Tag Archives: ReAction

#3688: Abe Sapien

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

ABE SAPIEN

HELLBOY REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

In what has to be one of the quietest and understated moves the franchise has ever taken, apparently there’s a Hellboy movie coming out in two weeks?  The franchise got a reboot in 2019, and this one’s another reboot, specifically adapting the comics story “The Crooked Man”.  I guess that gives this movie a slightly better reason for not including Abe Sapien, since he’s not part of the original story, nor would he really fit its aesthetic.  It does mean that I’ll have to supply my own Abe Sapien appreciation, so here I am, doing just that!  Oh yeah!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Abe Sapien was released as part of the single-carded first assortment of Super 7’s Hellboy ReAction Figures line, alongside HB, Liz, and Lobster Johnson.  The figures are all comic-based, filtered, of course, through the usual ReAction lens.  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  His sculpt was unique to him, and it does a respectable job of taking Mignola’s fish-man design and making it look like a Kenner figure from the ’70s.  Proportionally, his head seems maybe a bit big, but I think that may also be slightly linked to the way the gills work.  Beyond that, it’s a neat sculpt.  They’ve gone more for the “underwater adventure” look for Abe, so he’s got his shorts and belt, but that’s it.  The feet are an interesting quirk; as far as I know, Abe’s always been depicted with actual toes, albeit frequently webbed ones, but this figure gives him sort of hooves, kind of like what Hellboy classically has.  I’d chalk it up to shared parts, but the two have very different details elsewhere on their legs, so it can’t really be that.  Just one of those things, maybe to sell the frequent Kenner inaccuracies? The color work on Abe is pretty fun; the teal sort of color is brighter than Abe is usually depicted, but it fits the vibe of the line very well, so I very much dig it.  Application’s all pretty clean, and there’s a surprising amount of accenting.  Abe is packed with a harpoon, which is great for all those harpooning needs.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

These figures all hit during a period of time when I didn’t have much in the way of disposable income, so I wasn’t really able to jump on any of them when they first hit.  It’s always bummed me out, because I definitely dug the style, and it meant there was an Abe figure I didn’t have.  Thankfully, things have a tendency to come back around, and Abe here got traded into All Time a few months back, giving me an opportunity to finally snag one.  Yay!  He’s not a terribly complex or involved figure, but I enjoy him for his simplicity.  Definitely fun, and I’m now fighting the urge to track down all of the rest of them.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3683: Metaluna Mutant

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

METALUNA MUTANT

UNIVERSAL MONSTERS REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

1955’s This Island Earth is a generally mediocre and rather forgettable sci-fi movie, whose entire reputation is salvaged by one thing and one thing only: a killer creature design. Okay, I might be being a little unfair to the movie. It’s honestly not bad, but the Metaluna Mutant is such a memorable design that pretty much everything that’s not him fades away moments after the movie’s over. Universal seemed to recognize this too, as he’s I believe the latest addition to their Universal Monsters stable, coming in some 20 years after the bulk of the others. And, since he’s got such a distinctive look, he’s also a prime candidate for toy coverage. Hooray!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

The Metaluna Mutant was released in the first series of Universal Monsters ReAction Figures released under the Super 7 banner. The figure stands about 4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation. Super 7 taking over ReAction directly was accompanied by a slight shift in the exact styling of the sculpts, which is reflected here. While the Funko Universal figures were honestly some of the best under their tenure, they were still a little soft in the details compared to a genuine Kenner product. The Mutant, on the other hand, is quite sharply rendered. He’s not a perfect match for his on-screen counterpart, but that wouldn’t be quite right anyway. He instead goes a bit more idealized, “what you’d remember in your head after seeing the movie”, which feels right for the vibe. There’s lots of fun little details going on here, with all of the membrane stuff on the head, as well as the folds and creases on the “pants.” His paint work is very much dialed into the style they’re going for. Rather than strictly movie coloring, he’s got a far more saturated hue, which gives him more of that ’70s era pop. I really dig the little vein lines on the arms and legs; they help to sell the overall look in a small but notable way. The Mutant is packed with no accessories, but I’m not sure what you’d give him anyway.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I had a fairly expansive viewing sci-fi classics as a kid, thanks to my dad’s own fascination with the genre. This Island Earth was shown to me when I was about 7 or 8, and it hit pretty well, largely because this guy was just so cool. I recall the Sideshow 8 inch figure coming out around that time, and being rather interested in him, but I didn’t wind up getting one for another 20 years. This one’s an even more recent addition, snagged from a batch of traded in figures at All Time a month or two ago. He’s simple, but very fun.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3671: Even More Parks & Recreation Figures

