Hot Wheels: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Party Wagon (HW Screen Time 03/10)

When Hot Wheels makes something as cool as the Turtles' Party Wagon, how can you not pick it up?

Once again the people at Mattel have hit a home run with this release as the design is true to the animation model. One of the best of the Screen Time vehicles released in 2020.

WWE Elite Collection Series (Target Exclusive): Billie Kay

 

I'm fairly new to buying and collecting Mattel's WWE Elite Collection series of figures, so when I realized that Billie Kay got the Elite treatment I knew I wanted to her ger eventually. One half of the now former IICONICS, the duo (w/ Peyton Royce) were one of the more enjoyable women's tag teams on WWE television. My oldest daughter picked this out for me as a Christmas gift when a gift my wife originally purchased for me didn't pan out. She was so excited for me to open this gift that I opened it Christmas Eve to a huge grin on her face.

I believe this was a Target exclusive, but I believe they purchased it on Amazon. In typical fashion Amazon just tossed the figure into a bubble mailer so the by the time it had been delivered the box had seen better days. My daughter knew I'd open it anyways so she wasn't too worried. Billie comes in the typical Elite Collection packaging, complete with a large window to show off the figure. The back of the packaging features a large headshot and some bio info.

Each side of the packaging has additional images of the wrestler. The flap at the top has a black corner with the words "Collector's Edition" inside of the normal series #.

Billie Kay comes packaged with a microphone accessory and two extra interchangeable hands. The microphone is not packaged in her hand, but in the plastic tray. This caused the handle of my microphone to be bent a little as the plastic used is a little soft.

The extra hands have one hand in an open position while the other has an odd finger positioning.

Billie Kay was able to cut some good promos so the inclusion of a microphone accessory is perfect.

Billie Kay's other accessories if you will is a sleeveless cloth shirt with the IICONICS logo on the front. Normally I don't care for clothing made from cloth, but like the previous WWE figure I reviewed the material used for the shirts is sleek and nice. It attaches using a velcro strip down the back which allows the shirt to be removed with ease.

I prefer her look without the shirt as you get to see more of her ring gear. She's wearing her blue and black gear that she wore quote a bit. The black trim has silver accents and across the top of her briefs has a black lace. She has white boots with the IICONICS logo on each side. Normally she wears tall black boots, but in this case her lower legs are painted blue to mimic leggings.

Mattel did a good job capturing the likeness of Billie's face. I've been impressed with the facial likeness of all of the Elite Collection figures I've purchased thus far.

I had previously purchased the IICONICS two pack and when you put the two figures of Billie side by side there really is no comparison. First of all the plastic used isn't as shiny as the two pack. The ring gear is sculpted onto the figure and not just painted. Being an Elite figure of course there is more articulation. Added is a swivel just below the shoulder, wrist swivel, a thigh cut and ankle pivot. The torso is also two pieces, giving her top half a little movement the basic figure doesn't have. 

Overall I'm very pleased with this figure. Her tag partner Peyton Royce was released in series #73, so at some point I'll be on the lookout to pick her up to reunite the pair. For now however I'm happy to have "upgraded" this figure. I ended up gifting the two pack of figures to my daughter who at least has an interest in wrestling and wrestling collectibles.

Micro Machines: Christmas Stocking Stuffer #1

 

 

2020 saw the return of the Micro Machines brand. Hasbro acquired Galoob back in 1998 and thus Micro Machines. While Hasbro has tried to relaunched the scaled miniatures before (with not much success), for this relaunch they licensed the brand to Wicked Cool Toys.

While I had another Micro Machines review ready to go first, with Christmas just a few days away this is the perfect time to find this Christmas Stocker Stuffer I found at my local Target store. I believe these were merchandised in the holiday section of the store with other stocking stuffer toys, I've never actually seen them. I found this one laying on the shelf in the regular toy section. Priced at just $3 I grabbed it more for the novelty.

As you can see the packing takes the form of a candy cane with a small bubble blister housing the two cars, Paso Fino and Hognose. I like how there is even a Christmas ornament on the card for you to write the name of the recipient. The back of the card shows the other two sets in this Christmas series...though good luck finding them.

I noticed with the first Micro Machines I purchased that the cars are numbered and these are no exception. Paso Fino is #146 and Hognost is #147. With only two series of 3 packs and 5 packs released thus far, I find it hard to believe that there are at least 147 Micro Machines already.

Paso Fino is some sort of red exotic sports car. The car itself features a few different paint apps: silver windows, silver accent for the head lights and tail lights and of course the white bow/racing stripes. Silver chrome is added to the rims/wheels.

Hognose is sort sort of off-road SUV. Paint apps include red for the windows and tail lights with yellow for the running lights on the front. Silver chrome has been applied to the wheels, including the spare on the back.

Growing up with the Galoob Micro Machines I have to say these new versions don't quite match up to the originals. I like them, but they don't quite stack up to the Galoob versions. The vehicles are well made and have free rolling wheels. I do like the fact that these vehicles received a holiday deco and I'd like to find the other two sets. If you are a fan of tiny vehicles such as these then you'll want to check what's left in the Christmas section at your local Target stores.

