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Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!

From 2019! The Hasbro Marvel Spider-Man Action Figure looks more retro than Hasbro's Retro line, which takes some doing. Other than sharp paint applications on the eyes and chest spider, everything is molded in color and seems incredibly simple - it's striking! It's also hard to find in American stores now, but you might see some on eBay, Amazon, or overseas retailers. For about $4 it's a surprisingly impressive 3 3/4-inch action figure, and I'd love to see what else Hasbro could come up with given that sort of budget. Read on, and come back tomorrow for more fun!

--AP

Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Chewbacca (Prototype Edition - Orange Head, The Retro Collection). Let's keep looking at 1970s- and 1980s-style action figures this week with a Crayola-infused Wookiee - Hasbro's fourth "prototype" release so far. He doesn't exactly deviate from the no-paint, many-colors pattern we've enjoyed but it's still fun to check out things like a bright yellow bowcaster and a Grinch-colored Wookiee-limb. Read the whole review.

--AP

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Order yours now!

Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!

More retro than retro! The Super7 Metropolis Silver Maria ReAction Figure is easily, easily the very best "new" retro figure I've picked up from anybody. The silver vac-metal finish makes the figure feel a lot like the original C-3PO toys, plus plastic chrome action figures are so unusual in toy stores these days. Heck, Hasbro hasn't even done a chrome C-3PO figure for over a decade. So read on, and come back tomorrow for more fun!

--AP

Ad: Get new Super7 Bruce Lee Ultimates and More from Entertainment Earth! Pre-orders are open for new Hasbro blasters like the Star Trek Nerf LMTD Starfleet Type 2 and 3 Phaser Electronic Motorized Blasters, which is coming late in 2023. Pre-orders are welcome and orders of $39+ ship for free with the code FALLFREE22.

Order yours now!

Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Day 2,958: B0-B4 (Custom/Fan-Made). It's a mass-produced custom, using new molds to make an old-style figure - and it's not licensed. So why are we looking at it? It's neat. Read the whole review.

--AP

Via Tito and Macho Nacho Productions: Tutorial: Retr0Brite VAPOR | New BEST Way To Restore Yellowed Plastic In 2022!?!. In short - put your toys or game equipment (minus electronics) in a clear tub on a sunny day. Throw in a specific kind of H2O2, and wait. It seems pretty simple.

I'll probably be giving this a shot with some old Kenner Snowtroopers shortly.

--AP

This week's batch of titles on the eShop: Game Type DX, Splatoon 3, Arcade Archives PAC & PAL, and over a dozen more.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted a Q&A: Star Wars Sequel Toys and In Stockiness. It's new! Be sure to click through and read up on the latest!

Be sure to send in your questions for the next thrilling update!

--AP

Via the Glyos News Dump: Kickstarter Exclusive Skeleden Resurfaces at Double G Toys. If memory serves, this was a bonus for the Skeleton Warriors Kickstarter.

The store has it for $20, which is cheaper than eBay and about on par with new releases - if you still want one, this is probably the time to get it.

--AP

We're taking donations for server costs! Really. One of the rewards is Q&A a few days early - you can read next Monday's installment as soon as it's ready, which can be as early as 1:00 AM my time on Monday!

Become a Patron!

If you've got a dollar a month to share, please Visit the Galactic Hunter Patreon and help cover our server costs. I'll still put in hours of work, writing, photography, and research - I just need some help making sure that the site costs me only time, and hopefully not money. Thanks for your support!

--AP

Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!

From 1980! The Fisher-Price Adventure People Firestar I Action Figure also has a vehicle in the box. Boxed ones aren't too expensive, and opened ones are pretty cheap - but finding one in good shape is tough. Read on, and come back tomorrow for more fun!

--AP

Via wickerwaka: Irem M72 - Support for R-Type 2, M84 hardware. What does this mean? It means you can play R-Type and R-Type II on the MiSTer, provided that you ran your update scripts in the last week. It doesn't handle exactly like Super R-Type on Super NES or R-Type Dimensions on Xbox, but it'a the original.

