Daryl Dixon with Chopper: The Walking Dead (McFarlane Toys)

If there's one statement I could use to describe this whole thing about Daryl- it is that zombie apocalypse has never been made this appealing for us to wish it would happen! There is nothing more exciting than killing hordes of undead with a combination of precision and style; with a crossbow and a motorcycle! To me, Daryl Dixon has always been the poster boy for zombie flicks. And with all the tension rising and new characters filling up The Walking Dead universe (TV series), comes another wave of action figures. Daryl with the Chopper is the one that I am most excited about with this current release.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon with Chopper Motorcycle

Like any Walking Dead windowed box set, the figure is showcased behind this transparent plastic with Daryl's Chopper positioned at the backend. We're still seeing the same "prison-artwork" like the ones we had from the previous series with Norman Reedus' face at the corner. Just by a quick glance, it's very obvious that this figure only comes with two weapons/accessories which I'm going to talk later.

The paint job with all these McFarlane Walking Dead figures have been consistent all through and through. Almost all areas on this figure are painted with maybe 2 or 3 different colours layering on top of each other. However, there is one complain, which is not too obvious and that is his wrists! Just below its rotating part, the wrists got colours mismatching his forearms and it's quite a bummer. I absolutely love the "angel wings" painted over the back of his coat; I can't ignore it. Overall, the paint job on this figure generates a lot of positive comments.

The amount of detail on the sculpt is as high as with the paint. Everything is sculpted perfectly except these ridges at the elbow and knee joints that McFarlane has once again not doing any improvement with it. It kinda takes you away from that awe feeling you get from looking at the details. Anyways, what I like though is how they made the vest look like a separate piece and the angel wings looking like it's patched on. The head sculpt is excellent but it's not perfectly getting the actor's facial features, and he's kinda smiling... it's definitely because he's having fun! I mean, who doesn't when you got a kick-ass motorcycle that doesn't make you look like survivor.

Speaking of which, we now focus on Daryl's Chopper, the main highlight of this deluxe box set and probably the reason why this was a no brainer purchase. I got nothing but praise for this accessory. The only accessory, I believe, that would count as a separate character because of the fact that it also got its own playability. It is an accessory with accessories. You can add or remove its luggage feature at the back, and hung or unhung Daryl's crossbow at the front. In addition, this motorcycle can stand either by utilizing its kick stand or that little base stand that attaches to the rear wheel. Like the figure, it's also heavily detailed. The wheels are rubberized and it is almost as though I bought miniature replica of some Harley Davidson.

Note that this is not the same crossbow from previous Daryl action figure we've seen. Inspired from Season 3's, the crossbow has arrows with green fletchings resting under its limbs. Also, he got his Bowie knife as usual.

The articulation is enough to get him into his ride. He got this DCUC style hip articulation along with his single-jointed knees to help get his butt unto the motorcycle. He got a ball-jointed neck that lets him lean side to side and rotate his head. No rotation to the biceps but has ball-hinged shoulders, single-jointed elbows, rotations near the wrists with hinges. He has diaphragm swivel (which is uncommon for TWD figures) and waist swivel. Unfortunately, no ankle pivots on this one.

Compared to our "old Daryl", Biker Daryl stands with him equally at 5 inches. It's funny how his character improvement in the TV series is somehow congruent with these figures basing from how differently they look. Although he didn't exactly turn into a Filipino man like with this figure here but I think you know what I mean. This is a good improvement plus he got his motorcycle that makes me want to recommend this figure to all Walking Dead fans.

Predator Wolf: Aliens Vs. Predator (S.H.MonsterArts)

S.H.MonsterArts Predator Wolf

This is the mofo who killed like a dozen of Xenos in a single movie! Meet the Wolf Predator... or as I call it the Alien-Clean-Up Predator for its oddly janitorial job it did in the 2nd Alien-Predator movie. After learning that Bandai Tamashii Nations are finally getting into the AVP movie line, I was quite stoked about how their expertise will merge with these iconic monsters from outer space. Now that it's in my hands, I am well pleased with what I am getting from this $56-figure. So far, this is the only S.H.MonsterArts figure I have in my collection and the only Japanese import figure that could compete with some of the American brands in terms of paint and sculpt. Still, I don't think it can compare with those from NECA but I'm a big fan of the Predators, although not entirely because I hate how those AVP movies were made.











