Star Troopers, Inc.

Lanard makes really neat toys that don't cost a whole lot. That's hard not to like. Their current Aliens (now with Predators!), Jumangi, and standard bearer Corps! lines sell steadily with practically no advertising or marketing outside of word of mouth. I remember during their Skull Island line hardly seeing anything about it, but those jumbo Kong figures were a pretty hot commodity. 

The newest line to that'll be arriving in stores presumably soon if they haven't at yours already is Star Troopers!. A throwback to their S.T.A.R Force figures Star Troopers! pits way cool astronaut soldiers against space bugs. How is that not awesome?

Like normally, there's a bunch of mold reuses, but in space adventure deco that makes them look new. Not to mention the new space alien toys really work well with the old toys to make them fresh. Lanard has a really good way of making toys that seem like they came from an old video game. These guys definitely have that vibe. I feel like there should be a Star Troopers! game by Sunsoft.

That's a good thing.

Keeping up with Lanard releases can be hard. News of this line broke last June when my attention was mainly on moving. So the random posts just flew under my radar. It wasn't until this past Sunday that I discovered them. There was a posts in Final Faction and Microman groups I was browsing whilst watching Ultraman. Pretty much everyone in both groups was excited. 

Like minded people, you know.

Transform Squadron 18: I don't want an HHH

Listen Now

This month: Rob talks Toylanta, Masters of the Universe and Transformers with a dash of Aliens and a few other select herbs and spices! Save the Earth and listen!

Neon Alien Syndrome

Great news, everyone. Earlier today news broke of upcoming Alien toys by Lanard! Lanard, best known as the makers of the Corps! line of action figures has been making some really great licensed toy lines. From Kong to Rampage, and now with Jumanji, Lanard has been really knocking it out of the park with their great toys at really low prices. This year I've been a big fan of their Primal Clash line of figures myself. They're just good toys at a great price despite the snorts of toy snobs online (how does that even happen?).

With this new Alien line, Lanard is following their formula of new sculpt monster packaged with reused Corps! figure molds. These toys are bright colored and neat looking. The sculpting of the Corps! figures with the colorful Aliens make me mentally think of various video games like Alien Syndrome by Sega or the Konami arcade game (among others). Not to mention by making the Xenomorphs colorful, they make me draw mental comparisons to recent Reaction figures and the classic Kenner line. I also like bright colors on toys and man just LOOK at that neon nightmare packaging.

So far details are scarce. They've been spotted on Smyths Toy Stores site and I sent Lanard an email this morning asking for any details they could give me. Usually Lanard action figures are exclusive to Walmart stores here in the US (for the past few years with a few exceptions here and there), so I already know where to look. I'm hoping they'll take the place of Jumanji toys and replace this years selection sometime after Christmas. As much as I loved Primal Clash, this would make one awesome replacement.

*edit* I just got a reply from Lanard,  the Alien toys will be in US Walmart stores shortly after Christmas with even more Alien product due halfway into the year.

Primal Clash

Lanard's new Primal Clash toy line is something special. Exclusive to Walmart here in the US and available as Jurassic Clash in other countries. The line serves as that mix of everything awesome that toy aisles have been needing for quite some time at a low price that is most welcome. I remember when the Jurassic Clash figures first started popping up online, I was ecstatic. I've long time been a fan of The Corps! action figure line as is. When Lanard started doing the Skull Island and Rampage toy lines, I was amazed. Here was this perfect synergy of monsters and soldiers, and the Kong from 2017 was almost every bodies toy of the year. Primal Clash takes that idea of man vs. monsters and adds that element of post apocalyptic sci fi that I love so much.

Lanard is following the same formula they did for prior monster lines, using a Corps! action figure and pairing it with a monster. For Primal Clash, they're using dinosaurs in a setting taking place in the future after mankind has brought back dinosaurs. The setting merges Terminator and Jurassic Park in a very well crafted and fun way (and all on the back of the toys package!) that seems like a lost game by SEGA. Like the prior lines, the figure isn't named, though I'm sure you could fairly use the Corps! incarnations name if you chose. This isn't really an issue, though I do wish there was a little variation in the deco (I'm sure that's a budgetary move). The dinosaurs are HEAVY. Solid pieces of plastic with no articulation (you will hardly notice), the dinosaurs are almost perfect little statues with great paint apps and full of character. The action figure is loaded with accessories that can be stored on the figure as well as the dinosaurs saddle features some sort of play feature (moving cannon, etc) with reigns the figure can hold while riding. There is a LOT of play value for not a lot of money.

With such a great and fun line, I can only wonder what Lanard has planned next. Part of me is hoping for mythological monsters or cryptids, maybe even more diabolical like demons and such. I'm also hoping more of the Jurassic Clash stuff finds it's way over here to Walmart shelves as it's hard not to want it all (and at the price, that's easily done). I've been finding myself imagining more possibilities within the line. It's hard not to get excited and just enjoy yourself with Primal Clash. Almost impossible, actually. Like a primal urge or something.

Godzilla Power Up 2019!

I'm pretty excited for 2019 already. I'll explain. There's not just a ton of great Transformers coming this year, but also several other things. Godzilla: The Planet Eater is on Netflix now (I'll watch it this weekend) and Godzilla King of Monsters is coming this summer! Not only does the new movie look amazing, but from the toys look great! Not to mention, Bandai vinyl Godzilla figures are popping up at Walmart stores making for an excited Rob! The Netflix Ultraman movie is debuting in April as well as more on the US release of more Ultraman series is on the way. Beast Morphers is hitting this spring as well as Rangerstop in the summer (woo!). Add in the dinosaur themed Corps! line, AEW wrestling starting up, and more Masters of the Universe Mega Contrux being released and I've got a fun year ahead! All this toy talk and hey, Toylanta in March and Star Wars at Christmas!

2019 is going to be the most Zone Base year yet!

Jurassic Clash looks great