Action Figure Review: Dragon Blaster Skeletor from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

   I just received a box of new Masters of the Universe figures in the mail from Mattel, so get ready for a nice sprinkling of MOTU reviews in the week or two ahead. Today I'm checking out one of the two new deluxe releases: Dragon Blaster Skeletor. Dragon Blaster Skeletor is based on the 1985 MOTU variant from the vintage line. Mattel has done a pretty decent job of keeping He-Man and Skeletor available while not completely flooding the shelves with them, so getting another Skeletor variant is surely welcome if you're a fan of ol' bonehead. And, c'mon, who isn't? You have class and taste if you're reading this site, so surely you appreciate the universe's greatest villain toting around a water spewing dragon in his back. The vintage figure can be had incomplete for a decent price but that lock and the chain are crazy expensive vintage accessories (between $80 and $150 for the set) so I could see some folks picking this figure up just to accessorize their vintage piece. Let's take a look at Dragon Blaster Skeletor after the break and see if he knows how to train this dragon...

Action Figure Review: Major Arnold Toht from Indiana Jones: Adventure Series by Hasbro

 

   While Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny officially comes out tomorrow, I'm actually going to a showing this evening. We're pretty excited as it's a new Indiana Jones movie and it's going to be the first Indiana Jones movie my daughter gets to see in a theater. Of course, today's review is of Major Arnold Toht, one of the villains from Raiders of the Last Ark. Raiders is my favorite of the four films thus far and probably my favorite film overall (Ghostbusters is close) and I've always loved Toht. He's just such a creepy, wormy villain with a lot of presence despite not having many lines in the film. I actually still have a vintage Toht figure from Kenner's The Adventures of Indiana Jones line that I've had since I was a kid. Why did I end up with Toht alone? Who knows! I'm still not fully sold on this line, even with yesterday's reveals of figures from The Last Crusade and that excellent Grail Altar build an accessory. Still, despite some very solid looking releases, this line feels like such a hodgepodge of characters and a low effort endeavor on Hasbro's part, though it's possible that it's Lucasfilm/ Disney calling the shots. To be honest, I'm surprised that Toht made the cut considering he's a Nazi Gestapo agent. (Fun fact: Ronald Lacey, who played Arnold Toht, also played Heinrich Himmler in The Last Crusade.) He's a bad guy I love to hate who certainly gets what he deserves and I needed someone for Indy to punch. Ready to check out Toht? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Mantis from Marvel Legends Series: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 by Hasbro

 

   Over the weekend I was at Target and found most of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Marvel Legends figures on clearance. They only had Drax, Rocket, and Mantis, and since I'm pretty happy with my comic versions of the first two characters I only picked up Mantis. It's possible that we'll someday get a comic inspired Mantis but until then (or in case we don't) the MCU version will fill a gap on my shelf. I never completed the Vol. 2 Build-a-Figure and I sold off the pieces long ago, so this was the best option to get a Mantis figure. Add in the fact that she was on clearance and I couldn't pass her up. Ready to see how the GOTG Vol. 3 Mantis turned out? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Indiana Jones (Professor) from Indiana Jones: Adventure Series by Hasbro

 

  Some of you may have heard that there's a new Indiana Jones film coming out this week and, I don't know about you, but I'm excited. For quite a few years fans of the series have been hoping that Hasbro would return to Indy's adventures to release some new action figures, either as an extension/ upgrade of the 1/18th scale 2008 toyline or as a 1/12th scaled Star Wars: The Black Series styled line. In addition to some Retro Collection releases and the kid friendly Worlds of Adventure line, Indiana Jones: The Adventure Series is part of Hasbro's Indiana Jones offerings this year. A 6-inch scaled line, similar to the previously mentioned Star Wars: The Black Series, the line thus far features a mixture of figures from four of Indiana's adventures (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull isn't represented yet, which is a shame; Indy with a Refrigerator would actually be amazing, as would Irina Spalko) with a mixture of mainline releases and exclusive figures. Thus far I've only seen a random figure here and there so either these are selling really well or the distribution is absolutely atrocious. I've mentioned previously that I wasn't planning on getting into this line, at least not until Mola Ram is announced or I found some figures on sale. I did manage to get this version of Indiana Jones on sale during GameStop's Pro-Week (well, in a buy 2, get 1 free sale) to see how the figures are. Indiana Jones (Professor) represents Dr. Jones in his tweed suit from early scenes in The Last Crusade while he is teaching at Barnett College. Indy in his professor garb is a figure we never received in the 2008 line, so that makes this guy kind of exciting, but also a bit frustrating for those of us who collect that now 15 year old line. Let's take a look at Indiana Jones (Professor) after the break...

