Chase Variant

Transformers Kre-O: Exclusive Optimus Prime Review

2012-02-16T03:46:00.000+08:00

**State of the Toy Union: My display room's a mess! It's made me really not want to open up any of my recent purchases until I get it cleaned up. I'm making progress with the packing/tidying up though. So in the meantime, I'm very sorry for the long pause between reviews. Enjoy this one though--he couldn't wait! ;)**

Call him an SDCC, a Botcon or a (insert your preferred)Con Exclusive, but for us here in Singapore, he's our Transformers Con 2012 Exclusive Kre-On! (That's what they call a Kre-O figure btw).

Messy room--enter at own peril!

That's right, in a month's time from March 11th to 14th, the bi-annual event is hitting our tiny island nation. So the awesome people in charge sent over this little fella just to whet my appetite!

Now the idea of building a Transformer out of Legos or any other building blocks is hardly a new one because anyone who's ever laid hands on such toys will have at one point or another tried to do it. But never has there been an official toy company who's gone out a produced a whole range of them--until now.

And while I have to admit that I was pleasantly when I saw Kre-Os on the shelves in stores, I was less than impressed by the sets. First up, the robot modes aren't all that accurate to the G1 TF forms they were trying to mimic (and neither are their vehicles modes for that matter). Second, they came with Kre-On (minifig) versions of themselves. And that doesn't really make sense, if you catch my drift. Third: the price. At US$30 a pop for the bigger sets, it was kinda hard to go out on a limb and trust the quality of a new building lock brand.

Still, those Kre-Ons looked pretty darn cute. And they do have a whole range of them out right now--Optimus, Bumblebee, Mirage, Sideswipe, Megatron, Shockwave, and Prowl, just to name a few off the top of my head. I had even told the Rangerlord what many have expressed online--if they sold the Kre-Ons separately, I'd grab 'em. He agreed too.

So you can imagine my delight when the organizers of Transformers Con 2012 sent me this little package. Now I can't wait for the Con to come. So I guess I'll just have to settle for filling the time with a review of Kre-On Optimus Prime! ;)

Like: Improved articulation from your "standard minifig." First up there's an added waist joint, then there's the limbs, which are all ball joints! Because of the way the figure is though, the joints are restricted, which is just as well since I hear the joints get lose after some play--but so far so good for lil' Prime here.

Like: Customizable parts. Smokestacks, helmet, legs, torso. If you get more Kre-Ons you can swap out the parts for sure.

Dislike: That the right leg joint and the right smokestack are a tad looser than the left sides'

Like: That the parts are compatible with Legos! Prime stands well on Lego pieces but can't quite sit because of the wheels on the side of his legs. I the wheels weren't in the way he'd fit perfectly. Accessories clip well into his hands and his gun does the same with Lego minfigs. But while his helmet fits snugly on a minifig head, the headgear from Legos tends to be a little loose on Prime's bare head.

Unfortunately, that's where the minifig/Kre-On compatibility ends. Their legs are not interchangeable, nor are their hands. And though I didn't pop them off for a try, I suspect their are won't fit on each other's torsos either. :(

Dislike: Any Transformer worth anything can transform--this Kre-On obviously can't. But I can forgive this because he's quite the cute lil' fella. However the bigger counterparts of Prime and the other characters are quite another matter--sure, they come apart and you can build the vehicle form, but that's cheating. ;P

That's about as close as it gets...

Like: Really sharp tampography. And what makes Exclusive Prime special is the sweetly rendered Autobot Matrix of Leadership on his chest.

Like: That his ion cannon is customized to look like the one from the cartoon series. This is probably a more important detail than most care to admit. I know one of the first few things I look for in any good Optimus figure is his gun and this one does a greatly satisfying job of providing a great likeness.

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 9/10 - There's no mistaking it, this is definitely Optimus Prime--except in Kre-On form. And when you can recognize a character instantly without having to have a closer look then you know the toy-makers have done a decent job. But when you don't even have to look closely to realize that it's the matrix in his chest then they've done an excellent job. From the classic look of the helmet, to the ion cannon, to the wheels on his legs and the tampographed designs, this Kre-On is done superbly!

Poseability: 8/10 - Simply delightful! Even though I thought the ball joints were severely limited, upon playing around with the fig I realized what a big difference even the smallest range of motion can make, especially in this scale. Optimus can twist at the waist, stand with his feet wide, pose looking like he's in mid stride, point his gun somewhat sideways, and have his arms look like they're really swinging. I'd say Prime's poseability is the one feature of his that surprised me the most!

Fun: 7/10 - Even with just 8 points of articulation, I really enjoyed what I could get out of this guy. The customizability of the figure will also prove to be lots of fun once you can get your hands on more accessories. (I'm thinking a gold ax-hand at least...) It'll also be more fun if you could get your hands on just the Kre-Ons instead of buying whole sets. That's in the works, I hear. But for now this is a 7 because you can't.

What saves Kre-Ons and Kre-Os right now is their compatibility with other "leading brick-building brands," as they claim on the packaging of this here figure. I can gather all my loose Lego and start building a Teletran-1 or an Ark or even an Omega Supreme for all my TF Kre-Ons. But eventually, I'd like to see an Omega Supreme set, or a Metroplex Set, or the awesomeness that would be a Unicron set. Better yet if these and any new sets can transform without first coming apart. Aw yeah.

Value: 7/10 - It's okay if you like the large Kre-O "figure" that comes with the Kre-Ons (or is that vice versa? ;P) But until they offer the little guys without the sets or with a set that is the Ark or Metroplex or Unicron, I won't be spending too much money on these guys. But once they get the sets right and start to release the individual Kre-Ons, then it should be worth your while.

Overall: 7.75/10 - Kre-O sets don't look that appetizing for now but Kre-Ons like Optimus look so good I can't wait for Hasbro to sell them individually. Heck, I would even get them if they were sold blind-bagged. That's how good the Kre-Ons are--just like a minifig but with better articulation and about as pretty to look at. Sure, they might have some problems like loose joints, weird set selection, and the not-so-pretty-as-yet big-block characters, but I'm sure things can only get better, especially if they've done so great with the mini Kre-Ons right out of the blocks. (Ooh, a pun! :P)

Owned by (the) Force!

Lego 6862 DC Superheroes: Superman vs Lex Luthor!

2012-01-17T04:24:00.002+08:00

Guess what I got for my birthday from the dear wife, when it isn't even my birthday yet?

That's right! Yer looking at it! :D :D :D

She's been getting me stuff early for special occasions for a while now, so I just thought to tell her that she needn't, and said that I feel bad for opening presents early and all that. Her response: I need to get it for you before you see it and get it for yourself! Hah! The bonus? She also got me the Batcave!!! (Review to come...)

Apparently, this Supes vs Lex set won't be brought into store until next month here in Singapore, so this is a happy thing for me to be able to have and review it early. That and the fact that I love Superman and the wife likes Wonder Woman makes me a happy 33 year-old kid. Add to that the excellent looking mech that is Lex Luthor's power armour and this is a must-have set!

It's been a while since I really wanted badly to open something that I bought or was bought for me and review it, so what are ya waiting for? Jump, jump, jump!!! ;D

Oh and watch out when opening the box--the parts come in three bags: two bigger ones and a small one for the little bits. There's also a Lego comic book and of course, the instruction booklet--but the cannon-to-power armour power cable for the Lex's mech is not in any of the bags but directly in the box itself. So don't go throwing way the box with glee before checkin'! ;)

Like: Purple and green pieces. Purple and green pieces, people! Besides being new(er) Lego brick colours, this has to be the most popular superhero colour combo right next to red, white and blue. Also, they are Hulk colours so you know you can't go wrong there. :P

Like: That Supes and Wonder Woman have detail on the back of their torsos. Lego usually doesn't detail the back of minifgs, but Superman has his muscles and Diana has her half bare back and her gold belt. Even Lex has the back of his suit printed on! :)

Like: That both superheroes have alternate faces. There's a stoic and grimace for Supes, while Wonder W has a grimace and a smile!

Like: Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth! It can actually "tie" stuff up--mech's fingers, other minifigs, a horse or two...It's made of soft gold-ish rubber, but is solid enough that it won't bend under a minifig's weight while the wielder is hanging off something.

Dislike: That Supes has no boots! They gave Wonder Woman boots, but not Supes! Also, my wife pointed out that Diana doesn't have here gold bracers. You know, those she deflects bullets and lasers with. Superman's boots I can sorta understand being missing, but Wonder Woman's bracers are an important part of her, along with her tiara and Lasso of Truth. Both boots and bracers could've been painted on too, so this is a bit of a let down.

Like: The ball joints on Lex's power armour, all six of them. They're all constructed the same way, but I especially love the ones at the ankles because the allow for all sorts of dynamic stances while being supremely stable at the same time. Besides the ball joints, the ratcheted swivel/hinges on his hip/legs joints are also superb and they work super well with the ankle joints for some great posing! :)

Like: The great fingers on Lex power armour. Each is individually hinged and pops on and off easily without losing any of it's tightness. Each of the two fingers and a thumb on each hand are also tipped with Kryptonite--all the better to kill Superman, of course. ;)

Like: The great big fat Kryptonite gun. There's a sizable chunk of Kryptonite encased in the gun between a couple of translucent panel pieces. The whole assembly sits between the barrel of the weapon and the power cable connected to the back of his "suit." There's also an awesome way for Lex to "grip" the gun snugly, with a peg that can fit in the forearm of the right hand. The "grip" itself then fits nicely in its palm, where the fingers can be wrapped around it.

Got it at just the right angle..,

Kryptonite chamber

Dislike: The gun is so heavy that the armour can't hold it straight out without the shoulder ball joint slipping. And seeing that the ball-joints are all nice and tight, that means the gun and right arm combined are just a little too heavy. Ah well, you can't win 'em all! ;)

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 9/10 - It's really great to finally see Superman and Wonder Woman in minifig form. It's a pity Supes has missing boots and Diana has no bracers. But as always, the paint on the minifigs is excellent, especially on Wonder Woman.

Amazon Attack Wonder Woman

Just check out the gold of her tiara (painted on her hair), the "W" on her chest and her belt. Her stars are clean and sharp, while her hair is just the right size.

Supes has great printed musculature and a sharp "S", not to mention his yellow belt. His "S" curl is also fantastic, though the rest of his hair kinda looks a little old school--it's just a tad too big, like he used a whole tub of Brylcream. From the back it looks like something out of the 60s. ;P

Lex could pass for any regular minifig but his power armour is a thing of beauty. Lego's mechs have always been very well designed and constructed (ExoForce fans you know what I'm talking about!) and this is no exception. The use of curved pieces to form the legs and feet are my favourite parts of the mech, but there's plenty to admire from the Kryptonite gun to the two power packs on the back.

Poseability: 10/10 - It usually isn't this way with most Lego sets. It's well and good if you have a Millennium Falcon or an X-Wing, but it can't pose--they weren't meant to, not like an action figure anyway. With a mech like Lex's power armour, you get both a vehicle and an action figure. And they didn't just give this "figure" the obligatory joints, oh no--its got some of the best articulation any action figure could have.

What's also impressive is that it doesn't have a "head" (doesn't need one because it uses Lex!) and has no knee joints, yet it can pose very dynamically without them! :)

Oh yes and throw in not one but three minifigs and you have a fight scene right out of the box. As you can tell, it was hard for me to stop posing them in battle scenes. ;)

Backpack!

Fun: 10/10 - Lego is scary fun! Why? Because you could end up playing with it for hours and hours and still wanna play some more! But what limits most sets is the number of pieces and the number of minfigs per box, for which this set doesn't lack. That being said, the fun in Lego is the endless customizability. In this case, you could expand on Luthor's power armour and make him two, three or even ten times its original size. Ya just have to keep the instruction book handy in case your project goes awry and you need a reset.

Stompin' right foot!

Or if you're unhappy that its only got three fingers, then you can modify it to give him more. You just have to find the parts, which are not difficult if you have a speciality Lego shop in your neighbourhood (or if your neighbourhood is the internet. ;P) You can give the mech knees, longer arms, a more well-armoured torso, wrists, or even a bigger gun. The possibilities for fun are endless!

Value: 8/10 - Branded Legos are usually costly but these Superhero ones seems to be coming at a discounted price right off the blocks. (Pun. Heh.) The wife paid around S$45 for this set but I think it's well worth it--three minifgs, a giant robot and all three iconic DC characters making their first appearances in Lego form. Lots of times certain characters an only be found in large or giant sized sets which cost a pretty penny, so this medium-sized box is well worth it.

But it's also the little things that make this set: Wonder Woman's Lasso, stars, and painted-on tiara; Superman's "S"-curl, muscles, and chest emblem; the translucent green Kryptonite chunk that powers Luthor's gun, the large feet and chunky legs of the mech, and the alternate faces for Supes and Diana--they're all worth every penny!

Overall: 9.25/10 - I'd take an arm and a leg (plastic or otherwise) for this Lego set - Yes, it's that good! For Superman, Wonder Woman, and Lex Luthor fans (yes, I know you exist. ;P), it's a must. For Lego fans, it's a must. For superhero and Lego fans, it's a no-brainer! Even if you're only mildly interested in the characters, Legos like these will only appreciate in value. But it would be such a waste sitting in the box for a couple of years when you have beautifully rendered figures, a highly poseable and customizable suit of armour, and all the little things that combine the best qualities of action figures and Lego sealed up like the 40-year-old virgin's vintage Iron Man.

This set fulfils a childhood wish of mine to have superhero Legos of my absolute fave characters. When they released the Spiderman and Batman lines, I was happy. But they weren't my favourite superheroes. Superman is. And if he or Wonder Woman or Lex is your favourite, then like me, you'll find this one of the most satisfying Lego experiences you'll ever have! ;)

Star Wars Vintage Collection 3.75" Bastila Shan

2011-12-28T05:30:00.000+08:00

Bastila Shan is exactly the type of Star Wars figure that I wouldn't care about until I saw her on the pegs. I love that she's an Expanded Universe character from the Knights of the Old Republic computer game. Most of the EU characters are unknown unless you follow their game/story/series specifically. And usually this means that their stories are not done being told/continues to be told.

It kinda has a roleplaying game-like feel, which reminds me of the time when the Rangerlord and I would get the siblings/cousins together for many a spot of the old West End Games Star Wars Roleplaying Game. There was a real sense of boundless potential for your characters. You could be anything you wanted to be--a Force sensitive but untrained character, a half-trained Jedi, a wrongly trained Jedi, or even a guy who thinks he's a Jedi and has powers because of it. But my favourite was coming up with your own "occupation," like "Space Cowboy" or "Galactic Ladies Man" Heh, those were the days.

But getting back on point--Bastila Shan captures this same sense of potential in plastic toy form. And while I was on a buying-characters-I-don't-know-of streak with Barriss Offee, I picked up this lass too--how could I possible resist the "Character Debut: Never before offered as a figure!!!" sticker? I'm such a sucker!

From seeing her in-package, this was what I could garner: Jedi? Check. Double-bladed lightsaber? Check. Funky new hair sculpt? Check. Fancy Schmancy duds? Check. Snazzy name? Check.

So let's take a look at her out-of-package, shall we? :)

Like: Her outfit. Star Wars-ishly outlandish but not overly loud. It's also a great attempt to do a non-conventional getup with a leather skirt complete with strips hanging from her hip front and sides. The whole brown leather over yellow cloth idea makes for a cool Jedi-like combo.

Dislike: Her legs look short because you can see her hip/leg joints. This is actually a great sculpt for female characters except that in most cases, you don't see the leg joints exposed because of a skirt, or the character's wearing pants and has the appropriate detail at the region. But in Bastila's case the area is smooth and devoid of any detail, so it looks kinda glaring against all the texture of the rest of her clothes.

Like: That they attempted to cast her hair in a very difficult to do style. And from the picture on card, you can see it's a very nice hairstyle for a female human Jedi. Heck, It's a nice hairstyle for a female human.

Dislike: That despite a valiant attempt, the hair ends up looking like a padded helmet from the front (think Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal for all you football [soccer] fans...) From the side and the back, the hair looks great though. I'm just not sure how they missed the front right!

Like: She's got unrestricted movement of her joints! Most female figures are hindered by skirts/capes (like Bariss Offee) but her lack of either allows her to be put in the widest possible stances of have her raise her arms over her head without obstruction.

The one downside about my figure is the left shoulder--which is blocked by be shoulder pad. The right shoulder is fine because the pad slips nice into the shoulder socket when you move it. But the left arm gets blocked for some reason. It's probably down to how high they've attached the arm's post into the body, but it could also be the way they glued the pad. Either way, it's a bummer to have a blocked PoA.

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 7.5/10 - A pretty figure. But just short of being truly a stunner up close. The potential is there but the funny-looking hair from the front and the funky crotch throws her off up close. Bastila also suffers from the too-wide stance, which adds to the illusion of her shortness.

Poseability: 8/10 - The unrestricted limbs and PoAs are a huge plus. I also think being out of Jedi robes and in her own gear makes her more interesting to pose--you can see her legs and feet. I also love the little hole in the belt which allows you to plug on her unlit lightsaber. I might be wrong but this could be the first time a Jedi gets to clip a double 'saber on his/her hip. Maybe Darth Maul can do it too, but I love that the unlit weapon hangs down to her boot-top. It's like Dirty Hary walking around with his Smith & Wesson Model 29 Revolver--"the most powerful handgun in the world." Lol.

