Kastor’s Retro Reviews

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Kastor’s Retro Reviews

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Finally the new home is OPEN

Hi all just wanted to give all an update.  Kastor’s Korner has a new home @ http://www.kastorskorner.com/   This week will see the long over due HML3 final review as well as DCUC wave one.  We should also have some Mattel answers soon

Action Thursday: Moleman

Finding these mole monsters on clearance at TRU is great!!!

Grodd

This is the newest offering from the JLU line, bringing this long living line in closer to completion.  Grodd was one of the main bad guys on the JLU show and now we have him to add to the growing roster of villains for the Justice League to square off against.   

The main feature in this box set is the Gorilla Grodd.  Grodd was an ape who came in contact with a meteor during the 19^th century.  This gave him and his fellow apes both super intellegence and, in some cases like Grodd and his adversary Solovar, telekinesis and telepathy.  Grodd and Solovar clashed time and time again for the great Gorilla City.  When Solovar was captured by humans and brought to Central City, Grodd saw an opportunity to not only take over Gorilla City but also the world.  This plan put him in the scope of the Flash and brought Grodd into The Flash’s Rogue Gallery.  Over and over the Flashes of many generations would come to blows with this foe.  Over time Grodd’s abilities have grown, developing both his mental abilities as well as his telekinesis.   Most figures in the JLU line have issues standing, but like the other larger figures Grodd has no problems at all.  The figure has an amazing sculpt, really bringing to life the cartoon character.  The figure is well painted and the detail on his face brings that sly look of the criminal mastermind to life. 

The other new edition to this box set is the Red Hood.  This figure is a simple repaint of the Joker.  The new part of the figure is the addition of a large red dome and cape.  The largest problem is that you can not see the Joker’s face before you buy the box set.  After opening the set and taking off the hood this Joker looks like Crazy Eyes from Mr. Deeds.  Given a profile view the Joker looks great but if you look at this figure straight on his eyes are looking in completely different directions.   

Overall a solid set for both collectors and parents.  Hopefully this will not be the last, and Mattel will continue box sets to get us larger characters. 

         

 

Hasbro Marvel Legends 3: The Boxes

Coming up over the next few days will be the full blow review of HML 3.  Come back tomorrow for the faces.
 

Action Thursday

Working on putting together the big reivew of HML 3, I thought I would post a nice action shot. 

Gotham’s New Additions

I had the chance to acquire some DC Direct figures this month.  Having a 25% off coupon I picked up figures, which I though Mattel would not make right away and are sort of in scale in with the DCSH. 

First up is Alfred, who looks like he jumped right off the page.  While the other figures really do mix in well the DCSH Mr. Pennyworth is a little tall.  I really like the figure and as a back ground figure in a display I think he works well.  This slanted picture reminds me of “Same Bat time, same Bat Channel”.   

The next figure I picked up was Hush.  This figure was part of wave one of 3 waves from the Hush story line.  The differences between wave one and wave three are very apparent when you have them next to each other.  Hush has limited pose-ability due to the cut joints rather then ball jointed arms and legs.  The other draw back is the guns are molded into his hand which really makes this more of a statue then an action figure. 

The final figure is Jim Gordon.  I think this is really the start of the figures I got this time around.  The Commish is well sculpted, comes with clip-on glasses, and his gun is also removable. 

  

Jim Lee is one of my favorite comic artists and having these figures mixed in with my DCSH really makes the display complete.   

Finally Doom Has Bots

When Toy Biz lost the right to make Marvel toys most of us thought our chances of getting the robot Doombots from the Fantastic Four Movie line was lost.  We knew some retailers got them last year but they were few and far between.  After hearing the Toy Biz factory might have some over stock and we might get these at clearance stores like Big Lots or KB outlets our hope returned until that did not happen.  Those who had them did not want to trade to sell them unless you made a crazy offer.  They were cool to look at and you had to have more then one, but would you ever see them? 

A few weeks ago someone on Fwoosh from Sweden got about 10, and put them up for trade.  I jumped at the chance not sure what I would have to give up, but it was worth a shot.  After some negotiations we came to a deal, 2 Doombots for HML 1 BAF, Xorn and Ultimate Ironman.  While to some that seems like a lot for me who had a friend getting out of Marvel Legends, all it cost me was shipping.  So about a week later I had my 2 Doombots, and they proudly stand protecting Dr. Victor Von Doom. 

