Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Grown Man Builds LEGO Boba Fett Costume
From geekology, Simon, a grown-ass man, went and built himself a full Boba Fett costume out of LEGO pieces. As you can see, it's pretty damn impressive. Right up there with that little kid's cardboard Halo arsenal. Hit the jump for a bunch more of Simon and his costume, along with a Vader version he made as well. Uh-oh -- I just had the most brilliant idea ever.
Introducing the First Annual Geekologie LEGO Leia's Golden Bikini Contest! Full rules follow.
1. Contestants must construct and model a LEGO Golden Bikini
2. Digital photo required in entry
3. Must be holding a sign that reads "Geekologie" or "I Love You Geekologie Writer, I Want To Have Your Babies But Know You Don't Want Kids Right Now And I'm Totally Cool With That" or something similar so I know it's for the contest
4. No dudes
5. Hey you -- the guy that thought it would be funny to still enter anyways: stop.
6. LEGO pieces optional
7. Bikini optional
8. Naked photos only
Contest ends when I feel like it. Winners will be notified by personal stripper-gram. Your choice: fireman or police officer, I play both equally well.
Hall of Justice Playset by Mego - 1976
From aquamanshrine.blogspo, See? I told you it'd be something cool for today...
This is of course Mego's uber-cool Hall of Justice playset. While not techincally Aquaman merchandise, this piece does feature gorgeous Neal Adams art on the front and back, and who's in the center of the action? Aquaman!! Let's face it--the scenario on the box looks like the coolest DC comic never published. This is Mego Playset ne plus ultra.
The HOJ features some really oddly endearing stuff, which is Classic Mego. The "transporter" (where you put a Mego doll in, slide the door, and it magically disappears) works only about a quarter of the time, leaving your Mego Green Arrow or Mego Robin standing there looking stupid. Also, it has a "Disaster Locator Map" type thingy, which tells you where trouble is happening. According to the coordinates Mego gives you, Gotham City is on the West Coast. Huh?
I had this playset as a kid, but like all my other Mego items over the years they somehow disappeared during my rocky road to Adolescence. On my first trip to the great Toyrareum toy store in Ocean City around 1997, I was practically knocked over by how many cool items the owner managed to cram into the tiny space. There were so many things I wanted, I couldn't decide what to pick...until I saw, sitting on an overhead shelf, the Hall of Justice. Still in the box, no pieces missing (not even the Mego promo sheet), essentially mint condition.
I looked at the price, and felt that pain all collectors have felt at least once in their collecting lives. At that time, I was working at Kinko's, still struggling to get my artwork noticed and get my career (not that I had one at the moment) off the ground. Working at Kinko's was a demoralizing, numbing experience, and just to make the situation worse, paid me hardly any money. There was no way I could justify what would've been more than two weeks' salary on a toy. But I wanted it sooo bad.
I decided to risk sounding stupid, and asked the owner, could I put this on layaway? To my delight, he said sure, and even though I didn't walk out with anything that day, I felt good that this baby would be mine eventually.
It took me a few months, but I eventually scrimped and saved and brought my baby home. And even though it probably extended my Kinko's sentence by a few weeks, I never regretted buying this--it's a gorgeous piece, one of my favorites. I'm so glad I learned another lesson every collector learns at some point--when you see something you really, really want, grab it.
Disturbance at Lars Homestead playset is lame, lame, lame!
Friday, August 22, 2008
The Spirit action figures
I'm not a big fan of "blowing" plastic clothing or ties, but The Spirit himself might look cool sitting on a shelf. I'm not interested in any of the other pieces.
See more here
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Taj Mahal: Largest LEGO Set Ever Created
From geekology, Dwarfing even the 5,195 piece Millennium Falcon, comes LEGO's newest, and largest, set ever: The Taj Mahal. Weighing in at 5,922 pieces, the $300 set ships mid September. But the thing that gets me is that it's only 20" wide and 16" tall. That's not very big.
The famous Taj Mahal palace of India is known all over the globe for its incredible beauty and elegance. Now you can recreate this modern wonder of the world for yourself! Designed for experienced builders, the LEGO Taj Mahal model features advanced building techniques, rare elements and colors, and realistic details of architecture. With over 5,900 pieces, the Taj Mahal makes an awesome addition to any LEGO collection!
As I'm sure many of you know, Taj Mahal is actually a mausoleum built by Indian Emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife. Touching, I may build this set in remembrance of a favored pet. But the wife -- Pfft -- she'll be lucky to get a DUPLO grave marker.
