1:1 scale Scum and Villian / Scalpers at 2011 Hong Kong Ani-Con - Sad but True

This thread appeared in one of the forums I frequent and I was SHOCKED and DISGUSTED to read that friggin douchebags / a$$holes / jerks / scum and other unmentionables along with their own scalper army made off with most of the exclusives at the 2011 Hong Kong Ani-Con. I wanted to send the word out to fellow collectors to be wary of such unscrupulous people. Beware 'notforsell2007'.

friggin douchebag / a$$hole / jerk / scum

One of the guys (a genuine collector) who camped overnight counted the line which numbered 100+ people in front of him at the beginning, but by the time he got his ticket to buy (there were 600 tickets passed out representing the 600 available sets) the next day, he said it was up to 450! An extra 350 thugs and helpers had appeared.

A New Hope after The Empire Strikes Back: About Stormtrooper helmets and a Sandcrawler building in Singapore

The epic battle between a British prop maker and Lucasfilm Ltd. over who has the right to sell Stormtrooper helmets has come to an end. The British prop designer struck back against the Star Wars empire, winning a court battle against US film company boss George Lucas over his right to sell replica Stormtrooper helmets.

The five-year war, which took place not in a galaxy far, far away but rather in the legal courts of both America and Britain, began in 2006. That's when Andrew Ainsworth, designer and maker of the original Stormtrooper helmets featured in the classic "Star Wars" movies, began selling replica helmets cast from the original 1976 molds over the Internet. Lucasfilm tried to stop him, saying the helmets were protected by copyright laws.

Kitbash 1/6 Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills in TAKEN

"Taken" is a 2008 action thriller film produced by Luc Besson, starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, and Maggie Grace. Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a former Central Intelligence Agency SAD operative who sets about tracking down his daughter after she is kidnapped by Albanian sex traders while travelling in France.

Highly-skilled CIA officer Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) has retired in an effort to build a closer relationship with his teenage daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). His frequent absences had made him a distant father and led to his divorce.

T is also for THOR - god of thunder

continued from previous post...

2011 has been a good year for Marvel superheroes, with the release of "Captain America: The First Avenger" only just yesterday in Singapore (my verdict: Go See It! and remember to wait till the end of the credits for something AWESOME!) and "Thor" earlier this year. These two will be part of the May 2012 "The Avengers" film which promises to blow your socks OFF :) Let's not forget "X-Men: First Class". Now that was certainly a most interesting take of the X-Men origins. That's Marvel Studios "3" and DC "0". DC's "Green Lantern" didn't really do it for me even though I wanted it to, was hoping it would :(

In Norse mythology, Thor (from Old Norse Þórr) is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, destruction, fertility, healing, and the protection of mankind. The Marvel Comics superhero Thor (based on the Norse god) debuted in the science fiction / fantasy anthology title "Journey into Mystery #83" (cover-date August 1962), created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby. [ source: wiki ]

Captain America: The First Avenger opens today in Singapore

Steve Rogers is a sickly young man who is enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum in order to aid the United States war effort. He is chosen as the first in a "super-soldier" experiment. There is no spoiler since all the official movie trailers pretty much show us how Steve Rogers gets transformed and become Captain America.

Since the Hot Toys 1/6 scale Captain America 12-inch figure has not been released (all we've seen are PREVIEW pictures), I guess this 9-inch tall version will have to do.

2011 Ani-com Hong Kong: Hot Toys Samurai Predator Teaser

Hot Toys is more than happy to present the first artist collaboration project with celebrated Japanese artists Mr. Takayuki Takeya (竹谷隆之) & Mr. Yuji Oniki (鬼木祐二) to bring their unique design and sculpture to the 1/6th scale collectible world.

This Samurai Predator is proudly designed and painted by Mr Takayuki Takeya (竹谷隆之) and specially sculpted by Mr. Yuji Oniki (鬼木祐二), which will be firstly unveiled in the Ani-Com & Games event in Hong Kong for preview from 29th July to 2nd August!

Fans, please visit our specially designed America Theatre themed booth (booth # F18-22, 27-31) at Ani-Com Hong Kong to check out our exciting exhibits and products! Stay tuned with us for more update on our Ani-Com event tomorrow!