It's fun, and not as common of a sight as the Nintendo-imported R-Type cabinets in the USA. They also added support for some other equipment like the Casio PV-1000, which I admit to never having heard of - but you can play Dig Dug on it and it's probably on par with the Apple ][ port. It also has Warp & Warp, but I would nudge you to give the Famicom versions of both of those a shot (the latter is called "Warpman" for Famicom) if you're interested. Seriously, both are a good time.

--AP

Ad: Get new Twilight Zone, robots, exclusives, and glowing things from Entertainment Earth! New pre-orders include the The Twilight Zone Mystic Seer Glow-in-the-Dark 1:1 Scale Prop Replica. Orders of $39+ ship for free with the code FALLFREE22.

Order yours now!

Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Amaulman (Custom). It's mass-produced in China, but we're calling it a custom - this was made using new molds that also put out some Amanaman let's-say-replicas. The figure feels incredibly close to the original yellow and green figure, but the texture and detail on the staff are visibly changed if you have the real deal for comparisons. Otherwise, you'd probably be fooled into thinking it's the real deal - thankfully the Sith-colored figure makes it plainly obvious that this is not the genuine article. It's cool, but do you need it? Read the whole review.

--AP

Via My Grodd: New Imaginext Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Figure Pack Spotted. Is it legit - and can we find them? No idea. Some recent Imaginext items like the Masters of the Universe 10-inch guys and the tagged-but-not-boxed cars got little or no US distribution.

Here's hoping it's easy to get - if it really is for the 30th anniversary, I'd expect it early next year.

--AP

Via amClicks: Novedades Alemania Enero-Junio 2023. What does this mean? New country-western figures, a river dolphin, pirates, hikers, and more are being shown for next year. No pre-orders are up yet for the US market.

--AP

Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!

Bossky! The Healey Made Assassin (Trando) Action Figure is new this year, but modeled in 1980s colors and sculpted to look like something that came out before 16-bit video games. I really like this one! So read on, and come back tomorrow for more fun!

--AP

Via TFW2005: Transformers Velocitron Speedia 500 Deluxe G2 Shadowstrip & Crasher Out In New Zealand � First In-Hand Images. Presumably these will all be in Walmart by the end of the year, and potentially announced at PulseCon at the end of the month.

--AP

Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Star Wars Figure of the Day: Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise (Custom). It's a neat take on what could have been (or should have been) in the 1980s! The figure's helmet is painted a little off, the head looks pretty of-the-era, and the blaster is held at a weird angle - but it's a lot better than nothing. and is pretty good shelf eye candy. Read the whole review.

--AP

Via YouTuber RoXolid Productions: Turbografx16 & PC Engine Clone Console Teased By Hyperkin. Analogue announced its Analogue Duo 11 months ago to the day, and as of yet there's no release date for what is undoubtedly the niche-est of niche gaming products.

Hyperkin's model shows no obvious signs of a hook for a CD drive, but it will undoubtedly be much cheaper than anything on the market. For those with their own PC Engines or Turbo systems, there are numerous aftermarket upgrades to get it looking good on an HDTV, and it's also worth noting that PC Engine CD games play surprisingly well on first-generation Raspberry Pi computers... and of course even better on a MiSTer. It remains to be see if/when either Hyperkin or Analogue get their devices in gamer hands, because there have been many a false start in the clone world. Who could forget the Super Retro Boy or the 2018 Hyperkin Ultra Game Boy? I didn't. Hopefully Analogue will deliver their Pocket Promises this year.

Anyway, here's the guy's video, which is longer than you need to watch for "clone system coming some day maybe." I miss gaming magazines.

--AP

This week's batch of titles on the eShop: Arcade Archives Champion Wrestler, NBA 2K23, Return to Monkey Island, and over a dozen more. Guybrush Threepwood will be back on September 19.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has not posted a new Star Wars Q&A this week due to lack of questions - but new submissions are welcome before the column goes out behind the alley and... well, best to not write about that here.

