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“A ruined and terrible form of life. Now... perfected. My fighting Uruk-Hai.” 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. Lurtz is released to complement the Uruk Hai army-building release from 2022 and to widen the armies of Sauron for your display. 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. Lurtz’s smaller accessories, notably his arrows, are further secured with tape within this inner tray so are better protected than the way some other figure accessories are boxed and shouldn’t go missing while you work through the unpacking. I had expected Lurtz to borrow some parts from the Uruk Hai release, but he is a full new sculpt with different armour, different skin texture and musculature and standing taller than the Uruk Hai soldiers he commands. As we have come to expect from Hasbro, the entire outfit for Lurtz is well executed from the riveted panels of the chest armour to the ragged skirt section and heavy boots with painted metal clasps. These are all cast in deep grey plastic with a mix of solid sections and more flexible elements around the skirt and the shoulders. The skin tone is a deep red plastic with a visible sculpted almost reptilian texture the red base coat is painted over with a darker wash to enhance the finish as well as providing a level of weathering dirt and grime. Lurtz features two head options, neither are wildly different with one with a snarling mouth with teeth together, and the second with an opening mouth with the teeth now parted to reveal the mouth within. Like the arms and legs, the head comes in a deep red skin tone with both a darker wash, and also the white hand of Saruman painted over the forehead and down the cheeks. Eyes are a lovely putrid yellow with a red hue and the teeth are also suitably yellowed. Like the other Uruk Hai head sculpts, Lurtz also sports the extensively long hair with a tied top not and then shaped down over his shoulders. The hair is suitably detailed with a matted look painted in a few different brown colours to add texture shading. As with many Diamond Select releases the swapping of the head is quite traumatic as the plastic used on Lurtz feels hard and possibly brittle, I would urge you to add a bit of gentle heat when you do swap out the head portraits. Lurtz features 16 points of articulation including double-jointed knees and single-jointed elbows that do thankfully bend well beyond 90 degrees as is needed for someone who will wield a bow and arrow. Most joints arrive stiff and need some gentle coaxing (and maybe more heat treatment) to get them moving. Many are ratcheted which gives better longevity although the Diamond Select hips remain a joint that will loosen very quickly. Lurtz is not short of accessories, starting with a quiver for three arrows included in the set. This comes with a flexible belt - but the belt is too short to go over the head, or over the legs - and there is no fastening to unclip it and reposition it properly on the figure. We know from the Fellowship of the Rings that Lurtz wears his quiver on his right hip, and while the piece is nicely detailed and painted with a leather look and wear and tear on the edges and seams, it just doesn’t immediately work on the figure. Hot water is again your friend as warming it up and getting it more pliable does provide just enough play to get it over the legs and onto the waist where it sits perfectly and actually slots into a hook on the left-hand side which seems designed to hold the strap at waist level (it appears to have no other purpose). I have no idea why Diamond didn’t assemble the figure with this quiver already in place. Leaving the arrows for a moment, we do get the Uruk Hai hook-end sword for Lurtz and the angular shield. Again, I was expecting these to be identical to the Uruak Hai warrior but both are new pieces with the sword slightly shorter and the shield slightly slimmer and with only one strap on the reverse for the arm to connect. Like the rest of the Uruk Hai equipment, these are cast in dark grey with a metallic finish and weathering to reflect beaten metal. Unlike the Uurk Hair, there is no ‘hand of Saruman’ painted across the shield front. The sword and shield fit into the single pair of hands included with Lurtz. Like most Diamond releases the hands are not a soft plastic as we see with other lines and with more brittle plastic used on the accessories you do have to be careful and employ a bit more gentle heat when needed to coax the fingers open to grip the weapons. Lurtz then comes with his more iconic bow as seen when he faces down Boromir. This is a wicked-looking piece cast and painted like the sword and shield with a beaten metal finish. It employs a real string tied off at either end but without much elasticity - this is probably preferable to either no string or a fixed plastic piece that would either look too thick or be so thin it broke when you looked at it. Lurtz fires left-handed in LOTR and the bow grip just about squeezes into his left hand with the two ‘blades’ on either side of the grip being problematic in a full grip. There is just enough articulation in the arms to have the bow raised to fire and with the other hand readying an arrow - but not enough movement in the elbows for a full drawn-back firing position. Nor is the right hand able to hold any of the included arrows securely (this could have been achieved by leaving a gap between the two pairs of fingers. It does still feel like the Diamond Lord of the Rings figures and their subsequent accessories are developed independently as many of the decisions for Lurtz and the included accessories don't quite make sense with a quiver that doesn’t immediately fit around the body, and hands that doesn't quite fit the weapons included. The articulation is as we expect from Diamond at their current price point, so I was never expecting anything overly dramatic and it is good to see that the joints are on arrival very secure - almost too much. The beauty of these figures, especially the deeper we go into the line, is the aesthetics with a wonderful sculpt for Lurtz, extremely detailed and accurately weathered paintwork and an accuracy to the screen that we haven’t quite seen before on LOTR figures of this scale and price. Lurtz also looks wonderful leading off the Uruk Hai army-building figure while being suitably different from them in height and stature. Well done Diamond, a very impressive release in the main. 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...

