The Budget Collector

Upcoming Doctor Who Reviews

2012-01-25T10:29:00.000-08:00

As you know I've been skipping around the various Doctor's incarnations lately, reviewing one of the 5th Doctor tales and promising more. Well, that I can deliver. Here's what's coming up on Doctor Who Review:

2nd Doctor Final Story - The War Games
3rd Doctor Story #1 - Spearhead from Space
5th Doctor Story #2 - Four to Doomsday
5th Doctor Story #3 - Kinda

I also added a poll to the right, you tell me which Doctor's stories you want me to review. I can certainly do all of the 8th Doctor to the Present, as I've actually seen all of those already, so those would be rather easy to do. But I'm not all about easy anyway.

Previous Entries in the "Doctor Who Review" Series:

1st Doctor #1 - An Unearthly Child
4th Doctor #1 - Robot
4th Doctor #2 - Ark in Space
4th Doctor #3 - The Sontaran Experiment
5th Doctor #1 - Castrovalva

Special - 4th Doctor Collectibles
Special - Character Building Tardis Mini Set

Doctor Who Toys Galore!

2012-01-19T18:37:00.000-08:00

You never know when you're going to find something really cool. Today on the way back from my daughter's Yoga class I decided to stop at Dreamworld Comics where I was immediately drawn to a huge bucket of loose toys. I started digging and soon noticed a mint complete Roman Auton and I got all giddy. Perhaps could there be other Who toys in the bucket? Sure enough I snagged a Fez Wearing 11 and Amy Pond in Kiss Girl outfit. So I took my score up to the front and the gent told me they were only $2 apiece! Naturally I went back and looked for more. Found several more Autons, but nothing of excitement, until I figure out what the flat gray squares were...there seemed to be quite a few of them. Yes, that's right, the Pandorica from "The Pandorica Wave" of figures. Only they weren't the original release, they were the second one without the actual audio CDs (which I think are better anyway). The only problem is that the Doctor is missing his mop. Big whoop. I would like to get a scale sonic screwdriver though.

Of course it would have been great if I had actually purchased the River Song w/Pandorica Chair for $25 as well. I may have to go back and get that, since it's a great price for a crucial piece which I can really use now.

My previously purchased Gold Dalek, 11 With Fez, Amy in Kiss Girl Outfit & Roman Auton plus the Pandorica

However, that's not to say the day was that bad. When I got home waiting for me was my Birthday order from Whonorthamerica - SIX of the Series 1 Blind Character Building blind bagged figures and a set of 1986 FASA Miniatures from the old role-playing game. This is my second order from the fine folks in Indiana, and I'm more than pleased with their service. Ordered on Monday night, it was shipped Tuesday morning and I received it this afternoon (Thursday). Priority Mail was only $5.60.

I greedily tore into the packs carefully cutting each of them open so that in case I got a double I could resell it easily. First pack was the Rare Blue Shirted Doctor which is 1 per 36 figure case, which is a great start for me. The next one was a Weeping Angel, the standard screaming version, (packed 4 in 36). So was the next pack, and the next pack AND the next pack after that. Yup, I got all four of that cases' Weeping Angels. Oh well, at least it's an army builder. My final pack held a Red Dalek (5/36). Complete with shipping the entire order cost me just over $25. I figure that I'll sell at least two of the four Angels, and possibly a third if I get any movement. There's NO single listings for them on eBay right now. If I get $4 - $6 each for them I'll be happy. Oh and if you would like to trade for something, please let me know.

Which brings me to a complaint: these figures are TINY. The packaging is small as well, and yet there are eBay sellers trying to get $6 for shipping these things. One in a bubble envelope shouldn't cost more than a dollar to ship.

My new additions to my mini-figure collection.

My entire "Character Building" collection - 9 Doctor Who Figures, 8 Generic CB Figures (plus one weird MegaBlock guy in the back.

Oh the dio stories I could do now.

Doctor Who Review Will Return

I have viewed the second and third 5th Doctor stories ("Four to Doomsday" and "Kinda") and am about half way through the first episode of the final 2nd Doctor story ("The War Games"). I'm going to put up a poll on the side - you tell me which doctor's stories you want me to review, and I'll do it!

You realize this is my THIRD post this week. Not too bad. See I told you I'd write more.

Doctor Who Review - Story #116 - 5A "Castrovalva"

2012-01-18T10:17:00.001-08:00

I'll admit it, I can't keep a schedule at all. Not only that, but I'm jumping around all over the place with this series, much like the show and the Doctor himself. So I think it's entirely appropriate that because I'm not watching these shows in any sort of order, that I review them in no particular order either. Being that there won't be any NEW episodes of Doctor Who for a few more months, I'll continue to explore all of his previous incarnations, at least until I'm familiar with all of his different regenerations. To that end, a couple of months ago I looked into the 5th Doctor played by Peter Davison.

I actually remember the kerfuffle that happened when Tom Baker decided to leave the series, and was replaced by the MUCH younger (by almost two decades) Davison who had made a name for himself starring in the BBC adaptation of "All Creatures Great and Small." At just under 30 years old he would be the youngest actor taking the role until our most recent Doctor Matt Smith. The blatant appeal to younger viewers worked, especially in relation to his companions who would be much more involved in the serials than the previous incarnations allowed.

"Castrovalva" starts with the end of "Logopolis" with the 4th Doctor falling from a radio tower and regenerating into his new identity, assisted by a third party named "The Watcher" who somehow realized that the 4th's time was up. This "Watcher" turned out to be "a manifestation" of the Doctor himself and merged with him upon regeneration. Very wibbly wobbly if you ask me. In any case, the regeneration doesn't go well, and the Doctor is in danger of dying, so his latest companions, Adric, Tegan and Nyssa get him to the TARDIS, where they stick him in the "Zero Room" in order to ensure his health. Meantime they try to figure out how to pilot the TARDIS. Adric, a genius level teenager from "E-Space" is obnoxious and annoying, but helpful in that his mathematical mind is able to get the TARDIS to dematerialize and onto a flight path. Tegan is a flight attendant that showed up in the previous episode simply wandering into the TARDIS thinking it was a real police box, and as such is the frightened "newbie" and not really very useful at all. At least she's pretty. Nyssa is some sort of galactic genius princess and together they all manage to help the Doctor out of his funk.

