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  • NECA Ultimate Ghostface from Scream!

    NECA have released images for the packaging of their Ultimate Ghostface from Scream. The figure will be shipping shortly and should be in stores (in the US at least) before Christmas. Ghostface will come with a soft goods robe and various mask options to reflect his look through the various Scream movies. He will be armed with three different knives and a scythe accessory. NECA is proud to announce one of the greatest slashers to come out of the 90s is joining the Ultimate line! Ghost Face, a costume worn by every villain in the Scream franchise, stands approximately 7″ tall, is dressed in an all fabric robe for full pose ability, and comes with a disturbing amount of sharp objects including 3 knives and a scythe. This Ultimate offering also comprises of 4 interchangeable heads including the original mask, the bloody variant, a zombie mask, and a glow in the dark mask. Window box packaging 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,

  • Review : Doctor Who, History of the Daleks Set #4, The Daleks Master Plan (B&M Exclusive)

    The first batch of Doctor Who Exclusives at B&M stores arrived in Summer 2020, and soon after it was confirmed a 2nd batch were planned for an Autumn 2020 release. After the first two History of the Daleks Set from the Summer releases, the Autumn 2020 sets would take us to Set 3 and 4 and to the remaining 1st Doctor stories of The Chase and The Dalek Master Plan. In this review we look at History of the Daleks #4, The Daleks' Master Plan The 4th of the History of the Dalek sets uses the same packaging design as the others - which means the slanted window does still obscure one of the two Daleks in the set. The box design uses a blue and grey base tone, with line drawn illustrations of the TARDIS in the grey panels on the front and on both sides. The set is named under the window in grey text against the blue backdrop. The "History of the Daleks #4" name is given story context with a red insert at the base of the window that confirms the source story of Daleks' Master Plan and the year, 1965. A gold sticker on the window identifies this as a Limited Edition. The back of the box carries an image of the two Daleks in the set along with a very extensive write up of the story of Daleks' Master Plan as well as the background to the Dalek props. As is usual with these text pieces - there are a number of grammatical issues and the text is perhaps too in depth, giving away the full story and ending of Master Plan. THE DALEKS' MASTER PLAN (1965) The TARDIS materialises on the Planet Kembel. There the Doctor and his friends meet Space Security Service agents and learn of the Daleks' latest scheme, which is centred on a weapon called the Time Destructor. They decide to warn the authorities on Earth but the human leader Mavic Chen, Guardian of the Solar System, is a traitor in league with the Daleks. The Doctor steals the Taranium core of the Time Destructor, disrupting the Daleks' plans. Chen immediately dispatches Space Security Service agent Sara Kingdom to track down the Doctor, but unaware of Chen's treachery, he eventually convinces her of the truth. She then joins forces with them and they travel back to Kembel. There, the Doctor manages to steal the Time Destructor and turn it against the Daleks, annihilating them. Sara Kingdom however ignores his instruction to return to the TARDIS, and she is aged to death outside the ship. Alongside the full synopsis of the story is a bit of history about the Dalek props from the 1965 serial. This is a little confused in the message it is trying to convey and less interesting than the previous sets in terms of the background goings on. It will be interesting to see if they are able to keep this level of prop detail going into the future sets. The Dalek Props Only eight weeks after their last studio use, the same four main props from The Chase returned with one being painted with black dome and skirt to function as the Supreme Dalek as it had before. It was the huge demands of the Daleks' Master Plan's 12 episode schedule production which led to Shawcraft Models (the original fabricators of the Dalek props) to request less work from Doctor Who, and heralded the end of their time with the show. Four silver props were used together in a filmed sequence of the Daleks burning down the jungle with flame-thrower, So presented here in this set are the Dalek Supreme and silver done with flame attachment. The box opens via the top flap, held in place by three circular taped panels which need to be cut or carefully peeled off. The innards contain a cardboard backdrop and clear plastic tray containing the Daleks. Each Dalek is held in with a cotton tie that is easiest snipped from the back. The flame effect is taped into place. The cardboard insert carries an image of the Dalek city interior, using false perspective to try and make the backdrop appear bigger and further away than it actually is. There is little option to use this out of the box as a diorama piece as the sides remain plain brown cardboard. 3.0 The set uses the long established Classic Dalek body, with the updated central panels as seen in the previous set from The Chase. The drone is painted all in silver with a black rimmed base and back behind the vents of the neck section. Hemispheres are painted in a pale blue as are the rings of the eye stalk. The eye stalk ends with a black eye piece and painted white iris. This is the flame unit Dalek drone so the usual sucker arm has been replaced with a cylindrical end piece for the body of the flame thrower. Paint applications are OK, although our review drone had a large plastic defect on the left hand side just under the central slats. The Drone is the same figure as released in 2011 in the Enemies of the 1st Doctor set alongside a Roboman and Tenth Planet Cyberman. The older model boasts slightly better colouring on the blue hemispheres and a slightly darker translucent yellow on the headlights on the head. The 2011 model also has a plain grey central mount for the gun and flamethrower - while the 2020 version see's this painted fully in silver. The Dalek Supreme uses the same body as the Drone, but with the standard Sucker arm in place. The skirt and dome are painted in black with the central segment left silber. The hemispheres use the same pale blue tone, as does the rings of the eye piece. There were no obvious paint issues on the Supreme. We have seen this Dalek Supreme before in the range, released in 2013 as an exclusive two pack with the 1st Doctor. Like the Drone, the blue is a shade darker and brighter than the newer model. The central piece on the 2013 Supreme was also originally plain grey and has been painted silver on the new 2020 version. There is a difference too in the headlights which are a deeper yellow on the old model. The painting of the iris in the eye stalk is also different with a full iris on the 2013 Supreme, but with a contracted iris on the 2020 model. We usually skip accessories on most B&M sets, particularly Dalek ones, but in the case of the Daleks' Master Plan we have one to look at. The Flame FX piece is cast in a translucent plastic with variated colour added starting with an orange at the base and transitions out to a yellow tone at the tip. This slot sinto the hole on the flame unit to give a flame firing effect. This is the same flame piece as the 2011 Master Plan Dalek, and it was also used for the Mechanoid flame effect in the 2012 Chase Set. 4.0 Both Daleks have 4 points of articulation with the rotating dome and pivot eye stalk on the head and the ball joint sucker and gun arm that are plugged into the body and can move on a full 360 degree range. Each Dalek also runs on three castor wheels, two fixed and one swiveled so they can be pushed along the floor. All of this is in line with what the Daleks on screen (and the original props could do). The only real enhancement that could have been considered would have been a telescoping sucker arm - which would be difficult at the scale. The Daleks' Master Plan set (History of the Daleks #4) is another solid release with a £20 price point. As a long standing Who collector - and with a Son who is starting out with a similar passion - it is great to see these older figures revisited and available to newer fans. It is however worth noting this is the 4th Classic Silver/Blue set we have had this year and looking at the B&M shelves there may be a bit of buyer fatigue setting in. While producing all the 60's era Daleks at the same time will likely be saving money in production, I do worry if the line has the legs to go the full distance through to Remembrance and beyond - and Character & B&M may have been better mixing up the releases to put different colours of Daleks into the mix in the same year. I still have an issue with the packaging, which obscures half of one Dalek and is a design I think Character should consider changing for future sets, although keeping the dimensions and artwork the same for MIB collectors to have some level of consistency. The Dalek's themselves are well done, despite a body that is now 10 years old. One of my figures had some excess flash on the side from the mold - but paint was fine, and certainly much better than we saw at the start of the year with the Invasion of Earth Daleks. For £20 these represent pretty decent value for money and they do offer some minor variations to the original releases - if you are a collector that likes to own all variations. I score the B&M Exclusive Doctor Who History of the Daleks #4 a total of 3.5 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, doctor who, dr who, character options, character toys, 1st doctor, dalek, daleks master plan, B&M stores, exclusive, history of the daleks

