Captain Shiner
ThunderCats (Super7) - Ultimates
Rated 4.85 stars by RMaster007
The world of Thundercats is quite expansive, with plenty of unique characters and species. The old LJN line did much of those characters, but there were still some left unmade in figure form that now have ones thanks of Super7. I thought Captain Shiner was S7 only since he only appeared in two episodes, but no, LJN did him too. Both of his appearances showed he was a mercenary for hire employed by Mumm-Ra, but he was willing to help out the heroes in his debut, so in a way, he's the TC Ultimates line's first "neutral" character. Shiner's face reminds me a bit of a Sphynx cat, especially with the pinkish skin. The ears aren't very catlike, though, being rather small and pointed. I'm not sure if he's supposed to be a catman not associated with the Thundercats, but one thing's for sure, the...[See More]

Snarf
ThunderCats (Super7) - Ultimates
Rated 4.45 stars by RMaster007
A few days ago, I finally started watching Thundercats after leaving it sitting in my Hulu watchlist for over a year or so, and it's damn good. As in, probably the best 80s cartoon I've seen (yes, even more than the old TMNT cartoon). It was a well-written and occasionally surprisingly dark show for the time, and the anime-like style helped (mainly cause it was animated overseas). We all know about Super7's Ultimates lines, and I unfortunately didn't get into it soon enough to get some of the figures, like the super-popular Slithe or the Ghost Jaga exclusive that makes more sense in a display, but I've been getting what I can find, starting with Snarf, the… snarf. The packaging is fairly simple in design, making use of black and red colors, alongside the slip cover (which is no longer...[See More]

Vacation Bebop / Vacation Rocksteady
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Adventures
Rated 4.50 stars by RMaster007
Now that we're in September, summer is drawing to a close, bringing an end to hot weather and beach vacations and resuming school and college for many a young man. Despite this, NECA has been able to preserve the summer spirit for a bit longer with another release of Bebop and Rocksteady. They already filled their quota of the two for the year with an updated reissue of the standard two-pack, but now… remember when I talked about Colossus Napoleon and how I hoped the B&R outfits on the box art would become figures? Well, my wish has been granted! It seems like these guys get different sculptors whenever they get new figures now, and Tony Cipriano and Tomasz Rozejowski are responsible for them this time. While the heads Paul Harding did for the superhero versions matched the cartoon more...[See More]

Leonardo
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Mutant Mayhem (Playmates) - Basic Series
Rated 4.20 stars by RMaster007
Even though almost everyone's seen it already, it wasn't until like last month or so I saw the latest TMNT movie, Mutant Mayhem. I loved everything about it, from the unique interpretations of the characters to the grungy art style, it competed with the 2007 Imagi movie as my favorite Turtles film. If you've seen it already, then I'd recommend watching its follow-up, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; the first season was pretty short, but you can get through it in a day, and it's an equally fun ride. But enough praise for those, we all know new Turtles media means more figures from Playmates, and it's a good thing I held off on these for a bit, since now the Turtles themselves are hitting half-price at Target. The cardback motif is nearly the same with every figure, having a...[See More]

Rat King (Eastman & Laird)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Mirage Comics (Neca) - Basic Series
Rated 4.85 stars by RMaster007
You'd think with his common presence in the TMNT franchise, the Rat King was a regular in the old Mirage comics, but no, he wasn't. Like Shredder, his appearances were sparse, first appearing in issue #5 of the Tales of the TMNT side-series, then appearing in the main comic during the City at War arc, where we eventually learned he died right after his first appearance. Nevertheless, he was an effectively creepy character whenever he appeared, and his inclusion in the NECA line is fully welcomed. The Rat King viewed himself not as a man, but rather as a monster, and the default head certainly has a monstrous look. The head is near-completely covered in yellow bandages, with his eyes and mouth exposed. The skin is kept mostly hidden, and the crazed expression makes him someone you don't...[See More]

