[Acquisitions] Various Iron Man Goodies

The past few weeks at work have been a grind and I'm really finding it hard to find some free time to write new blog entries, thus the Chain Base Comics overload a couple of weeks back. The kind of workload avalanche we've been experiencing at work has slowly become the norm and even though I don't like it one bit, my only option is to swim along. Anyway, I'm quite free today so I decided to write about some acquisitions which are long overdue. Come on, let's check them out!

[Chain Base Comics] #019

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[Chain Base Comics] #014

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[Chain Base Comics] #013

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[Chain Base Comics] #012

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[Acquisitions] Funko Pop! Avengers Bobbleheads

The Avengers live-action movie might have jacked up my obsession with the team to unprecedented heights but the 1:18 action figures which Hasbro produced definitely didn't measure up to my standards. Hasbro made up for that lackluster showing by rolling out some fantastic 1:18 vehicles but they didn't stop there, they also brought their A-game in dishing out an amazing (though incomplete) line-up of Mini Muggs figs. I've also heard through the grapevine that their 1:12 offerings have been pretty surprising too but sadly, with my meager income, I simply can't afford to get those bad boys. Running out of (Hasbro-produced) options to satisfy my Avengers cravings, I decided to look elsewhere and found these Funko Pop! cuties and now, I'm hooked!

[Acquisitions] 1:18 Avengers Vehicles

When it comes to play value, nothing really beats the 1:18 scale. Heck, nothing even comes close to it! You want some proof? Let me warn you first, dude. What you're about to see is a bit picture-heavy. If you're still up to it though, then go and take a look!

[Acquisitions] 1:18 Avengers Movie Figures

If you've been visiting the Playground for quite sometime, chances are, you already know that I'm a huge Avengers fan since I was a child. This year's live-action movie left a lot of toy-collecting opportunities on its wake and simply put, it further pushed my obsession with the team (and with toys) to new dimensions. Unfortunately, most of the figures from the film's 3.75" line of action figures suck and for a guy who's passionately into the 1:18 scale, I really am offended by Hasbro's bonehead decision to cut extremely back on articulation to lower their production costs. Still, I'm a fan and I constantly have to do what fans do best which is to patronize beyond reason or logic. So, here I am, with four new action figures in tow. Come on, let's do this!

[Acquisitions] Super Hero Squad Iron Man Figs and Super Hero Headquarters

I was able to snag some additional Iron Man squadies for my mini armory during my Greenhills visit last month but what I was able to score through eBay a few days later definitely took the cake as my greatest SHS acquisition ever!

[Acquisitions] Avengers Movie Mini Muggs

Man, did I have to wait for these or what? When pics of these designer toys first surfaced last February, I was so thrilled I had goosebumps. No kidding! Not only am I a huge fan of the Avengers, I'm an advocate of the Mighty/Mini Muggs concept as well, you get the point. These cuties were on top of my to-get list and trust me, I was looking forward to get these more than anybody else was. Alas, when they were finally released locally, I was nowhere near any toy store. Why? Because I had no dough, seriously. Then, after being delayed for almost a month, our annual incentive pay finally saw the light of day (thank you, Petron) and so I hurriedly scheduled a trip to Greenhills and the rest, as they say, is history.

[Acquisitions] Petron Avengers Tumblers

Okay, I guess I'm back for good. I was able to borrow my brother's DSLR camera yesterday and I seized the opportunity by spending the entire night taking photos of my latest toy hauls. I was so busy clicking away that I completely forgot that my new digital camera's due to arrive in two days' time and there was really no need for me to stress myself out trying to take pictures of a lot of stuff in such a short amount of time. Brighter days are here, folks!

[Acquisitions] Avengers Iron Man Fusion Armor Mark VII

After a much-needed break, I'm back! I was originally planning to cover a whole lot of long overdue hauls for the next couple of weeks starting today but I was able to score some 1:18 Avengers movie figs a week ago and I thought it would be better to talk about the new figs now while they're still fresh instead of putting them again at the far end of my backlog, not knowing when I would be able to pay them some attention. I have a ton of acquisitions yet to be posted but I guess I'll be setting those old hauls aside until the Avengers fever dies down a bit. I don't usually do things this way but I firmly believe that this is the proper thing to do. So, let's do this!

[Acquisitions] Marvel Universe Greatest Battles Daredevil and Bullseye Comic Pack

Even though I'm a toy collector, I actually live a normal life and I'm pretty much like everybody else, especially when it comes to matters concerning my finances. I work eight hours a day, five days a week so that I can provide for my family, save for the future, and buy the things that I need and want. I sacrifice blood, sweat, and tears to earn every penny I can and that's the reason why when I spend, I always want to get the most bang for my buck. I'm a quality freak, no doubt, but I'm the type who's willing to pay a premium for class and that's where my love-hate relationship with Hasbro manifests. It's no secret that I'm a sucker for Hasbro products. In fact, all of the toy lines that I religiously pursue are from Hasbro. If you've been following this site for a while, then you probably know by now just how much I dig the company's properties and licenses. Though I seldom encounter quality-related issues when it comes to Joes and TFs, I really can't say the same for MUs. Marvel Universe figs are usually hit-or-miss and the type of plastic used in making a certain figure plays a big part in determining whether that particular figure is a hit or a miss. The unfortunate thing is, we end up paying the same steep amount for the figures regardless of the type of plastic used in making them.

