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TheRaider.net
TheRaider.net News Merchandise Archives Late 2008
 
Late 2008

 

In Search of... Indiana Jones Toys
01/05/08, 2:55pm EST

Waiting for May 1st to arrive and the arrival of the first Indiana Jones toys to hit, well was almost as bad as the wait for May 22nd! May 1st was long rumored as the street date for the new line of Hasbro toys and LEGOs, even though I had been personally denied the LEGO Crystal Skull sets last week at a Walmart when I was told they were out but not yet for sale! Not today, today would be different... wouldn't it?

Heading off to Walmart -- and found nothing!
Across the street to Target -- and found nothin!
Back towards the highway and the other Walmart -- nothing!
Target at the Mall -- nothing!
Though Barnes and Nobles had the Ultimate Guide to Indiana Jones, sticker books, Indiana Jones Handbook, and the Empire magazine with Indy -- but these are not toys!

Distraught I check the Toys"R"Us. There was a huge wall of Speed Racer, peg hooks of Batman: the Dark Knight, Iron Man, The Hulk even Kung Fu Panda! Then I see it... a few racks of the Indiana Jones 3/34" Raiders and Crystal Skull figures, Adventure Heroes, 12' Indys, LEGOs, DVD game, toy whip, Convoy tucks -- it was like an Indy Christmas in May! So, I went through the shelves and chose wisely the ones I wanted and ones I could get later on. Then other Indyfans showed up and before you knew it just a few Mutts hung from the peghooks. The clerk looked over at the display and just said "Wow"!

So there you have it Indyfans - the toys have returned -- now you just have to find them!

By the way, the talking 12" Indiana Jones is the creepiest thing I have ever seen. You pres his gut and hear 12 or so quotes form Harrison Ford as Indy, that's fine. But the rubber open mouth that moves as you press his stomach looks like Donavan's jaw as he ages rapidly after drinking from the wrong Grail -- Creepy... but cool!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Hasbro's Indy Toy Site Redesigned
01/05/08, 2:57pm EST

The release of Indiana Jones to stores has also brought a redesign to the Hasbro's Indy toy section. You can get all the latest news and images on the figures, buddy icons, games, links to the National Geographic contest, Burger King and the Hasbro Toy shop. A real snazzy way to get you running to the toy stores!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Official Pix Unviels New Indy 4 Photos!
01/05/08, 7:59pm EST

Official Pix has delivered two dozen great NEW images from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. From various Indy images to Mutt, Marion and the gang these look great and best of all you order them and start you collection of Indy imagery right now!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Topps Crystal Skull Cards Arrive
04/05/08, 4:25pm EST

click to enlarge
Topps
Indy 4 cards.
While on a quest of my own to track down a cemetery Warrior from the newest set of figures, I spotted a box of Topps newest trading cards for Indiana Jones. The new set has 7 cards and even though this was not a "hobby" edition bought at a comic or baseball card shop, but rather a Target, it still mentioned finding autograph cards randomly inserted into the packs. Like a kid at Christmas I had to peak, so I bought just 4 packs and carefully opened them to see what I would find. I found a few of the exclusive "foil" cards, a "peel & reveal" card and some basic scenes from the film. Now not wanting to spoil anything, I scanned in only those images that have been circulating for months and do not reveal any plot points. The cards are very nice in design and feature some illustrated scenes, as if taken from the comic book adaptation, in the cards as well.

I quickly shuffled through scenes I hadn't seen before, and definitely did not read the backs with the story told in detail -- rather I put them in my desk drawer with a promise not to look until May 23rd.

So while you are searching for Indy Potato Heads, Adventure Heroes, Pop Tarts and maybe a Cemetery Warrior (get one for me, please). Look for the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull trading cards - only $1.99 a pack at Target and probably Walmart.

If you want to see some of the Indy/Skull sketch cards - read my upcoming new article with artist Joe Corroney!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

More Info on the Tomb of the Gods Comic Book
06/05/08, 5:13pm EST

Dark Horse printed a special column on the back of all its April titles focusing on their upcoming "Indiana Jones" line. You can view an online version of the article here.

