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In 2020 Hasbro announced that they would be producing figures from the Fox X-Men Movies to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the original X-Men movie. The Fox Marvel Legends would sit as an anniversary line outside of the main Legends releases, and be made up of both single releases and two packs. Four sets were initially announced, with single figures of Wolverine and Mystique and a two-pack of Magneto and Charles Xavier. The line would expand further with releases from Deadpool 2 and exclusives - with two more Wolverine sets, including a 2-pack based on Logan, Wolverine's final outing in the X-Men Universe. The X-Men Movie Legends do not utilise the standard Legends packaging and utilise a box format that is similar in size to those used for the MCU First Ten Years sets in 2018 and the 80th Anniversary series in 2019. The box uses a steel grey base colour with yellow and black X-Men logo and an angled character name coming off this. The figure is presented in a shaped window against a bright yellow background with the Legends logo sitting just above this window on the top left. The side art moves away from the usual coloured movie prints to a silhouette image of Mystique with very subtle highlights on her neck and two bright white eyes as a point of focus. This image is repeated on both sides and also on the back - where there is no other details in terms of character background, movie details or even a checklist of other releases. Once opened the figure slides out in the usual inner plastic tray, the yellow outer tray is now revealed as carrying another X-Men logo and provides a very stark backdrop to the blue skin of Mystique. 3.5 While a movie source is not directly quoted on the box, the initial press release confirmed that this is Mystique as inspired by the X-Men movies. The likeness is very much that as seen in the first batch of movies as played by Rebecca Romijn, and not the more modern Jennifer Lawrence version. The likeness to Romijn is good and the texture of the skin is excellent around the eyes which are coloured in the deep red. The hair is perhaps a little out of line in terms of how it flicks out at the back and a flatter finish into the neck would have been nicer. The entire body is cast in blue, with the same scales applied on the neck, chest, arms and legs the base blue is shaded and the scale sections painted neatly in a darker blue finish to finish the overall look. 4.0 Mystique includes an alternative pair of hands - with one pair of fits and one pair of open hands. Both are cast and sculpted to match the body with the applied textural scales. Swapping in and out is easy enough and the pegs feel robust despite the slim forearms. We also have a transformed human left arm that is aimed to demonstrate Mystiques shapeshifting powers. This swaps out with the normal left arm at the shoulder. Again, the swap out process is painless and without issue.. This alternative hand includes a top section sculpted in blue with the rest of the arm left as flesh coloured with an open hand. It is a clever inclusion for a character like Mystique and looks great on display. 4.0 Mystique features 16 points of articulation, with full movement on all joints in lieu of the slim and unencumbered body design. Head : ball joint neck with pivot Body : torso ball joint Arms : ball joint shoulder, concealed single joint rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double joint knees, ankle rockers. The torso joint is the least mobile joint, rotating fully but with limited forward and backward lean. The arms work really well, including the additional "human" arm which is fully jointed in the same way. While only a single elbow joint exists, it bends to and beyond 90 degrees and allows the relevant combat stances or gestures you'd expect from Mystique. The legs allow Mystique to crouch, sit and kneel - and with a bit of help from a stand she can also perform some impressive martial arts poses. All of Mystiques joints are secure and robust and she can stand perfectly well in most poses. 4.5 Mystique has grown from a generic background bad guy in the early films to an integral part of the Fox X-Men Universe, and it is great to have her in Marvel Legends scale. While this is the earlier version of Mystique, she represents the character really well in terms of sculpt, facial design and execution and the overall body shape and skin texture. Articulation is excellent and all the joints work well and Mystique is very poseable including action and fighting stances. The box design works well, but I still fee l the back of the box is a missed opportunity to give collectors some background on the movie/character. I score the Marvel Legends X-Men 20th Anniversary Mystique a total score of 4.0 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Marvel Legends 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, marvel, legends, wolverine, mystique, professor x, xavier, magneto, x-men, 20th anniversary, hasbro

Tamashii Nations have released the promotional shots for their 1/12 SH Figuarts Wonder Woman in her Golden Armour from WW84. The set will include two head options as well as alternative hair pieces and alternative hands. The wings are removable, and when extended they are supported by display stand components. She is armed with the lasso of truth, with a second furled lasso that hooks on her belt. WW84 Golden Armour Wonder Woman will be a May 2021 releae. 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,

