News

When the news broke in mid-January that Diamond Comics Distributors, whose collectibles division also includes Diamond Select Toys and Gentle Giant, had filed for bankruptcy, it was a shock for collectors and, of course, for us as retailers. Now there's news of the bankruptcy proceedings.

A few days ago, it was announced that Alliance Entertainment would acquire the comic book giant. The company had made the highest bid for the acquisition. However, approval from the bankruptcy court is still pending. The purchase would also include Diamond Select Toys. Gentle Giant, however, is not mentioned in the press release. It remains unclear whether the manufacturer will be considered part of Diamond Select Toys or treated separately.

Alliance Entertainment is a global wholesaler specializing in music, film, video games, and collectibles, among other things. Therefore, the company's decision-makers saw significant cross-selling potential with Diamond's comics, games, merchandise, and collectibles.

The increase in their revolving credit facility, which will allow Alliance Entertainment to finance the takeover, is expected to be completed in April – assuming the bankruptcy court approves the purchase.

Of course, we hope that the acquisition goes as smoothly as possible and that collectors can continue to be supplied with collectibles from Diamond and Gentle Giant in the future. We will keep you updated on further developments.

A whole series of new trailers have dropped on YouTube in recent days, which whet our appetites for upcoming film and series releases. We've selected a few appetizers to present to you here:

Warner Bros. is serving us a new trailer for »Final Destination: Bloodlines«, the sixth installment in the popular horror series. This time, young Stefani's family is haunted by death, and the preview gives us a glimpse of the creative traps the Grim Reaper sets for them. You can quench your thirst for blood in theaters starting May 16th.
https://youtu.be/UWMzKXsY9A4

On Disney+, however, the Doctor's adventures continue on April 12th, when the second season of »Doctor Who« starts streaming, starring Ncuti Gatwa in the title role. Soon, you'll be able to travel through space and time with the Time Lord and his new companion.
https://youtu.be/IN7nAyeeN5Q

It'll be less wholesome, but bloodier, when »Clown in a Cornfield« hits the big screen on May 9th. The first trailer already piqued our interest about a month ago, and the new one promises a truly terrifying slasher. We're excited to see if Frendo can join the ranks of iconic killer clowns.
https://youtu.be/8tBSOKyyZT8

A real highlight from the Star Wars universe awaits us starting April 22nd: the second (and final) season of »Andor«! The new episodes on Disney+ continue the story of the beginnings of the Rebel Alliance. The trailer impressively shows what's at stake and really stokes our anticipation for Season 2!
https://youtu.be/duN-KQgOjYs

Lionsgate gives us another glimpse into »Ballerina«, the spin-off to the »John Wick« series. Ana de Armas plays the eponymous dancer, who, after the death of her parents, is trained to be an assassin and embarks on a bloody campaign of revenge – and encounters a familiar face along the way. The action film will be in theaters starting June 6th.
https://youtu.be/yNN2PoilSp4

Finally, Marvel is upping the ante and releasing the fourth trailer for their upcoming mega-blockbuster »Thunderbolts«, which opens on May 2nd. And the fast-paced trailer is really building up hype for the MCU's new anti-hero squad!
https://youtu.be/bqnRzjPfb5A

"They don't make films. They make movies."

The first season of the series »The Studio« premieres today on Apple TV+ under the creative direction of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

Film geek Matt Remick (Seth Rogen) has reached his dream as the newly appointed head of Continental Film Studios. But how do you produce captivating and modern films? How does he manage the balancing act of realizing creative visions while simultaneously fulfilling the studio's commercial interests? In an attempt to please everyone, Matt's big dream quickly turns into a nightmare.

For film buffs, movies and shows that take a look behind the scenes of a film production are, of course, a special treat. It wasn't that long ago that the HBO series »The Franchise« took a look at the production of a superhero blockbuster, unfortunately with a rather disappointing result, as the series turned out to be unfunny and the characters were all unlikable. If the initial reviews are to be believed, things seem to be quite different with »The Studio«. There is a lot of praise for the satirical view on the film business, the sense for the absurdities of Hollywood and the accurate humor. Part of this is likely due to the many Hollywood celebrities who make fun of themselves. We meet Charlize Theron, Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese, among others. Unlike in the series »Entourage«, the cameos here aren't an end in themselves, but rather drive the plot forward, according to the reviews.