Loading Toys 22 SAS Regiment REVIEW

The Special Air Service or SAS is a special forces regiment of the British Army that has served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world. While the Special Air Service traces its origins to 1941 and the Second World War, it gained fame and recognition worldwide after successfully assaulting the Iranian Embassy in London and rescuing hostages during the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege, lifting the regiment from obscurity outside the military establishment. [ source: wiki ]

The Special Air Service comprises 22 Special Air Service Regiment of the Regular Army, 21 Special Air Service Regiment and 23 Special Air Service Regiment provided by the Territorial Army. It is tasked with special operations in wartime, and primarily counter-terrorism in peacetime. However, the SAS is "22 Squadron", usuallly pronounced "two two".

TTL 1/6 Female PMC "Baby" 12-inch Figure PREVIEW

This will be the TTL 1/6 scale 12-inch Female PMC (Private Military Contractor) Figure "Baby". This TTL version of a PMC babe seems to be inspired by a similar female action figure that Toy Soldier released some years ago.

The load out is almost identical except that the Toy Soldier version (T.S. Babe 002) came with a much simpler looking gray hoodie and was based on the head sculpt of Keira Knightley as Domino Harvey as seen in the 2005 film "Domino", who was the English daughter of stage and screen actor Laurence Harvey. Domino became a bounty hunter working in Los Angeles (see picture below). Sadly, Domino Harvey died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl on June 27, 2005, before the film was released.

New 1/6 Head Play head sculpts: luv 'em or "head" em

Luv 'em or "head" em - they're here to stay. You know the saying,"Heads, I win; Tails, you lose." haha that means I win either way :)

Here's the heads up on the latest 1/6 scale head sculpts from Head Play that are now making the rounds. Head Play headsculpts won't necessary make heads turn like the ones done by Hot Toys, DiD, Soldier Story or Enterbay but they definitely do offer an alternative to those of us collectors who want more options. These are for the Head Hunters, those who just want to have a piece of every Hollywood actor that has graced the big screen OR even the Asian actors who have made their mark in the Chinese cinema / film scene.

Clint Eastwood

Some of the heads are a hit while some might have missed a mark or two but hey, buy what you like and forget about those that don't strike any resemblance or chord with you :) This hobby is all about "having FUN with your life" (to quote from a good friend, Colin of Super Duper Toy Box)

1:6 Modular Weapon Display PREVIEW

Looks like Zacca is back, now selling their spare gun displays as a set to 1:6 collectors who need a modular weapon display i.e. gun rack for displaying all their 1:6 guns and even edged weapons. I think it works rather well.

Zacca used to sell these 1:6 weapon racks together with their 1:6 guns /rifles as part of the "World Weapon Collection" set released some time ago. These racks could be customized into a modular display but I didn't need all those weapons. The only good weapon is the one the trooper is holding because that's the one he needs. Inevitably, over the years, I've managed to accumulate quite an arsenal of 1:6 scale weapons, mainly rifles and a good weapon rack will be most handy. In the past, without buying the weapons, you couldn't get the weapon display. So this is a bit of good news.

T is also for The Dark Knight Returns action figures

continued from an earlier post...

IGN Comics ranked "The Dark Knight Returns" #2 on a list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels, second only to "Batman: Year One", another Frank Miller work on the character. In 2005, Time chose the collected four-issues as one of the 10 best English language, graphic novels ever written. In April 2010, Nicolas Layton from Comics Bulletin ranked "The Dark Knight Returns" 2nd in their Tuesday Top Ten feature's Top 10 Overrated Comic Books, just behind "Watchmen". [ source: wiki ]

A series of action figures based on The Dark Knight Returns were released by DC Direct in 2004. Featuring Batman, Robin, Superman, and The Joker, each has a sidewalk display base that connects to the others to form a street corner with lamp post and glow-in-the-dark lamp.

Sideshow 1/6 General Grievous and Medicom 4-LOM spotted at SDCC 2011

All credit for these pictures must go to Photographer D. Martin Myatt and the good folks at www.rebelscum.com for bringing these images to us, especially for those of us who are just too far away from SDCC 2011 and have no chance of attending the convention. Follow the link to their site for more pictures of all things Star Wars that can be found at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con.

