MOTUSCLE: New Masters of the Universe mini figures

Probably the biggest news so far this year for collectors of "little rubber guys" is that an official, large scale release of Masters of the Universe mini figures is finally here! Aside from a couple limited foreign sets and some capsule machine knockoffs, we had surprisingly never seen monochromatic minis tied to this iconic '80s franchise. That's no longer the case, thanks to a new toy line from Super7.

The line is called MOTUSCLE, since these figures are meant to be an official continuation of Mattel's MUSCLE figures from the '80s. Super7--the company behind collector-focused toys like the ReAction line of vintage-styled action figures--actually secured both the MUSCLE and Masters of the Universe licenses from Mattel and worked with them to bring these figures to life. MOTU is the first of multiple properties that are planned to take mini figure form under the MUSCLE name--Alien and Robotech figures are already in the works.

The news of MOTUSCLE came on suddenly, shortly before San Diego Comic-Con 2015, where they debuted earlier this month. At the convention, Super7 offered these figures for the first time in a few different ways: three-packs in a classic, MUSCLE-inspired flesh color, three-packs in black, and the Skeletor figure in purple as a giveaway (both the black figures and the purple Skeletor were SDCC exclusives).

Let's run through a few MOTUSCLE basics:

• Series 1 consists of 12 different figures--six "Heroic Warriors" and six "Evil Warriors" from Eternia. The figures come in three-pack assortments as listed below. The package artwork is very much reminiscent of vintage MUSCLE packaging, which definitely amps up the nostalgia factor.



MOTUSCLE package back

• Assortment 1:  He-Man, Teela, Man-at-Arms
• Assortment 2:  Man-E-Faces, Ram Man, Buzz Off
• Assortment 3:  Skeletor, Trap Jaw, Beastman
• Assortment 4:  Whiplash, Mer-Man, Tri Klops

• The figures measure between 1.5 and 2 inches tall, comparable to vintage MUSCLE and Monster in My Pocket.

• Even though these are supposed to be new MUSCLEs, the material of the figures is noticeably different. MOTUSCLE are softer and more rubbery than the firmer plastic of vintage MUSCLE figures. They fall somewhere between MUSCLE plastic and Garbage Pail Kids Minikins soft rubber, leaning more toward the latter. I can see why some collectors might be disappointed that they're not an exact match to vintage MUSCLE plastic, but I personally really like the rubbery feel they have.

Purple MOTUSCLE Skeletor with some vintage purple MUSCLE

• The flesh color is not an exact match to vintage MUSCLE pink/flesh. It's a bit lighter, but in the same vein. The color of the purple SDCC Skeletor is a close match to vintage MUSCLE purple. The black of the SDCC exclusives is a new MUSCLE color, never found in the vintage releases. The back of the packages says "Available in 3-pack assortments in a variety of colors," but specific additional colors haven't been announced yet. I'm hoping for some neon colors (pink, green, orange, etc.--bring 'em on!).

• So far, MOTUSCLE have only been sold at SDCC, but an upcoming full/online release is planned for a still-to-be-determined date.

And now for a close-up look at the figures:

The six HEROIC WARRIORS offer up a nice selection of characters, with some MOTU mainstays you'd expect to see in first series of any MOTU line (He-Man, Teela, Man-at-Arms). The stocky Ram Man and bulky, winged Buzz Off provide some nice size variation to the slimness of the other characters. All the sculpts are well done and nicely detailed. He-Man himself probably leaves the most to be desired, but is still decent.

Villains almost always have the most fun sculpts, and the EVIL WARRIORS of MOTUSCLE are no exception. The main baddie himself, Skeletor, looks great (especially in purple). The other highlights from the evil guys are Whiplash (awesome texture on this one), Mer-Man (look at that gnarly face sculpt!) and Beastman (nice proportions and again, really cool work on the face). The only negative I can point out with is that Trap Jaw's robotic arm looks kind of puny--he'd look better and more imposing if that arm were beefed up a bit. Very little to gripe about, though!

I'm very pleased with these figures, and couldn't be happier that MUSCLE are back after all these years in this new form! Series 2 of the MOTU-themed line is already planned, and I can't wait to find out which characters are included.

What about you? What do you think of MOTUSCLE, and which other franchises would you like to see get mini figure treatment from Super7?

Tim Mee 'People at Play' plastic family figures (2015 Reissue)

In the 1970s, Tim Mee / Processed Plastic released a set of "People at Play" figures made up of a "typical" suburban family--a mom, dad, a big brother and sister, and a little brother and sister, all engaged in leisurely activities straight out of 1950s stereotypes (mom holding a flower pot, junior tossing a football, big sis doing cheerleading moves, etc.). Basically, a plastic Pleasantville in a bag. Now, this slightly unsettling, too-perfect miniature family is back in the form of another reissue in the growing list of Tim Mee re-releases from over the past few years.

Of course, this site normally focus on monsters, aliens, robots and stuff like that. But let me tell you, these family figures have a place in any collection of little weirdos--they make great victims or innocent bystanders for any zombie, outer space invader, or dinosaur attack!

Here are some basics about the figures:

• They're sold in sets of 24 that come in a clear plastic bag with a header card, for a little under $12 on Amazon. The header art is done in a fun vintage style, with one side depicting the "Atomic Family" and the other side showing the "Post-Atomic Family."
• Each bag includes 12 green figures and 12 pale flesh-colored figures. You get two of each of the six sculpts in both colors.
• The figures are made of a stiff-yet-sturdy plastic (comparable to other Tim Mee releases such as Galaxy Laser Team), and are very crisp with almost no flashing. They measure up to 2.5 inches tall.
• As with other Tim Mee / Processed Plastic releases, the sculpting is very nicely-done, with plenty of texture and detail.

