Mezco Toyz

Date Published: 2018-09-12
Written By: Michael Crawford

Overall Average Rating: 4 out of 4

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Introduction

Mezco has done exceptional work with their One:12 Collective series. Yep, I know there are still haters out there, but it's to be expected. This series is outstanding overall, but one character has been particularly well done - The Punisher.

I'm checking out the Mezco store exclusive Special Ops Punisher tonight, the fifth figure released based on the Marvel character so far. They started it off with a Toy Fair exclusive version all in black, and followed that up with a regular release version with the white skull on the chest, done as a separate vest. Then they released a 'deluxe' version, with a ton of extras (the only one I bought but didn't review), and finally, they did a 'classic' version.

This new version has a number of differences in the suit, pulls together a ton of the various accessories across several of the other releases, and was originally $85.  Like it's predecessors, it sold out in a heart beat, and your best bet to find one now is the secondary market.

Click on the image below for a Life Size version

Packaging - ***
Nothing unique here, if you're familiar with past releases. The graphics are simple but elegant, and the box itself is quite sturdy. There's a couple plastic trays inside that hold the figure and all the accessories safely, but in a very collector friendly manner. This release has the Mezco exclusive sticker on the front, of course.

Sculpting - ****
We get three portraits once again with this figure, two from previous releases and one brand new rendition.

The standard head has a grim, determined expression, with some damage and scarring. It's an excellent all purpose look, and the level of detail in the skin texture and wounds is amazing. Remember, these figures are just a hair over 6 1/2" tall, but could easily be confused in photos for sixth scale versions.

The second re-used portrait is the screaming, open mouth expression, perfect for mid-battle scenes. Again, the level of detail is impressive, especially in the teeth, tongue, and lips. I've seen much larger figures do much worse with these critical areas.

Finally, there's the new portrait. This one is covered in a tactical style mask, also bearing the skull emblem. The eyes are visible under there, and the separate but non-removable nature of the mask makes it far more realistic in appearance. There's plenty of sculpted damage on the surface too, implying many a battle fought and won.

The other sculpted areas - belts, boots, hands - all look terrific, as usual. The hands are properly scaled, and they are designed to work well with the majority of the accessories.

Paint - ****
One of the key features of the overall series is the high quality paint work, unusual in this scale. It starts with the portraits, where the skin has a translucent, life-like appearance, and every detail - from the eyes to the hairline to the lips to the scars - is immaculate. The well sculpted mouth and teeth are highlighted with excellent paint work, right down to the wet look of the tongue. The eyes are sharp and even on every head, and the emblem on the masked version has the perfect fuzzy appearance, like it was spray painted on by hand.

A great sculpt can be ruined by bad paint, and a mediocre sculpt can be elevated by great paint. This is one of those situations where a great sculpt is improved by great paint, the perfect marriage of the two most critical aspects.

Articulation - ***1/2
The base body works great, and looks excellent in the tight fitting costume. The ball jointed neck allows for enough tilt and lean to give every pose some additional personality, and the shoulders, elbows, and wrists work together to create convincing arm poses. He can do one and two handed gun holds, and the larger weapons don't create any problems.

The hips, knees, and ankles can produce natural short stances, and even in deep stances he looks realistic. The ankles could use a little more rocker movement, but the two piece boot sculpt does allow some.

The torso is a bit restricted by the plastic emblem on his chest, but it's a minor nit. You can still get some good left to right movement, and a little bend forward and back.

The heads and hands swap easily but remain in place while posing, always a key feature with a figure like this.

Accessories - ****
Every Punisher has been well outfitted, but only the deluxe has had more than this guy.

I already mentioned the three different portraits. While one of the extra heads is a re-use - assuming you've bought other Punishers - the masked version is a terrific, valuable addition.

There are also three additional sets of gloved hands. He comes wearing fists, but you can swap in a set of gun grips, a set of wide grips, or a knife-strike right and a medium grip left.

