I’d make a clever pun regarding the heat but my brain is currently a pile of mush thanks to a combination of binge drinking over the weekend and said heat. That and I’m never clever, hung over or not. Let’s make with the toy news instead, yes?

For those of you not the know, this summer’s G.I. Joe Retaliation has been pushed back to next March, because of “The desire to be converted into 3-D to please the international market” which is really code for “YO THE AVENGERS KILLED BATTLESHIP IN THE BOX OFFICE, MAYBE WE DON’T RELEASE THIS THING RIGHT BEFORE A NEW SPIDER-MAN/BATMAN DROPS!” Yeah I don’t get it either, but if you were looking to pick up some of the new Retaliation figures (which Loran has looked at in the past), now’s the time to do so, as Hasbro’s been trying to get retailers to send them back and wait for 2012 to bring them back. We have a limited supply of some figures still in stock, so if you want them now, come get ’em, or wait until 2013.

Speaking of Bat, the 2nd wave of Arkham City figures have been released by DC Direct, just in time for the Game of the Year Edition to be released this week (also the new “Harley Quinn’s Revenge” DLC for those who already bought the game but feel like giving WB games more cash). This set includes the like of Hush, the Riddler, Catwoman, The Mad Hatter, and Smurf Batman, or as it’s actually called “Detective Mode Batman”, which makes sense if you played the game. Sort of. I dunno, I’m fairly certain this is just repainted Arkham Asylum Batman made to meet the 1 Bat per wave quota. Either way, the quality of these figures vary, as again, you have Blueberry Batman, and a tiny Mad Hatter, which is definitely not worth the $20 they retail for. The Riddler and Hush are both solid figures though, but I’m not exactly crazy about their sculpt’s poses. However it’s probably the only chance you’ll be able to get these figures in these versions, so you may want to pick them up if you’re a fan. The Catwoman figure is easily the best of this wave, and I easily recommend her over the rest. In addition to these figures, expect the first set of deluxe figures (Killer Croc and Mister Freeze) to drop in either June or July, and the 3rd wave/final deluxe figure to drop in the fall. Also expect a ton of “Dark Knight Rises” tie-in action figures to drop any week now. Continue reading →