Action Figure Review: Snout Spout from Masterverse: Masters of the Universe New Eternia by Mattel

 

   I think every time I've reviewed a toy of Snout Spout I've pointed out how goofy he is. A cybernetic firefighting elephant? Pretty silly. The Four Horsemen's Staction off Snout Spout definitely made him a bit more serious, though all other versions since then (MOTUC, Origins, etc.) have gone back to the goofy look of the original toy. This guy is from the Masterverse: New Eternia subset, though, and he borrows some really cool details from Ted Mayer's art (the figure concept was from Roger Sweet) that make him look like a dude that you probably don't want to mess with. I'm pretty sure Queen Marlena has a calendar with Snout Spout making various heroic poses with his shirt off (she bought it for charity). This guy was an exclusive through Mattel Creations and was a bit easier to come by then some of their other exclusives. Ready to check out what is the best version of Snout Spout yet? Then join me after the break...

Minifigure Review: Poison Ivy from DC Comics- Batman Tiny Mights by CultureFly

 

   Thus far I've been pretty darn positive on CultureFly's DC Comics- Batman Tiny Mights, but Poison Ivy definitely leaves me pretty itchy and aggravated. I was really glad to see that the Batman Tiny Mights lineup included four of Gotham's most prominent ladies (Catwoman, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy), who also happen to be four of my favorite comic book characters of all time. Seriously, those four are all at least in my top 25 with most of them probably being in my top 10 and even my top 5. Out of 12 minifigures, it was pretty impressive that four of them are women. Catwoman was good and I have nothing but positives to say about Harley and Babs, even though I didn't get around to reviewing them. Poison Ivy has a good sculpt, don't get me wrong, but she has a real problem with standing up. She can't. That's a bummer, right? Read on and find out what's wrong with Dr. Pamela Isley...

Action Review: Action Soldier (Infantry) from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   Today's review is the second of the 60th Anniversary G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures: The Action Soldier (Infantry). An Action Pilot and Action Marine have already been showing up on lists of leaked codenames, retailer codes, and such, and the fact that the Action Sailor and Action Soldier have special designations (Recon Diver and Infantry, respectively) makes me wonder if we'll see more of these figures with different specialties in the near future. While Joe team army builders are becoming more common these days, they're still not as common as Cobra army builders, so these sets give you some nice options to add some unnamed troops to your shelves or to create your own characters. While there's a lot of reuse here, there's also quite a few new parts that are from upcoming figures or that we'll probably see again. Ready to check out the Action Soldier (Infantry)? Then fall in and join me after the break...

Minifigure Review: The Penguin from DC Comics- Batman Tiny Mights by CultureFly

 

   How about we make this a minifigure Monday? Shake on it? OK, then. Let's take a brief look at the Penguin from CultureFly's DC Comics- Batman Tiny Mights lie. I ordered mine direct from CultureFly and still, even after about 2 months, I still haven't seen any of these little guys on store shelves at Walmart (they're supposed to be up front with the Pokemon cards and such). This is a really cool minifigure of the Penguin captured in a style that's very reminiscent of the classic M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. This is a great rendering of Oswald Cobblepot as he's not just a normal looking gangster here, but he's not a crazy, deformed monster, either. Honestly, this is a very ideal look for the Penguin. Let's check him out closer after the break...

Action Figure Review: Action Sailor (Recon Diver) from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

  

   Today I'm really excited to check out one of the two 60th Anniversary G.I. Joe figures released in the Classified Series: The Action Sailor (Recon Diver). Taking inspiration from the vintage G.I. Joe: Action Sailor and various frogman gear sets, this Classified Series Action Sailor isn't a named character but regular American soldier. Well, maybe not regular; he looks like a Navy SEAL, so he's definitely more of an elite operator. Still, like the original G.I. Joes, these aren't developed characters but just regular servicemen. This guy sells for a deluxe price of $35 dollars, but man is he loaded with gear! This guy is insanely well equipped. Many of the accessories are reused from previous figures (most of the figure is reused from Torpedo) but there's a lot of new stuff to appreciate here, too. Let's dive in and take a look at the Action Sailor (Recon Diver) after the break...