Did I mention weapons? Yep, he has a few. There's the large knife that fits in the sheath on the back of the belt, the handgun, the small machine gun with silencer, the automatic rifle with grenade launcher, the larger Gatling (mini) gun, and the even larger rocket launcher.

He has three 'blast effects' as well. Two are single shot effects that can be attached to the end of the three smaller weapons. The third is a triple shot effect, perfect for the fast firing mini gun.

The three smaller guns also have an extra magazine included. There's no place to put them on his body, but they are handy in the event you lose one. There's six grenades to go with the launcher, and even four hand grenades.

*whew* That's a lot of ordinance. The sculpts are excellent, and the paint reflects weathering and wear. You can load all that stuff up into a large duffle bag too, which is another re-use from the deluxe release.

Finally, he has the usual Mezco display stand, complete with small foot peg or large, translucent support rod.

Outfit - ***1/2
One of the features which makes the Punisher releases stand out is the effort they put into creating different outfits, not merely through paint but with design and sculpt. This one isn't quite like any of the others.

The tight fitting body suit has the 'tactical' look, with various pads and patches tightly attached and a high tech texture. The stretchy material allows for posing and applies little restriction on the articulation.

You've seen these boots and gloves before, but this time they went with larger pouches on the belt, although the sheath for the knife is still included on the back. This is re-used from the first regular release version, but stands out more here thanks to the white color and tight body suit. My one nit with the entire costume centers around this belt, or more specifically, the fit of this belt. It's tight, which causes it to ride up higher on the hips than I'd like, even in straight up stances. I might try to find a way to soften it up a bit to stretch it out a smidge, just to get it slightly lower on the hips.

This tight fitting belt caused the only real issue with the earlier costumes on the regular and Toy Fair versions. In those cases, it pushed the chest armor (which was a separate piece) higher up on the shoulders. That's not a problem here thanks to the brilliant way they managed the emblem this time, but the belt still looks wonky this high on the hips.

Which brings me to my favorite aspect of this costume - the emblem. They've done the emblem two ways in the past - as a separate piece of chest armor, and printed directly on the costume. They got really smart this time, creating a rubber emblem that is tightly attached to the shirt, almost like a printed version...but thanks to the use of a different material and the addition of belts and straps, it still looks like separate armor! They've added a very cool pocked texture too, and this just might be my favorite emblem design of the bunch.

Fun Factor - ****
All these accessories, all these poses...this is a really fun figure to work with. You'll find a million ways to display him by himself and with other figures, and you'll be drawn back to him over and over again.

Value - **1/2
Regular readers know that a **1/2 here means the price of this figure, and the related 'value', won't affect my Overall score up or down. In this case, $85 was the usual exclusive price, and you're getting a ton of extras, several of them setting this figure apart from the pack.

Things to Watch Out For -
The blast effect attaches to the barrel of the guns via a small plastic post. Be very careful inserting this post, as it is possible to snap it. If you have it lined up properly, it should slip in without requiring much force.

Overall - ****
Considering the quality of the previous Punisher figures, it should be no surprise to see this one rank right up there. Sure, there's a lot of re-use, but you are getting a very cool new suit and a great head sculpt to go with it.  Add in all those extra goodies, re-used or not, and you have a winner.

Is he the best? Hmmm - it's a tough call. I think my personal preference is still the Classic, but there's an awful lot to like here as well. He's well worth adding to the collection, but you should probably assume that about every release, considering how difficult they can be to obtain once they sell out. You don't like a particular figure once you get it, odds are pretty good you can get your money back when you sell it.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ****
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - ****
Outfit - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - **1/2
Overall - ****

Where to Buy 
Your options are pretty limited at this point. This guy was originally a Mezco Store exclusive, where he was $85. Your best bet now is the secondary market, and you can search ebay for a deal.

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This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.

This page copyright 2000 - 2018, Michael Crawford. All rights reserved.

The towering structure of what had once been a luxurious mansion looms high above you. Lightning flashes across the sky, thunder claps, and you can smell the coming storm as you walk closer.  The ravages of time have not been kind, and much of the formerly proud house is falling apart. Still, a light in the window indicates someone is home and beckons you closer. 

