Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Action Figure Review: Captain Phasma (Quicksilver Baton) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 Earlier this year something pretty peculiar popped up completely announced from the wintry wilds of the Great White North: An exclusive Captain Phasma action figure was popping up as an exclusive in Canadian Toys 'R Us stores. It was pretty interesting as this figure hadn't been announced or teased in any way that I'm aware of; she just started shipping. Since SDCC 2018 we've learned that this new version of Captain Phasma from The Last Jedi, marketed as Captain Phasma (Quicksilver Baton), will appear in the US as a Disney Store exclusive at some point. Who has time to wait for that? I managed to get her through my secret network of Bothan spies and now we have a review of a new Captain Phasma action figure from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III. No Bothans died in bringing you the following review although one developed a bit of gout from eating too much Rancor jerky....

Monday, August 27, 2018

Toy Review: Land Rescue Convoy from Matchbox: Jurassic World by Mattel

   There is nothing I love more than when a toyline starts to go deep. I'm talking releasing characters and/ or vehicles that you didn't even know existed deep.  Yeah, I always expect/ hope/ pray that a Star Wars, Marvel, or DC toyline will go deep, but when something else does? It's crazy. Remember Toy Biz's Lord of the Rings line? They released an action figure of Theodred who is pretty much a toy of a dead guy. That's deep. With Aliens and Predators, NECA is releasing Kenner themed variants and creatures. That's deep. Remember Ghostbusters Minimates? They released a figure of the Mayor. That's deep. One of the recent lines that is going unexpectedly deep is the Matchbox Jurassic World line. Mattel just keeps cranking out Jurassic Park themed vehicles and, considering they're cool and a buck or so, I'm happy to keep buying them. Today I'm checking out the new 5-pack Land Rescue Cnovoy. Jurassic Park vehicle super expert Kooshmeister recently informed me that this set was coming out soon and I was delighted to find it at my local Wal-Mart on Saturday evening. The Land Rescue Convoy features a nice mixture of vehicles from Jurassic Park and Jurassic World (up until this point Jurassic Park vehicles seemed reserved for the Target exclusive Legacy Collection only), and costs less than $5 bucks. How could I resist? Let's check this new set out after the break...

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Hokey Halloween Horror: Caramel Apple Mike and Ike

    Halloween candy has officially been in stores for a couple of weeks now but when I saw these Caramel Apple Mike and Ikes I could not resist. I knew I had to review these because 1. I like Mike and Ike and 2. The packaging is kind of fun. It's not all out Halloween for Mike and Ike (this isn't Mummy Mix, after all) but it is definitely fall. Caramel apples, falling leaves, and a brilliant orange background just put me in that wonderful, magical autumnal mood. Seriously, as I'm looking at this I'm pretty darn sure that I hear the ghost of Vivaldi playing the Autumn from the Four Seasons on my front lawn. Or maybe I've just eaten way too many Mike and Ikes. Who knows? Anyways, let's explore these delicious little delicacies after the break...

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Minifigure Review: Rogue Goldsnatcher from Treasure X by Moose Toys

    While I'm currently working on lots of reviews for this year's Halloween countdown, The Revenge of 31 Days of Toy Terror, and thus saving up most reviews of spooky toys for October and Re-Halloween, I've decided that I'm going to go ahead and review the Treasure X guys I've been picking up lately. They're pretty popular right now and I'm anxious to show off who I've picked up. Today I'm checking out Rogue Goldsnatcher, a member of The Bling Bandits. Dang. Rogue Goldsnatcher. That's a flipping cool name. I'm not planning on having any more kids but if I were that's a name I'd throw in the hat. Imagine how far you'd go in life with a name like Rogue Goldsnatcher. That's a perfect name for a globe-trotting treasure hunter, a repo man, or one of those folks who chills out at the farmers market on Saturday mornings to talk about compost and sell homemade goat soap. Rogue Goldsnatcher, indeed. Anyways, Rogue Goldsnatcher was the second figure I dug up and I purchased him the same day that I bought my first Treasure X figure, Goldblade. Ready for a quick look at Rogue Goldsnatcher? Then join me after the break...