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , ,

ANDY DWYER, ANN PERKINS, JERRY GERGICH, L’IL SEBASTIAN, RON & TAMMY 2, PERD HAPLEY, JEAN-RALPHIO, BOBBY NEWPORT, SICK RON, TOM HAVERFORD, & VOTE KNOPE

PARKS & RECREATION REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

I’ve mentioned Parks and Recreation only twice before on the site, but both times, I’ve taken the very important stance that, compared to The Office, it’s the superior work-place comedy.  I bring that up every time because, as stated, it’s very important.  I really need you all to know my point.  Genuinely, though, it’s one of my very favorite shows, and has one of the best ensemble casts on television.  Back in late 2022, Super 7 launched a line of ReAction figures based on the show, and…it’s apparently had four series?  I’ve had some stuff going on.  But I’m diving back in, because that’s how I do.  And, to show how absolutely insane I am, I’m reviewing everything I’ve missed since Series 1, all in a single shot.  Woooooo!

THE FIGURES THEMSELVES

Andy Dwyer, Ann Perkins, Jerry Gergich, L’il Sebastian, Ron & Tammy 2, Perd Hapley, Jean-Ralphio, Bobby Newport, Sick Ron, Tom Haverford, and Campaign Leslie Knope make up the last three series of Super 7’s Parks and Recreation ReAction Figures.  Andy, Ann, Jerry, and L’il Sebastian are the standard Series 2 figures, with the Ron & Tammy 2 two-pack serving as a companion piece.  Perd, Jean-Ralphio, and Bobby are Series 3, and Sick Ron, Tom, and Campaign Leslie are Series 4.

ANDY DWYER

Series 2’s first figure is also the line’s first retread….sort of.  There’s not *technically* an Andy Dwyer in Series 1, since it was actually Burt Macklin that we got, but, you get the idea.  Anyway, this one’s an actual proper figure of Andy just as Andy, which makes sense, with him being Chris Pratt and all.  The figure’s 3 3/4 inches tall and he’s got 5 points of articulation.  Andy’s an earlier season version of the character, erring more on the casual, rock star side.  Honestly, I know Andy wears the t-shirt and flannel a lot in the show, but it’s not a look I ultimately associate with him by default, so this one sort of struggles to land for me.  The sculpt is notably quite pre-posed, especially for this line, with his arms being posed to hold his guitar.  Otherwise, it’s fairly standard.  I don’t see much of a Pratt likeness on the head, especially compared to the Macklin head, and the body feels a bit thin for Andy.  His paint work is pretty basic.  They do well with the plaid detailing, and I definitely dig the “Mouse Rat” shirt print.  While Burt had no accessories, Andy does at least get his guitar, which justifies the whole pose of the figure (and also makes him one of the only figures in this line that can actually properly hold his accessory).

ANN PERKINS

There were a handful of notable omissions from the first series, and high on that list was Ann Perkins, effectively the show’s secondary lead in the early portion of its run.  Unsurprisingly, she headlined the second round.  She’s in her nurse scrubs, which is a reasonable enough choice for her, especially since it helps her remain more unique from the others in the line.  Her sculpt is back to the more basic posing.  It’s not bad.  A tad more on the generic side, and lacking a lot of the the sorts of things that could make it more quickly recognizable as Ann, but not terrible.  The biggest problem this figure faces is the color palette.  For some reason that I can’t fathom, Super 7 decided to give Ann the complexion of a fair skinned Irish girl who’s never seen the sun, rather than, you know, anything actually close to what Rhashida Jones’ actual complexion is.  No matter what the quality of the underlying sculpt, it’s the paint that’s removing the likeness almost in its entirety.  I don’t know if there was some mix-up, or if it’s some sort of weird licensing thing, but it’s just thoroughly an odd end result.  Ann is packed with a clip board, which is a fine accessory, but, again, not overly dialed into Ann.

