This Week in Geek- 5/1

Bringing Back the 90's, this week in geek!

First Look- Jubilee and Jean Grey in X-Men Apocalypse - I love, love how Jubilee is very much her comic book costume. It helps that the film is period-set in the 1980s, where her look would have been very fashionable to begin with. Seeing this kind of stuff is always fun, especially when it shows how close a director is willing to go to the source.

Stephen Amell as Casey Jones - Straight from Michael Bay himself, we have a look at a fan favorite returning to screen in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2- Casey Jones. Amell is a good  Green Arrow and I don't doubt he can make the best of what material he's given in the sequel. .However, on a general design note, I feel the  Casey Jones mask makes the same mistake as the current cartoon in trying to over-design the simple look that worked so well in the comics and first movie. What made the first design work was the simple fact it was an easy graphic design. The new movie- and the 2012 show- overcomplicate it.

NECA unveils Terminator exclusive figure - NECA is making a very nostalgia-driven exclusive for San Diego Comic Con this year. They are homaging the Kenner toyline for the film by creating a new Terminator endoskeleton figure based on the Endo-Glow Terminator figure from the line, complete with glow in the dark pieces. This is pretty cool and a perfect choice for an SDCC exclusive- a fun idea that isn't exactly essential to complete the line.

Power Rangers reboot pushed back to 2017 - Perhaps this falls more under 'pushing back the 90's', but Lionsgate has announced a push on its in-progress Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers film reboot to January 2017. This is not a good sign. January is a dumping ground for films that a studio doesn't have faith in- and with no stars attached and no shooting done, this means the movie is one step closer to simply falling apart. Hopefully, it will emerge from this with more direction and quality. However, I can't say I find that premise terribly realistic.

It Figures: Rocky Balboa

After going over a license I had attatchment to that made for a mediocre toy, I figured this week I'd go the other way, and look at a toy that impressed me enough to buy in on a license I had very little attachment to. From NECA, here's a look at Rocky Balboa from Rocky III.

NECA is surprisingly the third company to take a go at making action figures of the Italian Stallion, with a line contemporary to the third movie by Remco, and a toyline spanning the series by Jakks Pacific in the mid-2000s that gave us the infamous 'The Meat'- a novelty single-carded figure of the slab of meat that he beats up to train. Jakks at the time was pretty experienced at making modern articulated figures of muscled up men thanks to their WWE  license, so few people foresaw NECA bringing much more to the line. That notion was dispelled when the figures were revealed. Rocky is beautifully detailed with an amazingly realistic skin texture to the sculpt, and plenty of anatomical detail like raised veins.

More than that- the skin manages to look a lot more like skin than any other toy on the market, and there's a reason behind that. Because so much of the figure is uncovered skin, NECA was able to experiment in the production with mixing dye into translucent plastic. The result is a quality of reflection that is unique and manages to look almost like real skin.

But unsatisfied to beat the Jakks effort on looks alone, NECA made their Rocky line more articulated as well. Rocky has hinge-swivels in the shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles and hips, with ball-socket wrists, hinged toes and an ab-crunch. This means he can reach just about any ring pose you can think of. The sculpt, covered in veins and precise cuts, also helps to hide these joint, as do the soft rubber boxing shorts.

The combination of realism and articulation in this figure makes for an amazing piece that transcends toy and goes directly into art. Whether or not you have any attatchment to Rocky, if you like toys, the level of artisanship put into making the most realistic figure they can makes it worth it to pick up one of NECA's several figures from the Rocky line.

This Week in Geek: 4/24

A Super-size helping of news, this week, in geek!

DC Launching Super Hero Girls Initiative- This is definitely a sound idea and a step toward creating a gender equality in comics. I do not object to the basic idea behind this campaign of product or the animation. I do feel like Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are terrible choices for the simple fact they're villains, not heroes, and this would have been a perfect place for DC to rep their lesser known female heroes like Mary Marvel, Amethyst, or Iris West as Impulse.

Frank Miller writing Dark Knight Returns sequel - Now this is a DC decision I just cannot fathom. Frank Miller at this point has run the character into the ground once that got published as a sequel, again in a spin-off that's unrelated, and in another comic so terrible, he had to rewrite it with a new 'original' character. I have no idea what DC thinks is going to come out of this but if it's anything good, I will be immensely surprised.

TMNT 2 has Cast Baxter Stockman - Baxter Stockman shows that the new Ninja Turtles movies are not afraid at all to go deeper than films have gone before. Stockman was a throwaway character in the original comics- an inventor turned terrorist, whose pest-extermination robots nearly proved deadly to Master Splinter in the original comics. He was a serious figure. The good news is, Hollywood hasn't decided to white-wash him. The bad news is, he's being played by Tyler Perry. I intend to do my best to refrain from making a judgment call until I see the movie.

Sony reveals Spider-plans... Getting deja vu? Now that Marvel's gotten its word out, Sony has announced that it is creating, separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and prospective live-action Spider-Man movies that would intersect, they have hired Chris Miller and Phil Lord, the brains behind the Lego Movie, to work on an animated Spider-Man picture. This is brilliant and allows a truly unique angle on the character to be explored while not being confused with the MCU character. I'm going to call this movie a winner on Sony's part.

It Figures: Weird Al Yankovic

Today on It Figures, something a little unusual, which is itself a bit strange to say when this column usually features things like dismembered Statue of Liberty heads, muscleman Stan Lee and the Ninja Turtles cosplaying. Today's subject is an action figure of the sort I would barely qualify as an action figure. Today's subject is Weird Al Yankovic, from NECA's recent Simpsons 25th Anniversary line, which focuses on pop culture celebrities as they appeared on the famous television show.

