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The Spider-Man 2017 wave was released ahead of the Spider-Man Homecoming movie and contained figures from the big screen as well as comic book Spider-Man focused characters. Movie figures included two versions of Spider-Man - one in his homeade suit and another in the Tony Stark gifted tech suit as we review here. The other MCU release was Vulture and the BAF for the wave was the Vulture Wing Suit. The Tech Suit Spider-Man was repacked in the same year with an Iron-Man figure and this repack included an unmasked Peter Parker head as well as alternative masked head. Packaging 3.0 The Spider-Man Homecoming figures used a combo of red and blue alongside the black of the Marvel Legends packaging. Blue was used on a web effect card back while the side art and name plate used a red theme. All of this seems to contrast, particularly also alongside the yellow of the Homecoming logo and perhaps less would have been more for this design. The back of the box shows the figure with webwings in place and beneath this was the usual checklist for the Build-A-Figure. To the side of the image is a very short piece of background - nothing spoilery to the movie considering this figure was originally released ahead of the movie. "When crime hits the big city, Peter Parker suit up as New York's own web-slinging, wall-crawling hero, Spider-Man" * Our Spider-Man review figure was purchased on the secondary market. The box was missing the insert and Spider-Man, as you will see, is missing the webwings. Paint & Sculpt 3.5 The Homecoming Spider-Man suit is well proportioned for Peter Parker and well sculpted in terms of the suit lines and logos. The base colour for the cast pieces is predominantly red, with the blue painted on top. The eye lenses are painted a bright white and bordered in red, with the weblines of the suit then painted in grey. This grey doesn't quite work and does give Spiderman a look as though he is dusty? All of the paint work is neat, including the small central Spider-Man logo on the chest and the larger red one on the back of the figure. If you bought the 2-pack version of this figure you also get an unmasked Tom Holland head. The head fits on either version of Spider-Man but is a touch too large for the body - the unmasked head is bigger than the masked one? The likeness to Holland is good and it is face print tech so includes he realistic eyes and skin decor. Accessories 3.0 Spidey arrives with two hand pair options. The first is the web slinging hands, the second a pair of fists. They swap in and out easily and without concern. Like the body the web lines are painted in grey and the underside of the hands see's this get a little messy. The grey also gives them the dusty look. The web-wings, which we did not get in our second hand Spider-Man, are a white/translucent web triangle that slot into slots under the arms. These look great on the back of the box, but in person are quite clunky and I am not overly disappointed that I do not own these. Articulation 4.5 Spider-Man is very well articulated with a total articulation count of 21 points. Head - ball joint with pivot Body - torso T-joint, waist swivel Arms - butterfly shoulders, ball joint shoulders, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, pivot wrist Legs - ball joint hips, thigh swivel, single joint knee, ankle rocker With such a slim body and no encomboring armour or capes, Spider-Man is very versatile in his posing. You can sit or kneel Spider-Man, have him fighting or shooting webs. The joints are all secure and tight and when posed, Spider-Man holds his position and can stand without any concern. The butterfly shoulders and the chest joint make a huge difference, particularly for web swinging poses which can be achieved by dropping Spider-Man onto a dynamic stand as seen in the images below. The only articulation niggle is the exposed pins which are not painted on the arms, so they do throw some of the aesthetics. I look forward to seeing what a Spider-Man on a pinless join body would deliver? Summary Spider-Man from Homecoming is an acceptable figure, but certainly not spectacular in terms of the finish. The suit is well sculpted, but that odd grey lining just makes it appear dusty and a neater black lining might have been preferable. Articulation is top notch, but they needed to atleast paint the pins on the rms to match the suit colour. And for those who got the Peter Parker head, it is a shame it is so oversized for the body. The 2017 Homecoming Spider-Man certainly has not been superseded as yet for an MCU Spider-Man, but that has more to do with the quality of those who have come after than how great this one is. I score it an average 3.5 Visit our Marvel Legends Database for more News & Reviews 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, hasbro, spider-man, mj, spider-man homecoming

In 2017 three new Doctor Who box figures were released, exclusive to Forbidden Planet. As well as a 10th Doctor in Tuxedo, we had two version of the incumbent 12th Doctor. Both with identical sculpts, but with varying paint jobs. The first with a black shirt and trousers, and the figure we are reviewing here. Packaging 4.0 The packaging for the 12th Doctor figure continues with the design principles laid down by the Toys R Us sets a year earlier. We now have a window box rather than a blister card, and a colourful box that shades from the orange glow of a sun to a star field. The figure name sits under the window in a dark blue panel, and under the TWELFTH DOCTOR is the subtitle COLLECTOR FIGURE. A little way above this in a diamond cut out is some more text confirming this as a 5.5inch / 14cm SCALE COLLECTOR SERIES. The back of the box has an image of the figure alongside a quote "I'm the Doctor, I've lived for over two thousand years, and not all of them were good...". Above this is a repeat of that scale diamond and beneath it confirmation of the contents as the Twelfth Doctor figure and Sonic Screwdriver. To the side of the image is an extensive background text for the Twelfth Doctor. THE TWELFTH DOCTOR The Eleventh Doctor had grown old on Trenzalore and as the Dalek aries gathered to see him finally defeated, Clara purusaded the Time Lords to grant him a new regeneration cycle. After destroying his old enemies he reached the TARDIS, phoned the future and completed his regeneration. The era of the fierce, fiery Twelfth Doctor was beginning... He's still funny and able to make jokes in the direst situations. Wandering around victorian London in a post-regeneration state of befuddlement he couldn't believe his new face. 'I mean it's alright up to the eyebrows,' he told a random stranger. 'Then it just goes haywire! Look at the eyebrows! These are attack eyebrows. You could take bottle caps of with these!'