Wrapping Up 2023: Skull Temple from Indiana Jones: Adventure Series by Hasbro

 

   I've got another Indiana Jones: Adventure Series review lined up for today, but this one isn't a figure; it's actually the Skull Temple, one of the Build-an-Artifacts from the line. Only three were released (or have been released, if we're remaining optimistic): The Ark of the Covenant, the Grail Table, and the Skull Temple. The Skull Temple was part of the second series of figures released and came spread out over five figures, three from Temple of Doom and two from Dial of Destiny. Hasbro calls this the Skull Temple in all of their promotional material and such, so I don't really know a better name for it. It's a skull shaped altar used to hold the Sankara Stones that stands underneath a large statue of Kali in the Temple of Doom. While I think these might have been better as deluxe sets, the Build-an-Artifact idea is clever and it helped sell me on a few figures I wouldn't have likely grabbed. I actually skipped the Ark, though, as I preordered the Mezco One:12 Collective Toht with the light up Ark. Ready to check out a fixture from the Temple of Doom? Then join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Dreadnok Ripper from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   Today it's time for the Dreadnok of the Year Awards here at Action Figure Barbecue. We've gone through a lot of grape soda and dozens upon dozens of little chocolate donuts, but finally we've arrived at a decision as to who is the meanest, nastiest, orneriest Dreadnok of the year. The winner is.... Ripper! Yes, Ripper (or Dreadnok Ripper, as he's know on his packaging), the meanest Tasmanian devil of them all! I never owned Ripper as a kid and didn't have a figure of him until the mid-2000s when I picked up one of the Joe vs. Cobra versions. This guy absolutely is inspired by the vintage figure but everything is just amped up here. He's reminiscent of the original figure but the details and design are expanded to make him feel fresh and new. Ready for a look at Ripper? Then join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Indiana Jones (Last Crusade) from Indiana Jones: Adventure Series by Hasbro

 

   The Indiana Jones: Adventure Series was one of my biggest disappointments of last year, but also one of my favorite lines. It's a paradox, really. Today I'm reviewing the last figure from the line that I'll probably review for now, unless more get released or I look at some older figures at some point, though I still plan to review two of the Build-an-Artifacts shortly. Today I'm checking out Indiana Jones from The Last Crusade. He doesn't wear this outfit throughout the entire film but it's definitely worn during the fantastic scenes at Castle Brunwald and while traveling with his father. It's just Indy in a tie, yeah, but Hasbro really improved the portrait on this figure and gave Indy an articulated hat. Yes, an articulated hat. How'd that turn out? Read on and find out!

Action Figure Review: Mouse-Jaw from Turtles of Grayskull by Mattel

 

   Today I'm reviewing my first new item of 2024 and it's a pretty unusual figure: Mouse-Jaw from Mattel's Turtles of Grayskull. Yes, Turtles of Grayskull, a mashup of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Masters of the Universe. This is a pretty interesting concept, though it's not unusual for TMNT to be mashing up with nearly every property on the planet as we've seen the TMNT with Karate Kid, Stranger Things, Ghostbusters, Batman, WWE, Star Trek, Street Fighter, Power Rangers, Universal Monsters, and now He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. That means we also now have TMNT toys from Mattel, which means that nearly every toy company in existence has made TMNT figures now. To be honest, I'm really glad that Mattel released these instead of Playmates. They're made using the MOTU Origins parts, so they complement what we already have, and Playmates just hasn't impressed me with anything they've released in probably around a decade. Mouse-Jaw is a blend of Trap-Jaw from MOTU and a M.O.U.S.E.R. from TMNT and is part of a deluxe series with build-a-figure parts to craft your own Metal-Boto figure. Ready to check out Mouse-Jaw? Then join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Lord Death Man from Batman '66 by McFarlane Toys

 

