The Ultimate Toy Collector's Paradise

"Great Toys Of The Future!"

2011-05-18T16:40:00.002-05:00

And the future is now. I was contacted by someone a while back to feature a post on their website Online Colleges and Universities. They featured an article on the Twenty Best Techie Toys. So I browsed them and I must say, it sure isn't the Lincoln Logs and Legos I played with when I was a kid. Here are a few of my faves:

Star Wars Science - Force Trainer

This looks great! As a Star Wars fan ever since I went to the movies and saw Return Of The Jedi when I was 9, The Force was always better than any laser gun.

Spy Net: Secret Mission Video Watch

A watch that can actually do it all? I know my daughter would love to have something like this.

And something tells me this is only the beginning. Now if you'll excuse me, my Legos are calling...:)

Transformers: Stakeout with Protectobots

2011-03-10T10:52:00.002-06:00

Received for Christmas 2010

When I saw these at Target and Walmart I wasn't crazy at first. Of course, growing up with the ultimate combiner Devastator, all else kind of took a backseat. But I like the colour scheme of these guys.

Transformers: Tracks

2011-03-10T10:47:00.002-06:00

Received for Christmas 2010

I see the original G1 of this guy on eBay selling for four figures! Helps to have a car who can also fly, right? Maybe this one will be worth something one of these days.

"Air Raid / Storm Surge"

2010-12-31T08:25:00.000-06:00

Purchased: Christmas Gift in 2009

I think it's pretty cool when you get two for the price of one. Never heard of these guys but they've been sitting in my garage for the last year, so...

"Clocker / Hardtop"

2010-12-24T08:00:00.002-06:00

Purchased: Christmas Gift 2009

I think it's pretty cool when you get two for the price of one. Never heard of these guys but they've been sitting in my garage for the last year, so...

"And Now A Word From Our Sponsor..."

2010-10-05T21:16:00.003-05:00

Well, they're not really our sponsor. Heck, if I had a sponsor I would quit my job and live off of him. But a fellow toy enthusiast contacted me the other day...or, rather, weeks ago, and asked if I would feature his website on my site and he would do the same for me. Well, who am I to refuse such a cool offer:

Trains man! You want 'em, Stephen's got 'em! Anything and everything you could need to start, add to or complete your own model train can be found at his web site of Lionel Train Set. You can click this link or the title of this post to see everything he has to offer. I also put a link to the left for future reference.

When I was a kid we had a toy train set I got for Christmas. I remember you had to squirt this liquid smoke in the locomotive and it would puff out as it traveled around in circles. As kids we always think there is nothing cooler. Now the only train I ever ride is at Six Flags ha ha.

"ROTF: Sideways"

2010-03-07T14:21:00.002-06:00

Purchased in 2009 at Toys R Us in North Richland Hills.

Nothing beats an Audi for a Transformer yes? Too bad he wasn't in the movie more. But Sideswipe had to split someone right down the middle right?

"ROTF: Skids"

2010-03-07T14:19:00.001-06:00

Purchased in 2009 at Wal-Mart In North Richland Hills

Why not, ya know? Needed to get someone with a little colour in them. Besides, he cracks me up in the movie.

"ROTF: Sideswipe"

2009-11-24T15:26:00.002-06:00

Purchased in 2009 @ Toys R Us in North Richland Hills.

LOVE this!! I wish more models of cars could have been a part of this franchise but Hasbro definitely scored with this model. Nothing better then a 'Vette with lines.

"DeLorean From Back To The Future 3"

2009-03-07T07:43:00.002-06:00

Received as a Christmas present in 2008.

The third installment was by far the most far-fetched. So much had been changed in the past that the future couldn't have possibly been the exact same, but, hey, who am I to criticize?

G I Joe: Cobra Paratrooper

2008-12-22T20:24:00.002-06:00

Purchased in 2008 at Walmart.

I'm not really a fan of these re-released guys simply because I remember them being larger back in the day. Is it just me? Anyways...just glad to be getting some of them back into my collection after selling them to my cousin back at the end of the 80's and then when I tried to buy them back I found out he broke all the rubber bands that connected the top to the bottom. Argh.

Ironman Concept: Captain America

2008-12-22T20:22:00.003-06:00

Purchased in 2008 at Walmart.

I had been meaning to pick up an Ironman figure at some point but could never find which one I liked...until now. Simply not enough Captain America things in this world (or my collection). But when I saw this one I knew what I had here.

NFL Players: Tony Romo

2008-10-25T08:47:00.002-05:00

Purchased in 2008 at Toys 'R' Us.

Now granted, he isn't having the best season of his career. I think that will be last season when he broke Troy Aikman's old records for passing, touchdowns, etc. But he is a big deal right now in Dallas so I kept a lookout for him. What I really detest about this town is that we never stock our own. There was a figure of Stars' goalie Marty Turco that I saw once in Target...and never again. So I had to get this one. Who knows when he would ever turn up again?

Transformers: Animated Starscream

2008-09-17T07:43:00.003-05:00

Purchased at Walmart in 2008.

To be honest, I wasn't real impressed with how cartoonish these products looked. Ironic since the name of the line is "Animated" right? I purchased Soundwave previously because he had kind of a neat look to him. And I didn't get Starscream from the movie line of toys because I had found Thundercracker and he had a great colour scheme to him instead of the bland beige/tan Starscream had. So when I saw this one, I made a mental note of getting it.

GIJoe 25th Anniversary: B.A.T.

2008-09-13T08:22:00.002-05:00

Purchased in 2008 at WalMart.

This was one of my favourite GIJoe's back in the day (1986) because he had this holographic chest and lots of attachments. Well, as usual, they shrunk him up a little but dare I say the attachments are...cooler!

