Issue 84 : Saturday 28th July, 2018
The Marvel Panel at SDCC 2018 gave us, as is becoming common, a whole raft of new figures which will arrive in late 2018 and into 2019. The releases will be split between the MCU and the three key franchises that the Legends employ - Spider-Man, X-Men and Avengers. Marvel Cinematic Universe The Black Panther Wave 2 will be out by the end of 2018 and is the first full wave of MCU figures aside from those international releases. The wave contains Black Panther unmasked, Vibranium charged Black Panther, T'Chakka, Killmonger, Ayo and the BAF of M'Baku.
Spider-Man Four figures of the first 2019 wave of Spider-Man have been revealed as Black Cat. Red Goblin. Silver Sable and Symbiote Cyberman. The Build-A-Figure will be the Kingpin Into the Spiderverse is represented with a 2-pack of Miles and Gwen and is exclusive to Target
The Ultron BAF gets a re-release, now with new shinier decor and in the 10 years of MCU packaging. This is a EE (Worldwide) and Gamestop (US) exclusive. The Luke Cage and Claire Temple set is officially revealed and will be exclusive to Walmart.
Avengers Avengers fans had only Hercules revealed, although Hydra Cap was teased. For fans of AIM there is an Army Building 2-pack along the same lines as the Hydra pack - this is exclusive to EE (Worldwide) and Gamestop (US).
X-Men A new X-Men wave will hit in early 2019 and will include Blink, Gambit and Skullbuster. The rest of the line up is a yet unknown although there were teases in the SDCC panel of Magneto, Mystique, Quicksilver and hints towards Forge Magik will released be a Walgreens exclusive
We then have an Archangel special release in a larger box set with additional parts for Apocalypse he will be exclusive to EE (Worldwide) and Gamestop (US). More X-Men in the vehicles line with Professor X in his hover chair. And there is Deadpool on his Scooter with Dogpool and Squirrelpool. And we finally got to see the exclusive Sentinel and Wolverine set.
Vintage Line Joining the Vintage Line for 2018 into 2019 will be Ant-Man, The Wasp. Black Panther, Scarlet Spider Hawkeye and Vision. Vision will come with an extra Ultron head.
It seems the 80's classic The Karate Kid has been licenced out to more than just NECA with Icon Heroes announcing 6" Action Figures based on the movie. There were no actual figures on display, just the mockup card and therefore we wouldn't expect to see anything in shops until late 2019 or possibly even 2020. The first two figures look to be Daniel and Johnny from the first movie's climax - there is even a Championship Trophy included. Icon Heroes have a proven track record with their statue products, and recently branched into Action Figures with their Once Upon a Time line of 6" figures. We look forward to seeing how this line progresses.
One of the figures that caught my eye in the SDCC coverage was from Dark Horse, a company most associated with the statues line. This new Hellboy figure looks awesome, complete with a soft goods tailored coat. The figure is 1/12 in scale, standing about 7.5 inches high. It is made by 1000Toys and distributed exclusively by Dark Horse. The figure includes swap out horn pieces, hands and Hellboy's sword.
The SH Monsterarts line will be getting a new Godzilla in December 2018 with the announcement of this 1962 Godzilla. The 16cm figure was on display at SDCC 2018 and pre-orders opened during the convention via the Tamashii Webstore. The figure will include a display stand and an Atomic Roar FX piece.
The McFarlane booth at SDCC is never extensive in terms of new reveals and this year we saw very little new product on display. Instead, McFarlane were focusing on showing off their upcoming releases and that gave us our first look at the new Call of Duty figures in their blister packs - and another look at the Star Trek Kirk and Picard figures.
The next 7" scale release in NECA's God of War series will be an Ultimate 2-pack of Kratos and his son Atreus. The pack includes two figures and a bunch of accessories. Kratos has some flame and frost effects pieces as well as a raft of weapons including swords and a battle axe. Atreus is armed with his bow. The Kratos figure includes some reuse from previous releases, but comes with a new head sculpt. The pack will come in a deluxe window box and will arrive around November 2018
From the original 1984 #Gremlins movie! Any fans of the Gremlins movies knows the rules: keep them out of sunlight, don’t get them wet, and never feed them after midnight. Follow them and you’ll enjoy a cute and friendly little Mogwai… Fail, and you'll be faced with some pretty dangerous characters, like Stripe, the leader of the evil Gremlins.
After a decade of bestselling #GodOfWar games, it is a new beginning for Kratos. His vengeance against the gods of Olympus far behind him, Kratos now lives as a man in the lands of Norse Gods and monsters. It is in this harsh, unforgiving world that he must fight to survive - and teach his son to do the same.
