G.I. Joe Retaliation Ninja Showdown Set

Storm Shadow and his Red Ninja anxiously awaited the arrival of Snake Eyes

Presenting the Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow and the Red Ninja from the GI Joe Retaliation Ninja Showdown Set.

I actually had the opportunity to purchase the individual G.I. Joe Retaliation Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow and Red Ninja when I chanced upon this three pack. I noted that the three pack looked like the better deal because both the individual Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow were just painted in their base black and white colors respectively. They were kinda...plain and typical. At the very least the two in the Retaliation Ninja Showdown Set gave me more... color... variety if you will.

Another advantage of the G.I. Joe Retaliation Ninja Showdown set over the individual Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow figures was that the set was chock full of accessories. I  would not be stuck with just a pair of "Sky Commander" Zipline rip-offs (Though I have to say that the Zipline comes with 7 feet of string and THAT is impressive for an action-figure), but weapons and accessories that I could use for other purposes and figures.

So I picked up the set instead - and the Red Ninja - but only because people were scalping them.

Caught in the Act - a Video Coverage of the Toy Kingdom Toy Expo 2012

A fellow collector who runs one of the most unique toy-review Vlogs - with incredibly wonderful photography, actually apparently caught me receiving my spanking new Nintendo 3DS on video (six-footer awkwardly moving forward to get his prize with a blue back-pack). He also made a wonderful video of the opening night. Do check AdvocatePinoy out, subscribe to his YouTube Vlog and remember to like his Facebook page.

Toy Kingdom Toy Expo 2012 Coverage

My 1st Day Haul

The Dungeon was lucky enough to be invited to the Media Night of Toy Kingdom's First Toy Expo at the SMX Convention Center all the way in SM Mall of Asia. And it turned out to be a VERY LUCKY NIGHT FOR ME!!!!

To begin with, I won a raffle!!!! See that spanking mint-in-box Nintendo 3DS on the side? Yeah that's mine! And I won it fair and square with the use of my brand new minted calling cards.

But it didn't end there! I scored the Avengers Black Widow at retail! So if you're going to the Toy Kingdom Toy Expo 2012 looking for that, sorry, I think I got the only one.

But there's still SOOOO much more that you can see - and buy - there!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Playmates)

Presenting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) and their sensei, Splinter the Rat from Playmates. 

These might not be the TMNT that you are looking for given the popularity of the newly released action-figure to help drum out hype for the upcoming new movie. These are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles released by the toy company Playmates in support of the CGI film entitled ""TMNT" in 2007. 

This was the first CGI movie of the turtles and actually followed the events of the previous three movies. And finds the brothers growing distant as - following the death (supposed) of The Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze - the Foot clan is in shambles and there is nothing much left for them to do. 

As a result, Leonardo is sent to Central America by Splinter to train; Donatello is working an underground electronics call center; Michelangelo has a part time job as "Cowabunga Carl" (A children's party clown where he dresses up as... well a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle"; and Raphael - with no real marketable skills - just pumps iron and fights crime at night as the masked vigilante called "Nightwatcher". 

This was sadly also the last film of the legendary Mako - who voiced Master Splinter.

Can you name them all?

This particular piece of artwork is making its rounds on Facebook from the Stan Winston School of Character Arts. Can you name them all? I can :) Place your answers here on in the Dungeon's Facebook page.

Marvel Universe: Daredevil (Greatest Battles 2-pack)

Presenting Daredevil from the Marvel Universe Greatest Battles 2-pack. 

This is the second and happily updated version of Battling Matthew "Matty" Michael Murdock  - reputedly the most beat up super-hero in the Marvel Universe (I would have thought it was Spider-Man but because he has the enhanced physique of a spider, he's more immune to damage). 

Honestly he's a surprise coming from a company known for simple repainting or re-issuing figures like Iron Fist and Gambit.  And quite honestly given the quality that you can see here, it's worth re-investing in getting this particular Daredevil from the 2-pack. We'll talk about the upgrades later within the review.

That and Bullseye is also pretty dope as a figure. 

Help a fellow Toy Collector out!

Homework has definitely changed over the years. A fellow Toy Collector needs people to like his meme on his Facebook page and comment/share if possible. It's actually a very interesting view on Faith coming for a young guy which I find most refreshing and inspiring. Do like his work HERE.

Angelica Danger Dawn Cosplay

Presenting Angelica "Danger" Dawn - Cosplayer AKA MissAgentWhite a part time model and full time nerd who makes her own costumes. This bohemian beauty is originally from Arizona - there seems to be a really big Cosplay community in Arizona - but now lurks in San Diego.

And she's best known not for dressing up as Maria Thorpe or Aveline - the new female Assasin from Assasin's Creed 3; but for dressing up as a female Altair Ibn-La'Ahad.

