Schwag Braggin' - or - Instagram Stuff You Might Have Seen Already

Hey, hasn't been one of these in awhile, eh?  Not since...uh... *checks archive* May!  Not since May.  Anyway, come in, come in.  I've got a pot of coffee brewing, and I hate coffee, so come drink it.  I don't know why I'm making it.


Anyway, up top is a Loyal Subjects Glow-in-the-Dark Skeletor, from their Action Vinyls line.  It's a toyline based around stylized vinyls, but they move around 'n such!  Pretty fun little guys, and I've liked the TMNT and Power Ranger ones, but lemme tell ya: The MotU ones ROCK.  Much more than the others.  Possibly because I'm a MotU fan.  Maybe because he feels like he moves around better than the others, I'm not sure.  I like it.

Yeah, I like that "old picture" border and I've used it a lot.  There will be more.

Hey, Mega Bloks!  I can't stay away from you, baby.  I haven't even seen the second TMNT movie and I LOVE these figures!  Krang especially.  The set is worth it for him alone.  The teeny tiny Krang comes out of the stomach as well!  It's the cutest little thing that you'll ever mistake for a piece of partially chewed food you may have dropped on the floor a week ago.  Also, while Playmates royally screwed their version of movie Shredder, Mega Bloks knocked it out of the part.

But I ain't done with you, Mega Bloks.

Any of you play that game Destiny?  I don't.  Not even sure what it is.  A first person shooter, probably.  Kinda like how, back in the day, you could assume it was some sort of side-scrolling run-and-jump thing.  Standards have changed! 

Anyway, Mega Bloks once again makes awesome figures, so you don't actually have to care what this is from to appreciate it.  He comes with two sets of armor and a few guns so you can customize them to your heart's content - but then again - you could do that with ANY Mega Bloks guys and mix and match from anything Mega Bloks, so it's technically nothin' new.  Just the same awesomeness as before. 

If you buy any current Mega Bloks figures, you know what you're getting here.  Fun stuff!

Speaking of video game toys:

I also don't play Halo, but that hasn't stopped me from buying the toys before.  But WOW, folks, this is WAY better than the previous stuff.  Mattel won the Halo license over from McFarlane (and, you know, McFarlane had it since the beginning of time).  Mattel hit a home run right out of the gate with a slightly larger figure (6 inch) and totally removable and swappable armor.

The articulation is nice, the accessories are numerous (especially if you consider the armor parts) and they feel much more.....playworthy.  Of course, the McFarlane stuff got way better with time, and I didn't feel like I was gona break the more recent stuff, but something just feels more fun with these.  Now some younger kids can get into these without having to be careful.

I liked 'em so much that I bought two, though, considering the high number of things I've gotten recently, I probably won't get more.  But I LOVE 'em.  Really great figures, and if you haven't gotten any McFarlane ones in the past, then now's the time to start trying out some Halo stuff. 

One more thing in video game town: I got a little keychain of Samus' symbol, from The Metroid Database, that place you've been getting Metroid information from since the 90's.  And if you haven't: YEAH MAN, they're still around, and they continue to be the best dang info source for Metroid related things.  The keychain is super sturdy (and a little sharp!) and came out right in time for Metroid's 30th anniversary that Nintendo said nothing about (though they did wake up long enough to shut down a cool fan remake of Metroid 2, so there's that).

Moving along: Here's G2 BRUTICUS!  I haven't messed with him much yet, but I'd like to actually give this one a full post.  The G2 version is special to me, 'cause a friend and I had three of the parts between us (with me only owning Brawl) and we REALLY wanted to complete him.  We didn't. 

SO I'LL DO IT!  With new Combiner technology and fancy retro colors!  If I had any complaints, it's that the awesome purple camo is only on the vehicle modes - when you transform them, the robot modes feel kinda naked.  We need that shiny purple camo SLOPPED ON EVERYWHERE!

The current Transformers are Titan Masters, so my Combiner Wars stuff is officially OLD AND OUTDATED!  Get outta here, Combiner Wars!  Now the...heads...come off.  And turn into robots.

Which is AWESOME.  Seriously man, Combiner Wars was fantastic, but these Titan Masters are bringing back the play value in spades. 

Especially guys like this, who turns into a tank and has a cockpit for the tiny head guy to fit in.

Ah man I love this!!  There's just something about having a little pilot for the vehicle mode that really heightens the fun of messin' around with these.  On top of that, so far, they've managed to continue to keep the transformations non-frustrating, which has been the best part of recent Transformers.  Granted, the joints feel a little loose (especially the gator up top, Skull Smasher.  I had to fix 'em with some nail polish) but it's not terrible across the board so far.

And Galvatron - OH MAN - he continues the awesomeness!  Just a great figure all around.  He's the Galvatron the fans have wanted, I imagine, and he brings new stuff to the table for people like me.  So he's got his weird turret mode, but ALSO:

An awesome spaceship mode for me to whoosh around!  With a cockpit for the head robot and everything!  Extra points for the translucent cockpit, like the tank guy, 'cause it's great to see the pilot inside (in fact I'd say it's imperative, since you can't see the pilot of Skull Smasher, so it's a bit boring for me in that respect).  If you're a Transformers fan and you've been waiting for that perfect Galvatron, I'd say this is it (unless you already bought one of those various 3rd party guys). 

