Action Figures For The Questioning #007: Buck System

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Action Figures For the Questioning

I’ve been in the action figure world for about 20 years.  So, it’s safe to say I’ve got a fair bit of knowledge on the terms that tend to be thrown around by collectors with little or no explanation as to what they mean.  I generally try to explain a concept on its first appearance on this site, but much as Stan Lee once said to assume every comic book was somebody’s first, I too must assume that every review on this site might be the first to be read by a new visitor.  As such, I’ve decided to put together a guide to some of the more frequently used terms and names that might show up.

BUCK SYSTEM

BuckSystem

What is it?:

A method of creating a small set of base bodies on which multiple figures can be built.  Commonly used as a way to cut costs.  However, it may also be used to make releasing additional figures and characters a quicker process.

Example:

Masters of the Universe is perhaps the greatest example of this system, but it has been seen on other lines, such as DC Universe Classics, another Mattel line.

#0211: Stormtroopers

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , ,

STORMTROOPERS

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES

Stormtroopers

THE FIGURE IN QUESTION

EPISODE 211

It was a dark time for the FIGURE IN QUESTION. Negotiations have broken down following the disappointment of the Slave Leia figure. The rebellion has recovered from this blow with the release of the Bespin Luke Skywalker figure. The rebels quietly celebrate their victory. Little do they know that the evil Galactic Empire has plans for an awesome figure of their own. If only the collectors could find that figure….

Yep, Star Wars: The Black Series is a pretty cool line, but I can’t help but feel that it’s a bit short on representing the Empire. Sure, we got a pretty cool Sandtrooper back in series one, but that’s just a Sandtrooper. It can’t even find the droids it’s looking for! But then, Hasbro announced the Stormtrooper! Everyone loves the Stormtroopers! And you can buy a bunch, meaning that your Empire’s ranks could quickly grow, right? Yeah, in theory anyway. But then Hasbro decided to pack him one per case. So…that didn’t go so well. After a few months I finally tracked a couple, but man…

THE FIGURE ITSELF

The Stormtrooper was released in the third series of Star Wars: The Black Series. His number is #09. The Stormtrooper is pretty much the same in every movie (I know there are some differences that a die-hard fan could point out, but I don’t know them.), so they’ve gone with the one look.  The figure is a little over 6 inches tall and has 29 points of articulation. In a first for the line, the Stormtrooper’s sculpt is mostly re-use. The figure shares everything but the belt and left shin with series one’s Sandtrooper. The head might also be a new sculpt, but I can’t tell. The difference might just be paint releated. Anyway, the sculpt was nice to begin with, so it works really nicely here. The big difference between this figure and the Sandtrooper is the paint. The Stormtrooper is much cleaner, which makes the figures sculpt look a bit bolder. The figure is mostly molded in the appropriate white, but he has some black detailing, which is mostly clean. I did notice a few areas of slop, but they seem to vary from figure to figure, so check them if you have the opportunity. The Stormtrooper includes two accessories: his basic rifle, which is reused from both the Sandtrooper and Han Solo, as well as a larger rifle, which is speculated to see a re-use with robot assassin IG-88. Once again, this is a bit of a step down from earlier series, but I can’t really think of anything else to give the troopers.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

After a while of searching, I finally caught the Stormtrooper while it was in stock on Amazon. I was able to get two of them, because you can’t just have one Stormtrooper, that would be wrong. I had enjoyed the Sandtrooper quite a bit, and was eager to see how the sculpt would look when used for the main trooper. Aside from the issues finding the figures, they really didn’t disappoint!

StormTrooperswbubble

#0210: Luke Skywalker – Bespin

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

LUKE SKYWALKER – BESPIN

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES

Luke(Bespin)

I’m just a moderate Star Wars fan, but I am an action figure fan (in case the site hadn’t already clued you in on that…), and that means I frequently find myself venturing into the galaxy far, far away for my purchases. Hasbro recently brought the characters into the 6 inch scale with their new Star Wars: The Black Series. The line boasts improved sculpts, better articulation, and a greater selection of accessories. It’s also quickly become one of my favorite lines. The third series proved to be a bit difficult to procure at first, but I’ve finally tracked a set down and I’ll be reviewing them today and tomorrow (It’s only a three figure assortment and I don’t need prequel Obi Wan, so just the two for me.)

