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The McFarlane DC Multiverse release of Steel was previewed way back in March 2023 at the end of McFarlane's Winter Showcase event. We now finally have some more details for the figure which will open for pre-orders as of the 27th of November - putting it as either a very late December 2023 release or due in the New Year. 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...

McFarlane have released the details for a new wave of 7-inch scale figures from Demon Slayer heading our way. The three-figure wave will include Inosuke Hashibira who features alternative hands and twin swords, Kyojuro Rengoku with alternative hands & Tanjiro Kamado (Rui Battle) also featuring alternative hands and his sword with effect piece. Each figure also features the standard McFarlane circular base. They are due for release in December 2023. He joined the Demon Slayer Corps at the same time as Tanjiro. Inosuke is a very aggressive boy, and is always seen wearing a wild boar mask. Because he grew up in the mountains, he has an acute sense of touch which enables him to locate anything that he cannot see in his immediate surroundings. The Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku is now a 7-inch action figure! A skilled prodigy of the Flame Breathing style, Kyojuro Rengoku's fighting prowess is second to none in the Demon Slayer Corps. A kindhearted boy who loves his family, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps in order to turn his sister Nezuko, who has become a demon, back into a human, as well as to avenge the death of his family by hunting down the demon who killed them. He has an acute sense of smell which enables him to identify the weak spots in demons or other opponents he battles. 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...

McFarlane's new King Spawn deluxe release has been listed on Amazon in the US with some additional photos and details. The set features winged Spawn along with a selection of 7 different weapons and three demon minions. King Spawn is a December 2023 release. A Government agent, Al Simmons was killed by his own men. Resurrected from the depths of hell, he returns to Earth as the warrior Spawn, guarding the forgotten alleys of New York City. As he seeks answers about his past, Spawn grapples with the dark forces that returned him to Earth, battling enemies and discovering unlikely allies. As he learns to harness his extraordinary powers, he begins to grasp the full extent of what brought him back – and what he left behind. Incredibly detailed 7” scale figure based off Todd McFarlane’s Spawn Comic Series Designed with Ultra Articulation with up to 22 moving parts for full range of posing and play King Spawn includes 7 Weapons and 3 Demon Minions Includes collectible art card with character art on the front, and character biography on the back Featured in Spawn themed window boxed packaging 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...

The Tamashii Nations 2023 event is currently getting underway in Tokyo and from the show images and new reveals are now starting to come through on social media. These include new S.H. Figuarts figures from the DC Movies, Marvel products from Across the Spider-Verse and The Marvels, an awesome-looking Star Wars Imperial Commando from The Mandalorian, and figures from the upcoming Rebel Moon movie. These are all preview displays and have 'Display Only' place cards which means there are no specific release details as yet apart from Captain Marvel which is down for April 2024. (All these images have been shared publically on social media across a number of accounts) Rebel Moon: Part 1 (A Child of Fire) Jimmy and Kora Star Wars, The Mandalorian: Imperial Armoured Commando, Remnant Stormtrooper and Scout Trooper with Speederike DC The Flash and Aquaman from The Lost Kingdom The Marvels Captain Marvel Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse 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...

US Retailer Bestbuy has listed two further NECA Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures on their website. These include the Synja Ultimate Patrol Bot that we were aware as well as a new Elite Guard Ninja. Both of these are taken from the Mirage Comics source material. Neither figure are listed for pre-order or with a release date as yet - simply listed as sold out on the Bestway website. There is also no indication of these being exclusive. From the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series, The Last Ronin! In a future NYC far different than the one we know today, a lone surviving turtle goes on a seemingly hopeless mission to obtain justice for his fallen family and friends. This SYNJA Patrol Bot action figure is authentic to the comic book depiction and stands in 7” scale, with a white and red color scheme. Includes interchangeable heads, extra hands, sword & sheath, laser, and mousers. Comes in collector-friendly window box packaging with opening flap featuring a custom illustration by Ben Bishop. Based on the original Eastman & Laird Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic books from Mirage Studios! The deadliest of the Foot ninjas, the Elite Guard are honor-bound to Shredder and personally trained by him. This Elite Foot Ninja action figure stands approximately 7" tall and features a classic color paint deco. Accessories include katar, naginata, jambiya, interchangeable hands and removable cape! Comes in special comic-book themed window box packaging. illustrated by Kevin Eastman. 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...