We're also particularly excited about Bryan Cranston's appearance as studio CEO Griffin Mill in the pilot episode, which is available on the streaming platform as of today, together with episode 2. The remaining 8 episodes will follow weekly.

The sci-fi adventure »The Electric State« premiered on Netflix on March 14. Tim watched the film and shares his impressions here:

Sometimes it's astonishing how massive film projects can just pass you by, even when you’re deeply immersed in the subject, constantly on the lookout for new trailers, working with collectibles from current blockbusters, spending almost all your free time watching series and movies, and even heading to the cinema every few weeks. That's exactly what happened to me and the entire S.P.A.C.E Crew with »The Electric State«. I vaguely remember hearing that Simon Stålenhag's book was getting a film adaptation a few years ago, and I recall thinking, "Oh, cool!" – but somehow, I completely lost track of it. That is, until a few months ago when I saw the trailer once as an ad before another trailer, promptly forgot about it again, and then suddenly, on March 14, the film appeared out of nowhere on my Netflix page. But more on that in a moment.

Simon Stålenhag's illustrated novel is one of those defining artworks of an era – in this case, the Photoshop era. His haunting, 1990s-inspired retro-futuristic dystopian imagery is the epitome of digital painting, heavily influenced by game concept art, the digital revolution, and environmental disasters. They are also reminiscent of Lovecraft, if the Gothic author's monsters were robots instead of biological. The images feel eerily familiar, whether it's because the machines resemble mechatronics from our childhood or because these giant metallic beasts loom over an otherwise ordinary nighttime gas station. And that’s precisely what makes them so unsettling. This aesthetic perfectly fits into the internet world of backrooms and creepy pastas.

This fascination must have inspired the Russo brothers to acquire the film rights to the book and attempt the second adaptation of a Stålenhag work. In 2020, Prime Video released the series adaptation »Tales from the Loop«, which is definitely worth checking out. Here’s the trailer:
https://youtu.be/1htuNZp82Ck

And now we get to the film's genuinely eerie story: it is Netflix's most expensive production ever. Roughly 320 million dollars (!) were spent on this film, placing it among the top 10 most expensive movies of all time. Current mega-stars like Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Giancarlo Esposito, Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, and Anthony Mackie were cast in the lead roles. Incredible work went into the cinematic design and CGI for Stålenhag's metallic creations, and Avengers blockbuster directors Anthony and Joe Russo helmed the project. How did such a colossal project fly under our radar - especially when you compare it to Netflix’s last big sci-fi film production, Zack Snyder’s awful Star Wars knockoff »Rebel Moon« (166 million dollars for both films), whose promotion you simply couldn’t escape before, during, and after its release?

Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for that. Maybe they just ran out of money when it came to marketing. The posters didn't do the movie any favors either, they are as stupid and generic as the ones for »Borderlands«. Nevertheless, the film has climbed to the top of the streaming charts, and I watched it too. I can already tell you this much: it’s DEFINITELY not as bad as the »Rebel Moon« films, but was it worth the 320 million? Probably not – though that depends a bit on what you value.

Visually, »The Electric State« is absolutely stunning. I love the design of the robots and the world, which sticks closely to the aesthetics of the source material. Honestly, I would have been satisfied if they had just left out the story altogether and made a dystopian atmospheric documentary instead. Unfortunately, the storytelling doesn’t come close to matching the visuals. Instead of the book's atmospheric horror, we get an action-comedy – popcorn cinema (without the cinema) that wouldn’t feel out of place in the current MCU. Chris Pratt's character is annoyingly unfunny, but his companion Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie) has quite a bit of charm and makes up for it in places. I liked the connection between Millie Bobby Brown's Michelle and the robot Cosmo, though Cosmo's speech pattern, filled with cartoon references, heavily reminded me of Bumblebee from the »Transformers« series. The film's climax is a chaotic CGI battle lacking any depth, and the social and technological criticism is as on-the-nose as can be, carefully avoiding offending any particular group. The "robot messiah child" trope was executed far better in »The Creator« two years ago.

Conclusion: The film is perfectly fine for a casual movie night. At least you won’t constantly get frustrated with unbearably dumb protagonists, like I did with »Rebel Moon«. Did I expect much more from an adaptation of the book? ABSOLUTELY, but fans of »Transformers« and Marvel movies like me will still enjoy it. Just don’t expect any depth – and certainly no horror. That element only surfaces in a single, far-too-brief scene where you already know in advance that there are no stakes at all. Was this a way too long and complex review for a mediocre film? Probably ;).