These figures really make me miss Toy Biz.  The Doombots tower over the other figures showing their ability to protect their creator.  The detail work on them shows off all the wires and tubes which make up these metal monsters.  The one drawback on these figures is loose joints.  The elbow and knee joints are tiny compared the limbs they connect and makes posing a challenge.  The one saving grace of these joints is they can bend in either direction which allows you to pose them in different stable positions that would look awkward on a humanoid figure.  You can see in the picture the two ways these Bots can stand.  One can stand strait up while the other is in what I like to call resting position.  This resting position shifts the center of gravity on the figure allowing it to stand.  There is an action feature on the figure although I’m not sure what it does.  When you push the button on the back the Bot’s entire upper body slumps down, this really makes it hard for the Bot to stand.  The final feature of the figure is a small hidden button on the upper back hidden in the figures details, which lights up the eyes.  I found it by mistake when I put the figure in a box and saw it light up when I put other figures on top of it.  Over all I love these Bots, they are a great addition to any display and I can’t wait for the day when I have room to put out all my Marvel Legends.   

    

The Great Wii Hunt of ’07

So this Christmas my sister in-law asked me what system would be good a good Christmas gift for her son, my nephew . At first I said PS2 because I have one and I like it, it also has a very simple controller which is easy to hold. Well about a month goes by and I have heard more about the Wii and about the new games coming out for the new Nintendo system. Then after reading a review on-line I changed my mind, Caleb should have a Wii. Overall the system is the better choice for him. So I opened my big mouth on Thanksgiving morning and the family decided to get him a Wii.

I thought since I made this suggestion it would be on my shoulders to help find this scarce Christmas item. While I did not think it was impossible I thought if I did not give it my full attention it would not be under the tree on Christmas morning. After looking on-line and finding nothing in stock under $600, I knew my hunting skills and my knowledge of the area stores would have to come into play. I started on Sunday, going first to Costco (they don’t carry it), over to BJ’s (they might get some more), and then on to the regular stores. Most people were nice about it, not yet laughing at my request. A few places looked but found nothing, most just said no before I could finish my sentence, and almost all said sorry don’t know when they will be in. I tried to make light of it, saying “I know the answer but do you have a Wii”, getting a chuckle and a smile but the response was always the same, “sorry, no, but you can try back tomorrow.” I had one ray of hope though; the FYE Games said they would have them on Tuesday between 11am and 2pm. I had hope but no one could go to the store during that time. Monday afternoon I hit about 5 more stores, bringing my grand total to about 25 stores, with no Wii to show for it. Monday night came and I made my decision: I would take Tuesday off and go wait in line.

Tuesday morning came and I was all nervous but excited. My wife reminded me the mall was on Christmas hours and I would have to rush out the door to get there when the mall opened. I got to the mall at 8:45 and waited till 9 when they opened to join the mall walkers and the other nuts like me. I walked to the store, asked if they were still coming in, and after a yes answer, walked around the mall keeping an eye to make sure there was no line. Around 9:45 an old man went into the store and did not come out, and I knew something was going on. I went in to see him sitting and waiting, and I decided to make a few calls but felt awkward about sitting not knowing if he was in line for a Wii. When I walked out of the store I saw a few ladies sitting on a bench outside the store. After a quick walk to the next bench, I knew they were my competition. When the Fed-ex person walked into the store I stood up and saw the ladies did too.  I had to rush to the store and get there first just in case the Wii was in the delivery. They came in right behind me and beat me to the question, if they could get in line for a Wii. I made my way over to the grandfather who was sitting on a shelf and was 3rd in line for the Wii.

The next 4 hours were long but everyone was very polite. Most people in line were nice and would allow us to take a break, walk around the store, get something to drink, or a bathroom break, but I could not leave. With my knowledge of how stores restock I knew anything was possible, so I waited in my spot for all 4 hours. Most of the people in line talked about how they were in line for friends or kids, some were there for their husbands or boy friends but all were in the giving spirit. We stood and talked with each other and the 2 store workers, watching video game trailer after trailer. Standing there some people got phone calls about rumors of Wii’s all over town but none were willing to give up our precious 9 spots. We heard the employees say they were expecting between 9 and 20 Wii’s, and as the line grew we saw how lucking we were to get there early.

As the line snaked further through this tiny store some tension developed but no one was rude or out of line. My only source of frustration was a daughter and her baby. This nice lady next to me was visited by her daughter and her grandbaby, who were shopping in the mall. The only thing the daughter had to say was how stupid this line was, and how people who did this were crazy. If I could have said something, and the grandmother was not so nice, I would have lost it. She finally left around 1pm, and the line was nice and friendly again for the last hour. When 2 pm finally got around and the line surrounded the store covering every wall, we were informed that they got in 9 systems, and it was limited to 1 system per person. We proud, tired, hungry, stiff people walked to the line giving the cashier our $250, and walked out with a smile. I just goes to show nothing is impossible you just have to work hard if you want it.

Have You Seen This Man?

Have you seen this figure?  No?  Well that is because Hasbro decided to send out cases of Marvel Legends 3 the Brood Queen Wave with out her tail and this long wanted figure.  That is right they short packed a BAF piece.  Guess where the only place you can find one unless you were lucky at a store?  Give up?  Hasbro Toy Shop is the only place you are going to find him in stock for sure, so good luck to collectors finding him in store.