I have very little knowledge or interest in The Simpsons. I know the general characters and the setup, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the early 90's arcade adaptation, but otherwise I could care less. The reason I felt the need to shine a light on this figure is the simple fact that there is now an action figure of Weird Al Yankovic. As a big fan, I have to say, it's a long time coming. It's interesting that the first and, thus far, only figure of him would happen in this series. A very possible explanation for this would be that his popularity was on a wane during the music action figures trend of the early 2000s. This toy itself just barely hits enough points of articulation for me to consider it a true action figure- it has swivels in the arms, neck, and waist. These just barely allow for some posing variation, and even then, the arms are clearly intended to do one thing- hold his accordion. It's a well-detailed accessory. The likeness is quite recognizably Al, even with the filter of the Simpsons art style.

Overall, this one is much more a matter of taste above all else. I can't really recommend this toy on its merits as such- it all depends on if you like Weird Al Yankovic enough to want a toy of him- and can tolerate the Simpsons enough to settle for this. It's a good toy for what it is- but what it is is very, very niche.

This Week in Geek- 4/17/15

It's heavy on the Galaxy Far, Far Away, this week, in Geek!

The Force Awakens- Teaser 2 First off, the elephant in the room. Star Wars Episode VII had a new trailer released this week- and it looks awesome. It shows off the new villain ,the new Stormtroopers, and an AMAZING set piece that looks to be a highlight of the film. So what're you doing here, if you haven't seen it, click through!

First non-film Black Series figure revealed!  Yes, Hasbro's 6" offerings are finally expanding beyond the screen, with Anakin's favorite padawan, Ahsoka Tano. I love the look of the sculpt- the people at  Hasbro did a great job making her realistic enough to blend next to their authentic likenesses in the other figures of the line.

Marvel announces Spider plans - Marvel has said though Kevin Feige that the new Spider-Man of the Marvel universe will be introduced already active, without an origina story, and will be in high school. I am personally  VERY much behind this plan and glad to not sit through a third telling of the Spider-Man origin.

Rocky Horror Picture Show to be Remade for TV.  As much as I love the idea of new Rocky Horror, I can't say I'm behind this. Glee had enough trouble with the FCC. I can't believe any form of faithful production of the show itself would be remotely possible on network television. Still, at least it could be fun, hopefully.

It Figures Special: Lady Liberty Playset

Ah, the playset. A classic part of any action figure line in the past, we are seeing less and less of them now. And as time marches on, the more iconic seem to be rising steadily in value. However, I seem to have found one that has sank to obscurity over time- the Lady Liberty playset from the 1999 X-Men action figure line. And while the reasons are understandable, I believe now is a perfect time to shine a light on it.

The interior is filled with gimmickry designed to emulate the climax of the first  X-Men film, and particularly the powers of Magneto- it has a springing trap of the statue's internal frame as well as a section of warping rubber girders. But the real star of the show is the facade- a perfectly sculpted and detailed replication of the famous lady of New York's harbors. It looks great, with the only real toyish aspect being the nameplate that adorns the front of the piece.

The main issue of this playset is that, in the line it was designed for, it was grossly out of scale. It was designed for a line of 6" figures and barely hits a foot tall without the crown.  However- 6" is no longer the dominant scale of the action figure market. Most lines now work in a 3 3/4" scale. And while still a good degree undersized  in terms of true scale, it makes for a much very fun piece for them, as there is much more to be done with the facade, which is close enough to  be taken as minor artistic license. The top of the lady is level enough to decently stand a figure on, and with figures that have modern level articulation, it's no trouble to pose a team of heroes standing all over it!

Perhaps the best part is, this is a rare playset that won't break your budget in the finding! Lady Liberty averages $10 to $15 on the aftermarket, and is definitely well worth the money if you're a Marvel fan- almost any Marvel hero you can think of is based in New York, and it makes a very nice display piece with any 3 3/4"  superhero figures.

Hot Imports: Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger

Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger (非公認戦隊アキバレンジャー) is a love-letter to nerds, straight from Japan. The show is the official parody of the long-running tokusatsu series Super Sentai.  You may not immediately recognize the words tokusatsu or Super Sentai, but the odds are you know them. Tokusatsu is a term for a genre of Japanese movies and television- the term most analogously translates to 'special effects' movie, but largely is applied to series with giant monsters, giant robots, and men in spandex. Super Sentai specifically is a franchise of tokusatsu television series. Its hallmarks include a team of color-coded heroes with martial arts skill, fighting the forces of evil using giant combining robots. If this sounds familiar to you, this is because it's precisely the hallmarks of Power Rangers, and with good reason- Power Rangers is the official United States localization of Super Sentai. Heavily cut, and with much new footage, but the core is there.

So with that explanation out of the way, Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger is a comedic deconstruction and reconstruction of Super Sentai for adults. Our lead, Nobuo Akagi, is a hopeless otaku and Super Sentai fanatic. Approached with the chance to become a Sentai leader, of course he is champing at the bit- but this is both more and less real than it seems. Nobuo has been recruited by  Hiroyo Hakase to be AkibaRed and lead the Akibarangers- a team that fights battles entirely in their minds, to protect the real world from being invaded by the Delusion World- the world of illusion and fantasy. His teammates, like Nobuo himself, reflect the typical fans of any media. Yumeria Moegi, AkibaYellow, is a cosplayer and incorrigible slash fangirl. Counterbalancing her is Mitsuki Aoyagi, the most grounded of the team. Mitsuki is the archetypical closeted fan, more cynical and worldly, with a professed interest in Super Sentai only so far as its use of martial arts.

Where do things go from there? Well, I don't intend to spoil the series- which can be easily found on licensed subtitled DVD on eBay- but as the show progresses, the bounds between the Delusion World and the real world become blurred, and it becomes increasingly metafictional, with an unexpected degree of depth for a Japanese comedy show. It's rather telling that while most normal Super Sentai get only one season, Akibaranger became beloved enough to receive a second-  and at a short 13 episodes per season, watching it is no heavy task. Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger is something we are increasingly lacking- a parody with heart and a love of what it's making fun of. And that is enough to carry the humor, by and large. If you have any investment in any internet fandom, or Power Rangers, Akibaranger is definitely worth looking at.

