War Machine by Bowen Designs

When Jon informed me that Bowen came out with a War Machine statue I immediately checked online to see what it was. Ever since I saw WM from Iron Man Movie: 2 I began to appreciate him it even more than Iron Man. The cool gray/silver combination and extra ammos on his shoulders makes him a mean fighting machine.

It took him a few days to lend me his statue because of a minor defect – the slot of the Gatling gun is filled up with plastic. He informed the seller of the problem and they were able to fix it.

My high expectations of the War Machine statue were not met because of some issues, but mostly personal ones. The craftsmanship is excellent and the paint job was well taken care of. BD limited this production to about 1,500 pieces and the best thing is that this is an action pose. The package consisted of 4 pieces, War Machine, the base, shoulder cannon and a gatling gun.

The statue is available online for about $184.99 at http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=BWD10212&mode=retail. Jon bought it for P11,000.00 at one of the local malls here in the Philippines.

PhoTOYgrapher’s Perspective:

Because of the color of War Machine I was able to apply my rim lighting style and it worked for me (see picture below). I am so used to seeing museum poses by BD (Bowen Designs), it was a refreshing change to do this fighting pose War Machine.

Rim lighting works pretty well for this statue because of the color combination of gray and silver. 

Some Issues:

1.) The armor looks more of a body suit than an armor. I guess this is a preference of taste and I do prefer a more armored version of War Machine. The body needs more details for me.

2.) The face is a bit long for my taste. 

War Machine 1/4th Scale Bust by Hottoys

I saw an actual display piece of this at Toy Hunter in Mongkok and my jaw dropped. It's practically a masterpiece! I was not able to buy it because it was not yet available for sale.

More than a month later Jon was able to get this at one of the local toy stores here in the metro area (R-Toys to be exact) and immediately loaned it to me for a photo shoot/blog. My initial impression was the price, because I feel it’s a bit pricey for a plastic 1/4^th scale bust. However, after I opened the box and saw the actual piece I knew that collectors would definitely skip lunch or dinner for this piece.

The packaging is simple, black box with some illustrations and wordings. War Machine comes with a Gatling gun (with ammo) and features light up eyes and chest. The red lights of his eyes are awesome! The details are stunning and the craftsmanship is very impressive. Though the Iron Man Mark IV is nice, this War Machine is even better.

Big Bad Toy Store is selling this for $74.99. Jon bought it around $88.00 (which is the normal selling price here in the Philippines) that is $13.00 more.

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HOT10291&mode=retail

Iron Man fans will definitely want to add this to their collection.

PhoTOYgrapher's Perspective:

As with statues there are no moving parts here so basically this works best (in my humble opinion) with a tabletop treatment. I would probably get some props to go along with this bust (maybe some Iron Man cosbaby guarding it) or maybe do a composite by adding a cool background later.

You can also do a comparison photo by shooting it eye level and below eye level. I find the latter works for me because it makes him look big. The lighted eyes (red) and chest (powered by 3 AAA batteries) are good additions to this awesome bust.

Some Issues:

1.) The built is plastic.

2.) I would have preferred HT not to include portions of the arms because it looks as if they are dangling. It would be better if they leave the sculpting until the shoulders only.

Batman Mini Cosbaby by Hot Toys

When Hot Toys introduced their DC mini Cosbaby a few years back I was still unaware of what a Cosbaby is. Fast forward to the current time line and I am happy to own the Toy Story and Iron Man 2 set.  My recent acquisition of IM2 mini cosbaby set garnered another bonus, I was offered a complete set of their Batman line at a reasonable price and immediately grabbed the opportunity.

Now I am also a proud owner of the Batman mini cosbaby set. However Robert informed me that he does not have the Nightwing exclusive so I did what any nutty collector would do, go to eBay. I only got 2 hits, one seller selling the whole set and another one selling an opened Nightwing. After inquiring on the shipping fee here in the Philippines I decided to purchase the item.

Package Contents:

Each piece is packed in a small sealed box and contains the following characters: Batgirl, The Joker, Catwoman, Two-Face, Batman (Classic), Batman (Modern) and Robin. For more information kindly check Hot Toys' site at http://www.hottoys.com.hk/index.php?target=categories&category_id=6 and look for the Batman icon 

below.

Collector's Perspective:

Toy collecting is addicting. You can never have enough unless your fund diminishes; otherwise you keep on buying and buying. Though I do not see the value of these to increase extensively someday, they are still worth to collect in my book. The good thing with mini cosbabies is that they are also for play and not just for display. 

I checked Amazon's site and this is what I got http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=batman+cosbaby&x=0&y=0&ih=12_3_1_0_0_0_0_0_0_1.4_161&fsc=-1.

PhoTOYgrapher's Perspective:

Cute is just one of the many words to describe a cosbaby. Since they are only 3 inches and 7cm tall you can practically bring them anywhere to be phoTOYgraphed. My good friend Jon was kind enough to lend me his PF Thor statue and I took the base to be use as a prop. The backgrounds are added via Adobe Photoshop.

