Showing posts with label Toys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toys. Show all posts

Tuesday 23 July 2013

Dark Empire Luke Skywalker

The Siege of Coruscant!
This is one figure that won't be going in the Purge; not least because Hasbro have stated that the Black Series 6" line will be for movie characters only. This Dark Empire Luke Skywalker figure is one that I've wanted for so long (we're talking late 90's here), and I was lucky enough to get him last month for a decent price. I was outbid at the last for the Clone Emperor, but I can live without; I'm generally more selective over EU material than I am the Prequels, but this design of Luke suits my post-ROTJ vision perfectly. At least until 2015, anyway...

I found a decent Photoshop lightsaber tutorial for anyone interested; I still need to refine the process a little bit, but it's easy enough to follow with a good end result.

Thanks for reading!

Monday 22 July 2013

The Coming Storm

General Kenobi, Commander Bly
The Clone Wars are taking their toll on the Jedi. Their numbers are dwindling against the Separatist armies, and the pall of the dark side of the Force clouds everything. Even so they fight on, securing victory after victory, and the tide of the war is slowly turning. Yet as General Kenobi leads his battalion to secure yet another stronghold, he would never foresee the betrayal that awaits him...

The Clone Wars are almost over. The Great Purge is coming.

*

OK, moody scene-setting aside, the purge really is coming to the Mos Espa Collection; and given how sprawling my collection is becoming, that's only a good thing. SDCC this year was a watershed moment for fans of Hasbro's Star Wars line, I think. Fan outrage over the direction of the 'classic' figure line is not a new thing (or fan outrage about anything, for that matter), but I'm getting the impression that the SA 3 3/4" approach is winding its way down now, and that's going to affect a lot of people's collections. The new Saga Legends looks like the template for a continued line, and it's a move I fully applaud - these are toys with great character likenesses that are also sturdy and can stand up to rigorous adventures. These are the kind of toys that I wanted as a kid, and I'm glad that they're there for kids today; whether they're entirely something I would want as an adult today I'll come to in a minute. The fact that I'm not the target demographic aside though, these figures are also seeing release at a reasonable price point, which has been the most off-putting aspect of new Star Wars figures for a few years now. If reducing the articulation allows the line to survive until the new trilogy, then Hasbro should absolutely go for it, and fie on any collector who can't understand that.

I don't get it either.
So, where does that leave collectors? It's been theorised in a few places that the new 3 3/4" Black Series line is a way for Hasbro to release existing (but unreleased) sculpts and simple kit bashes as a way of clearing the line out completely ahead of 2015's sequel trilogy push, and that makes a lot of sense to me. The upcoming figures, both rumoured and confirmed, are ones that have been mooted (and some even shown) for release in previous lines and others are fairly simple updates to older releases. I'm basing this on nothing but speculation, but if, after years of missteps, you have your toy line for children finally in working order, why would you continue to sell a misfiring line to a smaller audience, that's more expensive to produce and harder to sell? Furthermore, why do this when there's very few characters in this line left to make? It's been eight years since ROTS hit cinemas, and there really isn't much left to do in this scale (and I'm a bigger fan than most, but I have yet to see one decent argument for why a Toryn Farr action figure is required at all, by anybody, as a mass-market release. Online collector exclusive is a different matter).

The future's black...
And so, we come to the 6" Black Series, and the future of Star Wars action figures. Following the lead of the re-branded Marvel Legends line, the Black Series introduces a new scale to Star Wars action figures, with superior sculpting, more articulation than you can shake a well-spoken stick at and a long future of first-release main characters to come. I think those doubting this line's ability to last should look at the success (and there is no other word for it) of the SDCC/Celebration exclusive Boba Fett with Han Solo in Carbonite, which sold out in a day despite the inflated price and is now trading for as much as £200 on Ebay. People, not just collectors but real-life people want these toys, and the buzz around them is the highest it's been for a Star Wars line since at least the Episode I merchandising launch. With this weekend's wave two reveals at SDCC, I can now say that I am beyond doubt amongst the converted.

