52 (DC Direct)

52
DC Direct
2007

Comic book wise, 52 was rather ambitious. It was a series which was published weekly for one year (thus the title, 52) and followed the events right after the Infinite Crisis story arc. The series became so popular that it spawned a full novelization, a full cast audiobook and these toys below. It would also eventually be collected in several volumes of trade paperbacks.

As for the figures, there were five created. The biggest complaint with the line from most collectors is one many have voiced before pertaining to any DC Direct line - The articulation. While there are several points to be found, for the buy in price you just don't get the quality you'll find in most NECA or McFarlane Toys figures. The biggest gripe I've heard pertains to Supernova, a character who can fly, but who's head is not on a ball joint to point his face forward when his body is horizontal.

Animal Man

Batwoman

With that said, you're still going to find a fantastic assortment of figures which would otherwise never be made available through other lines. If anything, it makes for at least an option of this or nothing.

Supernova

Isis

Booster Gold

Click "HERE" to go back to the home page. For more posts related to this one, please click the labels below.

Earth's Mightiest Heroes! The Avengers (Toy Biz)

Earth's Mightiest Heroes! The Avengers
Toy Biz
1999 

Toy Biz has produced a lot of Marvel superhero action figures and I've covered quite a few of them. To the point where I honestly don't know how much more I can say on the subject.

From Iron Man, to Fantastic Four, to Spider-Man, to Alpha Flight and the entire Marvel Universe as a whole, it's pretty much been covered by Toy Biz. It seemed only natural an Avengers line would eventually come. Granted in 1999, there was obviously no Marvel cinematic universe to help peddel these to.  Still, this didn't slow down sales of Marvel fans who swooped up pretty much every figure they could get their hands on - Especially the female ones.

The Avengers line of course met this call with a nice version of Scarlet Witch. This particular line was actually noteworthy for being the first series to produce and release a Scarlet Witch and Loki figure.

Toy Biz rounded out the series with a fantastic four pack which featured the original Avengers which featured Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, Giant-Man and Wasp. The package also included six separate ants to accompany your Ant-Man figure.

I also appreciate Toy Biz's attempt at scaling the figures. Giant-Man stands about one and a half times the height of Hulk, Thor and Iron Man. Meanwhile, Ant-Man and Wasp come up only to the knees of Giant-Man. Then of course there are the ants, which are about a third of the height of Ant-Man and Wasp. Overall it's a really nice set.

These days people are practically giving away the entire line. The figures sell for only a few dollars and the Avengers set can sell for as little as $20.00 - All of this of course mint in their packages.

Click "HERE" to go back to the home page. For more posts related to this one, please click the labels below.

Supaidaman (Japanese Spider-Man) (Popy Chogokin)

Supaidaman
Popy Chogokin
1978

Let's go back a year ago. Fellow blogger Dex of AEIOU...and Sometimes Why posted about a vintage Japanese television show called Supaidaman by Toei. This was in fact the Japanese version of Spider-Man. Enthralled by the concept I immediately struck out on a quest to locate the series in DVD format. I found it, and immediately about faced it to walk away. I wasn't about to pay $700.00 to $1,000.00 US for it. No way, no how.

Wait, hold the phone - What? A Japanese Spider-Man television series? Yeah, that's right. As the internet rumors go, supposedly Japanese production company Toei and Marvel of America had an agreement which allowed both companies to use each other's entities however they saw fit. Apparently for the Japanese this meant having a Spider-Man character which also piloted a large mech named Leopaldon, and at times also sported a machine gun. Sounds kinda cool, don't it?

Based on Dex's post, and what I could find on Youtube - Which was a handful of episodes from the show, I had an itch which needed scratching. Fortunately I was able to find two related toys from the series which somewhat filled the void the television series now created. Check 'em out!

Aren't these hot?

Supaidaman toys are definitely difficult to track down on Western shores, so if this is something you're looking for you're going to need to dig deep among your fellow collectors for any leads.

On a side note, Dex's site is now seven years old (as of July 13th). Stop by and give him a read, and wish him a lucky number seven.

Click "HERE" to go back to the home page. For more posts related to this one, please click the labels below.

Usagi Yojimbo (Antarctic Press)

Usagi Yojimbo
Antarctic Press
1998

Many people know Usagi Yojimbo for his numerous appearances in Mirage's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as well as the 80's TMNT cartoon - Which lead to the highly popular figure back in the day. However, Usagi is far more than just a here and there sidekick / ally to the Turtles. In fact, his real name isn't even Usagi Yojimbo. It's Myamoto Usagi.

Usagi began his comic book history in 1984 when creator Stan Sakai who conceived the character as a supporting role in The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy. However, as Sakai developed the character, he also created a world where he felt readers would be drawn into. Though he appeared in a few books here and there, it wouldn't be until 1987 that Usagi Yojimbo appeared in his own comic book title which is still being published today.