... The Twelfth Doctor may not be big on hugs but he's still brave, heroid and drawn to danger... But there is a dark side. When Clara light-heartedly called herself his carer he agreed with his companion, adding 'She cares so I don't have to...' In Season 9 he Doctor returned in a series of epix, exciting adventures. With Clara by his side, the world's favourite time-traveling hero faced Zygons, Missy and monsters new to us. It was quite a rollercoaster! When you open the pack the Doctor is tied into the plastic tray with cotton ties which are best snipped from the rear than going through the pain of untying them. The screwdriver is taped in place. The cardback that the tray sits in is blue in colour with a diamond and clockwork design built in. Paint & Sculpt 4.0 The head sculpt for 2017 was new for the 12th Doctor, replacing the earlier version which had been a little soft vs Capaldi's features. The likeness is stronger here with those "attack" eyebrows, prominent cheekbones and slight scowl on the face. The face decor is basic, but neat and in line with the other figures in the line. The hair is more lifelike with some body to it and painted in a mix of black and grey. The outfit is the most colourful released for the 12th Doctor who often dressed quite darkly. This is the outfit worn in The Witches Familiar and is made up of a white pattern shirt, hoodie, blazer jacket and checked trousers. Each layer is well painted with the red and pink shirt pattern through to the blue hoodie and slightly more purple outer coat. THe trousers have individual checked lines in a sandy yellow over the green base coat - which itself is painted over a bluer plastic - most likely the same palsit c as used on the alternative version released at the same time. Finer details include the bronze zip and gloss black boots with mat brown soles. It is worth noting that the 12th Doctor is taller than his previous releases here, and most of the Character line thanks to that shift to 5.5 inch scale from teh 5 inch one they started with. It isn't hugely noticeable unless you put Capaldi side by side with McCoy or Tom Baker. Accessories 4.0 The Doctor comes with his Sonic Screwdriver, the newer version from the back end of Season 9. While the Doctor must of course always have his Screwdriver, the slight irony here is that during the early Season 9 stories - the Doctor had abandoned his Screwdriver in favour of sonic shades. I wonder how close we might have been to having those as an accessory or an alternative head wearing the shades? The Screwdriver, being a larger model than some of its predecessors, allows for more detail at this scale and the shape is well executed - although a little soft when viewed close up. Paint work is applied in a silver base coat with blue and gold trims, all neatly applied considering the scale. It fits in to the right hand of the Doctor and holds securely. Moving slightly into realms of wishlists, this is the Doctor who also played the electric guitar in this episode and that too would have been a wonderful accessory to throw in with this release. Articulation 4.5 The 12th Doctor is a new body sculpt for the line, not a re-use, and it therefore comes with an enhancement to the 16 points of articulation with an upgraded shoulder joint that not only rotates but extend outwards also. Head : rotating neck plug Body : rotating waist Arms : rotating and pivoting shoulder joint, bicep swivel, single pin elbow, rotating wrist Legs : T-Joint hip, thigh swivel, single pin knee The joints are a little dated in their design with exposed pegs and they certainly are not wide ranging in terms of posing. What they can do are some gesturing poses, with the sonic for example, and some wider leg poses and settings. Each joint is secure and moves well, with just a watch out for the bicep swivel which can pop out when rotated. The Doctor stands fine on his own. Summary The Doctor Who figures are certainly not on par with the more modern figures of a similar scale like Marvel or Star Wars. But they don't intend to be and in fact retain a level of consistency that goes all the way back to the start of the line in 2005 with a modern figure essentially not looking massively different to the ones from the early waves. The 12th Doctor is an example of a good head sculpt, well executed body and crisp paint job that remains sensitive to the line. Articulation is sufficient and while I can dream about Sonic Glasses and Electric Guitars, the new Sonic accessory is sufficient and well executed. I love the packaging for this era of the Who Toys, even more so than the more restrained silver and blue used at the moment - and the level of detail in the background text is impressive. All in all the 12th Doctor is a fantastic figure and I score it 4.0 overall, well worth hunting down on the secondary market and one not to pass up on if you find it at a reasonable price. Visit our Doctor Who Database for more figure news and reviews 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, 12th doctor, peter capaldi, TARDIS, Dalek, Character Options Forbidden Planet

In 2017 Hasbro produced a trio of Star Wars Black Series specials each containing a figure, accessories and a diorama piece. The sets were enhanced with better paint apps, soft goods options on some and metal accessories. The Rey set was exclusive to Toys R Us in the US but got a limited UK release. It would turn back up in the UK in 2019 in The Entertainer at a much more agreeable price than the one initially offered. Packaging 4.0 Unlike most figure releases, the Rey on Crait set was an enclosed box that went with a larger illustrations on the front with a full body shot of Rey and the environment piece from Crait, overlooked by another shot of Rey, this time in the Gregory Titus art we see on most Phase 3 box fronts. The sets were never really given a name and have been called the Deluxe Editions, Premium Edition and Diecast edition. The box simply uses the Black Series logo and then confirms the set as Rey (Jedi Training) in red text, with a red bar underneath and the location in black text as Crait. This same wording is used on the two side spines. The right hand being red gloss as per the whole of Phase 3, but without any numbering. The back of the box doesn't follow convention, and rather than repeat the Titus artwork, it has an illustration of the figure and diorama base with a further insert box showing the included accessories. The brief background text sits alongside this as follows "At long last, Rey has found Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi Master in the galaxy. Hoping to find a hero of legend, she must unlearn what she has learned as Skywalker challenges her expectations" This of course has nothing to do with Crait, but we have to remember these landed before The Last Jedi hit cinema screens so the boxes themselves had to avoid spoilers. While the box looks fully enclosed, the set actually has a front opening flap held in place by Velcro. Once opened we finally see the figure itself and the environment piece in a shaped window. On the reverse of the opening flap are some more bullet point details about the set, focusing on the premium elements of the set. 01 Fabric Costume 02 Premium Character Detail 03 Environmental Base 04 Diecast Accessories The set opens via the top or bottom flap and the contents slide out in a red inner cardboard sleeve. The environment parts are attached directly to the red sleeve by ties that can be cut from the back. An outer clear tray sits on top of these holding Rey and the accessories. Paint & Sculpt 2.5 The Rey figure predates face print technology but is enhanced as detailed on the box with a crisper paint job and some shading/blushing on the cheeks for a more realistic and varying skin tone. The base of the figure is sculpted with a soft good outfit placed over the top and then held in place by her flexible plastic belt. We have an inner black skirt and an outer grey robe that covers her torso and drapes down around her waist. The fabric is pretty nasty and is freyed and raggedy out of the box - hardly premium I am afraid. It doesn't sit particularly well and the texture is quite rough and not scaled to 1/12. Underneath this, all the sculpted body elements are well executed such as the arm wrappings, leggings and boots. The arm wrappings are weathered with an additional wash to dirty them up. The boots and trousers are left in their base colour, and that is a shame considering the detailing on the boots which would have looked even better enhanced with some other colours. Rey has the cut on her right arm painted in also. The figure uses the general release of Rey, Jedi Training, in the main and places the soft good over the top. The torso has been tweaked to remove the