"You will not remember what I show you now, and yet I shall awaken memories of love... and crime... and death... "

I never really thought about it until now, but I suppose people who aren't classic monster movie fans might get a bit confused when hearing about the characters from the 1932 Boris Karloff vehicle "The Mummy". The main character is of course the mummy himself, who's real name is "Imhotep", but when he's resurrected, he takes the name of Ardeth Bey and moves freely among the rest of the cast, until his true identity is revealed. So, "The Mummy", "Im-ho-tep" and "Ardeth Bey" are all the same person.

The figure is really well made like all the others in the line. The box art is great as usual showing Ardeth Bey poised above the character of Helen Grosvenor (played by Zita Johann), whom he believed to be the reincarnation of his lost love, the Princess Anck-es-en-Amon. A statue of the Egyptian god Anubis stands in the background. I love these box lids that have the vintage poster art on them. They make such great backgrounds for your monster setup.

Ardeth Bey box art

My humble monster collection, with Sideshow boxes on the top row

Ok, so the box is great, but what about the figure? Well, like most toys, it's got it's good and bad points. The costume and accessories (a sacrificial dagger and the Scroll Of Thoth, with which one could raise the dead) are fantastic. The figure can even hold both of the accessories and the Scroll of Thoth can actually be untied and rolled out to admire all the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics which were meticulously recreated. The tarboosh is molded right onto the head and is not removable.

The figure looks just like Karloff did, but something about the paint job feels wrong. I know how the character in the movie looks eerily ancient but here his face looks absolutely petrified (and I mean that in a turned to stone kind of way). I don't really have a problem with that, but you can still see tiny areas of flesh tone peeking through and I feel like the black around the eyes looks a bit too exaggerated, which sort of makes it look "fake". I know that's probably a weird way to describe a toy, but I think if I saw someone who looked like this in real life, I would think "there's someone made up to look ancient" instead of "there's someone ancient". It looked great in the movie, but doesn't seem to work as well in color. Perhaps this figure would have benefited from a black and white "Silver Screen Edition", but one was never made as this was released towards the tail end of Sideshow's run of these 12" classic monsters.

With that said, if that's a problem at all, it's only a problem when you look at it up close. From a couple feet away or while mixed within a collection, the doll is fantastic. And it certainly adds a distinctive flavor to a monster room otherwise filled with your standard Frankensteins, Draculas, etc... I welcome any of the characters who are less seen in toy form.

Ardeth Bey comes with his own adjustable 12" doll stand and was limited to 3000 pieces. It's definitely a great figure for the monster collector and if the paint feels flawed at all, it's only because of the high standard already established by Sideshow's previous releases. But I don't think you'd be too disappointed to have this one in your collection!

Priority pre-prder for Sideshow's Luke Skywalker Episode IV 12-inch figure begins Jan 18th!

Priority pre-prder for Sideshow's Luke Skywalker Episode IV 12-inch figure begins Jan 18th!
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Sideshow Collectibles' latest release is called Luke Skywalker - Rebel Commander - Bespin, the Empire called him a Terrorist and the Rebel Alliance called him a Hero in the Battle of Yavin but I like to call him - Lefty.

Luke (as he appeared in The Empire Strikes Back) has always been my favorite version of the character. Back when I was a kid, my Kenner action figure was always in the middle of my backyard/beach side adventures no matter what the scenario was.

I’m not sure what it is about him at this stage of his Hero’s Journey that appeals so much to me. Perhaps it is his altruistic notions of good and evil and the youthful ideal he represents, then again it might be the fact that those same ideals are shattered at this stage of his journey as he recklessly rushes off to confront (unknowingly) his father.

I do know that the same revelation that shocked Luke in his confrontation with Darth Vader also shocked me as a kid, so much so my father and I debated for years whether he was telling the truth or lying. It would be three years after all before we would know for sure.

For whatever reason he appeals to me; he does - so when I heard that this version of Luke was in the pipeline at Sideshow Collectibles for their 12 inch line I was pretty excited. Sideshow Collectibles has been scoring an A+ as far as I am concerned with the quality of their previous 12 inch pose-able figures.

