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The Hasbro Star Wars team hosted a special May the 4th Fan First live stream via the Hasbro Pulse YouTube channel and included a number of new figure reveals for both the Black Series and Vintage Collection lines. Our usual summary of the live stream is as follows, with more in-depth coverage to follow when the press pack lands from Hasbro and their PR team. Star Wars Black Series As expected the event focused on Black Series figures already confirmed previously as pipeline reveals. These included Princess Leia, Endor Ewok Village. And she features an additional Ewok Spear accessory inspired by the Forces of Destiny shorts. Figrin D'An - another pipeline reveal from a previous live stream - is an early 2023 release, most likely in the same wave as Ewok Village Leia. He will feature three different flute instruments. He is joined by Nalan Cheel who will be a deluxe release featuring all the other instruments used by the Model Nodes.While Figrin D'an is a general main wave release, Nalan Cheel is a Hasbro Pulse UK and US exclusive - arriving in the Autumn of 2022. There is a new Phase 2 Clone Trooper from the 187 Batallion. This one is part of The Clone Wars line as is a Walgreens US Exclusive, sold via Gamestop in Canada and available via the Fan Channel and Hasbro Pulse in the UK. He too is an Autumn 2022 release. The first Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series product surfaced ahead of the live stream with this new Black Series Darth Vader Role Play helmet based on Vader's appearance in Obi-Wan. It confirms also the Galaxy Collection colour scheme for the series will be a blue tone. There will also be a Force FX Obi-Wan Light saber coming in the same role-play line. The pipeline reveals at the end of the panel included the HK-87 Assassin Droid and a Luke Skywalker from The Mandalorian. Vintage Collection The next 4-figure Troop Builder Pack was unveiled from Attack of the Clones and features four Phase 1 Clone Troopers, including one with the blue Lieutenant markings. This is another Hasbro Pulse exclusive, planned for release at the end of 2022. The 332nd 'Ahsoka' Clone Trooper was unveiled as was the Anakin Skywalker Padawan and Mandalorian Super Commando. We also see new Imperial troopers with the Stormtrooper Commando Gaming Greats figure from The Force Unleashed, and a Heavy Assault Stormtrooper from Jedi: Fallen Order. These are both shared Fan Channel releases and will arrive in the Autumn. There will be a special Disney Parks / Hasbro Pulse Retro set of six of the original Retro figures 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...

My Star Wars passion, like most of my generation, started with the 3.75-inch Kenner figures back in the late 70's and 80's and in fact, I had many of the toys before I ever saw the movies in full. In the mid to late 90's with a job and disposable income, my first full action figure collection as an adult began with the POTF2 figures and ran all the way through until Attack of the Clones. When I returned to Star Wars collecting in 2013 it was with the new and shiny Black Series 6-inch figures and while that has become a focus, I have always kept a close eye on the 3.75-inch line and it is a scale now collected by my son. To celebrate May the 4th 2022 I have teamed up with Zavvi who have gifted us a couple of their newest Star Wars arrivals for us to photograph and review and this kicks off with the Star Wars Vintage Collection Mandalorian & Grogu from Maldo Kreis. The Vintage Collection, so named because of its use of Kenner-inspired cardbacks, is making a comeback in a big way over the last couple of years and is now expanding beyond the original movies and into the new properties most notably The Mandalorian. This means that the Hasbro designers are now incorporating these new properties into the Kenner-inspired design as seen on the cardback for this Deluxe release with the Mandalorian logo repurposed into one similar to the 1980 Empire Strikes Back logo. The card also features the iconic silver tramline border and Kenner logo, and the cardback includes that checklist format kids of the 70's and 80's know so well. The Vintage Collection appeals to collectors of both carded and loose figures and unlike the Black Series - which can be reboxed - you have an immediate choice to make with any Vintage Collection release and once it is un-carded there is no going back. The Beskar Mandalorian is a re-use of the original single carded version that arrived in late 2020 / early 2021as part of Wave 30. The Maldo Kries version has had some updates though to bring it in line with Mando's Season 2 appearance. The right thigh armour is updated and now full Beskar, and a new knee pad is added to the left knee. Other details across the armour