General Grievous is the Cyborg supreme commander of the Separatist droid armies. He was killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi in "Revenge of the Sith".

Sideshow Collectibles 1/6 scale IG-88 Scum & Villainy Figure PREVIEW

Much of the anti-droid sentiment existing in the galaxy is unwarranted bigotry, but even pro-droid activists will find it hard to defend the rights of droids bearing arms. The memory of droid armies is still fresh in many minds, and the legions of mechanized troops used by the Trade Federation and other corporate interests paved the way for legislation that eventually did away with the soulless infantry.

Relics from that era still exist, such as the battered chrome war droid known as IG-88. The tall, cylinder-headed and heavily-armed mechanical bounty hunter responded to Darth Vader's call to capture the Millennium Falcon during the events surrounding the Battle of Hoth.

Seen at SDCC 2011 Hot Toys Booth

Hot Toys 1:6 scale Iron Monger with Obadiah Stane 12-inch figure included!

Hot Toys 1/6 Suit-Up Gantry with Mark IV Limited Edition Collectible Set PREVIEW

This will be a 1st Quarter 2012 Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series release. It is the 1/6th scale Suit-Up Gantry with Iron Man Mark IV Limited Edition Collectible Set.

The Suit-Up Gantry set specially features: highly detailed and authentic Suit-Up Gantry with great movability.

T is also for The Dark Knight Returns statue

With the release of official "The Dark Knight Rises" trailer, everyone who's a Batman fan is now waiting with bated breath for the film's debut. "The Dark Knight Rises" hits theaters July 20th, 2012 and is directed by Christopher Nolan starring Christan Bale as Batman, Tom Hardy as Bane, Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle / Catwoman, Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, Michael Cain as Alfred, Juno Temple and Josh Pence as a young Ra's al Ghul.

Let's go back to the source and discover what was the inspiration for the new Batman films. Hailed as a comics masterpiece, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS (originally published by DC Comics in 1986) is a four-issue comic book limited series written and drawn by Frank Miller ("300" and "Sin City") as a reinvention of the legend of Batman. It remains an undisputed classic, one of the most influential stories ever told in comics, and is a book cited by the filmmakers as an inspiration for the most recent Batman movies.

"The Dark Knight Returns" tells the story of a middle-aged Batman who comes out of retirement to fight crime, only to face opposition from the Gotham City police force and the United States government.

Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 12-inch Bounty Hunters Comic Con Showcase

Also announced: Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys collaboration
Collectors will get their first glimpse of the new collaborative efforts at San Diego Comic-Con International, July 20 – 24 in San Diego, California. Attendees will be able to get their first view of Hot Toys’ DX Bespin Luke Skywalker Star Wars Sixth Scale Figure, as well as Sideshow’s Indiana Jones Map Room Sixth Scale Figure Environment. The Hot Toys’ Bespin Luke will be displayed alongside Sideshow’s newest Sixth Scale Figures, including Boba Fett, IG-88, General Grievous, and much more. The Sideshow Map Room Environment will be displayed with Hot Toys’ Indiana Jones figure, featuring his cairo disguise costume, true to the famous film scene.

Hot Toys Avatar: 1/6 Jake Sully Collectible Figure PREVIEW

Amid very high anticipation, Hot Toys is proud to present their Movie Masterpiece Series MMS159 1/6th scale Jake Sully Collectible Figure from the award-winning and glove-sweeping science-fiction epic adventure blockbuster AVATAR movie written and directed by JAMES CAMERON. The movie-accurate Jake Sully collectible is specially crafted based on his image in the movie in the Pandora world, highlighting the head and body sculpture and painting, highly detailed accessories and weapons, as well as specially-made light-up figure stage imitating the Pandora scene.