This Ultimate 7” scale figure (stands approximately 6” tall) features an all new head with Stripe’s signature white mohawk and an all new body with over 25 points of articulation, including ears and jaw. For maximum mayhem, he comes with chainsaw, skateboard with rolling wheels, saw blade, and interchangeable hands. Packaged in a collector-friendly window box with opening flap.
This Ultimate 7” scale action figure 2-pack includes Kratos and his son Atreus. Kratos features a new aggressive head sculpt, new Mimir head on right hip, new gauntlets, new hands, new collapsed shield, new blades, and new fire and frost effects for weapons and hands, as well as 36 points of articulation. The all-new Atreus has over 25 points of articulation and comes with bow and arrows. Packaged in a display-friendly deluxe window box with opening flap.
Shipping Date: December 2018
Shipping Date: November 2018
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) - 1/4 Scale Action Figure - Foot Clan Soldier From the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie! The faceless soldiers of the Foot Clan exist to carry out the bidding of their mysterious leader, The Shredder… and while they lack the skills to face the Turtles one-on-one, in great numbers they are a force to be reckoned with. From the 1994 comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, this clothed action figure is based on Jim Carrey’s hilarious performance as Miami’s best/only pet detective. Ace stands 8” tall and is fully articulated. He comes with plenty of accessories, too: swappable heads, monkey, parrot, dove and more! Window box packaging. Shipping Date: January 2019
The Foot Clan Soldier stands 18” tall and features over 30 points of articulation, including double knee and elbow joints. The figure is highly detailed and entirely accurate to the movie, and comes with an arsenal of ninja weapon accessories. Shipping Date: December 2018
The big news from SDCC 2018 for Terminator fans was the unveiling of a 7" scale John Connor figure from Terminator 2. While we await details of this movie figure, we have received the promotional details of the other three figures shown which make up a Kenner Tribute Wave. The first is the Power Arm T800 who comes with interchangeable arms. The Metal Mash Endoskeleton has the working pistons and a plasma rifle. Finally is the innovative White Hot T-1000. This looks to use the standard T-1000 sculpt but has a colour change plastic which changes when dunked in water exactly like the original Kenner version. The figures will come in clamshell packaging
The Karate Kid - 8" Clothed Action Figures - Assortment
Images from The Fwoosh, ToyNewsi
From The Karate Kid, the iconic ‘80s film that sent a generation of kids rushing to enroll in karate classes! These clothed action figures include Daniel, Mr. Miyagi, and Johnny in his skeleton costume. Daniel comes with bonsai tree, Japanese sanders, alternate hand holding chopsticks, bottle of car wax and buffer accessories. Mr. Miyagi comes with bonsai tree and alternate hand holding chopsticks. Skeleton Johnny comes with a Walkman accessory. Each fully articulated figure stands approximately 8” tall and features an authorized likeness. Window box packaging.
Enjoy a blast from the past with three figures dedicated to the classic Kenner Terminator 2 toys of the early 1990s! Taking inspiration from those designs, our team has transformed these Kenner classics into modern versions with all of today’s detail and articulation. Power Arm T-800 features a detailed weapons arm with interchangeable missile launcher and grabbing claw attachments. White Hot T-1000 changes color when dunked in water, just like the original version. Metal Mash Endoskeleton features working pistons and comes with a plasma rifle accessory. Each figure stands approximately 7” tall and is fully articulated. Clamshell packaging.
From the classic TV comedy series that even today continues to inspire those who cherish friendship, rattan furniture and cheesecake, The Golden Girls take action figure form! Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sofia are dressed in fabric clothing that’s perfect for an afternoon on the lanai, and feature authorized likenesses. Each fully articulated figure stands approximately 8” tall. Window box packaging. Shipping Date: Q1 2019
He is back! After an extended spell of not having the Halloween licence, Michael Myers is back at NECA with this Ultimate Michael Myers arriving November 2018. Michael comes with two head options and is armed with a knife and a hammer. There is then a jack o'lantern accessory as well as interchangeable hands. We also have a severed head of one of Michaels victims and the gravestone of his mother, Judith. Being an Ultimate release he will arrive in a deluxe window box with opening flap. We'd expect this box art to reflect the original Halloween movie posters.
The NECA Aliens series has been very quiet recently with no releases to date in 2018 and not a great deal planned until 2019 when we hit the 40th Anniversary of Alien. At SDCC we did however get our first look at the Newborn Alien from Resurrection. This wave will be rounded out by the Ripley clone from the movie and a Resurrection Xenomorph. Over in the Kenner inspired line we will have Drake to add to our Kenner inspired forces - and this perhaps indicates the likelihood of a movie Drake is still on the cards.
