G. I. JOE: 50th ANNIVERSARY

Way back on March 31 (almost 4 months ago) I ordered my 2015 Joe Con exclusive box set.  The Con took place the weekend of April 10-12 and the sets were supposed to be mailed out soon afterwards.  My set has still not shipped.  On the other hand, I pre-ordered the San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) exclusive box set on July 7, the Convention was held the weekend of July 9-12, and my set arrived on July 20.  Thats the way things should work.  So a tip of my hat to ebay seller skdauntless for the prompt shipping and a wag of my finger at the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club for the complete opposite of that.

SDCC exclusive G.I. Joe figures have been around since the dawn of the modern-era.  It started with Destro in his animal print  “pimp daddy” uniform in 2007, then Cobra Commander in a 3-piece suit in 2008, then Destro’s ancestor James McCullen IX in 2009, then Sgt. Slaugther in 2010.  The first three didn’t feel essential to me but I had to have Slaughter.  That was the first SDCC exclusive I got and I never looked back.  I picked up Zarana (both versions) in 2011 and Jinx in 2012.  In 2011 Hasbro upped the SDCC ante from just single carded figures to exclusive Transformer/G.I. Joe crossover vehicle box sets as well.  The first was Starscream as a Skystriker with Cobra Commander, then came Shockwave as a HISS tank with Destro and a B.A.T. in 2012, and lastly Jetfire as a Skystriker with Hound as a Vamp, Baroness, Snake Eyes, Ravage, and Bludgeon in 2013.   All those crossover exclusives were awesome but I was glad to see them go; that s**t was  getting expensive. I passed on the 2014 SDCC offering which was a simple repaint of the Flint, Vamp, Eel, and Raft 50th anniversary set, “Danger at the Docks”.

Outer box

For the sake of my bank account I was really hoping the 2015 SDCC set would be something I could pass on as well.  As it turned out Hasbro released two SDCC exclusive vehicle sets this year.  The theme this year was that Cobra had captured and repainted some iconic Joe vehicles and G.I. Joe had captured and repainted some iconic Cobra vehicles. I managed to pass on the “Desert Duel” set (so far) but I could not resist the “Crimson Strike” set.  The main reason for that was the inclusion of a green, G.I. Joe deco’ed, HISS tank.  I’ll talk about that more in my next post.  For now I’m going to focus on one of the four figures included from the set, A.V.A.C. (Air Viper Advanced Class).

Inner box

Before I get to him though I just want to quickly comment of the excellent packaging these guys came in.  First, I was quite surprised at just how large the box was.  I had no idea what I was getting into when I walked 10 minutes down to the Post Office to pick it up yesterday.  I must’ve looked quite pathetic lugging the massive box back home because some guy even pulled over to see if I needed a lift.    The box had a protective slip case that looked weathered and shot up which was pretty cool on its own but inside was another box with a really cool painted mural of the contents.  This was pure 80s throw-back awesomeness.  Anyway, on to the figure…

The first AVAC figure was released in 1986.  He was packaged with the Cobra headquarters play set, the Terrordrome. He was later available as a mail-away.  My brother Doug owned the original.  We never owned the Terrordrome and I don’t recall Doug ordering him through the mail so I’m not sure where he came from.

1986 AVAC

The second version was released 22 years later in 2008.  That first modern-era AVAC was built using re-used HISS Driver  and Zartan parts with a new head.  I thought it was a pretty decent update despite the fact he was Frankenstein’ed from the neck down.

This new SDCC version of AVAC reuses the head, arms, and legs of the 2008 figure but uses a Crimson Guard body for the torso.  It makes for a unique look.  The Crimson Guard jacket has more of a dress uniform vibe so it makes this guy look like he could be a senior-ranking AVAC commander  What really makes this figure stand out is the paint job.  The helmet is still metallic silver but it has a red/orange visor this time.  It also has a red winged crest on the forehead and a black paint app on the breather.  The uniform is black with mostly silver highlights and red piping around the panel on his jacket.  I think it looks pretty cool.  There are a few subtle paint apps on the back but at a glance he looks to be solid black from behind.

My only major issue with AVAC is that the 2007/2008 parts used to make him are getting pretty dated.  He looks scrawny and his articulation is wonky in places.  This figure really would have benefited from some newer parts.

For accessories AVAC version 3 comes with a display base, a knife that can be sheathed on his boot, and 2 machine guns which are both pretty cool looking (one even has red paint apps).

Overall, I like this figure.  If he were available at retail for around $12 he’d be a must buy.  At Convention price though I cannot recommend him unless you are absolutely compelled to acquire one of the pieces from the Crimson Strike set like I was.  7 out of 10.

2008 AVAC, 2015 AVAC, 2008 Crimson Guard

G. I JOE: 50th ANNIVERSARY

This past Monday my 2015 San Diego Comic Con exclusive “Crimson Strike” box set arrived in the mail.  The set consists of two G.I. Joe vehicles and four figures.  I reviewed one of the figures, AVAC, yesterday.  AVAC’s role in the set is to pilot the Cobra Scythe, a G.I. Joe Skystriker, repainted in a Cobra deco.  The concept behind the box set is that the Joes and Cobras have procured each others vehicles and repurposed them for their own arsenal.  To rival the Cobra Scythe the Joes have turned a captured HISS tank into the G.I. Joe Chimera.

The repainted Skystriker looks pretty cool and the figures are all decent but given the secondary market price of this set I would have passed on it if not for the Chimera.  I’m a sucker for HISS tanks and I simply couldn’t resist getting one in a new colour.

The original Cobra H.I.S.S. (High Speed Sentry) was released in 1983.  It was one of the earliest Joe vehicles released and one of the first, if not THE first, Joe vehicle I ever owned.  I would’ve been five or six when I got it.  Most of the Joe vehicles released in the early years were based on real-world conveyances like tanks, jeeps, and helicopters but the HISS tank was pure science fiction. There was something fantastical about the angular design of the HISS that really appealed to me.  I still have my 1983 HISS and it is in fact the only vintage Joe item that I presently have on display.

The HISS has been remodelled a number of times over the years.  Some have been downright ugly while others have been respectable upgrades.  I’ve amassed a decent little troop of the modern-era design (brown, blue, purple, and red) but there’s just no beating the original.  I have the classic HISS tank in black (x2), red, white, mini, and now green.

When I first saw pictures of this green HISS tank online (it was revealed at April’s Joe Con) I knew I had to have it. The idea of the Joes capturing one of Cobra’s iconic tanks and making it their own was very appealing to me, much more so than if Hasbro had just made this a green Cobra tank.  Seeing the Joe logo and the white star decals on this thing seems so wrong that I love it.  Construction wise, this toy is almost the exact same as my ’83 HISS but even after 30+ years the design holds up.  However the colour and the decals aren’t the only thing thats changed.  Hasbro has added a brand new double rail gun to the back.  The new guns look much more devastating than the double cannons usually found on HISS tanks.  I like that the rail guns show how the Joes took the time to customize their captured tank rather than to just paint it.

As with all classic style HISS tanks, the Chimera has a cockpit that holds one driver and it has a glass canopy.  It can also hold a gunner in the back and it has foot pegs on the very back to accommodate two passengers.  You could also hide stowaways  in the belly of the tank beneath the gunner station as I often did when I was a kid.  The treads don’t really work but there are wheels on the bottom of the tank so it glides along the floor with ease.

This tank looks great displayed with my other HISS tanks but it also looks great displayed with my classic military Joe vehicles.  The tank’s shade of green matches up nicely with that of the Vamp and the Skyhawk.  It also matches up with the uniforms of the original 13 Joes which is appropriate since the box set includes new versions of Steeler and Grunt to man the Chimera.

The Chimera oozes retro appeal so its a shame it won’t be available at retail.  However a variation of this set with a reddish-orange HISS will be available at TOYS R US for a much more reasonable price very soon. 9 out of 10.

G. I. JOE: 50th ANNIVERSARY

In my last post I reviewed the G.I. Joe Chimera, which is really just a Cobra HISS tank painted green.  It was included in the 2015 San Diego Comic Con exclusive G.I. Joe box set titled “Crimson Strike”.  The premise of the set is that the Joes and Cobras have acquired each others vehicles and repurposed them to fit their own needs.  A captured Joe Skystriker became the Cobra Scythe and to fly the new aircraft the Cobra pilot, AVAC, was also included in the set;  makes sense.  Just as sensible is the inclusion of the Joe team’s premier tank driver, Steeler, to man the Chimera.

Steeler was one of the original 13 Joes released in 1982.  The OG13 hold a special place in the hearts of most Joe collectors; especially old guys like myself who’ve been collecting since the beginning.  Of the original roster I owned Snake Eyes, Stalker, and Short-Fuze.  My brother Doug owned all the rest.  By ’83 things evened out and we began collecting each subsequent wave 50/50 but Doug really cleaned up that first year.  One of the 10 originals Doug owned was Steeler who came packaged with the original G.I. Joe tank, the Mobat.

I really liked Steeler from day one.  Not only did he have a sweet ride but he also had an awesome binocular headset attached to his helmet. A number of the ’82 Joes had clear visors on their helmets but Steeler’s solid black headset was totally unique.  When I was little I assumed that all real-life tank drivers wore similar binoculars on their helmets but as I think about it now I don’t think thats actually the case.

In an odd design choice by Hasbro, Steeler couldn’t actually sit inside the Mobat.  Instead, he stood in the roof hatch  like a drunk girl hanging out of a limo on prom night.  Not the safest way to roll into battle to be sure.  But after driving around like that for so many years I imagine the oft ridiculed glass canopy of the HISS tank will feel pretty damn safe to Mr. Pulaski.

1982 Steeler

I got my first Steeler figure in 2004 and sadly it was not a good one.  It had a small head and a huge barrel chest.  Those proportion issues are why many collectors completely ignore the new-sculpt years of the early 2000s.

My next Steeler (version 4) was released as part of the 25th anniversary series in 2008; the first modern-era interoperation of the character.  Unfortunately it was a pretty weak figure too.  The design was bland, he had dreaded “Duke arms”, his helmet didn’t fit right, and even his ride had been downgraded to the pitiful Armadillo which looks more like a go-kart than a tank.  The worst offence committed by that figure was that it didn’t have Steeler’s trademark helmet binoculars.

Steeler comparison

Another Steeler (version 5) was released later that same year; this time with a tan uniform.  I prefer the tan one because Hasbro fixed a few of the problems of the previous release.  Version 5 had new lower arms with full sleeves and gloves which was closer to the 1982 design and it solved the Duke Arms problem, he got his Mobat back so he was a proper tank driver again, and he had a visor on his helmet.  Unfortunately the visor was a standard “glass” model and not the classic binocular set.

The only part from the 2008 figure used for this latest version of Steeler (version 7) is the head.  I don’t really like this head sculpt all that much but I appreciate that Hasbro has used it consistently for the character throughout the modern-era.  I don’t like when a character’s physical appearance changes drastically from one version to the next.  That said, it is kind of annoying that Steeler’s hair colour has changed from brown to red.  Speaking of his red hair, my Steeler has a dab of orange paint on the tip of his nose which I didn’t even notice until I took these pictures but now I can’t unsee it.  Ho-hum.

