3/30/11
Wonder Whew, man...that was close!
"Nobody panics when things go "according to plan." Even if the plan is horrifying! If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it's all "part of the plan."
But when I say that Wonder Woman's boots aren't red and her pants will be shiny, well then everyone loses their minds!"
Almost two weeks ago a promo image for the upcoming Wonder Woman tv show was released online, and it was as if millions of nerd voices suddenly cried out in terror and were unfortunately not as suddenly silenced.
Anyways, it appears as though (feign surprise) the nerd rage was all for naught. Because MOST LIKELY, going with the costume we see here was already the plan. LESS LIKELY is that someone somewhere cared what the nerds had to say about the preliminary costume and changes were made, because that never happens.
Either way, here's a pic of Adrianne Palicki in action for a scene in the upcoming Wonder Woman tv show. And as far as I'm concerned, the most super powered thing about this costume has got to be the tape keeping her boobs inside that corset when she runs. Amiright?
But when I say that Wonder Woman's boots aren't red and her pants will be shiny, well then everyone loses their minds!"
Almost two weeks ago a promo image for the upcoming Wonder Woman tv show was released online, and it was as if millions of nerd voices suddenly cried out in terror and were unfortunately not as suddenly silenced.
Anyways, it appears as though (feign surprise) the nerd rage was all for naught. Because MOST LIKELY, going with the costume we see here was already the plan. LESS LIKELY is that someone somewhere cared what the nerds had to say about the preliminary costume and changes were made, because that never happens.
Either way, here's a pic of Adrianne Palicki in action for a scene in the upcoming Wonder Woman tv show. And as far as I'm concerned, the most super powered thing about this costume has got to be the tape keeping her boobs inside that corset when she runs. Amiright?
Harley Qwednesday :: Harleypalooza!
I recently discovered a DeviantArt group for Harley Cosplayers called Harleypalooza!
That's a hellofalotta Harley!
Head on over to DeviantArt and check out all the Harleypalooza photo galleries.
That's a hellofalotta Harley!
Head on over to DeviantArt and check out all the Harleypalooza photo galleries.
3/27/11
Gargoyles just wanna have fun
I didn't follow Gargoyles when it first aired. I saw it as a Disneyfication of Batman: The Animated Series, which it was clearly inspired by. But over the years I have caught enough of it to enjoy it on it's own merits and to realize that it was in fact a pretty cool cartoon.
Of course by the time I came upon that realization, the toys had long since passed from the toy store shelves. And rarely do I find them complete at the swap meet, since so many kids have an uncanny compulsion to remove the wings from winged toys. And belts from ninja turtles. And capes from Batmen. And pants from dollies. You get the picture.
Sufficed to say, it is difficult to find these things in any condition worth buying.
Of course that issue is solved when dealing with the one Gargoyle who has no wings; Bronx!
I found Bronx at my favorite downtown Santa Cruz thrift store. He cost me about fifty cents. And I did see his 'accessory' at the same time - but did not recognize it for what it was, so I left it behind! When I later looked this guy up online and realized what I had done, I went back to see if the piece was there, for completionist sake, but no dice. Oh well, it was a lame accessory and certainly not cartoon canon, so I will be happy with Bronx alone.
Bronx is a tough badass looking dude, and looks awesome on any toy shelf, or any shelf for that matter!
He has an action figure that takes nothing away from his sculpt. When you pull back one of his back legs, his mouth opens for bad-guy chomping fun!
"Feed Me!"
Of course by the time I came upon that realization, the toys had long since passed from the toy store shelves. And rarely do I find them complete at the swap meet, since so many kids have an uncanny compulsion to remove the wings from winged toys. And belts from ninja turtles. And capes from Batmen. And pants from dollies. You get the picture.
Sufficed to say, it is difficult to find these things in any condition worth buying.
3/24/11
I am BANE!!!!
"What villain did you say is going to be in my next move? Bane? BANE?! HAHA! No way! That juice-headed lummox from the Batdebacle known as Schumacher's List (of Crappy Things No One Likes Except Schumacher, Like Men's Nipples)...I mean 'Batman & Robin?' That Bane? I'm surprised he was able to take the time out from his busy GNC commercial work to get to the casting call, let alone...huh? What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"...he's behind me, isn't he?"
Batman's opinion notwithstanding, I have liked the character of Bane from the very start, when first introduced with little fanfare and even less foreshadowing of things to come in the one-shot 'Vengeance of Bane.'
Which is why I hated his appearance in Batman and Robin. Which in turn is why I never before noticed this pretty cool, comic accurate Bane action figure, which was released in 1997 as part of the Batman and Robin movie action figure toyline.