   The Batman Classic TV Series line really got interesting in 2023 as McFarlane expanded it with characters from the Batman '66 comic series. Figures like Superman, Robot Batman, Two-Face, and new takes on Batgirl and the Joker really added some life to the line and today I'm checking out another new villain added to the series: Lord Death Man. Lord Death Man definitely isn't one of Batman's most well known villains but his first appearance was in May of 1966 (Batman #180, as just Death Man), so he fits the era for sure. He really gained popularity as part of a Japanese Batman manga, though, where he was known as Lord Death Man. He's appeared here and there over the years (in Batman, Inc. and an episode of The Brave and the Bold) but the Batman '66 comic brought him back in 2015 in the style of the '66 series. He's an unknown villain capable of faking his own death who Batman and Batgirl travel to Japan to defeat. He really does just look like a guy in a skeleton costume in the Batman '66 comic, so this is a legit take on him. Ready to check out Lord Death Man? Then join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Mole Rat from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   Two of my favorite 1/18th scaled G.I. Joe figures came out in the 30th Anniversary line in 2011: The Hazard Viper and the Zombie-Viper. Both drew elements from the earlier Eco Warriors line, but they managed to add plenty of cool new ideas. The Mole Rat definitely feels like a modern continuation of the Eco Force ideas: Cobra suits up troopers for hazardous duties but also cuts corners, leading to some of the Cobra troops becoming zombies. It's a recipe for success! The Mole Rats was part of the first set of Walmart exclusive figures revolving around the Night Force theme (which also included Big Ben and Shooter) where Cobra is harvesting Dark Energon to function as a new energy source. This figure is a highlight of last year's releases (I'm sure you get tired of me saying that with the Classified Series) and one I'm really hoping we see some variants of down the line. Let's check out the Mole Rat after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Spikor from Masters of the Universe Origins by Mattel

 

  2023 was another pretty impressive year for Masters of the Universe Origins, a line that keeps going and going. More figures (including a special emphasis on completing and fleshing out the Snake Men), more vehicles, and a Snake Mountain playset. The core line now seems to be mostly heading online while the sublines like the Filmation inspired Cartoon Collecton and the TMNT/ MOTU mashup Turtles of Grayskull will be hitting mass retail, so there's plenty more Origins styled figures to come in 2024 (including Eternia!). Today I'm checking out the last of the 2023 figures I received: Spikor. I'm pretty sure I received Spikor for Christmas one year, maybe in 1987 or so, and while he was never one of my top favorites I have always liked the guy. Getting Spikor also now leaves us with only one vintage Evil Warrior left to complete the vintage lineup: Two-Bad! Or is that two Evil Warriors? Hard to say. Let's take a look at Spikor after the break and see if this guy is still as sharp as a tack in the year 2024. Join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Buzzer from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   The end of 2023 was just absolutely filled with G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures, including two more Dreadnoks for the collection. Today I'm checking out the first of the new Dreadnoks I managed to get: Buzzer. I never had Buzzer as a kid as he was a 1985 figure and I wasn't older enough for G.I. Joe figures until 1986 (though I did end up with Barbecue and a Snow Serpent), so my Dreadnoks were the later figures like Zarana, Zandar, Monkeywrench, Road Pig, Thrasher, Zanzibar, and Gnawgahyde. Buzzer, Ripper, and Torch are definitely the three main Dreadnoks (besides Zartan) and I'm a little surprised it's taken them this long to show up. Despite being a fairly prominent character in both the comics and the Sunbow animated series, there haven't been that many Buzzer figures made. I believe the last one was the 2007 G.I. Joe: 25th Anniversary Collection Buzzer that I reviewed at MWC Toys! How crazy. Overall, this is a really good figure of Buzzer, but the glasses are a pain. Fair warning! Let's check out the former Richard Blinken-Smythe, now better known as Dick Blinken or just Buzzer, after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Clamp Champ from Masterverse/ Masters of the Universe: Revelation by Mattel

 

   2023 was another really good year for Mattel's Masterverse line with a wide assortment of characters from multiple different incarnations of Masters of the Universe. While Masters of the Universe: Revolution premiers on Netflix this coming week, Mattel has still been releasing figures from Revelation, which is pretty impressive. Today I'm checking out Clamp Champ from Masters of the Universe: Revelation. Clamp Champ has the potential to be an excellent character but the Netflix show did him and Fisto dirty. I liked Revelation overall, but I think killing off Clamp Champ and Fisto felt pretty pointless. He's not dead in my Masterverse, though, and he's still doing the hero think and championing clamping. He clamps like a champ! Let's check out Raenius, better known as Clamp Champ, after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Indiana Jones (Temple of Doom) from Indiana Jones: Adventure Series by Hasbro

