Show some Christmas Spirit - Support Geeks for Tots!

"Geeks For Tots" have asked us to share information about their contest which might encourage you to be generous this holiday season! Note that if you are not a US resident you will need to read the rules for equivalents to Toys for Tots in your country, or donate online at the Toys for Tots website to qualify:

Win Toys For Helping Tots with Geeks for Tots!
Geeks for Tots is back once again to promote giving this
holiday season. Geeks for Tots is a contest that encourages donations
to the Toys for Tots.

There are far too many kids that won’t get gifts this holiday season
and the Toys for Tots program is here to help. Toys for Tots takes new
toys and distributes them to kids in need. To encourage donations to
the Toys For Tots program, the Geeks For Tots contest is offering
prizes to those who send in proof of donations to Toys for Tots.

The Prizes up for grabs are:

•       Anakin Skywalker Force FX Lightsaber from Brian's Toys
•       Gift cards to Backstage Toys
•       Gift cards to Luke’s Toy Store
•       Gift cards to Luke’s Toy Store
•       Lots of figures from Fantastic Plastic Toys
•       Gift cards from 80sTees.com
•       Gift certificates from Nerd Rage Toys
•       New and vintage figures from Pixel Dan
•       30th Anniversary G.I. Joe Skytriker from Dinosaur Toy Vault
•       And more to come!

To participate in the contest, a contestant has to either send in a
picture of them donating at a Toys For Tots drop off box or by
forwarding copy of a receipt from an online cash donation to the Toys
For Tots website.

More details like where to send the photos and receipts, please visit
GeeksForTots.com (Link: http://www.geeksfortots.com). And the official
rules can be found here. (Link:
http://www.geeksfortots.com/2012/11/how-to-win-geeks-for-tots.html)

About Geeks for Tots:

Geeks for Tots is a grassroots contest started with the simple goal of
encouraging donations to Toys for Tots via a contest. This is the
fourth year of the contest. Previously it was known as “Joes for
Tots.”

http://www.geeksfortots

Media Contact:
Twitter.com/GeeksForTots
Email: GeeksForTots@gmail.com

The AFB Podcast Episode 40: Marvel Select Ultron / Broken Promises

Episode FORTY of the AFB Podcast is live at iTunes and is now available for direct download! Download and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes now! 

Join Adam, Eli and Ben from the AFB Forum for Episode Forty 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 pop culture.

Episode Forty includes our Toy of the Week Feature on the Marvel Select Ultron Action Figure, and our discussion on "Broken Promises" - those lines or toys that just didn't live up to what they promised. 

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 Forty 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!

Bowen Rogue (Art Adams) Statue Review

I have a great fondness for Art Adams’ Uncanny X-Men Cover Run - his cover to UXM #218 is one of my all time favourite comic book covers, and the unlikely lineup of Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Dazzler, Longshot and Psylocke is a favourite X-Men era of mine. It’s not a surprise, then, that I found myself unable to pass up the Adams-styled Bowen Designs Rogue Statue, which was recently released. This statue is probably only likely to appeal to fans of that particular time in X-Men history, but as I certainly count myself amongst them I knew when I saw this previewed that I'd end up owning it. 

This statue is sculpted by Mike Cusanelli, who has become a Bowen regular of late. While he sculpts a beautiful female form, I always seem to find fault with something in the composition of his pieces, and this is no exception, but I'll get to that in a moment.

One of the big "likes" of this statue for me is the arial pose. In my ever increasing slew of Bowen statues, it's nice to have some that spice up the display by literally standing up above the crowd. The construction of this aspect of the piece is very cleverly done. The "swoosh" that elevates Rogue above her base is made of a translucent material which enhances the effect. This is a separate piece which joins with the base and the bottom of Rogue's 888888 foot, and it is quite sturdy. I am always impressed by the work that must go in to designing such pieces to ensure that they are balanced and sturdy. This piece definitely fits that bill. 

The headsculpt is a mixed bag. Cusanelli has captured the hairstyle Rogue sported in this era beautifully and executed the shape and texture of it very well, but the facial expression is a bit lacking. The expression is a bit blank when a more determined gaze would have better suited this “action” pose.

The paint work is very well done here. Bowen has had a couple of recent blips, but seems to have rectified most of those issues. The metallic green used on Rogue’s outfit is a real winner, and contrasts the matte black very nicely. 

