Today I take a look at a very strange action figure in from the late 1990s. 1999 to be exact. The license is WWE (or WWF at the time) & the line is called Maximum Sweat with the gimmick being, you fill your figure up with water, and watch as they perspire. Yup, it’s a strange one, but in the defence of Jakks Pacific, you can see why they did it. It was the Attitude Era after all.
So, without further ado…enjoy!
Today, I am told, is a huge day for Game of Thrones fans, as it marks the beginning of the end of the series. While the hype is real, I thought I would take a look at the top 5 most expensive GoT Funko Pops, according to the trending values on the official Funko Pop app.
Released in 2013 this (now vaulted Pop) was an SDCC exclusive, and has a trending value of £1,605! I wonder if anyone has theirs out of the box…
What I personally like about this pop is that it’s just a regular release. Not an exclusive, just a ‘bog standard’ 2013 release (also vaulted) I you’re wanting it now though, expect to shell out around £605 for it!
This is the first on the list that isn’t actually vaulted! Another 2013 release, this time for HMV, the GITD ‘gimmick’ makes this pop one I actually want…but not for £474! I think I’ll pass…
This is the most recent release (2018) and a character(s?) I’m not familiar with. Fairly ‘plain’ given the crazy world of Westeros, but it’s still a Pop that claims a heavy chunk of your change if you want it in your collection. An HBO shop exclusive trending at £466!
She’s only just made it onto the list, but it wouldn’t be complete without her. She’s the oldest pop to make the list (with a 2012 release) and is also unsurprisingly vaulted too. Good luck tracking her down, but if you do, expect to fork out around £298 for her.
If you have any of these pops id love to see them in your collection. Let me know on Twitter (@Baxterrat) and maybe I’ll showcase your glorious pieces in a future blog!
Until then
Jo
Have you ever sat with a group of people who are talking about an issue you feel strongly about and one where it feels like they are a little ignorant of it (for one reason or another) and you want to chime in…but you don’t? If it were your friends that would be a different story, right? A group of strangers however…i’m not so sure. I personally feel I’d have to suss them out first (I’m not good with conflict, and lord knows how someone would react) Now imagine you’re on TV, and the person you want to interrupt is a guest from another department/segment of the show. Well, this exactly what GMB weatherman Alex Beresford did, and for that, he deserves some love.
Despite growing up in a rough part of West Yorkshire (where racial tension was, and still is, high) I can’t compare my childhood to his. That’s not what this is about. What I can relate to, however, is parenthood.
As a parent of a 6-year-old and a 9-month-old, it is my job to make sure they are respectable members of society, and that they stand tall for what they believe in. For someone like myself who suffers from anxiety and is super socially awkward…it’s much easier said than done. I don’t feel comfortable doing it myself, so how can I instal it in them? It’s a tricky one, but it’s one of the many ‘joys’ of parenthood.
When Alex Beresford stood up and spoke out for what he believed in, which was something he grew up in and around, I personally didn’t see the argument of prison and knife crime, I saw a father lead by example and show his child/children (you’ll have to excuse my ignorance as to how many he is a father too) that you shouldn’t sit back while other people make decisions on things they know nothing about. If you see injustice, stand tall & let it be known.
So thank you, Alex, from one father to another, for giving me a little more confidence in being able to do the right thing for my children.
Jo
Having children brings you many wonderful moments in life. Yeah, they can be nightmarish at times and can make life stressful, but the good will always outweigh the bad. One of these wonderful moments (for me at least) is watching how my 6-year-old daughter learns, plays and grows with Youtube.
Growing up, I had 4 channels. Channel 5 came along at the end of my teens, and we were too poor for Sky or cable. So we made do with what we had (which for me was a mixture of toys, stickers & cards, and video games) and life was good (well I enjoyed for the most part) now that I have children of my own I not only get an insight into what they like but also watching them react to things I liked at their age (check out my Detective Pikachu post for an example) and one of the hot ticket items of the moment, is slime.
