The Power
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by Toots Fontaine.
Toy links
Jack Walsh’s All My L’il Ninjas. [via]
Over six minutes of ninjas. Can it get any more awesome than that? Silence! (Episode 2. Over nine minutes of ninjas!)
Claudio Dias’ Bumblebee papercraft. [via]
Incredible.
Powerpinch.
Pisuwo’s custom Transformers Allspark Power Payload figure was inspired by the Beast Wars character.
She saved the world. A lot.
An excellent Buffy diorama by Sasha Powell.
FarePlay, ToyFare blog launches.
“This is going to be your best bet to get your favorite ToyFare-y goodness in the 29 days a month between issues.”
This is Modulok
This is Modulok.
He got legs and he knows how to use them.
Fanmode faves
Fanmode presents a few hundred toy-related links every month and it’s possible a few may have slipped your attention. Here are ten of our favourites for June ’08.
Lady Roses Coral.
Bike transformers are tough to pull off. We consider the Gobots Throttle to be the best of the 80s and Transformers Animated Prowl to be the cream of the crop in modern times. That is, until we saw Basil’s 12,000 yen 1/18-scale garage kit. Takara Tomy, get this man a job.
Sonic Diver Rei-jin in action.
Tamaki’s Little Treasure may update infrequently but we still check the site almost daily because the new digirama is always a treat.
Barricade Girl.
A remarkable Transformers-inspired custom figure by shibamura_prime. (See also.)
What’s this?
Plamoo’s stop-motion toy videos are typically brilliant and nigh incomprehensible.
Cobraganda.
Wars are not won with ninja commandos alone. Chris Sims takes a look at G.I. Joe’s efforts to win hearts and minds.
The Meat.
We’ve seen some strange toys over the years but this accessory set from the JAKKS Pacific Rocky line was completely unexpected.
Cosmo Crusher, Gaia and God Mars (Lego-style).
Johnny Tang‘s Lego reproductions of classic super robots are always link-worthy.
Gizmodo goes to Lego.
Learn what Lego calls its pieces, why both “Lego” or “Legos” are wrong, how many pieces have been produced since 1958, why Lego sets are expensive and what the best-selling set is among other things.
Cutar.
This isn’t the most intricate of Lego MOCs but we simply love the fact izzo was inspired by his son’s drawing. (More.)
Lego Darth Vader.
He’s more Lego than man now.
You’re beautiful
Strike a pose 31/52.
(See also.)
Toy links
Tell Lara I love her.
A cool Stikfas custom by Phil Ashby of the ABC Warriors character Mongrol.
Bukiborg.
Fanmodes made from Kabaya’s line of interchangeable trading figures.
G.I. Joe convention recap. [via]
“… the Joefans in attendance got the opportunity to take part in something pretty special… G4 Television’s COBRA Commander campaign for President in 2008!”
Tyco’s Incredible Crash Dummies.
“The endearing dummies had an unlikely birthplace-the U.S. Department of Transportation … (Tyco) found that the DOT’s female character, Darlene, didn’t play well with little boys, who cringed at the notion of cracking up a girl. So Darlene became Daryl. ‘He still has a strangely shaped chest …'” A Newsweek article from 1992.
Top
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by billaday.
Toy review roundup
Dave Van Domelen reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Voyager class Lugnut and Grimlock figures. Excerpt: “(Grimlock) doesn’t really try anything astounding, settling for a solid update of the G1 design. But this is not a bad goal to have …”
EVA Unit 4A reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Voyager class Lugnut figure. Excerpt: “… the biggest letdown for this Voyager-class toy was his size compared to his on-screen counterpart.”
yo go re reviews the Hasbro Transformers Movie Voyager class Deep Space Starscream Target exclusive figure. Excerpt: “… unless the plan was always to do these repaints and force fans to double-dip, why not do them right in the first place?” (See also.)
EVA Unit 4A reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Deluxe class Prowl figure. Excerpt: “… this will probably be one of my top favorites of the whole line.” (See also.)
Engineernerd reviews the Hasbro Indiana Jones Monkey Man figure from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Excerpt: “For a ‘Monkey Man’ figure, I expected a bit more from the monkey.”
Michael Crawford reviews the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest Cannibal King Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones 1/6 scale figures. Excerpt: “Jack is in the running with only a couple other sixth scale figures at this point for best of the year.” (See also.)
Poe Ghostal review the Mattel Movie Masters The Dark Knight Batman with Crime Scene Evidence figure. Excerpt: “… we’re seeing a raising of the stakes in the movie-based action figure market.” (See also.)
Jeff Saylor reviews the NECA Alien Alien 18-inch-scale figure. Excerpt: “… at this price point, it is a bona fide bargain.” (See also.)
Matthew Kessen reviews the NECA Alien Alien 7-inch-scale figure. Excerpt: “If your other action figures need to be menaced by something, it comes highly recommended.”
Jess C. Horsley reviews the Tonner Doll Company Lara Croft, Tomb Raider Legend doll. Excerpt: “… few fans will want to miss this one …”
Chong Kah Fai reviews the Bandai Saint Cloth Myth Chrysaor Krishna and Merak Beta Hagen figures from the Saint Seiya series. (See also.)
Retro reviews
Matthew Kessen reviews the Kenner Star Wars Patrol Dewback set. Excerpt: “… the creature’s face sported an enigmatic, reptilian Mona Lisa smile.”
Atom reviews the Bandai Saint Cloth Myth Grand Pope Shion figure from the Saint Seiya series. Excerpt: “I’m glad I grabbed him …” (See also.)
Whirl
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by The Kite.
Toy links
Even geniuses have their limits.
An amusing photo by ricko. (On the other hand ….)
Showdown.
Two movie toys enter, only one walks/rolls away.
You simians may refer to me merely as “Sir”.
A custom Edwin Odesseiron Lego minifig. (More custom Baldur’s Gate minifigs.)
The Africa Toy Shop.
“The wooden handmade toys are carved with the most basic tool imaginable, a pocket knife. And the colours are produced from roots found in nature. One of the most popular toys, quirky-looking dolls called ‘shwe-shwe poppies’, were designed by children who had to draw a picture of what their perfect doll looks like.”
The Force is with TRU.
“… the toy seller, which is based in Wayne, N.J., was the first to offer ‘Star Wars’ toys when the original movie came out in 1977. … ‘Star Wars’ was the third-highest ranked toy brand over all for 2005, the year the last film, ‘Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,; was released. The next year, it was the top-selling boys’ toy brand in the United States, and in 2007 remained in the top 10 over all.”