 

   As a kid, Indiana Jones in his ripped up shirt from the end of Temple of Doom was definitely my default look for the character. Temple of Doom was the first Indiana Jones film I saw in it's entirety (I remember watching the movie for the first time, probably on October 1 1989 on ABC, as it was the ABC Sunday night movie) and it definitely stood out to me. For years I had a ripped up white t-shirt that I used as my "Indiana Jones" shirt. Combine that with a random hat, a jump rope, and a Halloween prop machete and I was all set. I never had an Indiana Jones figure when I was younger so I used General Hawk v2 as my jacketed Indy (with a hat from Sgt. Slaughter) while Whipsaw v2 from The Corps with Wild Card's machete was my default Temple of Doom Indy. I have the Temple of Doom Indy from the 2008 series but it sure is nice to have another one, and now in the 6 inch scale. Let's check out Indiana Jones (Temple of Doom) after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Agent Helix from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   I was thrilled to hear that Agent Helix was making her way into the Classified Series so quickly. I really loved the G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra toyline and how it added in some new characters. Agent Helix is quite unique in that she wasn't a member of the military prior to joining G.I. Joe. She's a very competent individual with Olympic level gymnastic who possesses what is referred to as "Total Organic Battlefield Awareness." She can convert everything going on in a combat situation into data sets which she can analyze. She also can essentially master a martial arts style when encountering a practitioner of it. I believe some of the comics referred to Agent Helix as being a savant and possibly even having autism. Agent Helix first appeared in 2009 in the G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra videogame (she was named after the developer, Double Helix Games), the IDW comic series, and in the Rise of Cobra action figure toyline. She was one of my favorites there and I still think she's one of the strongest figures Hasbro put out in that era. Ready to take a look at a fantastic new G.I. Joe: Classified Series figure? Then join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Henry Jones, Sr. from Indiana Jones: Adventure Series by Hasbro

 

   Like the Grail Knight, Henry Jones, Sr. was another figure that I decided I was going to go ahead and pick up at regular retail price. I figures if there was a figure from the third series of figures that was tough to get, it would be him. Plus, he just turned out incredibly well. Hasbro did a great job on Dr. Jones, Sr. and he would always have been one of my most wanted figures from an Indiana Jones toyline. This line has been a weird one as most of the figures have been excellent, but the line as a whole feels haphazard and disjointed. Henry Walton Jones, Sr. is both a man in a suit and a man in a hat, so he fits the general aesthetic of this line pretty well. Indy and Henry will look great together, but it does make me just a bit more disappointed that we didn't get Mutt to have a trio of Jones men. Ready to check out Indiana Jones' dad? Then join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Jodie "Shooter" Craig from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   The last quarter of the year was filled with G.I. Joe: Classified Series releases and I have a bunch of them to catch up on. Today I'm looking at another of my favorite Classified Series figures of 2023: Jodie "Shooter" Craig from the Night Force subset. Shooter wasn't part of the vintage Night Force subset as she wasn't ever a figure released in the vintage A Real American Hero line, but her roots are there. In the fist issue of Marvel's G.I. Joe, there's an image of a computer panel that shows the Original 13 members of the G.I. Joe: Team and a 14th member whose face is obscured. The name Shooter is visible, though, but it was originally a reference to Marvel's then editor-in-chief Jim Shooter. In 2006, Larry Hama used the name in G.I. Joe: Declassified for a new character, a sniper who was killed during the early mission "Operation: Lady Doomsday." Shooter received her first action figure in 2016 as part of the 50th Anniversary line, so she's a "newer" character when it comes to G.I. Joe stuff. Yeah, there is a name mentioned in 1982, but she really is from 2006. Still, she's been around for 18 years, so she's not new-new or anything. She's a really cool figure who was part of the Walmart exclusive Night Force subset along with Big Ben and the Mole Rat. While my preorder of her (and the rest of the first series of Night Force figures) arrived without any issues, I actually grabbed a second Shooter when I found her at retail... for $7 dollars. No idea why a Walmart I was at clearanced out one random Shooter when they had plenty of older figures on the shelves, but it worked for me. She's a very versatile figure. Let's check her out after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Grail Knight from Indiana Jones: Adventure Series by Hasbro