This Week in Geek- 4/10/15

All the News that's Fit to Blog- This Week in Geek


Play-Doh, the movie.   Yes, this is a real thing, not an April Fools' prank. I have no words to describe how absolutely creatively bankrupt this idea is. Commercial as Lego and Transformers were, they at least had toys that, to some extent, had inherent story potential. Play-doh is clay. I have no idea how this will work, but I would bet dollars to donuts 'well' is not in any version of this scenario.

Winnie The Pooh, in live-action. Again in the category of 'very bad ideas', Disney has announced a live-action adaptation of Winnie the Pooh, featuring an adult Christopher Robin revisiting the Hundred Acre Wood. This I can at least muster the will to wait to pass judgment on, since there is at least a kernel of original thought put into it.

Sesame Street- Game of Chairs  Usually, I don't link comedy skits, but I've made an exception here, for the simple fact that Game of Thrones is now mainstream enough to be the target of a Sesame Street skit. We have officially become mainstream, nerds. Rejoice!

NECA reveals Terminator: Genisys figures These are some pretty nice looking stuff, though I think it's interesting how much they look like  NECA's T2 offerings. Still, worth it for the improved legs on Arnie and hopefully, the new T-1000 will have similar updates when it reaches retail.

This Week in Geek- 4/7/15

All the news fit to nerd- this week, in Geek.

Adam West and Burt Ward to return as Batman and Robin- in animation! - At a convention appearance this weekend, the pair announced that one- and possibly more- animated films were in production in which they would reprise the parts that made them famous in the 1966 television show. I am cautiously optimistic, as the odds are these are direct-to video features, and the DC  Direct-to-video movies have been relatively spotty in the past.

Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool costume revealed!- After much on again, off-again about the production, the long-delayed Deadpool solo film is underway. Reynolds tweeted this photo of the costume- which looks, well, exactly like the comics. Even the expression is classic comics Deadpool- leading me to believe they will likely animate his mask's eyes with CGI to achieve a range of emotion from it like the comics.

Tron 3 is GO - I'm as surprised as anyone to learn that Tron 3 is happening, with the same director, and two principle cast members returning. I only hope we get a little more of, well, the main man himself, Tron in this one. He was kind of wasted in Legacy.

Stan Lee, by GoHero - GoHero is making an action figure of the most inescapable presence in the Marvel Cinematic universe- Stan Lee. The figure is high-end and looks amazing, with two headsculpts- a modern Stan as well as one based on photos of him at the time he wrote the classic silver age Marvel comics.

It Figures: Marvel Legends Infinite Series Spider-Man

Spider-Man has been made into an action figure many times over the years. He's up there with Batman, Superman, and Wolverine in stature and with multiple movies and cartoons over the years, it's no wonder that Spidey has been made into a toy hundreds of times. If you collect toys and have any fondness for him, odds are you own at least one Spider-Man. And while there are many great ones over the years, I'd say Hasbro has finally released what I would call a definitive  Spider-Man figure with their 'Infinite Series' Spider-Man in the Marvel Legends line.

The 'Infinite Series' Spider-Man at first glance seems to be just another super-articulated Spider-Man in the modern aesthetic. However, the figure delivers more in almost every area than any prior Spider-Man figure. First of note is the articulation. This is one of the most articulated Spider-Man figures to grace six-inch scale, with specially designed shoulders that allow forward-backward pivots as well as traditional swivel-hinge shoulder motion, bicep swivels, double-hinge elbows, swivel-hinge wrists, ab crunch, waist swivel, swivel-hinge hips, thigh swivels, double-hinge knees, and swivel 'rocker' ankle joints. This allows for an amazing range of movement, allowing even acrobatic poses like the one above to be accomplished without the aid of trick photography or leans.

Complementing his immense articulation are a number of interchangeable options for display- including three sets of hands. He comes packaged with the basic fists in place, but options for left and right hands in splayed 'wall crawling' stance and web-shooting pose. Also included is an alternate, halfway unmasked head- for when Spidey runs into his lady friends, of course. Alternatively, this head is perfect for when he's hungry- the last accessory that
this Spider-Man comes with is a slice of pizza that fits perfectly into one of the open-grip hands.

After years of toys that were very similar in essence, Hasbro has managed to bring something new to the table of a classic comics-inspired Spider-Man figure. As a result, I have to recommend the 'Infinite Series' Spider-Man for both new collectors looking for a first Spider-Man, and longtime collectors who've been with the line since Spider-Man Classics.

This Week In Geek- 3/23

Check out what's happening, this week in geek!

Joseph Gordon-Levitt to Produce and Star in a Fraggle Rock movie - Wow. As a big Jim Henson fan, I'm amazed this is happening. The company has announced a revival of the classic childrens' show, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Given the nature of the show as a puppet  program, how Gordon-Levitt will star is tenuous. My best guess is that he will play the owner of  the dog Sprocket, who was a different actor and character in each localization- a perfect chance for the adaptation to take liberty.

A Ninja Turtle has Died in Combat.- If this were any other comic, this would be non-news. Marvel and DC have proven that comic book deaths in their titles mean nothing in the long run. But Ninja Turtles has a history in the comics of treating death seriously- Splinter remained dead for roughly 13 years. For the sake of not spoiling I will not identify who has died, I simply note he will be missed.

'Pixels' Teaser Trailer- Regardless of personal opinion on Adam Sandler's comedy, I'd be remiss not to point out this teaser for 'Pixels'. The film's premise is deliciously nerdy- aliens recover a 'time capsule' sent into space containing examples of Earth entertainment, specifically, arcade games. The aliens misinterpret- and create real live video game characters to conquer Earth. This is an amazing concept that looks to be a very fun film.

The Monster Book of Monsters - A surprise announcement from Sideshow Collectibles this week- a prop-replica of the Monster Book of Monsters from Harry Potter! A very unique choice and one I'm certain will sell well with fans.

It Figures: Trekkin Turtles

Sometimes, two great things taste great together. This is the principle behind most brands of crossover. And today on It Figures, we look at one of the most absurd to come into being.

