Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Action Figure Review: Skull Kid from World of Nintendo by Jakks Pacific

 Over the next couple of days I'll be wrapping up my reviews of series 2-2 of Jakks Pacific's World of Nintendo line. While I found Princess Zelda, Red Toad and Cat Mario pretty quickly, it took me quite a bit longer to find Skull Kid and Slippy. Today is Skull Kid's chance to shine, though, and I have to say that he was one of my most anticipated releases simply because he's a pretty unique choice. While the packaging bills Skull Kid as hailing from The Wind Waker HD, this guy is totally the Skull Kid from The Legends of Zelda: Majora's Mask. You know, because he's wearing Majora's Mask. Let's take a closer look at this really cool Zelda baddie after the break...

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Road to Rogue One: AT-AT Pilot from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

   Today I'm going to start making my way through the most recent series of Hasbro's Star Wars: The Black Series figures, and yes, I realized I've skipped one; My series which consists of the Scarif Stormtrooper Squad Leader, Director Krennic, and Episode VII C-3PO are currently on their way to me. It's going to be a Star Wars figure packed December here and I love it! Today I'm checking out he AT-AT Pilot from the most recent series and, while I doubt we'll ever see a Black Series AT-AT, it's still cool to have this guy around to chill with the other Imperial troopers. Being an Imperial trooper from the Original Trilogy and having a figure in the vintage Kenner line definitely gives this guy some major street cred, right? Let's take a closer look at the AT-AT Pilot after the break...

Monday, November 28, 2016

Action Figure Review: Armored Batman from One:12 Collective DC Universe by Mezco

 Today I'm looking at the first 2016 release from Mezco's One:12 Collective line that I've picked up: Armored Batman. Billed as a "Convention Exclusive," Armored Batman gives us another depiction of Batman in his distinctive armored outfit from this year's Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice. This is a crowded field, even in just the 6 inch scale, as Mattel has released this figure in their DC Comics Multiverse line, MAFEX has one out, and DC Collectibles is getting ready to release one in their already ill fated DC Films Premium line (seriously, they've already canceled 5 or 6 scheduled figures before the first figure has even been released). Mezco's One:12 Collective line has been building a solid reputation, though, and this guy features some die-cast metal parts, a soft goods cape and bodysuit, and light up eyes. He was pre-ordered for me as a birthday present back in June or July, but Mezco didn't release him until mid October. He got shipped to my parents' address, and not mine, so I had to wait a bit longer to collect him. I've got him now, though, so was he worth the wait? Find out after the break...

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Road to Rogue One: Jyn Erso #148 from POP! Star Wars by Funko

 As Rogue One gets closer and closer, I just keep getting more and more excited! Today to help tide all of us over until the film's release I'll be looking at the Smuggler's Bounty exclusive Jyn Erso POP! from the Rogue One themed crate. This POP! features Jyn geared up for some unknown confrontation on the mysterious planet Eadu and armed with an E-11 Blaster rifle. Ready for a close look at one of the newest heroes of the Star Wars galaxy? Then join me after the break...

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Action Figure Review: Santa Jack from The Nightmare Before Christmas ReAction by Funko

 Recently Funko announced that Super7 will be handling the future design and distribution of the ReAction range of products. Super7 has been heavily involved with the line since it's inception and it doesn't seem like Funko was as ever as thrilled with the concept as Super7 was. I think this is great news, and I'm hoping it means we see more Nightmare Before Christmas action figures from the ReAction line soon. While Jack has been built more like a traditional faux-retro figure, this line doesn't feel like your typical nostalgically antiquated line; it actually just feels like a solid Nightmare Before Christmas toyline. As someone who collected Hasbro's original releases when the film came out, these hold a ton of nostalgia for me just because they're so well done. I still have my original Santa Jack from 1993 and I'm glad to have this newer version, too! Let's take a closer look at this guy after the break...

