Happy Halloween 2023: The Masque of the Red Death from Figure Obscura by Four Horsemen Studios

 

   Happy Halloween! Before we delve into today's spooky review, let me thank everyone who has dropped by Action Figure Barbecue for this year's installment of 31 Days of Toy Terror. I know that now most folks are into posting collecting stuff to sites like Instagram and Facebook and doing video reviews on Youtube, but I still love the traditional website and blog format. If you stopped here this year, thank you so much! Your comments, emails, and using me as a reference at any point is what keeps me going. Also a huge thank you to cryptkeepers Michelle and Dex at Countdown to Halloween who have kept the excellent Halloween Countdown running. Your efforts are truly appreciated!

  Now, onto the October 31st review: The Masque of the Red Death from the Four Horsemen Studios' Figure Obscura line. This was a huge surprise dropped by the Four Horsemen at the end of last month and it really delivers up a cool horror legend for fans of horror literature and 19th century Gothic spookiness. Last year the Four Horsemen gave us the Headless Horseman, so its pretty incredible to see them taking on another literary classic. Based on Edgar Allen Poe's 1842 short story "The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy"), this figure depicts the Red Death, a supernatural personification of the story's titular plague who pays a visit to the masquerade ball held by Prince Prospero. The masquerade (or masque) is intended to be a sort of quarantine, keeping the prince and 1,000 other nobles away from the common folk afflicted with the disease. It's not a long story though it's definitely worth a read if you're not familiar with it. In fact, the figure actually includes a small, illustrated book of the story. Ready to check out the Red Death? Then join me after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Black Falcon from The Worst Ultimates by Super7

 

   Black Falcon is definitely my least favorite figure from Series 1 of the Worst ReAction figures that I reviewed back in 2016. Let's be honest: When you're going up against a vampire bat, a Mike Mignola-esque armored guy with a gas gun, and a snake headed mummy, an armored skeleton is a bit tame. The Worst typically have really strange designs but Black Falcon comes off as a pretty standard skeletal villain you'd see in Dungeons & Dragons, Lone Wolf, or The Elder Scrolls. As a larger figure, though, Black Falcon is cool. Very cool. He's actually quite impressive, which is nice as I had forgotten I had preordered these figure back in February of 2022 so they surprised me when they showed up at the end of last month. We're just a day from Halloween, so let's celebrate with an evil, undead skeleton! Let's check out Black Falcon after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Zarak from Dungeons & Dragons by NECA

 

  Since we've made it through all 26 letters of the alphabet I've got a few days to do some random stuff. Today my frightening figure selection is Zarak from NECA's Dungeons & Dragons toyline. 2023 has been a huge year for Dungeons & Dragons toys! Hasbro released has released figures based on the 1980's cartoon series and figures based on the film and various novels and manuals in the Golden Archive collection, Super7 has ReAction figures based on vintage artwork, and NECA has started a line based on the vintage 1983 LJN toyline. The first two figures came out at the beginning of 2023 (Warduke and Grimsword) but I initially skipped them as I don't really have any nostalgia for the LJN toyline. I never owned any except for a Bugbear and an elf I found at a yard sale as a kid and I'm not sure I ever even knew the line existed (I wasn't born until '83). When I saw Zarak, though, I was immediately tempted. The vintage figure is just OK, but NECA's take on this Half-Orc Assassin is incredible. This year for my birthday I went with my family to an incredible toy shop (Needless Toys & Collectibles in Lincolnton, NC) and was given the chance to pick a few things out. Zarak was one of my gifts and, wow, I'm absolutely loving how devious he is! He's cool, sneaky, and really quite creepy, too. Let's check out Zarak after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Dr. Hyde from Rambo: The Force of Freedom by Coleco

   Wow! Now that we've successfully gone through all of The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror, I guess we can just go home now, right? As if! We've still got a little under a week left and I'm planning to fill it with as many terrifying toys as I can. Today I'm really excited to show off a particularly rare figure from my collection that I've had in my possession since originally procuring it at a Toys 'R Us as a kid: Dr. Hyde from Coleco's Rambo: The Force of Freedom. Military based cartoons and toylines had a surge in popularity thanks to Hasbro's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and Coleco's Rambo toyline was one of the best. If there is still a vintage action figure line that needs to be revived, it's between Rambo and Hasbro's C.O.P.S. for me. I loved both of those lines as a kid and still have them.

   Dr. Hyde is a creepy character who was part of the second series of figures. He even appeared in the accompanying animated series, too. A dishonorably discharged army surgeon convicted of war crimes, Dr. Hyde's face was reconstructed after an undisclosed accident, or possibly just due to him experimenting on himself. Now enclosed in a dome that enhances his vision and toting around oxygen tanks, Dr. Hyde is a cybernetic warrior for the evil S.A.V.A.G.E. and an enemy of Rambo. Let's take a look at Dr. Hyde after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Zartan (Retro) from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   

   Today's the last day of the ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror, though there are still a few days till Halloween, so for those I'm just going with some other special stuff I want to review. Today, though, we've got the Retro version of Zartan from Hasbro's G.I. Joe: Classified Series. This figure is based on the standard Classified Series figure from 2021 but has a color scheme closer to the vintage toy and comes on one of the rather sharp looking (but flimsy) retro styled cards. Zartan isn't your typical monster or creature of the knight but he is kind of spooky. Hypnosis. Mystical Powers. Shape shifting. Wears a belly shirt. Man, he's downright terrifying! Let's take a look at the Walmart exclusive Retro Collection Zartan after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Y is for Bela Lugosi as Ygor from Universal Monsters Reaction by Super7