Sideshow Collectibles has been doing 12 inch, high-detail; highly pose-able figures from Star Wars for almost 2 years now. Each character they do comes in both a Standard version and Exclusive version. Both versions are limited, meaning when the character is gone, it’s gone (Trust me, I begged for them to reissue the Jedi version of Luke I missed. Not happening.) The Exclusive version is also limited (usually less than half the number of the Standard edition run) but will also include an exclusive accessory. In the case of Luke here it is an Auto Tourniquet for his handless limb.Exclusive versions are only available thru Sideshow Collectibles.

Luke comes in what is best described as a book style package with two window boxes that close in on each other. The flap that folds over the side of the box has magnets built in to hold it closed. A little detail that shows how much attention Sideshow puts into this line. If they are putting magnets in the box lid what could they possibly be doing to the figures?

Included in the box are :

• 4 sets of hands - 2 for gripping the Lightsaber, 1 for the pistol and 1 open/casual hand
• 2 Lightsabers - 1 ignited, 1 not
• Sideshow Exclusive Auto Tourniquet (Bacta/Wound Unit for hand)
• Hand Stump (yes a cauterized stump to put on the end of his arm)
• Pistol
• Stand

The weapons that are included in the box are as detailed as the props from the movies. Seriously, look at these.

The hands do pull off and are swappable, so yes... you can make him earn his nickname, Lefty.

Luke features over 40 points of articulation allowing for a full range of motion and pose-ability options. There are joints just about every where a real human body has including little details like a neck that can look up or down to shoulders that slide forward and back.

The head sculpt is a dead on likeness of Mark Hamill and dosen't look too big or too small.

The outfit Luke wears is made completely of cloth and even appears to be made of the same material used in the creation of the costume making for a very sharp looking figure. I have found in the past with other manufacturers this outfit in the 12 inch scale has looked ill fitted. That is not the case here with Sideshow Collectibles version and has nailed the fitted look just right.

Luke’s outfit comes with the following:

• Pants
• Boots
• Tank Top
• Jacket
• Utility belt with Lightsaber hook and holster

Only the boots and utility belt are made of plastic with the Lightsaber hook on the belt being made of metal.

The holster is made of a leather looking material and features a magnet built in so the strap sticks to the holster. Which brings me to my one complaint. The material is so fragile that I ripped the strap right off of the holster trying to put the pistol in the holster the first time. It's easily fixable with some crazy glue or a hot glue gun. So note to future buyers be careful with that holster when putting the pistol in it.

In case you can't tell yet I do really like this figure. Sideshow Collectibles continues the fine tradition they have set for themselves in keeping that Quality bar set real high. If you are a fan of Star Wars and have a favorite "iconic" character from the Saga, you owe it to yourself to pick one up. It will look real sharp added to your collection, I promise.

Now if they could just hurry up and do a Darth Vader and a Yoda, I would be one happy fan boy.

The Luke in this review is the sold-out limited version with the Bacta Unit for his arm (limited to 1980 pcs - get it?)But you can still get your hands on the regular edition.

I have also included a quick video review as I think it's best to see these guys in motion.

Han Solo: Smuggler - Tatooine 12" figure is now available for Priority Preorder from Sideshow Collectibles

Our favorite smuggler gets the 12" treatment from Sideshow. If you want to get in on the action, you better act fast!
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Who the hell is Commander Praji?

Ruthless and terrifying, the military forces of the Galactic Empire are the means by which Emperor Palpatine enforces and maintains his rule of terror throughout the galaxy. In the waning days of the Old Republic, the ability of the Jedi Knights to maintain peace and order among its citizens was put to the test in the face of the droid armies of the Separatist Movement. Under the direction of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, a Grand Army of the Republic was created to counter the increasing Separatist threat. Fueled by the onset of the Clone Wars, the resulting military buildup provided Palpatine with a standing army of over a million clone units that were completely loyal and unquestioning in their obedience. Revealing himself to be a Sith Lord, Palpatine used his army to wipe out the Jedi Knights and cement his position as the tyrannical leader of the newly formed Galactic Empire.

No longer comprised exclusively of clones, the Imperial Military now adds to its massive numbers through forced enlistment and volunteer recruitment through the Imperial Academy. Whether the vast ground forces of the Imperial Army garrisons or the skilled pilots of the Imperial Navy, the soldiers of the Empire are the most highly trained and well-equipped fighting force in the galaxy. Fiercely devoted to the will of Emperor Palpatine, they have earned their reputation as merciless and unflinching troops and commanders who carry out their orders with grim efficiency or face the ultimate consequence.

