 Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home. Along for the ride is Jia, an orphaned girl who has a unique and powerful bond with the mighty beast. However, they soon find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla as he cuts a swath of destruction across the globe. The initial confrontation between the two titans -- instigated by unseen forces -- is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the planet. Godzilla vs Kong was a breathtaking rollercoaster ride of a film to say the least. Two big monsters fighting each other. Sure there was a plot but who cares, we paid to see the fights and the film delivered. I have to admit, although I’m a huge Godzilla fan I love how Kong pulls off lots of pro-wrestling moves. Plus he has a big ax that I’m positive has a piece of Godzilla’s dorsal fins on it for the blade. Lots of toys were released to coincide with the film but the folks over at Tamashii Nations have released Kong and Godzilla under their S.H. MonsterArts line. Let me say these are incredible. Fully articulate, removable heads and hands, everything. You want to recreate the battles from the film, or simply have something cool to display well these are for you. Today I am looking at Kong.   So when I unpacked this massive set, that let me say is packed so secure throwing it off a roof wont damage it. I had to slice open the box, then separate the blister packs, then open the blister packs (There in there doubled up) to get to the figure. So if you are one of those “Leave it in the box guys” you won’t be disappointed in the box art. An orange and blue skyline that was used as the backdrop for the movie poster is now used for the backdrop of the figure. You see the S.H. Monsterarts logo on the left top along with its coinciding Monsterverse logo on the left. The lettering is just like in the film poster. A bold blue Godzilla with a white vs and finally a big orange and black Kong adorns the middle. Directly underneath in the same orange style lettering it says “Kong From Godzilla VS Kong (2021)”Kong is front and center as he is there with his fist back and mouth open giving his trademark growl. It looks fantastic to say the least. The back is for you keep it in the box people. You see the right side shows the figure in a few various poses, the main one being him holding his ax but the left side is the clear blister side where you can see Kong starring out at you. His ax and extra parts are hidden but if you just want to show the figure he is here for you to see. I opened mine up of course to check him out.  Highly detailed like a statue as opposed to a collectible action figure lets start by looking at Kong’s face. He comes with an extra face which is the one I am using here. I picked the angry Kong with his mouth and teeth exposed as he lets out a growl. This is a very detailed piece. You can see it’s the grey very off brown furry look. Like in the films, and I have to say this is based off the new film version, not the Peter Jackson version which was more black in color. This is done in a more sleek bright style, you can see his “hair” on the head combed almost back to blend in with the rest of the body. He has his trademark yell going for him as well. Kong was always portrayed as a more friendly creature but when he gets mad he has the look of pure evil. You can see not only his teeth which are a faint white, but the gums as well. That’s a very nice touch of detail. His eyes are a mixture of black white and there is a great deal of etching and molding done in the face area to show him squinting and yelling. The red painting for the gums really stands out on this.  The body is fantastic. It’s simply done in two colors. Black and grey. Its designed to look like fur of course, but it’s the painting that really makes is stand out. The black and grey is done in no particular pattern. Black being the predominate color of this piece with lots and lots of deeper shades thrown in. Nothing is a simple line. Everything goes every which way as opposed to a certain flow. Which is exactly what you need when trying to create the look of hair, of I guess fur in this case. Its sleek, yet as you can see under the lights really does look like animal fur. It’s a marvelous paint job. You can see all of the traditional muscles are sculpted in the piece as well. Kong is shorter than Godzilla in terms of height but he’s massive, and this is a wide thick piece. I also want to point out how well this is positioned. Its very life like in a way. From the twisting to the right of the stomach to the arching and bending of the legs Kong can move any way you want him to. I have mine simply posed and angles for this shot but if you have a kid, like I do, who wants to play with him, he’s fully articulate and can be positioned into any pose or strike when doing battle.  You want Kong to wield his battle ax that he finds in hollow earth? Well you got it. This is probably the most highly detailed weapon accessory I have ever seen for a toy. A brown handle that looks simply like it was quickly made with a giant bone this looks great. Dark brown almost oak with tons of black shading going throughout it. The bone like end is brown but a much lighter color giving the impression the handle is beginning to fade over time. You can see all the lines and cracks etched it to give it that old battle worn look. The top is where the fin connects. Wrapped and held in place with rope, which as you can see is also very well sculpted, this even has a lot of detail. The rope part itself is molded, painted, and shaded to look just like real rope. And the crowning piece is of course the fin, or blade itself. Blue, almost iridescent with white inside that really shines in the light. It’s a perfect match for the fins on Godzilla. The outline is an off brown color that looks almost like molding. Don’t work, Kong comes with extra hands to help this clenched tightly so it doesn’t fall off if he’s fighting your other figures.  Here are the hands he comes with. It’s a simple pop off pop on system like they use for their other figures. So now you can recreate his punches, chops, grabs, everything. As the wrists are also one of the many articulation points this figure really can mimic the fighting style Kong uses, that I still say resembles professional wrestling. You can see the detail in these hands as they are all etched and shaded to look like fur. The match his body perfectly and there’s no gap when you switch them out. I used the big growling head but he is the more calm head. Like I said Kong is a much calmer creature than Godzilla and this particular head shows that off. A stoic look on the mouth with his eyes opened a bit wider yet still accenting on the scrunched nose. This is a very nice looking addition to use if you prefer this Kong, or if he’s not in a bad mood when you playing with him. The head also pops right on and off and does not come off during battle. The deep sunken eyes look great especially combined with the over emphasis on the black shading. This is a dead ring for Kong and two heads are always better than one.
