Galaxy Laser Team Lobstrosity

Another 'Holy Grail' enters my collection today as I am now the proud owner of an oversized Galaxy Laser Team Lobster Alien (aka The Lobstrosity!)

I have been a fan of The Lobstrosity ever since owning the original Galaxy Laser Team set released in the late seventies/early eighties. I no longer have any of my originals, but the figure on the right is a modern re-issue of those same figures I had as a kid. Tim Mee has been reissuing the Galaxy Laser Team in multiple colors over the past few years, and if you don't already have some I highly recommend them. The figure on the left is Zip - a freebie figure released in boxes of Screamin' Yellow Zonkers sometime in the mid eighties. I remember begging my Mom to get Screamin' Yellow Zonkers (of which I could have cared less for - except for the toys) in the hope that I would get Zip. I would have eaten fifty boxes of thast crap to get him, but thankfully he was in the first (and only) box we got! This Zip is not my original but one I found at the Flea Market a couple years ago.

And of course the silver figure in the center is the newest addition to my collection, a toy I did not even know existed when I was a kid! And of course he was found at the Flea Market this weekend for only a dollar!

A few years back I learned that the Galaxy Laser Team figures were bootlegged (in a larger format) in Mexico - maybe in the late eighties? - and ever since I have longed to add a large Lobstrosity to my collection. He was definitely a 'Holy Grail' on my wishlist, and a toy I had secretly hoped the Flea Market would eventually yield. Patience pays off, as I not only found him, but he is in miraculously great shape, and he's a spiffy silver and not some other boring color.

I not only love having so many Lobstrosities, but I love having three different versions of the same obscure no-name random alien creature. Just the fact that three versions of this character exist makes me happy. Because - WTF?!?! I mean there are still mainstream superheroes that have less than three versions of themselves in toy form, yet here's some random plastic alien creature who somehow beat the odds to rise from nothingness to stardom. The inclusion of Zip in the Screamin' Yellow Zonkers has always had me scratching my head, as there is no reason this alien design should exist in two separate toy lines (if you can even call a snack pack-in a 'toy line.') He's also a bit 'chibi' in his design, while the oversized Lobstrosity is just the original version scaled up.

While shooting these pics, my intern insisted we take the Lobstrosities outside so she could blow bubbles for them.

She is as enamored by these quirky aliens as I am!

I also have the re-releases in grey and black, but they were not within arms' reach when I started this photo shoot.

'I am King of the Lobster People! Take us to your leader.'

'They call me 'stumpy.'

'It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A!'

I tried to get some shot of the Lostrosities engulfed in bubbles, but Lawrence Welk my Intern is not.

Here she is counting them and naming off their different colors. I'd be lost without her.

'Izzat so? Well then howzabout a raise?'

'Wait, what? Interns don't get paid?!?!'

'Well then, I'm leaving with these nice alien folk. Good thing I'm already wearing my moon boots.'

Random Toy Pic :: Lips Manlis gets the message.

My intern got this horse finger-puppet, and the first thing I thought of was the scene from The Godfather where the gangster finds his horse's head in his bed. I have a Lips Manlis action figure (from the Playmates Dick Tracy line) and, along with my intern's dollhouse and furniture, I knew I had myself a 'Kodak Moment' if there ever was one!

Imaginext Gorilla Mountain Playset

Last Christmas we presented the Toyriffic Intern with the Imaginext Gorilla Mountain Jungle Playset. We found the set at a flea market for ten bucks and it came with all the animals you see here, as well as a tiger-striped Humvee!

She was pretty excited about it and all the animals it came with.Here she is with the Rhino and the 'Himmo-Thomas.'

The baboon on the right isn't Fisher-Price but was part of the flea market purchase. The cave he is in may also be from some other toyline. Otherwise, it's all Fisher-Price Imaginext stuff, if not specifically from the Gorilla Mountain playset originally. I personally appreciate the Gorilla and the playset itself, as they remind me of Gorilla Grodd and Gorilla City.

We have plenty of DC Super Friends Imaginext figures, so someday we'll have to mash them up. But for now my Intern is happy playing with her jungle animals. They are all pretty cool, and each has a little unique action feature - the hippo's mouth opens, the rhino juts his head forward, one lion actually roars...all good stuff!

