Friday, December 26, 2014

Review: Funko T800 Endoskeleton (Chrome) ReAction Figure


Funko T800 Endoskeleton (Chrome) ReAction FigureWhen it came to Terminator in this style I was pretty happy - the Alien figures were good and with Kenner's original Terminator 2 line over 20 years ago, it seemed that a good T800 Endoskeleton (Chrome) would be pretty easy to pull off. Well... it's easy to be wrong I guess.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Monday, December 22, 2014

Review: Funko Back to the Future Biff Tannen ReAction Figure


Funko Back to the Future Biff Tannen ReAction FigureIt's Tom Wilson! He's an actor and a comedian, but to most of the world he's Biff Tannen. He's also the gym teacher on Freaks and Geeks, a similarly imposing (but nicer) fixture. As a voice-over talent and a pretty funny dude, he will likely always be known as Biff - so an action figure for the most famous bully of 1980s cinema is a sensible thing to own. 
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Monday, December 8, 2014

Review: Funko Universal Monsters Frankenstein's Monster ReAction Figure


Funko Universal Monsters Frankenstein's Monster Action FigureThere's something that's emotionally very satisfying - and sinful - about tearing open a vintage-style figure's packaging. It's not like preparing an ortolan, but popping open Frankenstein's Monster certainly did delight me.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Monday, December 1, 2014

Review: Bif Bang Pow! The Twilight Zone Talky Tina


Bif Bang Pow! The Twilight Zone Talky Tina Action FigureA few years ago, back before Comic-Con in San Diego became Nerd Prom and the Hollywood South Marketing Bonanza, I got to see June Foray in a panel. She voiced Talky Tina as well as Witch Hazel, Rocket J. Squirrel, Magica de Spell, Natasha Fatale (of Boris and... fame), plus Granny and countless others. It was pretty awesome - and we also got to find out how many other actress' voices she dubbed, uncredited, over the years. She's got range, so a murderous doll that tried to kill Telly Sevalas shouldn't have been too much of a stretch. Hey, she does a nice job!
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Review: Funko Predator (Masked) ReAction Figure


Funko Predator (Masked) ReAction FigureToys have a funny way of coloring our perceptions - the old Kenner Star Wars Cantina aliens were wildly off model, but correct to anyone alive in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Similarly, this Predator (Masked) is a little weird to those of us who grew up with Kenner toys, because my 2-pack Predator had a brown mask. Silver is, of course, more correct - which leads you to the big question on if doing a ReAction figure correctly is, in and of itself, inauthentic. To be right, must you be wrong?
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Friday, October 31, 2014

New Glow-in-the-Dark Predator ReAction Figure - Entertainment Earth Exclusive

 http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=FU5259R&id=16-502018719
It's coming in early 2015! (Also, you're welcome.)  The  Glow-in-the-Dark Predator ReAction Figure is a glow-in-the-dark redeco of the plain Predators you can buy now (that are also awesome).  Click here to order yours.

It's $12.99 and an undisclosed (but low) run.  This is Entertainment Earth's second ReAction exclusive - the first is the Invisible Man in clear plastic, which is due this month.

Review: Funko Universal Monsters The Bride of Frankenstein ReAction Figure


Funko Universal Monsters The Bride of Frankenstein ReAction FigureOne of the stranger things I've seen in my decades of toy collecting is that facts change. Questions like "What color is Han Solo's jacket?" have had numerous answers - if you asked Galoob and Kenner in the late 1990s, they said that Lucasfilm told them that Han always wears When I saw the sculpt for The Bride of Frankenstein I was quite happy with what I saw - the head was appropriately understated and exaggerated, and the arms and torso reminded me a lot of the original 1978 Princess Leia figure. However, I noticed that in the packaging the legs were bent kind of funny. When I tried to fix them, the hip joint got loose and wobbly - oddly, the same loose leg problem was on Bif Bang Pow!'s Kanamit, who also had robe legs. Coincidence? I wonder!
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Review: Funko Universal Monsters The Wolf Man ReAction Figure


