toyhaven

continued from earlier post...

I had previously posted pictures of 1/6 scale Tony Stark in a suit (with his very special briefcase) in my toy blog post titled "Monday Blues with Tony Stark, Professor Henry Jones Sr, James Bond and Forrest Gump" HERE as well as Tony wearing his Iron Man Mark IV armor suit and eating a donut HERE. This time around, I'm dressing Mr Stark in the trademark civilian outfit he is seen wearing in the 2012 Marvel Studios film "The Avengers".

Two companies have released this particular set of outfit, MC Toys and Asmus Toys (see the preview pictures HERE) but only one company went further and produced the pair of Mark VII bracelets (made of METAL) as well. No prizes for guessing which one I settled for ;p

In the 2012 "The Avengers" movie, when not in his armor suit, Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark was seen dressed in his very distinctive civilian attire of Black Sabbath T-shirt over a long sleeve tee and dark colored pants. Scroll down to see pictures of this Asmus Toys "Avengers' Stark" 1/6 scale action figure clothing series set put on a 12-inch Tony Stark figure.

This is the Asmus Toys "Avengers' Stark" 1/6 scale action figure clothing series set. The set comes with a printed T-Shirt with "decorative" sleeves, deep blue trousers, a pair of socks, a pair of black shoes and a pair of metal MK VII bracelets.

The highlight of this Asmus Toys "Avengers' Stark" 1/6 scale action figure clothing series set is the pair of MK VII detecting bracelets which Tony Stark wore to suit up in his newest Iron Man armor suit (the Mark VII) in the film. The bracelet was built exactly like it is designed in the film, and the final product is presented in full metal cast.

And this is how 1/6 scale Tony Stark looks in Asmus Toys "Avengers' Stark" 1/6 scale action figure clothing series set.

The Asmus Toys 1/6 scale printed T-Shirt with Black Sabbath on it comes with "decorative" sleeves i.e. instead of making the figure put on two layers of clothing, a dark grey long sleeve T-shirt under the Black Sabbath short sleeve silk-printed tee (which is what MC Toys offered and that will make the figure look too bulky and buffed which Tony Stark wasn't), Asmus Toys simply added grey sleeves to the Black Sabbath T-shirt to give the impression of layered clothing. Clever move on Asmus Toys part and the overall look of the figure is much better IMHO

The look is completed with deep blue trousers / pants, a pair of socks, a pair of black shoes and the all important pair of metal MK VII bracelets.

Scroll down to see more pictures of this Hot Toys 1/6 scale Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark head sculpt on a TTM-18 12" figure body (shown earlier HERE) wearing Asmus Toys "Avengers' Stark" 1/6 scale action figure clothing series set.

I think the fitting of the 1/6 scale clothes is much nicer than the MC Toys version and it all looks very nice on the 12-inch figure

Here's Tony Stark wearing his kinky 1/6 scale sunglasses which was part of the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS123 Iron Man 2 1/6th scale Mark IV Limited Edition Collectible Figurine set (reviewed HERE)

Some close-up shots / pictures of Hot Toys Tony Stark 12-inch figure wearing the Asmus Toys "Avengers' Stark" 1/6 scale action figure clothing series set

And this is the confrontation between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers on board the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier after Loki has been captured and placed in custody aboard the high-tech, flying aircraft carrier.

Steve Rogers: Big man in a suit of armour. Take that off, what are you?
Tony Stark: Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.

Steve Rogers: I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you.
Tony Stark: I think I would just cut the wire.
Steve Rogers: Always a way out... You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero.
Tony Stark: A hero? Like you? You're a lab rat, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle!
Steve Rogers: Put on the suit. Let's go a few rounds.

Sideshow Collectibles proudly presents the Darth Vader: Dark Contemplations Statue from their Star Wars Mythos line. This unprecedented portrayal of the Dark Lord of the Sith captures Darth Vader's return to Mustafar. The heat and flames of that volcanic planet steel the resolve of Lord Vader as he considers the rage and loss contained by the fearsome mask in his hand. Three portraits, a younger Anakin, an older Anakin, and the masked version complement an equal number of interchangeable arms that allow the collector to illustrate this tale in a variety of ways. At twenty-one inches in overall height, the Darth Vader: Dark Contemplations Statue is a most impressive centerpiece for any Star Wars display.

The Darth Vader - Mythos Polystone Statue [measuring 21" H (533.4mm) x 12" W (304.8mm) x 11" L (279.4mm)] features: Interchangeable Portraits of Hayden Christensen and Sebastian Shaw as Anakin Skywalker, Helmeted Head, Interchangeable Right Hands: Holding Lightsaber, Helmet, and Hand Clenched in a Fist. The Darth Vader Mythos Statue is an Exclusive Release from Sideshow Collectibles.

Darth Vader Dark Contemplations: Volcanic fire seethes and spits at his feet as the molten river roars, its rumblings an echo of his own agonized howls on this blackened shore five years gone. The lava's glow bathes him in scorching heat. Encased in that black armor, he feels nothing.

Click on the picture for a bigger and better view :)

A hissing sound escapes his helmet as his unfeeling cyborg hands release it, lifting free the face of Darth Vader, and exposing the ruined head of Anakin Skywalker.

Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Mythos line has been making waves and I'm very impressed with the sculpting, especially for their Ben Kenobi, Desert Nomad Mythos Statue (see the stunning pictures HERE). But alas, they are still statues after all and hence non-poseable :(

I think the people making the statues know the limitations of the product - one fixed pose cast in stone (literally) - hence their innovative effort to include alternative masks / portraits and arms / weapons but still, statues are statues. They do not have fabric outfits / costumes nor ultra detailed and removable accessories and gear as well as weapons that we 1/6 scale figure collectors have come to admire and appreciate.

At least with this Star Wars Mythos line, there's an attempt to be different from the norm.

Strangely, Hot Toys seem to be going into statues as well, having previewed their first PPS001 Iron Man 3: 1/6th scale Power Pose Mark XLII Collectible Figurine recently. You can see the pictures HERE

The backstory says that this Star Wars Mythos Darth Vader statue depicts the unprecedented portrayal of the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader's return to Mustafar. And the statue seems to show quite a lot of battle damage on Darth Vader, as if he had fought a big battle with someone as good as him because many parts of his costume have been cut and damaged, including his chest piece.

The question I ask is: Who did Darth Vader fight on Mustafar on his return? Certainly not Obi-Wan Kenobi since Obi-Wan cut off his remaining organic limbs (Vader's left arm and both of his legs) when they last dueled on Mustafar.

From Hot Toys:
Following the great response to the Barney Ross Collectible Figure of The Expendables movie, Hot Toys is proud to present the 1/6th scale Barney Ross Collectible Figure from its sequel The Expendables 2. The movie-accurate Barney Ross collectible is specially crafted based on the image of Sylvester Stallone in the movie, highlighting the newly developed head sculpt, body tattoo, two styles of costume, detailed accessories and weapons.

Scroll down to see more pictures :)

The 1/6 scale head sculpt looks like Sylvester Stallone in Dr Fu Manchu makeup. Is he auditioning for the Mandarin in Iron Man 3? Didn't somebody tell him that Ben Kingsley already got the role? LOL

Hot Toys could've done Jason Statham, Jet Li, or Dolph Lundgren. Anybody else in 1/6 but Sylvester Stallone again!