Hiya's Exquisitite Super line is their newer 6-inch format of action figures, and as previewed at New York Toy Fair 2023 they are expanding their licences to now include Universal Soldier. Their Luc Deveraux figure - with the likeness of Jean-Claude Van Damme - will feature two head options as well as additional hands, weaponry, a comms headset, and a life meter. He will also feature a tailored soft goods combat suit with working holsters. You will have to wait up to a year for your pre-order to arrive with the figure listed for release in November 2024. Joining the EXQUISITE SUPER Series, from 1992 sci-fi thriller Universal Soldier, is the 1/12 scale Luc Deveraux action figure! After his body is secretly taken away to be resurrected through experiments as a memory-deprived war machine, Luke gradually regains his memories and meets a journalist who accidentally uncovers the secret of the universal soldier. This all-new, PREVIEWS Exclusive Luc action figure stands at 6.2" tall and faithfully reproduces his appearance from the film. Luc comes dressed in a real fabric camouflage combat suit with straps for gun holsters and grenade pouches. Accessories include MP5K SMG (detachable magazine), desert eagle pistol (detachable magazine), 2 grenades, communication headset, police baton, life meter. An additional 7 interchangeable hands and 2 interchangeable head sculpts ensure dynamic combat poses, echoing the film's intense scenes! 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...

“General Kenobi, Target sighted” In 2021, Lucasfilm celebrated its 50th Anniversary and to mark the occasion Hasbro developed and released a number of commemorative products within the Star Wars Black Series tied into the various Star Wars properties that Lucasfilm have released over the years. This ranged from the movies themselves to books & comics, and to the animated series. The line rolled over into 2022 and in the Spring of that year presented us with our first Star Wars Black Series figures from Genndy Tartakovsky’s 2003 Clone Wars animated series. Each of the 50th Anniversary figures was packed in special packaging, and for any figures that had an associated release at the time in the 3.75 inch Star Wars collections, Hasbro endeavoured to replicate this packaging giving us not only giving us more Kenner-inspired card backs, but also card backed figures from The Clone Wars and in this case the specific Tartakovsky versions. The cards are scaled up for the 6-inch series and are shaped with a Clone Trooper helmet design to one side. They are predominantly white in colour with black trim and a black Star Wars header logo. The character artwork, taken directly from the series, and the character name are an inserted header within the blister itself. While this ARC Trooper is named as Commander Fordo in the show, the Black Series release doesn't use Fordo's name directly. The only variation to the original card is the addition of the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary gold logo to the top right. Round the back we have the standard Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary timeline and background text as used on all of these 50th Anniversary badged products. Above this, we also get more character art and background text with an accent colour applied to the top section of the card and appropriate in colour to the character with our ARC Trooper having a bold red finish as per his armour. Many of these Anniversary figures were tweaks or repaints, and the Phase 1 ARC Trooper is no different using the new Clone Trooper ARC Trooper body first released in 2021 as Echo and that has gone on to be used on various other figures since. The Phase 1 helmet is taken from the new Phase 1 Troop Building figure and features a sculpted but unpainted head underneath - albeit with the helmet glued in place. The proportions of the figure are a real-world interpretation of Tartakovsky’s animation and therefore despite the source material, our Clone Wars ARC Trooper is perfectly scaled and proportioned against any other figure in the line. The armour is cast in white across the body with black joints used and also reflective of the Trooper’s body suit underneath. There is a skirt section in a softer plastic added around the waist