DC Multiverse Arkham Asylum Batman

I received this Arkham Asylum video game version of Batman from jboy of The Clawful Punch a few weeks back. Thanks John!

One can never have too many different versions of The Batman! This Batman is from the current 3 3/4" DC Multiverse action figure line, and it's hard to believe this is the first Arkham Asylum Batman to make his way into my collection. I always felt this Batman design suffered from a severe case of Pin-headedness. But the Arkham Asylum Batman is definitely an iconic representation of the Batman, due in no small part to the fact that the video game launched an all new media franchise that continues to influence all things 'Batman' to this day.

As for the figure itself, it's a good effort on Mattel's part to try and keep up with the Joneses (aka Hasbro.) I'm not going to become a Multiverse completeist by any means, but I will gladly pick up a few more figures from this line. I do look forward to the Keaton Batman from this Multiverse line, which people are apparently finding at retail already.

When the Gotham Bunnies come hop-hop-hopping along...

Okay, we're all used to sexy Harley Quinns and Poison Ivys and Catwomen...but did you ever think Scarecrow could make you feel all tingly in your nether-regions?  Or possibly Mr. (Ms.?) Freeze?

The cosplayer team Skirts and Swords is here to make all your embarrassing-dreams-you-dare-not-admit-to come true: Playboy Bunny versions of all of Gotham's Finest Villains!

Inspired by the art of Milkydayy (Oskar Vega) and photographed by Greg DeStefano, cast your peepers at Batman's Rogue Gallery: Playboy Bunny style!

Playboy Bunny Poison Ivy. I be-leaf I am in love!

Riddle me this, Playboy Bunny Riddler: What's incapable of rational thought because all of the blood has left it's brain? Answer: me.

Playboy Bunny Penguin. Is that a trick umbrella in my pocket, or am I just happy to see you?

Playboy Bunny Harley Quinn. Too stunned to come up with a pun.

Playboy Bunny Mr. Freeze. I'd take a frost-bite of that!

Playboy Bunny Joker. Don't forget your rubber...chicken!

Playboy Bunny Catwoman. Purrr-fect!

Playboy Bunny Two-Face. Head's up!

Playboy Bunny Scarecrow. Scary hot!

This photoset was discovered via The Mary Sue

Quinnilla Ice :: Harley Qwednesday

After last week's 'Preschool Week' wrapped (or should I say 'Rapped'), I cobbled together one more Harley Quinn custom figure from random Playmobil parts:

"I'm here to drop the phat beats, yo! Lou here already dropped something about a block south. Watch your step."

Introducing: Quinnilla Ice and her dog, Spot!

"Shoutout to my boy, GrandMister J!"

"One, two, three and to the four, Quinnilla Ice is here so better lock the door!"

"Peace out, vigilante M&*%erf%$#ERS!"

"I'm gonna pop a cap in your Bat-A$$!"

Oh no! Quinnilla Ice is a gansta rapper, Gotham City style!

"Who says white (faced) people can't rap? What about Eminem and...ummm...Reese's Pieces...and that guy Skittles."

Care Bear Collection

My little intern has learned a lot from her Daddy! She recently gathered together (almost) her entire Care Bear Collection (including her Care Bear movie and book too!) and wanted it all photographed.

Snifflesniffle they grow up so fast. She's going to need her own blog soon!

Preschool Week :: Poison Ivy Playmobil Custom Figure

Wrapping up Preschool Week is a closer look at my custom Playmobil Poison Ivy figure. This is one of my simplest kitbash customs, because Playmobil released a Lady GaGa inspired Fi?ure which was pretty much all there in terms of the perfect Poison Ivy costume. Better still, the Lady GaGa head was the one with the domino mask, so I had to have it anyways so that head could be used for Harley. I merely had to give this body a more basic head and properly colored hair and, along with a flower headband: voila! Playmobil Pamela Isley.

The crossbow came later, when I found a bunch of Playmobil knights and weapons etc at a garage sale. And the lily came from the Hula Girl from Series 4. It looks unassuming, but I'm sure it's a poisonous mutation. Don't sniff it!

Well that does it for Preschool Week. Time to stop all this childish nonsense and grow up to play with toys meant for the 6-12 age bracket! What are you all, a bunch of babies?!?!

