I open a toy & post it here... VOL 2!

[WhenGeeksCollide]

I opened up my AEW Chris Jericho figure.
https://youtu.be/_-f3wsnXXSo

[Team Jetfire]

487-2
Hasbro- Transformers Prime: Sergeant Kup.



Sergeant huh? I never really paid attention to different ranks held by the various Transformers, so is Kup the only one named as such? I also don’t know if that is a particularly high rank in the Army, but given that the great G.I. Joe member Sgt. Slaughter had some level of authority I assume Kup is not your average Autobot grunt.

Pros: As with other Transformers Prime Figures, Kup is like the La Criox beverage of the G1 version of the character. I mean, the package says it’s Kup, but really it’s just a figure with a hint of the G1 character. Not to say it’s bad, as I like both modes, I enjoy the transformation, the included weapons and the robot mode has a good amount of poseability, but untimely this is a poor representation of the character.

Cons: Outside of the character differences, the design choice to bury the head so far back of the raised shoulders seems odd. Also, the back hood flap is really out of place.

[Team Jetfire]

[Team Jetfire]

488-2
Hasbro- Marvel Legends: Ultimate Spider-Man and Vulture.





The Vulture sure got an upgrade from the 60’s Spider-Man cartoon that I used to watch and it’s a good thing as he really looked like a man who should steer clear of high altitude fighting. I can’t recall this Vultures tenor from the Ultimate verse comics but he certainly looks pretty cool, especially with the included helmet.

Pros: Vulture: I really like this updated look, with key homages to one of Spider-Man’s oldest enemies. The details on the suit are fantastic from the talons on his forearms, the details on his belt and the fur around his collar. Both head sculpts are fantastic with the bird like helmet and crazy bald guy who would give Lex Luthor a run for his money and finally the gigantic removable wings that are very imposing in person. It’s overall a very impressive looking figure.

Spider-Man: This is a simple repack of the Ultimate Spider-Man that was in the Space Venom wave. It’s a fine figure, but nothing special if you already have him.

Cons: Vulture: While the wings are impressive I think it would have been good if they were foldable or retractable in some way as they are really big. They also have a tendency to pop out of the back piece that holds them in place.

Spider-Man: Oddly enough, the pinky fingers on my version were bent at a weird angle and will not right themselves. Also, the inclusion of a simple re-pack really doesn’t really make this 2 pack a must buy for the one unique figure.

[Team Jetfire]

[Team Jetfire]

489-2
Disney Infinity 3.0- Star Wars: Boba Fett.



Well, here it is folks, the end of an era. Boba Fett is my last Star Wars Disney Infinity figure. I still have one or two Disney characters left, but thought it was time to crack Boba Fett open. And while I would have loved to see them continue, I understand why they stopped. The game’s popularity had peaked and new mobile games, with micro transactions, could easily win out console games with expensive hardware and design requirements. Plus the figures were getting a bit pricey to collect. That said, they still look amazing and I would bet my collection that if they took these designs, scaled them up to POP size and sold them at the Disney store they would sell like crazy. Thankfully for me and other fans of Infinity figures and took the design elements of the characters and created their Toy Box line which has really been fun and full of surprises.

Pros: Boba Fett is such an iconic character and almost universally loved by Star Wars fans and I feel that Toy Box captured him in a really fantastic way. I love him posed with his trademark blaster, and his half cape blowing in the wind. A nice little detail is the dent in his helmet that really completes the overall look.

Cons: I’m obviously not a MISB collector so this is less of an issue for me, but I did have Boba in storage for a while and during that time a white film appeared on the figure almost like the plastic was breaking down. I’ve seen it before on other figures (Classic Bebop and Rocksteady) and thankfully wipes right off, but not good if you want to display it “in package”.

[Team Jetfire]

490-2
McFarlane Toys- DC Multiverse: Nightwing



Continuing my quest to re-watch all the DC Animated features to date and give some thoughts regarding 3 key touchpoints: Animation Style, Voice Acting & Story. These are really just rough notes as I watched the movie and might not make a whole lot of sense unless you have recently watched it. See 290-2, 303-2, 318-2, 331-2, 344-2, 358-2, 369-2, 371-2, 385-2, 399-2, 414-2, 426-2, 441-2, 453-2, 462-2, 468-2 & 481-2 for my previous instalments

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox- 2013

Animation Style- Generally speaking I like most of the animation designs for the various heroes and villains, but really dislike 2 in particular: Non-flashpoint Superman and Aquaman as their neck/traps look exceptionally ridiculous which is odd considering how great everyone else looks. 2 notable designs that I really like is the reverse Flash himself, Thawne, who obviously has a similar look to The Flash, but with a constant shit eating facial expression that really gets under your skin and the ultra-gritty flashpoint Batman, who incidentally will be released by McFarlane in a future wave.

