#48: G.I. Joe Roadblock

I never read any of the G.I. Joe comic books, so for me Roadblock is the guy that talked in rhyme and was blinded in the movie, leading to a sequence of him carrying around Cobra Commander, who was rapidly mutating into a giant snake. Mutant Cobra Commander would have been an awesome accessory for Roadblock. According to his card, this is Roadblock "from the G.I. Joe comic series" but he looks close enough to how I remember him in the cartoon. Roadblock wouldn't be the same without a big machine gun, and this figure definitely delivers. An ammo belt plugs into it, and also can plug into an ammo box which he can wear as a backpack. There's a tripod included, but it definitely looks more cool for him to carry around the big gun.

Currently, my G.I. Joe collection is kind of lopsided in Cobra's favor (I blame all the Cobra Commander variants), so I'm glad to pick up a Joe, especially one so heavily armed to help even the odds a little.

#47: Terminator Salvation T-R.I.P. (6")

Although most of my toy collecting these days seems to be skewed towards the 3 3/4" scale, and despite the fact that I already have this figure in said scale, I picked up a six inch T-R.I.P. Of the two, I think I prefer this one. The sculpt is more detailed than its smaller brother, and its jaw looks better as well. Instead of two guns, this version has one of the guns that also comes with the smaller version, and a pipe. I still would prefer the rifle, but since the figure lacks wrist articulation, I don't know if it would be able to hold it properly anyway. At least the rifle isn't promised on the package this time around. It also has light piped eyes, which I dig. I'm hoping to pick up a T-1 if I find one, but for now, I am glad to be able to terrorize the rest of my figures with a killer robot in both the six inch and 3 3/4 inch scales.

OM NOM NOM

I can't really think of anything that I want to write about this week, so here is a picture instead.

#46: Minimates Speed Racer and Mach 5

When last year's Speed Racer movie came out, I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun, and it didn't take itself too seriously. It's too bad that it bombed at the box office. Although there was a plethora of merchandise available, I ended up not getting any of it. I'm not sure if they made a Mach 5 that would fit 3 and 3/4 inch figures, but if they did, I missed out on it. So instead I decided to get this set, which was in stores a few years ago, before the movie. I had thought about getting it back then, but ended up never doing so until now.

Speed Racer is not my first Minimate, I have a couple others, but this is the first one I bought for myself. The little 2 inch toys have a distinctive stylized look and can be posed decently. The Mach 5 is also represented in a stylized form, which works well. It doesn't have any of the cool gadgets, but it doesn't really need them. It would have been cool if Speed had come with a helmet too. This is the first toy car I have bought in a long time that doesn't transform into a robot. I think I need to go listen to the Speed Racer theme now.

#45: Star Trek Spock

Throughout my life I have basically been indifferent to Star Trek. I have vague memories of seeing Wrath of Khan on TV when I was very young, and there being a Spock doll of some sort around the house (I'm not sure if it was mine, but I am pretty sure neither of my parents were into Star Trek). Despite my lifelong apathy, I am looking forward to seeing the upcoming movie. I suppose J.J. Abrams and some nice trailers are to thank for that.

In general, the Star Trek line seems to have problems. I don't think the likenesses on the faces are very good. The sculpt of the body seems a little off, and it is used for almost all of the figures. I think Spock here has the best likeness, which is part of why I got him. The rest is that hey, he's Spock. And since I have no interest in buying the Heroes figures, it's also Sylar. It's too bad Scotty doesn't really look like Simon Pegg.

Anyway, one of the cool things is that he comes with a good amount of accessories. He has a Vulcan greeting hand, which can be switched with a hand to hold his phaser. Said phaser can be holstered in his belt, which is removable. He also comes with a chair and some sort of computer console. The idea here is that you can buy a bridge playset which is devoid of furniture. Then you buy all the figures, which come with pieces of the bridge's furniture and computers or whatever to fill it up. I can see whey they would go with this idea, but a lot of people seem to not like it. Like the Terminator line (they're both made by Playmates), these figures are cheaper than others in the same scale, which is good to see. I really doubt I'll be getting any more Star Trek figures, though.

