2009 Top Ten Fave Toys Countdown 4

Continuing my countdown of top 10 favorites of 2009 (see previous post)

Number THREE (3) - Hot Toys First Predator is the second runner-up on my 2009 top 10 list. I'm glad Hot Toys picked the "Aliens vs Predator" movie to start on their 1:6 scale 14-inch Predator figure. That way, they could fine-tune and improve on the Predator alien so that when they finally decided to release the first Predator, it would be the BEST Predator of them all.

For those of us who have been waiting a LONG time for 1:6 scaled figures from the "Predator (1987)" movie, 2009 turned out to be a good good year. Hot Toys not only released the 14-inch Predator alien, we also got a 12-inch MAJOR Alan "Dutch" Schaeffer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Private Billy Sole (Sonny Landham) as well.

Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer with Arnold Schwarzenegger's likeness (more pictures HERE)

Hot Toys Collector's Edition MMS73 (Movie Masterpiece Series) 1/6 12-inch Action Figure Private Billy Sole (full review HERE)

And the highly anticipated 1:6 scale 14-inch Predator from the first "Predator" movie, comes with removable mask (hunting helmet/Bio Mask) and light-up laser, interchangeable mandibles, highly detailed medical kit and lots of other cool stuff (check out this link)

Number TWO (2) - Hot Toys DX01 Joker almost makes it to the top of my 2009 top 10 list. After giving us the original Heath Ledger Joker from "The Dark Knight" followed by the exceptional Bank Robber Joker last year (they made it to Number THREE on my 2008 Top 10), Hot Toys managed to follow up with their DX (DeluXe) Joker which was not ONE but TWO Jokers and Hot Toys outdid themselves with the DX01.

Hot Toys MMS DX01 P.E.R.S. (Parallel Eyeball Rolling System) Joker Review HERE

More pictures of Hot Toys MMS DX01 Cop JOKER HERE

2009 also saw release of Hot Toys Harvey Dent/Two Face and the Nurse Joker outfit with accessories. 2010 will start with DX02 Dark Knight Batman and that about completes the picture, I think. Don't see how much more milk Hot Toys can squeeze out of this cash cow (TDK movie merchandising license).

Detailed pictures of the Nurse Joker outfit HERE

Number ONE (1) - Hot Toys Iron Man Mark I . That shouldn't be a surprise to collectors out there and I'm quite sure it made into the number ONE spot for others as well. What bowled me over was the amount of thinking and design that went into creating the Mark I armor for Tony Stark. The Hot Toys Iron Man Mark III armor was NICE but we know that there really isn't a 1:6 body inside that armor suit.

As for the Mark I, you know that underneath the "armor", there's a full figure of Tony Stark, not just a head. If you really strip off the armor which I strongly suggest against doing, you'll get Tony Stark as he appeared in the cave where he was kept a prisoner. To realize it in 1:6 scale without making him look too bulky or obese is no easy feat indeed. That and the fact that you can still get quite a fair bit of articulation without that much restriction nor small parts falling off from moving the joints around. Plus he lights up too!

Hot Toys MMS80 Iron Man Mark I has amazing details

Hot Toys Iron Man Mark III is equally awesome

And then there's Tony Stark and Obadiah Stane


It's already 2010 (Twenty-Ten) and if you'd told me at the beginning of the millennium (Year 2000) that toys (now termed "Collectibles" since there's an ever growing niche market among adult collectors) would become so sophisticated, realistic (skin tones, minute details in the outfits and accessories) and cool, I wouldn't have believed it. I've been collecting for way more than ten years and things are looking better and better in the 1:6 scale horizon! Exciting times ahead ;p

2009 Top Ten Fave Toys Countdown 3

Continuing my countdown of top 10 favorites of 2009 (see previous post)

Number FOUR (4) - Sideshow Armored Troopers make it to the top 4 of my 2009 top 10 list. Eons ago in the year 2000, Marmit produced what we thought were the best Star Wars 12-inch Imperial Stormtroopers (full review of Marmit Stormtrooper HERE) but this year, Sideshow gave us what has to be the BEST 1:6 Stormtrooper yet IMHO. In this same year, we finally have a proper scaled Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, scourge of the Jedi, master of the dark side of the Force, and one of the Emperor's most trusted servants.