Action Figure Review: Okeaetos from Mythic Legions by Four Horsemen Studios

 

   Two weekends ago I went to HeroesCon 2023 in Charlotte, NC, which has become an annual tradition for my family. It's always a really fun time and while I was disappointed that Larry Hama didn't make it this year (I had some G.I. Joe issues in my satchel ready to be signed), I still picked up a lot of great stuff there and met some other cool folks. One of the best discoveries was stumbling upon  Four Horseman Studio's booth! Ever since I was a sixth grader reading issues of ToyFare, Lee's Action Figure News and Toy Review, and Tomart's Action Figure Digest, The Four Horsemen have always been a big deal and getting to meet a few members of their team in person was incredible. They had some cool customs on display and plenty of Mythic Legions figures available, so I picked up the two newest Mythic Legions figures that are Masters of the Universe tributes: Okeaetos and Zenithon. Today I'm checking out Okeaetos, a tribute to MOTU's Webstor. In Mythic Legions, Okeatos is a hybrid of skeleton and flesh who is an Arakkighast assassin with a vampire-like head. Ready to check this cool guy out? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Craig "Rock 'N Roll" McConnel from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   While the last series of figures from the G.I. Joe: Classified Series left a lot to be desired, the upcoming releases all look to be back on track with lots of awesomeness. I don't have any other new figures yet but I did manage to get Craig "Rock 'N Roll" McConnel a bit early as he popped up in stock at BBTS a few weeks back. Rock 'N Roll is one of the Original 13 G.I. Joe figures from A Real American Hero's 1982 lineup and he proved to be a favorite, getting a few variants throughout the vintage line. So far he joins Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Stalker, and Breaker as part of the original team (with Grunt on the way!). A heavy machine gunner, a surfer, and a bass guitarist, Rock 'N Roll is a cool dude who likes to hang out, chill out, and take Cobras out. Let's take a look at him after the break...

Action Figure Review: Batman (The Flash) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   My wife saw The Flash on Thursday evening and, like most people who went to the film, we saw it because of the return of Michael Keaton as Batman. I'm not going to get into long review here or anything and I'm going to try to avoid spoiling anything, but on the old The Epic Review rating scale I'd give the film somewhere between a Good and a Good and a 1/2. Supergirl was pretty cool, Affleck's brief appearances as Batman and Bruce Wayne were pretty solid, but Keaton dominated. Keaton was in the film far more than I expected which really improved the overall experience for me. Last week we watched Batman and Batman Returns with our daughter and while she didn't want to see go with us to see The Flash, she did really enjoy those two films. I didn't see Batman until it was on TV but I do remember my dad taking me to see Batman Returns on opening weekend, which was insane. That would have been 31 years ago as of earlier this week, so I was 8 at the time. Kenner's action figures were a staple at the time and I remember having quite a few of them. While the movie is titled The Flash, McFarlane Toys is certainly focusing on the Batman side of things for the figures and currently the most popular items all have to do with Michael Keaton's Batman. Today I'm checking out the standard Keaton Batman from The Flash who took me some time to track down. The unmasked Gold Label variant actually seems easier to find, but the unmasked head looks more like the late Ray Liotta than Michael Keaton. This guy really got me pumped and I'm glad to have him. He's by no means a perfect figure, but he's still pretty fun to have. Let's take a closer look at Batman after the break...