Although Commander Nahdonnis Praji ruled his Imperial subordinates with a staunch and heavy fist, he always remained calm and level headed. His demeanor impressed his superiors and kept his command in line. While Praji's rule was followed, he himself was less effective in carrying out his orders.

Directed by Lord Vader to personally oversee the mission to retrieve the stolen plans for the Death Star, Praji instead delegated the task to Captain Kosh. But C-3P0 and R2-D2 escaped with the plans on Tatooine, and the integral mission failed. Commander Praji was not defeated by the unsuccessful mission, however. He stood dignified before his superiors and delivered the news of his failure to Darth Vader. This businesslike professionalism appealed to Darth Vader and saved Praji from the most severe of punishments.

The 12-inch Commander Praji figure includes:

* Authentic likeness of Commander Praji
* Fully articulated male body with 30+ points of articulation
* Detailed Imperial costume, including:
o Interchangeable plastic and cloth officer caps
o Tunic with officer rank badge
o Pants
o Boots
o Detailed belt with holster
* Accessories include:
o Officer blaster pistol
o Stormtrooper blaster
o Interchangeable sets of gloved hands
* 12-Inch Figure Display Base with 'Star Wars' logo

"Terrifying monsters from a lost age!"

My shame continues. It's been over a full year since my review of the 8" Mole Man and I still haven't seen the movie. I guess I've been too busy buying toys instead of dvds. And I have added this 12" version of the character to my collection since then.

This toy features beautifully sculpted head and hands. And the paint job is amazing. On the head, you can actually see different shades of brown underneath all the bumps, giving the head's landscape a very rich texture.

The clothing is simple, yet effective. The foot coverings are just the same brown cloth as the pants and shirt. No fancy footwear for these worker slaves, I guess. Of course, this makes it just a bit harder to stand since there are no real shoes to provide traction against a smooth surface and there is no stand included to counteract this. You'll definitely want to get yourself a 12" doll stand for this guy.

For accessories, you get a large sack and 6 mushrooms-2 large, 2 medium and 2 small.

Unfortunately, once again we're presented with a problem with how the hands attach to the arms. The hands are accurate, but the arms are not. Strangely, the arms have been changed to brown instead of flesh colored, but that doesn't really help much. They still don't come anywhere close to matching the hands!

I would have preferred to see something more like the later Frankensteins that have the hands and forearms all one piece. Sure, you lose some articulation this way, but the overall presentation is much nicer. Compounding the problem here is that the sleeves are just a tad too short to completely cover up this shortcoming.

I hate to sound like I'm complaining too much. I like the figure a lot. I'll just have to display it with the arms lowered. The Mole Man was limited to 1,5000 pieces.

"Throw the switch!" Dr. Frankenstein's assistant gets the 12" doll treatment.

Fritz is another sort of subsidiary character to be released by Sideshow Collectibles as a 12" figure. From the 1931 Frankenstein, Fritz was the hunchbacked assistant to Dr. Frankenstein and was ably portrayed by Dwight Frye. It was Fritz who was given the task of obtaining a brain for the monster and would bring back a criminal mind. This plot device was unique to the film adaption and was not in the original book or previous stage plays.

The doll is pretty good, but it lacks the distinctive hump on the back and the crouched over stance. You can probably place some crumpled up tissue under his shirt or something to help achieve this effect.

Fritz comes with a stone replica base, a walking stick, a plastic container with removable lid and a brain to store in the container. The container is labeled "Normal Brain". If it were up to me, I would have made it say "Abnormal Brain" since that is the one he actually takes in the movie. Perhaps you can display it fallen at his feet.

Besides adding a hump, maybe the only other way I could think to improve this figure would be to make the clothes look dirtier. I always think of Fritz as being filthy from digging up graves and what not. His clothes here look too new. Otherwise, this is a nice addition to the lineup and, unlike some of the other smaller characters released, he carried a nice price tag at only $20. Fritz was limited to 3,500 pieces.

Not my favorite monster character by any means, but a great 12" figure!

