Top toys of 2006!

2006 is about to die, what toys did I find most fun for the year you ask?


Beast Wars 10th Aniversary was a chance to pick up characters I missed the first time. It also got me looking on ebay for even more like Inferno and Quickstrike. Transformers Classics was a zippy retrospective of G1 toys.


As always, new Bionicles were fun to build. I collected three, and resisted the rest.


The new H.I.S.S tank was probably the best hidden surprise of the year. I wouldn't mind buying ten more.


Sigma Six toys are as strong as ever! Destro and his suit case was a spiffy cool xmas gift, as was Hi-Tech and Zartan. Im looking forward to Ship Wreck and the Ladies of Sigma Six.


The best toy of the year looked like Transformers Cybertron Primus. I have yet to snagg one yet...

Nativity Surprise!

Ahh Christmas, a time of sharing, carols, and laughter. A time for good food and warm fires and holiday hawks. A time of giving, recieving, and little tiny oranges.

And like last year, a time to play with my Mom's Nativity set! (see the archives for Snakes Eye's fun)


Things seemed quiet this year on the piano. All was good, but then on accident I flipped my infra-red function on my camera and got an interesting surprise.


Looks as if Zartan was hanging around for the event.

That was strange.

Seasons Greetings from Inferno, Quickstrike, and Waspinator!

oh no, its snowing on my couch again.

Dan-Ra captures 'adult' Tygra.

This cheap 'adult' Tygra figure just stinks! I am not letting him touch the other toys in the museum in fears he will infect them with second hand smoke. Im thinking I will just resell him. For now though, I have him preserved in a zip baggy with a festive pear smelling car freshener. Merry Christmas from Tygra.


In an unrelated bit, check out this Icicle formed on an icicle christmas light. Oh the irony.

I bought an Adult Tygra?

Apparently last week I placed a bid on an Adult Tygra on Ebay. And apparently I won an Adult Tygra for about five bucks. I don't remember at all bidding on an Adult Tygra. I better stop with the Mad Dog 20/20 and Ebay late at night. To anyone's relief, Tygra doesn't do anything 'adult' he just has a different head than 'Young" Tygra. I did get what I payed for though, he is in sorry shape. His joints are super loose, his paint is worn badly, he is missing his bullwhip (okay-that sounds adult), and his head spins around really fast (which is funny). He will fit nicely in my collection of beat up Thundercats. Poor Panthro is still trying to get that permenant marker off his head (I tried to fix his baldness problem).

Anyhow, it appears Cheetor was really bummed out I didn't foot the bill for a Tigatron yet.

What toys do I want for Christmas you ask?

I have been trying to fast on toys the last few weeks so that there is something left on store shelves for people to find gifts for. Instead this fasting has turned to a dangerous Transformer splurge of proportions I haven't seen since the opening days of Star Wars Action Fleets circa 1997. A corner of my office has become filled with many new boxes, but I am using unseen restraint in opening them. Possibly, buyers remorse will follow if I open them. Or I'm building some sort of sick monument to have an unopened toy on hand when I really want to play ..er inspect for collecting purposes. Well since I have tackeled the Transformer sides of things The GiJoe sides of things are looking empty. I'm behind on the latest... Hi Tech... figures, that...Zartan!... look like the molds are the best...Destro...yet. Batman Legos are neat, if not waaaay to expensive. Of cousre Im not completly full of Transfomers yet...Classic Skyfire, is really a neat find, or so would be...Grimlock! Well toy or no toy for Christmas, Im blessed for what I have. I did get a chance to shop for the Local Toys for Tots program here. I donated three of the new super cool Bionicles, and a Razor scooter(All though I realized a few days later I should have thrown in a helmet! -gosh I'm evil!!). Only a few shopping days left, its time to start scalping toys on ebay!

A Super suit situation...

Throwbot Containers! (for fighting crime of course.)

The best part about the Throwbots is the containers they come in! They can be attached to any utility belt. Mine of course is outfitted to take out crime! I use the standard belt, leg belts, and chest plates when I mean buisness!


On a light day, say going to work, I go with just the belt.


But when danger nears I take on this stance to scare off my enemies!


If they don't back down, I let loose the Throwbots for maximum discipline!

