 Red Tornado is an android super-hero with wind-manipulation powers in addition to incredible strength and speed. His cybernetic body was created by the super-villain T.O. Morrow, although he is actually a sentient wind elemental named Ulthoon powering the robot. Despite his mechanical nature, he has a human wife named Kathy Sutton and a daughter named Traya, residing with him in Happy Harbor. He is primarily a member of the Justice League, although he has also been a member of Primal Force and Young Justice. The Golden Age version was Ma Hunkel, a member of the Justice Society.  Figures Toy Company is back in the review spotlight, with The Red Tornado. I don’t know what’s cooler, the fact Red Tornado has an amazing figure, or that’s its part of their Super Powers Line! Remember Super Powers? Well if you don’t let me give you a very quick background. The Super Powers Collection was a line of action figures based on DC Comics superheroes and supervillains that was created by Kenner Toys in the 1980s. The Super Powers toys spawned a franchise of collectibles, comics, color books and more. There was a variety of knockoffs, like Toy Biz's DC Comics Super Heroes line, and several others from other countries. Red Tornado had a figure as part of the Super Powers Second Wave. He was one of the harder figures to find. And had the nicest of all the capes, Sorry Batman.   Well now the amazing folks at Figures Toy company are recreating all of these figures. Using the same style of blister packaging, and logos, but with the Mego style of cloth dressed figure. It’s an amazing concept to say the least. Lets just dive right in and check out Red Tornado.  As you can see Tornado comes in a carded blister pack. I’ve said it in other reviews and I will say it again. This is the best way to package a figure. If you don’t want to open it just stand it up, or hang it up. Everything is fully displayed, and the artwork, especially with these Figure Toy Company releases is amazing. If you want something eye catching this is how you do it. Before you even look at the Red Tornado figure you are automatically drawn to the bright and bold colorful card. Blue, yellow and red, the three primary colors from the old Super Powers line. The Super Powers logo surrounded by bright red and yellow shooting stars make it pop off the card, as does the comic book style log that says “Red Tornado” in bright bold red lettering with a twisting yellow background. The “Official Worlds Greatest Heroes!” logo is stamped in white with a vibrant red background. The DC and Figures Toy Company logo are at the bottom left side, and covering the left is the comic book drawing of the Red Tornado himself spinning up from his tornado. A big comic book style zig zag balloon is towards the end of the tornado stating “With Fist Fighting Action!” in big bold letters. This is all on the blue card with the big yellow stripe in the center. The stripe is boxed in red with yellow stars in it. Now pause for a second and realize you see all of that before you even notice the Tornado Figure itself on the right side. This is eye catching and I was tempted to hang it up, but I open my toys, plus my son wanted to play with it  Lets start with the top. Tornado is a pretty basic character. Primarily red and yellow. The head is done very well for an action figure. The cheekbones are molded in with a very very faint shade done on them to accent the lips. They forehead is actually slightly bulged up and puffed out to add shape as well. With a slight painting of black on the upper section, and again under the nose and slightly in the center of the chin. The shading of the black is really nice as the head is essentially a red dome. The shading really makes it stand out in spots that would normally be ignored. The eyes are a bright almost snow white with deep bold black outlines around them. The yellow pointed arrow on the top of the head is bright as can be. I like how the lips on this one form almost a slight smile. I love this because if you go back and look at the original figures all of the good guys, even Batman had a slight smile on their faces while the bad guys had more of a sneer. As we move down you can see the costume in full view. Yes the cape, which I will cover in a bit can be removed, in fact the entire outfit can. The color on the cloth outfit is fantastic. Its very bright. So bright that when the light its, or in the case my camera flash it gives the impression its like an actually Kevlar superhero costume. The red is a bright and bold red, that really makes the bright almost canary yellow really pop. The Tornado Logo is directly in the center. It’s a circle with one top half and two bottom halves that runs down the center line. I wont lie. It looks cool, always has, I just never really understood what it symbolized. The belt, which is actually a plastic, almost rubber it yellow, but it’s a different shade. Not a huge difference, but enough so it does not blend with the yellow in the symbol and gloves.  Moving down we see feet and gloves. You can see it matches the rest of the costume, and it should It’s a one-piece outfit. The fact Red Tornado is all red and yellow makes him a really eye popping character. The uniform and boots are all bright red, but the logo, stripe, gloves and frill around the top of the boots is bright yellow. Two colors can make for a bland character but when a company uses such bright variations like Figures Toy Company did it really makes it come alive. The yellow, which is more of a satin type material than cloth really looks great at the bottom. Everything is perfectly centered and placed on this piece to make it come alive. The yellow gloves are a great shade as well.  Speaking of the gloves this side shot will give you a great look at the detail that went into them. If you notice there is a bunch and a wrinkle right between the wrist and hand. That’s exactly how a real glove would wrinkle up. The arms move up and down for some good old Karate Chopping action, which I will show you in a bit. You can see the yellow stripe going down the legs as well as the belt from the angle as well. If you look close you can see the costume is red, but the Tornado body is actually flesh colored. That was an old Mego style because kids like myself you switch heads and accessories on the figures. I really cant get over how bright this thing is. I know I’ve already stated that but this is just a great looking toy. To say it brings back many fond memories is an understatement   I want to point out from the back how good this cape looks. Hanging down yet still almost blowing in the wind as Red Tornado prepares to spin into action. Once again notice all the lines throughout and all the bends and folds. You can even see the shoulder overlap on the cape from where The Tornados head is. The cape is definitely a huge part of this costume and this is just spot on. Look at the shoulders where the cape is lifting up with the body. The fact this cape is made with a satin, cape like material in the icing on the cake so to speak. Its stitched in such a way that it really looks like its flowing, because it sort of is. The bright blue is stunning, throw in the red seams flowing around it and I have to say, this is the best cape on any figure I own. Don’t get me wrong The capes on the other figures in this line are great, but this Tornado one is so bright and eye catching its impossible to top. Yes it comes off as well.  