Toy Bender

The winner of the ToyFare Marvel Legends Fan’s Choice Poll, Sunfire from the Age of Apocalypse, is available now for pre-order from Hasbro Toy Shop.com.

I’m considering picking this guy up as I’m a huge fan of Age of Apocalypse. If you’re not familar with it, the quick and dirty version is that Professor X is murdered and history is radically altered. Apocalypse has taken over much of the world, the X-Men are led by Magneto, and there aren’t any regular Marvel superheroes. And that’s just the tip of the iceburg. I just finished reading volume three of the trade collection so I’m still riding high on the AoA loving. The only thing that would stop me is that I haven’t bought a Marvel Legends figure in I don’t know how long. I just fell out of love with them. Does anyone else still care about Marvel Legends?

It’s been awhile since the last Toy Ads that Time Forgot and even longer since I had a comic book ad as some fodder, but no longer! I made a trip to my local comic book shop (Treasure Island Comics), dug through the quarter back issue boxes, and came up with a few issues of comics that contained several good toy ads in them. To reward you for waiting so long for a new TAtTF, I’ve included not one, but two ads in this update. Here’s the first:

Remember when it was acceptable to have an illustrated image in a comic book instead of a picture of the real deal? You could never get away with that now. This ad, of course, is for some Secret Wars action figures. If you have no idea what Secret Wars was or don’t have any clue what the toy line was like, be sure to check out the previous TAtTF post that went into these details (it also includes my favorite image based joke on this site ever that nobody noticed… sigh). Regardless, this ad is great because even though most of the figures are drawn much like the toys appear, Wolverine has decided to ride Dr. Octopus like he’s a cowboy breaking a wild bull.

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For those of you who dig really cute and tiny superheroes, MarvelousNews.com has images of wave 5 of Marvels Superhero Squad.

I’ve never been a big fan of Wolverine without his costume, but this Logan is fantastic. Just check out his kick ass (yet highly adorable) motorcycle.

The Ultimate version of the Marvel Universe makes an even bigger dent into the Superhero Squad line with one happy ass pairing of Captain America and Nick Fury. What are they so happy about? Killing Nazis and Communists, of course!

Be sure to head over to MarvelousNews.com to check out the rest of the wave.

toy, toy collecting, Hasbro, Marvel, comic book, superhero, action figure

Legions of USAgent fans have cried out their pleas have finally been answered by Hasbro. Finally, his smiling, not as good as Captain America face can be a part of kid’s playtime and on adult collectors’ computer desks in the new ultra cute Superhero Squad line collector’s pack.

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If you were a comic fan in the 80s, it was impossible to escape Marvel’s biggest crossover event up until that point. It was called, “Secret Wars”.

Secret Wars featured some of the biggest heroes in the Marvel Universe slugging it out in another dimension against the biggest Marvel villains in a storyline that was light on characterization and drama, but heavy in the smashing department. Take for instance the normally morally upright Captain America’s plan of attack:

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About a week ago I received a nice surprise in the mail, a catalog from Hasbro Shop at Home. I’m a big fan of catalogs, having grown up like many kids mining the Sears catalog around Christmas time for its wonderful dreams available only if you begged your parents enough for them. I hadn’t realized that Hasbro’s shop had a catalog, but there it was in the mailbox.

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I just received a toy savings alert this morning from the good folks at Toys R Us. From now until whenever supplies run out, if you purchase 25 bucks or more in Spider-Man merchandise on ToysRUs.com, then you get a free Spider-Man action figure and five bucks off your purchase. If you’re a Spider-Man fan or have kids that are Spidey crazy, don’t miss out on this offer.

toy, toy collecting, action figure, Spiderman, Spider-Man, Toys R Us, sale

I’d like to focus on a classic toy of the late seventies and early eighties that might not be remembered as well as other lines from that era. That toy is ROM, and even though it didn’t last very long on store shelves, it has a rather interesting history.

ROM was invented by a guy named Bing McCoy (not kidding), who then sold the idea to Parker Brothers. At that time Parker Brothers was interested in entering the toy market outside of their board game business. For various reasons, the toy never caught on. Before fading into obscurity however, ROM had made the cover of Time in 1979 and spawned a fairly successful comic book tie-in (more on that later). Here’s a full color comic book ad for the toy:

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Marvelous News had an updated on a Hasbro limited edition Silver Surfer figure this last week. Normally, I’m excited about Silver Surfer toy news as I think he’s Airwolf, however this figure demonstrates what’s wrong with having too much articulation (besides looking like he’s squating in preperation for a cosmic dump).