Sideshow Collectibles 1:6 scale Darth Vader is a bit taller than we expected but hey! better to be taller than shorter, which was the sad case of the Medicom Darth Vader

The 1:6 Imperial Stormtroopers at the rear were released by Marmit whilst those at the front are by Sideshow Collectibles. Marmit's Stormtroopers are not as articulated as Sideshow's and Marmit's Stormtrooper armor and blaster are not as detailed and well executed compared to Sideshow's version. Follow this LINK to see comparison pictures of Sideshow vs Marmit vs Medicom Stormtroopers.

And here are all the 1:6 Imperial Stormtroopers (from Sideshow, Marmit and Medicom) plus Sandtroopers gathered together for a group picture

Medicom Sandtrooper at the rear left

Medicom Stormtrooper front and center

Sideshow Stormtrooper "leftie". It's great that Sideshow produced two pairs of gloved hands so that you could alternate them or have both a right-handed and left-handed Stormtrooper. Looks much nicer when posed with Darth Vader in the center. Looks more balanced than two right-handed troopers.

Marmit Sandtrooper on the extreme right

Missing from the pictures is the equally well produced Episode III Imperial Shock Trooper (full review HERE) by Sideshow Collectibles.

If you'd missed out on this Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars armored military figure, don't miss it again - click on the banner below to order yours NOW

2009 Top Ten Fave Toys Countdown 2

Continuing my countdown of top 10 favorites of 2009 (see previous post)

Number SEVEN (7) - DiD has been producing and releasing quite a number of GREAT 1:6 World War II military figures with quite superb head sculpts. I've slowed down on my military collection, especially in the area of the Second World War but I just could not resist picking up these two DiD military figures this year - a 1:6 scale 12-inch Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (played by Tom Cruise in the 2008 historical thriller film "Valkyrie" set in Nazi Germany during World War II) and WWII US Army 2nd Ranger Marksman "Private Daniel" (with a resemblance to Barry Pepper, the actor who played Private Daniel Jackson in "Saving Private Ryan")

I've also added Private First Class James Francis Ryan [ Matt Damon in "Saving Private Ryan (1998)" ] to showcase the Toys City World War II 1/6 scale US 101st Airborne Division uniform and accessories set (more pictures HERE)


Number SIX (6) - Indiana Jones continues to make it to the top ten list even though the only Jones figure I got was the Sideshow Collectibles 1/6 scale 12-inch Henry Jones Sr figure from "The Last Crusade" (see my post HERE). I'd kitbashed an Indiana Jones in German disguise figure earlier in August using Sideshow Collectibles Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) head sculpt and the Dragon 1:6 12-inch WWII “Jürgen”, Reichsführer Grenadier (Schütze) box set which I got this year. That's not Elsa Schneider, the Nazi spy, at the rear but Hot Toys Collector's Edition MMS92 (Movie Masterpiece Series) 1/6 scale 12-inch Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson) Female Action Figure from "The Spirit (2008)" movie


Number FIVE (5) - Daniel Craig is also in the top ten list, thanks to his exploits as James Bond 007 in "Quantum of Solace" and as Tuvia Bielski in "Defiance (2008)". I really liked the head sculpt of Daniel Craig done by DiD although my kitbash of Tuvia Bielski (1:6 Daniel Craig head sculpt by Loading Toys) did prompt a very positive response from Tuvia's grandson in America.

Brendon says, "Hi Alex.. My name is Brendon Rennert. I am the Grandson of Tuvia Bielski. I was looking around the internet and saw your Tuvia Bielski (Daniel Craig) doll and wanted to know if you sell them. Its pretty incredible that you would do this figure. If you asked my Grandfather when he was alive if he believed a doll would ever have been made in his likeness, he would have laughed. He was indeed a great man."


Five down and five to go...

2009 Top Ten Fave Toys Countdown 1

It's that time of the year again where I take stock of all the toys I've bought from January 2009 and do a list of the top ten toys in my book - just my own personal opinion of course. This tradition was started last year (see my 2008 Top Ten list HERE) by a very good pal and so the tradition continues year on year.

Before we go on, I realized that I couldn't really narrow it down to just ten so I'm going by categories. That way, I can group them up nicely.

