Random Toy Pic :: Suicide Squad

Just a quick pic of the Squad all together (every Squad member I own in 6" scale that is).

Yeah, I'd totally go see this movie!

Playskool Star Wars Landspeeder

"Hop in, I know a place where they totally serve our kind!"

I found this Playskool Landspeeder at a local children's second-hand store. I only own Yoda and Darth Vader from the Playskool Star Wars Jedi Force line that this vehicle comes from, but neither were on hand for the photoshoot, so I slipped the Imaginext Killer Croc into the driver's seat. He makes a passable Star Wars alien.

This little Landspeeder, originally released in 2011, totally takes me back to my late seventies childhood. It's pretty similar to the Kenner Landspeeder with three wheels underneath. Unlike the Kenner version, this one's wheels do not retract. But it does have a 'pull-back' feature, which is almost as fun! Also, there is no hood/trunk compartment in this one like in the classic Kenner version.

This is the first Jedi Force vehicle I've acquired, but hopefully it isn't the last. Ironically, the Landspeeder was also the first Kenner Star Wars vehicle I ever owned, way back before I can even remember NOT owning it! Amazing how cyclical life can be sometimes, isn't it?

Imaginext and Playmobil: Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together.

If you are a fan of Imaginext and a fan of Playmobil you may have discovered that some of the figures and accessories are compatible. It is particularly fun to match Imaginext figures with Playmobil accessories, as Playmobil makes some very serious, real-world weapons and accessories:

Killer Croc is definitely the Bowie Knife type.

And what is Scarecrow without a crow?

I picked this guy up from the flea market a couple weeks ago. I know he comes from one of the knight themed sets, but I don't know if he has an official name. He is certainly inspired by Masters of the Universe - he reminds me a lot of the Snake Men, and he even has fur shorts over his brown pants. Anyways, I gave him a battle-axe and a viking shield that resembled his slithery mug.

You can also see Penguin in the background, who has a laser gun of some sort.

And finally Gill Man or The Creature from the Black Lagoon - I gave him a Playmobil trident, which looks a bit more serious and realistic than the one he came with.

These pics were taken while my intern and I played with some of our Playmobil and Imaginext figures. At first it was Monsters vs. Superheroes and Princesses, but eventually everyone decided to just be friends.

Killer on the Loose! DC Super Heroes Killer Croc :: Countdown to Halloween 2014

What's a Halloween Countdown without a killer? Killer Croc, that is!

Real Name: Waylon Jones
Known Aliases: Killer Croc, Croc, Crock Pot, Crocodile Dunderhead

Wanted for: Murder, kidnapping, extortion, and jaywalking. Also: eating puppies.

Killer Croc is a member of the Batman Rogues Gallery, and was originally envisioned as  a man with a scaly skin condition that gave him a reptilian appearance. Over the years, his croc-y mutation has grown exponentially, and nowadays he's pretty much a human/crocodile mutant. Sometimes with a tail, sometimes without. Most times more superhuman Croc than man.

He is probably best known today for his appearances in the Batman: Arkham video games. But he first reached his widest audience outside the comics as a character in the legendary Batman: The Animated Series cartoon.

Of all the action figure versions of Killer Croc ever released, I have to say that this version - made by Mattel as part of their proto-DCUC 'DC Super Heroes' line way back in the early 2000s - is the best by far.

Because essentially, this Killer Croc action figure is a serious/realistic version of the Batman: Animated Killer Croc design. What''s more amazing is that this guy is only unique in regards to his head sculpt (and paint applications) - the rest of the figure is simply a re-used Killer Croc from Mattel's six inch Batman toyline - one where Croc was far more mutated, and even had a tail!

This version fortunately does not include a tail.

But he does have a thirst for human flesh!

Imaginext Nightwing, Ace the Bat Hound, and other Toy Fair reveals!

Aw yeah! Fisher-Price's Imaginext line continues to hit them out of the park, starting with this upcoming Nightwing and Ace the Bat Hound! FINALLY my Imaginext Krypto will have someone to fight crime with!