featuring a blue/grey finish with red trim and then white over this is a second soft plastic belt piece inclusive of twin working holsters. This piece is cast in white with the grey straps painted on top leaving a little bit of an unsightly join where they connect to the white belt and packs. The same principle is used on the dual Pauldron which incorporates a fuller chest armour section sitting over the base torso. This is also a blue/grey finish with the chest piece painted white and red added to the left shoulder, a slightly muted red finish due to the grey underneath. The rest of the armour and helmet markings in red are painted neatly with no rough ‘hand painted’ look edges we see on the Phase 2 Clones. Further details are added neatly including indicators on the left wrist, and the full look is finished with the ARC Trooper backpack cast in deep grey with gunmetal silver painted segments. The body is pinless which does aid articulation as well as aesthetics and our ARC Trooper boasts 19 points of articulation. These all work to a good standard and are as designed although the shoulders are partly restricted by the pauldron. The new body also uses fixed knee and elbow pads and these can start to look a little strange as you pose the legs and arms as they remain fixed to the upper section. This aside, our Trooper can kneel, achieve firing positions with the included accessories, and also work in more dynamic poses for display. The helmet also features an articulated range-finder which can pivot down on one axis to sit over the Troopers’ visor. The articulation allows the Trooper to wield any of the four included weapons, a luxury for Clone Trooper releases of recent years. We have a pair of DC-17 blasters, black in colour and with limited detail considering their size. These are designed to sit in the twin holsters, and can also be held - although only the right hand gets the trigger finger leaving the blaster looking off in the left hand. We also have the standard DC-15A and DC-15S blaster rifles included. These are a newer cast with crisper details but still lack any paintwork. These fit in the right hand, with the left now used to support the barrel of each if a two-handed pose is required. For fans of the original 2003 Clone Wars animated series or fans of the Clone Wars era in general, the ARC Trooper is a great-looking figure with good articulation and accessories. He presents a nice variation to the other Phase 1 Troopers we’ve seen to date and the shame is perhaps that we didn’t see the blue variant released. At the time of writing, the figure remains relatively easy to find and at a price equivalent to the original RRP. Carded collectors too will appreciate the retro look and packaging for display - although it appears unlikely we will see any more beyond the trio released in 2022. Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series 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 have previewed a new King Spawn 7-inch scale figure heading our way in the near future. King Spawn will be released in a Deluxe set which will also feature three Demon Minions and seven weapons. King Spawn opens for pre-order as of the 15th of November. 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...

NECA's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze Professor Jordan Perry was revealed at SDCC 2023. The figure has now been confirmed as a TMNT 2-pack containing the two versions of Professor Perry seen at SDCC, one in his lab coat and the other in a hazmat suit. The pack will also feature TGRI canisters, a hard hat, clipboard. removable glasses, alternative hands, and a set of lab equipment. The set will be open for pre-order as of the 24th of November. Those heroes in a half-shell are back in an all-new movie adventure! Find “The Secret of the Ooze” as the fearsome foursome go after the glowing canister—and the TGRI scientist—that have fallen into the hands of the evil Shredder. This TMNT action figure two-pack includes two versions of Professor Jordon Perry: in lab coat and in haz-mat jumpsuit. Includes full TGRI canister, empty TGRI canister, interchangeable hands, hard hat, clipboard, two pairs of glasses, and a full set of lab equipment. 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...