Like most S.H.Figuarts packaging, MonsterArts utilizes the windowed box. Half of the parts and features of the Wolf Predator are showcased behind this clear plastic with the name "Predator Wolf" printed at the side. Apparently, our friends there in Japan got the names ordered incorrectly. It should be "Wolf Predator"! Just like how you say the name, Jungle Hunter Predator. Try invert it and it's going to sound weird.

Just by merely looking at the paint job, it's almost as if we're getting a NECA or a McFarlane figure (two companies that excel in this area) here but the more you stare at it, you could see the kind of minimalism in the paint job which is not uncommon with S.H.Figuarts yet it still looking decent. Its neat look is easy on the eyes as always; having no smudging or scraping on the surface. The gunmetal paint along with the texturing over its gadgets and armour is phenomenal and it does seem like Bandai is doing some extra effort in this part.

I believe the sculpting on this figure is a lot superior than those imports I've reviewed before. However, there are certain flaws I've found which are not really obvious. These photos can't give you that clear image and so I'm gonna have to tell this- Wolf's feet are quite big and the length of its legs are a little on a short scale! I've been collecting these guys for a couple of years now and I know too well how their normal physique look. Otherwise, the sculpt that's shaping its Bio-Mask, Wrist Gauntlets and other gadgets are incredibly accurate.

I was kinda expecting that they'll be missing out some of the details but the part where I'm most excited about are the accessories. Starting with the interchangeable parts, Wolf Predator has two switchable heads- masked and unmasked. If you go with the unmasked one, you'll also get two options whether to have its mandible jaws open or closed. By the way, the Wolf Predator is the only yautja that has one of its mandible jaws missing (probably a result of a fight). This figure has a total of six (6) pairs of interchangeable hands each designed for specific weapons or items. Apparently, you need to get a feel of the weapon's diameter before you would use the correct hand for it.

Looking at the amount of weapons and items this figure has just blew me away and here's a complete list:

Plasma Cannon x1

Wrist Blades (short) x2

Wrist Blades (long) x2

Combi-Stick (retracted) x1

Combi-Stick (extended) x1

Whip (coiled) x1

Whip (uncoiled) x1

Cleaner Case x1

Blue Vial x1

Medi-Kit x1

Probably the only weapon this Predator is missing are its shuriken, which will be included in the second release. But with just these weapons alone, you might have to remind yourself not to mess around with Wolf. The Plasma Cannon is poseable and concealable, which is good but I'm not too happy with the Wrist Blades- I feel the need to make them longer. It got a coiled Whip which you can store at its waistline, and another Whip which can be used primarily as a weapon. Same goes with the Combi-Stick- a retracted one and a weapon one. For some reason I thought this is causing too much usage of space inside the box. Bandai could have just given us retractable weapons (like bendy wires in the Whip) to provide more space and allow other types of weapons.

Articulation of this figure rivals that of its accessories. It's the articulation that makes you wish the NECA Predator line would someday have! This Predator got better poseability (than NECA's) because it has double-jointed elbows and knees, a diaphragm swivel and a waist swivel that lets it rotate and lean side to side. Almost all of its joints are ball-socketed creating a wide range of movement but some of it are hindered by either its body mass or armour. An example would be Wolf's toe articulation which is limited by that armour over its feet. A cool feature though is Wolf's Wrist Gauntlet which flips open like a laptop like in the movie. With the S.H. Bandai, you can never be disappointed in terms with their figure's poseability.

The moment of truth is here as we compare this figure with our standard NECA Predator. Measuring at about 6.6 inches tall, I was a little surprised how small this figure is. Maybe because I'm used to them being tall; towering over most of my 6-inch figures. Even if we upscale its size, Bandai's Predator will still remain inferior (in my opinion) to NECA's mainly due to the fact that it got less paint and sculpting details. As far as playability is concerned, you'll definitely have more fun with this Predator.

