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Tuesday, August 30, 2016

August 2016 Contest !!! Win 10 Dollars !!!

Tell the name of the character and the toy line.
You have until September 30,2016 to come up with the correct answers . GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE !!!

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Update on Action Figure Imagery's Facebook groups.

The following are links to Facebook groups I've made dealing with the action figure community .

Marvel Comics and Action Figure Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507011202892077/

DC Comics and Action Figure Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/480227425510799/


Actomix Toys and Comics - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1672362223046248/

Action Figure Imagery - The Facebook version of this blog at https://www.facebook.com/groups/actionfigureimagery/

Friday, August 26, 2016

DC Comics Icons - Atomica Review !!!

DC Comics Icons figures can be found in person at your local comic book store . I'm not sure that the regular retail stores such as Target and Walmart carry them . I purchased my copy of Atomica at a local comic book store for exactly 30 dollars . This is my first DC Icons figure .




After the DC Universe Classics line got discontinued, when I heard about this line I was thinking of using it as a replacement for DCU Classics, or at least use these figures to add onto the Classics. Now let's have a look at not only Atomica, but her little buddies that she comes with, out of the packaging. First a look at Atomica , then onto the mini Atom figures of Ryan Choi and Ray Palmer , along with the other accessories.



Her code name is Atomica, but her real name is Rhonda Pineda . When I purchased this figure I knew nothing about her, I was thinking that she was probably a hero because she looks heroic. However I soon learned that she was a villain as a member of the Crime Syndicate of Earth 3 . Not only that but she was the girlfriend of Crime Syndicate member Johnny Quick and also suffered a fatal demise by Lex Luthor . She has the same size altering powers as the original Atom . That's a summary of Atomica the character, now for a summary of this action figure . I like the figure, my only complaints are that the there's no upward head movement , not due to her hair however. The hair is somewhat soft and rubbery, she just does not have the ball joints in her neck for upward head movement. The other gripe is that she may be a little bit too short to try to fit her in with DCU Classics. The face looks really nice and her brown eyes are nicely done with great detail. I wish that the goggles on her forehead were removable but they are not. They still look nice however and shine nicely under good light. The belt is another outstanding feature on the figure,which could probably be removed with some scissors if you desire so. Now let's look at the little guys she comes with .



Ray Palmer is the atom that is the shortest, under two inches tall . Ryan Choi is the one that's almost three inches tall however he stands a little over two inches. The atomic accessory was obviously made for Ray Palmer, as you can see in the above pics. Palmer also has no articulation whereas Choi does. Choi can move his head side to side, and his arms and legs move up and down, no outward movement in the arms or legs. Now for a better look at the other accessories.

The atomic particle accessory is actually two pieces that you can put together. I think this is a cool accessory not just in the looks department, but because it's like a demonstration of the Atom's powers at work . The interchangeable open palm hands belong to Atomica , so we are given the luxury of being able to display her with closed fists or open palms. Now for a comparison shot with two DCU Classics.
After making this comparison, I'm not sure if the DC Icon figures can be successfully blended in with DCU Classics without looking somewhat awkward. Even Robin kind of towers over this figure of Atomica, and he's supposed to be a teenager. Unless Rhonda Pineda is supposed to be extremely short, blending her in with Classics might be stretching things a bit. My attempts to find out her height were unsuccessful .
                                              FINAL    THOUGHTS 

(1) ARTICULATION - Atomica has nice all around articulation except in the head. She can not look upward .

(2) STANDING  ABILITY - You may have to pose her a certain way to get her to stand properly without falling, because of the tiny feet . However once you find that right pose she stands nicely.

(3) WHAT  I  LIKE  BEST  ABOUT THIS  FIGURE ? - Atomica's face is nicely done with a very realistic look , especially her eyes. The luxury of having interchangeable hands, allowing multiple display options . Also the other extra accessories .

(4) WHAT  I  LIKE  LEAST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ? - Although I was kind of bummed about the restricted head movement, I can get over it and already have.

(5) WHAT  COULD  HAVE  BEEN  DONE  TO  IMPROVE  THIS  FIGURE ? Fix the problem with the head movement .