include the Mudhorn sigil on the right pauldron as well as the whistling birds' launcher on the left wrist and Amban Rifle ammunition around the right shin. The cape is a plastic rather than soft goods and behind this, you will find the socket and strap to hold the Amban Rifle - although the rifle itself is not included in this set. The paint finish is impressive at this scale with a metallic shine to the silver of the Beskar and beneath this a number of colour shades for Mando's clothing. Because this is Mando as we see him when he has crashed on Maldo Kreis, the paintwork also features a snow & ice weathering effect applied sympathetically in strategic places across the boots, chest, helmet and around the tails of the cape. As noted earlier, Mando does not feature his Amban Rifle as seen in earlier releases. He comes armed only with his blaster which is a silver cast piece with a painted brown grip. It fits neatly into his right hand where a trigger finger will slot into place. When not in use it can be holstered in the working holster at his right hip. Mando features 16 points of articulation including an update to the ankles to a more traditional ankle rocker. He poses really well with the only real issue experienced at the shoulders where the pauldrons do prevent the arms from being lifted up too high. As indicated by the name of the set, Grogu is included in the release as a second character figure. He is the same body as released in 2021 in the hover pram. The head sculpt presents Grogu with his ears now slightly down and a concerned look on his face., which is perfect for the scenario this set recreates. The paintwork is more or less the same as the first releases of Grogu with a green skin tone, some brown tone in the inner ears, black eyes and a two-tone sandy brown robe. Like Mando, some snow/ice weathering is added around the base of the figure. Grogu is articulated across 5 joints in total. The head sits on a moveable ball joint, as do both shoulders as they plug into the main body. The wrists can then rotate within the sleeve. This doesn't allow for huge variation in poses, but there is some play there - particularly to help if you want Mando to pose holding Grogu. The set also includes three Knobby Ice Spiders as found on Maldo Kreis and as featured in that action-packed final sequence before Mando is rescued by Trapper Wolf and Carson Teva. There are three Spiders included, starting with a large version that measures close to 3.75 inches in width from leg to leg. It stands about two inches high and comes with the large elongated pitted dome as well as the protruding mouthpiece underneath. Out of the eight legs, four are articulated on ball joints so you can have the spider walking or mounting up with the front legs preparing to strike. The paintwork is essentially a white base with a darker wash over the top. The set then features two 'hatchling' spiders, both slightly different in terms of their leg positions. These are non-articulated and cast in a similar off-white to the larger spider but without any further paint application. You also get a hatched egg to make up the set and this features a flat-based egg with open top flaps that are painted a green colour which also extends into the interior of the egg. In terms of a world-building experience, perhaps a few more of the smaller spiders and eggs would have allowed for more of a swarm around Mando & Grogu as they fought their way out. The Spiders look like they will work just as well with the Black Series considering the varied sizes we see on Maldo Kreis, and vice versa that the larger Knobby Ice Spider coming with the 6-inch version of this set would do well as the giant Knobby Spider at 3.75-inch scale. The beauty of the smaller 3.75-inch series figures is the environment options that you can build into the releases including larger monsters and scenes. The Maldo Kreis set possibly doesn't go as far as it could have with the size of the spider but does offer a scene-setting opportunity as well as a nice upgrade to the Mandalorian even with the snowy paint job. The Mando figure is well sculpted, painted and articulated while Grogu and the spiders are sufficient considering their smaller size - I just perhaps wished there were a few more of them. Check out Zavvi if you want to add The Mandalorian & Grogu (Maldo Kries) to your collection. For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Star Wars Database 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's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universal Monster crossover figure of April O'Neil as the Bride of Frankenstein has been listed on the NECA store for a pre-order window that runs until the 17th of May 2022. The figure is based on the likeness of Judith Hoag who played April