And here follows some new info summoned up by 'Yodazone':

Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods is a 4-issue series instead of 5 issues and the Indiana Jones Adventures book has their creative team announced and Vol. 1 is being released in September!

And now Dave Land is the new editor of the Indy line instead of Jeremy Barlow who just stepped down to focus on writing.

Newsrama recently published an interview with Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods writer Rob Williams who had some exciting things to share.
Here follows an excerpt of the interview in which Rob announces the return of one of the most beloved characters in the franchise, besides Indy himself:

Newsrama: We've got Indiana Jones onboard, for sure.. his name's in the title, after all. But are there any other familiar characters we can look forward to seeing in this miniseries?

Rob Williams: "Lots of Marcus Brody, who's an absolute delight in The Last Crusade thanks to a wonderful performance by the late Denholm Elliott. Marcus is just too good not to have along for the ride, and also he's going to be something of an even keel in keeping Indy on the right track when his eyes light up a little too wide when he gets the 'treasure' in his sights. Which is something that Indy is definitely guilty of."

Writer Rob Williams was also talked with Comic Book Resources about his Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods miniseries. Here follows an excerpt from CBR's article report in which Rob Williams explains in which year his Tomb of the Gods adventure takes place in Indiana Jones' timeline, and why:

Though Temple of Doom was the second film in the Indy film franchise, the film was set in 1935, a year before the events of the inaugural Raiders of the Lost Ark. Illustrated by Steve Scott with covers by Tony Harris, Tomb of the Gods is set sometime in between those two films. "It's an interesting time in Indy's development," Rob Williams told CBR News. "One of the things we talked about from the offset is the dichotomy in Indy's character between Temple - where his mantra is ‘Fortune And Glory' - and Raiders, where it's ‘That Belongs In A Museum.'"

And last, but definitely not the least, Dark Horse has also revealed Hugh Fleming's cover for issue #2 of the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull comic book adaptation.
Here follows from left to right; High Fleming's final covers for issue #1, his new cover for issue #2, and the variant cover for issue #2.

click to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlarge

The cover to issue #3 of Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods should be out in a few days.

Issue #1 of the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull comic book adaptation goes on sale on May 22.
Issue #1 of the Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods comic book mini-series goes on sale on June 29.

Special thanks to 'Yodazone' for the information.

Posted by Gilles V

 

Blockbuster gets the Indy 500 Gear Ready
08/05/08, 3:16pm EST

click to enlarge
Exclusive Indy 500 hat.
Blockbuster stores are pouring on the Indy racing spirit and Indiana Jones release in a fast and furious way. The stores are selling Official Pix images from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but they also have hats, including the exclusive Indy/Indy 500 logo ones, replicas of the Indy 500 car in die-cast metal, posters, glasses and an exclusive DVD case modeled after Indy's luggage.

These items are appearing throughout the country at your local Blockbuster video store so be sure to check them out and maybe rent the first three Indy as you get ready for his return on May 22nd!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indy and the Burger Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
12/05/08, 8:55am EST

If the tell-tale signs that a huge blockbuster movie was coming was not clear enough -- it is a when the kid's meal toys appear! Burger King began running TV spots this morning showing a dad and his kids trying to translate some temple writings only to have an Ugha Warrior show up and translate that it meant to get to Burger King for Indiana Jones toys!

The Official Burger King website is also up and running an Indiana Jones themed page that shows off the toys and food options. Let the high calorie, fried treasure hunt begin!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indiana Jones: The Official Magazine Launches
15/05/08, 6:13pm EST

Marking the momentous release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the premiere issue of Indiana Jones: The Official Magazine takes you behind the scenes on the production of Indy's brand new adventure.

An incredible 26 years since audiences first discovered Indiana Jones, the legendary movie franchise finally has the magazine companion it so richly deserves. Indy's new adventure takes center stage in this 100-page special issue, but in the future we'll uncover all the secrets of Indiana Jones' illustrious history - at the cinema, and beyond! The adventure starts here…

The premiere collector's issue of Indiana Jones: The Official Magazine goes on sale May 22.