This figure is a must for collectors, kids, and of course King Kong fans. Inside the box it looks great and you can see everything, outside the box it looks better, especially when he’s carrying his ax. I can’t stress enough how amazing a job they did with the etching to make it look like real fur. Outside the box it stands easy and looks good, but if you’re a parent or a kid at heart, its also a toy that can be played with. As I said my son had hours of fun playing with him and the Godzilla which I will review next week. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Big Bad Toy Store click HERE! For more information on products, events, and promotions be sure to visit Tamashii Nations HERE!  Captain Steven Grant "Steve" Rogers is a World War II veteran, a founding member of the Avengers, and Earth's first superhero. Rogers had suffered from numerous health problems, and upon America's entry into World War II, was rejected from the service within United States Army despite several attempts to enlist. Rogers was the only recipient of the Super Soldier Serum developed by Abraham Erskine under the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Determined to serve, Rogers ultimately volunteered for the Project Rebirth, which enhanced the frail Rogers' body to the peak of human physicality and was given the new moniker of Captain America.  It’s not secret I love Captain America. He’s always been a favorite of mine. The comics, the films, even the old arcade game, all classics to me. He’s the heart and soul of Marvel Comics. I love the performance Chris Evans gives as Cap, and I will be sad to see him leave the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hopefully he will return in some capacity as lets face it, they are superhero movies and no one stays gone, or dead forever. There have been many Captain America Figures to grace shelves over the yeas but now the fine folks at Tamashii Nations under their SHI Figuarts line have released an amazing replica figure of Captain American entitled “Avengers Assemble Edition”   Look at this packaging. You don’t want to open your figures and display them? Then no problem, as this is the packaging for you. Fully detailed with a drawing of Cap from the comic books holding up his shield covering the left side, with a big “A” for Avengers logo on the right The Tamashii log sticker which is holographic might I point out emblazes the left side while the standard logo along with the Ban Dai tag sits towards the bottom. It has the Avengers lettering between Cap and the “A” and states this is the Captain America Avengers Assemble Edition on the bottom in classic comic book style lettering. A big sell point for collectors is the center of the packaging is “Blister” style meaning its clear plastic and you can see inside. You see Cap flanked by two of his heads and his main weapon, the shield. So like I stated if you don’t want to open him up he is visible in this style of packaging. You also get a great look at the back of the box as well. Set against a backdrop of the Avengers log in a stone color you see 4 different poses of the figure, along with a left side shot of one of the heads. The pics are stunning. I love how not only do they encompass him holding the trademark shield, but the center shot has him with the alternate shield you get that is scuffed and battle damaged. This is excellent packing. Everyone knows I open my stuff to display it, but as I stated this is a great package to simply show off without opening.  Ok this may be a figure but in terms of the design its as high quality as a statue, so that’s how I am going to be reviewing it. Let’s get right to the face. This is a dead ringer for Chris Evans. Pouting lips combined with the sculpting under the nose and around the mouth highlight the square jaw. The nose is a perfect match, as are the eyes. Steel blue and black. I like how they have them looking up at the hammer. It gives it a great almost stoic look. The helmet is fantastic. Bright blue with the big white A on it. The black shadows around the eye holes really brings out the colors, as well as the heroic look on the face. You get a great shot of all the work that went into the costume design here in the chest area. Blue with the big bright silver star in the center of the chest with the back outline under the neck and through the back of the arms as well as a portion of the chest star. This is spot on compared to the movie version. The costume is made of a Kevlar based ballistic component to help protect Cap when he’s fighting the bad guys, and this really nails it. You can see all the etching that went into this as it has etchings and lines throughout the outfit. There not simply painted on, each one is actually sculpted into the outfit. You can feel them. I love the use of a silver type of blue and silver respectfully as it really makes this piece shine in the light.  Moving further down you see the trademark red and white flag stripes around the abdominal area which are also designed in that same sleek armored style. The black shaded in really brings everything together. It’s such an amazing blend of colors that really stand out when on display. The tactical belt is identical to the film as well. Blue leather to match the outfit complete with pouches held together by a big silver buckle. It’s done, like most of the outfit to be colorful yet still have a battle worn look about it. The coolest, in my opinion, part are the pants. Blue, and loaded with black shading these look fantastic. You can see again all the stiches and seams with etchings as well as the lining, and all the wrinkles throughout. The black faded into the deep blue really makes it stand out, as the boot tops are a deep red color. I can stress how good this looks in the light as it really has a shine to it that these photos don’t quiet capture. The cream like white really stands out as well. It’s just a fantastic blend of colors that all flow together so well.  This side shot shows off more of the detail in the shield. This figure comes with two different shields. The classic style, and the one I have chosen for this picture, which is the battle damages style. Big, bold, and bright. Red, white, and blue with a big shiny silver star in the center This is classic Cap with his trademark in full effect. You can see the deep heavy scuff marks surrounding the shield from where Cap has been fighting off Thanos and his army. It looks great, and I think what helps is how even though its battle damaged it’s much brighter than the rest of the piece which brings a huge amount pf focus to it. And the focus should be on it as the shield is the symbol of Captain America. I also love the attention to detail when you look towards the upper right side. It’s not only done to be heavily damaged but it’s smeared in a way to look as though the paint is actually coming off of it. For an action figure that is state of the art painting.    Now I’m going to move to all these accessories. You get 6 sets of extra hands, all done in different styles to change your poses, and also the various ways Cap will hold his shield. Now I once again, because I have to, point out, that the fist has each finger sculpted to give it that extra touch of class. This thing can fight any figure you throw at it. It can mimic basically any fight movement as it has so many points of articulation, and if you don’t like the fist just use one of these other hands. Have him do palm strikes, karate chops, hold the handles on his shield, you name it. You need a new hand, you got it. They pop on and off very easily, and when you are fighting other figures with him they stay perfectly in place. They don’t slide or fall off like some toys, this is high quality at its best. That shield your using doesn’t stay on his hand choice that great? They got you covered. Switch it out with another one. Four more shield clamps come with this bad boy. And look at those shields. Fantastic design I already pointed out the battle damaged one look at the old classic. Red, white, andblue with the big white star on the center. Let me say this really comes to life. Its an amazingly bright and bold color style. The paint job on both of these is amazing as not only do the capture the look and feel of Captain America, but there so bright they really stand out and become the focal point of the display. You don’t like the head you have on? Switch it. Go no mask, which might I say is not only highly detailed to looks like Evans, but look at the hair. A fantastic paint job complete with shadowing. You want a different version of Evans. Pop on the extra neck piece that comes with this and slide on the more prominent “Neck” version, also sculpted to look like the man himself. Or if the classic yet angry look is more your thing pop on the helmet head complete with scowl and mouth giving a battle cry look. All of these pop of with east, and if your kids are playing with them, they don’t fall off when Cap is Battling your bad guy figures.
