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Thursday, June 28, 2012

The AFB Podcast Episode 19: Rapid Fire Reviews / Toys at Retail in Australia





Episode NINETEEN of the AFB Podcast is live at iTunes and is now available for direct downloadDownload and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes now! 

Join Scott, Adam and Ben from the AFB Forum for Episode Nineteen of the Action Figure Blues Podcast! The AFB Podcast is a weekly look at action figures, statues and other collectibles from the worlds of comic books and popculture.

Episode Nineteen includes a new set of Rapid Fire Reviews for our Toy of the Week feature and a discussion on Toys at Retail in Australia. 

We also have the next answer and clue in the "Name That...." Audio Game run by our friend Engineernerd from TV & Film Toys .

If you can't use iTunes, you can download Episode Nineteen here now! Click on the link to listen, or right click to save the file! The podcast will always be available from the “Podcast” tab here - but if you can subscribe and give us positive ratings at iTunes, that will help us greatly!

Have a listen, and please give us some feedback at podcast@actionfigureblues.com - we might even read out your feedback on the next show!

Happy listening!

SPONSOR NEWS: Popcultcha.com has 20% off storewide for the next 72 hours!





AFB Sponsor Popcultcha.com has 20% off store wide (in store and on the web) for 72 hours from 10am AEST Friday 29 June to celebrate passing 10,000 likes on Facebook!


Head over to their website now and check out the great deals - then start shopping once the sale starts!


Friday, June 22, 2012

Kotobukiya's Marvel Bishoujo Line Continues with Mystique

Kotobukiya’s Marvel Bishoujo Statue Series has become a long-running line, especially as far as PVC-based statues go. Tonight I’m reviewing one of the latest offerings in the line, the X-Men’s sometime ally and sometime foe, Mystique.





The Marvel Bishoujo line has had two incarnations thanks to a change in scale. Mystique is in the new 1/7 Scale and is designed by Shunya Yamashita.

This is a bit of an interesting take on what we’ve seen in this line to date in that Mystique has been sculpted in a kneeling pose. This creates some nice display options with the other 1/7 Scale figures - but looks ridiculous with the earlier pieces like Rogue since Mystique is basically the same height kneeling as Rogue is standing. Le sigh.


While many of the Koto Bishoujo pieces balance the powerful with the sexy, this piece is pretty much full on in the second department. It’s over the top, but works for the character, who we all know is dangerous in any position. (That sounds bad, but you know what I mean......)






There are some really impressive details on this piece. The skulls that form her belt are very nicely sculpted for being at such a small scale, and are finished in quite a different way from the glossy detail of the rest of the piece. The natural lines and folds of her outfit are cleverly done, and I really like the sculpt of Mystique’s boots.


Mystique’s headsculpt is a great combination of the classic Bishoujo sensibilities with the character. Her eyes are quite light and I think they could have been painted to stand out a bit more. I do like the translucent look to the ends of Mystique’s hair, which is becoming a bit of a trademark of this line.

This statue comes with a clear round base. I was a bit surprised to see the base as it wasn’t in any of the promo shots I saw, and somewhat disconcerted by the prongs in the underneath of Mystique’s sash. I think the use of the base is unnecessary, especially since it’s quite wide, but without it the prongs create a visible lift which might annoy. I’m not sure why it was felt that a base was necessary, as I really liked the idea of this piece being designed to rest on the ground.





While my preference is for the smaller scale figures in this line, I am still enjoying collecting the Marvel Bishoujo Line and pleased to see that the focus is still on new characters like Elektra and Storm. As long as Koto doesn’t to a third scale on these pieces, I’m still in!

You can see more pics at Facebook, discuss this at the AFB Forum, and comment on this post to enter the June AFB Comment of the Month Contest!

Until next time!


Thursday, June 21, 2012

The AFB Podcast Episode 18: Sideshow Angel Comiquette




Episode EIGHTEEN of the AFB Podcast is live at iTunes and is now available for direct downloadDownload and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes now! 

