Film School Rejects » Jason Dorough

The 10 Coolest Terminator Collectibles

Jason Dorough — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:48:05 +0000

Terminator is back this week with the premiere of the second season of “The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” The movie franchise that inspired the TV series always has been a big hit in the collectibles market, and here’s a look at some of the coolest Terminator goodies. Click on any of the images below to enlarge.

1. Life Size T-800 Endoskeleton
Sideshow Collectibles, purveyors of all things awesome, has a reputation for making fantastic life-size replicas of movie props. What better prop to go life-size with than the T-800 himself, looming a full 6.5 feet tall? It’ll cost you a pretty penny (or, well, $5950), but you can grab one of your very own from Sideshow’s website.

2. T-800 Endoskeleton Life Size Bust
If the full-size Terminator is out of your budget, you might want to just take home the head. Sideshow makes that possible with their life-size bust, which also features light-up eyes and a removable CPU chip “brain” in the metallic cranium. You can place an order for this one through Sideshow Collectibles.

3. Terminator Endoarm Replica
To celebrate Terminator’s 15^th anniversary, Hollywood Collectibles Group worked with Sideshow to create a replica of one of the Terminator endoskeleton’s arms. The result was this ultra cool and ultra creepy feat of engineering.

4. Terminator T-800 Cinemaquette
I’m not personally a big fan of the Cinemaquette line, as they usually consist of extremely overpriced collectibles with sketchy likenesses and varying quality. Even I have to admit that the T-800 Cinemaquette is one cool collectible, though. Standing 24″ tall, this guy has lightup eyes and is limited to 1000 pieces. If you have a grand and a half to throw around, he can be yours via the Cinemaquette website.

5. Hunter Killer Scaled Replica
Skynet’s hovering death machines get some love with this 20″ scaled replica of the Hunter Killer. This statue was limited to just 500 pieces and came with functioning light-up headlights.

6. T-800 Endoskeleton 1:6 Scale Figure
Hot Toys is a toy company from Hong Kong that puts out some amazingly cool pieces. Recently they’ve gotten a lot of exposure from their super-detailed Dark Knight collectibles, but way before they were making mini-Heath Ledgers, they created this shiny snap-together Endoskeleton that builds into a poseable 12″ scale action figure.

7. T-850 Terminator With Coffin Action Figure
Sure, Terminator 3 wasn’t the greatest movie in the world, and sure, it’s pretty much being replaced by the new TV series, but you can’t deny that McFarlane Toys put out some excellent merchandise based on the movie. Most notably, there’s this figure of Arnold in his pre-politicking days, toting a coffin on his shoulder.

8. T-800 18″ Action Figure
There are loads of T-800 toys and statues, but most of them are prohibitively mega expensive. Not so with this new 18″ Terminator released by NECA. Clocking in around $45, this robot features lightup eyes, just like many of his bigger (and more expensive) brethren. Check him out here: Entertainment Earth.

9. Hunter Killer Tank Maquette
Like its flying counterpart, the Hunter Killer Tanks made their way into the collectibles realm with this maquette from Hollywood Collectibles. In 1:35 scale, the tank measures 15″ long by 13″ wide and was limited to 500 pieces.

10. Sarah Connor 12″ Action Figure
The original Sarah Connor, Linda Hamilton, gets a nod with this 12″ scale action figure from Sideshow. In true Sideshow style, the figure bears an authentic likeness to the actress and comes with a bunch of accessories, including a couple of guns, a knife, and her essential sunglasses.

“The Collector’s Corner” is a special weekly installment of Officially Cool written by guest author Jason Dorough of www.Mechazilla.com and Fandomania.com. Jason is an avid collector of cool geeky gear and one of the internet’s authorities on things that are “Officially Cool”. Be sure to check back every Wednesday here on Film School Rejects, as Jason will be bringing you the best collectibles that the world has to offer.

The 5 Coolest Cthulhu Collectibles on the Market

Jason Dorough — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:00:45 +0000

When I’m looking for inspiration for my Collector’s Corner articles, I often check out the listings to see what movies are premiering that week. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that a film called Cthulhu completely slipped under my radar and is having a limited release this week. And it stars Tori Spelling, no less! Cthulhu fhtagn, indeed. Regardless of how good or bad the movie ends up being, it gives me an excuse to show off some of the coolest collectibles inspired by my favorite Elder God. Here are my five favorite Cthulhu toys and statues.

5. Cthulhu Slippers

It’s not a toy or statue, but I think it’s cool and worth grabbing, so I’m kicking the list off with the plush Cthulhu slippers. It’s this kind of dorky gear that you buy when you want to tell the world (or whomever might see you traipsing around your house in your slippers) that you’re a geek and proud of it. Plus they look pretty cozy.

4. Cthulhu Plush Toy

There are a million and four plush Cthulhus on the market these days, but I’m a fan of the original, plain old Cthulhu. This was the first squishy and cute Elder God collectible I can remember seeing, and it’s still a favorite.

3. SOTA Cthulhu Polystone Statue

This 13″ statue has a 20″ wingspan and is all kinds of crazy awesomeness. Distributed by Sideshow Collectibles, the Cthulhu made by SOTA has two variations: a standard green paint scheme that’s limited to 470 pieces and an exclusive red paintjob that’s limited to just 100 pieces. The green one has been sold out for a while, but you can still get onto Sideshow’s wait list for it. The exclusive red one is still in stock for now, so grab him while you can!

2. My Little Cthulhu

John Kovalic, of Dork Tower fame, designed this astoundingly adorable-yet-menacing Cthulhu as a semi-urban vinyl toy. The little green guy comes packaged with a couple of miniature victims, shown in the midst of going mad. Even better, you can pop the victims apart to make a nice chewy (and surprisingly bloody) treat. The standard green MLC can be tough to find, but there’s a black version scheduled for release soon.

1. The Great Cthulhu

Following the success of their HeroClix collectible miniatures games, WizKids released a horror-themed game called HorrorClix in 2006. Most of the figures released for the game are small-scale miniatures depicting werewolves, zombies, and the like, but the first mega-promotion for the game ushered in the release of the coolest and most definitive Lovecraftian statue ever: The Great Cthulhu colossal figure. He stands a full 16″ tall, towering over the rest of the game pieces, and works just as well as a standalone sculpture as he does in the action of the game. He’s been sold out everywhere for a long while, but you still might be able to snag one on eBay or at a convention.