Friday, November 25, 2016

Road to Rogue One: Imperial Death Trooper #149 from Pop! Star Wars by Funko

 As we inch closer and closer to the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, I'm going to continue to check out more cool Star Wars stuff. Today I'm looking at another item from the most recent Rogue One themed Smuggler's Bounty mystery crate: The Imperial Death Trooper. This version of the Death Trooper (Pop! #149) apparently differs from the standard version of the trooper due to his pose and the explosives strapped to the chest. It's interesting this is the exclusive as it's almost exactly what Hasbro has done with their releases of the Death Trooper; the standard version is pretty basic while the exclusive version has the explosives and chest straps. Which one will be more prominent in the movie? We'll know in under a month! In the meantime, let's check out this cool new POP!

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Road to Rogue One: Darth Vader (Blue) from Hikari Minis: Star Wars by Funko

 Today I'm going to start checking out some of the goodies from the most recent Smuggler's Bounty box from Funko and I figured I'd start with the big guy himself, Darth Vader. This month the Smuggler's Bounty box not only includes two Funko POP! figures but also a Hikari Minis. I've heard of Funko's Hikari line of vinyl figures but I've never owned one before. They're kind of an homage to the Japanese Sofubi styled figures but available more readily in US Markets. I didn't know there was a mini line of these coming out, so Darth Vader is a cool way to kick things off. He's available in five different colors at random in the boxes: Red, Black, Silver, Gold, and Blue. Ready for a closer look at a cute, glittery, vinyl version of the guy everyone is waiting to see in Rogue One? Then join me after the break...

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Road to Rogue One: Sabine [Masked] from Pop! Star Wars by Funko

   I love Star Wars: Rebels and Sabine is definitely one of my favorite characters on the show (although my order of favorites changes all the time), so I was really glad to see that Walgreens' has an exclusive POP! vinyl of Sabine in her colorfully painted Mandalorian helmet. There is a standard version of this figure coming out, too, which features Sabine's unmasked head and colorful hair, but this one has beat that one to retail. Let's take a closer look at Sabine Wren in her initial appearance in the POP! Star Wars line immediately after the break...

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Statue Review: Harley Quinn [New 52 ver.] Limited Edition from DC Comics Bishoujo by Kotobukiya

  I'm a huge fan of Kotobukiya's DC Comics Bishoujo line and while I have a list of characters I still want to see in that line, I'm not opposed to the occasional variant. Just a few days ago I looked at the newest statue in the series which is Harley Quinn in the outfit she wore during the earliest days of the New 52. This is definitely not one of my favorite Harley Quinn looks but it is a colorful and dynamic outfit, perfect for a v2 figure. Today I'm looking at a variant of that figure which Kotobukiya offered at NYCC and through their website. While you might think this is simply a black and red repaint of the standard statue, you'd be mistaken: This figure actually has a new left hand, a pistol instead of a mallet, and a newly sculpted face. Let's take a closer look at this exclusive version of Dr. Quinzel after the break...

Monday, November 21, 2016

Action Figure Review: Zero Year: Survival Batman from DC Comics Designer Series: Greg Capullo by DC Collectibles

  I really love the design for the "Survival Batman" suit from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman: Zero Year storyline. While the story is definitely over the top, it just works and this suit fits the vibe of the storyline perfectly. It's still 100% Batman, but the somewhat post-apocalyptic elements of it just give it an entirely different vibe. I guess it's kind of like the "Knightmare" outfit from BvS in that sense. Released as part of the DC Comics Designer series line, this figure really does a nice job of capturing Greg Capullo's distinctive artwork. Let's take a closer look at Survival Batman after the break...

