Attack of the Lego Zombies!

My daughter and I were playing with our Legos and she kept asking for any white hands and heads I stumbled onto. She then put these guys together and told me that they were all Zombies!

The next day I found a few headless Lego mini-figures on the table and assumed we just hadn't cleaned them all up after building. But my daughter told me the zombie on the jet-ski had been running over the Lego people and that was why they were headless.

Awesome.

Random Toy Pic :: Poison Ivy

Still one of my favorite Poison Ivy designs of all time. Very Art Nouveau. From 'The Batman' cartoon.

Supertruck!

This is my favorite gift this year:

I received this Superman Monster Truck from my daughter for Christmas. It's large and imposing, and it'll stomp over anything that gets in it's way (as long as whatever is in the way isn't holding Kryptonite!)

This truck is awesome of course, but it is extra special because of the thought behind it. My daughter is only nine, and doesn't live with me full time, so I don't expect her to go out of her way for me for the holidays. But she remembered a trip we took to Toys R Us a few months back, where I was trying to get ideas for her Christmas gifts...I kept asking her what she liked and what she wanted etc. We walked past a remote control Batmobile which I thought was pretty neat. She finally asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said 'that Batmobile was pretty cool, maybe I'll ask Grandma and Grandpa for it.'

When she handed me this gift she said 'I looked for the Batmobile but couldn't find it, so I got you this.'

The fact that she remembered what I said I wanted and later went out looking for it fills me with more joy than any Batmobile ever could (even the real one!) and proves the old addage 'it's the thought that counts.'

I brought my Superman Monster Truck to work so I can look at it all day and remember how thoughtful and sweet my kid is.

Rant on the gender bias of toys/toy marketing

*This video has been making the geek blog rounds lately, and in addition to seeing it, I also recently saw the below Lego ad from 1981; I finally snapped and had to rant.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: The toy aisles are the last bastion of 1950s American marketing misogyny. Toys are separated by 'gender' and as often color coded to match the archaic worldview of what colors (and tasks) defined each gender in 1952. Girls toys are pink vacuums and ovens and dolls, boys toys are blue trucks and guns and spaceships. Girls get Barbie. Boys get Batman.

If a boy does want an Easy Bake Oven or a toy kitchen set because he's seen his mom or dad in the kitchen (because he LIVES IN 2011!!!) he's likely to end up with a pink one. Now that's fine save for the fact that society has so ingrained the color pink into the minds of people as a girl color, that little boy is likely to meet opposition and maybe even scorn when his friends discover he has a pink item, let alone a pink kitchen item (the kitchen also being hammered into society's consciousness as a place for girls alone.)

If a girl does want a female superhero action figure representing a character she saw on Batman: The Brave and the Bold while watching it with her mom or dad...well she can forget about it. Mattel specifically stated that the Brave and the Bold toyline was 'boy oriented' and that they would therefore not be releasing any female characters in that toyline.

Wait, what if a boy wants Catwoman or Batgirl? Too bad son. Man up. Go shoot a gun and/or punch someone.

Recently, Lego announced a new girl oriented building set line and claim they spent millions in research to find out what girls really want/why girls aren't buying Legos. They could have given me ten f-ing dollars and I would have told them it's BECAUSE ALL YOU MAKE ARE STAR WARS SETS MARKETED DIRECTLY TO BOYS!

But no one asked me.

In effect, their millions of dollars of research led them to change the mini-figure to look more 'Polly Pocket' like and then they added a lot of pinks, purple and pastel colors to new sets aimed at girls. Now on the surface this is fine and dandy; new types of Lego figures are nice and new colors are nice. But why does it have to be done in such a partisan fashion? Why couldn't they have just released sets with new colors and new builds and new mini-figure designs and marketed them towards boys and girls alike?