The 5 Coolest Classic Star Wars Animated Statues

Jason Dorough — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:28:00 +0000

Star Wars is going animated again this week with the release of The Clone Wars theatrical movie. This gives me the opportunity to take a look at one of my favorite current collectibles lines, Gentle Giants’ Star Wars animated style statues. Gentle Giant began the line by producing characters from the original Clone Wars cartoon series, but the line became so popular that they eventually branched out with reimaginings of the characters from the classic Star Wars trilogy. Here are my top five favorites from the classic trilogy that have been released so far.

5. Darth Vader
Vader was the inaugural piece in the classic trilogy collection. Standing a bit taller than the rest of the series, he’s an imposing maquette that conveys the classic Sith intimidation, even in a cartoony style.

Buy it here: Amazon

4. Yoda and R2-D2
The Yoda and Artoo statue was a convention exclusive that was limited to 2500 pieces. I love the expressiveness of this one, and the little snake was a nice addition. I’m usually able to get my Star Wars statues through standard retail, but I had to resort to eBay for this one.

Buy it here: Amazon

3. Luke Skywalker with Dianoga
Another one that wasn’t available at standard retail, the Luke and Dianoga statue was limited to just 1500 pieces and was released as an online exclusive. The base is fantastically detailed, and Luke’s expression and pose show some of the most dynamic work of the series.

Buy it here: Amazon

2. Boba Fett
Boba Fett is all around awesome in this statue. From his wind-whipped cloak to the detailed dents and scuffs on his armor to the flames licking at the base, there’s a lot to love here. At this year’s San Diego Comic Con, Gentle Giant announced a second Boba Fett for the animated series, this time paired with an animated style Han in Carbonite.

Buy it here: Amazon

1. Princess Leia with R2-D2
There’s no way the Leia and Artoo statue could keep from topping my list. This was the first R2-D2 of the series, before he was revisited in the Yoda diorama mentioned above, and he suits the animated style perfectly. Leia translates into the animated realm as a slickly curvy space vixen. This one was so popular that Gentle Giant later offered a life-size version that just featured Leia and was priced at around $800.

Buy it here: ToyWiz

The Star Wars animated statue line is an ongoing one, and an Obi-Wan Kenobi maquette was the most recent one offered up for preorder. Not from the classic trilogy but just as awesome as the other pieces in this collection is the Darth Maul piece, also recently solicited.

Check out the full gallery below, including a few shots from my own personal collection:

Jason’s Collection: Women of the DC Universe Busts

Jason Dorough — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:00:21 +0000

I usually feature the coolest collectibles related to whatever big movie is coming out each week, but since there aren’t any big toy-type movies on the way, I’m taking the opportunity to dig into my own personal collection to show off some things that I think are officially cool. This week’s feature is all about the Women of the DC Universe line, produced by DC Direct.

This series of mini busts features the good and bad girls of DC Comics, and they run the gamut from A-listers to lesser known femmes. Each bust is a limited edition and stands between 5 and 6 inches tall. DC Direct began this line with pieces based on the art of good girl artist and collectible fan extraordinaire, Adam Hughes. Adam’s wave of busts began with Wonder Woman and included the likes of Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Hawkgirl, Batgirl, Big Barda, Zatanna, Black Canary, Poison Ivy, Starfire, Power Girl, and Supergirl.

The second wave of busts also began with Wonder Woman (this time shown in the midst of changing out of her Diana Prince secret identity), but the newest busts feature sculpts based on the art of Terry Dodson. The busts released to date in wave 2 include Wonder Woman, Cheetah, Batwoman, and Wonder Girl. On deck for release are a new version of Catwoman, Huntress, Jade, and Mary Marvel in her Shazam costume.

With few exceptions, all of these busts are great collectibles, and they are fantastic pieces for any DC fan. Heck, I’m not even that much of a DC fan and am collecting these things as quickly as they’re produced. With the variety and number of characters being featured, you even could just collect the specific fandoms you’re into and still have an impressive collection (Girls of Gotham, Wonder Woman and friends, etc).

I’ve reviewed a few of the busts individually on Mechazilla. Take a closer look:

Many of the previously released busts are still available for sale in comics shops and online, but the best way to get these things is by preordering them before release. Enjoy your DC girls, and I’ll see you next week!

Comic-Con: The 10 Coolest New Sideshow Collectibles

Jason Dorough — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:01:13 +0000

While a bunch of the FSR crew covered Comic-Con live and in person last week and weekend, I was stuck down here in Florida watching the events unfold via the web and TV. The big media attention tends to be on the major announcements and revelations for upcoming movies and TV shows, but the convention also is a huge player in the collectibles market. Loads of toy and statue companies use the SDCC to debut their coolest new items for the coming year, and this year was no exception. Sideshow Collectibles puts out some of the best high-end toys on the market, and they have a lot of great licenses under their belt. They showed off over 50 new products from their own studios, as well as from companies with which they’re aligned, and here’s a look at my 10 favorites that made their first appearances at the 2008 SDCC:

1. Ghost Rider on Throne Comiquette
Based on the cover of Ghost Rider Finale #94, this is a 15″ tall statue that includes not just the Ghost Rider figure but also his ornate and hellish throne.

2. Iron Man Mark III 12 Inch Figure
Imported by Sideshow, this Iron Man figure is produced by Hot Toys in Hong Kong and is a definitive 1:6 scale collectible. It has light-up features in the eyes and on the chest, and you can even swap the head out to display either the helmet or Tony Stark’s head with the likeness of Robert Downey, Jr.

3. She-Predator Machiko 12 Inch Figure
Another 12 inch action figure from Hot Toys and imported by Sideshow is this new take on Alien Vs Predator. Machiko comes with a Predator helmet, an Alien head shield, and all sorts of other accessories to trick her out, not to mention the mesh body suit and crazy-cool armor.

4. GI Joe Cobra Commander 12 Inch Figure
Sideshow’s second release in their GI Joe license is the Cobra Commander 12 inch action figure. He’s in the cowl outfit with a cool fabric trench coat and comes with all sorts of weapons, as well as a custom GI Joe display base.

5. Dark Willow Tooned Up Television Maquette
Alyson Hannigan gets an evil animated twist in this new Electric Tiki statue, based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The Dark Willow maquette is a redesign of the previously announced regular Willow statue, and it looks awesome with the translucent blue magic swirls on the base.

6. Elvira Premium Format Figure
At 19″ tall, this is one big Elvira. She comes in an authentic fabric dress and features a stylized and slightly cartoony likeness. The base is more detailed than the usual premium format figures get, including a big candelabra, and she has a bat perched on her hand. But I’m guessing those are the main selling points of this statue.

7. Darth Vader 12 Inch Figure
After more than 20 figures have been released in Sideshow’s 12 inch Star Wars line, they’re finally getting around to Vader, and it was worth the wait. Vader is in scale with the rest of the 12 inch line, meaning that he actually is a 14 inch tall figure. With all the detail you could expect from Sideshow, this is one I won’t be passing up.

