DC Direct Aquaman and Mera busts

Heroes of the DC Universe Aquaman Bust and Women of the DC Universe Mera Bust.

Today and today only you get two, two, two reviews in one.

First question: Why do the men get something like Heroes of the DC Universe for their line and the women get to be Women of the DC Universe? Why not just call the men, Men of the DC Universe? Great! Now I'm starting to sound like Chris Meyers. Then again, women are pretty heroic in their own right. That whole child bearing thing. Yowza!

Honestly, I didn't like either of these until I started writing this post and was able to look at them together. Now I like them.

So far both of these lines have produced busts that I have either liked or hated. I've actually liked more of the Women of the DC Universe busts than the Heroes line. While that may be a gender thing, I think it has more to do with the artists selected to design the lines.

Adam Hughes and, to a lesser extent, Terry Dodson both draw in an almost three dimensional style all of the time. Anyone who has seen one of Adam Hughes' prints at a con can tell you, his art pops right off the page.

Carlos Pacheco is a wonderful comic book artist. He's one of the best out there, but his art doesn't come off the page. He does, however, draw some of the best action sequences.

Heroes of the DC Universe: Aquaman Bust

Produced By: DC Direct
Based On The Art Of: Carlos Pacheco
Sculpted By: Jean St. Jean
Dimensions: 6.25" high x 3" wide x 5.25" deep
Type: Bust
Edition Size: TBA
Ship Date: October 2009
Estimated Price: $70

Women of the DC Universe: Mera Bust

Produced By: DC Direct
Based On The Art Of: Terry Dodson
Sculpted By: Barsom
Dimensions: 5" high x 3" wide x 3.5" deep
Type: TBA
Edition Size: Limited Edition
Ship Date: October 2009
Estimated Price: $55

Robert's Two Cents

Points in Favor

• This is one of the best looking takes on Mera's costume I've seen.
• Aqaman's Orange and Green doesn't look ridiculous.
  
• Paint job.
  
• The bases work together. Too bad they didn't design them to connect.
• They look good together. You just have to decide how to position them.
  

Points Against

• I'm not really sure what either of them are doing atop the octopus creature.
• Their poses don't complement one another. Aquaman is waging a battle and Mera is posing for a photo shoot.
• Mera's face isn't quite perfect. That's one of the differences in the Adam Hughes inspired pieces vs. the Terry Dodson inspired pieces.
• You can't see Aquaman's belt buckle. The belt buckle is one of the coolest aspects of his costume.
• Aquaman's price. He's $70.
  
• They're Aquaman and Mera. Who cares?
  

Recommendation: Neutral. If you just want one or the other, pass, but if you want both, these are buys, which nets out to a neutral for me. I didn't like either piece until I looked at both of them together on one page

Zimm's Two Cents
Oh - I did not catch how the two statues went together - but now I do. However, even before I saw how they went together, I had already decided that I like the Aquaman and am "egh" on the Mera. However, when I looked at them together, I figured Mera was flirting with the octopus or someone, and Aquaman was pissed off about it.

Points in Favor

• Great colors!
• Love the trident and face of Aquaman. Decent battle pose.
• It's Aquaman and Mera. Something other then Batman and Superman. (Can you tell that Robert and I have different opinions yet?)
  

Points Against

• What is it with the beehive hairdo? Couldn't they have picked another version of Mera?
• Not to thrilled with Mera's face.
• Not certain about the water base - probably have to see it in person.
  

Recommendation: Neutral If you want one to build up on your DC bust collection, then go with your preference. I wouldn't spend my money on the both of them.

Marvel Crossovers

If you read my Captain Britain and MI-13 recommendation, this may feel a little familiar. It's because this originally started as a sidebar in that review.

It feels like all of the Marvel crossovers of recent years (with the possible exception of World War Hulk, which read like it should have been a self contained Marvel Elseworlds style book) have been one long crossover. I mean the conclusion of Civil War was not a conclusion. It was a to be continued style ending. We did get some closure with the end of Secret Invasion, but it leads right into Dark Reign.

I'm pretty certain I won't be reading Dark Reign, except for the wonderful Paul Cornell's Dark Reign Young Avengers book, if CB&MI13 crossover, those issues, and I may pick up whatever books deal with Hawkeye and Mockingbird's reunion.

House of M and the Avengers issues leading up to it should be included in this single ongoing crossover storyline.

If you've read any of the Illuminati issues, you'll find out that all crossovers going back to the Kree Skrull War are all part of this one ongoing story too.

I don't read many Marvel series these days. I'm fed up and tired of all of the crossovers. I am one of the 30+ year old Marvel Zombies who have bought Marvel Comics through thick and thin, but the only Marvel books I'm reading these days are Astonishing X-Men, Immortal Iron Fist, Wolverine (through the end of this future Wolverine storyline), Criminal, Incognito, Daredevil, Captain America (which Brubaker's slowly losing me on), and Captain Britain and MI13.

If someone has a good Marvel title I'm not getting to recommend, please leave a comment. I'd like to hear your recommendations.

You'll notice most of these are standalone titles with little interaction with the rest of the Marvel Universe except Captain America, which I may be dropping soon, apparently Steve Rogers was the reason I was reading this title, and Captain Britain, which actually spun off from the Secret Invasion storyline in a really interesting way.

Note to self: Add X-Factor back pull list. Why did I drop this? It must have been an oversight on my part.

I realize the crossovers are selling and keeping Marvel Comics going, but I'm not participating any more. Initially my idea was to skip the crossover issues, but then i realized there wasn't anything left to buy.

Most of the entries you read in this blog will be positive because Zimm and I mostly want to write about things we like. Most of the negative entries you see will be something one of us likes and the other doesn't (Mighty Muggs), something so egregiously funny/wrong that we feel we have to comment on it (Star Trek captain's chair), or we like it, but it's just off enough to get a negative review (x-23 Statue from Sideshow). So I don't really like to use the blog as a bitch forum, but this has been bugging me for a while. Kinda like both main political parties, I feel like Marvel has left me behind a long time ago.

