Rant Review: Masters of the Universe Origins Keldor & Kronis Rise of Evil figure set

Hoo boy, was that ever a debacle! If you were trying to score one of these sets earlier in the year, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Thankfully, Target re-ordered more of this exclusive set, and there is now a supply that is more than ample, with many stores piling dozens on the shelves. (Though there are none here, oddly enough.) As with the Scare Glow situation last fall, the drama surrounding the acquisition of this set has largely distracted from its merits. The 2002 revamp and its designs remain beloved among a large contingent of collectors, myself among them. Though Origins hasn't yet been around long enough to give us the breadth of the MOTU Classics line, it has already shown itself to be widely inclusive of various incarnations of the property. Getting a 2002-themed set like this is a huge deal, especially so early in the line's life. Does it live up to the hype, or will you want to condemn it to Despondos? Read on...

As per usual, the packaging art is beautiful. It even makes someone like me, who opens every damn thing, reluctant to rip into it. The sculpts are a bit of a mixed bag. Keldor is very well done, making use of existing body parts and adding a new head. I've seen many people claiming that this is the head from the Classics figure, but while it does look very similar, an in-hand examination of the two quickly makes it clear that it is a new sculpt. It's a great head sculpt all the same, with an expression that manages to seem both charmingly roguish or downright sinister depending on the angle from which it is viewed. His cape and boots are also new, adding some very useful pieces to the parts bank. The Skeletor head, touted as an Alcala version, is a fantastic addition to the line. It doesn't look explicitly Alcala-style to me, but it remains a very cool and creepy rendition of the arch villain, with a great pair of jewel eyes, to boot! As with the MOTU Classics Alcala head, the shadowed portions around the eye sockets are purple, but some quick paint detailing can fix that. It's easily the best Skeletor head sculpt we've gotten in the Origins line, and I hope they make it available again down the line so we have options other than dropping $30 on a figure set to get an extra. 

Kronis fares... less well. Like Keldor, he is made up mostly of reused parts, all of which are appropriate. His head is new, and it's, well, it's not great. Where Keldor's head sculpt looks as if they closely modeled it on the excellent MOTU Classics version, Kronis has a head sculpt that looks as if someone with very poor vision described the Classics version to the sculptor. There may have been a major earthquake during the sculpting, but they kept it anyway. Also, somebody peed on it. There was also probably-- well, you get the idea. It's a very odd sculpt, and it looks far more like someone's bad cosplay of the character than the character himself. I've mostly been happy with the sculpting work we've gotten with the Origins line, but this is easily the worst thing released to date. 

Both figures have the sparse but neatly-applied paint apps we've come to expect from this line. There is a spot on the Skeletor head's teeth on the right side where it looks as if paint has chipped away, but every one of these I've seen has this, so I'm guessing it's a widespread production error. Not a major deal, easily fixed, but worth noting. Both figures have the line's standard articulation, with swivel & hinge shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles, swivels at the calves and waists, and ball-jointed heads. This remains a great articulation model that is tons of fun to play with and pose!

The set has a decent amount of accessories, with armor and a gun for Kronis, and two pieces of armor, a cape, Havoc Staff, sword, and alternate head for Keldor. I've already covered the head and cape, but it's worth mentioning that the armor Keldor is wearing is the standard Skeletor armor. This is inaccurate to the character's design, and it's too bad the design team repeated the cost-cutting measure that was employed with the MOTU Classics version. Like Evil-Lyn's 2002 design, it seems we're doomed to never get an accurate version in figure form! The armor has the bat painted in green, likely inspired by the character's original B-sheet design, so that's a nice easter egg for the old school fans. The staff and sword are molded in translucent green with the purple bits painted on, giving them a very cool "powered up" look. Kronis has his armor, a nice design that differs from the Classics version, and a black version of the Grayskull rifle. The figure lacks the green skull & crossbones belt that he is normally shown wearing. 

Despite the months-long drama and turmoil that surrounded this set-- you just know the people who paid hundreds of dollars for it earlier in the year are really kicking themselves-- this is a pretty awesome set, and I'm damn happy to have it in my collection. The odd head sculpt that Kronis got saddled with is definitely a major negative, but this set brings so damn much coolness to the table that it's a net win, even with that strike against it. With the Lords of Power re-releases, the Evil-Lyn repaint, and the upcoming minicomic Tri-Klops, Mattel is gradually building a pre-Adam version of MOTU's main antagonists, and that is a very cool thing indeed. It all starts with this set, and even if you only want it for the custom potential of the new parts that are utilized, it's one of the best $30 purchases you can make. Of course, clearance seems to be inevitable, what with the vast numbers now littering Target shelves, so that's always an option, too. Personally, while I'll score a couple of extras for parts at a reduced price if I can, I'm very glad I secured a set when I did. It's one of the standout releases in the Origins line, and easily one of my favorites. That's it for today, but lead your invading forces back over Tuesday for more! Until then, stay safe out there, and happy hunting! 

