Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Action Figure Review: Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

   I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! With all of the cooking I've been doing (and eating) and a house full of family, I took some time away from reviewing stuff. I'm back now, though, and this time I'm checking out another figure from the newest series of Star Wars: The Black Series figures. This time it's Lando Calrissian in his Skiff Guard disguise from Return of the Jedi. Isn't it interesting how Jabba's Palace is pretty much the most toyetic part of the Original Trilogy and yet it's one of the scenes we've received the least amount of product from in the Black Series. What do we have from there other than Jabba and a Gamorrean Guard? Both of Leia's costumes and... that's it, right? I mean, I know R2-D2 came with Luke's lightsaber and Bossk and Dengar are in the background, but Jabba's Palace been pretty underutilized by the Black Series thus far. We need Bib Fortuna and we need him now! Anyways, this release of Lando in Tamtel Skreej's outfit gives us another figure from Jabba's Palace and another version of Lando (we now have half of his OT outfits!). Let's check him out after the break...

Friday, November 23, 2018

Action Figure Review: Fang-Or from Masters of the Universe Classics by Super7

    Guess what it's time for? Another Masters of the Universe Classics review! Today I'm checking out the third figure I've looked at from Super7's first series of new MOTUC figures and it's a new character: Fang-Or, the Freakishly- Fanged Snake Men Warrior. Well, Fang-Or isn't new but this is his first action figure. Fang-Or first appeared in one of the MOTUC minicomics (The Second Ultimate Battleground) and was created by Scott Neitlich to be a new character for the MOTUC storyline. He's easily one of the best new characters to come out of the MOTUC era due to how well he fits in with the Snake Men faction. Heck, if you showed him to someone who wasn't obsessed with Masters of the Universe they might believe that he was a character who existed in the vintage line. He's a great design and while he might seem like a strange choice for Super7's first series of Collector's Choice figures, he definitely is a solid one. Let's check him out after the break...

Monday, November 19, 2018

Action Figure Review: Wrap Trap from Masters of the Universe Classics by Super7

    Today I'm checking out the third figure from the second series of Super7's Masters of the Universe Classics figures and I'm thrilled that it is Wrap Trap, AKA the Horde Mummy. Based on a concept drawing by Ted Mayer, the Horde Mummy has been known to the fan community since 2001 when he was first shown to the public in issue #89 of Tomart's Action Figure Digest. He's been one of my favorites unproduced concept characters since I first learned about him and I really am glad that Super7 turned him into a toy. Like Karg, Wrap Trap seems very influenced by Tom Bryski's concept art from Brian Rooney's The Fwoosh article about potential MOTUC characters (they called him Wrapper, but I like the old fan name, Fear-O, better). I'm a sucker for the horror themed MOTU characters and I really hope we get the concept green witch at some point, too. Maye in the soon to be announced Series 3 of the Collector's Club? Let's take a closer look at the horrific Horde mummy, Wrap Trap, after the break...

Confirmed Epic Podcast #102: Stan Lee Tribute Show





After a long parenting hiatus The Confirmed Epic Podcast is proud to present your regularly scheduled programming.  Starting with episode #102 The Confirmed Epic Podcast is back weekly!

Unfortunately we have some sad epic news that brings us back to the mic with the passing of Marvel Icon: Stan Lee.  Join The Reel Brad  Bell and The Mother of Beagles herself: Abby as they countdown the Top 10 best Stan Lee Cameos of all time, and celebrate the positive impact that Stan and his creations have had on their lives.  You also will not want to miss The Reel Brad Bell's retelling of his epic meeting with Stan Lee at Heroes-Con 2012.

As always we will get into what we have been checking out (Hereditary, Scream Magazine, Crazy Rich Asians, and Mondo's new Matt Ryan Tobin A Quiet Place Vinyl) as well as the epic news items of the week (Game of Thrones Season 8 Teaser Trailer, the Toy Story 4 Teaser Poster/Trailer, Jack White in a Star is Born, and the new Child's Play remake Teaser Poster).

