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The Star Wars Imperial March continues with four new reveals. First is the Star Wars Black Series release of the Last Command 4-pack containing figures of Luke Skywalker, Luuke, Mara Jade, and Joruus C'baoth. This was a Pipeline reveal from late 2023. Each figure will come with their appropriate lightsaber, Force lightning hands for Jorrus C'baoth, and a blaster for Mara Jade. Luke looks to be a direct re-pack of the Jedi Luke figure from Return of the Jedi. Mara Jade is a tweak with a new hooded head option which wasn't included in the original Publishing Wave release. Luuke looks to use some older Jedi parts with the same torso as Episode 2 Obi-Wan / Kit Fiston, the legs appear to be newer and the head is brand new. Jorrus is a new figure with no obvious re-use. The set is a Hasbro Pulse Exclusive in special super-sized Publishing series packaging with an opening front cover. It will release in the Summer of 2024 and will go into Shop Disney and Disney Stores at a later date. There is also a Clone Wars 2-pack Army Builder set featuring a Phase II Cone Trooper and a B1 Battle Droid. Both figures have been released previously, but are wrapped up here in a closed Troop Builder Box Set for those wanting to expand their forces supported by what looks like a lower price point than standard two packs. The Clone Trooper includes both blaster and blaster rifle, as well as the removable helmet. It is identical to the recent 2023 release. The Battle Droid has a single blaster as well as the usual backpack. This is also a Hasbro Pulse Exclusive releasing in Summer 2024 and then heading to Shop Disney and Disney Stores. For the Vintage Collection, there is a variant of the HK-86 Droid from Ahsoka as seen on the planet Arcana. The HK-87 will be joined by a single release of the Dark Trooper from The Mandalorian. Both figures are general releases in the Autumn. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES STAR WARS: THE LAST COMMAND 4-PACK (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $99.99 / Available: Summer 2024) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES STAR WARS: THE LAST COMMAND 4-pack, inspired by the characters’ appearances in the STAR WARS: THE LAST COMMAND comic books. Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade must confront Joruus C’baoth in a last ditch effort to save the Republic from Grand Admiral Thrawn’s overwhelming forces. The characters included in the pack include Luke Skywalker, Luuke, Joruus C’baoth and Mara Jade. Fans and collectors can display these fully articulated figures featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes 4 figures and 8 comics-inspired accessories including 4 Lightsabers, 2 lightning hands for Joruus C’baoth and an alternate head and blaster for Mara Jade. Available for pre-order 3/27 at 1pm ET exclusively at Hasbro Pulse and also available at DisneyStore.com and Disney Parks at a later date. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES CLONE TROOPER & BATTLE DROID (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $39.99 / Available: Summer 2024) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES CLONE TROOPER & BATTLE DROID pack, inspired by the characters’ appearances in the STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS. For the first time in THE BLACK SERIES, fans can imagine epic battles inspired by The Clone Wars with this troop building pack. Fans and collectors can display these fully articulated figures featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes 2 figures and 5 entertainment-inspired accessories including 2 blasters and a removable helmet for the clone trooper. The battle droid includes a removable backpack, antenna, and blaster accessory. Available for pre-order 3/27 at 1pm ET exclusively at Hasbro Pulse and also available at DisneyStore.com at a later date. STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION HK-87 ASSASSIN DROID (ARCANA) (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $16.99 / Available: Fall 2024) Assassins by design, the HK-87 droids loyal to Morgan Elsbeth have served her as tireless bodyguards and enforcers. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION HK-87 ASSASSIN DROID figure (VC #330) inspired by the character’s appearance in STAR WARS: AHSOKA. This figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes figure and entertainment-inspired staff accessory. Available for pre-order 3/27 at 1pm ET at Amazon, Hasbro Pulse and other major retailers. STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION DARK TROOPER (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $16.99 / Available: Fall 2024) Hulking Imperial combat droids with gleaming black armor and powerful jet boots, the Dark Troopers are a powerful design. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION DARK TROOPER figure (VC #271) inspired by the character’s appearance in STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN. This figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes figure and entertainment-inspired blaster accessory. Available for pre-order 3/27 at 1pm ET at Amazon, Hasbro Pulse and other major retailers. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force), and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licenses - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who, and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK-focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