See more pictures here
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Puzzle Zoo
I completely forgot to mention this, but shortly before Zack was born Julie attended a baby shower in Santa Monica. While it's not too far from our house (a half hour drive or so), Jules was very pregnant and I didn't like the idea of her being out there alone. Since these shower affairs are usually chicks-only, it was a perfect opportunity to go to Puzzle Zoo, which we'd been drooling over since seeing the regular ads in AFNTR.
Well, in most ways it wasn't so great. It was smaller than I'd hoped, and a lot of space was dedicated to regular kid's toys that don't capture our nerdly interest. Any given acton fig category, say TMNT for example, had maybe two or three pegs on the racks -- where at Toy Vault they'd have 2 or 3 times that amount. There were no Justice League figs I hadn't had for a long time already. While the vintage toy prices were acceptable to high, the store is located in the Third Street Promenade, which has Quincy Market style price inflation going on. All the new Lego sets that you could find at any TRU were bumped up considerably.
BUT, I will say that they have a very good selection of Star Wars figures (pictured above). Probably about one-third to one-half of their total action figure display space was taken up by this long, tasty rack, satisfyingly organized into the various sub-eras/blister card colors. I didn't buy anything that day, but if I get a hankering for something StarWarzy, that would be a great place to look.
Just goes to show: we are really lucky to have Toy Vault at our disposal. I don't think I've ever encountered better.
Well, in most ways it wasn't so great. It was smaller than I'd hoped, and a lot of space was dedicated to regular kid's toys that don't capture our nerdly interest. Any given acton fig category, say TMNT for example, had maybe two or three pegs on the racks -- where at Toy Vault they'd have 2 or 3 times that amount. There were no Justice League figs I hadn't had for a long time already. While the vintage toy prices were acceptable to high, the store is located in the Third Street Promenade, which has Quincy Market style price inflation going on. All the new Lego sets that you could find at any TRU were bumped up considerably.
BUT, I will say that they have a very good selection of Star Wars figures (pictured above). Probably about one-third to one-half of their total action figure display space was taken up by this long, tasty rack, satisfyingly organized into the various sub-eras/blister card colors. I didn't buy anything that day, but if I get a hankering for something StarWarzy, that would be a great place to look.
Just goes to show: we are really lucky to have Toy Vault at our disposal. I don't think I've ever encountered better.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Bootlegs!
From x-entertainment, Just before leaving Coney Island, we spotted a vaguely defined souvenir shop, mixing the typical volley of local postcards and Coney-logo sportswear with a bunch of cheap, imported toys. Somewhere in the midst of all the battery-operated swimming frogs and chirping puppies, I found the greatest set of bootleg action figures ten bucks could possibly buy.
Painstakingly forged in China, it's the Super Hero Super Action Series action figure five-pack! This concentrated mass of trademark infringements features some of the most poorly constructed action figures I've ever held, even by bootleg standards.
Mixing the Marvel and DC universes is par for the course with sets of this type (and indeed there are hundreds of similar sets on the black market), but this one goes the extra mile with the randomly included Mr. Incredible figure. That's even better than the errant red Power Ranger who usually rounds out these collections.
I've seen enough of these sets to become desensitized to the poor translations littering the packaging, but it'd be criminal not to mention such gems as, "THIS IS BATMAN! HE WILL CATCH ALL BADDY!" Also, the back of the package proudly proclaims that "EACH SUPER HERO HAS HIS OWN SUPERFINE ACTION WEAPON," which is neither true nor even lied about using actual words.
I apologize for the glare, but cheap plastic is pretty reflective. The Hulk and Thing figures are the best in the set, looking at least moderately the way they should. If you were going to complain that Hulk's skimpy trunks are outside of his accepted costume canon, get a load of the rear view.
I can't make much sense of the Batman figure, which is permanently positioned to ride a horse. Not a motorcycle, mind you, because that'd almost make sense. With legs spread that wide, horse jockeying is the only plausible explanation. Since the set lacks a horse figure (and oh how I would love to see these particular toymakers take a stab at that…), Batman finds himself unable to stand without the support of his sworn enemies from Marvel.
Course, the inability to stand is nothing compared to the poor guy's face, which looks like the halfway point between zombie flesh and a wedge of aged Roquefort.