Michael Myers returns to NECA’s action figure line! Based on his appearance in the thrilling new Halloween Movie, this all new Michael stands over 7” tall and has received the Ultimate treatment, with over 25 points of articulation and tons of accessories. The Ultimate #MichaelMyers figure comes with 2 heads, knife, hammer, jack o’ lantern, interchangeable hands and more. Comes in display-friendly deluxe window box packaging with opening flap. Shipping Date: November 2018
Bride of Chucky - 7" Scale Action Figure - Ultimate Chucky & Tiffany 2-Pack From the hilarious horror film Bride of Chucky! The world’s most notorious doll is back on the rampage, but this time he’s met his match… his old flame Tiffany, who with marriage in mind rescues his parts from a police impound and breathes new life into the little guy. This Ultimate action figure 2-pack includes Chucky and Tiffany, who features a fabric skirt and an extra set of removable arms so she can wear her iconic leather jacket. The set also includes tons of accessories to recreate the movie’s best scenes: 6 interchangeable heads, 2 shovels, 2 pistols, 2 knives, bottle, baster, necklace and more! The figures stand 4" tall and have over 20 points of articulation.
NECA had a couple of new Godzilla items on display at SDCC, but haven't as yet formally announced the details - indicating these are some way out from release. The first is a 1962 Godzilla from the Godzilla vs King Kong movie of the same year. This is a 7" scaled articulated release. It is interesting that the SH Monsterarts version was announced at same time - Toho releasing licences for particular Godzilla's at the same time to its licencing partners?
Collector-friendly deluxe window box packaging with opening flap. Shipping Date: December 2018
The other figure, in the same scale, is a 1954 release called the "One Sheet Poster" release. Unusually for a Godzilla figure, the colouring back in the 50's was a gorgeous green rather than the grey we are used to on most of the Godzilla appearances. The figure looks to come with back card and a front insert which recreates the 1954 movie poster in a 3D display. The other snippet of news for Godzilla was via Randy Falk on Twitter who indicated that the Toho licence had been relaxed a little and that NECA who had been restricted to making approved Godzilla figures only - now had some additional agreement on other Kaiju from the Godzilla movies. This will most likely be linked to the upcoming Godzilla King of Monsters Movie, so we will wait to see what other Muto's NECA can bring us?
The expansion of NECA's Guillermo Del Toro collection continues with the addition of Ofelia from Pan's Labyrinth. The figure is 7" scale, standing 5" tall. She comes with the book from the movie, three fairies and a pillar with removable eye section. NECA’s new collaboration with renowned movie director Guillermo Del Toro brings select characters from Del Toro’s films to life in premium action figure format with deluxe added elements. From the dark fantasy film Pan’s Labyrinth, the young Ofelia stands approximately 5” tall, is fully articulated and comes with detailed accessories from the movie, including three different fairies, key, book, and a small pillar with removable eye. Collectible deluxe window box packaging.
Fans of Del Toro’s 2017 smash hit, The Shape of Water, will be delighted to see this Amphibian Man figure from NECA. We got no further details on this release, indicating it is a while away from release - one to look forward to in 2019.
Hasbro have shared the first promo images of the Star Wars figures unveiled at SDCC 2018. We start with the Black Series 6" and here we get a better look at that Imperial Patrol Trooper who will arrive in Wave 19.
Future releases revealed are Rio Durrant from Solo and two new Rebels figures with Ezra Bridger and Chopper. Rather than a two pack these two will be released singularly. To ensure value Ezra has his saber/blaster and his stolen imperial helmet. Chopper has a number of swap out parts and a flight base.
Target (US) will get two new exclusives of Leia in her Bespin escape outfit from the Empire Strikes Back, and the impressive Moloch from Solo, A Star Wars Story. Moloch will be sold at a premium like the Gamorrean Guard due to his size. The US RRP was confirmed as $30 The "Battle Damaged" Captain Phasma, alongwith Zuckuss, will now be Disney Store exclusives. That will potentially (not confirmed) make them easily accessible here in UK as most Disney Store exclusives will cross the channel.
We also learned about the Black Series Archive. The principle is to release between 4 to 8 figures a year which will be older releases from the "archive" of the Black Series. Where applicable the figure will be brought up to date with face print technology. The Archive figures will be released in an all new design blister pack to preserve the "value" of the original releases. This all starts in January 2019 with four releases of X-Wing Luke Skywalker, Boba Fett, IG-88 and Bossk.
