Wow, another year down and it's been quite the year for toy collecting. There've been soaring highs and subterranean lows, but overall I think it was a great year for action figure enthusiasts and I was surprised by many of the lines I started collecting. I started 2012 with a list of my Toy Wishes and it was nice to see some of them come to fruition.
For the "Best of" list this year I added some categories and spread out brands over specific lines to include as many toys as possible while only covering things I've purchased over the past 365 days and that debuted in 2012.
So come now and see what my picks are for the best of the year!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Monday, December 24, 2012
The Honeypot: WWE, the Bat & a WarBot!
I thought all my Christmas shopping was done, but last Sunday my girlfriend
told me we still needed a couple of more items for my daughter. So I drove over to the Toys R Us near my job during my lunch break (approx. 10:30am) and was happy to find the store mostly empty (of shoppers, that is). I picked up a couple of Hello Kitty items for my little one, then took a stroll over to the action figure aisle where I found...
told me we still needed a couple of more items for my daughter. So I drove over to the Toys R Us near my job during my lunch break (approx. 10:30am) and was happy to find the store mostly empty (of shoppers, that is). I picked up a couple of Hello Kitty items for my little one, then took a stroll over to the action figure aisle where I found...
Sunday, December 23, 2012
LoEB: All I want for Christmas is... EVERYTHING!
"The big guy is on his way! What's on your Christmas wish list this year?"
Well, I'm not going to bore you with some cliched response, but the problem with a Christmas list is who's doing the buying. My girlfriend says, in reference to my action figures, that it's too difficult to shop for me because I'm a collector and need to find a "perfect" copy of a figure... Okay, sure, I can be a bit meticulous in my purchases, but I pretty much handle all those purchases myself and she ends up buying something nice, but not necessarily toy-related.
So here's a list of stuff I want, with no regard for cost because it's a Christmas wish list after all!
Friday, December 21, 2012
WWE Elite, Air Boom! - Review
Okay, so they aren't a tag team anymore, but Mattel's doing there best to get up-to-date action figures out there and it's a lot harder with the Elite line. Anyway, today's review focuses on the high-flyin' team known as "Air Boom" from the pinnacle of their union when they held the WWE Tag Titles.
We've seen both Superstars in the Elite line (especially Kofi), but don't write their latest release off just yet, because there's a lot of great changes on them. Let's see what they've got!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
WWE Elite, Kelly Kelly - Review
But basic series 23's Alicia Fox features the first real entrance accessory any Diva figure has recived, so what is the point of creating an Elite Diva now?
Let's see if Kelly Kelly has the answer!
Monday, December 17, 2012
The Honeypot: Display Expansion!
After a couple months of massive hauls, things have slowed down in preparation for Christmas, but that doesn't mean the Honeypot is empty!
There are only two figures in this week's pot with some goodies thrown in for good measure and a new addition to the display area! Come see!
There are only two figures in this week's pot with some goodies thrown in for good measure and a new addition to the display area! Come see!
3B's Toy Hive's Christmas Contest Winners!
There were 7 entries for the Undertaker and 9 for Wheelie, which was really surprising to me considering most of my traffic is WWE-related. In all honesty, I expected many more entries, but I guess it translated to better odds for those who did enter, the luckiest of which being:
• Jeff R. - "WM28" Undertaker
• Mario M. - "Generations" Wheelie
• Colbey H. - Hot Wheels/MatchBox Batman vehicles
Congratulations you three! Your items will be shipping out this week and you should receive them soon after. Again thanks to all of you who played, I wish I could give all of you prizes, but there's always next year!
Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 16, 2012
LoEB: Dream Job
This week the League of Extraordinary Bloggers' asks:
If money was not a concern and you could choose any career path,
what would be your ultimate dream job?
After reading the challenge for the week on Monday I thought about my response, finally coming up with one a few days later and planning to write it up Friday afternoon until the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT were reported. As a father I was deeply saddened to hear of what transpired up North and could not imagine what those families are going through.
Sitting in front of my computer writing this out on a Saturday night a day and a half after the shooting, I've had plenty of time to reflect on just what my dream job really means to me.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Lucky Rogers, Junk Armor "Warrior" - Review
Hasbro did a nice job delivering a "classics" Wreck-Gar and his retool/redeco, Junkheap in the "Reveal the Shield" and "Generations" lines, respectively, but two figures does not a squad make. I bought multiples of each thanks to the fantastic decal kits released by Repro Labels (Wreck-Gar & Junkions 1 for the WG figure, Junkions 2) for Junkheap). But there's only so much you can do with decals. That's where Lucky Rogers steps in with this upgrade for the Junkion mold.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Sponsor News: Collector DASH Giveaway!
Collector DASH Action Figures has a bunch of great contests going on right now. Take a moment to look over the following announcements and click on the link to sign up for Collector DASH if you haven't already done so!
Hey don't pass up a shot at winning a FoC "G2" Bruticus!
Sign up HERE!
Hey don't pass up a shot at winning a FoC "G2" Bruticus!
Sign up HERE!
Christmas Contest Reminder!