“With an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, a taste for gold, and a general disdain for most living things, it is surprising to learn that Xanathar’s most prized possession is its goldfish, Sylgar.” The Hasbro Dungeons & Dragons series of figures started not with Honor Among Thieves, nor with the Animated Series, but with a deluxe set of Drizzt Do’Urden and his panther Guenhyver back in 2020. This Forgotten Realms release pre-dated the Golden Archive figures but set the initial precedent for 6-inch figures taken from the D&D Legacy - key characters from the world of D&D realised into figure form using artwork from the source material. In 2023 Hasbro initially launched the D&D Cartoon figures, soon followed by the Golden Archive a new 6-inch collectors line to support the new D&D movie Honor Among Thieves. That line then extended back into these Legacy characters with another Drizzt release as well as a couple of monsters including Xanathar the Beholder, underworld boss of Waterdeep. Xanathar is a Hasbro Pulse exclusive and is packed into a larger plastic-free sealed box than the other figures but features the same design principles with its black base colour, golden scrollwork trim, and bright character artwork mixed in with images of the figure to confirm the contents. We also still get the angled-down corner to the top right as the box pays homage to the dice used in D&D gaming. Out of the box, Xanathar arrives in several pieces, each wrapped or bagged in the white waxy paper and compartmentalized in the box by a three-part inner cardboard tray. The largest piece is Xanathar’s body which arrives without any of the eye stalks attached - these come in two other bags. The Xanathar piece features ten ball sockets around the body into which the eye stalks go. The fit is identical for all of the eyes, but the pieces are numbered 1-10 so you can assemble them as you see on the box. We also get a base for Xanathar, a hollow piece sculpted in gold plastic a pile of gold coins complete with a trio of goblets buried among them. There is also an exposed skull painted in a basic bone white and crying out for a wash or some darker details. And then there is Syglar who arrives in his own tank. The central clear section has two halves meaning there is a visible joint. Sylgar is suspended by way of a clear post that sits into a gravel base. Sylgar is painted in red and black with white eyes and a black pupil. The tank is encased further with an ornate gold top and gold stand. With Xanathar assembled he will sit on the pile of coins which is shaped for his circular mass. There is no socket or clips, Xanathar is free standing on the coins and the position can be tweaked to best suit his pose - particularly if you have the mouth open as the coin pile then needs to be reversed so the lower slant of the coins lines up with the open jaw. Xanathar is a hefty piece and is cast as a central body in blue plastic with a ridged scale design. The lighter flesh-coloured areas that come down from his eye and around his jaw and painted and blended into the blue where they meet. The inner mouth then transitions to a pink with painted white teeth. Other details around the body include two sets of horns in grey, and a sculpted gold ring piercing in his lip. Each of the eye stalks is cast in the same blue and each end with a golden eye - some have a red central slit, and others are green. Six of the eye stalks also feature a gold ring ornament, using the same colouring as the gold base. The main eye of the figure is an individual piece with a realistic, likely printed, eyeball design and set behind a glassy gloss finish. The eye is slotted within the figure and there is a control lever tucked away in the upper jaw and behind the teeth that allow you to move the eye around in the head. Xanathar has 12 points of articulation with 10 of these at the base of each eye stalk and allowing some minimal movement with each stalk. We also have the eye movement and the opening jaw - as mentioned previously - allowing a degree of variety when posing Xanathar for display. For those that have always wanted a Beholder in their action figure display, Xanathar ticks that box with a well-scaled substantially weighted piece with good decor, as well as a couple of neat functions like the articulated jaw and eye. The base is OK but I might have preferred it a bit more detailed with the skull in particular as this looks cheap. The fit is also loose and while Xanathar is supported he can slip around a bit too much - some form of clip-in base as well as a levitating option would have been preferred. I get Stylgar’s inclusion in relation to Xanathar but he too looks a bit cheap and perhaps the route to go here for Hasbro would have been a more generic Beholder to display with the Honor Among Thieves figures or with Drizzt. Here is hoping that we do get to build up the D&D collection in the future as Xanathar is a suitable centrepiece from which we can build and that is where his value will like - at the moment he is the equivalent of a Star Wars Jabba the Hutt without any of his Palace Denizons to display with him for a wider context. Keep Track of all the Dungeons & Dragons figures +more from Hasbro at our comprehensive Hasbro Collectors Database & Checklist If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

