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After releasing the un-armoured Thanos twice for Infinity War, Hasbro finally gave us the armoured Thanos as a build-a-figure in 2019 for the release of Avengers Endgame. Thanos was broken down across 6 releases in an Avengers wave which included two MCU figures in Ronin and Ebony Maw as well as 4 comic book figures. Assembly 4/5 With all the pieces assembled, Thanos is put together via the usually push and click method. Each part clicks solidly into the central torso, with the legs being the toughest to position due to the size of the pegs and the corresponding sockets. The breakdown for the Thanos figure is as follows. You will need all the body parts to complete the figure. However, if you want an un-helmeted Thanos (as you will see shortly) you could skip Hercules and use one of the spare heads from The First Ten Years Infinity War sets (assuming you have it). Paint & Sculpt 3/5 There is much more detailing on this releae of Thanos than the previous version thanks to the armour. Each armour piece is well shaped and sculpted with intricate paneland lines throughout. The head sculpt has Thanos sporting a grimmace with teeth bared. While his eyes are painted, they are a very similar colour to the skin tone so do get a bit lost and it makes him look a little like he has his eyes closed. Painting across the figure is very crisp with a bright sheen to the gold armour. It is however missing a wash to bring out all of that sculptural detail. Thanos is sporting his Infinity Gauntlet on his left hand, and this in itself is an issue as he never had this in Endgame - wearing only the nano-gauntlet on his right hand late in the movie. This therefore is closer to the Thanos we see attacking the Asgardian ship in Infinity War - although in this case he should not have all the stones. It would have been nice to see Hasbro give us an alternative left hand or skip the gauntlet altogether. As you can see from our images, and as mentioned above, the head from this figure can be swapped for an un-helmeted version from The First Ten Years Infinity War set. Accessories 1/5 Thanos comes with his double bladed weapon. This is cast in a grey plastic and has very little detail and no paint apps what so ever. When you consider this is a shiny metallic weapon with varying colours in the blade and a gold grip in the movie - this accessory is a poor substitute. When we consider ZD Toys have put out a much superior version, this effort from Hasbro is very disappointing and looks completely out of sync with the figure. Articulation 4/5 For a big figure, Thanos is surprisingly agile and has 16 points of articulation in total. Head : ball joint pivot neck Body : Torso T-Joint Arms : ball joint shoulder, single joint rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double joint knee, ankle rocker The arms do miss out on double jointed elbows, which does inhibit some movement, particularly getting the Infinity Gauntlet up to that "click" position aside his head. That aside the figure poses beautifully with a lot of action stances and fighting poses available to him. He stands perfectly well on the solid ankle rockers. Summary This is the more superior Thanos figure purely on the back of the armour. It is well sculpted, well painted and very well articulated. And yet the figure has some big discrepancies such as the Infinity Gauntlet and that poorly executed weapon. When you consider the cost of buying 6 other releases to collect this figure, 4 of which that are not MCU, then I would have expected a little more from Hasbro. I score the Avengers Endgame Thanos (BAF) a 3 out of 5. See More MCU Marvel Legends Figures

Previews have confirmed they will be selling an exclusive version of the Mezco One:12 Collective Supreme Batman. The general version has already been confirmed as an early 2020 release. The Previews version updates the colour scheme to a more classic blue & grey outfit. The heads are tweaked also to have taller bat ears. The contents remain the same with three head options, multiple hands, batarangs, grappling gun and more. The Previews Supreme Batman is expected to arrive around May 2020. "From Mezco Toys. A PREVIEWS Exclusive! Mezco's One:12 Batman series continues with this PREVIEWS Exclusive Batman: Supreme Knight! The Supreme Knight depicts an older Bruce Wayne who has learned his way and honed his skills. Supreme Knight's Bat Suit provides additional armored protection enhancements to compensate for the wear and tear that his years of crime fighting have taken on him. A magnet in his collar allows him to switch between two leather-like capes: one with an integrated posing wire and one that drapes freely, and he employs an upgraded arsenal including a dual-blade karambit that folds, a multifunctional, non-lethal "Equalizer" cannon, grappling gun, and more! Each One:12 Collective Batman: Supreme Knight figure is packaged in a collector friendly box, designed with collectors in mind."