Captain of the Millennium Falcon, woot!
What struck me about the Saga Legends line when I reviewed the Super Battle Droid last week was that they're good toys, and I fully support the line and its reasons for existing, but they're not figures that I personally want to spend money on because I've been there before. I will pick up select figures based on aesthetics or whimsy, but for my tastes, and for the level of quality that's on offer, I intend to migrate fully to the 6" Black Series with an Episode III-VI focus, because frankly these toys really sate my desire for high quality, affordable Star Wars action figures. To do this I'll need to create space and funds, and that means selling off a chunk of my 3 3/4" collection. This in turn means deciding what each figure means to me, which I think is going to be a revelatory process and one that I'm looking forward to starting. It's also a process that I'm going to cover here on the blog (as well as continuing reviews, Vintage Wednesdays and LoEB contributions), because I think it'll be interesting to look at how much of figure collecting is about the purchasing, rather than the enjoyment of owning that figure. Hopefully that'll be something many of us can relate to, so it'd be great if anybody can relate similar experiences over the course of 'the purge'.

And every now and then I may remember that I occasionally cover Transformers too.

Thanks for reading!

Sunday 7 July 2013

Shelf Review: AOTC Blu-Ray Commemorative Pack Anakin Skywalker

Re-Armed in the Arena
Shelf Review! Not as in-depth as my regular musings, but a look at the equally-deserving items on my toy shelf all the same. This time round it's the turn of AOTC Anakin Skywalker from the Blu-Ray Commemorative four pack. How does he stack up? Read on to find out...

The Padawan Menace
Now, Attack of the Clones is a mess of a film, and is by far the worst entry into the Star Wars canon. Even with a re-edit (which it sorely needs, given how flabby it is) there's still more bad than good there. However, some of the good bits are great, are amongst them I'm going to include the costume designs. Anakin's costume is a unique and stylish take on the Jedi garb that echoes the costume later worn by Luke in ROTJ. As the look of a Jedi adventurer it works fine, and if you can get past the whiny, emo character wearing it (CW and EU do a much better job of representing Anakin to my eyes) it makes for a good look.

Face Front
That costume is well recreated here, and it makes for an equally stylish figure. The faux-leather robe looks great, even if it does feel a little flimsy, and there's even a soft goods skirt below the belt. Articulation-wise, there's a ball-jointed head, shoulders, elbow and knees, with swivel hands, waist and thighs. The legs are solid below the knee which works fine for me, as ball-jointed ankles usually look a bit... unnatural.

...And Back
The figure has all the articulation it needs for the toy shelf, and other than slightly bulbous elbows it maintains an accurate overall silhouette. As an Episode II Anakin however, I wouldn't go as far as to call this release definitive, even if it does fly pretty close.

Bare minimum, Baby.
The main issue is the lack of accessories. For a multipack figure that's not so much of a problem, but if this were on a single card I'd be annoyed by there being no mechanical replacement for the removable right arm, or spare lightsaber hilt to plug into the port on the belt. The original release of this figure, a Revenge of the Sith Evolutions multipack, included both of these parts. It doesn't kill this Anakin's appeal, but it doesn't feel complete either.

Not a good day to be a Tusken on the toyshelf...
In conclusion, this figure is a decent iteration of AOTC Anakin, and he stands proud in my collection as the single best Episode II figure I own. Given my disdain for the film that's not saying much, but this is a good toy nonetheless. All the same though, if you do have a Padawan-shaped hole in your collection, perhaps you should be looking to pick up this newer take from Hasbro's upcoming Black Series:

2013 Black Series AOTC Anakin Skywalker
Looks good to me, and there's a mechanical hand in there too...

Thanks for reading!

Saturday 11 May 2013

Play Arts Kai Dark Knight Trilogy Batman

More than just a Man
Hello, world of high(er) end collectables! If you're as good as my first impressions of the PAK DKR Batman here, I may just stick around...