“Irony is a blade that cuts he who wields it most especially.” Series 2 of Hasbro’s Dungeons and Dragons Golden Archive figures from Honor Among Thieves saw the wave complement reduced from four to two and rounded up the main party from the film with the addition of Doric and Xenk. The wave continued in plastic-free packaging with images of the figures across the front and rear of the box to confirm the contents. The box remained a black finish overall with the golden ornate trim and character illustrations alongside the figure pictures. Xenk’s illustration has him set against a portal of some kind giving his packaging a yellow hue. Xenk is presented in his Paladin armour as seen in Honor Among Thieves. This is sculpted in various base colours with gold used on his ornate boots, brown on his trousers, silver on the chest armour, and turquoise on his skirted section and the arms of his tunic. Over this, we have a very ornate belt in softer brown plastic complete with painted gold trim. Further paintwork is found across the figure with a silver chainmail trim to the shirt, gold bracers, and more gold trim around the armoured shoulders and breast place. Xenk’s head features a good, if not perfect, likeness to actor Regé-Jean Page complete with the tattoo on his forehead. The eyes and beard appear to be printed with the hair then added as an individual piece in very dark grey. Xenk also features his cloak, cast in brown plastic with yellow patterned trim. This is removable, attaching to the figure by way of a plug and socket on the rear of the figure. It is shaped to hug the body but in place does restrict a lot of movement from the joints. Xenk’s single accessory is his sword. Another extravagant piece with an ornate golden hilt and silver blade with inscribed patterns down the final two-thirds of the blade to the tip. It will fit in either of Xenk’s hands, and when not in use slips into the scabbard attached at his side - another piece trimmed in gold. The figure is very much designed around the looks rather than articulation and while on paper Xenk has 200 points of articulation including some enhancements to the other D&D figures like butterfly shoulders, there is quite a bit of restriction on movement. The legs are hemmed in with the long skirt section, and the arms are held in at the shoulders by the overhanging shoulder armour which does flex slightly as the arm is raised, but not much - it really needed to be hinged. Removing the cloak opens up a few more options, but Xenk feels a bit static in his posing without the ability to raise his hands up and over his head with his sword in hand, or to crouch and kneel. Xenk is probably the most eye-catching release of the Honor Among Thieves series with impressive armour detail and crisp colours to his tunic. The sword accessory is as you’d expect with the options of wielding it in hand or securing it in a working scabbard. The articulation is better than any other figure in the line, just restricted in areas by that armour and clothing. Like all the D&D Honor Among Thieves figures, Xenk Yendar has been peg-warming and this is a shame as the collection as a whole is on par with the quality of other bigger franchises and perhaps deserves a bit more love from collectors. Keep Track of all the Dungeons & Dragons figures +more from Hasbro at our comprehensive Hasbro Collectors Database & Checklist If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

“What is it exactly that you bring to this?” Series 2 of Hasbro’s Dungeons and Dragons Golden Archive figures from Honor Among Thieves saw the wave complement reduced from four to two and rounded up the main party from the film with the addition of Doric and Xenk. The wave continued in plastic-free packaging with images of the figures across the front and rear of the box to confirm the contents. The box remained a black finish overall with the golden ornate trim and character illustrations alongside the figure pictures. For Doric, this is her against a woodland background. A short overview of the Druid is captured on the opposite side to the artwork. Doric is a new figure entirely with her Woodland Druid outfit cast in green plastic. The green elements do differ in shade with a glossier finish to the boots, a darker colour for the legging, and a lighter and more textured vest ant tunic. The paint on the main body of the figure is limited to a brown-tied belt and brown leather bracers. Doric also features her half-cloak piece which does feature additional decor with differing shades of green and brown down the patterned leaf section. This cloak is removable, attaching to the figure by way of a clip that secures around Doric’s upper arm. The head sculpt is a great likeness to actor Sophia Lillis in character and includes a facial printing application to pick out her blue eye. The hair piece is cast in auburn with her horns sculpted in