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Action Figure Review: The Joker (A Death in the Family) from DC Comics Icons by DC Collectibles

 I've really liked both figures I've purchased from DC Collectibles' DC Comics Icons series so far, and the Joker here makes my third purchase. I pretty much only collect Batman related characters in the 6-7 inch scale DC lines, so there are plenty of other cool figures out there that I've not picked up or reviewed. The aesthetic of this line is that while all of the characters have a similar aesthetic (designed by artist Ivan Reis), they are all based off of different storylines from across DC history. This version of the Joker should look very familiar to comic fans as it's been around for years (it looks very much like the Neal Adams licensing art from throughout the 80s) although this figure is billed as being based on the storyline A Death in the Family by Jim Starlin and artist Jim Aparo. Featuring the death of Jason Todd, A Death in the Family seems like a great choice for a Joker figure. Unfortunately, this outfit is not seen in that story, so I'm not sure what exactly DC Collectibles was thinking. Let's take a look at this figure and see if it's still worth a purchase after the break...

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Statue Review: Harley Quinn [New 52 ver.] from DC Comics Bishoujo by Kotobukiya

 I'm a huge fan of Kotobukiya's DC Comics Bishoujo line and while I have a list of characters I still want to see in that line, I'm not opposed to the occasional variant. Today I'm looking at the newest statue in the series which is Harley Quinn in the outfit she wore during the earliest days of the New 52. This is definitely not one of my favorite Harley Quinn looks but it is a colorful and dynamic outfit, perfect for a v2 figure. Let's take a closer look at this new version of Dr. Quinzel after the break...

Friday, November 18, 2016

Road to Rogue One: General Grievous #129 from POP! Star Wars by Funko

 I've mentioned a few times before that Walgreens' is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to shop for toys. They get great exclusives, tend to do a pretty good job of stocking both their exclusive items and most regular lines, and they're usually conveniently located. I'm currently hunting for Walgreens' exclusive C-3PO from Star Wars: The Black Series, so I'm in one or two stores nearly every weekday on my lunch break. Last week I happened to walk into one of my local Walgreens' stores and found a few of their new exclusive Star Wars POP vinyls. I was originally planning on just grabbing the Rebels' helmeted Sabine POP, but the fact that Walgreens' was having a buy one get one free sale led me to snatch Grievous too. You know, because he was essentially free. General Grievous is a character who seemed really cool prior to Episode III, was kind of underwhelming in the film, and then who was greatly improved by The Clone Wars. Let's check out this new exclusive POP! after the break!

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Action Figure Review: The Joker (Series 4) from Batman: Arkham Knight by DC Collectibles

 The Joker really needs no introduction, nor do his controversial (and despicable) actions in The Killing Joke. Today I'm looking at the second figure from series four of DC Collectibles' Batman: Arkham Knight line which depicts the Joker in the vacation outfit he wears in the game's flashback to the horiffic crippling of Barbara Gordon. That's all I want to say about that right now. What I do want to address is that this is a figure that I'm about to give a very, very low rating to for reasons which I'll explain in the review. If you read my reviews regularly, you've probably come to notice that I don't give super low ratings very often. Ever wonder why that is? There's two reasons: One, the simple fact that a figure looks decent and doesn't break already helps it to not receive one of my lowest ratings. Second, since I'm not making any money off of this site nor do I receive review samples, I tend to only buy stuff I'm already pretty sure I will like. I don't buy stuff I'm not interested in, thus my reviews tend to be higher. Of course, sometimes I preorder a figure from a line I like, get it in hand, and am wildly disappointed. That's what is happening today, folks. Jump in and learn more after the break...

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Road to Rogue One: Ahsoka from POP! Star Wars by Funko

  As the release date for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story gets closer and closer, I'm going to continue to check out more great Star Wars stuff. Today I'm reviewing a new Funko Pop! of Ahsoka Tano from her appearance in Star Wars: Rebels. At this point, I think I can say without a doubt that Ahsoka is the most significant and most popular Star Wars character who has never appeared in a live action film. Still, she's managed to have an incredible character arc through the initial film and 6 seasons of Star Wars: Clone Wars, three seasons (thus far) of Star Wars: Rebels, and the new canon book Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston and I'd go absolutely nuts if she ever did appear in a film, played by voice actress Ashley Eckstein. This Ahsoka POP! is an exclusive to Hot Topic and is part of the upcoming Rebels subset which includes the rest of the crew of The Ghost as well as a masked variant of Sabine. Ready for a closer look at Ahsoka? Then join me after the break...