“I remember your years in the Pit. I’ve never seen a more impressive display of martial prowess, and you were a legend. And the name Krrsantan drew crowds by the thousands.” Krrsantan was an established figure in Star Wars Comic Book circles before he made his live-action debut in the Book of Boba Fett series in 2021. It has taken until the early Autumn of 2023 for this live-action Krrsantan to be released in the Black Series line as a deluxe general release and part of the Book of Boba Fett Galaxy Collection. Krrsantan is packed in plastic-free packaging, relying on promo images to confirm the contents of the box to collectors. The box uses the green assigned tone for The Book of Boba Fett on the labels and side artwork. Krrsantan is number 04 in the Boba Fett series, with his artwork connecting to the previous release of Luke Skywalker and Grogu. The entire figure is new and sculpted as you’d expect from a Wookiee covered head to toe in fur. This is a very dark grey plastic and over this, we have greyed dry brushing to enhance the texture of the fur. Krrsantan’s feet are sculpted with the toes all picked out in brown, while the hands include his augmented knuckle dusters with gold paint added to the grip and the spikes over each knuckle. Krrsantan’s belt and shoulder armour are both added as individual softer plastic pieces cast in the gold colour. The belt features an intricate front segment with a circular motif as well as a brown painted pouch around the sides, as well as a bunch of hair/pelts taken as trophies. The upper chest and shoulder section also carries an intricate design on the centre panel with cross sections coming off over and under the arms with the upper parts connecting to the two large spiked shoulder sections. These two carry more of the circular design motif we see elsewhere on the armour. Krrsantan very much earns his Deluxe status with his size and weight. He stands just over 7 inches tall a full head taller than standard height figures such as Boba Fett which is then accurate to the series with Fett's head only reaching Krrsantan’s broad shoulders in scenes where they are pictured together. There is a discrepancy between Krrsantan and other Wookiee figures like Chewie and those using the Chewbacca body like Zaalbar and the comic book Krrsantan. This is more due to the oversizing of the Chewbacca figure than any inaccuracies with Krrsantan. The head sculpt features Krrsantan with his mouth partly opened exposing a painted red inner mouth and white teeth. The fur detailing on the head is the same as the body with the eyes peering out from beneath the shaggy fur forehead. The dry brushing of grey here extends further to a larger section of white on the forehead, the upper lip and the lower jaw. The likeness to the onscreen Krrsantan is OK, but the eyes might just be a bit too close together and the lip didn't have the white fur that we see on the figure, and this is a bit distracting. The rear of the head sees the hair starting to translate into plaited sections each held in place with gold ringlets with three braids extending down the back of the figure, the longest of which reaching his waist. Krrsantan’s fur texture is built into the articulation, overlapping the joints to improve the overall aesthetics, but that does serve to restrict some joints. Articulation on paper is just 16 points in total with Krrsantan seeing the removal of the thigh swivel - which does aid the look overall - as well as missing out on a dual-jointed neck due to the anatomy of a Wookiee. The elbows and knees are single jointed allowing a right-angle bend in both cases. He does get a set of butterfly shoulders and these do help somewhat in positioning the arms, but the nature of the shoulder armour and the lack of any obvious way to articulate these with the shoulder stops much of the arm movement in its tracks when you try to move them up and out any more than about 45 degrees. The head too is restricted by the fur and armour, turning only a few mm either way. The leg articulation does fare better with options for both wider stances, and set for combat positions with the knees bent. There is very little play in the ankle rockers, but enough to balance Krrsantan when posed and with no obvious overbalancing due to his weight. The sole accessory is the enormous blaster Krrsantan wields in The Book of Boba Fett. This is a new piece, unique to Krrsantan, and features a cast deep grey almost metallic body. Within the weapon are obvious sculpted details - necessary due to the size - but none of these are extensively detailed or given any paint applications. The sole colours we do get are some red lights on one side near the trigger and a silver hue to the barrel that transitions to a metallic blue at the very end. The gun we got arrived warped - an issue that has befallen many accessories in the plastic-free packaging with no inner tray to keep them in shape. This warping is evident both across the length of the gun as well as on the twin sights. Due to the thickness of the plastic I’ve not had a huge amount of joy resetting these with the usual heat application. Fitting the gun into Krrsantan’s hand is not easy, the grip of the hands themselves being quite tight and the fur around the hand creating a few obstacles. Once posed the articulation restrictions don't really allow for any dynamic firing positions, only posing with the gun held in neutral positions with one or both hands, the left hand able to come across and grip the barrel. When not in