place and pushing through the hair and back over the head. These are both coloured in black. The Tiefling anatomy is finished off with a plug-in tail piece in light brown. While the other figures in the line have come with some form of accessory, Doric is devoid of any weapons or additional parts aside from her cloak. She does feature her catapult built into the left bracer of her outfit and this is designed with a hinged section allowing the weapon to be folded down when not in use or extended upward when she wants to use it. Articulation is in line with most of Hasbro’s modern collector lines. It is all pinless and there are 19 points of articulation in total including the ball joint on the tail allowing it to rotate and move within the socket on the rear of the figure. The legs are dual jointed at the knees, while the arms are a single joint elbow but get shoulders with a standard ball joint and a butterfly joint. Doric has no stability issues and is easy to pose. I am pleased that Hasbro did manage to bring us the full party from Honor Among Thieves in a line that has definitely struggled in the collectors market seeing all its figures suffer from shelf warming and excessive discounts as low as £6.99 in some cases. This is a shame as I really loved the movie and feel a good quality Fantasy-themed line is currently a gap in the market. Doric as a figure has no issues with a good sculpt, likeness, adequate decor, and good articulation. She is missing an accessory or too - perhaps she needed something relating to the plot of Honor Among Thieves like the painting they use to break into Neverwinter. She is definitely worth picking up now as this line now forms a small but well-formed collection and complements anything else Hasbro chooses to do within its D&D property should they continue it past this movie and the couple of ‘Legacy’ releases to date. Keep Track of all the Dungeons & Dragons figures +more from Hasbro at our comprehensive Hasbro Collectors Database & Checklist If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

The new Medicom MAFEX releases of The Deep and Soldier Boy from The Boys have now been revealed in full. The Deep will include three head options, alternative hands, an electric razor, and a Pop can. He is number 237 in the MAFEX series. Solider Boy is number 238 and will feature two head options and a removable helmet. He also comes with alternative hands, a normal shield, a laser damaged shield, knife, microphone, and a metal box. Both figures are due for a February 2025 release. From the smash hit TV series The Boys comes the next entry in the fan favorite MAFEX line: The Deep! An aquatic superhero and member of The Seven, this figure features premium articulation and detail that will please any fan of the show. Order yours today and expand your The Boys collection! From the smash hit TV series The Boys comes the next entry in the fan favorite MAFEX line: Soldier Boy! The first American superhero, Soldier Boy fought for his country in World War II before mysteriously vanishing and reappearing in modern times. This figure features premium articulation and detail that will please any fan of the show so order yours today and grow your collection! To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force), and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licenses - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who, and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK-focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

Diamond's next Marvel Select release will be a comic book release of War Machine. The figure features the ability to be converted from the Mk1 to the Mk2 armour with what looks to be swap-out shoulder and chest armour and different shoulder-mounted weaponry. We also get blast effect pieces for the guns and an unmasked alternative head. At the moment the promo images are limited, but we would expect Diamond to release more promo shots in due course ahead of the figures release in December 2024. The newest Marvel Select action figure is one of the most requested! War Machine joins the line with an accessories-laden, fully transformable figure! Able to switch between the Mark 1 and Mark 2 versions, this 7", 1/10 scale action figure features detailed sculpting and paint applications, as well as alternate heads and blast effects! It comes in display-ready Select packaging with side-panel artwork for shelf reference. Designed by Yuri Timg, sculpted by May Thamtarana! To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force), and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licenses - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who, and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK-focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

