Optimus Prime [Big Figs]

So, I might have bought something dumb.

Part of the Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary theatrical run included various merchandise. Because, that's kinda the point of why these companies make these things. However, one of the coolest items is the subject of today's post, a Target Exclusive Big Figs Optimus Prime by Jakks Pacific.

Big Figs and other brands like it are massive action figures, generally around 18" to 48" tall. For a while there, they were everywhere. I don't think it was possible to walk into a Toys R Us without walking down an aisle and finding a small gathering of them.

I haven't seen them in a while, but they seem to have become more of an online item lately, as I just don't see them in person as often as I used to. Apparently they're still pretty popular, though, and I get it.

There's nothing like a giant-ass figure of a character you like.

That's why I got this one, a 30" Optimus Prime Big Figs tied into the Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary and sold exclusively at Target stores.

He's apparently pretty popular, as stores have been having a hard time keeping him in stock and the thing is getting resold for less-than-favorable prices by resellers. Fortunately, on a whim, the Mrs. was checking the Target app for some cat food for a pickup order and found one in stock for delivery only.

So we jumped at the chance because that's what you have to do in these instances.

Arriving a few days before my viewing of the movie in theaters, Optimus Prime is a lot bigger than I realized.

Like... I knew he was 30 inches.

But the number "30 inches" on your phone screen doesn't really register until he's standing in your living room, mingling with the Halloween blow molds at our fireplace.

Wow...

There's truth in the name. That's a Big Fig.

I feel like I have to say this now, because there's always that one person who's going to ask. And I get it. The line is named Transformers. There are expectations.

However, no, he doesn't transform.

You're not getting a 30" action figure that turns into a truck for thirty-five dollars. You can hardly get a standard Deluxe Class Transformer for that now.

It's probably also worth noting that articulation is pretty limited. He's got shoulders, elbows, and a head. It looks like his wrists swivel, but to be honest, I haven't tried. There's no leg articulation, though I've seen folks in groups modify theirs to allow for it.

Considering how heavy he is, about six pounds, I wonder just how floppy of a mess those Primes are now.

I've been seeing the Shogun Warrior/Jumbo toy guys go nuts over this. Which is to be expected, because this is right up their alley. But he doesn't really have that Shogun Warrior look.

This looks like a big-ass Optimus Prime that you'd expect to see in standard-sized retail packaging.

I've heard more than one person claim that his sculpt is almost identical to the Leader Class Studio Series 86 Optimus Prime toy. Both are intended to look like Optimus as he appears in the 1986 movie, so no surprise there.

It is possible that CAD files were shared, or that one of those Studio Series toys was scanned to make an STL file from. I'm not sure if that's the case or it's just a coincidence. 

But it's safe to say this looks like who it's supposed to.

Which is part of the point.

The other part is that it be big as hell.

Which it is.

Optimus doesn't come with any accessories, but I've been seeing folks 3D-print guns and Energy Axes for theirs. That looks pretty fun. I hope to get into 3D printing soon, and even though I want to focus on smaller projects, I can see how rewarding it would be to deck this guy out with stuff.

Personally, I kinda want to make a Tommy Kennedy to reenact the live-action segments from Season 5.

Really, despite being just a big silly toy, this thing is causing so many fans to have a lot of fun. They're parading it around social media, pretending it's their new child, making things for it, and just generally enjoying their big silly robot toy.

Frankly, it feels like the perfect thing to go along with the 40th Anniversary showings.

I've been jokingly calling it this big dumb thing, when the truth is...

I love it.

In buying something dumb, I got something awesome.

Phyllis Diller Spends Halloween At Disneyland

Disney does Halloween right. They do Halloween specials right. Somebody behind the scenes of The Mouse Factory did drugs wrong. I don't know if Phillis Diller did drugs, but I do know her name is slang for cocaine. I'm sure there was a mountain offstage on this episode.

Spooks and Magic, the Halloween episode of The Mouse Factory features Phyllis Diller as the guest star going absolutely insane with Disney characters. At one point she's breaking into the Haunted Mansion and harassing the ghosts, the next minute she's having a Halloween costume party with Donald Duck. Said costume party doesn't sound bad until she shows them her batshit family slides then runs them off by singing.

The whole thing ends with her forming a witches coven with King Louie, Goofy, and Witch Hazel. The latter is sent to Donald Duck's (who just left) house as a set up to the classic Disney 'Trick or Treat' short. In the end, Phyllis uses her evil witch powers to steal Snow Whites identity and... it just ends. That means she's still out there.

Originally Posted 10/02/2020

Godzilla (Ice Cream with Sprinkles) [Godzilla Scramble]

@robfromzonebase Godzilla (ice cream with sprinkles) [Godzilla Scramble] #zonebase #godzilla #godzillascramble #blindbox #kaiju ♬ Halloween - Siouxsie And The Banshees

It's well past time that I've started talking about the Godzilla Scramble toys here on the Base.

Godzilla Scramble is a cool blind-box gacha line by Bandai utilizing their Godzilla Monster Egg toys in fun color variations. Series 1 is out now, and I've gotten a few of them and want to get them all!

These are great.

The color variations remind me of art vinyl sofubi and various pop art pieces, while I just love transforming egg toys. Not to mention, Bandai.

You say Bandai, I'm in.

Today we're looking at the Ice Cream Godzilla, or as I insist on calling him, Ice Cream with Sprinkles, because he has sprinkles and I love that extra detail.

Despite not normally liking sprinkles on my ice cream.

I initially thought he was supposed to be a cupcake thanks to those sprinkles, which is probably why I focus on them so much.

I'm neurodivergent. Work with me.

The mold used is the standard Godzilla from the Egg Monsters series, and I've talked about that a few times before here, so pardon me while I focus on the spectacular deco today.

Now, it's easy to just glance at this toy and write him off as just pink with sprinkles painted on his chest.

Which, frankly, would have still been awesome.

However, there are little swirls of colors floating around that add to the look and frankly just look nice. Godzilla is basically a living nuclear reaction, so he's going to melt that ice cream, and that's what happened to some of those sprinkles.

Those little swirls of color...

We've all made that mistake of adding sprinkles to our ice cream only to regret biting into the little shards of hard asshole particles floating around. Some people like the added texture. I prefer to enjoy my food.

My point is, those sprinkles tend to leave little swirls of color in your ice cream, and those little swirls of color look fabulous on this design.

Not to be left out is the slightly darker and metallic shade of pink used on his dorsal fins. I've seen multiple kaiju fans refer to those as sploots, which kinda fits on an ice cream-themed kaiju.

It just occurred to me that egg mode looks kinda like a scoop of ice cream.

That's probably unintentional, but I'm going with it.

The other color versions in Godzilla Scramble are fun too, and I plan to go more into those in time. This is a fun little blind-box series to collect that's pretty creative with some of the color versions and right up my egg-robot-loving alley.

I do hope future series utilize more monsters from Toho's catalog. Bandai has made plenty of them into Egg Monsters, so it's probably a safe bet.

What the hell Imagic?

This is the second Imagic Atari video game commercial we've talked about this Halloween where another programmer they employ is some horrible monster.

Specifically, this time an alien warlord apparently programmed Atlantis after his race destroyed the real city of Atlantis. Then he just kills the guy talking to him before giving us a little jump scare.

Also, once again, Imagic's offices are apparently smoke-filled dens where nothing good occurs.

Maybe we should avoid them...