  • Mezco One:12 Collective Marvel Ghost Rider and Hell Cycle

    Mezco have opened up pre-orders for their highly anticipated Marvel One:12 Collective Ghost Rider figure and Hell Cycle. The set will be a Summer 2021 release (June - August) and will retail in the US at $240. Ghost Rider will be presented in the usual One:12 style with highly articulated body and soft goods tailored clothes. He will feature an articulated jaw and a light up function in his head. He will include multiple hand options and two versions of his chain weapons. The Hell Cycle also features light up functionality as well as sound features. There are also flame FX pieces that attach to the bike. You will most likely be displaying Ghost Rider on his Hell Cycle - but there is a display stand for the figure included if you wish. "Tonight, the guilty shall suffer." The Ghost Rider joins the One:12 Collective along with his Hell Cycle – featuring a light-up function, removable flames, and sound feature! The One:12 Collective Ghost Rider is outfitted in motorcycle gear from head to toe - a black shirt under his leather-like jacket, leather-like pants, motorcyle-riding boots, and gloves. The Spirit of Vengeance comes complete with a light-up head portrait that flickers, achieving a realistic flame effect. Ghost Rider is equipped with his lethal Hellfire Chain that he can hold, as well a posable, real metal chain. Capable of moving at incredible speeds and traversing vertical surfaces or water, the Hell Cycle is Ghost Rider’s main mode of transportation. The Hell Cycle features a light up function which illuminates the removable flame effects, and a revving sound feature. Ghost Rider can sit atop the Hell Cycle and hold on to both handles. Bound to the demon Zarathos, the Ghost Rider craves vengeance against the souls of those who would do harm in the world. 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,