JERRY GERGICH

Alongside Donna, Jerry began as essentially a glorified extra (his actor, Jim O’Heir, had auditioned for Ron, but Michael Shur liked him so much that he cast him and decided he’d figure out the character later)in the show’s first season, but his role expanded as the show went on, until he got promoted to proper series regular by the end of the show.  He also gets one of the show’s very best send-offs in the finale, and just an all-around great progression on the show.  And he gets *so* many names.  They settled on his “original” of Jerry, but you can pretend he’s Larry, or Terry, or even Gary if you so choose.  Jerry’s seen here in his standard office attire, sweater vest and all.  He’s got one of the more consistent looks from the show, so it’s a pretty easy choice.  The sculpt on Jerry is pretty darn good, actually.  He’s got a unique build, and the facial likeness that’s a good match for Jim O’Heir.  His paint work is reasonable as well.  It’s fairly clean, if perhaps a bit thick.  Jerry is packed with an easel with a piece of art on it, which, in contrast to Ann, feels quite character appropriate.

L’IL SEBASTIAN

Though he only actually appears in a single episode of the show’s run, miniature horse L’il Sebastian is nevertheless a major fixture of the series, influencing a great many actions, and inspiring “5000 Candles In The Wind”, one of the show’s most memorable original songs.  L’il Sebastian is the smallest of the line’s figures, and he only gets 4 points of articulation, rather than the usual 5.  Obviously, it’s a rather unique sculpt in its own right, and, you know, it’s a pretty good horse sculpt.  And also tiny, which feels appropriate.  The little drape thingy (sorry, I don’t really know horse terms) is a soft vinyl piece, ala the original Kenner Star Wars capes, and can be removed, if you want to give Sebastian a more dressed down look.  His paint work is okay; the bridle detailing is pretty sharp (I apparently know one horse term), and the subtle shift on the coloring for the legs looks quite nice.

RON & TAMMY 2

Loosely related to the Series 2 line-up, we got what is thus far the line’s only multipack, Ron and Tammy 2, pairing the first Ron variant of the line with an all-new figure, based on his second wife Tammy, played by Nick Offerman’s real-life wife, Megan Mullally.  These two are based on their post-arrest appearances from “Ron & Tammy: Part 2,” Ron with his cornrows and kimono, and Tammy in her wedding dress.  Ron’s sculpt handles the head pretty well, still maintaining the Offerman likeness of the standard, but the body seems a bit small for his usual build.  Tammy 2’s sculpt isn’t bad from a technical side, especially the body sculpt, but I don’t really see much of Mullally in the head sculpt.  I suppose it’s not completely off the mark, but it just seems a tad too generic for her.  Ron’s paint work is generally alright, but he does notably have his entire mustache painted on, which is inaccurate, as by that point in the episode, it had worn off from “friction”.  Otherwise, the color work is basic, but matches the show.  Tammy 2’s work is sharp and clean, and definitely hits the mark.  This set doesn’t have any accessories, but I guess maybe they act as each *other’s* accessories?

PERD HAPLEY

This next figure is the one that I’m reviewing next, because it’s Perd Hapley!  The story behind Perd Hapley is that he’s a recurring character on the show Parks and Recreation portrayed by a real newscaster.  No, really, Jay Jackson, who played Perd, was a newscaster for 22 years, and has made an effort to play a newscaster in as many projects as he could.  Perd Hapley just happens to be one he stuck with, thanks to the writers loving the character so much.  The sculpt here gives us Perd in his usual suited look.  It’s not bad, but it’s also not one of the stronger ones.  I feel like preposing one of the arms bent on this one would work better.  As it stands, he’s a little stiff.  The head definitely tries to capture Perd’s usual demeanor, which I think it does alright, but I’m not sure the likeness is quite there.  Perd is packed with a coffee mug bearing the logo of his show “Final Word With Perd.”

JEAN-RALPHIO

Partner in crime to Aziz Ansari’s Tom Haverford, Ben Schwartz’s Jean-Ralphio Saperstein is one of the show’s most frequent recurring characters, and a natural choice for the line.  It’s curious that he joined the line *before* Tom, but ultimately that’s pretty trivial.  Jean-Ralphio’s sculpt is one of the most impressive in the line thus far.  The head’s got a strong likeness, with the hair being perhaps a little tamer than the show, but the character otherwise being summed up nicely.  He’s got some preposing, with his right arm bent to allow him to do his signature “amplifying his voice with his hand” move.  The detailing on the outfit is pretty sharp, with the texturing on the sleeves in particular being pretty impressive.  His paint work does its best to match up with the sculpt.  Some of the details get a little lost, and it’s a little sloppy, but it hits all the major notes.  Jean-Ralphio is packed with his smart phone, which fits perfectly into his left hand.

