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Hasbro were confirmed as the new licensee for Ghostbusters in 2019, and would be the fourth major figure company to cover the line after NECA, Mattel and Diamond Select. The first wave of the Plasma Series was announced as the four Ghostbusters and figures of Dana Barrett and Gozer. The Hasbro Ghostbusters are presented in a square box format with a spine down the left and the base of the window and the window then wrapping the top of the box and the right hand side. The design is that of the Ghostbusters uniform, both in colour but also with details like a zip visible and the name of the figure in the same style as the name tags of the Ghostbusters uniform. The left hand spine uses a generic, stylised, image of our four Ghostbusters against a red backdrop. There is no specific art for the figure in the box as we have seen on other lines like Marvel & Star Wars. The back of the box moves to a black finish with some hatching around the top. Rather than the background text we see on other figures, Dana simply gets a quote from the movie... "THERE IS NO DANA, ONLY ZUUL" Beneath this is a checklist of the figures in the wave and a picture of the Build-A-Ghost, Vinz Clortho, and confirmation of what parts come with which figure. It is noticeable that the window for the figure is quite loose and not tight fitting to the box. You can almost push your fingers in the sides and round the back. The reason for this is apparent when you open the figure and find the figure tray and the window are not attached to the box and slide out as one piece. Behind them is a very nice red and black card back featuring blue prints of the Ghostbusters Proton Packs and ECTO-1. 3.0 Like the Star Wars Black Series and Marvel Legends MCU figures, the Ghostbusters Plasma Series figures utilise face print technology to enhance the sculpt and likeness to the base character. Unlike these other lines, the Ghostbuster figures have not yet hit their stride and while the facial print on Dana is good - with dark shading around the eyes and shaping given to the cheekbones - the sculpt beneath is not the best Sigourney Weaver likeness particularly driven by the width of the lower jaw. The hair piece doesn't quite work either as it is one solid permed piece and not swept or blowing back from the face as seen in the movie. The outfit is well recreated with a sheen to the dress without the sheer look. The sash is included tied around the waist and both dress and sash are sculpted in a flowing, blowing motion with good creases and ripples in the fabric. I was pleased to see the sleeves are done so not to be dictated by position - an issue you do see with other flowing robes figures - and that the arms can be moved into any orientation and still have the fabric flow naturally. The exposed arms and legs are cast in a simple flesh tone without and details. The joints are more unsightly on these where they are exposed. 3.0 Other than the BAF part, there are no accessories included with Dana. Considering the other figures include numerous alternative parts, there is a level of value for money missing with Dana and it would have been nice to see an alternative head or a stand of some kind for her levitation pose. N/A Dana Barrett does get a full set of articulation in keeping with the rest of the line with a total count of 16 points of articulation, including double joint knees which are not necessarily needed considering the legs are enclosed by the dress. Head : ball joint neck Body : ball joint waist Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees, ankle rocker Dana does not partake in overly dynamic posing in the movie, and the figure replicates most of what you would want including a number of arm gestures. The waist and legs work well to arch the back if you want the levitating pose which can be achieved with the help of an aftermarket display stand. One pose out of reach is the seated pose on the stone table of the rooftop, and while the legs could get into position, the use of plastic for the dress prevents this. This was an issue with the DST version also. I wonder if we ever came close to a soft goods lower section from Hasbro? 3.5 Despite having full sight of the highs and lows of the Diamond Select Ghostbusters line to look at, Hasbro are going down a very similar route to DST and that was always going to be an issue for characters like Dana who in their single release are very much peg warmer material. There is nothing materially wrong with the Hasbro Dana Barrett. Yes, the head is not 100% but it is still a better likeness than Diamond and the articulation and execution of the body are also an improvement. The issue is that she is just not that dynamic as a character - and like Louis Tully - it is her Terror Dog form that is most desirable to fans. While Hasbro packed a Terror Dog BAF with this wave - I wonder if the better option would have been 2-packs putting Dana and the Terror Dog Zuul in one set, and Louis Tully and Vinz Clortho Terror Dog in the second. In the wider wave of Hasbro Ghostbusters figures she is the least value added and really needed an additional head or levitation stand to line up with the other four Ghostbusters and Gozer. I score the Hasbro Ghostbusters Plasma Series Dana Barrett a total score of 3.0 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Hasbro Database 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... action figures, reviews, review, articulation, hasbro, ghostbusters, plasma series, dana barrett, slimer, marshmallow man