My main concern here is the arms. I'm not one to think much about poses etc unless they don't work, and yet I am often troubled by the arms on Cusanelli's ladies. For some reason they often seem to lack energy or fail to fully achieve what you would assume the sculptor has set out to do. Here, Rogue's arms are raised at elbow height to show she is in flights, but the angle is perhaps a bit too tight, and so she looks somewhat like she is hanging on a piece of gym equipment rather than entering in to battle. Again, I'm not one to over analyse these things, and I certainly have nothing against this sculptor, but this is something that seems to continue to catch my eye.

All up, while this isn’t an entirely successful piece, the design gets it over the line for me. I’ll be displaying this alongside the recently released Storm Mohawk Exclusive, which isn’t quite era specific but is as close as we’ll get I suspect. What I really hope to see now are future releases to flesh out this great X-Men roster - particularly Dazzler in her blue costume, first appearance Psylocke and a full-sized Longshot. All of these get their fair share of buzz in Bowen fan circles, so hopefully time will gift these characters to us, and when they come, for Longshot and Dazzler especially, I am very hopeful they will be Art Adams-styled to match this piece. 

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

Until next time!

Mego Museum Launches "Megozine"!

We chatted to Brian from the Mego Museum back in Episode 27 of the AFB Podcast - now the Mego Museum has some very exciting news to share!

Mego Museum launches "Megozine"

It may have gone out of business in the 1980s but it's hard to keep the World's Greatest Toy Company down. The Mego Museum and Wulf & Tyger are proud to unveil their latest project, Megozine, the official magazine for Mego collectors.  Megozine is dedicated to keeping the company’s spirit alive whether it be vintage toys, newer figures (dubbed ReMego by the Museum), knock-offs or colourful custom creations.

Issue One is packed with colorful surprises including:

•       Secret Origins of the 1/6th Scale Superheroes- Which details Mego's 12 inch Superhero figures and includes a never before seen prototype of a never made Mego 12” hero.
•       A Mego Museum Super Collector comic  adventure “Escape from the Planet of the Knockoffs” with art by Chris Franklin
•       Six Monsters, A Girl and a Mailer Box- A look at the Lincoln International Monster figures.
•       Aw Yeah Megos- Interview with Eisner award winning Art Baltazar about his passion for custom Mego figures.

Megozine will be ready for order in December 2012 and subsequent issues will follow every six months. For more information please visit www.megomuseum.com.

About The Mego Museum
Megomuseum.com  was founded in 1996 by Scott C Adams and was the internet’s first website devoted to the toys and action figures produced by Mego Corp. It has since grown into the premiere site for action figures both vintage and modern that utilize Mego’s signature 8” format. The site includes exhaustive galleries, interviews, custom galleries and a collector forum. Each June the Museum hosts an annual convention called Mego Meet (www.megomeet.com)

The AFB Podcast Episode 39: Bowen Captain America Action Statue / The AFB Challenge

Episode THIRTY-NINE of the AFB Podcast is live at iTunes and is now available for direct download! Download and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes now! 

Join Ben, John and Scott from the AFB Forum for Episode Thirty Nine 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 pop culture.

Episode Thirty Nine includes our Toy of the Week Feature on the Bowen Designs Captain America Action Statue, and the very first AFB Challenge - listen as John sets a Trivia Game that Ben and Scott must compete in - and only one will emerge the victor! Whatever the outcome, this much is certain - the AFB Podcast will never be the same! 

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 Thirty Nine 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: Win Hot Toys Bespin Luke from DASH!

Welcome to the DASH Hot Toys Luke Skywalker Giveaway (It’s not a trap)

It’s time for the latest contest from Collector-ActionFigures.com, and we couldn’t be more excited about this one. When it comes to action figures, Hot Toys makes the best in the world, and they’ve finally started on Star Wars with the Luke Skywalker (Bespin Outfit) figure. And we’re giving it away. You could win this $300 prize, which includes two complete figures, a load of accessories, and the high quality sculpting, paint, and design that only Hot Toys offers.

For your chance to win, just complete a free membership registration with Collector-ActionFigures. It only requires a minute to register and doesn’t cost a dime, but make sure you go all the way through the entire registration process including the email activation. Every account automatically earns an entry, and you’re getting the ultimate action figure resource that is the DASH catalog for free. You might be adding one amazing figure to your digital collection on DASH in no time.
Until then, may the force be with you, and good luck.

