Flash Force 2000 - Dark Seeker Battle Van

The Flash Force 2000 collection is one of our favorite obscure lines around the Preserve, and it is a crime that we haven't done a better job of getting the actual toys posted! Made by Matchbox in the greatest year, 1984, the line was quickly overwhelmed by the Transformers juggernaut, but thanks to the original Preserve archives as well as an awesome infusion by friend of the Preserve DoctorKent, we have a full set to bring to you. Let's get the vintage ball rolling once again with a massive pictorial of the Dark Seeker Battle Van - one of the large vehicles that the bad guy Rampagers used in their battles against the Flash Force!


We've got pics of the box, the instructions, the blast caps, and the toy itself, so browse the gallery and check out this excellent set. Also of interest are the mold markings on the van, indicating that it was molded in Canada and assembled in the USA! Those were the days, huh? A great piece of history for several reasons.
Posted by charlie on January 31st 2009, 04:42 PM
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Masters of the Universe Classics - Skeletor

Several weeks ago, in fact probably on the very day when Mattel pulled the He-Man and Beastman figures from their site, The Uncle had a fit. He swore up down and sideways that he would have nothing to do with this line any longer, because he had apparently not made up his mind to buy the figures yet, and now the pair goes for over $150 on the secondary eBay market. He is not alone in this feeling, judging from the message boards, with numerous people lamenting the sudden realization of the claims that this was a limited series.

Well, his anger led him of course to not order Skeletor, in spite of his love for the character. As we all know this figure sold out in a mere 12 days thanks to Mattel's new marketing tactics...and the fact that it's a great figure! All too late he realized the error of his ways, and began to lament anew the absence of the new 4 Horsemen Skeletor in his life. Well, lucky for him the Preserve has his back, like always, and we made sure to have ol' Matty send us a matched set of Keldor, so now everyone is happy!


Click that image for more shots of this amazing figure, and for the case break. I figure we love opening boxes full of toys, so some of you must enjoy such pictures also!
Collector Note: Remember if you missed any of these first 3 figures, Mattel may well have them available at New York Comic Con and San Diego Comic Con, while supplies last!
Posted by charlie on January 30th 2009, 02:56 PM
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Transformers Universe Legends - Beachcomber

Of the three new Transformers Legends figures from the Universe line that we showed off several days ago, I think that Beachcomber has the most authentic G1 feel. Something about the colors, the overall shape, and even the pose seem to capture the character better than the other classic Legends.


Starscream is also in this set, though oddly enough it is the new 'Animated' version of Screamer, so he definitely doesn't fit in with the rest of his classic companions. We have him waiting in the wings as well, but it seems more fitting to feature him with the rest of wave 3, which was the Animated wave. Must have been a production problem of some sort for Hasbro which delayed him until the later wave, all wave 8 Major Bludd style.
Posted by charlie on January 29th 2009, 06:37 PM
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Mezco Toyz Jason Contest

We are thrilled today to announce a new contest here at the Preserve! Mezco Toyz, in celebration of the upcoming new movie in the Friday the 13th series, has created a fantastic new Jason figure for us all to enjoy, and they are giving you a chance to win your very own!

How to Play:
1) Create a photo (or video!) re-enacting your favorite scene from the Friday the 13th movies.
2) Send to contest@parrygamepreserve.com by February 12th, 2009.
3) We will choose our favorite!
4) Mezco will ship our winner their Jason figure!

Your photo can be of real people, action figures, your pets, whatever. Click the link for more details on how to enter, and win!  Read More
Posted by charlie on January 28th 2009, 01:41 AM
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MOTUC Skeletor sold out

Update: Before the day is even over, the Masters of the Universe Classics figure of Skeletor has sold out! I think that our box of two is waiting at the post office this very moment - tomorrow we'll find out! I hope that everyone was able to get their orders in - now the fun will be watching the prices spike on the old eBay. We are content with one to open, and one to save for display. Remember, Mattel claims that they are holding back a few (100?) of each figure for sale at comic conventions this summer.
Posted by charlie on January 27th 2009, 06:33 PM
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MOTUC Skeletor almost gone

Word is that Skeletor, the January 2009 figure in Mattel's popular new Masters of the Universe Classics line, is nearly sold out! If you've been putting off the purchase, maybe today is the day to hop on over to mattycollector.com and bring home this excellent figure!