Rant Review: Masterverse Skeletor figure (Revelation series)

With the shockwaves created by the first half of the new Revelation series still resonating, the accompanying Masterverse toyline continues to roll out. Distribution of the line is extremely spotty in my area (what else is new?), but I did happen upon a single pair of the big two last week. With He-Man already covered, today we'll be tackling the Lord of Destruction himself! Is this newest incarnation of the skull-faced archfiend worthy of standing alongside his predecessors on the shelf, or is he bound for the "extras" bin? Read on...

Unsurprisingly, much of the sculpt is shared with He-Man, so most of what I said their applies here: It's a slightly different rendering of the core MOTU buck, with a slightly leaner physique that still looks quite powerful. New parts include the forearms, hands, shin guards, feet, loincloth, and the head, of course. The head sculpt has drawn quite a few complaints online, and I wasn't crazy about it myself, judging from photos. It also appeared far too small. In-hand, thankfully, it comes off far better. The size still seems a bit small, but it's perfectly serviceable. Its sculpt also looks better in person, accurate to the animated design, with a touch of added detail. 

There are some nice ridges on the forearms, reminiscent of the vintage cross sell art. The feet are massive, easily the largest we've ever gotten on a Skeletor figure. Their size and giant claws make them look almost like shaved werewolf feet. It's taking me awhile to get used to them, but their size does lend the figure greater stability on the shelf, so that's a plus. Skeletor fares better than He-Man with overall detail, with some nice texture work on the hood, and the armor straps and baltea have a nice leathery texture. The shin guards and belt have very little in the way of detail, only a few studs and ridges. The birdlike ornament that has long been a feature of the belt has been omitted, owing to the animated design.

I'll point out here that, as with He-Man, heads from the Classics and Origins line are compatible with this figure. Origins heads require a bit of heat to fit easily, while Origins heads pop right into place. The shades of purple don't match, but that's an easy thing to fix if one is so inclined. I'm glad to see Mattel allowing for this kind of compatibility between MOTU lines! (It would be pretty shortsighted if they didn't, but that doesn't mean it was assured, given their track record!)  

As is typical for Mattel, there aren't many paint apps on this figure, but what we have has been neatly applied. The skull is a nice light gray with white teeth, and all the hollow areas are neatly filled in with black. The armor has a nice dark purple framing the bat emblem. The only bit of slop on my figure can be found on the crossbones area of the armor, and it's nothing major. I only noticed it once I was actively looking for it. There are plenty of details that have gone unpainted, and the lack of paint washes is again noticeable. I'm also curious why they painted the skull in these colors, rather than a cartoon-accurate yellow. 

Skeletor shares He-Man's articulation model, which comes as no surprise. Old Bonehead has swivel & hinge shoulders, wrists, hips, and ankles, double elbows and knees, swivels at the boot tops, thighs, waist, and biceps, and a ball-jointed head and torso. Nearly all of these points of articulation move smoothly and hold poses well, though he has the same odd hip construction. Eveything works as you'd expect until you hinge the legs outward, at which point the barbell piece inside the crotch drops down. This allows a greater range of outward motion for the legs, but the problem is that the barbell doesn't always want to pop back up when you move the legs inward. My Skeletor has more of an issue popping this piece back into position than my He-Man does. Even with that bit of weirdness, this is a strong articulation model, and it's a few tweaks away from being on par with what we see on most of Hasbro's collector lines. That is a very good thing indeed!

Skeletor's accessories include the requisite Havoc Staff, his cape and armor, the Shaping Staff, and two extra sets of hands. The Havoc Staff is cast in lighter shades than we're accustomed to, and has a nice wash over the ram skull. It looks appropriately cool and sinister. The Shaping Staff is cast in gold and almost devoid of detail, but that's true to its design. Both staves pop easily into the grasping hands, though the Havoc Staff's top-heaviness makes it prone to fall out at times. The armor has a multi-piece construction, with the cape slipped in between the two sections. Without anything to secure the front of the top piece in place, it can slip back while posing, but stays put most of the time. This is an interesting approach to Skeletor's armor, and I find that it works pretty well. I'm always glad to see Mattel's design team thinking outside the box and trying new things! The cape itself is a thin piece of fabric, but it does have a nice thin layer of flocking on the back. Thankfully, owing to the design of the armor, it'll be very easy for anyone who wishes to replace the cape to do so. 