Mezco's next release in the One:12 Collective will be from the Marvel comic universe in the shape of Morbius, the Living Vampire. Morbius was first shown by Mezco at SDCC in 2019 and was slated as a Summer 2020 release. While he is a comic book based release the originally planned release date will have most likely been timed to coincide with the original release date of the Morbius movie from Sony. The Morbius movie has since moved to March 2021 and then forward again in 2022. The figure will feature three head options, a selection of hands and an impressive looking modular mobile Science Lab crate complete with various components such as test tubes, beaker, microscope, analyser and serum gun. Weapons in the crate include stakes, a hammer and a dagger. This mobile lab piece also includes a light up feature The pre-orders are open now with a late 2021 release date between September and November. “I'm not a man to play with bluffs... I mean what I say.” The One:12 Collective welcomes Morbius, the living vampire! Morbius wears a fitted bodysuit with a winged cape and features three head portraits, capturing varying degrees of his grisly nature. The Nobel Prize-winning biochemist comes complete with a multilayer mobile science lab with a light-up function. The removable top layer holds science equipment such as a foldable microscope, handheld hematology analyzer, and removable test tube and beaker, while the bottom layer conceals weapons such as a dagger, customized handgun, and hammer. While attempting an experimental treatment involving vampire bat DNA and electroshock therapy, Dr. Michael Morbius turns himself into a pseudo-vampire in an effort to cure his rare blood disease. As a result, he develops superhuman powers including enhanced agility, strength, and stamina. With an insatiable lust for human blood, the nightmarish vigilante finds himself torn between his human and monstrous natures. Checkout our blog page 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... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors,

The enormous Super7 Ultimates Thundertank has gone up for pre-order along with more images of the vehicle, the packaging and details of the features it includes. The set will retail in the US at $450 and can be ordered directly though Super7 and includes a payment plan option for those spreading the cost. This option is for US Collectors only. Here in the UK, and elsewhere around the world, specific distributors will be making the item available to retailers who will be taking orders for the Thundertank. The UK price is around the £500 mark and retailers are also looking to offer payment plans to help spread the cost The pre-order window is open from the 2nd of February 2021 until the 2nd of April 2021. You will then be waiting until the first quarter of 2022 for your Thundertank to arrive. The vehicle itself measures 27 inch long and 17 inches wide. It can carry up to 6 of Super7's Ultimates 7 inch Thundercat figures. It includes cartoon accurate deco, an opening cargo bay, a mechanical opening jaw, glow in the dark eyes and moving wheels. The closed box packaging features artwork evocative of the original 1980's packaging. ThunderCats, HOOOOO! What if there was a bigger and better vision of the ThunderTank you wanted as a kid? Panthro was in need of a little extra work, so we had him come over to Super7 and help us build the ThunderTank of our dreams! The ULTIMATES! ThunderTank features cartoon accurate deco, opening cargo bay doors, a mechanical jaw, glow-in-the-dark eyes, rolling wheels, and more! Measuring 27” long- that’s over TWO FEET!- and 17” wide, the ULTIMATES! ThunderTank can carry up to six ThunderCats ULTIMATES! figures! You can fit four original ThunderTanks inside the ULTIMATES! version! The ULTIMATES! ThunderTank features: Working rubber tank treads Rolling wheels with steel axles Articulated jaw Articulated arms reveal hidden cannons Forehead panel reveals hidden cannon 2 different windshields - Armored for battle mode & Clear for aquatic mode Opening cargo bay doors Seating for 6 Super7 ThunderCats 7" Ultimates figures Removable, swiveling turret Highly detailed cockpit Highly detailed wall paneling Thundrillium storage container Cartoon accurate deco Checkout our blog page 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... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors,

The Star Wars Black Series Archive line is an avenue for older and more sought after figures to be re-released in the Black Series line and has now reached its 3rd wave. The 2021 Archive wave is also part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Lucasfilm and it contains the winner of the Fan's Choice for Archive re-release, Commander Cody, as well as Grand Admiral Thrawn and Luke & Han from Hoth. The Archive Series moves away from window boxes to a blister card format. The shaped backing card carries the same Black Series logo and uses a black base colour with a grey panel behind the figure window. The character name sits down the left hand side and in line with the Lucasfilm celebration this has changed from grey to gold, and the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary logo sits at the top left of the card. The Gregory Titus artwork is added as an insert to the blister, but disappointingly on my review figure it is actually a Han Solo Hoth image and not that of Cody. This is not an isolated issue either with many collectors reporting the same issue. Considering Commander Cody was the Fans Choice for an Archive repack I would imagine there may be a volume of returns to deal with for stores from in box collectors. The back of the card carries the correct image of Cody and a short piece of background text, which is again new as these were not used when Cody was first released in the Phase 2 box. "A natural and practical leader in the clone army, Cody was a good fit for General Kenobi, to whom he was particularly loyal." The first two Archive waves followed on from the figure detail with some archive information about the original release of the figure and included an original release year and an image of the original packaging. This has now sadly been removed and replaced with the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary timeline that plots the Star Wars Movie & TV properties from 1971 to 2021 - although it doesn't mention the Mandalorian? Under this is short piece of info about the anniversary. "Commemorate the first 50 years of Lucasfilm with figures inspired by the Star Wars animated series" What is interesting about this Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary text is that the reference for Cody is to the animated series, and therefore we assume Clone Wars - while the original figure was based on the Revenge of the Sith appearance of Cody. This hybrid of Archive and Anniversary Exclusive is OK - but really needed to go one way or the other. I would have preferred a traditional Archive release with the background info, or a special card series just for this 2021 anniversary. 