Star Trek Mirror Universe Kirk and Spock 8 Inch Retro Action Figures - Mego Corporation (2018)

Star Trek Mirror Universe Kirk and Spock 8 Inch Retro Action Figures - Mego Corporation (2018)

After 35 years, Mego is back, and they are making new figures for one of their all-time classic figure lines: Star Trek!  This action figure two-pack is part of Wave 1 of the new Mego figures, and features the "Mirror Universe" version of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock.

The window box

The figures come packed in a triangular window box with a diorama background of the transporter room of the ISS Enterprise (the Mirror Universe version of the USS Enterprise).  Both Kirk and Spock come equipped with a dagger, a phaser, and a communicator.

Spock and Kirk in front of the diorama backdrop.

This is basically an updated version of the Mirror Universe Kirk and Spock figures released by Diamond Select and Emce Toys in 2012.  There are two main differences.  The new Mego figures have faces that are molded in flesh colored plastic, whereas the DST/Emce versions had their skin painted on their faces.  These newer versions look a little nicer as a result, and match up better with the other Star Trek figures from the 1970s and 2000s which also were molded in flesh colored plastic.  One slight downgrade however, is that Spock's beard is just painted on with the new version, but on the 2012 version it was actually sculpted.  I think the faces being molded the correct color is a nice enough upgrade that I prefer these new versions to the old ones.

Spock

These figures were released in September 2018 as part of Mego's exclusive distribution deal with Target stores.  They are available now in Target retail stores, and at Target.com.  Wave 1 also featured new Star Trek figures of Chekov and Sulu.  Wave 2 from October had Mr. Spock and The Gorn.  And Wave 3, which should be hitting stores right now, has another "Mirror Universe" two-pack with Sulu and Uhura, plus the Romulan Commander, and a new "Green Shirt" version of Captain Kirk.  So if you are a fan Star Trek Mego figures, this is a really great time, with rereleases of classic figures, as well as all new figures.

Commander Spock

Spock's Beard

Blue Plastic Phaser and Communicator

Kirk!

The Diorama Backdrop - Unfortunately it's full of holes where the figures were attached to it.

Hanna Barbera Horror

Hanna Barbera's adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, and superhero cartoons often explored horror movie subjects, although in a generally safe, kid-friendly way.  Let's enjoy a few highlights for Halloween!

Frankenstein Jr. - The Shocking Electrical Monster

"Frankenstein Jr. in:  The Shocking Electrical Monster"

Frankenstein Jr. - The Shocking Electrical Monster
Orignal airdate:  September 10, 1966

A vampiric mad scientist named Dr. Shock turns his lab assistant Igor into a giant electrical monster.  The monster then goes on a Godzilla-like rampage through the ocean and city before kid scientist Buzz Conroy and his giant robot Frankenstein Jr. save the day.  This has some great looking horror movie visuals with the mad scientist, his lab, and the monster.  The scariest part however is the fact that Buzz's Dad lets him ride around on the back of a flying robot.  Think about it... would you let a child  ride on top of a moving car?  Or a bus?  Or a train?  Well this is actually more like riding on top of a flying plane, and with no seat-belts, or straps, or anything.  Face it, that kid would be DEAD.

Dr. Shock and The Shocking Electrical Monster Plot Their Wave of Violence

UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED (Part 1)

More exciting screencaps from this episode await you below!

Space Ghost - Creature King

"Space Ghost in: Creature King"

Space Ghost - Creature King
Orignal airdate:  September 24, 1966

This one has another crazy looking mad scientist, named "Creature King."  Space Ghost's sidekicks Jan, Jace, and Blip crash land on a planet, and are soon attacked by a giant red SPACE APE. They escape the mad monkey, but then find themselves captured by SPACE BATS!  They then find themselves CHAINED UP IN THE DUNGEON of Creature King, an alien mad scientist with a menagerie of weird alien monsters.

A Menagerie of Weird Alien Monsters.

Teenage Sidekicks in Bondage

More exciting screencaps from this episode await you below!

