Ever Heard of Madelman from Spain? Maybe you have and maybe you haven't... read on

According to wiki, Madelman was a doll of toy articulated action, made ​​between 1968 and 1983 by Madel Plastic Industries. The first madelman figures were released during Xmas 1968, in a small display box that was later changed to the standard box in 1971. The early madelman figures didn't have feet but rather pegs onto which the boots were fitted. Also, they had what collectors call ‘crystal eyes’, which were hand-painted! [source: ToyNfo.com]

In 1975 / 76, they developed the second madelman figure, which had jointed feet and painted eyes. A female figure was also added to the line. A third body type was released during the last years of Madelman in 1982 / 84.

http://jettcustom.blogspot.com/

Madelman is only about 7 inches or 17cm tall (i.e. approximately 1:11 scale) and after the line ended in 1984, collectors and customizers managed to keep the line going with their great customs. Scroll down to see some amazing customized Madelman figures. Truly works of art.

Incoming: ZCWO 1/6 scale Mens Hommes Vol. 004 Protective Work Wear + Tools Set

You certainly don't see this everyday and I LIKE it :) Two thumbs up to ZCWO for daring to try out new things. There's only so much of 1/6 scale military stuff one can take before one burns out from 12-inch military fatigue. So it's nice when a 1/6 scale company decide to manufacture non-military stuff that is just FUN! Now Tony Stark can have the tools he needs to fix his Iron Man armor or even build a brand new Mark X for the next Avengers movie ;p

ZCWO 1/6 scale Mens Hommes Vol. 004 Protective Work Wear set will come with Hand Tools and a Workshop Scene. There are a lot of 1/6 scale accessories and gear with this set and it certainly looks promising and shows full of potential for kitbashing.

The ZCWO 1/6 scale Mens Hommes Vol. 004 Protective Work Wear set Product List will include Protective Work Wear consisting of Work Coverall, Reflective Vest, Safety Helmet, Safety google, Tools Belt, Cotton Work Gloves, Safety Gloves, White towel and Safety Boots (NOTE: No 12-inch figure and 1/6 scale head is included!)

Review II: Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 scale 12-inch Infantry Battle Droid "Roger"

continued from the previous post...

In this toy blog post, I'll be posting more pictures of the exceptional 12-inch robot figure that is one half of the Sideshow Collectibles Militaries of Star Wars Series 1/6 scale Infantry Battle Droids 12-inch Figure two-pack. Although the Trade Federation Infantry Battle Droid are often called "Clankers" by Galactic Republic clone troopers because of how easily they fall, this Sideshow Collectibles 12-inch Battle Droid is one of their most stable figures yet. So much so that Sideshow didn't even feel that they needed to add a 12-inch figure display stand, a norm by now for all Sideshow 12-inch figures. On the contrary and quite ironic is that Sideshow Collectibles Clone Troopers are the ones that are weak at the ankles and are not able to hold most of the poses at all, requiring the figure display stand to help them stay upright or else they will be taking a dive off from the display shelves Tsk Tsk.

As I also mentioned in my part 1 review of this Sideshow Collectibles 12-inch Infantry Battle Droid, the articulation on this figure is pretty amazing. Sideshow claims that the Fully Articulated Battle Droid Bodies have over 20+ points of articulation and while I didn't bother to confirm if that is true, I was most pleasantly surprised at what this 1/6 scale Battle Droid robot figure could do :) Whichever pose I wanted to put it in, it could strike that very pose without any problems at all. The way the arms and fingers / claws could articulate and be moved and posed to hold onto its weapons was a delight.

Kotobukiya - ARTFX - The Avengers Movie - Iron Man Mark VII

With every Iron Man movie that is released, Iron Man fans and Collectors are all eager to see what has changed with the Iron Man armor suits -  what are the new features, gadgets etc. For the toy companies making and releasing the movie merchandise and movie-related products, it's all about how many variants and types of armor they can sell in order the milk the cash cow for all it is worth. So far, for each Marvel Studios Iron Man film, at least three different armors are showcased: Mark I, II and III were featured in the first Iron Man movie released followed by Mark IV, V and VI in Iron Man 2.

Well, the wait is over for the latest Iron Man armor suit. Pictures have been released showing off the newest armor that will be featured in the upcoming The Avengers movie.

