REVIEW: GI Joe Slaughter's Marauders Battle Set - Varujan ''Bull'' Ayvazyan

Produced by Hasbro | Released January 2012 [Big Bad Toy Store-Exclusive]

Varujan ''Bull'' Ayvazyan was a circus acrobat in Europe who did occasional undercover work for an international police organization. His circus act involved breaking two-by-fours over his own face, a feat that deeply impressed the GI JOE team. They recruited him for his iron toughness and fluency in a dozen different languages, and cross-trained him in explosives and mountaineering.

REVIEW: GI Joe 30th Anniversary - Renegades Cobra Commander

Produced by Hasbro | Released September 2011

COBRA COMMANDER is the shadowy figure who runs COBRA Industries. To the public, he is known as the kind, generous Adam DeCobray. But the truth is that he is a ruthless megalomaniac who wants to rule the world, and will crush anyone who gets in his way.

REVIEW: The Trash Pack Trashies Series 1 Two Figure Pack

Produced by Moose Enterprise Pty Ltd | Released September 2011

When it comes to toys, I love super-detailed, highly-articulated and massively detailed figures. I also have a real soft-spot for simpler, cartoon-like collectible pieces like Gogo's Crazy Bones, MUSCLE and capsule toys. The Trash Pack - a new line of blind-bagged/boxed squashy figures available at Toys R Us - should be the ideal toy for me then, right? Well...

REVIEW: Marvel Universe's Gladiator

Produced by Hasbro | Released April 2011

The mighty Shi'ar Empire has many powerful servants, but the one whose power makes the very earth beneath his feet tremble is the unstoppable GLADIATOR. Every victory renders him stronger, every enemy vanquished hardens him further against wounding and pain. Across the empire and beyond, the name of GLADIATOR inspires awe and terror, for wherever a plot against the Shi'ar takes root, there GLADIATOR will be to destroy it.

REVIEW: GI JOE 25th Anniversary - Duke (Tiger Force)

Produced by Hasbro | Released 2008

DUKE was fluent in French, German and English when he enlisted. He graduated top of his class at the Fort Benning Airborne School. He opted for US Army Special Languages School, specializing in Han Chinese and Southeast Asian dialects. Upon graduation, he served in the Army's Special Forces unit in Southeast Asia, where he received the Medal of Honor and two Bronze Stars for single-handedly rescuing 34 POWs from a heavily guarded enemy compound. As squad leader of the TIGER FORCE commandos, DUKE leads this top-secret, rapid-response unit on missions to diffuse explosive situations around the world.

REVIEW: GI Joe 25th Anniversary - Dreadnok Ripper

Produced by Hasbro | Released 2008

DREADNOK RIPPER has led a life of delinquency since nursery school where he stole candy from his schoolmates. From there, he just kept expanding the scope of his criminal activities, paying the price many times with stints in various correctional institutions. He is motivated by greed, a dislike for civilized behavior and the pure delight of destroying something with cutting tools and edged weapons, of which he has gathered a substantial collection. He's known for the blade he uses as a cross between a firefighter's axe and a can opener to rip open gates and tear apart safes.

REVIEW: GI Joe: Pursuit of Cobra - Arctic Threat Snow Job

Arctic Threat Snow Job | Produced by Hasbro | Released July 2010

Snow Job is the GI Joe team's arctic survival specialist. He camped in the polar north for months to watch a Cobra base and gather information. His gear includes a MUSP Multi Use Survival Pack that he uses as a bedroll, tent and concealment for observing the enemy.

REVIEW: Marvel Universe's Secret Wars Wasp and Gigantic Battles Goliath

Secret Wars Wasp/Gigantic Battles Goliath | Produced by Hasbro
Released 2010/2009

Continuing our look at the original Avengers line-up, today sees the turn of our final two entrants - Wasp and Goliath. In this case, Janet Van Dyne's alter ego comes from the Doctor Doom/Absorbing Man Secret Wars double pack and Dr Pym in his Goliath identity from the Walmart-Exclusive Gigantic Battles pack (where he was partnered with the Horned Mask Iron Man.) 

REVIEW: GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra - Gung Ho vs Copperhead Double Pack

Gung Ho vs Copperhead Double Pack (Walmart Exclusive)

Produced by Hasbro | Released August 2009

Gung Ho is a Marine and member of the elite GI Joe team. He'll take on any battle with his bare fists and brings his fearsome fighting skills to support the team as the battle criminal forces that control the deadly Nanomite weapon technology.

