[insertgeekhere]

Supernatural is Over. Was the Ride Worth It?

2020-11-23T12:00:00.117-05:00

"Carry on, my wayward son. There'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest. Don't you cry no more."

And just like that, Supernatural has come to an end. Was it everything we all wanted? No. Was it fitting? Yes. Did it pull at your emotions and hurt like an angel blade through the chest? Abso-freaking-lutely.

Buckle up, kiddos, because there will be spoilers. Here's a photo of Baby give you enough time to click away if you don't want to be spoiled.

So what do you do when your pseudo-son becomes God, saves the universe, and goes off to do God things? Whatever you want. And that's exactly what the Winchesters do. They start living a more normal life. They still live in the bunker and do what they usually do, but this time, everything is better and also somewhat boring. There seems to be less cases to handle, which means they have more time to do things like go to a Pie Festival. And yes, Dean is in absolute heaven. Or so he thought.

Naturally, all is not good, and a home invasion case pops up on the boys' radar. Parents are killed and/or mutilated and their kids are taken. It has a familiar feel to it. Turns out, Papa Winchester had written about a similar case in his journal. I think you can see some of what's going on here. We're going back to the basics.

The guys figure out this is likely the work of vampires, and head to the next potential location the vamps are going to hit. They kill one and get info from the other as to where the nest is. They get to the nest, find the kids, and are confronted by the rest of the nest. We also see a familiar face - Jenny, the gal who was turned into a vamp in season one. She doesn't last long this time. The boys make swift work of the other vampires, but not before Dean is impaled on some rebar. And just like that, Dean Winchester's story begins its conclusion.

Sam wants to get help and do anything to keep Dean alive, but Dean asks him to let him go. He makes his peace with this being his end. Of course, Sam is gutted, but he listens to his older brother one last time. Dean dies, and Sam goes on.

But the story doesn't end there. These are the Winchesters. Of course that's not the end, right? Well, Dean dies at the halfway mark, so we have some more time to fill. Sam spends his initial days post-Dean, depressed, with only their dog for company, but eventually he keeps the family business alive. And Dean, well, where else was Dean going to go but to Heaven?

But Heaven isn't the Heaven we knew. Jack made some changes. There are no more walls separating everyone, and it's not about living inside your favorite memories. You get to be all together with everyone you cared about, and the first person to greet Dean when he arrives is everyone's favorite curmudgeon, Bobby Singer. Not the alt-universe cool Uncle Bobby, but the grumpy, lovable, father figure Bobby, who has been so sorely missed. He fills Dean on what's gone down in heaven, tells Dean Cas played a role in helping Jack redesign Heaven, and it turns out Rufus, and John and Mary Winchester live not too far from Bobby. They really are all sharing an existence together. Only thing missing is Sam. But he'll be along soon enough. According to Bobby, time moves differently in Heaven. So what's Dean going to do while he waits? He's going to go for a drive in his heavenly Baby.

I'll be honest, this isn't easy for me to type without tears. What happens next is Dean gets into Baby, turns her on, and "Carry On My Wayward Son" begins to play. While Dean is driving through the most beautiful and peaceful roads, we see Sam living his life on Earth. He gets married, has a son named Dean, raises him, and he never forgets his family. We see him getting older and visiting Baby in his garage. And when he's reached a nice old age, we see his son, now an adult, echoing the same words Sam said to Dean on his last day on Earth. It was ok to go and rest.

We go back to Heaven, and Dean stops on a bridge and gets out of Baby and just taking in the beauty of what's around him. And then he feels a familiar presence. He turns and sees Sam. They greet each other, hug, and the story closes on the Winchester family.

I have so many feelings about this. I literally spent the second half of the episode in tears. Every time I thought I was done crying, something would happen, and I'd start all over again. Hearing Jim Beaver greet Dean nearly destroyed me. My reaction took me completely by surprise. Sobbing, sobbing, and more sobbing. But before I get too emotional again, let's talk about the episode itself.

Carry On is a solid episode. It has a lot of great throwbacks to the beginning, such as John's journal and Jenny, and the clothes Sam is wearing when he reunites with Dean. We also see Bobby hanging outside Harville's Roadhouse. We also get a nice little easter egg of Dean telling Sam he "always keeps fighting," which most people reading this know to be Jared Padalecki's charity and mantra. We get lighthearted fun and gut-wrenching sorrow and lots of man tears. I think it's a really well done episode. However, it's not the story I would have wanted to be told.

I've seen articles about how Jensen Ackles wasn't comfortable with this ending, but after he sat down with the people in charge, and they all talked, he got on board. You know what? I get it. I think they set out to tell a particular story and they did it. It's a decent ending. It's just not the ending I would have wanted. I don't know exactly what it is I wanted, but I guess I would've liked to have seen Cas one more time, because I can't think of any form of Heaven for Dean, where Cas isn't a part of it. He's family. (*SIDE RANT* I think Castiel and Misha Collins were done a little dirty by not being a part of the finale, because not only were they integral to the show, but the last time Dean saw Cas, he was taken to the Empty. Wouldn't it have made Dean's Heaven much better if he knew Jack got Cas out? *END RANT*) I would've loved to have seen how miserable Chuck was. See Jodi, Donna, and the girls kicking ass. See Rowena having fun in Hell. See the Ghostfacers still trying to hunt. Maybe see some of faces of the people Sam and Dean saved living their lives. I just feel like we were denied a more satisfying sense of closure with a lot of the characters who helped make Supernatural the longest running sci-fi show in TV history. (OTHER SIDE RANT: What was the point of Adam? They introduced him, killed him, possessed him, locked him in the cage, and then killed him again. How messed up is that? The least they could have done was tell us he finally made it to Heaven. He's another one who was really done dirty. *END RANT*)

And I guess a part of me would have loved to see BOTH of the guys get to live their lives however they wanted. I know Sam is the one who craved something more normal, but Dean never really had a shot at that. He made sure Sam got to have as much normalcy as possible. Sam had several chances at a regular life. What about Dean? He got one year with Lisa and Ben. And he had to give it all up, because of Sam and the family business. Wouldn't it have been nice to see Dean end up with someone who could handle his life or even help him? Hell, he could've opened up a junkyard or auto shop and hunted in his spare time. Yes, his heaven involved him driving off in Baby, but he barely got a chance to experience the rest of life. Could you imagine seeing him and Sam go to Europe? Checking the sights and getting a little international hunting in? Or maybe Dean goes on to teach the next generation of hunters. How incredible would that have been to see?

The more I think about it, the more frustrated I get. In many ways, they made the show appear as though Sam was the main protagonist. He's the one who got pulled back in by his brother. He's the one who was constantly making the choice to go back into hunting. But Dean gave up his entire life for Sam and his family. Dean has always gotten the shorter end of the stick. He deserved more, and it hurts to see that once again, even in the end, he got less than Sam.

I could go on about how the show's decision to go back to the beginning was a bit of a slap in the face of all the hard work that's been done to make the show more inclusive and diverse, and how much it sucks to see all the female and minority characters once again completely obliterated. I could talk about the queer baiting of Destiel, and how we don't even get to see how Dean processes Cas' proclamation of love, which is a giant disservice to not only the LGBTQIAP+ community and all Destiel fans, but also to the characters. When was the last time we saw Dean with anyone? Maybe he never would have reciprocated Cas' love in a romantic way, but maybe he would have, and realized it too late. Dean definitely loved Cas. I can see Dean as bisexual, but not 100% gay. He loved Lisa and plenty of other women. That could have been an incredible moment of realization, and if he was allowed to live, how great would it have been to see Dean taking care of a baby Castiel? But we were deprived of all these potential special moments and all the development, which has gone on during the course of the show.

There are so many other ways we could have seen the Winchesters move on, and as good as the story told was, it wasn't what I wanted. I can live with it. It doesn't make me angry like Star Trek Enterprise's finale does. It doesn't leave me with more plot questions like Lost did. But it also doesn't give me the satisfaction and peace The Good Place did. It just leaves me feeling okay. And after 15 years, I wanted more than just okay.

What did you think? Was the Supernatural finale satisfying? Was there anything you would have changed? Tell us in the comments below or on social media.

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An Ode To Arrow

2020-02-13T13:00:00.000-05:00

It’s been a little over two weeks since the Arrow series finale, and I’ve only just seen it. I can say I didn’t watch it sooner because of whatever reason like I was too busy or tired, but the truth is I wasn’t ready to watch it. I wasn’t ready to watch the episode before it either. I’ve watched plenty of shows end, but for some reason, this got me. This jammed me up. To be entirely transparent, the only reason I forced myself to finally watch the last two episodes was that I needed to catch up on all the other DCW shows, and felt I couldn’t without saying goodbye to Oliver and Team Arrow first. So I did it.

But now I’m sitting here, trying to figure out how I feel, and how to talk about it. The best I can come up with is it was an imperfect end to an imperfect show, which made it a perfect finale. By that I mean Arrow was never a perfect show, and its imperfections became more glaringly obvious as the seasons progressed, but Fadeout reminiscent of an earlier time in the series when the imperfections weren’t so blatant, and we could more easily enjoy the ride and be there with the characters.

Fadeout brings back as many characters as possible, or so it seems, including previously thought dead people like Quentin Lance, Moira Queen, and Tommy Merlyn. Thea, Roy, Curtis, and Rory Reagan (Ragman) come back. Even characters like Nyssa and Talia al Ghul, Emiko (Oliver and Thea’s half-sister), and everyone’s favorite Russian, Anatoly make a cameo as everyone gathers to say goodbye.

And what a goodbye it is. With Fadeout, we go back to the beginning, both literally and figuratively. We see Oliver on the life raft after The Queen’s Gambit went down, and his father sacrificed himself so Ollie could live. We also have a true flashback story from around the time Oliver was just starting as the Hood and Diggle knew and wanted to help, but Oliver kept holding him at a distance. The flashback served as a beginning step for Oliver as he listened to John and didn’t kill the guy on his list, and their relationship started to grow, and it served as a vehicle for the final bad guy story of the show. The man Oliver didn’t kill spent eight years in Iron Heights, got out and kidnapped a young William, with the intent of killing the kid. Sara Lance traveled to the future to bring adult Mia to Oliver’s funeral, and when this all happened, she became the Green Arrow and was the one to find William. She wanted to kill the man who snatched him, but if Oliver didn’t kill him, then she wouldn’t either. And then we all that’s left to deal with is saying goodbye to Oliver, and those people who were dead, dealing with that knowledge. It made for some funny moments. My only pet peeve is there should have been more superheroes. Only Barry, Kara, and Sara were at the graveside. Ray, Cisco, Caitlyn, Iris, J’onn and maybe Alex should have also been there. They knew Oliver and had fought by his side. And they are the ones who get to carry on the legacy of Oliver Queen and the Arrowverse. So, I’m a little pissed about that.