The Hot Toys MMS194 Expendables 2 Barney Ross 1/6th scale Collectible Figure specially features: Authentic and detailed fully realized likeness of Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in the movie The Expendables 2. Stands approximately 30 cm tall. Has Muscular body with over 30 points of articulations. Has Highly detailed hair sculpture and moustache plus Movie-accurate facial expressions with detailed wrinkles and skin texture including Body tattoo on chest, arms and back. Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted

Nine (9) pieces of palms including: One (1) pair of gloved palms for gun shooting, One (1) gloved left palm with ring for gun holding, One (1) pair of gloved fists with ring on left fist, One (1) pair of gloved relaxed palms, One (1) right palm for gun shooting, One (1) right palm for cigar holding

Costume: One (1) leather-like black belt.
Two (2) styles of outfits include:
Style 1: One (1) black beret, One (1) black T-shirt, One (1) black zip-up tee, One (1) black tactical vest, One (1) pair of black pants, One (1) pair of black boots.

Style 2: One (1) brown beret, One (1) navy blue T-shirt, One (1) denim vest, One (1) pair of brown pants, One (1) pair of brown boots

Weapons: Two (2) pistols with holsters, One (1) revolver with holster, One (1) assault rifle

Accessories: One (1) watch, One (1) pair of sunglasses, One (1) pair of goggles, One (1) headset, One (1) cigar, Figure stand with Barney Ross nameplate and the movie logo

Artists: Head Sculpted by Kojun, Head Painted by JC. Hong, Head Art Directed by JC.Hong, Costume Advised by Hai Lim

Release date: Q3, 2013

This is going to be an upcoming release by Simplz Toys and Wildwork: Presenting GM01 Girl Mission 1/6 scale Zombie Girl 12-inch Action Figure. It has certainly drawn inspiration from a particular movie character who has set up her mind to kill zombies / the undead in order to survive.

Resident Evil: Extinction is a 2007 action movie and the third installment in the Resident Evil film series, which is based on the Capcom survival horror series Resident Evil. The film follows the heroine Alice, along with a group of survivors from Raccoon City, as they attempt to travel across the Mojave desert wilderness to Alaska and escape a zombie apocalypse.

This particular outfit has been done and released before in 1/6 scale. See my 2009 toy blog post HERE for a look at two versions that were to be released at the time. Then there's the actual in-hand Brother Production Zombie Killer 1/6 scale female action figure - reviewed HERE. Check out the updated and much improved look with Hot Toys 1/6 scale Milla Jovovich as Alice head sculpt HERE :) I'm really quite happy with the outcome. Scroll down to see more pictures of this latest version.

This Simplz Toys X Wildwork GM01 Girl Mission 1/6 Zombie Girl 12-inch Action Figure will come with two 1/6 real-like scale head sculpts, 12-inch action female body, white vest, short sleeve, short pants, brown stocking, double military belts, drop-down holsters with F92 pistols (X 2), knee-length high leather boots (X 1 pair), long coat, crossbow with arrow, Kukri knives (X 2), shotgun with shotgun bag, wrist band with darts, scarf, skeleton head / skull, wooden box

Actually I think this looks a lot like the other version that was supposed to be released alongside the brother Production version which never saw the light of day because of the awful female head sculpt. It was also called "Girls Mission R.E. Alice". You can check out the pictures HERE

The head sculpt is definitely a HUGE improvement and certainly a step in the right direction.

I still can't figure out the difference between the two head sculpts. Why include two 1/6 scale female head sculpts and not show how different each one looks from the other? I can't tell if both have been used in the pictures shown here or just the one.

Here's a look at the Simplz Toys X Wildwork GM01 Girl Mission 1/6 Zombie Girl 12-inch female action figure without her long coat. You can see what type of body they are using and it's obviously NOT the seamless type as the elbow joints are showing.

From ZC World comes this ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol.12 1/6 scale Workshop Set. Set includes: Women's Work Coveralls, Black Tools Belt with Pouch, Blue Safety Helmet, Safety Boots, Dust Mask, Safety Googles, Air Compressor, Pin Nailer, Electric Circular Saw, 3 Tier Trolley Cart, Table Vice, Socket Extension, Multi Socket Plug, Tool Box with Removable Tray, Nail Hammer, Level Ruler, Pliers, Wrenches, Screwdrivers, Pliers, Pencil & Pen, Tape Ruler, File, Folding Chair, Construction Site Scene (Paper Made), ZCWO Female body (head-less, not shown).

This is not the first 1/6 scale workshop set to be released by ZC World under their ZCWO MH Mens Hommes brand / line. In fact, this is the third workshop set ZC World has released for 12-inch figures. I got the first - ZCWO Mens Hommes Vol.004 1/6 Construction Crew Tools and Accessories set (reviewed in my toy blog HERE) and only not too long ago, ZCWO previewed their second workshop / hand tools set - ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes Vol. 009 1/6 scale Handtools Set 2.0 for 12" Figures (see my post HERE). Scroll down to see what's new and included in this latest offering ;p GREAT if you are a handy man / D-I-Y kind or guy or gal (one must always be politically correct) and you happen to also be a 1/6 scale 12-inch figure collector. Now you can have your very own 1/6 scale tool shed or workshop with all the tools you need to make it complete ;p

ZC World must be doing something right because when they keep releasing the same themed products / items, it means that there's a demand for them and people (meaning collectors) are lapping it all up and buying them to keep / display. Just look at the number of Iron Man 12-inch figures Hot Toys have released and you can see that they are laughing all the way to the bank with our money. Well, at least not mine. I'll rather spend it on other stuff - varied stuff, not all the same stuff.

ZCWO 1/6 scale Air Compressor

Miniature tools. The craftsmanship for such items have certainly improved by leaps and bounds since the day 1/6 scale merchandise / products took off.

Back in the day when Hasbro were making and selling these, they were huge chunks of molded plastic because they were intended for children and for play. Nowadays however, these are all made for 1/6 scale collectors who enjoy the extra detailing and painting put into these items to make them look almost real.

It's a good time to collect 1/6 scale collectibles because so many companies are jumping on the bandwagon and offering collectors and enthusiasts so many choices and options. The down side is that every company is also raising their prices and you cannot get as many stuff as you used to with the same amount of money. It's not about inflation alone. It's also about greedy money grabbing opportunists who prey on people's gullibility and willingness to spend. Happy buyer and even happier seller.

There are groups that call themselves one sixth collectors but really, all they collect are Hot Toys figures and who can blame them? Hot Toys played a big role in bringing 1/6 scale to the fore and Hot Toys is now the standard to beat but because of some of the blind followers who only buy everything Hot Toys puts out, the company starts raising prices while offering less in terms of accessories. Nowadays you get the bare minimum and wait for the DX version where they throw in a little bit more. Gone are the days when Hot Toys were generous with their accessories and you got a lot more value for money.

