Review: MOTUC SDCC Filmation Hordak

I posted in the lead-up to San Diego Comic Con about the disappointment that was the exclusive figure Mattel were selling at the convention. Despite this, I still went ahead and bought it from MattyCollector.com when he went on sale there shortly after the con ended.

Opinion: MOTUC 'Filmation' Hordak

Yesterday, after essentially being forced by leaked pictures, Mattel revealed their Masters of the Universe Classics figure for this years San Diego Comic Con.

Mattel usually use this slot to release something that wouldn't fit in their regular releases of $25(ish) figures. Last year we had a Rock people twin pack, using the extra budget to pay for the large rock pieces. Previously we've had dual costume Queen Marlena & Cringer, Vykron with outfits to create 3 looks and so on.

Among this year's predictions were Rotar & Twistoid (due to their unusual shape) or, after they appeared in the mini-comic that came with the subscription figure, Laser light He-Man & Skeletor. Or perhaps Filmation Hordak.

Which turned out to be correct.

Review: Friday 13th SDCC 'Video Game' Jason

The Nintendo Entertainment System, NES, arrived in Europe in 1986 and really kick-started console gaming as it is today. It seemed that pretty much everyone everyone could think of was soon turned into a console game - including such oddities as the red spot from the 7 Up logo. A lot of film franchises were turned into games, mostly the violent ones as running and shooting comes in very useful when trying to think up a game. Terminator, Robocop, Aliens - all of these were turned into games. And all of which the rights to the action  figures are currently owned by NECA.

NECA's been looking to the past for inspiration recently. Take series 10 of its Predator figures, for example, all of which are updates of the Kenner line from the early 90s. They've done a glow in the dark Robocop figure, again inspired by a figure of the past.

For SDCC decided to release a Friday the 13th Jason figure, based on his look from the terrible NES game. It's so terrible that it's regarded as one of the worst games of all time. But I'm sure that didn't stop a lot of children playing it simply because it was based on an 18-rated film, which, awful or not, automatically makes it cool.

The box for this figure is based on the NES game box. I love it when companies do this. I love this type of thing so much that I've made a bunch of custom covers to make my cartoon DVDs boxes look like their vintage toy packaging. Hmm, I should really post those on here sometime.

But I'm getting off the point.

The figure box even included fake wear and damage at the corners, making it look even more like the cheap-cardboard NES boxes of the 80s. Opening the flap shows a 'screen shot' of the figure in the game. The whole thing is brilliant and worth the price alone.

But we still haven't got to the figure.

Review: Predator SDCC 2013 Exclusive Albino

Each year a load of merchandise is produced exclusively for San Diego Comic Con. Quite a lot of it is desired not only by those attending the con, but also those, for one reason or another, can't make it. Some companies make it easy for those who can't attend to get hold of their exclusives. Some make it impossible (cough Hasbro cough). Up until now I thought MattyCollector was the easiest for international fans. They put their exclusives on sale at a set date and time and ship abroad.

Seems I was wrong.

Up steps NECA who put their exclusive figures on sale on, where it was actually easier to get hold of them than it was for Americans. It's never been so great to be European.

SDCC 2013: The Want List

San Diego Comic Con is this coming weekend which means it's time for my annual 'stuff I want' list. As usual, just because I want it doesn't necessarily mean I'll pay ebay prices for any of it.

MOTUC Rokkon & Stonedar (Mattel)
As a collector of Masters of the Universe Classics toys since the very first release (which was also a SDCC exclusive), buying this set is kind of a given - especially since it includes one of my favourite He-Man characters.

In addition Mattel are selling a mini-Masters two-pack, based on the characters as seen in the iPad game. If these were a hell of a lot cheaper, I might be interested but at 'exclusive' prices they're an easy pass.

As usual, the MOTUC stuff will be available on MattyCollector.com after the show.

ThunderCats Minimates series 4(?) (AFX)
As a new convert to ThunderCats minimates, these are a must-have. I'm not especially fond of minimates as a rule, but somehow the style really suits the 'Cats.

Marvel Legends Thunderbolts (Hasbro)
I've collected Marvel Legends since series 1 of the Toybiz line. There are now numerous large vats of the things in my house. Occasionally I'll think about selling them, cover the living room with them, remember how great they are and then put them all back in their vats, safe from sale for another day.

I've been reading Thunderbolts since...um, can't actually remember. Think it was about the time Warren Ellis took over writing. The team in this set is one of my favourites and it's really upsetting that the Hasbro exclusives always cost so much on the secondary market that I really can't justify buying them.

The Hobbit Azog (Bridge Direct)
As anyone who went into my office while I was doing my PhD will know, I have rather a lot of Lord of the Rings ToyBiz figures. The Bridge Direct ones aren't a perfect match to these, but they're close enough. I really, really hope that Bridge Direct aren't stupid enough to release Azog, a relatively major character, as an SDCC-only release. Here's to hoping I can get hold of him, minus the fancy packaging, in a 'regular' toy shop sometime soon.

Doctor Who Ace (Underground Toys)
This is one which will definitely be easy to get hold of from Forbidden Planet, likely sometime in August if past SDCC 'exclusives' have been anything to go by. Ace was one of my favourite Who companions and it's great to finally get a figure of her.

What I want from SDCC 2012

While the weather continues its course on the terrible-side preventing me from taking half-decent pictures for reviews, I thought I'd quickly run through the offerings that will be available in a week's time at San Diego Comic Con.

Or at least those offerings which interest me.

Last summer there were a number of things which seemed exciting, however the list for 2012 is a lot more limited.

Ghostbusters Dana as Zuul

To be completely honest Dana is a bit of a rubbish figure. She's not even an action figure really, merely an unarticulated statue with a barely passable resemblance to Sigourney Weaver. But it was one of, if not the final Ghostbusters figures to be made by Mattel and an essential character from the films so I'll pick her up.

