Related Links:
16bit Tumblr
16bit Twitter
16bit Instagram
ASWN
EE Podcast
Galactic Hunter
Glyos News
OSM News

Galactic Hunter has posted their weekly Q&A column by yours truly and, as always, I'm eagerly looking for new questions. So, feel free to send any in.

This week's highlights include... stuff. I dunno, I wrote this a couple of days ago.

--AP

Kabaya posted a page with shots of the new Grand Convoy and Galvatron candy toys. The surprise? Convoy and Galvatron both transform, and the Grand Force limbs can connect to his robot mode. Nice!

The infamous Remy posted a new Gallery of World's Smallest TransFormers Series 2. In it, you can see Ramjet, Anime Convoy, Jazz, Prowl, and for now, that seems to be it.

--AP

The Wipeouters are not officially Devo, but they sound similar and both bands have Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh, and Bob Casale. The surf/rock/soundtrack music will surely delight the mutants out there, not so much the ninnies and the twits. If you're a Devo-tee, you really need a good look at today's review of P'Twaaang!!!

We're also proud to announce that we're hosting a Web comic that will be updated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It's called ".stereotype." and it's written by The Authors, who are actively looking for feedback. As of now, there are five strips up and #6 is coming Wednesday.

--AP

Dorling Kindersley, a European publishing firm, has put out a number of wonderfully informative and well-illustrated volumes from everything to Star Wars to Dinosaurs to James Bond to LEGO. Now, they turn their sights to the Robots in Disguise with TransFormers: The Ultimate Guide by Simon Furman, comics scribe and all around nice guy. The volume covers most American and British continuities, and barely mentions the Japan-only series like Beast Wars Neo. Of course, this might mean there's hope for a volume two, but you can read all about this great little book in today's review.

--AP

Gameforms posted the list which has a number of good titles, but does not have the Final Fantasy remakes reported earlier. It does have new Kingdom Hearts titles for GameBoy Advance and Playstation 2, Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XI - Chains of Promathia, Front Mission 4, Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel, and yes, Star Ocean. Sadly, no Dragon Warrior games were mentioned.

--AP

Monster Zero posted a page from a Chinese news report stating that the new movie will be shooting worldwide, and some fairly significant plot points.

This article at the same site has information and images of new, limited edition Godzilla vinyl figures. Shown are Godzilla and Anguiras, classic editions slated to be around $50.

--AP, thanks to EK

Don't forget to check out Homestar Runner, as a new Strong Bad email has been added.

Also, we're going through something truly terrible for an upcoming review right now-- we'd say more, but it's so awful that anything but the review in full would spoil the impact. It's just that bad. (Curse you, Zac.)

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at one of the biggest gangster from Return of the Jedi with the Ultra figure of Jabba the Hutt. He's based on the design for the unfairly maligned Episode I toy "Jabba Glob," but he's a good representation of the character from his 1983 appearance and his accessories nicely add to the existing 1999 Jabba's Palace diorama. Fans everywhere should have one if not two, and you can find out why in today's review.

--AP

An auction at eBay has a couple of great shots of Meister, the Jazz-like robot based on the Mazda RX-8. It's assumed it will be red and not in the blue and grey colors shown on the unpainted sample in the auction, but it's nifty just the same.

--AP

While Hasbro did state that the line was on hold for 2004, numerous items have surfaced direct-to-clearance and in US packaging on eBay of things that were, to say the least, unexpected. Last week, an action figure of the Battle Cougar showed up at Kay-Bee, and earlier this year the model kit of this toy popped up at Toys "R" Us and some small regional grocery stores. Numerous other items are showing up for preorder at online retailers, and yes, even eBay. A seller in Hong Kong has an auction for the USA Jet Falcon Z-Builders set. Several items continue to show up in Australia and Canada, plus the prices on Japanese sets seem to be dropping as well. It's a good time to be a Zoids fan, aside from, of course, the possible demise of the domestic market.

--AP

TVShowsOnDVD.Com has a semi-confirmed report of the most excellent Fox series, Arrested Development, which is quite possibly the best sitcom you never saw. The story quotes a VP of the production company in an interview about the DVD release, to which she simply states, "Hopefully, late summer."

Good news. No word on a second season of the show, but this is a start.

--AP

The Authors have posted a new .stereotype.

PVP, Scott Kurtz' great online comic, has a toy in production. A plush beanie of the troll, Skull, is in the works and should debut at Comic-Con International in San Diego this summer. No word on pricing, but you can see a sketch at his site.

Don't forget to check out updates at The Onion update, which features some great new reviews and humor-jokes.