I wanted to quickly show you under the cape. You can see the belt is adjustable, in case the penguin or another larger villain should steal it. But it has the old school lever by the butt for the twisting action. People my age will remember that these little triggers gave the toys back then “Kung-Fu Action”. You pop the left arm slightly out of socket so the right hand will throw a chop. This little bad boy will let you spin it with both hands giving it “Fist Fighting Action” Sure it may seem silly but back in my day that was just amazing as all could be. You had an automatic toy so to speak. My son who played with this with his wrestlers last night actually through it was really cool  Now speaking of playing. My son had him in the ring with not only his Nightwing figure from Figures Toy Company but they were fighting a few Pro Wrestlers in the cage. Tornado did just fine. Its fully articulate so he was able to position him into all the moves he needed to do. His action fists and kung fu chops were flying fast and furious. It’s a well made study toy so there was no problem with its durability. Plus it made me happy to see him playing with the same things I used to. And as a parent that really means a lot. So if you’re a parent buying this as a toy, it’s a great investment. Moves great, and looks cool as well something that’s important to every child. If you’re a collector It’s a definite must own. Awesome display box if you don’t want to open it, very cool to simply stand it up and show it off. This is another great toy from Figures Toy Company that brings back plenty of childhood memories. Superhero fans, collectors, and children will all love this one. Order one today. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Figures Toy Company click HERE! To View other Super Powers Toys from Figures Toy Company click HERE! 
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 The Rocketeer is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books originally published by Pacific Comics. Created by writer/artist Dave Stevens, the character first appeared in 1982 and is a homage to the Saturday matinee serial heroes from the 1930s through the 1950s. The Rocketeer's secret identity is Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot who discovers a mysterious jetpack that allows him to fly. His adventures are set in Los Angeles and New York in 1938, and Stevens gave them a retro, nostalgic feel influenced by the King of the Rocket Men and Commando Cody movie serials (both from Republic Pictures), and pinup diva Bettie Page. The character was adapted into the 1991 Walt Disney Pictures film The Rocketeer by director Joe Johnston.  I love The Rocketeer, plain and simple. I was a huge fan of the comics, and I found the film to be one of the most underrated movies ever made. The look of the character is simply amazing to say the least. Alex Ross did a few covers for the IDW comics and they are a thing of beauty. A combination futuristic space man and 1930’s cool it is a perfect blend. Cliff Secord is an everyman with a jet pack. A nice guy that most anyone can relate to. His adventures are very serial formulaic, almost like Indian Jones with a rocket. Diamond Select Toys has made my dreams come true with this beautiful resin statue inspired by the movie.  Let’s take it from the top. I love the helmet. It’s like a giant motorcycle helmet from the future. A dull gold color, but just bright enough to be the focal point of the outfit, the helmet also doubles as Cliffs rutter to help steer, thanks to the big fin on the back of it. The eyes are completely blacked out as to not get debris in your eyes when flying. You can see all the bolts in the design showing where it’s held together. The mouth is actually five indents with just a faint opening to breath. And the top shows the beginning of the giant fin. This is as comic, and for that matter film accurate as you can get. Scuffed up and completely battle worn and rustic as opposed to the brighter PVC version they have made, yet etched and shaded to make it look like real metal welded together. It’s definitely the first thing you see.  I always say Diamond Select Toys are at the top of the detail game. Rather than just blend the helmet into the coat you get to see the throat of the man wearing it as in would be hanging down a bit after takeoff. The jacket is great. A pale brown leather coat that looks like real leather. Its shaded in darker specs of brown as well as having multiple wrinkles and lines sculpted in to give it that real leather look. You can see the darker brown straps shaded in a faint black on the top being covered under the shoulder straps as well as a perfectly detailed silver zipper at the bottom of the neck line. I love how the paint for all the buttons is a bright speckled gold to really make it pop out. I have always loved the jacket and this piece replicates it to a “T Moving down we can see the white, almost tan pants that are tucked into Cliffs Boots. The pants have a baggy look about them as they are most likely full of air from lift off. Completely etched with wrinkles throughout, you can even see the seams sculpted in where the front zipper is. Notice slightly above the boots where they are tucked in, you can see how its sculpted to be completely bunched up and wrinkled. Its these little things that really set this apart. A very real world look. It’s just amazing. Speaking of amazing look at the boots. A very dark brown with black shading, these not only look like real leather they look completely worn and dirty, no doubt from all the fire that the rocket shoots out. You can even see the shoe laces knotted and tied in the boots. Plus the fact that the pants are bright yet still dirty in some aspect and the boots dull they both work to really accentuate that this is more based on the film as opposed to the comic book.  This side shot gives you a great look at the blast and the rocket side. You can also see the detail in the jacket really well from the angle as well. It really and truly does look like real leather. Notice the shine it has in the light, it’s an eye catcher to say the least. I love the gloves. Tan leather work gloves that are completely filthy. A different color from anything on this statue really helps them to stand out. Dirty old brown with lots of black shading and sculpted to make a perfect fist. You can see Cliffs thumb is placed above the fingers so he can push the rockets start button, which if you look really close you can see that is sculpted into the hand as well. You get a nice side shot of the rocket as well. You can see all the nuts and bolts in the rocket as well from this angle as well as the flames shooting out. I love the placement of the legs on this piece. The right leg is tilted back while the left is slightly arched. Giving it the full look of takeoff.  