On the very last day of 2019, inspired by the release of the last Star Wars reboot movie, and some successful forays into local street markets, I decided to relaunch this blog with a post dedicated to Princess Leia. Within a few short months the world was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, Italy (where I live) was in lockdown, and my plans for this blog (not to mention everything else!) got pushed to the back burner. Toyissimi, Rome's huge action figure collector's fair, was postponed, and … [Read more...]
Pre-Order Christopher Reeve as Superman by Hot Toys!
As regular readers of this blog will know, I take a very occasional look at a brand new action figure release if it's likely to be of interest to vintage collectors...or if I'm so excited about a figure that I can't wait to spread the word about it! I mean, seriously folks, who could resist mentioning this Superman 12-inch Figure from the 1978 classic superhero film Superman that Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys have just revealed to the world? With a stunning movie-accurate hand-painted … [Read more...]
Mego Superman: Putting the Super into the World’s Greatest Super Heroes!
We can rebuild him, we have the technology is a phrase we know and love from old The Six Million Dollar Man episodes, but if you're a collector of vintage Mego 8-inch action figures the expression could easily apply to any toy you are hoping to restore – it is by no means uncommon to come across loose uncarded vintage figures that have been cobbled together with spare limbs from various different figures or restored with repro parts and accessories. Late in the run of their World's Greatest … [Read more...]
Kenner Super Powers: Superman!
Whilst the star of the last post Captain America may have been top dog over at Marvel with the Mattel Secret Wars action figures, DC Comics had their very own leader of the Kenner Super Powers line – none other than The Man of Steel himself, Superman! It's a testament to the sheer quality of these Kenner figures, that nearly thirty years later you'll most likely find that the “super power” action feature of any vintage figure you happen to come across is still working just fine. This Superman … [Read more...]
Superman action figure inspired by Jack Kirby
This Superman action figure is based on the enormously influential and instantly recognizable comic book art of Jack Kirby. Working with the writer Stan Lee, Kirby started out with the fledgling Marvel Comics during the 1960s, creating world famous characters such as the Fantastic Four, X-Men and the Hulk. In 1970, however, the disgruntled Kirby moved to rival company DC Comics where he created a series of comic books under the umbrella title of The Fourth World including brand new titles like … [Read more...]
Marlon Brando as Jor-El in Superman Returns
DC Comics Superman Jor-El 1/6 Scale Collectors Figure For those of us old enough to remembering queuing to get into cinemas to see Marlon Brando as Jor-El first time around in Richard Donner's 1978 Superman movie, his resurrection thanks to CGI in Superman Returns might seem somewhat spooky! Nevertheless, this spectacular 12 inch Jor-El action figure inspired by Brando's appearance in the hit movie Superman Returns, is a real gem! It includes over 22 points of articulation, real-cloth … [Read more...]