Squad) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   I haven't seen The Suicide Squad yet but I'm a sucker for almost any 6-7 inch scaled Harley Quinn figure so I picked this up a couple of months ago at GameStop. I think the last time I picked up a DC based action figure was last year when I grabbed both the standard and the Playing for Keeps One:12 Collective Harley Quinns from Mezco. I haven't purchased anything from Mcfarlane Toys' DC Multiverse line up to this point so it was interesting to get my hands on something from that line. I'm impressed by the overall quality of the figure and I can definitely see why the line has a following although it's not a DC line I have much interest in. This seemed like a a cool look for Harley Quinn and I figures at the least I could see off the massive build-a-figure piece for the King Shark figure (which I did). Let's take a look at Harley Quinn after the break...

Action Figure Review: Hologram Iron Man from Marvel Legends Series: Iron Man by Hasbro

 

   I've got another Marvel Legends Series review for today and this time it's Hologram Iron Man. This isn't an armor but a holographic avatar for Iron Man. I mean, I assume there's some electronics and machinery in here but it's not a traditional suit. I'll just come right out and say that I picked this figure up because I wanted to build Ursa Major and it seemed like it would be easier and less expensive to sell the figure if I really didn't end up wanting it than it would be to buy Ursa Major's head by itself. Back when Toy Biz released the Iron Man line from the 1994 animated series I had quite a few of those figures, one of which was called Hologram Armor Iron Man. I'm not sure why, though, because it was the Silver Centurion armor from the comics. This version seems to possibly be a bit of a Hasbro creation based on the A.I. Tony Stark from the comics, the new Hologram Iron Man skin from the Avengers video game, and the 1/18th scaled Iron Man mark VI Holographic from the Iron Man 2 series K-Mart exclusive Proving Ground set. This is a weird figure as it's sold as a comic figure but the body is from the Civil War version of Iron Man (mark 46?). That's unusual. Anyways, let's check this variant out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Ironheart from Marvel Legends Series: Ironheart by Hasbro

 

   While my preferences in Marvel Legends collecting is classic (1960s-1980s) characters or comic versions of characters who have appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I'm still usually interested in a character with a cool design or new characters who have really landed in the Marvel Universe. I'm excited that Riri Williams, AKA Ironheart, has finally been released in Marvel Legends as she's been a rather popular new character since her debut in mid-2016. So popular, in fact, that Riri Williams will be making her MCU debut in next year's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (played by Dominique Thorne) with her own Disney+ series, Ironheart, to follow. While I'm sure we'll see some MCU based Ironheart figures next year Hasbro doesn't release comic versions of most characters as often as you would think (I think the last comic based Captain Marvel figure was from 2015) so this version of Riri could end up being even more desirable down the road. She's a great figure of a new character who is part of the new Iron Man themed series with a build-a-figure of Ursa Major. Let's check her out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Dragstor #85 from POP! Retro Toys: Masters of the Universe by Funko

 

   It's time for another MOTU POP! vinyl review and today it's a character who doesn't get nearly the love and attention he deserves: Dragstor! While characters like Beast Man, Man-At-Arms, and Trap Jaw tend to show up in every line of Masters of the Universe toys and collectibles, some characters didn't even make it into the 200x series. Dragstor is one of those characters who is most often neglected and it's pretty thrilling to see Funko hit some of these deep cuts. Dragstor's a member of the Evil Horde who can plop down on his stomach and take off like a car. MOTU didn't leave any gimmick out, did they? The vintage Dragstor was was released as part of the fifth series in 1986 and I definitely remember picking him out from a store at some point. I still have him, too. Of course, this is an all new Dragstor and while he's not a traditional action figure he's a pretty fun toy. Let's check him out after the break...

Minifigure Review: Metallic Whiplash from Masters of the Universe Revelation: Eternia Minis by Mattel

 

   Ready for another review from the recent Masters of the Universe: Revelation themed series of Eternia Minis? Then let's check out Whiplash. But not just regular Whiplash: This time it's Metallic Whiplash! Back when the Eternia Minis were semi-blind packaged packed there were some "chase" variants like Horde Zombie He-Man and Golden Armor Skeletor so I'm wondering if Metallic Whiplash is Mattel's way of continuing that tradition. Whiplash does appear in MOTU: Revelation in the second episode, "Poisoned Chalice," both in his classic look and in his cybernetically augmented look after he joins Tri-Klops' Motherboard techno cult, but he never appears as just a solid green character. This is simply a random colorway but because these guys are so inexpensive and you don't seen Whiplash stuff too often I picked him up. Want to see Metallic Whiplash in action? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Moss Man from Masterverse: Masters of the Universe: Revelation by Mattel

 

   There's some MOTU mania happening up in here! Seriously, I am absolutely overwhelmed by the sheer volume  of Masters of the Universe product that's coming out right now and I find myself having to skip some stuff these days. Action figures are the heart and soul of my collecting, though, and I'm absolutely enjoying Mattel's Masterverse line. I was thrilled when it was revealed last year that Moss Man was going to be one of the first figures released. Y'all know that Moss Man is one of my absolute favorites (my dad even made me a Moss Man birthday cake flocked with coconut flakes in 2019) so not only was I excited about a new Moss Man figure but I was eagerly anticipating Moss Man having a major role in Masters of the Universe: Revelation and being voiced by Alan Oppenheimer. Well, so far his role was pretty small. Yeah, Moss Man gets killed by Skeletor in the first episode and appears later in "The Forge at the Forest of Forever" in Preternia, which in MOTU: Revelation is an Eternian afterlife. Will Moss Man return? Who knows. I'm bummed they killed him off so quickly but Revelation is a different series and Moss Man's scenes with Adam in Preternia were pretty cool. And we still got a pretty cool new action figure out of it, right? Let's take a look at the Masterverse Moss Man after the break...

