Wednesday, May 23, 2012

[Geek] When Hot Toys literally releases hot toys: Thor and Loki of Marvel's "The Avengers"

Wait, I'm not done with my "Avengers" obsession phase yet, even if the hype has died down and dwindled as people make way for other summer blockbusters. xD Such periods of dire fondness for a fandom is something a geek isn't a stranger to; in fact, in a geek's life, it happens nearly everyday (for better and for worse, believe you me).

So when I saw photos shared by friends linked to the Hot Toys' Facebook fan page, and with the full glory of the Loki 1/6 scale figurine adorning their timeline, I immediately had to know more details about that particular figurine (hey, it's LOKI! #Loki'sArmy xD) and others in "The Avengers" line.

I checked out more photos from http://youbentmywookie.com (and I'd like to stress that the photos I'd be posting here will all be from their web site, so the photo credits go to them. :) ).

And boy, was I BLOWN AWAY.

Even as the photos only showed the prototypes, and the official releases may still slightly differ, I can't help but ADMIRE the painstaking detail lavished unto each figurine, especially the paint details of the face. Each pose, each angle of the collectible showed a masterpiece waiting to be displayed proudly in a toy collector's haven/shelf/home museum. Even at first glance, the lifelike details can't be missed, and their likeness to the actors that played them in the films were uncannily very identical.

Well, then, let's look at the photos, starting with Loki, God of Mischief, in the likeness of  (spellbinding) actor Tom Hiddleston:

one word: CHEEKBONES. hell yeah cheekbones.

I was never really a fan of Loki's costume (it's the helmet, making him look goat-ish sometimes!! D:) UNTIL there were enough photos on the web which showcased Tom Hiddleston in costume (read: ridiculously photogenic Loki meme) and I slowly found myself appreciating the blend of fabrics and textures. The collectible is no different. Textures, fabric, how they photograph very nicely--it's all in the package.




These collectibles were made not only to be displayed but, perhaps, to be photographed in different poses using different accessories that come with the figurine. LOKI HAS A LOT. Just look. LOOK. They even included that freaky muzzle and shackles which he wore towards the end of the film.

The collectible itself is highly pose-able. It's like a tiny human being in itself and it's almost scary. Here are more photos:





The Loki collectible figurine stands at about 32 cm tall with over 30 points of articulation (meaning those joint things you can move to achieve real-life body poses). I was dazed to realize that the collectible is a LIMITED EDITION one, so I'm pretty sure by the time it's released to the market on December 2012, stocks will fly off shelves in no time..... and I'm close enough in becoming one of them (even with a HEFTY SRP of $219.99!! *mini heart attack*)

More photos and details on the figurine itself can be found HERE.

So, that's for the God of Mischief. Now moving on to his brother: Thor, God of Thunder, played by the smexChris Hemsworth:

Hammer time!

Just like the Loki figurine, the Thor one spares no detail. The fabrics used, the textures, the sculpt of the hair, beard, and facial features, with Mjolnir (the hammer has a name, yes) at his side... Odin himself would be quite intrigued ("My son, the mortals hath forged sculptures in thy likeness. Interesting realm, this Midgard.").





Not a lot of accessories come with Thor (though the Tesseract container and its crafted detail is something to consider), but I forgot to mention that the this and the Loki figurine come with stands bearing the film logo. These beauties are indeed for display. The actors who played Loki and Thor are about the same height, so their collectible versions are also about the same height: 32 cm, and Thor's also has more than 30 points of articulation.

AND OH YES, THE FACE DETAILS~~~

BY ASGARD!!! DO YOU NOT SEE THE PORES???

And then you thought that Asgardians would be flawless and immortal and as splendid as the gods of lore... yes there are pores, and traces of wrinkles, redness, and the facial hair--so much like what Chris Hemsworth may look like had you watched the film (or "Thor") in HDTV. xD


And just to compare the two side by side (sort of), here is Loki's marvelous mugshot:

"I stole my brother's skincare regimen and got the best from it"

Pores are still there, but finer. AND THE EYES BY ODIN'S BEARD THE EYES. Kudos to the artists (shown in the figurines' respective pages in Youbentmywookie (the site hath a peculiar name, doth it not?) who really captured the characters'/actors' perfections and imperfections. The Thor collectible figurine retails at $199.99. Perhaps it is due to less loose parts and accessories as compared to the Loki figurine.

Both figurines are still for pre-order and will be released to the market in the 4th quarter of this year. More details on the Thor collectible figurine can be found HERE. He is also LIMITED EDITION (aaccckkkk).