 

   Today for The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror we've got Ygor for the letter Y! Yes, Ygor. Not Igor, Ygor. That's actually what he's called on the packaging for the figure and in the the material for 1939's Son of Frankenstein. The lab assistant for Dr. Frankenstein in the original film was named Fritz, but Bela Lugosi's character is Ygor, a blacksmith with a broken neck from an unsuccessful hanging attempt who has an axe to grind with the people who attempted to execute him. I love how deep Super7 has gon with their Universal Monsters Reaction line and I hope they keep going! For now, let's check out Bela Lugosi as Ygor after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: X is for Xenomorph Newborn from Alien Reaction by Super7

   Hey, look! It's another Xenomorph on the countdown! I was really struggling with finding something for X and decided to go with a Xenomorph. I didn't want to review another Kenner figure but I have  this Super7 ReAction the Newborn from Alien Resurrection as part of my Aliens collection and decided he'd be a perfect fit. Despite Alien Resurrection being fairly unpopular, I've always thought the Newborn human/ alien hybrid was a creepy creature design. I remember seeing the film at a dollar movie back in early 1998. My mom didn't want to see the movie so she took my friend and I to a dollar theater, bought three tickets, got us in the theater, and went and saw something else. Few toy companies have released merchandise from the film but when they do it usually is this guy. Or girl. The film model had both male and female inspired genitalia, though it was removed in post production. Different sources have referred to the Newborn Xenomorph as being male or female. The Newborn alien is born via livebirth rather than from an egg but I don't remember it being covered in blood like this. It definitely makes for a more gruesome figure, though. Let's check this little tyke out after the break...

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

 

   Y'all know that Hasbro's G.I. Joe: Classified Series is pretty much my favorite toyline out there right now. Honestly, it's become one of my favorites ever, even eclipsing my beloved G.I. Joe: Sigma 6. Hasbro has been putting so much G.I. Joe: Classified Series stuff out there lately that I'm way, way behind in reviewing it all! I've had the Cobra Valkyries for well over a month but I'm just now getting around to checking them out. Female Cobra Troopers actually appeared in the Sunbow animated series and were released by the G.I. Joe Collector's Club in a few different sets. We're building a huge Cobra army in the Classified Series and Hasbro decided to help us out by releasing two Cobra Valkyries in one set. Now, I will say that while this set does have some deluxe elements to it like lots of firing effects, it still feels like Hasbro seems to misunderstand the idea of buying in bulky. Why are there Marvel Legends, Star Wars: The Black Series, and G.I. Joe: Classified Series multi-packs always more expensive than buying two normal figures? What a weird concept! Fortunately, this set is a good one and it comes with lots of great stuff to full equip the Valkyries. We don't get file cards or bios anymore but there is a blurb on Hasbro Pulse that says: "The Cobra Valkyries stalk the battlefield as 'choosers of the slain' ushering any enemies who cross their path straight to Valhalla." That's pretty grim and definitely makes them seem like some sort of elite unit, though it could always be bravado. Still, darn cool stuff. Let's check out the Cobra Valkyries after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: W is for Wurdulac from Monster in My Pocket by Matchbox

   Monster in My Pocket always has a place in 31 Days of Toy Terror and today, representing the letter W, is the Wurdulac from the fourth series of MIMP minifigures. The fourth series was called the Super Scary series and the figures were a little bit larger, had higher point values, and even had a couple paint applications. Today I'm checking out the Wurdulac, one of my child original MIMPs. According to the Monster in My Pocket lore, the Wurdulac is: "European; a ravenous vampire who torments loved ones and places them under his spell to carry out his deeds."

   It's actually a creature from Slavic folklore with roots in Serbia and Russia. The Wurdulac is kind of like a vampire but it often feeds on the blood of it's own family, eventually desiring to turn them all into wurdulacs like itself. It also might have some connections to werewolves as it's name is a corruption of the western Slavic word volkodlak, which refers to someone who wears the fur or hide of a werewolf. Apparently in older Slavic mythology, the soul still roamed the world 40 days after the death of the body, but if someone was so evil that they were denied entry to the world of the dead, or if they died suddenly, violently, or with improper funeral rites, their soul could return to their body. The name gained more popularity because of the  1839 Aleksey Tolstoy novella "The Family of the Vourdalak."  The Wurdulac has even made an appearance in the horror anthology Black Sabbath and there are Canadian and Norwegian death metal bands named after the creatures. Pretty spooky stuff, right? Let's check out our representative of the letter W, the Wurdulac, after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: V is for Vampira from Vampira ReAction by Super7

 

   I actually struggled to find someone for V in my collection but fortunately I had two figures on the way, both which qualified. Vampira came in first so she wins the coveted spot in the countdown! It also is fitting that she arrived first because while the idea of a horror host is just a cultural staple and something of an archetype these days, Vampira was the first. Maila Nurmi created the character and the concept and everyone following in her footsteps owes her a lot of credit. Elvira, Joe Bob Briggs, Svengoolie, Penny Dreadful, Peter Vincent, Dr. Gangrene, Zombo, Coffin Joe, all of those fine folks and more have followed in Vampira's footsteps. Most modern goths, too. It's a real shame that she might be most well known for appearing in Ed Wood's Plan 9 From Outer Space or as being played by Lisa Marie in Tim Burton's Ed Wood rather than as the innovator that she was. Super7 has just released her as a ReAction figure so she can hang out with other horror greats on your shelf, particularly the large cast of Universal Monsters figures. NECA has a Toony Terrors figure of her out right now as well, so Vampira is getting quite a bit of attention at the moment from toy makers. Let's take a look at Vampira after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: U is for Umbreon from Pokemon: Let's Go Eevee Evolution Series by Funism