JLA Trophy Room: Green Lantern Rings Prop Replica

JLA Trophy Room: Green Lantern Rings Prop Replicas

Where to begin? Why are these "JLA Trophy Room"? Why not just a standalone GL set? Also why are they "Green Lantern Rings Prop"s? Really they're the Rainbow Lantern Rings. Why are they $250 if you can't wear them?

OK, these are cool. I'm not a fan of the whole Rainbow Corps concept, but this ring set would make a really nice addition to any collection, if it wasn't $250. The prior Planet Krypton GL Ring set with about half as many rings and no base was about $70, so I guess the math works out.

Quote from press release: "An age-old prophecy foretold the coming of the Blackest Night, and the war of light between the emotional spectrum! The Green Lantern and (yellow) Sinestro Corps are confronted by the Red Lanterns, Agent Orange, the Blue Lanterns, the mysterious Indigo Lanterns, the (violet) Star Sapphires and, ultimately, the Black Lantern Corps." I'm not a fan of age-old prophecies. I guess it's my religious upbringing. I've had plenty of age-old prophecies. Now I'd just like to see things happen.

To quote though: "Rings are removable but are prop replicas ONLY and are not meant to be worn." So what's the point, if you can't run around the house pretending you're one of the lanterns?

Produced By: DC Direct
Dimensions: 8" high x 5.5" wide x 5.5" deep
Type: Prop/Replica
Edition Size: Manufactured to Order
Ship Date: October 2009
Estimated Price: $250.00

Robert's Two Cent
I like these. They're just expensive and I'm not a fan of what they represent. Geoff Johns does some great comics, but I don't seem to be a fan of many of them. Although, he's the one who brought back the pre Crisis Legion of Super Heroes.

Points in favor:

• Very nice design. The rings and the display piece are gorgeous.
• As with most DC Direct product the paint is fabulous.
  

Points against:

• As usual from me, price. $250 is a lot.
  
• I don't like the Rainbow Lantern Corps (What is the plural of Corps? Corpses?)
• You can't wear them. Especially not me. I bet they're only a 7 0r 8 at best and I'd need a 12 1/2 13.
  

Recommendation: Pass. Don't get me wrong they're nice, but even if you're a fan of the current storylines in GL, including the forthcoming Blackest Night, it's expensive and you can't wear them. I'd rather you go through the trouble of tracking down the Planet Krypton set or finding one of the wearable Legion of Super Heroes rings. Yeah, you'd still pay a lot, but they're cooler.

Zimm's Two Cent
I'm actually enjoying the series. Originally, I had thought that I wouldn't like the series and nearly dropped it from my pull; however, the story is panning out for me. It would be cool if the JLA had a collection of these rings in their Trophy Room.

Points in favor:

• Great addition to the story line.
• The base to hold them is probably my favorite part. It also provides you with a clear understanding of what each ring represents - how they get their ring powers is an entirely different (hokey) story.
  

Points against:

• The price.
• The rings look fake to me. They look like plastic rings with a really thick piece of translucent plastic on top.
• You can't wear them.

Recommendation: Pass. I'm just not a fan of this trophy base.

Cover Girls of the DC Universe: Catwoman

Catwoman is the newest addition to DC Direct's ongoing "Cover Girls of the DC Universe" series. This statue is definitely based upon the Adam Hughes interpretation of the Catwoman, which is a character more of a Catwoman that I can understand.

Produced By: DC Direct
Based On The Art Of: Adam Hughes
Sculpted By: Jack Mathews
Dimensions: 9.5" H
Type: Cold-Cast in Porcelain
Edition Size: Limited Edition
Ship Date: October 2009
Estimated Price: $99.99

Zimm's Two Cents
DC Direct is finally putting out some statues that I am really interested in adding to my collection, and this happens to be one of them.
Points in Favor

• Price.
• To me, this is what Catwoman represents in today's series. She isn't a fighter - she is pesky cat.
  
• Sculpting and paint look really good. I can even see a hint of color in the googles.
• Like the face. Not seductive - more sly.
  

Points Against

• The base. Too plain for my own taste.

Recommendation: Buy. For the price, this one would not be a bad edition to my collection.

Robert's Two Cents
Wow! $99.99? That's amazing. Also, the face looks more like a Phil Noto design than an Adam Hughes.

Points in Favor

• This is the modern Catwoman.
  
• It's an Adam Hughes design. The face looks more like Phil Noto than Adam Hughes to me, but the rest is clearly Adam Hughes.
  
• Paint job.
• Zimm, I think the color you're seeing in the goggles is plastic lenses.
  
• Price. It's only $40 more than the Ame Comi PVC statue.
  

Points Against

• Size. It's a little small, but for the price it's not too bad.
  

Recommendation: Buy. Nice sculpt. Cool character. You can't beat the price.

Batman Family Multi-Part Statue: Part 1 - Robin & Catwoman

Batman Family Multi-Part Statue: Part 1 - Robin & Catwoman. Similar to the Justice League collection, DC is now offering the Batman Family. Broken down as:

• Robin and Catwoman
• Nightwing and Huntress
• Commissioner Gordon and Batwoman

With all three statues providing a piece of Batman who will hover in the background.

Produced By: DC Direct
Designed By Andy Kubert
Sculpted By Oluf Hartvigson
Dimensions: 10” H x 6” W x 6.5” D
Type: Cold-Cast in Porcelain
Edition Size: Limited Edition
Ship Date: October 2009
Estimated Price: $149.99

Zimm's Two Cents
While I did not buy the Justice League version, and I think that Robert did, I can say that this multi-part statue looks better then the JLA statue.

Points in Favor

• I like the poses for both Robin and Catwoman - they're in character.
• The colors seem right. Robin has his standard bright red and yellow, while Catwoman has her "leather" black.
• Something different then the typical Batman or Superman statues that DC puts out - over and over and over again.
  

Points Against

• $149.99 per a piece adds up.
• Not quite that certain about their faces.
• Robin's right hand doesn't seem relaxed or the right size. Kind of stands out.
• The cape looks like a sculptor instead of a cape blowing in the wind.
  

