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

[Team Jetfire]

S-34
Playmates- Star Trek: Wrath of Khan Spock.



To borrow a phrase from Star Trek's sci-fi competition ?This is not going to go the way you think (Luke Skywalker- The Last Jedi). That?s the basic thought that I had after I opened Spock and to not bury the lead: I thought that I would like these Playmates Star Trek figures. Turns out that they are not great. I suppose that my expectations should have been appropriately in check given that Playmates isn?t known for awesome figures, but I had hoped that this would fill the hole in my collection that McFarlane left by bouncing on the franchise after only 2 figures. And while the figure is not bad per-se, it just could have been so much better. For instance, I?m not ready for a 3 ? figure resurgence and would have much preferred a 6? figure, why are they going with this smaller size? Overall I?m one and done with this line and will continue to hold out hope for a more robust line of Star Trek to add to the collection.

Pros: Look, I?m not trying to be a hater here and it's fun to like things, but this is just a swing and a miss for me, but on the pro side: The sculpt is decent for the size and I think the radiation gloves are kind of fun.

Cons: The figure has the articulation of an old school G.I. Figure and is about as loose with the joints. The accessories are neat, but are an odd choice considering his right hand is molded into a live long and prosper hand sign. Lastly, the stand is appreciated but basically useless given that it's not wide enough for both feet to stand on and raised up so he cannot stand up straight given that he has no ankle joints.

[Team Jetfire]

Originally Posted by Robimus

Back a couple, gotta love that Fortnight creativity

I?ve opened a few more since the and I can firmly say that the Fortnite figures are the best things that Hasbro is currently producing. Check your local Winners to see if they have any and see for yourself. It?s nuts.

[Robimus]

Winners and such had a number over the holidays.

My own collecting is purely driven by nostalgia, so they aren't really for me. I got some accessory packs for Classified use in the past - used the one as Firefly for a bit.

Originally Posted by Team Jetfire

I?ve opened a few more since the and I can firmly say that the Fortnite figures are the best things that Hasbro is currently producing. Check your local Winners to see if they have any and see for yourself. It?s nuts.

[Team Jetfire]

Originally Posted by Robimus

Winners and such had a number over the holidays.

My own collecting is purely driven by nostalgia, so they aren't really for me. I got some accessory packs for Classified use in the past - used the one as Firefly for a bit.

Totally fair. I don?t think Hasbro is going to cross pollinate in the same way that Jazwares and McFarlane did so I doubt there will be the same GIJoe type simulacrums like we saw in the past.

[Team Jetfire]

881-2
Hasbro- G.I. Joe Sigma 6: Destro Crime Boss




Crime boss? Why is Destro pulling heists for some stacks of cash and gold bars? Did he lose his weapons contract from the US Government when they found out that he was providing HISS tanks and profiting off the ongoing war between Joe and Cobra? Actually that wouldn't have been a bad storyline for the character: a true neutral party that would be playing both sides and getting rich in the process. Eventually money is no longer enough to satisfy him and he then creates his own army named the Iron Grenadiers to take hold of the power lost by both GI Joe and Cobra given that years of fighting have taken it's toll. His reign is short, but comes to an end when Joe and Cobra come together in a joint effort to break up the Iron Grenadiers leaving Destro as a ground roots crime boss who needs to steal to get himself back on top. That would also explain the crazy and much maligned pimp daddy look that was produced bizarrely early in the Classified series. I feel like it's an easy story line and has likely already been done in the comics, but I would love to see this as a cartoon movie or even the season of an animated series. Probably a lot to ask considering that it wouldn't revolve around Snake Eyes, but if the IP is going to move forward and survive they really should be trying something new.

Pros: I recognize that I'm not exactly the most impartial person when it comes to these Sigma 6 figures, but Crime Boss Destro was one of those figures I knew I was going to love right out of the box and thankfully he did not disappoint: A solid figure with an awesome build, some cool weapons and even a bank safety deposit box with stacks of cash and bars of gold. I wish I was a kid when these S6 figures came out as they are fun as hell.

Cons: Minor budget cut that made a noticeable difference: Hasbro must have removed the belt (featured on the instructions) which is really too bad considering that his pants look hilarious without. Makes me wonder what other budget cuts I'll be seeing on these figures going forward?

