[Acquisitions] G.I.Joe: POC Pre-Production Duke + Ripcord

What a week! After getting injured while playing basketball (severe back spasms), I had to spend the next five days resting. It was really tough, I couldn't even stand/walk during the first three days, and all I could do was surf the net and shop for toys on eBay. The Marvel stuff arrived first, and I've already posted articles about them yesterday. Well, today I received the G.I. Joe pre-production figures that I ordered from Kramer: Toy Warden.

[Acquisitions] Thor: The Mighty Avenger 1:18 Figures

 

Another Avenger, yeah! I decided not to buy the other characters from this line due to budget constraints, plus I don't think I have any place for them in my collection. I think I'm not missing much, after all. There's also a Deluxe Series Blaster Armor Thor figure (sporting a yellow armor) available, which is pretty similar to Iron Man Armor Tech figures, that I decided to pass up on. Maybe I'll get that one later.

[Acquisitions] Marvel Select: Mark VI Iron Man + War Machine

These are my first Marvel Select figures. I wasn't planning to get these figs because of their scale (1:10, or 7-inch scale), but I really have a weakness for Iron Man (and bulky figures). I don't know if I'll take them out of their packaging immediately, as I really don't know where to put them once they're loose, but the included bases (display stands) make me want to take them out now. The bases might be good as backgrounds for future figure reviews, and I can't wait to try them out. I guess I'll keep them MOC for now, but I'll set them loose immediately when I get a new display cab.

[Acquisitions] Iron Man: The Armored Avenger 1:12 Mark VI

Wow, it has been a long time indeed. The last 1:12 Iron Man figures I purchased were the Iron Man 2: Mission Armors 3-pack, and that was way back last year. The 1:12 figs somehow lost their appeal to me when they became more expensive and harder to find, and so, I switched over to the more affordable and much easier to find 1:18 line. But impressed with this Mark VI figure's bulk and finish, I'm now planning to track the rest of the line down to bolster my 1:12 Iron Man armory. Definitely a great buy for an Iron Man fan.

[Acquisition] Iron Man: The Armored Avenger 1:18 Figures

Sometimes, being a fan is tough. When we were kids, my brother went bonkers over the X-Men, while I rooted for the Avengers. Today, he's all about the Transformers, and I'm about G.I. Joe... and the Avengers. With Marvel dishing out one movie after another of Avengers characters, there's no better time to be an Avengers fan. And then there are the toys, lots of them.

[Review] G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra Jet Storm Cycle (Rip Attack Vehicle)

We've already talked about how these Rip Attack Vehicles work when we checked out the Tiger Snake. Let's now take a look at the Joe's Jet Storm Cycle, and see which is better of the two.

[Review] G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra Tiger Snake (Rip Attack Vehicle)

The Rip Attack Vehicles are one of the last Rise of Cobra toys released by Hasbro prior to the shift to the Pursuit of Cobra line. Like the 5th wave of ROC toys, the Rip Attack Vehicles already carry the environment-specific themes that would later be a staple in the POC line.

[Review] Unimax Bravo Team: U.S. M3A2 Bradley

I have a fascination with all things military. I think that my love for the G.I. Joe brand  can be attributed to the line's military elements. Although G.I. Joe seems to have military roots, it actually draws a lot from the science fiction genre, usually to the dismay of military enthusiasts. I'm cool with the sci-fi elements of the line, as I believe that they make the brand more entertaining especially for casual fans. I also love how the sci-fi elements translate into toys, though suspension of disbelief is oftentimes necessary to accept that a certain item works a certain way. But if you want your toys to be purely military, then you're going to love Unimax Toys' Bravo Team. 

[Review] G.I. Joe: Pursuit of Cobra Snake Eyes w/ Tornado Kick

Note: This review was originally posted at TS118's Forumer site on November 4, 2010. 

Is this figure Jungle Assault Snake Eyes? Technically, this figure is NOT Jungle Assault Snake Eyes. That's because nowhere in the packaging will you see the label "Jungle Assault." But if you read the details on his file card, the last sentence states, "He expertly swings his nunchaku and crescent blade, then slams his enemy to the jungle floor with a tornado kick." So, I guess it's safe to assume that this IS Jungle Assault Snake Eyes after all. They say that when you assume things, you make an ASS out of U and ME, but let's not get in to that.

[Review] G.I. Joe: Pursuit of Cobra Desert Battle Snake Eyes (W1)

Note: This review was originally posted at TS118's Forumer site on November 3, 2010. 

This figure was supposed to be an arctic-themed figure, but when it got released we found out that he's brought his talents and gears to the desert. So, does he fit in with the other desert-themed figs? Read on... 

[Acquisitions] G.I. Joe: Pursuit of Cobra W3 Snake Eyes + W1 City Strike Alley-Viper

My POC Wave 3 Snake Eyes has finally arrived, along with the Wave 1 Alley-Viper! Thanks to eBay.ph seller Victoyoyoys for these very affordable acquisitions.

[Review] G.I. Joe: Pursuit of Cobra Desert Battle Dusty

Note: This review was originally posted at TS118’s Forumer site on November 2, 2010. 

Unlike other people, I love environmentally-themed figures. I just love having figures that I can put in a sub-group, and this figure has just bolstered my love for such figs! Why? Read on... 

[Review] Iron Man 2: Rolling Battle Headquarters

Note: This review was originally posted at TS118’s Forumer site on September 2, 2010.

As a G.I. Joe fan, I'm always looking for ways to expand my Joe-verse. I frequently scout other 1:18 figures and playsets to look for potential keepers, and I'm always happy whenever I find something that is perfectly compatible with my G.I. Joe figures. There may not be a lot of non-Joe toys that suit my taste, but there are still some items that I can't pass up on. One of those items is the Iron Man 2 Rolling Battle Headquarters (RBHQ). And we'll be checking it out today...

[Review] G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra Rockslide A.T.A.V.

Note: This review was originally posted at TS118’s Proboards site on August 29, 2009.

As a kid, I grew up with a scant amount of G.I. Joe figures. What's even worse was that I never had any vehicles or playsets except for Destro's Despoiler. I remember taping battle stands onto pieces of cardboard just to give my Joes some mode of transportation. Yup, snowboards. Well, 20 years later, I'm now a G.I. Joe collector, and my Joes no longer need make-shift snowboards. They now have better rides, like this Rockslide All-Terrain Attack Vehicle.

[Review] G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra Mantis Attack Craft

Note: This review was originally posted at TS118's Proboards site on August 12, 2009.

Today, we'll discuss the difference between a manta ray and a mantis, just because Hasbro failed to distinguish one from the other. So, let's consult the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary!

Manta ray (noun): any of several extremely large rays (genera Manta and Mobula) that are widely distributed in warm seas and have enlarged pectoral fins resembling wings

Mantis (noun): any of an order or suborder (Mantodea and especially family Mantidae) of large usually green insects that feed on other insects and clasp their prey in forelimbs held up as if in prayer 

So, what do we really have here, a Manta ray or a Mantis?

[Address] Opening Salvo

Well, this isn’t the first time I’m having a blog. I used to have one on Friendster, and I also tried making one on Wet Paint a couple of years back but with so many other things requiring my attention, I decided to put my dream project on hiatus.