Boo Berry

Boo Berry

Monster Cereals - Jada Toys

He's a year behind his brethren, but he made it home in time for Halloween!  My favorite of the General Mills' Monster Cereals, Boo Berry is ready to "Monster Mash" a complete an balanced breakfast.

Naturally, he's smaller than Frankenberry and Count Chocula.  He's lighter in articulation as well.  Of course, he ain't got no legs!  He does have a flight stand that keeps him floating like a phantom and eye-level with the others.

Aside from the stand, he comes with his mini cereal box.  No additional head or hands like the other monsters.  Not that he needs them, but what about compared value?  

It's all in the paint.  He's got a nice, ghostly blue that fades into his special feature:  He glows in the dark!  I love glow in the dark figures!

Unfortunately, he doesn't hold his glow for very long before needing recharging at your nearest light source.  Still, it looks nice and spooky for the short time one should be sharing at toys in the dark.

It must be the paint blend that keeps the glow down, because look at the cereal box:

Wowsers!  You can see every detail, even the tiny "GM" logo.  It's bright, and it lasts quite a long time!  The box he came in (one I will save, like the rest) also comes with a healthy green glow.

The gangs all here...well...not really.  Frute Brute is a must, and I'm partial to Yummy Mummy.  Poor Mummy got left out of the cereal prize promos last time around.  And now Carmella Creeper is here to take their limelight!  

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood

Friday the 13th Part VII:  The New Blood

NECA

Did I need another figure of this blatant “Halloween” rip-off?  Just look at the bones!!!  

The gore and fun kills kept the franchise going, and made for some interesting Jason Voorhies variations.  I was ready to call it quits with the video game version and Part 2 “sack-head.”  And the Part V version satiated my need for the hockey mask AND gore, with worm face and split hand features.  But this…this pushes the gross-out meter to eleven!

I don’t remember much of Part VII, other than this beat up looking Jason chained to the bottom of the lake.  Real metal chains on actions figures…I’m a sucker for them!  And being fish food for a while has left him deteriorated and slimy looking.  The exposed bones look so, so good!

He has two interchangeable heads.  One that comes with a full, removable hockey mask to reveal his grotesque monster face.  The sculpt shines through the eyeholes and the broken bottom portion of the mask.

The other head is a screaming monster face with a port in the back to support a mask that has been split in two.  It’s a neat effect, and the plastic straps are rubbery, yet not too rigid to support how much you want to reveal of Mommy’s special lil guy.

He also comes with a large amount of assorted cutlery.  Bloody ax and machete are nothing new, so how about a bloody rail spike to the noggin?  The offwithyourhead overhead circular saw is neat, but I foresee this breaking with minimal effort in the future.  I’m gonna stick with the good old hand sickle.  Or maybe the kaiser sling blade...mmm hmmm....

Unlike Michael Myers, Jason has delivered the goods in time for this Halloween season yet again.  The next “Halloween” set (with Dr. Loomis) will probably get here in time for Valentine’s Day.  Which I guess February is a scary movie dumping ground…

Take a look back at more Jason Voorhies variants:

https://terribletoyman.blogspot.com/2018/10/pennywise-and-jason.html

https://terribletoyman.blogspot.com/2020/10/sack-head-jason.html 

Back to the Future Part II Hoverboard and NECA Ultimate Figures

 Back to the Future Part II Hoverboard and Ultimate Doc Brown and Marty McFly

Fun.com - NECA

Missed out on Mattel's already overpriced ($120) for 2012 Hoverboard replica?  Not willing to pay nearly three times that on Ebay?  Well, good news...Halloween shops across the internet have a cheap, but comparable, alternative flying your way right now!

Halloween store props nowadays range from disposable to fairly decent...just look at all the Ghostbusters gear we've gotten over the last couple of years.  This new hoverboard is definitely for the fans, and not just an accessory for a one-night, slutty Marty McFly ladies costume.  

For about $60, I was surprised at how heavy this thing is.  The plastic feels extremely durable, though I'm not sure about testing it on the ground.  It has the tempting, Velcro foot strap, but not disclaimer about it being just a prop with a weight limit.  I wouldn't want to scuff up the hover discs anyway.  It's an under-the-arm prop only, or for collector's display.  I hope to mount it to the wall next to my Christopher Lloyd autograph and framed 2015 BTTFII USA Today special printing.

The colors are spot on, as bright and vibrant as you would expect.  Most of the board is one large decal.  This is where your satisfaction may vary, as there are wrinkles and air bubbles to work out.  Prop snobs would shun away, but it still looks good enough to me.  As this is not a Mattel release, it is missing the two large Mattel labels.  These can be replicated from scans in a Google search and printed at home, or Etsy has some alternative.  Either way, easy fix.

There isn't much more to say about it, as it doesn't have sound features or fly.  Again, for $60, it's not a bad mass-produced replica.  It's available for shipping now, well before the Halloween season.  As Halloween gets closer, I could see these disappearing, so don't stay on the fence about one too long.

As you can see from the pictures above, I have some new NECA 7-inch Back to the Future II figures.  Well, Marty has been out for some time, but Doc is just now hitting wide release.  He was a Target exclusive around Father's Day, then a full release to all parties late-summer/fall.  Not sure what sense that makes, but you know my feeling on Target exclusives.  I was lucky to snag this one, but lost out on "The Thing" MacReady first release.  *shakes fist*

While there is something not quite there in the Michael J Fox likeness, NECA has Christoper Lloyd down.  Maybe it's something to do with his expressive face, or they just love the character of Doc that much?  It is perfection.

