Mighty Muggs vs. Mez-Itz vs. Mallow

The Blot has no idea if a post like this has already been done online or not, but I thought it would be helpful to both comic book fans and designer toy collectors. Since more and more toy companies are jumping into the comic book themed designer vinyl toy market, I wanted to compare the three main toy lines currently being produced: Hasbro’s Mighty Muggs, Mezco Toyz’ Mez-Itz and Shocker Toys’ Mallows, especially since Hasbro has decided to cut back on its production of Mighty Muggs.


I figured this would be especially helpful to collectors who have never seen the Mez-Itz or Mallow figures in person, since both lines are currently for sale exclusively online (Hellboy Mez-Itz will go on sale at Toys R Us at some point). Because you can’t just go to a retail location to see what these new figures look like, I’ve taken a few pics of my SDCC exclusive Hellboy Mez-Itz and my SDCC exclusive SDCC Logo Mallow next to a Boba Fett Mighty Mugg for comparison. Hopefully this will give you a better idea of the size and look of these two new platforms.


I really had no idea what to expect when I first heard about these two new platforms, but I have been really happy with both of my purchases. If I had to choose, I would say Mez-Itz is the heir apparent to the reasonably priced, mass produced super hero themed Mighty Muggs vinyl figure toy line. While the figure’s body and arms are considerably smaller than those of Mighty Muggs, they are the same height and have the same feel as Hasbro’s figures. But, Mez-Itz figures have more articulation than Mighty Muggs and have a much more detailed paint job and sculpt. Keep in mind, Mezco will probably never have the types of licensing deals Hasbro has, so it’s really a tossup between which toy line is better.


As for Mallows, they may have an edge on the Mez-Itz platform when it comes to customizing because of its larger head and wider body. If you’re used to working with Mighty Muggs, Mallow’s larger head and torso will make for an easy transition. The only drawback is that because of its highly articulated arms and legs, you lose a lot of good surface area to paint details on the figure’s extremities. Mallows are also an inch shorter than Mighty Muggs and Mez-itz figures, and also feel a lot lighter. They appear to be made from a lighter grade of plastic, and that gives off a more fragile feel. But that could just be from the figure's highly articulated design. Overall, Mallows do look and feel like much smaller figures compared to Mighty Muggs and Mez-Itz figures.


I will always have a special place in my heart for Hasbro’s Mighty Muggs, but I’ve been trying to prepare myself for the line’s ultimate demise. If that ever does happen, I think both Mez-Itz and Mallows are great toy lines for both collectors and customizers. I do think the Mez-Itz figures have more to offer though, and from a purely collector’s point of view, I love all of the killer accessories Mez-Itz figures come with. If you have any questions or want additional pictures, please let The Blot know!

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations - Burning Questions

Tonight’s special episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations is a highlight show unlike any you’ve ever seen before. Based on the results of a poll conducted by the Travel Channel, Tony answers the Top 10 viewer questions by using clips from past shows (even clips from Season 1). Included in Tony’s reminiscing are clips of his infamous massage in Uzbekistan, his trouble in Chile, and the priceless expression on his face when he’s at the Dracula Castle on Halloween (with a bit of background about how they got there).



In tonight’s special Bourdain also talks about all of the cute little critters he’s had to eat over the years, and I have a feeling we’ll all be surprised by his answer. And a highlight show would not be complete without an appearance by fan favorite, Zamir! In tonight’s episode “Burning Questions,” we’ll finally learn what Bourdain’s true feelings are on his ever so gracious Eastern European guide.

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations airs every Monday night at 10/9c on the Travel Channel.

MAD x Fully Visual Mini Metal Mad*ls

Since it looks like MAD’s long rumored 3” Mad*l Vinyl Mini Figure Series won’t be happening, we are apparently getting the next best thing…3” Mini Metal Mad*ls from Fully Visual! I’m not 100% sure the size of these metal Mad*ls, they could be anywhere from 2-4 inches in height, but they look pretty cool so far!