use the gun secures onto the back of Krrsantan’s armour by way of a small plug on the weapon, and a socket on the cross-section of the rear armour straps. The fit is secure enough, but not extensively so and the weapon can be dislodged when moving or posing the figure. Krrsantan is a figure well worth his Deluxe status and slightly increased RRP with the height and bulk of the figure scaled appropriately to what we see on screen. The figure has certainly seen aesthetics prioritised over articulation with no compromise on the furred detail and joints built in around the fur to allow rudimentary movement - sufficient to pose Krrsantan in a handful of poses for display, relying on his size and presence rather than dynamic firing or fighting stances. The content from The Book of Boba Fett has been slow considering it's been nearly 2-years since it aired, and Krrsantan is only number four in the series (the 5th release if you count the Cad Bane and Cobb Vanth 2-pack). As we see more releases going into 2024 like the Tusken Raider Chief and the Pike Syndicate soldiers, this collection is going to have a very diverse look indeed and Krrsantan is front and centre of that and he won't be a purchase you regret. Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series 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...

A third wave of McFarlane's DC Multiverse Collector Edition figures has been previewed containing new 7-inch figures of Captain Carrot, Batman as Green Lantern, and Superman from The Return of Superman which will also feature Krypto the Superdog. This new trio will be opened for pre-order on the 15th of November and are therefore either very late December 2023 releases - or early 2024. 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...

“Soon the Eye of Sion will be complete and we shall deliver Grand Admiral Thrawn from his exile in the far galaxy" Morgan Elsbeth is number 04 in the Galaxy Collection Ahsoka Series, released as part of Wave 13 in the Autumn of 2023. Wave 13 is solely dedicated to the Ahsoka Disney+ Season and uses a blue accent colour on the packaging labels and on the connective montage images. Morgan’s artwork lining up with the Sabine figure preceding her, and her HK-87 Assassin Droid after her. Wave 13 sees the return of window boxes, so you can now view your figure via the front panel and not rely on promo images on the box. Morgan Elsbeth is in the main a new figure, but she does borrow the legs from under her skirt section from the Rise of Skywalker Sith Vision Rey figure. The upper torso is a burgundy finish with the complex patterns of the fabric built into the sculpt and with a lighter red finish applied to the central v-panel. The same colouring extends to the arms, sculpted to look wrapped and with further painted red elements at the wrists and into Morgan’s gloves. The look is finished with the floor-length skirt, an individual softer rubber piece with a red sash painted across the waistband. It is split into four sections across the front & back and each side, supporting a bit of additional leg movement. The head sculpt is really strong and has a very good likeness to Diana Lee Inosanto. The head is cast in a pale skin tone with face print tech added across the eyes and mouth as well as the Nightsister marking on Morgan’s forehead. The hair is an individual piece glued into the head sculpt and uses a grey base over which is a transition to a darker almost black colour at the edges. The hair includes some loose sections that frame the face as well as an intricate back knot and plaiting. Morgan is articulated with 17 points of articulation, all pinless. She does not get any obvious shoulder butterfly joints, and the base shoulder joints are tight and difficult to move. The elbows will bend to 90 degrees but no further, and the two-part neck joint also feels restricted at the base while the upper joint allows for wider-ranging positions for Morgan’s head. The legs move fine beneath the shirt, but the semi-rigid skirt section does hold back a lot of movement - there is therefore no kneeling or sitting poses available for Morgan, and it will hold back natural-looking action posing if you have her battling Ahsoka. The big issue with the Morgan release is the lack of any accessories or alternative parts. There were certainly a number of options Hasbro could have employed, from alternative hands (spell casting) to the Star Map or even the Beskar spear she wielded in her Mandalorian episode - this is already being cast and available from the recent Amazon 2-pack. There was also the option - as seen in the following images - of borrowing some magic effects from the Marvel Legends line to recreate the Nightsister Magic. These do look really impressive and may be something to consider for your display considering the relatively low price currently of the Richard E. Grant Loki Variant Marvel Legends figure. * Magic effect parts shown are not included and are borrowed for illustrative purposes from the Marvel Legends Loki Morgan Elbeth is a crucial release for the Ahsoka series, acting as the key antagonist for much of the series. The execution of the figure is good, and the re-use legs are sensible. The decision not to include any accessories is baffling - but we will no doubt be getting an updated Nightsister version with Blade of Talzin in the future so some collectors may hold out for that. Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series 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...