--AP

Originally written in 1998 for part of our launch that was to be in 1999, this review of Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus was recently revised to appear less dated, we hope. Konami's release for the Japanese Sega Saturn has three shooters: Life Force, Salamander, and Salamander 2. The games are the typical fly-and-shoot fare Gradius and R-Type fans should love, and these games are particulatly enjoyable, even today. You can read all about them (with screen shots) in today's review.

--AP

This week, Toys "R" Us stores have Alternators toys on sale for $14.99, but we should not have no new Alternators. The sign in stores indentifies them incorrectly as Energon Alternators.

Also, Kay-Bee stores have been getting in a lot of Armada toys for fairly low prices. Minicons are $4.99, and Unicron and both versions of the large Optimus Prime are $24.99. Selection varies by store, but it's worth a look.

--AP

TVShowsOnDVD.Com has a semi-confirmed release date for Rhino's set of Land of the Lost season one. Look for it on June 29, Sleestacks and all.

--AP

While not big news, we were amused by this story at ShowBIZ Data indicating that Johnny Depp wants Keith Richards to play his character's father in the upcoming Pirates sequel which is reportedly entitled Treasures of the Lost Abyss.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at one of the most obscure aliens out of Return of the Jedi-- Tanus Spijek. Sure he shares parts with J'Quille, but he's newly colored and has a bundle of new parts that look really slick. You can see how great the sculpting is, as well as commentary, in today's review.

--AP

Most game stores got in TransFormers (formerly Prelude to Energon or Battle for Energon depending on when you started paying attention) yesterday for about $49.99. Early impressions: great cut scenes, good voice-overs from the actors in the Armada cartoon, and yes, awkward play control, as is the style of the licensed game. I've played much worse, though, and it seems like this will be a decent game for once.

--AP

As part of their Palisades special feature, Action-Figure.com posted a packaged shot of Slimer who, it seems, glows in the dark. The packaging is a lot like that used on Kill Bill and all of McFarlane's properties, so it should please.

--AP

Wired posted an article on the upcoming expected duel of the titans. Since Nintendo really hasn't said much about their new system beyond a working name and the fact it has two screens, it should be interesting to see if the article's facts pan out. It's news to us, anyway, and should prove interesting to see what happens at E3 next week.

--AP

Here's a surprise-- the classic, super-rare TransFormers figure form way back when, Stepper, is being reissued in the USA under the name of Ricochet, so says Hasbro.

Hasbro also added some questions stating the Dinobots aren't being reissued yet, and that Alternators Hound is not yet available.

A few boards posted shots of new upcoming Universe and Energon repaints, of which there are many. This thread at the 2005 Boards shows the Desert version of Battle Ravage, a new version of Cruellock we assume is called Doom-lock, Ironhide repainted in Hound colors, and the repaint of Megatron which, we might point out, does NOT look like Galvatron. There's a new Optimus Prime too, with his drones all in a uniform black-and-white color scheme.

This thread has a shot of Jetfire in Astrotrain colors, a newly colored Cheetor from Beast Wars, Tarantulas, Transmetals Waspinator, and even a Beast Mutant Soundwave.

--AP

TVShowsOnDVD.com added some information on the next boxed set of the original G.I. Joe cartoons. Looks like it's coming this summer, so heads up.

--AP

He-Man.org is reporting that the final European toys may soon show on US shores. And that there are more surprises in store than just She-Ra this summer from Mattel. And there's more busts coming. Heck, just go to He-Man.org for the full scoop.

--AP

The Mask of Destiny posted a story, complete with pictures, of the winner of the recent Bionicle contest complete with a platinum Mask of Light. It's a fun story to read, so be sure to check it out.

--AP

Next week, we're looking at more Godzilla toys and, finally, the Hellboy merchandise. We swear. Also, our pal Shaun checks in with a review of the DVD The Wrong Guy starring Dave Foley and seen by nobody since it was never released outside of Canada and one country in Europe. The DVD is sold in the USA, and he says it's quite good. More on that tomorrow.

At Galactic Hunter, we're looking at Jabba's Court Denizens on Wednesday, and on Friday, Master Replica's Darth Vader Lightsaber. On Monday, it's Q&A time. Surely, this is a great week for all, unless you hate this stuff, in which case you can go read our illustrious archives.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted their weekly Q&A column by yours truly and, as always, I'm eagerly looking for new questions. So, feel free to send any in.

This week's highlights include another figure archive, long trays and short sabers, and yes, the rumors surrounding the still-possible 500th action figure.

--AP

Apparently the new game from Atari is making a big splash. A huge ad assault during Adult Swim last night seems to indicate that they want it to sell, and well, we bought into it. A bunch of fan sites are reporting on an interview at Eurogamer.net, which we have never heard of either, where the developers talk about a possible sequel. Fans everywhere are taking this to mean that the sequel is surrounding the rumored sequel series TransFormers Cybertron, but it seems it may be too early to talk about that.