Here is the rocket itself. Bright bold silver fully designed to be an exact replica. You can see the fan along with the blades inside sculpted dead center on it. You can see all the nuts and bolts through the design. Every little thing has been recreated for this piece. I especially love how the silver is not only the illuminating color that shines in the light, but also slightly dirty in plain sight as I mean let’s face it, jet packs get dirty. Every bolt is sculpted in and every vent and line is as well. It is incredibly well done. The gold tips on the shoulder areas give it that fine touch of contrast. It really is designed to look exactly like a steel rocket pack, and I’ve saved the best for last. Off to the left side you can see the pink piece of chewed gum that Peevy used to patch up the pack when it got punctured by a bullet. Now that is detail at its finest. Sure that played a big part in the film but who else but Diamond Select would have thought to actually incorporate it into the piece itself. It’s just fantastic to say the least. As you can see the fire coming out of the jet pack is almost like looking at a glass based design. The red, oranges, and hints of white are blended together so majestically that it truly gives the appearance of real fire coming out of the pack. What really makes it pop is that it does not come down in a simple shape. Its all over the place, with twists, and turns, that wind it down to the base. Even then it still has fire like blow-back so it really looks as though is taking off. Throw in the fact is all done so bold and vibrant it really puts the exclamation point on an already great piece  The base is a simple roof top edge. Brown and black with scuffs of grey. It’s a simple yet effective way to mount the character. Dirty and chipped it takes nothing away from the brown boots, even though this base is brown itself. Diamond select knows how to use different shades of the same color to put everything together. And what better base for this then a rooftop that Cliff would be launching off of. I really like how its almost triangular in shape it makes it different then most pieces. Its very well done and very effective.
Overall this is a great piece and the resin statue that all Rocketeer fans need. Its very limited with only 3000 of these made. They come with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity so these will sell out fast. I recommend picking one up today. Like right now. Stop reading and go order it! Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Diamond Select toys click HERE! To view other Rocketeer items from Diamond Select Toys click HERE!  Ever heard of Figures Toy Company? Well if you’re a toy collector, or a big kid at heart you should. If you’re like me, and by that I mean old you probably grew up playing with “The World’s Greatest Action Figures” from a little company called MEGO. Plastic figures fully articulate dressed in cloth cloths. There were hundreds of them. I played with them for hours on end. They were the best toys. Fun to play with, cool to display either inside or outside the box. Of course as a kid I played with them. Now all the way back in 1989 a little company called Figures Inc came about. To tell you the timetable and story about that company let me give you the rundown   1989: Figures Inc was started by Anthony Balasco and begins selling collectible toys and action figures through print catalogs, magazine ads and direct selling at collectible toy shows throughout New England. 1993: Figures Inc focuses it complete attention to the selling of Collectible Wrestling Merchandise. 1998: Figures Toy Company is started in conjunction with Steve Sandberg and obtains the licensees to manufacture WCW and ECW Replica Belts. 1999: Figures Inc becomes Wrestlingsuperstore.com with the launch of its online e-commerce website. 2001: Figures Toy Company obtains the rights to produce WWE Replica Wrestling Belts, Rey Mysterio Masks & Pants, Belt Buckles, and Finger Rings. 2004: Figures Toy Company starts classictvtoys.com and begins manufacturing classic retro 8 inch action figures and accessories reminiscent of action figures from the 1970's. 2012: Figures Toy Company is recreating the classic KISS action figures from the 1970's, with new lines to focus on different era's in KISS's legendary career! 2014 & beyond: Figures Toy Company has acquired the rights to produce DC Comics, Dukes of Hazzard, Evel Knievel & many more action figures.  Now here it is 2020 and let me tell you, these are becoming my favorite toys. I dig them for a few reasons, but I will get into that a bit later. For now how about I show you one. Fresh off a big Oscar Win for Best Actor lets take a look at their new Joker figure. Which is designed old school the way I prefer the Joker look.  First off let me say I love the packaging. It’s a carded blister pack, which for me, if you’re a weirdo who’s going to leave it in the box is the best way to package a toy. Everything is here to see. You can see the Clown Prince of Crime all decked out in his classic comic book attire complete with a lavender colored trench coat. From the head to the shoes he’s fully visible for all to see. The real sell point however with this packaging is the card. A great old school drawing of the Joker throwing his cards in the air while tipping his hat. A combination of light and dark blue background with the logo of “World’s Greatest Heroes” in red and white, and “The Joker” in a big bold yellow complete with Jokers face in the “O” really make this pop. “HAHA” is written from the center to the bottom on the card in a faded out manor with the bog DC logo on the left side. The plastic packaging has that nice little tab on the top allowing you to hang the package on the wall to display, or if you prefer, the feet area of the package comes out a bit so it can stand upright on display as well.  However if your me, you open the thing. I carefully removed Joker from his container so I could use his card for a backdrop. Let’s take a look at his face. For a toy this is statue quality in terms of sculpting. The etched, slick back bright green hair with shades of black to show its combed back nice and neat. That hair matches the comic book, as well as the classic Batman TV show as do those trademark bold black eyebrows that are perked up and slanted back to give a truly menacing look to the Clown Prince of Crime. The nose is pointed out like in the books, and the blood red lips are scrunched and form a disfigured menacing smile. Notice all the detail in having the face sculpted to accentuate the cheekbones. Even though it’s a comic book style figure based on a 1966 television show its still sculpted with all the frowns in the forehead and around the cheeks and eyes to blend with the smile of the jaw line. Even though he’s smiling he’s still evil. You can see even though he’s wearing a big lavender trench coat that his classic outfit is underneath. The bold bright green shirt, that matches the hair looks great as does the black tie. I love how his little lapel piece is a purple puff ball. This is a very bright figure to say the least that really capture the look and feel of the 1966 Joker.  Here is a good look at his trench coat, that yes does open up. The stitching in it is fantastic as it looks as though a real trench coat that you or I would wear looks. It’s a pale lavender as to not take any emphasis away from the purple pinstripe outfit underneath. The buttons are a nice silver, almost off copper look and they once again mimic what a real jacket would look like. I love the actual working belt buckle as well, its just a really nice touch that shows what type of detail went into this. You can see the purple pants with black pinstripes from under the coat, as well as a piece of the back jackets tail that is also housed underneath the jacket. The purple used matches the gloves perfectly, which we will get to in a second. Also take a good note of the shoes, which are a very very shiny black, that if you look close you can see the laces sculpted into the shoes itself.  