You can always contact the show directly at thepicreview@gmail.com

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Action Figure Review: L3-37 from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    Today I'm checking out another figure from the newest series of Star Wars: The Black Series figures and this time it's a character from Solo: A Star Wars Story: L3-37. A droid who is constantly improving herself, often literally, L3-37 has oddly became a popular character to hate on by many Star Wars fans. Portrayed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, L3-37 is a a droid companion of Lando Calrissian who has cobbled herself together from a variety of droid pieces. She's also very interested in the concept of droid rights, and it seems to be for this reason that the character is getting so much hate. While C-3PO wasn't what anyone would call an activist, aren't there plenty of times when he opines about how droids are treated? It seemed like a logical perspective for an in-universe character to have to me. Anyways, I'm still mystified why Hasbro didn't release many of these main Solo characters when the film was released but we're just now getting a few of them so let's check out L3-37 after the break...

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Action Figure Review: Kane from WWE Zombies by Mattel

  While I ordered the rest of WWE Zombies series 3 from Ringside Collectibles, they didn't have Kane in stock when I made my order. I ended up stumbling across Zombie Kane at a Wal-Mart near my office, which was pretty cool. I wasn't expecting the WWE Zobmies to appear in retail stores yet so making an in-person find was a real treat. Kane definitely seems to be the most popular of the series 3 figures, probably because he's been wrestling for over 25 years and you'd have to be living under a wrestling ring to not know who he is. Heck, the man just wrestled at Crown Jewel recently in a tag team with his "brother," the Undertaker. Wrestler. Insurance Salesman. Dentist. Mayor of Knox County, TN. Christmas Creature. Movie Star. World's Greatest Director of Operations. The Devil's Favorite Demon. Kane is all of these things, and more. He's the Big Red Machine and now he is a zombie. Let's check him out after the break...

Friday, November 16, 2018

Action Figure Review: Imperial Patrol Trooper from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    The first time I saw Solo I immediately pointed out the Patrol Trooper in the film and leaned over to my wife to tell her "I hope Hasbro makes that guy." Guess what? They did! Now, I cannot began to reason why Hasbro didn't release the Patrol Trooper with his C-PH patrol speeder bike, but they didn't. That would have been like getting a Scout Trooper without a speeder bike. Still, at least we got the troop and he makes for another nice addition to the ever growing Imperial legions that Hasbro has been cranking out. This guy is part of the newest series of Black Series figures, so he comes shipped along with some really amazing figures. Is he up to par? Let's check him out after the break...

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Action Figure Review: Shinsuke Nakamura from WWE Zombies by Mattel

    Today we're checking out the zombie version of Shinsuke Nakamura, the King of Strong Style, but there's a catch! He's a zombie! Yup, it's time for another review from series 3 of Mattel's WWE Zombies line and this time it's Shinsuke Nakamura dressed in one of his very cool outfits that really seems to bear a resemblance to Michael Jackson's outfit in Thriller. It's a cool not and the bright red outfit makes Shinsuke stand out in this line. Let's get ready to check out a review of a zombie who makes a better entrance than nearly any other after the break...

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

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

    Recently I ended up with the newest series of figures from Star Wars: The Black Series and I think it is easily one of the best series of figures they've released yet. Today I'm checking out Dengar who may very well be the best figure in the series. In fact, Dengar could quite possibly be the best figure released in 2018. When I originally began collecting the Black Series I wasn't planning on going all in; my goal was to pick up cool figures I liked until I assembled the six bounty hunters from The Empire Strikes Back. Well, that plan changed, didn't it? Still, assembling the crew of bounty hunters has been my number one goal in this line and I'm glad to say I've accomplished it. It may be a week or more until I get around to reviewing Zuckuss but I now have him, I'm checking out Dengar today, and I've reviewed Boba Fett, Bossk, IG-88, and 4-LOM. It doesn't get any better than this, right? Let's check out Dengar and see why he's one of the best releases of 2018.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Minifigure Review: Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, & Andre the Giant from M.U.S.C.L.E.: WWE by Super7

