Singapore Toys Games and Comics Convention 2013 (STGCC 2013)

5 month-old Man of Steel (comes with Mom)

This year's STGCC a month ago was a big surprise for me, really--I just wasn't expecting that many people to show up! Lots of people dressed up too--I could hardly turn here nor there without a glimpse of a superhero, a cosplayer, or a Stormtrooper.

Hot Toys Man of Steel (Mom not included)

Also, I have been rather out of the loop about new toy releases. Sure, I've kept up with the usual Hasbro Marvel Universe and Star Wars offerings, and even the occasional DC and Masters of the Universe piece of news, but Hot Toys, Play Imaginative (Super Alloy series) and some of the local stores threw me for a curve--and it was a good thing.

So just how impressive were they?  Let's see!

Contest Time!

Hey guys, it's been a good, albeit unscheduled, month off (where did the time go?).

So time to get back into the thick of things!  And what better way to do it than with a contest?

Well, I can't take credit for this next giveaway, because our friends down at DASH Collector-Action Figures are behind it!

What can you win, I hear you ask?  Let me let them tell you how!

The Haul!

3 for $20?  Thank you very much!

Hello, true believers!

It's been a while since I last had a decent haul.  I think the last time I had anything good enough to be considered a good bargain was way back in December at the Singapore Toys Games and Comics Convention 2011.  Yeah, that's long enough back.

So when I read over at Open The Toy that there was a sale at local department store Takashimaya, I jumped at the chance to go!

This particular store usually is stocked with the latest from all the lines like Marvel Universe, DC Universe, Star Wars, Lego, Thundercats, etc.  But it almost never puts stuff on clearance--except in these particular 3 weeks in the year.  And when stuff goes on clearance, it really goes on clearance!

So I'd been working without a break since the last week of July so I really needed to cut loose.  And that I certainly did...

Star Wars Vintage Collection: 3.75" Qui-Gon Jinn

Right out of The Phantom Menace!

That title for Episode I is so sweet I still haven't gotten over it in 13 years...;P

Finally!  A Qui-Gon!  Funny thing is that when I first saw Phantom Menace, I actually loved it!  I strongly suspect it had to do with being starved of big screen Star Wars love from a galaxy far, far away for a long, long time.

And I loved Qui-Gon!  Perhaps is was because he was the only actor who didn't seem like he was trying to act.  Perhaps it was because he reminded most of old Ben Kenobi from Episode IV more than even the young Obi-Wan did.  Perhaps I just I love old Jedi dudes who (1977/1999 spoiler alert! Spoiler Alert!) die. :P

Either way, I'm really happy I have a Qui Gon!  And here's why:

Star Wars Vintage Collection 3.75" Bastila Shan

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? :)

Christmas in Legoland!

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

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!

Star Wars Vintage Collection 3.75" Darth Vader

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!

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

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.

Lego Speederbikes with Stormtroopers!

...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... ;)

Star Wars Vintage Collection Wicket (Yub yub!)

Or Wicket W. Warwick, OBE, to be precise.

Ok so maybe he's not an OBE but he does have a very distinguished name for a hairy little furball.  Who knows?  Maybe in Ewok culture that "W" in his name means he's the most heroic and resourceful Ewok alive.  Kinda like George W. Bush is a resourceful Ewok...Nah, you're right.  Even the Ewoks would consider themselves way smarter than W. :P

Hasbro has really upped their game for Star Wars figures of late.  Yes, any new figures should be better than any of the first generation releases in general, but the current Vintage line blows all previous figures out of he water.  At least the new sculpted, new articulated ones.  And no prizes for guessing where Wicket falls.

 More after the jump!

Birthday Plastic!

That's right, your truly turns 32 today and rather than feeling old and over-the-hill, I feel younger than ever!

Guess why?

It's probably got a little something to do with this...

And a lot to do with this...

The Home One: loaded with good stuff like Lando, Ackbar, Mon Mothma, and an A-Wing!

*Drool...*

(*Drool continues...*)

My first birthday presents--from the wife.  I can't wait to bust these open!  :)  Thanks, dear!  I grow younger each day with ya! ;D

Singapore Toy, Games and Comic Convention 2010: Day 1

What a day!

But I'd like to start off first by saying that this year's convention in Singapore is being held for the first time after being taken over by Reed Exhibitions, the same people who run New York Comic Con.

Random door gift: cutesy key chain

Last year's event was a little bit of a marketplace, with no panels or screenings or sneak previews but tons of vendors selling toys, exclusives and the like.

So with the new management this year, how did things go on Day 1?  Well here's a hint: I spent close to 10 hours there and I'm raring to go back tomorrow!