[Team Jetfire]

882-2
Mattel- Masters of the Universe Revelations: Skelegod



Well crap. Guess who had insanely low expectations for Skelagod and was wrong? Yup, this guy. I mean, can you blame me? Some reviews called him a sloppy mess and others straight up passed on him given that they were not interested in the “Revelations” line for reasons that I'm not going to go into. And while he's not perfect, he IS very imposing and is worth the money, especially because the retailers ordered too much and he's on clearance.

Pros: Skelegod is a surprisingly good figure. Solid sculpt from the Netflix series, a good amount of usable articulation despite being so spiky, his own power sword and an energy punch effect. I also really appreciate how detailed the cape is and how it is affixed to his back.

Cons: This is going to sound dumb, but I hate how the shoulder ball joint contact points are hidden making it impossible to see where the lateral movement pivots. I'm sure it's just a design choice and I'm sure it's much cleaner, but I can never tell if the joint is frozen or just not lined up straight.

[Team Jetfire]

883-2
Diamond Select- Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring- Ringwraith



I suppose I'm uniquely able to comment on this given that I'm currently knee deep in Lord of the Rings figures from Toybiz, Diamond Select and Loyal Subject, but It's crazy how a figure released 20 years ago for half the price of the current offerings is as good or better than the current iteration. I suppose I'm projecting a bit on what makes a figure good, but what ever: they are my stupid reviews. Anyways, I was somewhat let down from Diamonds attempt at this here Wraith and a lot of it has to do with that age old issue of form over function. Looking at the pictures it's probably not too hard to see what I'm talking about. Yes it's sculpted beautifully, but all that hard plastic makes it difficult to do anything below the waist (that's what she said?). Granted it is not as egregious as some of the Hasbro offerings, but I had hopes that Diamond would be different. Funny thing is that one of my biggest issues with Toy Biz is the rudimentary articulation scheme which Diamond solves, but is all for naught given the hard plastic makes it useless. And speaking of useless it seems as though Diamond had given us a bit of a “make work” project. See, one of the cool things is that they included 3 blades and 2 sheaths, but they didn't include any way to affix said sheaths to the Ringwraith's body. However, it looks like they molded two holes on each holder to include a strap of some sort? I figured I can add a black rubber band or string to make this work, but it's just a bizarre choice on their part.

Pros: Despite some of my hopes there is a lot to appreciate about the Ringwraith. I love the sculpt and they were able to capture the headless look really well. And while hindered, the articulation still allows for enough Wratih-like poses. I also appreciate the accessory selections and love the look of all the blades.

Cons: While cost prohibitive, these cloaked figures need to have a mix of plastic and cloth to give them the justice they deserve. Also Diamond, what was the plan on with those sword sheaths? Was a strap too much money?

[Team Jetfire]

S-35
Diamond Selects: The Muppets- Swedish Chef



More Muppets to fill out the cast and I could not be happier with this release. Aside from both Fozzie and Gonzo, Chef has always been a favorite of mine for his overall silliness and over the top antics of which can be experienced in real life at the VERY underrated Muppets 3D attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. If you haven’t been, the Muppets 3D show is basically that: a show featuring the Muppets that is presented with the help of late nineties era 3D effects and an fully decked out Muppets theater complete with Muppet animatronics that come alive as part of the show making it feel that you are at a IRL Muppet Show. Anyways, something goes wrong (like it always does) and Chef makes a big appearance that leads to the destruction of the theater, until it is reset for the next show that is. Overall it’s great fun for kids, Muppet Fans and people who just want to rest in the A/C for a few minutes.

Pros: Kudos to Diamond for not skimping on the kitchen accessories as he seems to have a legitimate “kitchen” full. All the cooking essentials are included like pots, pants, bowls, tennis rackets, and cutlery; seriously I was pretty impressed with everything here. Chef himself looks great right out of the box and has a good amount of articulation that allows for all the Swedish Chef action you would expect.

Cons: Two minor things: I wish there was a way to display the little fruit and vegetable characters and it would be nice if the cooking supplies stacked better.

[Team Jetfire]

[Robimus]

Brilliant!