"Subbing."

We're off our usual set today, and I don't love the lighting or the placement of that pole, but I needed room for Stilt-Man! I forget how many of those ninjas I bought--two?--and I feel like some bought way more for theirs. We saw a Stilt-Man suit recently in Punisher War Journal #26, but that's not the only time we've seen criminals seemingly drooling over getting their hands on one. It would be an insanely impressive feat of engineering...if it wasn't in a universe with Stark armors and super-powers, and if it didn't have the win record of the Washington Generals. Admittedly, getting kicked in the face by Stilt-Man does look like it would hurt. 

Elektra teamed up with Spider-Man for a recent gang war thing, but I wonder if she just sees him as one of Matt's weird friends.

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The Nineteenth Annual, Random Happenstance, Year in Toys!

Feels like a weird one, this time around: I can't remember the last time I was so glad to see a year gone yet so not looking forward to the new one! But we won't let that rain on the Year in Toys!

For new readers: For years now, I have been keeping a running total of every action figure or toy I buy. Hopefully, each entry has the figure's name, the line, the price, and where I bought it; and possibly a link to a cartoon or strip that toy was used in. (Unless that figure's unloved or unphotogenic, I guess. Or I'm lazy...) Totals will usually include postage and tax. Usually. Any prices or totals listed in parentheses were purchased with store credit or points instead of paying money, and aren't counted towards the actual total spent. This is by no means a "Best of" list or anything, just what I bought. For reference, here's links for 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2006. 

1-3 Marvel Legends Kingpin, $8.16, Target. 

1-6 Jada Mega Man, $21.79, Entertainment Earth. 

1-23 ML Super-Adaptoid, $26.23; Marvel Select Super-Skrull, $11.23; shipped $50.38, Disney Store.

1-27 G.I. Joe Classified General Hawk, $20.70, GameStop. 

2-1 ML Rogue, $9.99; X-Men villains set (Stryfe, Random, Zero, Vertigo, Pretty Boy) $69.99; shipped $93.88, Kids' Warehouse. 

2-2 Dungeons & Dragons Edgin, $13.18 shipped, Wal-Mart.

2-18 New Adventures of Batman Commissioner Gordon and Bat-Mite, $13.15; GameStop. 

3-4 2 X-Men '97 Nightcrawlers, Goblin Queen; $24.99 each, total $38.61, Amazon. 

3-10 Apex Legends Caustic, $2.99; G.I. Joe Classified Snake-Eyes and Timber, $11.99; total $16.33, Ross. 

3-14 ML Clea, $24.99; Entertainment Earth. 

3-16 McFarlane Super Powers Blue Beetle Bug, $25.88, GameStop. 

3-19 ML S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent/HYDRA Agent, $34.99; Avengers Hawkeye/Skycycle, $29.99; total $78.26, Hasbro Toy Store.

3-25 Mezco One:12 Shadow, $142.78 shipped, Mezco. 

3-26 ML Hallow's Eve, $8.53, Amazon. 

3-30 McFarlane Black Adam with throne, $4.99; ML Longshot, $5.49; total $11.89, Ross. 

Star Wars Micro Galaxy A-Wing, $13.97, Wal-Mart. 

4-13 G.I. Joe Tiger Force David L. "Bazooka" Katzenbogen, $5.99, Ross. 

4-19 ML Marvel Boy (Noh-Varr), Karnak, Ms. Marvel, $10.00 each, total $30.00, Wal-Mart. 

ML Angel, $35.23, GameStop.

4-27 Transformers R.E.D. Optimus Prime, $11.99, Ross. 

5-4 2 McFarlane Batman: the Animated Series Batcycles, $8.99 each; Batman (C&C Condiment King), $24.99; total $46.53, Target. 

Jakks Universal Monsters Lugosi Dracula, $24.99, the Comic Book Shop. 

5-5 Super Powers Blue Beetle, $5.02, GameStop. 

SP Kilowog, $9.99; 2 SP John Stewarts, $1 each, total $11.98, Wal-Mart.

5-11 Apex Legends Revenant, $3.25, Ross. 

Toy Show: ML Avalanche, $10; bases, $5; Toy Biz Spat & Grovel, $10; total $25.00. 

5-13 Toy Biz ML Mojo tail, $10.10 shipped, Mercari.

5-19 ML Multiple Man, $0, Amazon. (I don't remember how much he was at the time!)

5-24 ML Cable, $23.74, GameStop. 

5-30 ML Red Widow, Wolfsbane, Ikaris, Black Winter, Ka-Zar, $24.99 each; $118.40, Amazon. 

6-1 Funko Re:Action Rocketeer, $5, Lilac City Comicon. 

6-28 ML Count Nefaria, $24.99; G.I. Joe Classified Mutt & Junkyard, $22.49; total $51.42, Target.