Transformers 3rd Party: FansProject - Razorspike

Sometime around 2013 (or was it 2014) FansProject unveiled their wholly original design which just happened to tickle the fancy old Transformer collectors like myself. The Retro-Future series featured a ice age themed combiner group that when merged together formed Glacialord. It's as if these new figures could have been on the shelves of your local Toys 'R Us store back in the 80's.

I've been sitting on these figures for entirely too long. It's time to "let them breathe" so join me if you will as we take an indepth look at the "Glaciabots".

First up is Razorspike, a rhinoceros. Before we get to the figure, let's take a closer look at the packaging. If you're a long time reader of the blog then you'll know I'm a fan of packaging. While I don't save toy packaging like I once did, there is just too much love put into this particular packaging for me to gloss over or to toss in the trash.

For starters you'll notice that the box has all sorts of "defects" worked into the design. From the crushed corner, worn edges, old tape or even water damage, these boxes are meant to look like they've seen their fair share of love over the years. The front of the box features a small window where you can see a portion of the toy. If you look through the window carefully you'll notice the figure is sitting inside a white block of styrofoam. Screw planet Earth, we've got styrofoam trays again!! A image of the blocky character is featured prominently on the right side. 

On the back of the box we have a smaller image of Razorspike and how he forms the right leg/foot of Glacialord. More of the weathered look of the box can be seen on the back as well. While not pictured, the robot and alternate forms are shown on each side of the box.

The block of styrofoam carefully cradles the figure, weapon and mini-figure...which is actually Razorspike according to the included instructions...more on that later. Inside the little baggie is a G1 like instruction manual and a partially used sticker sheet. This is an odd touch, but I see how it fits into the whole package. I was a little frustrated however that the instructions don't include a sticker layout. While there are only a few stickers for you to actually apply, it would've been nice to have confirmation of where the stickers went. Thankfully it's pretty easy to find the pre-applied stickers and match up the others.

After opening Razorspike I had a better idea of what I was getting into. Razorspike is more of the same...which is a good thing! The feel of the plastic is smooth and you can tell it's of a good quality. While the paint apps may be limited, they look great. Razorspike really is a brick...but that's a good thing...well that is if you are a fan of the original 80's Transformers. No ball joints here. Limited poseability, check. I do like how Glacialord's foot plate is integrated into the animal design. Accessories that are self contained on a action figure is a huge plus in my book.

The mini-figure comes sealed on a small blister card and is labeled "Razorspike". I'm assuming this means the rhinoceros is a non-sentient robot and controlled by Razorspike? Doesn't really matter to me as I like the gimmick...reminds me of some of the later Japanese exclusive G1 Transformers.

Creatively there is a small door on the footplate hat slides open to allow Razorspike to be inserted for "beast rider" mode...call it whatever you will.

I'm not exactly sure what you'd call these mini-figures. They aren't quite Headmasters. They aren't quite Brainmasters. They aren't quite Breastmasters either...however they share similarities (sort of) of all 3. Razorspike's legs fold forward forming a small cube. Then the mini-figure is inserted into the cavity of the newly transformed robot.

Razorspike's head is now the head of the larger robot. If the small, square head looks familiar it's because it's designed after many of the original G1 Transformer combiners. Small and undersized for the body, yet still awesome. The toy stands about 4.5 inches tall. Robot mode features very limited articulation. The arms move up and down and that is about it. The beast head doubles as a weapon while the foot piece doubles as a shield. Overall Razorspike has a great looking form and would blend in well with any G1 combiner collection.

As shown on the back of the box, Razorspike forms the right leg/foot of the combined Glacialord. The robot's chest rotates forward to reveal a small square shaped peg that allows the leg/foot to be connected to Glacialord's torso, Tusker.

Razorspike is now the second of the lot that I opened and he's just as great as the first. It's a shame that these toys ultimately didn't sell that well for FansProject as they are great. It was refreshing to see a third party company release something original in a sea of "reimagined" established characters. As of this post, many of the "Glaciabots" can be purchased at online retailers for a fraction of their original prices.

GLACIALORD: 

Fangro

Tailclub

Transformers Works Capbots: Captimus Prime

Back in 2013 Takara Tomy unveiled a partnership with New Era, the popular sports hat maker. Capbots were transforming "hats", one for each faction. I grabbed Captimus Prime here for my Optimus collection. Was it worth the $30 odd dollar asking price?

Only in Japan would we see such a thing as a transforming hat. The premises may be a little off the wall, but the execution is surprisingly well executed. Captimus Prime features a large red Autobot emblem on the front of the hat. The cap's bill is blue, complete with faux stitching in the plastic. The flat bill contains a large New Era Fifty Nine "sticker" right in the middle.

On the back there is a smaller Autobot symbol as well as two hinges. It's a shame these hinges stick out as they do, but it's on the back so it doesn't detract from the front athesthic of the cap.