TMNT Retromutagen Ooze from 1989 was not only my first ‘exposure’ to slime…but it was also the best. Not only was it part of one I my all time favourite franchises (the TMNT) but it also came with a tiny glow in the dark pre-evolved turtle! It was amazing. Thinking about it now takes me straight back to shopping for it with my mum in Woolworths in Dewsbury (West Yorkshire) we had so many of those canisters growing up, they were an integral part of playing with our other toys. Fast forward 30 years later and my daughter is enjoying the exact same thing! Only this time, there’s a slight ‘twist’ to what she plays with.
For whatever reason, (& it really is beyond me) children of today are OBSESSED with poo related toys. Seriously, it is EVERYWHERE. Some of the biggest play creation toy manufacturers in the world have poo related toys. Make your own poo, poo based board games, poo emoji cushions, you cannot escape it. It is everywhere. And the biggest ‘culprit’ of them all? Poo slime. That’s right, slime that is pretending to be the excrement of some magical mystical animal. I don’t get it, but it clearly works, so why not. The question is though…is it any good?
The answer (I’ve found) is, yes! But only from one specific company. In my 36 years of living (& being a man child) I’ve played with my fair share of slime. Ecto-Plazm, Gak, Silly Putty and a whole host of knock-off brands, but there is one company out of all of these that has well and truly hit the nail on the head when it comes to branding, fun and slime consistency. That company is HGL.
Last weekend my daughter brought home a small tub of unicorn poo (yes, you read that correctly) the container of which is a couple of cms thick with the circumference being just a little smaller than the base of a coffee mug. Inside was this creamy white slime…full of glitter (her mind exploded when she saw it was glitter, but why wouldn’t it be, its unicorn poo) as soon a she got it out, hand to God, she had it with her all day. If she wasn’t playing with the other toys with it, she had it in her hand while she was watching TV, and fiddling around with it while she was reading to me. It did not leave he sight. When she eventually went to sleep, I finally got my hands on it (to see what all the fuss was about) and I was amazed at what I found.
To get the full effect of it I placed it back in its tub for a bit to cool down and to reshape (she had been playing with it so much it was warm from her touch!) But when I did get my hands on it…my word, it was the real deal. The consistency is spot on; not too runny like a Mattel slime, and not to moldable like Silly Putty. They well and truly hit that sweet spot. The colour is mesmerizing (especially with the hint of glitter) the packaging and gimmick are cheesy but perfect for the target audience. It also plays well with other toys (I used an action figure and some lego and it didn’t leave any mess or residue behind) and when you put it all back in its little tub, it all folds back perfectly into a smooth ‘new’ consistency (after a while)
If you’re buying slime for your children, ignore the fact that it’s ‘poo’ (I know some parents are put off by this, lord knows why, but some are) just buy this stuff. It’s a great price point (I paid £1 for each of these tubs, yes, I have my own now) and it will give your child hours of fun, with very minimal mess (as long as they are using it properly) it also works well as a relaxation tool too! I use mine all the time when I’m just sat watching TV. Open up your inner child. It’s way more fun than you imagine.
Jo
The vast amount of Podcasts I listen to are based on True Crimes or video games. I don’t know what it is, but the older I get the more I want to listen to True Crime stories. Slightly morbid? Maybe…but that’s a story for another day. The only relevant (as in ‘up to date’) show I listen to is The Joe Rogan Experience.
Joe Rogan is exactly what an interviewer should be; intelligent & articulate & informative. Not only that, but he sits down with all manner of people. From Travis Barker to Professor Brian Cox & everyone in between. This diverse mixture of guests is one of the many factors of why he’s such a pleasure to listen to. His latest episode features the notorious Alex Jones.
