Incoming: ZCWO IMINIME 1/6th Air Force Pilot "Carson" or Tom Cruise "Maverick" in Top Gun

Top Gun is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott, and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, in association with the Paramount Pictures company. The film stars Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, and Tom Skerritt. Cruise plays Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a young Naval aviator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. He and his Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) Nick "Goose" Bradshaw (Edwards) are given the chance to train at the Navy's Fighter Weapons School. The film depicts Maverick's progress through the training, his romance with a female instructor (McGillis), his overcoming a crisis of confidence following a fatal training accident, and the killing of several enemy pilots of unlisted nationality in a dogfight.

The primary inspiration for the film was the article "Top Guns", by Ehud Yonay, in the May 1983 issue of California magazine, which also featured aerial photography by then-Lieutenant Commander Charles "Heater" Heatley. The article detailed the TOPGUN fighter pilots at the Miramar Naval Air Station, located in San Diego, self-nicknamed as "Fightertown USA". [source: wiki]

This 1/6th scale "Carson" Air Force Pilot 12-inch figure or Tom Cruise as Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell as seen in Top Gun is going to be released by ZCWO and IMINIME (from "I-Mini-Me"). Quite a good resemblance to the actor, especially with the photoshopped background :) Brings back a lot of memories. Great film and the soundtrack at the beginning was just AWESOME!

DC Comics New 52 Batman costume / Bat-suit good or bad? Just accept it :) It's a done deal

The New 52 is a 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero books, in which all of its existing titles were cancelled, and 52 new series debuted in September 2011 with new #1 issues. Among the series being renumbered are Action Comics and Detective Comics, which had previously retained their original numbering since the 1930s. Touted as a large publishing event following the conclusion of the "Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC's relaunch entails changes to both the publishing format and fictional universe to entice new readers.

Much of Batman's history and timeline remains intact. With the exception of Stephanie Brown, all of the Robins have been accounted for and Barbara Gordon has spent time as Oracle, recently returning as Batgirl. The stories build on recent developments, and Bruce Wayne is again the only Batman.

BUT Batman does get a new costume.

The new Jim Lee designed Batman costume / Batsuit will be featured in the popular DC Direct Batman: Black & White statue series. The 5.5" statue will retail for US$80 when released (USD69.99 if you pre-order at BigBadToyStore). The only "Batman Black and White" statue I have is the Mike Mignola inspired version which I had posted earlier (pictures HERE) and that particular version has become very sought after :)

Hot Toys 2008 The Dark Knight Heath Ledger Joker 2.0 – How will the suit fit? Just fine :)

Hot Toys announcement:
Dear all,

Following The Joker 2.0 announcement last week (see post HERE), many of our fans should have been expecting more news about him!

Here we are proud to present our specially tailor-made costume, which is finely customized by the extraordinaire 1/6th scale figure costume artist Kato. The Joker 2.0 costume would be the best which fits this advanced body, with well tailored movie-accurate cutting and materials.

More details will be unveiling soon! Stay tuned!

ZCWO Presents Mens Collection MH (Mens Hommes) Vol. 5 - The Gambling Gangster

ZCWO has been on a roll lately. Fresh from releasing the Mens Hommes MH Vol. 3 Boxing Legend set (reviewed earlier HERE) and the MH Vol. 4 Protective Work Wear + Tools Set (previewed earlier),  ZCWO has now released pictures of their next Men's Fashion -  Mens Hommes Vol. 005. Looking at the contents and pictures, I can only deduce that this set is best suited for an Asian since the inclusion of Japanese wood sandals are a dead giveaway ;p that and the Chinese Dominoes with dice (NOT a very Western thing I gather although ZCWO chose to pose a Caucasian figure wearing the suit and sandals).

Do note that the 12-inch action figure shown posing in the pictures is NOT included and you are only buying the 1/6th scale outfit and accessories (a lot of that popping up lately). The figure shown but NOT included bears a striking resemblance to American actor Jeff Bridges who played Obadiah Stane in the first Iron Man movie, who later became the Iron Monger! That kind of tells you that this outfit is designed for a bad guy / villain although you are free to choose which figure you wish to clothe the outfit with or dress the figure in.

