Masters of the Universe Day 2023: Frog Monger from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

   Happy Masters of the Universe Day 2023! Whie I didn't do a month long event this year (since I ended up getting sick right at the end of March and was on vacation for a week or so in April), I still have one or two Masters of the Universe reviews lined up for you today. First up is a look at a mostly all new character in the line: Frog Monger, Dungeon Dweller of Castle Grayskull. I saw mostly all new because an image of this character does appear on the dungeon grate sticker in the vintage Castle Grayskull playset, so while he now has a name and a body, in some ways he's been around since 1982! Interestingly, Frog Monger isn't a villain. He's not a Heroic Warrior either, though. He's a random frog guy who dwells in the depths of Castle Grayskull in his own kingdom of frogs. Normal frogs, not frog people. Originally he was a human. Wealthy and a powerful sorcerer, he sold magic to the both sides of a conflict between the Snake Men and the Eternians. Defeated by the Snake Men, he tried to gain the help of the Eternians (he calls them "Abovers") but they turned him into a frog person and exiled him into the depths of Castle Grayskull. Now, he just hangs out like Gollum, master of his own little world and somewhat out of touch with reality. Frog Monger was sold exclusively through Mattel Creations on January 17th and mine was delivered right at the end of March. Let' take a look at Frog Monger after the break...

Action Figure Review: The Joker (Infinite Frontier) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   The Joker has received quite a few figures in McFarlane's DC Multiverse and there are at least three different versions you can at retail right now. I know, because I've picked up the Heath Ledger Joker, the DC Vs. Vampires version of the Joker, and this Infinite Frontier version of the Joker. This was the first of the three I picked and I've had him for a little over a month now. At first I was planning on skipping him as I already have plenty of Joker figures (including at least six previous DC Multiverse versions) but when I saw this guy in person I decided I really needed to pick him up. It didn't hurt that GameStop was running a 25% off sale the week I found the entire new series of these figures. This Joker is based on the Guillem March cover of The Joker #1 from Infinite Frontier and he's holding an eyeball in his hands. Yikes! That's a crazy detail! Lately I've been reading DC stuff that's kind of it's own thing (White Knight, DC Vs. Vampires, Last Knight on Earth) so I'm not completely familiar with this storyline. I ended up ordering the first trade of this series, so hopefully it's as good as this figure. Let's take a look at the Infinite Frontier version of the Joker after the break...

Action Figure Review: Vincent R. "Falcon" Falcone from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   Since I skipped the Crimson B.A.T., at this point the last figure I have to review from the most recent series of G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures is Vincent R. "Falcon" Falcone, better known as just Falcon or Lt. Falcon. He's been out for a couple of months now, so it's likely hat you've heard the memes and seen the negative reviews of this guy. Yes, it's sad to say that Falcon is kind of a dud. Falcon was part of the 1987 series of G.I. Joe figures and appeared in the animated movie (voiced by Don Johnson) where he was Duke's half brother and portrayed as a bit of a slacker. His vintage figure was excellent, though, with a very classic Green Beret outfit. When this figure was first shown I had two problems with it. The first was the lack of interesting updates to the figure to make him feel more modern and the second was the weird headsculpt from the render images. Neither of those issues were fixed, so Falcon definitely is kind of disappointing. How so? Let's take a closer look at him after the break and find out...

Action Figure Review: Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight) from Star Wars: Retro Collection by Hasbro

 

   I don't seriously collect Hasbro's Star Wars: Retro Collection but when I stumbled upon Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight) from the Return of the Jedi assortment at GameStop at the beginning of April I just had to pick him up. Back when I started getting into Star Wars when I was in sixth grade (around 1995/ 1996) my dad let me order five or six loose figures from a store that advertised $5 or $6 dollar loose Star Wars figures in Lee's Action Figure News & Toy review. Since Kenner/ Hasbro hadn't yet released a Jedi version of Luke Skywalker in the Power of the Force II line yet, this was my top pick. I have a few complete vintage Star Wars figures but I've never had my vintage Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight) completed. For $12 bucks, this was a nice figure add a Kenner styled Jedi version of Luke to my shelf without breaking the bank. Ready to check out this sight tweak of a vintage Kenner classic? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Stuart "Outback" Selkirk from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   I've been really slowly making my way through the most recent series of G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures. Maybe I've been slower because this series is just a real mixed bag? There has also been a lot of stuff coming out lately, so that's slowed me down too. Anyways, this series really has been a mixed bag. 3 out of 5 figures were repaints, the three figures with visible faces had some weird paint and sculpting issues, and this was the first series with the plastic free packaging (which is being done away with now, good riddance). Outback is one of those repaints and his portrait, while not bad, definitely isn't as impressive as the Tiger Force version of Stuart "Outback" Selkirk that came out last year as a Target exclusive. I had Outback as a kid and while I always liked the SURVIVAL logo on his shirt, he was never one of my favorites, but after reading the Marvel comics years later I really came to love his personality and how conflicted he was when he escaped from Borovia, having to leave behind his comrades. Tiger Force Outback was one of my favorite figures of last year overall, so how will this version of Outback fare? Let's find out after the break...