Also, I like that she has a "Jedi hand." which can both perform the necessary Jedi mind-trick and hold a lightsaber when needed. :)

Fun: 8/10 - As I mentioned earlier, the fun in this figure for me is in the not-knowing who she is and hence her potential to be anyone--a Jedi extra for my display (who has a name, because they all do in the SW universe anyway) or the heroine of the video games that she is. Even then, her "adventures" could continue and she could go anywhere in any Star Wars display without looking at all out of place/time. Together with other characters from the Old Republic? Already there. Arena battle scene? No problem. Jedi temple massacre? Sure. Killed by Clone Troopers during Executive Order 66? That works. One of Luke's Jedi trainees in the New Jedi Order? That works too. Buying Bastila fr me was like buying a figure of a character I came up with. :)

Value: 7/10 - With her lit double lightsaber and another unlit one, Bastila's only got two accessories. But would you look at the size of those double 'sabers? They're like two weapons in one so those might as well be four weapons she comes with. Har.

Her head sculpt is also unique, while the tooling on her leather vest, shoulder pads and skirt are really well worked. And needless to say, Star Wars figures have the most flexible PoAs on a 3.75" figure, so that's always value-for-money there.

Overall: 7.7/10 - A Good Toy All Around with some minor flaws - I may not like her as much as Bariss Offee, but for a character I knew nothing about and bought based on how cool I thought she was (my wife thought so too, probably moreso than me. Heh.), she turned out to be a fantastic buy. I like Jedi (doh! Who doesn't? The Sith. I know, I know...), especially ones with non-standard outfits and are popular enough to make it into the toy line but yet are unknown to me. (Heh.)

Whether you're looking for a Jedi to fill in the gaps in your existing Jedi display or putting together an Old Republic one, Bastila Shan is perfect for both. either way, I think human female Jedi figures are hard to come by (I can only think of Mara Jade now...) so if you're a Star Wars fan, I don't think you can avoid her! ;P

Christmas in Legoland!

2011-12-26T03:49:00.000+08:00

Well, sort of. ;P

But that's what it sure felt like this year as my dear wife got me this bad momma:

Oh and the wife is adding on a Marvel Universe SDCC 2011 Exclusive Sentinel as well. (Hell Yeah!)

To top it off, the Rangerlord added on these babies:

Aw heck yeah it's gonna be a very a very Lego-y Christmas and New Year for the rest of 2011--let's just hope I get some of the reviews in before the year-end, eh? ;)

That's the other thing I wanted to say: the holidays have really gotten me into the mood and I've been busy running around getting gifts for as many people as I can. So I apologize for the very very infrequent updates/reviews.

Oh boy, Oh boy, I can't wait!

Although the son got a ton more toys for Christmas than I did, he's gonna have to go quite some ways to catch up to Daddy. But my boast ends there--you must be thinking "if he's got so many toys, where the heck are the reviews?!?!?!" Lol. On the way, on the way. (Or at least that's what I tell myself. >.<)

Oh and on one final merry note, I just have to mention this awesome gift I got from a couple of dear cousins of mine. It's a car windscreen sun shield--but it's ain't just any windscreen shield:

Awww yeah. Laugh my but of every time I look at it--for those very hot days in Singapore or when I'm travelling in hyperspace.

Well, so to one and all: May the Force be with you...

...And also a very Merry Christmas! ;)

Star Wars Vintage Collection 3.75" Bariss Offee

2011-12-13T05:47:00.000+08:00

I'll have to say for the record that I'm not a fan of the New Trilogy. Or at last I'm not as big a fan of the NT as I am of the Original trilogy, not by a long shot. I seriously dislike the way the NT was treated like a 3 movie-long commercial, with characters more or less being sold as merchandise. As long as they appeared for a split second on screen, they'd be sold as an action figure sooner or later. Same with the vehicles, aliens, and whatever else made it into the theatre. And the Star Wars Universe suffered greatly.

Back in the day, the OT characters, background or otherwise, were very much less deliberate. In fact you couldn't even tell that George Lucas had merchandising on his mind. Perhaps he didn't even know himself. Sure, he may have already had backstories for everyone in the Mos Eisley Cantina to the Forest Moon of Endor, but it wasn't forced on you the way Jar Jar Binks felt like it was. Hence, I can't really get myself to like the toys--I already have a bad taste in my mouth for most things NT, so I tend to be less partial to Clone Wars stuff.

But sometimes, just sometimes, a figure will pop out at you from the pegs and no matter which trilogy/series/timeline/universe they're from, you're just drawn to it. Barriss Offee is one of them.

Looking at the character pic they have on the card, Bariss really looks like a noob Jedi wannabe who might've been in the movies (she was) and ended up dying a meaningless death (she did)/being an easy kill during Executive Order 66 (incinerated by an AT-TE. Hm.) The character, despite all the awesome makeup and the lightsaber, just looks uninspired in the card pic.

But look at the figure--it's almost as if they made the figure first and then based the character of the toy. I just had to get her. Being at 2 for S$25 helped too. It's not often Star Wars figures go on discount here in Singapore. So was Bariss as good out of package as she was in-bubble-on-card? Let's find out!

Like: Her colour palette. From the blue grey hood and cloak to the purple-blue upper body to the purplish-brown skirt, it may not have been intentional to make her different colours but I think it's a happy accident. The difference in colours is subtle but flow together very nicely. Her pale green skin also goes perfectly with the overall colour scheme. This is the very first thing that drew me in for a second look at the figure!

Like: The crisp paint for the little details--her facial tattoos and the matching marks on her hands, her eyes and lips, the bronze dots on both shins, the bronze "heart" on her belt (yup she's a Care Bear). Her eyes are especially well done, with a hint of looking slightly off to the side. It gives her a slightly playful expression that suggests you underestimate her at your own risk!

Like: The successful combination of cloth goods and plastic to make up her outfit. Her "skirt" is cloth and works if you see it as either a separate piece from the rest of her soft plastic getup or as part of a one-piece dress. And while almost all the other cloaked Jedi have cloth goods cloaks, Barriss' is molded--and really well too because it'll never go out of shape! I love that her skirt is made of soft goods because it's like an extra PoA--you can pose it like she's whirling while she's using her Jedi moves. Sweet. :)

Like: The molded texture of her tunic, hood, and cloak. They really put a lot of effort into detailing these to make them look like cloth!

Dislike: That the molded hood makes it difficult to turn her head within (though it can be done with a little patience) and the cloak prevents the backward movement of her legs. The stiff cloak does act very well as a stand though, so Bariss can actually achieve one-legged poses. Har.

Like: They way that they put together the cloak, hood, and head on a longish neck post so that it looks just right. Without the hood and cloak, Bariss looks a little weird and almost inhuman. (What a minute--she isn't! She's Mirialan. Doh!)

Like: The really flexible PoAs on a seemingly frail sculpt. Her arms and legs are especially thin looking but are surprisingly sturdy at the joints and yet have a great range of motion at the shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles.

Dislike: That she's only a Jedi Padawan. What the hell. She's too cool a figure to just be a noob. I gather she becomes a Jedi Knight later on, but remains loyal to her former Master Luminara Unduli.

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 9/10 - Better than even her on-screen appearance! Well, at least you get to see her longer as a toy than as a character on the big screen. Lol. In all fairness, there's not enough screen time for Barriss to compare film vs plastic. But from the pics of the actress in costume, the likeness is pretty stark. The only difference might be her slightly greener skin tone in action figure form (as opposed to more yellow) but I dig the colour anyway.

Crisp paint, great texture for different surfaces, and an awesome colour scheme make Barriss a winner in this department.

Poseability: 7.5/10 - Good but not great, mainly due to the parts hindered by the molded cloak and hood. Still, I have to concede that doing the articulation diagram, I realize that this figure has pretty standard PoAs. But what she has is done very well--as are all joints on Star Wars figures. And I guess fans/collectors would rather have quality joints over fancy ones on limbs that keep popping off/become loose...*cough* *Marvel Universe legs* *cough*...I know I would. ;)

Fun: 8/10 - I like Jedi, especially when you can collect a variety of different looking ones and display them nicely side by side. Never mind that they come from different times/universes. It's just super cool to have variation in a large force of Jedi. It's also fun to have them in a large battle scene with Storm/Clone Troopers or in a lightsaber duel with a Sith or two. And a bunch of female Jedi is also super cool.

What I find really fun though, is that she's not just your standard female buck with your standard Jedi claock and a lightsaber--her molded hood and cape make great "props" and help her balance like no other Jedi can! ;)

Value: 8/10 - Already great value at retail, but even better on clearance! On the surface, Barriss Offee comes with only an ignited and non-ignited lightsaber. This has become a standard thing for Jedi characters and is already awesome because the latter can be pegged into holes on the figures' belts. Barriss though, has an added hood and a cloak which can be considered extra accessories. They can also actually fit on other characters (probably with some simple modification required).

Then there's her soft goods skirt, the precisely applied paint and the extra-molded texture. The only thing that could possibly make her better is an alternate, non-hooded head with whatever her hair(?) looks like. Or maybe she's just bald underneath. But knowing George Lucas, she's probably got snakes for hair.

Overall: 8.2/10 - She's a Keeper! - I love surprises! And as enter into the 4th year of Chase Variant, it's tougher to find figures that surprise me--partly because I've amassed a handsome amount of plastic, and partly because I rarely venture out of the toy lines I'm into. But once in a while a figure like Barriss Offee pops up and I buy it not because I like the character or have to get every Star Wars figure ever made (some do though. ;P), but because it simply looks a darn good toy and turns out to be a fabulous one!

Marvel Universe 3.75" Mutant Leaders: Ultimate Magneto & Cylops

2011-11-29T04:11:00.001+08:00

No peeps, this ain't no two-pack--I just happened to snag them at the same time and thought it would be more fun as a double review. :)

Props to the Rangerlord who hooked me up once again. I swear, he's somehow become my full-time plastic crack dealer. He also happens to to have me by the short hairs (to use the polite term)--no reviews, no hook ups!

Ok, so maybe he didn't put it in so many words. But he did say he wanted to "speak to me" about picking up my review slack. Now that's a veiled threat if I'd ever heard one!

So that's yet another reason to double up--I don't want to be found frozen to death from withdrawal symptoms outside a Toys R Us, my fingers bloody to the bone from trying to claw my way in. *Shudder*

I'm kinda starting to feel fidgety and stuff...so...*scratchscratch*...*sniffle*...yeah, let's move on to the review!

Magneto

Like: Magneto's Ultimate uniform colors! They could easily be modern Mags colors. I like that there's black added to his color scheme. Makes the Master of Magnetism lots more foreboding but with just the right amount of purple to remind us that it's the Maggie himself. There's also a heavy wash over the blue areas of the costume but it's not overdone. Me likey.

Dislike: What the heck did they decide to do to the face?!?! They tried to wash the flesh tone with black to give it a shadowy look. In theory this works. But in order for it to go off without a hitch, the flesh paint has to be perfectly within the lines so that it doesn't look like he's got, well, soot on his face. And as you can see, the flesh shows up in places like the seems between the helmet and cheekbones where it shouldn't. Now that makes the "shadow" look really weird.

Head Swap!

Like: On the bright side, the eyes are painted a real piercing blue and shows through the shadow from beneath the helmet really well. In fact, if you look at Maggers' face from far enough off, it looks terrific. And I suppose at this 3.75" scale, his face is always kinda "far off" unless you have him right up close.

Like: The use of the A.I.M. soldier body for dear old Eric. It's a great re-use of the uniform and has the added bonus over the old Secret Wars version of a neck hinge and thigh cuts!

Cyclops

Like: That Cylops has the new base body that Steve Rogers shares with him--it's got great proportions and all that new-fangled articulation like thigh cuts, a neck hinge, and those hinge/ball ankles! I can't say it enough--the head and the ankle joints are probably the best I've seen on a figure in this scale.

Like: That with a few simple separately sculpted pieces in the harness/belt and thigh bands, this looks like a completely different figure from the aforementioned Steve Rogers. And of course, the head sculpt is a doozy. Lush, wavy-brown locks and that groovy one-piece shades are just perfect for the 90's look that this figure is representative of. But the head can be any modern version of Cyclops. Heck, it doesn't even need a costume. Just pop that head onto a regular-clothed 3.75" fig and you got yourself Casual Wear Cyclops!

Dislike: That his right leg keeps popping off at the slightest touch. This is especially frustrating because the other joints on the rest of the leg are nice an firm. But that's the precise reason that the leg keeps popping off--it's the one that gives way first when I move the leg. Fix these weak leg/hip joints, Hasbro!

Dislike: That he doesn't come with and eye-blast accessory! The only saving grace is that if you have or can get our hands on the Iron Man 2 line Crymson Dynamo, who has an eye blast accessory. But it's just weird that the perfect thing for Cyclops come with a character who doesn't have any eye blast powers. Go figure!

Like: That like the previous versions of Cyclops (Secret Wars, X-Men 5-Pack), I can use Iron Man 2 Comic Series Crimson Dynamo's blast for him!

Like: The pointing/eye-blast activating left hand. We love expressive faces on our figures so why not on their hands too? Ok, so maybe most times we'd rather have them available for gripping accessories and let those do the talking. But once in a while a repulsor palm, a mind-focus hand, or even a good ol' fashioned fist are more desirable. This is one of them.

Dislike: That for some reason, Hasbro decided to use blue ankle joints in his otherwise yellow-molded lower legs and feet. This has not been the case for Steve Rogers but many Star Wars Figures also have mismatched joints to legs. It looks so out of place and I can't for the life of me figure out why they've donw this...

RATINGS

Magneto

Aesthetics: 7.5/10 - He's got great colors for his uniform but he face ruins it, though not as badly as I thought it would when I first got him in package. The first time the Rangerlord handed it to me, my initial thoughts were how I could somehow repaint or replace the head. But now I don't think it's necessary. What's needed at the very least is a paint touch up because as you can see, the shadows work very well in the pictures. And a lot of it is also down to how well they painted the eyes.

Poseability: 7.5/10 - It's really refreshing to have a Magneto other than the Secret Wars version, which is practically naked except for his Magno belt, helmet and cape. With the added clothes comes the added articulation of this AIM soldier body and boy, that sure is welcome!

A couple of things to watch out for though: his head can't fully utilize the hinge because the collar of the soft plastic-cast cape gets in the way partially, and the cape itself tends to weigh down on his chest pivot and also gets in the way of the his legs during "stance poses."

Fun: 8/10 - I quite enjoyed this figure despite my initial misgivings. He's got good articulation and so can hit many a pose. But his lack of accessories makes the "hours of fun" just maybe an hour of fun. Lol. The great thing is that he's got two gripping hands. They're caught somewhere between wanting to hold something and magnetizing other objects. So if need be, he can be posed "using" his powers or using a couple of machine guns. (I kid. But not really.)

Value: 7/10 - At the S$18 or so I got him for, he's just about worth it. I especially like that lots of him is painted and/or washed. It's a pity he doesn't come with a magnetic effect or an alternate, un-helmeted head, or even a removable helm. Those certainly would've added to the fun as well as the figure's value.

Overall: 7.5/10 - A good toy all round with some minor flaws - Not a bad figure by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I think he' pretty cool if you can look past the flaw of the painted shadow on his face. At the very worst, you can pop off this head and throw on the Secret Wars one. They're the exact same head so actually all you need to do is to repaint! If not, the SW head looks fine on the body anyway. In fact, if you have a spare AIM Soldier and the Secret Wars Maggers, all you have do is put Magneto's head and cape onto the AIM's body and remove the bandoleer the AIM has, and viola--Instant Banana Fudge Magneto! You could then repaint him whatever colors you desire or eat him like a banana. :)

Cyclops

Aesthetics: 8.5/10 - Kudos to the 'Bro for developing this base body sculpt. Whichever character it's used for looks great and Cyclops is no exception. Throw on some calf and wrist bands and add he unique harness/belt combo, paint the figure up the right colors and pop on the right head and there you have it. It's a cheap way for them to produce figures that we wouldn't mind paying for despite the re-use, as long as it's a good, effective re-use!

Sculpt aside, the yellow and bluw are spot on with the 90's look and the painted and molded yellows are as close in color as they've ever been, which is excellent. The wash used on his blue parts are also very well done though his face old be painted a little sharper.

Poseability: 9.5/10 - Best body by far and the great articulation to go with it. As with the Steve Rogers figure, the only PoAs missing from this figure are hinged wrists! I originally thought I would be less impressed by Cyclop's articulation because I'd already seen it on ol' Steve. But the thing is that you won't find Cyclops doing too many high kicks or throwing too many punches. Scottie Summers will be doing more crouching, turning, twisting and "looking" (as he fires his eye beam), so while their PoAs are the same, what you want to do with them is different. And the PoAs don't disappoint because they are able to cater to both types of posing and more.

Fun: 9/10 - There's no doubt that better articulation makes for more playability and hence more fun. I'm glad I'm finding this guy as surprising as I am despite all the great reviews about him that are out there already. The only problem I have is the gimp leg which keeps popping off. That is not fun. And having paid good money for it, it's not something I think I should have to deal with. For now, I'll be using the ol' mail polish trick. But that' temporary. I hope Hasbro improve those hip joints. I'd like to play with my figures worry free.

Value: 9/10 - I've noticed that the Marvel Universe line tends to have less accessories these days. And if they continue to produce with this sculpt and the excellent separately sculpted bits then I'll have no complaints. More money spent on sculpting, less on accessories. But if they still use the old sculpts without thigh cuts and hinge necks, it'll be tough to justify not having a whole bunch of accessories with them. As for Cyclops himself, I want an eye blast accessory to come with him, dammit! ;)

Overall: 9/10 I'd take an arm and a leg for this figure! - It's nice to see Hasbro finally get to roll out all new bodies for their figures--we got the bulky World War Hulk sculpt, the Cyclops sculpt here, and the slim Doctor Strange sculpt. Now all that's missing is a new female body. We've already got a new female head with the Invisible Woman from the Fan Four 4-pack, so I suspect that's next in offing.