Funko Universal Monsters The Wolf Man ReAction FigureOne of the stranger things I've seen in my decades of toy collecting is that facts change. Questions like "What color is Han Solo's jacket?" have had numerous answers - if you asked Galoob and Kenner in the late 1990s, they said that Lucasfilm told them that Han always wears black. However, there were exceptions - which means we saw Bespin Han usually wear black, but Hoth Han's garment has been black, blue, and a purple/brown color. It seems that The Wolf Man is not immune, no doubt in part due to the fact black-and-white movies screw with perceptions. This figure has a nice 1980s feel with a glossy shirt and appropriately old-school articulation, plus white teeth and faux Kenner eyes. It's good. Get one.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Review: Funko Universal Monsters Phantom of the Opera ReAction Figure


Funko Universal Monsters Phantom of the Opera ReAction FigureThe vinyl cape is back! As a kid, I hated them - my Jawa had a cloth cape and my Darth Vader's cape started to split at the shoulders pretty quickly, requiring the fabrication of a felt replacement. It's a strange trick to add some depth to a figure that was more or less dead by 1981, so Funko's Phantom of the Opera is one of very few figures - along with Dracula in this line - to bring it back. It's one of those things that I can appreciate stylistically, because if this was a lost late-1970s figure it would have that cape. Since it isn't going into any vehicles, I've got no problem with it - but as a child, I can't tell you how much I disliked these.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Review: Funko Universal Monsters The Invisible Man ReAction Figure


Funko Universal Monsters The Invisible Man ReAction FigureWhile the clear repaint was inevitable, The Invisible Man is one of the top characters under the Universal Monsters banner. The idea is pretty close to the public domain, but this particular incarnation of an invisible man as portrayed by Claude Rains has been pretty influential, culturally speaking. I've even read the book - the Ralph Ellison one, not the H.G. Wells one, which had no mad science nor literally invisible people in it. (It's still a pretty good book.)
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Monday, October 27, 2014

Review: Funko Universal Monsters Creature from the Black Lagoon ReAction Figure


Funko Universal Monsters Creature from the Black Lagoon Action FigureOh yes! Star of a movie that actually started life in 3-D, Universal's Creature from the Black Lagoon is a frequent favorite movie creature design. I daresay of the classic monsters, the look is the best - a rubber suit provided a high and a low point as to what you can do with movie monster mayhem, and it's something embedded into our cultural DNA. Last year we looked at Monster Ninja Turtles, this year it's the new Kenner-style figures from Funko. Each figure has 5 joints and in the case of the creature, he has less deco than the early 1980s Remco figure of the character.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Friday, October 24, 2014

Review: Funko Nightmare Before Christmas Sally ReAction Figure


Funko Nightmare Before Christmas Sally ReAction FigureLike any good toy dork, I was keenly aware of The Nightmare Before Christmas months before anyone saw it thanks to Tomart's Action Figure Digest - arguably the best thing you could read in the pre-internet world, just because of how much information it threw at you that you didn't realize you needed to know yet. The movie itself was a wonder, a mix of old-school holiday TV specials for kids with something that is largely hard to find elsewhere, notably that it's thematically older-skewing as it explores themes of failure and one of the worst things that happen to us as we grow up: being forced to examine and acknowledge our limitations. Sally was one of the film's leads, and unlike the film's hero she actually does get to grow more as a person and exceed her creator's intent by going from a sort of a ragdoll/Frankenstein's monster hybrid.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Monday, October 13, 2014

Review: Funko Back to the Future Doc Brown ReAction Figure


Funko Back to the Future Doc Brown ReAction FigureAs a kid I thought Doc Brown was super-cool. Actor Christopher Lloyd had an amazing run - Taxi's Jim Ignatowski, Star Trek's Commander Kruge, The Addams Family's Uncle Fester, Who Framed Roger Rabbit's Judge Doom, and dozens more fantastic roles delighted audiences around the world, and he's probably now best known as the wild-haired old man of Hill Valley, California. He still acts - a lot - but he never really got all that many action figures. The Mattel figure was never to be, so it's nice Funko managed to make this happen.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Saturday, October 11, 2014

NYCC Surprise - Tomorrowland ReAction Figures Now?