8. Iron Spider-Man Comiquette
Another addition to Sideshow’s Marvel Comiquettes is this 24″ Spider-Man statue straight out of the Civil War storyline. Sporting the Iron Spider costume designed by Tony Stark, this is one cool looking variation for Spidey.

9. Conan Premium Format Figure
Conan comes to Sideshow with this 19″ tall sculpture that has an authentic fabric costume and even sports Arnie’s likeness. I’m not sure whether I like the ashes-and-warpaint look, but there’s no denying that the sculpt, scale, and figure itself all are first rate.

10. Dr. Rene Belloq 12 Inch Figure
Sideshow Collectibles’ Indiana Jones series continues with its first villain, the nefarious Belloq from Raiders of the Lost Ark. As if having Belloq made into a highly detailed toy wasn’t cool enough, there’s also going to be an exclusive version that comes with the idol pedestal from the beginning of Raiders, also in the 12″ scale!

The 6 Most Memorable X-Files Collectibles

Jason Dorough — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:24:46 +0000

After a long absence, Agents Mulder and Scully return to action this week in The X-Files: I Want To Believe. Even though there’s not much in the way of merchandise connected to the new movie, there have been a bunch of cool collectibles released throughout the TV series’ run, as well as licensed for the original movie. Here’s a look at some of the more notable ones.

1. McFarlane Action Figures

Known for their attention to detail, creative sculpting, and awesome accessories, McFarlane Toys had the license for the first X-Files movie. Their releases included action figures of Scully and Mulder, as well as Aliens and Cavemen. Accessories packed in with them ranged from the agents’ trademark cell phones and guns to big alien tank playset pieces.

2. Abducted Smoking Alien Statue

In 1997, Randy Bowen sculpted this 10″ statue featuring the smoking alien in a cage from the X-Files TV series. The piece was limited to 3000 and was one of the few high-end collectibles that have been released based on The X-Files.

3. Flukeman Statue

One of the most memorable X-Files villains was the Flukeman, featured in the season two episode “The Host.” Flukey got his recognition when he was made part of the same statue series by Randy Bowen that featured the Smoking Alien above.

4. Sideshow 12″ Figures

Whenever I make one of these lists, it’s hard not to mention Sideshow Collectibles. They’re one of the best premiere collectibles companies, and they’re one of the few big names that has produced X-Files items in the last few years. Their 12″ action figure license produced fantastically accurate figures of Scully, Mulder, Doggett, the Cigarette Smoking Man, and even Millennium’s Frank Black, among others.

5. X-Files Palz

Similar to the more popular Minimates line, this series of building block style figures dug deeply into the X-Files mythos, including not only the big guns like Mulder and Scully but also lesser known villains like Donnie Pfaster and Tooms.

6. X-Files Barbie Set

One of the more surprising X-Files collectibles bears mentioning here merely because of its existence. Mattel produced a two-pack of X-Files inspired Barbies that really looks nothing at all like Scully and Mulder. Still, the set became a popular collectible and is likely the only time you’ll see Ken dressing up as David Duchovny.

Photo credit: nnnnic at Flickr

The 10 Coolest Dark Knight Collectibles

Jason Dorough — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:00:03 +0000

The most anticipated movie of the year is coming to theaters this week. No, not Meet Dave. That was last week. No, I’m talking about The Dark Knight, and it’s sure to be a mega-huge blockbuster. It should be no surprise that there has been a ton of licensing surrounding this movie, and here’s a look at some of the coolest collectibles from The Dark Knight.

1. Joker 1:6 Scale Action Figure
If there’s one iconic image that’s excited Batman fans all through the promotion of The Dark Knight, it’s Heath Ledger’s crazily frightening Joker face. Hot Toys, a premier collectibles manufacturer out of Hong Kong, as nailed his likeness with this highly detailed 1:6 scale action figure. Not only is the figure itself awesome, but it also comes with a bunch of cool accessories like to-scale playing cards, an extendable knife, and fake money. You can see more photos on Hot Toys’ official website.

2. Joker Statue
Another cool representation of The Dark Knight’s Joker is this new porcelain statue from DC Direct. It’s limited to a run of 6,000 pieces and is scheduled to release to stores this week. This Joker is 10″ tall, and you can see a full 360 degree turnaround at DC Direct’s official website.

3. Dark Knight Batman Vinyl Statue
With all the focus on the Joker, it’s easy to forget that the main focus of the film is the Dark Knight himself, Batman. Here’s an amazing new piece from Japanese toymaker Kotobukiya, depicting Christian Bale in action. This statue is limited to 1,000 pieces. You can preorder this one for just over $100 online.

4. Batman 1:6 Scale Figure
Want your Batman to have a bit more poseability? Look no farther than Hot Toys’ companion piece to the Joker action figure listed above. Here’s Batman, fully decked out in armor and gadgets and standing around 12″ tall. He comes with all the expected toys like his Batarangs and Grappling Gun, but this one also features an interchangeable Bruce Wayne head with Christian Bale’s likeness. You can see all the photos at Hot Toys’ website.

5. 1:6 Scale Batmobile
What is Batman without his toys? Just an amazing martial artist billionaire in leather pajamas? Then bring on what is possibly the coolest accessory ever made for a 12″ scale Batman figure: a 1:6 scale Batmobile! Hot Toys is making this landmark collectible, which features light-up headlights and an opening roof panel that is big enough for your 12″ Batman to slip inside for a ride. Check out all the other shots of this one at Hot Toys’ website.

6. Grappling Launcher Prop Replica
Another one of Batman’s cool toys that is prominently featured in The Dark Knight is his grappling launcher gun. DC Direct is producing a 1:1 scale replica of the launcher that will be limited to 1,500 pieces worldwide. The gun comes with a custom display base and certificate of authenticity, ensuring it will be a centerpiece in your Batman collection. You can see a 360 degree turnaround of this one at DC Direct’s site.

7. BAT-POD 1:6 Scale Vehicle
When he’s not driving his Batmobile around Gotham, Batman can be seen on his brand new BAT-POD motorcycle, prominently featured in a lot of the recent promotional material for The Dark Knight. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a BAT-POD big enough for your 12″ Batman figures to ride? Hot Toys comes to the rescue once again with this astoundingly detailed 1:6 scale vehicle. Their new vehicle features working headlights, as well as side-mounted machine guns and a grappling hook. More photos are available on the official website.

