Happy Halloween!

TFC Toys Ares: Phlogeus

 

 In Greek mythology, Phlogeus was one of four horses gifted to twin demigods by Hermes and Hera. Since TFC Toys has adopted a Greek mythology naming scheme, Phlogeus is also the name of their version of G1 Predacon Rampage, who, true to the mythological Phlogeus, transforms into a . . . tiger.

Mass Burial: The Black Dahlia Murder, Deflorate

The fourth record by The Black Dahlia Murder, and another time where the same words and descriptions filter through my mind. Melodic Death metal. Gothenburg. Competent. I feel like this reminds me of X from year Y.

I kind of feel that I’m doing the band a disservice.

But Deflorate is different, somehow. Deflorate offers some type of . . . difference.

Grave Considerations: Transformers Titans Return Final Thoughts/Power of the Primes Pre-Thoughts

In keeping with the age old tradition established at the end of Combiner Wars, I wanted to take some time and give a closing thought on the current Transformers toy line before its successor, Power of the Primes, launches . . . whenever it’s going to launch. Like its own predecessor, Titans Return has been a line of good things, and a line of infuriating distribution.

FansProject Saurus: Dinoshi

Dinoshi is the analog to G1 Pretender Monster Bristleback and Victory Dinoforce member Gairyu, and serves as the other arm of Ryu-Oh, opposite Dinoni. This is another rather slender figure, setting it apart from four of the other five team members. This takes a different approach to combiner limb figures, as most other combiners, official product or otherwise, maintain a generally uniform size among the four limb figures. It will be interesting to see how Ryu-Oh turns out in combined mode with arms that will be smaller than the legs.

This figure also kills a pretty long standing theory here at the Coffin, that of third party companies somehow not being capable of producing sliding parts, as the robot legs slide during transformation. Ok, we were wrong.

 

TFC Toys Hades: Cerberus

 

Cerberus is an interesting story. Half of the original pair of Hades figures obtained, this was the one out of the full set of six that was predetermined to be the weakest, least impressive one.

Boy, was that wrong.

Star Wars: The Black Series Commander Gree

 

At this point in the life of the Star Wars Black Series, there is no excuse to not have more Clone Commanders. Sure, there are only a few of them that have any actual character based on the films, but “The Clone Wars” show eventually offered characterization for so many Clones that it should not seem out of the realm of possibility that 6” figures of them be made. Revenge of the Sith offers us two Commanders who get names and dialogue, those being Cody and Gree. Cody was released some time ago; Gree here is a Toys R Us exclusive Force Friday release intended to help build hype for The Last Jedi.

Mass Burial: The Black Dahlia Murder, Nocturnal

The Black Dahlia Murder’s third album Nocturnal is the one that people seem to rave about. Or, at least, it is the album that other people have told me I would eventually appreciate most. Out of only three albums to this point, I’d say that I agree with all of them, but I fear that this article will prove something of a backhanded compliment.

TFC Toys Hercules: Dr. Crank

 

 Many, many years ago, a little boy was introduced to the incredible concept of combining robots when, on an unassuming summer afternoon, his grandmother took him to a store and bought him a Transformer. Well, it wasn’t really a Transformer; it was one of the plentiful-at-the-time transforming robot toys that was a Transformer, but not an official one, released by some other company to try and capitalize on the toy phenomenon that was Transformers in the early and mid-1980s. The toy was a red version of Hook, stuffy Constructicon surgeon. It seems that that anecdote is particularly appropriate here, with Dr. Crank, a not-a-real-Transformer version of Hook.

Transformers: Titans Return Perceptor

 

Perceptor has always been a strange bird in the Transformers lineup. Introduced as a stuffy know it all with the totally useful and plausible alt mode of giant microscope, this was apparently too vague of a character, or more modern contributors to the mythology are Perceptor super fans, as in recent times, Perceptor has transformed from accidentally charismatic nerd to Wrecker, PTSD-addled sniper extraordinaire, now a hyper intelligent and logical killing machine. Because. Titans Return adds another credential to Perceptors’ CV by making him a Headmaster.

Mass Burial: The Black Dahlia Murder, Miasma

The second album from The Black Dahlia Murder takes on more of a traditional Death metal feel, still retaining the Swedeath vocal style but musically moving into a more solid, less hyperkinetic musical direction. This is not to say that’s a bad thing, as it works for the band and their style. Some Gothenburg elements are still present, but this time around, they are more accents or flourishes, as can be heard in “Statutory Ape”. Songs like “A Vulgar Picture” retain the Swedish much more obviously, but other songs do show signs of moving away from that. A super fast 33 minutes, Miasma does a lot of work in a pretty short time.