What has helped Usagi to become so popular is his inclusion in multiple crossover titles. This is made possible by Sakai who is the sole rights owner of the character. As such, he can determine when and where his character makes an appearance without having to first wade through the typical legal red tape which would accompany a corporate owned entity.

It's no doubt his appearance in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made Usagi Yojimbo a household name among kids of the 80's, but it's only fair to say this is definitely not a one and done character. As we said above, he's by no means only a sidekick.

By 1998 Antarctic Press were struggling to find a foothold in the action figure market. They had released a few obscure lines since 1996, but had yet to produce that one item which would put them on the map. One of their last attempts was the very small, very short lived Usagi Yojimbo line.

The series is technically a one shot, with only Usagi being produced. However, it does contain some variants / exclusives. The mass market figure was produced on an orange card while the exclusives were produced on blue ones making them easily distinguishable.

If you're looking for a plastic version of Usagi Yojimbo which is spot on to his comic book iteration, then look no further. This figure captures all those details in magnificent detail with just the right amount of articulation. For added fun, the figure even comes packaged with a Tokage - Which for those of you who don't know, this is simply a dinosaur like creature which roams freely around the world of Usagi.

Fun fact: Tokage creatures have even appeared in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Dark Horse Variant (Limited to 500)*Platinum Edition (Limited to 2,000)

Unfortunately for Antarctic Press, 1998 was the last year for them. It seems they were unable to really make make an impact in the world of action figures, and like so many before (and after) them found themselves going out of business.

What makes this all the more unfortunate is the fact that these days the Usagi Yojimbo figure is not only scarce, but also rather expensive on secondary markets. The variants will set you back anywhere from $40.00 to $60.00 a piece. The orange carded figure will set you back anywhere from $20.00 to $40.00. Not a bad profit for a line nobody wanted when it was originally released.

Click "HERE" to go back to the home page. For more posts related to this one, please click the labels below.

The Dirty Pair (Dark Horse Comics)

The Dirty Pair
Dark Horse Comics
2002

"The Lovely Angels" - Kei and Yuri are the leading duo in The Dirty Pair. Though the characters were created by Haruka Takachiho, the figures we see today are based on the Dark Horse Comics versions which were adapted from Takachiho's work by Adam Warren when Dark Horse acquired the rights to release comics in the USA based on the characters. Since then, the Pair have been featured in numerous US released mini series, one shots and shorts.

Despite being a limited run of figures, Dark Horse's plastic renditions don't skimp when it comes to the detail, articulation, and in general the great design of everything form the package to the toy. These figures are fairly spot on to their inked versions, and each figure features eleven or more points of articulation.

In addition to the figures, Dark Horse released a few more items based on the characters. One such item was the below ten inch statue. Though we're not big fans of inarticulate "toys", we can definitely see the draw that this particular item would have to fans of the series. It's a pretty cool piece of "art".

10 Inch Statue

As we mentioned, Dark Horse also produced other items based on Kei and Yuri; a pair of shot glasses, and a pair of t-shirts. These items were all advertised on the back of the carded figure packaging - In addition to a handful of graphic novels featuring the two.

Much like a lot of obscure toy lines we've talked about here in the past, The Dirty Pair figures and statue don't sell for too much these days on secondary markets. However, this may be because most sellers are asking far more than people are willing to pay. At $30.00 per figure (mint on card), most buyers with any interest are passing. On occasion a figure will sell for about $20.00, but this is definitely not often. However, the typical price buyers seem willing to pay for these are $8.00 to $10.00.

The statue seems to fair a little better - Though it is definitely rarer than the figures. We've seen sealed ones priced around $80.00 (with no buyers), and opened ones sell for around $20.00.

Click "HERE" to go back to the home page. For more posts related to this one, please click the labels below.

Marvel Adventure World Playset (Amsco)

Marvel Adventure World Playset
Amsco
1975

Amsco is no stranger to the world of cardboard playsets. They made a killing on them in the 70's with playsets such as Space: 1999, Planet of the Apes, The Waltons, and of course the one we're looking at today - Marvel World!

The playset mostly features itself around the world of Spider-Man ala the Daily Bugle backdrop. However, it features numerous characters from the Fantastic Four to Iron Man to Captain America, and so on.

For cardboard, this playset is very well put together. It's sturdy, durable, and if we had to admit it - Pretty darn fun to play with. Sure it's not made of plastic, but it's got a lot going on for itself.

Admittedly, the chances of you finding one for sale are pretty slim. Amsco playsets are considered holy grail collectibles among toy enthusiasts. The "figures" can set you back up to twenty dollars a piece, and finding one mint in the box will set you back at least $1,500.00. This set is no joke when it comes to being an investment. Most people aren't going to buy this, then tear it out of the box.

For the rest of you that can't drop that kind of cash on a cardboard cut out playset, you can at least take it in visually via the internet, and enjoy it for the bit of nostalgic Marvel Comic history that it is.

Click "HERE" to go back to the home page. For more posts related to this one, please click the labels below.