8. Batarangs Prop Replica
Ever since Adam West donned the cowl, the Batarang has been a staple of Batman’s arsenal against crime. The iconic weapon makes a comeback with The Dark Knight and is immortalized in this new prop replica set from DC Direct. Cast from the actual Batarangs used in production of The Dark Knight, this display is limited to 1,500 pieces. DC Direct’s website has a 360 degree turnaround feature for this one.

9. Dark Knight Joker Bust
If you still haven’t had your fill of Joke collectibles, check out this new bust from DC Direct. This one is limited to 6,000 pieces and is a perfect desk ornament at 4.75″ tall. The Joker is shown here with a handful of playing cards. Here’s the bust at the official website.

10. Dark Knight Bobble Heads
When the realistic collectibles just don’t cut it, take a look at the wackily proportioned bobble heads releasing for The Dark Knight. Batman and the Joker are represented in this series of classically wobbly figures.

The 10 Coolest Hellboy Collectibles

Jason Dorough — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:00:43 +0000

Hellboy II: The Golden Army releases this weekend, and Big Red and his team from the BPRD will leap back onto the big screen for another adventure. Hellboy has a rich comic book history, and as with most great comics characters, there are a lot of really cool collectibles available based on the character and his series. Here’s a look at ten of the best Hellboy and BPRD collectibles.

1. Hellboy Action Figures
Mezco Toyz has the Hellboy license and has been making some fantastic action figures over the past few years. Their toys line has featured not only the likenesses and characters from the Hellboy movies, but also the characters and looks from the original comic books.

2. Hellboy Movie 1:1 Scale Guns
One thing’s for sure: Hellboy has some awesome weaponry. Thanks to Sideshow Collectibles, you can take home lifesize reproductions of his two signature guns, the Samaritan and the Big Baby.

3. Hellboy Animated Busts
Dark Horse Comics released a series of mini busts featuring great animated-style depictions of Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, and Kate Corrigan.

4. Hellboy Premium Format Figures
When the original Hellboy film released, Sideshow Collectibles produced a massive, 21″ tall premium format statue with authentic fabric clothing. Now that the new movie is on the way, they have a brand new premium format figure in the works, this time 22″ tall and featuring a dynamic crouching pose.

5. Bowen Designs Hellboy Statue
Back when Hellboy was still solely a comics character and hadn’t yet ventured into movies, Bowen Designs got the license and produced an amazing full-size statue. This piece is long sold out and now is a sought after statue by serious Hellboy collectors. The photo is credited to red.hellboy at JinxWorld.

6. Hellboy Animated Roto Figure
The animated style has become popular in collectibles these days, from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings to Pirates of the Caribbean. One of the characters with the coolest animated looks is Hellboy, as evidenced by this 10″ animated style roto figure.

7. Hellboy Lifesize Bust
Coming soon is this amazingly detailed and realistic life-size bust of Hellboy, standing a full 26″ tall. With an uncanny likeness of Ron Perlman, this is the perfect way to bring Hellboy into your house. It also could get a little creepy, depending on where you display him. Hint: Not at the foot of your bed.

8. Extreme Hellboy Figure
Mezco Toyz released this “extreme” version of Hellboy that measures 10″ tall and comes with a removable trenchcoat and t-shirt, as well as interchangeable heads so that you can display him with or without his cigar. He even includes a to-scale Samaritan gun with a rotating chamber.

9. Angel of Death Statue
One of the new characters from Hellboy II is the Angel of Death, and it already has its own statue on the way from Gentle Giant. This astounding maquette will stand a whopping 32 ½” tall with a 19″ wingspan. Yet another awesome collectible that you wouldn’t want at the foot of your bed.

10. Right Hand of Doom Prop Replica
The final piece on this list is the quintessential piece for any Hellboy prop collector: the right hand of doom! This replica arm is highly detailed and features a hollow interior with a handgrip inside so that you can actually wear it on your own arm.

If you want to see a bunch of cool Hellboy toys and statues “in the wild,” you can take a look at the spotlight I did this week on a big-time Hellboy collector and his collection. The interview with lots of photos is posted over at my blog at Mechazilla: Mack’s Hellboy Collection

Michael Turner: A Collectibles Retrospective

Jason Dorough — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:00:43 +0000

Last Friday, the comic book world lost a great young talent when Michael Turner passed away. Michael was the founder of Aspen MLT and the creator of the Fathom comic series. He also is well known as a popular artist for Witchblade, Superman / Batman, and many modern classic comic covers. He had been battling cancer since his diagnosis in March of 2000 and finally succumbed to it at the age of 37.

Michael Turner was an amazingly talented creator and influenced a generation of artists in his relatively short time in the business. He’ll definitely be missed, and here’s a retrospective look at some of the awesome collectibles that have been produced based on his art and characters.

Fathom Aspen Statue
Michael Turner’s signature character is Aspen Matthews from his Fathom comic series, so it’s only fitting that the list starts there. Sculptor extraordinaire Clayburn Moore created this 15″ limited edition statue of Aspen underwater, based on art by Turner himself.

Red Sonja Statue
Dynamite Select produced this 35^th Anniversary Red Sonja statue, based on Michael Turner’s cover for the Red Sonja #1 comic. The 13″ statue features the red haired warrior standing over her latest conquest, a giant slain snake.

Aspen Comics Kiani Statue
Standing over 18″ tall and limited to 1200 pieces, this statue is based on one of Michael Turner’s own characters, Kiani, from his Aspen Comics brand. The Lava variant show here was even more limited, with only 300 pieces produced. Both statues have Kiani leaping atop a translucent cast base.

Supergirl Statue
Michael Turner brought Supergirl back into DC Comics with his run on the Superman / Batman comic series. To commemorate the new look he gave the character, DC Direct produced this 10″ statue.’

Superman / Batman Action Figures
Also inspired by Michael Turner’s issues of Superman / Batman was a series of action figures from DC Direct. Among other superhero mainstays, the line released toys of not only Turner’s reinvention of Supergirl, but also his evil “Corrupted Supergirl” after she fell under Darkseid’s influence.

Fathom Mini Busts
This series of mini busts features three of Michael Turner’s characters from Aspen Comics in 5″ to 5.5″ collectibles. Included in this line were Aspen Matthews, Cannon Hawke, and Kiani.

Soulfire Grace Statue
From Michael Turner’s Soulfire comic comes this amazing statue of Grace. She’s become extremely hard to find in either her regular or platinum variant edition and now is a highly sought collectible for many Turner fans.

DC Identity Crisis Action Figures
DC Direct released two series of action figures based on Michael Turner’s art from the Identity Crisis mini-series. Featuring Turner-designed likenesses, characters such as Batman and Deadshot were produced.