The 1/6th scale Jake Sully Collectible Figure specially features: Authentic and detailed fully realized likeness of Jake Sully in the movie Avatar in the Pandora scene, Realistic 1/6th scale of approximate 18 inches / 45 cm tall with Over 30 points of articulations. Highly detailed head, body sculpture and painting in Avatar skin color and patterns. Wig with strings of beads. Movable tail. Four (4) pieces of interchangeable palms including: One (1) pair of relaxed palms, One (1) right palm for holding gun, One (1) right palm for holding knife

Sideshow Collectibles 1:6 Zartan 12-inch Figure PREVIEW

Though his true identity and birthplace are unknown, the mercenary called ZARTAN is one of the G.I. JOE Team's most dangerous and devious foes. That's because ZARTAN could be anyone, anywhere at any time. He is fluent in more than twenty languages and dialects, a ventriloquist, and capable of imitating the voice and physical appearance of virtually anyone he wishes. It's a set of talents that the terrorist organization COBRA finds particularly appealing. The group frequently employs ZARTAN to use these skills to deceive the Joe team and gain access to information that COBRA can use against anyone who dares oppose them.

Yet ZARTAN would not have benefitted from multiple lucrative assignments from COBRA COMMANDER himself had the master of disguise not proven himself in battle. He is a master of martial arts and archery, and he commands a savage group of other mercenaries known as the DREADNOKS.

Sideshow Collectibles G.I. Joe 1/6 Rock 'n' Roll 12-inch Figure PREVIEW

In the heat of battle, soldiers quickly become accustomed to the loud noise of heavy gunfire. Perhaps there has never been another soldier who's more at home with loud noises than Craig S. McConnel. Whether it's the pounding of waves against his surfboard, the clanging of barbells during his time as a professional weightlifter, or the reverberations of his bass guitar during a heavy metal song, McConnel's entire life has been built around nearly deafening sounds.

It's this natural ability to handle loud noises that make McConnel a particularly suitable choice for the machine gunner of the G.I.JOE team. His infantry training proved that letting round after round of bullets flow naturally and on target were definitely his strengths, earning him the code name ROCK N' ROLL. He's also a natural when it comes to getting along with his teammates. However, at the end of the day, providing heavy firepower against the likes of the terrorist organization COBRA is what makes him a true team player and one of the most valuable assets the JOE team has to offer. YO JOE!

Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 Commander Gree PREVIEW

Clone Commander Gree, designation 1004, led the Elite Corps stationed on Kashyyyk during the Clone Wars. He served under General Yoda, commanding troops that employed specialized equipment for combat in the jungle environment.

CC-1004 was a senior clone commander in the Grand Army of the Republic. Possessed of a keen interest in alien species and cultures, 1004 was singled out to participate in a special training program by ARC trooper Alpha-17 that encouraged individuality. As a token of his independence, 1004 was rewarded with a name and chose to be known as "Gree," a reference to an obscure alien species.

Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 Infantry Battle Droids PREVIEW

A battle droid (also referred to as war droid or killer droid) was any droid designed for combat. Battle droids were originally made by Trade Federation Viceroy, Nute Gunray, to prevent pirate attacks. When he was contacted by Darth Sidious, he attacked the peaceful planet of Naboo. The droids easily overwhelmed Naboo's military.

This is the Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Military Series 1:6 scale Infantry Battle Droids 12-inch Figure. This will be a two-pack Battle Droid boxed set which features: Two (2) Newly Developed and Fully Articulated Battle Droid Bodies with over 20+ points of articulation each. Authentic and hand painted deco application with detailed weathering deco. Two (2) Detailed Backpacks with droid identification numbering and extending antennae. Two (2) E-5 Blaster Rifles

Kitbash 1/6 Vin Diesel as Dominic "Dom" Toretto in "Fast 5"

"Fast Five" (alternatively known as "Fast & Furious 5" or "Fast & Furious 5: Rio Heist") is the fifth installment in "The Fast and the Furious" franchise. It was the character of Dominic "Dom" Toretto in "The Fast and the Furious (2001)" that propelled Vin Diesel to action hero super stardom. This was followed up by the action thriller "xXx (2002)". He finally returned to the "The Fast and The Furious" series, alongside all the actors from the original 2001 film, in "Fast & Furious", which was released in April 2009. In 2011, he once again returned, for the fifth film in the series, titled "Fast Five".

In "Fast Five", Dominic and his crew find themselves on the wrong side of the law once again as they try to switch lanes between a ruthless drug lord and a relentless federal agent Luke Hobbs (played by Dwayne Johnson).