If you were to describe a stereotypical American, it would be very close to Alex Jones. He’s loud, he always sounds angry, he speaks twice the speed of most people, he’s very arrogant & a little obnoxious…cut him open and he will spill out Red, White and Blue. He’s pretty intense, but that’s what gives him character too. I just recommend you listen to him in small doses. Too much Alex Jones would leave you a nervous wreck.
What makes Joe such a good interviewer is the way he conducts himself, all the time. Regardless of who he is up against, he’s always cool, calm and collected. He’s none judgmental and very factually accurate (there’s no guesswork; he either knows or doesn’t, and if he doesn’t then he asks) and there’s no bias either. He has his opinion, and if it’s different to that of the interviewee its just accepted.
In a world where blame and shouting and offence is used before logic, it’s refreshing to hear that there are people out there (like Joe) who prove that a civil conversation can be had, even if it’s with someone that you may not necessarily like or agree with.
Jo
I don’t like to use the Lord’s name in vain, but this one is deserving…God damn you, Brian Mariotti. No matter how hard I try to step away from Funko (pops in particular) he just keeps on tempting me in like the (wonderfully) geeky Pied Piper he is.
I’ve never met the man (almost certainly never will) but from what I’ve read, heard and seen of him he sounds like one of the most down to earth, chilled out, cool guys in the world. But God damn him (sorry Lord) for FINALLY getting The Office pops sorted. Of all the franchises & licences to REALLY get me in…its The Office.
Despite being a Brit, and a huge Ricky Gervais fan, The Office (US) is hands down the greatest TV show ever made. I can watch that show from start to finish and back again. Never gets boring, never gets old. One thing that does frustrate me though is the lack of merch. To be fair, why would there be (especially in the UK) But still, one could dream…
Ever since I was aware of Funko Pops (The Walking Dead: Bicycle Girl Zombie from 2012 being the very first one) I knew I wanted The Office characters in that form. Not only is there a Stella ‘regular’ main cast, but they each also have a plethora of alternate ‘versions of themselves too (Belsnickel and Recyclops anyone?) the possibilities are endless, and now, thanks to Brian Mariotti, my wishes are fulfilled…and my wallet is now empty (even before I started)
God damn your Brian Mariotti, God damn you indeed.
Jo
One of the joys of being an ‘old man’ (I’m 36, but the ‘yoof’ of today make me feel MUCH older) is being able to say ‘I’ve been a fan since day one’ (it’s a weird bragging right, but I’m having it) and being a fan of Pokemon since day one is one such claim. This film is beyond how I can explain…but ill give it a go.
If you are of a similar age then you probably grew up watching some TERRIBLE ‘game to film’ adaptations. Mario, Street Fighter, all the way up to Resident Evil. Video games have just never been able to make it in film format. Which just baffles me because games these days (more ‘old man’ talk there) are full of movie moments. As much as I enjoyed the always brilliant Duncan Jones foray into The World of Warcraft it just didn’t hit the mark for me. That was the last video game film I saw, and I never thought it would be beaten…until now.
This film (Detective Pikachu) has THE most realistic (and in proportion) looking Pokemon we ever could have wished for. It’s so earnest. They look terrifying and cute and even better than I ever could have imagined! I just…honestly, words fail me. I thought I was passed the age of ‘the magic of the movies’ and the ‘cinema experience’ but this trailer makes me feel like a kid all over again. I’m excited, I’m full of anticipation… I seriously just cannot wait.
What’s even better than all this is the fact that I get to witness it all with my daughter. We don’t go to the cinema that often as there aren’t many films that capture her imagination, but she’s super excited about this one. I get to see, first hand, her face light up when she gazes at the screen in awe of these ultra-realistic creatures, that have, until now, been nothing more than pixels on a DS or cute and loveable looking characters in cartoon format. I will not only get to relive my youth but also share this magical moment with my daughter. THAT, for me, is why this trailer (& film) is going to be one to watch over, and over again.
Jo
I love Jables. I was there for the birth of Tenacious D, and have followed his film career since I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. But his latest venture really winds me up. Here’s why.
