Super-DuperToyBox

Justice League: New Frontier Animated Feature, Flash & Martian Manhunter Figures!

2012-02-26T02:20:00.001-06:00

I finally picked up the Justice League: New Frontier animated feature a couple weeks ago used at V-Stock. I had read the two-part TPB version of Darwyn Cooke's book back in November of 2010, and it blew me away! The retro-styled art, thoughtful character development, and great story made me cheer out loud upon first reading! I was fresh back into reading comics again as an adult, and this book made me glad I was- I felt like a kid all over again :)

From Wikipedia, on DC: The New Frontier book:
World War II is over and the Cold War has begun. The Age of the Superhero is in decline. Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman, who survived the anti-hero sentiment of the Cold War, as well as eager newcomers like test pilot Hal Jordan and scientists Barry Allen and Ray Palmer, team up to defeat a threatening alien presence on Earth. The New Frontier is set in 1945, 1948, and 1952-1960. Cameos from the likes of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Vice President Richard Nixon, as well as references such as the atomic testing, civil rights movement, and the Soviet Union, are done to give a sense of the era the series is set in. The storyline draws inspiration from the comic books and films of the period, as well as both the novel and film The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe. The series attempts a dynamic re-imagining of the era that ushered in the presidency of John F. Kennedy. A major part from one of his speeches is used and the title also invokes John F. Kennedy's use of the term New Frontier.

As is often the complaint when taking a story from a book into motion picture form, much was cut in order to keep it around the 75 minute running time that a lot of these animated films keep. Some sequences were totally cut, and some reimagined to a degree, but the spirit of the book and Darwyn's art were intact. If you have only seen the movie however, you are missing out on a lot of the fleshing out of secondary characters like the Challengers of the Unknown and the Blackhawks. With a rating of PG-13 for violent content/images, this isn't really a children's movie, though I found it tame compared to the book and what a lot of kids are seeing on television and in video games these days.

I'd got a boxed set of four of the DC Direct action figures designed after Darwyn Cooke's art awhile back, but hadn't shown you some of the other single figures I found from this series, including these most excellent Flash & Martian Manhunter!

The box these these single figures came in is quality- toned down in color to match the retro feel of the books artwork. It's classy & clean, featuring other figures from Series 2 of this line on the verso. I would have liked to see more characters done in Cooke's style, but DC Direct isn't known for extensive series within their action figure lines.

This is one of the best representaions of Barry Allen I've seen in action figure form. DC Direct recently released another great, classic Flash in their Flashpoint series of action figures that has a more realistic styling, but this one has a retro feel I enjoy due to his styling after Cooke's art, and gold highlights and boots. The Kirby-esque fabric stretch lines in his sculpt appeal to my appreciation of Silver-Age comics, and give the figure the illusion of a man in actual cloth bodysuit. The shrinking device designed by Ray Palmer that Barry used to defeat the Centre in New Frontier is represented in detail, secured to the figure's back with soft rubber straps pulled over the shoulders. A nice little accesory that ties into the story the figure was designed after.

New Frontier Flash has the typically limited articulation you find in a DC Direct action figure- he has a ball-jointed head, ball/hinge shoulders, hinged elbows & knees, T-hips, and a swivel at the boot tops. It works just fine. I can't believe it's taken me this long to open him, but I've enjoyed looking at this beautiful figure on my desk recently- his big smile makes me happy :)

In both the movie and book, J'onn J'onnz asks government agent King Farady if he should take on a friendlier appearance before joining the other heroes battling the invading Centre so as not to be mistaken for the creatures emerging from it's bowels. When appearing as the caped hero we all know as Martian Manhunter, identifying with another adopted alien hero of Earth, Faraday quips, "Suit yourself, J'onn, but real men wear pants, ya know."

To my delight, J'onn was a main character in Darwyn Cooke's New Frontiers, one of the most fun moments in the book and movie showing the dryly comedic Martian shapeshifting into different characters as he watches television late at night, including Groucho Marx and Bugs Bunny :D Somewhat ingnorant of this deep and wonderful character as a youth, I clung to Martian Manhunter as a renewed, adult comics fan, once called the most powerful being on the face of the Earth by his friend Superman. He shares a great deal of the Man of Steel's special powers, but is also a powerful telepath, adding an interesting calm and intelligence to J'onn's personality.

New Frontier Martian Manhunter has the same articulation as Flash, but more of a barrel-chested physique. He also sports a smile, which is somewhat rare among my collection of Martian Manhunter figures :) The familiar red chest harness, blue collared cape and boots are present, but his black shorts make him unique, and add to the retro-overhaul of this great figure.

I'm a big fan of Mattel's DC Universe Classics, though there is a lot of sameness due to their sharing buck among figure throughout the line. One thing I like about DC Direct is variety throughout the different lines, in both anatomy and styling- every character doesn't look like a steroid munching body builder. Here are comparison shots of these two New Frontier DC Direct figures with the DCUC Flash and Martian Manhunter:

Flash and Martian Manhunter with the DC Direct New Frontiers boxed set I got back in November of 2010:

*My review of this D.C. Direct New Frontier box set!

*D.C. Comics NewFrontier page!
*Artist Darwyn Cooke's blog (author of D.C. New Frontier)
*Green Arrow figure from this series- had to rescue him, read about it HERE.

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Hasbro Marvel Legends Steve Rogers & Hope Summers

2012-02-24T00:51:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago I heard the Hasbro Marvel Legends had arrived at Target, and though the toy aisle had not been reset, I knew the DPCI # and had the help fetch me a box from the back room :D Unbelieveably, all the variants were present in the said case- two blue Iron Men, the red-flamed Ghost Rider, and this Commander Steve Rogers! Through the grapevine I've come to realize that for whatever reason, variants are easy to find in this first wave of the long anticipated return of Marvel Legends. I like the way these are packaged- they're splashy & fun looking, though the artwork of the characters isn't my cup of tea, and I'm not a huge fan of the Legends logo either.

First up, and the one I was most interested in, Commander Rogers! I was thrilled to have stumbled apon the variant of this figure featuring the clear shield. I've yet to read any Marvel books with Steve Rogers in this uniform sporting his photon shield, Bucky Barnes carrying both Rogers' mantle as Captain America and his trusty shield. The shield can fit into the hole in his back or onto his arm using a peg and clip device. This works well, but coulsd be more easily broken that a couple elastic bands like some of the other Captain America figures I've seen.

Everyone reviewing this variant has said his suit is black, but it looks like a really dark navy blue that probably looks black next to the his counterpart which has a lighter blue wash/highlights- you can tell by comparing his very black, shiny boots. Commander Rogers' shinguards, belts, and gloves are lighter in tone than the other version as well.

This action figure has some pretty great articulation, but I found getting him to stand in any variety of poses a mild challenge. Commander Rogers has ball and hinge shoulders, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows and knees, forearm and thigh swivel, a generous abdominal crunch and full waist swivel, those ball hinge hips that are sometimes cranky, and swivel/hinge ankles. He also has a ball and hinge neck with outstanding range, but like several of the Marvel Legends I have, Commander Rogers would benefit from a stand. That said, I'm a patient and masterful action figure poser :D

The laser-sighted pistols Commander Rogers came with fit pretty well into his left hand, his forefingers clawed to fit in the triggerguard, but the right is a little loose. Like more than one dork, I feel a couple holsters and perhaps a paint wash for these accessories would have been cool, but I do like the silver color. And why they gave this figure a swivel in they forearms instead of at the gloves is beyond me- the skin tone below the paint can be seen arond the cut.

I was supremely impressed with the 3 3/4" Marvel Universe Commander Rogers by Hasbro last Fall, who bears the remebmblannce of a young Robert Redford if you ask me. I wish they'd put the stars on the Legends version like the MU version, and wish they'd given the MU version a photon shield like the Legends variant, and am unsure why they didn't do either. What a great oppurtunity for one of my favorite activities here at the Super-DuperToyBox, BIGTOY/littletoy! :D

While I felt somewhat ho-hum about several of the characters in this 1st wave of the return of Marvel Legends, I knew I wanted to pick up a Hope Summers too. While I know almost nothing about the "Mutant Messiah", I've recently transformed into a rabid Cable fan after reading so much early X-Force stuff, and have yet to read the Cable: Homecoming hardback I picked up at Comic Headquarters in December, which features Hope. That might take awhile as I'm STILL catching up on X-Force and should probably read Messiah Complex first, but I digress!

Several plastic junkies have said this may be the the same absurdly large gun Marvel Legends Forge came with, but this little girl doesn't like holding it. Like Commander Rogers, Hope has a difficult time standing, further exacerbated by somewhat loose knee joints and a heavy cape on a waif buck. And I'm certain warpage due to the packaging has occured in her right leg, perhaps contributing to Hope's issues remaining upright. I've read opposite reports on some reviews of Hope, most of which feature several pictures of her in virtually one pose, so... Maybe it was an off night for me? Well she fell over on the shelf while I was writing this, so there ya go. She can do a kneel on one leg with her gun, which is more stable.

Complaints aside, Hope looks pretty great! The worn texture on her poncho is well detailed, matching the wrappings on her shinguards. Her body is molded in semi-metallic evergreen I really like. Hope's arm guards can be moved, but still manage to get in the way of her gun handling. I find her little face to be pretty, though some have described it as plain. Is it her skin tone? I think she's cute :) Her hair sculpt is a nice windblown look, but hinders her articulation considerably, as expected. Speaking of which,her articulation is similar to Commander Rogers', except she has a swivel/hinge elbow as opposed to a bicep swivel, and a swivel/hinge wrist what would help her hold the gun better if it only fit better in her hands! Her abdominal joint is different too, which appears to be some sort of limited hinge/swivel or ball & socket.

Here's Hope with a couple other female figures of different manufacture : Mattel's DC Universe Classics Donna Troy, and DC Direct's Soranik Natu...

Commander Rogers came with the crotch of this wave's BAF, Terrax, and Hope included his head and weapon, the latter in two parts. This looks to be a killer figure, but I doubt somehow I'll pick up the entire wave. I might get the Extremis Iron Man & Modern Thor, but that'll probably be it. I realize this is a big moment for hardcore Marvel Legends fans, but I'll cherry-pick this line like nearly every other I get into. These were $14.99 at Target, which some mind find a bargain compared to the $18.00 that Mattel asks for DCUCs now, but it still seems like a damn lot to me!

Commander Rogers and Hope Summers with my Lord of Asgard Thor...

*See MarvelLegends.Net for the Legends visual checklist!

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War of the Green Lanterns

2012-02-23T12:31:00.000-06:00

I've been reading A LOT of back issues of pre-New 52 Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, and Emerald Warriors, including issues from the "War of the Green Lanterns" crossover event. Krona had released the dreaded Parallax into the main power battery on Oa, taking control of the Corps' collective mind and turning them against Green Lanterns Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Kilowog, and Ganthet. Unable to use their polluted rings, Hal convinced the team to use different colored rings left behind when Lyssa Drak trapped other Lanterns of the Emotional Spectrum in the Book of the Black. Krona is an Oan scientist who became obsessed with observing the origins of the universe itself, constructing a machine that pierces the temporal barrier to view the beginnings of time itself. Krona catches a glimpse of the hand of creation depositing the speck that would become the entire cosmos. His machine explodes at that instant, and the universe is shattered causing the creation of the Multiverse as the universe replicates into an infinite number of parallel universes. As punishment for this act, Krona is transformed into pure energy by his fellow Oans and is sent to forever wander the cosmos. Krona's actions are what caused the Oans to become the Guardians of the Universe. (from Wikipedia)

I've really enjoyed Geoff John's stories, and am a HUGE fan of Doug Mahke & Tyler Kirkham's drawing in Green Lantern & Green Lantern Corps respectively- EPIC work, People! The images above are from Green Lantern #65, and below is from Green Lantern Corps #59...

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Green Lantern Corps: Brightest Day "The Weaponer"!