With these bodies hopefully becoming "standard" bodies for our figures, characters like Cyclops get boosted from their ho-hum versions to amazing must-have for fans and temptingly great buys for people like me, who like him enough but would hold off on a less than great version. Make no mistake about it: if Cyclops is hard to find in your area, it's probably because he's that good and not because he's suddenly become everyone's favourite Marvel superhero. Oh yeah, and he goes well with Cable too. ;)

Marvel Universe 3.75" Commander Steve Rogers

2011-11-10T02:00:00.001+08:00

I knew I wanted to get this figure the moment I saw the photos from the SDCC 20011 Sneak Preview. And it was simply because it would be the first version of Steve Rogers that had him unmasked.

Boy, was that a mistake.

Because this guy is awesome for so many more reasons than that! And to think when the Rangerlord spotted him on one of his now famous rangings, I was kinda ok on getting him.

I mean, I wanted the guy, but not "ok-you-gotta-get-him-for-me-no-matter-what" kind of wanted the guy. It was just: "Ok, I'll take him. That is, if you don't want him, though."

And so it was that Steve Rogers became mine--no prizes for guessing how this figure turned out! ;)

Like: That this figure looks great! He looks so great in hand that you begin to think he's photoshopped. But he ain't! Steve Rogers has got a great sculpt--his head and face are perfect, from the hair to the jawline, nose and the determined set of his mouth. He's what you'd call "classic" handsome.

Steve's body proportions are also spot on, like one of those Greek sculptures--again, classic!

Like: The near perfect articulation. And I'm not just talking PoAs, I talking the quality of them. The Marvel Universe hinge-head is very much a fan favourite, as are the swivel thighs and the hinge-ball/rocker ankles. One thing I've always liked in my figures is a good chest pivot and Steve here has one that not only moves great but fits very well on top of those washboard abs. Add to that his hidden waist and boot-top swivels, and ankles that are also hidden but not overly hindered, and we've got the right ingredients for one of the best MU figures ever!

Dislike: The plastic t-ball joints they've used for MU figures since they were first released. It's the one weak point of almost all MU figures. They pop off too easily and make me uneasy. And you really don't want to pop them off too much because it wears the joint down and the legs end up being loose. We need something more sturdy!

Like: The fancy leather webbing, belt and greaves they've added to a super base body to make the figure spectacular. These really don't do anything to improve the function of the uniform or add any accessories per se, but they do hide the PoAs really well and add texture to the figure by breaking up the base body, making him one helluva figure to look at and feel. Yes, feel. :P

Like: The dry brushed pistol. It's rare that weapons get this treatment in this scale, whether they belong to GI Joes or to Marvel movie franchise figures. I can't imagine the process actually being that expensive, certainly no more expensive than painting the entire weapon, so they should do this more often. It's amazing how a simple touch like some semi-dry paint on a brush can produce such a great effect.

Dislike: No holster for pistol! It's a minor issue, though one I can imagine would kinda spoilt the shape of this slim, sexy ~~Cap~~ Commander Rogers. Usually, I love gun storage on figures and am kinda turned off by ones that could and should have one but don;t have it. But I'm gonna let this one slide (sorta) because it's really an awesome looking Steve Rogers--I mean, we don't want anything to distract from those awesome abs all of us want, do we? ;P

Like: Two gripping hands. At first I kinda wished he had a closed fist for some old school fisticuffs. But as I was posing him more, I realised his hands were better this way because he could brandish his guns/hold his old shield and do some grappling and throwing. And I just love the fingerless, open-knuckled gloves. ;)

Dislike: The blue plastic of his hinge neck-joint. It shows when you have his head turned sideways but I wonder why it seems like such a hard issue to solve, because all MU figures have neck hinges that are different color from the faces/heads. Some of these joint pieces are painted but slough off when you bend the neck forward and back. If they mold the figure in the same flesh tone as the face it would solve the problem for sure...

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 9.5/10 - Face, hair, great proportions, greaves, fingerless gloves--this figure looks like the perfect human specimen Steve Rogers is supposed to be.

I'm not a big fan of the uniform he wears as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. because it doesn't pop at first sight. But somehow, it grows on you.

All of Steve's details are taken care of really well--lines on his pats and cheat are crisp, his eyes are painted very well, while his blond hair is sculpted perfectly and highlighted so very well too. The silver-painted buckles on his greaves, webbing, and gloves, as well as the drybrushed pistol provide the perfect finish.

Poseability: 9.5/10 - Commander Steve Rogers is right up there with the best--perhaps even the best. The only thing he's missing is hinges on his wrists, and only a couple of figures have all the PoAs Steve Rogers has in addition to those super flexible wrists: Doctor Strange and SDCC 2010 WWII Captain America.

But make no mistake about it--he's got some of the best articulation seen in MU figures. And if he's used as the base body for future MU releases, then it'll herald a new era for fans of the line. It's a nice touch too because it mirrors how Steve Rogers paved the way for later metahumans in the comic book world.

Fun: 9/10 - I'll admit, he'd be more fun with shield instead of just two guns, which makes him feel like a GI Joe after a while. Then again, which figure isn't more fun with more/varied accessories? Stevie R's articulation is enough to keep you occupied for quite a while though--every PoA offers a subtle movement that can affect Steve's poses. He can lean on one leg and look cool, kneel deep and low, kick high, kick low. I really had a lot of fun posing him like he's in a John Woo movie. Dual firearm-wielding FTW!

Value: 9/10 - Rogers comes with his pistol, assault rifle, and stand.

He's got some quality articulation, great paint, an excellent sculpt and base body that's well worth paying retail for--I paid S$18 and I'd gladly pay more. (but not much more--what would the purpose of hunting be then? :P)

Although they aren't accessories per se, his shoulder harness, belt, and greaves are all separately sculpted parts and can be considered "extras" because they no doubt add great value to the figure.

Overall: 9.3/10 - I'd take an arm and a leg for this figure! - He's Commander Rogers! And whatever his super hero identity might be while he's in this costume, he's still the first and best Captain America. (Sorry Bucky!) This guy beats out all the versions that came out of the movie line and all of his Marvel Universe predecessors bar World War II Cap.

He's also the first "Cap" who's unmasked and a darn good one at that. Hasbro will be hard pressed to come up with a better face sculpt for suture unmasked Caps. It's a good thing that Steve Rogers is so great, especially if it means we'll get a new MU Cap in full costume (and perhaps other future figures) with this base body! :)

He caught me as I was aiming my guns at him...and didn't buy it when I said I was just kidding around.

Piece of advice to my AIM brethren: Don't put your hands up against Steve Rogers. He won't buy that either.

Definitely do NOT stand around with your legs open...

Or show him your back.

Or your front...

And never, ever, lie down. Ever.

And remember to always wear your parachute. You'll be clocking some frequent-flyer miles in no time.

Marvel Universe 3.75" Fantastic Four 4-Pack: Future Foundation

2011-11-06T22:14:00.000+08:00

Here's the problem with all the Marvel Universe Fantastic Four figures--There isn't any four of them in the same uniform! The single-carded light blue modern/ultimate versions of the Human Torch and The Thing (in full pants) came first, but there was no Reed Richards or Sue Storm. Then came the running change of the Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm in dark blue with white gloves/boots. By this time, the Secret Wars two-packs series had a Mr. Fantastic in the same dark blue (packaged with Ultron). Secret Wars also had a dark blue Speedos Thing (packed with the Wrecker.)

Still no Sue though.

Then came this 4-pack all in modern light blue or in Future Foundation white: Mr. Fantastic, the Thing, Sue Storm (Yay!!!) and...Herbie? Wha?...

Ok, well at least now we have all 4 members of "a classic" Fantastic Four. But all the 'Bro really had to do was just toss in a dark blue Sue and viola!--we'd have had a complete 'Four. Instead, now we get the three guys in dark blue and Sue in light blue...Hm. Ok. No problem. We'll just have to put the light blue Sue with the light blue Johnny Storm and Thing and Mr Fantastic. Only one problem though--I went for the dark blue releases instead of the light blue, so I'm effectively screwed. Lol.

Moral of the story: prepare to get teased as you wait to complete your favorite superhero team, even if it's a team that's this classic and more famous as a team than as individuals!

My solution: get the Future Foundation white. At least the previous members of the 'Four you got can still be completed separately as a classic team (if they make 'em...) while you get yourself a variation of the modern day Fan Four!

So let's see how this 4-pack measures up!

H.E.R.B.I.E.!

Like: The white. I'm don't follow the Fantastic Four in the comic books at all (except the Ultimates, but that series ended a while ago and is a separate continuity anyway...) but I really dig their new duds! Talk about pop! In a world where everyone wears colorful spandex, white stands out. There's something really neat and clean about it, especially on a figure like the Thing. who's got a skin tone that contrasts starkly with the white. I guess it's just like having stormtroopers in Star Wars--you got your ragtag, motley crew bunch of heroes and then you have this pristine, black and white army of death (sorta). This four-pack is kinda like that. Except not evil and with guys that have super powers. Heh.

Like: Sue! Finally, we get a Sue Storm. And look, it's not your generic marvel universe female head with a different set of hair and with her face painted slightly differently--it's a different sculpt! And a mighty fine one at that.

Sue's got a determined yet happy expression and it's very much down to the way her lips are painted. But there's no doubting the sculpt behind it because it's a nice, slim face with ears sculpted in and hair that's tucked behind her left ear. It looks like it'll be Sue Storm's unique look. At least I hope so, since a reuse of the exact same hair on this head would just make whichever figure they use it on seem like Sue with dyed hair, now that they used it first for her.

Never mind that the Invisible Woman comes in either a light blue you can't complete the classic dark blue foursome in, or in a white that needs a Spiderman to complete the Future Foundation. The figure is good enough to hold its own just simply because it's got an awesome new female head sculpt!

Like: The new Reed Richards. Right body, great head sculpt. But he still needs some form of stretchy accessories!

Like: H.E.R.B.I.E. There. I said it.

Sure, he was more prominent as a cartoon character and actually turned traitor in the comic books. (And yes there's no denying he's a leg humper too.) I like him in this pack because he's one of Reed's many, many toys. And it's high time they gave him one of those in the Marvel Universe 3.75" scale!

But if you're not a fan, at the very least, you could use him as one of Richards' minor inventions, like a toilet cleaner or a serving robot or something. But hey, I wasn't really big on H.E.R.B.I.E. until seeing this figure. I guess I just like little nods to certain unlikely-to-be-made characters that makes me appreciate the guy! ;)

Dislike: Old school articulation. Hasbro is milking the old molds for all their worth, for sure. But come on! Bring on those thigh cuts, those neck and wrist hinges, and those newer, more flexible ankle hinges--we can't ever get enough of those!

Bad H.E.R.B.I.E!

Dislike: That this white pack offers a long-panted, booted Thing that's repainted white right through to try and hide the boots. Not a very go job. The light-blue Fan Four pack actually has a Thing with knee-length shorts and hence has different legs from this one.

Perhaps it would've been cooler to have a Thing in White shorts? I know it wouldn't be accurate, but it would be cool to have. Besides, the Thing wears whatever pants/shorts/speedos he can get his hands on, so why not a white pair of shorts to foreshadow a potential future costume change? ;)

RATINGS

Still humping!

Aesthetics: 8.5/10 - These guys look great in their white! Also, I dig the new Future Foundation symbols. Sue Storm's got a brand new female head which is the best the line has come up with so far, they've got Reed Richards' body right and given him a newer, better head as well, and then there's H.E.R.B.I.E!

There's some excellent spray-shading on Sue and Reed, but the Thing's a little uneven--mine's got a good right leg and a slightly heavily shaded left one. Some of the black lies on all three of the figures are blurry, with the worst ones belonging again to the Thing.

Other then that, Reed's got a slightly over-painted hairline, which I actually didn't notice till taking the closeups, while Sue's got a smudged left eyebrow, Again, it's tough to notice unless you take a closeup photo. These two issues actually look good in "real life" so I'm not holding it against the 'Bro..this time. ;P

Poseability: 7/10 - Not the newest bodies for these guys and hence not the newest articulation, which is a bummer. But if they're gonna reuse bodies, this is a very good match to the characters in question. Still, no new thigh cuts and new neck hinges mean a lot less dynamic poses. But whaddaya gonna do, huh? The only fantastic, not dynamic, at least not enough :P

Fun: 7/10 - Finally, a 4-pack with the Fan 4! Although they are only somewhat complete, at least you can get most of them in one pack. What's cool though, is that you can mix and match heads or bodies with older versions of the characters to give you you perfect Fantastic Four.

But where are Red's extended limbs, Sue's attachable Force Field, or Thing's muscle t-shirt (or some such)? These would have definitely made the set a lot more fun than just three figures and a poorly balanced robot. Yep, my H.E.R.B.I.E. falls forward unless you tilt his head back all the way. Lol.

Value: 7/10 - I can't help but think that the FF need to come with some sort of accessories, though. Sure, they're super-powered beings. But they rely on tech to defeat the bad guys as much as much as Iron Man or any other hero. So where's the Fantasticar or the Ultimate Nullifier or the cardboard-assembly Baxter Building?

Nevertheless, they did give us H.E.R.B.I.E, so there's something there at least. :/

Blue Variant!

Overall: 7.4/10 - Good toys all-round with some minor flaws - Not bad at all for a long-overdue 4-pack. Then again, this should have been one of the first offerings early on in the line. Timing aside, this is well worth getting because it's an all-in-one team builder sans the Human Torch. If you've been holding out on the Fantastic Four, then the light blue version is a no-brainer. But if you're like me and want the 'Four but already have some of the members from single-pack releases, then the white uniforms are a great way to get a complete set of them. you'll just either have to get the light blue Johnny Storm or the soon-to-be released FF Spidey and you're all set!

Star Wars Vintage Collection 3.75" Darth Vader

2011-10-19T23:25:00.000+08:00

When it comes to Star Wars figures, I'm the king of not opening them. It's not that I have no intention to, but that I tend to procrastinate--either the latest Marvel Universe figures come in or the latest DC Universe ones and I put the relatively newly acquired SW stuff aside until they become oldly acquired.

I've come to a point that I realized if I open every Star Wars figure I've gotten in the past 2 years, I'd have an instant display. After all, I was building up towards doing an Endor battle scene complete with Ewoks hanging off hang-gliders, swinging off branches, tackling AT-STs, and humping Han Solo's leg. Ok, maybe not so mch the last one, but I digress...

One of the figures I got because I had to get the perfect version of him was Darth Vader. I had snagged over the last 3 or so years the Power of the Force version of him on card for S$10, as well as later getting the album-plus-medallion 30th anniversary release for just S$5 complete with album. But neither of these I opened because I was told by a reliable source (aka the Rangerlord) that they weren't the best versions anyway.

So when they released a Vintage Collection Empire Strikes Back version I immediately got him...And kept him for quite a bit because, well, sometimes Hulk or the Avengers, or SDCC sneak peaks or Batman or Zatanna got in the way. But no longer! It's hard to resist the power of the Dark Side succumbs eventually, and it has finally compelled me to open the Dark Lord of the Sith himself!

A mask is always great protection against dust.

Like: The very fancy removable helmet and mask. It's a three-piece ensemble starting with the bottom piece held in place by the swivel head, followed by he mask that covers his face and most of his head, and topped off nicely with that helmet we've all come to know and fear.

It goes without saying that this means you can have Vader in any of his unmasked "modes." And you could even do the Dark-Side-cave-on-Dagobah Luke! :)

Like: The fantastic head sculpt underneath Vader's helmet and mask.--it's comes complete with scarred visage! Check out the lesions on his head and face, the gray skin and those blue eyes. This face was a very important part of Vader for me when I was growing up, especially when I first saw what Anakin looked like underneath. I remember not finding Vader's face scary like I imagined, but kind. And for many viewing s of the OT after that I just couldn't picture the kindly face beneath that cruel black visage. I couldn't pity Vader while he was all out to kill his son, daughter and their playmates. But yet I knew I would pity the guy in that final scene on the Death Star in ROTJ. Besides looking like a harmless old man, the dude was bluish-gray! Poor guy. This head sculpt captures that look perfectly.

Dislike: That the helmet and mask assembly falls off rather easily. The mask actually fits snugly in the helmet, but its the mask fitting on the head that is a little loose. This is the only issue I have with this otherwise fantastic figure of Vader.

Like: That the cape is made out of this gauzy/nylon-like cloth that's rather flowy and loose. At first I thought it looked kinda like a giant see-through scarf but then I realized the material was crucial to giving the cape a full "real life" cloth quality. So this went from a dislike to like.

Like: The articulation--great shoulder hinges allow him to hold his lightsaber two-handed as he's wont to in the movies. He may only have swivel legs, but he does have swivel hinge knees with good 90 degree (or thereabouts) bend and similarly effective swivel/hinge ankles as well. Although I always like me a pair of swivel/hinges for the legs, swivels can prove to be more stable and help figures in the 3.75" scale balance better than they ordinarily would otherwise. And in Vader's case, the guy doesn't pull a wide stance across all three movies of the Original Trilogy. Why should he? The ability to do splits is insignificant next to the power of the Force.

Vader's also got great swivel/hinge elbows that bend more than 90 degrees, along with glove top swivels!