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=nycc+reaction+figureIn addition to a pair of swell NES-themed Freddy and Jason figures, it turns out Funko had a special surprise at New York Comic Con - the first figures from Tomorrowland, specifically Frank!  200 pieces are said to be available, and while I do not yet know if it's an exclusive debut or just a case of you not being able to get something, you can find them on eBay right now.

The going rate this weekend seems to be $50-$90 thus far.

Friday, October 10, 2014

Review: Bif Bang Pow! The Twilight Zone Kanamit (Work Uniform)


Bif Bang Pow! The Twilight Zone Kanamit (Work Uniform) Action FigureFrom another one of The Twilight Zone's iconic (and oft-lampooned) episodes is Kanamit (Work Uniform) from "To Serve Man." As he was played by the giant Richard Kiel, the figure is also a smidgen taller at about 4 1/4-inches. He has 5 points of articulation and is sold in 3 flavors - white outfit, black outfit, and full-color figure (which wears a white outfit).
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Monday, October 6, 2014

Ad: Entertainment Earth Has New ReAction Predator In Stock

Did you get yours? Entertainment Earth has received new and restocked Predator ReAction Figures and you should probably get some. They're in stock, $9.99 each, and you get free shipping if you drop $79 on in-stock items.
Predator Open Mouth Predator ReAction 3 3/4-Inch Figure Predator Closed Mouth Predator ReAction 3 3/4-Inch Figure Predator Clear Masked Predator ReAction 3 3/4-Inch Figure Predator Masked Predator ReAction 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
These ones are pretty swell!

Monday, September 15, 2014

Review: Funko Back to the Future George McFly ReAction Figure


Funko Back to the Future George McFly ReAction FigureWhen these lines were announced I was delighted across the board - before I even had time to ask if he was coming, Funko confirmed George McFly was on deck. Given the nature of the actor, licensed merchandise, and so forth I didn't expect that such a thing would ever actually exist - but here it is! He looks more than a little cartoony, but I think it works for the affable character. I've had some actual QC issues with this line, but George is pretty simple and nothing here seems to be out of place. He basically just works.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Review: Funko Universal Monsters The Mummy ReAction Figure


Funko Universal Monsters The Mummy Action FigureIf you think you might like this figure, let me tell you that you will, and you should buy it. You really don't need to keep reading.

Thanks to availability being borked, the glow-in-the-dark version of The Mummy is one I won't likely chase down - but I will say that the standard version is one of the better figures in this line so far. The quality of the Back to the Future guys varies from figure to figure, Terminator was a little wonky, but some of the others like Predator at SDCC turned out to be exquisite. The Mummy is closet to the exquisite category - the arms and legs and head all turn nicely, and his bandages are a glossy, off-white plastic that looks kind of sickening. His head is painted green, as are his hands, and his putrid eyes are grey and faded. It's basically an alternate universe 1980 Boris Karloff Mummy figure, had Remco never done theirs. The sculpting of the body is closer in line to 1983's Return of the Jedi figures, while the posture feels like an earlier Star Wars or Empire Strikes Back release. It's good. Real good.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Six Second Toy Talk - Universal Monsters The Mummy ReAction Figure

It's an old Kenner style figure, but made in 2014. The Mummy from Funko is a glossy, slick figure with a painted head and hands - but oddly, no holes in his feet for foot pegs or display stands. The detail is quite nice and the style is admirable, making this one of the finest efforts from ReAction so far.



You can click here to buy this figure at Entertainment Earth for ten bucks. That's where I got mine, and I suppose this counts as an ad.

Friday, September 5, 2014

Entertainment Earth Gets Clear Invisible Man Exclusive ReAction Figure

I've been wanting to tell you about this one for a while, because we're doing a new exclusive at my place of employment!