Mezco has shared the following preview of a new One:12 Collective DC 'Clown Prince of Crime' Joker figure, opening for pre-order as of the 8th of November 2023. The figure features three different head options, each with removable hair that can be interchanged with the other heads. There is the usual selection of alternative hands and a removable hat. The Joker then gets a suite of accessories including a fake Gotham PD badge with an acid stream effect that attaches to it. We also have a newspaper, a Joker Utility belt with two buckle options, and a pair of further hands holding either a Joker's playing card or a joke buzzer, The set is completed with the usual display stand and base. Joker is a 2024 release due to arrive sometime between June and August. The notorious criminal mastermind known as "The Joker" is again causing chaos in the streets of Gotham City! Can the Dynamic Duo bring an end to his reign of mayhem? The One:12 Collective The Joker: Golden Age Edition is outfitted in a vibrant purple suit inspired by his classic comic book appearance. He wears a wide-brimmed hat, a dress shirt, a ribbon necktie, and his iconic The Joker’s Utility Belt with two interchangeable face-shaped buckles, one of which springs out as a hidden surprise. He’s all smiles! The Joker features three head portraits with interchangeable hair styles, each capturing the essence of the madcap menace. Who’s laughing now? The included fake police badge unleashes an attachable spewing acid FX, adding a splash of chaos. Unpredictable and deranged, The Joker wreaks havoc amongst the city of Gotham as the Clown Prince of Crime. 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 long-awaited McFarlane DC Multiverse Batman & Robin movie wave has opened for pre-orders with a December 2023 release date. The wave features 7-inch figures of George Clooney's Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and Poison Ivy. Each figure also contains collect & build parts to construct a Mr. Freeze figure. As usual, each figure also comes with a display stand and a collector's art card. Keep track of all McFarlane Toys action figure releases with our extensive McFarlane Collector Database. THE DARK KNIGHT™ battles his greatest threats yet: cold-hearted MR. FREEZE™, venomous POISON IVY™ and the unstoppable brute known only as BANE™. BATMAN™ finds himself at odds with his crimefighting comrade ROBIN™, no longer satisfied with his role as a sidekick. As MR. FREEZE™ threatens to unleash a new ice age upon the citizens of GOTHAM CITY™, the DYNAMIC DUD, now joined by the heroic newcomer BATGIRL™, must learn to work as a team before GOTHAM CITY is put on ice. The figure includes 1 of 4 pieces that when combined with the rest of Batman & Robin Collect to Build line (sold separately) will assemble Mr. Freeze. 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...