Hey! Thats my waist on my blog! Maybe some day we can piece me together like Devestator!

More Throwbots!

Late in the series, Flare is my favorite. Has to be the unique wings, ski legs, and tail, that when spun, uprights Flare from standing robot to flying robot.


Where's Granite, I can't find Granite! Oh there he is! blending into my couch. He has two cool picks that when you press in his head the picks swing down. Dog like, his tail tosses the disc.


Scuba spent about a year in Sparticus' water tank. He really needs the algae scrubbed off of him. He has a propeller that spins his gears. Also equiped with yellow breathing tube.


I want to say this Throwbot is named Jet. He is honored with two throwing arms for twice the damage. He also has moveable wings with propellers when his head is pushed in.


And finally Ski! The most lifelike Throwbot, he comes with skis, and one pole for balance. Fun to play with on snow days, and to make jumps for.

Throwbots!

Now that I've entertained/bored you with the original Bionicles, lets take a look at their precursors; The Lego Technic Throwbots!


These guys were simply cool! Smaller, yet more diverse in how they were built. They all had the common arm that would flip a small disc across a vast distance of a few feet. They also had a main gear to turn that would hunch them over in a painfull like position. Tourch here, had the reversed body with a neat fire arm.


Amazon, built like a regular robot, has a neat Jungle knife, communications antennea, and an atitude for throwing discs into my lawn.


Turbo seeks to become an Autobot some day, he is still working on his gear transformations.


Electro likes to walk on fuzzy carpets, then shock from the air.

Stay tunned for more incoming Throwbots!

Axe this!

To conclude these last few posts with the original Bionicles I will. I waited till the last second to buy the green guy before he disappeared off store shelves. For some reason I don't like green things. I like blue things. But I don't like green things. Probalby because I like blue things more. But not green things. So to sum up, Green things good. Blue things bad. no wait. Blue things are good, green things are better. no wait. Blue things are good, green things are dumb.

okay.

Anyhow, surprise to me, the green Bionicle is quite fun. He has this axe that can really pack a swing. More than any other Bionicle's swing. Must be a weight thing of the heavy blade part on a stick. When I get bored, I use him to chop pencils in half.

Hooks for Hands can be a good thing!

There are lots of things one can do with hooks for hands. Gali here can ask many a question with a mark above her head. Ever wonder who the Smurffette of the Bionicles is? Look no furthur than the Blue water Bionicle. She sports a blue clear mask, and an extra ball socket joint on her chest which many a Bioncile finds attractive.

Let ME cut the Turkey for you!

Kopaka was my favorite original Bionicle. You just can't beat the shield and sword combo. He reminds me of some sort of Greek statue. Maybe because I was in an Art History course at the time when I bought him.

Have a good Turkey day!

I said... DON'T SIT ON ME!

Took me near three hours to get this thing unattached from my behind. When displaying Bionicles, don't place them on the couch and forget. Onua here, is the hunch back Bionicle digger. You could also classify him as the backscratcher or leaf racker Bionicle. Its fun to spin his back gear because both arms go spinning crazy. He is good for digging deep into a bin of legos.


Look at those claws! Hmmm, they could be bird feet as well.

Thats my Lego Rock, and you can't have it!

Probably spoken from Pohatu the Brown Bionicle from the first series. One of my favorites, his design is flipped so he can kick a lego rock instead of bat with his arms. He seems to be always gaurding that rock of his in his Bionicle hands. That, or he is insisting a game is to be played.



Extra sturdy shoes gives advantages in kicking.

Ouch! My hand is on fire!

Or so the Bionicle would say. The first run of these toys are my favorite. Not too complicated, look good as a group, and have the best masks. Red guy here, whose name escapes me, has a fire torch weapon that works well for roasting marshmellows. I like the old gear system too, it made them alive in some ways. They were quick to rebuild after battles as well. I used to chuck the ball bad guys at them down the stairs and watch them explode.

So, it's been about a week... Am I still listing to Casino Royale? Yep! ITs a good one. Just saw the movie tonight, it was spiffy! Nice to see the franchise move in the direction it is going! And a good name for the New Bond as well.

Dan's thoughts on Casino Royale Soundtrack!