    Today I'm checking out the fourth and final set of Super7's WWE M.U.S.C.L.E. figures which are exclusive to Ringside Collectibles and, brother, are you getting a trio of pure power right here. Not are you getting some top tier sports entertainers but you're also getting some major acting power, too. First up is "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, not only of the best wrestling heels of all time (and a trainer for the Iron Grenadiers) but also the star of  John Carpenter's "They Live." Next up is Andre the Giant, an absolute legend, the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame, and one of the stars of The Princess Bride, and, lastly, the Macho Man Randy Savage, easily one of the best guys on the mic ever and the actor behind Bonesaw McGraw in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man. Let's check out this group of champions after the break...

Monday, November 12, 2018

Action Figure Review: Admiral Piett from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

  While this is the first Christmas season in a few years that we don't have a Star Wars movie to look forward to, that doesn't mean that Hasbro is skimping on the toys. 2018 has probably been the best year ever for the Black Series since the line debuted in 2012 thanks to the robust character selection and the newly debuted face printing technology. While Hasbro certainly has delivered a fairly robust Solo line this year, they've also done a fantastic job of filling out the cast of the Original Trilogy. In that respect it's kind of nice to have a large gap between The Last Jedi and Episode IX as it gives Hasbro more time to focus on releases from previous films. There have been a lot of exclusives this year (it's really quite crazy) and one of them is the shared online exclusive I'm reviewing today: Admiral Piett. Appearing in both The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi, Admiral Firmus Piett is the commander of the Executor, replacing the late Admiral Ozzel. Other than Grand Moff Tarkin, Admiral Piett is easily the most quotable of the Imperial officers so enjoy having Piett opine on bounty hunters, talk about older codes, or simply respond to Darth Vader. There's no end to the fun you'll have with Admiral Piett! Let's check this one out after the break...

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Minifigure Review: Ric Flair, Iron Sheik, & "Mean" Gene Okerlund from M.U.S.C.L.E.: WWE by Super7

    Woo!!! Today I'm checking out some more WWE M.U.S.C.L.E. minifigures from Super7. We've got the great humbler Iron Sheik, "Mean" Gene Okerlund (Gene Mean was the best man at the Iron Sheik's wedding!), and Ric Flair, the stylin', profilin', limousine riding, jet flying, kiss stealing, wheelin' n' dealin' son of a gun! Woo!! This is a pretty cool trio of figures and definitely a fun group to have in scale with your classic M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. Super7 has done a nice job with these minifigures which are exclusive to Ringside Collectibles. Let's check these minifigures out after the break...

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Action Figure Review: Stridor from Masters of the Universe Classics by Super7

    One of the last releases in Mattel's Masters of the Universe Classics was Night Stalker, who came out in October 2016. Although Stridor wasn't officially announced by Super7 until April of this past year I think we all knew he was coming. Night Stalker and Stridor are really and truly the same toy with different paint schemes. Super7 put Stridor on preorder from April to May and then delivered him over the summer. I just got picked mine up last week, however, and man, does he look nice! As Mattel was phasing out of MOTUC there were definitely a few purchases I held back on at the time but now I'm catching back up and gathering up some of the late Mattel and early Super7 releases I missed out on. Stridor was a huge want for me as I remember getting the original toy in the two-pack with Fisto for Easter (probably in 1987). Ready to check this updated version of Stridor out? Then join me after the break...