6-16 Super7 Sesame Street Yip Yip Martians, $22.31, Target. 

 7-6 ML Guardsman, $5.60, EntertainMart. 

Jakks Monster Cereal Count Chocula, $10.99, Ross. 

7-13 ML She-Hulk, $24.99; NECA Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Kirby, $34.99; total $64.95, Target. 

7-23 ML Captain Marvel, $10, GameStop. 

SWB Mandalorian Privateer, $24.99; SW Jedi Adventures Nubs, $3.49; DC McFarlane Nekron, $19.99; total $52.83, Target.

7-26 ML Marvel Boy, $4, Wal-Mart. 

8-4 Anime Heroes Chainsaw Man, $19.99; WWE Lucha Low Rider, $39.99; total $62.11, Target. 

McFarlane Ambush Bug, $22.99, total $25.06, another Target. 

8-6 Ordered another Death's Head, $39.99 and Moon Knight (Strange Tales/Fist of Khonshu) $24.99; total $78.43, Hasbro Pulse.

8-8 McFarlane Sgt. Rock, $24.99, GameStop. 

8-11 McFarlane Super Powers Booster Gold, Metamorpho, $9.99 each, total $19.98, Wal-Mart. 

8-15 Entertainment Earth order: G.I. Joe Agent Helix, $24.99; ML Commander Rogers, $24.99, ML Daimon Hellstrom, $24.99, ML Death's Head, $39.99; Super Powers Booster Gold, $9.99; total $136.17. 

8-17 McFarlane Batman '66 Alfred, $19.97, GameStop. 

8-26 ML Warbird, $24.99; Super7 Sesame Street Oscar the Grouch, $20.99; Transformers blind box Megatron, $14.99; total $65.91, Target. 

8-31 ML Captain America (with wings) $24.49; McFarlane DC Manhunter, $22.99; total $50.33, Target. 

SWB Tala Durith, Indiana Jones Dr. Jurgen Voller, total $19.10, GameStop. (B1G1) 

8-31 Clearance: ML MJ, Matt Murdock; DC Multiverse Vampire Nightwing, 3 Super Powers Blue Beetle Bugs, all $3 each, total $18.00, Wal-Mart. 

9-11 ML Black Knight/Sersi, (34.88) ML Rogue/Destiny, (49.99), total $64.04, Amazon. 

9-12 Teeny Tinies espresso stand, $5, $11.64 shipped, Five Below. 

10-6 NECA Alf, $25, Wal-Mart. 

10-9 ML Weapon of Vengeance, (24.99), McFarlane New Adventures of Batman retro Batman, (17.99); total $32.21, Amazon. 

10-19 ML D'spayre, $24.99; ML Hydra Cap, $7.99; total $32.98, EntertainMart. 

2 G.I. Joe Classified Grunts, $7.99 each, total $16.94, Ross. 

10-25 ML Giant-Man arrives. 

11-1 ML Guardsman, $5.27, ML Sharon Carter, $6.66; total $11.93, EntertainMart. 

 Netflix Ultraman, $10, Wal-Mart. 

11-2 Toy show! Amazon Art Asylum Star Trek Captain Kirk with chair, $10; DC Direct Batman: the Animated Series Creeper, $10; ML Dracula, Lilith, $24.99 each, total $54.04; ML Odin, $5; SWB Zeb Orrelios, $20; total $99.04. 

11-8 ML Bloodstorm, Brother Voodoo, $24.99 each, total $30.52, Amazon. 

ML D'spayre, $22.99, the Comic Book Shop.

11-15 Anime Heroes Chainsaw Man Denji & Potchita, $15.47, GameStop.

11-22 ML Crystal/Lockjaw, $69.99, Entertainment Earth. Total order $108.98, pending Epic Hacks Red Sonja. 

SWB Pirate Captain Brutus, $25.88, GameStop. 

11-26 ML Beyonder, $24.99, Target. 

12-7 Ross haul! Jada Monster Cereal Franken Berry, $11.99; McFarlane Pacific Rim Otachi, Raiju, $3.99 each; Apex Legends (white) Pathfinder, Mirage, Wattson, $2.99 each; ML Spider-Shot, Iron Man Model 9, Iron Man Midnight Sons, $12.99 each; total $67.91. 

12-9 McFarlane Pacific Rim Crimson Typhoon, $3.99; Apex Legends Loba, $2.99; Aquaman 2 King Kordax, $4.99, total $11.97, Ross. 

12-11 SWB Mandalorian Shriek-Hawk Trainers, $31.46, Nite-Owl, $15; total $50.63, Wal-Mart. 

12-12 ML Deadpool, $27.99, Comic Book Shop. 

12-14 SWB Mandalorian Shriek-Hawk, $24.99, Target.