TARDIS Crew - Circa Castrovalva. From Left - Adric, Tegan, The Doctor and Nyssa

After the hallmarks of a regeneration are played out (i.e. the changing of the clothes, which includes several scenes where Tom Baker's signature scarf is unravelled) our heroes discover that Adric is being controlled by the Doctor's greatest nemesis, the rogue Time Lord The Master, and that he wants to destroy the Doctor once and for all. Adric steers the ship to Castrovalva, a peaceful austere planet where the Doctor can rest and relax and let the regeneration take it's course, since he's STILL not stable even after being in the Zero Room. Along the way they get caught in a trap by The Master and are forced to "delete" several of the rooms in the TARDIS (including the Zero Room, oops) in order to escape. Once on the planet they create a "Zero Cabinet" which Nyssa and Tegan carry around the surface on the way to the actual city Castrovalva. Meanwhile Adric has disappeared, or more accurately, he was captured at the beginning of the story and his appearances in the TARDIS since were holographic projections, or some such.

The new doc checks out his new appearance

Once in the City the citizens all help out our heroes, but all is not what it seems. Eventually the Doctor recovers and realizes the entire place is a trap and doesn't really exist, that it was created by Adric through The Master to ensnare the samaritan Doctor and yes, kill him. Obviously they foil his plan and they escape trapping The Master inside the city as it collapses, never to be seen again (until his next appearance anyway, the guy dies more times than The Joker).

So to sum up, the Doctor regenerates, there are problems, he tries to take a vacation, gets caught in a trap and cleverly escapes and all is well. Pretty standard stuff actually, and while this is "classic" Who, it's not really a classic story. Sure Anthony Ainley plays the Master to perfection, and Nyssa and Tegan are absolutely gorgeous to look at, but the whiney Adric really brings the whole narrative down. The guest starring Castrovalvans are quite well done though, BBC Shakespearean actors usually bring an air of classiness to the proceedings, even if the effects are definitely low budget. There's a charm to the classic stories though that shines through all of the general silliness and padding that the old multi-part serials had built in. We get to see more of the TARDIS interior in this episode than I've ever seen before, including new rooms and corridors.

Collectibles from the 80's era Doctor Who are abundant, and new figures are being made by Character Options still. In the 5" Action Figure line we have seen the release of the Doctor just after he regenerates (i.e. in Tom Baker's clothes), and of course there are multiple iterations of the 5th Doctor in his standard Cricket outfit, with and without the celery stalk on the lapel and hat. There's even a 5" Zero Cabinet toy, but I'm not sure if this is a custom or an official CO toy. I tend to think it's a custom since there doesn't appear to be an official release. You can also download a printable version, though I can't find it at the moment. There are not figures yet of the Doctor's companions, though if you want miniatures, trading cards or autographs, they exist. Castrovalva itself is also featured on a couple of trading cards. The story was adapted into a Target Novel and is still readily available, DVDs and VHS tapes also exist and are easy to find.

The Regeneration Doctor, one of several variations

Five of the variations of Five

The Zero Cabinet Custom?

Next Time on Doctor Who: "Four to Doomsday" - Next Review - either that or "The War Games".

Previous Entries in the "Doctor Who Review" Series:

1st Doctor #1 - An Unearthly Child
4th Doctor #1 - Robot
4th Doctor #2 - Ark in Space
4th Doctor #3 - The Sontaran Experiment

Special - 4th Doctor Collectibles
Special - Character Building Tardis Mini Set

I miss Holograms

2012-01-16T18:37:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling rather nostalgic today since it's my 41st Birthday. Something I was just pondering - why don't card companies make Hologram cards anymore? I really enjoyed those in the 90's and I haven't seen a full hologram card in forever, and they were just damn cool.

The very first Hologram that was released officially was that Lombardi Trophy card in 1990 Pro Set. While I bought (and to this day still buy every now and then) a ton of packs I never pulled the thing. To this day it's still one of the more valuable "regular" Pro Set Cards, in that it's not really an error.

That card caused a lot of grief back in 1990, initial cases of the cards could be searched by a metal detector and thus a bunch of folks managed to snag multiples and turn them for a nice profit. Pro Set responded by putting in foil decoys in packs, making them essential unsearchable. The fact that they were hand numbered to 10,000 helped fuel the frenzy. Today you can find one on the bay of e for under $50.

1990 saw a virtual flood of Holograms invade the trading card world, after the Lombardi card manufacturer Skybox started inserting them into their comic book sets, which makes sense, since the artwork on the card was often rather colorful. Unfortunately I only have this one DC Superman to show off.

Eventually Holograms would move from the realm of insert to the actual base cards with the Batman and Superman full hologram series. These were really awesome cards, as not only were they holographic, but they were taken from 3-D Models! A further technological innovation would be the awesome SKYDISCS from Skybox which when placed in full sunlight would project a 3D image not unlike how the holograms work in the Star Wars movies.

I really miss Hologram cards, when I would pull one from a pack I'd always shout "ooh Shiney" and that became a mantra with me. Foils are nice today, and autos and relics still make me excited, but not the same as holos.

Oh and did I mention they took a sharpie autograph NICELY? I used to have an autographed Marion Butts from Upper Deck Football with a beautiful blue sharpie in-person auto, but sadly I do not know where it went.

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T21:40:00.000-08:00

The Budget Collector wishes you a happy and healthy New Year, Feliz Nuevo Ano (sorry, I dunno how to do the tilde) and a wonderful 2012.