The third wave of McFarlane's DC Multiverse Collector Edition figures, as previewed a week or so ago, have now opened for pre-orders ahead of a December 2023 release date. These Collector Edition figures are general releases at McFarlane stockists Captain Carrot is taken from the Justice League Incarnate story and comes with two pairs of alternative hands and a flight stand. Superman is based on the Return of Superman and features alternative hands and a posed figurine of Krypto the Superdog. The final figure is Batman as Green Lantern. He features alternative hands, Power Battery accessory, and a pair of energy effects. The Collector Edition figures also come with the usual collector card, but also a display stand in which to position it. There are also Platinum Edition variants of each figure, packed randomly in each case as a chase variant. US collectors can, if they wish, purchase a full case from the McFarlane store which will then give them five standard figures and the sixth will be the Platinum Chase variant. These Chase variants include Captain Carrot with a green pair of trunks and some alternative colouring on his chest and head, a green-skinned Superman with green fur Krypto, and a translucent green-powered version of Batman as Green Lantern. A rabbit from an alternate reality of cartoon animals, Rodney was a mild-mannered cartoonist until he ate a cosmic carrot. As super-powered Captain Carrot, he joined the Zoo Crew. Over many wacky adventures, they encountered both Superman and Starro the Conqueror. When their world was threatened, the Zoo Crew took its inhabitants to New Earth, where they changed into ordinary animals. Carrot became a stage rabbit, before regaining his powers and helping fight Darkseid during Final Crisis. He is Earth-26’s member in the pan-Multiversal super-team Justice Incarnate. They battled the Gentry and their Oblivion Machine, and fought the Legion of Doom when Earth’s heroes attempted to repair the ruptured Source Wall. Sent to Earth from the dying planet of Krypton as a baby, Kal-El was found by farmers Martha and Jonathan Kent and raised as their son, Clark. As Clark grew up, the radiation from Earth’s yellow sun gave him extraordinary powers, which he kept hidden. Now fully grown, he uses his powers to protect his adopted world as Superman. The Man of Steel is virtually invulnerable and has the powers of super-strength, super-speed, and flight. He also has enhanced senses, including heat vision, X-ray vision, super-hearing, and super-breath. It's no secret that Green Lantern and Batman don't see eye to eye, but can they set their differences aside to face down the new Tattooed Man in this stand-alone story? Plus, what would Batman do...with a Power Ring? 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 have announced their 11th series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ultimates, including the Rat King redesigned figure after he was pulled from wave 10 for some tweaks to the overall look. Also part of Wave 11 are Rapper Mike, Ninja Nomad Leonardo, and a 'Battle Damaged' Foot Soldier. As per the usual Ultimates format, each figure features alternative heads and hands, as well as character-appropriate weapons and accessories. If you pre-order the full wave directly from the Super7 website you will also receive a bonus 'Super Pack' containing further weapons for use with your figures. This new TMNT wave will be an August 2024 release. The wave appears to signal a potential wider change to Super7 packaging as it will not feature an outer sleeve for the window boxes. The Rat King is a dangerous foe when you live in the sewers, and also happens to be one of the few villains to appear in the TMNT comics, animated series, and video game! This highly articulated, 7” scale Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ULTIMATES! Rat King is inspired by the vintage toy from the 1980s and features intricate sculpt and premium paint detail, an array of interchangeable heads and hands, and an assortment of accessories including a rat-charming flute, a rat-tooth grappling hook, a cat bandolier, and more. The battle against crime takes unexpected twists and turns, but your collection will be ready for any new developments when you add the made-to-order Rat King ULTIMATES 3x Interchangeable Heads Smiling Head Screaming Head Angry Head 8x Interchangeable Hands 2x Fists 2x Gripping Hands 2x Flute-Playing Hands 2x Open Hands 1x Cat Bandolier 1x Rat-Tooth Grappling Hook 1x Rat-Tail Scepter 1x Sewer Pipe Knife 1x Flute Rappin' Mike takes rap battles to a whole new level by fighting the Foot Clan and other evil-doers while laying down phat beats and slick rhymes! This highly articulated, 7” scale Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ULTIMATES! Rappin’ Mike features intricate sculpt and premium paint detail, an array of interchangeable heads and hands, and an assortment of accessories including a pair of gold chains, a boom box, microphone nunchucks, and more! The battle against crime takes unexpected twists and turns, but your collection will be ready for any new developments when you add the made-to-order Rappin' Mike ULTIMATES! 