in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle live-action movies. She will come with two head options as well as a microphone, handbag, spider, lightning bolt sai, and some swappable hands. As an Ultimate release, April will be packed in the closed box format with an opening front flap. As seems to be a growing trend with NECA, there is a limited-edition Signature Series variant that includes a signature from Judith Hoag. This variant is limited to 2000 pieces and costs $99.99 vs the standard figure that comes in at $32.99 The NECA pre-order system includes both US and International orders with the International shipping calculated at the point of order, but not necessarily all the customs costs. For a UK order of the standard figure you are looking at circa £33.59 but you may have to pay import costs on top on arrival. There is no ETA as yet on when the order will ship. Ripped from the headlines! NECA is releasing a new Universal Monsters x Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figure starring intrepid reporter April O’Neil! This continuing line pays tribute to the world’s most famous turtles and Universal’s icons of horror. April as The Bride reimagines Judith Hoag’s April O’Neil as the Bride of Frankenstein in a terrifying mashup! Electrifying exposés! Shocking news stories! It’s journalism that really goes for the jugular. WTRL’s only reanimated reporter digs up the dirt with a full complement of accessories, and never misses a DEADline… This 7” scale figure includes microphone, handbag, spider, lightning bolt sai, interchangeable heads and swappable hands. Comes in collector-friendly window box packaging with opening flap featuring an all-new, breath-taking illustration by Daniel Horne. 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...

UK specialist In Demand Toys has revealed two new Transformers Studios Series Voyager Class releases on their Facebook page. Studio Series Thundercracker will be #89 in the line and is based on his appearance in the Bumblebee movie - he is a decor of the Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Starscream. Galvatron will be #90 in the line and is a full new sculpt based on his Age of Extinction appearance. In Demand are indicating pre-orders for the pair will open later this May. 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...

After the Series 1 release of Gimli and Legolas in Diamond Select's Lord of the Rings line, Series 2 gave us the opportunity to further build our Fellowship of the Ring with the addition of our first Hobbit, Frodo Baggins. Like the other figures released so far, Frodo is packed in a window box that uses a grey/blue design imprinted with the map of Middle Earth. The LOTR logo is predominant on the box front in gold as is an image of Gandalf with Frodo to one side and Sauron looming behind him. This image is standard across the range with no specific artwork for each character. Instead, the character is confirmed only by the name that sits just under this illustration and is simply listed as 'Frodo'. The rear of the box has an image of Frodo as well as the Nazgul, the other figure in the Series 2 releases. Underneath these are a reminder of Series 1 under an 'also available' header and a reminder that the first 3 series of the Lord of the Rings figures feature parts for a Sauron build-a-figure. At a time when companies are reducing plastic in their packaging, Diamond continues to use a clamshell inner tray on these figures which does mean the figure you see in the window is actually behind two different plastic trays and that does obscure your view of Frodo overall. As you would expect, Frodo is much smaller than the figures released previously, standing a little under 5.5 inches tall, and is therefore perfectly in scale for a Hobbit against his human, elf, and dwarven peers. He is dressed in the travelling clothes he wears as he leaves Bag End at the start of his journey and these include a pair of brown cropped trousers, a collarless shirt with a brown waistcoat and a brown overcoat. Each of these is painted a varying shade of brown so you can differentiate between each of them. We also get painted details within the outfits such as painted buttons on the coat and waistcoat. Weathering is minimal compared to some of the other figures, but we do have a wash of sorts on the coat. Frodo's hairy feet are executed well with sculpted hair on the upper foot and weathering over the top of this to dirty the feet up nicely. The one area to watch with paintwork is around the hands where the joints are a painted flesh tone that does like to flake off when the hands are moved. Interestingly, Diamond has chosen not to sculpt a ring with Frodo which we would see at times on a chain around his neck? The face sculpt is another fairly strong one and you can tell it is Elijah Wood. Diamond are still working however with painted faces so the eyes, eyebrows and lips still look a little artificial despite being neatly applied. 