Catwoman Purrrsday :: AWESOME Tattoo!

To cleanse the palette after yesterday's gruesome Harley Quinn terrible tattoo, I decided Catwoman Purrrsday had better take a different route and show you, fair reader, a good tattoo:

Now THAT is a good looking Catwoman Tattoo! Simplistic, beautifully elegant, using an economy of line and color (only the green of the eyes to contrast the all black tattoo) and based on the art of Darwyn Cooke. Yeah, this tattoo is flippin' gorgeous! It was probably also done by a professional and cost accordingly, unlike yesterday's meth garage blind tattooist approach.

Pizzaface Pizzaface

I'm a little confused by this guy Pizzaface. Yeah, he's an ugly pizza chef and the Teenage Ninja Turtles love pizza; ok I can sort of see the connection there.

But what's really going on here? There's got to be something more. Is he supposed to be a mutated pizza, or a pizza/chef mutant crossover? Or just some homicidal maniac cleverly disguised as a children's plaything, laying in wait in order to murder your entire family?

According to Pizzaface's filecard he "...zapped himself in his retromutagen oven, hoping the energy would bake him with badness." (Because, hey, that sounds like it would work like a charm!)

The filecard goes on to tell us the turtles busted in and pulled him out "half-baked." Yet he's now "Possessing the power of the pizza pie." So is he supposed to be pizza dough-man? Is he like Clayface, only with pizza dough and toppings instead of mud?

Seeing as how so many TMNT action figures were inspired by existing superheroes and supervillains (Slash as Bizarro, Wingnut as Batman, Groundchuck as Dethlok and the list goes on...) it would make sense that Pizzaface would share attributes with Clayface. Hell, they even have the same last name!

And looking at this prototype image of Pizzaface and seeing what was intended to be hidden under his hat makes me believe it even more. He doesn't just have a strange madball type growth on his head, he's forming another Pizzaface head entirely, just like Clayface would do! One could even imagine that he is not merely using a pizza cutter as a leg and a pizza box as a foot, but that he is forming them from the mass of his own doughy body!

The fact that Pizzaface also holds pizzas (which I do not have) in his hand and looks ready to fling them - I posit that an early iteration had this 'fling-arm' as an action feature - would also lead me to believe Pizzaface could create pizzas from his person and throw them ala Clayface flinging mudballs.

This may all be old news to you die-hard TMNT fans, but it's a new revelation to me. I have seen Pizzaface online plenty of times but only just found him at the flea market and decided that he was just too gruesome to pass up.

So upon further reflection Pizzaface has gone from some oddball weirdo psychopath to something a little more fun. I can imagine this guy blobbing his way through New York and forcing the turtles to fight against the one thing they love the most - pizza itself!

Upcoming SLUG Zombies

"Welcome to the jungle...we've got fun and BRAAAIIINNNSSSSS!!!!"

So I keep saying I'm not collecting SLUG Zombies. And I'm not, even though my figure count has grown to about two dozen over the past couple weeks. I have to admit, this line has a lot of nostalgic appeal and reminds me of my MUSCLE collecting days. Also, they are on clearance and plentiful at Target right now, and I can justify getting a few figures I don't particularly care about in order to get the ones I really think are keen. All for CHEAP!

Anyways, I just discovered that, like with MUSCLE back in the day, there's a poster of all the Zombies and Zombie Hunter figures (unlike MUSCLE, you can download on the 'net, because back then there was no internet) and it shows the first 100 SLUG Zombies (and Zombie Hunters), some of which have not yet been released.

If the line continues (let's face it, the massive Target purge isn't a good sign) there will be few more great pop culture homages and plain old awesome zombies and hunters I will want to add to my non-collection. These will be designated as Series 5 and Series 6 I presume (sine the Christmas wave was not numbered.)

One figure I am looking forward to is the Axel Rose homage above named 'Perry Perish' who should appear in Series 5 along with...

...this Dirty Harry homage 'Cold Blooded Kelly'

While Series 6 will see the release of 'Hot-Headed Harriet' who is clearly Ripley from the Alien franchise. Also...blowtorch!

But none of these compare to the piece de resistance...

Popeye, people...POPEYE! I mean 'Oliver Ouch'. Whatever. This one is a must have! ZOMBIE POPEYE!!!!!! He should appear in Series 5 and I for one can't wait!