Dino Boy in the Lost Valley - The Vampire Men

"Dino Boy in the Lost Valley in: The Vampire Men"

Dino Boy in the Lost Valley - The Vampire Men
Orignal airdate:  December 3, 1966

Dino Boy (a kid trapped in a "Land of the Lost" style valley where cavemen, dinosaurs, and weird monsters exist) decides to build a homemade kite and then strap himself to it an fly around for fun.   Naturally he crashes in to a mountain, because of course he does.  Safety tip: DO NOT STRAP YOURSELF TO A KITE AND FLY AROUND LIKE AN IDIOT.  However, the story does not end with him dying on the mountain with broken bones and a cracked skull.  Because the mountain is full of caves populated with VAMPIRE MEN.  Half-men, half-bats!  So they take them to their Vampire King to kill him and eat him, I guess.  But then Dino Boy's caveman buddy Ugh shows up and "bats" the bat-people with his big wood club.

Vampire Men Out for Blood!

UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED (Part 2)

More exciting screencaps from this episode await you below!

Space Ghost - The Haunted Space Station

"Space Ghost in: The Haunted Space Station"

Space Ghost - The Haunted Space Station
Orignal airdate:  September 26, 1981

Now we jump forward from the 1960s to the 1980s for the relaunched version of Space Ghost.  Space Ghost and his crew get a distress call from a space station and go to investigate.  The space station is shaped like a GIANT SPIDER WEB!  Seriously, if you design your space station to look like a spider-web, you're pretty much begging for trouble, like being attacked by a GIANT SPACE SPIDER, or something.  But in this case, the station has been attacked by a SPACE VAMPIRE, who has turned the crew of the station into ASTRO ZOMBIES!  And if that sounds familiar, it's because I reviewed and episode of "Buck Rogers" earlier this month called "Space Vampire," that basically had the same plot.

Grizzled Face of an Astro Zombie

These people have only been Astro Zombies for ONE day, yet they are already dressed in rags!  Man, Zombies are TOUGH on clothes.

More exciting screencaps from this episode await you below!

The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians - The Fear

The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians - The Fear

The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians - The Fear
Orignal airdate:  October 2, 1985

The Scarecrow stumbles upon Batman's greatest fear when he tries to flee down Crime Alley, the MURDER site of Bruce Wayne's parents.  Batman usually uses his iron will to resist Scarecrow's Fear Rays, but in Crime Alley he breaks down in TERROR.  This was the first time the murder of the Waynes was shown outside of the comic books, and it is remarkably intense and mature for an episode of The Super Friends.  The episode is filled with rain, lightning, SKULLS, and shadows.  It's probably the best episode of the Super Friends ever, and it was written by Alan Burnett who would later go on to produce Batman: The Animated Series, and you can definitely see the roots of that series start to develop here.

The walls close in on Wonder Woman, as seen through the mouth of a skull!

UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED (Part 3)  Oh, man, now even Batman and Robin are getting in on the act, "Ghost Riding" on top of Wonder Woman's Invisible Jet!  At least Robin is holding on for dear life!  Batman is standing upright, not holding on to anything!  Dudes, in real life, you would both be DEAD.  Seriously, you two are supposed to be role models to little kids for Pete's sake!  FOR SHAME.

More exciting screencaps from this episode await you below!

More screencaps after the break...

Star Trek Gorn Retro Action Figure - Funko/Super7 (2015)

Star Trek - Gorn - Funko ReAction Figure (2015)

MONSTER MONTH reaches Day 10 with the fearsome alien reptile species known as the Gorn!  This fellow is from the season 1 Star Trek episode "Arena," which originally aired January 19th 1967.  In the episode powerful aliens called Metrons place Captain Kirk and the captain of the Gorn spaceship they have been pursuing on a deserted planet and command them to fight to the death.

CAPTAIN'S LOG, SUPPLEMENTAL: "Weaponless, I face the creature the Metrons called a 'Gorn'. Large, reptilian... Like most Humans, I seem to have an instinctive revulsion to reptiles."

This is a really nice action figure, possibly my favorite from the Funko ReAction Star Trek line.  Both the sculpt and the paint apps are very good, better than figures of of the Enterprise crew. That's probably because there weren't any likeness rights to negotiate for The reptilian alien, freeing the artists at Funko to do their best work.

The Reptile and The Mustache

Bonus!  Music Video:
Motorhead - Love Me Like a Reptile


More photos after the break...

Sequel to Batman: Return of the Caped Crusdaers Announced, with WILLIAM SHATNER as Two-Face!!!!

Oh my gob, I'm having a NERDGASM!  The new 1966 Adam West and Burt Ward animated movie isn't even out yet, and they are already making a sequel... a sequel with WILLIAM SHATNER as Two-Face!  My two favorite heroes from 1966, Adam West and the Shat-man, in one movie!  My brain is exploding with joy!

