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The rumors were true! Hasbro's adapting the Marvel cast of comic heroes to its Attacktix battle figure game. The figures are loads of fun and have spring-loaded features that, unlike other toys, aren't crappy.

Click through for a glimpse at the first round, which includes Spider-Man, the Beast, Wolverine, the Punisher, Doc Ock, Venom, Gambit, and numerous other familiar faces. These are expected in-stores later this year.

--AP

A remake of the finest figure 1982 had to offer! Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the 1999 Cloud Car Pilot figure, which was heavily based on the vintage figure, which was actually quite spiffy for its day. As a pilot with no vehicle, could you have a reason to buy this oddly-hatted action figure? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

We just received waves 3 and 4 of the Titanium Series Transformers figures today. The good news: they're neat! The bad: Hasbro's basically droipped the ball on the stand situation. Here's the deal.

During the initial shipment of the Titanium Robots, the mini-figures had holes in their feet, and pegs on their stands. Through wave 3, all figures (and the one vehicle) were set up to be plugged into stands, but not all of the stands had the pegs. So it's like putting a figure on a coaster-- it serves no real purpose. In the case of the Ark, it renders the included pole for the stand completely worthless.

With Wave 4, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Alternators Smokescreen were designed with no foot holes. Meaning the stands included with these have no pegs, and they really serve no real purpose. It's a shame, really, as some of the figures feel like they could really use those stands over time.

At $4.99 (or at some Target stores, $14.99) each, we very much dig these. They're not fantastic toys, but for you old farts who remember Bumblebee, we can't say enough good things about having him stand on our desk while we type away at this update. Unlike the Ultras we chatted about yesterday, these are figures with lower expectations and thankfully, they don't disappoint.

--AP

Coming soon: an animated Hellboy series! Hellboy and the BPRD are coming to the other popular kind of moving pictures, and Gentle Giant has, more or less, the master toy license with action figures, Bust-Ups, and more.

Previously, Hellboy action figures were made by Big Blast/Graphitti and more recently, Mezco Toyz. As far as we know, this is Gentle Giant's second attempt at an action figure line, the first being Death Jr. Frankly, we can't wait to see the show so we can figure out if we need to care about the toys (and statues from Dark Horse) or not.

--AP

Like a goth chick but not! Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the 2005 Sly Moore figure, allegedly a design Hasbro finished a while ago and took a while to release. Did she age well, and is she past her expiration date? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

Over at The Allspark, Kalidor posted a 3D rendering of a Cyber Planet Key featuring the forum's logo. While it has not been explicitly stated, it appears this item may be in some stage of preproduction for manufacturing.

Given the amount of money it takes to manufacture an item, even in a small run, it's entirely possible that if this were made that it could cost $10 or more. Seeing as what it is and what it represents, though, it's a fantastic item and we hope it comes out soon.

--AP

Ever wanted to own a high-end die-cast collectible vehicle? The Star Wars Die Cast Darth Vader's TIE Fighter Replica from Code 3 Collectibles used to be $329.99. But now? $99.90. That's 70% off, and if you buy it, well, we get a tiny cut through the affiliate program. So hey, click through and order and you'll be our best friend.

Also, a number of new Star Wars figure assortments, remixes, and more are now available to order. Take a look-- there might be a good case for you there! (Plus these just went up and are first-come, first-served. So it's like getting to be first in line for this stuff.)

--AP

One of the big-deal new toy lines of the year, if you're old, is the upcoming range of Transformers Classics from Hasbro. (And presumably Takara in Japan but we aren't holding our breath.) Featuring classic characters like Bumblebee and of course Megatron here, the series takes old toys and characters into the modern age with safety, price point satisfaction, and colors in mind. But will kids balk at a line with no Mini-Cons, Energon Weapons, or Cyber Planet Keys? We hope they buy it.

In this image, you can see Megatron in gun mode, robot mode, and in his box. At $20 or so, you'll see him in stores this November, or so Hasbro claims. This might mean that we're due for some more Cybertron repaints. Regardless, you can preorder him today if you can't wait.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted a Q&A column by yours truly. Read on for Q&A action. Hot.

Also, Figure of the Day has been updated! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of the Saga Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

We also added archive pages so you can go through the entire column's run. Hooray!

From left to right: Luke Skywalker with T-16 Skyhopper, Han Solo in Hoth Gear, and Teemto Pagalies. These are all new since our last update, and another one will be going live today! Who will it be? Keep checking Galactic Hunter for Day 93 in Figure of the Day!