sculpted robes first. You get an idea of the paint variations in the face from this side by side comparison and can see why, before face print, that the set could be advertised with a premium paint job. Accessories 3.0 The accessories in the set are numerous, starting with Rey's staff. This has been a staple pack in with Rey since The Force Awakens and is unchanged for this set. The staff is detailed for what it is, but we still have the plastic strap that is sat in one position only. This can be used to go round Rey;s shoulders, but when the staff is positioned in a fighting stance or anything where it is not vertical, the loop defies gravity and looks odd. There are then two almost identical versions of the blaster Rey is given by Han on Takodana. One is plastic, and the other diecast. The diecast version has a crispness to the sculpt and obviously carries more weight. Both weapons fit into Rey's hand and in the holster on her belt - I am not clear on why both were included? Another piece duplicated is the lightsaber hilt - one plastic and one diecast. The detailing on the diecast version is again crisper and holds more detail. The paint job is also more detailed and neater on the fins and the buttons. This diecast saber hilt can fit into either of Rey's hand. The diecast saber hilt can't accept the translucent blade, it has no slot to attach the blade in place. In this instance the second version kind of makes sense allowing an ignited lightsaber to be used. The translucent blade provided is straighter and darker in blue to the general release and clips securely into place. They have left the loop on the end of the plasti saber hilt which is used to hang it on a belt, but added no such hook on Rey's belt? The Crait environment piece is two part. The first is what looks like an engine part covered in red rock. The sculpting is good, with a lot of detail in the engine. The rocks are a deep red but facing to a pink at the edges. The second piece is simply the rocks and is coloured the same way. This piece includes the pegs for the figure to slot into for display. There is no way to connect the two parts, you kind of just push them together for display. Neither really look like the parts of Crait we saw Rey engage with and are most likely concept design than anything screen accurate. Articulation 4.0 Rey has a total of 16 points of articulation, same as the base figure and most other Black Series releases. Head : ball joint neck with pivot Body : ball joint waist Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow joint, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double joint knee, ankle rocker The soft goods do allow for a wider range of posing than the original figure where the robes were a rubbery plastic and restricted lower leg movement. Rey can hold her staff two handed in fighting poses and can just about get a two handed lightsaber grip. Considering the specifics of the display it might have been nice for this premium release to get some alternative force gesture hands which would have really set it apart from the other Rey's we;ve already had - recreating that scene of the Last Jedi where she rescues the Resistance on Crait. Instead we simply have a slightly ragged looking Rey perched on some red rocks with a muted lightsaber pose or similar. All the joints are secure and tight and Rey does stand well on her own, not needing the stand if you want to discard it completely. Summary We have to consider that this set predates face print, so is not going to be on par with more recent releases. It is however a very odd mismatch of parts and mediums. The paint apps are better than those of standard figures of the time and the articulation works better thanks to the soft goods. The soft goods themselves are terrible, and you lose a strand everytime you handle the figure. They don't even sit right on the sculpted body underneath. The accessory choices are odd, I do not see that much benefit in diecast accessories - and then to still include the plastic ones feels a waste? The diorama had the potential to be much more than it is - a cheap looking pile of red rocks, and was obviously conceived from concept art or similar and not the scenes that Rey plays out on Crait. The box design is however impressive, and makes the figure feel deluxe/premium. But int he long run this feels like a set dictated by a retailer to have an exclusive product for a big move launch that ultimately did not do as well as most expected. At a £40 price point initially, this does not give enough value vs the standard figure - which arguably looks better in terms of the outfit. At the more palatable £20 price more recently it is perhaps worth getting if you are a completist. I score Rey (Jedi Training) on Crait Exclusive Box Set a 3.0 See More Star Wars Black Series Figures About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys... action figures, reviews, review, articulation, star wars, black series, the last jedi, rey, jedi training, crait

In their August 21st Fan Friday Live Stream, the Hasbro Star Wars team have confirmed a return of the Star Wars 3.75 inch basic articulation line. Instead of individual figures, the line will move to boxed packs with each themed around a movie and a particular scene or faction. The line is titled "Celebrate the Saga". The boxsets are packaged in a new design, while the figures in the main are repacks from previous releases - with the odd repaint thrown in. Hasbro did make it clear this is not a reprieve for the limited articulation 3.75 inch line, but rather a send off before it is retired. From the prequel trilogy we have a Jedi Order set of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker and Yoda - each with appropriate lightsaber accessories. The set also includes Ahsoka's Astromech R7-A7. There is a corresponding Sith pack made up of various Sith from the Saga including Kylo Ren, Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Emperor Palpatine and his droid TC-4 from Episode 1 (the droid was cut from the final movie). Also from the Prequels is the Galactic Republic 5-Pack with 4 Clone Trooper figures - 501st Legion Trooper, Phase 1 Clone Trooper, Shock Trooper and Commander Cody. The 5th figure is OOM-10 in his repainted blue and white. Moving to the sequels we have a 6 pack of the First Order with figures of General Hux, Captain Phasma, Flametrooper, First Order Trooper Officer as well as drids BB-9E and an MSE (Mouse) droid. This set will be a US Best Buy exclusive. Here in the UK it will be exclusive to Star Action Figures. There will also be a Resistance 6-pack, exclusive to Amazon in the US and UK , that will feature Poe Dameron, Rey, Finn, C-3PO, BB-8 and a Porg The Original Trilogy sets start with a Galactic Emperor 5-pack containing a Tie Fighter Pilot, Snowtrooper, Stormtrooper Squad Leader and Scout Trooper. This is also a Best Buy US Exclusive. Here in the UK it will be exclusive to Star Action Figures. Our heroes of the Alliance 5-pack includes R2-D2, Han Solo in Bespin Fatigues, Princess Leia from Hoth, Chewbacca and Luke Skywalker Jedi Knight. Like the Sequel heroes, this set will be an Amazon exclusive. The final set is a mixed Bounty Hunters 5 pack containing Jango Fett, Boba Fett, Bossk, IG-88 and R5-P8 who was part of Hondo Ohnaka's Pirate crew. All the sets are listed as an Autumn 2020 release. STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH JEDI ORDER Figure 5-Pack (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 2020) Celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH JEDI ORDER Figure 5-Pack! Featuring movie-inspired design and multiple points of articulation, as well as character-inspired accessories, this figure 5-pack allows fans, collectors, and kids to imagine the world of STAR WARS in action. Recreate