Mortal Kombat is a property that has opened itself up to many toy lines, thanks to the unique cast of characters and uber-goriness. Storm did a great but sadly ended line of (mostly) high-quality figures, and McFarlane is returning to it with a Klassic line, something I've been wanting for a while, and then there's Infinite Concepts. If you haven't heard of them, it's because they weren't around for long, with their only releases being a wave of MK figures in the start of the new millennium. They're not easy to find and even most costly to get, but I was lucky to find Sub-Zero for a decent price.

These figures come on huge cardbacks, and they just scream late-90s/early-2000s figure packaging design. From fire on the front to thunder on the back complementing a cross-sell and a description of IC's "Center of Gravity Joint Integrity Technology" (more on that later), the motif creates a look that both fits the license and looks quite appealing. Again, this is a cardback, done before clamshells and boxes became the norm for collector-focused toys, so it's easy to get open.

The card touts these as "hyper-realized" action figures, and I assume that meant IC was going for a realistic look, but with a bit of exaggeration. Sub-Zero in particular seems to have his design lifted from Mortal Kombat 4, save for the scar over his right eye, and the portrait is pretty good. It doesn't look perfect, as the shape is a bit odd, but it's from the company's first (and only) line of figures, and it was done in the late 90s, so I can cut them some slack. The paint is very solid and bold on this figure, which is surprising for something from this time frame, and while the shade of blue on the mask is darker than it should be to match the rest, the lines are clean, and the slight red on the eyelids gives him a bit more realism.

One thing to note about these figures is that they're massive, with Sub-Zero being just over 8" tall. He's sculpted in a semi-fighting pose, with legs spread, chest forward, shoulders towards the back, one hand closed, and the other hand in a grasping pose. While not quite realistic, the muscular body looks great even with the semi-exaggerated design and odd shoulder placement, and the articulation blends in very well whilst being more plentiful than most figures around the time. This is part of that aforementioned "Center of Gravity Joint Integrity Technology," as the sculptor(s) wanted a more aesthetically pleasing figure that can still manage good poses. The torso and part of the arms seem to be a generic mold for this line, judging by the similar build of the other male figures and the straps being a separate piece that pegs together at the belt/waist. Not too surprising given IC was likely a small company. The blue parts have plenty of wash to help make them pop, and there's some on the arms as well to make Sub-Zero look slightly more realistic.

As for articulation, it's nothing special nowadays, but it was still a lot for its time. The set-up here is a ball-jointed head, swivel/hinge shoulders, T-crotch hips, hinged elbows, knees, and ankles, semi-ball wrists designed to bend inwards, and a swivel waist. The head can be propped up a bit on the ball for a bit more tilt, and the waist's peg is also seemingly designed for a bit of rolling motion. The arm joints blend in great, especially the elbows and their deep bend, but the wrists could've been handled better, as you have to force the inward motion, which carries the risk of breaking the peg. The legs can manage a squat thanks to the knee and ankle joints, though they don't bend as deep as the elbows. Overall, the articulation works well enough for basic fighting poses, but nothing too extreme.

There's one other joint I forgot to mention, and it's in the foot. Namely, it's a hinge going halfway through the feet vertically. This unique bit of engineering is sort of like an early ankle rocket, being designed for both dynamic poses and balance. This is part of that C.O.G.J.I.T. thing Infinite was trying to push, as the joint is meant to help the figure shift its weight to balance itself when standing on one foot. I'm not sure if it's just me, but Sub-Zero hasn't been able to balance like that without something to support him, possibly because he's solid plastic and just so darn heavy. Still, it helps with deeper stances a lot. By the way, these figures have no accessories, save for Mileena who gets her sai, and I just wanted to point that out.

Despite having a very short lifespan, Infinite Concepts managed to make themselves known for a line of figures that tried to set a new standard, and they did a pretty decent job. Granted, we have a lot better figures when it comes to MK nowadays, but IC's ability to blend sculpt and articulation near-seamlessly combined with amazing paint work is something to appreciate. Now to decide whether or not I want to sell this thing off.