Collectible Review: He-Man (Plastic) from Geeki Tikis by Beeline Creative Inc.

 

   The weather might be cooling down just a bit but that doesn't mean there's not room for a cold drink, right? Today I'm checking out the plastic He-Man Tiki mug from Beeline Creative's Inc's Geeki Tikis which I found at Walmart back in July. Yeah, it's been a bit but better late than never, right? I reviewed the ceramic Masters of the Universe Geeki Tikis earlier this year and I loved them! This He-Man mug is very similar to the ceramic version though the sculpt is sharper, the color looks more like natural wood, and it's plastic so you won't break it. They have both He-Man and Skeletor in this more affordable range and today I'm checking out He-Man. Ready for this review? Then join me after the break...

Minifigure Review: Fisto from Masters of the Universe Revelation: Eternia Minis by Mattel

 

   It's time for another Masters of the Universe Revelation: Eternia Minis review and this time it's Fisto! Remember Fisto from MOTU Revelation? Well, he has a brief cameo in the battle scene in the first episode, "The Power of Grayskull." He doesn't even talk. Fisto's a pretty popular character, though, so I guess Mattel really wanted to get a toy of him out there. There was never a Fisto in the MOTU Minis line from 2014 nor was there one in the standard Eternia Minis line so since Fisto looks pretty much the same in Revelation as he looks in most other MOTU media, this guy could really just be a repurposed Fisto planned from an upcoming Eternia Minis line rebranded as a Revelation Fisto. He's cool and very classic looking so he should please everyone. Let's check out Fisto after the break...

Minifigure Review: Beast Man from Masters of the Universe Revelation: Eternia Minis by Mattel

 

   In early August I stopped at a Target and found the full series of the Masters of the Universe Revelation: Eternia Minis. Like the previous Eternia Minis these little guys are just a bit over 2 inches and come single packaged on small blister cards. In Masters of the Universe Revelation the characters typically have two different looks: Their classic look from the first episode and the flashbacks and their "current" look from after the death of He-Man and Skeletor and the departure of magic from Eternia. This version of Beast Man is based on his second look where he's wearing no armor, has his beard braided, and is covered in scars. It's a pretty cool look for Beast Man and definitely makes him seem pretty terrifying and more independent. Ready to check out Beast Man? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Xemnu from Marvel Legends Series: Super Villains by Hasbro

 

   The last Marvel Legends build-a-figure that I legitimately assembled by collecting the parts from a complete series was Caliban from 2019. Since I realized fairly early on that I had plans to purchase most figures in the 2021 Super Villains series I decided I was going to go ahead and build Xemnu even though I wasn't at all familiar with him. My daughter did like Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. when she was younger so it's possible I saw him on there at some point but otherwise I don't have any attachment to this Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created extraterrestrial monster. Still, a cool build-a-figure is a cool build-a-figure and I'm not saying know to a giant furry monster with red eyes. No way, now how. Let's take a look at the big ol' brute who has been terrorizing the Marvel Universe since 1960 after the break...

Action Figure Review: Baroness (Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins) from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   I'm back, baby! Seriously, have you missed me? August was a crazy month for me. In early August we went out of town to visit my wife's family. Right after we came home we found out we had been exposed to Covid and both me and my wife ended up with Covid. Fortunately we had both been vaccinated so symptoms were fairly mild. My daughter fortunately missed it though she had to be separated from us for our isolation periods. Since we first showed symptoms at different times we were isolated separately as well. My daughter's birthday also was this month and unfortunately it wasn't the best for her. We've been working to make it up to her as we're having re-birthday festivities all weekend. Currently she's spending some time with my parents making preparations for her re-birthday party tonight (just her, us, and my parents) but we're expecting a fun time. After that it's off to see Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings at the drive in. I haven't been to the drive in since the late 1990s so I'm looking forward to it. My daughter has never been! Anyways, what does this all have to do with today's review? Well, not much....

   Today I'm checking out the Baroness from the movie based subset of the G.I. Joe: Classified Series. I actually haven't even seen the movie yet (I haven't been hearing good things about it) and while I've been planning on skipping most of the movie based figures I really did like the look of the Baroness. Despite being based on Úrsula Corberó's version of the character she still fits in with the rest of the line. Honestly, I'm using her as Chameleon since I like the previously released Baroness quite a bit. This movie version of the Baroness surprised me quite a bit as she has some fantastic accessories. Let's check her out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Lady Deathstrike from Marvel Legends Series: Super Villains by Hasbro

 

   I'm still slowly making my way through the Super Villains series of Marvel Legends figures and now we've finally made it to Lady Deathstrike! Lady Deathstrike was one of the first figures from this series that I knew I wanted as I'm a big fan of the 1980s and early 1990s X-Men. Yeah, she first appeared in Daredevil, but over the years Lady Deathstrike (Yuriko Oyama) has been mostly known as an X-Men villains. Primarily, she's got it in for Wolverine. The animated series from the early 1990s even conflated her character with Mariko Yashida, further strengthening her ties to Logan. Anyways, this is Lady Deathstrike's second costume and her most well known as it represents her after she was turned into a cyborg by Mojo's Body Shop. What's her most recognizable feature? Her long, adamantium nails. She can scratch through almost anything! There hasn't been a Lady Deathstrike Legends figure since Toy Biz so she was definitely due for a remake. Let's take a look at this lethal lass after the break...