Preschool Week :: Gotham Girls

Just a pair of pictures featuring everyone you've seen this Preschool Week, together with their respective toyline teammates: Gotham Girls - Imaginext and Playmobil style!

Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, official members of the Imaginext DC Universe lineup, and custom members of the world of Playmobil.

I have yet to come up with a way to give Catwoman cat ears (without her looking like a cheap custom job that is.) I keep hoping Playmobil will make a cat ear headband or hood or something for some Halloween themed figure or somesuch. Like I said before, these are just kitbash customs, no paintwork or part modification whatsoever. Just parts swapping. Doing these customs is challenging and fun, and while I am sure I could do all sorts of paint work or craft custom parts, I like to keep these things simple yet creative. At least for now. Who knows what the future holds?!

Preschool Week :: Playmobil Catwoman Custom Figure

I've added a couple parts to my Playmobil Catwoman custom figure since first putting her together. Namely the gloves and the bandanna mask. Since there's no official Playmobil part that can effectively represent cat ears (that I am aware of at least), I am going with the more basic 'cat burglar' representation of the character. This is Selina Kyle out stealing stuff, plain and simple. She even has a bag of ill-gotten goods in her clutches!

I'm positive they make a Playmobil whip, so I should really track one of those down. It would complete the look, at least until I can get her some cat ears! I've also toyed (hahaha get it? Toy humor!) with the idea of losing the domino masked head and just going with one that would allow her eyes to show, but Catwoman has always kept most of her face hidden so I think I like her this way better. I do have some Playmobil sunglasses, but they don't work with any of the short female dark hair pieces I have.

I've clearly given this figure WAY too much thought!

Preschool Week :: Playmobil Harley Quinn - Again

I've modified and adjusted my Playmobil Harley Quinn multiple times. I've had her in a cheerleader themed get-up, a western themed get-up, a dark haired version reminiscent of Harley in mourning at the end of Arkham City, and many more. I've used geisha heads, (an effective white, but without a domino mask) a Lady GaGa head (domino mask, but skin tone and not white faced) and even a zombie like head (it glows!) The custom possibilities for my Playmobil Harley have been endless!

Right now I've settled on this version, with more red parts added in order to contrast the blacks in her clothes. Nowhere near her classic costume, but some may argue it's better than her current comicbook look.

The Playmobil Fi?ures series 6 lineup has a girl in a fifties style red dress with white polka dots - I'd like to pick one of those up to give Harley a fancy dress; you know, for church and classy murdering and stuff. But since those darn Fi?ures are so hard to come by (I still haven't seen series five anywhere) I'll be content with what I've got and if I find one I find one. No big. And hey, at least she has a mallet! I found that in a pile of Playmobil stuff I found at a garage sale. I would have never imagined such a thing even existed, so it was pretty lucky I found it in the mix. I would expect that Playmobil has made a sledge hammer at some point, but an oversized wooden mallet? Who knew?!?!

Ben Affleck Batman REVEALED!

I know you've probably all seen this about fifty times already today, but I would be remiss if I were not to post it (along with my feelings) here on Toyriffic.

Ben Affleck in the Batman costume from the upcoming Man of Steel sequel/Justice League prequel/World's Finest movie!

My thoughts? WOW! That's one badass looking Batman! It's just a greyscale image, so we don't even know if there will there be shades of grey (or blue), but the costume looks closer to a costume (and not body armor) than we have ever seen in real life (well, at least since Adam West)...and boy wonder does it work!

The Batmobile looks to be a cross between the Tumbler and the '89 Batmobile - and also seems to share some similarities with the Batmobile from the upcoming Arkham Knight video game.

Okay, so what do YOU think?

Preschool Week :: Imaginext Catwoman by Fisher-Price

Imaginext Catwoman. The one that started it all - at least as far as female DC Universe characters go. Catwoman was made right before Imaginext shifted their designs from sculpted heads to featureless heads (except for noses) and painted on faces. If she came out today, you can bet her lips would be painted on. One wonders if the goggles would have been painted on too?

Honestly, some red lips would really enhance Catwoman's face, which is sort of bland as it is; but if it would have meant losing the sculpted goggles, then I am much happier with this version.

