Marvel Legends Black Widow and Winter Soldier (Variants)

Presenting: Marvel Legends' Black Widow and Winter Soldier! These two are the results of a Fans Choice Poll asking fans which characters they would love to see as Marvel Legends. This particular pair is the variant version as it presents the Black Widow in her gray, belt-less outfit that she used to wear back when she spent time with Daredevil. For some strange reason though, SM's ToyKingdom was able to hoard these variants and they actually do not have the regular version out for sale. This particular pair was supposed to be released in 2010 - ending a long Marvel Legends drought - but it was delayed probably because Marvel realized that they can make more money with the Marvel Universe series - crappy tiny versions of Marvel Legends that they can sell for the same price. 

STAR WARS 30th Anniversary Coin Collection: Final Batch

Presenting the final batch of my 30th Anniversary Coin Collection. As mentioned, it's been a long, hard journey to collect all 60 coins in the set. Many thanks to the many friends who carried or collected or accompanied me on my search that led to my having to cross several international borders. Thanks go out to my wife, Rochelle, my brother Joseph, my best-friend Amalia, Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng, Alvin Jimenez, Karen Caparros and to all the other unsung heroes out there who helped me. Now a short pause..... Okaaay! We begin this final trek with a psychotic Protocol Droid unit. Yes, this is what happens if ever someone like C-3PO goes crazy and embarks on a life of Crime. #41 4-LOM is a bounty hunter and captain of the Mist Hunter. He's a LOM series droid - a series meant to compete against the more popular 3PO unit. 4-LOM was seen in the Executor in Empire Strikes Back holding his trademark Blastech W-90 Concussion Rifle before being sent out to hunt down Han Solo. 

IRON MAN ARMORED AVENGER LEGENDS SERIES: WAR MACHINE

If you've been to the malls recently then you've probably seen this latest incarnation of War Machine from the Iron Man Armored Avenger Legends Series. It is a superb Marvel Legends rendition of the movie version of War Machine surpassed only by its bigger Marvel Select cousin which has finer detail and better molding - which we will talk about later. War Machine's six-inch frame is a fine addition to any Marvel Legends collection and a most welcome end the production dry spell of Mavel Legends class figurines. If this is any indication of how they're treating their movie products, then we have a lot to look forward to when the Thor and Captain America figures hit the shelves. 

STAR WARS Clone Army All Terrain Attack Pod (AT-AP)

Presenting the STAR WARS Clone Army All-Terrain-Attack-Pod (AT-AP). A popular joke is that the AT-AP is an attempt to overcompensate for the lack of .... "size". AT-AP commanders who sit up in the gunnery turret definitely cannot deny that they feel "bigger" and the AT-AP has a "third-leg" that it has to tuck between its legs because if it let itself dangle, it'd be a "tripod".  Green jokes aside, the STAR WARS universe is famous for its two and four legged walkers, so when this three-legged monstrosity was released into the market, I just had to study it.  

G.I. Joe RHINO (Rapid Heli-Integrated Neutralizing Offensive) Vehicle

Presenting the G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra Rapid Heli-Integrated Neutralizing Offensive Vehicle or RHINO. This particular version of the RHINO is a repaint/re-issue of the G.I. Joe Sigma Six RHINO (Which had a midnight-black paint-job instead of this steel blue look). In the G.I. Joe Sigma Six cartoon, would you believe that this was stored inside the G.I. Joe ROCC.  In reality, the G.I. Joe ROCC isn't big enough to carry the RHINO. But then even in the cartoons, the ROCC had size issues - sometimes growing in size to accommodate big vehicles such as the RHINO, and sometimes shrinking to accommodate maneuverability. 

My only other beef with the G.I. Joe RHINO is the name. In the Filipino vernacular, the name is what we calll "pilit" or forced unto the vehicle just so that it can have a cool sounding acronym. I mean they actually called it an "Offensive" vehicle. What does that mean? It stinks? It's morally offensive? Touching it gives you allergies? Well it is kinda "Fat" and it's got an ass that puts an elephant to shame, but that's not really offensive. 

But I suppose we can forgive the name because it's just really cool. 

STAR WARS: Jabbas Throne

A while I came across the warehouse of one of the country's premiere toy distributors in the Philippines. I crammed my 6'2 overweight frame through these two feet wide gaps between stacks of wonderful, wonderful toys and I found quite a few jems. This is one of them. Presenting, his bloatedness!! Mr. Loverboy extraordinaire! The one who gave you Princess Leia in a steel bikini! Jabba the Hutt.... and his massive throne.... and Oola the dancer, the first truly naked, unhairy humaniod (Yes, Wookies don't count) Star Wars character to be entered into the market.

