Last Haul of 2011 or Last Good Bye (Buy) as 2012 Approaches

These were the last things I got before the year came to a close :) so this makes it the last post of 2011. There are many things to look forward to in 2012 but it's always nice to end the year on a positive note. I got myself the VeryHot 1/6 scale PMC Sniper uniform / outfit set and the latest Hobby Japan MIL-FIG Customized 12-inch Military Action Figures book.

VeryHot has previewed at least SIX sniper figures thus far but this was the only set I got because this set allows me the flexibility to mix and match if I choose to kitbash a figure. The other military specific snipers cannot be used for any other purpose other than building up a 1/6 army /  marine squad.

You can see the PREVIEW pictures in my earlier post HERE. This set comes with all that you see in the picture below - no 12-inch figure body or 1/6 scale head sculpt is included although from the pictures of the model used by VeryHot for posing purposes, you can tell that the head sculpt is based on a certain famous footballer who has been playing soccer in the United States for a while and has recently won the MLS (Major League Soccer) Cup with the Los Angeles Galaxy. David Beckham is a shooter but of a different kind haha

Updated 1/6 scale Léon: The Professional 12-inch Figure with HeadPlay Jean Reno Head

"Léon: The Professional" is a 1994 French thriller film written and directed by Luc Besson. It stars Jean Reno as the titular mob hitman, Gary Oldman as corrupt DEA agent Stansfield, a young Natalie Portman, in her feature film debut, as Mathilda, a 12-year-old girl who is taken in by the hitman after her family is murdered, and Danny Aiello as Tony, the mobster who gives the hitman his assignments.

Leone "Léon" Montana (Jean Reno) is a hitman (or "cleaner," as he refers to himself) living a solitary life in New York City's Little Italy. His work comes from a mafioso named Tony (Danny Aiello), who operates from the "Supreme Macaroni Company" restaurant. Léon spends his idle time engaging in calisthenics, nurturing a houseplant that early on he describes as his "best friend," and (in one scene) watching old Gene Kelly musicals. [source: wiki]

Here's Léon enjoying some quality time with his plant as he nurtures it and watches it grow :) Most of the 1/6 parts in the picture are from the Heroic 1/6 scale "Perfection Killer" 12-inch Figure boxed set that was released in 2009. You can see MORE Pictures HERE ;)

Real Life Caped Crusaders or RLSH

I only read about these RLSH (real-life-superHero) in the papers recently but it seems like they have been sprouting up all over the world lately, more so in America than anywhere else. In a niche of urban life that has evolved in recent years somewhere between comic book fantasy and the Boy Scout oath, a cadre of self-cast crusaders are on the march, prowling the nights in Boston, San Francisco, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and even Australia.

As reported in The New York Times: In Salt Lake City, Red Voltage and two of his masked crime-fighting colleagues patrol the streets at night. Red Voltage, who in daytime is a 23-year-old residential leasing manager named Roman Daniels, casually waved a gloved hand to his female drive-by fan as she shouted,"I'm in love with you guys!"

Clad head to toe in a red-and-black leather suit, his face covered by spandex, he is, he said, a different man when the mask goes on — a better man. “But there are times when I’m putting the suit on, and I’m just like, ‘How crazy am I to do this?’ I do feel odd and out of the box,” said Mr Daniels, who took over leadership of the group here, called the Black Monday Society, about six months ago, after two years of patrols.

ToysCity: JSOC T1 Special Mission Unit - Ops Geronimo Hunting Down PREVIEW

Osama bin Laden, then head of the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda, was killed in Pakistan on Monday, May 2, 2011 by a United States special forces military unit. The operation, code-named Operation Neptune Spear, was ordered by United States President Barack Obama and carried out in a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operation by a team of United States Navy SEALs from the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (also known as DEVGRU or colloquially, by its former name, SEAL Team Six) of the Joint Special Operations Command, with support from CIA operatives on the ground.

The raid was carried out by approximately two dozen heliborne United States Navy SEALs from the Red Squadron of the Joint Special Operations Command's United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU). The DEVGRU SEALs operated in two teams and were reportedly equipped with Heckler & Koch 416 carbine military assault rifles (with attached suppressors), night-vision goggles, body armor and handguns. [source: wiki]

According to The New York Times, a total of "79 commandos and a dog" were involved in the raid. The military working dog was a Belgian Malinois named Cairo. According to one report, the dog was tasked with tracking "anyone who tried to escape and to alert SEALs to any approaching Pakistani security forces". The dog was to be used to help deter any Pakistani ground response to the raid and to help look for any hidden rooms or hidden doors in the compound.

Review III: Captain America: The First Avenger 12-inch Figure by Hot Toys

First we checked out the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS156 1/6th scale Captain America Limited Edition 12-inch Collectible Figurine box packaging and contents (posted earlier HERE)

Then there was Hot Toys Captain America in full gear, with his shield and weapons (as seen in the previous post) as seen in the 2011 "Captain America: The First Avenger" movie

NOW here are some action poses of 12-inch Captain America by Hot Toys :) The first picture is of Captain America throwing his shield! Besides the pair of fists that comes with the Hot Toys 1/6 scale Captain America 12-inch superhero figure, seven (7) more interchangeable gloved palms are included: One (1) pair of palms for holding shield, One (1) pair of palms for wielding shield, One (1) right palm for holding gun, One (1) pair of relaxed palms.

I remembered watching Captain America cartoon on television when I was much younger and the theme song still rings in my head :) It goes like this - When Captain America throws his mighty shield, All those who chose to oppose his shield must yield. If he’s led to a fight and a duel is due, Then the red and white and the blue’ll come through, When Captain America throws his mighty shield.

Review II: Hot Toys Captain America First Avenger 12-inch Figure

Continued from previous post...

