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Heading to Amazon as a Gold Label exclusive is this new McFarlane DC Multiverse deluxe release of Lobo and Spacehog. The set will feature an alternative head for Lobo as well as his chain and guitar. A minifigure of Dawg will also be included as well as his Spacehog ride. Preorders will open on the 27th of October and expect this to be a December 2023 release.

Super7 have revealed a brand new Bruce Lee Ultimates release, the fifth in their ongoing Bruce Lee series. This Series 3 release is titled The Operative and features Bruce Lee in his stealth suit and is inspired by his role in Enter the Dragon. The set will feature two head options, a big selection of alternative hands, nunchuck accessories as well as a bag and a snake. The Operative Bruce Lee remains open for pre-order until the 24th of November 2023 with the figure due to go into production and be shipped in Summer 2024. Keep track of the Super7 Ultimates line at our Super7 Collectors Database Bruce Lee knew that sometimes the best fight is one that you can avoid by using stealth and cunning. Inspired by one of his most famous movie scenes, this 7” scale highly-articulated Bruce Lee ULTIMATES! Figure features intricate sculpting and premium paint detailing that highlights the martial arts master’s uncanny ability to sneak into and out of danger completely unnoticed. Included are multiple interchangeable heads and hands, as well as a variety of accessories, including a pair of short rods, a set of nunchucks with a real metal chain, and a lunging snake! Thanks to his seemingly limitless versatility and excellence, Bruce Lee continues to be an icon to this day; add The Operative Bruce Lee ULTIMATES! Figure to your collection to make it that much more iconic! 2x Interchangeable Heads 1x Neutral Head 1x Taunting Expression Head 10x Interchangeable Hands 2x Fists 2x Martial Arts Hands 2x Alternate Martial Arts Hands 2x Nunchuck Gripping Hands 2x Expressive Hands 1x Nunchuck with real metal chain 2x Nunchaku 1x Bag 1x Snake

“It’s better you don’t know. I’ll be back. I’ll find a way.” Following Season 1 of Andor on Disney+, a number of new Star Wars Black Series figures were revealed including a new version of Cassian as seen in the opening few episodes. This figure was initially released in 2022 as a Convention Exclusive, packed into special collector packaging alongside his family droid B2EMO. It would be the droid and the packaging that remained exclusive to this set, with a 2023 release of the same Cassian figure within the general Black Series Galaxy Collection as part of Wave 10, a wave dedicated predominantly to the Andor series with other figures including Bix Caleen, Luthen Rael and Mon Mothma. The packaging is plastic-free and therefore windowless relying on images of the figure posed on the front then depicted on the side and reverse to confirm the contents. The box features the deep red colour assigned to Andor, including on the side artwork that connects into a wider montage with the other figures. Cassian is the official #08 of the Andor series, with the subsequent figure of Vel Sartha (Wave 11) designated as #09 but listed on the box as #08 also due to a packaging error. Cassian is presented in the outfit we first see him wearing in the Andor series as he heads to Morlana One and this presents a number of different layers on the figure from a brown undershirt, blue outer shirt, green two-tone tunic, and an outer jacket in a gloss burgundy with brown trim that is executed as an outer rubberized plastic sleeve. Other paint decor includes a sculpted belt with painted gold buckles and some darker brown panels on the knees of Cassian’s trousers, and the same colour applied to his boots. All of these painted layers are neat and defined with no obvious issues. This is a new head sculpt for Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor with a longer unkempt hairstyle and a fuller beard. The likeness to Luna is good with photo-real decor applied and adding some realism to the eyes and the beard. The skin tone is glossy and that does detract a little from the overall look. Articulation is 19 points in total with Andor picking up the dual joint neckpiece and a pair of butterfly shoulders tucked away under the outer jacket. The joints are all designed to fit around the look of the figure and outfit and are all pinless. Cassian can be posed in a number of different stances both dynamic and static depending on your display preferences. His sole accessory is the MW-20 Bryar pistol he inherited from his adoptive father Clem Andor. It fits into the right hand specifically where a trigger finger slots into place - it also will just about work in the left which is similar in terms of trigger finger design but not quite snug enough for a tight grip. Like most Black Series weapons of the current era, the gun is a metallic finish plastic and is unpainted in terms of any detail but the sculpt itself is crisp. There is no holster or any way of stowing the blaster under Cassian’s coat when not in use? For those who purchased the Convention Exclusive set, this single release adds no further value other than the packaging for those collectors who display in the box, or with the box, ensuring that there is no gap in the side artwork. The figure is OK, without being spectacular and while the costume is complex and well executed the likeness feels a bit off, particularly with the glossy skin tone which is becoming a regular issue now with Black Series releases. This figure is not flying off the shelves and will no doubt see discounts for those willing to wait - but I would expect better Andor figures to follow in due course, particularly as we reach Season 2. 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...