2x Interchangeable Heads Rappin’ Head with articulated hat Snarling Head 8x Interchangeable Hands 2x Fists with “MIKE DROP” knuckles 2x Pointing Hands 2x Gripping Hands 2x Flat Hands 1x Headphones 1x Pizza Chain 1x Chunky Chain 1x Sunglasses 1x Micro-Chuks 1x Two-sided Turntable/Boombox Inspired by the ”Lone Wolf and Cub” trope that is so often seen in martial arts films, tv shows, and comic books, it seems only natural that Leonardo, the most responsible of the Ninja Turtles, would eventually find himself in the role! This highly articulated, 7” scale Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ULTIMATES! Ninja Nomad Leonardo features intricate sculpt and premium paint detail, an array of interchangeable heads and hands, an assortment of swords, and a soft goods shawl. The battle against crime takes unexpected twists and turns, but your collection will be ready for any new developments when you add the made-to-order Ninja Nomand Leonardo ULTIMATES! 2x Interchangeable Heads Trash Can Lid Head Straw Hat Head 6x Interchangeable Hands 2x Fists 2x Gripping Hands 2x Open Hands Soft Goods Shawl 2x Katana Swords 1x Tanto Sword Life fighting for the Shredder and the Foot Clan sure ain’t easy, as is apparent by the state of this poor Foot Soldier! The highly articulated, 7” scale Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ULTIMATES! Battle Damaged Foot Soldier features intricate sculpt and premium paint detail, an array of interchangeable heads and hands, and an assortment of accessories including throwing stars, a pair of katana (one broken), a rifle, and more. The battle against crime takes unexpected twists and turns, but your collection will be ready for any new developments when you add the made-to-order Battle Damaged Foot Soldier ULTIMATES! 3x Interchangeable Heads Robot Head Battle Damaged Head Neutral Head 10x Interchangeable Hands 2x Fists 2x Pointing Hands 2x Open Hands 2x Gripping Hands 2x Battle Damaged Hands 1x Pistol 1x Rifle 2x Throwing Stars 1x Knife 1x Katana 1x Broken Katan Assemble the complete Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ULTIMATES! Wave 11 collection and receive an exclusive Super Pack with an assortment of weapons specific to these characters! Available only with the purchase of the full wave of Super7 ULTIMATES! Figures 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...

US Retailer Bestbuy has listed a new NECA Gargoyles Ultimate two-pack on their website, containing re-issued figures of Goliath and Demona. The set, subtitled as the 'Vows' pack, features all the usual accessories for both characters with alternative facial expressions, alternative hands, and their tokens - with one whole, and the other split in two. Both Gargoyles include their folded wings as cloaks - these weren't originally included in the single release of both figures but were packed with other characters as bonus items. Demona's wings originally came packed with David Xanatos and Goliath's wings were packed with Bronx. The set comes in a closed box packaging with dual opening front covers. It is listed as out of stock with Bestbuy so there are no specifics on when this may get released, or if it is exclusive to Bestbuy or a more general release. These are limited by their licence agreement to distribution in the US so we are unlikely to see this at UK retailers. "One thousand years ago, superstition and the sword ruled..." The time of the Gargoyles has come again! Arguably the best gothic cartoon of the 1990s, Gargoyles followed an ancient clan of gargoyles transported to modern-day Manhattan when their Scottish castle is relocated. Before they were enemies, Goliath and the clan's nemesis Demona were partners, and this deluxe box set commemorates their vows. These highly articulated 7” scale Gargoyles action figures feature their respective closed wings, and come with plenty of accessories: interchangeable faces and hands, mace, laser blaster, plus broken and unbroken Phoenix Gates. Comes in deluxe double gatefold window box packaging. 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...