Recommendation: If you have the cash to buy all three pieces, this one leans to a Buy. Overall, I like this one - I just have to decide if I am going to spend the money on it or not.

Robert will have some better insight into whether you should purchase this one or not.

Robert's Two Cents
Meh.

Points in Favor

• That gargoyle looks really cool.
  
• The colors are dead on, but strangely Catwoman almost sticks out as being too dark.
• Not this piece specifically, but I really like the look of the Nightwing/Huntress piece.
  

Points Against

• Price. By the time you buy all of the pieces, you've made a serious investment.
  
• Zimm, I think you're right about Robin's hand. It almost looks like a gauntlet or something.
  
• I think Catwoman may be a little too posed. I think she should be slinkier.
• Catwoman's face is a lot blah. In a closer shot, her face looks fat. Consider the investment involved in this collection.
  
• Where's Oracle? She's my 2nd favorite Bat mythos character.
  
• You should also have Renee Montoya if you're going to have Commissioner Gordon and Batwoman.
• Not this piece in particular, but the Commissioner Gordon/Batwoman piece looks oddly posed. Gordon almost looks like he's leering at Batwoman and she's in a strange super-modelly look-at-me pose.

Recommendation: Neutral. Could be better sculpt. Also, way too pricey by the time you buy all the pieces.

Captain Britain and MI-13

Captain Britain and MI-13

Writer: Paul Cornell (Doctor Who writer)
Artist: Leonard Kirk (primarily)
Publisher: Marvel

This series is the best new Marvel series I've read in the last year. Yes, that is partially because I don't read many Marvel series these days. I'm fed up and tired of all of the crossovers. I am one of the 30+ fanboys/fanmen who have bought Marvel through thick and thin, but the only Marvel books I'm reading these days are Astonishing X-Men, Immortal Iron Fist, Wolverine (through the end of this future Wolverine storyline), Criminal, Incognito, Daredevil, Captain America (which Brubaker's slowly losing me on), and Captain Britain and MI13.

Paul Cornell has devised a Captain Britain story that has me interested. This really hasn't happened since the early issues of Excalibur (probably off and on through issue 60). But really since the Alan Moore issues of Captain Britain's own strip in the British comics. He's also managed to take a character I love, Black Knight, and make him more interesting. And to make things better, he has even taken Pete Wisdom, who I haven't cared for, and even made him an interesting and good character.

He's managed to take all of the baggage from the above characters and incorporated them into the story without being burdened by said baggage. This is no small feat. If you don't believe me, ask anyone who's read any thing featuring Captain Britain since about the time Alan Davis left Excalibur the second time. They're also handling a version of the super hero registration act a lot better than the US based comics.

Leonard Kirk's artwork is beautiful and fits the book like Cinderella's glass slipper. It's a perfect fit.

Points in Favor:

• Good, solid storytelling.
• Great super hero storytelling.
  
• Good, solid art. I haven't looked at Leonard Kirk's art much since the early 90s. He's really come a long way. He wasn't the artist on JSA until after I had already stopped reading that title.
• Captain Britain is cool again. He hasn't really been cool in a long time. Probably not since early in the original Excalibur run.
• Black Knight. He's one of my favorite Marvel characters.
  
• They're also going to deal with the duplicate ebony blade (see Black Panther series) and he appears to have his shield and horse from the 90s Heroes for Hire series.
• It's interesting how Paul Cornell is including the confusing bits about Black Knight and Captain Britain not getting bogged down by them.
• John the Skrull. What can you say about a shapeshifting alien who has chosen to look like John Lennon? Don't read his Wikipedia page until you read the books though.
  
• You should be able to pick up the whole run pretty cheap.
  
• It's a really good title even though it is a direct spin off from Secret Invasion. I've not enjoyed most of the Marvel crossovers since and including Civil War. There is a reason they used to publish 64 page annuals in the 80s/90s.
  

Points Against:

• It's a Secret Invasion spin off, but don't hold that against it.
• The story shoots off at a run. There is very little explanation of the history. You should probably read Black Knight and Captain Britain's Marvel Universe entries or their Wikipedia entries.
  
• I think it's one of the titles Marvel is giving the $3.99 treatment.
• Blade. I'm giving this a while though. Paul Cornell may be able to make him interesting.
• I've announced I like the title. There is a rule at DC and Marvel that once I announce I like a title in any public forum, they decide to cancel them (The Crew anyone?). Although Immortal Iron Fist has survived so far.
  

Definitely a recommended read. I'd give it a B (or a Hot Buy).

You can find the trade of the first six issues here:



Although, if you bargain hunt a bit, you can probably find the first 8 0r 9 issues for less than that. I think that's about what I paid on eBay for 1-9 including shipping (correction: I paid $15.49 including shipping, it only cost me a couple bucks more). The word is leaking out on this title though, so they may become harder to find.

Issue 10 went on sell last week. Go get it.

Ame-Comi's Catwoman V.2

Ame-Comi's next release for April 2009 is their second version (or what the are calling V.2) of Catwoman.

Produced By: DC Direct
Designed By: Paitoon Ratan
Dimensions: 9"
Type: Vinyl Statue
Edition Size: Limited Edition
Ship Date: April 2009
Estimated Price: $59.99

Zimm's Two Cent
I can't really say that there is much that I like about this statue.

Points in favor:

• Paint and colors harken back to a more classic purple/green coloring of catwoman.

Points against:

• I don't think that I like the boots, as they do not really look like they leave enough room for the toys.
• She looks less like a DC character and more like a scifi character from some Flash Gordan series.
• I am not a big fan of the tail or the ears.

Recommendation: Pass, and I will probably be on one of the few that says to pass on this one.

Robert's Two Cent
I really like this one. A large part of what I like about her is that she is a tribute to the Catwoman of my youth. This reminds me of the Catwoman in the old Batman cartoons (the ones with Bat-Mite) and Super Friends. It also reminds me (in an homage way) of the Alan Davis drawing of Catwoman from DC's Who's Who.