Star Wars 3.75" Vintage Collection: Bespin Luke Skywalker

Before I start on this latest review (and it is very, very late) I want to apologize to those of you who've been following this blog diligently.  I've not posted for about two weeks and with good reason: I recently got married!  Last week, I tied the knot to the most wonderful human being I know, kind and compassionate, gentle and loving.  The best part is she loves that I do all sorts of nerdy stuff like collect toys and play games.  She even checks this page daily for updates even when I don't expect her to!

She is also a real person. :P

In fact, all these Star Wars reviews I have coming up of the new Vintage 3.75" line are her doing--she woke up at the crack of dawn and stood in line for me because I was at work and couldn't make the local release.

So I dedicate this next review--the first I'm doing on this line--to my dear Melissa.

Here's to a wonderful life together!

- Your husband, Ewan

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Hasbro should've named ol' Luke-in-training here "Best-pin" Luke for being what must be one of the best figures not just in the Star Wars line, but also in 3.75-inch history!  Yeah, Bespin Luke may be my favorite Luke Skywalker of the lot not only because he's at the most important stage of character development in the Original Trilogy, but also because he's the one character they could screw up the most easily--anything less than the best for the figure would mean disappointment among fans such as myself.

Still, among all the figures in the 3.75" lines--the Marvel Universe guys and the GI Joes--it's hard to believe a Star Wars figure can really be the best.  After all, he's got to beat guys like the new Pursuit of Cobra Beachhead and the awesome-as-nuts San Diego Comic Con (not so) Exclusive WWII Ultimate Captain America.  However, I certainly think that he doesn't just give them a run for their money, but they give him a run for his money (all in Standard Imperial Credits, of course! ;D)

Can a measly Star Wars figure, especially one of a character from way back (1980), truly be that great?  Maybe he measures up aesthetically but must certainly falls short in articulation and thereby play value?  Well there's only one way to find out!

Star Wars 3.75" Legacy Collection: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ep IV)

This is the story of how Obi-Wan Kenobi became my favorite Star Wars character...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

Ok, so maybe not that long ago, and not very far away at all, I was young, and I liked Luke Skywalker.  Who didn't?  After all, he was the saga's protagonist and the "boy done good," who comes into his own, confronts his fears, and in the process saves his father and the known galaxy.

But then came the Prequel Trilogy, which was to shed some light on the past and in particular, one young Obi-Wan Kenobi as he came into his own.  We all cheered when he cut down Darth Maul but by the time the second movie was done, the only thing I could think of was why the hell would any Jedi think wearing a mullet and a trimmed beard would look cool? It didn't help that young Anakin was annoying and Obi-Wan couldn't stop sounding like he was annoyed with him.  And how the heck was he defeated by an old human Sith Lord when he'd previously sliced up perhaps the fiercest villain in the Prequels (Maul)?

Ok I admit, I had a soft spot for him going into the movies because Obi-Wan was played by a dude named Ewan McGregor.   And by having the same name, I felt compelled, probably by the Force, to like him as a character. I sure didn't.  I liked none of them because they were all one (or less) dimensional.  But I did like the Original Trilogy Obi-Wan.  He was everything the old and supposedly wise Jedi in the prequels weren't.  Patient, using his power only when absolutely necessary, accepting of his fate and of course, heroic. Everything a favorite character should be. :)

So that's how I came to think of old Obi-Wan as the guy I wouldn't mind being in the Original Trilogy.  Except I'd try harder to kick Vader's ass.  Except I'd run when I realized I was defeated, only to come back for a rematch.  Except I'd take out the Death Star instead of just bringing down its shields.  Except I'd show that cocky Han Solo guy I can pilot his piece of junk spaceship. Yeah, I'd be more "excepting" of my power than "accepting" of my fate. Har.

Thus, I've had this figure in packaging since I got him when he was first released and the Rangelord, who is my advisor in all things from the galaxy far, far away, said that this was the ultimate Obi-Wan.  Those word were never spoken more true. So click on for the details!

Star Wars 3.75" Legacy Collection: Boba Fett

When I was a kid, there were only good guys and bad guys.  And Boba Fett was a bad guy, dangerous and mysterious.  That's all I knew about him because I was too young to know what Bounty Hunter was.  I already had too much evil to handle in the Star Wars universe with Vader and the Emperor running around Force choking/"lightening" guys to kingdom come.

Looking back, Boba Fett's helmet was what intrigued me the most.  It wasn't as scary as Vader's but it was equally, if not more, mysterious, hiding the character's face and the whole history of how he came to be along with it.  The fact that he was always silent deepened the sense of mystery.

I'll always remember the nod he afforded Boushh in Return of the Jedi after the latter activated "his" thermal detonator while in negotiations with Jabba the Hutt.  One nod, just to say, "I like your style."