McFarlane has released another random draw for US collectors to get an opportunity to buy one of their Platinum Edition Chase figures directly rather than trying to find one in stores, or via the secondary market. The Collector Edition Hawkman Platinum Edition is a repaint based on the Zero Hour storyline and features the same articulated wings and art card, with stand, as the main release. Since the days of World War II, there has always been an imposing figure with majestic wings and a striking bird-shaped helmet, brandishing ancient weaponry and standing alongside Earth's greatest heroes in its time of need. A fierce warrior without equal, the hero known as Hawkman has been a human being trapped in an ancient Egyptian curse of endless death and rebirth, and at other times, an alien police officer sent to Earth to help defend it. Sometimes, he's even been a combination of both. 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...

“It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing.” The Diamond Select Toys Lord of the Rings 7-inch series of Select Action figures has reached Series 5 and these were released in late Summer 2023 bringing us two more figures for our collection. Boromir is the 6th member of the original Fellowship to be released joining Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Gandalf, and Frodo. The packaging remains as it has been for all the releases to date with a rectangular window box with a hanging tab that uses a blue/green background colour inlaid with the familiar map of Middle-Earth. While these are very much themed around The Fellowship of the Ring, the packing uses the main Lord of the Rings logo in its usual gold textured ornate text. There is no specific character image on the front only a composite shot of Gandalf, Frodo, and Sauron as seen on all releases to date. The only character-specific element on the box front is the character name. The rear of the box repeats the Lord of the Rings logo at the top, with much of the rest of the space used to showcase the figures in the current series - Boromir and Lurtz. Neither of these characters gets any background text, and instead, there is a short synopsis towards the base of the packaging around the Lord of the Rings. On either side of this sits images of some of the other figures released to date. Diamond continues to use twin plastic inserts so the figures are not only behind the main window but then packed between a clamshell within the box. This provides added protection, but reduces visibility of the figure for inbox collectors or when shopping for a suitable paint job. Unpacking this is also quite an operation with both tape and rubber ties to unfasten. The accessories within are not always secure either so small pieces like Boromir’s dagger can fall out while unpacking so be careful. Boromir is the usual heavy plastic figure we now expect from Diamond and is brought to us in his Fellowship of the Ring gear comprising of a deep burgundy undershirt with only the shoulder sleeves visible yet beautifully decorated with golden patterns and edgings. Under this is a layer of chainmail, only visible between the shoulders and the wrists with the wrists bound in bracers with two tones of brown, painted straps and clasps and a silver Tree of Gondor emblem sculpted into the piece. He is wearing a pair of plain brown trousers, tucked into black boots, and over all of this then sits a long tunic that goes down to Boromir’s ankles. This deep grey piece is made up of individual parts starting with the torso, then the midsection, and finally a softer plastic skirt piece tied with a brown leather belt with further script detail and painted silver buckle. The tunic also features further designs around the neck and front seams with two silver clasps further up. Weathering is then added with a washed muddy look around the end of the skirt piece. The LOTR figures to date have been a bit hit and miss on human likenesses with Legolas struggling, Gimili exceeding expectations, and Gandalf, Aragorn and Frodo somewhere in between. Boromir falls into that final category. It is not a nailed-on Sean Bean likeness, more like a good impersonator with his general features. The face includes painted detail around the eyes and beard, some shading to add definition. The hair is particularly well done sculpted to hang matted down his face, around his ears, and over his right eye. The costume has a couple of alternative options too - starting with a pair of alternative hands allowing Boromir to be displayed with his hands exposed or as though wearing black leather gloves. Like many Diamond figures, the base plastic does make changing parts a bit more challenging. These alternative hands offer no difference in terms of grip options and appear to be the flesh versions painted which sadly means visible flesh colour in the joint if you bend these backward. Boromir also features his green cloak from Lothlorian, a slightly frustrating inclusion considering this accessory has been promised but dropped on the other Fellowship characters, so the overall look with them all wearing their cloaks is not an option. The