Legacy Collection Wave 1

Sandstorm Han Solo and Luke Skywalker:

Along with the Clone Wars figures, Hasbro made more "realistic" figures as well. The two I got from the first wave are Han and Luke. These figures are based on a deleted scene where the gang struggle through a sandstorm in order to reach the Falcon after defeating Jabba the Hutt. Han's face is one of the closest sculpts to matching Ford's features that I've seen, though it's been at least a year since I last bought a Solo figure. Luke's a decent likeness, and it's always nice to get a new Jedi Luke, since it doesn't seem like Hasbro make them as much as they do the other Lukes. They both come with a great array of articulation: head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, knees, and ankles. Han has an addition mid-chest joint. Luke comes with his saber, lit and unlit, goggles, and desert shaw with hood. It looks like Luke got Obi-Wan's Episode III saber and not his own, though I could be mistaken. Han comes with his blaster, goggles, and desert shaw. Overall: Han Solo: B+, Luke Skywalker B-

Midnight Madness!

If you're in the know, then you were probably waiting outside your local Toys R Us store on July 25, 2008, just seconds away from midnight. Why, you ask? Because TRU was celebrating Hasbro's new blue-and-white line based on the new animated Clone Wars movie. At the Midnight Madness i attended, everything was rather tame. No one in costumes. No one trampled to death. Nice, orderly, and mostly gone in the first fifteen minutes. Here's a few that I managed to snag:

Clone Wars Obi-Wan and Anakin:
Hasbro did a great job creating 3D renditions of the new Clone Wars designs. I prefer Obi-Wan's design: the clone trooper armor makes his uniform stand out more than Anakin's and provides a better color contrast. Also, Obi-Wan's smirk gives him more personality. Anakin has the more traditional Jedi robes with the Vader-upper-chest-plate-thingy for armor. They have a decent amount of articulation: head, shoulders, elbows, wrist, waist, hips. I wish Hasbro had added knee joints, but pretty impressive anyway. Obi-Wan comes with his saber, jetpack, helmet, and projectile. Anakin comes with his saber, grappling hooks, a wrist blaster-thing, and projectile. Overall, Obi-Wan: B+, Anakin: B

SDCC Nostalgia

By now, the San Diego Comic Con is over. No sadder words have ever been written before. I was fortunate to be at the '07 SDCC, which seemed to have taken place decades ago. There, a year ago, for the first time, I entered the hallow halls of the San Diego Convention Center, only to be trampled by roughly 5 million other otaku-type fans.

in other words, the SDCC is very popular, the most famous comic book convention in the world, and it draws hundreds upon millions each year. Movie and toy companies haven't missed out on this, placing booths promoting future projects to provoke fans' salivary glands. There's also the actual comic book companies and up-and-coming web comics, but they almost seem secondary to the grand promises of free junk and elusive exclusives.

My memories of the event include being placed in the two mile long (give or take) main convention center with what seemed like the rest of the world. Meeting Kris Straub, one of said up-and-coming web artist who works vigilantly at Starslip Crisis and Chainsawsuit, on preview night. The next day, I was able to chat with my personally favorite artist, Ron Lim. Our brief, possibly unmemorable, encounter captured on a grainy picture from a disposable camera. The fact that my art, submitted months in advance, made it into the final program was just icing on the cake.

(I forgot to mention the heat. Perhaps next year.)

Summer Movies (In Review)

Here's the movies I've seen this summer, and what I think of them: (Pretty simple, huh?)

1. The Incredible Hulk: Having more in common with the old television show than the comic books, the film portrays Bruce Banner as a fugitive from the government as he tries to find a cure. Edward Norton makes a better choice for Banner than Eric Bana. It felt like Hollywood on autopilot. It was fun to watch, but lacked any real emotional core. C+

2. Indiana Jones and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Lucasfilm's second attempt to create a decades-delayed sequel to a beloved movie franchise, and with better results. Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones, no matter the age. Sadly, it's the first of his films in the past decade that I haven't regretted seeing. While the movie seemed to focus more on mystery and less on action, it still could have been a lot worse. God save us from the day we're forced to see "Mutt Williams and the City of Atlantis." B

3. Iron Man: The opposite of the Hulk movie: a well-balance diet of snarky remarks, fleshed out characters, and spectacular action sequences. It makes Tony Stark as compelling a character as Batman Begins did with Bruce Wayne. What can I say that millions of other positive reviews haven't? A

4. Speed Racer: Ah, Speed Racer. The most maligned movie this summer, and I can't figure out why. Top-notch effects and non-linear storytelling made Speed Racer a surprise hit with me. Whether you come away with the "artistic individual vs corporate monotony" message or just enjoyed all the explosions, there's something here for everyone. Everyone except the critics, I guess. A-

5. The Dark Knight: The movie picks up where Batman Begins ended, with Batman and Gordon feeling hopeful that they can put an end to the mob's corruption in Gotham City with the help of the new DA, Harvey Dent. From there, everything goes wrong and continues to worsen until the end credits. This movie is intense, dark, and unrelenting. Heath Ledger breathes life into the Joker as a haunting yet frightening character, and it's a tragedy he will never be able to reprise the role. A-

I still have yet to see Hellboy 2 and Star Wars The Clone Wars. I'll let you know what I think.

The Return of The Can't-Get-Rid-Of

Yes, the last time this blog was updated was in 2007. Which isn't too bad, but still a long time of neglect. Mostly to blame is my job, my life, finishing my first novel, etc. I would feel bad or even guilty but I have the feeling no one reads this in the first place.

But I'm back. For now. Today. I solemnly swear to try and write something, anything at least once a week. Seriously. Scout's Honor.