Ironically, Lego has also just begun releasing DC Universe Lego sets, and at least four of these sets include prominent female superheroes: Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and Wonder Woman. In fact, I bought a Catwoman set for my daughter for Christmas. This Catwoman set is not a Batman set with Catwoman in it, mind you. It is a Catwoman set with a Batman in it. Think about that. I don't know of any other Lego set to have been thusly designed. There has never been a Princess Leia set with Han in it. There has never been a Lady Racecar Driver set with Male Mechanic in it. There isn't a Hermione set with Harry in it. Yet there is a Catwoman set with Batman as supporting character.

That's kind of a big deal.

I also received the set that includes Wonder Woman, which my daughter immmediately took control of and built Lex Luthor's Mech-Suit, with little help from me.

Let me restate that: She gave little attention to the Wonder Woman figure and instead BUILT THE WHOLE DAMN SET (A ROBOTIC SUIT OF MASS DESTRUCTION,) BECAUSE HER GOAL WAS TO BUILD THE DAMN THING LIKE EXACTLY WHAT LEGOS ARE DESIGNED FOR! She's nine.

But wait, how can that be? Okay, Lex has some purple on that suit...maybe that's what attracted her. But Catwoman is driving a motorcycle, not pushing a carriage. How could she possibly be attracted to that set? And what about boys? How can they possibly stomach a set with a girl Lego mini-figure in it, let alone four different sets?!? Lego stands to lose millions!

Thank God they have the new pink doll sets to make up the loss!

There's no denying that most Lego sets are marketed directly and implicitly at boys (Star Wars sets being the most obvious, with rare appearances from Leia and an occasional female Jedi being thrown in for token value,) even the city sets and castle sets and others that could be non-gender-biased are extremely male-centric. Yet Lego appears to be making their DC Superhero AT LEAST relatively diverse, and they also seem fully capable of balancing out their mini-figure blind bag selections, giving boys and girls options in both genders that they all find appealing by adding in many female and male characters relevant to many different genres (the forthcoming female Viking and past releases of both Male and Female Skateboarders spring immediately to mind.)

Of all the major toy companies out there today, Lego seems a little schizophrenic. They get so close to the answer then spin off on a tangent.

I have to say one thing however, at least they are trying; that's far more than I can say for any other major toy manufacturer or major toy retailer today.

Which makes the below ad from 1981 all the more ironic.

So what's my point? My point is that a lot of people let marketing do the thinking for them. I see it all the time when I am in a toy store and parents are walking around like stupified zombies, pulling things off shelves as if they don't know their own damn kid. You mean to tell me you spend all day with that kid and you have no idea what they like/dislike or what toys they already own? Do you not look in your own stupid hand when you are picking something up off the living room floor to avoid stepping on it and go 'oh, better not buy this one for Christmas, he/she already HAS it.'

Probably not, as it seems most people these days pretty much ignore their own kids.

My point is also this: I believe Lego spent millions in research only to take the final word of these same stupified parents as to what their daughters liked/disliked. And I think that Lego's newest girl-oriented venture will fail not because it's a bad toy or because the idea is necessarily bad, but because of poor/improper/sexist marketing.

Reinforcing separatism in the toy aisles as we roll into 2012 is the wrong move. The right move would have been inclusion.

The misogynistic retail outlets are also to be blamed for the upcoming failure of the line; they will undoubtedly place the sets where buyers of interest won't/can't find them. Because the retailers won't know what to do with these sets. They won't see how it could possibly fit into their blue/pink aisle layouts. So they will stick them some odd place that doesn't allow for proper exposure. And the line will flop.

And that's too bad. Because if it were properly marketed to both boys and girls, (or just...gasp...children!) it could maybe have had a chance. Because, let's face it, Lego makes good toys. After that, it's all about the marketing. And in America, the television show Mad Men isn't just a nostalgic look at the archaic behavior of the men of marketing in a decade long ago; when it comes to marketing toys, it's a window to the now.

End rant.
UPDATE:


This commercial cements my case.

Catwoman Purrrsday :: A Very Catwomany Christmas!