Minifigure Review: Orko from Masters of the Universe: Micro Collection by Mattel

 

   Let's check out the fourth figure in the five figure set of Mattel's Masters of the Universe: Micro Collection minifigures: Orko! I'm a huge Orko fan and have been for as long as I can remember. I'm a little older than some MOTU fans so I don't really remember a time when Orko wasn't a key part of MOTU. I really loved Orko's role in the recent Masters of the Universe: Revelation and I thought Griffin Newman did a great job with the character. I don't want to spoil things yet (though if you haven't watched the five episode show yet are you really that interested?) but I will say that Orko's role and interactions with Evil-Lyn were incredible and I'm heartbroken but optimistic for what might come in the second half of the series. Of course, this Orko is clearly based on the Filmation version of Orko which is the original Orko. That's interesting because the rest of the figures in this set are clearly based on the vintage toys but this isn't the vintage toy version of Orko. I prefer this one, though, so I'm good with it. Remember that these are simple minifigures sold exclusively through Dollar Tree for $1 each. That's pretty cool, right? Let's check out Orko after the break and see how he turned out...

Action Figure Review: Clamp Champ #84 from POP! Retro Toys: Masters of the Universe by Funko

 

   A new series of Masters of the Universe POP! vinyls has started showing up and so far I've managed to get my hands on four of them. Let's start things off by checking out Clamp Champ, one of the new characters introduced in the 1986 toyline. Clamp Champ has appeared in quite a few different MOTU comics over the years but hasn't made it into any of the animated shows until Masters of the Universe: Revelation last month where he appeared briefly in the first episode. The bios for Masters of the Universe Classics really did a lot to build up Clamp Champ's character (real name Raenius) and he tends to show up in most toylines based on the classic line. Ready for a look at the new Clamp Champ POP! vinyl? Then join me after the break...

Minifigure Review: Mer-Man from Masters of the Universe: Micro Collection by Mattel

 

   It's almost been a month since I last reviewed one of these Masters of the Universe: Micro Collection figures so I guess it's about time I checked out another. Remember that these are Dollar Tree exclusives and they're only a buck! Today we're going to be diving in and looking at Mer-Man! One of the original 1982 figures Mer-Man is one of Skeletor's most prominent lackeys who tends to show up in most MOTU toy offerings. Of course, most of the time Mer-Man toys are based on his appearance in the Filmation cartoon or on the cross sell art from the back of the package. Mer-Man's vintage head has often seemed like his least popular look which is unusual for a vintage toy but since Mattel seems to be going almost straight vintage with these little guys this Mer-Man is about as vintage as you can get without traveling back in time to watch Rocky III, listen to Thriller, and bite the head off of a bat with Ozzy! Let's check it out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Dormammu from Marvel Legends Series: Super Villains by Hasbro

 

    Yesterday I reviewed the Hood from the recent Super Villains/ Xemnu series of Marvel Legends figures and today I'm reviewing the source of the Hood's hood: Dormammu! OK, so Dormammu is far more than just the source of the Hood's hood but it is a connection to the previous figure so I went with it. I was quite excited for the release of this Dormammu as the last Dormammu was a modern styled build-a-figure from the series of figures released with Doctor Strange back in 2016. Dormammu is one of the big bads of Doctor Strange (perhaps his primary antagonist?) and getting a classic version is a welcome addition to the Marvel Legends ranks. While I'm still waiting for a classic Doctor Strange from Hasbro a classic Dormammu helps to bring in some old school Marvel goodness. Let's see if Dormammu is a good bargain after the break...

Action Figure Review: The Hood from Marvel Legends Series: Super Villains by Hasbro

 

      I'm slowly making my way through the Xemnu/ Super Villains series of Marvel Legends figures and today for my third review from the set I'm checking out The Hood! There are a couple characters in this set who I wasn't aware of before the series was announced and the Hood is one of them. Created in 2002 by Bryan K. Vaughan, Kyle Hotz, and Eric Powell, the Hood is the name give to smalltime criminal Parker Robbins after he acquires a magical hood and decided to go big time. Even though he's been around for nearly 20 years at this point I can't recall ever seeing or hearing about the guy. I still picked him up, though, because I was planning on buying over half of the figures anyway and I wanted to build Xemnu, he was one of the first figures I found from this series back in late June, and he just seemed like a fun toy. The Hood has become somewhat of an action figure punchline lately because what do you get when you remove his hood and pistols? A screaming average guy. Need a regular criminal for your figures to fight? Why not the Hood? Want to represent an action figure collector ranting about exclusives or fighting with a Target employee about the release of G.I. Joe figures? here comes the Hood! He's far more versatile than you might think! Let's check out a rather interesting Marvel Legends Series release after the break...

Action Figure Review: Asajj Ventress from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase IV by Hasbro

    New figures from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase IV have been very tough to find this year and somehow I managed to stumble upon Asajj Ventress when she was listed on Amazon at a regular price. While she's never appeared in any of the live-action films Asajj Ventress is a popular character with an excellent storyline spanning The Clone Wars animated series and some of the best books in the new canon, particularly Dooku: Jedi Lost and Dark Disciple. This is probably the most classic and recognizable look for Ventress and it was a great choice for her first Black Series figure (I'd love a Dark Disciple "hero" version of Asajj Ventress along with Quinlan Vos, too) and Hasbro did a pretty nice job with it. Let's take a look at one of the popular non-film characters of the Prequel era after the break...

Action Figure Review: "Buzz Saw" Hordak from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

   Buzz-Saw Hordak was released in 1987 as the third and final Hordak figure released in the vintage line. While he has a cool gimmick I've always found it kind of odd that Buzz-Saw Hordak didn't really look any different from regular Hordak. At a glance he's the exact same figure. That's the direction that the Masters of the Universe Origins version of "Buzz Saw" Hordak has gone in as well: He's very similar to the standard Hordak from the fourth series of figures but with a new torso and some new heads. "Buzz Saw" Hordak is one of the deluxe MOTU Origins figures which was definitely the right way to release him. Not only have the deluxe figures included lots of extra pieces and alternate heads but the figures also mostly have functioning action features. That's pretty cool! And, yes, it means "Buzz Saw" can actually launch saw blades from his chest. Let's jump in and see what all of the....buzz...is about after the break...