Some Issues:

1.) How come Penguin, Riddler and Mr. Freeze were not included? =D

2.) Accessories for Batman, Catwoman and Robin would have been nice.

Gears used:

Canon DSLR

Canon 100mm f2.8 L lens

2 pcs. Jinbei 180 watts (each), Rectangular and Octagonal Softbox, Green Background and Pocket Wizards

Falcon Eyes Product Table

PF Thor's Base

Iron Man 2 Mini Cosbaby by Hot Toys

I recently caught the Mini Cosbaby bug and during my last trip to HK I was able to complete The Toy Story characters and bought a couple of Iron Man 2 Cosbaby figures. I was browsing through eBay the other day in hopes of completing the characters from Iron Man 2 and found a couple online. Prior to this writing I only had Whiplash, War Machine and Tony Stark face Mark IV.

My colleague Jon knew about my quest to complete the set and on one of his toy trips in Greenhills (one of our local malls here) he was able to buy the whole set (Rhodey included) for P 4,000.00 (roughly $85) after discount. He tried to get in touch with me to see if I wanted a set for myself as well but I was unavailable during that time.  When I finally came to my senses and knew of his great deal I called a friend of mine who owns a store there as well and finally after 2 days of hard thinking I grabbed the opportunity. The fact that I was able to sell a toy made the decision easier for me.

My friend gave me a great deal as well for the set that also included a Tony Stark Mark VI Taiwan Exclusive version (love the box design). Thank you Robert!

Taiwan Exclusive Tony Stark Mark VI

Package Contents:

Each box is sealed and contains one of 7 characters including Whiplash, Nick Fury, Black Widow, Tony Stark Mark IV, Iron Man Mark IV, Iron Man Mark VI and War Machine. If you opt to get 1 case then it contains all 7 characters plus the secret version, James Rhodes Mark II. For more information kindly check http://www.hottoys.com.hk/index.php?target=categories&category_id=6 and look for the Iron Man 2 icon below.

Collector’s Perspective:

Toy collecting is addicting. You can never have enough unless your fund diminishes; otherwise you keep on buying and buying. Though I do not see the value of these to increase extensively someday, they are still worth to collect in my book. The good thing with mini cosbabies is that they are also for play and not just for display. I was also happy to acquire the Tony Stark Mark VI which was exclusively released last July at a Toy show in Taiwan.

Amazon is selling the Taipei exclusive for $15.99 (http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Man-Cosbabies-Exclusive-Version/dp/B003XUI9SY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1281176273&sr=8-1).

PhoTOYgrapher’s Perspective:

There is only 1 word to describe these figures – CUTE! The cuteness level alone already makes these mini cosbabies worthy to be phoTOYgraphed. A Captain America statue was recently loaned to me for pictorial and when I saw the base I figured it could make an interesting diorama for the toys. Check out the pictures below…

Since they are small bringing them outdoors for a location shoot is hassle free. I will definitely bring them out the next time I plan a trip. I mostly did tabletop shots and digitally added backgrounds via Adobe’s Photoshop.

Some Issues:

1.) The quality of paint job done is not consistent or I am probably just nitpicking.

2.) Detachable weaponries for War Machine would be a welcome addition.

3.) They should have included Mark V.

For more pictures of IM2 Mini cosbabies kindly check my flickr site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/powerpee/sets/72157624535884069/

Gears used:

Canon DSLR

Canon 100mm f2.8 Lens

3 pcs. Jinbei 180 watts (each), Softbox, Grid and IR Trigger

Falcon Eyes Product Table

PF Captain America's Base

War Machine Iron Man 2 Movie by Hasbro

Since the Iron Man 2 movie came out (or even before), War Machine action figures are selling like hotcakes here in the Philippines. It's no wonder because WM's different than the Mark series of Tony Stark. There is something with the black and silver color combination that makes it stand out.

Package Contents:
Aside from the figure which is around 3 3/4 inches tall, it has a display stand, 3 armor cards and launching missiles. The packaging is the common blister type package.

Collector's Perspective:
I consider this a kid's toy because it is designed as a toy and not a collectible. Collectibles are pieces that you buy and display on your toy cabinet just to appreciate the beauty of it. However if you want to play with your nephew or son then this 3 3/4 inch War Machine (you can buy other characters) is a good choice.


This figure retails for about P 449.75 locally here in the Philippines, however you are lucky if you can still get it at that price. It is selling right now on the 2nd market for about P 650.00 - 850.00. My friend was able to buy this at P 550.00. Amazon is selling (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ANMV1U/ref=s9_simh_gw_p21_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1Z4HJK1PM1P77GB2WC8P&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846).

Some Issues:
1.) Limited pose ability.
2.) The silver bullets that connects from his back to the Gattling gun gets loose easily.

