Hey folks, I am back and ready to go. What took me so long? Try running a web site. Massive props to Ryan for his work here. My site is going well but it takes a lot of freaking work. So here is the NEW Collector’s Edge format for you to enjoy. 
Um, was Halo too much of a reach for you?
So you passed on Halo for…..this? Yes, I know that it’s a movie, but it’s based off of a video game. Come on Lego, if you wanted an awesome video game license why didn’t you spring for Halo? It’s things like this that make me wonder if Lego is in fact losing it. They got the Disney license AFTER MegaBloks had it. And what did they do with it? Toy Story. I love Toy Story and all, but Lego’s based off of toys just don’t look right. I do not know why they seemed so determined to make Prince of Persia sets. Is it nice? Yes. But Prince of Persia? Isn’t that a game for teens to adults? But hey, you get a Lego Assassin. Yeah, I don’t see ANY uptight parents complaining about that one. Listen up Lego – You want a good license, you may as well pick up Resident evil if this is the path you are taking. Lego and zombies and survival horror? Match made in heaven. Prince of Persia with light up sands? Not so much.
Do they really work or am I not able to kill Titans with this?
I love me some God Of War and I love me some sword replicas. I have to admit, this is pretty cool looking as far as video game props are concerned. I must say my only question is “Why did this take so long?” I can already see the funny videos pf people trying to get these to really work on YouTube now. I also forsee a lot of severed limbs and serious accidents. But it’ll be worth it to be a billy bad ass like Kratos. This is just way too much to pass up here. Freaking awesome. This is officially rated GAVIN’S MOST WANTED. So go get it. This I command!!!
There is something seriously wrong here…..
Am I the only one who sees these new Venture brothers figures as…..not good? I mean, yeah Ilove the show and all, but I refuse to be blinded by the simple fact they are Venture Brother’s toys! It almost seems like they are just, well, rushed and crap. They look bloated and just plain ugly. What were they thinking? I have no idea. It may be something like this – “Well, people will buy them anyways, so who cares what they look like. People don’t go off of looks in our world. that’s just silly.” Yeah, or something like that. I am boycotting these P.O.S.’s seriously. I am past the point of being let down. They may as well have let Mattel make Barbies of them. at least then they would be worth buying.
Get These Items Here And Make Me Happy
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Ok folks, I am working on a new format for this column. Follow with me as I start to add new aspects to it and tweek it to be the best it can be. Let me know what you like and what you don’t as we evolve into epic awesomness.
Queen Of Evil
GET IT HERE!
Face it, Disney has created the best bad guys ever over the course of almost a century. These are always the most memorable characters form anyone’s childhood. I personally love Ursula, but damn if Malificent is not just evil. And now look at her! In all her dark glory. But what would she possibly curse someone with today? Lack of technology?
MMMMMMM…
GET IT HERE!
I do not know what these are but I love them.
Help In The Afterlife
GET IT HERE!
So does this mean they will finally do a line of Tim Burton characters? I would LOVE to see a Sweeny Todd one. Nice. Shave and a haircut?
Help Say It Five Times Fast
GET IT HERE!
Horus Heresy. Horus Heresy. Horus Heresy. Horus Heresy. Horus Heresy. Confused yet? I like Warhammer 40K, but does it really need to be a board game confined by the rules of a, well, board?
Fear Of A Classic
GET IT HERE!
I love War Of The Worlds. And as much as I loved the tripod design from the Speilberg pic, nothing invokes a sense of fear like the original designs from the first movie. Those floating pods of death. The sounds they made. You know it from anywhere. I want to make an army of these things to put around my house to scare away solicitors. Of course those types are afraid of nothing, let alone aliens. They’d probably try to sell them some land or something.
Gavin’s Most Wanted
GET IT HERE!
What is a good villain without an equally good lair? Nothing. Malificent’s castle is the epic of all epic lairs. It is dark and brooding and it even has dungeons!! I want a lair with dungeons. Hell, I want a lair period.
Mad as a, well, Hatter!
Care for a cup if tea? Flaovred with INSANITY?!?!
I love all things Tim Burton. There are somethings that just scream for his style, and Alice in Wonderland is one of those things. I am really looking forward to this movie cause I just love the original stories of Alice and I really like The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, and it seems this movie is a mash up of the two almost. Anyways, here’s the Mad Hatter. Wow. A far shot from that crazy animated version from Disney. Curiouser and curiouser. Though I wouldn’t drink any tea he gave me cause you never know what will happen, not like that one night in San Diego.
King of the Animted Hill!
Find us in the AWESOME aisle!
Who doesn’t like Pixar? You? Over there? Yes, stand up please. BANG. Someone call for cleanup on aisle 13. Now who else doesn’t like Pixar? Good. The introduction of the Formation Arts line of mini statues was awesome for Kingdom Hearts and I am very happy to see it continue with Pixar. I mean, just look at these things! How many different ways can you say awesome?
The Return Of The Original Solid Bad Ass
Anyone seen a good box lately?
