December 2014 Recap



Below is a recap of all the post we've covered in December 2014. If you missed any, or simply want to see them again, click on each "title" to be taken directly to that post. As always, thanks for reading.

Dick Tracy
John Lennon - The New York Years
Kung Fu
The Last Airbender
McDonaldland Characters
Ninja Turtles
Onimusha 2
TurboMan
Quantum and Woody - The Goat Inaction Figure

Click "HERE" to go back to the home page.

Quantum and Woody - The Goat Inaction Figure (Acclaim)



Quantum and Woody - The Goat Inaction Figure
Acclaim
1998

"The world's greatest comic company presents...The world's worst superhero team!" It was the tagline that Valiant Entertainment went with when Quantum and Woody were gearing up to return in their second volume of books in March of 2013.

The duo first made their appearance in the title of the same name in June of 1997 for the first volume of books. The seventeen book series ran until 1998, and returned once again between September 1999 and January 2000 for five more books.

In 1998 Acclaim released an action figure based on The Goat, but didn't follow up with any figures based on Quantum or Woody. Odd.

Two versions were available, the original white figure with a white cape, and the grey chase variant with a blue cape. Neither one is particularly easy to come by, but despite this, prices on secondary markets aren't bank shattering. The white version can be picked up for $15.00 to $20.00, while the grey version sells for around $30.00. Again, that's if you can find them as they're fairly scarce.



Join us next time as the year clicks over to 2015, and we start all over again with our look at Robin Hood!

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

TurboMan (Tiger Electronics)



TurboMan
Tiger Electronics
1996

How many of you got your TurboMan doll for Christmas? No, not Booster. Nobody wants Booster!

TurboMan was the hottest fictional toy in the world in 1996 for the Arnold Schwarzenegger/Sinbad comedy Jingle All the Way. The film depicts the great absurd lengths that so many parents will go, and the despicable way in which they act just to get their child that one Christmas gift they keep asking for. It was funny, and yet so sad at the same time - Mainly because it's unfortunately so true (Tickle Me Elmo anyone?).

The film also features a very young Jake Lloyd (before he was blamed and cast out of Hollywood for ruining Star Wars: The Phantom Menace) as young Jamie - An innocent bright eyed boy who just wants a TurboMan doll for Christmas, and nothing more. This sets in motion his father's vain efforts to be one of the few last minute shoppers to actually make his child's holiday wish come true. Sprinkle in a little Phil Hartman for awkward no means yes advances on Schwarzenegger's wife in the film, played by Rita Wilson, and just a splash of James Belushi...Because his brother wasn't available, and you have a classic holiday film that was...Well, pretty much forgotten by now.

In 1996, Tiger Electronics, LTD tried to find the fictional success of the character in real toy isles with their Talking TurboMan doll/oversized action figure. They were not successful. The toy was quickly shuffled off to clearance isles.

Despite this, the toy has since found a huge following of collectors who are paying huge amounts to add this doll to their collection today. Collectors pay anywhere from $100.00 to $300.00 for mint in package ones. Though we do wonder how many of these are bought as gag gifts to stick under the tree during the holidays - That's an expensive gag right there.

These days its not hard to find the doll via secondary markets - It's just expensive. Whether you're buying this as a holiday gag, or because your heart is truly set on it, it's going to set you back a bit.

Join us next time when we take a look at Quantum and Woody - The Goat Inaction Figure!

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 24, 2014



December 24, 2014
Darth Vader Santa Claus

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 23, 2014



December 23, 2014
Lightsaber Rack Fireplace

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 22, 2014



December 22, 2014
Astromech Christmas Tree

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

Onimusha 2 (McFarlane Toys)



Onimusha 2
McFarlane Toys
2002

McFarlane's Onimusha 2 figures are based on the second installment of the highly popular/successful Onimusha video game series by Capcom. The series was based on a retelling of Japanese history, utilizing historic figures that helped to shape the country to what it has become known as today.

Beyond that, there's really not much to say. Onimusha appeals to its niche group of fans, much like other collectors. Unfortunately for how popular it is, it isn't necessarily a worldwide phenomenon.

Fuma Kataro*Gogandantes
 

Oda Nobunaga*Oyu from Odani
 

Saiga Magoichi*Yagyu Jubei

As you can see, the names also don't role off the English speaking tongue.
 
Join us next time, AKA Christmas day when we take a look at the toy that nobody should be without this holiday!

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 21, 2014



December 21, 2014
Clone Wars Y-Wing

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 20, 2014



December 20, 2014
Imperial Shuttle

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 19, 2014



December 19, 2014
Speeder Bike with Sled Attachment

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 18, 2014



December 18, 2014
General Rieekan

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

Ninja Turtles (AKA Ninja Turtles Movie) (Playmates Toys)



Ninja Turtles
Playmates Toys
2014

Seeing the new Michael Bay TMNT movie was not an exciting or fun experience for us - And, we'll leave it at that.

