First Look :: LEGO Scooby Doo minifigures and playsets Coming Soon!

It has finally happened folks - LEGO landed the Scooby Doo license and here is your first look at a couple of the sets that will be available this Fall! The Mystery Machine, with Scooby Doo, Shaggy, Fred, the Zombie from the episode 'Which Witch is Which' and a haunted tree monster! Also revealed is a Haunted Castle full of the entire Mystery Inc. gang and more old men dressed up as monsters to scare away those meddling kids! I just hope LEGO didn't miss the golden opportunity to include civilian headswaps for the monsters-in -disguise.

We know what to expect from LEGO so these sets are undoubtedly of higher quality than the recent Scooby Doo sets by LEGO knockoff company 'Character Building' - some of which are still available at places like Toys R Us - although I was rather fond of CB's Scooby Doo themed Micro-Figures.

I hope there will be a way to get a hold of the minifigures in a more budget conscious manner - perhaps a few smaller sets or polybagged sets - but only time will tell. I'd certainly love a LEGO Scooby Doo and Shaggy, and Velma and Daphne...ok, I'll take a Fred too. But I won't be buying the larger more expensive sets.

And if recent events in the LEGO bootleg world continue, expect to see plenty of bootleg versions of these minifigures hitting eBay by the end of the year.

These sets and a couple more should be available this August according to Variety magazine.

Ghost Clown x2 :: Countdown to Halloween 2013

What's scarier than a clown?

TWO clowns!

I ended up with two 'Ghost Clowns' during my random selection of Mystery Micro-Figures blind bagged series 1 figures by Character Builders. Ironically, this is the figure I originally wanted most (besides Velma.) Ghost Clown is a genuine classic tv show 'villain.' And I have to admit, having two of them isn't a disappointment. They make great goons for my Lego Harley Quinn, and are creepier in a pair!

Voodoo Man :: Countdown to Halloween 2013

I have no idea when or where this 'Voodoo Man' character appeared in the Scooby Doo cartoon. I can only assume he was either part of one of the more modern iterations of the series or that he was made up for this Mystery Micro-Figures blind bagged series 1 by Character Builders.

Regardless, to me he comes across more as some sort of Salem witch trials type character than a voodoo character. Also he looks like he should glow in the dark but sadly he does not.

I usually squeeze to figure out what I'm getting, but since I already identified Velma and Daphne, I decided to fly blind for a couple more figures, and Voodoo Man is one I ended up with. Not terribly excited or disappointed, he's kooky but does not hit my nostalgia bone at all.

Mystery (Inc.) Micro Figures :: Daphne

Having picked up Velma a couple weeks ago, I decided it only prudent to pick up the only other Mystery Inc. member in the Character Building Scooby Doo Micro-Figures blind bagged Series 1.

They kind of look silly together, what with their mismatched head proportions. Velma is clearly the brains of the operation!

But at least now Daphne and Velma can solve mysteries without the 'help' of Scooby, Shaggy and Fred. Expect a lot more mysteries to be solved!

I imagine that if this series makes it past Wave 1 in the U.S. we will finally see Scooby, Shaggy and Fred in the mystery packs. At least I hope so, I don't plan on picking up any of the larger, more expensive sets, unless they go on clearance or something.

Come on get involved until the Mystery Micro-Figures is solved!

Character Building have now released their Scooby Doo Micro-Figures in the US!

Sadly, the only way to get Scooby or Fred or Shaggy thus far is to buy the larger building sets (like a Mystery Machine and a haunted castle.)

Conversely the only way to get Daphne and Velma is in the blind bagged Mystery Micro-Figures Series 1 set.

It is my experience with 'Character Building' is that there is no code or other packaging hint as to what you are getting inside. These things are true mysteries!

Fortunately my 'squeeze method' skills are finely toned, and I was able to find my favorite gal, Velma!

What can I say, I dig a chick in glasses!

Velma translates pretty well into mini figure form. I gave her the magnifying glass that came with the Lego Sherlock Holmes and it really finishes her off nicely.

