Arcade Sushi editor-in-chief Luke Brown is an experienced video game journalist who has contributed to Official Xbox Magazine and Games Radar. As ComicsAlliance's senior editor, he spends most of his time dishing on the latest action figures, collectibles, and gaming trends.
Luke Brown
Go Rogue With a New Stop Motion Short That Reveals Upcoming Rogue One Toys and Collectibles
As we're just about to slide into September, that means it's nearly time for this year's big Star Wars toy push. Now that the movies are an annual thing instead of a once-every-30-years thing, Disney, Lucasfilm and the third-party licensing partners can all get together to focus their attentions on one specific time of year to empty the bank accounts of Star Wars fans around the world. Before The Force Awakens arrived, collecting Star Wars toys was an easy enough hobby to finance, but now that there's a constant deluge from Hasbro, Lego, Disney and other companies, most of us have taken up second or third jobs to be able to keep up with the Joneses --- or in this case, the Jynses.
Next moth, on Sept. 30, Force Friday returns with a vengeance. It will be the first day any and all of the upcoming Rogue One action figures, Lego sets and other collectibles will be available around the world for purchase. If last year's first ever Force Friday was any indication, you're going to need a gameplan. Fortunately, Disney has given us a peek into what to expect from this year's "festivities."
Wonder Woman Arrives to Keep Hot Toys’ World of Toy Men in Check
Finally.
I know the movie is called Batman V Superman, but they've both had their cinematic adventures before and the subsequent action figure lines that come with the territory. Both Batman and Superman have had numerous Hot Toys figures too, so for me, it's been all about waiting for that Wonder Woman reveal. The Hong Kong company has done well to keep Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman figure a secret, but now that the first preview screenings have started, it seemed like the perfect time to finally loose the Amazon warrior into the wild.
There's not a lot to dislike about this Wonder Woman, but even in releasing the first set of official images for the figure, Hot Toys has managed to not give us a completely clear look at the whole piece. Not counting the accessories montage image, there are just nine images of Wonder Woman available, with six focused completely on the head sculpt. It's not a tactic we're used to seeing, as Hot Toys usually throws more than a dozen different prototype images together for reveals like this which show off more costume and articulation details. The lack of posing in these images has me a little worried.
Drax Finally Arrives to Complete the Hot Toys Guardians of the Galaxy
Every single member of the Guardians of the Galaxy got a figure from Hot Toys over the last two years except for Drax. Oh, Drax was certainly teased a number of times, but the honor-bound meathead never made it outside the confines of those glass displays. If his figure never saw the light of day, it certainly wouldn't have been the only time a series was left unfinished, but fortunately that won't be the case. Despite Hot Toys' best attempts to keep the Destroyer locked away, the green brute will finally be able to join up with the rest of the galaxy's heroic rogues.
Based on the likeness of Dave Bautista, Hot Toys' Drax is damn impressive. The company's been on a streak of good-but-not-great likenesses as of late, but Drax here seems to be getting back on track. Again though, we're trapped in a land of bland expressions. Drax is a man of action. He should at least look like he's ready to fight instead of stuck in line at the DMV. I know Drax is overly serious in the film, but would it kill Hot Toys' sculptors to make it look like these characters are having any feelings beyond the grim realization of the eventual heat death of the universe?
One:12 Collective Spock is a Wonderful Testament to the Sci-Fi Icon
Late last year, Mezco revealed the Star Trek license would be part of its One:12 Collective series, beginning with the most memorable science officer in fiction, Mr. Spock. Though not due to arrive on shelves until later this spring, Mezco surprised us with a pre-release version at Toy Fair earlier this month. Though it doesn't come with all the accessories, the Spock we got was the final figure version, which gives a strong enough idea of what to expect from the complete release. As we'd expected from the production photos shared in December, the One:12 Collective Mr. Spock is another fine entry into what is quickly becoming Mezco's signature figure line.
Out of the box, this pre-release Spock includes the base figure, the posing stand and a Starfeet insignia base matching Spock's rank. The retail version will come with an alternate head, multiple alternate hands, a phaser, tricorder and communicator. Kudos to Mezco for thinking to include the "Live long and prosper" salute hand in this version though. The simple hands would have been fine, but at least now we can honor the man the way he should be remembered forever--as a kind, smart man who wanted nothing but peace and prosperity for all life.
Hot Toys’ Force Awakens Cosbaby Figures Make Their First Order Being Cute
Baby-fied versions of pop culture characters aren't anything new. Chibi-inspired art has been around for a loooooong time, and we've had the X-babies and Muppet Babies and Skottie Young's Marvel babies continually reminding us that everything old can be made new again just by turning it into a child. The same can be said of Hot Toys' Cosbaby line, which appropriates the company's various licenses for highly-detailed adult action figures into itty-bitty versions with exaggerated features. Given the popularity of the Star Wars franchise, it was only a matter of time until Hot Toys turned its chibi-loving eyes towards The Force Awakens.