Star Wars: The Legacy Darth Vader

2008-09-05T22:08:00.002-05:00

Purchased in 2008 at Target

Found this very intriguing as we only saw Darth without his mask two times: Once in Empire when we see the robotic arms puttinghis mask back together and again at his death in Jedi.

G I Joe 25th Anniversary: Barbecue

2008-08-31T08:25:00.000-05:00

Purchased in 2008 at Target

Transformers: Animated Soundwave

2008-08-29T22:26:00.001-05:00

Purchased in 2008 at WalMart

Transformers: Universe Sunstreaker

2008-08-26T17:10:00.001-05:00

Purchased in 2008 at Target

Transformers: Universe Prowl

2008-08-25T17:15:00.002-05:00

Purchased in 2008 at WalMart

Wayne Gretzky

2008-07-11T22:17:00.001-05:00

Purchasedin 2008 at Dollar General

Brawl Allspark

2008-05-20T20:53:00.002-05:00

Purchased at Target in 2008

Stealth Bumblebee

2008-05-19T20:50:00.000-05:00

Purchased in 2008 at Walmart

Batman / Joker

2008-05-10T08:33:00.001-05:00

Purchased in 2008 at Wal-Mart

Stockade

2008-03-11T19:51:00.001-05:00

Purchased in 2008 At Walmart Neighborhood Store

Cannonball

2008-02-27T21:21:00.001-06:00

Purchased at Target for Christmas December 2007

Downshift

2008-02-27T21:18:00.001-06:00

Purchased at Target for Christmas December 2007.

Mickey Mantle

2008-02-23T07:08:00.001-06:00

Purchased in 2008 at Toys R Us

Boba Fett

2008-02-20T20:02:00.001-06:00

Purchased in 2008 at Walmart

Destro

2008-02-20T19:58:00.001-06:00

Purchased in 2008 at Walmart

Captain America

2008-02-20T19:46:00.002-06:00

Purchased in 2008 at Walmart.

"Yeah But Can He Jump a Cliff?"

2008-02-16T09:46:00.002-06:00

Mmm, probably. Heck, these guys can do pretty much anything right? When I found out there was a repaint of Bumblebee floating around I had no choice but to look for it. And who else but WallyMart would have it right away.

I love his bio on the back.

"Evac!"

2008-01-24T13:03:00.001-06:00

Who?

Yeah, that's what I said. Apparently when the AllSpark was "destroyed" it sent some kind of energy that is summoming all the other "robots in disguise" to join the battle. When I saw this guy I knew he was a keeper:

This one is pretty cool. There are a few others which I may or may not get. Depends on if they give them away ha ha.

"He'll Fight For Freedom..."

2008-01-19T14:43:00.001-06:00

...wherever there's trouble...yada yada. It's hard to believe it has been 25 years since GiJoe shrunk all its guys into the palm of our hand. And to celebrate the longevity of it all, they have released tributes to the classic competitors:

There are three others that I may or may not get...we shall see.

"Enemies All Around!"

2008-01-18T14:25:00.001-06:00

If only they made these a little bigger, they'd be sweet. But, we take what we can get right?

This guy was one of thousands but unique just the same. Too bad the Ewoks got the jump on them.

Again, one of thousands. But ya gotta like the differences.

"Demoted"?

2008-01-12T08:01:00.001-06:00

Well, that's what Barricade would have you believe. Now that everyone knows the police car that's secretly a bad guy, he's had to change his image a bit. Here he is as a security car:

It seems like everyone has had some kind of "image adjustment" at one point or another. You think Hasbro did this just to make money? Surely you jest.

"One Sweet Ride"

2008-01-02T22:58:00.001-06:00

Got this for Christmas from Mommy. Very shiny.

The speakers in the back are nice, but does a car like that really need NO2? Nah.

"More X-men You Say?"

2007-11-29T12:37:00.000-06:00

Oh, you betcha! Just when I seem to have them all on here, more come out of the woodwork!

Banshee

Some Indian

Another Indian

Sabretooth

Bishop maybe?

Bishop, maybe?

So far this seems to be all I have...unless that "Magneto" movie actually gets made. Either way I'm money.

"They Melt In Your Mouth..."

2007-11-26T12:18:00.000-06:00

Well, actually they don't. In fact, if they are even opened I'll kill ya! Ha ha just kidding. But please don't open them. I got the first one for my birthday in 2005 and the other three I picked up during the after Christmas sale at Walmart. Am I crazy for going there during that time? Probably. But I think these will be worth something at some point.

I think there are a few more of them out there, but darned if I never see them anywhere. My son would love playing with these. You'd think that would be enough to make me want to open them. Yup...you'd think. But, no. Lemme see what someone will give me for them in a few year and then we'll talk.

"No fighting!"

2007-11-24T07:56:00.000-06:00

...unless of course it is Street Fighting! Now I never got into the video game as much as others...namely teenagers with absolutely nothing better to do then to sit around Putt Putt and waste money. Somehow I came across a lot of the characters as action figures (in 1999 of course) so here they are!

This guy is...I don't know...

Ken? Is that who this is?

Boy they sure look alike. You think the toy company made the same guy twice andjust put a different coloured cape on him? Nah!

Thought I had a lot more of them. Hmmm...

Well, the game isn't as popular as it used to be, but the toys live on!

"Anna Who?"

2007-11-06T21:05:00.000-06:00

Heck, I don't know who it is either since I never saw the movie. Not because I didn't want to. Quite the opposite. Anything Hugh Jackman is in is worthy of my attention. But it costs $9 to see a movie around here and frankly, I just can't afford to see 'em all. But I found this gal for like $5 back in 2005 so I picked her up.

Will this be worth something someday? Eh, maybe, maybe not. But it sure isn't bad to admire from afar...or up close...whichever.

"She's The Fastest Ship In The Fleet..."

