Monday, February 29, 2016

Action Figure Review: Gold Mario from World of Nintendo by Jakks Pacific

  Today I'm looking at the fifth and final figure in series 1-5 of Jakks Pacific's World of Nintendo line: Gold Mario. I really like this line and every figure so far has been pretty fun but I do have to say that a variant like Gold Mario is a little bit...dull, I guess? When I think of gold action figures, I immediately think back to some of those crazy mid-90's variants like the gold Spawn figures. Those things always seemed cheesier to me than a Wisconsin quesadilla. Gold Mario is a bit different, though. It turns out that he's actually based on a legitimate variant from New Super Mario Bros. 2, though, which allows him to shoot gold fireballs which turn blocks and enemies into coins. That's kind of cool but it's still tough to get really excited about this Mario as it truly is just a paint variant of the basic Mario figure which has been released a few times now. Ready for the nuts and bolts of this figure, check out that previous review. For just a quick overview of what's new here, join me after the break...

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Check Out The Confirmed Epic Podcast #39: An Epic Return and Deadpool Reviewed



Guess what? The Confirmed Epic Podcast is back! Check us out in Episode 39 as we review FOX's latest mutant hit: Tim Miller's Deadpool.  We also discuss DC rebirth in Epic News.  As always we will dive into what we have been checking out this week: The people Vs. OJ Simpson, Marvel's Secret Wars, Brian Michael Bendis and Dave Marquez new Iron Man comic, The Dark Knight Returns, and Pokemon day 2016!


This podcast can also be found on it's new home on the GWW Radio Network!

*If you are having trouble listening on your phone please use the pod bean here!

*to find us on itunes soon, just search: thepicreview podcast network or GWW Radio



Action Figure Review: Constable Zuvio from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 Today I'm reviewing one of the stars of last year's hit film Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Constable Zuvio! Wait, you don't remember Constable Zuvio? That's OK. It turns out, he's not actually in the movie. Because of whatever weird setup Disney and license holders had, Hasbro ended up cranking out a character in the second series of the Black Series Phase III that didn't even appear in the film. I don't mean that Zuvio is a background character. I mean that he literally was completely cut from the film. Originally Zuvio was supposed to have some sort of a role as a law enforcement official at Niima Outpost who helped Rey escape from Unkar, but somewhere along the way he got cut. So, where does Zuvio appear? Well, he was featured in Entertainment Weekly a month or two before the film was released, and then there is a short story about him called "High Noon on Jakku."He also appears in a number of side books such as the various coloring books and the visual dictionary. While a lot of folks are down on Constable Zuvio, he looks like he would have been a great character in the film. It seems like Hasbro kind of got shafted by producing him, though, as they probably thought he would be somewhat of a memorable character but now there have been a number of reports of him peg-warming (not something I've witnessed at all). Is Zuvio going to be a pegwarmer no one ever wants or is he going to end up being a rare, mysterious figure everyone talks about someday in the future? That's to be determined later! For now, let's look closer at the figure...

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Barbecue's Bonfire 2/27/2016: The Epic Review is Back Edition!


Happy Saturday everyone!

Have you heard? The Epic Review is back! The Epic Review was started in January 2013 by my good friend, the Reel Brad Bell, and I quickly jumped on board and began writing a steady stream of action figure and movie reviews. Around the end of 2014 things started slowing down over there and I created Action Figure Barbecue to be my own personal website for toy reviews and such. Well, The Epic Review is back. Now all of my toy reviews are going to still be here on this site, but we will be launching some new podcasts, including a continuation of Brad and I's collection podcast The Collection Agency. I'm really excited about this as Brad and fellow contributor are two of my closest friends and I always enjoy podcasting with them. Keep checking Action Figure Barbecue and The Epic Review for plenty of fun stuff in the days to come. Now, for some more cool stuff including some Toy Fair 2016 thoughts that I missed last week, my discovery of picross, geocaching updates, a brief review of Rise of the Tomb Raider, my thoughts on WWE Fastlane, and more, join me after the break...

