NECA: Nintendo Style Batman 7" figure

NEWSFLASH!!!

NECA Takes DC License into the 7" Arena

We all wondered who would do it.. and well. I was right, with Mattel's DC Universe crumbling into the plastic ocean NECA has down scaled their DC License to bring their awesome sculpts to a 7" collectible figure line. For those who own the 18" version of this figure, there is very little I can tel you that do don't already love. This can only mean a true color variant down the road... and oh my god...a Joker? Count on it!!!

This Nintendo version of the caped crusader comes in a purple and blue paint scheme as the Nintendo figures have come classically to reflect their retro console counterparts. No doubt Batman wil come with all the same tricks that the 18" version saw, minus the faux leather cape. He also includes grappel gun and batarang.

Demand for this figure in this scale of this quality has been high ever since Mattel's Movie Masters line hit the scene. It's high time we saw this happen and I'm glad to tell you that we will.

Hopefully SDCC will have more reveals for us in this area of awesomeness?

I know I've had a couple things on my wishlist for YEARS. Can NECA make it happen?

Mezco 1:12 Collective Dark Knight Returns Batman 6" figure

Mezco has announced that they have bought into a DC License to bring new 6" figures into the arena. They will be known as the One:12 Collective. and will combine over 32 points of articulation with real cloth outfits and meant to echo the style and details of 1/6 scale figures, but at a more reasonable size. The figures will include display bases and accessories.

Clearly picking up where Mattel has let us down so many times, we will no doubt be seeing some VERY impressive licenses join the ranks in this format. Looks like its time to clear off another shelf in the old Manchild Museum at GeekSummit Headquarters.

I very much look forward to Mezco helming the gap left by Mattel's bowing out of the 6" game while NECA does knockout work with their 18" licenses.

"These are good days to love cool stuff" 

                                                   -Albert Einstein

 Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective
New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.
Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.
Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play.
The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.
Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.
Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.
Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”
The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.

Source: ToyArk.com

CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

We're blowing out tons of Action Figures and Customs!!!

BRING A BUCKET!!!

Click the image below to go to the auction gallery!!!

Star Wars, Super Powers, DC Universe, Marvel Legends, Walking Dead, Dr Who, Play Arts...

We've got a a little bit of everything. With 150+ items currently listed, we're looking to take the tally to 400+ items this week or until our fingers fall off!!!

DC Collectibles: Batman the Animated Series figures, SDCC More on the way?

DC Collectibles has announced the expansion of their 6" Animated Batman figures. This looks to be a nice set of figures, especially with DCU dropping out of retail, this is a nice continuation to what could have easily been done by Mattel.

Just today we were introduced to the Joker, Robin, & Poison Ivy. Two Face and Mr Freeze's debut was a few months ago if only in sketches. This brings the total to 7 figures in an already unreleased line-up. Simply amazing. We're sure to see more at SDCC this summer as well.

Who's next?

Superman the Animated Series anyone?

Seeing how these are being handled definitely makes the mind wander. Seeing such a push into a territory with the idea that there will be more lends to the thought that this could be a new era approaching for DCC. Mattel finally bowed out of the 6" game for DC characters leaving Marvel Legends to run the toy isles. Meanwhile DCC is putting out some of the best looking figures right now that we may have never come to expect from DCC, Formerly DC Direct. It even looks like we are hijacking Mattel's T Crotch/Hip assemblies anyway.

Points of articulation have been a point of articulation for years in action figure collecting. Do we need it? Does it diminish the look of the figure? What's more valuable, posability or awesome sculpts? Has anyone seen Figma? These people have been doing AWESOME beautiful Japanese characters, and when they get to do familiar pop culture characters, they blow it away!!!

Anyway, I think its been pretty clear that DCC is looking to pick up the slack left behind by Mattel. Could we be stepping into the world where the figures we wanted to see from Mattel will come from DCC in our current scale? Imagine the result of DCC getting behind supplementing our appetites for Mattel product we'll never got? 

Superman Movie Masters anyone?

I've been kicking around this Kit Bash Christopher Reeve Superman Movie Masters for years just hoping that I would see it bested by Mattel. But they led us astray… 2" off course. We finally get a Christopher Reeve retail figure and he's 4" tall? or less? No thanks, why is it that Mattel has decided to get out of the 6" game? or have they? Will Movie Masters ALWAYS be on the horizon while the 3.75" figures are our ballet boxes for what properties get the 6" treatment? Will Mattel catch on to Hasbro's strategic success? Will they be there for us when the next superhero movies come out? How can they ignore a 6" hero figure market or force us to re-buy in an inferior scale and quality? I guess they'll find out. Or maybe they've still got something big up their sleeves?

or maybe not...