2007-11-02T06:33:00.001-05:00

Okay, so maybe the Millenium Falcon wasn't THAT fast...but man, did she have it where it counts! If it wasn't for the dynamic duo of Han and Chewie, the Rebellion may have been over before it began. So, to honour their dubious achievements, Hasbro decided to immortalize them as...a Transformer! My two favourite worlds come together in a very detailed way that makes me glad the missus picked this up for me last Christmas:

Now I see they have a Death Star that transforms into Darth Vader! It's huge! And it's like $50. Will Santa bring it for me this Christmas? Mmm...I can always dream, right?

"Look Into My Eye..."

2007-10-30T19:45:00.001-05:00

...if you dare! Saw this at Target a while back, just haven't posted him until now. If you notice the red sticker, that was the actual price! Not bad eh? Would rather have Magneto or whoever, but this is pretty cool too.

I wonder...if his visor lights up or anything...now I'm all curious...and we all know there's only one way to find out...but do I go down that road?

"To The Rescue!"

2007-10-20T07:18:00.001-05:00

Out of all the movie toys that have come out on the market (and man are there a lot!), when I found out Ratchet was going to be a Hummer ambulance I was excited. Then, when this repaint came out, I was psyched since Ratchet was now in his original G1 colours.

I saw a repaint of Barricade where he has been redone in a blue colourscheme. Hopefully someone will have him...somewhere...sometime...(fade to black)

"Cock The Hammer..."

2007-10-10T20:28:00.002-05:00

...it's time for action! Anyone know what movie that song is from? The answer a little later. This guy I found at Big Lots a couple of years ago after winning some Super Bowl money from my nephew. I'm such a good role model yes?

Why did I want this one so bad? Seemed like one of those who would come and go like the wind. Turns out...if you look hard enough you can still find him. I still like him though. The lost Constructicon if you will lol.

BTW if you went and saw Last Action Hero you would have heard that song by none other then Cypress Hill. Great soundtrack!

"I Thought I Was Done!"

2007-10-04T23:32:00.001-05:00

...but, I guess I wasn't. Checked out WallyWorld this morning purely on a whim and it looks like the truck that brings all the Transformers has finally arrived! I never thought I'd say this, but Toys 'R' Us officially is worthless! All they have is crap no one wants and they run out of what people do want way too fast. Here is what I picked up:

Bumblebee

I think we were all happy when his second version of Camaro in the movie was finally produced. But man, I could not find him anywhere!

Thundercracker

Anyone remember him from the movie? Didn't think so. No problem! What I love about him is you just don't see this one overstocked. Worth something someday? I sure hope so!

Optimus Prime

How could I not add this one eh? Again, overstocking not an issue as this is literally the first one I have seen in 5+ months of searching. VERY proud of finding him.

So now what? I've spent the last seven months creating this site to showcase my collection. Is it impressive? Well, to me it is. My garage has a few useful things but plenty of "collector items". Who knows what the future is for them. I can't wait for my son to (maybe) take it up on his own. He may wanna open them first though. LOL I say let him.

"One Great Trip!"

2007-09-28T23:10:00.001-05:00

My most recent trip to WallyWorld yielded two really great things. One of them I thought I'd never get to buy and theother I had no idea I was looking for. We'll start with the first:

This just about completes my movie collection. If I had to...had to...buy something else I wouldn't mind having Starscream.

So far they have only released five of these as you can see by the back of it. But this one is so far the best one I think I could have.

We went to Barnes 'n' Noble tonight and I found a Transformers appraisal book! It was $25 but Cari studied it...maybe I'll get it for my birthday! (fingers crossed)

"More Figures?"

2007-09-26T10:31:00.001-05:00

Yes, more figures!! There are a few of these that I wanted. Actually there are a few more that I want but everyone seems to be sold out of them. Here are three that I managed to get a hold of:

Galactic Marine

This guy looks pretty cool. Don't remember him from the Sith movie but...nevertheless...

Airborne Trooper

Again...looks cool...not sure where in the movie he was...

Luke Skywalker

All the figures I have in my collection and no Luke! I had to rectify this obviously.

Would love for Lucas to re-release every single character maybe on a 1/6 scale to really capture the detail and create yet another collectible that we'll all just have to have.

"Like A Rock..."

2007-09-24T13:49:00.001-05:00

My previous remarks about Wal-Mart were completely justified. All of their Alternators that they had a hard time getting rid of have been lowered to $10 from $20! They had only like two or three so I picked this one:

His name is Rollbar. To be honest, I never heard of him. Hound is just like him but he is green. Still pretty neat looking though.

"Who Da Man?"

2007-09-20T11:17:00.000-05:00

Captain America, that's who. For some reason I always had a fascination with him. More so than Superman. Not sure why. Just did.

I heard the comics killed him off recently. Any truth to that? In my mind he'll always be around.

"Bigger And Better"

2007-09-18T15:19:00.000-05:00

You know...it is a sad state of affairs when Wal-Mart has a better selection then Toys 'R' Us and Target combined! Went there today and found a lot of things the other stores sold out of a long time ago. At least someone cares about the few of us who still consider unopened items treasures. Apparently GIJoe is re-releasing quite a few characters bigger, better, and with a lot more accessories. Let's check out 3 I picked up:

I knew someone who had Zartan back in the 80's and when he got warm, he changed colours! The toy, not the kid. I wonder if this one does that...

I...actually...don't remember this guy...I picked him up though because I liked his giant SWAT shield!

From what I remember, the fire expert's name was Barbecue...of course, this was also in the 80's so things may have changed in 20+ years. But I really liked the way this guy looks. Turns out his ax releases sub-zero ice to put out fires faster.

As always, part of me is dying to slice them open and play with them. I know Zach would love em' too. It's a little shocking that no one at all carries them. And I don't want to pay double on eBay. Stay strong, Wal-Mart.

"Phones? Seriously?"

2007-09-13T10:58:00.000-05:00

Oh you're darn right I'm serious. I took a long look at my collection and realized I had two impressive items that also led a double life! We'll start with R2:

At first it just appears to be a regular toy.