Charlotte MiniCon Haul: Harley Quinn #66 from POP! Heroes by Funko

    Another POP! review? Another Harley Quinn review? You'd better believe it! While I say over and over that I'm not a huge collector of POP! figures, well, I just keep buying them, don't I? Today I'm looking at another toy that I picked up at the Charlotte MiniCon during the last weekend in January: Harley Quinn #66 from Funko's POP! Heroes line. While she's rather generically called Harley Quinn #66, this is Harley in her latest roller derby influenced outfit from Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti's recent Harley Quinn title (which is very, very fun and hilarious). Ready for a closer look at the new Harley Quinn? She's a member of a roller derby team! She's a landlord! She practices psychiatry! And she's done with the Joker! Check out this empowered new antihero after the break...

Friday, February 26, 2016

Action Figure Review: Son of Batman from DC Comics Multiverse: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Mattel

 Today I'm looking at the second figure I purchased from Mattel's new Wal-Mart exclusive DC Comics Multiverse subset: A Son of Batman from The Dark Knight Returns. What is really exciting about this release is that we've never received an action figure of one of the Sons of Batman before. After defeating the leader of the Mutants in the story, many of the mutants decide to adopt Batman as their new leader and wage war on crime, although they opt for much more violent methods until Batman can reign them in. While Son of Batman is a generic name for a member of the gang the Sons of Batman, this figure is based on a very specific and recognizable individual from the comic. Frustratingly, while the Son of Batman might be the most desirable figure in this series, he's also the shortpacked one. Funny how that works out, huh? Let's take a closer look at this guy after the break...

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Action Figure Review: Batman from DC Comics Multiverse: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Mattel

 When a specific comic is still getting attention 30 years later, particularly attention from mainstream retailers, you know it's probably something special. That definitely is one way to describe Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. Perhaps bolstered by the conflict in the upcoming Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Mattel's new enlarged DC Comics Multiverse line has given Wal-Mart and exclusive series of three figures celebrating the 30th anniversary of Miller's seminal Batman tale. Included in the series is Superman, a Son of Batman, and the Dark Knight himself. Today I'm looking at Batman, whom I managed to snag during a trip to my local Wal-Mart last week. While Mattel has released a Dark Knight Returns Batman before in their short lived Batman Unlimited line (which this figure shares most parts with) this does represent a different costume worn by the character in that story. Ready for a closer at Batman? Then join me after the break...

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Action Figure Review: Poe Dameron from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 Here's another figure I recently acquired in a trade: Poe Dameron from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III! While I reviewed Poe in the more casual jacket he eventually gives to Finn back in December, this figure represents Poe in his pilot's gear. While Poe might have more screen time while wearing the more casual jacket, the pilot outfit is definitely more recognizable from publicity materials and other sources, such as Before the Awakening. While Poe gets the least amount of screen time of the three new lead heroes, he still strikes a chord for me and I'm really curious to see his character get more fleshed out. I love his relationship with BB-8 and I'm considering going to Charlotte HeroesCon this summer as Poe in the more casual jacket, particularly since my little one loves her BB-8 costume so much! I think we'd be an awesome team, just like the real Poe and BB-8. Anyways, ready for a closer look at the man referred to as "one helluva pilot" by Finn? Then join me after the break...

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Action Figure Review: Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase II by Hasbro

  Recently I made a trade over on The Fwoosh and picked up some Star Wars: The Black Series figures I was missing from the collection and today I'm looking at one of the figures I received: Luke Skywalker! Representing Luke in his all black Jedi duds which he wears during the last third of Return of the Jedi as he duels Darth Vader in the Emperor's throne room aboard the second Death Star, this is the first version of Luke we've received in the line from that film. Luke has two very different Jedi outfits during ROTJ and I imagine we'll see the outfit he wears to Jabba's Palace at some point in the future. Of course, there's also his Endor poncho, which he wears over this outfit. I don't know what it is but for the Original Trilogy characters I always feel like I need to own each and every variation of those characters. The costumes are always just too cool. Ready for a closer look at Luke Skywalker as he heads off to redeem his father? Then join me after the break...