When I first heard MAD was doing a collaboration with Fully Visual earlier this year, the first thing that popped into my head was metal Mad*ls. Instead we got the metal Modern Hero figures, which are great in their own right, but I was still holding out hope we would one day see metal versions of one of my favorite vinyl platforms. Thankfully, MAD and Fully Visual saw the same potential in metal Mad*ls as The Blot did and made these killer figures a reality.


More details should be coming soon on these MAD x Fully Visual mini metal Mad*ls, but we do know they will be coming in five unique colors: Silver Antique, Gold, Black Nickel, Copper and Brass. Normally Black Nickel is my favorite Fully Visual colorway, but I can’t seem to decide which metal figure I want to add to my Mad*l collection. I’m leaning towards a Silver Antique or Copper Mad*l, but it also depends on the rarity of each colorway and the price. More details to come once they are announced.

Muttpop - Tequila Incredible Edition

I cannot believe Muttpop’s Incredible Edition Tequila vinyl figure is almost here! Do you realize The Blot first talked this Incredible Hulk inspired colorway almost a year ago!?! It was November 14, 2008 to be exact. And now we’re just a few short weeks from the release of this amazing looking purple and green Tequila (The Incredible Tequila will hit stores on September 15th!). The Blot is beyond excited…I’ve had a spot on one of my shelves just waiting for its arrival.


While we still don’t know too much about the Tequila Incredible Edition figure yet, like a set release date or price, we do know he will be hitting store shelves sometime in September. And now courtesy of Muttpop, we also have an official photo of the jolly green giant to drool over.


Also, keep your eyes peeled here for a new photo of Tequila Incredible Edition with his poncho/sarape. Muttpop will be releasing that photo next week, and I will be sure to update this post with the latest picture of this incredible figure once it’s available.

Damon, Carlton and a Polar Bear’s Limited Edition Lost Prints

Have you been to the new Lost website Damon, Carlton and a Polar Bear yet? If not what are you waiting for!?! This Lost tribute website made its debut at the San Diego Comic Con 2009 Lost panel and was created by Lost fan and professional actor/comedian Paul Scheer. Believe what you may, but as far as I can tell DamonCarltonandaPolarBear.com is more of a viral marketing, official Lost tie-in website than a tribute site. But who knows.


For a while now there has been a fake online fight going on between Damon, Carlton and a Polar Bear and Ronie Midfew Arts. Of course Ronie Midfew Arts is also an anagram of Widmore Fine Arts! You can find out all about this online legal battle over the rights to sell Lost inspired artwork here. Anway, it appears this was all hype leading up to a series of limited edition Lost themed screen prints being released exclusively on Damon, Carlton and a Polar Bear. How cool is that!?! Two prints have been unveiled so far, one by Olly Moss and one by Tim Doyle, with 14 more to go. I’m not sure how often they will be releasing new prints, but I would imagine it’s every couple of days. You can read the official press release below.


In celebration of LOST's final season and as a project of fan appreciation, 16 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating one of the series' most memorable, and unforgettable, "water cooler" moments. This ultimate "fan art" was then turned into labor intensive, hand-pulled screen prints, limited to an edition of just 300, with less than 200 available to the public through our website. Each beautiful poster tells its own different story, allowing the fan to relive memorable and influential moments in an artistic manner, as the show's storied run comes to a close. Once this limited edition print has sold out, they will never be printed again. Celebrate the fandom, community and family created by one of televisions' greatest shows by hanging a little part of its history, inspiration and influence on your wall.


So there you have it, 16 artists and designers have been pegged to create a unique Lost inspired screen print. These are truly a must have for every Lost fan! Each 18”x24” Lost screen print is limited to just 300 pieces, comes hand signed and numbered by the artist, and retails for $50 each. You can purchase one or all sixteen of these awesome Lost posters here at DamonCarltonandaPolarBear.com.

Johnny Cupcakes x Pee-wee’s Big Adventure T-Shirt

I know The Blot Says… has been very t-shirt centric the past two days, but I couldn’t ignore the newest Johnny Cupcakes movie themed tee released just yesterday. Last Saturday, August 22nd, JC hosted another one of his extremely popular midnight movie screenings at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, MA, this time showing the 1985 classic Pee-wee’s Big Adventure starring Paul Reubens and directed by Tim Burton. Did you know Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure was the first full length movie Burton ever directed?


