LEGO Simpsons Series 2 Bartman :: Hitting Stores NOW!

We went to the Toys R Us Star Wars Day free LEGO build event today and built a sweet mini Wookie Gunship. We also met Geoffrey and my intern was not only not scared of the massive guy in a giraffe suit, but she hugged him and told him all about the snail she found that morning that was hanging around her neck in a little bug locket.

But the highlight of the day was also discovering that the Simpsons Series 2 LEGO Minifigures  are out now! I didn't have much time to squeeze the packages but fortunately in the time I did have I found my #1 most wanted figure: Bartman!

As iconic as the Simpsons are today it's easy to forget how much Bartman is a product of the early nineteen nineties. The Simpsons were a fairly new phenomenon, and Bat-mania was hitting at a level that it hadn't seen since the sixties thanks to the Burton Batman movie of '89. The mash-up was perhaps not inevitable, but it happened anyways and sold a lot of t-shirts: Batman combined with Bart Simpsons (and 'nineties neon' too) and Bartman was born!

The LEGO Bartman minifigure comes with a cape and a slingshot. I won't waste your time with dot codes because to me those are worthless. I will say if you squeeze for these you will easily recognize Bart's cylindrical head and flat-top, and you can also easily distinguish the slingshot.

The other figures in this wave include:
Sunday-Best Homer, Sunday-Best Marge and Sunday-Best Lisa (who comes with Snowball 2 or 16 or whatever), Maggie with Santa's Little Helper. Milhouse as Fall-Out Boy, Comic-Book Guy, Professor Fink, Hans Moleman, Patty, Selma, Groundskeeper Willie, Mrs. Krabappel, Smithers Dr. Hibbert and Martin Prince.

I may seek out Fall-Out Boy, but since I now have Bartman if I don't get anyone else from this wave it won't be the end of the world.

LEGO Simpsons Blind Bagged Minifigures Series 2

LEGO just announced a second series of blind bagged Simpsons minifigures, due out May 2015. This series continues with iconic Springfield residents that didn't make the cut for the first release, but enough about them because...BARTMAN!

Of course including Bartman makes perfect sense - a simple and cost effective 're-paint' of the Bart Simpson from Series 1 - but I don't care if he's a re-hash. I have to have him! Fallout-Boy is also a must-have for me, as well as Santa's Little Helper and Snowball 2.

I'm looking forward to finding these guys in stores some time around May 2015!

Geek Credentials

Chunky B over at Eclectorama has started a new internet Meme: "Geek Credentials." It sounded like my cup of meme, so here's my contribution to the newest sensation to rock the inter-nation!

Remember the scene in The Dark Knight, where a bunch of Gothamites have dressed up as Batman and have decided to become vigilantes of their own? They just end up getting in the way, or dead, and tend to make matters worse for our hero in blue and grey.

Well let me tell you, you ain't a Bat-Geek unless you have a few guys like that in your collection. The wanna-bes, the fakers, the posers. You know the ones: the "I can't believe it's not Batman" crowd.

Well behold, and BELIEVE!

"...I agree, that Bale kid gave a great reading. But the agency sent over four more at the last minute...let's at least see what they have to offer before calling it a day."


First up we shall examine Adam. This guy is so "not Batman" that the toyline he was produced for, Tech Deck, was actually forced to stop producing him. See ya' later, finger skater.

Next up is Bat-Duck. He was actually released as a McDonald's premium many years back, along with Super-Bugs, Wonder-Pig, and Taz-Flash. Very spiffy figures...but sorry duck, no luck.

The outfits are removable, but the movie is sans nudity, so it won't score you any more points. Next!

Here we have Wile E. Coyote in his Bat-Man's Outfit. Manufactured by Acme.

Flight capabilities? Impressive. But...green?!?! We'll call you when they cast for Hal Jordan. And...sheesh...eat a sandwich will ya? You're nothing but skin and bones!

Finally we have Bartman. From the Secret Identity handbook: Page one. Chapter one. Don't use your real name as a component of your superhero name. Have you ever heard of a hero named Bat Wayne? Peter Spider? Super Kent? Guy Gardner?...

Never mind.

As a Post Script, I give you a couple "I can't believe it's not Batman" characters who actually kind of are. First up is Batzarro from DC Direct:

As drawn by Ed McGuinness in Batman/Superman, this guy is pretty fun. He has real chains hanging from beneath his cape (because they make a lot of noise) No eyes, an inverted Bat as well as an upside down utility belt (with opened pockets, having spilled out their contents long ago.)

I'm so geeky, I even drew him once. How's THAT for Geek Creds?


And lastly but not leastly we have Ace the Bat-Hound. From the recent Krypto the Superdog cartoon and toyline, this guy is the bee's knees. His collar serves as his "utility belt" and his cape flows majestically in the breeze, ready for the call to action from his "partner" Batman!

So there you have it. I'm a geek. (As if there were ever any doubt ;) )

Do you claim to be a geek? Prove it. What're your creds, Fred? Join in the Meme, Joaquin. Create a "Geek Credentials" post of your own, Joan!