Arrow brought me deeper into the DCU. I’ve read some of the comics, but I was always more of a Marvel gal. Now, through the Arrowverse, I’m watching everything DC, and trying to read more trades to catch up. That’s what I love about fandoms. People discovering new ones and diving in. It doesn’t matter if it’s just the shows or the comics or everything. If something makes a person excited, that’s one of the greatest feelings. Arrow gave me that. And I think Arrow gave me that feeling stronger than any of the other fandoms I’ve discovered over the last decade. For fandoms like Doctor Who or Star Trek, I feel like I slipped into the communities with ease, warmth, and a feeling like I always belonged there, but with Arrow, it was all new and exciting. It reminds me almost of when I first started reading comics, and the excitement I felt when I read every X-book I could get my hands on. It wasn’t easy, but it was thrilling.

The MCU has accomplished the shared universe on the big screen, but the DCW did it with more nuance. Arrow kicked off the birth of the comic book universe on television, and because of that, we were able to explore the lives of these characters in fuller ways than the MCU can, but we also got to have the joy of the crossovers. Seeing so many characters together, seeing the new dynamics, the different conflicts, the bigger storylines… all of it has been some of the most must-see TV for me in years.

It’s weird talking about this. It’s weird writing about this. It almost doesn’t feel real. This was the show that brought me out of my little bubble of writing for only here. With Arrow, I began recapping the show for Legion of Leia. I did it for a few seasons, but then life got in the way, and I couldn’t continue. But it was the first time, I saw people paying attention to what I was saying because I was recapping and reviewing. People were listening to me. How bizarre is that? Seriously. I don’t know who’s reading this. I hope you like it, but I don’t know if any of this will resonate. I’m not writing because I want people to notice me. I’m writing because I have these thoughts inside my head, and I want to share them, because they’re driving me crazy, and because maybe someone out there has similar thoughts too, and we can connect over them. Arrow was the show that made me feel like I was actually forming small connections. How cool is that?

Stephen Amell has been a great leader. He’s earned the right to pass the baton and rest. I hope the rest of the cast gets to do the occasional cameo in the other shows. I hope the cast and crew continue to work steadily and do fulfilling work. I wish nothing but the best for everyone.

I loved this crazy show. Even when I was tired of it, I still loved it, and I always came back to it. I will always love this show. I don’t think I realized just how much I loved this show until I started writing. Which is funny, because the first clue should’ve been my reluctance t watch the finale, and the second HUGE clue should’ve been that almost as soon as the episode started, I began crying hard. Go figure. *shrug*

I’ll miss Arrow. I’ll miss the crazy ride, but I’m so glad I went on along. I'm going to go wash my face now and drink a glass of water. Thank you.

Mezco One:12 Collective Presents Conan the Barbarian

2020-01-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

Mezco's latest addition to the One:12 Collective has been revealed. They're giving us Robert E. Howard’s legendary character, Conan The Barbarian; based off of Frank Frazetta’s paintings.

From recreating Frank Frazetta’s ‘The Barbarian’ painting, to readying Conan for a long trek across the snow peaked mountains of his homeland, to an epic Hyborian Age battle, the One:12 Collective this Conan figure includes a bounty of weapons, accessories, and outfitting to create many distinct looks for display.

The fearsome warrior is outfitted in an interchangeable loincloth and includes a removable crossbody battle axe harness, removable cape that drapes freely, belt that can hold his sword sheaths and dagger, and mid-calf boots.

Barbarian of the far north, Conan was born on a battlefield and became a respected warrior by the age of 15. Traveling throughout the world, Conan has been a thief, outlaw, mercenary, and pirate. Motivated by his own survival, power, and enrichment, Conan will do whatever it takes to rise to the top.

THE ONE:12 COLLECTIVE CONAN FIGURE FEATURES:

One:12 Collective body with over 30 points of articulation
Two (2) head portraits
Hand painted authentic detailing
Approximately 17cm tall
Eight (8) interchangeable hands
- One (1) pair of fists
- One (1) pair of weapon holding hands (L&R)
- One (1) pair of grabbing hands (L&R)
- One (1) pair of posing hands (L&R)

COSTUME:

Necklace (removable)
Crossbody axe harness (removable)
Cape (removable)
Two (2) interchangeable loincloths
Belt with carabiner hooks
Mid-calf boots

ACCESSORIES:

One (1) scimitar sword with removable sheath
One (1) broadsword with removable sheath
One (1) dagger with removable sheath
One (1) battle axe (fits into crossbody harness)
One (1) shield
One (1) One:12 Collective display base with logo
One (1) One:12 Collective adjustable display post

Each One:12 Collective Conan The Barbarian figure is packaged in a collector friendly box, designed with collectors in mind.

The One:12 Collective Conan The Barbarian is available for preorder at https://www.mezcotoyz.com/one-12-collective-conan-the-barbarian.

I'll be honest; I don't really know Conan, but dang! The accessories alone make me want to get this, but the whole figure looks really good. If you plan on getting him, let us know what you think about it.

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LEGO Ideas Reveals their newest Space Set!

2020-01-21T16:00:00.000-05:00

Are you ready to orbit the planet? Well, LEGO is going to make it easy for you to do just that. They have announced their newest set, International Space Station! This set looks amazing and a great building piece to put on dispaly or just play with!

It comes from the LEGO Ideas line, which means fans created and developed this exact idea. I'm a big fan of this program, mostly because it brings us some of the most exciting sets to come from LEGO!

Check out the press release below.

Build and display this spectacular LEGO® Ideas 21321 ISS (International Space Station). Packed with authentic ISS details, including a posable Canadarm2 and 2 rotating joints that coincide with 8 adjustable ‘solar panels’, this 864-piece set is a wonderful gift idea for space enthusiasts, adult LEGO fans or any experienced builder.

Beautiful centerpiece
This awesome LEGO spaceship model comes with a display stand, a buildable mini NASA space shuttle and 3 mini cargo spacecrafts, plus 2 astronaut microfigures to create a striking centerpiece in any room. Illustrated instructions are included, plus a 148-page booklet with fascinating ISS facts and information about the LEGO fan who created this space model kit and its LEGO designer.

Amazing ideas!
The infinitely diverse array of LEGO Ideas sets are all created by LEGO fans and voted for by LEGO fans. Inspired by real life, action heroes, iconic movies, popular TV series or totally original concepts, there is something to delight all ages.

• Challenge your construction skills with this LEGO® Ideas ISS (21321) display model, featuring 2 rotating joints with 8 adjustable ‘solar panels’, posable Canadarm2 and other authentic details to discover as you build.
• This ISS model comes with a stand, 2 astronaut microfigures, a brick-built mini NASA space shuttle and 3 mini cargo spacecrafts to create a spectacular display and rekindle nostalgic memories of childhood LEGO® projects.

• Also includes a 148-page booklet featuring fascinating facts about the International Space Station, the spaceship model’s fan creator and LEGO® designer, and a celebration of the LEGO Ideas theme’s 10th anniversary.
• A super treat for yourself, birthday present or holiday gift idea for space fans, adults aged 16+ or any experienced LEGO® builder, this 882-piece set offers hours of creative fun, whether built solo or with friends.
• This ISS (International Space Station) toy building kit for adults, measuring over 7” (20cm) high, 12” (31cm) long and 19” (49cm) wide, makes a beautiful display model that will catch the eye of every passerby.
• This battery-free building set offers a stress-relieving, immersive and fun creative experience. So zone out, find your building zen and enjoy some me-time constructing a wonderful display model!
• Thinking of buying this International Space Station model for a newcomer to LEGO® sets? No worries. It comes with step-by-step instructions so they can take on this challenging build with confidence.

• LEGO® Ideas sets are created by LEGO fans and voted for by LEGO fans. Adults and children will be delighted by the infinitely diverse array of collectible construction toys for display and creative play.
• LEGO® building bricks meet the highest industry standards, so you can be assured that they are consistent, compatible and connect and pull apart easily every time.
• LEGO® bricks and pieces are dropped, heated, crushed, twisted and analyzed to ensure that this LEGO Ideas building kit for adults meets the highest global safety standards.

Available directly from LEGO Stores & LEGO.com from 1st February, 2020

So, is this on your must have list? It's definitely on mine!

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Mezco's One:12 Collective Brings Us the Best Movie Batman (Finally)

2020-01-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

The day is here. The day I have been waiting for since Toy Fair last year. Today, Mezco has announced the pre-order for the One:12 Collective Batman 1989 Edition. I can't tell you how excited I am for this. Keaton is my favorite movie Batman, (Kevin Conroy is the GOAT), and I love how he's really been getting his due these past few years.

Per Mezco:

The One:12 Collective Batman – 1989 Edition features an all-new seamless body designed with an internal skeleton armature that is durable yet highly posable. Included are three cowled head portraits – one with movable eyes, achieving a new level of realism for the One:12 Collective.

Batman is outfitted in his iconic Batsuit from the film which features advanced body armor – strong enough to deflect bullets and break fists. A magnet in his collar allows him to switch between two leather-like capes – one with an integrated posing wire and one that drapes freely. The bat insignia sits front and center as a reminder to those that cross his path.

The dark vigilante comes prepared to protect Gotham City with a vast array of film accessories, as well as some unused designs, including: a gauntlet that attaches to his forearm and rotates open, a speargun that attaches to his utility belt via a magnet, multiple batarangs, and a time bomb.

After witnessing the senseless murder of his parents at the hands of a criminal, Bruce Wayne becomes Batman to rid Gotham City of crime and corruption.