The Star Wars Vintage figures are getting a whole host of new additions across 2018 in to 2019. We will be seeing The Death Star Gunner from A New Hope as well as an Original Trilogy Stormtrooper. From The Last Jedi is the impressive Praetorian Guard, and from Rogue One we have the Scarif Stormtrooper. Solo is represented by Lando Calrissian. And the figures are rounded off by everyone's favourite "Legends" Sith Lord, Darth Revan. Sadly Revan is not a retooled figure, but a re-release of the previous Vintage Collection version - a version not loved too much by fans due to the way the head and mask were designed. The next Vintage collection vehicle will be a Walmart exclusive Tie Fighter.
The Star Wars basic line, Force Link 2.0, is expanding with a large number of Solo releases incoming. The Vandor crew will be completed with the addition of Beckett, Val and Rio. We also get an L3-37 to accompany Lando, and a Han Solo as Mudtrooper. The reveals are rounded out by the Pyke administrator from Kessel. There will be two new Solo playsets and the line goes back to its Kenner roots with these plastic card assembled playsets - one for the Vandor heist with exclusive Chewbacca. The other is a Kessel set with exclusive Han and a blaster cannon.
It seems Mattel are taking their Jurassic World licence to the next level with the launch of a 6" collectors series of figures. The first three planned are Owen Grady as shown as well as Ian Malcolm and a Velociraptor - which were represented by cardboard cut outs initially - but Mattel added them to the display part way through the con. It is interesting to see that Ian Malcolm is actually Ian from the original Jurassic Park movie, so this line will be across all the movies. The wording Jurassic World Collector does sound very similar to the Matty Collector format and we wonder if these will be along the lines of a club / subscription scheme rather than being on general sale. Image shared by TheFwoosh
Entertainment Weekly officially unveiled the Mattel Basic 6" Aquaman Movie figures. The line includes basic figure releases with a BAF. Within here we Aquaman, Mera, Orm, Black Manta. There are then some deluxe packs with Vulko and Aquaman and their shark mounts. And a three pack with Aquaman and the Brine King and his Crustacean Warrior.
In the standard line for the Jurassic Park / World licence, Mattel have big (pun intended) plans for 2019 and have 16 new species of Dinosaurs lined up for release. These include the Brachiosaurus, and as you can see by the image below this thing will be huge in scale with the 3.75� figures. Other species will be the Styracosaurus and Amargasaurus.
Character Toys have unveiled their next Doctor Who Role-Play electronic screwdriver at San Diego. This brand new sonic for the 13th Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) got its on screen debut during the BBC America Trailer for the new series. The screwdriver replica has lights and sounds features and comes in the shaped window tube with the new series artwork and logo in place. The Screwdriver can be pre-ordered now direct from Character or from our affiliate partner Forbidden Planet for £14.99. The Sonic should start to ship Monday 30th July.
The next Animated Series figures will include Two Face, Scarecrow, Cray Ghost and H.A.R.D.A.C. The figures will come in the standard clamshell and each will include alternative hands as well as appropriate weapons, accessories and even alternative heads in some cases. There is then a deluxe release of the Batcycle with Batman. This 9.25" long Batcycle comes with light up features and will look awesome in your DCC Animated Series Batcave.
Following its unveiling at San Diego Comic-Con, Character Options is delighted to release further details about its brand new Thirteenth Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver. The Sonic Screwdriver is the ever present accessory of the legendary Time Lord, and since the regeneration at the end of 2017, Doctor Who fans across the globe have been awaiting the announcement of a replica collectible Sonic Screwdriver by Character Options. The new electronic 8” piece from Character Options is the perfect replica of the Doctor’s most trusted device; fully lighting up when activated and featuring brand new diagnostic sound FX. Prop designer Arwel Wyn Jones talked through the new sonic; “It’s a privilege to have been asked to redesign the iconic sonic screwdriver for the Thirteenth Doctor and a new generation of audiences. I can’t wait for people to see how the Doctor acquires it!” Alasdair Dewar, Character Options’ Director of Product Development commented: “The new Sonic Screwdriver collectible is a radical departure in look but still retains the classic Sonic abilities and getting access to the prop images early on really helped the development of this toy.” The Thirteenth Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver will be available from mid-August, however selected retailers are taking pre-orders now. For more information go to www.character-online.co.uk.
Finally, in the popular Marvel line, the 6� collection will be expanded to include Black Bolt and Lockjaw, Magneto and a very impressive Ghost Rider - all scheduled for late 2019 release.