Points in favor:

• More like the classic Catwoman I grew up with as a kid (Pre Jim Balent, whose Catwoman I enjoyed).
• Sexy, but not in a sleazy way.
• I like the tail and the ears.The antenna is an interesting touch.
• The cape is Catwoman appropriate, while looking a bit like a nod to the classic Robin costume.
  

Points against:

• The boots are horrible, but I do like the way the claws work on this one.
  
• Probably a little too sci fi. But sci fi fits with the spirit of the Ame Comi line. It is the mangaized version of the DC Characters.

Recommendation:Buy. It's a reimagining to the classic Catwoman while updating her look to fit in with the rest of the Ame Comi line. I definitely like this one better than the first Ame Comi Catwoman.

What the... Watchmen: Nite Owl Coffee

If Alan Moore were dead, he'd be rolling over in his grave. But he's not, so he can't.

It's Watchmen product and it's overpriced coffee. Of course being a non coffee drinker, all coffee is overpriced.

I found this over at one of the Wired blogs.

The 10 ounce cans are being sold for $19.85 (neat gimmick on the price) from the Organic Coffee Cartel. Proceeds are going to charity, but if I did drink coffee, I think I'd rather buy some coffee and give the extra $15 to a charity of my choosing. The can is nifty though.

Still if you're interested, the link to the page on Amazon.com is below.

Sideshow X-23 Statue

X-23 Comiquette by Sideshow Collectibles

I'm of two minds when it comes to this statue. I saw pictures of it a while back and Zimm brought it back to my attention again yesterday. I really dislike this character. She was, in my opinion, created for no real purpose character or plotwise. She was just created as another Wolverine clone. She does have a cool look to her and her origin makes sense (Hydra wanting their own version of Wolverine manage to get some of his DNA and remix it a bit), but how many versions of Wolverine do we need? I feel the same way about the son of Wolverine character in Wolverine: Origins.

This statue captures the cool looks of the character and the eyes and paint are phenomenal. In honor of Zimm's niece, I have to say the boots are a really cool detail. The problem I have with this statue is the lack of capturing the essence of the character. The face, specifically the eyes, and her body language comes across to me a little too sex kitten for a character who is supposed to be a teenager. This makes her look more like X-Rated 23 (or X-Ho) instead of the 23rd attempt at a viable clone of Wolverine.

Also, I really hate the toe claws.

Produced By: Sideshow Collectibes
Dimensions: 18" H x 12" W x 8.5" D
Type: Comiquette (statue for the uninitiated)
Edition Size: Limited Edition
Ship Date: 3rd Qtr 2009
Estimated Price: $199.99

Robert's Two Cents

Points In Favor:

• Very nice looking sculpt and lots of detail.
  
• The boots are very, very detailed.
• Price
• Paint Job
• The base, while very simplistic (plain letter x) fits the character and the logo of her books, so it works.
  

Points Against

• She's a little to sex kitteny. Her body language is screaming "Hey, baby! How 'bout a good time?"
  
• If it were an adult character would I feel any differently? Probably. I mean if this was an adult Kitty Pryde, I would feel it was more appropriate.
  
• The toe claws are yucky.

Recommendation: Neutral! I can see why someone would like this statue from a purely collectible standpoint. The production values over at Sideshow are really phenomenal (apparently, it's my word for the day). I can't get past the underage streetwalker thing.

Zimm's Two Cents:
I could not have explained it any better, so that is why I passed this one off onto Robert.

Points in Favor:

• The sculpting, colors and pose all come together on this statue rather nicely.
• I think that my niece would love me for life if I could find her a pair of those shoes.

Points Against:

• Is it me, or does her face look like it has even been painted in a hooker mentality.
• Okay, maybe it is the face as a whole that bothers me. It is too "elf" like for someone who was cloned from Wolverine.
  

Recommendation: Neutral - this is definitely a preference one, and if I had to choose, Sideshow Collectibles has some other great statues coming out that I would probably recommend.

Ame-Comi: Batgirl V.2

While Sideshow has some others that I want to talk about, I stumbled upon some new Ame-Comi Statues. I am really enjoying this series. I'm not collecting any, as the ones that I have bought I have given as gifts, but I do enjoy their spin on the characters.

Produced By: DC Direct
Designed By: Paitoon Ratan
Dimensions: 9"
Type: PVC Statue
Edition Size: Limited Edition
Ship Date: April 2009
Estimated Price: $59.99


Zimm's Two Cents
You have to take into account, this is an Ame-Comi interpretation of the characters.

Points In Favor:

• I like the more "goth" take on the modern day Batgirl.
• The batarangs and the bats are what first caught my eye, and then it was ...
  
• The cape, while wrapped around her feet would make her fall, to me it was still a relatively nice touche.

Points Against

• Not certain how big of a fan I am of the Vinyl Statues.
• My niece would want to see the shoes.
  
• Not quite certain that she should have so much yellow.

Recommendation: Neutral for me, but a Buy, if you are collecting the series.

Robert's Two Cents

Points In Favor:

• The batarangs, bats, and cape are all excellent details.
  

Points Against

• The stitching on the inside of her thighs with her skin showing makes her look like she was naughty and Batman had her legs sewed together to punisher.
  
• Except for the color scheme she looks more like Scarecrowgirl than Batgirl.
  
• The PVC statues prices have gone up enough to make me seriously question which of these I pick up.
  

Recommendation: Pass. I like the Ame Comi series and even own a few (Power Girl, Wonder Woman, the first Batgirl, and Troia), but this one doesn't do it for me as a collectible. I'd rather see you spend your money on the new Catwoman that's coming out.

Sideshow: Legendary Scale - Galactus

Wow! They have some announced some really cool items as of late, and I know that we will be covering them over the next few weeks, and to start all of this, I wanted to spotlight the new Sideshow Collectibles bust of Galactus - with Silver Surfer!!!!

Produced By: Sideshow Collectibes
Dimensions: 21" H x 15" W x 12" D
Type: Legendary Scale Bust
Edition Size: Limited Edition
Ship Date: 3rd Qtr 2009
Estimated Price: $249.99

Zimm's Two Cents
By far, one of my favorite representations of Galactus, which includes a defiant Silver Surfer!