This latest Iron Man armor figure wearing the Mark VII is a KOTOBUKIYA Japanese import! After the amazing success and popularity of the Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America films, Marvel is preparing to unleash the greatest superhero team of all time in just a few short months. Gathering together the main characters of the previous films to defend the Earth from certain destruction, the Avengers will debut in May of 2012 with Robert Downey Jr. reprising his role as Tony Stark and his heroic alter ego Iron Man. To commemorate the triumphant new appearance of this iconic character, Kotobukiya is proud to announce the all-new AVENGERS MOVIE IRON MAN MARK VII ARTFX STATUE!

Have a ULTRA Happy Valentine's Day (^_~)

This is a re-post since today is Valentine's Day :) and it's appropriate

First posted on February 14, 2009
Today is Valentine's Day and this is for my lovely wife Daisy who has been my most loyal supporter forever. Since we both don't buy into the commercial practice of paying many many times more for something that is already dying (the flower just doesn't know it yet) and which usually cost a lot less at other times (a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose except on Valentine's when it can cost you an arm and a leg), this seems more meaningful in a weird kind of way. (I mean no disrespect to all those who did purchase flowers for their better half as I believe it's a sweet thing to do, it's just personal between the wife and me.)

So what did you do for that special someone today?

REVIEW 1: Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Militaries Series 1/6 scale Infantry Battle Droids

Droids are robotic machines, as found in Star Wars films, books and television series. Mostly created for Star Wars by Special Effects worker John Stears, the term is a clipped form of android. The word "droid" is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. Droids were robots: mechanical beings, often possessing artificial intelligence. They were used in a variety of roles and environments, often those considered too menial or too dangerous for humans and other species. [source: wiki]

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.

While critics would be quick to point out a battle droid's mindlessness as a fault, the proponents of the mechanized soldiers would counter that it is instead a virtue. A mindless soldier is a loyal soldier, unquestioning of orders, easily controlled, and absolutely fearless. Battle droids are tall, gaunt humanoids with exposed joints and bone-white metal finishes that gives them an eerie resemblance to animated skeletons.

B is also for Bizarro

Another action figure with a distorted face (see previous post) and also from DC comics as well as the DC Animated Universe, it's none other than Bizarro.

Bizarro was Superman's deficient clone. He was a tragic figure and more misguided and manipulated rather than intentionally evil. Bizzaro was an imperfect duplicate of Superman created by Lex Luthor. Using a stolen strand of Superman's DNA, Luthor developed his own "Superman", a prototype for a line of super-guardians available to the general public.

By dialing 555-LEXX, a person in trouble could have one of Luthor's guardians rescue fly to their aid anytime of the day or night - for a price. Unfortunately for Lex, it didn't work. The cloning process was unstable and the Superman clone mutated in form and mind into a grotesque parody of the Man of Steel dubbed a "Bizzaro" by a horrified Metropolis.

Review II: BBK 003 - 1/6 scale Cowboy 12-inch Collectible Figure OR Josh Brolin as Jonah Hex

continued from previous post... Part 2 of my 2-part review of BBK 003 - 1/6 scale Cowboy 12-inch Collectible Figure OR Josh Brolin as Jonah Hex. And as I mentioned in the previous post, BBK got it all wrong when they called this figure a COWBOY (an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks). This 12-inch figure is more of a post-American Civil War Confederate cavalryman and perhaps movie-accurate as Jonah Hex from the 2010 movie of the same name.

In most of his stories in DC comics, Jonah Hex displays no supernatural or superhuman powers. However, he does possess some exceptional abilities, acquired through a combination of talent and training.

Despite being blind in his right eye, Hex is an outstanding marksman who rarely misses his target. He is extremely fast on the draw and can be seen in many stories gunning down multiple foes before any of them can get off a shot. He can wield two guns, one in each hand, with equal efficiency. He is also a resourceful combatant, often relying on stealth, tricks, and improvised weapons and traps to defeat enemies.

Review 1: BBK 1/6 scale Cowboy OR Josh Brolin as Jonah Hex 12-inch Wild West figure

Jonah Woodson Hex is a Western comic book antihero created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga and published by DC Comics. Jonah Hex is a surly and cynical bounty hunter whose face is horribly scarred on the right side. Despite his poor reputation and personality, Hex is bound by a personal code of honor to protect and avenge the innocent. The character is portrayed by Josh Brolin in the 2010 film adaptation of the same name.