This 1/6 scale Vin Diesel as Dom Toretto 12-inch figure kitbash is based on the movie posters I'd seen (see the picture below). Dom appears to be armed with the Benelli M3 Super 90 with pistol grip stock combination 12-gauge pump action shotgun.

Hot Toys Sucker Punch: 1/6 Amber Collectible Figure PREVIEW

continued from previous post (Preview of Hot Toys Sucker Punch: Babydoll Collectible Figure)

This is a PREVIEW of Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS158 - Sucker Punch: 1/6th scale Amber Collectible Figure. The 1/6th scale Amber Collectible Figure specially features: Authentic and detailed fully realized likeness of Jamie Chung as Amber in the Sucker Punch movie. Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted. Female Figure Stands approximately 28 cm tall. Newly developed body with over 30 points of articulations. Detailed brown-colored hair sculpture. Five (5) pieces of interchangeable gloved palms including: One (1) pair of relaxed palms, One (1) right palm for holding pistol, One (1) right palm for holding lollipop, One (1) left palm for holding knife

Hot Toys Sucker Punch: Babydoll Collectible Figure PREVIEW

Sucker Punch is a 2011 action-fantasy thriller film about the fantasies of a young woman who is committed to a mental institution by her abusive stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the mental facility. It was written by Zack Snyder and Steve Shibuya and directed by Snyder. The film features an ensemble cast starring Emily Browning as the central character (Babydoll), Abbie Cornish (as Sweet Pea) and Oscar Isaac (as Blue).

This is a PREVIEW of Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS157 - Sucker Punch: 1/6th scale Babydoll Collectible Figure. The 1/6th scale Babydoll Collectible Figure specially features: Authentic and detailed fully realized likeness of Emily Browning as Babydoll (Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted) in the Sucker Punch movie and stands approximately 28 cm tall with Newly developed body with over 30 points of articulations. She has Real-like long golden implanted curly hair, Three (3) pairs of inter-changeable palms with straps on right palms including: One (1) pair of relaxed palms, One (1) pair for holding guns, One (1) pair for holding Japanese Katana

S is also for Slugfest OR Bitch Fight: Ripley vs Queen Alien

What do you do when you have both the 1992 Kenner ALIENS Space Marine Power Loader (posted earlier HERE) and the 1994 released Kenner ALIENS Queen Hive playset (posted HERE)? Answer: Bitch Fight (as opposed to Dog Fight, since the two parties involved are B!+¢#es ;p)!

TLC Chairman Mao 1/6 Collectible Figure PREVIEW

Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao (December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976), was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, military strategist, poet, political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution. He was the architect and founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from its establishment in 1949, and held authoritarian control over the nation until his death in 1976. His theoretical contribution to Marxism-Leninism, along with his military strategies and brand of policies, are collectively known as Maoism. [ source: wiki ]

These are pictures released of the TLC 1/6 scale Chairman Mao Limited Edition 12-inch Collectible Figurine.

Hot Toys TTM19 Muscular Body Figure PREVIEW

NEXT up: Hot Toys TTM19 will be a 1/6th scale TrueType Muscular Body Figure with new Jake Gyllenhaal head sculpt. Finally, figures with no visible neck joints.

Now I can kitbash a Jake Gyllenhaal as Jamie Randall 12-inch figure from "Love and Other Drugs" movie - all I need is a 1/6 pillow Haha LOLz

You can now pre-order this Hot Toys 1/6 Scale Truetype Body - Caucasian Muscular TTM-19 at BBTS (Big Bad Toy Store) HERE

UPDATE: Review of the actual figure in hand HERE :)

G.I. Joe Space Shuttle Astronaut REVIEW

On April 12, 1981, NASA launched the first re-usable orbiter into space. The Orbiter OV-102 Columbia (better known as "The Space Shuttle Columbia") left the launch pad for it's two day mission, ushering in a new era in the annals of space travel.

This is the 1997 released Hasbro G.I. Joe 1:6 scale Shuttle Astronaut "Robert Crippen" 12-inch figure from the Classic Collection series. The Space Shuttle Astronaut is outfitted in a space suit with patches and air hose connector, helmet with communications link and visor, gloves, air hose, ventilator, boots and dog tags. Robert L. Crippen piloted the first Space Shuttle flight in 1981 and commanded three other shuttle missions in the next 3 1/2 years.

