SITE NEWS: Big Bad Toy Store Sponsorship

We're excited to announce that online collectables specialist Big Bad Toy Store is sponsoring That Figures.

From tomorrow we'll be including a new feature - the Sponsored Link - showcasing upcoming releases and new arrivals at Big Bad Toy Store. By following - or better yet ordering through -  these links (or visiting Big Bad Toy Store via their site ad to the right) you'll not only be assured of the best possible service but you'll also be doing your part to help support That Figures. 

Welcome aboard, Big Bad Toy Store!

REVIEW: GI Joe 25th Anniversary - Cobra Ninja Viper

Produced by Hasbro | Released 2008

Recruited from the highest ranks of the COBRA VIPER corps, the COBRA NINJA VIPERS are the most elite representation of the ruthlessness in COBRA. Only the most sinister and cunning individuals are selected for duty as COBRA NINJA VIPERS. They are no less than 10th level black belts in karate, jujitsu and kung fu. These villains are extremely obedient and always carry out their orders to the letter. They function as covert, subversives who can ''persuade'' anyone to do their bidding by entrapping the person in one of their patented martial arts maneuvers. If given the opportunity, COBRA NINJA VIPERS could wreak enough havoc worldwide to seriously damage the GI Joe team's operations.

NEWS: Halfbad Toyz' NECRO

Although it's still in the early stages, NECRO (that's Nasty Enchanted Cadavers Rattling Onward) is a new project from Halfbad Toyz and Steve ''oOMoSOo'' Patt. 

NEWS: Plaseebo's Monster Invitational Group Show Entry at FOE Gallery

Earlier today we previewed Plaseebo's Astronot from the Toy Art Gallery's Sofubi Godfathers Event. Now we bring you news of another piece from Plaseebo's Bob Conge, the Nightgamer Kaiju, (complete with glow-in-the-dark head) which is set to be featured as part of the FOE Gallery's Monster Invitational Group Show.

NEWS: Marvel's 2011 Wave 5 Spotted at BBTS

As spotted by Cool Toy Review, Big Bad Toy Store is taking Pre-Orders for the upcoming Series 3 Wave 5 of figures from the Marvel Universe line.

NEWS: Masters of the Universe Movie Reboot

By The Power of Greyskull!

Fans of the iconic 1980s toy-line-turned-animated-show He-Man and the Masters of the Universe will be pleased to hear that MTV Geek is reporting a new movie is in the works.

NEWS: Halfbad Toyz Custom Keshi Figures

We told you about this project last week but thanks to a brief site hiatus, we were unable to bring you the follow-up - until now.

NEWS: GI Joe 30th Anniversary and Renegades Pre-Orders at BBTS

In a double-whammy of pre-release goodness, Big Bad Toy Store is now taking Pre-Orders for the upcoming first Waves of the 30th Anniversary and GI Joe: Renegades figures.

NEWS: Astronot from Plaseebo

Next month sees the Toy Art Gallery hosting the Sofubi Godfathers event, which features works from Plaseebo, Mark Nagata, Blobpus, Paul Kaiju and LASH.

SITE NEWS: Summer Hiatus

Just a quick update to let you know that That Figures is taking a break for the Summer, but we'll be back at the beginning of July.

Until then, good hunting, play nice and enjoy your toys!

NEWS: Daft Punk X Tron RAH Medicom Figures

You got that wazzed-up bassline stuck in your head. You wondered why nobody noticed that man had a dog's head. And how he broke his foot. You grooved to their dancing mummy/skeleton.. things... and were wowed by their Tron: Legacy soundtrack (and cameo.)

Now Medicom brings you this two-figure RAH set of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, AKA Daft Punk. And if you've a spare $319 then you too could own these super-detailed 12'' dolls for yourself, brought to us by Toy Tokyo.

REVIEW: Wacky Packages Erasers - Prickles & Cavemanwich

Produced by Topps | Released April 2011

You may recall that we've already taken a look at the Chimps Ahoy, Geek Giant and Slacker Jack toys these super-cool, blind-bagged collectable erasers from Topps. Today it's the turn of the contents of Pack #2 - Chimps Ahoy (again), Prickles and Cavemanwich.

NEWS: Wooden Yod at Clutter Magazine

We've seen vinyl toys. Resin is cool. But what about... wood?

Meet Wooden Yod, an upcoming version of James Jarvis' character. Originally released as a vinyl figure back in 2007, this interpretation is made from natural beech wood and uses magnetic joints. 

You can see more of Yod, including purchasing details, over at Clutter Magazine.