Captain America's uniform / costume / outfit may be an important part of his persona but every comic book fan will tell you that it is his shield that defines him. Cap's weapon of choice, used both defensively and offensively, is arguably the most important aspect of him being Captain America for who is the man without his shield?

When the US Army finally decides to put Captain America's unique talents to good use, Howard Stark designs a variety of prototype shields for Steve Rogers but Steve stumbles upon and prefers the round shield made from Vibranium metal. A seeming contradiction combining both simplicity and advanced technology, the chosen shield just needed a patriotic paint job to be ready for action!

This second part review (the earlier review covered the box and contents) of Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS156 1/6th scale Captain America Limited Edition 12-inch Collectible Figurine from the blockbuster movie "Captain America: The First Avenger" sees Chris Evans as Captain America (Steve Rogers) putting on all his gear and accessories and ready to take on the bad guys of HYDRA.

Review 1: Hot Toys 1/6 scale Captain America: The First Avenger 12-inch Figure

This is Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS156 1/6th scale Captain America Limited Edition 12-inch Collectible Figurine from the blockbuster movie "Captain America: The First Avenger" starring Chris Evans as Captain America.

"Captain America: The First Avenger" is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Set during World War II, the film tells the story of Steve Rogers, a sickly man from Brooklyn who is transformed into super soldier Captain America to aid in the war effort. Captain America must stop the Red Skull -- Adolf Hitler's ruthless head of weaponry, and the leader of an organization that intends to use a device called a tesseract as an energy-source for world domination.

The figure comes in a rather nice packaging which has Captain America's shield on the cover and it seems to have a shine to it, like light is reflecting off the shield's shiny surface. This is possible due to the skills of the photographer who took the picture which has been used for the box cover with great effect.

Merry Christmas Everyone :)

Another year has come and it's almost gone. It's already Christmas and very soon it'll be a whole new year 2012. According to some people, the world is going to end in 2012 but let's not live a life believing in gloom and doom. I believe in living life to the fullest and enjoying each and everyday that God had blessed us with so on this Christmas Day, I want to wish everyone a blessed Merry Christmas and may you find love, joy and peace during this season and keep it and bring it with you into the next year!

This Chupa Chups Christmas Tree Set was a gift from the nice people at The Falcon's Hangar, the best toy shop in Singapore :) It's a nice gesture since I didn't get them anything in return haha The Chupa Chups Christmas Tree Set comes with 52 lollipops which consist of 5 different flavours: Blackberry, Cola, Orange, Strawberry and Watermelon AND it has lights and music as well. I would invite you guys to have a lick but there just isn't enough to go around ;p

Kotobukiya & Enterbay 1/6 Elvis Presley '68 Comeback Special Figure Preview

Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".

Kotobukiya & Enterbay will be releasing a 1/6 scale Elvis Presley '68 Comeback Special 12-inch Figure to mark the 35th Anniversary of the King's death in 2012.

World Box 1/6 scale Lakor Baby figure is just CREEPY!

With so many subjects being tackled and produced in 1/6 scale recently, now there's even going to be a 1:6 scale baby / toddler JOKER figure being released and for me, this is just creepy. Freaky and weird also comes to mind.

The World Box 1/6 scale Lakor Baby figure will feature 2 heads, body (150mm), baby suit, baby shirt, gloves, shoes, long gun, short gun, lipstick, foundation brush, one bag, cloth diaper

Hot Toys 1/6 Spider-man (Black Suit Version) Limited Edition Collectible Figure PREVIEW

Hot Toys is proud to present the 1/6th scale Spider-Man (Black Suit Version) Limited Edition Collectible Figurine with Sandman Diorama Base from the Spider-Man 3 movie. The movie-accurate Spider-Man collectible is specially crafted based on the superhero image of the iconic character Spider-Man in black suit in the movie, highlighting the newly developed head sculpt, detailed costume, movie-accurate webs and specially sculpted Sandman diorama base.

This comes after the original Red and Blue version Spider-Man and the new Goblin as seen in Spider-Man 3. This release makes this figure the THIRD character to be released under Hot Toys MMS Movie Masterpiece Series.

The 1/6th scale Spider-Man (Black Suit Version) Limited Edition Collectible Figurine with Sandman Diorama Base specially features: Authentic and detailed fully realized likeness of Spider-Man in black suit, featuring the likeness of Tobey Maguire as Spiderman / Peter Parker in the Spider-Man 3 movie, TrueType body with 30 points of articulation, Approximately 30 cm tall, Five (5) pairs of interchangeable palms with silvery web pattern including: One (1) pair of relaxed palms, One (1) pair of fists, One (1) pair of palms for web shooting, One (1) pair of palms for web swinging, One (1) pair of palms for climbing

Review: Hot Toys TTM19 TrueType Muscular Body Figure is 1/6 scale Jake Gyllenhaal

This is the recently released Hot Toys TTM19 TrueType Muscular Body Figure. The 12-inch figure comes with a 1/6 scale head sculpt that has the likeness of Jake Gyllenhaal who recently appeared in the 2010 film "Love and Other Drugs" as Jamie Randall and 2011 film "Source Code" as Colter Stevens. Hot Toys seem to have a way with the timing of their figures' release. Why do I say that? The TTM18 Caucasian TrueType figure with Narrow Shoulder which resembled Wentworth Miller (PREVIEWed HERE) was released at about the same time as Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS139 movie-accurate 1/6 scale Milla Jovovich as "Resident Evil: Afterlife" Alice 12-inch collectible figure (REVIEWed HERE). Wentworth Miller was also in the "Resident Evil: Afterlife" film as Chris Redfield (Check out my September Haul for pictures).