Watch the trailer for »The Electric State« here:
https://youtu.be/KpN98z8Kf5E

Sometimes we see a trailer and add the film to our watchlist in capital letters, bold, underlined, and with exclamation marks. »The Ugly Stepsister«, Norwegian author and director Emilie Blichfeldt's debut film, is one such case.

It tells the Brothers Grimm's Cinderella story as a biting satire and deals with ideals of beauty and gender roles in a fairytale-like, not very squeamish way. Like »The Substance«, the film delves deep into body horror. Blichfeldt cites Cronenberg and Argento as two of her sources of inspiration. The film garnered considerable attention at this year's Sundance Film Festival and in the Berlinale Panorama section.

Watch the trailer and tell us if you're hooked like we were:
https://youtu.be/5vZ1_Yxjwzs

Last weekend, a very special game series celebrated its 20th anniversary. The first »God of War« game was released on March 22, 2005 in North America. The game revolutionized the action-adventure genre, scoring points with a fantastic mix of riddles, intense boss battles, a dark atmosphere and - by the standards of the time - high-quality graphics. For the publisher Sony and the developers at Santa Monica Studio the first part of the series was already a huge success, selling more than 4.6 million copies. The franchise's popularity hasn't waned since then, with newer titles also playing in the higher leagues.

At the center of the story, as well as the entire video game series, is the Spartan Kratos. Basically, we're dealing with a classic antihero, who often favors violence and resorts to unfair means in war. But the nefarious son of Zeus plunges into deep grief after falling victim to a ruse and murdering his own wife and daughter. It quickly turns out that not everything's black and white in »God of War«. Especially through flashbacks as cinematic cutscenes, the player learns about Kratos' demons from the past.

To forget these gruesome events, Kratos obliged himself to the Olympian gods, so they'd stop the flashbacks. Armed with the Blades of Chaos, the weapons of the god of war, Ares, to whom he once sold his soul, he must kill him on behalf of the goddess Athena. This fits well with Kratos, since Ares is indirectly responsible for the death of his family. Revenge is not only a central theme in the first »God of War« part, but it runs through the series as a common thread.

In 2010, the »God of War Collection« was released for PlayStation 3, which includes the first and second parts of the game series in reworked HD graphics. This makes it worth playing again, even after 20 years, to nostalgically slaughter monsters from Greek mythology.

Of course, we also have figures and statues from »God of War« in store. The 1/3 Kratos statue from Prime 1 Studio's Elite Masterline from the latest title »God of War: Ragnarok« is currently available for pre-order. The love for detail and a considerable amount of equipment will make the hearts of diehard fans and newcomers alike beat faster. Here you'll find the collectibles!

A bit of anime, a pinch of gaming, plus some »Lord of the Rings«, »Star Wars«, and old Hollywood classics, and a touch of samurai flair to boot: Sven and Tobi present you with a colorful potpourri of collectibles in episode 26 of 💫 NEUES AUS DEM FIGUREN UNIVERSUM 💫. There's a lot to see in this episode - from the Witch-King Mini-Statue from Weta to the high-quality 1/6 scale figures from Kaustic Plastik to a fantastic replica of the Master Sword from »The Legend of Zelda« (including a musical interlude 😉). Don't miss out!

You can now watch NADFU episode 26 on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/uAcMJ7_bndM

Japan is a hot topic at S.P.A.C.E right now - not just personally and in terms of collectibles, but also in our news.

After several delays, the latest installment in Ubisoft's »Assassin's Creed« series is released today under the title »Shadows«. Over the past weeks and months, we've written quite a bit about it, especially after Pure Arts surprised us with their new affordable 1/8 statue line for the popular game series, alongside their usual giant 1/4 pieces. You can already find Naoe and Yasuke from »AC Shadows« here, and more characters like Kassandra, Eivor, and Bayek are planned.

Now it's finally time to dive into the beautiful Japan of the late 16th century in this game, which once again masterfully blends history, fantasy, and science fiction. After the last installment, »AC Mirage«, offered a much more streamlined experience from start to finish, »AC Shadows« returns to a massive open world filled with hundreds of exciting side missions, eccentric side characters, and magnificent locations – so much so that you might just forget the main quest entirely.

