Your Latest Non-TF Toy Acquisitions
Action Figure Spotlight: Green Lantern Series 1 Parallax
Greetings again, fellow Lanterns. Fresh out of the bag, I just came home with Parallax- the fear entity that drove Hal Jordan mad and possessed him to destroy the entire Lantern Corps, which he did. Of course, the story didn’t stop there- Last remaining Guardian Ganthet sought out Kyle Rayner and kickstarted a new Lantern until writer Geoff Johns took the reigns on the GL mythos and made it a cornerstone of the DC Universe. Parallax was formerly believed to be just a villainous mask that Hal adopted, but when Johns came into the picture, the entity of Parallax became much more, so to save you from spoilers, here’s a hearty suggestion to pick up the Green Lantern: Rebirth trade for more info.
Onwards to the figure in question: This specific representation is straight out of the Rebirth arc, which basically took the Zero Hour story and built upon it. In many ways, this figure could be seen as the DC equivalent to Darth Vader in terms of how the figure is laid out proportionally and detail wise sans a mask. Just as Anakin was to Vader, so is Hal to Parallax. So let’s take this from the head down: the sculptors captured the “crazed Jordan” look wellwith the white sides of hair and the slight smirk on the face. True to comic form, he bears no visible eyeballs, just white eye sockets underneath the mask.
On to the Torso area- this is where Parallax mostly resembles the Darth Vader school of design. Yes, there are many inconsistencies in that statement- Vader is purely black with an LED regulator box on the chest, and Parallax has a total of 4 colors on his costume (black, white outlines, dark green and bright green). To my eye, the way that they are similar is in the flow of things: keeping it simple. Instead of some tricked out design, the Parallax uniform is simple yet elegant, the colors aren’t splashed around all over the place . There is a basic black jumpsuit with a simple oval chest design and torso area coverage done in the bright green with white and dark green outlines. There are also some very hefty shoulder plates which do take focus off the figure, but easily flow with the whole design. Parallax’ thigh/shin/boot pieces have the bright green armor as well with the implied black jumpsuit underneath. All this bodes for a well designed costume, just like Vader’s. Lastly, the cape is great- not made of cloth or vinyl (which tend to get ripped during play) or hard plastic (which limit the figures maneuverability) the cape is a very flexible rubber that fits well on the figure. Unlike most cape bearers, this cape attaches directly to the shoulder plates instead of around the neck, leaving the head to be moved into whatever position you want.
In regards to articulation, This is one of the better GL figures out there- ankles, knees, pivoting shoulders, elbows, wrists, and head. I was comparing this to the GL Sinestro and even he lacks the same amount of articulation.
For the downside of things, there isn’t much other than the lack of accessories, no visible ring (which was the first thing I noticed since Parallax grabbed all the rings of the comrades he killed in the original tirade), and there seems to be a weight issue while the figure is standing, mainly due to the heavy cape and losely jointed ankles. I had to position him in such a way that he body was almost contorted just to make him look “non contorted”. There also seemed to have been a paint application issue on the face mask-some of the green had chipped off his nose while still in the package. This is the second time I had encountered paint issues with the GL line, the first being Kilowog.
Overall scores:
Articulation: 7.5- much better than the rest of the GL lines, typical for the DC Direct figures in general, but nowhere near the realm of the same scale Marvel Legends.
Detail: 9- excellent design thanks in part to the artist/design staff at DC, and the sculpting staff for DC Direct. Parallax always had a cool design anyway, and they succeeded in bringing that to life.
Accessories: 1- only came with the standard GL base, but the cape (if it is to be considered an accessory) is very good.
Price: I paid 13 dollars for the figure, which is one of the cheaper figures in the line, but well worth it in my opinion.
Greetings again, fellow Lanterns. Fresh out of the bag, I just came home with Parallax- the fear entity that drove Hal Jordan mad and possessed him to destroy the entire Lantern Corps, which he did. Of course, the story didn’t stop there- Last remaining Guardian Ganthet sought out Kyle Rayner and kickstarted a new Lantern until writer Geoff Johns took the reigns on the GL mythos and made it a cornerstone of the DC Universe. Parallax was formerly believed to be just a villainous mask that Hal adopted, but when Johns came into the picture, the entity of Parallax became much more, so to save you from spoilers, here’s a hearty suggestion to pick up the Green Lantern: Rebirth trade for more info.