Hasbro has revealed four new Star Wars Black Series releases for early 2024, starting with the inevitable confirmation of a general release of Starkiller. Galen Marek will fill in the final slot in Wave 16 alongside Balon Skoll, Shin Hati, R5-D4, and the Mandalorian Fleet Captain. Starkiller is the same base figure as the recent Pulse Con release but will only feature one neutral head and a single red-bladed lightsaber. The other three releases had all been mentioned previously in 'Pipeline' discussions, starting with R4-6DO the Astromech previously talked about as Greef Karga's R4 droid from Season 3 of The Mandalorian. This one uses the new Astromech body and it is a Walmart US exclusive and sold via Hasbro Pule and the Fan Channel in the UK. Also from The Mandalorian is The Mandalorian from Season 3, specifically labeled as 'The Mines of Mandalor' release complete with Dark Saber. The final figure is a new release of Darth Vader from A New Hope. Both Vader and Mando are part of this new principle from Hasbro of having key characters recur in the Black Series line for new collectors, but instead of an Archive release, these figures will be part of the wider Galaxy Collection and are due for a Summer 2024 release. All of these new figures, apart from R4-6DO, go live for pre-orders on the 25th of October 2023. Keep track of these and all the Star Wars Black Series releases at our extensive Star Wars Black Series Collectors Database. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES STARKILLER (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $24.99 / Available: Spring 2024) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES STARKILLER figure, inspired by the character’s appearance in STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED video game. Galen Marek, code name “Starkiller,” was a Force-sensitive human who became Darth Vader’s apprentice during the Galactic Empire’s reign. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated deluxe figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and lightsaber accessory. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES R4-6D0 (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $24.99 / Available: Spring 2024) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES R4-6D0 figure, inspired by the character’s appearance in the third season of STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN. With Nevarro under siege by pirates, Greef Karga uses his trusted astromech droid R4-6D0 to send a plea for help to New Republic pilot Carson Teva. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated deluxe figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and 4 entertainment-inspired tool accessories. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH VADER (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $24.99 / Available: Summer 2024) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH VADER figure, inspired by the character’s appearance in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE. During the Galactic Civil War, Darth Vader set out to find the Rebel Alliance’s secret location and retrieve the schematics of the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the Death Star. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated deluxe figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and lightsaber accessory. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES THE MANDALORIAN (MINES OF MANDALORE) (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $24.99 / Available: Summer 2024) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES THE MANDALORIAN (MINES OF MANDALORE) figure, inspired by the character’s appearance in the third season of STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN. Reunited with Grogu, Din Djarin undertakes a new quest to reclaim a place in Mandalorian society as his scattered people unite to take a stand against the Imperial remnant. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated deluxe figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and 3 entertainment-inspired accessories including the iconic Darksaber as well as knife and blaster accessories. 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...