Christmas is over, and in true Catwoman fashion, it's time to look at some loot!

As reported previously, I was able to find the Catwoman City Chase Lego set #6858 before Christmas, but I had to keep it under wraps (literally) until my daughter was able to open hers for Christmas. Probably not a news flash: She LOVED the set!

I had been keeping mine (yes, I bought one for both of us!) at work so as not to let the...ahem...cat out of the bag too soon, and true to form I could not resist it, first opening up the mini figures and finally, on December 23rd, assembling the entire set!

My thoughts? This set is awesome. The mini figures are of course a delight, Catwoman's motorcycle is a fine vehicle for our feline-ious foe, and the street corner with mail box and newspaper stand would fit right in with any Lego city scape, which adds playability to this small set. The 'crates' are kind of a silly addition, until you realize you can use them to pose Batman/Catwoman/The Catcycle on, then they become a little cooler. Two of them could even be used to store loot in, so I suppose Catwoman might use them to smuggle her diamonds out of town.

Batman has a little jet pack you build and mount on his back, and of course Catwoman has a giant diamond and her whip.

The set comes with 'claws,' but one odd thing - the set is supposed to only come with one set of claws, and they are listed in the instructions as part of Batman's jet pack. But both my and my daughter's set came with two sets of these claws (as well as a few other small 'extra' pieces)...so they can appropriately be used as weapons for Catwoman.

Even if your set only comes with one of the claws, I do think they make a better cat weapon than bat jet pack addition, and the jet pack doesn't suffer aesthetically at all from their lack of inclusion. So I suggest you give 'em to Catwoman.

"A light won't lite on one side..."

This set is listed at $12.99 on Lego's shop website, but sold at Toys R Us for $17.99 when I bought it (and is listed on TRU's website at $19.99!) Preposterous! I recommend you hold out and buy this set for closer to $12.99 once it starts hitting places like Target and K-Mart (I saw one there on Tuesday.)

It is of course a 'must have' set, but I sincerely doubt there will be mass shortages of any of these sets as we roll into the new year.

I just love the cute little mailbox!

Harley Qwednesday :: Christmas with Harley

I got my nine year old daughter this Harley Quinn beanie that was originally sold at the WB Store back in 1999 or therabouts. I had already given her sister a similar Batgirl and given her a Poison Ivy when her sister was born, so now she has a pair of perilous pals to keep her company and to harass her sister's Batgirl.

Here's a small sample of my daughter's Christmas loot, including the Catwoman City Chase Lego set and a Webkinz that Santa gave her.

Hero Factory Batman

I received this Lego Hero Factory Batman for Christmas from the Mother-in-law. Because I like Batman!

I've never gotten into the Bionicle (now 'Hero Factory') scene, but since this is Batman I am more than willing to make the exception.

The build is simple and pretty fun, and of course all these bits are interchangeable, so assuming you have more Bion...I mean Hero Factory stuff around...you can easily add to your heart's delight.

The joints are tight and he's pretty agile, fun to mess around with on your desk at work or at home.

In fact, mine is at work because the wife said to me 'That's a 'work Batman', right?' I take it she was feeling overwhelmed by the Christmas clutter. Okay, I'll take him to work. My desk can always use another Batman!

Also, you know you're a true Batman fanatic when you have specific Batmen designated for work and for home.

I like to think of this guy as some sort of Batbot or Bat-mecha that Batman has built to help him defend Gotham City. Which means he looks great with a little Batman riding on his shoulder...

'Throw mud at me, willya! Come on, Batbot, let's go teach that Clayface a lesson!'

Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas again kids! And you know what that means?

That's right...TOYS!

And you simply can't spell 'Toyriffic' without 'oy'...'riffic'...'if'...'yri'... 'TOY!'

You can't spell Toyriffic without 'Toy.'

So as we pick up the wrapping paper and bows and boxes and dismantle the tree and take down the lights and march head first into 2012 (mein Gott!) we are sure to have all sorts of goodies to look at here at your favorite blog*

I hope all of you (and more) continue to derive some semblance of enjoyment from this blog in 2012.