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Action Figure Review: Enfys Nest's Swoop Bike/ Enfy Nest from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 Solo: A Star Wars Story is probably tied with Rogue One as my favorite Star Wars film of the Disney era (I need to give it a few more watches) but I think it is safe to say that the release of Solo, as a whole, was an absolute mess. Where do I begin? The toyline launch was sparse and incredibly confusing (many retailers didn't seem to know of any street dates/ launch dates), the film's marketing seemed to struggle in winning over movie-goers, and the film came out less than six months after another Star Wars film (the ever polarizing The Last Jedi). For whatever reason, this caused the film to bomb at the box office, which really sucks. Of course, we're here to talk more about the toys rather than the film and today I'm checking out one of the most mysterious characters from the film: Enfys Nest. Well, Enfys Nest and her Swoop Bike. Enfys Nest, played by Erin Kellyman, was marketed as a very mysterious character (with her gender hidden until the film was released) but, oddly, Hasbro didn't release her until a couple of months after the film hit. She shipped in July and I've been meaning to get around to check her out. Let's take a look at the fifth release in the Black Series Phase III "vehicle" sets after the break...

Friday, August 17, 2018

Minifigure Review: Goldblade from Treasure X by Moose Toys

   Halloween is quickly approaching, so here is a skeleton to start your day off right! The other day I did an overview of the process of opening a Treasure X minifigure from Moose Toys. Long story short, Treasure X is a "blind bagged" minfigure line consisting of articulated skeletons and treasure chests hidden in a block of sand that you have to actually dig open and put together. It's an incredibly cool concept and it seems like it's doing a great job of capturing the attention of kids and collectors. I picked up two of the sets the first time I found these and the first figure I discovered was Goldblade. A member of The Blade Brigade, Goldblade is a skeletal samurai treasure hunter. I really dig him and have been excited to check him out. Goldblade also came with the Jade Fortune Cat treasure. The treasures are also randomly inserted, so just because you get Goldblade doesn't mean you'll get the Jade Fortune Cat. Let's dig in and take a look at Goldblade after the break...

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Excavating a Treasure X Figure from Moose Toys

    As we are approaching the Halloween season and all of our thoughts turn to moldy tombs, ancient curses, and spooky skeletons, I think I speak for everyone when I say that we will definitely be spending some time talking about Treasure X from Moose Toys. Treasure X is the newest blind bagged minifigure sensation from Moose Toys, creators of Shopkins, the Grossery Gang, Pikmi Pops, Trash Pack, and other currently popular toys and like those other toys it relies on a careful blend of mystery, marketing, and legitimately cool minifigures. Having a soon to be five year old daughter who adores these miniature toylines like Shopkins, Hatchimals, Flush Force, Num Noms, and the Grossery Gang and, being a minifigure collector myself, these were definitely on my radar. The concept of Treasure X is that each $10 package involves a 10-stage treasure hunt to unearth a skeletal treasure hunter and an ancient treasure that could actually be gold plated (that's kind of the "chase" aspect of the line). I'll be reviewing a couple of the minifigures themselves separately over the coming months but today I want to simply go over the concept of the line so you can get an idea of how it works. Ready to get digging? Then grab your shovel and join me after the break...

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Minifigure Review: 20-Pack Figure Collector's Set (Series 4) from DC Nano Metalfigs by Jada Toys

   Yesterday a fellow collector and Nano Metalfigs enthusiast emailed me asking if I knew about this new 20-pack of DC Nano Metalfigs from Jada Toys (thanks, Joe Mama, if that is your real name!). I had heard about it and, in fact, I've actually had this one sitting around for a few weeks. Today seems like as good a time as any to review it, huh? It's no secret that Jada Toys' DC Nano Metalfigs line is one of my favorite toylines out there right now.  There's just something I love about it and Jada keeps putting out some cool releases. As of this set's release we are up to 113 unique figure releases for the DC line which is pretty cool. Of course, there are lots of variants and repaints in this series and this 20-Pack shows off how those repaints can turn out to be really, really cool or really, really dull. Sadly, the set only features one all knew sculpt, Nightwing. I'm sure we'll see him again down the road somewhere, but for now this is the only way to get him. Let's check this set out after the break...