The one promise that I will make is that I WILL post more in 2012 than I did in 2011. Obviously I'm not into this blogging thing on a regular basis, but I should strive to do one at least once a week, if not more often.

To that end here's some budget tips for after Christmas Shopping:

Don't be too disappointed if there's nothing left on the shelves. I've been to several local Targets and TRUs after the Christmas holiday and noticed a distinct lack of everything fun and collectible. Which means that their buyers are getting a lot better at actually supplying the buyer's demands. For our budgets this is bad, as the after-Christmas sales are fewer and farther between. For the economy, this isn't that bad though, and we should all be happy with a more stable economy.

One item I do want to mention is the former exclusive 7 figure GI Joe Resolute sets are now $16.99 at ROSS. Also the TRU exclusive Spirit and Quick Kick single figures have been seen there as well. I haven't PERSONALLY seen them, but there are reports from all around the country.

Finally, here's our New Year's Eve Fun.

Redstitch's Recycled Angels

2011-12-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

No not those kind of Angels - the Christmasy kind. Last year my lovely wife Redstitch came up with a nifty crafty project that we gave to some friends and family. This year we decided to do a bigger batch and put them on Etsy. Who knows, maybe they'll become the next Cabbage Patch Kids or Beanie Babies. One could only hope.

I kid I kid.

But not really.

In 2010 we made 8 total figures and gave them to friends and family. This year we're making a total of 25, and numbering and dating each one so they retain their collectibility.

Buy 'em here - and if you mention that you saw it on my blog we'll rebate 10% of your purchase price!

So When Do You Think the First Cards of Pujols as an Angel will hit?

2011-12-08T08:28:00.001-08:00

I'm guessing there will be an airbrushed card in Topps 2012 Series 1. This is the best news that Angels fans could get today - signing BOTH Pujols and CJ Wilson, creating a log-jam at 1b that you LOVE to have. The Halos aren't done either, I would expect Kendrys Morales to get packaged now, but you never know.

2012 is going to be an exciting year!

Found Character Building Figures in Vegas

2011-11-27T19:05:00.000-08:00

Remember those new Character Building Figures that I reviewed a couple of weeks ago? Yeah I found 'em in a Las Vegas Target over the holiday weekend. Picked me up one of the two soldiers, the uncommon version. I could feel the gun through the bag.

Nifty hunh.

The Budget Review: Character Building Micro Figure Series 1

2011-11-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

Mini-Fig collecting is certainly a more niche field these days, but in contrast to the past, there's quite a few more lines available now than there ever have been. Lately I have been fascinated with the little guys, I suppose Lego's blind packaged figures have really made their impact on me, though I can't say I've been enamored of EVERY one of those figures.

The other day the wife and I were at Target doing grocery shopping, and as I usually do I hit the Trading Card aisle on the way out (because we know there's never any new GI Joes at Target) and I happened upon a new blind-bagged trading figure from our friends at Character Building, you know the folks who do the Doctor Who Construction Kits. Yup, following on the heels of Lego, Mega Blocks and Playmobil, CB is doing blind trading figures.

Here's the cool thing, they're a whopping TWO BUCKS at Target! AND there are three levels of rarity spread over 12 figures. These are perfectly compatible with the Doctor Who figures, as well as the previous Her Majesty's Royal Forces figures. This series is a bit mundane when you look at what's available, but what's here is pretty darn cool. Initially I only bought one figure, but I was drawn back to buy a few more just a few days later. I noticed that they're not available in every Target too, so if you're looking for these make sure to ask for them.

Character Building Micro Figures Series 1 Review

Packaging: 3 of 5

It's a foil wrapper, it's yellow. What more do you need? It's quite eye-catching and it shows off a couple figures. I didn't take a pic.

Instructions: 3 of 5

While what's here is totally adequate, a double-sided full color sheet showing all the figures available, complete with a rarity key, there could have been a BIT more, such as a catalog for their other products which are compatible, but I guess at this price point what you get is what you get.

Sculpt: 4 of 5

Each figure in this series is based on either a male or female buck, and they are different. The female body is slimmer than the male and has bumps in the right places. Take a gander at the female Red Ninja and Amy Pond and you will notice they are the same body, while the Doctor shares his body with the other boys. That's actually a nice touch that Lego and Mega don't usually do. The heads and accessories are the only real unique pieces in the series, and each one is done quite nicely.

I'll say this too, boy that picture makes Amy's head look humongous!

The most interesting aspect of the head sculpts to me is the way they designed the helmeted figures, it appears that they are several pieces sonically welded together, which saves money on paint I suppose. For example the construction worker's head is at least three pieces: the yellow cap, the brown hair and the flesh tone face and neck. The astronaut has his white helmet, a flesh colored face and a very tiny bit of brown hair. The Ninja though is only two pieces as the flesh part of her face is painted on, while the mouth covering is a separate piece.

Decorations: 4 of 5

MOST of the painting is done tampo style and it looks pretty good on these guys. The Astronaut is a real stand-out due to the intricate detailing on the breathing apparatus. Their shoes are painted on, and on a couple of them the paint work is a bit sloppy, but nothing overly terrible.

Accessories: 3 of 5

I admit that I'd like to see a stand with these guys, so that's one point knocked off. The second point is knocked off because not every figure HAS an accessory. There's a cool sword with the Ninja, and a pick-axe with the Construction Worker. The Astronaut gets a backpack, but the race-car driver gets NOTHING. Unless you count the visors on both the Astronaut and the Driver, but I don't. In a series like this, each figure should have SOMETHING extra, but at two bucks I guess we're lucky to get what we get.

Price: 5 of 5

TWO BUCKS A FIGURE! That's downright cheap. Lego figures are MSRP at $2.99, as are the Mega brand lines, and Playmobil is at $3.99, so you're getting a bargain here.