Join Ben, Justin and Scott from the AFB Forum for Episode Eighteen of the Action Figure Blues Podcast! The AFB Podcast is a weekly look at action figures, statues and other collectibles from the worlds of comic books and popculture.

Episode Eighteen includes our Toy of the Week feature on the Sideshow Angel Comiquette, with a Toyline Retrospective discussion on the DC Direct Cover Girls of the DC Universe. 

We also have the next answer and clue in the "Name That...." Audio Game run by our friend Engineernerd from TV & Film Toys .

If you can't use iTunes, you can download Episode Eighteen here now! Click on the link to listen, or right click to save the file! The podcast will always be available from the “Podcast” tab here - but if you can subscribe and give us positive ratings at iTunes, that will help us greatly!

Have a listen, and please give us some feedback at podcast@actionfigureblues.com - we might even read out your feedback on the next show!

Happy listening!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

The AFB Podcast Episode 17: Revoltech Evangelion Unit 3 / Display and Storage



Episode SEVENTEEN of the AFB Podcast is live at iTunes and is now available for direct downloadDownload and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes now! 

Join Ben, Eli and Adam from the AFB Forum for Episode Seventeen of the Action Figure Blues Podcast! The AFB Podcast is a weekly look at action figures, statues and other collectibles from the worlds of comic books and popculture.

Episode Seventeen includes our Toy of the Week feature on the Revoltech Evangelion Unit 3, with a discussion on Display and Storage. 


Also this week, we have an all new set of vintage toy commercial breaks! Did you actually know there were KISS action figures??

We also have the next answer and clue in the "Name That...." Audio Game run by our friend Engineernerd from TV & Film Toys .

If you can't use iTunes, you can download Episode Seventeen here now! Click on the link to listen, or right click to save the file! The podcast will always be available from the “Podcast” tab here - but if you can subscribe and give us positive ratings at iTunes, that will help us greatly!

Have a listen, and please give us some feedback at podcast@actionfigureblues.com - we might even read out your feedback on the next show!

Happy listening!

AFB now has Exclusive Content at tumblr!




Action Figure Blues now has its own tumblr


You can now follow AFB on tumblr for new exclusive content. In particular, our tumblr will have a new "Just Opened at AFB" Feature where new acquisitions will be previewed before they appear on the AFB Blog.


Once upon a time I used to include packaging pics in my reviews and our Facebook photo albums. I do get asked from time to time to bring this back - our "Just Opened" feature at tumblr will now feature packaging photos and informal pics of new items so that you can see what will be coming up at the blog!


We'll be looking for more opportunities to bring special insights to our tumblr followers in the future - if you have ideas let us know!


Please check out our tumblr and follow us there today!

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

The AFB Podcast Episode 16: Star Wars Big Millenium Falcon / The Secondary Market


Episode SIXTEEN of the AFB Podcast is live at iTunes and is now available for direct downloadDownload and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes now! 

Join Scott, Justin and Andy from the AFB Forum for Episode Sixteen of the Action Figure Blues Podcast! The AFB Podcast is a weekly look at action figures, statues and other collectibles from the worlds of comic books and popculture.

Episode Sixteen includes our Toy of the Week feature on the Star Wars Big Millenium Falcon from Hasbro, with a discussion on  The Secondary Market: eBay and Other Necessary eVils. 

We also have the next answer and clue in the "Name That...." Audio Game run by our friend Engineernerd from TV & Film Toys .

If you can't use iTunes, you can download Episode Sixteen here now! Click on the link to listen, or right click to save the file! The podcast will always be available from the “Podcast” tab here - but if you can subscribe and give us positive ratings at iTunes, that will help us greatly!

Have a listen, and please give us some feedback at podcast@actionfigureblues.com - we might even read out your feedback on the next show!

Happy listening!