STAR WARS 30th Anniversary Coin Collection: Batch 2

Presenting part 2 of my STAR WARS 30th Anniversary Coin Collection featuring coin numbers 21 to 40. First up: # 21 McQuarrie Concept Chewbacca: Easily one of the ugliest characters I've ever seen. It looks like Chewbacca's original inspiration was the Transylvanian Wolf-Man. You just have to love those googly eyes and sharp canines. Note the machine-gun inspired weapon in place of the Wookie Bowcaster which Chewbacca ended up using. 

STAR WARS: TX-130 Saber Class Fighter Tank

Presenting the Republic (And later Rebel Forces) TX-130 Saber Class Fighter Tank. The Fighter Tank is armed with Dual Heavy Laser Cannons, a Medium Laser Turret and Dual Thermal Detonator Missile Launchers. The wiki entry on the Fighter Tank gives it 16 to 20 missiles, however if you ever find yourself playing Star Wars Battlefront, you'll find that it has a 100 rocket capacity. For defense, the Saber Fighter Tank actually has shields to back up its heavy armor. 

The Saber Fighter Tank seats three, and can opt to carry an Astromech Droid - but God knows where you put it - and can has the studs for at least six more troopers if you don't mind having two of them sitting up in front of the Laser Cannons. 

R2-D2 Bar

A few weeks back while waiting for my wife, Rochelle, I chanced upon the R2-D2 Serving Droid collectible in Toy Kingdom in the Podium. I just had to have it because it was one of the most original R2-D2s I've ever seen. Not only did it come with a pop-up sensor scope, it also came with a pop-up lightsaber for Luke Skywalker - just as was seen in Return of the Jedi. Further this particular incarnation of R2-D2 unit came with the serving tray and drink dispenser that Jabba the Hutt and Company had R2 don after Luke Skywalker "gifted" the droids to the crime lord's service. Not only did I think that it was a hilarious representation of the most popular Droid ever, it was creative and perfect for anyone who was building a Jabba the Hutt Throne-room collection - which I kinda am. 

But then I started thinking: "What if R2-D2 actually ran a bar?" And the wheels in my head started turning.

STAR WARS 30th Anniversary Coin Collection: Batch 1

In the next series of blogs - and because I'm just to happy to make it all the way to 60 - I will be showcasing the 60 coins involved in my now complete STAR WARS 30th Anniversary Coin Collection. This is batch 1 which includes:

#01 Darth Vader: This particular Vader came with the album
# 02 Clone Army Galactic Marine: These elite Galactic Marines were originally members of the 21st Nova Corps of the 4th Secor Army. They were seen in Revenge of the Sith under the command of Commander Bacara first following then gunning down Jedi General Ki-Adi Mundi.

STAR WARS 30th Anniversary Coin Collection: Complete

Presenting my STAR WARS 30th Anniversary Coin Collection.

It is finished. I am done.

In 2005 STAR WARS commemorated the 30th anniversary of "The Power of the Force." "The Power of the Force" was a toyline released by Kenner in 1985 which featured a collectible coin with each figure. I'm old enough to have actually encountered those, but I didn't have the finances to get them all.

30 years later, Star Wars released its 30th Anniversary Coin Collection set which prompted me to collect 60 coins and put these coins into a special album that showcased a summary of all the major Star Wars characters from the 6 films. 

Toy Making Workshop with Pilipinas Street Plan on Feb 12

IN an effort to provide learning opportunities to schoolchildren in public schools, the Lopez Memorial Museum teams up with the art collective Pilipinas Street Plan (PSP), Knowledge Channel Foundation and Boysen Paints for Gawa/Laro, a toy making workshop to be held on February 12, 2011, Saturday from 9 am to 12 noon. Workshop fee of Php 1,000 covers materials. Slot limited, To reserve a slot, call Fanny at 631-2417. 


For more information, click here: Toy Making Workshop with Pilipinas Street Plan on Feb 12

Welcoming the month of February with Disney's Stitch as Yoda

Around two or three years ago, my best friend Amalia de Jesus - yes, one of my best friends is a woman (She was even my best-man at our wedding) - went to the United States and got me this: Stitch as Yoda from the Star Wars Disney collection. I just thought I'd share it. It's not high-tech or deathly cool, but sentimental value does go a long way so this little memento is quite valuable to me. 

Articulation is low and Stitch is supposed to be... well blue... but you have to admit he's cool.