Alice

You know what's an iconic movie? The answer is not Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D. That movie... oy. I could write a whole essay about Milla Jovovich and Paul W.S. Anderson's weird vanity series based loosely on a video game. They've done 5, met on the first movie then had a kid and got married. But all that's really important is that the people at Hot Toys put out a figure based on Alice (played by Milla Jovovich) from the aforementioned 3D movie.

This is my first Hot Toys figure that wasn't a nude base body I got on sale. Don't get me wrong, I picked it up on e-bay where I got a deal since the box was messed up and it was missing a few accessories (oh no, I only get 31 of the 35 accessories that I'd just put in a drawer anyway? And you'll shave off $20? Okay.)

The face is a pretty good likeness, and I really like the articulation, although I find that the rubber boots restrict some of the movement in the ankle joints, limiting some of the posing potential.

And this might be superficial, but for some reason I think the harness makes her look bulky.

One thing, although in these pictures you can see that the Alice face has a slightly open mouth, revealing two teeth, when you see it in person that isn't immediately visible. So it doesn't take away from the figure as much as one might think, although now that I see it, I can't help but see it in every close up picture I take. OH GOD, WHY WON'T IT STOP STARING AT ME?!

On my version the magnet holding the hair in place came off, so I've got to re-glue that. (The hair can be swapped out with another set of hair, hence the need for a magnet system to swap out. Other than the fact that the magnet came loose, I really like it as a system for the interchangeability.)

Space Shuttle

I don't know what kind of city the Lego City takes place in, but it's got a space program. I picked up this set a while ago, like last year I think, but I've only now gotten around to opening it. It's a lot more badass than I thought it would be. I'd say it's well worth the $30 it's going for nowadays, although I got it on clearance so it was more like $25. The shuttle is very substantial and a solid bit of Lego engineering. I also love that the bay doors open to reveal a mechanical arm that can hold onto the satellite. And you can pull off the nose-piece to reveal a chair for the astronaut to sit in.

And I even like how the astronaut has raybans, a smirk, and two space helmets. One based on the classic Lego space helmet and one based on the Atlantis diving helmets.

Hawkeye and Black Widow

I didn't feel the need to get any of the other Avengers movie minimates because I already had them thanks to all the other Marvel Movie Minimates they've done over the years. Sure my Thor isn't in Asgard garb, but I haven't even seen that movie. Or Captain America. Or Iron Man 2. I'm just picking up minimate sets to complete character line-ups or because I think they look good.

But Hawkeye and Black Widow, movie versions: don't have them yet, so this was an easy decision to make. Although I think its odd that they only included one base. Is the theory that one of the figures can balance all the time, but the other has issues? Because they both have issues. Just because the Black Widow is supposed to be very agile doesn't somehow imbue the minimate with those same abilities. Otherwise I'd be really reluctant to own any of the radiation based characters.

AMP Episode 35: This One Doesn't Count

So we've decided to do the Articulated Monster podcast weekly and record earlier in the week. Unfortunately my editing program wouldn't render the damn audio, so it took a while to get out. And since this was our first of the weekly episodes we ended up rambling on. We're hoping to be more structured next week, but we do talk about Hot Toys, Play Arts Kai, and some movies we've seen. So check that out.

Deadpool Corps

Quick rundown: Deadpool, from the 616 universe which everyone knows from the comics. Kidpool from an alternate universe where he's student at a daycare run by Xavier. Zombie Deadpool, from the Marvel Zombie universe where everyone is a zombie. He came to the 616 universe, and then had his head cut off, during Marvel Zombies 3 which is an amazing comic that everyone should read. Then we have the Champion, an alien from a classic comic where he challenges the world's strongest heroes and then beats them up but he's so impressed by Ben Grimm's unwillingness to ever give up that he spares the Earth. Apparently he wanted to help the Deadpool Corps stop some cosmic threat and they forced him to dress up like them. Then there's Lady Deadpool from a universe where Captain America's a oppressive jerk and Deadpool is a woman. They kissed once but realized it was like kissing your sibling. She's actually a pretty awesome character given that she's more like  Looney Tunes character than Deadpool, plus she has the added benefit of being a female character which tends to subvert the trope of the wacky/crazy/dangerous mercenary that Deadpool embodies.

Man, did I say this would be short? I guess I lied. So why did I buy this set when I've already got 2 Deadpool minimates? 2 reasons: Flying zombie head Deadpool with his propeller beanie and Lady Deadpool. Incidentally, if you question the logic of having a zombie head on your team when he'd just try to eat you, Marvel Zombies have a thing where if they go cold turkey from eating people for long enough they lose the hunger. They get it again if they taste human flesh, but... that has nothing to do with anything. He's a flying head. AWESOME!

Albert Einstein

Continuing my obsession with specific historical figures in one sixth scale, it's Albert Einstein. There was a photorealistic 1:6 version of Einstein, but it goes for like $500 now. So screw that. So instead I got the version of Einstein from Toy Presidents. Had to get it used, of course, it's long been out of production. (Incidentally, the limited edition run information says I got #12.) This is still recognizably Einstein, but it has a little more of a caricature-esque head sculpt. I'm okay with that though. It's a good head sculpt and I'm not paying $500 just for an accurate looking head. Also, this guy has a suit on, the $500 is wearing what looks like a sweater he got for Christmas, you know... if Einstein got Christmas presents, which is unlikely because he was Jewish.

The figure comes with a stand and a timeline of Einstein's life.

The weird thing for me is the way his coat hangs on his body. It ends up restricting his shoulder articulation a little, preventing him from raising his arms very high. Also, when he does raise his arms, it looks like he has shoulders in the middle of his torso. Weird.

Episode 34: Skunk Viper

It's another episode of the Articulated Monster Podcast.



If you want to follow along during the news section, here's the links we took a look at.

Wonder Woman Potato Head
http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=10&itemid=18655

Bif bang pow sdcc exclusives
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/main/bifbangpows-sdcc-2012-exclusives

Sdcc gohan exclusive
http://www.toyark.com/news/san-diego-comic-con-58/sdcc-2012-exclusive-sh-figuarts-super-saiyan-son-gohan-5781/

Droid factory at Disney world
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/main/droid-factory-coming-to-walt-disney-worlds-hollywood-studios
http://www.toyark.com/news/star-wars-toy-news-3/build-your-own-droid-coming-to-disneys-hollywood-studios-5764/

Your face in carbonite block
http://www.toyark.com/news/star-wars-toy-news-3/get-frozen-in-carbonite-at-disneys-hollywood-studios-5773/

Jazwares streetfighter cancelled
http://www.toyark.com/news/video-game-toy-news-8/jazwares-street-fighter-canceled-5768/

MOTUC Mekanek
http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=1&itemid=18704

Refunds for Yellowing Stay Puft figures
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/main/ghostbusters-stay-puft-marshmallow-man-figure-refunds-offered-by-mattel

Funko Sex Pistols, Zach Galifinakas, Big Bang Theory
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/main/new-big-bang-hangover-sex-pistols-from-funko

90's Simpsons
http://www.vintageactionfigures.net/simpsons-action-figures-by-mattel/