Action Figure Review: Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   Snake Eyes has definitely received the most figures in the G.I. Joe: Classified Series so far but it doesn't feel like he's being overdone. Other than maybe the movie Snake Eyes (who didn't hang around as much as the rest of the movie figures), it's tough to say that any version of Snake Eyes hasn't been a brisk seller. Today I'm really excited to check out the Retro Carded version of Snake Eyes which is inspired by the vintage 1982 action figure. While none have been bad, the Retro Carded figures have been pretty hit or miss as to their desirability (Zartan, Baroness, and Destro were simple repaints while Gung Ho and Lady Jaye had some major differences from their mainline counterparts). Snake Eyes is definitely a hit and it build differently from the previous Snake Eyes figures with a mixture of parts from previous Snake Eyes figures, Stalker, and quite a few new elements. Snake Eyes is definitely the face of G.I. Joe now, hiding his face and being a man of few words. Let's take a look at this impressive Retro Carded Snake Eyes after the break...

Action Figure Review: Cobra Eel from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   Hasbro has been releasing so many G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures recently that it's almost overwhelming, but in the best way possible! I've got a bunch of figures lined up to review with more arriving each day, but today I'm checking out the Cobra Eel, an Amazon exclusive. The original Cobra Eel was released in 1985 as part of the fourth series of figures. While I never had one as a kid, I did have the Eel's unique accessories from one of the weapons packs. My first Eel was the 25th Anniversary version from 2008. The Classified Series Eel does reuse some parts from Torpedo, but there is so much new stuff here that he doesn't feel like a repaint or anything. These guys have been a little tough to get but they do seem to be popping in and out of stock on Amazon. Hasbro will surely rerelease the Eels at some point, too, so patience will hopefully pay off. Let's dive in and look at the Cobra Eel after the break...

Action Figure Review: Sentinel from Marvel Legends Retro Series

 

   Having grown up with the 1992 Konami X-Men arcade game as a staple of arcades and rodent themed pizzerias, I was always down with the sentinels coming in different sizes and colors and having them attack in waves. While I wish that I did have the massive HasLab Sentinel from a few years back, that guy is so massive that I'm not sure where I'd display him. I'm not really sure why I never owned the 1994 Toy Biz Sentinel as a kid, though. Maybe I was just phasing out of the Biz X-Men lines at the time? Anyways, once I saw some pictures of this Marvel Legends Retro Series Sentinel, I knew I had to have him. He's the perfect Sentinel for my collection. For those unfamiliar with the Marvel Legends Retro Series (not to be confused with the Marvel Legends Retro Collection), these are typically 1/18th scaled figures done in a more basic style, kind of like Hasbro's Kenner styled Star Wars figures or Super7's ReAction line. The line is temporarily on an indefinite hiatus, so who knows if it will reappear? The Sentinel was one of the last releases and makes a nice treat for 1/12th scale X-Men collectors, too. Ready to check this one out? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Moss Man from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

   Moss Man is my favorite Masters of the Universe character and I was pretty devastated when my preorder for the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Savage Eternia Moss Man was cancelled earlier this year. It seems like the figure was produced in very limited numbers and has dramatically surged in price. As a consolation prize, I did find the Masters of the Universe Origins Moss Man at a local Walmart quite quickly after he began showing up in stores. The Origins version of Moss Man is a Walmart exclusive and a deluxe release that comes packaged in a really nice window box. Oddly enough, though, he's bizarrely expensive. I've always found Mattel to be really fairly and competitively priced with Origins but Moss Man's $40 price point is quite bizarre. The Walmart exclusive flocked version of Panthor was also more expensive back in 2021 ($15 more than the standard Panthor), so maybe flocking has gotten really pricey since the 1980s? I love Moss Man so much, though, that I had to go ahead and snag him. How is he? I like the figure quite a bit but is he deluxe enough to justify a $20-$22 price increase? Let's find out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Avalanche from Marvel Legends Retro Collection: X-Men by Hasbro

 

