Comic News: Celebrate New Year’s Eve Eve With Marvel Today!

Before you celebrate the New Year, join Marvel and participating comic shops to celebrate the first ever Marvel New Year’s Eve Eve Party today!

Fans of Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wolverine, and all things Marvel are invited to visit your local comic shop for free giveaways including a 2010 Marvel Super Hero calendar, Exclusive Avengers ID Cards to collect & trade, a free comic book - Origins of Siege – which features an all-new prologue to the 2010’s HOTTEST event by Brian Michael Bendis, and more!

Swing by your participating local comic shop TODAY for your free giveaways at the Marvel New Year’s Eve Eve party and make yours Marvel in 2010!





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Masters of the Universe Classics 2009 Top Ten, Part V

And now for our final awards of 2009...

Teela, with Samurai Spawn sword.

Number 2 Teela

Winner: Best Sculpt Award

The first female character in the Masters of the Universe Classics toy line, Teela is quite a stunning action figure. She’s got a terrific sculpt and fantastic paint scheme and applications and her package is pretty much bursting with accessories.

Although she is one of the best figures of this series, she does loose points for a problematic neck joint, and the restricted movement in her waist. Check out our full review of Teela here.

The Secret Emerald of Rakash sold separately and completely made up by me.

Number 1 Mer-Man

One could make a good argument for almost any of these figures (at least in the Top 5) being the year’s best. Some exceed in areas where others do not, but Mer-Man is the one figure where all of the elements come together to give us an all around great action figure. His sculpt may be largely based on the Skeletor body, but he adds some nice new elements like the neck gills and the open hand and don’t forget about the beautiful work on the weapons, armor and the fantastic bonus head which loaded with incredible detail and character. Squidish Rex sports one of the better paint jobs of the line, an appropriately glossy dark green with yellow armor, gloves and boots and a nice wash over both his body and armor. While his packaged head is only so-so, the bonus head based on the original card artwork is full of character and really captures Mer-Man’s wide-eyed, fishy dimness. Although the open hand denies him the ability to hold both of his weapons at once, it also allows lots of interesting posing possibilities.

Read our original review of Mer-Man here.



And our final award goes to...Stratos!


The MASTY Awards After Party...



Patrick Garone
Staff Reviewer Read more...

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Masters of the Universe Classics 2009 Top Ten, Part IV

On to numbers 4 and 3...

Number 4 Hordak

Drawing heavily on his minicomic origins and 200X characterization, Hordak comes to us as the not only the leader of the Evil Horde but as a dark sorcerer and master to Keldor. His figure in MOTUC draws some inspiration from his 200X design and is much more menacing and scary than his 80’s counterpart. He has one of those headsculpts that is loaded with character. In fact, he kind of looks like he’s about to tell someone off. Probably Callix.

Hordak is also one of the more accessory-heavy figures with a big staff, a crossbow and a small gargoyle-type creature that clips to his arm as well as a molded plastic cape and removable armor. Mattel and the Horsemen did a great job updating this figure and it was a real treat to have him included so early in the line.

Check out the full review for this figure here.

Number 3 Man-At-Arms

Winner: Best Accessories!

While Man-At-Arms features the basic male body for these figures and an unremarkable paint scheme and applications, he really excels when it comes to his accessories. In addition to his armor, weapons and a bonus head, Duncan also included a (poorly-kept) secret accessory: the 200X powersword.

This is exactly what we should get for a $20 action figure. He really feels like a value for the money, in a line where some of the figures do not. Read our original review of this figure here.



Patrick Garone
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Comic News: CHRIS GIARRUSSO RELEASES NEW FREE ONLINE G-MAN VIDEO GAME!

Mini-Marvels cartoonist Chris Giarrusso brings his superhero hit G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS to the interactive computer screen once again!

While most comic books are taking a week off, Mini Marvels cartoonist Chris Giarrusso invites fans to fill that time with G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS: ESCAPE FROM DARK FOREST, the all-new video game featuring his beloved creator-owned superhero!

"I'm very happy to see that comics and gaming fans have been enjoying the classic 8-bit style G-Man video games we've been adding to chrisgcomics.com," Giarrusso said. "Long-time gaming fans dig that familiar old-school feel they grew up with, while younger fans are discovering the undeniable charm of these games for the first time. I personally couldn't be more thrilled with the way these games tie directly into aspects of the Cape Crisis comic series."

ESCAPE FROM DARK FOREST adapts the memorable chase scene from G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS #4, where G-Man must stay one step ahead of the deadly forest monsters seeking to devour him. Once readers are finished being thrilled, they can head down to their local comic book store in January to pick up the shocking conclusion to G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS, as well as the currently available digest collection of G-MAN's previous comics, G-MAN: LEARNING TO FLY.

