Curiousity... Infinity!

So quick question: Is there any interest in me doing reviews and looking over gameplay of Disney Infinity? Because I bought all the figures. For some reason.

My plan is to use the toybox to make a version of Pac-Man with Disney characters.

Coming soon: Paymobil on this blog

My friend just gave me this, so I know what I'll be writing about this December. But until then, I think we need to bridge the last Playmobil Advent Celendar to this one. And I think I've already explained why I buy Playmobil figures, so from now on, whenever I post about Playmobil on this blog, it'll be part of the ongoing continuity of Ben and his makeshift family.

Johann Sebastian Joust

I've tried not to do this kind of thing, but screw it:

Johann Sebastian Joust is a game that uses Playstation Move controllers, but is played without ever looking at a screen. In fact right now it's only available as an early test build that's only able to run on a Macintosh. The idea is that each player holds a move controller. You have to get the other players to move their controller beyond the acceptable threshold (determined by the pace of the music) while keeping your controller as safe as possible. Last player standing wins.



Go and fund the kickstarter to get this game made on PSN, Mac and PC. (It's packaged with other games with equally unique premises). If you don't have a PS3, you can fund it at a level where they give you the controllers. PSN has agreed that funding this game essentially counts as a preorder if the funding is successful. They're being very generous considering the developers are essentially making a game that must use Playstation controllers but can be played on non-Playstation systems.

But go fund the game so they can make copies and I can finally play this game.

Twelve Inch Tuesdays... No, I'm not calling it that.

So I've been getting into 12 inch figures lately. I'm a tiny bit obsessed. It's like when I went overboard with the 4 inch figures a year ago. I've got to remind myself not to buy every semi-interesting thing I see because unlike the 4 inch figures, these things are insanely expensive. But if I'm getting stuff, I might as well write about it, right? Right.

I could do a regular feature, call it Twelve Inch Tuesdays or something less innuendo laden. Sixth scale Saturdays... No... I don't want to buy so many that I can justify one day a week on this stuff. And I sure as hell can't be buying any Hot Toys figures... Any more Hot Toys figures... Who the hell makes toys that cost $300? And why did I start getting into the 1/6th scale aspect of the hobby when the aftermarket cost of the figures I want is like 500% MSRP on $100 figures?

I gotta say, I'm sorely tempted by the upcoming 12 inch 11th Doctor figure and whoops, looks like I've preordered it... This is a ridiculously expensive aspect of the hobby and I'd like my obsession with it to end now please. Also, please make a 1:6 scale TARDIS that costs $10 please.

And most importantly, why is it that no one made a quality sixth scale Richard Nixon figure?

Yes, I want more high quality presidents. I'll explain tomorrow.

St. Patrick's Day...

Because I just wanted another reason to say I hate Hal Jordan.

Prepare for the Upgrade...

Starting March 19...

Announcement

So, let me just say that I'm not going to be buying any Doctor Who toys for the next month (Unless there's an unbeatable sale, like all figures $1 or something) so I can save up all my toy buying for the Gallifrey One Convention in February. So any Doctor Who Toys I review in this period were bought a while ago and I'm just getting around to them now.

So when I get back from the convention? Cybermen Week. That's right, Cybermen Week coming February 27th or sometime after that. Whenever I get around to it. I'm busy, okay?

Choose wisely...

So if you've listened to the Articulated Monster Podcast, then you know that in December I'm going to open up a 1990's vintage style Lego Advent Calendar.

I've decided that as a narrative conceit, I'm going to have the calendar results be explored by some minimates. But I'm going to give you a chance to help out, by deciding which minimates will explore the Calendar. Your choices are most noble explorers: The Silver Surfer (with possible help by the rest of the Defenders) or the Enterprise Away Team (with possible help by other Star Trek characters.)

Vote in the comments below.

Things I saw sold in stores! What the H? edition

Did anyone else know that Imaginext was doing a preschool version of Dino-Riders?

And Hot Wheels designed tracks for you to play with in the bath tub?

Articulated Monster Question post

We'll be recording the next episode of the Articulated Monster on Sunday. If you've got a question you would like to hear us answer on the show, leave a comment below.

Articulated Monster Question Post

We're going to record the next episode of the Articulated Monster Podcast on Sunday. If you have any questions, about anything, not just toys, that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, then please leave it in a comment here.

Articulated Monster, now on iTunes.

Oh, I guess the Articulated Monster is on iTunes too. I thought you had to have more episodes up before they listed you, but I GUESS NOT!

Here's the iTunes link.

Seriously, subscribe. Rate it. Leave a review. Whatever you're supposed to do on iTunes.

Prize Envelope.... COULD BE YOURS!!!

Hmm, still no listener questions... Guys, come on. If you listen to the Articulated Monster Podcast then you know we're letting the first person to send us a listener question select a prize envelope sent to them from either Mario, CounterFett, or me. (Actually I don't know if CounterFett is actually in on this or if he was joking around.)

Since we haven't had any listener questions I thought I'd show off what I'm throwing in my prize envelope. As you can see it's a pretty good mass of stuff. A few cards from the Star Trek Collectible Card Game, two Tiny Titans temporary tattoos, a mini claw, an ed Hardy temporary tattoo, a Goon button, a Vertigo button, a Superman button, a lenticular card that morphs from a ice cream cone into a golf tee, and a mystery prize, which I'm pretty sure has mini-policemen figures. You know like the plastic army men, except their police men, and half the size of regualr tiny army men, so they're like super-mini. And probably blue.

