The new Masterverse Hordak is something special for me. Hordak is one of my favorite MOTU characters and on my top list of ultimate badass things. There's been a few Origins Hordak figures (and I have them), but this one is particularly nice. Like other Masterverse figures, Hordak comes with a plethora of extra parts. His laser cannon arm from the cartoon (with blast effect), alternate hands (including robotic), and the cape, shield, and crossbow his original toy came with. They are stylized to match the more serious look of the Masterverse figure... but it wouldn't be a tribute to him without them. Most Evil Horde members come packing that crossbow and that bat shield just completes Hordak's look. The cape is cloth and extra long giving him that classic evil villain look.
Like other Masterverse figures, Hordak has a ton of articulation. Since this is specifically meant to represent his appearance in the She-Ra cartoon, Hordak has his blue skin instead of the gray skin his orignal (and Origins) toy has. It does look good, but what looks great is the pearlescent quality to his skull like head. I probably appreciated that more than I should, but it looks really great. I've raved before about just how good Masterverse figures look and this is no exception. The Mrs got me Hordak as a Christmas gift as she knows just how much I like him and this is a GREAT higher quality toy of him. I can't find anything bad to say about this toy, it just feels like art.
A new week is here, and with it... I dunno. I had a pretty good weekend. The weather has been pretty nice latley so I took the opportunity to grill out Sunday. I'm not sure if an early spring is setting in this year, but I'll enjoy a relaxing afternoon around the grill cooking some good food. Did some shopping Saturday, resulting in a new pair of Hey Dudes. I've always been a sneaker guy, but these little shoes might have me finally changing my ways. The Mrs got me a great pair for Christmas and now we're at two pair. The times are changing I guess.
As far as toys go, I got some fun stuff. A trip by the Dollar Tree resulted in finally finding some new Final Faction figures. I got 4 of the new Venom series Kharn toys. Just need 2 more and to find the Elite series. A stop by TJ Maxx provided a Lightyear Hyperspeed series buggy set. I'd been hoping to find those since seeing other Inchman posts on Instagram using them. Walmart didn't have anything I've been looking for, so I took the occasion to order some Beastbox. Got the new rabbit set (just in time for Easter) and the Godzilla flavored SubZero figure. My Mom came by Sunday for the cook out and gifted me the new Talon Fighter (Netflix CGI He-Man) and a Bakugan set she found on clearance.
There's a new episode of Transform Squadron avaliable for your listening pleasure. I hope it helps you get this week going. I've got some fun stuff planned for you all this week as usual. Thank you for continuing to support Zone Base. It may be just a podunk little fan blog, but it's mine and I appreciate you all reading. Please don't forget to share with your friends. I don't ask much. No ads or hand outs required, but it'd be great for more people to enjoy this fun stuff with me.
This month, Rob talks all about Transformers Beast Alliance toys. As well as discount chain Masters of the Universe figures and Earth Spark. Most importantly, he clarifies that he isn't using a solo cup but an off brand variation. It's important.
It's no secret that I'm a fan of smaller Transformers toys, after all the site is named after a play set for smaller Transformers toys. That being said, it's probably no surprise that I'd be a fast fan of Tacticons. Tacticons are a new size class of Transformers toys (specifically in the EarthSpark toy line) that are pleasantly small. When they were first shown I figured I'd just get a couple as I wasn't immediately interested by silly finger puppets. Then I got one and that's all it tooked to get hooked. Currently the only toys available as Tacticons are Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Bumblebee. Hasbro has a history of leading with main characters.
Like I mentioned up above and you've probably already heard... they're finger puppets. That's a silly thing you'd expect from a toy... which these are. However the finger puppet gimmick is mostly a distraction from what you're really getting- some cool little bots! Standing around an inch or so tall and transforming into chubby little versions of their alt modes, these little guys are cool. These are simple one step style Transformers in the purest sense of the word. I wish they came with trading cards.
Unlike other smaller Transformers toys, they're not articulated... or at least these three. Fortunately the simple neatness of the tiny toy overcomes that. You didn't buy a Tacticon to display on your fancy shelves... it's a fiddle toy that's in your hoodie pocket. Although they'd look your fancy shelves. There's something oddly satisfying about seeing them standing next to each other. Small toys like this tend to get a lot of interesting repaints and exclusives. That's something I really hope happens here. I'd love to chase down some unique Tacticons. Small, inexpensive toys can be fun to collect and easy to store. Just stick them in an old shoe box... but be sure to label it. Wouldn't want to get those Hey Dudes mixed up with your Tacticons.