3.0 Cody is, as we mentioned above, modelled after his live action appearance in Revenge of the Sith and includes the Phase 2 Clone Trooper helmet with added visor and helmet antennae. The Clone Trooper Armour includes further modifications vs the usual with a further antennae on the left pauldron and a strap & component on the right bicep. The chest piece sports a rank badge and round the back is a sleek rounded backpack. Cody is predominantly cast in white plastic with the infill black undersuit parts painted in where needed. The orange of the armour is added as cast orange plastic pieces on the helmet visor and shoulder armour, and as painted apps elsewhere. This includes a worn look - particularly on the chest markings and those on the left thigh which are painted to look rough and battle worn. A similar process has been used with the grey down either arm. While a new Clone Trooper body is now available to Hasbro, this is a full re-use of the original Commander Cody release from 2015 (Phase 2) and of course this is as it should be for the Archive series. Thee sculpt is identical and the paint décor is the same pattern, other than the boots which had a grey sole on the original figure and have been left plain white on this new 2021 version. The orange markings on our new 2021 Cody also look brighter. 4.0 Cody comes with the standard Clone Trooper weapons - the DC-15S blaster carbine and the longer DC15-A blaster rifle. Both are cast in black plastic with crisp detailing down the body, but with no other paint apps. As with many Black Series weapons a simple metallic drybrush or a touch of detailing in silver would have enhanced these considerably. While newer tooled versions are available for both these weapons, Hasbro have kept the original versions in with Cody and that means they fit into the right hand where a trigger finger slots into place. There is also sufficient articulation in the arms for two handed posing. 3.5 By using the original Clone Trooper body, Commander Cody has a total articulation count of 18 points of articulation, boasting double jointed elbows and knees with a swivel above this to assist in the rotation of the limbs. Head : ball joint pivot neck Body : torso ball joint Arms : ball joint shoulder, bicep swivel, double joint elbow, pivot wrist Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double joint knees, ankle rocker While the joint count and configuration look good, in practice there remains issues with this older Clone Trooper body. The elbows while double jointed are prevented from getting past 90 degrees by the shape of the elbow pad - this was retooled on Captain Rex, but has not been rolled back into this Cody re-release. The shoulder armour also prevents the arms from being raised into a shoulder cradled shooting pose or similar. The legs are mobile enough but thanks to the shape of the upper thigh area there is an issue with a kneeling pose as the upper leg cant come up far enough to support the kneel. 3.5 Clone Commander Cody was a clear winner in the Fan Vote for an Archive re-release and Hasbro have delivered that with no issues in this set. In fact the only gripe over the release is the card which has a big error in the included artwork being from another figure - and the card trying to satisfy both the Archive Series and this 50th Anniversary of Lucasfilm and kind of not doing either justice. Because this is the re-release of the original Cody then it brings with it some historic issues of a figure that is now 5 years old. Sculpt and paint job are fine, but articulation is not the best and has been superseded by an initial tweak to the original Clone body elbows and then a full do-over in 2020. Cody being an Archive release has stifled any opportunities for upgrades and I think had Hasbro pushed him into the new Galaxy Collection and delivered the new body, head sculpt under a removable helmet and that iconic holographic Palpatine delivering Order 66 we'd all be very much over the moon. As it stands for a £20 release this is a good Cody figure, but no better or worse than the original. So if yo have that already, there is no incentive to double-dip unless you are a boxed collector and want all packaging variants. In which case be very mindful you are likely to get a miscard. I score the Archive Collection Clone Commander Cody a score of 3.5 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Black Series Database 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... action figures, reviews, review, articulation, INSERT KEYWORDS

The second wave of the new Galaxy Collection Black Series packaging arrived in Autumn 2020 and was predominantly made up of figures that had been released in the two months prior as contents within exclusive sets, or as tweaked exclusive versions. Within the 8 figure wave however, were two new troopers who were utilising newly designed and better articulated bodies. In this review we look at one of these, the Phase 1 Clone Trooper from Attack of the Clones. The Phase 1 Clone Trooper is the 2nd figure in the Attack of the Clones series, following on from the exclusive Clone Lieutenant from the Summer who was released using the older Clone Trooper body. The highlight colour for Attack of the Clones is a deep red and this is used on the character name and above it in a bold bar that carries confirmation of the source material as AOTC. The colour design is incorporated into the side panel art work that is set at an angle to the box, These art pieces combine to make up a larger montage with the figures either side The Clone Trooper art shows the Phase 1 Trooper advancing into battle with a Republic Gunship in the background art along with the spires of what looks like Geonosis behind it. There is no clue in the art as to what figure may come as #03 in the series. The artwork is repeated on the back with a short piece of background text alongside it. It is disappointing to see this text is a repeat of the text that came on the back of the Kamino Security Clone Trooper and I would have liked to have seen some variance and perhaps how these troopers link directly to Attack of the Clones and the battle on