Hello and welcome back to yet another brand spanking new edition of Toy News Tuesday! We’re the one weekly column right here on ScienceFiction.com where we seek out all of the awesome news you need to know about any announcements and cool happenings in the toy industry and put them all in one easy to find place for you! This week the announcements were many, but the news was small! The biggest news is that Hot Toys is pumping out awesome new stuff for us by the boatload lately, which is hardly news at all but still pretty darn exciting! Lets dive headfirst into the Toy News for the week of July 28th, 2015!
Every Vote Counts
A few weeks back, we talked about Hasbro’s plan to give fans the chance to decide what characters should end up in an upcoming wave of Marvel Legends figures! During San Diego Comic Con a few weeks ago, they gave fans a list of characters they could vote for each of the four days of the convention, with the character with the most votes from each day moving forward into the final round of fan voting. Nowe that final round is upon us, as Marvel is hosting a new fan poll on their website asking fans to choose one of the four winning characters from SDCC to become the next Marvel Legends figure!
The four characters left for fans to choose from are Mysterio, Darkhawk, Symbiote Suit Spiderman, and Angela! Cast your vote today at Marvel.com to decide who the next Marvel Legends figure will be!
Imports Assemble!
If you thought that your 6″ scale ‘Avengers’ figure collection was complete once you picked up the latest waves of Hasbro’s Marvel Legends line, think again! The teams from Bandai and Tamashii Nations recently took the opportunity to showcase some of the new figures from their S.H. Figuarts ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ line of super poseable figures at Summer Wonder Festival 2015!
Figures in this line include Captain America, The Hulk, Thor, War Machine, and several versions of Iron Man including Mark 43, Mark XLV, and The Hulkbuster Armor! They also showcased a brand new Ultron figure that puts Hasbro’s build-a-figure Ultron to shame!
Currently there is no word on when these figures will be hitting stateside, but it’s probably safe to assume they will be flying off the shelves once they finally do hit!
(via ToyArk; Image Credits Dengeki Hobby)
Mattel Has The Power!
After all of the awesome news for upcoming ‘Masters of the Universe’ and ‘Thundercats’ products from Mattel at San Diego Comic Con, many fans were left with quite a few questions! Luckily, Mattycollector’s very own Skeletor’s Love Child took to the Matty Collector Forums to give people the answers to at least a few of the questions that had been boggling their minds these past few weeks! Check out his full post below-
Hi guys,
We haven’t been ignoring you, it’s more like everyone has been trying to get caught up and back into the regular groove now that Comic Con is over. I’ve seen a few reoccurring questions on the boards so rather than post to the individual threads I thought it would be best to list all the answers here.
Filmation Subscription
The enrollment period for this subscription will begin in October. This sub (like Collector’s Choice) will ship every other month starting in February 2016 and you will be able to receive your products bi-monthly or use the Triple Play option. You can expect lower prices for this line as well. :)Combining Subscriptions
We are actively working with the team at Digital River to try to make this happen. I’m fully aware of the costly shipping fees, and would like to make things easier for you if possible.Slides From the Presentation
I will make most of the slides available, some need to be held back for legal purposes.Power Con Exclusives
Honestly we saw this as a good opportunity to support the He-Man.org crew and Power Con, and help promote the Masters brand to a wider audience. While I know this does not make everyone happy, this is simply one of those times where we will have to “agree to disagree.”Thundercats
They’re going to be awesome. Period.The enrollment period for this particular subscription won’t be until early 2016, and the first figure (Lion-O) won’t ship until July 2016. The full lineup will be revealed and yes, you will be pleased. :) There will be a good mix of heroes, villains and allies…seriously I think you’re going to love it.