Sideshow Collectibles Adam Hughes Lara Croft Premium Format Figure - cast in stone (bummer)

After the death of her mother, Lara Croft is raised and mentored by her archaeologist father, Britain's Earl of Abbington. The disappearance of Lara's father and legal battle over his estate that followed left her the Countess of Abbington. Carrying on her father's discipline, Lara travels the world seeking ancient artifacts and historical sites, but not without receiving criticism in the archeological community. Though Lara's methods are thought brash and reckless by some scholars, her findings have lead to discoveries of great historical significance. Her agility and strength give her the skill to collect well-hidden priceless artifacts while her beauty and high-society upbringing gain her many admirers in the tabloids.

Sideshow Collectibles and Adam Hughes are proud to bring you the Lara Croft Premium Format Figure, depicting the legendary Tomb Raider heroin from the game Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Cast in high-quality polystone and dressed in a detailed real fabric costume, this outstanding figure is taken directly from designs by renowned artist Adam Hughes, whose critically acclaimed realistic illustration meets pin-up style art has made him a sought after artist and perennial fan favorite. Each piece is hand-painted and finished, each with its own unique quality and detail that is the trademark of a handcrafted Sideshow Collectibles product. The Lara Croft Premium Format Figure is the perfect addition to any collection.

NECA Prometheus Action Figures Revealed!

Source: NECAonline

Prometheus Has Landed!
The wait is finally over! Prometheus is now playing at a theater near you and we are proud to reveal the first of many figures we have been working on over the past 3 months.

Prometheus Action Figures Revealed!
Series 1 Engineer (Chair Suit) - Figure height will be 8.5″ tall with Ball-Jointed Neck, Ball Jointed Shoulders, Ball Jointed Torso, Swivel Biceps, Insert Molded Ball-Hinge Elbows, Ball Jointed Wrists, Ball Jointed Hips, Insert Molded Ball-Hinge Knees, Ball Jointed Ankles, Flexible Hoses & Tubes

Asmus Toys 1/6th scale Detective Somerset suit set for 12-inch figures – Clint and Morgan

Remember how I talked / blogged about 1/6th scale Man's Fashion and how the market had grown to such an extent that companies don't even bother producing figures any more (see my earlier post HERE); manufacturers just concentrate on producing and releasing 1/6th scale outfits instead, seeing as how the market is already flooded with lots of 12-inch figures. Well, here's another set of clothing to add to that list :)

Asmus Toys will be releasing this 1/6th scale Detective Somerset suit set consisting of One Brown jacket, One light orange stripe shirt, One brown patterned tie, One Dark Brown pair pants, One black leather belt and One pair of black shoes. Doesn't look like much until the clothes are fitted on a 12-inch figure :)

One of my favorite actors and directors - Mr Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. (born May 31, 1930), an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide (1959–1965). He rose to fame for playing the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy of spaghetti westerns (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) during the late 1960s, and as Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry films (Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, The Enforcer, Sudden Impact, and The Dead Pool) throughout the 1970s and 1980s. These roles, among others, have made him an enduring cultural icon of masculinity.

Charlize Theron as Meredith Vickers from "Prometheus" would be a GREAT action figure

Prometheus is a 2012 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. The film stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green and Charlize Theron. Set in the late 21st century, the story centers on the crew of the spaceship Prometheus as they follow a star map discovered among the remnants of several ancient Earth civilizations. Led to a distant world and an advanced civilization, the crew seeks the origins of humanity, but instead discovers a threat that could cause the extinction of the human race.

From playing the evil queen Ravenna in "Snow White and the Huntsman" (a 2012 British/American fantasy film based on the German fairy tale "Snow White" by the Brothers Grimm which was just released recently) to a employee working for Weyland Corporation in the just released "Prometheus" film (2012 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, originally intended as a prequel to Scott's 1979 science fiction horror film Alien but is now a separate story that precedes the story of Alien but is not directly connected to that franchise), Charlize Theron has been rather busy.

What I would really like to see is a 1/6th scale Charlize Theron as Meredith Vickers 12-inch female figure wearing the really cool looking space suit from the movie ;p The sleek looking space suit coupled with that fabulous looking determined face would make an awesome display piece indeed. Now let us see if Hot Toys will be embarking on this any time soon.

MC Toys 1/6th scale SOCF - Cultural Support Teams (CST) Female Soldier 12-inch Figure

I learn something new everyday, even from collecting 1/6th scale 12-inch action figures :) didn't know about this special group of personnel until now.