Thanks to everyone for being a part of all the madness around here for the past four years. (I started Toyriffic in December of 2007!) I have more fun with this blog than a man should be allowed to have on a family safe internet site. And although I'd be doing this with or without you wonderful viewers, it would be a hell of a lot more lonely around here without you.

So go, get off the damn computer! Enjoy a cup of coffee, open a present, watch your kids open their presents, kiss your family, unstuff a stocking, pretend to find your father-in-law's jokes funny...and try to look at something today, anything, the presents, the tree, the candy canes, some part of it through the eyes of that little boy or girl you used to be.

Christmas is magic. Life is good. Have fun!

*it better be

Random Toy Pic :: Batstormtrooper

Comic Book Zen :: What to do with the leftover wrapping paper...

From Bugs Bunny's Christmas Funnies #2 1951

Catwoman Purrrsday :: Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle

Here are a few choice shots from the newly released The Dark Knight Rises trailer of Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle.

Enjoy:

Harley Qwednesday :: New Lego Harley Quinn!

Over at DcUniverseSuperheroes.Lego.com some upcoming DC Superhero minifigures have been revealed in a line-up on their front page, including a new version of Harley Quinn!

The torso paint application is different than the currently existing Harley Quinn Lego, as is the face and the alternating red/black 'gloves.' Funny, but I never noticed the lack of gloves on the existing Harley Quinn mini-figure until I saw this updated version. An easy fix, but still it's interesting that they originally released her with white hands.

This new Harley Quinn mini-figure will be released as part of set #6857 - The Dynamic Duo Funhouse Escape! The set also includes Batman, an awesome Tim Drake version of Robin, The Joker, and (inexplicably) The Riddler!

Nice line-up of Gotham City mini-figures! And what a neat display this set will make. What better place for Harl and Mr. J to make mischief than a funhouse?

This set is listed at Lego.com with a ship date of January 23rd 2012, but I have seen them for sale on Craigslist and eBay already, so someone is finding them somewhere. Woohoo!

Batgirl in The Dark Knight Rises...?

There's a lot of speculation that Batman will fall/die in The Dark Knight Rises. Yet Nolan has said on record (somewhere) there he will not have a Robin in his trilogy.

The man can die (maybe) but not the idea. Not the legend.

Let's assume Batman does die; or at least gets too old for this sh...tuff.

Who then will replace Batman? Joseph Gordon Levitt?

Please.

How about Batgirl then? Barbara Gordon has already appeared in Nolan's trilogy in the finale of The Dark Knight. And the filmmakers (specifically Nolan as Director) really went out of their way to not show the actress' face. As if he had bigger plans for the future of this character, and knew he'd need a bigger actress for her later on. Watch the scene again with that in mind and you'll notice what I mean.

Babs is about 12 in The Dark Knight. The Dark Knight Rises will take place eight years later. Making Babs around twenty 'now.'

It's already pretty well established that Nolan's trilogy is about Jim Gordon and Bruce/Batman, not just Batman. What better way to culminate the trilogy than by combining the two?

It's as if Batman and James Gordon had a baby together, and she will be the future of Gotham City. That would be one hell of a way to wrap up a trilogy, wouldn't it?

Other than the obvious use of Bane (and with Nolan is it ever really about the obvious?) The Dark Knight Rises actually has a lot of elements of 'girl power:' Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra's, has likely taken up her father's mantle. Catwoman (nuff said.) There's even talk that Selina's 'sidekick' Holly Robinson (another daughter figure) will appear in The Dark Knight Rises.

That's a lot of girls/daughters for a boy's action flick about a guy who dresses as a bat and a good cop working in a bad system.

Will it happen? Will Batgirl appear in Nolan's trilogy? I would love it, Nolan could pull it off, but even I doubt it will happen.