This is a top to bottom must own addition to any collection. A great toy to play with, an amazing figure to display, and even if after all this you don’t want to open it up, amazing artwork on the box that you can also just proudly display. It’s a great investment for collectors and people who just want a figure to play with. My son loves it. I personally open all of my stuff, and this guy gives you double the joy. A great figure and a great display piece. Pick one up today. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Big Bad Toy Store click HERE! For more information on products, events, and promotions be sure to visit Tamashii Nations HERE!  During the "Spider-Verse" storyline, the Earth-138 version of Spider-Man is revealed to be Hobart Brown, originally operating as Spider-Punk. He is a homeless teenager who was transformed by a spider that was irradiated as part of President Norman Osborn's toxic waste dumping. He becomes the punk-rock inspired Spider-Man, leading the downtrodden people of New York against Osborn's V.E.N.O.M. troops. Spider-Punk managed to kill Osborn during a riot by bashing the President with his guitar. After President Osborn's death, Spider-Punk unmasked himself to the viewing crowd as their savior.  I Love Spider-Man, I love Punk Rock music. So it’s only obvious that I would totally be down for a Punk Rock Spider Man. In fact when my son wanted the Spider-Man game I had no problem doing the pre order so he could get the Punk Rock outfit. Its just such a fantastic look, and such a basic story. Just picture Peter Parker (although Hobart is his real name) as a punk rock kid instead of a nerd. Its brilliant. I may not have been the biggest Into the Spider-Verse fan but Punk Rock Spider-Man and Noir Spider-Man are two of the coolest creations out there. In fact I have my new Spider-Man Punk Rock statue right next to my Noir Spider-Man and they look great together.  Here we go, and right off the bat I have to say this guy is bad-ass!. Done like Spider-Man in most of the top half sense. You can see it’s the traditional bright blue and red outfit with the webbing but there are white stripes added to give it Union Jack style associated with the punk rock look of the late 70’s from England. You can see the red outfit has the webbing done in black and etched in throughout. The eyes are that old school bright white with the very thick black outlines around them. The head itself however is where we get our first variation as it has little tiny black spikes on the top of the mask to give it a mohawk look. It really stands out and is a definite attention grabber. The rest of the outfit, at least the top half has the red and blue with webbing look as our original hero but this Spider-Man is wearing a cut off vest complete with spikes. A highly detailed vest which I will get into later has all the stitching and line work done in a real vest. The collar is pulled up and the shoulders have small silver studs going around through the back. They look fantastic and really capture that angry look and feel. You also get a great look at his guitar that is done in bright red with the spiderwebs painted in bright white on the head. Every cord is individually sculpted and it’s the perfect accessory for our hero. It’s on a strap so it can be moved for your own placement.  Here you get a better look at the body. Notice the detail first in the guitar strap. It’s a leather strap so the match came out perfect. Wrinkled black with deep red lining on the sides that even has the button sculpted in where it attaches to the guitar. You can see the pants are not the typica blue with black webbing going throughout. There a bright blue but they have simple black lines going through them. Almost like stretch pants or really really skinny jeans. This Spider-Man is also not wearing boots, no he’s got the old school red and white converse shoes with a picture of his mask on the sides. It’s a great touch. If you look back at the arms notice that he is wearing spiked bracelets to further add to the punk rock style. Notice the black belt filled with silver studs. Each one individually sculpted on. The belt, bracelets, as well as the should pad area all match perfectly. You can see all the sewing lines and seams in the vest and for a really cool touch you will see its molded to look as though its blowing a bit on the right side. Throw in the clenched fist hands and you have a seriously angry looking Spider-Man.  The back is simply amazing. I love the spiked vest for an addition anyway but using that to put the spider log on is genius. A thick black spider done in a raised bright white outline with a big X in the center. That X is important as it separates the letters FMNS which when spelled out (in correct top to bottom) means of course “Friendly Neighborhood Spider Man” Not only is it awesome for the punk rock look and feel but it just adds to the overall coolness of the piece. I love how it incorporated the old nickname with the angry punk lifestyle. You get a great shot of Spidey’s pans and the black studded belt, but here you also get a great look at the shoes. Bright red with a white undersole and laces. These things really pop. The old school Spiderhead logo on the sides is the perfect addition. You can see all the detail that went into the spikes on the belt, bracelets as well as the top of the vest. This is very high attention to detail to say the least. And like I said in the beginning look at how cool the head spikes look, as you definitely take notice of them right away.  The base is, well, I don’t really know to be exact. A definite piece of flooring of some sort. Grey with cracks and lines sculpted in to give it a hardened look. You can see its shaded in multiple variations of black, and a few subtle hints of dark grey throw into the light grey mix. Just a standard pile of rubble / floor but its fully encases in lightning. And I always say Diamond Select can do the blue lighting better than anyone else. It’s bright and dark blue in spots, yet clear at the same time. It goes off in all types of different directions and when light hits it, it looks pretty realistic. It’s definitely a sell point of this piece and really makes it stand out. I love how it circles around the entire base like its building up a large electrical current.