Action Figure Review: He-Man from Masterverse/ Masters of the Universe: Revelation by Mattel

 

   Ready for an all new He-Man review? Of course you are! I watched all five episodes of the first half of Masters of the Universe: Revelation with my family on Friday and while I am really enjoying the series so far I understand some of the reasons why it has been so divisive. It's a bold, interesting take on MOTU that draws from multiple sources and tries some new stuff. At this point I'm going to avoid spoilers as much as possible since the show hasn't even been out for a week yet. So, where to start? Well, this is He-Man from the new show. While the style is a bit different overall he looks like the He-man you remember, particularly if you're most familiar with the cartoons. There are some minor differences but overall he feels like a combination of the Filmation character design with some elements of the 200x style. I like the look of these Masterverse figures overall and am really enjoying the line. While I was watching MOTU: Revelation I kept seeing characters in the show and adding them to my mental wish list of figures I hope to see in Masterverse. Of course, who would collect this line without picking up He-Man? Let's take a look at He-Man after the break...

Action Figure Review: Evil-Lyn from Masterverse/ Masters of the Universe: Revelation by Mattel

   The release of Masters of the Universe: Revelation on Netflix is almost here and I am absolutely thrilled! I'm also pretty excited that Mattel actually managed to get the figures out in time for the show. I didn't have a hard time at all finding the first series of Masterverse figures and since it seems like they're reliably popping up in large display bunkers at Walmarts I'm guessing lots of you are having success as well. I'm super excited that MOTU:Revelation seems like it will do some pretty exciting things with the property while still being a semi-transitional MOTU show. While some of the characters look very traditional (He-Man and Battle Cat) others are getting some different looks that seem to signify new roles and directions for them. Today I'm checking out Evil-Lyn and of the four basic figures in the first series of figures I think she's the least traditional looking. I've tried to keep myself fairly in the dark about most story elements of the new show but I'm speculating that at some point Skeletor becomes so powerful that Evil-Lyn turns against him or attempts to usurp his power. It's a look for Evil-Lyn that retains some of her classic design elements while also offering up something new. Let's take a look at the Masterverse Evil-Lyn after the break...

Action Figure Review: Arcade from Marvel Legends Series: Super Villains by Hasbro

 

   I'm back with another review from the Super Villains/ Xemnu series of Marvel Legends and this time it's Arcade! While Arcade has been plaguing the Marvel Universe since 1978 I remember him from the wicked cool artwork of the 1989 PC game X-Men: Madness in Murderworld (which I probably saw in some gaming magazines) and from the 1992  game Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcades Revenge which I recall renting for SNES as a kid. While he's just a dweeby guy in a white suit Arcade really stands out and makes for a very cool figure in this series chock full of super villains. Arcade and his Murderworld have challenged many heroes over the years but I'll probably be placing him on a shelf with my X-Men villains as that just seems to be who he has battled with the most. Let's take a look at Arcade after the break...

Action Figure Review: Battle Cat from Masteverse/ Masters of the Universe: Revelation by Mattel

 

   I am so excited for Masters of the Universe: Revelation this week and I think another action figure review from Mattel's new Masterverse line is in order to help us all make it through this week. Today I'm checking out the massive Battle Cat from the Masterverse line! Since the line is called Masterverse and "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" is listed as sort of a subtitle it seems that Mattel has plans to eventually add characters from different MOTU eras into the line. So far, though, everything seems to be based on the new animated series which is fine with me. I'm liking the new looks for the characters and the overall design of the show. Battle Cat is sold in an oversized window and so far seems to only be popping up at Target.com, which is where I found mine. Ready for a look at Battle Cat? The join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper from Masters of the WWE Universe by Mattel

 

   Need another evil warrior to run amok through WWEternia? Then let's check out "Rowdy" Roddy Piper! Roddy Piper is one of the greats of wrestling and a larger than life persona who made a name in mainstream popular culture so it's cool to see him make an entrance into this line. I actually am a Piper fan due to his starring role in John Carpenter's They Live and it's exciting that Mattel is actually making a John Nada figure in their WWE Hollywood line, but I'm also a big fan of Piper running around in the land of 1980s toys. Back in 2007 Rowdy Roddy Piper was made a member of the Iron Grenadiers from G.I. Joe and now he's in Masters of the Universe (kind of). Pretty snazzy! Let's check out "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and see if the Evil Hot Rod can keep changing the questions just when the heroes think they know the answers...

Action Figure Review: A.I.M. Scientist Supreme from Marvel Legends Series: Super Villains by Hasbro

 

   At the end of June I stumbled upon a few figures from the Bring on the Bad Guys/ Xemnu series of Marvel Legend figures. Would you believe that this isn't the newest series now? Seriously, as I'm writing this I just got Ironheart in the mail. That's crazy! I cannot believe how fast Hasbro can put out Marvel Legends figures! Anyways, the second newest (as of this writing) series of Marvel Legends figures is all about the bad guys and features a nice mixture of villains from different eras. Hasbro distribution of Marvel Legends is usually pretty good and I've since completed Xemnu with all purchases actually being in physical stores (3 at Target, 1 at Walmart, and 2 at GameStop)! First up I'm checking out the A.I.M. Scientist Supreme. I'm not very familiar with this character and, to the best of my knowledge, the title has been held by multiple characters over the years. This guy seems like a more modern incarnation of the character, though. He's a unique looking figure and goes great with M.O.D.O.K. and the other A.I.M. figures so he already had a spot in my collection. Let';s check out the A.I.M. Scientist Supreme after the break...