Like: The excellent paint on his chest unit, shoulder guard/chest armor, and doodads on his belt. All the little red, green, and silver bits are picked out neatly and I do like the silver effect on the armor. Though it's supposed to be all black in the movies, this variation it does give Vader's armor some flash, kinda like he pimped it out for the ladies.

Like: His hands! The right one is molded in the classic choke grip--all the better to Force choke you with! (What else? Lol.) Able to resist the power of the Dark Side? Then he'll cut you with the lightsaber in his left paw, which hold the 'saber nice and tight. Without the lightsaber, his hand looks like it's in mid-crush or beckoning a slacking Storm Trooper over. Expressive hands for the win!

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 9.5/10 - Like many other iconic characters that have figures, Vader's form has been perfected after yeas of re-molding, re-tooling, and re-releasing!

The detail on this figure is phenomenal, both in sculpt and in paint. That his leathers look like leathers and his armor looks like the hard, plastic looking stuff it's made of in the movies. And the part the blows me away is the head of the man underneath. Darth Vader is a thing of beauty and gets a close to perfect score to reflect that!

Poseability: 9/10 - I just love his arms! Though he's supposed to be stiffer than a board as more machine than man, ol' Darthy boy is really articulate with his arms in 3.75" form--they rotate 360 degrees like they should but they also hinge all the way up--that's almost 180 degrees!

It doesn't stop there. A swivel waist, some great hip/leg hinges (more than 90 degrees backwards (!) and 90 forwards), fully functioning swivel/hinge knees and ankles, and some of the tightest yet most flexible joints the Star Wars line has to offer and I have to say I'm just stumped how well he turned out!

Also, they get the height of the figure spot on, so that he's in perfect scale with Obi-Wan Kenobi in their final fight scene! Just look how much he looms over Ol' Ben!

Fun: 9/10 - A villain doesn't come more classic than Darth Vader. The best thing about him is that you'll ever only need one to represent in every scene/display you want to re-enact or set up.

Throw him in a TIE Advanced, have him fight old Obi-Wan, have him revealing his identity to Luke Skywalker on Bespin, have him leading Snow Troopers into the Hoth Rebel Base, have him saving the Emperor from Luke's killing stroke, have him throwing the Emperor down a shaft in the Death Star, have him dying in Luke's arms--there isn't a thing that Vader can't do! And with the removable helm and cape and the lightsaber (of course) this Vader is really hard to put down!

Value: 8.5 - Vader's removable helmet, mask, and collar pieces, along with his removable cloak and the lightsaber already make for great value. To say nothing of the excellent sculpt and the great job with the paint. I'd have liked him to come with a non-lit saber though, just for those moments when he can let it all hang loose on his belt, while he opts for Force-choking people instead.

Overall: 9/10 - I'd take an arm and a leg for this figure! (He's done it himself...) - This is the best version of Darth Vader out there--until the next better one comes along. But even if one does, the only thing I can imagine they'd improve is adding hinges to his hips/legs, which he doesn't really need. Of course, they could also make the helm and mask fit better but that could just be inherent in my figure and not everyone else's. When previous versions of Vader were released, I'm sure everyone thought that it would be hard to make a better one. Well, this Vintage Collection has proven that it can be done and has consistently done so for all its figures, not just Vader!

Lego Minifigs Complete Series 5 Review!

2011-10-10T04:47:00.002+08:00

I love Lego! Say it with me!

All right, you don't have to. But my wife does and we love to go feeling for minifigs together. Back in January we found a somewhat untouched box of Series 3 in New Zealand and found three Elves. When she got me the Star Wars Home One Lego set we built that together, along with the TIE-Advanced and Y-Wing set. So it was natural that when I split a box of these nyum nyums with the Rangerlord that the wife and I immediately got to feeling out the 16 figures from this series. It turns out we had 15 of the figures and were just missing the Zookeeper. The Rangerlord had everything but he Graduate. A shimmy and a swap later and we had our complete sets.

I tell ya, my wife's got a knack for this--she felt out he gloves of the Boxer and the ridged tail of the Lizard Man. Me? I just felt happy, as I always do when we do Legos together. I also felt out the lone Gladiator. Yes, thank you, thank you.

For those, who like me, want to get a complete set, splitting a box is definitely the way to go. Take the half-box home, feel it up, crack it open, and sell on the remainder. Better yet if you feel out another set and can sell it as such! That's what I'm gonna do. Or at least I plan to...

But for now, the review!

Gladiator (Myrmidon)

Like: With a sword, shield and helm, this guy's got it in terms of quantity in accessories. Aside from the standard round shield, his sword is a unique short sword variant, while his helm is a brand new bronze-molded piece. It's by far the largest, prettiest, ans shiniest helmet in the series and the face underneath is all Russell Crowe!

The other great thing is the paint. The half-armor is nicely painted on the torso and top of legs as are his boots but the nicest touch comes in the form of the painted-on right arm armor. This figure's s one of the best looking minifigs to date!

Not quite the best of Man vs Beast...

When feeling for this guy, other than his helm, it's best to confirm that there's a sword and a round shield.

Goes well with: The Spartan from Series 2 (Gerard Butler) or any random Lego animal to re-enact your fave man vs beast gladiatorial battle!

Minifig Rating: 9.5/10

Gangster (Mobster)

Like: The usable gun carrying case is cool but the what I dig the most are the snazzy pinstripes of his suit. There's something impeccable about it that screams mobster before you even get to the case, the pistol and the hat. I also love the wide grin and the evil mustache on this guy--It's just the right amount of gangster!

Goes well with: Two-Face! That's the first thing that comes to mind--that he'll be perfect as cronies for the Batman supervillain! (Though it'll be tough finding those Batman minifigs unless you bought them up when they were still in stores some years ago.) The mobster's the only gangster so far in the Minifigs series so let's hope they come up with more in varying suit colors like white (which is technically not a color but bleargh.)

Minifig Rating: 7.5/10

Clown (Small)

Like: That he's got a giant cream pie ready to chuck into someone's face. Pure mischief! I also like the bowler hat with the flower in front and the fact that he's a "dwarf" clown. It's like Lego Yoda got into a clown suit to hide from the Emperor instead of running to Dagobah. I also just love the overall colors--red, blue and gree--and the fact that his blue polka-dotted tie stands out from that!

Goes well with: The Clown from series 1, naturally! But like the mobster/gangster belongs with Two-Face, I imagine this clown (or more than one of him) as members of Lego Joker and Harley Quinn's gang!

Minifig Rating: 8/10

Dwarf (Evil)

Like: It's impossible to not like Dwarfs after Gimli in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. (John Rys-Davies FTW! Woohoo!) But I love the "metallic-ness" of this guy. The bronze fiend head on his shield stands out the most along with the bronze bits from his painted-on armor. His helmet and axe-head are a nice, muted silver and with his black beard he seems darker overall than the dwarves previously released in sets. And check out those feverish looking eyes!

Goes well with: The dwarves that have been released so far, of course. He's another member of their ogre-slaying, ale-drinking, bellyaching band. From the series, he goes perfectly with the elf from Series 3 and the Forestman/Robin Hood from Series 1. Heck, he'd go well with any medieval sets. Ooh and let's not forget those goblins from the old Kingdom Lego sets. Since this guy's name is officially "Evil Dwarf", then he could be the goblins' rightfully elected leader!

Minifig Rating: 9/10

Graduate

Like: His diploma, his motorboard (hat) and his graduation robes, which is a simply pieces that's cleverly cut out in front. The diploma actually says "Certificate of Graduation" and the the motorboard fits at an angle on his head and has a nice molded tassle hanging off one corner.

Goes well with: Perhaps the cheerleader from Series 1? Or maybe another thousand or so graduates! ;P

Minifig Rating: 7.5/10

Aerobics Instructor (Lady)

Like: That she looks really retro. The flicked hair, headband and the pink tights are simply irresistible but I like the boom box the best--it's lilac! (It's also got sculpted-in speakers so yay!)

Goes well with: Erm...the 80s? Or anything pink--so maybe for you're daughter's playset...

Minifig Rating: 6.5/10

Zookeeper (Female)

Like: The monkey that fits on her hand and the over-sized banana are hilarious. But other than that she's pretty "normal" as far as minifigs go...except...the buckles, buttons and key on here outfit--their all painted gold! :)

Goes well with: The Gorilla Suit Man from Series 3. Big monkey, small monkey, big banana. Ha!

Minifig Rating: 7/10

Detective (Sherlock)

Like: The working magnifying glass, the Sherlock cap and the Sherlock checkered designs on his front of his body and sides of his cap. I also like that they gave him gray sideburns! :)

I did wish they gave him a half-cape though--Sherlock is the guy who can rock the look in Scotland Yard all day, every day!

Goes well with: Watson...uh,...Jack The Ripper!...Yeah, they haven't made (or might ever make!) those guys yet. Perhaps he'll fit in nicely with the monsters of the Series--The Werewolf, Dracula, and Frankenstein. It kinda has a Scooby Doo mystery feel when you put them side by side.

Minifig Rating: 7.5/10

Boxer

Like: The big red gloves that replace his hands! You could actually remove them and give any other figures you own a big red boxing glove. (Joker, anyone? :D) His head gear is also very well done and a good size and I do like the painted-on shorts top.

The other thing I love is the gold in this minifig! The patterns in his shorts-top, his shorts stripes and...his mouthguard! Usually Lego keeps there faces "generic" or minimally painted to maximize re-use. In this case, they took and existed smirk head and gave it a little swish of gold. Perfect.

Oh and when you're "looking" for this guy, it's the gloves on the ends of his hands you want to feel for. ;)

Goes well with: Other athletes in the series (Karateka, Sumo, Tennis Player, Baseballer, etc.) But best of all, another boxer!

Minifig Rating: 8/10

Lizard Man (Guy in Godzilla Suit)

Like: The bright green! The fig is completely cast in this color except for his yellow head, which is under the huge (and cutesy-scary) mask anyway.

The tail and mask are also quite ingeniously done to fit like it's a complete piece, with the tail and its spikes hanging from around his neck like any sort of Lego backpack would. The spikes and the teeth are also painted green ans silver respectively.

Full beast!

Also, the figure is devoid of any other details except for his transferred-on tummy scales, which I find pretty funny, as if the guy made the suit and only had enough money to make a rockin' mask and some fancy stomach decor. Oh and eyes as well. Nicely transferred on eyes. Heh.

If you have a blank black head (like those you find is stormtroopers) the Lizard Man can truly become fully beast!

Goes well with: Guy in the Gorilla Suit from Series 3, Captain James T. Kirk (to re-enact everyone's favorite fight scene ever!), and even in any medieval sets as part of an acting company!

Minifig Rating: 8/10

Ice Fisherman

Like: At first I thought: Great. Another fisherman and another minifig I'm ho-hum about. There was already one from Series 3 and he was highly sought after because he was the shortpacked minifig.

But this guy is different. The only thing that he shares with the Series Fisherman is the rod and the fish. Otherwise he's got more of a theme--he's arctic! At a distance, he might look pretty plain but that's because of the uniform kaki color of his parka and stuff. Up close, his fur-lined hoodie is excellently painted, as is the detail on the front of his body and his legs. I'm actually liking this guy a lot more now that I've had a good look at him!

Vader spared no life forms on Hoth...

Goes well with: Fisherman from Series 3. Or better yet, any of your Hoth themed Star Wars Lego!

Minifig Rating: 7.5/10

Snowboarder Guy

Like: Yeah, the snowboarders don't really do it for me. Maybe it's because I don't come from a place where you can do any snow sports at all.

Maybe it's because I spent too long in Minnesota.

But when you look at the minifig itself, the only things that stand out are his snowboard and his goggles, the latter of which is painted on. His board is nice enough and there's also his snow cap, but that's devoid of any detail.

Goes well with: The helmeted female Snow Boarder from Series 3.

Minifig Rating: 6.5/10

Lumberjack

Like: Where do I start? This guy's got a lot of painted detail, starting with his painted red and silver axe-head. Then there's his dark red cap with the little squirrel on the white panel on the front. His torso and arms are checked all round too, and we know it's rare to have minifigs' with designs printed on their backs!

Goes well with: Werewolf (Red Riding Hood thing) or take off his cap, give him some wild upturned hair and some claws and you have lumberjack Wolverine!

Minifig Rating: 8/10

Egyptian Queen

Like: That she's got a lot of "make up" on, just like anyone who wants to look glamorous for the masses might.

In minifig terms, it's gold all over the front of her dress, complemented by the tiara on her head. I especially like the hair with the tiara painted on it.

The snake she comes with is just funny because it's probably something an Egyptian Queen would never hold!

Goes well with: Pharoah from Series 2, Mummy from Series 3. And any of the figures and sets from the Egyptian/Mummy series. I don't think any of the sets have a Pharoahess yet.

Minifig Rating: 7.5/10

Royal Guard (Bobby)

Like: His hat (of course!), and his gold bits including his buttons, buckles, and chin strap. Th ehat is the distinctive piece because it's three times the size of his head and looks like a large dead animal, as it should! :P

Goes well with: Whitney? (I kid, I kid. That joke's a few years too late.) This guys goes well with more guys like him. Duh. Better yet, if you have a Buckingham Palace built out of Lego then you've now got the guards to, well, guard it! Oh an let's not forget about Sherlock (The Detective). These guys are both Brits, so they must go together! :P

Minifig Rating: 7/10

Cave Woman

Like: The bone and the hair it sits in. The thing with this figure is that her "clothes" are almost yellow. But while he won't look naked, it does look weird, like she's some sort of Frankenstein Monster. What I do like is that she has an obsidian shard necklace. But it's hard to spot among the stitches of here clothes.

The other thing that intrigues me is the rubbery hair. I like the softer look of it--it's not shiny and is a great shade of light brown because of the material used. It even looks like it could have been given a light wash, but that's a trick of light on the rubbery material.

Having the bone be removable means that you have a nice little doggie bone. It also means you can hold all sorts of stuff in the hairdo: a lovely pink bow, a fishing rod, an axe, a lightsaber...Crap just tends to get stuck in your hair when you don't have shampoo to wash it out with!

Goes well with: Caveman from series 1 of course, and I dunno...throw me a frickin' bone? Lol. :P

Minifig Rating: 6.5/10

Star Wars Vintage Collection 3.75" Lando Calrissian - The Ladies' Man

2011-09-27T05:28:00.000+08:00

How do I know he's the ladies' man? Well, the wife and I are watching The Empire Strikes Back and she suddenly says, "I like Lando. He's my favorite Star Wars character." Just like that. Not Chewie, not Wicket, not Luke. Lando. See? Ladies' Man.

I guess it didn't help that Ladies'-Man-Wannabe Han Solo was proving to be an obnoxious piece of bantha poodoo throughout the Original Trilogy. But come on! You put that next to Lando "I'm respectable and have got a lot of responsibility, so I betray my friends to Darth Vader" Calrissian and Lando still comes off as more likable? It's gotta be that slicked back hair and the artfully trimmed 'stache. It's gotta be.

Like: He's the ideal Lando, the "respectable" Lando. He's Lando the first time we see him in the Empire Strikes Back--slicked-back hair, combed mustache--pretending to hold a grudge against Han then being a little too friendly and then coming on to Leia. And that's all within the first 20 seconds of screen time. It's Lando like most of us would like to remember him. (Spoiler Alert!!!: Not like he dies or anything but yeah...)

Like: The chest holster for hold-out blaster. It's perfect for the gambler who wants to conceal a weapon under his cloak or to show you that he's packin' some heat and will use it--if you cheat at the sabaac table before he does. Or he wear it proudly with his cape swept back to show you he ain't holdin' out on you by, you know, hiding a blaster.

Like: The holdout blaster! I always love it when they have really small yet detailed pieces. I mean you worry about lil' kids choking on small things but this would go down easy no problem--it's too small to choke anyone! :P To be safe though, I'm keeping this out of reach of my 5 month old...

But yeah, I always liked hold-out blasters in the Star War universe. First there's the name. Then there's the fact that it was made for concealment. And third, some of my favorite Star Wars characters use it: Scout Troopers, Lando, and Obi-Wan Kenobi! Ok so maybe Obi-Wan doesn't like blasters. But he sure could've used one to zap ol' Darthie V on the Death Star! (Oh and we all know Yoda was packin' a piece in Empire. No way he could trust that young punk Skywalker on Dagobah. And yes, it was a hold-out blaster.

Stop looking at his ass.

Like: Swivel/Hinge Hips! Star Wars figures have the best joints and PoAs hands down. And their swivel.hinge hips are the most flexible--the hinge joint is nice and unhindered because of the length of the hinge piece. And the swivel goes as far as any leg because just enough of the thigh top has been pared away to create space for movement. All this while maintaining the look of the joint--it doesn't look too skinny or leave unsightly gaps between leg and lower torso.

Really. Stop. Oh, what do I care...

Dislike: The cape band! Urgh!!! It looks like Lando's Mom decided to repair his cape with a giant elastic band. It would have looked excellent if they had used perhaps a molded plastic "chain" or a silvered thread or something. But I think they went this route because it cinches the cape around his shoulders as it would if it were a real cape. I only realized this while posing him around sweeping his cape here and there, back and forth. Pity that it looks so chinsy though. I'm sure if you're handy with a needle and thread you could probably stitch on a better-looking solution.

Dislike: That the eyebrows are a little heavily painted! The mustache looks great though it's hard to go wrong with the paint there because it was such a thick 'stache. Lol. But because of the bushy eyebrow paint, Lando looks a little bit like Chewbacca. Then again, maybe that's what gives him the animal magnetism that all the ladies love...