First off, let’s start with the obvious. The issue that winds people up the most is the fact that he claims to be a gaming channel. Again, I know it’s an obvious and easy criticism, but it’s true. He isn’t a gaming creator. Yeah, he’s mentioned Ninja and Pewds. He did the fake Fortnite footage and the Pinball machine ‘tour’ video, but that’s it. It’s not gaming as we know it, or expect it to be. Call it what it is, a weekly vlog channel. It’s cool, we’re ok with your content (I am at least) just don’t claim to be a gaming channel. WWE’s Xavier Woods (Up Up Down Down) is a gaming channel, yours, is not.
Secondly is the unfair push he gets from Youtube. His content is watchable, I’m not denying this, but there are so many tiny channels out there who are super creative and original (shout out to my personal favourite DOPLEX ) who don’t get anywhere near the attention they deserve because YouTube (& other media sources) would rather push a well-known celeb. Again, his content is watchable, I just feel like other channels are more deserving of a subscriber.
As with most things in life, it is what it is. I can’t change it…but I CAN try & help. So if you’re reading this, give some love to the smaller, more creative channels too, and not just the ‘A’ list celebs. Share the love and let other people know YOUR favourite artists. Don’t just stop with YouTube either. Writers, animators, singers, let’s give some love to the underdogs and make the world a more original & creative place.
Or don’t. It’s your call. But I know I would.
In fact, I just did, so…
Jo
I’m fairly new to the world of Billie Eilish. To be fair, she’s 17 years old. I’m not exactly her target audience. However, on watching this I will definitely be keeping a track of her career.
At first glance, you might mistake her for just being a ‘moody’ teenager trying to express herself in ‘new ways’ (we’re all guilty of judging a book by its cover) but when you actually take the time to listen to her…she is WAY beyond her years! So fresh and intelligent and creative and new. She is amazing.
The way she ‘writes’ a song (or at least this one in particular) by drawing how she ‘feels it sounds’ is so next level. In one part she even goes to the dentist for a procedure and records the sound of a high speed whizzing away and not only uses THAT in the song…but it works too!
Honestly, before you actually listen to any of her songs or watch any of her videos, I highly recommend you watch this first to truly appreciate how diverse and creative she is. She will blow your mind.
Jo
The latest Sims game pack is soon to be available and the trailer for it has dropped. It seems that some form of alien life is inhabiting the bodies of the population. Specifically the army?
Now, call me a cynic, but it kind of feels like it’s borrowing from Stranger Things, which is fine…just a little out of time (I know season 3 will be dropping sometime in the future, but it’s not quite in the air at the moment) what IS rather disturbing is its (unintentional?) ‘homage’ to Momo. If you’re not familiar with Momo…well, you’re in for a treat.
According to Wikipedia, The ‘Momo Challenge’ is an alleged form of cyberbullying that spreads through social media and mobile phones. After phone users are enticed to contact a user named ‘Momo’ they receive graphic threats from the user and are instructed to perform a series of dangerous tasks. Despite claims that the phenomenon was reaching worldwide proportions in July of 2018, the number of actual complaints is relatively small, and no police force has confirmed that anyone was actually harmed.
It’s currently prevalent as recent as today, with schools up and down the country are warning parents about the ‘dangers’ of the game.
So what has all this got to do with the newest Sims game? Well, below is a picture of one of the ‘infected’ Sims characters, and below that, a picture of Momo…
Now, this is just my own personal opinion…but they’re pretty blooming similar…right? Even if you don’t agree, doI have a problem with it? Not at all. Is it intentional, who knows? Regardless, it could swing either way for the release of the game; other people may also see the similarity and try cause the game to be ‘banned’ (or whatever it is outraged parents do these days) or the potential publicity may help sales.
Or…all of this could be absolute pointless nonsense and the game is what it is. What ever happens, I look forward to seeing. I might even give it a play too…
Jo
The Baxter Report 