GG Bond (Pig Hero) - PHOEBE!

GG Bond (Pig Hero) - Super Cute Pets: Phoebe/Flamingo - JinJiang Toys 2017

GG Bond is a very popular animation franchise in China. It stars a young pig with superpowers named GG Bond (aka Pig Hero) and his pig friends. It's clearly aimed at children - complete with squeaky voices and morality lessons. The franchise currently has eight television seasons and four movies. I'm really not sure what season or film these particular toys are from, but it seems the characters all pilot robots that transform into "Super Cute Pets." The token female pig hero, Phoebe, pilots a bird - translated as Flamingo (but I think it's really a mis-translated "pink bird" because it looks nothing like a flamingo). The robot theme seems like a break from the typical look of the show, but I'm just learning about this now so who knows. I really dig the look of Phoebe's robot mode and I was so excited to get her. It seems like this same design may have been produced in varying levels of quality. I've seen pictures that look slightly better, and some that look slightly worse, but I'm happy with the one I got. Let's check her out!

Eaglemoss Special - JANE FOSTER THOR!

Marvel Fact Files Special #26 - The Mighty Thor (Jane Foster) - Eaglemoss 2017

I have a real soft spot for Eaglemoss figurines. They were the first non-action-figure collectibles I bought when I started to branch out in my adult hobbies. But lately a lot of their flagship lines (the DC and Marvel Classic Figurine Collections) have come to an end. Then the various chess sets ran their course as well. Now the third wave is upon us and we have DC All-Stars, BTAS, Batman Busts, and Marvel Fact Files. This Thor figure is the first purchase I've made from any of these new lines. This particular sculpt is not the most dynamic or fun design. The pose seems stiff and the face seems expressionless. Previous Eaglemoss releases have never been known for expressive faces, but that was because the scale was small so it was also about colorful costumes and dramatic poses. But this Thor figure is huge. From base to hammer she is 7" tall and the figure herself is a hair over 5" - I think at this new scale they need to up their game. I'm excited for their new Wasp and Captain Marvel figures so my fingers are crossed.

Stretch Armstrong - QUICK CHARGE!

Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters - Series 01 - Quick Charge - Hasbro 2018

I just binged watched the first 8 episodes of Netflix's Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters to see all these cool looking characters in action. I just admit that I had assumed Quick Charge was a member of the titular "Flex Fighters," so I was surprised to discover that she is a villain that only appears in a single episode. The cartoon is pretty fun, and although it is focused around three male friends, their male mentor, and their fathers, there is still a pretty unique female presence. I don't know if I've ever seen random female bankrobbers before. Also, the villain Madame Tousant has a gang of silver-haired women in burgundy evening wear engaging in turf wars. There are the crazy Freak Sisters (who remind me a lot of Harley's twin daughters Dee Dee in Batman Beyond). Then there is the amazing Quick Charge - a disgruntled scientist who skates around on lightning. She is voiced by Yvette Nicole Brown (From Community and also the voice of Amanda Waller in DC Superhero Girls). Let's check her out below!

Machine Change British Union - LING YAO!

Machine Change Union - Deformation Series - Lingyao (JQ6103) -  Jia Qi 2017

I'm so in love with the internet sometimes. In the pre-internet days, collecting was an often difficult, frustrating, and restrictive hobby. I didn't collect toys back then, but my Pez and Comic addictions were equally confined to a small bubble of local shops, regional trade shows, and the occasional reference book. I remember the day I decided to search for my favorite old toys on the internet and realized I was wading into a deep pool. That fateful first step was about 13 years ago, and honestly, since then I've often thought I had explored every inch of the toy internet. But every once in a while I stumble across a whole new unexplored facet and that old feeling rushes back. Over the Christmas holidays this year I discovered Chinese action figures. Not the type that show up on eBay, but weird quirky toys made in China for the Chinese market. I spent hours and hours discovering dozens of figures that I'm excited to review. The first figure will be this awesome pink and Purple fembot, Lingyao. Let's check her out below!

Marvel Titan Hero Series - SPIDER-GIRL!