BOBBY NEWPORT

Bobby’s a notable recurring character during the show’s campaign arc for Leslie in the fourth season, made extra notable because he’s played by Paul Rudd.  The Rudd thing is probably the biggest reason he got a figure here, so, you know, good for him.  He’s seen here in full campaign mode, suited up and all smiley.  The sculpt does pretty well with it, and I think the likeness on the head’s honestly a pretty good one, definitely capturing Rudd’s general charm in the role.  The posing is generally just the basic, but his right hand’s a little different.  Why?  I’ll get to that.  The paint work is par for the course; the only notable issue I see is the solid color on the tie, which is a little understated for Bobby, who tended to go with more visible and bright patterns.  So, the right hand mold, what’s up with that?  Well, it’s sculpted to hand out a Bobby Bar, which Super 7 was nice enough to include.

RON SWANSON (STREP THROAT)

Series 4 officially pulls Ron into lead in terms of figures.  For a guy with the one set look for most of the show, he sure does get some fun variant options.  This one’s based on his look from the beginning of the Season 5 episode “Animal Control”, when he’s gotten strep throat from one of his step-daughters.  He’s in his Ignatius J. Riley-inspired bundled up attire, which is certainly a silly look, and also quite distinctive.  The sculpt does well with it.  He’s consistent with the standard version, keeping up with the likeness on the face, and also making him look sufficiently bundled up.  The paint work is pretty good, getting all of the different layers in there.  I also like the redness around the eyes; it really sells the “sick” look.  Ron is packed with is bottle of alcohol, his planned solution for his sickness.

TOM HAVERFORD

Easily the biggest missing cast member from Series 1, it’s astounding that it took until Series 4 to get to Tom, but here he is.  We get him in his standard suited set-up.  There’s certainly a lot of options for him, but I think this one’s a good starting one.  The sculpt is pretty good, apart from seeming maybe a little too big to properly scale with the others.  The head sculpt in particular has a strong likeness of Aziz, and the facial expression is what really sells it.  The body sculpt is okay, but there’s something awkward about how the jacket is sculpted at the hips.  We’ve gotten a few characters with suit jackets that go over the hips, and they’ve looked fine, but this one feels off for some reason.  Tom’s paint work is a little messy on some of the edges, but generally alright.  I’m glad that he didn’t suffer the same issue as Ann when it came to complexion.  Tom’s accessory is one of my favories: DJ Roomba!  It’s like a whole other character!

LESLIE KNOPE (CAMPAIGN TRAIL)

It’s a little surprising that it’s taken this long to get another Leslie figure, with her being the main character and all, but better late than never.  This one’s specifically based on her Season 4 campaign for city council, making her a good counterpart to the Bobby figure from the prior assortment.  This time around, she’s swapped out the skirt from the first figure for a more campaign-ready pantsuit.  She’s using the head and arms from the older figure, with new parts for the torso and legs.  It’s a good combo, resulting in a decent refresh to the look, without going too drastically different.  Her paint work is much darker, and she’s got a neat pattern on her blouse, which keeps things fun.  Leslie is packed with one of her ill-fated campaign signs, which appeals to the former IT guy and the former publication designer in me.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

After getting the first series, I definitely wanted more, but I honestly didn’t expect them to hit as quickly as they did.  I did manage to snag Jerry and Ann at retail when they first hit, but then I lost track of the line, and suddenly there were a whole bunch of them I didn’t have.  That wasn’t daunting at all, you guys!  Thankfully, my parents were kind enough to get me everyone I’d missed for my birthday this year, so now I’m all caught up.  It’s kind of crazy how deep this line’s gone, and I’m here for it.  The Series 3 package renders had Chris and a “Janet Snakehole” variant of April on them, so presumably there’s more of these on the horizon?  I’d love to get them, and I also wouldn’t say no to a Councilman Jamm.  Or a Dianne.  Or a Craig.  Or a Mona Lisa.  I’d say no to a Mark, though.  Don’t make Mark….eh, I’d probably buy a Mark, too, honestly.