I picked this Bane up from eBay for $3 plus shipping. He was mint on card, but I tore him open right away. He's in the 5" scale, but also works as a larger guy against the 4" movie Batman (shown in the first picture, talking smack about Bane.)
I also figure he'll look great with the upcoming Young Justice action figures if 1) I end up getting any and 2) they don't make a Bane for that toyline. He did appear in one episode of the cartoon so I imagine it's possible, but who knows.
And finally, since it's extremely unlikely that I will build the Collect and Connect Bane from the most recent DC Universe Classics release because 1) Mattel and 2) see #1, this guy will have to serve as my Bane fix for a while. At least until The Dark Knight Rises Bane action figure comes out! Can I get a 'Hell yes!'?
The fact that they went with a comicbook Bane for this toyline is interesting, considering how different the movie version of Bane ended up looking. Actually, none of the toys released for this movie look much like their movie counterparts. Not sure how/why that happened, since the movie was clearly aimed at slower-than-average first graders, which would have made movie accurate toys a sure thing. No, sorry, that's who wrote and directed the movie. Who knows who the audience was intended to be!
Looking back, the fact that these toys look little to nothing like the movie makes at least a few of these worth a second glance. Plus they are all pretty cheap and easy to come by. Unlike most DC comic themed toys on 'shelves' now.
Even Bane's accessories are not too terribly lame, all things considered. I mean at least they aren't neon pink! They are brutal 'metallic' bladed weapons, which are always fun for kids of all ages.
Bane of course also comes with his venom delivery tube which easily plugs into the back of his head and clips to his wrist for muscle growing rage inducing genital shrinking and home run record setting steroid fun!
Bane is a simpler action figure from a simpler time. Which means he has five points of articulation. It also means Bane's ankles wont buckle, his knees aren't warped and his hands don't snap off when hit by a mild summer breeze. Ahh the good old days.
Which is why I hated his appearance in Batman and Robin. Which in turn is why I never before noticed this pretty cool, comic accurate Bane action figure, which was released in 1997 as part of the Batman and Robin movie action figure toyline.
I also figure he'll look great with the upcoming Young Justice action figures if 1) I end up getting any and 2) they don't make a Bane for that toyline. He did appear in one episode of the cartoon so I imagine it's possible, but who knows.
And finally, since it's extremely unlikely that I will build the Collect and Connect Bane from the most recent DC Universe Classics release because 1) Mattel and 2) see #1, this guy will have to serve as my Bane fix for a while. At least until The Dark Knight Rises Bane action figure comes out! Can I get a 'Hell yes!'?
Looking back, the fact that these toys look little to nothing like the movie makes at least a few of these worth a second glance. Plus they are all pretty cheap and easy to come by. Unlike most DC comic themed toys on 'shelves' now.
Bane of course also comes with his venom delivery tube which easily plugs into the back of his head and clips to his wrist for muscle growing rage inducing genital shrinking and home run record setting steroid fun!
Bane is a simpler action figure from a simpler time. Which means he has five points of articulation. It also means Bane's ankles wont buckle, his knees aren't warped and his hands don't snap off when hit by a mild summer breeze. Ahh the good old days.
3/23/11
Harley Qwednesday :: Prodigy
3/22/11
Where we're going, we don't need orange track.
Jump ahead (to the future!) and apparently it is currently on shelves, because I have it!
This Hotwheels release is car #18/50 of the 2011 New Models. It's official designation is "Back to the Future Time Machine" (how cool is that?!?!)
On the card back are the car's stats:
Born: 1985
Birthplace: Hill Valley, USA
Designer: Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown
Specialty: Powered by plutonium or a bolt of lightning and crafted from the DeLorean DMC-12, the stainless steel body helps allow the flux capacitor to generate the 1.21 gigawatts of electricity required for smooth passage through the space-time continuum.
I took all these pics the second I got home this evening, I'm so excited to finally have this vehicle! I want to customize one with HO scale train wheels so it can be pushed around an electric train track. And it would be easy to glue some wheels in sideways for a flight mode. I also want to figure out a way to make it lay flaming tire tracks. I can probably only do that trick once, though, so I'll hold out on trying it any time soon. But the possibilities are endless!
Other custom ideas:
Get it wet, stick it in the freezer for a few hours, take it out on a warm day and watch the frost evaporate off of it ala post time travel.
Connect a wire/hook to the back.
Attach a team of plastic horses to the front.
And of course, whitewalls.