Points In Favor:

• The sheer size of Galactus is captured through the addition of the Silver Surfer.
• Silver Surfer!
• Sideshow held true to the original concept and design of the Galactus.
• The paint job looks clean and detailed. Look at the eyes and the back of the helm.
• The other pics tell even more of the story! Click Here!
  

Points Against

• I'm not quite that certain that Galactus' face should look like an angry Grandpa.

Recommendation: Hot Buy! In fact, I would almost put this one at a very Hot Buy. This bust has quickly become my all-time favorite Legendary Scale Bust.

Robert's Two Cents
This bust is sweet. I'd even say this is the reason busts should exist as comic book collectibles.

Points In Favor:

• Sheer size and detail.
• Scale of Galactus vs. Silver Surfer.
• Definitely captures the essence of the character.
• Sideshow's paint jobs have been phenomenal.
  

Points Against

• Price
• Zimm, of course he should look like an angry grampa. He's hungry. Don't you look angry when you're hungry?
• He may look a little constipated, but if you ate planets for your dinner, you probably would too.
  

Recommendation: Hot Buy! I'm not sure which would be my favorite, this one or the Apocalypse. This captures the essence of Galactus, but the Apocalypse is Apocalypse in 3D. Still it would be very high on my list.

Bumblebee Mighty Mugg

Bumblebee Mighty Mugg

OK, I think I'm going to lose it. I really don't like the Transformers Mighty Muggs. The Bumblebee picture to the right should provide plenty of evidence as to why.

While I do have a Mighty Mugg collection of my own comprising of Marvel & Star Wars characters and I could see me picking up some of the GI Joe ones, I can't say I'll be buying any of these. Just because something works with a few properties, it doesn't mean you have to go with the same idea for all of them.

While if any Transformer can pull off cute, it's Bumblebee, this is just wrong. Next up, My Little Pony Transformers line.

Sidebar: If I go to Heroes Con in June and I can find the civilian Wolverine Mighty Mugg, I'm going to try to get Brubaker to autograph it. It looks just like him.

Sidebar 2: While I'm on a Hasbro kick, what happens to all of the Easy Bake Ovens in the US when the incandescent light bulb ban goes into effect?

Harley Quinn Bust

Harley Quinn - Joker's female side-kick; however, as of late, she hasn't been much of a side-kick as she has been hanging out with Poison Ivy, which has always made me wonder if she might be more into women then men.

Produced By: DC Direct
Sculpted By: Andy Bergholtz
Dimensions: 12" H x 7.75" W x 5" D
Type: 1:2 Scale Bust
Edition Size: Limited Edition
Ship Date: September 2009
Estimated Price: $294.99

Zimm's Two Cents
Initially, I did not like this character when she was first introduced on the cartoon series; however, I do like how her character has progressed overtime.

Points in Favor:

• Pom-Pom is poseable, which allows you some flexibility in personalizing the character.
• Her outfit seems to be well insulated.
• Her face does seem to have a unique smirk.
• I could be wrong, but the mask appears to be 3-dimensional - instead of just painted on.

Points Against:

• Her eyes bother me for some reason.
• Armless bust tend to be a turn off for me.

Recommendation: Pass. Unless you are a fan of the Joker and/or character, this bust does not offer that much.

Robert's Two Cents
Pom-Pom is poseable? Oh, those pom poms. Sorry couldn't resist. I love Harley Quinn. She's probably the coolest addition to the Bat Mythos in years. This bust doesn't do her justice.

Points in Favor:

• Nice detailing
  
• The fabric bits of the costume are a nice touch, if a bit of a dusting issue.
  
• She certainly looks like she's up to something.
  

Points Against:

• No arms. Just creepy. Yeah, I know what a bust is supposed to be.
  
• She looks like she's mischievous, but she needs to look like she's crazy. She's the crazy that pushes Joker up to the next level of crazy.
  

Recommendation: Pass. If you need a Harley Quinn piece go for the Ame Comi statue or the Women of the DC Universe bust.

Sneak Peak at Some Upcoming Bowen Designs

I love the fact that Bowen teases you with some of the statues and busts that he is working on; however, I am already ready to order one of them as soon as it hits the stands.

Just give the word, and the order will be placed.

Sneak Peaks at some upcoming Kotobukiya Statues

I really feel like Kotobukiya is coming into their own on the Marvel statues. While I can't give you any of the details about the statues yet, I can provide you with this sneak peak of two of the statues that they will be offering later this year. For all of you true collectors out there, they are definitely a company to keep an eye on.

I like what I am seeing, and I look forward to seeing even more from Kotobukiya.

Also, I still need to order their Ares bust.

What the...Joker Ski Mask

The Dark Knight Joker Combination Ski Mask & Winter Beanie

I'm not too sure what I think of this. Got it from Boing Boing.

Zimm's Two Cents:
I think that my nephew would love it, as he loved the movie; however, it makes me wonder if they are profiling the people actually purchase it.

If I had a say, I would profile everyone who bought it.

Marvel Search Engine

Okay - how often do you try and leverage Google, Yahoo search to try and find something out about your character. Well, NO LONGER! Follow the link, and download Marvel Universe Search Extension.

Its free. It helps me. So, I had to have it.

Bowen Designs: Blaastar Mini-Bust

Another mini-bust from Troy McDevitt, and I am starting to really appreciate his work. While on one of his statues, I questioned his choice of colors (and finally realized something about the character), and on another choice, Robert simply excited by the marvel character. However - in all of these sculptings, Troy has shown his skill as a true artist.

Produced By: Bowen Designs
Sculpted By: Troy McDevitt
Dimensions: Over 6" Tall
Type: Mini-Bust
Edition Size: Extremely Limited Website exclusive
Ship Date: June 2009
Estimated Price: $65.00

Zimm's Two Cents
Although I may not be that big of a Fantastic Four fan, I have always gotten a kick out of the concept and powers of Blaastar. His name says it all.
Points in Favor

• You can see his fingers within the blasts.
• From my personal opinion, Troy was able to depict his personality in his face.