favorite moments of excitement and intrigue from the STAR WARS Galaxy or imagine new stories and missions! The STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH JEDI ORDER Figure 5-Pack comes with characters such as OBI-WAN KENOBI, MACE WINDU, ANAKIN SKYWALKER, and YODA action figures, featuring multiple points of articulation, and an R7-A7 figure. Includes 5 figures and 4 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, Walmart, and Big Bad Toy Store. STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH SITH Figure 5-Pack (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 2020) Celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH SITH Figure 5-Pack! Featuring movie-inspired design and multiple points of articulation, as well as character-inspired accessories, this figure 5-pack allows fans, collectors, and kids to imagine the world of STAR WARS in action. Recreate favorite moments of excitement and intrigue from the STAR WARS Galaxy or imagine new stories and missions! The STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH SITH Figure 5-Pack comes with characters such as KYLO REN, DARTH VADER, DARTH MAUL, EMPORER PALPATINE, and TC-4 action figures, featuring multiple points of articulation. Includes 5 figures and 7 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, Walmart, and Big Bad Toy Store. STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH GALACTIC REPUBLIC Figure 5-Pack (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 2020) Celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH GALACTIC REPUBLIC Figure 5-Pack! Featuring movie-inspired design and multiple points of articulation, as well as character-inspired accessories, this figure 5-pack allows fans, collectors, and kids to imagine the world of STAR WARS in action. Recreate favorite moments of excitement and intrigue from the STAR WARS Galaxy or imagine new stories and missions! The STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH GALACTIC REPUBLIC Figure 5-Pack comes with characters such as 501st LEGION TROOPER, PHASE I CLONE TROOPER, SHOCK TROOPER, COMMANDER CODY, and OOM-10 action figures, featuring multiple points of articulation. Includes 5 figures and 5 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, Walmart, and Big Bad Toy Store. STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH THE FIRST ORDER Figure 6-Pack (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 2020) Celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH THE FIRST ORDER Figure 6-Pack! Featuring movie-inspired design and multiple points of articulation, as well as character-inspired accessories, this figure 6-pack allows fans, collectors, and kids to imagine the world of STAR WARS in action. Recreate favorite moments of excitement and intrigue from the STAR WARS Galaxy or imagine new stories and missions! The STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH THE FIRST ORDER Figure 6-Pack comes with characters such as FLAMETROOPER, CAPTAIN PHASMA, GENERAL HUX, FIRST ORDER TROOPER OFFICER figures, featuring multiple points of articulation, and MOUSE DROID and BB-9E action figures. Includes 6 figures and 4 accessories. Available for pre-order at Best Buy. STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH THE RESISTANCE Figure 6-Pack (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 2020) Celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH THE RESISTANCE Figure 6-Pack! Featuring movie-inspired design and multiple points of articulation, as well as character-inspired accessories, this figure 6-pack allows fans, collectors, and kids to imagine the world of STAR WARS in action. Recreate favorite moments of excitement and intrigue from the STAR WARS Galaxy or imagine new stories and missions! The STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH THE RESISTANCE Figure 6-Pack comes with characters such as POE DAMERON, REY, FINN, C-3PO action figures, featuring multiple points of articulation, and BB-8 and PORG figures. Includes 6 figures and 6 accessories. Available for pre-order at Amazon. STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH GALACTIC EMPIRE Figure 5-Pack (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 2020) Celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH GALACTIC EMPIRE Figure 5-Pack! Featuring movie-inspired design and multiple points of articulation, as well as character- inspired accessories, this figure 5-pack allows fans, collectors, and kids to imagine the world of STAR WARS in action. Recreate favorite moments of excitement and intrigue from the STAR WARS Galaxy or imagine new stories and missions! The STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH GALACTIC EMPIRE Figure 5-Pack comes with characters such as TIE FIGHTER PILOT, SNOWTROOPER, STORMTROOPER SQUAD LEADER, SCOUT TROOPER action figures, featuring multiple points of articulation, and R2-Q5 figure. Includes 5 figures and 4 accessories. Available for pre-order at Best Buy. STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH REBEL ALLIANCE Figure 5-Pack (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 2020) Celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH REBEL ALLIANCE Figure 5-Pack! Featuring movie-inspired design and multiple points of articulation, as well as character-inspired accessories, this figure 5-pack allows fans, collectors, and kids to imagine the world of STAR WARS in action. Recreate favorite moments of excitement and intrigue from the STAR WARS Galaxy or imagine new stories and missions! The STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH REBEL ALLIANCE Figure 5-Pack comes with characters such as R2-D2, HAN SOLO (BESPIN), PRINCESS LEIA (HOTH), CHEWBACCA, and LUKE SKYWALKER (JEDI KNIGHT) action figures, featuring multiple points of articulation. Includes 5 figures and 4 accessories. Available for pre-order at Amazon. STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH BOUNTY HUNTERS Figure 5-Pack (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 2020) Celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH BOUNTY HUNTERS Figure 5- Pack! Featuring movie-inspired design and multiple points of articulation, as well as character-inspired accessories, this figure 5-pack allows fans, collectors, and kids to imagine the world of STAR WARS in action. Recreate favorite moments of excitement and intrigue from the STAR WARS Galaxy or imagine new stories and missions! The STAR WARS CELEBRATE THE SAGA 3.75-INCH BOUNTY HUNTERS Figure 5-Pack comes with characters such as R5-P8, JANGO FETT, BOBA FETT, BOSSK, and IG-88 action figures, featuring multiple points of articulation. Includes 5 figures and 5 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, Walmart, and Big Bad Toy Store. 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,

Joining the Star Wars Black Series Gaming Greats sub-line in Autumn 2020 is a revised version of the Purge Trooper from Jedi Fallen Order, now armed with his Electrostaff weapon. Like all Gaming Greats figures, the Purge Trooper will be a Gamestop US Exclusive, and available via the Fan Channel elsewhere in the world. During the live stream where this figure was unveiled, Patrick from Hasbro addressed the packaging debate over these figures and confirmed they are sticking with Phase 3 packaging until the end of this year at least to allow some consistency in the Gaming Greats line STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH GAMING GREATS ELECTROSTAFF PURGE TROOPER Figure (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $24.99/Available:  Fall 2020) Fans and collectors can imagine exciting moments from the STAR WARS Galaxy with this premium STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH GAMING GREATS ELECTROSTAFF PURGE TROOPER Figure, inspired by the STAR WARS: JEDI FALLEN ORDER video game. STAR WARS fans and collectors can display this highly poseable (4 fully articulated limbs) figure, featuring quality deco and multiple points of articulation, in their action figure and vehicle collection. Includes figure and accessory. Available for pre-order at GameStop. 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,