 

   Hey! This figure doesn't have a hat or a suit! That makes the Grail Knight, the unnamed eldest brother of Sir Richard, a pretty unique figure in this line. Hasbro's Indiana Jones: Adventure Series was a line I was really looking forward to in 2023 but also one that disappointed me. Well, the figures themselves are overall quite good, but the character selection is bizarre and incomplete. When you think about the figures Hasbro made, are there any movies scenes you can actually recreate with figures where multiple characters interact? The only two I can think of are Indy and Sallah locating the Map Room in Tannis from Raiders and the Grail chamber from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Hasbro has released Indy, Walter Donovan, Elsa Schneider, and the Grail Knight, (along with Henry Jones Sr. and Marcus Brody who wasn't there, but who was right outside). Considering those figures and the Build-an-Artifact of the Holy Grail table, you can put together a nice scene. Too bad we didn't get a Last Crusade version of Sallah. The Grail Knight is definitely a cool figure and while he doesn't have much screen time in the film, he's very recognizable and stands out from the rest of the collection. The 2008 Indiana Jones collection also included the Grail Knight, so he definitely has a precedent in Indiana Jones collection, but this guy is truly a nice upgrade. Let's take a look at the Grail Knight after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Phillip "Chuckles" Provost from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   Chuckles was always one of my favorite G.I. Joe figures as a kid. He was an odd duck in the line due to his loud Hawaiian shirt, sure, but his shoulder holster and smaller, concealable pistol really gave him the feel of a secret agent. He's a guy who blends in by sticking out a bit. I always loved Chuckes and I'm very excited that Chuckles has made it into the Classified Series as he's not a character who gets visited that often in action figure form. Hasbro released him as the SDCC 2023 exclusive, though he went up for sale after the show a few times as well. I got mine through Hasbro Pulse. Chuckles is connected to the Crimson Strike Team (the 2023 Pulse Con exclusive) as there's a story told via the packaging of Chuckles stealing a briefcase and some documents from the Baroness and the Cobra twins. Hasbro loaded Chuckles down with accessories, though some of them don't work with the figure as well as I'd hoped. Still, he's a pretty solid figure with some nice goodies. Ready to check out Chuckles? Then join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Kanoxx Vull from Cosmic Legions by Four Horsemen Studios

 

   As I continue to wrap up my reviews for stuff I picked up near the end of 2023 I'm returning to the Four Horsemen's Cosmic Legions line once again. There weren't as many figures from the newest series that interested me (Hvalkatar: Book Two, Gravenight) but I was immediately intrigued by Kanoxx Vull. Kanoxx Vull is called a "Brute Scale" figure, so he's taller than your average figures, but not overly massive like Kraggnar. Kanoxx Vull (better known as just Kanxox the Stinger) is a member of a group called the Red Spiral, scavengers and traders who live at the far edge of the galaxy and who augment themselves with cybernetic upgrades. It turns out that Kanoxx didn't want to be a gladiator in Hvalkatar; he was abducted by Highwarden Slogg's because of his fearsome appearance. Now one of the combatants forced to fight in the Grave, all Kanoxx wants to do is make his way back home. Kanoxx Vull is based on a cool sketch that Eric Treadway made in a red spiral notebook on November 12, 1984, so this guy definitely has a true "made in the 1980s" feel to him. Ready to check out Kanoxx Vull? The join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: King Tut from Batman: Classic TV Series by McFarlane Toys

 