Points Against

• Not a big fan of the base of the bust.
• Paint on the arms looks really "splotchy" or looks really like "air brush spots".

Recommendation: Neutral. I like Troy's work, and I like the hands, but my not being that big of a Blaastar fan and the base seems to be missing something for me.

Robert's Two Cents
I'm surprised to find out the Blastaar is a villain that Zimm is a fan of. Yes, his name says it all. That's it. He blasts. I've always found him to be boring. Annihilus on the other hand...

Points in Favor:

• Looks like a nice sculpt.
• The blast effect is great.

Points Against:

• While it is a nice sculpt and it does look like Blastaar and he is blasting, it looks more like an angry Kalibak (with the wrong paint color) or something.

Recommendation: Neutral I guess. I just don't feel that strongly. It's nicely sculpted. The paint's OK. If I had started a collection of Fantastic Four villain busts, I'd buy it, but otherwise, probably not.

What the .... "Health Energy Potions"?

ZELDA - Health Energy Potions!!!!!

This is for the Zelda / Nintendo Gamer in all of us. You can finally have the health energy potions that you are ever so reliant upon on in the game. You can purchase a pack of 48 potions for a small amount of $153.80.

WHAT! $153.80!

I think Link needs another Pharmacist or drug or some type of energy drink? Hell, give him a Red Bull instead.

What the...Is It a Sword Or Is It an Umbrella?

Is it a sword or is it an umbrella? It's an umbrella.

This is too cool. It's an umbrella with a samurai sword handle from Think Geek. What I could do with one of these...

Specs:

• A really sturdy umbrella with the handle of a samurai sword.
• Push button opening.
• Nylon "scabbard" included - with adjustable shoulder strap.
• Dimensions: 38.75" long; 41" opened diameter
• Price: $29.99 plus shipping
• It would be cool if it came in a Heroes version.
  

One additional thought: I probably wouldn't take it with me through airport security. Or maybe I would. I only get pulled out for additional screening about 24% of the time.

Mighty Muggs: Wicket the Ewok

Okay Robert, you tell me, but is this what you mean by a Mighty Mugg being cute?

This one is way too funny! And yes, he is cute too.

Robert: But he's an Ewok. He's supposed to be cute. I may have to get him to hang with my Chewbacca Mighty Mugg. Makes me wonder what a slave girl Leia would look like....aaahhhhhhh!!!!!! Now I have to go scrub my brain.

Marvel Minimates Secret Invasion Box Set

I usually wouldn't saying anything about Minimates. I just never had an interest in them; however.... This set comes with alternative Skrull Heads! How cool is that! Now, you can truly reenact the entire Skrull Invasion - which was a better story then DC's Final Crisis.

Check them out. A set of four is only $16.99.

Robert: They're still making Minimates? The Phoenix looks really cool. Also, the switchable heads are a pretty good idea. I originally liked the Minimates partially because you can switch out body parts and remix your own characters.

When I was a kid and my GI Joe figures' rubber bands broke, I'd save up the parts and eventually take them apart and create my own characters. So with Minimates, you could do the same thing without them having to fall apart first.

Disney is Releasing some Mini Busts

Disney has started to release a series of collectible polystone mini-busts with such characters as:

• Captain Hook
• Peter Pan
• Snow White
• King Triton
• Ursla
• Witch

And while I an not necessarily a Disney collector, these mini-busts do deserve some form of recognition. Even the bases on the busts were carefully considered and designed for each character.

Take a look, and tell me if this is something that you would like to hear more of in the future. So, for any Disney fanatics in your life, this might be a collection to consider. Only warning is that I don't know how large of a limited edition Disney will maintain.

Robert: I've seen a few of these at Disney World. They are really nice.

Even though Zimm's warning about how limited the editions may be is valid, Disney more than makes up with it in quality. One of my favorite collectibles I own (and the only Disney display piece) is a Mickey Mouse as Paul Revere sculpted by Jim Shores. I was at Epcot on the day of release and got Jim to sign it.

Disney collectibles are usually a safe bet if you buy from Disney directly as long as you like the piece. If not, don't buy them as a collectible piece.

Bowen Designs' Spider-Man (Black) Faux Bronze To Be Released as a Site Exclusive

Bowen Designs' (Black) Faux Bronze

Another in the line of faux bronzes by Bowen Designs. These continue to grow on me. After seeing these in Zimm's collection, I'd almost say if you don't have other Bowen statues, these are worth collecting and bring a lot of class to a collection. My original reservation was he was dilluting the collectibility and value of the originals by re releasing the original sculpts. They almost felt cheap to me for this reason. However, those reservations have been overcome by the sheer beauty and elegance of these pieces.

So far the only ones I haven't really liked are Thor and Odin. Mostly I just don't think the colors and details of their costumes translate well with the bronze treatment.

Add to that, this is a website exclusive that will be "extremely limited" and how much I like the black Spider-Man costume (my favorite), this is a really nice piece.

Produced By: Bowen Designs
Sculpted By: Randy Bowen
Dimensions: Over 12" Tall (Don't you like how they don't give dimensions on these any more
Type: Faux Bronze Statue (Museum Style)
Edition Size: Extremely Limited Website exclusive
Ship Date: May 2009
Estimated Price: $300.00

Robert's Two Cents

Points in Favor:

• It's going to be extremely limited. This should really increase in value in the long term.
• Very nice sculpt by Randy Bowen. I've seen the original statue up close and it's a nice looking statue.
  
• Good solid paint job.
  

Points Against:

• Price. $300 is a chunk of money for a statue, but I'd rest assured that it will very likely go up in value.
• If you bought the previously solicited Faux Bronze Spider-man, I'm not sure you need a second faux bronze Spidey. But if you do, this is a nice one.
  

Recommendation: Hot Buy. Now that I've seen these in Zimm's collection I've become a big fan of the faux bronze series from Bowen.

Note: I'd really like to see a faux bronze of the Iron Spider Spider-man costume by Bowen, sculpted by Randy Bowen.