Hot Toys had already released a "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" 1/6th scale Prince Dastan 12-inch Collectible Figure (PREVIEWed HERE) with Jake Gyllenhaal head sculpt earlier in 2010. I had also kitbashed a 1/6 scale Jake Gyllenhaal as USMC Scout Sniper Anthony Swofford 12-inch figure sometime back (lots of pictures HERE). "Jarhead" is a 2005 film based on US Marine Corps Sniper Anthony Swofford's 2003 Gulf War memoir of the same name, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Swofford.

Crazy Owners 1/6 scale Last Samurai Victorian Suit Set

... continued from the previous post

After the futuristic outing in "Minority Report" in 2002, Tom Cruise starred in the Edward Zwick's historical drama "The Last Samurai" in 2003, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination as best actor. In "The Last Samurai", Tom Cruise as Captain Nathan Algren is a man adrift. It is the 1870s and the battles he once fought now seem distant and futile. Once he risked his life for honor and country, but, in the years since the Civil War, the world has changed. Pragmatism has replaced courage, self-interest has taken the place of sacrifice and honor is nowhere to be found - especially out West where his role in the Indian Campaigns ended in disillusionment and sorrow. Somewhere on the unforgiving plains near the banks of the Washita River, Algren lost his soul.

The Crazy Owners 1/6 scale Last Samurai Victorian Suit Set (circa 1868) will come with 1/6 scale head sculpt, white shirt, vest, frock coat, shoulder holster, revolver, trousers with real pockets, boots.

Crazy Owners 1/6 scale Last Samurai Outfit Set

The Last Samurai is a 2003 American epic drama film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay based on a story by John Logan. The film stars Tom Cruise (who also co-produced) in the role of American soldier Nathan Algren, whose personal and emotional conflicts bring him into contact with samurai warriors in the wake of the Meiji Restoration in the Empire of Japan in 1876 and 1877.

Tom Cruise as Nathan Algren is a disillusioned Civil War veteran who travels to Japan to take a job training soldiers in modern weaponry in order to help wipe out the Samurai. When he is captured by the Samurai, Algren comes to learn their ancient warrior ways.

Crazy Owners will be releasing a 1/6 scale Last Samurai Outfit Set which will come with 1/6 scale head sculpt, wakizashi, katana, bokotou, juban kimono, kimono, hakama, tabi, waraji

Medicom Toy and Enterbay Ultimate Unison Star Wars 1/6 Han Solo 12-inch Figure

Sideshow is pleased to announce the latest in Star Wars collectibles from MEDICOM TOY and ENTERBAY, the Ultimate Unison figure series! The 'UU' series combines the very best from Medicom's highly regarded RAH figure body with Enterbay's incredibly detailed sculpture quality. Featuring a detailed fabric costume and a variety of accessories, the Han Solo Ultimate Unison Collectible Figure is presented in approximately 1:6 scale and makes an outstanding addition to any Star Wars Collection!

Medicom and Enterbay have teamed up on this Ultimate Unison figure of Han Solo from Star Wars. The 1/6 scale figure features his overcoat from Endor, Droid Caller and Mynock Hunt mask (Breathing Mask) along with a figure stand. Also included: alternate Wrist Parts for Multiple Poses.

Judge Dredd 2012

In a violent, futuristic city where the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop teams with a trainee to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug, SLO-MO.

There's a new JUDGE in town and it's Karl Urban playing Judge Dredd in 2012. Unlike the previous Judge Dredd movie, Karl Urban has confirmed that the helmet will never come off to keep true to the comic book character.

Here's the official plot synopsis: "Dredd takes us to the wild streets of Mega City One, the lone oasis of quasi-civilization on Cursed Earth. Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) is the most feared of elite Street Judges, with the power to enforce the law, sentence offenders and execute them on the spot - if necessary.

Kitbash 1/6 scale Black Ops Operator 12-inch Figure

A black operation or black op is a covert operation typically involving activities that are highly clandestine and often outside of standard military protocol or even against the law.

Black ops missions often fit into the plausible deniability category, in which there is no claim of responsibility for the action, and/or a false flag operation is used to give the appearance that another actor was responsible, or – most often – black operations involve extensive arrangements so as to be able to hide the fact that the black operation ever occurred. Black military operations, or paramilitary operations, can be used by various secret services to achieve or attempt to achieve an unusually sensitive goal. [source: wiki]

The methods used in black operations are also used in unconventional warfare. Black operations may include such things as assassination, sabotage, extortion, spying on allied countries or one's own citizens, kidnapping, supporting resistance movements, torture, use of fraud to obtain funds, use of child soldiers, human experimentation, trafficking in contraband items, and false flag operations, among others.

Incoming: Foxbox Studio God Complex 1/6 Hades 12-inch Figure

In Greek mythology, Hades is the brother of Zeus. After the overthow of their Father Cronus and the Titans, he drew lots with Zeus and Poseidon, another brother, for shares of the world. He had the worst draw and was made lord of the underworld, ruling over the dead. He is a greedy god who is greatly concerned with increasing his subjects.

Foxbox Studio will soon be releasing their second God Complex 1/6 scale figure after having sold out on their first figure - Hermes (reviewed earlier HERE and HERE). This time it's going to be Hades 12-inch collectible figure.

Incoming: ToysCity 1/6 US Navy Corpsman - Joint Operations

A US Navy Hospital Corpsman (HM) is an enlisted medical specialist for the United States Navy who serves with Navy and United States Marine Corps units. The Hospital Corpsman works in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments such as naval hospitals and clinics, aboard ships, and as well as the primary medical caregivers for sailors while underway. Hospital Corpsmen are frequently the only medical care-giver available in many fleet or Marine units on extended deployment. [source: wiki]

Qualified hospital corpsmen may be assigned the responsibility of independent duty aboard ships and submarines; Fleet Marine Force, SEAL and Seabee units, and at isolated duty stations where no medical officer is available. The colloquial form of address for a Hospital Corpsman is "Doc." In the U.S. Marine Corps, this term is generally used as a sign of respect.

