Episode IV: WE Watch the Watchmen…

It’s a BAD time to be Alan Moore…

This week brings the release of Watchmen, the movie based upon the classic comic series from the mid-80’s… as astounding as it is that the movie was finally made, I’m even more astounded by the sheer amount of merchandise! Pins, buttons, shirts, posters, tie-in DVD’s, Halloween costumes, and toys all permeate the market, for an R-rated superhero flick… this could be a mistake, as the market for this is NOT kids, but hopefully most parents will realize this… as it is, I have partaken of

the DC Direct toys, and while the sculpts and paint apps are top notch, the articulation could be a little better…

Though with every piece I laugh a little… because I know for every piece of merchandise I buy, and every showing I go to,  somewhere Alan Moore is cursing me and my very existence for “soiling” his work… wonder how he felt about the V for Vendetta movie?

Episode III: Jason Hewitt Voorhees?

So, yeah, that new F13 flick out now …went to see it this past Monday,and while I did enjoy some parts of it, I felt …unimpressed? upon leaving the theater. This felt like another chapter in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films.  Replace Jason with Leatherface, and Camp Blood with the Hewitt house, and they’re interchangeable.  I had high hopes for this movie, and the more I dwell on it, the more it disappoints me. Plus they tried to cram specific sequences, characters, and plot points from the first 4 films in the original F13 series together and… well …it all adds up to so much shit. I wanted to enjoy the film, but in the end it just felt flat to me…

Episode II: The Steelers.

Yes, it’s been 2 weeks today… yes, the season is now over… but as an unabashed Pittsburgh Steelers fan, I gotta say the Super Bowl XLIII win was pretty fucking sweet! After having time to digest it, the biggest story for me is the redemption of Ben Roethlisberger.  After a ego-inflating 15-1 start in his rookie season (where he was forced to take over after starting QB Tommy Maddox was injured in week 2), he played a great 2005-2006 season as well, culminating in a trip to Super Bowl XL. However, Big Ben had one of the worst games of his career, and it took some trickery and the defense to bring home a title.  From there, it was quite the stunning fall from grace for Ben. A springtime motorcycle accident, compounded by a ruptured appendix right before the season opener doomed him, and the team, to an 8-8 record and no SB Title defense.  Last season wasn’t much better, where under 1st year coach Mike Tomlin the Steelers won the North Division Title, but exited the Playoff’s in the first round.  Things didn’t look much better for this year, and talk began circulating that Ben had fallen a rung below guys like Brady, Brees, and the Manning’s. However a BRUTAL late season schedule did something to this team: it fortified them, it gave them a hard, tough edge, and it gave Roethlisberger the confidence that, yes, he can win the big games.

All of which culminated on February 1st, in Tampa Bay for Super Bowl XLIII.  Ben said that he was so nervous before SB XL, and it showed.  This time he showed nerves of steel, effectively managing the game, and when the Steelers fell behind with just 2:30 seconds left in the game, he coolly led us down the field for the winning touchdown, in a drive Steve Young commented on the sideline as being “Joe Montana-like”, possibly some of the highest praise a player can get. So we won one for the other thumb… won a record 6th Lombardi Trophy… and once again brought pride to the Steeler Nation… but it also reestablished Ben Roethlisberger as one of the best Quarterback’s in the game today.  My hat’s off to you, Ben, and all the adversity you went through, even when you were winning.  You’re my MVP of SB XLIII.

EPISODE I : The best of times…The worst of times…

What recession? The economy is in the crapper… layoffs are everywhere… morale is down… so what do we get in return?

Possibly the best toy year EVER! After a somewhat lackluster 2008 dominated by movie toys, 2009 is coming out guns blazing.   Of course we still do have movie toys, from the upcoming Watchmen, Star Trek, Terminator Salvation, Transformers 2, and G.I.Joe, past movies are also getting the love, with (previously announced) Beetjuice and The Dark Crystal figures coming from NECA, but there have also been some surprises.

Amoktime continues to impress, revealing not only a continuation of the Killer Klowns line (with 2 new figures shown at NYCC, besides the announced Shorty), but also that they have the license to Return of the Living dead, and a horror grail, Re-Animator! Fanboys everywhere change their underwear immediately.

Unfortunately, they have to change them AGAIN, as Mattel, of all people, announces Ghostbusters figures! With actor likenesses! And also they’re making ‘Real Ghostbusters’ animated figures too! Party like it’s 1985!

In addition to these awesome announcements, Mattel and Hasbro are also pushing forward with renewed vigor on their comic-based lines.  Unfortunately, the days of the 6″ Marvel Legends figures appear to be ending this year, but Hasbro is committed to pushing forward with the 3 3/4″ line, with a shit-ton of characters coming out this year, while Mattel surprises us with characters we NEVER thought we’d see in their 6″ DC Universe Classics line…I mean, Gentleman Ghost?! Really?! Holy shit! …I have to wonder if their 3 3/4″ ‘Crisis’ line will survive the year, as lackluster retail sales and lacking sculpts seem to be hurting it.

And that’s just the ‘mainstream’ companies,not counting what Hot toys, Sideshow, Mezco, etc. have coming… I tell you, in spite of all the darkness surrounding us, there is at least one light: Cool Fucking Toys!!!

And if nothing else, 2009 shows me the toy companies are coming out both barrels blazing… and we haven’t even gotten to Toy Fair yet…