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

 

   Today I'm taking a look at the Masters of the Universe Origins King Grayskull, an early backer bonus figure included with the Mattel Creations Eternia playset if you ordered it between October 12th and October 19th of 2022. Since I backed Eternia pretty early on, I was able to add this version of King Grayskull based on the Masters of the Universe: Revelation animated series to my collection. Interestingly, he arrived separately from my Eternia, showing up a week or so before I received the actual Eternia playset. So, yes, I do have Eternia, but it's so huge I'm not sure if I'm going to get around to reviewing it. Maybe at some point. For right now I'm having to figure out how to rearrange my Masters of the Universe museum room to display both the vintage and modern Eternias. The Origins Eternia is truly as large as the original playset and is definitely a very high quality product, though it still adheres to the aesthetics and design of the Origins line and knows that it's a toy first and foremost. King Grayskull is really getting to be a pretty hot item, though, and since their are fewer figures of him than there were Eternias produced, he's definitely got some rarity helping to build his hype. Ready to check out the Origins version of King Grayskull (who comes complete on a collector friendly Powers of Grayskull backer card)? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Shredder from Turtles of Grayskull by Mattel

 

   

   How about we check out the final figure from the second series of Mattel's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Masters of the Universe crossover? Today I'm taking a look at Shredder, the Evil Master of Ninjutsu! I have to admit that for some reason I find the Shredder to be a very exciting figure in this line. I think it's because the Turtles of Grayskull Shredder manages to both be a good version of the Shredder by himself and manages to capture a nice blending of TMNT and MOTU aesthetics. He just fits in here very well. Mark Taylor also designed most of the early figures in both lines, so that's an interesting connection that these properties have, too. So many of the TMNT mixed with other properties really feel forced (Stranger Things?) but TMNT and MOTU feel like an organic mix. Let's take a look at Shredder after the break...

Minifigure Review: Killer Croc from DC Comics- Batman Tiny Mights by CultureFly

 

   I'm still slowly making my way through some of CultureFly's DC Comics-Batman Tiny Mights and today's miniature star is Killer Croc. Croc's usually a big boy and while he's a decent sized minifigure, he's smaller than any other Killer Croc toy that I own. These guys are so M.U.S.C.L.E.-like that it's near impossible to resists them, and Waylon Jones really captures the feel of that classic toyline. A wrestling crocodile man? He works great as a DC Comics mini, a M.U.S.C.L.E. wrestler, or even a Monster in My Pocket piece. I ended up with five different versions of him in the set I ordered from CultureFly, including the green glitter and glow-in-the-dark variants. Ready to check out Killer Croc? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Nightwing (Batman: Knightfall) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   I'd been looking for the Knightfall version of Nightwing for around a month, so I was quite glad when I found him at a Gamestop while out and about the weekend before last. With my Pro membership discount, my monthly $5 bonus, and my bonus points, I got him for far less than the $19.99 standard price. Knightfall is definitely one of my favorite Batman stories of all time, possibly my very favorite, and I'm really enjoying how McFarlane is filling out the roster little by little. Yes, I'd like them to move faster, sure, but they're at least putting out figures somewhat consistently. This outfit first appeared in 1992 as an upgrade/ replacement for the classic "Disco Suit" look, so it was Dick Grayson's new look right when Vengeance of Bane, Sword of Azrael, and Prelude to Knightfall were all beginning. Ultimately, it only lasted around three years, so it's definitely tied in with the Knightfall era of the early to mid 1990s. McFarlane Toys has made quite a few figures of Dick in various Nightwing outfits, so it's clear he must be a brisk seller on the shelves. Interestingly, this one shares a body not with any of those previous figures but with the classic version of Ted Kord as the Blue Beetle. How'd that turn out? Well, not as well as I'd hoped. Let's take a look at the Knightfall version of Nightwing after the break...