To see all of the art and figures listed above in full form, just check out the gallery below and click any of the images to enlarge.

The Ten Coolest Battlestar Galactica Collectibles

Jason Dorough — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:01:50 +0000

With Season 4 of “Battlestar Galactica” in the midst of an unnecessarily huge break, you might find yourself missing your fix of Cylons, battlestars, and Colonial politicians. Not to fear, though! Here’s a list of some of the coolest “Battlestar Galactica” collectibles you can bring home and enjoy while you wait for the resolution of that WTF of a cliffhanger.

1. Battlestar Galactica Action Figures
Diamond Select Toys has the BSG license, and they’ve been putting out a good range of characters as 7″ scale action figures. As with their Buffy line, they’ve also been releasing a number of secondary characters and variants, including toys of Hot Dog and Kat.

2. Battlestar Galactica Minimates
It’s hard not to love any toy in the Minimates line. There are Minimates of characters from Marvel and DC comics, as well as Street Fighter, Star Trek, Rocky, Back to the Future, and loads of other properties. It’s only natural that there would be a BSG line, and it’s only natural that they’d rule in the same awesomely cute way that LEGOs are awesome. Having already made most of the main characters, the line now is putting out some fantastic supports such as Doc Cottle and D’Anna Biers.

3. Battlestar Galactica Statue

Diamond Select Toys doesn’t stop with the action figures; they’re also producing a line of statues of the main ships from the series. One of the coolest is a 15″ long resin replica of Galactica herself, created from the original production files used for the show. The Galactica statue was limited to 2,003 pieces, in honor of the year the new series debuted.

4. 12″ Scale Cylon Centurion
Made by Majestic Studios as the inaugural piece for what was going to be an ongoing series of 12″ scale BSG action figures, this Cylon Centurion is a must-have for Galactica collectors. The line didn’t go forward after this one piece was released, so he’s become a little hard to find lately. He comes with a heavy round display base that shows the series logo and even features removable arm cannons and swappable hands.

5. Titanium Series Collectibles
If you’re into collecting the ships but don’t want to drop the cash for the big resin statues, Hasbro has a more affordable alternative in their great Titanium line. They make highly detailed small-scale ships from various sci-fi series, and Battlestar Galactica is one of the highlights of the line.

6. Battlestar Galactica Busts
Diamond Select Toys’ BSG license also allows them to produce resin busts of the characters from the series, and they’ve been putting out some really neat pieces. The first couple of characters released were Six and Baltar, and they’ve since released a Cylon Centurion. Admiral Adama is next on the release list, and I’ve also seen concept sketches of Helo and Athena / Boomer in the works.

7. Propaganda Posters
Quantum Mechanix really made a name for themselves with the release of their How To Spot A Cylon Poster. Now they’ve moved on to even more fantastic creations with the release of a line of BSG Propaganda Posters, all styled like WWII sheets.

8. Trading Cards
Rittenhouse is known for their high quality trading card releases, and they added Battlestar Galactica to the ranks of their licenses in 2005. Since then they have been releasing card sets based on not only the current BSG series but also the classic Lorne Greene one. And these cards don’t just have pretty pictures of the cast and ships; they also feature randomly inserted pieces of costumes and autographs.

9. Comic Books
Since the revival of Battlestar Galactica, there’s been a surge of new comic book adaptations and spinoff series. Some of them are pretty interesting reads, and some of them are downright ridiculous. If you’re needing a visual fanfic fix, Dynamite Entertainment has the BSG license now, and it looks like they’ll continue putting out at least a couple of new Galactica comics every month for a while now.

10. Life Size Cylon Centurion
If collecting small-scale replicas, comics, and cards isn’t enough for your fix, you can own your very own life-size Cylon Centurion. Sure, it’ll set you back nearly eight grand, but what’s a fandom if you aren’t willing to make a few sacrifices for it, right? Life-size Number Sixes haven’t been officially licensed. You’ll have to resort to customizing your Real Dolls for that one. And I shudder.

Collectibles I Wish Existed
Those are ten of the coolest BSG collectibles on the market, but there are quite a few unproduced pieces that I’d love to see make it into an actual toy or statue line. Take, for example, this fan art by Grant Gould, showing a fake toy line called Galactica Battlebuddies. I’d love to have some of those lined up on my shelf. Check out Grant’s website for more awesome art, and he also runs the definitive BSG blog on LiveJournal.

007 Awesome Secret Agent Collectibles

Jason Dorough — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:00:57 +0000

Does the Get Smart movie premiering this week have you itching for a little more covertness in your life? If so, you’re in luck, because here’s a rundown of 7 awesome secret agent collectibles.

001. Jack Bauer
There’s no doubt that 24 is a wall-to-wall action show, but a lot of people forget that at his core, Jack Bauer is a secret agent for the United States government. He’s worked undercover busting drug lords, run ops into enemy territory, and fought terror stateside. McFarlane Toys has some of the coolest tributes to Jack Bauer with their 24 action figure line. Each of the figures released so far features Jack about to take down some bad guys and comes with an ultra detailed display base.

002. Sydney Bristow
Alias ruled the spy genre on TV for five seasons, and it gave us the hottest spygirl of this generation, Sydney Bristow. There was an unsuccessful Alias action figure line that stopped after just one series of four characters (Sydney, Vaughn, Sloane, and Rocker Sydney), a really disappointing cancellation since series two was scheduled to include fan favorites Jack Bristow and tech geek Marshall. One awesome piece that did get released in limited quantities was a statue of Sydney in her schoolgirl disguise. Here’s a shot of that one from my own collection.

003. Get Smart
There aren’t a lot of cool toys for the current Get Smart movie, but you need only look to Sideshow Collectibles for some awesome toys based on the original series. The 12″ Maxwell Smart and The Chief action figures are long sold out, but they are truly high end collectibles and excellent representations of these classic characters. You can see the details about this figure set on Sideshow’s website: Link

004. The Avengers
No, not the Marvel superteam, and definitely not the 1998 remake travesty starring Uma Thurman… I’m talking about the original classic British spy duo from the 1960’s. There aren’t a lot of contemporary collectibles based on The Avengers, but one that really stands out is this cool 13″ scale action figure set featuring Emma Peel and John Steed. The figures came with authentic fabric costumes and a whole bunch of accessories. As a bonus, the figures spoke lines from the series.

005. Austin Powers
Every great genre gets a parody at some point, and Austin Powers is the big sendup of spy movies. There were loads of collectibles released around the time the films first hit theaters, and one of the most amusing is this action figure two-pack from McFarlane Toys. The set included the Mini Mobile from Austin Powers 2, along with action figures of the diabolical Dr. Evil and Mini Me, each sporting the uncanny likenesses McFarlane Toys is known for.

