Thursday, August 30, 2012

Toy Chest Thursday! WildC.A.T.S.

Alright! I feel like it is Tuesday! However here we go, a whole new Toy Chest! Today we are going to learn how to bake a cake. And draw space monkeys in a very pretty tree. Oh I'm just kidding, I'm actually craving cake and I wish I was sitting in one of those really fancy tree houses, you know, the ones that look like a house was dropped into a tree. Those look so cool!

Anyways, let's get a little wild for Toy Chest. As in WildC.A.T.S! In the early '90s Jim Lee, one of the founders of Image Comics, helped create his own comic series. For me, Jim Lee was the buzzed about name for that time in comics. His work on the X-Men was the turning point for me becoming a life long fan of the series. I had enjoyed the X-Men before his creative stamp on the series, however his work really defined a point that I felt a part of. Most of the stories and events I had read had already occurred before I really became interested in steadily reading comics. So needless to say I enjoyed his work.

WildCats was a comic that he created, along with Brandon Choi, and it quickly became more than just a comic series. There was a cartoon and toy line as well. The story was about a group of super heroic aliens that looked human (Kherubims) that were fighting against a group of evil aliens called Daemonites. Playmates introduced the toy line in 1994-95 that lasted for a decent amount of time on shelves. So let's check out the goods!

Zealot

So Zealot was the first figure I ever bought from this line. I thought she was a combo between Teela, She-Ra, and Psylocke, so I really had to have her. I thought she looked super cool. This was actually one of my more favorite lines from Playmates (Swans Crossing be damned!) The figures were larger than usual Playmates fare, and they were highly detailed. Zealot came with some weapons, a communicator, and a stand, all of which are loitering in the archival room. Her articulation was also pretty good. (Even her ponytail moves!)

Her bio card was also really cool. This woman was no pushover. She is a fierce warrior and fights as a noble Kherubim. I love that she fears no man, or Daemonite! Growing up I was slightly unsure what to think of her being like hundreds of years old. As a teen the idea of any age past 30 just seems strange and basically sci-fi. Now that I am in my thirties, I don't mind that Zealot is centuries old. (Homegirl looks pretty good for her age.)


Helspont

So Helspont was my next figure to get from this line back in the day, and I must confess something. I love a good cape. I think a nicely sculpted cape can make a figure infinitely cooler. Top that off with some flame hair, and I've got a hankerin' for one cool evil Daemonite! Helspont was also very easy to come across. When this toy line first came out, I remember seeing plenty of Zealots and Helsponts on shelves. Helspont came with really great detail and some articulation. He also had a stand, blaster, and a fusionball. (I'm really sure if I wandered far enough into the archival room, I could find these pieces. But, I am lazy.)

So reading over Helspont's bio, we can learn a few things. He is basically one evil dude. Possessing humans? Check. Causing many atrocities? Check. Looking just a bit like Ghost Rider? Check. The one thing I think I like most about Helspont is that his spaceship shares the name of one of the most ferocious beasts in the Final Fantasy series: the Behemoth. As far as villains go, Helspont seems to have it all. Except for the Orb.

WildCats fans were given more than just a regular cut out bio card though. Each figure also came with a cool trading card too! The artwork was very nice and highly detailed. Helspont looked super evil. I loved his face. And of course Zealot looked totally bad ass. I wish I could say I had read the comics or even really watched the show. But I got my comics at the local gas station back then, and it wasn't like they had a large assortment of titles. As for the cartoon, well those were the days before DVR. I could never quite figure out the time or station. I was also a teenager, so waking up early to watch cartoons was not really important for me. I liked sleeping in. However a few of the episodes I had seen, were very good.

The trading cards also had some bio information on the other side as well. The information wasn't that much different from what was featured on the other bio cards, however the information was entertaining. The world of WildCats was imaginative and really featured some cool toys. So, let's look at one more!
 
 
 Void
 
How cool is she? Covered in vac metal, Void is a living supercomputer. I'm getting ahead of myself though. After the success of the first line of figures, Playmates expanded the WildCats line and introduced more of the cool characters. However there was one problem. Some figures became harder to find, like the two other females, Void and Voodoo. Interestingly enough, they can be found fairly cheap on the secondary market now. Anyways the packaging for WildCats was awesome. The card had a nice larger picture of the character. Pinks, purples, and yellows were also factored into the the color scheme (very Jem!)

Void was super cool. With the same level of articulation as the other figures, Void was still something special. Vac metal is usually reviled by some collectors, but how could anyone not want a figure that is supposed to resemble shiny metal? I had stumbled upon a Void at a Toysrus once, but I didn't get her. And in a way I'm glad I waited, because I ended up coming across one many years later for a very inexpensive price.

The back of the card had a lot going on. Playmates was very good at packing in a lot of information on the back of their figs. (They still do.) So there are a few things to look at like the over all synopsis of the story. The large cast of figures to collect. A special section dedicated to Void and what she comes with, and of course that super cool bio card. There was even a nice blurb about the upcoming WildCats video game. Do I smell a re-release on Virtual Console? Would that even be possible?

There were plenty of choices to pick from with the releases from the second line. However I have one critique for this section. If you don't read the small details, it is difficult to see who is good and who is bad. The first line of figures had a split image on the card back. The villains were on one side while the heroes were on the other. I always wanted Voodoo, she was the crossbreed. Part alien and part human, she also had special sight. I also liked Spartan. However for whatever reason, I only ever ended up with Zealot and Helspont, until finding Void at my local comic shop of course.