But what's this? A "demo" button? What could possibly be demonstrated here?

Pretty cool eh? Now let's check out the other one:

This one is pretty cool due to the headlights lighting up whenever a call comes in.

Well, so far these are the only two toys I have that are also useful as phones. But could there be more to come? Hmm...

"The Man Of..."

2007-09-10T15:58:00.000-05:00

Um...steel wasn't it? Yeah, that's it! Used to love the Superman show of the 1950's with George Reeves. No, I wasn't a kid back then! But it came on in the 80's and I always made time for it. Everyone loves a good guy.

This is all the Superman thingamabobs I have amassed so far. More to come? Ehh...

"Someone Say Trucks?"

2007-09-08T12:15:00.000-05:00

Well...no, actually. No one said trucks. But I do have a few I would like to show here.

Found these at the big "R" in 1999 and thought they were kind of neat. I haven't bought anything new in about 2 months! I think that's a record.

"Someone Say Snow?"

2007-09-05T15:42:00.000-05:00

Well, here in Texas, we only get snow when it's inconvenient as far as driving goes. But if I had this thing, maybe I'd look forward to hitting the road. Found this at the big "R" last year and thought it might be worth something down the road.

Was it worth $16.99 plus tax? Ehh...maybe. I may give it to Zach when he's old enough to enjoy it and not just body slam it to the ground ha ha.

"Last But Not Least"

2007-09-04T15:54:00.000-05:00

This is one of the last X-Men I have and for some reason he fell to the wayside while I was documenting the others! This just is not good for Logan.

Is the collection complete now? Mmm...something tells me there might be a few more around the corner.

"I Am...The Viper..."

2007-09-01T08:27:00.000-05:00

...or was that the Wiper? There was an episode of G.I.Joe where they kept getting calls from someone who, due to a thick accent, made "Wiper" sound like "Viper", so of course everyone thought Cobra was behind it. Basically, everytime this guy said something it led to a discovery of a secret Cobra base. THEN...he said he was coming to meet them. So Duke and Flint assemble the entire force to greet him, just in case there was something funny going on. Finally, this old man with a squeegee and bucket shows up and tells them he's the Wiper...who cleans windows. Boy did they feel like fools.

When the Viper comes a-calling...you'd better listen.

"Role Call!"

2007-08-31T23:58:00.001-05:00

Picked up these guys in 1994 and now...I seem to forget who they are! One is Mirage and one is Prowl...can ya figure out which is which?

As of right now this is all the Transformers I have. Hopefully more will be on the way...if there IS a God...and I think there is.

"Small But Powerful"

2007-08-31T11:39:00.001-05:00

Well, I don't know how powerful he was, but Bumblebee has been a mainstay of the Transformers legacy for over 20 years, partly due to his unwaivering loyalty to Optimus Prime. Even though he wasn't the bravest...or the toughest...or the smartest...or the biggest...geez, why did we even keep this guy around? Because he got along with Spike. And let's get real...isn't that what is most important?

Really enjoyed his role in the new movie. Now that we have established who the Transformers are and how they got here, the next step is coming up with an even more complex storyline and introducing some new characters. My picks would include:

Hound Inferno Shockwave Mirage Brawl

"Bond...James Bond..."

2007-08-30T11:14:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure I would enjoy the earlier Bond films but I didn't get into them until I saw The World Is Not Enough back in 2002. Great story, great gadgets, and of course, great car.

This car is the largest of my collection, so of course it required more photos to capture its detail. I have a few more cars I will work their way on here...soon...

"The Only Mercedes!?"

2007-08-28T10:40:00.000-05:00

Yes, believe it or not, this is the only Mercedes model I have in my burdgeoning car collection. I believe my mom brought it back from Europe years ago but for some reason it got tucked away with some other things.

I really like the lines and moulding alongside the doors and trim. I have, I think...seven or 8 more cars I wanna get on here. I haven't bought anything new in a while partly because the stores close to me have been sold out of a lot of the neater things. They always have crap in stock but the ones people actually...you know...BUY? Never around.

"Oh, Magnum..."

2007-08-27T15:55:00.000-05:00

...was how Higgins always paged his favourite detective. I never watched this show when I was younger but now in reruns it seems to hold a subtle charm. First of all, living the high life in Hawaii is always boss. Second...the car. No one made Ferrari's cooler then Thomas Magnum.

A movie is coming out in 2009...hopefully they'll stay true to the original!

"What's The Number for 911?"

2007-08-26T14:15:00.000-05:00

Ha ha...that joke never gets old does it. I had a red Porsche but one of the headlights got lost. So this one is the only mint one I have.

One of many cars to be featured so stay tuned!

"And Dreadwing Was His Name-O..."

2007-08-25T08:21:00.001-05:00

Found this guy at...KB Toys back in 1994. I don't see him too often but I'm sure he's out there. He can also turn into a tank bu I couldn't get him to look just right.

By far this is the biggest one I own, but maybe some of the movie toys could surpass him. I just have to open them up first.

"Mutants...In The Box..."

2007-08-24T15:20:00.001-05:00

What's that? Only TWO X-Men out of their original packaging? Well, to be honest, there are so many of them I wouldn't know what to buy and what to pass on. But here are two I managed to preserve:

Are there more on the way? Who knows...I don't really see them in the store anymore so it may be a while. I did hear about a Magneto movie being formed, so it could happen!

"From The Batcave..."

2007-08-23T08:17:00.000-05:00

...can sometimes turn up a treasure here and there that you didn't even know existed but you sure are glad you paid attention! Bought these couple of years ago and for some reason I never got around to posting them to my other site so why not now ya know?

I already have another Batman like this but this one just seems to be a little darker and, dare I say it...a little meaner.