Quickly spinning back here is a quick shot of the two accessories Joker comes with. A bright green cane he can hit the good guys with, and a purple fedora that as you can see fits perfectly on his head. Now these figures are all interchangeable so to speak so there is no reason Robin could not wear that hat while Batman borrows the cane for a night out. Same goes for the jacket. See the beauty of these cloth outfits are that other characters in this toy universe can accessorise and wear them.  The back shows off the detail that went into the head of this figure. Instead of just making a rubber head painted green the hair is all sculpted and shaded to give it depth and make it look like a display statue. Its one of the most detailed heads I have ever seen on a toy. You can see all the line work and shading that really give this not only a slick backed look, but a messed up look as well. It adds a touch of depth and realism to this figure that you don’t see very often. You also get a good look at the back of the jacket that shows the stitching done throughout to match an actual coat. From there you can also see the purple suite underneath the jacket.
So we have covered how sweet this guy looks, now how about how he works play wise. Fully articulate so very able to battle other figures. My son play’s with these guys every single day. That’s saying something as he is normally not an action figure guy. These are amazing figures that you should buy either to collect or for your kids to play with. There much more durable than an average figure that I have ever come across. You can beat them like crazy and they don’t break or scratch. But I will warn you, the cloths are cloth so they will rip if your to hard on them. There a standard size so they can interact with other figures from other toy lines and not look out of place Throw in the fact they look amazing and you have a great toy or collectable for any age. And remember display quality means your kids will pick them up and show them off when they are done playing, so win win situation in my book. Pick one of these up today, then pick up more to add to your enjoyment and collection. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Figures Toy Company click HERE! To view Other items from Figure Toy Company click HERE!  Slade Wilson, known by his codename, Deathstroke, is an elite mercenary, commonly considered the world's greatest and deadliest assassin. The only contract he has ever failed to fulfill was one against the Teen Titans. He considers the role of Deathstroke a job, not a reflection of who he is. Most of the rumors about him are true, and he doesn't mind, because he loves his job. As far as he is concerned, Slade Wilson is a good man. He serves as the archenemy of the Teen Titans, specifically Dick Grayson. Over the years, writers have developed him as an adversary of other superheroes in the DC Universe as well, such as Batman and Green Arrow.  I love Deathstroke. I always have. I didn’t not just discover him from his current run on the television show Arrow, or in Batman games and comics, no I have liked him since the early 80’s when he was a minor player in Teen Titans. I, like many comic readers became fascinated with the character during the Teen Titans Judas Contract run where he became a full fledged “Heavy” in the DC world. I enjoyed his appearances in Arrow, and various animated films and games as well. But I always enjoyed the original Deathstroke The Terminator look and Diamond Select Toys has finally given me the statue I have been wanting to celebrate that original feel.  Here it is, the classic Terminator look. Lets start at the mask. Orange and an off blue of sorts. You can see, just like in the comics the stitching lines in the center of the mask to separate the two colors all the way down as well as the headpiece building out by the ear. The eye is silver with a menacing black outline that is slanted up for intimidation factor 11. The gold collar with studs rest right around the neck, with each stud being sculpted individually I might add. It all transitions into the crop top of sorts the Deathstroke wears. A dark blue shaded in black it covers his chest and upper biceps only. Its designed to be wrinkled as he is clearly in a fighting movement in this piece. It has a type of leather look about it. Cuffed off with the same gold style bands with his gold and blue bullet belt strapped over his chest and back this piece really pops. You can see his brighter blue armored, almost chain metal style body outfit from this shot as well. Very colorful and shiny as opposed to the top shirt. The blue costume is completely molded to give it that coif look. His belt is bright orange and fully detailed to show the compartments, and you can see his weapon holsters, also bright orange strapped to his legs.  This side shot gives you a great look at not only the glove but Deathstroke’s main weapon, his sword as well. The glove is the game bright orange as the belt, boots, and straps. Sculpted to give it a wrinkled look where his wrist is slightly bent with each finger being individually sculpted the arms stretches out to the side and front. It really looks like he is coming at you. The sword is a long silver blade with the trademark gold, almost yellow colored handle with the arm posts turned down as to give Deathstroke a better grip when stabbing his enemies. You can see the variation of the blues from this shot as well. The darker blue for the mask and top and the much more vibrant blue for the body suite. It all flows together perfectly. Notice the pistol in his left thigh strap. It adds a nice touch to this piece.  The back is the old school orange sword holder that done to look like leather, slightly scratched and marked. You see his orange and blue tassel hanging from his mask and get a good look at how the gloves have the slit at the top to give him better movement. You can even see the stitching sculpted in the gloves to give them a more realistic look and feel. His trademark silver staff is strapped to his back as well. It’s a long staff as it sticks out from the top and bottom of the piece. It looks amazing. Diamond Select has managed to include all of the characters trademark weapons in this statue and they all complement one another.  The base appears to me at least to be part of Batman’s cave. I guess this as not only is it rock like in terms of being a grey and white style of rubble floor but there are batterangs stuck to various parts of the base by Deathstroke’s boots. You can see bubbles of steam coming up from the floor. That is molded in very nice as its grey, and white variates on molded plastic designed to look like a combination of smoke and steam. It adds a really nice touch. You get a great look at the orange boots as well. The old school pirate style with the bigger overlapping at the top and the standard leather for the rest. All done in that same bright orange to match the gloves. The placement is fantastic as well as one leg is bent and rested up whereas the back leg in planted down at an angles giving the impression that a fight is about to happen. It all comes together perfectly.
