End of the year

Bought a She-Hulk minifig for the hair so I could make a Gamora figure. I can’t find the actual Gamora minifig I already had so she’s got a little smirk for the time being. Lego Guardians are looking good though. It’s been a good year for Lego, got the Guardians, half the X-Men, a Batwing, a Hulkbuster, oh and Avengers Tower!!!

Legends has been good this year as well, got better versions of Hawkeye, Ant-Man and Tony Stark. My Avengers are all looking good now. I also played a little catch-up with Spider-Man and X-Men villains, plus quite a few extra Iron Man armours (of course), and Spider-Men. I’ve also got them nicely organised in new boxes now.

Transformers wise I’ve completed the Insecticons (again) and got a few more Dinobots (just need Swoop!). Pretty restrained spending though. Really feels like my collecting is slowing down.

I had a good couple of months doing 3.75” customs, nice little trip down memory lane going through my collection. It’s in a good place now so overall my collection is pretty complete and well organised. Also quite a few bits to sell now. As well as customising, I’ve started using a light box for my photos which I’ve really enjoyed using, it helps me appreciate the figures I buy more.

I’m going to finish off the year with my 50 most wanted Transformers (Generations), I could have listed 100 odd really but needed to trim it down a bit. Mostly G1 obviously, but this would finish off all the really important teams/groups. I could probably list a few more if needed. Over half of these could happily be repaints/remolds.

1. Sunstorm (ER Starscream)
2. Sunstreaker (ER with matching paint)
3. Riggorus (yellow Trailbreaker)
4. Reboost (red Skids/Crosscut)
5. Red Mirage (Kingdom)
6. Loud Pedal (black Tracks)
7. Overcharge (white/green Blitzwing)
8. Barrage (Legacy Bombshell)
9. Venom
10. Chop Shop (Legacy Shrapnel)
11. Downshift
12. Camshaft
13. Overdrive
14. Metroplex (new)
15. Broadside (Commander)
16. Wideload
17. Rollbar
18. Searchlight (ER Cliffjumper)
19. Chase (new - ER Cliffjumper)
20. Freeway (ER Cliffjumper)
21. Browning (Kingdom G1 Megatron)
22. Waverider (POTP)
23. God Ginrai (new)
24. Joyride (Sureshot repaint)
25. Slapdash (Mirage repaint)
26. Getaway (new)
27. Sixknight (TR Sixshot)
28. Hosehead
29. Octopunch
30. Stranglehold
31. Thunderwing
32. Blue Bacchus
33. Blacker (CW)
34. Laster (CW)
35. Braver (CW)
36. Leozack (POTP Starscream)
37. Jallguar (CW)
38. Deathcobra (CW Vortex)
39. Grandus
40. Sky Garry
41. Skyquake (Legacy Skyquake)
42. Thunderclash
43. Fulcrum (IDW)
44. Beast Wars Depthcharge
45. Beast Wars Rampage
46. Cyberverse Thunderhowl (Legacy Thundertron)
47. Cyberverse Meteorfire
48. Cyberverse Hammerbyte
49. Cyberverse Alpha Strike
50. Cyberverse Wildwheel

I’m looking forward to the ‘s’s next year, Swoop, Steeljaw, Sureshot, Silverbolt, Sandstorm and Snarf. So plans for next year, stick with the course - probably less Transformers, Lego and Marvel again. Deszaras and Giant Man should come in. Hopefully finish Thundercats (just Snarf to go). Hopefully another big Lego set (X-Mansion), but probably not too many large purchases. Happy Christmas!

Black(ish) Friday

I opened the Primal that came with Takara Megatron. I guess I’m keeping it then!

The MCU seems to be getting a fair amount of either criticism and analysis recently. Obviously there’s all the stuff around Jonathan Majors, and it seems like a good amount of the future projects are having script issues. That aside, here’s my take, phase by phase. Well, saga by saga maybe. The Infinity saga was great overall, but individual films weren’t always great, some were decidedly average, and it’s easy to forget that. Phase 4 was a restart and so I don’t think you can criticise it for not being as coherent. Film wise, I enjoyed them all except Eternals which I didn’t care about the characters nor really, the plot. The rest were all fine for me, though I’d remove the splits scene and the line where Jane asks for catchphrase advice from Thor 4. Similarly, I enjoyed the shows for the most part though I’d remove a couple of lines/scenes from She-Hulk. Phase 5, film wise good so far although I need to rewatch Ant-Man 3 (I don’t have an issue with Kang as the main villain). Shows wise, Secret Invasion was a wasted opportunity (particularly with how War Machine was set up and handled), and I’ve not finished Loki yet. In terms of the rest of the phase, I’m looking forward to the upcoming films (concerns about Blade aside). The upcoming shows is where I’m really losing interest. I enjoyed What If…? last time around, and Daredevil is similar to Blade where I’m hearing about a lot of issues. The problem is going to be Echo, Agatha and Ironheart. I like the characters well enough as supporting characters but as the lead? Is there any wider interest?