2012-02-17T14:15:00.000-06:00

While I'm waiting for the March issues of the New 52 Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, and Green Lantern New Guardians, I've been catching up on issues of Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, & Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors from 2010-2011. The Green Lantern Corps issues from around this "Brightest Day" period before DCs New 52 reboot have been some of my favorite, including "The Weaponer" story arc, starting in Green Lantern Corps #53 (Dec. 2010). This ties in pretty nicely with my last post on DC Direct's Series 5 Sinestro & Soranik Natu, as the Weaponer who crafted Sinestro's yellow power ring has come back to take his revenge on the "Butcher of Korugar" for what he has done to Qward by holding his daughter hostage.

The art in this book by Tyler Kirkham, Batt & Nei Ruffino is spectacular, as is immediately evident in the opening flashback sequence of Thaal Sinestro receiving his yellow power ring from the Weaponer. While I have read the Sinestro Corps War in the last year, which I understand carries on in regard to Sinestro and his connection to Qward through this book, I'll admit that I've read so much Green Lantern in the last year that I've had a difficult time keeping it all straight in my mind!

There are a lot of whimsical moments mixed with the action throughout the book, both in the dialogue and visually, that made this book a real treat! In the following page, Kyle pokes fun at a new Sinestro Corps recruit, currently under a truce with the Green Lanterns, and the Weaponer shows up to slap Kyle Down, kidnap Sora, and send a message to Sinestro: "Surrender yourself or your daughter dies" ...

Kyle seeks out Sora's despotic father, deaf to his pleas to face the Qwardian Weaponer in order to save his daughter...

Exasperated by Sinestro's apathy, Kyle insists the Yellow Lantern return with him to Qward by way of a knuckle sandwich...!

Green Lantern Corps #54 (Jan. 2011) opens up with the insulted Sinestro his power ring in accordance with the treaty, and settling the matter toe-to-toe with the Green Lantern. "Fisticuffs Enabled" :D

"This style of boxing is called Hammerfist, It was taught to me by the Korugarian Grandmaster Tivas Kark", goads Sinestro after knocking Kyle to the ground, "Who taught you to fight?" "Batman." answers the young Lantern as he slams a fist into Sinestro's breadbasket...!

Sinestro prevails however, knocking down Lantern Rayner three times before "invoking the mercy rule", advising him to go save her himself.

Meanwhile back on Qward, the Weaponer pleads his case to Sinestro's estranged daughter, who needs little convincing that her father is a heartless monster. It's because of Sinestro that all of Qward is now a post-apocalyptic wasteland, their god-king, the Anti-Monitor, destroyed in a war against the heroes of the Korugarian's universe, and the Sinestro Corps returning to enslave the Weaponer's home planet.

In Green Lantern Corps #55 (Feb. 2011), Kyle returns for Sora with his teammates to confront the Weaponer, who confidently dispatches the fighting unit one by one using his superior, adaptive weaponry that utilizes the primal life-force of the White Light!

Gathnet's secret pact with Guy Gardner & Atrocitous is revealed to the other members of the Green Lantern Corps when he vomits blood upon being netted by the Weaponer, the mysterious alliance in defense against the threat of an old enemy destined to enslave the seven entities that embody the emotional spectrum (Krona, in the War of the Green Lanterns story that follows!). While the Weaponer delights in the mess Gathnet has wrought, Soranik sneaks up from behind with one of his own otherworldly weapons...

While the Thunderer's are confused by the Korugarian's appearance on the scene, the Sinestro Corps teleports in to throw a monkey wrench into the whole mess! Riveting!!

Green Lantern Corps #56 (March 2011) opens with Sinestro calling all Yellow Lanterns to arms, demanding the Weaponer be destroyed for trying to ransom a thing he holds sacred... his dignity! You thought he was going to say "daughter", didn't you? :D

The Green Lanterns attempt to shield the unsuspecting Thunderers from the rampaging Sinestro Corps, whom they must not engage in keeping with their current peace accord, the common enemy they share at home a larger threat...

But Sinestro is not far behind his army, reminding his corpsmen to spare the Green Lanterns and concentrate on reminding the Qwardians why they fear them, and that the Weaponer is his alone to defeat... !

Realizing the Weaponer's shield is the key to his status as "protector" of the Qwardians, Soranik begins to realize that his salvation may be the key to ending the Sinestro Corps' reign of terror. Green Lantern Corps #57 (April 2011) finds Lantern Stewart returning to the battlefield with the Thunderer's, armed with the Weaponer's creations taken from his fortress...

After pummeling the Weaponer, Sinestro pulls his daughter from Lantern Rayner's hand, "I will not have you polluting my daughter." "You have no right to call me that! Since when were you ever a father to me?" Soranik fires back. But the Weaponer is on his feet once again...!

The Weaponer eventually falls to Sinestro, but instead of killing him the Korugarian appeals to his lonely and despised Qwardian's sense of belonging, asking him to join the Sinestro Corps... and he accepts! Before departing through a portal with the Weaponer and his corpsmen, Sinestro bids farewell to his estranged daughter, "You do know that had you been harmed in any way, I would have ground this world to dust." GREAT stuff, People... great stuff...!

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DC Direct Green Lantern Series 5 Sinestro & Soranik Natu

2012-02-15T23:21:00.000-06:00

I was really excited to see some new DC Direct Green Lantern figures show up recently, Sinestro & Soranik Natu in particular. I'd seen a general lack of interest by fellow bloggers about the Green Lantern Sinestro, but I didn't have any of the other GL Sinestros that have been produced, and the New 52 Green Lantern started off with Sinestro being mysteriously reinstated as a Green Lantern by the Guardians of Oa, denouncing his affiliation with his own Sinestro Corps, warriors of the yellow light of fear. Thrilling!

I've said before that DC Direct lacks in articulation, they more than make up for in paint & sculpt- Sinestro is no exception. The piping sculpted into Sinestro's outfit is a small detail that really adds to this relatively simple sculpt, and the metallic green paint really brings this out, repeated in his green eyes to really bring aesthetic unity. He does have bicep joints, as well as a cut joint at the boot tops & wrists, in addition to the usual DCD ball & socket shoulders & T-hips, and a serviceable ball-jointed head. While I like a super-articulated figure as much as anyone, I am attracted to the aesthetics of a toy as much as play value- that is to say, I enjoy them as art.

I've heard it said that either Marvel Select or DC Direct's limited articulation points are in compliance with their liscencing agreement, but they have their own charm in my opinion. I've pulled the arms off a couple these sometimes fragile toys, some of them have problems standing upright (especially some of the caped figures from the History of the DC Universe line), and the different lines often vary greatly in scale. That said, they are some of the most beautiful I own, and I enjoy their modeling after specific story arcs & DC Comics artist's style.

Before Sinestro became the arch-nemesis of the entire Green Lantern Corps, he was Hal Jordan's mentor and greatest of all the Green Lanterns. The former anthropologist from Korugar became bent on preserving order in the society of his home planet no matter the cost, resolving to conquer it to ensure this. As punishment for his crime, the Guardians banished Sinestro to the antimatter universe, where on the planet Qward he discovered the Weaponers. These warrior scientists hated the Guardians and Green Lanterns as much as Sinestro, and created a yellow power ring for the fallen Lantern to use as revenge on their mutual foe.

DCD Green Lantern Sinestro with DCD "Justice" Sinestro & Mattel's really short Wave 3 Sinestro Corps Sinestro...

Soranik Natu is the daughter of Sinestro, and niece of Abin Sur, Hal Jordan's predecessor. Introduced in 2005, Sora, as boyfriend Kyle Rayner calls her, was a neurosurgeon when the ring found her in the middle of a delicate surgery. Rejection it at first as the fate of her home planet was so enmeshed in her father's failure with the GL Corps, she finally acquiesced in order to save her patient. Rejected by her society upon completion of her Corps training, Sora opted to help the homeless with her medical skills & new power ring. As of writing this the father & daughter have never fought together as Green Lanterns, but they did ban together with the other Lanterns of the Emotional Spectrum to battle Nekkron & the Black Lanterns in the Blackest Night story arc.

Sora has the same articulation, lantern, and figure stand as Sinestro. There's some pretty obvious paint smear into the white glove on her right arm, but her pretty little face & eyes have been lovingly done. Great work! Her left boot top joint doesn't want to turn, but she holds her lantern more firmly than her father. Her limbs are a little thin, but that's her willowy styling. I like the sculpt of her torso a lot, her smooth tummy running straight through her t-hips into her thighs. I've read complaints about the plain-ness of her sculpt, but I like that about her. I am charmed by and treasure this dainty lady :)

Sora with DC Direct New Krypton Superwoman & New Frontiers Wonder Woman...

Like the other DC Direct Green Lantern & Blackest Night Series figures, Sinestro & Soranik com with a color corresponding, transluscent base, theirs being green with the GL symbol. Will you just take a look at this outstanding pair... Wow! I had a ball photographing these! They're are a little taller than Mattel's DC Universe Classics, but I have them mixed together on a shelf in the vault and they look cool!

*See the DC Direct Action Figure Archive!

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Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T09:31:00.001-06:00

"Built To Last" 2006

magazine collage, stickers, glitter, acrylic on masonite
10 x 8"

Though he's not really a superhero, I know many of my fellow dorks would enjoy this collage I created back in 2006 featuring Optimus Prime with the Japanese dancing robot :D This technique involved skimming through magazines to find characters, colors, & patterns I could cut out & paste down to make a little story- this one telling of a love "built to last". Happy Valentine's Day, Friends!

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DC Direct JLA Kyle Rayner

2012-02-13T00:47:00.002-06:00

I've been reading a lot of Green Lantern lately, including the New 52 Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, and Green Lantern New Guardians, the last of which features Green Lantern Kyle Rayner. I've also been picking up issues of Green Lantern Corps: War of The Green Lanterns and Green Lantern Corps: Brightest Day, from from 2010-2011 as I find them. All these titles feature Earth Lantern Kyle Rayner.

I kick myself for not picking up the Mattel DCUC Kyle Rayner at K-Mart when I had the chance last year, but I stumbled upon this unusual DC Direct Kyle from the 2003 JLA Series. For awhile, Kyle was the only Green Lantern, appointed by Ganthet after Hal went crazy while hosting Parallax, killing all the other Green Lanterns in the universe. He briefly weilded the god-like powers of Ion during the "Final Night" & "Ion: Guardian of the Universe" series, and suffered a stint as host to Parallax during the Sinestro Corps War, but I believe this is Kyle's second GL outfit, the only version without his trademark, beveled facemask.

I relate with Kyle Rayner in that he's an artist and dreamer- his free-flowing imagination fuel his unusual constructs, making him a formidable opponent. Here he is sporting this outfit in Green Lantern: Rebirth (DC Comics Oct. 2004- May 2005) which I read last year...

DC Direct has come a long way since they released this 2003 version of Kyle, though as a pre-DCUC action figure, he had decent articulation and a somewhat premium sculpt & paint for the time. Measuring 6 3/8" tall, he's somewhat shorter than later DC Direct figures, and has a relatively slender build.

While this figure's cut neck joint and lack of wrist/forearm articulation limit his expressive possibility, I love how he looks. Yes, the sculpt is very stylized & "cartoony", the incised lantern symbols in his chest & shoulders are cool, and the light green paint is iridescent, unlike the regular Green Lantern series from DC Direct in the same year. Additionally, the straps on his boots & ridges up the legs & arms have a glossy black finish that stands apart from his otherwise flat black bodysuit. He's pretty snazzy!

Kyle's lantern is sculpted like the one specific to his character in the comics, and has a clear lens inside. The JLA base he came with is a little too big, but it does help him with posing...

Here's Kyle with the DCUC Blue Lantern Flash I got recently:

I scored him for about $8.50 loose on Ebay, but have seen him go for thirty to forty bucks- too much in my opinion. I'd have paid a little more if he came mint on card, but not much. Don't misunderstand: I was thrilled to find him, but he's not as artful as some of DC Direct's more recent Green Lantern figures. Kyle seems to be an in-demand fan favorite, action figures of him going for more than usual on the secondary market. And while Hal Jordan is the Green Lantern of my generation, I've enjoyed reading about Kyle Rayner lately.