006. Nick Fury
When you look to the world of comic books for secret agents, you can’t do better than Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD. Fury rose through the ranks, eventually running the SHIELD agency, and he’s Marvel Comics’ go-to guy when you need covert strings pulled or governments toppled. There have been a lot of Nick Fury collectibles, and one of the best is this resin statue released from Bowen Designs. Two versions of the statue were produced: one in this classic SHIELD uniform and another limited version in a black stealth outfit.

007. Bond… James Bond
I’d be remiss not to include the biggest superspy of them all, James Bond. Over the years there have been many, many Bond related collectibles. Some of my favorites are the ones produced by Sideshow Collectibles. Sideshow is an awesome collectibles company across the board, and their James Bond toys almost always are dead-on accurate representations of the characters. Take, for instance, their Pierce Brosnan Premium Format Figure: Link

You can check out all of Sideshow’s Bond releases, past and present, at their website: Link

The Hulk Obsession: 6 Incredible Collections

Jason Dorough — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:00:07 +0000

The Incredible Hulk is smashing his way into theaters this weekend, and I thought it would be a good time to take a look at the huge fandom that has built around Hulk collecting over the years. Most collectors have a variety of toys, statues, and characters, spotlighting various aspects of their fandoms. For some, though, it’s all about one favorite character, and they take their devotion to the extreme by assembling awesome collections around that single character. Here’s a look at some of the coolest and most extensive Hulk collections.

Hulk Gets Educated
At Wilcox Primary School in Twinsburg, Ohio, Mr. Tait’s art room likely is the most Hulked out classroom in the world. Sporting loads of collectibles, the room has a variety of comic book characters on display, but the Hulk really is the teacher’s pet. Here you’ll find Hulk action figures, busts, statues, a plushie Hulk dangling from the ceiling, and even a life-size She-Hulk guarding one corner.

Even the entrance to the classroom is decorated with Hulk stickers and danglers. This is one awesomely geeked out room, and I’d have loved to have had this guy’s class when I was little. You can take a virtual tour of the classroom with lots of photos on the Wilcox Primary website, here: Link

Gamma Rays Made Him Do It
Steven Moreau from Lake Charles, LA, goes by GammaPro in many online collecting communities, and he has a good excuse for being into the Hulk collecting hobby: He’s the head of radiation safety for a company and works with real gamma radiation every day. He’s built an amazing and comprehensive Hulk collection that fills a room in his house. His collection has everything from action figures to comics to even life-size busts of the green goliath. You can check out this forum thread for more photos of his collection: Link

MACATTACK’s Statue Collection
A collector with the screenname MACATTACK collects Hulk statues and has a really good breadth of pieces from all the big name manufacturers, as well as a few smaller company items. He keeps everything organized and displayed without the clutter you usually see in Hulk collections. Many Hulk collectors include the Grey Hulk and other variations of the character in their displays, but MACATTACK is all about the classic Green Hulk.

Ikea Loves the Hulk
Another big Hulk statue aficionado goes by the name JadeGiant, and he doesn’t limit his collection to just the green variety. JadeGiant’s Hulk collection sports all different looks for the character, from the green skinned and purple shorted version to the blue suited and grey skinned Mr. Fixit. There are even a couple of non-Hulked Bruce Banner pieces to be found here, as well as a bronze statue. JadeGiant shows off his Hulks in these Detolf display cases from Ikea. I use them as well for my own collection and highly recommend them.

Shelves Full O’ Toys
An online collector who goes by HULKSMASH666 on the StatueForum website has quite an impressive assortment of Hulk action figures. There are all sorts of officially released toys, as well as some that he customized himself. You can see more shots of his collection in his PhotoBucket: Link

Terry Rhymers’ $30,000 Collection
Somewhere in the Twin Cities lives a man named Terry Rhymers, and he has a Hulk addiction. A local newspaper, as well as a local TV affiliate, featured Rhymers and his Hulk collection just prior to the release of Ang Lee’s Hulk film, and their article and TV news feature definitely are worth checking out. Calling his collection “big” would be an understatement, as he appraises that he owns (at the time the news stories ran) over $30,000 in Hulk goodies.

Rhymers collects everything Hulk, from toys to statues to a pinball machine and beyond. He says his most significant piece is probably a sticker puzzle from the 60’s that came from a vending machine. You can see the article at his own website, and you’ll also be able to check out a video of the news story. The video has some cool shots of his collection and is capped at the end by a snarky comment from a newscaster who missed the memo that geekery is “in.”

Visit Terry Rhymers’ site here: Link

Many thanks to these guys for sharing their awesome collections with the internet. A few of them have agreed to do in-depth spotlights of their collections with me in the future, so keep an eye on my collecting blog at www.Mechazilla.com for those, and be sure to check back here next Wednesday for my next Collector’s Corner feature.

The Ten Hottest Female Action Figures on the Market

Jason Dorough — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:01:23 +0000

One of the oldest marketing adages is that sex sells, and that’s true in the collectibles realm as well. Given that the majority of toy and statue collectors are in a demographic that appreciates a little cheesecake with their meal, it’s no surprise that there’s no shortage of sex appeal in the action figure hobby. I’m excluding resin statues and busts right now, as well as anime-inspired toys, because those are entire discussions and lists on their own. Here’s a look at ten of the sexiest action figures to hit the market. (Click any of the images to enlarge — no pun intended)

1. Vampirella

Moore Action Collectibles produced this Vampirella action figure, complete with an awesome graveyard and moon display base. There were several versions of the figure on the market-the standard one shown here, as well as a Halloween special edition with a black outfit and red moon and a limited edition featuring Julie Strain’s likeness as Vampirella. My personal favorite is the standard red outfit one. The overall sculpt and design is so hot that they even released two versions of this one’s packaging-one with Vampirella facing forward and one with her backside on display.

You can see more shots of Vampirella in my complete review here: Link
The official Vampirella site also has a Quicktime VR 360 look at the toy: Link

2. Sydney Savage

Sydney is the first action figure from McFarlane Toys on this list, but it’s definitely not the last. Syd was part of the Danger Girl toy line McFarlane released in 1999, based on J. Scott Campbell’s signature comic book of the 90’s. In the series, Sydney was a saucy Aussie with a penchant for including whips in her secret agent arsenal. All the figures in the Danger Girl line were cool, but this is the one that takes home the prize for me.

