Mezco Toyz Exclusive Lone Roach and Grub Figure Review

Mezco Toyz 
Lone Roach and Grub Review

Not too long ago,we saw our first glimpse of the Lone Roach and Grub in one of Mezco's awesome stop motion videos.  I want to take a moment and commend Mezco on upping their marketing game as they have been creating the one:12 line now for almost 5 years!  I appreciate this aspect of their releases as it really helps add the to the characters personality.  Most people were really blown away with the tiny Grub that comes with this figure, and for good reason.  When I first opened him up and was posing and playing with him, I got a lot of good ideas for pictures and customs. I'm excited to finally review this duo and see how they hold up to the other Gomez releases.

Mezco Toyz 2019 NYCC Exclusive Batman vs Black Mask Figure Set Review

Mezco Toyz 
NYCC 2019 Exclusive Batman vs Black Mask Set

I've been patiently waiting for Mezco to release more bad guys, and I'm really happy Black Mask is the latest!  Mezco killed it with an NYCC exclusive 2-pack set of Batman and Black Mask and probably the coolest thing that came out of NYCC.  The characters are true DC icons that really deserved a sweet blacked out set.  The mob boss Black Mask has his clutch on the criminal landscape of Gotham, and only the Sovereign Knight can stop him!  Let's take a closer look at this amazing set that sold out within 5 minutes of going up for pre-order!

HIYA Toys ThinkGeek Exclusive Batman

HIYA Toys ThinkGeek Batman

Batman is by far my favorite DC Comics superhero.  He also just so happens to be one of my favorite characters to use when playing Injustice 2. This version of Batman is the blue Classic Crusader skin from the game. Let's take a closer look at this Batman and what Hiya toys has to offer!  

Mezco Toyz Exclusive One:12 Popeye - Deluxe Sailor Edition Review

Mezco Toyz Deluxe Edition Popeye

I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. I'm strong to the finich, cause I eats me spinach. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.

Mezco already hit a home run with the original release of Popeye. It was an 'out of the box' character and the figure instantly became a favorite amongst collectors. I have heard many people go as far as to say it is THE figure of 2018.

With that being said Mezco had a lot to live up to, but they did not disappoint. 

Mezco Toyz Exclusive One:12 The Joker: Deluxe Edition Review

Mezco Toyz Exclusive
The Joker Deluxe Edition

The Joker is not only the Batman's greatest foe, but he is one of my favorite villains in the DC Comics universe. This crazy psycho is packed with tons of goodies and accessories and truly deserves the title of "Deluxe Edition." This figure is a ton of fun and comes with so much that it's easy to cause a lot of mayhem with him!

NECA Toys Once Again Blows Up the Internet with SDCC Exclusive TMNT Reveals

Recently NECA has been hinting and teasing us about a TMNT reveal as one of their SDCC exclusive items. Well, today Director of Product Development for NECA, Randy Falk, revealed them to the world in all of their glory.

This year we are being treated to a two for one special. They are new 6" movie style TMNT turtle figures as well as a TMNT diorama set piece. NECA describes the diorama as "over 2 feet wide, over 18 inches tall, and over a foot deep, it’s massive enough to display more than 30 figures at once."

2018 Mezco Toy Fair Exclusive Ascending Knight Batman

Mezco Toyz Toy Fair Exclusive
Ascending Knight Batman

OK...so I really like this Batman.  Mezco's Toy Fair Exclusive Ascending Knight is already a hit with anyone that loves Mezco and Batman.  There has been a lot of talk around the variances with this version and if it will end up being the best one of the Ascending Knights.  I, personally, think it will be close as Mezco is coming out with some really strong suits in this category.  Let's take a closer look at Mezco's New York Toy Fair Exclusive Batman.

Mezco Toyz One:12 Exclusive Marvel Deadpool Figure Review

Mezco Toyz Exclusive Deadpool

The regular release of the Merc with a Mouth came out a few months so many of you are probably very familiar with this figure already. Those of you who ordered the Mezco exclusive version have been patiently waiting for a few extra months for this figure to be released. Deadpool is one of Marvel's most popular characters at this moment in time. His combination of humor and violence make him a fan favorite. Lets see how this smart ass stacks up.

Mezco Toyz Exclusive One:12 Collective Classic Punisher Figure Review

Mezco Toyz Exclusive Classic Punisher

How do you start a review for such an iconic character from my childhood...by explaining how this is the best Punisher figure ever made!  Mezco has released three different versions of the Punisher with much debate around which version is the best.  I currently own all three versions, and I believe they are unique in their own way depending on the time period you may have read the Punisher comics.  What separates the Classic version from the other two is it brings us that early, original Punisher look.  Let's jump into the review and see why this figure punishes all of the others!