THE ONE:12 COLLECTIVE BATMAN FIGURE FEATURES:

All-New One:12 Collective body with seamless armor and hidden articulation
Three (3) head portraits including one with posable eyes
Hand painted authentic detailing
Approximately 17cm tall
Eight (8) interchangeable hands
- One (1) pair of fists (L&R)
- One (1) pair of posing hands (L&R)
- One (1) pair of Batarang holding hands (L&R)
- One (1) pair of gun holding hands (L&R)

COSTUME:

Cowled head
Bat insignia
Leather-like cape
Batsuit with body armor
Wrist gauntlets
SAP gloves
Utility belt
Shin armor
Tactical boots

ACCESSORIES:

One (1) speargun with hook
One (1) speargun with hook and wire
One (1) collapsed speargun
One (1) gauntlet
Four (4) batarangs
One (1) batarang with posing wire
One (1) time bomb
One (1) One:12 Collective display base with logo
One (1) One:12 Collective adjustable display post

Each One:12 Collective Batman – 1989 Edition figure is packaged in a collector friendly box, designed with collectors in mind.

The One:12 Collective Batman - 1989 Edition is available for preorder at https://www.mezcotoyz.com/one-12-collective-batman-1989-edition.

I can't wait to get my hands on this. Are you going to pre-order him?

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Happy One:12 Collective Day!!!

2020-01-12T13:30:00.000-05:00

We are big Mezco Toyz fans here and One:12 Collective line is a big part of it. So, it is great to celebrate it every year on January 12th (1/12...get it?). The team at Mezco is going all out with a contest for fans! 12 lucky fans will get to win an impossible to find Gomez figure! It's a beauty, you really need this guy in your collection.

The details are below, and you can enter right now!*

This January 12th marks our second One:12 Collective Day! So celebrate with us on 1/12/20 for a chance to win some awesome prizes.

12 lucky winners will be chosen at random to win a hard-to-find One:12 Collective Gomez figure.

(IGH Editor's Note: No clue if it will be this Gomez or a different one. I just love this picture so much!)

In case you don’t already know the drill, here's how to enter:

1. Take a picture of your favorite One:12 Collective figure.

2. Use the hashtag #One12Day and tag us @mezcotoyz on your posts.

3. Share your post on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook to be entered to win. You can enter as many times as you’d like!

Winners will be announced 1/21/20.*

Get posing, get posting!

*Contest is being run by Mezco Toyz. IGH has no affiliation with this contest. We just want you guys to have a chance to win. Good luck!

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McFarlane takes on the DC Universe!

2020-01-02T14:30:00.000-05:00

Did you just hear an unearthly scream? It was my wallet, realizing I'm going to be buying another collection. That's because McFarlane Toys has teamed up with DC Comics to make new DC figures!

Don't take my word for it though. Check out the press release below!

Tempe, Ariz., - January 2, 2020– McFarlane Toys, Warner Bros. Consumer Products, and DC, today revealed images and details of the highly anticipated new DC Multiverse collector figure line by McFarlane Toys, available in both mass and specialty retailers beginning January 2020.

The new DC Multiverse collector line features incredibly detailed 7-inch figures designed with an impressive 22 points of articulation. Each figure comes with a collectable card that has character-specific art and biography, multiple accessories, and a display base. MSRP is $19.99 to $24.99 USD for each figure.

“McFarlane Toys has kept the DC Multiverse action figure line-up and images top-secret, but today I’m thrilled to show fans, collectors and big kids, like me, the incredible range of DC Super Hero and Super-Villain character designs that our team has created just for them to bring home,” said Todd McFarlane, Creative Force and CEO of McFarlane Toys.

The first wave of figures includes:

Batman: Detective Comics #1000

Batman figure based on the DC Rebirth comic books
Batman accessories include Grapnel Launcher and Batarang

Batman: Detective Comics #1000
Variant Chase

Batman figure based on the DC Rebirth comic books
Batman accessories include Grapnel Launcher and Batarang
Showcases a different chest emblem as homage to the Classic Batman

Superman: Action Comics #1000

Superman figure based on the DC Rebirth comic books
Superman accessory includes a flight stand for 360-degree aerial figure posing

Batgirl: Art of the Crime- Part of a 3-figure collector set -Batgirl, Nightwing, and The Batman Who Laughs - that includes a piece of a buildable Batmobile featured in the DC Rebirth comic books. Each figure sold separately.

Batgirl figure based on the DC Rebirth comic books
Batgirl accessories include Grapnel Launcher and Batarang
The Build-A-Batmobile features rolling wheels and is 7 inches in length when fully assembled

Nightwing: Better Than Batman - Part of a 3-figure collector set - Batgirl, Nightwing, and The Batman Who Laughs - that includes a piece of a buildable Batmobile featured in the DC Rebirth comic books. Each figure sold separately.

Nightwing figure based on the DC Rebirth comic books
Nightwing accessories include two Escrima sticks
The Build-A-Batmobile features rolling wheels and is 7 inches in length when fully assembled

The Batman Who Laughs - Part of a 3-figure collector set - Batgirl, Nightwing, and The Batman Who Laughs each includes a piece of a buildable Batmobile featured in the DC Rebirth comic books. Each figure sold separately.

The Batman Who Laughs figure is based on the DC comic book series Dark Nights: Metal
The Batman Who Laughs accessories include a Knife and a Sickle
The Build-A-Batmobile features rolling wheels and is 7 inches in length when fully assembled

Batman: Batman the Animated Series

Batman figure is based on the iconic style of Batman the Animated Series
Batman’s accessories include a Grapnel Launcher and Batarang

Superman: Superman the Animated Series

Superman figure is based on the iconic style of Superman the Animated Series
Superman’s accessories include a piece of bent steel
Includes bonus pair of alternate fists

Green Lantern: Justice League

Green Lantern figure is based on the iconic style of Justice League Animated Series Green Lantern’s accessories include a Lantern Willpower Projection Blaster, headset, and visor

Harley Quinn: Classic

Harley Quinn figure is based on the DC Rebirth comic books
Harley Quinn’s accessories include a Mallet and (Gag) Bang! Blaster

Green Arrow: Arrow

Green Arrow figure is based on The CW TV series Arrow
Green Arrow’s accessories include a bow with knocked arrow and quiver with bundled arrows

Superman: Unchained Armor

Superman Unchained figure is based on the DC comic book series of the same name
Superman features rotating posable wings that can extend the figure height to 9 inches tall and 10 inches wide (some assembly required)

Batman: Hellbat Suit

Batman (Hellbat Suit) figure is based on the DC comic book series Batman and Robin
Batman (Hellbat Suit) features articulated posable wings that can extend the figure height to 9 inches tall and 14 inches wide (some assembly required)

Bat-Raptor

Incredibly detailed vehicle based on The Batman Who Laughs’ Batmobile from the DC comic book mini-series The Batman Who Laughs
Designed to fit a 7-inch scale DC Multiverse figure
8-inch width, and has a telescoping front end to extend vehicle to full 12-inch length
Features rolling wheels

The first wave of McFarlane Toys’ DC Multiverse launches today with pre-orders at retailers around the globe. The DC Multiverse collector figures and related toys will be available at major retail locations beginning in January 2020 including Walmart, Target, Amazon, GameStop, BestBuy, and Walgreens.

Fans of both McFarlane Toys and DC can check www.mcfarlane.com and the McFarlane Toys social media channels for updates and news, www.mcfarlane.com; www.instagram.com/mcfarlane_toys_official; and www.facebook.com/mcfarlanetoys;

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Editor’s Note Images are available on this Dropbox link: DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys Images

ABOUT MCFARLANE TOYS
Grammy-and Emmy-winning producer/director Todd McFarlane, creator of Spawn, is the creative force behind McFarlane Toys, one of America’s top action figure manufacturers. McFarlane Toys has become an industry leader, redefining the standards within the action figure market. For complete information on this pop-culture powerhouse, visit www.mcfarlane.com.

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products
Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP), a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, extends the Studio’s powerful portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBCP partners with best-in-class licensees globally on an award-winning range of toys, fashion, home décor, and publishing inspired by franchises and properties such as DC, the Wizarding World, Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera. The division’s successful global themed entertainment business includes groundbreaking experiences such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. With innovative global licensing and merchandising programs, retail initiatives, promotional partnerships and themed experiences, WBCP is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About DC
DC is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics and graphic novels in the world and home to some of the most iconic and recognizable characters ever created. As a creative unit of WarnerMedia, DC is charged with strategically integrating its stories and characters across film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, interactive games and the DC Universe subscription streaming service. For more information visit dccomics.com
*DC and all related characters and elements © & ™ DC Comics.

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My Singing Monsters Babies Series 1 Review

2019-12-18T13:00:00.000-05:00

Rounding out the first waves of My Singing Monsters toys, Play Monster Fun! has released MSM Babies, and they are just too cute for words... But I'll try.

The first wave has Baby Toe Jammer, Baby Dnadidoo, Baby Pompom, Baby Furcorn, Baby Maw, Baby Flowah, and Baby Mammott. They're are extremely tiny and can fit easily in your hand. They come with an egg you can also store them in. They don't make music, but they're really great if you want something to remind you of your favorite monster without taking up too much space.

Who would you like to see in the next wave of My Singing Monsters toys? Which island do you think they should next?

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Mezco Presents Popeye and Bluto Stormy Seas Ahead Deluxe Boxed Set

2019-12-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

The epic rivalry between Popeye and Bluto can now be brought to life by you, courtesy of Mezco Toyz.

The One:12 Collective Popeye gets a refresh. From his crisp white sailor slacks, to his navy and white trimmed shirt, Popeye looks shipshape and in bristle fashion! Included are three different head portraits: two classic One:12 Collective Popeye options and an all-new roughed-up portrait. Popeye comes complete with a wide range of iconic sailor accessories and outfitting listed below.

The One:12 Collective Bluto completes the set. Appearing like he has been hanging around the docks and is up to no good, Bluto cuts a choppy wake wearing a collared shirt over a long-sleeve undershirt, work pants, and work boots - all featuring his classic colors. He is packaged with two head portraits displaying varying levels of brawn and brawl. Bluto is well-equipped with some heavy, real metal gear to give his adversary a run for his money.