(6) GRADING  SCALE - Atomica figure only 9.8 . The minus is for lack of looking upward. Overall Package - a Perfect 10 !!! One action figure , two bonus mini figures plus the hands and the atom particles makes a great buy !!!

(7) FINAL  ANALYSIS - Since I love six inch scaled action figures, Atomica being in this scale along with me wanting to add onto my DCU Classic Collection , made me want to purchase this figure . Is she worth the 30 bucks I spent on her ? The figure only, in my opinion no. I think the figure alone should be around maybe the 19.99 range. However when you add all of the extra accessories she comes with then yeah, the 30 dollar price tag seems reasonable .

Sunday, August 21, 2016

DC Comics Multiverse - Suicide Squad Deadshot Review !!!

I've wanted this figure since I first heard about it and seen it from pics from one of the Comic Con conventions. However it was not the Deadshot character that caught my attention , it was the luxury of having a six inch action figure of the very famous WILL SMITH . The thought of owning a six inch likeness of this rapper and actor was more exciting than the Deadshot character himself . After all, even though Will is a different race than the character he portrayed in the Suicide Squad movie, Smith probably bought some attention to this character . Before the movie, Deadshot was probably not a very well known character , so by having a well known celebrity play a little known character is a good strategy by Hollywood. It brings attention to the character . I purchased this figure at a local Walmart for around the $ 19.99 price range .





As you can see there are six figures in this wave , with the Collect and Connect figure being Killer Croc. Now for a look at the figure out of the packaging .




As you can see Will , uhhh I mean Deadshot , comes with three accessories. A pistol , an extra head and the right arm of the Killer Croc  Collect & Connect figure . I thought this figure was a little bit taller than he actually is. He's right at six inches, however while in the packaging he seems to look just a tad little bit taller . I think this is an amazing figure with an amazing sculpt . The armor is sculpted onto the figure, even though it looks like it can be removed. However the shoulder straps can be pulled and tugged on . Plus I love how he is covered with guns , bullet cartridges, and knives. The pistol that he comes with can fit into either hand or the holster on his right upper thigh . The knee caps are movable and can be removed by some scissors if that is what you wish. Now for some looks at the rest of the figure, including dialogue written on his neck collar .


As you can see Deadshot is heavily equipped with weapons . Also in the pic above you can see that there's some dialogue on the collar which says " I am the light , the way . " The character is using a quote that is similar to what Jesus said in the Holy Bible . Although the character is not comparing himself to Jesus , according to this article off of the following website named Comicbook.com - http://comicbook.com/2015/05/04/suicide-squads-will-smith-as-deadshot-an-in-depth-analysis/ . Many fans may look at this figure more as a Will Smith action figure than a Deadshot action figure , and if they do I understand . However Will is not the only big name celebrity to have an action figure made of himself from superhero movies. Below are comparison shots of Will to figures of other celebrities .


Just in case if we never see the above celebrities together , the above pics give us an idea of how they would look standing side by side . For those whom may not know, Will's Deadshot figure is standing next to the likeness of Leslie Jones , Melissa McCarty and Chadwick Boseman . In real life Will Smith is 6"2 inches tall and Boseman is an even 6 feet tall . So even though the Black Panther figure is from another franchise and company, Marvel Legends and Hasbro, it is great to see that the heights of the real life people are accurate . Now it's time for something I've been wondering since this version of Deadshot was announced, and I'm sure many other fans have wondered this to which is .....
CAN THIS DEADSHOT FIGURE BE CUSTOMIZED INTO JUST A REGULAR FIGURE OF WILL SMITH HIMSELF ? A shot of Will ( with hair ) from the internet below compares him to the figure.
Looking at the above comparison pic , I can say that the answer to the previous question is a resounding yes . Apoxy sculpt clay can be used to sculpt the figure some hair, or if you want Will with short hair you can probably just paint some black paint onto the figure's head . Plus since the head is removable, and if you can find the right body from another figure, you could probably easily set the head onto the body of another figure . Now for a better look at the orange insert and the figure with the masked Deadshot head .