*See the DC Direct Action Figure Archive!

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X-Cutioner's Song: Epilogue Part 2

2012-02-11T12:35:00.001-06:00

Continuing from my last post on the epilogue to the "X-Cutioner's Song" crossover event from 1992-93, X-Force #19 finds Cannonball & Co. under house arrest at Xavier's School for Gifted Students, and growing more restless by the day. Feral, Shatterstar and Rictor blow off steam in the Danger Room, but Siryn tags along with Warpath in the computer room, where he seeks to obtain information from the X-Men covertly for use in the event they are detained.

Professor Xavier had been telepathically eavesdropping on Siryn & Warpath prior to Sam dropping by his office with the ultimatum, "We are not children and we demand to be released". Though Cable is dead, Sam heatedly argues that he can continue to lead the group. Meanwhile, Boomer has been playing "House of Style" with the Shi'ar clothes synthesizer, inviting Sam to join her and Warpath in cementing X-Force's place as the most ridiculously costumed group of the 90's! James Proudstar looks particularly disco in his new Warpath outfit- see ya at the YMCA, Bro :D

G.W. Bridge gets summoned to the S.H.E.I.L.D. helicarrier by Henry Gyrich and General Clarke to answer for the cost & damage caused by his using Weapon: Prime to pursue Cable. When they claim it a total loss, Bridge quits on the spot...

Gathering the members of X-Force to leave, Sam wishes Professor Xavier best of luck in dealing with the Val Cooper & the government concerning their departure. Assuring Sam he can deal with them, he expresses concern that Sam can deal with X-Force, and the choice between violence or salvation, the "closed hand or the open fist".

Sam uses a twist on Xavier's analogy of the open hand/closed fist to plead his case for carrying on Cable's way of running X-Force: "Here's my closed fist, Professor! It can be used the way Cable taught us -- ta hit -- ta pound -- ways you say you don't agree with, right? But it can also be used ta warm... ta support... ta protect! As for the peaceful approach of the open hand -- well, that can be used ta hurt as well!"

Before Sam steps into Lila's portal, Xavier discloses that one of his team has stolen something from the X-Men, and to consider the second guessing & moral compromise inherent in associating oneself with such people.

Again, I've really enjoyed the "X-Cutioner's Song" crossover event- I'd recommend the trade paperback or the individual issues to any X-Force/X-Men or 90's comics fan. It was a great story full of fun characters, and Greg Capullo's pencilling throughout this series and the surrounding issues of X-Force was a particular joy to me.

*Read more about this issue at Marvel.Wikia!

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X-Cutioner's Song: Epilogue Part 1

2012-02-09T19:44:00.002-06:00

Uncanny X-Men #297 and X-Force #19 are considered the epilogue to the "X-Cutioner's Song" crossover event discussed in my last post. Uncanny #297 is of particular interest in that Professor Xavier temporarily regains his ability to walk following Apocalypse's extraction of the techno-organic virus Stryfe shot into him (did I mention that Apocalypse saved Prof. X? It's true!).

Issue #297 includes some bonding between Rogue and Gambit, the seed planted for their romantic relations to come, and Beast reminisces with Archangel while rebuilding their old X-Men hangout (Harry's Hideaway bar), destroyed when Jean & Scott were kidnapped by Caliban (issue #294). More ineresting however is the bonding between Jubilee & Xavier after she finds him outside the Weschester estate of his School For Gifted Youngsters, walking around barefoot in the grass...

Jubilation convinces Xavier to try rollerblading, even rolling him right into a swimming pool, bringing the serious man out of his shell and opening up a side that Jubilee or any of the X-Men have seen. As the sun begins to rise, Xavier realizes he is slowly losing use of his legs again, and bids Jubilee farewell, thanking her for an evening more enjoyable than he can remember. His struggle to remain upright after leaving her side is more than obvious to the emotional Jubilee, holding back her tears & searching for the words to offer the dignified leader help to his wheelchair...

*Read more on this issue at Uncanny X-Men.Net!

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X-Cutioner's Song

2012-02-05T13:37:00.000-06:00

I meant to post about this three weeks ago, but I'm reading more than I really have time to write about lately, plus it's crunch-time for a big art show, involving 22 new canvases I've been working on since June. Really busy!

"X-Cutioner's Song" was a crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in twelve parts from late 1992 to early 1993, involving the Uncanny X-Men, X-Men (vol. 2), X-Factor, and X-Force titles. It was heavily hyped and priced higher than the other titles at the zenith of both the X-Men franchise and comics popularity, in general. A few of the issues I picked up were still polybagged with a special trading card, as the issues of this crossover were originally released, all part of the heavily hyped event that warranted a $.25 hike in price!

I'm not going to give you a plot summary or anything like that; good or bad, it's all been discussed. But in a nutshell, Cable's nemesis (and clone) Stryfe, shoots Professor Xavier with a techno-organic virus. X-Factor & the X-men are out to bring Cable down, while X-Force try to find their framed leader & get to the bottom of what really happened. It is thought that Apocalypse might be behind the assassination attempt, who is awakened from his regenerative sleep to be informed of the situation. Mr. Sinister is then thought to be the mastermind behind Xavier's assassination attempt & the kidnapping of Cylops & Jean Grey, but he is merely a pawn in Stryfe's endgame: revenge on his (or Cable's?) parents for leaving him. In the end Cable must sacrifice himself to take out Stryfe, but we now know of course that Cable will return!

Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, & Whilce Portacio, the popular artist's of these books who had rocketed Marvel & it's X-books to the top only a year before, suddenly left to form their own company prior to the crossover event, leaving editor Bob Harras to scramble a new team together. I liked Greg Capullo's art in X-Force, as I did Andy Kubert, Jae Lee, & Brandon Peterson's penciling on X-Men, X-Force, & Uncanny X-Men respectively.

I've been reading X-Factor from issue #1 here in the last couple months or so, digging up the individual issues in the dollar comics bin, uncovering nearly every issue up to # 40. I missed all this back in the early 90's, so it was all new to me. 90's comics have a somewhat bad reputation for a reason: they're over-the-top in every way, filled with some of the ugliest costumes, most desperate marketing tactics, and worst, most melodramatic story ideas. But isn't that really describing comics history in general, has any one decade not suffered from the same at certain points? I'd be lying if I said I haven't enjoyed most of what I've read. My enthusiasm is partly due to having just got back into comics in the last 15 months or so, certainly, but Cable & X-Force have been fun reading, action packed, with plot twists often enough to keep me interested throughout. Topless Robot justifiably claimed "X-Cutioner's Song" to be one of the 11 Most Essential X-Men trades only this past July, and while I'm somewhat of a newbie, I agree it was pretty great.

As stated above, I found at least two of these still polybagged with trading cards included. I mentioned before the comics boom of the 90's and the following crash crippling the industry as speculators tried to unload the extra copies & special editions that prosperous times had afforded. The aftermath of this glut is still visible twenty years later, brand new copies like these so plentiful they can be bought for one dollar- fifty cents less than they were sold for on the date of publication...

A couple of the cards I received, the designs for which aren't that great, though I'm glad I got Stryfe & Apocalypse...

More Later- Make It FUN!

Hey, Mr. Postman!

2012-02-02T00:28:00.002-06:00

I finally reaped the reward of some of my holiday gift cards, and bought some other stuff I wanted, so some cool toys have been coming in the mail- a whole bunch of really FUN stuff! I haven't had time to shoot anything as I'm finishing up work for a BIG art show in the city on the 24th- I'll be showing 22 canvases I've worked on since June, and the invite list is like thirteen-hundred people. As you might suspect, I've been busy :D

Speaking of absentia, I'm sure you were wondering like myself, "Where's ChunkyB been?" and "It's February- who's going to enforce the 28-Day Challenge of No Toys?" Well, Chunky has been on vacation for awhile, but e-mailed to say he will return... so for now it's safe! LOL! Well Chunky, if you're passin' by, I'm sure I speak for one & all when I say that you are sorely missed & we eagerly await your return to Eclectorama & Batman: The Animated Toys blog :)

LOTS of More Fun Stuff Later!

... now go back & read my last post- it rocked!

DC New 52: Green Lantern #2 & #3

2012-01-31T20:35:00.000-06:00

Man, has the New 52 Green Lantern book turned out exciting! Like I said last week in my post on issue #1, Doug Mahnke's pencilling is super-tight, and starting off with Sinestro as a Green Lantern was unexpectedly cool. Part of you almost wants Sinestro to see the errors of his past and join the good fight, but what's his motivation?

In issue #1, Sinestro appeared before Hal outside his evicted apartment after a disastrous date with Carol Ferris, "If you want your ring back, you'll do everything I say." "How many times have you thrown this oppurtunity away", Sinestro adds before Hal gets ahold of the ring...

But the ring Hal is given may not be used against it's creator, Sinestro. It's clear that our grounded Lantern will need to learn some humility & submission if he's going to get what he wants, and Sinestro is once again the teacher! When Hal hears sirens he runs off to be the hero, rescuing a damsel in distress from a collapsing bridge right before Sinestro cuts his ring's power off in midair. Begging Sinestro to return his power before the innocents die, Sinestro refuses, pulling Jordan in a headlock so he can watch how the former "Greatest of All Lanterns" ... rescues everyone in one blast?? As a reader, I was surprised and delighted by this! Sinestro brushes off the grateful citizens on the bridge while Hal looks on, speechless "Just... get back to your little lives." So great!

But Sinestro knows it was Gorgor bubbling in the water below who was responsible, coming for him for abandoning his own corps, the killer of Sinestro also the heir to Korugar. Disgusted by the sadism among his yellow lanterns who have enslaved his homeworld, Sinestro dispatches the monster, telling Hal if he wants to keep the ring, he'll be helping destroy the rest.

Issue #3 starts with Hal wanting to say goodbye to Carol, who has by now witnessed this strange reunion with Sinestro on the evening news. Sinestro insists saving Korugar is more important than his lost relationship, sending Hal into a rage, "I'm coming with you , I'm going to help you clean up your mess. But don't think you're better than me." At which Sinestro erupts into laughter, smugly offering "Jordan. I am better than you. And you already know that." :D

Meanwhile, the Guardians have gathered in contemplation of the error of their reliance on the volatile Green Lantern Corps. Agreement is reached that like the Manhunters before, it is time to replace the Corps...!

On Korugar, Hal is instructed to stick to the plan Sinestro has given, but his discipline gives way to uncharacteristic emotion upon seeing his former deputy Arsona in danger on the street below. Sinestro charges to the rescue, causing a panic among the citizens and their tormentors, the same reckless emotion Hal displayed for Carol manifested in his own actions... this is good stuff, People :D

Hal flies into the central yellow battery to shut it down while the Sinestro Corps keeps busy with their former leader as instructed, but something has gone terribly wrong it seems...!

More Later- Make It FUN!

DC New 52: More Justice League...

2012-01-29T02:28:00.000-06:00

While on the subject of DC's New 52 here at the Super-DuperToyBox, I've continued picking up Justice League since the 1st issue, recently picking up #5 at The Fantasy Shop. I've heard a fair share of disdain for this particular title, but I seem to keep coming back for more- the combination of Green Lantern, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Cyborg is just to good for a 70's kid like myself to pass up. I love a supergroup, what can I say? Personally, I continue to be thrilled by Jim Lee's incredible pencilling- just... wow! Some fans have expressed a distaste for Mr. Lee's redesigns of these iconic characters, but I attribute at least half of this to nostalgia, and people's resistance to change. I've grown to like the new renderings of my old favorites, and eagerly await DC Direct's 2012 release of the New 52 Justice League action figures :)

Issue #2 shows the misunderstanding between these metahumans, Superman mistakenly associating Green Lantern & Batman for the aliens who've been showing up with the pinging "little boxes", leaving awesome destruction in their wake. Young Victor Stone's fate as Cyborg is sealed during a visit to his father's laboratory where the superhumans are being researched, one of the boxes erupting & violently releasing more aliens.