Fans of Deathstroke, no matter which version will love the statue and as well they should. I don’t hate the newer more black armored look, but this old school look will always be my favorite. I love the bright bold comic book style statues that Diamond Select has been putting out for the DC Characters, and this may very well be their best one yet. I have him next to a few of my Batman pieces. If you love the comic versions, or just statues in general Deathstroke is definitely one you will want to add to your collection. Head out and get him ordered today. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Diamond Select Toys click HERE! To view other DC Items from Diamond Select Toys click HERE!  John Wick (born Jardani Jovonovich in Belarus) is played by Keanu Reeves. Wick was an orphan taken in by the Tarasov Russian Mafia and raised as an assassin. His ruthlessness earned him the nickname Baba Yaga or Boogeyman. This piece is based on the second film of the series, in which John Wicks plans to resume a quiet civilian life are cut short when Italian gangster Santino D'Antonio shows up on his doorstep with a gold marker, compelling him to repay past favors. Ordered by Winston, the kingpin of secret assassin society The Continental, to respect the organization’s ancient code, Wick reluctantly accepts the assignment to travel to Rome to take out D'Antonio's sister, the ruthless capo atop the Italian Camorra crime syndicate.  The John Wick films are some of my favorite action films to date. Low on plot, high on action that’s what I like to see. Violent and to the point, these films bring all of us action fans back to the glory days of the 80’s. Diamond Select Toys has been on fire with their John Wick line. 2 statues and a figure are already in my collection, and now I have the newest one in my collection. The John Wick Catacomb statue. Lets take a look.  John Wick is designed spot on to resemble his film counterpart. I have to point out he’s skinnier that some of the other figures because he’s a pretty small guy in the films. Designed to be athletic more than muscular you can still see all the muscles underneath the suite just not bulging like a traditional hero. His hair and beard match up perfectly. I gotta give a lot of props to the beard as its done patchy just like Keanu’s. This looks just like him, from the cheekbones, to the mouth, to the hair. It’s a damn near perfect likeness. I love the way the hair is sculpted and painted. It has the semi long stringy look that’s black, but if you notice it has light shadings of brown in it to give it a battle worn dirty look. Wick is fighting for his life in an old catacomb in this piece so its natural his hair would be dusty and dirty from the environment. The slanted eyebrows and squinted eyes combined with his mouth, that’s only slightly opened further add to the intensity. Wearing the trademark black suite, black shirt and black tie he looks spot on. I love how the outfit is sculpted to be all wrinkled and worn yet not tattered in terms of color. Sure it’s clearly worn, but not overly scuffed up. Having it retain that full black look really brings everything out, plus it looks great in the light. The outfit is done perfectly. Every wrinkle and seam are sculpted in. This is a great match. I have to give a lot of credit for the sculpting as even though it’s all the same shade of black you can see all the variations between the layers of cloths.  I want to move to the front a bit here to show you the barrel of the shotgun. It looks great with the fire coming out to represent a bullet has just been fired. Diamond Select does a great job on adding smoke and fire effects to their pieces. This one is no exception. A bright vibrant orange with yellow tip all molded to look almost like a blob moving in slow motion. Molded directly out of the double barrel it adds not only color but a dramatic 3D effect to the piece as well. It was a fantastic addition to this one to say the least.   From the back you get more black. You can see the smoothed out yet worn jacket with Wick’s hair slightly folded under and a bit to the side of the collar. You can see some of the scuffing element on the sleeve, but the one thing you can see is that little attention to detail that Diamond Select is known for. Wick always carries a pistol (multiple actually) and you can see one sticking out of his jacket pocket. Perfectly sculpted, you can see the handle and a bit of trigger sticking out. You can also she where the jacket pocket is opened for easy access for wick to pull this out when his shotgun runs out of ammo.  The base is simple rock flooring from the catacombs John is killing his enemies in. A combination of browns, greys and blacks its sculpted to be distressed and chopped up. There’s a little bit of wall behind it for shadowing. You can also get a good shot of Johns black shoes, that if you look closely you can see the laces sculpted into them as well. Scuffed up a bit these really look like the dress shoes worn in the films. The base, although a drab color really helps accentuate the black outfit and give everything a nice rounded look.