Captimus Prime looks pretty good if I do say so myself sitting here on the top of my G1 Fort Max!

Transformation from cap to robot is aided by a few tension springs. Once unfolded you can just pose the arms and legs more to your liking. The robot features more articulation that one might imagine. The shoulders, elbows and hips all have ball joints giving the figure a good range of motion. Thanks to the bill of the cap forming the comically large feet, Captimus Prime is very sturdy standing amongst your other Transformer toys.

I love how they sculpted a ball cap onto the head of Captimus Prime.

The pieces that form the top halves of the cap have some nice jets (or is it weapons) sculpted underneath. I'm going to go with jets as these pieces are normally folded down behind the robot.

Captimus Prime is rather small, standing at only 4 inches or so. He's barely taller than your average G1 Action Master if that helps put it into perspective for you. It's a fun, quirky toy that I often forget I have as Captimus stands amongst of sea of red and blue. Only recommended if you are a fan of odd Japanese Transformers or a diehard Optimus fan as myself.

Transformers 3rd Party: FansProject - Fangro

 

Sometime around 2013 (or was it 2014) FansProject unveiled their wholly original design which just happened to tickle the fancy old Transformer collectors like myself. The Retro-Future series featured a ice age themed combiner group that when merged together formed Glacialord. It's as if these new figures could have been on the shelves of your local Toys 'R Us store back in the 80's.

I've been sitting on these figures for entirely too long. It's time to "let them breathe" so join me if you will as we take an indepth look at the "Glaciabots".

First up is Fangro, a sabertooth lion. Before we get to the figure, let's take a closer look at the packaging. If you're a long time reader of the blog then you'll know I'm a fan of packaging. While I don't save toy packaging like I once did, there is just too much love put into this particular packaging for me to gloss over or to toss in the trash.

For starters you'll notice that the box has all sorts of "defects" worked into the design. From the crushed corner, worn edges, old tape or even water damage, these boxes are meant to look like they've seen their fair share of love over the years. The front of the box features a small window where you can see a portion of the toy. If you look through the window carefully you'll notice the figure is sitting inside a white block of styrofoam. Screw planet Earth, we've got styrofoam trays again!! A image of the blocky character is featured prominently on the right side. 

On the back of the box we have a smaller image of Fangro and how he forms the left arm of Glacialord. More of the weathered look of the box can be seen on the back as well. While not pictured, the robot and alternate forms are shown on each side of the box.

The block of styrofoam carefully cradles the figure, weapon and mini-figure...which is actually Fangro according to the included instructions...more on that later. Inside the little baggie is a G1 like instruction manual and a partially used sticker sheet. This is an odd touch, but I see how it fits into the whole package. I was a little frustrated however that the instructions don't include a sticker layout. While there are only a few stickers for you to actually apply, it would've been nice to have confirmation of where the stickers went. Thankfully it's pretty easy to find the pre-applied stickers and match up the others.

I was immediately impressed with Fangro as I pulled him out of his block of styrofoam. The feel of the plastic is smooth and you can tell it's of a good quality. While the paint apps may be limited, they look great. Fangro really is a brick...but that's a good thing...well that is if you are a fan of the original 80's Transformers. No ball joints here. Limited poseability, check. 

The mini-figure comes sealed on a small blister card and is labeled "Fangro". I'm assuming this means the sabretooth tiger is a non-sentient robot and controlled by Fangro? Doesn't really matter to me as I like the gimmick...reminds me of some of the later Japanese exclusive G1 Transformers.

Creatively there is a small door on the back of the tiger that slides open to allow Fangro to be inserted for "beast rider" mode...call it whatever you will.

I'm not exactly sure what you'd call these mini-figures. They aren't quite Headmasters. They aren't quite Brainmasters. They aren't quite Breastmasters either...however they share similarities (sort of) of all 3. Fangro's legs fold forward forming a small cube. Then the mini-figure is inserted into the cavity of the newly transformed robot.

Fangro's head is now the head of the larger robot. If the small, square head looks familiar it's because it's designed after many of the original G1 Transformer combiners. Small and undersized for the body, yet still awesome. The toy stands about 4.5 inches tall. Robot mode features very limited articulation. The arms move up and down and that is about it. I should mention the sabretooth tiger head is meant to be integrated with the hand gun. Overall Fangro has a great looking form and would blend in well with any G1 combiner collection.

As shown on the back of the box, Fangro forms the left arm of the combined Glacialord. The fist is included with Tusker. The robot's chest rotates forward to reveal a small square shaped peg that allows the arm to be connected to Glacialord's torso, Tusker.

Fangro is the first of the lot that I opened and I was having so much fun with this figure that it was hard to put him down and move onto the next. It's a shame that these toys ultimately didn't sell that well for FansProject as they are great. It was refreshing to see a third party company release something original in a sea of "reimagined" established characters. As of this post, many of the "Glaciabots" can be purchased at online retailers for a fraction of their original prices.

GLACIALORD: 

Razorspike

Tailclub