Like: But even with the slightly off eyebrow paint, he still looks exactly like Billy Dee Williams in the flesh! (Though 18 times smaller and with a more plastic complexion.) Up close, the sculpt is perfect. And I can't quite put words to how good it is. As the Star Wars line keeps being produced, the likenesses of the actors get better and better. Now it's just up to the 'Bro to keep fine-tuning the process so that paint turns out just as great!

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 8.5/10 - Loses points for the chinsy cape band. But overall he's the best likeness of lando in this scale. The colors, the cape (except the bad), the sculpt--all are mastered by Hasbro after years and years of producing Star Wars figures--we've been spoiled to expect no less. ;P

Underneath the cape the detailed sculpt is quite exquisite, as befits a gambler and scoundrel. His tunic, pins, and wrist comlink are done almost exactly as I remember them and his belt is very nicely sculpted in a matte black. There's minimal paint but what's painted (mustache, comlink, badges and pins, and silver pants piping) is done as perfectly as can be. Special mention goes to the eyes--lookie how chocolate brown they are!

Poseability: 9/10 - What swivel/hinge hips he has! Star Wars has the best joints in this department bar none in the 3.75" scale. But that's no surprise considering they probably also have the biggest budget from making the most money from the toys compared to other brands. The best part? They're not that much more expensive than other 3.75" brands!

Lando's articulation is perfect for the character, whether you need him lounging around roguishly or in a blaster fight, whether you need him flying your Millennium Falcon or mounting your ~~Leia~~ ~~Wookiee~~ ~~Tauntaun~~, speederbike, whether you want him sitting at a sabaac table or just standing there looking charming but deadly, this version of Lando can do it all. And though the elastic band of his cape might stick out like a sore thumb, it does allow him to swivel his cape and hold it in whatever position you want, hiding his hold-out blaster or showing it off. Heck, there's even enough cape to completely enclose the guy and an Ewok!

Fun: 9/10 - YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaa!!!! That's what Lando's all about: blowing up Death Stars in a fun, friendly, and manner like a cowboy with alien co-pilots. ("Break off the attack! The shield is still up!") Besides Luke Skwalker going from moisture farmer to X-Wing pilot to Jedi Knight, Lando's the only other guy who changes his career like a chameleon changes color. Before he was the governor of Cloud City, he was a gambler. Then he's revealed for a traitor who then joins the rebels. He has a short stint as one of Jabba the Hutt's skiff guards and then becomes a general. After which he become a hero pilot who blows up the Empire's most destructive weapon. And that's before he even gets the chicks.

There's so many instances when you want to set up a Star Wars display and Lando's part of it. And with this one figure, you can cover all but probably the skiff guard scenario. I don't count blowing up the Death Star as one of them because 1) he could've done it in his flashy clothes and cape combo and 2) He was wearing Han's spare outfit! (DVD special effects re-tool, anyone? :P) But I tell ya, its' fun to be Lando!

Oh and I almost forgot, he's the guy that sang Ghostbusters. You know, "I ain't afaid of no ghost." Ok, just kidding. That was Ray Parker Jr, not Billy Dee Williams. When I was younger I used to think they were one and the same. But BDW did sing Carribean Queen though. Ok, ok, that was Billy Ocean. Maybe I just like to think of my Lando as being multi-talented. Billy Dee did appear on Sesame Street though. I kid you not. That was how I learned how to count backwards. Aw Yeah.

Value: 8/10 - Cape, holster, hold-out blaster--he'd be worth his weight in gold at the sabaac table! The fun thing about Lando's stuff is that you could strip it off him and use it on other figures too--his holster and cape come off easily enough. But you can't deny a lot of work's been put into his new head sculpt and now PoAs, making this guy real value for money. We don't often get figures who can pose more than they should be able to or have done in the movies/stories but Lando can and that's added value.

Overall: 8.75/10 -He's a keeper! - Can you say "hold-out blaster?" It's so fun to say and such an apt name for a blaster that a gambler, who would naturally know how to play Texas Hold 'Em, would use. It's sneaky. And so is Lando--Gambler, Governor, Scoundrel, Rogue, and the original owner of the Millennium Falcon--his figure also all of these. I's also rare we get figures of actors who were hot property in their day and don't act any more. The figure is a great likeness, has great articulation, great accessories and captures a memorable character so well from one of the greatest stories ever told. Just as it's hard not to like Lando in the movies, it's just as hard not to like his action figure.

LATER...

Captain America The First Avenger 3.75" Red Skull

2011-09-21T03:08:00.001+08:00

What a movie it was, huh?

Though I liked it a lot, I think I still like Thor better for now out of the two Marvel movies this summer. I say for now because I had the chance to watch Thor thrice, with each time better than the next. So until I get to watch Captain America: The First Avenger three times, I'm only going to make a temporary judgment. ;P

As far as toy lines go, Cap certainly does have the better variety. I mean, you can put ol' Stevie R in winter gear, jungle fatigues or even toss him in with a spiffy vehicle but you can't really do the same with our favorite Norse god. Mjolnir can only be repainted in so many ways before people will start to think Hasbro is up to something. Well, actually we'll know even before that. But you get my point.

The range of characters we get from the First Avenger line is also larger in terms of characters they can put on a card and sell to us. Captain Britain, U.S. Agent, Winter Soldier, Red Guardian, and Crossbones all don't appear in the movie but are in the line. Thor has no characters from outside of the movie so far.

What does this mean in terms of the Red Skull figure? Well, nothing! ...Except that the Rangerlord and I managed to find a whole bunch of him and Crossbones, both of whom are shortpacked, when we went to our usual Toys 'R' Us. And we paid retail price too, so one more notch in the belt for the knight/ranger toy-hunting dynamic duo. Lol.

To be honest I was less than excited about opening Red Skull up until I saw the movie opening night (28th July) here in Singapore. But after a great movie and a masterful performance by the evergreen Hugo Weaving, I had to bust the figure open and do this review. Let's see how it went! :)

Oh, and this review will contain spoilers, so be warned! (Even if it is two months since the movie opened. Heh.) ;P

Like: The head sculpt. His nose is also sculpted so very well, just enough to show that he's missing one but yet it can still be one of the more striking features on his face. The frown is perfect along with the skeletal cheekbones. They've even sculpted teeth!

Also, the paint is great. Check out those eyes and those pearly whites of his! ;)

Dislike: One dot of mispainted shading for the nose. It looks like it's supposed to go just under the inside of the cavity but is on the tip. It sorta makes him look like a dog.

Like: The accessories, esp Cosmic Cube. It's more than fitting because it's the very item that the Red Skull taps on to power his high-tech weaponry in the movie. It's also the artifact of his undoing when it seemingly vaporizes him in the end. But we all know that can't be what happened to him. I'm thinking he was teleported to another dimension, seeing as how the "vaporization" effect looked somewhat like the way a bifrost teleports people from Asgaard to Midgaard.

Like: The tight grip he has on gun. I gotta also love it that they gave him a period-accurate Luger. This sort of attention to detail I dig. Though I don't always know my guns very well, I can appreciate it when accessories are movie and time-period accurate.

Dislike: The loose grip on Cosmic Cube! It's loose enough that you can put the Cube in his hand but can;t have him hold it sideways or on the top. No NBA style slam dunks for this guy like his compatriot Dirk Nowitski. Heh. So he's always gonna have to be holding the Cube palm up. You think he'd wanna hold onto it a little tighter, what with it being a friggin' powerful artifact...But ah well, the "flames" of the Cube only makes sense if Red Skull's holding the Cube with his palm below it.

Like: A somewhat movie accurate laser gun cannon. It's a cool way to kill two birds with on stone. If you're want to have a projectile action feature, might as well make the BFG from something out of the movie. And if you won't be posing Red Skull with the projectile in the gun, that works too. The kids win, we win, and parents have to continually look under the couch for that lost projectile, only for their kids to fire it off behind the plants somewhere...

Dislike: That the handle on the very same BFG is too large for him to hold properly. They used a more rubbery plastic for it, but it still doesn't fit correctly into his right hand.

Like: The uniform. Very spiffy and crisp. Very military--no less than you'd expect from a colonel. But of course, in order not to break the sculpt of the uniform, Red Skull doesn't have an ab crunch or a chest pivot. But I think in this case it's justified because he does need to need to look smart more than anything else. He does have a waist swivel, which this sort of uniformed sculpt does allow for and for that I'm glad.

Dislike: The "skirt" obstructing the leg joints. It's so tight you can't even see whether they he's got the standard swivel balls for legs (which it turns out he does. I used a pen light.) Then again, Red Skull doesn't really need to be in any kung fu poses but hey, I'll take more flexibility in figure any day.

Dislike: No ankles! Because of this, he's even shown up by the SDCC 2009 Marvel Universe Invaders Red Skull, who uses Colonel Vogel's (from Indiana Jones) body and does have swivel/hinge ankles. Yup, that's how poor his lower half articulation is--it's worse than an Indiana Jones figure!

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 8/10 - The best feature of this figure has got to be the way he looks just standing there. From the way they've painted the details on his head (eyes, "nose", dark wash,) to the spiffy uniform. I also like the color choices for his head (red) and his uniform (dark green). It's got sorta of a Christmassy feel to it, no? And it makes Captain America look like the Grinch who stole Christmas. Hah.

Poseability: 6/10 - While the Red Skull has all the standard PoAs of a First Avenger line movie figure, the major obstruction to the legs by his "skirt" renders his double knee hinges practically useless. In this instance, the swivel/hinge knees on the old school 70th anniversary Marvel Universe Red Skull makes more sense because you can swivel his lower legs to make it look like he's turned his entire leg inwards or outwards. In this case, the double hinges on the knees don't really add much. He would have been much more poseable even with single-hinged knees and of course, some ankle articulation!

Fun: 7.5/10 - The Red Skull is always fun because he's the opposite of Captain America. Even in the movie 'Skull's origin is done in such a way as to pre-date Cap, but in an evil way, of course. But this figure is good fun because he's got three different accessories he can use--the giant laser blaster (though it sucks he can;t hold onto it too well), the Luger, and the Cosmic Cube, which every other 3.75" figure I own can now pose with. We got the Infinity Gauntlet with Thanos, now we get the 'Cube with the Red Skull!

Value: 7.5/10 - Good accessories, good sculpt and good attention to detail. All in all, this line has produced figures that are value for money, have proven to be popular (whether mainstream or cult favorites), and are easy to find. But while this might mean Cap line figures will warm the pegs in the months to come, it also means they'll go on clearance come the holiday season. And if the Iron Man 2 movie line was anything to go by, prices could drop to less than 50% at the first go! Now that's value!

Overall: 7.25/10 - Red Skull is a good toy all round with some flaws - And that's the least we ask for because no toy is perfect, though some come pretty close. (Though those are usually Hot Toys or Masterpiece Transformers.) To have a figure in this scale be so detailed in the sculpt is very normal nowadays, so it's easy to brush it aside and think of it as unspectacular. But all you need to do is pull out some of your old original Star War actions figures or even the Power of the Force ones in the same scale to realize that we've come a long way.

As far as this figure goes, I can't help but love figures of characters like the Red Skull, whose distinctive feature isn't a specific costume but is in his face. This means that to get different versions of him in toy form, all I have to do is pop off his head and put in on other bodies for that desired change-of-clothes effect. Heck, he can even "dress up" as Cap and wreak havoc with his more flexible articulation. Throw in three great accessories and imitate that Hugo Weaving/Agent Smith voice and you've got yourself hours of fun. ;)

DC Universe Classic Wave 14 Zatanna!

2011-09-12T07:51:00.002+08:00

*Apologies for the long delay between reviews--I've barely had time to take photos though I've written up some reviews I'm excited about sharing--family and a gig I had were beckoning! But I'm back now with a bigger backlog of toys than ever! And I say it like it's a bad thing. Heh. Well, enjoy this one--I'm gonna attempt to pump out at least two more reviews out by this week!*

Finally! Finally after more than a year of prowling, stalking, hunting, waiting...

Finally, I find her! Zatanna is one tough cookie to find and if you do chance upon her, she's a tough one to find for a reasonable price. So there was no way that I was turning her down for the low, low price of S$30 (US$25 now, lol)!

I'd snagged her at the local Singapore Toys, Games, and Comics Convention about 3 weeks back and on the 3rd day, no less. That's when I expected to find $2 Power of the Force Star Wars Figures going for half-off, not Zatanna in packaging, and sold as a single instead as part of her whole wave, which is what most speciality shops who have her for sale are doing.

My one regret is not being able to get one for my hunting buddy and wingman the Rangerlord, who just returned recently from ranging and scored me a whole buncha Marvel Universe figures and Lego Series 5 minifigs.

At last count I have 57 unopened toys that I really want to get to reviewing. That number doesn't include the likes of my Superhero Squad stuff (Marvel, TFs, Star Wars, Indy Jones...arrrgh!!!), (old) movie GI Joes, and MOTU 200X figures. With that, the total easily comes to over 100, 150 toys maybe. When I told the Rangerlord, he replied, "Tough life."

I just had to laugh. He has no idea! ;P

But I digress. On to DCUC Zatanna, who's not one of the many figures that I haven't opened. She just top of the pile I have on my desk right next to the photo studio...

Like: The fishnet stockings! I know many have said they bunch up at the back/on the inside of her legs, that they also are the reason this figure doesn't have the hinges to go with the swivels of her legs.

But after having a good look at the figure in hand (and that of Black Canary as well), there's no way they could've made the fishnets look good other than with the real thing. So I'm glad that they've gone this route instead of painting them on or sculpting and then painting them on, because the stockings are a huge part of Z's costume. As for the loss of a PoAs, I believe unlike Canary, Zatanna doesn't need it--I don't think we'll see her kung fu-ing the evil magic users in the funny books any time soon. More than likely it'll be a wave of the wand, a tip of the hat, and the whisper of a word spoken backwards. That brings me to the next thing about Zatanna!...

Like: Her wand and hat. She's by no means decked out like Ultimate Ninja Commando Air-Glider Missile Launcher Anti-tank Anti-aircraft Bulletproof Chuck Norris Essence Snake Eyes, but she's got a decent amount of accessories (for a DCUC figure). More importantly, they are the right accessories. Batman will always come with a Batarang, Darth Vader with a lightsaber, and Green Lantern with green constructs. Right? What?...you mean they don't always?...Uh...yeah...Anyhoo...

Wand and hat. Yes. Best ever accessories for Zatanna. The wand should come straight but mine has a little bend at the back end because of the time it spent rubber-banded in package. But I think she holds onto it better than if it were completely straight.

The hat fits nicely on her head at a forward-ish angle. The trick is that it has a little wedge on the front inside-edge that can hook under the front of her hair and make the hat stay put.

No deck? Steal the Joker's! :)

Other than these, she doesn't really need more "stuff". But if there was anything I would wish for her it would have to be a couple of bunnies and a deck of cards. And we know where we can borrow some playing cards from!

Dislike: That in order to make the hat work, they had to give Zatanna a long fringe parted down the middle along with the rest of her hair. She's usually drawn with fringe like on the button that comes with the figure (see "Value" below). While might seem like a minor detail and most would let it slide, I think it's like drawing Wonder Woman with short hair or Powergirl with long locks. It's just out of character. Granted, Z's been drawn with hair like she has on her figure, but I don't think that's be best look for her. And there's no reason she shouldn't be made in her best look!

Dislike: The loss of the hinge points of articulation in the legs/hips. But really, she doesn't need them to look good posing in action shots. And for some reason those fishnets look way better on her than they do on Black Canary!

Like: The excellent sculpt of the coat. It doesn't get in the way of her ab crunch, legs or arms. And I like that the coat tails aren't straight behind her so that there's some implied motion.

Dislike: The flatness of her head from the side. Yes, the head and not her face. I really think the face looks great. This is an old complaint going back to Powergirl in Wave 10 and all the females that use face sculpt, which is like practically all of them. Her face looks great front-on but from the side her it looks flat because the head is a little squashed from front to back, leading to all our disgruntlement about the face.

I put this down to the lack of body in the hair sculpt. It just needs to be slightly, just slightly fuller.

Like: Having said that about Z's head, I think her face has been painted superbly. The raised left eyebrow, the red lips, the blue eyes with white highlights. Heck, she's even got eyelashes! I also like that they took the effort to sculpt and paint the silver buttons of her shirt and the gold ones on her molded yellow vest, which has some darker yellow spray-shading. And areas you'd wanna watch out for if you find her though is the white on her shirt. I've had the chance to get Zatanna loose with either her hat or and but not both. And I would've gladly paid the S$12 for her, except that on most all the figures the white paint on the front of her, ahem, bosom, tended to have paint rub.

Like: That she balances quite well despite her long, thin legs and her heels. And I believe this is down to her lack of having hinges in her leg joints. This makes the legs less loose since they move along on only a single plane. The downside is that once the point of balance/center of gravity is passed, Zatanna won't balance at all. (And of course, you don't get the super wide stances.) But before that, she can handle standing fully on one foot and the toes of the other. Not bad for a figure with such a small base to balance with.

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 8/10 - Great sculpt (aside from the flat head and non-fringe-y hair), great paint (aside from the paint rub on her assets), and great fishnets (except for the unavoidable bunching). Zatanna looks great and will be part of my Justice League display alongside the other females, who by the way look real kickass next to each other--even more so than the guys! (Because the just look like a bunch of dudes...Lol.)

