#119: Ultimate Spider-Man Minimates - Jet-pack Spider-Man and Squirrel Girl

I've only watched the first season of the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon, because that's all that was on Netflix at the time. Apparently, it has improved by including Squirrel Girl so I might have to go back and watch the rest of it. This set is a Walgreens exclusive, and it still continues to seem weird that Walgreens gets so many cool exclusives. While there has recently been a Squirrel Girl Funko Pop, this is the first actual action figure for her. In the show she wears her classic costume, so that's what she's wearing here, complete with weird eye makeup. The packaging calls out that it "includes squirrels!" and there are three of them. They have Minimates style cylindrical heads, even. There are a couple accessories (not pictured) that I am a bit mystified about. They kind of look like ice cream cones, but I really have no clue. Also included is Spider-Man, with a jet pack. It has a nice flame effects piece that doubles as a stand. He also has an alternate "thumbs up" hand and another head with larger eyes.

#10: Thor The Mighty Avenger Minimates - Agent Coulson and Frost Giant

There is a Marvel Legends version of Agent Coulson coming soon, and pictures of it from presumably illicit sources have started showing up on Ebay auctions. I'm definitely going to be getting that set, but when I saw the auction pictures, it made me remember that there's already a non-Hot Toys action figure of Coulson, in the form of a Minimates set from the first Thor movie. So I just ended up buying that from Ebay. The Frost Giant isn't al that exciting. In fact, it's hampered by all the add on pieces, which ultimately restrict the articulation and ensure that the head pops off very easily. It doesn't get any accessories. Minimate facial likenesses aren't always very reflective of the actors they are based on, and Clark Gregg isn't really evoked by this toy's face. But I know it's him, so that's good enough. He has a bullhorn and a pistol for accessories.

#116: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Minimates - Leonardo & Foot Soldier

For the Ninja Turtles Minimates line, the Minimates are figures with a twist. They're actually keychains. I'm assuming this is a way to use a licensing loophole, because these are pretty terrible at being keychains. The keychain is attached to the figure by a string loop around the neck. It's pretty easy to remove. In fact, in Leonardo's case the head is really easy to pop off due to the chest piece preventing the head from firmly attaching. But after you get past that, they are regular Minimates. Leonardo has new forearms, lower legs, and a chest piece, so I'm kind of surprised that he doesn't get a new head piece as well, instead getting a headband that fits over the head. The Foot soldier gets what may be new biceps and thighs (they are definitely not standard). Both of them have weapons that can be stowed on their backs. Leo gets his two trusty swords while the Foot soldier gets a sword, a dagger, and a sickle. Leonardo gets a sewer cover base while the Foot soldier's is clear plastic.

#33: Avengers Minimates - Loki and Nick Fury

And now, the final (and most important?) Minimates set from the Avengers movie. Like Black Widow and Hawkeye, this is a Toys R Us exclusive set. Because of course the villain and Samuel L Jackson should be more limited releases. Aside from completing the set, I would have to get this set anyway because it's Loki rocking his awesome helmet and Samuel L Jackson. There are no spare accessories in this set, aside from a stand. I think it would have been nice to have a hair piece for Loki, because although that helmet is so badass, he was frequently without it during the movie. He does include his staff, and Nick Fury gets a rocket launcher as well as a pistol that holsters on his leg. His coat is drawn back for easy access to the pistol, so hooray for functionality.

Thanks to Hasbro never releasing Nick Fury in the 3.75 inch scale (outside of that box set that I have yet to see cheap enough to justify solely for that figure), Mace Windu will have to stand in for Nick Fury here. What if Mace Windu were in charge of SHIELD?

#32: Avengers Minimates - Hawkeye and Black Widow

Wow, Hawkeye is short. He looks like a hunched little dwarf next to Black Widow. Weird. Visually, Hawkeye suffered the most in his translation to the big screen. Obviously, his comic costume is way too garish to do a straight adaptation of, but I wish the final product was a little more reminiscent of the comics. Oh well. Hawkeye does get an alternate head, featuring the sunglasses that I think he only wears at the very end of the movie while not in costume. Naturally, he comes with a bow, and three removable arrows which can be stowed in the quiver on his back.