As we mentioned in our last news about »AC Shadows«, we're a bit disappointed by the character models and the flow of the cutscene dialogues, which simply aren't up to the motion-capture standard a game of this caliber should have in 2025. In comparison, even the cutscenes from the more than 7 years old »AC Origins« feel more live-like. But aside from that, the living world, gameplay and story feel like a massive improvement over recent entries. Naoe, in particular, stands out as an assassin who matches Ezio (»AC II«, »Brotherhood«) in emotional depth and development potential, while also rivaling Arno (»AC Unity«) in agility and assassination skills. Meanwhile, Yasuke is by far the most massive and brutal AC protagonist ever. The whole experience feels like a course correction that could win over both old and new fans alike. The fact that the two main characters feel as different as two entirely separate games likely boosts replayability as well – it’s bound to be thrilling to tackle missions stealthily one time and then crash through like a tank the next.

A little correction of something we criticized in our first gameplay impression a few weeks back, is in order. It seems, that the allies we can call in during battles, are not faceless and nameless as we expected but real characters we meet during missions and RPG-conversations. They live in our base of operations, and it seems that we can even build relations with them to some extent. The scope of the base is also an innovation in »AC Shadows«, although we'll have to see for ourselves how much it impacts the experience while playing.

We're very curious to see how the backgrounds of the templars and assassins fit into the rich history of feudal Japan, and how the game will hold up against its big competitor, »Ghost of Yōtei«, which releases later this year and features a protagonist very similar to Naoe.

We highly recommend checking out theRadBrad's Let's Play for a good look at the game's first 2.5 hours:
https://youtu.be/kH9faLXla_M

We wish you a lot of fun during your own adventures in feudal Japan of the late Sengoku and early Azuchi-Momoyama era!

It's Thursday and therefore time for the cinema! We'd like to present to you 2 new releases worth mentioning:

Robert De Niro in a mafia movie? That's all we need to know to get in line at the box office. Barry Levinson's »The Alto Knights« opens in theaters today. De Niro plays two roles: the mafiosi Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, who are engaged in a bitter battle for supremacy on the streets of New York.

The trailer pleasantly reminds us of the great classics of the genre, from Francis Ford Coppola's »The Godfather« to the works of Martin Scorsese, especially »Goodfellas«:
https://youtu.be/1aayuOp0AnE

»Novocaine« is the brand name of a painkiller and also the title of an action-thriller comedy starring Jack Quaid. He plays Nate, an unassuming, average guy. When his true love (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped, Nate embarks on a dangerous rescue mission. He is aided by an unusual ability: he cannot feel pain. The film probably won't be a cinematic masterpiece, but the trailer looks quite entertaining:
https://youtu.be/-PyOIlJEdqA

Are you going to the cinema this week?

With his upcoming vacation there, our Mick is currently in full Japan fever. Perhaps the new Toshirô Mifune figures from Kaustic Plastik are also partly responsible for his enthusiasm. Mick reveals his thoughts on the 1/6 scale collectibles of the legendary actor in his incarnations as a ronin in »Yojimbo« and as a samurai in »Red Sun« in a review from kimono to katana in the Action Figure District.

Of course, you can find both figures in our shop.

Troma Entertainment, Inc. is an American independent film studio. Since its founding in 1974, Troma has celebrated bad taste and enjoys cult status among fans. Even those who have never heard of Troma will nod at the film title »The Toxic Avenger«: "Yes... that rings a bell!"

While many film critics turned up their noses, as they so often do, Toxie became a crowd favorite, and the 1984 film became Troma's biggest success, spawning three sequels and animated and comic book adaptations.

Half-wit Melvin Junko works as a cleaner at a gym and is constantly bullied and harassed. When his tormentors pursue him again, Melvin escapes by jumping through a window and landing in a barrel of radioactive waste, whereupon he mutates into the Toxic Avenger ...

The remake of the film opened Fantastic Fest in Austin in September 2023, after which the film went quiet. Although there was a Red Band trailer a year ago, the film then seemed to have disappeared into obscurity.

But now August 29, 2025, has been announced as the US release date, and Entertainment Weekly published the first photos of Peter Dinklage as the Toxic Avenger. Alongside Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay, Julia Davis, and Taylor Paige are also part of the cast. An international distributor for the film has not yet been found, so we'll have to wait and see.

Fans of the original film from 1984 can pre-order the Ultimate Toxie action figure by Super7 in our shop - including his mop, of course ;)!