NEWS: Twilight Zone Marathon on SyFy

They kept it rather quiet but The SyFy Channel is in the middle of a mini-marathon of classic Twilight Zone episodes, with back-to-back, wall-to-wall 1960s twisty goodness airing until 4PM EST today.

If you're unable to watch, you can always re-enact the excitement and mystery of your favourite episodes with these Twilight Zone toys, available now from Big Bad Toy Store.

NEWS: Imperfecz Cthulhu at The Rusted Nail Gallery

Luke at L.Design has just posted an update at the Imperfecz Blog featuring his work, as seen at The Rusted Nail Gallery. As well as including two of his Cthulhu 2.0 Mini-figs, the exhibit also has as its centre-piece his custom Cthulhu Mighty Mugg, as seen above.

The update also features an additional gallery of works by other artists, many of which can be purchased through the gallery's Etsy store.

NEWS: First Images from The Hobbit

Want to see Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins? Then head over to Entertainment Weekly to see the first official images from the upcoming Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is set for a worldwide release on December 14th 2012.

With thanks to Bleeding Cool for the spot.

REVIEW: Captain America: The First Avenger - Movie Series Red Skull

Produced by Hasbro | Released June 2011

RED SKULL is an evil genius with an endless hunger for power. He wants nothing more than to see CAPTAIN AMERICA destroyed. He creates ever more devastating weapons by harnessing the might of the Cosmic Cube. Now armed with an explosive rocket launcher, RED SKULL is ready to make another attempt at world domination!

NEWS: Beartank from Smash Tokyo Toys

Here's a sneak peek at the designs for Beartank, as posted by Smash Tokyo Toys on their Facebook page.

No word yet on pricing, run-numbers or when this resin toy will be available but when we know, you'll know.

NEWS: Custom Keshi From Halfbad Toyz

There's really not much to report here (yet) but Adam from Halfbad Toyz posted a Facebook status update yesterday in which he announced:

I am going to release one custom Keshi a day for two weeks in our webstore. Blog post and drop info on Friday!

We'll keep you updated on this one.

NEWS: Voting Now Open in 2011 Designer Toy Awards

Voting is now underway in the 2011 Designer Toy Awards and you can take part, now!

Presented in association with Clutter Magazine, the first annual International Designer Toy Awards (DTA) will be hosted in San Diego, California at the SDCC 2011 and celebrate the work of designers, artists (and bloggers!) working in the field of toy art. Nominees include Smash Tokyo Toys, ToysREvil's I Like Toys, The Sucklord, PaulKaiju, Spanky Stokes, Battlegrip.com and more.

Voting is now open at the Designer Toy Awards website, with the winners being announced on July 21st.

REVIEW: GI Joe Resolute Tunnel Rat & Storm Shadow Comicbook Pack

Produced by Hasbro | Released 2009

TUNNEL RAT and STORM SHADOW engage in a tense duel of wits and weapons. These skilled adversaries battle one-on-one in a shadowy maze of pipes, ducts and machinery, relying on ingenuity and raw nerves to outwit each other and, if they're lucky, escape alive!

NEWS: GI Joe Mobile Mech Suits Spotted at Discount Stores

Good news, thrifty shoppers! The previously full-priced GI Joe vehicles the Jungle Assault Steel Marauder and City Strike Cobra Deviant have both been spotted in discount outlets Ross Dress for Less and TJ Maxx. Whereas the original RRP came in at $19.99 in most stores, the Mobile Mech Suits are now on-sale for under $10.

Although neither vehicle really set the world alight when initially released, there's really no reason not to pick them up at this price.

REVIEW: GI Joe City Strike Cobra Deviant with Cyber-Viper

Produced by Hasbro | Released 2010

The Cobra Deviant Mobile Mech Suit gives extraordinary speed and power to the person inside it! Using advanced technology, this battle armor changes its operator into a devastating weapon that can battle an entire squadron!

Cyber-Vipers have biocybernetic implants, which allow them to organically interface with computerized systems like the highly advanced Cobra Deviant Mobile Mech suits. Using these interconnections, they operate the suits as extensions of their minds and bodies, giving them a powerful advantage over the GI Joe team when they encounter them in the night-shrouded streets of the city.

NEWS: Hot Toys Captain America Gallery

Specialist collectables company Hot Toys recently announced they were producing a 12'' figure based on the likeness of Captain America from the upcoming Captain America: The First Avenger.

Although initially we were only treated to a single teaser image of the figure, Hot Toys has since rectified that by posting a gallery of over a dozen shots. And we've grabbed a few of the best just for you...

NEWS: Real Steel Japanese Trailer

We've already seen the English-language trailer for this hilariously inept moving story of a father, a son and their robot-boxing bonding sessions. If that left you wanting more then the Japanese trailer, which further explores the relationships between the three (and reveals that the robot fighter appears to have a ''soul''), is just what you need.