For anyone planning to attend the New York Comic Con, remember that Mattel looks to be about the only major toy company that will be in attendance. Also, they will have their brand new Faker figure with them, available for purchase!
Posted by charlie on January 27th 2009, 07:39 AM
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Transformers Universe - Cyclonus

Certainly one of the more hardcore characters from the 1986 Transformers movie, though with sadly little screen time and few lines, was Cyclonus. He would go on to be a recurring part of the post-movie animated series in the US, and does certainly maintain a strong fan following to this day. As a result of being so awesome, Hasbro tapped this character for inclusion in the 25th Anniversary wave, as can be seen on well-stocked store shelves currently! Check out his movie-accurate bio and more pics by clicking the image below.


Of course the other fantastic thing about this anniversary figure is the nod to the classic Targetmaster gimmick as well! Included with Cyclonus you also get Nightstick, a small robot who transforms into Cyc's firearm. Making up a whole season of Transformers back in the '80s, Targetmasters were one of several 'extra' inventions (Power masters, Headmasters) intended to keep things fresh and interesting. While Hasbro has told us that they aren't planning on bringing back other Targetmasters in the anniversary line, it is cool that they are trying to include a little bit of everything in the celebration.



Posted by charlie on January 26th 2009, 07:08 AM
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Transformers Universe Legends wave 4

We're finally catching up a little on the current toy release postings, and have started up the Transformers Universe Legends figure coverage. Oddly enough, we're starting out with wave 4, but things so very rarely make any sort of sense.

These are actually sort of hit-or-miss to find in stores, and it is interesting that the local WalMarts are really carrying only a subset of the massive Hasbro boys product line. For example, I don't see 12" G.I. Joe figures, Transformers Legends, or G.I. Joe vehicles in my local supercenters. I'm certainly willing to believe that it is because my local stores are less than ideal, but still given what a large part of the corporate jigsaw puzzle Walmart is these days, it must be a problem that they are not carrying all of the Hasbro formats across the board. I think this may in fact highlight that the deluge of products from Hasbro is a little over the top, even for the nation's largest retailer! Well, check out 75% of wave 4 of the Transformers Universe Legends figures - there is some good old fashioned G1 love going on in this set!



Posted by charlie on January 25th 2009, 06:51 PM
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Indiana Jones - Temple Guard

Why, oh why Hasbro did you have to cancel this Indiana Jones line? Yes, I know the reasons, and have read the Q&As and been to the panels and seen the sales figures, but I mean, the Temple of Doom line is just so great. Here's the Temple Guard figure - everyone enjoy.



Posted by charlie on January 24th 2009, 03:25 PM
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Transformers Universe - Deluxe Starscream

Several days ago we managed to find at the local Target the 5th and most recent wave of Transformers Universe Deluxe figures, Smokescreen and Dinobot! These figures are both super cool, and even though Smokescreen is a repaint of earlier characters in the line, the vintage color scheme tugs at the old heartstrings just the way hasbro knew it would! Pictures of these great figures are coming, but let's get through wave 4 first, today featuring Starscream!


Screamer is always good to see in the line, even if we've gotten this mold already. Who can complain about being that much closer to the set of Seekers? His bio is spot-on, describing him as a powerful foe who is really more of a bully than a tyrant; taking pleasure from dominating those weaker than himself, but fearing a worthy challenge. It's also great anytime Chris Latta's irreplaceable voice is given some props, which the bio also does. Click that image above for more shots of Megatron's number two bot, and to read his full bio.

Again, like Hound which we featured earlier, this figure falls under the official '25th Anniversary' header for the Transformers going into 2009, so has a generation key on the package. Here it is!



