Kicking off our New Years celebration, for the second year in a row (that has got to be some kind of record), most of the Fwoosh Staff has gotten together to share their picks for their favorite action figures of 2009. There is a pretty good spread covering a wide variety of figures from some of the big companies, and some of the small ones as well. Some expecteds, and some surprises, sure to please some, guaranteed to make others see red. Come celebrate your New Year’s hangover and check out what we consider to be the highlights of the action figure world last year! We will try to not make you throw up anymore than you probably already are.
To start things off, resident Toy Boy Industrial shows his love for collecting dolls by picking the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Iron Man Mark 03!
I don’t ‘collect’ dolls, I buy & play with action figures.
I’ve never been a big fan of 1:6 (12″) stuff. I think it was the ‘real’ clothing that always bothered me, it had this weird stigma attached to it that it was akin to playing with a Barbie. Then the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Iron Man Mark 03 blew away all of my preconceived notions.
Articulation has never really been an issue with 1:6 toys, in fact the initial Spider-Man Classics figures that gave way to Marvel Legends were among the first pioneers in attempting to put all of the articulation of a 12″ toy into one half that size. So as expected he does not disappoint in this arena. On top of the typical articulation you would see on something at this scale, Iron Man also features some truly amazing engineering with unfold-able articulated air breaks on his back, calves that open up to show the inner working pistons, and his forearm pops up to reveal a tiny missile launcher.
The Mark 03 also features a light up chest, eyes, and palm repulsors. The switches to turn them on are very well hidden and do not detract from the sculpt whatsoever. Probably one of the most notable aspects of this figure, as well as most of Hot Toys offerings, is the likeness on the unmasked Tony Stark head. The head sculpt captures RDjr almost too well, it’s eery looking into his glossed eyes. The slightly translucent flesh has a lifelike quality that is only enhanced by the porous texture of the skin.
This figure is THE best toy of the year, all of the other choices you are reading about in this article pale in comparison. Hot Toys have set the bar high with this one, the only competition this figure had in my head was 3A Toys WWRP Bramble’s, if you haven’t heard about these yet do yourself a favor and track down some reviews online, they’re about half the price of Hot Toys stuff and come damn close to being equally as impressive.
The best part about the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Iron Man Mark 03?
It’s fully sculpted and has no cloth used on the entire figure, so I can continue to tell myself that I don’t play with dolls…
Up next, our own big daddy DisThunder takes a shot at talking up NECA’s BioShock Big Daddy.
In collecting toys, we occasionally get these little happy instances where the right company gets the right license.
For good or ill, NECA has become the destination for Video Game toys. Sometimes this works out to be awesome, such as the jaw-dropping beast that is Gears of War, sometimes it rubs salt in old wounds, like Street Fighter, and then there are times you just wonder what the hell happened (you can pick your own for this one, but I gots my reasons). Regardless, this is one of those times I mentioned. While it’s not surprising that NECA got the BioShock license, it is definitely a delightful surprise to have them grab a license that plays to their strengths so well.
The result is Big Daddy.
I’m a huge fan of the game, one of a very select few I have played from start to finish no less than three times. It’s a deep, suspense-filled retro nightmare that has to be experienced. Explaining why it’s awesome just don’t cut it. So Instead, I’ll talk figure, rather than character here.
A hulking 8″ inches of solid plastic, this might as well be the poster child for when a company gets it right, they get it RIGHT. He’s covered from head to boot in detail, from buckles to rivets, to patches and chain mail, right down to pits and cracks in the metal. The paint is spot-on, with just enough was to make it look worn, but still retain it’s “pop”. And best of all, this beast is an ACTION figure. He’s got the ball-jointed shoulders and hips we’re accustomed to, but add to that very well integrated ball/hinge combos for the elbows, knees, wrist and ankles, and you’ve got a tank that can lumber toward your hero, strike with his (turnable!) drill, and look damn good doing it. All the while, he can do this with complete confidence– there’s not a weak part in the whole assembly. Big Daddy can take as good as he gives.
