Mezco Toyz’ Gustavo Fring collectors figure cinches up his tie for the last timeBuzzed…
OK, I admit to being one of the few who actually enjoyed “The Fly” episode of AMC’s Breaking Bad series. The Poe-like plot of obsession fondly reminded me of a Steve Ditko strip from an early Creepy magazine, with the character being equally hounded by a mosca-terrible.
All Guss-ied Up…
That said, I think anyone would agree that the best visual in the entire series is drug lord and fast food chicken king Gustavo Fring’s emergence from an explosive meeting with Don Hector Salamanca. That series defining moment, as the fastidious Fring straightens his tie one last time, is captured in plastic for posterity by Mezco Toyz’ 3 inch collector figure. Gustavo, as portrayed by actor Giancarlo Esposito, is available now in two flavors, standard and slightly scorched and comes with a mini-bucket of his Pollos Hermanos batter fried chicken. “Test Shot” Gus is Mezco’s Toy Fair 15 Limited Edition specialty item. Fring Fling… Mezco Toyz has cooked up a batch of limited edition Gus’s to commemorate the Toy Association’s 2015 New York International Toy Fair and the company kindly gave us a peek at them as part of a special preview event. These one time preproduction mold quality checks or “test shots” have the character’s head and hands produced in white plastic and it’s blister pack mounted on unprinted card. Although Toy Fair is an industry only event and the limited edition earmarked for select attendees, Mezco is making a few of these extremely rare items available to collectors through the webstore. Your chance to preorder is a click away. Mezco Toyz’ “Breaking Bad” Bobbleheads SkeletonPete Says…
With AMC’s Breaking Bad prequel, Better Call Saul, poised to keep the franchise afloat, Mezco is at the ready with an array of licensed action figures, bobble heads, and ephemera available and in the works.
More to Come…
Mezco’s Toy Fair preview event offered us look at their entire line of new and announced collectibles and included a hands-on session with the first One:12 Collective Dark Knight Batman figures. Keep posted here in the next few days for more information and photos of these neat treats.
Dark Horse Daenerys Figure Was Released in January 2014.
(Andy and Pete give you the old “one-two punch” for Game of Thrones Season 4 Premiere night)
Andy Says…
Today, fans worldwide are dusting off their family crests. Well, not their family crests, but whether you belong to house Targaryen, Lannister or Stark, you’re bound to be excited about the Season 4 premiere of Game of Thrones, debuting tonight on HBO in the US and tomorrow night in the UK.
What it Is…
Based on the books by American author George R.R. Martin, (dubbed by some as the modern-day Tolkein) the fantasy series set in the middle-earth-like isle of Westeros has everything you can ask for – drama, political intrigue, epic battles, swords, sorcery, and zombie-like white walkers. Mid-Summer Will see 5 More Figures Including this Likeness of Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister Who They Are…
Martin’s characters are complex, with many layers, motivations and conflicting emotions. You love them. You hate them. Are they good? Evil? He takes his time crafting their inner-worlds (giving us each character’s point of view in the books) with as much detail as their outer worlds. With characters like the initially-innocent child-bride-turned-Mother-of-All-Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen (played by Emilia Clarke) and the brilliant, often insightful, imp, Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), the tomboyish and tough Arya Stark (Maisie Williams), and the morally ambiguous Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey – Sarah Connor Chronicles), we’ve become invested in each one’s journey – whether we like them or not. In Westeros, only the hardest and most ruthless seem to survive. That’s what it takes to rule a kingdom. Even then… any weakness can be exploited. Fortunes and destinies can turn on a dime. The outcome is never certain. Robb Stark Figure will Arrive in Early August 2014.
Personally, with Starks (my chosen house) dropping like flies (if you haven’t heard about “The Red Wedding” by now, I have little pity if I spoil it for you), I’m starting to get a little nervous. Unlike many of us who have read ahead to the bitter end, there are still folks out there who were shocked and horrified by the deaths of Robb Stark (Richard Madden) and his mother Catelyn Stark (Michelle Farley). If you vowed to stop watching at that point, really, who are you kidding? You know you’ll be back for more heart-stopping thrills, chills and heartbreak this season. Dark Horse “Game of Thrones” Wave 1 Jon Snow Figure. SkeletonPete Says…
If “All Men Must Die,” here’s news and views of some items that Games of Thrones fans will be dying to get their hands on. Joining the previously released Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen figures Dark Horse has several more characters at the ready to celebrate HBO’s Game of Thrones Season 4 premiere and beyond. These plastic cast models offer a big bang for the buck with a refined elegance usually reserved for items several times their cost. The sculpts are minutely detailed and delicately painted. David Scroggy, head of product development for Dark Horse, noted “…we decided to make these non-articulated, in order to capture all of the small details that would be at risk in a traditional jointed action figure.” They stand approximately 7.5” tall and are sold in a windowed display box. The Spring 2014 release included Tyrion Lannister, Khal Drogo and Ned Stark and will be followed in August by Cersei Baratheon, Robb Stark, Jaime Lannister, Arya Stark, and the White Walker. At a suggested retail price of $24.99 USD they make exceptional collector’s pieces and easy gift choices for the GoT fan in the family. Limited Edition of Sandor “The Hound” Will Have A Unique Hinged Hood Feature. Hounded…
Also spied at Toy Fair 2014 was a spectacular spin on The Hound, in bust format replete with hinged helmet. The likeness of character Sandor Clegane (portrayed by Rory McCann) is a hand painted and numbered edition that comes packaged with a certificate of authenticity. This one is scheduled for mid-summer release. Also on the limited edition list will be an Arya figure. Life Sized Map Marker Set Includes Large Map to Plot Your Strategies. Map Quest…
Just released this past week is a life sized role playing Map Marker Box Set. Dark Horse press explains the origins, “In the HBO adaptation of Game of Thrones, we see Robb Stark plotting the movements of opposing armies using a map of Westeros and a set of sculpted map markers, each hewn into a representation of one of the house symbols. We have reproduced these items in their true size, using the actual props as reference.