THE ONE:12 COLLECTIVE POPEYE & BLUTO FIGURES FEATURE:

Popeye
- One:12 Collective body with over 28 points of articulation
- Three (3) head portraits
- Hand painted authentic detailing
- Approximately 14cm tall
- Seven (7) interchangeable hands
  - One (1) pair of fists (L&R)
  - One (1) pair of posing hands (L&R)
  - One (1) holding hand for spinach and compass (L)
  - One (1) holding hand for spy glass (R)
  - One (1) pointing hand (L)
Bluto
- One:12 Collective body with over 28 points of articulation
- Two (2) head portraits
- Hand painted authentic detailing
- Approximately 18 cm tall
- Six (6) interchangeable hands
  - One (1) pair of fists (L&R)
  - One (1) pair of posing hands (L&R)
  - One (1) pair of holding hands (L&R)

COSTUME:

Popeye
- Tailored dress shirt
- Slacks
- Work boots
Bluto
- Collared shirt
- Long sleeve undershirt
- Slacks
- Belt
- Work boots

ACCESSORIES:

Popeye
- Three (3) hats
  - Captain’s hat
  - Sailor’s hat
  - Longshoreman’s hat
- Three (3) corncob pipes (fit into mouth of all heads)
- Three (3) corncob pipes with smoke (fit into mouth of all heads)
- Two (2) spinach cans
  - Open can
  - Closed can
- One (1) Compass (Lid opens & closes)
- One (1) Spy glass (collapsible)
- One (1) set of rain gear (hat & coat removable)
- One (1) pea coat (removable)
- One (1) duffle bag
- One (1) One:12 Collective display base with logo
- One (1) One:12 Collective adjustable display post
Bluto
- One (1) fisherman’s cap (fits on both heads)
- One (1) real metal wrench
- One (1) real metal kettlebell
- One (1) gaff hook
- One (1) One:12 Collective display bases with logo
- One (1) One:12 Collective adjustable display posts

Each One:12 Collective Popeye & Bluto – Deluxe Box Set is packaged in a collector friendly box, designed with collectors in mind.

The One:12 Collective Popeye & Bluto: Stormy Seas Ahead Deluxe Box Set is available for preorder at https://www.mezcotoyz.com/one-12-collective-popeye-and-bluto-stormy-seas-ahead.

Grab some spinach and help Popeye kick Bluto's butt! Then ride off into the sunset with Olive Oyl (not included) This is a great set for collectors who love to do figure photography. The potential poses seem endless. And I don't know about you, but I love the idea of having the corncob pipes. That just amuses me.

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Coming Soon! Funko Directors - Ava DuVernay

2019-12-10T13:00:00.000-05:00

Celebrate the Oscar-nominated and Emmy winning filmmaker who became the first black woman to have a film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards with Selma and who is the top-grossing black woman director in American box office history with A Wrinkle in Time. She has even had a collector’s edition Barbie doll in her likeness sold out in 16 minutes in 2017. Through her arts collective ARRAY, DuVernay amplifies the experience of people of color and women of all kinds on screen through her film and TV projects, including Selma, 13th, A Wrinkle in Time, Queen Sugar and When They See Us.

We don't cover a lot of Funko products, because in all honesty, they don't need the coverage, and we aren't hardcore collectors. However, this is really cool. I like how Funko is highlighting the people who help bring our favorite pop culture franchises to life. I'm also excited for them to include more female directors. Who would you like to see them make a Pop! of? And do you want us to cover more Funko products?

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McFarlane Toys adds to Game of Thrones line!

2019-12-05T18:30:00.000-05:00

McFarlane Toys is expanding their GOT line again! And, as always, they are blowing our minds with how amazing this looks. McFarlene are known for their attention to detail, and it looks like they are continuing that with this line. With these figures in your collection, you can remake the last season right in your own home!

Check out the press release below:

McFarlane Toys' Dragon and Figure Collectible Line is Continued
Featuring Rhaegal and New Versions of Viserion and Arya Stark!

Tempe, Ariz., - December, 5, 2019 – Winter is coming, which means the newest line of Game Of Thrones collectibles created by McFarlane Toys are now available at mass and specialty retailers. These striking renditions of The Game of Throne dragons and figure are available just in time to celebrate the release of HBO’s hit series Season 8, now available on DVD. The night no longer has to be dark and full of terrors with this dynamic duo!

McFarlane Toys is continuing the dragon collectible line with the addition of Rhaegal and a new version of Viserion. Both dragons include a base and flight and come in deluxe box packaging.

The newest version of Viserion showcases him as he was before his death, at the hands of the Night King, in his cream and gold colored scales and red-orange wings and features a wingspan of 16.5-inches and 10 points of articulation, to allow simulating the action-packed live movements from the hit-series. As an added accessory, Viserion includes an additional fire piece. The Rhaegal figure has an 8-inch wingspan and 10 points of articulation. Viserion is available at Walmart, Target, Amazon, and speciality retailers nationwide, and Rhaegal is available this holiday at Target. MSRP $24.99 each.

The Game Of Thrones line also features the fan-favorite, Arya Stark, following the battle at King’s Landing. The 6-inch Arya action figure has 12 points of articulation. The figure is accessorized with her battle weapons, including the Valyrian Steel Dagger and Needle Sword. The figure is a Walgreens exclusive and can be purchased for $19.99.

Find all the fan-favorite Game of Thrones figures in-stores today!

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My Singing Monster Halloween Spooktacle

2019-10-13T13:00:00.000-04:00

We're back with more My Singing Monsters. Play Monster Fun! is giving us a couple of specialty monsters. For those who don't use the app, My Singing Monsters offers different skins for the holidays as well epic and rare versions of the monsters. They make the same sounds, but the changes in look add great variety to the islands, and makes breeding more of a challenge. If you couldn't tell from the title, this time, we're getting Halloween Furcorn and Mammott. Halloween is my favorite holiday, so these made me very excited.

What do you think of these, and who do you think Play Monster Fun! should make next? Which holiday should they tackle?

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My Singing Monsters Series 1 Toy Review - Plant Island

2019-09-18T13:00:00.000-04:00

I can't begin to tell you all how excited I am for this review. For the uninitiated, My Singing Monsters started as a mobile app. You hatch eggs, and the monsters that come out each sing a melody. The more monsters you have, the fuller the song is. There are several different islands that play different songs. It's a lot of fun, and allows for a lot fun.

My Singing Monsters has been around for several years now, and they finally, FINALLY came out with tangible figures, so you and your kids can play with them without using the phone. I'm surprised this hadn't happen earlier, but who cares? They exist now!

Play Monster Fun! was kind enough to send me series 1 to check out, and of course, the series starts at the beginning with Plant Island.

I teamed up with Matthew from Nerd News Today to review them, because they needed to be seen, and not just written about. Take a look, and let us know what you think of them.

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LEGO IDEAS goes green with new Treehouse set!

2019-07-23T16:00:00.001-04:00

LEGO announced their latest LEGO IDEAS set today with this awesome looking treehouse!

All LEGO IDEAS projects are submitted by fans, with this one created by Kevin Feeser. LEGO was inspired to celebrate his design "for its endless creativity that its unique to the LEGO System in Play and its embodiment of the LEGO Group’s sustainable materials challenge."

Here's a good look at the cabins

This huge 3,036 piece set has a landscape base and removable treetop to reveal three detailed cabins. This includes the treetop canopy, which has interchangeable sets of green summer leaf elements and yellow and brown fall leaf elements.

In case you don't know, LEGO set a goal to have all sustainable brinks by 2030. They have also been challenging themselves to find new, environmentally friendly packaging by 2025. According to the press release, these bricks are made from green polyethylene, which is made from ethanol produced from sustainably sourced Brazil sugarcane. So who doesn't want to build plants with plants?! Don't worry about them falling apart though. LEGO says "The elements do not biodegrade…because we want to make safe, functional and durable products that can be played with for generations."

This is awesome and the green initiative is a great step for LEGO. Check out the pics and then scrounge up the cash to buy it! The new LEGO IDEAS Treehouse set is available in LEGO Retail Stores from August 1, 2019 (July 24, 2019 for LEGO VIP), at $199.99 USD.

Kidrobot x Sanrio = Cute Scoops Ice Cream Plush!

2019-07-23T16:00:00.000-04:00

Hold on to your hats, people, because the cuteness has arrived! Sanrio has teamed with Kidrobot to bring us Cute Scoops Ice Cream Plush. These are just ridiculously adorable.

Sanrio Cute Scoops Ice Cream Plush
by Kidrobot

Drops Right Now at Kidrobot.com

Kidrobot x Sanrio where food meets fun! Coming with four adorable ice cream scoop flavors, the Kidrobot x Sanrio Cute Scoops ice cream carton plush lets you scoop up your favorite characters and build your own Sanrio fun! Packed with four colorful velcro ice cream scoops featuring your favorite characters Hello Kitty, Badtz-Maru, Keroppi & Pompompurin and two cones, this plushie Ice Cream sweet treat is the perfect plush for every Sanrio fan! Fun plush to play all day but not to eat. Grab these deliciously cute stackable scoops today at Kidrobot.com!

100th Statue in the Batman Black and White Collection to be Unveiled at SDCC

2019-07-16T15:30:00.000-04:00

If you're a collector, like statues, or love Batman, you're in for a treat. As the headline goes, Warner Bros. Products and the always great DC Collectibles will be unveiling the 100th Statue in the Batman Black and White Collection at San Diego Comic Con. This is to celebrate Batman's 80th Anniversary.

If that wasn't enough to get you excited the over 6 ft. life-size statue is designed by the one and only Todd McFarlane. I'm not going to be at SDCC, but I'm excited for this.

The rest of the press release states:

BURBANK, Calif. - (July 16, 2019) - In celebration of the 80th anniversary, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Collectibles announced today that the 100th Batman Black and White statue in the popular ongoing DC Collectibles line will be unveiled at the forthcoming San Diego Comic-Con Museum on July 17. A special over 6-foot life-size version of the Todd McFarlane-designed statue will be revealed during a special ceremony recognizing DC’s iconic Super Hero, Batman, the inaugural inductee into the Comic-Con Museum Hall of Fame.

The milestone #100 statue is based off McFarlane’s own cover of Batman issue #423. As with the previous 99 in the series, McFarlane’s design, reinforces the core value of DC Collectibles to represent the printed page in 3D form and pays homage to Batman’s rich legacy.