Green Ranger: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (S.H.Figuarts)

S.H.Figuarts Green Ranger

I am a fan of all that Super Sentai stuff! A different brand of superheroes known for their colourful spandex, stylish motorcycle helmets and acrobatic kung fu moves. Originated in Japan, this is the genre that brought you the Kamen Riders and Ultramen, and those countless teams of Sentai superheroes (i.e. Bioman, Machine Man, Jetman) which were then adopted by American T.V. shows now rebranded as the Power Rangers. They're the childhood superheroes even before I got introduced to the X-Men and the Avengers.














To kick things up for my Super Sentai action figures, I would like to present the S.H.Figuarts Green Rangers. S.H.Figuarts by Bandai Tamashii Nations undoubtedly delivers better quality of Sentai figures than any other brands. Having been released a year ago, this figure came with a collector friendly windowed box that showcases the Green Ranger and his accessories along with his artwork and the Power Ranger logo.

Though not my favourite Ranger out of the seven, the Green Ranger still looks amazing with that chest armour of his that made him a little different from the team. This triangular chest piece is ornamented with designs that follows that from the T.V. show. Much to my surprise, Green Ranger's chest armour is not removable but Bandai did a good job of making it look like a separate piece. He is considerably a lanky fella like the rest of his male co-workers but the only difference this body mold has is a golden band around each of his shoulder and a jewel on his forehead. A very special Ranger indeed he is.

As with most Japanese Imports, there are no colour shadings or paint washes seen on this S.H.Figuarts figure. The figure is vibrant with green, gold, and white. Some variations may be noticeable as you can see that the Green Ranger's helmet is glossier than his suit. His golden chest armour literally shines as you expose it against a light.

The Green Ranger has some ample amount of accessories and I'd like to dig right through his weapons! First, his Dragon Dagger. Even with a small length of 2cm, this Dragon Dagger is complete with all its features. The ornaments around the blade are there, the valves are there... nothing seems to be missing out, and you can snug this dagger inside its sheath for storage. And if you're somewhat a fan of the Evil Green Ranger, then you have that option of turning him into his initial stage by just having him hold the Sword of Darkness! Again, there is a tremendous amount of detail on this weapon and it got this gem-like stone which kinda looks cool.

Now let's talk about the interchangeable parts. The Green Rangers has five (5) pairs of hands posed differently. He's got a pair of hands designed for his Dragon Dagger when plays it like a flute... with his lip covered (and this is the main reason why he's my less favourite because of this funny thing he does). He got a pair of gripping hands for his Dragon Dagger and a pair for his Sword of Darkness; specifically designed for each weapon. Last but not the least, his "kung fu move" hands!

One of the many things I like about S.H.Figuarts is articulation and it has always been consistent with every action figure they release. The head move side to side and rotates with its double ball-jointed neck. He got an armpit joint that lets his arms move forward as well as ball-jointed shoulders. He got double-jointed elbows and a ball-jointed wrist. It's like everything here is ball-jointed! The Green Ranger has diaphragm and waist swivel that rotates and lets him lean side to side. Again, another ball-joint found at the hips! He got double-jointed knees. No swivel at the boot cut however, but he got ball-hinged ankles with the ankle rocker... plus toe articulation.

Like I said, S.H.Figuart's rendition of the Green Ranger is the best there is. This figure is more attuned to an adult collector type than a children's toy. As I have hoped, my completion of the team will happen this year that is if Bandai doesn't screw things around. I believe the S.H.Figuarts version is the best choice for an avid Power Rangers fan.

Deathstroke: Batman Arkham Origins (DC Collectibles)

Batman Arkham Origins Deathstroke

Many times I've been thinking about playing the Batman Arkham Origins video game on my PS3. This is all because of its notable graphics and gameplay that had me a little excited and could possibly bring back my addiction to video games. Most of all, it's about Batman! And you know how I feel about him and the entire "Batman Universe". In addition to that is Deathstroke, another bad ass character who's one of my favourite villains. Deathstroke may be DC's answer to Deadpool but regardless of whether he can compete with the merc with a mouth or not, I like the kind of coolness this guy has especially how they made him a lot cooler in the video game.













DC Collectibles has done a great job translating these characters into plastic. Despite how awesome these action figures are, I don't have plans of making them part of my collection. A man has his limits. The only reason why I bought this figure is because it's Deathstroke. The figure just renders accurately but boy oh boy... I've never been so scared of playing with it after I heard some complaints by other reviewers about its poor quality of plastic that breaks easily once you move the joints. Fortunately, I haven't encountered such problem yet.