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Road to Rogue One: Imperial Death Trooper, Captain Cassian Andor, and Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 We're only a little over a month away from the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and I've got a review here of another one of the current store exclusives available from Hasbro's Star Wars: The Black Series. This time it's Target's exclusive three pack which includes an all new Captain Cassian Andor, an Imperial Death Trooper with a new accessory, and the exact same Sergeant Jyn Erso figure Hasbro has sold us twice before already! Yeah, this set is a real mixed bag. Not only is is a three pack but it features two figures you probably already own if you're collecting this line, only one of which has anything different about them. Hasbro has had some poorly chosen case assortments in this line over the past 3 years (my local Walgreens still has a few Obi-Wans for sale if you want them) but this is the first time they've forced collectors to buy a straight repack as part of an exclusive set. It's pretty annoying.  Join me after the break...

Monday, November 14, 2016

Road to Rogue One: Grummgar from Micro Machines: Star Wars Blind Bag Series 4

 I've picked up quite a few of Hasbro's blind bagged Micro Machines (even though I hate the concept!) but this is the first one I've reviewed: Grummgar! Grummgar was one of the insanely cool aliens hanging out in Maz Kanata's palace in The Force Awakens and this is the first time he's being released in toy form. A massive Dowutin who was hooking up with First Order spy Bazine Netal (a character, along with Maz Kanata, we need in the Black Series ASAP!), Grummgar definitely brings to mind some of the older oversized Galoob Micro Machines such as the various Jabba the Hutt microfigures. I found this guy in the wild at a local Target a few weeks ago and it was actually pretty easy to find him as he's a fairly large figure. Check out a few more pics and my thoughts on this guy after the break...

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Action Figure Review: Harley Quinn (Series 4) from Batman: Arkham Knight by DC Collectibles

 Hey look! It's another Harley Quinn review! Who would have thought? This time I'm looking at Harley Quinn in her classic outfit from one of the brief flashback scenes in 2015's Batman: Arkham Knight. Batman: Arkham Knight was a fairly divisive game, but thus far the action figure line has been pretty solid. Featuring a mixture of the usual suspects (Batman, Catwoman) and some more obscure characters (Professor Pyg), DC Collectibles has now been supporting this line for about a year and a half. Things seem to be winding down, though, as series 4 was originally supposed to include Poison Ivy alongside of this flashback Harley and a Killing Joke inspired Joker, along with a boxed set of Batman and two of the Arkham Knight's henchmen. Poison Ivy and the henchmen set have been cancelled, which really stinks as Poison Ivy played a pretty integral role in Arkham Knight. The sheer popularity of Harley and the Joker kept those figures alive, though, and today I'm looking at a figure of Harley in her classic duds. This is a very nice realistic looking Harley and, while we've received this outfit a few times this year already, I'm not sure we've ever seen a version quite like this. Read on after the break...

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Road to Rogue One: Mandalorian Melee from Micro Machines: Star Wars by Hasbro

 I absolutely loved The Force Awakens. And Rogue One? It's looking pretty amazing. Marvel is having an awesome run with their various Star Wars comics and I'm finding myself liking most of the novels in the new canon, too. It's a great time to be a Star Wars fan but, if you had to press me right now for my favorite ongoing Star Wars media, I'd answer you in one word: Rebels. Star Wars Rebels is honestly one of my Star Wars things ever at this point and while I haven't seen any of season 3 yet, Season 2 took an incredibly fun series and elevated it to greatness. I'm glad Hasbro is supporting the series with some great toys and while I think Rebels should have it's own distinct toyline, there is something undeniably cool about seeing these characters alongside the characters from the films. Today I'm looking at Mandalorian Melee, a Micro Machines set that features characters and ships from Rebels season 2. Ready for a closer look? Then join me after the break...