Overall: 4 of 5

Yeah overall I give these guys a 4 out of 5 mostly for the sheer fun factor and the solid price point. Let's face it, these guys are going to end up being different costumes for my Amy and The Doctor mini-figs, and that's fine by me. I've already got a couple of comic strips in mind, but I don't want to spoil them now.

These are being imported into North America by JDNA a Canadian company. I can only hope that in the future maybe I'll see the Doctor Who blind packed figures at Target. I can hope right?

NOTE: These figures were purchased by the reviewer. I am, however, more than happy to review whatever you like if you want to send it to me. Please email me at wmnoe@yahoo.com

Doctor Who Review - Story #1 - "An Unearthly Child"

2011-10-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

I know it's been quite a while since I began the "Doctor Who Review" and I realize now that I made a mistake in not starting at the beginning. So I've gone back and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

Airing a mere one day after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the first episode of Doctor Who is entitled "An Unearthly Child" a moniker referring to the Doctor's Grand Daughter Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford). The show debuts in a junkyard, the "Foreman" junkyard at that, in an eerie scene with only the smallest hint of what's to come. We see a bobby pass by and we pan to a police box. Next we're whisked off to a London school where Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) and Ian Chesterton (William Russell) are discussing the titular lass and how difficult it has been to teach her. Even in this first exchange of dialogue we are treated to the overall arcing themes of the show, as Barbara says:

"She's waiting in one of the classrooms. I'm lending her a book on the French Revolution."

Ian replies "What's she going to do, rewrite it? Oh, all right. What do we do? Ask her point-blank?"

And there we have it, one of the major plot lines that runs through most of the almost 50 years of Who, can time be rewritten, and it's right there, in the initial episode. Either they decided that was going to be a theme early on, OR, more probably, the current writers and producers have watched a lot of old Who.

In any case, the two school teachers decided to follow Susan home after a weird conversation that they have with the 15 year old girl, and discover that she lives IN the Police Box with her Grandfather, the daffy old Doctor (William Hartnell). Soon enough the quartet is inside the box, which Susan informs them all is called the "TARDIS" or Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. In fact, Susan says that she made the name up herself! The old man is incredulous that Susan would bring these two outsiders into their lives, but somehow he understands their curiosity, he explains that he and Susan are aliens from another time and place, and that they have been around a lot longer than humans, but he cannot let them leave knowing what they know, in a panic, somehow the TARDIS is activated and off they go.

As we've discussed already, most of the pre 2005 Doctor Who episodes are multi-part stories, and this first one is no exception. The early episodes are all individually titled though, where later episodes are merely given a single over-all title with part numbers after. Episode 2 of Doctor Who is "The Cave of Skulls", episode 3 is "The Forest of Fear" and episode 4 is "The Firemaker". Once the TARDIS settles on a destination, our intrepid crew discovers that they've gone to prehistoric Earth, year unknown (The Yearometer on the TARDIS doesn't work properly), where they are soon captured by a tribe of cave people who are in search of fire. The next three episodes detail how the Doctor and his companions escape from the tribe and mediate a peace between the different factions of cave-people who then try to kill them.

It's actually pretty tame stuff when you get down to it. There's some caveman on caveman violence, and Ian acts like Prometheus by giving the Cave people fire, but in the end it's a pretty discardable story line. Though I wonder if the setting might be revisited at some point to see what's become of the newly fire-enabled primitives, who happen to speak with perfect British accents.

This first story is stark contrast to the current 11th Doctor episodes, in that there's practically no budget existent early on. Also the Doctor is, well, a dick. He refuses to actually tell Barbara and Ian the full story, and he also refuses to let them go. Of course within a couple of episodes they won't want to go home, but we don't know that quite yet.

Some interesting tidbits to note: there are actually THREE versions of the first 30 minute episode floating about. They're all relatively the same, though the second released version looks quite a bit better than the aired version. There's actually continuity with the aforementioned French book as well, as it will appear in a later episode. The first utterance of the show's title "Doctor Who" is in the second episode (Cave of Skulls), when Ian calls the Doctor "Doctor Foreman" - he replies "Doctor Who?" Since that's the major question going into next season's episodes, it's nice to see it all the way back at the beginning.

In the end while you'd think that the first episode is required viewing, sadly this is not. Other than the opening segment that is. The plot line of the cave people is about as disposable as they are. There's no one really to save, and the universe isn't really in danger at all, neither are our protagonists. Sure the Cave dudes get the drop on the feeble Doctor and his companions, but come on who couldn't outwit CAVEMEN who can't even start a fire. In fact, what the Cavemen call knives, we would call sharp rocks.

Then there's the TARDIS, the police box that's bigger on the inside. In her (yes I'm calling it a HER) first appearance she looks rather new I suppose. The inside is all pristine and smooth, with only a few human touches - such as the velvet chair that Susan spends some time sitting on. The console is familiar in it's hexagonal shape and the center rotor moves up and down in the old familiar fashion. The noises she makes are all very familiar also. And yet, it's not the same TARDIS that we all know and love. Even though we're told later that the Doctor stole her and that when he did she was already outdated and ancient, she looks damn good here. But funny, the Doctor can't really operate her properly, and oh did I mention the chameleon circuit? Well they don't call it that yet, but surely enough when the ship (for the Doctor says bluntly: "I use your own outdated terminology for any craft which does not roll along on wheels") doesn't re-configure itself upon materializing in the past both Susan and the Doctor are befuddled. Susan even points out a couple of her previous incarnations as a Sedan Chair and an Ionic Column. Perhaps the TARDIS is simply upset at the old Doctor for picking up a few more strays.