Posted by charlie on January 23rd 2009, 08:30 AM
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Indy and Elsa

We have another Indiana Jones Adventure Hero set to show you today - the last of the trio from the impossible to find Last Crusade set. Sadly out of 6 figures in this small wave two of them are Indy himself, but as previously discussed that's what you get with a title character! This set features Indy and Elsa, and Elsa even has the false Grail with her! Click the image for more shots of this rare set, and the awesome artifact of the $3.99 TJ MAXX pricetag - the sole reason the Preserve has these figures!


If we had been keeping up with the archives appropriately that would finish up the Adventure Heroes line. But! We have to go back now and wade through the Crystal Skull figures, as well as several sets from Raiders, or wave 1. So - you have lots more Adventure Hero action still to come!
Posted by charlie on January 22nd 2009, 02:39 AM
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Transformers Movie 2007 Real Gear - Midnighter XR-4

Let's take a step back to the very recent history of the Transformers line with a figure from the 2007 Movie series. The Real Gear sub-line was mostly overlooked and under-purchased, however as is often the case, the final wave of figures was pretty hard to find and even now is difficult to pick up on ebay. Fortunately for all us completeists out there, hasbrotoyshop.com had that last wave available for a while, so we were able to add them to the Preserve! We feature Midnighter XR-4 today who has a real problem with time. Read his full bio for a great look at a compulsive, paranoid Decepticon who may be high in rank, but is low in effectiveness.



Posted by charlie on January 21st 2009, 02:01 AM
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Transformers Robot Heroes - Arcee vs. Rumble

We first saw this Robot Heroes 2-pack waay back last February at Toy Fair 2008. Immediately smitten with the fantastic Arcee figure, it was a real testament to the far-reaching nature of the figures that are previewed at that show that this set only came out this fall. Click the image for more angles of this great set!



Posted by charlie on January 20th 2009, 12:44 AM
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Indiana Jones - Grail Knight and Col. Vogel Adventure Heroes

Let's check out another entry into the Adventure Heroes line, with the Grail Knight and Col. Vogel two-pack from the quite hard to find Last Crusade wave. Another pair of highly detailed, expressive little figures is contained herein, and I really wish that it was easier for people to find these on shelves! Click the image below for more pictures.


From reading some Indy forums today, it sounds like WalMarts across the land are putting the remaining figures on some truly catastrophic sales - in some cases as low as $0.70! Target has also marked things down significantly, and while my local store is basically out of all Indy figures, for stores that still have some stock remaining you can get some screaming deals on the Akator playset, figures of all sizes and the vehicles from this line.

Collector note: WalMarts in Canada are apparently receiving cases of the impossible to find Temple of Doom wave! So, any readers in Canada - don't give up hope - get out to WalMart and score some (discounted!) rare figures!
Posted by charlie on January 19th 2009, 10:58 AM
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GI Joe Modern Era - Destro and Shockblast comic pack

As the G.I. Joe modern era line begins to include figures from the new animated Resolute feature, we are getting some great previews of the style of the characters before we see the feature itself. Today let's check out the other comic 2-pack from wave 4, which features "pilot" Destro and Shockblast.


The Shockblast figure is another example of a name change that Hasbro has made this year, renaming the classic character Shockwave which first found plastic fame in 1988. It's too bad that the pursuit of a trademark has caused so many classic names to be 'reworked' this year, though through careful tracking and observation we can at least know who the characters are supposed to be.

This set is another fantastic entry to the growing comic pack line, and also makes us more excited than ever to finally see the Resolute series in full!
Posted by charlie on January 18th 2009, 08:16 AM
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Indiana Jones - Lost Temple of Akator Playset

In the home stretch of the Hasbro Indiana Jones line now, we come to the great playset that was produced for this line. While most of us would have really loved to see another Well of Souls or other vintage themed playset come out of this line, it is understandable that they focused their initial efforts on a Crystal Skull movie tie-in. We bring you, therefore, the Lost Temple of Akator playset! A repaint from a recent Star Wars playset, it actually works much better with the Indy theme, and is a great addition to the franchise. Click the image for more packaging shots, and additional box text about this great set.


