When you’re a popular-culture omnivore, passions ebb and flow. For me, movies have been the single constant. My love for music is still strong, but my habit of roving around looking for new stuff has slowed some since my younger years. My love for comics has always perservered, but I go through long phases where I don’t pick up new comic books, not even monthly, let alone weekly. And my love for toys long lay dormant, for all kinds of reasons, some of them very good ones! But for better and also for worse, my toy collecting is back. But that’s good news for you, because here comes a new-ish regular-ish column!
I’ve written about toys a couple times before. Here’s one. Sort of an intro. Here’s another one. For the Marvel fans!
Another one! Clint Eastwood! That’s right! There are Clint Eastwood action figures!
But that was before. This is now. Let’s get to all the newest and freshest. Speaking of Marvel…
The company that makes the most Marvel action figures right now is Hasbro. They have this series called Marvel Legends, that features Marvel characters the way you know them from the movies and also in comic-book style, which personally I generally prefer.
The Hasbro design team has big premieres semi-regularly on YouTube. It’s goofy, maybe, but I’ve come to enjoy the joy of the reveal. Their last big one happened back in April. At the time, I was leaving the hospital after having a whole medical thing. My sister was driving me home, and asked what I was watching on YouTube. I dared not tell her, but it was this, sister:
There’s always a Wolverine. Post-Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man has exploded in importance. He’s arguably gotten the most action figures in the past ten years or so, although I’ve surely got more than my share of Spider-Mans and Captain Americas. But there’s always a Wolverine.
This one is styled the way John Cassaday drew him for Astonishing X-Men, the series written by Joss Whedon almost twenty years ago. I always dug John Cassaday’s artwork. There is both a weight and a grace to it.
Those Cyclops and Emma Frost figures are already available. (Luckily, there are none so far of Beast as a cat. WTF.) The Wolverine one is up for order. It hits stores in September.
Exclusive to Target is this Carol Danvers, known when she wore this costume as “Warbird.” Here’s some awesome artwork by the late, great George Pérez.
Based largely on the Marvel movies, you may know Carol Danvers better as Captain Marvel, but the character has had a bunch of names in the comic books. This is a neat variation! Basically, Hasbro can’t keep making the same figures over and over, so they go to the comics for inspiration since superhero comics are notorious for constantly changing costumes, especially every time a new artist takes over. Some designs are better than others, but there’s nothing finer than George Pérez.
This is a character called Skaar, Son Of Hulk. In the comics, the version of the story that became THOR: RAGNAROK in the movies had the Hulk being shot into space by some of the other superheroes for being way too much of a menace. The Hulk did the GLADIATOR thing and somewhere along the line, also fathered a child. I think I’m explaining this correctly. I’m sure I will be corrected if I’m not! As far as I can tell, Skaar is basically the Hulk if he was Conan The Barbarian. Fun, I guess. This was from one of those times I dropped out of reading comics regularly. Figure looks cool!
The Superior Spider-Man is another refugee from those bleak periods where I wasn’t reading comics regularly. So again, if I get this wrong, let me know. I will try to do it without any Marvel Wiki pages, as my own version of walking the ol’ internet tightrope.
Superior Spider-Man is Doctor Octopus, when his mind was occupying the body and powers of Peter Parker. You know what? Maybe I had better not try to explain this one. All I know is that this storyline lasted way longer than you’re probably expecting. It’s kind of a fun idea, even if it feels like something Stan Lee must have done at least once before. I’m sure the other superheroes must have wondered why Spidey was acting like a total dick. Also I’ve got to figure if Doc Ock was walking around as Spidey for dozens of issues, at some point he’d go get that Doc Ock bowl cut and confuse the shit out of Mary Jane and Aunt May.
Okay, here is my second-favorite announcement from that big April presentation. It’s a two pack of Power Man (aka Luke Cage) and his BFF Iron Fist, who is way cooler in the comics. Hasbro put out a version of Luke Cage in his 1970s-style costume just this year, so while Iron Fist is rocking that 1970s-to-1980s-era look, Luke is wearing clothes of a more recent vintage. I totally love the 1970s Luke Cage, but this is cool too.