Forget Raiden. Forget old decrepit chain smoker Snake. It is all about THIS guy, the youthfull bad ass Solid Snake. I loved Metal Gear Solid, but something was amiss in the follow ups. Most Namely the annoying Raiden who forced you to go through a 20 minute tutorial level AN HOUR AFTER YOU HAD ALREADY BEEN PLAYING! The only thing that would make this figure any cooler is if it came with a box to hide in! I guess I will just have to settle for my papercraft version in the mean time.
Ummm….
The Pwer Of The Darkside, Now For Telling TIME!!
Wow. I am at a complete loss for words for this. It’s creepy. It is weird. And I have to have one. But why? Look at it!! It’s just, wow.
Gavin’s Most Wanted
With this ring I thee wed.
As ‘cool’ as the last item was, this takes the cake this week. I love me some Green Lantern. Yeah, I know it is DC and I am a hardcore Marvel guy, but sometimes DC does do something right. I have always wanted a Green Lantern ring, I guess there’s no excuse to not get one now. Won’t the wife love trying to explain that one when we are out!
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We told you about this Saturday, 10.10.09, being LEGO Star Wars day, to commemorate the release of LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, and now we’re ready to give you a chance to win an awesome LEGO Star Wars prize pack!
Here’s what we’re giving away, thanks to the fine folks at DK Publishing:
ONE (1) MEGA PACK GIVEAWAY
Includes:
(1) Copy of LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary
(1) LEGO Star Wars 10.10.09 T-Shirt
(1) LEGO Star Wars Postcard Pack from Sand Diego Comic-Con
(1) Darth Vader LEGO Mini-Figure
THREE (3) MINI PACK GIVEAWAYS
Includes:
(1) Copy of LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary
(1) LEGO Star Wars 10.10.09 T-Shirt
So how do you win one? Easy. There’s three different ways:
1. Follow me on twitter and re-tweet this exactly:
RT @zombie_elvis LEGO Star Wars GIVEAWAY! 4 Prize Packs to be had http://bit.ly/7urJP RT this to enter! #101009
Be sure to follow me on twitter so that I can DM you if you’ve won and collect your information.
OR
2. Leave a comment below. It’s that simple. If you do enter this way, you’re going to have to leave your email address so that we can get a hold of you to collect your information.
OR
3. Send an email over to contest [at] giantkillersquid [dot] com with ‘LEGO STAR WARS’ in the title – be sure to leave your full name and mailing address.
This giveaway ends on Saturday, October 10, 2009 – 10.10.09. All four (4) winners will be announced and contacted on Sunday, October 11, 2009.
What are you waiting for?! Get entering!
If you’re like me, you grew up loving LEGO (and still love it). You also no doubt love Star Wars, one of the greatest film-franchises of all time. Well it’s no mystery that for years these two power-houses of love have come together in what could be the greatest amalgamation of fun known to man. I’m talking of course, about LEGO Star Wars products.
This Saturday, October 10th, marks your chance to celebrate all things LEGO Star Wars with the grand release of LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, a gorgeous print compendium chronicling the life and history of LEGO Star Wars up to now.
The LEGO® brand and Star Wars® are two of the world’s most well-recognized and successful franchises, and have been collaborating since the 1999 release of the first LEGO Star Wars mini-figures. DK joins the party with the exquisitely photographed and minutely annotated Visual Dictionary, complete with exclusive mini-figure! – Visit the book’s official home on the web
The fine folks at DK Publishing have not only put together a really cool book, but they’re making this Saturday, 10.10.09, a day to show your love for LEGO and Star Wars in the flesh, at live events all across America. Be sure to check out the live event in your area – there will be tons of LEGO Star Wars goodness! Meet real-life Star Wars characters, from the 501st Legion!
CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF IN STORE EVENTS – 10.10.09
You’ve got to head down and meet a stormtrooper and get your hands on this beautiful visual dictionary.
But that’s not all!
We’re giving away 4 LEGO Star Wars prize packs!
Stay tuned this week for details on how you can win one of four LEGO Star Wars prize packs. Copies of the book! T-shirts! Buttons! Postcards! Stickers! LEGO Star Wars mini-figures!
All this and more LEGO Star Wars stuff throughout the week as we gear up for the big day, 10.10.09.
May the force be with you.
Don’t Roll Your Eyes At Me!
Now I can see you better...
I don’t know about you but I find this feature to be pretty creepy – moveable eyes. That and totally pointless. Yes, I want a toy that has eye manipulation control. Of all the features I have been screaming for, that’s on top of the list. Is it cool? Kinda. I guess if you are going to make some sort of stop motion short with it it would be cool. But practicality wise? I just don’t know. It’s another reason to slap on a bunch of money for something you don’t really need. Now you want to talk about a great feature? Anyone remember those Wrestling toys you filled with water and with the push of a button they would sweat? Now that is a fun feature.
Virtual Awesome
I'm awesome till I go up against Dei Yen....
When it comes to giant robot games, you just can’t beat Armored Core and Virtual On in my opinion. Yeah there are all those others out there, but it all comes down to the arcade simplicity of these two for me. Virtual On had an amazing set of robot designs and I am glad to see that people still dig them.
Green and Mean
Do you know how hard it is to have just three fingers!?!?