--AP

A few new auctions have popped up at eBay for Transformers Titanium Ultra prototypes of Optimal Optimus and Scourge. After getting the first wave, we're not sure if we should be excited or even care. But it's worth a look.

--AP

Finally, Hasbro seems to be getting the green light to make its own original figure concepts, maybe. This new assortment has Kashyyyk-camo Battle Droids (and a Super Battle Droid) as well as actual, from-the-film designs like Commander Cody as a holograph and R5-A1, an obscure astromech droid from Return of the Jedi who is just now getting his first figure. With 10 new figures in a case of 12, ordering this case is like getting a set of the new assortment, except you get "stuck" with extra Clone Troopers. Poor you.

--AP

This is apparently yet another "internet thing" but as we're on the internet it seemed prudent to link to this BoingBoing story that sums up an amusing treatise on the death of Garfield. If you grew up in the 1980s you no doubt loved reading Garfield strips, had some of the books, and enjoyed the TV specials. And then, at some point, the "fun" and according to some, the soul of the strip suddenly vanished. Well, this link here talks about a 1989 storyline in which Garfield wakes up in an abandoned house, and the comics do make it look like everything since then has been but a hallucination. You just need to read it.

--AP

Today, we take a look at a new Cobra Commander figure from Sigma 6, the new-ish 8-inch G.I. Joe toy line. Due in September, this is the first large-size Cobra Commander with the classic battle helmet for Sigma 6. Neat, eh?

He's got a flamethrower, but we're not buying the September thing. No pre-orders, no packaged samples, etc.

--AP

A Jedi Master, or Zeus' younger days? Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the 2002 Obi-Wan Kenobi (Coruscant Chase) figure, the very first prequel Obi-Wan Kenobi with a beard. Should you care? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

A fancy Chinese (we think) auction for Megatron from the "rumored" Optimus Prime vs. Megatron 2-pack is up, and like many test shots it's marked to look "undesirable" with yellow junk on its face. That, or it's Megatron doing his best Sid Vicious impression. It's essentially a G2-esque Megatron in a green tank mode. It's cute... but supposedly small, "deluxe" sized. From what we hear about the Optimus Prime companion piece, we're quite eager to see it.

--AP

Nothing can stop the Grimace. This Grimace Bobble Head is one of a whole mess of new McDonald's themed bobblers, which also feature Mayor McCheese, Ronald McDonald, and the Hamburglar. No Birdie yet, it seems, or Cosmc. Although we're not betting anyone will ever make a Cosmc anything from here on out.

--AP

Over at Microman Forever, a new update of Tom's Micro News is up for August. Some really spiffy girls are available as are news blurbs on a variety of tiny new products. We think we gotta get the Microlady Eriss nurse figure. Va va voom.

--AP

Today, we take a look at a new Hasbro Marvel assortment of new, old style figures. Depending on how old you are, you might remember the style as being similar as Mego's World's Greatest Super-Heroes line, or perhaps Toy Biz' Famous Covers line, or Hasbro's super-short-lived 9-inch DC Superheroes line.

In addition to a Spider-Man assortment (not shown), you can get great figures like these. From X-Men, Wolverine. From Captain America and Punisher... it's Captain America and the Punisher. This new Signature Series is due out in early 2007 with pricing TBD, although we're betting $15-$20.

--AP

A dead Jedi Master, this is. Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the 1998 Yoda (Jedi Spirits) figure, the very first "clear" Yoda figure. As part of a 3-pack from the end of Return of the Jedi (pre-Hayden), this is a unique artifact. But do you need it? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

We hope you like new stuff, because if you do, today's your lucky day. With new Titanium Series and Cybertron toys, you'll be wanting to check these out.

These are all due out this Fall. $10 per for the Cybertron guys-- so yeah, if you paid $15 for the recent Beast Wars editions, there you go. Enjoy!

--AP

Over at The Magic Box, a new 3-page preview of Final Fantasy III is up for Nintendo DS. It's not overly exciting, but it is the "last" of the series to be released in the USA so we're quite happy to hear about it. If you're inclined toward such games, don't miss it.

--AP

Today, we take a look at a new Soundwave figure from the new Titanium Series of non-transforming robots. He's modeled after the original model, and should be about $5 when released, presumably, before the holidays. We're all about old-school Transformers, especially Soundwave. So we're happy.