Issue # 3 introduces the royalty, the Amazon Princess Diana on the cover, and Atlantean King Arthur on the last page. The members f this fledgling supergroup start acting like a team now, fighting what we now start to realize are Darkseid's parademon armies...

Aquaman comes on strong & confident when Hal questions his ability to contribute to, much less lead the fledgling group on champions in Justice League issue #4...

When Darkseid appears at the end of issue #4, we see the Master of Apokolips is no less powerful in the New 52 reimagining of Jack Kirby's Silver-Age creation. He instantly dispatches the group effortlessly...!

Justice League #5 opens, Flash trying to rouse the flattened Justice League, but one of Darkseid's Omega beams hits Superman, and he's carried off by a Parademon...

...then Hal Jordan gets his...!

For whatever reason, perhaps an act of trust, Batman exposes his identity to Hal before leaving his to rally the troops while he hitches a ride with a parademon to find Superman... on Apokolips??

Pretty exciting stuff! A retread of old material? Sure, but fun... fellow Erin likened it to Marvel's Ultimates series delivered in a "summer movie" vibe, which rang true to me. There are a lot of extras filling the last pages of these issue, including concept sketches of the characters, like Batman & Superman above, as well as mock dossiers from the files on these strange, new superhumans. Lots of advertisements for the other New 52 books fill these issues as well, some of which I'm tempted to pick up.

More Later- Make It FUN!

The New 52: Green Lantern

2012-01-27T19:39:00.002-06:00

I was determined to stick to only the Justice League title from DC's New 52, the price of comics being outrageous these days, but when presented with the opportunity to pick up the first five issues of Green Lantern at the Fantasy Shop, I caved like a spelunker :D

I was intrigued most by the cover of the 1st issue featuring Sinestro as a Green Lantern! And let me stop here before we go any further to say I love Doug Mahnke's pencilling work, my initial experience with this talented artist in reading Final Crisis just last year. His exacting, super-tight style looks so great applied to Sinestro's GL outfit! While many fanboy bemoaned Geoff Johns writing yet another book for DC, I loved Blackest Night, and the way the reboot of this title starts off caught my attention immediately- this doesn't start off with an origin story, but quite some time after Sinestro had started his own Yellow Lantern Corps. The Guardians have restored Sinestro's Green Lantern power ring, forcing him to take the oath before... setting him free?

Meanwhile, Hal is getting bailed out of jail by Carol Ferris, who graciously offers our grounded pilot a job sweeping floors, having also been recently stripped by the Guardians of his Green Lantern status for his characteristic reckless behavior. Sinestro sets his sights on home planet of Korugar, having erupted in chaos since his incarceration by the Guardians. The "Greatest of all Lanterns" is portrayed perfectly in this new book: fearless, scheming, and unstoppable. All the things I love about Sinestro! I was enthralled! After Hal ruins dinner with Carol, and probably his last chance to get back in good with Ferris Air, the grounded hero returns to find an eviction notice on his apartment door, and a surprise visitor bearing an unexpected proposition...!

More Later! Make It FUN!

Hey, Mr. Postman!

2012-01-22T22:27:00.001-06:00

A pal from my old hometown mailed some comics to me this week! These aren't necessarily what I would pick up, which makes the package even more interesting :)

*Unexpected, Ghosts, & Witching Hour issues from the late 70's. These horror/mystery comics should be a lot of fun! As a child I'd read a handful of old horror comics a family friend had that fascinated & frightened me a little :D Maybe some of you older kids remember these...

*The cover on this House of Mystery is great- it instantly caught my attention! Mysterious Island is an adaptation of the Jules Verne novel, both a type of comic and classic adventure literature I'm unfamiliar with.

*A couple Jonah Hex issues from the late '70's, an issue of G.I. Joe from '86, and three McDonald's Golden Adventures of Brett Hull -if you lived anywhere within a 200 mile radius of St. Louis in the early 90's, you remember Brett Hull was worshipped by the Blues fans. I wasn't even into sports and I watched the Blues.

*The Brave & the Bold, 1977- Batman & Green Arrow team up with the Metal Men! Now this is cool 'cause I'd seen this in the dollar comics bin recently, but decided to pass on it in order to stay within the budget I'd set for the day. And Man-Thing vs. Dr. Strange... wow! I'm really curious about this!

Well, if I didn't have enough to read before (laughs), I certainly do now thanks to Lara- Thanks girl :)

More Later- Make It FUN!

ToyBiz Marvel Universe Dr. Doom & Mysterio

2012-01-18T18:09:00.000-06:00

My collection of 90's ToyBiz 10" figures is quickly amassing, joining the ranks most recently "Spider Wars" Mysterio & "Metal Warriors" Ultra Doom! Two mean, green villains! Some of these Marvel Universe figures were given these sub-categorical titles, like my "Heroes Unmasked" Spider-Man/Peter Parker. I love the carton backers on these two packages from '98, detailed in Silver-Age Marvel graphics- it's hard to see head on, but when the package is handled the illustrated lining is a nice touch.

There is a another version of this Dr. Doom that has a brighter green cape & tunic packaged in a Fantastic Four box, but I found this "Metal Warriors" Ultra Doom more to my liking. While the paint apps are simple, the drybrushing on his arms & legs are really great, making Doom's armor look like distressed metal! His gold belt buckle & eyes were painted very carefully as well, and his tunic has a dull green wash filling the cuts in the sculpt. Whereas some of these ToyBiz figures were somewhat flat in their appearance, Doom has some depth.

Doom's comically oversized gun fits in his left hand snugly, his right arm featuring a swivel joint at the gauntlet as opposed to elbow articulation. The gun has the same silver paint has Doom's limbs, but is peppered with a black fly-speck paint application- cheap, but effective.

While slightly more poseable without it, Doom's cape looks pretty cool, and is a great flowing sculpt, attached only by wedging the collar around his neck. It's weight also limits his already narrow poise, but he stands pretty well with it on. A child would instantly discard the bulky accessory, but it does look great!

The skirt on Doom's tunic is split at the crotch like some of those old Star Wars figures, but hollow inside near the thigh- I prefer this to the legs being immovable, and it works okay visually. Truth be told, getting him in these poses took some patience anyway, and he'll be standing up straight in my display, so the split tunic will be no more visible than the seams in his leg molds.

I have to say you'd be hard pressed to find a better representation of the Latverian dictator in plastic form- this action figure totally rocks! Yes, these cheap, goofy ToyBiz deluxe figures have limited articulation, but their simplicity appeals to me greatly. And Doom here is just a wonderfully fun toy :D

Here's Ultra Doom with 3 3/4" Hasbro Marvel Universe Doom, Mattel Secret Wars Doom, and ToyBiz Famous Covers Doom. Consider yourself DOOMED :D

Equally great is the enigmatic Mysterio, a clear dome in place of his head! Creepy! To the best of my knowledge, the "Spider Wars" reference on Mysterio's packaging is a reference to the finale of Spider-Man animated T.V. show in 1998, the year this particular toy was packaged. In my research, I found no ties between the villain and the two final episodes where Spider-Man meets his interdimensional counterparts, perhaps the association with the popular television show meant only to help sell the unusual figure. If he was hard to sell at KayBee Toys in '98, that's certainly not the case now, Mysterio being one of the more sought after of this line of 90's toys. I won him in an eBay auction for about eight bucks, but shrugged him off many times before due to the price being too high for the limit I'll spend- I'll pay twenty bucks for one of these (if that price includes shipping), but not much more.

Mysterio is a stand-out in this line! ToyBiz did a great job at capturing this villain, a former stuntman & illusionist who took the unintended advice that "toppling a superhero" would bring him the movie industry fame he desired, Spider-Man mistakenly chosen as an "easy target". There was another version boxed in the 10" Deluxe Spider-Man Animated Series packaging that has a white-to-green fade color scheme on his dome, but it just doesn't look as cool as the clear dome with no head. Again, creepy!

You can't see much down inside Mysterio's domed head, which made it all the better. Dur to age, the plastic was mildly discolored, but not badly considering his age. While I was all "grown up" and past my childhood fascination with toys (Boy, did that come back with a vengeance!), it's weird to think that these are nearly 15 years old. Boy does time fly! The figure's cape attaches to his collar via a slot behind the dome, and stays in place.

The Spider-Man Animated Series release of this figure has a lighter color scheme, and does not have the tampographed grid pattern on the body that make this such an interesting figure. Additionally, the "eyes" on this Mysterio's pectorals are only yellow dots on the Spider-Man version, cleanly tamped in black atop the red badges. Small details like this & the clear dome make the Marvel Universe version so much better looking in my opinion.

Boy, were these great to find and a lot of fun to photograph! Again, feel free to share any experiences good or bad you may remember about this line of toys. I was past collecting toys in these years while attending college, and some of you may remember them when they were new. BigDaddyDarth said he has a pile, and just posted 'em on Plastic Mayhem :D Thanks Pal! In spite of and because of their dodgy quality, and somewhat unspectacular construction, I'm somewhat fascinated by these :D

More Later- Make It FUN!

Hey, Mr. Postman!

2012-01-15T00:07:00.000-06:00

Holy Toledo, have I scored a bunch of these 10" ToyBiz figures- these just came on Friday afternoon! :D These are all characters I just read about in the "X-Cutioner's Tale" crossover event recently, so that's fun:

*Mr. Sinister & Archangel II

Mr. Sinister & X-Man Archangel play a big part in "X-Cutioner's Tale", and are a couple of wicked looking creatures. These bizarre characters look especially strange in this format/style of toy! These are far out! I mean, really... look at them:

*Bishop & Forge

Well okay, Forge wasn't involved in "X-Cutioner's Tale", but I did read about him & Ororo in "The Fall of the Mutants", and I wanted some more blue & yellow uniformed X-Men. I like that, and Bishop, conflicted X-Man from the future, also sports a variation on that theme.

More Later- Make It Fun!

Hey, Mr.Postman!

2012-01-13T22:56:00.001-06:00

The weather was somewhat treacherous Thursday morning with the snow, but that didn't stop the United Stated Postal Service from bringing me the treasure I'm about to show you!

Yes, another 10" ToyBiz Deluxe Marvel Universe action figure! Hooray! This one's a special Heroes Unmasked version of Spider-Man/Peter Parker from 1998, not in his classic red & blue, but the Clone Saga variant outfit that Ben Reilly wore before becoming Scarlet Spider. Both the hoodie wearing Scarlet Spider outfit and this updated spider-suit were designed by Mark Bagley, the latter version my favorite. There was a classically styled Heroes Unmasked Spider-Man/Peter Parker and a 10" Marvel Universe Scarlet Spider, but I was really looking for this one! I scored him in an eBay auction for about $13.00, a great price as he is hard to find and usually goes for fifty bucks or more- hold out for the right auction, and switch your keywords around/try fewer keywords in searches.

He has the same body as my ToyBiz Spider-Man 2099, and a removable mask which obviously appears only large enough to cover his face :D I'm unsure how the mask is supposed to stay on the head, but I'm certain it's not pretty! I want to enjoy him for awhile in this big, fun window box, one of the things I love about these figures...

In other news, I hit over 100,000 page views some time today- that's since I started in October of 2010, about 15 months. Not astronomical, but it seemed like a lot to me :D Thanks for coming to this happy place- you make it fun!

More Later- Make It FUN!

ToyBiz 10" Deluxe Gambit

2012-01-13T00:09:00.001-06:00

This ToyBiz Deluxe Gambit was manufactured in 1994 under the X-Men banner, following the height of comic book group's popularity. It seems these 10" Deluxe figures were released under the Iron Man, X-Men, Spider-Man banners before ToyBiz started marketing them under the Marvel Universe logo, like the Polaris figure in my last post. There are a variety of these available on eBay, but little documentation about them online, perhaps due to their somewhat unextraordinary construction. I have several of these large, simple figures and enjoy them for just those traits, along with their garish color and occasionally "awesome lameness" as BubbaShelby described :D My friend went on to recollect their sheer goofiness upon their release, specifically citing the She-Hulk from this series that was a repainted Xena figure that was so "amazingly ridiculous" he regrets losing it!

