ShengYuan Batman and Batcycle BootLEGO

Another Batman BootLEGO set I picked up in my latest eBay batch is this basic Batman with Batcycle.

The Batcycle is a clone of the one that comes with the official LEGO Batcave set. It's a nice, solid build and although LEGO included a sticker, the batsymbol is printed on this bootleg version.

Batman again only has one face printed on his head. He also has a cheaper cape than the LEGO version. Otherwise ShengYuan is putting out some high quality bootlegs and you'd be hard pressed to find a reason not to own this guy, especially because they are so dang cheap!

A caveat: this Batcycle build did come missing a part. Fortunately I have enough LEGO to have a replacement, but it wasn't a 'basic' piece nor was it an inconsequential piece. Had I not been able to replace it I would not have been happy, and I am not sure how the Chinese bootleg sellers are when it comes to replacements. I'm also in no hurry to find out, because I can't imagine they really care when yo only spend a couple bucks to begin with. But I don't know so I can't make a definitive statement. Either way: buy at your own risk, but so far all my experiences have been worth the risk.

Venom Bootleg LEGO Minifigure Bigfig

Another incredible installment in the book of bootLEGO is this Venom 'bigfig.'

This guy doesn't even exist in the LEGO toy world (although he was seen in the Marvel LEGO video game.) But the crazy awesome Chinese bootleggers have made him available and I was able to nab this guy off eBay for less than a dollar shipped!

This Venom bigfig is pretty much a Venom version of the LEGO Incredible Hulk. Nothing new on the engineering front. But it's Venom! Awesome!

Additionally awesome is that his eyes, teeth and spider-symbol are not simply painted on, but they are actually sculpted in relief. A level of detail not necessary or expected from Chinese bootleggers, but greatly appreciated!

Venom even has his symbol in relief on his back!

Venom also comes with a black 'rope' spider-web thingy. Not sure if this guy is ShengYuan or DeCool because he came to me in a plastic bag with Chinese writing on it, but either way, he's well made, highly recommended and an awesome addition to anyone's minifigure or bigfig collection!

ShengYuan Scuba Batman LEGO Bootleg

One of the three additional sets I had to pick up in order to get the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is this Scuba Batman set, a bootleg version of the LEGO Batman - The Penguin Face Off (76010) set. Sans Penguin and his Duckmobile.

The scuba vehicle is kind of silly but still cool. Honestly the Duckmobile is the best part of the official set, so I will probably have to pick it up eventually anyways. I only wish there were a way to make a LEGO Orca minifigure, because otherwise a Scuba Batman is completely pointless.

The set does come with a Penguin Bomb. A simple build but super awesome. I know I have the parts to make more of these, but not in the correct colors. So it's fun to have one now even if I don't yet have a LEGO Penguin himself.

The Batman minifigure is top notch. ShengYuan is putting out some high quality bootlegs. In fact, I'm starting to think I should refer to them as 'clones' and not 'bootlegs', but since they are still direct rip-offs of official minifigures, I think the term 'bootleg' still applies.

He does have printing on the back of his torso, but he only has one face print on his head. I would have preferred that they went with the scuba face, but instead they opted for the normal face.

Either way they did include his scuba-gear, flippers and a spear-gun, so that's keen.

Exclusive Batzarro Minifigure with LEGO Justice League vs. Bizarro League Movie :: Coming Soon!

Just when I thought I finally owned the coolest Batman LEGO minifigure ever conceived (at least in bootleg form), LEGO goes and makes a freaking BATZARRO MINIFIGURE and suddenly all bets are off.

Not only that, but they made it easily accessible! WOOHOO!

Available exclusively with the LEGO Justice League vs. Bizarro League Movie (available for pre-order now with a release date of 2/10/15) Batzarro is an exciting addition to what looks to be a fun little original LEGO movie.

You can bet I'm pre-ordering and will have myself a Batzarro LEGO minifigure as soon as my grubby hands can get a grip on him!

Me am so angry to get a LEGO Batzarro, me can wait!