These come with all the necessary, alternate 2015 accessories you could think of:  Pepsi Free, Sports Almanac, Hoverboard, etc.  My favorite is the opening briefcase with money for different time periods.  The handle popped off of mine trying to fit it into the figure's hand, but a couple drops of super glue fixed it up just fine.  

They make a big deal out of Marty's self-lacing Nikes, but have you ever had a good look at Doc's shoes?  Wild!  I wonder if there is any text out there explaining the gadgetry on these?  The little antennas feel as fragile as they look, so be careful when positioning those feet.

I've got some first movie figures I still need to review, but NECA has more on the way.  Expect to see those in the near future! 

Halloween II Mystery Capsules

Halloween II Mystery Capsules

NECA

Impulse buy!  I found these in the “adult collectible” section of Walmart (electronics area) and had to know what was inside.  Funny that NECA pumps so much energy behind sequels that are no longer canon (or part of an alternate timeline?).

What’s inside?  Was this worth 10?  Well...it’s a literal mixed bag.  First, you get some appropriately colored capsules embossed with the Halloween II logo.  I guess you could string these together or put em in a bowl for a seasonal decoration.

Inside are Halloween II trinkets of varying quality.  Here’s my ranking from least to most exciting:  eraser, lanyard, shoe laces, magnet, key chain, finger puppet mask, Haddonfield Memorial patch, enamel pin, Halloween III skull mask. 

Wait...Halloween III?  They couldn’t think of nine H2 collectibles? Nothing to commemorate my favorite kill in the entire series?!  I’m not complaining too much about that, as this is my favorite pull from the mix.  It may just be a repacked head from NECA’s H3, Mego-style (pronounced “cheapandoutofscale”) figures, but the peg hole fits my Michael Myers figure and doesn’t look too big.  I wish I could get the pumpkin and witch mask the same way, as I’m not a supporter of the 8-inch (pronounced “lame”), clothed line.

While half of these will be dumped in a bin and forgotten about, the other half I can see making future seasonal appearances.  Kids, like mine, will have a good time opening these with you.  NECA also has a Child’s Play pack available...I wonder which movies might be on deck next year?  C’mon, tiny Jason masks!

Laurie Strode, Teen Wolf, and Lock, Shock, and Barrel

Laurie Strode, Teen Wolf, Gengar, and Lock, Shock, and Barrel

NECA, Funko, Wicked Cool Toys, Diamond Select Toys

I'm a week overdue in showing off this year's Halloween display.  I kept the firehouse, Samhain, and the Spectral Busters up in honor of the Ghostbusters' return to Universal Studios.  Joining them are returning baddies:  Freddy, Jason, Michael, Pennywise, Chucky (all sporting gruesome, deformed looks this time), Audrey II, Black Phillip, and Beetlejuice.  I added a couple of newcomers/new pick-ups to the fun:  Lock, Shock and Barrel, Gengar, and Teen Wolf.

While a big fan of Nightmare Before Christmas when it came about, I have to admit that I have cooled on it as a result of the Hot Topic generation marketing it to hell and back.  These were mostly an impulse buy whilst perusing the Halloween section at Walgreens.  Diamond Select has done a great job with this property in sculpts, accessories, and character offerings.  Even if not collecting the whole line, the three trick-or-treaters would look good in any Halloween display.  Just look at Barrel with his new pal, Michael!  I would rather have the Silver Shamrock kids, but NECA just had to cheap out on us with the retro, 8-inch clothed garbage there.

They sport removable masks and display stands.  The WG releases have less accessories than the comic shop releases, but are cheaper by about $10.  This set of three was $15.

One caution here:  even with her stand, Shock is top heavy and prone to diving off the shelf.  

Gengar is one of the new, deluxe Pokemon from Wicked Cool Toys.  Press down on his head for some wicked tongue action!  

Teen Wolf is 80s megacheese, but as far as adding something different to the Wolfman mythos, I dig it.  And, yes, I bought another Funko Pop...grumble...

On the opposite side of the living room, I put up a balance to all the mischief.  Ash and the Munsters are keeping the evil dead in check with new addition, Laurie Strode.  

She's one of NECA's "ultimate" editions, but everything here is pretty standard.  Don't get me wrong, she looks great and is packing enough heat...but she's lacking a little something extra to push her over the edge.  It doesn't help that the second head included is the exact same as the other.  One has glasses, the other doesn't...but the glasses are removable in either case!  Why not some mud, blood or other battle damage?!

Anyway...Happy Halloween!  

Past Halloween reviews:

Michael Myers, Freddy Kruger, Chucky

Pennywise, Jason

Black Phillip

Stay Puft Halloween Greeter

Stay Puft Halloween Greeter

Properties like Ghostbuster and Beetlejuice should never be lumped together with Halloween as a "once a year" thing.  Sure, ghosts on the brain are more likely to occur during the season, but I need my fix all year round!  This two foot tall "Halloween Greeter" is staying out as a permanent display piece.  He's plush throughout, but has some sturdy inserts in his feet and legs to keep him upright.  

The brighter colors and cartoony face match up perfectly with the Real Ghostbusters style.  If you don't already have Diamond Select's giant Stay Puft Bank standing in with your figures, this is a good alternative.  Cheaper, too, at $20!  I found him at Walmart early in the season...maybe there are a few floating around on clearance or online at this point?

Walmart also had a "classic" (must you remind us that horrible "modern" take exists?) tumbler for only $5.  So why not mix up some homebrew Ecto Cooler with some Crystal Head Vodka while you marvel and your new marshmallow friend?