It has been hard to keep up with the sheer volume of Mezco One:12 announcements at recent shows and conventions. Yet like many companies at SDCC, Mezco certainly dialed back the volume significantly and gave us a hand full of new One:12 collective announcements. Alongside the usual Marvel and DC displays were new licences with four figures unveiled from the cult classic, The Warriors. Also arriving in 2019 these are figures of Swan, Ajax, the Baseball Furies Leader and a Baseball Furie. And beside these stood Robin Hood. This figure is based on the upcoming 2018 movie starring Taron Egerton. The figure will also be a 2019 release, putting it a year later than the movie - which might be a tough sell if the movie isn’t well received.
After months of waiting the Diamond Select booth at SDCC gave us our first look at their 7” scale Avengers Infinity War figures. Diamond are giving us three releases consisting of Iron-Spider, Captain America and a Thor & Groot 2-pack. On the face of it the figures look OK, although whomever is in charge of the posing of the figures at the Diamond booth needs a talking too. There was still no indication of a release date for these.
SDCC gave us our first look at Diamond’s Select 7” John Wick figure. John will come with his dog, but there were no other accessories on show - which we hope will be remedied by the time the figure arrives in Winter 2019.
While Cap borrows heavily from the previous Civil War release, there is a new head sculpt. He comes with his Wakandan shield. Iron-Spider is brand new and include those rear legs. The legs look a little plain in their decor and the whole thing does appear glossy. Thor looks great and is not a rehash of the Ragnarok Thor, he includes Stormbreaker. Groot probably steals the show and looks fantastic.
It seems the fact McFarlane are doing 7” Star Trek figures has not had a major impact on Diamond’s plans. There were three new 7” Trek figures on display starting with Spock and Kirk from Star Trek, Into Darkness. The likeness to Chris Pine (Kirk) and Zachary Quinto (Spock) are impressive and the figure look to be coming with some appropriate phaser accessories. I do worry about the body construction with a particularly ugly looking torso joint visible on Kirk. The third Trek figure was The Borg who will be sold with alternative head and arm attachments for army building your collective. All these Trek figures are likely for a 2019 release.
The only other new Marvel product announced was a new 7” Select Rogue figure from X-Men. Alongside the previously announced Beast, Rogue will be released with a Danger Room diorama base that will match up to older X-Men releases like Storm, Cyclops and Colossus. Beast looked a lot more impressive than the original Toy Fair release. This version was probably closer to the production figure with new joints. What wasn’t on display was probably most telling for me, and it seems Diamond are not supporting Ant-Man and The Wasp with any 7” figures, the first movie they’ve missed since the original Guardians. This is a shame, particularly when we see how well Hasbro have done with their Wasp and Ant-Man figures. Could this be the start of a serious downturn in Marvel Select figures, either MCU or possibly overall?
NECA are teaming up with US retailer Gamestop to offer an exclusive version of their 2017 Pennywise the Clown from It. The exclusive comes with a bloody paint decor. There are two heads included. The mouth wide open head was included in the original release, while the other more sinister looking head is a tweaked sculpt with bloody mouth paint job. Also exclusive to the set is the Balloon, now printed with "I Love Derry" and the severed arm of Georgie. A spare set of hands, also from the original release, are included. There is no place for the paper boat in this release.
McFarlane have release the full details of their Stranger Things 4-pack of Mike, Will, Lucas and Dustin in their Season 2 Halloween Ghostbusters costumes. Each character is dressed in the iconic jumpsuit with removable proton pack. There are also packed in Ghost Traps and a Video Camera for Will and Dart for Dustin. The packaging is a stylised combination of Stranger Things and Ghostbusters artwork. The set is a summer convention exclusive to Gamestop in the US. UK collectors can pre-order from some of our independents including site partners Kapow and Toys In The Attic.
The figure is packed in closed box Ultimate style packaging with exclusive to Gamestop stickers. The front of the box opens to reveal the figure and a lenticular image on the opening flap. Gamestop Pennywise is due for an October 2018 release in the US.
Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin return in season 2 of the Netflix hit series, Stranger Things with a bang. One gloomy Halloween night in Hawkins,Indiana, NECA have teased an image of what fans are assuming is part of an Ultimate release of Roy Burns from Friday the 13th Part V. Roy was the antagonist of the movie after Jason's death, a paramedic who took on the hockey mask to imitate Jason after the death of his own son.
Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin decide to dress up as their favorite characters from the iconic movie but little do they know that Halloween will never be the same again. The Ghostbuster Deluxe Box features the 4 fan-favorite characters in the iconic Ghostbuster jumpsuits that were made so popular in the 1984 hit movie, Ghostbusters. ● Spectacular likeness of fan favorite characters Mike, Lucas, Will, and Dustin sculpted directly from assets created by Netflix and Sony ● 14+ points of detailed articulation for optimal play-action ● Dustin includes the iconic Ghost Trap with Dart and Proton Pack ● Will includes detailed TMP Video Camera, iconic Proton Pack and jumpsuit ● Lucas includes iconic Proton Pack and jumpsuit ● Mike includes iconic Proton Pack and jumpsuit ● All Proton Packs are removable ● Figures showcased in stylized Stranger Things and Ghostbusters deluxe box packaging ● Features authentic hyper-realistic paint decoration of the iconic jumpsuits worn by the original Ghostbuster cast.
NECA have shared an "upgrade" to their 8" retro Captain Blake figure from the classic horror movie The Fog. The figure is due to ship in Autumn and the original figure has now been updated to include a light up eyes feature. "How about a treat for #monstermonday something we added at great expense for you guys but it really paid off. Lock your doors, bolt your windows..."
Promotional images of Star Wars Black Series Wave 18 have been released, and the wave make up confirmed. Wave 18, arriving now in some parts of the US and worldwide from August, will bring three new figures of Han Bespin, Tobias Beckett and the Rebel Fleet Trooper. The wave will also see repacks of the Solo figures of Han, Lando, Qi'ra and the Range Trooper. Grand Moff Tarkin is the final figure in the box, a welcome repack as he has been hard to find after his release in Wave 16 - particularly as he didn't even appear in the UK case assortment.
The Star Wars Black Series 3 pack of Astromech droids was originally announced and displayed at Toy Fair 2018 and it was stated this would be an Amazon exclusive.
As a new Star Wars movie comes to home video, it is almost traditional now for Hasbro to give us a 4-pack of 3.75" basic line figures to mark the release. Solo, A Star Wars Story, doesn't have a firm date for DVD release - but an Autumn release is expected. Arriving at the same time will be this new 4-pack from Hasbro titled "Mission on Vandor". The pack see's three new figures of Han Solo (in his fur jacket), Qi'ra in her Vandor outfit and Weazel. The set is then rounded out with a Range Trooper - this may have some paint variations, but looks to be a repack. Images are as follows, and there is a holding page up on Amazon already - but no pricing or release dates confirmed. One to bookmark and keep an eye on. These sets seem to be coming to The Entertainer here in the UK and expect a starting price of 40 if and when it does arrive.
While a small amount have come through the far east, we haven't had any details of a widespread release - until now, when the Amazon holding page went up for this set. There is no price or release date as yet, but you can bookmark now and add to your list so you are notified when the set goes up for order. The pack contains R2-X2, R5-D8 and a weathered R2-D2. These three droids all took part in the Battle of Yavin with R5-D8 flying with Jek Porkins and R2-X2 with Theron Nett (Red 10). The boxset is being called the Red Squadron Droid Set
We've got a lot more information this week about the return of the iconic Mego corporation and what new product they will be bringing to market.
Mattel have announced more Jurassic World 2 dinosaurs arriving in stores soon. Up first we have a brand new Grab and Growl Indoraptor set. This new version of the Indoraptor includes sounds and lights. We then have the next Attack Pack Dinosaurs with Proceratosaurus, Ankylosaurus and Protoceratops. The final reveal is the Suchomimus which is a larger Action Attack release. The sticking point for UK customers is the fact the current launch figures are still clogging shelves in Smyths and the Supermarkets, which may make these later releases harder to find in the UK.
The company are staying true to their 1970's and 80's roots with a staple of 8" figures in soft goods clothing. These will include licences very much "of the era" with the likes of Star Trek, Action Jackson and I Dream of Jeannie shown in the launch material. Other licences mentioned include The Brady Bunch, Cheers and Married with Children. Like their previous lines, Mego will pack these in a blister package. Two packs will come in a window box. There will also be larger 14" figures, an odd size compared to the market standard, which will come in boxed packaging. The first of these is a DC figure in the shape of Harley Quinn.
A new "Jurassic World" electronic Indoraptor has been revealed as well as packaged pictures of the wave 3 "Attack Pack" figures and the lone wave 2 "Action Attack" dinosaur. These will be showing up before too long I am sure. The Action Attack Suchomimus should actually be out any day now as wave 2 toys are hitting pretty hard right now.
It seems all these new Mego releases are exclusive to Target in the US and will go on sale at the end of July. It is not yet clear as yet if these will get any kind of international release. "Target’s exclusive line of Mego collectibles will be available in stores and online July 29 at prices ranging from $14.99 to $29.99. Check out our full assortment of collectibles at Target stores nationwide and Target.com."
