Press Release - Mezco Toys - Scott Pilgrim Summer Exclusive

Press Release: More news from the busy folks at Mezco Toyz, this time we get a look at their new Scott Pilgrim summer exclusive! Click through for details on how and when you can add this excellent and iconic figure to your collection!  Read More
Posted by charlie on May 31st 2011, 05:40 PM
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Sega Master System - Chase H.Q.

We ended last week on a fantastic Sega Master System note, so let's start out this week the same way! Here is another import title, direct from Australia, arriving along with Shadow Dancer. Check it out by clicking through the image below.


I always enjoy the plot that game developers hang on a play mechanic that is basically a re-tread, and here we have a standard 3rd person racing game with a great background plot. The box-back may be short on English, but it's long on awesome.

La chiamano CHASE H.Q. e il suo obiettivo e quello di arrestare i criminali che fuggono in automobile dal luogo del crimine.


Posted by charlie on May 30th 2011, 07:29 PM
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Press Release: Mezco Toys - South Park Box Set

Press Release: This just in from Mezco Toyz, news and pictures of their Green Lantern & Sinestro Comic Version 2-Pack. This set will premiere at SDCC 2011, but will also be available on the Mezco retail site. Click through for more info on how to get this great set, just in time for Green Lantern Fever!  Read More
Posted by charlie on May 27th 2011, 08:32 AM
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Sega Master System - Shadow Dancer - The Secret of Shinobi

It's been a while since I've done some good, honest, video game coverage here at the Preserve. It would be most tragic to earn a place right off of the 'classic gaming' links list at the page of dear Gnome! To avoid that terrible eventuality let's take a look at Shadow Dancer for the Sega Master System!


This is one of many many games that were only released in non-U.S. markets. This particular copy came from Australia, and interestingly the instruction manual is only in English, and is a multi-fold single page, instead of a booklet. While the text for each language on the back of the box is short, I especially enjoy a reference to 'Death Stars' and a crucial space mission. As always, click the image above for a few more looks at this game, and have a great weekend!

Je machtige zwaard en Ninjutsu Magie!

Posted by charlie on May 27th 2011, 02:25 AM
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New Muppet Movie - Now With More Trejo!

Several days ago, the first trailer for the new Muppet Movie was released, and it was simply fantastic. Today - we get more delight from their spot-on marketing department, which I present to you without a moment's further delay!


Thanks to filmdrunk for the tip.

Posted by charlie on May 26th 2011, 10:45 AM
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Transformers Animated - Roll Out Command Optimus Prime

It's been several years since this figure came out, but it was an ambitiously large entry in the Transformers Animated line. The Roll Out Command Optimus Prime - the figure with the long and grammatically questionable name and heart of gold - can talk, has blinking lights, and even moves his mouth plate. By the way - he has a mouth plate, and not lips - thank you Hasbro! Well, we do like this gigantic figure, and it's high time that it was added to the Preserve!



Posted by charlie on May 25th 2011, 05:42 PM
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Mezco and Fangoria for Japan Relief

Press Release: Our friends at Mezco Toyz have just sent us news that they are working with Fangoria and a handful of other great companies to hold a charity auction for Japan. Click through to learn more about their great efforts to help our friends in a time of need.  Read More
Posted by charlie on May 24th 2011, 06:51 PM
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Filmation Ghostbusters - Steampunkier Than 'The Real...'

I'm a tremendous fan of the 1984 movie Ghost Busters, as are most readers of the Preserve I would imagine. I feel that it is among the set of movies that children of the '80s should be nearly fluent with in quote and in content. What only a subset of those fans probably know is that there was a live action show in 1975 called The Ghost Busters which starred Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch. The surprising and embarrassing truth is that the Bill Murray movie was most likely borrowed in no small part from the groundwork that was put down in that 1970s show.

Fast forward to 1986, and you have a cartoon controversy on your hands! You can learn more about it on a wiki or two but the short version is that Filmation finally pushed back with it's Ghostbusters property, forcing the Bill Murray version to add 'The Real...' to their new cartoon. Of course, the Filmation version was relatively short-lived, clocking in at 2 seasons compared to the 5 year run of the competing program. Well, I have been known to favor the underdog, which brings us around to our story!