Friday, November 9, 2018

Minifigure Review: Million Dollar Man, Sgt. Slaughter, & "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan from M.U.S.C.L.E.: WWE by Super7

 "Let's get ready to...review some minifigures!!!" On Tuesday I reviewed one of the four sets from Super7's classic WWF themed M.U.S.C.L.E. figures (of course, they're legally still labeled WWE) and today I'm checking out another one. This set includes three more WWE Superstars: The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, wrestling star and G.I. Joe team member Sgt. Slaughter, and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, the winner of the first ever Royal Rumble. While I'm disappointed that Super7 has gone the blind boxed Keshi Surprise route for the new She-Ra minis, I'm happy to say that the WWE M.U.S.C.L.E. figures are some of the best that Super7 has released. Let's check out this classic trio after the break...

Thursday, November 8, 2018

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

   Today I'm checking out another Masters of the Universe Classics figure from Super7's continuation of the line: Hawke. While she's based on her Filmation appearance, Hawke appeared in both the Filmation series and in the 200x MYP series as one of the Avionian Bird People. In the Filmation series Hawke is just a random traitorous Avionian but in the MYP series (and in Classics canon) she is Stratos' heroic sister. Of course, what's interesting about this figure is that she includes an alternate head to turn her into Delora. Delora is Stratos' sister in the Filmation series (she's basically Hawke with blonde instead of red hair) but in the minicomics and various storybooks she is Stratos' wife. Sister/ wife/ random antagonist; makes sense. Hawke has long been one of the most requested figures for MOTUC and while she is very Filmation inspired, Super7 put her in the Collector's Choice/ MOTUC line. She was part of the first series that was released this spring and is definitely one of the figures I had heard some less than favorable things about. Want to check her out a bit more closely? Let's get it started after the break...

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Action Figure Review: Granita from Masters of the Universe Classics by Super7

    Today I'm checking out another figure from the newest series of Super7's Masters of the Universe Classics figures and this time it's the third member of the Comet Warriors: Granita! Way back in 2013 I reviewed the SDCC 2013 set of Rokkon and Stonedar, the two Comet Warriors from the vintage MOTU line, and here we are a little over five years later finally completing the trio. Granita was apparently originally planned for the vintage MOTU toyline at one point but never made her way to toy shelves. She did, however, make two appearances in the Filmation She-Ra: Princess of Power series (The Rock People and The Light of the Crystal) and it's probably for that reason that she has long been one of the most requested figures. While Rokkon and Stonedar had vintage figures to base their MOTUC classics figures off of, Granita only had her Filmation appearance. She fits quite nicely into the MOTUC line (she is quite similar to Tim Bryski's proposal art) and completes the Comet Warriors faction, so that's a big plus. Unfortunately, she does have some problems that definitely seem to make her the least well received figure of series 2 of Super7's MOTUC. Let's check her out after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Power Up Space Jump Pumpkin from The Grossery Gang: Time Wars by Moose Toys

    Happy Re-Halloween! Halloween 2018 was filled with some really great stuff, wasn't it? It's been a pretty good one and I'm excited to wrap it up with a look at a pretty cool pumpkin based action figure from the Grossery Gang: Time Wars toyline by Moose Toys. Today we're checking out Power Up Space Jump Pumpkin, a radical cybernetic pumpkin who apparently can travel through time like a gourd version of the Terminator. I actually own a nice handful of Grossery Gang minifigures but this is the first of the larger action figures that I've owned. I believe these are supposed to be powered up versions of the regular minis, and thus these are in scale with those figures (technically, at least). These have been rather difficult to find as the distribution has been fairly limited. They're quite cool though, although I did limit my self to just the Pumpkin since y'all know how much I love anything related to pumpkins. Let's check out the Power Up Space Jump Pumpkin after the break...