“Target down. Repeat, target down.” The Gaming Greats series, in the main, was established to create Video Game themed figures by tweaking existing sculpts to match their look in the game. These are then sold as exclusives under the Gaming Greats line via Gamestop in the US and the Fan Channel in the UK. A prime example of this tweak is the 2023 release of the Rocket Launcher Trooper as seen in the Jedi: Fallen Order video game by Electronic Arts. The Trooper was a Spring 2023 release arriving in a plastic-free box with no windows and colour-coded to the blue assigned to the Gaming Greats series of the Galaxy Collection. The figure is number 22 in the series, but actually arrived well ahead of a number of the figures that precede it in the running order such as Bastila Shan and Darth Malak who didn't actually hit shelves until late Summer. The Rocket Launcher Trooper simply recycles the existing Imperial Stormtrooper figure. This is the newer format with pinless joints and with much of the figure cast in either white armoured parts, or black undersuit parts which radically reduces the need for overpainting and gives a crisper definition. The minimal paintwork is applied only to the stomach section of the figure with a series of black-painted controls. For some reason, this same stomach component presents as a varying shade of white to the rest of the armour. This issue has not been noticeable on other figures using the same sculpt indicating a change in this one in terms of the plastic being used. The tweak to the Trooper we see in the game is initially created with the addition of a Pauldron - cast in dark grey with an orange-painted inner segment. This Pauldron is the one used on First Order Stormtroopers rather than the more reflective Sandtrooper Pauldon we might expect on an Imperial-era Trooper. The helmet on these new Troopers is a hollow piece, glued over a sculpted head and the way this is fixed in the factory has a big bearing on the overall look with some Troopers arriving with quite deformed heads. The standard paint apps are applied here with blue cheek vents, and silver and black breathers. The visor is painted and taken on a green hue vs usual troopers, not sure if this is specific to the game as you rarely get that close to these Troopers when playing. Articulation is much improved on this new body vs the old pinned version, with 19 points of articulation all worked into the armoured body as would be true on the actual costume. There are butterfly shoulders to bolster the arm movement and allow a wider range of poses with weapons - that is quite important for this Trooper as we will see shortly. The legs can and will move up into a kneeling position by swivelling the hip joint adding further display options. The Rocket Launcher Trooper, as we would expect, comes with the Rocket Launcher. This is a brand-new accessory in the Black Series line and is almost as tall as the figure itself. As seen in the game this is a circular pipe with a flared rear section, ridged connections clamping it across its length and a number of grips and handles around the final third for the operator to hold, with some sights set above these. The piece is cast in that brown partly metallic finish we have seen on other accessories with no other paintwork. Considering its size there was scope for some added detailing around the controls and grips, and the finish would have been much closer to the onscreen look in a dark grey or black finish. The launcher is designed to be held in both hands, the left hand holding the very front grip and the right hand slotting into the main trigger grip. These both work OK, but there is a third piece - a stand of some description - right behind the main grip that clashes with the right arm and pushes the Laucnehr out of position. While this seems to be accurate to the game, I’d have preferred a bit of licence here to shorten or remove this segment facilitating a better grip. With a bit of work, the shoulder firing pose can be achieved and does very much look the part. The Imperial Rocket Launcher Trooper is a perfect example of a Gaming Greats exclusive, recycling an existing figure and parts and adding a new accessory to replicate the Trooper we see in the game. There is nothing much wrong with the base Stormtrooper figure which does its job perfectly, although that white plastic variance across adjoining parts is a bit distracting. The added Pauldron works, and the Rocket Launcher does a job - but could have been so much more with a better plastic colour choice and tweaking of the handles to allow a firmer grip. The issue on this figure is price with a huge premium being added to the Gaming Greats exclusives. That being said, they are not selling particularly fast and often fall into sales and discounts - so it may be worth holding your nerve on this one as many did with figures like the Imperial K2 Droid and the various Gaming Greats Battle Droids. 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...