    Today I'm looking at another X-Men figure from the Marvel Legends Retro Collection and this time it's Avalanche, the mutant master of seismokinesis. Avalanche was a figure I was really looking forward to as the last version of him released is over 15 years old and wasn't even in Marvel Legends (it was the Toy Biz X-Men Classics version) but when he first showed up I wasn't that impressed with him. I really wanted him to have the character for my Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, but as a figure I thought he seemed dull and so I waited until he was on sale. Well, I found him on sale so now I have Avalanche. I remember wanting Toy Biz to make him as a kid but he didn't appear in the line until after I was mostly through collecting the Toy Biz X-Men line. How do I feel about this figure now that I have him in hand? Well, he's kind of dull. That doesn't really sell the review much, does it? Let's still check him out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Olek Thygar (GraveRing) from Cosmic Legions by Four Horseman Studios

 

   Today I'm checking out Olek Thygar (GraveRing), the last of my Hvalkatar: Book One Cosmic Legions figures. Not only is this variant of Olek Thygar, whose first figure I really liked, but it's also an evolution of the character. This version of Thygar depicts him during his time as a warrior in GraveRing (the secret prison gladiatorial battles held deep within Hvalkatar) but also developing some sort of new powers. Thygar's head has changed and he has new horns sprouting on his head and a larger, almost gem-like marking on his forehead. Combined with his additional hands that look like they're in different gestures, has Thygar discovered some new Force-like abilities that he didn't know he had? That seems very possible! Let's check out the Olek Thygar (GraveRing) figure after the break and see what he's got going for him...

Action Figure Review: Batman & Spawn from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   Batman and Spawn first met in comics back in 1994 but they've never appeared together as an action figure set... until now! As soon as McFarlane Toys got the DC Comics license and started releasing updated Spawn action figures everyone was expecting this set; I'm just surprised it took this long! This set includes two of the biggest characters in comics who also have two of the greatest, most expressive capes in comics. What else is there to say about these guys? Not much! Let's check out the Batman & Spawn 2-pack after the break...

Action Figure Review: Kraggnar from Cosmic Legions by Four Horsemen Studios

 

   I've almost made it through the first series of Cosmic Legions figures that I picked up and today I'm checking out the second of the two heavy hitters in this line thus far: Kraggnar! Kragggnar is one of the prisoners of Hvalkatar who has been thrust into gladiatorial combat. He's good at it, though. Really good. Having four arms and a massive frame, Kraggnar (better known as Kragg) is a Tettroderm from the planet Quarvum and a former architect who probably thought he'd never have an opportunity to utilize both his brain and his brawn like he does in the GraveRing. Hvalkatar sure has an interesting mixture of inmates, huh? Who is sending them there? It seems far more sinister than your average space prison, almost like someone is sending individuals there to silence them for some reason. Who knows? Kraggnar really feels like he captures the space fantasy feel of this series with equal parts sci-fi and barbarian fantasy. Let's take a look at Kraggnar after the break...

Action Figure Review: X-Men Villains from Marvel Legends Series: X-Men by Hasbro

 

   Last month I was at one of my favorite local haunts, Needless Toys and Collectibles, and ended up finding a bunch of the new Marvel Legends Series X-Men stuff. I kind of went wild and grabbed the Banshee, Gambit, and Psylocke set, the Retro Collection Dark Phoenix, and the X-Men Villains 5-pack. This pack is a lot like the previous Amazon exclusive 5-packs but it's also been available on Hasbro Pulse and I found mine at a small shop that has a Hasbro account. This is an interesting set with a really random selection of characters, mostly B and C list villains. They're really not at all connected in any way other than Stryfe and Zero being part of the Mutant Liberation Front, so the theme is rather loose. Other than Stryfe and probably Pretty Boy, this is kind of a "Not quite ready for a main line retail Marvel Legends series players" kind of set. Still, for fans of the X-Men books of the 1980s and early 1990s, there are definitely some figures here that you'll want. I do have to admit that Stryfe and Pretty Boy were the biggest draws for me character-wise while Random was one I wanted just because he existed as a vintage Toy Biz figure. Let's make our way through this mishmash of mutant menaces after the break...

Action Figure Review: Slamurai from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

   Slamurai is one of the members of the Lost Wave of 1988, a group of six figures featured in cardback art by Errol McCarthy who would have been created from all existing parts and released in 1988. They were never made, but folks have been interested in them for quite sometime and they all appeared in Masters of the Universe Classics. This same grouping has also been trickling into Masters of the Universe Origins, a line where reuse and parts swapping is the name of the game. Slamurai is the heroic counterpart of Ninjor and as a figure is mostly a reuse of Ninjor with the basic He-Man limbs. Let's check out Slamurai, the Heroic Master of Martial Arts, after the break...