This is that pre-order I was talking about, and it's pretty incredible. This figure's got fantastic poseability, comes with a great selection of accessories and feels pretty sturdy - I haven't experienced any QC issues as yet (and I'm knocking on wood as I type) - it's without doubt the best Batman I own. Hoping I can get some good pictures with this guy, and maybe one day a Joker to go with him... Everything but my wallet is stoked for this!

Tuesday 7 May 2013

Red Hot Summer

Decepticon Smolder
Quick photo post! We cleared out the garden today, and then had a little burn out with the cuttings. This seemed like the ideal situation to showcase my number one pyromaniac Decepticon, Smolder, as always accompanied by his Targetmaster-esque fire axe Chopster.

Through some of the exceptional photographers at Flickr I found PicMonkey, a photo-editing site that works like a phone app but with more functionality. There are premium only tools, but I edited the picture above with the free filters and I'm very happy with it how it turned out. There's not even any need to sign up and log-in, and you can upload straight to other sites, as well as save to your computer. I have yet to see a downside!

Eyes on Fire!
Back on topic with Smolder - you may remember that I pre-ordered the Maketoys Mobine Missile Launcher back in December; unfortunately after several delays (it's still on pre-order for April, with no sign of updates...), I cancelled the order to utilise the finds for something else. I've instead made another pre-order, but this time I'll keep quiet on what it is until I have it in hand...

Sunday 5 May 2013

Garden War!

Ambush!
Free Comic Book Day 2013 was good to me, as I picked up three IDW Transformers issues amongst many others - an Alex Milne sketchbook, a re-print of Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom, and best of all, Re-Generation #81. The latter comic is a brilliant read, as it picks up from the end of the old Marvel series, with characters and a status quo that I know and remember fondly. Subsequently, I found myself in a Transformers mood...

Cyclonus
G1 Transformers are mainly where it's at for me. I have some fond memories of Beast Wars, and love the design of Lio-Convoy (amongst others) - I certainly never subscribed to the 'Trukk not Munky' mindset - but the G1 cartoon and movie are what I think of when someone says 'Robots in Disguise'. However great the toys were for the mid-80's though, they don't stand up to today's standards, and that's where the Universe/Generations line does such a great job.

Cyclonus is a faithful interpretation of the G1 character design, the likes of which we didn't get with any Autobot or Decepticon back in the day, down to the colour scheme and the fantastic light-piping that make the eyes burn red. This version is from a Reveal the Shield two-pack that came with Rodimus Prime and a Matrix of Leadership - unfortunately I bought this second hand, so my only Hot Rod is an actual G1 version - but Cyclonus here did come with his firearm, the amazingly updated Targetmaster Nightstick. The amount of articulation, unthinkable in the 80's, coupled with the character likeness and playability (the transformation is sublimly intuitive) make Cyclonus a shining example of how Transformers should be done...

Autobot Jazz
On to the Autobot side of the battle then. I've already blogged before about Jazz and the heartbreak associated with that particular guy at G1; since then though I'm pleased to announce that my Reveal the Shield version has remained in one piece (but excuse me for a moment whilst I knock on some wood!).

What I loved about the old Marvel UK comics, besides the fact it was weekly installments of the Cybertronian War, was that it was my first exposure to a seperate continuity, and to the idea that the stories I could tell with these characters didn't need to be rail-roaded within the confines of the cartoon universe. That seemed like a decent preparation for pop-culture today, with re-boots and Ultimate Comics and live-action movie versus first-generation animated movie factions becoming increasingly normal; and I love it. Sure, we get some stinkers like Revenge of the Fallen, but then we also get the Dark Knight Trilogy. It evens out!


Bringing it back around, I'm glad that a comic like Re-Generation exists, and I'll keep reading. It's Transformers as I remember them, and I'm very happy that it's being continued - Bludgeon, Skorponok and Megatron as the Decepticon heavy-hitters suits me just fine.

Fight!
Thanks for reading!