I missed this back in October when it was confirmed by Jazwares, but we have a Slushy Soldier 6 inch figure heading to the Legendary Collection. Originally planned for a Festive Release in December 2020, the figure looks to have been delayed into 2021 now - which is a shame. Slushy Soldier will include his Icicle Harvesting Tool, Harpoon Gun, Heavy Shotgun, Tactical Submachine Gun and Sniper Rifle. His back bling will be the Combat Wreath and he will also include a large shield potion accessory. The figure will be a Walmart exclusive in the US. It is unclear at this stage if Slushy Soldier will reach UK stores? Level up with the Fortnite Legendary Series Figure Pack! This 6-inch articulated action figure has incredible details and features a premium loadout. The 6-inch scale is perfect for Fortnite in real life, fitted with a Harvesting Tool, Weapons, a Back Bling, and a Consumables! The Slushy Soldier 6-inch action figure features interchangeable faces, 36+ points of articulation, and highly detailed decoration inspired by one of the most popular outfits from Epic Games Fortnite. Slushy Soldier is equipped with the Icicle Harvesting Tool, Combat Wreath Back Bling, a Large Shield Potion Consumable, and Harpoon Gun, Heavy Shotgun, Tactical Submachine Gun, and Suppressed Sniper Rifle Weapons. Official Licensed Product. More outfits are dropping soon. 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,

In 2016 a set of three Astromech droids from The Battle of Yavin (A New Hope) were released as a Toys R Us Exclusive. Roll forward 2-years and a follow up set, The Red Squadron, was announced by Hasbro, this time as an Amazon exclusive in the absence of Toys R Us who ceased trading in early 2018. The set was sold only by Amazon US and not on the UK site, and other than a few higher priced imports - fans had to order via the US in order to add this set to their collection. The Red Squadron packaging is identical to the original Astromech Toys R Us Exclusive. It uses the same principles as the Phase 3 black series with a black coloured box and red accent colour on the text and side spine - but interestingly not as a backing colour to the figures which is also black. Due to the size of the droids vs figures in other Multipacks', and to retain the height on the box to match the other Phase 3 releases, we find a much smaller window on this set with the three droids laid out under the Star Wars Black Series logo. The artwork from Gregory Titus then lines up directly under the window and under each droid while their name is then printed in red aside each illustration. The overall set name, Red Squadron, sits in he usual position on the bottom left of the box front. The back of the box splits into three segments, one for each droid, and the segments contain the same Titus artwork overlaid with some background text for each droid. R2-D2 A resourceful astromech droid, R2-D2 showed great bravery in rescuing his masters and their friends from many perils. A skilled starship mechanic and fighter pilot's assistant, he served Luke Skywalker during the Battle of Yavin alongside Red Squadron. R5-D8 A red astromech droid used by Jek Tono Porkins - Red Six - during the Battle of Yavin, R5-D8 saw time on both Y-Wing and -Wing starfighter during his service to the alliance R2-X2 Astromech droids are a series of versatile utility robots generally used for the maintenance and repair of starships and related technology. R2-X2 was Red 10 Theron Nett's droid and served in the Battle of Yavin. The droids do not sit in a a traditional inner tray, but rather a black gloss plastic tray with no visible backing card. The tray itself sits in an inner brown cardboard piece with the droids held in place by small plastic ties. 3.5 The Black Series Astromech sculpt base was established right back at the start of the line in 2013 with the first R2-D2 figure. It is recognized by many as being undersized for the 6 inch line of figures and certainly does not fully line up to the heights of these droids as seen on screen. Hasbro have however remained faithful to the sculpt and all Astromech droids have been based on this 2013 version - including all three in this set. R2-D2 is essentially the same figure as released back at the start of the Black Series, but he has been given a weathered makeover for this set to create some variation. The base of the droid and legs are cast in white with blue painted segments and silver trim, with the foot wiring picked out in bronze. The dome is a silver colour, with the same blue trim in the various panels around the head. The photoreceptor eye is black with some red detail underneath where the display panel sits on the prop. The weathering is added in brown, to recreate mud & dirt. It fits with the dirt and grime as we find Artoo after the escape from Tatooine and the Death Star. There is also a large white panel on the dome where Artoo is hit during the Battle of Yavin. This is less obvious in terms of what it is trying to portray and I think some scorching and burning would have been key to this specific damage. R2-X2 is a green Astromech and was essentially only seen in very brief shots in the Yavin hanger and being loaded into the slot of an X-Wing. The figure uses the same dark green base colour with a silver dome and silver panels around the body. Similar weathering is added to X2 with most concentrate on the dome area. R5-D8 uses the R5 dome first established in the 2016 set with R5-K6 and latterly in 2017 with the R5-D4 exclusive release. The entirety of the body is cast in white with red panels added on the body and legs and as a thin trim around the top of the head. Silver detail is used too on the three eye segments on the head and on panels down the body, with a touch of blue also added to some segments on the right hand side. R5 also carries weathering, although this is more subtle and more like an aging effect than applied dirt and grime with a yellow/sandy splash effect across the main body and around the dome. R5-D8 also features an Aerial on the dome. This is cast in black and is in a rubbery material so it does come a little warped, but by retaining some flexibility it is not at risk of snapping easily if knocked or mishandled. 