   For today's installment of the ABC's 31 Days of Toy Terror we have a guest from my daughter Adora's Pokemon collection: Umbreon from the Let's Go Eevee Evolution Series by Funism. This is a blind boxed import set of all nine forms of Eevee (so Eevee and the eight Eeeveelutions) featuring nine different minifigures, each with their own unique decorative display base and a foil card. By purchasing a case we ended up with the full set and Adora got these at the end of the school year back in late May. They're a really nice set of decorative figures and since Umbreon is my favorite of the Eeveelutions, fits the Halloween theme, and helped me cover the letter U, I decided he'd make a great review. For my daughter's Eevees, all of the Eevees and Eeveelutions are girls expect for the Umbreons, which are all boys. Let's take a look at this very cool Umbreon after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: T is for T-1 Terminator from Terminator Salvation by Playmates

   Hey kids! Want to hear a story about a true haunting? It's the story of the Playmates Terminator Salvation toyline, released in 2009, and how it haunted the action figure aisles for years to come! Ooooohhh! Try as they might, no retailer could get rid of it!

   Ok, yes, the Terminator Salvation toyline was not very impressive, even by 2009 standard; incredibly bland figures, a lack of likeness rights, and too many scales. It didn't help that the movie wasn't particularly well received, either. These figures sat on shelves for what felt like a few years, even at clearance prices. I think at some point I had grabbed a couple of the smaller figures on deep clearance just for the accessories, but the only figure I went out of my way to pickup when the line was new was the T-1. Part of the 1/12th scaled "deluxe" line, the T-1 was actually scaled more properly to the smaller 1/18th scaled figures. These battlefield robots first appeared in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and had a larger role in Salvation. I grabbed the figure because it reminded me of something that could have popped up in Kenner's 1993 Terminator 2: Future War toyline. It's a killer robot, so perfect for some toy terror, right? Let's check out the T-1 after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: S is for Skeletor (Savage Eternia) from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe by Mattel

   Well... it's about time that Skeletor showed up for this year's 31 Days of Toy Terror! Remember the year that the theme for 31 Days of Toy Terror was Skeletober? That was crazy! This year Skeletor isn't showing up nearly that much, but he has to make his presence known for the letter S, doesn't he? Today I'm checking out the Savage Eternia Skeletor from the Netflix inspired He-Man and the Masters of the Universe toyline. The toyline really fizzled out this year as the show has ended, leaving some of the latter figures, like Moss Man, to be incredibly rare. Having my Moss Man preorders cancelled drives me nuts! That's some toy terror, right there (he's my favorite character, after all). Skeletor isn't as common a you'd, but he's not fetching the crazy prices of Moss Man. the Savage Eternia moniker showed up on both new versions of He-Man and Skeletor as well as on Hordak, Mer-Man, and Moss Man. My assumption is that this was Mattel's attempt to refresh the line until another season was greenlighted and completed or to just keep things going if it proved to be a success, but these have mostly just been showing up at select e-tailers and at places like Ollie's. We definitely have had multiple Skeletors in the line previously, but this one looks way cooler. Is he a better figure? Let's find out after the break...

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

 

   It's no secret that I love Masterverse and the Masters of the Universe: New Eternia figures are my favorites of all. Today I'm checking out Whiplash, one of the newest New Eternia releases. Like with most of the New Eternia figures, Whiplash works perfectly well as a new take on the character (inspired by vintage concept art) and a straight up classic version of the character. I've been hoping that we'd get a MOTU: Revelation version of Whiplash with his Motherboard outfit on but this guy is still a very welcome treat. In the information on the back of the box we learn that Whiplash is the leader of the Caligar, a species living in the Demon Zone. The cataclysmic event mentioned in some of the other bios opens a portal between Eternia and the Demon Zone, allowing the Caligar to invade Eternia.  Ready to check out Whiplash, the Tail-Thrashing Warrior? Then join me after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: R is for Robot Reaper from The Worst Ultimates by Super7

 

   I reviewed the original "Midnight Special" variant of the ReAction Robot Reaper back in 2016 as part of the Re-Halloween festivities so it's kind of fitting that I'm reviewing the Ultimates version as part of 31 Days of Toy Terror. The ABCs of Toy Terror, more precisely, and today R stands for Robot Reaper. Robot Reaper is my favorite character of the series 1 The Worst crew and I'm really glad to have the Ultimates version. I actually forgot that I had preordered this guy directly from Super7 (though that was back in February of 2022) so he surprised me when he just showed up out of the blue at the end of September. I picked up the series 1 The Worst Ultimates last year but I wasn't overly impressed with them. They were nice looking and quite funny, but there were lots of weird little QC errors and stuff that was downgraded from the sales renders. How did Robot Reaper turn out? Let's find out the facte of this binary bad guy after the break...