As the first companions Ian and Barbara are cemented in place in Whovian lore. They're the everyman/woman teachers that the BBC wanted to use as the viewers touchstone when dealing with time-travel. As such they're terribly smart and make good companions in this initial incarnation. Ian even quickly understands that if they're going to get out of trouble they need to rely on the fast-thinking wit of The Doctor. Susan is a bit more difficult to place and understand. While there's no mention of the Time Lords yet (that phrase wouldn't enter the lexicon of Who for a few more years) we have nothing put before us to say that she ISN'T his actual Grand Daughter. Over the years of course we would find out that the Doctor has had a family, but what becomes of Susan after she leaves the TARDIS during the second season (oh damn, Spoilers!) remains somewhat of a mystery. Seems odd that such a close relation would be all but forgotten, but unfortunately she is. Whether she is a Time Lord is also up to debate, as she shows virtually none of the later facets of being a Time-Lord other than traveling in the TARDIS. In the unaired pilot version she claims to be from the 49th Century, but that line is cut from the actual aired broadcast. In the opening episode of this arc she tells Barbara and Ian that she's been on Earth for about five months, and that before that she had a few other adventures with the Doctor.

Should you decide to watch the first Doctor Who story, you can do so right now! The video is available on several sites, though if you try to watch it on YouTube you'll miss the second part of "The Cave of Skulls". I watched most of it Here, and both versions of the pilot are on YouTube. You can also read a transcript of the episode Here.

As to merchandise for the episode, there's of course the First Doctor action figure with TARDIS, featuring his walking stick and funny little cap. A single carded version of the figure was a Forbidden Planet exclusive.

Note that the version of the First Doctor figure in the 10 & 11 figure sets is slightly different (he's wearing different pants), and the Black and White version is also a costume variation that is not on the same model. Character Building also has a version of the First Doctor in their 11 Doctor Set of Micro Figures in Lego Scale. Back when the Role-Playing game was produced there were miniature versions of Hartnell as well.

Other merchandise includes a Target Paperback adaptation written by Terrance Dicks, which I believe is actually still in print, though original copies are readily available for reasonable prices. There's also a comic book adaptation and the obligatory VHS/DVD sets. I'm sure there's more stuff out there, especially vintage pieces such as television guides and other paper ephemera, but after about 40 years the supply of old stuff dries up and becomes much more valuable.

Next time I'll continue the series with the first appearance ever of The Daleks!

Transformers Kre-O Jazz

2011-10-09T10:58:00.000-07:00

After getting the Character Building Mini Tardis set in the mail I suddenly had a deep-seeded need to get more Lego and Lego-style mini-figures, so when I saw that Target had a sale on the Transformers Kre-O line of building sets I finally pulled the trigger on one of the small sets - Jazz. I chose him over the similarly priced Mirage because, well I dunno, I liked the colors on Jazz better. I guess I like the character better too, after all his original G1 incarnation was voiced by the legendary Scatman Crothers.

It is interesting to note that this is not the first time that Hasbro has attempted to do building brick versions of Transformers toys, in the early 2000's they came out with a line called "Built-to-Rule" which actually had better transformations between modes. This set, like all the Kre-O sets cannot actually be transformed, you have to take apart the models and put them back together. And then you'll have some parts left over. For the car mode you can practically put a Jazz torso together with the left-over pieces. The robot mode omits the fenders amongst other pieces.

Kre-O Jazz Construction Kit Review

Packaging 4 of 5

I like these boxes, they could be a bit more sturdy, but they are nicely colorful and have all the information that you need to make an informed purchase. They don't lie on the box either, you know right up front that you have your choice of modes and that the product doesn't convert. The side panels are cool as well, one side shows you the actual size of the enclosed "Kreon" figures (the main selling point for me) and the other looks like it could go on a book shelf as part of a collection. There's a gold foil hologram sticker on the front which tells you that this isn't a bootleg toy.

Instructions 3 of 5

I didn't find anything especially exciting about the instruction booklet, other than it's rather thick. Then again it has to be because it has two different modes to help us build. There's the obligatory parts list, and a couple of pictures of other bots available in the line. I would prefer an actual line-wide catalog I suppose, and honestly the instructions are at times rather obtuse.

Construction 4 of 5

In each mode there are pluses and minuses in the construction. Let's start with the vehicle mode since that's what the instructions start with. Originally Jazz alternate mode was a Porsche 935 turbo, here his alt-mode is some sort of boxy car that vaguely has a sports car shape. It's certainly NOT a Porsche. Because of the dual nature of the kit there's an awful lot of parts that in a Lego kit wouldn't really be used. However, it's because of this extraneous piece use that the car itself once finished is a hefty little toy. The real rubber tires roll freely and there's space inside for the driver Kreon figure to sit, he can ever get in the vehicle via the doors or the roof which both open. Articulated "mirrors" on the side are a nice touch, but they'd be better if they articulated from side to side rather than up and down. Also the doors have sort of a "roll cage" effect with a long studded piece on top of the door, making it look rather silly when the doors are actually open.

I definitely like the lines of the front and rear though, and the "Jazz" license plate is a nice touch. The automobile version of this toy is totally the best feature so far.

Once you finish the car mode, you might be tempted to make the robot once. Go ahead and do it, but once you're finished you're going to want to put him right back into a car. Why? Frankly the robot mode stinks. Oh sure, it has a great head, but that's only because the head is a completely separate piece unused by the car mode. It's also made out of a more pliable rubber substance, which provides for better detail and it has two pretty decent paint ops in the eyes and the face.

In fact, the entire torso of the bot isn't bad at all, and the arm articulation is fairly good as well. So why does the figure fail in so many ways? The legs and the hands. Well, more specifically the lack of knee articulation in the legs and the lack of actual hands make this thing look like more of an after-thought rather than an actual toyetic design. It looks to me like the larger kits have better articulation than the smaller kits and also have better designs, so I'll chalk this one up to the size of the kit itself.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the blocks themselves, which STRONGLY resemble the patented LEGO brand, with the exception of a single "dimple" on one of the studs of practically every piece, which while you think might be useful for plugging in the included weapon for the Jazz Kreon, really isn't at all. It reminds me of the original 12" GI Joe's backwards thumbnail and his facial scar, i.e. details included only for legal purposes. The plastic used is nowhere near the quality of LEGO either, while the Character Building set's are really close, Hasbro's attempt isn't much better than their earlier BTR sets. Also the gray pieces tend to show stress lines or other imperfections that are never shown on LEGO pieces. They do fit together nicely though, but I wonder how they will deteriorate over time compared to Lego (though I notice on some of my more recent LEGO kits their plastic isn't always the best).