  • Mando Mondays : Star Wars Vintage Collection The Child and Greef Karga

    This weeks Mando Monday action figure reveals were courtesy of the Hasbro Star Wars Vintage Collection with two new 3.75 inch scale releases confirmed for Spring 2021. Up first is The Child in the hover pram from Season 1. The Child features a sad face and drooping ears as opposed to the happier expression on the similar figure that will be part of the Razor Crest Haslab release. The pram is the older one found with The Child, and not the one Kuill built at the end of the Season. A frog accessory is also included. We then have a Greef Karga figure as seen recently in Chapter 12 in his new robes and with greying beard. He comes with a single blaster. Both figures are shown currently as digital renders. Both will release on Kenner inspired Vintage cardbacks with imagery taken from the show. Both figures are general releases for Spring 2021 and have a UK RRP of £14.99. As you can see from the press release, we should be seeing these in The Entertainer and Smyths as the high street cottons on to the popularity of The Mandalorian - and also all good collector sites, with preorders opening very soon. STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH THE CHILD Figure (HASBRO/Age 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £14.99/Available: Spring 2021) Fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS Galaxy with this STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH THE CHILD Figure, inspired by THE MANDALORIAN live-action series on Disney Plus. Featuring premium detail and design, as well as original Kenner branding, this collectible figure makes a great gift for STAR WARS fans and collectors. Highly poseable with realistic detail, the STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH THE CHILD Figure with hover pram can be displayed in action figure and vehicle collections. Includes figure and 2 accessories. Available for pre-order at The Entertainer and all good collector sites. STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH GREEF KARGA Figure (HASBRO/Age 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £14.99/Available: Spring 2021) Fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS Galaxy with this STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH GREEF KARGA Figure, inspired by THE MANDALORIAN live-action series on Disney Plus. Featuring premium detail and design, as well as original Kenner branding, this collectible action figure makes a great gift for STAR WARS fans and collectors. Highly poseable with realistic detail, including a photoreal face, the STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH GREEF KARGA Figure can be displayed in action figure and vehicle collections. Includes figure and 2 accessories. Available for pre-order at Amazon, Smyths and all good collector sites. 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,