Voice Acting: Two words: Simply Fantastic. Interestingly enough, most of the main characters are played by non-VO artists and have not been associated with many DC projects after. Justin Chamber (Dr Alex Karev from Grey’s Anatomy) does a great job as the Flash, C. Thomas Howell (working actor who has really only done Thawne in voice over) is perfect as Zoom, Michael B. Jordan (yes that one) was great as Cyborg and probably luck to have gotten him at this point and Kevin McKidd (known many things, but most hilariously Tommy from Trainspotting) as the gruff Thomas Wanye / flashpoint Batman. There are also some old favorites including Kevin Conroy (Batman), Steve Blum (Lex Luthor) and Nathan Fillion (Green Lantern) to round out this cast.

Story: Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is the movie adaptation of the DC comic storyline by the same name, created for the sole intention to reset the convoluted DC universe timeline and get every character on to the same page. If you are not familiar with comics, they do this all the time and provides the creators the flexibility to try something new with characters that have been around for decades, while simultaneously creating buzz and new sales for the brand. And while some people become tired of this cash grab, I actually love it given that it often breathes new life into a franchise. The basic premise is that Flash (Barry Allen) uses his speed superpower to travel back in time to when his mother was killed and effectively save her life. This causes a rift in the space time continuum (think Back to the Future 2) and when he returns to the present day everything has changed including the fact that he no longer has powers. Over the course of the movie Barry figures out his mistake and works to fix the timeline with help from some familiar faces, but also a new hero that fans of the 90’s Image comics might recognize. Ultimately the Flash is able to save the day, but there are still some reverberations in the continuity that culminate in to what was eventually called “The New 52” which denoted the new 52 comic titles that DC was launching at number 0. These changes were not fully sussed out at the end of this movie, but most of the DC movies that follow this are directly related to the New 52 series. Now outside the change of continuity there is a very touching scene in which Flash, who remembers the original universe and his time spent in the Flashpoint universe, delivers Bruce (Batman) and a letter from Thomas (Flashpoint Batman and his Dad) that likely would provide some solace for the Dark Knight Detective.

Pros: Nightwing is yet another great figure in a DC Multiverse line that continues to impress. He has a solid sculpt with a lot of detail throughout the uniform, a great head sculpt with nice molded hair and comes with his signature batons that fit into molded clasps on his back. Articulation is McFarlane standard and works well for a number of decent poses. I also really appreciate the stand; even though it is simple, it really helps with display

Cons: Two minor things: the articulation cut on the waist is a bit too high up making him look like he is wearing wrestling trunks from the 70s and while I am accepting of the articulation scheme, a thigh swivel would be even better on these figures.

[Team Jetfire]

491-2
Hasbro- Transformers Generations: Blitzwing.



I feel like Transformer designers don’t get the credit they deserve for what is essentially an engineering marvel for most every figure that is released. Just think about it: they are tasked with designing two completely different things with their own distinct look that are to change into each other in a manageable amount of steps, without (for the most part) coming apart and all for a reasonable amount of money, it is truly an art form that they have all but perfected. That said, I feel like this effort falls a bit short when another mode is introduced. Don’t get me wrong, for the most part, Triple Changers can look amazing, but that third mode tends to be a bit of a stretch. I love the concept though and really adored the various triple changers that I has as a kid.

Pros: Much like other triple changers, Blitzwing is a bit of a challenging figure to really love. There is lots to appreciate, but falls short of some of the other Generations triple changer figures. The robot mode is probably the best of the three as the homage to the G1 figure is spot on. There is also a good amount of articulation and due to some design elements, has built in ankle tilts which is always a bonus. The tank mode is my next favorite and actually features a rotating turret that can be positioned vertically. The jet is likely the biggest stretch in terms of design, but has enough jet parts to make it work. Funny enough, the jet reminds me a bit of Energon Jetfire in design.

Cons: Overall there seems to be a lot of parts that don’t tab in place as well as a lot of negative space through the different modes that leads to a flimsy figure. It also bothers me that in robot mode, the turret does not stand straight up on his back.

[Team Jetfire]

[Toradoch]

Originally Posted by Team Jetfire

This was a suprisingly fun figure. I picked him up used and he came with the upgrade kit (head, shoudler fix, missile rack and gun). I was sort of on the fence until I saw him used in Harris Louierro's awesome Generations stop motion on his YouTube channel.