Decorations: Stickers 2 of 5

I don't like stickers, I don't know of too many LEGO fans who do. The stickers included in this kit are flimsy and hard to put on the toy (well difficult for me with my fat fingers). One of the rear fender stickers even ripped on me as I was pulling it off the sheet. I know it's too expensive at this price point for tampo, but come on Hasbro, step it up!

Figures: 4 of 5

For me the selling point of these toys are the included "Kreon" figures. The little versions of the Autobots and Decepticons are adorably cute and on models for the G1 counterparts. Jazz comes with removable helmet, blaster and wings, while the oddly colored generic human "driver" figure has a ball cap and helmet. While the "kreon" figure works well for the robots, it utterly fails for the humans. The heads are not rounded all the way around, which is fine for a robot, but looks WEIRD on a human. Plus the arms are all the same with huge shoulder pads and forearms, which again work well for robots but look odd for humans. Still it's nice to have two figures on a kit this size, and you can always put your driver into the car and forget about him.

Articulation on these guys is even one step better than the Character Building figures as well, since Kreons actually have ball jointed hips that work well. They also have the waist twist, along with ball jointed shoulders, swivel head and cut wrists. The ONLY drawback on the Jazz figure is that his wings (i.e. the 'doors' from his car mode) are really wide and make him look a bit silly (and also don't let him in the Tardis.)

Price: 5 of 5

I got this kit for just under $10 at Target, which is a great price for 177 pieces and two mini-figs. Considering that similarly sized LEGO kits are between $20 and $30 at retail, that's not bad at all.

Overall 3.5 of 5

Despite the somewhat mediocre overall score (which I average out from the individual scores) I really like this kit, and I'll actually be looking to purchase at least one of the larger kits at some point. Hasbro really needs to take a page from Mega Blocks and Lego and sell the Kreons in blind bags, which if they did they would sell a buttload.

Wow, two posts in two days, I'm on a roll! I even have another post up my sleeve for either later today or tomorrow (saw my first packs of Topps 2011 Baseball Update yesterday, so I have to post on them). Also I have decided to CONTINUE yesterday's comic strip and have constructed a couple of new figures for the ongoing saga

My FIRST Comic Strip

2011-10-08T12:22:00.001-07:00

Created using Comic Life, iPhone 3G & Mac Mini.

Click to embiggen.

Character Building Doctor Who Tardis Mini Set Review

2011-09-25T16:32:00.000-07:00

Building the Tardis

I think that just about everyone who was born after 1965 has had something or other to do with Lego, either watching their kids play with it, or more than likely, playing with Lego themselves. I wish I could count myself as a first-generation Lego kid, but alas, that's not really the case. Lego has been around since the late 40's, and their iconic construction bricks first appeared in 1964, but I started playing with them in the mid-70's.

Which is all really cool, but this article isn't really about Lego. I will have something on Lego next week, as we are planning our first trip EVER to California Legoland this weekend for Kaylee's 5th birthday, but SHHHH...that's a surprise.

Nope, this article is about the Doctor Who Character Building line of toys, which isn't at all Lego. Though it looks a LOT like Lego, and feels a lot like Lego, it's really not Lego.

That's OK, there's a LOT of brands that are "not Lego." Even back in the day there was Lock Blox and Mega Blocks, which is not really the same brand as the current Megablocks. Today there's dozens of "off-brand" or clone Lego bricks each with varying levels of quality. I've played with quite a few of them over the years, and I've personally invested quite a bit in the Mega Blocks line of Pyrates and Pirates of the Caribbean sets. NOTHING usually compares to Lego. UNTIL TODAY.

Character Options has had the license to create Doctor Who toys since the stalwart BBC series was revived in 2005, creating a vast line of 5" scale figures, role-playing toys and all sorts of toys and ephemera based on the entire realm of Who and isn't slowing down any time soon. This year they decided to try Construction Toys, as the price of plastic seems to be irrecovably tied to the price of oil (gee I wonder why) many toy companies are looking for ways to expand numbers of skus while contracting the amount of plastic involved. Hence, smaller is better. We've seen this before by the way. Part of the popularity of the original Kenner line of Star Wars figures was that they were cheap to produce and to purchase, so kids could have a lot of them. Their sub 4-inch size was 50 to 75% smaller than other popular toyline sizes at the time (Mego's 8-inch line of figures and Hasbro's 12" GI Joes).

The new line of Doctor Who toys is branded "Character Building" which is actually it's own line of toys, as there are Non-Who building sets and figures that are also available (mainly in the UK) that are compatable, so if you really want to build a military UNIT type squad to accompany your Doctor figures, you can. It's quite cool.

Following Lego's massively popular Blind Packed Figure Series the Doctor Who line is available in both set form, and blind packs. Complete with chase figures. Joy. I managed to find the Tardis MIni-Set online for just about $20 shipped. More on that later.

Character Building The Tardis Mini Set Review

Packaging: 4 of 5

The box is nice and sturdy with the current BBC Logos and nice glamour shots of the actual product. The back has a short write up on the series and the TARDIS and introduces the Doctor and Amy. As if you needed that. We're also shown the figure's actual size twice. So that's something.

Instructions: 4 of 5

The booklet is quite nicely illustrated much in the style of current Lego instructions. They pictures are not quite as good though and there are a couple of instances where even an adult might get confused, but for the most part, it's well done. There's also a parts list, but that's about it. There also weren't any other inserts other than two sheets of stickers. I suspect there's only supposed to be one sheet, as you really only need one sheet, but I got two.