Friday, November 11, 2016

Road to Rogue One: Fight the Imperial Might from Micro Machines: Star Wars by Hasbro

 It's time for another stop on the Road to Rogue One! Today I'm looking at another set from Hasbro's revival of Star Wars Micro Machines: Fight the Imperial Might! I have to admit that I kind of like the name for this set, even if it's not really that descriptive. It sounds like something Clone Wars narrator might say at the beginning of an episode set during the Rebellion era. One of the interesting things about reviewing Rogue One stuff before the film is even released is that I'm going into these somewhat blind. While Rogue One is not nearly as mysterious as last year's The Force Awakens, there are definitely still some unanswered questions. This is another one of the larger Micro Machines packs which includes 5 vehicles and two microfigures for around $10 bucks. Of course, if you read my review of these the other day then you'll know that I picked these up for around $5 dollars because my local Wal-Mart put these on clearance rather than clearing out any older stock. Brilliant! Let's take a look at this pack after the break...

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Action Figure Review: Catwoman from DC Comics Designer Series: Darwyn Cooke by DC Collectibles

 About a decade or more ago it was pretty commonplace to find DC Direct releasing artist inspired versions of popular DC characters. The Ed McGuinness inspired Batman/ Superman line, the Jim Lee Hush line, and the Tim Sale The Long Halloween line were all popular lines that focused on incredibly artist specific interpretations from specific stories or books. That kind of fell out of favor for a while, though, but DC Collectibles slowly brought it back with their DC Designer Series of action figures based on Greg Capullo's work on Batman in the New 52. Now they're starting to branch out and soon will be offering figures based on the art of Amanda Conner, Ant Lucia, Lee and Bermejo. Currently, you can pick up figures based off of the art of Darwyn Cooke. Sadly, Cooke passed away in May of this year, and thus these figures are now a testament to the legacy of work he left behind. I recently picked up this figure of his distinctive interpretation of Catwoman. Let's take a closer look at her after the break...

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Road to Rogue One: Assault on Scariff from Micro Machines: Star Wars by Hasbro

 More new Star Wars Micro Machines! Even though I've been pretty critical of Hasbro's playsets and their microfigure selections for their revival of Micro Machines, I've loved their vehicles thus far. I was thrilled to find these just a week or so ago (they were nowhere to be found on Force Friday 2016). I was even more thrilled to find this set and the two other larger sets on clearance at my local Wal-Mart for $4 something each. Yup. Rather than clear out some of the older sets to make room for new stuff, my local Wal-Mart has just thrown some new stuff in the clearance aisle. Pretty brilliant, right? It worked out for me and I'm able to check out this cool new set, Assault on Scarif, from the upcoming Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Ready for a look at the five vehicles and 2 figures from this set? Then join me after the break...

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Minifigure Review: Flesh Pack D from Gorelords by Violence Toy

 It's time for the fourth and final review of Gorelords from Violence Toy! I first heard about this series from the Keshi Drop near the end of September/ beginning of October and, after a day or two of debating once they went live, I decided to jump in and pick of the full set of these guys in the classic M.U.S.C.L.E. inspired "flesh" color. I'm a sucker for 2 inch figures in that familiar style and while the bigger companies aren't really producing much, many smaller companies are releasing some truly cool stuff. I have no idea how big of a company Violence Toy is (they seem like a fairly small operation thus far) but they've released a pretty nice set of figures with Gorelords. While every figure in the set might not be to everyone's liking, there really is a pretty diverse range of figures here, so everyone should be able to find at least a few figures they like from the set. Let's take a look at Pack D after the break...

Monday, November 7, 2016

Minifigure Review: Flesh Pack C from Gorelords by Violence Toy

 It's time for a look at the third pack of figures from Violence Toy's Gorelords. I've reviewed the first two packs of minifigures cast in "flesh" toned plastic over the past few days, so go back and check those out if you haven't seen them yet. There's not much more to say as we get started so let's jump right on in and look at these crazy mutant gladiators! More murderous fun after the break...