Random Toy Pic :: LEGO Two-Face Custom

I found the LEGO Two-Face hairpiece at the flea market a couple weeks ago. t would be pretty useless if I didn't own the Jekyl/Hyde minifigure. But I do, so I replaced the top hat with the hair and voila!

Even though the look lacks the general two-color theme of Two-Face, the clean side/torn up side create an effective Two-Face. Maybe a seventies era Two-Face with those side-burns, but a Two-Face nonetheless.

BONUS: Two-Face enjoying a tea party with his princess friends. Even with only half a handsome face, that Harvey Dent is still quite the lady-killer!

Batman of Zur-En-Arrh LEGO Minifigure Bootleg

At San Diego Comic Con this past summer (2014) one of LEGO's super limited exclusives was The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh. I was at ComiCon but didn't realize this fact until after it had sold out. That said, I would not have likely gotten it anyways as the LEGO exclusives are painfully difficult to obtain even if you attend the Con. Not surprisingly, The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh LEGO minifigure is now going for hundreds of dollars on the secondary market.

Thank God for Chinese bootleggers!

Every so often I seek out what's new in the Chinese BootLEGO world, so imagine my joy when I discovered they are now making a Batman of Zur-En-Arrh minifigure!

He's not an exact duplicate of the LEGO version: The symbol is slightly different, he doesn't have his 'Bat-Radia' printed on his belt (but he does have printing on his back torso,) his head only has one face printed on it, and his cape is scalloped instead of flat at the base.

He also does not come with a bat (I borrowed mine from another LEGO minifigure.)

He does come with a Bat...umm...mobile?

As far as I am aware, this vehicle is a bootleg original, and not based off of any official (or unofficial) LEGO build.

I suppose the jalopy-esque cobbled-together nature of the Batmobile or Batscooter or whatever it is  does fit into the character as envisioned by Grant Morrison, so it is a fun addition to the minifigure. But honestly they had me at 'Batman of Zur-En-Arrh.'

I believe this set is by ShengYuan, and the quality is incredible. Seriously on par with LEGO at this point. The cape material is flimsier than official LEGO capes, but that's a minor quibble. In fact, if you wanted your Batman of Zur-En-Arrh to look even more like the official version, you can use the LEGO Magneto's cape, as it is an exact match for the SDCC exclusive Batman version's cape, no scallops and all.

I got this guy off eBay and so far this minifigure is only available in a set of four Batman minifigures/mini vehicles. I can't complain, I got the whole set for less than ten bucks shipped, making this guy no more than a couple bucks alone. An incredible alternative to 200 plus dollars for an official version!

The fact that the Chinese bootleggers made this guy makes me think they really have their fingers on the pulse of LEGO minifigure fandom, and it gives me high hopes for some incredible bootlegs based on the new LEGO Batman 3 video game. I expect some great and unexpected LEGO DC and Batman themed bootlegs within the next year!

Imaginext Blind Bagged Series 4 REVEALED!

Pictures of Imaginext's blind bagged Series 4 figures have surfaced (at Toy Showdown found via the ActionFigureInsider.com Forums) and this series looks to be a doozy for a few reasons - not the least of which being the first appearance in the Imaginext Blind Bag line of female characters!

A witch and a snowboarder! It's great to see Fisher-Price throw two female characters into Series 4, and while the snowboarder doesn't interest me much, that witch is a must have!

And get a load of tha clown! He'll make the PERFECT Joker/Harley goon, and is worth the price of admission for that balloon animal accessory alone!

I also need that space gorilla because SPACE GORILLA!

The full line-up for the blind bagged Imaginext Series 4 is:
Boxer
Snowboarder
Basketball Player
Space Gorilla
Clown
Witch
Mad Scientist
Space Alien/Robot

No word yet on when these will hit retail, but I would think it safe to start looking very soon. These could hit shelves before the holidays or right after.

And stay tuned here for more info - once I hear of them hitting retail and learn the codes etc. I will be sure to let everyone know!

Jabba The Hutt by LEGO Birthday Flea Market Find!