3.5 While the original R2-D2 came with a variety of parts to enhance the figure - boosters, scopes and radars - these figures come with nothing. And yet all of the parts on the figure that would accommodate these accessories remain in place and can be popped off. The panels on each leg, where the boosters would fit, can be clipped off. And on the two R2 units, all of the head panels are removable to show off slots underneath for the radars and scopes. All three Droids come with the same level of articulation. The legs are jointed at the body and with a further pivot at the "ankle" so the feet can be posed for standing straight or for angling in a travel position. The dome rotates and in doing so the lower central travel leg extends or contracts from the main body. This additional leg also includes a pivot on the foot section for straightening into the ground. This mechanism works well, but links the dome position to the additional leg - so you have to use the counter-clockwise click to position the dome into the position you want without opening the leg. All three legs are fitted with rollers for pushing the droids along the ground. All of the droids also retain the manipulator arms in the main body. The two long panel down each side of centre are hinged to open. Inside are arms that swing out from a top fixed position. On the right is the interface arm which is cast in grey with a blue segment two thirds of the way along. On the left is the grasping arm claw, again cast in grey and with a gold segment just ahead of the claw end piece. These are a little tricky to engage due to their size and location, and those with fat fingers like myself may need some assistance from a paperclip or similar to extend them outward. 3.5 After hanging on for this set to come into a decent price bracket for nearly 2-year, I am glad to have these droids in my collection as I do feel that they add some background character to a display mostly made up of humanoid figures. The size issue is well publicised, but this far into the line I think there may be more of an outcry if it was changed. What we do get is well sculpted & proportioned droids with a decent enough paint job and some weathering to give them the worn Universe look that George Lucas originally envisaged. The Droids come with articulation I would expect from a Droid figure including that clever feature to extend and retract the additional leg. They just perhaps need extras like the original single packed R2-D2 to give the set some value considering the RRP is the same as three general release figures. I score the Red Squadron Astromech set of R2-D2, R5-D8 and R2-X2 a total 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, star wars, black series, hasbro, a new hope, astromech, red squadron, R2-D2

Shortly after the announcement of the new Star Wars Black Series Galaxy Collection, four new figures were revealed as part of a mini assortment from the final season of The Clone Wars. The four figure wave would be a Walmart Exclusive in the US - and via the Fan Channel elsewhere - and yet would still be numbered and have the side art designed to line up with the general releases from The Clone Wars. The wave featured a new Ahsoka Tano figure, one of her 332nd Clone Troopers, a loyalist Mandalorian and one of Darth Maul's Mandalorian Super Commandos. The Mandalorian Loyalist is the 4th figure in The Clone Wars series of Galaxy Collection figures and the box design follows the yellow colour accent for the Clone Wars releases. The art panel is in greyscale, with a yellow hue at the base of the image to add some colour. The Loyalist has been illustrated with his left hand raised and clenched with his Whistling Bird launcher primed and ready. This image is repeated on the back with a short piece of background text. "When Darth Maul betrayed and defeated Pre Vizsla, Death Watch splintered into two groups. Those who wanted to embrace Mandalore's warrior heritage remained loyal to Maul". I personally find the background text confusing in context to the Mandalorian Loyalists who fought against Maul on behalf of Bo-Katan. The text talks more about those loyal to Maul and gives little context to these troopers who fought in the Siege of Mandalore and there motives and allegiance. Like all Galaxy Collection figures, watch out for the numerous tape pieces holding the shaped box in check. The figure is accessed via the top or bottom flap and the tray and window slide out as a single unit with the window separate from the box to aid recycling. 