Action Figure Reviews

This is the first in Todd McFarlane's new line of "Pop Culture Masterworks" - a series of 3-dimensional representations of seminal album covers. The line was inspired by the success of McFarlane's 3D relief of H.R. Giger's painting Li II. Now he's moved on to one of the seminal album covers of all time, the 1969 self-titled debut of Led Zeppelin. McFarlane recreates the image of the Hindenburg in flames with dry brush on the flames, although not as detailed as on the prototype image. From a distance it does appear just like the cover up close you can see the 3D-ishness, but it is what is, a relief of the cover - its not a full zeppelin, but rather a relief - certain parts pop from the background but its essentially a raised sculpture. Comes in a plastic clamshell package that isn't continued in the later lines [they now use a box]. Fans may dig it, something cool for Zep Heads to have in their office or cubicle but its just ... there. Looks neat, a nice tchotke for classic rock fans.

I saw this profiled in Entertainment Weekly. It seemed like a cool idea and I ordered it based on the picture. Size-wise it's between a CD and an album and the 3D aspect is cool, but the fold out support on the back leaves it leaning at almost a 45 degree angle for display purposes, which is less than optimal. For $9.99, I can't complain too much, but I wouldn't pay any more than this.

Just when I thought the Star Wars merchandising machine couldn't crank out anything more ridiculous than Mr. Potato Head as "Darth Tater" (www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/toys/B00061I4U6), Hasbro got the bright idea to do a crossover with the TransFormers line. `Course, seein' as how they merged Star Wars with the aforementioned Mr. Potato Head and an electronic version of the Battleship board game a few years back, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by this latest kit-bash. On the upside, I gotta admit that at least one of the results of this silly alliance is reasonably cool-lookin'. It doesn't hurt that two of my fave types of toys when I was a kid were Star Wars playsets and TransFormers `bots, giving this particular line a nostalgia factor that's off the charts.

Anyhoo, the best of this bunch by far is the Darth Vader TIE Fighter that converts into Vader himself... albeit a bit blockier than normal. Still, his look isn't nearly as blocky or oddly-proportioned as the other offerings in the Star Wars TransFormers line. For example, The "robot" form of the X-Wing/Luke Skywalker toy (www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000AX20RS) has these stubby arms. And Boba Fett, when converted from his vehicle configuration(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000AYJ00M), has a bit of a beer gut goin'. And since I hated the prequels, I avoided the young Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul toys altogether. And so should you, if you've any whit of self respect. I'm kinda hopin' they'll put out a Jar Jar Binks transformer that changes into a big steamin' pile of bantha pudu, though... if ya catch my drift.

Anyhoo, the Vader figure also has surprisingly extensive articulation (poseability), so you can put him in a fairly wide array of action poses. I also like how the solar-panel fin part covering his left arm resembles a large shield; this extra touch really ups the toy's coolness factor a few notches. I'm not too big on the "cape" made from the other solar-panel fin, though.

My only real gripe with this bad boy is the head, which is a bit small in proportion to the body. Also, the head's relatively normal look clashes a bit with the blocky body. If it were up to me, I'd have had it match the body a bit better. Other than that, I wish the lightsaber accessories didn't fit in the hands so tightly. Overall, though, this is one merging of two beloved toy faves that I can really get behind!

Before I go, however, I gotta tell ya: this booger kinda makes me wonder if there might not be a Star Trek Transformers line comin' down the pike in the near future? I find such a prospect... fascinating.

`Late

I am a Star Wars Fanatic

This transformer is cool to play with. Darth Vader Transformer. That is a genius idea. I play with it everyday. You have to believe it is fun. I just got it a week ago and it is in fantastic shape. Now, I told all my friends (all of them like Star Wars) to buy it. And of course, they bought it so, whenever we play, we have an army of Darth Vader Transformers. I think that is cool. This is a must buy!

It's unusual that a repaint/upgrade mold of a character is superior to the original look, but in this case I think the streamlined color scheme of Galvatron (mostly silver, grey and black) makes the toy look much much cooler than the hodge-podge color scheme of Megatron (who used about seven different colors including purple, teal, orange)....

The silver plastic is also very shiny, almost chrome-like...a nice touch in lieu of actual vac-metallizing the toy....true the jet mode isn't so great, but the robot and car modes are solid and as mentioned before make the toy look much sleeker in auto mode due to the new coloring....