Monday, February 22, 2016

Action Figure Review: Ash + Pikachu from Pokemon by Tomy

  Ash and Pikachu! I choose you! Today I'm reviewing the Ash + Pikachu figure(s) from Tomy's newest series of Pokemon action figures. Now, I'm not much of a Pokemon expert: My knowledge doesn't extend much beyond the original generation of Pokemon, Pokemon Snap, and the theme song lyrics to the cartoon series, but lately me and the little one have been watching through the original cartoon series off and on and I'm definitely enjoying it. It really is a fun show and brings back some good memories for me. I don't think I would have picked this figure up, though, if it weren't for the fact that I've been collecting Jakks Pacific's World of Nintendo line. While Jakks has the rights to pretty much everything in the Nintendo catalog, my understanding is that Pokemon is not included. So, if I want to make a Super Smash Brothers roster on my shelf, I had to pick up an Ash and Pikachu elsewhere, right? Well, I did. Now this isn't the Ash costume I remember, but I'm aware of what's happening around me enough to know that this is Ash from Pokemon X&Y. He's still Ash enough for my purposes, though. Want to know if this figure is a worthwhile addition to your shelf? Then join me after the break...

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Action Figure Review: Sheik from World of Nintendo by Jakks Pacific

 If you're keeping track of these, this is actually my fourth review from wave 1-5 of Jakks Pacific's World of Nintendo series. While we've gotten quite a few repaints and variants in this line, Jakks also always seems to get us a couple of new characters in each series. 1-5 has been pretty solid because we've received Bowser Jr., Waluigi, and now Sheik! Appearing in 1998's Nintendo 64 masterpiece The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Sheik is really Princess Zelda in disguise as a harp playing ninja mystic. Sheik was definitely the cool, mysterious character in that game and it's awesome that Jakks is offering her to us to go along with last year's Link from the same game. Of course, you could also have her team up with the Iron Shiek and go on wacky adventures together. Actually, that sounds like a flippin' sweet idea. Mattel's going to release a new Iron Shiek soon, right? BTW, notice that Iron Shiek and Sheik spell their names differently. bizarre huh? Ready for a closer look at the actual Sheik figure instead of more pointless rambling? Then join me after the break...


Saturday, February 20, 2016

Action Figure Review: Bowser Jr. from World of Nintendo by Jakks Pacific

  I've finally been able to pick up the figure I was most looking forward to in wave 1-5 of Jakks Pacific's World of Nintendo line: Bowser Jr.! Originally appearing in Super Mario Sunshine, Bowser Jr. has become a pretty consistent character over the past 15 or so years with appearances in multiple games. While Shigeru Miyamoto now claims that Bowser Jr. is Bowser's only real child, I always assumed he was the new baby brother for the Koopalings from Super Maro Bros. 3. Bowser Jr. is a tiny little guy but he packs a lot of punch in his small size. Ready for a closer look at this little green menace? Then join me after the break...

Friday, February 19, 2016

Charlotte MiniCon Haul: Cthulhu: Master of R'lyeh from POP! Books by Funko

    One of the coolest things about a convention is seeing stuff you didn't even know existed. Honestly, while I always check out POP! figures I had no idea that Funko made a Cthulhu POP! figure. He seems to have been released last year, but I've somehow missed him. I guess that's just how Cthulhu likes to roll. Anyways, I saw this figure available from a few different vendors for between $15 and $20 but I finally picked him up from a vendor who was selling POP! figures and some awesome art prints. I got four art prints, and two POP! figures for $40, not a bad deal if you ask me. Cthulhu: Master of R'lyeh comes from a subset of POP! figures called POP! Books, which makes sense as Cthulhu is derived from the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. Ready for a closer look at one of the elder gods? Then join me after the break...