Steeler’s body is made up of Firefly and Roadblock parts.  They work well together and provide for a detailed yet simple basic military uniform.  It’s a nice update to the character without getting too far removed from the original design.  I quite enjoy some of the more fantastical elements of G.I. Joe but I like the OG13 to stick to their military roots.  His uniform is a nice crisp shade of green and the grey padding makes him more interesting to look at. This figure is taller than past versions due to the Roadblock legs but it works out well because I seem to recall that Steeler is supposed to be a big tough guy which is something that never came across in past versions.

For accessories Steeler has a rifle, a pistol that can be holstered on his hip, a padded vest with a detachable radio, and finally a helmet with some goddamn binoculars.  I’m so happy that Steeler has his proper headgear at long last but honestly they don’t look as cool as I was hoping.  I don’t recall the vintage figure’s binoculars looking so wide and the red paint on the visor makes Steeler look as though he should be leading the X-Men into battle rather than the Joes.

This figure isn’t perfect but its easily the best Steeler figure since the original.  Its the figure highlight of the SDCC set for me.  8 out of 10.

ReAction

I had planned to consecutively review all 6 components on the San Diego Comic Con G.I. Joe box set that I got in earlier this week but I’m going to have to stop after 3 (thus far I’ve reviewed AVAC, The Chimera, and Steeler). I’ll get around the second half of the set later but I need to talk about some of the other toys I got in this week. My latest shipment from BigBadToyStore included the brand new Combiner Wars Devastator figure which is an absolute beast of a figure and I was super stoked to get it. But as cool as Devastator is he was overshadowed by a much smaller and simpler toy that arrived in the same shipment. I’m talking about JAWS.

Sharks terrify and fascinate me and the movie Jaws has a lot to do with it. I first saw it when I was very young and I’ve seen it dozens of times since. It’s probably one of the movies I’ve watched most in my life; up there with Indiana Jones, Star Wars and The Crow. I’ve also seen each of the three Jaws sequels a bunch of times too. None are as good as the original but even the worst Jaws movie is better than any other shark movie ever made. I have multiple shark films in my collection (Deep Blue Sea, Sharktopus, Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus, etc.) and they’re all completely ridiculous whereas the first Jaws is one of the best movies ever made.  I never get tired of watching it.

Fisher Price Adventure People

When I was a kid I didn’t really care that there weren’t official Jaws action figures. I liked all the human characters well enough but they were just regular looking guys. The shark is what mattered to me and I had a Fisher Price shark that served as an adequate stand in for Jaws. The shark came with my Adventure People patrol boat. The whole set was pretty great but the shark definitely saw more play time than the dorky diver figures. I used that plastic shark with G.I. Joes,  He-Men, Battle Beasts, and anywhere else I could fit him in. He and my Adventure People octopus were very versatile that way. They were essentially the character actors of my figure drawer who managed to steal scenes in every play time scenario.

I had Jaws in mind every time I played with that old shark but the actual toy was nowhere near as menacing as the movie shark. The Adventure People shark had a very docile look about it with a closed mouth and a bored look on his face. I really had to stretch my imagination every time it ferociously attacked someone.  But no more!

Funko, the company behind those lovable POP! figures, has produced an actual licensed Jaws toy and it is amazing.  Jaws is part of Funko’s line of  80s-style retro action figures called ReAction figures.  As with their POP! figurines I intended to only buy one or two of them at first but then I fell in love with ReAction figures and now I have a bunch of them.  The line covers a ton of properties and the figures come out faster than I can keep up with them.   The 3 human figures in the Jaws wave are what I’ve come to expect from the line, simple but recognizable 3 3/4″ figures with 5-points of articulation.  They have an obvious retro vibe to them.  As for the shark itself, whom I will continue to refer to as “Jaws”, the figure isn’t as obvious a throwback.  It looks like it could be included in any modern toy line.  It’s probably one of the best looking shark toys I’ve ever seen.

The packaging, on the other hand, is extremely old-school.  Honestly, the packing of ReAction figures is half  the appeal of them. Most modern toy packaging sucks but Funko has nailed that classic 80s look that was commonplace when action figures were in their heyday.  These Jaws figures are actually the first ReAction figures I’ve opened.  If you look at my past ReAction reviews (Wolfman, Invisible Man, Rocketeer) you’ll see I kept them all sealed on their cards because I liked the cardbacks so much.  The Jaws cards were beautiful too but I simply couldn’t resist opening this Jaws figure and because I opened him I had to open Quint, Hooper, and Brody too.

closed mouth

The sculpt on Jaws is very nice.  The body is sleek with very few sculpted details but the face is rife with cuts and scars.  There’s no articulation on the body which is fine but thankfully he has an articulated jaw so you can open and close his mouth.  It opens quite wide so you can stuff Quint right in there if you want to recreate the final scenes of the movie (sorry, spoiler-alert).  Jaws has two rows of teeth on both the top and bottom of his mouth which is a pretty cool little detail.

The paint work is pretty much exactly what you’d expect:  Grey skin, white belly, red mouth, and lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eye.

This figure is nearly perfect.  The only thing that bothers me is how front heavy he is.  When out of the box he falls forward onto his chin and theres nothing you can do about it.  It looks kind of silly displayed that way with his tail up in the air.  I grabbed a loose transformer piece I had laying around to prop him up for these pictures.  A weighted tail would’ve been an easy fix.  Oh well, still amazeballs.  10 out of 10.

“We’re gonna need a much bigger boat.”

G. I. JOE: 50th ANNIVERSARY 

After taking a break to gush about my awesome new JAWS toy in my last post I’m back with another “Crimson Strike” review.  Crimson Strike is the name of the 2015 San Diego Comic Con exclusive G.I. Joe box set.  It contained 2 vehicles (Scythe and Chimera), 2 Cobra figures (AVAC and Alley Viper), and 2 Joe figures (Steeler and Grunt).  I thought Steeler was a pretty great figure so today let’s examine how his Joe teammate measures up.

Like his pack-mate, Steeler, Grunt was one of the original 13 G.I. Joes released in 1982.  My brother Doug owned the original green uniformed Grunt and the tan repaint from 1983. I didn’t own my first Grunt until 20 years later when an updated version was released during the 2003 Spy Troops line.

Grunt never made a big impression on me.  The 1982 Joe figures all shared parts and almost all of them were white guys in green uniforms.  It made for a cohesive but somewhat generic looking team and Grunt was the most generic of the bunch.  Steeler had his binocular visors, Breaker had his beard, Flash has his red padded uniform, but Grunt didn’t have any distinguishing characteristics or accessories..  Even Zap, who was almost the exact same figure as Grunt, had his signature bazooka and in the comics he had a moustache. Grunt had a helmet, a backpack, and a rifle.Thats about as basic as you get.  Even his name essentially means generic soldier.  Grunt was used on a lot of early G.I. Joe merchandise like bed sheets and birthday hats because of his generic soldier look.  Doug even had a Grunt halloween costume but Grunt’s name was not mentioned on the packaging.

In 2007 Hasbro ushered in the modern-era with the 25th anniversary series; a toy line which featured classic Joe characters in their most iconic uniforms.  Their original intent was to release the 25 most popular characters but when the line was a success plans were made to carry on beyond that.  The expanded line-up got me pretty excited about the prospect of owning updated versions of the original 13.  One by one Hasbro released them and I was able to collect them with minimal effort because my go-to comic shop, Strange Adventures, stocked them all.  However, they were unable to stock 2008 Grunt because he was only available in a Toys R Us exclusive 3-pack.  I was never able to find the 3-pack at my local TRU and I wasn’t willing to pay big bucks for it on the secondary market because I already had a Hawk and a Duke (the other 2 guys in the pack) and the Grunt was underwhelming because it featured a re-used Flash head instead of a unique head sculpt. I held out hope that we’d eventually get a better version.

Another version was released in 2009 but it was also included in a Toys R Us 3-pack and I couldn’t find that one either.  I didn’t put any effort into seeking it out on ebay either because the set was part of the Rise of Cobra movie line.  I was a little sour about the movie figures at the time and I didn’t want a Grunt in the ROC aesthetic. I held out hope for a better one.

I finally got a modern-era Grunt in 2013 by way of the G.I. Joe Collector Club’s figure subscription service.  I was pretty happy with Grunt version 13; I rated it 8 out of 10 when I reviewed it 2 years ago.  It featured Grunt in his 1983 tan uniform.  I was happy to finally have a vintage accurate Grunt to complete my modern-era original 13 line-up but I was a little bummed that I didn’t have him in ’82 green.  Also disappointing was that he still didn’t get a unique head sculpt; the Club reused  the 2009 Zap head.

It took a while but I finally have a modern-era Grunt in a green uniform courtesy of this year’s SDCC box set.  Grunt was included in the set to serve as the Chimera’s gunner.  I’ll get my criticism out of the way first.  This is the 4th modern-era Grunt figure and each one of them has had a different head.

version 14 & version 13

What if I want to display all my Grunts next to one another?  They’d all look like completely different dudes.  And like the SDCC Steeler, Grunt’s hair seems to have gone from brown to red. (His hair has changed multiple times over the years, both in colour and style) These kind of inconsistencies really annoy me.

On the plus side, I think this is the best recycled head placed on Grunt yet.  It originally belonged to Airborne version 5 from 2008.  Airborne is Native American so the skin was darker and the hair was black in ’08.  With the new pale skin tone and red hair you can barely tell that the two figures share the same head sculpt.

Grunt’s body is made up of the Cobra Shock Trooper’s arms and torso and some Duke legs.  The removable webgear originally came with the 2013 Night Viper.  All the pieces work well together to create a really nice update of Grunt.

Grunt & Airborne

As was the case with Steeler, the uniform is basic enough to honour the character’s roots but there are enough new elements to make it feel fresh and modern.  The more I look at this figure the more I like it.  He and Steeler make for a great looking pair.  I really hope we see similar updates of other original 13 characters in the near future.  I’d love to have a Short-Fuze of this quality.

For accessories Grunt comes with a display base, a pistol that can holstered on his chest, a rifle and a helmet.  It’s a pretty basic arsenal which perfectly suits Grunt. However, the helmet has a night vision attachment which can be flipped down over Grunt’s eyes.  It’s a cool little addition which finally gives the character a unique accessory to call his own.

I’m pretty happy with the Crimson Strike set overall but it’s hard to recommend given the price.  I think the Joes and the Chimera are more interesting than the Cobra soldiers and the Scythe so if you if you come across someone  who has broken up the set and is selling the items loose I’d suggest you grab the Joes.  8 out of 10.

G. I. JOE: 50th ANNIVERSARY

For the past week I’ve been reviewing my 2015 San Diego Comic Con exclusive G.I. Joe box set, “Crimson Strike”.  Four reviews down, two to go.  Today I’ll be taking a look at the second vehicle from the set, the Cobra Scythe.  The first vehicle was the G.I. Joe Chimera. The Chimera was an iconic Cobra HISS tank repainted in Joe military colours.  Conversely, the Scythe is the iconic G.I. Joe Skystriker repainted in crimson Cobra colours.

