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TRON Ares Collectibles – Unveiling What’s Hot and Exciting This Season

TRON Ares is powering up more than the Grid—exclusive collectibles from sneakers to Funko Pops and deluxe vinyl are hitting shelves this season.

The TRON universe is glowing brighter than ever, with a wave of collectibles hitting shelves and park shops this season. From custom action figures to deluxe vinyl, here’s a look at what fans can expect. Like the marketing blitz of the 80s, these TRON Ares exclusives may appear fast—and derezz even faster than you can say “Flynn!”

Quick Merch Highlights

Adidas TRON: Lightblaze Sneakers – Reflective designs, retro-arcade packaging, and detachable identity discs.
Funko POP! TRON Ares – Ares, Kevin Flynn, and Athena on her Lightcycle headline this collectible wave.
TRON: Ares Soundtrack Vinyl – Deluxe and 2XLP editions with striking visual packaging.
Books Behind the Grid – The Collision of Code and Flesh and Inside TRON: Ares expand the lore in print.

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Transformers One Failure to Rewrite The Past

Only newcomers need apply to become Transformers One. It’s tough to accept a new origin story and retelling of Optimus and Megatron’s relationship when it’s been well established in other fronts.

Transformers One Movie Poster Long time fans of Transformers can forget about Michael Bay changing everything that’s beloved from the original cartoon series. Instead, it’s Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari who can take the blame on everything that is wrong in Transformers One, rather than director Josh Cooley. When he can write and win an award for Inside Out, he can craft imaginative worlds. But as for getting actors and talent pools to give their all, that part of the film is at least done right. Since he’s not responsible for the story, that’s when things go wrong.

It seems the writers room knows nothing about what makes past takes of this IP, namely Generation One and Prime, great. Bearing in mind this animated take is supposed to be a loose prequel to the live-action movies–and said to eventually morph the voices we hear now to the infamous duo of Peter Cullen and Frank Welker–I suppose some liberties can be allowed. This origin story takes place before the Autobots and Decepticons became a faction. Their war hasn’t even started.

Technically, that history was presented in an excellent trilogy by Alex Irvine and I’ll reiterate this fact time and time again! He improved upon what was established instead of changing a lot of things around. Sadly, this film retcons everything that I believe is sacred. Orion Pax is no longer a clerk/librarian. D-16 (Megatron) never fought in the gladiatorial pits. They are now miners (with Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry as the ‘new’ voices) who get bored with their role, want to figure out where they came from, and understand who the Primes are. Their interest in the Matrix of Leadership sort of drives the story, as only one can possess it, and I feel that’s the reason for their rift.

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50 years of Dungeons and Dragons with the Royal Mail Stamp Collection in Review

Fans of Dungeons and Dragons can find something to appreciate with this release of commerative stamps celebrating a milestone of this game’s history!

Dungeons and Dragons Royal Mail Stamps — **Orders can be made by ordering from the Royal Mail’s online shop.**

The Royal Mail (UK) Postal Service have fourteen stamps celebrating 50 years of Dungeons and Dragons! Although this release is for the die-hard collector, what’s offered looks beautiful to behold, and not even this strange alchemic beast can say no to it!

Although I was hard pressed to decide on first day covers or the other offerings, I stuck to the basics. Although some of the art is old (from 4th edition), that’s why I was hesitant at first to order, but now that I have a set in my hands, there’s no regrets. There’s framed art, full sheets and a lot more. The art is from Wayne Reynolds, and anyone who’ve played various games long enough will recognise what is old and what is new from this set!

Here, the monsters featured are the Red Dragon, Owlbear, Vecna, Gelatinous Cube, Mind Flayer, Mimic, Displacer Beast and Beholder. Also, exposing these creatures with a ultraviolet beam of light will reveal a surprise!

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Transformers One Confusing Retcon Long Time Fans Will Reject

This animated prequel shows why Transformers One shouldn’t retcon what’s previously known as long time fans can find problems.

Transformers One Movie Poster Back when Transformers had a singular continuity, (known as G1), it easy to keep track of what went on. But as it gained in popularity, Hasbro crafted a series bible that future iterations of the franchise had to recognize, despite regular reboots. And all of that is forgotten in Transformers One.

What it doesn’t acknowledge concern how Cybertronians came to exist and why they were used as mostly slave labour by the Quintessons. This alien force conquered this planet and created/mutated the native species to what they are now. And as for how this latest entry to the cinematic universe can transition to The Great War between the Autobots and Decepticons, I’m already scratching my head.

This origin story delves into an era that’s been fully explored in the Prime universe (Amazon Link), featured in IDW’s comic books and detailed in full in Alex Irvine’s novel, Transformers: Exodus. I even reviewed the first two books of the trilogy since I loved it that much. But when considering none of that material matters, I’m rather disappointed the film can’t even acknowledge even an ounce of that past.

Instead, the best moment is seeing the Vehicons rule an untamed land that includes bio-type mechanoids. Everything else is unimportant, like seeing how Bumblebee gets named and that he’s always been there. As for the technology in how to transform, it’s attributed to some lost science Alpha Trion summons up and doesn’t even name. Aside from being like some wise old master and using an age-old Ninjago trope of “accessing your full potential,” I rolled my eyes.

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A Guide to Fixing Everything Hasbro’s Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon Action Figures Got Wrong

As much as I love owning these toys from the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon, there’s problems in the manufacturing. Some of the issues can be fixed by doing what I didn’t get right the during my first attempt.

Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon Classics - Eric Packaging Problems The two most problematic figures in Hasbro’s action figure line for the 40th anniversary of the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon are Hank the Ranger and Eric the Cavalier. With the first toy, the arms are not fully posable. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get him to look like he’s in a comfortable pose to fire his energy bow.

For Eric, the colour on his chain mail armour is wrong. As a result, I had to laugh at the packaging since it shows the inconsistency of the product box art to the figure. It’s easy to add some oomph to the energy with either fluorescent or UV reactive paint, but if it can’t glow in daylight, it’s not worth the extra effort. Instead, I recommend using enamel (like Testors) over acrylic paint for improving both.

To be honest, neither holds onto the plastic very well, even after priming. Repainting them comes with a warning: touch-ups may be required. This. issue is especially true for Hank holding his electrified bow.

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Remembering the Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon 40 Years Later, and a Full Review of the Action Figure Release

The 80s Dungeons and Dragons cartoon is beloved by many, and it’s about time there’s toys for it! But are they worth the price?

Available to purchase on Hasbro Pulse

It’s tough to say if Hasbro release of the action figures for the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon was produced out of full respect for its anniversary or to say thank you for the fish. This series debuted Sept 17th, 1983 and back then, it was credited to TSR Inc. as the proprietary owners. Eventually, that company was sold to Wizards of the Coast in 1999, which in turn would later become part of this mega toy manufacturer’s family.

Just how well either company markets material that isn’t part of the game is worth researching. Here, instead of releasing these figures closer to the day of, they have been out since April 2023 with very little advertisement. I never saw anything on network television or in the pop culture online magazines I read. I knew of this product only because of industry news. As a result, the likelihood to see further products is very slim.

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