5 years ago this would have been a perfectly acceptable head for Frodo, but in the era of Photo-Real tech over at NECA and Hasbro these do look and feel a bit dated. Frodo's hair is very well executed and is sculpted with the curls and volume we see on screen and perfectly frames his face without looking either too flat or too long. Smaller statue figures in a line are always going to draw the 'value for money' question even though they take the same amount of sculpting, articulation and painting as a standard figure. Frodo does however feel light on additional parts when you look at Gimli and his three axes, and the Series 3 Aragorn with a torch, knife and two swords. Frodo comes with Sting, which is more than appropriate for the character as his main weapon throughout the Trilogy. This is well cast and well painted with the silver pommel, leather brown grip complete with a black wash, and the silver blade with visible Elven script. It fits snugly into the provided sheath which is thankfully attached to the belt and fully serviceable for this figure. The sheath too is inlaid with Elven script at the painted with silver top and bottom panels. Sting slots into Frodo's right hand with relative ease. Frodo also features the Light of Elendil in the phial provided by Galadriel. This is a very small piece and not easy to spot in the packaging so make sure you don't lose it as I did initially. It is simply cast in a silver finish and slots into Frodo's right hand. The left hand, ideally should have been a gripping hand to hold the Light, leaving the right free to hold Sting. Frodo was initially shown as coming with an Elven Cloak, putting the figure as having just left the realm of the Woodland Elves in terms of the timeline, a fact also justified with the inclusion of the Light of Elendil. Sadly this was dropped on Frodo and also on the other members of the Fellowship. Articulation comes in at 16 points in total, all of them single joints with some limitations on movement. For example, the single joint elbows do stop Frodo from a pose where he is drawing Sting as the elbows don't really go past a 45-degree bend. The knees also won't bend fully, so Frodo is limited to standing poses. On arrival, the leg orientation is off with Frodo looking like he has turned inward feet. This is due to the rotation built into the knee which then allows the thigh sculpts to continue to line up on either side of the swivel. Frodo can get into a few poses which would be classed as more dynamic - holding up the Light of Elendil as an example or posing with Sting drawn out before him. The only engineering issue with the joints are the ankles again which are far too loose and Frodo can lean forward and fall too easily. Thankfully he is not a bulkier figure or this would be a bigger concern. Frodo is another good - just not great - release in Diamond's Lord of the Ring Series, there are more positives than negatives for the figure with the team doing another awesome job on his outfit and bringing us another decent likeness without yet embracing photo-real technology to further enhance their sculpt. The articulation is about standard for Diamond and I am fine with that as I prefer aesthetics over movement in the wider scheme of things although it would have been nice for Frodo's arms to get a bit more movement and for the ankles to be more robust. I find the lack of any reference to the One Ring on the figure an odd choice, but I guess the decision was that Frodo has it tucked away under his shirt at this time. The other accessories are well executed, but again the issue lies with what is not included more than what is. Frodo Baggins is a fine addition to the Fellowship alongside Legolas & Gimli from Series 1 and Aragorn from Series 3. He is well scaled and does not look out of place against these other figures and I just hope that Diamond remains invested enough in this line to complete the Fellowship in the future, or at the very least to give us a Samwise Gamgee to display with Frodo. For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Diamond Select Database 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's Monster MAYhem is underway, with new teases and reveals planned across May in their horror lines in particular. The next release in the Universal Monsters series has been confirmed as the Invisible Man from the 1933 movie and as played by Claude Raines. Accessories for the Ultimate release will include a pair of goggles, a nose, a book, and a drinking cup with straw. We now await more details on this release from NECA including when it will arrive on store shelves 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...