PhoTOYgrapher's Perspective:

So far War Machine is better to photograph for me than the Mark VI or the Hulkbuster. I've held several War Machines already and they do not disappoint (kudos to the added shoulder weaponries). The paint quality might disappoint you when you do macro shots but the details makes up for it. Bring this figure outdoors (imagine an industrial zone) and you can probably let your imagination run wild and create interesting shots.

Gears used:

Canon DSLR

Canon 100mm f2.8 Lens

Benro A300 Tripod

3 pcs. Jinbei 180 watts (each), Softbox and Grid

Falcon Eyes Product Table

War Machine Hall of Armor Collection by Hasbro

With all the the hype and excitement that the movie Iron Man 2 created, toy manufacturers are competing with each other selling their 'toy' versions of the movie's characters - Iron Man, War Machine, Whiplash, etc. and Hasbro is one of them.


This is a new series called the Hall of Armor collection and is only available through Target stores (which makes this a Target exclusive) and is made by Hasbro.


Package Contents:
The package is the typical window type box that shows you the figure and base, and gives you an option to try out the lighted base by pressing a button.


Collector's Perspective:
I find this to be a bit pricey for a kid's toy. Even though it comes with a cool light up base, the price does not justify the figure which is just  4 inches tall. I could probably buy action figures bigger than this or other toys that I will get my money's worth. It's not even die-cast (check out Hasbro's Transformers Titanium series) so in my humble opinion this is an expensive collectible.

Amazon is selling this for $ 12.99 (http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Man-Collection-Figure-Machine/dp/B002XYFXT4). It retails for about P 1,200.00 in our local stores here in the Philippines.

Some Issues:

1.) The head is not movable.

2.) WM only has 1 Gattling gun on his shoulders. There is a slot on his other shoulder for another GG or cannon but the owner said none came with the box. 

PhoTOYgrapher's Perspective:

For a figure this small I had the impression that it does not have good details. I was wrong. This is one of the best 4 inch action figure for me because of the good quality (paint job) and details (markings on the body). Though the head cannot be move this is still a good figure to take with you outdoors for a photo shoot. It's small so bringing it wherever you go is not going to be a problem.

The arms and legs can be posed a bit as well.

The light up base is a cool accessory. You can do a night shot of War Machine standing on the base then light it up. 

War Machine VS Hulkbuster

PowerPee's PhoTOYgraphy rating of HOA War Machine:

3.1 of 5

Gears used:

Canon DSLR

Canon 100mm f2.8 Lens

Benro A300 Tripod

3 pcs. Jinbei 180 watts (each) and Softbox

Falcon Eyes Product Table

War Machine by Marvel Select

Marvel Select complemented the Iron Man Mark VI action figure with the release of War Machine. As with the Mark VI this is a museum piece figure but better in terms of its pose ability and look. My jaw dropped when I saw the introduction of War Machine by Hammer industries in the movie and would say that this action figure is worth every penny.


Package Contents:
War Machine is packed in a blister type package and comes with a detachable shoulder Gattling gun and a deluxe armor assembly base. The figure is released under Diamond Select Toys.


Collector's Perspective:
If you have the Mark VI then you should also have War Machine because these 2 figures complement each other. As with the Mark VI this also comes with its own base with Hammer Industries stamped on the door (Justin Hammer introduced War Machine in the movie). This is probably the best rendition of an action figure of War Machine that I have ever seen. There were previous releases of WM by Marvel Legends but it pales in comparison to this movie-based figure.


I also noticed that this figure has a better pose ability than the Mark VI which is a thumbs up for me. 

The Marvel Select War Machine retails for about $ 19.99 at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Select-Machine-Action-Figure/dp/1605842028/ref=pd_sbs_t_1. It is being sold locally here in the Philippines for about P 1,500.00. My friend was able to buy this for P 1,200.00

Some Minor Issues:

1.) As with the Mark VI, I find the paint job of War Machine to be uneven. When you look at it closely you will notice the paint quality and for a 7 inch action figure I think it could have been better.

2.) The swiveling Gattling gun gets loose after awhile.

PhoTOYgrapher's Perspective:

I prefer War Machine over the Mark VI because you can make better poses with it. I find this figure to be more flexible than the Mark VI and the removable face plate reveals Don Cheadle aka James Rhodes' face. However the movement is still limited and to a PhoTOYgrapher's point of view there is a limit on what you can achieve with this figure. Like with the Mark VI, War Machine's head can be tilted which makes for interesting and dramatic head shots.

Bring this figure outdoors and you can probably imitate his movie poster pose. I forgot to mention the red outlined eyes is a winner!

War Machine and Iron Man Mark VI

PowerPee's PhoTOYgraphy rating of War Machine:

3.4 of 5

Gears used:

Canon DSLR

Canon 100mm f2.8 Lens

Benro A300 Tripod

3 pcs. Jinbei 180 watts (each), Softbox and Honey Comb Grid

Falcon Eyes Product Table