Something new every day-- but this was posted 10 years ago today! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
Posted 10 years ago! What a cutie. Before we got a full-size triple change, Hasbro gave us a good $5 Hasbro Transformers Generations Titans Return Apeface. It's a little gorilla, and it can turn into a little jet or a little blaster. It includes a tiny robot, which can transform into a head for a larger Titan Masters toy. It was a pretty great way to do a low-cost entry-level kiddo toy, while also giving collectors and customizers something to play with.
Do read on, and come back tomorrow for a new one!
Nonnef Delivers Pit Slime as Snotty Plastic Pieces
Via Nonnef Productions: MOTU Static Slime. This $14.99 set has a handful of hard plastic slime pieces - not goo - that you can put in the nose of the "Fright Pit" skull and around a figure's shoulders. It's a better option for a display than to change out slime which is going to harden or get weird over time.
The maker also does a number of pretty nifty G.I. Joe and Transformers accessories, so go check those out too.
Via Svengoolie: AUGUST SVENGOOLIE NEWS. Sven will be mostly in repeats, but Captain Kronos: Vampire last weekend was one I've missed. Next week is an encore of Man-Made Monster, with the House of Svengoolie doing The Land Unknown on August 15. The Raven is back August 22, with Trilogy of Terror on August 29.
Via Target: Jurassic World Toys 20$ Off. Target stores have a few new exclusives and even at least one rerun this week, plus possibly (but probably not) new main line dinosaurs. Main line figures are weirdly hard to find. If you haven't looked lately, it might be worth checking to see if there are any worthwhile pick-ups.
For what it's worth, I've noticed that one of the new exclusives doesn't seem to be stocked at all Targets (yet?). The Kenner Firebeak-inspired Quetzalcoatuls might be harder to find in some neighborhood.
Via Box Office Mojo: 2026 Worldwide Box Office. Anyone grumbling about movie theaters not doing well, it's kind of crazy that five movies have passed $900 million this year so far.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day opened last week and has already surpassed the new movie from two weeks ago, The Odyssey. This year probably won't pass 2002 with its $9.2 million (before inflation) take, but who knows? There's a new Avengers coming.
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Review: Hasbro Transformers Age of the Primes Deluxe Sureshot
Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
Recent! The Hasbro Transformers Age of the Primes Deluxe Sureshot looks like the original and shows stress marks pretty much immediately... so I'm not super keen on it. That's why I dug it out to finally post in August. I'd say skip it. Read on!
Via me on Bluesky: I went out looking for toy dinosaurs and saw this new-to-me Jurassic World Imaginext set at a KohlÕs that seemed to be in the middle of resetting.. This was the only toy I saw for Jurassic World and the store seemed to be resetting. I was slightly surprised to see a fair amount of Masters of the Universe movie kid product too. Maybe there's more to come, but for now you can get this big T. Rex Gift Pack set with 1 big t-rex, a triceratops, a raptor, an ATV, Claire, Owen, and a couple of little guys for $60. It isn't as bold as I'm used to, the packaging blended in to the lower shelves and escaped my notice initially. I don't see a lot of coverage for this kind of stuff, so I figured it was worth a picture.
As I've been posting, Targets updated mostly last month. Walmart was updating (or mid-update) over the weekend in my neck of the woods. I'm not sure if we can expect an expansion at Macy's this year, and I'm struggling to name non-off-price places to hunt for toys that should have a notable physical presence these days. It's time to go hunting, I guess is what I'm saying.
Star Wars Review: Vendor Droid (Silver, Droid Factory)
Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Vendor Droid (Silver, Droid Factory). See, there are lots of figures you forgot that you didn't buy - this one was sold as pieces at Disney theme parks nine years ago. (Heck, I think I heard some parks put the bins back?) The head has little yellow eyes and a hat that looks a bit like a price scanner. Read the whole review.
Review: Super7 Universal Monsters The Mummy ReAction+ Figure
Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
The year of o-ring redux! The Super7 Universal Monsters The Mummy ReAction+ Figure has a dynamite head sculpt. While not quite as rotting-looking as some other toys, it's a pretty good Mummy with a great range of motion. Sure the colors are a little bright, but it's supposed to be a nod to a specific kind of 1980s toy - I think they got it right. Read on!
Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
A US exclusive! The Kenner Zoids Armored Gator Figure Kit came out from Kenner under the height of Power Rangers mania, and didn't sell huge as far as I could tell. But I ran out to buy a few as soon as I knew they were being made. It's a gold and orange version of the Barigator kit, which would come out yet again a few years later in more gatory colors. I like this one, the chrome pilot really pops.