Being that I'm a huge fan of the older films, and nearly have the opposite feelings towards the new effort of Crystal Skull, I have to at least raise a flag about the set description. I know Hasbro was doing their best with what they had to work with so I hold them blameless, but it is certainly a stretch to say that the Lost Temple of Akator represented "the most devious set of traps and puzzles he has ever encountered". I suppose, much like other recent franchise 'revivals' that Lucas has his mits all over, I should watch it more than the one time, somewhat anesthetized, in the theater which causes me to not clearly remember all of the salient events and 'plot points' before I raise such complaints. I do not, however, remember the Akator Temple as being very complex at all, certainly compared to the path to the Grail in Last Crusade for instance. Maybe by that point in the movie I had just ceased paying any attention what so ever - very possible!

Either way, it's a great playset and we do owe the new movie for allowing this whole line to even be made in the first place. Hasbro insists that if a 5th movie is made, they are ready to re-launch the line with many of the great figures (coughTohtcough) that we saw previews of before they were canceled. Given the performance of the 2008 Crystal Skull flick, it's unlikely - but we can always hope!
Posted by charlie on January 17th 2009, 10:17 AM
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Master of the Universe Classics: He-Man

In celebration of the successful launch of Skeletor yesterday, we wanted to feature the man himself from December 2008, He-Man! Get used to that torso mold, since I'm sure we'll be seeing it a lot, but they are doing a great job with paint so far and I bet each figure will look fresh and unique! Click the image for more angles and the great bio!


Speaking of the bio - that's a good thing to keep an eye on in this line. Mattel has released an official position that they will be tying all the bios together in this new line, answering some long standing questions and catering to some fan favorite issues. I guess we'll piece it together one month at a time! These bios are not the 'new cannon' or anything, since they say that multiple cannons are valid for this line to support all of the creative ways in which kids play, but at least the bios will fit together and be part of a larger whole!
Posted by charlie on January 16th 2009, 01:43 AM
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Masters of the Universe Classics - Skeletor


Get ready He-Man fans - at high noon today, January 15th, the latest figure in the Masters of the Universe Classics line will be released! Head on over to mattycollector.com and order up your fantastic new, 4 Horsemen created, Skeletor!

Word is that Mattel is pulling the figures from their site 1 month after release. This is sort of a surprising move, and maybe already not a good sign for the life of the new line, but it means that you should order as soon as possible. For those who were waiting for Skeletor to come out to save on shipping by ordering all three figures at once - looks like the plan backfired since He-Man and Beast Man are suddenly unavailable!

There will no doubt be some 'discussion' about this new policy, and there is a whole mattycollector.com panel at the upcoming New York Comic Con, so we'll have more information for you then!
Posted by charlie on January 15th 2009, 08:09 AM
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Transformers Universe - Hound and Ravage

The high school I attended was small enough that everyone knew everyone, and in the yearbook every senior was given a full page to customize as they saw fit. As will come as no surprise, everybody knew I was a big nerd, and the yearbook page would only serve to drive home that point! One of my several appropriate quotes was from Hound, off of his original 1984 bio card: "Observe everything, remember even more". This would become especially ironic in later years as my memory was to become increasingly bad and my less-than-keen observational skills would often leave me astonished by basic facts about the world around me!

Well, thanks to Hasbro we can now find Hound on our store shelves once again. Though he is missing that excellent quote, the bio does paint the picture of an expert tracker. Also we get a Ravage figure packed in with Hound, and Ravage still turns into a cassette tape - well done! The head on Ravage is a little strange, but maybe it'll grow on me - I'm just delighted that they managed to sneak a tape into the new 25th anniversary line. Click the image below for the full bio, spec numbers, and additional pictures!