Tuesday 23 April 2013

The Batman

And on the subject of the Dark Knight, here's a recent bargain...  


Batman from Mattel's Dark Knight Rises line, bought for a paltry £2.50 from Tesco. The paint on the face is a bit sloppy, but in general it's better than I thought it would be, with a well done soft-goods cape and surprise knee joints making a whopping seven points of articulation! There's better Batmen out there, but this one is mine, and for the price I paid I'm not complaining at all. Now there's someone to watch silently over the toy shelf at night...

Thursday 31 January 2013

Shelf Review: Gambit

Shelf Reviews! Wherein I write bitesize reviews of figures I've acquired second hand. Why let the MISP guys get all the fun?

I had never heard of the term 'Cajun' before reading X-Men. Comics are brain food!
Marvel Universe Gambit, how do you do? Since I collect better with a focus, I decided that rather than just buy Marvel Universe figures randomly, I'd be better off working on teams. As I already had a 90's costume Wolverine and a penchant for X-Men, where better to go for my line-up than the iconic Lee/Claremont era Blue Team?

Now THIS is a mutant super team.
Marvel Universe figures have been slightly hard to find over here in recent months however, and so I've been resorting to Ebay. Of my recent Blue Team searches, Gambit here has been the only one to turn up at a reasonable price. Was he worth it?

Well, it looks pretty much like Gambit. The paint apps on my figure are superb, the black eyes/red pupils really make the resemblance His blue neck guard is missing, but otherwise this is a good rendition of the character. The coat is molded into a billowing position, which I actually really like; it provides good balance and looks dynamic even in a standing pose.

The worst flaws with the figure are the articulation, or lack thereof. It would have been infinitely improved with swivel wrists, no doubt, and being able to hold his staff isn't the same as being able to pose with it. He's quite tricky to get to stand up, although mine has loose knee joints, which never helps with that. Another significant absence is his playing cards; his left hand feels empty without them.

This is how everyone dressed in the 90's. Really, it's true.
On balance, I'm happy enough with Gambit to put him in the collection, and I think he'll look swell as part of my Blue Team when it's complete. However, for his flaws, I have to say I'm happy I didn't pay full price for him.

Thanks for reading!

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Vintage Wednesdays: POTF2 R2 D2 & C-3PO

Well, this seems like a relevant time to return to Vintage Wednesdays, and who more apt to focus on than Luke Skywalker's loyal droids, Artoo Deeto and See-Threepio?

"I don't know what all this trouble is about, but I'm sure it must be your fault."
Despite the background, these shots aren't from my new lightbox - I took them some time ago, and have been storing them up for this very day. Anyway, what do you need to know about these guys?

R2 D2

"Beep!"
Height: .96 meters average
Status:
Navigator, T-65 X-Wing Fighter
Classification:
Astromech Droid
Affiliation:
Rebel Alliance 

I'm pretty sure most Star Wars fans would count R2 as their favourite droid. The ultimate robotic Swiss army knife, it's his mission that sets the whole chain of events of A New Hope into motion and pulls Luke Skywalker into the Civil War. After that he serves as Luke's loyal and trustworthy companion throughout the evacuation of Hoth and both his trips to Dagobah, and he also plays a key role in the rescue of Han Solo. None of us had ever seen such devotion from a droid before (although granted, we'd never seen a droid before either); it's kind of amazing Obi Wan Kenobi forgot all about him. Almost like a huge, unresolved and unnecessary plot hole. Anyway, I digress...

C-3PO

"But, sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid."
Height: 1.67 meters
Status:
Interpreter
Classification:
Human-Cyborg Relations Droid
Affiliation:
Rebel Alliance 

And, let's face it, Threepio is harder company to have around. Despite being the most annoying character in The Empire Strikes Back, I now realise how that's part of the measure of the heroes of the film that they never leave him behind - Han Solo ensures 'Goldenrod' makes it out of Echo Base on the Falcon, and Chewie carries his destroyed body around Cloud City, despite being insulted for doing so. I think that's why I like C-3PO; he brings out the best in his compatriots. He's a lot more tolerable in Return of the Jedi, and the way he's revered as a God by the Ewoks is a great touch, and a nice little way for Lucas to say 'thanks' to the character for being such a superb heel. I'm not sure about his being created by Anakin - don't get me wrong, I do like how coincidences hang together in stories, but that felt like a stretch too far for me, even if it did yield a superb comic that plugs a gap from ESB.