There are a few stinkers in Hasbro's isles too but for the most part they are sought after characters to varying degrees. Star Wars alone in its 3.75" line can detect the demand for more characters in its own line, they've been doing it for years. Regardless, if we're not going to get them from Mattel, why   not accept one from a company that can do every bit the diligent justice to a property like this?  

I'd love to see DCC take over Mattel's former command of awesome DC Characters in 6" but actually do them AWESOME!!! I loved the 4 Horsemen line, there are still few true gaps that will never be filled from my DCU collection… I'm looking at you Gold Superman and Mxyzptlk… WTF? And the C&C couldn't have been a proper version of SP Kalibak? Can we atleast Mail Away for our Blue Suited Clark Kent figure? Please update the DCSH Sculpt though… he looks pretty weak, eeven for Clark... 

But I don't think it was the Horsemen who killed the line… the line killed the line… the bottom line… jerks…

Thanks for reading, come for the news, stay for the rants...

Ben Affleck as Batman: First Image Released

Director Zack Snyder revealed the black-and-white photo Tuesday on Twitter. 

 

 

 @ZackSnyder/Twitter

The first image of Ben Affleck as Batman in the upcoming Superman-Batman film has hit the web.

* This image has been altered to allow better exposure of the rest of the suit. Looks prety cool.

 -GeekSummit

Director Zack Snyder unveiled the photo via Twitter on Tuesday, after teasing the day before that a Batman reveal of some sort was coming.
The monochromatic image features Affleck in the Batsuit with the new Batmobile at his side, as smoke looms in the background.

Affleck was cast in the role last August and the announcement was met with mixed reaction. (Snyder said at the time that Affleck's Batman would be "older and wiser.") In response to Internet backlash, Affleck appeared on Late Night in September to address worries. "They said just don't use the Internet for a couple of days," Affleck said at the time. "I handle shit. I'm very tough. I saw the announcement, I look down on the first comment … the first one just goes, 'Nooooooooo!' "
Snyder's Superman-Batman follow-up will return Henry Cavill, who starred in Man of Steel, as Superman. Gal Gadot will play Wonder Woman, Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons is set as Alfred and Ray Fisher will portray Victor Stone/Cyborg. Holly Hunter, Callan Mulvey and Tao Okamoto are also in the cast and will play newly created characters.
Affleck, Cavill and Gadot are expected to reprise their roles for the Justice League movie, which will also be directed by Snyder and have a 2017 release.
Warner Bros. has slated the Batman-Superman tentpole for May 6, 2016

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Ain't It Cool News: STAR WARS EPISODE VII's working title is...

STAR WARS EPISODE VII

THE ANCIENT FEAR

Source: Harry Knowles - Ain't It Cool News
Art: GeekSummit 

Hey folks, Harry here...  in response to my article earlier today a new source has come forward to confirm information that I've been sitting on for over a month.   As I've said - getting confirmation has been a bitch.  I know lots of people in JJ's camp - including JJ... but when I put the title to JJ... he never even responded.  That alone was suspicious.   But my original source had told me back in January that Abu Dhabi was a location, and when that came to be, he sent me a scoop that the title for STAR WARS EPISODE VII was THE ANCIENT FEAR.
I ran it by everyone in the editorial chatroom.  Beaks, Merrick, Quint, Capone... everyone...  and they rattled their sources cages - and couldn't get confirmation...  BUT tonight...  a source that I'm told to call Col. Mustard claimed completely on his own that "the working title" was THE ANCIENT FEAR....
He also stated that "it refers to Max Von Sydow's villain who makes Pazuzu look like a pussy!"

Star Wars Episode VII Cast Revealed!!!

 

A few hours ago in a country far far away...

Hey! We've got some official Star Wars: Episode VII casting news to share with you today! After all of the rumors, talk and speculation we now know who will be star in J.J. Abrams' highly anticipated film. So without future ado, here's the cast for Star Wars: Episode VII:
John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (LOTR), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), and Max von Sydow (The Exorsist) will join the original stars of the sci-fi fantasy saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.
The photo above features the Abrams surrounded by the cast, and this is what the director  had this to say in a statement:

"We are so excited to finally share the cast of 'Star Wars: Episode VII.' It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."

We all knew the original cast would be back to reprise their roles, but it's so comforting to know that it's all set in stone. I can relax now. As for the new members of the cast… these are all great choices and fantastic actors. I seriously can't wait to finally see the story that the filmmakers are planning to tell come to life on the big screen!
The movie opens in theaters worldwide on December 18th, 2015.