#3653: Scarlett

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

SCARLETT

G.I. JOE REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

I have a tendency to get locked into patterns in my collecting.  In addition to just having single characters that I like to have in every possible form, I also have assortments of characters that I like to get together as a pair in the same style whenever possible.  One such case is Snake Eyes and Scarlett.  There are significantly less Scarletts than Snake Eyeses, of course, but whenever there *is* a Scarlett, I try to get her to go with an accompanying Snake Eyes.  This is my long-winded way of saying “hey guys, check out this ReAction Scarlett!”

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Scarlett was, like Snake Eyes, released in the first series of Super 7’s G.I. Joe ReAction Figures line.  As the Real American Hero‘s “first lady,” she’s another natural fit for inclusion in the line’s first series.  The figure stands about 3 3/4 inches tall and she has 5 points of articulation.  As per usual for the line, she’s got the Kenner-style 5POA, which still feels weird for a Joe, but we’re just gonna go with it.  Her sculpt is all-new, and has thus far remained unique.  It’s using her v1 design, which is sensible, since it’s the one everyone knows.  It uses the more cartoon-inspired stylings, which again makes a lot of sense.  That’s what everyone actually remembers, in contrast to her proper toy look.  There’s admittedly a little more going on with this sculpt than there was on Snake Eyes, so there’s more room to actually do something with her.  Generally, I think it works.  It feels more truly divergent from the usual Joe style, and by extension she feels like she serves more of an actual purpose.  The paint work is likewise a bit more involved.  It’s a more washed out palette, which is per usual for Scarlett.  The application is all pretty clean, and she looks the part.  Scarlett includes her crossbow and quiver.  The crossbow is pretty easily held in either hand, and the quiver’s got a look to make it work like a belt, which is pretty nifty.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Right, so I wasn’t getting into G.I. Joe ReAction.  I had Ultimates, I had vintage, I didn’t need these, right?  Right.  You read the Snake Eyes review, yeah?  Cool, so you already know I’m weak.  Don’t need to sum that part up again.  Yeah, so, in addition to the Snake Eyes landing in front of me, so did Scarlett.  They were a package deal, both of them there, allowing me to do my whole buying them as a pair thing.  Yay.  Like Snake Eyes, she’s nifty, but not really much beyond that.  Do I need it?  No.  Do I like it?  Yes.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3648: Snake Eyes

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

SNAKE EYES

G.I. JOE: REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

Super 7’s ReAction branding is dedicated to filtering properties through the lens of vintage Kenner figures.  It’s a concept born out of they releasing the un-released Kenner Alien figures, which is a very authentic set-up.  There’s been other follow-ups, which also fit the aesthetic, but then there’s also this whole sub-set of, like, other toy properties that are in a *different* toy style, I guess?  G.I. Joe has to be one of the most egregious, since they were even in the same scale, but still in a very different style.  So, ReAction Joes are the same usual scale, but just, you know, umm, different, I guess.  How about that?  Well, let’s look at a Snake Eyes.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Snake Eyes was released in the first series of G.I. Joe ReAction Figures.  He’s a natural fit to launch the line, so can’t really fault them there.  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  He’s got the classic Kenner 5POA, which is, I mean, it’s just sort of odd to see a Joe articulated in such a fashion, but here we are.  This Snake Eyes is the commando version, inspired by his V1 figure.  It’s specifically animation based, much like the larger Ultimates figure, which is honestly a pretty good fit for the style.  It’s a solid sculpt.  Very clean and basic.  It just works.  Sure, it’s stiff, but I can dig it.  Snake Eyes’ color scheme is very much where the animation angle comes it, since he’s blue and purple.  I dug the colors on the larger figure, and I dig the colors here too.  It’s just a very unique set-up, and I always enjoy it.  The figure is packed with a rifle and a pistol, befitting his not yet a ninja nature.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I didn’t really see myself jumping in on this line, because I just don’t vibe with it, largely on the principle of the matter.  Ultimates I can do, but 5POA Joes are definitely weird.  But, I had this guy pretty much land in front of me, and I’m a sucker for a good animation-style Commando Snake Eyes.  He’s…well, he’s weird.  He’s like, from an alternate reality where the cartoon came first and then they did these figures based on it to tie-in.  What an odd reality that would be.  Nifty figure, though.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3640: Ultra Magnus

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

ULTRA MAGNUS

TRANSFORMERS REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

Fun FiQ Fact #0119: This figure is one of my daughter Aubrey’s favorite toys.