I hope this line of Ninja Turtle Statues goes a little further than the last line. The previous line was years and years ago with comic book likeness and it too began with Donatello. I know this cause I got it for my TMNT nut friend for Christmas that year. It was supposed to continue, but didn’t. To tell you the truth I like this one more. Though I do love the original comic, I like the newer stylings. So here’s to hoping I get a Raphael soon.
Saying ‘Beam Me Up’ In Public Just Got Funnier
Beep. Beep Nerd. Boop.
eFX. What can I say about them? Not a lot actually. Their site is all about Star Wars even though they have some other licenses like Disney on board. And then I found out they will be doing Star Trek. And all I can think about is that movie called Trekkies that follows around die hard Star Trek fans, like the ones who remodel their house to look like sets from the show inside. I just don’t see the coolness in these as much as, lets say, a lightsaber or a ship replica. If eFX does some ship replicas from Star Trek, then I may take some action to get one cause I do like the Voyagers design.
What’s That In Your Pocket?
Cute and cuddly and ready to kill!
Why it is cute and cuddly little serial killers! Who doesn’t want a radioactive Jason Vorhees in their pocket? Oh, what’s that my son is playing with? Freddy Kruger. Duh. Where were you born? These things are just all over awesome. And they are kid friendly!!!
Vampires Like Hamburgers
Now with BLoodBurgers for all your vampire hungers...
Nothing says teen angst vampire love flick like Burger King, don’t you agree? Well someone out there does as BK, which I happen to love, has got the New Moon license and is planning to roll out the goodies. Not a whole lot is announced just yet, but I am hoping for some serious Kids Meal Toys. Brooding Edward. Whiny Bella. Pissed off Jacob. Now that would be an interesting kids meal premium. But they will more than likely have glasses with the BK logo all big and bold next to Edwards brooding face.
Still Plain Bad Ass
True Fact - He's actually a creampuff...
Punisher is just awesome, even this steroid overdose version. You have to buy him cause if not he can crush you in one of his meaty man hands.
Gavin’s Most Wanted
Too smart for his own good. Sigh.
God bless the internet. And God bless hulu. See I am one of those types of guys who has to watch something from the beginning to really like a show. That’s why I do a lot of TV on DVD. But anime is one of my favorites and one of my most frustrating likes. It hard to keep up with new releases and more and I wait for season sets cause I have a problem dropping $30 for four episodes when I can drop $50 for a season. So it was with DeathNote. I really, really, really wanted to see this but I always missed it. Well I then found it on hulu.com, the whole series. And watched it. And it was amazing. It was quite possibly one of the most amazing series I have ever watched. And I hated/loved the ending. And now I must have this toy of Kira, and there is one of L, but forget Near, he was mean.
The whiniest story ever
Good news for you Edward my dear, it's that time of the month!
Yep, that’s the official Twilight set of Barbie and Ken dolls. If you followed me on Twitter, you’d know I have a soft spot for these type of Barbie Collectables. They are fun. Now let me get something straight here about Twilight – I read the books. I didn’t undertand what the draw to the first one is cause it’s about 200 pages of a whiny girl wanting to be a vampire and a whiny boy saying no. Seriously. Then I read the second book and it was actually pretty good, and kinda made the first one seem to make sense overall. Didn’t read the last two. Yet. And then I saw the movie and it was probably the gayest thing I have ever seen. It made me really like the book that much more. But all of that aside, I have no doubt this doll set will become an ultra hot item very, very soon cause there is an army of Twilight Fangirls out there drooling to be Bella. Oh well, at least my like of vampires hasn’t been tainted by this chick flick fodder vampires we get today. Now I say give me a TruBlood collector set and then I would be excited.
The best science kits ever
Comig soon kids! Shoot lighting from your fingertips in the Force Lightning set! Smite your parents!!
I walked into TRU the other week and saw this entire new line of Star Wars Science sets. Imagine science expirenents with a Star Wars license! It is amazingly sweet. The sheer variety of what they have to offer is quite impressive as well. I will be picking these up for my son and will be doing a review on them soon.
The smell of death
For those special nights with green skinned women.
Ok, I am no Star Trek lover or anything, but these are pretty sensible tie ins for a Fanboy. Star Trek cologne. Yep, they actually made one called Red Shirt. What does it smell like? Desperation and death? I must seek these out to see why they got made. They must smell good, you know they have to other wise why bother? I am hoping the Red Shirt is the one to get. It’s just too funny to pass up. “Oh, what’s that dashing scent you have on tonight?” “Red Shirt.” Cue drive by and bam! you got yourself a great evening.
Bring your change to the dark side
Give me your copper for my shiny new helmet!
I am going to file this one in the pointless bin, which really stings me deep. Especially after I just sent up the Star trek cologne line. Especially, especially since this is a Star Wars themed item. It’s not even, well, cool or warranted. I don’t know about you but unmasked Darth Vader does not scream ‘Put your money in me’. I know not every Star Wars collectable needs to be top of the line, but were they even trying with this one? Way to go Lucas Film. This is another pitch meeting I would have loved to be in on. “Hey I got this great idea for a piggy bank. Ready for it. Darth. Vader. Unmasked.” Someone give that guy a raise.