Cultural Support Teams (CST) are all-female Soldier teams who serve as enablers supporting Army Special Operations combat forces in, and around secured objective areas. Their primary task is to engage female populations in objective areas when such contact may be deemed culturally inappropriate if performed by a male service member. CSTs directly support activities ranging from medical civic action programs, searches and seizures, humanitarian assistance, and civil-military operations. Primarily, CST training will focus on basic human behavior, Islamic and Afghan cultures, women and their role in Afghanistan, and tribalism. Training is conducted on Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C.

MC Toys 1/6th scale SOCF - Cultural Support Teams（CST) Female Soldier 12-inch Figure (MCM-004) come with: 1/6th scale female head sculpt, 12-inch female body, SI Assault Gloves, Sunglasses, Arabia scarf, Tactical pants, MultiCam ACU jacket and pants, RBAV Multicam Body Armor Vest, grenade pouch, grenades x 2, M4 Rifle magazine pouch, pistol magazine pouch, smoke grenades x 2, D-rings x 2, Radio and radio pouch, hydration carrier, belt, X-TAK kneepads, Combat hiker military boots.

Sneak Peek: Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Militaries 1/6th scale Snowtrooper 12-inch figure

Snowtroopers, also known as cold assault stormtroopers, were Imperial stormtroopers trained to operate in arctic climates. Some snowtroopers were deployed under Death Squadron's Blizzard Force, as well as other arctic forces. The snowtroopers were the successors of the clone cold assault troopers and the Galactic Marines under Clone Commanders Keller and Bacara, respectively, during the Clone Wars.

This is all Sideshow Collectibles can show us at the moment but it's certainly NICE to know that a Snowtrooper is in the works :) Too many Clone Troopers as it is.

Scroll down to see screen grab of snowtroopers from "The Empire Strikes Back", the best Star Wars film of them all IMHO

Coming Soon: Hot Toys DX Joker 2.0 limited edition collectible figure – "Miss Me?"

Hot Toys announcement:
Dear all, [to quote Heath Ledger as The Joker from "The Dark Knight (2008)"] “You have nothing, nothing to threaten me with. Nothing to do with all your strength.” The Joker 2.0 collectible is coming soon! Stay tuned!

Another JOKER! No Penguin, no Catwoman, no Two-Face, no Riddler, no Mr Freeze, no Poison Ivy, no Bane? It may be DX Joker version 2.0 but I actually have FIVE Heath Ledger Jokers on display - MMS Joker, Bank Robber Joker, DX version 1 Joker x 2 (one in Police Uniform and one in Joker costume) + Customized Nurse Joker. Let's wait and see how this turns out.

MC Toys: 1/6th scale Man's Fashion Camouflage Suit - Bathing Ape clothes for the 12-inch figure

This 1/6th scale fashion outfit set will be released by MC (Magic Cube) Toys. It is a 1/6th scale Man's Fashion Camouflage Suit (MCF-013) which will consists of man's fashion camouflage jacket, man's fashion short pants, belt, backpack / bag and tee / T-shirt. You will notice that the camouflage suit is of the Bathing Ape kind :)

A Bathing Ape (or BAPE) is a Japanese clothing company founded by Nigo in 1993. The company specializes in men's, women's and kids' lifestyle and street wear, running 19 stores in Japan, including Bape Stores, Bape Pirate Stores, Bape Kids Stores, Bapexclusive Aoyama, and Bapexclusive Kyoto.

According to founder and owner Nigo, the name "BAPE" is a reference to "A Bathing Ape In Lukewarm Water". Japanese people typically have daily baths in water at temperatures above 40 degrees celsius (104°F). As such, bathing in luke warm water is to complacently over indulge. This is, ironically, a reference to the lazy opulence of the younger generation of Japanese, the brand's own customers. [source: wiki]

Taowan: Full Metal 1/6th scale M114 UP-ARMORED HMMWV / Humvee coming soon

The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), better known as the Humvee, is a military 4WD motor vehicle created by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles formerly served by smaller Jeeps such as the M151 1⁄4-short-ton (230 kg) MUTT, the M561 "Gama Goat", their M718A1 and M792 ambulance versions, the CUCV, and other light trucks. The HMMWV has become the vehicular backbone of U.S. forces around the world. Over 10,000 were employed by coalition forces during the Iraq War. [source: wiki]