Onwards to the figure in question: This specific representation is straight out of the Rebirth arc, which basically took the Zero Hour story and built upon it. In many ways, this figure could be seen as the DC equivalent to Darth Vader in terms of how the figure is laid out proportionally and detail wise sans a mask. Just as Anakin was to Vader, so is Hal to Parallax. So let’s take this from the head down: the sculptors captured the “crazed Jordan” look wellwith the white sides of hair and the slight smirk on the face. True to comic form, he bears no visible eyeballs, just white eye sockets underneath the mask.
On to the Torso area- this is where Parallax mostly resembles the Darth Vader school of design. Yes, there are many inconsistencies in that statement- Vader is purely black with an LED regulator box on the chest, and Parallax has a total of 4 colors on his costume (black, white outlines, dark green and bright green). To my eye, the way that they are similar is in the flow of things: keeping it simple. Instead of some tricked out design, the Parallax uniform is simple yet elegant, the colors aren’t splashed around all over the place . There is a basic black jumpsuit with a simple oval chest design and torso area coverage done in the bright green with white and dark green outlines. There are also some very hefty shoulder plates which do take focus off the figure, but easily flow with the whole design. Parallax’ thigh/shin/boot pieces have the bright green armor as well with the implied black jumpsuit underneath. All this bodes for a well designed costume, just like Vader’s. Lastly, the cape is great- not made of cloth or vinyl (which tend to get ripped during play) or hard plastic (which limit the figures maneuverability) the cape is a very flexible rubber that fits well on the figure. Unlike most cape bearers, this cape attaches directly to the shoulder plates instead of around the neck, leaving the head to be moved into whatever position you want.
In regards to articulation, This is one of the better GL figures out there- ankles, knees, pivoting shoulders, elbows, wrists, and head. I was comparing this to the GL Sinestro and even he lacks the same amount of articulation.
For the downside of things, there isn’t much other than the lack of accessories, no visible ring (which was the first thing I noticed since Parallax grabbed all the rings of the comrades he killed in the original tirade), and there seems to be a weight issue while the figure is standing, mainly due to the heavy cape and losely jointed ankles. I had to position him in such a way that he body was almost contorted just to make him look “non contorted”. There also seemed to have been a paint application issue on the face mask-some of the green had chipped off his nose while still in the package. This is the second time I had encountered paint issues with the GL line, the first being Kilowog.
Overall scores:
Articulation: 7.5- much better than the rest of the GL lines, typical for the DC Direct figures in general, but nowhere near the realm of the same scale Marvel Legends.
Detail: 9- excellent design thanks in part to the artist/design staff at DC, and the sculpting staff for DC Direct. Parallax always had a cool design anyway, and they succeeded in bringing that to life.
Accessories: 1- only came with the standard GL base, but the cape (if it is to be considered an accessory) is very good.
Price: I paid 13 dollars for the figure, which is one of the cheaper figures in the line, but well worth it in my opinion.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"...Working on a specimen the size of Angel is actually easier in many ways."
Mac scoffs. "Easier almost ate me a few days ago."-Steve Alten, Meg: Hell's Aquarium
"...Working on a specimen the size of Angel is actually easier in many ways."
Mac scoffs. "Easier almost ate me a few days ago."-Steve Alten, Meg: Hell's Aquarium
- Treadshot A1
- Posts: 2411
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:49 am
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 32206
- Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am
- Dead Man Wade
- Posts: 4890
- Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2003 8:15 pm
- Location: Funny location
-
- Posts: 32206
- Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am
So far, I would say the absolute best GL figure I have picked up so far is the SC Corps uniform Sinestro- man, just looking at the detail on his face screams Ethan Van Sciver. I would rate Parallax a close second.ganon578 wrote:Ah, been thinking about getting that one for a long time. Now I have a spare $20, and I might just have to pick it up, especially since you mentioned it's a good figure. I think I'll swing by the comic book shop tonight...
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"...Working on a specimen the size of Angel is actually easier in many ways."
Mac scoffs. "Easier almost ate me a few days ago."-Steve Alten, Meg: Hell's Aquarium
"...Working on a specimen the size of Angel is actually easier in many ways."