Karl Mordo was released in 2016 as part of the Marvel Legends wave coinciding with the release of the Doctor Strange movie. The wave was made up of three movie figures and six other comic based figures from the Doctor Strange comics, and a comic based Dormammu build a figure. Packaging 4.0 The packaging for Mordo is standard to the Legends line with scooped sides and hanging tab. The base colour is black, with a deep orange tone chosen as the highlight colour for the Doctor Strange movie figures. This orange is used as the backing colour for the name plate and in the side panel artwork of Karl Mordo from the film. It is also employed as the backing card for the figure complete with Dr Strange logo. The back of the box features an image of the figure against another orange hued backdrop. Beneath this is a checklist for the Dormammu BAF and to the side of it a very short piece of background text for Mordo. "With masterful control of mystical entities and magical energies, Mordo's powers in sorcery are nearly unrivaled" Paint & Sculpt 3.5 Mordo predates face print technology, but is a pretty good likeness to actor Chiwetel Ejiofor. Facial features are painted neatly to support the likeness - but these are a little rudimentary in there finish and I would love to see what the figure looks like using the more modern face print techniques. The costume is well executed and quite complex being made up of overlapping robes and textures. Each is coloured well, but only base colours are applied and there is no shading or weathering to give the figure a little more depth. He looks a shade too bright in all areas of the costume vs the darker, grittier look we see on screen. Where paint has been applied on the trim of the inner tunic or the rope design ties on the wrists, it has been done neatly and without issue. The wrappings of his left wrist do not wrap down and onto his hand as we see on screen, and his sling ring is also not sculpted. This could be due to the figure being based on earlier artwork, or could be a cost saver if these hands have come from another figure? Accessories 2.5 Mordo is armed with his staff as his sole accessory. This is cast in plastic with a wooden texture running across it. The staff is warped on our review figure, and this looks to be a common issue on others, potentially due how it is packed and secured in the inner tray of the packaging. The staff has no paint apps applied. It is designed to fit in either hand, with the right giving more of a grip than the left. The length of the staff and the articulation on the arms does facilitate two handed poses. I would have liked to see the Staff get a sheath or clip to mount it on Mordu's back as seen in the film. This has not been included. It would also have been nice to see Mordo be packed with some magic FX pieces, perhaps the same as the one included with Doctor Strange. And alternative hands to recreate some spell casting? Articulation 3.5 Articulatio for Mordo is a total of 18 points of articulation. He misses ut on the torso joint and waist swivel combination we see on some figures, getting a single combined waist pivot only. Head : ball joint pivot neck Body : ball joint waist Arms : ball joint shoulders, bicep swivel, double joint elbows, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double joint knees, ankle rocker The arms are pretty mobile, both for gesturing and for the use of his staff. Legs are somewhat restricted by the longer skirt which is quite rigid and blocks anything outside wider leg stances. Al the joints are very secure and tight and Mordo stands fine in a number of posed positions. Summary Considering Karl Mordo is an older release, he does delivery quite well in terms of likeness and the costume is well detailed in the main, albeit missing a wash or darker tone as well as some little details around the left arm and that missing sling ring. Articulation is good, with the legs held back somewhat by the costume - although unless Hasbro moves to soft goods with the Legends line there was not much else that could be done here. The staff is poor and its disappointing there is no rear sheath. to mount it on Mordo's back. Mordo was a shelf warmer for some time, but is now seeing his stock rise on the secondary market. He is a solid enough release, just not spectacular by today's standards, and I would love to see what he would look like with a face print and decor makeover. I give Karl Mordo from Doctor Strange a total score of 3.5 Visit our Marvel Legends Database for more news & reviews 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, doctor strange, karl mordo

Star Wars Black Series Wave 25 arrived in Summer 2020 and was predominantly based around Episode II : Attack of the Clones. It brought us four new Jedi in the shape of Kit Fisto, Plo Koon, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Bolstering the Separatist forces with a re-pack of Count Dooku from Wave 24 and a new Geonosis Battle Droid. Packaging 3.5 The Battle Droid arrives in the usual Phase 3 packaging and is specifically named under the window as BATTLE DROID with GEONOSIS in brackets as opposed to confirming he movie as Attack of the Clones. The Geonosis Battle Droid is #108 in the 3rd phase of packaging with the red backing and side spine. The backing colour does obscure the red of the droid somewhat and it gets lost in the window. The Titus artwork is in place and while similar to the original Battle Droid artwork, it is posed differently. The artwork repeats on the back of the box with the following text. This is very similar to the original Battle Droid text with some minor amends. "Rather than use flesh-and-blood warriors, the Separatists prefer tall thin battle droids to serve as mindlessly loyal soldiers that are easily controlled." Paint & Sculpt 3.5 The sculpt for the Battle Droid is a faithful representation of what we see on screen from the angled beake head down to the segmented body parts. Each section is panelled with sculpted panel lines and joints and these are also worked into the articulation, almost mimicking how the droid was jointed on screen. The Droid is cast in a the brown plastic, the colour used for the Battle Droid troops on Geonosis at the start of the Clone Wars. Paint apps on top include the painted grey eyes and some weathering effects with grey patches and silver scrapes added to the Droid body in various sections. This is the same Battle Droid as released in 2019 from The Phantom Menace, and has been used again in the Gaming Greats line. The first Droid felt cheap with the pale colouration and limited paint. While the Geonosis version has no additional paint - the darker colouration does make it look more realistic. Both versions would however still benefit from a dark wash to enhance the panel lines and sculpt of the head and body. Accessories 3.5 The first accessory is essentially the back pack that the figures comes with. While it looks securely attached and part of the body - it does cip off from two peg sections that slot in just beneath the shoulders. Like the body, this is cast in the brown withs silver and grey weathering and with the peg connectors in a darker grey. The two aerial pieces on the top are retracted and these will actually extend when you pull them out - which is impressive at such a scale. Without any instructions or feature "point outs" this could easily be missed, and I am not ashamed to say that I