The Workshop – Personalizing and tweaking a figure by Paul Benson

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Knives

INTRO: It’s been a little while since the last one so I’m very excited to be able to share with you today an all new Workshop! It comes from someone who’s no stranger to the halls of Rad Toy Review. Yes, Paul Benson is back with another great Workshop for those of you out there hungry for knowledge. Get ready to learn a few tricks and techniques that can help you squeeze the most out of your custom toy builds! Paul told me this workshop is more of a “tweaking” of a figure than a full on custom, but when I looked over it, I was blown away by the various techniques he uses to achieve the final figure. There’s a lot of great things going on here that you’re bound to learn something. If you have any questions about any part of the process, don’t hesitate to comment and we’ll get back to you with an answer as quickly as possible. Happy tweaking! – Knives

I don’t think I can describe this workshop as the putting together of a custom figure, it is possibly more about tweaking a figure! In my mind a custom figure is put together from completely new and scratch built parts, very little of it is from one particular original figure.

Tweaking is something I am completely into! Buying a figure and then putting it straight on the shelf is great, but it is also possible to make it a bit different. For me, that might involve adding a few bits of equipment, swapping out clothing, adding a different headsculpt and/or painting bits a different colour. Perhaps creating a different character. So, that is what I have done here, having taken a ThreeA TK and ‘tweaked’ it!

Continue reading →

REVIEW ThreeZero – Titanfall Stryder

Posted on May 16, 2015 by Knives

Intro:

I’m going to try and make this simple for everyone out there who are short on time or attention. Stryder is awesome. I wasn’t sure how he’d ever possibly be able to match up to the high standard that ThreeZero already set with Atlas but somehow, they pulled it off…. nearly as fantastically.

If all you’re waiting to hear is whether or not Threezero hit it out of the park before you decide to pull the trigger on the preorder going on right now at threezeroshop.com then I’d suggest you go ahead, draw your wallet and start popping off shots.

If you came here to read up on more of the nitty gritty of things, then well, stay put… you’ve come to the right place.

And if’n you prefer to sit back and have move’n pictures ‘n such spoon fed ye, then cool your heels and check out our video review below!

ed I: One thing of quick note, this is a review sample/prototype that ThreeZero provided for this review, so keep in mind that it’s possible that some features may change for the better (or worse) between now and the day they ship.

*ed II: I was informed of something I screwed up in this review.. The thing I’m calling a “turret” on the right side of his head, is actually facing the wrong direction and should be pointed with the skinny side back… in fact, may not be a “turret” at all. Try to ignore it if you can, if you can’t.. sorry!

Continue reading →

Hot Toys – Gamora – Guardians of the Galaxy

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Knives

Intro

Just as I finished unpacking the last toy in my office after our move, Gamora lands on my doorstep. I’ve been looking forward to having her in my collection since I first spotted her on display at Sideshow’s booth, last year during San Diego Comic Con. So much so that I tossed money at the screen as soon as she went up for pre-order.

Plunking down a not insignificant amount of cash for any collectible can leave one nerve racked as the ship date approaches. Will it be as awesome as it looked from the previews? Will the paint be as good as it did on the prototype? How are the accessories? What about QC?
Ah… what about QC indeed. The questions can go on and on.

As collectors, we tend to have certain expectations when it comes to these high dollar, luxury items. We expect a certain level of quality. That said, there’s also a good amount of consideration of expected limitations of any given item depending on how the item was produced, what features it may employ, new tech, etc… We can be at the same time incredibly nit-picky as well as a very reasonable bunch.
However, every once in awhile, even with all those things set up and limitations of a figure considered, a collectible comes along that just… baffles us.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Lets get on with the review, and you can decide exactly how this all applies to Hot Toys Gamora. Continue reading →