Infinite Marvel Legends Superior Spider-Man

When Marvel announced that they would be cancelling the Amazing Spider-Man book and replacing it with a new title called "Superior Spider-Man", I remembered feeling outraged. How dare you cancel one of the cornerstone titles in your universe, I remembered thinking. Then I found out that Peter Parker wouldn't be Spider-Man in the new book, It would be a reformed Doctor Octopus, inhabiting Parker's body. My radioactive spider blood boiled over and reached critical mass. I was pissed, to say the least.

Then I calmed down and read the book. I have to admit, Dan Slott did a good job writing this book, While I could never find myself rooting for Doc Ock, I kind of liked a more darker Spider-Man/Peter Parker who thought he was better than everyone else. I always knew that Peter Parker would return, so I just enjoyed the book until the return of my beloved hero.

One of the things I liked about the new Spider-Man was the costume. It's a pretty bad ass suit and I was kind of hoping that Parker would have kept it a bit longer before returning to the traditional red and blue suit, but that didn't happen. Still, I was glad to have the real Spider-Man back and didn't give a second thought to the Superior Spider-Man suit. Plus, we didn't have to see those spider legs that Ock put on the suit late. Thank God.

When Hasbro announced a new line of Spider-Man figures, I of course was interested in seeing which characters we were getting. When I saw that a Superior Spider-Man figure was getting made, I knew I would be adding one to my Spider-Man collection. When I saw the prices of the figures, I knew I would be finding another way to add one to my collection. Thankfully, I found one on eBay for 10.00, shipped, that was out of the package. I didn't mind cause I would be opening it anyway. I put in a bit and won it, saving myself 10.00 in the process.

Seeing this figure in person, out of the package, I was pleasantly surprised how good this figure looked. This has to be one of the cleanest Spider-Man figures I have seen in quite some time. The paint is brilliant. There is not one sploch or messed up line to be found on this figure. Because it was an opened figure, it did not come with the Goblin's leg like it did in the package.

I love the eyes Hasbro gave this figure. Almost translucent, Almost like the Spider-Man figure that was released a few years back that had light up eyes that conveyed Spider Sense (Still looking for the figure, btw). As you can see, the paint on this figure looks great. The red just pops out at you and complements the black paint well. They did a good job painting the spider on his chest, but the webs doesn't look right, especially on his head. They look crooked in the most noticeable place on the figure, so there's a strike right there.

The back looks as good as the front. Well painted and the spider on his back is painted as well as the one on the front is. But you can see the messed up web lines on the back of the head also. I guess the guy who painted them on has a problem with heads.

The articulation on this figure is pretty good. The head has a full head spin and can look up and down. The shoulders can go back and forth, but has limited up and down movement due to the neck piece on this figure. There are biceps swivel, bend at the elbows and wrist spin. There is an ab crunch, hip swivel, thigh swivel, knee bend, ankle swivel. The leg can also kick up, but can't go back at all. It just goes off to the side a bit. I'm not a huge fan of posing my figures, but it's nice to know that I can get some cool poses with this figure if I really wanted to.

Even though I didn't get the Goblin's leg, I did get the interchangeable hands that came with the figure. As you can see, I got a pair of thwipping hands to swap out with the figure. The hands come off rather easily, so I had no trouble sticking these onto the figure.

I like the idea of having interchangeable hands. I would have also liked it if this figure came with a set of closed fists and some webbing that could be slid under the wrists so it could look as if he was shooting webs from his web shooters, but I guess we can't have everything we want.

Plus, would it kill Hasbro if they added stands to these figures again?

Overall, I like the figure. I think Hasbro did a great job with this figure, some minor issues aside. I like the sculpting and paint job on this figure. The articulation on this figure is just enough for me and the interchangeable hands help me with posing, if I chose to a some point. I would recommend this figure to any Spider-Man/Marvel fan for their collection. Aside from the Marvel Select Disney Store Exclusive, this might be the only time this figure is made for a while, so get yours before, like Doctor Octopus, it fades away.