I was going to collect the entire set until they kept releasing more and more and more of them so I had to really think about which ones I wanted. Since I had Superman I knew I just had to have this guy as well.

So far what I have left is mostly cars and stuff...but it is a LOT!

"Did Someone Say Milk"?

2007-08-22T20:53:00.000-05:00

I sure did! Found this guy at you-know-where along with some other unusual vehicles, all of which will make their way on here.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I have a craving for some chocolate milk. I wonder why...

"Empire State Building?"

2007-08-20T10:40:00.000-05:00

Well, maybe. The Empire certainly tried to defeat the Jedis during the ordeal that was the Star Wars universe. Whiel they certainly came close, there truly was no cigar. Let's meet the bad guys:

Now that the war has subsided, let's try to move our attention to where it belongs...which is...where?

"Who The Heck Are These Guys!?"

2007-08-17T15:50:00.000-05:00

Back in the day (1994) I saw these guys Roadblock and Dirtbag in Toys 'R' Us (where else) and thought they looked pretty neat. Probably why I picked them up! Only caveat is, they don't transform as much as others. Pretty much one motion and they go from Robot to vehicle. Ah well. They're big.

They don't show up on eBay very much which may be a good thing if I'm looking for money...which I usually am ha ha.

"You Have The Bridge"

2007-08-15T13:15:00.000-05:00

You? Me? Well, someone always had the bridge when Picard left to take care of business, whether it was battling some evil Romulans or retiring to the Holodeck for some "fun" (sure ya know what I mean). For some reason I didn't collect more TNG toys, maybe because there just weren't that many, but here is what I found:

Reginald Barclay........Dwight Schultz

Fun Fact:
If this guy looks vaguely familiar, you may remember him as Murdoch from "The A-Team".

Jean-Luc Picard..........................Patrick Stewart

Fun Fact: Patrick actually has a full head of hair; however, he always wears an uncomfortable scalp cap so people won't be jealous.

Tasha Yar...............................Denise Crosby

Fun Fact: Denise is the grand-daughter of legendary singer Bing Crosby. All I can say is B-I-I-I-N-G!!!

This one I thought looked pretty neat. I really wanted a Data figure as well but as usual no one had any. I really don'tlike buying stuff like this online because I find myself growing more impatient each day it isn't in my possession. Saving a fortune though.

"If Only They Transformed..."

2007-08-14T15:50:00.000-05:00

...Sunstreaker and Sideswipe would be reunited at last!! But, they don't, and no amount of welding knowledge will ever change that. But I do like the fact that I found these for $6.99 or less at KB Toys years and years ago. I re-discovered them on my vacation and managed to get some good shots of them:

I have lots more cars in my collection and will post them shortly...I promise!

"Here He Comes..."

2007-08-12T21:28:00.000-05:00

...he's a demon on wheels! I remember when TV Guide came out with their list of the 50 Greatest Television Moments...and the final episode of Speed Racer was one of them! Could not believe it. Anyone remember what it was about? No? Well let me refresh your memory. For years Speed Racer had dueled with his arch-nemesis RacerX. RacerX was always dressed in black and you never got to see his face. But then...finally...in the last episode...he took off his helmet...and it was Speed Racer's brother!

I bought this in 1999 during my "get it at Toys'R'Us before it's gone" days and I sure am glad I did. Now all Toys'R'Us stores are identical, running out of good stuff at the same. Stupid cookie cutter mentality! Maybe it's time to look elsewhere.

"Mutants...Out Of The Box..."

2007-08-09T15:38:00.000-05:00

Lots of em! Hard to believe, but in my pre-hey day I actually opened up a few things and got to play with them! We'll start with the X-men collection I have amassed and may sell one day...if the price is right...

I have a few more. At least I think they're X-Men, not sure to this day. Will have to have that researched!

"Horn 'O' Plenty?"

2007-08-07T10:27:00.001-05:00

Nah...just some guy in wild make-up who had some big plans for bringing down the Jedi Empire for fellow Darth Sidious. Even though Darth Maul was sliced and diced by Obi Wan Kenobi, he made things more then a little interesting.

I always felt like his character wasn't developed enough along the same lines as Qui Gon Jinn, but I guess Lucas knew what he was doing...right? Actually, a lot of people didn't seem to agree. With the first trilogy we got to see Luke and co. from the beginning but it just seemed more enjoyable. Witht he 2nd three it was like there was a mission to accomplish and some of the creativity appeared to be left out.

I have a few Phantom Menace items still left to post here, and be sure I will. What we need is another trilogy to get excited about. X-men? Kind of. Alien? Sure. Who knows really.

"1.21 Gigawatts!?"

2007-08-03T15:45:00.000-05:00

And with that exclamation of hopelessness and despair, Doc Brown and Marty set out to harness the power of lightning (since they knew when and where it would strike) and managed to send Marty back...to the future! And here is the vehicle of choice, the DeLorean. Quite hideous as a family vehicle, it made for an awesome wayback machine. Here are some detailed pics:

I remember watching this movie when I was 10 and getting spooked by the picture with his family disappearing. Now I look back and just think "Cool".

"A Rebellion Without a Cause"

2007-07-31T08:41:00.000-05:00

When Phantom Menace came out in 1999, we were able to learn how things "really" began. Basically it was good guys vs. bad guys with the good guys winning, so not much had changed. But we did get to meet a lot of new characters and the birth of some old favourites. A concern that a lot of people had was that the first 3 movies didn't seem to capture the moment...or the magic...of the last 3. I think we have Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford to thank for that. Something about the two of them really added to our own personal enjoyment of their movies. Not that Phantom Menace was bad or anything. In fact it was rather enjoyable. Just not the same, ya know? Let's meet the good guys:

Some of them you remember, others you had no idea even existed. Which is the way it should be...right?

"New Look...Same Attitude..."

