Jack Kirby

 Jack Kirby

NECA Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I never thought this would happen...A JACK KIRBY ACTION FIGURE!

I promised myself I wouldn't harp on the "legacy" of Stan Lee on this one...but it's beyond time "The King of Comics" got the treatment he deserves.  One action figure is a step in the right direction.  It's not much, but its something.

Shameful that it wasn't Marvel or DC that gave us this shot.  Many thanks to NECA on being completionists with their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic line.  And sending that "thanks" back in time to Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman for giving props to one of their idols.

The figure is going to look most at home with the Turtles.  All those harsh lines and bright colors and all.  He looks like he jumped straight from the pages of the Donatello one-shot.  If you don't get the homage, a common "man" action figure may not be all that appealing.  He did come with a little Black Horde imp figure to help push the sale to these folks.

For those that do get the homage that is "Kirby", you should be over the moon.  He scales well enough with "other" figure lines.  So if you want to recreate the scene from the books where the Fantastic Four meet "God", all systems go!  

Maybe there's hope a digital Jack Kirby might show up in the new FF movie?  It would be nice, but it not like Disney gives that much credit to Ub Iwerks, so...

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/jack-kirbys-son-neal-kirby-responds-to-stan-lee-disney-documentary/

"My father retired from comic books in the early 1980s and of course, passed away in 1994. Lee had over 35 years of uncontested publicity, much naturally, with the backing and blessing of Marvel as he boosted the Marvel brand as a side effect of boosting himself. The decades of Lee's self-promotion culminated with his cameo appearances in over 35 Marvel films starting with "X-Men" in 2000, thus cementing his status as the creator of all things Marvel to an otherwise unknowing movie audience of millions, unfamiliar with the true history of Marvel comics. My father's first screen credit didn't appear until the closing crawl at the end of the film adaptation of Iron Man in 2008, after Stan Lee, Don Heck, and Larry Lieber. The battle for creator's rights has been around since the first inscribed Babylonian tablet. It's way past time to at least get this one chapter of literary/art history right. 'Nuff said."

The Suicide Squad and the Winter Guard

 The Suicide Squad and the Winter Guard

DC Multiverse - McFarlane Toys and Marvel Legends - Hasbro 

So, the first Suicide Squad movie sucked, but at least I got some obscure DC figures out of the mess.  Expectations for a second movie are low, but like hell I’m gonna pass on a figure of Polka-Dot Man!

I don’t dislike Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, I’m just a lil tired of that character carrying the bulk of the weight of the DC Cinematic Universe.  Having been Harley(ed) to death with figure variations since 1993, I would have passed on this one altogether had it not been for the King Shark build a figure piece.  Still, the red dress is something new, and the applications of her bonkers tattoos are clean and crisp.  There is something a bit off with the face…almost there, but not quite.  It really depends on the lighting and angle.

Same goes for John Cena’s Peacemaker.  Being a WWE fan, Ive had my fair share of better likenesses from Mattel.  It’s there, but not quite…which may be a minus for a face covered 50% by a helmet.  The costume looks great.  See, Marvel…you can do movie-ized versions of comic outfits and get away with it…if you arent secretly ashamed of the material you’re writing for.

The Idris Elba likeness is…um…nonexistent.  Yup, Todd McFarlane wants you to buy a figure with 95% reuse just so you can get an alternate head.  It’s always 1997 in Todd’s world!  Eh, I like the helmet anyway.  Has Bloodsport had an outfit or color scheme like this in current comics?  It’s a lil too “placeholder for Deathstroke” if you ask me.

Saving the best for last, Polka-Dot Man is here is all of his goofy glory!  And he has a fairly comic accurate costume!  Love the removable goggles. Not sure how they are going to explain his bizarre dot powers, but at least he comes with an appropriate weapon and blast effect.  Now, If we could only get Kite Man for SS III…

Oh, speaking of weapons…I assume the movie will explain the weird swords and staff included with these.  Apparently, Warner Brothers will approve you to make toys of your violent, not-for-kids movie, just as long as they don’t have guns.  Um, that kinda dulls the MO of two world class assassins being on the team (one having once shot Superman with a Kryptonite bullet.). Sigh…Thank goodness for Jazwares’ Fortnite figures and their plethora of ammunition.  I was able to grab a few appropriate firearms for this photo shoot.