Black Widow is definitely the stronger half of this set. She's as good a Minimate adaptation as one could expect. I'm always a fan of functional holsters, and Black Widow gets two, one for each of her pistols. Also included is a single stand. This is one of the Toys R Us exclusive sets, so if you want to complete your Minimate Avengers movie line up, you'll have to go there. 

I don't have any other Hawkeye toys, so here's a ninja, which is the only other archer figure I have. Also, I totally forgot just how lackluster the Marvel Universe Black Widow figure is. Here's hoping the upcoming Avengers movie line Black Widow is an improvement. 

#31: Avengers Minimates - Captain America and Thor

Continuing from yesterday's Avengers Minimates post (which you really should have watched by now), here are Captain America and Thor. I've heard a lot of complaining online about Captain America's costume for the movie, but I dig it. It does seem very comic book, but I think one of the strengths of the Marvel cinematic universe is that it doesn't go out of the way to be too realistic, so something like this works. There is an alternate hair piece for Steve to go around with his mask off. Because of course he spends a lot of time like that in the movie. I do wish superheroes could keep their masks on more often in the movies.

Thor is in his casual "hanging out on the helicarrier" outfit, so there's no cape to make it hard for him to balance. Visually, I do prefer the cape, but from a practical standpoint, I can appreciate this version of Thor's costume will help keep him upright. Thor doesn't get any accessories, not even a helmet, because he didn't wear his helmet even once during the movie. I really hate to sound nitpicky about the costumes, because they don't really bother me that much, and I loved the movie. There is an included stand, so I suppose that is something for Cap and Thor to fight over.

I don't have six inch versions of both Cap and Thor, so here are a couple of Marvel Universe counterparts.

#30: Avengers Minimates - Iron Man and Hulk

After watching The Avengers (which if you haven't watched yet you should go do now. It's okay, I'll wait) I decided that I wanted a movie Avengers line up. Since I already have most of the characters in the 4 inch scale from Marvel Universe and the Iron Man 2 lines, I didn't want to replicate them in that scale again (and besides those Avengers figures are overpriced and under-articulated). The six inch figures are also going to be more expensive, and most likely hard to find. So I figured that Minimates would be the best way to go. Unfortunately, a couple of key sets are Toys R Us exclusives, and not in stock online. I asked James to keep an eye out for them, and he was able to find them all the day after I asked.

Iron Man has a few added on pieces to bulk up his armor, as well as an alternate open helmet, and a hair piece for when the helmet is off. He also gets a cool little flight stand so that he can be displayed in flight. His helmet seems a bit oversized (unavoidable when making a removable helmet at this scale), and it kind of reminds me of a kid in an Iron Man costume. Hulk has even more pieces bulking him up. Interestingly, he has four fingers on each hand and four toes on each foot. I'm used to the standard Minimate clamp hands, so I wasn't aware that characters in the Minimate style only have four digits.

I have three Hulk figures in my collection, and quite a few Iron Man figures. Here are a couple of six inch versions for comparison.

#131: DC Minimates - Batwoman (modern) and The Question (modern)

I've been reading Batwoman's solo title that started with the recent new 52 reboot that DC did, and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. It's well written and it features some of the most beautiful artwork out there in comics right now, so it's definitely worth checking out next time you're in your local comic shop. Unsurprisingly, I began wondering if there were any Batwoman figures to be had, so I looked into it on the internet. There's a DC Direct version that's too pricy, and a DC Infinite Heroes version that I passed on because those aren't very good figures. Fortunately, there's a Minimate version that I was able to find for a decent price.

This set was made a couple years ago, so it's not entirely accurate to Batwoman's current appearance. Now her wig is the same bright red as the accents on her costume. Also, she's currently depicted as being super pale but the Minimate version has a more healthy looking skin tone. I guess back then her hair actually was exposed as part of her costume, because there is an alternate hairpiece (the same one that came with the Batgirl) for an unmasked Kate Kane that is the same shade and length. Don't let my complaining fool you, I'm glad to have a Batwoman for my collection.

