Thursday, May 31, 2012

1/144 Gundam Epyon Near Completion

It's the Headless Gundam of the Sleepy Hollow colony, ok not really it's the incomplete 1995 1/144th scale model kit of Gundam Epyon. Been working on him for about a week now, really amazed how the black paint is looking on the dark red plastic, painted he's upper legs silver, and he's arm claws gold which I think suit him more perfectly then the light grey and yellow would have. Only parts left to build are he's head of course, hip armor, and the heat whip. 

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Avengers Ultimate Thor

Ultimate Thor has been on both my Marvel Legends and Marvel Universe wish list, it's great to finally check him off one. Brought to us in the Avengers 3 3/4 inch movie line which like the Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America lines before it slip in comic versions of some of the heroes and villains yet unmade in the Marvel Universe line. Not named Ultimate Thor on the package but instead Battle Hammer Thor, because of the transforming "Battle Hammer" he comes with is more like a spear that turns in an axe, but thankfully he also comes with the Ultimate version of Mjolnir to complete him.





 





Ultimate Thor's facial hair has constantly changed from goatee to handle bar mustache and soul patch to full beard in Ultimates 3 which this figure sports. The stand out metallic blue used on he's torso, and the metallic brown on he's belt and boots together with the dark navy blue pants excellently brings Thor's costume of the page. He's articulation isn't quite on par with a Marvel Universe figure, instead of a bicep swivel with have a two-in-one elbow joint and swivel, but sadly excluded is the wrist articulation that would of made it possible for Thor to hold he's with both hands, and no double jointed knee, which is pretty much standard on all Marvel figures this size from Hasbro, making him my only 3 3/4 scale figure with single jointed knees in my collection.









My only real gripe with this figure beside not being able hold he's hammer with both hands is that I wish they made Mjolnir out of a more sturdier plastic it's kinda flimsy, and could of used some painted on details and a darkening wash. With Thor we now have four figures from the Ultimate Universe, including Ult. Cap from the CA: First Avenger line, Ult. Iron Man from the IM2 line, and Ult. Hawkeye who is also available in this Avengers movie line. Now all I can hope for is more Ultimates to build up the team, perhaps maybe Ult. Hulk next huh Hasbro?


Thursday, May 24, 2012

Gundam AGE-2 Double Bullet Review

My first Gundam AGE model kit Gundam AGE-2 Double Bullet is now complete. I didn't think I was gonna like AGE-2's Double Bullet weapon pack at first, but after seeing it in action in the series I was blown away and had to have he's model kit. The Gundam AGE TV series is split across three generations each modeled similarly to the first three Gundam Universal Century series, with the AGE-2 being from the second generation with shares similarities with the Zeta Gundam TV series meaning Gundam AGE-2 has a striking resemblance to the Zeta Gundam most strongly in it's also a transformable mobile suit.




















The Double Bullet weapon system is very nicely recreated here with the removable Beam Rifles and interchangeable Beam Saber blades with the shoulder mounted binders movable in three places, and even down to the pop up missile launchers on the back of he's legs. Transformation to Strider flight mode is fast and simple, and only involves the swap out of one part for another, awesomely a buildable flight stand is include in the kit to display the Gundam in Strider mode and flying action poses. I extremely pleased with this kit and it's recreation of the suit's abilities, my only personal want would be two additional larger Beam Saber blades to attach to the binders so he can have both hand held Beam Sabers and the bigger blades all engaged at the same time.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Gundam AGE-2 Double Bullet Progress

Being putting together AGE-2 for over a week now, first I cut out all the red pieces and gave them a coat of translucent red that really helps make the red stand out more. As you see I've got him about 70% complete, now on to he's legs and weapons. I have a few parts picked put I want to paint silver, I think will have a real nice contrast with the red pieces.

 

Friday, May 18, 2012

Arrow Trailer

I am intrigued, I like what I see, production-wise kinda looks like Smallville but more serious. I'm really hoping this turns out really good cause I definitely could use a non-animated TV series to watch. I wonder if the series goes long enough we'll maybe see some other DC heroes or villains or if it's going to be it's own isolated world.