Fans of Spider-Man the comics, game, or just the hero in general will want to pick this one up. It’s the most different, and at the same time coolest Spider-Man statue to hit in some time. I really like it and I can say it’s a must have for any collection. Pick one up today. To order from Diamond Select Toys click HERE! To view other Spider-Man items from Diamond Select Toys click HERE!  The Silver Surfer is a humanoid alien with metallic skin who can travel through space with the aid of his surfboard-like craft. Originally a young astronomer named Norrin Radd on the planet Zenn-La, he saved his home world from the planet devourer, Galactus, by serving as his herald. Imbued in return with some portion of Galactus' Power Cosmic, Radd acquired vast power, a new body and a surfboard-like craft on which he could travel faster than light. Now known as the Silver Surfer, Radd roamed the cosmos searching for planets for Galactus to consume. When his travels took him to Earth, he met the Fantastic Four, who helped him rediscover his nobility of spirit. Betraying Galactus, the Surfer saved Earth but was exiled there as punishment.   Silver Surfer was a silver age comic that I had a complete run of at one time. One of the most valuable issues of that run was issue 4 which featured Thor. It was about Loki, determined to defeat his brother Thor. He looks for someone that he can use to accomplish this. He comes across the Silver Surfer and tests his abilities. Loki tricks the Surfer into thinking that Thor is Asgard's enemy. He agrees to help the Surfer escape Galactus' barrier if he helps defeat Thor. Surfer attacks Thor, but soon realizes that Loki may have not been telling him the truth. When Loki realizes that the Surfer was becoming wise, he sends him back to Earth before his scheme could be revealed. Nothing special, but it turns out it was a pretty rare issue. I was around 15 when I sold my copy. I got about 100.00 for it. I bought a new skateboard. Today there’s one listed on eBay for $2860.00. Yeah it makes me sick. The cover was iconic to say the least. The surfer flying down with Thor kneeling down ready to strike. Diamond Select Toys has made two limited edition resin statues to commemorate this cover. I reviewed Thor about a month ago, and now I have the Silver Surfer here as well.  Let’s look at the head and torso. Now I have to say this looks like a pure piece of sterling silver with shades of a faint black mixed with a deeper silver to give it a nice almost metallic look, I have never seen a resin design shine like this, It’s remarkable how well crafter and designed this piece is. Now sadly as it is not a costumed character there are not tons of things to point out. You can see the head is sculpted and shaped with eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, the whole thing. It looks exactly like Surfer does in the comics. The mouth is fantastic as its opened wide letting out a battle cry just like on the cover of issue 4. You can even see his silver teeth. The neck and traps show a lot of the sculpting that went into it as you can see all the real world muscles sculpted into the piece. His arms outstretched with all his fingers spread apart really give this an almost menacing look and feel. You can also get a good shot of the chest muscles and quads in this pic as well. The adding of the various mixes of grey for the shading in different spots really makes this come alive.  The side shot shows off the surfboard. Like I stated this is all silver, so the board matches the color and shades of the Surfer himself. It has a magnet on the bottom to attach to the base. You can see it’s a sleek shiny design and the center of the board has the trademark lines going through the center just like in the comic books. You get a great look at the placement of this piece as well. With the right leg bent down and the toe are firmly planted as the heel is lifted up, and the left leg stretched completely back and in the same foot position. This not only matches the comic book cover but it also looks exactly like a real person would be planted on a surfboard. You can see the high amount of detail that went into the sculpting as all the rib and quad muscles are sculpted to perfection. This is a simple piece in terms of color but its one of the most highly detailed in terms of the shape and symmetry I have ever seen.  The base is simple. A blue and black, circle that rises up to a point. Its smooth and the design painted on it is done to look like the galaxy the surfer is flying through. And yes it is the exact same background as the comic book cover. Its very fancy and I love how it not only angles up but turns a bit and slopes down to leave the surfer in an almost hanging state. As fancy as the base is, it takes nothing away from the look and feel of the statue itself. It’s a perfect base to have the Surfer on, as he’s flying in the air on it. It’s a great exclamation point to a remarkable piece. This is a great statue and a must own for collectors and Marvel fans alike . Not be warned. Only 3000 of these were made so you better act fast to get one as they will sell out quickly. I have mine next to my Thor where it not only matches but belong. Here you can see the two together. Pick these up and have them displayed in your house today.   Midtown High School student Peter Benjamin Parker is a science-whiz orphan living with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. He is bitten by a radioactive spider at a science exhibit and "acquires the agility and proportionate strength of an arachnid". Along with heightened athletic abilities, Parker gains the ability to adhere to walls and ceilings. Through his native knack for science, he develops a gadget that lets him fire adhesive webbing of his own design through small, wrist-mounted barrels. Initially seeking to capitalize on his new abilities, Parker dons a costume and, as "Spider-Man", becomes a novelty television star. However, "He blithely ignores the chance to stop a fleeing thief, and his indifference ironically catches up with him when the same criminal later robs and kills his Uncle Ben." Spider-Man tracks and subdues the killer and learns, in the story's next-to-last caption, "With great power there must also come—great responsibility!  I have always been a big Spidey fan. I read the comics religiously in the 80’s through late 90’s. I was most hooked during the big boom when Venom came on the scene and Todd McFarlane was doing the artwork. This is the review for Diamond Selects new Spider-Man on a Cab Statue which has an amazing look to it. Although he has a pretty simple outfit, this one has a few great variations.  