Arnim Zola (Ultimate Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Six)

Arnim Zola is a classic Marvel villain created by Jack Kirby in the pages of Captain America in the 1970's. A Nazi scientist who worked with the Red Skull, Zola created a distinctive robotic body to house his consciousness and allowing him to cheat death. 

This figure comes from the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series toyline. Though the character first appeared in season three (Web Warriors) he was released under the season four "Ultimate Spider-Man vs. the Sinister 6" title.

As an animated figure at a lower price point Arnim Zola has only 5 points of articulation, lacking elbow and knee joints but the colours are fantastic and he looks like he jumped off the page of a classic comic book.

Shepardon (Spark Doll Sofubi)

Shepardon is a friendly kaiju who protected the underground civilzation of the Victorians and worked with Ultraman Victory. I think the name is a bit of portmanteau of "shepherd" and "leopard" with the ubiquitous "-don" ending in so many monster names. 

I really liked Ultraman Ginga and its sequel Ultraman Ginga S where Shepardon appeared. They were a fun reinvigoration of the Ultra Series and it was neat to see a kaiju who wasn't bent on destroying the planet. The ridiculousness of the underground people being called "Victorians" and needing "Victorium" crystals (like the one on Shepardon's back) is delightfully silly.

Mary (Shazam! Movie)

Mary Bromfield is the eldest of the foster children in the Shazam! film. She does her best to keep the others in line while getting ready to go off to college. At the end of the movie when she shares in the power of Shazam her costume is definitely the "female-version" of Billy Batson's with blousy short sleeves and a skirt. Those details harken back to Mary Marvel's first costume back in the 1940s. For whatever reason this figure was the hardest to find, I think I ended up ordering her online just to complete the set.

Panthro (Savage World)

Panthro is the mechanically inclined Thundercat who's a bit older and wiser than the rest. He comes with his trusty nunchaku with which he staves off attacks by the Evil Mutants. In the original series Panthro was voiced by Earle Hyman who played Grandpa Huxtable on "The Cosby Show."

The Savage World series reimagines the Thundercats in the chunky style of the vintage Masters of the Universe figures which works but is a bit more noticeably different with the Thundercats than it was with the evil mutant Slithe. I think it still works as a neat redesign.

Goemon Ghost & Ryoma Ghost Set GC-08 (Ghost Change)

The next set in the Ghost Change line brings us the Goemon Damashii and Ryoma Damashii which were the first Parka Ghosts used by Kamen Rider Ghost's powered up "Toucon Boost" form.

These two are figures from Japanese history and as such I'm certainly no expert on them. Ryoma was a samurai who was influential in ending the Tokugawa Shogunate and this ghost's design would look at home in the pages of Usagi Yojimbo if an anthropomorphic animal were wearing it.

Goemon was a ninja thief who was the Robin Hood of Japan and a main character in many Kabuki plays. I love the radiant neon yellow of this ghost and the giant metallic bow on his back. Very cool.

(Goemon Ghost)(Ryoma Ghost)

Samurai Raphael (Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012)

Next up in the Samurai series of Ninja Turtles is Raphael! The cool but rude hotheaded brother comes with a helmet and mask like the others and is armed with a pair of sai. The weapons, head, and helmet crest are all that really separate one turtle from another.

Tombstone (Marvel Legends Series)

Tombstone is Lonnie Lincoln an albino black man (oh comics...) who was shunned by his peers except for Joe Robertson who would become an editor at the Daily Bugle even as Lincoln was falling into a life of crime. Somewhere along the line he got super strong and durable and took the name "Tombstone." Tombstone is generally used as a rival crime boss to the Kingpin and others in New York.

This is a pretty basic Marvel Legends figure with no accessories but all the articulation you'd expect. He was paired up with another Spider-Man villain, the Beetle, on the box art because his daughter would eventually take on the Beetle identity and join the incompetent version of the Sinister Six.