Geonosis. "The Republic Clone Troopers represented the future of galactic warfare. So symbolic were they of the times, the galaxy-wide conflict that saw their debut took its name from their ranks: The Clone Wars" The figure tray slides out of top or bottom flap as a complete unit with window of the box part of the innards to help with recycling. The figure sits in the standard clear tray and the cardboard backing wraps round this and provides the card back when the figure is in the box, Each Galaxy Collection figure uses a light grey card back and that does lead to the Clone Trooper getting a little lost in the box. 3.5 This is a full new body and head for the Clone Troopers who were first released in 2014 during the first phase of Black Series figures. This new body improves on the proportions vs these earlier figures with a more accurate helmet sculpt and size and by adjusting the legs and associated articulation so they stand less lob sided. Each armour panel is essentially cast as an individual piece and that helps the overall look of the figure as well as resolves the older paint issues where white could never quite cover black cast plastic and knee pads and elbow pads looked off. The white used on the new Clone Trooper is bright and clean and with zero paint apps that I can see on the body to go wrong. The helmet is actually sat on a sculpted head underneath. This is a new process from Hasbro which has led to other Clone figures using this body having some warping where the head and helmet are glued together. My review figure was thankfully fine. The helmet will not come off easily being glued and the head underneath is unpainted. The question for me is that if this is easier for Hasbro, why not go the whole hog and give us an unmasked Temura Morrison painted head underneath for some variety in our Clones for display? 4.0 Like most Clone Troopers that have preceeded this release, our Phase 1 Trooper is armed witht the two standard Clone Trooper blasters. The DC-15S blaster is cast in black plastic with zero additional paint apps. It sits into the right hand of the trooper where a flexible trigger finger can be deployed into the trigger. Thanks to the articulation, two handed posing is easily achieved. The DC-15Swas a new piece in the Kamino set and the same new gun is used here. It is slightly smaller than the original 2014 version with some minor sculptural changes. The DC-15A blaster rifle is similarly cast in black plastic with no paint apps and can also fit well into the right hand with trigger finger. It too is the new weapon from the Kamino Trooper and also presents slightly smaller than the original 2014 rifle and with some more notable sculpted changes on the barrel. 3.5 One of the main reasons for a redesign of the Clone body was to improve the articulation. The older figures suffered from blocked elbow joints - even though they had a double joint - and some clunky movement around the legs. The new Clone Trooper has an articulation count of 18 points of articulation with the new butterfly joint added at the shoulders to aid in posing. Head : ball joint neck Body : ball joint torso Arms : butterfly shoulder, ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Leg ; ball joint hips, thigh swivel, single rotating knee, ankle rockers The head is the first improvement on the previous release, sitting higher on the neck and open to a wider range of motion. The arms too are now no longer restricted at the elbows - so even though it is now a single joint, it is much more responsive and can bend much further. The elbow pads are no longer fixed on the joint and are executed as soft plastic that moves over the joint rather than blocking against it. The legs now have a full range of motion with the hips opened up and a knee joint that can bend fully, albeit on a single joint. The knee pad, like the elbow, is soft plastic and floats over the joint and does not impede it. The ankle rockers are secure and tight and the figure will stand pretty well in most poses where both feet can be planted - you do have to learn to use the knee rotation to help keep the feet secure which is a little odd but this ultimately works and looks better than over turning the thigh swivel that then turns the thigh armour too far out. 4.5 The refreshing of the Clone Trooper body has been a good move by Hasbro, opening up options for many more Clones in the coming waves and with articulation to match the latest developments of the line. The release of the Phase 1 Trooper is fine and really for me it should have opened up the Attack of the Clones series - putting that older Lieutenant further down the line and with the revised body. Everything on the Trooper works fine, the new joints are great and the weapons are as we see in the film - minus perhaps a bit of a wash to give some metallic detailing to the barrels and grips. The new helmet format seems unnecessary in terms of having a full sculpted head underneath and I would have loved to see Hasbro go a step further and have this painted and the helmet removable. As it stands the gluing of the helmet in place is causing issues with warping and while I was lucky with my figure, I've seen some terrible ones online. I am firmly onside now with the Galaxy Collection boxes - even though I am a loose collector, so the point is quite moot. The deep red for the AOTC set is bold and colourful and I just wish they had used the same colour or a similar shade for the card back. I also wish they'd add some more specific detail in the character text - not just recycle the same thing from a previous release. These Clone Troopers, along with the standard Storm Troopers, are always going to be needed in the line for both army builders and new collectors coming in. I think going forward a solution like the Marvel Legends Army Builders may be the way to go, or to ensure any repacked figures in waves are army builders like this figure. I score the Phase 1 Clone Trooper a total of 3.5 overall. For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Black Series Database 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... action figures, reviews, review, articulation, star wars, black series, hasbro, attack of the clones, clone troopers, kamino, clone wars