While I can't say that I've ever been a huge fan of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story, there is no denying their importance in the history of horror movies. The same year that the Wolf Man made his first appearance, the story of Jekyll and Hyde was being released for the FOURTH time already, having been made in 1912 as a short, 1920 as a full-length silent feature with the great John Barrymore in the lead, 1931 with Frederich March and finally in 1941 with Spencer Tracy. The 1941 film is probably my favorite of the bunch, but it is the 1931 portrayal of the character that was made as a 12" doll by Sideshow Collectibles.

The figure comes all decked out in a tuxedo and looks magnificent. A separate cape can be tied around his neck for added flair. A nicely detailed cane is included and can be held, fairly well, in the right hand. He still doesn't exactly have a firm grasp on it, but it works better than most Sideshow 12" monster accessories. He also comes with a great 12" doll stand that has an image depicting the characters dual nature. The final accessory is the flask that contained the potion which affected his transformation from Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde.

Of course, although the toy is labeled as "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", you only get Mr. Hyde. There is no swappable heads or anything like that which would allow you to display either character. I guess it would be cool if there were, but hey, who really wants to display Dr. Jekyll anyway, right? It's Mr. Hyde you watch the movies for and it's Mr. Hyde you'd buy the figure for.

This is a great looking doll. The costume is well done and so is the sculpt and paint job. I love the packaging as usual. But there's always that one thing......

Wanna hear the most annoying, mind boggling thing you've probably ever read on this site? Then dig this...

Twisty ties are evil. We all know that. Twisting them around the doll underneath the clothing is excessive. I think I've
covered that. But this doll went way, way beyond the realm of rational thinking. This one actually had string sewn into the collar and run out through the back of the cardboard insert and tied. I had to actually cut the string at the collar in order to free the doll and make it look presentable. Insane, isn't it? A similar thing occurred on my 30" Superman, but at least on that toy, the string simply ran through the cape and could be slid out. Not so here. I had to actually cut the thing away, being very careful not to damage the costume in the process.

Other than that, and maybe that it's not the most interesting character to me, I must say that I love the figure. Mr. Hyde was limited to 2,000 pieces.

This figure is nicely done, but I can't really recommend it to anyone but the most dedicated of monster collectors or Bela Lugosi fans.

In "The Wolf Man", Bela Lugosi portrayed a gypsy fortune-teller also named Bela. His role is small but significant, as it is he who infects Larry Talbot with the curse of the were-wolf.

The 12" figure by Sideshow Collectibles is nicely done, but may not really be a vital part of your monster collection. You wouldn't even know it was related to the monster genre without having seen the movie. In that way, it's similar to the Larry Talbot doll . Nice in and of itself, but still remaining somewhat outside of the realm of monster collectibles.

The doll looks great overall, but he wears something of a slight smile that belies the sense of dread and menace that the character in the movie exuded.

Bela comes with a pipe accessory as well as three sets of Tarot cards. Each set does feature cards with individually printed artwork on each!

The interior of the box has some nice imagery of the dark forest, which made me think it would have been cool if all the boxes has some nice sort of cutout displays that you could place behind the figures. Of course, most adult collectors probably wouldn't cut them out even if they did. I know I wouldn't.

95008

Superman is to Clark Kent as The Wolf Man is to......Larry Talbot.

The Wolf Man is a memorable monster character with classic, iconic makeup by Jack Pierce. But Lon Chaney's portrayal of the tormented Larry Talbot is what carries the film.

I'm not sure it's good enough to carry it's own toy though. Don't get me wrong. It's well made, but basically, it's just a guy in a suit.

He comes with a stone replica base, a removable hat and the famous silver-tipped wolf's head cane from the movie. The clothing is nice, but seems a little loose. That's not that big a deal. Where the real problem lies is that, again, they re-used hands from a previous figure so he can't actually grasp the cane and hold it properly.

Much like the Renfield doll, I can't help but imagine this one as a talker. Pull the string and hear Larry lamenting his plight. ["Don't try to make me believe that I killed a man when I know that I killed a wolf!"] But that's just a pipe dream, unfortunately. And as a result, overall this is a rather bland entry in the line. Fortunately, I managed to snag this guy for less than half the initial $40.00 price tag.