It's 50% car, 50% cubicle, and 100% awesome!
Saturday, May 30. 2009
Another comic-based model has joined the ranks: the Carbicle, based on the 26 October 2008 Dilbert strip.
Revenge of the Fallen Toys Out
Friday, May 29. 2009
A sub-sub-category of my collecting (like I needed another one) is changeable Corvettes. Transformers, Go-Bots, knock-offs - anything is fair game as long as it changes from Corvette to robot. So I was definitely looking forward to seeing some new Vette-based figures with the Revenge of the Fallen line. Wal-Mart was the first out of the gate with the official release of the figures, so I picked up both versions of Sideswipe today:
Toys R Us acquires FAO Schwarz
Thursday, May 28. 2009
"WAYNE, N.J. – Toys R Us. Inc. announced early Thursday that it had bought troubled high-end retailer FAO Schwarz, which has struggled for years through bankruptcies amid tough competition from discount stores.
'We will work tirelessly to preserve the distinctiveness and integrity of the FAO Schwarz stores and brand as we grow the business and, indeed, take the brand to even greater heights,' Jerry Storch, CEO and chairman of Toys R Us, said in a news release."
Full story here
'We will work tirelessly to preserve the distinctiveness and integrity of the FAO Schwarz stores and brand as we grow the business and, indeed, take the brand to even greater heights,' Jerry Storch, CEO and chairman of Toys R Us, said in a news release."
Full story here
Terminator: Salvation Review
Friday, May 22. 2009
I've been a fan of the Terminator franchise for pretty much as long as there has been a Terminator franchise. And, like many fans of the series, I was somewhat underwhelmed by T3. But I had high hopes for the newest installment, as the trailers made it look like the creators of this installment "got" the series. Fortunately, there were only a couple of hiccups in this otherwise excellent installment. Yes, the original timeline is pretty much ruined at this point, and there was one bit that I found rather hokey (details in the spoiler section after the jump), but overall I thought this was a great return to what makes the Terminator universe so good.
The Dark Detective is Ready to Roll
Tuesday, May 19. 2009
Some people may remember this model from my NYCC recap. Three months later, the Batmobile of 1970 is now complete!
May Tip of the Month
Friday, May 15. 2009
With everything going on at the beginning of the month, I completely forgot to post May's Tip of the Month. That has now been corrected.
New Product Bulletin: 1965 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport 396 by National Motor Museum Mint
Thursday, May 14. 2009
• 1:24 Scale
• Rubber Tires
• 8 Inches Long
• Opening Hood
• Opening Doors
• Working Steering System
• 396 Cubic Inch V-8 Engine
• Available at www.Motormint.com
Transformers Officially Turn 25
Saturday, May 9. 2009
Yes, technically this should have been posted yesterday, but the event still bears mentioning even if I missed the exact date. It is generally agreed that hte first Transformers comic hit newsstands on May 8, 1984, marking the date that the Transformers officially rolled out for the firs time.
I celebrated the occasion by stopping by Target to fill a couple of holes in my Classics collection.
Star Trek Review
Friday, May 8. 2009
This is going to be a relatively short review, because the only real way to appreciate Star Trek is to go out and see it. The actors and filmmakers not only captured the look and feel of the Star Trek Universe, they managed to craft a genuinely excellent movie. Somehow they managed to pull of the nigh-impossible combination of science fiction, drama, adventure, and comedy without making things too campy, dull, dumb, or forced. Everyone and everything on screen (including the Enterprise, the mining vessel, and even Kirk's "borrowed" Corvette) really deserve to be experienced on the big screen. If you've been on the fence about this one, definitely catch it sooner than later.
Whonk! Wha-Wha-Whonnnnnkk!
Thursday, May 7. 2009
So, since the Death Race 2000 Monster had to be put on hold until I can get the paint situation sorted out, I decided to move on to another "Twitter Build" where I'll be posting the details of the buildup as they happen. I'm going with another 1970s cult classic, the custom Lincoln from The Car. The model will be made using Comet Miniatures resin and metal kit, and I am starting off the process tonight by watching the movie. You can read the rest of the details of the build on my Twitter feed or check the updates as they are posted right here on the home page.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine Review
Monday, May 4. 2009
I didn't expect much going in to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The first X-Men was great, and X2 was even better (X2 remains one of my top five favorite comic-inspired movies of all time*). X3 was solid for the most part, but nowhere near the peak of its predecessors. At least that meant that the bar was set relatively low for Wolverine. Unfortunately, it also meant that I had no strong desire to go see the movie. Fortunately, some friends went to see it this weekend and I was volunteered to go along as well. I'm glad I did: while it was still less than the first two, overall it was a very good movie. Spoiler review after the link...
The Empire State Aerosciences Museum Adds a Little Space
Saturday, May 2. 2009
The Empire State Aerosciences Museum in Schenectady county celebrated its grand re-opening today with a special day-long ceremony. Festivities included free admission to the museum, featured guests (including Melissa Rice of NASA, who is currently working on the Mars over Project), an official ribbon cutting ceremony, and interactive aviation exhibits. Yes, interactive: unlike many museums, ESAM encourages patrons to truly experience their exhibits with moving displays (controlled by the visitor), replica pieces that can be sat in, moved, etc., and a static aircraft display of classic fighters and bombers that let you walk right up to the aircraft.
The highlight of the show was the all-new Lunar Rover exhibit, dedicated to ESAM founder Carl Battaglia. Primarily built by local model builders who volunteered their time and efforts, the exhibit included scale models, videos, interactive and static displays, and a miniature lunar surface complete with an R/C Lunar Rover. Kudos especially to Jeff and Bob for their hard work getting the room to look as great as it did.
If you missed today's ceremony, the ESAM is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm, and on Sundays from noon to 4pm, with admission costing $8 for adults, $6 for seniors & military personnel, and $5 for children ages 6-16.
About ESAM: The Museum is located on the Schenectady County Airport, one of the earliest consolidated airports in the country, where Lindbergh landed in 1927. During the 1930’s it was an aircraft manufacturing site and became a military training area and an AAF base during World War II. Aircraft research and development conducted here was so important that the first jet airmail started from this site in 1946. With the establishment of the General Electric Flight Test Facility and the Malta Rocket Test Station toward the end of WWII, it became known as “The Little Peenemunde of the US” because of its rocket and jet research & development. The museum site and buildings are part of this heritage.
The highlight of the show was the all-new Lunar Rover exhibit, dedicated to ESAM founder Carl Battaglia. Primarily built by local model builders who volunteered their time and efforts, the exhibit included scale models, videos, interactive and static displays, and a miniature lunar surface complete with an R/C Lunar Rover. Kudos especially to Jeff and Bob for their hard work getting the room to look as great as it did.
If you missed today's ceremony, the ESAM is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm, and on Sundays from noon to 4pm, with admission costing $8 for adults, $6 for seniors & military personnel, and $5 for children ages 6-16.
About ESAM: The Museum is located on the Schenectady County Airport, one of the earliest consolidated airports in the country, where Lindbergh landed in 1927. During the 1930’s it was an aircraft manufacturing site and became a military training area and an AAF base during World War II. Aircraft research and development conducted here was so important that the first jet airmail started from this site in 1946. With the establishment of the General Electric Flight Test Facility and the Malta Rocket Test Station toward the end of WWII, it became known as “The Little Peenemunde of the US” because of its rocket and jet research & development. The museum site and buildings are part of this heritage.