Scroll down to see more of ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol.12 1/6 scale Workshop Set for 12-inch figures

Look at this - 1/6 scale Nail Hammer. A bash of Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) from the 1987 American buddy cop action film "Lethal Weapon" is in order haha

This is a most interesting addition. ZC World has included 1/6 scale Women's Work Coveralls and 12-inch ZCWO Female body (head-less, not shown) as part of this set. It's all good in the equal gender, equal opportunity world we live in. They are still calling it "Mens Hommes" for Men's Fashion though ;p

You can pre-order this ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol.12 1/6 scale Workshop Set for 12" figures at TFH (The Falcon's Hangar)

I wasn't too pleased with the 12-inch figure body I had used earlier for filling up this Captain Action Marvel Comics 1/6 scale Captain America Costume Set by Round 2 Corp - you can see the posts HERE and HERE. So I decided to have another go. I had just posted this updated look Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America standing together with the 1/6 scale Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark in Asmus Toys "The Avengers" outfit set in my earlier post :)

I had used the regular Hot Toys TrueType 12-inch figure body for the initial fitting but it just doesn't fill up the classic Captain America costume like it should and made Steve Rogers look rather scrawny :( So I decided to switch the body to a more muscular version and used the regular body for Tony Stark instead (see 1/6 scale stark naked Tony pictures HERE). Scroll down to see Steve Rogers new 12-inch muscular body.

There's a whole history of body types I could go into way before Hot Toys TrueType bodies even arrived on the scene. There were quite a number of developments with the basic body shape to muscular body type and then back to regular body type again. It's all to do with using the right type of body to fit the right clothes / attire.

This particular body type is rather old and I think it goes way back to early 2000 (the beginning of the new millennium). I've had this body lying around in my kitbash stash - check out my post HERE titled "1:6 stuff for kitbashing OR just some of my stash" for more :)

These bulky 12-inch figure bodies (built like body builder types) were not good at all for kitting out a military figure because the huge chest impedes movement and the figure could not stretch his hand across his chest when he was fully loaded with all his gear and equipment. It also made him look very top heavy, like a tortoise with its shell and the head and limbs sticking out.

But this same bulky body works fine with this particular Captain Action Marvel Comics 1/6 scale Captain America Costume Set by Round 2 Corp because it fills up the superhero costume nicely and makes the figure look more impressive. If you were to compare this set of pictures with the earlier ones posted HERE, you can clearly see how much difference the body makes

I am definitely happier with how this turned out as compared to the look before this changeover. Now Steve Rogers look like he did come out from the experiment to transform him into a super soldier successfully.

In the 2011 "Captain America: The First Avenger" film by Marvel Studios, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) dons this classic Golden Age Captain America costume when he was asked to promote war bonds after Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) was killed / assassinated before he could duplicate the formula for more Super Soldiers to form an army.

In the movie, Steve Rogers USO stage shield is in the classic red, white and blue colors inspired by the United Sates of America flag. The shield he carried was the triangular version and not this round disc-shaped shield which he has become synonymous with. You can check out pictures of Captain America's 1/6 scale triangular shield HERE

The mask Cap is holding is the Captain America mask from the Round 2 Corp Captain Action 1/6 scale Captain America costume set. I cut off the portions where the face had been so that it now looks more like a mask Chris Evans as Steve Rogers could put on.

Scroll down to see close-up pictures of this 1/6 scale Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in Classic Captain America costume by Captain Action

I am quite pleased with this new look especially since I only had to use the particular OLDER muscle body type from my kitbash stash and didn't have to fork out money for a newer 12-inch muscular body.

So there you have it - Chris Evans (head sculpt from Hot Toys) as Steve Rogers in classic Captain America costume (from the new Captain Action line by Round 2 Corp)

This is a review of the ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol. 10 1/6 scale U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform for 12-inch figures and could be paired up with the ZCWO 1/6 scale Articulate Body AB-01 (previewed HERE) which I saw in local stores. I felt that the actual AB-01 12-inch figure which looked too dark to me i.e. the skin tone was way darker than I had expected and although he's supposed to be an African American, he looked like he had been in the sun way too long.

This is my version of 1/6 scale Terrence Howard as Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes as seen in the first Iron Man film that came out in 2008. Rhodey is a friend of Stark's, and the liaison between Stark Industries and the United States Air Force in the department of acquisitions, specifically weapons development. Director Jon Favreau had cast Howard as Rhodey because he felt he could play War Machine in a sequel. But alas, that fell through.

In the follow-up film / sequel, Iron Man 2, which was released in the United States on May 7, 2010, Jon Favreau and Robert Downey, Jr. returned as director and lead, respectively, with a screenplay by Justin Theroux. Don Cheadle replaced Terrence Howard in the role of Colonel Rhodes, who was also seen as War Machine. For me, Terrence Howard will always be Colonel Rhodes and Don Cheadle is War Machine which explains why I decided that 1/6 scale Howard will be attired in the ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol. 10 1/6 scale U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform. Scroll down to see more pictures of this uniform set :)

This ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol. 10 1/6 scale U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform Set comes with: United States Air Force Garrison Cap, USAF Service Dress Blue Coat, Blue Trousers, Long Sleeves Dress Shirt, Tie, Belt, White Tee, USAF Blue Overcoat, Black Oxford Shoes, Black Socks, Ribbons, Badges, Dog tags, Visitor Card, 3 pairs of hands with pegs, 1 pair of Feet with pegs, Ankle Extension Joint. Note: 12-inch figure is not included

Here are the items from ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol. 10 1/6 scale U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform Set laid out before being used. There's an extra pair of item not mentioned in the original list and that is the pair of white long johns looking leggings. I believe they are meant to be worn over the legs of the figure so that the pants can be a better fit. The shoes are not boot-feet like those Hot Toys produced for their figures i.e. you actually slip the feet in like a pair of normal shoes and yet, the socks are cut at the ankles for putting on.

Here's a close-up picture of the 1/6 scale dog tags included in this ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol. 10 1/6 scale U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform Set. It appears to have all the person's particulars on it like the actual 1:1 scale version. We know from the dog tags that this belongs to Rudolf Rhodes, 383-46-4358 AF, B POS, No Preference.

One of the two 1/6 scale badges included with this set appears to be the Aviation Badge Command Pilot Badge. Not sure what the other one is.

Here's 1/6 scale Terrence Howard as Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes wearing the Light Blue colored Long Sleeves Dress Shirt, Tie, Belt, Blue Pants, Black Socks, Black Oxford Shoes. I did not use the long johns as I felt they aren't necessary

Close-up picture / view of Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes in the Light Blue colored Long Sleeves Dress Shirt with name tag and neck tie. He has the Air Force Blue slide-on loops ("soft rank" shoulder insignia) on the epaulets of the shirt.

The current U.S. Air Force Service Dress Uniform, which was initially adopted in 1993 and made mandatory on 1 October 1999, consists of a three-button coat, similar to that of a men's "sport jacket" (with silver mirror-finish "U.S." pins on the lapels), matching trousers, and either a service cap or flight cap, all in Shade 1620, also known as "Air Force Blue." This is worn with a light blue shirt (Shade 1550) and a herringbone patterned necktie (Shade 1620).

Enlisted airmen wear cloth rank insignia on both sleeves of the jacket and shirt, while officers wear metal rank insignia pinned onto the epaulets of the coat, and Air Force Blue slide-on loops ("soft rank" shoulder insignia) on the epaulets of the shirt.

Officers also wear a band of dark blue cloth sleeve braid loops 3 inches from the cuffs of the sleeves of the coat. Braid is worn in a 1/2-inch width for officers in the rank of colonel and below and in a 1-inch width for general officers.