I already have a King Shark from Mattel some years back, but this is a unique take:  chubby and deceivingly friendly looking.  From they trailers, I assume he’s the team’s big, dumb tank.  And he’s voiced by Stallone!  

Sharky may be one of the weightiest figures in some time…lottsa solid plastic.  His articulation is fair for a figure of his size, but the shorts restrict most of his knee movement.  No team running pics for this guy.  The articulated mouth makes up for it.  Nomnomnomnom!

Aside from Harley overload, this is a pretty solid wave of figures.  I know there are a ton of characters on the team this time around (though who knows who survives more than a few second of screen time), so I hope the movie is successful enough for another wave or two.  The Thinker, Ratcatcher 2, and Mongal are musts for me.  They can keep the Pete Davidson figure, though…he looks like you could catch something from him just by standing next to him, and I don’t need any of that near my action figures.

One good, wacky team deserves another, so I’m pairing the Squad with Marvel’s Soviet Super-Soldiers, the Winter Guard!  Not much to say about Marvel Legends in general…more of the reused bodies, but great articulation and head sculpts.

I’ve covered the awesome, steampunky Crimson Dynamo before, and Red Guardian came out several years ago at this point.  Darkstar and Build-a-Figure Ursa Major are new additions.  It’s hard to keep track of Legends…I think we’ve had four waves hit in one summer!

 

 

It’s the summer of shark man and bear man…how epic is that?!

Cowabunga!!!  Let’s hear it for more completed action figure teams!

Take a look back at a slimmer, scarier looking King Shark:

https://terribletoyman.blogspot.com/2017/06/king-shark-wave-dc-multiverse.html 

Iron Man 2020

Iron Man 2020

Hasbro - Marvel Legends

The future is now!  And by looking at Iron Man 2020, it missed the geekdom steampunk fad by about five years.  But that doesn’t mean that this Walgreen’s exclusive figure is a dud...you’ll just have to figure out where he fits in your multiverse.

Jagged metal teeth, big shoulder cogs, belt gizmos...all over the excellent Marvel 80th Anniversary edition Iron Man sculpt.  (Sorry, I never got around to reviewing that one proper...but he has popped up in other reviews.) The red and gold are amped up on this edition, and he features artist-appropriate (read: creepy) eyes behind the mask.  He’s also got an extra set of hands for his power effects.

His blast effects kinda steal the yet-to-be-released deluxe War Machine’s thunder.  The small hand blasts are nothing new, but the boot thruster cloud is.  It comes in two pieces that fit together naturally to act as a stand.  This new accessory really does add some value to a mostly repurposed armor.  The only downside to the figure is no alternate Arno Stark head.

Speaking of streampunk, I also recently finished the Crimson Dynamo build-a-figure from the lackluster Black Widow movie wave.  (I wonder if that movie ever came out in Iron Man 2020’s timeline?). He’s not the ideal, classic look of the character, but he’s big, bad, and totally rad.  I dig the shoulder smoke-stacks and the translucent blue cooling tanks on his forearms.  They really add to that Soviet 80s charm!

Also also...I picked up the Iron Monger BAF that missed out on as part of an all-Iron Man K-Mart wave some years back.  (Does K-Mart still exist in Iron Man 2020’s timeline?).  I got him on eBay during the height of Coronavirus hysteria, and didn’t notice the shipping address until I had it in-hand:  New York, New York!  Yikes!! Time for a bath, Obadiah! (Does Coronavirus exist in Iron Man 2020’s timeline?)

 

“I said...”

“MAINTAIN SIX FEET APART!”

More Iron Men to add to the ever-growing hall of armors.  Watch out Batman, that wannabe playboy is tryin to catch up to you in my collection!

Squirrel Girl

Squirrel Girl

Marvel Legends - Legendary Riders

Hasbro

I know there is a cult following for Squirrel Girl, but is this the scraping of the bottom of the barrel for Marvel Legends?  I have no problem with strange and goofy character gimmicks, but did this have to be a deluxe figure with an inflated price tag?  Answers:  "Maybe" and "No."

I may be starting off a bit harsh, but I do like this figure and the essence of the character.  The sculpt brings her modern look into the third dimension pretty spot on.  While in most cases I would prefer "classic" figures, I would still take this one over her nightmarish, "Overly-Attached Girlfriend" first appearance if I had to choose only one.