And here’s the requisite Part 2 to the review I ran last Friday.  Did anyone see that coming?  I mean, I did, but I literally make the schedule, so, you know, drastically less impressive for me to guess what it’s gonna be.  Like I said last week, there’s two characters I need to see in any given Transformers line to get me on-board: Soundwave and Ultra Magnus.  I looked at the ReAction Soundwave last week, so let’s follow that bad boy up with a…good boy?  No, that doesn’t sound right…  Well, the point is that I’m following it up with my favorite Autobot, Ultra Magnus!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Ultra Magnus is part of the sixth series of Transformers ReAction Figures from Super 7, released in 2023.  The figure is about 4 inches tall and has 7 whole points of articulation.  That’s right, he gets extra movement!  Check out those moving shoulder rockets!  Oh yeah!  All the standard ReAction figures are the same basic size, so Magnus and Soundwave are more or less the same height, which isn’t really accurate to the source, I guess, but it fits the style more or less.  I talked about the general stylistic choices of the line in my Soundwave review last week.  It’s still…odd, but it’s kind of a done deal this far into things.  It’s an explicitly animation-based Ultra Magnus, which, honestly, we don’t see all that often.  Sure, we get pretty close ones, but there’s frequently some sort of compromise, which this figure doesn’t require.  Well, you know, apart from the pretty major “doesn’t transform” compromise that he gets.  It’s a fun sculpt overall, though.  My only really dig at it is that he’s somehow even more pigeon-toed than Soundwave was, which is once again pretty goofy.  Magnus is completely painted, rather than using any molded colors.  It’s pretty good base work, though I did find it was a bit sensitive to chipping.  Also, rather than proper red, white, and blue, as Magnus is classically shown, he’s got an off-white/light grey for all of his lighter sections, which is a slightly different look.  Though, again, that’s the sort of thing that dials into the style Super 7’s aiming for with these figures, so it makes a degree of sense.  Magnus is packed with his usual blaster rifle, painted up in that light grey color.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

It’s this guy’s fault I have the Soundwave from last week at all.  I’d passed on that one a good many times because there was no Magnus.  Then this guy got shown off, and I had to care about the line.  I actually missed out on the earliest portion of his run, but, on a chance, I swung past the toy aisle at Target a couple of months ago, and there was a whole peg of this guy.  He was…well, he was more than I wanted to pay, but for a Magnus, it was worth it.  Like Soundwave, he’s a fun little novelty figure, and I do enjoy that.

#3635: Soundwave

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

SOUNDWAVE

TRANSFORMERS REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

Fun FiQ Fact #0114: This is the fifth non-transforming Soundwave I’ve reviewed on the site.

Before I can jump into any given Transformers product line, I always have to ask an important question: is there a Soundwave and an Ultra Magnus?  If there’s not, I’ve got some serious thinking to do.  Super 7’s ReAction had one, but not the other for a bit, and then both, but it took me a bit to get them, so, you know, more waiting.  But it’s okay!  No more waiting now!  Well, I mean, I guess a tiny bit of waiting, since I’m only reviewing one of the two.  It’s Soundwave!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Soundwave was released in the first series of Super 7’s Transformers ReAction Figures line, which hit in 2020.  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  As with the rest of the ReAction line, he’s going for that vintage Kenner style, which is…well, it’s certainly a divergent style when it comes to Transformers.  They’ve gone animation model styled for these, which has been pretty much Super 7’s bag for TFs.  I’ll hand it to them, there’s a lot of internal consistency between this guy and the Ultimates version, so they’re certainly doing a good job of pulling the same general stylings there.  This one is, of course, a lot more rigid.  In fact, he’s downright pigeon-toed, which is just a tad goofy looking.  Other than that, though, it’s a decent enough sculpt.  Very squared off and technical, and very clearly Soundwave.  Hard to argue with that, really.  His paint work is basic, but decent itself.  It matches again with the Ultimate (or, I guess the Ultimate matches this one, since the ReAction came first), which goes hand in hand with the animation stylings.  The application is clean for the most part, with minimal fuzziness or bleed over.  Soundwave is packed with his concussion blaster, which is just one solid piece this time around, rather than having any of its usual collapsing components.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

