According to WVEC, the new DEXTER action figure (which we’ve got right here) has been raising a few eyebrows on a number of store shelves and the news is reporting at least one major complaint from a toy aficionado…
OHIO– A Toys R Us store in Ohio has been selling an action figure meant for adults only.
“And I thought, ‘Oh my god! You’ve got this in Toys ‘R’ Us? Have, are you kiddin’ me?,’” said Jim Shultz, who is a toy collector in Ohio.
He complained to the company and was told that “‘a small number of the item was ordered to accommodate (the stores’) avid action figure collector customers.”
Schultz says collectors could find the Dexter doll elsewhere and doesn’t think it belongs in the store.
“I understand it’s marketed towards adults. But I do condemn Toys ‘R’ Us for putting it on their shelves in the same store where you can go buy Barbie, and Kermit, and Elmo” he stated.
A company spokesman said the Dexter figure has been on the shelf for a couple of weeks and Schultz was the only one to complain.
He points out the packaging is clearly labeled ages 18 and up, not intended for children.
“There isn’t a Serial Killer Ken. He doesn’t come with a hacksaw and a trash bag to put Barbie’s head in,” the spokesman said.
A Toys “R” Us spokesman says the stores in Central Ohio were each stocked with about eight of these dolls and they won’t be replaced once they’re sold out.
We suspect that, given the popularity of the show and the figures, it’s not the complaints that are motivating Toys R Us not to restock, but the fact that the figures have sold out in quite a few places–even we’re out of at least one variety. But if you want to take a look at the 7-inch Dexter figures, check out our Dexter section at CmdStore to see the Bif Bang Pow!-produced toys approved by Michael C. Hall and strongly disapproved by a host of others.
If you’re a fan of Batman: The Brave and the Bold and have been looking forward to the upcoming video game, the new trailer should make the wait just a little bit easier…or is it harder? You be the judge!
And fans might also be interested in checking out our collection of extremely awesome Batman: The Brave and the Bold figures from Mattel! They’re a 5- to 6-inch collection of toys and vehicles, featuring a variety of Batman toys (Bladewhip, Bataraxe, Crusher Cuffs), Solomon Grundy, Plastic Man and many more! They really capture the dynamic look of the series, which is itself a unique and more light-hearted take on the dark knight, sometwhere between Superfriends and the Batman animated series that made the 90′s so much cooler.
Take a look at the whole collection of B:B&B figures by clicking the pic below!
This collection includes two Robins (one a variant), Knightfall Batman, Jonah Hex, Mercury, Riddler (in the classic jumpsuit!) and The Creeper. Each one is 6 inches tall, looks absolutely brilliant and faithful to the character and, best of all, comes with a piece of the Series 16 Build-a-Figure, the Batman villain (last seen in the Secret Six) BANE.
This Mattel figure collection doesn’t have an official release date yet, but you can be sure that the moment we know, we’ll update. And don’t worry: you can still pre-order and no matter when these guys arrive, we’ll ship ‘em right out!
The new Aquaman vs. Black Manta 2-pack is another classic DC Universe rivalry captured for the company’s 2-pck collection. The sea’s greatest defender faces off against his greatest enemy and the pair are rendered brilliantly as 6-inch figures bearing their signature weapons and clad in their classic costumes. Any fan of the Justice League, Aquaman, Black Manta or, really, just some well-made figures, should definitely check this one out. It’s a great new addition and it’s nice to see these versions of what are, really, two frequently underused characters.
But that’s not the only new 2-pack worthy of note! No, far from it. Because we’ve got a great pair that brings together two supervillains from different worlds, facing off in what might be the most epic battle to span the universes! Ready? Because here it is!
An exclusive 2-pack sees Skeletor and Lex Luthor, together at last as 6-inch figures. Packaged with a full-length comic, this is a chance to join fandoms in a way that we’re all too thrilled to see! Check it out!
I recently mentioned the current increase in Green Lantern’s popularity thanks to the upcoming film and the starring role he boasts in the Blackest Night/Brightest Day DC Comics events. But as his future unfolds before us, why not take a look into Green Lantern’s past?
Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern, was the first to discover the power of the green flame.
Saved from death by a mysterious green metal lantern fashioned from a meteor, it flamed with power, fulfilling an ancient prophecy. Upon its instruction, Alan Scott formed a ring from the lantern’s metal, touching it to the lantern to charge it – and a new hero was born.