cloak itself is a more pliable green textured plastic with a sculpted hood (folded back against the cloak), and sculpted folds as is hangs off Boromir’s shoulders. The base colour is enhanced with additional green tones adding light and dark within the recreation of the cloth. The cloak is finished with a green metallic leaf clasp, and some slight weathering to give a worn look around the base of the piece. The cloak remains removable giving you the choice of having it displayed or not. The key driver for Diamond’s Select figures has always seen aesthetics override articulation and this is true also of Boromir. Articulation is the standard 16 points of articulation, some pinned, and with a limited suite of movements across each joint. Boromir can reach some basic poses, but nothing overly dramatic, and often at the detriment of his inclusive accessories as we will see. He does stand well enough with ratcheted ankle joints that plant him firmly in position. We now get into the usual issue with the LOTR figures from Diamond in that the accessories do not appear to have been produced to work with the figure and therefore there are a number of issues when posing them. Boromir’s weaponry starts with a small dagger and what appears to be its sheath - I say what appears to be, as the sheath doesn’t actually work and allows the dagger to be inserted. Instead, both the dagger and sheath remain independent. The issues then get worse as the gripped hands can't hold either piece securely, nor is there any socket or strap on the belt to place the dagger. This piece went straight in the parts box. A similar issue exists with Bormomir’s sword. It too comes with a sheath which his time does work, but again has no place to be hung or Boromir’s person. While Aragorn got a plug-in option on the body, this feature has been skipped on Boromir making the sheath redundant and leaving fans missing out on a key part of his costume unless aftermarket ‘additions’ are made. Like other weapons in the series, the sword is a hard plastic which enables more details and a crisper edge, The decor on the sword and sheath is detailed and well executed so they do look great. The hard, and quite brittle, plastic does make the sword hard to fit into the hands with those too made of a similar plastic and also very stiff. They have also made the pommel of the sword bigger than the gap in the hand. Hot water will work for you here to give some play but it is another disappointing piece of engineering in terms of how the figure interacts with the accessories. Moving on to the shield, which is a brown wooden textured finish with a metal surround and sculpted bolts. The centre section is also a silver finish, framed with a bronze winged and star design. The piece looks really good like the sword, but the interaction with the figure is limited by a single-hand grip around the back that is difficult to get Boromir’s hand to hold and then also leaves the shield sitting at the end of Boromir’s arm and not in the more natural position against his forearm. This seems an odd decision considering the Uruk Hai shields to date have included wrist straps which allow more options for display. Sadly, the worst is yet to come. Boromir of course includes the horn of Gondor, a lovely sculpt with a white ivory finish with gold and silver designs at either end. It hangs on a real twisted black rope, yet this is far too short to be of any use other than for Boromir to wear around his neck as a necklace. The horn will just about fit into the hands, but the elbow articulation fails to go even anywhere near 90 degrees so Boromir can’t be posed blowing his horn, just holding it partway to his mouth. Boromir is the sixth member of the Fellowship to be released and is a welcome companion piece to a wider display. Like all Diamond LOTR figures the body and costume details are outstanding, including the weathering. The articulation is a bit disappointing, more so on Boromir in terms of his accessories with the elbows needing more range. The accessories look the part but are frustrating in terms of working with the figure with the sword sheath not having any way to attach to the belt, a dagger and sheath that are too small for the hand's grip, and a sword pommel that is too big. The shield too has issues in how it is held, and while the horn will fit in the hands - the articulation stops that most iconic pose and even the rope is too short to hang it as part of the costume. For those on the journey to assemble the Fellowship of the Ring, Boromir is a must-have addition even with the flaws but I would act now as there seems to be less and less stock of these hitting the UK after some of the early figures hung around and went to clearance. The RRP is also wildly varying and I’ve seen upward of £39.99 in places. Shop around - these should be somewhere between £25 and £30 at a push, with our review copy being purchased at Star Action Figures for £24.99 which is good value for money. Keep Track of all the Lord of the Rings figures from Diamond Select at our comprehensive Diamond Select 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...