So, for me, the issues are including characters people just don’t care about (Eternals, Echo, Agatha, Ironheart), some slightly dodgy ‘humour’ (which could easily be edited out), and some worrying stories about development issues with important characters like Blade and Daredevil. If they need to recast Kang then I’m sure they can.

Anyway, I watched Ms. Marvel and I enjoyed it well enough, plot wise there’s obviously not too much going on, but I watched the Marvels and enjoyed it. It was a fairly frantic film but had heart to it. As long as I know and care about the characters then I enjoy it. It’s possible that it contributed to this (probably jointly with reading the Generations comic book with past and present versions of identities).

It occurred to me that I now have have figures of Jane Foster Thor, Rescue and Sharon Carter so got this (I owned it before but sold it). Mostly in case she turns up in the MCU. Red She-Hulk completes my ‘alternate reality’ Avengers.

I feel the villains of the individual Avengers are often overlooked so took these pictures, which similarly to Red She-Hulk, required re-buying Titanium Man. I also (re)bought Captain Marvel (I made my original into Phyla-Vell):

Apparently Deszaras is delayed until next year so that me done for Transformers for the year. Top three Transformers for the year, all excellent leader figures:

I got my Jada Chun Li. I’m not the biggest Streetfighter fan but these are fantastic figures.

I bought some more IKEA boxes. Got my Marvel Legends all sorted across two boxes (similarly to my 3.75” stuff), gave Star Wars its own box, created a Ghostbusters/Power Rangers/Thundercats/Batman box, then kind of an everything else box (Thunderbirds/computer games/other 3.75”). Sorted out Transformers a bit so there’s some sort of chronological order to the boxes. Found some of these guys so took this photograph which I’ve been thinking about for a while. Childhood dream achieved!

I’ve picked up a small Lego set on Black Friday! Should be a good Christmas…….

Level 42

Got me some Lego minifigs, I got these as an insurance policy, just in case we don’t get them again and the cost will only go up! Changed the hairpiece on Storm. (Speaking of which, there seems to be a rumour on an X-Mansion set!)

Made a custom Ronan to complete my Annihilators lineup. I went the whole hog taking the legs to pieces to properly paint the knees. I did consider a cape but he generally doesn’t have one. The Colossus mold is very versatile, it’s strange they didn’t make more use of it.

I’ve got a stash of unopened 3.75” figures (cough, hoarding, cough….), I realised since Love and Thunder, Jane Foster Thor is fair game. So opened it and it caused me to take a couple of movie inspired photos.

Looking at my remaining custom plans, a couple were redoing old customs and so not very exciting. I realised that the Legends Terrax figure was available for a good price and Annihilus is getting a Selects figure. (Terrax is pretty cool.) So crossed them all off the list which just leaves Surtur! I really struggled to work out what to use for his tail but ultimately went for a snake……

Have been rather distracted by 3.75” Marvel, kind of forgot about Transformers! Out of nowhere there was a Magmatron reveal which seems pretty crazy as there’s nothing wrong with the original. I’ve preordered it but it got me thinking maybe I need to double up on Megatron as well. I wasn’t a fan of the purple/excess sand colour on the Kingdom figure but then Takara did this!

Interestingly there seems to be a Big Convoy image on the Magmatron boxart so might have to rethink my doubling up plans once again (I’ve got the original plus the Encore anime version). I still wonder if we’ll get a Galvatron from dragon Megatron. Generally though Transformers isn’t too exciting at the moment.

Haslab Giant Man is exciting though, looked a bit uncertain initially but got there in the end. There also seems to be rumours on pretty much every Legends figure I might want - Yellowjacket, Ms. Marvel has been shown on the Beyond Earth’s Mightiest artwork. Wolfsbane as part of a Wolverine set was rumoured a while back and the Wolverine sets further collaborated by other sources. Then at NYCC there was apparently a comment of ‘more Inhumans’. Yay! Hope it all pans out.