Marvel Titan Hero Series 12" - Spider-Girl (Anya Corazon) - Hasbro 2018

As much as I am smitten with the trademark collector lines that fill the toy aisles, brands like Marvel Legends and DC Multiverse are so heavily researched by toy blogs that we know exactly what is coming out months (sometimes years) in advance. One of my favorite things about toy collecting is being surprised by something unexpected. I have known in my gut that there would eventually be a Spider-Lady of some sort represented in the Marvel Titan Hero series, but I assumed it would be Spider-Woman or Spider-Gwen. Then to my surprise I woke up a couple weeks ago to a DM on Instagram alerting me to this beautiful Anya Corazon Spider-Girl figure. I immediately ordered one on Amazon then on m lunch break I found one at Toys R Us (I'm very impatient!). This is the time of year when new kid-oriented product pops up without notice, so I had literally been googling a week before with no success. This Anya is based off her appearance in the new Disney XD Spider-Man cartoon. Let's check Spider-Girl out below!

Marvel Legends - SHURI as BLACK PANTHER!

Marvel Legends - Black Panther: Shuri & Klaw - Toys R US Exc - Hasbro 2018

I'm very single-minded with my toy obsessions. Whenever there is a movie announced, I instantly think of the most far fetched comic-based character that might be squeezed into the movie merchandise. (My Captain Marvel wish is for a Ms. Marvel vs Rogue 2-Pack). When Black Panther was announced, I immediately thought how much I would love a Shuri in the Black Panther costume. I think she only wore the costume for 12 issues, but I loved it. I thought for sure this was an unobtainable longshot, but then a year later I'm actually holding her in my hands. Now, let's be real about this figure: It's basically a very successful kitbash with a new head. The body is identical to Hellcat, the Cape is from Lady Loki/Sif, the staff is from T'Challa, and the belt is from Rogue (it's spun around so the "x" is on the back). The only new sculpts appear to be the head and necklace. But don't get me wrong, this figure is terrific. I applaud Hasbro for getting us an obscure character in the most efficient way possible. Let's check her out below!

Justice League Mighty Minis - WONDER WOMAN!

DC Mighty Minis: Justice League Series 01 - Wonder Woman - Mattel 2017

One of the most impressive things about about the toy world is that, generally speaking, the products keep improving. When I think of what Marvel Legends and DC Multiverse figures looked like just a few years ago versus today, it's pretty amazing to see how much the quality has progressed. And it's not just those prominent action figure lines. The oversized 12" figures get better and better. And the little 2" Mighty Minis haven't been slacking off either. This Justice League Wonder Woman figure is leaps and bounds better than its Batman v Superman predecessor (similar to the improvements in the Multiverse and basic figures between the two films). I was so underwhelmed with the BvS Mighty Minis that I didn't even have new releases on my radar until I saw a pic of this one on Instagram and knew I had to have it. Surprisingly I followed a tip and found them right away at Best Buy. I'm a huge fan of tiny action figures so adding her to my collection was a no-brainer. Let's check out Wonder Woman below!

Speed Racer the Movie - TRIXIE!

Speed Racer - Sky Shooter w/ Trixie & Snake Oiler - Mattel (Hot Wheels) 2008

I actually enjoyed the live action 2008 Speed Racer movie. It generally got bad reviews and didn't make a lot of money at the box office, but I thought it was a fun trippy nostalgic spectacle. The cast was full of my favorites too. I always love Emile Hirsch. Matthew Fox was in the middle of his Lost fame (I was so addicted to that show). And John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, and Christina Ricci are always good for a supporting role (plus it was directed by the fan-favorite Wachowskis). Ricci played Speed's eye-in-the-sky girlfriend, Trixie. (Fun fact, a young Ariel Winter played Trixie in the flashback scenes). I discovered this toy line relatively recently - years after they disappeared from clearance bins - and it took forever to hunt her down at a decent price. I thought she would be a 2.5" figure, but in reality she is a pretty unique scale of 3" high. While not a terrific movie line by any means, these toys seem like a throwback to the kind of  movie product on the toy shelves in the early 90s. I like it.  Let's check her out below!