Here he is, Spider-Man in the classic design on top of a cab. With the exception of a few tweaks here and there, this costume has pretty much remained the same. Red, white, blue, and black. As I said it’s a very wrap around outfit but lets start by looking at the head You can see the big oversized white eye lids surrounded in a dark black outline. The eyes are a bright white, with just a slight hint of black for shading to give it a touch of depth. Notice how the black outlines around he eyes are think where as the rest of the black used for the webbing design throughout the costume is more skinny. It’s a nice little touch to show off both outline that use the same color. The bright red is on in full effect, and all of the little webbing is carved into the piece and painted black to give it a nice element of perception. The blue is bright and vibrant and if you look you can see the faint hints of light black painted in it for shading purposes. And lets not forget to mention the white spider in the center which is different than the original black design  This side shot gives you a good look at the action style of the piece. You can also see some of the shading done on the blue leg of the costume. The red is bright, but more like a bright brick color as opposed to say a candy apple. Those little spider webs are etched into the piece and painted a dark black. You also get a good look at the 3D style this has as Spidey’s feet are planted on the base. You can see that all of his fingers are individually sculpted as well with the webbing designed going all over. It’s a great looking piece. I like the whit addition to the gloves. It's taken from the Spider-Man video game and it looks really cool. I like how it all flows together from fist to forearm.  The back shows off all the bright blue in the outfit as well as the shading and muscle structure. You can see very faint black, and very minimal usage is done. Just enough to accentuate certain parts of the statue. The spider on the back is a bright white ust like in the game, and you can see all of the sculpted muscles running throughout the back and legs of Spider-Man. The placement and positioning used really bring this to life, and give you the full feeling of Spiderman getting ready to swing through the city to fight crime. This is a very accurate piece to say the least.  The base is the top of a New York City cab. Nothing to fancy. As spidey is always swinging about New York it's only fitting he use the roof of a cab to hop when close to traffic. The slated bright almost Big Bird Style yellow looks classic just like the old school cabs. You can see towards the bottom where the windows begin. The windows are a pale black to give them a tinted look. The sign on top of the cab looks great. You can even see the bolts where it's mounted onto the roof. A big dirty white sign reading "The Daily Bugle New Yorks Finest Newspaper" it even has the Bugle emblem in the middle. A bright red backdrop with the letters in old newspaper font white. Throwing in the Bugle name was a fantastic addition to this piece.
As I said Spiderman is a 3 color outfit so not a ton to write about but as you can see this is a very well done and detailed piece that really does the video game style Spider-Man justice. It captures the look and fell of the game, and throws in those classic comic book styles as well. Pick this one up today. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Diamond Select Toys click HERE! To view other Spider-Man items from Diamond Select Toys click HERE  It's Wednesday, and that means it's New Toy Day! Check out what's coming to comic shops this week, including items from Star Wars, Godzilla, Marvel Comics and Avatar: The Last Airbender, and reserve yours at your local store! Find one at comicshoplocator.com!  Avatar The Last Airbender Gallery Katara PVC Diorama A Diamond Select Toys release! Avatar: The Last Airbender is finding a new generation of fans on Netflix, and the Gallery Diorama line is targeting a new generation of collectors! This approximately 9-inch tall diorama of Katara depicts her wielding her waterbending powers as she stands in the middle of a mini-tsunami. Made of high-quality PVC, this diorama features detailed sculpting and paint applications, and features translucent water effects that catch the light. Packaged in a full-color window box. Designed by Uriel Caton, sculpted by Salvador Gomes! (SRP: $49.99, Item #DEC202071) Godzilla Gallery King Ghidorah 1991 PVC Diorama A Diamond Select Toys release! From the distant future, a new line of Gallery PVC Dioramas rises! Starring Godzilla, his allies and his enemies, each diorama features exacting sculptural and paint detail. The second offering features King Ghidorah in his 1991 appearance, from Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, and measures approximately 10 inches tall. Connect it with Godzilla to form a larger diorama! Packaged in a full-color window box. Designed by Joe Allard, sculpted by Jorge Santos Souza. (SRP: $89.99, Item #DEC202072)  Marvel Comic Gallery Hawkeye PVC Diorama A Diamond Select Toys release! A man's best friend is his dog, and a dog's best friend is pizza! Hawkeye and his sidekick Pizza Dog spring into action in this all-new Gallery Diorama, inspired by modern Marvel Comics. Cast in high-quality PVC, this approximately 9-inch sculpture features detailed sculpting and paint applications and comes packaged in a full-color window box. Designed by Caesar, sculpted by Mat Brouillard. (SRP: $49.99, Item #OCT201998)  Marvel Comic Premier Collection Silver Surfer Resin Statue A Diamond Select Toys release! Watch out Thor, the Surfer is coming! Swooping down to the surface at incredible speed, the Silver Surfer rides his shimmering surfboard in this dynamic statue. Hand-sculpted by Clayburn Moore based on a classic Marvel Comics cover, this statue pairs well with the Premier Collection Thor statue, and stands approximately 12 inches tall. It is limited to 3,000 pieces and comes packaged in a full-color box with a certificate of authenticity. SRP: $175.00, Item #SEP201922)  Star Wars Rebels Sabine Wren 1/6 Scale Mini-Bust
A Gentle Giant Ltd. Release! The Ghost's resident Mandalorian and the inspirational tagger of Star Wars: Rebels, Sabine Wren is the next animated character to join Gentle Giant Ltd.'s 1/6 scale bust line! Sculpted in a realistic style, with detailed sculpting and paint applications, it includes helmeted and unhelmeted heads, as well as four interchangeable arms. Limited to only 3,000 pieces, it comes packaged with a certificate of authenticity in a full-color box. Designed by Barry Bradfield, sculpted by Gentle Giant Ltd. (SRP: $120.00, Item #JUL201908)  The King of the Seas in the 90s style, by Iron Studios! The fury of the ocean waves is represented on a base, where the powerful tentacles of a mythological Kraken, submissive to the command of their master, emerge. Like the Greek god Poseidon, he advances between the waters indicating his objective with a cybernetic prosthesis, shaped like a harpoon, which replaced his left hand lost in combat. Iron Studios presents its "Aquaman Deluxe Art Scale 1/10 - DC Comics - Iron Studios" statue, with the King of the Sea wearing his gladiator armguard, with a beard and long hair and a more rude stance, which is reflected in his countenance, as in the comics of the 1990s, created by the cult writer Peter David, who implemented several characteristics that served as inspiration