Pre-School Week :: Playmobil Cowgirl Harley Quinn

'I'm your Huckle-Harley'

Preschool Week continues with another custom Playmobil Harley Quinn!

I spent some time this past weekend playing around with my Playmobil parts (hahaha dirty!) and came up with this Western Harley Quinn. For no real reason other than I had this spiffy Playmobil cowboy hat.

'Yeah, Harley Quinn. The roughest, toughest, he-man stuffest hombre who ever crossed the Rio Grande... And I don't mean Mahatma Gandhi!'

The head piece doesn't provide the best representation of Harley Quinn's face - although the eye color and the black around the eyes works, the blue lips detract a bit. it would be better if they were black or perhaps red, but since the extent of my Playmobil customs are simply kitbashes, it works for me. Bonus: it glows in the dark!

Preschool Week :: Imaginext Poison Ivy and Scarecrow by Fisher Price

Another theme week!

This week, we look at a bunch of toys intended for toddlers! So stick your thumb in your mouth or your finger in your nose and take a nap or throw a tantrum and don't eat your peas and be in bed by seven, because Preschool Week begins NOW!

Only the fourth female character to have made it to the DC Super Heroes Imaginext toyline line-up (behind Catwoman, Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn) - I present to you the chlorophyll cutie herself: Poison Ivy.

The detail on Poison Ivy is incredible. Her bodice and shoes are sculpted with all sorts of little details that could have been ignored in the design phase. Fisher-Price could have just given her a flat green oufit and called it a day. Her hair is nicely sculpted too, and the little plant details painted on her help her stand out as something more than just a green skinned gal. Of note: her arms are also much skinnier than the previous female Imaginext figures. It makes sense in a way because Ivy is not wearing sleeves/gloves like Catwoman or Harley, but I hope it doesn't mean female Imaginext figures are going to have a different body type moving forward. The line has lasted so long there are already design changes that make them a bit inconsistent when put together as a group (for instance, the previous sculpted faces vs. the latest painted-on faces.) And with the about-once-a-year female character releases Fisher Price seems to be keeping to, there will be massive design differences by the time we even get a handful of gals in our DC Imaginext collections!

Although Imaginext has been going strong for many years now, it's hard to believe Poison Ivy is only the fourth female character from the DC Comics line-up to make an appearance. More surprising, all three Batman themed females that they have made are villains! Sure, they made Wonder Woman, but considering other such no-brainers as Batgirl and Supergirl have yet to make the Imaginext roster of female characters, Poison Ivy is a welcome addition indeed, but does leave one wondering what goes on behind closed doors at the Fisher-Price offices!

Actually, as odd as it sounds, I honestly believe the primary gauge used for Batman themed character selection are the Arkham video games of recent years. Crazy, because this toyline is aimed at a fanbase much younger than that of the video games, but it makes sense considering that the Arkham video games have introduced Batman and his rogue gallery to a much larger audience than the comics and movies alone. It also makes sense because these toys are aimed at a young audience not familiar with the archaic mediums of entertainment their parents grew up enjoying. Like, basically, anything that doesn't have a screen!

When you consider the Arkham video games as a template for the Imaginext toyline, it makes sense to have Harley Quinn, Catwoman and Poison Ivy, who all make prominent appearances in the games and not, say, Batgirl, who does not appear in the video games (okay, she appears as Barbara Gordon/Oracle, but that is different, especially for the non-comicbook geek.)

Anyways, that's my theory, and I am sure there are many other factors that play into Fisher-Price's character selection. But I think my theory is pretty solid, and may also be reinforced by the character Poison Ivy is packed with: Scarecrow!

Scarecrow also plays an important part in the Arkham series, and is apparently lined up to play an even bigger part in the upcoming Arkham Knight game set for release later this year.

Scarecrow is incredibly detailed, you can tell a lot of love and attention went into his design. He even has a noose sculpted around his neck - or at least a rope with a knot in it - I'd love to talk to the designers and hear if they are ever asked to tone their designs down or if they are given any specific 'no-nos' when making these kiddy toys.

Scarecrow comes with a scythe that I do not believe has made a previous appearance anywhere in the Imaginext toyline, and Poison Ivy comes with a vine that seems designed to hook on other Imaginext figures' necks or heads or whatever.

Fun for the whole family!