Action Figure Review: Jedi Master Dooku from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase IV by Hasbro

 

   With the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu this week, I am well aware that I don't review many Star Wars: The Black Series figures these days. The main reason is that there just aren't that many releases that interest me. Please bring back some high quality Star Wars Micro Machines and playsets, Hasbro! Still, every now and then a figure comes around like Kyle Katarn or Dash Rendar that captures my attention. That's the case with today's figure, Jedi Master Dooku, a younger version of Count Dooku. I actually haven't watched the 2022 animated series Tales of the Jedi but I'm already sold on the concept of a younger version of Dooku prior to his leaving the Jedi order. I'm a huge Christopher Lee fan, too, so you could also argue use this as a base figure of Lord Summerisle from The Wicker Man or as Francisco Scarmanga. Or, y'know, just a heroic Jedi Master version of Dooku, like the package says. I stumbled upon this guy at GameStop a month or two ago and just picked him up because he looked so cool. Ready to check out Jedi Master Dooku? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Cobra-La Royal Guard from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   I don't believe I haven't reviewed a G.I. Joe: Classified Series figure since last month! It's time to remedy that as I have a few more lined up for review, starting with today's Cobra-La Royal Guard. Cobra-La is definitely getting more respect these days with their inclusion in the Energon Universe comic books by Skybound and the excellent redesigns we're seeing in the Classified Series, which is a far cry from how they were perceived in the past. It feels like people used to hate Cobra-La. So far in the Classified Series we've received Nemesis Immortal/ Enforcer and Pythona, both individual characters, but with the Cobra-La Royal Guard we now have a troop builder for this faction. In the vintage line the Cobra-La Roya Guard came packaged in a 3-pack with Nemesis Enforcer and Golobulus but for the Classified Series the Royal Guard is packed individually, allowing for easier army building. Right? Well, yes, technically, but I do think it's wild how much stuff Hasbro included with this figure. If you have an extra body you could likely make two complete figures and have parts left over. I'm going to discuss this in more depth later on but I do want to point out that this feels like a single packaged figure with enough stuff for at least a two-pack. Ready to check out the Cobra-La Royal Guard? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Michael Myers (Halloween: Resurrection) from Halloween by NECA

 

   NECA is slowly but surely working their way through a different version of Michael Myers from each of the Halloween films and today I'm finally checking out the newest NECA Ultimate: Michael Myers from 2002's Halloween: Resurrection. Yes, the one with Katee Sackhoff where Laurie Strode dies in the first few minutes, Tyra Banks and Busta Rhymes host a "reality" show on Halloween at the Myers house, and Busta Rhymes kicks Michael Myers out a window and at one point saying "Trick or Treat, mother%^&*$%." Yes, that one. It isn't the high point of the Halloween series at all. I think it's fair to say that it's a low point for the series in many ways and, yet, I find it one of the most entertaining. At times it almost approaches being a parody of Halloween and a commentary on the revival of classic slashers post Scream. I actually wouldn't put it at the bottom of my ranking of Halloween films; surprisingly, I think I'd put it probably somewhere in the middle as it is a blast to watch even if you're rolling your eyes and cringing at times. Still, NECA seems to be trying to release at least one Michael for all of the films, so we now have this one covered. Ready to check out Michael Myers from Halloween: Resurrection? Then join me and my fellow members of Dangertainment after the break...

Action Figure Review: Tri-Klops from Masters of the Universe Chronicles by Mattel

 

   Today I'm reviewing the first Masters of the Universe Chronicles figure based on the movie that I picked up: Tri-Klops! Yes, I did review the MOTU Chronicles Scare Glow last month, but he doesn't seem to be based on the film and instead feels more reminiscent of the Masterverse New Eternia subset. This version of Tri-Klops is definitely based on the film coming to theaters next month and features the likeness of actor Kojo Attah. Well, what little you can see from underneath his three-eyed visor, anyway. Still, it's pretty exciting to have an action figure from the movie in hand, especially one that looks as cool as Tri-Klops does. This is a very impressive figure! Mattel is really flexing with the Masters of the Universe Chronicles line. Ready to check out Tri-Klops? Then let's take a look at him after the break...