One mystery has already been solved with this minifigure...she's not wearing anything under that skirt! Sorry, no pictures, even I have standards.

I picked up two figures when I found these at Toys R Us for $1.99 each (Cheap!) The other figure I got is The Wolfman!

The Wolfman is pretty cool for a werewolf (which are always cool!) so I am glad I got him. Unfortunately I was squeezing for the Ghost Clown! My squeeze method skills aren't as finely honed as I thought they were after all.

Now let's solve the final mystery and remove that mask to see who The Wolfman really is...

VELMA?!?!?!?!

Zero, my Hero

As I mentioned Saturday, the whole reason I bought the clearance priced SLUG Zombie Series 3 12 pack was for Double-Barrel Carol. But I have to admit, I would have bought her in her original three pack long ago had she been packaged with just one other zombie that I wanted bad enough to pay full price for. (I just couldn't see myself spending full price for one of three figures I wanted.) I don't recall who she did come with, but I know it wasn't Zero Hero, because he is the undead zombie I wanted most of all!

What can I say? 'Zero Hero' is a zombie Superman, or maybe a Bizarro. Either way, he fits right in with my superhero fetish. Now if they would only make a SLUG zombie version of Batman, my little green zombie apocalyptic world will be complete.

Great sculpt, great details, great superhero zombie...Great Cesar's Ghost!

I'm glad I was able to get two personally sought after characters in one clearance priced set, since I really don't collect these...yet. And it's especially nice to have a hero and villain figurine to compliment each other on my desk at work. All the other zombie figures (and the one other 'normal' this 12 pack came with) make good fodder for the ultimate showdown of Velma and Superman...I mean Carol and Zero!

Which would make another great movie. I've got a million of 'em!

SLUG Zombies Velma Dinkley...I mean 'Double-Barrel Carol.'

I haven't been collecting Jakks Pacific's SLUG Zombie minifigures, but I have to admit that they are pretty neat looking. What appeals to me the most as a non/casual collector who generally just looks at them on the toy store shelves are the 'inspired by' figures. They've done everyone from Superman (or should I say 'Bizarro?') to Elvis to Abraham Lincoln to Moe Howard; and the 'normals' or 'Zombie Hunters' are often based on pop culture zombie hunters like Sheriff Rick and Shaun of the Dead, or simply mere pop culture icons like Chuck Norris and Crocodile Dundee (neither of whom fought zombies to my knowledge.)

While perusing the sets at stores and on various blogs, one figure caught my eye in particular: Double-Barrel Carol. She's just awesomely geeky cute, but I had no idea who she was 'supposed' to be so I passed, but always looked over the sets that contained her whenever I was in stores.

Target currently has all their SLUG Zombies sets on clearance, and I was lucky enough to find the Series 3 12 figure set that Carol is part of for $4.98 and could pass no longer, especially since I only recently discovered over at That Figures who Double-Barrel Carol's inspiration is:

Velma Dinkley! This piece of Scooby Doo fan art by Travis Pitts has made the internet rounds for a while now. Double-Barrel Carol is so close to this Velma (while being nothing like any other zombie hunter of pop culture fame) that she simply must have been inspired by this piece. Which makes her even more awesome than without a reference source, if that's at all possible!

While not an exact duplicate, the translation is close enough for me to imagine Velma fighting off the rest of my 12 pack Zombie horde, and that's worth every penny of the $4.98 I spent for these guys. Not to mention the fact that I just wrote the synopsis to what would be the greatest film of all time. Make it happen, Hollywood!

"Jinkies!"

Now to find an in scale Scooby Doo figurine!

Random Toy Pic: The Eyes Have It

Stretchy Octopussy

Everyone has heard of the malleably macho Stretch Armstrong. But do you recall the least famous stretchy cephalopod of all?

That's right, I'm talking about the one, the only (unless you count them both) Stretch Octopus!

My sister and I had these - obviously I had Ollie and she had Olivia. Because I don't play with pink octopi or dollies!