This Taowan: Full Metal 1/6th scale M114 UP-ARMORED HMMWV is expected to be released soon – officially in July 2012. I wonder how much this beauty will cost? I wonder if the shipping cost will be more than the actual 1/6th scale vehicle ;p This is something I can only dream of and drool about haha Can you even imagine the size of that thing? I'll need another house just to put it. We don't all have garages here in Singapore. Most of us stay in apartments (American English) / flats (British English) and space is definitely a constraint but I gotta say "This 1/6th scale M114 HMMWV is a beauty." I'm totally blown away.

click for a bigger and better view :)

The HMMWV was designed primarily for personnel and light cargo transport behind front lines, not as a front line fighting vehicle. While losses were relatively low in conventional operations, such as the Gulf War, both vehicles and crews suffered considerable damage and losses during the Battle of Mogadishu due to the nature of the urban engagement. After Somalia, the military recognized a need for a more protected HMMWV and AM General developed the M1114, an armored HMMWV to withstand small arms fire.

REVIEW: ZCWO Mens Hommes Vol.003 (Boxing Legend) - Great for 1/6th scale kitbashing

This is the ZCWO Mens Hommes Vol.003 (Boxing Legend) Men's Collection Boxed Set which consists of the following items: Black Cold Cap, Black Sweater, Denim Jacket, Brown Leather Belt, Denim Jeans, Black Socks, Black Boxing Shoes, Backpack, Red Boxing Gloves, Towel, Necklace. Accessories include: Mirror, Clothes Hook, Metal Bucket x 2, Folding Chair, Water Bottle x 10, Canned Drinks x 6, Lighter, Cigarettes x 2, Stack of Banknotes x 12, Posters x 20 and Changing Room Background. Body Parts: 2 pairs of hands, 1 pair of Feet, 1 pair of Bandaged Fists. (12-inch Action Figure and 1/6 scale head sculpt NOT included).

The box converts into a Changing Room Background (see picture below). How's that for saving the box packaging? Everything can be re-used including the box. Isn't that better than just throwing the box away and wasting resources. Comes with a separate card to be used as the flooring. I like this approach to packaging. DAM also did the same with their Operation Gothic Serpent / Black Hawk Down Task Force Ranger Delta Force and U.S. Ranger 12-inch figures :)

Pre-order ACI Toys 1/6th Andrew version 4.0 limited edition 12" figure "Man with a Spider"

This is the ACI Toys 1/6th scale Andrew Version 4.0 "Man with a Spider" 12-inch figure available only @ acitoys.com and limited to only 250 pcs. Item no. AB-5 is the Andrew Version 4.0 (with Tattoo) which is an acitoys.com Exclusive with limited quantities produced: 250 pcs. (limited edition). Regular Price: US$55 Shipped Worldwide. Discounted Price for acitoys.com VIP & Members. Pre-order starts: 31st May. Selling @ acitoys.com Shipping date: Mid or Late June

Why "Andrew"? Because Adam had already been taken ;p What does Adam mean in Hebrew since that is where the name first appeared in the Book of Genesis (bible)? A recurring literary motif that occurs in Genesis 1-8, is the bond between Adam and the earth ("adamah"). GOD made Adam from the earth ("adamah"), and it is from this "adamah" that Adam gets his name. As a masculine noun, adam means "man" or "mankind", usually in a collective context as in humankind, and may also refer to the individual human.

Incoming: Asmus Toys 1/6th scale Musashi's Wafuku i.e. Japanese traditional clothing

In modern Japan you have western clothing (yofuku), and Japanese clothing (wafuku). The various traditional ethnic garments worn in Japan are still in use, they are mainly worn for ceremonies and special occasions - like weddings, funerals, coming-of-age ceremonies (seijin shiki), and festivals.

This Asmus Toys 1/6th scale Musashi's Wafuku set will include: One ocean blue robe, One under gown (Nagajuban), One pair of Samurai paints, One pair Japanese Sandals, One wooden sword and One deep blue traditional belt (Obi). NOTE: This is just the clothing set, NO 12-inch figure is included, hence the weird looking 1/6th scale head sculpt.

Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵, c. 1584 – June 13, 1645), also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman and rōnin. Musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his excellent swordsmanship in numerous duels, even from a very young age.