We'll be back as soon as the questions are ready. Or not, maybe my work here is done?

--AP

Via HasLab: Marvel Legends HasLab Engine of Vengeance. While incredibly strong out the gate last week, the car seems to have stalled under 4,000 over the weekend.

The 1:12 scale muscle car has electronic lights and alternate "on fire" engines and wheels, plus one known pack-in figure for $349.99. In other words, it's not quit as compelling as the Cobra HISS. It will include a bonus Early Bird figure if it meets the goal by Friday - a Robbie Reyes in his human form. It's ab out 1/3 of the way there at press time so I wouldn't bank on it.

Other HasLab items for other brands are in development and it wouldn't be too surprising to see one debut at the end of this month on September 30 or October 1 for Hasbro's PulseCon streaming showcase. While there was a high-profile non-starter last year with the Rancor monster, their track record is pretty good - only the Reva FX Lightsaber, Rancor, and Cookie Monster (the latter was scrubbed from their past projects page have failed to fund.

--AP

We're taking donations for server costs! Really. One of the rewards is Q&A a few days early - you can read next Monday's installment as soon as it's ready, which can be as early as 1:00 AM my time on Monday!

Become a Patron!

If you've got a dollar a month to share, please Visit the Galactic Hunter Patreon and help cover our server costs. I'll still put in hours of work, writing, photography, and research - I just need some help making sure that the site costs me only time, and hopefully not money. Thanks for your support!

--AP

Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!

From 1982! The Fisher-Price Adventure People Opticon Action Figure is a little robot that can't quite stand up perfectly, but can flip over and grow into a towering monster of a mechanoid. With fake silver buttons, there really isn't much else like it - but it fits in just fine with other figures of that era. Read on, and come back tomorrow for more fun!

--AP

Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Darth Vader (Dark Times, The Retro Collection). White what-if figure offers a cloth cape and a non-telescoping lightsaber, giving us a functionally very different Dark Lord of the Sith toy. Unfortunately the sculpting is the flattest of the wave, with some areas having less sculpted detail than the 1978 original. (But it's still really neat.) Read the whole review.

--AP

Via HasLab: Marvel Legends HasLab Engine of Vengeance adds Mephisto at 12,000 backers. (They are not at 12,000 backers yet but are near 4,300.)

There's a bonus figure if the toy hits 9,000 by Friday which is not impossible, but looking unlikely. If you're on the fence about the $350 muscle car, this might be a good time to bounce on board.

--AP

Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!

So retro - and on clearance if you can find one! The Super7 G.I. Joe Red Ninja ReAction Figure is a simple repaint, but if you can stumble on one for under $6 it's a total bargain. (And I did.) So read on, and come back tomorrow for more fun!

--AP

Via Deadline: FCC Proposes $3.4 Million In Fines To Stations For Violating Children�s Ad Limits With Hot Wheels Commercials. Basically, a channel aired Hot Wheels toy ads during a Hot Wheels cartoon. To try to pretend you weren't showing kids 30-minute toy commercials, the legal precedent before was that you couldn't sell ads for G.I. Joe toys during a cartoon. (Although, for an interesting loophole, you could put in ads for the comic book series.)

This is why you had a channel like Hasbro's The Hub who needed to reach out to Mattel, MGA, and other toymakers to advertise too - you couldn't populate the whole thing with on-brand Hasbro ads. (I have no idea what the YouTube advertising equivalent rules are.)

If memory serves, the reason for this is that it's assumed kids may not really be able to completely separate when the TV show ends and the ad begins, despite the tonal and stylistic changes, but the very fact that pages like this exist to talk about TV-advertised toys 20-40 years after the fact shows just how effective that kind of marketing can truly be. If you were born in the 1970s or 1980s (or maybe 1990s) and are reading this, you probably watched a lot of TV shows that were 30-minute toy ads, stuffed with spots for Happy Meals and video games and, of course, action figures. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but it is a chillingly effective technique in separating kids from their money (and, clearly, adults too.) When Disney+ and Netflix start serving ads on their shows that very clearly tie in with licensed products, this could result in even more stories and conflicts like this one.