- 6/16/25...[See More]

I have a figure with really soft leg plastic, and really hard waist plastic that makes easy indentation with simple posing. Thinking about putting a clear coat on it to save it from getting destroyed, but not really sure the best way to go about this. Any help would be appreciated....[See More]

Current Projects: Girls und Panzer
...[See More]

Comments: 18 year old collector tryna get to 10k figures
...[See More]

Favorite Figure: Optimus prime 05
Favorite Series: Studio series
First Figure: Transformers cheetor beast machines supreme class
Collection Size: Small
Currently Collecting: Transformers studio series
Want List: transformers studio series
...[See More]

I am looking for the following custom figures:

Super Powers -
-Green Hornet (1930’s or 1960’s)
-Reaper (Batman: Year Two)

Secret Wars -
-Captain Mar-vell (Kree/Skrull War)

Even if not Super Powers or Secret Wars molds, but same approximate height (4.5 to 5 inches), that would still be great.

If you can make any of these or know of any that exist already and where to purchase them, please contact me at markbrizzolara @ juno . com...[See More]

Want List: I am looking for the following custom figures: Super Powers - -Green Hornet (1930’s or 1960’s) -Reaper (Batman: Year Two) Secret Wars - - Captain Mar-Vell (Kree/Skrull War) Even if not Super Powers or Secret Wars molds, but same approximate height (4.5 to 5 inches), that would still be great. If you can make any of these or know of any that exist already and where to purchase them, please contact me at markbrizzolara @ juno . com
...[See More]

Comments: Mention any other comments relating to customizing that aren't covered in the questions above.
...[See More]

Jakks' Simpsons line has been coming out at a quick pace, but it seems for now it's taking a short break. There hasn't been anything officially announced or released aside from the Amazon-exclusive Funzo doll, but there's been plenty of leaked figure and plush listings, and my guess is that within next month or so we'll get some news on upcoming products. Until then, the fourth wave has been out for a while for both scales, and I'll be looking at the 5" ones first.

Of course, they had to include one main family member in the wave, so Bart fills that position. This isn't a specific outfit or anything, just a regular Bart, and the same mold as the one in the first wave at that. So what's different? His shirt. The prior Bartman figure had a blue shirt, and that's what this release gets. It's a memorable look for those who read the comics, played video games, or got most of the merch from the 90s. If I'm not mistaken, he was merchandised with a blue shirt to tell him apart from bootleg items, even though he didn't wear it in the show. Shirt aside, this Bart is no different from what we got before, with the same articulation and skateboard accessory, and the work is just as solid.

Bart's the only family member and kid in this wave, as the rest of it is Springfield's older citizens, including town drunk Barney Gumble. Barney has his usual semi-tired/hungover expression, and it's some of the best portrait work I've seen from this line. There are a few seam lines on his face, but they're only visible if you look really close. He stands a bit over 5" tall, and has a bit more girth to him than Homer, but keep in mind it's mostly hollow plastic for the torso, so he's as light as the others. The body is good as are the colors, and the only painted areas are the pupils, shoes, and chest hair. The pupils and shoes suffer from a bit of bleed and misalignment, but the chest hairs are very clean, and are even sculpted on.

The usual articulation is present here, with Barney having a swivel neck, swivel/hinge shoulders and wrists, ball-jointed chest, hips, and ankles, hinged elbows and knees, and swivel biceps. Swapping out the waist joint for a chest one was a good move, as it allows for plenty of tilt and lean. The hips also work very well, as the pelvis is designed to allow them to kick forward completely. Barney has some of the best articulation of the line, and he's not even the most posable figure in the wave. He doesn't have any booze, since Disney and/or Jakks was uncomfortable about including such accessories with a line meant for kids, but he does have a small hoagie and a lunchbox, and he can hold both fine.