“Perhaps what brought us here brought the Daleks too.” The Summer 2023 Doctor Who Collector Sets at B&M stores were somewhat reduced in quantity compared to previous years, bringing us the obligatory Dalek sets and a Doctor & TARDIS but with an obvious gap on any new figure 3-packs. The sets also saw a packaging update - most likely dictated by the BBC - marking the end of the Blue & Silver design that has been running since 2019. The new packaging is very much themed for the 60th Anniversary and features a plain white box, the 60th Anniversary Classic Blue logo, and what appears to be a new colour accent scheme that varies by Doctor. The History of the Daleks sets have been running since 2020 and had been released and numbered in story order apart from a small tweak around the 2nd and 3rd Doctors. The 13th set should have been Resurrection of the Daleks, but instead, Character and B&M have chosen to skip this story and instead bring us a History of the Daleks set inclusive of the first Doctor figure taken from the 1983 anniversary story, The Five Doctors. The packaging remains consistent in design to the other History sets but with the new livery and logo and blue accent colour - we are still unclear if blue is a generic finish, or the colour assigned to the Fifth Doctor era. The box uses a blister card within the box making it impossible to repack the figures once opened as there will be some degree of damage to the box or blister in getting them out. The rear of the box is turned over to Characters usual in-depth overview of the story of the Five Doctors and the props and outfits on which the figures are based. This overview contains a very obvious error in naming the actor playing the First Doctor as William Hurndall - it should of course be Richard Hurndall. We start with the Hurndall Doctor figure, another one of those that had been previewed/leaked many years ago and then never released. In this case, the Character team had the Hurndall head resculpted for this release and it is a particularly good likeness with a touch more detail in the facial features than we might have got in past releases. The head paint work remains basic and applied by hand, but is neat and tidy in picking out key details like the eyes and mouth. The hair is two-tone with a white base overlaid with some grey for texture. The body is a re-use of the Hartnell First Doctor that was first released in 2009. This time around the decor is less complex with the Five Doctors outfit using plain grey trousers and a cream waistcoat under a black jacket with none of the checkered or stripe patterning we have seen on prior First Doctor incarnations. The tie is picked out in black paint and the waistcoat buttons and eyeglass are crisply painted also. The hands on this new figure are updated to recreate Hurndall’s fingerless gloves from the Five Doctor story. Articulation is standard, considering the base figure is from 2009. There are 16 points of basic pegged or single-jointed articulation that allows some basic movement and variation in posing without allowing the figure to do anything overly exciting. The joints all work as they should, and there are no issues with softer plastic joints or biceps popping out as has been seen on a few recent B&M sets. There are sadly no accessories for the Doctor, and considering the way Hurndall portrayed him on screen the walking stick is a miss. Moving onto the Death Zone Dalek, this is a debut in the Character line and one reason given for choosing The Five Doctors over Resurrection. While this is another of the late 70s / early 80s grey Daleks with black detailing the colouring is specific to the Five Doctors appearance with a darker, more menacing colour scheme. This is all executed over the standard Classic era Dalek body but includes more recent upgrades including using the same newer central mesh as the Revelation Daleks as well as creating wider red headlights for the dome and a red-tipped emitter for the Dalek gun. Like the Revelation Daleks from the same wave of releases the Death Zone Dalek has also been given the new neck ring piece, increasing its height slightly. The Dalek is articulated at each of the three main appendages as normal, with a pivot allowing the eyestalk movement up or down, and a ball joint for the Sucker Arm and weapon with motion in all directions. The dome can also be rotated 360 degrees, and the whole Dalek sits on three wheels allowing some level of play action - whilst also giving it the appearance of sitting ever so slightly clear of the ground like the original props. As a set, the Five Doctors brings us two brand new figures in a sense with the release, finally, of a Hurndall First Doctor and the first release of a Death Zone Dalek. However, the fact remains that this set will always be seen in a way as an anomaly in the History of the Daleks line and one that should have featured Resurrection of the Daleks, with this one perhaps sitting adjacent to the line as a special release. The figures themselves are brilliant while remaining consistent with the long-running Who line. The packaging change will frustrate boxed collectors, but that will sit more with the BBC than Character - while the latter has made a bit of a boo-boo by getting the actor’s name wrong on the back of the box. As is now usual with these sets, the mad scramble to find these appears to be another issue for collectors with B&M having no online offering, a less than well-defined release schedule, and allowing scalpers to purchase these in large volume for the resale market. Stick with it though, there seem to be plenty of sets out there at the time of writing. Keep Track of all the Doctor Who figures from Character Toys at our comprehensive Doctor Who 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...

