ThunderCats Ultimates - CHEETARA!

ThunderCats Ultimates - Series 3 - Cheetara (Cartoon Colors) - Super7 2022

When Masters of the Universe Classics was launched in 2009, the collecting world changed for me. I suddenly realized that what I really craved was modern interpretations of my most beloved nostalgic properties. Before this, I was buying vintage product on eBay (with modern expectations) and regularly being disappointed. Things didn't feel the way I remembered, the characters never really looked like their cartoon counterparts and the prices were too high overall. But then I realized that there could (and would) be modern figures custom-made for collectors like me. Specifically when Adora was released in Jan 2010, I knew this market would eventually give me all the characters I wanted. It would just take patience. And a mere twelve years, a few false starts, and a handful license transfers later, I have the character that was Number One on my list for years, Cheetara. And I think she's perfect. Super7 has captured the essence of her animated look better than I dreamed possible. Let's check her out below!

Super7 ReAction - PINK RANGER!

ReAction Action Figures - Power Rangers Wave 2 - Pink Ranger - Super7 2021

I remember being an adult toy collector and being very resistant to the Power Rangers franchise. I was in high school when Mighty Morphin Power Rangers first hit the US. I was plenty nerdy at the time, I watched Robotech and Birdman every morning before school, I read comics fiendishly, and every Friday I would watch Are You Afraid of the Dark? with my friends. But for some reason I just never got into MMPR. As I got older and my peers would lump the show in with other (1980s) nostalgic properties I would get irrationally angry about it. But when Bandai started to reintroduce MMPR characters to the toy shelves decades later, I started to dabble. A lot of this was because the female Ranger toys finally had distinct female bodies. Plus I had become obsessed with Japanese pop culture in my post-college years. Either way, I'm a big fan now and I have more Power Rangers toys than ThunderCats and TMNT combined. Let's check out my newest Pink Ranger ReAction figure below!

Super7 ReAction - SCORPINA!

ReAction Action Figures - Power Rangers Wave 2 - Scorpina - Super7 2021

I don't think any single ReAction figure I've seen so far exemplifies the potential of the line more than this Scorpina. For a character who I personally feel has the most interesting and unique design of the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers show, she has has shockingly little merchandise produced. And despite her recently getting a nearly perfect Lightning Collection figure last year, I think this small retro-styled figure from Super7 is my favorite. Her complex asymmetrical organic costume somehow works extremely well with a simple 5-point body construction and the mix of flat colors and metallics really pops. When I look back to one of my first ReAction purchases, the MOTU Sorceress, (irregular sculpting, bad paint, awkward posture) and it's hard to believe these are from the same line. Most of the modern figures are great, but have simplistic designs by nature (G.I. Joe, ThunderCats, etc) so I focus on Scorpina as an example of how Super7 handles complexity. And they kill it. Let's check her out below!

MOTU Minis - EVIL-LYN!

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (Netflix) - Eternia Minis - Mattel 2022

Well SDCC just wrapped up yesterday and the Masters of the Universe product reveals were plentiful. Masterverse and MOTU Origins predictably got the lion's share of attention, but there were also Fall Guys toys, Mega Construx playsets, Mondo figures, and Iron Studios statues as well. It was really a great show for MOTU fans (especially considering that Power-Con is just 11 days away with potentially even more reveals). Something that bummed me out though was the absence of any Eternia Minis products. This line has been exciting for me since the beginning, and I think there is a lot more potential for it. Hopefully they squeeze out a few more waves because they are fun, cheap, and fill in the long time gaps between the collector-focused figures. This Evil-Lyn is the fourth figure from the Netflix CGI He-Man show. She was a bit of a surprise since all the previous cardbacks showed only three characters, but then she popped up already in-stock on BBTS as a bonus 4th character. Let's check her out!

The Mandalorian - AHSOKA TANO!