Caltek 1/6 scale Dress Blue Marine 12-inch Figure Preview

The Marine Corps dress uniform is an elaborate uniform worn for formal or ceremonial occasions. Its basic form of a blue jacket with red trim dates back to the 19th century. It is the only U.S. military uniform that incorporates all three colors of the U.S. Flag. There are three different variations of the Dress uniform: Evening Dress, Blue Dress, and Blue-White Dress; only officers and staff non-commissioned officers (SNCOs) are authorized to wear the Evening Dress. [source: wiki]

The most recognizable uniform of the Marine Corps is the Blue Dress uniform, often seen in recruiting advertisements. It is often called "Dress Blues" or simply "Blues". It is equivalent in composition and use to civilian black tie.

Blue Dress "A" has a long-sleeved midnight blue coat (enlisted members have red trim) with a standing collar and belt (white web belt and gold waistplate for enlisted; midnight blue for officers with a gold M-buckle), white barracks cover (a peaked cap), plain white shirt, sky blue trousers (midnight blue for general officers), white gloves, and black dress shoes and socks. Full-size medals are worn on the left chest, with ribbon-only awards worn on the right.

"Resident Evil: Extinction" Milla Jovovich as Alice 1/6 Figure

"Resident Evil: Extinction" is a Canadian-British 2007 science fiction action horror film also categorized as a doomsday and zombie film, and is the third installment in the Resident Evil film series, which is based on the Capcom survival horror series Resident Evil. The film follows the heroine Alice, along with a group of survivors from Raccoon City, as they attempt to travel across the Mojave desert wilderness to Alaska and escape a zombie apocalypse. [source: wiki]

The lovely Milla Jovovich reprises her role as Alice and the clones. She is the primary protagonist who is being tracked down by the Umbrella Corporation in order to develop a serum from her blood.

What a difference a head makes! This is the Hot Toys "Resident Evil: Afterlife" 1/6 scale Alice head sculpt (reviewed recently HERE) on the Brother Production Zombie Killer "Alice" 12-inch female action figure (reviewed much earlier in 2009 HERE) and if you have seen the original head sculpt by Brother Production, you'll appreciate how much a good head can do wonders ;p

Dragon: The Viral Factor (逆戰) Nicholas Tse as Wan Yang (萬陽) Figure

The Viral Factor is an upcoming Hong Kong action film directed by Dante Lam and starring Jay Chou and Nicholas Tse, and is slated for a Lunar New Year release in 2012. International criminal cop Wan Fei (Jay Chou) must find and battle against his long-lost older brother Wan Yang (Nicholas Tse), who has become a criminal.

Dragon Models Limited will be releasing a 1/6 scale The Viral Factor (逆戰) Nicholas Tse as Wan Yang (萬陽) 12-inch action figure. It has been a long time since Dragon released movie-related 1/6 scale figures and this looks to be quite promising :) Let's hope the final product looks as good as these prototype pictures or even better.

Dragon: The Viral Factor (逆戰) Jay Chou as Wan Fei (萬飛) Figure

The Viral Factor is an upcoming Hong Kong action film directed by Dante Lam and starring Jay Chou and Nicholas Tse, and is slated for a Lunar New Year release in 2012. International criminal cop Wan Fei (Jay Chou) must find and battle against his long-lost older brother Wan Yang (Nicholas Tse), who has become a criminal.

Dragon Models Limited will be releasing 1/6 scale The Viral Factor (逆戰) Jay Chou as Wan Fei (萬飛) 12-inch action figure. It has been a long time since Dragon released movie-related 1/6 scale figures and this looks to be quite promising :) Let's hope the final product looks as good as these prototype pictures or even better.

Art Figures 1/6 Punisher Figures spell Double Trouble

There are altogether three feature films made of The Punisher, Marvel Comics one-man army against crime. Dolph Lundgren portrayed the Punisher in 1989, as did Thomas Jane in 2004, and Ray Stevenson in 2008. The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder, kidnapping, extortion, coercion, threats of violence, and torture in his war on crime. The Punisher's brutal nature and willingness to kill made him a novel character in mainstream American comic books in 1974. By the late 1980s, he was part of a wave of psychologically troubled anti-heroes which had become the norm. Readers were also embracing these anti-heroes, not just the squeaky clean superhero types.

Art Figures have so far released two of the three Punisher figures from the films - Art-Figures: SAVES AF-003 which is basically Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle / The Punisher from the 2008 film "Punisher: War Zone" (pictures HERE), the third film on the Marvel character AND most recently, Art Figures AF-005 1/6 scale Avenger 12-inch figure (reviewed HERE) which is none other than Thomas Jane as the anti-hero Frank Castle / The Punisher from the 2004 Punisher movie.

Christian Bale says "Good Bye" to BATMAN role OR Kitbash Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne

It seems inevitable that The Dark Knight Rises would mark the final Batman film for director Christopher Nolan. And Christian Bale has always said that he wouldn’t go on making Batman movies unless Nolan was doing them. Thus, it would appear that The Dark Knight Rises would see Bale donning the batsuit for the last time. Now that production has wrapped on The Dark Knight Rises, that seems to have been confirmed by the actor himself.

Chatting to Inquirer Entertainment, Christian Bale announced that this could be his last time as the masked vigilante whose secret identity is Bruce Wayne, an American billionaire who as a child witnessed his parents’ murder, leading him to a life of revenge on crime.

Kaustic Plastik Roman Legionary - Legio XIV Gemina

Kaustic Plastik is proud to present their next 1/6 figure - "Valerius from Gallia Lugdunensis: Roman Legionary - Legio XIV Gemina - Roman Invasion of Britain Circa 49 A.D."

Stationed in Moguntiacum, Germania Superior, since AD 9, XIV Gemina Martia Victrix was one of four legions used by Aulus Plautius and Claudius in the Roman invasion of Britain in 43, and took part in the defeat of Boudicca in 60 or 61.

