After starting Bungie’s swan song in the Halo franchise, Halo: Reach, I began loving these characters. Each one unique and essential to the team in their own ways. Also, I’d been away from McFarlane’s figures for quite a while too. It seems the toy gnomes over there have been quite busy in my absence. McFarlane’s figures have become quite articulated. These figures have some of the best articulation found on 6” scale figures. The ball-joint wrists have been improved on with actual swivel and rotation joints so they can more accurately hold weapons. Even adding ball-joint toes take the poses into a whole new realm for McFarlane figures. These guys did a great job on this line.

And speaking of the line up. I’m certainly glad that Jorge and Emile are my two favorites as they made it into series one along with Noble Six. I’ve read that Carter and Kat round out series two and Jun is nowhere to be seen. Isn’t that always the way with snipers.

To meet the members of Noble Team, check out Bungie’s video “A Spartan Will Rise” and, as always, check out my flickr set of these guys. Later.

The chances of me actually getting to go a San Diego Comic Con are slim to none. I’ve never even been to California. Hell, I’ve never even been on a plane. I know, right? I’m working on that. But not getting to go to SDCC wasn’t going to stop me from getting my hands on two of this year’s hottest exclusives, Mattel’s MOTU Classics Orko with Prince Adam and DCU Classics Plastic Man. Both were offered on Mattycollector.com and when they finally went live, sold out within minutes. As usual.

Having to fight for my figures each month has driven me to pick up a 2011 Club Eternia subscription which guarantees me each figure that is released monthly throughout the coming year, I just don’t know which figures will be released. It’s an ok trade off I guess, I just wish there was an easier way to get ahold of these figures each month. Maybe if they were shipped to stores where I could go in and buy them at my convenience … there’s a novel idea.

As always, you can check out the figures on my flickr site. Orko and Adam are here and Plastic will be here. Maybe next year I’ll just go to the SDCC and pick up the exclusives in person, it just might be easier than battling Matty’s site.

It’s rare that I find every figure that I’m looking for when we set out on a trip, but that’s exactly what happened on our recent trip to Atlanta. Our local TRU started receiving the new Star Wars figures a few weeks ago and while I could care less about the included Galactic Battle game, the new Clone Wars figures are more than welcome. But our area has only received the newest Grievous and that’s it. But on our trip I finally found Aurra Sing and the really cool, Pre Vizsla.

Also, new Marvel Universe figures have been few and far between as of late with Hasbro turning their focus to their Iron Man line, but with that line behind us, the new MU figures are slowly trickling out. Colossus is, hands-down, my favorite X-Men and who better to for Colossus to smash but the unstoppable Juggernaut himself right?

Last but not least is TRU’s exclusive Pursuit of Cobra Spirit Iron-Knife who was unmistakably designed after Billy, the native American from Predator, even the rifle is identical. Along with Spirit, Hasbro released Quick-Kick, but having such a fondness for the original design, I decided to let it hang on the peg.

Oh and I can’t forget, I had won a MOTU Classics Faker off eBay and it arrived while we were gone. Glad I finally got my hands on one of my favorite baddies from when I was a kid. I can’t explain why I love him so much, I just do.

Mignola is releasing The Amazing Screw On Head and Other Curious Objects on August 25th. It includes the tale of The Magician and The Snake, which he penned with the help of his 7 year-old daughter, Katie and it’s probably the most heart-warming story he’s ever written. Click the links to check it out.