Guests of the Museum will also have the rare opportunity to see the current 100-statue series throughout the week as part of The Batman Experience Powered by AT&T at the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park. Not only will #100 be revealed with its special life-size version, but #99 by Doug Mahnke will be making its first public appearance.

Following the Comic-Con Museum launch event titled, “The Gathering” which will feature a “black carpet reception,” the life-size #100 Black & White statue will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting the Comic-Con Museum.

“To simply be a part of the 80th anniversary of a character that has always held such a special place in my heart is an honor,” McFarlane said. “But in designing this statue I truly feel like I’m adding to Batman’s legacy and in the process benefiting a hall of fame that will become an institution both for comic fans and the San Diego community.”

DC Collectibles will give fans even more super-sized experiences and opportunities during Comic-Con week with:

DC Collectibles will hold its annual panel, moderated by Samm Levine, in Room 9 on July 18 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. PT. Led by Executive Creative Director Jim Fletcher, the panel will also consist of special guests Todd McFarlane and Jake Castorena. From limited edition statues and action figures to prop replicas, busts, and vinyls fans can join the DC Collectibles crew to hear the latest exclusive news about what’s coming and how each designer turns their amazing ideas into fan-favorite items.
DC Collectibles will once again highlight new and never before seen sculpts and figures on the Comic Con floor this year in the all new DC and WB mega booth #4545. A few of the notable items to be displayed will include:

Batman Black and White #99 and #100
Batman Animated: The Adventures Continue Action Figures
DC Artists Alley: Aquaman by Chris Uminga and The Joker by Brandt Peters
DC Essentials: Batman, Poison Ivy, Superman (Black Suit) and Bizarro
DC Cover Cover Girls

Joelle Jones completes her run with the beautiful Catwoman Wedding Statue
Frank Cho takes over the line with his own take on the classic Batgirl

And Many More!

Warner Bros. Consumer Products in partnership with DC, is launching a partnership with Visa and UMB Bank to bring fans a collection of Ultimate Hero Rewards credit cards. Fans can apply at the Warner Bros./DC booth and choose from several DC Power card designs that feature DC characters including Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, The Flash, Harley Quinn, The Justice League and more. Fans can also visit DCPowerVisa.com to learn more.

Cardholders can earn Ultimate Hero Rewards points that can be redeemed for exclusive items, merchandise and experiences. Additional perks include 10% off a DC Universe annual streaming service subscription, 10% off of purchases made through ShopDCEntertainment.com and 20% off Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood and merchandise. Images of each card are available here.

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Across the Void - Very Mild Spoilers Review

2019-07-02T13:00:00.000-04:00

Billed as "A visceral space thriller - perfect for fans of The Arrival and The Martian -following the sole survivor of a catastrophic accident in space that leaves her drifting in the void with only the voice of her estranged husband, a NASA scientist, to guide her back to Earth," Across the Void is written by S.K. Vaughn, which is a pseudonym for a Hollywood writer and director, with credits at Universal, Paramount, Sony, Fox, and Lionsgate. The man's clearly gotten around.

Now that I've told you what the press release says, I'll give you my version. The story is about Maryam "May" Knox, the brilliant commander of an exceptionally important space mission. She wakes up from a medically induced coma alone and with no recollection as to how she got there or what happened prior to the coma. Her only companion is the ship's AI, affectionately named Eve. Her ship is failing, resources are scarce, and she's still recovering from her coma. The bright side is she's able to communicate with NASA and her husband, Stephen (she has no memory of them being estranged). But there's much more to this story than meets the eye.

That alone would have gotten me interested in the book, but what really hooked me was how the book read. The chapters are small, similar to how James Patterson writes his books. The story jumps between the past, the present, May's point of view, and Stephen's point of view. They're all necessary to tell the story Vaughn is telling. With the exception of a few times towards the end, I was never confused between the past and the present. The book reads like a script. There are moments and chapters where visuals are so clearly defined. I can easily see where Vaughn's storytelling experience comes in.

The story itself is fairly solid. At no point was I bored with it. I was invested, and I cared what happened. However, there were some predictable moments, which were easy to suss out. One big plot twist I saw coming, and my reaction was, "Is this about to happen?" and on the next page, it did. Another add-on to that big twist, I thought, "Are the story really going to do this? I hope not," but it did a few chapters later. And then there was another moment towards the end, where someone behaved in a way I had hoped they wouldn't, but they did. A bigger plot twist would've been if the person didn't do the thing they did. Oh well. Vaughn is good at describing the more scientific and technical aspects of the story in a way that's easy to digest and understand, and he's good at putting you with the characters, and since much of the story is in space, you feel like you're there too.

There are some parts of the story that feel underdeveloped. And again, I think some of this might be attributed to Vaughn's other career. Certain relationships are clearly more contentious or complex, and the reader is able to discern it, but whereas if this were on screen, we'd be able to get more of the subtext and more subtleties of the relationships, but as this is in writing, some of it is lost, so certain developments don't feel as impactful as they could. This is especially noticeable in the end with one particular character.

Speaking of characters, I liked our protagonists. May is a smart, strong, determined, pig-headed, vulnerable character. You want her to win and survive. Stephen is very different than her, and sometimes she overpowers him with her big personality, but they clearly have a lot of love for each other. Even when we learn what led to their estrangement, you still want them to work things out, whether they reunite or are able to be friends, you just want them to stay a part of each other's lives.

The antagonists are a little weaker. I don't think the reader gets enough time with them to truly connect with them in any meaningful way. This is especially obvious in the end. The story gets a little rushed, so the necessary character development needed to justify this person's actions never really hit for me.

This goes back to my point about this reading like a movie script. A lot of today's action movies favor the action over the character development. That can work when you have stunning visuals, but when it's in written form, it's harder to cover up. And I prefer strong character development over crazy action any day. In book form, you can have both and should.

If you like space or thrillers or both, you'll like this. Faults and all, this story had me hooked, so grab some popcorn, a drink, and get cozy. Once you start reading, you won't want to stop.

Across the Void goes on sale today. It's available in hardcover, eBook, and audio formats.

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McFarlene is coming out with new Harry Potter figures!

2019-02-26T11:00:00.000-05:00

McFarlene Toys blew us away during Toy Fair with their new figures for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! So, we weren't allowed to take any pics except for the covered up case that held the display. However, I did get permission to share details about Wave 1!

Here's the lineup for Wave 1:

Based off of the Deathly Hallows Part 1, we've got Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Voldemort in the screen looks from that seventh film. No Hogwarts robes, but battle worn jeans! Voldy of course is still in his usual black robes. Each figure has 22 points of articulation. The figures we saw were still prototypes, but the faces on Hermione, Ron, and Voldy were phenomenal! To be honest, Harry needs some work, but the staff at McFarlene agrees and even said the next prototype was underway. The clothing on each was spectacular, and in line with the quality we always see from McFarlene.

Included with each character is a smaller, side figure. For our intrepid heroes, it is a translucent patronus! These all looked great, and frankly something I haven't seen before. Voldy also came with a small friend, but not a nice one in Nagini!

As soon as these get licensor approval, we will rush pics out to you. Until then, grab a butterbeer and do a rewatch!

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Mezco Presents Toy Fair '19

2019-02-23T13:00:00.000-05:00

Mezco has done it again! This year's showing at Toy Fair was incredibly strong. They have a ton of great things coming out, particularly in the One:12 Collective line. Personally, I'm a little in love with that Captain Marvel, but OMG! They're doing a Keaton Batman! I can't wait! Yes, I'm being extremely emphatic, but that's because I'm really excited about what's coming out. Take a look for yourself.

Other standouts for me are Scooby Doo, The Warriors, and The Living Dead Shining Dolls. How creepy and great does that Jack Torrance look? The twins look eerie, but they can also be written off as old fashioned style dolls. That Jack Torrance will mess you up, and it's all because of the eyebrows. A perfect example of why details matter. What Mezco reveals are you most excited for?

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A RENThead's Review of RENT Live or a RENTview, If You Will

2019-02-01T13:00:00.000-05:00

Let's give a warm welcome to our newest guest contributor, Joseph Sheets! As a huge RENThead, it only makes sense his first post for us would be a review of Fox's RENT Live.

“Tonight’s show is in mortal danger due to technical difficulties” is one of several new and updated lines which took place during Fox’s RENT Live production. Spoken by Mark Cohen, narrator of the show, the line is a grim foreshadowing about the problems that would plague the production. One of the leads had broken his foot during the final dress rehearsal, leading to Fox airing pre-recorded footage. Some people had trouble connecting to the live-stream, or had blackouts, missing the opening numbers. While unfortunate, the show did its best to recover. And though it’s more “pre-recorded” than live, it doesn’t lose any of its charm and is an absolute delight.

RENT tells the story of seven artists struggling in the Lower East Side in the early 90s. An updated version of Puccini’s La Boheme, the show is famous for its representation of LGBTQ+ characters, rock opera score, and how it handles the topics of homelessness and AIDS victims. The fact a show renowned for its grit and edginess somehow managed to air on Fox is amazing. The fact the majority of the book remained largely unchanged is nothing short of a miracle. I’ve seen a lot of hate for this production, and a lot of it seems unwarranted. Let’s break it down:

Lyrics

Any lyric changes, when made, usually served a practical purpose. They cut out the swearing which, while unfortunate, makes sense. The only song to noticeably suffer censorship is “On the Street”. Fortunately, they find substitutions to keep the rhyme scheme. It’s censored, but it’s the best they can do for TV, and I didn’t particularly miss the swearing, as I found the show didn’t lose any power for it. In fact, some of the creative changes they make to get around it are pretty clever. Instead of “The Clit Club”, Maureen stays and dances at “Pandora’s Box”, an equally explicit reference I’m amazed got by the censors. In one case, the lyric changes are definitely for the better. Benny’s line “Think twice before you poo-poo it” is changed to “think twice before you reject it.” Which will forever be superior. Trust me.

