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Friday, October 30, 2015

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!! October 2015 Contest!!! Win 10 Dollars !!!

Happy Halloween everyone. To kids , be careful when you go out . If you Trick or Treat, go only to houses that have the outside lights on .Have an adult with you. Stay away from isolated areas, go where there are a lot of people around. Enjoy and be safe.

Now on to the CONTEST . Win another 10 Dollars !!! Although the TRIVIA again is toy related . Here goes .

Tell who these feet and ankles belong to . And the name of the toy franchise or franchises . 

You have until November 30, 2015 to come up with the correct answers . GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE and ENJOY YOUR HALLOWEEN !!!


Thursday, October 29, 2015

Some things at NYCC 2015 that caught my attention.

The 2015 New York Comic Con ended a few weeks ago at the time of this writing . There were two toy lines that I was looking for some new figures to be announced but that was not the case . The two are Masters of the Universe Classics and WWE Mattel figures. Since both are Mattel's property, neither franchise appeared at NYCC 2015. Probably because Mattel showed a lot from both franchises at this year's San Diego Comic Con . However, here are a few items that caught my attention and they are now on my wish list . ( NOTE ) The following pics do NOT belong to me . All three are courtesy of  ToyArk.com .


I think I am the most excited about the Diamond Select Toys Gotham figures the most . Not because of the figures, but because of the cool accessories that they come with . Especially the garbage dumpster, it looks so real with the waste . Diamond Select Toys are also the makers of those Ghostbuster figures you see, along with that cool looking play set. Finally , more Marvel Legends . The ones I'm looking forward to the most are Mockingbird , Task Master , Whirlwind , and Cottonmouth . There are a few more things that caught my eye, such as new Star Wars Black 6" figures, but these three lines I'm showing here got me the most interested .

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Marvel Legends Infinite Series - GRIM REAPER Review !!!!

Finally this guy has made it to the Marvel Legend franchise . I purchased this figure of Grim Reaper at a local Target for around 19.99 . He is part of the Ultron build-a-figure series . Plus he arrived at a good time, not too long after the second Avengers motion picture film , since he is one of the main villains in the comic book series . It's good to see the Avenger's Marvel Legends villain roster build up , so that the number of villains can match the heroes .This is another figure I've had since August, but is now just getting around to reviewing him .


Depend on how you look at things , Grim Reaper comes with three accessories . His cape, his scythe, which is attached to his arm but can be removed, and the left leg of the Ultron build-a-figure .
Grim Reaper joins some other Marvel Legend villains with right hand prosthetic attachments . Joining him are Klaw, Constrictor and Omega Red . Although the latter two have their arm attachments protruding from their outer wrists. Now for a look at Grim Reaper out of the packaging .

I love the deranged , crazed look on the Grim Reaper's face . I don't know much about him as a character personally, however I do know that he is one of the Avenger's main enemies.The scythe is great in that you can rotate it around his wrist in all directions . This is a great luxury, allowing multiple display and posing options . Also the cape can be removed , and reattached into two peg holes at the top of his back .

With the popularity of the Avengers increasing due to the success of both motion picture films, I'm sure we can expect to see more Avenger villains being made more often as Marvel Legends , with Grim Reaper being one of the most recent additions to the line .
                                                             FINAL  THOUGHTS
(1) ARTICULATION - Excellent all around articulation .

(2) STANDING ABILITY - Stands well when ankles are in proper stance. The cape does not make him top heavy.

(3) WHAT  I  LIKE  BEST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ?- The scythe and its ability to rotate in all directions. The crazy man look on Grim Reaper's face . Plus the addition of one of the Avengers' main enemies to the line .

(4) WHAT  I  LIKE  LEAST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ?- There is nothing that I dislike about this figure.

(5) WHAT  COULD  HAVE  BEEN  DONE  TO  IMPROVE  THE  FIGURE ? Nothing. he is okay with everything in my opinion.

(6) GRADING  SCALE - A Perfect 10 !!! Although I'm giving him a perfect score not because of me thinking that he is a terrific figure, but because I find no flaws in this figure.

(7) FINAL  ANALYSIS - The Avengers villains are adding up quickly now, and I like it. Grim Reaper now joins Ultron , Klaw, Loki ,among other Avenger villains to be part of the Marvel Legends line .