With any new iteration of MOTU on toy shelves, Skeletor is bound to be one of the most heavily scrutinized figures, and that has definitely been the case with Masterverse. I was unsure about the execution of this figure based solely on photos, but I'm happy to see that most of my apprehension was unfounded. At this point, I'm thinking that Mattel really needs to get someone else to do their product photos, as whomever is currently taking them really does the product no favors! That aside, this is not a perfect figure, but it is a very good one, and I'm very interested to see what Mattel has in store for us with this line as it continues to evolve. That's it for today, but keep scrolling down for plenty more photos, and head back this way Friday for the next Origins review! Until then, stay safe out there, and happy hunting!

The 007 Re-Read Project: James Bond: The Authorised Biography by John Pearson

James Bond: The Authorised Biography is a rather odd, but fascinating, book. A bit of online research reveals that Pearson, after writing his acclaimed biography of Bond creator Ian Fleming, conceived of a similar biography of James Bond himself, treating him as if he actually existed. Ian Fleming Publications, then called Glidrose, was intrigued by the idea, and officially sanctioned the book. Like Colonel Sun, I had not heard of it during my numerous bookstore raids back in the '90s. Unlike Amis's opus, I didn't have the good fortune to stumble across it, so it was a few more years before I learned of its existence. It was out of print at the time, and like the movie tie-in novels by Christopher Wood, used copies on the secondary market were priced beyond my comfort zone. I put it on the backburner and basically forgot about it for a number of years. It was made available as an ebook in 2012, and I finally got it shortly afterward. However, I pretty much forgot about it once again until I began this series of posts, so I've just finished reading it for the first time! As always, I endeavor to avoid giving away everything, but there will be SPOILERS AHEAD!

The novel kicks off with the author receiving a letter following the publication of his Fleming biography that reminisces about meeting Fleming in the company of a young James Bond decades earlier. Pearson is taken aback by this, and initially dismisses it as the confused rambling of an elderly lady, but is intrigued by the other possibility. Further investigation draws the attention of the secret service, who eventually take him to where Bond is recuperating in Bermuda. Over the course of several weeks, a sometimes reluctant Bond tells Pearson the story of his life, covering quite a bit of ground that had been only vaguely alluded to in the Fleming novels, at best. We get an actual date of birth for the first time-- 1920-- and details about the climbing accident that claimed his parents' lives, followed by young Bond being taken in by his aunt Charmian. Pearson draws from the obituary that appeared in You Only Live Twice, nicely fleshing out the bits of information which readers had been drip-fed previously. There are quite a few missions detailed outside of what we see in the Fleming novels, many of which are on par with Fleming's own short stories. For the first time ever, we see what Bond was up to during World War II, as well as the origin of his facial scar. Suffice to say, it's a visual reminder of an event that harmed him far more emotionally than physically. Bond's relationship with Fleming is explored at length, and it is a rather complicated one. Bond seems to have felt great affection and dislike for him in equal measure. In any case, Fleming is a pivotal figure, even in a world in which Bond actually exists. 

I do think the in-universe reasoning for the publication of the Bond novels is pretty nonsensical, however. It's posited as a solution to SMERSH's vendetta against Bond-- a remnant of the failure of their assassin to kill him during the events of Casino Royale-- by making them, and the world at large, believe that he is merely a fictional character. But surely the relation of actual events, many of which SMERSH was directly involved with, would blow the whole thing? I suppose that maybe it was intended to create the illusion that "James Bond 007" was a codename used by multiple agents who had done these things, along the lines of the severely misguided theory some hold in relation to the film series, but that doesn't really work, either. If that were the goal, SMERSH would simply endeavor to figure out who the agent in question was in the Casino Royale mission, discover it actually was Bond, and they'd be right back where they started. But whatever, it's one of those things you have to simply hand-wave away for the whole thing to function. By the time you reach this point in the book, what's gone before has been engaging enough to make it worthwhile. 

I also had some issues' with M' characterization in parts of the book, particularly a certain revelation that rears its head late in the story. It really just didn't work at all for me, and seems massively out of character, but it's a small enough part of the whole that it doesn't do any real harm. Another minor issue is the sudden rise of larger-than-life supervillains once the narrative reaches 1953, where the Fleming novels begin. All but one of the novels are said to be true events, but everything prior to them was so grounded and realistic that the abrupt appearances of such epically malevolent beings as Goldfinger and Dr. No is rather incongruous. It's as if Mr. Freeze and Clayface suddenly popped up in The Dark Knight Rises. Again, though, you're immersed enough in the narrative by this point that it's easy to simply go with the flow. 

Notable quotes: 

James loved his father but could not speak to him of anything that mattered, worshipped his mother, but could not forgive her for rejecting him. In years to come a lot of women were to pay the price of this rejection.

War is a dirty business, but some men's wars are dirtier than others.

He knew that whilst in ordinary war it is the last battle that counts, in the secret war there could never be a final battle, only the ceaseless ebb and flow of murder and betrayal.