Remember, I'm giving away a "WrestleMania 28" Undertaker and Transformers Generations Wheelie as the two main prizes! One runner-up will receive a set of Batman Hot Wheels!
Don't miss out on this giveaway, enter now!
WWE Elite Flashback, Diesel - Review
With both figures in hand I can tell you for certain that not only do I prefer the NWO figure, it's the better figure. Not only is Diesel the weaker of the two, he's a rather weak offering overall.
I'm sure that is confusing to some fans, but in what should have been a pretty straight-forward variant, Mattel made some choices that are just plain odd. Let's try to sort out what happened with Diesel here.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Transformers Generations FoC, "G2" Bruticus - Review
Ridiculous. Tawdry. Absurd. All perfectly acceptable words to describe their new motif. Anyway, I was a bit too young when the original G1 Bruticus was in stores, but G2 hit just around the time I was ten-years-old, so the toys looked "radical" to me. I knew I wouldn't be able to assemble Bruticus on my own, so I enlisted the aid of my cousin and we came to an agreement about each of us buying two of the limbs and then whoever finds Onslaught would buy him and we'd eventually alternate having Bruticus at home.
Monday, December 10, 2012
The Honeypot: WWE & TF accessories and Flintstones Hot Wheels!
With Christmas just about two weeks away I fully expected the quantity of toys in these posts to decrease significantly as funds are allocated towards gifts for others and my credit card reaches it's limit. However, I was truly surprised to run into some new WWE figures last week and picked up a couple along with several other "small ticket" items.
Come see!
Come see!
Thursday, December 6, 2012
LoEB: Merry Geekmas!
This week the League of Extraordinary Bloggers assignment is:
Merry Geekmas! Write or photograph something festive and pop culture oriented.
Well, I'm going to talk about my favorite Christmas time snack: Little Debbie's Christmas Tree cakes!
Merry Geekmas! Write or photograph something festive and pop culture oriented.
Well, I'm going to talk about my favorite Christmas time snack: Little Debbie's Christmas Tree cakes!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Sponsor News: Collector DASH Giveaway!
Collector DASH Action Figures has a bunch of great contests going on right now. Take a moment to look over the following announcements and click on the link to sign up for Collector DASH if you haven't already done so!
Sign up HERE!
Sign up HERE!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Beezleboss, "Heroic Duo" Custom Kit - Review
I have to say I've been working on this review for nearly two weeks and it's been killer! The set is good, not great, but good. However, I've just hit a few blocks trying to get my thoughts on it out here.
Beezleboss has done fantastic work on previous kits for Cliffjumper/Bumblebee and Goldbug so I was very interested in this new set that replaces the horrible engine/blasters included with 'swipe & Red Alert who happen to share the same mold and transformation. But I think the set didn't quite turn out the way they were hoping it would and that's more obvious on some of the pieces than others.
Monday, December 3, 2012
The Honeypot: WWE Elite and a BFR!
Hello once again and welcome to another installment of "The Honeypot", wherein I share my toy finds over the past week (or two). There was only one new addition the week of Thanksgiving so I skipped a post and rolled that toy into today's edition.
Let's check them out!
Let's check them out!
Saturday, December 1, 2012
LoEB/ Currently on Display: "Shelf Expression"
The mission:
Post a photo of a shelf of items that displays your love for pop culture.
Here it is!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Christmas Contest: Win a Transformers or WWE figure!
Ladies and gents, boys and gals, this year 3B's Toy Hive is giving away a pair of brand-spanking-new action figures from two of 3B's favorite toy lines: WWE Elite Collection and Transformers: Generations!
The best part is that entering the contest is easy! All you have to do is send me an e-mail at [email protected] and include your first and last name along with the city and state you live in!
What are the prizes you ask? Click ahead to find out!
The best part is that entering the contest is easy! All you have to do is send me an e-mail at [email protected] and include your first and last name along with the city and state you live in!
What are the prizes you ask? Click ahead to find out!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
WWE Elite Exclusive, Undertaker (WM28) - Review
At this year's WrestleMania event, the Undertaker increased his unprecedented winning streak to 20-0 setting a record that will more than likely never be broken in the WWE. A testament not only to the phenomenal abilities of the Deadman, but his popularity as a professional wrestling persona for over twenty years.
Today we're looking at his latest WWE Elite figure by Mattel, based on his appearance at WrestleMania 28. Watching the event back in April, I immediately thought "well, there goes Undertaker's next figure!" when he emerged on the stage wearing a creepy hooded robe covered in spikes. I thought it was a sure bet Mattel would deliver that version of Taker.
They did in a way, but something is clearly missing.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
WWE Elite 17, Zack Ryder - Review
Zack Ryder's second entry into Mattel's WWE Elite Collection is finally here and this time the "Long Island Iced Z" is carrying gold! Yep, the main Broski comes packaged with his custom "Internet Championship" title belt and it easily ranks as one of the best belt accessories in the line thus far. But does this revised version of Ryder have anything else going for him to make him worth a double-dip?
Find out!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Sponsor Announcement!
