I think toy companies are doing a pretty good job of learning from their past. There are always exceptions, but overall, I feel they’re heading in the right direction. Star Wars has been doing a good job rereleasing in-demand figures. Since Toys are now being collected primarily by adults, nostalgia reigns supreme. Toy companies keep pumping out updated engineering on toys we loved, like Origins Nightstalker and Missing Link Bumblebee and Cliffjumper. Hasbro, in particular, has discovered by jus...
Jun 11, 2024•1 hr 47 min
It seems impossible. It never is.
May 31, 2024•2 hr 43 min
I think toy companies need a little humility. Not so much because they’re not making amazing things, more so because they’re making too much amazing stuff. Robosen has taken the world by storm. Their newest, Megatron, looks amazing, but who is collecting these things? Star Wars is getting a little more exciting as of late, but that might be because I love the Retro and Micro Galaxy Squadron lines. I think I’ve mentioned new MOTU x TMNT in every post in the last 6 months. Finally, Classified just...
May 13, 2024•2 hr 25 min
I’m not really feeling writing right now, but I’ll be back. You keep doing you.
Apr 28, 2024•1 hr 59 min
The big four have set some pretty high expectations in the last couple of weeks. The Masters fall products look amazing. The Masterpiece Powermaster Optimus Prime looks great, but if Takara Tomy has done anything, it has set the expectation it will be pricey. I’ve got high expectations for the new Jazwares Vault regarding Micro Galaxy Squadron. Its first release is beautiful. My favorite expectation Hasbro set was the Name-Only reveal of Once a Man Cobra Commander.
Apr 12, 2024•2 hr 54 min
It was a great couple of weeks of announcements and streams. The Transformer’s team showed off a bunch of stuff we already knew about, but seeing the new Cybertronian Wheeljack was amazing. The Master’s team showed off an impressive New Eternia Horde Trooper. Star Wars came in strong with their Imperial March. Probably my favorite thing was finally getting Captain Enoch and his Night Troopers. While there were no official reveals for Joe, Lenny and Emily still name-dropped one of my favorite Joe...
Apr 03, 2024•3 hr 4 min
Let’s get this paddy started!
Mar 17, 2024•2 hr 55 min
Let’s look at pre-orders this time around. I would definitely wait on the new TVC Clone Wars 4-Pack to save some money. I don’t think any of these Amazon multipacks have ever sold out before hitting ridiculously low prices. So glad I don’t do 1:6th scale. I’m not sure I could JOMO this amazing FigZero Snake Eyes. Something I probably would have FOMOed if I hadn’t missed it was the Target Exclusive Sla’ker. It combines two of my favorite characters in perfect harmony. I have allowed myself to pre...
Mar 03, 2024•3 hr 2 min
If you don't know I write a post for each episode, but only copy the second paragraph here. You should read the whole post. Here's the second paragraph for this episode... No funny or clever tie-ins to collecting this time; besides maybe, there's always a lesson to learn. Have you learned your lesson? Do you have a lesson to teach others? Don't hold back. Instill your knowledge of history in the younger generation. Do whatever you can to make sure history does not repeat itself.
Feb 17, 2024•2 hr 38 min
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na
Feb 14, 2024•2 hr 17 min
Toys continue to just get better and better. Man, have you seen the Classified Vamp in hand? What about the new Black Series Droideka/Destroyer Droid? Hoowee! Never thought I would say hoowee for an Orko, but Mondo’s has earned a hoowee! And one for my boy, Mr. Mark Haddock, this Legacy Gears. Hoowee!
Feb 04, 2024•2 hr 13 min
I love supporting Kickstarters because they are really a day-at-a-time kind of thing. The latest Roboskull update shows how amazing this thing is going to be. Hasbro keeps finding a way to get more money from their molds while enticing us with one new thing. I’m still excited about their possible new Transformers Selects multi-pack. When there’s no great toy news, I’ll take some media news any day. The latest Masters of Universe Revolution trailer is great, especially its background music. And, ...
Jan 19, 2024•2 hr 28 min
I’ve talked about change, motivation, and getting things done too much. It’s time to put up or shut up.
Jan 06, 2024•2 hr 45 min
Toys are getting a little messy. You have what seem to be hits like the MOTU x TMNT Crossover that keep gaining steam. But then you have what we feel are flops like the Hiya Joe line and their new Gung Ho. Some are inadvertently messy, like making a 5 PoA line out of figures that were originally 5 PoA. I’m looking at you Phantom Menace Retro Collection. Some have got to know, right? Unfortunately, not the Transformers team. Or, maybe they do?
Dec 26, 2023•3 hr 9 min
Something equally well-received as the HISS is the latest Figura Obscura from the 4Horsemen. Received not nearly as well, but still generating some excitement are the new O-ring Joes from Super7. I’m not sure Joe collectors will be so happy when they are $20+. Something that really impressed the crew this week was an intensely beautiful, or ugly, depending on your view, Threezero’s MDLX G2 Megatron. Not sure if it’s the piece or it’s ridiculous edition size of 50 worldwide. Something that obviou...
Dec 12, 2023•2 hr 19 min
No clever segue way this week, just the coolest stuff. The MOTU x TMNT crossovers have got us all excited. The revelation of the new Triple T in the Joe x TF crossover line sounds promising. Think Classified is killing it? The leaked listings prove that they are. While none of us collect Hot Toys, the new Ahsoka is yet another thing of beauty.