I asked him if he saw the James Bond films.

"Oh yes... At first I was a bit put out to see that Connery fellow supposedly playing me, but I suppose that's normal... it was rather, shall we say, disturbing. I felt as if my character, my whole identity, had gradually been usurped by someone else."

In the end, the "real" James Bond turns out to be quite different from his pop culture counterpart, but quite like him, as well. This book isn't a quick read, but for anyone who loves a good biography, even a fictional one, it's a damn good one. For Bond fans, it's essential. I find myself wishing that Pearson had written more Bond novels, featuring the "real" Bond or otherwise. Recommended.

That's it for today, but blast your way back next Monday for more! 

Rant Review: Masters of the Universe Origins Fisto figure

There are many ways to battle evil, but sometimes, you just can't top smashing it with a big metal fist! One of the best-known and most beloved MOTU characters, Fisto stood out from the moment I first saw him. Rather than first becoming aware of him via a toy commercial, as was often the case, I first came across him when I saw the figure in a store. With his neatly groomed hair and beard, he had something of the air of an old school boxer about him, and apparently that impressed me to some degree. His big-ass metal fist surely didn't hurt, either! Mattel even took the unusual step of associating him with a steed of his own in Stridor. On package art and advertisements, vehicles normally went to He-Man or Skeletor by default, so having Mattel itself showing Fisto with a mount of his own made him seem like kind of a big deal. His included minicomic, The Clash of Arms, also went a long way toward establishing him as a burly brawler to be reckoned with. Captured and forced to battle a succession of foes in the gladiator arena that Skeletor apparently has, Fisto bashes his way through his opponents with He-Man-like ease. Sure, he eventually gets into trouble when facing Whiplash, but he had already been through quite a lot by then. All in all, it was a strong showing, and it made me like him even more. Fisto was immediately a featured player in my MOTU adventures, and remains so to this day. 

The sculpt is very familiar, of course, apart from the new fist and head. The head sculpt captures the essence of the vintage figure quite well, without duplicating it exactly. There are a couple of oddities, however. For some reason, there is no sideburn sculpted on the left side of the head. One is sculpted on the right side, but most of it is left unpainted as if to match the left side. (See the photo below.) It's very odd, and impossible not to see once you've noticed it. It gives the head an unfinished feel, and I can't imagine why they put the figure into production like this. The trademark giant fist is a pretty straightforward duplication of the vintage design, and is molded in a nice metallic silver. 

Fisto has the sparse paint apps we've grown accustomed to with this line, but they're not as neat as usual. Both of my figures have the sideburn oddity mentioned above, as well as a fair bit of slop with the silver paint on his armor and left wrist. The sculpted area of the beard is not fully painted around the mouth, resulting in some fleshy whiskers underneath his nose. The eyes are very neatly done, thankfully. Unlike most of this line, Fisto's colors are largely darker than those of the vintage toy, particularly the purple. 

Fisto has swivel & hinge shoulders, elbows, left wrist, hips, knees, and ankles, a swivel at the right wrist, waist, and boot tops, and a ball-jointed head. The giant fist loses one point of articulation, but I doubt anyone is truly surprised by that. It also lacks the spring-loaded punching feature of the vintage toy, of course. While most of the pieces pop apart at the usual places, Fisto's right fist does not. You can probably remove it without too much trouble if you apply some heat, but I haven't tried it yet. 

Fisto's accessories are his armor, previously seen on Clamp Champ, and his purple sword, previously seen in green with Tri-Klops. The wave five minicomic is also included. That means we only have two pieces of new tooling for this entire figure. It would have been nice to get an Origins version of his massive 2002-style sword, but Mattel has made it clear that they're going the cheapest route possible with the vast majority of these figures. I still feel we're getting an okay value with these retailing for under $20, but with a price hike on the way, Mattel really needs to start giving us a bit more for our money. 

Despite feeling a bit light on accessories-- and honestly, it always seemed weird to me that Fisto had a sword, anyway, as a hammer, mace, or even shield seems more appropriate-- Fisto is a cool character, an essential figure, and a great addition to the Origins line. And for me, at least, the Champ finally has his brother! If you still haven't secured a Fisto of your own, keep a check on BBTS and Amazon, as he's been available several times for retail. (It might also be worth keeping an eye out for a possible running change that addresses the odd sideburns issue, if you're into variants. I have no idea if they're going to do anything about that, but it's a possibility.) That's it for today, but bash your way back here Tuesday for more! Until then, stay safe out there, and happy hunting!