The Skystriker was first released in 1983.  It was probably the biggest vehicle in my vintage collection.  The Skystriker was very well designed and, as far as I could tell, pretty realistic.  It had retractable landing gear and adjustable wings.  The cockpit seated two back then. Both seats popped out and each of them had a working parachute tucked into the back.  They came in handy every time Ace got shot down by Wild Weasel in a dogfight (Wild Weasel was one of my favourite Cobras so Ace never stood a chance).  I used to enjoy throwing Joes, seated in the parachute chairs, up in the air from my deck and watching them drift down safely to my back yard.  Unfortunately there were no seat belts on those chairs and the only thing keeping them attached to the figures was a small peg in their back.  One particular toss led to the untimely demise of Tiger Force Roadblock. :(

As impressive as the Skystriker was it was never one of my favourite vehicles.  First off, the pilot Ace was one of my least favourite Joes.  I wanted to like him but his outfit was kind of goofy and I lost his dome helmet early on which only made him look sillier and ill-equipped.  Secondly, the vehicle was big and took up a lot of space on the bedroom floor.  Thirdly, it was a plane and I’m not really a plane guy.  Playing with it required me to run around the room making whooshing sounds.  I usually had the Skystriker in one hand and the Cobra Rattler in another.  You couldn’t really make them do any cool aerial moves like that and I just didn’t find it very exciting.  I much preferred to have Ace and Wild Weasel duke it out man-to-man on the battle field. I think I still have my vintage Skystriker but I couldn’t find it when I went to dig it out for this review.  I assume it’s gathering dust in the shed at my folks place.

When Hasbro re-released the Skystriker in 2011 I passed on it.  The jet had been retooled slightly to accomodate the taller modern-era figures, which meant losing the secondary seat, but essentially it was the same as the ’83 toy.  I try to avoid collecting vehicles for the most part because I simply don’t have room to display them and it sucks buying something only to put it directly into storage.  Plus they can be expensive.  And yet I got roped into buying a Skystriker in 2011 anyway because Hasbro released one painted to look like the Decepticon Starscream as a SDCC exclusive and I simply had to have it.  Two years later they released one painted to look like the Autobot Jetfire which I also had to have.  I was really hoping those would be the last two Skystrikers I would ever buy.

As it turns out, that is not the case.  Hasbro suckered me in again this year by releasing a repainted Skystriker packaged with a repainted HISS, the one vehicle type that I actually seek out.  In order to get the tank I had to get the jet.  To make matters worse they took the standard HISS/Skystriker set and repainted it as a SDCC exclusive which meant I had to buy it twice AND pay a ridiculous price to obtain it.  I actually don’t have the standard Toys R Us version yet but it should arrive in a couple weeks.  The SDCC version however, known as the Scythe,  is here in hand.

I think the Scythe is a cool looking vehicle.  The Cobra motif painted on the top and the snake head on the cockpit is really neat.  The red and silver colour scheme make for a sharp-looking jet.  Beyond the unique paint job though this is the same old Skystriker we’ve seen plenty of times before.  I have nowhere to display this thing so it will likely end up boxed up by the end of the week which seems criminal given that it was so damn expensive.

I should also mention that the Scythe included some pretty cool decals and it came with options so you could do a little customization.  The large diamond pattern stickers that run along  the four wings is a little odd but it  breaks up the large areas of solid red and serves as a cute nod to a diamondback rattlesnake. I didn’t apply all of the stickers because I got bored.  It comes with a ton of tiny useless stickers and i just don’t have the patience for them.  It also came with some missiles which I forgot to put on for my photo shoot.

I don’t mean to hate on the Scythe because it really is a nice toy, I just don’t have any need for it. (But no, you can’t have it so don’t ask) 6 out of 10.

G. I. JOE: 50th ANNIVERSARY

Alley Viper is the 6th and final component for me to review from this year’s San Diego Comic Con exclusive G.I. Joe box set, “Crimson Strike”.  I’ve previously reviewed the two vehicles, the Chimera and the Scythe, and the other three figures, Steeler, Grunt, and AVAC.   Thus far the Joe figures and vehicle have proven to be my favourites.  So does Alley Viper swing the odds in Cobra’s favour?  Have I saved the best for last?

No on both accounts.  I’m not saying this is a bad figure, in fact it’s a very cool figure, but much like the Crimson Scythe it fails to wow me.

The original 1989 Alley Viper was one of my favourite Cobra troopers. Like Ice Viper and Heat Viper I viewed my Alley Viper as an individual character rather than just a nameless trooper. Ice Viper was a psychopath and Heat Viper was a slacker but Alley Viper was a bad-to-the-bone, take-no-prisoners soldier. who knew how to follow orders.  He was kind of a loner because unlike those other two he didn’t have a best buddy to pal around with. I always played G.I. Joe with my brother Doug and almost every one of my figures buddy’ed up with one of Doug’s figures. It usually worked out to be whatever toys we got at the same time. For example, he got his Night Viper when I got my Heat Viper so the two of them were inseparable. The same was true of Ice Viper and Worms, Shockwave and Charbroil, and some more obvious pairs like Flint and Lady Jaye and Tomax and Xamot. Doug must’ve either gotten a good guy when I got Alley Viper or maybe a bad guy that he didn’t really care for. Whatever the reason, my Alley Viper was a lone wolf.

Multiple variations of Alley Viper were released in the 90s but I had quit collecting by then and never acquired any of them. I did get some updated Alley Vipers during the new-sculpt years in the early 2000s but the less said about them the better.

When Hasbro launched the 25th anniversary line of modern-era figures in 2007 Alley Viper was high on my want list. They finally got around to releasing him in 2009 as part of the “Defense of Cobra Island” 7-pack. I loved the ‘09 Alley Viper (version 11). It had all the iconic characteristics of the original 1989 figure: the crazy orange and blue camo, the bizarre riot shield, the vision-obstructing face plate, and they all looked great on the modern style of figure. I would have been content if Hasbro never released another Alley Viper after that.

But they did release another; there were three variations of the Alley Viper released in 2010 (one of them being the first Alley Viper Officer) and then another in 2013. I’m not necessarily complaining about the multiple releases because they all look cool and I’m a sucker for a good repaint, but the figure does feel a little watered down at this point.

At the very least Hasbro could have taken this opportunity to release an Alley Viper with one of the well-known 90s paint jobs. The black and yellow one from 1993 that my little brother Brian owned would have been kinda cool. Instead we get an Alley Viper in a yet another new paint scheme.  The paint deco on this guy is alright but somewhat underwhelming. It’s primarily black with a few random splashes of reddish orange. I’m not sure why Hasbro was so sparse with the camo pattern this time around but the end result reminds me of a salamander.

For accessories Alley Viper Officer version 2 has a display base, a helmet with face plate, a riot shield and a baton which can be stored on the back, two machine guns, and two knives which can be sheathed on his belt and forearm. It’s a decent assortment of weapons but  it all seems pretty standard at this point.

This is a fine figure which I would whole-heartedly recommend if he were available at Toys R Us for ten or twelve bucks but if you were planning on buying the SDCC set just for this guy I’d tell you to save your money. He doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. The red version from two years ago looks nicer and is much easier to track down. 7 out of 10.

BATTLE BEASTS

My Joe Con “Tiger Force vs Iron Grenadiers” box set finally arrived in the mail the other day which was pretty exciting. I pre-ordered that thing about 5 months ago so I’m eager to review the 15 figures within. However, I just finished a run of G.I. Joe reviews because I’ve spent the past week examining all the figures and vehicles from this summer’s San Diego Comic Con box set. So rather than jump right into another batch of Convention exclusive G.I. Joe reviews I’ve decided to break things up with a couple of random toys first. In keeping with the Tiger Force theme I’ve selected the Battle Beast, Ferocious Tiger, for today’s review.

Ferocious Tiger, or Battle Tiger as I called him before I realized he had a real name, was included in the first wave of Battle Beasts figures released by Hasbro in 1987.  However he was not one of my first Battle Beast figures. There were a handful of figures from each wave that eluded for some time and Ferocious Tiger was one that took me a while to track down. I can’t recall when or where I finally got him but it was sometime after the toy line had ended. I don’t have any clear recollections of playing with him as a child so he may have been one of the few I bought as an adult.

It’s a shame that I got him so late because he never had a chance to develop a unique personality in my Battle Beast universe. Since there was no cartoon or mainstream comic to provide back stories for these characters all Battle Beasts were a blank canvas when you got them.  But to me, certain beasts like Rocky Rhino and Sly Fox are as iconic as Optimus Prime and He-Man because their personalities were so well developed over the many years I played with them. So while Ferocious Tiger is a cool looking figure he doesn’t stir up any specific nostalgic memories the way those others do.

If I had gotten Ferocious Tiger back in ’87 I imagine he would have been an integral member of Rocky Rhino’s good guy team. Since there was no established continuity to work from I could’ve made him a bad guy just as easily but there’s something about this toy that seems heroic to me so making him a good guy seems obvious.

The sculpt on the figure is pretty darn good for such a small toy. Battle Beasts never fail to impress me in that department. I especially like his shoulder mounted cannon or lights or whatever it is because it gives him a unique asymmetrical silhouette. It reminds me of War Machine’s shoulder mounted gatling gun which I’ve always loved.  Tiger’s only articulation points are at his shoulders.  His arms are able to swing backwards and forwards. It’s the same articulation found on all BB figures and while it allows for minimal movement it’s all I ever needed to have a blast with these toys. Takara could have easily made them completely static like MUSCLES to save on costs but thankfully they didn’t because the moving arms went a long way to increase the playability.

For a weapon Ferocious Tiger carries a rather boring spiked club.  It looks to me like one of those baseball bats with nails hammered into it.  Except this club is double-headed so I imagine he could spin it around like a bow staff and do some real damage.  While it’s less interesting to look at than many other beasts’ weapons I like it for it’s sheer blunt brutality.

The area where this figure is really lacking is in the paint apps. None of the Battle Beasts had a ton of paint applications which is fine in most cases but I think Takara/Hasbro should have splurged for a few more apps on figures like Ferocious Tiger, Zealot Zebra, and Jaded Jaguar.

The prints on their fur is what best defines those animals so to omit a tiger’s stripes or a jaguar’s spots is almost unforgivable. To be fair, the tiger stripes are sculpted onto this figures so they can seen if you look closely but a little bit of black paint would have elevated this figure significantly. Also odd is the fact that Ferocious Tiger is yellow instead of orange. Other beasts are oddly colored (like the blue horse and purple elephant) so it’s less of an offense but yellow is so close to orange they probably should’ve just made him orange. The brown is a good color for the armour and I like the pink highlights but a few additional paint apps could have spruced that up too.

This is a very cool figure but in a line full of cool figures he ranks somewhere in the middle of the pack for me. 7 out of 10.

REN & STIMPY

I used to be a big fan of the Ren & Stimpy show.  Up here in Canada it aired on Much Music (our version of MTV) and I believe it debuted when I was in junior high.  I think it aired a year or two earlier in the States even though the creator, John Kricfalusi, is Canadian.  I remember it was considered a racy show at the time, as was the Simpsons which debuted a year or two earlier, which seems pretty silly nowadays.

I thought both Ren and Stimpy were pretty funny but they were actually some of my least favourite characters on the show. I preferred the offbeat side characters like Mr. Horse, Muddy Mudskipper, and Powdered Toast Man.  As evidence of just how much I liked the C-list supporting cast check out one of my earliest toy reviews: the Shaven Yak.

Even though he only showed up a handful of times I absolutely loved Powdered Toast Man.

He was a completely ridiculous yet awesome character.  As a fan of super heroes in general it can be fun to see them skewered in such a manner.   PTM’s secret identity was Pastor Toastman, a youth deacon.  He would shed his collar and leap into action wearing only his  speedo whenever the world was in danger or when a child was in need of a balanced breakfast.