  • Review : Star Wars Black Series Ahsoka Tano, The Clone Wars

    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. Ahsoka Tano is the 2nd 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 yellow is used as a border under the figure window to confirm the source of the figure as "The Clone Wars". The figure name, Ahsoka Tano, is presented in yellow text The art panel is in greyscale, with a yellow hue at the base of the image to add some colour. Ahsoka is depicted in a real world setting on the side panel, and perhaps looking a touch too old than her Clone Wars Season 7 appearance. The yellow bar from the box front wraps the left hand spine and goes round to the back where it now houses the numbering for the Galaxy Collection, putting Ahsoka as #02 for The Clone Wars. Above this is a repeat of the side art, and a short piece of background text. "Ahsoka Tano, a Togruta female, was the Padawan learner to Anakin Skywalker and a hero of the Clone Wars. Alongside Anakin, she grew from headstrong student into a mature leader" The text is very generic and does not specifically align to the events of Season 7 and is the same as used on the Rebels version of Ahsoka which is a missed opportunity to update some backstory and context to the figure we are buying. Like many Black Series Galaxy Collection figures there is a lot of tape in use around the shaped top panel and side panel which does look a bit unsightly. The box is best opened from the bottom flap where only one piece of tape is used. The contents slide out as a complete piece with the window of the packaging not attached to the box - makes recycling much easier. 3.5 Ahsoka features a new head sculpt that takes her Season 7 look and tries to translate it to a real world setting. What we get is a good crisp sculpt and it is recognisable as Ahsoka, but the face print doesn't quite have the same impact when there is no actual real world face to copy and apply. Eyes, mouth and facial markings are neatly applied but the markings on the head tails are a little rough in places. Ahsoka is wearing her Season 7 grey ensemble with a grey vest trimmed in white, a skirt section in grey trimmed in silver and grey trousers. Ahsoka's boots and forearms are a direct reuse from the existing Rebels figure and therefore are not accurate to the Clone Trooper armour inspired boots and bracers she was wearing in Season 7. It seems a shame that Hasbro have created a new head, chest and upper arms for Season 7 Ahsoka and yet then do not carry on that accuracy with the boots and forearms. Side by side, you can certainly see the age difference in the two Ahsoka's we have to date, with the Clone Wars figure carrying a more youthful look than the older Rebels Ahsoka. The two figures are however the same size thanks to the body re-use and I would have expected the Clone Wars Ahsoka to be a touch smaller considering she is a head smaller than Rex when they are standing together in the show. While the new figure uses the Rebels figure legs in their entirety, the issue with the leg length seems to have been fixed allowing Clone Wars Ahsoka to stand pretty well without any support. 3.5 Ahsoka is packed with the lightsabers she receives as a gift from Anakin. These are two new molds, and very different to the sabers included with Rebels Ahsoka. Both are coloured in silver with a rounded segment at the end of the saber and a cut in surround at the emitter end. Black is applied to a couple of parts, with the larger saber also carrying a red switch. The two blades are cast in translucent blue and will fit into either blade, although the shorter blade is designed for the shorter hilt. The fit is good and the plugs bigger than some of the more recent sabers making them more robust - the trade off is that the blades look and feel chunky and look a little out of proportion when held by Ahsoka. There is no belt options for these sabers when not in use - no hangers, clips or holsters. 3.5 The Rebels Ahsoka on which this figure is based, had an articulation count of 16 in total. Thanks to the new chest piece and upper arms, the new Clone Wars Ahsoka has been upgraded by two additional joints by way of butterfly shoulders. Head : ball joint neck with pivot Body : ball joint torso Arms : butterfly shoulder, ball joint shoulder, single joint rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double jointed knees, ankle rocker These updated shoulder joints opens up her arm articulation even further than it was with no obstructions from any armour or robes. I did hope the arms, with the new butterfly joints, could be folded across her chest - a pose Ahsoka adopts quite often, but sadly the single joint elbows still don't offer the range needed and a bicep swivel would probably also be required. The head does suffer from a little bit of movement restriction due to the sculpt of the head tails but not much, with the head tails soft enough to move with the neck joint as the head is turned and/or tilted. As mentioned earlier, the "longer leg issue" from Rebels Ahsoka seems to have been fixed and I found Ahsoka pretty easy to stand and pose - even with the heels of her boots. She can get into a number of poses - including being able to kneel in meditation, to a walking pose or fighting stances. Stick her onto a foot peg stand and there are even more options thanks to her slim frame with striking or running poses easily achievable without any risk of overbalancing. 4.0 As a store exclusive wave, the Clone Wars Season 7 figures were predominantly repaints and tweaks and so the Ahsoka we get is potentially much more than it could have been had they chosen to simply repaint the existing figure. Season 7 Ahsoka is 50% new with only the legs and lower arms carried forward. Sadly these then are the parts that are not screen accurate, and for such an important character I would have liked to have seen these re-done also - even if that meant her dropping into the main line as a brand new figure and the Season 7 line had been filled up with another Clone repaint or similar. With no real world version of Ahsoka (yet) to compare against, the figure does an OK job of converting the Season 7 look but still looks a bit too animated in the facial apps. The box art does a better job of translating the look, but that artwork does look older than Ahsoka is during the events of Season 7. And it is these events I would have also liked to have seen referenced on the box bio - not a repeat from Rebels Ahsoka, which itself was very drab and generic. On the positive side, the paint and decor is applied well across most of the figure - head tails being a little bit rough - and the articulation is top notch particularly with Hasbro having taken the opportunity of the new torso to add in butterfly shoulders. The new sabers too are a great addition and the new blades feel more robust than some of the others we;ve had recently - although they do look a bit bulky when posed with Ahsoka. If you are a fan of the Clone Wars and particularly the Season 7 storyline then this is an Ahsoka figure certainly worth buying. I suspect we will see a lot more Ahsoka in the coming weeks and months and this figure itself will give options for some of her other Clone Wars looks. I score the Clone Wars Season 7 Ahsoka Tano a total of 3.5 For more news, reviews and a full 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, galaxy collection, hasbro. clone wars, season 7, ahsoka tano