Sunday, October 25, 2015

WWE Mattel Create a WWE Superstar - The Rock

I purchased this Rock WWE build a character at a local Target for around 11.99 . However all of these build a character sets are not of this price range. There are other WWE Mattel build a character sets with more pieces and with a larger price tag , around the twenty-something price range . I never thought we would see the day where a wrestling toy line would join super hero toy lines with the build-a-figure concept, however here we are . I've had this figure since August but is just now getting around to reviewing it due to being busy working on other projects.


As you can see there are other figures that you can mix and match with. You can take this Rock figure and mix his parts with Hogan , or vice versa .
Of all the accessories the Rock comes with , I like the horned viking helmet the best . Not to just use on the Rock , but to also use on other figures from other lines. The hard part is finding another figure where it will fit perfectly on , because on some other figures, such as Marvel Legends or DCU Classics, the helmet may be too small or too big . Now for a closer look at the sticker/ tattoo sheet and the instructions that came packaged with the figure .



The good thing about the tattoo/ sticker sheets that come with these figures is that they all are different.There are different tattoos / sticker emblems for every figure . I love this situation because it allows for more creativity to create custom made characters . Now for a look at the Rock figure out of the packaging .

                                                                 FINAL   THOUGHTS

( 1 ) ARTICULATION - These create a character figures all share the same amount of articulation .However their articulation is like a combination of WWE Mattel Basic and Elite figures. Like the Elite figures they have pretty good all around articulation. Like the Basic figures there is no ab crunch. As you can see the Rock has no ab crunch .

( 2 ) STANDING  ABILITY - The Rock's boots are made out of hard rubbery plastic , therefor it is a little hard to make him stand properly without having to adjust his ankles to a proper stance . However he stands well once the ankles are adjusted.

( 3 ) WHAT  I  LIKE  BEST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ? - The ability to be creative. Not just with this Rock figure but the whole WWE Create a Superstar concept . With just this Rock figure only , I like his spiky club , his viking helmet and the gold coloring on the armor pieces look cool .

( 4 ) WHAT  I  LIKE  LEAST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ? - There is nothing to dislike about this figure or the series.

( 5 ) WHAT  COULD  HAVE  BEEN  DONE  TO  IMPROVE  THE  FIGURE ? - Nothing. Despite no ab crunch, everything is perfect .

( 6 ) GRADING  SCALE - A PERFECT TEN !!! However , not because of the figure, but because of the concept. The idea of being able to take something apart , then put it back together, along with mixing the parts with other figures allows a luxury of almost endless imagination .

( 7 ) FINAL  ANALYSIS - I hope that the " Create a Superstar " series is not a one and done thing . I hope Mattel continues to make more of these, using different wrestlers . The only negative at the moment is that so far, at the time of this writing , all of the Create a Superstar figures are male . I hope Mattel does this concept with the female characters also. Make some build-a-figures of the women, then this concept can become really popular with collectors I think .

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Mattel WWE BASIC SERIES - Emma Review !!!

I purchased this figure of WWE Diva Emma at a local Target for the low price of around 11 dollars . If you're looking for another female WWE figure to add to your collection , then Emma is here . I'm reviewing her for you just in case you did not know, because the female figures barely get advertised when they debut in stores . She is a nice figure , however there is not that much to say about her since she did not come with any accessories or anything extra . So I'll just include the ( Final Thoughts ) categories in this review, rather than waiting till the end of the article . First pics of the figure in the packaging .


As you can see she is a " FIRST  TIME  IN  THE  LINE " figure . Now for a look at the figure out of the package .

Now for the Final Thoughts , appearing early this time .
       (1) ARTICULATION - Even though this figure is listed in the Basics series, she has the same normal articulation of an Elite WWE Mattel figure . Therefore Basic figures can also be figures without accessories . So her articulation is well rounded except for a waist ab crunch and limited head movement . She can look slightly downward when turning her head sideways, but can not look upwards due to the hard rubbery hair .

(2) STANDING  ABILITY - Pose Emma's ankles a certain way and she stands perfectly . No balance issues plus she is flat footed with no heels, making standing easy .

(3) WHAT  I  LIKE  BEST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE  ? - The outfit is very decorative looking. Nice head sculpt. Nice overall action figure.

(4) WHAT  I  LIKE  LEAST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ? - I think it is about time Mattel start giving the female figures different bodies. The female figures are cool, but there is no diversity or realism when they all share the same body . The men figures have different body sculpts, so why not the women too ?