in the movie version of the hero, and that made him one of the most revered heroes of the modern DC universe, captivating a whole new generation of fans. Created in 1941 by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris, the King of the Seven Seas is one of DC's oldest heroes. Son of Princess Atlanna of Atlantis and lighthouse keeper Tom Curry, Arthur Curry was raised by his father. As an adult, he returned to the underwater city Atlantis to take the throne as king. In the comics, Aquaman is a founding member of the Justice League of America. Aquaman Deluxe Art Scale 1/10 - DC Comics License: DC Comics Scale: 1/10 Features: - Limited edition - Made in polystone - Hand painted Product dimensions: 10.2 in (H) x 7.8 in (W) x 10.2 in (L) Product Weight: - Release schedule: Second quarter of 2022 Date ranges - July 2022 to September 2022 Price - $199.99 Click HERE to Pre-Order      As part of a secret government program, the Facility created a child using the genetic code of the X-Men called Wolverine. She came to be named Laura Kinney, otherwise known as X-23 (designated such as the 23rd attempt at a Wolverine cloning experiment) with Dr. Sarah Kinney as her mother. Although she was made to be a weapon, Laura Kinney was trained by a sensei who showed her kindness, but overall she had never known love nor affection from her creators, who viewed her as nothing more than a tool. One day, Laura was forced to kill her mother due to Trigger 42 and this caused her great grief. After escaping the Facility, X-23 later became a prostitute on the streets of New York City while living with a community of other mutants. X-23 then met her biological father, Wolverine, and soon afterward enrolled at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters as a student.  I enjoy X-23. She’s a great character. In fact I loved her (much different) introduction into the cinematic world during the Logan film. The fact Wolverine has a daughter with adamantium claws is just fascinating. She’s a character that has so much depth, Marvel will be able to do endless stories with her. And now thanks to Diamond Select Toys I am able to add her to my growing collection of X-Men statues. Yes, they have made a limited edition resin statue of X-23, and I have her standing right by my Wolverine piece.  Starting up at her face you can see she is a dead ringer for her comic book counterpart. Done in comic book style so its sleek and smooth this is remarkable. The hair is a jet black and parted down the middle. Sleek, but still some etching in it to make it look like normal hair. The eyebrows match the hair color and are raised slightly to show off some intensity and anger in the pose. Her eyes are a menacing black and her mouth has a bit of a scowl to it. The skin tone is you standard tan flesh color with minimal shading. Don’t get me wrong there are some elements of shading done, but its done by using a darker skin tone as opposed to say a faded black. Her nose looks great and you can see a little bit of molding done on the sides, and by the cheeks you add to the facial expression. If you look close you can even see her teeth are sculpted inside her mouth. I also like the added touch of keeping the body accurate as you can see her collarbone and the indent lines in her throat. Throw in the fact her arms are bent back and it really adds intensity to the piece. You can see the outfit is done to look like leather. Its s leek jet black crop top and gloves that begin at the forearms.  Here’s a great shot of the body. You can see its done in the smooth comic style so no battle damage. Even though she is in a pose depicting her fighting it’s a very sleek and elegant style. I love the painting of the outfit. You can see under the lights how this really looks like leather. This one does not have wrinkles of bunches sculpted into it. Just a very glossy style that really jumps out at you. You can see the gloves in this shot as well. They match the halter top and pants perfectly. Bright glossy black with no shading. The only variations you see are from the light shining on her. Her X-Men style belt looks great and really helps to break the piece up. Bright gold done in a circular chain fashion with the big “X” right in the center. You can see hints of her abdominal muscles as well. Like I said anatomically correct but not in a real world sense. Her foot is bent slightly as she has the tip of her boot pushing up. I really like the fact that she is standing on top of a smashed Sentinel head. It adds to the grittiness of this statue, and helps to establish her as a force to be reckoned with.  This side shot really shows off X-23 in battle You can see how her hair is etched but still smooth at the same time It comes into a stylized point around her left shoulder. Flowing back ad to the side. It looks great You can see her gloves in full effect in this shot as well. Shiny just like leather with the arm slightly pulled back. Her hand is in a perfect fist as her claws are popped out as she is ready to strike. Notice the slight bend in her back and if you look close you can see a few muscles sculpted into the back area as well. Her boots look amazing. Black, but just very, very slightly a different shade so they do not get lost in the pants. Her boots are buckled all the way to the top and you can see all of the individually sculpted straps. Seven of them to be exact. Each with a silver buckle. The boot is raised and you can see a bit of a wrinkle where it is pushing down and up. I love the placement as one boot is on top of the Sentinel head while the other is planted below and back. Throw in the fact her claws are extended and you have a really great looking pose to the impressive piece.  There it is a very cool base. It’s a destroyed Sentinel head on top of other various rubble. The Sentinels were created by Dr. Bolivar Trask, whose intention was to use them to save humanity from what he saw as an impending threat to the species' existence in the increasing number of mutants. Sentinels are programmed to locate mutants and capture or kill them. Fortunately this particular one was unable to stop X-23. You can see the lavender faded head laying completely destroyed on the ground. Notice all the damage done to it. Full of scratches, dents, and other various scuff marks this head has been totaled. I love the shading of black, grey, and white mixed in to really accentuate the damage. All of the bolts are in the head. You can see the mechanical aspects of where its neck would be, or actually is, just ripped out. Once again completely designed to be smashed up. You can see all the circuits, cogs, and screws throughout it. A dull silver with a high degree of black shading to further show off the destruction. Notice that around the base itself are various pieces of the Sentinel head smashed by it. I like how that was added to give it a more demolished look and add to the overall anger of the piece. This is a marvelous base that even though its highly detailed and a definite talking point, still takes nothing away from X-23 herself.