  • Hasbro GI Joe Classified Series of Lady Jaye & Flint

    Hasbro held a Fan First Friday GI Joe event on the 20th of November, revealing two new figures in the GI Joe 6 inch scale Classified Series. Lady Jaye will arrive in her green fatigues with a removable blue baseball cap that replace a removable hairpiece on the included head for two different looks. She comes with her backpack with fold out surveillence gear. Weapons include a knife, handgun and a projectile launcher with two spear type accessories to slot in to the weapon. Flint will feature a removable beret and will be dressed in green and black fatigues with a tactical vest. He is armed with tactical shotgun, which is much more realistically designed and painted than some of the other GI Joe weapons. It features an opening breach and when not in use can be stowed on his backpack. Flint also includes a handgun, which fits in the holsteron his belt.. Lady Jaye and Flint are June 2021 release. This Lady Jaye figure comes ready for action, with multiple points of articulation for high poseability and 8 character-inspired accessories. And with custom artwork by Scott Fischer, the G.I. Joe Classified Series Lady Jaye package will make a mark on shelves. Includes: G.I. Joe Classified Series Lady Jaye action figure and 8 accessories. The G.I. Joe Classified Series evolves the characters fans know and love into a highly articulated 6-inch scale with premium deco and detailing This figure features a classic design updated to bring the G.I. Joe global undercover operative into the modern era, plus accessories inspired by the character’s rich history Joining some of the best artists from the world of comics, graphic design in our artist partnership program, Scott Fischer adds a unique style to the Lady Jaye package This G.I. Joe Classified Series Lady Jaye figure features premium detailing and articulation for dramatic action poseability (some poses may require additional support) Look for other 6-inch-scale G.I. Joe Classified Series figures (each sold separately) and build your roster of heroes and villains This Flint figure comes ready for action, with multiple points of articulation for high poseability and 3 character-inspired accessories. And with custom artwork by Rich Kelly, the G.I. Joe Classified Series Flint package will make a mark on shelves. Includes: G.I. Joe Classified Series Flint action figure and 3 accessories. The G.I. Joe Classified Series evolves the characters fans know and love into a highly articulated 6-inch scale with premium deco and detailing This figure features a classic design updated to bring the G.I. Joe tactical mission commander into the modern era, plus accessories inspired by the character’s rich history Joining some of the best artists from the world of comics, graphic design in our artist partnership program, Rich Kelly adds a unique style to the Flint package This G.I. Joe Classified Series Flint figure features premium detailing and articulation for dramatic action poseability (some poses may require additional support) Look for other 6-inch-scale G.I. Joe Classified Series figures (each sold separately) and build your roster of heroes and villains 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,

  • Marvel Select Titanium Man by Diamond Select Toys

    Revealed this week via Shartimus Prime, the next Diamond Select release in their 7 inch scale Marvel Select line will be Titanium Man. Titanium Man, a long standing enemy of Iron-Man in the comics, has never had an action figure before. He will be presented in the Select format and will stand 9.5 inches tall. He will feature both masked and unmasked Boris Bullski head. There are also alternative hand options. Titanium Man is due to ship in May 2021 in the usual large blister card packaging from Select and pre-orders are now opening. One of Iron Man's oldest and deadliest foes, the Titanium Man never been captured in his classic appearance as an action figure until now. After numerous requests, the Titanium Man has finally arrived as a 9.5-inch figure! Featuring 16 points of articulation, this figure features an interchangeable Boris Bullski head, and interchangeable hands. It comes packaged in display-ready Select action figure packaging with side-panel artwork for shelf reference. Designed by Yuri Tming, sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios! Product Features 9.5 inches (24.13cm) 16 points of articulation Includes interchangeable Boris Bullski head and hands Display-ready Select action figure packaging Designed by Yuri Tming and sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios Box Contents Titanium Man figure Boris Bullski head Interchangeable hands 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,