Additionally, the back of the package has an interesting little chart that shows where this figure falls in the 25 year history of Transformers in the states. Useful for those who may not be old enough to have seen it first hand, or additionally for those of us who have trouble observing everything, and remembering even more these days!



Posted by charlie on January 14th 2009, 05:52 PM
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Indiana Jones - Indy and Dr. Henry Jones Adventure Heroes

Let's put a tribute to all the dads out there with another great version of the Dr. Henry Jones figure from the Last Crusade movie. This time, he is in the form of an Adventure Hero, and comes packaged with his son Indy, his grail diary and the true Grail itself - what a great figure! Click the image of the great package art below for some additional angles and text.



Posted by charlie on January 13th 2009, 12:01 PM
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Master System - Bomber Raid

Let's get another taste of the beauty that is a vintage Sega Master System game. Today we focus on Bomber Raid, which was pretty unique in the American release library, as it was distributed by Activision and departed from the standard white box with gray grid design. Another game along these lines is Rampage, which we'll get to in the fullness of time! For now, check out Bomber Raid - a two-mega cartridge!


This game has just claimed the front-runner spot in the awesome writeup contest. Just to make sure that no one misses it, the very short yet spectacular back of box text is the following!



That's right, in 50 well chosen words we get 'helabad', 'dweebs', 'gnarliest' and what is perhaps my new favorite phrase 'so hot it feels like a coin-op'. Nicely done Activision!
Posted by charlie on January 12th 2009, 07:39 AM
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Indiana Jones figures - Willie Scott

Willie Scott wasn't really the toughest or most self-reliant companion that Indy ever had, but she does know how to work a night club in a Parisian dress. Check out the wonderfully well painted and detailed Willie Scott figure from the 4th and final wave of Hasbro's Indiana Jones action figure line.


Proudly sporting the awesome jacked price from the KMart where DoctorKent secured the Temple of Doom figures for the Preserve, she is a bargain at any price! Well, just about. Go ahead - stick her with the fork, he'll get another!
Posted by charlie on January 11th 2009, 05:15 PM
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Transformers Universe Deluxe - wave 4

The fourth wave of Transformers Universe Deluxe figures has arrived from hasbrotoyshop.com. It's still pretty tough to find these in stores around here, especially the Cyclonus figure who pays homage to the classic Targetmaster concept! It is also excellent that Hound has the additional bonus of a little Ravage figure, though Ravage himself looks a little rough around the edges. Detailed pages coming soon - click the image for a larger look at this great set of Hound, Cyclonus, Cheetor and Starscream!



Posted by charlie on January 10th 2009, 04:21 PM
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Lego Brickmaster 2009 - set 20007 Star Wars: Republic Attack Cruiser

Your google searches have been demanding it since January 1st, so wait no longer! Here is the January / February 2009 Lego Brickmaster set #20007, kicking things off right with a little Star Wars: Republic Attack Cruiser!


This is the end of our first year's worth of subscription, and I have to say that it was worth every penny! It is great fun to get these exclusive sets every other month, and you also can't beat the Bionicle comic books which are always packed in (covers are pictured in the writeup - click that image above). It is time to renew and Lego, like many companies in this troubled economy, has sweetened the deal by adding on an additional 'free' month with your paid renewal! Forget those resolutions you won't actually do - this year resolve to become a Brickmaster!
Posted by charlie on January 9th 2009, 12:41 PM
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G.I. Joe Resolute - Comic 2-Pack

G.I. Joe Resolute is definitely upon us, so today let's check out one of the new comic 2-packs to be released in that sub-series. The pack of Tunnel Rat vs. Storm Shadow really looks good - I can't get over how much awesome gear they gave to Stormy. As I've said before, I get a little tired of the constant 'popular' character repetition, but they definitely went all out on this one and loaded him up with enough accessories to all but stand alone at that price!