“Sometimes even the right reasons have the wrong consequences” The first wave of Star Wars Black Series from the Ahsoka Disney+ series landed with retailers not long after the season finale had aired. The wave included five characters from the show, including Ahsoka herself. The Ahsoka figure was a repack from The Mandalorian wave, and for UK collectors was not offered for distribution making her initially only available only via import from the US or other territories. The Wave 13 (Ahsoka) releases were the first full wave to revert back to window boxes after the short-lived plastic-free packaging. The Ahsoka assigned colour within the Galaxy Collection is another blue shade, very similar looking to the Gaming Greats, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and The Rise Of Skywalker. This accent colour is used on the labeling for the character and the side artwork. As expected, Ahsoka is number 1 in the Galaxy Collection for her new series and the artwork montage connects onward to Ezra Bridger from the same wave. Ahsoka is wearing the same outfit she wears in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and for the majority of the first season of Ahsoka. The torso is cast in grey plastic and is then inclusive of a painted green panel. The legs are similarly coloured, with two-tone grey painted detail on the shin armour. The exposed skin of Ahsoka’s shoulders are plugged into the torso and forms the butterfly joint, with the upper arms leading down to the long-length gloves and wraps with similar two-tone grey on the wrist armour. The costume is finished with a final individual belt and sash piece in a similar grey finish with a darker brown belt and a touch of metallic finish on the buckle and the tied ends. The head sculpt bears a strong resemblance to actor Rosario Dawson in full makeup using the same skin tone plastic as the arms & shoulders, overlaid with photo real paint decor to capture the facial markings, eyes, and mouth. Around this, we have Ahsoka’s head tails in white plastic and painted blue markings, finished off with a headpiece in a brown leather finish and silver inlays. There is no significant difference to the original release of this figure from 2022 and that was re-released in the standard colour pallet in a 2-pack from 2023 along with Luke and Grogu. There are some very minimal paint variances as you’d expect from different factory runs. It's a shame the soft goods cape from the Amazon Exclusive 2-pack wasn’t thrown into this release to create a bit more value for collectors. Ahsoka features her twin lightsabers, the hilts cast in a silver finish with a limited level of detail and a small amount of grey paintwork added to pick out switches and panels. These fit into either hand as needed, and they can be held in a standard or reverse grip - although the reverse grip does see the saber hilt want to droop backward. When not in use the hilts are fitted with loops at each end that line up to very tiny hooks on Ahsoka’s belt. The fit here is no very secure, so while they hold they will dislodge really easily. The saber blades are included, cast in a translucent milky white finish, and these slot into the hilts for an ignited saber look. The tabs on these blades are slim, but lock in and out securely. Articulation is fully pinless, 19 points in total, and built really well into the body with the knees hidden nicely within the sculpt of the trousers while still allowing Ahsoka to kneel. Arm movement supported by jointed elbows, and the butterfly shoulders, allows a wide range of saber posing as well as adopting some of Ahsoka’s stances when training Sabine, or engaging with Huayang. The joints all work fine with the exception of the ankle rockers which remain loose between ratchets and Ahsoka can be a bit temperamental staying upright until the sweet spot is found in the position of the feet. While there are no significant issues with this Ahsoka figure in terms of sculpt, decor, or articulation, the repacking of a figure so soon after its first release without giving it any point of difference other than packaging is disappointing. While I accept her costume remained consistent across The Mandalorian, Book of Boba Fett, and into Ahsoka there were options to tweak this release available to Hasbro such as adding in the existing soft goods robe from the 2-pack that many collectors didn't get due to Amazon availability or the significantly high RRP. Other options would have been adding some weathering or paint variation in line with perhaps her battle on Seatos, or adding in an accessory such as the Star Map. One for the completists and boxed collectors who will want the full run of Ahsoka figures of which this release is the first. For loose collectors who just want an Ahsoka to display alongside Sabine, Morgan, and the other incoming figures - tracking down the 2022 Mandalorian release may be more financially beneficial. We can then await the very likely release of Ahsoka the White in an upcoming wave. Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series 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...

As previewed last week, the next McFarlane Gold Label exclusive DC Multiverse release is the Black and White edition release of Aquaman. The set is a repaint of the existing Endless Winter Aquman with black and white decor alongside some gold accent colours on his collar, belt and Trident. The figure is a Big Bad Toy Store Exclusive and is packed in the closed collector box and comes with a display base and a collectors card with a stand (the diorama base in the promo images is for photography only). The set is limited to 3010 units and is a December 2023 release. Half-human and half-Atlantean, Arthur Curry is Aquaman, the King of Atlantis and defender of Earth's vast oceans. As a founding member of the Justice League, he also protects the surface world from the forces of evil! Aquaman's Atlantean physiology allows him to breathe underwater, swim at incredible speeds, and have super-strength to withstand the depths of the ocean. His royal lineage sets him apart from other Atlanteans but also gives him the unique ability to telepathically communicate with marine life. 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...