Then again, maybe not-- few new molds are in the works for Energon still, at least that we know of, and it's possible the 16-month lifespan Armada enjoyed before being replaced could be shortened to bring out the next series faster. The number of new molds introduced in Energon thus far (22) and available today-- after six months-- has exceeded Armada (21) after 17 months if you don't count Mini-Cons or repaints in either line. So who knows, maybe we're due for a quickie line with Energon since we got so many new molds so quickly.

--AP

The Wrong Guy was a comedy from Canada that never saw release stateside, but our pal Shaun Clayton has checked in with a great review explaining just what it is you may have missed from one of the finest alumni from Kids in the Hall. Originally released in 1997, the film wasn't seen on American shores until just a couple of years ago, proving once again that DVD is a valuable format for making an unprofitable movie some money. Speaking of which, Van Helsing made some serious bank over the weekend.

--AP, thanks to SC

Yet another installment in ".stereotype." was posted, which is now has several more installments. Do check it out.

--AP

The dumping continues at Toys "R" Us. The stores are now receiving the red Liger Zero X and red Gun Sniper action figures for a measly $1.98 each, as well as new shipments of older figures like the red Zaber Fang and white Command Wolf.

Also of note, the large kit of Liger Zero X, which is available in two different boxes, is selling at two different prices. The green box one is being cleared out at Toys "R" Us for $9.98, while the grey is still $3.98. The toy is identical.

--AP

Fans of Xevoz, the spin-off of Stikfas that has since only shown up at Toys "R" Us, should start checking Target stores. They're getting the basic figures and the two-pack assortments and more are presumed to be coming later.

--AP

Mask of Destiny is posting a series of custom creations of the green teens as Bionicle kits. A nifty premise, to be sure!

Also interesting, and we just realized this, is that the voice on the classic cartoons for Shredder also played Uncle Philip Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Amazing, no?

--AP

Don't forget to check out Homestar Runner, as a new action figure parody cartoon has been added.

Also, it seems that another episode of Arrested Development on FOX was finished and is being held for air until Sunday, June 6.

--AP

He's cute, and darned if he doesn't look vaguely evil. Baragon appeared in three movies thus far and was part of the marvelous Soukougeki series of BanDai candy toys, and we've got a little feature with him added to our Godzilla Candy Toys page today.

--AP, thanks to EK

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at an uncommon sight, a three-pack of aliens from Return of the Jedi-- Jabba's Palace Court Denizens! The B'Omarr Monk (Spider Droid) is a repaint, but a fantastic one, and he comes with a small alien wall accessory, Wol Cabasshite, and of course the magnificent Bubo. You can see how great the sculpting is, as well as commentary, in today's review.

--AP

Video game fans yesterday were treated to amazing scoop after amazing scoop, resulting in what I can say-- without hyperbole-- in what may be the single greatest day of news for games, ever. Two new portables, dozens of new games, and at least one genuine surprise await you... assuming you didn't go looking for news yesterday. Here's some articles we saw that you shouldn't miss.

Nintendo unveils DS, new Zelda at E3
Hands-on with the Nintendo DS
PlayStation 2 reduced to $149
Konami's E3 conference packs the house

Also, GameForms has a bunch of info up, such as another Capcom-developed GBA Zelda, Metroid and Mario Kart for DS, and oh so much more. And something called NEW Super Mario Bros. We're curious. Plus a Final Fantasy VII prequel for cell phones, a Brave Fencer Musashi sequel, and well, let's just say a whole mess more. It's a good year for gaming.

Oh, and Xbox Live is going to sell classic arcade games over its network for, it appears, ten bucks each. Considering a Namco compilation disc is $15, I find this astounding.

--AP

Tformers is tossed up a bunch of new pictures, including more shots of the prototype Wingsaber and the Grand Convoy Model Kit. Also shown was the Japanese version of the reissue Stepper toy.

Lastly, TVShowsOnDVD.Com is reporting two more Armada DVDs which are not the box sets as advertised earlier.

--AP

Don't forget to check out The Onion, they tossed up a review of a brand-new CD from David Cross that we were unaware was coming in the first place.

--AP

HobbyLink Japan tossed up preorders for and big images of Robot Masters, best known as the line with the new Starscream, Optimus, and repaints.

You can find everything on their Takara section, or use the following links to see some of the better ones:
G1 Convoy with DVD
Beast Convoy
Beast Megatron
Starscream

The numerous repaints look much better in these new, sharper images so be sure to poke around and see what's what. The prices are also lower than other stores have been asking, so it's not a bad place at which to make your puchases.