Action Figure Review: Ray Stantz & Jail Jaw Ghost from Ghostbusters Kenner Classics by Hasbro

 

   The Fright Features versions of the Ghostbusters from Hasbro's Ghostbusters Kenner Classics line seem to be pretty well distributed at Target as I've seen all four figures multiple times at various locations. I believe they're exclusive to Target until late spring, then they should be making their way to other retailers and e-tailers. Today I'm looking at Ray Stantz, the heart of the Ghostbusters, and his companion Jail Jaw ghost. I found Ray and Peter Venkman at the same time back in early February and quickly picked them up (I have all four of the Ghostbusters now, but I'm making my way through them a bit slowly). I really think Ray might have been the first of the vintage Fright Features figures I had. I had them all but I see, remember getting Ray first, Peter and Egon together, and then finding Winston, who seemed to be more difficult to find. Considering these guys came out in very late 1987 and early 1988 when I would have only been four, my recollection might be a bit fuzzy, but I don't think I'm too far off. Let's check out the Fright Features Ray Stantz & Jail Jaw Ghost after the break...

Action Figure Review: Raphael from Turtles of Grayskull by Mattel

 

   I've reviewed a few Turtles of Grayskull figures so far but I've yet to review any of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles themselves, so let's change that today by looking at Raphael, the Hard-Headed Sai Specialist. Raph has been my favorite turtle for as long as I can remember and I'm glad he's the first one I managed to get from this series. While the turtles themselves are pretty standard, they have each adopted the look of various Eternian heroes. Donatello is wearing Man-At-Arms inspired armor, both Leo and Mikey have He-Man inspired gear (Mikey even looks to have a blonde wig), and Raph is sporting armor similar to Ram Man's classic gear. That's a great fit since Raph is a bruiser and a hot head who prefers to charge straight into a fight. Let's take a look at the Turtles of Grayskull Raphael after the break...

Action Figure Review: Blowback (Sniper DLX) from Action Force by Valaverse

 

   I've been very excited for the deluxe ghillie suit clad version of Blowback from Valaverse's Action Force and, since I've had him for a little over a month, it's time I go ahead and review him. A standard version of Blowback was released back at the end of 2022, but I skipped him. Some of the basic Action Force figures, especially the guys, look to plain to me and come off as a bit generic. This version of Blowback is pretty unqiue and I knew he'd be a figure I just had to have. Ready to check out Blowback dressed up for some sniping? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Ram Man from Turtles of Grayskull by Mattel

 

   Picture this: Ram Man, but he's literally a mutated ram. That's what Mattel has went with for Ram Man in Turtles of Grayskull and he's just marvelous! Turtles of Grayskull is a crazy concept anyway, but it's so crazy that it works. In the Turtles of Grayskull story the heroic Ram Man has been subjected to mutagen ooze by Krang, so now he's a mutant ram guy controlled by Krang. It works. Ram Man is one of my favorite MOTU characters and this is just a super fun and outrageous version of him. Some of the Turtles of Grayskull figures are just simply handled, like adding samurai armor to Beast Man or Man-At-Arms' armor to Donatello, but Ram Man here is really a brilliant blend of the aesthetics of both lines. Let's check out Ram Man, the mutated battering ram, after the break...

Action Figure Review: Tunnel Rat (Night Force) from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   Today I'm looking at the third figure from the second Walmart exclusive series of Night Force figures: Tunnel Rat. This one's probably the least exciting because it's just a repaint of a fairly recent figure, but Tunnel Rat was a really good figure and I had both versions of him as a kid, so I've been kind of excited for him. Tunnel Rat is one of my top tier A Real American Hero figures and I think I always preferred the Night Force variant. Thus far the Night Force figures have been a real hit for me. Interestingly, Tunnel Rat is the first straight repaint as the rest have all been characters who are new/er to the line (Big Ben was a 1991 figure, Shooter appeared in the mid 2000s, and Wolf Spider is new for the Classified Series). The vintage Night Force figures were Toys 'R Us exclusives and sold in two-packs. Tunnel Rat was originally packaged with Psyche-Out, a figure we haven't seen in the Classified Series at all yet. This is one of those reviews where I get to be a bit lazy as most of what I said about the standard version of Tunnel Rat applies there, though there are some unique things to point out. Check out the full review of Tunnel Rat for all of the details and this review for the updates of the Night Force figure. Join me after the break...