Preview Hot Toys The Dark Knight Rises: 1/6th scale Bat-pod Collectible - BATPOD version 2.0

Hot Toys has released pictures and product specifications of their MMS177 (Movie Masterpiece Series) The Dark Knight Rises: 1/6th scale Bat-pod Collectible. The 1/6th scale Bat-pod Collectible specially features: Authentically detailed 1/6th scale collectible, Perfect scale to Hot Toys’ 1/6th scale collectible figures from The Dark Knight Rises movie. Comes with Headlights light-up function. Other features: Machine Gun, Grappling Hook and Wheel with Hub-Mounted Engines. *Batteries are not included for collectible; 3A batteries (a total of 3 pieces) are required. Release date: Early Q4, 2012

Perfect scale to Hot Toys’ 1/6th scale collectible figures from The Dark Knight Rises movie? Does that mean that Hot Toys have to re-release the Dark Knight again? Who else can ride the Bat-pod except BATMAN the Dark Knight himself (as the pictures show) or is there another 1/6th figure that can ride the Bat-pod? 1/6th scale Anne Hathaway Catwoman? Hmmmm...

B is also for Batman: Brave and the Bold / Stealth Strike "Covert Attack" Batman figure

In a land that is devoid of anything to do with Mattel DC Batman toy action figures, these Batman: Brave and the Bold / Stealth Strike figures were a welcome sight indeed when they appeared in the aisles of Toys R Us. Like I mentioned in my earlier post HERE, you will not find Mattel DC action figures in Singapore. Plenty of Ben 10, Marvel Avengers, Disney Cars and Toy Story plus Power Rangers and most recently Thundercats but Brave and the Bold? Justice League? Nada, zilch, not a one, nil, uh-uh... you get me.

Coming off the successful BATMAN Total Armor series (it was named thus because the original Batman: Brave and the Bold series was canned when the animated TV series of the same name ended its run), this was an all-new segment that was released in the US last year but only arrived in Singapore stores just recently.

While the Mattel Stealth Strike "Gear Up" BATMAN (see pictures in my post HERE) wears a slightly modified version of the blue and gray suit worn during the Silver Age comics (1960s–70s) which was also what Batman wore in the animated Batman: Brave and the Bold TV series, this Covert Attack Batman looks more like the Dark Knight version where Batman worked alone (no Robin, the Boy Wonder and no dynamic duo) and everything was grimmer and darker, which suits me just fine.

Mattel Year 2011 DC Batman "The Brave and The Bold" / Stealth Strike Series COVERT ATTACK BATMAN 5-Inch Tall Action Figure comes with Removable Mask and Detachable Missile Launcher with Missile (X1254) for some snap-on action.

Just some 1/6th scale 12-inch fighting Marines from the United States Marine Corps (USMC)

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States. The Marine Corps has served in every American armed conflict and attained prominence in the 20th century when its theories and practices of amphibious warfare proved prescient and ultimately formed the cornerstone of the Pacific campaign of World War II. By the mid-20th century, the Marine Corps had become the dominant theorist and practitioner of amphibious warfare. Its ability to rapidly respond on short notice to expeditionary crises gives it a strong role in the implementation and execution of American foreign policy.

As of 2010 the United States Marine Corps included just under 203,000 active duty Marines and just under 40,000 reserve Marines. The Marine Corps is larger than the armed forces of many significant military powers, being larger than the active duty Israel Defense Forces and the active duty British Army. [source: wiki]

The Marine Corps has the most stable and most recognizable uniforms in the American military; the Blue Dress dates back to the early 19th century and the service uniform to the early 20th century. Marines have three main uniforms: Dress, Service, and Utility. The Utility Uniform, currently the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform, is a camouflage uniform intended for wear in the field or for dirty work in garrison, though it has now been standardized for regular duty. It is rendered in a distinctive MARPAT pixelated camouflage (sometimes referred to as digitals or digies) that breaks up the wearer's shape, and serves to distinguish Marine uniforms from those of other services.

DAM Stands For Action Figure (3 versions) - DAM if you do and DAM if you don't (haha)

I actually laughed when I saw these ;p These are DAM (the company that has been releasing the Operation Gothic Serpent / Black Hawk Down 12-inch figures) Figure Display Stands for action figures (3 versions are available - black, white and sand / khaki) . I found it funny that figure display stands should take centre stage over 1/6th scale figures. DAM actually bothered to take studio shots of these stands as if they were an action figure :) I always felt that the 12-inch figure should be self standing as far as possible for realism and if the stand was to be used, it should NOT be too obvious.