Harley Quinn is probably the most notable character to be created for the classic Batman animated series who made it into the world of comics, but Renee Montoya is an important character as well. Before the new 52 reboot, she had taken on the role of The Question as seen in this set. This is a good themed set because the two characters had a romantic relationship. There is a face painted on the other side of her head, so you can choose whether to display her as faceless or not. Options are always nice!

#102: Alice: Madness Returns Minimates - Alice

American McGee's Alice was a computer game featuring a twisted, more "mature" take on the further adventures of Alice In Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. I think it was a better Tim Burton style take on the story than Tim Burton's actual film turned out to be. As a life long console gamer, I found the controls somewhat clunky and annoying, so I never got around to finishing the game. Earlier this Summer, a sequel to the game, Alice: Madess Returns, was released for consoles and computers. I got the XBOX 360 version for my birthday and enjoyed it. To commemorate this, Alice was released as a Minimate, but only as an exclusive for San Diego Comic-Con. Fortunately, a friend of a friend was going and willing to pick one up for me, which is how I ended up with mine (they are ridiculously overpriced on Ebay now, but you can buy one for five bucks at Diamond Select's webshop). Incidentally, mine is labelled 321 out of 1,000 on the box.

As far as I can tell, this is the only Minimate based on the property that will be made, although there is an upcoming line of larger scale action figures that will be released in the future. So depending on how that turns out, this may be my only Alice toy. This is a good adaptation of Alice's in game look to Minimate form. Perhaps since it's an exclusive rather than a normal release it has a nice amount of paint apps, which includes the back of her dress as well. The only complaint is that she doesn't have any accessories. At least a Vorpal Blade (it goes snicker-snack!) should have been included, as it's her main weapon throughout the game. I'm kind of surprised they're only doing this one version of Alice in Minimate form. Maybe the character designs in the game didn't seem like a good fit for Minimate bodies (which is pretty reasonable), but they probably could milk the license a little more with variants on Alice, since she wears a  few different costumes during the game.

#85: Back to the Future 2 Minimates - Mini-time Machine with Marty McFly

I'm away from my apartment for a few days, so although I have other toys to blog about first, I will be posting these out of order since I won't have them in front of me until I get back. So I stopped at a Toys R Us and they had a few of these on the pegs. If you've been following this blog long enough, you may have noticed that I'm a fan of Back to the Future in general, and DeLoreans particularly. I don't have any BttF Minimate sets, so I figured this would be a good one to pick up.

There are a few different versions of the DeLorean, and they each come with a different Minimate. This one comes with 1985 Marty, in what I consider his standard outfit. The colors are a bit off from the standard release, and the vest is more red than orange. So it doesn't look quite as authentic. Most of the BttF Minimate sets are harder to find these days, so while this Marty isn't perfect, it's good enough for me.

The DeLorean itself is super-deformed, so while it's still recognizably a DeLorean, at the same time it looks really weird. The doors open, so Marty can sit inside. Also, there was a sticker sheet. On the outside there were headlights, taillights, and a license plate. No big deal. But on the inside, there are stickers for the flux capacitor, the time circuits, some for the dashboard, and an instrument panel. These are pretty evil because they are small, as is the space available in the car's interior. Unless you have the fingers of a child, you'll have a difficult time getting the stickers in place. I've been to four different Toys R Us stores in the past few days, and I've only seen this at one, so it may not be easy to find.

#83: DC Minimates - Batgirl and Bane

Although the original Batgirl is one of my favorite members of the Bat-family, my collection is sorely lacking in toys based on her. Mattel is finally putting out a repaint of the DC Superheroes version soon, but I've always liked the Minimates version. I'm not the biggest Minimates collector, so I wasn't even aware of these when they were being produced, and this set seems to be going for ridiculously marked up prices on Ebay. Then one late night recently, the brilliant idea of using Google's shopping search hit me, and I found a reasonably priced set online.

