The designers at Sideshow are absolutely amazing. I have no idea how they come up with such awesome sculpts and detailed accessories time and time again. A little while back, I posted a link to their release of the 12" Cobra Sniper, and these uncanny toy-makers are up to their old tricks again with their upcoming 12" Firefly figure.

This thing has more awesome accessories than Richard Simmons has pairs of tiny silk shorts.

Here are the specs according to Toy News International:

To pre-order the Sideshow 12" Firefly (scheduled for a 2nd quarter 2010 release), visit The Big Bad Toy Store. And don't let any of those pesky G.I. Joes stop you.

For those of you who happened to have memorized every single second of the 1987 G.I. Joe animated movie, you'll probably remember the Joes' official sports announcer (G.I. Joe needed an official sports announcer?), the one, the only, Big Lob! And I'm sure many of you have been pulling your hair out at the roots pining away for an official Big Lob action figure, am I right? Well, give your delicate follicles a break, because if you're a member of the G.I. Joe Club, a Big Lob figure can now be yours!

According to the official G.I. Joe Club website, you have to be a current and active member of Officer Level (whatever that means) by March 16, 2010 to get this figure for free. Yay! Free action figure!

Well, forgive me if I don't trip over my two cats in a mad scramble to join this club in order to get this figure, but I figured (no pun intended) that there were enough hardcore Joe fanatics out there that this may be just the thing to get them to start hi-fivin' each other like a bunch of mathletes that just served a rival high school a trigonometry smackdown.

For more information, visit the Official G.I. Joe Club website, and for lots of hilarious comments on the figure, swing on by Topless Robot. Yoooooo Joe!

A while back, I posted a blog about the big toy sale that went down over at Toyrocket.com. This sale caused a lot of buzz in the action figure collecting community for a couple of reasons. The first reason was that Toyrocket was offering absurdly low prices on some seriously top-notch toys and the second reason manifested in the gut-reaction of many collector's suspecting that it was some sort of scam, mostly due to rumors of Toyrocket's recent alleged bankruptcy, making some worry that they would fork over their hard earned cabbage only to never see their toys delivered.

About a week ago, word started coming in through the various forums and message boards of people starting to receive their shipments, and today, I officially became a part of that happy demographic. Yes, my Toyrocket order finally arrived. Sure, it took about a month, but it's here and I'm happier than a fat kid in the Hostess factory.

I admit that I was skeptical as well about the sale (seriously, these prices were so low, it looked like it was too good to be true), that's why I only order a few things. Now that all of my figures arrived, I only wish I had ordered more! In my box I received a Deluxe Indiana Jones Idol Floor Trap playset ($3.00), a Star Wars McQuarrie Exclusive Concept R2-D2 and C-3PO two pack ($5.00), a Batman/Batgirl Microman two pack ($5.00) and my favorite score, a rare Fuji Film exclusive Batman figure from Japan that I had never even seen before ($2.50). After shipping, I'm practically rolling in awesome action figures for less than $24.00! This is great stuff for an action figure collector.

So, the moral of the story is that if you did indeed order stuff from Toyrocket, rest easy my friends, your stuff will come. But you may want to prepare yourself for a good self-kicking for not ordering more.

I am by no means a highly skilled customizer, though I know a few tricks of the trade, and at some point I'd rally like to start an official series of customizing tips here on the Action Figures site. So it always amazes me when I see some of the incredible work done by customizer out there, one of whom, who goes by the online moniker of Jin Saotome, has posted several secrets, tips and step-by-step guides that could have you customizing like one of the big boys in no time.

I've been seeing Jin's work around for a while now and am always stunned by the detail and imaginativeness displayed in his custom figures, so I think it's awesome that he cares enough about the craft to share his skills with the rest of the action figure community.

His site includes tutorials and guides that cover everything from beginning to advance general customizing, to painting tips, to what tools to use and how to properly use them to character specific guides, like how to make actual metal claws for your favorite Wolverine!

The guides and tutorials are fun to read, easy to follow and an excellent contribution to the customizing world, so my hat's off to you, Jin. And no, he did not ask me to say any of this. In fact, we've never even spoken, but I just think that when I see something this cool, the word needs to be spread!