The products of the minds at  Playmates Toys, the Trekkin' Turtles have a clear thought process behind their insanity. Namely, that the Ninja Turtles were selling like hotcakes, and so were their Star Trek action figures. The clear answer that Playmates saw, was to create a toy that combined the two into a single product. And thus, the Trekkin' Turtles came to be.

Strange as the juxtaposition was, it was what ended up rendering the resulting designs so interesting. The Turtles are detailed thoroughly, with the Starfleet uniforms bulging and wrinkling from the contours of their shells and carapaces. Each also is more than simply dressed in the attire- they are made to represent each of the four leads of Star Trek, based vaguely around their personalities. The leader, Leonardo is decked as Captain Kirk, complete with a Shatner style mop of hair. Donatello, the brains of the team is the equally brainy Spock, complete with one hand in a Vulcan salute of sorts- humorously, he is unable to properly give it with three fingers, but the visual idea comes across. Hotheaded and bellicose, Raphael fits perfectly as Doctor McCoy, with only Michaelangelo seeming slightly miscast as Scotty. The figures came equipped with standard phaser, tricorder, and communicator- the only instances of mold-reuse from the Star Trek or TMNT lines- as well as new, uniquely designed futuristic takes on their signature ninja weapons. Strange as the combination was, it sold- and is one of the more expensive subsets of the classic line to collect, second only to the Universal Monsters Turtles that were their contemporaries!

This Week in Geek: Early March

Less than timely, but let's have a look at the biggest happenings of the nerd world, this week, in geek!

Title of the new Star Wars spinoff revealed!
The first Star Wars spinoff film has finally been announced, with an official title of Rogue One! This has created a good bit of fandom buzz, as 'Rogue One' was the callsign of Wedge Antilles, a minor character from the original trilogy who was part of a popular video game spin-off in the 90's.

New Wonder Woman costume revealed!
DC reveals the latest of Wonder Woman's costumes. She seems to be in a cycle as of late- DC tries to move away from the classic one-piece look with a more 'modern' design, fans react in disgust, and DC moves back to the one piece. When DC will realize the one-piece just works is not evident.

Tim Burton to direct a live-action Dumbo
I take this as very clear proof  Disney's live-action studios operate largely on throwing darts at a wall filled with things they own and pulling directors from a hat. It's the only thing that could possibly explain the idea of Dumbo in live-action, much less from Tim Burton.

First look at TV's Supergirl
So, the first picture is out of Melissa Benoist as Supergirl for the upcoming TV series. All I can really say is, well, that's Supergirl. And that is not a bad thing- in fact, it's great. It means they've kept enough of the costume that it's pure, iconic Supergirl look. Yes, it's mildly desaturated, but that might be lighting messing with the image- it's happened before. So the hopes reach higher for the Maid of  Might. Here's hoping we're not let down.

Lostalgia: Super 8

My makeshift setup for my Dualux, showing a frame
 from 'Cinderella's Fairy Godmother', an extract from
Disney's 'Cinderella'.

Nostalgia is defined as "a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life"- a fond yearning for your past. From this I have arrived at a secondary concept that I intend to visit in a column- 'lostalgia'. Lostalgia occurs when one experiences a fondness like nostalgia for a thing one was not acquainted with before. Here, I will be exploring my latest object of lostalgia- 8 millimeter films.

I use the general 8 millimeter as technically, there are two formats. Standard 8 millimeter film, and the latecomer Super 8. The format came to prominence first as a format for the recording of home movies. However, soon enough the idea was hit of producing films on the format, and as such, 8 millimeter became the first format of home video. The projectors often varied in reel capacity and sound capability, and as such, most features were cost prohibitive from reel numbers or size. This resulted in some rather creative solutions on part of the studios. The most common is the 'digest' film. The 'digest' film attempts to offer the overall flavor and plot of a film in a highly abridged format, often without the aid of sound either. Most often available in 200 foot or 400 foot reels, the digest usually runs 10 to twenty minutes. Often a company would release separate digests in each size, each focusing on different parts of a film. For example, the Godzilla film 'Ghidrah, the Three Headed Monster' had two silent digests- one 200 foot digest focused on the first fight of the film, and one 400 foot focused on the ending. Similarly, Star Wars had a 200 foot digest that focused on the climactic Death Star trench sequence while a 400 foot digest told the entire story. The other popular way to publish a film was the extract format. The extract format would take a single scene that in itself would be sold as a short subject on Super 8. Comedy and animation often used this format with its animated features, often releasing even cheaper 50 foot reels of single scene gags and the like.

What brought me to the format personally, was an old Sankyo Dualux 2000H, mint in box, we found cleaning out my grandparents' house. Faced with the prospect of having one, I couldn't resist buying a few films to see what it was like. The abridgments themselves are also often interesting to see- though admittedly many have popped up all over the internet, such as this Youtube posting of Castle Films' 8 minute abridging of Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman. The film experience does add to the character of watching a Super 8 film- the audible whir of the spindle motor and the manual threading and focus. It adds a kind of investment that might seem small but keeps you focused on the film, perhaps moreso than modern, easier means. Super 8 is far from dead either- a die-hard fanbase keeps hobby prints around, even of modern films! So if you can get the equipment without dropping much on it, Super 8 is a very fun bit of novelty lostalgia to experience.

Test of Play: Munchkin Adventure Time!

Introducing another thing I intend to attempt to do fairly regularly in the future- quick tabletop game reviews. This time, I'm taking a look at the newest edition of Steve Jackson Games' Munchkin. Munchkin Adventure Time is much like prior themed versions of the game- cross-compatible, largely built off the same mechanics as basic munchkin. "It reminds me of a really funny version of D&D [Dungeons and Dragons] but with cards," says one enthusiastic player. 

And indeed, the core concept is very much rooted in classic tabletop role play. The main task for players is to advance through a 'dungeon' by drawing cards to break through doors, fight monsters, and loot rooms, gaining levels- and the first player to level ten wins the game. This bears quite a resemblance to tabletops, especially in the view of the kind of player it was named for- the 'munchkin', the player who focuses sheerly on their characters' stats and the best ways to play the rules to their own advantage.