The orange background insert comes with all of the Suicide Squad figures, not just Deadshot . ( NOTE ) I do not have a figure of the DC Universe Classics Deadshot figure at the moment to compare to this version . However I still hope you enjoyed this review despite that .
                                                       FINAL   THOUGHTS    

(1) ARTICULATION - From now on I will change the way I approach the articulation category . Instead of going over every single part that moves, I'll just focus on what parts DO NOT move, because you may already know what parts move from other reviewers. So I don't want to repeat what they say. Nothing is wrong with their approach, other reviewers do outstanding reviews. As for the only drawback to Deadshot's articulation , it is the head movement . His head can only move left,right,and all around . No up and down head movement . I think this is due to a lack of a pivot in the neck.

(2) STANDING  ABILITY - The figure stands well without balance issues .

(3) WHAT  I  LIKE  BEST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ? The luxury of having a six inch scaled likeness of Will Smith is good enough . However you do not have to be a fan of either Will Smith or the Dead shot character to enjoy this figure . Will Smith or no Will Smith, this is a great figure . Aside from the Will Smith likeness, I love his pistol it looks cool with the colors of burgundy and gold trim, plus it fits well in either hand . The armor and weapons are nicely sculpted onto the figure .

(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 ? Adding up and down head movement would be a plus, however the figure is so cool I'm not bothered by this lack of movement .

(6) GRADING  SCALE - Despite the lack of all around head movement , I give this figure a Perfect 10 .

(7) FINAL  ANALYSIS - Like I mentioned earlier, I was more excited about the Will Smith likeness of this figure than the actual character of Deadshot himself. And even though I do not own the DCU Classics Deadshot, this Suicide Squad version will not deter me from buying that figure and adding it to my collection . As cool as this Will Smith Deadshot figure is, I still plan on buying the DCUC Deadshot someday .

Monday, August 15, 2016

Marvel Legends Whirlwind Review !!!

I purchased this figure of Whirlwind at a local Walmart for around 19.99 . This whirlwind figure is part of the Red Skull Onslaught Build-a-figure wave . I've been wanting a Marvel Legend of Whirlwind since the Toybiz days, and now he's finally arrived .




As you can see on the back of the packaging Whirlwind shares the " running change " spotlight with the character known as Cottonmouth . Also you can see that he comes with the left arm of the Onslaught build a figure of Red Skull . Now for a look at the figure out of the packaging .




As for the character , I'm sure many of you already know that this guy is a villain . He  has battled against the Avengers among other heroes . Plus he was / is a member of one of the Masters of Evil groups. It's a pleasure to finally have him as a Marvel Legend . My only gripe is that I wish that his helmet / mask would come off so that us fans can see his face. It would have been nice had Hasbro gave him this treatment just like Toybiz did with their version of Juggernaut . Despite the mask/helmet , you can still see the details in his face through it's slits/openings . Pay close attention and you'll notice his blue eyes and lips. Kids may love this figure too, because of the action feature, the blades on his wrists rotate . Speaking of his rotating blades , have a look at Whirlwind in a fighting / striking pose against Captain America below .

Besides the spinning blades on his wrists, Whirlwind has the power to become a miniature sized tornado as seen in the comics. Therefore you can twist his waist around and put him in spinning pose attacks to go along with the spinning blades . Even though the helmet does not come off of his face, the head does come off of the body and it can be easily reattached . I tried looking underneath his helmet and the head popped off from my pulling too hard, however I was able to attach it back onto the body very easily .
                                            FINAL    THOUGHTS 

( 1 ) PLAY ABILITY  FACTOR  FOR  KIDS - This is a NEW category I recently thought of . The purpose of this category is to focus on a feature on an action figure that may appeal to children. Whirlwind definitely has a play feature that kids may like which are the spinning rotating blades on his wrists . ( NOTE ) This category does not apply to all action figures, therefore it applies only to figures that have features that may appeal to kids, therefore it will not be shown in every review .

( 2) ARTICULATION - The only part of Whirlwind that seems to have limited articulation is his head . His head can only rotate left and right and all around but no up and down head movement . This is because the helmet prevents up and down head movement . The rest of him is articulated very well just like all Marvel Legends are .