Thanks to Bleeding Cool for the tip-off.

NEWS: Cybermite Resin Toy from PiNkJazZ

Originally spotted over at Battlegrip.com, this awesomely cute critter is the Cybermite. Created as a vinyl toy back in 1999 by PiNkJazZ, Cybermite has made the jump to resin and ''should be ready for purchase in a couple of weeks.'' 

No word on price or numbers but you can see more of PiNkJazZ's work over at the PiNkJazZ blog.

NEWS: Green Lantern Animated Series

Hot on the heels of his big-screen adventures, the Green Lantern is coming to the Cartoon Network in a new animated show, entitled - not surprisingly - Green Lantern: The Animated Series.

No word on a firm release date yet but if you can't wait until ''2011'' (erm) you can view the trailer here.

With thanks to I Like Toys for originally spotting this.

NEWS: Thundercats 2011 Character Sheets

Want to see more of the overhauled characters appearing in the upcoming Thundercats reboot?

Then read on!

COOL CAPSULES: Sqwishland Sqwake

We've already seen the Sqwishland capsule toys in a previous Cool Capsules feature. Today sees the Sqwishland Sqwarrot being joined by the Sqwishland Sqwake.

VIDEO VIEW: The Real Ghostbusters Toy Commercial

Who you gonna call?

The Real Ghostbusters!

OK, for those of you who've always wondered why the cartoon was entitled ''The Real Ghostbusters,'' allow me to explain: Filmation produced a short-lived live action series in the 70s called ''Ghost Busters'' that followed the slapstick adventures of Kong, Spencer and Tracy the Gorilla as they hunted and ''busted'' various ghosts, ghouls and creepy critters. The series isn't particularly well-remembered these days (although I do recall seeing it as a child, being confused why ''that man has the gorilla's name'' and can to this day hum the theme song) and so when Columbia Pictures released their 1980s comedy Ghostbusters they kind of ''forgot'' about the show, too.

Following the movie's success, Columbia wanted to produce an animated TV show to continue the adventures (and money-spinning potential) of the Ghostbusters. However, in order to avoid confusion with The Ghost Busters, Columbia were forced to change their show's title and so - in a hilarious fit of huffiness - added the ''Real'' prefix to their show.

Oh and they also released some toys.

REVIEW: Captain America: The First Avenger - Comic Series Captain Britain

Produced by Hasbro | Released June 2011

Captain Britain is a jack of many trades and a master of all. Strength, stamina, flight and invisible force field - he's got everything he needs to battle villains across the globe. The more he believes in himself, the more powerful he becomes, and the more justice he can bring to Britain and the rest of the world.

NEWS: GI Joe: Renegades - Tactics

Tired of waiting for the upcoming GI Joe: Renegades toys? Got too much time on your hands between episodes of the show airing on The Hub? Well the answer to your GI Joe-related woes may be here, in the form of GI Joe: Renegades - Tactics, a free-to-play, browser-based, 20-level, turn-based strategy game you can check out for yourself over at Hubworld.com.

I've only completed the first few missions but the game is a lot of fun, especially for players old enough to remember squad-based strategy games like Laser Squad or the X-Com series.

NEWS: Hot Toys Captain America Teaser

Hong Kong-based collectables company Hot Toys has posted a teaser image of their upcoming Captain America: The First Avenger figure over at their Facebook Page. Although there's not a great deal to see beyond the teaser shot and details are scant, the figure - from what we can see and given the quality of Hot Toys' previous releases - looks to be shaping-up quite nicely.

No word on a release date or pricing yet, but we'll keep you posted.

REVIEW: GI Joe Rise of Cobra - Storm Shadow Ninja Mercenary

Produced by Hasbro | Released July 2009

STORM SHADOW is a Ninja Mercenary who works for COBRA. Skilled in several Martial Arts forms, this cold-blooded hunter was trained by the mystical ARASHIKAGE Ninja Clan and is the sworn enemy of SNAKE EYES, the GI Joe team's Ninja Commando.

VIDEO VIEW: Mego's Buck Rogers Action Figures

The ad may start off poorly but stick around, as Twiki (or ''Twinkie'' as my wife thought he was called when she was a child) puts in an appearance toward the end. And let's face it, that was the only reason anybody ever watched the show...

NEWS: Halfbad Toyz' Yama-Bito Review at University of MUSCLE

Regular readers will be familiar with Halfbad Toyz and their figures Skekiltor and Podiagon. You may not, however, be so familiar with their Yama-Bito Keshi, a line of limited-run, small-scale figures, created using a combination of original MUSCLE figures and new parts. 