Although...Batgirl did appear in Batman and Robin, the only other live action appearance of Bane. Could Nolan be hinting at something with Bane's inclusion? Could the femininity of Batgirl be the polar opposite of the musclebound steroid infused He-Man Bane, and the only response to the brute male force that has hit Gotham City in this, the last chapter of Nolan's bat-trilogy?

Hmmmm....

With Nolan, expect the unexpected.

FREE Batman Inc. Batsuit Skin download for Arkham City

As a 'Thank You' to fans for helping to make Arkham City the most epic game of the history of ever*, Rocksteady Studios, the makers of Batman: Arkham City, will be offering a free download of Batman in his Batman Inc. costume tomorrow! Click Here for official announcement.

In addition, they have released a code to unlock any Batman variant costume you have purchased or downloaded to play in any part of the game, regardless of if you have completed the main game or not. No word on if this works for Catwoman - but I hope it does!

A Thank You from Batman: Arkham City!
December 20, 2011

Hi all,

We have had an amazing release of Batman: Arkham City and we wanted to thank you all for your incredible support before, during and after the game's release.

As a token to our appreciation, we'll be offering a brand new, totally super sweet, Batman Inc. Batsuit skin absolutely free!

You will be able to download the skin tomorrow from Xbox Live Marketplace, PlayStation Network and Games for Windows Marketplace. We'll be sure to let everyone know exactly when the skin are available.

We also know you want to deliver justice on the streets of Gotham as Batman in your favorite skin, any time and all the time. So using the below cheat, you can select any alternative Batman skin and play them in the main game, without having to complete the full game.

To unlock this, simply press the following combination on the Main Menu screen (after you have selected your save slot):

- Left, Left, Down, Down, Left, Left, Right, Up, Up, Down.

You will get an audio confirmation and when you continue your game, you will get the option to select your favorite skin.

Thank you again for your amazing support and have a great holiday!


Sefton Hill - Game Director - Rocksteady Studios


*according to extensive polling by Toyriffic of Toyriffic management.

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer...rises!

The Dark Knight Rises trailer is now up at Apple.com - go gaze upon it in HD glory, pausing every second, analyzing every scene...like me!

Random Toy Pic :: Lego Batman

This is the newest Lego version of Batman that comes with Catwoman Catcycle City Chase set #6858

I love the extended wings - they are a single piece that connects to his neck, so there's no worries of a wing falling off or getting lost. They also have pegs on the back so a jet-pack can be built on Batman's back, but display very nicely without anything added. The blue/grey colors and the yellow oval and 'pellet' belt are reminiscent of the seventies era Batman.I love him!

Unbelievable as it may seem, this is my first Lego Batman ever - and only one of three DC superhero based Lego minifigures I have ever owned (Catwoman that came with this set and of course Harley Quinn being the other two!)

Of course, with all the new Dc Superhero Lego stuff coming in 2012, those stats won't last long!

One brick to rule them all...

I know I have been talking a lot about Legos lately, with the fun of the blind bagged mini-figures and the awesomeness of upcoming DC and Marvel superhero licenses.

Well, you better get used to it, because it looks like there will be more epically geeky Lego concoctions coming soon...direct from Middle Earth!

My current love of Lego is pretty specific to the mini-figures, and while Lego Hobbits and Lego Orcs are bound to be amazing and will surely delight me to no end, the potential for Lego playsets of Helms Deep or the Ent attack on Isengard just get me all tingly inside!

Stay tuned to Toyriffic and LordoftheRings.Lego.com for news on what is sure to be a match made in heaven!