2007-07-25T13:33:00.001-05:00

To this day, I'm not sure what genus of Transformers this remake of Sideswipe belongs to. I think it's Machine Wars since I have a lot of other ones from that. If you remember, the Sideswipe from Gen One was red...very red...with a white missile on his shoulder. I'm pretty sure I have the missile but didn't bother looking for it when I took these pictures. Forgot about it I guess.

This is one of the very few ones I have opened as I have discovered they are worth a lot more if they remain in their original state.

"Merge...And Form..."

2007-07-21T07:35:00.001-05:00

Well, a bunch of people actually. After the success of Devastator in the late 80's, Hasbro decided what's good for the goose is good for the gander and introduced a series of Transformers that could combine and form one super robot. Good idea? Ehh, maybe. I never did find the Combaticons that could form Menasour (great name eh?) but I did manage to round these guys up:

Aerialbots

Silverbolt Air Raid Fireflight Skydive Slingshot

Superion

Of my collection, these are probably the guys I would sell first. The little planes didn't seem to change much from plane to robot. Gotta love the 90's creativity right?

Bruticus

Swindle Blast Off Onslaught Vortex Brawl

Combaticons

These guys are my favourite I think. They were the first ones that I bought after I realized how much I missed the ones I had when I was a kid. Really makes me mad that I don't have them anymore. Ebay has them but will charge a pretty penny. One day...

Constructicons

Bonecrusher Longhaul Mixmaster Scrapper Scavenger Hook

I got these from a brother of an ex about 9 years ago. Don't have any of the attachments to form Devastator but seperate they're pretty cool. One cool thing about the movie was how I didn't even realize Bonecrusher was one of the Constructicons until after I had left the theater. Will get the newer one as soon as someone has it!

"MacFarlane's World!"

2007-07-12T09:02:00.000-05:00

Sure, he created the Spawn comics and eventual movies that followed, but he has really made his name in the world by creating (or should I say re-creating) quite a few movie stars, athletes and cartoon characters to a striking resemblance but only a little smaller. Here are the three that I have managed to collect so far:

Neo

Alien vs. Predator

The Digger

I don't think we need any introductions as we all know who these guys are. Well, except for the Digger. Was he the one who dug Spawn out of his grave so he could be brought back to life? Heck if I know. But man did he look cool.

There have been some new Spawn characters under the Covenant line that I may invest in. What's great about them is they never seem to cost more then $10 so anyone can get them. Should I open them? Mmm...maybe one day.

"More Then Meets The Re-Inventions"

2007-07-10T11:27:00.001-05:00

When Hasbro came out with all new characters (and a few old ones) for it's Transformers: Cybertron, no one was more excited then me. Well, maybe a few kids. But that's it. After the disappointing line that was released in the mid-90's not to mention "Beast Wars" (shudder), it was nice to see an original line of vehicles, plus a few surprises thrown in. Here are the three that I managed to snag:

If anyone saw the movie from 1986 (and I think a few did), Blurr was introduced and was able to move fast and talk faster. Annoying? Yeah, a bit. But as least he didn't do anything heroic. He definitely looks a lot better here.

There were a few others I would have liked to have had but this one is pretty cool I gotta admit. A giant claw for one of his hands is neat in theory, but I think it would weigh him down more then it would benefit him. I dunno.

My nephew Ethan has this one so I got to play with this one hands-on. As a robot he looks very menacing but as an armoured tank he can do the most damage.

This one is probably my favourite of them all simply because both cars look very cool plus they appear to be caught in some kind of race deathmatch, which is a little odd seeing as how they're on the same side (I think). Maybe the orange one is a Decepticon, who knows.

I finally saw the movie and man did it not disappoint. Going to go see it again Friday night with aforementioned nephew. Anything for him, right? ha ha. I think what impresses me most with Bay and Co. is that he stayed true to what most of us grew up knowing about them. Even if he changed Megatron from a gun to a spaceship we were more then willing to forgive that to see something we could really interact and connect with.

"Sa-Wing Battah Battah!"

2007-07-05T15:12:00.000-05:00

Kenner introduced these guys back in...ohh, let's say the 80's...and kids just bought 'em up. Little did they know that after you got them home and opened them, they just kind of stood there. Hmm. Wow. Anyhoo...I bought eight of them and I'm kind of glad I did. They symbolize the kid in me that enjoys collectable things...which accounts for about 50% ha ha. Let's meet the starting lineup:

Catfish Hunter

Greg Maddux

Jim Palmer

Tom Seaver

Reggie Jackson

Mark McGwire

Ted Williams

Will I buy more? I doubt it. First of all, they don't make them this size anymore (I think). Someone makes bigger ones (MacFarlane I think) but of course no one anyone would be interested in. Bobby Abreu? Come on. Mark Mulder? Please. But I like these here.

"Simply Marvel-Ous!"

2007-07-02T14:34:00.000-05:00

Way back in my younger days...1999 to be exact...I found a small but impressive collection of Marvel heroes past and present so of course I had to pick them up. I featured them on my regular site back in Feburary 2005 but the pictures weren't that great, so what better time then now to do some re-takes? Mmm...no better time then now!

Ironman

Jean Grey

Mysterio

Unknown

The Archer

The Birdman

Daredevil

Dr. Doom

Were there anymore out there? None that I saw. But I'm glad I picked these up when I did. The kingdom of the 12 inchers is eightfold thanks to these guys.

"They're Here!"

2007-06-27T17:08:00.000-05:00

This is the exact same post as on my other site, but since the subject matter is beyond huge, I thought I would use both. Enjoy!

After more then a year of wondering, waiting, and hoping, in T-minus three days and a few hours, Transformers The Movie will officially be released in (hopefully) most theaters. Currently I am looking for a theater that just might be doing something kind of fun to celebrate this historic event in my life. Yes, I said historic. Why? Well, to really understand the whole thing, let's take a little trip back in time...