Toy Story Toy’d. Again
Bring me this Chip Hazard, I'll show him a thing or two.
Ok, makybe I missed something somewhere, but weren’t the original toys from the movie pretty good likenesses? I had a bunch of those, even the hard to find 12″ Buzz Lightyear that came in a, you guessed it, box exactly like he did in the movie. So now they are hailing this new Definitive Collection as the next coming. The Definitive Collection will feature exact likeness of the films characters and come in packaging that reflects their original packaging in the movie. Ok. They did that last time. So yeah, I wrote this off as a money ploy. But then I got to actually read about this new Ultimate Buzz Lightyear that not only looks like he did in the movie, but ACTS like he did in the movie. Walking, talking replica. Holy hell that is freaking awesome. So is the $130 pricetag. So i dug further into the line and realized that these do really look better than the old line of toys. Which I don’t understand. How can you mess up making a toy based on a toy? But compare the original Buzz with this ultimate Buzz and you can actually tell the difference. That and the old Buzz doesn’t walk. I want one of these Ultimate bad boys.
Gavin’s Most Wanted!
I'm a real boy!
I am an AstroBoy fan. Always have, always will be. And yeah, I am excited for the new movie though I fear it won’t have the same Anime feel I crave. But who knows. And this figure is just plain sweet. Way to go Sideshow. You got some great partners there.
If you pay any attention to toy news here on Giant Killer Squid, you will no doubt have heard about Hot Toys, one of the best premium collectible figure makers in existence today. They blew us away with their Dark Knight line (their Joker figure still stands to me as the greatest toy ever made), they are about to unleash Watchmen on us, and currently have figures out for Aliens, Iron Man, Predator, Terminator, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Planet of the Apes and Resident Evil. Though costly, their collectibles are nothing shy of breathtaking making them worth every penny.
Hot Toys can now add another license to their lineup, and this is one I’m immediately excited for – Inglourious Basterds!
We have no news yet on the complete lineup for the figures, nor do we have any images aside from this teaser:
So it looks like Brad Pitt’s Aldo Raine will be the first release. I’m sure as hell getting that toy. If I were to take a guess at who would be fodder for the Hot Toys treatment, I’d say Donny ‘the Bear Jew’ Donowitz and Col. Hans Landa are perfect, but that’s just wishful thinking.
No release date has been set, but I’d guess third or fourth quarter next year. We’ll keep you updated with images and specs as they come in.
How cool would it be if Aldo came with a bag of Nazi scalps?!
Source: Hot Toys
So now I am settling into my new home on Sundays, and nothing says the end of the week like aliens invading everything. I’m going to take a look at Halo (again) cause it seems to be the easiest license to whore out, Mars Attacks and a few other great things this week. Let’s see what we have…
Read the rest of this entry »
When it comes to collecting superhero licensed toys, there’s no doubt that Mattel is ruling the roost with their DC Universe Classics line. Every wave of these 6″ figures are wonderfully crafted by legendary toy sculptures The Four Horseman, feature awesome sculpts and likenesses, great articulation and just overall a super-high cool factor. This line is so successful that it is also damn near impossible to find at standard retail level or for a reasonable price.
Normally you would say that’s a good problem to have, an established toy manufacturer with an established comic license is selling out all over North America. Sadly though, the problems with Mattel’s DCUC line stems far beyond selling out and being scooped up immediately by the most rabid of toy collectors.
Now, before I start the engine on the blame train headed for Mattel here, let me reiterate that the DCUC line really is amazing. Right now it is the only line that I’m really into, that I’ll actually drive around hunting for if I suspect I could find some. I currently have 6 of the 8 waves available, and they are the star of my nerdery. I think this is why we toy collectors are so upset with Mattel right now; if this line were mediocre I don’t think we’d care as much.
The first problems with the DC Universe Classics line really stared to creep up with a noticeable lack of quality control. All over collecting message boards, consumers were reporting bad paint applications, missing or broken limbs on characters and wrong parts on their figures. This issue lasted a few waves before Mattel addressed the issue on their official Matty Collector Facebook page, and stepped up their quality control. I’ve been fortunate enough that I haven’t had any major issues with quality control aside from the odd little speck of renegade paint. For a time there, this was a huge issue for many invested in the line.
Next up came an issue that Mattel still hasn’t resolved, and in fact is becoming worse: availability.
It is getting really ridiculous to find and afford these figures. While you may find the occasional Mr. Miracle warming the peg at your local Toys ‘R’ Us, Wal-Mart or Target, the chances of you actually finding a new DCUC figure is incredibly slim. It really started with wave 2 which included Aquaman and Harley Quinn; there’s a fair amount of collectors who to this day have never seen a figure from this wave in person. Waves 3 and 4 were a little better for retail, but you almost had to be at the store on the day they were put out to find them. Specialty shops like comic book stores or collector stores would occasionally carry the line but would mark up the figures to an unfair price; from the standard $14.99 to $24.99+ per figure.