4.0 The Loyalist is a figure that is based off animated content (The Clone Wars) and therefore like all translations of this nature there has been some element of moving the figure into a real world setting. This has been done using the existing Jango Fett figure as a base. That figure in itself comes with some issues in proportion - among other issues - and the figure is a little squat in its overall look. The figure has been repainted fully vs the original Jango and features a couple of repurposed elements to match the onscreen look of the Loyalist. The arms remain the same as those included on Jango, and include a lower forearm that is connected to the upper arm by some flexible black piping. The upper legs are swapped out and have no armour at all and instead there are fixed holsters on the thigh. The helmet is also new and looks to be based on the design of the more recent Din Djarin Mandalorian helmet in its shape. It is also much bigger, and does contribute to the proportion issues looking alot bigger on this body than say the Din Djarin helmet on his body. The colour scheme is the blue and grey of the Loyalist faction with most parts cast in the base colour with the application over the top of highlighted detail like the scratches on the chest plate or the red indicators. There are decals applied to either shoulder and the lower segments of the arms and the knee pads picked out in silver. The same blue/grey is applied to the helmet, with a sweeping panel on the cheeks with a blue trim to the T-shaped visor. . Everything is well painted and the lines straight and with no obvious issues. 3.5 The Loyalist is packed with a Jet Pack accessory. This is the same Jetpack as used with the original Jango Fett figure and the Mandalorian Super Commando in the same wave. It is cast in a light grey plastic, with darker grey panels added around the central section and down to the thrusters. Red is then painted around the top of each side thruster and the central panels. It fits onto the back of the figure by way of three plugs that correspond to sockets on the Mandalorian back. Once in place the pack is well proportioned to the figure and sits very securely in place. The Loyalist is armed with a pair of the Westar 35 MandalTech blasters which were originally included with Sabine Wren. These are cast in grey plastic and without the gunmetal finish that was applied to Sabine's weapons. They fit snugly in either hand, with each hand having a trigger finger option. When not in use they can be slid securely into the thigh holsters. 3.5 As the Loyalist utilises the older body of Jango Fett - it comes in with a total of 16 points of articulation. Like the original figure, these are not the best set of joints and the elbow in particular is very weak for a Black Series figure and can't even bend to 90 degrees, making the wielding of the blasters very flat when posing. Pushing the elbow too far will also snap those thin wires on either side. Head : ball joint pivot neck Body : ball joint waist Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbows, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees, ankle rockers In contrast the shoulders work really well with the pauldron withdrawing into the chest armour as the arms are raised which is pretty slick in the engineering. The head has full motion, and while it gets this via a pivot in the neck - the pivot is not overly obvious thanks to the black neck piece paint job. The legs are actually much improved on Jango having had the top thigh replaced. With no armour to restrict movement, the hips work quite extensively although they are a little loose which causes issues with stability The ankle rockers on first inspection are tight and very well ratcheted, but when you start to pose the figure they will frustrate you no end. They feet are designed as such that the bend on the rocker can't get to a true flat foot position because the armour panel on the foot hits the armour panel on the shin. When you couple this with the tiny feet to start with, and the fact figure is back heavy from the Jet Pack, we have a very unstable figure that I could not get to stand under any circumstance unaided. Once dropped onto a foot peg stand, the issue is resolved. And like a number of Mandalorian Jetpack figures, the articulation will support flight poses with an appropriate aftermarket stand which actually brings the figure alive more so than any ground stances which all look a little clunky. 3.0 The Clone Wars Exclusive Wave has brought us four figures that are essentially tweaked and repainted variants as opposed to brand new figures. Like the Mandalorian Super Commando, the Loyalist looks OK but retains some of the squat proportional issues of the original Jango Fett donor figure, including the tiny feet. There are also articulation issues in the elbows that are disappointing compared to the usual Black Series articulation. There is also the repeat issue that Hasbro have chosen to make an Army Builder, that collectors may want more than one of, an exclusive. This then includes a premium price of circa £25 / $25 and very limited availability. I score the Mandalorian Loyalist a distinctly average 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, star wars, black series, Mandalorian, clone wars, galaxy collection, season 7

The NECA Shady Acres Ace Ventura 8 inch figure will be released at the end of December, and ahead of his release NECA have revealed the packaging design for the figure. Ace features soft goods tailored clothing, including his tutu. He has two head options and the set also includes Wiggles, the Yorkshire Terrier. From the 1994 comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, this clothed action figure is based on Jim Carrey’s appearance as he goes undercover at Shady Acres to investigate the mysterious Ray Finkle. Ever-stylish, Ace is dressed in a short sleeve button up, plaid shorts, and a tutu, standing 8″ tall and is fully articulated. Additional contents include 2 brand new head sculpts and an accessory of Wiggles, the Yorkshire terrier. Window box packaging.

