Marvel 3 3/4 Infinite Series-Iron Man

Back when I was heavy into reading comics, late 80’s early 90’s,I only knew of three Iron Man armors. The original red and gold, Silver Centurion and the oversized red and gold 90’s armor. Since getting back into toy collecting the amount of Iron Man armors has grown exponentially, and no one has benefitted more form this than Hasbro. With so many different action figure renditions of shell head, It’s hard to not get sucked into the variety vortex. Currently I own the Marvel Universe classic and 90’s style because of my childhood connection with the two. Buzzchuck also sent me a carded Mark 5 figure a while back, which up to now had been my most updated version of Iron Man. I knew that I would soon need to change with the times for the blogs sake and picture taking purposes. I would hate to display an original styled Iron Man next to a Heroic Age Captain America. I’m maniacal that way. It just wouldn’t look right. So while I am still trying to add some of the older styled figures, especially ones who appeared in the Secret Wars Saga, I will also be looking for updated versions of them. It’s a tall task but my birthday is less than a month away and hopefully someone from the fam will read this and provide me with some much needed action figure aid in my ventures 😀   But enough with the rambling rhetoric and on to the figure! I was curious as to what this figure would look like out of package and very pessimistic. I had seen it before in Heroic Age three packs, but with this new 3 3/4 Marvel Infinite Series release I was able to snag him up individually. The plastic used for this figure is very soft, almost rubbery but the detail is amazing! I’m not crazy about the thigh cuts/articulation but it works. In fact I had a great time posing this figure as the articulation allows for limitless pose-ability. The paint is spot on and the ports/repulsors, and there’s a lot of them, all have nice glowing effect to them.The card itself is pretty damn snazzy for those of you who like to display your figures carded.Enjoy the pics!

5.Forearm 4.Crimson Dynamo

I finally have someone for my ToyBiz War Machine  to beat up on with this sick Crimson Dynamo figure.While I like the older versions of CD a bit better,this one really stands out and came complete with armor and chest blast!Forearm is another cool X-Force figure which narrows down my needs to complete the entire series.

MU Movie Edition – Thor v.1 “Happy Fathers Day!”

I’d like to start this post off by wishing every toy collecting dad as well as non-collecting ones,a very Happy Fathers Day!A Happy Fathers Day also goes out to the unsung heroic uncles out there that go out of their way to spoil their nieces and nephews as well as provide that much needed additional support they may need throughout their childhood.I mean,who else is gonna put them up on the action figure scoop ;)Today we have a much needed addition to the collection and one that helps me bolster my movie based  Avengers team.All i need now is Hawkeye and Black Widow.I might have to snag up a more movie appropriate Iron Man as well,but this cool version sent over to me a while back by my buddy Buzz over at Action Figure Adventures,should be  more than a  suitable place holder i think. As far as the Thor figure goes,i like it.Don’t love it,but i like it.I would have liked for him to have a cape… but i won’t complain,even though i just did.The paint on this figure really stands out and the fact that he comes with the standard Mjolnir hammer is a plus.He also has an articulated neck,allowing him to look up and down,which i thought was pretty cool.Not a bad figure overall.I recommend 😉

G.I. Joe POC -Conrad “Duke” Hauser v.43 (Team Commander)

According to YoeJoe.com there are 48 versions of  G.I.Joe’s 1rst  Seargeant Duke.This is v.43.This one had the disadvantage of being released in a line of  superbly sculpted and designed POC figures,and because of that was shrugged off by many a collector.After all,you weren’t going to pass up a Ninja Commando Snake Eyes or  Shock Trooper to pick up this less than stellar version of Duke.But now that all the pretty girls have left the party so-to-speak,this one doesn’t look so bad ;)I found this straggler a while back in the clearance bin and paid about 3 bucks for it.I really like the stearn look on the head sculpt and while the overall look of the figure is a bit plain,militarily it works. This Duke figure has the look of a “Team Commander” and really looks nice when placed in front of a group of other Joe’s.Needless to say,the accessories are abundant with this one and really pack a punch.Ya gotta wonder if  Tony Stark had anything to do with those shoulder mounted cannons this version of Duke sports.

You’re not seeing double.Dukes file card features the same face as Air Raid,released with the Sky Sweeper in the ROC line.

Marvel Toy Biz ! 10/15-10/21

While HASBRO keeps hitting home-run after home-run with their Marvel Universe figures,there’s no denying that Toy Biz had the 90’s on lock  when it came to Marvel action figure production.Toy Biz gave us what MATTEL’S Secret Wars line didn’t,character selection and variations!I mean if  MATTEL really wanted to they could have released a load of other characters who appeared in the SW series like The Thing,Colossus or even Nightcrawler but never did.Toy Biz gave us all of these characters and then some!When Toy Biz hit the scenes in 1990 they really made it hard on then  ex-action figure collectors  like myself with the release of  figures like Punisher,Iron Man(with removeable armor 😉 ),Daredevil,Captain America and a host of other MARVEL characters who had never seen the  3  3/4″ –  5 ”  light of day.I nearly got back into collecting again when this line released but ultimately fought the urge.I would, however, buy a couple here and there for my younger nephew and would find myself playing with them more than he did.After the MARVEL Super Heroes release, Toy Biz then broke out with an X-Men line of figures that featured everybody from Wolverine to Apocalypse!Needless to say I was ecstatic and even though I had stopped collecting at the time it was still nice to see them hanging on the pegs at my local Toys R Us and other department stores as well.Toy Biz would take the ball and run with it from there releasing figures of characters  from nearly every corner of the MARVEL universe.These days i’ve been on the look out more and more for these  simple yet neat little  figures from the 90’s and this week i’ll be posting about a couple of Toy Biz items  that have made their way into  my collection!

