Sunday, April 21, 2019

Marvel Legends: Thanos


 
Man, Byron was right: April really is the cruelest month. What with Star Wars Celebration, numerous birthdays, the start of the NHL Playoffs, the winding down of the Spring semester, and this year, Avengers: Endgame to end not only the month, but the current cycle of the MCU. In honor of that last piece, let’s take a look at Marvel Legends Thanos, in his comic book, and thus best, appearance.

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Grave Considerations: Star Wars Celebration 2019



 Last week, my wife and I had the incredible experience and massive pleasure of attending the official Star Wars convention, Celebration, held in sweet home Chicago. The five day festival honors and . . . celebrates . . . all things Star Wars.

What a great time.

The last couple of years have been real rough to be part of a fandom, almost regardless of which fandom it is. Star Wars has had its share of bitching, as has Marvel; sports seem like they’ve been horribly toxic for many years already; the gaming world has always been full of jagoffs. Things really have felt bleak at times; but not Celebration. Star Wars Celebration was a joyful event that focused on all things positive and Star Wars, even though that is redundant. The atmosphere was amazing and universally positive and welcoming, proving that Star Wars really is for everyone. I personally have felt real nerves before both Celebration and last months’ C2E2 specifically because I’m not interested in the full diapered tantrums of haters and the ignorant, and am just hopeful that those people won’t attend conventions devoted to things that they clearly hate, but who can tell, really. The world is full of all kinds of people, even those who would attend an event just to be negative about it. For some reason.

Star Wars: The Black Series C-3PO




Franchise mainstay C-3PO does not make for the most exciting or impressive entry in the Black Series line, but is a necessary one. It was this view that kept him out of the Coffin collection for such a long time, only being welcomed a few weeks ago. The Walgreens exclusive version is the Original Trilogy 3PO, with the silver leg, not the general release from The Force Awakens, with the red arm.

Sunday, April 14, 2019

Marvel Legends: Thor



In preparation for the Marvel Comics event “War of the Realms,” let’s have a look at Legends Thor, as she appears in Jason Aaron’s spectacular Thor run dating from 2014 until just last year. Spoilers ahead, for those who don’t know who this Thors’ secret identity is, so proceed with caution.

FansProject Intimidator: Down Force






Apparently, Down Force is the second member of the Intimidator group to be released, not Last Chance, to correct a previous mistake. No matter; regardless of release order, Down Force is the FansProject stand-in for Dragstrip, the loveable psychotic six-wheeled race car member of the Stunticons.

Saturday, April 13, 2019

Star Wars: The Black Series Padme Amidala



 
 
Taking a minute before we leave for our second day at Star Wars Celebration 2019 to take a look at one of the most recent Wave of Black Series figures, Padme Amidala as she appears in Episode II: Attack of the Clones. It has been stated at some point in the not too distant past that the line would take time in 2019 to focus on the Prequels, since this year marks twenty years since The Phantom Menace was released.  (I think we will talk about The Phantom Menace in the not too distant future here as well, just not right now. –mr)

Sunday, April 7, 2019

Ju-Jiang Jet Commander JJ-02B: Jet Harrier




Jet Harrier, or “Harrier,” as he will be known hereafter, is the second member of the “Third Party”/upsized KO Combiner Wars Aerialbot team, known as Slingshot or “Quickslinger” in Hasbro parlance, and the first of the limb figures of the set. Roughly Masterpiece size, Harrier is the same height as MP Sideswipe.