Nov 29, 2023•2 hr 39 min
Can you feel the frustration with collectors nowadays? It’s either pricing, availability, or too much product. Almost everyone I know is cutting back or quitting altogether. It’s not stopping these companies. We still haven’t got our first big Classified vehicle. We just got done funding our second big vehicle, now we have a third coming our way. Transformers continues with a bevy of new exclusives. Same with Star Wars, but I ain’t mad at this EU Black Series multi-pack. While, still available, ...
Nov 13, 2023•2 hr 16 min
I meant to save a bunch of time and do a really well-thought-out reflection of our 15th Anniversary show. Well, you see how well that worked out.
Nov 04, 2023•3 hr
(mic drop)
Oct 15, 2023•3 hr 21 min
Hasbro Pulse Con was kind of meh this year, but it’ll be an easy field to pick my favorites from, so here we go. Believe it or not, I think the weird rock truck was my favorite Transformer reveal. I still have no intention of picking it up. I’m a sucker for the Old Republic, so the TVC HK-47 and Jedi Revan 2-Pack was easily my favorite Star Wars reveal. I think Joe continues to kill it. It seems so much so, people are getting burned out on the whole line. I’ve always been a huge Big Boa fan, but...
Oct 04, 2023•2 hr 29 min
All of my favorites from this show you can put off. None of them are really required for any sort of collection. As much as I love Lady Slither and her articulated tail, do we really need her? I almost wish I had collected the Holiday Black Series figures from the beginning, especially because the latest batch is just killing it on a bunch of different levels. Another Transformers crossover to take or leave popped up as well. It looks great, but do you really need it? I don’t think anyone needs ...
Sep 16, 2023•2 hr 12 min
Why is it that I am constantly laboring on Labor Day? We just spent 3 hours doing yard work. That was after camping for the second time in so many weeks. Setting up and tearing down camp is always crazy laborious. The one thing I can skip is writing about it. Now you don't have to read it, win-win.
Sep 04, 2023•2 hr 46 min
The way people collect can be equally as diverse as the way people choose to camp. And just as with camping, there’s no really right or wrong way to do it. I think this year’s Power-Con demonstrated this. The big two, Hasbro and Mattel, were nowhere to be found, but in their place was an amazingly diverse group of indy toy makers. The Four Horsemen had an extremely impressive setup highlighted by their amazing life-size Ogre. Fresh Monkey Fiction showed off some great new entries to the BBTS-spo...
Aug 16, 2023•2 hr 7 min
With so many amazing reveals, this quick list shouldn’t be too hard. For Star Wars, the second wave of ROTJ figures is simply amazing. I think most Joe people would say the Vamp stole the show, but for my money, I’m all about the Pulse Con Exclusive Crimson Strike 3-Pack. I don’t think I’m in the minority when saying the new Studio Series Ultra Magnus is pretty damn impressive. Finally, while I’m really sad to see MOTU Origins become an exclusive line, the new animated line looks amazing.
Jul 31, 2023•3 hr 12 min
No time for the usual. SDCC is on fire and we’re going to do an impromptu show tomorrow to yak about it.
Jul 22, 2023•3 hr 10 min
I don’t even know how to start this post. Unfortunately, we are dealing with the loss of our amazing Ruthie Goosie. She has been the backbone of our family for over 15 years. Through everything we have gone through, she has always been there for all of us. Especially as we are still experiencing some ups and downs, her presence is missed so much. It’s not even the big things, it’s the smallest of things. Things like not having to rearrange pillows on the couch so she can have a couple of places ...
Jul 12, 2023•3 hr 9 min
Sound quality and host quality aside, at least the content was amazing. We talk about the launch of the new HasLab Classified Dragonfly. Mondo absolutely killed it with their V2 Skeletor. The new TBS Endor Rebel Trooper is perfection. But, why so pricey, especially for an army builder? Probably worst kept spoiler in recent times gives all of us Transformers fans a glimmer of hope of something we’ve always wanted.
Jun 23, 2023•2 hr 52 min
I feel great about all the new Joes we’re seeing, but that’s because I’m a sub-team whore. I know everyone is loving Classified, but is that because they also love these sub-teams or are they just caught up in the hype? Those with a Sail Barge should be super-happy with the new Droid Factory R2-S4M. I love that we’re getting a new screen-based character from ROTJ. While it makes me happy to see any brand I love utilizing graffiti, not quite sure the Amazon Battle in Brooklyn makes me as happy as...
Jun 10, 2023•2 hr 53 min
Toy life is heating up. Transformers made some interesting announcements at their recent livestream. Loving the deep-dive on the Evolution line. Scrap-Iron is hot, but is he over-hyped? I’m really cold on the Masterverse Whiplash, but some may dig it. Some may be cold on the politics, but I’m absolutely loving the Pride mechs.
May 26, 2023•1 hr 47 min
It was one of those weeks. A lot of bad habits and not nearly enough good. I’m going to keep this short so I can get onto my good habits. However, I want to check in with everybody. Are your good habits winning? Are the bad habits creeping in? Either way, just keep on truckin’ and remember shit happens when you party naked.
May 16, 2023•3 hr 8 min