Have you seen the new trailer for »Lilo & Stitch« yet?
https://youtu.be/VWqJifMMgZE

The preview for the live-action remake of the 2002 Disney film was released by the animation giant a few days ago and definitely positively surprised us – and we're not alone, as most fans sound quite enthusiastic! The film seems to be a truly humorous and charming adaptation, and Stitch's look also strikes the right balance between faithfulness to the original and realism. The first teaser in December, as well as the Super Bowl spot a few weeks ago, already made us optimistic, but now the anticipation for »Lilo & Stitch«, which opens in theaters on May 23rd, is growing even more!

Are you excited to see the film?

On March 16, 2000, »Final Destination« celebrated its US premiere.

A school class is on their way to their final school trip to Paris. Shortly before the plane takes off, student Alex has a vivid vision in which he sees the plane exploding. When he rebels and tries to prevent the takeoff, he is escorted off of the plane. Some students and a teacher follow him and plan to take the next flight to Paris as soon as Alex has calmed down. But then the plane actually explodes. However, those who left are anything but safe, because death has been cheated. It was their fate to die in the explosion, and no one can escape fate. Thus, death itself becomes the protagonist, and one after the other, the survivors suffer fatal accidents, often staged with dark humor as wonderfully bizarre chain reactions that ultimately lead to the demise of the doomed. These picturesque deaths are the film's highlights.

Four more movies followed the same pattern. Each time, a group of people escapes a deadly catastrophe after a vision, sometimes a pile-up (2003), sometimes a roller coaster accident at an amusement park (2006), sometimes a car race accident in which a car crashes into the stands (2009), and sometimes the collapse of a bridge (2011). And each time, death gradually claims all those who initially managed to outwit fate.

We'll happily admit it, we have fun with the film series. Because even if the plot is basically the same every time, it's the creative kills that keep us interested. What will the Grim Reaper think of next to prevent his victims from getting away from him?

The film series ended in 2011 with the fifth installment and is now being revived with »Final Destination: Bloodlines«. Call it a guilty pleasure, but we're really looking forward to it - including the reunion with Tony Todd, who died in 2024, who makes his final film appearance here in his recurring role as William Bludworth. Let's honor him with our cinema visit!

»Final Destination: Bloodlines« hits cinemas this May. And if you want to see Death at work again before then, you can find the previous five installments of the series on Netflix.

Sascha photographed this Mogwai for our March postcard. Hopefully, without a flash 😵!

This wonderful retro motif featuring the Punk Mogwai from NECA will definitely trigger a real nostalgia rush – not just for Gremlins fans, but also for anyone who loves »Back to the Future«, the Turtles or the Simpsons. And don't worry: even if the Bat Gremlin stole one of the cards, there's still plenty left for you. You'll receive a free copy with every shipment we send you in March 📦. So browse our shop – you might find something in our sales section.

And be sure to check out Sascha's Insta account for even more cool toy photos 😃!

Last weekend, the manufacturer PRIME 1 STUDIO released their next »Next Level Showcase« on YouTube. And what can we say ... what a bombastic high-end collectibles display - just crazy!

»Age of Titans and Machines« is the thematic subtitle of the 13th episode, which will keep you glued to the screen for a good two hours. In terms of content, the new products shown largely live up to the motto, as you can see a lot of manga and anime hits such as »Attack On Titan«, »Granblue Fantasy«, »Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2«, »My Hero Academia«, »Black Clover«, »Hell's Paradise«, »One Punch Man«, »Ghost in the Shell« and »Evangelion« (»Neon Genesis Evangelion« is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year!) as well as ultra-impressive reveals for »Transformers«, »Pacific Rim« and »Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire«. But there were also a few surprises beyond the titans and machines.

The main focus of the extremely elaborate, technically perfect and stylish presentation was on the relatively new sub-line of Prime 1, the »Real Elite Masterline«, in which the manufacturer promises to raise the bar for its products even higher in terms of details, painting and realism. In our shop you can already find REM statues of Paul Atreides from »Dune: Part Two«, Kratos from »God of War: Ragnarok« and two versions of Superman from »Justice League«. According to the showcase, this line is being pushed very hard and there will be new additions from all kinds of franchises. To pick up just a few highlights, you should definitely take a look at the almost 1 meter tall Wolf Predator from »Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem«, the three mega cool statues of Lucy, David and Rebecca from »Cyberpunk: Edgerunners« or the two hot bats Lilith and Morrigan from »Darkstalkers« - it's unbelievable what Prime 1 is planning here!