Heres' a look from the back

I have to say, this ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol. 10 1/6 scale U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform set for 12-inch figures is very well made / stitched. The uniform is very fitting and looks very nice when it is put on the figure and it makes Terrence Howard look very smart as Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes

This is certainly a great addition to any 12-inch Iron Man collection. The 1/6 scale cast of the Iron Man films is steadily growing. I already have 1/6 scale Tony Stark (see my post HERE) and Obadiah Stane (see kitbash 1/6 scale Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane HERE).

Scroll down to see close-up pictures of 1/6 scale Terrence Howard as Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes wearing ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol. 10 1/6 scale U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform set for 12-inch figures

For the U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform, Center silver metallic name tag on wearer's right side, between the sleeve seam and the lapel. Bottom of name tag will be parallel with bottom of ribbons. Ribbons are mandatory. All ribbons and devices must be worn

The ribbons and badges have to be pinned on and some patience is required to get the alignment right.

Here's 1/6 scale Terrence Howard as Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes standing side-by-side with 12-inch Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) as he appeared in "The Avengers"

NEXT: For cold weather, there's the U.S. Air Force Topcoat and / or All-Weather Coat. The coat can be worn with the formal dress, mess dress, service dress, semi-formal dress and service uniforms. See how the 1/6 scale USAF Blue Overcoat is worn in my next post.

continued from previous post...

The previous post could also have been titled "1/6 scale Terrence Howard as Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes from Iron Man movie" because let's face it, the ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol. 10 1/6 scale U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform set for 12-inch figures is really intended for only one particular character in mind and that's Tony Stark's good buddy, Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes.

The ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol. 10 1/6 scale U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform set comes with a lot of nice items and clothing, including the U.S. Air Force Topcoat and / or All-Weather Coat for cold weather as well as the United States Air Force Garrison Cap.

I didn't want to put the USAF Blue Overcoat over the U.S. Air Force Service Dress Uniform 1/6 scale Rhodey is already wearing and cover all the nice details including the ribbons and badges (see previous post) so I decided to put the overcoat or topcoat (aka all-weather coat) and USAF Garrison Cap on a classic G.I. Joe 12-inch figure in 1/6 scale Air Force Dress Uniform instead. Scroll down to see more pictures :)

I had posted pictures of this G.I. Joe 40th Anniversary 1/6th scale Air Force Dress Uniform set from 2004 with Jacket, dress pants, shirt with necktie, garrison hat, black low quarter shoes, insignia on a 12-inch G.I. Joe figure in my earlier toy blog post titled "1/6th scale World War II Allied Forces Pilots and Air Crewman 12-inch action figures gathered" HERE. In that post, I had posted pictures of some of the Allied Forces Pilots and Air Crewman 12-inch action figures from the Second World War in my collection. The figures were released by various 1/6 companies including Action Man, BBI Elite Force, Dragon Models Limited (DML), Hasbro etc.

As I have mentioned earlier, this ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol. 10 1/6 scale U.S. Air Force Officer Service Dress Uniform set for 12-inch figures is pretty impressive and the stitching plus details on this set is top notch, including this USAF Blue Overcoat and Garrison Cap which I had left out in my previous post.

Scroll down to see the turnaround views and nice details of the 1/6 scale overcoat and garrison cap

Even on this classic G.I. Joe 12-inch figure, the coat and cap looks GOOD

Some people will never understand classic G.I. Joe but let's not forget, he's the reason there are 12-inch action figures for boys, boys who have now grown up to become 1/6 scale figure collectors :)

Word from the company:
Recently, Poptoys released a new series of 1:6 ration action figure named “style”. This series is characterized with exquisite tailoring and workmanship. “X” in the logo represent a pair of scissors. At the same time, it is the first letter in Pinyin of Chinese character “Xing”, and “Xing” means style.

Our former production — Office Lady’s Suit Set and German Female Instructors Uniform Skirt Set — are the first and second production of this series. Notice: 12-inch figure body and 1/6 scale head sculpts are not included. The Body used in the pictures for modeling purposes is Hottoys’ narrow-shoulders man’s body.

Retail price is RMB218/set, the ordering deadline is March 25th 2013, and the production will be delivered in April.

POP TOYS 1/6 scale X03 Men’s Suit Set A (Black Striped) will come with Men’s Black Striped Suit, Men’s Black Striped Suit Pants, Men’s White Shirt, Black and White Oblique Striped Tie, Black leather belt, Black Boots. Scroll down to see more pictures including the other two sets - blue striped suit (for Bruce Wayne) and grey striped suit (for Obadiah Stane). IMHO these look pretty sharp and impressive. These are 1/6 scale suits for every 12-inch man wanting to look good and impress the 12-inch tall ladies ;p

1/6 scale Tony Stark seems to wear this suit pretty well. Most apt for the 12-inch man of iron. His other suits tend to get battle damaged when he puts them on.

POP TOYS 1/6 X03 Men’s Suit Set B (Blue Striped) will come with Men’s Blue Striped Suit, Men’s Blue triped Suit Pants, Men’s White Shirt, Silver Diamond Tartan Tie, Black leather belt, Black Boots. Looks like this set is most ideal for a certain Mister Bruce Wayne.

Last but not least, there's also the POP TOYS 1/6 scale X03 Men’s Suit Set C (Grey Striped) which will come with Men’s Grey Striped Suit, Men’s Grey striped Suit Pants, Men’s Blue and White Striped Shirt, Yellow Tie,Black leather belt, Black Leather Shoes

Not only do superheroes have to look good, super villains have to look good as well. When they look this good, they seem to have an air of invulnerability about them and appear powerful and undefeatable. Almost untouchable ;p

What can I say? I'm really quite impressed with the cutting and fitting of these POP TOYS 1/6 scale X03 Men’s suits for 12-inch figures and they seem to offer a particular suit to fit a specific character. Obviously they can be also used for other 12-inch figures but dressing them to each specific figure / character makes a much more lasting impression.

It has only been just over a month since my last BIG haul (see my last toy blog post HERE of my "Big Major HAUL before 2013 Chinese New Year") and already I've picked up another batch of figures and 1:6 scale stuff. It's really quite overwhelming. You pre-order stuff because you don't want to miss the opportunity of not getting any when it gets released but when they come all at once, it can be quite staggering and mind boggling, in a good way of course ;p

Here's a picture of all the 1/6 scale stuff I got just the other day. Scroll down to see the individual items and see what's already been released into the market. These are all pretty recent and quite up to date :) I'm glad I managed to get them first.

This is the 1/6 scale Bat Spotlight by Dream EX. It can move up, down, left and right. Requires three AAA batteries to light up and comes with two different bat symbols which are interchangeable. Pretty cool :)

Next: DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 Spade J 12-inch figure. This is a one-of-a-kind 12-inch figure released by DAM Toys and I am certainly looking forward to more from this series. You can see the preview pictures HERE first as I'll need time to open up this boxed package and take pictures for a full review later. Definitely quite excited about this.

I just love the illustration on the back of this package. It's definitely paying homage to the 1994 Luc Besson film "Léon: The Professional". Unfortunately the figure inside this package is NOT Léon (Jean Reno).