Since Minimates usually come in two packs, there is always the danger of being forced to buy a figure you're not at all interested in to get the one you want, but fortunately this one came with Bane. Since he's one of Batman's rogues gallery, I'm cool with it. A neat bonus is that he's pretty huge. Originally Minimates were all this larger size. He's pretty well done, with all the painted detail necessary. The spot where his Venom delivery tube plugs into the back of his head has all the little tubes sculpted on. Even the zipper on his mask is sculpted in!

Of course, Batgirl is the star of the set for me. She's even got the scalloped gloves and bat-satchel hanging from her utility belt. If you want an unmasked Barbara Gordon, you're in luck, because her cowl/hair piece is removable, and there is an alternate hair piece. I think I would have preferred if the cowl didn't completely cover the face underneath and rather had holes for her eyes and mouth to show through, but it works. I'm glad I was finally able to add Minimates Batgirl to my collection, now to wait for Mattel to release theirs.

#68: Calico Jack's Pirate Raiders - Charles Vanes and "Old Dad the Cooper"

My other toy birthday gift was this set of Calico Jack Minimates, the line which is conveniently being released around the same time as that pirate movie. I wasn't planning on picking up any of the sets from this line, but if I had intended to this is the set I would have gone with. Charles Vanes has risen from the dead to seek revenge, so he's a zombie pirate. A zompirate? He's got a lot of unique sculpting, so he really stands out. His companion in the set is Old Dad the Cooper (which I think is a pretty great pirate name), who has a harpoon leg. A regular old peg leg would be too boring for a member of Charles Vanes's crew, so he gets a harpoon leg. It's longer than his other leg, so it has to be bent so he can stand. He's armed with a rifle and a Wolverine claw gauntlet. Also, the skin of his head can be removed, revealing the skull beneath:

That's kind of my favorite thing about this set.

#113: Ghostbusters Minimates Dr. Peter Venkman and Energized Terror Dog

Over a year ago when I got my first Ghostbuster Minimates, I said that I would prefer an unslimed Venkman. Finally I got one. At last, my Ghostbusters team is complete. It's nice that every Minimates Ghostbuster includes a proton stream, unlike Ghostbuster figures currently made by another company. The other half of the set is the energized terror dog. I guess terror dog is the official name for them, but that's never how I thought of them. Because this is the energized version, it's mostly semi-translucent plastic. What's neat about the terror dog is that it's a regular Minimate body in there, with a bunch of additional parts to give it that canine appearance. I'd have preferred a regular version,, but weird variant terror dog is better than none.

#138: Ghostbusters Minimates box set series 2

I pre-ordered this set a few months ago, and almost forgot about. Then it arrived in the mail yesterday, and I didn't even know it had been sent. Yay for surprises! I got this set mainly because at the time, the only Winston that was available was the Ghostbusters 2 version, which has a different colored uniform, and is clean shaven. I definitely prefer the original Winston with a 'stache. Also, it includes both of the Ghostbusters I needed to complete the team, and both forms of Gozer from the movie.

So this set comes with Ray and Winston. Winston is Winston, he has a 'stache. He's solid. Ray comes with a trap, so my team finally can actually trap ghosts. He also has goggles which help him look more "Ray" because the face really isn't the best likeness of the bunch. And as usual, they come with detachable proton streams.

Gozer's body does its Minimate best to replicate the odd covered in bubbles look seen in the movie and does a pretty decent job of it. The flattop 'do is in place, so this is unmistakably Gozer itself.

20 years ago, if you wanted Ghostbusters toys, they were all based on the cartoon. Fortunately, the Stay-Puft marshmallow man made a couple appearances in the cartoon, so he got a toy. I had one way back then, but since I don't have it any more, this is a fun replacement. Ol' Stay-Puft is basically a handless and footless Minimate body with a bunch of attachments to cover it up. They bulk him up a bit so that he is noticeably taller than other Minimate figures, although they also hinder the articulation a bit. But it looks good, so I am not complaining.

