Jeep Talk

Because there are far more serious problems

A Barbie Fashionista is listed at US$9.99 on the Mattel online shop, so is a Justice League basic doll (both 6-inch and 12-inch). Same price, right? You'd expect the same price for those toys locally  since they are being sold by the same seller, Richprime or Richwell. 

Nope. The Justice League toys cost PhP899.75 each (for both 6-inch and 12-inch) while the Fashionistas cost PhP999.75. The prices are for both online and physical stores. It is very puzzling how toys having the same original price will have different prices after conversion. Having realized this, I feel like I was being duped by Richprime/Richwell.

If one will reason out the size, like the bigger toy will cost more to ship or to display on a shelf, I'd like to point out that the conversion for the 6-inch and 12-inch Justice League toys are consistent.

While Richprime/Richwell has the right to price the items they're selling to whatever they want, it is just interesting to point out the a major difference between the Barbie dolls and the Justice League toys: the Barbie dolls are mainly intended for girls while the Justice League toys are intended for boys. Richprime/Richwell may have not nothing to do with that intention. It's just that local toy store layouts clearly separates toys for boys, girls and infants/toddlers. A big distributor like Richwell/Richprime does have a say on how and where the toys will be displayed.

No matter how offensive that may sound, local Barbie fans like me would probably just shrug it off and continue to support the brand and the local distributor. No big deal. I do live in country where 88% support the drug war even if 73% thinks that extra-judicial killings is involved.

Yes, we need a Wonder Woman.

Rearrangement

After I finished the living room layout, I was ready to create the room box. Since I still have to get the materials in building the room, I decided to design the other rooms to see how those will be connected to the living room. After I included the other rooms in the design, I found out that my initial design for the living room is not acceptable, so I rearranged everything. Good thing it was easy with Planner 5D.

I wanted to keep the space  humble so I didn't want to keep increasing the room just because I could. I also wanted to design the house as if I would actually live in it. Details like the TV should be visible from the kitchen is a must. I also incorporated some feng shui tips I heard about, especially aligning doors, mirrors and beds.

Although I have incorporated the sizes of some items in hand, like the miniature bed, table, door and window, I still have to look for the kitchen set and measure it. If the kitchen set I have is bigger than the one in the plan, I may have to increase the kitchen in the plan, so nothing is set in stone.

The bedrooms are laid out but I still have to decide what wall color works best with a white bed, because that's what I have. The rooms lack any personality but I seem to like the nondescript-ness. There's a disconnect from the other rooms, though.

I wonder how these small spaces translate to an actual doll room box. Would it look too cramped? Can I properly take pictures from different angles?  I don't want to have to exert a lot of effort on the details and not be able to take pictures of it. I have a lot of considerations, I know!

Aside from the desktop version, Planner 5D also has an Android app. There's not much that can be done in the app but it keeps me entertained when I'm away from my desktop.

Virtual Room Box

Have you attempted creating a doll room box, starting from the floor, to the walls, to the little furniture only to find out that they don't match, or the room is too small for the furniture? If only you can get an idea of how things will be laid out or if the colors scheme is to your liking, you'd be more confident in starting a room box project. Since not all of us have an experience in interior design, chances are, our room boxes doesn't end up they way we imagined it.

Now, there is a tool that can help us turn the imagination into a plan. By plan, I mean measurements, layout, and tested color scheme. You can try Planner5d and create a virtual room box in both 2D and 3D.

The site is so easy to use. You can use the metric or English measurement system. For my room, I used the English system so it will be easier for me to convert to the right doll size. Although you need a paid account to access all the items you can add into the room, the free account has enough items you can use to stand in for the actual item you intend to use in your room box. Like the window I used here, it won't be how my window will actually look. I just want the frame to be that size and in that color.

The size and color of the items can be modified. You can move in and around the room in 3D mode. The wall can be made invisible if it blocks your view, like the 4th wall here.

I've been learning more about making dollhouse stuff and I really want to make one. After making this virtual room box, I think I'm gonna go ahead and make one. Even if you are not going to make an actual room box, there's a good chance you'll still enjoy creating a virtual room.

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!"