It's time once again to thumb through the toy section of this month's Previews, and see what goodies we can uncover.
The excellence begins right on the cover - the Marvel Zombies Minimates we told you about last time get the spotlight. If you want to order them, they're listed on page 193 for $19.99 and page 93 of the Marvel supplement for $14.99. Why the difference? One of them is a typo, of course. Insist on the lower price.
DC Direct's product begins on page 132 with four Wonder Woman action figures: Agent Diana Prince, Donna Troy, Wonder Woman and Circe. The first two look like must-haves, the last one is a character we've never had before, and the WW will fill a hole in the collection of anyone who missed the JLA figures a few years back.
On Page 133 you'll find New Frontier Series 2. Wow, the Martian Manhunter looks terrible. None of the others are ay great shakes, either. Suffice to say, there's no Blackhawk-caliber figure in this set.
We don't often list the hyper expensive statues in this monthly feature, but if you have $150, there's no excuse NOT to get the Iron Giant statue. It's easily one of the best animated films of all tim, and has long been overlooked and under-represented. It's even in two pieces, so it's more poseable than most McToys.
DC Unlimited has a deluxe World of Warcraft figure listed on page 137 - Iridian Stormrage. I don't know what that is, but it's huge and terrifying.
McFarlane Toys lists MLB Series 19 on page 167. Curse you, Johnny Damon! Defecting to the hated Yankees! Losing your caveman-good looks! Curse you!
Series 2 of the Lost figures get an inexplicable double-page spread starting on 168. Why two pages? We can see their crappy poses at a smaller size. You know how these things come with "full-scale" accessories? Mr. Eko's is a Dharma Initiative orientation film frame. Wow, lame.
Now, see Dragons Series 6 actually deserve two pages (170/1). It never hurts to see the detail on these. This time we get the Warrior, Scavenger, Hunter and Ice Clans, plus a huge Fossil Clan box set. Yum!
McFarlane's Military Series 5 is listed again on page 172/3. Obviously the date got pushed back, because we previously talked about these in March.
They're also re-releasing the '68 Special Elvis in a Commemmorative Edition (page 174.). Because it's been 30 years since he died. Big whoop.
We already told you about the Zombies Minimates on page 193, but that page also shows the Marvel Select Zombie Hulk figure. Still wish these were in ML scale, so we had a better excuse to buy them.
ToyFare is offering a Twisted ToyFare Theatre: 10th Anniversary Collection on page 206. No matter what you think of the magazine, you have to admit that TTT is always darn funny, and this book has entire decade to pick and choose from. Also includes the much-missed Big Shots!
Cartoon Books has a 12" Fone Bone plush listed on 258. Bone is a favorite of pretty much anyone who's ever read it, so who wouldn't like a huggable vesion of its star?
GI Joe fans should really dig GI Joe #25 on page 284. Devil's Due Publishing is celebrating the line's 25th anniversary by putting EVERY JOE FROM THE PAST 25 YEARS on the wraparound cover. How awesome is that? It's worth the $3.50 just to getthe image, though I'd lay even money that it sees light as a poster somewhere down the line.
Here's an oddity on page 368: Top Shelf's Incredible Change-Bots graphic novel. It's obviously a Transformers parody/homage/rip-off, but it sounds like it's done with love.
Fans of the CLassic Marvel Figurine Collection Magazines have five new choices this month: Punisher, Black Cat, Bullseye and Hawkeye, plus a deluxe Black Spider-Man. Find them all on page 398.
On page 452, the first of the GI Joe Anniversary figures are listed, in both Joe and Cobra packs. Are these things really more than $30 apiece? That's a rip-off!
Sigma 6 fans can find the Metal Mayhem figures on the same page - those are the big dumb mech suits seen at Toy Fair.
Also on 452, Gentle Giant is offering their Hellboy Animated figures. It's a really weird assortment, with Hb and Abe from the cartoon, and a movie HB to boot. Huh? That's just goofy. Does Mezco no longer have the license, or are they just being gracious?
If you like South Park and have a lot of space to waste, why not get a Deluxe Talking Jimmy? The other South Park figures aren't in a 6" scale, are they?
There are some Transformers Titaniums listed on page 453 - War Within Ultra Magnus and Sunstorm, plus a nre release of WW Starscream. Woo!
Wow, Dawn is getting more figures? Who knew? Dawn & Darrian are listed on page 454 - as well as a Previews Exclusive Dawn variant in red.
Superhero Squad Series 4 is shown on page 458. It includes Wolverine/Phoenix, Beast/Iceman, Juggernaut/Nightcrawler and Thing/Mole Man. Adorable!
And speaking of adorable, check out the Mouse Guard PVC set right below them. All love for Mouse Guard!
There's a Spawn box set listed on page 460 for some reason. Called the Spawn: Weapon of Mass Destruction set, it supposedly gives us three Spawns with big guns. Except, of course, that one of them does't have a gun at all. Yeah. The best thing in the set is Spawn 4, from the late '90s. You know, when Spawn toys were still any good?
There's a listing for Spider-Man 3 videogame figures on page 462. It lists them as being 6" scale, but don't believe it - these are the same undersized figures from the movie line. Shocker and the Black Cat are new, but still undoubtedly too small.
Also on page 462? Living Dead Dolls Series 14. Wow, those things just keep going, don't they?
You can consider the improbability of Back To The Future Minimates on page 464. Why no Delorean, though? Speed Racer got the Mach 5, after all.
Cult Classics Hall of Fame 2 includes two new versions of the killer from Saw (yawn) and zombified Ed from Shaun of the Dead (yay!) That Winchester 2-pack should be out soon, right?
On page 468, Gentle Giant lists its Harry Potter Bust-Ups, and like the Hellboy series, there's a BAF to be had. Create your own Thestral!
Yes, everyone loves Office Space, but really, no matter how much Bill Lumbergh talks, an unarticulated figure just isn't worth $20.
Weren't the Reservoir Dogs figures offered before? They're back again on page 468.
Also, for Star Trek fans, the Previews Exclusive DS9 Odo is available. He's listed on 468, while the rest of Deep Space 9 Series 1 is listed on 473.
The Designer Toys section always hosts ridiculously overpriced figures, but sometimes it just gets ridiculous. The General Mills Monster Cereal Kubricks should not cost $17 each! Or is that $17 for the set? If that's the case, then Frankenberry, Count Chocula and Boo Berry would be worth it. The packaging looks like the cereal boxes. Neat!
Similarly, blank white Qee figures shouldn't cost $130! $130?! That's stupid! It's not even painted, which means it cost them LESS to produce!
NECA's giganitic 10" deluxe talking Hagrid is on page 548, which puts it, inexplicably in the "collectibles & novelties" section rather than with the toys. Maybe because this huge beast costs more than $100. Yipe!
Back in the games section, on page 560, you'll find DC Battleague. What's DC Battleague, you ask? It's Superhero Showdown with DC figures, basically. You know how DC loves to steal all Marvel's toy ideas. Supposedly these will be based on the Mattel DCSH Four Horsemen Sculpts. That might make them worth it.