Open Your Toys Cast

Can you feel the frustration with collectors nowadays? It’s either pricing, availability, or too much product. Almost everyone I know is cutting back or quitting altogether. It’s not stopping these companies. We still haven’t got our first big Classified vehicle. We just got done funding our second big vehicle, now we have a third coming our way. Transformers continues with a bevy of new exclusive...

I meant to save a bunch of time and do a really well-thought-out reflection of our 15th Anniversary show. Well, you see how well that worked out.

(mic drop)

Hasbro Pulse Con was kind of meh this year, but it’ll be an easy field to pick my favorites from, so here we go. Believe it or not, I think the weird rock truck was my favorite Transformer reveal. I still have no intention of picking it up. I’m a sucker for the Old Republic, so the TVC HK-47 and Jedi Revan 2-Pack was easily my favorite Star Wars reveal. I think Joe continues to kill it. It seems s...

All of my favorites from this show you can put off. None of them are really required for any sort of collection. As much as I love Lady Slither and her articulated tail, do we really need her? I almost wish I had collected the Holiday Black Series figures from the beginning, especially because the latest batch is just killing it on a bunch of different levels. Another Transformers crossover to tak...

Why is it that I am constantly laboring on Labor Day? We just spent 3 hours doing yard work. That was after camping for the second time in so many weeks. Setting up and tearing down camp is always crazy laborious. The one thing I can skip is writing about it. Now you don't have to read it, win-win.

The way people collect can be equally as diverse as the way people choose to camp. And just as with camping, there’s no really right or wrong way to do it. I think this year’s Power-Con demonstrated this. The big two, Hasbro and Mattel, were nowhere to be found, but in their place was an amazingly diverse group of indy toy makers. The Four Horsemen had an extremely impressive setup highlighted by...

With so many amazing reveals, this quick list shouldn’t be too hard. For Star Wars, the second wave of ROTJ figures is simply amazing. I think most Joe people would say the Vamp stole the show, but for my money, I’m all about the Pulse Con Exclusive Crimson Strike 3-Pack. I don’t think I’m in the minority when saying the new Studio Series Ultra Magnus is pretty damn impressive. Finally, while I’m...

No time for the usual. SDCC is on fire and we’re going to do an impromptu show tomorrow to yak about it.

I don’t even know how to start this post. Unfortunately, we are dealing with the loss of our amazing Ruthie Goosie. She has been the backbone of our family for over 15 years. Through everything we have gone through, she has always been there for all of us. Especially as we are still experiencing some ups and downs, her presence is missed so much. It’s not even the big things, it’s the smallest of...

Sound quality and host quality aside, at least the content was amazing. We talk about the launch of the new HasLab Classified Dragonfly. Mondo absolutely killed it with their V2 Skeletor. The new TBS Endor Rebel Trooper is perfection. But, why so pricey, especially for an army builder? Probably worst kept spoiler in recent times gives all of us Transformers fans a glimmer of hope of something we’v...

I feel great about all the new Joes we’re seeing, but that’s because I’m a sub-team whore. I know everyone is loving Classified, but is that because they also love these sub-teams or are they just caught up in the hype? Those with a Sail Barge should be super-happy with the new Droid Factory R2-S4M. I love that we’re getting a new screen-based character from ROTJ. While it makes me happy to see an...

Toy life is heating up. Transformers made some interesting announcements at their recent livestream. Loving the deep-dive on the Evolution line. Scrap-Iron is hot, but is he over-hyped? I’m really cold on the Masterverse Whiplash, but some may dig it. Some may be cold on the politics, but I’m absolutely loving the Pride mechs.

It was one of those weeks. A lot of bad habits and not nearly enough good. I’m going to keep this short so I can get onto my good habits. However, I want to check in with everybody. Are your good habits winning? Are the bad habits creeping in? Either way, just keep on truckin’ and remember shit happens when you party naked.

I think the Joe franchise survival instinct is kicking in with them trying to secure Michael Keaton for yet another reboot of the Joe cinematic universe. The Transformers team instinct is hopefully going to kick in when it comes to the Deathsaurus package artwork. Star Wars is doing pretty well with their Mando Mania, but I’m concerned that they’re doing too many of the same characters. Masters ju...

No time to talk, we have a very special guest star making an appearance at Casa de McFavorite.

Nothing too exciting for Joe besides some new listings. We’re getting the inevitable repaint of the Volvo Prime. I really dig it but had no idea this thing was so small. While not crazy about the uncanny valley Luke in The Mandalorian, all the new Luke toys are very welcomed, including the new Training Luke. Saving the best for last was all of the MOTU Reveals. I mean, come on.

All these companies have to do is what they’re doing. They are killing it, but is it too much? How many Classified Joes did you pre-order in the last couple of weeks? How about 3rd party Transformers? Maybe a couple of new Origins figures? FOMO finally got to me and I had to grab the new mini Lego Super Star Destroyer.

Amazing toys that I don’t want also feel good. Kind of like this Mondo Trap Jaw. Or, the possibly leaked Mandalorian Starfighter. While I love the tractor for the Armada Prime, I definitely do not need it. A Classified Dragon Fly probably would have been needed, but we’ll never know.

Joe absolutely killed it this time around. While Snow Job is one of my favorite characters of all-time and they did justice to him, the Classified Scrap Iron is a thing of beauty. There were some great reveals at the latest Star Wars Livestream, but I think I gotta give it to the Revenge of Jedi Darth Vader. I’m glad to see the masses will be getting access to an amazing Snake Horde Trooper. Howev...

Shopping is one thing I haven’t been doing. However, I have been adding things to my JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out) list like crazy. Including a bunch of canceled pre-orders, I have over 60 toys on there right now. We’ll see if I still want them in a year. Some things I can’t wait to get to buy from this show are as follows. What looks to be a Target Collectors’ Con exclusive, the Python Patrol Crimson...

Here are my most important reveals from this show. For Transformers, the Furai Soundwave. While I cherry-pick ReAction, who doesn’t want Duke with a lightsaber or Snake Eyes with a trident? No Star Wars toy news this time, but I’m loving these Bad batch posters. Finally, Frog Monger sparked our JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) conversation. That still didn’t keep me from ordering three.

No time for diatribes today.

Depending on how you view it, collectors should be feeling like they’re on top of the world. Have you seen the Classified Checklist? Did you see that over 15,000 people want an obscure Japanese cartoon character? Who wants tiny little stuff like 1:100 scale Star Wars brought back from the ’90s? I do! I can’t even keep up with all of the new Origins and Masterverse, but that’s just Two Bad.

A lot of people aren’t the biggest fans of these carded Black Series figures. But, I love them, including the next wave of ROTJ figs. At least they give people another chance at some figures they may have missed. If you were like me, you missed the Origins Camo Khan. Let’s hope we get another shot and that great international variant. People had plenty of chances to vote for the Cobra Tacticition....