Rant Review: Masterverse He-Man figure (Revelation series)

There's a wealth of MOTU product hitting shelves right now, resulting in an almost overwhelming amount of options for the discerning collector... if you can find it! A couple of months after they first started showing up, and well ahead of any of the pre-orders I put in online, the first wave of Mattel's new Masterverse line has begun popping up locally, and I was able to secure my first two figures. (Apart from the deluxe Skelegod, of course.) With any new MOTU line, of course, you've gotta have a He-Man. Is this new plastic incarnation worth your hard-earned money? Read on...

I'm pleased with the sculpting on this figure, for the most part. The overall shape and style of the body is a bit of a departure for MOTU figures, particularly the torso. This is a slightly leaner, more athletic take on He-Man, rather than the virtual tank of muscle we're accustomed to. There's still plenty of brawn here, to be sure, but it's definitely scaled back a bit compared to most versions we've gotten in the past. We'll likely be seeing this body a lot, so it's fortunate that they did a good job with its design. 

One of my gripes with this sculpt is the nearly total lack of detailing on much of the outfit. While this could be explained away as a concession to the animated design upon which this figure is based, that detail in the furry portions of the outfit puts that to the lie. Aside from the fur, there is no attempt made to give a sense of texture to any of the figure's clothing. This would have really helped on the leather straps on the left bracer, for example. The plastic used on most of the figure has a semi-rough texture itself, which does help a bit with the boots. Still, a leather-like sculpted texture would be preferable, and some small dents and dings on the bracers would have helped quite a bit with the figure's overall look. 

The head sculpt is another issue, as it has a smiling, rather dopey expression that is much more Prince Adam than He-Man. It's not a bad sculpt, just inappropriate for the character. It's also a bit on the small side. For those wondering, Classics and Origins heads will fit on this figure's neck post. The Origins heads pop right on. The holes on the Classics heads aren't exactly the same size, but with a bit of heat, they'll pop into place. They do look a bit odd, however. I think the mismatched skin tones are mostly to blame for that.

The paint apps are sparse indeed for something that purports to be a "collector's line." Most of the pieces have been molded in the appropriate color, and given no paint work at all. The only traces of paint washes or airbrushing to bring out the sculpted detail are on the hair and loincloth. What's here is neatly applied, at least. When a company is trying to keep costs down on a line, paint apps are always the first things to go, and that certainly seems to be in effect here. Things like paint washes and detailed painting are pretty damn easy to correct, but the fact is that we shouldn't have to fix it ourselves, especially on a so-called "collector's line." 

With the articulation, things start looking up again. For the first time, we have a Mattel MOTU line with an articulation model that is actually competitive with other collector lines on the market. (As much as I love the Classics line, let's face it: Its articulation model was outdated even when the line debuted in 2008.) The package proclaims that the figure has 30 points of articulation, and it's no idle boast. Depending on how you count the swivel & hinge joints, you could come up with an even higher total! He-Man has swivel & hinge shoulders, wrists, hips, and ankles, double elbows and knees, swivels at the boot tops, thighs, waist, and biceps, and a ball-jointed head and torso. Nearly all of these points of articulation move smoothly and hold poses well, though there is a bit of weirdness with the hip construction. Eveything works as you'd expect until you hinge the legs outward, at which point the barbell piece inside the crotch drops down. This allows a greater range of outward motion for the legs, but the problem is that the barbell doesn't always want to pop back up when you move the legs inward. If you're unaware of this, you could easily end up trying to force it and damage the barbell over time.

The design team also made the decision to sculpt the actual elbow pieces with an inward curve, so you can't completely straighten the arms out. This hasn't bothered me nearly as much as I thought it might, as the arms can still straighten nearly all the way, and look very natural when they do. So, while it hasn't been a drawback for me, it's something to be aware of. Overall, while it's not without its issues, this is a good articulation model that works quite well, and it's a huge step forward for the brand. With a few tweaks, Mattel has a shot at matching the excellent articulation models their biggest competitor employs for most of its collector lines. (The addition of butterfly shoulder joints would go a long way toward that!)

He-Man has all the accessories we've come to expect, with one glaring exception. He has his chest armor, Power Sword, shield, and a swappable set of grasping hands, in case you're not enamored of the fist and pimp slap hands that are attached in the package. The left bracer also slides right off when the hand is removed, so you could also claim it as an accessory, if you're so inclined. The armor matches the source design, fits well, goes off and on with no issues, and has a slot to store the sword and shield. There's been a bit of furor over the removal of the traditional templar-style cross on the breastplate, but I have no issue with the HM symbol with which they've replaced it. That symbol has been part of the MOTU mythology nearly as long as the cross, and it looks good on the armor. 

