February Nerd Block Review

After a surprisingly long break, Talking Tiny Toys is back! Hopefully this time around I can bring you a more consistent, wider variety of reviews. First up is my new foray into subscription boxes. Today I'm taking a look at the February Nerd Block!

We all know I'm a sucker for blind boxes, and subscription boxes are really just giant blind boxes, right? It took me awhile to decide which one to get but Nerd Block seemed to have the right amount of stuff for my particular brand of nerd. Each box comes with a toy, a t-shirt, and a bunch of other smaller surprises. This month, we were promised a Deadpool exclusive, something from Nintendo, and something the Dark Knight fans would enjoy. What did we get? Let's find out!

I'm renaming this box "Deadpool in the Kitchen"

I'd say that a pretty good haul. Subscriptions boxes are always a bit of a risk, especially with the Canadian dollar being worth a hand full of sand at this point. For me, a successful box comes with something I'm really excited about, something I wasn't expecting, or something bizarre that I'm surprisingly happy to have. This one checks all those boxes.

Throwback Thursday: The Beginning of the Minimate Problem

As you can tell by my blog, I adore minimates. They're ridiculous, unnecessary, and absolutely trivial but I love them. They don't take up much space and have more detail than any 2 inch toy ought to. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who still buys these things and they keep getting harder and harder to find. 

For #ThrowbackThursday we're going back to when the problem started: my first year of university (gulp) over ten years ago. My friends bought me 3 packages of minimates (for Christmas maybe?) and it was all down hill from there.

Vision (Avengers: Age of Ultron): Funko Mystery Minis

It has taken a few days but I've processed my feelings about Avengers: Age of Ultron (liked it, didn't love it) and am finally ready to talk about the newest addition to my Funko family. I present you with Vision the Mystery Mini. This toy review will contain spoilers for the film so read at you own risk. You have been warned!

Jaime Lannister (Game of Thrones) by Dark Horse

Welcome to my first review of the new year! I have a back log of things to talk about (Fan Expo swag, minimates, my ever growing Pop! problem) but I've decided to take a look at one of my favourite Christmas gifts. He's cocky, handsome, and has the bad habit of throwing children out windows. Today I'm reviewing Jaime Lannister by Dark Horse.

Top 5 Pop Lines That Will Break My Bank Account in 2015

Christmas is over and while I didn't actually receive that many toys (except for my gift exchange with Christina Articulates and her husband) I still have a ton of things to share with you in the upcoming weeks...but not today. With holiday craziness, family gathers, and visiting friends I haven't had much time to take pictures. Instead, I'm announcing my New Year's Resolution!

It's simple. My resolution is to make this blog bigger and better and actually update! I'm making a commitment. Done and done. And if I haven't posted in a while, feel free to yell at me over on Twitter.

It shouldn't be too hard to keep on track. By now, everyone is aware of my crippling Pop! problem and next year looks to be a disaster waiting to happen. As a New Year's treat, today I'm looking at... 

The Top 5 Pop! Lines that will break my bank account in 2015

Happy Holidays: Custom Family Bobble-heads!

Back in February, I mused about how the likelihood of having an action figure of myself was slim to none. Apparently I was wrong! This year my aunt and uncle decided to surprise my family with custom bobble-heads from Dolls2u.com They (quite suspiciously) had us each send them pictures of ourselves and although my brother figured out the surprise, the results were hilarious and amazing.

 Behold, the Nagel Family!

What Should I Review Next?

Let me know in the comments or on Twitter @talkingtinytoys!

Dollar Buys: Avengers Grab Zags

It's time for another Dollar Buy (and another post...finally)! My second trip to Dollarama was just as productive as the last and I came home with a few great finds for under $3. Can't beat that! I'll save my Super Mario purchase for later. Today I'm opening up my Avengers: Grab Zags.

I've seen these blind bags in store before and although I'm a huge Marvel fan, I've been hesitant...and not because of the stupid name. The reason? Take a look at the list of available toys.

Do you see the problem? Sure, the Marvel Minis are super-cute, but what the heck am I going to do with a skateboard or a disc launcher? Since the bag is pretty thin, I did my best to feel out the toy inside and put back anything that felt flat. I found one that seemed to be the right shape. Should I press my luck? (Of course I did).

Thor (Reborn) & Lady Loki Minimate

I'm finally back! After a few months in a slump I've decided to dive back into blogging, and what's better to get me out of the dumps than taking a look at some great toys? He's the god of thunder. He's She's a trickster. What do they have in common? They're two of the most detailed minimates I've ever seen in my life. Today, I'm reviewing Thor (Reborn) & Lady Loki.