Copperhead pilots watercraft for Cobra and can escape anyone with a combination of speed, skill and sheer bravado. He helps disperse Nanomite weapons in different locations to prevent the GI Joe team from reacquiring them.

REVIEW: Marvel Universe's Thor (Classic and Modern Costumes)

Modern Costume Thor/Secret Wars Thor | Produced by Hasbro 

Released Feb 2010/October 2009

BEHOLD THE MIGHTY THORS!

Verily, thou gazest upon a duet of playthings! Thy mind is not possessed by Loki! For here is a presentation rare and unusual - two likenesses of the Odinson! But thou art truly possessed by madness if thou reckonest I shall write yon Review in this manner!

With the new Thor movie just months away, the Hasbro Original Avengers set just around the corner  and the Thor tie-in toys hitting the shelves last week, it's a good opportunity to look back at Hasbro's previous Marvel Universe renditions of the God of Thunder as we present both the Secret Wars release and Modern Costume Thor.

REVIEW: GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra - Tunnel Rat vs Monkey Wrench Double Pack

Tunnel Rat is an explosives and demolitions expert with the GI Joe team. He is an expert at deactivating the dangerous devices that Cobra plants as part of their plan to release nanomite weapons upon the world.

Monkey Wrench works as an explosives expert in the Dreadnok gang led by the Cobra Mercenary Zartan. This mechanically gifted thug can craft devices capable of anything from minor damage to catastrophic destruction.

These two demolitions experts face each other in an explosive encounter!

REVIEW: Marvel Universe's Daredevil

Daredevil | Produced by Hasbro | Released March 2009

By day, he's Matt Murdock, blind defence lawyer and one half of Hell's Kitchen law-firm Nelson & Murdock . By night, he's the scourge of the underworld... He is Daredevil... the Man Without Fear!

With the recent re-issue of Hasbro's 3 3/4'' Daredevil (albeit in a slightly re-coloured costume) we at That Figures thought it was time to revisit one of the earliest Marvel Universe releases in his original costume.

REVIEW: Marvel Universe's Warpath (X-Men Costume Variant)

Warpath (X-Men Costume Variant) | Produced by Hasbro | Released January 2011

As a boy, James Proudstar idolized his older brother the X-MAN known as THUNDERBIRD. When his brother was killed, Proudstar swore to follow in his footsteps, and took on the mantle of the hero. His relationship with the X-MEN has been uneasy at times, but over the years he has come to terms with his brother's death, and become an invaluable member of the team.

Following-on from the previously-Reviewed Ms Marvel variant, today it's the turn of Warpath in his X-Men costume.

REVIEW: Gormiti Hypnofrog and Hawk Silent The Earl of the Skies

On a distant island a long time ago, the story of Gormiti begins...

REVIEW: Microman AX-21 AcroPhantom

AX-21 AcroPhantom - the perfect Acroyear.  Phantom equipped with Phantom Gear.  Death Grave Hammer and Acro armor.  His weapon Death Grave was a gift from AcroCleve.

- Translation from Microman Forever.

Today it's the turn of Takara's AcroPhantom, from the 2005 Acroyear X-2 line.

How does the figure measure-up?  Is this rarity worth hunting-down?  Read on and see!

REVIEW: Marvel Universe's Iron Man 2020

Arno Stark isn't quite the hero his cousin Tony Stark was, but he does his best - as long as the best is what pays.  The world of 2020 is less about right and wrong, and more about the bottom line which is why IRON MAN always works for the highest bidder.  Of course, he's also got to answer to his Board, so he tries to keep his eye on the big picture.  If a mission won't enhance Stark Industries' stock price, then he almost always regretfully declines.

Today I'm taking a look at - in case you haven't already guessed - Iron Man 2020.

REVIEW: Marvel Universe's Spider-Man 2099

In a future ruled by a corrupt and profit-mad corporation, Earth is starved for heroes.  SPIDER-MAN 2099 is the first of many to fight back against the scheming of Alchemax.  Granted his powers in a laboratory accident, he fights the company from within, and uses his technical genius to keep his identity hidden from the high-tech Public Eye security forces.

He's just a repaint of the black-costume Spider-Man with a few custom parts.

What, you want more?  Okay but there's really little else to say...