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Toy companies really seem to be following this pattern. Is that because it’s essentially just us 30 to 50-year-olds buying this stuff now? Do you ever see a kid older than 7 in the aisles anymore? For MOTU, the Creative Beast guys double-dipped on the Dino-Riders-inspired Battle Cat and Teela exclusive homage. Transformers has been going back to its 40+ year old roots for years now. The new Dramatic Capture Grimlock scratches multiple itches for us old guys. Some nostalgia is simply fixing oversights of the past. How about an O-ring Ninja Force Quick Kick or Destro? While Star Wars might have one of the most beloved histories, they are probably doing the least when it comes to nostalgia. They are really pushing hard on more current, yet much less revered sources for their toys. Luckily for them, I love this amazing Mercenary Guard Droid and STAP.

This week I’m going to feature things that I love that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. In other words, a curated list. I’ve been loving Blokees, especially the Defender Series. 2.5-inch stylized building kits? Yes, please. I own very few props or role-play items. However, a bomb wielded by a hot chick in space bounty hunter disguise? Yes, please. How about a 3rd-party solid piece of plastic meant to look like the oozing slime of my childhood? Yes, please. Probably the least controversial, but still not for everyone. How about a figure of a mech suit, but finally cartoon-accurate? Yes, please.

It's Star Wars Day. At least at our local sports ball game, so yeah, we’re going. But I’m going to try to get this out first, so no long post this time. Go sports ball team!

One thing I forgot to do as we were pressed for time was to ask all the hosts what their favorite reveal was from the show. I’ll keep mine to the four franchises as I usually do, but hopefully we can squeeze that in too on the next show. For Masters, as much as I love build-a-figures and vintage toy artwork homages, it does seem like more of the same. Their Chronicles Clawful is what really caught my eye. All I thought I wanted from Star Wars was a Rotta the Hutt in either Black Series or Vintage Collection. Well, I got both and hate the execution on both. So, even though I won’t buy it, my favorite Star Wars thing was the vintage decoed X-Wing. What’s funny is my favorite Transformer is something we didn’t even talk about. It was hidden in the official pics. Besides the Icons Decepticon symbol Megatron, everything else was pretty lackluster. Even more disappointing was G.I. Joe. I get it, they blow their load with Yo Joe June. Besides some name reveals, we really only got what is looking to be a disappointing Thundermachine.

Tons of fun stuff leading up to the con this year. Definitely my favorite was the ReAction+ Python Patrol Trubble Bubble. While something I’ve eliminated from my collecting as of late, Seekers, I would have killed back in the day for an official set of Rainmakers in a current mold. While I really wish it had the wash that the Chronicles version got, the Origins Skeletor still looks amazing. I’m a big sucker for concept stuff, so for Star Wars I gotta rep the Jazwares Micro Galaxy Squadron Concept Slave 1 (not Boba Fett’s Starship).

As we get closer to SDCC, companies are starting flex, literally. Mattel’s Gym Bro Skeletor is getting his reps in. Joe had some hits and misses to end Yo Joe! June. At least we’re finally getting a Flash. Black Series released probably one of the most perfect Clone packs ever, and it shows. It is sold out everywhere. While it’s just some teaser pics, and we’ve got better ones since, I’m excited for an official MP(G) Blaster.

We had a crazy day, so now it’s time for a lazy Sunday. Until we meet again.

So much good stuff this time around. Hasbro Fanstreams continue to be amazing, including never-before-seen product for once. How about those Classified Fatal Fluffies? Star Wars didn’t disappoint either, at least for me, with those Remnant Snowtroopers. While I might already have them, the Deluxe Insecticon 3-Pack is simply beautiful. MOTU absolutely kills it with their latest Origins 200x wave. Including not only my favorite Evil Warrior, Trap Jaw, but also focus characters from my childhood, Sy-Klone and Man-E-Faces.

Our biggest local con starts today, Fan Expo Denver. Over the past 10+ years, it has become a juggernaut. Some highlights this year, for me at least, include a pretty comprehensive Scream and Goonies reunion, most of the cast of The Boys, all the Hobbits, and a huge amount of voice actors, including Michael Bell, Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, and Matthew Wood. It has ballooned to a 4-day event. We’ll do our shopping early today, then we do panels most of the time, and we’ll squeeze in the exhibit floor as we have time. One of our favorite things to do is hit up celebrity row. Or I should say rows, nowadays. Since we’re not big autograph people, we’re too cheap, we love just walking that area and seeing our favorite celebs interacting with fans, hanging out, or even just being on their phones.

Luckily, I’m out of the reselling mindset and just get to care about things I love. Star Wars showed me a lot of love in their latest Fanstream, but nothing like their SDCC TVC Clone Wars homage. The Masters movie is showing off a ton of characters, but I absolutely love that they are featuring a focus character of mine. To see the movie Roboto in the Origins line so soon makes me very happy. The Transformers line I love the most is making Dinobots, and my boy Snarl is on the way. No Joe news this time around, but I’m still loving this TRU Acid Raid collab.

I completely Star Warsed myself out yesterday. If you’re in the group or follow me, you probably got a lot of spam about what I was watching all day. However, as I write this, I’m watching the third Family Guy Star Wars special, It’s a Trap. Why? I have mild OCD and must finish a 3-part series after watching the first two parts. It truly is a sickness. With that being the case, I really don’t want to write a whole post because I do truly love these.

Need to wrap this up, so I’m just going to point out my favorite stuff without any attempts at wittiness, but with the inevitable verbosity. Even though he was name only, my boy, Psyche Out is finally on his way. Blokees kills it with Beasts in their cutest scale. Mondo continues to show He-Man a lot of love. What the Sith?

For such a crappy start, there were so many good things in this show. When a well-done homage to a fan favorite concept is not even in the top three, you know it had to have been fire. Then there was the new Amazon Exclusive Gaming Greats Clone and Droid Training 2-Packs. Of course, Masters is just on another level with the new movie coming in hot. My favorite? An Optimus Prime that transforms into the Autobot symbol. But there was so much more.

It’s been a long week. I’ve been going through a ton of boxes. About to list ~160 new items. I’ll catch you next time. At least I got to watch a lot of movies.

As I mentioned on the show, my absolutely favorite reveal, despite its duck-billed alt mode, was Krannix from the Transformers ’86 movie. Talk about holes being filled. For Joe, the addition of dinosaurs to the line is extremely interesting, even if it’s just a momentary distraction. Masters of the Universe, of course, went off. With two different lines similar enough to be confused, at least by me, we have a ton of options. But, that Trap Jaw with an articulated jaw, am I right? Star Wars blew their load pre-Toy Fair, but being an arctic guy, let’s just say, I want everything.