Powdered Toast Man was the spokesperson for the cereal Powdered Toast and he could make the stuff by scraping his toasty body with a butter knife or winking.  Once everyone’s bowls were brimming with freshly made cereal he would launch himself out the window either by ejecting his double-breaded head from a toaster or just by ripping a huge fart.

His catchphrase was “Leave everything to me!” but the quote I most remember is “Are you clinging tenaciously to my buttocks?”

This little figurine is about 2.5 inches tall.  It doesn’t move at all and it is permanently attached to its display base.  I bought it at the first Blockbuster Video I worked at in my hometown of Lower Sackville.  I can’t recall what other figures were available, possibly just Ren & Stimpy, because this is the only one I got and that was many years ago.  The bottom of the base tells me this was made by Dakin (never heard of ’em) in 1994.

This is a great little figure and I’ve had on it on display somewhere in my home ever since I first got it.  At present he’s hiding out amongst the DC heroes on my Super Powers shelf.  The sculpt is spot on, the pose is very heroic, and the expression on his face is perfect.  8 out of 10.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

It’s been about a month now since I’ve posted a toy review. That’s the longest break I’ve taken since I started this blog back in 2011. For that I apologize to my loyal readers. I’ve been neglecting the site for two main reasons.

1. I’m a little burnt out on writing about action figures. I’ve gotten so many great toys this summer but blogging about them was starting to feel more like a chore than a hobby.

2. I want to focus my creative energy elsewhere for a while. I used to write books and comics and screenplays but now whenever I sit down to write I end up blogging and its becoming a distraction. I’ve decided to tackle comics again. I’m working on reviving a book I used to make in high school, Costello Island. I’ve actually reviewed a couple home-made Costello Island toys on this blog over the years (Lance, Chiliwac, Philipae).

So you’ll see fewer reviews from me for the foreseeable future but I haven’t given up on blogging completely. I’m sure I’ll get the urge to ramble on about toys every now and again…like today for example.

Last Thursday stores all over America (and probably beyond) held midnight events to celebrate the release of the new Star Wars merchandise based on the upcoming film, Episode VII:The Force Awakens. I didn’t bother to attend but I went to a similar event when the Phantom Menace toys came out in ’99. I haven’t been an avid Star Wars figure collector for years and I really don’t want to get caught up in the hype again. I figured I’d probably buy a few of the 6” Black Series figures eventually but I wasn’t in any big rush to acquire them. As for the smaller 3 ¾” figures, I planned to ignore them completely. I already have way too many Star Wars figures in that scale sitting in bins in my closet.

I finally ventured into a local toy department yesterday; nearly a week after the “Force Friday” event. I could see the Star Wars display from across the store as there was a bunch of new signage to draw the eye. A fairly large section of the toy aisle had been devoted to the stuff and I couldn’t help but wonder, “How come G.I. Joe never gets this type of marketing support? Ho-hum”. There were lots of glowing lightsabres and a variety of other merchandise available but very little in the way of action figures which is the only thing I was interested in. There were a few pegs of 3 ¾” figures but I was disappointed to see the Black Series pegs were completely barren. The Star Wars fanboys and scalpers (and maybe even a few kids) had cleaned the place out.

I thumbed through the pegs of the small figures out of curiosity. Nothing caught my eye until I came across a lone Storm Trooper. At least I thought it was a Storm Trooper until I lifted him from the back of the peg and examined him. It turns out he’s a “First Order Flame Trooper”. Neat.  As much as I loved the standard Storm Troopers from the original Star Wars I preferred the variations seen in the next two movies. The Snow Trooper from Empire is one of my absolute favorite Star Wars character designs. It’s one of only 3 figures that I kept from my vintage childhood collection (Walrus Man and Ree-Yees being the other two). My brother Doug had an affinity for the Speeder Bike Troopers from Jedi and we were both fans of the AT-AT Drivers. This Flame Trooper reminded me of my beloved Snow Trooper and I had to have it. My plan to ignore the 3 ¾” figures went out the window pretty fast.

I’ll start with the negatives.  Articulation.  This figure only has 5-points of articulation; the bottom of the barrel for action figures.  He has swivel joints at his hips and shoulders and a ball-jointed neck.  Star Wars figures have traditionally only had 5-points, from the originals of the 80s right up to the modern figures of the 2000s so I shouldn’t be surprised.  It’s just disappointing because in recent years Hasbro increased the posability of their Star Wars figures by adding joints at the elbows and knees. It’s a shame to see them take a step backwards in quality but that seems to be the trend these days to cut costs.  That said, I complained about the articulation to Doug and he replied with “Yeah, but don’t you rave about ReAction figures?” Touche.  My only other gripe is that this figure doesn’t stand on his own and he doesn’t come with a display base.

Now for the good stuff.  I love this design and the sculpt.  This figure looks really cool.  It fresh yet familiar.  The body is very reminiscent of the classic Storm Trooper look except the chest plate covers more area.  The head is the piece that makes this figure stand out.  He’s got a sliver of a visor but otherwise it’s a featureless helmet. He doesn’t have the “mouth” of the original which is probably why he reminds me of the Snow Troopers.  For accessories he has a backpack with a hose that attaches to his flame thrower.  Both accessories are two-toned and they attach to him firmly.  He also came with a stupid round hunk of plastic which apparently joins with the stupid pieces packaged with other figures to form a crappy robot or something.  My piece ended up in the spare parts bin almost immediately.

Lastly I’ll mention the package is quite nice with some original artwork unique to the character.  I’m glad I picked this little guy up and I’ll definitely buy him in the larger scale too if Hasbro makes one.  9 out of 10.

G. I. JOE and the TRANSFORMERS

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (RAH) and Transformers have always been closely intertwined. Both properties launched in the early 80s with cartoons produced by Sunbow, comics produced by Marvel, and toys produced by Hasbro. The first time the two properties officially converged was in the “G.I. Joe and the Transformers” 4-issue mini-series published by Marvel in 1986. In the mid 2000s several more Joe vs Transformers  comic book mini-series were produced by the companies who held the licenses at that time, Dreamwave and Devil’s Due.  Currently there is an ongoing Joe/Transformers crossover book published by IDW.

In recent years the G.I. Joe and Transformers Collector’s Clubs have collaborated to produce the first official crossover toys.  They released exclusive mash-up box sets for the San Diego Comic Con in 2011, 2012, and 2013. 2011 gave us a Joe Sky Striker painted to look like Starscream, in 2012 it was a HISS tank version of Shockwave, and in 2013 it was a Jetfire Sky Striker and a Hound Vamp (plus this Bludgeon and a few others figures).  An unofficial crossover toy was released a few years earlier in the form of the Decepticon, Snowcat.

So while official comic book and toy crossovers have become commonplace, the two properties have never officially met in the world of animation.  However, there have been a few unofficial interactions.

In season 3 of the Transformers, which was set in the far flung future of 2005, links between the two cartoons were hinted at but never overtly acknowledged. For example, in the episode “Only Human” a mysterious masked man in a long trench coat named “Old Snake” hatched a plot against the Transformers. If the solid chrome face plate and the serpentine name were too subtle for you to realize that Old Snake was an older version of Cobra Commander the fact that he was voiced by Chris Latta should have eliminated all doubt.

Season 3 also introduced a new human female character to the cast of Transformers. Her name was Marissa Faireborn. In the Joe cartoon it was well established that Flint a.k.a. Dashiel Faireborn and Lady Jaye were a couple. It was widely accepted by fans that Marissa was intended to be their daughter all grown up (since the Joe cartoon was set in 1985).

Well the Joe and Transformers Collector’s Clubs have teamed up yet again to create two new sets of mash-up figures based on those unofficial crossover characters from season 3 of the Transformers cartoon.   Both sets recently went up for sale (along with Sub-Viper and his Wave Crusher) exclusively in the Clubs’ online stores. I ordered all of them of course.

The Old Snake figure comes with a couple of “Prime” Soundwave figures repainted to look like Battle Android Troopers (BATS). I wouldn’t have bought the Soundwave-BATS on their own but I suppose they’re kind of neat and I don’t mind that they were included with Old Snake even though they bumped up the price considerably.  It’s a nice set which I’ll review sometime soon.  Today I’m gonna be reviewing the Marissa Faireborn set.

Marissa came packaged with a motorcycle named Afterbreaker who is intended to be the Autobot Afterburner (Hasbro must have lost the rights to the original name).  I must confess that I find this set pretty underwhelming. It’s a real shame when the Club fumbles the ball because it sucks to pay big money for mediocre figures.   This figure and bike sets sells for $42US plus about $10 in shipping which costs me about $70 Canadian.  Ouch.

While Old Snake was a one-episode novelty character who is neat to have, Marissa Faireborn was an important recurring cast member who is integral to any Transformers collection. I was quite excited at the prospect of getting a G.I. Joe-style figure of her when the Club first announced they’d be producing this toy. I wasn’t blown away when images of the figure were first shown online but it had potential. She was made up entirely of reused parts (Scarlett, Baroness , and Cover Girl) which is standard practice for Club exclusives but I really would’ve liked to see them splurge for a new and unique head sculpt for this character. There are only a handful of female characters in the Joe toyline so when one of their heads get re-used its very noticeable. I can’t not see Cover Girl when I look at this figure. This head, with its windblown hair, first appeared on the new-sculpt Cover Girl in 2006. It was based on specific Cover Girl artwork from the Devil’s Due Joe comic. The head was re-used by the Club for a modern-era Cover Girl as part of their 2013 figure subscription service. It’s too closely associated with Cover Girl to be re-used for another character in my opinion. Having said that, if the club HAD to re-use a female head then this was the best choice. It features a great feminine sculpt and it looks more like the Marrissa from the cartoon than any Scarlett or Baroness head would have. As for the body, I have no real problems with it. It’s a surprisingly good representation of the jumpsuit she wore on the show. The paint job is simple but it’s nice and clean. The biggest problem I have with this figure is how the head and body fit together. Marrissa has a giraffe neck and it looks ridiculous.

For accessories Marissa has a pistol, a jet pack, what appears to be a flamethrower that connects to the pack via a hose, and a display base. She has a G.I. Joe base which is fine but it would have been pretty cool if they gave her a display base with an Autobot logo.

As for Afterburner, its a pretty crappy toy but its not the total piece of garbage it used to be. This bike originally came out as part of the G.I. Joe Retaliation toy line. Three sets of characters with motorcycles were released in that line. I passed on Snake Eyes and Flint and their clunker cycles. The only one I bought was Firefly because I halfheartedly wanted the figure and he just so happened to come with the “Wheel Blaster Bike”; aptly named because it could blast you with a projectile wheel. Both the figure and the bike were cheap and ugly.  I disliked the bike so much that I think I threw it out or gave it to my nephew which says a lot because I don’t like to part with anything. It’s almost funny, in a sad sort of way, that I ended up buying it again, and this time at a premium price. Thanks a lot Collector’s Club.

A couple of things I disliked about the original Blaster Bike was that it didn’t look like a real-world motorcycle and the orange color scheme didn’t fit with Firefly’s character.  I actually referred to it in my first review as an “orange space bike”. That lack of realism actually kind of works here because the original Afterburner didn’t look like a real motorcycle either; he was a 2-wheeled Cybertronian sci-fi bike and this hunk of junk is actually a decent representation.  The orange color scheme even works this time because the original Afterburner toy released in 1987 was fugly orange too.  He was one of the 5 Technobots that combined to form Computron. My brother Doug owned him when we were kids so I actually do have some fondness for the character.