These octopussusses were awesome. Mine eventually fell apart and the toxic goo inside began to leak out so my mom threw Ollie away. Who knows what happened to Olivia, my sister probably doesn't even remember owning one. She doesn't share my Rain-Man like ability to recall every single toy I have ever owned.

However I can only assume someone at Pixar also remembers these guys, because the character Stretch from Toy Story 3 was clearly inspired by them.

Anyways, I bring these guys up today because I recently discovered this:

A stretchy Scooby-Doo! Brian A of Yesterville already has one and he says it's just like the old-school stretchy toys we all grew up with. I haven't spotted him in person yet but I have seen him online, so I don't know if I can resist him if and when I do see him on the shelf...but probably not. He's just too cool and really hits that nostalgia button!

*Stretch Octopus pics via Plaid Stallions

My Submission for "Best Toy EVER!"

 This past weekend was my daughter's birthday. While shopping for her last week I discovered these "Scooby Doo Goo Figure Pod" toys at Toys R Us. These are small pods of slime with a Scooby Doo mini-figure blindly packed inside.

So knowing my daughter likes slime and Scooby Doo, I picked one up to pack into a present.

It was a hit! I quickly ran to Toys R Us to get more of them to give to her sister and cousins (and of course myself) so we could all share in the fun.

And oh boy, what fun!

First off: slime. Which is always awesome forever end of story.

Second, these little Scooby Doo figurines are incredibly cool! I and my nephew got a monster, my daughters and niece got versions of Scooby, everyone was happy.

Mine is this zombie guy from the classic cartoon. I'm pretty sure he's just old man Jenkins in a mask, but whatever, zombies are in this season so I am pleased.
 *EDIT: This guy is actually "The Creeper" aka Mr. Karswell.

Third...this:



Yes folks, that comedy gold you just heard was made with the slime and container it comes in (and my hand of course.)

Sufficed to say there was a lot of those noises and the laughter that ensued all weekend. The kids even had fart contests, competing to win 'loudest,' 'longest' and the coveted 'juiciest' of all fart noises.

Comedy GOLD I tells ya!

So for a mere $3.99 you get three toys in one! Slime, a mini-figure, and a fart maker! It's a hat trick!

How any other toy maker can compete with their 'toys that only do one thing' in these troubled economic times is beyond me.

Car Toons Week Day 5: Come on, Get Involved 'til the Mystery is Solved!

Well kids, it's Friday, and that means the end of Car Toons week. So to wrap things up, we're presenting one of the most recognizable cartoon cars of all time, The Mystery Machine!

This Mystery Machine, like the Incredobile and Ecto-1, is four wheels of an action figure sized fun.

I originally bought this, as well as the whole Mystery Inc. gang, for myself. But my kids commandeered it a few years back, and have literally played with it until it's doors fell off! Fortunately, they are designed to reattach easily, and the Mystery Machine is no worse for years of play wear. That's one sturdy toy!

When I asked my oldest daughter where the characters were, she replied "I don't know." Which in kid speak can mean everything from "In the bottom of my toy bin" to "In my left hand" but unfortunately I was not able to locate them for the photo shoot. Sounds like the perfect Mystery for Mystery Inc!

Both doors open to allow all the characters to fit inside the cab.

And the back is hinged to open up wide for more mystery solving fun.

This thing really is a beauty. It was made by Equity Marketing Inc, and was released in 2000. I think it went through a couple decal decos as well, but this is the show accurate one, and therefore the best!

But wait, there's more! Released originally in 2001 as part of their Hollywood on Wheels series, Johnny Lightning first entered the Car Toon ring with this little 1:64 scale Mystery Machine!

This little guy is insanely cute.

And extremely accurate.

The deco is perfect, and while the wheels aren't the exact same as the cartoon, their at least a nice green instead of the wildly inaccurate chrome of the Flintstones' Sports Car.

I love all the cast in details, like the handles and door lines.

Here they are together. No mystery is too big...

...or too small.

Finally, I leave you with a local celebrity, Felton's own real life Mystery Machine!

Roooby roooby rooooo!