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Minifigure Review: Jake Roberts, Ultimate Warrior, & Junkyard Dog from M.U.S.C.L.E.: WWE by Super7

    A year or so ago Super7 showed off these very cool classic WWF WWE minifigures from their M.U.S.C.L.E. revival. It's been a long time with little to no information but last month they popped up as exclusives as Ringside Collectibles. There are four packs of these guys and each set is filled with three figures of some of the biggest Superstars of the 1980s and early 1990s. The first set includes Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Ultimate Warrior, and Junkyard Dog. It's pretty cool to have actual WWE Superstars in the M.U.S.C.L.E. style since the original M.U.S.C.L.E. figures appeared during the then WWF's massive surge of popularity in the mid 1980s. Let's check out these three small sports entertainers after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Freddy Krueger from Savage World: Horror by Funko


    We're almost to Re-Halloween and I've decided to pull out one of the big guns again: Freddy Krueger! This isn't just any old Freddy Krueger, though; this is the Savage World Freddy Krueger from Funko! Imagine Freddy if he were running amok in a barbarian fantasy world such as darting across the Dark Hemisphere of Eternia or plaguing the children of Hyboria and this is what you might get. I reviewed the Savage World Michael Myers last month so you probably know that these are Funko's take on horror icons if they had existed as 5 and a 1/2 inch Masters of the Universe styled action figures. These are a bit more modern in design, however, with overall better sculpting than you might have expected from the 1980s. The charm is still there, however, so let's check out another of these charming, creepy cretins after the break...

Monday, November 5, 2018

Action Figure Review: Matt Hardy from WWE Zombies by Mattel

    I'm going to keep it simple: This is an action figure of a zombified Matt Hardy that can split in half. It's three crazy things (zombie wrestler, Matt Hardy, and a toy that splits in half) that make this figure exponentially cooler than anything else you'll find. Matt Hardy may or may not be retired now but there is no doubt the man is a future hall of famer (possibly two time hall of famer for both himself and his tag team work with Jeff Hardy as the Hardy Boyz) and has made a huge impact in the WWE. He's also known for being insanely entertaining and has been well known over the past couple of years for his Broken/ Woken gimmick. Of course, now he's a green zombie that splits in half. Literally "broken" you might say, eh? Let's check out the incredibly cool zombie Matt Hardy after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Vampire & Monster 9307 by Playmobil

    For today's Re-Halloween special I'm checking out final of the three Halloween 2-packs released by Playmobil for Halloween 2018: The Vampire & Monster! These are definitely not the first figures of a Vampire or a Monster released in the Playmobil line, the ability to snap them up in one set for about $6. This another set I snapped up from the incredibly cool Dancing Bear Toys in Hendersonville, NC at the beginning of October, so these cool little guys have been chilling with me for most of the Halloween season. Let's check out this spooky duo after the break...

Sunday, November 4, 2018

Minifigure Review: C-3PO from Kinder Joy: Star Wars by Ferrero

    I'm a sucker for any candy product that also gives me a cool minifigure. While I like Yowie the best, Kinder Joy is a pretty cool product, too.  Kinder Joy has released a number of licensed Kinder Eggs such as Frozen, Marvel, Disney Jurassic World, Disney Princesses, and now Star Wars. Last week I was at the store grabbing something before Halloween (I really don't remember what) but I discovered these at the register and had to snag one. I'm a sucker for anything Star Wars and some candy with a Star Wars toy included was absolutely irresistible. When I opened my Kinder Egg I discovered C-3PO inside, although I almost didn't recognize him because of the red arm. Let's take a quick look at this mini C-3PO after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Sally (D30) from The Nightmare Before Christmas Metalfigs by Jada Toys

    I reviewed the Jack Skellington Metalfig during The Revenge of 31 Days of Toy Terror and now I'm going to check out the second figure in the set: Sally! I picked these up at Walgreens near the end of September and, thus far, these are the only two figures I've seen in person (although I've seen images of a Zero and Jack as the Pumpkin King). These little metal figures are fun and while I don't like them as much as the Nano Metalfigs, they're still pretty cool. Let's check out Sally on today's Re-Halloween special after the break...