From top to bottom this is an amazing piece. Its quickly becoming one of my favorite X-Men statues. Sorry but Iceman is still my top one. This is as comic accurate as you can get and the addition of the Sentinel only helps make it more iconic. It’s a must have for any X-Men or statue collection. Now this is a limited edition resin piece. Only 3000 of these were made so you need to act fast. I highly recommend picking one up today. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Diamond Select Toys click HERE! To view other X-Men items from Diamond Select toys click HERE  Peter Parker tragically discovered the mutilated body of his uncle Ben, killed in retaliation by one of New York City's businessmen for organizing a strike on sweatshops. The murder of his uncle by the Goblin drove Peter's resolve to continue to seek justice. While helping May at a rally in a Hooverville, they encountered a violent response from the Enforcers. Fortunately, the two were saved by Ben Urich. Subsequently, Peter became Urich's protege for the Daily Bugle and explored the dire situation of New York City's denizens, especially those under the threat of the Goblin. After Peter mistakenly received a tip-off meant for Urich, he ventured to a warehouse where the Goblin’s men were unloading a shipment of stolen antiques. A particular antique – a Spider Idol – broke open and releases a horde of spiders. One of the spiders bit Peter, causing him to pass out and dream of a Spider-God. After waking up, Peter discovered he possessed arachnid superpowers. Donning a mask, Peter confronted Norman Osborn in his home in order to get him to give up his hold over the city. However, Peter was shocked to discover Urich, who was revealed to have been blackmailing Osborn with his information on the mob boss in exchange for fueling his drug habit. Angered, Peter left Urich. Upon returning home, Peter created a costume based on his uncle's World War I-era airman uniform and became the vigilante, Spider-Man.  I won’t lie, I don’t know a ton about Noir Spider-Man. Just what I saw in the Spider Cartoon. However after getting this piece, and researching his origin I became intrigued and order the collected comic set from Amazon. It sounds amazing and I cant wait to read it. I love old “Pulp” style heroes like The Shadow and The Green Hornet so I cant wait to read the adventures of Noir Spiderman. Diamond Select Toys has made this version to go along with their countless other Spider-Man statues that I have proudly in my collection. This one looks amazing, and I have him next to my resin Miles Morales piece.  This is one cool piece. Starting at the head you can see he’s wearing the big oversized goggles along with the stitching, which is also oversized on the top of the mask. Before I go further I want to point out that this is technically a two color piece. Black and grey. It’s a bit more realistic however as so many different shades and variations of those two colors are blended throughout. Notice how the face mask really shines under the lights. You can see the mouth area is a standard black piece, smooth almost like plastic, actually that piece covers all the way up to the forehead. From there it turns into more of a fabric material. That same material is used for the shirt of the outfit. Notice the black leather vest. I point that out because under the vest you can see a black mesh style long sleeve turtleneck. It’s a slightly different shade of black so it has a great deal of variation to it. The shirt is sculpted to have a ribbed, textured look, like an actual cotton shirt would have. You can see the collar bent around the neck area. If you look close you can also see the mask going down underneath there as well. As I mentioned this is a shiny piece especially for it being all black. Look how everything just glimmers under the light. Even the goggles have a mirrored look about them.  Moving down you see the leather vest and pants. Like I keep saying a different shade of black along with a different type of sculpting. There is smooth like leather, heck if you look you can even see where the wrinkles are sculpted in around the inseam of the thighs as real pant would bunch like that especially in this type of pose. All the buttons on the vest look fantastic with an almost metallic silver outline. You can see the flap of the vest going down tucked into the pants. I love the belt buckle. It hard to tell in the pic but its an actual spider emblem. Bold silver, that almost looks like a coin. The symbol is sticking out and looks amazing. The silver buckle matches the two silvers latches on the side of the belt as well. You can see how everything just flows seamlessly as it blends together. The shiny pants and the ribbed undershirt match and look great together. Its spot on to the comic book drawings that I have seen.  From the side you get a great view of the long sleeve shirt. You can see all the detail that went into the sculpting of it. Not quiet the elephant style I enjoy, just a mesh look. The gloves are designed to be leather, and you can see how the wrinkles and bunches are sculpted into the sleeve area. The fist is clenched and drawn back into a striking pose. The same color and style for the glove is used for the vest and pants. Speaking of the pants you can see the gun holster attached to Spidey’s left hip. Its hard to notice at first as it blends right in. But you can see the butt of it sticking out further. The boots are black, but once again I must point out they are a different style and shade. I find that so remarkable as even though all of this is black you can clearly see the separation in everything. The boots are a bit scuffed at the top and throughout the sides but they shine like the rest of the outfit  Here you actually see a better view of said boots. Notice the detail in them. Laced to the top where they are met with a strap and buckle. There made to be a bit worn in style but you can see they also went that extra mile and have them sculpted to be wrinkled in and bent around the tip and top of the foot. The look great. And considering they are planted of a faint black and grey base they still manage to really stand out. The base itself is what I believe to be a rooftop of some sorts. That of a big ledge. Its black and grey but with a hint of white in it. Its very simple a scuffed up faint black bottom with apart raised up in the back. You can see various cracks and dents etched in the base itself. This base was painted in a great shade of grey as it really looks fantastic under the lights. In fact if you go and look at the first full pic it gives off the impression that Spidey is indeed on a rooftop underneath a street light. I have to point out again how well a black and grey a piece all came together. This really is a remarkable statue.