There were a lot of toys this year that were nothing short of fantastic. And there were a surprising number of those that hit that mark just right. Most of them you likely own, but this one you’d likely walk by unless you were a fan of the game. So that’s why Big Daddy here’s my pick- He’s the coolest figure this year that you hadn’t bought already.
Mastertrader tommyboy1972 is attempting to rekindle the fires of controversy with his DC Universe Classics Wonder Twins pick.
I’ve been a Marvel Legends enthusiast for a number of years. So it only made sense that my favorite figure(s) of 2009 were the DCUC Wonder Twins (and Gleek).
I know… I know… we were only allowed to pick one figure but you can’t have one Wonder Twin without the other. Who would have ever thought 3 years ago we would even have such amazing renditions of these characters in the current DCUC design? First off, what an ingenious packaging job Mattel did with the box that not only opens so they could touch fists but also having them state their famous line “Wonder Twins powers activate!!” Both sculpts were pretty standard DCUC bucks but Mattel really nailed the head sculpts keeping the essence of the old SuperFriends cartoon but still having a somewhat more updated look as well. Another nice touch was including the eagle and the bucket of water with Zan’s face in there. If people were lucky enough, the SDCC versions also included Gleek – a definite must to complete the trio. Although he has limited articulation, Mattel once again nailed the essence of this character and allowed him to carry the “Zan bucket” (another often seen segment of the SuperFriends episodes including these characters). Paint jobs on all three were fantastic. By far, I would consider the Wonder Twins and Gleek my unanimous decision as my favorite figures of 2009. BRAVO MATTEL!!
Our first E-Zine staffer pick comes from Snowglare, and a proclamation of love is made, but to who? Why, to Ryu. NECA’s Ryu Hayabusa that is!
This is not a toy I’d normally buy. I’m obsessed with compatibility and something of a stickler for scale. 6″ scale, or 1/12th, if you prefer. I happily mix Marvel with DC, superheroes with street fighters, comics, manga, movies… But they need to be the right size, or close to it. Sometimes, though, you want to ignore needs and go for the best product available.
Before I tell you how great this toy is, allow a nerd a few quibbles. The package states that Ryu is five feet, ten and a half inches tall, or 179 cm. At a hair over seven inches, the figure’s taller than it should be to fit with most NECA products, and fudging him into 1/12th scale requires a mix of crouching and denial. He does a mean crouch.
Ryu’s generously allotted two spare hands and three weapons, but I’m afraid to swap the hands after breaking one, and his twin tonfa fit so loosely in any of the hands that they’re hardly worth counting as accessories. Ryu lives or dies on his sword and his body. The sword uses a stiff plastic that keeps the blade straight, rivaling a paperclip for danger to children, and fits securely in both right hands. Neither left hand can manage more than a loose grip, at least on mine. It also fits snugly in the sheathe on his back, which is adjustable, though not easily removed.
Ryu is meticulously sculpted, full of tiny details like armor straps that are tied tightly enough that the excess hangs off. More importantly, he’s loaded with articulation. Pretty much anything you could think of, from toe hinges to a balljointed neck, and most points have considerable range. The neck moves up, down, left and right, a more remarkable achievement than it should be. The ankles are balljoints connected to invisible (ninja) shin cuts, and move side-to-side to aid in balancing. The torso hinge helps with crouching and ninja flying poses. The only negatives are the shoulders, which are strangely restricted in outward movement, and the forty-five degree hips, which still pose fairly well.
The ever reliable package lists “throwing daggers” among the accessories, but no daggers are present. You didn’t overlook them. Somehow, they got separated, so that stores received near complete Hyabusas, and NECA got a bunch of tiny daggers. You can reunite Ryu and his itty bitty knives by contacting NECA’s customer service (http://www.necaonline.com/customerservice/new) to request, nay, demand your puny plastic pointy things. Once removed from the plastic baggie within the envelope, tiny daggers are easily lost, so you must hold them close, in your hand, or the convenient holsters on Ryu’s leg.
The thrillah, the Robokillah picks a total crazy figure of a total crazy Clown Prince, the Hot Toys DX Joker.