Saturday, November 3, 2018

Action Figure Review: Stormtrooper (Mimban) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    While we're still smack dab in the middle of Re-Halloween I'm jumping back in to reviewing some action figures I've acquired over the past few weeks. Lots of cool new stuff has come out lately and today I'm checking out a new figure from Star Wars: The Black Series: The Mimban Stormtrooper! Officially known as the Wet-weather gear Stormtrooper, these troops wear modified basic Stormtrooper outfits in order to fight off the wet and swampy terrain of the planet Mimban. Man, how cool is it that Solo used Mimban? Mimban first appeared in Splinter of the Mind's Eye (which I believe was the second Expanded Universe novel I ever read!) and has shown up a number of times over the years. Man, Solo was filled with great references to the Star Wars universe, wasn't it? Anyways, the Mimban Stormtrooper is a Wal-Mart exclusive and, fortunately, it seems like he's quite readily available. I've seen these guys in their distinctive black and grey packaging at nearly every Wal-Mart I've been too so hopefully that's a good sign. Let's check out the Mimban Stormtrooper after the break...

Re-Halloween Special: Orc Legion Builder 3 from Mythic Legions by Four Horsemen Studios

  For today's Re-Halloween review I have to give thanks to Zack Fenton, a friend I met on the one of the Mezco: One:12 Collective Facebook groups. Zack sent me this figure as a bonus during a trade we made back in July or August and I really appreciate it! Thanks again, Zack! I try to mix up everything in 31 Days of Toy Terror and Re-Halloween so I decided that a monstrous Orc would be a great addition to the line-up. This is actually the first Mythic Legions action figure I've owned, which might surprise you. Mattel's Masters of the Universe Classics is one of my favorite toylines ever and, in some ways, Mythic Legions is kind of a spiritual successor to that line. I really like the look of the figures but the fact that they typically have been sold in huge sets has kind of turned me off. There are quite a few lines lines like this that I have been interested in (Mythic Legions, Vitruvian Hacks, Zombie Lab, and Dime Novel Legends all come to mind) but the amount of product offered at once combined with the price tag kept me from hopping in. I collect a lot of stuff and currently can't commit at once to that much product, sadly. Of course, there is no reason I can't cherry pick, right? This Orc is officially named Orc Legion Builder 3 and he is specifically an army builder figure. They tend to run about $10 bucks cheaper than the named characters and while they have a bit less paintwork, they're useful for serving as generic villains. There really isn't a comparable Orc figure in MOTUC, so that's probably where he'll end up in my collection. MOTUC needs more Orcs! Let's check him out after the break...

Friday, November 2, 2018

Re-Halloween Special: Werewolf & Witch #7309 from Playmobil

    Playmobil had quite a few Halloween themed releases this season. So many, in fact, that I'm having to squeeze a few of them into Re-Halloween! I reviewed the Mummy & Grim Reaper set a week or two ago so now it's time to check out the next of the three Halloween 2-packs for 2018: The Werewolf and the Witch! This is a very colorful set and it is another one that I picked up during an early October visit to Dancing Bear Toys in Hendersonville, NC. Ready to check out these two spooky Halloween icons? Then join me after the break...

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Re-Halloween Special: Halloween Witch by DTSC Imports

    Halloween may have come and gone now but guess what? There's still a lot to look forward too! Candy is on sale, Halloween decorations are on clearance, and we still have next week's Re-Halloween to look forward too! What's that? You're not familiar with Re-Halloween? Then you better check this out! OK, up to spooky speed now? Then let's check out the first toy in our Re-Halloween countdown: A spooky electronic Halloween Witch from DTSC Imports. This actually isn't mine, though. It belongs to my daughter, Aly Fox. My mother bought it for her for Halloween back in 2017 and we really like it. It has lights, sound, and a motion sensor. Aly Fox tends to not turn it off, though, and it has scared me on more than one occasion during a late night trip to the kitchen. I've seen these at many dollar stores, specifically at Dollar Tree. There's also a ghost that is pretty similar (we have it, too). Let's check this Halloween Witch out after the break...