Galvatron is the second coming of Megatron from he first half of the Cybertron TF series. Ah, TF reformats-some marketing genius bought himself an island in Dubai with the residuals from that idea.

I'm fortunate being a collector, in that I knew before the series was released in the US that Galavatron would simply be a repaint of the Megatron mold (thank you Japanese Galaxy Force). I skipped Megatron altogether and went directly to Galvatron-saved me a bundle. Galvatron's color scheme is much more fitting of a TF Commander (black, gray & red vs. Megatron's purple, orange & teal).

The shtick with Galvatron is that he has the capability of PowerLinking with Nemesis Breaker (to compete with Optimus Prime's ability to PowerLink with Leo Breaker). Nemesis Breaker isn't currently available in the US so I cannot comment on the combination of the two figures. Since I didn't purchase a Megatron figure this PowerLink feature may be the one real quantifiable difference between Megatron & Galvatron figures.

For those inflicted with children: Galvatron is will stand up to the usual mindless abuse they'll visit on the figure; plus with the lights and sounds they'll be giddy and drive you nuts. The directions will however perplex them so get ready to help them figure it out.

For Collectors: If you can find one, hurry and pick him up they've sold out in pre-order several times. He's a beautiful compliment to Optimus Prime, much more so than the Megatron figure whose coloring was apparently picked out by a drooling two year-old.

[...]
It's a cool set to hard core Simpsons fans and World Of Springfield completists, but casual viewers of the show may think they got some kind of factory second with these early, crude versions made into three dimensions.

I bought this for my brother who is a die-hard Homer fan. I wouldn't really consider it a toy but a collectible. I really liked the retro feature of the set going all the way back to the style of the original Simpson shorts (probably only appreciated by adult fans, not kids).

I would not say it is really "fun" as it is more of a display item and certainly not educational but overall it is a really cool item for any fan to own.

These are the Simpsons you came to love on The Tracey Ullman Show. The likenesses are spot-on and the voices are great.

once again i have the chance to review a perfect figure , from a almost perfect line, by bringing the vintage line hasbro has done something wonderfull, a chance to 0wn a really cool caracter made with intricate detail, again more than 12 articulation points, a really good paint job no over spillings of black over white parts, this is must have for people who are troops builders, and let me tell you somenting this is the time for that, it you take a closer look hasbro is making all the caracter who had somethig to do with action or army duty on the movie fully articulated , overall i recomend this guy to anyone,
and please someone help that trooper get that freaking ewok down from that speeder-bike.

I bet alot of people have been waiting for a Super Articulated version of this figure. I'm surprised it took so long for Hasbro to make it. The old Power of the Jedi figure was way out of date. This is a pretty rare figure, I went to a store that had TONS of VTSC figures, but zero Biker Scouts. But other places have a few of them. I'd say that you should stock up on a few if you want them before they suddenly dissapear.

This figure has the normal VOTC/VTSC articulation. It includes a small scout blaster that fits in a holster on his leg. That's all. It could have come with a sniper rifle or something, but I bought this figure for it's articulation. Everything else about it is pretty much perfect for a scout trooper. The amount of accessorries is the only flaw.

This is the best version of the scout trooper i have ever seen! It has the most articulation ever put into a scout! Definately worth the money!

My son just received this for his birthday. He was so happy to get this since he has seen it on the website for a while now. The toy comes with one red ranger and we like that he is in a unique "costume" just for this car. The car has a projectile that can shoot out the front at the push of a button. The car also has a light that works by being pushed. The ranger can either sit in the car, you do this by lifting up the hood of the car OR he can stand on the back and pretend to launch a weapon. My son likes having the red ranger drive the car and another stand in the back. There are pegs that fit into the holes on the bottom of the rangers' feet so during a drive they are stable. I gave the toy a 3 for being durable because the plastic hood is fairly thin and does pop off from time to time. It is easy to pop back on by an adult but I am not sure if it would withstand repeats done by a child without care..... This toy doesn't seem as durable as the motorcycles or the 4 wheelers in this line. It says for a 4 year old but I would recommend it for someone a little older like a 6 year old. The piece that the ranger holds on to if he is standing pops up or down. To me that part of the toy also seems a little flimsy. So far my son loves having this toy and I hope it is sturdy enough to last.