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

 

   The slow but steady series of reviews of the Marvel Legends X-Men series with the Ch'od build-a figure continues and today I'm looking at Emma Frost. This version of Emma Frost is in her costume from her time as part of the Astonishing X-Men series, so she's not a villain here and can pal around on your shelf with the other heroic mutants. See the X-logo on her belt? Yup. She's one of the good guys. Emma Frost has received quite a few figures from Hasbro over the years, so Hasbro clearly views her as a pretty popular and bankable character. Ready to take a closer look at this incredibly powerful mutant marvel? Then join me after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Q is for Quasimodo/ Lon Chaney as the Hunchback of Notre Dame from Universal Monsters ReAction by Super7

   Q is for Quasimodo and while this figure isn't billed as Quasimodo on the package (he's listed as "Lon Chaney as the Hunchback of Notre Dame"), we all know that's his name. We here today about how Hollywood can't release anything new, but did you know that when Universal Pictures released The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1923, directed by Wallace Worsley, the book had already been made into a movie six times prior. Lon Cheney's version is undoubtedly the most famous adaptation simply because of Lon Chaney's performance. The man owns the film and really shows off his uncanny acting skills which will shock you. He conveys emotion amazingly, particularly for this being a silent film. This version of Quasimodo is from Super7's Universal Monsters ReAction line. I collected all of Funko's 2014 Universal Monsters ReAction figures, but Super7 has had the license and the ReAction brand name for a few years now and they've been going much deeper than Funko. Quasimodo is part of the third series of figures. Ready to check out one of the most famous bell ringers around? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: The Joker- Sonar Vision (The Dark Knight) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

   Today I'm looking at the third and final of the McFarlane Dark Knight Trilogy SDCC 2023 exclusive figures that are also being sold on McFarlane Toys Store and this one, well, this one isn't any better than the last two. Besides being about $8 to $10 dollars higher than a normal figure, Bane in his Trench Coat was pretty much the same as the basic figure but with fewer paint applications and no extra hands. The Bank Robber Joker was actually a pretty nice figure but he definitely needed an accessory or two, especially given the inflated price. This guy, well, he's a translucent blue version of the Joker. He's based on a scene near the end of 2008's The Dark Knight where Batman uses the sonar vision to infiltrate a building where the Joker and his goons have taken multiple hostages. Maybe if this had been paired with a version of Batman with the white lenses and some additional gadgets it would have made more sense but, as is, it comes off like a bizarre ghost of the Joker variant. Let's take a look at the Joker- Sonar Vision after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: P is for The Phantom of the Opera as the Masque of the Red Death from Universal Monsters: ReAction by Super7

 

   We have to have something from the silent era for 31 Days of Toy Terror, so let's bring on the Phantom of the Opera! Back in 2014 Funko released Universal Monsters ReAction figures, but just a few years later Super7 began releasing the ReAction line on their own and greatly expanded their offerings. They also improved the quality of the line and still continue to release figures in the ReAction product range today. In 2018 Super7 released a variant of the Phantom from the Lon Chaney film, clad in his red robes and skull costume based on Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death." The Phantom wears this disguise during a masquerade ball in one of the scenes in the film which features color, a pretty shocking thing to see in a mostly black & white silent film. I picked this guy up a year or two ago assuming that I'd get around to checking him out for 31 Days of Toy Terror at some point and, lo and behold, he's proving us with the letter P for the ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror. Join me after the break....

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: O is for Graf Orlok (Black & White) from Silent Screamers by Aztech Toys/ Art Asylum

   I love digging out some old favorites from my collection and today I'm very excited to show off one of my Silent Screamers figures: Graf Orlok from the 1922 film Nosferatu. I still will argue that even with the advances in makeup, special effects, and CGI over the past 100 years, it's pretty difficult to find onscreen monsters as oddly unsettling and terrifying as Max Schreck's Count Orlok (Graf is the German equivalent of a count). Back when McFarlane Toys had just begun to create toys for an untapped horror market with their 1998 Movie Maniacs line, Michael Markowitz (better know as Mez, the founder of Mezco Toyz) partnered with Art Asylum in 1999 under the brand name of Aztech Toys and released Silent Screamers in 2000, stylized figures based on iconic characters from silent films. Aztech Toys apparently went out of business after the release of the first series of figures, but Mezco Toys was formed shortly thereafter and continued the line for another series in 2001. Mezco just released an updated Silent Screamers Count Orlok from Nosferatu recently, but this is the one that you could say stared it all for Mezco. Graf Orlok was released in two variants, a more grayish version that's actually the "color" variant (visibly red blood) while the one I'm looking at today, which is more of a sepia toned figure, is the "black and white version." Ready to check out Graf Orlok? Then join me after the break...

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

 

   It's time for another installment as I slowly make my way through this year's X-Men themed Marvel Legends build-a-figure series and today I'm looking at Corsair, Cyclops' daddy! Or Starjammer Corsair, as the package calls him. Because he's one of the Starjammers, a group of space pirates flitting about the Marvel Universe and the X-Men books since 1977. Corsair's real name is Christopher Summers but as a space pirate he's take on a much cooler moniker. I'm most familiar with Corsair from the vintage Toy Biz figure and his appearances on the 1990s animated series, plus I'm always down for a space pirate. Ready to check out Corsair? Then join me after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: N is for Nightstorm Predator from Predator by Kenner

   We've had an alien already so now it's time for a Predator! Today's installment of The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror is Nightstorm Predator from Kenner's 1990s Aliens and Predator line. I definitely liked the Aliens stuff more as a kid but I had a few Predators in my collection. This wasn't one of them, though. The Nightstorm Predator came out in 1994 and was a repaint of the series one Predator figure Scavage. Kenner definitely reused molds and they did it frequently in the Alien and Predator line to make more figures. Ready for a look at another Predator? Then join me after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: M is for Muck Master from Trash Bag Bunch by Galoob

    At Halloween it's said that old toys and mutant monstrosities make their way back into the land of the living for another scare and today we're receiving a visit from the one and only Muck Master! Yup, the Master of Muck himself is here to cause some Halloween havoc and smash some pumpkins with us. Don't you feel special? You should! I love the Trash Bag Bunch and it's a thrill to dig one of these little guys out every year show off during 31 Days of Toy Terror. Muck Master is one of the villainous Trashors and he looks like a somewhat standard alien augmented some very makeshift weaponry slapped together from a scrap yard. These little guys are so unusual and fun and they're still one of my favorite lines of minifigures ever made. Back in the day they came in little trash bags. You through the trash bag in some water and the effervescent tablet inside caused everything to bubble up, revealing your new warrior. This is another one original to my childhood collection. Let's take a look at the Muck Master after the break...