 

Action Figure Review: Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat from Masters of the WWE Universe by Mattel

 

   Ready for another Masters of the WWE Universe review? Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat is another of the series 5 figures I found at my local Walmart around a month ago. There's not a lot of subtlety in this line so Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat comes with an actual dragon. Yup! The packaging calls it "Dragon Blaster" which is absolutely a reference to the 1985 Masters of the Universe Dragon Blaster Skeletor figure. Too bad he didn't come with a steamboat too, right? Let's take a look at Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, the Heroic Master of Dragons, after the break...

 

Action Figure Review: Skelegod from Masterverse/ Masters of the Universe: Revelation by Mattel

 

   The adventure begins again! Yes, I am indeed reviewing the first figure in a brand new series of Masters of the Universe action figures and this time it's from the Masterverse line which is actually sold at retail. In the past week or two I've actually managed to obtain all six figures released in the series so far from retail (the basic figures from Walmart and the two deluxe figures from Target.com) and I'm quite excited about the potential this series has. It seems that the the Masterverse line might encompass MOTU figures from various media sources but so far everything we've seen is focused on the upcoming Masters of the Universe: Revelation that will premiere on Netflix on July 23rd. I am super excited for the series and have high hopes for it. Mattel seems to be quite invested in it, too, as Walmart stores are receiving large bunkers that are filled with figures and adorned with awesome art. The first figure I'll be reviewing is Skelegod, an oversized figure who appears to be Skeletor after he acquires the Power of Grayskull. Skeletor has been after the Power of Grayskull since the earliest minicomics and he was even depicted possessing it in the 1987 movie. We've seen "powered up" variants of Skeletor in the modern DC Comics series as well (the Skeletor Unleased version from the DC Universe vs Masters of the Universe story comes to mind) so there's a bit of a history with this concept. Here Skeletor is referred to as Skelegod, though, which shows that he's definitely packing some power. Let's take a look at this figure after the break and begin checking out yet another MOTU toy series...

Action Figure Review: "Macho Man" Randy Savage from Masters of the WWE Universe by Mattel

 

    I was really getting worried that I had missed out on most of series 5 of Mattel's Masters of the WWE Universe line. After finding Becky Lynch and most of series 6 almost three months ago I was really starting to fear that either under ordered series 5 or that Mattel had under produced the it but I stumbled upon the three figures I was missing at my local Walmart a couple weeks ago! Let's check them out, starting with "Macho Man" Randy Savage decked out in the colors of the hWo, the Horde World Order. While the Randy Savage figure from series 2 played tribute to the classic 1980s era Macho Man this one pays tribute to his WCW days with influence from his nWo membership and his time leading the stable Team Madness. The Macho Man with Horde imagery? Sounds good to me! Supposedly this figure is the Macho Man after he was attacked by the evil warriors of WWEternia and placed in the Slime Pit. Let's check out the hWo "Macho Man" Randy Savage after the break...

Minifigure Review: Man-At-Arms from Masters of the Universe: Micro Collection by Mattel

 

  

  I just reviewed the Masters of the Universe: Micro Collection He-Man on Tuesday so if you want the full story on these check out that review! Today I'm checking out Man-At-Arms from this budget friendly line that currently appears to be exclusive to Dollar Tree. While they're no substitute for traditional action figures I have always enjoyed minifigures, especially painted ones with minimal articulation. I spent hours playing with toylines like Guts!, Trash Bag Bunch, and the Mattel Mega Heroes Judge Dredd figures and these little guys kind of remind me of those lines. While there are many "mini" Masters of the Universe lines from Mattel, Super7, Mega Construx, and The Loyal Subjects, these have a very different aesthetic to them. Man-At-Arms is almost always one of the first figures to show up in a MOTU range and he's certainly making his appearance here. Let's check him out after the break....

Action Figure Review: Hunter from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase IV by Hasbro

 

   I'm a few episodes behind on The Bad Batch but I am absolutely loving it. Who knew that we needed a mash-up of The Clone Wars and the A-Team/ The Dirty Dozen? I've admittedly been left cold by Sequel Trilogy but there's been so much other incredible Star Wars stuff that I can just ignore that area of the Star Wars galaxy for now and focus on the stuff that's been outright amazing. While the figures have been tough to find and they haven't released all of the crew yet Hasbro did do a pretty good job of getting some of the Bad Batch figures out right as the show was kicking off. Today I'm checking out Hunter, the only Bad Batch figure I've picked up so far. Hunter is the leader of Clone Force 99 and is augmented with enhanced senses. Allegedly based on the design of Billy from Predator there definitely seems to be some inspiration from John Rambo in Hunter's design as well. He's probably my second favorite member of the team (Wrecker is hard not to love) and I was thrilled to get him in hand. Let's take a look at Hunter after the break...

 

Minifigure Review: He-Man from Masters of the Universe: Micro Collection by Mattel

 

   You've surely noticed that while I usually collect 6-7 inch action figures of properties I like, when it comes to Masters of the Universe I pretty much pick up whatever I can get. I just love seeing the different types of product out there. Recently Dollar Tree has become an unusually hot place for toy collectors with the pretty cool Final Faction line along with the budget G.I. Joe figures and now some very impressive Masters of the Universe minifigures. These seem to be very heavily based on the vintage toyline and they're called the Masters of the Universe: Micro Collection. These are actually made by Mattel and they're some of the best minifigures on the market. For $1 there is no reason not to track these down. I acquired my full set a week ago and it's pretty exciting to pick up a full set of MOTU figures for $5. The set includes He-Man, Man-At-Arms, Orko, Mer-Man, and Skeletor. Let's check out He-Man, the main man and most powerful man in the universe, after the break...

