MIRACLE

A couple of days ago I had started to unpack the nativity set in my living room and was thinking about another Christmas season of using the broken one armed Jesus ornament as the centrepiece.

As I was unwrapping the individual figurines (I bubblewrap my nativity stuff) I unwrapped what I thought was just one of the smaller models, maybe one of the sheep but it wasn’t.

There it was, a brand new unbroken baby Jesus!

For the last couple of Christmases I have griped about how stores don’t sell individual nativity pieces (and nobody on ebay seems to either) and asked around everywhere to get a replacement. No such joy, until this recent comeuppance.

I won’t question how this mystery replacement model found its way into a sealed up cardboard stable and twisted itself in bubblewrap at the bottom of a large decorations box…

Fact is, if I actually bought a replacement Jesus or had one given to me I would have remembered something like that. There also is no way anyone would have gone to so much trouble to plant this on me either considering how I store my decorations very tightly.

To me, this is an unexpected Christmas blessing and miracle. I feel this is certainly a small happy event I have to share with all I know.

God has a great and generous sense of humour

TMNT: FESTIVE FURY

I had the idea last Christmas to make up some custom TMNT decorations through the Mini Mutants line and maybe attempt to army build some trooper characters along the way.

I think in the end the decoration idea took a different turn and became a multi-purpose figurine idea that I could share out with local friends and family. (Although I want to next Christmas possibly do this again and expand a bit a more.)

I’m not sure how far I can class these TMNT as customs or if I can class them at all, but custom is an easier word to use than modification =).

I dubbed the name Festive Fury because it soulds almost like Fist of Fury (say it fast) and also because... its 'Festive' :)

The project itself was easy going and non cost-effective with using pound shop props (the tinsel tape, the black/white snowflakes, copper wire, keychain loops, and packaging bags) and all in all not so time-consuming either.

This is a small fans project I enjoyed throwing together. I hope it certainly cracks a few smiles anyway.

MEGATRON CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT

Megatron arrived this Sunday gone in true Christmas post fashion. This is one decent ornament indeed, and recommended to those who have a big Christmas tree to hang him as Megs is a little hefty. The design itself looks like it is based on the excellent Revoltech Megatron figure. Thanks to Rose at Ninja Pizza for grabbing this one for me.



Click to enlarge image

ASSEMBLED

I got round to assembling those Brave Knockoffs into thier giant gestault form. Not bad... Shame about the clash of colours but still something that stands high, dominant and mighty like all gestaults should :D

Click on Image for fullview.

BRAVE SERIES KNOCKOFFS

Click pics to see full image

These rather splendid Brave Series knockoffs arrived in the post yesterday. For those who don’t know, Brave has been described as the spiritual successor to Transformers in Japan during the 90s. Anyone who liked the overall design of Transformers will like definitely like Brave.

These great counterfeit figures were found in Staples (yes the stationary store) by my good pal Phil Ayres (you can read his many TF reviews HERE). This knockoff is that of the character God Max. There is a combined form of all three of these toys for which I currently have no instructions for, however I’ll cover that in another entry.

Individually these are not bad. Each has a handheld weapon and the transformation is easy. Out of the three, the jet (Jet Max) is the least interesting and most generic looking, but he does play a part in this trio as a gestalt piece and flyboy. The other two, one (Dush Max) being a cool red sports car and the other (Drill Max) a drill tank (looking very like Killbaison and Drillhorn of Transformers: Victory, and possibly a homage) have an interesting chest weapon gimmick that is activated by a small lever on the hip area.

From this link HERE you can see the original toys and their combined form, the weapons also combine too make a double bladed sword.

There could be more Brave Knockoffs doing the rounds, and these 3 are probably the start.

HANNIBAL SMITH

Whilst packing up after the church Kids Fashion Show last weekend I made this interesting little discovery amongst the playschool toy-pile. None other than a loose and good condition Hannibal Smith action figure from Galoob’s A-Team toy-line of 1983.

Amazingly enough these sell for around £15 loose on eBay or around £60 still on the card. It is highly unlikely that the 00’s generation of kids are even aware of such a diamond in the rough of duplo bricks, brio traintracks and Fisher Price cars. It is amazing what some older people too discard as just simple toy junk. Of course The A-Team will be more culturally aware to the public in 2009 with the release of the reboot movie.



I remember first owning the Hannibal figure nearly 25 years ago along with the other A-Team members. Not a bad toyline either even though the guns were bendy and weedy but the backpacks were decent (I think they had walkie talkies too). I had the command center playset too, but for what its worth it was made badly and broke easily, heck I may as well made one from a cardboard box. Murdoch’s gyrocopter was one best vehicle toys ever, with its push button activated rotor-blades. I never owned BA’s Van or Face’s vette sadly.

