Thursday, June 6, 2013

Bits and Pieces! Wave 8!

I haven't done one of these in awhile, but there has been some pretty exciting toy news this week. So ring the alarm, it is time for an all new Bits and Pieces! Toy news you can totally use and that has totally been reported all over the place, but do any of those other news sources contain my wit and charm? Didn't think so!


For that Glitter 'n Gold Look

Oh Hasbro really did it this time. Every year when the temperature rises, folks from around the globe converge at the San Diego Comic Con. Companies also have special items for sale to commemorate such an auspicious event. I will unfortunately be unable to attend SDCC this year as I will be busy with reporting duties at the Conference of Evil. But my heart will be at SDCC in spirit, especially due to the unique exclusive con items. Back to Hasbro, I got a lovely little email from Integrity Toys revealing all kinds of splashy images from the Hasbro 2013 SDCC Exclusive Glitter 'n Gold Jem doll! Let's look on and dream!






 
Where do I even begin? First off this doll is totally reminding me why I was a stupid child for passing up the chance to own the original Glitter 'n Gold Jem doll. That hair! That dress! That mink stole! It is everything I love about the 80's: shiny loud metallic excess. Just when I thought it was the coolest thing owning a new Pizzazz doll, they had to go and show off this new Jem doll. They even have an extra Glitter 'n Gold outfit for Jerrica to wear too. She is only going to be at SDCC, but if there are any quantities left over, Hasbro will be selling them on their website during their SDCC online sale. However, something tells me this lovely lady is going to sell out like hot cakes. Golden dreamy hotcakes.
 
But! For those of us who will be busy elsewhere and unable to attend SDCC this year, Hasbro and Integrity Toys are going to share the Jem love by releasing a special Glitter 'n Gold Rio doll on the Integrity Toy store website to the general public on Wednesday July 17th, 2013 at noon EDT. Members of the W Club (Integrity Toy's exclusive doll club) will have the chance for a sort of early access to Rio on Tuesday July 16th, 2013 at noon EDT. Enough of the rambling, let's look at dreamy Rio!
 



 
I really love this last picture. I so want that background scene. I can't tell if that is a real diorama or if it was computer generated, but it looks stunning. I just love these dolls. The detail and overall look is superb. I can't wait for people to pick these up and do some reviews on them, I know there will be some great reviews. And for those who don't know what all the fuss is about with the Glitter 'n Gold look, YouTube the Glitter 'n Gold Jem episode. The song was very catchy and also helped usher in the second line of Jem dolls. Just a really great episode.
 
She-Ra goes POP!
 
My next order of business is to discuss and announce my love affair with Funko. The POP! Vinyl figures that Funko has been releasing for awhile now have captured my cold little black heart with all their charm and cuteness. I totally swoon for cute smaller versions of things I love. Can you just imagine how awesome it would be to have some Jem Vinyl figures? Oh it'd be so cool. Anyways, I'm not here to talk about Jem, she just got her time.
 
I was at my local comic store today and I was in line getting ready to purchase my comics. Do you ever stand in line at the comic store and get all nosey with what other people are buying? I do that all the time. I am always curious to see what other dorky folk are collecting. Well anyways, as I was in line, I noticed this guy had three Masters of the Universe POP! Vinyl figures in his hands: He-Man, She-Ra, and Hordak or Skeletor. I can't quite remember. Once I saw the She-Ra in his hands I lost all sense of vision. I don't know what it was, but I just had this overwhelming urge to shake and scream with happiness.
 
Anyways, I left the line and went over to the nice shelving full of POP! Vinyl figures. I really have no idea how I had missed it! But there she was! She-Ra! I was freaking out. And luckily, I got to take one home. For some reason I was expecting these to come out later on during the summer, but I realized it is kinda already summer. At least where I live. So I got a new She-Ra POP! Vinyl figure! She looks really cool:
 

I'm still debating if I want to open her or not, but I will probably open her. I mean this is She-Ra. You gotta love Funko for this, because this is probably my favorite series from the POP! Vinyl lines. And this is coming from someone who loves Ariel and Ursula from The Little Mermaid. So be on the look out, these pieces of awesomeness are out and ready to join your collection! I think that Spikor is wanting to live with me too.
 
