*walks out*

So apparentely TRU is using such an outdated system that if someone isn't on their website, it doesn't exist. -_- I was there again for the 7th day in a row and still not MJ pack. I asked the employee to check the computer just in case and he couldn't get it to show up on their webpage, so he was completely lost saying that it must be a discontinued item and there was no way he could look it up in their system without it being on the website. Are you freaking kidding me?!

Having been an employee at TRU, I can explain: the actual in-store database is very hard to use by itself for finding an item, because unless you have the actual TRU database item number or the UPC, it's really hard to tell what some items are by the way they're named in the database, and it's hard to search for the item you're looking for because the database name for the item may not contain any actual useful identifying words specific to that item. So, we usually look an item up on the website to find the item number in the description, THEN we use that item number to look in the in-store database. If it's not on the website, it's veeeery hard to find; basically the only way we could possibly find it in the database is if someone gave us the actual UPC to look up.

As far as I can remember, Batman's cape didn't normally serve any transportation purpose either, until The Dark Knight.

Well if by The Dark Knight you mean the 1995 comic series Legends of the Dark Knight then yeah that's where it really started being a wingsuit that he could control to glide. He'd used it like a parachute before though such as in The Dark Knight Returns and before that it still had some extra function. Usually it was stated to be fire resistant and even sometimes bullet-proof, though the regularity of this was very fragmented. It's main purpose was intimidation by giving him a much larger more bat-like silhouette when grappling around Gotham. Black Panther's cape never appeared to offer anything especially back when it was particularly short.

Every year when Hasbro announces these exclusives, I come here to gripe about it, and every one tells me I'm being extreme or says "Thankfully, insert retailer here exclusives are usually easy to find..." And then ya'll lose your minds when said retailer causes a raise in blood pressure when they never have the item in stock. Now will you believe me when I say **** these stupid exclusive items? Just make the damn things readily available everywhere so I can more easily give you my money...

Speaking of exclusives, after seeing some pictures online of the Cyke/Dark Phoenix two pack...I wonder what Hasbro was thinking with the headsculpt to the Juggernaut Phoenix. That thing is going in the trash once, and IF (since she is another exclusive) I'm able to find this one.

On a side note, some a-hole actually managed to make it inside of Phoenix Comic Con today armed with 4 guns and a backpack full of ammunition, including a shotgun. He was caught taking pictures of police officers, and supposedly was looking to target cops. As a result, the Con today said no one can bring props of any sorts, including things like shields, swords (of any type, not even cardboard or the huge Final Fantasy types) or lightsabers. I usually attend PHCC every year, but man, am I glad I'm not going this year, and I feel sorry for every single cosplayer who did. A comic con where Darth Vader can't even bring his lightsaber through the front door? Thanks a lot a-hole, way to ruin it for everyone...

i have never liked the idea of hasbro doing exclusives even more so , when they recently re-released that Groot figure , which was a BAF , had to pay i dunno like £120 give or take , then few years later , oh single carded that costs way less (i need a time machine XD)

i guess their idea is, oh were not sure if this thing will sell let's make it an exclusive, still annoyed about SDCC ones but at least you can get it via their website. Unless if you're like me and live in the uk there is no guarantee to get an exclusive, you could go to some sites that specifically sell figures which sometimes costs a lot, because it's exclusive.

Luckily my tru is trying to get exclusives but all varies on the selling of that recent groot figure because it's a trail, not being labelled as groot but an exclusive so if nobody likes groot or doesn't need him then we get no future exclusives

You want to talk about TRU.com? I tried giving another look last night for the 2 pack, and while it's in stock online. They won't ship it to your home adderess nor are they able to ship them to any of the TRU stores near me... don't know what kind of crap that is...

Here's the thing, the employee could have explained that aspect instead of speaking like a brain dead idiot who really didn't want to do his job.

1. Word. See it happen too often to count. It's like once they FINALLY get those exclusives, one way or another, they forget the pain in the ass to find it, all that matters is they have it now and are looking at the past with rose colored glasses.

2. That's a great idea, might be an option to try it out if I get lucky and find two.

3. That's horrible. I just cannot fathom what drives people to commit such idiocy and terror. I'm glad he got caught and no one was hurt, but yeah that sucks for all the peaceful people that just want to go as their characters.

I'm totally swapping out heads on Phoenix too, once I find that 2 pack. Any word when it will be released or by who? I forget now that I think about it.