Despite Mr. Incredible's toothpick-thin ankles, he's somehow able to stand under his own power. This surprising plus is tempered by the package's claim of some kind of button-operated electronic action feature, which not only doesn't work, but actually doesn't even exist. Oh, there's a button all right, and there's even what appears to be a loose interpretation of a light bulb on Mr. Incredible's chest. But there's no inner mechanics to make it do anything. I knew these bootleggers liked to make their stuff on the cheap, but I never pegged them for outright liars.
Spider-Man is the worst offender of all. At first glance, he seems okay enough. He looks like Spider-Man, and he comes with a big rubber web. A closer inspection reveals that one leg is longer than the other, and that his wrists are flanked by what could only be considered web shooters if you were being really creative in your answers.
Obviously there's some demand for these shitty bootlegged figures, as they've been around forever. I still can't figure out how certain companies, even nameless companies, manage to pull off such an obvious scam. It's not like I expect government officials to start raiding potato chip stands in Coney Island, but toys like these are virtually everywhere, and you'd have to imagine that the trucks or boats or planes full of two-cent Batmans would've been caught by someone by now. On the other hand, I shouldn't complain, as there are so few avenues to satisfy anyone's morbid curiosity over what Hulk's ass actually looks like.
Kinda like fly eyes, I think.
Painstakingly forged in China, it's the Super Hero Super Action Series action figure five-pack! This concentrated mass of trademark infringements features some of the most poorly constructed action figures I've ever held, even by bootleg standards.
Mixing the Marvel and DC universes is par for the course with sets of this type (and indeed there are hundreds of similar sets on the black market), but this one goes the extra mile with the randomly included Mr. Incredible figure. That's even better than the errant red Power Ranger who usually rounds out these collections.
I've seen enough of these sets to become desensitized to the poor translations littering the packaging, but it'd be criminal not to mention such gems as, "THIS IS BATMAN! HE WILL CATCH ALL BADDY!" Also, the back of the package proudly proclaims that "EACH SUPER HERO HAS HIS OWN SUPERFINE ACTION WEAPON," which is neither true nor even lied about using actual words.
I apologize for the glare, but cheap plastic is pretty reflective. The Hulk and Thing figures are the best in the set, looking at least moderately the way they should. If you were going to complain that Hulk's skimpy trunks are outside of his accepted costume canon, get a load of the rear view.
I can't make much sense of the Batman figure, which is permanently positioned to ride a horse. Not a motorcycle, mind you, because that'd almost make sense. With legs spread that wide, horse jockeying is the only plausible explanation. Since the set lacks a horse figure (and oh how I would love to see these particular toymakers take a stab at that…), Batman finds himself unable to stand without the support of his sworn enemies from Marvel.
Course, the inability to stand is nothing compared to the poor guy's face, which looks like the halfway point between zombie flesh and a wedge of aged Roquefort.
Despite Mr. Incredible's toothpick-thin ankles, he's somehow able to stand under his own power. This surprising plus is tempered by the package's claim of some kind of button-operated electronic action feature, which not only doesn't work, but actually doesn't even exist. Oh, there's a button all right, and there's even what appears to be a loose interpretation of a light bulb on Mr. Incredible's chest. But there's no inner mechanics to make it do anything. I knew these bootleggers liked to make their stuff on the cheap, but I never pegged them for outright liars.
Spider-Man is the worst offender of all. At first glance, he seems okay enough. He looks like Spider-Man, and he comes with a big rubber web. A closer inspection reveals that one leg is longer than the other, and that his wrists are flanked by what could only be considered web shooters if you were being really creative in your answers.
Obviously there's some demand for these shitty bootlegged figures, as they've been around forever. I still can't figure out how certain companies, even nameless companies, manage to pull off such an obvious scam. It's not like I expect government officials to start raiding potato chip stands in Coney Island, but toys like these are virtually everywhere, and you'd have to imagine that the trucks or boats or planes full of two-cent Batmans would've been caught by someone by now. On the other hand, I shouldn't complain, as there are so few avenues to satisfy anyone's morbid curiosity over what Hulk's ass actually looks like.
Kinda like fly eyes, I think.
Lots and lots and lots and, oh yeah, lots of new Star Wars product
It's dizzying,really. Hasbro is pumping so much Star Wars product out right now that it's almost impossible to keep up. Fortunately, between repaints, repacks,and Clone Wars product, which really doesn't do much for me, I'm not getting overwhelmed. There are a few nice pieces in here, and I'd love to get all the droid parts without having to purchase all the figures, but for the most part there's not too much to get excited about.