Star Wars Review: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Utapau The Vintage Collection)
Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Utapau The Vintage Collection) . Thanks to being in a Walmart exclusive two-pack, this might actually still be at a store near you today.
The good news is that this figure seems to be mostly or completely new parts, with the best face sculpt we've probably ever had for the character. The lightsaber is great, the range of movement is excellent, and the colors are great. But the robe's hood is sewn down, the knees (as you've read) are a little strange, and the textures on his clothes aren't quite as impressive as the 2006 version of the figure. For display needs, I think this is going to be the one people want to use. But if you're happy with your old one, you can stay happy with your old one.
Just normal bots! Blokees Transformers Defender Version 01 Shattered Alliance Thundercracker Action Figure meets expectations (and has been in my backlog for a while.) It's a bit over two inches high, has a lot of articulation, and can hang out on your old Battle Beasts playsets and vehicles. What else could you ask for? Actual Battle Beasts, maybe. But this will do for now. Read on, and come back Monday for more!
Great! Mattel He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Cartoon Collection Two-Bad Action Figure probably was what helped cement my interest in changing up my display to focus mostly on the cartoon Filmation figures. It's one of my few "curated" displays - the playsets are out on shelves with these guys on them. He's in Snake Mountain, and I love that I can have a combined figure or two individual characters. (No, that's not how it was on the old cartoon, but I like options.) The toy version is coming soon, but I might just stick with this one. It's weird to say "I'm happy with what I have," but here we are. Read on!
Something new every day-- but this was posted 10 years ago today! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
Posted 10 years ago! What wouldn't I give for more toys like Hasbro Transformers SDCC 2016 Exclusive Soundwave. It was a little expensive at the time, but I wanted to support something I think is important to keeping the line fresh: unusual alt modes. Especially if they're replicas of real-world household objects. A lot of what made the original Transformers fun were things like microcassettes, boom boxes, microscopes, cameras, and yes, guns. I'd love to see 1:1 replicas of soda cans, cereal boxes, football phones, and other nonsense that can change into a robot. I really like this one, and the transformation was really fun. It's pretty expensive these days. And yes, the "screen" is obviously a jumble of kibble puzzle pieces. But that's how these kinds of toys work. All parties involved came up with something unique, and it still impresses me ten years later.
Do read on, and come back tomorrow for a new one!
Via Gashapon.jp: KAMEN PURR-RIDER. Yes, cat-themed Kamen Rider toys are making the rounds. Yes, this is here for specific people that I know love this kind of thing. It's adorable and probably at a mall or a Book-Off somewhere not too far from your home or office.
I haven't seen these in the wild, but someone I know has - so now you know about them too.
We're taking donations for server costs! Really. One of the rewards is Q&A a few days early - you can read next Monday's installment as soon as it's ready, which can be as early as 1:00 AM my time on Monday!
If you've got a dollar a month to share, please Visit the Galactic Hunter Patreon and help cover our server costs. I'll still put in hours of work, writing, photography, and research - I just need some help making sure that the site costs me only time, and hopefully not money. Thanks for your support!
Review: Hasbro Transformers x Hot Wheels Collaborative GT-Scorcher
Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
Star Wars Review: Captain Antilles (The Retro Collection)
Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Captain Antilles (The Retro Collection). It's pretty good. The figure has a more refined sculpt than last year's Rebel Fleet Trooper, with the added shell chunk added back to the helmet. The face is pretty good, the blaster is the same, and functionally he's pretty great - if a smidgen too digitally perfect in a few spots. It's a weird complaint, but I've been writing about toys for over 30 years - so clearly I am a weird guy. Read the whole review.
Review: Mattel Jurassic World Reimagined Triceratops Action Figure
Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
Mostly clearanced out! The Mattel Jurassic World Reimagined Triceratops Action Figure has been around as low as 70% off - I got mine at 50% off - but weirdly one Target around here still has them at full price. Clearances aren't consistent, but Mattel's been pretty good about its roaring, real feel skinned dinos lately. This was the first one of these I bought, and I liked it so much that I went and picked up most of the others between clearance, eBay, and a recent sale. This one is jointed at the neck and legs, which is enough to make me happy. As a kid my dinosaur toys usually had no articulation, so this is a step up. Read on!
Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
A vintage Japanese toy! The Tomy Zoids Raynos Figure Kit has been in my toy box for years, and it's a joy. The blue winged robot doesn't fly, but it does waddle along and has a nifty backpack thing that reminds me of the Enterprise. It was reissued about 26 years ago, but even that reissue is arguably "vintage" by some yardsticks. Mine is probably from 1989 - I'm not entirely sure precisely when I got this one. But I love it.
Still available, this droid actually shot up in price by $10 at the Disney Store web site. At $60, the 4-pack has a bit less punch - but it's colorful, small, and distinctive. The neck and legs have better than expected articulation, but odds are this set will interest theme park fans more than fans of this year's new movie.
This horse did indeed leave Eurasia alive! Mattel Masters of the Universe Origins Stridor Action Figure is also more or less a vehicle, and one that didn't sell well. It was over $30, and I got mine at Ross for $6. It's easily had for under $20 shipped online, which is pretty great for a vehicle with a base and extra parts. If you want or need a creature for your figures, this is an excellent (cheap) option. Read on!
Something new every day-- but this was posted 10 years ago today! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
Posted 10 years ago! Cheap Glyos, sold in gumball machines? It happened! Bit Figs Ninja Series 1 Ku could be bought for pocket change, provided you pulled it from the right capsule. The pixel skeleton was a great idea, and one I even saw in actual red machines in my area. I wish they still made it in the capsules - kids should discover these! I like this one, and I'd recommend it. Action figure vehicles are an important (to me) part of collecting - without them, you're just hoarding figures. If your figures don't have any creatures or vehicles, this one offers a lot of stuff in the box for the price.
Do read on, and come back tomorrow for a new one!
The Rivals of Amziah King was folksy to the point where she who is my wife asked if I wanted to go home after about 32 minutes and watch this week's Strange New Worlds instead. We did. I didn't care for it, the quirk was high and it had some nifty effects but it always felt like it was going to start being interesting in the next scene. (And I'm sure it was, based on reviews/spoilers.) Maybe pass that one up.
The End of Oak Street was another decent Bad Robot flick. You get Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway dealing with dinosaurs in suburbia, which is what I was expecting (and did not get) from the Jurassic World franchise. It doesn't quite have the heart of some other dino films and it leaves a bunch of questions about what happens in a world where there may or may not be a second version of yourself. But the creatures were amazing, the performances were good, and it was plenty goofy in spots. I'd buy toys if they existed. I guess that's what you call a recommendation. We had a good time and it gives you a bit to chew on after you leave in its time travel and ethics of such things.
The Wrong Girls is further proof that Rotten Tomatoes is often wrong. Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat are two friends that end up in a case - an actual briefcase - of mistaken identity. And mad science. And cats. Also, LaKeith Stanfield, Kate McKinnon, and a short bit of business with Geena Davis. With a soundtrack by Ty Segall. First-time director Dylan Myer's movie is in only 520 theaters and odds are it will be gone forever within a week. Do yourself a favor and go check it out. Bring a friend or loved one. If you're an Xennial or Millennial, this is probably right up your alley. As a not-stoner I had a blast, the audience was fairly empty, but my companion and I were laughing almost the whole time. This is the sort of thing that should be a cult classic if such a distinction can exist in the era of streaming.
And I got a surprise movie ticket for Monday I may or may not see.
We're taking donations for server costs! Really. One of the rewards is Q&A a few days early - you can read next Monday's installment as soon as it's ready, which can be as early as 1:00 AM my time on Monday!
If you've got a dollar a month to share, please Visit the Galactic Hunter Patreon and help cover our server costs. I'll still put in hours of work, writing, photography, and research - I just need some help making sure that the site costs me only time, and hopefully not money. Thanks for your support!
Review: Hasbro Transformers Age of the Primes Deluxe Powerglide
Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
Recent! The Hasbro Transformers Age of the Primes Deluxe Powerglide is fairly small for the money, but it has a lot of paint and parts. And more accessories. It probably compares unfavorably for most when you look at the $10 Combiner Wars Powerglide, but this one has a mask, and a blaster, and an opening chest, and just a lot more. It just doesn't help that it's short... but it does fit in with his fellow minicars/minibots so I'll allow it. Read on!
Via Analogue: Supreme x Analogue. Two flavors of the Analogue Pocket were shown with no price or date, but my understanding is that this is some weird premium brand thing which people like me do not understand. They had an Optimus Prime, and the secondary market prices aren't awful for a supposedly rare item. (Knowing Hasbro... I don't know how rare it is.)