Snake Mountain
It is gorgeous and magnificent and full of awe and wonder….and going to be resized lol. Seriously, we had no idea it was going to be that huge and while we love everything about it (and we know you do too) we’re going to scale it down between 10-20%. We want you to be able to display this beautiful beast proudly in your homes without having to build a separate room or sell one (or two) of your organs on the black market, and scaling down is the most effective way to make this happen. Oh, and to those of you who were wondering about how the Blue Tooth feature figures into the cost: it was actually cheaper to do the Blue Tooth than the microphone, like a lot cheaper.Transparency
It was the word of the day at the Mattypalooza panel and it’s still very much alive and well in the office. However let me say this: though we are committed to keeping you guys updated and in the know about what’s going on with the line there are still some things we can’t (and won’t ) divulge due to legal and company policies. Will you know things such as the full lineup of characters in a subscription, cool things coming down the pipeline, or if product will be delayed? Yes. Will you have full access to the inner workings of Mattel and the labyrinth of policies behind making your product, or have answers the exact moment decisions are made? Probably not. Have patience with us; I know it doesn’t seem like it but we have your best interests at heart. :)Skeletor’s Love Child
Additionally, Skeletor’s Love Child posted regarding the fate of the previously announced MOTU 200X King Hsss in Snake Form upper torso and head! Check out the full post below-
I know you guys have been wondering about King Hssss and now that I have some concrete answers I can share what’s going on.Yes, the new torso was scheduled to be released with Buzz Saw Hordak.
However, when we tried to combine the two we found out that it wouldn’t be possible to do so due to costs. We tried a few different options (alternate packaging, higher price point, etc.), but none of these choices made sense (business or common).
So here’s what we’ve decided to do: King Hssss will still be released in 2015 but he will arrive as a complete figure. Accessories, alternate head, another set of legs…it will all be there. After reviewing all the different factors that went into making this product this was the only thing that made sense as well as the right thing to do. We know that promises were made regarding how you were supposed to receive this figure but ultimately…it just wasn’t possible. It didn’t sit well with any of us to force you to pay a premium for this item so we decided to put the power in your hands.
As a sub holder you will not be locked in to purchasing this figure. King Hssss will be offered during the month of November as an add on item. If you want him, he’ll be available during Early Access; if not, you won’t be obligated to purchase. All remaining stock not purchased will be offered during our November All Access sale.
There will be pictures posted of the bendy headed Snake Men leader at a later date, but I didn’t want to wait any longer to give you a heads up.
Transparently Yours,
Skeletor’s Love Child
Loyally Exclusive
The team from The Loyal Subjects crushed it this year at San Diego Comic Con with their veritable mountain of convention exclusive collectibles. Now they’re keeping the ball rolling wiht a whole slew of new exclusive collectibles that will leave you begging for more and even complete a few sets that were started with SDCC 2015 Exclusives like the Crystal Power Rangers! This time the exclusives aren’t for a convention though, but rather a specialty store chain that you can shop at from the comfort of your own home, Hastings! Check out the whole crop of new Hastings Exclusive Collectibles from The Loyal Subjects below-
HASTINGS EXCLUSIVES
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS (VILLAINS THREE PACK “CRYSTAL EDITION”) – And where there’s Heroes there’s Villains! A double whammy! Now you CAN complete the WHOLE “Crystal Edition” set with the MMPR Villains “Crystal Edition” 3pack set ONLY available through Hastings! Shut the door, game over – the set is now complete and is an epic ending for the completionsists following the “Crystal Edition” MMPR Action Vinyls release(s). Each Action Vinyl comes with their signature accessory(s), boasts multiple points of articulation, a magnificent “crystal” translucent treatment – AND Rita Repulsa has castors under her body…she really can float! Don’t miss out! While supplies last and EXCLUSIVE to Hastings!
GID BLITZWING – Ever seen a robot transform into a jet and then a tank? Me neither; until now. Blitzwing, one of the most fierce and dreaded Decepticons, packed with ferocious firepower and ardent foe on the battlefront. This triple changing Decepticon is not only Glow In The Dark (GID) with some of the most potent glow components out there, he also has a rotating turret, 10 points of articulation, a retractable cannon barrel, an energon blaster and energon sword. This dude is fierce! Standing a cool 3.4” tall and packaged on a blister card with bio and stats on the back! One for the books as far as collectors go. Do not sleep on picking up this limited edition Action Vinyl. While supplies last and EXCLUSIVE to Hastings!GID RUMBLE – One of Soundwave’s tapes, this Decepticon disruptor may be small for his size but packs a potent punch. His power? Making earthquakes, what else?! Wow, that is some tremble in those leadened hammers! Rumble, the brother of Frenzy, has a temper like none other and rarely seen in the GID format. He has all of his Cybertronian powers in full force. This limited edition collectible has 8 points of articulation and includes extruding pistons when you push in his shoulders! Packaged on a blister card with bio and stats on the back. Do not sleep on picking up this limited edition Action Vinyl. While supplies last and EXCLUSIVE to Hastings!