This past weekend, I attended the second annual Steampunk World's Fair in New Jersey, which is a fun event bringing together musical acts, weapons demonstration and education, and a good excuse for people to make elaborate brass and leather improbable outfits. When considering what I could wear to this event, I was suddenly struck by two thoughts:

• The Filmation cartoon is significantly more 'Steampunkish' than the 'Real' version
• I'd never seen anyone do a Filmation Ghostbusters suit!

Well, to make an already long story not further long, I set to work cobbling together a reasonable Eddie outfit (from the cartoon), along with a Ghost Gummer gun and with my limited craft skills I was pretty happy with the result. Here, then, are several fun pictures:


Of additional hilarity is that Mo Rocca, of "Wait Wait Don't Tell me", Foodography and CBS Sunday Morning fame showed up Saturday morning and filmed what appeared to be a good amount of footage for a bit he's doing on the Steampunk show. The segment should air on CBS Sunday Morning, for real, in a few weeks. I know - I was surprised as well, and of course had to get a picture while suited up! I especially enjoy the look on his face, which says it all...WHOA - and I just noticed - blow up that image by clicking on it, and look between our heads in the background. That - right there - is the look I saw every time someone realized what the outfit was - I'm so happy that we managed to capture one as he catches a glimpse of the ghost backpack!


Now, you may or may not have heard of Professor Elemental, but he is a gentleman rhymer. You owe it to yourself to go find some of his music on the 'tubes (official, and from show), and then to enjoy this image, proving not only his gift for physical comedy, but that my Gummer works on the corporeal version of Haunter as well! Or, that the Professor is, in fact, a spirit.


And lastly, because this is the Game Preserve, and we talk about G.I. Joe here a lot, I was delighted to see Cobra Commander show up, barely wrapped in a towel, having a grand old time!


The truly rewarding thing for me was how many people recognized the outfit, and the look of sudden 20 year latent revelation when they saw the backpack is what makes this gig worthwhile! I know that the Filmation version has long been dissed, but maybe enough time has gone under the bridge that fond memories have replaced that prior unwarranted malice. Given the reactions and the enjoyment of the "first Original Ghost Busters suit I've ever seen" as said by many people, this one definitely goes in the closet, to be tweaked and used again!

And so as to not make my coverage of the event appear entirely self-centered, I did post a number of (admittedly poorly shot on an iPhone) videos of the concerts I saw, which are now all up on youtube - check it out!

Posted by charlie on May 23rd 2011, 08:31 PM
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Lego Cars 2 Trailer

This just in from our friends at Lego - a new Cars 2 trailer carefully re-created entirely from Lego bricks!



Fun facts:

• Several thousand LEGO bricks were used to create the trailer
• 3 months of animation
• Was recorded 24 frames/second like the movie; it’s not common to directing stop-motion at 24 frames/second

And with that, I'm off to an event this weekend. Watch the twitter window for some fun updates, hopefully, and eventually a picture of the absurd costume I have assembled!

Posted by charlie on May 20th 2011, 08:55 AM
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Press Release: Mezco Toys - South Park Box Set

Press Release: Also available this fall from Mezco Toyz is their South Park: Classic Boys Box Set! With the show in season 14, what better time to get classic-styled figures of the four stars (arguably, depending on your favorite characters of course!) Click though for a larger look at this great new set!  Read More
Posted by charlie on May 19th 2011, 08:30 AM
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Mezco Toyz - Little Big Planet Mega Deluxe SackBoy

Press Release: Coming this fall from our pals at Mezco Toyz is their Mega Scale SackBoy figure! Click through for a little more info, and a larger picture, of this modern gaming icon.  Read More
Posted by charlie on May 19th 2011, 07:23 AM
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Hasbro Toy Fair Catalog - 1991 Edition!

If you woke up this morning wondering what Hasbro was up to 20 years ago, then have I got a treat for you! Today we are taking a look at the 1991 Hasbro Toy Fair catalog, which gave retailers a chance to see what the Big H had available to them for the coming year. This was one of the years without Transformers, and the slack was admirably picked up by the sprawling G.I. Joe assortments, though as a Trans-Fan it does make for a somewhat empty feeling to the event.

For a look at Bucky O'Hare, The Pirates of Dark Water, tons of Joes and more Cabbage Patch Kids than you can shake a crazed soccer mom at, click the image below!