An Imaginext Deathstroke (who will probably not be called 'Deathstroke' on the package...remember 'K. Croc'?) is also coming soon!

And speaking of 'K. Croc', it looks like Fisher-Price is putting out a mostly new Imaginext Killer Croc. He looks a lot like the existing Imaginext Killer Croc, but he appears to be wearing some sort of chain/moss/cuff apparatus, which is probably removable. And if you look closer, he also appears to have a steel jaw, like the recent Swamp Raider Killer Croc action figure version. This new version also comes with a jet-ski and a harpoon.

A skateboarding Batman. What, no street-luge?

And finally, this RC Bat-Tank that transforms into a Bat-Bot. Fun!

No word yet on release dates or how these will be sold/packaged/paired up, but I reckon we'll see them all in stores by the end of 2014.

sadly no female DC Imaginext figures revealed, but these things have a way of popping up under the radar, so I won't give up hope of seeing more than just Poison Ivy this year.

All pics via Figures.com

Two Leatherheads are Better Than One

'And who you think you be, son, if'n I may be so bold to ask? Speak up! Wassamattah, boy, is your mouth glued shut?'

This feller here is the newest incarnation of the mutant Alligator Leatherhead. He's pretty neat, all things considered. I really like the character design, it makes for a nice all purpose mutant alligator.

That said, he lacks the personality of design that the original Leatherhead has. New Leatherhead could have used a leather motorcycle jacket or a hat or something to distinguish him a little further from a generic mutant gator.

He comes with no accessories, which is a disappointment considering how accessory laden most TMNT figures have been thus far. He really should have some sort of sewer related weaponry! As the character develops in the cartoon, it wouldn't surprise me if he gets more depth and that is carried through in his design - but for now, we get a mutated alligator just learning to make his way in the world.

He has ball swivel articulation in his hips and shoulders but that's it for his appendages - well, his tail rotates but that's not of much use. His head also rotates. Funny to think that the original Leatherhead action figure has more articulation - new Leatherhead could have used a hinged jaw!

Like with TMNT's previous release 'Dogpound' paint apps are a bit spartan. Which is ok since he's an alligator, but a better wash over his top/back would have been nice instead of the speckled white paint they did apply. He's smaller in scale than his cartoon appearance, but that doesn't bother me too much, although if Mattel can make a humongous Killer Croc for around the same price point, Playmates could have done a little better...

'Hey, shorty!'

'That boy ain't right, y'hear me? Sumpin bout im just gives me the willys. Hold on, I know what it is -  it be the lack o' pants!'

'Lissen here, boy, you needs to get y'self some trousers! T'aint right, goin' round with yer gatorbits in the breeze like 'at. People'll start talkin!'

'Okay okay, I'll cover my crockadoodle noodle. Hey tinjaws, think you could point me in the direction of the nearest Montgomery Wards?'

I do recommend Leatherhead for TMNT fans and for others who just like mutant alligators (and who doesn't? Communists, that's who!) He's a neat action figure for your display and of course a solid toy for kids to enjoy too, I gua-ron-tee!

I Am (tiny) BANE!

"I am CUUUTE!"

Everyone remembers Bane breaking Batman's back, but do you remember when he busted both of Killer Croc's arms? I think that was the same time Robin had to escape by jumping into the sewer outflow, much like Commissioner Gordon did in TDKR.

"I will break...sniff snif...wind?!?! Ewww Batfarts!"

Imaginext Bane is currently available as part of a Gotham City Jail playset and a Paddy Wagon playset.

I don't really care too much about (or have the room for, or want to spend my toy budget on) the larger Imaginext playsets or vehicles, but I had to have Bane. So I went ahead and bought him off one of those eBay sellers in Hong Kong that sell (presumably) factory-seconds for super cheap. I found an auction for Bane, Joker and a pilot Batman for $4.99 with free shipping. I figured I could stand to gamble with five bucks (I've always wondered about those sellers anyways but never really trusted the whole situation,) and figured this was a good experiment to see what I ended up with.