DEAD OPTIMUS PRIME – Unfortunate death is a part of life but fortunate all great souls find their way back to their origins and especially great and heroic leaders like Optimus Prime who’s soul lives on in the Autobot resistance. This epic and detailed rendition of Optimus Prime is taken from the animated movie where alas, Prime’s spark exists. His beautiful red and blue coloring turns to grey and black. Prime’s powerful voice is still in tact for this 5.5” Action Vinyl. Included are his energon blaster, his energon axe and 3 three-second sound bites declaring his namesake and his position on defending the Autobot agenda. Most notable is the detailed deco on Prime’s chest, which showcase the inner workings, and of course, his dimming all spark. The 8” version sold out in record time so don’t sleep on your chance to pick up the 5.5” edition with 9 points of articulation. While supplies last and EXCLUSIVE to Hastings!
TMNT GID PACK – “Heroes in a half shell!” We all know the epic story as created by Eastman and Laird – Turtles from a lab escape to the sewer where they are raised by an equally radioactive mutated rat who turns these young turtle halflings into crime fighting heroes and stealth like ninjas! So to celebrate this epic tale, Hastings has the EXCLUSIVE 4pack GID TMNT Heroes pack including Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello and Leonardo. All equipped with their signature weapons, and Mikey’s pizza glows in the dark too! As Mikey would say, “Radical”!! The 4packs have been some of the most successful TMNT Exclusive items so do not sleep on these! Each Action Vinyl comes with 9 points of articulation! While supplies last and EXCLUSIVE to Hastings!
METALLIC SHREDDER AND BLACK FOOTCLAN SOLDIER – People have copped leaks of the Metallic Turtles. Well, here are the Villains and they are M E T A L L I C ! Sweet, candy coat like metallic paint jobs make Shredder and his dreaded Footclan that much more dastardly. These Action Vinyls have 10 points of articulation, come packed as a 2pack set and include their signature weapons. These are so pretty you might just have to buy two, one to display and one to keep sealed for a long time! AND Exclusive to Hastings! While supplies last and EXCLUSIVE to Hastings!
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS (HEROES THREE PACK “CRYSTAL EDITION”) – We know the hunt for the “Crystal Edition” Rangers has been something fierce. The Green Ranger exclusive to Toy Tokyo and the Pink, Red, and Blue Rangers SDCC Exclusives through The Loyal Subjects. That being said, for all you completionists and everyone who had been asking for the White, Yellow and Black “Crystal Edition” Rangers, guess what? Hastings has them in a Three Pack! The Black Ranger has been one of the most sought after, same with the White Ranger – Do Not miss this opportunity to complete your Heroes “Crystal Edition” set! Each Action Vinyl has a beautiful “crystal” like translucent treatment, multiple accessories, removable helmets and 10 points of articulation! This set is epic and ONLY available through Hastings. While supplies last and EXCLUSIVE to Hastings!
A Long Time Ago, In A 1:6th Scale Galaxy Far, Far Away…
The team from Hot Toys has been showing off their love for ‘Star Wars’ again this past week at Ani-Com and Games Hong Kong 2015!
Last week we talked about a teaser that Hot Toys had posted regarding a full size 1:6th scale Millennium Falcon vehicle that would probably be too big to even fit into your garage! This past week at Ani-Com and Games Hong Kong 2015, they premiered the whole 1:6th scale model playset, which will be part of the “Star Wars Galaxy Exhibition Powered by Hot Toys” that will be traveling in Asia this year to celebrate the ‘Star Wars’ franchise and build up hype for the new film in the series, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’. It is currently unknown whether this MIllennium Falcon will ever be made available for purchase by the public, but it seems highly unlikely that it ever will be.