Construction: 4 of 5

The TARDIS is a box, let's not forget that, so as such it should be pretty easy to build, and it is. Though there are a couple of tricky spots with the doors (those TEENY TINY prongs that form the hinges are very small and could be easily broken. Plus they are difficult to put in their pegs). Once your doors are in place, you definitely don't want to open them inside (as the Doctor always does) because they're very difficult for big fingers to pull out. The size is also extremely deceptive. This TARDIS is tiny on the outside and inside. The entire height of the box including the light on top isn't much more than 3 1/2 inches tall, and it's barely 2 inches wide. In Lego parlance, it's 6 w x 6 l x 9 t.

The bricks themselves feel very close to Lego plastic and appear to be made with the same or similar quality control. There are a couple of unique pieces that I've not seen made as Lego before (namely the top of the TARDIS , the light bulb and the panels of the Police Box). The model itself is very simply constructed with nothing really difficult about the engineering. It's simple enough to not need any additional tinkering either.

Decorations: Stickers & 'cardboard': 4 of 5

The stickers are well printed, especially the front plaque, but they're still stickers, and for adult fingers they can be a pain to put on. There's also a cardboard insert that goes inside the box which gives the illusion of it being "bigger on the inside". It's a nice piece and doesn't detract from the overall aesthetic, but it can be difficult to get 'just right' in the box.

Size Comparison: Mini-mate, Amy Pond, Toy Story Alien Lego, Musketeer Lego, 11th Doctor

Figures: 5 of 5

Here's where the set really shines, the Amy Pond and 11th Doctor figures are simply superb. They are virtually the same size as Lego, and infinitely more cute. Plus they have slightly better articulation with the addition of a waist swivel that Lego can never duplicate. They're certainly different than Lego as well, they're much more about curves and roundness with sculpted uniqueness rather than uniformity of Lego. The tampo printed torsos are very nicely done on both figures, each depicting very small details such as buttons and belt buckles. The faces are cute as can be as well, with the Doctor showing a smirk that he knows something you don't know. Plus the Doctor has his Sonic Screwdriver. Very cool. The figures can both sit down, Amy isn't even hindered by her vinyl skirt. I'd love to have more 'accessories' but really what do you need besides the screwdriver?

Price: 3 of 5

I purchased this set from Langton Info.com for just over $20 shipped. There isn't anywhere else cheaper on the Net right now. MSRP on this is somewhere between $15.99 and $19.99, which I would consider as pretty pricey. A comparable sized Lego set runs about $12 at retail, and the other clone brands are even cheaper.

Overall: 4 of 5

I LOVE this set, and I was excited to both order it and to receive it. Especially since I ordered it directly from the UK. I don't know if there's any differences between the UK and US versions, I highly doubt there are, but if so, mine's original! Even though I consider it more expensive than it should be, it's still a great small set, and I can't wait to get more. Problem is you can't find these things at retail AT ALL! I would imagine that they were available to Comic Book stores through Diamond Distributors and that at some point they'll be available widely in the US, since they're being advertised on the BBC America broadcasts of new episodes. I sure hope so. I haven't seen the blind package mystery figures yet either.

MORE Adventures in Ebay

2011-08-29T14:53:00.001-07:00

I've just put up 100 lots on eBay - click here:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/wmnoe/m.html?_trksid=p4340.l2562

VIRTUALLY Every single starts at 99 cents, with a BIN of TWO BUCKS and FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING.

And remember, if you send me the password "WildWill" when you pay for your item, I'll throw in an extra or two for being my reader.

Macho Madness

2011-05-21T09:40:00.000-07:00

viaSuperpunch
I THINK this is the interview I was referring to yesterday in my piece on the Macho Man. I spent last night watching several old matches and promos, and man, will he be missed.

Nope:

THIS is the interview I was thinking about:

Oh wow, here's a RECENT promo where Randy talks about his Defining Moments action figure, which is sure to start selling out everywhere. I saw several yesterday at TRU and K-mart, but I'm telling you, this would be a good figure to pick up right about now. There's also a nice Warrior figure to go along with it so you too can recreate Wrestlemania VII.

RIP Macho Man Randy Savage

2011-05-20T21:34:00.001-07:00

It's no secret that I love Professional Wrestling. It's also no secret that I hate it as well. It is the very dichotomy that IS professional wrestling that makes me love it and hate it. The limits that the performers blow by in their never ending quest to put on a great show equates to too many early deaths and ruined lives. So many of the wrestlers that I grew up watching have died young, and it's sad. It's always sad. No matter what the circumstances.

Today we lost one of my all-time favorite wrestlers, a man who wasn't even in the public eye anymore, and was happy enough to enjoy his life in retirement. Macho's getting a lot of love today, even people who didn't like him respected what he did in the ring and how he carried himself in life. That's the true measure of a man, when people who don't like you still are sad that you passed. Nixon didn't have that. Though he may have actually been redeemed a few weeks ago by Doctor Who of all people. Terrible non-sequitur I know, but it's been that kind of day.

I'm not going to go on boring you about how I feel about Macho dying. It's sad. I'm sad. I honestly hoped that Macho would get back in the ring some day, just as Bret Hart has done recently.

So I'll just leave you with this, a great Saturday Night Main Event from 1987, I was a senior in High School, and I remember watching this one when it originally aired.

Lots more Singles on eBay

2011-04-11T12:40:00.000-07:00

I've got 60 Singles listed right now, virtually ALL of them start at 99 cents with free shipping.

Give me the password "DylanDog" in a note if you win one of my cards and I'll throw in FREE Allen & Ginter minis.

Here's the listing:

http://shop.ebay.com/wmnoe/m.html?_trksid=p4340.l2562

OPENING DAY

2011-03-31T08:44:00.001-07:00

It's finally here, seems like the MLB off-season is longer than the other three sports ("seems? I know not seems"). The day when every team still has a shot at the playoffs. Ah, the sweet smell of spring and daytime baseball. Wish you were here.

