Police Joker and SDCC Egon

The last 2 days have been full of news in the toy-collecting world of me!

First: Hot Toys revealed that Police Joker (pictured to the right, from the Hot Toys website) will come with an alternate sculpt head (with the make-up), as well as a complete classic Joker costume for the figure, which basically means that if one has Police Joker, one can change out the head and the clothes and essentially have a brand new original Joker. Plus grenades in his coat.

(And, apparently, even the eyes are positionable. Unbelievable.)

So I pre-ordered one, obviously, from Toy Rocket, at a fairly decent price. Then today I noticed they've increased the price by $20+. I emailed them to see if they're going to charge me the new, jacked-up price, which they probably will, and I will probably be angry.

Second: Mattel revealed today that the San Diego Comic Convention exclusives will include Dr. Egon Spengler with Slimer as a pack-in. (The image is from the Toy News International Website.) I'm also assuming this is the 6" figure that was shown as a prototype at NYCC.

If you look closely, you'll notice two interesting things: 1) Egon is "slimed", and 2) Slimer is translucent.

Why, Mattel, would you make the first Egon a "slimed" version? Perhaps all the boys in gray will be slimed, but it seems an odd choice. I'm not complaining, I just don't understand. Perhaps when these figures are sold online (as Mattel said they will be right after the con), they will be the slimed versions, or maybe there will be other "clean" variants. I'm curious.

And finally, Slimer being translucent is really exciting. I was wondering how they would do the pack-in ghosts, and it looks like they will be the dense, clear plastic/rubber that the original RGB pack in ghosts used. That excites me. (I also looked at ToyFare for this month, and they had an interview about the GB figures... saying they're going to use movie ghosts like the librarian and the taxi driver as pack-ins. How awesome is that?? Especially if they keep using the translucent effect.)

All I know is, I will cry if I don't get this guy when he is released online (supposedly the Monday after SDCC, at the end of July). Don't doubt me; I'll do it.

Watchmen

The Watchmen figures are great. Dr. Manhattan was the last one I got, and he was worth the wait. His articulation is basically non-existent, and his perpetual open-palm pose is somewhat annoying, but the sculpting is incredibly detailed-- all the way down to the veins in his legs. Nite Owl is also great, and with decent basic articulation (plus, the blade on his belt is removable). The Comedian is heavy and comes with 2 pistols, which actually have holsters on his legs. He's a great, sturdy figure. Rorschach is a bit disappointing, as he barely has any articulation at all, but he nonetheless looks good. Silk Spectre II is my first female figure (ever! Unless you count Janine from the RGB... which I don't), and despite the oddity of having a fairly well-proportioned plastic girl in my hands, I like the figure. Her likeness is off, as is the Comedian's, but that's forgivable.

When I return to my normal place of residence this weekend, I'll get some photos up of the variants and the classic figures, which I've decided to keep MIB.

I'm not becoming an MIB collector, but there is something about holding the unopened toy that gives me a great feeling. The old adage "It's not the having, it's the getting" I think applies pretty well to me, so keeping some figures MIB seems to prolong that "getting" feeling, while opening them (sometimes, not always) transitions it to the "having".

Ergo, I'll talk about the variants and classic figures at a later date.