Visit Titan Magazines for more information.

Source: IndianaJones.com

Posted by Gilles V

 

Indiana Jones Die Cast Miniatures
16/05/08, 1:58pm EST

Mark over at the Indiana Jones Collectors has just posted some close ups of Hasbro's first wave of Indiana Jones miniature vehicles done in die-cast metal. From the Last Crusade tank, motorcycle and sidecar to Mutt's motorcycle and the Jungle cutter from the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull it looks like this line is off to a flying start. Only time will tell if the next wave will be giving us that Temple of Doom mine car and Tri motor plane. A metal rubber raft may be cool too... but would probably sink in the bath tub.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

A Sneak Peak At New Indiana Jones Toys
20/05/08, 3:32pm EST

Leading up to this week's highly-anticipated movie release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, toy maker 'Uncle Milton Industries' unveils a few of its previously undisclosed educational Indiana Jones toy items and builds a bit of suspense themselves… the new products won't be available until fall but this sneak peak reveals that with this all-new line kids can learn about science and nature in an exciting, fun-filled, Indiana Jones way.

Indiana Jones Giant RC Ant from Uncle Milton

click to enlarge
Giant RC Ant

In Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Indy faces many dangers, not the least of which is a swarm of huge, deadly ants. Now you can control a giant ant complete with jaw chomping mandibles! Use the Crystal Skull remote to send your ant scurrying across the floor. It's ultra-creepy and sure to scare family and friends.
Ages: 6 and up SRP: $29.99

Indiana Jones Crystal Skull Adventure Projector
from Uncle Milton

click to enlarge
Crystal Skull Projector

Watch as the Crystal Skull projects amazing images from its glowing eye. Professor Jones will be your tour guide as you visit exciting archeological discoveries of the world and famous scenes from the Indiana Jones movies.
Ages: 8 and up SRP: $39.99

Special thanks to Carrie for the info.

Posted by Gilles V

 

Indy Desk Set and Doom MiniBust for Sale
28/05/08, 3:20pm EST

Ever wish that you had the Holy Grail? Ark of the Covenant? Fertility Idol? Then have you ever asked for a cool looking business card holder, magnetic paper clip holder and pencil cup? Well you wishing days are over, my friend because the folks at Gentle Giant have read your mind!

While they did not use the mind powers of the Crystal Skull to get these ideas from you, they have created some darn cool items to please every Indy fan -- and best of all they ship in December just in time for the holidays! There is also a new Indy min-bust molded after the Temple of Doom image on sale as well. If you haven't been to the Indy shop lately then head over there as they have added Lego Indy T-Shirts, bullwhip replicas, bus station posters and more!

Source: Indiana Jones Shop

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Harrison Ford To Sign For Official Pix Again
29/05/08, 3:47pm EST

Official Pix is very proud to announce their next signing with blockbuster actor, Harrison Ford!

Mr. Ford will once again be signing both our fully Lucasfilm licensed Han Solo and Indiana Jones photographs! The Star Wars image shown will be printed as an 11x14 inch photograph, and the Indiana Jones photo will be a standard 8x10 inch photograph. If history repeats, these will sell out quickly. Make plans to get yours tomorrow!

Official Pix will begin the pre-order for both images Friday May 30th at 3pm central time at officialpix.com.

Posted by Gilles V

 

Indiana Jones M&M Merchandise on Sale
05/06/08, 4:11pm EST

The ads were cute... the website was fun... the candy was good... and now here comes the Indy M&M clothes! That's right from The Chocolate Crusade to the Temple of Chocolate it is all here and ready to order at the Official M&M site. So show your cross-karketing promotion side and love for Indy with these shirts.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

LEGO's Indy ComicCon Mystery
11/06/08, 6:01pm EST

FBTB.net
LEGO San Diego ComicCon exclusive.
While we have seen images of the exclusive Hasbro Mighty Mugg Fertility Idol that will be a San Diego ComicCon available, now LEGO joins with a mysterious package of their own! This image found on the net (and passed on to me by Indyfans' Brandon Kleyla) isn't letting out much, but does fill the mind with all sorts of possibilities. A Mola Ram Temple scene? A Mine Car chase? A Flying Wing? Only time will tell what lurks in the box!