Okay, so my toy of the year nearly didn’t make it into this year. As I pondered what I would pick Christmas came along and the one present for me under the tree made my decision for me…
Hot Toys DX Joker…
This was something I always wanted but figured it would never happen. How do I explain to the wife that I dropped $150 on an action figure? Granted, a kick-all-kinds-of-ass action figure, but still. So she took out all the drama and bought it for me. Total surprise!
There is no way this couldn’t be toy of the year for me (I had to arm wrestle Ron for this pick, and despite his overly large hands I won). Anyone who knows me well enough knows I’m a total sucker for eyes and head paint applications. And this is the best I have ever seen in both departments. From the soles of his shoes to the top of his hair this figure just oozes awesome. It’s like I’m holding a tiny little person in my hands. And I like it.
The amount of accessories, the removable gun clip, the retractable blade on the knife, the little grenades, several sets of hands. A second figure once you get another blank body. All completely mind blowing. Scale safety pins! They are hard to put on the figure, but so worth it after. And best of all…
MOVING EYEBALLS!! A little freaky at first. You get over the freaky pretty quickly, then the realization that you are moving an action figure’s eyes into different positions sets in and you are filled with glee.
If one tiny, microscopic thing could be nitpicked, it would be the hairline above the forehead. Since it’s a separate piece it doesn’t flow as well as the sculpted parts on the sides. But once you step back a couple of feet it becomes a total non-issue.
I never need another Joker figure ever again. Hell, it toys in general were to stop production all over the world I’d still be content with this figure in my hands as I roam the Earth aimlessly.
Matthew K shows that when you pick a henchman in the previous year, you gotta go with his boss the next. You know, just to keep the balance of power in check. Those of you with good memories know that the Masters of the Universe Classics Skeletor is up.
It was a great year for the toylines I collect (MOTUC, DCUC, 7th Kingdom, Figma and Ghostbusters), so it is pretty tough for me to pick just one figure as the best of ’09. Skeletor came so early this year that I almost forgot about him! I tend to play with new figures for a bit before I find their place on the shelf. I pose them on the kitchen bar, play with them while my wife watches TV shows I don’t care about, and sometimes pose them guarding my dinner. If I like the figure, they usually stay out longer. Skelly was out for quite some time before being put away.
It’s kinda funny because I wasn’t blown away by the initial prototype. Time passed and I started to see some early samples that looked cool to me, so I still bought the figure (heck, I already had He-man and you can’t have a He-Man without Skeletor, right?). I’m so glad I did, though, because he became a favorite once I had the figure in hand. The figure tapped directly into the nostalgia centers of my brain and is amazing hand candy. He’s a great, superposeable representation of a iconic (at least for my generation) character.
Our resident old coot, Cliff Francis, is here to tell you that if you don’t recognize that DC Direct’s Metron figure is a great interpretation of a classic Kirby character, there is little hope for you.
As we all know, 2009 was one of the worst years for comic book themed toys in recent memory. So the exercise of picking a “favorite figure” of the year is reduced to choosing the lesser of many evils. With that in mind, my choice for this year is the second wave of New Gods from DC Direct. This series of figures reflects the drawing of Jack Kirby in “artist specific” sculpts. Wave 2 even included Superman, with a face rendered the way he was drawn by Kirby but never actually appeared in print. It also included the only classic version of Kalibak to ever see figure form and a Big Barda that even some of the Fwoosh-beciles preferred over the Mattel offering. Maintaining their draconian style of running things around here, Fwoosh Editorial tells me I’m to limit this write up to one single figure. I have chosen Metron.
