FACT: I HAVE NOT BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB OF KEEPING UP ON THIS PART OF THE BLOG, A DOZEN APOLOGIES! NYCC prep has been crazier than usual.
IT HAS BEGUN! Revealed back at San Diego Comic Con this past summer, the first 2 waves of Batman ’66 figures have finally hit our shelves. FINALLY MORE BATMAN FIGURES JOKE GOES HERE! I imagine there’s actually some hype around these toys, as the long beloved TV show still has a huge fanbase, despite the fact that you can’t watch the show in any format due to legal problems. At least in a manner that Fox or Warner profits from. You can however give us cash money for action figures though. Series 1 has Batman, the Riddler and Penguin, and series 2 adds the Jokers and Surf’s Up Batman, complete with Bat-trunks and Bat-surf board. Which is pretty great, at least in my opinion you guys. Mattel, forced to not being able to recycle parts, has done a great job with these sculpts, going as far as to sculpt on a tiny mustache on the Joker’s upper lip and putting slippers over the Riddler’s leotard, both nice nods to the show. And the paint jobs are super sharp, only matching the figures up to their on-screen counterparts even more. At $24 a pop, this probably only appeals to older collectors/ fans of the show, but at least you’re getting your money’s worth. And it’s only beginning, as we’ll be getting a button more Batman ’66 related products in.
Maybe you’re saying to yourself “Chris, maybe I want some DC toys, but I want them with some questionable designs!” ARE YOU EVER IN LUCK MYSTERIOUS INTERNET PERSON. The first line of the DC Variant Play Art Kai figures are out and man. Just..man.
LOOK AT HOW FRIKKIN HUGE THEIR LEGS ARE!
As someone who’s played his fair share of Japanese video game and watched a decent amount of the animes, I really don’t get what’s going on here. These are like Amei-Con statues gone rogue, only articulate and packing variant pieces and weapons. LIKE A KATANA, WHY WOULD BATMAN BE PACKING A KATANA, THAT IS A FINE WAY TO KILL PEOPLE, SOMETHING BATS DOES NOT DO. And don’t be fooled by these preview shots, the shoulders on these things are actually awful and bulky on both Wonder Woman and Green Lantern. I’m not sure who’d want to spend $80+ on these, but we have them in stock if you’re someone who is.
Going to stop talking DC for the day to point out that we also have some new Minimates in stock. There’s a Tomb Raider series, which is pretty great and diverse as hell IMO, a The Wolverine set which is kinda bland, and a new Marvel set featuring Marvel NOW character like Superior Spider-Man and the new Nova. It’s hard to judge these things, as they’re pretty much perfect. Standard figures with fun accessories, some cool, minimal sculpts and a good price point. I’m a big fan of the Tomb Raider game, and these minimates are a nice alternative to the solo Tomb Raider Play Arts we got earlier this year, although the Wolverine set remains a cruel tease to that Legends set we’ve yet to get. BOO URNS!
That’s all for this week! I’ll probably get another bunch of new toy preview/reviews up after NYCC, where I’ll be drunk on news/booze.