An Amazing Addition To The Spider-Man Collection

With my must see movie of 2014 set to open here in the US next Friday, I thought I would show off my newest addition to my Spider-Man collection. I have actually been wanting these ever since I saw some preview pictures of them before the Blu Ray of the Amazing Spider-Man was released. I recently saw them on eBay for a price that was too good for me to pass up, so I bought them.

These PVC statues were sold as part of a box set with the Amazing Spider-Man 3D Blu Ray. I love when you pick up a Blu Ray and there is a little something extra in it. I saw the Superman statue that was included in the French release of Man Of Steel and I was hoping we would get something similar. I wanted this set, but when I saw the sticker price on the box set, I figured I could get the statues separately off eBay at some point and put the box back. It took me a while to get them at the price I was willing to pay, but it was well worth the wait as these are pretty cool.

The sculptor did a great job capturing the likeness of Spider-Man. He looks exactly how he did in the movie, right down to the silver in his shoes and the yellow in his eyes. I didn't get what they were going with when they went with this look, but after seeing the movie I understood it. It looks like they are going with a costume that is closer to how he looks in the comics in the new movie.

The Lizard also came out great. You can see a bit of Rhys Ifans in the face sculpt. You could also see the color and texture of the Lizard in this statue as well, which really helps this statue stand out. When I first saw the Lizard, I couldn't understand why he didn't have a snout like he did in the comics. But, if you look in his earlier incarnations, you can see that he barely had a snout and I think that's what the designers were going for here. Again, I really didn't have a problem with a snout-less Lizard since I loved Ifans performance as Dr. Connors/The Lizard.

I'm thrilled I finally was able to add these two pieces to my Spider-Man collection. They may be just PVC statues, but I am very pleased with how good they look and they will be displayed prominently in my collection.

With the new movie coming out, we should see a flood of Spider-Man related merchandise. I cannot wait to see what will be flooding the shelves in the stores. I know we will get action figures, POP figures, bobbleheads, statues, t shirts and other cool merchandise that will tempt me to dive into my pocket for my wallet. If it's anything like we got for the first movie, then I will be a happy Spidey fan.

Pop Goes The Spider

Man, I just keep finding different and unusual Spider-Man items to add to my collection. As usual, I was cruising on eBay, looking at Batman, Spider-Man, Luke Skywalker, Marvel, DC items. Even though I really wasn't looking for anything to buy, I love to look on eBay. I call it "Virtual Window Shopping". Even if I don't buy something, I like to look to see what's out there and sometimes I find something I do want and will put in a bid. This time, I found something, put in the bid and won it.

This is a Spider-Man Jack In The Box. Yes, you read that right. A Spider-Man Jack In The Box. It was made by a company called Schylling back in 2005. I don't know much about Schylling, but I know that this thing is awesome. I do remember seeing this at Target back then. It was only once and I never seen it again. I swore if I did see it, I would pick it up. Now, 9 years later, I have it in my collection.

What I really love about this Jack In The Box is the vintage Spider-Man lithography that is all around this box. The front of it has the cover of Amazing Fantasy #15 with Spidey in all his 3D glory.

In fact, on every side of the tin box has panels from that legendary comic book all around it.

 
How's that spider bite feeling, Peter?

The Steve Ditko drawn goodness is everywhere on this box. Then again, I always thought that more Ditko was a good thing.

Even the top is awesome.

Want to see how it works?

And the end result is this piece of awesomeness

Heck, even the doll inside is a vintage, Steve Ditko-ish Spider-Man. Excuse me while I geek out over this. I love that it plays the theme to the 1967 Spider-Man cartoon as you crank the handle.

I've always loved the classic look of Spider-Man. It didn't matter if Steve Ditko or John Romita Sr. drew him, I was enjoying the book. Now, I found an item that ties into that part of the character's history. I know I'm not going to ever own everything Spidey related, nor do I want to. I just want to pick up the coolest things and this definitely fits into that category.

5 YouTube Channels Everyone Should Be Watching

OK, this might be considered a "lazy" blog post, but it's one that I have wanted to post for a while. See, like many of you, I am a YouTube junkie. I watch videos posted by comic book companies, sports card fanatics, Techie Geeks, autograph hounds, wrestling companies, old T.V. shows, Old T.V. commercials and from fellow toy geeks. Like most of you, I have my favorites that I try to watch on a daily basis or as they upload.