Another assassin for hire is the Japanese manga character created by Takao Saito and published in Shogakukan's Big Comic magazine since January 1969 - Golgo 13. Golgo 13, also known by the pseudonym Duke Togo (デューク・東郷), is a professional assassin. His age and birthplace are unknown and there is no consensus in the worldwide intelligence community as to his true identity. Most of his jobs are completed through the use of a customized, scoped M16 rifle. This 1/6 scale Golgo 13 Duke Togo 12-inch Assassin For Hire Figure is released by 3R x Fewture collaboration. You can view the pre-release / prototype images HERE

From an assassin to a General. This is none other than DID's 1/6 scale collectible George C. Scott as General George Smith Patton 12-inch figure from the 1970 American biographical war film about U.S. General George S. Patton during World War II, simply titled "Patton" (previewed earlier HERE). This one even comes with a bonus Christmas gift from DID that is nicely packaged in a mini gift box. Haven't opened to see what it is yet.

From one General to another. This is ACI Toys 1/6th scale Warriors III Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius 12-inch Figure (preview pictures HERE). This is one figure I've been waiting for for a long time, since the movie "Gladiator" came out in the year 2000. That means I've been waiting almost 13 years for this figure but I think it is well worth the wait :)

Here's proof that I am not bias and only partial to male figures ;p This is the just released Original Effect Army Attractive series 1/6 scale Viola 12-inch female action figure and from what I've seen, she seems pretty sexy ;p Don't believe me? Check out the "first look" pictures HERE

Last but certainly not least, I got this Dollsfigure CC206 1/6 scale Sexy Female Xmas Full Costume Set for 12-inch female figures because for some strange reason, this just appealed to me ;p The whole get-up is most interesting and different from the usual girls' fashion clothing set and I especially like the red-and-white drop-down pistol holster with matching pistol. Check out the preview images HERE

I can't wait to open these up and "play" with them ;p By play, I meant posing and taking pictures haha After all, some would say I'm much too old to be still playing with toys but I always tell them it's all in the mind. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter! CHEERS

The upcoming Iron Man 3 movie will present a brand-new character Iron Patriot which is well fortified of military strength and technological superiority by transforming of War Machine Armor. Hot Toys is proud to present the 1/4th scale Iron Patriot Limited Edition Collectible Bust, which is specially produced based on the image of the Iron Patriot character in the movie in fine sculpture, highlighting the light-up functions and rotatable shoulder weapon.

Let us take a look, shall we? Busts have never been my thing because I want to see the rest of the figure, not just the top half. Busts always look incomplete because not everything is there - arms missing, torso missing, legs missing, hands and feet missing - my, that's a lot of missing parts ;p Scroll down to see the rest of the pictures. At least we know how Hot Toys will tackle the 1/6 scale version of Iron Patriot from the Iron Man 3 movie. After all, the top half should look identical in terms of the details.

In Iron Man 3, Don Cheadle returns as Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Stark's best friend, the liaison between Stark Industries and the U.S. Air Force in the department of acquisitions and the operator of the War Machine armor.

Rhodes' armor is redesigned / upgraded and will take on an American flag-inspired color scheme in the film, similar to the Iron Patriot armor from the comics.

Kevin Feige said of Rhodes and the armor, "The notion in the movie is that a red, white and blue suit is a bold statement, and it’s meant to be. With Rhodey, he’s very much the foil to Tony’s eccentricities, and in this one you get to see this and be reminded of the trust and friendship between them in that great Shane Black buddy-cop fashion."

The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd. The film is based on the Stephen King novel The Shining. A writer, Jack Torrance, takes a job as an off-season caretaker at an isolated hotel. His young son possesses psychic abilities and is able to see things from the past and future, such as the ghosts who inhabit the hotel. Soon after settling in, the family is trapped in the hotel by a snowstorm, and Jack gradually becomes influenced by a supernatural presence; he descends into madness and attempts to murder his wife and son. (source: wiki)

This will be Brother Production Presents 1/6 scale Custom Action Figure "Redrum" which seems to have drawn inspiration from "The Shining". Product Description / features include: 2 x 1/6 scale Head sculpts (Ordinary Version and Injured Version), 12-inch figure with Over 35 Moving Joints Base Body, Realistic and detailed corduroy jacket, Long sleeve checker shirt, Belt, Jeans, Dusty boots, Normal Hands, Hands for holding Axe (with blood), Axe, Typewriter, Manuscript, Ashtray, Cigarette packet, Cigarette x 1, Overlook Hotel red wine. Launch early Q3, 2013.

Scroll down to see more pictures

Jack Nicholson was Kubrick's first choice for the role of Jack Torrance; other actors considered were Robert De Niro (who claims the film gave him nightmares for a month), Robin Williams and Harrison Ford, all of whom met with Stephen King's disapproval.

Jack Nicholson's snarling maniac head sculpt is ideal for another film as well - "Wolf", a 1994 American horror film directed by Mike Nichols and featured Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer in the lead roles, alongside James Spader, Kate Nelligan, Richard Jenkins, Christopher Plummer, Eileen Atkins, David Hyde Pierce, and Om Puri.

Here's Jack at his typewriter

Click on the picture for a bigger and better view of the 1/6 scale typewriter

I just love the 1/6 scale typewriter and ashtray. There's also a very neat looking miniature Bic lighter too.

The Overlook Hotel red wine bottle

Okay IMHO just altering the direction of the eyes and painting hair strands on the forehead does not count as a different head sculpt. That's just plain lazy on Brother Production's part - boo!

From Hot Toys:
Marvel's "Iron Man 3" movie is coming out in just one month's time! We are highly anticipating the movie to come, especially after viewing the latest trailer and posters coming up recently. We are pleased to share with fans the UPDATED photos of our first MMS item from the movie – the 1/6 scale Tony Stark (Armor Testing Version) 12-inch Collectible Figure which appears in his workshop while testing his Mark XLII armor.

Taking into consideration fans’ comments and requests, this modified collectible figure comes with an UPDATED 1/6 scale head sculpt which will look highly movie-accurate to the brilliant industrialist Tony Stark in the movie, together with an ADDITIONAL right forearm armor to pair up with the left one!

Iron Man fans, please enjoy the photos first, while the actual product will be coming in a few months! Scroll down to see the rest of the pictures ;p I think not everyone will be pleased with this latest attempt.

I think Hot Toys have mistaken Robert Downey Jr to be in Men in Black instead of Iron Man 3 because this time around, Tony looks very bug eyed LOL. I can imagine him being an alien disguising as a human being on Earth more than I can see him as Tony Stark. I think it's back to the drawing board for the sculptor.

I know sculpting is not easy but if Hot Toys has been doing such a great job with their head sculpts, what happened here? I still much prefer the Tony Stark head sculpt from Iron Man Mark IV which I recently posted on my toy blog HERE and much earlier HERE

I certainly like the whole set up of the workshop and this latest Armor Testing version but if it's about 12-inch Tony Stark, then be sure to get the 1/6 scale Tony Stark head sculpt done right because Hot Toys has a standard to maintain and improve upon and lately, they seem to be missing the mark on a few of their head sculpts :(

This is the ZC World (ZCWO) Mens Hommes Vol. 08 Men's Collection 1/6 Scale Action Figure Fashion boxed set (Action Figure NOT included) that was released recently. I had actually reviewed the later released MH Vol. 10 USAF Officer Service Dress Uniform set first (see my toy blog post HERE and HERE) but it's better late than never :) This MH Vol. 08 set appears to be specifically targeting or inspired by a particular fictional character who is an ally of Batman and appeared in comic books published by DC Comics before going onto the big screen, most recently seen in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy films.