Review II: Art Figures AF-005 1/6 Avenger AKA Thomas Jane 12-inch Punisher Figure

Here's the Art Figures AF-005 1/6 scale Avenger 12-inch figure in full attire and armed with all that he's got (see the previous post for packaging and contents), ready to rain justice on those who think they are above the law and can get away with murder. The Punisher (Thomas Jane) is out for blood and wants to avenge the deaths of his loved ones.

The Punisher (Frank Castle) character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, and made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (February 1974). Driven by the deaths of his wife and two kids, who were killed by the mob when they witnessed a gangland execution in New York City's Central Park, the Punisher wages a one-man war on the mob and all criminals in general by using all manner of conventional war weaponry.

The Punisher (2004 film) was based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, starring Thomas Jane as the anti-hero Frank Castle / The Punisher and John Travolta as the villain Howard Saint, a money launderer who orders the death of Castle's entire family. The story and plot were mainly based on two Punisher comic book stories; The Punisher: Year One and Welcome Back, Frank along with scenes from other Punisher stories such as Marvel Preview Presents: The Punisher #2, Marvel Super Action Featuring: The Punisher #1, The Punisher War Zone, and The Punisher War Journal.

Review 1: Art Figures AF-005 Avenger AKA Thomas Jane Punisher

The Punisher is the 2004 "reboot" of the Marvel character. Thomas Jane stars as Frank Castle, a former Special Forces operator and FBI agent who when his entire family is killed, seeks vengeance on the arms dealer who ordered the hit. This film was the second of three different movie adaptations featuring the Frank Castle character including 1989's The Punisher (Dolph Lundgren as Frank Castle) and 2008's Punisher: War Zone with Ray Stevenson as Frank castle.

This is Art Figures AF-005 1/6 scale Avenger 12-inch figure which is essentially Thomas Jane as Frank Castle, the Punisher! Art Figures has been producing some very good head sculpts lately and this is no different. Art Figures has managed to capture the likeness of actor Thomas Jane and I must say the resemblance is really very good :)

In "The Punisher (2004)", FBI agent Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) retires after an undercover operation where Bobby Saint, son of corrupt businessman Howard Saint, is killed. Howard Saint, holding Castle responsible for the death of his son, butchers Frank's family during a family reunion and leaves Frank for dead. Burnt out and taunted by memories of his murdered family, Frank sets out to avenge his family and becomes a judge, jury and executioner known as "The Punisher". Castle sets out to punish Howard Saint and his associates in a one man war; Castle is not willing to give up until those responsible are dead.

ZCWO 1/6 Biker Girl Shimei 12-inch Figure Preview

Hot of the heels of ZCWO 1/6 scale Azami Biker Girl is Shimei (Biker girl) - shown in the previous post - is another 12-inch female biker action figure but this one's wearing blue threads instead of black!

ZCWO 1/6 scale Biker Girl Shimei 12-inch Female Figure will come with Highly detailed painted head sculpt, ZC Pale Female Body, Long Torso with tattoo, Motocycle Helmet, Blue Leather Biker Jacket, Blue Leather Biker Pants, Belt, DLock x 2, Knife, Biker Boots, Machine Gun with magazines, Grenade x 2. Everything you see EXCEPT the Kawasaki which is NOT included :(

Incoming: ZCWO 1/6 Biker Girl Azami 12-inch Figure

ZCWO will be releasing a 1/6 scale female biker 12-inch action figure soon and her name will be Azami (Biker girl).

ZCWO 1/6 scale Azami Biker Girl 12-inch Figure will come with Highly detailed 1/6 scale painted head sculpt, ZC 12-inch Pale Female Body with extra hands and pegs, Long Torso with tattoo, Motorcycle Helmet, Black Leather Biker Jacket, Black Leather Biker Pants, Biker Boots, Knife, Pistol with tactical light and silencer, Shotgun with holster and six (6) shotgun shells

ThreeA Popbot Pathfinder Oya TK Ono and Badbot Figures

Having got the BBICN ThreeA Popbot exclusive 1/6 scale Pathfinder Oya TK Ono 12-inch figure (last review HERE) and the 3A Popbot 14.5-inch tall Badbot 1/6 figure (posted earlier HERE), I just had to put them together for some pictures :) After all, they are both from the Popbot universe that Ashley Wood created.

Ashley Wood is the creator of the Popbot series of graphic novels which are currently in film production with Resolution Independent. In 2008, Ashley Wood and ThreeZero's founder Kim created threeA, a Hong Kong based production house for designing, developing and manufacturing toys, posters, prints and clothing based on characters created by Ashley Wood. Most figures from the Popbot Universe have been released in 1/6th scale, but the Action Portable toy line has begun to introduce 1/12th scale Popbot figures ranging from the Tomorrow Kings to Ascended Popbot.

I only have these two figures out of the entire Popbot universe that threeA has released but that's good enough for me :) One is the loneliest number and two's company. I wanted to put both 1/6 scale figures side by side for a comparison of both scale and size. They are like peas in a pod and certainly belong together.

Random 1/6 scale WWII 12-inch Military Figures (Germans and Italian)

Besides Germans in the desert (see my previous post), these are some of the 1/6 scale WWII German 12-inch military figures I have in my collection and they were all produced by various manufacturers, from Dragon Models Limited (DML) to BBI (Blue Box International) Elite Force to Hot Toys and DiD (Dragon in Dream). It's always nice to see and compare the various standards and note the improvements that have been made in the production of 1/6 figures.

The first 1/6 scale WWII German 12-inch military figure I chose to feature is most appropriate as it is one of those that started the 1/6 resurgence and renewed interest in 12-inch figures after the exit of G.I. Joe 12-inch figures in 1976 and Action Man in 1984. Hasbro tried to relaunch their G.I. Joe 12-inch figures in the early 1990s through their Hall of Fame figures but it was these 1/6 military figures released by Dragon Models Limited in 1999 that really re-ignited keen interest in 12-inch figures.