(5) WHAT  COULD  HAVE  BEEN  DONE  TO  IMPROVE  THE  FIGURE ? - Nothing except what I mentioned in the previous statement above, give her and other female figures in the future a new body mold or molds .

(6) GRADING  SCALE - Emma is a great figure, however I'm getting tired of all of the women figures sharing the same body . It was okay at first when the line was still young , but now it's becoming frustrating .
So because of this situation I give this Emma figure a 9.0 .

(7) FINAL  ANALYSIS - Despite the flaw of having the same body mold as previous WWE female figures, it is always a pleasure to add any diva to the collection , since they are not made as frequently as the men . Plus they are harder to find in person than the majority of the male figures. This Emma figure was the only Emma figure remaining at the Target I purchased her from .

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Marvel Legends Infinite Series - WASP Review!!!

I have been owning this figure since August , however I am just now getting around to reviewing it . This is the second Wasp figure, ( If you do not count the Toybiz variants ) in the Marvel Legends franchise. This figure is sort of a re-make of the original Toybiz version . This version of Wasp was one of my most wanted Marvel Legends when I first saw it . I purchased this Wasp figure at a local Target for around 19.99 . This Wasp figure is part of the Ultron build-a-figure series .


As you can see on the packaging that this is Janet Van Dyne . When viewing the Wasp while she is still in the packaging , it looks as if her wings are attached to her back. However when removing her from the packaging you'll notice that the wings are separate pieces .


As you can see she has four pairs of wings The bigger pair belong on the peg holes in her upper back. And the smaller wings fit into the holes on the bigger wings . Just like the previous Wasp figure, you can spread the wings and pose them in a variety of ways . Also you can see that she comes with the torso of the build-a-figure Ultron .
Also, this is the same Ultron from the Avengers movie - Age of Ultron , and the above piece is the only piece you get with this Wasp . Now for some comparison pics of this Hasbro Wasp to the Toybiz version .

Notice the differences and similarities between the two ? When paying close attention , about the only similarity is the overall black costume . The design is different down the waists of both . Different hair styles just a little and even a different body type. Hasbro Wasp seems to have a fuller body . When not placing the two figures side by side, it would seem that the Toybiz version is taller, but that is not the case. They are actually the same height . Even the wings are different, see the differences in the wings in the pic below. Also Toybiz Wasp has heels whereas Hasbro Wasp does not , she is flat footed , therefore she can stand a little easier.
Hasbro Wasp's wings are a yellowish color, whereas the old Toybiz one has beige like wings. The newer Hasbro version wings are also transparent , you can see through them. Also the wings fit on differently on both figures. On the Toybiz Wasp, the smaller wings go on first and the larger ones second, where as it is vice versa with Hasbro Wasp, her larger wings are meant to be placed on the figure first, with the smaller wings attached . Also , there are differences in their hand gestures.
Hasbro Wasp looks as if she is ready to strike with her sting attack , whereas the Toybiz version just has her hands posed like a regular person / human .

                                                                   FINAL   THOUGHTS 

(1) ARTICULATION - All of the basic articulation that is standard for today's female Marvel Legends is there . However will we ever see an ab crunch ever again on another female figure ?

(2) STANDING  ABILITY  - Excellent because of her wings and by her being flat footed . You can use the longer wings to touch the ground to hold her up if you want .

(3) WHAT  I  LIKE  BEST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ? - The head / face sculpt is excellent . The fuller body and the wings look cool .

(4) WHAT  I  LIKE  LEAST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ? I don't think it's the figure, but the hard plastic casing that Hasbro use to store the figures in seem to make a lot of figures ankles kind of loose when removing them . My Hasbro Wasp has a loose right ankle, and I think it has something to do with the hard casing .

(5) WHAT  COULD  HAVE  BEEN  DONE  TO  IMPROVE  THE  FIGURE ? This issue with loose ankles must be solved . Nothing else is wrong however .

(6) GRADING  SCALE - Perfect figure , but because of the loose right ankle I'm not giving her a perfect score . I think a 9.9 is close enough to a perfect ten .

(7) FINAL  ANALYSIS - I think that this Wasp is a nice upgrade over the Toybiz version . I will now be displaying this version , instead of the Toybiz one, with Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and the other Avengers .

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Congrats to Bro Midnight,Sept. 2015 Contest Winner!!!

Here is what was posted along with the correct answer from the September 2015 contest.