Action Figure Review: Akuma from Ultra Street Fighter II: The New Challengers by Jada Toys

   We are getting close to completing the classic Street Fighter II roster and while we're now only two figures away from the main roster of 16 characters (I now have Balrog and E. Honda in hand and they're scheduled to be reviewed) Jada Toys has also added in Akuma. Akuma appeared as a secret character in 1994's Super Street Fighter II Turbo and has been a mainstay of the series since. I actually received Akuma back in February and it's just taken me a bit to get around to checking him out. While I'm familiar with the main sixteen World Warriors from Street Fighter II from playing the games as a kid, collecting the Hasbro action figures, and being an unabashed fan of the 1994 film, my first impressions of Akuma come from the 1998 Electronic Gaming Monthly April Fool's joke where they claimed that 
he was an unlockable character in Resident Evil 2. Through a difficult series of challenges, the prank claimed that Akuma would be unlocked as a playable character who could plow through the hordes of the undead in Raccoon City. It's an infamous prank in gaming history and while it's just a footnote in Akuma's history, I'm sure there are some collectors who want to display him with their various Resident Evil 2 action figures. Ready to check out Akuma? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Man-E-Faces from Masters of the Universe Origins: Sketchbook Series by Mattel

 

   We are less than a month away from the release of the Masters of the Universe movie in the United States (June 5th, 2026!) and I'm trying to work some more MOTU reviews in this month. Obviously you all know I'm a MOTU maniac, both a He-Fan and a She-Raver, but there does come a point where you realize you have likely enough versions of certain characters. If you check out my various archives you can tell that my shelves are loaded with multiples toys, collectibles, and action figure versions of He-Man, She-Ra, Skeletor, Beast Man, Trap Jaw, Man-At-Arms, Orko, Teela, Mer-Man, Faker, Battle Cat, and Hordak. I know there are so many MOTU toys and statues coming out right now but I'm just having to be more selective about what I pickup. Outside of the main ongoing line (for me that was Masterverse and now Chronicles), I'm largely skipping characters I have too many versions of unless there's something really unique. Well, a concept version of Man-E-Faces really jumped out at me. On Masters of the Universe Day last month (April 28th) we lost Roger Sweet, one of the two "creators" of He-Man (that's a very nuanced discussion which I'm not getting into here) and with the passing of Mark Taylor in 2021, both of He-Man's creators are now no longer with us. More than any other property I can think of, fans of MOTU really seem to love the concept art and creative process of the brand and fans have usually jumped at concept and prototype inspired action figures. Man-E-Faces is a Target exclusive and latest release in the Masters of the Universe: Origins Sketchbook Series; he's also the first figure from the line that I've picked up. Based on an early Mark Taylor sketch for a character called Multi-Face (though Mr. Taylor doesn't get any credit on the packaging, unfortunately), this is the first time we've seen this concept art version of Man-E-Faces as an action figure. He's a pretty incredible design that might actually surpass the classic Man-E-Faces in my book. Some elements of his design also make more sense to me when presented like this. Ready to check out Multi-Faces, the man who would become Man-E-Faces? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: The Agent/ The Spy (Black Tuxedo) from Soldiers of Fortune by Big Bad Workshop

 

   Yesterday I reviewed the Soldiers of Fortune The Agent/ The Enemy (Light Blue) who seems to be the most popular figure in this series since he makes a pretty solid hooded Cobra Commander stand-in. Today I'm checking out the figure that seems to be the second most popular figure: The Agent/ The Spy (Black Tuxedo). The Soldiers of Fortune figures deliver some generic character archetypes that should be pretty useful for multiple 1/12th scale toylines with many of the releases offering multiple heads so you can really mix things up. As a kid I always wanted a James Bond action figure. I had a James Bond Jr. action figure, but that wasn't the same. I just wanted a tuxedo wearing James Bond but, despite Bond's popularity in the 1990s with GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, and multiple videogames, we never really got one. The company Exclusive Premiere Collectibles releases multiple James Bond figures but usually they were in unusual outfits rather than a classic Bond Tux (there was a Sean Connery from Goldfinger in a white tuxedo but I never saw him anywhere). Heck, my Tradewinds Toys Ethan Hunt from Mission: Impossible was the closest I got to a tuxedo clad spy. Want to make a James Bond figure? Now you just have to find the right head! These figures can swap heads and hands easily with Operation: Monster Force, C.O.P.S. & Crooks, and The Order of the Crimson Moon, so at some point we'll surely get some heads that will serve as a decent James Bond. Still, we've got two cool portraits with this set, plus plenty of gear. Ready to check out the Agent and the Spy? Then join me after the break...