2nd Note: I really like Zimm's collection of the classic Spider-man, Captain America, and Wolverine. They look really sharp on his shelf. For a secondary collection, I'd like to see the Daredevil and Black Spider-man together on a shelf.

Buffy, The Vampire Slayer

One of my all-time favorite TV shows was "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer." To this day, I think the show had some of the best writing, stories, and characters. Recently, Tracy Mark Lee started "tooning" the television series, and here is Buffy!

Produced By: Tracy Mark Lee's Tooned Up Television Series
Dimensions: 10" Tall
Type: Polystone Statue
Edition Size: 1,000
Ship Date: February 2009
Estimated Price: $99.00

While I am my be focusing my statue collection primarily on the comic genre, Buffy has been converted into an awesome comic series from Dark Horse with Tim Burton at the helm.

I'm debating on whether to start collecting these, but here is Willow (available now) and Dark Willow (available April 2009).


Recommendation: If you are as big of a Buffy fan (as I am), then this are likely a BUY!

Robert's Two Cents: I've never been a big fan of Buffy, but these are pretty nice.

Points in Favor:

• Good design.
• Paint looks good.
• Price.
• I do like that weapon that Buffy is wielding.
  

Points Against:

• I'm not a big fan of Buffy. I liked what I watched, but I never got hooked.

Recommendation: If you like Buffy, Buy, otherwise Pass. For the price, these are great.

Blackest Night Action Figures

Type: Toys
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: September 30, 2009
Price: Depends on if You buy just one or the complete set

From someone who had no initial interest in the Blackest Night storyline and was incredibly turned off by the idea of having a universe of different colored rings flying around, this is turning into a Lantern story that I can enjoy.

For your first group you have:

Alpha Lantern Boodikka

Earth 2 Superman

Blue Lantern Saint Walker

Red Lantern Atrocitus

It started with the Sinestro Wars and has continued forth. I just hope that it can maintain the same pace throughout; however, for the short period of time, it has created some cool new characters.

Not a toy buyer myself - but you may want to look these over.

Robert: These are nice. Unfortunately Geoff Johns has lost me completely with his run. I'm not a fan of the Rainbow Corps, so I'm barely interested in the characters. The Blue Lantern character is interesting and vaguely reminiscent of the similar character shown as a throwaway character in Warren Ellis' Planetary. The black faced Boodika also interests me.

I'm curious why the Superman is "red acted". The only surprise I can think of is what color Lantern he may turn out to be. Personally, I think censoring characters in these previews is pretty tacky. Same thing with the Superboy Prime in the Crisis series. If showing the action figure would be too spoilerific, wait to release it. But that's just me.

New Items Up on Bowen Designs' Site

They've released promo info on the Spider-Man Black faux bronze (website exclusive and will be "extremely limited") and Blastaar mini bust.

Commentary to follow shortly.

RASL by Jeff Smith

RASL: The Drift by Jeff Smith and published by Smith's own Cartoon Books.

First a confession, I've never read Bone. I started it when the Bone: One Volume Edition was released a few years back, but I never finished. I don't think I even read the equivalent of the first trade. Don't get me wrong it was good, but I wasn't hooked. I'm digging the One Volume Edition out this weekend and trying it out again mostly on RASL's merits.

I just read the first trade in Jeff Smith's current series, RASL. It rocks. RASL is an intergalactic thief and as most good heist stories go, the job goes south immediately and it's up to RASL to straighten things out. Unfortunately, like with Richard Stark's Parker, they seem to be headed further south. Actually, Parker is a pretty good comparison. I would be surprised to find out Jeff Smith hadn't read at least one Parker novel. This really is a classic heist story.

Points in Favor:

• Good, solid storytelling.
• Edge of your seat reading.
• Great heist story.
  
• Good, solid art. Jeff Smith's people remind me a lot of Wendy Pini's artwork, which is a good thing.
  
• Oversized trade. I love reading comics in this larger size. (Absolute Planetary anyone?)
  
• Additional pages from what was published in the comics. I love this in series I buy in trade and hate it in ones I buy as singles.
  

Points Against:

• I'ts black & white. Now I realize this isn't an issue for everyone, but for me it's hard to read a comic book that is black & white. The irony is some of my favorite comics (Queen & Country, Sin City & Usagi Yojimbo) are black & white. With RASL, it works for the story. More a personal hang up than an actual negative.
  
• Quick read. Again, not a huge problem, just something to keep in mind. I think it contains about four issues of material, plus a few added story pages.
• Oversized trade. While I love the size for reading purposes, it becomes difficult to find a place to put it on my book shelf or in my comic boxes.
  

Definitely a recommended read. I'd give it a B (or a Hot Buy).




If you enjoy RASL: The Drift, you might also like:

Bone in color:



Or you can read it in black & white in one volume:



Also: There is also an interview about the real and "fringe" science in RASL over at The Pulse, if you're interested in such things.

Bowen Medusa Statue

I just got her in the mail yesterday, and I am thrilled. After my last two busts, I have been a little down, but she more than makes up for them. I was spot on when I named her as one of the top 3 statues of 2008 - look here.

If you can find her (and she meets your taste), I would recommend picking her up.

By the way, I got number 85 out of 1500, so I have to give a shout out to Tommy. YOU ROCK!

Additional 100 Pages in Absolute V for Vendetta At No Extra Charge

Official Press Release

With the Vertigo classic V FOR VENDETTA set to be published as an Absolute edition in August, DC Comics is pleased to announce that this acclaimed title by Alan Moore and David Lloyd will be expanded by an additional 100 pages at no additional cost.

This new material includes all of David Lloyd’s silent art pages from the original comic book series, which were not included in the collected editions and have not been seen since the series’ original publication by DC Comics in 1988-1989. In addition, an expanded version of the sketchbook section from the hardcover will be included, as well as all of the back cover art from the original issues.

Along with these new pages, the Absolute edition features the improved production values and coloring from the 2005 hardcover edition for optimum enjoyment of the stunning art and story that the Portland Mercury called, “Perhaps Moore’s most powerful work.”