Now, a bit about each of the six sculpts:

• Mother: The matriarch of the family has changed into her slacks to do a little Sunday-afternoon gardening. With flower pot in hand and hand on hip, she means business.

• Father: Pops comes complete with pipe and hammer, because that's what any good retro daddy does--puff away and fix stuff with tools. If this figure had a talking feature, it'd probably tell Mom to put down the flower pot and go fix him a sandwich. 

• Big Sister: The older children of this family are obviously among the popular kids in high school. Big Sis is totally a retro "mean girl." You can tell she thinks she's hot stuff, waving those pom-poms in the air.

• Big Brother: Junior is surely Dad's pride and joy, tossing around the football and looking all preppy in his sweater and collared shirt. He's probably captain of the team.

• Little Sister: Just jump-ropin' up a storm as kitty sits nearby. Probably while watching Big Sis and praying that she too can be a cheerleader someday.

• Little Brother: Li'l bro here is hanging around playing catch with the family dog. Clearly, iPads and Xbox hadn't been invented yet.

I'm not sure how they were meant to be taken in the '70s, but in today's world these "People at Play" definitely have a fun kitsch factor, and are actually really well made in terms of design, sculpting and production. As mentioned above, they're perfect for filling out dioramas and play scenes. Want to see what I mean? Let's take a look at this perfect plastic family after the big one hits. I'm not talking Atomic attack, I'm talking ZOMBIE ATTACK!

Mono Minis of the Day: 7/1/15 to 7/16/15

Here are the latest batches of Mono Minis of the Day--as posted daily on the Little Weirdos Instagram, Twitter and Flickr. The lineup in the photo is as follows, from left to right, top to bottom:

1. #193 from MUSCLE  
2. Runt Zurb from Earthworm Jim (action figure accessory)
3. ET bootleg mini figure from Mexico
4. Extra Crispy from SLUG Zombies
5. Mechander Robot vending bootleg
6. Monster from Monstruos de Matutano
7. Knight from Neclos Fortress
8. Stretch Ghost from The Real Ghostbusters
9. Triceratops from Russ Dinosaurs set
10. Scarabus from Cosmix (MUSCLE knock off)
11. Baba Yaga from Oritet Russian Fairy Tale creatures set
12. Blemmyea from Monster in My Pocket
13. Cyclops from Big Bucket of Monsters
14. He-Man from Masters of the Universe keshi (repro by Eric Nilla)
15. Zoids vending machine bootleg
16. Bombos Fire Power from Gormiti Micros

Mystical Warriors of the Ring: July 2015 releases

Mystical Warriors of the Ring is back once again, this time with some brand new PVC colors of its popular Goliath figure and Series 2 three-pack!

Goliath, which was first available in metallic green at the beginning of this year, and then in metallic black this spring, returns for the summer in two new colors: metallic bronze and glow-in-the-dark white.

With its Glyos compatibility (which means it has articulation and is made of multiple pieces that can be taken apart and put back together), hefty size and killer sculpt, it's safe to say Goliath is the most popular MWOTR release so far. I am sure a lot of people will be happy to be able to put together a whole gang of Goliaths in different colors.

The metallic bronze is an excellent color fit for the beastly king that he is, and really shows off all the intricacies of the sculpt.

The ever-popular glow-in-the-dark color is now available as well, which is a semi-translucent white color that glows yellowish-green when in the dark. In addition to Goliath, the Series 2 three-pack has also been given the GITD treatment.

The Series 2 trio was first released in metallic black in the spring, and consists of Ulric Wolfrom, Yvonne Wolfrom and Leo Corazon/Generations Lion.

When you hold them up to the light for a minute and then put them in the dark, the figures glow very strongly and look great.

All five figures are available now in the MWOTR shop, sold in the following ways:

- Metallic bronze Goliath: $6 each
- Glow-in-the-dark Goliath: $7 each
- Glow-in-the-dark bundle including Goliath and Series 2 three-pack: $15 each

The MWOTR line continues to go strong with new releases and projects, so be sure to keep an eye on mystwarriors.com to stay up-to-date.

Mono Minis of the Day: 6/15/15 to 6/30/15

Here are the latest batches of Mono Minis of the Day--as posted daily on the Little Weirdos Instagram, Twitter and Flickr. The lineup in the photo is as follows, from left to right, top to bottom:

1. Fire Dragon from Lucky Yuckies (GeGeGe No Kitaro bootleg)
2. Watchman from Popy mini Kinnikuman keshi
3. Smurfs mini figure premium 
4. Creature from set of suction alien-robots
5. Ecto-Plazm ghost from The Real Ghostbusters
6. Atticus from Kaiju Kaos
7. Pince Dor from Cosmix (MUSCLE knock off)
8. AF-4 from Neclos Fortress
9. Space hero from Galaxy Laser Team
10. Grim Jim from Garbage Pail Kids Minikins
11. Hatching dino from Dino Brites
12. He-Man from Masters of the Universe vending bootlegs
13. Skeleton warrior from skeletons vs. pirates set
14. Monster from Geddes mini monster erasers
15. The Phantom from Monster in My Pocket
16. Fish Stix from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sidekick figures