Poseability: 8/10 - Much better than I expected and due in no small part to the very suitable accessories. Sure, her long hair hinders the upward motion of her head and she's got no leg hinges, but she's got all the other PoAs that make DCUC great. Also, she's got two open hands which is great--her hands will always be busy! Al she has to do is ad a dramatic stance to whatever she's doing with her hands and there you go: magic. ;)

Fun: 8/10 - Whatever the setting, magicians are always fun. And in a modern day, superhero setting, magicians like Zatanna retain their mystical quality while all the other guys and gals are running around with modified/alien genes, gadgets and gizmos, and mutant superpowers. All Zat has is magic in her blood. Heck, magic is even her job, her "costume" actually her work clothes. Next to the other spandex clad superheroes, her costume really pops.

Z and the Flash's crotch.

And as far as accessories goes, she may just have a wand and a hat (which she can wear) but she's got two great gripping hands to hold most anything with--swords, shields, staves, cards, fish--the works. I bet she can even dual wield a couple of wands. I just have to find some of those Harry Potter accessories and steal them wands...

Value: 7.5/10 - A fancy-schmancy wand, a wearable top hat, a 75th anniversary button of herself, a CnC part with an accessory of its own.--Zatanna is one of the more value-for-money DCUC figures. Z's also got a nicely sculpted jacket, sculpted bow-tie, high-heels and of course, her fishnets!

Overall: 8/10 - It's a keeper! Despite not being the look I'd like for her, this Zatanna figure shines in every department. She looks great, poses and plays well, and she comes with two great accessories for her. And this is even before we consider that she's comes with the Ultra-Humanite's right hand and the mind control remote device in it. In finding Zatanna, I managed to not only get a very sought after figure for a reasonable price, but also bagged my Ultra-Humanite the accessory he was missing. (I bought him loose and cheap, see.)

I also realize now that I probably would've paid more for her because she's that kind of figure that's consistently good all around.

And if you're not into Collecting 'n' Connecting the Ultra H, you can probably recover some of the figure's cost by selling it off--I'm sure the Ultra Humanite's right arm will fetch a pretty enough penny. :)

DCUC Batman Legacy Collection: Prototype Suit Batman & Lt. Gordon

2011-08-30T05:48:00.000+08:00

When I first saw this 2-pack, I knew I had to get it. Comissioner Gordon? Finally! Looks like Gary Oldman? Even better! Christian Bale likeness? Right on the money. Accessories? Check. Articulation? Looks pretty good from the preview shots.

So what was a guy to do? I put down a deposit for it (along with the Arkham City Bats and Two-Face 2-pack) and waited patiently for about 4 months.

It's taken me a while to actually crack them open and take some decent shots and that's mainly due to their size?

Well, let's just say while I love the figures, they fall short. Literally.

Like: Exact likeness of Christian Bale! It's one of the main reasons I was chompin' at the bit to get this 2-pack. They've got the length and sharpness of his nose down and they even got the trademark frown spot on!

It's a 50 year-old Agent Mulder!

As for Gordon, it's a very good likeness of Gary Oldman too. It isn't as brilliant as Bale's likeness but close enough, especially since the glasses kinda take up most of his face. It's also been a damn long while that we've gotten a Commissioner Gordon action figure in this scale. Ok, so he's Lieutenant Gordon. But he looks both young and old enough to be both. So he'll be the Commish for me. Huzzah!

Like: The sculpted details of Gordon's outfit. You got his glasses (not removable :[ ), his tie (which is separate from his shirt/clothes), and his trench coat, which has the left side collar folded in. I didn't notice the collar at first but wow, it's a nice touch to make the figure asymmetrical and more pleasing to the eye.

Dislike: The Batman figure is tiny! He looks like he could be in scale with original He-Man figures. All right, so maybe not that tiny. But he is a lost cause. With all of the height of a 4-foot, 10-incher next to DCUC guys, he makes even Justice League Umlimited figures look tall. Ok, so maybe not that tall but certainly larger than the 4 inches they are.

Gordon is actually a good size next to DCUC male figures. Next to them he looks like the 5'8", 5'9" he could be. Even next to the females he doesn't look out of place. Thank goodness he isn't in scale with Proto-Bats! That alone saves the 2-pk from being a Smurfaliciously short disaster.

Like: The paint on the faces. These guys look really life-like, especially Bruce Wayne. Gordon's got a huge pair of fogged up glasses on that honker of his, but his 'stache, that hair, and even his eyes (under his glasses) are painted very sharply. The flesh paint/plastic they used for both these guys is also excellent. While there's no shading/highlighting, they've got the tone right--slightly more tan for Bats and just a shade lighter for Gordon.

Like: Gordon's gun! Yeah, it's just a regular ol' handgun, but it fits nice and tight in Gordon's left hand. Am I glad they rememebred that ol' Jimbo's a lefty!

Dislike: Gordon's glasses are glued a little high and the lenses are cloudy. How's he ever gonna shoot at anything like that? I know: badly. Very badly. Lol.

Like: The awesome Proto Bat-mask! Soft rubbery plastic, like thick balloon skin. Slit down the back to allow for ease of wearing/removal. It's nice and stretchy like a real balaclava/robber mask!

Like: That I can use the Proto-Bats' head for an unmasked DCUC Batman. While the buck for the figure is tiny, his head isn't that much smaller if at all. The only thing is that the head has a much smaller hole than the regular DCUC heads. In fact, it's even smaller than the hole for Gordon's head. That didn't stop me from putting together Trench Coat Action Bruce Wayne, though. ;)

Like: The excellent articulation, especially for Bruce, who's got the freedom of movement for all his joints because of the relatively unhindered sculpt.

Only the harness at his groin area prevents him from truly standing straight and rising to his full Gimli-like height.

The Commish-to-be- is restricted by jacket as expected for all figures that have long coats, but has all the PoA that Bats has.

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 8/10 - Both these guys look like they leaped right outta the big screen into action figure form. The heads are so very well sculpted and the paint is well done. I also like that the sculpted parts don't look plasticky, which makes up most of the two figures. That's not to say both are under painted but rather that both have been painted very well where they ought to be. (Face and harness bits.)

The only problem is that Protosuit Bats is in Movie Masters Scale, perhaps even smaller. It's a real pity, because I'm sure there are many fans out there who would've really liked a n in-scale with DCUC Proto-Bats figure.

The upside is that this is a super accurate Christian Bale head, which with some minor modification, can be put on a DCUC Batman body for an unmasked version of the Caped Crusader!

Poseability: 8/10 - Bats does well in this department because of his PoAs and his movie star good-looks. Gordon is irresistible because of his gun! Gordon is great among his DCUC brethren and has found a place in my Gotham Knights vs Arkham Inmates display. (Pics to come!).

But where Gordon fits in perfectly, Bruce Wayne fails miserably. He isn't even as tall as the Movie Masters Green Lantern figure. I really love that he's got a mask that adds to his pose value but he just doesn't fit in at all with that body.

Fun: 7/10 - These guys provide great play value with their accessories and their poseability. The sad thing is that only Gordon can play with the DCUC guys because they have a height restriction for their club. Heh. And he brings along a 6" scale gun with him. I think it's tougher to find regular 6" scale guns than in any other scale so now guys like Two-Face, Penguin and even Joker can have a "regular gun as a weapon should they (I) choose. Heh.

Even though Proto-Bats is vertically challenged (even by the smallest of Smurfs), I do have a smurfing good time playing around with his mask, which can also be used on any other Movie Masters/DC Universe Classics/ 6" scale figures with roundish heads and no protrusions. But I guess therein lies the problem with Proto-Bats--all his stuff is better somewhere else--his mask, his head, maybe even his harness if you could unglue the shoulder and belt areas where the thing is stuck onto the figure.

Value: 7/10 - I like these guys because they not only look great (besides Bat's their lack of height) but they come with an accessory each. Putting on and taking off Bats' mask never stops getting old and Gordon having a gun is a real plus for the character--even Legacy 2-pack Two-Face doesn't come with one. I paid S$55 for these guys and am glad I got them trough a pre-order. Places that still have this two-pack have jacked up the price/set it a good $10 more than what I got it for.

Overall: 7.5/10 - These are Good Toys with Minor Flaws. Or in this case, one glaring flaw, which is Batman's lack of height. In fact, I think Lieutenant Gordon deserves a 7.7/10 because he's the star of this 2-pack and delivers, especially in terms of scale. If you are Movie Masters fan though, you'll be happy with the new Gordon figure as everyone else probably is. And you'll also dig Proto-Bats if you didn't get him before. If you're like a DCUC fan like me, this will be a tough one pass and a tough one to grab. On the one hand you'll want Gordon but on the other you'll have to pay for Rain Man height Bats. But I'd say go for it and make use of the great Bruce Wayne head with fitting mask and the funky harness for a custom.

Lego Speederbikes with Stormtroopers!

2011-08-27T04:59:00.000+08:00

...Which will be henceforth known as the "Great Lego Speederbike Blind Building Contest!"

So I picked two of these babies at last weekend's Singapore Toys, Games and Comic Convention for S$15 each, which was about half of what they would be in specialty stores outside of the Con. And the fun thing about Legos is that Mel and I love to build them together.

Usually it's the bigger sets we work on together, like the Knights Kingdpm Green Knight Stronghold, the Star Wars Vader's TIE Advanced vs the Y-Wing, or the Home One MonCalamari Star Cruiser.

This time around, the Legos in question were way smaller and would take no time to build. So the wife decides to challenge me to a "blind" building contest, stating that we'll "see who can build a speederbike faster without the instructions and just by using the pictureon the packaging."

I laughed and agreed. I knew I'd win. I knew Star Wars and Lego better than the wife. But ya know, we musn't fail to encourage the spouses, even if they have a Tuantuan's chance in Tatooine.

But anyway, here are the results... ;)

No prozes for guessing which was mine. Lol

About 10 minutes into the "competition," my wife turns around to a) check on my progress and b) find some consolation that the speeder was unbuildable without the instructions. My reaction was to tuck my almost complete version behind me. But I know she got a glimpse from the look of exasperation on her face--she couldn't believe i could do it. Haha.

When I was finally done a couple of minutes later, I presented my complete and mostly accurate speeder to her, saying I think I missed a piece on the back. She took one look at what I had done, and suddenly the rules changed to "it's not who builds it the fastest but who does it more accurately."

Oookay...

Why you should always check the undercarriage...

I played along like I had been Jedi Mind-Tricked.

Five mninutes later, these were our masterpieces. (Above)

Needless to say, I had won this contest but had to admit that wide speeders also existed in the Star Wars universe, wide speeders with crazily suspicious undercarriages and a coffee mug right at the rider's elbow. Even if those same speederbikes aren't slim enough to fit between two trees on Endor's Moon. Two words: Pyrrhic victory. ;P

Singapore Toy, Game, and Comic Convention 2011: Day 2

2011-08-22T10:16:00.000+08:00

So I went into Day 2 almost desperate for some good toy deals. As with any convention, the vendors start to slash prices in order to clear as much stock as they have probably so that they don't have to lug it back to theeir stores and re-pack all the stuff again.

After I got done with Sunday stuff like church and a meeting/rehearsal for this non-toy related gig I was gonna do, I drove down to STGCC at around 4-ish, 5--I thought that would give me a good chunk of time to wander about before the Con closed its doors at 8pm.

Bobble-heads from Simply Toys, anyone?

This time the wife and baby were at home so I figured I'd have a better chance of moving through the throng of people at the venue more easily than yesterday. Well, I was right. Not because I was able to unleash my superhero/ninja training I'd prepared for by reading comics most of my life, but because the crowd had thinned somewhat for day 2. Good news, because I'd be able hunt for deals better and also take in some of the sights.

And I gotta say, I kinda like being a Last-Day-Con kinda guy.

Yllanif dnuof reh!

First up, I hit the Falcon's Hanger--these guys had majorly slashed prices last year and they did again this year, except this time around they were clearing movie Transformers for cheap. There was the occasional great deal though, like S$120 for the Masterpiece Black Convoy (Optimus Prime) but my wife had already gotten me that for Christmas so though I was tempted (why, I dunno...) I resisted easily. Then I found this gem in the DC Universe single figure shelf:

Harassin' the kids!

They had quite a few sought-after figures, but were selling them as a complete wave. This Zatanna though, was priced reasonably and now she was mine for just S$30! The cheapest I'd seen before this was S$40, so this was a steal. They bargain hunting had begun. Huzzah!

Then I bumped into Melvin, the gracious soul who'd kindly held on to my Secret Wars Ultron/Mr. Fantastic for almost a year from STGCC '10. He'd earlier had the chance to moderate a panel with former DC President Paul Levitz. After showing me the DC Direct Batman Inc Batman he'd nabbed from Harris Planerds at the Con for just S$19 or so, he pointed me to the vendor we were standing next to.

Wall of Hot Toys' aged posters

"Hey this guy's selling the Marvel Universe Fantastic Four 4-pack for $48. Don't you want it?" I ummed and ahhhed and finally decided to take a look. I have to say it looked great, especially the new sculpts for Sue and Reed Richards. H.E.R.B.I.E. looked pretty cool and the Thing was basically bike-shorts Thing--nothing else new except the shorts. Then I did the unthinkable. I passed.

I continued to wander and saw the Marvel vs Capcom Championship setup. (Above)

Fury: "I need me one of these in our movie!"

I also noticed some of out favorite Marvel superheroes hiding in an unlikely place, plotting and planning before there Summer blockbuster next year. I have to say I would've missed this if not for Toyhaven's Day 1 coverage and his snap shot of it. And yes. Hulk banned from riding in cool Star Wars bus. Hulk sad.

I got a closer look at the awesome Hot Toys display and I realized they had some really nice Iron Man custom pieces. Yes, people seem to buy S$300 toys and hack them up to custom them. I gotta admit, some of these are sheer genius. Some of 'em are just nuts. Lol.

"Take that, Rebel scum!"

Then I ran into this Stormtrooper who'd seemingly abandoned his post for some DS action! And I tell ya, the crowd loved it as a whole buncha people (myself included) surrounded the guy and started clicking. I dunno how the heck he was even pressing those buttons with his gloves on!

That's not a holster. It's a cigarette stash.

There were less superhero dress-ups than last year, with Iron Man and Spidey returning to the Con. But then lo and behold check out who I ran into in front of the Star Wars 501st Legion booth:

I knew he hadn't died at the end of the movie! But at the rate he was going with that unlighted cigarette, he wasn't gonna die any time soon either. But don't be fooled, kids. Smoking kills. Or at least it turns your face into a gigantic red skull

It as then that I stumbled upon this vendor who came all the way from Australia and was selling jewelry. yes folks, jewelry. At a toys, games, and comics con. I was about to pass it by but glint of gold caught my eye and I noticed these for the wife, who's a Wonder Woman fan!:

Dumdumdumdumdum...Wonder Woman!!!

I'd been looking for a pair for the longest time but hadn't found any place that sold them. Come to think of it, I vaguely recall seeing this same vendor from last year but balked at the S$100 price tag for these earrings. But not this time around. That was then, before I'd seen her give birth to our son and do the things only a mother can do for a child. It's simply superhuman and deserving of a prize worth way more than this!

So now I was fresh outta cash and had to an enforced break from hunting to refuel the wallet. It turned out to be a good thing that I did!

Only thing is...The Thing's a re-use! But 3 outta 4 ain't bad...

Remember earlier when I passed on the Marvel Universe F4 4-pack? Well, I might not have picked it up for myself but did message the Rangerlord to ask him if he wanted it. He got back to me later with a resounding "Yes! Am I too late?"

So I sprinted, darted, leaped and bounded right to the vendor. Why, I don't know because it wasn't super crowded. But why waste all that training, right? It turned out that the 4-pack belonged to Toyrealm, who was sharing a booth with another vendor whom I had thought was selling it. Good thing also was that it was still there. Best thing? Vincent and his one employee Martin are cool guys and always knock a few bucks off their prices, so I got that 4-pack for the Rangerlord for S$43!

By then it was just over an hour to closing time and all I had picked up for myself was a Zatanna. But I was determined to scrounge up some deal and return home triumphant. The best part is, i found it at the most unlikely place.

There was this vendor who the local crowd rarely buys from because his physical store outside the Con was away from the other specialty stores and rather hard to reach. And for the period of all two days of this Con, he had this forlorn looking $5 box at the foot of one of the tables at his booth.

$5 PhD? I'll take it!

There wasn't anything worth grabbing there on Day 1--most of it was old Star Wars Power of the Force stuff and a random figure or two from the 90s. The box closer to empty than full, even when I was there early on the first day.

$5 slave for Admiral Ackbar? Done!

Well, passing by earlier on Day 2, I'd seen very little change. there was a PotF Admiral Ackbar and an Episode III C3-PO with interchangeable droid body--old stuff, like I said. There might even have been a dead dried lizard in there. But closer to closing, I happened by and glanced in to see a Marvel Universe A.I.M Soldier! I also found in there a Star Wars Legacy collection Quarren Soldier, an Iron Man 2 Guradian, and a MU Wrecker. I would've grabbed them all. But I already have Wrecker and Guardian so was didn't go for those.

Let the Wookie win, my friends...

Just then, the vendor comes over to me and says, "Everything in the box for $20!" I promptly declined. And it turns out it's the one thing I regret doing all weekend because I could've just taken the deal and given free stuff right here! Argh! Sorry guys. Please don't hate me. I know how much you all want that PoTF Ackbar and that dead lizard...

