Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Dino Valley 2012 - The New Series!

For those who follow the Dino Valley posts here (and hopefully others too), you have read about the upcoming Dino Valley IV series to be released by the end of 2012. Well, it happened, but with a simple, yet with a new fresh DINO VALLEY brand. Some new cool stuff!


A futuristic logobrand! How do you feel about it?


While we get some repaints (as usual), we get new... really NEW figures. A great new armored car and a spectacular new set (due any day now) and a new heavy transport... plus some new dinos (even hatchlings)!


Just look at that beauty! A wall and watch tower... yummy.


Deinonychus with attack helicopter.


Triceratops and the new armored car!


Always worth the wait when it comes to CM vehicles!


The long awaited Therizinosaurus reissue and a new figure!


Another new figure and a good repaint on an older T-Rex model!


And Parasaurolophus also got another chance with a Power Ranger-looking figure - also new.

So now all it´s left is a long (even one day would be) wait for that wall playset and heavy transport. But starting tomorrow, we´re checking these one by one. Any favorite to be the first?

Status: On eBay - Want these now, better hurry

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Special Elite Police Force Heavy Patrol Boat

It took a while to find this one, after seeing it for the first time about 3 years ago (2009). A bootleg, but an AMAZING one. If Chap Mei had their own "Moray" incarnation with Soldier Force IV Heavy Combat Boat, these guys took the next step with serious change to the look. Enjoy!


Feauturing a deck gun instead of the typical missile laucher and considerable cabin structure change, comes with a lot of goodies...

 
MIB, 2009 (unknown brand or company).


Vehicle: M128 Police Patrol Boat.


Amazing quality for a bootleg toy, has a lot of differences when compared to the "original" Moray from G.I.Joe and Chap Mei´s version, the Soldier Force IV Heavy Combat Boat.


Included accessories. I´ll be showing you these in detail because it´s worth it!


Let´s start with the shotgun, A SPAS-12, pump action. Notice the drilled barrels.


REALLY works. Now the problem is that this SPAS-12 is about the same size of most Chap Mei´s weapons, meaning designed to fit 6" figures such as Marvel Legends figures. Nevertheless, awesome!!!


Now check these submachine guns, removable clips! Great detail.


Now check out these Glocks...


And finally the thumper. I´m amazed with this one and I´ll show you how. Click to enlarge the picture.


Never mind it opens and closes perfectly... now imagine it comes with 3 projectiles... that perfectly fit and the M79 still closes perfectly! Now this weapon is 8cm long (3.1in). Imagine the size of the grenades and check the detail on them. Click to enlarge the picture.


Back to the M128 Patrol Boat. In "Cobra Blue", that´s a start...  if I ever need a starting point, which I did because this thing cost me US$50 and it better prove itself an investment. Keep in mind it´s a bootleg!


Comes with a spring-loaded gatling missile launcher. It works and shoots the missiles pretty far.


Came with 2 of the entire crew of 4 glued to the deck, that wasn´t good, but the glue was, since it broke the pegs off... GRRRR


A quick note about the inlcuded figures. Poor bodies, great heads.


Some familiar faces if you´re a Chap Mei enthusiast.


Back to the ship! The hull comes with 3 bogey wheels. Free Wheeling Action (with wave moving action). Like the CM´s Viking Ship, while you push it, it simulates the motion in the sea. Neat. Also, it floats!


Comes with light and sound action, you just push a button.


Nice Police Siren!


Sounds comes from the inside and at the bottom of the stairs you can see the battery compartment. 2 AA batteries are needed.


On and Off button in a very classy way, meaning it´s not red and mingles with the whole set.


Turret rotates 360ยบ and cannons elevate.


2 figures can be placed on the inside. At this point, I noticed the boat had seats for 2 other figures, but one can´t reach them. So I decided to unscrew the top and open it to see how it works...


Whoa... nice! And a little effort (means money, of course) could have meant a couple more hatches and near-perfect vehicle.


Notice how they molded the glass-like structure. Simple plastic like the ones from carded figures or boxed vehicles with figures behind a plastic window. A great notion to apply in custom-built vehicles.


So back to the first form and a couple more details. The moving gatling gun with sights and (non-rotating) radar dish that actually came broken off at the base, so it had to be glued back on.


The set also included 2 rubber boats, but too small to use with figures anywhere near 4".

 
So let´s have a look into some of the oversized accessories (although some of the ones pictured are ok).


The undersized rafts are compensated with the oversized underwater camera and HUGE goggles, which probably fit any 12" figure. So not only you get a fantastic vehicle for your Cobra legions (or not), you get a couple accessories for any 6" figures you need almost perfect weapons for, and one of your 12" soldier will have a set of goggles for Christmas. This is one of the best bootleg sets I´ve ever seen.

 
And of course, it goes with Joes.


It´s a direct to consumer production line custom. I love it!


Status: Unavailable

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Animal Zone IR Dragon - w/Video!

The new "Animal Zone" line from TRU brings back a lot of the previous Chap Mei monsters. However, like in other lines from the U.S. company, they also include other "similar" gems like the one you´re about to see. The IR (infrared) Dragon. A real monster with great detail and awesome features! If you wish to see the video right now, please scroll down to the end of the post!


Almost 2lbs (850g) and a mix of plastic, hard and soft rubber, comes with an IR remote with 2 buttons.


MIB, TRU 2012. Dragon from Dragon-i Toys, UK


Tail comes unattached and you need to push the extra wire into the dragon´s body. Simple op, and you´re ready to go.


Figure: IR Dragon. Weight: 850g (approx. 2lbs). Height: 27cm (10.6in), Head to tail: 45cm (17in)


Wingspan: 30cm (approx. 12in).


Remote with 3 infrared LEDs. 2 button, one for light and sound effects, another for movement and stomping sounds.


IR remote receivers (sensors). 2 in this toy. One located on the chest, the other between the wings.


Wings manually open and close. If this baby had a saddle, I would be EVEN more impressed. I´m loving this guy!


Some bogey wheels are included to help this heavy monster walk.


Head, neck, wings and arms are made of a mix of hard and soft rubber. Arms move!


Great detail on the head and those gleaming red eyes are just perfect. The inside of its mouth is amazing.


Comes with a test button that makes it roar and move the neck around while lighting the eyes. Remember: If the dragon doesn´t walk it probably "went back to sleep", meaning you need to turn it off and back on again to play.


How big it really is? Pretty big. And goes great with other CM characters.


Not so valiant anymore uh, Rupert?


And finally, the action video!

Status: Available