If I had any complaints, it would be the weird faceplate that flips up from inside the chest.  His head is just silver, and a purple faceplate flips out when you open the chest.  They brilliantly allowed the head to turn with it, but it's not perfect, and you only get a little side to side movement.  But it DOES move, so I'm not all that bothered by it.

While we're on the subject of....things that transform - here's a dollar store toy!  For 6 bucks!

It's the Gold Scorpion King.

It turns into this crazy scorpion, and an excavator.  It even has a stat card!

And one...for the excavator mode.  For some reason.

It's pretty freakin' great, for the price. Nothin' like finding weird cheap stuff while on vacation.

Oh, and speaking of that same vacation:

Found these in the land called "Frankenmuth."  If you haven't gone there, think of Disney World, but far smaller, more shopping, less rides, and ALL GERMAN ALL THE TIME.  It's kind of a Michigan tradition, if you like expensive shopping trips (we just stop there on the way home for Zhender's chicken). 

Finally, when I'm on vacation, I always end up getting something Playmobil.  No idea why.  Also helps that it's super popular everywhere outside America, so Frankenmuth has 'em in spades.

In superhero news: This.  Just this.  It's Gamora, from the current Guardians of the Galaxy, and I really hope they base her next movie costume on this, 'cause it's awesome!  I love it!  Everything about it!  Nice figure, too, even though Hasbro is severely limiting the articulation on the 3.5 figures now.

Glyos compatible things!  This is the AV Robot, from Nemo's Factory.  Really cool parts here, and you'll need two if you want parts, 'cause you'll wana keep one as-is.  Look at 'em!

Next are the Knights of the Slice, from Toy Pizza.  There's more info behind these than I have, so just know that they're pizza-themed Power Ranger/Kamen Rider kinda guys that are Glyos compatible and totally rad.

I bought two Medics for the red parts to put on my clear guy, and then there's this dude:

This dude has a fedora and a new robotic cannon arm that I built for him.  One of the more hilarious things about these guys (besides the pizza theme) is that the accessory sets are a pizza cutter arm and a fedora.  Just because. 

I love it.

Anyway, I called him "Fedoraun" and wrote this little bio for him on the fly on the instagram on the keyboard on my phone:

"Fedoraun, with new york style shield. Zzybernetic arm sports a heat cannon, guaranteed to cook enemies to a crisp thin crust, and turn the tides of any deep dish situation. Quoted saying "Extra cheese, m'lady?" though his friends tell him to stop."

Jake loves them too, I guess!  He puts anything in his mouth though, so take his opinion with a grain of salt.

And last, but certainly not least: Funko Mystery Minis Steven Universe blind boxes!  FINALLY, some Steven Universe product! 

As you can see, I bought a case, but sadly they come with 12 to a case, and there are 15 different figures, so I'm missing three.  On the other hand: I got a dang good batch, so I don't really feel like I need the other three!

First we've got both versions of Pearl, lookin' all strong in the real way.  She's not as yellow as she looks in the picture, but her colors always seem a little odd in real life, as opposed to the show. 

Next is Amethyst in her second form and transformed into Steven for a game of Steven Tag.  I could have gone without the Amethyst Steven, but it's still a neat touch.

There are two versions of Garnet - one with gauntlets, and one without (both made of love, of course).  I got the one without...so I'd still kinda like the one with Gauntlets, but I don't know if it's worth hunting for.

Lion!  Looking more majestic and mysterious by the episode.  I've only got one complaint about 'em, and it's the lack of a pocket universe in his mane.  Come on, Funko!  Get it together!

Rose Quartz, probably one of my favorites of the bunch (she's also got a Gamestop exclusive version wearing the Mr Universe shirt that I NEED).  The only thing she's missing is Pearl permanently sculpted to her shadow. 

Two Stevens!  One showing off his mother's Gem, and one all amazed about forming his shield (which he can do without even thinking, now).  He's the main man, so I'm glad to have both versions.  There's a Gamestop exclusive with a Big Donut shirt on, and honestly, yeah, I want that too.

My other big favorite, besides Rose: Lapis Lazuli!  I would have liked a more deadpan expression, but I believe this is capturing her "Thank you, Steven!" moment after Steven heals her.  Still a great figure, but the water wings feel a little thin at the base where they attach to her back, so be careful.

Everyone's favorite space Dorito, Peridot!  This is her with Limb Enhancers, so pretty much angry and constantly on the run.  Looking forward to a more current version!

And here we are at the end, with Connie Maheswaran in her first outfit.  Like Peridot, I'm looking forward to a more current version, but I ain't gona say no to a good 'ol classic Connie. 

I'm missing Garnet with gauntlets, Onion, and Greg.  All in all, not a bad batch!  I'm not usually one for collecting stuff like this (at least, not a ton of them) but I'm in such a Steven Universe product dead zone that I'll take anything.  Thankfully I'm not just accepting these because they're all that's out there - they're really very cute and cool!  Glad to have 'em, and though most of the character design choices are older, it makes sense to start at the beginning before we get to more current versions and characters.  I'd get into these if you're chomping at the bit for Steven Universe collectables.  No question.

Alright, that's it for the Schwag Brag!  Sorry about the lack of new posts and constant reposts of old Alexx Shorts.  I'm finding less and less time to sit down for my big posts, though I am trying.  The Alexx Shorts and Instagram make things easier on me, so be sure to check the Instagram link on the right of the blog if you wana keep up with basic pics 'n jokes while I work on the bigger blog posts.  Catch you later, NERDS.