AMP Episode 42: Blame San Diego

I'm seriously berginning to hate Comic-Con. But we recorded a podcast about it, while it was going on, and we're never going to do that again. It's sad that Comic-Con can be exhausting even if you don't go to it.

Want to listen to our weariness?



I mean it, even editing this episode was exhausting. And there's barely any editing.

You should compare this week to next week, when I'm sure we'll be extremely energized and hyper. Except Mario. Unless he's drunk or something.

Oh, and here's the image from Action Figure Insider of Adam West Movie Masters Batman. It's a Batman toy with a paunch!

Avengers vs. X-men minimate fan poll

Can anyone else vote on the Toys R Us Avengers vs. X-men minimate fan poll? I can't, but I wonder if I should try again later in the day/week.

Unlike last year's Heralds of Galactus poll, I don't really have a horse in this race. Picking 4 out of 6 minimates for a box set is less exciting if I've already got minimates of most of the characters already. So the new costumes they're wearing better be impressive. I'll just vote for whatever looks cool. But first I need to see better pictures of the prototypes.

I feel like I'm probably going to pick the ridiculous anti-Phoenix Iron Man armor. Also the Phoenix powered X-men look like they might be groovy.

AMP Episode 31: Hoover Dam History

Our delayed by Easter episode of the Articulated Monster Podcast is now up. Get it by listening with this widget, downloading it from the Talk Shoe page, or off of the iTunes.



This episode we talk about Justin Bieber, Mattel schadenfreude, gateway toys, Stalin, and of course, Hoover Dam. Also, Mario was late so we got a substitute for the first segments: Chris Rutkowsky, game designer of RPG games such as the ENnie award nominated BASH! and Honor + Intrigue. Check out his webpage at www.bashrpg.com. Incidentally, this gives other James a chance to actually hold a conversation about RPG stuff.

And if you are so inclined, check out his newest game, Honor + Intrigue  at http://www.bashrpg.com/HonorIntrigue.html. It's available for purchase as a pdf download and as a pre-order if you want a print copy. I'm sure it's great. Chris is a great designer, BASH! is one of the few RPGs I've ever played and, even more importantly, enjoyed.

...Or if you're lucky an Eclipso.

Did you see the news that Toys R Us has DCUC for $9.99? Yeah, I was excited for about 10 minutes. But then I realized that I'm nowhere near a Toys R Us and then also remembered what DCUC figures are available in the few stores an hour's drive away. But if you've really wanted an off color Nitewing, now's the time.

Contest being held somewhere else

So, hey, there's a minimate photo contest being held by Diamond Select distributers. Winner gets a bunch of free minimates.

More info here:

http://www.artasylum.com/blog/2011/07/shoot-to-thrill-minimates-photo-contest-now-underway/

Rory figure, I am not excited, and here's why...

So they've made a Rory minifigure for the Character Building TARDIS Console Room before they made a 5-inch figure in the main line? What the hell? Okay, yes, it's a simple repaint of stock parts rather than a new sculpt, but still... we get a

Sonicron

Sonicron from http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/

I know I've always thought that my office equipment would be 100X more awesome if it all transformed into toy robots.

Articulated Monster ep 09: Hobo Superman

Episode 9 of the Articulated Monster Podcast, the only podcast about toys that I am on. This week we talk about what toys from the new DC Comcis relaunch we want to see. To follow along with us as we go down the listings check out this webpage: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=32748

And before that, to follow along with us during the news segment, check out the following links:

New Green Lantern Movie Masters
http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=10&itemid=17308

New Pirates OTC figures
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/main/upcomings-pirates-figures-from-jakks

DCUC Wave 19
http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/05/31/mtv-geek-exclusive-first-look-dc-universe-classics-wave-19/

Mattell sustainability
http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/12937.shtml

Asian DCUC figure?

So I was reading this article at Comic Alliance about how DC Comics trend of restoring the status quo of superheroes to pre 1980s levels has lead to an unintentional lack of diversity in the superhero community, particularly the regression of making the Atom Ray Palmer instead of Ryan Choi and it got me wondering...

Has there been a toy made of an Asian character in the DC Universe Classics line?

A quick look says, no. There's one scheduled for Wave 18, but its Samurai, the Superfriends character creatd specifically for the cartoon and who was a walking stereotype. Seriously, he had wind powers but he was called Samurai. Oh wait, I forgot, he also had access to ancient Asian martial arts techniques that let him be invisible and crap like that.

So that means that in 17 waves, a number of exclusives, and the Green Lantern Classics line, that there have been 24 aliens (not counting the New Gods), 6 robots, and NO Asians. The other minorities groups aren't represented very well either, 1 hispanic character and 5 black characters.

And if you say it's only because there aren't a lot of minority characters in the DC Universe in general, let alone ones with enough exposure to make a toy of, well that's a whole other problem right there.

I mean, crap, I just want a DCUC figure of an Asian character that's not a sterotype. Is that so wrong/hard?