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Luke comes from the third series of Star Wars: The Black Series. Each figure in the line gets a number, and Luke is #011. He’s presented here in his main gear from The Empire Strikes Back, generally referred to as his Bespin look. It’s generally see as one of the character’s definitive looks, so it’s great to see it in the line. The figure stands just shy of 6 inches tall and features 29 points of articulation. All of the articulation seems to work pretty well, though I am slightly annoyed by the choice to give both hands a forward/back joint instead of the usual mix of one forward/back, one left/right. It’s a minor issue, but it limits the pose-ability a bit. Luke features an entirely new sculpt, which is great all-around. It’s well proportioned, nicely detailed, and the head has more than a passing resemblance to Mark Hamill. He also features an add-on belt piece, which could probably be removed if you so desired, but isn’t meant to be. On the paint side, he’s not quite as good as previous waves, but he’s not bad, and seems a lot better than I’d heard from other reviews. My figure seems to have received a decent paint job with no slop or bleed over. He’s got a decent wash on his body-suit, which does an excellent job bringing out the details in the sculpt. Luke is accessorized with a blaster and a lightsaber, both of which are reused from the previous LightsabersLuke. This is a bit of a letdown, given the larger selection featured with the rest of the line. Heck, the previous Luke even included a helmet in addition to these two pieces. I’d have liked to at least get a few extra hands, or at bare minimum that his right hand was removable to recreate the Bespin duel. Alas, he just gets the two pieces. Oh well.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I got Luke from Amazon. He’s been in stock there for a little while, but I wanted to wait until they got in the Stormtrooper at a reasonable price before ordering him. Initially, I wasn’t sure I was going to get this figure. I already had the pilot version of the character from series one, and that’s a really cool figure. However, once I saw some pictures of this figure, I knew I couldn’t miss out on him. Plus, he’s Bespin Luke. What kind of a fan would I be if I didn’t have him? Anyway, I’m really glad I got this figure, and I’m going to have a lot of trouble picking which of the two Lukes will be my default.

SwBlacks1vss2

Action Figures For The Questioning #006: Boxed Set

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Action Figures For the Questioning

I’ve been in the action figure world for about 20 years.  So, it’s safe to say I’ve got a fair bit of knowledge on the terms that tend to be thrown around by collectors with little or no explanation as to what they mean.  I generally try to explain a concept on its first appearance on this site, but much as Stan Lee once said to assume every comic book was somebody’s first, I too must assume that every review on this site might be the first to be read by a new visitor.  As such, I’ve decided to put together a guide to some of the more frequently used terms and names that might show up.

BOXED SET

BoxedSet

What is it?:

A collection of figures, typically based around a theme of some sort.  Generally refers to a number of figures greater than three.  It isn’t uncommon to see re-releases or a large amount of part re-use in such sets.  Frequently used to release lesser known characters, as packing them with better known characters means the average buyer will still buy them.

#0209: Stargirl

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

STARGIRL

DC UNIVERSE CLASSICS

Stargirl

If you liked yesterday’s Aquaman review, you’ll be happy to know I’ll be taking a look at yet another DC Universe Classics figure today. This time around, it’s Stargirl, who is most commonly known for her association with the Justice Society of America. She’s one of DC’s better characters in recent years, and if you’d like to know more, you can check out her entry in the Backstories section, here.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Stargirl was released in the 19th series of DC Universe Classics. The series was themed around the Justice Society, so her inclusion makes sense. Stargirl stands about 6 inches tall and features 25 points of articulation. Astoundingly for DCUC, Star Girl is almost an entirely unique sculpt. Only her forearms and boots are re-use, hailing from the 90s Supergirl from Mattel’s earlier line DC Super Heroes. The body sculpt is pretty decently done. She’s well-proportioned all around, and looks appropriate to the character. Sadly, the head doesn’t fair as well. They tried to give her a grinning expression, and she ends up looking a bit like the Joker. I’ll give them credit for trying something different, but it just didn’t work out. The paint work is all very clean, and I really like the metallic blue they used, but the head is once again hit the hardest. The paint on the teeth makes the sculpt look even worse, which is really sad. Stargirl includes her cosmic staff and a piece of series 19’s C-n-C, STRIPE. The staff is a nice piece, though it’s been molded in clear yellow for some reason, and she has a little bit of trouble holding it.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Stargirl was picked up for me by my Dad. He found her in the store and knew I’d been looking for one, so he bought it for me. I know I kinda ragged on her, but I honestly don’t think Stargirl’s that bad a figure. Sure, the head sculpt leaves a bit to be desired, but I’ve seen worse and the rest of the figure is handled very well. Plus, it’s a character I like, so I’m just glad she got a figure at all.