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Charlotte MiniCon Haul: Harley Quinn from Batman: The Animated Series by DC Collectibles

  Today I'm looking at another figure I picked up on my trip to the Charlotte MiniCon: Harley Quinn from DC Collectible's Batman: The Animated Series line. I somehow missed out on this figure when she first came out last November, so I was excited to see her at a vendor's table for...$15. Yup. $15. That's incredible! Usually you see vendors mark stuff up like crazy but I actually got this version of Dr. Quinzel for $5-$10 under the retail price. I actually asked the dealer if something was wrong with the figure (she was sealed in the package) but was assured that she was fine and that they were just clearing out stock. Incredible, right? Let's jump right in and take a closer look at Harley Quinn after the break...

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Charlotte MiniCon Haul: Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper Disguise) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase II by Hasbro

  Remember back when I said I was limiting my Black Series collecting to "troopers, bounty hunters, characters from the first year of The Power of the Force II, and the odd character I have special affection for (i.e. Admiral Ackbar)?" Well, that train has sailed. I'm pretty into Star Wars: The Black Series now and I've been picking up some figures I missed or skipped the first time around. Today's figure is a Phase II figure which I actually purchased at the Charlotte MiniCon a couple of weekends ago: Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper Disguise. Oddly enough, though, the packaging just calls this Luke Skywalker and doesn't reference the Stormtrooper disguise. Weird, huh? Anyways, let's take a closer look at this companion piece to Han Solo in Stormtrooper disguise. While Luke is pretty similar to Han in many respects, there are actually some cool differences between this figure and the other Stormtrooper figures in the line. Ready for a closer look? Then join me after the break...

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Action Figure Review: Nikki Bella & Brie Bella from WWE Battle Packs by Mattel

I'm not a huge fan of the Bella Twins. They're definitely heels, but they're really good heels. I'm usually going to be cheering against them, though. If you're not familiar with the Bellas, Nikki and Brie Bella are twins who wrestle in the WWE as the Bella Twins. As part of the (currently inactive) "Team Bella" (Nikki Bella underwent neck surgery fairly recently, I believe), the Bellas tend to gain their victories by distracting referees and their opponents. Often they use what they call "twin magic" which means they dress alike and pretend to be one another to fool their opponents and the refs. It's a silly gimmick but it's won them a number of matches. The Bella Twins are incredibly popular and their figures tend to skyrocket in price. Last week I was in a Target and I found this Battle Pack on the shelf, so I had to grab it. These two ladies are dominant forces in the Divas division and I felt obligated to have them as part of my collection. I was going to keep them Mint on Card and not ever lay hands on them, though. You know why? Because "You can't look but you can't touch!" Get it? (That's the first line to their entrance music, if you're not familiar). Anyways, ready for a closer look? Then join me after the break...

Monday, February 15, 2016

Action Figure Review: Princess Leia Organa (Boushh) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase II by Hasbro

 Does Princess Leia have any costume in the original Trilogy (or in the Force Awakens) that is less than awesome? I've always been a huge fan of Leia's Boushh disguise which she uses to infilitrate Jabba the Hutt's Palace. Impersonating the deceased Ubese bounty hunter Boushh and dragging Chewbacca along as her "bounty," Leia makes a valiant effort at attempting to free Han Solo from the clutches of the vile gangster. There have been four releases of Leia in this outfit in the traditional 1/18th scale line and I'm not sure there has been a bad figure of her yet. I remember how amazing the POTF2/ Shadows of the Empire version of this figure was back when it was first released! Released last year as part of The Black Series: Phase II, Leia is another figure I've never seen in stores. I finally just ordered her from an online vendor, paying a bit of a markup in order to secure her before her price sky rockets. Is Princess Leia Organa in her Boushh disguise as great as the figures which have come before her? Find out after the break...