Mezco Toyz Exclusive One:12 Collective Dredd and Lawmaster Set Review

Mezco Toyz Dredd and Lawmaster Set 

Who exactly is Judge Dredd?  Joseph Dredd is a future law officer in Mega-City One.  His role is to be a "street judge", to arrest, convict, sentence and (best of all) execute criminals. In Mega-City One, he is the top of all the Street Judges, just waiting for the chance to execute those who do not obey the law.  Dredd was once offered the job of Chief Justice, but refused the position to continue to be Judge, Jury, Executioner.  There are many layers to this character, and the foes he faces in the not too distant future. Dredd has no fear, and is a deadly force to any enemy that crosses his path.  Let's take a closer look at Mezco's exclusive Dredd and Lawmaster.

Mezco Toyz SDCC Exclusive One:12 Collective Captain America Review

Mezco Toyz Captain America

When it comes to characters I tend to lean towards the ones that carry guns.  Mezco's SDCC version of Captain America doesn't come with a gun, but he sure as hell packs a mean punch.  There are many versions out there of CAP, but the classic look has always been my favorite.  Even though Captain America doesn't come with a gun, but he has grenades and his signature shield to do his dirty work.  Let's take a closer look at a true icon from Marvel that Mezco gets just right. 

NECA TOYS 2016 SDCC Exclusive Cloaked SCAR Predator Review

As we have grown accustomed to NECA had a whole slew of awesome SDCC exclusives this year. Most years their exclusives are some of the most sought after of the Con. This year was certainly no different. They had three exclusives figures that people were very excited to grab. They were the TMNT Arcade Turtles and Foot sets, the ALIENS Newt figure, and of course the Cloaked Scar Predator! 

Scar is one my favorite Predators and I am also a sucker for the clear "cloaked" Predator figures so this figure is a match made in Heaven for me.

NECA TOYS SDCC Exclusive Arcade TMNT/FOOT Sets Review

Where do I even begin with these? Over and over Randy Falk and the crew over at NECA TOYS find ways to make the unthinkable happen. This year's SDCC exclusive sets are no exception. The Konami arcade styled TMNT and Foot four packs just miiiight be my favorite thing NECA has done to date. (With that said, I am certainly looking forward to the 1/4 scale movie Donatello hitting retail this fall).

Those that know me know that I am one of the biggest TMNT fans out there. When I think about my childhood and toys I think about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Over the last few years I've found some online buddies who share this passion with me such as The Sewer Den and Crooked Ninja (good guys...check 'em out).

NECA TOYS Breaks the Internet with TMNT Announcement

What a freaking way to celebrate World Turtle Day! Randy Falk and NECA TOYS have outdone themselves once again! They have broken Twitter and the Internet with their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle news!

TMNT Teaser

As a hardcore TMNT fan I am ecstatic! Totally freaking excited! This has been many years in the making and Randy's patience and perseverance has finally paid off. A long time ago on one of our visits to the studio we spotted some Konami TMNT arcade game figures. Of course, we inquired and Randy coyly told us "maybe one day." 

UPDATE from Playmates Toys: TRU Exclusive TMNT Classic Collection Figures Coming Soon

Last week we reported that there has been sightings of three new TMNT Classic Collection figures popping up on eBay and other places online. At that time, we had no news to report on these figures other than to let you know they've been spotted.

Well, we reached out to Playmates Toys to get clarification. They reached out to the marketing department for us and here is what Paula Billingsley (Consumer/Officer Services Manager at Playmates Toys) had to say:

"These are all TRU Exclusives. The first 3, Skateboardin' Michelangelo, Touchdown Tossin' Leonardo, and Delta Donatello are hitting TRU in 1-2 weeks."

They even gave us some insight into future waves of TMNT Classic Collections that they have planned:

"The others are TBD –Super Mikey -Super Don -Military Leo probably fall 9/1/2016."

Well, there you have it! The three Classic Collection TMNT figures that we spotted online are Toys R Us exclusive items and will be hitting shelves soon! Not only that, but another wave is also planned for the fall. You heard it here first!

Also, now that you know that these are coming to Toys R Us please be sure to NOT FEED THE SCALPERS online who are asking for exorbitant amounts of money for these figures!!!

NECA TRU Exclusive Aliens vs Predator 2 Pack Review

Aliens vs Predator 2 Pack

In the 90's, toys were really starting to come off the tracks with design and colors.  This is the same time that Kenner was producing the Aliens vs Predator line that had cool ideas but not exactly perfect figures.  I always felt for some reason the Kenner Aliens were better overall compared to their Predator counterparts.  There was just something about the Predator size and articulation with the figures that made them not look like the Predator we knew from the big screen and comics.  NECA has been successful in turning the tide with the Kenner lines and adding their own mark on these original figures.  Let's take a closer look at what may be the best 2-pack NECA has ever produced. Are you an Aliens or Predator person….you decide!

NECA TOYS Retro NES Nightmare on Elm Street Figure Review

Toys R Us Exclusive NECA TOYS Retro NES Freddy

For those of you who follow Randy Falk on Twitter, you know that he has many "surprises" in store for us fans over the next few months. One of them recently came out and it is the Retro NES Nightmare on Elm Street Figure exclusive to Toys R Us. The response to this guy has been amazing. Fans were certainly hyped to hear this news. They now have a retro NES Freddy to go with their retro NES Jason's!!!!! Ya can't have one without the other!