However, we were completely surprised and really blown away by the announcement of a 1/4 scale REM statue for a film that many people will probably not know about: One Eye, played by the brilliant Mads Mikkelsen, from the Danish-British Viking film »Valhalla Rising« from 2009! The character design of the main character One Eye is a brilliant template for a collectible with such a high level of detail. Nicolas Winding Refn, the director of the film, explains how the idea for this license and the implementation of this statue came about. What Prime 1 will deliver here is simply breathtaking! You have to see it, even if you don't know anything about the film or the genre. We think that at this point at the latest, the "Next Level" in the showcase lives up to its name. If anyone wants to watch the film and then perhaps succumb to the temptation of this collectible, we have picked out the trailer for »Valhalla Rising« here:
https://youtu.be/mAzCfXEDjYI

In addition to the brutal Wolf Predator, the equally impressive Scorched Xenomorph from »Alien: Romulus« in 1:3 scale from the Alien franchise is also worth mentioning. What a beast - and it's almost 1 meter tall, including an extremely elaborate base! Just as terrifying is the (clearly extremely enraged) Batman: The Berserker "Rage Mode" in 1:4 scale, which is based on the »Batman Berserk« comic. And Batman fans will certainly get a chill down their spine when they see the 1/3 scale Mr. Freeze: Heart of Ice statue, which was designed by the artist Carlos D'Anda - wow!

At the end of the show, there were a few new license announcements, including those for »Mighty Morphin Power Rangers« and »Death Stranding 2: On the Beach« - not bad either. By now you should be prime-one-ified and excited about the showcase:
https://youtu.be/S7wryi1rchc

One more thing: As always, we will list all the highlights in our shop for pre-order as soon as there's a concrete announcement from Prime 1. For many of the new products shown, however, this will take a while, as we often saw rough statements such as "Pre-order starts in Q2 2025". We all already knew that you have to be very patient with Prime 1 Studio ;). However, it must be said clearly: it's worth it!

Last weekend, Max dropped a very atmospheric and turbulent trailer for the second season of »The Last of Us«. The live-action series, based on the video game of the same name, will be available to watch from April 13 on the streaming site with new episodes every week. The gamers among you may recognize a scene or two in the trailer. Check it out:
https://youtu.be/_zHPsmXCjB0

After the first season already leaned heavily on the original storyline, fans of the video game series are happy to see that some more familiar elements appear in the second season. In addition to the spores and fungal creatures as new threats hinted at in the trailer, you'll see Ellie's nemesis Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) for the first time. We're excited and don't want to anticipate too much.

An intense encounter between Ellie and Abby from »The Last of Us Part II«, the second part of the video game series, has been realized in great and suspenseful detail by manufacturer Prime 1 Studio. The 1/4 Scale Ellie »The Theater« statue and 1/4 Scale Abby »The Confrontation« statue from the Ultimate Premium Masterline are available now as bonus versions in our shop.

50 years ago today, »Profondo Rosso« was released in Italian cinemas. The Giallo is also known under the English title »Deep Red«.

The jazz pianist Marcus Daly (David Hemmings) witnesses the brutal murder of a clairvoyant and is drawn into a complex web of secrets together with the journalist Gianna Brezzi (Daria Nicolodi) ...

»Profondo Rosso« is considered one of Dario Argento's best works. The visually stunning film combines many typical Giallo elements. The unleashed camera delivers spectacular, carefully calculated images that leave nothing to chance. Argento practices the simple art of murder with disturbing elegance.

The film is certainly drawn out in some parts and impatient viewers are recommended to watch the export version, which has been shortened to remove the humorous elements and makes the film a little crisper.

»Profondo Rosso« also made film music history as the first collaboration between Argento and the progressive rock band Goblin. A soundtrack for eternity! The main theme also underlines this trailer for the 4K version of the film from Arrow Video:
https://youtu.be/wSgK9W9baN4

It really makes us want to watch »Profondo Rosso« again. What about you? Are you Giallo fans?

We have waited a long time for »Mickey 17«. The film was originally supposed to be released in March 2024, but due to the strikes in Hollywood and a longer post production period the release was postponed several times. The long wait, the very entertaining trailers and, last but not least, the fact that this is the new film by Bong Joon-ho, the creator of masterpieces such as »Snowpiercer« and the four-time Oscar-winning »Parasite«, increased the anticipation and expectations almost immeasurably. In short – we awaited no release as eagerly as »Mickey 17«. Can a film still live up to these expectations ...?