(dreamy music)

The day was December 7, 1986. It was the 45th anniversary of Pearl Harbor being attacked by the Japanese, but that was irrelevant to me. All I knew was what I had seen commercials for; my favourite cartoon of all time was moving to the big screen with new characters and new adventures. Even though the movie didn't win over a lot of critics, everyone who got to see it in the theater knew what a treat it was. We left the theater knowing we would remember this day for the rest of our lives. It was more then just seeing a movie. It was to be one of the defining moments of our youth. Everytime I reminisce about that day I always get a kind of bittersweet feeling, partly becaue I know I'll never get to relive that day again, but also I remember being one of the lucky few that knows what that day was all about.

Okay, enough chatter, let's move onto the toys! So far I has acquired five of the roughly 20 different items available so far so let's take a look:

This one I liked from the get go. A bad guy police car can't be good for the world, but it sure looks cool.

Bought this one with some leftover credit from the big "R". Something about tanks...

I have been a big fan of the Pontiac Solstice ever since Donald Trump gave on to Kendra on The Apprentice. And who better then Jazz to embody the cool sports car?

At first I thought Ratchet was going to be a Hummer rescue vehicle. Well, it doesn't look quite like what I had imagined, but the color and the size definitely impressed me.

These two I wasn't really planning on buying seperately mind you. But when I saw the package deal with a savings of over $15, I knew I had something special here.

This was the second one I had seen pictures of that I knew I had to have. I love the giant machine guns under the doors plus the fact that the detail and resemblance is just spectacular. If you remember the Ironhide from years ago, he was a little red van thing that just did not transform the way he did on the cartoon.

So, as you can see, I'm just a little more excited then most people about next week. Even if it's just a midnight showing and nothing more, that's alright with me. I sure wish Zach was a few years older so he would get as big a kick out of this as I do, but he will definitely have watched it before he starts school lol. What memories instill special feelings in you? I have an entire catalogue myself, but that's probably because I don't have much of a life ha ha.

"The Three Forceketeers?"

2007-06-20T08:58:00.001-05:00

Okay, that title was a bit lame, but one of my prized Star Wars collectibles is this 3-pack holographic figures at the end of "Return Of The Jedi" when Anakin, Yoda and Obi Wan are gathered around the bonfire "celebration". What are they celebrating? Well, it depends on who you ask. For the Ewoks, they were just happy the Empire got off their peaceful planet. For Han and Leia, they were finally able to be together. And for Luke...well, knowing your dad changed his ways before it was too late made his day I'm sure.

Let's follow the path young Skywalker took as the years went on:

Here we see Anakin as a young boy. Not having a father ultimately led to his less-then-stellar treatment of Luke and Leia.

As a youngster, he meets Obi Wan Kenobi, an established Jedi warrior and mentor who tries his darndest to keep the boy in line, with ultimately futile results.

Once Anakin accepts his destiny to be a Jedi, he is turned over to Yoda who, as he would say it, "Do or do not. There is no try" Huh?

After a few movies and several tragedies, we see what Anakin has turned into: a bionic, respirator-dependent cybernetic being driven by hatred of the Rebellion. Plus, the love of his life Amidala died too...that probably has something to do with it.

Ahh, but all hope is not lost. After Vader finally gets it all turned around (i.e. tossing ol' Emperor down the garbage chute), he gets to join Obi Wan and Yoda in the great afterlife of Jedis...glowing, walking around, talking with everyone else...too bad this doesn't work in real life.

As the three most famous Jedis, they each gave their lives to protect someone else's. Too bad it's all make-believe. There's a lot of people who would like it to be real.

"Look Out..."

2007-06-15T15:32:00.000-05:00

...here comes the Spiderman!! Haven't seen the 3rd installment yet but according to the $300+ million it's taken in already it must be good. So, I thought I would look and see what Spidey collectibles I have amassed over the years. And boy, it ain't many:

The only actual action figure I ever collected of him, he looks a lot like the toys that came out recently, so...why not save $7.99?

Christmas time is always a fun time at our house, and part of the reason is the eccentric collection of ornaments on the ol' fake tree.

I really enjoy being Venom on the Marvel vs. X-Men arcade game due to the fact he can use his suit to capture the enemy while I wail on him with other stuff.

So far, this is the only things I have found that captured my interest. Will more come? Well I sure hope so! Wouldn't be a toy guy if I didn't always look to the future.

"May The Toys Be With You"

2007-06-08T11:55:00.000-05:00

You could say this is my personal mantra, seeing as how I would collect everything under the sun if I could. Hey, if work keeps giving out gift cards, that very well may happen. Here are a few things Star Wars-related that you may not have seen the firs ttime around:

If I knew how to use a yo-yo somewhat effectively, I might open this one up. But, the last time I checked, I do not.

Found this at Target just sitting there all by itself, so I knew I had to give it a home. The truth is, I'd love to open it up and do something creative, but I bet one of my fellow eBayers would like it pristine instead.

This is probably the prize of my collection. I ordered this off Starwars.com back in 1999 and I have never seen one in the stores or on eBay.

I refer you to my yo-yo skills as to why I have not opened this up. But I can imagine how a game of chess would go between Darth Vader and one of his minions:

Vader: "Bishop to C2."

Minion: "Um, I'm sorry Lord Vader, but you can't move your bishop there."

Vader: "What!?"

(minion chokes to death...which is ironic considering they're on the 'Death" Star)

This is about all I managed to collect that wasn't an actual action figure. I shall add more if The Force allows me...which it usually does.

"The Alternator Alternative"

2007-06-01T10:29:00.001-05:00

I'm sure a lot of people were wondering when the Transformer line was going to come out with a line of toys resembling the more modern cars we have today. Well, as of last year, Hasbro presented the Alternator collection. There are about 30 or so past and present characters that have been remodeled as classic cars, trucks and SUV's. Here are the three I managed to add to my collection:

Sunstreaker

I remember the G1 toy as looking kind of weird when it was in robot form. Now, as a Dodge Viper, I don't think he will have that problem again.