Warner Bros. Consumer Products and The LEGO Group
Build on Partnership to Produce Construction Toys for
THE LORD OF THE RINGS™ Trilogy and the Two Films Based on THE HOBBIT
-Building Sets Based on Epic Film Trilogy and Forthcoming Theatrical Release Slated for 2012-
BILLUND, Denmark and Burbank, CA – December 16, 2011 – Warner Bros. Consumer Products and The LEGO Group announced today a partnership that awards the world’s leading construction toy brand exclusive rights to develop build-and-play construction sets based on THE LORD OF THE RINGS™ trilogy and the two films based on THE HOBBIT™. The multi-year licensing agreement grants access to the library of characters, settings, and stories for THE LORD OF THE RINGS property, as well as films The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again. LEGO® THE LORD OF THE RINGS construction sets are slated for a rolling global launch beginning in June 2012 in the United States, with LEGO THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY scheduled for later in the year.
“Only LEGO, with their expertise in the construction category, is capable of doing justice to the incredibly imaginative environments depicted in the world of THE LORD OF THE RINGS and the two films based on THE HOBBIT,” said Karen McTier, executive vice president, domestic licensing and worldwide marketing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “These films give life to amazing worlds and characters and we are thrilled to bring fans these products that deliver an imaginative play experience befitting of these beloved properties.”
The LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS collection will translate into LEGO form the epic locations, scenes and characters of Middle-earth as depicted in all three films, including The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
In late 2012, LEGO THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY will give fans of all ages a chance to build and play out the fantastical story and new characters of the legendary Middle-earth adventures depicted in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey from Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, slated to premiere December 14, 2012.
“Our collaboration with Warner Bros. Consumer Products has delivered numerous worldwide successes in the construction toy aisle with lines like LEGO HARRY POTTER and LEGO BATMAN, introducing us to loyal audiences who love great stories, strong characters and the toys that they inspire,” said Jill Wilfert, vice president, licensing and entertainment for The LEGO Group. “It’s particularly exciting to now be able to create sets based on the fantasy worlds and characters from THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy and the two films based on THE HOBBIT, not only because we know they will foster collectability and creative play, but also because these are two properties that our fans have been asking us to create for years.”
Information about the sets and collectible minifigures from both collections will be unveiled at a later date at TheLordoftheRings.LEGO.com.

Found at The Brothers Brick

Comic Book Zen :: Redheads

From Batgirl #3

Catwoman Purrrsday :: Le'go my Lego!

 As reported here earlier this week, I found the Catwoman Catcycle City Chase Lego set at Toys R Us. (in Salinas California, for those of you following along closely ;)  )

I bought two sets, one for my daughter and one for me, and since my daughter can't see hers until Christmas I had to bring my set to work to play with...er...I mean 'examine' it. And to photograph for you Toyruffians out there in cyberland.

I'll post more about her Catcycle and the rest of the set soon; I just had to get the mini-figure out for today's Catwoman Purrrsday - things like this just can't wait until Christmas!

Catwoman has two 'face' options on her head, one with a snarl and goggles/lenses over her eyes and one with a smile and her eyes visible. The set doesn't come with a hair piece for her, but one could easily use one from any number of mini-figures to make a maskless version of Miss Selina Kyle.

I can't wait to get my hands on more of these DC Super Hero Lego mini-figures and sets!

A gift for Megatron

This is just plain wonderful:


Found over at Topless Robot.

Dark Knight Rises Prologue Spoiler Free Review

I saw The Dark Knight Rises Prologue pre-screening and all I got was this AWESOME T-Shirt. (Oh, and to see the prologue before all y'all!)

I assume the design is supposed to represent Bane's mask. And along with the word 'End,' that's all it is. Nice and cryptic. No mention of Batman, or anything related to Batman, anywhere. Awesome.

As for the prologue: HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL! I won't give away any spoilers, but Bane's introduction is fierce and brutal, just like Bane himself. His voice was hard to understand as many have pointed out, but it is rather cool as his mask serves as more than just a means to cover his identity. The prologue cannot go without comparison to Joker's introduction/Bank Heist in The Dark Knight, and while the bank scene was better in my current opinion, both set up the characters in ways perfect for their respective villains' personalities, and Bane's intro couldn't have been handled better.