Yesterday was my birthday, and one of my favorite things to do (...brace yourself...) is go to the flea market. So I went! I had originally intended to go alone, since 'alone time' is a rare commodity when you have a toddler, but my cold cold heart melted upon looking the forlorn faces when I headed for the door, so the Mrs. and my intern ended going with me after all.

The very first vendor we stopped at had a few ziploc bags of random LEGO bricks and a few minifigures. The vendor is someone who is there every weekend, and is so old you might be convinced he has been there every weekend since the dawn of time.He is also near impossible to understand, due to being born before America was even a known continent or due to being over ten thousand years old. Perhaps both. Seriously, this guy might sell you a Mogwai if you knew the right password.

Anyways, within one of the ziploc bags I noticed this Jabba The Hutt 'minifigure'. I love 'mega' sized minifigures and I have longed for a Jabba for a long time, so I was almost willing to pay the whole eight dollars he wanted for the bag. A good price, but I have enough random bricks.

So when I discovered through hand signals and grunts and cuneiform that he was willing to sell the figure alone, and for a mere dollar, well...Jabba isn't the only guy who knows a good bargain when he sees it.

This is the first Jabba the Hutt LEGO minifigure. There is a modern version available now, with more accurate colors, paint applications etc. But there's something charming about this plain-jane version from 2002 that is irresistible. The sculpt is top notch, his tail is in two parts which afford a surprising amount of posing options, and he even has a belly button! Other than the lack of paint, I think this version is superior to the one available now.

I was also able to find most of a Batman minifigure - and he appears to be from the first series of LEGO Batman releases. Unfortunately I could not locate his cowl in any of the LEGO ziploc bags the vendor had. I did however find Two-Face's hairpiece. So for fifty cent, I have a slightly greying Batman. Which is apropos since it was my birthday and I will neither confirm nor deny a few grey hairs.

"She'll never guess your real age when you use 'Just for Batmen'"

TMNT Rocksteady Custom LEGO Minifigure

The LEGO Chima series Rhinocerous heads are just screaming to be made into TMNT Rocksteady custom minifigures. So I tracked one down and did exactly that.

I used the cowboy torso from one of the blind bagged series releases, and some random khaki pants. The gun is from a bootleg military minifigure, and I slapped together a sewer lid 'shield' to complete the OG effect.

Rocksteady, Wingnut and Panda Khan minifigures. Now all LEGO needs to do is release a warthog with a mohawk headpiece!

TMNT Wingnut custom LEGO minifigure:: Another Random Toy Pic

I didn't actually set out to make a TMNT Wingnut LEGO minifigure. I merely swapped heads between a Vampire Bat minifigure and a Batman minifigure for kicks. The minifigure sat around the house like this for a while, until one day it dawned on me how much he resembled the original TMNT Wingnut action figure:

Okay, so it it's not an exact match, but for a kitbash LEGO minifigure, he's pretty darn close!

Margot Robbie Cast as Harley Quinn for 2016 Suicide Squad Movie

Australian actress Margot Robbie has been cast to play Harley Quinn in her motion picture debut in the 2016 slated release of Suicide Squad (not from the files of 'Police Squad').

I know nothing of Miss Robbie, but judging by the couple pics I found online of her in 'The Wolf of Wall Street,' perhaps I should.

Now the real mystery awaits: Will we perchance see Miss Margot Robbie in the classic Harley Quinn costume, even if it's just a moment of fan-service? I sure hope so!

I also can't wait to hear how much Margot Robbie sounds like Harley Quinn. Harley Quinn is a unique member of the Batman rogues gallery, having first appeared as an animated character - her voice is as much a part of her iconic image as the red/black motif and whiteface.

Well, Harley Quinn fans, what are your thoughts on this casting news?

Red X Robin 5" Action Figure

I try to grab up Teen Titan action figures whenever I see them for cheap at the flea market or yard sales. I never really followed this toyline or the cartoon, but one character I am pretty fond of is Red X. Red X was initially Dick Grayson Robin in disguise, and I believe he later appeared shrouded in mystery with the possibility that Jason Todd had adopted this guise.

I've had the two smaller versions for some time, so I was ecstatic to find the larger version at a yard sale a couple weeks ago. Originally he would have had a 'unmasked' (yet still masked) Robin head, but I did not get that piece. for the twenty five cents this guy set me back, I really can't complain.