According to the Johnny Cupcakes blog, Pee-Wee Herman was one of JC’s biggest role models growing up and helped turn him into the weird, jokester he is today. Johnny even credits Mr. Reubens for much of his success. I have to say, this Pee-wee’s Big Adventure tribute shirt is killer. I love the t-shirt’s huge font and futuristic retro look. Plus, who wouldn’t want to sport a shirt featuring Pee-wee Herman’s famed stolen red bike. When I was a kid I wanted the red bicycle from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure so badly! I didn’t even care that it had the red streamers coming off its handles. I think this is one JC t-shirt I might have to order.


The Johnny Cupcakes Big Adventure t-shirt sells for $35.00 and comes in both guys and girls styled tees. You can purchas this Pee-wee’s Big Adventure tribute t-shirt directly from the Johnny Cupcakes online store here.

Johnny Cupcakes x Looney Tunes - A Half-Baked Collaboration

The teaser image below mysteriously showed up on the Johnny Cupcakes landing page last week and The Blot’s been frantically searching the internet ever since for more information on this killer Johnny Cupcakes/Looney Tunes collaboration. Sadly, I’ve found nothing. The closest I’ve come to any kind of real information on the upcoming Johnny Cupcakes x Looney Tunes release is this tweet from Johnny Cupcakes’ official Twitter account. And really, it doesn't say anything we didn’t already know from the teaser image below:


So here’s what we do know: there’s a new Johnny Cupcakes x Looney Tunes collaboration dropping on Saturday, September 12th at noon both online and in all three Johnny Cupcakes retail locations. I’m dying to know what JC’s got in store for us, but I guess The Blot will have to wait until Sept. 12th just like everybody else.

Threadless - Ninja! Heads Will Roll! T-Shirt

When The Blot first saw the new “Ninja! Heads Will Roll!” t-shirt on Monday I knew I had to post about it! Now I don’t think I could actually pull this tee off, but it is definitely one of the most creative t-shirt’s Threadless has ever made. It’s so simple and yet so killer. I normally just post a picture of the shirt’s design, but to get the full effect of “Ninja! Heads Will Roll!” you’ve got to see the final product being worn.

Ninja! Heads Will Roll! T-Shirt by Marco Angeles

Doesn’t it actually look like the ninja flying across the shirt is slicing off the t-shirt wearer’s head!?! I’ve got a feeling this is one Threadless t-shirt that will be in high demand for months to come. You can purchase the “Ninja! Heads Will Roll!” t-shirt at Threadless.com for $18 in both guys and girls sizes.

Huck Gee x Brandt Peters Peacemaker No. 32.9 Vinyl Figure

The second figure in the Peacemaker No. 32.9 Artist Series produced by MINDstyle is a collaboration between Brandt Peters and the great Huck Gee. While we still don’t know much about the Peacemaker No. 32.9 Artist Series, from the pictures of the Huck Gee Peacemaker No. 32.9 figure and the Buff Monster Peacemaker No. 32.9 figure the series is shaping up to be a great one!



From the looks of these two figures, I have a feeling the Peacemaker No. 32.9 Artist Series will be extremely popular with fans! First Buff and now Huck, any guesses on who the next artist to collaborate with Brandt Peters on his Peacemaker No. 32.9 vinyl figure will be? As more information on these very cool Brandt Peters collaborations becomes available I will be sure to post it here on The Blot Says…

Buff Monster x Brandt Peters Peacemaker No. 32.9 Vinyl Figure

The Blot knows nothing about this new collaboration between artists Buff Monster and Brandt Peters, but it’s pretty freaking awesome! The Buff Monster Edition of Brandt Peters’ Peacemaker No. 32.9 looks to be the first figure in a new Peacemaker No. 32.9 Artist Series produced by MINDstyle. I’m really interested in finding out if these Artist Series Peacemakers will be the same size (13 inches) and around the same price ($100) as the OG Peacemaker No. 32.9.