Action Figure Review: ALF (Alien Life Form) from ALF by NECA

 

   I'm back from vacation and ready to rock! I've got a ton of cool stuff piled up to review but today I'm starting with a figure I've been really, really excited for: ALF! I vividly remember watching ALF as a very young child and I even had a stuffed ALF, so I was pretty excited when NECA announced last year that they were releasing an ALF action figure. ALF was a pop culture juggernaut at the time and he's definitely a character who's just so lovable that you can't help but want to have him on your shelf. While NECA will really take a deep dive into lines that sell well, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Predator, and Aliens, I love when NECA offers up these unique characters from pop culture who no one else is going to make. ALF (real name Gordon Shumway) is a fantastic figure loaded with cool accessories. Face it: Before this release you didn't even know that your action figure collection needed a representative from Melmac on your shelf, did you? Let's take a look at the old ALFer after the break and see if he's still got it...

Action Figure Barbecue: Gabriel "Barbecue" Kelly (Mad Marauders) from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   Back in 2021 I reviewed the standard G.I. Joe: Classified Series Gabriel "Barbecue" Kelly and I had a lot of fun with the review since, yes, my moniker of Barbecue17 was inspired by the character. As a kid my mom and I were visiting my grandma and while out shopping I somehow saw Barbecue listed on the back of a 1985 card and something about the name and the figure appealed to me. Now this would have been in 1986 or 1987, as that was when I was first getting into G.I. Joe. My grandmother's sister was with us on a shopping trip (my mom and grandma would go on day long shopping trips) and she kept making jokes that "we have to find this kid Barbecue." I think at that time the 1985 figures were probably mostly out of stores and it was unsuccessful but at some point my dad and I stumbled upon him at a store. I just always liked him, believing he fought with a little pistol-like flamethrower. Now, skip forward to 1998 when I was in eighth grade and had gotten back into collecting G.I. Joes and just loved my vintage Barbecue again. Around 2000 I made my first AOL instant messenger name and I decided to go with Barbecue17. I started using it as my Halo name in college Halo tournaments and as my name at JoeBattlelines when I started collecting Sigma 6 and the rest is history. Now you know! 

   Anyways, Barbecue was released in 1989 as part of Slaughter's Marauders, a camouflaged subset of repainted figures. I never owned Barbecue but I did get the Slaughter's Marauders Mutt & Junkyard. Hasbro is using the subset, now calling it Mad Marauders, and Barbecue is the first member. This guy is a straight repaint of the 2021 figure but since it's Barbecue I had to have it. Let's take a look at the Mad Marauder version of Gabriel "Barbecue" Kelly after the break...

Action Figure Review: Gladiator Batman (Dark Knights: Metal) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   It's time to jump in to some more new DC Multiverse reviews and today I'm looking at Gladiator Batman from Dark Knights: Metal. It's been a few years since I read Metal but I loved this look for Batman from when he and the rest of the Justice League enter Mongul's arena. Would you be surprised to learn that this isn't the first Gladiator Batman I've reviewed? About 10 years ago I reviewed the 1996 Gladiator Batman from Kenner's Legends of Batman line! This new take on Gladiator Batman is way cooler, though. I love Batman variants and McFarlane keeps releasing some of the best we've ever seen. I don't have all of the Dark Knights yet (I'm missing four of them) but I'd love to complete the set to have an amazing Dark Knights: Metal display. Ready to see if Gladiator Batman is a champ in the arena? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Spiral from Marvel Legends Retro Collection: X-Men by Hasbro

 

   The recent series of Marvel Legends Retro Collection: X-Men figures has had some real winners in it and today I'm checking out the second figure from the series I picked up: Spiral. Spiral fits in well with recent releases as she's been in love with Longshot, was modified by Mojo, and upgraded the Reavers. She's been a pretty significant player in the comics, was part of some of the Marvel vs Capcom fighting games, and was released in the vintage Toy Biz X-Men line. She was also released back in Hasbro's early Marvel Legends days as part of a Target exclusive series of figures, but this one is a huge improvement, as would be expected fifteen years later. With multiple weapons and six articulated arms, Spiral is a figure that I expected might have received deluxe pricing, but she didn't. She's sold at the regular (still kind of high) retail price of $25, but she definitely seems worth it. Let's take a look at Rita Wayword, better known as "Ricochet" Rita or Spiral, after the break...