Another fortnight has passed so it must once again be time for Figure Friday. Let’s see what caught my eye this week!
Hot Toys: Marvel Comics The Origin Collection CMS08D38 Deluxe Iron Man 1/6 Scale Collectible Figure
I feel pretty comfortable going on the records here that I’ll never, ever buy a Hot Toys figure. That has nothing to do with the quality of the figures they produce, of course. Hot Toys are, without question, THE gold standard when it comes to premium format figures. I’ve been in the presence of several and it’s akin to viewing legitimate art. They also roughly cost about half my monthly mortgage payment.
If I was a slightly older Gen-X-er I would have probably been able to get in on the dot com boom, made some real money, have a couple of ex spouses, and a larger house that I’d be able to store various Hot Toys figures within. For now, I’m content to admire from a distance, living the bungalow life with my Figuarts figures.
But check out this Iron Man! Here’s the blurb:
Going back to the origins of our favorite super heroes, Hot Toys is bringing The Origins Collection which takes inspiration from the pages of classic Marvel Comics. Proudly presenting to fans today, the red and gold Iron Man Suit Armor as a 1/6th scale collectible diecast figure that comes with reimagined crystal armors.
Crafted based on Iron Man in Marvel Comics with stunning details, the figure features a newly crafted helmeted head with LED-light up function, intricate design of the Iron Man armor and structure illustrating its mechanical detail, beautifully painted red and gold armor with a metallic appearance, crystal clear armor parts and interchangeable mask and armor parts for different styles of display, LED light-up functions scattered throughout the upper body, Arc Reactor on chest and palms, and multiple pairs of interchangeable hands for iconic poses.
The deluxe version includes a signature Iron Man suitcase with articulated function, also an elaborated diorama figure base with LED light up function, allowing fans to explore Tony Stark’s high-tech workshop straight from the comic pages. Includes articulated gantry arms, extra armor parts, and holographic screen accessories.
I am incredibly partial to this Iron Man armor since it was the one that was in-use in the single issue of Iron Man I had in the early 80’s. It was also the one used for the Secret Wars figure line, which I also had. What Hot Toys has done here is take a classic comic book design and tweak it just enough to make it look like it could have appeared in the MCU. Amazing stuff!
…and expensive too.
Mezco: Superman: The Mechanical Monsters (1941) 5 Points Deluxe Boxed Set
This set was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise!
Based off the classic Fleischer Superman cartoons, this box set is a perfect reproduction of the Man of Tomorrow’s golden age. It’s legitimately stunning how well the animation style translated to plastic.
If you haven’t seen these cartoons they’re pretty easy to find since I believe they entered the public domain a long time ago. The level of quality in the cartoons didn’t even come close to being duplicated until Batman: The Animated Series nearly FIFTY years later. This set would make an excellent addition to the shelf of any Superman superfan or other collector of superhero ephemera.
I don’t think it’s a recent trend (the ReAction figures have been around for a second) but retro-style action figures produced in the the vein of the classic Kenner Star Wars figures have really hit their stride in the last year. It makes a lot of sense, they’re cheaper to produce and sell and they also scratch that nostalgia itch a lot of 40-somethings are coming into these days.
Sure, they’re not exactly meant to be PLAYED with but they look great if you leave them on the card, on a shelf somewhere. It kind of takes the sting out of our parents throwing out all our old toys way back when.