After the Haslab and Takara Beast Wars it’s been an expensive couple of weeks but also really anticipating the Lego Avengers Tower. That’s my Christmas sorted! I think the X-Mansion and Baxter Building are definitely my most wanted toys let alone Lego now. Baxter Building I think requires the film to do well and given where the MCU is now that’s not guaranteed. Thinking about the MCU, I haven’t quite mustered the enthusiasm for Loki season 2 just yet. Or Ahsoka. Will give them both a go eventually.

Ghost Jaga turned up on Halloween! Very appropriate, he looks pretty great. Really hope it doesn’t yellow. Just need Snarf!

Finally, Mark II Iron Man arrived. Nothing too surprising, good Tony Stark sculpt. That’s armours I-III sorted, just need updated armours for the second film!

Finished Surtur (although a bit like Ronan, he needs his weapon). That’s 42 customs done, time for a break! They’re in a good place though, I’ve done the regular Mortal Kombat characters, the main Batman villains, and completed all Marvel teams and important villains. Even if I never pick up a paintbrush again, there’s no major gaps.

Custom challenge

Am carrying on with the customs, I’ve set myself a challenge of 25 Marvel projects. First task was a cape for Mole Man (I got him cheap on eBay years ago but missing said cape). Done! Now for some Kree. Finally made them blue skinned. Next a bit more obscure, an A:EMH accurate Mar-Vell. I think it just about works but the proportions are very off (i.e. the shoulders are ridiculous in the cartoon). 

Next, I wanted my Hydra troopers to have helmets and match the colour of my previous Baron Strucker custom. Then I did a Madame Hydra to look after said troopers (I added a gun belt later), finally Polaris. I did this costume for her since I had the X-Factor version in Legends (and so I’ve decided not to bother with 90’s Strong Guy since none of the rest of the team are in X-Factor costumes). Next did Blizzard and Darkstar from Northstar and Aurora. Halfway through my target number of Marvel customs!

Cracked on with quite a lot in one go - but had to make a few adjustments to my original plans, heads too small, legs too big. Made the stripes on Groot red, and made Graviton from Skrull Gandolf (think it just about works for a A:EMH version). Worked on Grim Reaper (A:EMH again), Wong, Nebula (bit more a MCU/modern look), Mantis, Sif (“Power Princess? Never heard of her….”) and Sharon Carter (pretty good Emily Van Camp sculpt) simultaneously. I think that’s my Guardians all sorted! This batch involved a fair bit of eye painting and actually pretty happy with how they turned out. Finally made Forge who I think was my most wanted heroic character.

Next Wolfsbane, and, Quake (head doesn’t quite work but best I’ve got at the moment). I put them off for a while as it’s quite hard to nail down their look, went for the W&TXM and A:EMH looks in the end. Rolled straight into a few more customs, Klaw (A:EMH yet again) and Shaman to finally finish Alpha Flight. Ended up changing the head on Grim Reaper to accommodate the hood and changed Mar-Vell into Yon-Rogg (I like the idea that the superior officer has more armour). Every time I go into my parts bin I see the Gamora body and Bossfight head so felt compelled to make a Rescue, which given I didn’t do a couple of planned figures brings it back up to 25. I even found time to sort out Black Widow’s trout pout.

Toys! Got a Clone Wars Ahsoka, I haven’t watched the series yet so not quite sure where I’m at with my personal continuity (I take the original clone wars cartoon as canon). I did watch the CGI film at the cinema though.

Got another Trainbot, I think any excitement I felt at them being announced has been replaced by the irritation of the cost! I’m waiting until they’re all out before deciding how to display them.

I watched a load of Red Dwarf and painted a dinosaur red - Devil Dinosaur to complete my Agents of Smash, and in fact my original list for 25 customs! But why stop there?! Still marching on with the customs, made Frankenstein’s Monster from Solomon Grundy (I know nothing about the character but he looks a bit dead so quite suitable). Ironically enough I had to Frankenstein him together as there were a couple of broken bits. The Howling Commandos! Perfect timing really.

I originally planned to leave ten ideas to do but got on with Ursa Major, M’Baku, Gorgon and Sauron. 

It was quite a step up in the amount of work required with Ursa and M’Baku. That completes my Winter Guard and Inhumans. That’s 40 customs done (including the 12 from last month) and leaves six Marvel customs left to do! Although I find this picture a little troubling….