This is the BBK 003 Cowboy 12-inch figure. The cowboy was the quintessential symbol of the American Old West, or the Wild West, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the California Gold Rush of 1849 and the end of the century (1830 - 1920). This BBK boxed figure set should rightfully be titled "Jonah Hex" or "post-Civil War Confederate cavalryman" since the character is clearly based on Josh Brolin as Jonah Hex and what he is wearing belongs to the military uniform of the Confederate States of America (1861 - 1865) which were fighting the Union forces during the American Civil War.

Already there's a boo-boo on the box cover! It says that this is "A Clown" 1/6 scale collectible figure (obvious reference to BBK's other 12-inch figure being released at the same time which is more of a JOKER than a CLOWN) when clearly the picture on it is that of a American Wild West figure. So does this mean that BBK stands for "Boo-Boo" King? I hope not. Read on or scroll down to see more pictures of this BBK product (code no. BBK003 - Cowboy).

Comparing Hot Toys TrueType TTM18 & TTM19 12-inch Figure Bodies + HeadPlay Heath Ledger

I've already reviewed Hot Toys TTM19 TrueType Male Muscular Body Figure which is essentially 1/6 scale Jake Gyllenhaal (see my earlier post HERE) and now let's compare the TTM19 with the earlier released Hot Toys TTM18 Caucasian 12-inch TrueType Male Figure Narrow Shoulder version.

Let me state firstly that Hot Toys TTM18 Caucasian 12-inch TrueType Male Figure Narrow Shoulder version does NOT come with the head shown! Hot Toys TTM18 - 1/6th scale TrueType 12-inch Body - Caucasian Male (Narrow Shoulder Version) comes with a head sculpt that bears a strong resemblance to Wentworth Miller (he of "Prison Break" fame). I have a picture of the packaged product HERE (as part of my September Haul of 2011).

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN!!!

I am using the HeadPlay 1/6 scale Heath version head sculpt on the Hot Toys TTM18 12-inch Figure body for a simple reason - these two just look comfortable getting "naked" together. For those of you who are not familiar, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal were lovers in Ang Lee's 2005 romantic drama film "Brokeback Mountain" which depicts the complex romantic and sexual relationship between two men in the American West from 1963 to 1983. So what better way to show off the Hot Toys True Type bodies than to put them side by side ;p

Pre-order Foxbox Studio Hades 12-inch Figure on February 17, 2012, 9AM Pacific Standard

Pre-Order opens Friday, 17 February 2012 • 9AM Pacific Standard Time (Los Angeles, San Francisco)

Product will be available at: www.foxboxstudio.com
Product ETA: Q4 2012

Product is limited, so don't miss out on it!
Not convinced? Check out the prototype pictures HERE

There's also the FoxBox Studio "God Complex: Hermes" 1/6 Figure REVIEWED earlier HERE and HERE :)

Review II: Hasbro G.I. Joe Sigma 6 Storm Shadow COBRA Ninja Master Action Figure

continued from previous post...

Here are more pictures of the Hasbro G.I. Joe Sigma 6 Storm Shadow COBRA Ninja Master Action Figure, now without his pants ;p In the first review posted previously, this Storm Shadow action figure comes with maroon pants with a COBRA symbol / insignia printed on it. I wanted to know what he wears under the cloth / fabric pants so now we know. Storm Shadow stays true to his character by wearing the all white ninja outfit he is famous for and known by, except with this 8-inch 200mm tall version, his ninja attire is made of molded plastic.

Like I mentioned previously, I really like the anime style used for this particular action figure series. G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 is a line of military-themed action figures and toys produced by Hasbro, re-imagining the characters of the 1980s toyline, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. It was based on the 2005 released G.I. Joe animated series also called "Sigma 6", which was the code name for a new group of G.I. Joe operatives with highly specialized capabilities, which they use to protect the world from the Cobra Commander and his evil forces.

Hasbro G.I. Joe Sigma 6 Storm Shadow COBRA Ninja Master Action Figure Review 1

G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 is a line of military-themed action figures and toys produced by Hasbro, re-imagining the characters of the 1980s toyline, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

The Sigma 6 toy line served several purposes for Hasbro. First, it allowed them to depart from the classic 3 ¾-inch format of the A Real American Hero series of the 1980s; most Sigma 6 action figures stand at approximately 8 inches (200 mm) and have more articulation. Second, the new series offered them the chance to streamline the story and characters, stripping away old continuity and "rebooting" the franchise with younger versions of the cast - similar but different to their 1980s namesakes - rendered in the popular anime style. [source: wiki]

In 2005, G.I. Joe returned to television with "Sigma 6", the code name for a new group of G.I. Joe operatives with highly specialized capabilities, which they use to protect the world from the Cobra Commander and his evil forces. Sigma 6 featured many of the most popular and well-known G.I. Joe characters, such as Duke, Snake-Eyes, Heavy Duty, Scarlett and Tunnel Rat, as well as a new hero, Long Range. The action figures made the jump to a larger scale (approximately 8 inch), replacing both 3 ¾ inch action figures and 12-inch (300 mm) action figures in retail stores.