I love John Wick, and this, much like the other statues from Diamond Select Toys look exactly like the character Keanu plays in the film. This is a spot of likeness and if you’re a fan it’s definitely one you want to add to your collection. Very amazing piece to display with your other Wick statues. I highly recommend picking this one up right away. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Diamond Select Toys click HERE! To view other John Wick items from Diamond Select Toys click HERE!  Carnage was once a serial killer known as Cletus Kasady, and became Carnage after merging with the offspring of the alien symbiote called Venom during a prison breakout. The symbiote amplified his psychotic nature making him even less mentally stable than he had been previously, and therefore even more dangerous. An interesting note is that, unlike Venom, Carnage is a singular entity, referring to himself as "I" instead of "We", because the symbiote has actually merged into Kasady's bloodstream.  Let me start off by saying Carnage is one awesome character. A red homicidal Venom to be specific. I have always loved the character, and the design since he first appeared all the way back in 1992 in Amazing Spider-Man #359 The character was so evil he forced Venom to team up with his most hated enemy, Spider-Man to stop him. There has always been a lack of Carnage merchandise but now Diamond Select Toys, along with Gentle Giant are changing that with a limited edition resin Carnage bust.  Lets zoom in on the head. You can see the bright (this entire piece is bright) white evil eyes that take up most of the head. Pure white with no shading outlined in a deep black. They twist up to the top of the head giving it a real look of terror. The mouth is done in a fang style all done in black for the teeth with a pale flesh colored inside as to not take away from the red in the piece itself. The head nods down just a bit and truly looks horrifying. You can see the piece is all a bright blood red with the black alien veins running throughout it. The black veins are all sculpted over the piece itself so you can actually not only feel them, but they look to be pulsating hence giving the bust a real 3D look and feel to it.  Looking at the body you can see how bright it is. There is no variation of color when it comes to anything on this piece. Aside from the inside of the mouth all of it is red and black. The body does have a slight bit of faint black shading throughout it however. That combined with the anatomically correct muscle variations used you can see the human body of Kasady inside Carnage. The shading used is just enough to not take anything away from all of those black veins running all over the piece. I really like how its twisting slightly to the left giving it a look like its almost spawning from the base. It’s a great placement of body on the base  This side shot give you a goo look at the claw like hands of Carnage that are formed on each side ready to slash an enemy. Each finger is sculpted individually which is always a trait I love about these pieces. You can also see how the mouth is hinged open from this view giving you a better look at the inside of the mouth and the pale almost pink color used for it. You also get a shot at how pointy the teeth are as well. The hand placement is great as it also just builds upon the terror that Carnage can unleash.  The back of the bust also uses the same faint shading that the rest of the body implemented. Just enough to help accentuate the muscles in the body itself. Other than that it’s a bright bold red with those black veins running all over it. You get another good look at the weird twisting position its set it. You also a good look at the base which is a standard black circular piece but this one is covered in the black symbiote veins that are running all throughout the piece itself. The addition of those really make this stand out in my opinion.
This is a great look piece. Its definitely one of the brighter ones I own, and without a doubt the most evil. I highly recommend picking the guy up, but you better hurry as only 500 of these were made making it extremely limited. Each one will come with a certificate of authenticity so act fast as these will sell out fast. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Gentle Giant Studios Click HERE!  Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) built on the Joker's 1951 origin story, portraying him as a failed comedian pressured into committing crime as the Red Hood to support his pregnant wife. Batman's interference causes him to leap into a chemical vat, which disfigures him. This, combined with the trauma of his wife's earlier accidental death, causes him to go insane and become the Joker. In this graphic novel, the Joker shoots and paralyzes Barbara Gordon and tortures her father, Commissioner James Gordon, to prove that it only takes one bad day to drive a normal man insane. This is considered the definitive version of the Jokers origin, and most all literation’s of the character are based in part from this story.  Killing Joke is the ultimate Joker story. Not only that’s its one of the best comic book stories in general, not just in the Batman universe. The message of one bad day is all it takes is almost chilling when you think about it. The story, the artwork, everything was amazing. The Joker had two very cool looks in the book. His vacation outfit with the camera, and his normal black tuxedo during the end when he has Gordon kidnapped. Diamond Select Toys, as part of their DC Gallery line has recreated the latter in a brand new PVC Diorama that is simply frightening upon close inspection.  Starting at the face you can see the trademark look is here front and center. The etched, messed up bright green hair with shades of black to show its almost being pulled out by the Joker is a great touch of crazy. That hair matches those trademark bright green eyebrows that are perked up and slanted back to give a truly menacing look to the Clown Prince of Crime. The nose is pointed out and down like in the books, and the blood red lips are scrunched and opened in the disfigured menacing smile showing off the pearly white teeth. Notice all the detail in having the face smeared and wrinkled up. Even though it’s a comic book style statue Diamond Select still sculpted all the frowns in the forehead and around the cheeks and eyes to blend with the smile of the jaw line. Even though he’s smiling he’s still evil. This shot also shows you the depth of color as the red around the Jokers evil squinted bloodshot eyes shirt is a totally different shade than the red used for the lips, which is also different than the red used for the gums. Diamond Select always goes that extra mile when it comes to their products. A big shout out to the teeth as well as they are truly hideous to say the least. Adding the gloves pulling at the hair was another great way to give it the full on crazy look.  