“Inquisitors. Many were Jedi who turned to the dark side. Now, they hunt their own kind.” The Fourth Sister Inquisitor, as seen in Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+, was the last of the on-screen Inquisistors from the Kenobi series to be released after the 2022 Wave 8 and 9 releases of The Grand Inquisitor, Fifth Brother, and Reva. She was an August 2023 release here in the UK, part of Wave 11 of the Galaxy Collection alongside Tala and Obi-Wan (Jabiim) from the Kenobi series. Wave 11 is a windowless wave, still using plastic-free packaging. The colour scheme is blue on black, as per the rest of the Kenobi series releases, with the Fourth Sister number 12 in the collection sitting between Obi-Wan and Tala. The figure is all new, there is no re-use from the Reva figure as I had expected. In actual fact the Fourth Sister is quite short in stature, a half-head shorter than the Reva figure despite the two of them appearing to be the same height from the scenes they shared together. The Inquisitor armour is cast all in black plastic with a softer plastic shirt piece laid over the legs as opposed to using soft goods. The paint decor applied over the top includes a very muted red trim to this skirt, as well as silver across the wrist devices, belt, and chest armour. A silver Imperial logo sits on the shoulder of each arm, applied most likely as a decal on top of a circular disc that is part of the arm sculpt. The head is, if I am being honest, disappointing considering how well Hasbro usually does with Alien species in the Star Wars universe. The sculpt is acceptable and reflective of the Fourth Sister to a degree but lacks the snarl or sneer that we see on screen - and indeed in the promo images - and this makes her look to placid. The face also feels a touch too dark in the chosen mustard yellow skin tone, and the red markings fail to pop and like the trim of the uniform are very muted. The face also features a glossy finish (an ongoing issue) and while face print tech applies the eyes and lips it does not add any other shading as was also seen originally on the promo images and the eyes themselves don’t quite include enough red to stand out, reducing her menace even more. The Fourth Sister is wearing her head cowl, also in black, with her four Leku/Tendrils coming out of the back. These are semi-flexible plastic so as not to restrict the head movement, but the paint is very dirty and patchy. We get a total of 17 points of articulation with no shoulder butterfly joints that we might have expected from a lightsaber-wielding character. The joints we do get are all pinless and worked into the sculpt and all work as designed with the skirt providing the only real restriction on movement. The Fourth Sister is armed with the circular Lightsaber hilt with two prongs built into the central shaft that allow it to be mounted into two corresponding slots on her back. The fit of this is good considering the size of these pins and remains relatively secure. When not holstered, the saber hilt fits into either hand, and two included red translucent blades can be clipped into place to reflect a single or dual lightsaber. These clips are quite slim and bend too easily and that can leave the saber blades not sitting straight - particularly in the twin-blade saber position. While I do accept changes do have to be made between prototypes and production, the Fourth Sister is one of the few figures recently where I have felt disappointed from what is presented in the promo images - and on the box - to what we actually receive in hand. She is undersized, the paint apps are too muted on the uniform and the facial markings, and her overall expression is quite serene and almost ‘Jedi-like’ rather than the sneer we would expect. The lack of butterfly shoulders and the weak lightsaber blade connections only add to the disappointment. The Fourth Sister will round out your Inquisitorius complement from Kenobi and expand your Imperial Forces overall, but she is - as she was in the show - more of a background character. 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...