31 Days of Toy Terror- Friday the 13th Special! Jason Voorhees from WB Horror by Fetch for Pets

 

   When I realized that there was a Friday the 13th this October I just knew that I would have to take a break from the ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror for a special review! Guess which of my family members most recently received a Friday the 13th themed toy? Our dog Zoey! Zoey absolutely loves stuffed toys and carries them around with her all the time. She carries them, licks them, chews them a bit (though she is rather gentle), and uses them like pillows. Her favorites are the Kong Wild Knots bears but my mom bought her this Jason Voorhees dog toy at the end of last month, just in time for the spooky season. Ready to read a (dog) toy review written by Zoey, our 5-year old Kelpie/ terrier rescue dog? Then read on!

[Editor's Note: Zoey is a very, very good dog, but she's not best speller. She also doesn't always use the correct words. We are working on this with her.]

Hi! I Zoey. I good girl. Good dog. Best dog. Please pet?

Today I review toy that my Gram Gram gave me. I like her. She nice. She pet me, rub my belly, and talk nice to me. I best dog. I very tentious. I also viligant and telligent. Gram Gram show me this toy. I say, "Want. Want. Please give." So she give me this. She say it Jay-sun. I not know Jay-sun. I call it Scare Bear.

He based on movie. I not watch many movies. I sit in living room and watch family watch movies. They watch and pet Zoey, cause I good dog. I do like noises and I bark when I hear knocking sounds. Or when I see bears on screen. Love bears. Want bear. Please give?

I ask who Scare Bear is. They tell me he from scary movie. I not like being scared. I scared of many things. Loud people. Any people I not know, really. I also scared of cars and trucks. And brooms. I not like little vacuum either. Or mailbox. Or neighbors. Or plastic bag blowing across yard. But I not scared of Jay-sun. He my Scare Bear. He soft and yummy. He snack. I type more after break. Please read. Thamks.

Action Figure Review: The Joker- Bank Robber (The Dark Knight) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   It's been... what, two days since I last reviewed an action figure of the Joker? Sounds like it's time for another Joker review then! Today I'm checking out the Bank Robber version of the Joker from McFarlane's DC Multiverse line. Like Bane in the trench coat, the Bank Robber Joker is a Gold Label figure that was exclusive to SDCC 2023 and McFarlane Toys Store after the show. Also like Bane, he's basically a simple rework of the standard Dark Knight Trilogy Joker figure released earlier this year in the Bane build-a-figure series. McFarlane Toys Store had the set of three figures for $90 (Trench Coat Bane, Bank Robber Joker, and Sonar Vision Joker) but the Bank Robber Joker himself has been selling for between $50 and $70 dollars, so I opted to just grab the full set. I absolutely love The Dark Knight (easily one of my top 10 movies) and I was excited to get this guy on my nicely growing McFarlane Batman movie shelf. Ready for another figure based on Heath Ledger's iconic performance as the Joker? Then join me after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: L is for Lady Slither from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

   Today's super scary installment of The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror features Lady Slither from Mattel's Masters of the Universe Origins line! This is a new figure, just released in the past couple months, and it's also the first time we've had an action figure based on the Lady Slither, the Queen Empress of the Snake Men. Lady Slither was created during the Masters of the Universe Classics era and first appeared in a minicomic in 2014. Mattel offered her as a Mattel Creations exclusive and she turned out to be pretty popular. While I really wanted her in MOTUC or now in Masterverse, I'll take an Origins version, too. Throw on The Lair of the White Worm for some appropriate atmosphere as we check out Lady Slither after the break...

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

 

   I love Wolverine and as soon as I saw this figure I knew I'd end up with him. For one, I'm a fan of the character so it's pretty easy to sell me a new Wolverine figure. I also thought he'd mesh nicely with the rest of the X-Men released this year in these matching outfits. Lastly, I remember wanting this version of Logan as a kid but not getting him. I had a few other Wolverines from Toy Biz (brown suit, talking, Weapon X, yellow tiger stripe suit, and the v5/ spy suit figure) but I liked that this one has the standard X-Men suit. I remember in third grade we had an assignment where we were supposed to draw a picture of something we wanted to find in our stocking and I drew a Wolverine that was kind of a mixture of this suit (Toy Biz called it v3) and the yellow tiger stripe suit (which was v2). That's really neither here nor there but it does make me realize why I was so excited to get this guy. Let's take a look at this version of Wolverine from the Marvel Legends Retro Collection after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: K is for Killer Croc from DC Superheroes by Mattel

   It's always fun to look at my collection of action figures to find older stuff to utilize for 31 Days of Toy Terror. For today's installment I was looking at one of my shelves of Batman villains and decided that K should be covered by Killer Croc. Killer Croc always makes for a fun action figure and the figure I'm looking at today is from Mattel's 2006-2007 Batman and Superman focused DC Superheroes line, the precursor to DC Universe Classics. The line was actually a follow up to Mattel's 2003 Batman line and some figures were repainted or revamped from that line to expand the offerings. Croc here is one of those figures, as he is based on the previous Killer Croc from Mattel's evergreen Batman line that was much more reptilian; almost dinosaur like, really. This guy is much more reminiscent of the Killer Croc of the 1980s and 1990s. Ready to check out the sewer dwelling Waylon Jones? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Fang-Or from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