--AP

Angry face. Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the 2001 Eeth Koth figure, the very first "Episode II" style action figure. With a dynamic, action-packed pose and a lightsaber with removable blade, it was a brand new experience when it came out in Power of the Jedi five years ago. Did it age well? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

Who called for a Web-Slinger? This new Mego-esque figure is due out at the end of the year (or early next year), and is one of a whole new line of Hasbro collectible 8-inch figures. Click the image for in-and-out-of-the-box images. Don't miss it, as we don't believe it's been shown elsewhere.

--AP

New at EE: 3 new Hasbro Titanium Series Star Wars & Battlestar Galactica assortments. Wave 10 revision 4, Wave 11, Wave 11 set (1 of each), Wave 12, and the Wave 12 set (1 of each) are all up for grabs in their Titanium Spotlight Section which showcases everything from Predaking to the Star Destroyers. Click through to see the latest, support the site, blah blah blah.

--AP

Today, Hasbro's new Titanium Series Spider-Man enters the spotlight. Along with Corgi, Hasbro is making a series of collectible metal statues that look nice and are heavy. It's modeled after the Star Wars range and may be the only 3 3/4-inch Marvel figures we get in the next few years. Doc Ock and Green Goblin are coming as well.

--AP

Beep. Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the 2001 R4-M9 figure, the very first cone headed astromech droid toy. He's green, he's colorful, and he has a little sidekick. Are you sold yet? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

New at EE: The formerly $350 collectible Republic Gunship replica from Code 3 Collectibles is now only $199.90. Click through for availability as only a limited number of units are available at this price. The set has a display base and tiny figures of Yoda and some Clone Troopers-- it's a nice set-up!

--AP

Part of Gentle Giant's ongoing line of cartoon Star Wars sculptures, this C-3PO with Jawa maquette is expected to be released in stores in, most likely, early 2007. Preorders will no doubt start earlier, but this 10-inch scale statue captures a moment that we never see in the movies, but it certainly looks like one that we might have missed. We digs it.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted a Q&A column by yours truly. Read on for Q&A action. Hot.

Also, Figure of the Day has been updated! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of the Saga Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

We also added archive pages so you can go through the entire column's run. Hooray!

From left to right: Logray, Padmé Amidala, Super Battle Droid. These are all new since our last update, and another one will be going live today! Who will it be? Keep checking Galactic Hunter for Day 100 in Figure of the Day, it's a special one!

--AP

It appears we've been had. Paramount changed the MSRP of the upcoming Star Trek Animated Adventures DVD, so says TVShowsOnDVD.com. It was going to be $35. And now? $55. Obviously, things like coupons, week-of-release sales, and the wonderful used DVD market will bring the price down but it seemed only appropriate to share the bad news.

--AP

Over at the official Botcon site you can see images of the convention box set, complete with foam. It's neat because it has "Cybertron" versions of Dinobot, Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Rhinox, and Rattrap. Nothing you haven't seen, really, but it's cool all the same.

--AP

In the 1980s, Kenner prototyped a number of plush toys from Labyrinth that never made it to market. Last year, Palisades' planned Jareth was cancelled when the company went under. This next item, the Labyrinth Sir Didymus Plush is coming from Toy Vault. Toy Vault presently has no known significant financial woes, so hopefully this item will actually come out, as planned, in November 2006. You can pre-orer it at Entertainment Earth for $24.99.

--AP

Last week we told you that Garfield is dead. This week, we're showing you a very funny article by our pal Shaun Clayton entitled A Bad Time on the Oregon Trail, which lampoons the game nicely. It even has a Lovecraft reference, and the mention of whores. As such, we advise you click through and read it if you ever experience the classic Apple computer game... if not, well, you'll just be confused, won't you?

--AP

Hasbro's new push with Marvel begins its movie career with Ghost Rider, which we're being told is doomed to a February release. Starring Nicholas Cage, who supposedly had a Ghost Rider tatoo for quite some time now, is the star and you can see him in the picture. We're told he started his career in The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies, but that's a joke that likely went over most of your heads. These Marvel Legends-sized figures will most likely start showing up on the post-December 26 in-store resets.

--AP

Who rules when the Emperor dies? Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the upcoming "Mystery Figure," Carnor Jax, who is part of the very first Expanded Universe 2-pack. And an Internet exclusive. He's largely based on the 2005 Royal Guard, but boy howdy, does he have a lot of weapons and surprise updates. So should you pre-order one? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

Site Nwizard.com claims to have 27 confirmed launch titles for the Nintendo Wii. The console has a surprisingly good line-up, one we're actually really shocked by. Here are some highlights: Dragon Quest Swords, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Zelda: Twilight Princess, Metal Slug Anthology, Metroid Prime 3, Wii Sports, Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz. Wow.