Now, just because the title says that you should be watching these videos, doesn't mean you will agree. I understand that everyone has a reason why he or she would watch a video or follow a particular channel. I just think that if your like me, you will enjoy these channels and subscribe to se new video content as they are uploaded.

So, without further ado, here are 5 YouTube channels you should take a peek at.

1-Stewmurray47

For my money, Stewart has one of the best and most well organized Superman collections on YouTube. His well articulated reviews  only showcase his love for his collection of the Man Of Steel and even though I don't collect Superman, I enjoy each video he uploads and I have not missed a review since I discovered his channel. If you have not visited his channel, I urge you to check out his video of his entire Superman collection. The video is over an hour long, but I daresay it's an hour that is well spent as he shows off each piece in his Superman collection. If I can have a Batman or Spider-Man collection half as cool as Stew's Superman collection, I would be a happy man.
Visit here: http://www.youtube.com/user/stewmurray47

2-Lamarr Wilson

When I first discovered Lamarr, I was trying to decide on a new cell phone. I ran across Lamarr's channel when I ran a search looking for reviews of the Galaxy Note 2, which I eventually wound up buying. Lamarr's review of the phone helped me decided on picking it up, but the real reason I followed his channel is the guy is hysterical. At the time I followed him, he was doing only Tech reviews, but now is uploading videos where he shares his thoughts on anything from laptops to video games to why cable sucks. I feel it's one of the more entertaining YouTube channels you will find.

Visit here: http://www.youtube.com/user/wilsontech1/featured

3-ShartimusPrime

Shartimus is one of those toy reviewers that I enjoy because not only does he review cool toys, but he makes his review videos fun to watch buy adding humor to his in depth reviews. Shartimus collects Transformers, Marvel Legends and has uploaded reviews of NECA, Hot Toys, Star Wars, Batman, Spider-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers figures. The guy knows his stuff and I try to watch each review before I decide on buying a figure.

Visit here: http://www.youtube.com/user/ShartimusPrime/featured

4-mycollection7000

This guy is a man after my own heart. This is someone who add to his collection the way I do. By scouring eBay, Target, Ross and Thrift Stores for deals. mycollection7000 is a collector from Hawaii and his collection has a little bit of everything in it from GI Joe to Michael Jordan to Hot Wheels to Rap CD's. His videos are haul videos as opposed to review videos, which is fine by me. I enjoy watching videos of what someone else is buying.

Visit here: http://www.youtube.com/user/mycollectionz7000

5-Nerd Nook

If you are into Kenner's Super Powers, than this is the channel for you. This channel has just about every figure and prototype from that line and plenty more. There has been vintage He-Man, Star Wars and other vintage figure reviews as well as some Loot Crate unboxings, Lego figures and some DC Kotobukiya New 52 statue reviews. This channel just passed 300 subscribers and I can see it getting close to a thousand sooner than later.

Visit Here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Richd1482/featured

Now, I'm sure you guys have your favorites that you like to watch and if you want to show them some love or if you have a channel you'd like me to check out, post a link bellow and I will be more than happy to watch a video or two, maybe more.

I really enjoy watching YouTube. Some of the YouTube'rs have some really creative, informative and fun to watch videos. It doesn't matter if you're into toys, movies, video games, makeup, cars, autographs or even model building there is something for everyone to watch. So get on your computer, log on and melt your mind watching opinions, reviews and how to videos.

League Assignment: Pet Peeves

Disclaimer-The views expressed by The Sexy (questionable) Geek are solely those of the blogger and not of Brian Adams, Cool And Collected and those fine members of the League Of Extraordinary Bloggers. So, don't go after anyone if something I say cheeses you.

When our fearless leader, Brian, threw up this topic to us league members, I actually laughed out loud. The topic is pet peeves. Brian wants us to blog about what pisses us off the most. I mean, I live in New York City. There are a million things about this city that makes me want to grab the nearest person and say, "Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry". From the abysmal public transportation system during rush hour to the people here that are pretty much the rude snobs they are portrayed on T.V. and movies to the cost of living here. I can write a blog just on what makes me tick about living in New York City and why I rooted for the Chitauri in The Avengers and it would be well over 1,000 words, but for the sake of Brian's topic, I will keep New York City out of it.