“I joined up when the Empire stood for something. By the time I realized what they really were, it was too late” The Star Wars Black Series figure of Tala Durith in her Imperial Officer uniform was a 2023 release as part of Wave 11 of the Galaxy Collection. Tala was a general release, packed in the plastic-free closed box packaging that was in use for much of 2023 ahead of Hasbro’s reversal of the packaging decision in the Autumn of that year. She was part of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series of figures, number 13 in the collection using the blue designated colour for the figure details and the side artwork. The artwork combines with the other Kenobi figures to create a wider montage, with Tala sitting directly between the 4th Sister from the same wave, and the exclusive Commander Appo release. Tala is a brand new figure and establishes a female version of the Imperial Officer uniform, cast predominately in grey plastic with black gloves, boots, and belt - the latter then featuring the large silver buckle. Paint apps are applied to the rank badge in red and blue depicting Tala’s rank of Captain, and on the code cylinders to either side. Tala’s head sculpt is executed inclusive of the Imperial Officer cap. It reflects the likeness of actor Indira Varma well enough, using photo-real decor to pick out the eyes and mouth on an otherwise smooth complexion. The face finish is glossy, an issue that is rife among many current Black Series releases. Tala is an entirely pinless body with the joints worked well into the lines and folds of the costume so as to be disguised in areas such as the knees and waist. There are 17 points of articulation in total, with Tala retaining thigh swivels but not requiring the butterfly shoulder joints. The two-piece neck does away with the need for a visible pivot on the neck and gives a wider range of motion but you will need to make sure the neck and collar remain aligned otherwise it can look odd. The joints are ratcheted where needed, work as designed, and offer a suitable range of motion for an Imperial Officer - even a traitorous one - with a number of poses available, including a handful of more dynamic options. Tala is armed with a single blaster, a standard issue Imperial SE-14r that is cast in base grey with limited sculpted detail and zero paint. It can fit into Tala’s right hand or be holstered in the working softer plastic holster to the right side of Tala’s belt. The release of Tala Durith in her Imperial Officer Uniform does exactly what we would want it to do in terms of replicating what we see on screen in a figure that looks great, articulates well enough, and has an accessory in line with her role on screen. The decision over releasing Imperial Tala rather than Tala in her Rebel outfit is an interesting one - and I am sure future Tala figures are at least being considered - but the creation of an Imperial Officer body does then lend itself to further re-use for characters like Dedra Meero from Andor, or even Admiral Rae Sloane - a potential Gaming Greats option thanks to her appearance in Star Wars Squadron’s story mode. Tala is one for the completists and fans of the Kenobi series and is not likely to be selling out any time soon. 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 marked Wonder Woman Day with a preview image for a new classic comic book Wonder Woman DC Multiverse release coming soon

“You do not know pain, you do not know fear.” Series 4 of the Diamond Select Lord of the Rings line, released in 2022, saw the release of Uruk Hai alongside Gandalf the Grey. The Uruk Hai, like the Moria Orc, is designed as an army builder within the range coming with alternative heads and weapon options. It was a general release, available to any Diamond stockists, but was the first wave in the series to come without a build-a-figure part with that particular bonus not extending beyond the very impressive Sauron from Series 1 - 3. The Uruk Hai is modelled after the scenes in The Fellowship of the Ring where Sauroman builds his army in Isengard. The body features the dirty and battered metal armour used by the Orcs each cast in the main as an individual piece and weathered with a top paint coat. There is also variation in the armour with the solid chest armour leading into darker painted chain mail and bracers around the arms and legs. The mark of Saurauman is applied as a white handprint painted onto the Ork’s chest armour. The exposed elements of the Uruk hai are a dirty red-brown finish with heavy dark washes to reflect their on-screen appearance. The figure comes with two head options, providing two different looks for your Orc army. The first is a helmeted head with a top ridge and two vicious-looking side pieces that look a little bit like tusks. The helmet features an open eye slit and open mouth, behind which is a sculpted and painted Uruk Hai head with yellow snarling teeth and angry-looking eyes. Long flowing matted and dirty hair comes off the back of the head and is shaped to sit around the shoulders. The second head is unmasked, revealing the full Uruk Hai head again with the red/brown skin tone overlaid with a heavy black wash. Like the masked Orc, this version also includes detailing around the eyes and this time an open mouth with painted teeth and tongue. The heads are not easy to swap in and out and I’d use some hot water or gentle heat to prevent damaging your Orc. Our Orc release features two pairs of hands that are similarly