Toys

⇒ Transformers Classics at WizardUniverse (link from Feb 16, 2008)

Now these look superb. Each figure is incredibly posed, and they all scream buy me. Are you looking at this, Transformers Fan Club magazine photo person? Because this is how it's done.

Even though we should have expected it, particularly in a line called Universe, I'm kind of sad to see recycled Cybertron figures. Particularly Blaster, because that means we won't get a new Classics-ized mold of one of my favorite characters. The Cybertron Soundwave mold is not one of my favorites; ergo, I'll not be purchasing Blaster.

By the way, the New York Toy Fair is starting, so look for more links in the coming days to new toys. Of course, if you're the type who's coming here looking for links to Toyfair coverage, you're only looking because you're idly curious, not because you actually care about new toys introduced this week. That's okay with me.

⇒ Chris Eccleston Joins 'G.I.Joe' Movie As Destro (link from Feb 13, 2008)

Need I even say it? FANTASTIC.

⇒ Do we like the new Mattel Nightwing? (link from Aug 12, 2007)

This new Mattel Nightwing figure reminds me of emo Peter from Heroes. Why can't I find a Nightwing figure that has the look of Ed McGuinness' Nightwing figure, but normal proportions?

⇒ DC Direct Green Lantern Series 3 images (link from Aug 12, 2007)

From Wizard World '07 - check out the Sinestro figure in his Sinestro Corps uniform, and the Bat-Lantern. Incredible. I may be ordering this whole set.

⇒ SDCC exclusives up at HasbroToyShop.com (link from Jul 30, 2007)

HasbroToyShop seems to be doing a much better job this year of managing their SDCC exclusives on the website. Last year, it was a gigantic clusterflock; this year, the ordering process went smoothly. This links to a post I made on the Allspark message board with links to each exclusive.

⇒ Is that [action figure] gonna kill me? (link from Jun 21, 2007)

Neat little article about toy safety testing from Slate's Explainer. I didn't know that the vast majority of testing was voluntary, but I should have realized it would be so. One of the tests they didn't mention is the bane of all Transformers collectors: the Drop Test (where they drop a toy from X height to see what breaks off) is what stopped Hasbro from re-releasing Fortress Maximus in the R.I.D. era.