For complete contest rules and requirements, please email corey@Collector-ActionFigures.com

The AFB Podcast Episode 38: Interview with Randy Falk of NECA Toys

Episode THIRTY-EIGHT of the AFB Podcast is live at iTunes and is now available for direct download! Download and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes now! 

Join John, Ben and Scott from the AFB Forum for Episode Thirty Eight 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 pop culture.

Episode Thirty Eight includes our fantastic interview with Randy Falk of NECA Toys. Randy discusses his role at NECA and a number of NECA's past and present toy lines, along with some fascinating insights. We know you will enjoy listening!

We also have the next answer and clue in the "Name That...." Audio Game run by our friend Engineernerd from TV & Film Toys, and a brand new segment - Absolutely Amazing Toy Facts - with Ben!

If you can't use iTunes, you can download Episode Thirty Eight 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: Take a Shot with DASH and Win a Halo 4 Prize Pack

The world of action figures keeps getting closer and closer to the world of video games, and we here at Collector-ActionFigures.com are well aware of that fact. So to honor this week’s Halo 4 release, we’ve decided to partner up with McFarlane Toys to give away a great Halo 4 action figures prize pack. In fact, we’re giving away a prize pack including four different figures including Master Chief, Elite Zealot, Storm Grunt, and Spartan Warrior.

For your chance to win these cool figures, you’ll need to complete a free membership registration with Collector-ActionFigures. It takes less a minute to register all the way through email verification, and it’s totally free. Not only will you be entered to win a great prize pack, you’ll also join one of the internet’s best (and growing) action figure communities, and gain access to the world’s most expansive action figure catalog and marketplace. Start your collection on DASH today, and you might just win four new figures to make it stand out from the horde.

So welcome to DASH, good luck with the contest, and more than anything else enjoy your time on Collector-ActionFigures.com.

Contest Details

• All entries must be received by 11:59p.m. ET on Friday November 16th, 2012.
• One grand prize winner will be selected at random.
• For an international winner, the first $10 will be paid for shipping, and the rest will be paid by the contestant.

For complete contest rules and requirements, please email corey@Collector-ActionFigures.com

Kotobukiya Marvel Bishoujo Elektra Review

II’ve been having a tug of war with Kotobukiya’s Marvel Bishoujo line after a jarring change of scale in the line - something that started when Black Cat was released in 1:7 Scale as opposed to the previous 1:8 Scale releases. Feeling like my collection was forever going to feel like a mismatched bunch, I contemplated giving up on the line for good. The decision that I ultimately came to is to take the smaller, earlier versions out of my display to focus on the current scale, with hopes that Koto will get around to releasing matching scale versions of the earlier characters in time – as they have now done with Black Widow.

All that brings me to the Kotobukiya Marvel Bishoujo Elektra Statue, which I am reviewing tonight. This has been out for a while now, but has sat unopened while I decided what to do with this line. Now that I’m back “in” she has finally been allowed out of the box and into the AFB Photo Studio!

Any reservations I might have had about keeping this piece were resolved the moment I got her out of the box. Elektra has never been a favourite character of mine, but this is one good looking statue. The usual quality sculpting I’ve come to expect from this line is present, along with the trademark flowing locks and clothing which the PVC base of these pieces allows sculptors to add without fear of breakage. Also present is a translucent element at the end of Elektra’s hair, which has also become a signature of this line.

The use of a metallic red for Elektra’s outfit really makes this piece stand out, and it contrasts beautifully with her ivory skin. The paint work on this statue is very solid, although the very small line of her bare midriff that we can see looks much lighter than the rest of her skin, almost as if it is unpainted. Koto love to produce variants for these statues, and I’d be highly surprised if we don’t eventually see a white costume version of this piece.

The sai that fit into Elektra’s hands are so complicated to insert that the piece actually comes with an included set of instructions. I thought this was amusing until I actually tried to set them up. It’s worth the trouble as they are very good looking once they are properly set up.

One big improvement that Kotobukiya has made on this line over the years is the quality of the bases. Whereas the early pieces in the line came posed on random white shapes, most of the current statues in the line have a detailed, character specific base included. Elektra’s base looks like a section of a roof of a dojo, complete with Daredevil’s face sculpted into the roof line. It’s good fun and beautifully detailed.