Radioactive Man
Simpsons (Jakks Pacific) - Premium
Rated 4.40 stars by RMaster007
Despite his status as a famous comic superhero in the Simpsons universe, Radioactive Man has gotten surprisingly little merchandise. He's at least gotten a plush, a Kidrobot figure, a Bearbrick, a Funko POP, and two figures of resident Schwarzenegger expy Rainer Wolfcastle dressed as him. Earlier this year, Super7 gave him his first true action figure that isn't Wolfcastle, but it turned out pretty bad. Thankfully, Jakks Pacific has come along with something both better and cheaper. Setting him apart slightly from Matt Groening's usual style is the slightly more realistic proportions of RM's face. The eyes and nose are a little smaller than average, but that's pretty much it. The little bumps on the sides of his head are supposed to be his ears, and I'm not sure how well he can hear with...[See More]

Leatherhead (Stump Wrestling)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Neca) - Adventures
Rated 4.50 stars by RMaster007
After a good variety of characters, it seems as if NECA's TMNT Adventures line is currently focused on the contestants of the intergalactic Stump Wrestling ring. We got the Turtles themselves, but there's also Cryin' Houn' and Leatherhead, both of whom are hitting mass-market retailers now, in addition to two upcoming wrestlers, El Mysterio (just Houn' in another costume) and Ace Duck. I haven't gotten Houn' yet, and the $50 price is making me hesitant to get him, but Leatherhead you shouldn't have too much difficulty finding at Target. Often times, Adventures had a very cartoony look, and not even the '87 show at its best animation quality could compare. Mitchroney was one of those "cartoony" artists for the comics, and as with most of the figures we've seen so far, Leatherhead adapts...[See More]

Target Optimus Prime and Autobot Bullseye
Transformers - Generations (Hasbro) - Exclusives
Rated 4.75 stars by RMaster007
The Transformers franchise has been home to all sorts of unique collaborations and products, ranging from mash-ups with other pop culture licenses like Disney and Jurassic Park, to more unusual ideas, mainly incorporating Optimus Prime. Remember that Pepsi-themed version, or a 7-11 redeco of the Masterpiece, and how about one that turned into a mini PlayStation One? One of the latest in the continuing series of odd mash-ups gives Optimus Prime a Target-themed repaint. They've been a Transformers retailer for years with plenty of exclusives, so it only seems appropriate. There was a time when the Transformers line went windowless and plasticless, and the end result was some very attractive packaging. Hasbro decided a while back to go back to windows and trays, but that doesn't mean they...[See More]

Slash (Binky's Day Out)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Basic Series
Rated 4.85 stars by RMaster007
In the midst of all sorts of unique designs and characters, some of which are getting figures for the first time, NECA has gone back and updated a few familiar faces in the TMNT world, cartoon specifically. First they improved the turtles themselves, then they redid April, a character who much needed an upgrade, and most recently, Slash. The first toon Slash they did, coming packed with Leatherhead, was fine, but still rather flawed looking back on him. Now Slash is back by himself, and he's much easier to get ahold of this time around. We're now at "volume 18" of the toon Ultimates, and they continue to draw inspiration from the old FHE video tapes for box design. Slash's is a bit more unique, depicting him holding his old pet bowl, but with a shrunken Bebop and Rocksteady on the...[See More]

Scarlett
G.I. Joe (Super7) - Ultimates
Rated 3.95 stars by RMaster007
For an incredibly divisive team of military operatives, G.I. Joe has surprisingly very few women. Case in point, the original cartoon had only three female members on the good guys' side: Lady Jaye, Scarlett, and Cover Girl. At least with the women, Super7's been able to get almost all of them out as quick as possible in Ultimates form. We already got Jaye and Baroness (three versions at that), and Cover Girl should be out within the next month, should that leaves Scarlett to look at. Last wave's Jaye and Baroness had great female likenesses, but they were held back by a lack of painted skin, instead using cheap-looking glossy colored plastic. Scarlett doesn't have this issue, as Super7 made sure this wave had painted skin tones, and it helps make the eyes and lips blend in with it...[See More]