Long time fans will enjoy finally getting a new Tunnel Rat figure as well - Hasbro is certainly trying to fill out the ranks of figures from our youth, and Tunnel Rat has been around since the G.I. Joe movie and issue #59 of the comic series. Interestingly, his face is based on the Godfather of G.I. Joe himself, Larry Hama!
Posted by charlie on January 8th 2009, 04:17 PM
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Masters of the Universe Classics - Beast Man

With the release of Skeletor imminent (January 15th, 2009), it seemed time to get some coverage up about the first figures in the hot new Mattel Masters of the Universe Classics line. You'll remember the excitement with which we announced the ordering of He-Man and Beast Man way back on December 1st, and our further excitement when they finally arrived. Well, the figures are indeed awesome - check out Beast Man!


Good ol' Raqquill Rqazz is ready to control some beasts and monsters for his master Skeletor, just in time! The packaging for these figures is cool - smaller than you'd expect from store-standard, and it's especaially cool to note the lack of a hang-tag, it not being intended for store pegs. We'll get He-Man himself posted soon, as well as detailed coverage of King Grayskull, the figure who re-launched the line! You'll remember that he was a San Diego Comic Con exclusive, and is really the first figure in this line, so he deserves a better write-up than he's so far gotten, which basically entailed The Uncle and myself in the parking lot doing some case breaks!
Posted by charlie on January 7th 2009, 11:34 AM
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Indiana Jones - Last Crusade Adventure Heroes at T.J, Maxx

Holy excellent toy find today Preserve readers! Thanks to a luke-warm tip from the cooltoyreview.com Indiana Jones forums that the discount store T.J. Maxx was shelving super-discounted Indy remainders slightly before Christmas, I took a swing by the local, under-visited store today. Yes, about 2 weeks late. Fortunately my failure to stay up to the minute on Indy sightings did not prevent me from finding one, and only one, set of the Last Crusade Adventure Heroes figures!


This final wave of what was a poor selling Indy format in general is perhaps finding it's largest distribution through this very channel, and I was delighted to somehow get there just in the nick of time! I do have to wonder how much product they had back around December 20th, when these reports started to trickle in, since now they just had a few German Soldier packs, an Indy on Horse, a Temple of Doom Indy single figure and two of the Indiana Jones & Willie Scott Adventure Heroes packs. If you're missing any figures from this line get on down to your local T.J. Maxx or Marshall's and see what you can find!
Posted by charlie on January 7th 2009, 01:30 AM
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Indiana Jones - Mola Ram

For months we looked with longing at the awesome Mola Ram figure, through the evil and tinted lenses of eBay, and it's delightful to finally have an example of this well painted and accessorized figure here at the Preserve! This is first hand proof of the claim that Hasbro got their act together here at the last minute - the paint is solid, the detail is amazing, and the extras are fantastic. Click the image for the detailed page, then send Hasbro a letter that you wish they would continue this line!



Posted by charlie on January 6th 2009, 12:09 AM
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G.I. Joe Resolute - Cobra Commander

Let's keep that G.I. Joe train rolling with additional wave 13 figure coverage. Today is extra cool, however because we get our first look at one of the 'Resolute' figures from the upcoming Animated feature. Granted we've had almost as many Cobra Commander figures in this line as we've had Snake Eyes, but the styling of this new item is really great, with the art to match!


Additionally awesome was the discovery of the latest wave of G.I. Joe Comic packs, which both feature Resolute characters! The Destro figure is pretty sweet, as are Tunnel Rat, Shockwave and yes, also Storm Shadow and his complex gear! Look for some coverage soon!



Posted by charlie on January 5th 2009, 06:24 AM
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G.I. Joe - Dreadnok Torch

It was not until I sat down to add some of the new G.I. Joe Modern Era wave 13 figures to the archives of the Preserve that I realized how truly far behind we are in the coverage of basic figures! For a change, this is not due to us just being slow or lazy, but is that total lack of waves 11 or 12 on local shelves. As each day slides by, it's looking more and more like we might miss out entirely on these waves! Well, hopefully these 12 (twelve!) figures will turn up eventually, but in the meantime let's take a look at the Dreadnok Torch!