Two new McFarlane Spawn sets are heading to Gamestop in the US as exclusives. The Gunslinger Spawn figure will be re-released and now upgraded to a deluxe set which will also include his horse. Weapons include a mini-gun, twin revolvers, and a rifle. The second release is also a deluxe set in the shape of The Clown. He is identical to the first general release but now comes with a 'bloodied' paint job. Both sets are due for a late May 2022 release at Gamestop. The releases outside of the US will be down to McFarlane and their overseas stockists. It is likely this will be offered by Bandai as the UK distributor. Jeremy Winslow, a landowner in the town of Bane was pursued by the wealthy businessman of the town Ed Kemper, who wished to take Jeremy’s land. After not being able to get the land by traditional means, Ed Kemper slaughtered Jeremy’s family and framed Jeremy for their murders. Jeremy was hanged for the crime without a trial, but Mammon, demon of wealth and greed and one of the seven princes of hell, came to him when he was close to death and promised him the power to enact his revenge on Ed Kemper. Jeremy agreed and was transformed into a Hellspawn and killed everyone in town except for one individual asked by Mammon to spare. This individual would be the ancestor of Al Simmons. When Jeremy’s job was complete he descended to hell. The Clown, a short, obsese, ugly clown with rotting teeth and a blue mark in the shape of an M on his face, is the alter ego of The Violator. Dubbed his secret identity and human disguise, he uses this ruse to walk among the humans to avoid detection. Though Violator has shapeshifting powers to be able to turn into anything he would wish, Violator has such distaste for humans, he shifts into this putrid form to mock them because he sees them as disgusting, pathetic, and weak. 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 Ultimate Shredder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Secret of the Ooze has finally been solicited ahead of its Summer 2022 release. In the US it is a Walmart exclusive, while here in the UK it will be available through NECA stockists. Shredder will come with a removable mask and a soft goods cape. There are alternative hands, spear, katana with sheath, the mutated dandelion, and mutagen canister. Those heroes in a half-shell are back in an all-new movie adventure! This time, the totally tubular dudes must uncover “The Secret of the Ooze” before the villainous Shredder creates an army of evil mutants. Oroku Saki has returned, horribly disfigured and ready for a rematch with those repulsive reptiles. This Ultimate 7” scale action figure of the fearsome Foot Clan leader features a removable mask, all new soft fabric cape, and plenty of accessories: mutated dandelion, vile of ooze, spear, katana and sheath, mutagen canister, and alternate hands. Comes in Ultimate style 5-panel packaging. ETA August 2022 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...

Series 2 of the Diamond Select Lord of the Rings line saw the arrival of the Nazgul! The Ring Wraith arrives in the window box packaging with the figure double packed inside between two trays which do make viewing the figure in the box more difficult. The box art features a blue and green-hued design that is actually a map of Middle Earth and is more pronounced on the card back that sits behind the figure. The Lord of the Rings logo sits prominently at the bottom left of the box front - and at the sides - and next to the front logo is a generic image of Gandalf, Sauron, and Frodo rather than a character-specific image to match the contents. The only specifics are given in the character name just under this illustration. While there is loads of room on the rear of the box, we get no background info or film synopsis - just a picture of the two figures in this Series - Nazgul and Frodo - and smaller images of the Sauron build-a-figure that is spread across Series 1 through 3, and the Series 1 figures of Legolas and Gimli. The Nazgul stands dead on 7-inches high out of the box and is a substantially heavy figure. Diamond has elected to use all sculpted robes for the Ring Wraith and there is no inclusion of soft goods in any capacity. All the body parts and robes are cast in a base black colour. The hood is empty but shaped as though it is around a ghostly head. Each section of the robes includes a sack-cloth texture and folds and creases as you would expect to see. The issue is that the robes are all sculpted with the Nazgul in an upright neutral position, and any movement ruins the flow of said robes - particularly around the arms as the long sleeves just look odd if placed in any other position. Diamond is doing a sterling job with the paint apps on these LOTR figures and while this is an all black-robed Ring Wraith, the black is overbrushed with some grey highlights that really enhance the definition. The armoured parts on display - the hands, and lower legs - have a metallic treatment to them and if you do lift up the Nazgul robes the legs are sculpted and painted all the way up. The Nazgul has a selection of three bladed weapons, two of which come with a working scabbard. We have a slim full length sword with a notched blade, a larger broad sword with a scabbard, and the smaller Morgul blade also with a