Void came with a neat "item." A wavy purple piece doubled as a stand that connected to her base. The figure would then look like she was levitating in the air. A pretty cool trick!

Void was actually one of the more important characters in the WildCats mythos. She was essentially Jean Grey in a silver body suit. Oh I am only being half serious. In all honesty I really liked that she was this living supercomputer that knew everything. I've always liked the idea of containing that much knowledge. I'm just too stupid to be a computer. But how fun would it be for Void and Michael Fassbender's David from Prometheus to have a special romance? Oh I'm thinking of the perfect images for a future edition of Dorky Snaps.
 
Anyways, WildC.A.T.S. was a really cool toy line. Playmates practically ruled toy shelves in the '90s with all their various properties, and I am glad they got a crack at some very cool WildC.A.T.S. figures! So enjoy this very late edition of Toy Chest! And be sure to check back soon. There are some fun things coming up. I have a new article heading towards NERDsociety very soon. There is also a brand new chapter of Adora's Search for Honor coming on Saturday. And get ready folks... Next week's Toy Chest Tuesday is going to be hugely epic! A showdown of the ages! Doll versus doll! I can't wait! This will be awesome. Until next time...

10 comments:

  1. I hadn't thought about the WildC.A.T.S. figures in for ever! I have them ...somewhere ..in my mess.Void was my favorite out of the line.

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    1. I really loved Void. I thought she was so cool. I always kinda wanted to be cast in vac metal. I more than likely would not survive such a thing, but I'd look cool.

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  2. I used to own Grifter from this line and he was one sweet figure.

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  3. I was not a huge fan of Wildcats, even though I had the comics(Image wise I was really big into the Maxx, the Savage Dragon and some of the very early Spawn stuff) but Jim Lee is doing the new 52 justice League now and as I've said a lot it's awesome.
    I recommend it to you for the role wonder woman plays especially. In the last issue she kicked Green Lanterns ass after finding out Steve Trevor might be dead. Can't wait for the next one.
    Also Wildcats is now a part of the mainstream DC Universe in the new 52. Weird to see characters like Grifter rubbing shoulders with Batman.
    Speaking of old Image titles and characters you know which line you really need to look into that I have EVERY single toy from? Danger Girl! That's right I own multiple copies of every single character from the J. Scott Campbell Spy-chick series. I think it was because my friend was giving them to me or something-he had to get rid of them. Anyway, they are cool and the comic was good. Campbell knew how to draw women! Yum!

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    1. I loved the Maxx! Never read the comics, but I watched the show on MTV religiously. I need to pick that up on dvd. I picked up the 10th issue of the new Wonder Woman because I liked the cover. It was pretty good. I might actually start reading DC. Which is very unlike me. That is also pretty cool that the WildCats are mixing it up in the DC universe.

      Now Danger Girl. Well. It just so happens that I might have those items, but I am not sure when they will be posted. I did like Danger Girl though. Sydney Savage was my favorite.

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  4. I was the opposite, never saw the show but loved the Maxx comics. Sam Keith's art style was insane! Being a 12 year old at the time I hadn't had any drug experiences but the Maxx was close enough.
    I haven't seen any issues of wonder woman yet, is she drawn well? Nothing pisses me off more than a Wonder Woman whose too butch. Jim Lee does a pretty good job with her. People should use Alex Toth's design from the Super Friend's Cartoons. She's skinny and streamlined-the Mary Tyler Moore hair is a bit dated-but I hate when artists think she has to be all manly looking to be tough.
    And it's sad considering the history of Marvel comics always having kicked the crap out of DC but now even though Marvel may have the better movies DC has got the better comics.
    Did you read Danger Girl? Sydney savage was probably the hottest, but didn't she turn out to be a double agent bad guy in the end? I forget now it's been so long. J. Scott Campbell also created some fine females for Gen-13. Fairchild was a sexy redhead, and because I'm a punk rock enthusiast I always had a thing for Roxy, the chick with the leather jacket and pink stripes in her hair.

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    1. The Maxx was just all around awesome. I absolutely loved anything and everything about him. I never got his figure from McFarlane toys, but he was still soo cool.

      As for women and their looks in comics, I think it depends on the character. As a general rule I am not fond of female super heroes looking all roided up, but I also don't like them being stick thin. For example, if Rogue and fly and break through walls of stone, she can't look like she is in need of food. I think some lean muscle is never a bad thing, but it always depends on the character. Some female super heroes should have a lil muscle on them, depending on their powers or strength. But too much can look silly. And I read a couple Danger Girl comics, I never read it all the time, because I devoted a lot of my time and money to collecting X-Men comics. But Danger Girl and Gen 13 were really good stories. For me though, I usually jump onto a property if there are figures attached. So I didn't really know much about Danger Girl or Gen 13 until they released figures. lol I am a mess like that.

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  5. Wow i really like that part when you where too cool to wake up soon and watch morning cartoons...I'm still doing it at 31.I remember my high school mates laughing at me cause i was still watchin cartoons...Anyway THANKS for discover me the WildC.A.T.S!!!

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    1. No problem Nastyroker! The WildC.A.T.S. were pretty cool. And yeah, I was always watching cartoons, my only problem was getting up in time. lol Of course I really don't know what I did before DVR. Now I just tape everything, while still getting to sleep in. Of course, I don't even think they show most cartoons in the morning anymore. Thanks for the comment, I hope you are doing well.

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