#44: Mavel Universe black costume Spider-Man

Unlike the Punisher, who is not the biggest name in the Marvel universe, it makes sense to release another Spider-Man figure quickly in the series. Spidey is Marvel's flagship character, so I'm sure they'll be releasing various versions of him throughout the life of this line. I've always liked Spidey's black costume, so of course I picked up this figure. At first I thought it was a reuse of the Silver Surfer's body, but the Surfer's muscles are more cleanly defined. Spidey is definitely in good shape, but his costume softens his musculature. Speaking of his costume, according to the back of the card this is the cloth version of it, not the symbiote. This makes me wonder why the webbing accessory he comes with (the same one as the original Spidey) is black. Sure, it matches the costume, but I don't think his webbing was ever black, even while using the symbiote. I guess it's just an aesthetic choice. I don't really care too much for the accessory anyway, so no big deal.

#43: Marvel Universe Punisher

In recent years, there have been two Punisher movies. I have seen them both, and I preferred the more recent one. Similarly, the Marvel Universe line has released two Punisher figures within the first few waves of figures. I did not buy the first one, but I did buy the second one, which I think is the better of the two. They are basically the same figure. The first one has white boots, belt, and gloves, with a different head. The first version's head looked kind of funky. This version has a very determined expression that let's you know Frank Castle is not in the mood to play around. For me, it was the head on the second figure that made it worth picking up. I suppose that the two figures are meant to represent different artists' interpretations of the character, but I'm not into the comics enough to know for sure.

What I like about the Punisher is that he seems so anomalous for a mainstream comic book hero. Amidst all the mutants, science accidents, and cosmic beings, he's just a guy with some guns. One of the cool things about Batman is that he has no superpowers, so he relies on his intelligence, training, and vast fortune. To the extent that the Punisher relies on his training as a soldier and his arsenal, he seems a small step closer to reality.

Really one of the main reasons I wanted a Punisher figure in the first place is because I had one back in the early 90s. The one back then had a pretty cool action feature, you could slide caps (the kind for a cap gun) into his back, then pull the switch and POW! Very appropriate for a guy whose schtick is guns. Do they even make cap guns anymore? They probably wouldn't make a figure with that sort of feature any more these days, but it was cool at the time.

#42: Terminator Salvation T-R.I.P.

If there's one thing I can appreciate, it is a story about homicidal robots. Clearly, Terminator is right up my alley. I am really looking forward to Terminator Salvation, so of course I want some little Terminators to add to my collection. This is the T-R.I.P. (resistance infiltrator prototype). Apparently it's a prototype of the T-800 model we all know and love, the one the Governator played in the first three movies.

First, I am going to complain. The packaging is particularly unattractive, with a purple and orange color scheme. On the back it spells John Connor two different ways. I don't keep the packaging, so that's not really a big deal. The box also claims that it comes with a "high tech rifle" but neither of the included guns is a rifle. They show it on the back of the box, but it's not there. This is kind of nit picking, but I think the sculpt of the jawline looks kind of wonky.

Other than all that, I rather like this figure. Jaw aside, it looks really good. I might have to do a little army building with these. Another cool thing is that this line is running about a dollar or so cheaper than other 3 and 3/4 inch lines out there, which is a nice respite.

#41: Transformers Masterpiece Grimlock

Well, this is it. The most expensive toy I have ever bought. After I got my tax refund, I decided to use part of it to help stimulate the economy. This is also my first dabbling in a toy imported from Japan. This is also my first Masterpiece Transformer. Sort of. I have Hasbro's DVD 20th Anniversary version of Optimus.Back when I was a kid, Grimlock was the only Dinobot I had. He's the leader of the Dinobots, and he turns into a T Rex, so he has always been my favorite.

This version of Grimlock is really cool. They updated the original toy beautifully. It's bigger, has better articulation, and the robot mode works a lot better than the original's. He also comes with a bunch of neat accessories. Part of the reason I went for the Japanese version instead of waiting for a possible domestic release from Hasbro was the accessories. When I saw pictures of Grimlock in a bow tie and apron, holding a tray of drinks, I knew I would have to get the Japanese release. That's how I'm going to keep him displayed.

He also has a few other accessories and gimmicks. He has a couple weapons, his eyes can change color, wagging his tail moves his head, etc. I love how much more expressive his T Rex mode arms are now that they have more articulation. Overall, this is a really cool toy. He's expensive, but I think he was worth it.