First off, Bane is a great figure. Although he's nothing more than a standard Imaginext figure with painted-on details, those details really make the toy pop. He even has the Venom-to-brain mechanism on the back of his head!

Bane's Jail Playset release is supposed to have glow-in-the-dark (or glow under a black-light) veins, and here is where my figure falls into the 'Factory-Second' category. You can see slight yellow veins over his body but the 'paint' appears not to have been properly applied. They don't glow and I don't have a black-light to test them but I assume they wouldn't show well under it anyways.

And that's fine, the faint veins are kind of cool actually, and the figure is otherwise solid (I've seen worse QC on figures on the shelves.) Joker and pilot Batman were fine too, so my five dollar investment was well worth it.

I should also add that the shipping from Hong Kong was surprisingly fast. I think they may have employed a sky-hook.

Now that I have Bane, I think I'll dub this helmeted Batman that I've had for a while Azrael-Batman (aka AzBats!) The nineties never looked so cute!

Swamp Raider Killer Croc

I have a 'love/hate' relationship with Mattel.

Basically, I love to hate Mattel.

Haha.

But seriously.

The thing is, Mattel can and often does make good toys. They just don't seem able to handle the pressure of walking the line between kid and collector. When and if they do, it is more attributable to luck than skill. When they don't, you get Batman with hex holes. Or the atrocious TDKR toys on shelves now (all except for this past Thursday's Catwoman that is.)

Thankfully there is another new Batman line on shelves now that will partially soothe my Bat needs while I simultaneously lament the poor plastic execution of The Dark Knight Rises.

The line is called Power Attack, and the toys, while aimed squarely at kids, hit enough high notes for the 'collector' me to send me wailing and jonesing for more than a few.

Get it? Wailing and jonesing...Waylon Jones...Killer Croc? Is this thing on?

'I don't get it.'

Anyways, when I first spotted Swamp Raider Killer Croc on Come, See Toys I knew I had to have him.

Power Attack Swamp Raider Killer Croc looks like no other Killer Croc before (well, sort of - see last pic below) but was clearly inspired by the video game Arkham Asylum; the orange asylum issue pants, a belt that looks like some sort of inhibitor, and even the metal neck armor (instead of the shock collar on the video game version) are very reminiscent of Arkham Asylum/Arkham City. Which makes sense. Kids today are more likely to know Killer Croc from those two video games than any other media.

The 'metal' lower jaw is a neat design touch. I can imagine KC getting his jaw busted or torn off in a battle with Bane and it being replaced with a metal chomper by some deranged scientist ala Dr. Strange. Or at least his lower jaw is bionically enhanced with an armor plate. This is Croc 2.0: Bigger. Badder. Crocker!

I tend to prefer a tail-less Killer Croc over designs that incorporate a tail. Although most KC designs nowadays see him as more crocodile than human, when I was introduced to him in the comics he was merely Waylon Jones, a man with a skin condition, not a mutant crocodile. But with this version I can just assume the metal jaw came with some gene splicing. Or I could remove it, but then he's left with a gaping hole on his rump. Better to have a tail.

'I'll teach 'ya to park in my spot!!!'

The toy is nice - minimal articulation (which I generally prefer,) head, shoulders, hips, and  elbow articulation. Just enough. I'm disappointed that his jaw is not articulated - the plastic is very malleable, and while that may be a design choice it will more than likely lead to a torn bottom jaw if you budge it around too many times (back to why I hate Mattel again.)

'RRRAAARRRRRGGGHHHH!!!'

In fact, the plastic that makes up Killer Croc's arms also seems a bit soft. I hope that doesn't become an issue as this figure ages. Maybe it was a design choice to enhance play value for caped crusader squeezing fun, but it's hard to believe it won't affect the figure in the long run (for example, if someone were to keep this figure MOC, they'd probably end up with the same 'frosting' effect that plagued many JLU collections. I think after all is said and done, it's just cheap plastic.)