The fact that this is the very first time Metron has been manufactured as an action figure of any sort should be enough to recommend the figure. But he has some other things going for him as well. This is an example of how detailed sculpting needn’t mean the figure is a “pre-posed statue”. They crammed a decent amount of articulation into Metron, and it’s so well hidden that I didn’t even notice some of it at first. I think it was the third day I had this figure before I realized he had wrist cuts. That said, sculpt has always been DCD’s focus, and they do a very good job on this series. I suspect they’re helped by the fact that Kirby’s dynamic art lends itself very well to a three dimensional representation (as opposed to some others DCD has attempted artist-specific figures of, such as Michael Turner). In any case, Metron really looks as if he has walked right off the page of New Gods. And that leads us to the huge problem with this figure; Metron doesn’t usually walk anywhere. He flies in his Mobius Chair. And there is no Mobius Chair to be found with this figure. I checked the package thoroughly and it is not there. How can you make a Metron figure without his chair? I can’t answer that folks. You’ll have to ask the honchos at DCD. It’s like making a Captain America figure with no shield, a Batman figure with no utility belt, or a Superman figure without the pocket in his cape to store his civilian clothes. But apparently DCD does not get it. No surprise there.
In any case, here you have one of the most important characters in the history of DC Comics, sculpted just the way his creator drew him, with a decent amount of poseability as well. That makes for a pretty fun toy.
Ha-ha, watch as Tenbones totally pwns Samuron by making him write about and take a picture of his pick – the Marvel Legends Iron Man!
If the retail channel hadn’t been bogged down with the older, not quite as good Marvel Legends 2-packs, this may have been my pick for Best of ’08. This classic Iron Man, sculpted by Gentle Giant, did eventually come out, and it was worth the wait.
The figure surpasses its predecessor from Marvel Legends Series 1 with its improved proportions, updated articulation, candy apple red paint job, and an interchangeable Tony Stark head that lets you pose him unmasked with his helmet held in his hand. It looks and moves like it’s channeling Bob Layton himself. Iron Man, and the rest of the figures in his assortment of 2-packs, makes me wonder how Marvel Legends would be doing if Hasbro had led with this level of quality.
Next, Capman is going to tell us that, while it is ridiculous that we had to wait this long, the Marvel Select Hulk figure makes it worth the wait for a rage-filled Bruce Banner with fists.
HULK HAVE FISTS
With all the great lines that started or continued in 2009, it was easy to forget some of the old lines that have made improvements over the years. Technically, my favorite figure didn’t get released this year, but it was re-re-released, so that’s enough justification for me. I’m not even a big Hulk fan, but the Marvel Select Incredible Hulk takes the cake for this year.
The MS Incredible Hulk is light years ahead of the previous MS versions. To start off, the size is the first aspect that anyone notices when they pick it up off the shelf. For me, the bigger the Hulk, the better, so standing at 8 inches tall, he towers above almost all Hulks you see in the 6” and 7” Marvel toy lines. The width of the chest and torso areas also adds to his massive stance, and the arms are beefy and delicious. He’s pretty heavy, so it was nice that DST didn’t hold back on the plastic.
Looking closer at his arms, the paint wash and detail to the veins and muscles illuminate another great characteristic of this figure. The paint wash is something we haven’t seen in a while on any Marvel figures (at least done well, if attempted), and it looks good across the entire body. The muscle detail is crucial for any Hulk figure since he is all about the power and strength, and this guy does not disappoint in that category.
The angry face is perfect for since I prefer figures that don’t scream, and unfortunately, most do. The shade of green is spot on, not too bright but not too dull. The purple pants have a nice sculpt and are much more realistic around the waist for when Bruce Banner gets hungry… you won’t like him when he’s hungry.
The base is a nice touch; Marvel Select is known for good bases, so it’s not a big surprise that the base is a nice touch. It creates the mood of the aftermath from a Hulk “event,” so it looks good on the shelf.
Despite only having 14 points of articulation and a few Hasbro-style joints (elbows and knees), I don’t think a front row Hulk figure needs a ton articulation to pose well and make a presence around other Marvel figures.
Last and NOT least, this Hulk has two CLOSED fists. This was the first classic green and purple version (okay, maquette version) that lets you post the Hulk as he should be posed – ready to pummel friends and foes!!!
For $20, this guy is a steal. I’ve had this figure for a year and had no quality problems. If you have resisted the urge to this point… BUY HULK NOW!!!
Prodigy likes figures with a death theme in their name. Does that make him a necrophiliac? I don’t know, but what I do know is that, like his pick of Deathstroke last year, the DC Universe Classic Deadshot is awesome.