Waiting

One of the benefits of the current lull in new toys (that I want) being released is that it gives me time to go back and pick up items that I may have missed before, or from lines that aren't really my primary interest. That's why I got that Leia, to fill the bun haired shaped hole in my collection. It also means that I'm paying more for shipping than usual, since I'm picking up things that aren't sold at my normal toy sources. There are a couple things I plan to order next week, and I have one thing on the way already. I can't wait for it to arrive, it's a real masterpiece of toy making.

It has come to my attention that the Terminator Salvation line is being sold at Targets, which I think is great. This means that I won't have to order them online if I do decide to get them. The smaller line definitely interests me more than the six inch line, because I like having them compatible with my Star Wars sized figures. I'll be keeping an eye out for them next time I go out shopping.

#40: Star Wars Original Trilogy Collection Princess Leia Organa

As the main female character from the classic trilogy, Princess Leia hasn't shown up very often as a single carded figure very often lately. She has shown up in a few different comic packs recently, but none of them have been the Leia as she first appears, in the white dress and iconic bun hairstyle. For a while, I have been wanting to get a modern take on this version of the character, since I don't have any other Leia figures at all. After looking around at various versions, I decided that this was the best take on it. Since it was in stores in 2004, right before my current phase of toy collecting got started, eBay was the best way for me to go.

I like this figure. The facial likeness isn't the best, but at this scale, it rarely is great. Still, it could be worse. Another problem I have is that this figure has swivel elbows. It's interesting that at the time, these were considered "premium" figures and yet they still only had swivel elbows. These days, we usually only get those on figures that are based on older molds are are part of a set, so they go with that style of articulation to reduce costs. Now that I have bought this figure, I am expecting Hasbro to announce that they will be releasing a new sculpt of this version of Leia any day now. Until they do upgrade this figure, I'm glad to have it. Han and Chewie were getting kind of lonely on the Falcon.

Nobunny knows Easter like the Cadbury Bunny!

I picked up this clucking Cadbury Bunny last year around Easter. I believe they were being sold again this year.

Argh

Finally, some news in the Crystal Skeleton Watch!

Dear Indiana Jones Crystal Skeleton Figure Requestor [sic]:
We have received your redemption request for the Indiana Jones Crystal Skeleton collectable figure. We received more requests for this figure than was originally forecast, so we had to place an additional manufacturing order. Due to this situation, we will be unable to ship the figure(s) to you until June 10, 2009.

It then goes on to tell me that I can get a refund if I am not willing to wait so long, and how to do so.

We thank you for your patience and apologize for the delay.

So, it looks like I will at least be getting my crystal skeleton in time for my birthday. I'm not sure if this is more or less annoying than the Captain Rex debacle from last year. In the early months of 2008, Hasbro had an offer that if you sent in a few UPCs and a check, you could get a Captain Rex figure, which was a preview of the then upcoming Cone Wars line. So of course I sent in for one. I waited and waited. I received a card similar to this one. By the time Captain Rex arrived, the Clone Wars line had already launched, so he was no longer a preview figure. He turned out to be a cool figure in the end, but the way they handled it was annoying. Later this year, Hasbro is having another mail away offer. If I take part in it, I hope that it goes more smoothly.

#39: X-Men Origins Wolverine Comic Series Logan

One of the cool things about Wolverine is that he doesn't really have a secret identity. When out of costume, he's just Logan, and his real identity is still just as mysterious. Okay, I know that they explained his origins in the comics a couple years ago, but whatever. These were on sale at Target, so I decided to get a Logan figure, which I had been thinking about getting already. The sale won me over.

I had been thinking of possibly getting the movie version, but the head sculpt on it looked really soft and less detailed in comparison, so I went with the comic version. Although it is the comic version, his claws appear to be coming from between his fingers like in the movie, rather than from the backs of his hands like in the comics. One of the things I really like about this figure is that I can swap its head with my other Wolverine figure, and make it an unmasked Wolverine.

Of the nine figures in the comic series from this line, five of them are some version of Wolverine. I'm not a fan of the Weapon X (which is too bad, if it had turned out better, I would have bought one) or the "Strike Mission" versions. I might get the yellow and blue costume version, though.