“La Vie Boheme” suffers the most changes, to no one’s surprise, but they’re fascinating nonetheless. “Dildos” becomes “latex”, a barely noticeable change, and the people are “puking” instead of “pissing” on their stoops every night, which is arguably worse. Gone is the waiter taking everyone’s orders, a funny and comedic moment, but not necessary. The “impromptu salon”, where the group of friends all take jabs at one another, takes on a different context. They’re not mourning Bohemia because, as Mark states, “Bohemia is now showing signs of life!” The characters now have established positions within Bohemia. Mimi is “the Minister of National Security and BDSM”, Roger is “the unofficial bard of Bohemia”, who still can’t help playing Musetta’s Waltz, and, as we all know, Maureen is “the reigning Queen.” These new lyrics are jarring on a first watch, especially to RENTheads who know the show backwards and forwards. But changing the lyrics doesn’t just change the words, it can also change the context. This is no longer a group of friends making self-deprecating jokes at each other. It’s a group of friends having fun and actively encouraging one another. “La Vie Boheme” truly becomes a celebration of life, and it’s entirely reflective of RENT as a whole.

Book

What I love about the production are all the little moments they added. For instance, before “Life Support”, we are treated to a monologue given by RENT alum, Anthony Rapp. Said monologue details statistics about the number of deaths caused by AIDS. This helps give further context to the scenes, as 20 years later, RENT has aged, and distance from the issues has definitely impacted their relevance.

My favorite change was how they handled Angel. After she meets Collins and introduces herself, she explains: “At least, that’s what I’m going for this week.” She is not a drag queen anymore, but genderfluid, a wonderful modernization that tackles the question of Angel’s gender and solves it immediately. It’s clear she spent a long time figuring out how to present, for she adds: “I think this is the look, Collins.” It’s a lovely little scene that not only grants depth to Angel, but also enhances the show as a whole and is a welcome addition. These changes help breathe life into a twenty year old show and make it relevant again.

Another great scene I loved was the opening to Act 2. Traditionally, the cast comes out in a straight line and sings under spotlights “Seasons of Love”, the thesis of the show. This time, however, Mark opens the song, briefly wondering if he’ll lose his friends before walking around the set. The camera pans to a Life Support meeting, where a member receives support after a troubling diagnosis. He is told to take it “day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute”, before they list all the things he can measure his time in. It is a standout moment of the show, and a metric to which all other Act openers need to be measured. As iconic as the cast line is, this was poignant and was able to launch into “Happy New Year” seamlessly. There are dozens of little moments I can talk about, but these in particular are probably the most relevant and impactful.

Stage, Sound & Lighting

When the show opens, it begins much like the Broadway version: Mark is vowing to start a new film, Roger is tuning his guitar, and they’re both screening calls. After the little chat with Benny, however, and the power cuts out, the background of Mark and Roger’s apartment falls away. The audience is delighted to find the stage akin to a concert setup, with wide open space for the cast to run around in. There are several set pieces demarking different locations. There’s the loft, dilapidated and messy with a balcony which connects to a walkway Mimi walks through in “Out Tonight.” Thompkins Square Park, filled with a jungle gym and a carousel, where Angel and Collins play and croon their love for one another in “I’ll Cover You”. A street with storefronts for “Christmas Bells”, and the usual long table set up for the Life Cafe. All these set pieces work to create an actual space, not limited to the standard proscenium set up on most Broadway staging. As a result, RENT feels like a community. This isn’t just one space meant to represent a myriad of locations, but rather a myriad of locations that just so happen to be in the same space.

Understandably, the score wasn’t changed, except for some song cuts where things were shortened. The band played along, and the cast wasn’t drowned out. Rather, they had to compete with the shouts of excitable RENTheads screaming and cheering. What was refreshing, though, was the way each character sang these familiar songs in exciting new ways. Mario, playing Benny provides playful and exciting riffs in “You’ll See”, while Jordan Fisher’s Mark has interesting inflections during “La Vie Boheme”, hitting an impressive high note while singing “...dear old mom and dad”. The inflections and the choices and how the actors sing them are always fun and unique, and though you can tell some of them were probably holding back vocally, they all sound great.

Lighting was eclectic as always. “Rent”, the titular number was full of shining lights flashing as the cast thrashed about on stage. “Will I?” and “Without You” feature a somber blue light backdropping the cast. The pink light signaling Angel’s triumphant entrance returns from the Broadway production and remains through “Today 4 U”, shining up the background while Angel catwalks. Admittedly, some of the lighting and sound draw heavily from the Broadway production, but when shining on these new set pieces, the show feels more dynamic than ever.

Cast

RENT has eight main characters, and each cast member brought something new to the table that I thought provided a take on some of the characters we’ve never seen before. Brennin Hunt, who plays Roger Davis, probably sounds closest to his OBC counterpart. He’s got a rough edge to his tone and looks the part, with his painted nails and tattoos. He hits all the notes in “One Song Glory”, which is probably Roger’s most iconic moment. It’s a shame the actor broke his foot during this performance, but even during the finale, with Roger in a boot, he still belts out a sorrowful “MIMI”. He also doesn’t kiss her after “Your Eyes”, a change I liked (I always thought it was weird they had Roger kiss her. Like, I get the power of love saves her but she’s DYING). He’s a solid Roger all around, and it’s a shame this production was held back by his injury. Feel better, Mr. Hunt.

Mark Cohen, played by Jordan Fisher, is probably the farthest from his original counterpart. Instead of white, Jewish, nerdy Mark, we get a much cooler, still Jewish, multiracial Mark. Fisher is much more introspective as Mark, largely thanks to the addition of extra narration. He also performs the most sorrowful version of “Halloween” I’ve ever seen, nearly bursting into tears (and making me cry alongside him). But he’s not without his humorous moments: between awkwardly leaving the lovers Angel and Collins alone, to rejecting Alexi’s call with a blank, “It’s too hot to answer you.” And lastly he can dance, showing off his stuff as he fights to lead with Joanne during their shared number, “Tango: Maureen”, and leading the bohemians in the drastically different “La Vie Boheme” He’s a triple threat and a standout member of this cast.

Mimi Marquez is played by Tinashe. I particularly liked this version of Mimi, because she actually looks the part. I’ve seen several versions of Mimi perform the role, and I never quite believe them when they say they’re 19. But Tinashe does. Mimi, in my experience falls into two categories: Either the raspy, rough sounding Mimi started by Daphne Rubin-Vega, or a softer, sweeter Mimi, reminiscent of the movie’s Rosario Dawson. Tinashe’s Mimi is definitely the latter. But that’s not a bad thing. Unfortunately, she doesn’t quite match the vocal power of some other Mimis. To make up for that, her acting is spot on. Her “Light My Candle” is sassy and flirtatious, and she’s clearly having the time of her life belting “Out Tonight”, even though I got the sense she was holding back. Her and Hunt have fantastic chemistry together in all their numbers, and really sell the relationship. She’s one of my favorite characters in the show, and I can’t say I was disappointed.

Tom Collins is played by Brandon Victor Dixon. He, like Fisher, is another cast standout. But that’s hardly a surprise, especially when you’ve seen his performance in Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. The man can sing anything, and considering he’s played Collins before in the 2012 Off-Broadway revival, he’s got the part on LOCK. His numbers are all incredibly entertaining. His “Santa Fe” is charming, and it’s neat to see Collins making friends with everyone he meets. He’s incredibly loving in “I’ll Cover You”, and the way he looks at Angel just warms my heart. His big number comes in “I’ll Cover You (Reprise)”, where he sorrowfully sings at the funeral. Dixon’s level of talent makes you want to rip your heart out of your chest just to make it stop hurting, because it’s impossible to watch him and not feel sad. And that’s the point. The man does his job, and does it well.

Angel is played by Valentina. Valentina, to me, is a curious choice for Angel. Vocally, they can’t compete with the others, which is somewhat unfortunate. Especially given it’s a musical. But they can act, and the choices they make as Angel are unique. First, there are all the scenes added about Angel’s genderfluidity, which I LOVED, as stated earlier. You can see Valentina busting their acting chops, and they’re so adorable and fabulous, it’s hard not to love them. Even when they’re straining to hit the notes in “Today 4 U”, they’re engaging, sashaying up and down the set. Their “I’ll Cover You” is much more forgiving, even though they tend to get a bit overpowered by Collins. I appreciate Valentina as Angel, because they helped cast the character of Angel in an entirely new light, and I hope we get more genderfluid Angels in the future.

Maureen Johnson is played by Vanessa Hudgens. No stranger to RENT, she starred as Mimi in the 2010 Hollywood Bowl production. Her reviews were less than stellar as Mimi, but Hudgens is older, wiser, and far more suited for the role of Maureen. Of all the cast, she’s the one who I felt was the strongest. Hudgens’s Maureen is a woman who is completely unapologetic, refusing to compromise who she is. I’ve seen Maureens who try to make her more sympathetic, or make her feel guilty about some of her choices. Hudgens does no such thing. When she’s singing “Take me for what I am…” she MEANS it, and doesn’t back down. She is fire and passion, and she performed without holding anything back. This is best exemplified by her “Over the Moon.” A performance piece done by Maureen to protest the eviction of the homeless, Hudgens’ version is best described as “Maureen on crack.” And it’s a good thing. You can tell she’s a theatre kid at heart, because she gives it everything she has. Her cowprint pants and cow helmet help sell her protest, but when she gets harnessed and flies, going over the moon in a literal way, it’s obvious Hudgens is having the time of her life and is the best Maureen I’ve ever seen.

Joanne is played by Kiersey Clemons, and you can tell Clemons took the time to really think about her character. Her Joanne is one who has a softer, vulnerable side. You wouldn’t notice at first, the way she commands and leads Mark in their “tango”, continuing to take charge even as he tries to lead, but as Maureen’s infidelity rears its ugly head, you can see the tough facade start to fade. “We’re Okay”, her solo number, has a brief window where you can see her visibly trying not to cry as she struggles to keep it all together. Her Joanne clearly has a soft spot for Maureen, which turns into righteous anger during the couple’s argument. She easily manages to match Hudgens as they perform “Take Me or Leave Me”, which is no easy feat, and you can see how hurt she is, even as she’s fighting back. Clemons’s Joanne is made all the stronger for her vulnerability, and she’s a very endearing version of Joanne.