Welcome to DASH, Here’s a Hot Toys Luke Skywalker Giveaway
Hey there Hive, in case you haven’t heard of Collector-ActionFigures.com, we wanted to make a strong first impression. In fact, we’re giving away a Hot Toys Luke Skywalker to make sure you remember us. This beautiful figure is valued at almost $300, includes a bundle of extras, and is being given away to one lucky collector for free by Collector-ActionFigures.
For your chance to win Luke Skywalker, all you need to do is complete a free membership registration with Collector-ActionFigures. It doesn’t cost a dime and only takes a minute, but make sure you go through the entire process to activate your account. Not only will you then be entered to win the contest, you’ll also have access to the internet’s best catalog of action figures. There’s simply no better way to start off a digital collection on DASH than by entering a classic figure like this Hot Toys beauty into your collection.
Enjoy your new membership, and we wish you good luck towards winning this unbelievable masterpiece of a prize.
Contest Details
- All entries must be received by 11:59p.m. ET on Friday November 30th.
- One grand prize winner will be selected at random.
- For an international winner, the first $10 will be paid for shipping, and the rest will be paid by the contestant.
For complete contest rules and requirements, please email [email protected]
Monday, November 19, 2012
WWE Elite Flashback, Mankind - Review
Saturday, November 17, 2012
The Honeypot: HTF Hot Wheels, TFs, Joes & WWE!
What's that saying about "the best laid plans"? After a steady stream of posts over the past couple of weeks I was derailed by some internet issues, procrastination and toy-hunting!
This week I hoped to pick-up some hard-to-find figures before the Thanksgiving/Black Friday holiday shopping rush starts next week and I was quite successful! New additions from WWE and Transformers plus I finally found some of those damned Dollar General G.I. Joes!
This week I hoped to pick-up some hard-to-find figures before the Thanksgiving/Black Friday holiday shopping rush starts next week and I was quite successful! New additions from WWE and Transformers plus I finally found some of those damned Dollar General G.I. Joes!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
WWE Elite Flashback, Bret "Hit Man" Hart - Review
There are really two important aspects to any of these WWE exclusives: (1)paint decos and (2)accessories. We rarely see new figure sculpts, although there is the occasional new head scan, but for the most part they reuse a previous release and only focus on a new deco and accessories. The "pink and black attack" version of Hart reuses the "Defining Moments" figure as a base. It does really well in one category, but suffers in the other. Find out which one after the jump!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
The Honeypot: Accessories, troop building & more WWE!
I thought I picked up a lot of stuff last week... This week's pot swelled rapidly thanks to a Halloween blowout sale, a long-awaited preorder and WWE Elite 17 finally (FINALLY!) hitting my area. Click through to read this week's breakdown and get a preview of what I'll be reviewing in the next couple of weeks!
Friday, November 9, 2012
WWE Elite Flashback, "Macho Man" Randy Savage (nWo) - Review
Today I appreciate WCW and the NWO as an important part of professional wrestling history. If not for the rise of WCW and the "Monday Night Wars", we wouldn't of had such awesome programming in the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s. Mattel's already released some prominent WCW-era Superstars and they continue with one of their RSC-exclusive WWE Elite Flashback figures this year, Randy Savage!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
WWE Elite Flashback, Kevin Nash - Review
It looks like my assumptions about the state of the Elite series in my area were wrong because last week I saw wave 16 figures all over the place! I'm very happy about that because it means I'm not at the mercy of RSC-pricing for retail figures. Legends fans should be doubly excited about series 16 because it contains two "Flashback" figures. Okay, yeah, they're technically the same guy, but he appears in two must-have versions. I'm talking of course about Kevin Nash and his WWE alter-ego, Diesel. So far I've only found Nash in his WCW-era, New World Order "Outsiders" gear, but it's a great addition to the burgeoning WCW section of the collection. Let's see how he turned out!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
WWE Elite Flashback, Stone Cold Steve Austin - Review
But that's not the thing that sold me on this exclusive. No, sir. This version of Austin also includes his trademark "Smoking Skull" championship belt along with the "Attitude" era WWE title. Those two belts were enough to bump this latest Stone Cold figure into the "must-have" category.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
The Honeypot: Transformers, Voltron completed & WWE!
It's been nearly three weeks since my last Honeypot post, but I kept track of my purchases and this week it's back with triple the goods! The first two weeks started off light with some nice surprises at my local Toys-R-Us & CVS, along with the completion of a long-gestating project and an unlikely accessory for my Marvel Universe collection.
The third week was dominated by WWE exclusives from Ringside Collectibles. These were part of the single largest purchase I made all month and delivered some highly-anticipated figures. So let's get to the weekly breakdowns and see what the Hive hauled in!
The third week was dominated by WWE exclusives from Ringside Collectibles. These were part of the single largest purchase I made all month and delivered some highly-anticipated figures. So let's get to the weekly breakdowns and see what the Hive hauled in!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Transformers Prime, Cliffjumper (FE & RID) - Review
I decided to take a break from snapping pictures for upcoming WWE reviews by posting today's review of Cliffjumper from the Transformers: Prime animated series. This is a bit of a rare review for the Hive where I'll actually be looking at two different action figures based on the same character. So without further ado, here is TFP Cliffjumper. Both of them!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
The Buzz: NYCC & Ringside Fest 2012
I tried to have this post up last Friday, but time wasn't on my side. I was busy prepping for my trip to Orlando, specifically Lake Buena Vista, this past weekend where the family and I attended the 2012 International Food and Wine Festival at Epcot in the Walt Disney World resort. It was great, but way too many people (and by people I mean drunken adults making asses of themselves) and we'll have to make sure to make alternate arrangements for the children if we decide to return.