Wiking Division Panzer Officer (Obersturmfuhrer) "Fritz" 

This 1999 released DML World War II Wiking Division Panzer Officer (Obersturmfuhrer) "Fritz" (pictured above) came with Black field jacket with SS runes & rank (right & left collars), SS eagle on left sleeve, Wiking cuff title & Tank Battle badge, field grey shirt with black tie, black trousers, ankle boots, M1943 2-button field cap with 'Totenkopf' badge in front & SS eagle emblem worn on the left side, leather belt with hard shell leather holster for the P-38 pistol, mapcase, 'Dienstglas' binoculars, Headphones & throat microphone.

DiD WH DAK Afrika Korps NCO "Luca" Libya 1941 Preview

DiD (Dragon in Dream) will be releasing a 1/6 scale DAK Afrika WH Korps NCO "Luca" 12-inch military figure possibly seen during World War II in Libya in 1941.

The German Africa Corps (German: Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK), or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II. The DAK was a branch of the Wehrmacht Heer (WH).

The reputation of the Afrika Korps is synonymous with that of its first commander Erwin Rommel, who later commanded the Panzer Army Africa which evolved into the German-Italian Panzer Army (Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee) and Army Group Africa, all of which Afrika Korps was a distinct and principal component. Throughout the North African campaign, the Afrika Korps fought against Allied forces until its surrender in May 1943.

VeryHot 1/6 scale PMC Sniper outfit Preview

In a very short span of time, VeryHot has released five sniper outfits, not counting this one. This makes it sniper number six (6) for VeryHot Toys. They are certainly on a roll now, churning out sniper after sniper after sniper. After doing the Army, the Marines, Special Forces, the Marines again, VeryHot decided to go into the private sector and do PMCs.

This will be the VeryHot 1/6 scale PMC sniper outfit set. Once again, VeryHOt has based their PMC sniper outfit on Hot Toys PMC (Private Military Contractor) 12-inch figure which was released in 2007. This VeryHot PMC sniper wears a green tactical shirt with his blue jeans - civilians don't wear uniforms.

A private military company (PMC) or (Private Military or Security Companies) provides military and security services. These combatants are commonly known as mercenaries, though modern-day PMCs refer to their staff as security contractors, private military contractors or private security contractors, and refer to themselves as private military corporations, private military firms, private security providers or military service providers.

Incoming: DAM 1/6 Delta Force Team Leader, Task Force Ranger, Somalia 1993

I can honestly say that this is a DAM toy :) Well, it is. The third figure to be released by DAM toy will be this 1/6 scale Delta Force Team Leader 12-inch Figure from their line-up of figures based on Task Force Ranger, Somalia 1993 or better known as Black Hawk Down figures , based on the 2001 film "Black Hawk Down" about how 123 elite U.S. soldiers (comprising United States Army Rangers, Delta Force and 160th SOAR) are deployed in Somalia to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and find themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily-armed Somalis when their Black Hawk helicopter gets shot down.

DAMtoy (formerly VTS) has already released their 75th Ranger Regiment Chalk Leader of Task Force Ranger from Operation Gothic Serpent circa Somalia 1993 (previewed HERE) and has shown us prototype pictures of their DAM 1/6 Grenadier 75th Ranger, Operation Gothic Serpent SOMALIA 1993 (pictures HERE). They've just released pictures of their third Task Force Ranger 12-inch figure which is also their first 1/6 scale Delta Force Team Leader :)

It's not Hoot next, but Sanderson instead

This DAMtoy Task Force Ranger Delta Force Team Leader 12-inch figure is based on William Fichtner as SFC Jeff Sanderson from "Black Hawk Down" (who is based on real Delta Force operator SFC Paul Howe).

Review 3: BBICN ThreeA Popbot exclusive Pathfinder Oya TK Ono

And finally we come to this: Fully kitted ThreeA (3A) Tomorrow King Oyabun 1/6 scale Pathfinder Ono 12-inch figure which is also a BBICN ThreeA Popbot exclusive. This is my FIRST Ashley Wood designed 12-inch human figure (after the earlier Badbot robot I got) and I'm very pleased with it and had quite a bit of fun taking pictures of it :)

Having posted twice on this 1:6 scale figure already (Packaging and contents HERE followed by figure with everything on except his hooded jacket HERE), it's only right that I post pictures of this ThreeA Popbot Tomorrow King Oyabun figure with his complete getup, jacket and all.

You know the famous saying "A picture tells a thousand words"? Well, then, no more words need to be said ;p ENJOY the pictures. Scroll down to see more :)

Pre-order Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Republic Clone Captain

Sideshow is certainly keeping up with their clones. Having previewed the Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 scale 442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper 12-inch figure in the previous post, here's a first look at the Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Republic Clone Captain 12-inch figure.

The Clone Wars, also known as the Clone War and the Great Clone War, was the name given to the major galactic conflict fought between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The war was named after the clone troopers utilized by the Republic against the battle droid forces of the CIS. These armies, the Grand Army of the Republic and the Separatist Droid Army, were two of the largest ever pitted against each other in galactic history, and the fighting between them rapidly spread to countless inhabited worlds.

During the Clone Wars, the clone trooper captain was a specialized clone trooper breed which was bred on Kamino as battlefield officers and special mission operatives.

Pre-order Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper

The 442nd Siege Battalion was a unit of clone troopers within the Grand Army of the Republic. As their name implied, the 442nd were skilled in besieging enemy fortifications. They were equipped with AT-RT walkers and ISP speeders with green markings. During the Clone Wars, they were sent to aid in the capture of Cato Neimoidia, a key Trade Federation stronghold.