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Action Figure Review: Han Solo (Exogorth Escape) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    To be honest there weren't really that many SDCC exclusives that I had to have this year. They either didn't impress me that much or were so incredibly difficult to come by that I didn't even bother with them. Of course, considering that Star Wars: The Black Series is pretty much my favorite line out there these days there was no way I was going to pass up this version of Han Solo in his "Bespin" jacket from The Empire Strikes back. Similar to exclusives from previous years like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kylo Ren, Luke's Landspeeder, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Jabba the Hutt, and Boba Fett with Han Solo in Carbonite, this version of Han Solo is being released as a standard release simply called Han Solo (Bespin). Of course, that version misses out on all of the great accessories this figure has meaning that if you want the Mynock, hydrospanner, and other cool extras, you're going to have to pick up the exclusive complete with the SDCC tax. Since I didn't want any other SDCC exclusives this year I didn't mind going ahead and order this one on the secondary market. It turns out that he's probably one of the best Black Series figures that has been released yet though not without some faults. Let's check it out after the break...

Friday, August 10, 2018

Toy Review: '97 Mercedes-Benz ML320 from Matchbox Jurassic World: Legacy Collection by Mattel

 A month or so ago I was roaming through Target when I stumbled upon single packed Jurassic World: Legacy Collection '97 Mercedes-Benz 320 from Matchbox. It turns out that the single packed Mercedes-Benz from The Lost World is actually a bit different than the version included with the somewhat more easy to find Island Explorers 5-pack. Disappointingly, it's just a paint difference and not a different model (as there were actually different models of the car used in the film with various extra accoutrements to differentiate them). This is still the Montana model, and it's the vehicle that doesn't get used in the film but instead gets left behind in Eddie Carr's garage. The Fontana and the Santana are the two that actually get used, so why they didn't get made in this line I have no idea. Want to check out this car to see the minor differences from the 5-pack version? If so then join me after the break...

Confirmed Epic Podcast #101: Halloween 2018 Preview





It's August which mean's on The Confirmed Epic Podcast  it's time kick off the Halloween Season.  The Epic Review and Action Figure Barbecue are proud to present: Hokey Halloween 2018.

On episode #101 of The Confirmed Epic Podcast join the ghoulish duo of The Reel Brad Bell and Jerry 'Barbecue 17' Reed as they preview what the Halloween season has in store for us this Fall in film, television, and collecting.  We will also reveal what we have in store for you this Anthology August, Slasher September, and the month of October.  

Let us know what you thought about the podcast in the comments below or follow and tweet us @thereelbradbell  


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Support the podcast with some our Confirmed Epic Podcast merch. found at teepublic.com/user/thereelbradbell


Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on iTunes just search for: The Confirmed Epic Podcast 



You can always email any questions, comments, and concerns about the show to thepicreview@gmail.com

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

My Pumpkin Collection: Jack the Pumpkin King from Walgreens


Here's another item from my Pumpkin Collection: Jack Skellington as the Pumpkin King! Jack is one of my favorites and his pumpkin headed visage has been an inspiration to me. This was a small plush figure offered as a Walgreen's exclusive a year or two ago. Walgreen's gets some great Halloween items and Nightmare Before Christmas stuff and I'm always excited to see what pops up there every year.

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

My Pumpkin Collection: POP! Movies Sam from Trick 'r Treat


  Here's another item from my pumpkin themed collection: Sam from Trick 'R Treat! I own a few different Sam figures, one of which is this spooky Sam from Funko's POP! Movies brand. I've had him for quite a few years now and he's definitely one of my favorite POP! figures. Check out my full review of the original toy!