Friday, June 01, 2012

Bowen Designs Cannonball Mini-Bust Blasts Straight to the Top!

It’s a dry season for collectors of Bowen Designs Mini-Busts, with a number of factors contributing to a lower than usual number of Mini-Busts seeing the light of day in the last year and a bit. This makes each Mini-Bust that is coming out a treasured gem, and the piece I’m reviewing tonight, the Bowen Designs Cannonball Mini-Bust, is one I’m delighted to have received.




While the X-Men’s New Mutants are very significant characters in the Marvel Universe, they haven’t appeared in a great deal of merchandise over the years. There have been a few releases here and there in various lines, but never anything that could be considered a set. Sam Guthrie, also known as Cannonball, becomes the first New Mutant to appear in the Bowen line in this mini-bust sculpted by regular Bowen sculptor Troy McDevitt.

This piece is a great example of very clever sculpting. It manages to adequately depict Cannonball using his power but still puts Sam’s face at an angle that is easy to see from a range of display levels. The arms might have looked a tad better angled a bit further up if you’re looking at it from the side, but from the front it’s very effective.





The base of this piece is integral to the design as it reflects the explosive power that gives Cannonball flight. There is a great mix of materials and colours including some transparent elements that add a great deal to the effect. The balance of this piece is impressive - it looks like it could be prone to tipping forward but in fact it stands quite find.

I really like the headsculpt of this bust. It captures the hokey, country boy look that Sam had in his early New Mutants days, with his classic crewcut, but gives him a determined facial expression which adds power and energy the overall effect of the piece. I also like that while Cannonball’s teeth are bared the individual teeth aren’t sculpted - an effect that can make a piece like this a little too detailed in my view. 





The paint work on this piece is relatively solid. There are some very nice details like the tone work on Sam’s hair and his eyes, often a danger point on these pieces, are painted beautifully painted. The lines on the yellow and black elements of his suit are excellent. The only issue here is that there is a small white line between the flesh of Sam’s neck and the yellow edge of his uniform.

This is a great addition to the Bowen Mini-Bust line up, but I do hope that some of Cannonball’s fellow New Mutants are to follow. It would be great to be able to display all of the original team together!





You can see more pics at Facebook, discuss this at the AFB Forum, and comment on this post to enter the June AFB Comment of the Month Contest!

Until next time!

The AFB Comment of the Month Contest for June 2012!


​First off, thanks to everyone who commented on last month’s blog posts! Congratulations to "TotalToyz" for being our randomly selected winner! Once we hear from TT, (you can can PM your choice to "Scotty" at the AFB Forum or email me at scott@actionfigureblues.com), his choice of either the Arkham City Wave 2 Catwoman figure from DC Direct or the Marvel Legends Wave 2 Unmasked Dark Wolverine from Hasbro will be on the way when available from Mike’s Comics N’ Stuff.



Now to June's Contest: on offer is the New 52 Batman Action Figure from DC Collectibles - which will be a great prize!


A few bits and pieces:


  • every genuine comment on a post from the calendar month will be eligible to receive the prize. I’m going to stick to my own time zone and call it at 23:59:59 Australian Eastern Standard Time – best to comment often and comment early!

  • if my super scientific randomizer comment selector system chooses an Anonymous comment, I’ll skip it and go again – you need to leave a name, a link, your AFB Forum username or email addy so that I can contact you if you are the winner. Blogger comments allows you to do this, as long as your profile is not set to private – check your settings.

  • you will be given a choice of one of the two figures on offer from the month’s contest – figures will be in their original packaging. figures will be sent by first class mail within the US (Mike is sending them, remember) and first class international to any overseas winner. An overseas winner can elect to chip in for Priority Mail or Insurance, but otherwise we can’t take any responsibility for a parcel that doesn’t arrive – after all this is coming out of AFB’s not dreadfully deep pockets!

Once again, thanks to Mike for making this all possible for us, and here’s to another happy month of commenting! Until next time!

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