These three Mini-con robots are as different as any three individuals can be, except for one thing: their love for soaring through the crisp, blue skies of a living world. Across the Universe, countless worlds are infested with Decepticon mining crews stripping resources to fuel their engines, and spewing smoke and filth into the skies. Wherever this happens, you can expect to find the Clear Skies team, waging a private war to destroy the Decepticons and save the skies they love.
It's been awhile since I've talked about the Cursed Kleenex commercial, and since it's cold and flu season... Depending on who you ask, this commercial is cursed. Allegedly the entire crew died after making it. Allegedly bad things will happen if you watch it at midnight (don't worry, this posted at 12:01). From what I've heard, this isn't the actual cursed commercial. One from the 70's is and the urban legend moved onto this one instead. An article in a popular magazine was talking about it around the same time this ad was airing and the curse got passed on. Regardless, the song is uncomfortable.
I've got a soft spot for Beast Man. He was one of the first MOTU figures I got as a child and still love him to this day. One of Skeletor's original gang of Evil Warriors and a classic member of the cast. This toy of Beast Man we're talking about today is a more recent figure of him from the Masterverse line. Specifically in the New Eternia setting, which is a more medieval fantasy take on the characters heavily based on the lines original concept art. He's also a larger figure than your standard Masterverse toy.... in case the picture doesn't show it well, he's freaking huge.
His New Eternia look is a fur made of the hide of some Eternian animal including its head as a crude hat. Beast Man is also sporting Lord of Power style leather straps and spikes type of armor mixed with his traditional garments. He really looks like a wild jungle warrior from some post apocalyptic war zone... which is exactly the original theme of Masters of the Universe. There's a spiked club as well as Beast Man's signature whip with multiple types of hands to swap out for holding the weapons. Masterverse toys are usually loaded with accessories, so there's also Beast Man's original outfit. Just in case you'd rather the figure represent it's classic roots.
Masterverse is a higher quality, more premium line. There's several points of articulation of a variety of poses. The figure is pretty large as I mentioned above... which feels right. He's a big brute. They toy isn't just big either, there's noticeable heft. The weight and size are pretty satisfactory. This is a nice toy. Beast Man feels like a much more premium toy than the premium toy he already is. The extra parts and accessories give you a range of options to display him in. Personally, I like this New Eternia theme. I've always been a big fan of the original direction of MOTU and like this focus on it. Beast Man was another Christmas gift from the Mrs and a really great one at that.
Another Monday has cursed us with it's presence, but at least a new week on Planet Zone is here to ... I dunno, do something. Like you all, I wish there was more weekend to enjoy. Such is life I guess, and if it means anything, I've got a fun week of posts to hopefully help get you to next weekend.
As far as toys go, I got a few. Transformers Earth Spark warrior class Optimus Prime and Tacticons Bumblebee and Megatron. I originally planned to get just a few Tacticons... and since getting Optimus last week... I'm hooked. They give me Mini-Con energy and that's all it took. They're surprisingly fun, simple little bots. Hopefully they'll be as fun to collect as Mini-Cons were.
I stated off Sunday waking up early and watching Tokushoutsu. I do love that channel and Sunday morning just the proper time to indulge in it. A stop by Five Below later provided a little extra fun. I picked up another copy of the Yokaiden manga... I still haven't read the last one, but I do love some yokai. It's February and hankering for Halloween is running wild in my heart. So of course spooky shit is more than welcome.
The store also had a new surprise for me. Bakugan figurines! Instead of the normal changing little orbs, figurines of a few Bakugan as they appear on the show. I got a white and blue Hydorous. The figures are sold in two alternate colors and come with cards and coins. Pretty neat! I should get this week started, there'sstuff to do. Thanks to everyone for reading. If you could, please share my posts with your friends. That'd be awesome.
Studio Series 86 figures are really neat. They're updates of the classic G1 characters as they appeared in the 1986 movie. Like all Studio Series figures, they're a higher grade toy. Ironhide here is a voyager class toy that's way nicer than I thought he'd be. Going in, I was prepared for just another Ironhide... just bigger. Instead I got a very premium feeling figure that almost feels like the first draft of a Masterpiece Ironhide toy. He's surprisingly good, especially considering just how simple the toy looks.