missed this feature completely on the 2019 Battle Droid (that review has now been updated) and on first play with this version. The Battle Droid is armed with the E-5 Blaster, again a direct reuse from the original release. This is cast in grey and dry brushed in silver and there is quite a bit of detail in the gun that is brought out by the paint effects. The Blaster has to be slid sideways into the clawed right hand of the droid then straightened into the grip. It can also be stowed on the backpack by means of a notch in the backpack and a corresponding plug on the blaster. While it holds in place, the fit is far from secure as neither peg and socket are deep enough for tight fitting finish. The reason the Back Pack detaches is to allow an alternative look for the Battle Droid with the include aerial piece. These are worn by Commander Droids and gives you a variant option for Army Building. The aerial piece is quite flimsy and the two aerials on my figure had detached in the box from the main section and needed slotting back into place. The piece can attach to either of the holes left by the backpack, but is really designed for the one on the left as you look at the rear of the droid. The variant look is a neat option, and looks good on display especially if it is heading up an Army of droids. It might have been nice for Hasbro to include some instructions on how to swap the back packs. And potentially something to plug that 2nd hole with when not in use. Articulation 2.5 Articulation is the big issue for the B1 Battle Droid figure, specifically the ability to stand. The Hasbro version has the same issue due to those slim legs and while it is possible to get him to stand for a while, I recommend dropping him onto a stand - the one I used was a Protech Vintage Figure stand - and even with the stand the posing is awkward with the legs not wanting to hold the figure up straight. Joints on the droid are unique to the figure as ball joints are not used, and the figure has more traditional singular directional pivots in various locations. All in all there are 20 points of articulation. Head : jointed neck - top and bottom, jointed rear head piece Body : torso pivot joint Arms : pivot shoulder, bicep swivel, pivot elbow, wrist swivel, wrist joint Legs : pivot hips, single pivot joint knee, ankle rocker Once you have your Droid stable the articulation will get your droid into various poses including two handed weapon poses and marches. Sadly there are further issues with the security of some joints, the right arm in particular is not secure enough to support the weight of the blaster unless cradled by the left hand - unsupported it kind of hangs loose. Legs too are quite loose, and then the head is too stiff at the neck joint While standing is problematic, you can't knock the flexibility of the Droid joints and the articulation will allow your Battle Droid to fold down to his deactivated/travel position which is impressive in itself. Summary There is nothing wrong with the Hasbro Black Series Battle Droid sculpt, but there are some issues that will need addressing in the articulation and particularly the weak elbows and the ability to stand on its own. Paint job feels better on the Geonosis version, but like the previous releases - a black wash would take the figure to the next level. I am impressed by the accessory options including those extendable aerials on the back pack and the detail in the blaster. But I am not fully sold on this having the same value as a standard figure with face print tech, multiple layers of paint and more substantial articulation. The Battle Droid is a figure that screams out to be Army Built. As it stands this is tough in the current wave pack in and this sort of figure may be better served in a slimmed down packaging like Marvel Legends Army Builders at a cheaper price, or in multipacks - perhaps a Deluxe sized box with two Battle Droids with varying equipment. As it stands the Star Wars Black Series Battle Droid (Geonosis) scores 3.0 See More Reviews at 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, hasbro, black series, attack of the clones, episode 2, battle droid, geonosis

The NECA 40th Anniversary Series of figures were released in 2020 and made up of three waves of three figures from Alien (1979). Series 2 was a Summer 2020 release and brought us the first figures of Brett and Parker ever to be released in the line, along with the Alien itself with a new bloody decor paint job. Packaging 4.0 The Alien line from NECA has predominantly been packed in clamshell packaging to date, with a few recent Ultimate items then boxed. The 40th Anniversary line changes direction from both of these with a window box based on the original Kenner packaging from their 1979 Alien release. This uses a blue background with a black trim and the same logo from the Kenner box with a Big Chap on a red shaped background above a white text ALIEN logo. The figure window is bordered on three sides and wraps the top flap of the box. The Alien log cuts into the base of the window and below this is the character name and the NECA logo, and this too is inspired by the Kenner logo. The right hand spine carries the 40th Anniversary logo and character name, while the left hand has an image of the figure topped by the Kenner Alien logo and with another 40th Anniversary logo beneath the image. There is a further figure image on the back along with some generic background text for the movie - rather than the figure. "IN SPACE, NO-ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM" "IN A REMOTE REGION OF THE GALAXY, THE UNITED STATES SPACE TUG, NOSTROMO, CARRYING A CARGO OF MINERAL ORE, MAKES ITS RETURN JOURNEY TO EARTH. THE SHIP'S CREW - FIVE MEN, TWO WOMEN AND A CAT - ARE AWAKENED FROM THEIR HYPERSLEEP CHAMBERS WHEN MOTHER, THE ON BOARD COMPUTER, MONITORS A STRANGE TRANSMISSION. ACCORDING TO COMPANY LAW, THE CREW MUST INVESTIGATE ANY SIGNAL INDICATING POSSIBLE INTELLIGENT LIFE. WHAT STARTS AS A ROUTINE SEARCH MISSION QUICKLY ESCALATES INTO A NIGHTMARE OF UNIMAGINABLE TERROR WHEN THE CREW DISCOVERS AND BRINGS ABOARD AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFEFORM." Under this background text sits a checklist of the other 8 figures in the 40th Anniversary series. These are shown as head shots of each figure but are not shown in a Wave order. The figure sits against the red inner colour of the box, there is no cardboard insert. The tray slides out by means of the top flap and the figure is held into place with a variety of twist ties which will take some time to unravel. The accessories are taped into place. Paint & Sculpt 4.5 This is Parker's debut in the line, and as per usual NECA has delivered on the facial sculpt in terms of the overall likeness to actor Yaphet Kotto from the movie. The facial features are well defined with Parker's beard short trimmed beard framing the face. Skin tone and definition is good and using what NECA are now confirming as Face Print Technology. Sadly the eyes are not quite to up to scratch and the right pupil is off centre compared to the left - indicating these may have been done by hand? Parker is wearing his white flight suit with a green t-shirt underneath. The uniform is less detailed than some other outfits from Alien, but NECA have recreated the onscreen look with the red trimmed pockets and Nostromo logo on the right shoulder - applied as a decal. The whole ensemble is given a wash of grey to dirty it up and give it the worn look. Accessories 3.5 Parker is armed with the flame unit from the movie, This is the same accessory as as been packed with Ripley from Alien over the years. It is grey in colour with red and cream fuel tanks and a black nozzle piece. The nozzle is a little warped, being made of a softer plastic. The unit comes with a