   I certainly haven't been buying everything from McFarlane Toys' Batman: Classic TV Series line but I do tend to pick up the unique villains. Today I'm checking out King Tut, one of the villains who originated on the 1966 TV series. While King Tut has made his way into the mainstream DC Universe a few times in the past 15 years or so, he's still most well known from Victor Buono's portrayal in the TV series where he is a Yale University Egyptologist who gets conked on the head and comes to believe he is the reincarnation of the pharaoh Tutankhamen. King Tut was the fifth most prominent villain in the series, appearing in 8 episodes across all three seasons, and featuring a number of flamboyant, Egyptian inspired outfits. This appearance looks like King Tut from the season 2 episodes “King Tut’s Coup” and “Batman’s Waterloo.” Ready to check out another fine villain from McFarlane's Batman Classic TV Series line? Then join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Indiana Jones (Cairo) from Indiana Jones: Adventure Series by Hasbro

 

   Near the end of the year I did end up grabbing more of the Indiana Jones: Adventure Series than I originally planned. The reason was that they went on sale at clearance prices at most places, so I ended up with all but a few of them for probably half the original price. Indiana Jones (Cairo) captures a very recognizable look for Indy, similar to how he looks on the iconic 1982 Richard Amsel US re-release poster. This guy was sure to be a winner of a figure, right? Well,for some bizarre reason he was shipped at deluxe pricing, meaning this guy originally cost $34 dollars. That's within the past few months. That's... ridiculous. He's largely a reuse of other prior Indy figures, he has no new or unique accessories, and a few extra hands. This is definitely one of those pricing issues that Hasbro has right now that causes a lot of ill will towards collectors. There's no reason this guy should be should at a price above the standard price point. I'm glad I waited for a deep price cut and you should, too! Let's check out Indiana Jones (Cairo) after the break and try to discover why Hasbro thought this guy was worth about $10 more than a regular figure. 

Wrapping Up 2023: Scarecrow (The Dark Knight Rises) Jokerized from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   Some people hate the Jokerized DC Multiverse variants with the passion of a thousand suns, but there are some of them I really like. Today I'm checking out the Jokerized Scarecrow based on the Scarecrow figure from the Dark Knight Trilogy series. This guy is completely a McFarlane Toys repaint creation and not based on any prior concept I'm aware of and while it's quite bizarre, it's also very cool and just eerily unsetting. This guy is part of a Target exclusive Build-a-Figure series which features all Jokerized repaints of the Dark Knight Trilogy series figures, so if you want a Jokerized Bane this is the way to get him. Ready to check out a really creep version of the Scarecrow? Then join me after the break...

Wrapping Up 2023: Indiana Jones (Map Room) from Indiana Jones: Adventure Series by Hasbro

 

   I'm about to make an old man rant, so be forewarned: Movies just don't feel as magical as they used to. I'm not at all saying there aren't any good movies these days or that they don't have really powerful moments, but just that those moments that feel magical and special are fewer and farther between than they were a couple decade ago. When special effects are so prevalent and make up so much of what we see now, can something simple really stand out? Last night we were at my parents' house eating dinner and competing a 2,000 piece Pokemon puzzle with Home Alone on the TV. During the scene near the end of the film where Kevin ziplines over to his treehouse, I was just amazed at how special and amazing it felt. I mean, ultimately is it that big of a deal? A kid zip lining to a treehouse only two or three stories off the ground? Maybe not, but the movie makes it feel wondrous with the cinematography, Kevin's reaction, and the stirring John Williams soundtrack. 

   Now, what does that have to do with Indiana Jones (Map Room) from Hasbro's more than likely defunct Indiana Jones Adventure Series? If you ask me, the scene where Indiana Jones discovers the location of the Well of Souls (the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant) in the Tanis Map Room is just magical. Simple? Compared to most modern CG fests, no, but there's just something about that scene when the sunlight shines through the headpiece on the Staff of Ra and John Williams music hits that's just magical. Maybe it's the magic of the music of John Williams but there's also something that feels really special about those scenes in some of those movies. Those special effects really felt special and out of the ordinary and not just like dime a dozen stunts or effects shots. I did purchase quite a few Indiana Jones: Adventure Series figures in November on clearance and sale but this guy was one of the last Indy figures that I paid full price for. He was a Target exclusive and I snagged him right away due to my love for Raiders of the Lost Ark and the map room scene. Let's take a look at Indiana Jones (Map Room) after the break...