However, Munchkin Adventure Time adds a new element to the mix- Characters. Much like Star Trek Catan, the character cards add triggered or inherent abilities for each player. A very nice element of the cards is that they are sensitive to the game's habitual tendency to reverse and generally play with the players' gender- each has the canonical Fionna and Cake equivalent on the back, and starts with the player's gender- so a girl might start with Marcelline, but a boy with Marshall Lee. It's nice and makes sense for a slightly younger skewed set of Munchkin- much as it is fun for all ages, Adventure Time is primarily a childrens' show, and this set is clearly aiming to be accessible to that set, with more defined rules and many more deliberate table-related effects. A creature card in this edition has additional strength if 'something sweet' is on the table, for instance, and another for if there is a beverage.

So, is Munchkin Adventure Time worth venturing your time? I'd say yes- perhaps even especially if you're a new player. Munchkin Adventure Time has the benefit of a price tag lower than any full Munchkin set, thanks to being a coproduction with USAopoly, So unless you have some distaste for the show itself such that it would color your experience, Munchkin Adventure Time makes a very nice jumping on point for a player who's never tried Munchkin before. All in all, I have to recommend it.

This Week in Geek- Bringing Back the 80's

With the Toyfair behind us, we turn an eye to what happened elsewhere. We've got something of a theme in nerd news of late- a resurgence of 80's franchises. See how Hollywood's bringing back the 80's, this week,in geek!

Dean Cain and Helen Slater join CBS' Supergirl

Former Superman and Supergirl Dean Cain and Helen Slater have now been confirmed for roles on the TV drama- no news yet who. Here's hoping to see Dean in the spandex with modern effects!

Harrison Ford to return in Blade Runner sequel

In another surprise return, Harrison Ford has been signed onto a Blade Runner sequel, to return as Rick Deckard. My only request is that they keep it to the viewer if Deckard is a replicant.

'Jem' movie produces first image

Jem and the Holograms. If I had to pick a toyline I never thought would get a feature film, Jem and the Holograms would be it. The first image confirms the movie seems to be going for the neon 80's style of the toys- truly outrageous.

Disney announces DuckTales revival

In other 80's revival news, Disney is working on a revival of DuckTales for the Disney XD cable channel. The show is set to get to air in 2017. Until then, I think it's safe to assume every day, they're out there making DuckTales. (Woo-oo!)

Geek Retrospective: It's All in the Cards!

Collectible Card Games are perhaps the most recent of geek pastimes, having emerged in the early 1990s. It's surprising perhaps that it took so long for the concept to happen. On paper, it's a simple idea and seems to be a very easy way to play on the existing trading card industry. However, the origin of the phenomena came not from Topps, Skybox, or any of the companies that made their living on cards. No, the CCG was a throwaway idea from an employee at Wizards of the Coast. Richard Garfield, who was challenged to create a game that would pay for RoboRally, a game he had pitched to Wizards of the Coast. The game had to have a minimal cost to produce, and take 15-20 minutes to play. Garfield created Magic: The Gathering in 1991 as 'Manaclash'. He sold this to Wizards through a shell company, Garfield Games, so that he would get a larger share of any potential profits. However, neither side could have foreseen the reaction the game caused.
 In 1993, Magic: The Gathering debuted at the Origins Game Fair in Fort Worth,Texas. The first run of cards from August ran out quickly enough to need a reissue as a Beta set in October, its first expansion coming that December.Magic was a phenomena- many stores were unable to keep the game on shelves. Like most successes in the early 90's, this led to a glut of others trying their own spin on the CCG phenomenon. By 1994, Star Trek had seen its way with a game by Decipher. In 1995, Star Wars joined Star Trek on the shelves, quickly taking the number two slot behind Magic, even as many of the games in fell in popularity. Wizards sailed along- only getting bigger with a chance license.
The Pokemon Trading Card Game was brought over from Japan in 1999, under license to Wizards of the Coast, and using similar mechanics to Magic the Gathering. As Pokemon became a juggernaut in and of itself, the card game benefited, It became the first card game to outsell Magic: The Gathering in cards. However, this attracted the attention of another Pokemon licensee- toymaker Hasbro. Hasbro purchased Wizards several months later, gaining the two most successful trading card games on the market.
While licenses dot the intervening history, only one other notable lasting franchise launched- Yu-Gi-Oh. Yu-Gi-Oh itself has an interesting origin. It was conceived first for fiction. The game was conceived for the anime, and the show was written without a firm set of rules. The result was a game with a strange set of rules that later firmed into a rather enjoyable game that continues to this day.
Now, the collectible card game is a staple. If a license gets large enough, odds are that a card game will happen. And all this nearly didn't- if Wizards of the Coast had had faith in Garfield's RoboRally, Magic: the Gathering would not exist. Trading cards are a dying breed as is- it's probably a good thing that CCGs came along and gave them a shot in the arm when they did.

This Week in Geek: Toyfair Roundup!

Well, Toyfair's come and gone, and the companies have had time to release their official images now. Let's take a look and see the new merchandise we have to look forward to, this week in geek!


Quarter Scale Superman

In the past few years, we've had a few different Christopher Reeve Superman figures, but most have been lacking in terms of likeness and paint work- to this point, only Hot Toys has attained universal praise. NECA though unveiled this surprise at Toyfair- a quarter scale (18") figure of Christopher Reeve as Superman, complete with cloth cape. The likeness is spot-on, and while cloth has been a hinderance on some past DC figures, NECA made it work on their Adam West Batman, so this is a figure to look out for.

 Mattel DC Reveals

Speaking of Adam West, completist collectors will be swimming with him if they want the newest releases from Mattel.. Mattel is reissuing its Batman 66 figure line, with no changes or additions. To add insult to injury, there will be one new figure- an Yvonne Craig Batgirl, in a three-pack with the already-released Batman and Robin. These figures also show up in a new rerelease of the 1966 Batmobile playset. The only other item of much note is yet another Adam West Batman- this time with a 'To the Batcave' playset, which consists of several pieces of environment, and an interchangeable Bruce Wayne head.