Hasbro have released a number of basic 6 inch "Hero" figures over the past 4-years, geared at the discount stores in the US and here in the UK. The figures are made to a 6 inch size, not a scale, so are all identical in height. They are well sculpted, with basic but neat paint applications and are nicely boxed and are a niche line for collectors as well as affordable toys for young Star Wars fans. The 2019 range was sold in Lidl here in the UK. It was made up of 6 figures, 5 of which were repacks from previous years. The new figure for the UK was a Chewbacca from Solo : A Star Wars Story, the figure we are reviewing here. (Chewie has had a limited release in 2018 in a Solo themed box. It did not make it to the UK) Packaging 4/5 The 2019 packaging retains the white scheme as seen in the 2017 releases. The box dimensions also remain the same, as does the size of the window through which you can see the head and chest of the figure. The Star Wars logo sits just under the window and is now black. Beneath this is an image of Chewie and the Hasbro logo. The character name is presented in red on the side of the window. The left spine of the box repeats the Star Wars logo, character name and then includes a bigger version of the Chewbacca image. The right hand spine has the same header with the logo and character name, but then opens up with a short piece of character text repeated in 5 languages. The inclusion of this text is of course always seen on Black Series releases, and the text for Chewbacca is word-for-word as found on the back of the Vandor Chewbacca Black Series Exclusive. "A MIGHTY WOOKIEE NEARLY TWO CENTURIES OLD, CHEWBACCA HAS FALLEN UPON HARD TIMES DURING THIS AGE OF THE EXPANDING EMPIRE" The box opens from the top and the figure slides out strapped into the card insert. Once removed you can see the insert is not just plain grey, but carries a feint design of an Imperial corridor. Paint & Sculpt 4/5 The Chewbacca sculpt is good, with a fair likeness to the head and a lot of detail in the fur around the head and the body. The bandoleer is the double sided version Chewie uses on Vandor-1 and is a separate piece that could be removed if you wish. The paint is well applied with a level of shading around the chest and down into the arms and legs. The figure seems to be constructed out of two plastic types. The torso and legs are a very hard hollow plastic, while the head and arms are much softer and feel solid. The issue with the figure, as is often the case with these 6 inch Hero figures, is the height. Chewie is far too small and is even shorter than a Black Series Han Solo and is dwarfed by the more accurate Vandor-1 Chewbacca. The figure is the same height as all the other figures in the line, making Chewie the same height as Luke and Han. I guess Hasbro don't think kids are too bothered by scale at this price point. Accessories 3/5 The term accessory in this instance is not quite accurate. While Chewie comes with a Blaster Rifle, it is actually cast as part of his arm and cannot be removed. The detailing on the gun is nice, but it is left as a base grey colouring and is very soft and rubbery. Articulation 4/5 These figures are usually between 4 and 5 points of articulation, and the joints basic rotating joints only. Chewie weighs in with 4 which includes a jointed neck which is restricted partially by the fur overlapping onto the chest. Head : ball joint neck Body : waist swivel Arms : shoulder swivel Legs : nil The arms swing out and around, while the legs are static and can only be moved by way of the waist swivel. Being static the legs do allow Chewie to stand perfectly. Summary As I sum up, I do have to remind myself this is a figure that is being sold at £4.99 in Lidl stores, and is aimed purely at children and not collectors. To that end it is a brilliant sculpt and paint job for the price - and even the basic articulation wouldn't deter a child who perhaps wants a larger size Star Wars figure (maybe like Daddy) I score the Star Wars 6 inch Hero Chewbacca a 4 out of 5, and putting the sizing issue aside he is up there with the other great figures in the line like C-3PO, Luke Jedi Knight, Darth Maul and Rey. See More Star Wars Hero Figures

The Star Wars 6 inch Budget Hero line from Hasbro has been in place since 2015 when The Force Awakens hit cinema's. The line is made for budget stores and here in the UK is carried by Aldi and Lidl stores. We have had releases in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and across these three years we have had 13 characters released. After skipping 2018, the 2019 line is stocked by Lidl - releasing across all stores on the 21st November. The figures are priced at £4.99 each. The 2019 figures are packed with 6 characters to a case and 5 of these are re-releases in new boxes. We have reviewed each of these figures in previous years, and you can check these out via the links below. Rey Luke Jedi Knight Darth Vader Kylo Ren First Order Stormtrooper The new 2019 boxes feature a white box with black Star Wars logo. Character art appears on the side and the back and there is also some basic character text down the right spine. For some reason the Rey figure carries a warning on the front of the box, while all the other figures have the warnings down the rear of the box. The only new figure for the UK 2019 is Chewbacca who we review here Chewie has had a limited release in 2018 in a Solo themed box. It did not make it to the UK.

