My Top 10 Toys of 2023

On January 26, 2024January 27, 2024 By thedragonfortressIn Gundam, Misc, Star Trek, TMNT, Transformers5 Comments

Hi, welcome back. It’s time to share my top 10 toys of 2023 with you. Better late than never, right? At the end of the post, I also have a little life update for you, which you can skip if you’d like. But I’m still alive and still thinking about this silly website.

Here are the parameters for this top 10– all of these toys came out in 2023 (or close to it), and older toys I bought last year don’t count. If older toys did count, almost none of these items would make this list. But there’s still some good stuff here!

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1990 GI Joe Range Viper Review

On October 31, 2023October 31, 2023 By thedragonfortressIn GI Joe9 Comments

Hello. I hope you’ve all enjoyed your Spooky Season. This is one of my favorite times of the year. I’m not really into super gory horror movies, but I do love costumes, candy, kitsch, mischief, and Fall weather.

I’ve never really done much of a Halloween review before, and I suppose this isn’t much of one either. But, as far as vintage GI Joe figures go, the 1990 Range Viper is pretty spooky. He’s wearing a mask that consists of a stylized skull and some brains, after all. Plus, he probably eats bugs every day.

So it’s very thematically appropriate.

So Happy Halloween! And, as always, thanks for joining me.

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2022 GI Joe Ninja Force Minimates (NYCC Exclusive) Review

On October 19, 2023October 18, 2023 By thedragonfortressIn GI Joe5 Comments

Today we’re looking at something that came out a year ago and is not in any way a Hasbro product. So it’s not in my usual wheelhouse. It is, however, directly related to 1990s GI Joe. In fact, it’s probably the biggest bone 90s Joe fans have been thrown in the last 10 years or so.

I’ve had this Minimates box set sitting around for a little while now– I preordered it the second it became available, but it didn’t get around to opening it until a couple weeks ago. My intent was always to review it for this website.

I am a huge Ninja Force fan, after all.

If you’re not into Minimates, don’t worry too much. I’ll be giving you a quick primer on what they are and how they function. And if you’re not interested at all, that’s okay– I’ll be returning to more traditional plastic dolls next week.

And for all three of you who are actually interested in this review, I hope you enjoy it.

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1994 SkyBox DC Master Series Trading Cards

On October 10, 2023October 6, 2023 By thedragonfortressIn DC Comics1 Comment

This post was written by my dear friend Pat (@ptotime). Thanks, Pat!

Green Arrow, by Ray Lago; and Huntress, by Hector Gomez.

During the pandemic, there was a hot moment where all of the stuff that Wizard Magazine lied about being worth something someday actually WAS worth something. This was purely a function of the market: while working from home, bored Xennials spent more time on eBay, looking up things that they used to enjoy. Suddenly, there was demand to meet the Internet’s inexhaustible supply of 1980s and 1990s pop culture ephemera. Old toys, old video games, old comic books — everyone who, at age 8, was certain that their Web of Spider-Man #100 (First Appearance of the Spider-Armor; green holo-foil cover) was going to be worth money lived out the monkey’s paw fulfillment of that wish when online sellers convinced them that the dose of nostalgia was worth $35 or whatever. (After all, it’s a Key Issue.)

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Site Updates: Fun(skool) on the Beach(Head)

On October 3, 2023 By thedragonfortressIn GI JoeLeave a comment

Hello there!

As I said in last week’s review, I have a busy week ahead of me so I only have something small for you this day.

But the good news is we’re keeping the Beach-Head (or Beach Head, or Beachhead, depending on how the Hasbro and/or Funskool copywriter is feeling that day) train rolling today.

Below you’ll find a link to my in-depth look at the Russian Funskool Beach Head figure from 1998.

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1994 GI Joe Beach-Head Review

On September 26, 2023October 10, 2023 By thedragonfortressIn GI Joe6 Comments

Well, whaddya know? It’s another GI Joe review! For those of you who don’t like adolescent karate reptiles (you absolute monsters), this should help satisfy your army doll cravings.

Today I’m looking at a figure that came from the large carded lot I bought at an estate sale a while back. I’ve only dipped into it a little bit so far, but this yellow-vested weirdo has been calling to me like a plastic Siren of ancient myth.

So let’s crash into the rocks and look at GI Joe’s Beach-Head from 1994!

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2023 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Storage Shell Turtles Review

On September 19, 2023 By thedragonfortressIn TMNT4 Comments

(Warning: This review contains nearly 80 large images, so I recommend that you’re either connected to Wi-Fi or are using an unlimited data plan when you read it)

Today we’re taking a look at some recent TMNT reissues from Playmates Toys. Playmates has been on a hot streak recently with their vintage Turtle re-releases and I’ve purchased most of them. I plan on covering what I have and I need to start somewhere, so this is what I’ve chosen.

Today we’re looking at the 2023 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Storage Shell Turtles Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael reissue figures. But don’t worry, I’m not leaving Donatello out in the cold.

We’ll also be looking at the original 1990 Don, the Storage Shell Turtle, so we can compare it with these re-releases.

Let’s get right into these ooze drinkers and shell raisers.

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1993 GI Joe Headhunter Stormtrooper Review

On September 12, 2023 By thedragonfortressIn GI Joe9 Comments

Hello everyone. I hope you’re doing well and that all of the Tylenols and ibuprofens are defending your body’s pain receptors from the rigors of old age. My results on that are a bit mixed.

Today we’re looking at a figure I’ve been wanting to review for quite a while. It’s also a figure that’s been with me since childhood. It survived a house fire and is still in pretty good shape– I’ve never even had to replace its original o-ring!

So settle in for a cozy little review of Hasbro’s 1993 GI Joe Headhunter Stormtrooper, which saw plenty of action during my formative years. And watch your fingers because this is one spiky little guy.

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1994 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles April O’Neil Review

On August 31, 2023 By thedragonfortressIn TMNT5 Comments

Who would have guessed that it would take me until 2023 to review a Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles toy on this website?

Considering my questionable consistency and work ethic, I’m sure most of you are not surprised it took me this long. But TMNT was one of the biggest toy lines of the 1990s and I was not immune to Turtle Fever as a child, so here’s hoping this little post is just the beginning of me diving into the oozy waters of the TMNT franchise.

Here’s a look at a fun variant of everyone’s favorite reporter from later in the line– 1994 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles April O’Neil!

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2000 GI Joe Snake Eyes Review

On August 1, 2023August 1, 2023 By thedragonfortressIn GI Joe10 Comments

Today we’re looking at a figure that’s very special and important to me, but also is not a figure I actually love. I don’t even use or photograph it all that often.

I figured it was time to finally look at an official, 3 3/4″ version of GI Joe’s most popular character, though, so today I’m reviewing Snake Eyes version 9 from the turn of the century.

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The Dragon Fortress

Author: thedragonfortress