Plus, anything has to be better than your terrifying escape from the beasts of the Forbidden Forest… right? 

You’d think that, but you’d be wrong. Dead wrong. 

It’s a good thing you brought along your handy Sideshow Field Guide to Fairytale Myths and Monsters because that mansion is definitely filled to the brim with all the ghoulies and ghosties that go bump in the night. Unless you know all the specific do’s and don’ts, not to mention the proper etiquette, you’ll never make it five feet through the foyer of that place before a chandelier ‘conveniently’ falls on your head. 

So if you stick to the rules of this guide, ignore the rattling chains and slamming doors, and pretend you ain’t afraid of no ghosts, you might just live to see the sunrise. 

Just keep an eye out for those chandeliers… 

Rule 1 –  Don’t Go Off By Yourself 

This should go without saying, but if you arrived with a group of friends, you should stay in that group.  Don’t split up to ‘explore the house’ because odds are if you do that, one of your friends (or possibly you yourself) will end up as the newest happy haunt to take up residence in the ramshackle mansion. 

There is strength in numbers, but even so, that is not a guarantee of survival.  A collapsing support beam can take out the whole group in one quick crumble, or a weak floor can break apart under the weight of your team, sending you all tumbling down to the basement. 

The basement is the absolute last place you want to be.  Trust us on this. (No! Don’t go into the attic either!)

Rule 2 – Don’t Touch Anything

It’s safe to assume that the current inhabitants of the house have everything exactly how they like it. So whatever you do, don’t touch anything. Think about it, if some stranger came into your house and just started touching your stuff and moving it from room to room, you’d be pretty irritated too. 

That said, some items come with their own history… and troubles. Some particular things to be wary of as you explore include but are not limited to: puzzle boxes, music boxes, dolls, books bound in human flesh and inked in blood, televisions, audio recording equipment, puppets, life-size statues, dumbwaiters, pianos, mirrors, bleeding walls, staircases, and VHS tapes. 

And for goodness sake, take off that old-timey hat!  You don’t know where it’s been or if its owner is watching you. Yes, you look better in it than him. No, you cannot keep it.

Rule 3 – Do Not Provoke The Ghosts

As you explore the house, see if you can learn a bit about its history. There may be documentation to explain how the building came to be in this state, and it may help you figure out where the ghosts are coming from and why they are so angry.  Was there a murder in the house? Multiple murders?  Is the house built on a cemetery or ancient burial mound? Maybe it was used as a hospital during the war, or sits on the grounds of an abandoned asylum?

No matter what the origin, there is one thing you must never do, and that is provoke the ghosts. I know you have seen the tough guys on television attempting to taunt the spirits by yelling at them and goading them to appear.  Sometimes it works, most times it doesn’t do anything but anger them. Best to leave the taunting out of your repertoire, unless you wanna come face to face with this…

Rule 4 – Sleep (?) and Get Out

Wait, why are you still in the house?  Unless you are being hunted by the demons of the Forbidden Forest or there is a massive, world-ending storm outside you should really … Oh? Both you say?  Okay, then the best thing to do is get some shut-eye and ride this out till morning.

If you manage to find a safe place to sleep –  again, we can’t stress this enough – make sure to stick together with your group in the same room. No wandering off to answer that strange knock at the door or to investigate the unknown footsteps in the hallway. Stay put, and make sure you thoroughly lock all the doors and windows. Not that this will help, but it will at least give you some small semblance of security. 

For the remainder of the night, you may see or hear a lot of unsettling things. Doors opening and closing by themselves, gaunt faces staring at you from outside your window, babies crying, dogs barking, etc.  Our only recommendation will be to pull the covers up over your head, keep your eyes closed, and hope for the best.  Don’t worry, it will be dawn soon, and then you will be free.

Well, hopefully. 