This larger Red X is really well articulated, much moreso than his miniature counterparts.

I really like the costume design of Red X. I'd love to see it adopted into official comic book canon, perhaps as a disguise used by Damian Wayne or something. Or even as a lone, mysterious vigilante; or sidekick to Deathstroke (Deathstroke Jr.).

Police Officer Harley Quinn Playmobil Custom

When Harley Quinn first burst onto the scene in Batman: The Animated Series, one of her most memorable premier moments was of her dressed as a police officer in order to wheel a cake into police headquarters filled with Joker stuffing.

So when I learned Playmobil was releasing a female police officer in their Fi?ures Series 5 line-up, I knew exactly what I had to do!

Unfortunately I've been suffering from a long term Playmobil drought locally. The educational store I used to acquire my Playmobil fix from closed recently, and Toys R Us is painfully unreliable. For instance: they just got in a glut of old Series 4 Fi?ures, then suddenly they got a shipment of Series 7! No sign of Series 5 or 6, both of which contain figures I am actively seeking. Sigh.

Anyways, thanks to fellow blogger and toy collector Dex of AEIOU and Sometimes Why I did get my hands on the Series 5 Police Woman Fi?ure, which I promptly transformed into Police Woman Harley Quinn. I already had a Playmobil police motorcycle on hand, so they two were brought together as destiny ordained.

The Playmobil Fi?ures Series 5 Police Woman comes with handcuffs, a handgun, and a billy-club. I changed out her head piece for the Geisha head I use for my go-to Harley Quinn head, and replaced the hair as well to more accurately represent Harley's cartoon cop-girl appearance.

In her original animated police-woman appearance, Harley sported a skirt, so this isn't as screen-accurate as it could be. but hey, where else are you going to be able to find a Police-woman Harley Quinn action figure? I just wish Playmobil made it easy to buy parts; if I could get my hands on a bucket of those Geisha heads I'd make these kinds of customs all day long!

Roller Derby Harley Quinn Action Figure Coming (not) Soon (enough)!

DC Collectibles just released these beautiful images of their upcoming Roller Derby Harley Quinn action figure, based on her recent appearance as, well, Roller Derby Harley Quinn, in the...you guessed it...Harley Quinn monthly series.

If there was ever a variant version of Harley Quinn I could get behind...

...get your minds out of the gutter...

...it is this one. Seriously. I am sitting here typing this after discovering this news and I am literally wearing a roller derby Harley Quinn t-shirt I got from TeeFury a few weeks ago. I am absolutely the target market for this specific action figure, and I cannot wait to see her in person.

Roller Derby Harley Quinn will be available July 2015 at a comic shop near you. Not soon enough, if you ask me!

Eeny Meeny Miney Moe, Catch Tiger Claw by the Toe

Mighty Mutanimals 2.0?

Another new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle release hanging around on store shelves now is the assassin Tiger Claw.

Admittedly, I know nothing about Tiger Claw except what I have read on his bio card and online. I haven't seen the episodes he appears in, but there's something about a western-garbed Tiger man with shades of Deathstroke that a guy simply can't resist.

Tiger Claw is a good action figure and seems to be a fan favorite, so he may be tough to find until the initial 'must-have' heat dies off.

Tiger Claw comes with two pistols, which each fit nicely into holsters permanently attached to Tiger Claw's thighs.

Tiger Claw's tail is intentionally missing. Apparently someone removed it in battle. Given the fact that Playmates are well known for cost-cutting, I am surprised it is not only orange, but it appears to be a separate component and not molded onto his buttox. I suppose had they not at least made it orange, it would have looked a little too...ahem...awkward.

Tiger Claw has swivel shoulders and hips, as well as a turning head and knee joints.

I am a cherry-picker when it comes to the new TMNT toy characters, so there are many I do not own. But it seems lately they have been releasing a lot of groovy characters that are hard to resist, with many more on deck (Rocksteady and Bebop are due out this month!) so the TMNT posts are only going to continue around here!