White Line Nightmare

The first of the 25th Anniversary GI Joes. I give you: STORM SHADOW!!!!!! http://www.hasbro.com/common/images/news/g...ShadowLarge.jpg OH, SNAP!!!!!! There are gonna be 25 of these little beauties (Joes and Cobras) this year. My ass is gonna be so broke.

Todd McFarlane helped revolutionize the toy industry. No matter what your opinion of him, his companies, or his products is, you have to give him that. Far as sculpting goes, McFarlane Toys is still the best of the best. Check this shit out: http://www.spawn.com/toys/military/militar...photo_01_dp.jpg It's so awesome that it's fucking retarded-- completely fucking recockulous. McFarlane's sculptors can't be touched, as far as I'm concerned. I just don't understand their direction right now. When the company first started, it was innovative. Articulation, paint applications, even subject matter-- McFarlane stepped everything up. His company is the reason why toys look as good as they do now... the Japanese even love his stuff and are influenced by it-- and the Japanese are the one culture that makes the coolest fucking toys in the world! But now after nearly 15 years, McFarlane is trying to reach out to the mainstream, and it's not really working. The only thing that's really hit is the Sports Picks stuff. The Napoleon Dynamite stuff didn't sell, to the point where the second series was canceled. The Simpsons hasn't done very well, but then, the show isn't quite the powerhouse it used to be. While I love the Hanna-Barbera line, it's warming pegs... what's McFarlane doing? What's with these crazy choices, as far as licenses go? At least with LOST and 24, he's striking while the iron's hot and the shows are doing well. I'm not one of the old school McFarlane Toys collectors that thinks Todd should go back to doing everything horror, but there's gotta be a balance. All these other companies like NECA, Toy Biz/Marvel Toys and Mezco are snapping up licenses that McFarlane SHOULD HAVE gotten, and, in some cases, have produced lackluster product. Now they're the ones doing the innovating. It's gonna be interesting to see what McFarlane does over the next couple years, because he has some important decisions to make, where the future of his company is at stake... because the toy industry isn't what it used to be. The bottom has fallen out, and it's getting harder for companies that aren't Hasbro or Mattel to stay in business.

Next time I'm at A&M Comics, I'll check and see if they have that Spidey-Strider set... they've got a ton of toys hanging from the ceiling, going back at least 10-15 years. It wouldn't surprise me if they had it. Right now, I'm not planning on going to MegaCon. I'm not especially fond of conventions, and it seems that every year, MegaCon gets a little bit smaller and not really worth it. The only reason I'd go is to network and promote something, but I'm not working for LO-FI and I don't really need to hype anything right now... I would like to go back to Wizard World Chicago, though. The hot indie rock chicks were out-of-hand delicious. PS- Nick, are you looking for a Guts from Berserk?

The Sentinel is fucking awesome. Easily the best build-a-figure Toy Biz ever put out... he's definitely impressive in a display, and I'm glad I had the chance to build mine before Marvel Legends Series 10 completely disappeared (it took about a week for the line to fly off shelves, then months to get a re-stock). While the choice of The Blob for a b-a-f seems weird, ML collectors have been asking for him for a while now, and Hasbro's been pretty good about putting out characters fans've been clamoring for (like Hercules in series 1). Also, since the price of oil has been pretty high, it's made the cost of plastic increase as well (petroleum is a main component of plastic), making it hard for toy companies to produce a 20" action figure that is, essentially, an accessory, and keep the cost of toys down. So, build-a-figures have been getting smaller as a result. Until the price of oil drops again (it's about $50 a barrel, down from last year), the b-a-fs will remain on the small side. As far as McFarlane's build-a-figures, I've heard they're a nightmare. When the Interlink Spawn line came out, with a bunch of robots you put together to make a giant one, the word "debacle" doesn't even come close to what happened. The instructions were hard to follow, and it wasn't unheard of for an Interlink robot to take HOURS to assemble...

Hasbro took over the Marvel license from Toy Biz, effective January 1st, 2007. The main issue with collectors is that there isn't enough paint on the figures, resulting in a "plastic-y" look to them. Towards the end, Toy Biz was really going crazy and putting out some really cool shit. Then the license changed hands, and now the line is being produced by the most corporate of the corporate... it's all about the bottom line. The only upside is that there might be better quality control. Anyway, Hasbro's Marvel Legends Series 2: http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/w..._1931_505411221 The build-a-figure is The Blob: http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/w...e_1930_25823516 I'm gonna give Hasbro the benefit of the doubt here and say that the line has some growing pains that need to be addressed. Marvel Legends went through the same thing over at Toy Biz, and if you compare ML Series 1 with the later stuff (like ML13 or the ML Face Off two-packs, etc.) you'll see it's lacking. Hopefully Hasbro will be willing to invest money in the line to keep the collectors coming back...

It's raining toys! Recently acquired for the (ever-growing) collection: 12" Marvel Icons Thor (Hasbro)- http://hasbro.com/common/images/products/7...677_main400.jpg Hellboy Series 2 Hellboy, Roger, Johann (Mezco)- http://www.rkosales.com/images/mez_hbc2_large.jpg AND, FROM THA OLD SKOOL... The Remco Mini Monsters! (loose, not packaged)- http://www.toymania.com/334archives/monste...nster_front.jpg http://www.toymania.com/334archives/monsters/back.jpg Stealin' bandwidth like I don't give a fuck!!!111!!!

"Bron-Yr-Aur-Stomp"- Led Zeppelin

Newtype, is that a Yamato model? On the scale modeling sites I check out, some guys have done some crazy-detailed work on those kits, spending hundreds of hours. I think they're mentally unstable. Bored Midwestern familyman-types, you know.