You can see more shots of Sydney and the rest of the Danger Girls at McFarlane’s official website: Link

3. Dawn

Like I said, don’t expect for McFarlane to disappear from this list very quickly. They’ve always had a trend of producing fantastically hot toys, and this piece based on Joseph Linsner’s comic book goddess Dawn is no exception. Featuring Dawn in one of her myriad outfits, this one boasting a see-through skull-embroidered top, this figure came to stores in 1999, right around the time the Danger Girls hit. Dawn is known for her eternal triple tears and her red hair that always covers one eye. McFarlane nailed the likeness here and gave us a classic and sexy collectible.

The rest of my Dawn action figure photos are in my complete review here: Link

4. Lara Croft

What list of hotties would be complete without visiting Tomb Raider’s adventurer extraordinaire, Lara Croft? There have been a lot of Tomb Raider action figures released over the years, but Sideshow Toys looks to have finally hit the perfect balance of sexiness and kick-assery with their upcoming 12″ figure based on Lara’s look in the Tomb Raider Legend game. Lara comes with her Arctic gear from the game, but if you’re not happy with her cold weather wear, you can change her into her short shorts and midriff shirt, which also come with the figure.

You can see more shots on Sideshow’s official website: Link

5. Queen Gorgo

Before she was kicking Terminator ass as Sarah Connor, Lena Headey was Spartan Queen Gorgo in Frank Miller’s 300. NECA had the license for the action figures based on the movie, and they didn’t skimp when it came to making the Gorgo. The likeness isn’t exactly Lena Headey, but the hotness is undeniable. She comes draped in the white gown from the movie, and according to the OAFE feature on the figure, you can make her a little more “NSFW” if you choose.

Photo credit: Matt & Kristy at Flickr

6. Nancy Callahan

Another big movie line NECA was Sin City, based on yet another Frank Miller property. They produced two full waves of action figures, and both waves came with both black and white and color versions of the characters. Jessica Alba stole the sex appeal spotlight in the film, and her action figure was one of the first released in the line. Dressed in her signature cowgirl gear, Nancy Callahan came out with both straight and wavy haired versions, in addition to the B&W and color releases.

7. CyGirls

When it comes to the CyGirls, it’s hard to pick just one. This whole line of 12″ action figures from Blue Box Toys is based around the concept of providing super hot females as detailed action figures. After the initial releases of the CyGirls, a whole culture has sprung up from people customizing their CyGirls into new looks and even into recognizable superheroines.

Photo credit: inkboy1969 at Flickr

8. Catwoman

DC Direct has an ongoing line of deluxe 13″ action figures that have been getting better and better with each release, and the hottest of the females to drop so far has been Catwoman. She comes with her current comics look, goggles, unzippable vinyl catsuit, and all.

Photo credit: Shaun Wong at Flickr

9. Mrs. Claus

Here’s another one from McFarlane Toys, as they celebrate Christmas by putting the “ho” back into “Holidays.” Mrs. Claus released in the 2007 holiday season as part of McFarlane’s Twisted Christmas line. She comes with a couple of naughty Elves, as well as her very own candy cane stripper pole.

There are more shots of Mrs. Claus at McFarlane’s official website: Link

10. Tiffany II

Wrapping up the list is a last appearance from McFarlane Toys. This Tiffany action figure is the only entry in the list from their bread-and-butter Spawn line, but there are plenty of other beauties that have been released under the license over the years. Tiffany is an Amazon sporting some wickedly skimpy armor and blue tattoos / warpaint. Head to toe and back to front, it’s hard to argue that she’s not one of McFarlane’s sexiest Spawn femmes to date.

You can see the rest of my Tiffany II photos in the Flickr set here: Link

Character You’d Think Would Be On The List:

Slave Leia

There’s been over twenty-five years worth of hype over Princess Leia and her slave outfit from Return of the Jedi, so you’d think that by now there’d be a suitably hot representation of that look as an action figure. Sadly, that’s not the case. There have been numerous attempts to capture Slave Leia as an action figure, but there’s nothing that does her justice in the poseable toy realm.

Photo credit: Shadow Viking at Flickr

Toys That Wanted To Be On The List But… Aren’t:

Adult Superstars

If you wanted to make a line of action figures 100% targeted toward the above mentioned demographic, why not just throw all pretense of art to the wind and make a series of porn star toys? That’s exactly what Plastic Fantasy did a few years ago, unleashing the likes of Jenna Jameson and other alliteratively named ladies onto the market. The end result was a bunch of female action figures, most fairly cheap looking, that came with rubbery outfits you could pull off them. Classy, very classy. I feel skeezy even Googling up photos of these things.

So there you have it… Ten of the hottest female action figures and a couple of mentions of ones that didn’t make the list. Check back next week for my next feature, and keep an eye out in the future for a continuation of this article with a look at collectible statues and anime-related toys. Also be sure to check out my own site at www.Mechazilla.com for daily toy news and reviews.

Yexel’s Toys Are Cooler Than Yours

Jason Dorough — Fri, 30 May 2008 08:00:34 +0000

Part of the fun of being a toys and collectibles blogger is getting to meet collectors and giving them a chance to share their collections with the world. Some of them are passionate collectors with relatively small collections of toys and statues that they really love. Occasionally, though, I come across a collector with a collection so insanely awesome that it warrants a full interview, photos, and a write-up.

I had the chance to do just such a thing with a young man named Yexel last month. Yexel is a talented guy who gained popularity when he danced with a group called the Streetboys, the number one all male hip hop dance group in the Philippines. Yexel has always been into collecting, and his tastes are very eclectic. He’s into Star Wars, Marvel and DC superheroes, Lord of the Rings, Disney, lots of varied anime, and more. It’s not unusual to see Mario hanging out alongside Darth Maul or Jack Skellington presiding over detailed replicas of Captain America’s shield and the Sword of Elendil.

Life-size sculptures make up a big part of his collection, and he proudly displays his 1:1 scale Justice League, a big assortment of Star Wars characters, and all the rest. In addition to these unique life-size pieces, he also collects standard size action figures, statues, and busts. His hobby has grown to the point that he says he built his whole house around the notion of displaying the collection. Indeed, his house is every bit as impressive as the toys. Any collection is enhanced by careful and planned displays, and that’s what Yexel’s place is all about. It truly does resemble a museum, with its glass covered pedestals, lighted display boxes built into the walls, and, well, the sign that says “Yexel’s Toy Museum.”

If you’re at all into collecting or any of the fandoms Yexel’s toy museum represents, it’s hard not to envy what he’s put together-or at least the surely massive amounts of money that have gone into building his museum.

You can take a look at my entire interview with Yexel and see the rest of the photos of his collection at Mechazilla.