1987 Afterburner

This set has its share of problems it’s still kind of a fun concept and an appreciated nod to hardcore fans of both properties. Marrissa Fairborn: 6 out of 10. Afterburner: 3 out of 10.

TRANSFORMERS: COMBINER WARS

(This is my 800th post!  Thanks for reading guys.)

I’ve reviewed a few combiner components from Hasbro’s new “Combiner Wars” toyline in recent months but this is my first full combiner review.  If you don’t know what a combiner is they’re the big robots you get when you combine a bunch of smaller robots. The very first combiner, released in 1985, was Devestator who was made up of a group of robots who individually transformed into construction vehicles so naturally they were called the Constructicons. Soon after Devestator’s release Hasbro released several more combiners and within two years there were nearly a dozen of them.  Despite the crowded field Devestator was always considered the biggest and baddest of all the combiners.

1985 original

I owned the original Devestator when I was a kid. I loved the idea of the toy and it looked pretty cool but it was nearly impossible to play with. That first combiner toy didn’t stay combined as well as advertised. All it took was a single punch from Optimus Prime and the guy would crumble to pieces. Another thing that bothered me about Devestator, and Transformers toys in general, was the scale. In the cartoons and comics Devestaor was huge and rightfully so because he was made up of 6 massive pieces of heavy equipment but the Devestator toy wasn’t much taller than Soundwave who transformed into a tape deck.

Regrettably I got rid of nearly all of my childhood Transformers when I thought I outgrew them; Devestator included. When I started collecting Transformers again in the mid 2000s I found myself buying up new versions of all the toys I once owned as a kid. I still wish I had the originals but the new ones were superior in several ways such as better sculpting, increased articulation, and the likenesses were much truer to the comics and cartoons. I eventually purchased new versions of almost every vintage Transformer I once owned but for some reason Hasbro held back on releasing new versions of any of the combiners. I had to make do with my Lego version of Devestator. It took a decade or so but Hasbro finally launched a combiner focused toyline in 2015. Now I’m getting more combiner toys than I know what to do with. In the past few months not only have I collected new versions of the Aerialbots, Stunticons, and Protectobots, but now even Transformers who were never part of a Combiner team before, like Iron Hide and Arcee, are getting in on the action.

Once “Combiner Wars” was announced I knew it wouldn’t be long before they got around to releasing a new version of Devestator and, sure enough, a Constructicons box-set recently hit stores. Unlike the other combiner figures that you have to buy individually, the Constructicons came packaged together in a huge box. At retail I think it might be exclusive to Toys R Us stores but I ordered mine online from BigBadToyStore. All combiners are made up of one big robot that forms the head and torso and 4 smaller robots that form the limbs; except for Devestator.  He’s made up of 6 robots and they’re all big. This means that Devestator is huge even when compared to other combiners. He’s closer in size to Metroplex now instead of Soundwave. The scale is still completely out of whack but at least Devestator is finally BIG. I can get past a plane being the same size as a car  but one thing that was never acceptable was a dinky little Devestator.

I won’t bother getting into reviewing the separate pieces today because I’ll talk about each Constructicon individually another time. Today I just want to review Devestator as a whole. I will say that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The individual figures are decent (some are better than others) but I feel they all got a little shortchanged. Some are lacking basic articulation like elbow joints, paint apps and stickers are minimal, and some of the sculpting benefits the combined form but not the individual. For example, Long Haul is the dump truck who makes up the lower torso. I know he needed to be thick since he’s the key piece holding Devestator together but the thickness doesn’t serve him well as an individual character, he looks like a little fatty with stubby limbs. Regardless of the individual issues the combined Devestator is a thing of beauty.

For some reason, in the Combiner Wars toyline Hasbro has swapped out an original member of each combiner group for a new character seemingly for no reason other than to piss off old-school fans. Hasbro could have spited Devestator fans in the same way by reducing him down to a 5 piece robot instead of 6 or they could have swapped out an original group member for a new one but thankfully they didn’t do either of those things.

Devestator is made up of all six original Constructicons and while their individual looks may have changed a bit the combined design is very true to the original. The entire build, and most importantly the face, looks just how it should. I have zero complaints about the look of the figure.  However his greatest weakness remains his sturdiness.  The individual figures lock together quite well so I have no fear of him falling apart on his own. Mine has been assembled for several weeks now with no problems. He’s definitely better constructed than the original but I’m still not sure he could withstand any rugged play. His Scrapper leg is his most frustrating component as his weight is supposed to rest on the shovel as if it was his toes but it slides out of place very easily when you move him around.  His articulation isn’t too bad but the more you move him around the less sturdy he feels.

The color scheme is purple and green throughout just like the classic version which makes for a nice cohesive look that isn’t found on other combiners. For accessories he has a massive purple cannon (don’t snicker) which is the same size or bigger than most other Transformers in my collection.

This toy isn’t perfect but it’s pretty damn cool. Almost all of my issues with this set have to do with the individual Constructicons and not the combined form and since I’m likely going to keep him combined those issues don’t matter so much. This set is pretty expensive at $140 but I’d still say that Devestator is a must-have figure for any Transformers fan so if you see one grab it.  If you’re lucky maybe you’ll find one for 25% off like my brother did today.  9 out of 10.

MARVEL INFINITE

Tarzan and Mowgli never impressed me much but I’ve always liked the concept of a “jungle girl”.  What’s not to like about a buxom blonde swinging through the jungle wrestling apes?  I’d say the only thing better is a buxom blonde swinging through the jungle wrestling dinosaurs. What can I say, I’m a fan of both hot girls in loin cloths and prehistoric worlds so when you put them together  you can’t lose. My first exposure to such a thing was most likely the movie One Million Years BC starring Raquel Welch. Nova from the original Planet of the Apes was another loin-cloth laden maiden that I was exposed to when I was young.

Not only does this genre appeal to me on the big screen but also in comic book form.  That is why I’ve always been a fan of Shanna the She-Devil, a Marvel character whose been around since the early 70s. Before my time she started out as a solo act but by the time I started reading comics in the 80s she was married to Marvel’s lord of the jungle, Ka-Zar. After that she tended to play second fiddle to her slightly more popular husband. The two of them, along with their trusty sabre-tooth tiger sidekick Zabu, ruled over the Savage Land; a prehistoric jungle hidden in Antartica.

Shanna’s 1972 solo book only lasted 5 issues and after that she was relegated to occasional guest star status.  Shanna hadn’t been featured prominently in any Marvel books for decades when a strange thing happened in the mid-2000s; there was a sudden surge of jungle girl books seemingly out of nowhere. Shanna got her own 7-issue mini-series at Marvel in 2005, and then Sheena (a classic jungle girl from the 1940s) got her own mini-series from Devil’s Due Publishing and then a brand new jungle girl, imaginatively named “Jungle Girl”, appeared shortly afterwards in a mini-series published by Dynamite. It was a good time to be a jungle girl fan but it could’ve been a great time if more effort had went into the books.

The Shanna book was written and drawn by Frank Cho. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Cho do yourself a favour and look up some of his artwork.

I happen to own one of his art books titled “Apes and Babes” which is always a joy to flip through. He’s been working pretty steadily in mainstream comics since 2005 but he first came to my attention a few years earlier when he was writing and drawing the daily newspaper strip, Liberty Meadows. If you don’t recall the strip, it featured a gorgeously-rendered brunette caring for a bunch of wacky cartoon animals. It was far from my favorite strip but I appreciated his drawing skills which were leaps and bounds beyond those of most other newspaper cartoonists.

I was excited about the Shanna book when it was announced.  Not only for Cho’s artwork but also because it was a chance for a C-list character to really shine. I was quite surprised to discover after reading the first issue that the series was not about Shanna the She-Devil, the wife of Ka-Zar, but some other blonde in a fur bikini who was bio-engineered in a Nazi lab in the Savage Land. A group of men who crash land there discover her and name her Shanna. This was a puzzling choice. Why not create a new character or use the existing one? It was a little confusing trying to figure out how this story fit into the Marvel Universe at large. Was there two Shannas now or was the story not even set in the standard Marvel Universe? Despite the confusion I still enjoyed the series. The artwork was beautiful but the story was generic and dialogue was sparse (so as not to clutter up the many splash pages of Shanna posed provocatively) which made it difficult to get attached to any of the characters.

not Shanna

A second Shanna mini-series followed in 2007 without Cho attached. Instead, Cho opted to go create “Jungle Girl” (who was pretty much the exact same character as his rebooted Shanna) and publish through Dynamite.  I assume he did this for creative control reasons.  The second Shanna series was equally underwhelming stroy-wise and without Cho the artwork failed to impress either.

in 2013 Cho returned to draw Shanna in a Wolverine storyline set in the Savage Land but it oddly featured the original Shanna (Ka-Zar’s wife) not the new girl Cho created in ’05. It seems the present Shanna the She-Devil  is an amalgamation of the two characters.

This Shanna figure was included in the most recent wave of 3 ¾” Marvel Infinite figures. I picked her up at Walmart about a week ago. My patience is wearing thin with this line because I don’t feel the quality matches the price. I also bought the Vulture figure from the same wave and it’s a piece of junk. Thankfully this Shanna figure did not disappoint me. I actually think this is a pretty great action figure. The sculpting is really nice and the paint job too.   Her eye and lip paints apps are perfect so it makes me wonder why so many modern G.I. Joes produced by Hasbro are so sloppy.  The figure is well articulated but doesn’t have any torso joints.  I’m okay with that because multiple joints can often detract visually from a figure with so much skin showing.  The previously released Marvel Legend Shanna is a prime example of that.

6″ Marvel Legends Shanna

The only accessory she comes with is a large dagger which can be sheathed on her belt.  I’m happy to get any accessory considering so few of these Marvel figures come with add-ons but it would’ve been nice to get a spear and maybe even a little dinosaur too. If nothing else she should come with a display base. The fact that Hasbro has stopped including display bases really pisses me off. I wouldn’t care if they did away with the personalized bases to save on costs but a generic black base should come standard.

In closing, this is a great little figure and I can’t imagine how Hasbro could have done any better at this scale.  Hopefully we get an equally good Ka-Zar in the near future.  10 out of 10.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

When the first wave of Star Wars “The Force Awakens” figures hit stores a couple of weeks ago I went looking for the 6” Black Series figures. Those are the only Star Wars figures I’ve been interested in collecting for the last couple of years and I’m even selective with those. I didn’t plan on buying any of the smaller figures even though I have been known to occasionally pick one up from time to time (i.e. Darth Malgus  and Savage Opress). All of the Black Series figures were sold out so rather than come home empty handed I caved and bought the 3 ¾” First Order Flame Trooper. The figure was severely lacking in articulation but I liked the design.  The uniform  was sort of an amalgamation of the original Storm Trooper and the original Snow Trooper. The Snow Troopers from Empire Strikes Back were my favorite type of Imperial soldier when I was a kid. I liked their elongated masks which I thought made them look like ghosts.

I went to Walmart again the other day and my timing must have been good because it looked as though they had freshly stocked their toy shelves. Not only did they have all of the 6″ Black Series figures (I bought Kilo Ren) but they also had a bunch of small figures I hadn’t seen before. Since I had already broken the seal with the Flame Trooper I found myself tempted to buy a bunch of them.  It took some willpower but I eventually settled on two, the First Order Storm Trooper and the First Order Snow Trooper.