Instead, I will just focus on being a geek and what makes me want to go "Hulk Smash" with our fine hobby. Not that there is a lot to make me want to put my fist through a wall and say that could have been your face (Mike Nesmith reppin!), but there are enough things about it that sometimes make me want to pull my hair out so that I look like Professor X.

Conventions

Lets start with one of the pillar of our collecting community and that is going to Conventions. Be it Comic Cons, Toy Shows or even Flea Markets. we all enjoy converging onto these spectaculars to add to our collections, see what sellers are selling, check out panels and maybe even run into a celebrity or two. But there are a few things that just really chaps my butt.

Lets talk about crowds. Now, I know the promoters of these shin-dings love seeing a convention hall filled wall to wall, but me? I can do without them. People, as you know, pretty much are oblivious to others at these shows and usually block aisles making it virtually impossible to pass by comfortably. When I went to New York Comic Con a few years back, Jacobs Javitz Convention Center was packed with fellow geeks and at times being able to move without having to shove past someone was few and far between. The lines at these shows are usually outrageous as well.

And speaking of some convention go'ers, would it kill you to bathe before you go out? I mean, I have never been near a Tauntaun before, but I cannot imagine a creature smelling as foul as some of the unwashed masses I have encountered at a convention or toy show. I mean, for God's sake people, I'm sure your parents would have stomped a mudhole in you and walked it dry if you walked out of the house smelling of BO, sour milk and Cheetos. There is a clip of Stone Cold Steve Austin teaching Zakk Wylde how to use soap. YouTube it, watch it and memorize it. I bet if there was a bar of soap that was made into a Transformer and limited run, you would have it. No, wait, it would probably be on your shelf.

Ever look through a long box of comic books at a show or a box of figures and then all of a sudden some idiot pushes his way into the same row either behind you or in front, which always is a treat to have someone with whom you would never share any personal space in any walk of life to have them up in your grill so close you can tell what they had for lunch last week. People, there is such a thing as being polite and waiting until someone is done. I don't think you need that copy of Archie #300 so bad that you would knock over someone to get it. Sometimes, this makes Black Friday at Walmart look like a square dance.

Going To The Movies

After almost 25 years of friendship, I am sure my buddy George is kind of sick of going to the movies with me. And for good reason. That reason? I complain about the patrons of the movie houses to no end. Going to the movies used to be such a fun experience for me and I would still rather watch a movie at a theater at my own home, but three things make me want to wish I was in my casa with my own popcorn and Pepsi with the john down the hall.

First off, there are people who still have not grasped the concept of being quiet while the movie is playing. I cannot tell you how many times I was engrossed in a picture when a group of people near me start a conversation about something that could have waited until the flick was over. Or how about the kids who think it's cool to shout, laugh or make with the funny during the movie. And it's not just the kids. Adults are also conversing during the movie and you would think they would know better, but no. They are just as bad as the kids. Makes me wish I had Cyclops's heat ray.

How about the morons who open their phone during the movie. I get that in some cases, there might be an emergency and you have to take the message. But don't sit there and keep popping open the phone just to make sure you have the high bid on a Welcome Back Kotter Lunchbox. Or even worse, actually take a call and sit there talking. Lord almighty.

And a memo to the parents who insist on taking their newborn child to the movies: Don't. Nothing irritates me more than really digging a flick then having the screams of a baby just pierce your ears. I went to see Lord Of The Rings in a movie theater in Manhattan and a woman had 4 kids with her. One of them started to scream and cry. Did she leave? No, she didn't. A bunch of us went to complain to the manager and when he went to ask her to remove the child she screamed just as loud as the child saying she didn't have to leave. She paid their tickets and babies cry. Needless to say, I left the movie before it was done and was given a voucher to come back for a free movie. The place was closed the next month.

I avoid all the mess and aggravation by going to the first showing on a Saturday morning and enjoy the movie with the rest of the early bird specials. Seeing a movie Opening Night doesn't thrill me anymore. Peace and quiet does.