Mezco have finalised the details of their 1/12 Collective Hela figure from Thor Ragnarok. The Goddess of Death will arrive in the first quarter of 2019 and will be priced at $80. US customers can pre-order now with a $20 non-refundable deposit. For those that want an authentic 1933 Black and White King Kong, Mezco have you covered with this Previews exclusive version of their upcoming 7" Kong Figure. The PX exclusive Kong includes the same swap out parts, accessories and mini Ann Darrow as the original release. But all will be treated in black and white for that authentic 1930's look consistent with the original monster movie.
Hela will come with two heads - one with her intricate headgear, and another standard version, which for me looks a lot more like Cate Blanchett. There will also be swap out hand options and the usual stand and display base. She will be armed with two necroblades. Expect UK pre-orders to go up soon with an estimate UK price around £70£80 Brace yourselves, city-dwellers. King Kong, the ruler of Skull Island, is back to scale your buildings in a new black and white variant! At 7” tall and with over 25 points of articulation, King Kong B&W version is the perfect addition to any classic monster collection. This special edition includes a new interchangeable snarling head, skull, and bone along with five interchangeable hands, shackles, and a scaled Ann Darrow figurine. King Kong of Skull Island Black & White version comes packaged in a collector-friendly window box, perfect for display. The Exclusive King Kong of Skull Island B&W version is only available through Previews World.
In Marvel Studios Thor: Ragnarok, Hela is released from prison following Odin’s death. Planning to rule Asgard and create an empire, the Goddess of Death must first face off against her young brother, Thor, and his team known as ‘The Revengers’. The One:12 Collective Ragnarok Hela figure captures the malicious intent of the former Asgardian executioner. Presented in a film-accurate fitted suit with metallic accents and chest plate armor, Hela comes equipped with two Necroswords – made from obsidian and used to decimate the Einjerjar, the elite warriors of Asgard.
2018 is a year of sweeping change for Doctor Who. We have a new Doctor, and the first female Doctor to boot. We have a new showrunner in Chris Chibnall and a full new set of companions to accompany the Doctor on her adventures. Character Toys have been the master licensee for Doctor Who since it returned to our screens in 2005. And while the previous few years have been a bit rocky, they are back with some brand new products for the 13th Doctors adventures.
The first of this new product is the 13th Doctor Adventure Doll, the first figure of Jodie Whittakers regeneration. While some may be disappointed this isn't the 5.5 inch scale many of us have collected for many years now, it is still consistent with previous scales put out by Character and has been designed to fit in with the 1/6 scale figures released back in 2006 during the 10th Doctor era. The 13th Doctor arrives in a very vibrant clamshell packaging with a stark yellow TARDIS backdrop that accentuates the figure and makes it pop - it will definitely stand out to kids and parents alike on the Toy aisles. The new Doctor Who logo sits on a blue card insert at the bottom with a grey stripe holding the character name and this new term of "adventure doll".
The blister wraps round at all sides and there is a TARDIS shape to this too, with the hanging tab being the light on top of the Police Box. TO further this imagery the left hand side of the packaging wraps round to the side - yellow on the inside, but on the outside it is decorated like one of the doors of the TARDIS, complete with Police Telephone instructions.
Around the back and the yellow on blue theme continues as well as a large image of the Adventure Doll. There are two red inserts showing the Doctor's new Sonic Screwdriver, with the second also confirming the real fabric clothing. Above the image of the figure is a short bio that talks about the Doctor as "one of the iconic sci-fi characters ever" and how the 13th Doctor is ready "to sort right from wrong and save civilisations throughout the galaxy". Like the card front we get the TARDIS peeking into view bottom left, and there is even some Gallifreyan symbols poking through on the grey bottom flash.
The packaging is designed to be torn open by means of perforations around the side of the blister. This means there is no way of opening the figure and then returning it to its packaging - something the recent boxed Doctor Who figures could boast. Opening up the Doctor is easy and the perforations rip easily. You are then left with the card back and the Doctor is strapped to this with a combination of cable ties, twist ties and elasticated ties. These all feed through and are sandwiched behind the card back. The easiest way to release the Doctor is grab a pair of scissors and trip carefully. Be careful also pulling out the tails of her coat which are tucked behind an inset. And also make sure you do not discard of the packaging before retrieving her Sonic Screwdriver (more on that a bit later).