So anyway, I thought this would be a great time to look over some of the reveals from two recent events: New York Comic Con and Ringside Fest.
So anyway, I thought this would be a great time to look over some of the reveals from two recent events: New York Comic Con and Ringside Fest.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Perfect Effect, MotoBot RC - Review
That's where the third party market steps in and gives you a few options. Previously, iGear and Impossible Toys have delivered versions of "G1" Arcee, Delicate Warrior and Valkyrie, respectively. By the time I started assembling my classics TF collection last year obtaining iGear's Arcee homage was too costly. I gave Impossible Toys version a shot, but it was a turd and ended up going back to BBTS. It seemed all hope for a classic Arcee was lost, until Perfect Effect unveiled their "MotoBot" series...
Monday, October 22, 2012
Transformers Generations, Swerve - Review
You may notice some differences in the Kup figure pictured below, those are mostly attributed to modifications I've made with Repro Labels, but also includes the IDW-inspired iGear head and painted wheels. So don't freak out if you think you missed a better version of Kup on shelves. It's all "after-market" upgrades! Now, on to Swerve!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
League of Extraordinary Bloggers: A Nice Place to Visit
This week's assignment:
Take a trip to anywhere in pop culturedom. What fictional town, time, or world would you want to visit?
I should note that as I'm writing this I haven't read any of the other Leaguers responses (well, except Brian's at Cool and Collected) to avoid being influenced by their choices. So if my response is the same as someone else's, rest assured it is purely coincidental. So the fictional town I would most like to visit is...
Take a trip to anywhere in pop culturedom. What fictional town, time, or world would you want to visit?
I should note that as I'm writing this I haven't read any of the other Leaguers responses (well, except Brian's at Cool and Collected) to avoid being influenced by their choices. So if my response is the same as someone else's, rest assured it is purely coincidental. So the fictional town I would most like to visit is...
Friday, October 19, 2012
Currently on Display: Halloween 2012
I started rearranging my display in late September and was almost done before I realized we're heading into October and Halloween. Dammit! So I decided to change it up and include some "spooky" toys for a more appropriate display.
Of course, I don't have enough ghost/monster toys to fill up all my displays, so there are still plenty of superhero items around the room. Let's jump to it!
Of course, I don't have enough ghost/monster toys to fill up all my displays, so there are still plenty of superhero items around the room. Let's jump to it!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
The Honeypot: Transformers, Iron Men & the Demon's Head!
This week's haul is heavy (really heavy!) on the transforming robots with a few comic & movie-based toys tossed in for good measure! Hit the "SWARM" button and see what all filled the pot during the second week of October!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
League of Extraordinary Bloggers: State of the Hive
This week's assignment for the League of Extraordinary Bloggers is:
Write a “State of the Site” for your web site. How’s it going? What exciting things have happened this past year? Where do you want your site to be in a year’s time?
Well, I think the time is just right for this topic. There have been lots of changes at 3B's Toy Hive, both on screen and behind the scenes. Click ahead and get I'll give you the rundown of how it's going!
Write a “State of the Site” for your web site. How’s it going? What exciting things have happened this past year? Where do you want your site to be in a year’s time?
Well, I think the time is just right for this topic. There have been lots of changes at 3B's Toy Hive, both on screen and behind the scenes. Click ahead and get I'll give you the rundown of how it's going!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
WWE Elite Flashback, Yokozuna - Review
In the old WWF, Yokozuna was known for being a particularly monstrous heel. His grudge matches with the Undertaker led to the inclusion of the devious casket match as a WWE signature event. In fact, Yoko is the reason for the over-sized casket used in a lot of those matches. To say he's big is an understatement. "Just how did Mattel pull off such a massive body style?", you ask? Jump ahead to read the review!
Sunday, October 7, 2012
League of Extraordinary Bloggers: Halloween Costumes
This week's LoEB assignment allowed to look back on some of the fun Halloween costumes I've had over the past 30 years. The assignment:
Remember when Halloween was a big deal? I mean, a BIG deal? What was the most legendary costume you ever wore? What would you dress up as this year?
Remember when Halloween was a big deal? I mean, a BIG deal? What was the most legendary costume you ever wore? What would you dress up as this year?
Saturday, October 6, 2012
The Honeypot: Marvel, G.I. Joe & TF!
We've reached then end of the first week in October and the "gets" are off to a great start! This week I finally found some Marvel Universe wave 19 figures, a second Vehicon trooper for my Transformers: Prime collection, a hard to find (at retail prices, anyway) Joe figure and a couple more Marvel mini-busts from Bowen!