All this and a one-of-a-kind painted envelope (designed and paitned by me) will be yours if you are the first person to send a listener question to articulatedmonster@yahoo.com and select James's envelope as your first prize. (Remember to rank your three choices in order of preference so we can send out a 2nd & 3rd prizes in case we have more than one listener question. Also, include your mailing address.)

Oh man, I can't believe I think this is enough of a draw to get a listener question. I mean... wow, great amazing prizes!

Articulated Monster Episode 4: South Africats

Here's episode 4 of our podcast, featuring myself, Mario from a Year of Toys & PJ from All things Fett. We talk about the Thundercats... and then stray off point. Hilariously so.

Podcast Question Post

Mario, CounterFett, AJ, and I will be recording episode 4 of the Articulated Monster toy podcast this weekend. If anyone wants to send in a listener question for us to discuss, please leave it in the comments to this entry or e-mail us at articulatedmonster@yahoo.com If you're curious, the topic of the discussion for episode 4 is Batman Toys.

Articulated Monster Episode 3: The Willineum

The third episode of our podcast, the Articulated Monster is up. The topic of the episode is Cyberment. It features myself, AJ, Mario from a Year of Toys, and PJ from All Things Fett. Give it a listen. To make it part of Cybermen week, the episode's discussion Topic is Cybermen and Cybermen toys, but it eventually devolves into a discussion of Will Smith. So get jiggy with it.

Cybermen Week... Opening Ceremonies!

Right after the first month I had this blog I did a Cybermen week, dedicated to the new Cybermen wave of toys that came out in the Classic Doctor Who line. This year I thought, what the hey, let's bring it back!

So sit back for a week of cybermen related posts!


The Cybermen have always been my favorite Doctor Who monsters/villains ever since I got into Doctor Who back in 1992. The first Doctor Who story I saw had the Cybermen in it, and watching them in clip shows and future Doctor Who stories cemented my love of the cyborg boogeymen. It's no surprise that when we started making Doctor Who fan-films the first classic monster I wanted to introduce was the Cybermen.

Ever since their first appearance, the Cybermen have evolved with every appearance, their design altering subtley or dramatically depending on how long passed between their appearances. Each time they became streamlined, as you would expect from a mechanically based race who constantly sought to improve their functionality in a bid for Universal domination. Even their weaknesses evolved over the years, with each new iteration of the Cybermen becoming harder to kill. (Unless you had gold coins and a slingshot. Gold could clog up their breathing units and kill a cyberman right away. Usually producing some foam and a low pitched moan.)

Cybermen Week is Next Week!

And we'll be doing a special Cybermen Week episode of the Articulated Monster podcast. If you have any Cybermen questions you want to ask the podcast crew, or any listener questions at all, e-mail us at articulatedmonster@yahoo.com or leave a comment here!

And let me know if you plan on doing anything for Cybermen Week so I can post a link to it.

The Articulated Monster Episode 2

Episode 2 of our toy podcast with Mario is up. You can either use the player at the top of the blog or go to the podcast's webpage. Have fun.

2 year anniversary!

Two years ago I started this blog. It's an anniversary! Long time readers, or people who read through the old entries, will notice I didn't celebrate the 1 year anniversary. That's because I'm lazy. Seriously, you know why this blog will be going on for a while? Because here's a picture of the backlog of toys I need to open.


But this year I hope to start what will be an ongoing (I'm not going to declare annual, I might get lazy again sometime in the future) Anniversary tradition: A list of my Top 5 favorite toys.

Not of the last year, not that have been featured on this site, AND certainly not my favorite toys of all time... No, this list will be of the top 5 toys that I currently own. As the years go on, I hope that the changes to the list will reflect my ongoing changes both in my collection, but also of my tastes. So, having said that, let's begin.

5. Dinosorb the Meteorb
I've already gone into why I love this guy, so I'll just reiterate that this is the perfect combination of transforming toy, dinosaur, and childhood nostalgia to make it one of my favorites that I picked up in the last year. Plus it gets a He-Man toy on this list, always good for the nostalgic toy fan audience.


4. Nixon's Head from Futurama
I know this figure was an accessory to the Zapp Brannigan figure, but I don't care. This is an amazing toy in its own right. Why? Because it's the disembodied head of President Nixon. It's a toy depicting one of history's most fascinating Presidents... but only his head which has been kept alive and got himself elected President of Earth.... Man, Futurama is a great show. But even without all that context... IT'S A TOY OF RICHARD NIXON'S DISEMBODIED HEAD!


3. Archangel Minimate
You knew a representitive of the minimates line was going to show up here eventually. I didn't think it would be so when I bought this guy, but he's become one of my favorite minimates of all time. He is just depicted so well within the limitations of the minimate form. It's a striking use of the complex and simple... and damned if that wingspan isn't impressive.


2. Galactus Mighty Mugg
I love me some Galactus, especially when he's portrayed so ironically adorable! Who's the cutest world eater? You are. But seriously, it's hilarious that they took the character who is supposed to be cosmic and overwhelminingly majestic and created this.


1. Cyberman from Earthshock
They made a very accurate looking toy of my favorite design of my favorite monster from my favorite television show... Hell yes this is my favorite toy right now. I've wanted something like this for almost two decades. And now it is mine in all its glorious glory.


Okay, so that's my 5 favorite toys that I own. And that is that.

What do you think mini-block-figure of Reginald VelJohnson?