Oh hey and I found a cheap and great alternative solution for those who like vinyls at a reasonable price and nice 4" size--Pop Vinyl Bobble-Heads! At $12 a pop, it's way cheaper than Mighty Muggs and probably mini-mugs too. And it's easily available from Funko or if you're in Singapore, Simply Toys. I got this here Chewbacca for by brother, who's a vinyl and Chewie fan. Perfect! ;)

Well, that one teensy tiny thing about turning down a great deal aside, I'm really glad I found some cheap figures. As big a haul as last year? No, for sure. As happy? Yes, I definitely had a great time. But I think more importantly, the vendors I spoke to and overheard said they were happy with how the event was organized and the amount of business they got. So maybe next year we might get a bigger and better STGCC. Either way, I can't wait!

Singapore Toy, Game, and Comic Convention: Day 1

2011-08-21T04:39:00.000+08:00

Con time!

It's Con time again for us here in Singapore! The last edition we had was barely 8 months ago--the dates for this year's STGCC got moved earlier to be more in line with the summer Con season in the States so yay for us!

Me: "Time to go, then!"
Christian: "Ok, but I'm holding on to the pass!

Well, last year the Con was three days starting Friday but this year, organizers Reed Exhibitions streamlined the thing down to two days. Though this seemed like a down-sizing and got the fanboy in me down a little bit, it proved to be the right move on Day 1. Last year, the halls were fairly easy to move through because there weren't many people. This year, everyone seemed to be there all at the same time!

Peoplez! And Mario and Luigi running from them

The Rangerlord also pointed out that word had spread about the Con (in it's third year) and he'd noticed more people from neighboring countries and even further abroad attending. My wife also agreed they'd done a better job of getting the word out--she'd heard news about STGCC on the BBC and they'd also gone on Channel News Asia for a bit of a promo interview spot.

Speaking of the Rangerlord, last year, I'd met up with him on Day 1 and we hunted for toys, comics, autographs, and other goodies. This year, our ranks swelled as he brought along his two girls with his artist brother-in-law tagging along. And I had Melissa and lil' Christian with me. Needless to say, it turned out to be a great opening day!

Mel thought this was a pic of a real guy

And I thought this was a real donut

The first thing that hit us when we entered the exhibition hall was the awesome Hot Toys display! Well, that's way understating it because it was more like a Hot Toys mega booth. I'm not into buying 12" scale figures but boy are these well made and life-like. Throw in the fact that they look like the superheros look like they're screen counterparts and this was easily the most photographed booth!

Can you spot Green Lantern?

We met up with the Rangerlord and his company at Artist Alley and guess what? They were in their superhero identities

We continued our wanderings as best as we could, leading our entourage through the throng of people. Then we came upon the another impressive booth. This one belonged to the Star Wars 501st Legion (Singapore Branch), who had a wonderful 3.75" Clone Trooper display. These guys are a costuming organization of fans, so they were all dressed up: Stormtroopers, Imperial officers (both male and female), Boba Fett, Little Kid Boba Fett, R2-D2 and even a Jawa.

Besides patrolling the means streets of the Con to maintain law(lesness) and order, these guys also did their part for charity. They had a couple of Nerf guns set up for anyone who cared to fire it at their Stormtroopers--for a price, of course. $6 got you 10 rounds outta the Nerf handgun (as you can see, I'm the foremost expert in Nerf Guns...Nerf Herders maybe but definitely not Nerf Guns...) and $15 got you 25 rounds outta the heavy repeater. All the proceeds are going to charity so as you can imagine, the troopper were helluva busy.

Hiding behind the droid. Typical.

"Move along..."

At one point,while we were looking around at the toy vendors, a pair of Storm Troopers walked by and got poked by Batgirl, who was using the stick of her balloon as a weapon. At another point of time, Supergirl tried to pull R2-D2 away from another two 'Troopers and an officer. Both times, they distracted the Imperials with cute "hellos" and made their moves when the baddies had turned back away. Sneaky, but all in vain because as we know, the Dark Side of the Force always wins.

Baby's lovin' the new look DC heroes

The DC and Marvel booths were also very nicely decked out in larger than life-sized posters for the fans to take pics against, so we were happy to oblige.

At this point, we were asking ourselves the same thing you're wondering now: where are the toys?

He even got along with the Avengers...

I have to admit, I thought I might have had to leave the Con empty handed because there weren't as many good deals as last year from what we were able to see. So far, I'd only gotten a couple of free Green Lantern Heroclix from Kinokinuya (Japanese bookshop that sells a large quantity and variety of graphic novels). The Rangerlord had also spotted a deal for single-bagged Lego speederbikes with stormtroopers for S$15 each and I'd picked up two of those.

Captain America? Not so much...

I also finally got my Secret Wars Mr. Fantastic and Ultron from Melvin, who had picked it up for me from last year's Con! :P (Sorry if I got you in trouble with the wife by leaving my stuff with you, dude!)

"I don't care if he's a specially drawn cover or not!!!"

Besides these, I'd bought some awesome signed art prints of Supergirl, Green Lantern and Darth Vader and the Bounty Hunters from Imaginary Friends Studios, but no other toys had caught my eye because prices were similar to those at the local weekly flea market.

But then I found these: Henkei Scourge and Blurr for S$30 each! And they guy whom I got them from was offering a free gift of a gold vac metalized "custom weapon" foreach Transformer purchase. I bit. And it turns out this "weapon" was a third party spring-loaded "Mech Tech" claw that most regular-sized TFs could hold. I wanted to give this to my Henkei Grimlock but yes, it turns out he ain't one of the "most TFs" that could hold it. :/

"I still ain't lettin' go!

It's a gun-claw! Or as I call it, a glaw

When we left STGCC at about 6pm, the crowd still hadn't dispersed. Christian was rather tired but fighting to stay awake because there was so much to take in. We'd spent almost 4 hours there and I had a modest haul--I didn't think there was much more to find in terms of good deals. Still, there were nice little tiny surprises like the free "weapon" and the good deal on the Tranfsformers. Hopefully, the next day would prove to be a little more surprising!

DC Universe Classics Batman Legacy Collection: Batman and Two-Face

2011-08-17T00:39:00.001+08:00

Hey all, sorry for the long delay between posts funky work schedules and crashing laptops tend to get in the way of toys--what's wrong with this world? ;P

I suppose in that sense the wait for this review fits the toy--it's been a long time coming.

Way back in December, I had seen this two-pack on the pre-order list at the specialty store I frequent. Immediately I put down a deposit for it and the Prototype Batman/Commish Gordon 2-pk as well (but that a review for another time...;p) Both figures in this set looked awesome--A very classy looking Batman in gray and black, and a black and white Two-Face that would boot the orange and purple DC Universe one I had off my display and take its place a default Harvey. But when it finally got the goods in my hands, I was slightly disappointed.

Perhaps it was the long wait to finally get the figures, perhaps it was the slightly glossy finish both Bats and TF had. But it didn't matter because I'd already put down for the 2-pack and it was mine so I was going to open it anyway.

I felt slightly better about the figures when I busted them free but I discovered something else that I didn't like: the figures were too tall and largish to fit in with DCUC. Hm. Nevertheless, I was still game on giving the figures a chance, especially since they turned out to be excellently sculpted and painted. After all, it couldn't get much worse, could it? Well...

Dislike: I just can't get over the extra height! Bats and Two-Face are extremely tall. If DC Universe figures were 6 feet tall, Bats and TF would be be 6'6". They dwarf DC Universe figures but that doesn't necessarily mean they're not in scale. As the Rangerlord pointed out: "Batman should be big and tall." To which I replied: "Yeah, but not taller than Superman! This Bats belongs in the NBA." The Rangerlord likes his Batmen beefy and strong, you see. But the same could be said of me and my idea of Superman. Yes, the discussion ended up a stalemate. Lol.

Like: The head sculpts. Batman - From the right set of jaw to the long ears to the steely blue look in his eyes--it's the right look of steel without being too wide eyed or his face being too scowly. I like that his mouth is slightly down-turned and that he's got just the right amount of scowl.

Two-Face - This is the best head sculpt I've seen on a Two-Face. Equal parts hideous and handsome, each half really brings out its personality. One side is so clean-cut and dashing, while the other is just a melted mess of flesh of features. Love it.

Like: The texture of the Batsuit. The gray parts are rough and Kevlar-like, while the black is smooth. It's a Batsuit that not only makes sense but also looks and feels great. That kinda sounded like a shampoo ad. Heh.

Like: Batman's armored gauntlets and boots. These look super heavy duty and could probably withstand knife/sword attacks, maybe even deflect a bullet or two Bats caught the shots at the right angle. I also love that he's got glove top swivels as well as wrist swivels! Bonus articulation ftw!

That's about as much as Bats is willing to kick...

Dislike: Poor range of motion in lots of the joints of both figures. For Bats: his knees bend just under 90 degrees, and the leg swivels are great. But the hinges on his hips can give only about 45 degrees, while he's got no swivels and only hinges for his ankles. It's sad because all Bats is missing is one ankle swivel and more split ability (Get it? Oh, I kill myself...) on each leg to make them really great.

Batman also has limited range of motion in the elbows--about 45 degrees--and it's definitely not the gauntlets getting in the way but rather the joint itself being rather poor. It prevents him from really winding up that punch or pretending to be grabbing something from his utility belt.

As for Two-Face: his head can swivel but only move slightly down and not at all up. Add to that the swivel-only shoulders and elbows that can bend about only 80 degrees and you got one helluva stiff guy. The fact that he doesn't have ankles or that they're completely blocked is really disappointing!

Like: That the "dark side" of Two-Face looks like he's got real burnt skin. Whether it's by chemicals, fire, or something else, it looks raw, very much melted, and irrevocably sinister.

Dislike: The complete lack of accessories. No gun for Two-Face. No batarang for Batman. No real happy for buyer. :(

Dislike: That Two-Face's coin molded as part of his hand. I wouldn't mind this so much if they made his other hand a gripping hand but alas, it's a...er...an emo/cat scratch hand?

Like: The Utility Belt! It's pouchy enough without being too bulky. It's also the right muted shade of brown and has got a slightly metallic finish, suggesting that the sturdy materials used in its construction have been purposely dulled-down in color to blend in with the shadows.

Like: Two-Face's snazzy tie! It's very nicely painted and molded down into his vest. for some reason I also like those two big white buttons out in the front, not to mention the melted look and charred texture of his black half.

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 8/10 - These two figure have great sculpts--great proportions, wonderful detail and excellent vision and tactile texture. The only thing that gets me is their height--these are the only two guys in this height range. Is Mattel going to produce more figures of this height? If so, then there's a ton more figures to buy to be in the right scale with them. If not then why do them this way and not of equal height to DCUC?

Poseability: 6.5/10 - I can understand Two-Face not having ankles or even needing to be posed in wide stances. Gangster bosses tend not to do that so much I guess, and they let the goons do the fighting. The lack of shoulder hinges is kinda sad though. I guess they decided since he'll never hold a gun in either hand, he'll never need to straighten his arm and point it at someone.

Batman on the other hand has all the PoAs you could ever want in the legs except for ankle swivels. They could've given him boot-tops as well but those were also conspicuously missing. The other PoA that lets the figure down is the hip/leg hinge. Coming out sideways 45 degrees just doesn't let Batman make all the moves you know he can--kick high enough, kneel low enough, crouch with his legs spread low enough. Swivels for his ankles or boots would've definitely helped a ton!

Two-Face tries his best...

Despite his problems, Bats does have really good shoulder and ab crunch joints. His waist swivel is limited but still turns on top of the U-belt.

These two figures do have nice, tight joints though. These I like fer sure.

Fun: 7/10 - The figures look so great but I can't help but feel I'd have more fun if they had accessories and better poseability to them. As it is, I really enjoy looking at Two-Face and Bats. But once I grab them they don't quite feel I'm getting enough play out of them. Still, fans of the Arkham City video game who are also toy fans will find this plenty of fun outside of the game itself.

Getting caught going fer the low blow...

Value 6.5/10 - I wanna say most of the money went into all the sculpting and detail in these guys. But I can;t quite understand why they couldn't even give Two_face a pistol (or better yet, a tommy gun) and Batman a Batarang or a a gas mask or something or other to complement the figures and increase the play value. At S$55 (currently US$45; I know, it seems so expensive in USD these days!) that's just about what a DCUC figure would cost. So if DCUC figures can come with a Collect and Connect part and have an accessory or two, there's no excuse for these guys not having even the one between them. :(

What's this? Batman taking a nap?.

Nah. Just playing possum.

Overall: 7/10 - These are good toys with some flaws. You'll like 'em if you don't mind reduced poseability and enjoy a great sculpt. Even with all the complaints of DC Universe figures being able to improve upon what they have, I wish this 2-pack had at least their leg articulation. Then again, if Batsy and Two-Fer used DCUC bucks, I think I'd be even more disappointed. As it is, these guys are good figures. I guess I just have to figure out where they fit in in my display.

DC Universe Classics Batman Legacy Collection Mr. Freeze

2011-08-04T03:33:00.000+08:00

I was glad to finally get Mr. Freeze out of the latest Batman Legacy line--he was the one Bat-villain I had missed out on when I started collecting DC Universe and could still find some DC Superheroes stuff. I'd seen the regular colored silver/blue/gunmetal-grey version many times but at prices which then seemed a tad too high. So I waited...

And he finally got re-released in this line...with funky colors. But that wasn't gonna stop me from snaggin' ol' Victor "Burger &" Fries here, oh no. While the unusual Super Powers color scheme puts most off, I think it's just about wacky enough to be part of a Bat-villain display, which already has a ton of color--purpli with Joker, Red and Black with Harley Quinn, Brown with Man-BAt, Neon Green with the Riddler--some pink couldn't hurt, right? ;)

Colors aside, there weren't any changes for the re-release of Mr. Freeze, who debuted in the 2003 DCSH line. I have to say the paint apps then were quite something. There was another release at New York ComicCon 2007 that looked like this. Less icy, more metallic. So that would make this repaint of that classic sculpt more, um, strawberries and cream? (Ice cream of course--no less.)

So if you've got your fruit smoothie in hand and you're ready to go, let's take a look at the latest release of one the (n)iciest, fruitiest villains ever, shall we?

Spot the Bat!

Like: Head in pink "glass" bubble. One of the more endearing qualities of the villain. The pink used for the plastic here is not a cutesy pink. It's more of an "emergency siren" pink. I know, I know, sirens are red. But his pink looks equally...dangerous...

See him?

Like: The great articulation despite the tons of detail that has gone into the sculpt. The other benifit of having an armored body is that most of his joints are very well hidden.

Like: The sculpt. The main reason why I picked this figure up. There's tons of detail in it, from the bits of ice to the plates and grooves of his armor, pipes, heavy boots, and his belt. The trouble is...

Dislike: ...Lots of the detail has gone unpainted! The white plastic really does a lot to take away the intricate bits of the armor, while the ice looks, well, like plastic in stead of ice. The pink is a nice soft matte but the blue is so plasticky looking that you'd be forgiven if you thought this was a knockoff figure.

The "reverse pinch clip"

Like: The Freeze Gun-backpack assembly. The thing is bulky but clips onto his back via a hexagonal reverse pinch clip (yes, I came up with the name) into a hexagonal hole. It fits nice an tight with a clicks satisfyingly when you put it on.

Dislike: The colors of the gun. It looks nothing like a Freeze Gun and every bit like a Super Soaker. The funny thing is that it actually has a hole at the end of the barrel that might have actually allowed water stored in the backpack to be shot out. The pack even has a big round button to pump water out of the gun. The trouble is it looks like they've sealed the caps of the pack--I can't seem to get it open without having to take a tool to it so it looks like no water pistol shenanigans for me there.

Like: That the head swivels along with the torso! While you can't actually swivel his head manually, a twist of the torso will result in the head following in the corresponding direction. I know it reduces the poses you can do with him but it's a fun feature that I was pleasantly surprised by! :)

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 6/10 - I wanted to like him. I actually did it the pictures and even in packaging--that's why I ended up buying him. I still like the wacky color scheme but the lack of paint and the overwhelming plastic look is a big disappointment. On the bright side, since Freeze is largely unpainted, he's a shoo-in for a custom repaint! If I ever take a brush to him, he'll mainly be white withe some light blues and grays...hmm...

Poseability: 8/10 - Freeze is deceptively nubile and that's really do to the well hidden joints. His leg articulation is especially great--he can easily do the sideways splits and has ankles that can point to beyond parallel to his shins. Some completely hidden boot top and glove swivels are the cherry on top of this strawberry flavored smoothie!

Fun: 7.5/10 - Just being a Bat-villain boosts his fun rating up quite a bit because let's face it, Mr. Freeze is just a guy with giant Freeze Gun and who can't live outside his bubble. But it's precisely because he's got a big-ass gun connected to a humongous backpack via all sorts of pipes that makes you wanna pick him up and play around with him.

Also, hidden articulation tends to be fun to discover and re-discover after you've put him on the shelf for a while without moving him around. I find that even though I know where his PoAs are, I take some secret delight in swiveling that glove joint or rotating that boot top. Let's not also forget his fun head swivel feature. It's simple and gives you a way of rotating an otherwise untouchable head. It gives the illusion of Freeze being able to turn his head on his own, and who doesn't love parts that move on their own? ;)

Value: 7/10 - For S$30 (US$24) it's a good deal. With retail prices of DC Universe figures skyrocketing in the past year and a half, Freeze would've cost me a good S$15 more if I'd seen him in the wild and not got him at one of my regular specialty shops in Vincent's Toyrealm at China Square Central. Freeze has go nice accessories, a great sculpt, and a fun feature. It's a pity about the paint or lack thereof...