Friday, October 5, 2012
Beezleboss, "Growing Pains" Custom Kit - Review
I didn't have a United Bumblebee and wasn't willing to pay upwards of $60 to obtain one (undoubtly in higher demand due to the release of this kit) and a regular Universe Bee just wouldn't live up to the GOLDbug moniker, so I settled on the next best thing...
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The Buzz: FansProject Assaulter, Win a SDCC Shockwave/Destro set & more
We're a week and a half out from New York Comic Con and there's sure to be some sweet reveals for the coming year. But before that news starts trickling in, I'm taking a little time today to cover some interesting items from around the 'net.
Jump ahead to read about some Third Party toy news and how you can win a SDCC Shockwave H.I.S.S. tank!
Jump ahead to read about some Third Party toy news and how you can win a SDCC Shockwave H.I.S.S. tank!
Monday, October 1, 2012
Transformers: Generations, Wheelie - Review
Read on to find out why I added Wheelie to my collection!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
League of Extraordinary Bloggers: "Young Alfred Pennyworth"
I almost missed out on this week's LoEB assignment, Young Guns, but inspiration, as it often does, came to me at the eleventh hour. The mission:
"In the spirit of Young Indiana Jones, Young Frankenstein, or Young Einstein, come up with a 'Young ___' prequel or series."
Here's what I have in mind...
"In the spirit of Young Indiana Jones, Young Frankenstein, or Young Einstein, come up with a 'Young ___' prequel or series."
Here's what I have in mind...
The Honeypot: Batmobiles & Transformers!
It's Saturday and that means a new installment of "The Honeypot"! This week more Hot Wheels Batmobiles make their way into the Hive, albeith in a different scale and I add some highly-anticipated Transformers releases, too!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
The Honeypot: more Hot Wheels, Bowen and MU!
Aside from the Hot Wheels, nearly all these items were purchased online, which serves to illustrate the sad state of action figures in my area. Hot Wheels... never would have imagined I'd be buying these this often at this point in my lift. So jump ahead to see what came in this week!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Transformers Generations, Cliffjumper - Custom
If you're familier with the Universe version of Cliffjumper, you'll know he's a cheap repaint of the Bumblebee from the same line. Hasbro couldn't even be bothered with creating a new head. Add to that the horrid paint deco and you have a figure that is in no way worth the $60-100 current after market prices. Eventually FansProject released a replacement head, however it was produced in such a limited quantity that you'd be hard pressed to find it for under $250. Thankfully, Beezleboss stepped in with their own version and after sourcing an extra "RTS" Bumblebee, I began work on what I call "Generations Cliffjumper".
Saturday, September 15, 2012
The Honeypot: Bowen, Marvel Universe & Hot Wheels!
It's been six months or so since my last "Honeypot" entry and I don't know if you missed this feature or not, but I sure didn't miss having to write it. It became very tedious to keep track of all my purchases over the course of a month and after all that documentation I only had text to show for it. So I've regrouped and decided to post the Honeypot weekly (unless there aren't any new purchases), with a new format that includes pictures!
Let's jump ahead to see what goodies came into the Hive this week!
Friday, September 14, 2012
League of Extraordinary Bloggers: "My Work Number is 911!"
I'm jumping back in the LoEB with this week's assignment:
"Television executives have determined that you lead an amazing life and have pegged you as the next big reality TV star. What’s the name and the premise of your show?"
I considered skipping this topic, but since I was unable to write last week, decided I'll go for it. I don't particularly like to talk about my day job because it usually raises annoying questions and I prefer to leave work at work. However, since there have already been several TV shows about my profession, I figured this would be easy.
"Television executives have determined that you lead an amazing life and have pegged you as the next big reality TV star. What’s the name and the premise of your show?"
I considered skipping this topic, but since I was unable to write last week, decided I'll go for it. I don't particularly like to talk about my day job because it usually raises annoying questions and I prefer to leave work at work. However, since there have already been several TV shows about my profession, I figured this would be easy.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
The Buzz: Transforming Collections Kickstarter Project
I don't usually promote items on the Hive, but I find this particular kickstarter project very interesting given my enjoyment of unlicensed transforming toys and thought I'd share it here. It's a guide to so-called "third party" transforming action figures and accessories written and illustrated by Philip Reed of BattleGrip fame. The good news is that the project is already funded! The GREAT news is that there are stretch goals that unlock additional items along with the book (with a $15 minimum pledge).
You can get all the details by clicking here. I don't know about you, but the promise of trading card-sized stickers and a hardcover version of the book sounds fantastic!
Also, make sure to visit BattleGrip for some entertaining toy reviews and news. For a listing of all third party toy reviews on the Hive, follow this link.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
League of Extraordinary Bloggers: Ninja Attack!
With today's post I submit my "application" to the League of Extraordinary Bloggers (LoEB), a cadre of blog writers from around the world (and possibly the universe) assembled by Brian over at Cool and Collected, which focuses on all things geek! Apart from networking with fellow bloggers the League hosts a weekly assignment where each blogger posts a response on their respective website. This week's assignment is Ninja Attack! and we're tasked with creating our perfect response team to evil ninjas employed by evil businessmen. Click ahead to see what I came up with!