Hasbro's Ant Man

Hasbro debuted its toy plans for upcoming Marvel movie Ant Man at Toyfair, and some of them look pretty cool. Appropriately enough, the size-changing hero is being released in 3 3/4", 6", and 12" sizes, with perhaps the most playable being the 3 3/4" version. The figure is fairly standard in itself- but the 3 3/4" version comes packed with a large winged ant he can ride!

Samurai Darth Vader

Bluefin almost never has any real 'debuts' for Toyfair, but this has to be one of the biggest surprises we've seen there. Hasbro is allowing Bluefin to distribute Bandai's 'Movie Realization' Star Wars figures. These are very nice original designs that reinterpret Darth Vader and Stormtrooper armors into traditional Samurai armor.

NECA Ultimate T-800

After testing the waters for reissues with its  Ultimate Freddy, NECA revealed at Toyfair this Ultimate release of its Terminator 2 T-800. This fixes what most fans found the biggest issue on the Terminator line- its lack of articulation in the figures.

It Figures: Standor

Kind of an unintentional continuation of a theme here today on It Figures, though you wouldn't know it from the name. Today's featured toy is definitely going to require a little bit more backstory than the last. So take a look left and see if you can figure who this is before I have it out. There's a good old No-Prize if you do!

In 2008, Mattel brought back the long-dormant Masters of the Universe line of action figures- but not to store shelves. They started the line on a very provisional basis, released online only, and largely supported by a subscription service model. The line and the model were a success, becoming a premier collectors' toyline and spawning several other lower-than-retail-demand toylines on the same financial model. Six years and one hundred and forty one figures later, the line is still going strong. So strong that Comikaze New York wants an exclusive figure. Racking their brains, Mattel's braintrust gets in contact with the man behind the con, and a figure is born- enter, Standor!


Much easier of a guess unmasked, Standor is none other than an alter-ego of Marvel superhero creator, Stan Lee! Yes, Standor is an action figure of Stan Lee as a blue space muscleman. Comikaze is created and run by Stan, and the idea behind Standor was to have fun with applying Stan's creativity and authority to the figure's backstory. Within the Masters of the  Universe canon, every figure has a place, even a novelty like Standor. Standor was granted a place among the Eternian pantheon in the canon of the line, a "cosmic being of unlimited imagination" whose magic caused the universe to form life! Quite the way to pay homage to the man who wrote a large part of one of the biggest fictitious universes in existance. Standor was a very good idea for an exclusive- a character who isn't exactly essential to the story, but is a very fun novelty for those who were lucky enough to get their hands on him.

"Look, kid, if you want pecs like these, you gotta work at 'em!"

This Week in Geek- Pre-Toy Fair Roundup!

Toy Fair starts tomorrow- so of course, all the leaks and news outlet exclusive reveals are coming out. Here's a round up of some of the biggest news, in a special Pre-Toy Fair round-up on This Week in Geek!

DC Direct Batman the Animated Series Batmobile

One of the most unexpected reveals of the week has been DC Collectibles' revelation of an electronic Batmobile to scale with their 6" Batman the Animated Series line of figures, due later this year. We always hear from manufacturers that vehicles and playsets are 'too cost-prohibitive now', so it's amazing to get a nice scaled Batmobile- especially at the $99 MSRP. Mattel's  Arkham Knight Batmobile- the most recent collector-oriented version- bore the same price-tag, despite being made for figures half the size, so either industry is lying or DC is really expecting to sell to undercut prices.

Hot Toys Ultron Prime

On a piece bordering movie news and toy news, Hot Toys has released its full reveal of their Ultron Prime from the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron. This is about the best and most comprehensive look fans have had at the design- since Hot Toys figures are nearly perfect representations of their on-screen counterparts.

NECA Aliens to include Ripley, half of Bishop.

After being the first to nab Sigourney Weaver's likeness rights, NECA has confirmed and shown off their in-progress version of the Ripley character as she appeared in Aliens- and confirmed that we'll also be getting a Final Battle Bishop. Yes, the android torn in half by the Queen is getting a figure torn in half.

Funko Legacy Rocketeer, Firefly

And lastly, through a Facebook fangroup, we have leaked looks at a pair of cult classics finally getting action figures through Funko's Legacy series- pulpy superhero the Rocketeer, and the crew of Serenity from Firefly.

This Week in Geek- Pre-ToyFair

The New York Toy Fair is happening this week and the leaks are already happening- so I'm doing something a little different with This Week In Geek. This first entry today is going to omit toy related stories- and publish a pre-Toy Fair roundup tomorrow when I have enough to fill a whole news post.

Spider-Man Swings into the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Inarguably the biggest movie news of the week, Marvel and Sony finally hammered out some terms after months of will they or won't they disrupted by the Sony hacking scandal. The answer is- they will. Spider-Man is set to appear first in an MCU film, before spinning into a new solo picture by Sony- overseen by the MCU creative team. It's a good time to be a geek.

Netflix to produce a Legend of Zelda series ?

This one came as a total blindside. Nintendo is generally very guarded in the modern era about adapting their characters- the last adaptation of Mario happened in 1993, Zelda even further back. Even its most current adaptation is Pokemon, a series that this year turns 18. Will it work? Maybe. The writers have a blessing and a curse in Link's lack of dialogue in games- they have to either define him in a way people can accept, or leave him undefined enough people can fill in. Either way, their work is cut out for them, if this pans out.

Our first look behind the scenes of Spectre

The new James Bond is underway- and in our first look at its filming, it promises beautiful scenery as a backdrop for at least one action sequence. The new film will be the first in years to return to the iconic evil organization- MGM only recently resolved the issue of the rights with Fleming collaborator Kevin McClory's estate.