These DAM 'Y' stands for figures are designed to go up between the legs of the 12-inch figure to hold them up. To me, that's not a great way to display any figure because when you look at the figure being displayed, you see the figures as having three legs instead of two :(

If I have to, I much prefer to use the waist held figure stands as these go around the waist and can be hidden by the fabric clothes so that the figure still appears to be standing on his own two feet and NOT propped up by a foreign object going up and into his / her crotch.

Here's an example of a figure with the waist held stand. This DiD (Dragon in Dream) 1/6th scale Samurai Date Masamune 12-inch figure's samurai armor plates are all made of die-cast metal and joined together piece by piece which makes the figure rather top heavy. Without the display stand, the figure will just topple over under its own weight. Check out my post HERE for more pictures and how I try to conceal the stand from view ;p

Kitbash 1/6th scale Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt Figure

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is a 2011 American action spy film. It is the fourth installment in the Mission: Impossible series. It stars Tom Cruise, who reprises his role of IMF Agent Ethan Hunt, and is director Brad Bird's first live-action film. Upon release, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol became a critical and commercial success. It grossed over $693 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Mission: Impossible film, the 5th highest-grossing film of 2011 and the highest-grossing film starring Tom Cruise, eclipsing War of the Worlds from the top spot.

Ethan Matthew Hunt, portrayed by Tom Cruise, is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Mission: Impossible film series. In "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol", Ethan Hunt (having just escaped from prison) and his IMF team are blamed for an attack that destroys the Kremlin, and disavowed.

Soldier Story USMC Francis Hummel - 2012 BBICN JCSH (Shanghai) Exhibition Exclusive

In the 1996 action film "The Rock" which primarily takes place on Alcatraz Island and in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ed Harris was disenchanted USMC Force Recon Brigadier General Francis X. (Frank) Hummel, who led a group of rogue Force Recon Marines in seizing a stockpile of deadly VX gas–armed rockets from a heavily guarded military bunker. They then seize control of Alcatraz during a guided tour and take 81 tourists hostage in the prison cells. Hummel threatens to launch the stolen rockets against the population of San Francisco unless the government pays ransom and reparations to the families of Recon Marines who died on illegal, clandestine missions under his command and whose deaths were not honored.

This is the Soldier Story 1/6th scale USMC Francis Hummel - 2012 BBICN JCSH (Shanghai) Exhibition Exclusive 12-inch military Figure. It is of a USMC Rifleman (I had just posted about the Very Hot USMC Rifleman uniform set in the previous post) in digital Woodlands MARPAT (MARine PATtern) camouflage uniform with similar gear as the Very Hot version, including the M16A4 rifle and the M72 LAW. But unlike VeryHot's version, this Soldier Story 1/6th scale USMC is a top notch figure and the M72 LAW is one-of-a-kind with much improved features (scroll down to see the step-by-step "arming" process). Too bad it's an exhibition exclusive which means limited quantities.

Review: Very Hot 1/6th scale USMC Rifleman Uniform Set - Semper Fi (Always Faithful)

This is the Very Hot 1/6th scale USMC (United States Marine Corps) Rifleman Uniform Set (Note: NO 12-inch figure is included!). It is supposedly based on a US Marine Infantryman stationed in Afghanistan. Infantry is the central component of Marine ground forces. Infantrymen are trained to locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, or repel the enemy's assault by fire and close combat. Riflemen serve as the primary scouts, assault troops and close combat forces within each infantry unit. The USMC Rifleman is trained in close combat, operating either the M16A4 rifle, M203 grenade launcher or the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.

When I first saw preview pictures of this VeryHot 1/6th scale USMC Rifleman Outfit set for 12-inch Figures, I was wondering why the Marine was wearing the Digital Woodland camouflage uniform instead of the Digital Desert Camo but have found out since that this is what the US Marines are currently wearing in Afghanistan.

The description on the box packaging cover reads:
"U.S. Marine Corps is the oldest elite force with about 194,000 men and women. It is even bigger than most countries' armed forces. U.S. Marine Corps is the major U.S. combat force of Rapid reaction force which has a long and remarkable history."

The Next BIG thing from Hot Toys: The Dark Knight Rises 1/6th scale Batwing (teaser)

Hot Toys announcement:
We are developing the largest scale project ever in the Hot Toys history…
Check out what we are assembling at the office! Guess what it is?