Lanard Toys, the company behind The Corps and recently a kid focused line of Aliens action figures, are moving into figures from the Predator series. The Hunter Series will be a line of 7 inch tall Predator figures with a reported 25 points of articulation. The figures will include weapon accessories and come window boxed. The first wave, due in March 2021, features the City Hunter, Jungle Hunter and the Berserker. The figures are exclusive to Walmart in the US and should see a release as a Smyths exclusive line here in the UK. The line also includes a 12 inch Predator. The 12 inch Predator features an opening mouth function and a light up shoulder canon.

Two of the upcoming McFarlane DC Multiverse figures - Gorilla Grodd and The Flash from Injustice - have gone live on the Target website in the US. Gorilla Grodd is based on his look from Injustice 2 including the golden armour. He comes with the usual display stand and collectible art card. The Flash, also from Injustice 2, comes with lightning punch, lightning kick and sonic bolt FX pieces as well as the base and art card. Both Grodd and Flash are being badged under the DC Comics Gaming heading on Target, but it is doubtful this will manifest in any significant difference in the packaging. Both figures release in April 2021. Telepathic brute, Gorilla Grodd, has long sought to prove his peerless genius by subjugating mankind. He’s gone so far as to form an anti-Justice League, the Society, to once and for all smash their opposition. Using his intellect and telepathy Grodd enlists others in his mission to conquer the planet and fill void of power left by Superman’s Regime. Incredibly detailed 7” scale figures based off the DC Multiverse Each figure comes with a base and with various character specific accessories Designed with Ultra Articulation with up to 22 moving parts for full range of posing and play Gorilla Grodd is based on the videogame Injustice 2 Gorilla Grodd is featured in various armor pieces and the Tournament Shader Includes collectable art card with Gorilla Grodd artwork on front and character biography on the back Collect all additional McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse Figures. Once known as the Fastest Man Alive, Barry Allen has hung up his boots in public shame after defecting from the Regime. However, as a new enemy threatens the innocent, The Flash returns to action, determined to redeem himself. Incredibly detailed 7” scale figures based off the DC Multiverse Designed with Ultra Articulation with up to 22 moving parts for full range of posing and play The Flash is based on the videogame Injustice 2 The Flash is featured in his Speedster Armor Set and the Scarlet Speedster Shader The Flash Includes Lightning Kick, Lightning Punch, Sonic Bolt, and Base. Includes collectable art card with The Flash artwork on front and character biography on the back 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,

Hasbro have revealed a re-release of a set of Transformers Studio Series figures in 2021 (we assume) in a new yellow themed packaging that they are badging the Buzzworthy Collection. The Transformers included are all Bumblebee figures, or linked to the Bumblebee movie. The figures all retain their original Studio Series numbering, but with the addition of "BB" at the end. Up first is 15BB Bumblebee as see in the 2018 Bumblebee movie with a Charlie figurine. This was originally released as the Charlie's Garage set with additional customizable additions for Bumblebee. Also from the 2018 movie is Shatter, 40BB with alternative car mode. Next is 26BB, World War II Bumblebee from The Last Knight with alternative armoured car mode. And the four release set is rounded out with 74BB, a new release of Bumblebee from Revenge of the Fallen with a mini Sam figurine. As yet, other than these images, there is no official details for these figures so we are awaiting an update from Hasbro. 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,

Following on from the release of an Ultimate Gizmo from Gremlins in 2017, NECA turned to the Gremlins themselves in 2019 developing a new articulated base body for the creatures. The NECA team would go on to release three Ultimate sets in 2019 - an Ultimate Gremlin, Gamer Gremlin and this release of the Gremlin's ringleader, Stripe. Stripe is packed in the standard Ultimate closed box packaging with the front art based on movie poster artwork from 1984 with Stripe bursting out of the movie poster itself featuring Gizmo and scrawling "We're Here" on the top in red. The colour theme for the box is a pale blue and this is used on the two side panels with the Gremlins logo in dark blue running down them. The back of the box gives us images of the Stripe figure presented in a movie film strip design that covers two thirds of the rear box. Above this sits a short movie premise for the film "A gadget salesman is looking for a special gift for his son and finds one at a store in Chinatown. The shopkeeper is reluctant to part with the "mogwai" but