Action Figure Review: Scarlet Witch from Marvel Legends Series: WandaVision by Hasbro

 

     I've had Scarlet Witch for a few weeks now but I'm just finally getting around to reviewing her! The Shang-Chi and recent X-Men series of Marvel Legends have been relatively easy to find as I've seen complete sets multiple times. The Disney+ themed series has been pretty tough, though. Being mostly a collector of the comic themed figures, the only figures I was looking for from the set were Baron Zemo (whom I've already reviewed) and Scarlet Witch and I think I've only seen them at retail one time each. I liked Wanda Maximoff quite well after her appearance in Civil War (I thought she was a bit dull in Age of Ultron) but WandaVision absolutely made her standout as a character and really elevated my love for her. The fact that she finally became known as the Scarlet Witch and wore one of the best costumes in the MCU didn't hurt, either. Hasbro did an incredible job with this figure and I really think she's the high point of this series. While there's no Agatha Harkness for her to square off against yet I don't think that's keeping folks from picking her up. Let's take a look at the Scarlet Witch after the break and see if she's as magical as she seems...

Action Figure Review: Orange Yoshi from Super Mario by Jakks Pacific

 

   I really don't think Jakks Pacific' Super Mario Line (a Mario focused continuation of their long running World of Nintendo line) has innovated at all over the past few years. That being said, they're still making the figures, they usually have fun, colorful sculpts, and their distribution seems to have gotten better. I ordered this Orange Yoshi from Big Bad Toy Store but I've been seeing lots of these figures at Walmart, Target, and GameStop (who has their own exclusive packaging). The classic green Yoshi was part of the first series of figures back in 2014 and has been repainted a few times over the years (we've gotten blue, red, pink, and black variants of Yoshi so far). This guy is a simple repaint, too, but I couldn't resist him. Originally in some earlier stuff there were brown Yoshis but the orange Yoshi has replaced that color (maybe the brown was originally intended to be orange?). My daughter and I both love Nintendo and we have fun collecting this line together. Let's take a look at Orange Yoshi after the break...

Action Figure Review: Major Bludd from G.I. Joe Classified Series

 

   With the release of Major Bludd in the G.I. Joe Classified Series Hasbro has really covered the A-list Cobra members, haven't they? Sure, there's plenty of characters still left (Doctor Mindbender, Serpentor, Dr. Venom, Scrap Iron, i.e.) but Hasbro got the big guns out in less than a year. That's kind of something that most collector focuses lines avoid these days but I say good for Hasbro. I think they have some real confidence in this line now. They certainly put their all into every release it seems and the distribution problems are improving, too. Major Bludd is one of the Target Cobra Island exclusives and he's been much easier to find than the previous releases in the series. Major Bludd was available in 1983 as both a mail away figure and a single carded release and quickly became a major part of Cobra's evil operations. He's always had a strong design and Hasbro really didn't have to do much to modernize the guy other than spruce up the details of his armor and gear a bit. Let's take a look at Major Bludd after the break and see how successful they were...

 

Toy Review: Battle Cat from Hot Wheels: Monster Trucks by Mattel

 

   The last time I purchased a toy of a Monster Truck was probably in the 1990s when there was some line of Monster Trucks that had MASK sized action figured with them. I had...Grave Digger, maybe? Anyways, I've never been much of a Monster Truck fan but I recently bought one because...well, because it looks like Battle Cat. And my oh my, how awesome is this? Hot Wheels has dome some pretty cool Monster Trucks mashed up with other properties (Nintendo, TMNT, etc.) but it was Battle Cat that caught my attention. It just works. Don't ask ask me to explain my love for this toy. It's crazy, over the top, and irresistible! Let's check out Battle Cat this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday! at Action Figure Barbecue.com. After the break...

Jeopardizing June: Ninjor from Masters of the Universe Eternia Minis by Mattel

 For June 2021's themed Masters of the Universe series of reviews I'm trying something a bit different: The theme is a mystery and you have to guess what the subjects of the reviews have in common! Check out all the details and how to enter the contest for a prize package here.

   Today's review for Jeopardizing June is the last in this series of figures with a mystery theme. Seriously, what do the figures I've reviewed in this series have in common? Don't overthink it! Lately I've been selecting some of my themed months based on figures I had recently purchased so the review series had a mixture of older and newer releases and that's what happened with this month's theme. I had three of the newest MOTU Eternia Minis just staring me in the face that all looked fairly similar so I decided to craft a theme around them. Ninjor has definitely been a popular figure over the past year or so as he went from only having a vintage and Masters of the Universe Classics figure (where he was just called Ninja Warrior due to a trademark issue) to now having an Origins figure, a POP! vinyl, and an Eternia Mini. I'm sure we'll see him again, too, as even though he came out at the end of the line he's a popular figure due to the rareness of the vintage toy and the ease in making him for Mattel as often they can just reuse basic parts like the vintage figure had. Ninjor is a simple guy but that doesn't mean he's not incredibly cool looking. Let's check him out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Battle Armor He-Man from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

" I have the power!!!"

   The weekend before last I hit up a Target I don't get too very often and stumbled across a massive haul of Masters of the Universe Origins figures and some of the new Marvel Legends Super Villains. I found a full case of the MOTU Origins deluxe figures and was able to pick from the case the figures I wanted, so that was pretty exciting. I've been looking for the deluxe Battle Armor He-Man for quite a few months now so it was a pleasure to finally find him. Having him in hand, though, I'm quite mixed. He is a really fun figure with some great play gimmicks and a functional battle damage action feature. He's also riddled with the weird little QC errors and design issues that make this line so frustrating sometimes. Battle Armor He-Man is my favorite vintage variant and might even be my preferred He-Man in the vintage line. Let's take a look at the deluxe Battle Armor He-Man and see where the dents in his armor lie after the break...

