The Doomed God

Marvel Movie Ladies

Asgardian Squad

I don't like Thor. (By Thor, I mean Marvel's Thor not the Norse god he was based on.)  He's a classic example of a white privileged man. I doubt he would be worthy of Mjölnir, the hammer, if he wasn't the son of Odin. Gods! I know right?

In the Avengers, Thor takes the role of a dumb blonde. I heard that in the upcoming Thor movie, they will showcase Thor's dumbness more making the story more comic than the 1st two. I just hope that something tragic, like Odinson's death, will cap off all the dumbness. I think it's just as natural as any twist or irony. Plus, I can't wait for a female Thor to grace the silver screen.

If there's something I like about Thor, it's his squad. Thor has an Asian ally! Hogun is probably the first Asian action doll from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I know I had to get him. Thor also has a Black ally, Heimdall, but I still have to get me a Heimdall doll. The Lady Sif doll was harder to get because of not many were created to propagate the idea that female action dolls don't sell. (It is important to note that I started collecting these doll when I was able to buy Thor, Iron-man and Captain America dolls at heavily reduced prices because they didn't got sold.) Now, if only they make Fandral bisexual, that would be great. I only got Fandral and Volstagg because I don't want to break up the Warriors Three.

Heimdall is stationed at the Bifrost so he doesn't join much in Thor's battles, so I think I've completed Thor's squad. I wouldn't have been able to do so if the 4-inch figures are still popular. Many collectors are quitting their collection making it easier for me to complete my Asgardian squad.

A Road Bot and the Avengers

Road Bot 1:18 Toyota Land Cruiser

I grew up enjoying the Transformers but I outgrew them. Even the live action movies seemed alien to me. The main reason I bought this Road Bot is that it can transform to a 1:18 scale vehicle, something I could use with my 4-inch action dolls. 

The packaging, with photos of the doors that can be opened, really intrigued me. I wondered if a 4-inch doll could fit inside. Although it would still work as a prop, it would be a lot better if someone can drive it. I tried to look for more info online before I decided to buy it.

Superhero problem

Although fighting and violence are main ingredients in the lives of superheroes, not all of them intends to harm or kill their opponent. The Silver Surfer in the 90's animated TV series is an example. (I am not aware if the comic book version of the Silver Surfer is the same.) 

Starting off as the herald of Galactus, the Silver Surfer hunted for planets to feed his master. Galactus changed the Surfer's personality including his values towards life the moment he was given special powers. This made him forget about the teachings of his peaceful planet of origin, Zenn La. The moment he was reminded of his peace-loving origins, he rebelled against his master and vowed to protect life.

There were many moments where the Silver Surfer could just kill his opponents and get on with his life but he didn't take that path. The TV show ended abruptly with the hero seemingly failing in his mission. Season two never got produced so we have no way of knowing if the Surfer's non-violent ways was effective in saving the universe. But that's beside the point.

What I appreciate the most about the story of this superhero is the concern for life whether it's human, alien or villainous. I wish I could say the same for our local superheroes. I wonder why Darna doesn't try to capture her opponents and make them answer to the justice system. Why does Darna play judge and executioner? And why do a lot of Filipinos think that it's the right thing to do?

I heard that there will be an upcoming Darna movie. I hope that the people involved in that project will be more sensitive to the hero problem of extra-judicial killings. I want to see how Darna will value lives. I want to see a change in her after her first kill. I want to know how she will tackle the moral conflict of killing. I want her to have a conscience that haunts her. I want her to submit to a judicial system and not implement her vigilante type of justice. Do we want Darna to reflect the EJK culture of the Philippines?

I want the supporting characters to question her power and authority. I want them to think about a check and balance system. I don't want the towns folks to be hero-worshipping simpletons. I want them to be critical about Darna. If they are going to present characters similar to the older movies, they might as well just restore and re-release the old movies.

The 90's called

Would you believe that I learned about the Silver Surfer animated series (from 1998) just in this decade? Thanks to Youtube, I was able to watch the series last weekend. Too bad the series had to be cut short with that ending.

One more done on the to do's

I finished repainting the comic Vision although I may have to add one more item to my to-do list. I heard the movie Dr. Strange two pack is overpriced. I might just make one for myself.

Marvel Universe (aka 3.75-inch Marvel Legends) Classic X-men

I find their costumes cute but silly and I'm no 70's kid, but one of my favorite X-men stories The Dark Phoenix Saga was from that decade. I was introduced to it by the animated TV show from the 90's. I could have collected the action dolls with the 90's costume but completing the team was not an option made available by Hasbro. Up to this day, there hasn't been any 3.75-inch Storm doll in her white 90's uniform released by Hasbro. It has been around 8 years yet there is no sign that there will be one.