Also here's clip:

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

DC Universe Classics Guy Gardner

Guy Gardner, Green Lantern 2814.2 and Hal Jordan's original back-up replacement first appeared in Green Lantern Vol.02 #59 in 1968, but did not become a full time Green Lantern with he's own unique costume until 1985. Guy Gardner is a real distinctive character, he's obnoxious, head strong, reckless, and always ragging on and arguing with he's fellow Lanterns and other Super Heroes, but at the same time is heroic, brave, selfless, and fiercely loyal, everyone has or should have a friend like him. Guy was made available to us in the DC Universe Classics Green Lantern's Light 5-Pack, but not only was the 5-pack rare to find and expensive, I also really wasn't that interested in having the other four figures which were just repaints or head swaps, so only wanting Mr. Gardner I turned to Ebay, and found him new out of package with he's Power Battery Lantern for a reasonable price.
















Guy's uniform is perfectly recreated thanks to new forearms, and new lower legs, which makes him a bit taller then he should be, and he's jacket is a nice soft rubbery plastic slipped over he's torso. He's head has got a lot of mixed reviews, he's skin color and hair color could be a little lighter, and maybe a tad smaller but the sculpt is dead-on with he's original bowl hair cut nicely paired with that arrogant smirk, my only real gripe is that I would of preferred he's more modern shorter hair cut. Guy's paint apps are mostly flat mattes, amazingly though Mattel used a shiny pearl white for the buttons and buckle on he's jacket, but my favorite paint app is the metallic green on he's Power Battery, with has been permanently commandeered by my Modern Hal Jordan to match he's metallic ensemble.
   















I am extremely happy with Guy Gardner, he's one of my favorite DC characters, and I'm glad Mattel gave him to us so we could have all four Earth GLs, and of course to be in our Justice League International team  display. I recommend him to all Green Lantern fans to add your Green Lantern Corps, best of luck getting the 5-pack or finding him in a good condition off-line. I can hope maybe one day in the future to see him with he's modern head, and packaged with a cool construct in the 2013 DC Universe All-Stars.


Sunday, May 13, 2012

50,000+ Page Views


Yesterday Temporal Flux hit over 50,00 pageviews, I am stoked. I want to thank my 5 awesome followers for following me, and to announce in celebration of this benchmark I have started construction of a new banner one more powerful then the last. I'll hopefully have it finished soon, I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I will give you one advance clue: Cable is in it.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Comic Series Captain America

You'd think I would of gave up my search for the Comic Series Captain America from the First Avenger movie line after I got the Cap that came in the Marvel Universe 5-Pack I got for Christmas, but I guess all that time and energy searching for him my brain just wouldn't let go, until the prize was in hand. I eventually came across him on the Toy"R"Us website for a decent price, and finally after months of looking for him in every store I went in to I now possess "Heavy Artillery Captain America". Called "Heavy Artillery Cap" because of the huge missile launcher accessory he comes with which originally came with IM2 Concept Series Hypervelocity Iron Man now in blue and red, which I think is unnecessary cause other then he's trademark shield there isn't anything else Steve really needs or could have for additional accessory.





This Cap being from a movie line means he's not a Marvel Universe repaint but is a completely new sculpt with a bulkier build and even more detailed chainmail chest and upper arms, originally I thought he's was gonna have a height issue but in hand I think he fits in with my other Marvel Universe figures just fine. This Cap has a slightly different color palate with a darker blue and lighter red for the gloves and boots then the 5-Pack Cap. He's leg articulation is great, and I don't mind he's single elbow joint, but I would of liked a bicep swivel and glove swivel to better pose he's arms.





I am really happy to have this Cap, I can have this Cap as Modern Cap leading the more current Avengers, and the skinnier and Lighter colored Cap as Classic Cap leading the more classic line-up Avengers, if you see him somewhere don't pass up on this great Captain America figure.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

SD Full Armor Gundam

Next in my Gundam Model Kit pile was Super Deformed FA-78-1 Full Armor Gundam, a Christmas present from an awesome friend. Never seen in animation but has appeared in multiple video games in both regular and SD form. Basically an RX-78 series Gundam with additional armor and new more powerful weapons.




