For you Superlink fans out there, they also tossed up a preorder page with a picture for Wing Saber which, as of yet, has not been confirmed for US distribution.

--AP

E3 continues, and the news does too. Here's some of the stuff you'll probably want to check out.

Nintendo 2004 Release Schedule
Early List of Nintendo DS Support
Metal Gear Acid to burn the PSP
First Look: Grand Theft Auto San Andreas

--AP

DVD File and The Digital Bits each posted an early review of the movie-only finale of the Lord of the Rings series, so be sure to go read those.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at a replica of the Darth Vader's Lightsaber as produced by Master Replicas, with electronics producing lights and sounds. It's nearly four feet long and has a nifty light-up action that gradually "extends," just like in the movie. It's an expensive piece, but a fun one, and you can read more in today's review.

--AP

TVShowsOnDVD.com is reporting the HBO comedy series Da ALli G show has been delayed until August 17. No reason was given for the delay, but at least it wasn't cancelled. The six episode "first season" is not expected to be wealthy in supplements but for most of you, contains nearly six full episodes of previously unseen comedy.

--AP

Our pal Shaun got an article published over at the National Lampoon Web site. Entitled Punctuation Corner, it focuses on the proposed new punctuation marks which will surely serve us well in this age of communication.

--AP

Hasbro and various food licensors are really making the most out of the big green ogre. Numerous Play-Doh sets including a root canal set and small tubs of the modeling compound with figurines on top are now available. The tubs are notable because the figures on top are fairly large, painted well, and about three bucks.

--AP

Local Wal-Mart stores are having some pretty decent deals on these two very different TV series. The newly released Zim two-disc set is $14.44, cheaper than the $15.99 at Best Buy or roughly $25 at most mall stores. Sex season sets-- all of them-- are $27.88 each, which is a real steal.

--AP

The fine folks at Mask of Destiny added shots of these upcoming canned creatures to their site and are saying that they're starting to show up for sale. Good times.

--AP

The fine folks at Hasbro posted this article with a PDF file showing the combinations you can make with the four Silver Powerlinx combination figures. In other words, the combos of the deluxe figures. Japanese fan sites have done a better job, including the STD Convoy and character-on-self combinations (i.e., Inferno with Inferno) but it's still pretty slick.

--AP

The Sky Grinder has been spotted at a few Target stores, meaning at least this one new set has arrived. Also shipping again are two "Bonus Pack" figures at Toys "R" Us, the Omega Guard and Grim Skull. No signs of other new figures have surfaced to the knowledge of the 16bit.com staff.

--AP

Local Wal-Mart stores are having some pretty decent deals on these two very different TV series. The newly released Zim two-disc set is $14.44, cheaper than the $15.99 at Best Buy or roughly $25 at most mall stores. Sex season sets-- all of them-- are $27.88 each, which is a real steal.

--AP

Originally, the TransFormers Energon Divebomb toy shipped with a lightning bolt that was sharp on one side and had a grip on the other, so figures cold hold it. It was quickly replaced by a double-handle version, but it seems numerous Target stores are suddenly getting the original release. Completists, be on alert.

Kay-Bee stores are now getting in Universe Defensor and are selling it as six individually packaged $3.99 toys. Originally Micromasters Sixturbo, this seems to be the very first mold in the Universe line that was not previously available in North America, and this is the first Universe toy to not be given a significant makeover.

--AP

We picked up and watched the entire first DVD set of Invader Zim. There are nine 30-minute episodes (well, shorter sans ads) and a 15-minute pilot as well as a voice actor featurette and several commentary tracks. While we have yet to check out the commentaries, odds are if you're also an adult that buys toys and watches cartoons, you'd enjoy it immensely.

This week at 16bit.com, we review the Garfield: The Movie Audiobook (terrors) and additional Godzilla figures to be determined.

At Galactic Hunter, we present a FAQ for the Original Trilogy Collection later this week, as well as a review of Han Solo (Endor Strike), better known as AT-ST Han. A weekly column of Q&A will be posted tomorrow.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted their weekly Q&A column by yours truly and, as always, I'm eagerly looking for new questions. So, feel free to send any in.

This week's highlights include figure tallies and checklists, new vehicles, and what doesn't constitute a legit variant.

--AP

Garfield The Movie still hasn't been released, but the merchandise started hitting a while ago. The advance advertising has revealed the audience to be what we expected, and that is customers for motivational posters ca. 1987. After listening to the CD of the Garfield The Movie Audiobook, we can plainly see why some items aren't developed into a feature film and why they most certainly should not go from a comic to a movie to a novelization to a one-man audio book. References to pie and sticking a claw in Odie's backside are presented in a fairly unsettling manner, making one wonder just who it was a product of this nature was developed for. You can find out much, much more in today's review.