The main highlight of this figure is inarguably the sculpt. There's just good depth in here with Deathstroke. Almost half of his body is covered with armour. I describe it like a thick protective shales of rock molded on top of his clothes and it made him look heavy. The other good thing is that there is so much attention to details over his ammo pack, grenades, utility belt and holster for his gun. The holster is made of a pliable material so it's easy to snug the gun in. Also, you can't ignore the head sculpt. His hollowing eye is perfectly recessed at the left orange side of his head and looked a lot realistic and superior than the other Deathstroke figures I've seen.

The style of painting is something that I'm not a fan of. The choice of colours used on this figure are not bad and lean closer to the standard. However, all these scratch marks that seem to render a battle damaged armour are over the top and not properly done. In fact, it seem to look like some 3-year old was scribbling aimlessly with a pen on this figure. I'm not an expert in this art but I know the paint job could have been done better. Otherwise, the rest of the body parts are paint detailed nicely.

I wish Deathstroke had an additional handgun and a sword plus an assault rifle, but that's just asking too much. I thought he could look more deadly and intimidating other than just his bō staff, his one handgun and his ninjato (a.k.a. ninja sword), but what can you do. The funny thing about Deathstroke's sword is that it got this soft rubbery hilt that is kinda hard to get it through his grip and quite prone to being destroyed. I got no issue with his gun and staff. All his accessories are painted in gunmetal and black which is perfect.

The more current and newer releases of DC figures are more articulated and highly poseable and this figure is one of them. But like I've said, the joints break easily and some of them are stuck. With my Deathstroke, I got a problem with the ab crunch- it's stuck! The rest of it got no problem. His neck is on a ball-joint that has a decent range of motion. He got ball-hinged shoulders, mid-bicep swivel, single-jointed elbows that bend at a perfect 90 degree angle and hinged wrists that bends and rotates. He got a ball-jointed waist that allows him bend forward and back; compromising his dysfunctional ab crunch. Like a Marvel Legends figure, he got T-joints at the hips, upper-thigh swivel, double-jointed knees and hinged ankles with ankle pivots.

The DC Collectibles Arkham Origins Deathstroke doesn't go well in terms of scale with either the Marvel Legends or the Marvel Select figures. He stands at 6.7 inches tall that made him a little too big for a Legends but too small to be a Select, which I guess DC has to do in order for them to not support the competition! And I guess that's what business is all about. Nonetheless, a DC action figure collector might be happy to own this figure because of the detail that would fairly look cool on top of a shelf. If you're strictly a classic comic book fan then this Deathstroke is not for you. Personally, I think the unique feature of this video game Deathstroke should be something that we could consider to be standard.

Wasp Predator (NECA)

NECA Wasp Predator

The NECA Predator line keeps getting better and better with Predator figures each having their own unique features, outfits, and sometimes weaponry that almost have that "superhero-ish" type of vibe. Like if we look at something like a Boar Predator, its feature is far different from that of a Jungle Hunter or a Shaman Predator for example. Sometimes these Predators have their own themes like Nightstorm which has an Egyptian theme or Big Red which is inspired after a Samurai. All of which have their unique designs that keep fans intrigued and have them wonder what other stuff that NECA could come up with this toyline.














Predator fans may also influence this whole idea of variety. Like Big Red, the Wasp Predator is based from a fan made YouTube video, Batman: Dead End where you will see this dude standing side by side with Big Red and some unknown type of Predator during the closing credits. I really got no clue why they created such video; pitting Batman against Predators and Xenomorphs but whoever came up with this Wasp Predator concept should continue his/her contributions.

The black and yellow colour scheme worked! NECA did a fine job of translating this character into a 7-inch action figure. With colours resembling that of a real wasp, the Wasp Predator may deliver a stinging blow to its predecessors. Its bio-mask is strewed with brown and lower tones of yellow along with this black paint at the dome of the head that kind of forms the eyes of a wasp. In addition, it has this "camouflagic" look over its mask with all these streaks around. Wasp's skin pigmentation is nothing but typical. However, it has a brighter tone to it than the average. Its shoulder protectors, shin guards and gauntlets are just standard colours.