Star Wars: The Black Series 6" - Ahsoka Tano (The Mandalorian) - Hasbro 2022

I love how popular Ahsoka Tano has become. She was introduced in 2008's Star Wars: The Clone Wars CGI animated film, and was a major character in the following animated series as well as 2014 follow-up series Star Wars: Rebels. I admit I've never watched any of the modern animated Star Wars installments, but I would see this character in the toy aisles all the time and her design intrigued me. She was the only character in the preschool Galactic Heroes lines (which I was obsessed with) to get multiple figures (aside from Leia and Amidala). And I even got a PEZ dispenser of her. But I still didn't know anything about her character until she stepped out of the fog in that amazing 2020 episode of The Mandalorian. Almost immediately there was buzz about an Ahsoka solo series for 2023. And then we were treated to an unexpected appearance in The Book of Boba Fett earlier this year. I'm impressed by what I've seen so far and am excited to see more of character when the show debuts next year.

World's Smallest - ARCEE!

World's Smallest: Transformers (Series 02) - Arcee - Super Impulse 2022

I'm becoming really obsessed with the current merchandizing trend of tiny action figures in tiny packaging. Lately there are a lot of options. The Mini Brands from Zuru Surprise have two general toy waves plus a Disney specific wave (that includes mini Marvel and Star Wars action figures). Super Impulse has the Micro Toy Box line with inexpensive figures from Power Rangers, He-Man, and Transformers (among others). Even the new Sgt Slaughter G.I.Joe Classified 6" figure comes with a miniature packaged version of himself. But the originators of this genre, and still the highest-quality on the market, are the World's Smallest Micro Figures from Super Impulse. These are the only ones that are intentionally removeable, articulated, and accessorized. I have 45 of them in my collection and I'm craving more. I never expected Arcee to be included in this line, but she and Teela are now my favorites. I'm hoping next for Scarlett and Baroness, but I'll take anyone. Let's check out Arcee below!

Star Wars - PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA!

Star Wars: The Black Series 6" - Princess Leia Organa (Yavin 4) - Hasbro 2022

A wonderful thing I discovered in the past few months was the Toys R' Us Experience pop-up in Macy's department stores. With the loss of the main TRU stores, as well as K-Mart (and a ton of individual Walgreens and GameStop locations), there have been a palpable void in my toy hunting grounds. But then this pop-up came into existence around the 2021 holiday season and gave back a tiny smidgen of what was lost. If you haven't been to one yet, it reminds me of the toy section at Kohls, but five times as large. Almost every time I stop in, I find something that's not in Target or Walmart. A recent find was this Yavin 4 Leia figure. I actually think this is the most attractive of all Leia's outfits. It's simple, regal, and iconic - plus I really like the necklace and belt. In A New Hope, she wears this at the Rebel stronghold on the moon Yavin 4 as she awards Luke and Han with medallions after they destroy the Death Star. It's kind of a cheesy ending to such a groundbreaking film, but I still love it. Let's check out Leia below!

Star Wars - PRINCESS LEIA (EWOK VILLAGE)!

Star Wars: The Black Series 6" - Princess Leia (Ewok Village) - Hasbro 2022

Princess Leia truly did have a bizarre number of costume changes throughout the original Star Wars trilogy. Even as a child, I was always left wondering when she had time to change - and where was her luggage? But no outfit raised more questions for me than this Ewok Village outfit from Return of the Jedi. She wears this the entire time she is in the Ewok Village on Endor and I wanted nothing more than to see little Ewok tailors creating this outfit out of thin air. Even the twine in her hair seemed elaborate and detailed. Obviously the Ewoks are skilled at many things, so hair and clothing are not unthinkable, but if there was ever a need for a fashion montage, it would be Leia being groomed, measured, and cinched by a bunch of fussy Ewoks. I've been fantasizing about this for almost 40 years. This figure marks my ninth Black Series Leia - all in unique outfits, and all very iconic. I can't wait to see what version is next. Cloud City is top of my list, but I'm down for anything at this point. Let's check out Lea below!