I recently added a couple more Ninja Turtles to my collection. Last week I acquired a couple new Raphaels…this week I went the Leonardo route. I found a 2-pack of Mash-‘Ems with Leonardo and a Foot Ninja–where you see exactly what you’re buying rather than a random blind-pack–and got the Pop! Vinyl figure.
…and all my “main” Leonardos at present:
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: action figures, Leonardo, Ninja Turtles, Pop, TMNT, toys, Vinyl | Leave a comment »
Tonight while walking through Target, I actually stopped short at the sight of some toys I hadn’t even had a clue were coming.
A new line of Justice League figures.
Of course, I was immediately disappointed at the larger size of these figures–I’ve come to MUCH prefer the 3.75-inch variety, and to this day have still never found any news or anything about the official cancellation of the Infinite Heroes line (nor the reasoning why it went away…though I have some ideas, as listed in a post last Friday).
As far as I can tell, there are only FOUR figures in this line: Superman, Batman, Flash, and Green Lantern. There are no other characters shown on the backs of the cards, anyway. I saw no vehicles/playsets, nor any other accessories other than what comes with each figure. There are no villains. AND the line is Target-exclusive (at least based on that sticker on the fronts of the packaging).
About the only thing really going for these to me offhand is that even at the bigger size, they’re “only” $7.99 (compared to, say, the $9.99 of the various Marvel (Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man 3) figures or Star Wars or $10 GI Joe: Retaliation figures. (Granted, less detail and articulation surely helps keep the cost down).
Still…I was sorely tempted by the Superman figure; but on closer inspection it looked rather sloppily put-together, with a gap in the shoulders where the cape is held in place (on the figure). I tell myself now that I’ll wait until I can 1. afford to and 2. buy both Batman and Superman in the same purchase to really strongly consider actually buying these. (Tonight the Target I was at had 3 of the 4 figures, missing only Batman).
Next to the Batman Unlimited/DC Unlimited $16 figures I’ve seen several times, this is the first “kid-affordable” instance I’ve noticed of the New 52 versions of things making it into general/common toys’ appearance, 18 months after the comics’ relaunch.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: action figures, DC, DC Comics, dc entertainment, Justice League, justice league figures, Target, target exclusive, toys | 1 Comment »
Over the last few weeks, I’d actually begun to fear that the new line of TMNT figures had been dropped by BOTH Walmart AND Target…as both chains seemed to have no stock of the figures, and were filling the pegs previously marked for TMNT with Power Rangers and Ben10 and other lines.
I even did some digging online just to try to find some information, and found a couple discussions suggesting it was that the toys had sold exceedingly well during “the holidays” and neither chain had yet restocked…which makes sense (for the most part).
Also made sense that the stores would spread other stock out to avoid the constant empty pegs. It was just a wonder (to me) to consider that a chain would not be able to get something restocked more quickly.
Then a couple weeks ago I noticed a handful of figures again at a Walmart, and the other day spotted a restocked selection at a local Target (pictured to the left).
While it’s good to see the line back in stock with some numbers (rather than just an isolated single figure here or there) I continue to be rather disappointed at the selection. I bought the entirety of the first wave of figures, and bought the next three the first time I saw them, the third wave of figures seems to consist simply of “Ooze variants” of the four turtles.
While I am not a huge fan of endless variants, I was guilty of snagging several variants of a character from the 2003 line, and had a slew of Leonardos from the ’80s line. But for $9/figure I’m NOT buying into the variants…especially as stupid as these.
Maybe I’m still just in the mindset of the ’80s stuff, but to me, the turtles should want nothing to do with the ooze; that contact with it again could revert them to “normal” turtles.
Regardless…the fact that the figures themselves–made to utilize actual ooze–do not even come with a small “sample” of ooze puts me off all the more. I don’t mind that the ooze is sold separately in “bulk,” but if I’m buying a $9 figure I’m not exactly inclined to want to have to spend another $4-7 on a container of figure-compatible ooze product.
I also continue to be entirely unimpressed with the “vehicles,” save the Van, which I have the intention of snagging “eventually,” though kinda bummed that Target’s bumped their asking price from $29.99 to $32.99. Discounts’ll suck me in…making stuff more expensive than the “regular” price you started with is NOT going to entice me.
I believe there’s a Leatherhead figure coming soon, and I have no idea what else–I’ll probably snag that figure, but for the most part I’m not all that interested in the “oozed villain of the week” characters introduced on the tv show so far, and it’s going to take something more interesting than slinging ooze to get me to buy variants of core characters.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: action figures, figures, mutagen ooze, Ninja Turtles, ooze chuckin' mikey, ooze launchin' leo, ooze scoopin' donnie, ooze tossin' raph, TMNT, TMNT 2012, toys | 1 Comment »
After seeing bare-bones presence of the new TMNT toys at Target, they seem to have finally joined the ranks of the “regularly stocked,” as I’ve now seen these multi-peg displays at 5 or 6 different Targets.
I still don’t care for the “sound FX” figures, and would actually be sorta interested in the “TMNT Classics” line (at least for Leonardo).
The photo below was taken at the Target in Willoughby, OH:
I was actually fairly surprised when I saw the following in the Eastlake Walmart recently. Though “late” to the party, that Walmart had a better stock of figures than most of the Targets I’ve seen–though not all visible here, all 9 unique “basic” figures were on these pegs.