The ABSOLUTE V FOR VENDETTA HC (JAN090275) is on Final Order Cutoff on Thursday, February 5. It is scheduled to arrive in stores on August 19 with 396 pages and a cover price of $99.00 U.S.

Robert's Commentary: Personally, it sounds like they're giving you what they were already charging for. I like V for Vendetta and am glad it's getting the Absolute treatment, but $99.00 is a lot.

Land of the Lost: The Movie

The classic Sid & Marty Krofft TV show from the 70s has been remade into a full length feature film starring Will Farrell due to be released June 9, 2009. When I first heard about this film being made, my reaction, was "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!", then I heard Will Farrell was attached, so then my reaction became "NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!".

Now, for those who don't know me, I'm not a Will Farrell fan. I'm actually an anti-Will Farrell fan. If it comes down to watching a Will Farrell movie or watching the Lifetime channel, I'll usually choose Lifetime. The only truly good, funny thing he ever did (in my opinion) was that short YouTube video with the 2 year old yelling and cussing at him (and I only watched that because Robin Meade said I should). So, I'm going to qualify my opinion of this.

The Land of the Lost was a TV series (for more info click here)by those crazy Kroffts. It was about a family who got lost and ended up in a hollow Earth land where stop motion dinosaurs still roamed the Earth and there were reptilian humanoids called Sleestaks and all kinds of 70s drug induced strangeness.

To make a long story shorter, this was a series that I have great fondness for, even though I barely remember it. I mostly watched it in reruns in the later 70s and early 80s. So with so many programs I remember from the early part of my life, whenever they've announced a movie/new series was being made, it turned out to be horrible (Brady Bunch, Dukes of Hazzard, Wild, Wild West, Knight Rider, Bionic Woman, etc.). Please, don't misunderestimate my meaning here, the show wasn't good. Most of the shows I love from my childhood weren't. They just create these movies hoping that we'll go see them out of nostalgia. Hollywood is just playing with our emotions (although, I am looking forward to the GI Joe movie).

A big part of the show were the cheesy special effects and even cheesier Sleestak costumes and plotlines. Also, while the show was funny, it wasn't exactly comedic. I just can't imagine a Land of the Lost film starring Will Farrell, and I don't want to. It was what it was, a Sid and Marty Krofft production.

Recommendation: I normally don't like making these calls without seeing a film, but I'm going to make an exception. If a friend suggest going to see this, unless he/she is HOT and you have half a chance of it leading somewhere, run away as fast as you can.

Kotobukiya Bishoujo Black Widow

Kotobukiya is releasing the Black Widow as their next Bishoujo (pretty girl) statue. While the Rogue statue showed little to no promise, the Black Widow offers a glimpse into a series of affordable statues for some obsessed collector.

Produced By: Kotobukiya
Type: Bishoujo Statue
Edition Size: TBA
Ship Date: June 2009
Estimated Price: $59.99, $47.99 at TFAW (gotta setup that affiliate account)

Now while I am glad that they chose the Black Widow as the next in the series, I am not that certain about the look on her face. Instead of timid - I think that they should have gone for something a little more stern.

Zimm's Two Cents
Points in favor:

• Costume colors and paint job
  
• Niece would give props to the boots.
• More of an action pose then a hooker pose. (See Rogue Bishoujo Statue)
• Good price for a statue - especially a statue that is part of a series

Points Against:

• Hair is more pink then red
• Face looks timid instead of stern

Recommendation: Neutral. I kind of like this statue, but I would definitely have to see more of it. At least this shows some more potential for the Kotobukiya line of statues and busts.

Robert's Two Cents
Points in favor:

• Great pose.
  
• They nailed the costume.
  
• I agree with Zimm, she looks a lot less hookery than the Rogue. Which is strange, because Black Widow is wearing attire more appropriate for a hooker than Rogue does.
  
• Price. Zimm, are these statues or more like plastic inaction figures like the Ame Comis? (Zimm's answer: a solid construction of PVC and ABS plastics)

Points Against:

• Looks more like the ESurance chick than Black Widow. Or the bad chick from The Incredibles with her hair dyed pink or red.
  
• Too much of a "good girl" facial expression.
  
• While I like the pose, she looks a bit like the Coppertone girl.
  
• If she were to run, her boobies would knock her unconscious. Or cause her to pull her back out. Don't get me wrong, I like boobies, but I'm not a big fan of silicone.
  

Recommendation: Between Neutral and Buy. I guess a personal choice. This looks as good as some of the Ame Comi statues that I kinda like.

Sidebar: Zimm, I was thinking the same thing about her hair, but I think the hair is more red than pink. I think it's the picture that makes it look so pink. That is why I was thinking ESurance chick.

Green Lantern's Lantern

While I have seen a lot of these props and replicas being released by DC Direct and Marvel Comics, the majority of them really hold no interest for me; however, on the other hand, the concept at times is really cool. Some of the items you can get today include:

• Captain America's Shield
• Iron Man's Mask
• Thor's Hammer
  
• Superman's Cape
• Batman's Phone

Part of the DC Direct's JLA Trophy Room series:
Green Lantern's Lantern:
Dimensions: 12" tall x 9.75" wide x 8" deep
Type: Prop/Replica
Edition Size: Limited
Ship Date: January 21, 2009
Estimated Price: $395.00 available here for $316.00

Zimm's Two Cents:
Points in Favor

• Led lights that help it light up when you want to power your ring.
• Ring included! It even power's up when you press it against the lantern!
  

Points Against

• Way too pricey for my pocket book.

Recommendation: Buy! If you have the money and love the series, this a definite item to have. You can only hope that they come out with the Yellow Lantern and a few more.

Personally, I need a bigger house, extra cash, and additional rooms to display my trophy room.

Robert's Two Cents:
Points in Favor

• It's Green Lantern's lantern & ring.
  
• Very authentic looking.
• Green Lantern is one of my favorite DC Characters.
• I want one.
  

Points Against

• Price.
• I want one.
  

Recommendation: Buy! Out of all of these props, this would be the one I would own.