Source: StarWars.com

May the 4th Be Kinda Awesome...

Kicking things off on May 4th, Disney will be offering new exclusive Disney Store merchandise nationwide. Coolest of which is this first set of possibly 12" figures with lights and sounds.

 

Han Solo, DarthVader, Imperial Stormtrooper, and X-Wing Luke are among the first of these that we are aware of. What's really exciting is the fact that no one has mentioned these until now, a mere 2 weeks from the release. 

Previously unlisted is also a Chewbacca figure seen in the lineup below:

Also soon to badded to the mix will be everybody's favorite nasty, Boba Fett as seen in his prototype form.

at $29.99 each with light sound interactivity and articulation more akin to the more recent 3.75" vintage collection these look to be a cool piece for the MANtle. Especially the Stormtooper... Anytime a Stormtrooper is involved you can count me in. Ooooh wait... Luke and Han as well? I smell custom figures on the way… damn you  DisneyStarWars... got me again. It looks like this is building to become a rather complete line of its own very soon…

There are many more items to be released for they're May the 4th event but I'm not as interested in those because they don't appeal to my inner Plastic Gangsta.

SDCC 2014 | Star Wars Black Series Wave 4 and Beyond

Another year has gone by and this summer is quick approaching. With exciting news of deluxe sets in the Star Wars Black Series revealed at ToyFair what else can we expect to see revealed this year?

So far we have seen pictures of Biker Scout, Jabba the Hutt, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Jedi Luke & Ep III Anakin Skywalker...

For the most part fans have been pleased with the character selection. Though the toy isles have cast their vote as well showing that Prequel characters will be the hardest sell, I think that once we have a more balanced and intuitive scheme in the works those prequel figures will be in higher demand. Episode II Anakin in itself could raise demand for Episode III Kenobi... but where are my Ep I Obi Wan Kenobi and Qui Gonn?

Similar sentiments can be felt towards the "no brainer" figures. With most releases to date being Episode IV  heavy and now ROTJ starting to take the lead, where are our main characters hanging out while they wait to be incarnated (inpolymered) for our enjoyment?

 What does the future hold? We'll just have to see. In the meantime I choose to use my imagination. It seems like the most likely news we should see from SDCC this year would be the release of the galaxy's favorite farmboy; Ep IV Luke Skywalker in his Tatooine garb. Complete with his Lightsaber, Droid Caller molded to 1 of 2 Optional Belts, and Stormtrooper blaster.

And what about figure bases? Should figures of this caliber not have a good leg to stand on? While these figures are built with incomparable sculpt quality, amazingly detailed accessories, rotating ankles for stabilty amongst other superior articulation, all inside of a sleek dynamite packaging scheme... no bases? at a $20 price point are we not worth this simplest of accessories?

I think that once things get rolling as we have seen with Hasbro's Marvel Legends line trends like this may come and go while the line itself stays onward with their figure quality. But like I say in the meantime, lets use our imagination.

This figure was built using all BS6 parts from the first 3 waves. It took 3 figures to lend the parts to this piece and in the end it looks great. With a little slicing and sculpting and texture copying I have come about this result bringing my total Luke Skywalker figure count to 5.

I also have created a Jedi Luke from the first act of ROTJ using a Darth Maul and Han Solo body as well as a Stormtrooper Luke and Han from obvious figure choices. This line has as much to offer as the 3.75" forerunner has in the past and I look forward to seeing where things go. The roadmap is pretty predictable as this is not a new part of town, we're just getting a different perspective on the place.

DC Collectibles: Batman the Animated Series 6" figures

DC Collectibles has struck personal paydirt... Goodbye DCU... hello DCC!!! With Mattel announcing its stepping back into the shadows along the line of making demanded Adult Collectibles in the 6" line DC Collectibles has taken what has seemed to be their rightful place making kickass plastic for our enjoyment.

Here we see the first preview of their Batman and Catwoman form the Bruce Timm styled Batman the Animated Series... This is the first thing I've been excited about all year for sure.

DC Collectibles is definitely taking notes on articulation here lately as we have seen much of DCU's joint shapes making it into more recent releases. But this line definitely starts to look like the kind of things we always wanted to see from Mattel but with the follow through of DC Collectibles.

I am impressed...

UPDATE 4/7/14

*In recent news, that same urge to reveal info is still going strong. This time with our first look at the 3D renders and articulation breakdowns for the aforementioned Two-Face & Mr. Freeze:

GROUNDHOG DAY SALE

7 DAYS OF SALES THROUGH  WED FEBRUARY 5th

Click the Image Above!!!