Then came the death stomp for many DCUC collectors. Wave 5 became a Wal-Mart exclusive wave. This meant that the only place you could find all the figures, including Riddler, Eradicator, Black Lightning, Amazo, The Atom and a Collect-And-Connect Metallo,was at Wal-Mart. No online retailers, no Toys ‘R’ Us. No Target. Not Only were these ridiculously difficult to find, but there was a serious lack of distribution meaning that they were now almost impossible to find. At one point an entire wave 5 was selling on ebay for over $600.
The fans were outraged, and Mattel has yet to re-release the wave to all retailers and increase distribution and shipping amounts. They did however just increase the price by two dollars to $16.99 per figure.
Mattel have truly managed to whip us collectors into a controlled frenzy. We know if we find the figures we’re going to buy them and as much as we bitch and complain we aren’t going to give up the hunt. Fans flocked to the San Diego Comic Con to see the future waves of DCUC. Their DCUC panel filled up as collectors cheered and clapped when images of new and future figures were shown. It wasn’t until immediately after the con that fans realized they had been duped that very weekend.
Months ago we started getting announcements from major toy companies of what their con exclusive would be. You see, every year at SDCC there are a ton of figures and statues and collectibles and variants that you can only get at that company’s booth during the convention. You can find them online afterwards, marked up on ebay, but for all intents and purposes they are exclusive in every sense of the word. Last year Mattel sold a DCUC Lobo figure exclusive to SDCC and that was a huge hit and very successful. This year they really wanted to blow it out of the park, but ended up blowing it out of their ass. They announced that the DCUC con exclusive would be a Wonder Twins box-set featuring Zan, Jayna and Gleek the monkey from the DC Super Friends animated series. That’s all fine and cool and fans were excited. Then Mattel dropped a bomb that would divide the fans and piss them off to the high heavens. They announced that immediately after the con the Wonder Twins set would be available for purchase online at the official Mattel store, mattycollector.com. The only difference is that this set available to the general public would be a two-pack with the Zan and Jayna characters and no Gleek. Gleek the monkey would now be only available in separate packaging for those in line at SDCC. Basically you would have to wait in line to get a Zan and Jayna set (these lines are notorious for taking hours) then get into another line, show your receipt and package and then claim your Gleek figure.
Collectors went bananas online because they would be given the chance to buy the two-pack but not the Gleek figure. Personally, I understand the term “exclusive” and have no problem with it. There has been exclusives and variants and things of that nature available only to certain audiences since toys started being collected. But still, fans demanded blood and wanted their damned monkey, and still Mattel stood strong keeping the Gleek figure at the con. But they royally fucked that up.
Many fans and collectors that braved the long lines to get their Wonder Twins were set up for disappointment, as many of them were turned down once they got to the booth to pick up their Gleek figure. Mattel, in typical fashion, didn’t have an equal amount of Gleek/Wonder Twins sets. So now what is meant to be a convention exclusive is now a convention exclusive exclusive.
Great job Mattel. way to please your fans. Oh, but it gets worse!
Mattel announced on their Facebook page that a “lost” box of Gleek figures was found at the convention space, after the convention had ended. So all those folks that didn’t get the Gleek toy they thought they were intitled to, didn’t get one because someone lost a fucking box. Now, you would think that Mattel would try to rectify the situation and get these Gleeks in the hands of their dedicated collectors. You would think that they would produce more Gleeks and put them up on their offical store for everyone to enjoy and to show good faith with the people who spend thousands of dollars on your products yearly.
But no, Mattel didn’t do anything like that. In another dumb, bonehead move, Mattel gave these found Gleeks to a small online forum for toy-collectors, Fwoosh.com, to give away to their registered members. Now like I said, I’m not against selling exclusives, but if you’re going to do that make sure that you follow through with those who make the effort to buy them, and if you fuck it up like Mattel, you better rectify it for everyone, and fast.
So Mattel has us wrapped around their fingers. I’ll probably keep buying the DCUC line because I really love the product once it’s in my hand, and I’m sure most collectors will stick with it too.
But c’mon Mattel, use your head for once before Marvel and Hasbro put you to shame.
We’ve got some new details on the next deluxe, or as I call them luxury, collectible from collectibles masters Hot Toys. A while ago we showcased the first in a deluxe line of Dark Knight figures from Hot Toys, the MMSDX01 The Joker.
This time, Batman is up for the Hot Toys treatment, with a beautiful, movie-accurate figure worthy of any collector’s cabinet.
The figure includes:
- Figure stands approximately 32cm tall.
- Two functional heads, one including light-up sonar eyes as seen in the film.
- Heads feature the Parallel Eyeball Rolling System (PERS) and translucent iris.
- Three interchangeable facial expressions.
- Fully detailed Batman suit.
- Accessories: the film’s sticky-bomb gun, grapling gun, backpack, holsters, mines, and two interchangeable utility belts.
- Three pairs of interchangeable hands.
- Figure comes with a deluxe LED light-up stand.
No specific release date for the figure has been released yet, but we can expect this pricey item to hit retailers sometime in first quarter 2010.
Check out the gallery below for some pretty incredibly product shots.