Could this be a new blind box series of 3-6" Peacemaker No. 32.9s or is it an actual Artist Series featuring the original Peacemaker!?! Only time will tell, but I’m really hoping these turn out to be full size figures. A line of Peacemaker No. 32.9 vinyl figures with each figure designed by a different artist would be killer.

Dollhouse Season 2 Television Promo Poster

The Blot has had a real love/hate relationship with Dollhouse. At first, I was really excited for Dollhouse based solely on the fact that it was created by the great Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly). But, when the show debuted last season it left me feeling very underwhelmed. Something about Dollhouse just wasn’t clicking. Thankfully that feeling didn’t last long and Whedon’s fourth TV show become appointment television for The Blot.


Dollhouse definitely went through some growing pains, but like Eliza Dushku’s Echo, it was able to reinvent itself on almost a weekly basis. I've been anxiously awaiting the start of Dollhouse Season 2, and am even more excited after seeing this very cool, yet simple Season 2 promo poster. It's so basic, but I really loved how they juxtaposed the show's title with its star. I’ve got no idea what’s in store for the inhabitants of the Dollhouse, but I’ve got a feeling it’s going to turn their lives upside down.

Dollhouse Season 2 premiers on Friday, September 25th at 9/8c on FOX.

Dollhouse stars Eliza Dushku as Echo, Harry J. Lennix as Boyd Langton, Tahmoh Penikett as Paul Ballard, Fran Kranz as Topher Brink, Enver Gjokaj as Victor, Dichen Lachman as Sierra and Olivia Williams as Adelle DeWitt.

MINDstyle x Disney Jiminy Cricket Vinyl Figure

It looks like MINDstyle’s new deal with Disney has officially hit the ground running. The designer toy company has wasted no time in creating a series of amazingly detailed Art Toy Collectibles based on Disney’s classic characters. The Blot’s a huge fan of Disney’s Peter Pan Pinocchio (please ignore this brain fart), so I was excited to find out on Friday that MINDstyle will be releasing a Jiminy Cricket vinyl figure sometime soon (I hope). (link)



Unfortunately, MINDstyle hasn’t released any actual details about this upcoming figure like its size, price or run size. As of now all we’ve got to go on are the two pictures above, but they are pretty cool looking pictures! So at least we’ve got that to go off of.

Hellboy Comic Book Edition T-Shirt Variant Mez-Itz Vinyl Figure

The Blot’s a little confused by Mezco Toyz’s latest release, the T-Shirt Variant Hellboy Comic Book Edition Mez-Itz vinyl figure. To me, this figure shouldn’t be a “variant” since the t-shirtless figure was a San Diego Comic Con exclusive. If anything this little guy should be the standard Comic Book Edition Hellboy Mez-Itz figure since it is available to everyone here...but I digress. What separates the T-Shirt Variant from the normal Summer Exclusive Comic Book Edition Hellboy Mez-Itz is that he comes wearing a shirt featuring the famous BPRD (Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense) logo on his chest.


Based on the artwork of Mike Mignola, this limited edition Hellboy Mez-Itz captures the essence of the comic book Hellboy from his sawed-off horns to his posable tail. This limited edition variant figure stands six inches tall, has six points of articulation and comes complete with Hellboy's legendary gun, the Samaritan.

The Hellboy Comic Book Edition T-Shirt Variant Mez-Itz vinyl figure retails for $20 each and can be purchased directly from the Mezco Toyz online store here. This is a cool looking figure and I love my t-shirtless one, so if you’re going to order the Summer Exclusive Hellboy Comic Book Edition Mez-Itz directly from Mezco Toyz, you might as well order both!

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations - Montana

In this week’s episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Tony heads to Montana of all places, where the scenery is breathtaking and wildlife abounds. The Blot’s mom and step-dad are obsessed with Montana, so I know all about the beauty of this sparsely populated state and now so can you!