Cobra Commander Costume

I admit, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that even though this is the summer of the GI Joe movie, they're producing a classic Cobra Commander Costume.

Even better? To my knowledge, they're not making a movie Cobra Commander costume.

Vader Invasion: Even Later

Much delayed, here's my entry into Open The Toy's Vader Invasion event, where various toy bloggers catalogue all of their Darth Vader toys.

First off, I neglected to include a picture of my first Darth Vader figure, a reissue of the original Kenner Vader figure as part of a Power of the Force box set. I really didn't want to dig through piles of boxes in my closet to take a photo. It's got a vinyl cape and telescoping lightsaber blade that fits in the right arm. It's not the greatest figure ever made, but it did its job back in 1978. Too bad I got it for Christmas 1995.

OK, let's see some pictures now!



This is the first Vader figure from Kenner's Power of the Force line. It features the bulky, muscular proporions common in the early days of that line, but I actually like how this figure looks due to its imposing nature. Because of that, to this day this remains my default Vader figure.

On a side note: the lightsaber color is faded because once I accidently dropped it into a can of soda. Don't ask.



This 2002 Vader is from the scene in The Empire Strikes Back where he chops off his son's hand. The details of the sculpt are great, but Vader's stuck in an awkward pose to accomodate his lightsaber-swinging action. A much cooler action feature is his magnetic hand, which gives the figure a "force attact" action allowing it to pick up its lightsaber.



This 1999 Vader comes from the scene where he tortures his daughter. Isn't he something? He comes with an Imperial interrogation droid as well as a CommTech chip (I don't have a CommTech reader and I don't want one). Kind of a lackluster figure, actually. He can fold his arms on his chest and hide them under a cloth cape! But he doesn't have lightsaber! Totally worth five bucks! Well, I got it for less. In an auction with the CommTech Jawa, I think.



This deluxe Revenge of the Sith Vader has the best play value out of all them. He comes with an operating table (not included in the picture, because it can connect with other figure bases and I didn't want to take apart my desk display) where you can lay the figure down and attach pieces to transform him from post-lava bath Anakin Skywalker into "Make 'em say NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Darth Vader. The sculpting isn't as good as it could be (particularly on his undersized fried Anakin head), but a lot of that is to accomodate the Vader pieces that attach. And let me tell you, it's compulsively fun to detach and reattach the various Vader bits.

And those are my Vader figures! That's about four more than I actually need.

Vader Invasion: Week Later, Dollars Short

Here we go... finally found everything and have a free minute. So time to participate in Open the Toy's Vader Invasion. AJ can do another post if he wants to do his stuff, but this is all Timmy.

This Vader mask I bought for one reason. The lenses are warped enough that they're pretty close to my prescription lenses. It makes this one of the few masks I can wear without my glasses and still be able to see.

Removable helmet Vader was purchased in the late 90's. I had 3 eras of toy collecting. Childhood, the late 90's, and today. This was one of the ones I sought out, picking it up for way too much at a comic book convention. At the time I loved this toy, and it's adorable pasty white Anakin Skywalker. Also, removable hand. Of course that was before I really began to value articulation. The old Star Wars toys are pretty bad about that.

This vader was a gift from Mario when I started to get back into 3.75" scale figures. Although the articulation still isn't as great as I'd like, with cut joint elbows, but it was free, so can't beat that.

Galactic Heroes keychain: it's pretty much a Galactic Heroes vader with a keychain attached to it. It was a gift from my mother who picked it up from a sale. My mother knows I like "sci-fi stuff" so sometimes if she finds something on clearance she thinks I'll like she'll pick it up. It's usually hit or miss whether I do like it, but sometimes it's a pleasant surprise.

Case in point: Galactic Heroes Darth Tater keychain. You know you want one.

That's it for toys. I've got a few other things, but I feel pillow cases don't really count as toys.

Gratuitous cross-promotion

I like action figures an awful lot, but I'm also really into music. I've started posting at Radio Prosecco, created by an Italian friend of mine, so if you're at all interested in reading my musical musings I recommend you give it a visit.

Fair warning: I dislike Morrissey, really like Led Zeppelin and R.E.M., and will make unnecessary references to the greatness of Prince whenever possible.

3.75" will rule the world.

So there's a rumor that they're going to stop making 5" Doctor Who toys because plastic costs so much.

And start making 3.75" Doctor Who toys.

http://www.doctorwhotoys.net/rumouroftheday.htm

Doctor Who toys in the same scale as Star Wars? Interesting. My question is would they go back and remake figures they've already done in this new scale?

Totally Ripping of Mario!

Just so we're all on the same page, I am totally ripping off my friend Mario's blog at A Year of toys.

There is a slight difference. Whereas he just talks about the toys he buys, I'm taking a slightly different approach. Let's face it, toys are expensive. So when I do buy a toy I need to justify the purchase to myself.

Which is what this blog is about.