Classic Ironhide is a pretty standard looking robot that turns into a boxy van. He's pretty plain. Who'd have thunk they'd given him so much articulation? You could probably roll him up into a ball. Considering this is a Studio Series toy, one could probably reenact some of his famous scenes from the 1986 movie. Shoots a gun or gets shot by a gun. Considering he's hardly in the movie and got a fairly accurate toy in Earthrise... I'm guessing somebody REALLY wanted to make this figure. I'm glad they did, because it's a really nice toy. If I had any complaints, I found the transformation to be a little tricky. Not particularly hard or anything, just fiddled with his parts more than I would have liked. Not enough to ruin it though. In my mind, this is probably the best toy of G1 Ironhide ever made. You heard me.
Abilities: Invention of the Seibertron Zone Project. Due to their build, they rank high flying through the air. Do not have a lot of physical strength so do not like to participate in combat.
Weapons: They have a flash attack which blinds the enemy.
When it comes to spooky board games, everyone always points to the Ouija Board. Of course there's a good reason for that. It's older than dirt with spirit boards dating back thousands of years. There's countless reports of hauntings, possessions, and someone's cousin yelling "you're moving it" during a sleepover. There are many other 'games' available for a scary game night. Veda, The Magic Answer Man by Pressman Toy Corp was released in the 1950's. Veda was a fortune teller who'd answer your questions with magnets powering his movements. Sure, it was a silly novelty... but how often did he end up being right? Nothing says family fun like dabbling in the occult I suppose.
Scare Glow is one of those MOTU characters I just can't get enough of. Sure, I like scary things, but he's got a charm to him outside of that. In a line where the bad guys are usually pretty gnarly monsters... a freaking skeleton wearing a purple cape is just *chefs kiss*. If Skeletor wasn't already a grim reaper type. having an outright ghost in the Evil Warrirors is a great touch. Not to mention his awesome glow in the dark gimmick... I always fall for that. This Origins version of him was another of my Christmas gifts from the Mrs. She has a knack of getting the ones I can't normally find.
Scare Glow is your typical MOTU Origins figure, a complete update of a classic MOTUF figure with modern articulation and the interchangeable parts to allow for customizes easy access. He's compatible with vintage vehicles and newer ones. Origins is such a neat line. A key difference in other of his figures, Scare Glow has a plastic cape. The Original has cloth and the Masterverse has a mixture of plastic and cloth. I'm pointing this out mostly because it looks like cloth and feels like cloth... but is some sort of plastic/vinyl material. I do like it better than a cloth cape, but worry that it's additional weight will put too much strain on the string around the collar.
You guys know I'm hurting for it to be Halloween time (which it will firmly be in a few months, but still), so Scare Glow is just the toy for such a hankering. Just like the vintage toy, Origins Scare Glow is literally a Halloween decoration made into an action figure. I'm not being silly old me here, just look at this thing! Everything about just screams spooky season. He looks like something you'd pin to your hoodie in October (or December, yolo). While it may not reflect well in the picture, the Scythe of Doom's bright green is so bright, it might as well be the glow stick Scare Glow is carrying while trick or treating... aside from already glowing in the dark.
It's Monday, time for a new week on Planet Zone! I spent my weekend doing a lot of running around. Did some shopping Saturday and a family dinner at Olive Garden on Sunday. We were celebrating both my older brother and his daughter's birthdays this coming week. I've always liked Olive Garden, so it was definitely an enjoyable meal. The Super Bowl was this weekend... and I'm not a sports fan. Of course the various released trailers were alot of fun. I saw them online of course. I'm so excited for Rise of the Beasts that it's getting critical level. There may be an explosion before the movie gets here.
I also enjoyed a good bit of tokusatsu and kaiju this weekend. In part of anti-Super Bowl programming several channels ran specific marathons. I took in Tokushoutsu and Daikaiju TV's various offerings and had a lot of fun doing so. Was really enjoying Gameboy games via the new Switch Online Gameboy channel and on my emulation handhelds. Real ones know.
Put in some quality time with the Digivice. I've been running a pretty successful team of Greymons for a week now. They pooped a whole lot though. It honestly got to be a game of poop management moreso than battles. Sunday morning, one just up and died. I have no clue why, but suddenly the funeral march started blasting and there was a gravestone next to a mountain of poop.
That ones egg sat around during the entirety of the Digimon I talked about last weeks lifespan, so I think old age sat in quicker than I was expecting. I think after this current Greymon I have left passes, I may play another Tamagotchi. I want a Digimon X, but think I'll get an R2-D2 Tamagotchi and play it for awhile. Take a break in battling, you know? Great portable fun.