   Today I'm very excited to check out Fang-Or from Masters of the Universe Origins, a figure that was sold exclusively through Mattel Creations a few months back. Fang-Or first appeared in the Masters of the Universe Classics era minicomic "The Second Ultimate Battleground" based on a concept by Scott Neitlich and designed by Axel Gimenez and quickly became a pretty popular guy. He really does look like he'd fit right in with the rest of the vintage Snake Men. Super7 made him in their Masters of the Universe Classics continuation line but with the focus on the Snake Men for 2023, Mattel has now released him in Origins. This guy sold out pretty fast so hopefully he'll get a re-release like a few of the previous hard to obtain figures have had. Ready to check out Fang-Or? Then let's check him out after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: J is for The Joker (The Dark Knight Rises) Jokerized from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   

   Today's installment of the ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror is another fairly new figure from McFarlane Toys' DC Multiverse line: The Joker. And not just "The Joker," but a Jokerized Joker. A Jokerized Joker? That sounds like something Xzibit would do, right? McFarlane has been making kind of a cool subset of Jokerized Batman variants (there's a Robin on the way now, too), but for these Dark Knight Trilogy variants we have a Jokerized Joker. What makes him more Jokerized than the regular Joker? I'm not sure. To be honest, I just really like the look of this figure. I love Heath Ledger's Joker and this figure offers him up in an outfit with a new color scheme and more comic-book like face paint. It's a neat take and definitely belongs in the 31 Days of Toy Terror countdown because, 1: The Joker is pretty frightening. 2: The Joker is a clown, and clowns freak a lot of people out. 3: Heath Ledgers Joker was probably the most popular Halloween costume out there from 2008 through at least 2012. Ready for the Jokerized Joker? Then join me after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: I is for Isengard Orc from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: The Two Towers by Toy Biz

 

   I love Toy Biz's The Lord of the Rings line. It's rare that any movie based toyline ever goes as deep as Star Wars (well, the Star Wars of the prequels and Clone Wars eras), but Toy Biz's The Lord of the Rings line really delivered and continued on for around two years after the films. The line offered up over 150 figures for three movies and included army builders a plenty. Lots of orcs and Uruk-hai. And, wow, some of them are creepy. Today I'm taking a look at one of the orcs and, since today is our day for the letter "I" we've got the Isengard Orc. That's the official name of the figure and he certainly looks familiar as one of the orcs encountered by scattered members of the Fellowship during the events of The Two Towers. The Isengard Orc came out in 2004 and was one of the later figures on standard blister cards. Ready to check out this scary fellow? Then join me after the break...

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

 

   As my Marvel Legends collecting has moved to mostly X-Men based characters, I was somewhat interested in this year's Ch'od build-a-figure series as there were quite a few characters in the set I wanted. Typically my X-Men interest lies with the animated series and the comics up until the mid to late 1990s, so there were a few characters in the set I wasn't 100% sold on or just didn't know. There are plenty, though, I did and even more who had vintage Toy Biz figures, so I ended up buying most of the series to build Ch'od. I'm going to be slowly making my way through this series and today I'm starting with Chamber, the British mutant whose head is consumed with psionic flames. He was a huge part of Generation X which is one of the last things I actively remember from the late 1990s. I never had the vintage Toy Biz figure but it definitely looked pretty bizarre. This is his first Marvel Legends release, so let's see how Hasbro has handled Jonothon Starsmore after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: H is for Harigorasu from M.U.S.C.L.E. by Mattel

 

   The air is cool! The leaves are falling. The smells of pumpkin spice, burnt wood, and Kit-Kats are in the air. Just imagine visiting a house on Halloween night and having someone say "I'm all out of candy, but I do have these vintage M.U.S.C.L.E. men for you."

  One of the most fun things about is revisiting old favorite toylines and one of the lines I always enjoy revisiting is M.U.S.C.L.E., so for the letter H I'm going with Harigorasu. Harigorasu is #136 in the M.U.S.C.L.E. line and is a crazy looking guy that I've had since childhood. Three eyes, beastly features, and a body covered in warts? Definitely 31 Days of Toy Terror material here! Harigorasu is a chojin and apparently is called Harigoras in the manga. He also looks really different there, more like some sort of a hedgehog creature. Let's take a look at this spooky little rubber guy after the break...

Action Figure Review: Catman (Villains United) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   Catman was released in late August as a McFarlane Toys Store Gold Label exclusive figure and today I'm checking him out. As far as I'm aware, the only other Catman figure released was in Mattel's 2011 Batman: Legacy Edition line, so it's cool to see the guy. While originally a Batman villain, Catman has been more of an antihero over the past couple decades and has been most known for being part of the Secret Six. This definitely is Thomas Blake's look from Villains United and it's an excellent costume. Ready to take a look at Catman? Then join me after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: G is for Grizzlor from Masterverse/ Princess of Power by Mattel

 

   While Mattel does have a Princess of Power subset in Masterverse, thus far the Evil Horde is outnumbering the members of the Great Rebellion. For today's installment of 31 Days of Toy Terror we're checking out the letter G, and right now G is for Grizzlor! I absolutely love Grizzlor, especially how in the minicomics and such he was made out to be kind of an urban legend that tales were told about. In the Filmation She-Ra: Princess of Power series, Grizzlor was just another one of Hordak's baddies, definitely not as terrifying as the toys made him out to be. This figure definitely seems to borrow from both the vintage toyline and the Filmation design, offering up something that captures elements of both. He's a wild, hairy henchman of the Evil Horde and a pretty terrifying guy, so let's check him out on a spooky fall day. Join me after the break...