Despite the fact that Elektra doesn’t mean much to me as a character, this piece has become a favourite of mine in the Kotobukiya Marvel line simply because the detail, skill and craftsmanship that has gone in to creating it. I couldn’t think of a better “welcome back” to collecting this line!

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

Until next time!

DC Collectibles Batman Black & White Batman Beyond Statue Review

I have been a big fan of the Batman Black & White Statue series for DC Collectibles for some time now. While I’ve been selective about the number of actual Batman statues I buy in this line (I currently own Aparo, Quietly and Cooke), but I have keenly collected the supporting cast statues in this line to surround them. Tonight’s review is of the latest release, the DC Collectibles Batman Black & White Batman Beyond Statue. 

Based on the art of Dustin Ngyuen, this statue was sculpted by longtime DC Sculptor Jonathan Matthews, who in recent times has done a number of the Batman Black & White Statues as well as a number of the Ame-Comi pieces.

The most striking thing about this piece is the pose. Batman Beyond has been sculpted performing a handstand or some other type of acrobatic manoeuvre, and the result is very effective. The sculptors of this line have been trying some different things lately, and it’s fun to watch. In my opinion, this pose is more effective that the Dick Grayson Batman in acrobatic flight pose, which looks great at just the right angle but is actually challenging to display well. This achieves a similar effect while remaining a piece that works at a number of angles and doesn’t hog too much shelf space. 

This piece must have posed a bit of a challenge for the designer, since the Black & White theme does not permit the use of the red that breaks up Batman Beyond’s mostly-black costume. This issue is cleverly addressed by the use of some grayscale elements and and a translucent material to represent the red underarm-wing-thingies BB sports - sorry to use such technical language, but accuracy is key here...

While I was at first a bit surprised by this choice, since a true B&W or grayscale representation of the red... youknowwhats.. would come up darker, I think this was a very good design decision, as it accentuates the handstand pose and makes the lines of the piece clear and crisp. I always give points to the use of some different materials in these statue pieces, and this definitely scores a few. 

The only thing that takes a touch off the shine off this piece is the lack of a numbered edition size, which seems to have been removed from all statues since DC Direct became DC Collectibles. While I can see some pragmatic reasons for this change, I really do feel it takes something away from the pieces. I can’t attribute any of this fault to the actual statue, but I do need state that I’m not a fan of this change.

My main hope for the future of this line is that the glaring omissions of a Robin of any variety and Nightwing are soon addressed, and that

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

Until next time!

Sponsor News: New Contest at Collector DASH ActionFigures!

Our friends at AFB Sponsor Collector-Action Figures have a new contest running until 16 November - this time the prize is a set of Halo 4 Series 1 Action Figures! 

Click on the pic to check it all out at their site!

The AFB Podcast Episode 37: Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Playset / Toy Buying Regrets with special guest Arnie Carvalho

Episode THIRTY-SEVEN of the AFB Podcast is live at iTunes and is now available for direct download! Download and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes now! 

Join Scott, John and Justin from the AFB Forum for Episode Thirty Seven 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 pop culture.

Episode Thirty Seven includes our Toy of the Week feature on the World of Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Playset and a discussion on "Toy Buying Regrets" with special guest Arnie Carvalho from Marvelicious Toys, Star Wars Action News and the Now Playing Podcasts!

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

NOTE: We also had a very special guest for some segments in the form of aliens in Justin's headset - I've done my best to get rid of the noise but there are a couple of squeaky bits - apologies!

If you can't use iTunes, you can download Episode Thirty Seven 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!

Hot Toys Star Wars Bespin Luke Skywalker Deluxe Figure Review

It’s been more than a year since Hot Toys announced that they were going to produce Star Wars figures in 1:6 Scale, and that the Hot Toys Star Wars Bespin Luke Skywalker would be the first figure in the line. It’s been a long wait for the release of this figure, but after a bit of delay it’s now hitting the shelves. I was lucky enough to be home today when this delivery arrived, and I am quite sure the delivery driver thought I was more than a bit mad as I really couldn’t contain my excitement to be receiving this much-anticipated item. 

First off, let’s just say this was well and truly worth the wait. Hot Toys couldn’t have made a better start to their Star Wars line. I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve had so much fun and so many geeking-out moments while unboxing and photographing a toy. The immense quality of the product aside, a large part of this giddiness has to do with the nostalgia element, and I think this is going to be a figure that brings many collectors into the Hot Toys fold.