Now as you see, some of these other “toy experts” picked 12 inch dolls or robots that cost 200 bucks for their figure of the year. Hell Ron even picked what looks to be a painted balloon I think. I went a different route and picked a figure from a scale and category that this place was built on. Six inch superhero figures.
My choice for figure of the year is Deadshot:
Not only is Floyd here my favorite figure of the year he was my most anticipated and he did not disappoint. at all. He is a perfect representation of Deadshot and I can honestly say I never need another one. While other figures came close(DCUC Green Arrow, HML Daredevil, HML Iron Man, MOTU Teela) Deadshot was simply my favorite. The perfect sculpt, the awesome paint job, the tiny little details on his gun gauntlets and that perfect head sculpt sealed the deal for me.
What do you get when you cross robots with dinosaurs? Some kind of abomination against nature you say? No! you get the Transforms Masterpiece Grimlock figure, the robosaur that canonball fancies the most. He even got Grimlock himself to talk about the figure!
No better toy released in 2009 than, ME, Masterpiece GRIMLOCK! Me toy KING of 2009! Stupid Michael Bay movie forgot Dinobots (again!), but Takara made smart move by making ME their 2009 Masterpiece toy. Me best Grimlock EVER! Perfect G1 design and almost same transformation make it look like me stomped right out of the 1986 “Transformers” movie, which was way better because of Dinobots! There were many good toys in 2009, but Canonball thinks me, Grimlock, was the best (me not make him say that!), even better than movie leader class Optimus Prime (him chump anyway).
One of the things that Canonball thinks makes me best is articulation. In dino mode I have many points of articulation, like my head that swivels and tilts and my super strong jaw that can snap stupid Decepticons in two! My dino arms are the ball-jointed kind with elbows and 3 finger/claw things on each hand. Grimlock’s legs also very powerful and have die-cast claws perfect for stomping stupid Starscream’s face in! My butt and my tail also move! When Grimlock’s head is turned, it causes Grimlock’s tail to move side-to-side – good for smashing puny Decpeticons with!
Another thing Canonball likes is transformation. He say it’s good without being too complicated, unlike stupid Megatron. Grimlock’s bot mode is very poseable and looks very close to original G1 toy, but better! Grimlock very easy to put in good action poses and Grimlock’s eyes can be made to be red or blue; you pick if you like cartoon version or G1 toy version better. Me like red eyes best because Optimus Prime scared of Grimlock with red eyes!
Grimlock’s accessories kick butt, too! For bot mode there’s a sword and blaster that light up like fire in my hand. Grimlock’s weapons best of them all! In dino mode Grimlock has an apron (with bow tie!), a tray to serve drinks, and a brain transfer gizmo to take brains from other Transformers! Me like sword best because the apron too fancy to fight Decepticons with.
Sad part is me, Masterpiece Grimlock, only available as expensive Japanese import. But Hasbro say they might bring me to Walmart or other American stores later! Me hope so because any Dinobot fan need at lease two of Grimlock for display in both awesome modes. Canonball say he can never decide which mode to display me in, so having two of me will give him less headaches.
All this is why no other toy in 2009 as good as ME, Grimlock! I stomp all other 2009 toys and make rubble!
VeeBee (that’s me) throws you a real curveball and picks the DC Universe Classics Blue Beetle figure. Don’t act so surprised.
Oh come on now. Really, is there any surprise here? DCUC Blue Beetle is not only the figure I had been screaming for since the DCUC line’s inception, but this is THE figure that I have wanted since I was about 8 years old. Yes, I know that is cliche, but it is genuinely true. Was there really any competition for this action figure honor for me this year? Well, actually, the awesomeness of the DCUC classic Steppenwolf and MOTUC Mer-Man made the choice harder than I thought it was going to be (any other year they would have been winners) but I had to go with my heart on this one.