I have done my best to avoid spoilers for this movie. I’ve watched the trailers but that’s it. I haven’t even bothered to look at pictures of the upcoming toys. I knew there were new Storm Troopers in the movie because of the trailer but discovering the Flame Trooper in the toy aisle a few weeks back was a cool surprise. Seeing an updated Snow Trooper on my most recent shopping trip was an even cooler surprise. After getting the Flame Trooper and seeing how its design was inspired by the original Snow Trooper I assumed that alone was enough of a nod to the Empire’s cold weather specialists. I did not expect that the Snow Troopers themselves would also get a “First Order” make-over.

I must say that I really like all of these new trooper designs. They aren’t too far removed from the original iconic designs and they’re all similar enough to each other to make for a cohesive looking team. I don’t like this new Snow Trooper design as much as the original but it seems like a logical evolution of the outfit and it’s still pretty cool.

The uniform is quite similar to that of the Flame Trooper except this guy has a lid (for lack of a better word) on his helmet.  It looks like it could perhaps be a 2-piece helmet akin to Darth Vaders. Another unique element of the Snow Trooper uniform is the long skirt. I don’t know what purpose it serves but I guess I’m glad they kept it for consistency since the original Snow Trooper also had a skirt. I wish the skirt was a separate piece rather than being sculpted to his legs because it looks fine when he’s standing but it looks pretty goofy when you move his legs.  On the plus side at least the skirt can’t get misplaced.  My 80s Snow Trooper lost his skirt quite quickly.

As with the Flame Trooper and pretty much every other Star Wars figure this guy has a lousy 5-points of articulation, his legs, arms, and head move.  At least the head is ball-jointed to allow for plenty of head movement. For accessories the Snow Trooper comes with a pretty cool rifle and some other piece of garbage which is going directly into my spare parts bin.

There’s not much to talk about paint-wise but what few apps there are were done well. The overall sculpt is quite nice and I think it will look even better when a 6” version of this guy comes out.  I’ll definitely pick up the larger version when I get a chance but I’m still happy I snagged this guy in the meantime. Spending ten bucks  on a toy is like a breath of fresh air after paying twenty to thirty dollars for all my Transformers and Marvel figures; and don’t even get me started on the Masters of the Universe and G.I. Joe figures that I can only buy online.

In summation, I dig this little figure. It was ten dollars well spent. Absolutely zero buyer’s remorse which is rare these days. 8 out of 10.

I use this blog to write about my toy collection, hence the title “Mike’s Collection”.  It’s the only blog I have.  I don’t have a diary/journal type of blog where I can talk about slice-of-life type things so I hope you don’t mind if I veer off topic this one time to talk about something non-toy related.  I want to talk about my guinea pig, Winkerton.  I don’t mean to imply at all that Winkerton was a part of my collection by writing about her on this blog.  She was my beloved pet and friend and she passed away in my arms a few hours ago.

My family had a dog named Girl when I was very young but for most of my life we had cats when I was growing up.  Our first cat was Cloudy and she was gifted to my brother Doug from our grandfather.  Then my sister Angie got Thunder and later my sister Katie got Drizzle who was later followed by Tux. The first pets I owned that I could really call my own (with the exception of some fish) were four white mice.  Their names were Artie, Vince, Trent, and Ozzie.  They were cute but quite vicious towards one another so I eventually had to keep them all in separate cages.  I enjoyed having a small animal ever present in my room to talk to but the mice were not a very affectionate bunch.  I never felt like they recognized or knew me.  I considered getting a rat because my friend Ross had one and it seemed much more aware then my mice did but I knew my mom would freak out if I ever tried to bring a rat into the house.  After perusing the pet stores I decided that a guinea pig might be what I was looking for.  They weren’t as skittish as mice, didn’t have long creepy tails like rats, they weren’t as stinky as ferrets, and they weren’t as boring as hedgehogs.  It was some years after my mice were all gone that my then girlfriend Toni got me a guinea pig for Christmas.  I named her Wheels.

Wheels was an awesome guinea pig who loved to curl up in the pouch of my hoodies and watch movies with me.  She was quite affectionate.  After a while I felt bad that she was all alone in her cage so I got her a companion whom I named Widget.  There was an adjustment period but I like to think they became friends before too long.  Widget had lots of personality.  I used to put her on the floor of my apartment and she would chase me around like we were playing tag.  I probably went overboard when I bought a third pig whom I named Waffles.  A week or two after I bought Waffles she had a baby and I now suddenly had 4 guinea pigs in one cage.  My 3 pigs were all girls and the baby was a boy who would be sexually active in a matter of weeks so I had to find another home for him quickly before I found myself with a dozen guinea pigs.  Toni and I had split by then and I had moved into a bachelor apartment but she offered to take the baby off my hands.  She named him Baby and he lived a good life.

After 4 years together Wheels passed away.  Widget passed away about a year later.  She was also around 4 years old. Both went quickly and quietly.  It was at about the 4-year mark for Waffles too when she got sick.  Unlike the others she hung in there for more than a week before she passed.  I took her to the vet and got her medication but it killed me to watch her suffer like that.  After she was gone and I found myself pigless for the first time in about 6 years I decided I would not be getting another.

Waffles’ death occurred shortly after a 4 year relationship ended.  I was pretty down in the dumps already and coming home to an empty apartment everyday didn’t help.  If you weren’t aware, guinea pigs actually make a lot of noise.  They squeak all the time and sometimes its almost like they’re singing. They shuffle around in their wood chips and they click on the water bottles.  I had become so accustomed to those sounds over the years that once they were gone completely the silence was deafening.   I lasted about a week before I went looking for a new guinea pig companion.  I found Winkerton.

I had originally planned to break the W-names pattern and name her Pinkerton after my favorite Weezer album but at the last minute I decided on Winkerton to honour the pigs that came before her.  Having another living thing to talk to in my bachelor apartment meant the world to me during that rough patch.  My action figures are great and I love them but they’ll never love me back.  I’m pretty sure Winkerton did.  Her cage was on my computer desk and she always pressed her nose up to the glass to see what I was doing whenever I was on the computer.  She liked it when I petted her and she never shied away from attention.  We were quite close in those early days and I took her out of the cage all the time.

After a while I met Vanessa and we moved in together. We got a large 2-bedroom apartment which was a nice upgrade from the bachelor.  Winkerton got her own table next to the patio door.  I hope she liked it there because she got lots of sunlight and had a view of the outside but the days of watching me at the computer were gone.  I still talked to her often and went over to pet her frequently but I never spent any real time over by her table.  I feel bad about that.  Even when Vanessa and I separated for a while and I moved into my current apartment I relied on Winkerton to  keep me company but I didn’t take her out of her cage as much as I should have.  She loved running around the floor and exploring the place.  I may not have been as attentive an owner as I should have been the last little while but I still think she was happy.

I was out at Vanessa’s last night and I returned home this afternoon to find Winkerton on her side and breathing heavily.  I wrapped her in a towel and held her while she trembled and wheezed until she was gone.  It was tough. My eyes are still red and my cheeks are still wet. She was with me longer than any of my previous guinea pigs and she saw me through tougher times.  It’s Thanksgiving today in Canada and I’m thankful that she held on long enough for me to see her off.  Had I returned home to find her already gone I’d be plagued with guilt for a long time to come.

Winky was a great pet.  I don’t plan on replacing her anytime soon but if the silence gets too loud again you never know. It’s already too quiet in here.  Rest in peace Winkerton.  Thanks for indulging me guys, back to toys next time.

MARVEL LEGENDS

Build-a-Figures have to be one of the best and worst things to happen to toy collecting in recent years. If you’re buying all of the figures in a toy line anyway then getting parts to build an additional figure packaged with each toy is pretty rad. Unfortunately, none of the lines that I collect as a completist (or near-completist at least) such as G.I. Joe, Transformers, Masters of the Universe, and Marvel Universe, have build-a-figures so there are no “free” figures for me. As luck would have it the only toy line making use of the concept at present is one that I only collect casually; Marvel Legends. By casually I mean I only buy figures of characters that I REALLY want and generally they’re characters who haven’t already been released in the smaller 3 3/4″ Marvel Universe scale. My small Marvel Legends collection consists of characters like Agent Venom, Anti-Venom, Machine Man, and  Arana. All characters omitted from the “Universe” line.

One of the most recent waves of Marvel Legends featured a figure that I REALLY wanted, the Hobgoblin. I already own multiple Hobgoblin figures but I really wanted this particular one and it just so happened to be the wave’s build-a-figure. This is why build-a-figures can be the worst.  I didn’t really want any of the other figures from the wave but I needed them all in order to get the 6 separate piece required to build the Hobgoblin. So of course I ended up buying an entire wave of figures I otherwise wouldn’t have.  Damn you Hasbro.

Ever since I was a little kid the Green Goblin was my favorite Spider-Man villain. That likely stemmed from watching re-runs of the 70s cartoon and seeing him on various merchandise. I’ve had this toy for as long as I can remember.  Sadly, by the time I started collecting comic books at 8 years old the original Green Goblin, Norman Osborn, was long dead. His son Harry took up the mantle a couple of times but he was never as good a villain and even he eventually died too.

The 1st appearance of the original Hobgoblin from 1983

However, it was right around the time that I started collecting comics that a new character was introduced, the Hobgoblin. A mystery man discovered one of Norman’s old hideouts filled with goblin gear and decided to become a super villain. He changed the color of the costume, donned a hood, and immediately became a huge thorn in Spidey’s side. In many ways the Hobgoblin was even cooler than his predecessor the Green Goblin. His costume made him look as though he was a yellow skinned goblin wearing blue chainmail on his arms and legs as opposed the Green Goblin’s costume which gave the appearance of a green-skinned goblin with bare arms and legs. Also the hood allowed for artists to draw Hob with only his red eyes showing in an otherwise black void of a face. It was a much creepier visage than the long purple sleeping cap and luscious eyelashes worn by Norman. Plus the Hobgoblin was a rational and cunning villain instead of a total whack job like the Green Goblin. 

After a few red herrings and retcons the original Hobgoblin’s identity was revealed to be Roderick Kingsley. I have an old 5” Toy Biz produced Hobgoblin figure which I feel represents the Kingsley version quite well. The second Hobgoblin was Jason Macendale. If I’m being honest he was a lesser Hobgoblin but I was a big fan of the character anyway because Macendale was formerly the villain known as Jack-O-Lantern (one of my all-time favorite characters who’s slated to get his own Marvel Legends figure soon).  The Macendale Hobgoblin was more maniacal and his costume was tattered (especially after getting possessed by a demon but that’s a story for another time). I have a couple Hobgoblin figures that I feel are decent representations of the Macendale version.

This new Legends figure of the Hobgoblin is neither of those guys. This is Phil Urich, nephew of Ben Urich who is a long-standing supporting character in both Spider-Man and Daredevil comics. Phil actually had his own series for a while in the mid-90s back when he was a heroic Green Goblin. Just as Kingsley had done many years earlier, Phil stumbled upon one of Norman’s old hideouts but instead of using the goblin gear for evil he decided to become a super hero. I quite enjoyed the series and was sad to see it end after only 13 issues. Thankfully Phil return years later in a team book called the Loners.