POTF2

The Power of the Force line was launched in 1995 by Kenner (who had been purchased by Hasbro in 1991), and was quickly dubbed 'POTF2', after the original Power of the Force line from 1985. Despite the beefcake sculpts the series was a massive hit, and continued to run until 2000, and completely reinvigorated interest and sales for the Star Wars merchandising juggernaut. This line is probably the main reason this blog even exists...

Anyway, back on topic. The first I knew about POTF2 was seeing Luke Skywalker in X-wing Fighter Pilot Gear (actually Snowspeeder Gear) in Milton Keynes Woolworths, where I bought it outright. Shortly afterwards I picked up the R2 D2 featured above, and gradually built up a mish-mash collection of various figures that provided hours of fun. Honestly. I played with vintage figures growing up, but these were my Star Wars vintage toys, and they were most excellent. Which I guess brings us nicely to today's hot topic...

THE BLACK SERIES


So, it's finally happened. After decades of the 3 3/4 inch scale toy line, Hasbro is now preparing to launch a six inch, super-articulated, OT-centric and collector focused line, 'The Black Series'. I for one couldn't be happier. Yeah, I have a lot of 3 3/4" figures, and I will keep a lot of them. But look at that figure! It may be a prototype, but if the quality of the mass-produced ones is anywhere near that, it may become my favourite line ever. The launch, in August, consists of Luke, R2-D2, a Sandtrooper and Darth Maul - that's a definite OT three out of four for me.

Coming back to collecting late has had both good points and bad but I'm glad to be here, and now I'm really excited to get in on this line from the ground floor. And what better way to start a collection than with a Luke Skywalker in X-Wing Fighter Pilot Gear?

Thanks for reading!

Saturday 26 January 2013

Outside the Rules

I've been working on some shot ideas for the The Rather Childish 2nd Annual Vintage Star Wars Action Figure Photo Contest (closes January 31st, there's still time!), and took the opportunity to use my lighting and set-up with a slightly newer guy...


Man, I do so much better with the modern figures. On another note, it's irregular games night tonight! X-Wing vs TIE until the small hours... :D

Friday 18 January 2013

TMNT: Leonardo (Basic Collection) Review

"I don't think you're the sewer-dwelling green mutant-lizard I'm looking for..."

"Mutated from ooze and raised in the ways of Ninjutsu by their rat Sensei, Splinter, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are ready to venture outside their sewer lair to fight evil everywhere!"

I had seen pictures of the new Playmates TMNT line (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in old money) all over the internet last year, and was immediately interested in picking them up. It took a while for them to hit over here, but since they have it’s been a Turtle bonanza at supermarkets and toy shops, and other than empty shelves at Christmas, they’ve been quite easy to pick up. And it’s a nice feeling, being able to go out to a shop and actually be able to buy something you want (ahem, Star Wars Vintage Collection).

I was sold on the show from about halfway through the first episode I saw, “Never Say Xever”. It was action packed and entertaining anyway, but when, in a moment of inspired lunacy, Michelangelo proclaimed a need to get a tattoo of his face on his face to use as a mask, visualised as his 80’s animated look, I knew I’d found my new favourite cartoon...

Back in the 80’s and early 90’s, fearless leader Leonardo was my favourite, and so he was a natural to pick up first.

Leonardo
Leader and King of the Katana Swords 
Hardworking, honourable and respectful, Leonardo is the Turtles’ fearless leader. Driven to be the perfect hero, Leo’s inexperience and (often) rowdy brothers sometimes get in the way of his goal.