Jeopardizing June: Anti-Eternia Teela from Masters of the Universe Minis by Mattel

 

For June 2021's themed Masters of the Universe series of reviews I'm trying something a bit different: The theme is a mystery and you have to guess what the subjects of the reviews have in common! Check out all the details and how to enter the contest for a prize package here.

 

Can you believe that there are two figures in the recent third series of Masters of the Universe Eternia Minis that meet the mystery them for Jeopardizing June? Seriously, pretty crazy stuff. Anyways, today I'm looking at another Anti-Eternia repaint but this time it's Teela. Teela was available in her classic look earlier this year in the Slime Pit Multipack but now we've got the evil version of her from the World of Darkness. Let's take a look at her after the break...

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

 

   

   There are lots of Masters of the Universe toylines out there but not all of them get a Castle Grayskull. Masters of the Universe Origins might not be my favorite Masters of the Universe toyline ever but I do think it's radically improving in 2021 and the fact that we already have a Castle Grayskull for it is a pretty big deal. Castle Grayskull is one of the most iconic playsets of all time (perhaps the most iconic action figure playset of all time?) and it's very cool to see Mattel revisit it in the MOTU Origins style. I found it on the shelf at my local Walmart a couple weeks ago and was thrilled. I own every Castle Grayskull released except for the amazing Icon Heroes statue but this was the first time I ever got the opportunity to parade one through a store. Success! While I like most of the figures in the line the vehicles and such are where this line really excels and Castle Grayskull is pretty impressive. It's certainly a item marketed with the intention of invoking nostalgic memories but it's also just a darn fine toy on it's own. This is the first Castle Grayskull since the 200x version that seems to truly be designed with kids in mind and while I'm not sure that many kids will actually get to play with this thing (though I hope they do!) it would certainly hold up to lots of adventures. Mattel even included an exclusive Temple of Darkness Sorceress figure with this set which is pretty cool. Let's take a look at the Masters of the Universe Classics Castle Grayskull after the break...

Jeopardizing June: Anti-Eternia Ram Man from Masters of the Universe Minis by Mattel

For June 2021's themed Masters of the Universe series of reviews I'm trying something a bit different: The theme is a mystery and you have to guess what the subjects of the reviews have in common! Check out all the details and how to enter the contest for a prize package here.

   Today's installment of June Jeopardy features a figure from what I think is the most recent series of Masters of the Universe Eternia Minis: Anti-Eternia Ram Man. Mattel seems to be realizing that Anti-Eternia versions of the heroes make for easy and striking repaints so I imagine we'll see quite a few of these in the future. Ram Man was first released as a minifigure in series 1 and this is just a simple black and red repaint. How'd he turn out? Read on and find out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Baron Zemo from Marvel Legends Series: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier by Hasbro

 

   Captain America: Civil War is one heck of a movie and while it's filled with so much spectacle and the introduction of some of the MCU's more recent big guns it was Daniel Brühl's subdued, understated performance as Helmut Zemo that really added a more nuanced and disturbing dimension to the film and the MCU as a whole. Zemo was perfect as a one time villain who succeeded in tearing apart the Avengers but it turns out that there was plenty more for him to do and he was used brilliantly in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+ earlier this year. The recent Disney+ focused wave of Marvel Legends figures has arrived and there were two figures from the series I knew I needed: Scarlet Witch and Baron Zemo. Despite loving the MCU I really do focus on the comic based figures but I decided to go with Zemo because I loved his portrayal and I never owned the previous comic based Baron Zemo from when Captain America: The Winter Soldier came out. For now, with his mask on, this version with fill in for Zemo on my shelf. With his mask on, he's just going to dance, dance, dance! Zemo's got moves, baby! Let's check him out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Rise of Evil from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

   While Walmart exclusively carried the Masters of the Universe Origins line last year it's been available more widely in 2021 and Target recently got their first exclusive for the line. It was tough to come by at first but the Rise of Evil 2-pack seems to be showing up more frequently in stores over the past week or so which hopefully is a good sign that distribution is improving for Target's exclusive wares (the recently up for preorder G.I. Joe Cobra Island exclusives were more readily available, too). While Masters of the Universe Origins originally seemed like it was going to focus on the earliest minicomics and such there's definitely some 200x influence in the line, most strongly as seen in this set. The idea of Skeletor and Trap Jaw originally being Keldor and Kronis definitely comes from the 200x era (though, to be fair, the Skeletor/ Keldor connection was hinted at in a vintage minicomic) and seems to have become a pretty popular addition to MOTU lore. This is definitely one of the most desirable MOTU Origins release in my book and I'm thrilled to finally get the chance to review it. Let's take a look at two of Eternia's worst before they hit the big leagues after the break...