“The Collector’s Corner” is a special weekly installment of Officially Cool written by guest author Jason Dorough of www.Mechazilla.com. Jason is an avid collector of cool geeky gear and one of the internet’s authorities on things that are “Officially Cool”. Be sure to check back every Wednesday here on Film School Rejects, as Jason will be bringing you the best collectibles that the world has to offer.

The Ten Coolest Indiana Jones Collectibles of All Time

Jason Dorough — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:00:30 +0000

This is the first installment of “The Collector’s Corner”, a special weekly installment of Officially Cool written by guest author Jason Dorough of www.Mechazilla.com. Jason is an avid collector of cool geeky gear and one of the internet’s authorities on things that are “Officially Cool”. Be sure to check back every Wednesday here on Film School Rejects, as Jason will be bringing you the best collectibles that the world has to offer.

It’s been a long time since Indiana Jones last bullwhipped his way into theaters, but now he’s back with a vengeance, and the Indy license never has been hotter. Here’s a look at 10 of the coolest Indiana Jones collectibles from the past, present, and future.

Click any of the images below to see the bigger versions.

1. Well of Souls Playset

In the early 80’s, it was hard to beat Kenner when it came to action figures. They made all those awesome original Star Wars action figures, and they also had the license to Raiders of the Lost Ark. Part of their initial wave of toys for the line was this deluxe playset based on the Well of Souls from the film. The playset came with a breakaway wall, ornate arches, plenty of snakes, and even a mummy. Possibly coolest of all is the Ark of the Covenant accessory, complete with carrying poles.

You can see more photos of the playset unboxed at Dr. Will’s Indiana Jones Toy Reference Page.

2. Belloq in Ceremonial Robe Action Figure

Sure, at first glance this might look like a toy baker wearing an I Love Lucy housedress, but it is in fact a super-rare action figure from Kenner’s Raiders of the Lost Ark line. How rare, you ask? Rumor has it that less than ten actually exist! This is not to be confused with the mailaway Belloq figure that didn’t come in ceremonial garb. That one’s cool as well, but it’s no less-than-ten Belloq. The pure rarity of this collectible lands it a spot on the list.

The afore-mentioned Dr. Will’s site also has more info about this scarce Belloq.

3. Sideshow Indiana Jones Premium Format Figure

Going more modern and high-end, there’s Sideshow Collectibles’ Indy premium format figure. Their premium format line traditionally delivers awesome quality in a larger-scale collectible with statue-sculpted figures and authentic fabric costumes. Clocking in around 22″ tall, the Sideshow statue will cost you a little less than $300. The Premium Format Figure is currently sold out on preorders, but you still can get onto Sideshow’s wait list and hope somebody ahead of you cancels.

Here’s Sideshow’s feature page for the statue: Link

4. Sideshow 12″ Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark Action Figure

That Premium Format Indy is fantastic, but it might be a smidge out of your price range. If you still want the Sideshow level of quality but don’t want to pay a couple hundred dollars, take a look at this Raiders of the Lost Ark 12″ scale action figure. This Indy comes with loads of accessories, including the famous idol from the beginning of the movie.

You can still place a preorder for this one: Link

5. Gentle Giant Artifact Crate Paperweights

Gentle Giant released a series of Indiana Jones paperweights as convention exclusives at this year’s New York Comic Con. Each of the crates looks the same from the outside and comes with a detachable magnetic whip, miniature fedora, removable lid, and rubber snakes. The contents of each crate was packed randomly, though, with a chance to unearth miniature replicas of the golden idol from Raiders, the temple tablet, the Sankara Stones, the Holy Grail, and the Crystal Skull.

The paperweights were exclusive to the convention and aren’t readily available now, but Gentle Giant does also have a new Indy bust and full-size Indy on Horse statue on the way.

6. Henry Jones Real Action Hero

It’s easy to focus on Indiana when you’re building your collection, but it would be a crime to forget about Indy’s dad Henry, played by Sean Connery. Medicom Toy has a 12″ scale addition to their Real Action Heroes line on the way, scheduled for domestic release in the third quarter of this year.

You can preorder the 12″ Henry figure from Sideshow Collectibles, as they’re handling the US distribution.

And if you want more imported Henry awesomeness, check out this ArtFX Henry Jones statue that almost made the official list.

7. ArtFX Raiders of the Lost Ark Statue

Continuing the trend of fantastic foreign collectibles, here’s a realistically styled ArtFX diorama statue produced by Kotobukiya. This is the first in a planned series of statues depicting scenes from the various Indiana Jones movies. The inaugural piece has perhaps the most iconic scene from the franchise, with Indy running from the giant boulder, idol in his grasp.

The Raiders statue is still available for preorder online.

8. Noble Collection Indiana Jones Replicas

But let’s say you’re less interested in collecting representations of Indy than in actually becoming the man himself. You’ll have to stock up on the essentials, starting with his trademark bullwhip and maybe even his machete. Licensed replicas of both have been produced by the Noble Collection.

Both items are available for order directly from the Noble Collection now.

9. Taters of the Lost Ark Indiana Jones

If your collecting tastes slide more towards the fun toy category than the high-end statue realm, you can’t go wrong with Playskool’s new Taters of the Lost Ark toy. This is an Indy Mr. Potato Head, in the vein of the Darth Tater and Spudtrooper toys they released in their Star Wars license. The Indy tater comes with several interchangeable parts, including a little tuber-ized fertility idol, and he plays the Indy theme when you press his hat down.

The Indiana Jones Potato Head is available for order from Hasbro’s website.

10. Indiana Jones Adventure Heroes

Rounding out the list is one of my personal favorites, the Indiana Jones Adventure Heroes from Hasbro. Hasbro has made chibified versions of characters from Star Wars, Marvel Comics, Transformers, and soon GI Joe, and now it’s Indy’s turn. These two-packs feature a wide variety of characters from all four Indiana Jones films, and they’re just as much fun for adult collectors as they are for kids to play with.

The Adventure Heroes are available for order online now.

Too Cool To Leave Out:

While it might be a little too bulky or high-end for most collections, one more item that I thought deserved a mention is this pinball machine from Stern Pinball, Inc. The backglass has art from all four movies, and I don’t have to tell you how engrossing pinball can be.

Check out a couple of preview shots at Stern Pinball’s website.

Collectible That Thinks It Should Be In The Top 10:

This final piece definitely isn’t worthy of a spot in the top 10, but it deserves mention purely on the virtue of a company’s ballsiness to charge $2000 for a 24″ statue that is sub-par in nearly every way to Sideshow’s much less costly Premium Format Figure. I’m talking about the Indiana Jones Cinemaquette, which you can blink at in financial incomprehension at Cinemaquette.com.

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