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Action Figure Review: Commissioner Gordon from Batman: Arkham Knight by DC Collectibles

    I thought the first series of Arkham Knight figures was pretty incredible. I kind of held off on picking up series 2 because they released so close to Christmas but I started picking them up here and there a few weeks ago. While I may be holding off on Nightwing and Robin, I grabbed Catwoman and now I'm looking at Commissioner Gordon. Gordon has been a mainstay in the Arkham-verse games but this is the first time he's received an action figure and I have to say that it's about time. You can probably count the number of figures based on James Gordon on both hands but lately he's been getting more attention. He appeared in the Greg Capullo based line in 2014 and later this year he's going to make an appearance in the Batman: The Animated Series line. It's a good time for fans of Gordon, I guess. Ready to see how this one turned out? Then join me after the break...

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Barbecue's Bonfire 2/13/2016: Special Toy Fair 2016 Edition



   Hey everyone! It's your old pal Barbecue 17 here. Guess what happens this weekend? Lots of stuff, actually! Deadpool was released yesterday, Valentine's Day is Sunday, and today? Today is the official start date of the New York Toy Fair. That means lots of new toys! While I'm not going to be doing any in-depth coverage here or anything I definitely want to point out some cool stuff that strikes my fancy. Heck, I might do some updates to this post over the week just to add more cool stuff I've see. First though, check out the picture above: It's the DC Icons Batgirl of Burnside. I haven't picked up any figures from the DC Icons line yet, although I do have the Harley Quinn and Joker on order. I was thrilled to see DC Icons tackle the Batgirl of Burnside, though, particularly in a deluxe style with the inclusion of her motorcycle.. She looks incredible and is supposed to come with an extra head with windswept hair and a cape that's blowing back for posing her on the motorcycle. Pretty sweet, right? Join me after the break for more goodies about such varied topics as The Joker: Endgame, Imaginext, rumors of a return for either the Collection Agency or the Confirmed Epic Podcast, a brief Deadpool review, and a look at a variety of toys that have already been shown at New York Toy Fair 2016!


Action Figure Review: Raven from DC Comics Bishoujo by Kotobukiya

  As anyone who has checked out my Top 10 Favorite Toylines of 2015 knows, I'm a huge fan of Kotobukiya's DC Comics Bishoujo line. They're without a doubt one of my favorite lines to collect. Honestly, I think they look way better than any other statues on the market, even statues that cost 2 and 3 times more money. Just in their DC Comics line alone, Kotobukiya has released some amazing product over the past few year: Batwoman, Zatanna, and Black Canary have all been incredible! Today I'm looking at the newest statue from Kotobukiya: Raven! Based on the art of Shunya Yamashita, this powerful sorceress is depicted in a floating pose with her hands directed out to perform some sort of magical spell. Is Raven as great of a statue as the others in the line? The answer, sadly, is no. Find out why after the break...

Friday, February 12, 2016

Action Figure Review: Professor Pyg from Batman: Arkham Knight by DC Collectibles

    Mutilated corpses positioned in odd manners. Creepy doll masks covering mutilated faces. Eerie opera music playing throughout the city. All of these things greet you when you embark on one of the most challenging and most frightening side-quests in Arkham Knight: Perfect Crime, where Batman must track down Professor Pyg. A more recent addition to Batman's rogues gallery, Professor Pyg first appeared in Batman #666 back in 2007. Since then the leader of the Circus of Strange has appeared in the New 52, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Beware the Batman. What he hasn't achieved yet is an action figure in his likeness. Thanks to DC Collectibles that has changed and we now have a figure of Professor Pyg from his appearance in Arkham Knight (where he was voiced by "Howling Mad" Murdock himself, Dwight Schultz). As part of the overall excellent third series of DC Collectibles' Arkham Knight line, Professor Pyg is definitely the most interesting release since he's a brand new character for the ol' Batman collection. Is he a worthwhile addition to your shelf, though? Read on and find out after the break...