Incoming: ZCWO 1/6 scale Senior Secretary PAYTON or Is this Pepper Potts 12-inch Femfig?

Virginia "Pepper" Potts is a fictional character, a supporting character and a love interest of Tony Stark / Iron Man in the Marvel Comics Universe. She is portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow in the films Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and The Avengers.

ZCWO's new product will be this 1/6 scale Payton (Senior Secretary) 12-inch Female Figure. This will be their first product in collaboration with IMINIME. Together with their combined head sculpting and painting techniques, they believe that they can maintain a good quality even in mass production. This product will come with 1/6 scale office chair, laptop and other office accessories. Payton's a working girl and believes in working hard for her money ;p Scroll down to see more pictures

Kotobukiya Marvel Bishoujo Black Widow (Covert Ops and Original versions) up for Pre-order

This is the Kotobukiya Marvel Bishoujo Covert Ops Black Widow Statue.

Born circa 1928, Natalia "Natasha" Romanova was apparently orphaned as a child when she was trapped in a burning building during an early attack on Stalingrad by enemy forces. Ivan Petrovitch Bezukhov, a Soviet soldier, found Natasha in the inferno and rescued her. Although Ivan kept a close eye on Natasha as she grew, by the late 1930s she had attracted the attention of Soviet intelligence, which began her training. In 1941, she was almost brainwashed into serving the ninja clan the Hand, but was saved by Ivan, Logan (James Howlett, later Wolverine) and Captain America. Following World War II, Natasha was recruited to become part of the Black Widow Program, a team of elite female sleeper agents. Among the Widow's instructors was the Winter Soldier, formerly Captain America's sidekick Bucky (James Barnes); Natasha studied as a ballerina to cover for her true occupation. The Soviet state eventually arranged for Natasha to marry Alexi Shostakov, a champion test pilot. So how old does that make her?

Scroll down to see more pictures of this Kotobukiya Marvel Bishoujo Black Widow (Covert Ops version). Quite stunning if you ask me ;p The Japanese have a way of making the female figure look HOT and SEXY, and just plain irresistible haha

"Ahoy, me mateys!" A look at Hot Toys Pirates of the Caribbean 12-inch collectible figures

Having seen three of the Hot Toys Captain Jack Sparrow heads in the previous post, it's time to look at the other 1/6 scale pirate figures that Hot Toys has put out and released over the years. Pirates of the Caribbean is a series of fantasy-adventure films directed by Gore Verbinski (1–3) and Rob Marshall (4), written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. The films started with their first release on the big screen in 2003 with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. After the success of the first film, Walt Disney Pictures revealed that a trilogy was in the works. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was released three years later in 2006. The sequel proved successful, breaking records worldwide the day of its premiere. In the end, it earned $1,066,179,725 at the worldwide box office, becoming the fourth and fastest film (at the time) to reach this amount.

C'mere, me beauties. Let's take a good look at ya!

The third film in the series, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, was released in 2007. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, released on May 20, 2011. It succeeded in grossing more than $1 billion, becoming the eighth and fourth-fastest film to achieve this. So far, the film franchise has grossed $3.72 billion worldwide and it is the only franchise with two films that reached $1 billion worldwide. In July 2011, Johnny Depp confirmed he was closing in on a deal for a fifth installment and that the franchise wouldn't be going ahead without Depp's participation. [source: wiki]

Comparing Hot Toys DX06 Captain Jack Sparrow head sculpt with the other earlier released heads