The Star Wars Black Series Archive line is an avenue for older and more sought after figures to be re-released in the Black Series line and has now reached its 3rd wave. The 2021 Archive wave is also part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Lucasfilm and it contains the winner of the Fan's Choice for Archive re-release, Commander Cody, as well as Grand Admiral Thrawn and Luke & Han from Hoth. The Archive Series moves away from window boxes to a blister card format. The shaped backing card carries the same Black Series logo and uses a black base colour with a grey panel behind the figure window. The character name sits down the left hand side and in line with the Lucasfilm celebration this has changed from grey to gold, and the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary logo sits at the top left of the card. The Gregory Titus artwork is added as an insert to the blister and is a new image of Thrawn and not a repeat of the illustration used on the 2017 release. The back of the card carries a further image of Thrawn and a short piece of background text, which is again new and not a repeat of that used on the older Phase 3 packaging. "Thrawn was a male Chiss, with striking blue skin, red eyes and an angular face, known for his brilliant strategic mind and ruthlessness" The first two Archive waves followed on from the figure detail with some archive information about the original release of the figure and included an original release year and an image of the original packaging. This has now sadly been removed and replaced with the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary timeline that plots the Star Wars Movie & TV properties from 1971 to 2021 - although it doesn't mention the Mandalorian? Under this is short piece of info about the anniversary. "Commemorate the first 50 years of Lucasfilm with figures inspired by the Star Wars animated series" This hybrid of Archive and Anniversary Exclusive is OK - but really needed to go one way or the other. I would have preferred a traditional Archive release with the background info, or a special card series just for this 2021 anniversary. 3.5 Grand Admiral Thrawn has been translated from his Star Wars Rebels Appearance into a realistic setting. And while there is no actor as such to base the likeness on, face print tech has been put to good use to give Thrawn a more angular and intense look, complete with the peoples eyebrow. The skin tone is a good shade of blue and the jet black hair swept back from the forehead. The crisp white Grand Admiral Uniform is predominantly cast in white plastic with painted details on his gold epaulettes, the rank badge and the belt piece. The boots are knee high and gloss black This is, as is expected in the Archive line, the same figure as released in 2017 but with the face print update certainly making a difference to the overall likeness and finish of Thrawn who now looks more distinguished and menacing. Aside from this, the only other noticeable difference is on the gun metal silver used on the belt buckle and the collar insignia which is darker on the 2021 version. 4.5 Thrawn is armed solely with a small hold out blaster, cast in a hard plastic with some base detail down the barrel and a ridged grip. It has a gun metal finish applid to it and is the same weapon and paint colour as the original release. It fits in Thrawn's right hand with a trigger finger that slots into place. When not in use it can be holstered where the fit is secure without being overly tight. The Archive release dictates we were never likely to see anything new this time round - although there are plenty of other Thrawn accessories that could have been used as seen in the 2017 SDCC Set. I do suspect more Thrawn releases will be available in our future if the recent name drop in The Mandalorian is anything to go by. 3.5 The Grand Admiral has a total of 16 points of articulation, with no changes on the 2017 release, but certainly an improvement in the waist articulation which is no more free flowing where as my 2017 version was almost static. Head : ball joint neck with pivot Body : ball joint waist Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double joint knees, ankle rockers All the joints on Thrawn are tight and work well with only the thigh joints somewhat restricted by the bottom of his Imperial Uniform Tunic. I do not need Thrawn to be overly dynamic with action poses - but they are there if you wish such as brandishing a blaster - and I am pleased that he can hold his pose with hands behind his back or clasped together. The only thing he cant do that I might have liked is the packaging pose of folded arms - and I know that is wishful thinking. 4.0 The Archive Series by definition is designed to allow collectors who missed out the first time round to add figures like Thrawn into their collection. Implementing the face print update to Thrawn will also make this desirable to existing collectors who have the figure if they deem the new paint apps superior to the one they already have. At a £20 RRP there are not many downfalls to this figure. I do find the packaging a little confused and trying to satisfy two briefs without doing a complete job for either. I score the 2021 Star Wars Black Series Archive Grand Admiral Thrawn a total of 4.0 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Black Series Database Action Figure Hacks During a recent rummage through some older action figure accessories I came across a Ysalamiri accessory that would have come from the POTF2 Expanded Universe Grand Admiral Thrawn from 1998. Of course as any self respecting fan would do, I had to give it a try on the new 6 inch Thrawn and was surprised how well it fit around the Black Series neck. So now I have two Thrawn's in my collection, I am going to let one keep the Ysalamiri pet as a nod to the Legends origins of our favourite Grand Admiral. 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... action figures, reviews, review, articulation, INSERT KEYWORDS