--AP, no thanks to ZB

Wasting no time, Target stores have already marked down this 12" behemoth to $48.88 in some, but not all, locations. Other lower prices have been reported but have yet to be confirmed by this reporter. If you've missed this piece and don't have one, it is highly advised that you snag one, as there aren't likely to be toys of this size and quality in the USA for some time.

--AP

An advertisment on Sunday's Adult Swim programming block featured a bellowing Brak indicating that he had basically begged to return to TV, and Adult Swim has granted him his wish-- along with bland Baby Blues and the surprsingly funny Mission Hill. It is assumed that the return of the Brak Show means more repeats, but as the show has been off the air since the new year, it'd be nice to see some episodes again.

--AP

Yet another installment in ".stereotype." was posted, which is now has 11 available installments. Do check it out.

--AP

A diligent fan posted a transcript of Simon Furman's chat from Auto Assembly, a UK convention for, you guessed it, TransFormers. Part 1, Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Also, HobbyLink Japan posted many more new pictures of Robot Masters, including new shots of Starscream, Convoy, and oh so many more. Check 'em out.

--AP

Collectobil added a shot of a brand-new Vedes exclusive game set with A King with Frogs. As it's exclusive to the German store, you're best off checking eBay if you want one which, probably, you wouldn't except for the frogs.

--AP

A confused populace asks "Why?" TVShowsOnDVD.com is reporting that the oft-retooled crapfest (and we mean crapfest with love) is due to come out on DVD in July. Still no new word on Newsradio, additional seasons of Kids on the Hall, or my personal favorite, Unhappily Ever After. The latter of which is one of the finest self-referential shows to break the fourth wall and comment on its own apparent inability to be cancelled.

--AP

Color us surprised. We got a sample of the July release early... even more surprising, we didn't know we were getting one. We're working on a review that should be up as soon as we can, but let's just say it's real slick.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the droid from A New Hope that did pretty much nothing, R1-G4! Little more than a static mass of plastic, the droid shows that a figure doesn't have to be moderately interesting to be a hit. Droid fans will love it, and this piece is a must for any Tatooine diorama, but the toy really doesn't do much of anything, which is saying a lot considering today's review.

--AP

The last hurrah of Masters of the Universe is still not entirely known, but based on rumblings out of Mattel the last big piece is going to be She-Ra, seen in this article at Action-Figure.com. While the information isn't totally finalized, the toy looks to be pretty much near finished, and while it's nice to see a new character it certainly does feel like an anticlimax.

--AP

Another report at Action-Figure.com shows a new Clix figure based on the movie version of Catwoman. Impressive? Not especially.

--AP

The site TVShowsOnDVD.com added release information on a number of series today including Hogan's Heroes, Jamie Kennedy Experiment, Taxi, and the last season of Frasier.

--AP

Don't forget to check out The Onion, they tossed up a review of Shrek 2 early in their AV Club section.

--AP

Some sites are linking to this page which features Shining Unicron, a new aquamarine variation that's exclusive to Japan. Take a look for some nice images of the toy, reportedly limited to 10 pieces.

--AP

The Shrek sequel opened yesterday to mostly positive reviews. While we have yet to see it, we've got tickets for later this week and hope to enjoy it.

--AP

The site GameSpot has an article on the 50th Anniversary of Namco, the developers of Pac-Man and Dig Dug. They started off with wooden horses, and have a nifty logo commemorating this.

--AP

While we never got to see it, the DVD is coming up for the instant cult film Bubba Ho-Tep in which Elvis and JFK fight The Mummy. DVDFile.com has an advance review, so if you're curious, check it out.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we look at a revised mass of existing parts from Return of the Jedi that most fans probably will not instantly recognize, Han Solo (Endor Strike). He's made of a new head with existing and retooled parts from the Imperial Officer and the AT-ST Helmet from the Endor Accessory Set from 2002. Sure it's basically a figure you have, but it's really nifty with a lot of minor updates. Check it out in today's review.

--AP

Hasbro updated their TransFormers Q&A with information on Generation 1 reissues, the lack of paint on Energon High Wire, and yes, the lack of Alternators variety in stores.

--AP

The site TVShowsOnDVD.com has a list of unconfirmed specs for Seinfeld-- apparently they're gunning to release three seasons this November. Of course, there will also be a mondo-deluxe box set, and some footageof Larry David telling us things... if it's true. Check it out.