flexible rubber strap designed to allow it to be worn by the figure. The problem is that they have left the strap the same length as it was on Ripley, and therefore with Parker's larger frame it is far too short. This is a disappointing oversight. While it can be used to hang the weapon off one shoulder, it can't go over the shoulder and head at all. And when posed the strap pulls up the weapon to an odd position - in the end you will most likely need to leave the said strap hanging loose to the side. The flame unit sits into the right hand of Parker with no issue and the left hand is sculpted to cup the barrell in a two handed pose - as wielded on screen. Accessory two is the cattle prod that is also included with the Brett figure in the same wave. This arrives as a one piece item made up of the prod, a flexible cable and the power pack. The sculpt is once again crisp and detailed with clear definition of the switches and component parts. The decor includes blue and yellow trim around the prod as well as green, red and silver switches on the power pack. The power pack also has an articulated handle that is pivoted to help with posing. Parker comes with a second right hand with a tighter grip for the cattle prod. NECA do seem to have bolstered the wrist pegs to something much more substantial and swapping out the hands is no issue. The tighter grip is perhaps too tight and has to be prized open to hold the grip of the Cattle Prod. In fact the original hand would have sufficient had it been cast with a little more play in it rather than the harder plastic. The Power Pack for the Cattle Prod is designed to be held in the left hand, but on Parker this is cast in an open palm to cradle the flame unit. This makes it almost useless to hold the Power Pack - the only option is to try and balance it in the palm - but it always looks like he is about to drop it. An alternative left hand was sorely needed here too. Having posed Parker with the Cattle Prod the once for our photos, the cable promptly snapped where it connects to the prod. I would urge real caution when using this accessory - particularly considering how hard it is to get into the hand. There is an obvious weakness at the points the flexible cable joins the sculpted parts. With no NECA Customer Service options in the UK, it will be a super glue repair job for this one. Articulation 3.5 Parker has a total articulation count of 14 points of articulation, standard for human figures in the NECA Alien line. Head : ball joint neck Body : waist swivel Arms : ball joint shoulder, double joint elbows with swivel, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, single rotating knees, ankle rockers Aside from the hands ability to grip them the arm articulation allows for use of the accessories pretty well with twinned grip of the Flame Unit in firing positions as well as at rest. The legs are a little more restrictive, with the hips sat behind that flexible rubber groin piece which avoids the need for unsightly hip joints being on show, but restricts the upper leg movement to some degree. Single knees do not allow for siting or kneeling and therefore Parker will be left posed standing with options between feet together neutral, oto wider action stances. The legs are a little more restrictive, with the hips sat behind that flexible rubber groin piece which is meant to avoid the need for unsightly hip joints being on show. For some reason the right hip joint on Parker is on show behind that rubber groin. This rubber section restricts the upper leg movement to some degree. Single knees do not allow for siting or kneeling and therefore Parker will be left posed standing with options between feet together neutral, to wider action stances. Every joint on Parker is tight and secure and once posed they stay in position. He stands perfectly well and Summary Parker is a stunning figure, let down only by the execution of the eyes and a slightly odd gap in the groin section that exposes the right hip. The articulation gives enough movement to pose Parker with either accessory piece and the accessories themselves look great. What is an issue is the fact they haven't bothered to lengthen the strap for the Flame Unit from when it was packed with Ripley. And what seems to be a longevity issue with the flexible tube on the Cattle Prod. As mentioned in other reviews of this 40th Anniversary line, I am not completely sold on the packaging. While I see the link to the 1979 Alien product by Kenner, I would have preferred something more aligned to the movie art. I score Parker from the NECA Alien 40th Anniversary Series a total of 4.0 Visit our NECA Directory for more NECA Alien Reviews 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, Alien, Ridley Scott, Big Chap, Xenomorph, Nostromo, Ripley, Parker, Brett, Dallas, Lamber, Ash, 40th Anniversary Series

The NECA 40th Anniversary Series of figures were released in 2020 and made up of three waves of three figures from Alien (1979). Series 2 was a Summer 2020 release and brought us the first figures of Brett and Parker ever to be released in the line, along with the Alien itself with a new bloody decor paint job. Packaging 4.0 The Alien line from NECA has predominantly been packed in clamshell packaging to date, with a few recent Ultimate items then boxed. The 40th Anniversary line changes direction from both of these with a window box based on the original Kenner packaging from their 1979 Alien release. This uses a blue background with a black trim and the same logo from the Kenner box with a Big Chap on a red shaped background above a white text ALIEN logo. The figure window is bordered on three sides and wraps the top flap of the box. The Alien log cuts into the base of the window and below this is the character name and the NECA logo, and this too is inspired by the Kenner logo. The right hand spine carries the 40th Anniversary logo and character name, while the left hand has an image of the figure topped by the Kenner Alien logo and with another 40th Anniversary logo beneath the image. There is a further figure image on the back along with some generic background text for the movie - rather than the figure. "IN SPACE, NO-ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM" "IN A REMOTE REGION OF THE GALAXY, THE UNITED STATES SPACE TUG, NOSTROMO, CARRYING A CARGO OF MINERAL ORE, MAKES ITS RETURN JOURNEY TO EARTH. THE SHIP'S CREW - FIVE MEN, TWO WOMEN AND A CAT - ARE AWAKENED FROM THEIR HYPERSLEEP CHAMBERS WHEN MOTHER, THE ON BOARD COMPUTER, MONITORS A STRANGE TRANSMISSION. ACCORDING TO COMPANY LAW, THE CREW MUST INVESTIGATE ANY SIGNAL INDICATING POSSIBLE INTELLIGENT LIFE. WHAT STARTS AS A ROUTINE SEARCH MISSION QUICKLY ESCALATES INTO A NIGHTMARE OF UNIMAGINABLE TERROR WHEN THE CREW DISCOVERS AND BRINGS ABOARD AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFEFORM." Under this background text sits a checklist of the other 8 figures in the 40th Anniversary series. These are shown as head shots of each figure but are not shown in a Wave order. The figure sits against the red inner colour of the box, there is no cardboard insert. The tray slides out by means of the top flap. The Alien is bent over at the knees to fit into the box, with the flexible tail wrapped up and round so it almosts meats the head. A number of twist ties will need to be tackled around the arm and legs to free the Alien from the packaging. Paint & Sculpt 3.0 We have had a number of Big Chap Alien figures from NECA over the year, most recently the updated Ultimate Big Chap from early 2020 and the 40th Anniversary is a re-use of that figure. The head sculpt is amazing with the usual attention to detail over the physical aspects of the Alien from the ridged sides of the head to the smooth clear dome, which is fogged and teases at the