It is possible that this unit takes its designation from the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a highly-decorated unit of the US Army consisting mostly of Nisei volunteers. These Japanese-American soldiers earned many honors fighting in brutal close-quarters and mountain combat in Italy during World War II. (source: wookiepedia)

Playmobil 4804 Giant Crab with Ghost Pirate

Aw CRAB!! Just kidding ;p

This is the Playmobil 4804 set consisting of a Giant Crab with Ghost Pirate. The Playmobil giant crab comes with functional pincers / adjustable claws. And the Ghost Pirate glows in the dark. The Playmobil Giant Crab has ridges on its back to allow the Ghost Pirate to ride on it.

True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail", or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax. Many other animals with similar names – such as hermit crabs, king crabs, porcelain crabs, horseshoe crabs and crab lice – are not true crabs.

Pre-order Hot Toys Artist Collection 1:6 scale Samurai Predator

Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys are proud to present the first entry in Hot Toys' Artist Collection, the Samurai Predator Collectible figure. A collaboration project with artists Mr. Takayuki Takeya and Mr. Yuji Oniki from Japan, the Samurai Predator features a newly sculpted head and body, detailed accessories, weaponry, and a diorama base with a defeated Alien body.

The Samurai Predator Sixth Scale Figure features: Original Samurai Warrior design, Realistic sixth scale measuring approximately 14 inches (35 cm) tall, Over 22 points of articulation, Newly sculpted head and body, Interchangeable open and closed mandibles, Movable jaw, Fabric net on left chest, Fabric skirt, Two (2) pieces of interchangeable palms including: One (1) pair of open palms and One (1) pair of holding palms, One (1) articulated left shoulder canon, One (1) broken sword with Alien cells, One (1) sword with sheath, Four (4) attached swords at the back, One (1) helmet, One (1) additional mouth mask, One (1) neck armor, One (1) set of shoulder armor, One (1) left chest armor, One (1) pair of forearm gauntlets with movable hooks on right side, Waist and thigh armor, One (1) set of leg armor, Extendable Alien tongue trophies on waist, One (1) dead Alien head accessory, One (1) diorama base featuring defeated Alien body and broken sword piece

Review 2: BBICN ThreeA Popbot exclusive: Pathfinder Ono Tomorrow Kings Oyabun

Having already seen the box packaging and the 12-inch figure as it looks straight out of the box in the previous post HERE, these are pictures I took of the BBICN ThreeA Popbot exclusive: 1/6 scale Pathfinder Oya (Oyabun) TK (Tomorrow Kings) Ono 12-inch figure.

In this post, I chose to pose the 3A Pathfinder Ono figure without his hooded camouflaged jacket so that it would not obstruct his movement. The hooded jacket would have also blocked the figure from view. Here are pictures I took of Pathfinder Oya TK Ono drawing his sword / katana

Because there aren't any cumbersome clothing to restrict his movement, you can get some nice poses out of this 12-inch figure :) Skin-tight rubber outfits look mighty fine but totally restricts movement, as in the case of Hot Toys 1/6 scale Black Widow 12-inch female action figure from the Iron Man 2 movie.

Hot Toys 2011 Catalog offers some insights

There have been pictures posted on the internet of the Hot Toys 2011 Catalog and it offers an interesting sneak peek into what will be available in 2012. What Hot Toys promises to deliver in 2012 include "The Avengers", "The Dark Knight Rises" and "Prometheus" 1/6 scale movie collectibles plus Metal Gear Solid videogame 12-inch figures. Excited to say the least. Question is: Will Hot Toys be able to finish the work they started? i.e. complete the series and not leave us hanging. An example: what happened to the rest of "Platoon"? It seems they have all gone MIA (Missing In Action)!

Besides the figures that have already been previewed and shown earlier this year, Hot Toys manages to throw up a few much awaited and much anticipated pictures such as Captain America (Rescue version), the Red Skull, Loki, Spiderman Black and Samurai Predator, to name a few :)

Review 1: BBICN ThreeA Popbot: 1/6 Pathfinder Oya TK Ono 12-inch figure

This is my FIRST ThreeA (3A) Tomorrow King Oyabun 1/6 scale 12-inch figure and it is also a BBICN ThreeA Popbot exclusive: Pathfinder Oya TK Ono. According to threeAwiki: Tomorrow Kings are male clones, from the Popbot Universe who were created by Luthor Bean Jr. originally used for corporate takeovers. These "Elvis ronin" were created to slay all monsters & ghouls with Luthor Bean Sr.'s Ion Engine that escaped Earth. They are also used to fight the Mortis.

Tomorrow Kings Oyabuns are a more agile and skilled type of Tomorrow Kings. In the Popbot books, they have only been mentioned once, but the figures have seen great demand. They are most distinct because they sport a large puffed coat and two katanas.

The world of Popbot and all its characters including Tomorrow Kings were created by award winning illustrator Ashley Wood. In 2008, Ashley Wood and ThreeZero's founder Kim created threeA, a Hong Kong based production house for designing, developing and manufacturing toys, posters, prints and clothing based on characters created by Ashley Wood.

Sideshow Collectibles 1/6 Black Dragon Ninja PREVIEW

Both the G.I.JOE team and the terrorist organization COBRA are keenly aware of the superior martial arts skills possessed by members of the ARASHIKAGE CLAN. While COBRA COMMANDER has employed the RED NINJAs from the ARASHIKAGE ninja clan, the ruthless leader formed a select group of ninjas who were completely loyal to protect him should the RED NINJAs or any opposing force ever get too close, leading to the establishment of COBRA'S BLACK DRAGON NINJAS.

COBRA COMMANDER had his BLACK DRAGON NINJAS brainwashed as a precaution to ensure that his growing ranks of ARASHIKAGE never rise up against him or COBRA. Little did he know that the ninja STORM SHADOW is a master of the atsui nami (a deep mind control technique), which he cunningly used on the BLACK DRAGON NINJAS to ensure their allegiance to him.