At the “Super” Walmart in Brimfield, OH, the aisle tag isn’t quite appropriately placed, but it caught my attention, so served its purpose. I was beginning to REALLY doubt Walmart’s support of these new TMNT toys, but I guess I didn’t need to.
And I’m not quite sure what to make of these bare pegs…the “display” looks pretty shoddy and bare…but that’s hopefully because the things are actually selling.
I’ve often had an “issue” with toy lines for their “peg warmers,” and it does seem like the turtles themselves are filling that role so far: it’s Shredder, the Kraang, the Foot Soldier, and April O’Neil that seem relatively rare–and even Splinter.
The ancillary stuff–the role play kits, the talking/FX turtles, and the vehicles seem pretty common–for what little attention I’ve paid. Continue reading
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: 2012, action figures, nickelodeon, Ninja Turtles, Target, TMNT, TMNT 2012, toys, walmart | Leave a comment »
…and here are the TMNT 2012 figures, out of their packaging!
Raphael, April O’Neil, Donatello, Michelangelo, Splinter, and Leonardo:
Shredder with Foot Soldiers:
TMNT vs. Shredder and the Foot:
The Kraang:
And just cuz I could, 2003 TMNT side-by-side with 2012 TMNT:
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Toy Chronicles | Tagged: action figures, April O'Neil, Donatello, Foot, Kraang, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Ninja Turtles, playmates, Raphael, shredder, TMNT, TMNT 2003, TMNT 2012, toys | 2 Comments »
The new TMNT figures based on the 2012 Nickelodeon animated series are out…and after scouring local Toys R Us and Target stores, I’ve managed to snag the entire first wave of basic figures. Here are the profiles from the back of the cards:
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Toy Chronicles | Tagged: action figures, April, April O'Neil, Donatello, foot ninja, Foot Soldier, Kraang, Krang, Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Michelangelo, nickelodeon, Ninja Turtles, Raphael, shredder, splinter, Target, TMNT, TMNT 2012, toys, toys r us, toysrus | Leave a comment »
The new TMNT figures based on the 2012 Nickelodeon animated series are out…and after scouring local Toys R Us and Target stores, I’ve managed to snag the entire first wave of basic figures. Here are the bad guys:
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Toy Chronicles | Tagged: action figures, foot ninja, Foot Soldier, Kraang, Krang, nickelodeon, Ninja Turtles, shredder, Target, TMNT, TMNT 2012, toys, toys r us, toysrus | Leave a comment »
The new TMNT figures based on the 2012 Nickelodeon animated series are out…and after scouring local Toys R Us and Target stores, I’ve managed to snag the entire first wave of basic figures. Here are the good guys:
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Toy Chronicles | Tagged: action figures, April, April O'Neil, Donatello, Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Michelangelo, nickelodeon, Ninja Turtles, Raphael, splinter, Target, TMNT, TMNT 2012, toys, toys r us, toysrus | Leave a comment »
For the last few weeks, I’ve been walking a couple extra aisles in Walmart and Target, keeping an eye out for a lot of green. Ninja Turtles green.
My logic’s been that surely the new toy line would be out AHEAD of the new animated series (which I believe premieres end of September). Unfortunately, not a sign of TMNT stuff.
Yesterday I did a Google search to see if there was any easily (read: “quickly”) accessible information about when the new toys would be out, and I found primarily references to Toys R Us.
Fast-forward several hours, and I was headed to a local mall to see if the comic shop there had a couple comics I’d decided I was actually interested in buying…and recalled 1. there’s a Toys R Us and 2. what I’d read about TRU having the TMNT figures already.
So…I decided to swing by the TRU first on the chance they’d have the figures, and that they’d be the familiar $5.99 or so that I’ve seen Power Rangers and Batman: Dark Knight Rises figures priced at.
Well, they had the figures, but they’re priced like the Marvel 3.75″ figures at $9 ($8.9x anyway).
This Toys R Us had one Donatello, one Foot Soldier, several Kraang, several Splinter, and one April O’Neil. Had they had all 4 turtles, I would have bought Leonardo or Raphael. But, with only one turtle available, I bought Donatello (and I sincerely hope April does not become a “chase”-type figure like with the vintage 1980s line).
Not enthused at the pricing…but it’s TMNT. My weakness.
I have mixed feelings on the packaging…but that also ties to my feelings on the new theme song, both of which I’ll hopefully address in another post in the near future. (In short–there’s a certain retro/homage element I like).
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: action figures, Ninja Turtles, Target, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, TMNT, toys, toys r us, toysrus, walmart | 1 Comment »
While I have a fair number of action figures sitting around in their packages…it’s not for value. I’m not planning on trying to re-sell them, I’m not trying to keep them (their packages/packaging) in “mint condition.” No, my action figures tend to remain in their packaging because it can be a battle just to remove the figures FROM said packaging. I’ve had to go at ’em with a knife, scissors, and quite a bit of patience in order to achieve successful extraction.
Following up my Sunday evening post about the Iron Man 2 toys and finding Thor at Walmart, here are Cap/Thor/Iron Man as promised, followed by War Machine, Thor, and Iron Man (my newest acquisitions).
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Toy Chronicles | Tagged: action figures, de-packaged, Fury Files, Hammer files, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, MARVEL, Marvel Universe, opened, out of package, Shield, thor, toys, War Machine | 1 Comment »
Comic Reviews by Walt 