In the remake of Final Fantasy V for GameBoy Advance, there's two new classes. You can read about them at The Magic Box. One is a Gladiator, who can attack from the front or back rows at full strength. The other is Napoleon Bonaparte the Cannoner, who can, as you might expect, attack with a cannon. Holy crap we can't wait for this game.

Finally, we're told the US release of Dirge of Cerebus: Final Fantasy VII is this week and Square-Enix made it suck less than the Japanese release. While shameless fans of all things relating to the pals of Cloud Strife, we're going to wait for word of mouth.

--AP

Where to begin? First, let's look at a supposed Convention Exclusive for Botcon 2006. Over at TFW2005 you can see images of the alleged convention Tigatron repaint, but only in vehicle mode. Naturally, it's the convention Cheetor but in Tigatron colors. Click through for more.

Next, we have an advance look at the upcoming Optimus Prime from a supposed Optimus Prime vs. Megatron 2-Pack, no doubt bringing back glee from those of us who remember buying such awesome Kenner toys as the Aliens vs. Predator 2-pack, the Batman Forever Batman & Robin 2-pack, and of course the Bill & Ted Wyld Stallions 2-pack. It's intentionally damaged to make it so we supposedly won't want to see it, but a small gallery of the toy is up at ACToys.net. In Chinese, we think. It's supposedly "deluxe" sized and looks pretty neat-- we hope it's fun and nicely posable. We're hearing complaints about the eyes but can't honestly see them well enough to know if we should join in.

For those of you who don't already have at least one copy of Transformers: The Movie on DVD, you might be excited to see this story at Seibertron showcasing the new DVD cover which supposedly "transforms" through the magic of lenticular imaging. Neat-o.

Finally, supposedly, Cybertron Cryo Scourge and Galaxy Force Optimus Prime toys are out. We've not seen them. But we're looking. (We also haven't seen these alleged crazy Wal-Mart mini-con clearances either.)

--AP

Who likes Saw? If you do, you should buy this Saw Jigsaw Puppet as it's a Japanese import from Medicom and in stock at Entertainment Earth for $249.99. We don't like grisly movies, we much prefer repeats of Deep Space Nine, but if you like Saw you should totally order this.

--AP

We've discovered that Toys "R" Us stores are clearancing out select Playmobil sets. Each location has different sets at different prices. The best deal we've found to date is the Dinosaur Discovery set-- which features crowbars, axes, chainsaws, wool hats, and a T-Rex-- for less than $5. That's right, like four bucks and change. Even if you DON'T collect Playmobil, we have to say to get this because the white snowy base is actually really nicely sized for Star Wars or G.I. Joe figures and is worth the five bucks itself. For Playmobil fans, things like chainsaws and crowbars should make this a no-brainer.

Also, Target is resetting with new stuff. The good news is that there's items like an all-new Castle "Treasure Chest" with unique dragon sculptures and pieces of fantasy alongside brand spanking new Pirates and Pals, which we reported earlier. The bad news is that the Playmobil aisle seems to be moving in all Los Angeles stores so you might actually have to look next to sporting goods or remote control cars to find them, but there's neat stuff to be had if you track them down.

--AP

People have jested that Hasbro has been pushing to make small statues for years, and it seems with this Titanium Series Green Goblin, they've finally pulled it off. While Corgi is making larger metal statues, Hasbro is making 3 3/4-inch scale die-cast figures like this Green Goblin here. We're not sure what to make of them yet but we sense we'll be saving our money, even though we really do dig the better Spider-Man toys. Oh well.

--AP

Beep beep. Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the R3-T6 action figure, who is an exclusive Imperial droid from the very first Star Wars film. Do you need one? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

One of the neater things about trade shows are the giant statues, mascots, in every booth. Hasbro put in this Gonk Droid which was unique in that it wasn't roped off, you were actually encouraged to touch it and reach inside to grab a poster showing the (at one point) entire Saga Collection line, which missed the last 20 or so figures. Still, it was neat to see, awesome even. We want one.

--AP

Once you go black, you never go back. To the Death Star. Because it exploded. Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the Death Star Droid action figure, one of 1998's best Imperial droids. Actually, we're fairly sure it was 1998's only Imperial droid. Need one? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

There's two good stories over at GameSpot today, the first is about the Japanese pricing rumors for the Wii. Their claim? $171. Since a lot of sources claim the Wii is basically a souped-up GameCube with a fancy controller, it's not unthinkable-- but the article points out that there's no confirmation yet, but it's a possibility.