NECA will be releasing a second version of their King Kong figure, this time the paintwork on the figure is replicating the Basil Gogos poster of Kong from 1974. Aside from the paintwork, the figure is identical to the first release and comes with both head options and alternative hands. Like a lot of NECA releases this year, the figure will be a timed exclusive at Walmart first before a general release to all retailers. Kong will go up on the Walmart website later this month (Feb 2021) - or visit the guys at Toyark who have reviewed an advance copy of this figure. Checkout our blog page 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... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors,

The February Marvel Monday reveal and pre-order is a new Deluxe Marvel Legends figure of Maestro Hulk. This alternative version of Hulk features alternative hands and comes in a Deluxe window box. The figure is an August 2021 release with a UK RRP of £34.99. You can pre-order at our affiliates Zavvi and Forbidden Planet and at all other specialist retailers of choice. Complete your collection with the Hasbro Marvel Legends Series Maestro Action Figure, inspired by the rage-fuelled comic book supervillain. With premium detail and accurate proportions, this 6-inch-scale Maestro figure is made true to the comic book source material. Featuring multiple points of articulation, you can pose the character in various different action positions. For any Marvel fan or collector, this is an essential addition to your wider collection. And with numerous other figures to discover, you can test the might of Maestro against the whole Marvel universe (each product sold separately and subject to availability). The Incredible Hulk (otherwise known as Bruce Banner) is one of the greatest heroes in the Marvel universe. Enhanced with power resulting from exposure to gamma rays, he is commonly regarded as a force for good and a protector of Earth. But what if he were a supervillain? In an alternate reality, Banner awoke from induced stasis to find a world devastated by nuclear war, with most of its superhumans wiped out. Becoming disillusioned with humanity, he became ruler of the post-apocalyptic city of Dystopia, now going by the name Maestro – the master/teacher. Combining Banner’s intelligence with the Hulk’s malevolent tendencies, the grey-haired and balding ex-hero was given even greater strength as a result of absorbing the radiation given out by the war. Created by writer Peter David and artist George Perez, Maestro first appeared in The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1 in 1992, introduced as part of Earth-9200.

In early 2020, the existing 13th Doctor figure from Character Options was tweaked to add in the Doctor's bum-bag and packed into a new wave of 13th Doctor era figures as a general release wave in both the UK and the USA. This 13th Doctor featured a red shirt, but on the card back and in some promo images a 2nd version with a light blue top was also illustrated but at the time there was no confirmation of how it would be released. Roll forward to Summer 2020 and the blue shirt variant went up for pre-order via Amazon in the US and it was then confirmed that this would be an USA exclusive While the figure is an Amazon US exclusive, the packaging indicates this was not always the plan as there are some very specific UK warnings on the reverse, particularly the new UK CA mark that replaces the CE mark after Brexit in early 2021. The entire packaging setup is identical to the earlier UK release and includes the Dark Blue header and grey TARDIS illustration that are standard to all current releases. The Doctor is named on the base blue rail, but without any specific episode or season details. The red flash under the figure in the blister window includes some safety warning and then confirms the figure includes Bag and Sonic Screwdriver accessories - although that is a very loose interpretation of accessories considering the bag cant be removed from the figure. The card back still shows all the figures from the early 2020 wave and both variants of the Doctor with bum-bag. The fact this is a blister card is disappointing when much of the Who range has moved to boxes that can be opened and re-sealed if you wish. In this case the only way to open the figure is to destroy the card. Amazon are also placing a large sticker on the blister window which is not easy to remove. 3.5 The nearest reference I can find to the Doctor wearing both a blue shirt and the bum-bag is from Arachnids in the UK (please let me know if I am wrong), although the blue in that episode was darker than what we have on the figure. This potentially makes this more of an inspired by the Jodie Whittaker Doctor's outfit than a dead on accurate representation of a full outfit from an episode. The likeness to Jodie is good, one of the better ones in the line - which itself retains its charm and basic sculpt & features to the same level as when it was launched. Considering nearly 15 years have now passed, it is great to see the 2020/1 figures fit in with the 2006 figures without any problems. The costume is painted in single tone colours - there are no washed or weathering - with the details painted out on top like the stripes on the shirt or the trim down and around the coat. All of this is neat and without any obvious errors. We do get a touch of paint décor on the boots which are painted in brown then weathered with a lighter tan colour to bring out details like the laces and to add wear & tear. This is the same base figure as originally released in 2019 with amended paint apps, and the same bum-bag part as was added in early 2020. Lining all three versions up together, the red top is the most defined in terms of likeness with the new Amazon version having much softer pain around the eyes and hairline. 4.0 The Doctor has her Sonic Screwdriver as an accessory. This is painted silver with golden trim to the emitter end and down the handle. Considering the size, it is still well shaped in line with the onscreen prop. It is the same version as the previous 13th Doctor releases. It is designed to fit in the Doctor's right hand which is sculpted in an enclosed grip with thumb attached to forefinger. This makes the fit very tight and risks paint rub on both Screwdriver and hand as you slot it into position. Unlike other Doctor figures, the shape of the hand is not shaped so that the Screwdriver is being pointed when the arm is outstretched - and sits more as though Jodie is holding it up vertically and taking readings. 