physiology underneath. The jaws are lined with tendons and muscles and the teeth almost a metallic silver. The body for the 1979 Alien is very much an actor in a suit, and the sculpt reflects this with an initially upright pose when unpacked fully. The chest is an exposed rib cage while the arms and legs have a mix of smooth armour and exposed ridged segments. The hands end in elongated 6 fingered hands, while the fet have a four toed front and a spiked piece behind. The body is cast in a glossy brown/black plastic with dry brushing of brown over the top to add depth to the sculpt. The glossy finish gives a slick wet look all over. This version of The Alien is the bloody version and to achieve this an amount of red paint has been added to the mouth, rib cage and hands - with further splashes on the dome, arms and neck. The blood colouring is a touch too bright for me, especially on the chest. We don't see the Alien covered in blood to this extent in the film, and it more remind me of how as kids we would add blood to figures with red poster paint than anything else. As a concept it is fine, it perhaps needed dialling back a little. Accessories N/A Our Alien comes with no accessories of any sort. Considering here in the UK at least the 40th Anniversary line is comparable in price to the Ultimate version - it might have been nice to see NECA add some further value to the set with the inclusion of one or more of the Ultimate accessories like the egg or facehugger. Or have included a scared Jones the cat. Articulation 3.5 The new Ultimate body sees some substantial improvements on articulation to the older body. The hips are now more ball jointed than simple swivels, the knees are double jointed and we have both ankle rocker and toe pivot joint included. This all adds up to 20 point of articulation. Head : ball joint neck, opening jaw, extending inner jaw Body : ball joint chest, tail rotation, flexible tail with wire armature Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hip, double joint knees with rotation ankle rocker, toe pivot The arms are fully mobile and can be extended for striking poses or brought in close to the body. The legs, even with the new additions, are less extensive. While the double joint knees and feet articulation allows full movement - the hips remain somewhat blocked by the rubber groin piece. The tail doesn't feel as secure in the inner armature as other alien figures and struggles to hold its shape once posed. As usual, it can and needs to be used as a counter balance point for some posing. The head articulates on a ball joint at the top of the neck and can be moved back and forward - alhough backward is blocked by the extrusion at the base of the neck. Watch this piece too as it is an individual plugged in piece with no apparent glue and it falls out far too easily. We have the articulated jaw, and this is brilliant in the way it pivots open and the sculpt moves with the jaw on the sides. Inside we have the inner jaw piece. This is very loose and rather than shooting it, it seems to flow out and hang as though not properly connected in the head. On arrival and unpacking, the Alien has a number of seized joints and has to be coaxed into life. A hot water bath is the easiest way, don't try and force anything as they will be liable to snap before they become free. Summary The Alien feels like a filler to Series 2, as did the Concept Alien in Series 1. And of course we look to be getting the same figure again in Series 3 without the blood splatter. We also had the identical figure as an Ultimate in early 2020 and as a glow in the dark SDCC exclusive, so in one year we will have five versions of the same figure base in circulation. Like most NECA Alien figures, the sculpting and execution of the looks is wonderful as is the paint finish up to the addition of the blood. The blood itself as a concept is fine, they've just been a little too heavy handed and a touch too bright with the colour. Articulation is certainly improved on this Ultimate body, but not quite to the level we have seen on other Xenomorphs like the AvP version or the recent Resurrection Warrior. The box design is more apt with this figure considering the original Kenner Big Chap figure from 1979 on which the packaging design is based. But I would still have preferred something more aligned to the movie. I score the Alien with bloody decor from the Alien 40th Anniversary Series 2 a total of 3.5 taking into account how often NECA are trying to make us dip on the same figure. Visit our NECA Directory for more NECA Alien Reviews 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, Alien, Ridley Scott, Big Chap, Xenomorph, Nostromo, Ripley, Parker, Brett, Dallas, Lamber, Ash, 40th Anniversary Series

Medicom have revealed a new 2-pack of Batman and Robin in their MAFEX line from The Dark Knights Returns. The Batman is in the blue and grey suit and he comes with three masked head options as well as an unmasked version. The cape is soft goods and alternative hands are included. Robin is shown with two head sculpts and she includes a soft goods cape also. The 2-pack is due for a late 2020 / early 2021 release. Checkout our blog page for more action figure news, reviews and store reports About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors,

The Medicom MAFEX Iron-Man Mk85 figure from Avengers : Endgame was shown off a Wonder Festival Japan in February 2020. We are now moving closer to release with these new promotional images shared by Medicom. Sadly they are quite low-res at this stage - I will try to update them if we get better images The figure includes the nano-tech shield as well as clip on backpack weapons launcher, hand launchers and nano-tech blade. There are some variances being reported for release dates, but it should be either December 2020 or very early 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,

This one is a little outside our usual 6 inch scale coverage, but checkout the Spinmaster 12 inch Batman figure with deluxe cloth cape. The figure is a DC FanDome Exclusive and has 11 points of articulation, deluxe soft goods cape and comes packed in a sleek collectors display box. As DC FanDome is online, the figure is being sold by Amazon US. They will ship it to the UK, but expect to be paying circa £50 for the figure plus shipping and custom costs. You can pre-order now, with the figure shipping on the 21st September 2020. 12-inch Action Figure with Deluxe Cloth Cape Protect Gotham City with the Batman 12-inch Action Figure, found only on the DC FanDome! This 12-inch Caped Crusader figure features 11 points of articulation, an oversized cape and exclusive comic styling that brings the iconic Super Hero to life! Pose your figure and take down the Super-Villains of Gotham City! This Batman action figure is the ultimate collector’s item. Join your favorite Super Hero, Batman, on epic missions with the DC FanDome exclusive 12-inch Action Figure! 12-INCH BATMAN ACTION FIGURE: With 11 points of articulation, easily pose this exclusive Batman action figure into a variety of dynamic action poses. Create your own epic good vs. evil adventures! EXCLUSIVE COMIC STYLING: This articulated Batman action figure is highly detailed, featuring a large deluxe cloth cape, exclusive sculpt and comic styling that brings your favorite Super Hero to life! ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S ITEM: With its exclusive unique and detailed look, this epic Batman 12-inch Action Figure is the perfect addition to your collection and is the ultimate collector’s item! This exclusive Batman 12-inch Action Figure makes a great gift for fans and collectors aged 3 and up. Create your own Super Hero adventures with Batman and protect Gotham City! 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,