Rounding out Homer's friend group is Carl Carlson, made to complement Lenny from the previous wave. If you haven't seen the leaked render/prototype images of this wave, the initial Carl sculpt looked really off-putting, but thankfully they touched him up for the final product. He has the same blank stare and smile most of the figures in this line have, but the likeness is great, especially given the unique facial features like smaller eyes. Also standing around the 5" mark, he's thinner than the other two adults in this wave, save for a bit of a gut, and the proportions are good. I noticed the shoulder joints on these new molds are a little different, with the disks being a little smaller than they should, creating some gapping at the hinges. Once you see them, it's hard not to unsee them. Carl has all the usual joints, including a surprisingly good waist, and he also has the same lunchbox as Barney, albeit gray, as well as a coffee cup with a little straw.

The last character in the wave is Bumblebee Man, and his inclusion this early in the line came as a surprise to me, since he's a much more minor character. He has a more somber expression than most in the line, befitting his role as Channel Ocho's long-suffering slapstick comic, and like Carl, the final product is a notable improvement over the prototype. The antennae of his costume are made of a softer material, so you won't have to worry about damaging them, same goes for the stinger. He's a bit smaller than the other adults at 4 1/2", though the antennae bring him closer to the 5" mark. The colors on the outfit are great, though the sleeves should be dark gray and not solid black, and making the wings transparent was a nice touch. The paint on the clothes is good as well, as they line up well with the sculpted lines.

The Bumblebee Man is the most articulation figure in the line so far, as in addition to the usual joints, he also gets the thigh swivels Bart got, as well as ball-joints for the wings. These joints work great, allowing for the wings to move around plenty (though they often collide with each other), and the waist and hips are just as good as Barney's. His only accessory is a big one, and it's a tripodal TV camera. It's a solid piece, but the sculpt is great, and it'll fit well with the Playmates line. A yo-yo for him would've been nice as well, but I'm not sure how they could make it work.

We're already four waves in and Jakks' Simpsons line has been getting better with each wave, but this may be the best one yet. The variety is good, and the articulation has improved, getting a little better each time. The blue-shirt Bart can be an easy skip for those not interested in redecos, but I wouldn't pass up on the others, especially Barney and Carl to complete Homer's friend group. I'm not sure how much longer it'll be until the next wave comes out, but at least I have more than enough for now to tide me over.

- 6/12/25...[See More]

Current Projects: 1:10 / Neca style Scooby-Doo shelf
Favorite Figure: 1/6 Multiversal Avenger: Wolverine
Favorite Series: NECA Seasame Street
First Figure: Plushie Scooby Doo in 1996
Collection Size: 300+ figures
Currently Collecting: 1/6 and 1:10 figures
...[See More]

eBay User Name: disjorge
Current Projects: robotecollectors base tijuana
Honorable Mentions: robotech in facebook
Favorite Series: Robotech
Collection Size: medium
Currently Collecting: robotech, gi joes, boglins, lotr, gremlins, thundercats, silverhawks
Want List: sdf1 playset
...[See More]

I wonder if there is any way one can view the earliest custom postings to the latest I would really love to see some of the first postings man I bet they were legendary...[See More]

Francisco Ramon A.K.A Cisco is a pivotal and intellectual member of S.T.A.R Labs, who often works alongside Caitlyn Smith and the Flash, Barry Allen in order to deal with metahumans in Central City. He later emerges as the hero "Vibe", who can vibrate at a frequency that allows him to be undetectable by traditional security cameras, travel between dimensional barriers, and harness the ability to project vibration blasts that create shockwaves that can destroy a mountain....[See More]

Felicity Smoak is a prodigal freelance hacker that was originally commissioned to expose Green Arrow's secret identity and help the client take him down, but ended up turning sides and joining Team Arrow....[See More]

He was a former member of the Snakeheads gang, a triad in China that specialized in human trafficking. During one of his smuggling runs to the U.S, the transport ship crashed and he was forced to assume the identity of one of the deceased illegal immigrants, hence the false identity "Martin Li". However, he was kidnapped by a gangster alongside two others for experimentation with a new chemical called D-Lite, which granted him his powers as Mister Negative. The other two became Cloak & Dagger. He is one of Spiderman's lesser known rogues and often poses a dire threat when he does appear, making a play in politics and gang warfare....[See More]