Moving to the body its classic joker all the way. Black tuxedo jacket that’s sculpted to show the wrinkles in it from where his arms are outstretched to grab his hair, and shaded in a light shade of purple in spots to give it a shadowed look. The purple bow tie, with black shading match the purple gloves perfectly. The wrinkles in the suite are so well done, and added to the fact it’s a comic book style statue that most companies just make smooth really helps to set this apart. The white and black striped shirt has all is buttons, and is etched to be wrinkled as well. The jacket is actually slightly bunched up by the waist from the lifting of his hands. Which gives it a real world look. Diamond Select is great at making these comic book designs look almost real. It’s a hard concept to pull off, but the sculpting and shading are just second to none.  Here’s a good look at the top of the head. You can see close up the bright green hair filled with black shading, and sculpted to look completely messed up. The hair is remarkable, as even though it’s a comic book statue it looks real. The shading and design is the most eye catching part of the piece. The gloves are great. The Jokers deep purple gloves look great with the green as he’s pulling his hair to the point where he’s almost yanking it out. The gloves are molded to be wrinkled and shaded in a dark in some spots, lighter in others black. They look like real gloves. And like always I want to point out that each finger is individually sculpted. You also get a good look at the white skin on the Jokers arm as well as not only the undershirt complete with copper button on the cuff, but the side of the shaded jacket that has all the buttons sculpted into it as well. You can see how the backdrop of the piece, the Hall of Mirrors lettering is designed to come out past the piece itself. A grey, with blue shaded lettering on the backdrop of red, black and yellow, really make this stand out.  The base, which we already saw the top of rests on a simple floorboard design. An off blue and grey design to look just like wooden plank flooring is completely sculpted and etched and shaded in black to give it a real wooden look. The blue tint in it matches perfectly with the opening doors of the hall of mirrors Joker is standing in front of. You also get a nice look at the shoes, which are a nice shiny black. You can see the laces sculpted in and even the wrinkles in the leather. They flow perfectly with the pants that are done in the same color. Sculpted to show all the wrinkles the entire outfit comes together to perfection. The greens, purples, blacks, and blues in this piece all complement each other and really make everything jump at you.
This is a fantastic Joker statue. I can only hope that we get a follow up one with him in the Hawaiian shirt and camera. If you’re a fan of The Killing Joke, of the Joker in general this is a must buy from Diamond Select Toys Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! To order from Diamond Select Toys click HERE! To view other DC Gallery Items from Diamond Select Toys click HERE!  Every once and a while I get a piece that is just unique to say the least. Something odd, or a little different that is hard to describe. The other day I received a new piece from Diamond Select Toys and Gentle Giant titled Spiderman vs Venom. It’s an animated style piece, something I normally don’t care for but there was something different about this one that really grabbed my eye. I don’t know if it’s just the concept, or the fact its suck an evil little sculpture designed to look adorably cute. Whatever it is I love it.   First off this is a very small piece. Little like you would keep on your work desk. It features Spiderman being overtaken by Venom. Overtaken to the point her it being eaten alive. Look at this close up of the faces. You can see Spidey has a big almost perfectly circled head and the white eyes are drawn overly big to give it a look of fear. He’s sticking out of Venoms overly large mouth. I love how the Venom tongue, and inside of the mouth is pink to not clash with the red in Spiderman outfit. The tongue is huge and flows down and out from the piece itself. The teeth are overly large as well. There a nice combination of white, with very faint black shading. You can see how Venoms eyes are painted on almost slanted to give him a much more sinister look.  The body on Spiderman is fantastic. It’s perfectly done to resemble the classic comic book look. Red, white, blue, and black. The red is bright, almost a candy apple. Those little spider webs are etched into the piece and painted a dark black. Even the little black spider on the front is done to match the comic, albeit with a cartoon style. You can see Spiderman feet stuck in the black goo that is Venom. I love how the right foot is covered in the goo, whereas the left is pulling out of it. You can see the black dripping pulling from the ground to the foot, as well as wrapping around the hands and part of the leg. It really looks funny, but also just cute as hell.   The back shows you how Venom has essentially swallowed Spiderman’s head and is slowly overtaking his entire body. If you notice you can see that Spidey is incredibly bright whereas Venom is done more in a dull black as opposed to say a bright or metallic black. I really like how even though this is a smaller piece, its actually 6 ½ inches is all, is so well sculpted and detailed. All the web lines look fantastic in the Spiderman outfit, and to make it better its an all resin piece as well.  This is a great little statue from Gentle Giant and if you’re a fan of Spiderman, Venom, or just different pieces in general I highly recommend picking on up. It’s a collectable piece and it looks fantastic displayed. I have mine up where all can see it, and I have to say everyone does a double take when they notice it. Go get one today.
