The Penguin - B:TAS (DC Collectibles)

Oswald Cobblepot is the character whose design is most greatly influenced by "Batman Returns." The Penguin is slightly less gross in his animated form than Danny DeVito was in the film. But it's certainly a less colourful look than his comics counterpart. I'm solidly in the "B:TAS" camp as opposed to the "New Adventures" looks but the Penguin might be the one case where I prefer the redesign. The New Adventures cast Penguin as the semi-legitimate owner of the Iceberg Lounge, got rid of the funky flipper fingers, gave him a haircut and tossed him into a tuxedo. This figure is fun though the articulation is quite limited because of his rotundity.

Joker - B:TAS (DC Collectibles)

I don't think anyone can dispute that the Joker is Batman's greatest foe. The B:TAS version is one of the best depictions of the Joker largely due to Mark Hamill's outstanding voice work. This figure has the standard articulation for the line and comes with a pearl necklace, a telescope, a bubble helmet, an ice pick, and a comb. This figure captures the madness and frantic creepiness of the animated Joker design.

Ultra Hero Best Set 01 (Bandai Sofubi)

One of my first Ultra Hero purchases was a set of the first six Ultramen: Ultraman, Zoffy, Ultraseven, Ultraman Jack, Ultraman Ace, and Ultraman Taro. Click on their names to jump down to their profile or click the Space Garrison to see more group shots.

 

 

Tea Trader Sour Cherry Moringa

Sour Cherry Moringa is a new tea at Tea Trader. It is a blend of rooibos, moringa leaves, and sour cherries. The flavour of the sour cherries is pleasantly tart, not overpowering. I think if they used regular cherries the resulting tea would be too sweet. The Moringa tree is native to the Himalayas and its various parts have been used in traditional culinary and medicinal applications. The moringa leaves add an herbaceous quality to the beverage and up the tanginess.

I really like this one. It's got a nice flavour, the traditional reddish rooibos colour, and a full bouquet. I don't comment on any purported health benefits of any tea ingredients and in a refreshing change of pace Tea Trader doesn't try to sell the moringa as anything magical. I respect that.

Highly recommended.

For more info follow the link: http://www.teatrader.com/

Voltron: Legendary Defender (Playmates)

"FORM VOLTRON!" Here's the bit you've all been waiting for: the Legendary class lions combined as the Defender of the Universe, Voltron. This guy is massive. It's so tall it didn't really fit in the photo box so I made due but apologize in advance for the lower quality of photos. Voltron's knees bend well but it's hard to make good use of that articulation. The elbows are pretty limited but since the lion heads swivel it's not dire. I'm very pleased to finally own a Voltron and this one is pretty darn good. Hopefully I'll stay satisfied with the Legendary Defender and not open the floodgates to find a classic version (like the exceptionally engineered and atrociously expensive Soul of Chogokin version).

Voltron Legendary Black Lion

The Black Lion forms the head and body of Voltron. Paladin Shiro escapes from the Galra after being forced to fight as a gladiator. He is the leader of the Paladins which allows him to pilot the Guardian Spirit of Sky. In the show the Black Lion has the same mouth cannon and tail blaster as the other lions but because this version transforms those details are slightly different. Shiro is also able to manifest a blade the Black Lion holds in its mouth similar to ones that came with the original Voltron toys. As this lion is bigger than the others and has electronics the only accessory it comes with is a pilot Shiro. The lights and sounds are more for Voltron than the Black Lion so we'll save those for next time. Ditto the torso mode.

Voltron Legendary Red Lion

Keith finds the Red Lion on a Galra ship during the attack on Planet Arus. As the Guardian Spirit of Fire the Red Lion is the most volatile of the lions matching its paladin's personality perfectly. Keith was expelled from the Galaxy Garrison for disciplinary issues stemming from his rebellious spirit. The Red Lion comes with pilot Keith, a magma beam, and the second half of Voltron's sword.

Voltron Legendary Green Lion

Third to be rediscovered was the Green Lion, the Guardian Spirit of the Forest. The Green Lion is piloted by my favourite character Pidge Gunderson. Pidge is the smart one but has a tragic backstory and is hiding a secret for the first few episodes. Pidge is great. The Green Lion comes with a vine beam, Voltron's shield, half of Voltron's sword (which we'll see another day).

Voltron Legendary Yellow Lion

The Guardian Spirit of Land is the Yellow Lion, the second of the lions to be discovered by the new paladins. It's pilot is Hunk, the big guy who likes to eat, a character trait that has a long history of being associated with the colour yellow dating back to the first Super Sentai series Goranger. Hunk is also strong and true, and often the voice of reason and caution. He also tends to vomit a lot.