I know it isn’t comics or movies but I’d like to throw you a curve ball with this post. I love toys. No, look at me…I’m serious. I loved them in my youth and I carry on that affection to this day. The ones that shoot, the ones that blink, that float, that cry, that stick to the carpet, that could put an eye out, etc. It’s been hard in the past years since the major toy stores have slowly gone the way of the buffalo. Sure, Wal-Mart and Target have some available but the selection is painfully limited and there is no room for expansion when new products come in. But, what products? If there’s anything that I’ve noticed in my searches for new action figures, it’s that toys kind of suck nowadays. They’re all on a very extreme spectrum; it’s either a toy for the dumbest of all kids or for the ones that kind of make you go “Ohhh Honey, that can’t be fun for you…”
So I did a quick search on the best toys out there. I did this by using my impressive computing skills when I entered in “Best Toys” into the ol’ Google search. You know what came up? Crappy Crap. Clothespins! The Game. Not kidding, it’s an actual thing. You sort pictures of laundry. THAT’S A CHORE! It’s not fun and anyone that says different has OCD. Make a Pie is a fraction-learning toy. Let’s teach ‘em how to do pie-charts! That way they’ll be more efficient on Microsoft Excel later in life. I saw a handheld PDA to teach kids how to text. I cried.
Do toys have to teach you something now? Their worth comes only from the knowledge that they offer the child? Not my toys, Friend-o. Mine were bestowed upon me so that I would A. Step away from the television or B. Step away from my mother or C. Quit annoying my brother. Their only benefit was time consumption. And most worked flawlessly.
-Remember the Lite Brite? It was like functional art. You tediously slave over spelling out curse words with the multicolored pegs and you still have a lamp. Brilliant.
-Silly Putty. Put it on a newspaper and you can see the newsprint! Make farting noises! Get it in your hair and get screamed at by your mother! Throw it at your sibling once it’s become gross and discolored with bits of carpet fuzz and strands of your hair!
-NERF anything. Smelly foam on a plastic dart. When you’re not allowed to have a BB gun, you had to make allowances for poor trajectory of the late-eighties models. It improved your stealth. Yours, not mine. I threw rocks.
-Super Soakers. It’s very possible that I’ve built this one up in my mind. My brother and I each had one but he often decided to dual-wield those suckers. I got stuck with the cheaper no-pumping-involved water gun. It only had four quality shots in it because it leaked…nevermind, the Super Soaker is just the ultimate in water weaponry-no two ways around it.
Obviously, there were gems like Transformers (the REAL kind, not the Bumblebee is a Camaro kind), He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, the She-Ra sets, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles (my personal favorite), Barbie and Jem dolls, Hot Wheels and The Real American Hero-G.I. Joe (the REAL kind, not the overly-CGI’d, kid from “Third Rock” as Cobra Commander kind). Now, a lot of these have been reproduced. Most have been made worse. But there were some that should have never been in the first place.
-The Slinky is not cool. It’s not. The metal one was the only one that worked but kids were dying from it so they switched to plastic. I snapped mine in half. Lame.
-The Pogo Ball. Might have been cool for some kids. Not the uncoordinated ones without balance. Plus, it looked like a planet. That’s dumb.
-Simon. I don’t need a toy to tell me I have terrible short-term memory. You and your silly buttons were just the pre-cursor to the Bop!It-a MUCH cooler toy than you will ever hope to be, Simon.
-Troll dolls. I had quite the collection, but I’m not sure why. They’re boring; you couldn’t even do anything with their hair. They’re just short, creepy, naked guys with body jewelry. Now the only purpose they serve is to decorate the cubicle of the woman who’s a little too into her cats.
-Spirograph. Mine never came out right and I lost all those little gear pieces. It was fun for a while but then later in life, I accomplished similar works on a TI-83 and it lost its luster.
I’d like to think my tastes have matured. I now buy additional variant-issued action figures and pay ungodly amounts of money for out-of-production Star Wars-themed Lego sets. I buy online now and save up to buy marshmallow guns. I try to find the best novelties on the market like my very classy Mr. Potato Head collection. It’s hard being a collector when everything on the shelves is somehow linked to High School Musical or the WWE (the FAKE-FAKE kind, not the REAL-FAKE Jake “the Snake” Roberts and “Rowdy” Rod Piper kind). Is there any hope today of finding a new and original toy among the educational and mundane? The future looks grim but we will carry on. In the meantime we’ll go digging through the boxes left in our Mom and Dad’s basement and try to remember better times. Any additions to this nostalgic rant?
UPDATE
Hot Toys has announced the full specs for the figure, as well as a whole bunch of images.
She stands approx. 30cm tall with over 26 points of articulation. Other features include:
- Movie accurate leather costume, gloves, belt and trenchcoat.
- Interchangeable gloved hands.
- Figure stand.
This ridiculously detailed collectible will be available Q3 of this year. Check out the new images below…
It’s not often I get to give the toys some love here on GKS (not that kind of toy, you pervert), so this little tease makes me giddy for some plastic (get your head out of the gutter, sicko).
A while back we showed you what I called “the coolest toy ever made”, the Hot Toys MMS DX01 1:6 scale Dark Knight Joker. Whew, that toy was a mouthful (seriously, stop being gross). Well months after it’s release, Hot Toys is finally gearing up to release their 1/6 scale collectible figures based on characters from Watchmen.