#0208: Aquaman – Camouflage

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

AQUAMAN – CAMOUFLAGE

DC UNIVERSE CLASSICS

Aquaman(Camo)

Aquaman tends to get a bad rap. People are very quick to label him as “lame” or “stupid.” Now, I’m not one to tell people they aren’t true fans, or say my opinion is law or anything, but I feel like people that write the character off like that aren’t really looking at the character too closely. I mean, the guy lives at the bottom of the ocean. Dude’s gotta be super-jacked! Certainly not the kind of guy I’d want to make fun of.

That being said, in the 80s, Aquaman got a mini-series where he was given a new costume to replace his classic orange and green look. It was water camouflage.  It was lame. It was stupid. And, it was one of the versions of the character released in Mattel’s DC Universe Classics. “Ethan, if you think the costume is lame and stupid, why do you have an action figure of it?” Because shut up, that’s why!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Aquaman was released in the 7th series of DC Universe Classics. He is in the aforementioned “Aqua-Camo.” The figure is about 6 ½ inches tall and features 25 points of articulation. He’s built on slightly larger male buck, which fits the king of the seas, I suppose. His head is reused from DCUC’s previous Aquaman figure. Yes, he was a total re-use figure. At least the reused parts are good pieces. The head sculpt is definitely one of the line’s stronger pieces. It has just the right amount of nobility and heroism that should be present in the king of Atlantis. One thing I did notice is that he has a slight mutilation on his face that results in some lines that shouldn’t be there. I actually like the look, as it kind of look like some cool scarring, but I imagine not everyone would be so thrilled. The paint work is pretty good. They’ve replicated the design of the suit very well, and it does really pop, which is always nice. It has a few fuzzy lines here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary for a DCUC figure.  Aquaman includes a trident and a piece of the series’ C-n-C, Atom Smasher. This is my first Aquaman I’ve reviewed on the site, so I’m gonna address this here: what is up with the tridents? Aquaman pretty much never carries a trident, and yet every single Aquaman figure’s got his friggin’ trusty trident!

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I purchased this figure for two reasons: I wanted to finish Atom Smasher, and the basic Aquaman was hard to find. Seriously, I’ve never actually seen the regular Aquaman in person. The series he was in was pretty much impossible to find. So, I had to settle for true blue here. He’s actually not a bad figure, even if I’m not the biggest fan of the costume. He also adds a nice splash (heh!) of blue to the JLA shelf.

Action Figures For The Questioning #005: Bleed Over

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Action Figures For the Questioning

I’ve been in the action figure world for about 20 years.  So, it’s safe to say I’ve got a fair bit of knowledge on the terms that tend to be thrown around by collectors with little or no explanation as to what they mean.  I generally try to explain a concept on its first appearance on this site, but much as Stan Lee once said to assume every comic book was somebody’s first, I too must assume that every review on this site might be the first to be read by a new visitor.  As such, I’ve decided to put together a guide to some of the more frequently used terms and names that might show up.

BLEED OVER

BleedOver

What is it?:

A result of poor application of paint on a figure.  Bleed over is when paint goes past it’s intended stopping point.  It is usually evident by looking at sculpted boarders between colors, or possibly a painted line detailing a boarder.  Generally seen as making a figure look cheaply made.

#0207: Supergirl & Bizarro

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

SUPERGIRL & BIZARRO

DC MINIMATES

Bizarro&Supergirl

Goodbye! Today, me no am reviewing figures from my least favorite toyline ever, Minimates. Me no am happy to be reviewing Minimates. They am terrible! Figures today not come from DC Minimates, a line which had too many series. Figures am two minor characters from DC’s least popular comic, Superman.

THE FIGURES NO AM THEMSELVES

Figures no am from 6th series of DC Minimates. They no am from near end of line.

PRETTY LADY S GIRL

Supergirl no am Superman’s cousin. She am very old lady, who am left on Argo, capital city of Krypton, which am destroyed before Krypton exploded. Supergirl am very tall figure, not based on normal Minimate body. She no features 14 points of articulation and am 2 ½ inches short. Supergirl have three old pieces. They no am right for the character. They am too skinny. Pieces am sculpted very rigid. Paint am okay. This am very bad. There am no interesting details. Supergirl’s face am very calm, and am same as others. Supergirl am well accessorized with nothing.