Posted by charlie on May 18th 2011, 02:38 AM
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Transformers: The Lament Configuration - Commander Class Ironhide

Let's keep the parade of figures from Transformers: The Lament Configuration rolling today with Commander class Ironhide! This is actually the last of the figures I've bought from the release wave, so you all can catch a break from the focused coverage of the past week. We'll then be able to move back into more familiar territory, like the 1992 Hasbro Toy Fair catalog, and some Australian Sega Master System games. Sound good? I thought so too! Well, click the image of ol' rough-n-ready Ironhide here for a shot of this used-to-be scout class figure.



Posted by charlie on May 17th 2011, 07:01 AM
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Transformers: The Lament Configuration - Official Toy Release Date

Today being May 16th heralds the official release of the Transformers: The Lament Configuration toy line! Of course, you and I both know that these have been turning up in stores for at least the past two weeks, and in more rare cases even sooner. Still, it's quite a big day in toy stores around the country, with Captain America joining the new Transformers, along with the massive Cars 2 line. Seriously, the push for those Cars products is staggaring, and makes the Transformers shelf look silly by comparison.

So - in celebration of the arrival of this arbitrary date, let's take a look at another Dark of the Moon figure, deluxe class Crankcase! As always, click the image for the detailed page and full bio of this brand new figure. Then, find him in stores today!



Posted by charlie on May 16th 2011, 07:02 AM
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Transformers: The Lament Configuration - Voyager Megatron

It's starting to look as if the Voyager scale figures are going to be the most popular of the launch wave for this new Hasbro line. Launching, of course, on "May 16th" which means that they are already available at every corner drugstore just about. Have you ever seen the shipping boxes with the shelf dates? They're great - big blaze-orange signs on the side of each one - not something you would miss. I have to imagine that it's a quiet corporate decision to start shelving this product; some sort of toy-arms-race if you will. I guess once one store does it, you're losing sales unless you keep up.

So today, let's glide into the weekend with a look at Voyager Megatron! This was one of the first figures from this line that I saw sneak-photos of some months ago, and I was intrigued by the 'cape' effect thing that they did here. Of course, it's molded plastic, not a soft good, but cool none the less. Hey - that's an interesting idea - a soft good on a Transformer...hmmm. Anyway - click the image below for the full gallery of the latest incarnation of Megatron...still not a Walther P-38.



Posted by charlie on May 13th 2011, 08:30 AM
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George Takei and Twitter

Sometimes, Twitter is awesome:



Posted by charlie on May 12th 2011, 06:35 AM
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Transformers - The Lament Configuration - Legion Class Topspin

Let's go from the very big, to the very small - the same bridge that Einstein was never able to make with 100% certainty may tend to elude us in this line as well, but Hasbro has done their typically admirable job of keeping consistent quality across all scales. The smallest figures in the line in 2011 are no longer called 'Legends' but rather 'Legion' - one imagines to allow for new, slightly less legendary characters to exist at this scale and not be entirely apocryphal.

Here then we have Topspin - a name from the past that has been resurrected for this third movie. With luck, we'll be able to pick him out from the mass of spinning parts on screen, but at the very least we are getting both a Legion and Deluxe scale figure of him in this new range. Click the image for the gallery, bio and shiny NASCAR sticker of this mini-bot.



Posted by charlie on May 11th 2011, 02:48 AM
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Transformers - Dark (Side) of the Moon Arrives

Reports have been coming in from around the country that stores (ahemTARGET) have been blatantly disregarding the 'shelf date' of May 16th that Hasbro set for their new Dark of the Moon toys. We saw this line just a few months ago in the showroom at Toy Fair, and now just today I've seen it on the shelves of my very own chronologically-challenged Target store! I picked up an example of each scale of figure, as can you see:


And I did take the time to shoot some package pics and transcribe some bios. Let's kick things off with Sentinel Prime! Click the image of his Leader sized box, which is definitely solid and heavy - more so than this scale from either of the previous 2 movie lines, I'll boldly say! Start checking your local stores too, since I'm sure these are to be found just about everyplace now. Or - wait 6 days and the real date will be here anyway. Seems this line is upon us!



Posted by charlie on May 10th 2011, 02:03 AM
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Tron Legacy - Jarvis

Ok, it would appear that I was not entirely truthful when I said that the Tron Legacy coverage was at an end with Quorra. I assure you, though, that it was an oversight on my part, rather than a purely malicious deception! Specifically, we can't overlook the series 2 wave-mate to Quorra, and here we have Jarvis!