As I post on these, please feel free to share any experiences good or bad you may remember. While I think I have a grasp of how they were received, the more comments I hear, the better I'll understand them in the context of their time. I was way past collecting toys in these years while attending college, and some of you may remember them when they were new which interests me. I'm quite fond of them in spite of and because of their dodgy quality- call me crazy...

The back of Gambit's window box shows Bishop & Mr. Sinister figures also available from this line, all of which I've been reading about recently in the "X-Cutioner's Song" crossover event from the early 90's. This is the first Gambit action figure I've ever had, and truth be told, I'm not at all disappointed! His articulation is as simple as the rest, but the sculpt on this figure is pretty great...

The pleather trenchcoat they dressed Gambit in is cheap & restricts his already limited articulation, but takes him up a notch visually. For whatever reason, the coat collar is actually part of the figure's sculpt, which doesn't matter a lot unless you remove coat. If there was concern by the designers about the collar staying up it was unfounded, as I had no problem getting the stiff material to stay in position for my photos. Somewhat lame, but no concern of mine.

Gambit's accessory is a shiny black, vaguely futuristic staff- my Ninja Rouge has one just like it! If you think Hasbro has gone too far reusing parts on their current 3 3/4" Marvel Universe line, you don't know the half of it :D It was difficult to get through the hole in his hand, but looks cool with it in!

I really like the overall slender nature of the sculpt on this guy. The head and outstretched left hand are cool, giving him unique personality among these somewhat bland figures. I'm also a fan of his shin guards- they have a sleek look, and I like the brilliant blue. I've seen clowns dressed less colorfully than Gambit, and this toy really drives the point home :D On the subject of color, the paintjobs are slapdash pretty much accross the board, and Gambit shows this around the facemask. Some would find this repulsive, but I've seen how atrocious they can be, and I find that somewhat endearing.

I've got to say that this is one of the most exciting figures from this line, only unsurped by one of my favorite toys, the X-Men Deluxe Beast. I'd easily give him a four out of five stars, one nick for the shoddy facepaint. He rocks!

*Read about Remy Etienne LeBeau, aka the cajun mutant Gambit, at Marvel.Com!

More Later- Make It FUN!

ToyBiz Marvel Universe Polaris, 1997

2012-01-12T11:22:00.002-06:00

I got this ToyBiz Marvel Universe Deluxe 10" Polaris in November of 2010 with some other ToyBiz figures for a really low price. I've been bidding on these again on eBay, and wanted to open Polaris here because I've been reading the X-Force "X-Cutioner's Song" crossover event that spills over into some of the 90's X-Factor issues, of which Polaris is a member.

I'm not sure how these were regarded by fans in the 90's, or if these big, dumb action figures were targeted at children, meant to impress with size & color- I suspect the latter, as in all fairness they aren't that great even by 90's standards. Some of them have a rather slapdash paint, comical sculptural sameness, and extremely limited articulation, evoking an almost bootleg appearance in their cheapness. I find this very appealing however, so they're perfect to me :D

Polaris has the same head, body, and everything that the Jean Grey, Rogue, and Mystique have! It's comically bad, I swear! Polaris was given a big gun merely to fill the need for an accessory- her powers of magnetism frees her of the need for weapons, but I'm glad they included it! Made of translucent green to match her hair, it's cheesy & hilarious :D

One odd design choice was the belt on this girl, which hangs in a somewhat hipshot position, a peg securing it to the figure. Very odd... perhaps a stylistic choice reflective of the comic art at the time, female figures often rendered with hips thrust, head thrown back, and in somewhat explicit positions. Her jacket is the same cut as the Mystique from this series, but made with a bright blue fabric, opposed to white faux leather. Like Polaris' hair, her clothes reflect the extremity of style prevalent in the 90's.

Polaris with ToyBiz Storm & Ninja Rogue- though Storm's belt is different from Polaris', she still has a hole in her left hip...

The trio of X-Ladies take on Dragoness, showing X-Force member Cannonball what kinda force is need when taking on an MLF (Mutant Liberation Front) member! From X-Factor # 85, Part 6 of "X-Cutioner's Song" crossover event, Dec. '92:

Polaris with ToyBiz 10" Deluxe Cable...

And now something fun from my old comics: Polaris' page from the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe series I had from childhood. Click on the image to read all about Polaris circa 1983! Daughter of Magneto, Lorna Dane controls magnetism like her father, generating magnetic energy pulses, creating force fields, and manipulate the Earth's magnetic field which gives her the ability to fly. She was once engaged to X-Man Havok during their ongoing & complex relationship. In the past she has dyed her bright green hair brown, but now proudly sports this unique result of her mutation.

More Later- Make It FUN!

Hey, Mr. Postman... Again!

2012-01-10T00:35:00.000-06:00

Wow, more toys came in the mail today! 2012 is gonna be a great year :D Yes, more of the 10" ToyBiz Deluxe figures from the 90's. As I said in my last post, while I was not into action figures when these hit the shelves, there is something nostalgic about these big dumb toys. They're simple, colorful, and FUN!

These two Spider-Man figures in particular are hard to come by, the asking price often ranging from forty to eighty clams. Luckily, some dork is always selling low in January on eBay, likely in attempt to pay off some holiday debt. The Wall Hanging Spider-Man came in his 1994 ToyBiz window box with a KayBee price sticker on it, $11.99 marked down to $5.99! This "chase" or variant version I scored for ten bucks has reverse coloring on the red/black sections of his outfit- really cool! He has suction cups attached to his wrist, supposedly to attach to a window or mirror- can't wait to try that :)

Equally difficult to find is the 10" ToyBiz Spider-Man 2099, which I won for $8.50 loose. The boxed ones I've seen on eBay just go for too much. Sure, the shipping was ten bucks each on these two, but that's still a rare deal on gems like these. I'm thrilled :D I love the cloth web cape/air foil attached to his neck with a plastic clip. I enjoyed reading the Spider-Man 2099 trade paperback this summer, which left me wanting more stories of the future webslinger!

So if you're guessing I scored I scored even more of these babies on eBay this week, and that you'll be sifting through several posts on them in the near future, you'd be correct :D I was feeling so optimistic about the way things are going that I put a new display shelf in the apartment:

Might as well swing by the Hulk shelf & see how things are going... oh yeah :D

More Later- Make It FUN!

Hey, Mr. Postman!

2012-01-08T02:06:00.002-06:00

Only one week into the new year, and two parcels arrived in the mail! 10" Deluxe X-Men/X-Force figures from the 90's, apropos of my recent collecting/reading of the old X-Force title :) These simply styled figures were also released in Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Iron Man, and Marvel Universe boxes, of which I have several. They are poorly painted, dumb toys with limited articulation that I just love! Though I was not into action figures when these came out in the early 90's, there is something nostalgic and almost comforting about them, and I love a big, chunky action figure! FUN!

I scored Cable loose, but I love the big window boxes these came in- they're garishly colorful & exciting! Shatterstar came with two swords, the back of his card advertising other characters from the popular X-Force title, Cable and Kane.

Cable next to my Marvel Universe Ninja Wolverine... like the current 3 3/4" Marvel Universe, there were several versions of Logan (can one have too many?), some quite ridiculous :D He has slightly better articulation than Cable, sporting elbow joints (the left one stuck), and his neck moves. Cable came with an appropriately oversized gun that surprisingly rotates at the end of the barrel, like a Gatling gun.

*See my posts on the ToyBiz 10" Beast, Silver Surfer, Moon Knight, and Ghost Rider!

More Later- Make It FUN!

More From the Dollar Comics Bin...

2012-01-05T11:38:00.000-06:00

While digging up the remainder of the X-Force/"X-Cutioner's Song" crossover event in the dollar comic bins at V-Stock this week, I found some real gems, including the Dr. Strange #32 pictured above! I mean, will you look at that cover? You know that'll be fun :D

*Warlock Chronicles #1 & #2, 1993

Since reading Infinity Gauntlet this summer, my interest in Thanos, Adam Warlock, & Dr. Strange has piqued. They are all characters I knew little or nothing of just a couple years ago before I started this blog & started reading comics again, and though I always thought of myself as a meat-and-potatoes kinda superhero fan, these cosmic characters were an unexpectedly fun read. That #1 has a foil/prizm background, and embossed Adam Warlock on the front- really great! This should be entertaining :D

*The Silver Surfer/Warlock Resurrection #1 and What If... #49, 1993

Again, more Adam Warlock WITH Silver Surfer, AND Drax the Destroyer on the cover! Cannot wait to dig into that! I've never had A What If.. issue, and read this from front to back last night before bed. Wasn't head-over-heels about the art, but I was entertained by the story.

On an earlier trip I picked up some Infinity Gauntlet-related 1991 issues of Dr. Strange and Silver Surfer, in which the good Doctor must take on Adam Warlock and the Sentinel of the Spaceways, comrades against the Mad Titan Thanos in the Infinity Gauntlet, and Silver Surfer suffers the mind-bending vengance of Thanos- far out! I've also read Defenders # 78 & #79 from 1979-80, which feature the reluctant teamates Sub-Mariner & the Hulk- intense!

I sincerely enjoyed all these, and at a dollar an issue, that's hard to beat. I finally broke down last month and got a couple boxes to help keep me organized, but will need another soon as the "Have Read" box on the left, below is nearly full. Keep in mind there's also a huge tote full of comics from my youth, and a bookshelf in my room packed with trade hardbacks, paperbacks, and single issues. I wish I had time to write about each and every one of these, but I read A LOT of comics- far more than I ever did as a kid :D

More Later- Make It FUN!

X-Force #15, 1992

2012-01-03T23:48:00.002-06:00

I posted about Rob Liefeld's X-Force #1 awhile back, and have kept picking up issues from the dollar comic bins, having read all the way up to this issue #15, including the crossover event with Spider-Man & Juggernaut early in the series, as well as the 4-part Shattershot crossover event spanning the early 90's X-titles. I must say that free from the bias many harbor toward the lightning rod/whipping boy of 90's comics, Rob Liefeld, I've actually enjoyed the series quite a bit. As stated before, X-Force is all new to me, having missed it all during it's heyday- I knew virtually nothing about the characters before. The action has been good, the story moving at a good clip throughout the series so far, and the artwork pretty over-the-top. It's also interesting to read about Cable & Deadpool so close to their origin- these books are where it all evolved, and that's interesting to me. Liefeld handed pencilling X-Force over to Mark Pacella by issue #10, and Greg Capullo takes over on pencils in this issue #15. Capullo is currently the artist on the New 52 Batman title, and that's interesting because Liefeld is currently pencilling Hawk & Dove for DC Comics' said relaunch. In my humble opinion, these are two successful, talented artists who have really evolved over the years, and have both been successful in their field.

A lot has happened in the first fourteen issues of X-Force, including clashes with G.W. Bridge & S.H.I.E.L.D., Juggernaut, the Mutant Liberation Front, The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the mysterious Stryfe, and the deadly X-Ternals.

Initially exposed as a traitor, we find here that Domino was actually replaced with an impostor (Deadpool's shape-shifting ex-girlfriend, Vanessa Carlysle- hired by Tolliver). She roasts Deadpool standing over her rescuer, reuniting with Cable to run off after the mysterious Tolliver, the illegal weapons merchant responsible for breaking up Six Pack, Cable's disbanded & disenchanted group of mercenaries.

Racing to the roof, Domino & Cable catch Tolliver's helicopter before escaping, the grim soldier from the future telling Domino to jump before it gets too high up so he can blow it out of the sky, and to reassemble his X-Force for his return later. He teleports onto his ship Graymalkin before hitting the water, leaving Domino crawling to shore, and a partially rejuvenated Deadpool to escape!