This Universal Monsters Clear Invisible Man ReAction 3 3/4-Inch Retro Action Figure is an Entertainment Earth Exclusive and due in stock in a couple of months.  The other figures in this line are hitting now - I just got my Mummy today and the quality is better than most of the other ReAction figures so far, which is to say, pretty 1980sy and actually glossy.  I've got really high hopes for this one, so click here and order yours.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Review: Funko Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skellington (SDCC Early Bird Figure)

Funko Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skellington (Early Bird Figure) ReAction FigureWe first got word that there would be three heads on this character, but Funko's Jack Skellington (Early Bird Figure) gave us a fourth - and I suppose technically first - head on this body. The regular retail heads include a smiling, surprised, and devilish head while this convention-exclusive edition sports an open, affable mouth similar to Hasbro's 1993 original.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Monday, September 1, 2014

Six Second Toy Talk: SDCC Predator ReAction Invisible Bloody Action Figure

We reviewed it in Figure of the Day recently, but I've been playing with extreme short form video so here you go - it's the SDCC Predator ReAction Invisible Bloody Action Figure! Click play and you'll be done watching it before the page can be scrolled down.


Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Review: Funko Back to the Future Marty McFly ReAction Figure


Funko Back to the Future Marty McFly ReAction FigureTo say that Marty McFly was was a long-awaited action figure is a gross understatement. Fans expected Mattel to make some after announcing that they had the license, but now that it seemingly lapsed and nothing was announced it seems that no, this was to be. Funko brought out excellent Pop! Vinyl figures, while Diamond Select Toys did some bang-up Minimates. This figure is the culmination of decades of expectations and desires, and as such cannot possibly please everybody. I can tell you that it's pretty good, but quality control is a bit of an issue here - if you just want a Marty, go with the Pop! Vinyl. If you love this format, you simply must buy this figure.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Review: SDCC Funko Predator (Invisible, Bloody) Action Figure


Funko Predator (Invisible, Bloody) ReAction FigureThe debut of the mold for this action figure was, surprisingly, a Comic-Con exclusive! Technically a "prepaint," Funko's Predator (Invisible, Bloody) was one of the few things that had be drooling at the show - the clear version of the figure was acceptable, sure, but getting it early with some nasty green splatters on it? Oh man, sold. The figure is typical of this kind of toy - 5 joints, and the neck is restricted due to the figure's design. The long hair and shoulder cannon prevent movement, but it is a separate piece. This is sensible, given there are a whopping five Predators coming so far and there are two heads between them.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Review: Bif Bang Pow! The Twilight Zone Henry Bemis Action Figure


Bif Bang Pow! The Twilight Zone Henry Bemis Action FigureThe notion of a retro, Kenner-style action figure has been a gag I've been talking about for a while - Super7 got to it first with real vintage sculpts first, but I talked to a few companies about this for a while - and Star Wars fans have been asking for it for years. Now Bif Bang Pow! brought out seven characters in 2-3 colorways each, including Henry Bemis. The colorized version is a convention exclusive, and I was indeed involved in some discussions surrounding the creation of this figure - so consider this a biased overview.
[ READ THE FULL REVIEW ]

Sunday, July 20, 2014

ReAction Adds NBX Zero, Superman Sloth for SDCC

https://twitter.com/OriginalFunko/status/489798615032815617
Funko revealed 2 more SDCC ReAction figures on Twitter last week.  One is Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skelington with Zero, which will undoubtedly be the variant to chase down this season - three variant heads will ship with the standard release, too.

The other is The Goonies Sloth in Superman t-shirt which should also be a big, big deal.   In theory you can get yours at Comic-Con this week, at Funko's booth.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Bif Bang Pow! 3 3/4-Inch Twilight Zone Figures Arriving Now

The Bif Bang Pow! 3 3/4-inch The Twilight Zone Action Figures are shipping now.  Black and white characters like Henry Bemis (pictured) are arriving in homes as I write this, as mine just showed up a few minutes ago.  (For some reason, regular white robe Kanamit shipped a day later and will be here early next week.)   Click here to order them at Entertainment Earth.