Masters of the Universe Classics Vykron

Like Dana, Vykron is a bit of a disappointing figure - more so after seeing video reviews of him. Character-wise he was quite a good choice as a 30th anniversary year figure but poorly executed.

Marvel Legends Uncanny X-Force

Marvel Legends is back! Kind of. Well, it is back but there have been constant issues getting hold of the figures in the UK unless you have £gazillion available. But that's another rant. For SDCC Hasbro are releasing this 3 pack of figures from the currently running Uncanny X-Force comic (though how much longer that comic is running is currently in question) and these will go very nicely with the Fantomex figure that they've already released (you know, assuming you've managed to get hold of one).

Hasbro SDCC items are always a nightmare to get hold of, despite them being on their website after the show. Near-immediate sell-outs and refusal to ship abroad being the main culprits for this. I'll be putting this on the 'would be nice' list and really don't expect to be able to get hold of it for less than the price of a kidney.

14" Glow in the Dark Mumm-Ra

I was online about to order the regular version of this when I found out about the SDCC version. Ordering halted immediately. While I'm really not convinced about the 14" Lion-O Mezo released, I think they've nailed Mumm-Ra perfectly and he will be mine. If I can get the glow in the dark & mummified SDCC version then I would be super dooper happy.

And that's it. The Mattel toys are easily purchasable from their website after the show and the other two... Well, who knows if I'll be able to get those. I suppose you'll find out if I've been successful if reviews appear here.

Review: MattyCollector Stay Puft

In 198...somethingorother Kenner released a toy of the largest ghost ever in the world ever. The original ghost was so big it could stand on churches (well, through churches, such are the restrictions when you stick a man in a large white suit). The Kenner toy was equally...well, okay, fine. It wasn't exactly the largest ghost toy ever in the world ever.

It was about the same size as the regular Ghostbuster figures.

Ever since that day when I had to hold the Marshmallow Man in the air in order to attempt to simulate his massive size while fighting the Ghostbusters, I dreamed of owning a proper Stay Puft. One that could be tall without me having to hold him up. One that could be tall and have its feet on the ground.

A few years ago NECA released a line of Ghostbusters toys. It was good. In fact I'd go so far as to say it was very good. There was a problem, however, in the fact that NECA couldn't get hold of the rights for the likenesses of the actors. This meant that after a single wave of ghost figures, the line died.

They did, however, manage to put a pretty darn big Marshmallow Man in that first wave. And for a while I was a happy person.

Then Mattel got the licence for Ghostbusters. They looked at the NECA figure and though, 'hmm, maybe this one isn't quite big enough...'


So they made a HUGE one.

News: Mattel SDCC Exclusive Reveals Extra

Likely due to the reaction on the Internet of Doom, Toy Guru (I know he has a real name, but I prefer this one) has posted a video showing Vykron, the SDCC He-Man figure, works with all his bits and bobs.

Opinion/News: Mattel SDCC Exclusive Reveals part 2

So, the other day I talked about the He-Man exclusive for San Diego Comic Con and today I'll have a little chat about what I think of (some of) the others.

First up is the Ghostbusters figure, Dana Barrett as Zuul. When the Ghostbusters subscription was cancelled for 2012, Mattel said that four figures would be released this year - 'Ready to Believe You' Venkman, The Rookie (which was previously supposed to have been the subscription exclusive), Dana and a fourth unnamed figure. With Dana now moved to SDCC this leaves Ghostbusters fans in a quandary: is this the last figure Mattel are releasing? After all, no one has seen or knows anything about the promised fourth 2012 figure. Maybe they're dropping it altogether. Maybe moving Dana to SDCC means that there are still 2 'regular' release slots available, possibly to allow for the release of the two remaining courtroom figures?

At this point no one knows, and we probably won't know until SDCC when Mattel show - or don't - any new figures.

As to Dana herself, I find her a little disappointing. She has a neat feature where the top half of her body detaches, meaning she can either be placed on standing legs or sitting on sitting on a bench. The fact that she's an all-new sculpt is possibly why she was moved to SDCC, in a hope of maximising sales. She suffers, however, in that she's basically a statue. If the photos are accurate, there are no points of articulation at all on the figure which is a bit rubbish really.

DC fans don't do very well at all this year. The toys are a DCU Tiny Titans set, Polly Pocket DC Villains & a statue of Death (from Neil Gaiman's Sandman series). As a Sandman fan (and who isn't?) I find Death the most interesting, however, she's a statue. If this had been an action figure it'd have been an instant buy, but as it is I'll be saving my money.

The SDCC Haul

A couple of months ago I posted here about the San Diego Comic Con exclusive toys that I'd like to own. It's been a while now since the Con, so let's have a look at what I did and didn't manage to get hold of.

What I want from SDCC

SDCC - The San Diego Comic-Con - is held at the end of July each year. As well as all lots of comic companies plugging their upcoming issues, or film makers doing the same with their releases, or indeed TV shows doing exactly the same thing, their are a number of toy companies present. Guess what they're up to? Yep, plugging their upcoming toys.

As well as announcing new toys, companies often have for sale toys exclusive to the conventions. In the past these were simple repaints of easily available toys - for example a figure might have a slightly different jacket, or whatever. More recently - and much to the annoyance of people who can't attend - the toys have been completely different to anything available in the shops.

Some companies have taken note of all the annoyed fans so have begun offering the toys for sale on their websites after the convention, such as on Matty Collector.

There's a pretty good list on AwesomeToyBlog, which is updated as new exclusives are announced. I'd like to say I read AwesomeToyBlog, but in all honesty I only check this one page. Naughty me.

Anyway, here are the things I want (note want, not will buy) that have been announced so far...