sells it to him with the warning to never expose him to bright light, water, or to feed him after midnight. All of this happens and the result is a gang of gremlins that decide to tear up the town on Christmas Eve." The figure can be revealed by way of an opening flap on the front of the box that is secured by a Velcro fastening, The inside of this flap carries another image of the figure with his chainsaw against a smoky blue background. While this Ultimate box format is well established, it does not lend itself to displaying the figure easily in box and I am still unclear on the purpose of the additional flap other than to display additional artwork. The figure itself is accessed via top or bottom flap of the box and is packed into an inner plastic tray that then sits in a cardboard tray that uses the same smoky blue design as the front image. The various accessories surround Stripe in the box with tape used to hold in the circular saw blade and twisty ties holding in Stripe around the legs, arms and waist. 3.5 NECA always deliver fantastic sculpts, particularly on monsters like the Gremlins and Stripe is no exception. The head sculpt is spot on with the raised eye brows and realistic red eyes. The mouth too is fully detailed with individually sculpted teeth set into a pink gum. Round the back we have the hair that gives Stripe his name and this is less impressive. It is soft goods and glued onto the head with the lining hanging loose down the back - it reminds me of the fur pieces you used at school to make pictures. The hair is very easily ruffled and will need constant shaping back into the right shape, it also sheds very easily. The body is well proportioned with elongated arms that end in wicked claws and stubby legs. The paint job is neat and enhances the reptilian skin with a deep green base colour and lighter beige markings and panels. 4.0 The concept of the Ultimate Series is to provide a base figure and a wealth of accessories that can be used to create different looks/scenes from the movie. Stripe has three individual parts that are all taken from the final showdown at the end of the movie in the Kingston Falls Department Store. We start with the circular saw blade as used as a throwing star weapon in the DIY department. It is well recreated in scaled plastic retaining the hook of the teeth - without being sharp - and the cut in and central hole. It is coloured in a metallic silver. The central hole looks to line up with one of Stripe's claws to create a grip position with his thumb holding the other side. This makes it quite secure in the single set of hands that come with Stripe. Accessory two is the Skateboard that Stripe uses to get around inside the store. This again is scaled well to the figure and includes real grip tape on top and moving wheels. The bottom section includes wood effect grain and you can even see the bolts and pivots of the wheel brackets. Stripe is not the easiest to stand and unless you use his hands for a counter balance you will need a foot peg stand or similar to pose him. Therefore balancing him on a skateboard is not easy - and to maintain the realism, NECA did not put peg holes on the deck of the board which would have helped massively. The final, and biggest accessory, is the Chainsaw piece. This is cast with a yellow body and black blade with various company and safety markings applied to the motor and blade. The blade has sculpted teeth and chain and there is even a lead and plug at the other end other machine. You will need to manoeuvre the grip of the chainsaw into Stripe's hand and then pose the other hand up and into the second handle behind the guard. Once done so the chainsaw will hold in place, but if you pose it extended too far it will overbalance Stripe - a stand is even more a necessity with the chainsaw poses. 4.0 As we have heard, standing and posing Stripe is not easy considering the proportions of his body and trying to balance that huge head and ears on such small legs and feet. A stand is definitely required. He comes with 20 points of articulation in total and nearly all of them arrive in a stuck position. Stripe, and the other Gremlins, needs heat treatment before you start posing and needs handling with real care considering the amount of breakages I've seen shared online. Head : ball joint ears, pivot jaw, ball joint neck to head, ball joint neck to body Body : ball joint waist Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs: ball joint hips, single knee joint, single ankle joint, ankle rocker While we have 20 joints to play with, a lot of them have limited range of movement. The head will rotate on the top ball joint and can also be tilted and angled which is quite extensive. The lower neck joint however adds very little extra movement and simply rotate in the torso. The jaw opening is not huge but allows a variation in expression, as do the ears which can be folded back and rotated a touch although most rotation is kept in check by the shape of the head. The arms are the most mobile of all