Part of Zartan's merry band, you just gotta love the Dreadnoks. It's fantastic that Hasbro has now released all of the 'major' crew, of Buzzer, Ripper and Torch, though Joe Purists will be quick to point out all of the other characters who need to see the light of day. Well, rest assured that Hasbro has plenty of tricks up their sleeves for 2009, and we'll look forward to seeing them first hand at Toy Fair in February!
Posted by charlie on January 4th 2009, 06:09 PM
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Transformers Animated - Sentinel Prime

We haven't taken a look at any of the stylish figures from the Transformers Animated line in quite some time, so today let's check out Sentinel Prime! This no-nonsense by-the-book leader of the Elite Guard is definitely a stick in the mud, but has some skills and is probably better to have on your team than against you. Click the image for a detailed look at this character, his weapons, and his Galactic Powers and Abilities!


With the animated show having been renewed for at least the Spring of 2009, we can expect even more excellent figures to be forthcoming, including Arcee! It's likely what with the big Transformers movie sequel coming out next Summer that they'll put the brakes on the Animated line to some extent, but we'll get the full story when we visit Toy Fair in February!
Posted by charlie on January 3rd 2009, 08:22 AM
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Indiana Jones - Temple of DoctorKent

Long time reader and friend of the Preserve, DoctorKent, has come through in a huge way, helping us to secure the final wave of Indiana Jones figures from Hasbro's discontinued line! As we've said over and over, the Temple of Doom wave is seeing very limited distribution and we had all but given up hope, when we got the email several weeks ago with the good news! He tracked them down at a local KMart of all places, which is sometimes good for surprises these days as their visitor numbers dwindle. Note the hilarious price of $9.89 on them ("sale"!), compared to Target and WalMart trying to give away the rest of the figures lately. Either they have a savvy toy dept. manager (unlikely) or I bet they will have a lot of Mutt Williams hanging around for a loooong time. Still that price beats any other ToD option these days, and eBay continues to rub me the wrong way for items you should currently be able to find in the wild.

As rumored elsewhere these figures really are beautiful, Mola Ram even coming with some cloth goods and signature flaming heart! Click the image to check out a hi-res shot of the full set, and look for detailed pages soon.


It is so refreshing to get a shipment of items from another actual collector. DoctorKent isn't messing around, and I just have to show the fantastic packing job that was done for these figures. For astonishingly stark contrast, please reference the photo of Hasbro's recent shipping attempt.


So thanks again DoctorKent, and we can all remember the line from It's a Wonderful Life at this holiday season, "No man is a failure who has friends!".
Posted by charlie on January 2nd 2009, 07:18 PM
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Happy New Year, and Vectrex - Cosmic Chasm


Let's ring in 2009 with the opening of another important wing of game coverage here at the Preserve - namely the Vectrex Collection! This system is so cool and unique that it is high time we started to feature even the partially complete game collection that we have for it. To get things started, look at this simply beautiful complete Cosmic Chasm game. The intact plastic insert tray, the gorgeous 1982 screen printed (like a pinball backglass or arcade marquee) overlay with paper sleeve, and gray-tone instructions and cart - what a package.


For anyone who isn't up to speed on the Vectrex, be sure to stop by the main page for it to get a look at this great device. It is a totally self-contained unit, featuring a small vector screen like a Tempest or Asteroids arcade machine. With the use of a unique overlay for each game, you could at least change up the appearance somewhat. There's really something special and unique about playing one of these units - it's a level of feedback and control that your brain just can tell is missing from the modern day imitations!

Also, check out the high score by Wayne on December 27, 1983! That's what I love about old items - their history, their story. I like to imagine that Wayne got his Vectrex and that game for Christmas in 1983, and that was his first excited score recording. Much like most of my college notebooks, the diligent note taking stopped soon thereafter, but we get this great historical record. Wayne, if you're out there - thanks for taking such great care of your game!



Posted by charlie on January 1st 2009, 12:01 AM
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