FEATURE: LoEB - Why Did I Buy That?

It's time for another exciting adventure with the League of Extraordinary Bloggers!

As you may (or may not) know, the League of Extraordinary Bloggers is an affiliation of like-minded individuals who convene on a semi-regular basis to compose features based around a specific theme. Once we've completed our piece, we then share it with our fellow League Members and, in turn, share their entries, thus increasing the exposure not only of each piece but also of our blogs.

If you'd like to contribute then hop right in by simply writing a piece and then sharing a link to it at the League's HQ over at Cool and Collected. Just remember to play nice and include at least three other Members' updates in your post.

So with that out of the way, let's turn to the subject of this week's assignment:

Why Did I Buy That?

Ah, Buyer's Regret. The bane of every collector. Although for me, I have to admit I rarely regret buying anything. You see, it's not about the stuff I buy...

Some Toys, Yesterday

Late to the Party

My problem lies with the toys I don't buy. 

I can't tell you how many toy lines I've looked at, put back, picked up, put back and then walked away from, only to repeat the whole process ad infinitum. In my everyday life I'm actually a pretty dynamic kind of guy. I can assess situations with ease, make decisions quickly and stick with what I've decided (unless something goes wrong, in which case I'll quickly formulate a solution) but for whatever reason, the second I step into the toy aisle, it's like my brain turns to mush...

Don't believe me? Then here, for your enjoyment, is my List of Shame, AKA The Why Didn't I Buy That Roster of Terrible Decisions:

• When I was first buying Marvel Universe figures, I didn't pick up the Secret Wars double packs as I wasn't convinced they were the same line. 
• The first time I saw the new Microman figures in a store (one of only three times I've ever actually done so) I passed, not realizing they were the relaunch of the toys I'd loved so much as a kid.
• I always skipped the True Heroes toys because I thought they had poor articulation.
• I didn't buy Lego until very recently because the last set I bought (in the late 90s) featured bricks that didn't seem to want to stick together.
• I didn't buy GI Joe figures for a long while because they were ''military toys'' and lacked the fantastical element I like in my toys. 
• The Call of Duty Mega Bloks figures weren't something I was interested in because... well, I'm still trying to figure that one out...

Who knows which other toy lines I've passed on and could be enjoying today? I don't even want to think about that. Here's to hoping I've learned my lesson and will be making better decisions in the future!

Dedication

I'd like to dedicate this piece to my wife, as without her and her constant ''just buy it''s my toy collection would be much, much smaller.

So what else is going on in The League this week?

Jathaniel Talks Lando

Cody at Crooked Ninja Turtle Gang Presents His Top Five Regrets

The Monster Cafe Discusses DVD Disasters

FEATURE: LoEB - My Latest Obesssion

After taking a break for a while, the League of Extraordinary Bloggers is back! 

The League of Who With the What Now?

As it's been a while since the League convened, it's probably worth taking a moment to explain just what the whole deal is. The brainchild of Brian at Cool and Collected, The League of Extraordinary Bloggers is an affiliation of writers who get together every week to blog about a specific topic or theme. Then we share our pieces with our fellow members and, in return, share a selection of their entries, thus spreading around the bloggy goodness. It's free to join, it's fun and it's a great way to meet new enthusiasts and introduce yourself to another site's readership. So why not join in?

Anyway, now we're all up to speed, let's take a look at this week's assignment:

My latest obsession.

True Heroes/True Legends

Right now I'm obsessed with Toys R Us' rebrand of the Chap Mei action figures, specifically the True Legends toys, which are themed around fantasy and mythological characters. You may have already seen our Review of the Heroes of Olympus four-figure set but you can be sure that you'll see more of these guys - and the military-themed True Heroes toys - at That Figures very soon...

Mega Bloks Call of Duty

I love Lego. I love GI Joe. So why - when I saw a series of Lego-style construction sets featuring GI Joe-esque vehicles and figures - did I not immediately jump onboard? Because I'm stupid, that's why.

Again, like the True Heroes/Legends toys, there'll be a whole lot more of these figures and sets appearing on That Figures over the coming weeks. That is, if we can break away from playing with them for long enough to put together a Review!

My New Toy Room

It's still very much a work-in-progress but my new toy room is coming together rather nicely (especially now I've embraced how much fun a more chaotic mix of toys can be) and - once I've got another couple of shelf units in there - I should have plenty of space to display my collection. Although it's smaller than my previous space, I'm going to use positive Realtor sales spin and describe it as ''cozy.'' Plus I don't have to move my head so far to see everything, which is a definite plus for the collector on the go...

Imaginext

But they're, you know, for kids! Damn right they are! And that's what makes them so much fun! 

Packed with retro-references, neatly constructed and a lot of fun, the Imaginext toys are easy to overlook due to their simple packaging and chunky, childish designs but they're quite simply one of the most joyously retro-fun lines of toys I've seen in ages.

The Hare & The Moon

Not in the least bit toy related but my new musical obsession is The Hare & The Moon, a musical collective who create incredibly atmospheric, creepy folk music. 

You can hear some examples of their work here.

SLUG Zombies

I mentioned them above and this is really more of an old-new obsession, but I still find it a huge injustice that this line of Keshi-style figures didn't find a bigger audience. With their amazingly detailed sculpts, great gross-out humor and fantastically collectible vibe they're a line that really deserves to be more widely known.

(We'll be doing our part to keep the SLUG Zombie line alive by completing our Review index over the coming months...)

Meanwhile...

So what of my fellow League Members?

Matt at The Dusty Shelf makes his inaugural contribution by discussing comicdom's first family of the fantastic...

Cool and Collected's Brian binges

Calvin's Canadian Cave of Cool brings back a thousand memories...

Dex at AEIOU... And Sometimes Why? obsesses over drinks and puppets...

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FEATURE: LoEB ''Seeing Red''

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FEATURE: LoEB ''A Birthday Celebration''

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TootootootooOO! League of Extraordinary Bloggers! Assemble!

FEATURE: LoEB ''Merry Geekmas''

Ho! Ho Ho! And what would you like for Christmas? How about a festive League of Extraordinary Bloggers assignment!

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FEATURE: LoEB ''State of the Site''

This week's League Assignment is something a little different. We're not talking about toys or movies or videogames or even breakfast cereals. This week it's all about being grown-up and presidential and stuff, as we bring you the first ever State of the Site address.

FEATURE: LoEB ''How To...''

So, who's up for some League of Extraordinary Bloggers fun?

FEATURE: LoEB ''Star of the Show''

Hey kids! It's time for another League of Extraordinary Bloggers assignment!

NEWS: Designer Toys 101: From Concept to Production

I'm sure we've missed a few parts (although you can always go back and read them at your leisure) but here's the latest Designer Toys 101 from Spanky Stokes, where this week the feature looks at how a toy goes from concept to final production. 

Spanky Stokes - Designer Toys 101: How does a vinyl toy evolve from concept to production?

FEATURE: LoEB ''Ninja Attack!''

Look out! Color-coded Ninjas!

FEATURE: LoEB ''Saturday Morning Cartoons!''

Hey kids! What time is it?

League of Extraordinary Bloggers Time! YAAAAY!

FEATURE: LoEB ''Mix Tape''

Here's our latest submission for this week's League of Extraordinary Bloggers, which this week is all about the CHOONS (as the kids say these days.)