This week in toys:
The Dark Knight Rises again with the Mafex Batman Action figure from Medicom hitting our store shelves. This version is a Previews Exclusive and will complement the recently released Joker from the Dark Knight series that came out a few weeks back. Figure is fully articulated and has the same high level of detail that most import toys are known for.
We should also be getting some new manga figurines from Banpresto including a couple of DragonBall Z and One Piece characters and after a brief lull we are also receiving the next batch of Eaglemoss’ Star Trek Starships Collection Ships and Magazines including my personal favorite, the USS Pasteur, the starship that the future version of Beverly Crusher commanded in the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” series finale “All Good Things.”
If you like Funko POP vinyl figures, we still have the new Agents of Shield Melinda May figure in stock and we are also getting in the glow-in-the-dark Previews Exclusive Lo Pan from “Big Trouble in Little China.” This is in addition to the selection of POPs we carry in store including the recently arrived oversized glow-in-the-dark Thanos 6″ vinyl figure.
Not a toy but based on one, we’ve got the brand new Jem and the Holograms #3 from IDW written by Kelly Thompson and illustrated by Sophie Campbell out on Wednesday. As I’d written previously, the series has been very enjoyable thus far and even though certain aspects have been altered from the original animated TV show, the spirit of what Christy Marx and Hasbro created shines through and it has become one of my most anticipated titles each month. On a related note, I have not seen the trailer from the forthcoming movie but early reports indicate that I won’t be happy with it.
And now in TV news:
So last week I shared with you all my story about meeting Katie Cassidy and Stephen Amell from “Arrow” and I promised I would share some thoughts on the season finale this time around.
SPOILERS AHEAD!(if you haven’t watched the episode yet)
I don’t get to watch Arrow live and I read spoilers just to find out what happened. From all the things I’d read about it, I was prepared to hate it.
It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be but I remain mixed on the whole thing.
The Good:
Thea taking up the Speedy mantle.
Laurel’s scenes with Tatsu, Quentin and Nyssa.
Maseo and Tatsu’s farewell scene in the flashback sequence.
The Bad:
Oliver and Ra’s final fight scene- compared to previous season enders, this one was nowhere near as epic as the fights between Malcolm and Oliver or Slade and Oliver were.
FELICITY taking over everything. I used to like Felicity until they started bending everything towards making her character the most important character on the show. I know certain people I work with love her character and I’m sorry but she doesn’t work for me anymore. Her in the A.T.O.M. armor was silly and the scene only played out the way it did because they wanted her to have to don the outfit in an “oh, look at me I CAN DO EVERYTHING” moment. I haven’t really forgiven her since she was all nasty about Moira at her own funeral in season 2.
Tatsu aka Katana not taking part in the final battle was a little silly and I wish that they had saved her scene with Maseo from the previous episode for this one since it would have paralleled the flashback scene better.
The ending- my only consolation is since they are doing this pairing now and before the series is actually over means that this won’t be the coveted be-all end-all one true love scenario that some seem to want it to be.
I still love “Arrow” despite of this misstep and am looking forward to its fourth season this fall, “The Flash” as well as the awesome looking “Legends of Tomorrow” which will bring Brandon Routh’s Atom character back as well as Caity Lotz, now going by the White Canary moniker and many other characters from “The Flash.”
Arrow Season Three’s Top 5 Best Episodes in my opinion, in the order they aired:
“Sara”- the team’s reaction to the death of their colleague, the Canary was a great showcase for all of the characters.
“The Brave and the Bold”- the 2nd part of the very first “Flash”/”Arrow” crossover- lots of fun.
“Midnight City”- the first full-fledged appearance of Laurel as the Black Canary also includes the scene where she jumps out of a window and grabs onto a helicopter ladder.
“Canaries”- Laurel takes on Count Vertigo, gets drugged and sees Sara, prompting a Canary vs Black Canary battle.
“This Is Your Sword”- Tatsu appears in her Katana costume for the first time and we see her and Maseo face off to the death, Oliver betrays his team or so we think. Lots of strong character moments and Canary is looking better than ever sans wig and mask.
Catch you guys next week!