Action Figure Review: Ken from Ultra Street Fighter 2: The New Challengers by Jada Toys

 

   Jada Toys seems to have big plans for their Ultra Street Fighter 2: The New Challengers toyline, though they stated off slow with only three characters last year: Ryu, Chun-Li, and Fei Long. Series 2 has been hitting slowly over the past few months and it seems that Ken shipped before M. Bison and Dhalsim, the other two figures in the series. While Ken was a bit of a Ryu clone in the game Capcom worked over time to differentiate him from his best friend and rival. The Jada Toys Ken uses much of the same body as Ryu, but his outfit is different so they're not just the same figure with different heads and paint jobs. Ready to check out Ken and see if he's "Kenough" to win the World Warrior Tournament? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Iron Man (Model 01-Gold) from Marvel Legends Retro Collection: Iron Man by Hasbro

 

      For well over a year now I've really cut my Marvel Legends collecting down to just X-Men and mutant related characters (X-Force, Alpha Flight, etc.) and just the random figure here and there I really like. I've sold off quite a few Marvel Legends over the past 6 months that I'd lost interest in or that didn't fit into my collection. I did keep my core Avengers and villains, though, particularly in their most classic looks. I had multiple Iron Man figures but I sold off about half of them, keeping just my favorites. I didn't pick up the Mark I Iron Man last year but when I saw this gorgeous Iron Man (Model 01-Gold) from the new Iron Man Retro Collection I had to bite. These are packaged on cards that look like the old Toy Biz Iron Man cards that tied in with the cartoon, the only Marvel line I collected after I stopped collecting the X-Men line, so the nostalgia hit. But this guy really just appealed to me. I think he'll look great with the other core Avengers. I think the gold suit was Tony's third design, painted gold because he thought people found the original suit too frightening and one of his girlfriends thought gold would make Iron Man look like " knight in shining armor." Cute. I saw him at a local shop and debated grabbing him but I ended up picking him up at my nearest GameStop. With my Pro discount and my monthly $5 reward I ended up with him for less than a Jackson. Let's check out Iron Man (Model-01 Gold) after the break...

Action Figure Review: Batgirl Cassandra Cain (Batgirls) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   

I haven't been reviewing too many DC Multiverse figures from McFarlane Toys lately as so many of the characters I've been interested in have been only offered as those McFarlane Collector Edition figures that are $5 to $10 dollars more than your average figure. I'm just not seeing the value their for me. I did really want he Cassie Cain version of Batgirl, however, and I managed to get a preorder for her from Target's website (she's a Gold Label figure and is exclusive to Target). Cassie has had a number of different personas, including Black Bat and Orphan, but being a Batgirl is probably her most well know. I really would like a figure of Orphan at some point, but this is definitely the best choice for a first DC Multiverse figure for her. This one is technically sourced to the current title Batgirls, though the costume does make me think of a bit older look for her, closer to even the No Man's Land look. Let's check out Batgirl Cassandra Cain after the break...

Action Figure Review: Orko from Masters of the Universe by Mondo

 

Today's a pretty big review of a smaller character: It's Orko! This version of Orko is a 1/6th scale figure from Mondo's Masters of the Universe toyline and he was available as a timed exclusive back at the beginning of the year. Interestingly, he was a timed exclusive, so as many people as wanted him could buy him from Mondo's website between January 23rd and January 30th, and yet he's already shipped! He surely wasn't made to order, then, was he? Usually open, timed exclusives like this have a longer waiting period as the company uses the timed window to plan the size of their run. Orko shipped right on time, though, and I've had him for a week or so at this point. I really like Mondo's 1/6th scale MOTU figures but the prices have really gotten pretty high on these guys. He-Man and Skeletor were $160 when they first came out in 2019 and now the recent Teela figure, who didn't come with any little companion figures, was $250. Yikes! I've been pretty selective with my purchases over the past few years and the last one I picked up was She-Ra. I kind of regret skipping Teela, but I just couldn't get myself to pull the trigger at the time. Orko was an instant buy, though. I love the guy and I love how many little unique smaller figures you get with him. Besides Orko you also get a smaller "animated" Orko, Dree Elle, and Daimar the Demon. Interestingly, the three smaller figures feel like they could integrate into a Masters of the Universe Classics collection, so that's part of what sold me on Orko. Let's take a look at most everyone's favorite Trollan (I know Uncle Montork has some fans) after the break...

Action Figure Review: Scarlett (Retro) from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

   So far, four of the five series one G.I. Joe: Classified Series figures have received updates in the retro carded subset (Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and Destro) while Roadblock got a mostly retro update with the Heavy Artillery Roadblock figure. I looked at retro Duke earlier this month and today I'm checking out Scarlett. I really like the original Scarlett figure and her "field" variant but there's obviously a large contingent of collectors who want figures that are as close to the original vintage toys as possible, which isn't a bad thing. Scarlett had a unique look that was more superhero or superspy than straight up soldier, so I'm not sure there's anything about her that looks really outdated. This is a completely unique figure from the first release and she's loaded with accessories. Let's check out Scarlett after the break...

Action Figure Review: Sla'ker from Turtles of Grayskull by Mattel

 

   

   I'm actually following up the recent review of the Turtles of Grayskull Krang with another Turtles of Grayskull review: Sla'ker! Sla'ker is an experiment of Krang, combining the evil mutant turtle, Slash, with the He-Man replica robot, Faker. So, my question is how would you pronounce this guy's name? Slay-ker, using the long "A" in Faker, or Slack-er, using the pronunciation you'd get from saying Slash? I've been saying Slay-ker for a bit, but the more I think about it, the more I think Slack-er might be right. It's also kind of funny. Who would have ever thought we'd need a cross between Faker and Slash? I had both of those figures as a kid and I'm probably more thrilled now with them as a comb than I would have been back then. Let's check out Sla'ker after the break...

Action Figure Review: Krang from Turtle of Grayskull by Mattel

 

   If someone had told you a few years ago that Mattel would be releasing a Masters of the Universe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mashup toyline at mass retail, would you have believed them? I mean, this line's starting to get pretty deep! Today I'm checking out the deluxe Krang figure which is actually Krang in an android body modeled after Megator, one of the rarest MOTU toys of them all! I remember getting the vintage Krang figure as a kid and then wondering why he didn't have the cool android body like he had in the cartoon and video games. I remember finally getting that figure when they made it and loving it! I had the full sized one, though Playmates did eventually release an android body for Krang that was scaled like a regular TMNT figure. This one combines the android with the giant Megator, or a "Megator android body" as the back of the package calls it. ready to check out the brains of the Foot Clan and his mega sized robotic ride? Then join me after the break...