Random Toy Pic :: Super Hero Squad Volcana

I now dang near nothing about Marvel's Volcana except the obvious, she has fire powers of some sort. Regardless, she's a neat transluscent flame-on female super(villain?) and is super cute in Super Hero Squad style.

I think Volcana was only available in a Toys R Us exclusive multi-pack. but don't quote me.

Marvel Legends Spiral

What I know about Spiral can be counted on six hands. Just kidding - more like six fingers! Let's see:
1) I think she has some sort of association with the X-Men. What that association is, I do not know. But I seem to recall her appearing in the cartoon at some point.
2) She was a playable character in the arcade fighter 'Marvel Vs. Capcom 2' - this was probably my first exposure to her.
3) She has six arms.
4) She likes swords.
5) Umm, I think she's an alien?

Yeah, that's about it. I made it to five.

But honestly, what do you need to know? Spiral has six arms, likes swords, and was sporting the grey hair look before your hipster neighbor did it.

She also has like ten million points of articulation and is a surprisingly attractive sculpt for a figure with six arms. I am certain pulling off such a design was no easy feat, so kudos to whatever Marvel Legends designer pulled the short straw on this assignment.

So when Marvel Legends released her in action figure form way back in 2008, I had to have her regardless of my lack of familiarity with the character. As is generally par for the course for retailer exclusive action figures like Spiral (she was a Target exclusive), I couldn't find her at retail back then, but lucked out on finding her at the flea market in 2010 for a mere five bucks.

Not long after that Spiral appeared in the Super Hero Squad line-up, and this one I did pick up at retail because she is just so incredibly cute. I think she came with a Wolverine because in any given Marvel toyline there are like seventy thousand Wolverines.

I don't know why she has ninja-turtle hands in this form when her hands are human in her ML form.

Her mini version is little more than a figurine with no articulation whatsoever. But she has a different sword in each hand so your argument is invalid!

Marvel Legend Spiral came with three swords, one sheath, and a removable helmet. She looks pretty goofy without her helmet and I am surprised it didn't just end up being a glued-on piece, but at least this way it isn't glued on crooked.

Flea Market Haul

'Throw him to the robot lions!'

I set out to take pictures of this past weekend's gems from my visit to the local Flea Market and a downtown used book store, but my Intern had other ideas. So I ran with it.

As you can see, I scored some great 80s heavy hitters - Voltron's black lion and Perseus from Clash of the Titans (the original GOOD movie, not the crappy re-make.)

I got both for around .75 each.

'Hey robot lion, don't eat me, I'm your friend!'

I also scored a Super Hero Squad Hulkbuster Iron Man which is missing a couple bits on his shoulders but is otherwise pretty neat. He was only .50. I scored my Intern a Fisher Price Little People Helicopter for .50 too, but she left it in the car so I didn't get a chance to take it's picture this time around. Clearly she could care less and is fine playing with my toys instead anyways.

But incredibly, all of these toys pale in comparison to the Plastic Man Archives Volume 1 I scored at a downtown used bookstore for only $20!

'Okay Perseus, we can be friends. Want a ride?'

I have been wanting this book for years but have never seen it go for less than the cover price of $49.99, and sometimes significantly more, and have never been willing to pull the trigger at that price. Originally published in 1998, this Archive edition re-prints Plastic Man 's first 20 appearances in Police Comics, beginning with the August 1941 issue #1 that introduced Plastic Man to the masses.

I always hoped Plastic Man's early adventures would get a reprinting, or a less expensive paperback printing, but it hasn't happened since this volume's printing in '98 that I am aware of, so finding this volume in mint shape for a mere $20 is incredible! The bookstore had all 8 volumes, but most beyond Volume 1 can be had for around $20 or less, so I only nabbed Volume 1 on the spot. I'll probably pop back in sporadically and see if any of the rest drop in price now that the store's collection is incomplete and missing the most valuable component!

I can't tell you how excited I am to finally have this volume in my collection. I've already read about half of it and am loving every crazy panel. I'll be sure to blog more specifically about this one in the near future.

