Open Your Toys Cast

As we’ve been seeing for a few years now, what was old is new again. This time around is no different. MOTU’s throwback Origins line just released to all stores and announced a ridiculous amount of news and pre-orders. We get a few more coded listings for a wave 4 of the “retro” Joe line, including at least one trooper. While not necessarily vintage for me, for someone just ten years younger this might be their Transformers. We get a great look at a concepts document for Beast Wars McDonalds premiums from 1995. While Star Wars has seen its fair share of vintage homages, none this time around, so here’s a Centurion project.

What a year it has been for toys. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much product in my life. Maybe it’s because the whole pre-order revolution really caught on this year. Maybe it’s because the toy companies see their window closing for our generation. Either there are some amazing things to look forward to. Classified has been a breakout line with lotsa new stuff on the way. Unicron will probably be the biggest toy, literally, of 2021 and Hasbro is trying to ensure it gets to you safely. 2020 saw a lot of crossovers between lines, universes, and even fiction. Hasbro is certainly capitalizing on this. The Mandalorian is a key example and I know many are excited for the new TBS Bo-Katan. Nothing new for MOTU this time around, but I have a feeling we’ll have a lot to talk about on the next show.

What was some of your favorite news from this show? For Star Wars, the possibility of getting Luke and Leia from her training scene in Episode 9 is exciting. Not necessarily because of what they would look like, but more for the concept. Origins Battle Armor He-Man with a vintage head is exciting. This is based on a figure I got as a kid for Christmas back in the day. Not that we didn’t see it coming, but a Skullcruncher in a G1 box is pretty exciting for me at least, even if it is a modern mold. This is in addition to a Mech Fan Toys version coming, including a City of Steel Prime redeco. Nothing too exciting for Joe, so let’s just go with Lanard’s new Predator Figures.

No corny segue this time around, just my favorite stuff. For Star Wars, Regal Robot’s vintage carry case inspired wood plaques look amazing. Little pricey as expected, but still dope. Didn’t remember seeing the Deluxe Origins before but Cliff represented. Love that the battle damage effect is going to be there. The only Joe news has me less than excited. At least I’m happy I’ll be getting a “retro” Headmaster Skullcruncher even if it is just for the box.

Hasbro is just killing it with their HasLab projects. The Razor Crest becomes their most successful one yet. Joe product is slowly being revealed, but the 3rd parties are stepping up to fill the void. Speaking of 3rd parties, 4 Horsemen continue to absolutely kill it with the lack of 6-7 inch new MOTU being revealed. I’m a little sad that we’re not getting a new transformable Wheelie, but I’m still not mad at this Grimlock and ’86 Movie line.

The votes are in and TFCon’s 3rd party panels are officially boring. I think the most riveting discussion was about HasLab’s Razor Crest’s newest stretch goals. Are you going to vote with your dollars? Classified gets some new/old news. I think the fans have been heard in regard to this line. Hopefully, that doesn’t mean the end of 4 inch super-articulated Joes and if does, can we at least get better distribution? Lastly, the only thing for MOTU doesn’t even have a link, just the sound of millions of fanboys crying as their Man-e-Faces and Scareglow orders are suddenly canceled.

On this episode, we learned a lot. Sometimes in real-time. Like we’ll be getting an entire wave of Mandalorian Retro Collection figures. Mattel is doing some pretty cool things at Mattel Creations, including a clear Origins Skeletor. Just wish I would have learned of it sooner. We had heard rumors about the third wave of Classified, but now the trusted source that revealed earlier waves including the Cobra Island exclusives, confirms it will be Lady Jay, Flint, and Major Bludd. Finally, Transformers is doing a 6-pack of Micromasters. Not too exciting right? Well two of them are M.A.S.K. homages. One is of my favorite M.A.S.K. vehicle, the Hurricane. $30 for one Micromaster?

Nothing fancy this time, just a good long discussion about selling.

Hasbro had no problem selling their latest round of Joe Classified exclusives. Once again, it was us that had a hard time buying them. Something we all would love to buy, but won’t be sold here is an amazing life-size Megatron water gun. Super7’s Snake Mountain is still for sale, but you’ll probably need to sell at least a few toys to make space for that thing. Hasbro has now sold over ten thousand Mandalorian Razor Crests for a total of 3.5 million dollars. Now that’s what I call selling.

This time around I’m going to address what we talked about in comparison to actual reveals via Pulsecon instead of my favorites. First up, is the complete absence of ’86 Studio Series. With multiple figures leaked already, why not at least address it? We’ve been covering the Holiday Troopers. Wow, that is some awful deco. They even joke about how Lucasfilm was super-hesitant about this, for good reason. For Joe, we knew what was coming with the “Retro” line figures, but I hadn’t seen anything about the FANG and I guess for good reason. Not a retro mold, not retro artwork. Call this Origins or something. Please do not call this Retro Hasbro. Finally, nothing announced about MOTU as this was Hasbro’s weekend, but at least we’re getting some new Thundercats.