  • Review : Star Wars Black Series Darth Vader, The Empire Strikes Back

    For the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, Hasbro revisited their existing Darth Vader Black Series figures and tweaked it to create the look Lord Vader had in Empire. The figure was first released on the 40th Anniversary Card Back and was also used as the base for the Carbonized Darth Vader Exclusive. As of Autumn 2020 he was also released in the Galaxy Collection (Wave 1) in the new artwork packaging - the first of the Empire Strikes Back numbered figures to be released in this new phase of the Black Series. The Empire Darth Vader, Galaxy Collection, arrives in the new slant sided box with a black base colour and then the blue hues that will be attached to all Empire Strikes Back figures. The front o of the box carries the Black Series logo and displays the figure in an open window that wraps the left hand side. The bottom of the window is bordered in a blue band that confirms the movie source for the figure as Empire, and underneath this in blue text is the name - Darth Vader. The right hand spine of the box is slanted and carries the new art panel. These are drawn in grey scale like the older figures, but with a glow feature in the accent colour of the movie/series. The Vader figure is pictured with his lightsaber lit diagonally across his body. This does look a little odd seeing Vader with a blue lightsaber. Unlike some of the other Galaxy Collection figure art, the Vader panel carries no details in the backdrop other than a few clouds. The back of the box features a cropped repeat of the same image and under this the blue border continues and carries the new numbering system with Darth Vader #01 in the Empire Strikes Back series. Alongside the art is a short piece of background text that talks about Vader's search for Luke after the events of A New Hope and how his search led him to Hoth - this is much more in keeping with the figure and base movie than some of the other text inclusions on the new Galaxy Collection figures. "After the destruction of the Death Star, Darth Vader became obsessed with finding Luke Skywalker. He had dispatched probe droids across the galaxy, finally locating the Rebel base on the remote ice planet Hoth" Vader is accessed via the top or bottom of the box. The bottom is easiest as it is only taped in one location and not several like the top and sides. The entire tray and backing card slide out - with the window attached. This detachable innards design will certainly help in recycling by separating cardboard and plastic easily. Vader has a second piece of inner clear plastic at the back of his tray keeping his cape spread and neat - which is much better than some other soft goods cloaks that are stuffed into a box and often need straightening once unpacked. Packaging 4.0 Much of the Vader figure has been released before for the A New Hope 40th Anniversary. The helmet shape is well proportioned and cast in gloss black plastic. The chin and neck area are picked out in a grey which looks odd up close, but does help with definition when the figure is posed. The soft goods robes now go under the shoulder armour, rather than over it as per A New Hope. The chest box is also updated as a new piece and with the adjusted switches and colours as seen in Empire. The body is cast in a duller black plastic with ribbed texturing on the arms and legs. The belt is well painted with silver on the buckle and more painted switches either side of the centre. The boots return to a gloss black finish. The soft goods are light and flow well, although like the previous Vader there is almost too much which can lead to a very voluminous cape at times leading you to reign it in a little and push it in at the back. I am probably asking a little too much to see us get a posing wire in the cape which would have really added to the figures look and posing options. The same cloth is uses on the skirt which again hangs well enough around this legs without impeding anything. Sculpt & Paint 4.0 Lord Vader comes with his lightsaber, the same accessory from the 2017 figure with good definition on the fins, switches and emitter and a combination of silver and black across the lightsaber body. The blade detaches from the saber hilt and is cast in red translucent plastic. It is a little bend on arrival with quite a thin plug where it slips into the saber hilt - an issue with a lot of Black Series sabers at the moment. While there is a loop on the saber, there is no corresponding hook on Vader's belt to hang the saber when not in use. This is another Vader release without any alternative hands which would have been nice to see for the "I am your Father" outstretched hand scene or for force choking or pointing angrily at his Officers. Accessories 3.0 Lord Vader has a total of 16 points of articulation, a standard set for the Black Series. Head : ball joint with pivot Body : waist ball joint Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double joint knees, ankle rockers All the joints work extremely well, even with Vader's armour configuration. The shoulders raise fully with the shoulder pauldrons withdrawing under the torso piece. The elbows, despite being a single joint, bend to well past 90 degrees for some impressive gesturing and lightsaber poses. Vader can kneel and sit with double joint s built in to the knees behind the armour of the boots. The hips are quite bit loose, an issue with the original Vader figures, and with his height and weight Vader can slide off into the splits with some poses. Articulation 4.0 The Galaxy Collection Empire Strikes Back Darth Vader is a solid figure that is let down only by some very loose hip joints leading to issues with standing in some posing. The soft goods take some work, and in some areas there is a bit too much fabric - but once shaped around the figure and the pose they look fine and hang naturally enough. The decision to buy this figure is very much driven by the packaging. As a MIB collector you may be driven by having a complete Galaxy Collection line up - or might have already committed to the 40th Anniversary carded figure. The issue is probably one of saturation at this point and the Galaxy Collection Vader may clog up pegs a bit coming out so close to the 40th Anniversary release. While I appreciate the economy of making all the figures at the same time - a bit of a gap between the two might have helped. I score the Empire Strikes Back Darth Vader, ESB 01 in the Galaxy Collection, a total score of 3.5 Visit our Star Wars Black Series Database for more Figures, News & Reviews action figures, reviews, review, articulation, star wars, black series, galaxy collection, darth vader, the empire strikes back, hasbro

  • McFarlane Warhammer 40k Blood Angels Hellblaster and artist proof Marine & Battle Sister

    A number of European stockists have released images of the next three McFarlane Warhammer 40k figures, listing them as Q1 releases for 2021. The next three figures will feature a full colour Hellblaster Marine from the Blood Angels and a plain artists proof version of the figure with generic iconography so it can be painted up by collectors in Chapter colours of your choice. The third figure is another artists proof of the Battle Sister which is a late 2020 release. One source, Collectable Kingdoms, have listed that these three will be Gold Label Exclusives to Walmart in the US. As yet there is no direct word from Walmart or McFarlane. 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,