As one would expect, Playmates Toys was quick to produce a load of toys to support the film. Oddly enough it seems to have been a one and done project for them. Since the initial wave of toys, Playmates Toys has announced nothing new for the movie based series.

Though the line wasn't a complete failure for the company - quite the opposite, we can't help but think that it could have been much more successful if it was rolled into the current Nickelodeon line such as how the original 1990's movie figures were handled with the original TMNT line. Keeping everything "under one roof", so to speak, would have pushed more fans to take the plunge if for no other reason than to have a complete set.

Nine basic figures were released, out of which two were the most difficult to track down - April O'Neil and Raph in Disguise. These short packed figures were quickly gobbled up by fans and scalpers, and while prices on secondary markets didn't seem to boom, it took a while before stock became abundant enough to meet demand.


Leonardo
 

Michelangelo
 

Donatello
 

Raphael
 

Splinter
 

April O'Neil
 

Raph in Disguise
 

The Shredder
 

Foot Soldier
 
Playmates Toys also tried their hand at evolution packs. These three packs depicted a Turtle character in three phases - Regular turtle, young mutant and teenage mutant. Sadly, Playmates didn't do anything different for the teenage version, and simply released the same basic figure as above. Only two evolution packs were released.
 

Evolution of Leonardo
 

Evolution of Raphael
 
For folks who wanted to nab all four turtles at once and call it a day, this four pack was available to help you with that. Unless you're a pack collector, there would be no reason to buy this set if you already had the figures above, and vice versa, as they were nothing short of the basic figures packed together.
 


Ninja Turtles Group Pack
 
The Turtle Assault Van was the one and only vehicle released for the series - and one of the better pieces, speaking from opinion of course.

Turtle Assault Van
 
Playmates Toys also released a series of larger deluxe figures which featured arm movement which was activated by squeezing the figure's legs together.
 


Combat Warrior Leonardo
 

Combat Warrior Michelangelo
 

Combat Warrior Donatello
 

Combat Warrior Raphael
 
The last items released were the eleven inch figures. If you're looking for the most detail that these toys can offer, this is really your best route as the large size brings out a lot of it. Of course space may be an issue for many collectors with such large figures.
 

Leonardo
 

Michelangelo
 

Donatello
 

Raphael

As we said above, this appears to be a one and done series for Playmates Toys. Due to the amount of time that has elapsed since the film hit theaters and this post, we would honestly be surprised if more product was coming down the pike. There's been no word from Playmates Toys regarding whether the line will continue or if it has been cancelled. Typically no news means the latter, but we suppose time will tell.
 
Join us next time when we take a look at Onimusha 2!

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 17, 2014



December 17, 2014
Hoth Cannon

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 16, 2014



December 16, 2014
Luke Skywalker in X-Wing Fighter Pilot Gear

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 15, 2014



December 15, 2014
Rebel Snow Speeder

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

McDonaldland Characters (AKA McDonaldland) (Remco)



McDonaldland Characters
Remco
1976

The debate of how bad McDonald's food is for you has been a long heated one for a few decades now, but no matter where you stand on their food, one thing everyone has to admit is that Remco's McDonaldland figures are one hundred percent awesome for you!

We didn't realize just how badly our collection was missing McDonalds characters until we saw these fantastic figures from 1976. The line has all the classics starting of course with the iconic Ronald McDonald himself, and just look at the attention to detail in all the clothing. Remco did an amazing job, and much like their Karate Kid line, most people sadly didn't know what they were missing until it was too late.

Big Mac*Captain Crook*Grimace
 

Hamburglar*Mayor McCheese
 

Professor*Ronald McDonald
 
 
It's a shame that the McDonaldland Playset was nothing short of a playground with a circular train track and train. It would have been so much cooler to have a McDonalds restaurant playset.
 



***BONUS***

McDonaldland Characters
Huckleberry
2008

In 2008, Huckleberry acknowledged just how cool these toys were by re-releasing them. However, in doing so they gave collector's a little thrill of the hunt with several variants to collect.


Ronald McDonald*Grimace
 

Hamburgler with Yellow/Black Cape*Hamburgler with Orange/Black Cape
 

Captain Crook with Pink Scarf*Captain Crook with Blue Scarf*Captain Crook with Green Scarf
 

Mayor McCheese Original "M" Logo Sash*Mayor McCheese "Mayor" Sash*Mayor McCheese Current "M" Logo Sash
 
In addition to the carded versions, Huckleberry released boxed versions, though these didn't contain any variant chase versions.
 


Hamburglar*Captain Crook*Grimace
 

Mayor McCheese*Ronald McDonald

It was rumored that Huckleberry was going to continue the series with a series 2 which would have included the rest of the original figures as well as new ones. Unfortunately that has not happened to date, and it's probably a safe bet at this point to say it won't.

Join us next time when we take a look at Ninja Turtles!

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 14, 2014



December 14, 2014
Moisture Vaporator

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

Lego Star Wars 2014 Advent Calendar - December 13, 2014



December 13, 2014
Luke Skywalker

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