The other article is about the USA Today article with Reggie Fils-Aime regarding Nintendo's online pricing plan. It looks like they're planning on online play being free, which is most welcome and encouraging to hear. Of course, like most consoles, we expect our interest to wither and die shortly after launch but hey, it's a fun ride!

--AP

Oh, more from Hasbro. These Marvel Legends figures from Hasbro have what must be Motorcycle Iron-Man as well as Frasier Beast and several other new figures. Click through for an awkwardly shot group photo of several new characers who, with the exception of Blob and Wolverine, we don't recognize.

--AP

Look sir-- rehashes! Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the Sandtrooper action figure, one of this year's finest troopers. Do you need one? Or perhaps an army's worth? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

There are two links you need to click on to see all the new Classics Mini-Cons revealed today. Keep that in mind when you first visit TFW2005's "More Minicons!!!" thread, in which 6 unique Mini-Cons are shown, including a new jet, a dragon, a triceratops, a police car, a T-rex, and a motorcycle. Most shocking of all? THEY ALL LOOK GOOD. Now, let's say that's not enough-- you want to see a page with 9 unique Mini-Cons, all in packaging, some of which are different than the ones you just saw.

The other think is to Classic mini Dinobots Sets! at TFW2005, which also is loaded with new stuff. Here, you even get names-- and all the new Mini-Cons are aligned with Autobots or Decepticons! The Dinobots team comes with Terrorsaur (T-Rex), Knockdown (Triceratops), and Swoop (Pterosaur). The Night Rescue Team comes with Strongarm (black police car), Divebomb (like a purple Energon Bulkhead), and Firebot (firetruck). The only Decepticon set is the Demolition Team, which is with Wideload (looks like Energon Demolishor), Sledge (backhoe), and Broadside (loser tank).

It's expected these will be out later this year for $7 or so per set. We're thrilled to see new molds, and for the first time, beastly Mini-Cons. Good job, Hasbro, we can't wait to give you some more money!

--AP

A number of great new items are up at Entertainment Earth, including the latest series of Galactic Heroes figures, Expanded Universe 2-packs, new items from Gentle Giant, and a sale of up to 90% off on over 700 items. Click here for a list of sale items, and look below for the new stuff.

And as always, buying through these shameless plugs means we get a nickel or two, and we appreciate your nickels and loose change.

From left to right: Expanded Universe 2-Packs based on Marvel's Star Wars comics, Luke Skywalker Animated Maquette, Jango Fett Mini-Bust, C-3PO Maquette.

From left to right: Luke Skywalker Bust, Orion Pax (Japanese Internet Exclusive Transformer, on sale), Invader Zim (on sale), My Little Pony (on sale). There's also a few hundred other items from Star Wars to Nintendo to... well, almost everything. You might want to take a look. Thanks for reading! (But mostly stuffing our coffers.)

--AP

Concluding our look at Hasbro's upcoming Titanium Ultra Transformers, here's glimpse at Optimal Optimus and Scourge. It's not yet known if they will be as questionable as the first two items in this assortment, but they do look fairly decent. Well, Scourge does anyway. Click through and take a look.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted a Q&A column by yours truly. Read on for Q&A action. Hot.

Also, Figure of the Day has been updated! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of the Saga Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

We also added archive pages so you can go through the entire column's run. Hooray!

From left to right: R2-M5, Zam Wesell, Boss Nass. These are all new since our last update, and another one will be going live today! Who will it be? Keep checking Galactic Hunter for the next update, with the 107th installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Around the web, people are buzzing over a potential new Sea Panther toy coming in Japan. That's the good news. The bad news is twofold. One, it's not an actual reissue-- it's a One Blox kit. And it's not even a real One Blox kit, it's a garage kit. Over at Zoids Poison, you can see what appears to be a boxed version of the kit, and you might notice the box is a little bit different. Namely it seems to be a standard cardboard box with a color sheet glued to it, and there's no Tomy logo or anything indicating it might be official. Since there are translation errors and such, there could be mistakes in the ongoing discussion and even the news (including THIS news), so take it all with a grain of salt. But it's our quasi-expert opinion that this is not an official piece, much like the SuperLink Megatron sword from a few years ago. Cool, yes, but still just a fan produced item.

So what's a Sea Panther? Read our review from 2003, where we bought a sealed box one and opened it. Because we're naughty.