Usually sold via Ebay auction, these sets - by their nature - are one-off custom pieces. But fear not if you missed-out on the latest release: the University of MUSCLE has a review of the Yama-Bito Keshi Set #3 that gives us a great look at these mini-figures. Just be warned: reading this piece will probably turn you green with envy.

Here's hoping Halfbad Toyz decide to release a full run of these figures, as they look awesome.

NEWS: Evangeline Lilly & Barry Humphries Join The Hobbit Cast

Evangeline Lilly has joined the cast of Peter Jackson's upcoming big-screen adaptation of The Hobbit. Lilly, probably best known for her role as Kate in Lost, will be playing Tauriel, a woodland Elf described as a ''daughter of Mirkwood.'' Tauriel is a new character created for the movie.

In less photogenic news, veteran Australian actor Barry Humphries will also be joining the cast, playing the role of the Goblin King. Humphries is perhaps best known for his comedy characters, including ''cultural'' attache Sir Les Patterson and Dame Edna Everage. 

The first installment of the two-movie series, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, is set for release in December 2012.

REVIEW: Captain America: The First Avenger - Comic Series US Agent

Produced by Hasbro | Released June 2011

US AGENT is armed with a Vibranium shield very similar to that of CAPTAIN AMERICA. He uses this for protection and as a weapon. Although he and CAPTAIN AMERICA have had their differences, they both agree that any threat to justice and freedom must be stopped.

NEWS: Conan the Barbarian Red Band Trailer Released

Want to see the latest blood-n-boobs trailer for the upcoming Conan the Barbarian remake? Then The Hollywood Reporter has you covered. In buckets of Kensington Gore.

Conan the Barbarian is set for an August 19th release.

NEWS: Mattel Cancels Retro-Action DC Line

Mattel has announced the cancellation of their Retro-Action DC superheroes line.

The 8'' dolls - Mattel's homage to the classic Mego 8'' figures of the 70s - were axed due to ''customer interest [not being] high enough to keep [the toys] going either at retail or online past the 2011 offerings,'' according to a spokesperson speaking as part of the Mattel Q&A, as reported at Infinite Hollywood.

Whilst I'm personally not a fan of these 8'' retro-figures, it is a shame to see yet another toy line being withdrawn.

NEWS: More from Canada's Joe Con 2011

GI Joe fans looking to see more of the upcoming 30th Anniversary figures will be pleased to see more photos of the new toys over at the Fighting 1:18th.

The four-photo set shows the repackaged Cobra Trooper, Cobra Viper, Steel Brigade soldier and Iron Grenadier (originally released as part of the Pursuit of Cobra line), plus Sgt Stalker and the Hazard-Viper. Eagle-eyed collectors may be disappointed to note that the latter is a repackage of the Volcano-Viper, originally included with the cancelled Lava Pod Alpha vehicle.

Here's hoping the remainder of the 30th Anniversary figures will see some, you know, new figures in the mix...

NEWS: Skekiltor Run Coming To An End

Halfbad Toyz has announced that the first figure from their FOEZ line, Skekiltor, is to be retired. As of the end of next week, the Halfbad crew will no longer be producing the toy and although the figure is still available at the store, supplies are limited. So if you want one, you'll need to act fast.

All is not over though for the Mace of Hades, as the guys are promising he'll be back in ''a different form someday.'' My guess is producing the articulated Podiagon has given the Halfbad guys a new insight into toy design and they're going to someday apply the lessons learned to a new, updated Skekiltor...

More when we get it.

VIDEO VIEW: Spaceman & Thunder Burp Machine Gun Commercial

I think this explains the increase in anal probing...

REVIEW: Wacky Packages Erasers - Chimps Ahoy, Geek Giant & Slacker Jack

Produced by Topps | Released April 2011

Wacky Packages are a line of collectable cards, first issued by Topps back in the late 60s. Featuring Mad Magazine-style parodies of various products and their packaging, the line has proven to be a continual success for the company, with new versions and revisions appearing every few years. The latest incarnation of the Wacky Package concept is the Wacky Packages Eraser line, which we're taking a look at today.

NEWS: Sunday TV Reminders

Just a quick reminder that today's GI Joe: Renegades and A Real American Hero marathon starts today at 1PM EST on The Hub. From what I gather they're alternating between the two shows and also adding Pop Up Video*-style info graphics to further enhance your viewing.

Tonight also sees the premiere of sci-fi series, Falling Skies, with the 2-hour opener airing at 9PM EST on TNT. If the critics are to be believed, this is one show you do not to miss.

* Am I showing my age there?