As far as toys, I got a pretty good bit. Earth Spark Flip Changer (that I've been wrongfully calling Turbochangers) Swindle, Tacticon Optimus Prime, Velocitron Crasher (just one more Velocitron to go!), and MOTU Origins Mantenna. The Walmart I was at had plenty of Earth Spark, but I was trying to keep my spending under my self governed weekly amount.
I definitely want some warrior class figures and more flip changers and tacticons. I'm really all about some Earth Spark. I'm having alot of fun thinking about the G1 cartoon connection. Even if it's just for appearances and not super in depth, there's a lot of mental ground that can be considered. Think about various extensions of the original cartoon. Takara's seasons, various tie-in manga like Legends, fan club comics. Then try to mentally make it work with Earth Spark. It's fun... and potentially more interesting for me in that aspect even though the Earth Spark show is so good.
I didn't intend for this post to be as long as it was, and I'm not sorry for that. Sometimes it's just fun to write, even with my various grammer mistakes and aggrivations from typing on my phone while drinking coffee. I hope everyone has a great week. I've got some fun posts planned, if you can, please share them with your friends. I'd really appreciate it. If the clip at the top of the post looks fun, it is! Bomber King was also released as Robo Warrior. The Gameboy version was released as Blaster Master Boy (or Jr. depending on region). Give it a play if you've got the time, it's pretty good.
Tigatron has been a white Siberian tiger for so long, it’s easy to forget he was originally planned to be a traditional orange tiger. Thankfully this idea was recently revisited by Hasbro as an Amazon exclusive. The Mrs. saw it and knew it’d be something I’d like… and she was right. I had thought I missed out on him before opening him up Christmas morning. Mutant Tigatron (as this version is referred too) is the Kingdom Tigatron toy with the proper colors and mutant head used as originally planned (and seen on box art). Despite how used to the traditional Tigatron I am… I kinda prefer this having it in hand now.
This is a recolor of the toy I’ve already talked about (with a new head), so there’s no reason to really ‘review’ him as a toy (even though I don’t really do reviews). What I’d like to do is look at him from the eyes of a fan who misses the beast era a lot and is more than happy to see a return to it. With the vintage reissue line at Walmart, Generations updates, Rise of the Beasts, and even Authentics… I’ve got plenty Beast Wars to scratch the critter bot itch. Something like this is just icing on the cake.
Now that Hasbro has ventured into concepts area of Beast Wars… what’s next? There’s Optimal Optimus and Transmetal 2 Megatron with new toys… how about those pilot figures? Those cool mythic bots that eventually became Fuzors! Or hey, updates of popular figures. I’d love a leader class Tigerhawk or Core Class Quickstrike. Of course I could sit here all day and day dream new beast warriors for Hasbro to cram into Transformers boxes… and probably will anyway. Is it weird that I’m almost thinking of Rise of the Beasts as this years BotCon? It’s odd to look forward to a movie this much, but thanks to how much I loved Bumblebee and the inclusion of Maximals… guys I’m excited.
Something happened to Topspin a long time ago; something he only remembers as pain, and terror, and a landscape of twisted, shifting metal lit by the strobe light chaos of laser fire through rolling smoke. It is the last time Topspin remembers feeling anything.
Eons later he found himself drifting, alone, though the vast darkness. Lost for years, he slowly ran out of energy, and his systems shut down one by one. Eventually, his inert body plunged through a wormhole and ended up on one of the transit pads in Axiom Nexus.
Handed off by processing authorities to Alpha Trion, he awoke to find himself staring into the face of another natural leader. Never before had he met a being with such overwhelming force of personality, or such deep conviction. Here was the leader that would guide him to what he sought.
Alpha Trion saw instantly what Topspin was; after all, he'd been waiting for someone like him since arriving in Axiom Nexus. He saw in Topspin the fruition of all his grand goals, and immediately set his plans into motion. He promised Topspin all he could want and more. Telling the plain truth for perhaps the first time in decades, he told Topspin that the reward he sought for so long waited just beyond the veil of the bleed, on Alpha Trion's home world.
Speciality: The ability to manipulate Transformers sparks Weapons: Energon plasma weapon: Twin Blasters Unique Quality: Has the unique ability to move a spark from body to body and can even split a spark into two or more pieces without destroying it.
Ever go into a room and feel like someone else is in there, despite knowing you're alone? It's weird huh? I remember this one building I worked at. One of the offices was mostly empty but you never felt alone in there. It was a bit intimidating, like I needed to leave. It was probably just my imagination or maybe emotions from a repressed memory. It's just weird. Kinda like today's video. I don't think I've ever walked into a hotel room and felt like it was empty.