scabbard. Each sword is cast in a darker and hard plastic and therefore has a crisp finish, but on the flip side, it is more brittle and prone to damage. Over the top of the base plastic is applied sone simplistic washes to add a dull metallic finish to the blade. The hilts are given a neater treatment in shades of grey and some gunmetal silver pommels. The swords and scabbards look brilliant and it's great to have a choice of three weapons, particularly if you want to get multiple Ring Wraiths. But there is a problem, and that comes with getting the Nazgul to hold the weapon. Firstly, only the right is given a gripping shape and it is overly stiff and tight so you have to apply a fair bit of force to open the grip enough for the sword - which as mentioned is itself very delicate. The second issue is one of engineering and again relates to those huge draping sleeves. Because the sword hilt has to go through the hand and out the other side there is a clash with the sleeve leaving the sword held in an odd grip - or you have to turn the hand so the sword itself is pointing across the body and again, it looks awkward. With some play, as seen in the images, the smaller Morgul blade does look ok but you will be hard-pressed with the others. You would then imagine that the scabbards could therefore attach to the body to display the swords that way? Again there is no engineering or apparent plan on how to use the scabbards short of sliding them into the robes as best you can? Articulation, on paper, consists of 18 points of articulation. In reality, the Nazgul is not much more than a static piece due to the robe design and while that static pose does look good I would have liked a few more options. The leg articulation is extensive, the legs are hemmed in behind the robes. They also have the loose ankle rocker issue we see every so often on Diamond figures and the Ring Wraith will fall forwards quite regularly, I'd have liked the body joints to allow a more hunched & stalking pose for the figure, but the included torso joint doesn't move much at all. The arms joints do allow for quite a bit of movement, but anything outside of the 'arms at your side' position looks ridiculous due to the fixed sculpted sleeves and how they jut out when the arm is raised. This is where perhaps soft goods needed to come into play for some of the outfits, or the sleeves were cut back in a way that works with the figure for posing rather than being so specific to the actual screen look. I am having a love & hate relationship to date with the Diamond Lord of the Rings figures and the Nazgul is another example of that. It looks absolutely brilliant, but anything beyond the stance that it arrives in the box with is mostly out of reach. The accessories also look fantastic, but accessories need to fit into the hands of the figure or attach to the body as intended, and in this case, they don't do either. Had there been a combination of sculpted and soft robes here and had that opened up the ability for more options in holding the swords, and that iconic skulking pose then Diamond would have had a winner, particularly when they've thrown in enough weapon options to have a group of three Nazgul. In summary, this is a great looking piece in a single neutral pose with a dagger in its hand, if that works for you then go get it. If you are expecting more in terms of multiple posing options or were considering a group display of more than one Ring Wraith then this is perhaps not ideal for you and you may be disappointed. For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Diamond Select Database 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...

Tamashii Nations are releasing a new Iron-Spider S.H. Figuarts figure based on the most recent appearance of the suit in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Like the previous releases, the figure features articulated rear arms and will come with a selection of alternative hands. Web effect accessories are also included. The No Way Home Iron-Spider is an August 2022 release. 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 Hiya Toys expansion from their 1:18 lines to the 6-inch scale of action figures is well underway, and their latest reveal is the first figure in their new Toho Monsterverse line with a 'Godzilla vs Kong' Godzilla figure. Godzilla is fully articulated, including the tail, and stands 7-inches tall. The downside of this release is the availability which is restricted to mainline China only. Hiya Toys are a Chinese-based business, but other lines have seen import releases. However, we'd suspect a situation here dictated by Toho and also influenced by Playmates who hold the Godzilla Monsterverse master toy license in the US and in the UK. 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...

As we head towards the June arrival of the 2022 Buzz Lightyear movie, Tamashii Nations have revealed their S.H. Figuarts Buzz Lightyear figure. Buzz will have two different head options that sit beneath the removable spacesuit helmet. He will include his jetpack, sword, pistol, and arm-blaster that attaches to the right forearm. The pre-orders for Buzz Lightyear are due to open soon - we assume in early May - and the figure will ship in Summer 2022. 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...