Fanboys

I think this is the subject that aggravates me the most. I'm sure you have encountered these Rhodes Scholars from time to time, especially if you frequent various forums about movies, comics or toys. These people actually will run to a board and complain about a movie and break it down, critiquing it and complaining that Hollywood has ruined the character and how different the movie would be if they wrote, directed and starred in it. I mean, really? If you could do something better, why aren't you? Why are you sitting at home, with a can of Pringles and a warm beer and a job you probably hate, talking trash about a movie? Wait a minute, that sounds like me.

Plus, just because some of these guys, with such cool handles like Morbius666 or Captain'slog, have been fans of a particular franchise for a long time, doesn't make you the keeper of said franchise. People have opinions that differ from yours. Your opinion is not the one that matters, that would be the film makers.

You ever see a group of Fanboys rip apart a great movie like The Dark Knight or The Avengers because of one small detail? Really? Your going to say you hated a film that had a strong story, terrific acting and direction because of how Batman's voice sounded? That's ridiculous. Imagine a scene where Batman has to meet with Gordon and Dent to discuss The Joker. Don't you think if Batman used his normal voice that Harvey Dent would instantly recognize Bruce Wayne? Think about it, BatMite'sBoy.

Look, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Just because theirs differ from yours doesn't make you better than that person. And that's one to grow on.

Toy Shopping

Have you noticed that today's toys are ridiculously expensive? I'm sure most, if not all, have had that moment when you perused the aisles of Toys R Us or Target, seen a toy that you think is awesome until you saw the price.

20 bucks for a Mattel Movie Masters Dark Knight Batman figure? $12.00 for a that carded Star Wars figure of a character that was in Episode 2 for all of 5 seconds? $40.00 for a Batmobile? Really? You need to be a Kardashian to afford to add the newer stuff. It's nuts.

eBay isn't any better either. Yes, you can find a mint in package Batman Unlimited Vampire Batman for cheaper than you would pay at Toys R Us, but then there is the shipping costs. To ship that figure, it can go from $5.00 to $12.00, so that price you initially paid is now looking even more expensive than just driving to Toys R Us and picking it up.

Sometimes, I will just bite the bullet and buy the toy at retail and leave eBay for the vintage. Or just shoot myself with that same bullet after paying for the item.

Now, after reading this, I'm sure most of you are thinking that I'm going to be that angry old guy that works at Walmart, greeting the customers. And I will be, dagnabbit. (It's going to be a sweet job) But I think the points I made have are ones that most of you can relate to. Yes, I sometimes want to reenact that scene from Network and scream "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore". But after my 5th whiskey sour, I calm down and enjoy my hobby. If a hobby doesn't frustrate you, then you are not enjoying it.

I need a hug.

Here are some fellow League members and their pet peeves. Just stay out of our way and give us Twinkies, Pepsi and toys and no one will be hurt.

http://coolandcollected.com/pet-peeves-about-tv-viewing/

http://blog.paxholley.net/2013/09/24/some-of-my-biggest-pet-peeves/

http://garagesaleofawesome.com/garage-sales-getting-hand/

http://nerdoutwithmeblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/hard-to-beat-old-school-video-games.html

Cross Another Item Off The Want List

I could watch this GIF for hours.

As you can probably tell by the GIF above, this is yet another Batman post. I'm also guess you also probably realized the addition has something to do with the 1966 Batman show. Well, you would be partly right on that one.

Back in 1966, due to the success of the T.V series, companies were releasing anything and everything with Batman's likeness on it. From lunchboxes to loafs of bread. From super duper large plastic Batman cowls to rings. Trading cards, ice cream, comics (Natch), orange and fruit punch drinks, toys of varying types. Anything and everything had Batman's likeness on it, which us collectors pay top dollar for these days on eBay and through various auctions. Thankfully, I didn't have to pay top dollar for this newest addition to the Batman wing of the House Of Swag.

That's right kiddies. Mikey's scored himself a 1966 Batman Soakie bottle. This is an item I had been wanting for quite sometime and I finally scored a pretty decent bottle, condition-wise for a fraction of what I have seen these go for previously.