Action Figure Review: Dark Phoenix from Marvel Legends Retro Collection: X-Men by Hasbro

 

      Today I've got another Marvel Legends X-Men review, and I hope you like it because I have about a dozen more lined up! Today I'm checking out the Marvel Legends Retro Collection Dark Phoenix. I already have the 2016 Phoenix and the Dark Phoenix from the TRU exclusive 2-pack, but I have a hard time turning Jean Grey down, so I jumped at a sale on a loose version of this new version. OK, so, yes, this isn't technically Jean Grey but the Phoenix-Force manifesting itself to look and act like Jean Grey, but c'mon; doesn't everyone refer to her as Phoenix and call Phoenix Jean? Dark Phoenix has an incredible costumes, one of the best, and I like the brighter colors on this one. Plus, she uses a newer, pinless body. Let's check out Dark Phoenix after the break...

Action Figure Review: Ram Man from Masterverse/ Masters of the Universe: New Eternia by Mattel

 

   About a month ago I reviewed the Masterverse New Eternia Buzz-Off, and there's something he has in common with Ram Man: They're both characters whose vintage figures I never owned as a kid but who just seem synonymous with Masters of the Universe to me. I always wanted them, never had them, and they just felt like they were absolutely representative of everything that was MOTU. I now have those vintage figures, including three or four vintage Ram Mans (Ram Men?). Today I'm checking out the deluxe New Eternia Ram Man who certainly serves as an excellent classic Ram Man, but who also comes with some alternate portraits and a harness to create some new and concept inspired looks. In the blurb on the back of his package Ram Man is portrayed as a man of his word but a mercenary as well, working for whoever pays him. Let's take a look at the Masterverse New Eternia Ram Man after the break...

Action Figure Review: Banshee, Gambit, and Psylocke from Marvel Legends Series: X-Men by Hasbro

 

   I haven't reviewed too many Marvel Legends Series figures this year thus far, have I? I have picked up a couple here and there but this year I decided to mainly focus my Marvel Legends collecting on the X-Men. That's my favorite area of Marvel Comics and I have a lot of fond nostalgia for the vintage Toy Biz line, the various early 1990s trading cards, and the animated series. I've also read the X-Men related titles far more consistently than any other Marvel Universe stuff (at least the pre-2000 books), so deeper cut characters and such are exciting to me. Last month I was visiting Needless Toys & Collectibles and found quite a few of Hasbro's newer X-Men releases. I'd been waiting to see them in person and decided to jump on this set when I found it. I've really, really been wanting a Banshee figure and I love the look of the team in matching uniforms from the cover of X-Men #275. To get all of the team in these outfits Hasbro has released two 3-packs (this one and one with Storm, Forge, and Jubilee) and a retro carded Wolverine. I've since snagged all of them, so expect reviews of these and plenty more X-Men Marvel Legends in the days ahead. Despite the popularity of Gambit and Psylocke, Banshee is the big draw here since the last time he had a figure in the first series of Hasbro Marvel Legends back in 2007 (the Annihilus series). Let's take a look at these three X-Men after the break...

Action Figure Review: T.U.5.C.C. Engineer from Cosmic Legions by Four Horsemen Studios

 

   Today I'm taking a look at the third T.U.5.C.C. legions builder in the Hvalkatar: Book One series of Cosmic Legions figures: The T.U.5.C.C. Engineer. The Engineers fill multiple roles, serving as the personal caretakers and bodyguards for Highwarden Slogg and seeing to the general upkeep of Hvalkatar. The armor of the T.U.5.C.C. Engineer is very similar in design to that of the Science Officer and Sentry, but is shaped just a bit differently as this particular Engineer is female. Like the other T.U.5.C.C. troops, the Engineer is available at a slightly lower price due to her being an army builder and having fewer paint applications, probably to allow for easier customization. I liked the designs of the other two figures and decided to scoop up the Engineer after having those two in hand, mostly because I like the color scheme. Ready to check out the T.U.5.C.C. Engineer? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Python Crimson Guard from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   Hasbro continues their Target exclusive Python Patrol and Tiger Force repaints with the Python Crimson Guard. The Python Crimson Guard was indeed one of the releases in the vintage 1989 subset from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, though he wasn't one I had as a kid (I had the Python Viper, Tele-Viper, Officer, and Copperhead). I'm sure he gets a lot of flak for being not all red despite being a Crimson Guard, but plenty of groups and such are named after colors but don't always sport those colors. It's not like the Green Berets where their green berets no matter the environment, or that the divisions of SEAL Team Six which are given color designations dress head to toe in those colors. The Crimson Guard usually wears red, yeah, but they can still work as part of the Python Patrol. Of course, they're also a popular figure and having them in Python Patrol makes for an easy repaint. Ready to check out Python Crimson Guard? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Sphexxian Block Commander from Cosmic Legions by Four Horsemen Studios