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

 

   It's time for another X-Men review from Hasbro's Marvel Legends line and today I'm checking out a figure I was really looking forward to: The Blob! Being a key member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Freedom Force, Factor Three, and the Secret Empire, a regular in the animated series, and a boss in the X-Men arcade game, I always wanted this guy when I was a kid collecting the Toy Biz figures. He was eventually released in 1995 but I don't remember ever seeing him in stores and I think I wasn't actively collecting the Toy Biz X-Men figures anymore at that point. Hasbro did release the Blob as a build-a-figure when they took over the Marvel Legends line in 2007, but I never owned that one either. Since Hasbro has really been going all in and deep with he X-Men this year they've been filling some gaps in the rosters of the X-Men heroes and villains and the Blob definitely fills a large gap for a modern take on the figure. This guy is available on his own as a deluxe release and I picked mine up back in August during a GameStop sale. He's a big guy but is he worth the big price tag Hasbro has saddled him with? Let's find out after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: F is for Finster from Power Rangers: Lightning Collection by Hasbro

 

   I've stated many times that I'm no expert on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. It felt like it was something I got into really quickly in 4th grade and that I started to drop out at some point when I was in fifth grade. It was also the first toyline I remember collecting that suffered from the "No Consistent Scale Syndrome." What's that? Well, what was the main scale or main line of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers toys? Was it the 8- inch well articulated Rangers and the rotocast villains? The 5 inch Auto Morphin Rangers and Evil Space Aliens with action features? The 4 inch motorcycle riding figures? The 3 inch non-articulated figures had one of the widest character selections, even including Bulk and Skull, so maybe that was the dominant line. The Zords obviously weren't to scale, but they even came in different scales. As Alpha 5 would say, "Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!"

   I'm not sure where that little diatribe came from, but perhaps it's why I didn't stay with Power Rangers long. You weren't always adding new characters to your collection and forming a growing universe; things were always being restructured and even the toys had no consistency. After buying the Power Rangers franchise in 2018, Hasbro immediately set out to to really offer what felt like the first expansive Power Rangers line in a consistent size and scale in the Lightning Series (which is currently on hiatus). I've bought two figures during the line's five year run and Finster here was my third. I just love this wise, kindly, monster-making machine! I loved the goofy vintage figure, too, but this one is leaps and bounds ahead of that one. Let's take a look at Finster after the break...

Action Figure Review: Bane (Trench Coat) (The Dark Knight Rises) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   For SDCC 2023 McFarlane Toys had a few exclusive DC Multiverse figures, three of which were variants of figures from their excellent Dark Knight Trilogy line released this spring. There were two Joker variants and one Bane variant, this time putting Bane in his incredibly cool trench coat from The Dark Knight Rises. The figures were initially only available at the convention and began to get a bit pricey fairly quickly, particularly the bank robber version of the Joker, so when I saw them pop up in a bundle on the McFarlane Toys Store I jumped on it. The bank robber Joker seemed to be selling for about $70 himself, so this didn't seem like too bad of a deal. There aren't any particularly amazing figures in this series, to be honest, but I picked these up I love the Dark Knight Trilogy so much and I really wanted two of the three variants (the Sonar Vision Joker is pretty goofy). Bane (Trench Coat) is really just the build-a-figure from the Dark Knight Trilogy series with a new soft goods coat. That's it. Let's take a look at Bane in his glorious trench coat after the break and see if he's worth springing for or if the allure of an SDCC exclusive and a fancy coat are clouding are judgment. After all, “Theatricality and deception are powerful agents to the uninitiated.”

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: E is for The Demon, Etrigan from DC Universe Classics by Mattel

 

Change! Change! O form of man!

Free the prince forever damned!

Free the might from fleshy mire!

Boil the blood in the heart for fire!

Gone! Gone! O form of man

[And] rise the demon Etrigan!!

   Today's installment of The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror is the letter E, so we've got Etrigan the Demon joining us. Ok, so the package for the figure says The Demon, Etrigan, but we know his name is Etrigan, so I'm going with that. Besides just really liking Etrigan in his numerous team ups with Batman and Jack Kirby's amazing original series The Demon, I've loved this figure since it first came out. Technically this guy came out at the very end of 2007 with the rest of the first series of Mattel's DC Universe Classics line but I received him in very early 2008. We had just recently moved and my wife was working at Target as it was the first job she could find. I'd have her scan the toy aisle on some days before she made her way home and she found all or most of the first series of DC Universe Classics for me one day, which was pretty exciting. Back in 2008, online shopping just wasn't what it is today! This was actually my first real encounter with the character and got me interested in him and the work of Kirby. He's a super cool, kind of creepy figure and I still love him. Let's take a look at Mattel's DCUC Etrigan after the break...