Shockblast

I think this was supposed to be Shockwave but someone got the number wrong. As a Mazda RX-8 this is definitely the fave of my collection.

Tracks

Don't remember who this guy was...there are several of these with names I've never heard of. As a 2006 Corvette I was just looking to add to what I already had and since he was blue...well...he added to the spectrum I guess.

What I like now is you can't even find these in the stores anymore. Toys R Us has a few on their website but who knows if they will even be available when you go to order them. Which means as of right now their value has gone ahead of their MSRP of $19.99. Glad to see something I own is worth something.

"What The Heck Is A Saga Anyway!?"

2007-05-25T14:37:00.000-05:00

Well, if you looked it up in a dictionary, you would see that it means a long story made up of many stories that ultimately intertwine to produce a lot of wisdom and maybe some merchandising as well. And no one knows merchandising then Yoda himself, George Lucas. Very smart thing he did all those years ago, asking 20th Century Fox for the merchandising rights to his creation. That netted him what, three, four billion? Here are the three "Saga" characters I have collected:

If you look closely you can see the thermal detonator in her right hand. This is from the scene where she rescues Han Solo from the carbonite freezer. Afterwards they kiss...I guess morning breath doesn't exist?

This is when 3PO uses his "powers" and rises in front of the Ewoks, much to their delight and fear. Don't want to be a spoiler but Luke was behind the whole thing.

This guy is...a little creepy. A giant snake on his head, razor teeth and red eyes? Some would call this a night to forget in New York but Lucas saw more. Did he die in the movie? He was there for a while and then *poof* gone.

There are a few more of these out there but none that are as recognizable as these three here. By the way, I have lots...lots more Star Wars items, some popular, some never before seen...stay tuned.

"Someone Call For A Fireman?"

2007-05-18T12:05:00.000-05:00

With all the lasers and shooting the Autobots and Decepticons did, I'm sure a fire was bound to break out somewhere. Fortunately Prime and co. had a fireman named Inferno to put 'em out. Hmm, doesn't naming a fireman after a raging fire seem kind of ironic? Here are a few choice poses:

This is the only Transformer I own that is technically from the 80's. I used to have so many others. Like all kids, I got bored with them. Unlike all kids, I thought I would see how they work by taking them apart with a screwdriver. Unbeknownst to me, I couldn't figure out how to put them back together, so all I had left was a bunch of parts and screws and no clue. Anyways, when I started collecting them again like five years later, I was sure to take special care of them. But Inferno will always be my favourite. A reminder of a simpler time when all I had to worry about was my toys.

"Who Are You!?"

2007-05-12T07:02:00.000-05:00

I'm Batman!

And with those words the franchise was completely remastered in 1989 when Keaton, Nicholson and Basinger teamed up to give Batman what he desperately needed back: his reputation. Sure, we all watched the 1960's tv show which, looking back on it now, I cannot believe this was must-watch for me. Here is a small but growing collection of my Batman memoribilia:

Who knew Christmas could be so much fun?

I bought these at Toys R Us (big shock) back in 1999 and part of me did not want to open them. But...ultimately...the kid in me won out and out they came. They're pretty cool for display or to increase the value to your house.

This one came out when DC was re-releasing their best and brightest in 2006.

Since they made sooo...many different types of Batman figures to celebrate the release of the movie (which is great BTW) I had to settle on one, so I got this one...now you can't even find them anywhere! Score!

This one I got at Toys R Us on a day when a truck crashed into our power pole at work and since we had no power we all got to go home with pay! So after lunch we went there and I was allowed to get this!

This one I bought at Walmart as kind of a nostalgic reminder of what used to be. Hey, $7 isn't so bad!

Still not sure what kind of direction I wanna take this site but I think this is a good first step. Stay tuned cuz I'm just getting warmed up!

"One Shall Stand...One Shall Fall..."

2007-05-04T07:01:00.001-05:00

...and, in this case, Prime stood and megatron fell. Why? The new Megatron Hasbro released was all kinds of weird colours and even though I won't open Prime up, I know that if I ever did, he would be a lot more fun to play with then Megatron. I do like the fact that Hasbro didn't stray too far from the formula that made Prime so revered in the first place. The giant trailer he had in the 80's was no longer needed thank goodness. Anyone remember that thing? A pain to transform, and a bigger pain to find a place for. This one's a keeper though.

"Arise, Rodimus..."

2007-04-27T13:24:00.001-05:00

I remember when he first appeared in Transformers: The Movie back in 1986. Voiced by Judd Nelson, Rodimus (AKA: Hot Rod) arose to the occasion and with the help of the Autobox Matrix destroyed the evil Unicron. When he came out in stores, he was a little pricey so no one got it for me. But now that Hasbro re-released him along with a select few, I knew the time for me to have him was now. Of course, I may never open him up, but it's nice just knowing he's out there in my garage lol.

"A Real American Hero!"

2007-04-23T13:28:00.001-05:00

Glad to see G.I. Joe is making some kind of a comeback! Found these three at Toys R Us for $4 each! Sounds kind of high doesn't it? Maybe it is...but it brought back memories of my youth...can't put a price on that can ya. Well Toys R Us sure did!

Grand Slam

COBRA Saw Viper

Med AlertThere are a few more I may get, I don't know...will have to wait and see I guess. I did just come into a $20 gift card for Toys R Us so once I find them again I will think about it. Slowly this stuff is disappearing off the shelves...hopefully never to be seen again.

"Target Cars!"

2007-04-13T13:22:00.001-05:00

These I found at...you know, Target...a while back when I had some gift card left over that was just burnin' through my pocket:

It says "One of 10,000" on the back of it so it may be worth something...who knows.