Mystery Prototype: Toy Biz's Lex Luthor

I was perusing the inter web the other day and out of the corner of my screen I spotted a familiar favorite  that just seemed a little different. For the supposed condition of it I could have  overlooked it but something called me in to take a closer look. 

Something was out of place from what I was accustomed and I couldn't put my finger on it immediately but I knew that something was very different. Lex was in a black suit first of all, which I new to not be correct but I wrote it off as some sort of custom job. Something else wasn't right about the packaging but still I couldn't readily identify it. I watched the item for a couple of days but no one seemed interested in it, partially due to its odd description:

"Package has the original front, the back has been replaced by a sheet of white card stock. The plastic bubble has been stapled to re-attach it. The figure is in good condition. Package shows some wear.  No 4408. Fully Poseable Figure. With Action Feature.  Button Activated Power Punch. Great to add to a Collection, Display, Use or Give as a Gift!"


So after a couple days, I went for it. At $5 plus shipping I really had nothing to lose so I dropped the hammer and had it sent out immediately. It arrived within 2 days which was simply nice but once I got the first look at it in person I knew something was VERY different about my new little friend, something VERY familiar:

So the first thing I noticed was this head. At first I told myself, "Wow, this is a craftily repainted model, but why black?" Then I started to really look at the face and the hands and something really stood out to me. This was not the production model head that we received in the final figure. I started looking on the web at some of the package shots and what I saw was VERY familiar indeed. And on top of that, my little friend here lacked any mechanical set up for his Villainous Head Smacking action… No Lever!!!

This head was definitely an identical sculpt to the one used on the photo model but not the production model. Very cool... so I started to examine the figure a little closer and noticed a few other things that should have stuck out immediately. This figure had no molding seams!! This figure was an original sculpt if not a VERY early copy showing no reproduction lines from factory casting. Upon closer inspection, this figure didnt even seem to be plastic!, possibly even carved out of wood? "WTF am I holding?"

 

There was an obvious refinement to the sculpt itself. Though there were still signs of workmanship, the way everything fit together was just so much tighter and cleaner. The hand of course was not originally sculpted to hold a breif case or gun, The left hand showed no sign of a sculpted ring BUT it did have a much more delicate sculpt that looks much nicer than the ham fist we got on the official release. A lot of the messier details we saw in the official release seem to have a lot to do with the quality/cost of their molds. The production run of Lex Luthor has a much more bulbous head with less "undercuts" which can wreak havoc in the casting process. I imagine the hands also fell to a similar fate once the final model was established.

 

Next I looked at the packaging. There were some clear differences right off the bat. First was the hand drawn DC Super Heroes logo which  had been drawn, hand colored, cut out and then photocopied in place ontop of the color halftone background. The Power Punch burst was slightly out of place. The corners were square cut, not the retail friendly radius corners. The product code was that of Bob the Goon from the Batman figure line (research). The hanging mechanism was a "J" hook and not the typical rack punch style. Everything was wrong and this was starting to look like a very legitimate early rough proof and I was starting to become really intrigued.

The bubble itself was an unsealed square cut bubble. Though the outer shell had the trademarks of the running toybiz line the base was not cut to a radius as they were in production. Also the inner tray, which was a perfect fit for the outer blister, was fitted for a Super Powers Aquaman... peculiar, no space for his trident... 

Well, there it is, my mysteriously sourced toy. I have reached out to a couple folks who I feel could possibly help me track down this figure's ultimate source besides simply being an early proof/prototype but have not heard anything yet...

Some things that I DO know from my own understanding being familiar with the line from my childhood definitely point my hopes towards some very interesting facts relating to this particular figure.

• ToyBiz bought the rights to get in on the Batman franchise creating a small 3 figure line of figures of characters from Batman the Movie starring Michael Keaton.
• The line itself was made to directly take off from the popularity of the Kenner made Super Powers line.
• Many of the figures from the line were near matches to their Kenner counterparts
• The photos used internally to sell the line to DC were largely of Kenner figures used as either direct models OR repainted to stand as new characters to be in the line.
• Lex Luthor was the most unique figure in the first pitch of 8 figures from the DC Super Heroes line
• The Riddler was a new addition to the line-up though his early product photos as well as the production release were essentially a repainted Flash.
• The line did later include versions of The Flash, Hawkman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Two-Face, all with original sculpts as well as all new sculpts featured in their product photography.

I welcome any tips or information on the ultimate source of origin for this figure.

Leave any comments in the section below!!