I mean, let’s be honest, it really comes down to how much the ghosts like you.  If you make a good enough impression, they may just let you rest in peace… 

It’s morning! Congratulations. You have now successfully avoided the zombie apocalypse, a forbidden forest full of monsters, and mansion of malignant spirits.  We hope you have enjoyed this special edition addendum to the Sideshow Field Guide to Fairytale Myths and Monsters. 

And one last thing… Happy Halloween! 

This October, we’re putting the “eek” in Geek from October 24th-31st for our annual Spooktacular celebration!  Head to spooktacular.com for all the creepiest content, most ghoulish giveaways, and most devilish deals to get you in the mood for Halloween.

There were some pre-screenings earlier for The LEGO Movie 2 so you may have watched it already. But the official date for release is February 8, 2019 for North America. Tomorrow is the day The LEGO Movie 2 is available for viewing for the general public.

We’ve shown the trailers earlier, but the trailers are available on the official LEGO Movie 2 site as well. A line of LEGO Movie 2 sets have also been released and could be purchased at LEGO Shop at Home (US | Canada | UK).

Will the movie live up to the original LEGO Movie 1? Check out the movie tomorrow at your local theatre! (:

What exactly is the deal with these things, you ask? Let's run through the basics:

• Seres Míticos figures were released at the end of 2017 as giveaway premiums included in packages of Mexican snack cakes called Gansitos / Gansi Premio. These cakes are produced by a company called Marinela.

• There are 10 different sculpts to collect, featuring creatures from well known myths and legends (especially Greek mythology). They include Gryfo (Griffin), Triton, Cerberus, Manticora (Manticore), Minotauro (Minotaur), Fauno (Faun), Fenix (Phoenix), Unicornio (Unicorn), Medusa, and Dragon. 

• Each figure comes in three different colors: bronze, silver and gold.

• They are made of hard plastic and measure about 1.5" tall. 

• One figure is included per pack of Gansi Premio cakes. They come individually wrapped along with a small character card with artwork that depicts one of the 10 monsters (for some reason the cards don't necessarily match up to the figures they're packed with).

Source: http://www.littleweirdos.net/2018/02/seres-miticos-mythology-monster-minis.html

Hoje é o dia do Podcast. Ainda não é um feriado nacional.

O que é Podcast?

Sempre que alguém me pergunta o que é um podcast, costumo dizer que é uma espécie de programa de rádio gravado, e você pode ouvir quando quiser, no seu smartphone ou mp3 player. É claro que é uma descrição muito simples, além de ligar o podcast ao rádio que é um erro, mas os mais leigos no assunto costumam entender melhor assim.

O termo existe desde 2004, cunhado pelo jornal britânico The Guardian. A definição no dicionário Webster é: um programa sobre música ou diálogo sobre um tema, gravado em formato digital e distribuído pela internet através de download automático.

Porque o dia 21 de outubro foi escolhido como o Dia do Podcast?

Esse dia foi escolhido porque há 10 anos foi publicado o primeiro podcast brasileiro.

Como faço para escutar podcasts no meu Android?

É necessário baixar um app para isso. Existem dois excelentes aplicativos para Android:

Pocket Casts (Custa R$ 8,59 aproximadamente)

Stitcher Radio (gratuito)

Através desses aplicativos você pode buscar os podcasts por assunto ou pelo nome dos autores.

Como faço para escutar podcasts no meu iPhone ou iPad?

Existe um app da Apple chamado Podcasts . Através dele também é possível assinar canais de podcast.

E no Brasil, quais os Podcasters mais interessantes?

RECOMENDAMOS!

Café Brasil – fala sobre temas da atualidade, música, política e cultura de uma forma direta e sincera. Comece por um Clássico: 275 – Bohemian Rhapsody

Radiofobia – A cada podcast um assunto diferente, discutido com toda a propriedade por nossos especialistas em porra nenhuma e por convidados subjestivamente qualificados, cabriocáricos e de caráter inoxidável. Um melhor que o outro!