I'm kind of surprised they didn't use their clout to do a Super Nt or Nt Mini, but hey, what do I know. I just work here.
They also list some SA-1, Super FX3, Cx4 emulation. That's good! It is fascinating to have come from the cycle-perfect HD FPGA means of playing old cartridges, and now the trend is toward a new and fresh experience.
Star Wars Review: Geonosian Picador (The Vintage Collection)
Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Geonosian Picador (The Vintage Collection). It gobbled up the "playset" slot this year, and I can see why. Hasbro gave us a good "trooper" with this figure, and the Orray creature is pretty well fleshed out with easily misplaced plugs for non-rein displays. The articulation on the beast is incredibly good, and it raises the question of "do we really need items to be this perfect?" given the rising prices. Maybe we do - maybe we don't - but the whole package is quite excellent. I had sticker shock initially, but there's enough going on here that I wasn't disappointed by this one. I'd recommend it if you have a prequel collection. Read the whole review.
Review: Locomotion Media Group Operation: Recall Retelo & Homer
Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
The year of o-ring redux continues! The Locomotion Media Group Operation: Recall Retelo & Homer is a fan figure made flesh - er, plastic. The original concept dates back to the 1980s, and actual Hasbro talent was hired to make this figure happen. It's very similar to those 1990s releases with fancy pants camo and an abundance of accessories. Read on!
Kickstarter: Playmates Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Combinable Dragonzord
Via Kickstarter: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Combinable Dragonzord. Fan complaints have already resulted in the company discussing a revised prototype, so that's a decent start. As of my writing this it has 30 days to go and is about 62% funded. That's a very good showing.
The solo Dragonzord is $50, and a bundle with the toy and a ton of pins and stickers is $112. A complete set of Megazord Zords and the Dragon is $136. The ETA is May 2027, which seems optimistic if they're going back to make some changes. I believe this may be one of the biggest toy companies to make use of Kickstarter, as the bigger guys usually do things on their own platforms to save on the processing fees. But it's marketing, and that tends to help.
Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
A vintage Japanese release! The Tomy Zoids Iguan Figure Kit came to me from my dad's suitcase after a work trip to Japan. As Japanese robot toys were super scarce in the 1980s to an American, I took extra good care of all my Zoids (and related) toys. This one has a booster, cannons, and can walk from a wind-up motor. It also got a reissue around the turn of the millennium, but I prefer the original Japanese colors and stickers. They're so much nicer.
Via ROMhacking.net and Phil: The Legend of Zelda: Z for 2 - Two Player Simultaneous Co-Op. As my life's player 2 cares not for such things, I haven't tried it, but what a great idea! Multiple modes allow you to somehow have two Links in Hyrule and you can play with a friend.
It's kind of a shame Nintendo isn't doing this kind of thing themselves. We're seeing major board game manufacturers constantly riffing on and refining their own game rules using licenses, fan rules, and other gimmicks to make a classic like Monopoly into something new enough to sell every year. We've also seen video game fans change the rules, making things like a speed-run of Super Mario Bros. (which got integrated into the very good Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition for Switch. It would be really something to see more attempts to modify classic games with new twists and rules, so take a look and hope for more projects like thees.
A mix of new style and classic C-3PO, and this one has one working hand and one that's sort of like C-3PO - it's open. The joints are good, the sculpt is good, and it fits in well with the old stuff. I like it a lot. The figure has little dents in the eyes and a little bit of highlighting, and I bet you'll dig it.
Beasty! Blokees Transformers Defender Version 07 Power of the Beast Big Convoy Action Figure is great if you're a fan of the old Battle Beasts. No, he's not an animal in armor, but he's a robot with some animal bits and is about the same size. That's pretty good. I like the abundance of articulation and color, and the big blaster doesn't hurt. I'd certainly love a few more Beast Wars guys in this format, because it fits in with some of my favorite old toys. Read on, and come back Monday for more!
Despite it being late in summer, and all the big blockbusters are over, it turns out there is a lot of culture to hook in your veins. Between movies, streaming series, and various web oddities, you've got a lot to keep you busy. And by you I mean me.
The American Archive of Public Broadcasting has a 1996 episode of Neat Stuff, which my pal Seth sent to me. They look at things like toys, marbles, collectibles, and whatnot. I'll be checking this out after I'm done posting. It's also free.