I hope everyone who wanted one was able to snag one. According to friends on Twitter, it sounds like scalpers are having a field day with this one...some asking as much as $75. Of course, scalpers are scum and take the fun out of collecting, but that is a tale for another day.

Convention Exclusive NECA Toys Ambush Predator Review

Once again, NECA Toys punches us right in the nostalgia bone! Their latest work of art is one of their new Convention Exclusives, the Ambush Predator! He is based off the Kenner Toys Mail-Away action figure from the 90's. NECA has a certain knack for taking favorite toys from our childhoods and then re-making and improving them x100! Ambush has piercing green eyes and was a ton of fun to photograph.

Disclaimer: This is a Convention Exclusive, not SDCC. As we all know, when it comes to the internet you can't please everyone and some will always find something to complain about (even for really stupid things). On Twitter, there are actually some idiots complaining that Randy and NECA are going out of their way to make sure that EVERYONE, not just the few lucky enough to make it to Comic Con, will be able to purchase these items. I won't talk about this for long, but let's discuss a few points. One, if Randy didn't make this available for purchase through other means he would have A LOT of pissed off NECA fans who would be missing out on these figures. Two, this is good for all parties involved. This helps NECA sell a hell of a figure AND it makes their fans happy. Sounds like a no-brainer, right?!? So for those who are crying about this please shut up. You sound like idiots.

Packaging:

Ambush comes in the same great packaging that other Kenner inspired figures come in. By the way, if you haven't picked them up yet, I strongly suggest that you do. They're fun, look great, and will compliment your Ambush Predator perfectly. The file card is my favorite part of the packaging. See the up close picture posted below to read it.

Figure and Accessories:

This figure comes with quite a bit of accessories. Not only does he comes with the regular wrist blades on each hand, but he also comes with two big battle blades. The battle blades are what is new and different about this Predator. If that wasn't enough, he comes with a plasma caster and TWO different removable masks. One of them is chrome and one is painted. I really am glad to have extra masks because it gives me endless possibilities for posing him when I am displaying or photographing him. He looks cool all three ways, but I personally love the painted mask the best! I love those green eyes. NECA was even kind enough to include directions for those of you who don't have much of an imagination and can't figure out how to put on the masks or battle blades. : )

This has truly been my favorite NECA figure to photograph so far. He's so sharp looking so it's easy to take cool looking pictures of him. I love to imagine him cloaked and running from tree to tree in the jungle. The clear figure with green, black, and chrome accents make him look amazing when photographing him outside. We all have busy and stressful lives so I treasure being able to take these figures out and snap some pictures as a stress reliever.

With that all said, I know that you guys will love the Ambush Predator just as much as I do! Check out some more pictures below, and I hope that you enjoy them.

As always free free to chat with us on Twitter: @cobrashadowjoes

Samples courtesy of NECA TOYS

Review of NECA Toys Deluxe Bad Blood Predator

As I mentioned in my post yesterday about our tour at NECA's studios, Randy gave us a Bad Blood Predator as a parting gift. Talk about an awesome gift! Needless to say I was and still am pretty pumped up about it. It's an awesome feeling to know that you have the first Bad Blood figure released to the public. I have been looking forward to this figure ever since Randy showed him off at Toy Fair way back in February. This figure is very impressive and I can guarantee you that you will not be disappointed.

 This figure is extremely detailed, but first let's start off with the sweet packaging. The packaging shows a picture of the Dark Horse Comics Bad Blood. They added great detail such as the foil lettering and in the piercing and the dreadlocks on the Predator. Below are some pictures of the packaging.

Next up are the accessories. The detail and amount of accessories on this guy are unbelievable. His weapons include a bloody machete/sword and a spear that fits on to his back. He also comes with the wrist blades (with lots of extra blood on them). This blood-thirsty Predator also comes with the severed heads and skulls of his victims which hang nicely from his waist. The actual figure itself has lots of extra goodies such as the skulls and bones of past victims which he uses as body armor on his knees and shoulders.

Now, on to the actual figure. This guy is an absolute beast! I don't know any better way to describe him. He is massive. When you see him next to the NES Predator, Bad Blood towers over him. He has a new wider mouth which looks great. When I came home from the tour I showed my wife the new Bad Blood figure that Randy gave me. It actually scared her and she looked away so you know NECA did an excellent job with this guy! Haha! He feels very sturdy and displays especially well on my NECA stands. As I mentioned before, they went all out with the detail on this guy. From the blood, to the armor, to his markings on his face. There is not one thing that disappointed me about this figure. Without a doubt, he is one of my favorite Predator figures to date.

This is one figure you do not want to miss out on. If you haven't done so already I would highly recommend pre-ordering online from which ever toy source is your favorite. Bad Blood is one bad ass figure!