Mr. T and Rowdy Roddy Piper faced each other in a 1986 "boxing" match. It's fun to watch, though it looks staged. The two had a long running feud that was perhaps more for entertainment than real. Last year, the famous match was given toy status by Mattel's WWE Elite Collection. And these figures are … Continue reading Mr. T vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper Action Figure 2-pack
Darth Vader's first on-screen appearance is in a corridor in spaceship Tantive IV in STAR WARS (1977). The famous ship hallway is also featured in REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005) and ROGUE ONE (2016). And finally, after all this time, it has achieved toy-status thanks to Hasbro's "Vintage Collection" line. Oh, yes. Let's take a … Continue reading Tantive IV Playset (2021)
Hello picture book fans, here's a new one to be aware of. THE FOG CATCHER'S DAUGHTER by Marianne McShane. Illustrated by Alan Marks and published by Candlewick Press a month or two ago. Marianne McShane lives in Ireland and enjoys creating fairy tales set in her homeland. The outstanding art sweeps you into the story … Continue reading THE FOG CATCHER’S DAUGHTER by Marianne McShane
A couple posts ago, I wrote about the R.E.D. Coronation Starscream figure, giving it lots of praise. I hadn't planned on getting more from the R.E.D. line, but when a new R.E.D. Shockwave become available on Hasbro Pulse, it looked so cool that I couldn't resist. A spectacular figure, and I found it looked even … Continue reading A Problem with R.E.D. Transformer Figures
The Nevarro Cantina, as seen in THE MANDALORIAN, began showing up in stores last month, and comes with a lot of great props, including bar stools, bottles, and cups. It was released by Hasbro in their STAR WARS "The Vintage Collection" line. The box has outstanding pictures of set-ups with figures from THE MANDALORIAN. And … Continue reading 2022 Nevarro Cantina Playset
Hasbro has a line of six-inch Transformer figures called R.E.D. (Robot Enhanced Design). These figures don't transform into vehicles, making it possible for Hasbro to give us a more accurate portrayal of the robot modes as seen in the cartoons. While some collectors feel there's no point to a Transformer figure that can't transform, others … Continue reading Coronation Starscream Figure
In the mid 90s, an all-new line of STAR WARS toys reached dizzying heights of popularity. And yet, just a few years earlier, the franchise was all but dead. 1986 thru 1994. Nine consecutive years without the release of any new STAR WARS 3.75-inch figures. Except for one. According to Stephen Sansweet's excellent guidebook, Vlix … Continue reading Star Wars 3.75-Inch Figures Part 4 (1995-1996)
I recently finished the MASTERMINDS trilogy by Gordon Korman and have added them to my list of all-time favorites. The first book was published in 2015 by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins. The sequels followed in 2016 and '17. They are middle-grade novels, intended for ages 8 to 12, however teens and adults … Continue reading MASTERMINDS by Gordon Korman
1983 Early in '83, Kenner updated the backer cards for all their STAR WARS figures with the RETURN OF THE JEDI logo and an offer to receive a free Nien Nunb figure from the upcoming film, still months away. Around this time, a slip was placed in STAR WARS vehicle and playset toys, hyping the … Continue reading Star Wars 3.75-Inch Figures Part 3 (1983-1985)
By 1979, Kenner had conquered the toy world with their hot new STAR WARS line, but this was only the beginning. 1980 As 1980 began, anticipation was in full swing for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK which would be released in May. The cardbacks were updated with the EMPIRE logo and an offer to receive a … Continue reading Star Wars 3.75-Inch Figures Part 2 (1980-1982)