Series 14 of NECA's Alien series returned us to the Alien movie series, and for the first time brought us to the 4th film in the franchise - Alien Resurrection. The wave gave us a new Ripley figure (reviewed here) as well as the Resurrection Xenomorph and the Newborn Alien. Packaging 3/5 Series 14 continues the blister pack format of packaging for both Ripley and the Alien, although the Newborn does move to a box due to its size. The design is as per usual with a thin gloss paper insert sandwiched between the blister and the back. The front of this makes up the header with Alien Resurrection logo, and the cardback behind the Ripley figure. Round the back we have an image of Ripley 8 and a short synopsis of the Alien Resurrection plot. "_TWO HUNDRED YEARS AFTER HER DEATH, MILITARY SCIENTISTS ON BOARD THE USM AURIGA ARE ATTEMPTING TO CLONE ELLEN RIPLEY IN ORDER TO EXTRACT THE XENOMORPH QUEEN EMBRYO THAT WAS IN HER BODY WHEN SHE DIED. AND ON THE EIGHTH ATTEMPT, THEY SUCCEED. CONTAMINATED WITH RIPLEY'S DNA, THE QUEEN GIVES BIRTH TO A GROTESQUE HUMAN/ALIEN HYBRID CALLED THE "NEWBORN," WHICH ESCAPES, FORCING THE CREW INTO A DESPERATE RACE TO DESTROY IT AND THE OTHER CLONED ALIENS BEFORE THE SHIP REACHES EARTH" This plot text is the same as the other figures in Series 14, it is not character specific. It is also a bit odd in that it talks about the Newborn escaping and forcing the crew into a race to destroy it. In actual fact it is the Warrior Aliens that escape, forcing the crew of the Betty to try and escape the ship before it crashes? Under all of this sits a "also available" segment detailing all three figures in Series 14. There is a second paper insert that wraps either side of the blister, creating two gorgeous art panels up either side with images of the figure in one of NECA's excellent diorama's. This then also wraps to become the name plate for the figure. The figure can only be freed by destroying the blister, one of the downsides of this design. Once out the figure is strapped into an inner tray with clear ties. These can damage the figure so cut them carefully to release Ripley. Be careful also with the accessories - these are taped over to stay in place and the tape can remove paint if taken off too roughly. Paint & Sculpt 3/5 This is yet another great sculpt of Sigourney Weaver, and also captures the mean and moody look of the Ripley 8 clone as seen in the movie. The skin is cast in a glossy texture making it look sweaty, a perfect fit for the figure in terms of what we see in the movie. The downside to this method is a lack of any definition in the face and it can leave the eyes and mouth look like they are floating. NECA are not yet employing face print technology so the eyes do not look overly realistic close up. The hands are painted with dark green nails as also seen in the movie, and for some reason the palms look blushed and red. Ripley 8 has her number tattoo on her left arm which is applied as a decal. On my figure there are also three markings on her right arm. I cannot find any reference to these nor remember them from the movie - I suspect they are paint errors where the brown from the outfit has leeched onto the arm. The outfit is well replicated with a leather look throughout and plenty of sculpted and painted detailing such as the buckles and fasteners on the jacket and the boots, as well as the knee pads. Accessories 4/5 Ripley 8 is well armed, starting with a Draco Double Burner combined Pulse Rifle / Flamethrower. This is a very nice piece, cast in a hard plastic with lots of detailing across it and paint work to match. It has a flexible strap attached at the right length to go over Ripley's head and shoulder and to hang neatly in a firing position. The weapon slots into Ripley's right hand. The fit is very tight and getting the trigger finger in place is hard work - particularly when you consider the vulnerable wrist joints as we will see shortly. The second weapon is the Lacrima 99 Shockrifle, and this is just as well cast and coloured as the Draco. We have a more metallic silver finish to this weapon with darker grey and gunmetal added around the grip and barrel. Once again a flexible strap can be slung over the figure shoulder. Getting Ripley to hold this one is quite a bit tougher than the Draco as the grip is wider and there is a bigger gap for the trigger finger to bridge. Ripley also comes with her basketball, although technically he wasn't wearing the exact same outfit in the scenes where she met the crew of the Betty while playing Basketball. To hold the ball we have to swap out both of Ripley's hands. These are are on very thin and brittle pegs at the wrists and they are very easily snapped or pushed inside the arm. I suggest warming up both hand and wrist gently prior to swapping these over to reduce the risk. The basketball is very well done with a texture in the sculpt like a real ball. The hands are shaped around the ball so they can hold it without looking like they are floating above its surface. Articulation 2/5 Ripley has 14 points of articulation, and that is quite telling in term of where NECA are with articulation compared to their peers such as Hasbro or McFarlane who delivery 16-18 on most releases. Head : ball joint neck Body : waist swivel Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow, wrist peg swivel Legs : ball joint hips, single rotating knee, ankle rocker Straight out of the pack and Ripley has one leg longer than the other causing a slight lean when posed in a neutral position. The ankles will also need a hot bath to free them and get them moving. The neck joint is very loose and the head wobbles, thankfully kept in check by the hair piece. The waist joint is stuck in place also on arrival and takes some teasing to get it moving. The arms give enough movement to hold the weaponry sufficiently and the basketball. There is enough strength in the arms to hold the basketball outstretched. The legs allow some wider stances, but no kneeling positions as the knees do not even bend to a 90 degree position. Summary This is the first NECA figure I have reviewed for some time, and it is interesting how much other companies have moved on in that time. Where as NECA face sculpts used to be the best at the price point, I now see flaws after seeing what Hasbro can do with their face print technology. The articulation too is poor for a figure range that is now pushing £30 a pop, and there are a lot of quality issues like the paint spots on the arm, wobbly neck joint and stuck joints elsewhere on the legs. I am still a huge fan of NECA and their Alien range in particular, and Ripley 8 is a stunning figure that looks brilliant alongside the other releases from the past 6-years. What is evident is that the NECA prices are going up while the figures are not progressing in quality or functionality and that is disappointing. I score the Ripley 8 a 3 out of 5 overall. See More NECA figures