And I don't know about you but even if I enjoyed the games tremendously,  between watching Altair parkour-ing around Italy or the Kingdom of Jerusalem; I'd rather see someone as fine as Angelica.

Most of these photos unless credited otherwise were taken by Mike Rollerson Photography

Also do remember to check out Angelica Danger Dawn's Fan page on Facebook.

Toy Kingdom Toy Expo 2012 Philippines

Toy Kingdom is holding it's first ever Toy Expo in SM Mall of Asia from August 23 to 24, 2012. The country's largest toy store chain, Toy Kingdom promises to fill up not one, but two of the massive SMX Halls in SM Mall of Asia with toys, toys, and even more toys.

Definitely something you should be at if you're in the country.

The Dungeon is going.

Though not yet quite a popular piece of technology, do can the QR code for more exciting details or visit the official Toy Kingdom Facebook page.


UPDATE: ENTRANCE IS FREE!!! (The Magic Words). 

Joe Kubert, RIP

One of the pillars of modern day comics went quietly to his creator on August 12 (Born Sept 18, 1926).  Joe Kubert was not just known for his artwork - mostly with DC comics - but for helping aspiring artists carve their own path into the industry with the Kubert School.

His legacy will live on.

Iron Fist: Marvel Universe (White Hot Room Version)

Presenting the Iron Fist from the Marvel Universe Toy Line (White Hot Room version).

I decided to feature Daniel "Danny" Rand-K'ai AKA Iron Fist because AvX - the Avengers versus the X-Men series - is winding down and Marvel has announced that a hero was going to die.

My guess based upon the build up of the Iron Fist/Phoenix relationship and future previews where Iron Fist is missing is that Danny Rand's time is up and it's time for another Iron Fist to rise.

That and all previous Iron Fists have died at age 33. Danny Rand's time may really be up.

It's not the first time he's died having fallen to cancer. But of course Marvel brought him back: Through some strange twist of fate he was apparently kidnapped by an alien race, replaced with a doppelganger and cured cancer by channeling his chi while in stasis.

Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn (Batman Arkham Asylum)

Presenting the Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn as she appeared in Batman Arkham Asylum courtesy of Square Enix.

When you think about it Dr. Harleen Quinzel was already psychotic before she became the Joker's on-and-off paramour and sidekick. You can tell just by listening to her interview tapes in the Batman Arkham Asylum game. All she needed was a little push in the right direction.

Quite frankly her constant high-pitched mocking tone made her a pain in the ass in the video game, and there were times that it felt like she was more trouble than the Joker.

But she was way waaaaaay nicer to look at than the Joker.

So I appreciated it when she returned in a new costume in Batman Arkham City, where her performance was so memorable and appreciated that it sparked the creation of her own downloadable patch for the game "Harley Quinn's Revenge"

Transformers Prime: Airachnid

Presenting Airachnid from the Transformers Prime Toyline.

I still really haven't figured out why a race of robots should have genders. I do believe we've talked about how Transformers reproduce in the past and somehow they apparently do sometimes reproduce like carbon life-forms - should be pretty loud and disturbing.

Airachnid is a psychotic big-game hunter with a fetish for collecting body parts from endangered species. To her credit she doesn't just go after lumbering beasts, she also goes after challenging sentient species who can provide her with a worthy challenge.

Airachnid is also a triple changer. For the longest time she transformed between her robot form and a half-spider/half-woman form till she was overwhelmed by the forces of Earth's Agent Fowler and scanned his Bell Huey 212 helicopter to escape - but somehow transformed instead into a Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche Stealth helicopter instead.

Unfortunately this particular Transformers Prime Airachnid only shuffles back and forth from her helicopter and robot modes.

Zoids Liger Zero Phoenix

Yes I eat little children!

Presenting the Dungeon's Zoids Liger Zero Phoenix. While doing the research for this review, I came to the surprising realization that one of the nicest toys to have invested in in the past two or three decades were Zoids - which will become obvious later.

DISCLAIMER: Before we start the review, I just have to point out that I had to dig this out of one of the deeper pits of the Dungeon - and clean it. When I found it, The Liger Zero was attached to a Jet Falcon, as such I did not notice that I left one of the leg armor pieces of the Liger Zero Pheonix back somewhere where I did not feel like digging for again thanks to allergies.

Alley Cat: Alley Baggett

Presenting Alley Baggett AKA Alley Cat. This is a rare but sadly not so valuable action figure of a character from a comic book (Entitled Alley Cat) that sadly only had six issues - 8 if you count the prelude and the Lingerie Edition waaaaay back in 1999 - though the actual character appeard in around 15 issues counting other comic books.

Are you still with me or are you staring somewhere else?

What's so interesting about this figure - and character - is that she's inspired by a real person: Alley Baggett, an American glamour model from Houston Texas supposedly of Spanish and Filipino descent