In most incarnations of the Batman mythos, James "Jim" Gordon is the Police Commissioner of Batman's home of Gotham City. He shares the hero’s deep commitment to ridding the dark and corrupt city of crime. In Golden and Silver age comics and on the 1960s Batman television show, Gordon fully trusts, and is even somewhat dependent on Batman. In most modern stories, he is somewhat skeptical of Batman's vigilante method but recognizes the necessity of Batman and the two have a mutual respect and tacit friendship.

I had already kitbashed a 1/6 scale Lt. James "Jim" Gordon 12-inch figure wearing plain clothes earlier HERE so this is a second fitting for Gordon ;p Scroll down to see all the pictures (lots of them) and what is included in this ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol.08 1/6 scale Action Figure Fashion set (for Police Commissioner James Gordon)

It is not a big box since there's NO 12-inch figure nor 1/6 scale head sculpt included. You just get all the 1/6 scale clothes and accessories to dress up and equip your James Gordon 12-inch figure

What is included in this ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol.08 1/6 scale Action Figure Fashion set? There's the 1/6 scale Single Breasted Jacket, Striped Shirt, V Neck Vest, Slacks, Leather Belt, Socks, Scarf, Tie

Dress Shoes, Pistol, Holster, a pair of working handcuffs, Radio with detachable battery. Additional Body Parts: 3 pairs of hands with pegs, 1 pair of Feet with pegs.

Here's Hot Toys 1/6 scale Gary Oldman as James "Jim" Gordon 12-inch figure wearing the ZC World ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol.08 1/6 scale Gray Striped Shirt, Tie, Slacks, Leather Belt with holster, Socks and dress shoes (the shoes are the duck bill type - flattened and squarish at the tip). He's holding the pistol and radio in his hands.

Close-up of the gray striped shirt and tie.

Gordon has got the 1/6 scale handcuffs secured on his belt (no handcuff holder / case is included), along with the holster for storing his pistol when not in use

Close-up of the handcuffs.

And here's Gordon with his V Neck Vest as seen from the back

How Police Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) looks with the gray V neck vest on. Check out those duck bill dress shoes ;p

Gordon wears the Single Breasted Jacket over the V neck vest and gray striped shirt with tie.

Scroll down to see the turnaround views of this 1/6 scale James Gordon figure with the ZCWO Mens Hommes MH Vol.08 1/6 scale Action Figure Fashion.

I think Gordon feels more at ease in his civilian attire than the S.W.A.T. suit Hot Toys had him in as part of the Hot Toys Toy Fairs Exclusive. You can check out my reviews of the Exclusive "The Dark Knight" 1/6 scale Lt. Jim Gordon 12-inch limited edition collectible Figure HERE and HERE

It's nice that Gordon has more than one set of attire to wear since what he's wearing is not a costume or uniform but civilian togs

And finally the last item to go on the set is the 1/6 scale scarf.

Overall, I must say this is a very nice set. It's two out of two for me :) I was equally impressed with the ZCWO MH Vol. 10 USAF Officer Service Dress Uniform set as well.

This is the Dream EX 2012 Toy Fairs Exclusive 1/6 scale Spotlight - Collectible Movie Scene fitting. What it really is is the Bat-Signal used by the Gotham City Police Department to call Batman, the city's Dark Knight and hero. What's even better is that this is in 1/6 scale :)

The Bat-Signal is a distress signal device appearing in the various interpretations of the Batman mythos. It is a specially modified Klieg searchlight with a stylized symbol of a bat attached to the light so that it projects a large Bat emblem on the sky or buildings of Gotham City. In the stories, the signal is used by the Gotham City Police Department as a method of contacting and summoning Batman to their assistance in the event of a serious crisis and as a weapon of psychological intimidation to the numerous villains of Gotham City.

The origin of the signal varies between timeline and media. It made its first appearance in Detective Comics #60, February 1942. In the 1989 Batman film, Batman gave the signal to the police as a gift enabling them to call him when the city is in danger; in 2005's Batman Begins, then-lieutenant James Gordon installs the Bat signal on the roof of the police department, which he obtained after an incident when Batman leaves the Bat signal at the docks with the mobster Carmine Falcone strapped on to it intending that the Gotham Police Department take possession of both.

Scroll down to see pictures of this Dream EX 2012 Toy Fairs Exclusive 1/6 scale Bat-Signal / Spotlight. The fact that it is a working spotlight with interchangeable Bat logos is a bonus!

The 1/6 scale Bat-signal comes in a very simple and plain box with no hint that it is a Bat-signal since no bat symbol or logo is shown anywhere on the box.

Once opened, you have the option of installing either one of the two Bat logos / symbols included. I chose the latest incarnation of the logo. You can check out my post HERE where I blogged about the 70-year evolution of the Bat logo from 1941 till 2012.

This Dream EX 2012 Toy Fairs Exclusive 1/6 scale Bat-Signal has nice details and is quite well crafted

The Bat-signal even has switches at the back of the spotlight. The switches don't work of course. The main switch is located at the bottom of the stand.

In Christopher Nolan's 2005 film "Batman Begins", then-lieutenant James Gordon finds the mobster Carmine Falcone strapped on to a searchlight in the docks of Gotham City, for the Gotham Police force to arrest him, left by Batman. Lieutenant Gordon then notices, that Falcone's shadow is projected into the clouds of the night sky, similar to the silhouette of a bat. At the end of the film, the Bat-signal appears, as a searchlight that projects the shape of a bat, installed atop police headquarters as a means to contact Batman.

In the 2008 sequel "The Dark Knight", as in Frank Miller's "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns", Gordon uses the Bat-Signal to remind Gotham of Batman's presence. The signal proves to be very effective, with drug dealers and criminals becoming apprehensive at its very appearance. At the end of the film, after reluctantly agreeing to let Batman take the blame for the murders committed by Harvey Dent in order to preserve Dent's image as Gotham's hero, Gordon hesitantly destroys the signal using an axe in front of various members of the police force and the press.

In the 2012 film "The Dark Knight Rises", the rusted remains of the destroyed Bat-Signal are still atop police headquarters. However, at the end of the film, with Batman declared dead, Gordon sees a restored Bat-Signal, providing hope that Batman has survived. (The signal itself is never used once in the film, however, making it the only live-action film about Batman where this occurs.)

And this is the other Bat logo / symbol that is included with this boxed set. This is from the 1989 Batman film directed by Tim Burton with Michael Keaton playing Bruce Wayne / Batman.

In Tim Burton's 1989 film "Batman", Batman gives the signal to the police as a gift so that they can summon him when he is needed, after he defeats The Joker. In Burton's 1992 sequel "Batman Returns", Batman has mirrors stationed atop Wayne Manor that reflect the Bat-Signal through his window, alerting him to its presence in the night sky. The signal is used when Commissioner Gordon needs Batman's help when the Red Triangle Circus Gang attack Max Shreck during Christmas and appears again at the end of the film as a surviving Catwoman looks on.

This Dream EX 2012 Toy Fairs Exclusive 1/6 scale Bat-Signal / Spotlight requires three AA batteries to light up.

The light is fairly strong and will even project the Bat signal / symbol onto the ceiling or walls - very cool. I certainly had fun projecting the bat symbol around the house.

Here's a comparison of size with 1/6 scale Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon standing beside the bat-signal / spotlight.

I'm not sure if it's to scale (me thinks it's a tad small if it's meant to be Klieg searchlight) but it certainly is a nice addition to the Batman collection :)

And now another look at 1/6 scale James Gordon (reviewed in the previous post HERE) standing next to the Dream EX 2012 Toy Fairs Exclusive 1/6 scale Bat-Signal / Spotlight.

