It was thi-i-i-i-is big
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by Travis Isaacs.
Toy links
Stealth Ops Iron Man.
steelnpaint’s impressively buffed up Iron Man custom figure is based on the DC Armory Batman figure.
Retrobots.
Cool retro-style custom Stikfas figures by BullStik.
Plastic Treasures: He-Man.
“Bulging biceps, the Power Sword and furry boots. Are these the makings of an awesome action figure? Well, if you’re a child of the 80s, you’re damned right it is.”
Microman goes postal.
Nekonekokoara’s Microman gets a new ride.
Mr. Saturday Night Special.
“Alcohol, firearms, and talking dolls just don’t mix.”
My Toys.
“My Mother loved painting in oils – this is the picture she did for me of some of my favourite toys.”
Toys go online.
“Clearly everybody wants to have the physical things to interact with, but the digital world gives you a fantastic opportunity to enhance the play and make the play more engaging than it has been in the past.”
Toys, kids and myths.
“These may be the worst of toys, these may be the best of toys. Today the roles of Hansel and Gretel may be played by parents, and the mysterious wood may be the toy store. But remember: in the best tales, the good and innocent hearts always triumph.” A fantastic article from 1986.
Toys and stereotypes.
“Will this be the year the gender barrier falls, or at least shows a few nicks? Will boys play with trolls? Will girls go for action figures?” An article from 1993.
Nelson Mandela: toy maker.
“Toys fashioned by Nelson Mandela during a visit to a Soweto school have been gifted to Nuremberg’s international toy museum … He had created many similar toys from scrap during his 27-year incarceration on Robben Island.” Not to be outdone, Desmond Tutu is working on an awesome custom Batman. (Okay, not really.)
That’s not a feature, that’s a bug
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by midorisyu.
Toy review roundup
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Diamond Select Toys Star Trek Retro Cloth Andorian 8-inch figure. Excerpt: “… a very cool figure of a somewhat maligned, and much-too-ignored, race within the Star Trek universe …”
Jeff Parker reviews the Hot Toys Aliens vs Predator: Requiem Predator (Cleaner Kit version) 1/6-scale figure. Excerpt: “In an ideal world we might have gotten all these extra accessories first time round …”
Justin Bell reviews the Hasbro G.I. Joe Cobra Headhunters! (part 2) G.I. Joe Convention 2008 exclusive figures. Excerpt: “From the tooling to the characters to the paint apps, this set is yet another home run …” (See also.) [via]
Blitzwing reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Leader class Megatron and Bulkhead figures. Excerpt: “(Re: Megatron) This has to be one of the ‘must get’ figures for anyone buying into the Animated franchise.”
Michael Crawford reviews the Mattel Movie Masters The Dark Knight Scarecrow and Batman (Batman Begins version) figures. Excerpt: “When the two are next to each other on the shelf, there’s just something extra about the Scarecrow that makes him stand out for me.”
yo go re reviews the Mattel Movie Masters The Dark Knight Gotham City Thug figure. Excerpt: “He’d be better with some (useful) accessories instead of the evidence bag, but this is still a very good buy …”
Michael Crawford reviews the McFarlane Toys Halo 3 Campaign EVA Brute Stalker and Drone figures and Multiplayer Spartan Soldier EVA (brown version) Toys ‘R’ Us exclusive figure. Excerpt: “Who would have thought that McFarlane and NECA would be redefining articulation in action figures in 2008 …” (See also.)
Jeff Saylor reviews the McFarlane Toys Halo 3 Multiplayer Spartan Soldier CQB (red version), Spartan Soldier EVA (white version), Spartan Soldier Scout (tan version), Spartan Soldier EOD (olive version) figures and ODST (Steel version) Gamestop exclusive figure. Excerpt: “… I am very disappointed with the distracting weapon errors.” (See also.)
Michael Klein reviews the Mezco Toyz Heroes Hiro Nakamura and Sylar figures, and Peter Petrelli (invisible version) Wizard World exclusive figure. Excerpt: “… the Heroes line isn’t perfect by any means, but as a fan of the show, I am more than happy with the results of the series so far.” (See also.)
EVA Unit 4A reviews the Bandai Go-Onger Engine Gattai Series Engine Carrigator toy. Excerpt: “The personality expressed in the series by the character certainly carries over into the toy.” (See also.)
Poe Ghostal reviews the NECA Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael carded figures. Excerpt: “Once in a while you come across a toy that’s the equivalent of a blockbuster film …” (See also.)
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Mattel DC Super Heroes Justice League Unlimited Green Arrow, Supergirl and Ultra-Humanite three-pack. Excerpt: “I really hate to be so critical of a figure from an action figure line I like … but Supergirl could’ve been a good bit better.”
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Fisher-Price Planet Heroes Jupiter Gustus figure. Excerpt: “… the planet Jupiter deserves better.”
Dfenz reviews the Lego Star Wars 7673 Magna Guard Starfighter set. Excerpt: “I could imagine myself getting another one or two of these if the price was right.”
mutley777 reviews the Lego Star Wars 7674 V-19 Torrent set. “At £50 it is not cheap but i think it is just worth it.” [via]
metalandi reviews the Lego City 4210 Coast Guard Platform set. Excerpt: “All in all for me this is besides the police station THE city set of this year.”