Soakie bubble bath bottles have been around sing the 1950's, but their heyday was in the 1960's when they had licences to characters like Batman, Superman, The Beatles, Bugs Bunny, Disney, Universal Monsters among others. The bottle was shaped like the character and the head screwed off allowing you to pour the bubble bath. This was the work of a genius as the kid got a new toy, but parents got the kids to take their baths without any hassles from them. It was a win win situation. These bottles can now bring in some decent coin.

Thankfully, the one I purchased was in pretty decent condition. This bottle can probably use a warm cloth as there seems to be some dust on his face.

This the where the bottle has some problems. There is paint loss right under the cape and a bit as well as on his lower abdomen and leg. But the emblem is in perfect condition. Go figure.

If I knew nothing of this bottle, I could tell it was from 1966 as it says so right on the bottom.

The back of the head has some scratches, but that's about it. No paint loss on the back, which is terrific.

For a figure that is nearly 50 years old, I am very happy with the condition of this bottle, He is going to look great with the other vintage Batman merchandise I have been able to pick up this year. I can't wait until I am able to display everything.

There are still some stuff on my Batman want list, but it's great I was able to get this crossed of said want list and who knows? Maybe I can add another item before the year is out. But even if I don't I think I did pretty good this year.

For those who aren't familiar with Soakies, here is a vintage commercial selling them to the unsuspecting masses.

I love these vintage commercials.

Another Bat Grail Obtained!

One of my favorite periods of the Batman's history is the 1960's. Probably because of the T.V. series, but that's not all. There was a new costume design for Batman, a legendary artist taking over in the comics and a new Saturday morning debuting from Filmation. But best of all, there was a ton of Batman goodies released during the decade.

I wanted to add more toys from this era to my Batman collection and one of those items I desperately wanted was a Batman hand puppet that was put out by Ideal. Ideal put out a some really nice puppets during the 1960's like Spider-Man, The Joker, Robin, The Green Hornet and The Munsters. These were all awesome puppets and would look great on my shelf, especially Spider-Man and the Green Hornet. But the one I wanted was Batman.

I came close to adding him to my collection a couple of times but always got out bid on eBay. I almost bought one last year at a flea market in NJ, but I wasn't crazy about the condition for the price the dealer was asking. I waited for he right time to jump on one and I finally was able to win one in great condition for a fraction of what I had been bidding.

Here is Batman. You can just tell that this puppet was well taken care of. There are barely any markings on him and the cloth is in terrific shape.

The only mark you see is on the back of Batman's head. The black mark was not nearly enough to make me lose my interest in owning this piece.

Not sure why, but I always dug that smirk on his face. It's like he's daring you to break the law because he will hit you with a can of Bat-Shark repellent. 

The cloth body is in near perfect condition for being 47 years old. I hope I look this good when I hit that age. 

I am overjoyed I can cross this off my Batman want list. The past 2 weeks, I have been able to lessen that list by 2. Hopefully, as the year goes on, I can find a way to cross even more items off that list, because I'm sure I'll add more stuff I want to it. My goal isn't to have the best Batman collection, just one I can be proud of. I'm on my way there.

Mego Mondays-Superman

Superman has always been a favorite of mine. I remember my first exposure to the Man Of Steel was by watching the Super Friends every Saturday morning. I then got to watch the George Reeves "The Adventures Of Superman" on reruns. What really made Superman a favorite of mine was when my mom took my sister and I to see "Superman The Movie". From then on, Superman was and still is, in my top 5 superheros.

Of course, as a kid, I had my share of Superman toys. I don't remember exactly which toys I had, but I certainly remember having the Mego Superman figure. When I started to re-collect Mego figures, Superman was definitely one I had to buy again. Luckily, I was able to pick up Kal-El for a good price off eBay.

This figure is a pretty darn good one. Probably one of the better Mego's in my collection. Everything on Superman is authentic. No repo's on this figure.

This Superman has a good face sculpt. Right down to the spit curl in hair. The emblem sticker was also done right. Not too big, not too small. The look is quintessential Superman.

The is figure has Superman's boots down as well. The perfect shade of red. The trunks, not shown, are also done right, I really believe this is one of the best Superman figures ever done.

If I have a complaint, and it's not really much of one, is the cape is missing the yellow S on the back of the cape. Again, it's not really not a bit deal. The lack of said symbol doesn't take away how cool this figure is.