"If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been." Diamond’s Lord of the Rings series of Select 7-inch scale figures has reached Series 6 and with it the addition of two new characters to the line in Saruman the White and Samwise Gamgee. Both come in an unchanged window box packaging with its blue/green colour scheme with Middle Earth map design and a front image featuring Gandalf, Frodo, and Sauron. The only character-specific element is the name which sits bottom right adjacent to the larger Lord of the Rings logo. The rear of the box features illustrations of both Series 6 releases as well as some smaller images of previous releases such as Boromir and Lurtz. The 2024 release of Sam brings our Fellowship up to 7 in total with Merry and Pippin on the way in Series 7 to complete the party. Sam is a full new figure and is depicted in his traveling clothes worn though much of the journey from The Shire to Mordor. Each part of the figure is cast in the base colour with an off-white for the shirt and arms and a darker brown for the trousers. These are then painted in with details such as the shirt buttons & braces, and the belt of the trousers. We then get a good level of weathering with Sam very much worn and dirty from his adventures - something Diamond has been very good at giving us across this line to date. The head sculpt remains hand sculpted and hand painted, with no facial printing tech used by Diamond. The likeness is good but the features are slightly rudimentary compared to other lines particularly the eye detail and the black lines for the eyebrows. Sam’s messy hair is well executed with loads of detail as it flows around his ears. The Hobbit feet are another feature where the paintwork doesn’t quite do enough. The hairy feet are sculpted, but the paint applied is quite severe, and what should look like light hairy feet end up looking a bit mud-splattered instead, particularly on our figure where the paint has been splashed onto the areas around the hair. There is a scaling issue with Sam who proportionally is a good match to actor Sean Astin on screen. But Diamond does have a track record of designing and producing figures in a silo and not comparing them to other releases in the same line. Because of this Sam is much bigger than Frodo when on screen Frodo is a smidge taller than Sam. It is a shame, but you can split them up on display so it is less noticeable. It will be interesting to see where Merry and Pippin sit in this height debate. In terms of scaling with the human figures - this works fine for Sam with him reaching the chest of the human characters like Saruman. When Frodo was released he came with limited accessories in lieu of including a build-a-figure part for Sauron. Since then the prices of these figures have increased considerably and the details on the contents of the Sam release were not overly clear. Thankfully we are not disappointed with a raft of pieces included to give Sam different looks and different equipment depending on your preference. Diamond doesn’t particularly align their LOTR figures to a particular movie and there are parts here to staddle the entire Trilogy. In terms of putting a label on it for our cover art, I aligned this most to events of The Two Towers, Up first is a pair of weapons. We have Sam’s own blade from the series complete with a scabbard. Both are made of the harder plastic Diamond use which means crisp details, but a degree of fragility in both pieces. The scabbard features sculpted threadwork while the sword has a painted, wrapped leather hilt and bright silver blade and pommel. Like a lot of sword wielders before him, the sheath has no place on the costume and therefore has limited use for display. Sam also comes with a version of Sting, as used during his scenes fighting Shelob. Interestingly - and perhaps wastefully - this is a new version and not the same one included with Frodo. The crossguard is smaller and the blade lacks as much detail. It is painted with a blue hue to reflect the glow when orcs are near. These weapons can be held with the inclusion of gripping hands for Sam. These are hard to get in and out and care is needed with the brittle plastic. Care is also needed to get the weapons into the grip of the hands, but once in place, Sam holds either sword securely. Another hand, a left hand, is included holding the Phial of Galadriel. This is another nod to the events of Shelob’s lair. The Phial also appears marginally different from the one included with Frodo - and in Sam’s case it is glued into the hand and not left as an accessory piece. It is painted duller than the original with a chalky grey finish rather than silver. The final handheld accessory is Sam’s Saltbox. This is an interesting choice but features sufficient detail to make out the box construction, the clasp, and the green inlay to the lid. It is difficult for Sam to hold being wider than the gripping hands and the neutral hands. I can see the niche appeal of it, but might have preferred something more suited to display like Sam’s frying pan. The included parts don’t stop there though, with Sam also featuring his green elven cloak. This was a part that was originally meant to come with all the Fellowship but was dropped from the likes of Frodo, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli due to cost. Including it with Sam is great, but does leave the rest of the party underdressed with only Sam and Boromir using the same garment. It is of course removable, slotting over Sam's head and being shaped to sit around his shoulders in a soft plastic finish. It is cast in green with the same weathering as the body including a dark wash inside and out. The clasp is painted in a