  • Review : Star Wars Black Series Mandalorian Super Commando, The Clone Wars

    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. Packaging 4.0 The Mandalorian Super Commando is the 5th 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 Super Commando is shown in a dynamic pose with his blasters out. Overhead, we can see a planet which we assume is Mandalore with some ships approaching the planet. This image is repeated on the back with a short piece of background text. "Darth Maul's Mandalorians modified their armor to reflect their allegiance to the Dark Lord. These super commandos wore red and black, and some even fashioned horns atop their helmet" 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. Paint & Sculpt 3.0 The Super Commando 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 in itself has some issues in proportion - among other issues - and the figure is a little squat in its proportions. The figure has new or repurposed elements to match the onscreen look of the Super Commandos. The upper arms are replaced vs Jango and now have a more angular and spiked Pauldron. The lower arms remain as per Jango with a grey plastic lower forearm that is also connected to the upper arm by some flexible black piping. The upper legs are also 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 - although it has been tweaked to add the horns on the top in a softer plastic. It is also much bigger and does also contribute to the proportion issues - although the Mandalorian helmet may be too small and there is some ground in the middle for perfect helmet proportions. The body is painted in a soft brown with the armour then cast or coloured in gloss grey with red markings painted over the top. The same is applied to the helmet, with quite a detailed pattern in the very top of the helmet under the horns. Silver is used to create some level of weathering, but only on the chest plate, one shin guard and on one knee. Silver is also used to colour the wrist weaponry. Everything is well painted and the lines straight and with no obvious issues. Accessories 3.5 Our Super Commando comes with a Jet Pack accessory. This is the same Jetpack as used with the original Jango Fett figure. It is cast in a dark grey plastic and has red and highlights painted around the top of each side thruster. 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. There is sadly some warping to the plastic on my figure with the thruster on the right leaning off to one side as you look at the pack from the reverse. For weaponry, the Super Commando has been given 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. Articulation 3.0 As the Super Commando 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. Summary The principle behind the new Clone Wars Season 7 wave is essentially the same as any exclusive in that they are bringing us a new figure, but using a majority of existing parts and some tweaks and repaints. In a recent interview, Hasbro indicated that these types of re-uses are extra's to the main range and do not detract from the line as a whole. In this case, I guess we have what we have and if it wasn't going to re-use the Jango body with some tweaks and a repaint then we would never have had a Mandalorian Super Commando in the line. That being said, we are still paying circa £25 for this figure and it is in short supply from what I can tell and looking at the secondary market prices. By this logic I kind of wanted a little bit more than a figure that looks great, but is based on a flawed figure to start with in terms of some of its proportions and the significant issues with the feet and having him stand on his own. There are plenty of positives with the figure in terms of the paint job and the new helmet piece. The weaponry re-use is also fine as its consistent with the Mandalorian troops, and I am a converted fan of the new packaging and artwork. We do however have here another short run army builder, and that is a shame as I often feel figures like these look so much better displayed as a group and that is unlikely for many collectors in terms of the availability. I score the new Star Wars Black Series Mandalorian Super Commando an above average 3.0 For more news, reviews and a checklist of releases visit our Star Wars 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, The Clone Wars, Kamino, Clone Trooper

  • NECA John Nada, They Live, Packaging Reveal

    We are getting very close now to the release of NECA's John Nada figure from They Live. The 8 inch figure of Rowdy Roddy Piper in his iconic role in John Carpenter's They Live will come with a shotgun and pistol accessories. The packaging has now been fully revealed by NECA ahead of his arrival in December 2020. He’s here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and he’s all out of bubblegum. For the first time ever in action figure form, John Nada as portrayed by “Rowdy” Roddy Piper in John Carpenter’s They Live will be released in the 8″ Clothed action figure format. A perfect complement to the previously released 2-pack, Nada comes with an accessory shotgun and pistol, dressed in a plaid shirt, blue jeans, and special sunglasses to see right through the aliens’ disguise. Clamshell packaging with custom artwork 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,