While there, Tony heads to Livingston, MT to visit the Murray Hotel, a “hotel with a past” that has seen Buffalo Bill and Calamity Jane as prior occupants. Inside the hotel is the Second Street Bistro, which is owned and operated by Chef Brian Menges. Chef Menges prepares a wondrous meal for Tony made up of all local ingredients. Dish after dish of short ribs, beurre blanc, pork belly, local potatoes and rack of lamb arrive at the table, each one more delicious than the next.



Tony then visits the Paradise Valley, a beautiful area of land nestled among Montana’s towering mountains. Tony and Chef Menges trek across the valley to work up an appetite, before heading to base camp and eating an amazing meal consisting of primarily game meats like deer hearts, foie gras and pheasant. No Reservations - Montana: good All-American food eaten by All-American men in America’s beautiful land.

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations airs every Monday night at 10/9c on the Travel Channel.

G.I. Yo! Supervillain Suckpegs by Suckadelic

Sucklord, the king of bootleg toys, has released a new three piece set of G.I. Joe inspired Suckpegs vinyl figures, entitled G.I. Yo!, and I must have them! Sucklord’s newest bootleg toys are a protest/tribute to the so bad, it’s good live action G.I. Joe adaptation, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and include Suckpeg versions of The Baroness, Cobra Commander and Destro. Thankfully, Sucklord’s G.I. Yo! Suckpegs are way more faithful to the G.I. Joe cartoons/comic books/action figures that we all grew up with than the movie is. The three figure G.I. Yo! Supervillain Suckpegs set includes Duchess, Corporal Slither and Pestro, and can be purchased directly from Suckadelic here at the official Suckadelic online store. There were only 40 of these limited edition G.I. Yo! Suckpegs sets created, and each set retails for $100 each.

Blammoids! Series 2 by DC Direct

We’ve known for a while now what characters were going to be included in DC Direct’s second wave of Blammoids! vinyl figures, but now we have a release date. Blammoids! Series 2 will go on sale April 7, 2010….just a measly 8 months away. Blammoids! Series 2 includes chunky/blocky versions of some of DC Comics’ greatest heroes and villain, including Superman, Lex Luthor, Batgirl, Darkseid, Plastic Man and The Creeper.


It’s kind of an anticlimactic announcement when you realize Series 1 isn’t out yet and Series 2 isn’t being released for a very long time. I just assumed they’d be hitting store shelves sometime soon since they had the first four waves of Blammoids! figures on display at SDCC (check them out here).


They may not be coming out for a while, but it hasn’t dampened my anticipation for these faux designer vinyl figures. I especially love The Creeper, whose crazy smile takes up his entire face! And I don’t know what it is about Superman’s hair, maybe it’s the crazy blue streak in it, but it too looks pretty cool.


Each Blammoids! vinyl figure is packaged on a blister card, measures approximately 2.5" to 4" tall and has three points of articulation.

Threadless - Quentin Tarantino Movie Themed T-Shirts

Threadless released two Quentin Tarantino inspired t-shirts this week in honor of Tarantino’s newest movie, Inglourious Basterds, debuting in theaters on Friday, August 21st. The t-shirts, one new and one reprinted, are based on two of Tarantino’s most popular films, Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction. The Kill Bill themed tee is entitled “Kill Bird” and its design does an amazing job of utilizing the black shirt it’s printed on. The Blot never thought yellow little birds were all that dangerous, but this tee has me rethinking that notion.

Kill Bird by Alex Solis

The second Quentin Tarantino movie themed t-shirt is a reprint of the Pulp Fiction inspired tee “Extra Pulp.” This shirt is so awesome, The Blot even ordered one just last night. Come on, who doesn’t want a shirt featuring fruit versions of John Travolta’s Vincent Vega and Samuel L. Jackson’s Jules Winnfield!?!

Extra Pulp by Chris Sharron

Both shirts are currently on sale at Threadless.com for $15 each (regular price is $18).

