Those maniac, detail-obsessed artisans at Hong Kong's Hot Toys are still cranking out product with reckless abandon, and more power to them! Many collectors I know are now clearing out their years of K-mart-purchased kid-orientated crap, and graduating to fewer, high-end, screen-accurate art pieces designed for the distinguished (wo)man-child.
There are three new offerings that our pals at Sideshow Collectibles have up for pre-order, not the least of which is this new diecast metal War Machine Mark II from Iron Man 3 - a film that this armour doesn't actually appear in. But don't let the facts stop you from enjoying the most definitive version of this character so far...
You can rush ahead and pre-order him here:
Hot Toys Die Cast Marvel Series - Iron Man 3 War Machine Mark II EXCLUSIVE Limited Edition Sixth Scale Figure - MMS Diecast Series (Hot Toys)
But I do recommend that you come straight back, not just for more images and commentary but also to see the two other amazing figures that Hot Toys has announced. All that... after the jump!
Now it's my belief that they've adjusted the proportions here to improve upon the previous release of War Machine from Iron Man 2. And there's no doubt that casting him in metal - while it does mean he's more expensive - is going to make him look totally badass on your shelf.
I think my favourite thing though is the light up eyes, chests and palms. Combine that with his reflective surfaces and it's going to be an incredible figure to photograph at least.
The metal doesn't appear to have interfered with his articulation too much either. If he can actually do all the things pictured here then I'll be impressed.
Especially if he can do this... (Although he does look a little stiff. Don't think he's going to be able to pull off a three-point landing, sadly)....
And here's what you get... it's actually a pretty light release to be honest. Looks like it's just a couple of extra hands. No mention yet of a Don Cheadle head...
Do note, however, that the above pre-order link goes to the rarer exclusive version which also comes with a holographic armor accessory. If that one's sold out you should still be able to order the regular version. I think that personally I'd be more tempted by the Iron Patriot armor, but this is probably the better option for comic book purists.
Next up is Duane "The Rock" Johnson as Roadblock from the mostly horrendous G.I. Joe Retaliation! OK, so I didn't love the film, and bless you if you did, but I can still admire the great job they've done on this figure. Plus, let's be honest, he's a generic enough of an army guy that you can enjoy this without necessarily being a fan of the film...
It's a solid outfit and there's enough crazy military accessories here to satiate the most hardened war-monger...
Look at all these wonderful killing implements! Plus.. an iPod holder?
And plenty of pockets, sheathes and compartments for a real American hero to attach guns, knives, blunt instruments, brass knuckles, and hamburgers...
But I image that the real reason most fans will pick this up is for the eerily realistic head sculpt of The Rock...
I have to even admit that it's a pretty great sculpt and my guess is that it will show up on a ton of customs in the future. A shame there's no variant where he's doing the people's eyebrow.
And here's the mountain of stuff you get with him...
I think 1/6th scale military collectors are bound to get a real kick out of this. If you love guns and ammo and eat punks like me for breakfast then you may well want to pre-order him here:
Hot Toys G.I. Joe Sixth Scale Collectibles Roadblock GI JOE Retaliation Sixth Scale Figure (Hot Toys)
And finally check out this variant Mime version of The Joker from Tim Burton's Batman 1989...
Traditionally everybody hates mimes, but there's a lot to love here. In my opinion the first Hot Toys' Jack Nicholson Joker is one of the finest figures they've ever made, so this is a fitting addition to that line up, capturing an iconic look in a memorable scene...
The poses are always excellent with the Joker. And that's the quill that kills, remember?
Looks like the creepy moving eyes system is in effect here too. And can you believe all those pores and wrinkles under the make up?
Plus there's his top hat...
And it looks like you get this crazy stand/backdrop with him too...
Very cool to see that Hot Toys is still mining this film. Let's hope that we're not too far away from some Batman Returns product too. Would love me a Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman! In the meantime, you can pre-order Mime Joker here:
Batman: Hot Toys DX Series The Joker: Mime Version DX Series Sixth Scale Figure (Hot Toys)
So what's the verdict? Any of these take your fancy? What are you hoping they're going to make next?
I find it a bit annoying that after announcing Batman Return and Back to the Futures lines in late 2011. Hot Toys instead devote time and energy to a second Nicholson Joker. I see that it's nice and all but it is an incredibly specific piece. Surely their skills would have been better used on a Penguin or Catwoman or Doc Brown? Or is this to be a Ledger Joker situation where we 4 of them (5 with the cop alternative)
ReplyDeleteI hear you, brother, but I don't think it's necessarily an either/or proposition. My feeling is that they have enough resources now to mine what's popular while still investigating and developing new product. It's worth waiting for, right? I don't think they'll let us down.
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