3.0 In line with the rest of the long running 5.5 inch Doctor Who line, the Doctor has the basic level of articulation as has been the norm for a number of years with 14 points of articulation in total - although she loses the thigh swivel we see on the other figures which further restricts the legs. Head : neck swivel Body : waist swivel Arms : peg shoulder, bicep swivel, single elbow joint, wrist swivel Legs : T-Joint hip, single joint knee The joints are quite basic, and "of an era" with exposed pins and swivels that move the whole arm out of line when turned. It does mean that this Doctor still fits in with any Doctor Who collection without looking out of place. There is some level of movement in the arms for gesturing and posing. The legs can't kneel or sit due to the cut of the coat, but some slightly wider stances are possible. The Doctor Who figures do not use ankle rockers and the stability of the figure is great with the feet cast flat to the floor for balance. 3.5 Doctor figures with minor costume updates are nothing new for the Character Options Doctor Who line, I lost count on how many David Tennant's we got with variations across his era. While this is the third 13th Doctor in a little under 2-years and although other versions of Jodie's Doctor like the Tuxedo would have been great, these tweaked versions are not unprecedented. What is perhaps a shame with this one is that the outfit doesn't relate to a story, and all it would have needed would have been a darker top to align it to Arachnids in the UK. This aside the figure is well executed and in keeping with the long running Character line in both looks and articulation. As UK collector I appreciate I don't have an automatic right to every exclusive in every line, and certainly region specific exclusives are not unusual. The difference here is that the packaging indicates this was made for the UK market, and something has then changed and pushed the variant into Amazon as a US only release. It is still accessible to UK collectors, albeit at a price premium of circa £20, but as many collectors know Amazon are not the most protective when shipping figures and your card back is likely to arrive in a bubble mailer from the US with some level of damage - and most likely an over sticker on the window. I score the Amazon US Exclusive 13th Doctor variant a total of 3.0 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Doctor Who Database 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... action figures, reviews, review, articulation, character options, character toys, doctor who, dr who, 13th Doctor

The Doctor Who action figure of the 13th Doctor in her burgundy shirt and with bum-bag, was released in March 2020 as part of a 4 figure wave of new figures from the 13th Doctor's era. She was released on a blister card along with 3 other single packed figures of the Recon Dalek, Graham O'Brien and Judoon Captain. Packaging 3/5 The 2020 single figures comes with new packaging, albeit using the same design principles and colours as the more recent B&M releases. We have a shaped blister card with the new series Doctor Who logo atop. The backing for the figure is the grey lined artwork of the TARDIS and this wraps around the right hand of the blister. The character name is also wrapped inside the blister at the base of the figure and names the figure as The Thirteenth Doctor There is no episode sub heading, instead the sub heading is "Action Figure (5.5"/14cm Scale"). In the bottom corner of the blister there is a red insert which details accessories included with the figure. For the Doctor this states "with bag and sonic screwdriver accessories". The bag refers to her bum-bag, which did not appear on the first release of this figure - but it is a bit confusing listing it as an accessory when it can't be removed. The back of the card carries no bio's or story details or text of any kind. Instead we get a checklist of the other releases in the wave via images of each of them - and a look at the 13th Doctor TARDIS that has been released at the same time. There are two 13th Doctor images on the card back. The one that was released is shown in front of the TARDIS, while one in a lighter blue shirt sits with the other figures from the wave. In actual fact the red shirt is the general release - the blue shirt version is not part of this wave, or included in the TARDIS set? Paint & Sculpt 4/5 The figure carries a good resemblance to Jodie Whittaker, but remains consistent with the rest of the Who line - basic face sculpts and painting. The paint applied to the eyes and lips is neat and crisp and the hair is now a darker blonde with some darker roots painted in. The earings are there in her left ear, but not quite as brightly painted as the earlier release. The costume with the red shirt and bumbag was only briefly seen on screen, at the end of Arachnids in the UK (the same episode the Graham O'Brien figures is based on). The proportions of the figure are good with the colours crisp and bright. The stripes on the top are distinct and the long coat is well painted too with the blue collar and very intricate lines of green, yellow and red either side of the buttons. I sadly did manage to get a huge glue spot on one side of my coat which I can't remove. The bumbag is an individual piece, in a softer plastic that wraps the figures waist. It cannot be removed. This is a re-use figure for the Thirteenth Doctor which was originally released in January 2019. The colours have been updated and the bumbag added around her waist, which does actually go someway to disguise the waist joint the older figure carries. Accessories 3/5 The Doctor has her Sonic Screwdriver accessory, another direct re-use from the 2019 release. It is cast in a soft silver plastic with blobs of gold colour in more or less the right places. It is shaped to fit in the Doctor's right hand - but due to the hand shaping it can't really be "pointed" just held out. Articulation 3/5 In line with the rest of the long running 5.5 inch Doctor Who line, The Doctor has the basic level of articulation as has been the norm for a number of years with 14 points of articulation in total - although she loses the thigh swivel we