E.T. and Galactic Senate Pods

E.T. and Galactic Senate Pods

NECA - Hasbro

I got a set of Galactic Senate Pods from EBay!  Now I can recreate the most exciting scenes from the prequel trilogy!  Let the debating and filibustering begin!  

One pod came in a set of repacked figures (Yoda, Palpatine, shock troopers) as a Target exclusive way back in the day.  I wasn’t quite crazy enough then to rebuy a bunch of figures I already had just so the Emperor could have the equivalent of a metal boulder to throw at a CGI puppet thing.  

Years go by, and NECA gave me a reason to give this another look with the arrival of their E.T. mystery mini figures.  Ugh...blind bag nonsense.  Actually, my wife was given two as a birthday gift, and I added a third (another neutral, arms down pose) just to make this all work.  

If you didn’t know E.T. existed in the Star Wars universe, here’s a clip from The Phantom Menace to save you the agony of rewatching the movie.  You would probably fall asleep during the political crap before their split second inclusion in the “vote of no confidence” crowd rabble scene:

Sit down, loser.

I like to believe that E.T.’s kind was one of the few groups that got out while the getting was good.  The people in the prequel movies were complete morons and made a mess of everything, so an E.T. family took their round spaceship (which looks quite similar to a trade federation core ship, right?) and galaxy hopped.  Also, maybe being a Force-sensitive race makes sense of E.T.’s telepathy and levitation powers?

Anyway, enjoy this very odd inclusion to my collection.  I picked them up cheap before Disney decides to flesh out that one line of Tarkin dialog into another horrible spin-off movie or show episode:

“The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I have just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.”

Wait!  That does sound awesome...the Emperor “dissolving” a whole room of these pods and their stuffy delegates?!  At least it would be better than anything in Rogue One...I wish I could dissolve Rogue One.

Paulie Pennino

Paulie Pennino

Rocky - Jakks Pacific

It’s a Thanksgiving miracle!  Everyone’s favorite alcoholic, abusive brother is home for the holidays.  I missed out on Paulie from the Jakks Pacific Rocky line way back in 2006, so this guy was a must at a local toy shop...for only $7.99!   Between Jakks and NECA, I feel my Rocky lineup is that much more complete now.  Time to start work on a custom of Paulie’s robot!

Take a look back at the rest of my Rocky Collection here:

NECA Rocky

Louis Tully’s Terrible Night

 Louis Tully’s Terrible Night

Ghostbusters Plasma Series- Hasbro

As it was originally planned as a San Diego Comic Con exclusive, I should be jumping for joy that I got it with no fuss from Hasbro Pulse.  HOWEVER, this Plasma Series capper does come at a price...and I’m not just talking money.

Let’s talk positives first.  Louis Tully looks great.  They absolutely nailed the Rick Moranis head sculpt. Mattel’s figure was okay for it’s time, but this is a case where the digital scan trumps hand artistry by a mile.  

His body is totally unique to the line, having no shared parts that I can tell.  He is appropriately short and frumpy in all the right spots.  The articulation is greater and more improved than the Mattel Tully, obviously...my how Marvel Legends spoiled us all.

While making the colander helmet a separate, removable piece and not a part of a separate head does work just fine, Mattel still put a little more effort in their Tully in detail and accessories.  Pizza, popcorn barrel, barbecued Terror Dog head...here, you get nothing.  A tiny pot of coffee (yes, have some), a telephone, and a lamp would have put longtime collectors over the moon.  

I liked the dark blue stripes on the shirt that Mattel used, over the flat blue we get here.  I also wish he had a separate, neutral head.  This one, with the red eyes, is in full Keymaster mode. (What an asshole!)  Still, it’s the best version of the character we have gotten so far.

Having already released one as a build a figure, Hasbro thought this was the best way to get us to buy another Terror Dog.  They are right, but you’d think you would get a little more effort from them than what we have here. Reuse of the body sculpt and paint were a given, but the head...there’s supposed to be a difference of horns between Vinz Clotho and Zuul.  

Technically, we have two Vinz Clotho figures in name alone according to Hasbro.  The BAF was labeled Vinz and, to make their double pack gimmick scene specific, this one is also Vinz.  C’mon, we’re talking a bout a half a thimble’s worth of plastic here!  I could modify the horns myself...but this is the kind of abuse Ghostbusters fans already had to endure with Mattel!

Sigh, it is what it is...and what it is is at least a fairly well rounded first movie line.  Sure, there a a few more ghosts we’d like.  I’m hoping more are on the way just to get Slimer out there.  If not, Mattel at least has us covered with their efforts.  Gotta mix and match with this mixed bag of a property.  Ghostbusters deserves better...but, hey, it goes with the underdog theme, right?

Back to the Future Clock Tower and mini Time Machines

Back to the Future Clock Tower and Mini Time Machines

Funko Pops - Jada Toys

Here we go again...I bought into those nasty Funko Pops once more.  While it’s hard to pass on anything Doc Brown, he was not the aim for this special set.  He comes packed with the famous Hill Valley Courthouse Clock Tower!  

Save the clock tower!  Save the clock tower! - RIP, Elsa Raven.

It’s made of a soft, hollow plastic much like the Pops.  I have the Beetlejuice Dante’s Inferno Room from a few years back, and was afraid that this might be as fragile/brittle as that.  Luckily, even the weather vane and lightning bolt are made of a semi-flexible plastic.

While still on the small side, I got this primarily to stand in with Diamond Select’s huge BTTF minimates collection.  I think it looks pretty good!  

It scales even better with 1/64 die-cast cars.  I have many Time Machines in that scale, so it’s nice to have a backdrop for them as well.

Another BTTF collectible I picked up recently:  Jada mini die-cast Time Machines!  As if micro vehicles aren’t fun enough, I am eagerly awaiting NECA’s 1955 Doc Brown figure to recreate the scale-model demonstration.  

November 5, 1955...Happy 35th, Back to the Future!

Go back in time to look at my BTTF cars and Minimates collection:  88 miles per hour!!!