Let Jin help you get your custom on by visiting www.jinsaotomesdangeroustoys.com.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish all the About: Action Figures readers a safe, fun and happy Thanksgiving. I hope you all eat lots of turkey, then get sleepy, then take the greatest nap you have ever had.

This time of year, we often find ourselves inspired to think about what we are thankful for, and I am, of course, thankful of the usual stuff like my beautiful wife and kids (and by "kids" I mean "cats"), but since this is a site devoted to action figures I thought I'd list a few things in the action figure collecting world that I'm currently thankful for. So here goes.

• The fact that my new He-Man and Scare Glow figures arrived yesterday, safe and sound and they are as awesome as I expected!
• Finally finding a DCUC Wave 10 Batman at Walmart!
• Getting a surprise vintage Darth Vader figure in a package from a fellow collector!
• Action figure stands. (Those little guys fall over all the time!)
• The macro setting on my camera, making for some wicked awesome action figure shots.
• Great toy blogs, like Toyriffic! and Eclectorama, and great action figure forums like Action Figure Archive. They make for some seriously fun online toy surfin'.
• The return of the 3 3/4" action figure, the best scale ever!

I'll be the first person to look the world in the eye and unwaveringly declare my love for the classic 1981 movie, Clash of the Titans, with it's epic battles, beheaded gorgons and towering Kraken, so I'm more than a little excited about the upcoming remake. I'm not one of those people that possess an aversion to remakes or renditions because I know that things like adventure movies are like the fireside tales of old and should be retold and embellished, honed and reshaped to fit the changing times. So I say bring it on!

I do, however, have mixed feelings about NECA's upcoming release of the remake-accurate Perseus figure. On one had, it looks beautiful, as most NECA figures, do, which sometimes make me wonder if they possess some sort of uncanny voodoo powers to create such exquisite sculpts and sublime paint applications. On the other hand, NECA figures tend to have about as much articulation and rock found in a pond. In fact, what little articulation their figures do have seems practically arbitrary. It's like; why not just make statues instead of an "action figure" that only moves at the neck and the left wrist?

Still, for movie fans and NECA collectors alike, the release of the Perseus figure is music to our ears. And if you can't wait to get your hands on a bonafide Medusa-killing collectible, you can pre-order the figure at Big Bad Toy Store right now. Now, bring on the Kraken!

As sick as I am of looking at the current waves of G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra figure (City Strike Snake Eyes, where are you?!), I still can't help getting a little excited when I we all get a sneak peek of upcoming figures. And thanks to two eBay sellers known as handytoy and ws_toys, we're treated to the chance to ogle the latest figures to launch, including Desert Battle Zartan, Jungle Assault Storm Shadow, Arctic Threat Snow Job and Desert Battle Ripcord, the latter of which looks so incredibly sweet that many collectors and G.I. Joe fans are already dribbling drool all over their keyboards.

I don't know how these people got their hands on these currently unreleased figures and I don't care. I won't be attempting a purchase because I like to wait until I see them in person on the toy shelves whenever possible before buying them, and I'm also a little suspicious about the validity of the figures. So I have some trust issues.

Still, this is one of those excellent cases where eBay comes through for us all getting a glimpse of some never-before-seen (or at least rarely-before-seen) figures. Pics of these figures have made the rounds of the various blogs and forums before, most taken on blurry cell-phone cameras at conventions and toy shows. The Zartan figure alone looks very familiar to me.

Basically, this all boils down to the fact that one day, if we G.I. Joe fans wish hard enough, that the same gazillion Dukes, Destros, Heavy Dutys and Baronesses will quit warming our toy aisle pegs and make room for some all-new figures that practically ooze coolness.

Swing on by the Terror Dome and treat your eyeballs to some serious 1:18 scale awesomeness.

Well, I complained and grumbled and ranted and even cried like a little girl (it had been a rough day and no one saw me), and after all of that, I still broke down and joined the legions of full-blown Masters of the Universe Classics addicts. I had managed to stay strong for a while now. Having missed out on the first round of He-Man and Skeletor figures, I made a choice not to collect the line. Then, one day about two weeks ago, that all changed.