Jonah Hex SDCC 09 Teaser Movie Poster

DC Comics’ popular Western antihero Jonah Hex is finally getting the big screen treatment. Hex has gone through some crazy adventures over the years…he started out as an anything but typical Western bounty hunter, but was then unexpectedly thrown into a post-apocalyptic future where he became a sort of Mad Max wannabe. Even trading in his Confederate Army inspired wardrobe for a horribly cliché 80’s futuristic costume. Jonah Hex then returned to the past just in time to explore the weird and dark Wild West of the Vertigo Universe, DC Comics’ “adult oriented” imprint.


After a brief hiatus, Hex is now back in the DC Universe and starring in a popular comic book series written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti. He also made an all but too brief appearance in the DC cartoon Batman: The Brave and The Bold. Next up, Hex will be starring in his own live action motion picture starring Josh Brolin as Jonah Hex, John Malkovich as Quentin Turnbull and Megan Fox as Leila (Hex’s love interest).


Photos of Fox on the set of Jonah Hex is a ridiculously tight corset set the internet a blaze last month, and has given the DC Comics inspired movie an unexpected jolt of early publicity. Here’s hoping the photo above isn’t the potential summer blockbuster’s lone highlight. The Blot’s just hoping Fox doesn’t ruin the film with her incredibly bad acting. The less she says the better!

Jonah Hex is scheduled to hit theaters next summer on June 18, 2010.

The Liontaur Custom Vinyl Figure by Huck Gee

The Blot is excited to introduce the world to the Warrior King of the Great Savanna, the esteemed Liontaur. How awesome does this four legged beast look!?!


While not as ornate and detailed as some of Huck Gee’s previously released custom vinyl figures, the Liontaur might be Huck’s deadliest. Just look at his those razor sharp blades. And if you think they look extremely realistic, it’s becomes they are! This figure is definitely not for kids.


The Liontaur goes on sale at Huck Gee’s online store this Friday, August 21st, at Noon PDT, and will retail for $850 each. Each hand painted figure is signed and numbered by Huck and comes with all of the accessories show above.

Kidrobot - Wood Donkey 8 Inch Dunny by Amanda Visell

The Blot is pleased to announce Amanda Visell’s jolly, axe wielding Wood Donkey Dunny goes on sale this Thursday, August 20th! Discovered in the woods and raised by lumberjacks, Wood Donkey spends his days chopping down trees. After a lifetime of terrorizing the forest, all of the forest creatures now fear him…forcing him to chop himself up to make new friends. His philosophy is the more, the merrier, so watch your fingers because Wood Donkey's always looking to expand his circle of friends!


This chummy 8” figure comes with a bonus stump and axe, and features delicate vinyl leaves as fingers. The Wood Donkey Dunny has a limited edition run size of 1,500 and retails for $75. To commemorate the release of her first 8 inch Dunny, Amanda will be holding signings at Kidrobot’s stores in LA (Aug. 18th), San Francisco (Aug. 19th), Dallas (Aug 20th) and New York (Aug. 21st).


The figure will go on sale at each Kidrobot store at 6pm on the day of signings and Thursday, August 20, 2009, at 11am EST on Kidrobot.com. This figure will definitely sell out on Thursday, so if you want one of these awesome Wood Donkey Dunnys don’t dilly dally!

Silent Stage x Jesse Hernandez FlipFlop Giclee Print

The new Silent Stage x Jesse Hernandez limited edition print entitled “FlipFlop,” features two of Jesse's signature characters battling it out for superiority. You can choose which character is “winning” the battle by determining which character should be on top of the giclee print once it’s framed and/or hung. Besides being an amazing piece of artwork, FlipFlop is also being produced to celebrate the release of the new BIC Buddy mini-figure blind boxed series featuring Jesse Hernandez.


The FlipFlop giclee comes signed and numbered by Jesse, is printed on 16" x 20" museum archival paper, has a limited edition run size of only 33 prints, and will retail for $100 each. The print is set to drop today, Monday, August 17th, at 11:00am PST on SilentStageGallery.com in the "Collectibles" section. Please Note: the pictures of the print in this post show copyright watermarks, but the watermarks will NOT be on the final production prints.

