Thanks to the proliferation of film, comic book and cartoon characters, companies are bombarding consumers with an incredible selection of action figures. With tongue in cheek, let’s take a peek at some of the specimens worthy of a place in …
Zad’s ’Fantastic Four’ Toy Vault
Flame-On Human Torch
Toy Biz celebrates Marvel Comics famed superhero team’s debut in 20th Century Fox’s new movie “Fantastic Four” with a full line of toys. Especially impressive is the master licenser’s action figures, which carefully bring characters from the film to three-dimensional life.
Each 6½-inch representation of Mr. Fantastic, the Thing, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and Dr. Doom feature laser-scanned likenesses of the actors portraying them, double-digit points of articulation, accessories and high-tech innovations to offer children a fantastic experience.
Figure profile: Johnny Storm lived his life on the edge — specializing in fast cars, pretty girls and extreme sports — and his reputation for risk-taking was nearly as legendary as his love for practical joking.
Johnny had another, more serious side, too: as the best pilot and astronaut in the world. But no amount of skill could save Johnny from his fate as he piloted a doomed space mission. Cosmic rays pounded Johnny’s body, leaving him a human fireball — and his life as an adventurer forever changed.
Now, hotheaded in a whole new way, when Human Torch isn’t using his fiery power to aid the Fantastic Four, he’s known to use it to pull a prank on his unsuspecting teammate, Ben Grimm.
Accessories: With a poseable body giving way to 29 points of articulation, this translucent figure of fiery reds and oranges has soft rubber flames circling its entire being and a light-up head and torso that activate when a button is pressed on its back. It can also get mounted on a rubber funnel of flames that delivers, with a push of a base button, the character’s signature phrase, “Flame On,” and a “whoosh” sound effect while torso/head lights blink.
Price: $8.99
Read all about it: Readers can enjoy the 120-page trade paperback, “Fantastic Four: The Movie” that contains the full sequential art adaptation of the film, drawn by veteran artist Dan Jurgens, and a selection of older comic tales that inspired the cinematic effort ($12.99).
Words to buy by: Besides the dead-on resemblance to the cast of the movie, even the flaming Torch looks like actor Chris Evans, the entire Fantastic Four figure line mixes levels of precise detail with durability and cool effects that will satisfy both the collector and younger role-playing fans of the superhero team.
Strange but cool
In celebration of the “Fantastic Four” film, companies have delivered an eclectic collection of items to make sure fans saturate themselves with one of the most beloved, and the oldest, superhero teams of the comic world.
Deluxe Thing
Toy Biz, $9.99
This 12-inch rotocast version of the Fantastic Four’s rock-encased team member uses laser scanning technology to capture the likeness of actor Michael Chiklis, who portrays the Thing in the movie and features 17 points of articulation with detail down to the FF logo on his pant thighs. Children who still own the 12-inch version of Toy Biz’s movie Incredible Hulk can pit one against the other to re-create some legendary battles chronicled in the comic book.
Fantastic Four Collector’s Edition Monopoly
USAopoly, $35.95
The legendary property-buying game fuses with the famed team’s mythology to provide an authentic evening of family fun. Six pewter tokens of Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, Human Torch, the Thing, the Fantasticar and Dr. Doom move around a traditional Monopoly board adorned with sequential art illustrations of the heroes in action.
Instead of buying real estate, players purchase archvillain deeds to the likes of such foes as Doctor Doom, Galactus, Beyonder and Mole Man. A variety of genuine Marvel, Fantastic Four art and characters even grace the inside of the box along with Chance and Community Chest cards, making the challenge an eye-popping pop culture experience.
Electronic Thing HandsElectronic Thing Feet
Toy Biz, includes four AAA batteries each, $18.99 each
Children can become the powerful, though ever-lovin’ alter ego of Benjamin Grimm as they wear a pair of soft foam fists and soft plastic shoes sculpted to resemble the texture of the orange-rock character. Each set is motion-activated as the Feet make crashing, crunching and stomping sounds with every step. Pounding the fists alternates between shattering noises and the character’s signature phrase, “It’s clobberin’ time.”
Baxter Building Lab
Mega Bloks, 250 pieces, $39.99
The second volume of Mega Bloks Marvel Collector’s series construction sets arrives in a flashy tin box and gives builders a 250-piece assembly job to recreate two areas of the Fantastic Four’s famed headquarters.
Once the job is completed, children can visit Reed Richard’s research facility to place the Thing in a healing tank, use a sub-atomic scanner on the Human Torch and have Dr. Doom bust through a destructible wall before he is caught and placed in a holding cell.
The highlight to the set are the five 13/4-inch action figures of Mr. Fantastic, the Human Torch, the Thing, Invisible Woman and Dr. Doom. Mr. Fantastic actually looks like actor Ioan Gruffudd (who portrays him in the film) and has stretchable arms. An uncanny head sculpt of actress Jessica Alba (with a bit too much eye liner) tops the Invisible Girl figure, which is 75 percent translucent.
Light-Up Flying Human Torch
Toy Biz, includes 2 AAA batteries, $9.99
A 10-inch version of a fiery and translucent Johnny Storm lights up and flies in a circle with a little help from a fan attached to the figure’s feet and anchored fishing line. Note to children: Parents will run screaming when they read the fateful instructions, “Fasten the hanger to the ceiling with the screws provided.”
So soothe them by asking to attach the interactive new friend under a deck or from the garage rafters so that mommy’s expensively painted rooms stay intact.
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