12-17 Star Wars Attack Fleet Yoda's Starfighter, $4.99; Batman '66  unmasked Batman, $4.99; total $10.78, Ross. 

12-21 ML MCU Bruce Banner, $12.99, Ross.

12-27 Used Minimates bag! $19.99, EntertainMart.

SWB IG-12/Grogu, $17.28; ML Warlord Xavier, $6.72; Dabinfigure (faux-Lego) X-Men (Nightcrawler, others) $13.99; total $41.40, Wal-Mart.

Total: $2483.11. 2023: $3565.82. 2022: $3604.09.  2021: $3449.00. 2020: $2345.67. 2019: $2472.30. 2018: $1752.31. 2017: $1968.71. 2016: $1753.72. 2015: $1895.35. 2014: $1523.25. 2013: $1101.93. 2012: $706.32. 2011: $564.71. 2010: $966.10. 2009: $558.16. 2008: $555.16. 2007: $426.00. 2006: $620.00. 

As happens here and there, I had to go back and add some figures that I could see on my shelves, but didn't remember entering, like the Yip Yip Martians! And the spare Death's Head I ordered: I wanted him right away, and ordered from two different places to see which got here first. And...I don't remember which got here first, and the box I opened was actually in better shape than the second one, so I have to transplant him...just making work for myself at this point. 

This seemed like a bit of a down year as far as Build-a-Figures: we finished Mojo and Totally Awesome Hulk, both from years past; then from this year Zabu and Blackheart. Still, there were a couple like the Super-Adaptoid and Lockjaw that surprisingly weren't Build-a-Figures. 

So, what, if anything, have we learned this year? Feels a little less expensive than usual, but there wasn't a big HasLabs Sentinel or Galactus this year: I know I sprung for Dragon Man, but I don't think I was charged for him yet. (We'll count him whenever he turns up!) That One: 12 Shadow figure was the most expensive thing I got this year: it's really nice, but also has a lot of extras I'm not currently using anyway. I went all-in on Zabu and Blackheart: I'm going to be really mad if Zabu is available separately later (or worse, with Shanna) since I didn't love Red Widow or Black Winter...although, that Cable's maybe winning me over. Blackheart himself was a bit disappointing: his tail takes up a ton of room. I don't know if that Brother Voodoo figure is any different than that last one? And modern/red armor Dracula...is not my preferred look, no. 

Couple of figures there, Count Nefaria, maybe even the two packs (Rogue/Destiny, Crystal/Lockjaw, and Sersi/Black Knight) I probably could've held out and possibly got for cheaper. Maybe not a lot, but it might be worth it to try and stretch that dollar next year; assuming things don't completely go to crap and buying toys is still a not-unreasonable concern. But...I'm still having fun! I won't say who, but there's a figure I got early in the year, that I had zero ideas for until today! There were also a couple figures that haven't been in homemade posts yet, because we're still in the "Seasonal Affective D'Spayre" storyline: it's mildly concerning that a storyline (sorta) about depression has been running for three months now, and that I could end up with more D'spayre figures before it's over! 

I still have a few figures unopened, I think I'll knock off now and see about that.

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I don't know that I have any jokes for Zabu; I just wanted him!

Super behind schedule all week, and tomorrow is the Lilac City Comicon! I had time to put Zabu together, though. We'll check back next week, and see what we get. Have a good weekend! Read more!

Ah, got my Mojo rising after all!

I was really sweating this last Friday, when the tracking said the last piece for Mojo would be delivered before six or nine or whatever, and the package was in Ohio. (My location isn't exactly secret, but spoiler alert: it ain't Ohio!) Of course, it would turn up Monday, and at long last we've got a Mojo! Counting from the first piece, it took me 17 years, 6 months, and 29 days to complete him. Previously, it took me seven and a half years to finish Giant-Man, and four years and change for Red Hulk. Man, I'm hoping I don't have those Totally Awesome Hulk parts in the drawer for anywhere near that long. 

I swear I saw TWO complete Mojo's for sale at the toy show last Saturday. Mr. Morbid asked me how I did there, and I almost sent him this:

...which feels like me wearing the action-figure equivalent of a dunce cap.