( 3 ) STANDING  ABILITY - Whirlwind stands great on flat surfaces with no balance issues.

(4) WHAT  I  LIKE  BEST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ? - The spinning/rotating wrist blades, The ability to pose him in his tornado striking poses , and the luxury of having another member of the Masters of Evil made into a Marvel Legend figure .

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

(6) WHAT  COULD  HAVE  BEEN  DONE  TO  IMPROVE  THIS  FIGURE ? - Make the mask / helmet removable, allowing his face to be seen . Still a cool figure though despite this unfortunate mishap .

(7) GRADING  SCALE - A Perfect 10 . Although I wish the helmet could come off, I'm not bothered by it and does not consider it a flaw.

(8) FINAL  ANALYSIS - Some other Masters of Evil members that have been made into Marvel Legends to go along with Whirlwind are Radioactive Man and Klaw . I along with many fans hope more members are on the way.

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Marvel Legends Civil War Series- Black Panther Review !!!

I purchased this figure of Black Panther at a local Walmart for around the 19.99 price range. Since I already own the Toybiz version of the Black Panther , the main reasons for going after this version were to get the unmasked head and the build-a-figure piece. If not for those two accessories I probably would have passed on buying this particular BP ( Black Panther ) figure , since I already owned one.



As you can see this version is based on the movie - Captain America Civil War . The unmasked T'Challa head has the likeness of actor Chadwick Boseman . Although not the first Black Panther Marvel Legend figure, this is the first Black Panther figure that comes with an unmasked head of T'Challa .Now for a better look at the figure itself . As for accessories, as you can see BP comes with the left leg of the Ant-Man Build-a-figure .



This figure is fun to display no matter what head you use in my opinion . Like many fans, you can pretend that the masked head is just the mask itself, as T'Challa holds it in his grasp with his unmasked face displayed , as seen in the above pic . I love how his hands are sculpted for attacking , perfect for his clawing and scratching poses, along with climbing. I also love how the movie people stayed true to the original comic book look , making a fantastic looking toy in the process. I think I like this Black Panther better than I do the old Toybiz version . Speaking of the Toybiz version, have a look at some comparison shots below .


The only positives in my opinion that the Toybiz Black Panther has over this newer one are the cape and the wrist gauntlets. The gold paint on the old one is nice to have however the costume on the newer BP is more detailed. Other than that I like this newer Hasbro version better because of the extra unmasked head and overall look. The eyes can be seen better on the Hasbro version , plus I like how the eyes on the current version seem to almost glow somewhat . ( NOTE ) I do not have the previous Hasbro Black Panther for comparisons .
                                                       FINAL   THOUGHTS 

( 1 ) ARTICULATION - I am pleased to announce that the ball jointed neck feature is back. BP can look in all directions and his head can easily move up and down . Arms move up, down, and outward. Biceps and wrists rotate. Ball jointed wrists. Ab crunch. Upper thigh swivel, knees and ankles bend. Legs move up,down , and outward.

(2) STANDING  ABILITY - The figure stands very well with no balance issues.

(3) WHAT  I  LIKE  BEST  ABOUT  THIS  FIGURE ? - The extra head, the likeness to the actor Chadwick Boseman and the overall design of the costume. I love lines on the costume, I think it looks very decorative, very cool looking. The costume itself is a nice work of geometric art .

( 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 I think the figure is perfect.

(6) GRADING  SCALE - Definitely a Perfect 10. I could find no flaws .

( 7 ) FINAL  ANALYSIS - If there's anything to complain about this figure, however it may really not be a complaint , is trying to decide what head to display him with . The masked head or unmasked one ? To solve this situation , buying two of these Black Panthers may help. Display one with the masked head and the other with the unmasked one. The drawback to this however is spending the extra money on the same figure. If you insist on having two, my advice would be to purchase the second BP as a used figure from sites such as Ebay or Amazon, because used figures cost less than unopened ones . Overall , it's a great luxury to finally own an unmasked T'Challa.