the body parts but are still held back by the shoulders which cant raise up by very much thanks to the ridges in the shoulders clashing into the torso. The elbow should really have been a double joint to help out - but instead it bends to just under 90 degrees. This is enough to hold and pose the Chainsaw, which I guess is what you want. The legs as we know don't stand too well without either a peg stand, or using the long arms as a further point of balance. The hips do not move too much in the hip joint, and then the knee and ankle joints are single direction pivots with only the ankle rocker offering some rotation. You will not have Stripe's legs in anything other than the neutral pose. 2.5 The Ultimate Stripe from Gremlins is more or less exactly as I expected from NECA. It is a brilliant looking figure apart from the hair - which takes some work to keep it as it was designed. The accessories are relevant and accurate to scenes from the movie. And while there are loads of joints on the figure, they are provided with the aesthetics taking priority so many do not move as extensively as we'd perhaps first expect. It is a shame that a figure like this arrives needing some treatment in hot water or with a hairdryer, something more casual collectors or those not familiar with NECA may not know and I can understand now having handled this figure and posed him over a week or so how things will break all too easily. I will give NECA's Ultimate Stripe a total score of 3.5 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our NECA 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, neca, ultimate, gremlins, stripe

Following on from their teaser image last week, Storm Collectibles have now released the full details for their Golden Axe Death Adder figure. Death Adder, the main protagonist in the classic console game, is presented as a seamless body which basically means that there are no visible joints and instead the joints sit within the body with a flexible plastic/rubber used over the top to allow posing and articulation - essentially how a real body works. The downside of this will be the wear and tear and longer term damage the rubberised body parts that do articulate so it will be interesting to see what materials Storm have used to mitigate against this. Death Adder will stand 260mm / 10 inches tall and will come with four pairs of hands and an axe weapon. He will be released in the 2nd quarter of 2021 (April - June) with preorders currently open and a US price point of $110. DEATH ADDER is the main antagonist of the Golden Ax series, having multiple appearances throughout the games. A fearsome descendent of the evil giants that survived the battle against the gods many years ago, the serpentine Death Adder seeks nothing more than to conquer the world and rule as emperor. Features: Seamless Joints Body 261mm Tall 4 x Pairs of Hand 1 x Axe Estimated Release Date: Q2 2021 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,

London based company The Noble Collection have been around for some time creating prop replica's and high end collectibles from key fantasy licenses such as Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. As of October this year, they are branching out into toys with a new line called "Bendyfigs" "These authentic, intricate figures from your favorite brands come in a unique and flexible form factor. Proudly display each character with the included stand. Bendyfigs™ are fun for kids and a detailed collectible for fans of all ages — they’re Toyllectible™!" Bendyfigs are a 7 inch scale figure that utilise a seamless body that can be posed and articulated by what we assume is a metal armature under the rubber body. Over this we have sculpted or soft goods clothes - whichever is appropriate. The figures are sold on generic blister card and they feature a display stand in the pack. All of this for an impressive RRP around the £12 mark. The lineup is also impressive, and launches with Lord of the Rings with figures already showing up in B&M stores in the UK. We have Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and Gollum in the first series, with a Sauron figure incoming in the new year. They also have figures planned for Universal Monsters, Star Trek, Harry Potter and DC - with a launch wave of four figures planned for each, and shown on their website as digital sculpts. The figures are stylised in their facial likeness and they look to be made to a 7 inch height and not a true scale with Gollum for example being the same height as Gandalf, which is a shame but likely allows them to use the same base body for all figures. Visit the Bendyfigs Website for more details Universal Monsters :- Frankenstein's Monster, Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula and the Creature for the Black Lagoon. Star Trek :- Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Uhuru Harry Potter :- Harry, Hermione, Dumbledore and Dobby DC :- Superman, Batman, The Flash and The Joker 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,