It must be annoying for other collectors to not be able to complete a team that belongs in the same period of time. No wonder people would rather cherry pick. They don't have the chance to collect them all. The only choice is to make the other characters yourself but would adults really have the time? There's alway better or more important things to do. Younger folks who have a lot of spare time can probably do it, but would they be interested in the older looks (90s below) of the characters? 

I guess that is one reason this toy line is dying. They always leave an empty space in the roster of characters that they don't intend to fill.

Intergalactic photoshoot with Gamora

After I adjusted the red accents on Gamora's costume, I decided to take more photos of her.

The bigger Groot is a Divisoria version. My OC-ness wants to modify the little skulls on Gamora's cape to a better sculpt. We'll see.

And since it's February, I took photos of her with one of her romantic partners Nova. If you enlarged the photos, you will see the strings I used to hang the two in front of the TV. Hashtag nofilternophotoshopbaby! Just water-marks, thanks to Photogrid.

Let's wait

I finished watching the Dr. Strange movie last night and I was inspired to make a 4-inch action doll based on the movie, because I thought none would be released. I was supposed to make one today but this came in the news.



Photo from here.

I'll probably wait for it but if it won't be released here, I'll just make my own.

Marvel Universe (aka 3.75 Marvel Legends) Gamora and the Guardians of the Galaxy

I finally took time to lessen the items in my toy-to-do list. I have created a custom Gamora 4-inch action doll. An official version was released but I felt it didn't fit in with the boxset group. I wanted everyone in their blue uniforms with red accents. The red accents on Gamora's uniform need another coating, I know, but I was too excited to take pictures.

While others opted to use the She-hulk doll as the base (probably because it needs less painting), I find it too bulky. I was afraid that the Elektra doll I used would make a very skinny Gamora but I liked how it turned out.

Hasbro didn't release decent 4-inch figures for the Guardians of the Galaxy  movie. I didn't watch it in the theater. The same is true with the Doctor Strange movie. (Although I boycotted the later because of racism.) I don't know if I will watch the GoTG sequel. Without the toys, probably not. 

Umay

Sometimes you just need to stay away from something before you can appreciate it again. That is very true for the nakakaumay Mackie face mold. Although this mold has been race-bended a number of times, I don't see enough of those. What about an AA Mackie for one of the next Fashionistas?

Elite Force

This is another set of toys that I put off buying because I know they will be reduced to a more reasonable price. I like the detail in the sculpt but the articulation is very basic. They can serve the purpose of a military everyman.

I didn't saw a lot playsets aside from the buggy and parachute, which I don't find interesting. I would have wanted to see their version of a Humvee or a Blackhawk.

The not so giant Ant-man

See, it's not so bad to get a toy people have been talking about last year just now, especially if one got it for a good price, lower that anything sold online. This build-a-figure Ant-man was released along with the 6-inch Marvel Legends line, something I don't collect, so the only way I could get this is through the secondary market. Although I wanted the figure, I wasn't willing to pay the unreasonable prices online sellers where asking for it. Here's why.

This 10-inch Ant-man is still short for the 4-inch line, what more for the 6-inch figures? Any self-respecting 6-inch Marvel collector would find a better option for an Ant-man. When they realize that it's in bad scale, 6-inch collectors will let go of this 10-inch figure. Since the 4-inch figures is a dying scene, at least for the Marvel-Hasbro line, the demand won't be high. 

If you're still hunting for this figure, just wait it out until you get a good deal. You'll live even without one anyways.

How beautiful

Latte has simple rules to live by: surround yourself with everything good and beautiful, treat problems as if they don't exist, and never have an empty bottle of happy pills.

Today, she found a note that says, "It's over between us." She paused for a while, looked around the room and said to herself, "How beautiful these empty chairs are!"

Journey Into Night

...the thing that led... to their awakening — suffering

- Dr. Robert Ford, Westworld Season 1 Episode 10

Hear the Christmas carols. A prisoner was killed by cops, according to an investigation. The cops will not be jailed according to a president. We are about to approve the death penalty once again. Christmas is for the children. There is a plan to lower the age of criminal liability to 9 years old. Meanwhile, we are putting up the Christmas decorations.

I want to thank you for joining me tonight to celebrate the beginning of our new narrative. I call it "Journey into Night".

- Dr. Robert Ford, Westworld Season 1 Episode 10

Hope in the millennials

The past days have been really trying. Seeing people turning a blind eye on moral issues has been sickening. Some look at it like it's not their problem. Some simplifies it to choosing from lesser evil where one still ends up with something evil. Either way, these people are in a privileged position. They haven't been exposed close enough to the suffering to move them to action.