Full Armor was a pretty fun build, not much painting beside the usual detailing and a little paint for cameras and some gray on he's rifle barrels. I was suppose to paint he's collar area grey, but I found that out after I had him together, and plus I think the orange looks better, fitting in with the rest of he's orange pieces. A cool feature is you can remove he's armor and weapons thus making him a different colored RX-78 Gundam.














Sunday, May 6, 2012

Avengers Movie Review

SPOILER WARNING!!! DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE!!!

My deepest thanks and much deserved congratulations to Marvel Studios and Joss Whedon for creating a live-action comic book, that's exactly what Avengers is, comic book action, super-hero banter, and story telling all flawlessly brought to life. Only Joss Whedon could of pulled this off, he's re-write of the script, and he's directing style gave us an engaging well paced story with seven major movie actors all in the same scenes without feeling cramped or anyone forgotten. My Brother said it best, everything in this movie came together perfectly like chocolate and peanut butter coming together in a Reese's.

Chris Evans definitely steps up and literally becomes Captain America here and give The Avengers the leader they need, Robert Downey Jr. is again an auditory and visual pleasure on screen as Tony Stark, and Chris Hemsworth is so comfortable as Thor it's like he just walked off the set of he's movie without ever breaking character and went straight into filming the Avengers. I am genuinely impressed with Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, I preferred Eric Bana over Edward Norton, but now I want to see more of Ruffalo as Dr. Banner, every scene with Hulk which Ruffalo himself motion-captured, was surprisingly the best portrayal of Hulk in action that is just incredibleness unleashed on your eyes.

Scarlett Johansson beautifully embodies the Black Widow once again, and I am so glad they gave Black Widow shorter hair in this movie, cause in Iron Man 2 she looked like she had a mop on her head when fighting. Jeremy Renner kicked ass as Hawkeye, and I love how they modernized he's trick arrows with the remote controlled quiver that attached the different heads, something that was never in the comics. Samuel L. Jackson of course was he's pure badass self as the spy master Nick Fury, and then there is the pure devious walking excellence that is Loki, magnificently executed by Tom Hiddleston who is in the same league as Ian McKellen's Magneto and William Dafoe's Green Goblin, he's personality and mannerisms brought to life right off the pages of the comics.

I can not express in any more typed words how damn awesome this movie is, this is the #1 greatest comic book super hero movie ever of all time, I'm ranking this movie 13 out 10 Hulks. We the comic geeks are on gonna have to crown Joss Whedon King of Geeks for this grand achievement of miraculousness, I mean DC Comics and Warner Bros. must of seen this movie and completely given up on ever making a Justice League movie because unless they get Joss Whedon himself, and everyone else that had a hand in making Avengers to make it then it isn't going to be anywhere close to being this good. THANOS!, I knew Thanos had to the big bad behind Loki from the very beginning of the movie, the voice over at the start saying "The Earth will be he's, and The Universe yours.", along with the stairs in space started me thinking of only one would-be Universe conqueror, so seeing he's smiling mug at the end was pure joygasam rewarding, I haven't been that excited from an ending scene since seeing the Phoenix under the water at the end of X2, I was ecstatic beyond all rational thought.

This movie just has everything that makes going to the movies so much fun, laugh out loud comedy, adrenalin ridden action, and forever memorable scenes and quotes, hell even I was surprise by a few things, like a fight between Thor and Hulk that was never teased or leaked in trailers or pics, epicness is all I can say. I was a little sad though we didn't hear any one yell "Avengers Assemble!", maybe in the extended cut Blu-Ray or they're saving it for the sequel. So we'll probably won't get Avengers 2 until 2015, can't wait to see Thanos bring the pain and hopefully the Infinity Gauntlet.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Amazing Spider-Man Trailer 3

I'll probably rewrite these words when I write my review of the movie in July but, THIS IS THE SPIDER-MAN MOVIE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! The Lizard looks awesome, major kudos for the scene where he's still in a lab coat. I can not wait to see how the parent sub-plot plays in this movie and it sequels, I wonder of that was Irrfan Khan's character Dr. Ratha talking to Dr. Connors in the trailer.

I also want to take this post to apologize for not writing any reviews or rants lately, I know it's been mostly just trailers with my quick thoughts the last few post. After I see Avengers tomorrow, I'll most likely have my review for that up pretty quick, and then I'll buckle down and start writing some toy and video game reviews.