metallic green. We also get Sam’s overshoulder bag that he wears during his travels. This is a softer plastic cast in brown and shaped to go over the head and one shoulder and sit shaped to the side of his left hip. It does not open or have any other features other than for display but is well painted with darker washes to the sculpted bag and a darker painted waterskin piece sitting at the front. And finally, we come to arguably the best accessory, Sam’s traveling pack. This went all the way from The Shire to Mordor with him and is replicated in figure form as a sculpted pack with green tones across the rolled sleeping blanket and down into the pack itself. The outside is then adorned with pots and pans as well as rope, pouches, and straps. The pack is then fitted with two green shoulder straps that unplug from the main pack to allow it to fit over Sam’s head and shoulders and be refitted in place. The pack won’t work with the cloak but will sit perfectly fine alongside the satchel. It can ride a little high on the shoulders in some poses but otherwise is a perfect fit to the figure. And all of these various accessories are supported by 14 points of articulation. The joints are well integrated into the body, although the ankles remain pinned with the pin visible. Sam won’t be doing anything dramatic such as two-handed sword stances, but there is enough mobility to provide a few different display options other than the neutral stance. Those ankles remain an issue though with zero ratcheting and a loose fit to the legs. With Sam’s additional weight once the pack is installed you will need to be careful on him tipping forward - and off the shelf - especially as he gets warmer. Samwise Gamgee is another great Lord of the Rings release in a series that is providing a sensible level of releases to an improving standard with each wave. There are some issues with Sam, namely the height and scaling with Frodo and the weak ankle joints. But everything else works brilliantly. Diamond has proved how good they are at clothing and weathering across the LOTD series and while the heads are not as realistic as the Hasbro offerings, the likeness is fine. We are also one step closer to the completion of the Fellowship and that commitment to team building is appreciated at a time when lines are often cut short before they reach that point. Long may our stay in Middle Earth continue. Keep Track of all the Lord of the Rings figures from Diamond at our comprehensive Lord of the Rings Collectors Database & Checklist If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

McFarlane is branching out their Movie Maniacs line of 6-inch figures into a sub-line called Music Maniacs. The new Music-themed figures will remain 6-inch in scale but feature full articulation in stark contrast to Movie Maniacs. Each release will be based on iconic artists and the line kicks off with two hellraisers in the shape of Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne. The new Music Maniacs figures are general releases but are limited in terms of overall units. They come on a blister card and feature a display stand and a certificate of authenticity. The figures are out in June 2024. Alice Cooper is suitably dressed in his black suit and top hat. He features a snake accessory and a microphone with stand. Alice Cooper is limited to 8000 units. Ozzy is based on his look from the Ordinary Man Album with a pair of black wings, bowler hat, cane, and microphone with stand. He is limited to 7500 units. Alice Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of hard rock that was designed to shock. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors. He continues to tour regularly, performing shows worldwide with the dark and horror-themed theatrics that he’s best known for. Ozzy Osbourne is ready to join your collection in figure form, based on his look from the Ordinary Man album cover. This deatiled figure features 12 points of articulation and a microphone for more authentic poses! To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force), and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licenses - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who, and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK-focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

Super7 is bringing us a second release in their Slayer Ultimates series. The Series 2 release of Minotaur Black Magic will come with two heads, alternative hands, and a sword. Also, if you order from Super7 they will throw in one of their Super Bonus Packs containing a third head and an alternative sword. The Minotaur Black Magic release is scheduled to ship in August 2024. In 1983, Slayer burst onto the LA heavy metal scene like an angry Minotaur hell-bent on destruction! This 7” scale, highly articulated Slayer ULTIMATES! Minotaur is inspired by the Baphomet Minotaur on the Show No Mercy cover art and is rendered in a dark grayscale as an homage to the album track “Black Magic.” Featuring intricate sculpt and premium paint detailing, this figure also comes with an interchangeable head and multiple interchangeable hands, a removable soft goods cape, and sword accessory. This Black Magic variant of the Slayer ULTIMATES! Minotaur will be a killer addition to any heavy metal collection- pre-order yours today! Exclusive Super Pack Order the Slayer ULTIMATES! Wave 2 figure from Super7.com and receive an exclusive Super Pack with an alternate head and sword accessory! Available only from Super7.com! To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force), and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licenses - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who, and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK-focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