see on a lot of other figures. Head : neck swivel Body : waist swivel Arms : peg shoulder, bicep swivel, single elbow joint, wrist swivel Legs : T-Joint hip, single joint knee The joints are quite basic, and "of an era" with exposed pins and swivels that move the whole arm out of line when turned. It does mean that this Doctor still fits in with any Doctor Who collection without looking out of place. There is some level of movement in the arms for gesturing and posing. The legs can't kneel or sit due to the cut of the coat, but some slightly wider stances are possible. The Doctor Who figures do not use ankle rockers and the stability of the figure is great with the feet cast flat to the floor for balance. Summary The 2020 version of the 13th Doctor, with her burgundy shirt and bum-bag, is a pretty simple tweak from the previous years version - and this is nothing new for the range. How many times did we see that 10th Doctor David Tennant sculpt with varying shirts and suits? The figure carries a good likeness, while retaining the feel of the figures - so she doesn't look out of place alongside figures from 2006. I would have liked a hand shaped to more "point" her sonic screwdriver. And the packaging would be more collector friendly if we could have seen Character hold the Window Box design they started a few years back during the 12th Doctor era. I score the new Thirteenth Doctor action figure a 3 out of 5. See More Doctor Who figures 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... action figures, reviews, review, articulation, doctor who, dr who, the doctor, 13th doctor. jodie whittaker, character toys, character options

February 2021 is the 6th anniversary of The Mephitsu Archives and once again I am pleased to confirm I have put through the renewal to keep us here for another 12-months. My goal is to continue to provide a home for Action Figure News & Reviews in line with my focus area of 6-8 inch figures from Movies, TV and Videogames - including the regular publication of the Sat-TOY-Day newsletter. In 2020 I spent a lot of resource (and cash) focusing on Facebook as our main social media, moving beyond 1600 followers - although the algorithms involved now ensure less than 5% of followers see each post I make. For 2021 I am going to focus mainly on building website presence. I am already pleased to see we rank in the Top 10 now regularly for 'Action Figure News' and are also coming in the top 5 for 'Star Wars Black Series Checklists'. I therefore intend to build on this with a focus in 2021 on the Vault programme - building up the existing Databases and bringing new ones online such as Diamond Select, Jazwares and Super7. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who follows my site, whether it be via social media or direct traffic - and whether it be for news, reviews, store listings or our evolving database format - the reason I keep going is all down to you.... If you are feeling generous then any shares or endorsements via Facebook reviews are always appreciated. Can I also thank Kapow Toys and Geek Bureau for their ongoing site support - and am very happy to talk to other retailers as we have plenty of other advertising options available - particularly with each database page having space for a sponsor. Checkout our blog page 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... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors,

GI Joe has come to Fortnite, with Snake Eyes the latest hunter to come through the Zero Point and into the current season following the likes of The Terminator and Predator into the game. To celebrate this crossover, Hasbro are releasing a special crossover Snake Eyes Classified 6 inch action figure called the Zero Point Edition. It comes with one alternative hand and 10 weapons including his own katana, and Fortnite weapons - Harpoon Launcher, Boogie Bomb, Grenade, Clinger, Chiller Grenade, Submachine and Mythic Shockwave Launcher. A Boogie Bomb Bandoleer will also be included to go over Snake Eyes chest. The figure also features updated décor, including the GI Joe decal on his shoulder. It will be packed in a exclusive box which is dual badged for both GI Joe and Fortnite. The 6 inch scale means this will also be sized to fit with the Jazwares line of Fortnite figures. There is a long wait on this current pre-order with delivery quoted as 15th Jan 2022, although the small print says it could be available sooner and without warning. The US RRP is $39.99 and is currently listed solely on HasbroPulse for US and Canadian collectors. Snake Eyes is a total mystery, but when it comes to G.I. Joe operations, he’s the best there is. Now the mysterious ninja-commando drops off the Battle Bus and joins the Battle Royale in a Fortnite x G.I. Joe mash-up! This special release Snake Eyes: Zero Point Edition figure is highly poseable with multiple points of articulation and comes with iconic weapon accessories inspired by those used by the classic character and seen in the Fortnite Universe. Perfect for G.I. Joe and Fortnite collectors alike, this figure features premium deco and detail inspired by the worlds of G.I. Joe and Fortnite. Includes: Snake Eyes figure, 1 alt hand, and 10 weapon accessories Special release Fortnite G.I. Joe Collab Snake Eyes: Zero Point Edition figure Premium collectible made with the same quality fans have come to expect from G.I. Joe Classified Series Highly detailed deco inspired by the character’s in-game appearance This is the first time a Snake Eyes figure has been released with the iconic G.I. Joe logo on the shoulders Highly posable 6-inch figure with over 20 points of articulation Detailed Fortnite-inspired weapon accessories, including Harpoon Launcher, Boogie Bomb, Grenade, Clinger, Chiller Grenade, as well as the Submachine weapon and Mythic Shockwave Launcher accessories featuring the Weathered Black Wrap deco as seen in-game Includes signature katana, Morning Light, and sheath accessories inspired by the G.I. Joe universe Attach katana and sheath accessories to pose out the figure wearing his Back Bling and holding his Harvesting Tool as seen in-game Comes with Boogie Bomb bandolier accessory that attaches around the figure’s chest and a swappable alt hand holding a ninja throwing star