We’re quite used to seeing swap-out heads and multiple hands and accessories with these figures, but with the Bespin Luke release Hot Toys have taken this to an entirely new level by including two entirely separate figures in this set - regular Luke and Battle Damaged Luke. It’s a real credit to Hot Toys that these figures can be displayed alongside each other - I for one am not great with lots of swap out pieces and am happy to pay the extra cost for another True Type body to be able to have the whole set on display. 

The likenesses on both of these figures are excellent. I’m not quite as sold on Battle Damaged Luke’s likeness, mainly because the hair is a little off. The hair on both of these figures is removable in order to operate the PERS eye movement system, and while this is a great feature I think that the separation of the hair and head makes the hair piece a little thick and therefore not quite as natural looking. I’m still a bit gun-shy about using the PERS much - mainly because I fear them getting stuck in some sort of horrible cross-eyed frozen pose, so that’s all a bit lost on me, but it is a very clever feature that takes these toys beyond glorified Ken dolls to something collector-worthy.

Regular Luke and Battle Damaged Luke sport the same base outfit in “before” and “after” states, and impressively each have all of their own pieces and accessories. The basic jumpsuit is great and very nicely constructed, with great wear and tear for the Battle Damaged version. There is some great detail in the pockets and seams, and the boots on these figures are beautifully constructed. My only complaint with the clothing is that the jackets tend to ride up a bit and create a collar that is too high and overwhelms the neck. 

Very impressively, each Luke has his own blaster and his own complete belt with holster and all accoutrements. The only thing that the two Lukes have to share are the lightsabers in this set. There are one each of “off” and “on” lightsabers.

One thing about the minute detail that Hot Toys goes to with its pieces is that I always seem to have something break or come apart when I’m unboxing these toys. In this instance, the hook that you can hand the “off” lightsaber on came off of Regular Luke’s belt as I was connecting it. I think this can be easily repaired - as long as I don’t lose the tiny thing first!

Of course, Battle Damaged Luke isn’t really about some torn clothing - it’s all about the stump. This has been incredibly done, with a number of options for display. Battle Damaged Luke comes with a complete right arm, and then a swap-out stump. This was actually quite easy to do once I looked at the construction of the inside of the stump arm - it takes a bit of bending with  firm, steady hand, but the material is flexible enough to remove the complete arm without needing to heat it.

One the complete arm is removed, you can attach the regenerator to help Luke start to heal, or you can attach the stump and really have some fun! One great touch which I wasn’t expecting is the inclusion of the severed hand with connects to the stump wrist with a magnet. This is simply super fun - and you can’t help but have some silly fun and games with the whole stump scenario - the severed hand is such a great inclusion!

This is the Sideshow Exclusive version of the figure, which comes with the very creepy “Luke’s face inside Darth Vader’s decapitated head” extra piece. It’s very well done, and comes complete with a bloodied stump on Darth Luke’s neck. A very fun and beautifully crafted exclusive inclusion.

I haven’t photographed the large diorama with light-up features that comes with this set. At present I won’t be displaying this piece - I have a move coming up in the next few months and no real Star Wars space as yet -  and so I thought it best to leave the diorama pieces in their original state until I’m ready to have it on display. From all the photos I’ve seen, it’s huge and supports the weight of one of the figures. Definitely something I’ll look forward to having on display sometime in the future. 

The one surprise in all of this for me is that as yet we don’t know what is coming next for this line. Hot Toys have said that this is line they want to get exactly right, and indeed if they continue such a deluxe format of delivery it will be good to be able to spread the cost out, but I’m hopeful for some news on the next character soon. Having recently jumped off the Hot Toys bandwagon for superhero movie toys, mainly because the volume and pace of the output was too much to keep up with financially, I think a line like this is going to be much more my speed, and the collecting the most iconic versions of these characters at this level of quality is something I can very much see myself getting into.

The Sideshow Exclusive version of this figure is still up for order at Sideshow. If you haven’t grabbed one already, I would recommend doing so quickly - I can’t imagine this staying in stock for long!

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

Until next time!

Bowen Designs Professor X in Hoverchair Statue Review

I’m working my way through a backlog of purchases to catch up on reviews, and while I’m setting aside most of the older purchases I’ve made, there are a few I can’t pass up - and one is the great Professor Xavier Statue from Bowen Designs which came out earlier this year. 