This is the latest released Hot Toys MMS DX06 "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" Captain Jack Sparrow (the ever brilliant Johnny Depp) 1/6 scale head sculpt :) From what I've seen and read, the DX06 Captain Jack Sparrow is SHORT i.e. he's a much smaller figure than all the other 1/6 scale figures which are about 12 inches tall. DX06 Jack is only slightly taller than Medicom's puny Jack Sparrow action figure :( and wouldn't be able to stand beside the rest of the other Hot Toys "Pirates of the Caribbean" figures because he is almost a dwarf and would fit better with the hobbits from the Lord of the Rings or the Jawas from Star Wars. SIGH! I don't like when that happens. If there's already a scale established, stick to it. It's better for the figures to look good together than to have one figure stand way shorter than the rest when he's not supposed to. Hot Toys DX06 Jack Sparrow figure is supposedly based on Johnny Depp's actual height of 5'9" and the original version would have put him at 6'4" but the problem with being that accurate is: DX Jack is now SHORTER than the rest :(

So I only got the DX06 Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow 1/6 scale head sculpt in order to plonk it onto the original Hot Toys released Jack Sparrow figure instead. Don't really care much for the other items in the DX06 box set, just wanted the Jack Sparrow head. So the picture you see above is the 2007 released Hot Toys "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)" 1/6 scale Jack Sparrow (more pictures HERE) with 2012 released DX06 Jack Sparrow head. Not a bad fit IMHO Scroll down to see the other Hot Toys Jack Sparrow head sculpts for comparison.

Incoming: Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars S.T.A.P and Battle Droid Sixth Scale Figure Set

Sideshow Collectibles is proud to announce the S.T.A.P. and Battle Droid Sixth Scale Figure Set. The detailed S.T.A.P. (Single Trooper Aerial Platform) vehicle comes mounted on a specially engineered base that allows for a wide range of motion and positioning and is piloted by an fully articulated Battle Droid Sixth Scale figure. Measuring approximately 13.5 inches tall, the S.T.A.P. and Battle Droid Sixth Scale Vehicle and Figure set makes an outstanding addition to any Star Wars collection.

STAPs (Single Trooper Aerial Platforms) are lightweight reconnaissance and patrol vehicles used by the Trade Federation army. Incorporating repulsorlift technology, the STAP is a slim, agile craft piloted by a single B1 battle droid. Sporting a pair of blaster cannons and an open design, STAPs rely on their speed and agility to dodge enemy fire and are often deployed as support vehicles in conjunction with larger craft.

21st Century 1st Air Cavalry Division Tunnel Rat (released 2002) - Another five dollars buy :)

This was another recent purchase I made for SGD5 (that's 5 Singapore dollars). See my previous post to see what else I had bought for only 5 dollars :) This was the 21st Century Toys Ultimate Soldier 1/6 scale 1st Air Cavalry Division "Tunnel Rat" (Vietnam) 12-inch figure boxed set that was released way back in 2002 before DiD and Soldier Story came on the scene. Although the quality and details are not like what it is today, it was good for its day and still worth getting even now (for 5 dollars, I can't complain right?)

I like the molded mask which is one-of-a-kind. It is a 1969 Riot Control Gas Mask issued to troops in Vietnam. The Vietnam Gas mask was issued as a ONE TIME USE gas mask but the mask had the capabilities of being used more than once due to the high quality and high grade products used in making these masks. I had actually bought the basic nude 12-inch figure body with molded mask from China Square Central and kitbashed my own 1:6 version of a Vietnam Tunnel Rat earlier (see my post HERE)

21st Century Toys 12-inch Ultimate Soldier figures were popular back in the late 90s because there just wasn't any other 1:6 offerings then but as the collectors' market grew, more and more 1/6 companies got on board and offered better quality stuff than what 21st Century Toys were producing and so demand dwindled and soon supply slowed until 21st Century Toys stopped producing 1/6 scale figures altogether.

21st Century Villains: Auz and Tazz Mantrackers All for just five dollars - cheap cheap :)

21st Century Toys first released 1/6 scale "The Ultimate Soldier" 12-inch figures way back in the late 1990s, starting with Vietnam and Modern Era gear. World War II figures soon followed and to make things interesting, they also released a line of 21st Century "Villains". Prices for these figures then were much lower than what we are paying today i.e. the cost of a Hot Toys TrueType 12-inch body (nude) could pay for a complete boxed 21st Century figure with outfit / uniform, gear and accessories plus weapons. You could still have some change back. Those were the days.

This was the 2001 / 2002 released 21st Century "Villains" Auz and Tazz Mantrackers which I got recently for SGD5 (5 Singapore dollars = 3.98724 U.S. dollars). To me, that's a pretty good deal and although the quality may not be the same as Hot Toys or Soldier Story, I really like the variety this set offers in terms of 1/6 gear, equipment and weapon :) And for 5 bucks, I think this is alright.