Action Figure Review: Bo-Katan Kryze from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase IV by Hasbro

 

   It's been kind of tough to find new Star Wars: The Black Series figures recently so I was thrilled to find a Bo-Katan Kryze from season 2 of The Mandalorian, one of the newest Star Wars figures around! Bo-Katan first appeared in season 4 of The Clone Wars and quickly became a fan favorite. She was voiced by Katee Sackhoff in the animated show and it was pretty incredible that Katee Sackhoff returned to portray her in live action for The Mandalorian. She became a major player and with how season 2 left things I'm expecting her to return for season 3. While it's still quite silly that Hasbro and Disney cannot get on the same page so that most figures are ready for store shelves when the show is actually airing it is nice that they managed to have Bo-Katan out relatively soon (remember how it took Hasbro almost two flipping years to have a figure of Luke Skywalker on shelves after his appearance in The Force Awakens) and she's extremely show accurate. Let's check her out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Jaxxon from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase IV by Hasbro

 

     2021 is the 50th Anniversary of Lucasfilm Ltd. and Hasbro has been releasing quite a few Star Wars figures in conjunction with the milestone. Well, perhaps I should say re-releasing as most of the figures so far have been re-releases in new packaging. There's new stuff coming out, though, like the hard (impossible?) to find Target exclusive Clone Wars figures and the Fan Channel exclusives based on the Star Wars Legends books. Previously known as the Expanded Universe, the Legends stuff is composed of pretty much all of the Star Wars comics, novels, and video games released before April 25th, 2014. Disney has borrowed many characters, ideas, and concepts from the EU/ Legends material and Hasbro seems to enjoy mining it, too. Announcing Jaxxon T. Tumperakki in the Black Series was a pretty bold move. Firstly, this guy has long been one of the strangest Star Wars characters of them all and sort of a punchline of a character. Secondly, it's pretty crazy that this guy appeared in the Black Series before appearing in the 1/18th scaled Vintage Collection. The 6 inch Black Series is clearly Hasbro's favored scale now (it's mine, too) but it definitely seems kind of wrong to deny the 3 3/4th inch lifers a figure who has been around and who has been requested in toy form by fans since 1977 (he first appeared in issue #8 of the Marvel Star Wars series). He's here, though, and I'm pretty thrilled. I figured we'd never get him! Let's hop to it and check out Jaxxon after the break...

Vehicle Review: Battle Ram from Hot Wheels Premium: Masters of the Universe by Mattel

 

   Mattel has released two extremely well done Masters of the Universe vehicles in the Hot Wheels Premium so far and I'll go ahead and say that the third release is also spectacular: The Battle Ram! The Battle Ram is a pretty iconic vehicle for MOTU and Mattel's miniature, diecast metal version of this Eternian siege weapon is a fitting tribute. Let's take a look at the Battle Ram after the break...

Action Figure Review: Omega Sentinel from Marvel Legends Series: X-Men by Hasbro

 

   While I'm very familiar with Marvel Girl/ Jean Grey I can't say the same about her series mate, Omega Sentinel, who I'm reviewing today. She's part of the recent House of X/ Tri-Sentinel series of Marvel Legends figures although from what I have gleaned she's actually from the Powers of X comic series. Weird, huh? I purchased this figure just because she was incredibly cool looking so I had to do a bit of research. Omega Sentinel is actually Karima Shapandar, a former Indian police officer who was turned into some sort of Sentinel through nanotechnology and who has been part of the X-Men at times. I'm definitely more focusing on comics from the late 60s- through the early 90s in my current reading but I very well may get around to some of the series she shows up in in the future. For now, though, I'm just enjoying a cool figure. Let's take a look at her after the break...

Action Figure Review: Lady Jaye from G.I. Joe: Clasified Series by Hasbro

 

   I actually found Lady Jaye back in May (the same time as I found Flint) and I've since seen her in stores 2 or 3 times, meaning Hasbro actually seems to be doing a decent job of getting this series of figures in stores. For some reason they're doing really small series with the G.I. Joe: Classified Series as the most recent case pack is only made of three different figures: Flint, Lady Jaye, and a repacked Cobra Commander. Lady Jaye is another A- /B+ lister and a welcome addition to the theme. Like most of the Classified Series she really feels like a true update of her vintage design with some more modern elements. Of course, she does have some of the elements of her vintage figure that make her feel outdated, too, namely a larger camera and a javelin launcher. I wish she had a more useful primary weapon, leaving the javelin launcher as a secondary weapon, but that's not the route Hasbro went with her. She's quite cool, though, and does have the swappable hair feature that I first remember from the Dungeons & Dragons Drizzt figure from earlier this year though I'm sure some import figures have used the feature previously. Let's take a look at Lady Jaye, the G.I. Joe team's covert operations specialist, after the break...

Jeopardizing June: Hordak Mini Bust from Masters of the Universe by NECA

 

For June 2021's themed Masters of the Universe series of reviews I'm trying something a bit different: The theme is a mystery and you have to guess what the subjects of the reviews have in common! Check out all the details and how to enter the contest for a prize package here.

 

   Last month's Malevolent May was a month long tribute to Hordak but, lo and behold, the ruthless leader of the Evil Horde has made himself known again for Jeopardizing June! This time I'm checking out the Hordak mini bust that was released by NECA in 2005 during the time when the Four Horsemen were really getting the chance to go wild and release lots of stuff they didn't get a chance to work on in Mattel's main 200x line. NECA's releases were for display rather than play but they really showed off the great redesigns of the 200x era, especially the mini busts. NECA called these mini busts (as opposed to their micro busts, which were tiny), but they really seem to be about 1:4 scale. I picked up this Hordak statue from a comic shop probably around 2010 to use with my Masters of the Universe Classics to use as some sort of giant Hordak projection (like the Emperor in The Empire Strikes Back). It's a great bust and is the standard edition which had a run of 1,500 (there was also a Convention Exclusive sold at SDCC  2004 and Wizard World Chicago 2004 which has a run of 750 and an Artist Proof with a run of 150. According to this 2004 press release from Raving Toy Maniac the Convention Exclusive was supposed to have a metallic red base while the later standard run would have a black base but mine has the larger run number (1,500) with a metallic red base. I actually haven't seen any pictures of a black based Hordak so maybe NECA ended up not changing it? The mysteries! Let's take a look at another excellent Hordak product after the break...