The six individual map markers range from 4.5” to 6” in height, and mimic different materials. Each is hand-painted. The map itself is full size, 50” x 35.5” cloth material with a paper backing, reproduced in color. The big size allows the owner to move the map markers in scale and formulate strategic situations or reproduce those from the show. The map markers and folded map are stored in a deluxe, heavy-duty, 14″ x 4.75″ x 18″ hinged-lid presentation box, protected by a full-color, thick-stock sleeve.” The Weirwood Snow Globe is Ultra Limited to 1200 Pieces. You’d Better .Shake Up a Pre-Order Nothing Shakin’ But The Leaves on the Trees…
As if all this weren’t enough April 16th will see another limited edition piece, the Weirwood snow globe. Its blush of blood red leaves atop the face carved trunk will make striking contrast to blowing “snow” inside. Its base is inscribed with the “I Am the Sword in the Darkness, I Am the Watcher on the Walls…” quote. Only 1200 of these unique hand painted items will be minted and like other Dark Horse LE’s they will be boxed with a certificate of authenticity.
Diamond Select Toys depicts "Mad Monster Party's" CountMad Monster Party…
This year the season of shadows is being ushered in with a large dose of kid friendly “scares.” The likes of Hotel Transylvania, ParaNorman, and Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, instantly reminded me of a favorite film of similar demeanor, 1967’s Mad Monster Party. Created by Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass, whose most famous productions like Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer have become Christmas season perennials, Mad Monster Party was a stop motion animation monster rally of epic proportions.
The film features character design by the legendary Jack Davis, the voices of Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller, and its plot-line, co-authored by Mad Magazine’s Harvey Kurtzman, plays like a mash-up of Universal’s Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and AIP’s The Ghost In The Invisible Bikini. Its original poster art was rendered by none other than Frank Frazetta in the multi-character chase motif similar to his Night They Raided Minsky’s, Fearless Vampire Killers and After The Fox advertisements. Though the featured tunes don’t reach the classic repeatable nature of Rankin/Bass Christmas songs, Maury Laws score captures some late 60’s swinging Pink Panther-esque moments.
For Your Video Shelf… Mad Monster Party is a very fun guilty pleasure that should be nestled in your pile of seasonal viewing musts. It is unquestionably the great grandaddy of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. The Blu-Ray edition was just released at the beginning of last month with plenty of extras.
For Your Collectibles Shelf… Diamond Select Toys will release their first wave of 7 inch character figures just in time for Halloween. Diamond promises additional characters down the line. Hopefully the wiry Gillman is on the short list. Of course anyone who played in a group called The Skeleton Crew (that would be me) is chomping at the bit to get a guitar wielding skeleton band member.
For Your Book Shelf…
The final word on all things Mad Monster Party can be read in Rankin/Bass aficionado Rick Goldschmidt’s book. It has just gone into its second printing and you can order directly from Rick’s Rankin and Bass website. He will even specially inscribe it if you like.
Go Ask Alice, When She Was Just Small… Diamond Select releases their first series of Alice: Madness Returns! figures this week. Based on game creator American McGee’s twisted twist on the Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) penned fairy tale we get the blade wielding main character Alice Liddel, a zombified “Card Guard”, and the gruesomely grinning Cheshire Cat all in articulated 7” form. I’m hoping the old hookah smokin’ caterpillar will be in the next round of characters.
Three Faces of Alice
Weapons In Wonderland…
Alice comes replete with Vorpal knife, her pepper grinder and rocking horse, making her ready for battle with the horrible inhabitants of Wonderland. In addition to the standard characters a special edition “hysteria mode” figure is available via comic shops that pre-ordered the Previews exclusive. This blazing eyed, battle frenzied, beauty is literally covered in blood up to her elbows. Completists will definitely want to seek her out. On the horizon, but with no release date set yet, is the “Royal Suit” clad Alice also pictured here.
Click Any Image to Launch the Gallery
Three Faces of Alice
Alice in her Royal Suit Dress, release date TBA
Card Guard Zombie
Cheshire Cat
Previews Exclusive “Hysteria Mode” Alice
Alice Liddel is mad, and she’s not gonna take it anymore.
Toy Fair 2012 Was Awash in Avengers Movie Tie-in's
Joss Whedon’s recent denial of writing either The Kree or The Skrulls into the upcoming Avengers movie has fandom buzzing again about who or what the villainous planet attackers that we’ve been seeing in the trailers are. While that little tempest in a teapot continues to brew I thought I would go back to my Toy Fair 2012 photos and pull together a gallery of what was on display there.
Expect a deluge of Avengers themed toys, games and action figures from Lego, Neca, Funco and Diamond Select (I love those mini-mates). Check out my earlier posting on tokidoki for a look at their cool Avengers baseball caps, and the Peavey musical instruments story, illustrated with images of their superhero adorned guitars.