I recall seeing this one when the line launched, but I just wasn’t sure I wanted to jump in on it, especially without the certainty of a Magnus.  I did come very close to grabbing him on multiple occasions, though.  Unfortunately, by the time Magnus was announced, sources for this one had largely dried up.  Thankfully for me, a loose one got traded into All Time, and, hey, there we go.  Non-transformy-sound-boi.  He’s nifty.  I don’t know that it really elevates beyond that, but I wasn’t really expecting that.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3600: Tron ReAction Figures

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

TRON & FLYNN w/ LIGHTCYCLES

TRON REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

Fun FiQ Fact #0079: I saw the original Tron for the first time about a week before the release of Tron Legacy, exclusively to know what was going on prior to watching the sequel.

I *love* Tron Legacy.  It’s a defining movie for me.  Just, like, the whole thing.  I love the music, the design, the choreography, the characters…I love it all.  It’s super great.  You know what’s not super great about Legacy?  It’s tie-in products.  Sure, there were a few slightly nifty products when the movie came out, but there was a *lot* more trash.  And I just really want some figures that are semi-decent.  Until then, I will forever be stuck making due with stuff from the first movie.  I love Legacy.  Did I mention that?  The first movie?  It’s…fine.  Like, I get the ground-breaking nature and all.  But…ehhh?  Still, I’m not gonna say no to everything Tron related, if that’s all I’m gonna get.  So, here’s some Tron stuff.

THE FIGURE THEMSELVES

Tron and Flynn with their respective Lightcycles were released as part of Super 7’s Tron ReAction line.  The line as a whole was a Disney Parks exclusive, but Tron and Flynn were both also offered up for order on ShopDisney.

First up, it’s the title character, Tron!  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  He’s just got the standard ReAction articulation, which is exactly what you expect.  He’s based on the original Tron look, hockey pads and all.  The sculpt is a pretty basic one, but that’s really what you need for this style of figure.  The face has a respectable likeness of Bruce Boxleitner, especially given the style and sizing.  Obviously, it’s not to the same level as either of the two DST figures, but it works well enough.  I like the slight detailing for his costume elements; it’s simple, but very effective.  Tron’s color work is really solid.  He’s molded in glow-in-the-dark plastic, with plenty of line-work for all of those classic “tron-lines”.  It works really well.  Tron is packed with his identity disk, which can be stored on the figure’s back.

And, perhaps not the title character, but certainly a central one, it’s Kevin Flynn!  …Yeah?  He’s like Tron, but, you know, not.  Flynn was actually the only character to get multiple figures, since there was a single card and the one with the lightcycle.  The single was his “disguised” colors, where this one is the standard.  Like Tron, he stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  His sculpt is very similar to Tron’s, but they only actually share the right arm; everything else is minorly tweaked in some way.  Even the head’s got a Bridges likeness; it’s very similar to the Tron head, but I think that’s more the style and similar traits between the two actors.  His color work is very similar to Tron’s as well.  He’s also molded in the glowing plastic, and he’s got his own unique “tron-line” detailing, to help distinguish him.  He’s packed with the same identity disk as Tron, which can likewise be mounted on his back.

Both figures are packaged with a Lightcycle, designed to work with the included figure.  The cycles are each about 6 1/2 inches long, and they have moving wheels and an opening hatch.  Both cycles (and the one included with the Ram figure I don’t have) use the same sculpt.  The sculpt is very basic, but it matches what we see on screen pretty well, and it does what it needs to.  The figures fit inside, though with the 5POA set-up, they do admittedly look pretty goofy, just folded in half in there.  The coloring is where the change-up occurs.  Tron gets orange and Flynn gets yellow.  Both are accented by some black paint, as well as a little bit of the same blue glowing plastic used by the figures.  The glowing doesn’t work as well on the cycles, but it’s still nifty.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

I haven’t been to a Disney park since 2007, and I missed these on Shop Disney.  So, how did I get them?  Well, a bit of luck, really.  They just so happened to come through All Time, and I just so happened to be there at the time, allowing me to just so happen to get them for a reasonable price.  They’re basic, but I do really like them.  It’s the simplicity that really sells them.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3527: Orko

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

ORKO

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

Fun FiQ Fact #0006: In both the original ’80s Filmation Masters of the Universe and the 2002 re-boot, Orko and Mekaneck share a voice actor, Filmation founder Lou Scheimer in the ’80s and Gabe Khouth in the ’00s.