I am in negotiations with the Playschool leaders of either a trade or just offering a good home with my BA Baracus and other 80’s memorabilia. I took the time out to take some shots of the lonely Hannibal on location at Treasure Island Pre-School (located at the top floor of the church).

It would be amusing to imagine and think of what the A Team would come up with (through typical show cliché) if they were locked in a Playschool building and had an hour to build a custom assault vehicle of sorts. The potential is there.

POWER RANGER DESTRUCTION

I came across this old archive of shots from a Transmasters UK fan-meet I ran back in 1998. It was a tradition that Transfans would take a Power Rangers toy to a meet and that toy would be the sacrifical lamb at the gathering. This old mid-90's action figure of the Red Zeo Ranger went through a series of horrific torture methods. See the link for the whole show "FATE OF THE POWER RANGER"

SMASH BLADE HE-MAN aka PLAYER 2

For the last 3-4 months I’ve been seeing this stray figure, battered packaging and all on the toy section shelves in Poundstretcher. I’ve passed up buying this toy every time I visit. It is none-other than the less popular Smash Blade He-Man variant from the short-lived 2002 revival toyline.

So like a stray off the streets I picked this figure up and took it in. Despite the £5 sticker on the card I paid £2.99 instead. Bargain!

I already own the original 2002 He-Man (although I am not sure where I have him currently stored) and this Smash Blade toy is pretty much a repaint with a spinning shuriken/cat & ninetails replacing the Battle Axe. I actually think it’s pretty cool, in fact I prefer to call this figure Player 2 He-Man because of the blue colouring.

I am aware Smash Blade/Player 2 He-Man wasn’t popular amongst the active MOTU fanbase but somebody had to rescue this drifting homeless figure. Best part of 3 quid well spent!

Other pics (Click for full-view)

ROBO KNOCKOFF: UNBOXED

Here are a few unboxed images of the Machine Robo Rescue knockoff I blogged about a while back. The toy itself holds together very well for a KO and is well worth the £2 Woolworths are asking for it. I may get others at some point.

ROBO KNOCKOFF

(click on pic for fullview)

I spotted this on my travels Monday just gone during my Uni Lunch Break. A decent looking set of Machine Robo Rescue knockoffs were floating around for £2 (they had the drill and jet team gestaults too).

I hope this toy holds together... We all know what knockoffs tend to be like. :)

I liked the look of this guy best, so I had to pick him up (I am guessing he's known in Japan as Ambulance Robo?). Any of our non-UK readers want to get ahold of one? Hit me up and I'll sort you out.

ICEMAN

Anyone remembering the Iceman figure from last decade will recollect the rather cool blue ice gimmick. The figure would turn blue in places when placed in a freezer or cold storage.

I think I remember a simular gimmick is currently used on the Labbat's Ice beer bottles.

Sadly the years of storage took thier toll on this figure and the gimmick died. Instead of cool blue, there is now urine yellow. Perhaps the chemical used in the toy declined over time.

Iceman still lives in my freezer.

SNARL ON PATROL

Had some fun today making animated gifs. Dinobot Snarl here is on Ark guard duty.

PALEO PATROL

BONEYARD SLIME ARMY

One of Skeletors mutant army factories producing some new henchmen for the Snake Mountain Stormtrooper division.

ALIEN TERMINATORS!!!!

I picked up a couple of these Transformers knock-off figures in my local Range store yesterday. These are repainted knockoffs of Transformers: Cybertron Leobreaker and Scourge (legend assortment).

The card on the back shows the other toys available but my store only stocked the first three figures descending down on the pic. Shame really because the last two are the most interesting.

The paintjob is a bit flakey but these are good for customs or kitbashing. Not bad for 99p though.

Anyone want some of these can hit me up at ken-at-melted-dot-com

===HERO

SOAK

I know what you might be thinking... but it isn't that.

Car Boot Sales have started up all over the UK again where people can sell off thier household junk from the back of thier cars parked in a market formation.

Our Car Boot Sales where I live take place on the local Rugby Feild.

So every time there's a Boot Sale here in Keynsham I head down there and make quite a few toy acquisitions for next to nothing.

My policy is that I give these 'acquisitions' a good soak in denture powder to bring back the 'shine'. Plus, they could have been ANYWHERE.

The END.

Venom on the scene

For full view, click on image.

REVIEW: Data (The Goonies, Series 1)

From: Mezco

Retail: $9.99-$14.99 / £12.99

Accessories: Bully Buster, Pincers of Peril, Backpack, Sticky Dart.

With his character gimmick and identifiable gadgetry- Data had to be the one that made the most interesting action figure based on the Goonies cast.