 

   It's time to get cosmic again! Today I'm checking out another Cosmic Legions figure from Four Horsemen Studios and today it is the Sphexxian Block Commander, the leaders of the Sphexxian Prison Guards of Hvalkatar. The Sphexxians are an insectoid species from the planet V'zapir and they're pretty imposing. They're not really taller than the other figures in the line but they look large due to their body shape and their wings. Need someone to try keeping the members of GraveRing in line? The Sphexxian Block Commander just might be your guy. Let's check him out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Arctic B.A.T. from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

  

    An arctic version of the Cobra B.A.T. isn't a new concept, but it's not been done too many times before. An Arctic B.A.T. came out in 2006 or so in one of the 2.5 inch G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 Mission Series sets (Mission: Avalanche) and was included in 2014 in the 50th Anniversary Arctic Assault two-pack, so this is only the third time we're seeing an Arctic B.A.T. figure. Unlike last year's Python Patrol B.A.T. or the Crimson B.A.T. from earlier this year, this guy isn't just a repaint of the standard Cobra B.A.T.; Hasbro really put in some effort to change this guy up with new parts and some new accessories. It might sound a bit unusual to say this considering Hasbro's wonky pricing in their licensed brands, but this guy actually feels like a deluxe figure despite being just a normal release. Besides having a nice amount of accessories, there are also multiple ways to customize the Arctic B.A.T., too, so if you're army building you can have some nice variety. Let's hope for some cooler weather and take a look at the Arctic Viper....

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

 

   There are a lot of great Batman stories. Dozens. Heck, probably hundreds. Even you try to start picking the best of the best, well, the list just gets longer and longer as you think of more. And more just keep coming. What's my favorite? I'm honestly going to say that it's Knightfall. Right now I'm enjoying the privilege of rereading Knightfall with my daughter and we're having a blast (we're currently on Knightquest: The Crusade- vol 2). She's around the same age as I was when the story was originally released and while I certainly wasn't be to keep up with every issue, I remember very much following what was happening through random issues and the series being discussed in magazines and such. If you're going to read the series, pick up the 25th Anniversary editions published from 2018-2019 as they cover the story from Vengeance of Bane to the Troika storyline, ending with Vengeance of Bane II. Now, all that is just a preface to say that I'm really excited for this Knghtfall version of Batman. Personally, McFarlane Toys could just keep releasing Knightfalland Hush related figures from now on and I'd be OK. Well, maybe some from Night of the Owls, the Rebirth Detective Comics, and Batman Eternal as well.... Let's take a look at this fantastic Jim Aparo inspired Batman after the break...

Action Figure Review: Zeerian Spyre from Cosmic Legions by Four Horseman Studios

 

   I've still got a few Cosmic Legions figures left to review and while she's the sixth figure I'm reviewing from the Four Horsemen's new line, Zeerian Spyre was one of the two figures I preordered (along with Olek Thygar). Zeerian Spyre is a phenomenally nice looking figure with a really cool soft goods cloak and some excellent accessories. She's also a significant character in the Cosmic Legions mythos as she is the one who discovered the regenerative formula, Thryxium, which is at the heart of Hvalkatar's mining and production operations. Zeerian Spyre (better known as Zeeri) is a Zuvan bioengineer from the planet Theerius who eventually joined a mysterious organization known as The Mortal Thorn before being imprisoned in Hvalkatar, where she has jointed Olek Thygar and the other members of GraveRing. Let's check out all that this figure has to offer after the break...