I still don’t understand why Phil went bad all of the sudden and decided to become the new Hobgoblin but that’s what he did in 2011 courtesy of writer Dan Slott. The Urich version of Hobby was quite different from the previous versions. He had a much more “Lord of the Rings” look about him and he had wings instead of the usual glider. I didn’t care for the unexplained change in attitude but I was happy to see the character being utilized and I really liked Phil’s new costume.  It didn’t hurt that artist extraordinaire, Humberto Ramos, was the one to design it. He had given Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin a similar LOTR make-over a few years earlier (Norman was back from the dead by then.  Oh, comics.).

So this figure is the first and thus far only version of the Phil Urich Hobgoblin which is why I wanted it despite already owning multiple Hobgoblin figures. To get it I had to buy Anti-Venom, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Black Widow, Daredevil, and Spider-Girl. I actually wanted Anti-Venom so that was fine and the Spider-Girl figure is pretty cool too.  Spider-Man, Daredevil and 2009 are all decent figures but I have multiple versions of those guys and I didn’t need them. I don’t have any figures of the Black Widow but I really don’t like the character and did not want to buy it (This isn’t the Russian red-head we’re talking about by the way, this is a female clone of teenage Peter Parker from an alternate universe with the unimaginative costume and she sucks). I wanted a complete Hobgoblin though so I bought them all and so this bonus “free” figure ended up costing me over $150 to build.  The price point hurts but this figure does not disappoint.

This sculpt on this figure is amazing.  There are so many great details on the body like the buckles on the boots, the chainmail in the skirt, and the padding in the chest but its the face that is truly stellar. He’s got an evil scowl and an open mouth with individually sculpted jagged teeth.  It’s very true to Ramos’s artwork.  This figure is loaded with articulation such as double jointed knees and elbows and ball jointed limbs so he can be posed all sorts of ways.  For accessories he has a flame sword sculpted in translucent yellow plastic, a separate de-flamed version of the sword’s hilt, a pumpkin bomb and a killer set of wings that he wears like a knapsack. I really wish he had been available as a single packed figure that way more people could enjoy him and I would’ve saved some money but other than that I can find nothing to complain about.  I love it.  10 out of 10.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE CLASSICS

I buy almost all of the Masters of the Universe Classics figures produced by Mattel. I log onto the MattyCollector website on the 15th of just about every month to buy the latest offerings. Unfortunately, some of the figures have sold out very quickly and as a result I’ve missed out on a few key characters. Mattel offers a subscription service to ensure collectors like myself don’t miss any of the figures but I’ve never subscribed for the following reasons:

-Paying for the full-year subscription makes for a very expensive lump sum payment.

-I’d be locked into buying every single figure, even though not all of the figures are announced by the subscription deadline, meaning I could be committing to some real duds.

-And Mattel doesn’t allow for combined shipping between subscription figures and non-subscription purchases made on the site.

However, outside of the annual subscription that locks you into buying 15+ figures, Mattel has begun offering mini-subscriptions that only lock you into buying 6 figures. The mini-subs focus on a specific group of characters within the MOTU mythology that may not appeal to the fandom at large. For example, last year they ran a subscription for the mini-figure 2 packs. Prior to that they ran mini-subs for obscure filmation characters and for brand new characters to celebrate the brand’s 30th anniversary.  I’ve considered subbing a few times but I never made the commitment until their latest min-sub which focuses on 200X characters.

The “200X” title refers to the MOTU animated series and toy line that launched in 2002 to much acclaim. I was a HUGE fan of the cartoon which ran for 2 seasons (39 episodes) and I loved the stylized toys and statues based on the anime-inspired character designs. A few of the new characters that were created for the 200X show have made their way into the Classics toy line (i.e. Chief Carnivus and Lord Dactys) but by and large the Classics line has focused on the vintage MOTU mythology. The 200X mini-sub consists of 6 figures based on characters that first appeared in the 200X cartoon and who have never been made into toys before.   I chose to sub for the following reasons:

-All six figures hd been revealed by the subscription deadline and they all looked awesome.

-Mattel offered an option for the figures to ship out in bundles of 3 rather than 1 at a time so I was able to save on shipping. Also,  they billed in instalments rather than in one large lump sum.

-And subscribers got a free bonus gift.

The 6 figures were reason enough to warrant subscribing but the bonus gift was like the cherry on top that sealed the deal. The bonus gift is a pack of 6 alternate heads in the 200X style intended for previously released MOTU Classics figures. Some characters looked drastically different from their vintage counterparts when redesigned for the 200X line and these new heads allow you to display “Classics” versions of those dynamic reimaginings.

BUZZ-OFF

I’ll start with Buzz-Off because he’s one of my favorite MOTU characters. I’ll forever love the  vintage look because I grew up with it but the 200X redesign was undeniably cooler.  It was much leaner and more angular and the long antennae  provided a truer bug-like appearance.  It was less cutesy and more badass. The 200X Buzz-Off figure looks awesome displayed on my shelf but unfortunately I’m quickly running out of shelf space so my 200X collection may soon end up boxed up to make room for more current toy lines.  This new head will take some of the “sting” out of boxing up my 200X Buzz-Off because now I can display my Classics Buzz-Off with this 200X-style head.  However, I’m not 100% sure I’ll do that because the vintage style head has a nostalgic charm about it that makes me smile.  Also the 200X head doesn’t quite look natural on the bulkier body of the Classics figure; plus the bright banana yellow used on this new head doesn’t match up as nicely with the more mustardy yellow of the body and original head.  I really like them both and I’d almost rather try to find another Buzz-Off for cheap so I can display him both ways rather than choose.

CLAWFUL

Next up is Clawful. Apparently some people hate the big bushy black eyebrows of the original Classics head. I personally don’t mind my Clawful looking like Eugene Levy but this new 200X head is a really nice update regardless.  The change isn’t as drastic as the Buzz-Off redesign but what they changed were improvements.  The new head has more ridges and protrusions and the eyes are less cartoonish.  I’m undecided if I’ll make the change on Clawful because I like the new and the old heads but they’re not different enough to warrant buying another figure so I can display both.

SY-KLONE

Sy-Klone was probably my least favorite MOTU character when I was a kid. He was at least in my bottom five. That changed with the 200X series. He went from being a total goofball to a badass samurai courtesy of an impressive redesign. I thought his portrayal in the 200X animated series was awesome and it really fleshed out the character. I was a big fan of the 200X toy as well.  If not for his 200X make-over I probably wouldn’t have even bothered to buy the Classics version of Sy-Klone; I disliked him that much. However, I did buy the Classics version when it came out in 2011 but it’s been relegated to the back of the shelf because it looks like the goofy vintage version that I never liked. This new 200X-inspired head isn’t as good as the actual 200X head but its a big improvement over the 2011 head.  The 200X Sy-Klone was clearly Asian but his ethnicity seems to have been undone for this new head which is unfortunate.  In Sy-Klone’s case I will absolutely swap out the old head for this new one and he may actually work his way to the front of the shelf as a result.

ROBOTO

I never owned the vintage Roboto which was disappointing because I always thought it was a neat figure with it’s see-thru chest and working gears.  I did get the 200X version though and it was even better than the original.  It still had the chest and gears gimmick but the overall design had been bulked up and pimped out.  I love my 200X Roboto.  The Classics version was released in 2010, before I had committed to collecting the line, so I didn’t buy it.  I regret that decision now because I became a big fan of the line soon afterwards and have tried to collect them all and yet Roboto still eludes me.  For that reason this 200X-style Roboto head isn’t much good to me because I don’t have a body to put it on.  I will get that figure eventually though and I will definitely put this head on it.  The original Roboto looked more like a knight where as this one is very much science-fiction.  I love the sloped visor and the articulated jaw.  It’s such a great looking head that maybe I’ll pop it onto someone else untilI track down a Roboto.

2010 Classics Roboto

GRIZZLOR

Like Clawful, Grizzlor isn’t a character I needed updated. I’m fine with his Classics head and the vintage figure that inspired it. I liked the 200X redesign as well but the only major change was the addition of a yellow ring around his face. I’m not sure what purpose it was supposed to serve, maybe just to keep his hair out of his face, but it looked cool regardless. It reminds me of the headgear boxers wear when training or that odd headpiece Shatterstar from X-Force wears.  The actual face on the new head is smaller and there are fewer sculpted details in the face; he’s not as wrinkly.  I find its more ape-like than the original. I might’ve considered swapping out the old head for the new one but unfortunately the rooted hair on the new head doesn’t quite match the hair on the body so I think I’ll stick with the original.

SNOUT SPOUT

Lastly is Snout Spout, the crown jewel of this collection. Like Sy-Klone, the original Snout Spout was a dork. He had a big round robot elephant head sitting atop a man’s body and he looked ridiculous. I never owned it but my little brother Brian did oddly enough.  it may have been the only He-Man figure he owned.  Snout Spout never appeared in the 200X cartoon and he never got a 200X figure but he did get a statue and it was amazeballs.

200X vs vintage Classics heads

The 200X redesign cranked Snout Spout up from a 3 to an 11. He was still a dude with a robotic elephant head but the proportions were way better and the design was much sleeker and meaner looking. I loved that statue and I was totally bummed that I never managed to get one  (They were very tough to find in my area). Well I’m bummed no longer because Mattel has given me this awesome new 200X-inspired Snout Spout head.  This thing is a beast. The original head looks like Babar while this new head looks like Darth Vader with a trunk (not exactly, I’m just saying it’s hella cool).  I wish the nose were articulated but other than that this thing is perfect.

The Heads of Eternia set is a great add-on and I’m glad I subscribed in order to get it. I may only swap out 2 or 3 of the heads but those heads do wonders for those 2 or 3 figures. It’s unfortunate that the Classics bodies don’t really mesh well with the 200X heads in general but I’m happy to see Mattel acknowledge this brief but excellent era of MOTU. I hope to see another one of these sets in the future,  a 200X Leech would be insane. 8 out of 10.

REN & STIMPY

I used to be a big fan of the Ren & Stimpy show.  Up here in Canada it aired on Much Music (our version of MTV) and I believe it debuted when I was in junior high.  I think it aired a year or two earlier in the States even though the creator, John Kricfalusi, is Canadian.  I remember it was considered a racy show at the time, as was the Simpsons which debuted a year or two earlier, which seems pretty silly nowadays.

I thought both Ren and Stimpy were pretty funny but they were actually some of my least favourite characters on the show. I preferred the offbeat side characters like Mr. Horse, Muddy Mudskipper, and Powdered Toast Man.  As evidence of just how much I liked the C-list supporting cast check out one of my earliest toy reviews: the Shaven Yak.

Even though he only showed up a handful of times I absolutely loved Powdered Toast Man.

He was a completely ridiculous yet awesome character.  As a fan of super heroes in general it can be fun to see them skewered in such a manner.   PTM’s secret identity was Pastor Toastman, a youth deacon.  He would shed his collar and leap into action wearing only his  speedo whenever the world was in danger or when a child was in need of a balanced breakfast.

Powdered Toast Man was the spokesperson for the cereal Powdered Toast and he could make the stuff by scraping his toasty body with a butter knife or winking.  Once everyone’s bowls were brimming with freshly made cereal he would launch himself out the window either by ejecting his double-breaded head from a toaster or just by ripping a huge fart.

His catchphrase was “Leave everything to me!” but the quote I most remember is “Are you clinging tenaciously to my buttocks?”