Like I said I just ordered my Noir Spider-Man comics and I cant wait to read them. This looks great. As I stated he is right at home with my various other Spider-Man statues. And even though he’s blended of just a few otherwise drab colors he really stands out. This is a must have piece for Spider-Man collectors, and of course for fans of the Noir Spider-Man. I highly recommend picking this one up right away. To order from Diamond Select Toys click HERE! To view other Spider-Man items from Diamond Select Toys click HERE!  The Latverian Monarch known to many as Doctor Doom was born a brilliant person named Victor von Doom. In a deal with the devil, his mother sacrificed her soul in return for her son to be a ruler. He spent much of his life studying both dark magic and science, only to have his plans continually foiled by meddling superheroes. As monarch of Latveria, Doom's rule is dealt with a heavy hand. Between his time platform (the first known time machine on Earth) and his doombots (robotic replicas of himself with artificial intelligence), Doom is a brilliant inventor and scientist. While at the same time, he is one of the most powerful sorcerers in existence, making him easily amongst the most dangerous villains on Earth.  I dig Dr Doom. He’s actually one of my favorite Marvel Villains. I really hope going forward the rumors are true and they make him a prominent villain in the phase of the movies. I always enjoyed the Fantastic Four. When I was playing my Fantastic Four Pinball the other day I realized I had no statues of them or Dr Doom. Luckily Diamond Select Toys has helped that fact with their new Dr Doom bust. And let me say this thing is amazing  Look at this. Its identical to the classic comic book style and design of Dr Doom. The face, well mask actually is about as spot on as you can get. Silver with an incredible amount of black shading to add depth and realism to it. You can see every single bolt and scratch in this. It’s an exact replica of the comics. I love all the intricate shading done throughout it. It’s a very dirty yet at the same time bright color of silver. You can even see this disfigured skin under it on the forehead area. They eyes are done haunting as they seem to stare directly at you. You can see the armor mesh at the neck area all covered with Doom trademark green cloak with hood that covers his upper body’s armor. The cloak itself is done in that elephant style that I like so much. It really makes everything stand out and when the light hits it, it almost looks like real cloth. Its sculpted to be bunched up and wrinkled especially on the shoulder areas where the cloak is lifted up. I love how it’s a darker almost pine green but the seam going down the center is a more vibrant green. You can see the armor muscles sculpted underneath on the chest area as well. The two neck clips are a bright golden color and the ropes connecting the two match perfectly. The design on the rope is fantastic as all the braids are molded in and shaded. Doom’s belt buckle is highly detailed as well. A brown leather that if you look closely has a different shade on the top and bottom seam. A gold belt buckle to match the golden shoulder buckles brings it all together. The armor on the arms matches the face plate perfectly. Silver with a high amount of black and darker grey scratches and shades mixed in to give it a dirty battle worm look. This is a beautiful replica of Doom himself.  The side shot shows off the fire that doon is rising from his palm. It looks like blown glass under the lights. Orange and read that’s almost translucent in spots. It flows from his palm and between his thumb and fingers. I love how it raises high into the air. It adds an element of danger to the piece. Notice again how great that armor looks. The fact that it is so scuffed up and dirty yet still bright really make this look amazing. The fingers, which are done perfectly as you can see they are actually separate armor pieces that make each finger. Sculpted to perfection and throw in the fact the fire is rising out of the palm really shows off the detail in this small piece. You can see the cloak is blowing behind Doom as well as flowing around the waist area. The statue may be a dull color but it really stands out do to all the shading elements. It’s a spot on match for the comic books.  The base simply looks like a mechanical device of some kind, possibly from Doom’s armor. More shine to this part that the armor itself. You can see all the cogs, and wheels, and bolts sculpted in to add a little bit of dimension to the piece. The bas on these busts are always the smallest of all the looked at parts, but this one is very well detailed and having Doom’s cloak blowing above it helps to really bring it all together.
This is my first Fantastic Four piece. So that also makes it my first Dr Doom piece as well. Diamond Select has done an amazing job with this. It’s a small scale bust only around 6 inches tall but its one of the most detailed pieces I have seen. Its also very limited. Only 3000 of these have been made. I not only recommend picking one up right away, but I recommend doing it fast. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Diamond Select Toys click HERE! To view other Marvel items from Diamond Select Toys click HERE! |