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Action Figure Review: Man-Bat from Batman: Arkham Knight by DC Collectibles

 The first encounter with Man-Bat in Arkham Knight was definitely one of the most surprising moments in the game. I mean, it literally surprised me and, unfortunately, my wife was in the room to see me jump. Arkham Knight features the first appearance of Dr. Kirk Langstrom, AKA Man-Bat, in the Arkham-verse in the form of a side-quest that gives Batman yet something else he has to do while dealing with Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight's plot to destroy Gotham City. I was really excited to see DC Collectibles introduce Man-Bat as part of their third series of Batman: Arkham Knight action figures and even mire surprised to see that despite his larger size (and larger packaging) Man-Bat sells for the same price as any other basic figure in the line. DC Collectibles released Killer Croc from Arkham Origins the same way, and I really appreciate seeing a company trying to actually give customers some value for their money. Man-Bat's definitely a large figure, but is he a good one to add to your collection? Find out after the break...

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Action Figure Review: Cat Luigi from World of Nintendo by Jakks Pacific

  Today I'm looking at the first World of Nintendo that I literally have no idea about: Cat Luigi! I mean, I know who Luigi is but I have no idea why he is dressed like a cat. It turns out, most of the Mario cast has dressed like cats in the recent games, but I haven't played those games. I own a 2DS but I don't own a WiiU nor did I play my Wii much after 2007, so the newer Nintendo games just haven't been on my radar. Not that I don't like the idea of Cat Luigi. I love the idea! The cat suit, obtained by collecting the Super Bell, allows the characters to climb stuff, pounce on enemies, and scratch them with their claws. That's pretty boss if you ask me. Anyways, Jakks Pacific has put Cat Luigi in series 1-5 of their World of Nintendo line and he was one of the first two figures in the series I've found so far, so here he is! Join me after the break...

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Action Figure Review: Azrael from Batman: Arkham Knight by DC Collectibles

   I selected DC Collectible's various Arkham-verse releases as one of my Top 10 Favorite Toylines of 2015 based on the strength of the first series of Arkham Knight releases and the fact that they continue to fill in gaps from previous games, too. I've only recently gotten my hands on some figures from the second series of Arkham Knight figures and I have to say I've largely been disappointed by them. Of course, Arkham Knight series 3 has a great selection of characters and I decided to give them a chance. I'm glad I did as series 3 has some great figures in it, including today's review subject: Azrael! Based on the second major character to bear the title of Azrael (meaning "One whom God helps" in Hebrew), Michael Lane, this figure represents an interesting side character from last summer's Batman: Arkham Knight. Clad in the armor given to him by the Order of St Dumas and with a mission to become the next defender of Gotham, Azrael sets out to prove to Batman he is worthy to be the Dark Knight's successor. Ready for a closer look at this vengeful crusader? Then join me after the break...

Monday, February 8, 2016

Action Figure Review: Waluigi from World of Nintendo by Jakks Pacific

  Everyone needs an evil twin, right? Well, Mario got Wario early in the World of Nintendo line but only now is Luigi getting his evil twin rival, Waluigi! Well, calling Waluigi Luigi's twin isn't really accurate. He's more like an evil exaggeration of Luigi. Where Luigi is tall, thin, and has an epic mustrache, Waluigi is taller, thinner, and has an even more epic mustache. Originally appearing in Mario Tennis back in 2000, Waluigi has become a mainstay of the Super Mario Bros. crew over the past 15 or so years. He's one of the three new characters to be released in World of Nintendo series 1-5 (along with Sheik and Bowser Jr., whom I haven't found yet) and was probably the one I was most looking forward to. Ready for a closer look at this dastardly villain? Then pretend to twirl your villainous mustache, make a devious chuckle, and join me after the break...

Sunday, February 7, 2016

A New Batgirl Review: Batgirl (Stewart & Tarr) from Batman Black & White by DC Collectibles

 In 2014 DC Comics took a different direction with Batgirl by switching up the creative team. While Brenden Fletcher and Cameron Stewart certainly helped to take Barbara Gordon's story in a different direction, artist Babs Tarr really helped to set the tone with her incredible new art for the series. The new style of the Batgirl of Burnside definitely struck a chord and I imagine that a number of fans looked at Tarr's art and decided they immediately wanted to see it as an action figure or statue. The first three dimensional version of the Burnside Batgirl available has been released in DC Collectibles' long running Batman Black & White mini-statue line. I preordered mine last year through Big Bad Toy Store but it only came in stock late last month, even though many folks seemed to have picked their up in August of 2015. This is a cool statue that I love, but I do have a bizarre mystery that I've been working to solve: Why does my statue have a magnetic, removable head? I've read and watched many reviews of this statue and I have not yet seen anyone's who has a removable head. I have some theories about this, but I'll share them in the main body of the review. Ready for a closer look at the Cameron Stewart and Babs Tarr's Batgirl? then join me after the break...