This is the Black & white version of the same Frankenstein Figure by Jakks Toys no doubt put out due to the success of Sideshow Toys Black & white Silver Screen series of classic monster figures. Unfortunately Jakks simply doesn't measure up in quality.

Jakks pacific (somehow) got the rights to put out three figures based on Universals Classic horror figures: Dracula, the Wolfman, and Frankenstein. Jakks has always been weak when if comes to figure detail athough they have improved somewhat since the days of their earliest wrestling figures. In general, the Universal monsters they did are fairly weak, lacking detail and only bearing slight resemblance to the actors who portrayed them.

Of the three, the Frankenstein figure, taken from A scene in Bride of Frankenstein, is probably the best. Bound in chains after being captured by a mob of angry villagers, the monster would soon break his chains and escape. I think the figure looks a little too "good" to be the figure from Bride who was burned and charred from surviving the fire in the windmill at the end of Frankenstein. Sitting and bound by the chains the figure looks pretty good and the base, chair, and chain detail are all pretty good. But Boris suffers really amateurish articulation at the knees and elbows and looks like one of those 4" GI Joe figures.

It's not a bad figure. Decent enough for display but nowhere near the quality of the Sideshow Universal Monster figures.

Of the three Classic Monsters Figures that Jakks Pacific has put out in conjunction with this year's blockbuster monster romp "Van Helsing," the Frankenstein figure is the best of the original Universal Monsters (the other two are Dracula and the Wolf Man). Of course to be correct this is the Frankenstein monster immortalized by Boris Karloff since Frankenstein would be the mad scientist played by Colin Clive in the original movie. This Series 2 figure presents the creature in his original black & white, although if you prefer your Universal Monsters colorized you can go back and check out the original Classic Monsters Series figures.

This scene actually comes from "Bride of Frankenstein," usually considered to be the best of the Universal Frankenstein movies. After the monster is captured he is put in chains in the dungeon of the local jail. The stone seat with the wooden back is one of the most famous sets in monster movie history. You can also show the creature breaking free from his chains. The figure is articulated at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, knees, and ankles so there are lots of possibilities, although keeping the figure upright can be a concern.

I consider the Frankenstein Monster and the rest of these figures to be educational because they will certainly inspire a new generation of viewers to go check out at least the original film and its famous sequel as well as maybe even Mary Shelley's classic novel. Even at the start of the 21st-century everyone should know their movie monster heritage along with its literary antecedents and this Classic Monster Figure can certainly help the young folk along in that regard. For the main course you can check out the "Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection on DVD," which has not only the original "Frankenstein" but also "Bride of Frankenstein," "Son of Frankenstein, "Ghost of Frankenstein," and "House of Frankenstein."

I love this toy. It is carved very vell and is a great scene from the universal asylum.
I leave it as a sculpture, but you can remove the figure and the chains for an equally good affect.

From the mega-hot DC Comics 'Identity Crisis' mini-series written by suspense novelist Brad Meltzer comes this line of collector's action figures. Among the first released earlier this year is this stellar member of the JLA (Justice League of America): the mistress of magic herself, Zatanna.

Wearing the blue & white costume she had in the 1980's (presumably, this is in reference to the flashbacks depicted in the mini-series), this expertly crafted rendition of 'Zatanna' is simply exquisite. The points of articulation are generally minimal, but once displayed on the 'Identity Crisis' stand provided, she will make an excellent addition to anyone's collection of action figures as a staunch representative of the JLA.

If you can find this figure at its current reduced price before it fades out of circulation, your purchase will really be a steal.

This was a good deal. I got the caucauscean figure for ten dollars.The parachute does work. You have to carefully look at the instructions. the sniper rifle is fragile, but everything else about it is a great deal.

This was a good deal. I got the caucauscean figure for ten dollars.The parachute does work. You have to carefully look at the instructions. the sniper rifle is fragile, but everything else about it is a great deal.

Oh this was excellent!!!!!the parachute was amazingly realistic!Not like those other types of toys,this toy was excellent all around,unfourtantly evry time i try and bend this one(as in a crouching manner,leaning over,etc.)the first button thingy for his pants pops loose,but not much of a nucience because this toy is just too fun,i know i'm gettin more paratroopers.