Re-Halloween Special: Robot Reaper (Midnight Special) from The Worst by Super7

 I'm just going to come out and say it: Robot Reaper is hands down the best figure releases so far in The Worst. Billed as the Robotic Harbinger of Death, the Robot Reaper calls to mind plenty of incredible cybernetic and undead bad guys such as Prime Evil from Filmation's Ghostbusters. While this version from the Midnight Special release is in a blue cloak and the main release will have a black cloak, it would be amazing to see this guy repainted with a red cloak at some point in the future. Wouldn't that just be incredible? Still, as it is, this guy is just to frigging cool. One of the things I love about this line is that these characters kind of look familiar, but they're unique creations. You feel like you might have seen them before, but clearly you didn't. I could see this guy showing up in an episode of Futurama or appearing on the box for an NES game. He's just so darn versatile. Let's take a closer look at the Robot Reaper as part of our Re-Halloween festivities after the break...

Toy Bloggers United Contest #3 Winner Announced!

Happy Re-Halloween, everyone! Today is the day to announce the winner of the Toy Bloggers United Contest for October 2016. This is the third contest and I would definitely like to thank the Harvey Mercheum and Cool & Collected who helped contribute to the prize package this time around. Let me tell you that this prize package is a real gem. I'm honestly going to have to find a box big enough to put all of this stuff in! Action figures, comics, minifigures, pogs, vintage puzzles, out of date calendars; this thing is a veritable treasure trove of goodness. Heck, there's even some Christmas items thrown in for good measure since the winner will probably be receiving this in mid-late November. So let me announce the winner of the grand prize!
Drum roll please and follow me after the break...

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Minifigure Review: Flesh Pack B from Gorelords by Violence Toy

 Today I'm looking at the second pack of figures from Violence Toy's Gorelords and I think that this one is my favorite of the four. Consisting of three Mutant Death Match Fighters, Doc Marauder, Gumongous, and Arthur, this set has three fighters that look like they would fare really well in a gladiatorial arena. These little guys have extremely sharp sculpting and have a nice, solid feel. They're very M.U.S.C.L.E.ish, which is typically some of the highest praise you can give a minifigure. Let's take a closer look at this trio of warriors after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Snake Tut (Midnight Special) from The Worst by Super7

 While I already own one Egyptian styled snake person action figure, that doesn't mean that I'm not up for another one! Super7's The Worst is a really fun faux retro toyline comprised of random villains who kind of look like other characters you're familiar with, but they're generic enough to fit in with a number of other displays. Take Snake Tut here: He could fit in with Super7's retro styled Masters of the Universe figures or chill out with Funko's Universal Monsters Mummy. Heck, he might even want to chill out in the McFarlane Monsters' Mummy playset. With Snake Tut by your side, there's no end to the wacky adventures you might have! Let's take a closer look at this squirmy guy after the break...

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Minifigure Review: Flesh Pack A from Gorelords by Violence Toy

  Hide your wife! Hide your kids! Here come the Gorelords! The Gorelords are a new minifigure series from Violence Toy that just started showing up in early October. Essentially a line of mutant gladiators ("mutant death match fighters"), the Gorelords are nasty, angry, and armed to the teeth. There's something about these guys that feel kind of dangerous. You know, the same way that toylines like Savage Mondo Blitzers, many McFarlane Toys in their prime, and various 80s stuff like Mad Balls or Garbage Pail Kids felt like something you really weren't supposed to be playing with. These were the kind of toys that your mom wouldn't buy you, but your dad might. The Gorelords are divided into 4 sets of 3 and are available in "Flesh" sets or multicolored sets with the figures randomly appearing in 9 different colors. I opted for the M.U.S.C.L.E. standard "flesh" set and I'm looking at Pack A today, featuring Maggotgagger, the Suffer, and Time-Gore. Let's take a closer look at these lords of gore after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Gas Phantom (Midnight Special) from The Worst by Super7