Mario, who plays Benjamin Coffin III, is an enjoyable Benny. One of the drawbacks of RENT is unfortunately Benny doesn’t get as much screen time as the others, but what he does get to do, Mario does well. He has a smooth voice, and peppers his numbers with all these fantastic little riffs. It’d be easy to go overboard, but he doesn’t. His Benny is a chill Benny, who isn’t much of a jerk as how he’s usually portrayed. Rather, he seems to try to sell his idea of a Cyberarts Studio quite honestly, even bringing a sketchbook with drawings to show the gang. He’s a bit of jerk for demanding a year’s worth of rent at once, sure, but you can tell he’s frustrated when his former friends don’t take his deal to stop the protest. Benny often gets cast as the villain of the show, but I didn’t see anything villainous about Mario’s performance. Rather, he just portrayed Benny as a person. Not without flaws, mind you, but this was a very sympathetic version of the character.

I’d be remiss not to talk about the ensemble. Keala Settle is fantastic playing the Life Support Leader, Roger’s mom, and of course, the female soloist for “Seasons of Love”. Alexi Darling, played by J. Elaine Marcos, is as hyper and demanding as she’s always been. Emerson Collins was easily a standout choice for me, as we watch his character Steve lead the Life Support Group in “Will I?” He looks so distraught and upset, it’s hard not to be moved. It’s a highlight moment of the show, especially because we can see him close up, Karposi’s Sarcoma and all. The thousand yard stare he gives the camera is enough to break your heart. The cast all comes together to sing “Seasons of Love” when the show ends, where they are all joined by members of the original Broadway production. With Idina Menzel as the female vocalist, and Jesse L. Martin (joined by Dixon) singing the male soloist part, it’s a treat for any RENThead, young or old.

Everyone in the cast brings something new to the role, be it a new interpretation or new inflections or acting choices. It’s not more of the same, which is good, because there’s nothing quite like seeing fresh faces in a role.

Flaws

Despite all these fantastic qualities, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the production’s flaws. Aside from the unfortunately injury Hunt sustained that made this show mostly pre-recorded, there were some other things I took issue with.

The first of two major flaws takes place in Act 2. After the gang has splintered apart, Mark and Roger duet on “What You Own”. The number is a rousing anthem about following your dreams. Mark quits his job at Buzzline to focus on his film, and Roger realizes Mimi is his muse and decides to return home after running away to Santa Fe. Traditionally, Mark and Roger end the number by singing “You’re not alone, I’m not alone” in beautiful harmonies before reuniting, but the RENT Live version undercuts the touching moment in favor of a concert set up, complete with stage diving into the crowd. I can understand why they did that; Act 2 is incredibly taxing and some catharsis is necessary after “Contact”, “I’ll Cover You”, and “Goodbye Love”, but the concert set up completely detracts from all the characterization formerly presented. They are not Mark and Roger having their epiphanies, but Fisher and Hunt entertaining a crowd. Though they’re having a blast, and the crowd is loving it, it completely halts the story in its tracks.

The other flaw has to do with the conclusion of Benny’s story. As mentioned earlier, Benny suffers the most from having the least to do. The ending of the show sets up breadcrumbs for a redemption of sorts: He tries to keep the peace at Angel’s funeral, he pays for the service, and then offers to pay for Mimi’s rehab, even knowing she’s in love with Roger. Unfortunately, the breadcrumbs don’t lead anywhere in the Live version. After “Goodbye Love”, Benny disappears from the story. He isn’t even mentioned in the finale. The Broadway production explains his absence: Benny was pulled from Alphabet City after Muffy (Alison!) found out about his relationship with Mimi. But that’s not the case in the live production, where the explanation is replaced by Roger and Mark being chummy, and Mark being glad about Roger’s return (which makes me all the more annoyed at “What You Own”. YOU COULD HAVE DONE BOTH, FOX!) What’s especially baffling to me is Benny doesn’t get the same treatment Angel does. Like Angel, Benny could have had little scenes exploring his character and further developing it. There could have easily been a scene after “What You Own” where he calls the guys to make amends, or offers them free rent for a year, which would work nicely with the cyclical nature of the show. Now you can argue it would alter the intention of Jonathan Larson’s work, and I’d be inclined to agree, but I think it’s better than just having Benny disappear. Fox already changed so much. Would giving Benny a proper conclusion done any harm?

Overall

We’ll never know what would have happened had Hunt not broken his foot. It was a shame we didn’t get to see RENT Live, but to say what we got is bad is insulting to all the hard work everyone put into this production. Especially because this production embodies so much about what makes RENT the legendary work of theatre that it is. We got to see footage of an amazing cast, and then we got to see them do the finale live. The show went on, despite the drawbacks, and I think it’s a damn good one. I sincerely recommend this version to anyone who’s never seen the show before. It’s vibrant and charming, despite its flaws. And to those detractors, I ask you to watch it again with an open mind. If it’s still not for you, there’s always RENT Filmed Live on Broadway, or the 2005 movie. But I hope you’ll give RENT Live a chance. Remember, no artistic work is perfect, and I think RENT Live stands out despite its flaws and mishaps.

{Editor's note: The night RENT Live was supposed to go on, the cast did a concert version for all the people in attendance. Here's a clip of Brandon Victor Dixon and the cast singing "I'll Cover You (Reprise)."}

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DC Comics Goes Primal!!!

2019-01-18T15:00:00.000-05:00

Do you love DC Comics? Do you love Funko? Do you wish I would stop asking you questions? Well, you are in luck on the first two! DC Comics announced that they are releasing a 100-Page One-Shot Inspired by Funko toys! That's right, you are getting a comic books based on toys that are based on comic book characters.

Before you plan out your pull list, keep in mind that this is a Target Exclusive, so you will need to make two stops this week! And when it includes the tagline of "the Joker on a Giant Lizard" and a lineup including Marv Wolfman, Louise Simonson and Jerry Ordway, how can you pass this up?!

Check out the press release, with all the juicy, giant lizard details, right after the break.

DC PRIMAL AGE—a new comic book based on the popular retro-style Funko action figure line of the same name—is now available for purchase exclusively at Target stores. The 100-page one-shot is rooted in the sword and sorcery genre and creates a barbarian mythos behind the Funko action figures, presenting glimpses into the reimagined backstories and superpowers of Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman and other iconic DC characters.

Acclaimed comic book writer Marv Wolfman and artist Scott Koblish tell a 32-page main story featuring an epic battle between the Justice League and The Joker, which is followed by five short stories from fellow legendary comics creators Louise Simonson and Jerry Ordway with artists Phil Winslade, Brent Anderson, Chuck Patton and Keith Pollard.

“Working on DC PRIMAL AGE was great,” stated Wolfman. “I got to play with so many of DC’s most popular characters, but in ways we’ve never seen them before.”

Fans can find DC PRIMAL AGE and their favorite DC Primal Age Funko action figures in the endcap of the toy aisle at Target stores for $9.99. For more information about the comic and talent lineup, see below.

DC Super Heroes in a barbarian world team up for a battle against evil, with the fate of Paradise Island in the balance! As Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Superman work together to stop The Joker and King Shark from sinking Themyscira into the sea, Batman must decide whether he can trust the alien Superman long enough to join forces. He’s ready to help, but at what cost?

Then, learn more about these primitive heroes and villains in five thrilling short stories. Wonder Woman rescues a young boy in the forest and takes an interest in his fate. Mr. Freeze faces a fire-breathing dragon in a fight to save his frozen wife! Batman saves a sorcerer who offers to join his battle against evil. The Joker visits a small village, to devastating effect. And Superman goes rogue…or is there another explanation for his bizarre antics?

“The Primal Age” (32-page main story) – Written by Marv Wolfman with art by Scott Koblish
“Born on a Monday” – Written and drawn by Jerry Ordway
“Ice and Fire” – Written by Louise Simonson with art by Phil Winslade
“Darkest Knight” – Written by Louise Simonson with art by Brent Anderson
“The Joker’s Wild” – Written by Jerry Ordway with art by Chuck Patton, Karl Kesel and Tom Derenick
“Not a Bird…” – Written by Marv Wolfman with art by Keith Pollard and Jose Marzan Jr.

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1000toys 1/12-Scale Test Body Action Figures Drop Online Jan 15th

2019-01-04T13:00:00.000-05:00

If you're not familiar with Tenacious Toys, now is a great time to get acquainted. They're a "NYC-based online designer toy shop specializing in vinyl art toys, imported action figures, handmade resin collectibles and one-off custom toys," and their stuff is fantastic. Tenacious Toys has some of the most unique items I've ever come across. 1000toys 1/12-Scale Test Body action figures are a perfect example, and you can get a piece of the action on January 15th.

Per the Press Release:

"Tenacious Toys has announced a long-awaited online drop of the fantastic and highly coveted 1/12-scale Test Body action figures by 1000toys & Sen-ti-nel Co Ltd.Rarely available at conventions and almost never available for purchase online, this super detailed, highly articulated 6-inch action figure is sought after by collectors worldwide.Tenacious Toys will have just under 100 units to sell at USD$80 each, with a strict limit of one per customer.Test Body figures will be available at 9AM sharp (EST) on January 15th on the 1000toys page at TenaciousToys.com"

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LEGO Movie 2 First Look at the newest Construction Set

2019-01-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

Remember The LEGO Movie? Everything is awesome and Will Ferrell is evil? Yup, I do too. In fact, I loved it so much that I still have the lego Shakespeare from that blind bag set on my fridge. Well, The LEGO Movie 2 is coming! The awesome people at LEGO Group revealed a new set inspired by The LEGO Movie 2, called Welcome to Apocalypseburg. Check it out after the break.

This is the largest ever LEGO Movie inspired construction set, with over 3,100 pieces and 12 minifigures from the film.

This set has an epic 360 design, housed in a portion of the Statue of Liberty and more importantly, a coffee house! Let's teach the importance of caffeinating to all kids and kids of all ages.

But don't take my word on all the cool features. Instead, check out the details straight from the LEGO team!

Build and role-play with this huge THE LEGO® MOVIE 2™ Apocalypseburg model!

Enjoy an epic 360-degree play experience—and prepare for an alien invasion—with THE LEGO® MOVIE 2™ 70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg! construction toy. An advanced building set, it has over 3,000 pieces and presents an awesome challenge even for master builders. This THE LEGO MOVIE 2 set features a section of the Statue of Liberty with a chill-out room in the head, café, Scribble Cop’s office with a chair-kicking function, armory, barber’s/tattoo parlor, Lucy’s hideout, Fuse’s workshop, rooftop diner, gym, spa, lookout platforms and loads more! This action-packed toy also comes with 12 THE LEGO MOVIE 2 minifigures to role-play and reimagine your favorite scenes from the blockbuster film.