BigBadToyStore has revealed a new Mezco One:12 Collective Exclusive release of Ghost Rider and his Hell Cycle. The Vengeance Edition features a quantity of extra hands for Ghost Rider and weaponry including Hell Fire Chains, and Shotguns, as well as flame effects to attach to the hands. larger flame effects are included with the Hell Cycle. Both the figure and vehicle have light-up functions. The Ghost Rider and Hell Cycle Vengenace Edition ships in May 2024. Mezco presents the One:12 Collective Marvel's Ghost Rider & Hell Cycle (Vengeance Edition) BBTS Exclusive Set! The Spirit of Vengeance rides into the night again, making a triumphant return to the One:12 Collective! Inspired by the original look in the first Ghost Rider comics, the One:12 Collective Ghost Rider wears his signature motorcycle gear from head to toe: a leather-like jumpsuit with a belt and matching gloves and boots. His flaming skull head portrait features a flickering light-up function. Craving vengeance against sinners, Ghost Rider wields multiple weapons including his lethal Hellfire Chain as well as a posable, real metal chain, and more. Powered by Hellfire and capable of surpassing the natural laws of physics, the Hell Cycle is summoned as Ghost Rider’s main mode of transportation. The Hell Cycle features a revving sound and a light-up function that illuminates the headlight and removable flame FX. Ghost Rider can sit atop the Hell Cycle and hold on to both handles. Bound to the demon Zarathos, Ghost Rider punishes the wicked with blasts of Hellfire—no one defies the Vengeance! To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force), and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licenses - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who, and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK-focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

For a third day running we have a Star Wars Imperial March reveal courtesy of Hasbro. This time we have a new Holocomm release of Darth Vader. Like all previous figures in this Holocomm series, the figure sits on a holopuck and has a light-up function activated by a button. This new Darth Vader is an Amazon exclusive with pre-orders live as of 9am (EST) on the 22nd of March on Amazon US for an Autumn 2024 release. Amazon UK listings should follow. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH VADER (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $27.99 / Available: Fall 2024) Receive transmissions from the dark side and across the galaxy with THE BLACK SERIES Holocomm collection, featuring light-up holopucks. STAR WARS fans and collectors can display this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH VADER figure, featuring premium detail, multiple points of articulation and hologram-style deco in their collections. Press the button on the puck to light up the bottom and illuminate the figure. Press and hold the button to activate a 30-minute light display! This collectible figure includes a bounty chip with an Aurebesh inscription, a holopuck and Darth Vader’s signature Lightsaber accessory! Look for more Holocomm Collection figures to build a galactic communication hub on your shelf! (Each sold separately. Subject to availability) Requires 3 AAA batteries, not included. Available for pre-order 3/22 at 9am ET, exclusively at Amazon. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force), and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licenses - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who, and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK-focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...

We have been aware of the arrival of The Ghost in Jazwares Star Wars Micro Galaxy Squadron line for some time after it was seen briefly at Toy Fair 2024 in London. We now have the first official images released by Jazwares of the new Assault Class release in all its glory. This was followed up by some instagram shots of a display model. While these are not overly clear we can see that the docking ports on either side of the Ghost appear to work with other ships - although this may just have been set up for a diorama display. We can also see the Phantom shuttle which we would hope arrives at the same time and that it will be able to dock with the Ghost. Keep track of all the Micro Galaxy Squadron releases at our Jazwares Star Wars Database. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force), and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licenses - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who, and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK-focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...