Ripley to return in a Blomkamp helmed Aliens film?

Months ago, various images of unused concept art from an unsolicited Neil Blomkamp pitch for an Alien sequel hit the web- the art raised a lot of eyebrows, with a Ripley in some form of xenomorph spacesuit and Michael Biehn sporting a disfigured face. Blomkamp has now formally revealed Fox is interested- and the ball is in his court.

It Figures: J Jonah Jameson

Hello, and welcome to the inaugural It Figures, a new column where I shine a spotlight on action figures past and present that are worth taking a look at. These figures might be new or old, obscure or mainstream. But for this first installment, I've used a figure that I was on the search for the better part of 12 years.

There are a plethora of interesting characters in the world of Spider-Man- heroes, villains, but in the stories, the most important are often the supporting cast. However, when one considers action figures, these are often the last you would expect to see. However, in 2002, Toy Biz decided to create a line of figures based on the Spider-Man movie- which had only one superhero, and one supervillain. This is how we managed to get an action figure of perhaps Peter Parker's greatest nemesis... J. Jonah Jameson. Yes, editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, leader of the Spider-Man hate club, finally had a modern action figure. Now you too could make the old miser sputter fruitlessly at his desk.

"I want pictures! Pictures of Spider-Man!"

Though important to the stories, Jameson's design is fairly mundane- but this action figure captures the nuances very well, Thanks to ironclad contracts, it even bears a rather good likeness to character actor J.K. Simmons, who played Jameson in the film! He's fairly pre-posed, though it's a pose that works for the character- pointing with a serious scowl. You can almost hear him yelling at poor Peter. This pose feeds into the next point- Jameson's accessories. Jameson comes with an office chair and a desk with non-removable office supplies attatched but on loose spring-loaded panels. This is to facilitate the closest Jameson gets to action. The figure has a lever on the back- which causes Jameson to slam his fist on the desk and rattle its contents when pulled. It's a clever feature and one that only slightly restricts the articulation of the toy. It also creates a pre-made display, which is great for collectors.


Well, that's it for our first It Figures- though there are more pictures after the jump.

Pre-Release Review- Kingsman: The Secret Service

A film like Kingsman: The Secret Service rarely works in practice. I'm pleased to report that Matthew Vaughn has managed to make a wonderful film that functions as a send-up and as a spy movie. The film, an adaptation of the graphic novel by Mark Millar, follows everyday teenager Eggsy as he is inducted and trained as a spy for the titular espionage organization, the Kingsmen. The film is a visual delight, full of witty writing and a distinct visual style.

The opening immediately sets the tone for the action and humor to follow, with a raid on a middle-eastern compound scored to the Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing". However, the rock disappears as the action intensifies and we are shown the dichotomy this film presents- as we solemnly pause for a single death. One of the more interesting elements the framing of this film chooses to bring to your attention as a viewer is the contraditctions of the emotional scale. A single man dying is a tragedy- but a mass of them is a joke.

The man felled is the father of our protagonist, Eggsy. Taron Egerton here shows much promise, playing the role of the juvenile delinquent cum aspiring spy rather well. Eggsy's home situation with his mother's abusive boyfriend is played with much gravity to the credit of the filmmakers. The film takes the characters and more realistic situations with all the seriousness they deserve- making it all the more a joy when Colin Firth's agent Galahad gives said boyfriend an intensely violent lesson in manners in the process of recruiting Eggsy to the Kingsmen.

But as Galahad himself remarks in a rather meta exchange, a spy movie is “only as good as their villains”. Our organization's foe is the comically squeamish Richmond Valentine- a billionaire convinced humanity is a virus, who plans on causing the death of the many to allow the few to rebuild the Earth in a culling. A stellar performance by Samuel L. Jackson makes Valentine the kind of memorable villain James Bond has been trying to create for a while- and of course, he has a henchwoman with a gimmick. Gazelle, played by Sofia Boutella, has some of the most inventive fight choreography of the film, thanks to her prosthetic bladed feet. The plan is grand, and the stage is set as Eggsy is led through training to become a Kingsman.

The outcome of this plot is all rather typical in general structure but made engaging and interesting through the use of a very distinct visual style, liberal use of extreme stylized violence, and a good helping of comedy and self-awareness. At one point, Galahad is posing as a billionaire to get information out of Valentine, and the pair has a discussion directly referencing the fanciful James Bond movies that this film makes a job of deconstructing and reconstructing. The film also has rather clear themes throughout of how violence should be- and isn't- a last resort in our world, and less subtly, a through plot that comments on the obsolescence of class systems.

Intelligent, violent, fast-paced and fun, Kingsman: The Secret Service is a rare send-up that legitimately works as an example of the genre, in the vein of Galaxy Quest or Men in Black. The action is stylish, the parts well-played, the script well-written. If the film has an Achilles' heel, it's going for the R-Rating with language. It gives the movie a much more edgy feel at the expense of losing a little bit of the usual spy-movie luster. But like Valentine says... “This ain't that kind of movie.”


Disclaimer- This film was seen at a free preview screening. Despite this I have tried not to let this affect my review of the film.

This Week in Geek- Early Edition

We've had a bit of an interesting week for geek news- interesting enough I'm taking a look at some of it early. See what's happened so far, this week in geek!

Marvel Lego SHIELD Helicarrier.
Lego has leaked pictures of a set fans have wanted for a while, a SHIELD Helicarrier from Avengers! At 3000 pieces and $350 price, though, this is a huge investment of money and time- clearly, this is for the most enthusiastic of fans.

Terminator Genisys- new poster and teaser!
The latest Terminator film wants you to know- he's back. Arnold looks better than ever on the new poster for Terminator Genisys. This movie has a lot of hurdles to handle if it's going to be better than the two that proceeded it- but if these are indicative, it might just do it.

Chris Pratt is the new Indiana Jones?
I know- he's funny. I don't deny it. But why does Indiana Jones need a reboot? I admit, I asked the same question a few years back when Rise of the Planet of the Apes was on the horizon, but until and unless there's some clear, interesting angle, I don't think Indy is a film series that needs to be reset.