Impressively, this figure is amazingly detailed, bearing a near exact resemblance to the on-screen character portrayed by Ke Huy Quan. Whilst not a very posable figure it doesn’t really need to a lot except for standing there and look great. Movement of the figure is limited to the arms and neck (meaning the head can move in any direction) and that is okay since it is not really designed to be a ‘toy’ but more of a collectable figure for those grown up fans who liked the Goonies film during their childhood.

Data comes complete with his most trusty array of gadgets and possessions including his yellow backpack, the pinchers of peril and the bully buster boxing glove which are all well represented as additions to the figure. The pinchers of peril are not just an accessory but also part of an alternative detachable right hand, and like the movie those deadly false teeth are supported by a spring. Anyone who has seen the movie will know what I mean. The Bully Buster is optionally attachable to Data’s right trenchcoat collar and is the second coolest accessory with the figure, the stick of dynamite and sticky dart are actually not that interesting in comparison and are those kind-of annoyingly small items that may get lost easily. As far as those previously last two items mentioned go, they are better off stored in the backpack.

As the packing states on the back: This is not a toy, and rightfully so a series of figures aimed at an older generation market. A series of Goonies figures have been more than 20 years overdue and this is a welcome thing to see. This is highly recommended to all the 80s kids out there especially those who enjoyed the comedy antics of Data’s inventions going wrong or randomly working. In short, Data is easily the best of the Goonies figures so far.

Rating: 4/5

===Hero

GALLERY: Tournament Fighters Leonardo

During the easter vacation of 1994 I did'nt receive any chocolate eggs, but instead I got from my parents TMNT: Tournament Fighters for the Super NES. That game got me through some bad times and also saw some good times. Great memories.


(Leonardo performs his '200 hand smash' super finish)

REVIEW: Transformers Animated, Bulkhead (Voyager version)

From: Hasbro

Retail: $19.99 - £20

Accessories: Wrecking Ball

It has been a real privilege to receive early the upcoming Bulkhead figure from Transformers Animated. The ever clumsy, lumbering, large and lovable Bulkhead is my favourite character from the show, but do I think this toy does the character any justice? Read on and see.

In packaging, Bulkhead is first presented in his rounded armoured truck vehicle mode and although he does seem a bit small he is what one would expect from a good representation of a liked cartoon character, and I will describe why.


The vehicle mode itself is simple but effective. A lot of Transformers toys have had vehicle modes that don’t cover up their robotic parts entirely, especially underneath. With Bulkhead the robotic features are easily concealed, a quality that the Animated Starscream toy also has in jet mode. Bulkhead could easily pass off in disguise as a toy car to anyone who didn’t know Transformers or what this toy is about. As a vehicle Bulkhead has 6 big sturdy wheels and can go along smoothly across any flat surface, it is certainly the kind of toy that wouldn’t wear out the living room carpet easily.

Transforming the Bulkhead toy is as simple as it looks, and I can say this is one of the friendlier Transformer toys for younger fans to experience. The burly robot form stands like in the cartoon series with his large body and arms all supported by a pair of short and stubby legs. This is all pretty comical to look at and Bulkhead’s easily recognisable ‘Trap Jaw’ expression has faithfully made it to the figure.

As far as accessories go - The infamous wrecking ball weapon is present and is activated from the left arm via a switch located underneath. The arms in general feature Bulkhead’s unique style of hands in which they are like 3 gripping panels representing fingers somewhat. The forearms are especially large which works out well for concealing the wrecking ball inside (much like in the show).

Of course there is the immediate criticism that the scale of this figure could be a lot bigger especially compared to the other Animated toys. If you have seen early shots or group photos on various TF sites you can see that Bulkhead seems to have shrunk in the wash when stood next to some of the deluxe range of figures (especially Bumblebee). This isn’t entirely all down to the Bulkhead figure as figures like Bumblebee toy for example have been made to be a bit taller than they should be, but that is a separate topic for another time. Of course, Hasbro are also doing a much larger Leader class size version of Bulkhead for those collectors concerned about scale.

Personally for me the scale is not a problem and this is a figure that looks like Bulkhead in great detail. Detail itself is not that hard with the Animated line due to the simplicity and solid colours the Transformers are designed in. As I have said before, “These are not Bayformers” (Praise Jesus!). What matters is that this a figure that is so close and almost accurate to its on-screen counterpart which succeeds in different areas of being a great Transformers toy, such as the effective vehicle mode, wrecking ball weapon and tough looking cartoon robot form that just plain stands out.

Overall, Bulkhead represents the new Animated style for Transformers rather well due to his whacky outstanding character design. This is a figure that is easily pleasing to the eye with a simple but solid vehicle mode, a good transformation and a certain coolness factor about him. This is a must for Animated and Bulkhead fans alike.

Easily 5/5!

===Hero