Here at the end we are directed to issue #1 of Cable's new solo title, and three of the other X-Titles for the "X-Cutioner's Song" crossover event before reading X-Force #16. I've read Cable issues #1 & #2 in the past week, and found all the "X-Cutioner's Song" crossover issues just this Tuesday- four hours of searching through the dollar comics at two separate V-Stock stores! I was unexpected swept up by this book, Cable, Deadpool, and all the characters in X-Force. This has been fun, and a big part of the adventure is hunting down the back issues in the wild!

More Later- Make It Fun!

Defenders #109, 1982

2012-01-01T20:39:00.001-06:00

I started writing this post a month ago, so it's time to play catch-up here at the Super-DuperToyBox :D My interest in the Marvel non-team the Defenders grew after reading Avengers Defenders War recently, and I've scrounged up some random issues from the dollar comics bin, including this well-worn copy of Defenders #109 from 1982. Look at that cover- rockin' !

Valkyrie's announces the Enchantress' pending doom, repayment for trapping her in the host body of Barbara Norris, ironically to help the-allies the Defenders. Her eternal soul escaped it's centuries long containment in the crystal Globe of Souls, and Brunnhilde now having regained her true body thanks to Dr. Strange's magic, the Asgardian goddess commands the mystic to cast a spell to contain the confrontation & for the Defenders to stand down while she finishes her battle with Amora.

Brunnhilde flies into a rage against Amora, shocking fellow Defenders as well as Amora herself, who returns the attack with some spells, the final one rooting Brunnhilde to the ground, like a tree! Before Amora deals the final blow, Brunnhilde mentally rolls the crystal globe into Amora's leg, breaking her spell and sucking her soul into it- horrific! The gleefully vengeful Valkyrie tosses Dr. Strange the globe to Strange for safekeeping while she attends to her All-Father Odin on Asgard.

Though the spirit of Barbars Norris gone & back in her own body, Brunnhilde's vengeance is not quite undone by the reversal of fortune, Amora now having been imprisoned in the crystal globe Dr. Strange keeps. She departs for Asgard to confront the All-Father! Her demand for retribution for the old god's negligence is met with surprising tenderness by a repentant Odin. The two embrace following his confession, forgiveness not given, but acknowledgement expressed.

Meanwhile, interdimesionally lost comrades Hulk, Hellstrom & Namor are pulled through a rip in the universe, dispatched there by the Enchantress earlier. The land clumsily on solid ground before someone they re shocked to see... !

Dr. Strange manages to find Hellcat while searching for the other three lost Defenders, and they pay a visit to Vera, Beast's librarian girlfriend, along with Spider-Man & Gargoyle. Dr. Strange feels some indistinct force pulling his lost teammates away from the spell he cast, and disappears to search the dimensional pathways for them. Still upset over the death of Nighthawk, caused by her demonic father's spell, Patsy (Hellcat) stays to confide in houskeeper Dolly in lieu of dinner with Beast & Vera. Later in the evening, Patsy slips away whileDolly sleeps, in search of her identity as an individual woman, the recent turn of events having been difficult to digest.

Finally, Dr. Strange finds his way to the other three lost Defenders, found earlier by the presumed-dead Nighthawk (Kyle)! Great last page!

While I was initially unfamiliar with the surrounding continuity, this story sucked me into this issue! Dropping into the series here 11 years after it's inception is only a mild handicap, the action whooshing my imagination off on an exciting adventure from the first page. As stated earlier, I've since read a couple more odd issues of Defenders and Dr. Strange found in the dollar comics bins at V-Stock (pictured below), and Defenders: Indefensible which I picked up in December at Comic Headquarters. I enjoy super-group/team books in general, and am becoming a little more familiar with Dr. Strange and his non-team of heroes.

*See my post on The Avengers-Defenders War!

More Later- Make It Fun!

Shopping: Marvel Universe

2011-12-31T11:43:00.000-06:00

It's always a good idea to take a look after the public has plowed through some inventory during the holidays and the help has had a chance to put some new/old stock from the back room :D

*Red Hulk

This wouldn't be the first time this year I've seen 2009 Marvel Universe stock on the pegs, nor the first time I've spotted a Red Hulk in the wild this month! I took him home this time. Could he really look more angry? :D

*Iron Spider-Man (translucent variant)

I've passed on the peg-warming, flat red version of this many times, but when I saw a picture of the translucent variant recently, I become more interested. I didn't expect to find one so soon- Great! Paintjob looks shoddy on this one however- may or may not return it.

*Electro
Another translucent variant, this Electro was released in '09 with flat, gold paint, but released again with clear hands- very cool! What a hilarious looking villain- right up my alley :D

My New Year's resolution should be to open more of these Marvel Universe! I am WAY behind on these, and while I didn't want to pass these up, the last thing I needed this year was another one to throw on the pile :D

*See the Marvel Universe visual checklist at ItsAllTrue.Net

Happy New Year! Make It FUN!

DC Direct Arkham City Robin

2011-12-30T17:28:00.002-06:00

I'm not really into video games, but when I played a round of Arkham City with a couple pals recently, I was impressed. I played a few rounds in the Animated Robin skin as well, and liked that a lot! When I saw both Mattel & DC Direct released a version of this Akham City Robin, I was pretty sure I'd go with the DC Direct- I had been pleased by their Arkham Asylum Batman, and when I saw Mattel's version included in a two-pack with Arkham City Joker, I couldn't justify the $30.00 price tag with NO ACCESSORIES. Further cementing my decision to go with the DC Direct was JTrain's YouTube review in which the Mattel Robin's had keeps popping off.

I picked this Robin up at Comic Heaquarters in South County- a great little comic shop & my newest haunt! He was marked $19.95, but they are having a 20% off year-end sale, so I only paid $15.96 for him- not bad! They had the "infected" Batman and Harley Quinn from this series as well, but I picked up a Justice League #4 instead, knowing I'd find other stuff I want more in the new year.

I love the outfit with the hooded cape on this version of Robin, which has a glossy black finish on the outside simulating a "raincoat" feel, and offering another texture to this nicely painted figure. The hood is a separate piece, enabling the head to move all the way around. The colors on Mattel's version are darker than this DC Direct, but I prefer my Robin able to hold a staff (Mattel's had one closed fist), & there appears to be no slop on mine. The Boy Wonder is one of my all-time favorite DC characters, and this reimagining of the teen crimefighter's outfit is a unique & welcome addition to my collection! Check out this cool post I found on Robin Through the Ages at Off My Bird Chest!

A lot of folks complain about lack of articulation in DC Direct figures, and while it's true that they pale in comparison to Mattel's in the said area, they are often more beautifully sculpted & painted. Some ankle & waist joints would have been nice on this figure, but he did have cut joints at the top of his boots and at his biceps, which helped. I played around with this toy for over two hours last night, taking over 200 photographs, and had a ball! And hey- I was able to get this DCD Robin to do quite a bit :D

In JTrain's video review of this DC Direct Arkham City Robin, he had a hard time getting the figure to hold his bō staff with both hands, but with some patience I was able to gently "corkscrew" the accessory into the hold in his right fist, and then position the other end into his left open palm. Once I learned how to do it, I found it much easier and could position him with the staff in both hands in a variety of poses. The figure's swivel biceps give him some flexibility in this department as well.

Arkham City Robin with Arkham Asylum Batman- what a great pair!

Arkham City Robin with Batman Incorporated Robin...

Arkham City Robin with some of my other DC Direct figures- New Krypton Superman and Superwoman, Justice Sinestro, and Crisis On Infinte Earths Lex Luthor.

*See the DC Direct Action Figure Archive!

More Later-Make it FUN!

Marvel Glass Tumbler Set

2011-12-28T08:49:00.000-06:00

Among the thoughtful gifts heaped upon me this Christmas, my sister & her husband gave me this rocking set of Marvel glass tumblers. I'd seen these at Target before, but resisted the urge to buy them- very cool!

The colors and individualized logos for each of the classic Marvel characters are just beautiful, and remind me of some of the pop culture themed glassware I had in my youth. I absolutely love these!

Hasbro Wolverine with ToyBiz Captain America:

Hasbro Spider-Man with ToyBiz Hulk:

Also somewhat related to toys & comics, my lovely parents gave me a gift card to V-Stock. You may remember my raving about a store called BAM! here in the county, where new & used comics, toys, music, movies, books, & CDs are sold- well, BAM! just changed their name to V-Stock; they are one & the same :)

More Later-Make It Fun!

My Captain America Painting

2011-12-26T18:00:00.000-06:00

"Captain America" 2011
acrylic on canvas, 8 X 10"

Some of you may or may not know that I'm an artist, selling and showing my paintings here in the Midwest. When I was a kid in school, I dreamt of being a comic book artist, but went on to discover all other kinds of art while attending college many years ago. I still like to crank out an occasional illustration of a favorite hero, and starting this blog last year reignited that interest. I painted this little Captain America canvas for my nephew for Christmas this year, a memento of our trip to the theatre to see the Captain America: The First Avenger this past summer. Needless to say, we are anxious for the new Avengers movie due out this forthcoming summer. I obviously styled Cap after Jack Kirby's rendering of the Marvel hero, but painted his shield over the edge of the gallery-wrapped canvas to give it a modern presentation. I had a great time making this one!

More Later- Make It Fun!

A Christmas Riddle

2011-12-23T01:03:00.001-06:00

Slide on over to Batman the Animated Toys blog and read my post on The Batman & Robin Adventures issue #3!

***Merry Christmas to my partners in blogging BubbaShelby & ChunkyB, all of our readers at Batman the Animated Toys, and to all of you!***

Martian Nativity

2011-12-20T01:01:00.000-06:00

Pictured above is my submission to this year's action figure nativity photo contest at Hey, Look At My Toys! Reis put the word out a month ago, and I sent my submission this past Saturday night! I knew I didn't want to do anything with a manger, hay, animals, etc... I just wanted it to be completely reimagined. While I'm unsure if it was successful as a nativity scene, it was certainly different :D But it's a Martian Nativity, so who knows what that looks like?? I thought the colors were sufficiently "Christmassy", and had fun taking pics on Saturday night :) Here are a few outtakes from my photo session:

Swing by Hey, Look At My Toys!, check out all the really fun entries, & vote for your favorite :)

Merry Christmas!

Marvel Premiere Editions!

2011-12-16T13:34:00.001-06:00

Precipitating my creation of the Super-DuperToyBox, my childhood love of comics was rekindled- a passion that has only accelerated over the last 14 months, my shelves now spilling over with trade paperbacks & back issues of everything I can get my hands on. As much as I love action figures, I don't just collect plastic over here- I want to read the stories, know the characters, and enjoy the art that these toys are based on. I study my comics more diligently than most college students do their coursework. I take it seriously, and not a day goes by without reading them. I found a little comic shop down in South County the other day that had gone undetected by myself: Comic Headquarters at 4352 Telegraph Road- they've been in business over two decades! There was a 50% off hardback editions, and while I had a respectable pile of back issues to read, I wasn't going to pass up these ten dollar Marvel Premiere Editions!

*The New Fantastic Four

In the aftermath of Civil War comes Reconstruction, the beginning of a stunning new era of fantastic adventure. The team has been rocked to its foundations by the controversial events of the last several months. Now Reed and Sue have announced their plans to take some time off to work out their martial problems, leaving Ben and Johnny to hold the fort. But they won't be doing it shorthanded. The newly married Black Panther and Storm join the team for all new adventures featuring Silver Surfer, Galactus and... a new Quasar? Collecting Fantastic Four #544-549.

*Future Foundation Vol.1: Tomorrow

Before his death, the Human Torch made his wishes known: If anyone were to replace him in the Fantastic Four, it should be his best super-hero buddy, Spider-Man. but even with the addition of Spidey to their ranks,Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman and the thing are now so much more than four. Welcome to the FF - the Future Foundation! Marvel's First Family has moved beyond the simple pursuits of super heroing into a bold new era of discovery. but to make tomorrow today, they'll need to expand their ranks even beyond Spider-Man and their genius children. What does the future mean when it depends on the likes of the Wizard, the Mad thinker, A.I.M. and Dr. Doom? Collecting Future Foundation #1-5.

