Open Your Toys Cast

We had a crazy day, so now it’s time for a lazy Sunday. Until we meet again.

So much good stuff this time around. Hasbro Fanstreams continue to be amazing, including never-before-seen product for once. How about those Classified Fatal Fluffies? Star Wars didn’t disappoint either, at least for me, with those Remnant Snowtroopers. While I might already have them, the Deluxe Insecticon 3-Pack is simply beautiful. MOTU absolutely kills it with their latest Origins 200x wave. I...

Our biggest local con starts today, Fan Expo Denver. Over the past 10+ years, it has become a juggernaut. Some highlights this year, for me at least, include a pretty comprehensive Scream and Goonies reunion, most of the cast of The Boys, all the Hobbits, and a huge amount of voice actors, including Michael Bell, Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, and Matthew Wood. It has ballooned to a 4-day event. We’l...

Luckily, I’m out of the reselling mindset and just get to care about things I love. Star Wars showed me a lot of love in their latest Fanstream, but nothing like their SDCC TVC Clone Wars homage. The Masters movie is showing off a ton of characters, but I absolutely love that they are featuring a focus character of mine. To see the movie Roboto in the Origins line so soon makes me very happy. The...

I completely Star Warsed myself out yesterday. If you’re in the group or follow me, you probably got a lot of spam about what I was watching all day. However, as I write this, I’m watching the third Family Guy Star Wars special, It’s a Trap. Why? I have mild OCD and must finish a 3-part series after watching the first two parts. It truly is a sickness. With that being the case, I really don’t want...

Need to wrap this up, so I’m just going to point out my favorite stuff without any attempts at wittiness, but with the inevitable verbosity. Even though he was name only, my boy, Psyche Out is finally on his way. Blokees kills it with Beasts in their cutest scale. Mondo continues to show He-Man a lot of love. What the Sith?

For such a crappy start, there were so many good things in this show. When a well-done homage to a fan favorite concept is not even in the top three, you know it had to have been fire. Then there was the new Amazon Exclusive Gaming Greats Clone and Droid Training 2-Packs. Of course, Masters is just on another level with the new movie coming in hot. My favorite? An Optimus Prime that transforms int...

It’s been a long week. I’ve been going through a ton of boxes. About to list ~160 new items. I’ll catch you next time. At least I got to watch a lot of movies.

As I mentioned on the show, my absolutely favorite reveal, despite its duck-billed alt mode, was Krannix from the Transformers ’86 movie. Talk about holes being filled. For Joe, the addition of dinosaurs to the line is extremely interesting, even if it’s just a momentary distraction. Masters of the Universe, of course, went off. With two different lines similar enough to be confused, at least by m...

It’s been a crazy weekend, and I’ve got an “NBA All-Star” game to watch, so no long post today. Stay tuned for Toy Fair talk next Sunday.

Are you dedicated enough to sit through overly excited marketing managers on the Star Wars Fanstreams? How about watching hours-long, overly produced Mattel Revealed events that feature your favorite line for about 5-10 minutes? I think nothing says dedicated like Artist Roundtable videos. Were you able to make it through the 45-minute session of What We Got to hear our thoughts on the new Master’...

Do you think these toy companies are changing for the good or for the worse? They seem to be dialing into the fandom, but at the same time, pricing many of us out of our casual lines. We’ll have to see the price of these new Joe / TMNT crossovers, but they have definitely sparked collector interest. Transformers is attacking on every front, but those prices. The most exciting Star Wars news is fro...

While writing a long introspective post about the new year would be par the course on most sites, blogs, what have you, I tend do that all year. So, because I have been putting off stuff since my birthday, I’ll just leave you with this…

It seems like we blinked, and our hobby is so much more expensive than it was five years ago. We have long railed against the TVC markups, but for two primary focuses of mine to be revealed and so easily join the JOMO list is inconceivable. How about a once mainline MOTU figure being made into not only an exclusive, but a deluxe, with a final cost of getting it into your hand more than double sinc...

Here are some things the big companies shouldn’t be doing. Making previous exclusives non-exclusives just to sell stock. Asking about forums when they’re not delivering what people are asking for. Trying to mimic that crazy era of the ’90s color schemes on modern toys. Worst of all, creating something that most people would love, but making it so expensive that no one buys it.

Who doesn’t love the goofiness of a Python Patrol Serpentor? Maybe a spatchcocked (thanks Brink) chicken gun with an 8-track tape is more your thing? How about a guy with an engine on his back and wheels for hands and feet? No, I’m not talking about Turbo Teen. The only thing new for Star Wars is old. Talk about pricing people out. Something that went for $35 15 years ago is now $99. Or, the ident...

We’re having internet problems, so no big long post this time. You’re welcome.

To make things easier this week, on me at least, I’m going to pick my favorites from New York Comic-Con. Well, also because it’s what took up half of the show this time around. Transformers was easy for me, can’t beat an Ox and Cart Optimus Prime! G.I. Joe continues the movie goodness with their Cobra La Royal Guard. Star Wars continues not only their Retro line, but also does so with a third wave...

There is just too much cool stuff coming out. While there was a ton of Masters news, I think everyone was most excited to see vintage Origins continue with Dragstor. Close behind, for me at least, is our first look at the next and most likely the last set of Masters of the Universe x Transformers figures. Something I don’t need, but want oh so badly and will probably justify it as a decoration, is...

I feel like we’ve definitely been in a flow for the last few years, but how long can it last? Mattel is definitely in its rhythm with MOTU, especially with its new She-Ra and Swiftwind release. Hasbro, not so much with their new Shockwave Humpback Whale. However, the Classified cop looks like it might be one of their most popular non-exclusive releases yet. Star Wars shows off what the future of c...

I love that we are finally getting an articulated G1 Ultra Magnus after almost 40 years. In that same vein, we’re about to get a never-released character integral to the sometimes maligned, but mostly loved, G.I. Joe: The Movie. While a secondary character, Spikor was one of my favorites as a kid. I’m happy to see him receive the Sketch Series treatment. There wasn’t any big toy news for Star Wars...

Not a lot of time for reminiscing, especially considering it’s a holiday weekend. Just want to remind everyone to do what they love, whatever that might be.

My favorite thing from this show is the super-chonky Cosmos from Earthspark. Star Wars has something we’ve never had before: a Hyperspace Pod with Probe Droid. Masters had a couple of amazing things, but Mondo’s She-Ra and Swiftwind are next level. Nothing spectacular for G.I. Joe, so I’ll toss in a favorite of mine, Spin Masters Batman Ninja figures.

Sorry for the delay. We were on vacation. I still am :)

The Classified team is not procrastinating a single minute with their HasLabs. They are coming fast and furious, with perhaps my favorite vehicle of all time up next. Lego gets two spots this time around. First is my favorite Transformer, none other than Soundwave. The second is another favorite of mine. Don’t judge, I was the perfect age for the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi, especially Wicket. For...