The figure stands about 12 inches tall and features 28 points of articulation, impressive on a DC Direct display item and perfect for any fan who wants to add some dynamic posing to a brilliant, classic character.
Following the announcement of Blizzard Entertainment’s Special Edition World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, here’s a look at what DC Direct has in-store for fans of the game looking for something awesome to add to their toy-shelves.
The figures range between 7 and 9 inches and look absolutely stunning, based on the high-detail concept art that World of Warcraft. The armour, the weapons and all the accessories look just as good as the characters’ faces, be they bare skin or covered in dense fur. I have to say that, even as a non-WOW-er, I can’t help but be impressed by the look of these figures–I’ve even considered picking up a few just for the styling of them. As fantasy figures, they really are a cut above. These guys will be shipping in November and join a huge collection of World of Warcraft toys already in stock!
This September, we tart shipping out a series 1 box set of Diamond Select’s Halo Mini-Mates figures! A group of four 2.5-inch figures (with 14 points of articulation!!) based on the hugely popular video game, the Mini-Mates feature video game-accurate armour and accessories while still being anthing BUT game-accurate in terms of form! Master Chief, a UNSC Marine, a Spartan in White Scout Armour, and an Elite in cobalt Assault Armour make up this first series, but given the “collectibility” of something like this, I’m pretty sure you can expect this PX Exclusive to be the beginning of something big–and small.
We’ve also got some brand new stuff coming in from Halo Reach! These items start shipping in September, but you can already take a look at what’ll be out there with individual action figures, 2-packs and vehicles! Click the pic below to check ‘em out!
And if you’re still salivating over REACH, we’re pleased to see thatKotaku.com has a look at the latest live-action game trailer, but not a lot of good to say about it:
The Halo universe is famous for explosions and the colour purple. But pregnant British women? Never seen one of them in a Halo game before.
This is yet another live-action trailer for Halo: Reach, showing the lives of some of the citizens of Reach the day before the Covenant invasion.
They’re OK, but Microsoft, the more of these you put out, the worse they’re getting, and the less impact they’re having. The pointiest tip of the Halo fanbase may get off on seeing bickering civilians, but the majority of customers are in this for the explosions.
Sideshow’s new Scarlet Witch comiquette, based on the art of Mark Brooks is the latest addition to our Marvel Sideshow collection. Coming in at a whopping 17.5 inches, the figure is a beautiful rendering of yet another of Marvel’s gorgeous super-powered women. Scarlet Witch looks incredible wearing her classic red (well, scarlet) costume over dangerous curves cast in high-quality polystone. A playful element is added as she toys with a remote, controlling a miniature remote-controlled Vision, her android beloved.
Another comiquette that might interest X-Men fans is the upcoming 17-inch Pyslocke, shipping in the 4th quarter of this year and pre-orderable now!
And if the animated universe isn’t quite far-out enough for you, then maybe you’d prefer to see something far stranger in the form of this Toronto Sun article detailing Sith Lord Darth Vader’s weekend plans…
Darth Vader may have done battle in a galaxy far, far away, but in Toronto, he’s going to be doing yoga.
The Dark Lord of the Sith and his storm troopers will be descending upon Trinity Bellwoods Park Wednesday morning to embark on a 20-minute exercise regime.
The effort at the park on Dundas St. W., just east of Ossington Ave., is designed to promote this weekend’s Fan Expo at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
“It might be interesting for people to come out and get some shots of Darth Vader and the storm troopers doing park things and creating a little buzz for Fan Expo,” said Roy Mitchell, 36, the head of the Toronto Garrison of the 501st Legion — a group of Star Wars aficionados.
The display starts at 11 a.m. with Vader, storm troopers, bike gunners, snow troopers and clone troopers doing yoga, playing tennis and having a picnic.
The 501st Legion, which boasts roughly 80 members in its Toronto chapter, always make an appearance at the Fan Expo convention.
“We’ll have the main group do each thing and it’s a photo opportunity,” said Mitchell, who will be playing Darth Vader.
“We can’t do things like Downward Dog or anything, yoga will probably be limited to standing poses. We’ll then set up a tennis match and maybe Vader will be standing on the line and be the judge. It’ll be fun and that’s the idea.”
Mitchell added it’ll be interesting to watch the storm troopers attempt to hit the tennis ball with a racket, especially when they can barely see out of the helmets.