And if you call for Batman, the Dark Knight turns up

This is the much highly anticipated DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade J 12-inch figure. This is a totally new and original line by DAM Toys and when they first announced it, they caught everyone by surprise and made many people sit up and take notice. DAM Toys was telling everybody (collectors and competitors alike) that they were picking up the pace and everyone better watch out :) Many 12-inch figure collectors including myself were certainly excited to see something different and something very artistic in the way DAM Toys managed to create a stylized / animated version of Jason Statham. Who else is this guy supposed to be?

Since posting about this getting this figure in my earlier toy blog post "My March 2013 HAUL and it's another BIG one :)" HERE, I've gotten quite a lot of requests to see the review and pictures of this bad boy. So without further ado, let's jump right into it. Scroll down to see the pictures of this DAM Toys Spade J figure. There are lots and there's going to be lots more.

The box is straightforward and simple enough. I like the overall black look with the dashes of red. The top and bottom panels are red, as is the single letter "J" (for Jason?). Like I mentioned earlier, I like the back of the box too with its paying homage to Luc Besson's 1994 film "Léon: The Professional".

The inside flap has a whole backstory about the figure's background. Spade J's real name is "Ogier" and the former hired killer of "Red King" is now on the run from his ex-boss who has put a price on Ogier's head for killing his only son and heir, Billy Kid.

A playing card is included as well - Spade J is the Jack of Spades in the Gangsters Kingdom

DAM Toys Spade J as he is in the box's main top tray

The bottom try contains all the other 1/6 scale accessories

DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade J accessories include: Diesel Shoulder sling Bag, one spare left hand with middle finger pointed (also known as flipping someone off, giving the bird, the rude finger or the one finger salute), peaked cap, silver necklace (made of metal), two spare P226 pistol magazines, switchblade knife, P226 pistol with magazine, PPK pistol with magazine and silencer, ankle holster.

Close-up picture of the 1/6 scale Diesel Shoulder Sling Bag - nicely done

And here's a closer look at PPK pistol with magazine and silencer, two spare P226 pistol magazines and switchblade knife (one molded piece, doesn't close but has nice details)

Close-up shot of the DAM Toys 1/6 scale P226 pistol with magazine

Check out the silver necklace that's made of metal - very cool

Here's DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade J 12-inch figure (stylized / animated Jason Statham?) going topless – without his black long sleeve T-shirt and motorcycle leather jacket. I was curious to see what the 12-inch figure body was like under the clothes.

Surprise, surprise - Spade J has tattoos

And here's a look at Spade J's 1/6 scale black "leather" boots. They are actually boot-feet / beet i.e. no feet inside them, just pegs that go straight into the legs.

Love the 1/6 scale sculpted hands on this figure. Very stylized and goes so well with the overall look. The right index finger has the words "SENTENCE" on it, presumably to make it look like a tattoo. And the sentence is ... Death!

The hands are not made to hold the switchblade knife correctly but it's still a nice look

The neck might seem a little long but hey, this is a stylized look remember? And I believe the long neck is to allow the jacket collar to fit nicely once all the clothes are put on. Nobody's going to display Spade J topless so this look is only temporal.

DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade J 12-inch topless figure as seen from the back

Now he has his black long sleeve T-shirt back on

And this is how Spade J looks with black long sleeve tee. He is now holding the 1/6 scale PPK pistol.

In Western culture, the finger (as in giving someone the finger or the bird), also known as the finger wave, the middle finger, flipping someone off, flipping the bird, the rude finger or the one finger salute is an obscene hand gesture, roughly equivalent in meaning to "fuck off" or "fuck you". The gesture dates back to Ancient Greece and was also used in Ancient Rome. Historically, it represented the phallus. In some modern cultures, it has gained increasing acceptance as a sign of disrespect, and has been used by music artists, athletes, and politicians. Many still view the gesture as obscene.

And here's a look at the heavy motorcycle leather jacket that comes with DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade J 12-inch figure (animated Jason Statham). Click on the picture for a bigger and better view :)

NEXT: DAM Toys Spade J with his leather jacket and peaked cap on. Check out how he looks with everything on ;p

continued from previous post...

This is part 2 of my review of the DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade J 12-inch figure. After reviewing the box contents and accessories and showing off the 12-inch tattooed body in the earlier post, this toy blog post will reveal the figure with his heavy leather motorcycle jacket and peaked cap.

Everything about this figure has been good so far and I would recommend it to anyone who asks how this figure fares :) The detailing and finishing / stitching is top notch and the quality is right up there with the best of them. The 12-inch base figure body is tight and stands very well on its own without the need for a figure stand to hold it up, just the way I like my 1/6 scale figures. Scroll down to see more pictures of the complete figure and one minor gripe I have concerning this DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade J 12-inch figure.

As you can see from the picture I have taken and posted below, the ankle holster just doesn't work on the figure because of the tight black jeans the figure is wearing.

After storing the 1/6 scale Walter PPK pistol in the ankle holster and strapping it to his leg, there's no way to get the jeans over the gun which is protruding out. That's why James Bond wears suit pants / slacks instead of jeans to conceal the hidden weapon.

Close-up pictures of the DAM Toys Spade J 1/6 scale PPK pistol in ankle holster strapped to his leg

It's a nice idea but unfortunately it didn't work for me in this case :(

So I decided to ditch the ankle holster completely. Not a major loss and it doesn't cause the figure to look or appear any less awesome. I'll just store the weapon in his bag instead.

Here's DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade J 12-inch figure (stylized / animated Jason Statham) with his leather motorcycle jacket, peaked cap and 1/6 scale Diesel Shoulder Sling Bag

A word of caution from a very good source - I'll vouch for Kaido :) - Dam Toys recommends padding the inside lining of the peaked cap with some paper before wearing it as there are warnings that the cap may stain the head sculpt.

I did not put any lining when I was taking these pictures as they were taken before my first posting when I got the tip from Kaido but I am happy to report that all is well with the head sculpt. I believe the stains will begin to show over time as the paint sets. So if you want to leave the cap on, remember to pad the inside with some paper to line it.

Scroll down to see the peaked cap and how it sits on the head. It's quite fitting but I prefer the figure without the cap as I find that the peaked cap makes him look like a jockey and we all know how horse meat has been in the news lately haha

Besides, the peaked cap covers almost half his head

Here's DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade J 12-inch figure (stylized / animated Jason Statham) without the peaked cap - just the way I like to display him :)

Scroll down to see the turnaround views and how good this figure looks.

Can't wait for the next figure from this line to be released to join his companion. See the preview pictures of DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade 2 12-inch figure - animated Vinnie Jones - HERE

Check out the pictures below which show off this awesome 1/6 scale head sculpt that belongs to DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom Spade J 12-inch figure. Like the McDonald's advertisement says, "I'm lovin' it!"

NEXT: More pictures of DAM Toys Gangsters Kingdom 1/6 scale Spade J 12-inch figure – stylized / animated Jason Statham

From Foxbox Studio:
NOTE: This is a showcase item. Custom NOT for sale figure done by our artists at FoxBox Studio.

We at FoxBox Studio are a fan of Visceral's Dead Space and Bioware's Dragon Age series. What better way to pay homage to those amazing games by making a figure out of their mashup? So here is our rendition of Hawke in Ser Isaac's Armor.