You can see the whole poster here, or just click the following two pics to see what may or may not be coming soon. The unreleased undead begin at #67 and include some creative and surprising selections. Is 'Feel My Wrath McGrath' a maskless Casey Jones? And 'Charlie Pistols' is clearly Charles Bronson (and probably the closest a figure's name has yet come to it's actual homage.) There's Amelia Earhart, Harry Potter, The Dude and more!

I sure hope this line continues at least through the promised figures this poster teases us with. I need a zombie Popeye more than you can imagine!

And maybe 'Horrific Harmony' too, who just looks like nothing more than a shark attack victim, and that's just too morbid to pass up.

Poisunday Ivy :: Doesn't everyone?

Who doesn't love you, Harley?

I think i t was Paul Dini who originally paired these two up and for whatever reason it works. Ivy is stoic and angry, while Harley is impetuous and freewheeling. Ivy knows the Joker is no good for Harley (and let's face it, so does Harley deep down) but Harl's heart will always belong to her Mr. J.

From Gotham City Sirens #24.

That's not a 'vernacular,' that's a Derby (Girl)

Oh yeah, this is my favorite Lego Minifigure from Series 9: The Roller Derby Girl! Everyone knows Derby Girls are badass, and this minifigure is no different. She's got the sneer, the pads and tiny Lego roller skates! And although she could use some tattoos for full authenticity, major points to Lego for including the Jammer star on her helmet! Get outta the way or get flattened!

JJ Abrams to Direct Star Wars VII...

Check out the first official still from the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII directed by JJ Abrams!

Hmm, it looks like Mr. Abrams is becoming a little more conservative with his signature lens flare in his old age. 

New TMNT Toddler Turtles coming in 2013!

Almost as if last week's post about the 2004 Toddler Turtles was some sort of premonition, the 2013 Hong Kong Toy Fair just revealed a NEW set of Toddler Turtles coming from Playmates THIS YEAR as part of their Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toyline.

Other anticipated figures coming this year include Leatherhead, Baxter Stockman, and Snakeweed among others; and some unexpected coming-sooners include a set of comic accurate mouser robots and a mutant roach ala Scumbug named, appropriately, 'Chong.'  Those and more new upcoming figure pics can be seen at ToyNewsInternational.

Sadly, unlike in 2004 when you could get all four Toddler Turtles in one set (for the price of one figure) in 2013 you'll have to buy two sets to get all the brothers! At least they appear to be different sculpts, instead of just being re-colored like in '04, so there's that added value. Either way, I'm getting them all, and when I do I'm keeping a close eye on Mikey!

Pic credit via Atamaii.tv

Catwoman Purrrsday :: Catwoman and the Batmobile

Sensing a theme this week?

Here's a great looking classic Catwoman cosplay along with, yup, you guessed it - the Batmobile!

Listen to that engine purr!

Be mine, Kreon-tine

The Transformers Kreon blind bag microchanger minifigures are back!

We first saw these blind bagged Transformers Kreons last year in the preview series, and  now the first official full series, known as Collection 1, is showing up at retail.

I found them at Target, in the holiday promotional section with all their Valentines Day stuff. I used the 'squeeze method' to determine the coneheaded seeker Dirge, my most wanted, and decided to just try my luck on a second to see what I got. I ended up with the Constructicon Hook, which is pretty cool.

I didn't have it with me at the time, but as with the preview wave there is a code to decipher which Kreon is which. Check out the last two numbers of the code at the top back of the bag to figure out what you are getting:

22981 40 - Singe (Turbomaster Scorch)
22981 41 - Inferno
22981 42 - Autobot Springer
22981 43 - Warpath
22981 44 - Quickslinger (Slingshot)
22981 45 - Rampage
22981 46 - Insecticon
22981 47 - Blast Off
22981 48 - Decepticon Hook
22981 49 - Dirge
22981 50 - Airachnid
22981 51 - Decepticon Bludgeon

I'll post pics of the minifigures later (probably after I go back and try to get my last couple must-haves!), but for now I wanted to be sure everyone had their cheat sheets ready to go!

Harley Qwednesday :: Shotgun!

Since we're all about the Batmobile this week after experiencing the auction where it sold for $4.2 Million, how about a page from Detective Comics #700, wtih Harley riding shotgun in the Batmobile.