--AP

All the big TV networks made a bunch of announcements this week, many of the most interesting can be found here, namely that Arrested Development is returning, Seth Macfarlane of Family Guy fame's new show American Dad is debuting, and yes, Kelsey Grammer is being given a sketch show for reasons unknown. Also of note, Quintuplets with Andy Richter in a most bafflingly sitcom-y premise-- he's the father of 15-year-old quints.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter has added a new update from the Swami with the rumored Sneak Preview assortment as well as prequel toys beyond the Original Trilogy Collection. Surely, good stuff.

There's a few more rumors flying around regarding the Star Wars TV series-- apparently the rumor mill would have you believe that Young Boba Fett could be getting his own show. Stranger things have happened...

--AP

If you haven't already done so, you should probably pencil in plans to see Shrek 2. The script and visuals include a dazzling array of pop culture references new and old, from a Burger King spoof you can see in a single shot to the ravings of Fred Sanford. We should also note the Dronkey from the toy line does make a brief appearance, but we won't spoil how-- but we will say when. Stay for the credits.

--AP

The site TFW2005.com added Shockblast and Cliffjumper to their image galleries. The shots give a pretty good idea what to expect in the next match of Mega-sized figures that are due in North America any day now.

--AP

While we never thought we'd see the day, it appears it's happening. Two separate releases of Late Night with Conan O'Brien are coming to DVD, so says TVShowsOnDVD.com. One disc will focus on the 10th Anniversary Special of the show, and the other release will be segments of Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog. It seems other classic bits are not scheduled for release, and as such we'll be holding on to our archival copy of Conan's very first episode in our VHS collection.

--AP

The homebrew game revolution is alive and well, and you can dowload a ROM of it too. It seems that a Homestar Runner RPG is in development for the Atari 2600. The Brothers Chaps are working on it and you can play as Homestar, Homsar, or Strongsad. Looking at some of the screenshots and a console with a working cart, it appears that this isn't a hoax, either.

--AP, thanks to SC

This image at Fantofan shows the various modes of Wingsaber in a nice big clear way, so if you want to know what this figure is capable, of, it's worth a look. The site also posted some neat chewing gum figures.

But that's not all-- there's Robot Masters previews as well. Take a look at Convoy (Optimus Prime) in all his fully painted glory. Another image shows Beast Wars and G1 Convoys as well as lots of character artwork. Nifty!

--AP

This week at 16bit.com, we're working on reviews of the latest David Cross CD as well as a very early review of Master Replicas' latest-- the Sting Sword from Lord of the Rings, and it even lights up!

At Galacitc Hunter, we have finished reviews for General Madine and the new Bossk figure as well as a new Q&A on Monday. Stay tuned for more possible surprises, too!

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted their weekly Q&A column by yours truly and, as always, I'm eagerly looking for new questions. So, feel free to send any in.

This week's highlights include the frozen Hansicle, custom copyright conundrums, Star Tours merchandise prices, and oh so much more.

--AP

HobbyLink Japan is taking preorders for Takara's new repaint of their Grand Convoy model kit which they're calling Grand Scourge. It's cheap and nifty, so go check it out.

--AP

News around the Web reported by way of TVShowsOnDVD.com reveals there's a lot of head-butting over the second Invader Zim DVD set, namely the cover art. Looks like the initial art that was rejected (which featured several kids being strangled by robotic arms) was rejected by Nickelodeon and as a result, Johnen Vasquez has apparently called off development on more Zim projects. There was word of creating more shows from existing audio tracks for a direct-to-DVD release, but it looks like those are on hold now. The article also mentions that all existing episodes have had commentary recorded, so at least those will be coming.

--AP

It's Not Funny is the latest comedy CD from David Cross, comedian and star of HBO's aborted Mr. Show. Our pal Shaun chimes in with today's review of the comedy compact disc, and it appears that it is, in fact, quite funny. You can read all about this comedy release in today's review.

Yet another installment in ".stereotype." was posted, and this week is Swami of Arabia week. Do check it out.

--AP

The Kids in the Hall announced that the second season of their classic sketch comedy show is, in fact, coming to DVD since first season sales were up to snuff. Their own site will be taking preorders June 6 and sets will ship July 6. The first season was available through the site late in 2003, so it's entirely possible Season 2 won't be in stores until the end of the year.

--AP

Monster Zero News posted information and art for the final Godzilla flick, Final Wars. The official site is in Flash and in Japanese, making it difficult to translate, but the folks at Monster Zero, and this article does list monsters meaning if you consider a cast list spoilers, don't go. We should note/warn it does have Minya listed, though, so be afraid.

--AP, thanks to EK

A number of reports around the Web are indicating that Silverstreak, a revised version of Smokescreen, is now hitting stores. Keep your eyes on your Wal-Marts, as they seem to have the first shipments of this new Autobot.

