Whenever I’m in a dollar store one of my favorite things to do is look for the toys, specifically action figures. More often than not comedy gold can be found In the form of cheap knock-off figures based on Spider-Man, Lord of the Rings, Transformers, Robocop or even generic G.I Joe knock-offs with names like “Action Fighting Man”, the packaging promising such exciting things as “Aplomb!” and “Service!”.
The following is the latest in a series of journal entries chronicling the author’s descent into next-gen gaming degeneracy and assorted geekery – from getting his first television in years to trying to figure out why the @$@$&@@ you need two goddamn directional pads just to walk down an effing hallway. (more…)
In my very early days, I listened to a lot of Power Records, a known quantity series of comic book and record sets that chronicled the adventures of Batman, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Superman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Star Trek and a few other properties. They either came as a smaller 45 RPM record with one adventure or a larger 33-1/3 RPM record with up to four adventures. The 33-1/3 record sleeves were like proto comic book trade paperbacks. (more…)
Well, that year went fast! It feels like just yesterday that we were getting our lists together for the best toys of 2011. This year I got a helping hand from Ian Gonzales, who took time from curating tomorrow’s best comics list comb through his own favorite toys. Perhaps because of that there is a distinctly robotic theme to the toys we’ve picked. Here’s to our mechanical friends of 2012! (more…)
It is a sad fact that only so many people can live in North Jersey and experience Unwinnable’s Geek Flea at any given time. So, for Geek Flea IV, we decided to film all day so we could bring a little bit of the fun and excitement to you, no matter where you are. (more…)
Broadly speaking, kids have two kinds of play: structured and unstructured. Unstructured play is freeform make-believe. It’s what kids do when they build a house in the yard out of rocks and dead branches or play “yetis are from Pluto” on the way to school. This is the pure play that, really, only kids know how to enjoy. Soon enough, they grow a little older and turn to structured play, which is the kind that has rules. In this kind of play, you’re supposed to score points and count penalties, and if you’d rather just use your toys to make up your own stories, you’re playing like a baby.
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Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure is, at its core, a simple dungeon crawler designed for a younger audience. Unlike other games of its ilk, Skylanders features 32 playable characters, each represented by an action figure. Placing a figure on the game’s Portal of Power peripheral brings the character to life in the game. All stats, upgrades and gold are saved to the figure itself, making it easy to take your hero to your friend’s house and pick up where you left off. It’s a great concept, both for kids who like fun and Activision shareholders who love bathing in money.
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