--AP

Remy at TFKenkon has a gallery of Classics Optimus Prime, which seems to be a final sample. Meaning that it could be hitting US stores much earlier than the anticipated November. Actually, we're kinda expecting it by the first week of October now. We could be wrong, but if we are, you should ignore our comments and check out the gallery, which has 50 images of the toy in the package, out of the package, and next to other Optimus Prime toys from over the years.

--AP

So, new stuff. Final Fantasy V for GameBoy Advance: November 6. Final Fantasy III for Nintendo DS: November 14. Way to spread them out, you swine. Are we expected to plow through one of the finest 16bit RPGs of all time in a week so we can get to the remake of one of the finest 8bit RPGs? Anyway, thanks to Nintendo and Square-Enix for giving us something to do over the holidays. We owe you.

--AP

Holy crap. After a 10-year-or-so hiatus, the band Supernova is back. We don't mean the crappy reality show super-group, we mean Art, Jo, and Dave. If you don't know them, you should, as they're on tour now and their albums and vinyl EPs are all kinds of awesome. (Our developer frequently wears his "Ages 3 & Up" shirt with pride.) Anyway, if you liked Man or Astro-Man and Servotron, you should check out Supernova.

--AP

Our pal David "Shortpacked" Willis is no stranger to awesomeness, and today he brings his awesomeness to exclusive weekly strips over at ToyNewsInternational! Congrats, Willis, and thanks as always for giving us something to read while pretending to work.

Also, the Shatner roast was on Comedy Central last night. Worth seeing.

--AP

Judge me by my abundance of figures, do you? Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the Yoda action figure that hit with Attack of the Clones, which was initially a huge hit that was, in many stores, kept behind the counter to avoid scalping. But is he worth the five bucks, now that four years have gone by? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

First up: one of the unofficial conventions devoted to Transformers, CybCon 2006, is going to have an exclusive fan-made Kranix figure. You may recall him from the beginning of Transformers: The Movie as his homeworld was attacked by Unicron.

Here's what ViceGripX wrote in to tell us: To help commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Transformers The Movie, this year's CybCon exclusive will be Kranix. Lovingly hand-crafted by crazysteve, Kranix will be available in limited quantities. So, don't miss out on your opportunity to get your own Kranix and register before it's too late.

Hot on the heels of the news leaking from Asia last week, Hasbro announced New TRANSFORMERS Classic MINI-CON 3-Pack images. Three packs of three figures each, these are the same as the packaged ones you saw last week, with legible bios and decent images.

More than a week later, we're still very high on the concept and hope to see more. Namely new molds with names like "Wheelie," "Powerglide," or perhaps "Warpath." OK, maybe that last one won't happen. Either way, it's nice to see Mini-Cons with faction logos continue to be produced. Also, test shots of these are on eBay for the next few days. This is notable because these may be the best, close-up images you can see so far. It's difficult to see if there are any molded Mini-Con logos on them as of yet, but we can say they look awesome.

--AP, thanks to ViceGripX

Hooray sensationalism! Another rumor report seems to peg the Wii, Nintendo's new console, at $170. Apparently it's still just a rumor, but it's interesting to note, isn't it?

--AP

Bleep bop boop. Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the R2-D2 action figure from the Original Trilogy Collection, which was stuffed with sounds from Dagobah and coated in mud. It was $5 in 2004. Should you pay $5 for it today? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

Over at TFWire, a series of new t-shirts are up. Well, they're mock-ups, and supposedly Hot Topic exclusives. What's particularly neat are that they seem to borrow from the Graphitti super-hero shirts with the logos. Hot Rod's is pictured, and neat. Tracks' is also awesome, and similar. Also up are "torso" shirts for Optimus Prime and Soundwave, which are a little less subtle, as well as a blueprint for Soundwave and also a pretty dull Autobot logo shirt. You need to check them out.

--AP, thanks to ViceGripX

So what does the Godfather of Mario have to say about the Wii? A story at Gamespot has some amusing comments on the Wii and his next new gaming project, and is pretty nifty if you care about weird Nintendo stuff. If you don't, odds are you're on to the next story.

--AP

If you like Hasbro's toys, holy cow, was today a good day to be you. New items are up for pre-order at Entertainment Earth. TONS. Seriously, if you can't find something cool here you're probably reading the wrong page. Take a look at this Diamond Exclusive Death Star Briefing Action Figure Set for a paltry $35.99. You get two figures you have, four you don't, and one that's different from the one you have. That's what we call in the business "good enough." We're totally ordering one and most of this other stuff.

