Weekly Want - Toy Fair 2015 Highlights!

Just. Take. The. Money.

With Toy Fair 2015 now behind us, it seems fitting to dedicate the latest Weekly Want to some of the event's coolest featured items. The fun just never ends here on Castle Geek-Skull. Let's get to it!

DC Collectibles Batman: Mask of the Phantasm 2 Pack ($32.99, Oct. 2015)

14 Unexpected Surprises from TV, Movies, Games, etc. In 2014

Surprise, Mr. Falcon!

In my attempt to keep up with pop culture goings-on this year, there were a lot of developments I never could have predicted. It seems awesome television announcements or crazy character appearances were turning up all over the place. Take my silken hand as I lead you down the path of 14 of my favorite unexpected surprises from 2014!

Community's "G.I. Jeff" lovingly parodied the 1980s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon, complete with corresponding action figure commercials.

14 Toys That Made Me Want To Break The Bank In 2014

Nyaaaah? Nyaaaaah!

Despite taking a step back from amassing action figures and other collectibles over the last few years, my interest in the hobby has remained fully intact. While staying away has obvious financial benefits, I just can't help myself from checking out all of the latest releases. There were all sorts of tempting plastic-crack goodies in 2014, so much so that I actually ended up spending some cash. Oops. Let's look at 14 toys that inspired me to do so!

I loved seeing Original Comic Book Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures on store shelves this year. They aren't as swanky as the NECA versions from a few years back, but they're more than acceptable for their considerably lower price point. When I spotted this version of Raphael on the pegs of Target last month, I threw my money at it and never looked back.

Twitter Reminds Me Of Oldschool Myspace in the Best Way

How could I possibly say no?

When Myspace was still huge back in 1812 (ooh, such original and scathing commentary!) my favorite aspect of it was not in listening to low quality music uploads or keeping up with anyone I actually knew. I had much more fun filling my friend list with endless parody accounts.

There were many wonderfully bored individuals spending their time creating entire Myspace profiles under the guise of characters like Batman, Leon Kennedy, and even freakin' David Lo Pan. It was actually pretty amusing. Even better? More and more began to send me friend requests over time. Aww, shucks. It was a blast while it lasted.

It's not something I ever thought I'd say, but Twitter is actually reminding of Myspace these days. Rest assured, if there's a character or personality you like, you'll often find someone essentially roleplaying as them for all to see. Let's check out a few of my recent finds!

Weekly Want Apr 28-May 5 with Figma Avengers, LEGO Ghostbusters, & More!

Speak not and partake of my cash!

A new month is upon us and another week has past. Let's celebrate with another edition of the "Weekly Want," wherein several of the best promo shots for toys and collectibles are compiled for your viewing pleasure. Last week's edition showcased Masterpiece Ultra Magnus, Revoltech Mini Solid Snake, Marvel Mini-Mates, and more. Let's move on to what caught my eye between April 28th and May the 5th:

15 Random Pictures From My First Free Comic Book Day

I see Sand People.

As previously mentioned, I somehow managed to miss every Free Comic Book Day up until now. I am happy to report that the curse has been lifted! With the promise of Tusken Raider cosplay fresh in mind, I made the effort to venture to my nearest comic shop today and I had a grand time overall. Here are 15 random pictures that loosely illustrate my adventure:

Star Wars, Cowboy Bebop, Ghostbusters, & More from Teefury March 11-16, 2014

Here's a preview of some of the awesome shirts you'll be able to purchase between March 11 and 16, 2014 from the Pop-Culture T-Shirt king itself, Teefury:

You Can Find Anything in Claw Machines, even the Most Unlikely of Heroes

Whether you know these plushie-riddled prisons as Claw Machines, UFO Catchers, or "Those Damn Money-Stealing Bastards", you must have noticed that they are absolutely EVERYWHERE, and their contents are often as varied as the day is long. Being a person of the "geeky" persuasion, my eye is usually caught when some of my favorite characters such as the Batman trio above are included. I'm never intrigued enough to gamble my money, but I get at least a moment's joy out of spotting them. It appears I'm also obsessed with taking photos of them with my ancient phone.

Hmm, I was going somewhere with this, wasn't I? Ah, the point emerges: I really do see all kinds of interesting toys in Claw Machines. In the words of the Immortal Milk Daddy, the proof is in the motherfuckin' puddin':

Hi-C Ecto-Cooler Recipe - Geeky Groceries!