Random Character Spotlight!

IRON MAN

Real Name:Anthony Edward Stark

P.O.B. :Long Island,NY

Group Affiliation:Avengers (subject to change)

New Additions (thanks to jboypac!)

Not only did jboypacman send me an awesome Toxie figure that had been on my wanted list for a while now,but he also sent over some other figures as well.I can still remember the feeling i got back in the 4th grade during our class gift exchange party when i received a Tunnel Rat figure from my secret santa.As a kid,the feeling of receiving a G.I. Joe figure as a gift is unparallelled and thanks to jboypacman i got to feel that way all over again!I was already wowed by the complete Toxie when i noticed  the 25th ann. Joe figures Tiger Force Duke and Croc Master!On top of that  i had been at Wal-Mart earlier that day looking for a Captain America Movie Crossbones figure so when i opened the package and found him next to an awesome War Machine figure and a Playmobile version of  Zorro,my jaw dropped! You can’t find this figure anywhere. The Joes and Crossbones figure play an integral part in my action figure collection but as cool as the War Machine and Playmobile figurey are i’ll be passing them on. Consider this a second thank you and a much deserved one to jboypacman!If anyone is interested in the War Machine,Zorro and Batmobile let me know!

 

If anyone is interested in any of these two figures(War Machine,Playmobile Zorro) or Batmobile let me know!

 

1984 Marvel Secret Wars Iron Man 1/16-1/22

This is one of my favorites of the Secret Wars line because of the vibrant color scheme.I also love the fact that Iron Man here,like select other SW figures,has one of his fists balled up and ready for action.I was able to score this one a while back with minimal paint wear(if any)and most of his accessories(i think i’m missing some additional shield inserts).I love the Secret Wars toy line but i find that not too many other figures blend in with them.I was taking a look at jboypacmans “Most Wanted ” list and i was reminded of Remco’s Mighty Crusaders line and how well they may look next to some of my Secret Wars figures.It might be a longshot (with the Mighty Crusaders head size and all) but these two brands may look pretty cool together and i now have these figures on my radar as well. If i do manage to score some in the near future i’ll make sure to take some side by side comparison pics of the two lines.If anybody knows of another brand of action figure that might blend in well with the SW’s line  i would love some suggestions.(BTW-The Iron Man ball was a gift from my daughter,daddy loves you very much 🙂 )

1984 Marvel Secret Wars Iron Man

Accessories

Library Stop Part.1: Marvel “The Road To Civil War”

This was one series that i had been trying to get my hands on ,searching several different libraries  for a copy  until finally finding one that carried them.Only problem was that the main Civil War TPB # 1-7  seemed to have been checked out.I was ,however,able to pick up “The Road To Civil War” which covers events that lead up to the initial “Civil War” and “Frontline-Civil War” which book ends  this seemingly endless series.In “The Road To Civil War” Iron Man tries to assemble a secret team of heroes that consists of  Professor X,Reed Richards,Dr. Strange,Black Bolt,Black Panther and Namor…..”GASP”….in attempts to become world defenders so to speak after a recent battle between two alien races(the Skrull and the Kree)decided to settle their dispute on  Earth almost destroying the planet.Later on in the book  Iron Man confronts this same circle of heroes with the prospect of  a civil war breaking out due to a bill that will be passed by congress that would require every masked super hero or villain to reveal their secret identities to the government as well as register to become part of  S.H.I.E.L.D.’s world security force,essentially making them government employees. After Iron Man reveals to the skeptical group of  heroes that he is for the new registration  law,talks break down putting Tony back at square 1.

The Road To Civil War

Cont. Pics

There are many different twists and revelations that unfurl as you continue reading this book not to mention the unveiling of  Spider-Man’s new costume courtesy of Tony Stark as well as a host of other cliff hangers.I’ll keep it short in order to avoid spoilers for any of you who haven’t gotten a chance to read this yet ,and if you have not given this a read i suggest you do so.

I’ll try to get into “Frontline Civil War”  V.1 and 2 sometime next week to complete this two part post on what i can honestly say has been my favorite series of comics to read to date.

Cont. Pics

Marvel Heroes Face Off 3 Pk. Captain America,The Punisher and Iron Man

A few years back Hasbro released some of these Marvel Face Off  figures individually and they sold  for about $2 a piece.Family Dollar was notorious for carrying these in-expensive brand named figures and i absolutely loved them.I still have a couple and i  recently sent a Spider- Man and Doc-Ock  to jboypacman over at http://revengefromthecosmicark.blogspot.com/ and i’m sure he’ll tell you how cool these little guys  really are.They are not fully pose-able but the arms and heads are,and some even have removable accessories!A few months after the individual figures debuted, Hasbro put out these cool 3 packs  which also sold at Family Dollar and retailed at about $5.Two other 3 packs were released and one included Wolverine,Cyclops, Magneto while the other one featured   Spider-Man,The Green Goblin and Black Spider-Man.

Marvel Heroes Face Off (in pkg.)

Cont. Pics

Marvel Heroes Face Off (loose)