Return'd: TDKR, Batmobile with Batman
Today I'm introducing a new feature to the Hive, a review of sorts with a twist. I'm calling it "Return'd" Sometimes we buy toys that turn out to be crappy, or just don't live up to certain expectations. Now I'm not talking about defects or missing pieces/paint apps, etc. I'm talking about true disappointment. A toy that just doesn't deliver anything positive to the collection.
I have to tip my hat to certain bloggers who are able to photograph new purchases right away and have something posted within a day, but I don't have the time for that so you won't be seeing any of my photos here. Also, because the subject of the review was returned I feel it would be wrong to do so after having photographed it for the purposes of a negative review. I have ethics, damnabbit! But I'll add stock photos (if available) to make sure you know what I'm writing about.
Our first return comes from Mattel's underwhelming The Dark Knight Rises movie line. Not the Movie Masters line, but the "kid-aimed", laughable 3.75" scale line. There's a Batmobile, so it can't be that bad, right? Well, click ahead to find out.
I have to tip my hat to certain bloggers who are able to photograph new purchases right away and have something posted within a day, but I don't have the time for that so you won't be seeing any of my photos here. Also, because the subject of the review was returned I feel it would be wrong to do so after having photographed it for the purposes of a negative review. I have ethics, damnabbit! But I'll add stock photos (if available) to make sure you know what I'm writing about.
Our first return comes from Mattel's underwhelming The Dark Knight Rises movie line. Not the Movie Masters line, but the "kid-aimed", laughable 3.75" scale line. There's a Batmobile, so it can't be that bad, right? Well, click ahead to find out.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Currently on Display: July & August 2012
As I stated in my last few posts I've been really busy with personal matters and clearing out space in my collection, so my post frequency has decreased. Today I'm playing a bit of catch-up (ketchup?) and going over the displays for July & August. Jump ahead for pics!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
WWE Legends, Diamond Dallas Page - Review
I know I said I wouldn't be reviewing exclusives from that website anymore, but f*$% that! I paid for this figure and it's mine now to do with what I please, so let's take a look at the master of the "Diamond Cutter", Diamond Dallas Page!By now we know that Mattel's not exactly breaking records with their online-only wrestling action figures, an avenue they insist is aimed at adult collectors. So why aren't these figures selling out like many of Mattel's other lines? DDP was the second WWE Legends figure released online, but is the first of the "fan voted" figures to appear. When promotional images surfaced many fans were upset at some of the facial details, stating that the hair style and facial hair color were off. Let's take a closer look at the figure and see if the criticism is justified or just fanboy nagging (well, obviously, it's not). BANG!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Marvel Universe Series II - Trading Cards
Alright, I'm finally back with a brand-spanking-new review. It's been a while since I last tried this, so I wanted to do something special and change things up a bit. Today we're taking a look at a whole different breed of collectible: trading cards!
If you remember from my various "Currently on Display" posts, my main display area is a bookcase that aside from showing off action figures & vehicles is also home to my graphic novel and trading card collections. Jump ahead for a look at my absolute favorite card series: Marvel Universe Series II by Impel!
If you remember from my various "Currently on Display" posts, my main display area is a bookcase that aside from showing off action figures & vehicles is also home to my graphic novel and trading card collections. Jump ahead for a look at my absolute favorite card series: Marvel Universe Series II by Impel!
Friday, July 27, 2012
The Buzz: SDCC Reveals, part 2: Mattel unveils "Submageddon!"
Yesterday I covered Hasbro's SDCC reveals, today I move on to Mattel... Oh, boy. I don't even know how to approach this one. There is a lot of debate and controversy surrounding Mattel right now, specfically the turmoil caused by their interest in subscription-only toylines for "adult collectors", available of course via www.MattyCollector.com which is operated by Digital River.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
The Buzz: SDCC Reveals, part 1: Hasbro
Hello friends, 3B here chiming in with some thoughts on SDCC reveals. I know it's a bit late, but by now I think everyone's had a chance to look at the stuff that was revealed and that way I don't have to link to a bunch of different sites.
Jump ahead for my thoughts on the Hasbro reveals!
Jump ahead for my thoughts on the Hasbro reveals!
Monday, July 9, 2012
Hive News: What's happened to 3B?!
Hello hive-heads! 3B here checking in and letting you know I'm still buzzing around. It's been nearly a month since my last post and that's just way too long to be away. "Where have you been?", you ask? Well, I went on vacation for about a week in mid-June (Marco Island is really nice, by the way) and it seems like I've had a non-stop barrage of errands and personal commitments to take care of. In that time my review of Diamond Dallas Page has been stewing in "DRAFT" mode, halfway done and there's a whole new pile of toys waiting for a review!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Marvel's The Avengers - Movie Review
Although the official start of Summer isn't for another couple of weeks, the Summer movie season is well underway with some major blockbuster releases and some major duds, too! I'll admit I don't frequent the cineplex as often as I used to, for the past several years I could count the number of films I watched in theaters on one hand. However, if there is a time of year that is sure to get me into the movie theater, it's Summer and I think that's true for many filmgoers.