--AP

Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Fifth Brother (The Retro Collection). It's a good one - I like the double-bladed lightsaber, I like the lack of a vinyl cape, I like how he stands and sits and fits in my vehicles. He's fun to fuss with and arguably one of the best figures to get thanks to his cool hat. (Sure he's not doing much on the show but at least you get a decent action figure.) Read the whole review.

--AP

Via Super7: The Super7 Willow ReAction Figure is now available exclusively at @DisneyParks ! Photo by xtimmycorex.

Previously this figure debuted at D23, and this version of Willow (with baby Elora Danan) is exclusive to some sort of Disney retail infrastructure.

Hasbro made good on its threat for new Starting Lineup action figures. They're $49.99 each, and include (their words) a flight stand, a ball, alternate hands, a trading card, and an NFT. As most of them seem to have unique heights and different builds, the higher cost is not entirely unexpected - but the NFT seems a bit much. These are exclusive to Fanatics and Hasbro Pulse, and as I know next to nothing about sports I likely will never mention them again.

Back in the 1990s, Kenner's Starting Lineup figures were kind of a big deal, with people literally lining up in front of new toy stores to grab them and such. Somewhat surprisingly, graded trading cards from those figures can be quite expensive, often more so than an ungraded carded figure. It is not for me to understand.

--AP

This week's batch of titles on the eShop: Shovel Knight Dig, Arcade Archives ROMPERS, Kraken Smash: Volleyball, and over a dozen more.

--AP

Galactic Hunter has posted a Q&A: The Really Big Star Wars Hasbro Figures and Customs of Days Gone By. It's new! Be sure to click through and read up on the latest!

Be sure to send in your questions for the next thrilling update!

--AP

Via HasLab: Marvel Legends HasLab Engine of Vengeance failed to hit its Early Bird goal for Robbie Reyes. The campaign continues through October 31.

What's particularly unfortunate for those wanting this figure is that the number of backers dropped - it was over 5,800 on Friday, and at press time is at 5,647. A lot can happen in a month, but successful HasLabs generally don't see a dip in support. (But the Rancor sure did.) There could be a last-minute rally and it could still succeed but I wouldn't hold your breath for any of those stretch goals. If you want this car to get made, you should probably stop dragging your feet.

--AP

Via the he Outer Space Men News Blog: 2010-2012 The Outer Space Men Shine With Cheap Black Light Strips. They're good for any glow-in-the-dark green toys, but I haven't had a lot to say about The Outer Space Men lately so I went with them. These cheap packs of black light LEDs can be found at Walmart for about $6. They run off USB, so you may have a power bank, outlet, or other gizmo to plug in handy.

For Glyos fans, they caused the green glow figures and white figures to shine nicely. The blue glow doesn't really react to these particular lights very well, but some very high-powered UV LEDs do work a little better. Your best bet with the blue glow seems to be the Sun.

If you're wondering "hey, what happened with that line?" the answer is "not much." We got more Bluestar figures at increasingly high costs, but the promised soft vinyl Astro-Nautilus and hinted-at new painted figures never materialized. I'm hoping to see a few more before the line ends, assuming it does.

--AP

Via @ericlewis: Genesis for Analogue Pocket (version 0.0.3). What does this mean? Many games boot, some are playable, and a bunch don't work yet. It's a really solid start.

Here's a list to all currently known cores, which makes it seem that the Pocket will some day be a de facto portable MiSTer.

--AP

We're taking donations for server costs! Really. One of the rewards is Q&A a few days early - you can read next Monday's installment as soon as it's ready, which can be as early as 1:00 AM my time on Monday!

Become a Patron!