21st Century "Villains" Auz and Tazz Mantrackers comes in the pretty standard 21st Century window box packaging with velcro secured book-style flap. Nothing fancy with the cardboard boxes containing these 12-inch figures. You just throw them away after taking everything out. No worries about keeping the box unlike Hot Toys packaging which are all very fancy and nice but after taking the figure out, you find it a pain to throw the box away (because obviously we all paid good money for the box design and packaging since the price we pay for the product includes the box as well - Hot Toys won't make it for free!). If you decide to keep the box, it takes up storage space or even shelf space which is prime space in land scarce countries like Singapore. Decisions, decisions, decisions...

The Dark Knight Rises Catwoman (see & pre-order Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle in tights)

We always catch glimpses of what people wear on film but you never really get the real picture until you see it in pictures or better yet, in 3-D i.e. three dimensional form. This is even more so for superheroes on the big screen. Growing up with comics, it was a dream come true when movie producers started making films of the superheroes you read so much about as a kid. Even better yet, movie audiences were lapping it all up and that made superhero movies even more popular so now we have a staple diet of superhero movies released every year.

Comic book fans will always want to see how the comic book hero or villain gets interpreted onto the big screen and the best way to see that is to get hold of the fully realized movie accurate action figure. Here are some pictures released of The Dark Knight Rises Catwoman as portrayed by Anne Hathaway in the upcoming Batman film by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, The Dark Knight Rises film will be the third installment in Nolan's Batman film series, and is a sequel to Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008).

The Dark Knight Rises is intended to be the conclusion of the series. It stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Oldman as Commissioner James Gordon, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. The film will take place eight years after the events of The Dark Knight and will introduce the characters of Selina Kyle and Bane—portrayed by Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy, respectively—two villains from the Batman mythology.

Raid In Somalia: US Navy SEALs Free Hostages Held Since October

DEVGRU (i.e. Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DevGru aka SEAL Team Six) is at it again :) This was reported in the Huffington Post on January 25, 2012 (FULL article HERE):

MOGADISHU, Somalia -- U.S. Navy SEALs parachuted into Somalia under cover of darkness early Wednesday and crept up to an outdoor camp where an American woman and Danish man were being held hostage. Soon, nine kidnappers were dead and both hostages were freed.

President Barack Obama authorized the mission by SEAL Team 6 two days earlier, deploying the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden last year. Minutes after the president gave his State of the Union address to Congress he was on the phone with the American's father to tell him his daughter was safe.

Inflames 1/6 scale Metal Boss Battle Armor Version 12-inch Collectible Figure Preview

New Soul has now become Inflames (strange name for a company, to be calling yourself "In Flames"). Having shown us their first batch of preview pictures almost a year ago (see my post HERE), these are new preview pictures of the upcoming Inflames release of their 1/6 scale Metal Boss Limited Edition 12-inch Collectible Figure (Battle Armor version). For those who are in the know, Metal Boss looks very much like Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid video games.

For those of us who are not familiar, Solid Snake (ソリッド・スネーク, Soriddo Sunēku) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of Konami's Metal Gear series of stealth video games. Solid Snake is a combination spy, special operations agent and mercenary of FOXHOUND, a fictional black operations and espionage unit. He is repeatedly tasked with disarming and destroying the latest incarnation of Metal Gear, a bipedal nuclear weapon-armed mecha.

The Inflames Metal Boss Battle Armor version 1/6 scale Limited Edition 12-inch Collectible Figure will come with 1/6 scale Zombie Snake head sculpt, alternate normal Snake head sculpt, full face visor, NB01 12-inch body type, three extra hands (total five hands for posing and holding weapons)...

Review II: Sideshow Collectibles 1/6 Star Wars CC-5052 Clone Commander Bly 12-inch figure

This is Sideshow Collectibles STAR WARS Military Series 1/6 scale Clone Commander Bly 12-inch Figure wearing Phase II helmet with flip-up polarized macro-binoculars which is the additional Clone Commander helmet included with the box set. I much prefer this Phase II helmet over the Phase I helmet (see my earlier post of Clone Commander BLY wearing Phase I helmet HERE) and all the clone troopers and commanders I collect wear only the Phase II helmets. The Phase I helmet looked to me like a upturned bucket with a "shark's fin" affixed on the top of the head. The helmet is too long for my liking and makes the clone troopers look like camels and unless you want your troopers looking like that, you'll switch out the helmets like me ;p

According to wookipedia, Phase II clone trooper armor was an enhanced version of the Phase I clone trooper armor. It incorporated all of its predecessor's systems in addition to polarized lenses, padding, and stronger, lighter armor plates.