Sure, I can admit that he is not the craziest and fanciest figure out there. Indeed, his spandex costume makes for a fairly simple figure design, but he is just executed perfectly. I think Ted’s personality, sense of humor and “ego-free” nature hit all of the right spots with me as a kid, but I also know that costume design is also a big thing for young kid and I have loved Ted’s look since the first time I saw him. Mattel and the Four Horsemen nailed every aspect from his crispy clean costume paint lines, to his cool clear yellow goggles to his BB gun (pew-pew!). Love him.
I remember when Ted made is his public debut on the Fwoosh (well, his backside did anyway) just days before SDCC 2008. I will never forget the time, place or feeling I had when I saw that image show up in my email box. It was giddy glee and intense relief all at the same time. To think, I was worried about never getting him in the line and he showed up for series 7. That alone means a lot and sets the pace for what things may come. I got my Ted, the one figure I HAD to have in the DCUC line over any other. But that is not going to slow me down. Having him gives me faith that I will also see the Liberty Belles, Forever People, Cyclones and Kamandis of the world. So while I will continue to be persistant for the future characters that I want to see in the line, I can always kick back and say I got the one that really counts. I have my Blue Beetle.
Ibentmyman-thing assures us that it is always wise to have a heroic Master of Weapons close at hand, especially when you can pick his facial hair stylings. Masters of the Universe Classics Man-at-Arms proves that good old Duncan is still mastering the universe, even after all these years.
2009 has been a great year for toys, and deciding on a favorite for the year was pretty difficult. To winnow it down, first I had to pick a favorite line. It came down to a war of acronyms between DCUC and MotUC. As close as it was, I had to go with the year-old MotUC line as the winner, but then I had to narrow it down further and pick a favorite single figure. By now I needed a nap. Afterwards, I finally took an overview of all the figures and one figure stood out as updated nostalgia done perfect: Man-At-Arms.
First off, the figure looks exactly as he should in all his green and orange greatness, with the extra detailing that the 4h have been tossing into the line.. It’s the figure wee little benty always wanted. But on top of a great figure, it’s the accessories that took him over the edge.
The dual heads he comes with would be impressive enough if that were his only feature. Between the mustachioed head that pleases both cartoon and Tom Selleck loyalists and the clean upper-lip of the original toy/mini-comic head, any way you want your Duncan, that’s the way you get him. But the weaponmaster wouldn’t be the same without a lot of weapons, and he came well armed. First off his original big orange mace for starters, plus standard laser pistol, and small sword. All of which perfectly clip onto his back for ease of storage. Suddenly nearly 30 bucks (shipping included) is seeming like a bargain. Kind of. Not really, but it’s still cool.
But! (wait there’s more!) As if all of that wasn’t enough, as a bonus the 200x He-Man’s techno-sword was also included. All for 19.95 if you call within the next ten minutes. Plus a Sham-wow! Sham-Wow not included.
So in a year of great toys, and a line full of great figures, Man-at-Arms edged out everybody else as my favorite figure of the year.
hagop9 furthers the myth that size does matter as he picks the DC Universe Classics Collect & Connect Chemo figure. A character of few words (GGG.), the walking glob of chemicals needs more Metal Men to beat up!
It’s Chemo!
That’s the kind of reaction I like to have to a new figure. Sure, every time we get a new Batman or Captain America, I’m excited to look it over and see if it’ll be the new “definitive” version. When my favorite characters like Green Lantern or the Thing get made, I’m always anxious to buy them. But every once in a while, a figure comes out and my first, gut reaction isn’t too check how well the artic is hidden, or if the scale is exactly correct, or how many paint masks were used…it’s just a knee-jerk exclamation of, “It’s Chemo!”
What a wonderful addition Chemo is to our DC Universe Classics collections. In a line that lives by a lot of shared tooling, it’s nice to get a figure like this that is completely unlike anything else in the line. When I first got mine, I was transfixed by the bubbles sculpted inside the torso (the prototype Mattel had previously shown didn’t have them). Little did I realize that there was to be a running change where MORE bubbles would be added (via a sculpted plastic insert). Both versions look great, but of course I had to run out and find the “carbonated” version.