I'm glad to finally have the team completed, although I am still thinking about getting a regular, non-slimed Peter. I think Stay-Puft is only available elsewhere as an "exploding" variant, so if you want him or Gozer, this is the set to get.

#104: Minimates Superman

This year my friend James threw a birthday party that had a convention theme. As a treat for those that pre-reged on time (RSVPed, in this case) goody bags were given out. Included in mine was this Minimate Superman. This is the first Superman figure I've had since the Super Powers line so many years ago. I have a Red Son Superman Minimate, which I don't count since it's an alternate universe version, and a few Bizarros, but none of the big blue boy scout himself. I'm not sure which set he originally came in, but this Superman is in the middle of quite a fight, so his costume is pretty torn up, and he looks very displeased. It looks like someone is about to be on the receiving end of some heat vision! This version of the costume is sporting the black "S" shield, which I'm sure means something that doesn't involve going to a goth club, but I don't know what. As a freebie, especially of something I wouldn't otherwise have bought, it is very cool. Now I'm thinking I need a Minimates Batman to keep him in check.

#76: Ghostbusters Minimates slimed Peter Venkman and clear Slimer

I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but Slimer became more popular than the Ghostbusters themselves through his appearances in the cartoon. I actually thought he was kind of annoying. I prefer the movie version, which has limited screen time, but makes good use of it.

Anyway, this set represents one of the iconic moments from the movie, so Venkman is splattered with slime. This interaction between him and Slimer became a running gag in the cartoon. He also has a look of shock/horror/disgust on his face. Unless I get a reguler Venknam figure, he'll perpetually be the screaming guy on the team. I think I may do that, because one can never have too many little plastic Bill Murrays. Like Egon, he has the proton pack and a detachable proton stream. Instead of a PKE meter, he comes with some little black thing. I think it might be a walkie-talkie.

I like the Slimer. The packaging specifies that it is clear Slimer, and since this is an exclusive set, I'm guessing that means there will be a more opaque Slimer being released later on. I prefer the clear version, as I think it makes it look more ghostly. If I remember correctly, he was somewhat transparent in the movie as well. The packaging and the promotional pictures show him with food inside his stomach, but the actual toy doesn't have that. I'm actually glad that didn't make it to the final product, I think it looks better this way.

#75: Ghostbusters Minimates Dr Egon Spengler and Library Ghost

One of the first movies that I can remember seeing in a theater is Ghostbusters. In fact, I clearly recall seeing it more than once. I loved it, and my family even had the VHS copy. My brother and I had a bunch of figures from the cartoon line. Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the first movie there is a new video game, and a couple different lines of movie based toys. Since I refuse to pay Mattycollector's exorbitant prices, I am getting the Minimates line.

The first set I picked up is Egon and the librarian ghost from the first movie. The librarian is a nice translucent plastic, lending her a more spectral appearance, and she comes with a book that can be kind of hard to keep balanced in her hand. Egon is the star of this set, and he deserves to be. He has cool accessories like the proton pack, a PKE meter, and even a detachable proton stream. Neat!

#68: Terminator 2 Minimates T-800 and Endoskeleton

This was a birthday gift from my friend James. I'm not sure if they made Minimates for the new movie, but T2 is the best in the series, and that's what these are from. There's the T-800, which has a couple of guns it can use, an alternate ungloved pair of hands, and an alternate hairpiece without the attached sunglasses. I haven't been able to pry the hair off yet, so I'm not sure how it looks. I seem to recall the Terminator wearing black pants in the movie, but the Minimate version is wearing brown. Odd.

The other half of this set is the endoskeleton, which is pretty cool. For those keeping track, this is the third version of the Terminator endoskeleton in my collection. This one is definitely the cutest Terminator. The torso is molded from clear plastic with some details painted on, then with a separate chest piece over that. This is all to give it the appearance of the narrow waist that the endoskeletons have, and it is a pretty decent effort. The hands and the feet are unique pieces, they even captured the detail of the little heel on it. Nice attention to detail!

#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.