Mac scoffs. "Easier almost ate me a few days ago."-Steve Alten, Meg: Hell's Aquarium
(again, I know I already listed this, but......you know.......reviews and stuff. )
Action Figure Spotlight: Star Wars The Fett Legacy Collection
One of the latest additions to my Star Wars collection was the Fett Legacy Collection, featuring 2 of the coolest characters in science fiction history that had quite possibly the dumbest deaths on screen. When first introduced in 1978 and subsequently touted to be a “major character” in the next Star Wars movie (which would be The Empire Strikes Back), Boba Fett started off with the most prolific introduction that would become steeped in shadows- he was as mysterious as the shadow, not much dialogue or interaction, but he was damn cool. Fans embraced him wholeheartedly, but it wasn’t till almost 20 years after his introduction that we started getting a little backstory on who exactly this silent bounty hunter was and where his origins started…
Mandalore The Indomitable
The only original figure in the collection, Mandalore is part of the expanded universe in Star Wars mythology- he was one of the first leaders of the Mandalorian Soldiers- a group of soldiers who have gone toe to toe with just about everyone in the galaxy, Sith and Jedi included. Upon first examination, Mandalore has an almost Tusken Raider quality to him, especially in the actual suit- there are no apparent armor plates as we see on Jango or Boba, aside from the shoulder armor, which is connected to the mask via breathing tubes. Pretty much the only connecting trait to the present day Mandalorian is the faceplate- the T-shaped visor that has so singularly defined the very visage of the Mandalorian himself. Of course, being thousands of years old, Mandalore is not adorned with blaster rifles or state of the art equipment; he bears 3 accessories- a hand axe, a staff, and a shield. He also bears a completely cloth cape, which does not appear to be removable. The axe and staff feature molded straps for carrying purposes; only problem is that you can only put these on the left arm as the shoulder plate attaches to the figure via a strap under the right arm, which prohibits a bit of movement and the inclusion of any weapons. The kilt isn’t removable, either, which limits positioning. One neat little trick I found with Mandalore is that, if you want to use both the axe and staff at the same time, you can adhere the shield to the back of his shoulder plate, which bears a hole big enough to fit the handle of the shield in. Lasting thoughts: a very cool figure; nice to see the expanded universe getting some love from Hasbro, which they have been consistently doing since ROTS.
Jango Fett
And here comes Papa Fett in as much detail and articulation that you can possibly imagine for a 3 ¾” Figure. Although I don’t remember Jango having such a purple suit underneath the armor plates (for some reason, I thought it was more bluish) the detail on every part of his body is amazing. First off, you get a removable helmet, which you can then replace with the headset apparatus (goes double for Boba). Arms and legs are completely articulate, holsters and belt are non-removable, but that’s not a bad thing- they don’t hamper leg or hip movement as the kilts on some of the other figures do. One cool little oddity I noticed is that both the gauntlets have 2 wires running from the underside onto a ring right above the elbow joints. They do impede a bit on arm movement, but it’s very little. The downside on this guy is that his jetpack just won’t stay on- very loose fitting.
Boba Fett
Now, I may be totally wrong on this, but I’m fairly certain this is the first Boba figure that has ever come out with a removable helmet, and just on that detail alone, I rate him the best of the lot, so let’s take the downside first- like Papa, his jetpack does not stay on- you really have to jam it in there to keep it attached. The upside? Just about everything. Boba’s armor has the distinct “battle damage” to it in the way of the helmet dent, scratched off paint, and an overall “grungyness” flavor to just about everything, including the rear cloth piece that is attached to his shoulder. The wookie pelt braid is very distinct, as is the belt with pouches that also features a holster for a hand pistol. He comes with his trademark sawed-off that has a bit of detail unto itself- it captures that “used” feeling for a guy who has seen lots of action across the galaxy. The sawed off also has a molded strap that can be fitted underneath either shoulder plate if you just want to use the hand pistol. When the helmet is removed, you see a scarred face in white bandages (possibly a nod to his return from the Sarlacc in the Bounty Hunter Wars Trilogy when Dengar nursed him back to health?) Also like Dad is the tube running from the gauntlet to a ring around his elbow, only Boba has this on his right arm. The paint detail is also incredible- they managed to get the symbol on the upper right corner of the chest plate as well as the red Mandalorian symbol on the left shoulder plate. Truly a great figure.