--AP

The theatrical two-disc cut of Return of the King hits stores today, and the going rate seems to be about $15.99 in the USA. Check your local stores for price wars, last time around we scored Two Towers for $13.99.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we examine a new version of one of the finest figures from the early days of the new Star Wars line. Bossk (Executor Meeting) combines the great sculpt of old with new parts for the head and limbs, bringing a superbly articulated and nicely detailed bounty hunter to stores for new fans to enjoy. While it may not look too different by its lonesome, you can see all sorts of comparison photos and read about the changes in today's review.

--AP

While it might be an elaborate hoax, a post over at Atari Age shows mockups and a proposal for a never-developed game featuring rock legends AC/DC. The sheer insanity of such a proposal is amusing on countless levels, and even if it's bogus, the feature is amusing enough to check out.

--AP

While Return of the King managed to appeal to fans of all ages, it seems the DVD's appeal is being a bit more specialized. Each store has a different offer. Target is asking $14.99 with an instant coupon for free microwave popcorn and $5 worth of Duracell Batteries. Best Buy is asking $15.99 with a special all-LOTR issue of Entertainment Weekly and the free batteries. Wal-Mart seems to be going for the lowest price, which in our area was $14.87, with no freebies. Last, but certainly not least, is a super-spiffy Sauron exclusive Minimate available with purchase (or without) at Tower Records. The figure is $2.99 with DVD purchase or $6.99 otherwise.

--AP

Devil's Due is penning a four-issue sequel to its six-issue G.I. Joe vs. The TransFormers series in which the two groups of Hasbro characters will continue to do battle on a present-day Earth. Details are sketchy, but it's due later this year and the first issue is a double-size installment.

--AP

Numerous entertainment outlets are reporting on Marvel's announcement to release DVDs of major and minor characters in their stable with adventures in animated form. A number of properties were displayed on a media wall in their showroom at Toy Fair, including the obscure Werewolf by Night, so it's possible this and other properties will get to shine on the small screen in the very near future.

--AP

Don't forget to check out The Onion, as there's new stuff up there and it's entertaining.

--AP

Looks like the people over at Fresh Air are ahead of the game with this streaming feature on Godzilla, who turns 50 this year. With the rerelease of a Raymond Burr-free subtitled print of the original film as well as the supposed last ever G-film coming later this year, there should be a lot to hear about.

--AP

The tribute to the original Shockwave (Laserwave in Japan) has been released in their flavor of Energon. It looks a lot like the coming US release. Also, the US Energon Hot Shot repaint has been spotted carded and has some spiffy new art, and can be seen alongside Universe Fireflight at this thread.

--AP

GameForms has a report on the latest in Konami's classic arcade series, which will be coming to the USA and Japan on the PlayStation 2. While the American release date isn't exactly nailed down, it will be released in Japan this July and have a commemorative book and some other nifty stuff. Read this for the full scoop.

--AP

If the two-disc sets of the original Trek through the stars seems pricey and cumbersome, TVShowsOnDVD.com has some news for you. Paramount is producing a spiffy yellow box containing the first season, and you can see it here. No pricing was available but it looks like you can be Star Trekkin' this August.

--AP

A bumper crop of animation new and old from DIC will be released as a freebie in specially marked boxes of General Mills cereal this year according to this report at TVShowsOnDVD.com. Highlights include Inspector Gadget and the old Super Mario Bros. toon. For those that love to bring on the pain, there's Heathcliff as well as Gadget Boy (Heather's presence was not stated.)

--AP

No Sex In The Movies? ShowBIZ Data reports that agreements with Kim Cattrall aren't so agreeable, and as such, no movie is on the radar for the recently deceased HBO series Sex and the City.

--AP

Today at Galactic Hunter we examine a new version of one of the least likely vintage Star Wars figures. General Madine (Imperial Shuttle Capture) is the first-ever modern version of the character, and his hair as a 4" plastic toy looks more realistic than his film counterpart. It's a huge upgrade from the 1983 Return of the Jedi release with nicely jointed wrists and elbows and a killer sculpt. Naturally, you can see more images and read all about him in today's review.

--AP

Surely you miss the likes of Willie and Lucky. If not, well, you'll still be interested in knowing (if not interested in seeing) ALF on DVD. TVShowsOnDVD.com has an announcement with a price and date, with no word on features. Odds are there should be something for $40, but you never know-- the fact that it exists is probably enough of a special feature to both of the set's potential buyers.

Also, the previously mentioned Late Night with Conan O'Brien sets are confirmed for August 10.