Contrary to what this site implies, my true and real addiction to life are James Bond Soundtracks. They are my favorite thing in the world to listen to over and over and over and over again. I have a cd from every Bond movie except the Never Say Never incident, but who counts that, when it doesn't have the rights to the original score anyways (thats a different story, or was that the same story as Thunderball...)

So, AT LAST! Casino Royale is out on the CD shelfs. It was a task to get today, two stores I went to were too lazy to even stock it yet. Best Buy actually pulled through on this one for once. Usually soundtracks are the least of stores worries to get out on time. Thankfully I found a copy and can now calm down a bit.

After the huge coolness that was Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough I says, 'If David Arnold writes another score half as good as his first two, the CD player is in for a treat. Then came Die Another Day. It wasn't that great,(stupid Madonna). Well the Die Another Day score was good in the film, and lots of neat stuff was omitted on the cd which really weakened it, as well as the over use of the Bond music, which ended up feeling forced, hey another coma. So with that in mind I was worried about Casino Royale. Would Mr. Arnold go back where he started or start moving off into a real bizzar land?

The answer is he went somewhere else.

Casino Royale is David Arnold's fourth bond score and its pretty darn good above okay!!! Yeah its missing the Oh so Fun swing feel of TND, or the Intence pulse pounding techno of TWINE. It does have a nice theme to go off, probably from the interpolations of the standard song that goes along with the movie (which is not on the CD though??? thats a first in soundtrack history...the song usually bumps the score) The theme kind of has a hint of the actual Bond theme in it. Which makes me question that since this is an origin story of Mr Bond, then so is the music. I imagine as the movie goes on the theme slowly transists into the good old fashioned Bond theme we all know and love. As for that theme its slightly slightly smally peppered very slightly throughout Casino Royale, a trick often used in all the other scores. It always seems unfortunatly that the CD releases have little of the main theme, while the movie versions have a ton extra added in. Maybe last minute edits to get the film Bonderific. (Very much the case in the famous Tank scene in Goldeneye, Eric Siera's music was so crappy, they had to replace it with someone else's work to make the scene fly...er tread)

Even without using the main Bond theme very much there is still much to listen to. Some great action tracks throughout the score are the strong points. Now, some people can get tired of David Arnolds over lengthy action tracks, I find them exciting. They start and keep gaining speed until you can't hear anymore. (thank you TWINE) Track 8, Miami International is almost 13 minutes of great fun. It must cerainly tell the whole story in itself. I will be listening to that one at great length.

The score does bottom out towards the end, lots of quiet thinking stuff I would say. But the intensity of the first half makes up for that. Besides the score is over 70 minutes long, plenty to listen too (many scores on the market are rarely above 45 minutes)

The last track is a spiffy homage to John Barry's classic stuff. A great rendition of the Bond music and really shows off how perfect Arnold is for this franchise. He pulls it off with lots of power and fun. I hope he stays a long long time. As of now I'll give Casino Royal 3 out of 5 stars, if it survives months of listening, Ill bump it up to 4 out of 5, if I listen to it for a full year straight 5 out of 5 (which only a very very very select few scores have done).

If I were to rate Arnolds scores it would go...

TIE 1. Tomorrow Never Dies/ World is not Enough *****
2. Casino Royale *** (maybe * added later) (and * even added later)
3. Godzilla ****
4. Die anther Day *** (okay but no forth star0




Oh, I'm so glad Optimus Prime edged out as the New Bond! I like all the Daniel Craig visuals in the previews to trick us too.

Constuxticons! Form Constuxinator!

Just to keep geekiness in perspective, I built this...


What a cool attack helicopter! Look at all those advanced thrusters!


Not to shabby, Future car. I wonder if those little wheels mean it can fly?


I think we have seen this Shuttle before?


Cool Tank!


Neat flat-bed-hauler truck!


Ah, how cute, a group shot.



HOLY CRAP!

WATCH OUT!

GET OUT OF THE WAAAAAY!

-Insert Transforming sound effect here-

Any one who can guess this guy gets my Geek stamp of approval!


Bart had to get involved, as always, I left the photo here for scale purposes.



Of course Bart could be the size of that huge cat in the original Star Trek.

Happy Halloween from Wheeljack, Krang, and Darth Maul!