Yes, soon you'll be able to enjoy miniaturized figures of your favorite members of the First Order, rendered with the same affection of the caricature artist from your favorite amusement park. Twelve different figures will comprise the first two series of Hot Toys' Star Wars: The Force Awakens Cosbabies, including that rapscallion Kylo Ren and his bestest of friends, FN-2187.
New Lego Star Wars Game Will Explain C-3PO’s Arm, What Happened to Han Solo’s Crew
The new Star Wars expanded universe is about to drop some knowledge in an unexpected place. When TT Games' Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrives this summer, not only will you be able to relive the memorable moments from the sequel 30 years in the making, you'll also get to play through sequences that take place prior to the movie for the very first time. While video games helping to expand on the Star Wars universe is nothing new, most of those experiences (Dark Forces, Shadows of the Empire, Knights of the Old Republic) were wholesale adventures and not just side-missions in a larger game.
It is a little bit shocking to learn that this expanded content will appear in a game aimed at kids, particularly given how not so seriously the Lego video games take their inspiration. That said, there's so much new material to mine with Disney and Lucasfilm wiping the previous expanded universe slate clean, and so much desire for new Star Wars details, injecting it in some unlikely places does add another element of excitement in discovery. In an interview with Game Informer, members of TT Games' development teamed dished on just how and where these additional story missions will take place in the grander scheme.
Come on Barbie, Let’s Go Party With This New ‘Batman V Superman’ Batman Doll
Boy, these new Barbie body types are sure getting really specific. I mean, it makes sense for Mattel to attempt to reach a broader, more diverse audience by releasing new Barbies that better match the girls and young women of the world, but aging, rich white dude with trust issues hardly seems like it will strike the right chord. The only thing this might strike is fear into the hearts of criminals.
Though Mattel had announced the full DC Trinity (in their Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice garb) would be getting the Barbie treatment at San Diego Comic-Con last year, the only doll anyone got to see was Wonder Woman. The Amazonian princess certainly looked the part, but nobody really knew what to expect from a potential Batman or Superman at the time. With Toy Fair 2016 right around the corner, and Mattel having a large Barbie and DC Comics presence at the show, it seemed like we might get our first glimpse at the Bruce and Clark Ken dolls in a few weeks. Thanks to Amazon, we no longer have to wait for Batman.
Platinum’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan Looks Radical
The worst-kept video game secret of 2016 has finally been officially announced. Platinum Games and Activision are teaming with Nickelodeon for a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video game, and one with a distinct co-op bent, too. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan will see the fab four tackle perennial villains Shredder and his Foot Clan across the city they all call home. Unlike Platinum's previous '80s cartoon-turned-action game Transformers Devastation, TMNT: MiM won't have an art style that's ripped straight from the animation archives. Instead, it looks like Platinum is following the art style of IDW Publishing's current TMNT artist, Mateus Santolouco.
Platinum's got a strong history of developing exciting action games, though there have been a few misses in the company's expanding catalog. After the success of Transformers Devastation, it's easy to get caught up in hoping TMNT will be just as solid. The gameplay shown off in the trailer looks good in motion, but without being able to play it ourselves. Let's not get hung up on the possibilities of disappointment just yet though because this game is going to have Armaggon, and that's just cool enough for us right now.
Free Stuff: We’re Giving Away Some of That Sweet Mary Jane (Okay It’s A Statue)
Yes, that's right loyal readers; ComicsAlliance is back with another amazing giveaway yet again. This time, we're offering you the chance to get your hands on one of the limited edition J. Scott Campbell Mary Jane polystone statues from Sideshow Collectibles. Face it, readers, you just hit the jackpot. See, we said the thing she says, so now you know our geek cred is real.
Scarecrow, Roxy Rocket to Join DC Collectibles’ Batman: The Animated Series Line
This fall, DC Collectibles' Batman: The Animated Series line will continue to expand its roster of rogues with the additions of Roxy Rocket and Scarecrow. While Roxy has her own appeal, it's The New Adventures of Batman version of Scarecrow -- as the first deluxe figure of the collection -- that will by far give you way more nightmares.
Based on his appearance in 'Never Fear', the Scarecrow is the first figure from the anticipated fifth wave of B:TAS figures. Though that episode is decent, it's no match for 'Over the Edge' (the one where Batgirl has a fevered dream about what'd happen if she died in the line of duty), which came just five episodes later. Still, the most important thing is the incredibly terrifying Scarecrow design that's being brought to life. The original Scarecrow design was brilliant, if a bit too Wizard of Oz, but this version... this is a Scarecrow you actually believed might inspire fear.