The other characters whose prototypes have been released are: Captain America, Nick Fury, and Hawkeye.

Just a little note: I have not been paid or compensated by Hot Toys to make some oggling observations of Thor and Loki from their 1:6 scale line. ^^; I just wanted to share the good stuff to you guys, and who knows, any of you may be falling in line soon to receive the collectibles when they come out, most likely, on December 2012.

So... purchased any action figures lately? ^^ I do know some girls who do. They unleash their inner boy-geek and toy stores instantly become what makeup stores are during their girly days. xD

Hey, girls have the right to collect and display toys of favorite superheroes and action figures as anyone! ^_^


LURVE,



Saturday, May 19, 2012

[PERSONAL][GEEK] Free Comic Book Day: I should've done this more often. :P

Okay, so I have a confession to make.

Ever since watching Marvel's The Avengers, I duly came to realize that I've been missing out on a large chunk of geekdom in my life, which is: the geekdom of comic books. "The Avengers" opened a world to me which I knew would be vast, interesting, complicated, and perhaps more endearing than I have imagined. In all those years, I've seen fellow geek friends succumb to the power of the comic book. While I do own a couple, such as "V for Vendetta" and "Watchmen," I have never really considered myself an enthusiast... until I felt the tingle of slowly becoming one eventually.

I think it's both a good thing and a bad thing. xD

You see, I've entered this phase when I stop spending on make-up, clothes, and shoes--which is good--only to bring my attention to something else--which is, well, entirely geek stuff.

I've foregone some skin care purchases because of this:


"The Ultimates," written by Mark Millar

I've sworn that I'd be in a spending ban after that motherfudger, and so far so good: no major purchases since then, and I believe that the effort is worth it, since I enjoyed my new paperback immensely.

And that is when I knew that I wanted MOARRR.

So I decided to attend Fully Book's Free Comic Book Day on May 19, 2012 at their Bonifacio High Street branch (yes, the one with the four--well, five with the basement--floors of awesome). Of course, I also made sure to attend with friends who were more adept in this new field that I am dabbling into. Nick or Pinoyavenger was there, and so was Mark, and the Justice PH, who came in full costume--pure coolness.


The 9:30AM line

When the line started to move in front of Fully Booked.


I was told that people start falling in line a couple of hours before the shop opens during Free Comic Book Day, and Fully Booked was no exception. Nick and I were there at around 9AM and there already was a line outside the doors about three shops long. In less than an hour, the line grew long enough to span nearly a mile (I may be exaggerating but hey! It's my first Free Comic Book Day ever and these novel things bring wonder to my eyes). The little kid inside me grew giddy. I was thinking: what people would do for free comics; what people would do to celebrate something they love, however small it was. 


The poster

Nick and I (and the line behind us)



As our turn came, I went about consulting Nick and Mark repeatedly on recommendations of comics, both from the free comic book pile, and from those on sale. I eyed a couple of comic book compilations on The Hulk (I have The Hulk/Dr. Bruce Banner FEELS, you see. :P) from the sale (50% off!!!!!) and toted them around for a while, making up my mind, until I decided to save up instead for more geek things I had in mind (also comic book related... somewhat ^^;). The force of comic books in me isn't that strong yet, but the interest surely remained. Mark offered to lend me "Planet Hulk," and of course I accepted; before investing myself thoroughly into this geekdom, I must do more than dip my toes and dive in, with the help of friends, of course. ^_^;;;


The Justice PH :D


Pickin' out some comics at the comics desk

By brunch time, Nick and I decided to have some waffles and pancakes, and soon, Mark joined in after retrieving a free donut from Krispy Kreme. And then a slew of comic-book (and "Avengers" film)-related conversations began. The names and timelines they dropped were both foreign and candy to my ears. They didn't leave me out of the conversation as they enlightened me as they went, while I asked a question or two. It dawned upon me again that I HAVE BEEN MISSING OUT. Dang, girl! You could've had some grand times with past Free Comic Book Days. Oh well, better late then never ever, I suppose!


What I got (behind are prints illustrated by comic book artist Andrew Villar :) )

I haven't had a kikay post in a long time, but I've initially planned for my blog to cater to various audiences and be about various topics and shenanigans, and since I've been in a geeking mood as of late, WELL HERE IT IS.

And besides...





















(I just needed an excuse to include a tantrum-y Loki here.)

So... any of you guys have been on Free Comic Book Days for this year and the past years since its inception? :D


LURVE,


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