*Cable: Homecoming

From the moment Cable jumped into the time stream with the infant "mutant messiah," he's had only one goal: keep Hope alive until she can choose her own destiny. But now, stranded on a planet in its death throes, eating fried rat on a stick for the millionth time, Hope turns to Cable and tells him she's ready to go home. Thus begins "Homecoming," the penultimate chapter in the X-Men saga that began with "Messiah CompleX." It's not only zero hour for Cable and Hope, but also for the mutant hunting them, Lucas Bishop, who is rapidly running out of chances to save mutantkind and the world. Because if Hope does make it back to the present, everything changes for the X-Men. PLUS: Duane Swierczynski and Steve Dillon bring you four thrilling, untold tales from Hope's future past as she grapples with vicious snipers, robot wolf packs, mutant rats, and even Cable himself. Collecting Cable #21-25 & X-Men: Hope.

*Defenders: Indefensible

Wong possessed by Nightmare! Dormammu and Umar in unholy alliance! The Hulk and the Sub-Mariner at each other's throats! The Silver Surfer... uh... surfing. Can Doctor Strange reunite the Defenders and save "Reality As We Know It?" Only the Ancient One knows for sure! Collecting Defenders #1-5.

*Publication summaries/descrptions taken from Amazon.Com

I haven't been able to post much in December due to my heavy workload at the day job- a small, high-end retail establishment in a VERY busy shopping mall. Needless to say, we have been extremely busy! Additionally, I had to halt work on the 15 canvases I'm working on for my show next February in order to crank out a painting commission and a few other paintings as Christmas gifts for some family members. AND... another art gallery in the city recently expressed interest in my artwork, so I'll be reworking my resume, preparing a presentation, and wrapping up some work for a Sunday delivery to them- when opportunity knocks, answer the door! 2012 is shaping up to be my year, and I will be ready!

So if you don't see me before, I want to take this moment to wish each & every one of you a Joyous Holiday Season! I am most grateful to all of you who come to this happy place where we share toys, comics, and a love of all things FUN!

Excelsior!

Hey, Mr. Postman!

2011-12-10T02:31:00.000-06:00

Oh boy, oh boy! Let's take a look at the video and see what wonderful toy came in the mail this week...

MattyCollector released their exclusive DC Retro-Action Green Arrow again, herald of the 8" Mattel action figure line inspired by the Mego World's Greatest Superheroes of the 70's- a childhood favorite of mine! I caught the end of sale in late November, having missed him the first time around- Ollie was one of these I'd been after for some time- a really fun dolly with great accessories!

Click this link to see all my posts on these fun action figures, now sadly discontinued... there were so many characters I would have liked to have seen produced in this format, such a shame!

More Later- Make It FUN!

DC Action League Martian Manhunter/Deadman 2-Pack

2011-12-09T00:12:00.000-06:00

I picked up this DC Action League Martian Manhunter/Deadman 2-Pack at the same time as the Arkillo/Sinestro 2-Pack last week. There was a Professor Zoom/Flash pack as well, but I was watchcing the bucks, and I believe a Batman/Bronze Tiger was released with this wave as well. I love the packaging, on these- it looks like a squashed version of the DCUC packaging I know, but it says FUN.

Obviously a tip of the hat to Jonn Jonzz & Boston Brand's resurrection at the conclusion of Geoff Johns' Blackest Night for the following Brightest Day series, Martian Manhunter and Deadman are paired together, Jonn having been murdered by Libra in Final Crisis (2008), and Boston having been dead his whole career.

What can I say about this tiny Deadman? Extremely cute! I've read a few comics in which he appeared, including some team action with the Spectre & his appearance in Alex Ross' Justice, but am still hardly a novice concerning the ghost of a circus aerialist. Jonn was the clincher for me in this 2-pack, but Deadman is a great little figure, his body and collar molded in translucent, dark red plastic, a small "D" engraved into his abdomen. He stands well on his pedestal footprint, his white head able to turn to either side, looking around his tall collar. Extremely diminutive, but cool!

While my Martian Manhunter collection is becoming a nation of it's own among my action figures, this little guy is by far the shortest! I have a 7" DC Direct Brightest Day Martian Manhunter in this new outfit with black pants, the red bandoliers crossing his bare chest again, but with a new ornamental buckle at the center. I dig. He stands well, and has four point of articulation like most in this line: neck, shoulders, & waist. I'm a huge fan of Jonn Jonnz, in case you didn't know- I highly recommend The Idol-Head of Diabolu Martian Manhunter blog!

Of course here at the Super-DuperToyBox, I love to play BIGTOY/littletoy, so here are the pair with their 6" Mattel DCUC counterparts... now how is this not fun?? :D

Click this link to see all my posts on these Action League figures :)

More Later-Make It FUN!

DC Action League Arkillo/Sinestro 2-Pack

2011-12-05T23:44:00.000-06:00

Seems like awhile since I bought any of these, but it was really only the beginning of the summer. I knew they were coming, but sort of forgot as I'm easily distracted by the next thing. Since my last post was on both a Mattel product as well as the Sinestro Corps, I thought I'd crack these open & have a look.

I love these little DC Action League figures! The articulation is really simple, but they are so much fun! They are extremely cute, and somewhat addictive. These still go for $7.99 at Wal-Mart, and yes, I think it's overpriced! That said, they character selection and scuplts/designs are really great. This line started with the Batman: the Brave & The Bold, but evolved and was rebranded under the DC Universe banner, and even branching into the Green Lantern line. At first I thought it was odd seeing these on the pegs so long after the Green Lantern movie premiered, but after seeing the movie recently, and Sinestro slipping on the yellow power ring in the last scene, perhaps the timing isn't that bad.

I was glad to finally see some Sinestro Corps members show up in the line, as there have been several Green Lantern Corps members already produced. Sinestro's drill sergeant Arkillo has a gaping mouth and pissed off look that made me really love him at first sight! I just like the whole black & yellow color scheme & design features of the Sinestro Corps uniforms period- it's contrasty & powerful looking to my eyes.

Sinestro has a similar pose & sculpt to the White Lantern Sinestro from Wave 1, but they are not the same- their uniform lines are cut into the sculpt, and the the Corps version has banded cuffs & belt. The Corps version is smaller, too, and I'm not really sure why. It's hard to see in the pictures, but I've studdied them closely. Additionally, the White Lantern Sinestro stands better, his round feet better shaped to plant together on a flat surface. It could just be mine, but the Arkillo rocks slightly on his stance as well.

It's fun to get a worthy opponent for the Action League Kilowog, another large figure in this line. And unlike Kiliwog, Arkillo has a cut joint in his neck- nice! He made this set a must get- really hilarious :D

Sinestro & Arkillo with fellow Corps member, Low:

Sinestro Corps Vs. the Green Lanterns!

Click this link to see all my posts on these Action League figures :)

More Later- Make It FUN!

DCUC Sinestro Corps Scarecrow

2011-12-04T01:14:00.003-06:00

While picking up the All Star & Blue Lantern Flash along with Star Sapphire Wonder Woman during Target's recent DC Universe sale, I also grabbed a Wave 17 Sinestro Corps Scarecrow for $7.99. He's a great idea for a character, and am glad to say he made an equally cool action figure.

In Geoff John's Blackest Night series, Dr. Jonathan Crane's alter ego & arch enemy of the Batman, Scarecrow, is temporarily deputized by the Sinestro Corps to battle Nekron & the Black Lanterns. Pursuing his addiction to fear since Batman's disappearance in Grant Morrison's Batman R.I.P., Crane is overjoyed by his ablity to feel the emotion again, gone since the Dark Knight's departure.

This action figure rocks, and gets all of the Four Horsemen's best work along with Mattel's best articulation. his ball-jointed head, double-jointed elbows, and swivel-hinge wrists make him the pinnacle of this line's appointments. His yellow lantern, which he never had, and boots aren't comic accurate, but his sculpt is great- especially the tattered head and long coat. His yellow power ring is sculpted into the left middle finger, as his Sinestro Corps chest insignia, which was likely done because of his neck sculpt blocking any chance of a clean tampo in that area. This just makes him look all the more tailored. Really cool. DC Direct made a rockin' version of this character as well, but Mattel did it their own way successfully in my opinion. He also came with the Anti-Monitor's right leg, which will be pronptly sold on eBay :)

I can think of only one other candidate as worthy as Crane to recieve the yellow ring of fear: the Dark Knight himself :) Mattel's "what if" Sinestro Corps Batman is the perfect, if not necessary companion figure to the Sinestro Corps Scarecrow. I'm not certain if it was planned that way, as this pair could have been a two pack like Romat-Ru & Karu-Sil, but they sure look cool together and are an obvious pair. I think some collectors were puzzled by Sinestro Corps Batman's appearance, but if the obscure moment from Green Lantern #17 isn't comic-accurately rendered, it's fully realized in blazing fashion anyway. Fun!

Sinestro Corps Scarecrow with Wave 3 Sinestro, and Wave 15 Sinestro Corps Batman:

* Visual checklist & reviews of the DCUC line at DCClassics.Com!

More Later- Make It FUN!

DCUC Star Sapphire Wonder Woman & Donna Troy

2011-12-03T00:29:00.000-06:00

While picking up the All Star & Blue Lantern Flash I reviewed in my last post, I picked up a Star Sapphire Wonder Woman. While she's not everyone's favorite DCUC, at the sale price of $7.99, I'll take a chance. I picked up Donna Troy last winter in a DCUC buying spree, and felt now would be a good time to look at her while photographing Wonder Woman- they are related characters, and I wanted to rid myself of some bulky DCUC packaging. Girl Power!

In Geoff John's Blackest Night story, Wonder Woman is temporarily deputized as a Star Sapphire & member of the Violet Corps in the battle against Nekron the Black Lanterns. Having gained access to the violet power ring of love, Diana could alter her costume at will, create energy constructs, and reveal a person's true love to them. Additionally, her magic lasso was enhanced by the ring. I really loved the whole idea!

There was a lot of crying over this figure, and for good reason. Her articulation was not improved by the abdominal swivel that replaced the old abdominal crunch, but I can see why Mattel did this here in attempt to minimize the aesthetic disruption of her exposed midriff. Yo Go Re over at OAFE.Net complained about the cheap joints, but I always felt leary about these thin figures and didn't notice a difference. I was never a huge fan of the female buck produced by this company (couldn't there be a little more meat on these girls?), but they've done some good ones. She's dressed like a stripper, true- but it's only slightly less pornographic in the book. Yes, I agree DC Direct's version looked a little better, save the big scary face mask, but I got this one for $7.99! And unlike the DC Direct version, she can hold her lantern. I enjoyed photographing her- her colors really came to life out of the packaging.

Similarly scathing were the reviews I've read of this Wave 13 Donna Troy. Articulated Discussion ripped Donna a new one in their review, but the whole thing sounded downright (laughs) vengeful to me :D The funny thing about DCUC fans is their love/hate relationship with the line- they hate, hate, HATE IT, then they go buy some more just like it- really hilarious! :D We love these world famous figures, and have come to expect things from them, both personally & publicly obvious!

True to DC Comics' penchant for confusing the masses, Donna Troy's continuity issues are far too labyrinth to attempt outlining here- I just know her as the Teen Titan, Wonder Girl, who took over the Wonder Woman mantle for Diana after Infinite Crisis (Geoff Johns, 2005-06).

Yes, Donna does look bow-legged in some positions, but the paint on mine was clean, and I love her outfit- she really looks like a superhero & the tampographed yellow stars & matching belt really looked cool in my eyes. And speaking of peepers, Donna was roundly cursed for the expression on her face, which just didn't bother me. How should a sassy, teenage super heroine look? The angle at which one is viewing makes a difference, I suppose. I honestly appreciate her much more now that I opened her- girls in black boots rock :D

My Donna was in the 75th Anniversary packaging, and unknown to me at the point of purchase, missing her Trigon collect & connect parts! Luckily, I don't play the collect & connect game, nor do I care about Trigon, though he does look cool. More importantly, the pirate left me the collector button, of which I treasure a many :)

These girls were fun, and I'm glad their on Team Super-Duper! Here they are with Catwoman, Powergirl, and Batgirl:

* Visual checklist & reviews of the DCUC line at DCClassics.Com!
More Later- Make It FUN!