One nod that revealed so much about Fett to the audience.  One deadly nod to say, "Let's see if you're as deadly as you claim to be, if you are who you say you are."

Well, this figure is able to recreate that mysterious deadliness with its design.  But that's never been a problem with the vast majority of Star Wars figures--they've got the character's appearance down pat.  What this figure can do is move and pose like the classic Boba Fett.  And as an added bonus, we get to see what he looks like under the helmet!!!

Star Wars 3.75" Legacy Collection: Han Solo

The sneaky bastard.  Who does he think he is, running around the Death Star in his Storm Trooper armor disguise. He's Han Solo, of course!  Good ol' Harrison Ford himself some 33 years back. He just turned 68, so happy birthday, Han!

So does this latest 3.75 inch release of everyone's favorite scoundrel do him justice?  It is, after all, the first figure of him with a Storm Trooper utility belt, so it's gotta be good, right?


Well, let's find out...

Short Circuit: R2-D2 (Legacy Collection)

Who's remembers Johnny?  Who's Johnny, you said?  Well, I'm glad you asked...Go ahead, watch it to the end, I dare you... ;P

(Ok, till I figure it out you might have to click on "Read More" to go to the review proper and access the clip that's supposed to be right here--apologies!

P.s-please do it!  Otherwise the rest of this intro won't make sense. Lol. :P)



And the next question for those who still haven't a clue who Johnny is: what the heck did you jst waste 4 mins of your life on?

Answer: That's the music video of the then cult hit movie "Short Circuit" starring Steve Guttenburg (of the Police Academy series fame) and Ally Sheedy (of St Elmo's Fire fame)

Ah, that brings back memories...and images of everything traumatically uncool about the 80s.  Here's of list of all the things that would be considered simply wrong today, and all in just this one single music video:

1. El Debarge-the freaky singer with the pervy looking smile.
2. Debarge's eighties hair.
3. His pencil thin moustache.
4. His oversized pinstripe suit.
5. Freaky courtroom scene that would make no sense to those who've never watched the movie..
6. Cardboard cut out of Steve Guttenburg, in black and white nonetheless...
7. Freaky-looking female lawyer.
8. VHS & VHS player
9. Crazy jury...oh wait, these still exist today...
10. Unintelligible lyrics which wouldn't make sense even if you knew what they were.
11. Passing off of a robot hand for a hiding robot (Johnny 5) as a movie special effect.
12. Crazy voice modulation being passed off as singing...
13. Courtroom dancing
14. Exploding judges
15. Firemen who put out exploding judges (judges who are not on fire, but just charred and smoking)
16. That strange piece of lack carboard at the end...wth???

So what the hell has all that have to do with this review?  Well, R2-D2 is a robot (ok a droid, but it's the same thing...right? :P) and this particular figure can, well, short circuit.

Yeah see, you didn't even have to read all the jibber-jabber up top to read this review on Star Wars Legacy Collection R2-D2 (with short circuit effect).  But didn't watching the music video just make you feel like you could break the law and get away with it?  It was wild, wasn't it? Yep, that's what we 80s kids used to do for fun...that and play with our toys, of course!

All right, no more vicarious law-breaking.  On to the review!

Luke Skywalker: The Perfect Jedi

I know many would beg to differ.  But then they've probably never laid hands on Legacy Collection Batlle Packs: Battle for Endor Luke Skywalker before!

Why is he perfect?  Well, he captures more than one look of Luke in the Return of the Jedi.  Need him to rescue Han, Chewie, R2 and 3PO from Jabba's Palace?  Well, he's the man.  Need someone to hop on a speeder bike, chase down some Scout Troopers and take 'em out?  He's there again. Need someone to surrender himself to Vader and then persuade ol' Pops to take down the Emperor?  You guessed it, he's your Jedi.

I'd also like to add before I jump into the review that I'm not reviewing the Ewok with glider and the Imperial Officer that comes with this set for good reason:  I won Luke loose on Ebay for about US$4.25 but lost out on the Ewok, which went for crazy money anyway.  I did win the lil' furball's glider, though he cost about twice what I paid for Luke.

Well anyhow, the sets now on clearance at most major department stores here in Singapore for S$29.90, meaning it comes to slightly less than S$10 or US$7.15 per figure in the set.  Neat, huh?  I might just get myself a set for completion's sake.  Then if I do get my hands on a Princess Leia, I could also deck her out in Luke's gear!  What grand plans I always seem to have...

Oh, and one more thing: I'm doing this review because the Rangerlord made me realize that I hadn't done a non-superhero review in a while--and he's right!  So this one's for you, bro. ;)

Enough babbling and dithering on my part.  On to the review!