Once freed from the packaging, the Doctor is a nice weighty figure in hand. The likeness, now done by 3D scan, to Jodie Whittaker is excellent. Details like her earings are included on the sculpt and the hair is cast to hang over her face to create some shadow. The hair is cast in a blonde colour with some darker roots added across the parting. I am pleased that they decided on sculpted hair and not to go down the soft goods route like some of the similar Harry Potter and Star Wars Adventure Dolls we've seen recently. The paint application on the face is neat and the eyes are crisp and clear, the lips neatly painted and the eyebrows thin and curved. For a ÂŁ20 figure this is about as good as it gets, we aren't into high end collectibles here like Mezco where we'd be paying 4 times this price. The Doctor has 14 points of articulation built into the body of the figure. This starts at the head, and it's not a great start as the head doesn't turn as far as you would want it too. The piece t is cast as a head and neck together rather than a ball jointed head on a sculpted neck this means it is quite tight to turn and you lose that forward, backward and side tilting motion a ball joint would give you. Also on the trunk of the body is an articulated waist. This is ball jointed and turns much better than the head and has some forward and backward lean motion.
From the head down we are into soft goods tailored clothing on top of an articulated body. Each clothing piece has a different texture and feel and there is a quality feel to the clothes. They hang very well on the body and do not look oversized - often an issue with soft goods clothes. The only part that I don't really like is the fastenings on the trousers. While it is screen accurate it is a little big and clunky looking with exposed stitching. And talking of screen accuracy, it is nice to see her braces are also included albeit hidden by the coat most of the time. The coat includes a hood which does indeed come up and go over the head. It is the one part of the soft good that doesn't sit well once in place and it has too much of a peak when in place.
The arms are ball jointed at the shoulder and then double jointed at the elbows. This means the arm has full mobility, with the Doctor able to fold the forearm almost back onto the upper arm. The hands are plugged in at the wrists and are also pivoted for further movement. The legs follow the same theme with a ball jointed hip and double jointed knees. There is no ankle rocker, just a swivel at the top of the boot. This does make standing the Doctor a touch trickier, but overall it's doable in a lot of poses. And if you want to display her more securely being 1/6 scale opens up a good range of aftermarket stands. The soft goods all seem to work well with the joints and they move and bend with the joints without looking out of place. You do need to be careful you don't twist things like the sleeves or trousers as you pose as that can but pressure on the stitching.
The hands and bottom part of the legs are exposed skin, and are simply cast in a slightly glossy skin tone plastic. The boots are sculpted and not removable. These are painted brown with weathering on top. The sole is black and at the top of the boots blue socks poke out from underneath. There was a little bit of breakage where the socks are cast, being in a hard plastic. While this could be flash from casting, it indicates this area of the figure may be the bit to watch in play as less than robust.
Onto the sole accessory, the only accessory any Doctor needs - the Sonic Screwdriver. The Screwdriver is found top left of the packaging in a circular section. You clip this off and then have to separate the two halves to get the Screwdriver out. This is a new design for this Doctor, very organic with a curve to the handle. While the artwork on the box shows the Sonic to have variant colours particular an amber end - the actual accessory is cast in a single silver colour. This, along with quite a soft sculpt, doesn't do it justice. Especially when you consider how much detail Character can put into a 5" scale Screwdriver.
When you consider both the Judoon and Cyberman are larger characters then the scale is workable, it certainly doesn't look out of place. We may see the aftermarket for these older 12" figures go a little crazy if this 13th Doctor leads collectors and kids into a whole new scale of Doctor Who.
It only fits into the Doctors right hand, and here again is a variation from the promo art and box art as the hand provided is a simple gripping hand and is not shaped like we see on the box to hold the Sonic in a pointing pose as though the Doctor were unlocking a door or threatening a Dalek. We have got an early production sample here, provided by Character, so these may be corrected once the figure hits stores in August.
The new 13th Doctor Adventure Doll is a triumphant return for Character into the Doctor Who Action Figure arena. At an RRP of ÂŁ20 it is great value for money for collectors and kids. The only criticism I can throw at the release is really because of what we are shown on the packaging with the sonic holding more detail and the hand being shaped to pose with the Sonic. The head articulation could do with a tweak for any future releases, but all in all a very impressive effort that stands alongside the similarly sized and priced Harry Potter Adventure Dolls (Mattel) and Forces of Destiny Star Wars Adventure Dolls (Hasbro). I score the 13th Doctor Adventure Doll from Character 4 out of 5.
In the press release it was confirmed that this figure was scaled to work with the previous 12" range of figures released around 2006. I don't have all of these to hand, but managed to get the Judoon and Cyberman out for some comparison shots. The 13th Doctor figure stands 10.5 inches high, that's about 26.5cm. Jodie Whittakers advertised height is 1.67m which comes out at 27.8cm when scaled down to 1/6 scale. That puts the figure a touch too small, but nothing dramatic.
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You can get your 13th Doctor Adventure Doll direct from Character Toys or from our Affiliate Partners at Forbidden Planet