Robert Pattinson plays Mickey Barnes, an expendable on a colonist spaceship. Whenever there is a dangerous alien planet to explore, Mickey is sent out. If something goes wrong and Mickey dies on the mission, a new Mickey clone is simply created using a bioprinter. When Mickey 17 returns alive from a mission, he discovers that there is already a Mickey 18 ...

Most of the reviews on YouTube expressed disappointment with the result. Although no one thinks the film is bad and everyone discovers something praiseworthy, everyone was just hoping for more. So we're going to the cinema with slightly lowered expectations to see for ourselves.

Toy Fair took place in New York City at the Jacob K. Javits Center for the last four days - finally again! In fact, this important event in the toy industry became a bit bizarre, because due to the pandemic the event had to be canceled twice, then in 2023 the actually fixed date at the beginning of the year (similar to what is usual at the Nuremberg Toy Fair) was set for fall. This apparently led to very little attendance, so that last year's fair was even canceled ...

We were accordingly pleased and, above all, excited about this year's New York Toy Fair, which usually has much more to offer in the collectibles sector than the German Spielwarenmesse . There were actually numerous manufacturers from our branch present (Pure Arts, McFarlane Toys, Mattel, Hasbro, Jazwares, and many more). We'll round up a few notable highlights for you below that caught our eye as particularly positive and worth mentioning:

DIAMOND
Although Diamond filed for Chapter 11 earlier this year, it actually looks pretty good regarding the overcoming of the industry dinosaur. Diamond Select Toys (including Gentle Giant) was on site with a great booth and presented a couple of novelties from their existing licenses like »House of the Dragon«, »Muppets«, »Lord of the Rings« and »Hobbit«, »The Walking Dead«, »Jean-Claude van Damme«, »Star Wars«, »AEW«, »BRZRKR«, »Planet of the Apes« and many more. There was really interesting stuff to see, especially for fans of the Select figures. Fortunately, things are continuing at Diamond - and that's great!

SUPER IMPULSE
MOTU fans know this manufacturer through their funny »World’s Smallest« action-figures. They made a deal with Hasbro and will release “Mr. Potato Head«-like PopTaters, as well as the smaller Tots - and doing that, they also reached into the Mattel license box. There will be potato He-Man and Skeletor figures - but do we need them? That's very special, isn't it?

NACELLE TOYS
The relatively new player in the action-figure game, Nacelle Toys (or The Nacelle Company), was highly motivated and represented at Toy Fair with an astonishing number of new products. The 2nd wave of their most successful license »Biker Mice from Mars« was on display - here you can look forward to 5 or actually 6 new characters (Fred the Mutant will be included as an accessory with Karbunkle). This all looks really cool - and Brian Volk-Weiss (The Toys That Made Us) underlined that the figures will be very lavishly equipped!
The »Sectaurs - Warriors of Symbion« figures also exude full retro charm. Then there will be a new line called »Nacelle Mini«, similar to the ReAction figures from Super7 - and here they start with the first line-up for »The Great Garloo«.
The array of Nacelle's »Star Trek« action-figures was very impressive. The series finally doesn't start with the next Spock or Kirk, but with a great mix of supporting characters - and with great details and accessories.
The line of figures of the TV series »The Expanse« also continues - and if we let Nacelle's performance take effect, we firmly believe that the team around Brian Volk-Weiss will still have a lot to say in the industry in the future. Awesome!

MATTEL
The main topic at Mattel is and remains of course »Masters of the Universe«. For all Origins collectors, the next dream when it comes to playsets will - hopefully - come true: Mattel is bringing the Fright Zone of the Evil Horde, in a significantly expanded version than the one we had - or didn't have - as children.
We have the impression that the Masterverse figures are getting better and better. Terror Claws Skeletor, for example, looks stunning!
But the community was particularly excited about the first "real" look at the »ThunderCats x MOTU Crossover«. The first 7 figures were shown, which all come with swappable parts so that you can set up the characters in either a classic or crossover look. How cool are Battle Cat or Skeletor, for example - or even Lion-O's Eternian armor! We think they look damn cool and are looking forward to your reactions.
Another interesting thing to mention at Mattel: The new label »Brick Shop« apparently replaces the outdated »Mega Construx«. Apparently there is now an untamed attack on Lego - exciting!