Of course I can't help but be reminded of Toyriffic's introduction to the amazing Miss Kiss when she, as Harley Quinn, slipped behind the wheel of the Batmobile:

If you never saw the full set of Miss Kiss/Batmobile pics, check them out. And if you have seen them, it sure won't hurt to check them out again.

Nananananananana Four point two million!

The Batmobile...THE Batmobile - the original first ever started life as a '55 Lincoln Futura concept car and was customized by the legendary George Barris and crew for 1966's Batman TV show starring Adam West and Burt Ward - was auctioned off by Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale Arizona, selling for a WHAM POW HOLY BANK ACCOUNTS BATMAN $4.2 million dollars on Saturday January 19th 2013, and I WAS THERE! (Barrett-Jackson are reporting the car sold for $4.62 million which I assume includes their fees etc. The bidding itself on the auction floor reached $4.2 million.)

And so was my Hotwheels Batmobile. To think, I paid 1/4,200,000 the price of the real Batmobile for this little one!

Here we are enjoying a nice cup of coffee and a very Sprang-esque scene at the hotel before heading off to see the legend.

And OMFG there she is. A thing of absolute beauty, it was all I could do to stop myself from flinging my body across the hood and handcuffing myself to the car like some Batmobile preservationist.

I took tons of pictures from every angle, as one is apt to do for their greatest love.

I knew the car would go for a lot - my estimate was between 1 and 2 million, but when it passed 3 and then 4 million even I was stunned!

The new owner, Rick Champagne of Champagne Logistics will certainly never look at my blog, but if he ever does, and he needs a butler or a sidekick in tights, I'm your man!

Here's my Dad and I in front of the legend.

And finally, tiny Batmobile meets first Batmobile.

Mr. Champagne said after the win that he intended to put the Batmobile in his living room. Of course, his living room is probably bigger than the apartment complex I live in, and probably includes a mile long oval racetrack for all I know. But you've got to respect a man who wants to look at the Batmobile every single day of his life.

That also means that this #1 Batmobile may not be seen in public for a long time, so I am glad to have gotten the opportunity to have been in the presence of such a legend.

I also saw more classic cars than I can even wrap my head around during my time at the Barrett-Jackson auction, so I'll post some of those in the future. Same Bat time, same Bat channel.

YesterToys :: 2002

Here's a look at part of my toy collection sometime around late 2001 or early 2002. Not all of this stuff remains in my collection to this day; for instance, I no longer collect Pez and have cut my Hotwheels collection drastically in recent months.

That Bullwinkle soakie cost me a quarter at a yard sale. It was pretty sweet, but I've since sold it, for more than a quarter.

I eventually opened all those Johnny Lightnings on the wall in the back, and still have most of them. That Popeye is pretty sweet too, I still have all my Mezco Popeye stuff. I never did get that size Popeye in his white sailor outfit though. Sad :(

Poisunday Ivy :: Ivy doing what Ivy does best...

...killing men and being pursued by a member of the Bat family!

Cover art from Birds of Prey #6.

Little Green Army Men...Imaginext Style!

Fisher-Price's Imaginext toyline has been pumping out Toy Story themed figures and sets for a while now. I see them whenever I look for the Imaginext DC superhero offerings, which is often. Lots of cute and cool stuff, but nothing has 'jumped out at me.'

Until now.

My limited familiarity with the series meant I was taken completely by surprise when I saw these Imaginext 'Army Men' the other day. Even though the ubiquitous Little Green Army Men have made many appearances in Toy Story themed toy sets (including Lego) over the years, it still never ceases to amaze me when they transcend their original cheap plastic forms and appear re-imagined yet exactly how they should be all at the same time.

So meta!

Like most red blooded American boys I had hundreds, maybe thousands of Little Green Army Men throughout my childhood, so seeing them re-imagined in the Imaginext style tickles me to no end!

The set comes with a Medic, a Soldier, a mine detector, binoculars and a cot. Each figure also has a removable 'base' so they can appear like your regular green army men or it can be removed so they can be used in Imaginext vehicles and playsets. Brilliant!

No weapons, but what do you expect from a pre-school line in 2013? Regardless, the play possibilities are near endless with these guys.I can just imagine them sweeping the living room floor for mines and hauling away the dead undead on their cot. Good times!

