Open Your Toys Cast

I’ll keep this one short like the show. Here are my favorites. Finally, Two Bad, but unfortunately, it’s too bad. A new size comparison shot of the Thunder Machine makes it much more appealing. I haven’t seen the short yet, but an evil Bumblebee with a fusion cannon? Yes please. And Star Wars literally had nothing except a soon-to-be stateside pair of mystery Siths.

Toy companies really seem to be following this pattern. Is that because it’s essentially just us 30 to 50-year-olds buying this stuff now? Do you ever see a kid older than 7 in the aisles anymore? For MOTU, the Creative Beast guys double-dipped on the Dino-Riders-inspired Battle Cat and Teela exclusive homage. Transformers has been going back to its 40+ year old roots for years now. The new Dramat...

This week I’m going to feature things that I love that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. In other words, a curated list. I’ve been loving Blokees, especially the Defender Series. 2.5-inch stylized building kits? Yes, please. I own very few props or role-play items. However, a bomb wielded by a hot chick in space bounty hunter disguise? Yes, please. How about a 3rd-party solid piece of plastic mean...

It's Star Wars Day. At least at our local sports ball game, so yeah, we’re going. But I’m going to try to get this out first, so no long post this time. Go sports ball team!

One thing I forgot to do as we were pressed for time was to ask all the hosts what their favorite reveal was from the show. I’ll keep mine to the four franchises as I usually do, but hopefully we can squeeze that in too on the next show. For Masters, as much as I love build-a-figures and vintage toy artwork homages, it does seem like more of the same. Their Chronicles Clawful is what really caught...

Tons of fun stuff leading up to the con this year. Definitely my favorite was the ReAction+ Python Patrol Trubble Bubble. While something I’ve eliminated from my collecting as of late, Seekers, I would have killed back in the day for an official set of Rainmakers in a current mold. While I really wish it had the wash that the Chronicles version got, the Origins Skeletor still looks amazing. I’m a...

As we get closer to SDCC, companies are starting flex, literally. Mattel’s Gym Bro Skeletor is getting his reps in. Joe had some hits and misses to end Yo Joe! June. At least we’re finally getting a Flash. Black Series released probably one of the most perfect Clone packs ever, and it shows. It is sold out everywhere. While it’s just some teaser pics, and we’ve got better ones since, I’m excited f...

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...