It is becoming a tradition that each time that I visit Hong Kong I buy at least one issue of Hobby Japan, and last week was no exception. The magazine is always entertaining, and this time around there’s a two-page spread showing off the new Square Enix Play Arts Kai series (Amazon.com search*) Solid Snake action figure (last mentioned here). Yeah, this guy’s looking incredible enough that I should track one down to go with the Jungle Snake I’ve already got (quick pics and thoughts posted here).
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Tags: magazine, square enix
Thu, May 17 2012 » Metal Gear Solid » No Comments
PREVIEWSworld has an interview with IDW’s upcoming Battle Beasts writer Bobby Curnow and artist Valerio Schiti where the two reveal more art, a little more about the setting and background of the story, and basically feed the fire and keep Battle Beasts fans excited about the upcoming comic mini-series. And, according to the interview, there are ideas beyond the mini-series so if it goes well you can expect more:
I’ve got a good grasp on what would be the first twelve issues, with some good ideas of where to go beyond that. Beasts on Earth is such a rich concept to explore, with lots of potential twists and turns. Add in the great off-world Beast backstory, and there’s loads of stories to dig into.
Visit PREVIEWSworld!
Check the PREVIEWSworld interview for more, and then jump over to this interview with Zach Oat at ToyChestNews for more on the Battle Beasts Minimates that are scheduled for release later this year.
The first Beast toys we’ll have for sale will be a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive two-pack, featuring Vorin with his cloak down and an evil dragonfly character named Zik. Vorin will be in full color for the first time, and he’ll be slightly different from the regular release in the fall, and Zik is a fun character we designed just for this set.
Source: Spotted at the Battle Beasts blog.
Tags: comics, diamond select toys, idw, other sites
Thu, May 17 2012 » Battle Beasts » No Comments
Fans of the Hammer films have already had a chance at the Van Helsing (mentioned here) and Dracula (mentioned here) busts, and now we see that the Hammer Horror Countess Dracula Masterpiece Collection Bust* is available at Entertainment Earth to expand the Hammer collections out there.
Visit Entertainment Earth!
This beautifully detailed, 8-inch tall maxi-bust lovingly recreates every curve of Polish movie siren Ingrid Pitt’s signature role as the immortally voluptuous Countess Elizabeth Bathory from Hammer Films’ 1971 epic Countess Dracula. Restored to eternal beauty by the blood of her slaughtered virgin handmaidens, every element of the Countess’s chest-heaving evil splendor is captured in this astonishing 3/4-length sculpt! Ages 14 and up.
Thu, May 17 2012 » Uncategorized » No Comments
John Sumrow (blog, Twitter) is offering his new Night of the Living Doughnuts resin toys at his online shop. $125/each, these new toys stand 7-inches tall and are completely hand-crafted. And they look like they might be quite tasty to snack on . . . if you can bite them before they bite you.
Visit Sumrow's store!
This is a limited edition, hand painted, cast resin sculpture from an original I made in polymer clay. Each one is meticulously hand painted by me, including all 102 sprinkles! Each figure is signed and numbered on the bottom. Please note, each one is hand painted and small variations do occur. For instance, each sprinkle color configuration will be slightly different. How unique and cute is that!?
Tags: designer, resin
Thu, May 17 2012 » News » No Comments
Android: Infiltration hasn’t even hit yet (last mentioned here), but Fantasy Flight Games has already announced another game in the Android series — which includes a boardgame* and two novels (Free Fall* and Golem*) — and this time it’s a remake of an older game. Details are posted here.
Visit Fantasy Flight Games!
Android: Netrunner is a recreation of the old Wizards of the Coast Netrunner collectible card game . . . but in a non-collectible format and recreated to fit the Android world. Check all of the info in the announcement and know for sure that I’ll be trying this game when it comes out.
Tags: game
Wed, May 16 2012 » News » No Comments
If you have never looked at the Plaid Stallions website then you’re missing out on a hell of a lot of fun. From 1970s Captain America toys and junk to the Tarzan toy gallery there’s enough weirdness at the site to keep anyone entertained for hours.
And now there’s a book in the works. Titled Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings the book is dedicated to the inexpensive toys of the seventies that were often seen at the checkout lane. The garbage that hooks kids and gets a few more cents out of parents before they escape the store. And from what we can see so far I know I’ll be ordering the book for myself.
Visit Plaid Stallions!
Tags: other sites
Wed, May 16 2012 » Seventies » No Comments
I don’t think the release date has been officially announced yet, but there are new Glyos System toys coming . . . including the return of the Classified Pheyden. Keep your eyes on the Glyos Transmission Web Log for details; I’ll try to stay on top of this, but I fully expect to be swamped at work as the month proceeds and I may not be as quick to post news as I would like.
Visit the Glyos Transmission Web Log!
Tags: designer, onell design
Wed, May 16 2012 » Glyos » 1 Comment
Another entry in the Batman Black and White statue series to catch my eye, this Batman Black and White Pat Gleason Statue* at Entertainment Earth reminds me that I still have two statues in the series that I haven’t opened. Maybe between now and the Origins trip the end of the month I’ll recover enough to open one of them, but for now the best I can do is direct you at my earlier reviews in the series — Batman Black and White Statue: Ethan Van Sciver and Batman Black and White Statue: Gotham Knight — and apologize for not updating the site much since I got back from Hong Kong. I’m a little worn out.
Visit Entertainment Earth!
This imposing sculpture from the popular Batman Black and White statue series was designed by Patrick Gleason, with a look inspired by his current work on Batman and Robin. Cold cast in porcelain, the limited edition piece measures approximately 7 3/4-inches tall x 5-inches wide x 3 1/4-inches deep, is painted in monochromatic tones, features a Bat-logo-shaped base, and is packaged in a black-and-white box. It’s awesome! Ages 13 and up.
Tags: DC Direct, ee, statue
Wed, May 16 2012 » DC Universe » No Comments
Last month I reviewed two releases in the Square Enix Play Arts Kai series (Amazon.com search*) — Batman review here, Halo Reach Jorge review here — and loved them both. Well, I now see that Tomopop reviewed the new Solid Snake action figure, and from the pics it looks like another excellent addition that follows the same path as earlier releases in the series: Neat figure, with flaws, that turns out to be so much fun that the flaws are soon forgotten.
Visit Tomopop!
Tags: other sites, square enix
Tue, May 15 2012 » Metal Gear Solid, Reviews » 1 Comment
As anyone following the Masters of the Universe Classics series (Amazon.com search*) knows, miss a toy on release day and there’s a good chance you’ll have to spend quite a bit on the after-market to grab it. Not every time, but when one of the designs is a favorite or just looks incredible there’s a good chance it will cost more in the future than it does on release day.
Visit The Fwoosh!
And today is Slush Head day at Matty Collector. And just the publicity shots have me wanting this toy . . . but then add in this review at The Fwoosh and you can bet I’ll be there today trying to add this guy to my cart and get out without too much pain.
Looks like an excellent design to me.
Tags: mattel, other sites
Tue, May 15 2012 » Masters of the Universe, Reviews » 2 Comments