New Ghostbusters is all-female, cast announced.
This one I'm willing to give a chance on principle- it has a basic shift of the premise that might have some novel ideas. An all-girl team fundamentally introduces the idea of different dynamic of humor to the original and could theoretically be interesting. However, until we see anything concrete, I don't intend to judge either way.

Why Windblade?: A Brief History of Gender in Transformers

Windblade- the Fan Built Bot.

With the recent release of Windblade- the first original female character in a long while for the brand- I feel now might be a good time for a discussion- a brief history of gender in the Transformers. Windblade is a character created through polls, by committee of fans through a promotion called the 'Fan Built Bot'. They voted on everything- down to gender. This might to a casual reader seem strange- they're robots, after all, why do they have genders? And for a couple years of the Generation 1 cartoon and comic in the 80's, this was true. The cartoon lacked explication- but the comic established a lore in which the Transformers were agender, but used male pronouns for convenience- generally accepted as a translation convention since none of the characters spoke English natively.

Season two of the cartoon, however, challenged this presumption by creating a group of female Transformers active on Cybertron in the backstory of Optimus Prime, Shockwave comments in this episode he thought female Autobots were extinct- and since the episode itself was a flashback, it doesn't disrupt the cartoon's continuity at all. However, at this point, the comic had clearly established itself as separate- and it kept its agender lore in place. But the 1985 movie kicking off season 3 introduced a female main character to the cast of the cartoon- pink and white, classically beautiful  Arcee. Pressed with Arcee by corporate mandate, Simon Furman wrote the story Prime's Rib- taking place in the future time frame before the film as a satire. In the far-flung year of 1995, Feminists unwilling to understand the Transformers' nature stir against the Autobots, calling them sexist due to their lack of females. Optimus Prime built Arcee to appease them- and they are not amused with her design, believing her a 'token effort' that is 'degrading to women.' The story was a one-off for the comic, Arcee never appeared in the comics afterwards- though she remained through the run of Generation 1.

Continuities since have generally stuck with depictions of Arcee and or the others of the flashback characters as the only notable females in permutations of the normal setting- the exception to this rule being one migrant from the Beast Wars continuities- Blackarachnia, the femme fatale of the Beast Wars cartoon. However, as the brand gained female fans in the internet age, this became an issue- fans took offense and there was a backlash. This was made no better when Simon Furman, working on the new IDW Generation 1 comic, made female Transformers the result of a mad scientist tampering with the genome to see what would happen.

And this, in short, brings us to where Windblade enters the Transformers' story. She was part of a stranded colony of Transformers- who naturally evolved gender over time. Like many elements of Transformers biology, this seems to raise further questions, but for the sake of narrative is easiest to simply take at face value. To this day there is a large disparity- 65 females to 704 males in thirty years of Transformers fiction. This is easily explained by demographic- but a ten-to-one ratio is not a good model for kids of any gender. Windblade was a fans' choice- and maybe Hasbro should look to why the choice was made.

This Week in Geek- Week of January 23, 2015

Let's take a look around the web and take a general stock of geek news- this week in geek!

"Strange Magic" on Rotten Tomatoes
Lucasfilms' latest feature, Strange Magic opens up on the 23rd- reviews are out and according to Rotten Tomatoes' aggregate, critics agree- it is strange. Magic, however, seems to be lacking.

The Iron Giant Deluxe Figure
Mondo, a company new to the collectibles arena, has opened preorders for the first action figure in 16 years based on the animated cult classic, The Iron Giant.

DC Collectibles August 2015 Solicits
DC Collectibles has announced its August slate. Pleasantly surprising many, it includes a deluxe figure and vehicle set for their popular new Batman the Animated Series line- Roxy Rocket and her famed rocket.

Simon Pegg Co-Writing ‘Star Trek 3′
It was announced yesterday that the actor who plays Scotty in the rebooted film series will be stepping into a creative role in addition to the famed engineer in the newest entry, co-writing the film with Doug Jung.


That's all for now, but come back next week for another round of This Week in Geek!

The Father of All Action Figures: G.I. Joe

Left to right- 1964 original G.I. Joe,
2013 current G.I. Joe, and
1993 'Real American Hero' 'Chun Li'. 

     Before the commencement of posting proper, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on a friend, a countryman- a moment of respect for G.I. Joe. Pictured far left, G.I. Joe was the original action figure. Marketed as 'America's Movable Fighting Man', the 12" G.I. Joe first hit store shelves in 1964. A few prominent features of the classic toy were in fact made to render the design able to be trademarked- the scar on his cheek and an inverted thumbnail on the right hand. The word 'doll' was feminine- so the team at Hasbro developed the term 'action figure'. And thus was born a market. But Joe was somewhat short-lived, at least as a serviceman- the line was reimagined as an 'Adventure Team' as sentiment mounted against war in the late 60's, and the G.I. Joe line was dormant by the end of 1976.
     However, G.I. Joe did not rest for long. In 1982, G.I. Joe would return. By that point, action figures had become much simpler in mobility, because most action figures were produced in a smaller, 3 3/4" scale.  But while most of its contemporaries maxed out at five points of swivel articulation- the four limbs and a neck- G.I. Joe went above and beyond the call of duty. The standard G.I. Joe of the Real American Hero line had a whopping 12 points of articulation, with new design concepts like ball joints and a unique rubber-band waist joint. Since then, versions of this Real American Hero line have been a test-bed for action-figure innovations, allowing Hasbro to develop ideas they would translate to other action figure lines such as Star Wars and Marvel Universe, and the line continues to this day.
    First and a continuing innovator, G.I. Joe is a cornerstone of geek history. Without G.I. Joe, there would be no action figures- and without action figures, there would be no Transformers, no Masters of the Universe, no Power Rangers- not to mention no way to tangibly show your dedication to your own favorite geeky fandom! G.I. Joe, we salute thee- for what you are and what you have done for geeks everywhere.