Additionally, Hot Toys premiered a first look at their all new 1:6th Scale Princess Leia Organa figure at the convention just before putting out a full release for the figure, which you can check out below:
“Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.” – Princess Leia
The brave and strong-willed Princess Leia is a beloved character in the original Star Wars trilogy. Her important role in leading the rebellion against the Galactic Empire is unforgettable to any Star Wars fans! Following the introduction of the Hot Toys Luke Skywalker 1/6th scale Collectible Figure, today we are excited to officially present his twin sister, the Princess Leia 1/6th scale Collectible Figure from Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope!
The movie-accurate collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of Carrier Fisher as Princess Leia in the film featuring a newly developed head sculpt, detailed hair sculpture of Princess Leia’s iconic hair style, specially tailored costume, two types of blasters, and a figure stand.
A special edition is available in selected markets which include a specially designed backdrop as bonus accessory.
Fans don’t miss the chance to pre-order this wonderful collectible figure to your Star Wars collection!
“I’m Gonna Call Him Antony!”
We already got a big reveal of Hot Toys new 1:6th scale Antman figure last week, but this week they’re pouring on some Pym particles and scaling the figure down even more to give us a special new tiny 10 Centimeter long figure of Antman riding his trusty flying ant, Antony. Check out the full release from Hot Toys below:
The Marvel’s latest entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe – Ant-Man has been well-received upon its debut in theatres! In this exciting film, our new hero, Scott Lang, has donned the Ant-Man suit and learned how ants can be his greatest allies. The carpenter ant which Scott has affectionately named Antony has become his trusted steed for flying to destinations.
Today Hot Toys is delighted to present a special movie-accurate Ant-Man on Flying Ant Miniature Collectible for all fans of the movie!
This collectible will be a fantastic piece to display on shelves or desks for any fans of Ant-Man!
Bringing The Party To You
Hot Toys is still working away relentlessly on their mission to bring you every single conceivable version of Iron Man’s armor in 1:6th Scale! Their efforts are clearly paying off as they’re nearing their fiftieth version of the Iron Avenger, and now they’re bringing a few new ones our way all at once! This week’s recent announcements include 1:6th Scale versions of Iron Man Mark XLV from ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, Iron Man Mark XL from ‘Iron Man 3’, and a special new Pepper Potts figure that is available on her own OR packaged with an Iron Man Mark IX figure! Check out the full releases from Hot Toys below:
In Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tony Stark has suited up in his brand new Mark XLV armor for the final battle in Sokovia against the artificial intelligence Ultron. This new suit has captured many fans’ attention with its unique streamline and sleek design! Today, Hot Toys is thrilled to officially present the Mark XLV Collectible Figure as the latest addition to our Quarter Scale series!
The movie-accurate Mark XLV Collectible Figure is highly detailed and meticulously crafted based on the image of the armor in the film. It features a sophisticatedly sculpted armored body, specially applied metallic red, gold and silver colored paint with weathering effects, great articulations with armor parts linkage designs, LED light-up functions on various parts of armor, and a specially designed diorama base with a Ultron Sentry (Prime) body!
A Special Edition will be available for selected markets which includes bonus additional 1/4th scale Ultron Sentry (Prime) head sculpt and a secret accessory.
This all-new streamline designed Iron Man will be the perfect addition to your Avengers: Age of Ultron collection!
In Marvel’s Iron Man 3, the movie introduced a large number of new Iron Man armors for Tony Stark’s House Party Protocol and they were called into action at the climax of the film where Tony faced off with Aldrich Killian and his Extremis soldiers.
Today Hot Toys is pleased to officially introduce the 1/6th scale collectible figure of the stylishly designed Shotgun Mark XL, the Hyper Velocity Traveling Suit that Tony Stark has used for close combat against Aldrich Killian!
The figure is specially crafted based on the image of Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark/Shotgun in Iron Man 3. It features a distinctive armor design with metallic blue and silver paint, helmeted battle damaged head sculpt with LED light-up function, interchangeable battle damaged armor parts, LED light-up functions in chest, palms, and torso, and a circular dynamic figure stand.
A Special Edition will be available for selected markets which includes a Python (Mark XX) mini collectible figure as bonus accessory.
The Shotgun armor will be an exceptional addition to any Iron Man collection!