McFARLANE TOYS
We couldn't find any completely new licenses at McFarlane. A lot was shown for »Warhammer 40.000«, »World of Warcraft« and »Diablo 4«, the »DC Multiverse« and the »DC Super Powers« figures.
The »Movie Maniacs« line will be getting some really cool new additions like Tony Montana from Scarface or Po, the Kung Fu Panda. But the other McFarlane classic, »Spawn«, is also getting some new releases on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.
McFarlane, like Diamond, has a »BRZRKR« license (for the comic created by Keanu Reeves, among others). And the relatively new »Marvel« line-up is also going strong, with many 1/10 and 1/6 scale figures to be added. We think that Beast was an outstanding announcement and really well done!

NECA
Of course, the horror section is a very strong topic also at Neca (»Evil Dead«, »Texas Chainsaw Massacre«, »Chucky«, »Halloween« etc.), although the »Terrifier« license will probably give most of you the greatest joy. We can look forward to Ultimate and Toony Terrors figures for all three parts - fantastic!
Two Ultimate versions on »Beetlejuice Beetlejuice« will be coming as well as really cool accessory sets for the first Beetlejuice film.
The new Xenomorph as an Ultimate figure literally is a killer - probably the best alien from Neca to date!
Did you know that »Jaws« would be 50 years old this year? We did - and we actually speculated on new figures and stuff for this particular occasion. Neca is busy and is finally bringing Ultimate figures for Sam Quint and Matt Hooper (but where's Chief Brody?), as well as a remake of the legendary "The Game of Jaws" game including a really well done Bruce - that is jaw(s)dropping news indeed!!!
We think that the "Elvis" Stitch Ultimate figures are super sweet und designed in a really creative way, with all the "mix and match" features.
As always, a large part of the space at the booth is taken up by the four popular turtles - so there was a flurry of new »Turtles« products in New York. We were particularly blown away by the three »Universal Monsters« crossover reveals: Krang as Metaluna Mutant (wow!), finally a Dracula - embodied by Shredder, of course - and Mikey & Donnie as a two-headed monster, based on »The Manster«. What an epic-bad-ass-action-figure - amazing! Actually, Bebop and Rocksteady are just as cool in their concept version of the 1990 Turtles movie, which is 35 years old this year. Probably nobody expected these two dudes.
After the first Ultimate and Toony Classics figures for »Sesame Street« being such a success with you, the story goes on. Of course, The Count should not be missing, but Oscar the Grouch (with super funny accessories including elephant trunks), Big Bird and Herry Monster were also shown.
Yes, we are busy aswell and will list all the new products in our shop as soon as we have information and prices. You can already pre-order many of the Neca announcements from us!

THE LOYAL SUBJECTS
M.A.S.K. is back! One of the absolutely hottest toylines of the 80s is experiencing a revival thanks to The Loyal Subjects - unbelievable! We all knew for quite some time that the rather small and insignificant manufacturer had signed the license. To be honest, we had expected the characters to be implemented in a more simplified or even differently proportioned way ... But we were proven wrong - fortunately!
The Loyal Subjects gives us a renaissance of the old vehicles with their figures (and of course masks) - but pimped a bit, with a few more elaborate details here and there (pegs for the holes in the feet, smoke or gunshot effects for the vehicles, mask effect effects for the masks, etc. ;). The childhood flashback army has been dancing tango with us since the weekend and we're sure many of you feel the same way.
Of course, Thunderhawk, Condor, Switchblade and two versions of Rhino have been announced for the first wave. But we expect it to be a huge success and of course hope that The Loyal Subjects won't be overwhelmed by this task. This will probably be one of the top topics of the year - crazy! When we will be listing the M.A.S.K. line-up, we cannot tell you yet. But they will come ...


For more input around New York Toy Fair we recommend you the YouTube channel of Pixel Dan or the full coverage with many images on Toyark.com -  have fun!

MARVEL fans will be looking forward to the launch of »Daredevil: Born Again« on Disney+ with a great deal of excitement. The latest MCU series follows the events of the popular NETFLIX series »Marvel's Daredevil« (2015–2018) and is also part of phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

We think the trailers looked really promising and had the usual Daredevil harshness. So this could be really good, not only because of the reunion with Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock or Daredevil, Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk or Kingpin, Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page and last but not least Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle or Punisher 💪!

The series kicks off today (in the US - and tomorrow in Germany) with two episodes - the 9th episode ends the first season on April 15th. A second season has already been confirmed or is even in production and will probably bring us 9 more episodes from Hell's Kitchen from the middle of next year 🤘 ... because:
The devil's work is never done 😈!