Nah, I didn't end up going to MegaCon last year. I actually quit the magazine March 1st last year, which was pretty much right after the con. Skottie's alright. Sanford Green is down. Never met Middleton, so I'll take your word that he's a douchebag. The first MegaCon we worked, I got to meet Michael Lark and had a full-on fanboy moment, 'cuz I LOVED his run on Gotham Central. Needless to say, I'm pleased as punch that he's working on The Man Without Fear now. If Maleev can't do it, Lark's the man.

What a fantastic book. And Templesmith couldn't be a nicer guy. Met him when he did the "Wormwood" cover and comic for LO-FI and got to hang out in Orlando for, like, a day. SUPER, SUPER nice.

A shelving unit in the shower? That's some muthafuckin' dedication. It's inspiring, really. Like you're the song "Eye of the Tiger" and I'm a 15 year-old kid with Down's Syndrome THAT WILL NOT GIVE UP. Rock. PS- Hellboy Comic Series 2 from Mezco should be on its way later this week. OH, SNAP!

Is there an Ikea where you live? They've got some really nice display cabinets that aren't too expensive. I forget what they're called. It's all the booze I drink. Or, used to, anyway. I'm looking to invest in a few to properly display my collection, which I have made a priority in 2007. This year, I want to buy some really nice pieces. Not necessarily expensive, but really cool-looking toys. If I'm going to be writing about them on a regular basis, I should have some diversity and some nice shit... ...Or so I delude myself into thinking as I place those online orders...

Oh, snap. I didn't know y'all liked toys. First and foremost: If you like Japanese toys/mecha/designer toys/urban vinyl, check out my new favorite site: http://toybotstudios.blogspot.com/ Secondly, just got a set of these in on Friday: http://static.flickr.com/36/121467406_8a3544556b.jpg http://static.flickr.com/40/121467553_9598a20dfc.jpg http://static.flickr.com/34/121467721_be0973fde8.jpg http://static.flickr.com/45/121467855_d536601c51.jpg http://static.flickr.com/42/121467925_32c2a46a35.jpg They're super-posable mini-figures from Front Mission. For being about 3 inches tall, they're amazingly detailed with really nice paint jobs. Nobody makes better toys than the Japanese. *Pics aren't mine, and sorry for the links. I didn't want to steal this dude's bandwidth.

Hey everybody, for the folks going to MegaCon, LO-FI will be at the show in full force. I don't know our table number, but I do know that we'll be in the indie press section. Keep your eyes peeled for our LO-FI banner and kids wearing LO-FI t-shirts (they're awesome!). Should be there Saturday and Sunday, but the rest of the crew will be there Friday, since they left Miami today. If you'd like to meet up, definitely drop by the table and say hi! Cheers, Bob

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/1...b.ap/index.html The richest man ever to cash a welfare check. He shall be missed.

http://www.subpop.com/scripts/main/bands_page.php?id=430 Comets on Fire. Sub Pop has got an MP3 link on there to "Antlers of the Midnight Sun" for free. Heard this shit on WVUM just now, and I had to know what it was. Crazy guitar-noise-experimental music that must be the second coming of psychedelic rock. It's totally nuts and out-of-control chaotic something. Amazing.

Haven't seen the movie since it first opened, but I remember being really disappointed. It moved like molasses and had way too much character development. Marvel Films could've dedicated half the character development to Daredevil and HULK still would've had too much. Everybody mentions Ang Lee's use of split screen, which I thought was some of the dumbest shit ever. Mr. Lee, we're watching a comic book movie. You know this and the audience knows this... there's no need to bludgeon us with it, or "remind" us what we're watching. The character's been a pop culture staple for decades. HULK's makers just had their aspirations too high, trying to make an art film out of a concept that, underneath a modern re-telling of the Jekyll & Hyde story, is about an atomic-age monster that beats the shit out of other monsters, tanks, helicopters, and anything else in his path. What should have been one of the greatest action movies was turned into a sub-par, monotonous drama. There are some characters in Marvel's stable that warrant deep, psychological films (y'know, like Spider-Man), and then there are the characters (like the Hulk) whose movies you go to because you want to turn off your brain and watch the fireworks, car chases, and extended tittie scenes. Now, this doesn't mean that it can't be intelligently-written-- just look at something like Mark Millar's The Ultimates, which is/was a consistently well-written comic that is the best action movie never made. As far as that bullshit with Banner's father as the Absorbing Man, don't get me started....

Anybody else planning on going to MegaCon '05? I'll be there to promote and sell LO-FI, and hopefully we'll have a booth instead of a table in Artist's Alley. Our buddies at Read More Comics are sponsoring MC this year, so we're trying to work out a deal where we'll actually be on the con floor, which'll be great-- we should sell a bunch of copies that way.

I saw you joined the LO-FI group-- thanks! ...And I think that LO-FI's publisher/lead designer/one Hell of a model American Greg Photoshopped the face of that female stormtrooper to make her a little better-looking. As far as I know, my part of the pic remains untouched, though it seems my tail is no longer visible. Greg!

Woah. Who lit the fuse on your tampon? For Metal Heart (and the other aforementioned sassy, sophisticated, sexy ladies) : http://www.lofimagazine.com/sites/2CN1EGCT...t/mega-0019.jpg Me with one of my many non-quests.

Sho' 'nuff. That one's for all the sassy, sophisticated, sexy ladies out there... you know who you are.

Ahem... http://www.hondosbar.com/forum/uploads/photo-271.jpg NOW this thread is complete.