If you've got a dollar a month to share, please Visit the Galactic Hunter Patreon and help cover our server costs. I'll still put in hours of work, writing, photography, and research - I just need some help making sure that the site costs me only time, and hopefully not money. Thanks for your support!

--AP

Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!

From last year! The Hasbro Marvel Legends 375 Iceman Action Figure is one of the X-Men and also Spider-Man's amazing friends... and it's not a bad release from Hasbro either. Mostly clear blue, with mostly no paint, and no accessories, I assume this was a dirt cheap figure to make as it also reuses a lot of body parts. But hey, I had to get him to go with Spidey and Firestar. (I still need to open Firestar.) Read on, and come back tomorrow for more fun!

--AP

Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Death Star Droid (Black, Custom). I was sent a fan-made custom of this figure over 25 years ago, but this made-from-new-molds "custom" is brand-new and has a shiny black finish. The detail is a little soft, but it still looks good standing in a playset or on a shelf. Read the whole review.

--AP

Via HasLab: Marvel Legends HasLab Engine of Vengeance failed to hit its Early Bird goal for Robbie Reyes is a neat idea, but expensive, and one that continues a decline. Normally losing a few buyers is no big deal, but it is down close to 400 since last week.

As of Sunday night before posting the Monday update, it was 5,647 (and dipped by 2 immediately after posting. I believe its height was around 5,800 last week.) I noticed it dipped a bit every time I reloaded the page on Tuesday, and by press time overnight Tuesday it was down to 5,435. Short of a massively cool incentive, it is unlikely that Hasbro will have much success on this one. The Cobra HISS was both taller and longer - but I'm not sure about wider - and it was cheaper, with a lower minimum number of units to fund. At $250 the Engine of Vengeance would be a mighty tempting piece, but much like the overpriced (but close-to-barely-funding) Rancor, well, it's all up to you guys if you want to make it happen. At this rate I assume it'll get close to funding, but likely won't make it.

It would be my hope that we see some cheaper items, and if that means a basic item for $200 with a $50 add-on or just generally items that don't seem quite as expensive. To put it in perspective, while this car does have a lot of moving parts and some electronics, a similarly sized Fortnite Motorboat is under $100 and has a similar - if not possibly superior - amount of paint applications.

--AP

Something new every day-- unless it's old! Our exciting Figure of the Day continues for you lucky people! Is there anything we won't cover in this column? Probably not!

Old! The Fisher-Price Adventure People X-Ray Woman Action Figure is a real classic! The clear construction shows a lack of pins in the body, everything matches up quite well despite the head being opaque. And she's not too expensive for a 40-year-old figure. So read on, and come back tomorrow for more fun!

--AP

Via @HasbroPulse on Twitter: Robbie is back with a vengeance! The Ghost Rider 6-Inch figure will come with a human-form alternate head & sweatshirt hood accessory to covert into Robbie Reyes. The HasLab campaign needs 9,000 backers and will run until 10/31/22. See http://HasbroPulse.com for more details!

Earlier, an early bird goal was a whole figure with new deco and the Robbie head. The goal was missed so the figure was cut, but they kept the head in as an accessory for the main figure. So now, you get one body with two heads, and not two bodies with two heads.

The figure's numbers had been dipping up and down all day on Wednesday. I saw it go as low as 5,420 earlier in the day. At press time, it's at 5,459. (It was 5,461 just before I uploaded the file - it dipped 2 in a couple of minutes.) That's down from around 5,800 last Friday. (I am not buying this one as I am trying to cut back Marvel to small stuff only, but it's fascinating to watch and I want to keep this record of it.)

--AP

Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Wandering Jedi, The Retro Collection). Let's wrap up Old School September with this figure that looks like it came out of 1984. He's got a blaster, he's got a lightsaber, and he has one of Hasbro's very best Jedi Robes - which is surprising, given it's a retro figure. I really like this one. Read the whole review.

--AP

This week's batch of titles on the eShop: Escape Goat, Voodoo Detective, Arcade Archives The Return of ISHTAR, and over a dozen more.

--AP