tricky to swap out with each slightly different in their grip to work with the accessories included. The Uruk Hai are armed with a trio of accessories. The first is a shield, cast in the same colour tone as the armour and with a larger white hand painted onto the front. Round the back is a pair of straps designed to go over the forearm of our Orc and be gripped by either hand. These straps are painted and include some nice detailing around the clasps and fixings despite never really being seen on display. The fit into the hands is extremely hard work as the hands themselves are a very hard plastic - again I’d recommend a bit of heat to open up the hands so the shield can be engaged. There is then an Orc sword with its hooked tip blade. The is cast in the same metallic plastic with black wash and unlike the shield, lacks any further detailing with the grip the same decor as the blade. This is a touch easier to slot into either hand. Our final weapon is an impressively sized spear with a twin barbed end. It measures close to 11 inches long and includes a brown wood effect shaft, and metal end and barbs. Like the sword this fits into either hand, or both for more action-orientated shots. The articulation on the Lord of the Rings figures has been average at best, the line focusing very much on looks and design rather than a wide range of motion. That is true here of the Uruk Hai, who does feature 16 points of articulation but limited posing range. The legs, while double-jointed at the knees, are limited at the hips. While the arms offer a bit more motion to wield any of the included weapons. The torso opens up a bit more movement with a ball joint snuck away under the armour, while the head is limited by the shape of the hair on both head sculpts - preventing movement to the side in particular. While the figure is nowhere near as wide-ranging as a Black Series or Marvel Legends, there is sufficient to pose the figure looking menacing with each of the included weapons. The Uruk Hai is another strong-looking release in Diamond’s Lord of the Rings series with an obvious increase in quality as the line matures. You do sacrifice a lot of articulation for the aesthetics of the figure, but the Orc certainly looks the part with the way the armour has been executed and the deep red dirty Ork skin tones as a contrast beneath. The prices of these Select figures are creeping up with this Series 4 offerings hitting £29.99 even without the build-a-figure part. However, for this release in particular the contents are more than sufficient with the additional head and various weapons to allow some level of army building. 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...

McFarlane has announced two new dragons joining the McFarlane Dragons line in the next couple of months. Tied into their partnership with Warner Bros. we can look forward to the Hungarian Horntail as seen in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Smaug from The Hobbit Trilogy. Both dragons are 11 inches long and are fixed statues rather than articulated figures. Each sits on a diorama base appropriate to their movie sequences along with a nameplate. Interestingly the promo image for Smaug shows the name plate with the Lord of the Rings logo? They come in window boxes, with decor as dictated by their franchise merchandising with the white 'Wizarding World' design for the Horntail, and a darker green 'Middle Earth' inspired box for Smaug. They should be released in December 2023 in time for Christmas. Harry returns for his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, along with his friends, Ron and Hermione. There is an upcoming tournament between the three major schools of magic, with one participant selected from each school by the Goblet of Fire. When Harry's name is drawn, even though he is not eligible and is a fourth player, he must compete in the dangerous contest. Bilbo, Gandalf and a motley crew of dwarves continue their quest to retake the dwarf kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug in Part Two of the 'Hobbit' trilogy. Facing danger at every turn from orcs, giant spiders, and even wood elves, the surly bunch make their way to Smaug's lair where untold treasure awaits...if the fire-breathing beast doesn't burn them to a crisp first. 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 am Darth Malgus. I speak with the full power of the Sith Empire. And I am in command, now.” Darth Malgus is the third release in 2023 from the Old Republic video game series following on from Darth Malak and Bastilla Shan. Malgus is a Deluxe release, packed in the wider Galaxy Collection packaging but using the same side artwork and blue accent colour aligned to the Gaming Greats series. The packaging is windowless as Malgus was released just ahead of Hasbro’s reversal of this decision and the reinstatement of window boxes. He is number 24 in the Gaming Greats series following on directly from the Darth Maul ‘Old Master’ release and sitting before the ‘Battle Damaged’ General Grievous. Darth Malgus is not an exclusive release, sold via all Fan Channel retailers and Hasbro Pulse. Out of the box and it is clear why Malgus required Deluxe status, with the bulky Sith standing well over 7 inches tall (18cm). He is modelled after his appearance in The Old Republic video game by Bioware. This is a cast grey armoured body with painted black ribbed panelling across the armour. Further details are included on the chest segment with a