TheRifter

If we look more closely at the packaging seen here the numbering is on the top of the boxes. There's hardly any way that the PD "Pimp Daddy" Destro would be a mass market mainline figure. Here he's showing a higher number of #15 so the next 5 figures (if we're sticking with 5 per wave like the first one) would be #06 Cobra Commander, #07 Gung-Ho, #08 Red Ninja, and then two more slots for #9 & #10. I'm thinking that those could be the comic versions of Baroness and Storm Shadow as it would be completely weird for Hasbro to offer up a generic red ninja before the main baddie.

As both a collector and a comic book creator I think this that this piece is a fine low-end solution to those of us who can't afford the $175-200 Hot Toys pieces. This will be $35-40.00 which for a fine sculpted Four Horsemen piece (which I've seen in person at NYCC) isn't a bad shake. I'm sure what I saw was a prototype though. I'm a fan of the 7" Movie Masters and and hoping against hope that the smaller line isn't cancelled as some are rumoring to be the case.

WOW. Playmates might be saving me some money too! The Terminator stuff was god awful. No wonder they don't answer your calls and hide their US-based phone number on their website! My friend is a dealer trying to get an appointment with them for the 2009 US Toy Fair and it's been a pain just trying to get someone from Playmates to pick up a phone or to reply to emails. I don't think that this is the WORST figure ever made and in their defense it IS most likely a prototype shot, but the hair is neon, the likeness for a 6" figure is questionable and the way-too-deep relief textured sculpting on that shirt does look like a sweater and not a knit shirt. If Mattel's early offerings of Superman Returns figures could nail the lower detail texture on a 5" mass market line then there's no excuse for this. Im hoping at the very least that the holster is removable as it, too, is way too bulky in this shot. Hasbro does a better job at thinner details and better likenesses on their 3 3/4" Star Wars lines! **shakes head**. Just need to see the Role Playing props and the ships now to make a final decision as to whether or not to pass on this line. They've had prototypes out for a year or more now under wraps and they've had a movie production extension during which time they could have real-scanned the heads and costumes like most companies do these days. I'm hoping that things change between now and Toy Fair and the final release.

I actually came across an entire set here in Boston all with the Smashing Punch Iron Monger and the blue coloring. I was kind of pissed since I've cut back a lot on collecting and only really collect movie accurate or well rendered pieces. At the same time I'm one of those people who loves to collect his set as soon as possible meaning that I snag a set as soon as they start appearing at the stores. This case in point applies to the new Premium Transformers line also by Hasbro. You get the same box with subtle wording changes on the back, but essentially there's a set of Leader Class movie figures of Optimus Prime and Megatron out there now that both have replaced their generic Sound FX with much cooler Transformers classic transformation sounds. Optimus Prime also has a whole newly sculpted head with taller "ears" and the arm gun has been replaced with the movie accurate arm-sword! They also have a good amount of more paint detail for the same prices as the original ones. I'm seriously considering holding off buying toys now until the definitive versions make it to market. How many Anakins and Obi-Wans do we need to buy before these most recent ones came out (again Hasbro)? At least re-buying figures at 6.99 is a lot better than $9.99-$12.99 and $39.99 respectively. It just goes to show that they now have the ability to make realistic sculpts, but that they fail to invest in them until they start making more money.

I'm just saying that I'm a fan and collector too. I'm looking forward to seeing stuff based on our books for the first time and that the new Shocker Stuff looks great. And why can't we all get along. lol