I like her headsculpt but that hair is just too wonky. If i can find the right hair imma replace jeans hair.

I've always found that the Overland Park store is pretty good, I've gotten this 2 pack and the Transformers Velocitron pack from there among most exclusives.

The best store in the area is in Independence though, I know a lot of people who have had great luck there. It's just a bit too far south for me, so I never get down there, though.

I was thinking of using the homemade suit ML from the Homecoming wave as a stand-in for Scarlet Spider, kinda hoping he's a pegwarmer...

TRU, man. I'll need to have the 2pack in hand to determine whether I like the head better for Jean. As I remember, John Byrne seemed to create a slightly different face for Jean vs Dark Phoenix, despite their being the same person. After checking to refresh my memory, there is a noticeable difference in cheek bones in certain comparative panels, but I'm not sure if that was intentional. Jean's face was more oval and doughy, IMO, while Dark Phoenix had more angles in her face and sunken cheeks. I think your discussion was more about simply not liking the Jean head and had nothing to do with a shared likeness. Personally, I'm indifferent about the Jean head. All I really need from female face sculpts is that they be comely and the Juggs Jean is at least that. I sort of like the idea that possession by the Phoenix-force might alter her facial structure, which could be displayed via a different head sculpt.

Has there been any word on when the Spiderman Homecoming/ Ironman 2 pack will be out? Do we know if it will be an exclusive?

I think the new head sculpts with the Jean two pack sport three radically different looks that would work with either figure, as shown in the photos below. I'll be keeping the the static, normal head on Phoenix, while D.Phoenix will most likely be carrying one of the wilder, more crazed expressions when I'm finally able to get my hands on it.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ison-Photo.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ack-Photos.jpg

On the subject of head swaps, I finally got around to digging up my Groot Wave Gamora, and gave this a shot. It frustrates me to no end, because it would have made the new version of Gamora even better, as I actually prefer some of the aspects of the original figure over the new one, whose head sculpt and lack of ankle rocker were the only really weak aspects of the original figure that bothered me. I feel that the skin tone on the new figure is a bit too bright, almost neon, and the earlier version, while a bit too dark, still was a better representation of it's movie counterpart...

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...522_192907.jpg

I also took a moment to finish Hasbro's work for them, and dremel out a proper barrel for Minion. Why Hasbro didn't do it in the first place leaves me scratching my head. Guess they needed the money for that unneeded Star-Lord in the wave.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...526_022053.jpg

I was finally able to snag this Logan new in box for my MCU collection at a decent price. I never was able to track him down in store back in the day (my local Kay-Bee Toys never seemed to have him, just plenty of the leather jumpsuit Wolvies,) so it's nice to finally have the best representation of Hugh to date.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...3_160524_1.jpg

Target exclusive if memory serves me correctly...

@artic 66
Marvel Legends Spider-Man: Homecoming Figures - The Toyark - News

This fall according to that link above

Dude, try not to shit on retail employees. He probably didn't have a written explanation for it on standby, nor did he have the time to give it. Were I in that employee's position, and had to explain on the spot like he did, I probably wouldn't have been able to give as good and thorough of an explanation as I gave here, where I had time to actually put together a good explanation for it.

I see this too frequently...like an employee's total value is based upon them being able to always locate whatever Super-Duper Action Figure Man variant, us nerds are looking for THIS week!.
The there's always the subsequent retort: well if they're not happy maybe they should.....

meh...give it a break..

Ugg.... thanks.

I remember him surviving an explosion in Batman Forever with his cape being fire retardant. He also had a glider cape thing in Batman Returns.

I got this about a month or two ago. A nice guy in Germany made me a really excellent custom head that just came in recently. Remind me to post pics.

In other news, got the MJ pack. But my Peter head's eyes are derpy. If anyone wants to sell their Peter head, hit me up.

Ill take it. ;)

No, I mean if anyone wants to sell me theirs that isnt derpy. I'm looking to replace my derpy head.

Yeah, as somebody working retail, sometimes we just don't have all the answers or we can't give a thorough one on the spot due to having so many other things going on.

I'm more than happy to help anybody that comes into the store (as long as they're not being an asshole), but we're not exactly robots.

Speaking of which, Spidey/MJ 2-pack was delivered today. Didn't get to check the mail though; had a production shoot today for my internship.