One-of-a-Kind TMNT Collectible Up on eBay

2011-03-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hey guys/gals whatevers, I put up one of my rarest collectible pieces on eBay, a one-of-a-kind T-Shirt/Iron On Prototype Design of Leonardo of the TMNT. It was given to me by Kevin Eastman himself for winning a trivia contest at the 1989 San Diego Comic Con. In any case here's the eBay link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110666839281#ht_739wt_1117

I'm also donating 10% of the final sale price to Japanese Earthquake Relief

Head to Head Fun Baseball League

2011-03-22T14:43:00.000-07:00

Hello readers, I know, I know, I don't blog nearly enough. This is true.

Today I beseech you to join my Head-to-Head FUN Fantasy Baseball League. See, I SUCK at Fantasy Baseball and I want to change that, so I'm doing a fun league this season. We already have five teams signed up, but I want MORE. SO...click the link and join up.

http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/b1/126186

Password is "Wildwill"

The live draft is Saturday, March 26.

Thanks!

Relics and Autographs and Short Prints - Oh My!

2011-02-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

Howdy once again. In my ongoing effort to pare down the amount of extra cards in my collection (and mostly to get some money to pay for the rent) I listed a whole bunch of new stuff, this is pretty much the best of what I have to sell - sad isn't it?

Anyway, I'd really appreciate it if you all would take a look and see if there's something that PIQUES your interest. Once again, I'm willing to refund 10% of your total purchase if you send me a note saying you read my blog with the password "Shortest Month" in your note when you pay.

Oh and did I mention, I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on all my singles? Yes, that's right.

Some of the good stuff

Adventures in eBay Selling 2011 - February Edition

2011-02-17T16:30:00.000-08:00

So as I probably blogged, last Wednesday I put up 50 items on eBay, hoping to score some cash before I go out of town this weekend to visit the in-laws and stay up at a cabin at Sundance. Yes, the Sundance, the actual hill, not Park City. Nice eh?

21 of the 50 items I listed were single trading cards, mostly Chrome stuff that I've been keeping for just this purpose. I put all of them on for a 99 cent start price, with only three exceptions (and they only started at $1.99), with free shipping. Just for giggles I figured out that if I sell an item for 99 cents, I end up making a whopping 8 cents. So that paradigm isn't really going to work for me, except that hopefully I'll get some nice feedbacks and every item I sell counts towards getting a discount on my fees. It also gets rid of a bunch of cards, and those who want them get a pretty good deal.

So I'll keep doing it, even though I'm not going to make a whole lot, I really need to get rid of most of the stuff that I don't need, and honestly I can't keep track of trades anymore.

What WAS nice is that a couple of lots of Comics sold for decent cash. Not that I didn't lose money on them, since you know I bought them at cover price or near cover price when they were new, read them and stashed them away. "Y The Last Man" #2 though #38 sold for $50, which isn't bad, except that I paid 37x$2.95 apiece for them. I also sold about 20 issues of "The Amazing Spider-Man" from a couple years ago for $25. Again, a little more than $1.00 per issue, which cost me somewhere between $2 and $3 per issue.

Still I'm not complaining, at least that stuff is selling. I have tons of stuff I can't off-load because I will only use Priority Mail Flat Rate (because frankly I'm not going to bother buying boxes or envelopes, and I like the fact that I KNOW how much shipping is going to cost). The thing is, when you're buying 5 or 6 comics at buck apiece, adding 6 bucks to ship doesn't work out very well.

In any case, I now have about $60 to play with this weekend. And that's the important part.

Contest over at Clear Cut Cards

2011-02-17T16:29:00.001-08:00

Hey there, there's a cool contest to enter on Clear Cut Cards:

http://clearcutcards.blogspot.com/2011/02/first-contest-when-pitchers-and.html#comments

Check it out and enter.

Topps Diamond Giveaway Transmogrifier is Live

2011-02-15T16:30:00.000-08:00

Per multiple other blogs, the Topps Diamond Giveaway machine is live today.

I unlocked my first (and only) code today:

Oh boy 1974 Norm Miller - well at least it's not junk wax.

But wait, I'm not done yet, I guess with every code you enter you get a dig square! I tried digging at first base and got nothing. So I reloaded and dug again and this is what I won:

Looks like if I collect 5 rings I get a bonus card and dig, 10 is a $10 ShopTopps gift card, 15 is a custom skin-it and 45 is a complete set of Topps 60th Anniversary cards (perhaps this is also the prize for the pack-pulled redemption?). If you manage to get 60 rings you get a diamond ring. Joy

You don't have to re-register

Here's the cool thing, your log-in name from the ToppsMillion site will work for this one too. NOW if they could just transfer over the catalog of cards you have in Millions to continue trading on the 60th Anniversary site....ah well.

SPEAKING of ToppsMillion

THIS is what I have currently - I don't have to pay for shipping because I'm in California - I already verified this as I have had two cards shipped already.

I'm more than willing to trade any and all of this crap (except for the one Angel player Minnie Rojas, I have two of him, but I want them both).

I want ANGELS cards

SO send your trades in the machine, or something like that.

eBay Singles Blowout

2011-02-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

Hey there cats and kitties - ye old Budget Collector finds himself in need of a budget again. I'm never going to be able to bust more 2011 Topps if I can't sell off the old stuff I don't want or need. So here's the deal:

I'm putting on a TON of singles on eBay over the next few days - virtually all of them will start a 99 cents plus FREE US Domestic Shipping. Overseas shipping will be actual cost plus a buck. Get this - I'm even doing free shipping on multiple purchases - so buy one card or buy multiples, your shipping is FREE.

PLUS if you let me know you're a read of my blog I'll even throw in bonus freebies - just put the secret password in your note to me when you pay - the secret password is "BLOWOUT".

Here's my eBay page:
http://shop.ebay.com/wmnoe/m.html

Thanks for looking!