Source: FBTB.net

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indy Raids the Newsstands - Again.
11/06/08, 6:04pm EST

The world of Indiana Jones continues on at the local comic book shop and bookstores with a variety of reading material for all ages. A visit to my local comic shop, Alternate Universe, yield not only the second issue of the Dark Horse adaptation of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (with both covers), but the Diamond exclusive version of Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide by James Lucerno was in as was the second volume of the Indiana Jones Omnibus from Dark Horse (and a poster advertising all of Indy's Dark Horse related tie-ins a sincere thanks to the shop's owner, Erik, for giving it to me).

The "leather bound" guide is essentially the same as the regular format found in bookstores except the back treats readers to copies of the detailed layouts of all of Indy's exotic locations with vellum overlays of the descriptions that can be pulled back so one can enjoy the rich detail of the illustrations. The illustrations are gorgeous as is the presentation of the material, as you learn every detail of the famed archeologist life. The special book also includes six large color stills or photos from Indy's adventures including two from Crystal Skull. The book while created in a limited run, is a keeper for the Indy fanatic (like myself) who has to have all things Indy. Speaking of all things Indy, a trip to Borders yielded some other Indy books, albeit aimed at a younger crowd.

The Play-a-Sound publishers have created an interactive Indy/Crystal Skull book, where kids can read and listen to sound effects from the film. You can press the famed fedora to hear the Raiders' march at various times in the story, or press Mutt, Marion, Spalko and the other new faces to hear related dialogue and sound effects like a whip crack, explosion and motorcycle. The book also includes a game on the back where the players can use sounds as clues to help Indy find treasures. The price was $16.00 US) and looked fun for the budding archeologist. Speaking of young Indy's, the folks at Archeology magazine have put out a special issue of DIG aimed at the kids featuring Indiana Jones. The magazine has mazes and puzzles a it tells of what archeology is all about, the truth behind snakes, crystal skulls, the Ark of the Covenant, Holy Grail and the "do's and don'ts" of archeology. There is even an interview with Frank Marshall on what its like to make an Indy movie as well as photos from all the films. The book is only 4.95 and is great learning tool for the young ones. Learn more at digonsite.com.

The final trip of the day to Toys"R"Us yielded the Jungle Cutter by Hasbro and the remnants of Indy snicker bars as room was being made for The Incredible Hulk toys. Though I may be sad to see Indy dwindle on the shelves I know my bank account is somewhat relieved.

click to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlarge

Well, brave adventurers, that is all on today's shopping excursion Indy style... catch up with you soon!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Second Issue of the Official Indy Magazine is Out
18/06/08, 3:01pm EST

Indiana Jones: The Official Magazine
Magazine issue 2 cover.
As Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull continues to thrill audiences all over the world, the second issue of Indiana Jones: The Official Magazine is here - and, like the first, it's packed full of features and interviews that no true fan of Indy can afford to miss!

An interview with Harrison Ford heads up to this new issue, as he shares the experiences of reprising his most famous role. We turn the spotlight on Belloq and Indy's other fearsome adversaries, and delve into Indiana Jones' illustrious history, both in and out of the cinema! We also take a look at the art of the adventure and lift the lid on the original concept art behind the opening of the Ark. plus, a look back at one of Indy's most famous moments - can anyone hear rumbling?

Don't miss issue 2 of Indiana Jones: The Official Magazine on sale June 24.

Visit Titan Magazines for more information.

Source: IndianaJones.com

Posted by Gilles V

 

New Hasbro Temple Of Doom Action Figures
25/06/08, 4:10pm EST

The first image of Hasbro's 3 3/4' tall Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom action figures has arrived. The new characters scheduled for a September 2008 release are Indiana Jones, Short Round, Willie Scott, Mola Ram, Chief Guard, and Thuggee. Each figure comes with movie-accurate accessories on blister card packaging.