Action Figure Review: Justice Buster (Batman: Endgame) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

      I'm always happy to see McFarlane Toys cover something Batman related from the New 52 era as it was such a great time for Batman and the Batfamily. Today I'm checking out one of the newest Megafigs out there: The Justice Buster! Mattel released the Justice Buster as a build-a-figure back in 2016 as part of their DC Comics Multiverse line but it was definitely a bit undersized and it felt kind of simplistic and toyish. Now we've got the Toddfather's take on the Justice Buster and I can definitely say it's much larger. This is a massive toy and it makes a pretty impressive addition to your batman shelf (or shelves, let's be honest). What do you need when you have to fight off legions of Jokerized members of the Justice League? The Justice Buster, of course. Let's get things rolling after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: D is for Darth Vader (The Dark Times) from Star Wars: Retro Collection by Hasbro

 

   I love to mix things up during 31 Days of Toy Terror and it seems like Darth Vader is a pretty terrifying fellow, so he gets a spot on this year's list, beating out Dracula and a bunch of evil Doctors. This version of Darth Vader is from Hasbro Star Wars: Retro Collection and comes from last year's Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi. I do like the Retro Collection figures, although I often tend to wait until it goes on clearance since, well, it tends to go on clearance. This Vader was my most desired figure from this series, though, as it's a really nice "update" of a vintage Kenner Darth Vader. You, like, if Kenner had remade Vader in the Power of the Force series in 1985 or even for the Return of the Jedi line, this is what it might have looked like. Having a vintage Vader with a removable lightsaber is pretty exciting, too. Ready for what be the most "must own" Star Wars: Retro Collection figure of them all? Then join me after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: C is for Count Marzo from Masters of the Universe Classics by Mattel

   Ready for a spooky visit from "a fifth degree wizard raised by evil mystics in the Dunes of Doom?" That's how Count Marzo's Masters of the Universe Classics bio describes him, though it also sound like something Napoleon Dynamite would say to describe his uncle who no one has ever met but who he assures them lives in Japan and protect the world from yokai. For real, though, Marzo Kalif is a pretty powerful wizard and showed up three times in the Filmation animated series and five times in the Mike Young Productions series, which is the version of the character this figure is based off of. A powerful mage imprisoned in the form of an old man, Marzo manage to regain his amulet and sets out to wreak havoc on Eternia. He was released in Masters of the Universe Classics in the summer of 2010 and I somehow ended up with two of him. He's always been a favorite of mine, even though his more 200x inspired appearance, which had an anime aesthetic to it, turned out to be a bit controversial, causing Mattel's brand management to reiterate over and over that the "Anime Hyper Detail" style was retired. Of course, it showed back up when it was convenient to sell more 200x figures, so who knows? Let's take a look at Count Marzo after the break...

Action Figure Review: Motherboard from Masterverse/ Masters of the Universe Revolution by Mattel

 

   31 Days of Toy Terror 2023 has already started but that doesn't mean I'm going to be delivering up a steady stream of regular reviews. Today I'm checking out Motherboard from Mattel's Masterverse toyline. The packaging refers to this figure as being part of the Masters of the Universe: Revolution subset, which makes her the first figure from that line. Motherboard is a Mattel Creations exclusive who was still available as of October 1st, so if you want her now's the time to pick her up. Not only does it seem like she could be a major villain in MOTU: Revolution (she was really a behind the scenes player in MOTU: Revelation) but she's also going to be voiced by Meg Foster from the 1987 Masters of the Universe motion picture. That's pretty incredible! Motherboard is an oversized figure, kind of like Tytus and Megator from the vintage line and Masters of the Universe Classics, and she towers above the 7 inch Masterverse figures. Ready to check out the new evil leader of a new evil faction, the eponymous Motherboard cult? Then join me after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: B is for Batman (The Dark Knight Rises) Jokerized from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

   "Criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot," so Batman's costume is designed to frighten them. Many people are afraid of clowns, so a Jokerized version of Batman ought to scare a good number of people! McFarlane Toys has really been going overtime with their Jokerized variants, and who can blame them? Batman and the Joker sell and they make for a way to reuse tooling again. Some of the Jokerized figures have been very cool while others have been kind of bland and completely skippable. Today I'm checking out the Target exclusive Jokerized Batman from The Dark Knight Rises. This is the same mold as the Christian Bale inspired Batman from the Dark Knight Trilogy released earlier this year, but this time he's been Jokerized with a new paintjob. Even stranger, though, is that he's part of a Build-a-Figure series with a Jokerized Bane. What? Yeah, that's kind of odd. This definitely isn't something from the film though when I first heard about it I thought it might be based on Brian Douglas, the Batman copycat vigilante the Joker kills in the film. Nope. Just a weird, creepy take on Batman. Let's check out this unsettling Batman figure after the break...

The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror: A is for Acid Alien from Aliens: Hive Wars by Kenner

   Welcome to the first installment of this year's Halloween countdown: The ABCs of 31 Days of Toy Terror! This is the 11th year of 31 Days of Toy Terror and it's still something I eagerly look forward too every time the Halloween season rolls around! While I don't strictly collect horror figures and I certainly don't buy as many horror figures as I used to, I still have a bunch of horror themed figures in my collection. I also generously stretch the definition of horror figures, sometimes, to allow for aliens, robots, and all sorts of supervillains who are frightening, intimidating, or just plain creepy. This year I'm challenging myself to review one figure for every letter of the alphabet, which also leaves me a few extra reviews for unique and interesting stuff that just happens to show up during the Halloween season. To kick the season off right, today I'm starting with a figure from one of the horror themed line I loved as a kid: Kenner's Aliens and Predator line!

   For the letter A, I'm taking a look at the Acid Alien from Kenner's 1998 Aliens: Hive Wars line. Released the year after the film Alien: Resurrection and it's tie-in toyline, Aliens: Hive Wars was a bit of a dumping ground for multiple molds that Kenner had worked on but hadn't released when the Aliens/ Predator line was ongoing. It was also released exclusively through KB toys, who managed to score a lot of exclusives of previously unreleased figures through different manufacturers. This fellow was pretty cool as he really looked like one of the movie Xenomorphs, particularly the dog alien from Alien 3. I'm not sure what makes this guy more of an "acid" alien than the rest, though. Maybe Kenner just needed a cool moniker for this guy? Let's check him out after the break...