A couple of weeks ago,
I mentioned my fondness for the new line of DC Universe Infinite Heroes action figures. This line of 3 & 3/4-inch action figures (the same scale as the
G.I. Joe and
Star Wars toys folks my age grew up with) kicked off with a pretty large set of characters, with over 50 planned for release in the first year of the line. The advantage of this line is that the smaller scale makes the toys cheaper and easier to store, and the lower price point makes it both feasible and desirable to make a
lot more characters than you would with the standard 6-inch line. Since I made that post, it’s become one of the most-viewed articles here at the realms — clearly there are a lot of toy fans here at the ‘Realms — so I thought I’d periodically update you on the expansion of the collection, plus some other toys I happen to collect.
From Left: Adam Strange, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Batman (The Dark Knight), Shazam! (Captain Marvel) and the Flash
First up, the hero toys I’ve assembled so far. Adam Strange and Guy Gardner were in the first article, but since then I picked up the Flash and Shazam. The Batman figure is actually from one of the two-packs in the same scale as the Infinite Heroes, but branded as part of The Dark Knight collection. Ardent readers will recall I was hoping to find the two-pack with Batman and the Joker? Was I successful?
From Left: Professor Zoom (the Reverse Flash), the Scarecrow, Mirror Master and Weather Wizard
In a word… no. The Batman came from a two-pack with the Scarecrow, pictured here along with Professor Zoom, Mirror Master and Weather Wizard (the latter two having come in the three-pack with the Flash). I’m still trying to hunt down the singles of Black Adam, Black Hand and the Atom, the three-packs of Superman, Supergirl and Wonder Woman; Starfire, Raven and Boomerang; and Commissioner Gordon and two GCPD SWAT team members (and I could KICK myself for not picking that up the first time I saw it, before I started getting these toys). As for the Green Lantern six-pack, that (I have learned) is a “Toys R Us Exclusive,” except nobody apparently informed the only Toys R Us in the immediate area, because they don’t have squat. I checked one day. So the quest continues!
Like I said, though, the Infinite Heroes are just my newest mini-toy quest. The Mini-Mates have been favorites of mine for some time now — it’s so easy to get a big assortment of ’em and mix them up. Take these guys, for instance, what I like to think of as my “Armor Wars” collection:
From Left: Steel, "Silver Centurion" Iron Man, STRIPE, Classic Iron Man, Original Iron Man, Dr. Doom, Zombie Iron Man and (peeking in from the back) Lex Luthor
Assorted armored heroes and villains from both the Marvel and DC Universes. Um… Iron Man seems to be in sort of a disco mood there. Don’t quite know what I was thinking when I posed him. Or how about these?
The original and modern Red Tornados pose with Free Comic Book Day Man!
She-Hulk pets Dynomutt, Blue Falcon is jealous
Because sometimes, if it’s a slow afternoon, I look for amusing ways to mix-and-match different continuities, that’s why.
And then, of course, there’s my tour de force:
The Avengers versus the ZOMBIE Avengers!
Last Halloween, I posted a massive photo pseudo-comic featuring the Marvel Zombies Mini-Mates winding up fighting the “regular” versions of themselves. I thought it was pretty funny at the time. Y’know what? Still do.
Except for the Infinite Heroes pictures, I didn’t have to take any of these photos recently, they were just waiting on my computer for just such an occasion. You know. An occasion like this one, where I realize just how much free time I have on my hands when school isn’t in session.
Blake’s Classroom is open for business!
Speaking of school, the freshmen came back today, so I met my students for the first time. A few people (defined as “Erin”) have openly opined about just what my classroom is like, so before the kids entered and turned my world upside-down, I took a few snapshots of the joint.
The Head of the Class!
The Back of the Class!
The... um... SIDE of the Class!
Blake's Classroom Library
Well, gang? Is if everything you hoped it would be?
Evertime Realms 
People are saying…