Hasbro will also be releasing a new version of their Raiders of the Lost Ark Cargo Truck. The difference with the first Cargo Truck is that version will have a real fabric type material on the canopy.

And Medicom have released the first photos of an upcoming limited VCD Indiana Jones. This VCD Indy figure is limited to only 2,008 pieces.

'Temple of Doom' Action FiguresNew Cargo TruckMedicom's VCD Indy

Thanks to Philip Salazar for the Hasbro news.

Sources: Toy News International, Medicom & ThrowMeTheIdol

Posted by Gilles V

 

5-page Tomb of the Gods Comic Book Preview
26/06/08, 2:33pm EST

Newsarama.com has posted a 5-page preview of Dark Horse's new Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods comic book issue #1. The full color, 40 pages, Tomb of the Gods comic book arrives in stores next week, on July 2nd.

While at DarkHorse.com you can read a 3-page preview of their Indiana Jones Adventures Vol. 1, released as an 80 pages pocket-sized volume last week.

Thanks to Yodazone for the news.

Posted by Gilles V

 

Indiana Jones shows us the light
28/06/08, 7:49am EST

click to enlarge
Indy Adventures
Vol. 1 cover.
While it seems like thousands of calories ago, the reward for consuming Indiana Jones Waffles from Kellogg's has been delivered from our loyal postman. The several small white boxes (I did eat a lot of these waffles) held a plastic bag surrounding a small brown and yellowish plastic flashlight engraved with the familiar name of Indiana Jones done in the famed Raiders style typeface and also had exotically carved hieroglyphics around the shaft. While the button produced a blue-ish white light at one end, the other side has a canvas strap so you can put it on your belt. The perfect piece of hardware when exploring dark forgotten tombs or just trying to find your way to the bathroom in the dark. Either way, its a cool piece of Indy memorabilia to add to the ever expanding collection (and waistline).

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indiana Jones Adventures Volume 1 Review
28/06/08, 7:51am EST

Indiana Jones Adventures
Indy Adventures
Vol. 1 cover.
The newest Indiana Jones story in comic form actually predates Indy's earlier big screen adventures by giving us a peak at Indy and Marcus in 1930. If that weren't enough, the digest sized comic that is perfect for all ages and brimming with adventure, has the intrepid archaeologist, not yet a certified professor, hot on the trail of ancient Norse artifacts that hold the secret the secret of transforming mortals into "Odin's Men"! Throw in mentions of Indy's rival Forrestal way before he saw the light and got the point (ouch), a beautiful British archaologist and a certain French archeologist fans may know and you have the makings of a great new Indy tale. Throw in some street fights, treks a cross the globe, lost tombs and worst of all the introduction to the Nazis and this four color adventure flies through your fingers.

Dark Horse Comics writer, Phillip Gelatt and artist Ethan Beavers collaborate to give Indy fans a great new way to see Indy in action and here's to hoping that the adventures continue in this format alongside the regular sized comic adventures that await in Rob Williams' Tomb of the Gods miniseries due out next week. We all know you can never have enough Indy action. Pick up issue one of Indiana Jones Adventures for only $6.95 US today at your local comicbook shops and bookstores!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Exclusive Indy Vinyl Figures at IndianaJonesShop
09/07/08, 4:25pm EST

While it's traditionally been difficult to pair up the words "Indiana Jones" and "cute" in the same sentence, StarWars.com feels their use here is justified. From PansonWorks Japan comes these, yes, cute soft vinyl Indiana Jones figures, a U.S. IndianaJonesShop exclusive!

Measuring approximately 4.75 inches tall, Indy and Henry would look perfect standing guard on your desk at work, riding the dashboard in your car, or just keeping you company on your trips abroad.

Head on over to IndianaJonesShop to pick up the Indiana Jones and Henry Jones exclusives today (available separately or bundled)!