DCUC All-Star & Blue Lantern Flash

2011-12-02T00:36:00.000-06:00

One Flash, Two Flash, Red Flash Blue Flash...

I went back to Target and grabbed some more DCUC on account of them being on sale at a paltry $7.99 each, and picked up this Blue Lantern Flash upon my return. I have a beautiful DC Direct Blue Lantern Flash, but at that price I caved. The thought of two beautiful new Flashes to photograph was too much :D

I never was into Barry Allen as a kid, known only as Flash to me then, but after reading Geoff John's Blackest Night and Darwin Cooke's The New Frontier this past year, I was sold on the Justice League's fastest member. Mark Waid's JLA: Year One and Brad Meltzer's Identity Crisis solidified my admiration for the good hearted hero. The second incarnation of the character, Golden Age Jay Garrick preceding, Barry is a forensics expert on the Star City police force, his super-speed abilities coming in handy on the job as well as defying the laws of physics while fighting crime as the Flash.

Originally released in early 2009 as part of DC Universe Classics Wave Seven, I had missed the fan favorite and never ran into him on the pegs, having won my first DCUC in a contest over at Action Figure Blues in late 2010. Little did I know then I'd later come to own many :D Mattel released a TRU exclusive in red & gold in the third quarter of 2010, but mine is an All Star reissue. Seeing on a peg at Target for $7.99 was like seeing Bigfoot or a pot of gold... I plucked him like an apple from a tree :D

Like my Indigo Lantern Atom, Blue Lantern Flash was released in Wave Seventeen in May of this year. DCClassics.Com claims he's the same sculpt as Wave Seven Flash aside from the sculpted ring, but that's not true- Blue Lantern Flash's torso is smaller/more lean, most notably in the latissimus dorsi (back) and trapezius (shoulder-neck). They look so similar aside from color, that it's easy to miss. He came with a nice metallic-blue lantern and the collect & connect right arm of Anti-Monitor. Rightfully, some are annoyed by Barry's death in '85 and '08 resurrection in Grant Morrison's Final Crisis, and were further puzzled by his appointment as deputy Blue Lantern in Geoff John's Blackest Night, but it worked for me. I was never heavily invested in the character, and getting back into comics only in the last year, I had a fresh, enthusiastic look into the medium. I loved Blackest Night, and often hated Hal & beloved Barry's relationship throughout the book interested me greatly. I haven't read the recent Flashpoint series, but will likely pick up the TPB at some point.

All Star Flash with Wave 2 Aquaman, Green Lantern 5-pack '90's Hal Jordan, Superman, and All-Star Batman.

Blue Lantern Flash with Wave 13 Blue Beetle:

* Visual checklist & reviews of the DCUC line at DCClassics.Com!

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Hey, Mr. Postman!/November Shopping

2011-11-30T01:44:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I got toys online since I've been having such good luck locally, but found some I'd been searching for at a reasonable price in the far outer reaches of the interwebs recently.

*Marvel Universe Archangel & Stealth Ops Iron Man

That damned Archangel can go for a fortune online- one of the most sought after in the line after the Vision. Having no luck on the usual online places, I found him & Stealth Ops Iron Man on someone's E-Crater store at a much better price.

*Marvel Universe Doc Sampson

Doc Sampson- never found him in the wild & got him at a decent price- plus, he pushed an Amazon order over $25.00 for free shipping. Ironically, I've seen him out all the sudden! Sadly, while there's stock in back or at a warehouse, no one is walking around TRU or Target checking how many there are of each character, hence we see these occasional flushes of older figures.

And... along with the Doc Sampson above, I found some Brave & the Bold characters on Amazon for less than what they went for originally in retail & free shipping:

* Batman: the Brave & the Bold Rocket Blast Firestorm

Sellers have been trying to unload these since spring, and while I'd seen him out on clearance a little lower than this, seven bucks w/free shipping was pretty good. Since the new Stealth Attack figures came out, my enthusiam for these has been rejuvenated.

* Batman: the Brave & the Bold Super Saber & Medieval Batman

I missed these coming out awhile ago- so cool! Batman with a sword & armor? Hell yeah...

*Batman: the Brave & the Bold Ninja Batman & Gold w/Starro

I hope Ninja Batman doesn't need an explanation- that just rocks! Like the two Batman variants above, I'd never seen him out on the pegs. I have the other Metal Man from this series, Iron with the crescent wrench arm- they'll make a nice pair :)

I've found some cool stuff around town this month as well:

*Marvel Universe Cable

I thought I'd never see this guy out again! Like I said, every once in awhile there is an unexpected flush of figures we've missed as stores restock- I've seen a lot of this around town recently. Cable is a new discovery for me, having recently picked a lot of the 90's Rob Liefeld X-Force issues in the dollar comic bins at BAM!

* DCUC All-Star Flash & Young Justice Aqualad

Target was having a 1/2 off sale on Mattel DC Universe stuff, and I miraculously found a DCUC Flash, long missing from my collection. At $7.99 each, it was hard not to pick up some of the others I saw- a RARE deal, for sure! Speaking of rare deals, I also found this new Young Justice Aqualad box set w/diorama for 1/2 off. Ten bucks! Greatness! I love that show and I love this character!

*DC Action League Martian Manhunter/Deadman & Arkillo/Sinestro 2 Packs

I nearly forgot these were on the way, stumbling across them at Wal-Mart today. I have a ton of these fun little figures- the characters they are putting out are just great!

*The Dollar Comic Bin at BAM!

Ahhh, my curse & gift :) I love going through all the bins of old comics at BAM!- so much I haven't read, so many new adventures to experience! Found more issues of the early 90's X-Force recently, along with some Defenders, Dr. Strange, and other assorted oddities of my personal interests. I swear, never will I be done reading these old comics. I love it!

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Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men, Vol.1

2011-11-29T01:30:00.000-06:00

As I said about the Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol.1 , it's nice to read the first several consecutive issues of these Silver Age titles in one collection, most of which I can buy used for much less than collecting the original issues. Jack Kirby and Stan Lee were on a roll in 1963, and while these first stories, this first team of X-Men looks very different from the X-Men we know today, it all began here. The five special teenagers brought together by telepath Charles Xavier in these early adventures were learning to channel their unique mutant powers as individuals and as a team, facing powerful foes, uncertain odds, and a public's increasing hatred of their kind . There's adventure, comedy, tragedy, and unrequited love in these pages, just as there is in those years coming of age. And while I wouldn't want to be a teenager again, I felt some of those old feelings again reading this fun book.

While it's not for everyone, I think there's a lot to be said for the Silver & Bronze Age Marvel material. The dialogue may seem stilted to those unfamiliar with the parlance common to comics of yesteryear, but I find these first stories refreshing- they are free of the exhausting continuity issues to come later, and the artwork is fun and splashy. I won't talk about every detail of all the ten stories here, but here are some moments throughout to give you a sense of what a great book this is:

*X-Men Vs. Magneto, Issue #1
Right out of the gate our young heroes are up against the Master of Magnetism, legendary arch enemy Magneto- what a way to start!

While these X-Men may be up against the likes of Magneto in their first issue, we are still given both comic relief and a sense of their naivety, the teenager's rambunctious energy disrupting a training session with Professor X:

*X-Men Vs. Blob
Guided by Professor X, the young team seeks out another mutant their leader senses, in hopes of reaching him before the malign influence of Magneto leads him astray. Finding the Blob working as a circus sideshow act, the teenagers are put off by Fred Dukes obnoxious nature instantly. When Professor X asks him to join the X-Men, Blob refuses, claiming superiority over the team, their tests of power ineffective against the behemoth, immovable mutant. After inviting the circus to attack our young heroes in issue #3, the Blob returns in issue #7 to join the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants against the X-Men!

*Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Issues #4 & 5
As if their first encounter with Magneto wasn't challenging enough, the gifted youngsters must face his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants as well! Mastermind and Toad make their first appearance in issue #4, as do the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver- the siblings who we later learn are actually Magneto's children, and soon move on to join the Avengers after their debt to Magneto is repaid.

*Sub-Mariner joins the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
The powerful Prince of Atlantis further complicates things, confounding the X-Men by joining Magneto & Co. Namor, Quicksilver, & Scarlet Witch are made to realize by Professor X that all have been made pawns to Magneto's malevolent intentions, turning Namor against him!

*X-Men Vs. the Avengers, Issue #9
Unbeknownst to the Avengers, Professor X has also been seeking the menacing & mysterious Lucifer who's built a thermonuclear bomb that's circuits are attuned to his heartbeat. If harmed by the Avengers the bomb could go off, so the Professor commands his X-Men to distract the heroes while he works on a plan!

*X-Men Meet Ka-Zar, Issue #10
Drawn by the appearance of the savage & his saber-tooth tiger Zabu, the teen heroes get in hot water with the subterranean Savage Land natives, and Ka-Zar has to come to their rescue among the prehistoric wildlife that inhabit the land time forgot! Riveting!

I also like the splashy pinup pages in these books, giving you a detailed, close look at the characters- these two of Beast & Marvel Girl take the cake!

I read the Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol.2 last month, and am currently reading Vol.2 of X-Men. Getting into these has made rediscovering comics all the more enjoyable for me! I enjoy all the decades of comics, but I feel this time period was a renaissance for comics, an incredible cast of characters & modern comic mythos developed within it. Don't be afraid to peek :D
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*Check out the Marvel Masterworks Resource Page!

Iron Man 2 Comic Series Ultimate Iron Man

2011-11-24T01:38:00.000-06:00

I haven't read any Ultimate Iron Man, but I've admired this action figure for some time. The Marvel Utimate imprint of comics began publication in 2000, the characters given new origins, freeing them from the sometimes convoluted back-histories of the original versions. In Ultimate Iron Man, Antonio Stark's genetic structure was changed due to a laboratory accident his mother suffered while he was still in the womb. Neural tissue normally found in the brain covered his entire body, causing Antonio extreme dermal sensitivity, motivating his inventor father to develop a biological armor to ease the child's suffering, and allowing him to interact with the world normally.

Like the other Iron Man 2 3 3/4" Hasbro figures, Ultimate Iron Man came with the 3-part armor specs card. Instead of a translucent repulsor blast accessory, he came with an interchangeable head- I'm assuming this is two looks he had in the series. His ball jointed head is pretty expressive, and was surprised to see he has swivel-hinged wrists- very unique to such a diminutive scale! And I'm thankful these figures feature the hinge-swivel hips, never outfitted with the dreaded ball & socket hip like some of the Marvel Universe figures.

While he's not part of the mainstream Iron Man continuity, I love a variation on a theme, and I thought this guy's armor looked tough! His chunky build restrict his movement somewhat, but not too badly- he's still fun to pose! His articulation is considerably better than my Air Assault Drone:

Ultimate Iron Man with Golden Avenger Armor Iron Man and Classic Proto-Armor Iron Man:

I'm not sure how many of these 3 3/4" Iron Man 2 figures I have, but Hasbro did a pretty good job on them. While it may be due to all the different armor variations and the result of Iron Man's technological aspects/nature, some of them have much more complex sculpts that a lot of the 3 3/4" Marvel Universe figures. I'm especially a fan of the Concept & Comic Book series from this line. As Ewan said over at Chase Variant, Ultimate Iron Man takes the character closer to robot territory visually- he really looks like a machine, and reminds me of an Italian sports car, the smooth rounded helmet and chest piece painted red & yellow. Mine has a small mark between the eyes, but the paint is good otherwise.

*Philip's review of this figure at Battle Grip

*Ewan's review of this figure at Chase Variant

*See The Iron Man Armory for all the other Iron Man armors through the years!

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