“I have to protect the one thing that I can’t live without. That’s you.” – Tony Stark
In the Iron Man movie series, Pepper Potts has been a very important person in Tony Stark’s heart. As the love interest of Tony Stark, and assisting Tony in the defeat of Obadiah Stane and Aldrich Killian, Pepper has been there with the genius billionaire at the most crucial moments in the film series. Fans have been longing for a collectible figure of her and today Hot Toys is delighted to officially reveal the 1/6th scale Pepper Potts Collectible Figure from Iron Man 3!
The movie-accurate collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts in the film featuring a newly developed head sculpt with long straight light reddish-blonde real fabric hair, finely tailored costume, an interchangeable Iron Man Mark IX right arm with LED light-up function, and figure stand!
Pepper Potts will be a great addition to your Iron Man and Tony Stark collection!
Pepper Potts Deluxe with Iron Man Mark IX
“Oh my god, that was really violent.” – Pepper Potts
Throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pepper Potts has been a very important person in Tony Stark’s heart. In Iron Man 3, Aldrich Killian has kidnapped Pepper Potts and subjected her to Extremis in order to force Tony Stark to help eliminate the flaws in Extremis to save Pepper. Fans have been longing for a collectible figure of her and today Hot Toys is delighted to officially present a 1/6th scale Collectible Figures Set featuring Pepper Potts and Iron Man Mark IX from Iron Man 3!
The Pepper Potts collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts in the film featuring a newly developed head sculpt with long straight light reddish-blonde real fabric hair, finely tailored costume, an interchangeable Iron Man Mark IX right arm with LED light-up function, and figure stand!
The Mark IX collectible figure features metallic red and gold-colored armor with weathering effects, interchangeable armor parts, LED light-up functions, and a dynamic figure stand ideal for mid-air poses. The collectible figures set will exclusively include a Pepper Potts in Mark XLII helmet head sculpt interchangeable on the Hot Toys’ 1/6th scale Mark XLII collectible figure!
A Special Edition will be available for selected markets which includes an additional Mark VII illuminating helmet as bonus accessory.
Iron Man fans don’t pass up on the opportunity to add Pepper Potts and the Mark IX armor to your prized collection!
With all of these awesome new Iron Man 1:6th Scale figures coming our way, it’s only a matter of time until we’re going to need an actual room sized ‘Hall Of Armor’ to display them all in!
Funko Forecast
Get ready for the Funko Forecast! This is where we’re going to be showcasing all of the cool new announcements and reveals from Funko! With all of the awesome that consistently seems to be flowing out of those guys, it shouldn’t be hard to keep this section alive each and every week!
You Have Failed This Exclusive!
Another day, another exclusive Funko POP! Vinyl! This week’s new exclusive announcement is ‘Island Scarred’ Oliver Queen from ‘Arrow’! This figure is set to be a Fugitive Toys exclusive at Toronto Fan Expo (which is held 9/3/15-9/6/15) and Wizard World San Jose (Which is held 9/4/15-9/6/15). Don’t worry too much if you can’t get to either of those events, as Fugitive Toys has him up for pre-order already now for those who can’t make it to the conventions! These orders are expected to ship out after the first week of September when the conventions are over.
(via Pop Vinyls)
The Power Of POP Compels You!
Funko is adding yet anotherhorror icon to their ranks with the announcement of Regan from the cinematic classic ‘The Exorcist’. There isn’t a whole lot of info out for Regan just yet, beyond that she is expected to be hitting stores just in time for Halloween this October!
Would You Kindly…
Funko has released new glamor shots of the upcoming ‘Bioshock’ themed wave of POP! Vinyls! This new wave is set to hit stores this October, and will feature fan favorite characters from throughout the series history like Booker DeWitt, Elizabeth, a Little Sister, and of course Big Daddy!
Funko Is Coming To 221B Baker St!
Our friends over at Entertainment Earth revealed all new glamor shots of the upcoming wave of ‘Sherlock’ POP vinyls that are set to hit this October! This wave is comprised of multiple versions of Sherlock, Watson, Moriarty, Mycroft, and Irene Adler.
And with that, we bring this week’s Toy News Tuesday to a close! What do you think about the new items announced this week? Do you plan on picking up anything we mentioned in this week’s column? Are there any lines or brands you’d like to see more coverage of? Let us know in the comments section below! Until next week, happy toy hunting!