Tea Trader Star Ruby Rooibos

Tonight we're trying the Star Ruby Rooibos from Tea Trader. We just got back from our new Tai Chi class and a refreshing grapefruit and pomegranate flavoured rooibos sounded like just the trick.

The flavour is light and subtle. The citrus notes blend well with the sweeter pomegranate and the rooibos backs it all up.  I think I would've liked it a bit stronger but that could just be how much we put in the teapot tonight. Mrs. ISMOTU says "it tastes like what it's supposed to" which is actually a pretty good endorsement. Some flavoured teas just end up tasting like sweet and tea. This one is distinct and delicious.

Highly Recommended.

For more info follow the link: http://www.teatrader.com/

Voltron Legendary Blue Lion

The first of the Voltron lions to be rediscovered in the fantastic Netflix series Voltron: Legendary Defender was the Blue Lion by its pilot Lance who fulfils the role of goofball/wannabe Casanova in the modern group of paladins. The Blue Lion is the "Guardian Spirit of Water" and comes with an ice ray and and a pilot Lance "figure" that docks in the lion's chest. As a legendary class figure the Blue Lion can transform into a leg and combine with the other figures to form Voltron! And really when it comes to Voltron why would want toys that didn't combine. My older cousin had an original Voltron when we were kids and I thought it was the coolest thing ever despite having never really seen the show. Bandai Tamashii Nations is giving Voltron (or GoLion) the Soul of Chogokin treatment which looks amazing but is WAAAAAYYY out of my price range. Plus the new show is what I've connected with so here we are. And yes the rest of the Voltron Force is not far behind though I've decided slow down the frequency of my posts a bit.

Battle Armour Skeletor & Moss Man (Masters of the Universe Minis)

The second set of Masters of the Universe Minis has Battle Armour Skeletor and He-Man's ally Moss Man. Jump to both

The Ice Warriors (Doctor Who)

In honour of last night's episode of Doctor Who "Empress of Mars" I've trotted out the two Ice Warrior figures I've got. The Ice Warriors are a reptilian race, indigenous to Mars who live encased in cybernetic armour. They first appeared in a 1967 serial with Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor. I've had a fascination with Mars from an early age so when I discovered the Ice Warriors their Martian heritage made them favourites of mine. As Doctor Who monsters go the Ice Warriors were used fairly sparingly appearing in only 4 serials in the original run of the show.

Both figures are based on the modern design introduced in the Eleventh Doctor episode "Cold War" and represent the character Grand Marshal Skaldak. The first figure is actually an Eaglemoss Collections 1:21 scale statue. He's got no articulation but the sculpting and paint is amazing. The second is the Underground Toys 3.75" figure. Articulation is limited but better than I expected honestly.

Eaglemoss ○ Underground Toys ○ Ice Warriors Unite!

Catwoman - B:TAS (DC Collectibles)

Selina Kyle is Catwoman, one of Batman's most recognizable foes and one of the few that tries to get into his pants. Her animated series appearance takes the 1980's/Batman Returns catsuit but gives it a classic tweak. The black and grey are very reminiscent of the bat himself though her belt looks like she stole it from Black Widow's 1970s wardrobe. It's a sleek look that works quite well. Her leg articulation is not great as is typical with these figures but her arms and neck are good.

Firestorm: One Nerd's History

Inspired by my recent (well they were recent when I started writing this) posts of the various Firestorm action figures I own I had initially planned on a post showcasing the various costumes Firestorm has sported over the years. That led to me re-reading some Firestorm comics and the result was an expansion of the scope of this post. Now I plan chronicle not only the aesthetic changes the Nuclear Man has undergone but also my personal trek into Firestorm fandom. This will not be a detailed history as others have already covered that ground online.

Brawn Legends Class Figure (Titans Return)

Brawn is one of the original Autobots. In fact his G1 toy was first released as part of the pre-Transformers Micro Change line. He's a scrappy little brawler. Brawn is one of the better legends class figures recently. His roof becomes a shield that pegs onto his arm. He's sturdy in both modes as befits his name.

Fire Golza Spark Doll Sofubi

Fire Golza is a powered up version of Ultraman Tiga's foe Golza. Golza first appeared in episode one of Ultraman Tiga and returned in episode 18 as Fire Golza. I've only watched the first 6 episodes of Ultraman Tiga, which was the first of the modern Ultraman Series and unconnected from the original continuity. This spark doll version can swivel its tail and arms. I really like the orange lava-like veins and rocky texture. The head armour looks a bit helmetish but it's not too distracting.

Quickswitch Body All Titan Masters Gallery

Here is perhaps the nerdiest endeavour on this blog. I've taken pictures of all my Titans Return figures with all of the different Titan Master heads on them. These galleries will be updated as more Titan Masters are acquired. The heads are in no particular order after the first which is the head that "belongs" on the body.