Number TEN (10) on the list happens to be Medicom Toys action figures. Medicom does produce some pretty nice stuff but their HIGH prices and SMALL sizes are a big letdown :(

Three of the Medicom 1:6 figures I got this year - Medicom RAH (Real Action Heroes) "Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater" Naked Snake (Cold War version) [ Full Review HERE ], Medicom RAH Captain Harlock (キャプテンハーロック Kyaputen Hārokku) (version 2.0) from Galaxy Express 999 [ reviewed earlier HERE ] and Medicom Star Wars Episode IV Han Solo [ lots more pictures HERE ]. Two space pirates and one not-so-Naked Snake


My resolution - stay away from Medicom Toys!!

Number NINE (9) - Enterbay "24" Jack Bauer. I only have two Enterbay 12-inch figures, the other being Bruce Lee from "Game of Death" (full review HERE). I'm extremely happy with the Enterbay Bruce Lee but their 1:6 scale Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) didn't live up to my expectations :{ While the head sculpt is GREAT, everything else just wasn't up to par.

Most annoying of all is the size - Enterbay "24" Jack Bauer (reviewed HERE) is simply too small and too short to stand with any other 1:6 figure, except maybe Medicom 12-inch figures. Enterbay figures don't come cheap either. I would buy Hot Toys anytime (why? because they offer value-for-money and great attention to detail) but this would probably be my last Enterbay figure.

Accompanying Jack is Bourne wearing some of Very Hot CIA (Afghanistan) uniform set and Jason (both head sculpts are by Loading Toys, one of the new 1:6 manufacturers to jump onto the bandwagon this year and offer us more 12-inch choices)

Number EIGHT (8) - Independent companies have risen to offer us alternative 12-inch figures other than the popular and much pricier ones offered by Hot Toys. Besides Léon (Heroic "Perfection Killer"), there was Triad Toys "Wanted: Dead or Alive" 1/6 scale 12" Josh Randall (Steve McQueen) Action Figure (more pictures HERE) and Brother Production "Blade Hunter" (obviously another 1/6 scale 12-inch Rick Deckard Blade Runner action figure from the science fiction film "Blade Runner (1982)")

These 1:6 guys are much taller too, taller than the average (G.I.) Joe and they definitely tower over Medicom and Enterbay figures, almost like Goliath and David.

The countdown continues in the next post.

Heroic "Perfection Killer" Review II: 1/6 Léon, the Professional

Here's 1/6 Léon with his knit cap and long wool coat (continued from the previous post)

These are all part of the Heroic 1:6 scale "Perfection Killer" set including the black long sleeve sweater (optional) as well as another pair of hands

Léon with his compensated Beretta 92FS and Colt Anaconda











Here's a screen grab of the vest Léon (Jean Reno) wears under his long wool coat. As mentioned in the previous post, the leather holster for his pistol is missing in this 1:6 scale version, replaced by the sheath for his knife in its place instead.

Heroic "Perfection Killer" / Léon's 1:6 Beretta 92FS fitted with AL-GI-MEC compensator and suppressor

A close view of the 1:6 Colt Anaconda. Léon had lots of guns in his arsenal but I don't remember he had a Colt Anaconda but then again, I'm no gun expert. His preference was for the Smith & Wesson Model 586 which he sometimes used along with his Beretta 92FS.


And here are the other accessories that come with this Heroic "Perfection Killer" box set: Léon's plant and weapons case with six grenades as well as additional guns. Not as well stocked as the one in the film but I'm not complaining. I'm just glad they made it in 1:6 scale for collectors like us :)

Closer look at the 1/6 weapons case that Léon carries with him. Other guns included are a M1911-A1 .45 ACP and a Glock (?)

Léon with his plant and gun case

The potted plant Léon nurtures, which Mathilda replants at the end of the movie, is an aglaonema.


The 1:6 gun case is pretty well made except the catch doesn't work at all. Minor gripe, especially since this box set came at a most pocket-friendly price :)


Last but not least, Léon just loves his milk

I think the 1:6 milk carton is the weakest item of the set which is why I left it till the last. After putting in quite a bit of effort with everything else, the milk carton is really disappointing.


And there you have it - Heroic "Perfection Killer" who is basically a 1/6 Léon, the Professional from the 1994 movie of the same name.