Ultrageek – Podcast que aborda o universo geek de um jeito descontraído, extremo e com muito bom humor! Na dúvida, comece escutando o Ultrageek 105 – Brincadeiras Offline

NerdCast – Um dos Podcasts mais difundidos sobre cultura Nerd. Vale a pena NERDCAST 280 – STEVE JOBS – STAY HUNGRY, STAY FOOLISH entre outros!

Braincast – Trazendo antecipadamente os grandes trabalhos inspiradores do mercado de entretenimento e digital nacional e internacional, além da discussão sobre processos criativos. Divirta-se com o Braincast 103 – Videogames: Uma retrospectiva

The massive Mobile Armor Neo Zeong gets its Narrative version! With additional trim details and design on its shoulders, and a different color scheme from its last launch from the Unicorn Gundam.

The kit also comes with a water slide decals to detail the kit!

[ACCESSORIES]

Promobricks has found official images of more 2019 LEGO Technic sets which come right after images of the smaller sets were found in Canada. The first set is the Porsche 911 RSR (42096) which consist of 1,580 pieces.

The other set that was found is the Remote-Controlled Stunt Racer (42095) which has 324 pieces and uses the old Power Functions. This set is also a 2-in-1 set so it has another model that you can create with it.

1313 Views

Earlier this month we mentioned that our friends over at Brick Fanatics were launching a new LEGO magazine to complement their website.

Issue one is now out and I've had a chance to read it. Does it fill a gap in the market or is it just more of the same? Find out after the break.

The magazine is the brainchild of Rob Paton who was editor of Blocks magazine and whose company Tiro Media owns BrickFanatics.com.

However, things get slightly confusing as you delve deeper: Graham Hancock is both deputy editor of Blocks magazine, a major contributor to this one and also the main man at BrickFanatics.com. Other people appear to be writing for both magazines and the website as well. That's not a problem, just an observation. I know both Rob and Graham well and know they are both passionate about all things LEGO, and for Rob in particular this magazine is a labour of love for which he has great plans.

So, bottom line, it's a totally separate magazine to Blocks but many of the current and former staff on that title write for or work on this one!

One thing that's immediately apparent when you receive it is that it's A5 which, for our American readers who may not be familiar with ISO paper sizes, means it's 8.3" by 5.8". I suspect it's this size to keep paper and distribution costs down. Its 80 pages are printed on a fairly thin paper stock but it's perfectly adequate. However, it does have the feel of those local advertising periodicals that you probably get poked through your letter box from time to time.

Inside, the articles are pretty much what you'd expect to find in any LEGO magazine: news, features and reviews.

The news section does not attempt to report on up-to-the-minute stories, because the website does that better, but instead goes into more depth on the more significant topics such as, in this issue, Forma and plants from plants.

The reviews section tries to do things a little differently, for example, by including an interview with designer Justin Ramsden in the review of 71043 Hogwarts Castle. The photography in this section is certainly much better than that in other LEGO magazines reviews.

A number of guests have contributed articles including Kevin Hinkle, who worked for LEGO until recently, and AFOL builder Jme Wheeler. All are interesting, but are too short and left me wanting more.

Elsewhere, there's an interesting mix of articles on old sets, improving sets, instructions for small models and so on. You'll find a scan of the contents page below.

Overall, I found myself reading more of this than Blocks; in fact I think I read it from cover to cover. However, many of the articles felt a bit insubstantial and I would have liked them to have been much longer. The page size has probably had a part to play in this.

I felt that the articles are pitched at a more mature and 'hardcore' AFOL audience than Blocks, which caters more for the casual fan and families nowadays, but they are by no means impenetrable.

So, it's a promising start and as I said above, Rob has big plans for it, so perhaps we'll see it increasing in size and thickness in the future. After all, from acorns do mighty oaks grow. I look forward to seeing where he takes it.

You can buy a subscription at https://www.brickfanatics.com/magazine/. If you do so, you may well feel a little 'short changed' when you receive this first issue but I firmly believe you'll be backing a winner that will get better and better.

View image at flickr

View image at flickr

View image at flickr

View image at flickr

Thanks to Rob for sending me a copy for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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