31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe: Grumpy Bear as Frankenstein #1627 from POP! Movies: Care Bears X Universal Monsters by Funko

 

   OK, I've got one more incredibly adorable review for 31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe and this time it's Grump Bear as Frankenstein from Funko's POP! vinyl Care Bears X Universal Monsters line. I reviewed Bedtime Bear as the Mummy a few days ago and now I'm getting the chance to review this guy. Grumpy Bear is probably my favorite of the Care Bears and I love this combination of him and Frankenstein's Monster. His personality and expression just make this one work! I'm a little surprised that whoever was behind this design didn't try to find an already green Care Bear, but personality wise Grumpy Bear is the best fit. Ready for a review that's sure to make your day a bit grumpier? Than join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: The Riddler (Batman Forever) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   The last three months have been crazy for DC Multiverse, especially for fans of Batman and his related allies and villains. I've actually had the Batman Forever set of figures since the middle of August but I've been so busy writing reviews for 31 Days of Toy Terror that I've had to put a lot of stuff on the backburner. I'm not planning on reviewing all of the figures in this set but I have a few that definitely hit some nostalgia buttons for me. First up, I'm going to check out the Riddler. Back when Batman Forever was released in 1995 I was in love with this movie. I liked Batman Returns at the time, too, but I appreciated the brighter palette of Batman Forever. That summer I wore my baseball cap with the Batman and Riddler's question mark logo on it all the time, carried the coin from Kenner's Two-Face coin in my pocket, read the comic adaptation quite frequently, and ate more than my share of McDonald's Super Hero meals. Batman Forever was a big deal and, being just out of fifth grade, I was digging the ride of it being huge all that summer. I've seen the film a couple times over the past decade or two and I have to say that it doesn't hold up for me. If you would have asked me a year or two ago which Batman film was the worst I would have said Batman & Robin, and there would have been a time when I wouldn't have even spoken that film's name. Ask me now, though, and I'll tell you that Forever is easily the worst of the Batman films. I'm not going to get into a movie review here, but the movie takes it's greatest strengths, Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones, and just wastes them. There's no menace; just goofiness and cackling. Still, nostalgia. I remember how excited I was to find the original Kenner Riddler figure from the film at a Target that summer of 1995 and this guy gives me a bit of the same feel. Ready to check out the Riddler? Then join me after the break...

31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe: The Creature from the Black Lagoon from Universal Monsters Select by Diamond Select

 

   It's Thursday again, which means it's time for another trip to the Black Lagoon! Today's review is the original 2010 release of the Creature from the Black Lagoon from Diamond Select's Universal Monsters Select line. There were two versions of the Gill-Man available in the first series of releases: A Toy 'R Us exclusive version with just a display base and this standard version which includes a different base and a figure of Kay Lawrence. I got this set for Christmas of 2010 along with the Mummy and while there isn't much articulation here, the figure certainly displays well. Let's dive in for another look at the Gill-Man after the break...

31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe: The Wolf Man from Universal Studios Little Monsters by Fetch for Pets

 

Our dog, Zoey, did a special review for last year's 31 Days of Toy Terror and it was pretty popular. Zoey absolutely loves stuffed toys and carries them all around the house. She carries them, licks them, chews them a bit (though she is rather gentle), throws them around, and uses them like pillows. I tempted her into writing another review this year by buying her another Wolf Man toy. Ready to read a (dog) toy review written by Zoey, our 6-year old Kelpie/ terrier rescue dog? Then read on!

[Editor's Note: Zoey is a very, very good dog, but she's still not the best speller. She also doesn't always use the correct words. We've been working with her on this, though progress is slow going.]

   Hi. I Zoey. And I back. Back in black. And brown. With white. Girl say I look like Cimmammammon roll. I is good dog. Very best. And I like wolfs. Like, like, like. My Gram-Gram bought me stuffed werewolf when I younger. He Werewolf and he very nice. He big and delicious. Then for my birthday my family buy me purple werewolf. He Lon. I call him that. He purple, fuzzy, and delicious. He squeak. Two weeks ago Barbcue tell me he have gift for me. He hide it behind his back and make go squeak. Squeak, squeak. I kind of like a wolf but I not go squeak. I bark and am fierce. I sit and say "Want, want. Please give." I also say that when people have food. So Barbcue give me it. It little Wolf Man. Barbcue say it Wolf Man from Universe of Monster. He watch lots of old black white movies and say they Universe of Monster. I just sit and get pets. Or bark at deer. They friends. And snacks. Mostly friends. I talk about Wolf Man now. Hit button please. Thamks. 

Action Figure Review: Tatsu from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by NECA

   

  Getting an action figure of Tatsu from the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films was a huge surprise. Even when I was a kid I was always hoping that we would get a Tatsu figure at some point, but he never materialized. With NECA going deep into the TMNT 1990s films over the past five years or so it seemed like it would be inevitable but for years it seemed that there was an issue with getting actor Toshishiro Obata to allow his likeness to be used. There weren't any concrete details I could find; there was some speculation it might have had to do with a religious or cultural belief or even that NECA couldn't get in touch with him, though apparently Mr. Obata still responds to fan mail. Whatever the case, a few months back Tatsu began appearing at Walmart stores in the US with no warning. What? That's crazy, right? Tatsu is an incredible figure and a standout in a year that's been full of standout toys. Coming up with top ten lists for this year is going to be insane! Let's check out this very cool take on Master Tatsu after the break...

31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe: The Phantom of the Opera (The Silver Screen Edition) from Universal Studios Monsters by Sideshow Toys

 

   I've done a couple silly or cutesy reviews over the past couple days, so let's get back to something really scary with a look at the Silver Scream Edition of the Phantom of the Opera from Sideshow Toys' Universal Studios Monsters toyline. I've looked at one figure from this line already this year (Frankenstein from series 1), so let's jump in and take a look at a series 2 figure. Lon Chaney's Phantom was part of the regular series 2 alongside of the Bride of Frankenstein and the Creature, but was also part of a Toys 'R Us exclusive "The Silver Screen Edition" series which offered the figures in a black & white greyscale color scheme. Sideshow has been one of the most prolific companies to release Universal Monsters merchandise (they still do today), and they included far more characters than most other companies, going back to the silent era films and including more sci-fi characters like the Metaluna Mutant and the Mole People. The Phantom was one of the few characters to get a true non-color scheme variant in the line with a Mask of the Red Death variant in series five. This is the basic Phantom, though, and sculpt and paint-wise, I think it's held up pretty well. Let's check out the Phantom of the Opera after the break...

31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe: Frosty Bite from Frosty Frights by Wendy's

 

   Today I'm being a bit silly again as we're taking a look at Count Dracula as.... a Frosty? Yup. Starting during the first week of September, if you got a kids' meal at Wendy's you could get a little minifigure of the Wendy's Frosty dressed up like a classic monster. Have you always wanted a Frosty dressed up like Dracula? Then Frosty Bite is for you! These should definitely appeal to fans of Halloween goodies like the classic McNugget Buddies. There are six different sculpts, five of which have two different color schemes, so you've got 11 different figures overall. Let's take a look at this chilly child of the night after the break...