Dollar Buys: Star Trek KRE-O

When wandering around the dollar store, I always check out the toy section. Most of the time it's just knock-offs and toy guns but this time I got lucky and found a row of "Star Trek." Being the nerd I am, I had to take a closer look. 

Looks good to me

Officially licensed. Hasbro. Star Trek. I can definitely shell out the $1.50 to see what's inside these blind bag. I grabbed two (because I have no willpower) from the rack and headed to the cashier to pay for my not-quite-Lego. 

NBC's Hannibal Hears My Prayers!

Yes. YES. YES. The toy gods have heard my prayers and are answering in abundance!

That's right! Two of my favourite things are coming together - NBC's amazingly dark, disturbing, complicated, addictive, and all around fantastic show Hannibal and Funko Pop!

Showrunner Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies, Dead Like Me) announced last week via Twitter that Funko will be releasing a line of Hannibal Pop! figures, and I couldn't be happier. This Fannibal (Fan + Hannibal = Fannibal) will be wearing her flower crown (Flower + crown...you know what, let's just leave that for now...) and counting down the days until she can shell out some cash and get her mitts on these. 

For those of you not watching (and you should be) Hannibal is a prequel to the Thomas Harris book series. It follows special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) as he tries to solve some of the most interesting, graphic, and somehow beautiful murders ever put to screen. Psychiatrist, Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen is brought in to help. (Spoilers: He's a cannibal.) It's dense, dreamlike and not for the squeamish. The show is crafted so well it's hard to believe this is network television. Critics love it. 

As of March 31, 2014

Still, the ratings are low and it dances close to the cancellation bubble. Let's hope merch money can keep it afloat until people realize what they're missing. This Hannibal Pop! series focuses on three of the show's main characters. 

Will Graham, Hannibal Lecter, & Jack Crawford

Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) is the man in charge (or so he thinks) and this Funko is a pretty good representation. As head of the FBI's Behavioral Science department, he enlists the help of Will Graham to catch the worst of the worst. By the beginning of season 2, Jack may be in over his head.

I love the suit design on this promo-picture. The grey suit works well with the colours of the shirt and tie. Having his hands in his pockets is a great detail. Jack could be a pretty dull figure, especially compared to Will and Hannibal, but the details could make him worth the price. I hope the actual figure keeps them.

I hate buying duplicates, especially when characters I like haven't been made available yet, but I will probably have to buy both Will Grahams. They're just so much fun. The first one depicts Will as he was in Season 1. He's wearing his trademark sweater/jacket and paid button up shirt. He holds a gun, which he fires multiple times throughout the series.

The second figure is based on incarcerated Season 2 Will and plays with the iconic image of Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. I want to get him side-by-side Funko's version of Hopkins for a comparison. My favourite details are the bags under Will's eyes. Perfect characterization. There is no one more broken than Will Graham.

Hannibal is dressed in one of his trademark suits. He's all class. Perfect hair and a perfectly tailored outfit. I'm a little disappointed that they didn't use one of his patterned suits for inspiration, but that's just a nitpick. Besides, that amount of pattern could overpower a toy like this. Hannibal isn't Don Cherry. The knife is a good character marker and the "Blood Spatter" SDCC Exclusive is a lot of fun. Unlike Brienne, I might actually scheme to get one of those.

I'm not usually excited about the "other" figures (pets, monsters, etc) but I really like the Stagman (or Wendigo or swiggity swag stag...). This hallucination (or what-have-you) sets the tone of the series. The sculpt looks unique and the antlers will look really interesting on a shelf. Let's hope the black paint job doesn't hide the details too much.

So there you have it. Hannibal is once again going to take my money. I can't wait. If I can write this much on just the promotional pictures, what am I going to do when I actually get to play with these?!

Me with an actual flower crown

Lammily: Barbie, Beauty & Body Image

Today we're taking a little break from tiny toys and talking about a brand new doll that has taken the internet by storm. Lammily is toted as the realistic Barbie. Her proportions are taken from the average 19 year old girl, her make-up is minimal, and she's available for pre-order through their crowd funding campaign. But is Lammily really the next step in fashion dolls? Read more HERE and don't forget to comment!

The Future of Heroes (Future Hiro)

Yes folks, it's true. The television gods have heard our prayers and are bringing back a show from the depths of cancellation. Fans rejoice as we count down the days until the the 2015 release of...

Wait...what?