I still don't love the Power Sword design they went with, but it's okay. This matches its look on the show, which was the intent, so I can't fault them for that. The shield follows the overall look we're accustomed to, though I still find it odd that nearly every iteration of this shield that we've gotten has less detail than the vintage version! The hands pop into and out of the wrist with no trouble, and work as they should. By now you've surely noticed the glaring exception I mentioned earlier: He-Man lacks his axe. It's been a crucial part of his standard set of gear from day one, and it's really odd to get a new standard He-Man figure without it. Many collectors also display their He-Man with the axe instead of the Power Sword, so this is doubly troublesome for them. Hopefully Mattel will get us that axe in a future release. 

The Masterverse line has been the subject of much debate and conjecture, but in the end, it's only by having the figures themselves in-hand that they can be judged. While these first few figures aren't the second coming of MOTU Classics that some were hoping for-- and honestly, I always felt anyone with those  expectations were needlessly setting themselves up for disappointment-- the line has strong merits of its own, and I feel confident that it will carve out a niche of its own in time. There are a few issues Mattel needs to address, but as they are, these figures have made great strides in the right direction. Let us not forget that many of the Classics figures had issues as well, the first release of He-Man in particular. Any new line will have growing pains, and after spending some time with these first few figures, I'm optimistic about this line's future as it moves beyond them. That's it for today, but head back in three days, when we'll return to Origins, then next Tuesday, for more Masterverse! Until then, stay safe out there, and happy hunting! 

The 007 Re-Read Project: Colonel Sun by Kingsley Amis

Published in 1968, Colonel Sun by Kingsley Amis (using the pen name Robert Markham) is the first non-Fleming Bond novel, and continues the story of the intrepid agent quite well. As mentioned before, I had no idea this book existed before I happened upon it in a used book store, despite hunting down all the 007 books I could. (That may seem odd, but was easy to be missing key information like that in those days-- the internet existed, sure, but it wasn't ubiquitous, and I certainly wasn't able to access it whenever I wanted.) I devoured it, blazing through the entire book in an evening. I liked it quite a bit, and deemed it a worthy follow-up to the work of Ian Fleming himself. That was more than two decades ago. When I revisited it a few days ago, I remembered almost nothing from the story, and had no idea how well it would hold up. (That will certainly be an ongoing theme as these re-reads proceed!) Fair warning, while I always endeavor not to blow the whole plot in my reviews, there are SPOILERS AHEAD! 

The novel follows Bond as he pursues a group of mysterious kidnappers into Greece, seeking to recover his boss, the head of MI6, M. The opening is one of the best and most memorable from any Bond novel, Fleming's included. After that, the story does sag a bit. There are some nice bits of action in the middle portion, but that section of the novel is rather slow overall. Fleming had a way of imbuing his stories with a sense of headlong energy that propels the reader forward, affectionately referred to by fans as "the Fleming Sweep." Amis does a good job with this novel overall, but it is definitely lacking that crucial trademark of Fleming's. Fleming had a way of delivering numerous details without it seeming like an infodump, a skill that is very difficult to duplicate, and Amis doesn't really pull it off here. That said, there are some pretty strong characters, and as the scope of the conspiracy Bond is trying to unravel widens, they serve to keep the story centered. Ariadne is a much better-developed heroine than we get in most of the Fleming stories, and Litsas serves more than adequately in the "sidekick" role. Both prove to be crucial to the plot, which is always nice to see, as such supporting characters are often little more than window dressing.

Any lingering gripes about the story's slowness in the middle portion of the novel are easy to overlook once the final section is reached. In the titular villain, Amis has delivered a fiend worthy of standing alongside some of Fleming's best. His odd admiration, almost affection, for Bond even as he sets about destroying him in the most sadistic manner he can conceive of is extremely unsettling. The torture scene is quite possibly the worst Bond has ever been subjected to; only the infamous carpet beater scene in Casino Royale is even in the same league. The 2015 film Spectre drew from this novel for its torture scene. Witness this passage, and its similarity to the monologue delivered by Blofeld in the film: 

    "So, then. Where? Where does a man live? Where's the inmost part of a man, his soul, his being, his identity? One can do very unpleasant things to a man's fingernails, for example. Or to his genitals... but all this happens, so to speak, somewhere else. A man can watch himself being disemboweled and derive great horror,  as well as pain, from the experience. But it's going on at a distance. It isn't taking place... where he is."

    Sun came over and knelt beside Bond's chair. He spoke in a half-whisper. His throat was trembling. "A man lives inside his head. That's where the seat of his soul is. And this is true objectively as well as subjectively. I was present once-- I wasn't directly concerned-- when an American prisoner in Korea was deprived of his eyes. And the most astonishing thing happened. He wasn't there anymore. He'd gone, though he was still alive. There was nobody inside his skull. Most odd, I promise you. 

    "So James, I am going to penetrate to where you are, to the inside of your head."