The chilling tales of Ser Isaac of Clarke are a favorite of bards performing in the wee hours of the night. In dank taverns throughout Thedas, these horror-filled stories captivate listeners and bring nightmares to those faint of heart. — From Codex entry: Ser Isaac's Armor

Scroll down to see the rest of the pictures. Since this is a custom figure and NOT for sale, these will be the only pictures we ever see of this figure. How's that for rare!

Click on the pictures for a bigger and better view :)

Dug up some old photographs I took of my collection back in 1996 when I just started collecting toys ;p It was a bit of this and a bit of that and a mix of everything without much of a focus on what I really wanted. That has changed since I decided to focus on 1/6 scale figures. Back then, 12-inch figures were almost non-existent and the only ones available were the vintage G.I. Joe and Action Man figures from the 1960s to 1970s and early 1980s so there really wasn't much in terms of choices or genres. Most were military based and that's how I got started. Obviously a lot of things have changed since then and now there's a specific collectibles market targeting only adult collectors with the purchasing power to buy all the high-end stuff. I'm glad to have witnessed and seen how the 1/6 scale 12-inch figure market has grown from a almost non-existent point to where it is today, an art form much appreciated by a ever growing, ever expanding pool of collectors :)

Batman has always been my first love and it was "Batman, The Animated Series" that got me hooked to toys. I loved the series with its "Dark Deco" visual style based on the artwork of producer and artist Bruce Timm. The funny thing is, I only noticed all these after my first son was born and I became a father. We watched cartoons together and "Batman: The Animated Series" caught my eye. So when I brought him to Toys R Us and saw the animated Batman toys on the racks, it was love at first sight haha. I liked how the toys stayed very true to the visual style seen in the animated series. So began the journey of discovering new things and the passion for toys was sparked. Check out my very first toy blog post HERE about Batman :)

As I began to discover more about toys and how vintage toys were still available out there in the world (internet wasn't really happening yet!), I came across the 1/6 scale world of Action Man 12-inch figures. So began the love for military figures. These figures and uniform sets were designed for boys to play with, mind you, and they were rather detailed and accurate even then. With the improvements in technology, some of the 1/6 scale figures and accessories are now of museum standard and can pass off as highly accurate historical pieces in terms of the quality and accuracy.

Movie-related merchandise were extremely scarce and the bigger players were companies like Medicom Toys and Takara from Japan but they offered mostly Japanese heroes although some American film icons did get their attention as well. I guess that's where Hot Toys saw the need in the market for highly accurate and ultra detailed movie based collectible figures. They haven't looked back since and now the market has exploded beyond their wildest dreams.

Most collectors I know would have collected Star Wars merchandise in one way or another. After all, Star Wars played a huge part in revolutionizing the toys market with their 3-3/4" action figure line in 1976. The widespread success of Kenner's Star Wars 3-3/4" toy line made the newer, smaller size the industry standard. Instead of a single 12-inch tall character with 1/6 scale outfits that changed for different applications, toy lines included teams of characters with special functions. Led by Star Wars-themed sales, collectible action figures quickly became a multi-million dollar secondary business for movie studios.

I think Star Wars has the largest and most varied range of toys than any other line. So many companies have produced and released so many different versions and types of Star Wars vehicles, Star Wars characters (villains and heroes alike) that it boggles the mind. Some have come and gone (Applause, Galoob etc) while others have withstood the text of time. Kenner had the initial license but was bought over by Hasbro and the company has been constantly churning out a never ending line of Star Wars stuff.

This was my first Star Wars Millennium Falcon from back then (1996). How could I not own a piece of Star Wars history that is the Millennium Falcon, the ship that belonged to Captain Han Solo and which brought him and his crew all over the Star Wars universe. Check out my coverage of all the other Star Wars ships / vehicles which I would later buy including the ultimate Hasbro's Star Wars Legacy Collection Millennium Falcon HERE :)

Check this out - the Millennium Falcon chasing after Buzz Lightyear

Toy Story the 1995 American computer-animated family buddy comedy film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter came out at the same time as I got into toy collecting so no surprise for guessing that I would collect Toy Story action figures and toys. Electronic Buzz Lightyear was all the rage back then and every kid wanted one for Christmas!

Those were the days of no internet and no digital cameras. So you took pictures of what you want and couldn't see the results until after the film had been developed. The internet has certainly changed the world we live in and made it even smaller with its connectivity.

Sideshow Announcement:
Sideshow Collectibles is proud to present the latest addition to our Star Wars collection, the Chewbacca Premium Format Figure. Long-requested by Star Wars collectors, everyone's favorite walking carpet features intricately-sculpted fur and Chewie's signature satchel, crafted in simulated leather. With his trademark bowcaster at the ready, the Sideshow Collectibles Chewbacca Premium Format Figure makes it clear that it's not wise to upset this Wookiee.

The mighty Chewbacca distinguished himself from his kin at an early age, when he began to exhibit a keen longing for travel and adventure. After aiding Jedi Master Yoda during the initiation of Order 66, Chewbacca left his home in the giant wroshyr trees of Kashyyyk and began to explore the galaxy.

Scroll down to see more pictures of Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Chewbacca Premium Format Figure

The Chewbacca Premium Format Figure features: Bowcaster, Satchel. Measures Approximately 23 inches Tall. Sideshow Exclusive version comes with: Swap Out arm with Blastech DLT-19 Rifle

Because of their great strength, Wookiees in those days were coveted as slaves by the Galactic Empire. Proving himself to be a difficult catch for slavers, Chewbacca increased the already-sizable bounty on his head when he began to systematically free his Wookiee brethren from Imperial bondage.

Then came the day when one such rescue ran afoul of an Imperial TIE Fighter squadron. While the rescued Wookiee children evaded the Empire's clutches, Chewbacca himself was captured and tortured. But the leader of the TIE Fighter squadron, a young Imperial lieutenant named Han Solo, took pity on the Wookiee's plight. Forswearing his oath to serve the Empire, Solo rescued Chewbacca and the two escaped together to the stars.

Chewbacca swore a Wookiee life debt to Solo, and a contentious but steadfast friendship formed between them. The two shared many misadventures, doing their best to avoid any Imperial entanglements, but all-too-often failed. Until ultimately, just such an Imperial encounter led Chewbacca and Solo into service with The Rebel Alliance.

Wrapped in the protective hull of the Millennium Falcon, Chewbacca and Solo aided their rebel friends with unflinching navigational skills, daredevil panache, and plain old luck. They played a game of high-stakes chicken with an Imperial Star Destroyer, sent Darth Vader spinning into space at the Battle of Yavin and even shook off a flight of Imperial TIE Fighters in a high-speed chase through an asteroid field (at odds of 3,720 to one).

Sideshow Exclusive version comes with: Swap Out arm with Blastech DLT-19 Rifle. The rifle looks puny in Chewie's hands.

In the end, Chewbacca would play a crucial role in the Rebellion's final victory. With his Wookiee battle-cry echoing through the trees, he led an organized band of furry savages to victory at the Battle of Endor. In paving the way for the downfall of the Galactic Empire, Chewbacca also saved Solo and his friends, proving himself a paragon of Wookiee honor through the fulfillment of his life debt.

So does that mean that a 1/6 scale version of Chewbacca from Sideshow Collectibles is not far behind? One can only hope ;p

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