  • Review : Marvel Legends Domino, Deadpool 2

    In 2020, Hasbro announced and released figures from the Fox X-Men movies for the first time. This included the original X-Men movies, but also a set of figures from Deadpool 2. The Deadpool 2 figures were boxed in a red themed box and included a two pack of Deadpool and Negasonic Teenage Warhead and single figures of Cable and Domino. It is Domino who we will review here. Packaging 4.0 The X-Men movie figures step away from the usual Legends packaging, and are presented in a squared off box along the same lines of those used on the First Ten Years of MCU and the Marvel 80th Anniversary Sets. While the X-Men figures have a sleek steel and yellow design, the Deadpool figures are suitably presented in a red themed box. The Marvel legends logo sits in the top left corner witht he figure in a shaped window underneath against a steel grey backdrop that provides a good contrast. To the bottom left of the window is a circle inset that looks to carry the X-Men logo - it has however been covered up, in typical Deadpool style, with a oversticker of the Deadpool logo. Similar "adjustments" have then been made over the character name - crossing out Neena Thurman on the white name plate and then with Domino scribbled underneath. Even the age warning is updated to 14+. The two side panels are identifical, and use a silouette image of Domino with her eye picked out in white. The Marvel Legends logo sits at the bae of the side panel. The same image is used on the back of the box alongwith another name plate - Deadpool adjusted of course. There is no use of background info or movie posters that we have seen on other releaes. While the Domino image is impressive and very visual, it is repeated on three sides where other details or art could have been used instead. Domino is accessed via the top or bottom flap of the box. The inner tray slides out, as does the backing card. As we open up the figure we find the grey cardback actually carries a black line X-Men logo. Paint & Sculpt 4.5 Hasbro have been knocking it out of the park for some time now on most of their MCU and Realistic Movie figures, particular the female characters, and Domino is a continuation on that with two head sculpts that present a brilliant likeness to actor Zazie Beetz. The two heads are very similar, althogh one is presented with her glasses tucked just under her hairline and the figure presents a slight smirk. The other head is missing the glasses and has a more serious expression to the mouth. The facial features are printed using the photoreal system and includes realistic shading, eyes and the white panel around her left eye. The hair too is really well done, matching the volume and height of the onscreen hair. The outfit worn by Domino is a simple grey-blue jumpsuit with brown trim around the vest top and down the legs. The central chest section of the vest should really be sheer, it has been painted in the right colour but left solid in colour. Domino is wearing arm wraps and gloves up to her upper arm and knee high boots with a ribbed design down the front. a belt section has been added as a seperate piece and this is painted with a silver buckle and strap and it has a holster to the right hand side that sits against Domino's thigh. Everything on the figure is well painted and the overall look of the costume is a good match tot he onscreen costume incluing the neck tie piece. Accessories 4.0 Domino comes with two pairs of hands. There are a pair of fists that come with the figure as it arrives, and a second pair of gripping hands that are required to wield her weaponry. This weaponry starts with a stubby pistol that is cast in black plastic with some base details around the grip and the shaft of the pistol. We dont get any additional paint apps to help bring out that detail. The gun fits in either hand, with both left and right coming with a trigger finger configuaration. The fit is tight and secure and when not in use the weapon slips ino the holster on the right thigh - also a nice secure fit. Domino's main weapons are the pair of sub-machine guns also included in the set. These are again cast in black but have been given a silver clouring across the body of the gun and on the front blade attachment - which is all screen accurate. With both left and right grip hands featuring a trigger finger, the guns slot into either hand with the trigger finger sliding into place and the grip being tight and secure. Articulation 4.5 Domino has a total articulation count of 16, which might appear low - but is pretty much all that is required. The joints use the new pinless options so not only does she pose really well the joints do not overly spoil the aesthetics of the figure. Head : ball joint neck Body : torso ball joint Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow joint, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double joint knee, ankle rocker The upper arms, while only a single elbow joint, bend to and beyond 90 degrees and can achieve most positions for fighting or weapons stances that you could ever require. Legs too are fully mobile, including kneeling and crouching poses as well as more dynamic looks with the use of a stand. The hip holster moves with the legs and doesnt create any kind of obstruction. All of Domino's joints are tight and secure and even with the heeled boots she stands perfectly well on her own in a variety of poses. Summary It is firstly great to see any Fox movie figures in the Marvel Legends line considering the recent history, and particularly from an movie like Deadpool 2. Domino herself is a very well executed figure in terms of sculpt, paint jon and articulation and is supplied with two very good head options and some appropriate weaponry. There is very little to fault on the figure, with my main gripe being with the packaging that tries too hard to be visual with the silouette images which are repeated across three sides when space could have been dedicated to the movie poster, movie synopsis or character background as we saw with the MCU figures from The First Ten Years and 80th Anniversary. With all aspects considered, Domino scores very highly with an overall score of 4.5 For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - Visit our Marvel Legends Page action figures, reviews, review, articulation, marvel legends, hasbro, x-men, fox, deadpool, domino, x-force

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