This little figurine is about 2.5 inches tall.  It doesn’t move at all and it is permanently attached to its display base.  I bought it at the first Blockbuster Video I worked at in my hometown of Lower Sackville.  I can’t recall what other figures were available, possibly just Ren & Stimpy, because this is the only one I got and that was many years ago.  The bottom of the base tells me this was made by Dakin (never heard of ’em) in 1994.

This is a great little figure and I’ve had on it on display somewhere in my home ever since I first got it.  At present he’s hiding out amongst the DC heroes on my Super Powers shelf.  The sculpt is spot on, the pose is very heroic, and the expression on his face is perfect.  8 out of 10.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

It’s been about a month now since I’ve posted a toy review. That’s the longest break I’ve taken since I started this blog back in 2011. For that I apologize to my loyal readers. I’ve been neglecting the site for two main reasons.

1. I’m a little burnt out on writing about action figures. I’ve gotten so many great toys this summer but blogging about them was starting to feel more like a chore than a hobby.

2. I want to focus my creative energy elsewhere for a while. I used to write books and comics and screenplays but now whenever I sit down to write I end up blogging and its becoming a distraction. I’ve decided to tackle comics again. I’m working on reviving a book I used to make in high school, Costello Island. I’ve actually reviewed a couple home-made Costello Island toys on this blog over the years (Lance, Chiliwac, Philipae).

So you’ll see fewer reviews from me for the foreseeable future but I haven’t given up on blogging completely. I’m sure I’ll get the urge to ramble on about toys every now and again…like today for example.

Last Thursday stores all over America (and probably beyond) held midnight events to celebrate the release of the new Star Wars merchandise based on the upcoming film, Episode VII:The Force Awakens. I didn’t bother to attend but I went to a similar event when the Phantom Menace toys came out in ’99. I haven’t been an avid Star Wars figure collector for years and I really don’t want to get caught up in the hype again. I figured I’d probably buy a few of the 6” Black Series figures eventually but I wasn’t in any big rush to acquire them. As for the smaller 3 ¾” figures, I planned to ignore them completely. I already have way too many Star Wars figures in that scale sitting in bins in my closet.

I finally ventured into a local toy department yesterday; nearly a week after the “Force Friday” event. I could see the Star Wars display from across the store as there was a bunch of new signage to draw the eye. A fairly large section of the toy aisle had been devoted to the stuff and I couldn’t help but wonder, “How come G.I. Joe never gets this type of marketing support? Ho-hum”. There were lots of glowing lightsabres and a variety of other merchandise available but very little in the way of action figures which is the only thing I was interested in. There were a few pegs of 3 ¾” figures but I was disappointed to see the Black Series pegs were completely barren. The Star Wars fanboys and scalpers (and maybe even a few kids) had cleaned the place out.

I thumbed through the pegs of the small figures out of curiosity. Nothing caught my eye until I came across a lone Storm Trooper. At least I thought it was a Storm Trooper until I lifted him from the back of the peg and examined him. It turns out he’s a “First Order Flame Trooper”. Neat.  As much as I loved the standard Storm Troopers from the original Star Wars I preferred the variations seen in the next two movies. The Snow Trooper from Empire is one of my absolute favorite Star Wars character designs. It’s one of only 3 figures that I kept from my vintage childhood collection (Walrus Man and Ree-Yees being the other two). My brother Doug had an affinity for the Speeder Bike Troopers from Jedi and we were both fans of the AT-AT Drivers. This Flame Trooper reminded me of my beloved Snow Trooper and I had to have it. My plan to ignore the 3 ¾” figures went out the window pretty fast.

I’ll start with the negatives.  Articulation.  This figure only has 5-points of articulation; the bottom of the barrel for action figures.  He has swivel joints at his hips and shoulders and a ball-jointed neck.  Star Wars figures have traditionally only had 5-points, from the originals of the 80s right up to the modern figures of the 2000s so I shouldn’t be surprised.  It’s just disappointing because in recent years Hasbro increased the posability of their Star Wars figures by adding joints at the elbows and knees. It’s a shame to see them take a step backwards in quality but that seems to be the trend these days to cut costs.  That said, I complained about the articulation to Doug and he replied with “Yeah, but don’t you rave about ReAction figures?” Touche.  My only other gripe is that this figure doesn’t stand on his own and he doesn’t come with a display base.

Now for the good stuff.  I love this design and the sculpt.  This figure looks really cool.  It fresh yet familiar.  The body is very reminiscent of the classic Storm Trooper look except the chest plate covers more area.  The head is the piece that makes this figure stand out.  He’s got a sliver of a visor but otherwise it’s a featureless helmet. He doesn’t have the “mouth” of the original which is probably why he reminds me of the Snow Troopers.  For accessories he has a backpack with a hose that attaches to his flame thrower.  Both accessories are two-toned and they attach to him firmly.  He also came with a stupid round hunk of plastic which apparently joins with the stupid pieces packaged with other figures to form a crappy robot or something.  My piece ended up in the spare parts bin almost immediately.

Lastly I’ll mention the package is quite nice with some original artwork unique to the character.  I’m glad I picked this little guy up and I’ll definitely buy him in the larger scale too if Hasbro makes one.  9 out of 10.

G. I. JOE and the TRANSFORMERS

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (RAH) and Transformers have always been closely intertwined. Both properties launched in the early 80s with cartoons produced by Sunbow, comics produced by Marvel, and toys produced by Hasbro. The first time the two properties officially converged was in the “G.I. Joe and the Transformers” 4-issue mini-series published by Marvel in 1986. In the mid 2000s several more Joe vs Transformers  comic book mini-series were produced by the companies who held the licenses at that time, Dreamwave and Devil’s Due.  Currently there is an ongoing Joe/Transformers crossover book published by IDW.

In recent years the G.I. Joe and Transformers Collector’s Clubs have collaborated to produce the first official crossover toys.  They released exclusive mash-up box sets for the San Diego Comic Con in 2011, 2012, and 2013. 2011 gave us a Joe Sky Striker painted to look like Starscream, in 2012 it was a HISS tank version of Shockwave, and in 2013 it was a Jetfire Sky Striker and a Hound Vamp (plus this Bludgeon and a few others figures).  An unofficial crossover toy was released a few years earlier in the form of the Decepticon, Snowcat.

So while official comic book and toy crossovers have become commonplace, the two properties have never officially met in the world of animation.  However, there have been a few unofficial interactions.

In season 3 of the Transformers, which was set in the far flung future of 2005, links between the two cartoons were hinted at but never overtly acknowledged. For example, in the episode “Only Human” a mysterious masked man in a long trench coat named “Old Snake” hatched a plot against the Transformers. If the solid chrome face plate and the serpentine name were too subtle for you to realize that Old Snake was an older version of Cobra Commander the fact that he was voiced by Chris Latta should have eliminated all doubt.

Season 3 also introduced a new human female character to the cast of Transformers. Her name was Marissa Faireborn. In the Joe cartoon it was well established that Flint a.k.a. Dashiel Faireborn and Lady Jaye were a couple. It was widely accepted by fans that Marissa was intended to be their daughter all grown up (since the Joe cartoon was set in 1985).

Well the Joe and Transformers Collector’s Clubs have teamed up yet again to create two new sets of mash-up figures based on those unofficial crossover characters from season 3 of the Transformers cartoon.   Both sets recently went up for sale (along with Sub-Viper and his Wave Crusher) exclusively in the Clubs’ online stores. I ordered all of them of course.

The Old Snake figure comes with a couple of “Prime” Soundwave figures repainted to look like Battle Android Troopers (BATS). I wouldn’t have bought the Soundwave-BATS on their own but I suppose they’re kind of neat and I don’t mind that they were included with Old Snake even though they bumped up the price considerably.  It’s a nice set which I’ll review sometime soon.  Today I’m gonna be reviewing the Marissa Faireborn set.

Marissa came packaged with a motorcycle named Afterbreaker who is intended to be the Autobot Afterburner (Hasbro must have lost the rights to the original name).  I must confess that I find this set pretty underwhelming. It’s a real shame when the Club fumbles the ball because it sucks to pay big money for mediocre figures.   This figure and bike sets sells for $42US plus about $10 in shipping which costs me about $70 Canadian.  Ouch.

While Old Snake was a one-episode novelty character who is neat to have, Marissa Faireborn was an important recurring cast member who is integral to any Transformers collection. I was quite excited at the prospect of getting a G.I. Joe-style figure of her when the Club first announced they’d be producing this toy. I wasn’t blown away when images of the figure were first shown online but it had potential. She was made up entirely of reused parts (Scarlett, Baroness , and Cover Girl) which is standard practice for Club exclusives but I really would’ve liked to see them splurge for a new and unique head sculpt for this character. There are only a handful of female characters in the Joe toyline so when one of their heads get re-used its very noticeable. I can’t not see Cover Girl when I look at this figure. This head, with its windblown hair, first appeared on the new-sculpt Cover Girl in 2006. It was based on specific Cover Girl artwork from the Devil’s Due Joe comic. The head was re-used by the Club for a modern-era Cover Girl as part of their 2013 figure subscription service. It’s too closely associated with Cover Girl to be re-used for another character in my opinion. Having said that, if the club HAD to re-use a female head then this was the best choice. It features a great feminine sculpt and it looks more like the Marrissa from the cartoon than any Scarlett or Baroness head would have. As for the body, I have no real problems with it. It’s a surprisingly good representation of the jumpsuit she wore on the show. The paint job is simple but it’s nice and clean. The biggest problem I have with this figure is how the head and body fit together. Marrissa has a giraffe neck and it looks ridiculous.

For accessories Marissa has a pistol, a jet pack, what appears to be a flamethrower that connects to the pack via a hose, and a display base. She has a G.I. Joe base which is fine but it would have been pretty cool if they gave her a display base with an Autobot logo.

As for Afterburner, its a pretty crappy toy but its not the total piece of garbage it used to be. This bike originally came out as part of the G.I. Joe Retaliation toy line. Three sets of characters with motorcycles were released in that line. I passed on Snake Eyes and Flint and their clunker cycles. The only one I bought was Firefly because I halfheartedly wanted the figure and he just so happened to come with the “Wheel Blaster Bike”; aptly named because it could blast you with a projectile wheel. Both the figure and the bike were cheap and ugly.  I disliked the bike so much that I think I threw it out or gave it to my nephew which says a lot because I don’t like to part with anything. It’s almost funny, in a sad sort of way, that I ended up buying it again, and this time at a premium price. Thanks a lot Collector’s Club.

A couple of things I disliked about the original Blaster Bike was that it didn’t look like a real-world motorcycle and the orange color scheme didn’t fit with Firefly’s character.  I actually referred to it in my first review as an “orange space bike”. That lack of realism actually kind of works here because the original Afterburner didn’t look like a real motorcycle either; he was a 2-wheeled Cybertronian sci-fi bike and this hunk of junk is actually a decent representation.  The orange color scheme even works this time because the original Afterburner toy released in 1987 was fugly orange too.  He was one of the 5 Technobots that combined to form Computron. My brother Doug owned him when we were kids so I actually do have some fondness for the character.

1987 Afterburner

This set has its share of problems it’s still kind of a fun concept and an appreciated nod to hardcore fans of both properties. Marrissa Fairborn: 6 out of 10. Afterburner: 3 out of 10.