Paramount+ added Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Level Five Transporter Accident. It's the puppet episode, which seems to be widely disliked by the critic class. I watched it Thursday night, and I think it was fine - if slow.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma opens wide this weekend. It features Gillian Anderson, Hannah Einbinder, cartoonish quantities of blood, and VHS tapes. I have tickets for Saturday.
Coyote vs. Acme will be in "early access" at some theaters this weekend. Will Forte is the human in this courtroom comedy that was shelved for tax purposes and 95% of its 84 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are fresh. I have tickets for Sunday.
A surprising amount of reissues are coming and going from movie theaters. Wet Hot American Summer just finished a brief one-week run, but anime phenomenon Your Name 10th Anniversary is still playing at a theater near you as is The Fast and the Furious 25th Anniversary, La La Land 10th Anniversary, and a number of Studio Ghibli reissues.
Nice! Mattel Masters of the Universe Sketch Book Series Hordak & Grizzlor Action Figure was one of those exclusives that, at $30, felt like an absolute bargain. Two weird-looking monster figures, with new heads, that could work as additions to your Horde horde? I got it, because why wouldn't I? It's long gone now but can be had on eBay or Amazon cheaply. I'd say it's worth it. Read on!
Something new every day-- but this was posted 10 years ago today! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
Posted 10 years ago! Back then, figures like Hasbro Marvel Legends X-Men Marvel's Rogue were a huge deal because we weren't seeing cartoon-specific versions of the X-Men yet. Thanks to X-Men '97, we have a wave (and sometimes some extras) every year giving us cartoon-accurate takes on the reason many 1980s and 1990s kids became Marvel fans in the first place. There are other, better, more specific versions of Rogue now - but for a few years? This was the very best money could buy. Her price has come back down to earth a bit, so if you missed out? Now is your chance.
Do read on, and come back tomorrow for a new one!
We're taking donations for server costs! Really. One of the rewards is Q&A a few days early - you can read next Monday's installment as soon as it's ready, which can be as early as 1:00 AM my time on Monday!
If you've got a dollar a month to share, please Visit the Galactic Hunter Patreon and help cover our server costs. I'll still put in hours of work, writing, photography, and research - I just need some help making sure that the site costs me only time, and hopefully not money. Thanks for your support!
Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!
Newish! The Hasbro Transformers Cyberworld Energon Surge Cyber Changers Shockwave is a treat, in that it's pretty big for its price. And has some glowing claw parts. Also, it's a dinosaur thing. It is not a complex toy, but it's pretty good for the asking price and even better if you trip over one on a strange early markdown. Read on!
Buddy was the mystery "Scream Unseen" movie Monday night. Casper "Too Many Cooks" Kelly leads a cast of considerable talent, a few comedy and kid show ringers, and some of the best child actors you've ever seen. Keegan-Michael Key voices the mascot costume, Patton Oswalt is a talking backpack, and you'll probably want the rest to be a surprise. The sets were great, the vibes were right, every single element was cast, craft, and created incredibly well. I felt it was a little long, mostly because there were story elements that required a loop and you really started to feel it. It feels like something we should have had in the 1990s, and missed. If you think this movie is for you, I can pretty much guarantee that it is.
Coyote vs. Acme was put in the vault for three years before getting sneak preview screenings on Sunday. It, too, is a technical marvel with some pretty great bits between toons and reality. I left the theater incredibly impressed by Will Forte's ability to act against not only nothing, but mute nothing in that this Wile E. Coyote "Super Genius" is not one that talks. John Cena was a good (if perhaps obligatory) choice in a movie peppered with in-jokes for fans of the old cartoons. I think classic horror fans will find a bit to like, too. Given that the movie doesn't appeal just to kids, or just to cartoon fanatics, it's probably hard to sell to the masses. I assume that's why WB shelved it, because it's not bad. Maybe an executive just wanted another Space Jam, and this isn't that.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is a movie that you probably already know that you need to see. This may be a spoiler, but it's not an actual horror movie - it uses horror and slasher trappings to explore other things. It is not interested in scaring you. It's loaded with layers of stuff regarding fandom, pop culture, identity, desire, and trying to relate to whatever it is you're in to. Also Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) and Gillian Anderson (your collection of 1990s magazine covers.) Generations of college kids are going to write film class term papers about this one, and the cast is up for anything and everything. You also get Kevin McDonald, Sarah Sherman, and Patrick Fischler in small roles at no extra charge. I will be very surprised if this doesn't wind up being a cult movie. It might not be for you, but someone you know is about to have a new favorite movie.
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