#38: X-Men Origins Wolverine Comic Series Gambit

When I think of the X-Men, I think of them as they were in the early 90s. This is the period of their Saturday morning cartoon on Fox, and the blue and gold teams in the comics. Basically, the Jim Lee X-Men. Gambit was one of the prominent characters at the time, so I dig him. Since the Marvel Universe line so far is not prominently featuring mutants, the Wolverine movie line is getting some of the mutant characters. Since Gambit appears in the movie, he gets a figure, in his comic style. Although his staff was bent by the packaging, and his ankles and wrists are unarticulated, this is all you could hope for from this Cajun. He even comes with some playing cards charged with kinetic energy.

I always wondered about Gambit's costume. It's a very comic book looking outfit, but covered up by a long overcoat. Is that what he wore in his Thieves' Guild days? And what's up with his eyes? That's probably Mr Sinister's fault.

#37: Star Wars comic pack Luke Skywalker and Deena Shan

It seems that the only time I buy comics is when they are included with action figures. Thanks to the Star Wars comic packs, I have been amassing a collection of mostly Star Wars comics. So far, none have inspired me to go out and read more. When it comes to the Expanded Universe, I generally stick to the novels (although I haven't read anything past the Yuuzhan Vong thing) and cartoons. Oddly enough, this is the second comic pack to pair up Luke and Deena Shan. In the other one, they are disguised as Imperial officers. I got this set mainly because I liked the looks of the snazzy commando suits they are wearing. Aside from a couple pilots, I don't have any rebel trooper figures because I think they look somewhat unexciting. But these suits have style, they look good going up against Stormtroopers. They both have working holsters, and on the back of their suits there is a hose that goes from their belt to their back. I'm not sure what it's for, but I dig those kinds of details on figures.

From what I've seen of comic images of Deena Shan, she is an attractive woman, but her figure looks like she is wearing too much eyeliner. Oddly enough, in the comic that comes with this pack, it appears that the artist was tracing images of the blonde actress from Smallville for Deena's face. It was obvious enough for me to notice, and I don't even watch the show.

There's really only one thing wrong with this set, and it's that Luke comes with the wrong lightsaber. I don't know whose lightsaber this is, but it's not Luke's. As far as I can tell, this takes place between A New Hope and Empire, so he should have Anakin's old blue lightsaber. The one he does come with looks rather generic and somewhat like a flashlight. This isn't the first Luke figure I've bought that comes with the wrong lightsaber. Get with the program, Hasbro! I now have seven Lukes, four of them are based on movie apperances, and the other three are Expanded Universe versions. I think that means I have more figures of him than any other one character, except maybe Anakin/Vader.

Another week, and a meme

The crystal skeleton watch continues, and there is still no sign of it. About a month and a half has passed since the check for it was cashed. Hopefully it will show up this week!

I finally made a header image, although it is not permanent. The picture I used is actually almost three years old, and depicts part of the clone army I had amassed at that point.

My last couple of entries were done in a hurry, as I wanted to make sure to get them posted during March. A big part of why I started this blog was to keep track of the new toys I accumulate throughout the year. Although I am not posting about each toy the day that I get it, I am trying to keep them at least grouped by month. I would like to continue to add new content beyond keeping track of my collection, while still focusing on toys.

It seems like my toy buying will be slowing down for a little while. I got all the Transformers I wanted, and the next wave of Star Wars figures I'm interested in isn't for a couple more months. I may pick up a couple comic book characters here and there, but that's probably it for a little while.

On to meme time. JCEE of Toys N' More tagged me for this. I am supposed to tag six people, but I'm breaking the rules on this one. This blog has eight followers, and three of them have already done this. So, on to the meme.

The Rules:

1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Post the rules on your blog.
3) Write six random things about yourself.
4) Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5) Let each of the six persons know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6) Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Six random things about me (for those of you that already know me in real life, you probably already know these things):

1) I am left-handed.
2) I have no sense of smell. It's weird, I know, but it's true. As far as I know, I was born that way. The word for it is anosmic.
3) I love Cadbury Creme Eggs. They are my favorite candy ever, and I was very pleased when they started making them for Christmas as well. Now I can stock up twice a year.

4) I decided to grow a mustache back in February, and it is looking suitably thick now.
5) I can't wait for the World Cup next year and hope my team, Portugal, make a better showing than last time.

6) I was always a Nintendo person until the current generation of consoles, when I got an XBOX 360.