Super7's The Worst is definitely kind of dominating the Re-Halloween celebration this year, aren't they? It kind of helps that I picked these up in mid-October, so the timing was right, but they also feel like a perfect way to wrap up the celebration. Today I'm looking at another figure in the series: The Midnight Special version of the Gas Phantom. The Gas Phantom is the Ethereal Specter of Evil and I'm totally digging his Mike Mignola-esque vibe. Seriously, this dude looks like he would be right at home pestering Hellboy, taunting Batman, or stirring up trouble for Lobster Johnson. While the Gas Phantom absolutely has the retro action figure look down, he really does remind me of Kenner's Mr. Freeze from their Batman: The Animated Series line. Initially I thought this guy was going to be my favorite figure in the set. Is he? Find out more after the break...

Friday, November 4, 2016

Action Figure Review: Wolfman from The Nightmare Before Christmas ReAction by Funko

 Let me just say that I'm absolutely loving Funko's The Nightmare Before Christmas ReAction line. Considering how great the sculpting and attention to detail is on this line, I'm not really sure that it should count as a ReAction line. It just feels like a really good 1/18th scale Nightmare Before Christmas toyline. Yeah, the packages are a bit nostalgic and Jack and Sally might feel like vintage figures, but that's about it. Take the Werewolf here: He's just an incredible sculpt with some really nice paintwork and a pretty impressive accessory. There's not a weak character design in The Nightmare Before Christmas and even though this is a pretty standard wolfman design, it's still a really appealing design. I'm actually feeling very nostalgic for this line considering I owned the vintage figures back in 1993 and this was one of them. Let's take a closer look at this Wolfman after the break and see "howl" he fares. Howl. Get it?

Yeesh. Tough crowd.

31 Days of Toy Terror Lives: Vampire Curia (Pop Version) from Resurrection of Monstress by Yellow Submarine

  I'm back today with another horrifying figure from the 1999 anime influenced line of sexy monster ladies: Vampire Curia from Resurrection of Monstress by Yellow Submarine. Again, this is a line I had never heard of until a few years ago but I've managed to pick up a few of these here and there because they're so crazy, feature cool accessories, and really function as mini-dioramas. Vampire Curia here is a vampire hunter with both demon and vampire blood who is on a personal question to wipe out vampires everywhere. Yes, everywhere! Yellow Submarine released three versions of this figure: A standard version in black, a translucent version, and this "Pop Version" (I don't know what that means, but it's on the package) in bright red which was limited to 1500. Ready for a closer look at this vampire hunter? Then join me after the break...

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Action Figure Review: Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas ReAction by Funko

  While the Nightmare Before Christmas ReAction figures from Funko don't really look that much like the late 1970s/early 1980s action figures that most other ReAction brands pay homage to, they definitely succeed in having their own unique style. Hasbro's The Nightmare Before Christmas toyline was released alongside the film in 1993 and they were definitely not styled like vintage figures. The characters varied quite drastically in size, style, and level of articulation. Oogie Boogie was one of my favorites (I still wish I had my original one) and he was crafted by Hasbro as a hollow rotocast figure that had a slit in it so plastic insects could fit inside. While Funko isn't adding action features to these or using different materials, they definitely are mixing size and style up a bit for this line. Oogie Boogie is part of series 2 and was one of the first figures I grabbed from the set. Ready for a look at the Boogie man? Then join me after the break...

31 Days of Toy Terror Lives: Drude from Monster in in My Pocket by Matchbox


 Today as part of Re-Halloween I'm looking at another figure from the Super Scary Series of Monster in My Pocket: The Drude! Hailing from Germanic folklore, druden are evil spirits that bring about terrible nightmares. Supposedly they sneak into the rooms of sleeping men and possess them, giving their victims horrible dreams. A hag-like being, the Drude (later renamed the Nightmare Witch in MIMP) has the head of an evil witch and the lower-body that looks like...something out of The Thing, actually. This is a really freaky looking MIMP and should give us something nice and spooky to check out during October! Ready for a closer look at the Drude? Then join me after the break...

