I'm sure I'll put the others together. Sometime.

Wuh-oh. I was going to post this real quick, the first figures to arrive in 2025--even if I don't always count minifigures like this, shut up--but it also appears to be sold out now on Wal-Mart! This was from "DABINFIGURE" and was labeled as X-Men Mini Figures, though I'm not positive they were properly licensed. (Like I'm the licensing police!)

This was an eight figure set, but of course I bought it just for Nightcrawler, duh. And technically it's a nine figure set: Bishop, big-M Magneto, Mr. Sinister, Sunspot, a small Sentinel, Morph, and Goblyn Queen Maddy. But, Maddy also comes with a wee baby Cable! He was so cute at that age; I don't know what happened. 

Anyway, next week, back to comics; but the first one in the pile today was too much to jump into straightaway.

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As usual, the first comic you read will set the tone for the year...as usual, hmm.

It's not a minty-fresh copy, but let's be honest, I'm not super-minty-fresh myself. (Spine damage, faded colors, pretty sure I too am missing a staple...) From 1968, Not Brand Echh #10, cover by Marie Severin.

This was a "worst of" issue, but it opens with a great one, "The Silver Burper!" from Not Brand Echh #1, by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Frank Giacoia. That was from May 1967, and it was a riff on Fantastic Four #57, on sale 09/08/1966! Well, it's probably easier to spoof a recent issue, the plot's maybe still fresh in mind. A picture of that one, rather than cramming it in the scanner, but that panel is a favorite.

Also this issue: "Peter Pooper vs. Gnatman and Rotten" Written by Stan Lee, pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Frank Giacoia. (With a guest-panel by John Romita!) Man, we mentioned Marie Severin last week with Alf, but she was on point for years! Posting this so you'll know when I inevitably steal "SKLUNCH!" and here's some panels that were maybe stolen--er, homaged--in my favorite Spider-Ham story in Marvel's later What The--?!:

Well, this bodes well for the rest of the year! (Something had to...) Read more!

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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