--AP

Palisades Toys released their press release to explain the quantity of doom you can expect in the upcoming Invader ZIM assortment, which features Zim, GIR, Dib, The Almighty Tallest Purple, and Ms. Bitters. The figures come with a number of accessories including tacos, puppets, and giant pigs, although we should note it appears there are no plans for a doggy GIR in this assortment. A number of variant heads for figures are rumored for exclusives at Hot Topic and elsewhere, so any of a number of toys could show up as convention or other exclusives.

--AP

Ben's World of TransFormers tossed up four preview pages and the cover for the upcoming Summer Special. Especially notable is a brawl between Razorclaw and Megatron, and the fact that this release has the first widely marketed tales featuring Beast Wars as well as Robots in Disguise.

Also, a new installment of Hasbro's Q&A was posted covering Generation 2 rereleases and why Alternators aren't metal.

--AP

Don't forget to check out many updates at Homestar Runner, there's a new Strong Bad email and a feature on the Cheetar. Oh, and a new puppet feature, featuring the Homestar Puppet singing with the twin quasars of rock, They Might Be Giants.

--AP

While it wasn't reported at E3, the latest Nintendo Power Magazine arrived with all sorts of useful information.

Highlights for the GameBoy Advance include Final Fantasy I & II, Mario Pinball, F-Zero: GP Legend, Donkey Kong Country 2, DK: King of Swing, and a few more nifty titles. FFI&II was notable because the title was previously listed for Japan and this is the first a US release has been mentioned. English screen shots appear in Nintendo Power volume 181.

A number of articles and blurbs about June's NES Edition GameBoy Advance are available as well, including early reviews and a number of polls on which games you want to see next, including Castlevania, Contra, Kirby's Adventure, Strider, Adventures of Lolo, and many other fantastic classics that the target demographic of the magazine has never, ever heard of.

--AP

By way of Action-Figure.com, Palisades Toys released their info on the upcoming mini-ALIEN toys. It seems a number of figures are being made in this small scale which takes its cue from Armies of Middle-Earth. The playset itself looks really cool, and there's even a convention exclusive of unpainted figures coming, if you're in to that sort of thing. The figures look to be unpainted in the regular sets as well, which should make it interested

--AP

HobbyLink Japan tossed up new shots of Smokescreen remolded as well as of Dead End. The Smokescreen figure is less than exciting, appearing just to have a few new parts and as such, it doesn't impress.

--AP

The highly hyped and not widely seen Amazing Stories has been tapped for DVD release, so says TVShowsOnDVD.com. While there isn't much information yet, it basically says it's being worked on. Also reported is Dream On, an HBO series that also ran on Comedy Central that featured Brian Benben and a hell of a lot of stock footage from old TV shows and movies.

--AP

Takara, according to one online toy retailer, will be doing four versions of the upcoming remolded Smokescreen and two different color schemes of Meister, one red and one grey. Smokescreen just seems to have different rally numbers, nothing overly special.

--AP

Tonight we saw Coffee and Cigarettes, a theatrical release of several short films that involve people sitting around smoking and drinking and talking. With the Wu-Tang Clan, Bill Murray, Iggy Pop, and Tom Waits, it really covers quite a few bases. And then it covers more with Cate Blanchett, Steven Wright, and many, many others. Like all collections of shorts, it can sometimes drag, but it's still a good time. Props to Jim Jarmusch.

Next week, we'll be looking at the Master Replicas Sting Sword collectible (we swear) as well as Devo's Dev-O Live CD from Rhino Handmade.

At Galactic Hunter, aside from Orignal Trilogy Collection features, we have Q&A and reviews of the OTC Yoda and R2-D2 ready to go.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted their weekly Q&A column by yours truly and, as always, I'm eagerly looking for new questions. So, feel free to send any in.

This week's highlights include the many faces of Snaggletooth, Padme figures, and piecemeal lightsabers. Oh, and an extensive look into the inner-workings of the customizer community-- it's all good, folks!

--AP

The cult classic CBS Saturday morning show Pee-Wee's Playhouse is coming to DVD according to TVShowsOnDVD.com. Two volumes are on the way, but no specifics are offered, and the November release date is far from final.

--AP

Some Phoenix area Wal-Marts, but not all, marked down their TransFormers Universe Sunstorm to half price, $9.96. Other stores still have it at $19.96, and we've also heard sightings of an even $17.00. Keep your eyes peeled!

Also, a repaint of Armada Starcream has surfaced and you can find them in this gallery if you're so inclined. It's a presumed Universe repaint, and it looks OK.

--AP

Yet another installment in ".stereotype." was posted, and now you can meet Count Fangly von Bloodsuckmire.

--AP