Only a teaser image has been released as of yet, and so far Silk Spectre (Laurie) is the only character confirmed. What we can bet on, is that this figure will be pretty epic. And sexy. And expensive.
So take a peek at the teaser image below, and we will have more info as we get it, including full specs and images.
It’s moments like these that make being a toy-collector, a humbling, difficult and often shaming past-time, worth it. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars amassing a collection that I can be proud of, one that I can treasure behind glass doors to show off like a mad and magnificent museum; instead of ancient idols I have Hal Jordan and his power ring.
But then the Hot Toys company had to go and make this, the item that has essentially nullified my entire toy collection. For you see, after this everything else will just look like shit. Ladies and Gentlemen… toy enthusiasts… collectors… I present to you the greatest figure ever made, the Hot Toys MMS DX01 Dark Knight 1/6th Scale Joker Collectible Figure.
The figure features:
- Two character models: the police officer Joker AND the film’s traditional look.
- Police version includes: head (without makeup), cop hat, badge, uniform and M1 garande rifle.
- Traditional version includes: head (with makeup), overcoat, sport coat, vest, tie, shirt, pants, shoes, socks, suspenders and grenade rig.
- Five grenades, knives and deck of cards.
- Seven alternate poseable hands.
- Over 35 points of articulation.
- Stands approx. 12″.
- Heads feature a new Parallel Eyeball Rolling System with translucent iris; this is a new feature, a “simultaneous positionable eyeball function”. Did you hear me? The eyes move! In natural direction!
- Comes with a deluxe figure stand with LED lights.
I can’t believe what I’m seeing. This figure will no doubt sell out fast and be in crazy high demand like the other Hot Toys figures. I’m sure it will run well into the lat $100, if not $200+ price tag, but if there was anything to center a collection around and leave your friends and family in awe, it is this.
The figure is slated for release in late Q2, early Q3 of this year, so in other words, not soon enough. Check out the official Hot Toys page here. Check out some of the amazing pics below and courtesy of toynewsi.com.
It’s early November, and the Christmas trees have been up in malls for three months already. This can only mean one thing: shopping malls start peddling the holidays on us too fucking early. But with the gift giving now only six weeks away, its time to suck it up and venture out beyond your parents basement to the most glorious, stress-free place on the planet… the mall. Fret not though, for GKS is here to help. In this lenghtly guide, we give you plenty of gift ideas for your favorite film/comic geek.
This guide covers everything from books to select electronics, for the dirt-poor to the filthy-rich.
Happy shopping!
COMICS
Watchmen: Absolute Edition
By Alan Moore w/ art by Dave Gibbons
Originally published in 2005 but until now hard to find, this beatuful canvas slip-case edition features brand-spanking new coloring by John Higgins. This large hardcover edition also includes script-samples, concept art, and plenty of extra content to drool over. The must own edition of one of the greatest stories ever told.
Buy Now
Watching the Watchmen
By Dave Gibbons & Chip Kidd
This is the ultimate Watchmen companion, a huge, monstroulsy dense retrospective of Watchmen from the perspective of Dave Gibbons, the books artist. A true fan of the comic can’t be without this collection of storyboards, concept art and page after page of beautiful sketches and making-of notes. Just awesome.
Buy Now
Hellboy: Library Editions Vol. 1 & 2
By Mike Mignola
Collecting two stories each, these oversized canvas bound hardcovers are just beautiful collector’s pieces. With a ridiculously low price tag of around $30 each. Each page is big, bold and beautiful. A must for the hardcore fan, or the casual reader looking for that gateway comic book.
Buy Now
Captain America: Ed Brubaker Omnibus Vol. 1
Written By Ed Brubaker
This hardcover book collects the first 25 issues (starting from 2006) of Ed Brubaker’s phenominal run of one of comics most prolific characters, culminating with the most talked about event in recent comics history, the death of Captain America. Easily some of the best written comics in the last decade.
Buy Now
Daredevil: Frank Miller & Klaus Janson Vol. 1
Written By Frank Miller
There’s no doubt that everyone loves some Frank Miller as of late. This nice little paperback collects Frank Miller’s unbelievable run on Daredevil, featuring the best stories with Bullseye, Elektra, Kingpin and the man without fear himself.
Buy Now
VIDEO GAMES
Guitar Hero: World Tour / Rock Band 2
Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii
Who hasn’t sweat their ass of with their friends to Rock Band since last year? Well, in keeping with tradition, this holiday season sees the sequel, Rock Band 2, and its competition, Guitar Hero: World Tour, the hot items on everyone’s wish list. Its business as ussal with both sets, complete with game, guitar controller, drum kit controller and microphone. Red snapper and rolled up dollar bills not included.
Gears of War 2
Xbox 360 only
If the person you give this to appreciated games at all, then they will love you for this. Then you won’t see them for three days.
Dead Space
Xbox 360, Playstion 3, PC
It’s a video game. It’s in space. It’s scary.