On the plus side, Killer Croc is huge (a smidge over 6") and very well priced at $8.99 (Target.) Not too shabby when you can't get a 4" Iron Man for under $10 these days. It's nice to feel like you are getting your money's worth, especially without an accessory or a stand or a Collect and Connect piece.

On the minus side: he's apparently shipped one per case. So he's destined to be one of the 'hard to find' figures for the line, at least in the early days.

But I wouldn't worry too much; I doubt this line will be very highly sought after by any more than die-hards like me. And eight year olds. I'm in good company.

PS I just noticed the jawline of Swamp Raider Killer Croc is almost identical to the Fisher Price Imaginext Killer Croc. Same designer I would imagine, and a cute little similarity!

'Have you seen this boy? Missing since 3/5/1986. Age computer-progressed 26 years; oh and a metal jaw was added in post-production, because metal jaws are just badass.'

Imaginext Killer Croc

Oops, wrong Croc!

Ahh that's better!

Killer Cute

Now that I now have in my posesson the cutest darn Hawkman and Flash figures ever made, I may soon need to track down this new Imaginext Killer Croc.

I don't need this one nearly as badly as I needed Hawkman and Flash and will have to see him in person to make any final commitment or commentary. But he is a nice add to the Imaginext line-up!

I also love that they call him "K. Croc" on the Fisher-Price website. At least they kept the initial for "Killer" instead of just calling him "Croc." But what will kids (and non-fanboy parents) think the "K" stands for?

"Rawr, I'm Kevin Croc, and you're about to swallow your last gallon of swamp water Batman, I guarontee!"

Master of Puppets

I previously posted about the Ventriloquist/Scarface action figure from the most recent Batman cartoon, titled simply "The Batman."

Today I am covering their plastic incarnation from Batman: The Animated Series, as released in the Puppets of Crime box set from 2002. This also happens to be the first figure(s) of the character(s) ever made.

First let's look at Arnold Wesker, the Ventriloquist, sans Scarface.

Unlike the figure from The Batman, this Scarface is removable from the Ventriloquist's arms. Arnold Wesker is sculpted with priority going to the ability to hold Scarface and stand at the same time, which makes him look a little goofy alone. It also doesn't work all that well, as no matter what you do, he's bound to tip over with Scarface in his hands. Articulation is limited to shoulders, waist swivel, and neck swivel.

They probably would have been better off sculpting them as a single unit, but kudos to the design team for trying something different.

Arnold does sport an excellent facial sculpt. He appears to be talking out the side of his mouth, which is reflective of his poor ventriloquistic abilities in the comics (if not in the cartoons.)

Scarface has no articulation and a tommy gun molded into his hand, but he fits into Wesker's arms nicely.
I would have preferred a more wooden tone to Scarface's skin, but otherwise he's a nice sculpt, if not entirely accurate to any of his cartoon designs.

He does have quite a scar as well. There's also a little slot in his back where Wesker's hand actually slips into. That's a pretty nifty touch as well.

Also included in the set, besides the repainted Nightwing and Bruce to Batman figures, is a repainted Killer Croc.

I never really liked this animated design, the way his jaw connected and left him no lips or cheeks always bothered me. He was originally grey, and that seemed kind of stupid as well for a character who is supposed to be reminiscent of a crocodile. Later they redesigned his character for the cartoon, making him look better (IMO) as well as green. I guess they figured if they just recolored the old sculpt no one would notice.

He's not a bad figure though, and he's pretty accurate to his cartoon look sculptwise. His right arm moves up and down like normal action figure arms, but also has a pull -back punch feature which adds to his playability.

He also came with a small pet alligator, whom he will hug and squeeze and call George.

Like I said, I was never a fan of this design for Killer Croc...never, that is, until this guy:

The second Killer Croc to be released as part of Mattel's 6" Batman line, this figure is surprisingly a re-paint of an earlier, far more crocodilian figure, with a new head sculpt and more detailed paint applications.

Based on his animated appearance, but with a more "realistic" or comic book design, THIS is what Killer Croc oughta look like! I'll post more about him soon, along with a comparison against the first Killer Croc from the same 6" Batman lineup.

"Mama?"