“You must surrender. The Earth woman must come with us. It is futile to resist.” The Summer 2023 Doctor Who Collector Sets at B&M stores were somewhat reduced in quantity compared to previous years, bringing us the obligatory Dalek sets and a Doctor & TARDIS but with an obvious gap on any new figure 3-packs. The sets also saw a packaging update - most likely dictated by the BBC - marking the end of the Blue & Silver design that has been running since 2019. The new packaging is very much themed for the 60th Anniversary and features a plain white box, the 60th Anniversary Classic Blue logo and what appears to be a new colour accent scheme that varies by Doctor. After skipping Resurrection of the Daleks, and giving us a surprise The Five Doctors release instead, the 14th History of the Daleks set from Character is from Revelation of the Daleks. The box is constructed the same as previous releases, with the recent adjustment from a windowed box that could be opened and resealed, to packing the Daleks onto a blister card within the box - making it impossible to open without significant damage. It uses the new white 60th Anniversary colour scheme, with the gold accent colour assigned to the Sixth Doctor as well as the familiar diamond call out’s to confirm the sizing and content of the set and the gold foil ‘limited edition’ sticker. The rear of the box follows the same principles as all the other History of the Daleks releases giving an in-depth overview of the story and some behind-the-scenes details of the Dalek props themselves. Once out of the box you may need to set about straightening a couple of parts using hot water or gentle heat as the restrictive blister will put an added bend into the eye stalks in particular and may warp the arms if they were not packed straight from the factory. The set is another Army-Building set with two identical Revelation Drone Daleks included. This is perhaps a slight disappointment for those hoping for Character to tackle the albeit complex glass Dalek from the series. The Necros Dalek has had two prior releases in the 2011 Revelation box-set, and the 2013 exclusive Doctor and Dalek 2-packs. This 2023 release of the Necros Drone uses the same base Classic Dalek but has seen Character Toys tweak the construction and update the aesthetics, notably adding an additional neck piece beneath the first of the neck rings to give the Dalek a touch more height and presence. Other updates include a new pair of headlights, a new longer eye stalk, an updated gun arm without the ‘squashed’ centre, and a new central mesh panel with more definition and closer gaps between panel and mesh. The base remains the same size, but the two parts are now split 50:50 where the old release had a deeper black segment. There is also a decor change with the new Daleks featuring a deeper richer gold colour throughout. The Daleks include the standard moving parts with articulated eye-stalk that can move up and down, and ball jointed gun and sucker arm. The head can also rotate 360 degrees and a set of three wheels on the base allow for some ‘play’ features whilst also giving the Daleks the impression of levitating off the ground ever so slightly. The History of the Daleks #14 Collector Set has a couple of issues from the offset, neither of which are its fault. The change in packaging will frustrate 'in box' Collectors with sets 1 through 12 having one design, and the last few sets of the Classic era now changing considerably. The recent switch to removing the inner tray and replacing it with an internal blister may also be seen as an issue with those who retain their packaging and wish to repack sets at a later stage. Putting this aside the Revelation of the Dalek set does exactly what it needed to do bringing the Necros Dalek back into the line, but with sufficient changes so as not to fully devalue the original 2011 and 2013 releases. The new version is clean and crisp and looks fantastic on display as a pair as seen in the episode, or as a wider group for those who want to buy more than one set. Sadly, availability will work against collectors with B&M not having an online ordering platform, working to very loose release and merchandising dates, and with scalpers buying these in bulk to resell for inflated prices. There are stocks out there, so bear with it and you won't be disappointed once you have the set in hand. Keep Track of all the Doctor Who figures from Character Toys at our comprehensive Doctor Who 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...