This creative toy includes 12 new-for-January-2019 THE LEGO® MOVIE 2™ minifigures: Emmet, Lucy, Batman™, Scribble Cop, Harley Quinn™, Green Lantern™, ’Where are my pants?’ Guy, Larry the Barista, Chainsaw Dave, Mo-Hawk, Roxxi and Fuse, plus a rat figure.
This huge Apocalypseburg construction toy has removable modules for easy play and features a section of the Statue of Liberty, café, Scribble Cop’s office, armory, barber’s/tattoo parlor, Lucy’s hideout, Fuse’s workshop, rooftop diner, gym, spa and more!
The Statue of Liberty section of this THE LEGO® MOVIE 2™ playset features a buildable torch, opening Lady Liberty head with a chill-out room including a buildable telescope, and 3 lookout platforms.
The Coffee Unchained café features a service counter, cash register, buildable coffee machine with 2 coffee pumps, table and seat, and an outdoor table with a parasol and 2 seats.
Scribble Cop’s office features an opening jail door and chair-kicking function.
Armory features a mannequin, goggles, 3 minifigure helmet elements and 2 buildable weapons.
Barber’s/tattoo parlor features a barber’s chair, buildable tattoo machine and hair-cutting tool elements.
Lucy’s hideout features a buildable bed with a secret compartment containing various fun elements including a love letter from Batman™. The room also features weapon storage and assorted elements including new-for-January-2019 barbed wire.
The removable roof of Lucy’s hideout has a buildable seat, engine truck front and water tower.
Fuse’s rooftop workshop features a buildable tool chest with a buildable fire extinguisher.
Rooftop diner features a buildable V8 engine deep-fat fryer, table, oven, ketchup and mustard dispensers, plus frying pan and food elements.
Train-carriage-shaped gym features a buildable punching bag with alien invader decoration and a weightlifting bench.
Truck-shaped spa features a buildable hot tub and shower.
This THE LEGO® MOVIE 2™ toy building set also includes Chainsaw Dave’s surfboard rack with 2 surfboards, lookout area with a buildable telescope, an opening sewer and various ladders.
Weapons for THE LEGO® MOVIE 2™ characters include Lucy’s crossbow.
Accessory elements include Emmet’s 2 coffee mugs, Lucy’s quiver, plus 6 new-for-January-2019 Skeletron head elements (1 as a basketball; 1 on a signpost; 1 as engine decoration; 2 as hair mannequins; and 1 on the armory mannequin).
Recreate fun-packed scenes from THE LEGO® MOVIE 2™ with this awesome Statue of Liberty toy.
This new-for-January-2019 toy measures over 20” (52cm) high, 19” (49cm) wide and 12” (33cm) deep.

LEGO Movie 2 Welcome to Apocalypseburg is available January 16th at LEGO brand retail stores and shop.lego.com, retailing for $299.99.

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YOU Can Attend the Premiere of DC's REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN

2018-12-28T18:00:00.000-05:00

Gotta move fast to get tickets!

That's right, Warner Bros. Entertainment is inviting you to the BI-COASTAL PREMIERES of REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN, the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Movies, in LOS ANGELES (January 10, 2019) and NEW YORK (January 28, 2019).

So you are probably interested in attending the premiere. But first, here is some details on the film....

Reign of the Supermen finds Earth’s citizens – and the Man of Steel’s heroic contemporaries – dealing with a world without Superman. But the aftermath of Superman’s death, and the subsequent disappearance of his body, leads to a new mystery – is Superman still alive? The question is further complicated when four new super-powered individuals – Steel, Cyborg Superman, Superboy and the Eradicator – emerge to proclaim themselves as the ultimate hero. In the end, only one will be able to proclaim himself the world’s true Superman.

Reign of the Supermen is the second half of a two-part DC Universe Movies experience that began in August 2018 with The Death of Superman – the two films telling a more faithful animated version of “The Death of Superman,” DC’s landmark 1992-93 comic phenomenon. Superman Doomsday, the inaugural film in the DC Universe Movies series, told an abridged version of that comics story, but with a runtime of 75 minutes, the film was only able to focus on a core, singular storyline. The Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen restore many of the moments and characters that fans hold dear to their hearts.

The Reign of the Supermen all-star cast is led by Jerry O’Connell (Carter, Bravo’s Play by Play, Stand by Me), Rebecca Romijn (X-Men, The Librarians) and Rainn Wilson (The Office, The Meg) as the voices of Superman, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, respectively. The potent trio is joined by the DC Universe Movies’ returning voices of the Justice League: Jason O’Mara (The Man in the High Castle, Terra Nova) as Batman, Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Rent, Daredevil) as Wonder Woman, Shemar Moore (S.W.A.T., Criminal Minds) as Cyborg, Nathan Fillion (Castle, The Rookie) as Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, Christopher Gorham (Covert Affairs, Insatiable, Ugly Betty) as The Flash, and Nyambi Nyambi (Mike & Molly, The Good Fight) as Martian Manhunter. Newly featured cast members include Cress Williams (Black Lightning) as Steel, Cameron Monaghan (Gotham) as Superboy, Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul) as Hank Henshaw, and Tony Todd (Candyman) as Darkseid. In addition, the cast includes Charles Halford (Constantine) as Bibbo Bibbowski and The Eradicator, Rocky Carroll (NCIS) as Perry White, Toks Olagundoye (Castle) as Cat Grant, Max Mittleman (Justice League Action) as Jimmy Olsen, Paul Eiding (Ben 10: Omniverse) as Jonathan Kent, Jennifer Hale (Green Lantern: The Animated Series) as Martha Kent, Trevor Devall (Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay) as Dabney Donovan and Erica Luttrell (Salvation) as Mercy.

Ok, so now that you are excited to attend, here are the premiere details....

Both LA and NYC screenings will begin at 7:00 pm local time. The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles is located at 465 North Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills. The Director’s Guild of America is located at 110 West 57th Street in New York City. A limited number of free tickets are available to the general public.

Fans wishing to receive free tickets to the Los Angeles event on Thursday, January 10 must RSVP via email to ReignSupermenLA@gmail.com.

Fans wishing to receive free tickets to the New York event on Monday, January 28 must RSVP via email to ReignSupermenNY@gmail.com.

The subject of all fan email entries should include which location (LA or NY) they wish to attend. The body of all fan RSVP emails need ONLY include the (1) name of the entrant, (2) number of tickets requested (limit four per entry), and (3) valid email address (again, within the body of the email text). Fans should keep their entry simple – here’s an example of exactly how the body of the RSVP email should appear:

Bruce Wayne

2 tickets

Batman@gmail.com

Tickets to the event will be distributed on a “first come, first served” basis, and fans will be notified via email.

So, EMAIL NOW! Make sure to tell us what you think of the film! And in case you can't make it to the premieres, the feature-length animated Reign of the Supermen arrives from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital starting January 15, 2019, and on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack on January 29, 2019.

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BOOM! Studios Announces WWE WRESTLEMANIA 2019 SPECIAL #1

2018-12-21T13:00:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited! BOOM! Studios just announced a WWE Wrestlemania one-shot for 2019. Not that I'm surprised they're doing this, but it's nice to have the official announcement. I've been reading the comics, and I love the extra layer of kayfabe the stories give. They might not be considered canon, but they're a lot of fun. Check out the press release:

"LOS ANGELES, CA (December 20, 2018) – BOOM! Studios and WWE today announced WWE WRESTLEMANIA 2019 SPECIAL #1, an oversized one-shot special featuring action-packed stories of the most iconic moments in modern WWE history on-sale in March 2019.

You never know what to expect at WrestleMania, and this special is no exception! Writer Bill Hanstock (WWE) and artist Hyeonjin Kim (WWE) explore groundbreaking champions Charlotte Flair and Asuka’s rivalry leading up to their match at WrestleMania 24. Andy Belanger (Southern Cross) brings to life the pivotal match between the Brothers of Destruction, Undertaker and Kane. Ryan Ferrier (Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: Coronation) and Kendall Goode (WWE) dive into Ric Flair’s Retirement Match against Shawn Michaels.

WWE WRESTLEMANIA 2019 SPECIAL #1 features a main cover by Rahzzah (Luke Cage), along with a wraparound preorder cover by artist Xermánico (Injustice:Gods Among Us) and a variant cover by Marco D’Alfonso (I Am Groot).

“WrestleMania has brought us some of the most exciting, jaw-dropping moments throughout WWE history,” said Chris Rosa, Editor, BOOM! Studios. “Fans will see brand new sides to their favorite Superstars and discover never-before-seen details of the stories they thought they knew in this can’t-miss special!”

WWE WRESTLEMANIA 2019 SPECIAL is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to a world-class group of licensed comic book series and ambitious original series, including Joss Whedon’s Firefly and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Planet of the Apes, Bone Parish, Mech Cadet Yu, Grass Kings, and Klaus.

Print copies of WWE WRESTLEMANIA will be available for sale on March 27, 2019 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one) or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and the BOOM! Studios app.

For continuing news on WWE WRESTLEMANIA and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter."
"

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[insertgeekhere]

Supernatural is Over. Was the Ride Worth It?

An Ode To Arrow

Mezco One:12 Collective Presents Conan the Barbarian

LEGO Ideas Reveals their newest Space Set!

Mezco's One:12 Collective Brings Us the Best Movie Batman (Finally)

THE ONE:12 COLLECTIVE BATMAN FIGURE FEATURES:

COSTUME:

ACCESSORIES:

Happy One:12 Collective Day!!!

McFarlane takes on the DC Universe!

My Singing Monsters Babies Series 1 Review

Mezco Presents Popeye and Bluto Stormy Seas Ahead Deluxe Boxed Set

Coming Soon! Funko Directors - Ava DuVernay

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Hold on to your hats, people, because the cuteness has arrived! Sanrio has teamed with Kidrobot to bring us Cute Scoops Ice Cream Plush. These are just ridiculously adorable.

Sanrio Cute Scoops Ice Cream Plushby Kidrobot

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Sanrio Cute Scoops Ice Cream Plush
by Kidrobot