Green Ranger/DragonRanger (Power Rangers Legacy)

Everyone's favourite ponytailed "bad boy" Tommy the Green Ranger from the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers.

Or if you're a bit of a snobby Japanese purist Yamato Tribe Knight Burai, the previously unknown older brother of the TyrannoRanger Geki from Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger. Burai is the first official sixth ranger to join a Super Sentai team and if you watch Zyuranger the whole thing with the green candle is actually a lot more poignant. The DragonRanger comes armed with his Zyusoken dagger/flute which summons Dragon Caesar and the corruptive Devil Sword Hellfriede that the evil witch Bandora gives Burai to encourage him to fight the Zyurangers. One great thing about Power Rangers was that they kept the original music played when summoning the Dragonzord. It totally didn't fit with the electric guitar rock anthem that was the Power Rangers theme song but many a kid from the 90's will recognize it. This figure is pretty well articulated for not being a fancy Tamashii Nations release.

Nautica Body All Titan Masters Gallery

Here is perhaps the nerdiest endeavour on this blog. I've taken pictures of all my Titans Return figures with all of the different Titan Master heads on them. These galleries will be updated as more Titan Masters are acquired. The heads are in no particular order after the first which is the head that "belongs" on the body.

Sam Wilson, Captain America (Marvel Legends Series 3.75")

The second half of the "Shield-Wielding Heroes" 2-pack is former Falcon, Sam Wilson. When Steve Rogers got legit old and Bucky was dead (again) he passed the shield along to his high-flying partner who became a very different All-New Captain America. This design is an interesting amalgam of Cap's classic and Falcon's most recognizable costume. I like the goggles, the chest symbol with the wings is appropriate to the Falcon but also fits the whole "America loves eagles" thing. The gloves are thick which is only an issue when trying to get the shield to stay on. I think I ended up using Steve Roger's shield from the same line in a few shots because the clip on that one was more flexible. I didn't notice until looking at the pictures that there was any difference between the three shields I have but one has a thicker black line around the centre circle so that must be the original as the other two came in the same 2-pack.

Laser Prime Body All Titan Masters Gallery

Here is perhaps the nerdiest endeavour on this blog. I've taken pictures of all my Titans Return figures with all of the different Titan Master heads on them. These galleries will be updated as more Titan Masters are acquired. The heads are in no particular order after the first which is the head that "belongs" on the body.

Vance Astro (Marvel Legends Series 3.75")

Vance Astro, the 1000 year old man debuted in Marvel Super-Heroes #18 in 1969 along with his fellow founding members of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Vance Astrovik was an astronaut from the (then future) year 1988 who was placed in suspended animation for a millennium long journey to the planet Centauri-IV. The big joke was that when he arrived he found a full fledged human colony had beat him by about 800 years due to the discovery of faster-than-light travel. Somehow over the trip he developed psychokinetic powers and later he found Captain America's shield and started calling himself Major Victory. His initial weakness was that he would age to dust if his containment suit were ever breached. What I found hilarious is that his suit was stated to be made of copper originally, such space age materials in the far flung future of 1988.

Perceptor Body All Titan Masters Gallery

Here is perhaps the nerdiest endeavour on this blog. I've taken pictures of all my Titans Return figures with all of the different Titan Master heads on them. These galleries will be updated as more Titan Masters are acquired. The heads are in no particular order after the first which is the head that "belongs" on the body.

Yondu (Marvel Legends Series 3.75")

Yondu Udonta is a native from the planet Centauri-IV who encountered Vance Astro just before the Badoon invaded his homeworld and starting the pair on the path to founding the Guardians of the Galaxy along with Martinex and Charlie-27. Yondu is the only extra-solar being in the original quartet.  His bow fires arrows made of "yaka" a sound sensitive material that allows Yondu to change the trajectory of his arrows by whistling. These little figures are decently articulated but can be finicky to pose. Luckily Yondu was pretty stable.

Guardians of the Galaxy Animated Series (Waves 1 & 2)

Here's some group photos of the first two waves of Guardians of the Galaxy Animated figures:

Thanos (Guardians of the Galaxy Animated Series)

Thanos, the Mad Titan, one of the biggest baddies in any version of the Marvel Universe. Saturn's moon of Titan is inhabited by a colony of Eternals led by Thanos' father Mentor. His big moment is yet to come in the movies but the cartoon was able to use him more. The figure is simple, like the others in this line, but he looks good. I'm not a huge fan of the new helmet, I miss the longer pointy bits over his eyes. The best bits of detailing are the gem-sized impressions on his left gauntlet.