The events in the prologue are clearly leading up to something BIG (as fans of the comics and movies should already be aware.) But it also contained some very mysterious elements that leave even the most die-hard Bat-fan wondering 'what the hell just happened?'

The prologue ended with a montage of scenes from the movie, including Anne Hathaway as Catwoman in full mask/ears and black outfit. And although she looks for all intents and purposes like the sixties Catwomen were her only influence, (sorry Michelle Pfieffer or Jim Balent fans) it works for me and I cannot wait to see how her character plays into all the fun.

The Dark Knight Rises is going to be amazing. I cannot wait for July 28th 2012!

Harley Qwednesday :: Bud and Lou

Named after the legendary comedy duo Bud Abbot and Lou Costello, Bud and Lou are Harley Quinn's 'babies;' a pair of well trained (I dare not say 'domesticated') hyena.

Bud and Lou first appeared on Batman: The Animated Series (originally unnamed,) have made appearances in comics and other Batman animated worlds, and later even had speaking roles on the anthropomorphic Krypto the Super Dog cartoon.

It's no surprise that Harley would have pet Hyena, as they are well known for their laugh-like sound. In fact, I remember as a kid always referring to Hyena as 'Laughing Hyena,'as if it were actually part of the animal's name.

It should be. 

Bud and Lou, Playmobil style.

Bud and Lou on Krypto the Super Dog.

Bud and Lou in Harley Quinn's self titled comic book.

Two unnamed toy hyena were released with a Batman: Animated Harley Quinn doll and Bud and Lou were released with Ace the Bat-Hound as part of the Krypto toyline.

 
Did you know Hyena are more closely related to cats than dogs? True fact! Maybe Catwoman and Harley have more in common than they thought!

Catwoman Catcycle City Chase by Lego

The new Lego DC Super Heroes stuff is hitting retail NOW, kiddies! I found set 6858 - Catwoman Catcycle City Chase - at Toys R Us last night. It was $17.99 for this set of 89 pieces - including mini-figures of a blue/grey oval symbol sporting Batman with jet pack and (of course) Catwoman!

$17.99 is a great deal considering how much the original run of these mini-figures alone go for on the secondary market.

I only took pics of the packaging for now, I can't open mine because I also bought a set for my daughter's Christmas present; she can't know it exists until then. But I might take it to work and open it there (I'm not sure I can hold out until Christmas) so stay tuned!

The Dark Knight Rises - The Dark Knight Falls!

The newest poster for The Dark Knight Rises depicts Bane leaving the scene after having apparently broken the bat!



Oh noes!

One Horse Open...Slay

Well, there used to be one horse...

...until Bud and Lou arrived.

I was finally able to find these two Playmobil hyena at the local educational toy store. I found out about them a while back and knew I needed them for my Lego Harley Quinn. They're the perfect size and style for her little Lego self.

When I finally found them I immediately ran home with the inspiration to do a Christmas themed display with them and Harley. What better than for them to be pulling a Christmas sleigh...sorry...SLAY!

With Harley at the helm. Don't worry, the whip is for cops and citizens and crime-fighting do-gooders. She'd never use it on her hyena! That'd just be cruel!

And since we don't want Bud and Lou to over exert themselves, the Christmas Slay is powered by a fully blown dual quad high-rise on top of a 351 Cleveland V8.

Of course it also has a ladder for Harley to climb onto the rooftops of the sleeping populace.

The 'slay' is full of gifts for all the bad boys and girls of Gotham: guns and axes and swords...and a sweet teddy bear for Cindy Lou Who.

It is also armed for defense against meddling BatGrinches. What's a Harley Lego creation around here without the butt-kicking booty?

In addition, the Christmas tree is topped with a missile to spread yuletide joy. Also, look: Missile...toe.

Get it?

HAHAHAHAHAAAA!

Harley's ever present hammer is also mounted to the side. Some homes don't have chimneys for easy access, you know.

Merry Quinnsmas! Happy Harleynukkah! And a festive Quinnza to you and yours.