Action Figure Review: The Invisible Man (Glow in the Dark) from Universal Monsters by NECA

 

   I love the Invisible Man. The original film is one of my favorite Universal Monsters films (probably my second favorite of the major movies) and I'm also a fan of many of the sequels, specifically The Invisible Man Returns and Invisible Agent. None of the sequels have the same character of Dr. Jack Griffin, the titular Invisible Man (played by Claude Rains), but they're quite a bit of fun. NECA released a figure of Dr. Griffin last year and they have another version of him in his classic smoking maroon smoking jacket set to release in the next few months. A year or two ago NECA began releasing "Glow in the Dark!" versions of the Universal Monsters that are based on the 1980 Remco Mini Monsters (also labeled as the Universal City Studio's Monsters) which had glow in the dark variants and could be "charged up" with the Monsterizer (NECA makes a Monsterizer for the 7inch figures, too). There was not an Invisible Man in that vintage line but NECA has gone far beyond what the original line offered now. The Invisible Man was offered as a NYCC 2024 exclusive and I managed to get mine from NECA's pre-sale. Ready to check out a version of the Invisible Man who might actually be easier to spot than normal, at least at night? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Hugo Strange as Batman (Batman: Transference) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   Today I'm checking out a Batman figure that isn't really a Batman figure. Who could it be? Why Dr. Hugo Strange dressed as Batman, of course. The packaging sources this figure to 2020s's Batman: Transference, but Hugo Strange has worn a Batman costume many times in the past. In fact, you could say he does it obsessively. I've actually owned a few Hugo Strange figures, including the DC Collectibles Arkham City version, the DC Direct Secret Files figure, and Diamond's Gotham version. A few years back I sold off quite a few of my DC Direct/ DC Collectibles figures as I was growing concerned about impending breakage (many of them used clear plastic for joints and seemed to crumble over time). There are quite a few I regret selling, like the Arkham City Hugo Strange, but this guy is a nice fill in for the Secret Files release who was dressed the same way. Interestingly, this is a Platinum release but it's not a variant. There's just not a standard counterpart for this figure. He fortunately wasn't too difficult to find and I've seen him on Walmart shelves quite a few over the past two months. Ready to check out Hugo Strange as Batman? Then join me after the break...


   

Action Figure Review: Count Dracula from Operation: Monster Force by Big Bad Workshop and Fresh Monkey Fiction

 

   It feels like it's been a good two years or more since this line was announced but Operation: Monster Force has finally arrived and I do have to say it's worth the wait. A collaboration between Big Bad Workshop and Fresh Monkey Fiction, Operation: Monster Force is an incredible mix of a military action toyline (think G.I. Joe: Classified Series and Action Force) with a horror theme. The first series of eight figures began shipping in October and while I originally hoped to review one or two of them for 31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe, that never came to pass. Today, though, I'm going to start checking out a few figures from the line, starting with Count Dracula. Let me say that, oddly enough, Dracula is the weakest figure in the first series due to a lack of accessories. Character wise, though, he's the most recognizable classic monster in series 1, so he caught my attention. Big Bad Workshop and Fresh Monkey Fiction have worked up a pretty cool storyline for this series and each figure has a minicomic strip inside the front flap. Count Dracula isn't the main villain of Operation: Monster Force, however; he's an uneasy ally of Declan Van Helsing in his campaign against the Forgotten King, a powerful Egyptian sorcerer. Released from his prison in Tomb 13, Dracula leads Delta Red, an army of soldiers temporarily inflicted with vampirism, against the Forgotten King. Ready to see how this take on Count Dracula turned out? Then join me after the break...

   

Action Figure Review: Wolverine from Marvel Legends Series: 85th Anniversary by Hasbro

 

   2024 is Marvel's 85th anniversary and Hasbro released a subset of some really impressive action figures to celebrate. I've actually picked up a few of these that I didn't get around to reviewing (Ghost Rider and Warbird/ Ms. Marvel) but I definitely wanted to review this The Astonishing X-Men Wolverine figure. Besides being a figure of Wolverine (who always sells), this was a solid choice on Hasbro's part as 2024 is also Wolverine's 50th anniversary, X-Men '97 was released and hit the right nostalgia buttons, and this figure features a yellow and blue suit that's quite similar to Hugh Jackman's suit in Deadpool & Wolverine. Sure, Hasbro couldn't get the MCU accurate figures out in time, but this guy probably caught the attention of quite a few fans just wanting a yellow suit Wolverine. This outfit is based on The Astonishing X-Men run from 2004 through 2013 (the third volume as other X projects used the title previously) which Hasbro has slowly been building the main cast of for a couple years (they've done Cyclops and Emma Frost but haven't got around to Kitty Pryde, Colossus, and Beast yet). I'm not terribly familiar with this run (my X-Book reading knowledge is mostly limited to pre-2000 stuff) but I do like this costume. Plus, I'm not one to often turn down a Wolverine figure. Ready to check out this Astonishing take on Wolverine? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: The Bone Collector V2 from Action Force by Valaverse

 

   Can you believe that Valaverse's Action Force line has already reach it's 100th figure? To mark that special occasion Valaverse released a second version of The Bone Collector, one of the most popular Action Force figures. I reviewed the original figure back in early 2022 and I believe he was the first of the Action Force figures that I reviewed. There is a random bloody variant of this guy that was offered but he was limited to 100 pieces, so pretty tough to get ahold of. I received this version of The Bone Collector for my birthday just a little under two months ago, so you can tell there's been a lot of cool stuff coming out that's distracted me. Ready to check out The Bone Collector V2? Then join me after the break...

Happy Franksgiving! Frankenstein #1630 from POP! Movies: Universal Monsters by Funko

 

   It's time for another Franksgiving review! Today I'm checking out another figure from Funko's newest series of Universal Monsters POP! vinyls featuring a unique aesthetic that reminds me of the look of comic book art from the 1970s. They're bright, bold, and feature some unique shading and colors that set them apart from the usual darker, often greyscale, palette of the Universal Monsters. I reviewed the Bride of Frankenstein from this set on Halloween for 2024's 31 Days of Toy Terror Takes the Universe so now it's nice to have Frankenstein/ the Frankenstein Monster to go along with her. Ready to check out this eye-catching tribute to Boris Karloff's classic take on the character? Then join me after the break...

Action Figure Review: Dreadnok Road Pig & Rawkus from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 

 Ready for more G.I. Joe: Classified Series goodness? Then let's check out Road Pig & Rawkus! Another deluxe human with animal companion set, Road Pig offers up another threatening Dreadnok as a deluxe release, this time with a new animal companion, Rawkus, Road Pig's pet pit bull. Road Pig is another 1988 release that has been wonderfully updated for the Classified Series. We really are getting a good team of Dreadnoks going, aren't we? I had Road Pig as a kid and liked him quite a bit. I never owned any of the earlier Dreadnoks (Torch, Buzzer, Ripper, and Zartan) until I was older in high school and collecting the vintage line around 1999-2001, so the 1987 through 1989 Dreadnoks were my main guys. Named Donald Deluca after a Hasbro design director, Road Pig had an interesting file card that listed his extensive arrest record and a split personality in the Larry Hama penned Marvel Comics series. Road Pig went back and forth between the more mild mannered Donald and the crazy aggressive Road Pig. This figure has gotten a bit of a negative reception due to some collectors perceiving him as looking larger and heavier than his vintage toy and having a more stylized appearance. I'm actually quite a fan for the most part, though I'm rarely in favor of the Classified Series figures being rigidly beholden to their vintage counterparts. Ready to check out a deluxe two pack with Road Pig and Rawkus? Then join me after the break...