Loose as a Goose
 
This next bit is not really news related, but more of some good old fashioned toy talk. I've lately been noticing a change of attitude in terms of how I collect certain things. I have typically tended to be the type of person that could only purchase items in mint condition. I've just always been that way. I think for me it has had to deal with the nervousness of never really knowing the history of a loose item. Like how do I know that the loose Jem doll on eBay wasn't some child's chew toy back in the Winter of '88. Know what I mean?  I just have always been leery of buying used items.
 
But then I thought about it, and I think I am slowly changing my ways. I mean my baby maker is for crap, so if I ever do have a child, she or he will gladly be coming from an adoption. And if I can adopt a child that came from someone else's body, why couldn't I also own a loose toy that was owned by someone else? I know that is like the strangest comparison and I know there is obviously a huge difference between adopting someone and caring for them versus bidding on a previously owned toy, but I just sort of came upon this realization.
 
So I have been looking up loose items on eBay. I almost purchased a loose SeaWee doll from the early 80's and she was in really great condition. I didn't end up getting her because a bidding war started and I wasn't going to fight for it. (Some loose stuff can get pricey as I'm sure most of you know.) But I dunno, I was kinda wanting to win that item. I was looking forward to getting her in the mail and taking her to the toy spa (my bathroom sink) and getting her hair all fixed up back to its original look. So yeah, I am going through this change in attitude about loose items. Either I'm getting older and my biological clock is doing strange things to my mind, or I just refuse to pay top dollar for mint items; I think I'm going to dabble with loose collecting. So what say you toy collectors? Does anyone have any topics for me regarding loose collecting? Let me know your thoughts.
 
Speaking of thoughts, I need some help on an unrelated issue. I am obviously terrible with customizing figures. My custom Catra figure from awhile back has some issues. Not even issues, she has subscriptions. A whole damn volume. Her skirt is still sticky feeling from the paint, so what could I do to fix that? Do I need a gloss finish paint or sealer to fix the sticky feeling? I know I could look this up on google, but I figure I'd ask you all. I like to think that the folks that stop by here are the smartest people in the world.
 
Anyways, I hope everyone is doing well! Stick around, because this weekend Adora's Search for Honor reaches Chapter 65, and with just three more chapters to go, I am hoping this epic long fanfic will be highly entertaining. Take care everyone! 
 
 

9 comments:

  1. I gotta say-and I think I've said it before-but the Spikor and Hordak are the best looking figures in the little guy line. I want 'em!
    Do you still subscribe to MOTU classics? And if so, does that mean you ended up getting a Fang Man even though you didn't want him? I still never fully grasped how all that works. Anyway, is it true that Batros is out now for that line? I saw something and I wasn't sure if it was custom or not.
    That's a glimpse into your private life talking about your "baby maker" being on the fritz there-but I can sort of relate. I don't know if I can have kids or not yet because I have to get tested to see if my heart condition is hereditary. If it is, I would be stuck with the adoption option as well. I don't share your fear of loose toys though. Mainly because I usually can't afford mint anything. And in some cases, like with old Hanna Barbera toys I collect, the whole discolored, faded look is part of the charm.
    I have bought vintage loose MOTU from a local vintage toy store before-I bought a Horde trooper, but the reason I bought him was because I was trying to complete my Horde collection, and all my other Hordesmen were out of package and I wanted them to all be like that.
    HOWEVER, if I ever bought a Modulok or a Multi-Bot I would need it to be still in the box. Can't be too careful with all those pieces.
    I couldn't bare to not open them though!

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    1. Yeah if I do end up getting anymore of the vinyl toys, I will probably get Spikor or Hordak next. I really like them too. They look so cool. I am still subscribed to MOTUC. It is a year long subscription. I did get a Fang Man, but ended selling it off. Though it would be cool to own every single figure, I can't. If it was the only line I collected it would be different. And they are coming out with a Batros very soon. There was a side subscription for 6 Filmation figures. Batros is a part of that subscription.