Color versions of these figures will be available at Comic-Con in San Diego next week at booth #2343, or you can pre-order online at Entertainment Earth for delivery after the show.  I'll also start posting reviews of these next week.  I haven't had time to open them yet so I can't even give you early impressions yet.

I should note that the B&W Invader is a little odd in that his accessories are painted green.  Clearly, this is a change from the prototype and seems to be the way all samples were produced from the initial run.

I should note that 2 of the 6 figures that arrived were unpunched - Bob Wilson and Talky Tina.  I don't now how many of the total production will be unpunched, or if these were flukes, or what, but it's something to keep an eye out for if that sort of thing is important to you.  Science says that it is.

Order Your Toys at Entertainment Earth!
The Twilight Zone Kanamit 3 3/4-inch Action Figure Twilight Zone Kanamit In Work Uniform 3 3/4-inch Figure The Twilight Zone Bob Wilson 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure The Twilight Zone Henry Bemis 3 3/4-inch Action Figure The Twilight Zone Gremlin 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure The Twilight Zone Invader 3 3/4-inch Action Figure The Twilight Zone Talky Tina 3 3/4-Inch Scale Action Figure Twilight Zone Bob Wilson 3 3/4-Inch Figure Color -Con. Excl. Twilight Zone Henry Bemis 3 3/4-inch Figure Color-Con. Excl. Twilight Zone Gremlin 3 3/4-Inch Figure In Color-Con. Excl. The Twilight Zone Kanamit 3 3/4-Inch Figure Color-Con. Excl. The Twilight Zone Invader 3 3/4-Inch Figure Color-Con. Excl. Twilight Zone Talky Tina 3 3/4-Inch Figure Color -Con. Excl.

Coming Soon to Entertainment Earth!

Monday, July 14, 2014

Alien Playset: Open Beyond SDCC

If you can live with black packaging, good news!  Super7 decided against being evil toy-denying tyrants and opened their $100, 250-piece playset up for an unlimited run in a black box.  It could be resin - or plastic, if the orders are there.  Me, I hope it'll be plastic.

http://blog.super7store.com/2014/07/14/sdcc-reaction-figures-alien-egg-chamber-playset-pre-order/


Pre-orders start preview night at Comic-Con and run through the show - so don't forget to order if you're in San Diego.  Click here for more!

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Super7 SDCC ReAction Figure Exclusives Announced

http://sdccblog.com/2014/07/super7-sdcc-2014-exclusives/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=super7-sdcc-2014-exclusives
A hand-cast resin Alien Egg Chamber Playset is the centerpiece of a number of very low-run, high-dollar ReAction figures being sold by Super7 at Comic-Con in San Diego this year.  At 250 pieces, give up.  Just give up.   Unfortunately the ridiculous "we have to make these rare collectibles" mentality has just claimed my enthusiasm for another toy line... on the bright side?  I'm going to be un-ordering some of the regular product now. No price was listed.

But enough about my blinding white-hot toy fan rage... what else are they doing?

This link says to expect a crated-up Pulp Fiction Gimp, some new sculpt and new deco Alien figures blind boxed in eggs, and these are all $25 a whack.   Interesting ideas, but what are the Alien figures?  Nobody knows yet.

Additional exclusives include their own original vinyl figure designs in typically low Super7 runs.  Huzzah and kudos for curing everyone of being a completist on this line before it even really got started, that takes some doing.

Also, Funko has additional exclusives to announce - but what?  They're still revealing them, so stay tuned!

H.P. Lovecraft Himself Getting a 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure?

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/378161699934033290/The Legends of Cthulhu Kickstarter ends in 6 days and has already made its goal - so all that's left now are stretch goals.   In addition to the original 4, you can score a clear Conjured Cthulhu and a High Priest right now - and if it gets a few more supporters, apparently H.P. Lovecraft himself will round out the set.   $111 is the current going rate for the set of 6 (possibly 7).

The full image of Mr. Lovecraft was posted on Pinterest.