Happy Chinese New Year (AGAIN) from TOY HAVEN and Revoltech Finding Nemo & Dory

Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China, it is known as "Spring Festival," the literal translation of the Chinese name 春節 (Pinyin: Chūnjié), since the spring season in Chinese calendar starts with lichun, the first solar term in a Chinese calendar year. Chinese New Year is also the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese calendar.

One of the traditional Chinese phrase during Chinese New Year is "may there be surpluses every year" or "Have abundance every year" (simplified Chinese: 年年有余; traditional Chinese: 年年有餘; pinyin: niánnián yǒu yú) which also sounds the same as "may there be fish every year." Hence the phrase "Year Year have Fish / Year Year got Fish" is used so who better to wish everyone Happy Chinese New Year than Nemo and Dory from Disney Pixar's animated movie "Finding Nemo" ;p

We had celebrated the first day of Chinese New Year with the Bandai Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Deluxe Red Dragon Thunderzord (posted HERE) since this is the Year of the Dragon. Now we celebrate Chinese New Year with Nemo and Dory from Kaiyodo Revoltech Pixar Figure Collection 001 Nemo & Dory figures to reinforce the saying "Year Year got Fish" and to wish everyone abundance in everything GOOD ;)

Bandai Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Red Dragon Thunderzord in Warrior mode

continued from previous post...

The Red Dragon Thunderzord was the second Zord of the Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger (Jason Lee Scott and Rocky DeSantos) and the successor to the Tyrannosaurus Dinozord. It first appeared in The Mutiny, after Lord Zedd's monster Pirantishead managed to take control of the Tyrannosaurus and the Dragonzord. After freeing the Tyrannosaurus from Pirantishead's control, the Power Rangers used the "power of thunder" to upgrade the Dinozords into the Thunderzords. [source: power rangers wiki]

The Thunderzords are the second set of Zords for the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. They succeed the Dinozords and were larger than their previous counterparts, with much greater strength.

The Red Dragon was the first Zord in the series to possess two battle modes: Dragon and Warrior. In Dragon mode (as seen in the previous post), it could breathe flame and attack with its claws mid-flight.

Happy Chinese New Year from TOY HAVEN and Bandai Power Rangers Red Dragon Thunderzord

According to the Chinese calendar, this Chinese New Year is the Year of the Dragon and so the dragon does feature prominently in all Chinese New Year decorations everywhere, in the malls, in Chinatown etc. Hence I thought it would be timely to wish all readers / viewers / visitors to my TOY HAVEN toy blog a very Happy Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year (also can) with this post on the Red Dragon Thunderzord, a blast from the past!

According to folklore, to create the most powerful creature, the Chinese combined the horns of a deer, the head of a camel, eyes of a rabbit (have you seen the blood RED eyes of white rabbit?), ears of an ox, neck of a lizard, belly of a turtle, scales of a fish, paws of a tiger and claws of an eagle. The dragon is the only creature in the Chinese zodiac that is not a natural animal i.e. it is a legendary figure compared to the rest of the other animals, making it superior to the other 11 zodiac signs.

Sideshow Collectibles 1/6 scale Indiana Jones and Professor Henry Jones Sr 12-inch figures

Today is Chinese New Year's Eve. Chinese New Year's Eve is a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner, known as Chú Xī (除夕) or "Eve of the Passing Year." So I guess it's appropriate to have a family reunion of the 1/6 scale kind ;p

One of the best father and son team from the movies was Indiana Jones and Professor Henry Jones Sr from the 1989 movie "Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade". It was certainly a family reunion when Indy (Harrison Ford) goes looking for his missing father (Sean Connery) and ends up being tied up together instead (ties that bind and what not). This is the Sideshow Collectibles 1/6 scale Indiana Jones and Professor Henry Jones Sr 12-inch figures released some time ago.

I'm always taking the 12-inch action figures out from the display cabinets and marveling at the craftsmanship and attention to details these 1/6 scale manufacturers and sculptors put into their craft. Most of these 1/6 scale figures are art in 3-D and these two are just a sampling of what I like about 1/6 scale 12-inch figures and why I collect them :)