I won't bother with a full review of the movies, but just share my thoughts and my overall opinion of a flick. I hate it when someone ruins a film by giving away plotpoints or specific reveals, so I'll avoid doing that as best I can. So let's kick things off with the Summer's biggest movie so far, The Avengers!
I won't bother with a full review of the movies, but just share my thoughts and my overall opinion of a flick. I hate it when someone ruins a film by giving away plotpoints or specific reveals, so I'll avoid doing that as best I can. So let's kick things off with the Summer's biggest movie so far, The Avengers!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Currently on Display: June 2012
I don't know what happened, but April & May seem like a blur to me. I feel like the past two months just evaporated! Anyway, I believe it was late March when I teased an image of the then upcoming Currently on Display via the Facebook page, but that entry never came. Nor did it arrive in May. However, we're less than one week into June and I'm finally getting around to posting a new edition of COD featuring some toys that have been on display before and some that have never been displayed on any of my shelves!Friday, June 1, 2012
WWE Legends, The Von Erichs - Review
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Voltron, Yellow Lion & Hunk - Review
Monday, May 14, 2012
WWE Elite, Cody Rhodes (Series 13) - Review
Friday, May 11, 2012
WWE Elite Flashback, Edge - Review
It doesn't feel like I reviewed Edge's WWE Elite series 8 figure that long ago, but it's actually been almost 10 months and now we have a new figure to look at. Well, it's new, but it's not... You see THIS Edge figure is a FLASHBACK figure, capturing the eventual "Rated-R Superstar" early in his WWE career. Being a huge fan of the then-WWF during it's Attitude-era, this was a must-have for me and given the fact that Edge is now retired, we can consider this his WWE Legends figure. But for those of you not keeping count, this is Mattel's third Elite Edge action figure, so is he worth the increasing price tag or an easy pass?Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Voltron, Red Lion & Lance - Review
Last Summer Mattel went sub-crazy and unveiled several new subscriptions for their various collector lines. Among them was a sub for the debuting Voltron toy line featuring the five robotic lions that combine to form the mighty titular robot and their respective pilots. The club exclusive would be Sven, the original Blue Lion pilot who was injured and forced to quit the team and replaced by Princess Allura. I figured, "what the heck?" and signed up.
However, much like the Ghostbusters line's Club Ecto-1 (which I also signed up for), Mattel didn't receive the support they
Monday, May 7, 2012
WWE Elite, Daniel Bryan - Review
When it came time for Mattel to introduce Daniel Bryan in the Elite Collection, they decided to pull a fast one on fans by releasing two of them almost simultaneously. The first as part of series 12 capturing his look while he was the United States Champion. The second, part of the Toys R Us-exclusive "Best of Pay-Per-View" series and featuring Bryan from his SummerSlam 2010 appearance. As much as I would like to be a completist, at the very least for the benefit of those who visit the Hive for WWE figure reviews, I certainly can't afford to be, but I knew I wanted a Daniel Bryan figure. "Swarm" to find out why I picked this one and whether or not he's worth it!
Friday, May 4, 2012
Transformers Cyberverse, Powerglide - Review
So you're a Transformers fan who joined the whole Classics (Universe/Henkei! Henkei!/Generations/United/Reveal the Shield) collecting a bit late in the game, but are determined to have a representation of every G1 cast member one way or another without having to resort to selling your organs or other bodily contents to afford some of the harder to find characters. Well, if scale isn't an issue, but you want to avoid the pricey 3rd Party route, you're in luck! Thanks to the introduction of the "Cyberverse" line during the release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon toys you can have an updated, mini-bot version of the G1 Autobot high-flier, Powerglide!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
WWE Elite Flashback, Big Boss Man - Review
WWE Legends proper may be all but extinct at retail, but it's heart still beats within Mattel's WWE Elite Collection as they've incorporated FLASHBACK figures into the line. This opens up a whole lot of possibilities for bringing retired Superstars and older versions of currect Superstars on to retail shelves. I've already reviewed the first two flashback figures (debut Kane & Papa Shango), picked up the third (Edge from series 13) and now have the first of two from series 14, the Big Boss Man. Get ready to do some hard time!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Dr. Wu, Duel Upgrade - Review
Monday, April 16, 2012
WWE Defining Moments, John Cena - Review
Monday, April 2, 2012
BTS Sonicron - Review
Depending on how you look at it, I either picked the perfect time (last Summer) to jump into collecting Transformers "Classics", or arrived to the party to late. I'll admit it's been quite the expensive journey trying to catch-up with all my "must-have" figures, while keeping up with new releases. To make matters worse, there have been a lot of excellent unlicensed (i.e. pricey), third party releases I simply had to have. While I've been able to buy official versions of most of my favorite characters, some requisite robots have been harder to come by.At the top of that list is Soundwave, Megatron's right-hand bot. I found the Generations "Cybertronian" Soundwave rather easily at a Walmart not too far from home, and he's a fun figure, but I wanted a more traditional (and bigger) version for the classics display. The only real "classic" Soundwave released so far was the Takara Music Label figure, but he's no longer sold through retailers and the after-market asking price was above what I'm willing to pay for it. Then a glimmer of hope... BTS Toys released their take on a modernized Soundwave figure and he would cost less than $100!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
The Honeypot: March 2012
