3/16/2007

Clone Trooper Figures

Finally came across an Elite Corps Trooper figure and had to get it. Briefly considered getting a Death Star Gunner figure, but eventually passed. The figure is nice, seems to be a simple repaint of the Vintage Collection Biker Scout, which would mean the figure is not movie accurate. Review forthcoming.

What I like most about this, is that this means that a new wave of figures is coming to my area. There are a lot of clone trooper figures in the set, as well as two great clone trooper "Battle Packs." I'm a sucker for Stormtrooper figures, and this has me excited. In the newest wave of figures Clone Troopers are coming out with the following markings:
#57 442nd Seize Battalion
#59 5th Fleet Security
#60 Clone Trooper Sergeant (Attack of the Clones
#69 Combat Engineer
There's also two Battle Packs:
Jedi Temple Assault, comes with Darth Vader (Anakin), three 501st Legion troopers (which were, unfortunately not based on the super-articulated trooper figure, and a Clone Pilot.
Betrayal on Felucia, comes with Aayla Secura, Commander Bly, and three 327th Star Corps troopers (which, to my knowledge, have never been available as single figures.

Don't know how long these items have been out in the rest of the world, but they're here in Baton Rouge now.

3/08/2007

Transformers Classic Series: Mirage - review

Purchased at: Wal-Mart
Price: $9.99

I wasn’t going to get this one. Like Grimlock and Astrotrain, I only sort of liked this figure but I not enough to warrant a purchase. However, I was feeling low and needed a fix and decided to pick it up.

Vehicle Mode

Classics Mirage 1

Mirage takes the form of an F1- or Indy Car- style car like his G1 counterpart. Classics Mirage also brings to mind Energon Prowl with an enclosed rather than open cockpit. However, Mirage’s vehicle mode is much sleeker than Energon Prowl’s. The vehicle mode is extremely well done. Mirage has his traditional number 26 and even uses the same font as his G1 figure. The homage doesn't stop there. Witwikcy Sparkplugs are seen as a sponsor on Mirage’s rear spoiler, and Lithonian Drivetrain seen on the front spoiler. In all, this vehicle mode is VERY well done, which is commonplace for this line of figures.

Robot Mode

Classics Mirage 2

Looking at the intial pictures of this figure, I wasn’t really crazy about it. It looked like a stickfigure to me, much too skinny. However, I’d heard that it had excellent poseability, and I always liked Mirage’s character (the reluctant hero always appealed to me for some reason). Again, I was on the aforementioned "low" (see this plastic stuff IS addictive), and I’ve reached the point in my life where I don’t sweat a 10 dollar purchase-on-a-whim. Let me say that pictures of this figure do NOT do it justice. It is an excellent figure. I’d say that aside from Optimus Prime, it is arguably most well-done Classics figure in the line. It is certainly the most poseable. The elbow actually has two different joints so you can pose the arms anywhere from fully extended to bent 180 degrees (arm bent all the way so that you can touch your shoulder with your hands.) The legs are nearly as poseable, and the waist is capable of being rotated 360 degrees so poses are nearly limitless. The ONE flaw I can find is in the head, and this is not the designers fault so much as it is the design of the head itself.

Classics Mirage 3

The designers retained G1 Mirage’s "helmet" design (the helmet flares from top to bottom where it is at its widest). The result is that the head cannot be turned side to side with also being tilted forward. Minor, MINOR complaint. I've even come to accept the fact that Hasbro is not including a visible faction symbol on this line (even though a big red Autobot symbol on this figure would have been awesome.)

Final Verdict
This is probably the best basic price point figure ($9.99) that I’ve seen in the Classics line so far (I only lack Grimlock). If you have ignored this line up to now or if you have been on the fence about Mirage, give him a try. This is a MUST HAVE for just about every Transformers fan.

UPDATE: Just showing off the Geewunny stickers I got from Reprolabels.

Classics Mirage 4

Classics Mirage 5

3/05/2007

Toy Rehab

Please check out my other blog, Toy Rehab. I'm refurbishing some of my old toys to good condition, and would like to hear from others who are doing the same.