“They may get lucky and may make it back to serve, I have no idea,” he said.
Among some of the now-un-caped crusaders appearing at this week’s expo are Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar, the original Batman, Robin and Catwoman.
Platform Nation has a great article telling video game companies what they should take away from the success and general awesomeness of Batman: Arkham Asylum.
Last year, one game took everyone by surprise. Rocksteady Studios came out of nowhere (literally; it was their second game they ever made) with Batman: Arkham Asylum. I would go so far as to say that they re-wrote the book on how to make a game based on a comic book. This year, another superhero looks to rise from the video game ashes after several disappointing efforts. Spiderman: Shattered Dimensions will be arriving shortly, so let’s go over pages from the Batman: Arkham Asylum manual that Spiderman: Shattered Dimensions should take from.
Throw the storyline from the movie out the window. The first thing any comic book game needs to do is come up with a completely new and original story. I hate to say this, but if I have seen the movie and know how the story goes, what is going to keep me playing all the way to the very end? Batman: AA’s story was original, compelling, was stayed in line with the Batman canon for the most part, and brought out the best in the Batman universe. All your favorite characters make an appearance in one way or another. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end, with enough plot twists scattered throughout to keep you saying “Just fifteen more minutes!”
Put me in the character’s shoes. I can’t tell you how many times bad voice acting has ruined a good story. Rocksteady Studios did exactly the right thing: they got the most beloved actors from the Batman series for the roles. Yes, that means Mark Hamill for the Joker and Kevin Conroy to voice the Batman. Just hiring these two actors alone did wonders for the story, as it brought me back to the days were I watched the cartoons on Saturday morning. All of the sudden, I was playing these cartoons. And that is a really, really good feeling. In addition, the graphics fit the game just right. The graphics were dark and gritty, which really enhanced the “creepy asylum” aurora. It was so satisfying to crunch a bad guy, and then see a bunch of tiny bats fly out of his body. All the character models look amazing, and you can see the influences from the comic books sneaking through, which is vital. The small details like Batman’s suit showing damage over the course of the game helped immerse you into the game. And the cut scenes looked and sounded fabulous and they helped move along the story at an acceptable rate.
Make the game fun to play. Everyone knows how horrible controls have ruined Spiderman and Superman games for years. Rocksteady took a “easy to learn, difficult to master” approach which was implemented beautifully. And it wasn’t just a button-masher either. Rocksteady did a fabulous job introducing various mechanics into the game that allowed you to vary the way you took out the bad guys. In addition, the game played in a stealth-like manner similar to the Tom Clancy games, which was really different and ran counter to my “superheros can do everything and beat anybody, no problem” mentality.
Spice things up. As I alluded to above, Rocksteady put many different styles of gameplay in their game. All the boss battles are different, there are some puzzle sections sprinkled about, and the whole “stealthy Batman” mindset really makes this game stand out from many of the other comic book games I have seen. Compare Batman: AA to one of the recent Iron Man games and it becomes clear the variety of gameplay really do make a difference in keeping the game fresh for 8 hours.
Give us the unlockables and extras we crave. For all the comic book fans and achievement hunters out there, Rocksteady didn’t forget you. There are a bunch of riddles set up by The Riddler for you to unlock. These often revolve around obscure comic book villians or Gotham City lore that comic book fans will crave. In addition, there are tons of audio tapes for you to unlock to take the story to another level altogether. Solving all these riddles and finding all the secrets will add on many more hours to the campaign length, because there is just SO MUCH for you to do.
Don’t deny your heritage. Whatever you do, don’t forget the comic books that you are coming from. Batman: AA gave a shout-out to these comics in the form of riddles and Easter eggs, but most importantly they did their research and they designed a game where you were Batman, not some modern evolution of such. That might have been their biggest decision of all.
Of course, I think it’s safe to say that we’re all looking forward to Arkham City and maybe a few replays of AA, but there’s one more thing you might want to check out and that’s this DC Direct series of Arkham Asylum figures. Batman, Joker, Harley Quinn, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and MORE are coming your way in 2011 as a group of brilliantly-crafted 7-inch figures. Naturally, they’re pre-orderable now!
Posted by actionfigurecanada 
HUMAN PALADIN JUDGE MALTHRED
ORC ROGUE GARONA
WORGEN SPY GARM WHITEFANG
SET OF ALL 3 FIGURES