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations - Thailand

In tonight’s episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Tony explores the bustling streets of Bangkok and immerses himself in the local street foods, cultural practices and people of Thailand. The culture of Thailand incorporates a great deal of influence from India, China, Cambodia and the rest of Southeast Asia, and Thai cuisine blends five fundamental flavors: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and salty. No sooner does the crew arrive in Bangkok, they find themselves in the center of a political upheaval. Amid the protests, violence and uncertainty, Tony and the crew make a point of discovering the elements that make Thailand magical.


While in Thailand, Tony meets up with Eric Rivera, a finalist in No Reservations’ Fan Contest. Eric, a Muay Thai fighter, has always felt connected to Thailand and wants his chance to show Tony the wonders of this amazingly diverse country. First they head to Songkran, the Buddhist New Year festival, home of the world’s largest water fight. Then Tony travels to Samut Songkran, northwest of Bangkok, via train with his friend and guide, Gong. Along their journey, they travel through – yes, right through – the Maeklong Market, a bustling outdoor market that just happens to be situated right on the train tracks. Check out the video clip below from tonight’s episode of No Reservations that shows Tony exploring this unique marketplace:



From train to boat, Tony and the crew then travel up-canal to the Gulf of Thailand, where men harvest fresh cockles in the mud of the gulf. Tony, always willing, gives it a shot and ends up waist-deep in gooey brown mud. Tony and crew then find themselves in Ampua, a town on the banks of the Mekong River and home to a floating market popular with tourists visiting Thailand. Next, Tony meets up with friend and ex-pat author, Jerry Hopkins, to explore the many canals of Bangkok. At the Taling Chan Floating Market they sample grilled stuffed snakehead fish, a popular treat in Thailand. I can only imagine what a snakehead fish looks like! But The Blot loves Thai food, so I’m really looking forward to seeing everything Tony tries tonight, from massaman curry, to Thai mackerel and frog curry!

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations airs Monday nights at 10/9c on the Travel Channel.

SDCC 09 - Batman: The Brave and The Bold Action Figures

As you may have been able to tell from The Blot’s earlier post, I’m a huge fan of the Batman: The Brave and The Bold cartoon. So of course I’m also a big fan of its corresponding toy line. With its retro feel and blocky style, the Batman: BB figures are the perfect action figures to appease both children and adult collectors.



Mattel’s Batman: The Brave and The Bold display at San Diego Comic Con 2009 was put together really well, and people were definitely swarming the display cases trying to identify all of the soon to be released action figures. The first thing I noticed right away was the Starro stars strategically placed throughout the Batman: BB display. My only question is how are they being sold? Do they come with certain figures or can you buy a Starro 4-pack!?! If so, I’d buy a Starro multi-pack in a heartbeat.


My favorite new Batman: BB figure is Gold from the Metal Men. This has to be the first ever Metal Man action figure, right? And if you notice in the close-up picture of Gold, the other two Batman figures in the photo seem to come with Metal Men accessories! From the looks of things it appears there will be a Metal Men themed wave of Batman: The Brave and The Bold action figures hitting store shelves soon.

SDCC 09 - Batman: The Brave and The Bold Action League Toy Line

As cool as Hasbro’s Marvel Super Hero Squad figures are, deep down The Blot’s a DC Comics guy at heart. So I was excited to find out Mattel would be releasing their own version of Hasbro's Super Hero Squad figures called the Action League based on the popular cartoon Batman: The Brave and The Bold.



I saw Wave 1 of the Action League 2-packs at my local Target last week, and from the looks of the poster below a ton of other figures are in the works. My favorite part of the Action League is the diversity of characters included in the toy line, but what else would you expect from a line of action figures based on Batman: The Brave and The Bold. That cartoon has included pretty much every single character in the DC Universe.



Best of all, Mattel will be releasing a Ted Kord Blue Beetle figure! Now you too can act out the exploits of the Wil Wheaton voiced Blue Beetle II, especially since it’s the only version of Blue Beetle II still up and running (at least sort of anyway). And if you’re a big fan of Batman, Action League is the toy line for you. Mattel will be releasing at least 10 different versions of the Caped Crusader.