And yes, for those who don’t know, although I’ve got to figure Daily Grindhouse readers do, Luke Cage is from whence Nicolas Coppola took his stage name.
Okay, now here’s my favorite. Ghost Rider! This is the 1990s Ghost Rider. His name in human form was Danny Ketch. The original 1970s Ghost Rider, and the one played in movies by Nicolas Cage, was Johnny Blaze. The Danny Ketch stories were darker and when Javier Saltares and Mark Texeira were drawing him, even spookier. I loved that series! And this figure comes with a flaming motorcycle.
These figures aren’t super cheap, in case you’re new to collecting. I feel like that’s something worth pointing out. And deluxe packages like this one, with a motorcycle for the figure, often cost twice as much. But let’s face it, I’m buying this as soon as I can. I’ll skip three lunches.
The things I do for a skeleton on fire wearing a leather jacket and driving a motorcycle…
Here’s a couple more pictures from April’s YouTube show, and then we can move on!
Okay, this is a kick and a half, and I can be short and sweet about it. A Bill Hicks figure! William Melvin Hicks, in action figure form. Now, this isn’t as articulated a figure as say, any of the Marvel Legends. Bill doesn’t have kung-fu grip. But he can hold a microphone and that’s where his true power resides anyway.
For deep-cut adventures, you can team Bill up with your Jesse-Custer-from-Preacher action figure!
A series called Longbox Heroes is offering creator-owned indy comic-book characters like the Tick! These are already in stores, if you can find them. Get the Tick in his classic costume or, if you like, get the Tick in disguise!
Comic-book legend Todd McFarlane owns and runs a successful toy company too. They make tons of DC Comics characters, and I guess that’s going really well, since McFarlane is bringing back the “Movie Maniacs” line. Originally, that line was horror characters only. Now, we’ve got Jeffrey Lebowski.
You can also get Wooderson from DAZED & CONFUSED and Andy Stitzer from THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN, among others. All of these look fantastic. Only downside is they’re not really “action” figures. More like statues. But they look great on a shelf!
Super7 makes ReAction Figures of just about any character or personality you can imagine from movies or music. This is another line that isn’t about articulation or poseability, more about the joy of having toys of these folks. They’re fun to display, and part of the appeal is the packaging.
Not sure why this Salt-N-Pepa set makes me smile even more than most of these do, but it’s great. Clearly it’s missing a Spinderella, but maybe there’s a deluxe version coming down the way.
Just in time for Pride Month, it’s Elvira! Is there anyone who doesn’t love Elvira? Probably. I just don’t want to know them.
NECA does tremendous work. The likenesses of the movie characters they sculpt are mind-boggling, and the accessories they come with are often plentiful and incredibly creative. This is one I’ve been waiting for them to do… Christopher Lee as Count Dracula! Enough with the words from me. Just behold him:
And finally, I will leave you with The Greatest. I’m not a pro wrestling guy, but Mattel has been doing impressive sculpting work with WWE characters. I do have a Roddy Piper, and now I have a Muhammad Ali! (Yeah, I didn’t know he was wrapped up in pro wrestling at one point either.) This is exclusive to Target, but worth the trip. I just have to tell you, when I went, I saw a Captain Lou Albano figure too. That was tempting! But this is what I needed. The Champ is here!
Hope you enjoyed this column. I’ll be back this summer with a bunch more wonderful toys!
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- [IN THEATERS NOW] THE BOY (2016) - January 24, 2016
- Cult Movie Mania Releases Lucio Fulci Limited Edition VHS Sets - January 5, 2016
Tags: Action Figures, Bill Hicks, Captain Lou Albano, Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, christopher lee, Columns, Doctor Octopus, elvira, Ghost Rider, Hasbro, Iron Fist, Jeff Bridges, Luke Cage, Marvel Comics, Marvel Legends, Mattel, Ms. Marvel, Muhammad Ali, NECA, Nicolas Cage, Power Man, Roddy Piper, Salt-N-Pepa, Spider-Man, Super7, The Big Lebowski, The Hulk, The Tick, Todd McFarlane, Toys, Warbird, Wolverine, WWE
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