Happy New Year! Okay, so it’s a few days past New Year’s, but really, we’re only about 1% of the way through the year; that’s not too much time to have passed. This year is shaping up to be another banner year for geekly stuff, but it’s hard to keep it all straight. So that’s where ASM comes in — to continue making it hard to make sense of it all. This list is not all-encompassing, nor do I make any claims as to its accuracy. Consider it just some ruminations on the year ahead. Let’s dive in!
Continue readingCategory: Toys
BotCon 2012 Toy Reveal – Evil Tracks
The second toy revealed in the BotCon 2012 box set is the Evil Autobot Tracks. Using the same mold as Reveal the Shield Turbo Tracks, this is a new character from the Shattered Glass universe. It’s a dual homage to the Diaclone version of the Generation 1 toy and the eHobby exclusive Road Rage, which was itself an homage to the Diaclone toy (and a European version of the toy released in the Diaclone colors.) So maybe it’s only one homage. Or maybe it’s three homages. Or maybe it’s a recursive homage. Or… something. I liked the original Turbo Tracks toy (okay,
Continue readingBotCon 2012 Toy Reveal – The Overlord Gigatron
Over the holidays, BotCon.com began revealing the toys in the BotCon 2012 box set. The first one to be revealed was The Overlord, Gigatron, a remolded Revenge of the Fallen Bludgeon, making the first time a quasi-movie mold has been used for a BotCon exclusive. Granted, Bludgeon was created to be both a “Movie-style” and “Classics-style” toy, and it’s not a Paramount copyrighted design, but still, it’s a first. The toy is meant to be a reimaginging of the Generation 1 character Overlord, but with a new name, it’s hard to say what the characterization will be. It’s said he
Continue readingSquishable Mini Cthulhu
The Geek Bits Name: Mini Squishable Cthulhu Toyline: Squishable Subline: Squishable Minis Retail Price: $19 USD Released: 2011 Availability: Squishable.com and other fine retailers Includes: Mini Squishable Cthulhu, huggability, fluffiness ** Disclaimer: This product (Squishables Mini Cthulhu) was supplied to us by the manufacturers for review purposes. Other products shown in this review, such as the Squishables Penguin (Version 1) and Puffs brand facial tissues, were purchased on our own. This review is not a paid endorsement of any of the above products. Squishable is an unstoppable juggernaut of spherical plush creatures. Like a giant fluffy snowball, it has swept
Continue readingNYCC 2011: Transformers and Star Wars Presentations Slides Online
We’ve got the high-res presentation slides from both the Transformers presentation and Star Wars presentation from New York Comic Con! Thanks to Hunter PR and Hasbro for the pics. Check them out in the Geekly Rewind Gallery via these links: Transformers: http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/New-York-Comic-Con-2011/hasbro/transformers-presentation-slides/index.html Star Wars: http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/New-York-Comic-Con-2011/hasbro/star-wars-presentation-slides/index.html Don’t forget, you can see other NYCC pics in the Geekly Rewind Gallery: http://www.asmzine.com/gallery/conventions/New-York-Comic-Con-2011/index.html
Continue readingHasbro News: Star Wars Fans’ Choice Poll Now Online
The official Hasbro Star Wars Fans’ Choice Poll is now live on Star Wars Insider’s website! Fans can vote for their favorite character from among the Top 20 vote-getters from last month’s open polling on Star Wars fan sites. The winning figure will be included in Hasbro’s Star Wars action figure line in 2013, in time for the 30th anniversary of Return Of The Jedi. Voting is open on the Star Wars Insider website until December 1st. The winning character will be announced at Hasbro’s 2012 Collector-Fan Media Day event at Toy Fair in New York in February 2012. Click
Continue readingNYCC 2011: What the Heck is Unit:E?
So, Justin Aclin tweeted this picture earlier this afternoon, calling it the “sleeper hit of the con?” It’s a promotional poster of Unit:E, which is, well, just look at it: It appears to be a new story that combines a lot of Hasbro properties into one continuity. Or something. We’ve got Jem and the Holograms, M.A.S.K. (holy crap M.A.S.K.!), Stretch Armstrong, Candy Land, Battleship Galaxies, the Action Man, The Micronauts, and Primordia. What does it mean? TFW2005 found a trademark earlier this year that claims it will be for a new Hasbro Studios movie. Whatever it is, it’s piqued our
Continue readingNYCC 2011: Hasbro Preview Night Thoughts
While ASM wasn’t at Hasbro’s Preview Night yesterday (congrats to the lucky ones who were!), that doesn’t mean we didn’t go searching the net for pictures of what was on display. Here’s a quick smattering of thoughts from me. Transformers From TFormers.com’s gallery (see it here), I think I’m most psyched about Cyberverse. I used to hate having characters in multiple size-classes. It ruined scale, plus it meant that in my completist days, I had to buy the same character over and over. Well, my completist days are over, and now I love the idea of Cyberverse. If you are
Continue readingToy Review – Transformers – Decepticon Slice
The Geek Bits Name: Decepticon Slice Toyline: Transformers Subline: Transformers Timelines – G2 Redux Size Class: Deluxe Released: BotCon 2010 Availability: The Official Transformers Collectors Club Includes: Slice, Energon weapons, tech specs card, instructions Worth the price? Since you’d have to buy this from a dealer or eBay, it’s hard to say. You’re getting this toy for the character more than the toy, in my opinion. DECEPTICON SLICE, also known as Slicer… or Shattered Glass Wheeljack… or… hang on, let’s start this again. DECEPTICON SLICE is the new trademark-friendly name for SLICER, a Decepticon who appeared in toy form very
Continue readingToy Review – Transformers – Ramjet (G2 Redux)
The Geek Bits Name: Ramjet Toyline: Transformers Subline: Transformers Timelines – G2 Redux Size Class: Deluxe Released: Spring 2011 Availability: The Official Transformers Collectors Club Includes: Ramjet, missile launchers, tech spec card, instructions Worth the price? If you are a huge G2 fan, definitely. If you want to complement your seeker collection, get it. But it does have some problems. RAMJET is one of two toys for 2011 from the Official Transformers Collectors Club (www.transformersclub.com). Based off the 2007 Classics Starscream toy (which has been redecoed and remolded so many times, it’s hard to keep track), Ramjet looks like he
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