And as always, buying through these shameless plugs means we get a nickel or two, and we appreciate your nickels and loose change.

From left to right: Cobra Viper Pit set, Plague Troopers vs. Steel Brigade, Titanium Series Wave 13 set, Trick Or Tater Mr. Potato Head .

From left to right: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Swoop (from a nifty 3-pack of new Mini-Con 3-packs), and Jetfire (the image comes from TFW2005, used here because it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission.) Thanks for reading! (But mostly stuffing our coffers.)

--AP

Growling noises. Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the Bubo (Jabba's Denizens) action figure from the Saga Collection, as part of a $10 multi-pack. Was it worth it? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

Over at this link, everybody and there brother are linking to this Primus bonus pack with 4 mystery Mini-Cons. Well, 2 are mysterious, 2 are coming to stores in November/December. It's assumed these are from (possibly) abandoned Cybertron 2-packs or (possibly) upcoming Classics 3-packs. Right now, there's no confirmation, and this could even be a mock-up or some other craziness. But our money is on an exclusive for somewhere like Wal-Mart or Costco.

And if your name is Adam and you write for this site, you were positively giddy to see ACToys.net's packaged Optimus vs. Megatron Classics Pack, which is awesome on so many levels. Level the first: the box shows Grimlock, Mirage, and Jetfire in robot modes. Level the second: there's a mysterious DVD included with a 22-minute something on it which isn't fully known. Level the third: Optimus has a spin-punch windmill punch crazy action. If you have any interest in the classics line, you should go check these out.

And finally, TFW2005 heard something about a deluxe Transformers 3-pack at Toys "R" Us for $30. Now idea what it is but it's apparently due in October. We're banking on it being 2 things we have and 1 we don't.

--AP

If you need a special edition DS, or if you can read Japanese, or if you have a lot of money, go to NCS and check out the crystal edition of the DS Lite that comes in a bundle with the new RPG. It's purty. And purty expensive.

--AP

16bit.com & Entertainment Earth Podcast

Star Wars! Looney Tunes! Turn your water blue! A big pack of Cobra Vipers! Holy crap, download me now!!

--AP

For starters: You do not need an iPod to hear a Podcast. Podcasting is just a fancy word for "hack job internet radio show," which is exactly what we're aiming to produce here.

If you have iTunes 4.9 or above: You can subscribe to it for free. Just search for "Adam Pawlus" under Podcasts in the iTunes music store, or just go to "Subscribe to Podcast" and paste in "http://www.entertainmentearth.com/podcasts/podcast.xml". And you should be all hooked up.

If you're using an RSS reader: Subscribe to this feed: "http://www.entertainmentearth.com/podcasts/podcast.xml".

If you are using Safari: click here.

Galactic Hunter has posted a Q&A column by yours truly. Read on for Q&A action. Hot.

Also, Figure of the Day has been updated! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of the Saga Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

We also added archive pages so you can go through the entire column's run. Hooray!

From left to right: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Queen Amidala, Captain Fordo, Garindan. These are all new since our last update, and another one will be going live today! Who will it be? Keep checking Galactic Hunter for the next update, with the 114th installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Toys "R" Us seems to have had a bunch of new items added to their computers for the movie-- but there aren't many specifics. It gives us an idea of price points, though, and you can read about it here as the original report at Seibertron we couldn't get in to because it was down at press time.

Also, we have been pointed to what we assume is a great practical joke regarding the redesign of Optimus Prime in the form of a petition with a whopping 4,346 signatures. (Well, for the record, on the Internet, anything less than 10,000 is automatically easily ignored.) We don't profess to be hardcore fans of the toy line, or the mythos, we just like them a whole lot. So we find it greatly amusing that they seem to have forgot that Optimus Prime has also been a tiny sportscar, a missile truck, a non-transforming figure with a truck, a long-nosed cab with a lightsaber (our favorite), a fire truck, and let us not forget Rodimus Prime. He had flames on him.

We find this particularly amusing because in our genes, we're Star Wars fans-- so we've been through all of this before. Expectations for Episode I were so high by the entire world that it couldn't do anything but disappoint. While we loves us some Autobots, and we've probably bought more of the robots in disguise than any line that isn't Star Wars since we were old enough to drive, it's really kind of funny to see the online "fan" reaction-- which is pretty inconsequential when it comes to the business of the film itself-- make what has to be a joke about such a trivial matter as flames.