Digital Sculptor Khurram Alavi has helped Bowen make fans of the Claremont / Lee era X-Men happy by producing this great statue of X-Men founder Professor Charles Xavier in the hoverchair he got around in during that iconic era of Marvel’s Merry Mutants.

There is some very clever design involved in this piece - the hover effect for Professor X’s hoverchair is created by the suspension of the chair over the base by a clear riser pole. The set includes two poles of varying heights to suit your desired effect and display space. I’ve chosen the shorter pole for my display and these photographs. It’s a particularly clever achievement when you consider that this was all designed as a digital sculpt. 

The end result of this engineering is very effective, but caution is advised when assembling and moving this piece - once the riser pole is inserted, the statue swivels freely on the base. From a design point, this was a wise move as it makes the piece more durable and less prone to any kind of internal breakage if a more rigid slot or peg system was used, but it does make the piece slightly unstable when being moved.

While the chair is the eye-catching feature of this statue, there are some other lovely details, such as the leather-look padded back to the interior of the chair and the striped blanket that covers Charles’ lap, the lines of which are sculpted, not just painted. The paint work is very solid here, with a metallic finish for the exterior of the chair and a matte finish for the softer surfaces. 

Professor X himself is very nicely sculpted, and I appreciate the restraint in the pose - it would have been very tempting to have him with his hands to his brow in full-on telepathy mode, which would have been a bit corny for my tastes. If I have any criticism of the piece it is that Charles looks rather young and could have done with a wrinkle or two, or just some lines on his face to highlight an expression, as he does look a tad blank. 

There still seems to be a chance that a classic Professor X in a standard wheelchair may come from Bowen at some point, which would fit nicely with the sets of Original and Classic X-Men that Bowen is currently producing. I had initially planned to hold out for a possible wheelchair version, but now that I have this in my display I’m very glad I didn’t wait - it’s a great addition to the Bowen X-Collection!

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

Until next time!

Sponsor News: The Value of a DASH Membership

Our friends from Collector-ActionFigures (DASH) have a new weekly update - "The Value of a DASH Membership"

If you still don’t see the value of a membership on Collector-ActionFigures, then we’ve got a lot to show you. You might think DASH is just about our giveaways, since we’re giving away Sideshow Collectibles Snake Eyes and Transformers Masterpiece Thundercracker prizes totaling in value at over $250 right now. Those contests are a great reason to Like DASH on Facebook, sign up for a free membership, and become a part of the DASH Collector’s Club, but they’re far from the only reason to join DASH today.

One of the real values in a DASH membership are the values themselves. The Catalog features more than 40,000 figures with associated loose and packaged values. Not only does this help buyers and sellers find the exact right price for their items, it also gives collectors and in-depth look at their collection and what it’s worth. If you’re looking to see precisely what you have and get an idea what your efforts have been worth, than a DASH collection report is the only way to do it.

This sample collection report shows a user with 870 items valued at more than $15,000.

The only way to get this kind of detailed collection report is with an upgraded membership on Collector-ActionFigures. Join the DASH Collector’s Club and finally take your first good long look at your collection.

The AFB Podcast Episode 36: Superhero Drinkware with Jeremy Ciccone

Episode THIRTY-SIX of the AFB Podcast is live at iTunes and is now available for direct download! Download and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes now! 

Join Ben, Eli and Justin from the AFB Forum for Episode Thirty Six 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 pop culture.

Episode Thirty Six includes our regular features and an interview with guest Jeremy Ciccone (who joins us for the whole epiosde!) to talk about his amazing collection of Superhero Drinkware!

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 Thirty Six 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!

The AFB Comment of the Month Contest is Back and Bigger than Ever for November 2012!

​It's been a few months since we held our Comment of the Month Contest, for the simple reason that AFB has been through quite an evolution since we introduced the AFB Podcast! We do love giving away things, however, so we're pleased to bring the Comment Contest back bigger and better than ever!

From now on, comments made here at the blog, at our Facebook Page, Twitter OR as podcast feedback (podcast@actionfigureblues.com) will ALL be entered into the draw for the month's comment contest prize! There are now more ways to win!

November's prize will be a DC Collectibles New 52 Aquaman Action Figure - sent to you by Mike's Comics N' Stuff!

A few bits and pieces:

• every genuine comment here at the blog, at Facebook or Twitter, or received as podcast feedback 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 – likewise Facebook comments from members who cannot receive messages.


• 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!