Sadly, the last mission in NASA’s decades-long space shuttle program is now underway. Atlantis rocketed into orbit at 11:30 a.m. July 8, 2011 and flew at 17,500 mph around the Earth. The mission, STS-135, will catch up with the International Space Station in two days. They expect to land July 20 at 7:06 a.m. [ source: wired ]

R is also for Rocketpack Batman

This is the 1996 released Kenner Rocketpack Batman action figure with Firing Turbo Thrust Cannon from "The Adventures of Batman and Robin" animated series (with a switch of the figure). It was released much earlier in 1993 as Turbojet Batman and came with Firing Wrist Rocket and Pivoting Engines from "Batman The Animated Series" or BTAS line of Batman action figures. The basic figure body was the same (the Turbojet backpack straps were sculpted and painted on the figure, including other sculpted detailing on the boots and gloves) except for repaints of the Batsuit. The 1996 Rocketpack Batman figure was wearing a bright yellow batsuit. It's like Batman telling all the criminals in Gotham City: "Quick! Shoot me out of the sky! I'm having an identity crisis, I think I'm Yellow Canary! You can't miss!"

I just had to switch Batman figures and thankfully, I managed to find a loose Turbojet Batman (figure only, no jetpack) at one of my Sunday flea market visits :) This basic body with the sculpted harness was also used for other animated Batman figures: 1993 Sky Dive Batman (with working parachute for surprise attacks - throw Sky Dive Batman in the air and watch his silver mylar parachute deploy), 1994 Mech-Wing Batman (With Mechanized Soaring Wings and Pop-Out Wing Action) and 1995 Paraglide Batman (with Dive Bomb Sky Wing).

The Turbojet backpack / Rocketpack (with removable rocket launcher) has a really cool Art Deco look, and even features a Rocketeer helmet (which was a really cool feature for me). The Turbojet captures the 30s-inspired Batman The Animated Series (BTAS) feel perfectly, and is probably one of the best accessories to come out of the line.

New from Loading Toys: “Hot Masks” Series

Now these are just screaming out to be played with and to have FUN with too! Loading Toys will be releasing these 1/6 scale "Hot Masks" and I cannot wait to get my hands on them.

That black mask is exactly the same as the one Jack Bauer wore when he went on his crazy rampage against President Logan. You can also kitbash your very own "Army of Two". Any 1/6 face you don't like, you just put on one of these masks and that figure suddenly looks bada$$. Pretty cool idea with so many kitbash and play options - mercenaries, Joker's henchmen or any gang you want to have for any bank you want to rob (provided they are all 1/6 scale!). Just FUN to have among your other 1/6 scale kitbash bin.

Let's Fight! Brother Production Fighting Club "Tayler" REVIEW III

Having already seen the Brother Production Fighting Club 1:6 scale "Tayler" 12-inch figure (worldwide limited production of 200 pieces) in the previous posts HERE and HERE, I wanted to show the alternate Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden head sculpt and bandaged fist hands on a TTL produced 12-inch body.

Rule #6 - They fight without shirts or shoes. And that's what this Brother Production Fighting Club 1:6 scale "Tayler" 12-inch figure is aiming to do - fight with no shirt and no shoes :)

Commander Cody Order 66 Statue by Attakus Preview

Remember what I said in my previous post about how companies are producing stuff just to take away all that hard-earned money we adults make? This is one sure way to rip people off - produce a stone sculpture / statue in the shape of a popular character and then market to adults as a collectible. After giving the stone a recognizable shape and painting it, sell it off at a HIGH price and pocket the difference.

This Star Wars Commander Cody Order 66 Statue collectible statue will soon be released by Attakus. These detailed statues present some of the greatest characters in the Galaxy. Standing 15.8 inches high and featuring a light-up Order 66 hologram, the Commander Cody Order 66 Statue features the once-trusted clone trooper commander at the moment the clones turned on the Jedi. PRICE: US$424.99!!!