Two gripes...the first is the tail.  While you do get your money's worth in plastic, it is solid, weighty, and makes the figure hard to stand in neutral poses.  It also makes her sit a bit awkwardly on her scooter.  It cannot be removed or rotated that I can tell.  A ball-jointed base with at least one segment swivel cut may have been too much to ask for, but I would have taken it over the scooter if it came down to cost.

The scooter is the same sculpt as the previous Deadpool Legendary Rider, except in blue and outfitted with a large "wooden" basket to haul squirrel buddies.  It has a kickstand that, so far, seems to help with balancing the weight of the figure and accessories.  Overall, it looks nice, but was this necessary?  "Legendary Riders" was already stretching the premise with Professor X in his flying wheelchair.  (A bit offensive..being legendarily disabled?)  I have no idea if the scooter is a staple of modern Squirrel Girl comics or shows or anything.  I guess it's fine having another six-inch scale vehicle that can work with any figures in my collection.  At least it's not plastered with Deadpool stickers...

Also, the horn tends to fall off easily.

Squirrel buddies!  Of course she needed these to demonstrate her power gimmick.  I think one shares a base sculpt with Squirrelpool (ugh), but the other two are all-new.  They didn't come with names, but Tippy-Toe is always depicted with a pink bow.  I guess you can create new squirrel personas for the others, or choose to name them after any of her former, deceased woodland pals.  I would have taken more squirrels in place of the scooter.  C'mon, Hasbro...two or three more squirrels, plus a slightly more articulated tail, minus the scooter would have been a win for everybody.  Oh, I forgot to throw in some more hands...she only comes with the one set.  Does she not punch anyone?  Or do the tree-rats do all the dirty work?

"Confound these wretched rodents! For every one I fling away, a dozen more vex me!"

This figure was a must-have, if only because my Legends Dr. Doom needed to be taken down a peg or two by being menaced by tiny rodents.  The scooter may be excessive to get to the $40 value, but the figure itself is great.  If Squirrel Girl does indicate the bottom of the barrel in character selection,  I hope Stilt-Man, Armadillo, and Swarm aren't far behind!  C'mon again, Hasbro...you just released the White Rabbit?  Where is my Nazi skeleton covered in bees?!

Black Ant and Atomica

Black Ant and Atomica

Hasbro Marvel Legends - DC Collectibles

An evil "Ant Man" teaming up with an evil "Atom!"  Are the combined efforts of our minuscule men (and women) of might enough to stop these tiny terrors?!  Finally, a mini DC and Marvel team-up...right here in my blog!

I really had no clue about the origins of Black Ant.  I assumed he was just a new Ant Man in the pages of the current comics I don't follow.  But after picking up his Walgreen's exclusive Marvel Legends figure for $10, I read up on him.  He's a flawed hero turned evil replicant?  Man, if the box had said "Evil Ant Man," I would have snapped him up at full price!

I'm not a fan of the reused "Pizza" Spider-man body.  It should be for Spidey only!  But, the color scheme works, and the paintjob on the eyes looks pretty creepy.  Considering the reuse and no build-a-figure pack-in, he should have some sort of accessories to put him on the must-have list.  C'mon...not even a miniature version of himself?!  Weak.

Atomica doesn't disappoint in that area AND features a new sculpt from DC Collectibles.  She would be priced slightly higher than Marvel Legends, but the accessories help balance that out.  The evil Atom, Atomica's costume reflects that of her heroic, alternate universe counterpart.  The goggles and belt are especially detailed.  Like the other DC Icons, she scales a bit small in true 6-inch, but that works considering that she's a girl and has the size-changing gimmick.

So, she doesn't come with a mini version of herself, BUT she does come with a mini version of the Ray Palmer Atom AND a dwarf-sized version of the Ryan Choi Atom.  Cool!  Ray comes with a stand and a "shrinking" effect.  Man, this is the second mid-sized Ryan Atom on my shelf...he needs a full-scale figure!  How about his Injustice 2 look, DDC?

It was nice getting to set up an action figure scene that didn't require some diorama or background for a change.  Also, as cool as Paul Rudd is...how much cooler would Ant Man be if he were a young Martin Landau?  Gotta love those inspired Toy Biz headsculpts!