A fellow collector threw a MOTUC Hordak, loose but complete, on a buy/sell/trade thread on one of the action figure message boards I frequent and he was willing to let it go for only $12. Now, dear readers, I'm only a simple human being with all of the foibles and weaknesses that that entails, so I submit to you: How was I supposed to pass that up? Long story short, I bought Hordak, got him in the mail, immediately fell in love with the brilliant sculpt and paint work designed by the incomparable Four Horsemen, and that was all it took for me to be completely hooked. I mean, have you seen this guy? He's insanely awesome. Like, heavy metal album cover awesome. I bet everywhere he goes, he's accompanied by the music of Black Sabbath.

It popped into my mind that I had heard about the re-release of He-Man and Skeletor (and now rumors are circulating about a re-release of Beastman, too!). Couple that with the release of the legendary Scare Glow character and there I was at 12:00 PM est, credit card in hand, refreshing the Mattycollector order screen until I could get through, and just like that, my He-Man and Scare Glow were bought and paid for.

I have crossed over, folks. And you have all witnessed it.

As a MOTU Classics collector, there's plenty to be excited about. It'sAllTrue.net have posted a release schedule for the MOTU Classic line through March, with rumors of an Evil-Lyn release in April! The list is as follows:

• Dec. 15 - King Randor

• Dec. 15 - Skeletor re-release
• Dec. 15 - Green Goddess
• Jan. 15 - Adora
• Jan 15 - Battle Armor He-Man
• Feb. 16 - Trap Jaw
• Feb. 16 - Battle Cat
• Mar. 15 - Moss Man
• Mar. 15 - Wundar (subscribers only)

So, I've got a long yet exciting road ahead of me, that leads all the way to Eternia. How many of you are joining me?

Visit It'sAllTrue.net for the full list with photos.

You know that Christmastime is in the air as soon as the consumer advocacy groups and watchdog organizations start telling you what you shouldn't buy. One of these groups, called W.A.T.C.H. (World Against Toys Causing Harm), has released their annual list of toys that could potentially hurt a child. I'm not really sure what actual authority they have to make such a list, but they've done so and now that list is being scattered all over the national news outlets.

The only reason I'm bringing it up here is because out of this list of the 10 Most Dangerous Toys, two of them are action figures. So now we can all feel a little more like tough guys for collecting something officially documented as "dangerous"! The two figures were joined by such evil torture implements as a baby doll that likes to take baths and a book in which Curious George teaches you to count. I'm not kidding here, people.

The fist of the verboten figures is the 30" tall Dark Knight figure which sports a couple of 1" long pointy ears made of a rigid plastic that makes the toy more like a 30" tall Batman-shaped pitchfork, just the thing for skewering a child. I can see where that my pose a problem.

The second figure is Hasbro's X-Men Origins Slashin' Action Wolverine figure, and it seems that W.A.T.C.H. have used their discerning eye to spot some sort of "claws" that snap out of the figure's fists, which rather pointy and could hurt you. Huh... who knew?

Anyway, stay safe out there, fellow action figure fans, and don't let your toys kill you. If you want to see the whole list, feel free to swing on by (carefully, though) the W.A.T.C.H. website.

All that is old is new again, I suppose. Never before has this been more true in the world of action figures as I see myself and fellow collectors racing to pick up the latest MAsters of the Universe, Star Wars, Transformers and G.I. Joe toys. We're partying like it's 1983!

Well, according to Toy News International, Hasbro is taking us back even further with the announcement of their relaunch of the popular late '70's action figure line, the Micronauts, those thin-wristed, semi-translucent sarcophagus sleepers that made such a huge splash in the days of disco and Evel Knievel.

According to TNI:

During Hasbro's 2009 Fall Investor Day Event held today at their headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, they announced the re-introduction of the classic toy line Micronauts originally created by Japan company Takara in 1974 under the name Microman and later launched in the United States in 1976 and backed by a Marvel Comics comic book series in 1979. As many know, Takara is the same company that originally invented the Transformers line and continues to work with Hasbro today. No specifics were given by Hasbro's Brian Chapman (VP if Hasbro's Global Designs) about what we can expect from the Micronauts brand other than that we can expect Hasbro to revise, reinvent and re-ignite the brand so it is exciting for fans old and new alike. There also was some indication that a television series and/or major motion picture could be in the works for this brand.

More news on the possible motion picture can be found at IMDB and if you really want to get in on the conversation, swing by the Action Figure Insider Forums and bask in the glow of rumors and speculation! And I mean that in the good way.