With his see through body and the sweet face of a mass killer, he also sports a surprising amount of articulation. How do the Four Horsemen do it? I just can’t wait until I have the Metal Men for him to slaughter. I have a funny feeling my reaction upon receiving the first one will be, “It’s Iron!”
Chemo=fun.
Our own Admin with the adorable Mug, Samuron, shows us that that wacky urban vinyl kick is still going strong with the Marvel Mighty Muggs Logan figure.
Yeah, that’s right – Marvel Mighty Muggs Logan. You got a problem with that, bub? And no, this isn’t because I picked last and everyone had already picked the figures I would have picked. Let’s just say that some of the guys were whiny (you know who you are!) and I’m just a nice guy.
Not like Logan here. He’s mean through and through. He’s got the steely glint of a natural born killer in his eyes, and he’ll run you through with his adamantium claws faster than you can say “Jean Grey was a hoooooooer!” His hat is removable, and can be positioned sideways for the “I’m prospecting for gold in the Canadian Rockies” look, tilted down over his eyes for the “I’m napping here, quit buggin me Jubes” look, or just cocked a bit to the side for the “I will decapitate you for mentioning how cute I am” look.
He’s a killer who’s also cuddly and cute – and definitely the best Mighty Mugg that Hasbro has made to date. For more pics, check out my Marvel Mighty Muggs Logan review on ActionFigurePics.com.
Every group has a member with the utmost discriminating taste. Now, I am not sure how the Rise of Cobra City Strike Snake Eyes tastes, but carl picks good toys. Even when they come from crappy movies.
How about that Rise of Cobra? What a heap of crap that was. I was pretty jazzed about the movie when it was announced. Even choosing to ignore a lot of the rumors about the plot (or lack of) leading up to the movie, for one reason. You could have put half of the cast in tutus and I would have still happily waited to see it. I’ve wanted to see a live action Snake Eyes fight since I was a kid. Gi joe was my first love when it came to toys and among them Snake Eyes was always one of my favorites. But none of that made the movie anymore tolerable. But man am I glad that piece of crap came out, without it, who knows if we would have gotten this figure by now or not.
But we got him! And he’s awesome! I admit that I was anticipating this figure and this design ever since I got wind of Resolute. All of that anticipation was justified. This is one of the coolest Gi joes ever made. He’s loaded with accessories, he poses better than most of the figures in the same style and he looks fantastic. I didn’t buy that many figures this year compared to those in the past, but I bet if I did this one still would have been a stand out. I like him so much I bought a few, one for me, one to keep MOC and one that I had displayed in my Girlfriends car. I even payed $20 for the Target exclusive Boxset Snake Eyes, because he’s almost as cool. So yeah If you dig Gi joes, do yourself a favor and don’t pass him up.
Finally, last but not least, our own very tall leader guy pablolobo proves that The Fwoosh continues to be the coolest spot on the intertubes, and we have the coolest toys! This year is the Four Horsemen’s Seventh Kingdom Kromius!
2009.. great year for toys. Granted I spent most of the year catching up on toys from 2007 and 2008 but what the hell, I’m keeping it interesting. One toy that did come out in 2009 that is top on my list is Kromius.
Now before you think this is another attempt by me to pimp Kromius, hear me out. The Four Horsemen’s Fantastic Exclusive is an amazing toy line. Started by a bunch of designers, funded by them and marketed to essentially the online toy community each of the Exclusives to come out are awesome. From ass kicking minotaurs and elephants the 4-Hmen have done a fantastic job bringing fantasy to plastic.
This year they did it again with latest Fantastic Exclusive, specially the Fwoosh variant, Kromius. She’s a silver killing machine, beautifully sculpted, and loaded with articulation. She fits with Marvel Legends, DCUC and any other 6″ line of action figures. If you haven’t picked her up yet this year I recommend that you take the time and get her or one of her sisters. You’ll be adding a quality toy to your collection and you will be helping to support the continued success of the Four Horsemen’s Fantastic Exclusive line.
*Thanks to everyone for reading. It has been a great year for toys and 2010 looks to continue the trend into the next decade. See you on the Fwoosh and in the toy aisles!
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