The Spectacular Spider-Man: Techno-Wars (Toy Biz)

The Spectacular Spider-Man: Techno-Wars
Toy Biz
1996

There are a lot of Spider-Man lines out there - The majority of which were produced under the Toy Biz banner. However, there are few that are developed under The Spectacular Spider-Man guise. That's what makes the Techno-Wars line so unique, and special to fans of that particular comic book series. Granted, you're not going to see any of these iterations of the characters in the pages of the comic.

As typical of Toy Biz in the mid 1990's, the line is confined to just a handful of characters. It's no secret that Toy Biz was big on gimmicks to sell Marvel related figures, and this is definitely another one of those attempts. Each figure featured bulky / colorful accessories that would scream to passing children, "Buy me!" It wasn't the first time Toy Biz did this, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Anti-Symbiote Spidey*Hyper Tech Spider-Man

Radioactive Spider Armor

Ultimate Octopus*Vault Guardsman

The Spectacular Spider-Man
Marvel Comics
1976 - 2011

 Because we're taking a look at a Spectacular Spider-Man toy line, we thought we'd incorporate the entire run of comics into the mix. The series started in 1976, making it the second Spider-Man comic book series to be produced (The Amazing Spider-Man was the first, and Spectacular was followed by Web of Spider-Man which began in 1985).

The series initially started its run as Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man. However, by issue number 134 the series title was shortened, dropping the "Peter Parker" portion.

Though The Spectacular Spider-Man isn't the most popular Spidey title in existence, it's not without its note worthy moments. Some of the best include;

The first appearance of Carrion - Issue 25
The first appearance of Cloak and Dagger - Issue 64
Death of Jean DeWolff - Issues 107 - 110
Kraven's last hunt crossover arc- Issues 131 and 132
Spidey gets cosmic powers - Issue 158
Death of Harry Osbourne - Issue 200

Then thereafter the series gets muddled with the whole Spidey clone nonsense.

Click "HERE" to go back to the home page. For more posts related to this one, please click the labels below.

V For Vendetta (Quality Comics / DC Comics / NECA)

V For Vendetta
Quality Comics / DC Comics / NECA
1982 - 1985, 1988 - 1989 and 2007

Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!

Now the rest that nobody seems to know....

Guy Fawkes and his companions
Did the scheme contrive,
To blow the King and Parliament
All up alive.
Threescore barrels, laid below,
To prove old England's overthrow.
But, by God's providence, him they catch,
With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
A stick and a stake
For King James's sake!
If you won't give me one,
I'll take two,
The better for me,
And the worse for you.
A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
A penn'orth of cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to wash it down,
And a jolly good fire to burn him.
Holloa, boys! Holloa, boys! Make the bells ring!
Holloa, boys! Holloa, boys! God save the King!
Hip, hip, hooor-r-ray!

It's an old English folk verse which was written in 1870, and mind you the above is one of many translations that exist.

The first portion of the poem is of course widely known for its use in V for Vendetta. While we didn't personally care for the film, there are many out there that appreciate its strong political story, and themes of anarchy. The film retains a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes, which leaves it at about average.

What many people seem to not know about the movie is that it was actually a comic book series first. It was written by renowned comic author Alan Moore, and first published in the black and white pages of Warrior - A British anthology comic published by Quality Communications which ran from 1982 to 1985. Unfortunately V was one of the least popular stories in the strip based books, and when Warrior was cancelled, so to was the remainder of Moore's story.

Though many publishers tried to convince Moore to let them publish his whole story, it wouldn't be until DC Comics made an offer that this would actually happen. DC produced ten issues of the series between September 1988 and May of 1989 which also included the republishing (now in color) of the original Warrior stories. Actual new material wasn't printed until issue number 7, which is where the story would have picked up in Warrior number 27 and 28 had that series continued.

Since then, the mini series has been printed numerous times in trade paperback fashion, only boosting its popularity more. This of course led to the film in 2006, which in turn lead to the NECA toys / products in 2007.

NECA produced four items to coincide with the film's release; a seven inch figure, a twelve inch talking figure, a reproduction of V's dagger, and a 12 inch resin statue. As per NECA's typical ventures, all the items are of great quality, and each is unique in its own way. Admittedly, the talking V is fairly annoying because he doesn't so much say various phrases as he just prattles on for about a minute. Thank goodness there's an on / off button.

 7 Inch Figure 

 12 Inch Talking Figure

 Dagger Prop Replica

Resin Statue

Prices are kind of all over the map for these items. For example, the seven inch figure can sell for $40.00 one day mint in the package, and then $60.00 a few days later. The resin statue has been known to sell for as much as $150.00, and then not sell at all when listed for half that, yet in the same condition. These fluctuations of prices continue on for the rest of the items as well. There really is no rhyme or reason to it. Suffice to say that patience could garner you them all at a fairly cheap price, or really high if you're not.

Click "HERE" to go back to the home page. For more posts related to this one, please click the labels below.