Overall, I’m finding that the Legacy line is really worth the money. I believe I spent somewhere in the area of $20 for this set, and it’s cool for those collectors who like to zero in on one particular character such as Boba Fett and company. As much as I can’t stand re-treads in any toy line, I reserve that judgement in this case simply because of the amount of effort Hasbro put into designing and updating this particular set.
Overall Scores:
Articulation: 10- Both Jango and Boba have a swivel on the lower torso area that rivals GI Joe. And that is just ONE feature in addition to most of the joints, which not only bend, but swivel as well (feet, hands, head, knees, elbows, and thighs).
Detail: 9- Mandalore is very pedestrian in a Tusken sort of way, but he still gets points as well as his descendents. Boba and Jango’s costumes are as real as a toy can get in comparison to what we saw on screen. Also, Mandalore’s cape fits him well- gives him a very regal look that contrasts to the Tusken clothing.
Price: About $20, given the single new figure and updates of established figures, I say it’s worth it just to see the face under Boba’s helmet.
Accessories: Each figure came with at least 3, including helmets, headgear, and classic battle gear.
Action Figure Spotlight: Star Wars The Fett Legacy Collection
One of the latest additions to my Star Wars collection was the Fett Legacy Collection, featuring 2 of the coolest characters in science fiction history that had quite possibly the dumbest deaths on screen. When first introduced in 1978 and subsequently touted to be a “major character” in the next Star Wars movie (which would be The Empire Strikes Back), Boba Fett started off with the most prolific introduction that would become steeped in shadows- he was as mysterious as the shadow, not much dialogue or interaction, but he was damn cool. Fans embraced him wholeheartedly, but it wasn’t till almost 20 years after his introduction that we started getting a little backstory on who exactly this silent bounty hunter was and where his origins started…
Mandalore The Indomitable
The only original figure in the collection, Mandalore is part of the expanded universe in Star Wars mythology- he was one of the first leaders of the Mandalorian Soldiers- a group of soldiers who have gone toe to toe with just about everyone in the galaxy, Sith and Jedi included. Upon first examination, Mandalore has an almost Tusken Raider quality to him, especially in the actual suit- there are no apparent armor plates as we see on Jango or Boba, aside from the shoulder armor, which is connected to the mask via breathing tubes. Pretty much the only connecting trait to the present day Mandalorian is the faceplate- the T-shaped visor that has so singularly defined the very visage of the Mandalorian himself. Of course, being thousands of years old, Mandalore is not adorned with blaster rifles or state of the art equipment; he bears 3 accessories- a hand axe, a staff, and a shield. He also bears a completely cloth cape, which does not appear to be removable. The axe and staff feature molded straps for carrying purposes; only problem is that you can only put these on the left arm as the shoulder plate attaches to the figure via a strap under the right arm, which prohibits a bit of movement and the inclusion of any weapons. The kilt isn’t removable, either, which limits positioning. One neat little trick I found with Mandalore is that, if you want to use both the axe and staff at the same time, you can adhere the shield to the back of his shoulder plate, which bears a hole big enough to fit the handle of the shield in. Lasting thoughts: a very cool figure; nice to see the expanded universe getting some love from Hasbro, which they have been consistently doing since ROTS.
Jango Fett
And here comes Papa Fett in as much detail and articulation that you can possibly imagine for a 3 ¾” Figure. Although I don’t remember Jango having such a purple suit underneath the armor plates (for some reason, I thought it was more bluish) the detail on every part of his body is amazing. First off, you get a removable helmet, which you can then replace with the headset apparatus (goes double for Boba). Arms and legs are completely articulate, holsters and belt are non-removable, but that’s not a bad thing- they don’t hamper leg or hip movement as the kilts on some of the other figures do. One cool little oddity I noticed is that both the gauntlets have 2 wires running from the underside onto a ring right above the elbow joints. They do impede a bit on arm movement, but it’s very little. The downside on this guy is that his jetpack just won’t stay on- very loose fitting.