3/18/11
Stretchy Octopussy
Everyone has heard of the malleably macho Stretch Armstrong. But do you recall the least famous stretchy cephalopod of all?
That's right, I'm talking about the one, the only (unless you count them both) Stretch Octopus!
My sister and I had these - obviously I had Ollie and she had Olivia. Because I don't play with pink octopi or dollies!
These octopussusses were awesome. Mine eventually fell apart and the toxic goo inside began to leak out so my mom threw Ollie away. Who knows what happened to Olivia, my sister probably doesn't even remember owning one. She doesn't share my Rain-Man like ability to recall every single toy I have ever owned.
However I can only assume someone at Pixar also remembers these guys, because the character Stretch from Toy Story 3 was clearly inspired by them.
Anyways, I bring these guys up today because I recently discovered this:
A stretchy Scooby-Doo! Brian A of Yesterville already has one and he says it's just like the old-school stretchy toys we all grew up with. I haven't spotted him in person yet but I have seen him online, so I don't know if I can resist him if and when I do see him on the shelf...but probably not. He's just too cool and really hits that nostalgia button!
*Stretch Octopus pics via Plaid Stallions
That's right, I'm talking about the one, the only (unless you count them both) Stretch Octopus!
My sister and I had these - obviously I had Ollie and she had Olivia. Because I don't play with pink octopi or dollies!
These octopussusses were awesome. Mine eventually fell apart and the toxic goo inside began to leak out so my mom threw Ollie away. Who knows what happened to Olivia, my sister probably doesn't even remember owning one. She doesn't share my Rain-Man like ability to recall every single toy I have ever owned.
However I can only assume someone at Pixar also remembers these guys, because the character Stretch from Toy Story 3 was clearly inspired by them.
Anyways, I bring these guys up today because I recently discovered this:
A stretchy Scooby-Doo! Brian A of Yesterville already has one and he says it's just like the old-school stretchy toys we all grew up with. I haven't spotted him in person yet but I have seen him online, so I don't know if I can resist him if and when I do see him on the shelf...but probably not. He's just too cool and really hits that nostalgia button!
*Stretch Octopus pics via Plaid Stallions
3/17/11
Thanks Jboy - and a chance for you to get free toys too!
The other day Jboypacman of Revenge From the Cosmic Ark and Invader From the Cosmic Ark offered me his Bane Collect and Connect arm component since he won't be building Bane and if there's any CnC I'd be willing to track down all the pieces for, it's Bane.
Today I arrived home to find a large box on my doorstep - way too heavy and large to contain a mere Bane arm.
Here's what it did contain:
WOW! Thanks Jboy! Clearly you are aware of my affinity for the Batman - and the biggest surprise here is the Batmobile from the Batman minis line! Perfect for the Fisher-Price Batman and villains, which I have already set up in the cabinet you see in the background.
Speaking of, since I already own a Fisher-Price Joker, Two-Face and Mr. Freeze, I am going to give those away right now to one lucky reader. Just answer the following two-part question by leaving a comment, the closest answer will win all three plus a bonus toy or two of my own to be added to the mix!
Ready? Okay: I bought two toys from the thrift store yesterday. One is from the Gargoyles toyline. The other is a Godzilla. Name the Gargoyles character and which Godzilla (ie Godzilla circa1968, Mechagodzilla '74 or other similar answer) - the first person to get it right or closest wins.
You have until Monday at noon California time (unless someone gets it right beforehand.) EDIT: Contest is now closed. Winner will be announced soon.
Go go go!
Today I arrived home to find a large box on my doorstep - way too heavy and large to contain a mere Bane arm.
Here's what it did contain:
Speaking of, since I already own a Fisher-Price Joker, Two-Face and Mr. Freeze, I am going to give those away right now to one lucky reader. Just answer the following two-part question by leaving a comment, the closest answer will win all three plus a bonus toy or two of my own to be added to the mix!
Ready? Okay: I bought two toys from the thrift store yesterday. One is from the Gargoyles toyline. The other is a Godzilla. Name the Gargoyles character and which Godzilla (ie Godzilla circa1968, Mechagodzilla '74 or other similar answer) - the first person to get it right or closest wins.
You have until Monday at noon California time (unless someone gets it right beforehand.) EDIT: Contest is now closed. Winner will be announced soon.
Go go go!
3/16/11
Historically Hardcore - hysterically hardcore!
So awesome!
An example of unofficial (but goddamnit they should be official) posters for the Smithsonian by Jenny Burrows. See all three here.
An example of unofficial (but goddamnit they should be official) posters for the Smithsonian by Jenny Burrows. See all three here.