Action Figure Review: Batman (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns) Jokerized from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   Today I'm checking out the first "Jokerized" figure from McFarlane Toys' DC Multiverse line that I've reviewed on the site: Batman from Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. While there have been a couple Jokerized variants early on, the Jokerized line thus far has been exclusive to Target and features previously released figures with a wild new Joker inspired paint job and some additional playing cards covered with Joker inspired artwork. These have actually been really divisive among DC Multiverse collectors, but they seem to be selling well. As someone whose DC Collecting is largely focused on Batman and who has a specific Joker shelf, many of these have actually appealed to me, especially this Dark Knight Returns version of Batman. I love this costume design and I really like this basic figure. I have the standard DKR Batman from the build-a-horse series and it's one of my favorite McFarlane Batmans to date. This is a Gold Label exclusive to Target and features a funky Joker paint scheme, kind of like something you'd see on a variant cover or in some sort of hallucination. Let's take a look at the Jokerized Batman from The Dark Knight Returns after the break...

Action Figure Review: Dusty (Tiger Force) from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

    The classic desert camo version of Dusty came out last year (though I reviewed him in early January), so this year we're getting the Tiger Force variant.  As I said in that review, I was really excited for Dusty to make it into the Classified Series as not only do I like the character but the 2010 Pursuit of Cobra redesign of the character is one of my favorite 1/18th scale G.I. Joe figures ever. I was really hoping that Hasbro was going to take some inspiration from that excellent variant but, alas, Hasbro pretty much phoned in an updated version of the vintage toy. I'll be honest and just say flat out that I do like the Tiger Force version of Dusty better than the standard version. Some of that is because the Tiger Force color scheme makes for a more interesting figure, but it's also because the Tiger Force version was the one I had as a kid. As someone who didn't get into G.I. Joe until 1986 at the earliest (though it could have been early 1987), those Tiger Force and Python Patrol variants were how I acquired so many of the recognizable characters like Bazooka, Duke, and Flint. This Tiger Force Dusty is a Target exclusive, though I got mine through Hasbro Pulse. I've actually had him since the end of July; it's just taken me a bit to get around to him with so much new stuff coming out! Let's check out Dusty after the break...

Action Figure Review: Mara Jade from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase IV by Hasbro

 

   I liked The Mandalorian season 3, I still love the Marvel Star Wars comics, and I'm very much enjoying Ahsoka, but I do have to say that Hasbro's Star Wars: The Black Series offerings haven't done much for me this year to date. I'm finding that sets are either just very overpriced at MSRP or they feel too much like simple repaints and kitbashes. Thus far this year the only other new Black Series figure I've purchased was Doctor Aphra, part of the same series as the Mara Jade figure I'm looking at today. Mara Jade was a huge part of the Star Wars galaxy when I first got into Star Wars back in 1995 as a sixth grader and she was a major player in the Expanded Universe books and comics. While those stories have been relegated to the Legends at this point, Mara Jade is one of the most popular characters who hasn't found her way back into the main canon/ new canon. I still remember how excited I was when Mara Jade showed up in Galoob's Micro Machines Epic Collections and when Kenner released her in the Power of the Force 2 Expanded Universe line. Now, about 10 years into the Black Series, we have Mara Jade in the 6 inch scale. She appeared in video games, radio plays, multiple novels and comics, was portrayed in official photography by model Shannon McRandle, married Luke Skywalker, served Emperor Palpatine, and became a Jedi Master. She's well deserving of a Black Series figure, don't you think? Mara Jade is part of the 5 panel boxed figures designed to look like books which feature characters largely from the comics and books and are sold as Fan Channel exclusives with a $3 dollar price hike. Ready to see how Mara Jade turned out? Let's check her out after the break...

Action Figure Review: Superman Vs. Doomsday from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   Looking back about 30 years now, the Death of Superman really seemed like a big deal. I remember my dad coming home from work and telling my mom and I that he'd heard it on the radio. Yeah, Superman didn't stay dead for long (who has in comics?), but the story is well known and has been adapted and retold many times over. McFarlane Toys definitely seems to be hitting some of the highpoints of the DC Universe lately, at least from the last 30 years or so, and the Superman Vs. Doomsday set pays homage to the well known storyline. Or does it? Well, it seems this set is actually based off of the 2011 "Reign of Doomsday" event, which I'm not very familiar with, even though Superman's collectible card shows the cover from "The Death of Superman." I certainly didn't buy this set because of the 2011 event, but that definitely seems to be where most of the inspiration for it comes from. It's a Target exclusive Gold Label set and it's still available, but is it worth buying? I actually have some problems with this set and find it to be a fairly weak release. Ready for a review tacking Superman Vs. Doomsday? Then join me after the break...