Boba Fett
Now, I may be totally wrong on this, but I’m fairly certain this is the first Boba figure that has ever come out with a removable helmet, and just on that detail alone, I rate him the best of the lot, so let’s take the downside first- like Papa, his jetpack does not stay on- you really have to jam it in there to keep it attached. The upside? Just about everything. Boba’s armor has the distinct “battle damage” to it in the way of the helmet dent, scratched off paint, and an overall “grungyness” flavor to just about everything, including the rear cloth piece that is attached to his shoulder. The wookie pelt braid is very distinct, as is the belt with pouches that also features a holster for a hand pistol. He comes with his trademark sawed-off that has a bit of detail unto itself- it captures that “used” feeling for a guy who has seen lots of action across the galaxy. The sawed off also has a molded strap that can be fitted underneath either shoulder plate if you just want to use the hand pistol. When the helmet is removed, you see a scarred face in white bandages (possibly a nod to his return from the Sarlacc in the Bounty Hunter Wars Trilogy when Dengar nursed him back to health?) Also like Dad is the tube running from the gauntlet to a ring around his elbow, only Boba has this on his right arm. The paint detail is also incredible- they managed to get the symbol on the upper right corner of the chest plate as well as the red Mandalorian symbol on the left shoulder plate. Truly a great figure.
Overall, I’m finding that the Legacy line is really worth the money. I believe I spent somewhere in the area of $20 for this set, and it’s cool for those collectors who like to zero in on one particular character such as Boba Fett and company. As much as I can’t stand re-treads in any toy line, I reserve that judgement in this case simply because of the amount of effort Hasbro put into designing and updating this particular set.
Overall Scores:
Articulation: 10- Both Jango and Boba have a swivel on the lower torso area that rivals GI Joe. And that is just ONE feature in addition to most of the joints, which not only bend, but swivel as well (feet, hands, head, knees, elbows, and thighs).
Detail: 9- Mandalore is very pedestrian in a Tusken sort of way, but he still gets points as well as his descendents. Boba and Jango’s costumes are as real as a toy can get in comparison to what we saw on screen. Also, Mandalore’s cape fits him well- gives him a very regal look that contrasts to the Tusken clothing.
Price: About $20, given the single new figure and updates of established figures, I say it’s worth it just to see the face under Boba’s helmet.
Accessories: Each figure came with at least 3, including helmets, headgear, and classic battle gear.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"...Working on a specimen the size of Angel is actually easier in many ways."
Mac scoffs. "Easier almost ate me a few days ago."-Steve Alten, Meg: Hell's Aquarium
"...Working on a specimen the size of Angel is actually easier in many ways."
Mac scoffs. "Easier almost ate me a few days ago."-Steve Alten, Meg: Hell's Aquarium
- Rattrap's tail
- Posts: 664
- Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:02 pm
- Location: In space, helping Gunbuster.
-
- Posts: 32206
- Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am
That's probably a Japanese version - IIRC, Devil Satan 6 had slightly changed colours to Monsterous, a bit more pastel-y and less cartoony. And for some reason I really like Spoiler's arms.Civ wrote:Recently got a couple of Gobots: Renegade Spoiler and some brown variation of Wierd Wing.
HCM Zeta Gundam - I think I'm just going to have to admit that the Zeta simply doesn't work at 1/144. This is more straightforward than the Chogokin version, but looks nowhere near as good in either mode, and has even less articulation. I didn't pay much for it on the upside, but will probably be moving it on when I've reviewed it.
Gobots Mach-3 - finally completes my standard Gobots collection, up until now I've only owned the European and Japanese versions.
- Treadshot A1
- Posts: 2411
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:49 am
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 32206
- Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am
- Treadshot A1
- Posts: 2411
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:49 am
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 32206
- Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am
- bowspearer
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 2:57 pm
- Location: As far from here as possible
- Contact:
- Treadshot A1
- Posts: 2411
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:49 am
- Contact:
Gouki wrote:Have ordered a couple of Lego sets. Imperial Dropship and Peril in peru for me, and Kings Castle Seige and Skeleton Battle Pack for my partner.
If the Imperial Drop Ship you are refering to is the one that came out last year, it is pretty swank- I had fun assembling it and the end result is quite cool.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"...Working on a specimen the size of Angel is actually easier in many ways."
Mac scoffs. "Easier almost ate me a few days ago."-Steve Alten, Meg: Hell's Aquarium
"...Working on a specimen the size of Angel is actually easier in many ways."
Mac scoffs. "Easier almost ate me a few days ago."-Steve Alten, Meg: Hell's Aquarium