March is in the record books and that means it's time to review all the toy-related purchases for the month. This edition of the Honeypot is a couple of days behind schedule, so you'll excuse me for the retro-active posting. I thought my haul for this month would be relatively light compared to January & February, mainly because I also purchased the brand-new iPad this month. I only had four toy purchases halfway through March, but added 8 more during the final two weeks. Click ahead to see what the B brought in!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
WWE Legends, Texas Tornado - Review
The real-life world of professional wrestling is filled with tragic stories of beloved athletes with lives cut much too short due to illness and circumstance. Iconic heroes who have struggled with drug addiction and other demons and consequently families that have suffered immeasureable losses. That seems to be truer for one pro-wrestling family in particular, the legendary Von Erich family.However, it's important to remember the contributions they made to wrestling and the joy they brought to fans around the world. Today we're looking at the "Texas Tornado" version of Kerry Von Erich from WWE Legends series 6. He along with with his older brother Kevin make up 3/5ths of the wave (there's a non-Tornado version of Kerry also) and offer up what is surely the best representation of Von Erich action figures released at one time.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
WWE Elite Flashback, Kane - Review
Kane has had a resurgence in popularity in recent months, returning to his masked monster persona as opposed to the "scarred" freak show gimmick he's used for nearly a decade. It's still a bit early for Mattel to release an updated version of the big red monster (which should certainly include his "predator" mask!), but he did just receive a new figure in the twelfth wave of the Elite Collection. And if masked Kane is right up your alley, then you'll be happy that Mattel chose to make this a "Flashback" figure based on his debut attire!Monday, March 12, 2012
Aliens, ATAX - Review
Earlier in the year I mentioned I would be turning 30 in 2012 (it happened last month, if you're wondering) and wanted to devote some time to a few of my favorite toys. I originally planned to cover at least one figure per month, but all of a sudden March snuck up on me and I haven't even featured one classic action figure, yet! Today I'm correcting that with a brief review of one of my top 10 favorite action figures of all-time (yes, really!), none other than ATAX from Kenner's awesome Aliens line.With all the modern advancements in action figure manufacturing I find it surprising that there isn't much diversity on the shelves these days. Although the Aliens line was a licensed property, it took liberties with established characters while introducing new characters and vehicles, something you don't really see today.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Transformers "Reveal the Shield", Gold Bumblebee
Hey there everyone. This is Novelty from Toy A Day, interrupting you from the regular rassling figure reviews for a Transformers review. OK, OK, 3B has been posting about his Hercules recently and I have gotta say I'm mighty jealous. But money doesn't grow on trees, so I have to settle with el-cheapo Legends-class Reveal the Shield transformers when they go on sale.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Transformers Prime, Megatron - Review
It's a pretty great time to be a Transformers fan right now; there's two new animated shows on TV, toylines to accompany the shows and the promise of a great videogame and more toys coming later this year. I wasn't immediately enamoured with Transformers: Prime when it was first released (or rather when I first watched it), but eventually I caught a few of the better episodes and once the toyline was revealed I was pretty psyched to get my hands on them. Of course, there was a whole debacle regarding the "First Edition" series and the current main-line, "Robots in Disguise". After picking up the NYCC set, Starscream and Arcee, I really had my heart set on adding the FE versions of Optimus Prime, Cliffjumper and Bulkhead. Unfortunately, those never materialized in adequate quantities in the US, leaving many fans high and dry. Comparatively, the RID versions of those characters aren't as great, but one figure in the new line proved good enough to make me change my mind on the rest of the series. Let's see what he has to offer...Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Currently on Display: March 2012
A new month is here, but as I mentioned in last month's COD edition, WWE Legends are still taking up most of the real estate on the main displays. However, there are a couple of new additions in there and I did a bit of rearranging so all the figures get a chance to shine. And to balance all the hulking human physiques on display I added a bunch of robot goodness! Plus with all the new Transformers: Prime figures I picked up last month, I had to throw them in there some way because I'm quickly running out of storage space. Click ahead to see what on the shelves in March and a few sneak peaks at some toys that will be reviewed throughout the month.Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The Honeypot: February 2012
Two up, two down! We're one day away from welcoming March already and you know what that means: time to look back at February and see what toys we hauled in, in this month's edition of "The Honeypot!"
Monday, February 27, 2012
ThunderCats Classic, Lion-O - Review
As a child of the '80s I was able to enjoy a lot of great toy properties in my youth. It was the golden age of the action figure that paved the way for the technology seen in the '90s and '00s. While today's toys are engineered at far superior levels, there really aren't any new properties that manage to surpass the classics, which is probably why companies keep revisiting (and improving) older characters and licenses. Fans of Star Wars, G.I. Joe, Masters of the Universe, superheroes from both DC and Marvel, along with Transformers, have enjoyed updated toys of classic characters from those properties for most of the last decade, but 2012 proves that the trend of revitalizing old properties will continue. Case in point, no less than three '80s/early '90s properties are reappearing on store shevles (and online) with updated, classic versions of their characters: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (by Play Mates), Voltron (by Mattel) and the ThunderCats!
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