Hey Guys, I'm not looking to argue here as I've been waiting a while to see our first comics-to-toys property happen sooner than later. We're signed on with ###### and Shocker Toys and these new shots (although a bit late getting here) look great!. Articulation looks great too! I've been in the comic book business since 2001 when we started out with Roaring Studios (now Dabel Brothers Productions) and then eventually took over as publisher when they unexpectedly regrouped shortly after we were hitting shelves for the first time. It's taken me over a year to get a book that's already been produced to press due to price increases, shady printer deals and more. All this time though I've met with SOTA's former president, Jerry Macaluso who turned me onto ###### and his team and last year I met and had a good half-hour long chat with Marvel Toys president Jesse Falcon. He was a great guy. Younger than I expected and very knowledgeable. This business is tough, bros. The cost for one line of figures is astronomical even at what most would consider third world country prices. Everything is based on oil costs. "Toys" as we call them are far more than that these days. What used to be a small plaything vaguely resembling a movie or cartoon character is now expected to be a piece of art AND to be diced up in 18-40 POA for our playing enjoyment! You need to be both an artist and an engineer to cut up pieces. Then there is the paint apps and so on. And no matter how many improvements the industry makes we, as fans and collectors, always seem to find the fault in things like diaper looking shapes, ugly female faces, etc. I'm not saying that this is 100% a bad thing as it hopefully makes toy companies take more care from design to the store shelf, but I'm am saying that so much goes into toys as it does to comics. I can't speak for MT sales to date, but I can say that their great advertising and craftsmanship combined with the built-in big licenses and LEGENDS name hasn't really pushed that line as far as I'm sure they'd like. That being said I'm just now starting to see more and more on shelves at TRU and Wal-Mart (some quicker than others). So just try to keep in mind that sometimes it's better to have something come out when it's ready and then feel free to buy or not buy something depending on your own thoughts on quality or character design and importance. Here are the turnarounds I'm DYING to see Shocker Toys get to before our short contract term expires! lol http://www.shockertoys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2483 http://www.shockertoys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2520 As a fellow fan of both comics and toys here's to the future coming sooner and quicker and to many more years of cool toys to eat up our wallets and limited shelf space!!!

Thanks for your response, Reideen. While I'm not 100% thrilled about your initial tone (one that bloggers and talkbackers seem to take while hidden behind online anonymity). That being said I'm not here to argue or fight with anyone I'm here to chat toys to try to educate and to be educated. I'm man enough to admit where I may be wrong or lacking a full story. Just as you have a right to peacefully correct these wrongs – I have rights in posting here about anything I'd like to share. Where and when Shocker might be posting is beyond my knowledge since I posted this freely with the pride in seeing my property finally made into plastic. I can assure you and other fellow collectors that no one 'put me up to this'. I understand that both companies have been coming at this at roughly the same times so I was merely stating my hopes that one not overshadow another particularly since I have a personal interest in the success of the Shocker project. For me, personally, I'm excited about the Shockinis sicne they will have more characters per assortment then the 6-7" line, but as a collector I'm more excited and anxious to see those figures because that's what I collect. I have no hate towards the new Marvel-branded company whether or not they're still connected to Marvel (I can't remember since that whole sellig off of they licensed stuff to Hasbro and even their original ToyBiz setup was confusing to say the least. Not to mention I'm the writer of a series soon to be rereleased by Marvel this summer. In contrast I'm kind of glad that two companies are both doing Indie lines since competition makes each cometitor stronger if they both last. One can fight about Marvel or DC Comics until the cows come home, but in the end they need one another and we all need them both. As for other creators experiences and who they work with I can't get involved with such external matters. Every story has two sides and most fights or disputes take two parties to start the tango. I also can't speak for the status of the GWAR series since I've not followed it from it's inception, but I do know that having been at shows across the US for some 6 years plus that the business of comics and toys are very very tough businesses to keep afloat given the climate of oil prices, the expectatons for returns from some product licensees, the reported delcine in collecting toys versus video game sales, etc. We've been talking to the president of another small toy company for years now and I've shaken the hands of other CEOs that have 3-5 incredible licenses today and are gone tomorrow. It's a scary climate to work in, but life's a risk and this industry is our passion. Cool screenname BTW and avatar. I'm a huge fan of 70's and 80's mecha and at one point we were looking to get the rights to Go Nagai's Grendizer for either comics and/or film rights. They seem to be locked up for now. : ( Until then I'll wait for the newest Gaiking series to hit the American shores. Peace

Hey Guys, As a comic book writer/creator since 2000 and a toy collector since damn near birth I can't deny that these protos looks great especially for the Darkness and the Pitt B.A.F., however I just hope that the love for independents continues and that the smaller company that started this push isn't lost in the buzz of this new announcement. I'm talking about the initial movement by ###### Beckett from Shocker Toys and their original series called INDIE SPOTLIGHT that's been in the making for quite some time now. They're more famous for their unique block figures called 'Shockinis'. It's great to see everyone buzzed about characters that normally never get seen by the general public and sometimes not even the die-hard toy and comics fans too! I've attached two links that I've recently posted to show off the artwork of Enrique Savory, Jr. (The Rift™) that has been done for Shocker Toys' new line of 6-7" scale superposeable figures that will be following on the heels of their debut 6" line of GWAR figures. Enjoy! http://www.shockertoys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2483 http://www.shockertoys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2520