Harley Qwednesday :: Interview With A Vamp
I recently discovered an online magazine called Snippets (read at CutOutAndKeep.com)
Important to us here at Toyriffic, especially on the best day of the week - aka Harley Qwednesday - is Issue #23 of Snippets: The New York Issue which includes an all new interview with the one and only Harley Quinn (via the also one and only Paul Dini!)
"I'd say my current style is a post-modern take on the gun moll chic of the 60's BATMAN series, with classic pin-up artist overtones, Elvgrin, Petty, Timm, y'know, those guys."
Read the whole thing over at CutOutAndKeep.net!
3/15/11
I'll buy that (Batman) for a dollar!
And I'll get a Joker Goon too!
The other day I was at Target and on one of their clearance shelves lay this two pack of 4" The Dark Knight action figures - a lone holdout from the marketing machine of the last Batman movie.
The package was torn halfway open, but the figures were intact and untouched. And because of the packaging damage the set had been clearance priced down to ninety six cents!
At less than fifty cents per figure, I could not pass it up! I'm surprised it sat there in the store for so long, but then again I passed on all these figures when they were new, so I shouldn't be surprised that folks could care less about them even at less than a buck.
The goon's face is pretty accurate to the movie and nice for this scale, but his body sculpt is atrocious. Stiff as a board, he looks like a six and a half foot tall mannequin next to the (presumably) computer-modeled Batman figure.
Batman is wearing the costume as it evolved in The Dark Knight, but this toy version has silver trim and is called 'Thermo-Suit' or something like that (I threw out the packaging right away and now I can't remember exactly.) A good looking figure at this scale and a tolerable variation on the costume. I would never have bought these at more than a buck a figure, but for .96 I can't complain.
On another note, and I am just guesstimating here, but I think this has got to be at least my 112th Batman figure! ;)
At less than fifty cents per figure, I could not pass it up! I'm surprised it sat there in the store for so long, but then again I passed on all these figures when they were new, so I shouldn't be surprised that folks could care less about them even at less than a buck.
On another note, and I am just guesstimating here, but I think this has got to be at least my 112th Batman figure! ;)
3/14/11
My Submission for "Best Toy EVER!"
This past weekend was my daughter's birthday. While shopping for her last week I discovered these "Scooby Doo Goo Figure Pod" toys at Toys R Us. These are small pods of slime with a Scooby Doo mini-figure blindly packed inside.
So knowing my daughter likes slime and Scooby Doo, I picked one up to pack into a present.
It was a hit! I quickly ran to Toys R Us to get more of them to give to her sister and cousins (and of course myself) so we could all share in the fun.
And oh boy, what fun!
First off: slime. Which is always awesome forever end of story.
Second, these little Scooby Doo figurines are incredibly cool! I and my nephew got a monster, my daughters and niece got versions of Scooby, everyone was happy.
Mine is this zombie guy from the classic cartoon. I'm pretty sure he's just old man Jenkins in a mask, but whatever, zombies are in this season so I am pleased.
*EDIT: This guy is actually "The Creeper" aka Mr. Karswell.
Third...this:
Yes folks, that comedy gold you just heard was made with the slime and container it comes in (and my hand of course.)
Sufficed to say there was a lot of those noises and the laughter that ensued all weekend. The kids even had fart contests, competing to win 'loudest,' 'longest' and the coveted 'juiciest' of all fart noises.
Comedy GOLD I tells ya!
So for a mere $3.99 you get three toys in one! Slime, a mini-figure, and a fart maker! It's a hat trick!
How any other toy maker can compete with their 'toys that only do one thing' in these troubled economic times is beyond me.
3/10/11
3/9/11
Harley Qwednesday :: Help Me, Obeewahn Kenobi? You're a real Dope!
I spotted these pictures on Facebook the other day and just HAD to share them with my Harley Qwednesday readers. I contacted the photographer Paul Aitken and got his permission to do so (I try to be a good internetter like that) and he was more than happy to allow me to show them here! Yay!
George Lucas take note: Forget 3-D and Jar-Jar and 'Han shot...eventually" - what your movies REALLY need is more Harley Quinn!
"Hmmm, I don't remembah evah owning a droid before...?"
"..but if I did, this one is the right colors for the job! MUAH!"
"That put a smile on his face!"
Thanks to:
Photo Credit: Paul Aitken
Droid courtesy Artoo Builders Australia
and last but never least, Elise Archer as Harley Quinn
George Lucas take note: Forget 3-D and Jar-Jar and 'Han shot...eventually" - what your movies REALLY need is more Harley Quinn!