NEWS: First 30th Anniversary GI Joe Figures Spotted!

OK, so we've still a while to wait before we spot them in stores, but The Terror Drome is reporting that figures  from the upcoming 30th Anniversary line have been sighted at the 2011 Canadian GI Joe Con. Although the photo is a little blurry, you can clearly make out Sgt Stalker, plus repackages of the Steel Brigade trooper, Cobra Viper and - at the top right - what appears to be a Cobra Trooper.

More when we get it.

UPDATE: And we got it.

General Joe's has some extra imagery for us, including a close-up of the Cobra Viper (which appears to be a repackage of the recently-released Pursuit of Cobra figure of the same name) and some of the Sgt Stalker card art. Examining the artwork reveals that Sgt Stalker and the Hazard Viper are two new additions to the line, with their wave-mates - the Cobra Viper, Cobra Trooper, Iron Grenadier and Steel Brigade trooper - all being repackages of previously-seen Pursuit of Cobra figures. Given many people have experienced problems finding these toys, it's nice to see Hasbro continuing to produce them as part of this wave, but it would have been nicer to see more new characters...

NEWS: Podiagon - New Colourways Now Available!

Last night saw Halfbad Toyz' Podiagon released in four new colourways: Sea Foam (blue), Sludge Brown,  Kelp Green and the tan ''blank'' AKA the DIY Podiagon. The latter is intended to be painted by the purchaser and is the same colourway used by Halfbad Toyz to produce the hand-painted versions of Podiagon.

Retailing at $28.00, Podiagon was sculpted by Steve oOMoSOo Patt and features four points of articulation, plus removable Sludge Gun accessory. The second of the FOEZ line, Podiagon - in all his various colourways - is available now from the Halfbad Toyz store.

We're also promised something later tonight regarding ''the future of Skekiltor...''

NEWS: New Podiagon Colourway Drop Tonight!

8PM EST tonight sees Halfbad Toyz launch the second wave of Podiagon colourways (DIY and solid variants for those not keeping score) and so with just an hour to go before the launch, we thought we'd drop you a quick reminder to check them out for yourself.

So here it is.

NEWS: Falling Skies Premiere Sunday, Early Reviews Very Good

Just a quick reminder that this Sunday sees the 2-hour premiere of the Spielberg-produced sci-fi series, Falling Skies.

If you're still not sure about the show - and who can blame you after the number of decidedly average sci-fi shows we've been subjected to (V, The Event, I'm looking at you...) - then you may be pleased to hear that unlike most recent offerings, Falling Skies is actually pretty good, if the reviews at HitFix and The Hollywood Reporter are to be believed.

Falling Skies airs on Sunday, June 17th at 9 PM EST on TNT. 

NEWS: Toy Art Gallery Resin Show Feature

There's little I can really add to this, but there's a very interesting analysis of the Toy Art Gallery's recent Resin Toy Juried Show at Jeremyriad.com. If you're a fan of toys-as-art or the resin toy scene then you should check it out, as it's certainly an interesting read.

REVIEW: GI Joe 25th Anniversary - Sgt Airborne

Produced by Hasbro | Released 2008

The oil-rich Navajo parents of SGT AIRBORNE indulged their eldest son with skydiving lessons. Also having an interest in the legal system, he studied law and passed the Arizona State Bar exams. He joined the Army and opted for airborne training. SGT AIRBORNE jokes around and gets loose but he's serious too... dead serious. You look at him and sometimes he's looking right through you. It must be the Native American in him. The Navajos call it ''the far-seeing look.'' He graduated at the top of his class from Airborne School, Fort Benning. Qualified expert: Hughes Helicopter Chain Gun, M-16, M-60 and M-1911A auto pistol.

NEWS: Marauder ''Gun Runner'' Accessories

Like every collector, I'm also a bit of an Armchair Toy Designer. In other words, I sometimes think I could do better than the big company's designers and will often make comments like, ''if I'd been the one in charge, I'd have given this figure an extra X'' or ''that figure would look so much better with Y.'' I'd imagine this same thought-process ran through the collective mind of the guys at Marauder. But unlike most of us, they actually got out of their proverbial armchair and did something about it.

Marauder's ''Gun Runners'' line provides a range of guns, accessories, diorama pieces and even furniture, all at a 3 3/4'' compatible scale. Want that headset Breaker should have included? Check. A laptop that doesn't look like something from Fisher-Price? You got it. Something meatier for your Cobra Troopers? Way ahead of you.

Best of all, Marauder's shipping fee policy is simple: $1.45, wherever you are, whatever you order. So you've really no excuse not to order! 

Visit Marauder ''Gun Runners.''