[Acquisitions] Marvel Universe Red Hulk and Black Widow

Nope, I haven't ran out of toys to talk about. In fact, I have yet to post entries about a ton of goodies that I had purchased during the past three months. Work has consistenly been an absolute killer as of late but I'll try my best to sneak an entry every so often to keep things moving. Today, I'm featuring two Marvel Universe acquisitions from my China Square Central visit last February and as usual, these figures have a story to tell.

[Acquisitions] Iron Man 2 Mighty Muggs: Iron Man Mark VI and War Machine

I've been collecting action figures for the past nine years and as much as I would love to say that I pretty much know how this industry runs, the truth is that there are still tons and tons of stuff that I have yet to figure out. Secondary market pricing is a case in point.

[Acquisitions] Marvel Universe Iron Spider-Man & Iron Man and Spider-Woman Secret Wars Comic Pack

Yey! Cheap MUs! I really, really love cheap figures! Who doesn't, anyway? After buying most of my toys at suggested retail price (or even above SRP), markdowns are truly something I look forward to and cherish. Getting a few figures for cheap is like being rewarded for contributing to a company's (or retailer's) bottom line. Though the idea of hauling a ton of figures on sale seems fun, the sad part is that in reality, I have to keep my purchases in check due to an upcoming trip abroad. I would love to army-build some of those Marvel stuff on sale but I don't have the financial flexibility to do that right now and so, I have to limit my purchases to the figs that I actually need for my collection. Figs like these three.

[Acquisitions] Marvel Universe Modern Iron Fist

Whenever I see Iron Fist, I can't help but reminisce the good old Heroes for Hire days. I was a huge fan of the book during its short 19-issue run from 1997 to 1999 and the HfH team ranks second on my list of all-time favorite superhero teams, just behind the Avengers. There were a lot of reasons why I got hooked with Heroes for Hire but I think that the idea of having a team with a rotating cast of members was what really drew me in. The HfH crew was pretty much like the Avengers in that regard and it didn't hurt that the team featured a lot of former Avengers on their roster. And though the team was bannered by Luke Cage and Iron Fist, two heroes I wasn't deeply familiar with, I was quick to accept their roles and I easily learned to appreciate what the duo actually had to offer. When Iron Fist became part of the New Avengers in 2007, guess who the most stoked person on Earth was?

[Acquisitions] Super Hero Squad Proto Armor Iron Man

 

When I attended last December's Christmas Toy Fair, I was hoping to fill a large number of holes in my Marvel Universe Avengers collection. My list of Toy Fair targets was very simple, it was composed of a lot of MUs, five Joes, and two Iron Man figs. At the end of the day, I realized that I had spent my entire budget for the event but only managed to get ten figures off my list. How did that happen? Well, since there weren't a lot of MUs during the event, I decided to buy other figs on impulse. Surprisingly, my impulse shopping purchases didn't include a single Joe, but it certainly included a lot of Iron Man and Iron Man-related toys, including this cute Super Hero Squad figure.

[Acquisitions] Iron Man 2: Fury of Combat

 

Happy New Year, guys! Let's set the tone for 2012 by welcoming the year with a bunch of new toys! Come on!

I had been eyeing this Fury of Combat set for quite some time because of the exclusive Nick Fury figure that banners it but I wasn't willing to purchase it at SRP since I was only interested in one figure and paying for three other figures that I thought I didn't need seemed like a rip off. When I attended the Hasbro Toy Fair last December, the sets were already on sale for 1500 bucks (USD 35) but I decided not to grab one as I continued to hold out hope of finding a cheaper set at the Christmas Toy Fair being held simultaneously on a different level of the same venue. I eventually found one being sold for 1400 bucks and needless to say, that's the set that I bought. I was really happy with the purchase but I didn't realize that I would later be in for a rude awakening! Upon reaching home, I hurriedly set all of my new toys loose only to learn that one of my Ground Assault Drones came without the inner outrigger/stabilizer of its left foot! I double-checked the box to see if it had been opened before but it was definitely sealed when I bought it and that only meant one thing: the figure passed quality control despite the missing piece! Darn! I'm not a pathological cheapskate and although I can't be classified as a big spender either, I guess this time I just got what I paid for. Tough luck.

[Acquisitions] Marvel Universe Hulk

 

Merry Christmas, dear readers! I hope you're all having a wonderful day with your family and friends but please don't forget the real reason why we're celebrating today! Let's continue to strenghten our personal relationship with Lord Jesus and let's share His love and blessings with the people around us! My family and I will be off to the mall in a while but before we go, I'll be sharing with you another Christmas Toy Fair acquisition. I was able pick up an action figure of a character who is green, strong, and full of anger but no, I'm not talking about the Grinch here, I'm talking about the Hulk!