silver central disc and a pair of red indicator lights and on the two wrist bracers where white and red paint replicates further indicators and controls. The belt, part of the waist sculpt, includes some additional silver details that extend all the way around the back. The paintwork overall is neat and tidy but there are elements of the black ribbed sections where the black doesn’t quite go all the way to the edge. The outfit is finished off with a soft goods black cape that sits under the two enormous shoulder armour sections and around the neck, hanging down to the floor. The material is the same as that used on Vader figures so while it doesn't perhaps crease or fold as we might want a Jedi robe to do, it hangs perfectly on Malgus - with some tailoring added around the head to add a hood that can be posed up or down with neither looking awkward or out of place. The head is cast in a pale skin colour and captures the various scars and features of Darth Malgus from the ridges of the wrinkled forehead to the sunken eyes and the red scars around the left side of his mouth. Photo-real application has been used to enhance these sculpted details, adding depth and colour with the red eyes, in particular, impressive considering their size and location in those sunken eye sockets. Malgus is wearing his respirator mask - and this is removable as seen in the promo images. The mask is cast in deep grey with silver and red details and shaped to fit over his mouth and secure around the back of the head. Rather than clipping off as we saw with Malak, you will have to pop off the head to remove the mask - revealing the full sculpted head beneath (I would use some heat to warm up the plastic to do this as the neck ball joint is quite slim considering the size of the figure). Darth Malgus comes with his lightsaber, an impressive piece on its own with a grey and silver hilt with twin prongs and a thick and hefty translucent red blade - the whole thing is almost as tall as a standard 6-inch figure. The saber hilt fits in either hand and the blade, as is the usual form, can be removed depending on your preference for display. There is no apparent holster, hook or socket to secure the saber hilt on the belt which is a bit of a miss. Darth Malgus represents the newer range of articulation that Hasbro is now building into the Black Series, with the thigh swivel removed and leg movement served by the hips and a rotating knee joint along with the standard ankle rocker. There are two torso joints to service the figure's size and stature with the arms inclusive of wrist, elbow, shoulder and butterfly shoulder joints. The shoulder armour, despite its size, moves with the arms so as not to resist movement. The head also features two neck joints giving a wider range of head positions. That puts the articulation count at 18 in total. The joints all work as designed, with a touch of looseness in the hips which must be a common issue with Sith Lords considering Darth Vader figures have a similar ailment. This doesn’t affect posing or standing positions but may become a problem over time. The elbow joints don’t quite bend far enough as I’d like, as it would be good to have Malgus posed adjusting his mask or taking down his hood. There is however sufficient shoulder movement to allow two-handed lightsaber poses. Malgus can also kneel, although only for the Sith Emperor of course! The fact we have a Darth Malgus figure at all, and the other Old Republic characters, is both a testament to the fans who support this area of the Star Wars universe and to Hasbro who were confident to move the Gaming Greats line out of standard repaints and tweaks to development of full characters like Malgus, Malak and Shan this year alone. The Malgus figure has very few flaws and looks impressive when posed on display. It could have done with a bit more movement in the elbows, some tighter hip joints, and perhaps a way to hang the lightsaber on the belt - but these are all very minor in terms of how very much is right with Malgus including that head sculpt, the soft goods, the armour and the accessories. The mask also is a nice touch to make it removable, some clarity on how to do this and ideally a clasp to release it would have been welcome. The fact that Malgus sold out his preorders pretty quickly indicates that, like Revan, this will be a sought-after item in the future, so one to act on now rather than risk trying to find him on the secondary market. 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...

NECA are honouring the birthday of the late great Bela Lugosi with the reveal of a new Universal Monsters 7-inch exclusive of Lugosi as Dracula. The figure is one of their retro carded glow-in-the-dark editions, paying homage to the Toys of the 1980s, and includes the 7-inch figure with retro style vinyl cape and glow-in-the-dark decor. It will be sold only via the NECA Store with more details yet to be released. In honor of the incomparable Bela Lugosi's birthday, here's a special reveal🧛 Universal Monsters 7” Scale Action Figure - Glow-in-the-Dark Retro Dracula To celebrate the most famous vampire of them all, NECA has created this retro-style tribute to the classic 1980s Dracula toy! Featuring a vinyl cape that harkens back to the original release, this highly articulated 7” scale action figure also glows in the dark. Comes in tribute blister card packaging. Coming soon exclusively to the NECA Store! 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...