Of course, the really exciting thing about the movie is the fact it will probably go down as a cult movie in part to the chance that nobody's going to see it. It's due for release on July 4, 2007 during the same Summer as Spider-Man 3, Pirates 3, Fantastic Four 2, another Pixar flick, another Die Hard flick, another Harry Potter flick... we could go on. We expect/predict a "Snakes on a Plane" situation with lots of hype that leads to an iffy opening.

And before we go for today, check out this Galvatron repaint of Scourge and Leo Convoy repaint of Leobreaker in the tiny Legends size. Cute. We should hopefully see more at Botcon.

--AP

Arguably the best magazine of all time, Chunklet, is now selling a number of CDs from the Comedians of Comedy tour that are apparently exclusive to their web site. This includes Eugene Mirman, Brian Posehn, Maria Bamford, and Patton Oswalt. Dude. Clicky.

As an added bonus they posted images of Man or Astro-Man touring for their upcoming tour. This is huge. Some MP3s from the Peel sessions too. Happy day!

--AP

Pushee wumpa or something. Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the Gasgano action figure from the Episode I line, a classic four-armed alien wonder. Should you go get one before this amazing article makes him worth a million dollars? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long!

--AP

Hasbro revealed two new (and packaged) entries into the Titanium Series line-up. First, we should note the packaging has been updated. Gone is the blue "Transformers" logo we've seen since Robots in Disguise in 2001-- now it's back to basics with a blocky logo underlined by "Generation 1." Rodimus is really Hot Rod, and he seems fairly true to his appearances in the movie and a few episodes of the classic cartoon.

The obligatory Starscream repaint, Thundercracker, seems to be similar (but not identical) to the repaint as we've come to know it. The coloring is slightly different, but it's still pretty cool-- and we daresay worth the five bucks. Check it.

--AP

According to The Digital Bits, buzz is going around that they're working on HD transfers for the original Star Trek series... and possibly all the rest of them. Future syndication was the reason given, as the older shows were shot on film and, well, syndication is a good source of revenue. So redoing the shows makes good sense, but will anyone buy it? Read on!

(Although if anyone puts out a specially priced box set of Deep Space Nine, dude, we're so going to buy it-- HD or not.)

--AP

Over at NCS, there's a mousepad with boobs. $85. No, we don't expect anyone to buy it... but it's a mousepad with BOOBS. When's the last time you've seen one of those?

--AP

AAAAAAGGHH. Today at Galactic Hunter we look at the A-Wing Pilot action figure from the POTF2 line, specifically part of the once-robust assortment of new vehicle releases that was part of 1997. And you horrible people waited to buy it on clearance. (We bought a few extras at that price.) So does this figure and vehicle combo have something to offer you? Read on-- and don't miss our newly added archives!

Also, stay tuned for Galactic Hunter over the weekend for a new Figure of the Day every day tomorrow-- and all Summer long! Because if you stop reading this stuff I'm gonna get bored and spend the time doing like gardening or some crap. Some crap that ain't gardening.

--AP

From various auction and other sites: Ultra Magnus. We think. The Allspark has a thread on it and it looks like a repaint of Optimus Prime with some different paint patterns, and red being replaced by white. It isn't part of wave 2, so it's either part of a later wave or an exclusive of some sort.

Also, remember the Galvatron (or Trypticon, or Gigastorm, or whatever) redeco of Scourge and "Leo Prime"? It turns out it's part of a bigger line. You can see more at TFW2005, as they have packaged images of Leo Prime (Leobreaker in Leoconvoy colors), Perceptor (Red Alert in Perceptor colors), and Fireflight (Jetfire in... well, sorta Powerglidey colors).

Eh, that's good enough. Time to call it a day.

--AP

Entertainment Earth Podcast

Star Wars Comic Books! A podcast you aren't listening to, but should! New exclusives! And which Entertainment Earth Star Wars exclusive is almost totally sold out? Holy crap, download me now!!

--AP

For starters: You do not need an iPod to hear a Podcast. Podcasting is just a fancy word for "hack job internet radio show," which is exactly what we're aiming to produce here.

If you have iTunes 4.9 or above: You can subscribe to it for free. Just search for "Adam Pawlus" under Podcasts in the iTunes music store, or just go to "Subscribe to Podcast" and paste in "http://www.entertainmentearth.com/podcasts/podcast.xml". And you should be all hooked up.

If you're using an RSS reader: Subscribe to this feed: "http://www.entertainmentearth.com/podcasts/podcast.xml".

If you are using Safari: click here.