That aside, it was actually a pretty good show! And like I do every toy show, I ended up buying way more comics than toys. I just do, OK? I did get Avalanche cheap, but you should get him cheap: until you've got a solid Brotherhood of Evil Mutants going, you need him for what? Nothing! Then we got Spat and Grovel...do I know which is which? The girl's Spat, right? Huh, and Grovel can talk? I wouldn't have bet on that. Both of their Marvel Wiki entries point out their creators, Scott Lobdell and Joe Madureira, seemingly went out of their way to make them as unmarketable as action figures as goddamn possible; which Toy Biz seemed to take as a challenge. A challenge they would fail; their figures were clogging up KB Toys for years: ironically, they were part of a three figure series called "Marvel's Most Wanted," with X-Man and Blink, who actually sold. Spat and Grovel haven't appeared in comics in well over 20 years, but some action figure fans will remember them like an old acquaintance they used to see all the time. (Weird, I think we've brought up KB pegwarmers twice in the last week; yet they did far, far less damage than Bain Capital...) Anyway, the guy selling them had originally intended to use Grovel in a Jabba's palace display; and I bought them because maybe they'll go with Ka-Zar and Zabu here in a bit. (I'm probably gonna have to order a case there rather than chance it; the Cable figure already seems like it's going to be a pain in the ass to find, and Zabu missing a leg would break my tender heart...)

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I mention this now, so if it goes south, you can give me the business later.

I'm still not sure if this is indicative of a problem, a sign of the times, or maybe just good old-fashioned gouging; but here goes: after some clearance sales, I've got four parts out of six for the Totally Awesome Hulk Build-a-Figure. Usually, the next step would be to find the parts on eBay, or maybe Mercari. I've sold pieces myself, although it's been some time: since I bought multiple Nightcrawlers, for a while I was probably the #1 seller of Galactus crotch there. Anyway... 

Currently, I'm missing T-A Hulk's head and left leg, from Commander Rogers and Captain Marvel, respectively. As much as anyone can be said to 'need' an action figure; I didn't need either: I thought the last movie Captain Marvel was fine, and the old Commander Rogers was too tall and the new one is taller still? Plus, I don't love the design, and Cap is fine as Cap for me. In the past, parts like that might run six, seven bucks? Plus postage. Kind of like a rebate, if you know you aren't going to complete the BaF. But searching for these particular pieces, I keep seeing prices like $18, $20. Seriously? That's definitely buy-the-whole-figure territory; but there's a toy show this weekend, and I'm hoping I get lucky. Then, of course I found something else on Mercari: the tail piece, for 2006's Toy Biz Marvel Legends Mojo! The seller had a picture, and did not look anywhere near old enough to have a 18-year-old action figure piece in a drawer. Now, it took me a moment to bite on that sale: first, I had to do some image searching, to make sure it was the BaF piece and not part of the older, animated X-Men Mojo. But I did buy it, before I went digging in my garage.

Going out to my garage, for no particular reason? Super-fun! It's full of interesting crap. Going out to my garage for one specific thing? Well, if it isn't the consequences of my actions...I knew I had 5/6th of Mojo, just needed that tail; and he's big and fat and yellow, he shouldn't be that hard to find. Right? OK, it took me a couple tries, but got him. Although, I was dismayed to also find two pieces first--his robot-spider-legged butt sled or whatever you would call it. How the hell did I end up with seven pieces out of six, and I'm still not done? I must have found some of these at toy shows, since I know I never bought Baron Zemo, although I have his sceptre from a big parts buy a few years back...but I'm positive I have a First Appearance Iron Man in the garage, and he's the one the tail piece came with in the first damn place! How the--Wait, I have some records. Psylocke and Falcon I bought in 2006, although I think I was sweating building MODOK more than Mojo. Luke Cage was my first figure of 2007, a whopping five bucks! Longshot was picked up later 2007, and I feel like he would've been on the pegs for a stretch by then. And yeah, I eBay'ed First Appearance Iron Man early 2008. 

I did find a few other older Build-a-Figure, or Collect-n-Connect, pieces out there, too: three of Kalibak, maybe four of Imperiex, most of a Brood, a couple Apache Chief, few Arnim Zola parts. I think a Stel leg; although looking it up I might have more. Long time back, some of those! Out of the older ones, anything else I had parts for, I probably sold: I don't have any old Onslaught or Apocalypse pieces. (Have I ever built an Apocalypse? I may have gone out of my way not to!) But, now an unpleasant chore: dusting Mojo. So many...crevices...hurk.

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"Field."

Short one today, and I think I messed up on the blocking: Satana enters behind Rintrah, because she was going to be coming back from her selfie with Xemnu! Oh, well. 

I also could not for the life of me find my Baron Mordo figure, who I'm pretty sure is still clutching my Wand of Watoomb! So the Wand this week is from a Secret Saturdays figure; a cartoon I don't recall watching yet have a figure from? Yeah, that tracks. I'm pretty sure it's a kid that has been crowd-filler here or there, usually with Franklin and Timmy. 

And it strikes me we have about as many Starjammers now as we do classic Guardians of the Galaxy? Oh, that is baloney. But Martinex and Charlie-27 are going to have to be unique sculpts, aren't they? (EDIT: It just occurred to me, Crystar and Martinex could probably share parts!) Whereas Hebzibah is going to use Squirrel Girl parts, probably, and Raza should be simple enough, too. A matter of time.

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