It's no surprise that they utilized Big Red's sculpt on Wasp, which is originally from the Jungle Hunter Predator. This body mold has been used over a dozen times and quite frankly, I got no issue with its sculpt. I wish NECA could have added the plasma cannon over its shoulder but I guess they have to be faithful to the video. Like most Predators, the wrist blades are housed at the right arm while around its shoulders are cables made of pliable plastic that bends as you move them.

Now the best part- the accessory! Having that sole purpose of annihilating all forms of Xenomorph life, the Wasp Predator means business. And by business, it means having a Xenomorph head mounted at the tip of a spear. This is probably the coolest Predator accessory I've ever seen. Adding the Xenomorph Warrior action figure into the mix creates a badass Alien vs. Predator scenario!

The articulation on Wasp goes the same with most Predator figures we had from this toyline. The neck is ball-jointed so the head can lean forward and back but with some major limits as well as with the rotation. There are no bicep swivels, only single-jointed rotating elbows and ball-jointed rotating wrists. I wish we would see an ab crunch someday with these figures but for now we will have to deal with the limited articulation on his torso. It got a T ball-jointed hips, upper-thigh rotations, double-jointed knees and hinged-ankles with no ankle rockers.

The Wasp Predator stands at the same height and scale with our Big Red Predator. What truly impressed me with this figure is its unique colour scheme that turned out very well. Some avid fans may not like it due to the fact that it strays from what we normally think of Predators but, again, this is probably recommended only for guys who are huge Predator collectors.

Spider-Girl (Marvel Legends)

Marvel Legends Spider-Girl

When I first saw a preview of this figure on the Internet, I was clueless of whether we're getting a black suit Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) or an Arachne (Julia Carpenter) figure. My bets leaned more towards Arachne not only because of her Spider-symbol's unique design but also I was thinking maybe Hasbro is paving a way for Alpha Flight. I shouldn't have assumed something like that since most of the action figures we got from this Series are very much "Spidey-related". Though this Spider-Girl character is not really that prominent, the figure is as gorgeous as the Marvel Legends Black Cat even with the downsizing of everything including her boobs.













Having made her way as a running change for Black Cat, we're still getting the Ultimate Green Goblin's upper torso Build-A-Figure piece apparently. The sharp and classy collector-friendly type of packaging made it less like a child's toy and more appealing to adult collectors. It's reusable and convenient without getting tied up on some twisty ties.

The Marvel Legends Spider-Girl uses a totally brand new body mold. A smaller and leaner body mold that creates a whole lot of potentials for a 6-inch scale Shadowcat, X-23, Jubilee and many others. The sculpt really defines the physique of an average teenage girl with proportions that are well sized and balanced. The waves around her hair along with the ponytail are well executed; looking so natural. And her face, of course is pretty!

Having just a solid black and white colour scheme, there's nothing much here to talk about except for how they carefully painted the symbol that hugs her suit. I see no white paint seeping over the black areas, which is good! The only minor complain I have are the little scuffs at the hinges of her shoulders, which has always been a problem in most figures. But if we're talking highlights, I'd say the face grabbed my attention mostly because of the colour of her lips and the flesh tone. The hair could have been done better if there are some shaded parts on it but it's not a huge deal.

Unfortunately, there are no accessories that come with this figure- zero! No interchangeable hands unlike our Superior Spider-Man and it's kind of a bummer.

While Spider-Girl still shares every joints and hinges we had from Black Cat, Hasbro added one important part which I think is a must-have for all female Legends figures, and these are calf swivels. It took them awhile to finally incorporate these. Still missing a waist swivel, Spider-Girl got a ball-jointed diaphragm swivel at the torso and T-joints at the hips. Her head is on a ball-joint that allows her head to rotate, move up and down without hindered by that long ponytail because it's made out of pliable material. She has ball-hinged shoulder, single-jointed elbows with rotation and hinged wrists with rotation. The legs got thigh cuts, double-joints, mid-calves rotation (as I've mentioned) and hinged ankles with the ankle rockers.