It seems The Entertainer will be stocking wave 22 of the Star Wars Black Series at some point in the foreseeable future. Listings went up on The Entertainer's website for Cal Kestis, The Mandalorian, Off World Jawa, Stormtrooper, Sith Trooper and Rey. Each are priced at £20 at the moment with no ETA. At this stage we don't know why Kylo Ren and The Second Sister are not listed. If we follow previous Black Series figures from listing to appearance in stores, then we could be waiting about a month, which puts them in stores over Christmas. It will be interesting to see if they keep the price at £20 or will follow suit with the other Black Series figures they've carried over previous months and drop them to the £11 price point. I suspect the later considering how new these ones are - and how sought after when you look at The Mandalorian in particular. As always I will keep my eyes peeled on my regular #OnThePegs trips into The Entertainer... (paid links)

As seen in Chapter 3 of the Mandalorian (The Sin), the Heavy Infantry Mandalorian will be a deluxe release in the Star Wars Black Series. He has been listed as a Bestbuy exclusive in the US and appears to be available now for US collectors with immediate shipping. We await details of a UK / worldwide release. "Make smooth gunfighter moves with this Star Wars: The Black Series Heavy Infantry Mandalorian deluxe action figure. The armored bounty hunter has four articulated limbs for creating fearsome fighting poses, and the premium detailing inspired by the Disney+ live-action TV series satisfies collectors. This Star Wars: The Black Series Heavy Infantry Mandalorian deluxe action figure comes with an accessory for dynamic play."

Medicom have unveiled a full gallery of images for their MAFEX Carnage action figure. Carnage will include three head options, two as Carnage with variant expressions and a third of an unmasked Cletus Kasady. There is also a wealth of symbiote swap out parts so the figure can be armed with a variety of options including blades, a hammer, a scythe and webs. Carnage is due for a July 2020 release.

Following on from the New Scamander release, the next figure from the Wizarding World by Medicom will be the MAFEX Gellert Grindelwald from the 2nd movie in the Fantastic Beasts series - The Crimes of Grindelwald. Grindelwald comes with two head sculpts and the Eldar Wand. He also has his Skull Hookah. He is due for release at the end of July 2020.

Medicom have released a full gallery of images of their MAFEX Hush Superman. He comes with two head options, one normal and one possessed. There are also a number of clip on FX pieces to recreate his possession by Poison Ivy. He also includes a swap out hand for the Hush Batman MAFEX figure complete with Kyrptonite ring. The cloak is soft goods and looks to have poseable interior wiring. Hush Superman is due for release on 31st July 2020

Following on from the news we shared about Lanard Toys and their new Alien Collection, we have another item from the range revealed in the shape of this 12 inch high Alien Queen. The Queen is articulated and has a inner jaw action feature via a button on her head. She is not yet listed as a Smyths Toys product, but looks to be coming to US Walmart stores in early 2020.

SH Figuarts are not just doing The Mandalorian from the hit Disney+ show, they have revealed a number of other figures at Tokyo Comic Con 2019. As yet, there are no clear release dates for any of these figures Spoilers ahead.... IG-11 will be getting the SHF treatment and looks pretty awesome. He will be joined by a Remnant Stormtrooper and a Biker Scout complete with new white Speeder Bike.