Thanks to:
Photo Credit: Paul Aitken
Droid courtesy Artoo Builders Australia
and last but never least, Elise Archer as Harley Quinn
3/8/11
Soundwave!
After drawing Shockwave yesterday and doing a pretty good job of it I decided to tackle the true master of the Decepticons, Soundwave!
Well I'm convinced: Bubbashelby Transformers > Michael Bay Transformers by about a bajillion miles!
Oh yeah, I do still have my original Soundwave. If you missed him when I posted about him two and a half years ago, then go check him out!
And of course, my version of Soundwave is available on stuff at Zazzle.
Well I'm convinced: Bubbashelby Transformers > Michael Bay Transformers by about a bajillion miles!
Oh yeah, I do still have my original Soundwave. If you missed him when I posted about him two and a half years ago, then go check him out!
And of course, my version of Soundwave is available on stuff at Zazzle.
Astro Magnum
I mentioned Astro Magnum yesterday, the version of Shockwave that I owned as a kid. I decided to re-color my illustration to reflect the less purple and therefore far superior Astro Magnum!
3/7/11
Shockwave!
Because Philip of Battlegrip.com requested a BubbaShelby Shockwave. I don't always post my art here but this is an illustration of a toy, so it counts as Toyriffic!
"Clarity of thought before rashness of action."
Megatron doesn't stand a chance.
I never had the actual Transformers Shockwave as a kid, I did however have the Astro Magnum version of the toy, which at the time I thought was a knock-off. I sure wish I had held on to that one!
And as always, this illustrated version of Shockwave is available on stuff at Zazzle.
"Clarity of thought before rashness of action."
I never had the actual Transformers Shockwave as a kid, I did however have the Astro Magnum version of the toy, which at the time I thought was a knock-off. I sure wish I had held on to that one!
And as always, this illustrated version of Shockwave is available on stuff at Zazzle.
3/5/11
Galaxy Warriors by Sungold
I hit the swap meet pretty late in the day today. The weather is absolutely beautiful but I had other things to do in the morning, and only decided to hit the swap meet on a lark. Most vendors were packing up and rolling out, so I consider myself pretty lucky to have found this guy for a dollar:
This is the Galaxy Warrior 'Dino Man' (or is it Dinoman? Or Dino-Man, maybe? It could even be 'The DinoMan!' for all I know...)
He is marked "Sungold" and "Made in Hong Kong" on his back, and I immediately recognized him as a Masters of the Universe knock-off or also-ran from the early eighties. I had to do some quick internet based research when I got home to find out he came from the toyline Galaxy Warriors and that his name is Dino Man (or is it DinoMan? Or possibly...oh nevermind.)
Upon closer inspection, I think maybe his name should be Damno Ugly Man! Sheesh, this guy has a face only a blind mother could avoid punching, and that's only because she'd miss. Get it? Because she's blind and...oh nevermind!
I do already have one other Galaxy Warrior in my collection; a bearded viking/dwarfish looking gent named Huk.
One more interesting thing about these fellows is that each of these guys, while looking almost identical below the neck, are in fact made up of entirely different sculpts. You can tell in the picture by looking at the boots and wrist guards, but even the torsos are different (Dino Man has his maker marks on his back, while Huk has his on the back of his right leg.)
Both of these guys have loose legs, but I can get them to stand with little effort. Wow, all different sculpts and the ability to stand even with loose limbs? Why didn't Sungold survive and Mattel become the 'also-ran?'
There's an alternate universe where Sungold Classics figures are being sold to nostalgic alternate universe toy collectors through the alternate universe online store at SungoldCollector.com. The only question is, are they bitching about poor quality control too?
Buy stuff by me at Zazzle!
He is marked "Sungold" and "Made in Hong Kong" on his back, and I immediately recognized him as a Masters of the Universe knock-off or also-ran from the early eighties. I had to do some quick internet based research when I got home to find out he came from the toyline Galaxy Warriors and that his name is Dino Man (or is it DinoMan? Or possibly...oh nevermind.)
One more interesting thing about these fellows is that each of these guys, while looking almost identical below the neck, are in fact made up of entirely different sculpts. You can tell in the picture by looking at the boots and wrist guards, but even the torsos are different (Dino Man has his maker marks on his back, while Huk has his on the back of his right leg.)
There's an alternate universe where Sungold Classics figures are being sold to nostalgic alternate universe toy collectors through the alternate universe online store at SungoldCollector.com. The only question is, are they bitching about poor quality control too?
Buy stuff by me at Zazzle!
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