Welcome back to Toy Aisle, our weekly recap of the most delightful toys we’ve seen on the web. This week, a Grand Moff Tarkin figure that could give the Rogue One recreation a run for its money, some very cool (and very weird) robot monkeys, and even more Bat-mania with a slick new ride for the Dark Knight.
Hot Toys Star Wars 1/6th-Scale Grand Moff Tarkin Figure
Although happy to see Grand Moff Tarkin back in a Star Wars movie, most fans were left wondering why Peter Cushing’s appearance in Rogue One didn’t look quite right. Had the filmmakers used Hot Toys’ new sixth-scale Grand Moff Tarkin figure instead of the CG doppelganger, it would have probably been a bit cheaper, if a touch more static — and with none of that weird CG sheen he had. Available later this year, the figure’s strikingly realistic face sculpt is complemented by a tiny uniform that looks like it was crafted by a master tailor. [Facebook – Hot Toys via Toyark]
Storm Collectibles Mortal Kombat Shao Kahn Figure
When Mortal Kombat was first released back in 1992, the game’s blood and gore had parents and senators up in arms about video game violence, which is probably why we never got a great line of MK figures. These days the fighting game’s violence looks cartoonish, and now that people have moved on to complaining about other things, we’re starting to get some great figures, including Storm Collectibles’ new Shao Kahn coming later this year. Standing over 20cm tall, the $US95 ($120) figure includes two head sculpts, swappable hands, a giant hammer, and a throne that would make Cersei jealous. [Storm Collectibles via Toy News International]
S.H. Figuarts The Dark Knight Batpod
It’s been five years since The Dark Knight Rises was in theatres, but since Christopher Nolan’s wonderful take on Batman introduced some of the hero’s best toys, we have no complaints that S.H. Figuarts’ sixth-scale Batpod has taken this long to arrive. First revealed in The Dark Knight after the Tumbler Batmobile self-destructs, this 31cm-long version of the Batpod can accommodate similarly sized figures, and will be available in January 2018 (more waiting!) for ¥11,880 ($138). [Bandai via Toyark]
WowWee Fingerlings Interactive Robotic Monkeys
You don’t have to spend $499 on Sphero’s Lightning McQueen toy to introduce your kids to the joys of robots. WowWee, who’s long been developing adorable kid-friendly bots that also happen to look creepy as hell, is introducing a line of weird robot monkeys called Fingerlings that respond to touch, motion and sounds. Their eyes blink, their heads turn, and they each come with 40 different sounds they can use to respond to your interactions. And they’re just $20 each, so much cheaper than that Sphero BB-8 the kids have been bothering you about since The Force Awakens came out. [WowWee]
Mezco One:12 Ascending Knight Batman
Mezco’s line of wonderful 1:12 scale figures has had plenty Batmen in it yet, but this latest take is inspired by the Dark Knight’s very first appearance in the pages of Detective Comics nearly eight decades ago. Although the suit itself modernised a little, the cape and cowl are very evocative of the classic design. As well as oodles of little Bat-Gadgets to play with, the figure also comes with an alternate head that depicts an unmasked Bruce Wayne, also stylised after the character’s earliest appearances, creating a cool blend of old and new. The Ascending Knight will be available for $US80 ($101) when it releases early next year, though you’ll have to factor in the additional cost for a mail forwarding service, since this figure only ships within the US. [Mezco]