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Barbecue's Bonfire: 2/6/2016

   We're only a week away from New York Toy Fair 2016! And Deadpool! And Valentine's Day! Good stuff! To whet your appetite for Toy Fair next week, here's a picture I just found last night of the new Harley Quinn ver.2 from Kotobukiya's DC Bishoujo line. Looks pretty good so far!  They also showed a teaser from the upcoming Spider-Gwen which, along with Lady Deadpool, makes me want to expand into the Marvel side of Kotobukiya's offerings. On the complete opposite end of the toy spectrum, Imaginext has suddenly become huge at my house. My little one is nuts about them and we've been having a blast most evenings. I ordered the little one a bunch of playsets, most of which should arrive in the post later today. Since I don't watch football me and the little one are going to sit sit around and have an Imaginext party tomorrow night while everyone else we know is preoccupied.
   Anyways, join me this week as I talk about hunting down Star Wars: The Black Series figures, Batman Eternal, my gut reaction to the Hasbro/ Mattel merger rumors, NECA's upcoming Rocky 40th Anniversary line, DC Collectibles' Black and White Batgirl statue, and more...

Action Figure Review: Darth Vader (Emperor's Wrath) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

  For a character that Hasbro has tended to release as often as they possibly can in other lines, it seems rather restrained that Darth Vader has only made two appearances in Star Wars: The Black Series so far. The original figure was released in 2014 and featured a removable helmet as it was based on Vader's appearance in Return of the Jedi. Today I'm looking at the second release of Vader in the Black Series, a Walgreens' exclusive which is again based on Vader's ROTJ costume: Emperor's Wrath Darth Vader. Trickling out near the end of 2015, this version of Vader is more than a repaint of the 2014 figure as it features a new removable right hand and a completely new headsculpt. Walgreens really has been doing a pretty good job with getting some cool exclusives lately (they're now one of my default places to hit up on toy runs) and Vader has hit in force in my area with each of my local stores getting about 8 figures each. That's not too bad. Since this figure is largely the same as a figure I've already reviewed in great detail I will be mostly focusing on the new elements. Feel free to check out that review to get the full picture. Ready to jump in for a look at this figure? Then join me after the break...

Friday, February 5, 2016

Action Figure Review: IG-88 from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase II by Hasbro

  IG-88 is another figure from Phase II of the Black Series that was released in 2015 but which I never saw in stores. I finally just ordered him before he starts to disappear and becomes incredibly expensive like many other Black Series figures already have. Everyone knows Boba Fett and Bossk, but IG-88 is one of the bounty hunter that you use to begin to check someone Star Wars cred. I mean, there are hundreds and hundreds of Star Was characters and I'm sure you can name someone I don't know and I could name someone you don't know but, if you don't know IG-88, I don't trust you. I've met many a "fan" who praised how awesome Boba Fett was only to kind of freeze up when I mention IG-88. He's just that kind of character: Not insanely obscure, but definitely one that requires you to have done more than watch the movies once and go to a convention. Anyways, I knew that if I didn't pick up IG-88, I'd never accomplish my ultimate Black Series goal of having all six of the Empire Strikes Back bounty hunters: Dengar, IG-88, Boba Fett, Bossk, 4-LOM, and Zuckuss. Ready for a closer look at the figure that gets us halfway there? Then join me after the break...