Overall: 7.2/10 - A good toy all round with some flaws - I just really wish he were painted better or cast with less shiny plastic. I can't argue with the great sculpt, re-used as it is, and its great articulation and poseability. The detail that went into the armor is there--it's just not picked out very well. The fact that he's had 2 re-paints including this one and the smart re-use of the lower body for Power Armor Lex Luthor is a testament to how solid Mattel and us as fans find this sculpt.

Funny thing--this version of Freeze has received the most amount of criticism among the DC Universe Legacy figures released so far. But in these parts, you can't find him in the specialty stores anymore while the Joker and Bats, in all their tail-coated and Bat-snarled glory are still on the pegs. A freeze in sales? Not for Victor! ;)

Mr. Freeze slaps Batman's face in sales!

Marvel Universe 3.75" Wave 14 Skaar!

2011-07-27T04:23:00.000+08:00

The idea of Hulk having a son he didn't know about born from the destruction left behind on the planet Sakaar was an intriguing one. And I have to say that despite the distraction that was the whole Red Hulks saga, Skaar's story was the more important one, both to the continuing saga of Banner's struggle to rid himself of the Green Goliath and to the Skaar character himself.

Basically, Skaar's got abandonment issues with Dad and wants to kill him for leaving him and Sakaar to die. So Skaar cones to Earth and locates his father. But it's the Green Scar he's looking for and not the Savage Hulk so Skaar says he'll return when King Hulk does.

When he next meets Dad, Bruce Banner's been robbed of the ability to transform by the Red Hulk. But Banner is confident that the Hulk will find some way to return n decides to train Skaar for that eventuality. Banner is forced to absorb radiation from a gamma bomb in the middle of a city to save lives. But the radiation triggers his transformation into the World Breaker--father and son fight. After handily beating the young upstart, the Hulk remembers how Banner's Dad abused him. An instead of finishing Skaar (who's reverted to his childlike human form) off, he embraces him as his son.

So long story short, we get the Marvel Universe version of the character and one of Hulk's new crew!

Like: His head sculpt. Though he's not as youthful and has a squarer jaw than he is usually drawn, you know it's not the Hulk. His hair is also especially well done. It does get in the way of him looking up but thanks to the wonderful swivel/hinge his got, he can even look straight down at his chest.

Like: The tone of pale green for his skin. His Old Power tattoos are also well done, a light enough shade to indicate they are tattoos but not so light that they seem like they've faded over time like some old tats do.

Like: His kickass sword. To bad the blade is a dull plastic looking gray.

Like: His sheathe! Nice and wide, sculpted to look like bound leathers.

Dislike: Lots of his leather aren't painted or washed--his sheathe, the loincloth and belt combo, his boots. They're excellently tooled, so it's a pity they look glaringly plastic.

Like: He's got two gripping hands. Like Dad (WW Hulk version) he's able to be pimped out with more than one weapon or a weapon and shield. Or you can make him grab things just as easily--he's got Dad's hands!

But unlike Dad, who's got two spindly weapon grips he can't quite hold onto, Skaar's sword's got a thicker handle so that he can grip it firmly. All he better to hack 'n' slash with!

Dislike: That he only comes with one weapon. They gave WW Hulk two weapons and a shield so maybe an additional spear or axe would've been cool.

Like: The small but important parts they've added to set Skaar apart from other chunky figures. Make no mistake, Skaar is a Juggernaut body except for he head, the hands and the lower legs (and feet). But separately and remarkably sculpted armor and clothes make him very much unique.

Usually , toy makers can change the color on a figure and you'd still be able to tell which character he originally was. But Hasbro are the kings of color variance, intricately tooled parts, and figuring out which parts have to be changed to make a figure unique. And a great job they do of the latter because those parts they re-tool for, like heads, are usually completely brand new!

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 9/10 - Skaar's really wonderful to look as. Yes he's got a few issued with the underpainting/lack of washes for his harness/sheathe/loincloth/boots/sword, but detail on these are so sharp and well-tooled it's easy to close one eye and let it slide.

His loincloth, bracers and harness are all separate pieces, showing that Hasbro are willing to go that extra mile to make what is a generic big-guy sclpt unique. Skaar's also got a great stern face and nicely tooled hair, so the figure looks excellent all round!

Poseability: 9.5/10 - Thigh cuts, big feet, and a good chest pivot form the base of good poses in most all figures and Skaar has them. Throw in a swivel/Hinge head with neck swivel and a big ass sword and you got quite a bit of "pose" on your hands. Then there's the usable sheathe for his sword and the attached removable harness...for those bare-chested times...

One thing he doesn't have that similar sculpts like Thanos and Juggernaut do: boot top swivels. It's not a big deal though, unless you absolutely must have his feet flat on the ground in every pose. Lol.

Fun: 9/10 - He's part of the Hulk family and one that's truly rated to Bruce Banner. In fact, only he and Jen Walters are truly blood relations. Yeah, he's got that other son but ya know, one son we can take. Two sons? I dunno...

What truly intrigues me about Skaar is the character itself. That by extension really makes me dig the figure. He's the one character that changes the Bruce Banner/Betty Ross relationship because he's a constant reminder that Hulk got it on with his alien queen and produced offspring, something that Bruce and Betty never really had the chance to do. That he found Hulk found true happiness with someone else hasn't really gone down well with Betty/ (***Spoiler Alert***) Red She-Hulk.

Toy-wise, while having a sword is great, I find myself wanting to give him a spear or Dad's shield or axe. He needs a little more to make him truly great in terms of having fun with him alone.

That said, he does pose well with any of the Hulks, Red Hulk, or even the other large figures like Juggernaut, Thanos, or Thing. And as long as Hasbro keeps giving large MU figures thigh cuts, I have to say the level of fun/playability has gone up a couple of notches!

Like father like son...

Value: 8/10 - Not one of the value for money figures in terms of accessories. He's also missing the Fury/H.A.M.M.E.R Files and ID card since the 'Bro has stopped printing them with this wave. He is a large figure though and does come with one accessory and stand, so overall he's god value. He ain't no WW Hulk, of course, but then it's always tough to live up to your super famous Dad's reputation.

Overall: 9/10 - I'd take your arm and leg (non-plastic) for this figure.

Like father like son II

As far as large characters go, Marvel Universe has not dropped the ball at all. In fact, since the days of the first Hulk figures, they've gone from strength to strength, be it in the head sculpts or the articulation. I can understand many people passing on this guy because he's a rather new character and a Hulk B-Lister at most. Others may not even know who the heck he is. But as far as I can tell, it seems like he's here to stay. So picking him up for a reasonable price may not be a bad thing at all. Maybe he'll do something awesome in one of his future stories and you'll get to like him loads. :)

Meanwhile, all that's left is for Hasbro to roll out their large-sized female characters--She-Hulk has already been revealed but Red She-Hulk, Titania, Thundra, and Savage She-Hulk (just to name a few) come to mind when thinking of sculpt re-use. From what we've seen so far from their SDCC reveals. the 'Bro have shown they can do a great large-sized female as well as improve the current female buck. Check out Scarlet Witch! Or you can just enjoy the rest of these Skaar v Hulk action shots! ;)

Who's your Daddy now?

Chase Contest: And the Winner is...

2011-07-26T04:20:00.000+08:00

Mitch Gilbert!

You've won yourself Silver Centurion Iron Man. This one I actually reviewed right here on CV!

All of you guys were right--I'm gonna have to make this contest thingy harder, though this time some of you said that was his eye--it's actually his mouth. :P

Well Mitch, email me your address and I'll send SSIM over to you as soon as I can!

As for everyone else, fret not! More contests are on the horizon. So until then, enjoy the reviews and also the special preview of upcoming Marvel Universe figures from San Diego Comic Con in the previous post.

Excelsior!

SDCC First Look: Marvel Universe!

2011-07-23T07:31:00.000+08:00

The biggest toy convention on Earth is barely underway and already we have pictures of Marvel Universe figures from the near future!

Courtesy of Ron via ActonFigurePics.com, it looks like we're all in for an even better year than the one we just had. How is that possible? I dunno but the guys at the Marvel 3.75" division in Hasbro have outdone themselves once again!

So here's the plan--going just by the pictures (duh), I'll rate the figures in four categories according to degrees of anticipation for the figure:

1) Chompin' at the bit!!!
2) Ooh, interesting!
3) Defnitely maybe...
4) And Hmm...

And of course I'll say a thing or two about them because I just can't shut up! ;P

Once again, thanks to ActionFigurePics.com for the pictures--head on over there for lots more photos from the Marvel booth and more at SDCC 2011!

Let's start with the figure I'm most partial to:

Hulk: Chompin' at the bit!!!

I'm a sucker for a good Hulk and this one looks great! It looks like it'll be made with the World War Hulk base body which has excellent texture. Featuring a re-tooled head, new fists, and new lower body in general, it's the "standard" Hulk that lots have been calling for since the very first release, which had poorer articulation, especially in the legs.

The things I'm most excited about? The excellent head and the torn pants at knees! Everyone who grew up in the 80s and tore their jeans on purpose knows what I'm talking about. I think. ;)

Daredevil and Bullseye: Ooh, interesting!

...For those of us who aren't fans. But I can imagine the likes of the Rangerlord being all over this like a rash. What am I talking about? Why, the classic characters with slimmer, more athletic bodies! Begone, beer bellies!

And what's that we see? A new sheathe for DD's billy clubs and a ammo pouch for Bulleye! Woohoo!

Still can't get into this pair? How about...

Black Daredevil: Defnitely maybe...

I really dig those colors! And I have a real thing for variant colors. Don't know when DD wore this costume but yeah, I may have to get him. Problem is, he doesn't come with the new the billy club sheathe as the new Classic Daredevil!

Beta Ray Bill: Chompin' at the bit!!!

I don't much about the guy but the sculpt for BRB looks fantastic! Besides, Thor doesn't have many friends to stand side by side with so he'll do nicely!

Beast: Chompin' at the bit!!!

Just like Beta Ray Bill, Beast has a beast of a sculpt! The paint also looks great but apparently these are hand painted for SDCC. Hopefully the quality doesn't slip too much from there.

Point of great interest: it looks like the front of his foot is articulated. I count 4 toes, so perhaps he's got one more at the back of the foot that's also got articulation?

Magneto: Chompin' at the bit!!!

Up till now we've only had the Secret Wars old school version so finally, the long awaited update for the character is on the horizon. That color scheme looks simply magnificent! But here's an example of how Hasbro re-uses parts so well.

Head: Looks like a Secret Wars repaint. The cape as well. The rest of his body? That looks like an AIM soldier repaint down to the belt. But yet somehow the parts look like they were made of ol' Eric!

Fantastic Four 4-pack: Definitely Maybe...

We didn't need a 4-pack, though I see how it could be hard to resist selling the Fan 4 as a 4-pack. The only figure most would want would be Invisible Woman. But I think I'll probably pass because I went for a dark blue Fan 4 instead of the light blue. Give us our dark blue Sue! ;P Oh yeah, and H.E.R.B.I.E: either he's cute or you wanna kill him. As for the Human Torch, he wasn't included in this 4-packs because he went away to become Captain America. (*Baddumching*! Oh, I kill me)

Guardian of the Galaxy: Definitely Maybe...

Who are these guys? I don't know. But a bipedal raccoon and a bonsai plant-man accessory? Too cute to ignore! I like the matching uniforms too. Oh yeah , and there's also a green dude.

But what say you, GoG fans? excited?

Iceman: Definitely Maybe...

Very nicely translucent like ice, the other interesting thing about him is his silver "X" and gloves. That's initially very interesting. But the guy's got an old body and won;t go with Spidey and Firestorm. Must have for X-Man fans, though!

White Iron Fist: Hmm...

I'm fascinated with his alternate colors but in the end I might not wanna spring for him unless I see him on clearance or something. This Iron Fist looks like complete repaint so pass for now...

Retro Luke Cage: Hmm...

Marvel Universe figures with 'Fros don't do too well--just ask Thunderball. The old "tall guy" buck also doesn't help. Haha. But Luke is also long overdue because we've seen Iron Fist out in the market for quite a long time now. This Luke completes the retrolicious duo fer all you disco deprived diehards. ;)

Helmetless Juggernaut: Hmm...

It looks like Juggy gets a darker repaint and a new head. And while Juggernaut is an awesome figure, I don't know if it's worth getting him again just for his new mug. And if the sale of Marvel Select Juggy is anything to go by, fans already know it isn't--the fully helmeted Select version sells out fast whereas the maskless one tends to sit on the shelf.

Steve Rogers: Chompin' at the bit!!!

Here's a guy I would get simply because of the head sculpt. He makes any Captain America I have a maskless version with a simple head switch. But the body itself is a newer one. It's got thigh cuts and a waist swivel. Something about the proportions of this figure strikes me as being just right. Gotta love the harness and the weapons as well. But it's all about he face, oh, the face! :P

Patriot: Ooh, interesting!

I really like the mask on this guy. The rest of him looks like a Bucky repaint and he comes with the appropriate kite shield (at his feet). It's kinda ironic because he'd probably make the best Captain America sidekick since Bucky has outgrown the role.

Ultron: Definitely Maybe...

Again, a much needed update for a Secret Wars-only-so-far character. I really like the head sculpt and the smooth surfaces of his armor. The green eyes and grooves make the figure pop quite a bit!

Maskless Iron Man: Hmm...

Another Iron Man? And not with the "Modular Armor" sculpt? Sure, he comes with the helmet-less head on top of the helmet but like Juggernaut, I'm not sure it's worth paying for a whole 'nother figure just to get an alternate head.

Kraven the Hunter: Definitely Maybe...

Wow. If he weren't such a crappy Spidey villain and had thigh cuts, I'd definitely get him. Just check out the tooling for his "mane", the eyes on the vest, the skulls on the knees, the belt and loincloth combo, and that face. And he comes with a spear as well! I think I might have just convinced myself to buy this guy....

Absorbing Man: Hmm.../Ooh, interesting!

Why two rating? Well, because it looks like there will be a steel-skinned variant! The regular prison duds version looks like a straight repaint from the Secret Wars release. But the "absorbed" version...Well ok, that's a complete repaint as well. But check out the steel skin paint and the shiny silver and black pants! Yes, the latter is the interesting one...

Mr. Sinister: Ooh, interesting!

A new head, a new cape and collar, and a some thigh cuts will make anyone take a second look. Sadly I think he's one of those figures that only X-Men fans might go for without a second thought, important villain that he is.

Gambit: Hmm...

All that's different from the Wolverine Origins release is the head with longer hair and perhaps shinier paint for his costume. But it may not be that bad for those X-fans who missed out on the hard-to-find initial release.

Wonder Man: Defnitely Maybe...

It looks like the old "big guy buck" reuse for Simon Williams. The head sculpt seems nice but it would be cool if he came with shades.

Quicksilver: Defnitely Maybe...

Although he's in that running pose, I'm not fooled by the reuse of the old slim body buck and its lack of poseability. Quicksilver is a runner, so he's gotta have legs that can twist, turn, and kick high front and back among other things. The costume also looks old school, so I guess he's set for a new version sometime after? The god thing is he'll go well with Secret Wars Magneto. Now all we need is Scarlet Witch!

Adam Warlock & Thanos: Ooh, Interesting!

I'd be all over this 2-pack if I didn't manage to get my hands on the single carded Thanos. Even then, this pack comes with a very coolly and darkly painted Adam Warlock and his staff. He's also supposed to come with an Infinity Gauntlet that fits him! I was previously going to pass on this set but after seeing this shot of Warlock, I'm very intrigued!

Ant Man and Moon Knight: Definitely Maybe...

I've never liked Ant Man but i might get this pack for 2 reasons: The awesome looking helmet of Ant Man (and also his thigh cuts) and the fact that I never picked up Moon Knight previously. This version of Moon Knight seems a little different though. It looks like he's less white--he's got a gray mask, gray bracers, and a gray utility belt. Me likey. Hopefully he come with at least his staff and Ant-Man has some sort of accessory as well, like not a giant ant.

Psylocke: Ooh, interesting!

I'm still sad to see that they've not come up with a new female body sculpt. In what looks like just a Ms. Marvel repaint/retool with a Jean Grey face and different hair, the 'Bro seem like they understand and have given Psylocke her Psy sword and Psy blast/fire. If she comes with even more Psy stuff I'll b chompin' at the bit!

X-23: Definitely Maybe...

From one female superhero to another, X-23 is finally immortalized in plastic for all you fans of hers. And guess what? She's sporting the new female body we've all been clamoring for. She's got beefier arms and thighs along with thigh cuts! X-23's legs look kinda long in this pic and I can't wait till they start rolling out more female characters with these new parts!

Darkhawk: Hmm...

For all his new parts, including his head and the wings, the shoulder guards and the collar, Darkhawk suffers from old school buck syndrome. What does this mean? He's an old figure with some mildly disguised parts and wings. :P

Astonishing Wolverine: Definitely Maybe...

This is one character we really don't need another of. But he turns out pretty well. The yellow is deep and the blue is also very dark. Wolverine's got a sleek looking head, thigh cuts, and some beefy Wolverine arms, which I have to say is pretty darn close to my mind's eye of what his arms should look like.

Movie Avengers: Ooh, interesting!

A new 3.75" movie Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America? Well this looks like it's happening to facilitate the eventual move from the movie brands into the Marvel Universe brand. Thor looks appropriately large, Cap's got a nice blue belt and some fancy boots, while Iron Man looks to finally be movie accurate.

So what do you think? Are you looking forward to some of these figures as much as I am? Or do you think that some of these are more highly anticipated than I think? Comment away!

**Once again, thanks to ActionFigurePics.com for the pics. Check out their site for the latest stuff ongoing at SDCC. There's way more stuf over there where they take some of the best photos!**