Overall 5 out of 5 Stars!  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. I loved how he would draw they outrageous webs. Fully detailed, spun, and knotted, twisting through caption after caption. Something about that just tickled my fancy so to speak. I mention that because this is the review for Diamond Selects new 90’s Gallery Spiderman with over exaggerated webs. I must say before I get started, Spiderman, although a cool character has a pretty simple outfit, so I don’t have a lot of variation on my descriptions.  Here he is in all his glory. Spiderman in the classic design. Come to think of it, 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 black spider in the center. This matches the comic book perfectly.  Here’s a shot of the over dramatic knotted up web that I like so much. You can see it starts as its coming out of Spidey’s web shooter on his wrist and twists and turns all the way past the statue. Fully knotted like rope more so than a spider web. I love the little suction like opening at the end where it will undoubtedly stick to a bad guy. Its painted in a white with just a hint of light blue mixed in. It’s the most eye catching piece of the statue. Not so much that it’s the main point you focus on, but it really brings it to life and exemplifies what The old Spiderman webs were like back in the 90’s comic books.  This side shot gives you a good look at the webbing style that is etched into 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 foot is swinging up and out while his hand is 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  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 red just like in the books, and you can see all of the sculpted muscles running throughout the back and legs of Spiderman. The placement and positioning used really bring this to life, and give you the full feeling of Spiderman swinging through the city to fight crime. This is a very comic accurate piece to say the least.  The base is a simple roof top done in a dirty copper and black color. You can see the chimney Spiderman is using to use to make his next leap complete with the bricks and steam valves on the side. Its incredibly scuffed up and dirty looking yet still bright enough to maintain the comic book look. It’s a small base size wise to take nothing away from the piece itself. You can even see the webbing Spiderman used throughout the bottom of the base. It’s a great addition to the statue as we all picture Spiderman swinging across the city, and this rooftop captures that.
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 Spiderman justice. It captures the look and fell of the comics, and throws in those classic 90’s style webs as well. Pick this one up today. 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!   Batman is the secret identity of Bruce Wayne. Witnessing the murder of his parents as a child leads him to train himself to physical and intellectual perfection and don a bat-themed costume in order to fight crime. Batman operates in Gotham City, assisted by various supporting characters including his sidekick Robin and his butler Alfred Pennyworth, and fights an assortment of villains influenced by the characters' roots in film and pulp magazines. Unlike most superheroes, he does not possess any superpowers; he makes use (to the best that he can) of intellect, detective skills, science and technology, wealth, physical prowess, and intimidation in his war on crime  Although variations have changed over the years Batman is the one character who's origin has actually kept the same central basis, and now he's the focal point for this Diamond Select Toys PVC Diorama Review from the DC Comic book inspired line. I could not wait for this one. And I was not disappointed for the main reason that it featured the classic Grey, blue, and yellow costume. The old classic. Nothing black, or dark or any of that movie and game nonsense. Old school. Now just FYI right off the bat (no pun intended) you want this one you got to head over to Gamestop, as it’s a Gamestop exclusive.  Let’s get right to the head. You can see the white eye piece under that cowl. From the jaw line to the lips o the pointed nose this statue is a dead ringer for the old school Batman I love. One of the things I have to point out right away is the classic faded black shading done in the cowl. That’s old school comic book and it looks amazing. I love the cowl design as well. Notice how it's sculpted to show all the wrinkles and folds from cowl to cape. It even has a slight lift in the shoulder area to show how the cape is blowing as Batman leaps into action. The eyes of the cowl are the most important however as they form that trademark scowl look the Batman in known for. You can feel the determined he looks by the bending of the brow in this design. Mixed with the black shading and the pure white eye holes. The skin is a comic book style look with just a tad bit of blush red for the lips. This looks almost like the old Super Powers Toy if you can remember back that far, or a Neil Adams drawing come to life.  I love how finally after all these years Batman is wearing grey just like he always has in the comics. That stupid black movie costume is gone. Diamond Select has captured this perfectly. The bright grey suit with the yellow and black bat emblem, and blue cape and cowl comes springing full force. Notice how the outfit is just bright and smooth, like in the old books, as Batman never takes damage. I really like how Diamond Select Toys designed this to be a bright colorful version of the worlds darkest hero. From the sculpted muscles under the outfit to the flowing cape this is a perfect way to show off the caped crusader. Throw in the big bright yellow bat utility belt and it's a beautiful design. The classic pose is a great touch as well as are all the overly exaggerated muscles underneath the costume.  The arms and legs on this side view show the 3D detail that went into this piece. Clutching his trusty Batarang you can almost feel how Batman is drawing back ready to throw it. All the fingers are individually sculpted to show the firm grasp he has clutching it, and you can even see the wrinkles in the gloves as he arches his wrist slightly back. As we work are way to the leg notice the cape. I love how it not only flows with the design if the statue but the extra touch of all the tatters and wrinkles along the bottom make this look even better. The bent shooting out leg is the topper for the 3D look. The left hand really looks good as well as its got the open hand palm ready to strike. The shading in this really makes it the comic book come to life. The black shading doing through the cape to match the forehead of the cowl work great as well.  Before I get to the base I want to point out from the back how good this cape looks. Hanging down yet still almost blowing in the wind as Batman prepares to leap into action. Once again notice all the small etchings and lines throughout all the bends and folds. You can even see the back blow on the cape from where Batman is standing ready to fight. The cape is definitely a huge part of the Batman costume, and this is just spot on. Look at the shoulders where the cape is lifting up with the body. That’s an attention to detail you don’t see very often. All the faded black shading mixed into the bright bold blue make this the best cape I have seen on a Batman statue.  The base, from what I gather is a part of the Bat-Cave. A brown, almost clay colored section of rock this is detailed to perfection. From all the indents, and moldings this looks like the inside of a cave, or at least how it would be drawn in a comic as its made extremely bright. The bats look great, molded dark grey, almost black with bright ruby red eyes. They are perched on one of the points of the base and they add a great touch. It’s a simple piece that takes nothing away from the Batman himself. It just adds to the comic book look.
Batman is my favorite hero of all time, and I never cared for the movie looks. I love the comic book look through and through and this new statue from Diamond Select captures the look I enjoy the most perfectly. This is my favorite Batman statue and one I recommend you head out and pick up. Remember though, you have to get it at your local GameStop. Overall 5 out of 5 Stars! |