When first watching that movie several years ago, I had no memory of the events of Colonel Sun, so I didn't immediately get the reference. The scene, specifically the dialogue, seemed dimly familiar, but I had no idea where I'd heard it, or something similar, before. My jaw dropped when I reached this scene on my re-read! It's utterly chilling, and it made for one of the strongest scenes in the film, as well. I'm sure it's old news to anyone who'd read this book more recently than I had at the time, but I was pleased to see that the filmmakers had actually drawn from one of the continuation novels! 

After Bond manages to escape from the absolutely brutal torture, he and his allies manage to unravel the enemy plot, as well as the enemies' lives, naturally. Sun himself gets an epic sendoff worthy of a villain of his stature. The final scene is a scream, as a high-ranking member of the Russian government thanks Bond for his assistance, with veiled references to the countless times Bond has run afoul of them (often totally screwing up their plans) over the years. This is all in the subtext, but given the epic clashes they've had over the course of his career, it's a very amusing undercurrent to their conversation. This scene also signals that their governments are acknowledging that they are no longer enemies as they once were, and Bond is even offered an award for his service to the Russian government! It's a fascinating scene, and Amis handles it very well. 

Notable quotes:

Bond looked round the unpretentious room with its comfortable benches in dark-blue leather, its decorous little groups of business and professional men - quiet men, decent men, men who had never behaved violently or treacherously in their lives. Admirable men: but the thought of becoming indistinguishable from them was suddenly repugnant.

Bond was hiding a grin at the memory of having read somewhere that hatred of tobacco was a common psychopathic symptom, from which Hitler among others had been a notable sufferer. (Yikes! I don't know where Bond [or Amis] read that it was a psychopathic symptom, but I certainly couldn't find anything about it anywhere! It is true that Hitler hated tobacco, though.) 

From the air, [the island] Vrakonisi looks like the blade of a sickle drawn by a very drunk man.

There was an interval just long enough for the thought that the cessation of pain was an infinitely more exquisite sensual thrill than the wildest spasms of love.

Even with a middle section that often drags, Colonel Sun is a very good novel. Its riveting opening, well-developed characters, fantastic finale, and fascinating villain make it a strong read. It's generally regarded as one of the very best, if not the best, of all the non-Fleming Bonds, and revisiting it has reminded me why. Recommended.

The Bond book bonanza barrels, uh, forward next Monday! Be here! 

Rant Review: Masters of the Universe Origins Faker figure

I was all set to wax poetic about the concept of the villainous double that occurs repeatedly throughout entertainment, all the way back to the myths that were passed down orally millennia ago. But c'mon, when you get down to it, Faker came to be because he was a figure Mattel could crank out quickly and cheaply to help capitalize on the surprise hit their MOTU line had become in 1982/3. This oddly compelling blue duplicate of He-Man proved to be elusive for many of us back in the '80s. I personally have no memory of ever seeing him in a store, and my own childhood Faker came from a garage sale. Only one of my friends had one. His appearances in media were also pretty rare, including a single appearance on the Filmation animated show, with an off-model (though far more effective for his intended purpose) appearance. This rarity gave the character a certain mystique even back in the day, and that has only grown in the decades since. Faker is often doomed to be an exclusive in modern MOTU lines, as his ease and low cost to produce makes him an ideal candidate for such low-run items. It's nice to see him back in a normal retail wave of toys, where he belongs! 

The sculpt is identical to that of He-Man, of course. The head is the vintage-style sculpt that made its retail debut with Battle Armor He-Man earlier in the year. I'm glad they went with this option, as that head is my favorite of the current options. (I do like the head on the original release He-Man, but I like this one more.) The head isn't a perfect match to the vintage one, but it's pretty close, and certainly an improvement on Mattel's earlier attempts. (Take a gander at the commemorative reissue from 2001 to see what I mean!) This sculpt has become very familiar, but it remains a good sculpt, effectively capturing the essence of the vintage toy while embellishing the details a bit here and there. 

As is standard for this line, most parts are molded in the appropriate color, so only a few paint apps are necessary. What's here is neatly applied, and the black belt and bracers have a nice gloss sheen. Faker also has a tampo on his chest that emulates the control panel sticker found on the vintage figure. Like the figure's sculpt, it doesn't duplicate the original exactly, but it captures the overall design while riffing on it a bit. 

Faker has the line's standard articulation, with swivel & hinge shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles, swivels at the waist and boot tops, and a ball-jointed head. As always, this is a very good articulation model, and the figure is a lot of fun to pose. The pieces pop apart in the usual areas for easy swapping, though I recommend heating the elbows, hips, knees, and ankles before popping them. 