My hoarding isn’t more evident than in my defense of the Studio Series Devastator Boxset. Something that is also a little ridiculous is the price of this 3rd party Bantha. As cool as it is, I don’t know how people can rationalize it. The new Joe movie is getting pushed back again, but that’s not stopping the new movie Classified figures from coming soon. There’s no new MOTU news, so let’s go with something Lotus thought was ridiculous, 1/12th scale accessories.

If you were born in the late ’80s, maybe Beast Wars is your thing. If so, WFC Kingdom looks to have you covered. For a kid born in ’75 like me, Return of the Jedi was probably your sweet spot for Star Wars. Well, the Retro Collection has got you covered. No matter when you were born hopefully, you can appreciate this amazing Arctic Scarlett and Sabertooth. Nothing new for MOTU since the amazing reveals at Power-Con, but stayed tuned, Mattel continues to impress.

How bad do you want a Quintesson? $180 bad? That’s what the new MP-scale X-Transbot Dr. Egg will set you back. The new Hasbro Pulse Livestreams have not been a friend of people’s wallets either. Usually dropping at least one new toy, if not ten, these streams no long are simple “here’s what’s coming soon”, they are full-on ads for temptations available to order right then. Star Wars has one coming up. Movies studios are definitely being cheap, even a smaller movie like the Snake Eyes origin movie is getting pushed back as it seems we may not get to see a movie in theaters before 2021. While we have a quick story during the show, the big one doesn’t come until the end when we get breaking news of all the amazing Masters toys coming our way. I think Mattel, and Hasbro for that fact, have finally realized the adults by a lot of toys and most of them aren’t as frugal as I am.

It was 12 years and one day ago that Mrs. McFavorite and I announced we would start a podcast. 2 months later Open Your Toys Cast was born. I meant to have this out yesterday so I could say “12 years on this day”, but as the title implies, time certainly moves faster than we could ever imagine. I’m actually sneaking this post in on Mrs. McFavorite’s birthday. It was just under 20 years ago that she and I met. In just a few short months after that, we would never be away from each other for more than a few days. Another milestone coming up in less than a week is Lil’ Miss McFavorite will be 8 years old. I’ve been watching a ton of Ken Burns documentaries over the last few months. It’s crazy to see what is captured for posterity, especially back then. What’s even crazier are the assumptions that are made and the results that are witnessed and evaluated in hindsight. I said I would never do it, but the more nostalgic I grow, especially in these trying times, the closer I get to listening to those older shows. Ma

I can’t believe we’re almost to 200. Can you? See you at the bicentennial.

Well, it’s as close to con season as we’re going to get this year. Hasbro has bet on Walmart. We spend a good amount of time decrying this decision, but we’ll find out in two short days how it goes. As the Walmart listings increase for the ’86 Studio Series, I am getting very excited. I think we’re a little tired of these coded Star Wars listings showing up, but at least it means lots of stuff is coming. We debate whether yet another new Cobra Commander listing will finally be a hooded version and what Deluxe might actually mean. Walmart continues throughout the top 4 with the first sightings of the return of the MOTU Minis.

The future holds a Back to the Future Transformers crossover. About two thousand of us got our first shot at it, but the rest of us will have to until October for Gigawatt. It’s also been confirmed that we will be getting a Cobra Trooper in the Classified line. Can’t wait to see the army builders run with that one. Even if you don’t have kids, never hurts to plan for the future with these great MOTU Little People. Lastly, the coming Lego Art sets may not be for everyone, but I personally think they’ll be amazing.

I think a lot of people had some good feels over all of the announcements over the last week. Hasbro is giving us a Black Series for Transformers. Star Wars 3.75 collectors are getting another playset. I loved it, Cliff hated it. What are your thoughts? Nothing for MOTU, so I’ll just promote the 4Horsemen’s 20th anniversary. My favorite reveal by far all week was a Classified Pimp Daddy Destro.

This is super late and I still have a lot to do. So I’ll just leave this here.

If a 3rd party MP-scaled Astrotrain can be $80, I definitely think there’s something to this whole price control rumors that have been circulating for years. I love that the people at Star Wars loosen their control every once in a while and allow things like the “Certain Point of View” series. The second installment is due out soon. I think collectors wish they had a little more control over the styling of the new Classified figures but the new Cobra Commander shows it’s not always that bad. Since there’s no Masters news this time around, I’ll leave you with my favorite thing from the show, a 1/1 Cup Noodle plastic model kit. Even though Lotus and Swage thought it was ridiculous, I still get to feature it.