It's hard to believe that out of all the beloved shows that were unceremoniously cancelled over the last few decades, Heroes in the one to defy the odds. Heroes: Reborn will be coming to our screens in 2015. It isn't known yet how it will be connected to the original, but insiders are speculating a brand new cast with brand new adventures. It's probably the best choice since...I have absolutely no idea how that series ended. I was as excited as the next person when we finally got an unabashed superhero program on network television (Smallville excluded). I enjoyed season one and survived the time travel madness of season 2 but, like many others, I finally gave up. It became a chore. It actually made m angry to watch. I was relieved when it was cancelled. Surprise! Now, it's back.

It was also surprising to find this under a few boxes in my closet.

Hodor (Game of Thrones) Funko Pop!

While we're counting down the days until season 4 for HBO's Game of Thrones, we might as well check out another Game of Thrones Funko Pop! figure!  Brienne of Tarth was a nice representation of the character with some really interesting detail. Can this series keep it up? Today we're taking a look at a character who manages to say a lot with only one word. Think of him as Westeros's Stark carrying Pokemon. Yes, today we're looking at fan favourite, Hodor!

Hodor!

Marvel BEARZ by Piranha Studios

Detailed and adorable, Piranha Studios takes our favourite Marvel characters down to the bear-bones.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm a sucker for a unique take on a character, and the Bearz line is definitely that. These 5 inch vinyl figures from the UK surfaced back in 2006, but never really took off here. I saw them around once or twice randomly but there were never more than a couple. I regret not buying more when I had the chance. Just look at some of these designs.

Wolverine (suit) & Mariko Yashida (The Wolverine) Minimates

The Wolverine did its best to make us forget about X-men Origins: Wolverine. Hugh Jackman took his adamantium claws to Japan and carved out a movie that was, although problematic, a crowd-pleaser. Do the toys make the cut? Today I'm taking a look at The Wolverine minimates!

Cyclops and Marvel Girl (Wave 11) Super Hero Squad

Today we're taking Talking Tiny Toys back to 2006. The Super Hero Squad line started in 2006 and immediately caught my attention. I'm a sucker for stylized figures and ended up buying 3 out of 4 sets of  wave #1. They happened to be X-men, which made my decision that much easier. Flash forward to 2008 and these cartoonish, child friendly toys (the recommended age is 3+) are already in their 11th wave and have covered characters from most of Marvel's properties. Today we're taking a look at Cyclops and Marvel Girl (Rachel Summers).

Now, I'm a huge X-men fan and you'll probably get sick of the number of mutants covered on this blog, but I will admit that these two characters are not my favourites. Cyclops has never really held my interest. I'm not anti-Cyclops by any means. There have been (and currently are) interesting stories told about him. He's a staple to the X-men roster. He's just not a character I would go out of my way to find toys of. Granted, I probably half half a dozen or more Cyclops' (Cyclopses? Cyclopsi?) in my collection but that just kind of...happened.

Loki & Heimdall (Thor 2: The Dark World) Minimates

Thor 2: The Dark World will be available on Bluray and DVD on February 25th, which is a great reason to take a look at this set of minimates. I'm a little late to the game and didn't pick up any of the Thor 2 figures until a couple weeks ago. I saw them at my local comic book store and decided I needed them. Loki and Heimdall? In the same box? The two you want are never packaged together! We're usually forced to buy half a dozen Hydra soldiers...or a new and (slightly) different Wolverine.

Let's take a look at Heimdall first (played by Idris Elba in the films). His costume is gold and brown, with intricate "Asgardian" detail over the front and back. His helmet is molded with the same pattern. When his helmet is removed, you can enjoy the features of his face. Although, he doesn't look much like Elba, the figure makes up for it with his furrowed brow and forehead wrinkles. This Heimdall is every bit as commanding and imposing as the film's version.

Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones) Funko Pop!

Series 3 of the Game of Thrones Funko Pop! Vinyl Figures are finally here and I can't help but be excited. I've been a fan of George RR Martin's fantasy books for over ten years and have followed the creation and subsequent success of the HBO series since its inception.  I admit it, I'm obsessed and was thrilled when they started pumping out the merchandise. Lately, Funko has stepped up their game (and taken all my money). I love the minimalist designs of the Pop! line and while I question some of the character choices for series 3 (Still no Sansa? Really?) I couldn't wait to get my hands on them. Hell, I own the Valyrian Steel Ice replica, of course I'll shell out $11 for a couple of these adorable things when I stumbled upon them in Hot Topic. First up: Brienne of Tarth.

I love Brienne, and although her story-line meanders a little in the books, Gwendoline Christie has done a fantastic job bringing her to life on the small screen. She's complex, endearing, and a badass. I can't wait to see what's in store for her in Season 4. But onto the toy!