      And there are some glimpses into my private life I don't mind talking about, especially if there is a way for a really good joke to be told. There are a ton of things that are off limits, but this topic I didn't mind casually bringing up. I've always been the type that is ready to make a joke about myself for laughs.

      I have tended to collect mint, but never crazy expensive mint. I've always kept my eyes peeled on deals. Every now and then I have purchased a mint item that was pricey, but usually if there is a good deal on something mint, I will scoop it up. But like what you were talking about, purchasing something loose feels like it would be something better in a different way because you'd get to play with it, or pose it for random blog pictures. lol

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    2. Why didn't they make Fang Man a part of the Filmation part of the line?
      In other news-did you hear Ellen Page will be reprising her role of Kitty Pryde in "Days of Future Past"? -I know you said you didn't like her in the part-but that you liked her as an actress. I personally thought she was cute in the part-but I thought she would be beyond that kind of roll now that she is an indie queen type girl. I thought it made her cooler that she actually wanted to do it again!
      Actually if I picked one super hero you could play in a movie it would probably be Kitty Pryde. I forget if you ever told me or not if you would want to be her-but I think she is the best fit for your look.

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    3. I don't know why they didn't put Fang Man in the Filmation only sub. I guess because they were planning on releasing Filmation figures in the regular line anyway, but they are also trying to get out as many figures as possible so they made the extra sub.

      And I think my biggest problem with Ellen Page as Kitty was that because there are so many characters in that movie it was hard to really focus on her as a character. She only had a few bit of lines and a bit of action, that I just wasn't able to really immerse myself with her character. Because I do like Kitty a lot. She isn't my favorite character, but I am very fond of her. And I am glad that she wants to be in this one again because I hope to see some more done to the character. (I guess I just wasn't as excited about the third X-film like I was the first two.) But I do like Kitty a lot. I like her sense of humor and I love just her interactions with the other X-Men characters.

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  2. I love Funko's POP! line so very much. And I've been waiting for the MotU wave to hit stores, but I haven't seen them yet. Considering buying all five, but I'll definitely pick up She-Ra and Hordak at the very least.

    Totally green with envy and Hulk-esque rage.

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    1. It is a very good line! I'm sure you will be seeing these things soon. I hope you get them! Hordak does look really cool in person. His coloring looks so great.

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  3. Well, my f&#$%@g jaw dropped when I saw Glitter N Gold Jem! BUT, I have the original in great boxed condition so..."keep telling yourself, you don't need it Paladin, you don't need it..." LOL!!!

    Only Clash, I will get Clash...

    I'm gonna go wet myself again, s'cuse me...

    Anyhow, enjoy that She-Ra, I know you wanted it, very awesome!

    As for loose items, well, I bought a few, but their conditions were perfect or the way I wanted them to be, however, I have a hidden secret, I've spent almost top dollar on opened Figma's, that's right, my pride and joy was touched before it got into my hands, however, they all seem ok, but I worry too.

    Last thing, I think if you open POP! She-Ra you can put her back in, I think the package looks collector friendly? Give it a look.

    Cool topics, but when Clash is sent your email forward it to me, I don't want to wait to find out later.



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    1. Doesn't GnG Jem look spectacular! My goodness I can't get over how great she looks! Unless by some strange miracle I end up with her, I will at least have these pictures. And they haven't shown anything for Clash yet, but I am sure it will be a big deal when she is released. I hope she will be a part of the regular line and not an exclusive. I doubt they will make her as an exclusive.

      The She-Ra POP! figure can be opened like you said. It is a very collector friendly packaging, I just am so weird about opening things. I have to always take my time. I don't even know why. A few years ago I would just tear into things immediately.

      I bought a loose figure recently that was marked as perfect and everything. I felt confident doing it because it was so inexpensive compared purchasing it new. But there are also some other things that I am looking at where I'm like, "That will need to be cleaned and spruced up" and I'm kinda looking forward to it! lol

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  4. Congrats on the She-Ra Bobble Head which is awesome! And I too have been looking at Ebay as of late and was even in a couple bidding wars myself!....Which I lost lol.

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