By now I know you are wondering: what is up with that price tag? Now THAT'S a story:

I found these at Target a couple weeks ago, just lying on a random toy aisle shelf. It was the only set of Imaginext Army Men and I did not see a shelf or peg with a price for them (and at the time they did not have a price tag on them,) so I sought out the 'price checker' machine to see what they were going for. The price checker showed that the figures were not in the system.

Pro tip: if a toy you want is not in the system, take it to the front. Sometimes you can get a better than retail deal if the checker can't find an actual price and just throws a number out to make the sale. Although sometimes they find the right price, and sometimes they throw a higher number out too. It's a crap-shoot, but it can pay off, and what's the worst that can happen? You alerted them to an item not in their system. Good karma. It's a win for them (they find out about the item,) and for you (you sometimes get a good price or good karma at the very least.)

This time it payed off for me, but in a very odd and unexpected way:

So I took the figures to the front. The checker couldn't find it in the main system either. She was very helpful, asked the other checkers around, and offered to go to the back etc to find the price. By then the effort wasn't worth it any more, so I said 'no thanks' and proceeded with my other purchases.

I returned to the same Target the other day and while perusing their clearance aisle, I saw what I assume was the same pack of Army Men with a clearance tag on them. And the price? $1.26?!?! The tag even says 'Was $5.00' which is off by a few bucks to begin with.

I suppose an employee later found the set up front behind the registers and thought it may have been a return or that there was something wrong with it. I can further speculate that they saw two of the 'same' figure in the pack and without looking any closer figured that a customer had pulled the old 'Toy-Aisle Troll' switcharoo before returning the set (see cardback below to further cement that theory), but that's all mere conjecture.

Either way I guess not finding it in the system led them to come up with a ridiculously low price and they just tossed it in with all the other clearance toys, where I later happened onto it again and GLADLY paid the buck twenty six! I'd almost feel guilty but for the fact that all I did was ask about the price of a product that was not in their computer system. They did the rest and I could care less what their mindset was now that I have these cool Army Men!

To add oddness to non-injury, I wonder how Disney feels about shilling the characters of their now direct rival DC Comics? I don't know how 'across the board' this error is, but it's funny to see 'Disney/Pixar Toy Story' logo above Batman and friends! This isn't a mere packaging error, it's a fulll on print error, and a big one!

Until I look into this error further and determine how common it is or isn't, I think I'll keep this set packaged up. Heck, maybe the error is why Target put the set on clearance? Does anyone know what's up with this? UPDATE: I've personally seen this set now on three occasions; each time it has the Batman line image on the back. I have not noticed this error on any other Toy Story themed figure sets.

Whatever the case may be, I now have a cool toy, a cool error package, and a cool story...all for $1.26. CHEAP!

Lego Series 9 Plus Bump Codes

Lego Minifigures Series 9 are hitting stores now! I found mine at Toys R Us, where they only had one box but fortunately it was full enough that I was able to find all my minifigure 'must-haves' for this wave: Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, Chicken Suit Guy, Cyclops and the awesome Roller Derby Girl!

I found them all via the tried and true 'squeeze method.' I don't usually bother with bump codes, the little almost invisible dots on the bottom backs of the packages. I find the 'squeeze method' to be perfectly accurate every time I need to know what I'm getting beforehand.

But I know many out there are embarrassed to cop a feel on their minifigure packaging while in store and do prefer the 'bump code' method. I can't speak to it's accuracy as I have never used it myself, but as a public service I decided to post the codes for the Series 9 Minifigures I acquired. I darkened the bumps with a sharpie so you can see them better in the photographs:

Cyclops.

Jekyll/Hyde.

Derby Girl.

Chicken Suit Guy.

Again, I prefer the squeeze method and can attest to it's accuracy, but you have to be patient and know what you are squeezing for:

Cyclops: Feel for the large head (confirm by feeling the horn on top) and confirm/feel for the spiky club.

Jekyll/Hyde: Feel for the tophat and confirm by feeling for the vial.

Derby Girl: Feel for those tiny skates and confirm by feeling the smooth helmet (haha dirty!)

Chicken Suit Guy: Feel for the chicken head (the beak is a giveaway but don't confuse it with the Cyclops horn!) and confirm by feeling for those unique wings/arms.

Good luck!