ME AM BIZARRO

Bizarro am original Superman. He am greatest hero ever and am great friend of Superman. He am not based on classic Bizarro, which am terrible! Bizarro am no based on minimate body, and no have normal features. Bizarro no have three sculpted pieces: hair, cape, and belt. Cape and belt brand new pieces and hair am re-use. Pieces no am good for figure. Am terrible representation of character. Bizzaro’s paint am no good. This am very bad. Slop am everywhere. Bizarro’s face am no detailed very well. He am very sad looking. Me Bizarro am include “Bizarro #1” necklace, which other Bizarro’s no am included. Me am happy about this.

ME AM THREE HALVES OF THE EQUATION

Ethan sell Bizarro and Pretty Lady S Girl from distant comicbook store, Cosmic Comix. Me no get them when they am unreleased. Me no am like them. They am terrible figures of characters. They am no important characters to Superman.

 

Confused?  This post was written in Bizarro speak.  If you’d like a translation, click here.

Guest Review #0003: Supergirl & Bizarro

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Guest Reviews and tagged with , , , , , ,

The  following is a guest review written by my brother, Christian Wilson.  Enjoy.

SUPERGIRL & BIZARRO

DC MINIMATES

Bizarro&Supergirl

Ahoy! This is life. Sometimes you don’t know where you’re going but you know where you’ve been. And that’s all that love’s about. But love is not about the Bizarro & Supergirl Minimate Tupac from probably the 6rd of 8 series of DC Minimates (Because why wait any longer!?). The rippling abs and pectorals before will be put to action immediately. Get ready for the BOON!

THE FIGURES THEMSELVES

These figures are like midgardians. Weak and tiny! As they both originate from Superman Descent (Yeah, that’s a thing I made up with mah brain powers), they both sport some Supes logos. These characters are like the stuff you’ve seen before only more backwards.

SUPERGIRL

I wouldn’t have put her first, she’s just boring, but cool at the same time! Supergirl sports a lady skirt, and some differently sculpted hair. Along with the cape, much work was clearly put into to this thing(if you will). There’s more than 6 articulation points and this makes Supergirl undesirabley angry for some reason. Just look at that face! If you would like to learn more about this robust lady of the lake, look her up on Wikipedia cuz I ain’t gonna draw her.

BIZARRO

This figure am horrible! That was bizarre speak for this figure’s is awesome! The character is captured well in his classic uniform and not some Smallville CW sh*t like before. This figure uses lots of parts from Superman surprisingly. With the exception of the paint being purplish and the backwards S in his chest, this figure is mostly the same but different in a good way. Like the Dred Scott Decision of 1857! If you would like to learn more better about this backwards guy, do as listed for Supergirl above!

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Ethan bought it on a day some years ago. Bro.

#0206: Iceman

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

ICEMAN

MARVEL LEGENDS

IceMan

It’s not a line I have fond memories of in hindsight, but when it was brand new, I was all about ToyBiz’s Marvel Legends. It was THE line to collect in the early 2000s, and it offered “hyper-detailed” versions of classic characters. Looking back, there are a few gems from those early lines, but most of the figures just end up looking like an oddly shaped mess. A very well-articulated oddly shaped mess, but a mess nonetheless. Today’s figure comes from the latter group.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Iceman was released in the 8th series of ToyBiz’s Marvel Legends. He’s a little over 6 inches tall and features 44 points of articulation, which is a lot. However, like many of the ToyBiz era ML figures, a lot of this articulation cancels itself out. I think this was when ToyBiz was more interested in jamming in articulation just because they could. Iceman has a new head on a body re-used from the Black Costume version of Spider-Man in Toybiz’s Spider-Man line around the same time. The body worked okay for Spider-Man, but it just seems really strange looking for Iceman. The proportions are very strange, especially around the shoulders, where he has 6 joints on each side. It just doesn’t look right. The head sculpt is pretty good, but it seems weird seeing it on that odd body. The paint work is a bit uneven. They’ve gone with a blue airbrush technique, but it looks different from piece to piece. This gets rather distracting when the figure is completely assembled. Iceman came packaged with a display stand that looked like a damaged sentinel hand.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Believe it or not, I was actually pretty excited for Iceman at the time of his release. I was working on an X-Men set-up at the time, so I guess I was excited to get such a key player. If I remember correctly, Iceman was a gift from my parents, I think for Valentine’s Day. Yeah, my parents used to buy me toys for Valentine’s Day. There really was no escaping the collection, was there?