Avengers Assemble! SDCC 2011 Exclusive: Mini Muggs Avengers Review II

Part 2 of my review of the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2011 exclusive: The Avengers Mini Muggs 5-pack: Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk and Giant Man (Giant Man is in the traditional Mighty Muggs size) - that was released earlier this year. See my previous post for Part 1 Review.

Two words: "Avengers Assemble!"

Click for the enLARGEd view ;p

Here are group shots of all 4 mini muggs Avengers figures (Thor, Captain America, Hulk and Iron Man) plus one standard mighty muggs figure (Giant Man) making up the SDCC 2011 Avengers 5-pack! Too bad the Wasp was left out of the lineup.

SDCC Exclusive: The Avengers Mini Muggs REVIEW 1

This is just too CUTE to resist!!!

Ever since Hasbro released the Mighty Muggs line of figures, I've been intrigued as I found them rather cute and arty in the way the figures were interpreted and designed. The toys resemble super deformed versions of characters from franchises such as Star Wars, Marvel Comics, Indiana Jones, G.I. Joe and Transformers. But it was never enough to compel me to buy any of them as my main focus is still 1/6 scale action figures and 12-inch collectible movie figures. Until NOW.

I came across "The Avengers" Mini Muggs 5-pack most recently and I was immediately hooked, line and sinker ;p This was the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2011 exclusive - The Avengers Mini Muggs 5-pack: Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk and Giant Man (Giant Man is in the traditional Mighty Muggs size) - that was released earlier this year.

Click for an enLARGEd view :)

The assembled team is packed together and sports a domed box that plays off Giant Man's comparatively deluxe scale as his head pops up from the center of the box. How's that for attention grabbing eye catching display :)

Incoming: ZCWO 1/6 Mens Collection Boxing Legend outfit set

This will be ZCWO's next release: Vol. 003 1/6 scale Mens Collection Boxing Legend (Action Figure Not Included) which looks rather interesting and GREAT for kitbashing, if you are into kitbashing. Kitbashing is the practice of modifying a model (not limited to toy action figures) to achieve some result other than that intended by the manufacturer. So since this is a outfit and accessories set with NO 12-inch figure included, the choice is left to you to decide how you want your figure to look.

The 1/6 scale Sylvester Stallone looking head sculpt is used purely for marketing purposes and is NOT part of this Mens Collection set. The fact that this ZCWO 1/6 scale Mens Collection Boxing Legend outfit set comes with boxing gloves is definitely inspired by Sylvester Stallone's role as Rocky in the 1976 movie "Rocky" about a small time boxer who gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fight the world heavyweight boxing champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.

Pre-order Triad Toys Splinter Cell Sam Fisher 1:4 scale Figure

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is an action-adventure stealth game, developed by Ubisoft Montreal and built on the Unreal Engine 2. It is the first Splinter Cell game in the series endorsed (but not created) by author Tom Clancy, and follows the activities of American NSA Black Operation, "Black Ops", agent Sam Fisher. The character of Sam Fisher is voiced by actor Michael Ironside. His boss, Irving Lambert, is voiced by actor Don Jordan.

Sam Fisher is the game's protagonist. He is a seasoned veteran of Covert Ops and Black Ops who is the first person recruited as a secret field operative known as a "Splinter Cell" for the NSA's super-secret sub-agency, Third Echelon.

Hot Toys DX "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" 1/6 Bespin Luke Skywalker Figure Preview

Hot Toys is proud to present the DX 1/6th scale Luke Skywalker (Bespin Outfit) Collectible Figure from the Star Wars movie, the American epic space opera film released in 1977 created by George Lucas.

The movie-accurate collectible is specially crafted based on the image of Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in Bespin outfit in the movie with two collectible figures in a set, highlighting the two newly developed head sculpts with movable eyes, two figure bodies, two styles of specially made costume, highly detailed weapons, accessories and light-up Weathervane figure base.

Hot Toys Star Wars Luke Skywalker (Bespin Outfit) DX series Sixth Scale features: Authentic and detailed fully realized likeness of Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, One (1) newly developed, hand painted head sculpt with Parallel Eyeball Rolling System (PERS), One (1) newly developed, hand painted battle damaged head sculpt with Parallel Eyeball Rolling System (PERS), Movie-accurate facial expressions with detailed wrinkles and skin texture, Approximately 30 cm tall, Two (2) TrueType bodies with over 30 points of articulation, Ten (10) pieces of interchangeable palms including: One (1) pair for gripping unlit lightsaber, One (1) pair of fists, Three (3) pieces of relaxed palms, One (1) magnetic severed right palm stump, One (1) right palm for holding blaster pistol, One (1) left palm for force push

Phicen 1/6 scale Assassin "Salina" 12-inch figure Preview

This will be Phicen's next 12-inch female action figure: 1/6 scale assassin Salina. Phicen is one of those companies that are producing seamless bodies although they have only been releasing female seamless bodies i.e. 12-inch figure bodies with no visible joints

Phicen's seamless female collector figures seem to be based on movie characters; their previous two Phicen 1:6 scale Deluxe Collector Female Figure was based on Lara Croft of Tomb Raider fame and this latest offering "Salina" seems to be inspired by Selena from the Underworld film series.

Phicen 1/6 scale Deluxe Collector assassin Figure Salina will come with Headsculpt, Large Breast Seamless Body Pale C (PL201101-12), 4 pairs of replaceable hands, Laptop, 2 pistols, 3 pistol clips, WA2000 sniper gun, Zoom peepsight, Night vision peep-sight, 6-round clips, 12-round clips, Dust coat, Leather jacket, corset one-piece suit, Tie, Belt with skull, 2 thigh holsters and knee-high boots