Read all about it at the Hollywood Reporter...
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/william-shatner-voice-two-face-936010

New Trailer for Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders!

Check it out, courtesy of the fine folks at IGN:

Adam West! Burt Ward! Julie Newmar! All reprising their Classic Batman TV Roles in Animated "Batman: Return of the Caped Crusdaers!"

Adam West!  Burt Ward!  Julie Newmar!  All reprising their Classic Batman TV Roles in Animated "Batman: Return of the Caped Crusdaers!"

The-One-True-Batman is back!  Adam West is returning as Batman in a new animated feature Batman: Return of the Caped Crusdaers.  West will be joined by Burt Ward as Robin and Julie Newmar as the Catwoman, with as yet unnannounced actors playing Joker, Riddler, and Penguin.  Adam West and Burt Ward first mentioned this over a year ago at a comic convention, but I hadn't heard anything about it since, and I was starting to give up hope that it was real.  But it is real!

The movie will be released on Digital HD on Oct. 11 and on Blu-Ray on Nov. 1.  For more info, including the first trailer, check out the full post at Entertainment Weekly:
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/17/batman-adam-west-burt-ward-julie-newmar-animated

Star Trek Select: Mr. Spock Action Figure by Diamond Select (2013)

Star Trek Select: Mr. Spock Action Figure by Diamond Select (2013)

Since 2016 is the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, I'd like to review more Classic Star Trek toys.  So today I'm taking a look at Diamond Select's Star Trek Select: Mr. Spock Action Figure.  The figure comes packaged with a diorama base of the Horta from the Star Trek episode "The Devil in the Dark," which incidentally was Leonard Nimoy's favorite episode, and thus a fitting choice for this figure.

The action figure itself is very well sculpted, with a great likeness of Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock.  It comes with two heads, so you can change his facial expression, as well as two sets of hands, one of which holds a phaser.  The phaser is not removable, but you can just swap out the hand for one not carrying the phaser if you don't want him to hold it.  It also comes with two tricorders, one with an open flap, and one with a closed one.  That seems a little excessive to me, did we really need TWO tricorders?  But I guess complaining about there being too many accessories would be nitpicking, as most of the time action figures don't have enough. 

The arms are very well articulated, and can hold a variety of positions, such as making a Vulcan mind meld with the Horta, firing the phaser, or using the tricorder.  But the legs are where this figure falls short.  There is absolutely no articulation on the legs, instead you get two pairs of unarticulated legs, one kneeling, and one standing, that you can swap out.  And the legs are not even balanced properly for the figure to stand on, you must use the base and plug the holes in the feet into the pegs on the base in order for the figure to stay upright.  So essentially what you have is not really an action figure, but a customizable diorama piece.  So if you're the kind of toy collector that likes to collect things to display on a shelf, then this works great for that.  If you actually want to "play" with your toys, then this one falls short.

Batman, Episodes 27 and 28 - "The Curse of Tut" and "The Pharaoh's in a Rut"

Batman, Episodes 27 and 28 - "The Curse of Tut" and "The Pharaoh's in a Rut"

50 years ago...
The 27th and 28th episodes of the Batman TV series aired on ABC TV.   Episode 27, "The Curse of Tut," aired on April 13, 1966.  Episode 28, "The Pharaoh's in a Rut," aired on April 14, 1966.

A Crowd Gathers Around Khnum in Gotham Central Park

These were the first episodes to feature Victor Buono as Professor William McElroy, aka King Tut.  Unlike all of the previous villains, King Tut was the first to be created specifically for the TV series.  Professor William McElroy was an Egyptologist who came to believe he was the reincarnation of King Tut after being struck in the head, and then went on a spree of ancient Egypt themed crimes.  There are some fun action scenes in this episode.  One stunt has Bruce Wayne being strapped to a runaway gurney as it races downhill towards a cliff.  Batman and Robin also get in to sword fights with the Egyptian themed villains.  It's also the second time on the series where Batman dances the Batusi.

Batman and Robin in Nefertiti's Crosshairs

Robin's catchphrases in these episodes included "holy hurricane," holy hieroglyphics," "holy whiskers," "holy asp," "holy skyrocket," and "holy taxidermy."

The Mummy's Eyes

More screencaps after the break...