Action Figure Review: Blue Toad from World of Nintendo by Jakks Pacific

    

     Today I'm looking at Toad from Jakks Pacific's World of Nintendo line. Well, if you want to get technical I'm looking at Blue Toad. Yeah, he's apparently different from the normal Toad pretty much everyone thinks of that has the red dots on his head. Blue Toad has appeared in both New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Bros. 2. Yup, in the original NES version of Super Mario Bros. 2 the dots on Toad's helmet were blue (that got changed to red in Super Mario All-Stars and other re-releases). Anyways, no matter what color he is Toad is a pretty significant Nintendo character and it's need to have him around. Still, one only has to look at this guy to see how small and simple this figure is. Is he worth picking up? Read on and learn more after the break...

Action Figure Review: Red Hood from Batman: Arkham Knight by DC Collectibles

     It's been awhile since I last preordered a video game from GameStop but I did preorder an action figure from them last fall and it has finally arrived! This Red Hood is exclusive to GameStop stores. Yes, with the upcoming Batman: Arkham Knight video game less than a month away it only makes sense that DC Collectibles would be releasing a new series of Batman: Arkham Knight action figures for collectors to scoop up. The Arkham-verse is quite possibly my favorite incarnation of the Batman mythos to date and I'm thrilled that the Red Hood is finally making an entrance in this series. I can't say with 100% certainty but I highly suspect and have every reason to believe that this is the Jason Todd version of the character (there have been a few different folks to wear red hoods in Batman lore). Initially I thought that the Arkham Knight character would be Jason Todd but it seems that the new titular antagonist is a completely new character. Awesome! Anyways, Red Hood is one of those Batman characters who hasn't been made into an action figures too many times yet so it's cool to see him this early in the Arkham Knight series. Ready for a closer look at the GameStop exclusive Red Hood? Then join me after the break...

A New Batgirl Review: Batgirl from Showcase Presents by DC Direct

     It's time for a trip back in the Action Figure Time Machine! Join me today as we head back to 2008 to check out this awesome Carmine Infantino styled Batgirl from DC Direct's short-lived Showcase Presents inspired series of action figures. One of the things that DC Direct (now DC Collectibles) used to be known for was producing action figures that really reflected the particular style of a specific artist. Over the years they've kind of moved away from that (although the Greg Capullo Designer Series is a welcome return) and have began producing figures that reflect a more general style. Artist specific figures can be a tough sell. While some fans tend to love various specific artistic interpretations of certain prominent characters (I'm thinking big names like Batman, Spider-Man, and the Joker) or specific distinctive artists (such Jack Kirby, Joe Kubert, Mike Mignola, Adam Hughes, or Alex Ross) overwhelmingly it seems that most fans want to build a comic universe in a cohesive action figure line. In 2008 Marvel Legends was being taken over by Hasbro (and getting some nice Diamond Select releases, too), Mattel was knee-deep in Justice League Unlimited and was just starting DC Universe Classics, and DC Collectibles was in an odd place. They tried a lot of stuff and this small line of heavy hitters was an attempt to try and do some well known characters in distinctive styles. While this line didn't seem to set the collecting world on fire, it did give us a beautiful Batgirl figure. Ready for a closer look at Batgirl? Then join me after the break...

Minifigure Review: Metallic Black Yvonne Wolfrom, Ulric Wolfrom, Leo Corazon, and Goliath bundle from Mystical Warriors of the Ring by Fantastic Plastic Toys

     I absolutely adore Mystical Warriors of the Ring and I'm really excited to finally be reviewing the second series of PVC figures from this awesome line that wonderfully blends together professional wrestling, M.U.S.C.L.E., and anthropomorphic animals into something amazing! I've had my hands on these figures for a few weeks but I'm just finally getting around to reviewing these! Initially exclusive to C2E2, Fantastic Plastic toys also made some sets available on the Mystical Warriors of the Ring shop for fans who couldn't make the trip. Available as a special bundle this set features three new figures, Yvonne Wolfrom, Ulric Wolfrom, and Leo Corazon in a Metallic Black color scheme and a new version of the previously released Goliath also in Metallic Black. I already know Goliath is an amazing figure but how does the new crew hold up? Read on and find out!

Action Figure Review: Ms. Marvel, Captain America, & Radioactive Man 3-Pack from Marvel Legends Infinite Series by Hasbro

   
     Remember last week when I reviewed a 2006 Toy Biz Warbird/ Ms. Marvel figure that I ordered by accident? This is the figure I really wanted! This three pack of Ms. Marvel, Captain America, and Radioactive Man was an exclusive to Target that started showing up last year in October or November if my memory serves me right. While Ms. Marvel hadn't had a figure since 2006 and Radioactive Man is a new character to Marvel Legends (who I'm completely unfamiliar with), there have been way, way too many Captain America figures over the past few years. Don't get me wrong, as I'm a huge Cap fan, but Cap is getting to be like Superman, Snake Eyes, and Darth Vader: He just appears in toy form far too often! Anyways, this set didn't disappear from store shelves and is now available for a pretty low price (around $30 if you play your cards right). That's not a bad price for these figures at all! I ordered it mainly for Ms. Marvel but since the only other 6 inch Cap I own is the Ultimate World War 2 Captain America, I didn't mind picking this one up. Ready for a very quick look at this set? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Kanan Jarrus from Star Wars: Rebels by Hasbro

   
 Now that I've finally picked up Kana Jarrus I have five of the six crew members of The Ghost from Star Wars: Rebels. It's been a bit tough to find most of the one's I've found (except for Zeb who definitely seems to have been abundantly produced) and I fear that unless Hasbro rereleases Chopper at some point that I'll never own him. The combination of his scarcity and popularity definitely has contributed to the high price he fetches on the aftermarket. Anyways, this review is about Kanan so I probably should talk about him a bit. I didn't get the opportunity to start watching through Rebels until after Christmas so my first exposure to the character was actually through A New Dawn. Hasbro definitely expects Kanan to be a pretty popular character because they've released this exact same figure multiple times! You can get him in the Reveal the Rebels Toys R' Us exclusive pack, as a pack in figure with the Phantom Attack Shuttle, as the second figure in a Mission Series set with Ezra Bridger in his Imperial Cadet uniform, and as the single carded figure from the Saga Legends line that I'm looking at today. Ready for a closer look at Kanan? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Raven from DC Universe Classics by Mattel

     Since I've been doing an informal look at the evolution of Marvel Legends articulation based on some various Toy Biz and Hasbro Marvel Legends figures I've recently acquired, I thought it might be interesting to look at a DC Universe Classics figure from Mattel. Starting in 2008 as a successor to Mattel's earlier DC Superheroes line (which itself was an evolution of Mattel's even earlier evergreen Batman line), DC Universe Classics owes a great deal to Marvel Legends. It's style, inclusion of build-a-figures, use of character variants, diverse character selection, and even it's name were all evocative of the Marvel Legends formula that Toy Biz had found great success with and that Hasbro had taken over by 2007. Today I'm looking at Raven from DC Universe Classics' 15th series that included a build-a-figure- of Validus. Since I ordered this Raven loose she didn't come with the part, but I'd probably never pick up the other figures anyways so it's no skin off my back. Ready for a look at Raven? Then join me after the break...