Mego came out with a lot of Superman stuff aside from this figure. There was a couple of 12 inch figure, a 3 inch figure, a bank, a Fortress Of Solitude play set for the 3 inch figure, a couple of die cast figures and they made figures for Superman 2, including a Christopher Reeve 12 inch figure. They even made a Clark Kent figure that was exclusive to the Montgomery Ward stores which is very rare.

I'm sure with the new movie hitting theaters this summer that there will be a slew of new Superman toys hitting the shelves. To me, I doubt any of them will be as cool as this Superman Mego. It's as close to Kryptonian perfection as one can get.

Mego Mondays: Batman Bank

A couple of weeks ago, I was able to add a vintage Batman piece to my collection for barely the price of a movie ticket. The fact that it was a Mego piece and one that was one my Batman wish list was just the icing on the cake. When the package arrived last week, I tore that box open and was pretty thrilled with the bank.

I knew when I made my bid on the auction that the bank was not in pristine condition. But I really didn't care. The fact that it still has the emblem and there's barely any paint loss on the ban, so that was enough for me to pull the trigger on it.

This is really the only thing wrong with the bank. There seems to be some residue from what appears to be a sticker on it. I could try to clean it up a bit, but I'm afraid of peeling off some paint. I'll figure something out.

The back of the bank looks pretty good. No paint loss or any scratches.

Here's another problem. The plug is missing on the bottom of the bank. I honestly don't remember reading that fact on the auction listing. It's not really a deal breaker. You can't see that the plug is missing while it's standing up.

Overall, I'm very happy with this pick and will look great on my Batman shelf when I put it up. I'm thinking of   doing a shelf switch soon and I want to put up some of my Batman goodies, When I do, I will definitely put up pics on here so you can take a look an offer up opinions.

I'm also doing good with my Batman wish list. I picked up another vintage piece for a steal and will post a blog on it later in the week. Maybe if I'm lucky, I can pick up half the pieces on the list by the end of the year.

Mego Monday's: Green Arrow

Today's Mego Monday post is one of my favorite Mego figures I own, The Green Arrow. Now, admittedly, he was not one of my favorite characters growing up, but as I read stories like Identity Crisis and Blackest Night, I have gained a new respect for Ollie Queen. Enough to want me to hunt down Kevin Smith's Quiver graphic novel real soon.

Now, here's Ollie

This is one of Mego's better figures. The costume, colors and accessories help bring Green Arrow to life for the youth of the 1970's. It's figures like this that have me convinced that the toys we had growing up back then are way better than the stuff that comes out today. But, to me, the reason why this is one of Mego's masterpieces is this:

Check out that well sculpted kisser. Looks almost exactly like Oliver did in the Neil Adams drawn comics back in the 70's.

The back of the figure showing off the plastic molded sack in which he carries his many arrows. I'm sure he had a couple for the producers of the Super Friends. I'm sure Ollie was a bit peeved he was not in the show. I bet he was thinking, "You have a character named Apache Chef, but not me?? Are you kidding me?"

As with most Mego figures, posing these figures is just not going to happen. With this particular figure, he has the handles of the sack hindering his movements, plus this is the first wave of figures. You can tell by the wrists as they have the circular metal joint rather than the plastic joints the later figures would have. This is almost a 40 year old figure, so posing it in all these crazy positions could do some damage to Mr. Queen.

This figure was also my first purchase off ebay that taught me a lesson of trusting dealers. I paid a pretty penny for Green Arrow, $70.00 back in 2006. The listing said everything was original. But, when I got the figure, I looked him over and noticed that the bow and boots had a DM on them.That means they are Doctor Mego reproductions. The hat and costume are real. Not sure about the back pack. Now, I don't mind if they are repos. It's for my displaying purposes only. Just don't lie and say everything is original. I did nothing because I really wanted the figure. I'm glad I kept it. The price of this figure has gone up.

As a kid, Batman, Spider-Man, Superman and Joker were my favorite Mego figures. They still are to this day, but I have come to love this figure just as much. I'm kind of glad I didn't have this figure as a kid. I probably would have broken all the accessories and not have appreciated Ollie like I do now. As both a figure and character.