Back Page: The Ultimate Ultimate Fighting Championship

Sometimes these coming up with these Back Page is like pulling teeth. A bunch of us, including Justin, photographer Dylan Brucie and myself lock ourselves in a room and try to think of what we can make fun of in one big gag. I honestly don’t remember how long the meeting for this “Vs. Video Game” parody took, but once we did, we ran with it, tossing out ideas for toys and properties to show off based on existing crossover franchises and whatever other craziness we could think of. And we got most of them in, only being limited by our toy library (we originally wanted to include Army Ants). Jairo did a great job designing the whole thing with the logos laid out how they are. We’re really happy with the finished product and wish we could actually play this game! Who doesn’t love team ups? I guess we’ll just have to settle for DC Universe vs. Mortal Kombat. GET OVER HERE!

–TJ

Minding the Corps: A Review of Green Lantern Series 3

Hey Gang, we here at ToyFare occasionally get figures before they hit shelves. This month we got DC Direct’s rad Green Lantern Series 3 figures in advance and we’re passing the savings (and by that I mean reviews) on to you. The series includes Batman as Green Lantern and Star Sapphire along with Sinestro and Cyborg Superman as they appeared in the fantastic “Sinestro Corps War” event from last year. So, here we go with the reviews…

BATMAN AS GREEN LANTERN

Okay, full disclosure, I love Green Lantern. I’ve got an ever-expanding Green Lantern Corps growing on my desk here at ToyFare, so these toys are right up my alley, but I’ll still try and give a fair and balanced view of them. That being said, this Batman as Green Lantern figure may be my favorite figure of the year. First of all, it’s just such a unique figure. This version of Batman showed up for about three pages and a cover in “Green Lantern” #9 and yet he’s already got a figure. I really appreciate DC Direct stepping out of their comfort zone with this (even though it is yet another Batman figure). Second, I like the heft of the figure. It, along with the rest of the figures, feells big and bold in my hand, like Masters of the Universe figures did when I was a kid and how some of the Spider-Man and X-Men figures felt when I was older. The articulation offers plenty of play opportunities (and, yeah, I do still play with my figures). I even like the Bat-GL logo that leaps off of Bats’ chests, though don’t try to futz with it too much, it doesn’t come off. Or at least if it does, it doesn’t go back on. GL Bats will make a welcome addition to my GL Corps.

STAR SAPPHIRE

Hal Jordan’s long-time flame Carol Ferris has been the host to alien invader Star Sapphire on a number of occasions. But now, it turns out that the Zamarons have used the actual Star Sapphire rock and turned it into a ring and power battery, thus making themselves the Violet Lanterns who have love on their side. Anyway, this figure is based on the Daniel Acuna drawn “Green Lantern” #18-20. She doesn’t quite resemble Acuna’s luminous art style, but still captures the sexiness of the character. The problem is that the figure is not very poseable. Her legs don’t quite bend at the hips, though she can kick her legs back. Her neck is nicely articulated so she can give Hal a scolding look, but overall, the figure lacks the kind of articulation that I like when playing with a figure. It sure does look good on a shelf though.

SINESTRO

Duh, duh DUUUH. Man, Sinestro has turned into one of the best villains of the past few years. Think of it like this, he’s the dude that controls all the other dudes who inspire fear in the hearts of men and aliens. And this figure really captures that feeling of dread and impending doom that has followed Sinestro since he came back in “Green Lantern: Rebirth” along with Hal Jordan. Ethan Van Sciver drew “Rebirth” and his Sinestro is the one that sticks out in my mind. So it’s great that this figure seems to take it’s cues from Van Sciver’s work. The dead eyes, huge forehead, Hitler-esque haircut and menacing sneer all scream Van Sciver and, frankly, scream terror. And best of all, he comes with fellow Sinestro Corps member Despotellis, the living virus who killed Green Lanter Kyle Rayner’s mother. My only gripe with this figure is that he comes with a Green Lantern symbol to stand on instead of a Sinestro Corps symbol. But, hey, that’s really just a nitpick.

CYBORG SUPERMAN

Like I said before, I’m a big Green Lantern fan. But I’m also a big Superman fan. “The Death of Superman” was the story that got me into comics, so the inclusion of Cyborg Superman in “Sinestro Corps War” and his inclusion in this line are both home runs for me. The best part is that you can even pose him like he appeared on the cover of “Green Lantern” #12, albeit with his Sinestro Corps rings and costume instead of the GL ones from that cover. Again, Cyborg Supes feels like a heft figure, which, at least in my mind, makes me feel like I’m getting more bang for my buck. Speaking of bang, this figure looks ready to punch a hole in your face, either with his raised fist or hand full of Yellow Lantern rings. The sculptors really captured Cyborg’s impressiveness as a character along with the great tiny details like the ring and the detail on his robot parts. Oh, and his red eye looks cool too. He also comes on a Green Lantern stand instead of a Sinestro Corps one, but aside from that, I’m a huge fan of this figure.

Overall, this is a great line of figures. DC Direct did a great job in choosing the figures for this line. It will appeal to long time Green Lantern fans, but also crossover with Superman and Batman collectors and even folks who like to go after artist-based figures, even though the lines get a little smudged between Van Sciver and fellow “GL” artist Ivan Reis. Between unique selections and great detail on these figures, we can’t wait to see what DCD releases in future waves, especially with the rest of the Lanterns revealing themselves over the coming year.

–TJ

ToyBlog Week 1: Duke

Greetings, citizen. Codename Duke here, of America’s premiere fighting force, G.I. Joe!

The non-fighting Americans behind ToyFare Magazine asked me to do a guest-blog to commemorate the end of the first week of their new FarePlay blog. Frankly, I find it disrespectful. Here I am, a Real American Hero ™, and that’s what they’re asking me to commemorate? I think they’re forgetting about something very important that we’re celebrating today. Something that defined who we are as a people and changed the course of history for the entire world.

I’m speaking, of course, of Independence Day.

Who would believe that it’s been 12 years since Independence Day first graced our screens and changed the way we thought about America, aliens and Will Smith forever? I know that, on a personal level, my life was forever changed by Independence Day. Before that I was just going through the motions: Cobra hatches a plot, we foil Cobra plot, rinse, repeat. Week after week after week.

But Independence Day gave me something to fight for! Now when I’m piloting a jet or driving a tank over Cobra troops, I pretend it’s evil alien forces I’m destroying, and only I can stop them from blowing the hell out of our national landmarks and monuments. Let me tell you - what a rush.

“ID4,” that’s what they called it, but of course it was a misnomer. To my eternal regret, there’s only one Independence Day film. Maybe, as much as it pains me, it’s for the best. Independence Day is like a snowflake - beautiful, unique, here one minute and gone the next. Only it’s like a snowflake I can relive every day and twice on Saturdays) thanks to the magic of DVD!

Tonight I’ll be attending a fireworks display to commemorate the scene where, their shields lowered thanks to a computer virus and the efforts of Mr. Smith and Mr. Goldblum, the alien ships explode in a flurry of fireworks. As a decent, God-and-alien-fearing American, I hope you’ll join me in thie celebration. It’s your patriotic duty.

Now you know. And knowing is half the battle. (The other half involves computer viruses.)

Duke is a toy, and one of the many stars of Twisted ToyFare Theatre. Look for a new guest-blog every week from a TTT star.

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