Pre-order Figure Club 1/6 Mad Cop aka Gary Oldman as Norman Stansfield 12-inch figure

Before Gary Oldman became good cop Police Commissioner James Gordon, he was once bad cop and mad cop Norman Stansfield.

Norman Stansfield, billed as Stansfield, is a fictional character, portrayed by Gary Oldman in Luc Besson's 1994 film Léon (also known as The Professional and Léon: The Professional). He is the primary antagonist of the film. Stansfield is a corrupt DEA agent who employs a holder (Michael Badalucco) to store cocaine in his residence. When Stansfield learns that the holder has been stealing some of the drugs for himself, he guns down the man's entire family, with the exception of 12-year old Mathilda (Natalie Portman), who is able to find refuge with neighbor, and professional hitman, Léon (Jean Reno).

1/6th scale company Figure Club will be releasing this 1/6th scale "Mad Cop" 12-inch figure which will come with: 1/6th scale Real-like Head Sculpt (Gary Oldman as Stansfield), 12-inch Male base body, Realistic and Detailed Suit, Hands, Brown Belt, Socks, Brown Shoes, Long-sleeved Shirt, Walkie Talkie, Shotgun (with flash light), Revolver, Lighter, Cigarette

UA Zhe er ENTERBAY 1/6th scale MIB3 Agent J & Agent K 12-inch figures + Frank the pug

First Dragon gave us a glimpse at their upcoming Men In Black (MIB3) figures (see my post HERE) based on the latest Men In Black movie coming out real soon.

Now UA Zhe er and Enterbay are taking pre-orders for the Enterbay 1/6th scale Men In Black (MIB3) Agent J and Agent K 12-inch figures in Hong Kong. When customers pre-order the 12-inch "museum quality" Men in Black figurines at Zhu er stores in Hong Kong, they can redeem Frank the pug at UA Zhe er Lifestyle concept store on a first-come-first-served, while stocks last promotion.

Agent J is described as a "museum quality Will Smith with authentic likeness head sculpt, newly developed RM-6 body, movie-accurate costume (it's a black suit with white shirt and black tie) and accessories."

Medicom Toys RAH (Real Action Heroes) 1/6th scale The Amazing Spider-Man - Why bother?

Hot on the heels of Hot Toys announcement of a 1/6th scale The Amazing Spider-Man 12-inch figure (see previous post) comes this Medicom Toys RAH - Real Action Heroes - 1/6th scale The Amazing Spider-Man figure as well. This will be released come June 30, 2012 and Medicom says it will be 300mm i.e. 12-inch. At ￥19,740 or USD248.23, I think you'll be better off getting the Hot Toys version. I wonder why Medicom Toys even bother? Most probably because there are Japanese collectors who are fiercely loyal to the Japanese brand and will scoop up everything Medicom Toys has to offer, even if it's not value for money. Well, as one learns in Economics, as long as there is demand, there will always be supply.

For the rest of us, there is Hot Toys, although their prices are also going UP and UP! You would think that with the growing number of collectors who are buying all Hot Toys stuff, they would maintain their old prices and earn from the sheer volume of sales they have been getting but noooo, Hot Toys also increases their prices so that they reap double from increased price and increased quantities. SIGH, that is the real world, people and we are caught in the thick of it all, at the sheer mercy of the dictator! Some of us can stop buying as a sign of protest but it's not going to make much of a difference because there are just too many collectors / investors out there who will continue to take what Hot Toys dishes out.

Scroll down to see more pictures of this soon-to-be-released Medicom Toys RAH - Real Action Heroes - 1/6th scale The Amazing Spider-Man 12-inch figure. If anything, they are good comparison pictures for when Hot Toys The Amazing Spider-Man comes out.

Hot Toys announces 1/6th scale The Amazing Spider-Man 12-inch Ltd Edition Collectible Figure

Hot Toys Announcement:
The Amazing Spider-Man will be swinging into theatres in 3D next month! This will mark a new chapter of Spider-Man in his long-established legacy! Celebrating the launch of this summer blockbuster, we are proud to present this Amazing Spider-Man collectible figurine with finely made and newly developed costume, as well as the Peter Parker’s head sculpt!

Click to get a LARGER view - it's HUGE ;p

Fans may already know that we have solid experience in developing the detailed costume for Spider-Man and we apply a similar technique to this new costume which will have the most movie-accurate cutting that fans have been expecting for long! More amazing photos will be unveiled soon! Stay tuned!