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Action Figure Review: Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase II by Hasbro

   While things have improved a little bit, over the past few years Hasbro has had some terrible distribution for their Star Wars product line. I'm talking bad. If Hasbro were an Imperial-class Star Destroyer, Vader would be on board force choking fools. That's how bad their distribution has been. Honestly, I kind of hoped that things were going to improve with the release of The Force Awakens so I held off on ordering some of the Star Wars: The Black Series Phase II figures from online sources. Well, now that we're knee deep in the middle of Phase III, I decided to jump in and pick up a few figures I missed. Fortunately, ol' Emperor Sheev Palpative (AKA Darth Sidious, AKA Big Papa Juicemaker) wasn't very expensive. Honestly, I ordered him online for less than I would have paid retail. The Emperor is one of those figures that I initially passed on but then recently decided I wanted to own. I mean, I'm sure we'll get a Darth Sidious at some point but who knows if and when Hasbro will ever revisit a Return of the Jedi styled Emperor in the 6-inch scale? Emperor Palpatine is a very middle of the road Black Series figure and presents a great example of what Hasbro needs to do to improve this line. Ready for a closer look at Sheev? Then join me after the break...

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Action Figure Review: Link (Ocarina of Time) from World of Nintendo by Jakks Pacific

    I absolutely love The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time. Love it, love it, love it. I've written about the game before and now, just thinking about it, I'm really wanting to play it again. I've been a big fan of Jakks Pacific's World of Nintendo toyline over the past year and I've been looking forward to this Ocarina of Time inspired version of Link. I'm going to come right out and say that I find this figure very disappointing, however. Jakks has a great line here but they really are hit and miss on their articulation. I'm OK with a minimally articulated figure like the Goomba or some repaints every now and then if the newly constructed figures are well thought out but Link here just isn't. What's crazy is that 2014's Skyward Sword Link is actually more well thought out than this newer version. Jakks seems to be having some struggles with this line (Wal-Mart doesn't carry it and Jakks claims that the 6 inch figures have been dropped due to a lack of retailer interest) and they really need to bring their A-game if we're going to get another year of figures. Anyways, rant over. On to a review of Link....

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Action Figure Review: Sarah Connor from Terminator 2: Judgment Day by NECA

 I couldn't even begin to tell you how many Terminator action figures have been made. Kenner released an awesome kid-focused line back in the early 90's (I'm pretty sure a smaller company like Toy Island released a figure or two as well) and McFarlane began releasing collector targeted figures in Movie Maniacs in the late 90s/ early 2000s. In more recent years Playmates created one of the ultimate peg-warming action figure lines for Terminator: Salvation while Funko's ReAction brand has released a few so-so figures from the original two films. Of all of the action figures relased for the series, NECA's efforts have definitely been the best. Of course, they still hadn't tackled Sarah Connor or John Connor, arguably the two main characters of the entire series. Finally, with the release of this figure as part of NECA's Ultimate Reel Toys range of figures, we can mark Sarah Connor off the list. Well, a T2 Sarah, anyways. Packaged in a cool five panel box, this version of Sarah Connor features three swappable heads to allow for some different appearances. Considering many of the past Terminator figures were simple head swap variants, this is really like getting three figures in one. Ready for a closer look at Linda Hamilton's portrayal of a victim turned warrior? Then join me after the break...

Monday, February 1, 2016

Action Figure Review: Lord Masque from Masters of the Universe Classics by Mattel

   Guess what? Lord Masque is the first new Masters of the Universe Classics figure of 2016! While he's listed as part of the Collector's Choice subscription, a smaller subscription than year's past, he really is still just part of Masters of the Universe Classics. Other than the lack of a bio and the presence of a small logo on the side, the packaging is exactly the same as it's been since 2008. I'm not considering him as part of a different toyline and neither should you! This guy is pure MOTUC goodness. Lord Masque has been a long desired figure in the line because he comes from one of the best Filmation episodes (the two part "House of Shokoti") and his companion, Shokoti, was already released as part of the Filmation series back in 2013, so it's nice to have him. Now that the vintage line is complete, every figure we get just feels like extra icing on the cake, you know? Let's take a closer look at Lord Masque after the break...