The Voltron black lion was a pretty good score too - he's got a lot of play wear but is complete and in good shape with no broken pieces. My first Voltron lion ever! Perseus is in great shape too but needs a cleaning.

A great weekend haul indeed!

Tiny Heroes and Villains

My oldest daughter and I picked up this bunch at the flea market last weekend.

My favorites are Gorilla Grodd and classic Iron Man (the shiny one back row center.) We also have Batman (with what I assume are Kryptonite gloves) an Iron Man with removable mask, Ice Man, an Iron Man movie Mark 1 (or 2? - same as first movie armor but in gold,) another movie Iron Man, the classic Iron Man armor again but this time in more subtle colors, movie Green Goblin and Dr. Doom!

We got the lot for five bucks - that's fifty cents each! Not too shabby!

Random Toy Pic :: Showdown

Of course we all know: Batman wins!

Random Toy Pic: Plastic Man vs. Wolverine

"Come at me, bro!"

Of course we all know Plastic Man wins.

Cute Invisible Woman

No, I'm not talking about my love life (haw haw haw) I am talking about this Super Hero Squad Invisible Woman:

These Super Hero Squad figures are pretty cute, and Sue Storm is pretty cute, so it stands to reason this little Invisible Woman is extra pretty cute!

She is designed to be in the early stage of turning invisible (or the late stage of turning visible,) and therefore her feet are clear plastic. Not sure if she's completely cast in clear plastic and painted over - but if so it might be fun to strip her (of her paint, pervs!) and have an all clear Invisible Woman!

I found Sue at the swap meet and bought her with a pile of some other super hero stuff my daughter was getting for herself. After I paid I asked my daughter if she wanted Ms. Storm and she said 'no, you can keep her.' So Sue is mine.

I'm not that big into Marvel or Super Hero Squad for that matter, so Sue may forever be separated from her other 3 teammates. But I'm sure she'll be fine, I already saw her making eyes at Batman.

Get on your bad motorscooter and ride

ActionFigurePics.com just posted some...well...action figure pics (surprise surprise) and one little set really caught my eye:


Bucky Barnes as Captain America, with a gun and a cutesy motorcycle. What's not to love? I can't wait to find this set, which will probably be hitting stores early next year. When I do find it, it'll look keen next to my Super Hero Squad Ghost Rider!

Ghost Riders In The Sky....

A few years back I envisioned what Ghost Rider would have looked like as a youth:



Today I swung into Target during a little road trip and spotted this SWEET Marvel Superhero Squad figure:


And as if Ghost Rider himself isn't cool enough, he comes with:



I'm not a particularly huge Ghost Rider fan. I know as much about his character as your average comic book nerd, and I liked the recent movie, but I don't recall reading more than one or two comics featuring him in my long and illustrious collecting career.

And I have not bought a single figure from this line. Although I've been tempted a time or two by cute little Steve Rogers, I've been able to resist the temptation before - but I just HAD to have this guy and his bike.

I guess you could say the Devil made me do it ;) Much like DCUC's Etrigan, I can truly appreciate a demon-possessed anti-hero marketed as a child's toy. Especially one with a set of wheels like these!


Modeled in the cutesy, little people style of the Marvel Superhero Squad, Ghost Rider, a flame-skulled-chain-wrapped-spiky-mace-flinging literal Hell's Angel creates such a contrast between cutesy playtime fun and eternal damnation that there are bound to be church-basement meetings this Sunday pointing directly to this blog and shouting "what are they doing to our CHILDREN?!?!"


"Penance Stare!"
But seriously. I grew up with Skeletor, and I turned out just fine. Hell, my uncles grew up with rifles, and my grandparents probably had full time jobs by the time they were six! If a little bitty cutesy-wootsy plastic Ghost Rider keeps you up at night plotting Hasbro's demise...maybe you shouldn't be using the internets - it aint for you ;)

"Get your motor runnin'..."
"...head-out on the Highway!"


P.S. - Jay, feel free to put this up on your Super Cycles blog, and I invite ToyRiffic readers (all three of you ;) ) to go check out Jay's cool blog full of motorcycle goodness!