I was doubtful that the rally last night would be successful. I was that hopeless, and it was raining. I never thought that millennials would even care but they do, and it gave me so much hope. The fight goes on but it's a whole lot better knowing we're not alone.

Black Friday

#HeroMoMukhaMo

And yes, Duterte is part of the problem.

So I joined a protest rally yesterday

I brought three dolls with me wearing black (because that was the dress code) hoping that I could take pictures of them in the rally but I wasn't able to. It's not about the dolls anyway.



Because unity is a code for silence. We will no longer be silent.

We will have a hero's burial for a former dictator

Chinitos

My 1st (left) and 2nd (right) World Peacekeepers dolls

I thought they share the same face mold with different hairstyle. I was even planning to make them as identical twins, hence the matching clothes. Apparently, each one is unique. I haven't seen these two together in the same store for me to compare, until yesterday.



This is probably the last (for now) World Peacekeepers doll I'll be buying, unless they have it on huge discount, (which I expect sometime next year). Redressing them is less fun as not a lot of Ken shoes fit them.



I still like the 1st one better. The second one (above) has a dated hairstyle. It's so last decade ago. The 1st one has a more timeless hairstyle although it's a bit dorky. I also like the sensual stare and pout on the first one. I just bought the second one simply because I just don't have enough chinito male dolls.

Peace Keeper

It could be China's claim on disputed territories causing tension in the region. It could be the rise of murder and extra-judicial killing victims in our country. It could be the diplomatically-challenged pronouncements of our president about going against the world while teaming up with Russia and China, even if we have territorial disputes with the latter (or, technically, as far UNCLOS is concerned, it's no longer a dispute because we've already won the case). Or it could be the U.S. (economic, military and political) forces in our country making us feel like a manipulated colony. These just call for peace keepers, not the United Nations kind. Not yet, anyways. (Things can still be handled with media spinning, trolling and misinformation.) I was thinking of peace keepers of the mind. Peace of mind is a luxury these days.



For me, toys helps with the peace keeping of the mind. What better way to do it than with the World Peacekeepers toy line? I, of course, picked up the Asian-looking doll. No matter how faithful I was to the American toy brands, they failed to address my need for a respectable male Asian doll. I have no choice but to patronize a Chinese toy brand even if I don't like everything I'm getting from the deal. Their male Asian doll looks respectable and not culturally misappropriated like some of those made by American brands. I just don't like the deadly weapons. They don't scream peace, right? And I'm not a fan of military fashion.



I saw at least three Asian-looking dolls. They seemed like they have the same face but with different hairstyles. I picked this one because of the ladder it came with. It also came with one pair of bare hands and another pair wearing gloves. The other variants only have gloved hands. It also has the least military-looking attire. He can even look like a meth cook. Our president will be pissed. He also has a balaclava, in case he wants to be a vigilante and support our president.



If there is such a thing as having too much chest, this doll has it. It is a little shorter than my other male dolls, providing at least some height variety. It has better articulation than your average Ken doll. The "best" part of this Chinese deal is the price, which is said to be a product of one-sided trade policies of China. That makes me wonder what one-sided deal our president recently got from China.



My patronizing this Chinese brand does not mean I will say goodbye to the American brand. It doesn't have be just one or the other. Making contradicting sides work together is key for world peace. I, thank you!

Due process

First dark-skinned doll in a while

If I remember correctly, the last dark-skinned doll I bought was the one wearing the ice cream romper. Dolls that looked like they have African roots are not sold locally, except for those that look like Latinos/Latinas. This doll looks like she's Latina to me and having not seen a dark-skinned doll on the local toy shelves lately, I grabbed this one.



She came with a petite body. It feels like I'm hating on the petite body when I rebodied her using an articulated body. I also can't help misread the rebodying of the curvy dolls to made-to-move bodies. It's like wish fulfillment for those hoping for weight reduction. I feel like I'm being manipulated to hate on the new bodies.

Can't help passively react

I overheard a couple of coworkers who are Lego collectors talking about buying bootlegos. One said that a lot of Lego collectors keep the original Lego's in their boxes and buy the bootlegos just to experience the joy of the build. 

I thought that their conversation was very enlightening and very reflective of our times. It really made me smile, like an inside joke.

Safer Now

Whatever Wear

I really think this doll is pretty, especially with toned down eyes. There's just not much fashion options. But I really want to take pictures so I just made her wear whatever. The dress cannot be closed at the back, if you're wondering. 

I'm pleasantly surprised with this look. The pear shape body isn't too obvious. The body doesn't seem like it's being squeezed to emphasize the curves yet it looks sexy. It just flows freely like whatever!