I’m not a hardcore Masters of the Universe fan by any means, but I’ve got a shortlist of three characters that I like to have in every possible style.  Number three on that list is He-Man’s plucky comic relief sidekick Orko, who I’ve had a soft spot for since I was rather young.  Yes, kid me saw the appeal of the kid-appeal character.  I was an easy target.  Super 7’s ReAction line is an ill-explored one in my collection, but I did get the Mekaneck back when he first hit, but I passed on Orko at the time, and he sold out.  He has eluded me for a bit, but no figure escapes me forever.  Oh, no.  I’m like a mounty: I always get my man.  Or…you know, action figure.  I’m like an action figure mounty.  Sure, let’s go with that.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Orko was part of Series 2 of the Masters of the Universe ReAction Figures, which is interestingly enough, the same one that had Mekaneck.  The figure stands 2 1/2 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  Orko doesn’t tend to get the same articulation as the rest of the characters, but this one actually gets the same set-up as everyone else, giving him some of the best mobility of any Orko figure.  He actually has “legs” to move, which is unique to this particular Orko.  As per usual for the character, Orko gets a unique sculpt.  It captures the style of the line nicely, and also requires less adjustments to his character design than some of the others.  His arms are a little longer, but not by much, and overall, he gets all the important details you need to sell Orko’s look.  Orko’s color work is his usual set-up; the paint work is a little spotty on the ears (a classic issue with Orko figures), but otherwise it’s pretty clean.  Orko is packed with his wand, which for this release is just a simple yellow cylinder, rather than anything more ornate.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

Since I missed out on grabbing Orko from All Time back when he was new, I’ve been waiting for one to come through, and one did indeed, just last week, in fact.  I’ve been stepping back my pick-ups recently, but he was worthy enough to bring home.  He’s a fun little version of the character.  Plus, he gave me an excuse to introduce my daughter to Orko, which is always a fun time!

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3292: Ron Swanson

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

RON SWANSON

PARKS & RECREATION REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

At the very beginning of the year, I discussed Parks & Recreation and how it’s the superior workplace comedy when compared to The Office.  Why do I bring this up again?  Well, for one to remind you all that I said it.  I said it and I stand by it.  I’m not backing down on it.  So there.  But, also, it’s because, at the time, I only looked at five figures out of the six figure assortment of figures that Super 7 put out under their ReAction umbrella.  The one figure missing was a character that, if he’s not one of the best characters in the history of TV, is at the very least one of the most distinctive.  That’s right, it’s Ron ****ing Swanson.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Ron Swanson is the sixth and final figure in the first series of Super 7’s Parks & Recreation ReAction Figures line.  He’s seen here in his usual attire from Season 2 and on, after they’d nailed down the long sleeved polo and khakis look which would become his definitive outfit.  The figure stands about 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  Of the six figures in the set, I think Ron may just have the best likeness.  There’s little mistaking who this guy is supposed to be, right down to his somewhat surly expression.  That’s definitely Nick Offerman, and he’s definitely playing Ron Swanson.  The body sculpt is far more basic, of course, but matches well with the rest of the line.  He’s a little stockier than the other men in the set, which is appropriate for Ron, and he’s again just got the rather standard pose.  Ron’s paint work is rather straight forward.  On mine, it’s a little cleaner than the others I’ve gotten from the line.  I did, however, notice one in the case that I pulled mine from that was, rather amusingly, missing his eyebrows.  Guess he was a Season 3 Ron, huh?  Ron is packed with a plate of breakfast meat, which seems about right for a guy that has a framed picture of breakfast meat on his wall.  Also, it means he pairs off well with Leslie and her waffles.  He still can’t really hold the plate, but at this point that’s expected.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

When I found the rest of the set, Ron was the only one not present, and I haven’t seen him anywhere since either.  He looks to be the first one to sell out everywhere, which I guess makes some sense.  Thankfully, I was able to get one through work, so my set is complete.  I’m glad I did, because Ron’s honestly the best of the first batch of figures.  He just really nails the character.  I’m hopeful that this set does well enough to justify more, because I really would love to get the whole main cast, and maybe a few of the recurring characters.  But, if it doesn’t, I’m happy that we at least got what we did.

Thanks to my sponsors at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure for review.  If you’re looking for toys both old and new, please check out their website.