Retro reviews
WIKD reviews the Tomy Zoids Storm Sworder Jet Toy’s Dream Project exclusive kit. Excerpt: “Storm Sworder is worth adding to any collection, and the limited version makes a nice variation and/or excuse to have more than one.” (See also.)
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Bandai Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Alien Rangers Red Alien Ranger, White Alien Ranger, Yellow Alien Ranger, Blue Alien Ranger and Black Alien Ranger figures. Excerpt: “I decided to provide this Flashback review, in the hopes of giving these near-forgotten (even by Bandai, it seems) Power Rangers their due.”
Mike reviews the Hasbro G.I. Joe Sub Viper figure from the Wave Crusher set. Excerpt: “… one of the few examples of how a horridly colored figure from the ’90’s can be made into something great with just a little effort.” (See also.)
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Hasbro G.I. Joe Hit & Run, Iron Grenadiers and Hydro-Viper figures. Excerpt: “(Re: Iron Grenadier) Why is it that the bad guys, even the most basic ones, get the coolest uniforms?” (See also: 1, 2, 3.)
It’s a dirty job
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by ladybugbkt.
Toy links
Flint.
“He uses a Hot Toys Real Type body and head from the Mountain Sniper figure.”
Firestorm.
A 13-inch custom figure by jayesmo based on a DC Direct figure body, a resculpted Marvel Legends Icons Unmasked Captain America head and a custom costume.
Zombie Spider-Man, Zombie Captain America, Zombie Wolverine.
Custom figures by Apathy Ink.
Tomb Raider.
A fine portrait of a Lara Croft figure by ranmanekineko.
Rawr.
“… this 20:1 scale Technic Dinosaur from the official set 8485 is in the Windsor LEGOLAND park, near the imagination centre.”
Vroom vroom
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by clou from Athens.
Japanese toy review roundup
The following reviews are in Japanese but they include a generous amount of photos so they’re well worth checking out.
(Please do not hotlink images on these sites.)
Blondy reviews the Konami Busou Shinki Lancamento and Espadia sets. The G and Hikutori review the Heracles combined mode. (See also: 1, 2, 3.)
Ganhoo reviews the Yamato GN-U Dou Sengoku Majin Go-Shogun figure. (See also.)
Gamu reviews the Kaiyodo Revoltech Johannes Krauser II figure from the Detroit Metal City anime. (See also.)
Gamu reviews the Yamato Votoms Scopedog Turbo Custom The Last Red Shoulder Set (part 2) 1/12-scale figure. (See also.)
K3 reviews the Bandai Souchaku Henshin Kamen Rider Kiva (Dogga Form) figure. (See also.)
K3 reviews the Bandai In Action Offshoot Knightmare Frame Gloucester (Cornelia version) from the Code Geass series. (See also.)
Hinatatiki reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Voyager class Lugnut figure. (See also.)
Ken Murasame reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Voyager class Optimus Prime figure. (See also.)
Yuki Bune reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Deluxe class Bumblebee figure. (See also.)
Ganhoo reviews the Takara Tomy Transformers Henkei D-02 Starscream figure. (See also.)
Kuronuko Yamato reviews the Hasbro Indiana Jones Indiana Jones (Crystal Skull version) from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. (See also.)
Machu and Satocchi review the Max Factory Figma Kyon (Uniform version) figure from The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi. (See also.)
Syuuamamori reviews the Max Factory Figma Koizumi Itsuki (Uniform version) figure from The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi. (See also.)
Pokotannu reviews the Bandai Minipla Engine Gattai Seiku-oh Engine Toripter (with Engine Jumbo Whale wing A), Engine Jetras (with Engine Jumbo Whale wing B) and Engine Jumbo Whale (body) candy toys.
Retro reviews
G.S.R. reviews the Takara Magnemo Series Koutetsu Jeeg Panzeroid reissued figure.
G.S.R reviews the Marmit Mini Metals Koutetsu Geeg figure.
Shishioh reviews the Banpresto Saint Seiya Souchaku Real Cloth II Pegasus Seiya figure.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Transformers Masterforce D-318 King Poseidon combiner.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Transformers Beast Wars Neo Dead End figure from the VS-32 Break vs Dead End set.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Kenner Transformers Beast Wars Razorclaw movie exclusive figure.
Gun0826 reviews the Takara Transformers Car Robot C-018 Build Boy figure. (See also.)
It’s a dirty job
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by 91RS.
Toy links
Invisi-Flame Super-Skrull.
An excellent custom by loosecollector.
Defenders of Earth.
Digirama by Tamaki’s Little Treasure using Bandai HDM ZAT trading toys from the Ultraman Taro series.
Simon Belmont ver. Lego. [via]
A neat Lego MOC by Adam Pawlus based on the game sprite from Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest.
Kamen Rider Kuuga (Rising Mighty Form).
Damien Sancho’s custom, based on the SIC Kamen Rider Agito figure, has superior articulation compared to the SIC Kuuga figure.
Toy blogger Poe Ghostal interviewed. [via]
“I would say the biggest problem between collectors and manufacturers … is a lack of communication and understanding.”
The Xevoz challenge.
“All you have to do is pick which figures you want me to disassemble, then what parts you want me to build with, and then I will create your creation and take a picture for all to see!”