I picked up this cool clear version of Neo Trox at my local Walmart recently. Trox is green generally, but like most Bakugan, his toys can come in a variety of colors. In this cool clear plastic, it's impossible not to compare him with a Microman or Micronaut. This is definitely a toy that I wished ad some sort of chromed weapon. There are ports where you could plug a Nanogan in, that'd be a good place for a laser gun. Trox is pretty easy to fold back up into his marble form and an all around pleasant little guy. I'm pretty glad the Mrs spotted him as he's so great. Just a simple little guy that I want to walk around a play set and have adventures with.
Another week has started here on Planet Zone and with it another week of fun. I spent the weekend watching 1000lbs Sisters and paranormal television. I also cleaned my bathroom, so there's that. As far as toys, the Mrs's gifted me ReAction Jet Jaguar and '54 Godzilla. Later at Walmart I picked up Earth Spark Deluxe Bumblebee and Twitch. You know, I was planning to mainly get the warriors from this line... but Mandroid is tempting. To be honest, my mind has 100% been on Rise of the Beasts. I am so excited for this... I don't think I even care if the movie sucks at this point. The toys look ssssoooooo good. It's going to be a Beast Saga Summer here on Zone Base. I'm not being silly either, between Halfway to Halloween and Halloween will be a whole summer of beast warrior fun.
But, let me tell you about this Digimon I got. So, apparently 2023 is the year of the Digivice as I have mine on me 24-7. A Digimon has a lifespan before it dies and you have to start over. My Blitzgreymon lived it's entire lifespan and died Saturday of old age, but not before one more legendary battle. I put this digital monster through some real battles during its time. Some losses, but mostly wins. However Saturday morning while waiting for my grocery pickup order, he found himself in a real war with an opponent that couldn't be beaten. Fight after fight, he lost. The last fight, he beat that monster in an epic showdown. A little later, as I slept, I was woken by my Digivice playing the somber tones of the funeral march. It just seemed like such an amazing end.
I waited until Sunday night to start over, you gotta take a break between monsters. This round I'm raising a team with hopes of combination. If you're following me on Instagram, the Digivice is the star of my stories. Speaking of stories, mine is currently watching wrestling before doing some chores. The story of this week looks to be a fun one that I hope you all enjoy reading. Thank you so much for continuing to support Zone Base. I know there's bigger and better sites out there and this is just some podunk fan blog. But hey, I never beg you for money. All I ask is that if you can, please share posts with your friends. Thanks for reading and let's get this week started!
Folks like to dump on Wheelie, but every time he gets a new toy, they gobble it up. Despite all the hate, he has a neat design. Most of the vitriol comes from the annoying voice from the cartoon. It doesn't bother me a lot (but does get old at times). A lot of my love for Wheelie comes from 'The Story of Wheelie, the Wild Boy of Quintesson'. This is a children's story book that paints a much more badass picture of him. I had gotten this book right around the time Wheelie started appearing on the show and it shaped my view of him. I'm always up for new toys of him... the kid's a badass.
This new figure of Wheelie was another Christmas gift from my wife. She absolutely spoils me on holidays, so there's gonna be a lot covered here... and stuff not. As a Core Class toy, Wheelie is excellent. Admittedly I'm hard pressed to not enjoy a Core Class, but Wheelie is exceptionally well done. As a smaller character he generally gets smaller toys and they nailed it this time. Wheelie is fairly articulated and is packing his trademark sling shot that can store easily in car mode. If there's any negatives about Wheelie, it's that his hands just hang off the back in car mode and don't tuck away any. I suppose if the size class's limitations were going to kick in... its here. Aside from that, this may be the best toy of the character yet.
Wheeljack is an exotic sports car with faast lines and a fast attitude. Once a prominent Autobot member, Wheeljack has had a vibrant and rocky past; ow he's a stalwart Decepticon. Left behind on a battlefield to die, Wheeljack has not forgotten his good friend Hot Shot who left him there. Now he wears his scars as a badge of honor; a huge gash tears through the heart of his old Autobot logo, a blemish he keeps to demonstrate and remind those around him how he feels about the so-called noble Autobots. One day he will settle the ancient score; with Hot Shot's ruination his revenge will be complete. In Robot mode Wheeljack skillfully wields two energy batons.
I'll never live in a mansion. Sure, it would be nice, but that's not the life I was meant to live. It's probably for the best as mansions seem to breed ghost stories. The Haunted Mansion at Disney, the Haunted Mansion at Long Beach, and the Haunted Kreischer Mansion in New York. Just one look at that thing and you know something spooky is going on.