Faker has his orange version of the Power Sword, and it is the full version, rather than the half-sword that has been packaged with most of the He-Man figures released so far. While I've always liked the "two halves of the power sword" concept, Mattel has never really done a great job realizing it in toy form, so I'm glad they went with the full version here. Faker also has the wave five minicomic, in which he serves as the main villain. As a figure that is 100% re-use, he really should have included more accessories. He-Man's other weapons in Faker orange are an obvious inclusion, one of the energy blasts seen with the battle armor figure, or even the wave one He-Man head in Faker blue. Like his wave mate Evil-Lyn, he just feels lacking in this area. Wave five as a whole is mighty light on new tooling, and there's really no excuse for not giving this figure something more. 

Despite his lack of accessories, Faker is a figure I have really enjoyed posing and photographing. The character is intriguing, and the figure is just cool as hell. There's something very appealing about the evil duplicate concept, and even in a cast as eclectic and colorful as MOTU's, Faker stands out. His recent appearance in the Revelation animated series has undoubtedly raised his profile, so if you have the chance to grab one for a decent price, I recommend you go for it. He likely won't be getting any easier to find, and he makes a nice, colorful addition to the shelf. That's it for today, but be sure to head back in four days for more! Until next time, stay safe out there, and happy hunting! 

Rant Review: Masters of the Universe Origins Roboto figure

The MOTU line made a habit of creating characters who were good/evil counterparts, and Roboto fits into that category pretty well. With his moving jaw and trio of interchangeable weapons that plug into his arm, I pegged him as Trap Jaw's nemesis right away, and it's always surprised me that most don't seem to see him in that light. Whoever you match him up against, Roboto is among the most visually interesting characters in the MOTU mythos, and often pops up on "top ten" lists. He was never my favorite, but his bright colors, cool clear torso, moving gears, and swappable weapons made him a constant presence in my play scenarios. He also has the distinction of having one of the very best redesigns in the 2002 iteration of MOTU. Is this newest incarnation of the classic character in the same class as what's come before? Read on...

It's clear that much of this wave's budget went toward tooling for Roboto, as he features all-new parts from the waist up. The arms have some very nice detailing, and would serve well as the arms for an Origins-style New Adventures Skeletor, if Mattel were so inclined. (Let's hope so! I'd love some NA space mutants in this line!) The head has a slightly different shape from the vintage toy, most noticeably with the jaw piece. This isn't a bad thing, as it's still clearly Roboto, and it looks quite sharp. The torso has fewer gears than the vintage toy, and while that has been the subject of much complaint, I can't say it hurts the figure's appearance at all. The legs, inherited from Trap Jaw and Man-E-Faces, have the same stubbiness that bugged me with those figures. They were smaller for a reason in the vintage line, but now the design team is simply recreating a shortcoming of the '80s toys for no good reason, and it's annoying. These legs also have the issue of being slightly turned inward, and with no thigh cut, there's no way to fix this. It's not a huge problem, and it seems that most people don't even notice it, but once you do, it's impossible to not see it. 

Roboto has the sparse paint apps that are typical of this line, but what's here is applied very neatly by the standards of a mass-produced toyline. The red-on-blue combination can sometimes be problematic, but the red on the left arm is applied thickly enough that the bold blue doesn't show through. The silver on the thighs is also very neat, and the underlying red does not bleed through. Roboto has swivel & hinge shoulders, elbows, left wrist, hips, knees, and ankles. a hinged jaw, and swivels at the calves, waist, right wrist, and neck. The action feature necessitates the removal of the ball-jointed head that is present on most other figures in the line.

What's that? An action feature on a basic Origins figure? That's right! Just like the vintage figure, as you turn Roboto's waist, the gears inside his torso turn, and his jaw opens and closes. It's a neat feature that's fun to mess with, but whether or not it is worth compromising a key point of articulation is something that will vary from person to person. Roboto includes his standard trio of weapons that plug into his arm. The gun, claw, and laser axe are all molded in a bright silver, and swap out with no trouble. Unfortunately, the pegs are significantly shorter than those on Trap Jaw's attachments. You can share their attachments, but the fit isn't perfect, as seen below. The wave three minicomic is also included. 

As a fixture in most iterations of MOTU, Roboto was always going to be a much-desired figure, so it's nice that Mattel did a good job with him. I'd like to see them correct the issues with these legs, but I really don't see that happening, sadly. This is Mattel we're talking about, after all. It also would have been nice to have the normal range of motion in the head, but I get why this was compromised. Neither of those issues are major ones, and they don't hold Roboto back much. This is a well-made figure, and regardless of how important the character is to you, he's a standout figure in the Origins line. With all his parts, and even an honest-to-god action feature, he's almost a deluxe figure masquerading as part of the basic line. With some of these figures coming in mighty light in terms of accessories, you could do a lot worse than prioritizing grabbing a Roboto for your collection over some of his fellow figures. That's it for today, but pop back over in three days for more! Until then, stay safe out there, and happy hunting!