Go here for lots of STAR WARS
Monday, August 11, 2008
Have you seen the new 3/34 figure line?
From playthings, Move over Batman—it’s time to share the spotlight with a legion of new superhero (and super villain) figures in 2008, as Mattel significantly expands its partnership with Warner Bros. and DC Comics to include all of the more than 3,000 additional characters in the DC Universe.
Mattel has been producing action figures and toys based on Superman and Batman since 2003; this new deal, which lets the El Segundo, Calif.-based toy maker court both adult action figure collectors as well as kids, now means many additional comic book characters will soon be hitting toy store shelves for the first time ever.
"The Mattel team is extremely excited about the entire DC collection," Scott Neitlich, Mattel’s associate brand manager for the DC Universe, tells Playthings. "The many different heroes and villains present a wonderful opportunity to add a variety of new and favorite characters to our new DC Universe Classics (DCU Classics), Justice League Unlimited (JLU) and upcoming Infinite Heroes lines."
Infinite Heroes are new 3¾-inch figures—a first for DC in that scale—from the biggest DC crossover events. There will be more than 40 figures in 2008, including the already revealed Adam Strange, Black Adam, Black Hand, Guy Gardner, Shazam, The Atom and Zoom; additional figures will be announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July. The line will be one of Mattel’s key DC Comics efforts in 2008, Neitlich says.
You now own these!
Random shot
Speaking of Indy toys, this totally cracks me up
Seriously? While scouting ideas for little kids' Indy fig they settled on this? While I approve a Belloq fig, why this outfit? All he does is recite Hebrew and get his head blown up. For looking at the other guy.
I don't think those are ghosts in that gold box, but I suppose a toy of Angels or God's Minions or whatever would be worse.
I don't think those are ghosts in that gold box, but I suppose a toy of Angels or God's Minions or whatever would be worse.
Lucasfilm Ltd. Wins Copyright Infringement Case
FRom sirsteves, A High Court judge in London today found that British firm Shepperton Design Studios and its principal, Andrew Ainsworth, violated the U.S. copyrights of Lucasfilm Ltd. by making and selling pirated Star Wars stormtrooper helmets and other costume replicas.
Today's ruling by Mr Justice Mann in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, affirmed that Lucasfilm is the sole owner of all rights to the iconic costume designs.
The court held that Ainsworth infringed Lucasfilm's rights when he reproduced the stormtrooper helmet replicas and sold them under a false claim that he had created the designs, which were used in 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Ainsworth was a plastics manufacturer who was hired in 1976 to reproduce designs created by a team of Lucasfilm artists, including costume designer John Mollo, who won an Academy Award for his work on the film. The court found that the factual claims made by Ainsworth and his company were neither accurate nor reliable, and rejected his counterclaims seeking a share of the profits from the films.
Lucasfilm brought the case to the British High Court following a 2006 judgment by a California court awarding Lucasfilm $20 million in damages resulting from Ainsworth's activities. The British court held that it could apply U.S. law to the matter and ruled in Lucasfilm's favor on the merits of the infringement case.
The court also held that Ainsworth infringed Lucasfilm's rights under UK copyright laws, but that a UK-specific law that limits the enforcement of copyrights in industrial designs applied to the facts in the case. Lucasfilm is considering whether to appeal the legal finding under the UK industrial design law. "We are grateful to the court for its ruling, which makes it clear that Lucasfilm and George Lucas are the rightful owners of the copyrights related to Star Wars," said Lucasfilm Vice President Howard Roffman.
"We do not intend to use this ruling to discourage our fans from expressing their imagination, creativity and passion for Star Wars through the costumes and props they make for their personal use," Roffman said. "Rather, we see the Court's decision as reaffirming that those who seek to illegally profit from Star Wars will be brought to task, wherever they may be."
Proceedings in the High Court of Justice began on April 8. The trial included testimony from Mollo; Gary Kurtz, producer of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back; and Roffman, among others. Lucasfilm presented as evidence scores of sketches, designs, drawings and plans from the production of the first Star Wars film, which was produced in England in 1976. Original Imperial stormtrooper costumes were displayed for the court as evidence. The trial now moves into the remedies phase, in which the court will determine the appropriate relief to provide to Lucasfilm.
Lucasfilm Ltd. is a privately held, fully integrated entertainment company based in San Francisco, Calif.
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