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Action Figure Review: Clown with the Tear-Away Face from The Nightmare Before Christmas ReAction by Funko

 I know Funko releases these figures under the ReAction banner, but there is nothing about this guy that really feels like a vintage action figure. The Nightmare Before Christmas line overall feels just like a smaller scaled toyline rather than a faux retro toyline. These guys look great and while I've only looked at a couple of the series 1 figures, series 2 has blown my mind. My favorite background Halloween Town resident is without a doubt the Clown with the Tear-Away Face. I actually collected the original 1993 Hasbro line as a kid and this guy was one of the figures I always wanted to make. How funny that movie I loved when I was 9 or 10 which no one else ever seemed to care about for years is now one of the most recognizable pop culture properties out there? Now my daughter loves it, too, so I'm glad that this excellent film continues to delight audiences and give fun creatures for the toy shelf and the toy box. Let's take a look at the Clown with the Tear Away Face after the break...

31 Days of Toy Terror Lives: Howling Wolfinica (Limited Verson) from Resurrection of Monstress by Yellow Submarine

Today as part of 31 Days of Toy Terror Lives I'm checking out an action figure from a series you may have never heard of: Resurrection of Monstress by Yellow Submarine. Released between 1999 and 2001, Resurrection of Monstress was a line that married the concept of classic monsters with a pinup girl aesthetic and goth culture. I really don't remember these at all and I'm not sure where they were sold when they were on the market. I know that I discovered them through a review at OAFE a few years back and since then I've picked these up whenever I get the chance. Today I'm looking at Howling Wolfinica, a musical werewolf hunter who transforms under a crescent moon. Ready for a look at one of the craziest figures you'll see today? Then join me after the break...

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Action Figure Review: X-2 (The Unknown) [Midnight Special] from The Worst by Super7

 
 Today I'm going to be checking out X-2 (The Unknown) from Super7's new line of faux retro action figures, The Worst. The Worst is a series of random villains that could easily be integrated into a number of toylines. There's a bat/dracula hybrid, a guy with a gas gun, a snake mummy, a robotic grim reaper, a skeletal warrior, and X-2, a cyborg assassin. While it's not too common today, back in the 80s (and even 90s) you could find a number of "generic" action figure lines released by smaller companies that actually touted that their figures were compatible with other major brands such as Masters of the Universe, G.I. Joe, or Star Wars. Whether this was to entice kids to pick up some new figures outside of what they already collected or to encourage gift buying relatives to spend less money on a "comparable" toy, these were a fixture at retail for years. That's what The Worst feels like to me: If you're someone who collects these 5 poa figures in the style of Kenner's vintage Star Wars line, you can probably find homes in your collection for the diverse members of the Worst. X-2 could easily fit in with a number of those late 70s and early 80s toylines that dominated toyshelves. Can't you see this guy standing on the bridge of the Executor with Boba Fett and company? Let's take a closer look after the break...

Re-Halloween/ Day of the Dead: Mariachi Skeleton from Imaginext: Collectible Figures Series 7 by Fisher-Price

Today is the second day of the Dia de los Muertors (Day of the Dead) celebration and I figured why not acknowledge it and celebrate it on Action Figure Barbecue as well. You might be expecting some Re-Halloween content, and we'll get there, but let's give another fabulous holiday it's due! Fisher-Price's Imaginext Collectible Figures Series is infamous for giving us some really cool "almost but not quite" variations of popular characters (consider the "not-Jason Voorhees" Zombie or the "not one of the Three Storms" Chinese Warrior) and today we're looking at what is essentially El Mariachi from Robert Rodriguez's Mexico Trilogy (El Mariachi, Desperado, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico) with a calavera . Yeah, they're calling it Mariachi Skeleton, but you're not fooling anyone, Fisher-Price! Let's take a look at this incredibly cool Imaginext figure after the break...