Monday, August 6, 2018

My Pumpkin Collection: Scarecrow from the Playmobil Mystery Figures


   I actually have a collection of toys that are all pumpkin headed characters (just like me!) and I'm going to show off some of them over the next few months. Check out this very cool Scarecrow from Playmobil's Mystery Figures set. He was available in a blind bag and I reviewed him a few years back during a previous Halloween season. What do you think? What kind of pumpkin headed action figures do you own and collect?

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Action Figure Review: The Joker from Batman Missions by Mattel

    It's been about a month since I reviewed Harley Quinn from Mattel's new evergreen Batman line, Batman Missions, and today I'm going to be reviewing another figure in the line: The Joker! I actually got the Joker around the same time as Harley but somehow he got stuck on the back burner so I'm reviewing him now. Interestingly enough, I just saw these figures on store shelves for the first time this past week. Target had a small peg of these (mine only had two figures) in their new reset of the toy section, so if you're looking for these in stores that's the first place to check. Pretty much every Batman line includes a figure of the Joker but it's still always interesting to see what toy companies do with him. Let's check out Mattel's new version of the Clown Prince of Crime after the break...

A Spooky Specter!





  

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Action Figure Review: Gamorrean Guard from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    I was very, very excited to find the Target exclusive Gamorrean Guard on a Target run this past Thursday. While I love the Black Series it definitely has a severe shortage of aliens, particularly aliens from the Original Trilogy. The Gamorrean Guards are some of my favorites and I'm pretty excited to finally get them. We've had Jabba the Hutt for quite some time now so it's nice to finally have some other characters to pal around with him. The Gamorrean Guard is a portly figure and, unusually, costs $30 bucks at Target. Usually exclusives cost a few bucks extra but the Gamorrean Guard is about $10 bucks more. He's definitely heftier than most figures, so maybe that's the reason why? To be honest, I wanted him so bad that I didn't care; I just bought him. Let's check him out after the break...

Haunt the Halls: Peanuts Halloween Sound Clock

   Today I'm checking out the newest item in my Halloween collection: A Peanuts Halloween clock! I'm not really sure when this was released but similar clocks in similar packaging have a special logo for the 50th anniversary of Peanuts, so that would put this as possibly being released sometime around 2000. My parents were in town visit this past week and they brought this to me and the little one. It was a yard sale found and I think they paid less than a dollar for it. Even if the clock hadn't worked, I kind of feel that would have been a bargain thanks to the colorful artwork that depicts Lucy as a princess, Charlie Brown as a pirate, Linus in a wizards hat (it's definitely not a full costume, so maybe Linus wasn't planning on coming along originally), Lucy as a fairy, Woodstock as a bat, and Snoopy as a vampire. I love vampire Snoopy! We live near Carrowind's theme park and Vampire Snoopy shows up during their Great Pumpkin Festival every October! Of course, throwing some batteries in the clock revealed to us that it still works. It turns out, this clock has some spooky surprises in store...

Friday, August 3, 2018

A Short Tribute to Monster Party





  Today I want to spend a few minutes paying tribute to one of my favorite Nintendo games of all time: Monster Party! Released by Bandai for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989, Monster Party is one of the strangest, and possibly one of the best, NES games released. I've recently hooked up my original NES again and had the chance to play the game for an hour or so which reconfirmed my nostalgia that Monster Party is indeed a pretty decent video game. It plays a lot like Castlevania due to its theme, use of a life bar, and reliance on fighting bosses and some mild exploration, but instead of a whip swinging vampire hunter you play as Mark, a baseball bat toting average kid who is tasked with helping a winged alien named Bert rid his home world of monsters. It's a side scrolling platformer with a few unique twists as Mark can use his baseball bat to knock most enemy projectiles back at them and a magic pill of some sort allows you to play as the flying alien Bert who can fly over most of the level and shoot energy projectiles. The game is legitimately fun to play and has a password system so you can actually finish it.