Weapons: Niten Ryu – double katana swords
Team: Ninja Turtles

From the cardback.


"Wow, Weird Looking Dudes."

A big reason for picking up Leo first, aside from my affinity for the character, was the aesthetics. The shade of green matches the blue of Leo’s mask and the yellow of his under-shell beautifully, and the flashes of white on the figure make him look really dynamic. The sculpt captures the muscles with a rough texture that really evokes reptilian skin, and there are plenty of little nicks and scratches, presumably battle scars, that add further texture and complete the look beautifully. The large feet and hands are somewhat reminiscent of late 90’s Spawn to me, and I really like the power and bulk they bring to the figure. The belts and pads on the elbows and knees are well sculpted, also suffering scratches and nicks. They are all painted the same shade of brown, with gold highlights on the buckles on the chest strap. The belts go all the way around the back and incorporate the katana sheaths, so you can pose the figure anyway without having to worry about a break in the design. The back shell is as detailed and textured as you’d think, given the rest of the figure, and the colour perfectly differentiates it from the rest of the body without clashing. In terms of looks, this Leonardo is a perfect figure.

"You...are seriously twisted."

Leo has 11 points of articulation: ball jointed neck, shoulders, elbows, thighs and knees, and swivel wrists. The ball joints are also hinged, which allows a much greater range of movement; however the bulky sculpt of the body of the figure gets in the way of a lot of poses. The bottom of the front shell is flexible, allowing Leo to adopt a sitting position, which I’m sure would come in handy for use in the Shellraiser, or other such vehicle. The bulky, wide feet and angled big toe allow the figure a fairly decent balance, meaning that despite not having foot articulation, Leo can be stood in quite a few poses; however, you’d need a stand if you wanted him in a full-on action stance – the heavy weight of the upper body makes it pretty much impossible to balance him on one leg.

"The Class is Pain 101…"

Leonardo comes with his trusty twin katana, or Niten Ryu, as the cardback tells me. They’re a decent size for Leo to hold, but the coolest feature is how easily they fit into the sheath on his back. The sheath itself is attached by a plug and is detachable, but as the swords are part of what makes Leo Leo (visually, I mean), I prefer to keep it on. 


Reminiscent of the 80’s toyline, he does come with weapons packed in – a blister pack containing two throwing stars, three knives, an even larger sword and what looks like a shank. I’ve not broken these out yet; I think mainly because I’m acutely aware I could lose them…


There’s also a pack-in flyer showing the rest of the 2012 line, including the massive sewer playset, which finally puts the Blue Peter version to shame. These extras with the figure should be mandatory when it costs £10, especially the catalogue – I used to pore over these when I was a kid, mentally marking down which figures I wanted next, and I’m sure there are kids out there today doing the same.


 "Get yourself together Captain, you're our leader, so act like one!"

The only real negatives are the slightly restricted articulation and, maybe, the facial sculpt. I say maybe because I’m in two minds about it. As a figure based on the cartoon, the head fails: the eyes are missing the coloured pupils, and his face is in a mean and slightly humorous grin – in short, he looks way more aggressive than you would imagine TMNT Leo could get. However, as an action figure in itself, the head sculpt works really well. It’s like the Eastman/Laird comic versions in its attitude and ferocity, and seems more influenced by the visual style of the NECA figures than the show itself. I’m falling on the side of it being a win though: as much as I love the show, this guy makes a truly kick-ass action figure, and if anyone cares that much about show accuracy, pupils are but a blue Sharpie away…


"I am impressed, Leonardo."

In conclusion, I am seriously impressed with this figure. It looks fantastic, with impressive articulation, it’s got weight and feels sturdy, and comes with a decent amount of accessories. Leonardo straddles the line between child’s toy and collectible perfectly. I’ve got Michelangelo waiting to be unboxed and reviewed as well; hopefully it won’t be too long after that I get myself a Donny and Raph to complete the team.

My verdict? ****1/2


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