The Attakus Star Wars licensed statue comes as one stiff solid piece of cast stone with NO articulation, NO switchable alternate heads, NO removable outfit / armor / costume, NO accessories, gear or weapons and yet cost US$300 MORE than the Sideshow Collectibles 1:6 scale Star Wars Commander Cody 12-inch figure which retailed at US$124.99. At US$424.99 for a stiff stone sculpture just standing there, you could buy three 12-inch articulated clone troopers with multiple pose-abilities plus have change left over. Which would you choose? I would think the answer should be most obvious: 1:6 scale 12-inch figures with full articulation and multiple pose-abilities beat statue hands down!

CMTOYS: 1/6 scale Hacker World OR Matrix Re-done

Remember CMToys? The unknown company that is coming up with the 1:6 scale Roman Gladiator 12-inch figure? See my earlier post HERE

Well, now we get to see preview pictures of CMToys 1/6 Hacker World. Essentially, it's the Matrix all over again i.e. Matrix Re-done. The Matrix is a science fiction action franchise created by Andy and Larry Wachowski and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The series began with the 1999 film The Matrix and later spawned two sequels; The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, both released in 2003, thus forming a trilogy. The characters and settings of the Matrix fictional universe are further explored in other media, including animation, comic books, and video games.

The series depicts a cyberpunk story incorporating numerous references to philosophical and religious ideas. Other influences include mythology, anime, and Hong Kong action films (particularly "heroic bloodshed" and martial arts movies). The fight choreographer for the trilogy was Yuen Woo-ping. [source: wiki]

Hot Toys 2011 Toy Fairs Exclusive Batman / Bruce Wayne PREVIEW

This will be the Hot Toys 2011 Toy Fairs Exclusive Movie Masterpiece Series MMS155 Batman Begins: 1/6th scale Batman / Bruce Wayne (Batsuit Begins Version) 12-inch Collectible Figure.

Hot Toys is proud to present the 1/6th scale Batman / Bruce Wayne (Batsuit Begins Version) Collectible Figure from the classic "Batman Begins" movie as the 2011 Toy Fairs Exclusive item in view of its popularity. The Batman / Bruce Wayne collectible is highly detailed and fully deployed, specially crafted based on the image of Christian Bale as the iconic character of Batman / Bruce Wayne in the movie, highlighting the detailed head sculpt, costume, weapons and accessories.

Q is also for Queen Hive

In the 1979 science fiction horror film "Alien", we saw how ONE highly aggressive extra-terrestrial creature stalks and kills the crew of the commercial towing spaceship Nostromo. In the 1986 sequel "Aliens", not only do we encounter a whole bunch of these xenomorphs, we are introduced to the mother of all xenomorphs - the Queen Alien (also known as the Mother Alien) and its entire hive.

The 1994 released Kenner Alien Queen Hive playset is probably the best of all of Kenner's "Aliens" products released. The whole playset is set as close and as accurate to the movie and the Alien Queen herself is an almost perfect rendition from the movie. For a TOY (not collectible), it certainly came close. My question is: Which child would ask for a toy like this OR which parent in his or her right mind would buy such a scary toy / playset for their child? I only bought this because (1) I'm an adult toy collector and (2) this playset makes for a GREAT movie collectible :)

In the 1990s, there wasn't really adult collectibles. Adults were buying toys that they liked from watching movies that they liked. That was because when they were younger, they had missed out on many of the toys because their parents just weren't willing to splash out so much moolah on some toy. So when these children grew up and had their own disposable income, no one was going to stop them from buying what they liked (UNTIL they get hitched and their girlfriends / wives tell them to STOP haha). It was only in the new millennium that companies started producing collectibles for adults because they realized that there was a market for adult collectibles and a rather HUGE one, especially since adults were more willing to shell out a lot more than kids ever could.

Hot Toys 2011 Toy Fairs Exclusive Shadow Predator Collectible Figure PREVIEW

This will be a Hot Toys 2011 Toy Fairs Exclusive – the Movie Masterpiece Series MMS154 – Predator 2: 1/6th scale Shadow Predator Collectible Figure. Hot Toys is proud to present the 1/6th scale Shadow Predator Collectible Figure from the Predator 2 movie as the 2011 Toy Fairs Exclusive item. The movie-accurate Shadow Predator collectible is specially crafted based on his image in the movie, highlighting the newly developed head and body, body armor, as well as highly detailed weapons and accessories.