Any child of the 80s and 90s can agree on one fact - Hi-C's Ecto Cooler was the drink. Yeah, it had Slimer from The Real Ghostbusters on the front and all, and that was cool, but even as kids we knew that product tie-ins for approximately everything under the sun would always come and go. Batman Cereal, anyone? The unique flavor is what really kept us coming back. That shit was delicious.

However, it was never meant to last. By 2001, the product was finally discontinued after a respectable run of 10+ years. Hi-C used the formula under different names for a bit longer, but at present time, it's been officially off shelves for a good while now. As such, Ecto Cooler joined the ranks of Surge, Crystal Pepsi, Dr. Pepper Red Fusion, and so on: discontinued drinks loved so dearly by a select few that they'd actually resort to buying random old boxes off of eBay.

It sounds crazy, but that shit happens. The practice has even been popularized by Internet superstars such as Matt from X-Entertainment and Brad Jones the Cinema Snob. Fortunately, thanks to a recipe from the fine folks at Ghostbusters: Chicago Division, you can skip eBay all together and mix up a fresh batch of Ecto Cooler any time you want!

Here's what you'll need:

1 Packet Kool Aid/Flavor Aid Orange
1 Packet Kool Aid/Flavor Aid Tangerine
3/4 Cup Orange Juice (No Pulp)
3/4 Cup Tangerine Juice or 1 can mashed Mandarin Oranges
1/3 scoop Country Time Lemonade (Regular or Pink)
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
Green and blue food coloring for color. (at CGS - we say...bah)

Directions:

1) In a 1 Gallon pitcher, start by putting in your orange juice and tangerine juice. If you happen to be using the Mandarin oranges as a juice source, be sure to strain the pulp.

2) After your juices are in, put in the packets of Flavor Aid and the 1/3 scoop of Lemonade mix and mix up the concentrate. The Lemonade is used to make the mixture slightly more bitter to give it the zing the original Ecto-Cooler had. You may have to adjust to get it to your taste.

3) Add water, put in your sugar and stir until dissolved. Again, if you're using Countrytime Lemonade, sugar is already added to the mixture so you might have to adjust for your personal taste by adding more sugar than the stated 1 1/2 cups.

4) Add your food coloring. The red in the Flavor Aid is deep enough to skew the color of the green, but with enough drops, you can make it green. It won't be that happy bright green we remember, but at least it'll be green. You also want to add a few drops of the blue in the mix to get it a more even green.

We haven't tried it yet, but when we do, we're skipping the food coloring nonsense. Taste is all that matters, see. We'll be sure to update when we've given it a taste. Excite! If you happen to find the recipe through Castle Geek-Skull and then go off to try it, please report in and let us know what you think!

Source: Ghostbusters Chicago Division

Kotobukiya Bishoujo Statue Display from SDCC 2011

Thanks to MWCToys.com for this extensive gallery of the Kotobukiya Bishoujo Statue display at San Diego Comic-Con 2011:

Click any photo to view in full size!

DC Poison Ivy Bishoujo Statue:

Ghostbusters Lucy Bishoujo Statue:

Marvel Emma Frost Bishoujo Statue:

Marvel Emma Frost Diamond Version Bishoujo Statue:

Marvel Elektra Bishoujo Statue:

Marvel Invisible Woman Bishoujo Statue:

Marvel Ms. Marvel Binary Version Bishoujo Statue:

Marvel Mystique Bishoujo Statue:

Marvel Scarlet Witch Bishoujo Statue:

Marvel X-23 Bishoujo Statue:

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Christie Monteiro Bishoujo Statue:

Eww, girls. If you're looking to kick start or bolster your collection of Kotobukiya Bishoujo Statues, Amazon.com is a good place to start:
 

Real Ghostbusters Minimates Series 2 Revealed

From the Art Asylum blog:

Yeah. Hell yeah. These small plastic gentlemen comprise series 2 of the Real Ghostbusters Minimates, and they're looking all kinds of good!

The lineups are as follows:

- Peter Venkman & Winston Zeddemore
- Stay Puft (Good) & Louis (in Ghostbusters outfit)
- Evil Slimer & Sandman (TRU-exclusive)
- Logo Ghost & Killerwatt (TRU-exclusive)

Comic book and specialty stores are also getting an exclusive box set including Peter, Winston, angry and casual versions of Stay-Puft available nowhere else, and good old Louis!

The main sets are due at Toys R Us stores in September. Can we jump forward in time, please? Cooler weather, the beginnings of the Halloween craze, and new Ghostbuster minimates...ah. Excuse me while I mark my calendar!