Little Big Planet
Playstation 3 only
This highly anticipated, fully customizable puzzle platformer will eat up hours and hours of your holiday season, and put a smile on any Playstation 3 owner not obsessed with hockey or basketball games.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Could the Mortal Kombat franchise get any better? Well, add Batman and the answer is yes. This latest installment in the classic fighting game features your favorite Kombatants taking on the likes of Superman, Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and more. Hummina, hummina.
DVD/BLU-RAY
I’ve only recently climbed aboard the blu-ray train, having received a player as a wedding gift. If you haven’t seen a blu-ray movie yet let me tell you, your first time watching one will be a breath-taking experience. And every subsequent viewing of one will be saturated with moments of amazement of how something can be so crisp, clear and vibrant. This makes giving blu-ray discs the perfect stocking-stuffer, or just a small, relatively cheap yet much appreciated gift.
In terms of single-disc or two-disc special editions, you cannot go wrong with effects-laden action movies like The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Wall-E and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Now, speaking of Indiana Jones, in my opinion, this is the best looking blu-ray to date. Contrary to my original review of the film, I had a blast watching this blu-ray and it just looks terrific in 1080p. All of the above titles are more than acceptable DVD purchases for those geeks without blu-ray players.
Planet of the Apes: 40th Anniversary Collection
Forty years and we still can’t get enough of those damned dirty apes! This 5 disc blu-ray set includes the original classic and its four sequels (an interesting lack of the Tim Burton remake) and a hardcover book, all in a pretty snazzy looking slipcase packaging. The first film is no doubt the anchor to the series, but Iv’e heard some pretty great things about the unrated version of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Who knew?
Hellboy 2 Gift Set
If blu-ray was meant for anything, it was for watching giant devil-men with conrete fists punching sword-weilding elves. I can’t believe that wasn’t the tag-line. This snazzy gift set comes with the blu-ray movie, a digital copy of the film, mini poster, an exclusive book and a kickass minature bust of one of the golden army. For a fan of the film or of the comic, this is the monkey’s tits.
The Sopranos: The Complete Series
In my opinion, the greatest television show ever made, is packaged in its entirety – 33 discs (86 episodes), 3 soundtrack CD’s, episode guide, and a 56 page collector’s album. I’ve seen this amazing set in the flesh, it is massive, weighing in at around 8 pounds, and it is very nicely crafted. A little more on the expensive side, coming in at around $250-$300, but definitely worth every penny.
The Dark Knight: Limited Batpod Edition
You know… because the regular editionn isn’t enough, you need this set that comes with a special display case and batpod miniature replica. Hell, I would buy The Notebook on blu-ray if it came with a batpod. Woops… I hope no marketers are reading this…
TOYS
No gift-giving holiday is complete without toys. These pieces of posable plastic are not just for kids anymore though; it seems that most modern-day toy companies are cranking out the action figures targeted directly at the geek demographic. Flawless paint jobs, correct sculpts and points of articulation are still key, but nothing is more important than the toys figures ability to withstand a good ol’ fashioned barrage of pew-pews. That’s onomatopeia, folks. Here’s some great stocking stuffers, in toy form.
DC Universe Classics
For a toy-collector like me, these are the best figures on the market right now. DCUC is a line focused soley on DC characters, stand 6” – 6.5” and each wave of 5 figures comes with a seperate piece to connect to form a 6th figure. The sculpts, paints and character selection are just awesome, but there’s one problem with this lineup… they are damn near impossible to find. Mattel has had shipment and stock issues since the first wave, leaving collectors foaming at the mouths for these pieces. Your only realy sure-bet is eBay, but be prepared to pay a hefty premium. That being said though, if you do come across any figures in this line, grab ‘em and head for the checkout stand, as they are gorgeous.
Some of the great figures include Batman, Aquaman, Black Manta, Harley Quinn, Green Lantern, Sinestro, Nightwing, Deathstroke, Wonder Woman, Black Lightning and Eradicator.
Marvel Legends Two-Packs
The popular Marvel Legends line has certainly slowed down over the last year, but the recent release of select two-packs still has collectors shilling out their bucks. The first wave of 6” sets includes Ultimate Captain America & Ultimate Nick Fury, Mr. Fantastic & The Thing, Wolverine & Forge and Ronin & Elektra. Keep your eyes peeled for the rare and ultra-cool Skrull Elektra/Ronin variant set.
The Dark Knight – Movie Masters Figures
There’s the regular Dark Knight figure line, then there’s the Movie Masters sub-line. You can tell the Movie Masters ones, because they don’t look like shitty little kiddy toys. These 6” figures come with some immaculate sculpt and paint apps and multiple points of articulation. Much like the DCUC toys, these figures can be a little harder to find – especially the Heath Ledger based Joker figure. The first wave of MM figures includes, Batman, Joker, Scarecrow, and Gotham City Thug. If you’re one of those lucky sonsabitches with a Target store in your area, look out for the exclusive Movie Masters Batpod vehicle – it looks the tits.
So there you have just a fraction of some of the extremely cool gifts you could get for your geeky loved one this year; it certainly is easy to shop for the likes of us.
If you have any additions to this geek gift guide, drop a line below.