The 1/6th scale Shadow Predator Collectible Figure specially features: Authentic and detailed fully realized likeness of Shadow Predator in the movie Predator 2, Realistic and accurate 1/6th scale of approximately 14 inches / 35 cm tall with Over 22 points of articulations. Newly developed head, body and body armor; One (1) exchangeable expanded mouth, Three (3) pairs of interchangeable palms including: One (1) pair of fists, One (1) pair of opened palms, One (1) right palm for holding spear, One (1) right palm for holding shuriken

REVIEW II: Brother Production Fighting Club "Tayler" or Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden from "Fight Club"

continued from the previous post...

The 8 rules of Fight Club: (1) You don't talk about fight club (2) You don't talk about fight club (3) When someone says stop, or goes limp, the fight is over (4) Only two guys to a fight (5) One fight at a time (6) They fight without shirts or shoes (7) The fights go on as long as they have to (8) If this is your first night at fight club, you have to fight.

Also included with the Brother Production Fighting Club 1:6 scale "Tayler" 12-inch figure (worldwide limited production of 200 pieces) are Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden's 1:6 scale steel frame glasses (metal etching) and a cigarette. The pink thing in his other hand is a bar of soap (NOT soup as listed) All the other accessories were covered in the previous post :)

There is some resemblance and likeness to Brad Pitt at certain angles but what really impressed me was the 1/6 scale red jacket that Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden wore in the 1999 film "Fight Club".

Brother Production Fighting Club "Tayler" 12-inch figure REVIEW 1

Fight Club is a 1999 American film about an office employee Jack (Edward Norton) and a soap salesman, Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) building a global organization to help vent male aggression. Between the two men, the unhinged but magnetic Tyler becomes the antagonist later in the story.

Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) is a charismatic extremist of mysterious means. As the fight club's membership grows, Tyler begins to use it to spread his anti-consumerist ideas and recruits fight club's members to participate in increasingly elaborate pranks on corporate America. Tyler eventually gathers the most devoted fight club members (referred to as "space monkeys") and forms "Project Mayhem," a cult-like organization that trains itself as an army to bring down modern civilization. [source: wiki]

This Brother Production Fighting Club 1:6 scale "Tayler" 12-inch figure is most obviously inspired by Brad Pitt's character, Tyler Durden from "Fight Club".  According to them, this boxed set has a worldwide limited production of 200 pieces

P is also for Power Loader

The original 1979 "Alien" film introduced one of the most memorable modern 'monsters', and was a science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The 1986 sequel, "Aliens", introduced a team of worthy adversaries, the Colonial Marines, who joined Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and brought the fight to the xenomorphs. In the end, Ripley finds herself the sole defender against the alien menace, and their immense Queen. To combat the Queen Alien, Ripley stepped into a Power Loader, a mobile man-shaped forklift. This machine provided Ripley with the extra armor and strength necessary to force the Queen into the ship's airlock, and it was sucked out into space.

This is the 1992 Kenner "Aliens" Ripley action figure operating the Kenner Power Loader, also released in 1992. At that time, there were no other "Aliens" figures available and after watching the cocky over-confident Colonial Marines get kicked in the posterior by the xenomorphs / aliens in the first battle before they started hitting back with Ripley taking charge, the Power Loader was a "must-have" for me :)

Hot Toys 1/6 SDU 12-inch Assaulter Figure Redo

Continued from the previous post...

This is the Hot Toys 1/6 scale SDU (Hong Kong's Special Duties Unit) Assaulter 12-inch figure re-done! If you have been following my entries, you'll know that the original Hot Toys first generation 12-inch muscle body had cracked and broke apart after taking a fall recently (see previous post). No worries, I just have to replace that old crappy body with a newer much improved version :)

This revised version of the Hot Toys 1/6 SDU 12-inch Assaulter Figure is much more articulated and pose-able than the original version which suffered from stiff limbs due to the bulky muscle mass made of rubber encased over the metal wire armature.