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For those of you who always wished for more potato orientated superhero action, Hasbro has created a Mr. Potato Head in the form of every one’s favorite wall crawler, Spiderman. Here’s a pic of Spider Spud:

What’s great is that he comes with “Peter Parker parts.” Me, I’d really enjoy seeing what a Potato Head Venom would look like.

Here’s Hasbro’s official press release:

MR. POTATO HEAD SPIDER SPUD

(Approximate Retail Price: $9.99; Ages: 2 & Up; Available: March 24, 2007)
Everyone’s favorite potato wants to be America’s favorite super hero! MR. POTATO HEAD, the iconic face-changing potato friend for kids, becomes the web-slinging hero, SPIDER SPUD, in a super hero make over. Kids will be able to have all kinds of mix ‘n match fun with this wacky spud dressed as Spider-Man. SPIDER SPUD comes with potato body plus 12 mix ‘n match parts, including ears, eyes, nose and glasses, for a quick change back to Peter Parker Potato.

Be sure to click here if you want to see a pic of Peter Parker Potato. (Scroll down a little bit until you get to it.)

toys, toy collecting, Mr. Potato Head, Spider Spud, Spiderman, Hasbro

Over on the Fwooshnet forums, there’s an interesting couple of pictures of additions in the ever growing ultra cute Super Hero Squad line. This time the line goes Spiderman 3 themed. Unfortunately, I think the forum is being pummeled by Spiderman crazy toy collectors like a drunken farmer’s mule, because the pictures are taking forever to load. Even I, you’re intrepid Toy Bender updater guy, cannot get them to fully load in order to bring them to you and save you the trouble. If you head on over there good luck to you, because they are worth taking a look at.

Toys, toy collecting, action figure, Marvel, Hasbro, Super Hero Squad, Spiderman

Toy News International posted some pics from Hasbro’s newest line of Super Hero Squad figures. This wave is Fantastic Four themed so that means… a super sweet Silver Surfer. Hot damn, just look how so shiny he is! If I was a crow I’d be going crazy right now.

You know, the idea of an intergalactic surfer should register in the really stupid category, but somehow Marvel has managed to pull this one off with me. I mean, think about it. He’s not that much different in basic theory than the Black Racer, the Skiing Black Man/Angel of Death as he has that whole space guy with a recreational form of transportation thing going on:

Oh Black Racer, you’re ridiculousness astounds me. Anyway, Silver Surfer is cool because he posses the power cosmic. I wish I had the power cosmic. I’d use it to make myself a sandwich. I’m not really sure if that’s one of the Silver Surfer’s powers, but it damn well should be.

Superhero, toy collecting, action figure, Silver Surfer, Super Hero Squad, Hasbro

Who’d expect that there would be two whole Super Spotlights this week? Not I! You lucky Marvel Legends fans can head on over to Wizard Entertainment’s website (Yes, those same fine people that bring you Toyfare, Wizard, and really kick ass comic book conventions) and check out Series 2 of the new Hasbro Legends line.

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Toy News International has pics of Hasbro’s first set of Marvel Legends figures! Out of the assortment, the only figure that I’d consider purchasing is the Emma Frost, but I rarely pick up new Legends figures lately anyway. The build-a-figure is the cosmic bad boy Annihilus. Looks like Fantastic Four fans will have to collect them all to their hands on him.

Overall, the sculpting looks like what we’ve come to expect from a line that bears the name Marvel Legends. The thing I liked the most is the new packaging. It looks fantastic. The best part about it is the artwork. It really ties the figures back to their comic’s origins. Great work on Hasbro’s part so far. Let’s hope they keep it up.

toy collecting, toys, Marvel Legends, Action Figures, Hasbro

Marvel Legends, we hardly knew you. Well, we knew you for the last several years and 14 series of figures, but you get my drift. I’m shedding a tear as I look at these pics of the last of the Toybiz Marvel Legends figures before Hasbro gets their monolithic hands on the line. I’m not sure if this is the best way to end things, but it’s not too shabby. It’s nice to see a Moon Knight that looks almost as good as the Marvel Select version that runs for 18 bucks in most comic shops. (That’s about 8 bucks more than a normal price for a Marvel Legends figure for those of you too cool to go to a comic book store and breathe the same nerdy air as the rest of us.) It’s also cool to see fan favorites like Beta-Ray Bill and both versions of Spider-Woman.

The build-a-figure thing is sort of a stretch right now, isn’t it? When you’re down to Modak you might as well give it up. He looks like he’s in the throes of some serious stomach ailment.

Modak, dude. You’ve eaten too many egg rolls from Panda Express again. How many times are you going to keep doing this to yourself? You need to cut back. Seriously, don’t you have any restraint?

Somebody, help an evil brotha out and get him some Pepto!

Superheroes, Marvel Legends, Action Figures, Toy Collecting