Now for size comparison. She stands at an ideal height of 5.8 inches, which is suppose to because she's petite. She looked someone like a little sister to those previous female figures we had from Hasbro Marvel Legends. Getting this action figure or not depends on how big of a fan you are. Personally, I think I'm gonna keep this figure not because I'm a fan of Spider-Girl, but because I like the way this new female body looked.

Ultimate Green Goblin (Marvel Legends)

Marvel Legends Ultimate Green Goblin (BAF)

Taking every bit of the Ultimate Green Goblin pieces and putting them all together is not only rewarding but it's also quite a relief knowing that we're finally back to the good ol' Marvel Legends "BIG build-a-figures". Not that I hate those little ones we had a year ago, but getting three of them consecutively- Hit Monkey, Rocket Raccoon and then Puck was distressing me quite a bit. Now having this figure to be quite frank with you, is like meh... with a question mark on my forehead. I presume fans of the Ultimate Spider-Man comic book series would be wanting this but me?- I'm not a huge fan of what it seemed like an Abomination look-alike or a Green Goblin hulking out!













Speaking of which, some of you may be familiar with this body mold. This is a retool of the Wal-Mart Exclusive 6-inch Avengers movie Hulk (also by Hasbro). I wish I have that figure so I can show you a comparison between the two but unfortunately you may have to resort through Google. The Marvel Legends Ultimate Green Goblin Build-A-Figure Wave or the Infinite Amazing Spider-Man Series had a pretty good set of figures. My favourite of all is Carnage, and then we got a new female body mold with Black Cat and a highly articulated Spider-Man. I got nothing bad to say about this Series.

The Ultimate Green Goblin is not the typical masked villain we know who carries pumpkin bombs and rides a glider. He has the power to control or conjure flame (pyrokinesis) and thus this flame effects he comes with. Aesthetically, the design of these accessories are impressive; almost glowing with its translucent orangey plastic sculpted to follow the contours of his arms and back. And it's removable, so you can either have him wear it or not however you want.

But without Goblin's visually dynamic flame effects, he is but a figure painted flatly with green in most parts and blue all throughout the pants. Nothing really astonishing with the paint job. However, I like the darker tone of green used on him. The bony structures sprouting out from his arms, shoulders and the big horns on his head along with the ones under his chin are painted in dirty white, which I think is a good choice by Hasbro! But the major issue for me is how they did not even bother painting the fingernails or claws with the same type of paint they used on the bony thingies... and I don't understand why.

Although I'm not too sure if this is the right body mold for an Ultimate Green Goblin figure but the sculpting is nicely done. The neck and the torso all the way down to the legs and ankles are completely unchanged and unaltered; showing what's obviously from the Avengers Hulk figure. Parts like the arms (except for the hands) and the feet are just being re-sculpted and not considered something "new" like his head and his clawing hands.

I think the main selling point for me here is the head sculpt and secondly, these bony thingies which kinda reminds me of Doomsday. He got this reptilian look on him with his dragon-like ears and these little bumps lining on top of his head... and of course the horns! In fact, he's more like a crossbreed between a dragon and a human to me. Moreover, both his arms as well as his feet are slightly textured; making up for his lack of paint detail.

The poseability on this big guy is certainly not the worst nor the best either. To some extent, you need to remove the accessories for you to get Ultimate Green Goblin execute some desired poses or it's just gonna fall off. His shoulders can be raised at to some degree apparently because of these "exo-bones" that's affecting it. The way the back is hunched limits his head from moving up but it has a good rotation. He got double-jointed elbows and hinged-wrists that rotate and flex. No waist swivel but got a diaphragm swivel which is a decent substitute. Ball-hinged hips (which I'm not a fan of), swivel to the upper-thighs, double-jointed knees and ankle pivots are incorporated.

Overall, I think this is a decent figure. As much as I want a build-a-figure Rhino or a classic Lizard but looking at the Ultimate Green Goblin as a figure makes me want to wish I've read the comics. He got a good size- standing at about 8 inches tall and just looked bigger, more muscular and intimidating than the Marvel Legends Terrax and Iron Monger. Sometimes I get the feeling that maybe using the Avengers Hulk body mold is kind of becoming it less comic book accurate. But who cares, it's an awesome figure that some fans and action figure collectors will probably get.