G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS #5 (OCT090421), a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores January 13th, 2009. Printable order info can be downloaded at http://www.chrisgcomics.com/newspages/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/OrderForm_GManCC.pdf to help your retailer assist you in finding G-Man books. G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS: ESCAPE FROM DARK FOREST is available for free online play right now at http://www.chrisgcomics.com/ccgame3.html

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Comic News: The Year of Spider-Man Is 2010

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Comic News: ASTONISHING X-MEN MOTION COMIC BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO

Marvel is proud to present the latest Astonishing X-Men BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO #6

Get a behind the scenes look at the chart-topping Astonishing X-Men Motion Comic with this all new video! Based on the acclaimed story by superstars Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and John Cassaday (Captain America), the X-Men are faced with a mysterious new villain and a possible cure for the mutant gene! Now Cyclops, Wolverine and all your favorite mutants must face the greatest threats of their lives and, before it’s all done, experience one of the most jaw-dropping moments in Marvel history!

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Masters of the Universe Classics 2009 Top Ten, Part III

Numbers 6 and 5...

Tri-Klops with Mandarin Spawn katana.

Number 6 Tri-Klops

Masters of the Universe Classics really hit its stride over the summer and August’s figure, Tri-Klops, is a perfect example of that. Tri-Klops is a great update of the classic figure with a few subtle nods to the 2002 version of the character. He's still evil and he still sees everything.

He comes with a good amount of accessories such as his classic sword, a Doomseeker with mount, and even a replica of the classic glow-in-the-dark MOTU ring. Probably my favorite thing about this new Tri-Klops is that there is actually sculpting under the visor where you can see his robotic eye implants. Check out the full review of this figure here.

Number 5 He-Ro

While the final MOTUC action figure of He-Ro is impressive in its own right, the fact that he was finally made after all these years is pretty damn cool. He is, of course, based on the unreleased prototype from a cancelled MOTU spinoff series and his very 1980’s fantasy deco may not be to everyone’s taste but He-Ro is a great looking figure with a look that is quite unique in the line.


Within the context of Masters of the Universe Classics, He-Ro was also remarkable for introducing a lot of new tooling, such as new a new loin cloth, wrist guards and boots. He includes both a repainted “cosmic” power sword and a large, articulated golden staff which features a hidden spellstone, which came in one of three possible colors.

Read our original review of He-Ro here.

Check back tomorrow for numbers 4 and 3.

Patrick Garone
Staff Reviewer Read more...

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Toy Review: Retro Action DC Super Heroes Green Arrow Figure (Mattel)

I grew up in the 70's, and in the 70's, the action figures to have were Megos. World's Greatest Super-Heroes was the line to buy. Multiple points of articulation, real cloth costumes, and accessories, these were the action figures to have. 8 inches of super-hero glory. Just couldn't beat it.

Now Mattel has decided to bring the Megos back with their Retro Action Super Heroes, starting with Green Arrow. This reviewer is just a happy camper. Let's see why.



First here's a side by side look at the original Mego to the one from Mattel. (Thank you to the Mego Museum for loaning us the Mego pictures)




There are a lot of changes & improvements to this Green arrow figure. The costume is not made from cloth this time around, but rather spandex. There is also greater detail in Mattel's that is closer to the comic version. But there is still a snap in the back to remove the clothing, which is always great for customizers.




With accessories, on the original Mego, the quiver had a belt & 2 arm loops to hold it in place. Mattel's version is an improvement with a strap across Green Arrow's chest. The bow comes with a boxing glove arrow attached to it. And finally, like I remember, that hat is removable.



GA still maintains the same multiple points of articulation and if anything, has been improved. The joints are a lot tighter than I remember.



Green Arrow in the first in a series of other figures, that will include, Superman, Lex Luthor, Green Lantern, & Sinestro. Personally can't wait for them to come out, and I hope this line flourishes & grows.

Special thanks to the Mego Museum for allowing us to use their images. Find out more about Megos on their site at www.megomuseum.com

Brian Isaacs
Executive Editor/Owner Read more...

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Comic News: The Year of Spider-Man Is 2010

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Masters of the Universe Classics 2009 Top Ten, Part II

On to numbers 8 and 7...

Number 8 Skeletor

February’s figure was the Evil Lord of Destruction himself. In terms of design and deco, MOTUC Skeletor is pretty faithful to his classic 1980’s counterpart. He's got the same monster feet and scalloped forearms (which have found their way into far too many characters this year). He now sports a killer facesculpt which is full of great dry bony detail and painted a vivid acid-green and yellow, although not in the same paint-by-numbers way as the original.

He also comes with a huge Havoc Staff and both the full and half power swords painted in a great mix of dark and metallic purple as well as his bone-and-bat themed armor. In his original issue, he was sculpted with a partially open left hand which could grip his staff up towards the top and was evocative of Skeletor clawing the air in frustration or perhaps casting a spell. In December's reissue this hand was sculped tighter to hold a sword. Read our full review of Skeletor here.

Faker, with Witching Axe of Ruination, not included.

Number 7. Faker

Winner: Best Paint!

Faker is an absolute knockout of a figure and it is all thanks to an outstanding paintjob, for which he won our Best Paint honors this year. He is obviously a repaint of He-Man but because of a great color scheme and paint applications he becomes much more than the cheap repaint he could have been. Photos do not do this Faker justice. Unfortunately, he is somewhat lacking in accessories. If he had Faker versions of all of the He-Man accessories he would be much higher on this list. Read the full review of this figure here.

Patrick Garone
Staff Reviewer Read more...

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