While Castor is pictured in the cross-sell on the cardback here, I've never seen one come up on ebay and certainly haven't seen one in the stores. My suspicion is that he never saw the light of day, but the interesting story is why!? Perhaps a last minute likeness dispute, or perhaps his 'light feature' was melting down or some such. Either way, the series 2 of this line brought the collector only two new figures, but a whole raft of re-cards on wider stock, which was seemingly designed to upset and disturb the plan-o-gram folks at the big box stores.

Speaking of plan-o-grams, my local Target this morning has finally started to undergo their toy aisle reset. I was there at 8:04 AM, so the reset looked like a scene from Night of the Comet, where everything was left as if abandoned mid-action - one suspects because it was time for the morning employee pep-rally at the front of the store. As such, though, I noticed several full sheets of price tags that were yet to be separated and hung. Many many Transformers DOTM labels were to be seen, though my wondering eyes looked with disbelief at brand new Tron peg tags! This line just keeps on going - so we'll see what happens next!

Posted by charlie on May 9th 2011, 06:53 AM
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G.I. Joe - Q&A Round #2 Due Sunday Night


The next round of questions are due to the G.I. Joe brand team at Hasbro this coming Monday. As such, please be sure to have them all submitted to us by Sunday Night, May 8th so there is time to choose the best ones and send them over to Big-H.

And remember that they are unlikely to answer things like 'how many Snake Eyes did you make' and 'are you releasing Street Fighter Crossovers this year'. I find it's much more interesting to ask things that give them a chance to share their actual thoughts and experiences about the work they do - that's some cool insight to read!

Posted by charlie on May 6th 2011, 12:42 PM
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Ghostbusters - Marshmallow Mess Ray Stantz

Egon may have felt like the floor of a taxi cab, Winston may love his job, Peter may have been clean for his big finale, but Ray pretty much reaped what he had sown and was a total mess. Heck, as his bio says, it just popped in there! Here is the March 2011 Club Ecto figure of Marshmallow Mess Ray Stantz - click the image to see more shots, and read yet another perfect bio from the team at Mattel!



Posted by charlie on May 6th 2011, 01:17 AM
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Tron Legacy - Quorra

Barring some sort of amazing discovery of back-room Tron Legacy toys, I suspect this figure is the last update from this line you'll have to withstand for quite some time. Behold, Quorra!


It's a tired saw, but 'girl figures' in action figure lines are sadly few and far between, and often end up being collectible. That they left her until the short-run 'series 2' will only compound matters, so be sure to pick this one up if you can. Try your local KMart, it worked for me!

Posted by charlie on May 5th 2011, 11:59 AM
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May the 4th (Be With You)

Well folks, it's May 4th again, which means it's time for the annual clever excuse for a Star Wars celebration for lispers and genre fans alike! This just in from Lego, as is their tradition, we have a tale from the SW universe, done with their mini figures of course! Enjoy, and do try to do something fun and Star Warsie today!



Posted by charlie on May 4th 2011, 05:39 AM
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Tron Legacy - Three Man Light Jet Diecast

Since I'm on a roll with the Tron Legacy line, how about we finish up the diecast set today with the Three Man Light Jet! This is the third and last vehicle that was new for 'series 2', with the rest of the set consisting of repackaged series 1 pieces.


I'll say again for the record how amazed I am that they put money towards an entirely new set of cardbacks for this second wave, and I just wish they had sold better so we could see what was in store for series 3!

Posted by charlie on May 3rd 2011, 06:33 AM
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Tron Legacy - Grid Limo Die Cast

Here's another entry from our recent Series 2 Die Cast discovery in the Tron Legacy toy line. It is the Grid Limo! I have a suspicion that this one is short packed to a case, since I found two each of the One Man and Three Man Light Jets on the peg, but only the single Limo. Of course, I guess it's possible that a highly discerning collector (or kid) only picked up one of these rare series 2 vehicles, and it happened to be the other Limo. All of that is just pointless musing, though, so let's get on to the gallery! Click the image below for a few more shots, and the description, of this piece from the winter of this line.



Posted by charlie on May 2nd 2011, 08:03 AM
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Dick Van Patten and his Cat Food

I felt everyone should know that Dick Van Patten, the King of planet Druidia, now manufactures Ultra Premium cat food. And the cats seem to love it. That is all.



Posted by charlie on May 1st 2011, 07:26 PM
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