Toy Review: Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5020 from Matchbox: Jurassic World by Mattel

    Today I'm serving up another review of a vehicle from the Matchbox: Jurassic World line of miniature vehicles from the Jurassic Park film series. Today I'm checking out the Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5020, a vehicle that appears in some way in both Jurassic World and Fallen Kingdom and has one of the longest names for a toy car I've ever heard. Mercedes-Benz Unimog trucks appeared in Jurassic World but this specific model seems to be from Fallen Kingdom as it is the truck that Claire, Owen, and Franklin use to drive onboard the mercenary boat. This is part of the second series of vehicles that began showing up after the film's release at the end of June. I'm really impressed with how many vehicles Mattel has offered up in this line and I hope we get some more Legacy Collection vehicles in the future. For now, let's check out this cool, covered truck after the break...

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Halloween Decorations I Keep Up All Year Long!

    Every year on August 1st when I officially declare that the 99 Days of Halloween have begun (the Reel Brad Bell called me yesterday to wish me a Happy Halloween, so you know that means the 99 Days of Halloween is totally a real thing) my wife always acts like she has never heard of this tradition and begins to comment that it's too early to put up Halloween decorations. While we do have an understanding that outside decorations cannot go up until after my birthday in mid-late September, I absolutely begin to sneak some inside decorations up during August. Of course, there are a few decorations that I leave up all year long! Now my famed hobby room certainly has some stuff up all the time, but that's a toy collection and museum so it is more acceptable to have weird stuff in there. The rest of the stuff, though? Somehow I've managed to convince my wife that these are perfectly acceptable year round. First up is a felt image of me, your old pal Barbecue17! He hangs on the door of my study that is right off of our main entryway and greets people year round while simultaneously guarding my study from Halloween Haters. Of course, that's just the tip of the eerie iceburg...

A New Batgirl Review: Unmasked Batgirl from DC Super Friends by Fisher-Price

    It's been quite some time since I last reviewed a Batgirl action figure but I was traveling last weekend and on a stop at a Target looking for the Star Wars: The Black Series Gamorrean Guard (no luck yet) I did manage to find the Unmasked Batgirl from the Imaginext: DC Super Friends series 5 blind bags. I haven't picked any of the blind bagged figures up before as I don't really collect these but you just know I had to track down Babs. Fortunately, some person with no patience came along before me and opened all of the bags, meaning that I didn't have to feel around for which bag Batgirl was in; it was easily visible! I don't advocate opening toys before you buy them but I certainly can sympathize with the frustration blind bags and blind boxes cause. They are downright evil and need a champion to stop them in their tracks. A champion like...Batgirl! By the way, if you're looking for this figure look for the stamped #67 on the back top left of the package. More after the break...

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Toy Review: Armored Action Transporter from Matchbox: Jurassic World by Mattel

   While it's not spooky or anything, I still am going to be reviewing another Jurassic World vehicle today as I have a few left that I hadn't checked out yet. Today I'm looking at the Armored Action Transporter, a vehicle Mattel has apparently made up for the Matchbox toyline. While it is based on the Armored Action Truck/ BAE Systems Land & Armaments Caiman, this particular design seems to be just a creation that looks like it could have been "just off screen" during the scenes on the island in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Let's take a look at this cool transport truck after the break...

The 99 Days of Hokey Halloween Starts Today!


Happy August 1st!

You know what that means, right?

It's time for the 99 Days of Halloween to begin!

That's right... we celebrate Halloween for 99 days here at Action Figure Barbecue. That's all of August, all of September, all of October, and the 7 days of Re-Halloween!

We're going to start things off slow this year as the main influx of toy reviews won't start until October (This year: The Revenge of 31 Days of Toy Terror!)

The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler, and things are about to start getting a whole lot spookier...