Source: StarWars.com

Posted by Gilles V

 

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on DVD
14/07/08, 3:53pm EST

Several websites are spreading information on the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull DVD release. And while we are still waiting for an official announcement from Paramount I assume that the following collected info is reliable:

Release date:
The film is supposed to be released on DVD in October, aimed for a worldwide release. The release in Australia is set for Thursday, 30 October 2008 while other sources claim other dates.

DVD/Blu-ray:
According to The Digital Bits, Indiana Jones 4 will definitely be released on DVD, while Blu-ray is undecided at the moment.

Versions:
Apparently there are at least 2 different editions planned:
- Special Single Disc Edition
- Limited Edition 2 Disc Box Set plus BONUS Crystal Skull Replica.

And we may also see a 'Quadrilogy' Box Set featuring all four Indy films.

View the German Amazon.de for photos of the Limited Edition 2 Disc Box Set with BONUS Crystal Skull Replica.

click to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlarge
German DVD box art found at Amazon.de. - Artwork subject to change!

Thanks to Heiko Behrends, Rafael Montoya, '-Jones-' and other fans at The Raven for the heads up.

Sources: The Digital Bits, Amazon.de & ThrowMeTheIdol

Posted by Gilles V

 

Tomb of the Gods Comic #1 Review
14/07/08, 6:00pm EST

The day started off great, with the mailman delivering not only the LEGO BrickMaster exclusive Indy Jeep but the arrival of the "Peril in Peru" set, and Indy keychain as well. Thursday, July 10th, was a great day the sun was shining, the birds were singing and we were off to keeping the tradition of seeing a birthday movie (and yes it is both the "years and the mileage" when you turn 42) with another viewing of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Today Indy 4 would be with the family and it couldn't get any better than seeing it in New Haven, CT just blocks away from the streets where the Crystal Skull car chase was filmed and where I was born at Yale New Haven hospital over four decades ago. The kids were having fun playing with the new Indiana Jones Titanium cars found at Toys R Us just before the film and after the credits rolled we stopped by The Alternate Universe comic shop in New Haven to get the weekly supply of four color comic classics and another treat that hadn't been possible for many years and Indy comic book. While it wasn't as long a wait as the nineteen years for a new Indy film, the sight of a new Dark Horse Comics' Indiana Jones book was the end to an Indy-ish drought as well.
click to enlarge
Tomb of the Gods #1 cover by Tony Harris.

After my talks with author Rob Williams at the New York ComicCon on the plot line of this new mini-series and how it would fill in the gap between TOD and ROTLA, I was curious to see what would happen. In addition, Rob promised the return of Marcus Brody who would accompany Indy on his latest adventure into Tibet, aw well as the return of those baddies everyone loves to hate - the Nazis!

The artwork by artist Steve Scott, as well as the inks from Nathan Massengill and coloring by Michael Atiyeh, came together to produce an eye catching tale worthy of anything from the lenses of Steven Spielberg. The great two page spread of 1936 New York City's skyline under construction or as the book calls it; "the architectural pinnacle of the western society's developments", makes for a great backdrop. As Indy befriends Henrik Mellberg who holds an artifact that is part of an important mystery that is also eagerly pursued by the Ahnenrbe, the ancestral heritage branch of Hitler's SS dedicated to archaeology surrounding the superiority of the Aryan race and the occult. The two are chased by Nazis through the skeletal frame of a new skyscraper reminiscent of the chase in Casino Royale, but Indy being Indy manages to use his own bag of tricks to avoid capture literally.

As I said, the art is great, barring a strange panel of Indy at the bottom of page 6 (being a nitpicker, I had to throw in some geek complaint), everyone looks great - especially Marcus Brody who looks just like the late great, Denholm Mitchell Elliott. Not to mention a female treasure hunter who provides this comic with a great comic (excuse the pun) relief scene with Indy about his whip. Let's hope that some of these new characters survive the outcome and return to harass Indy in later adventures. With the gap between Last Crusade and Crystal Skull wide open there are many more stories to tell and characters to meet like General Ross, Mac and even the "other" man in Marion's life, RAF pilot, Colin Williams, so why not mix them all up to create a new world for Indiana Jones.

While this book is a set up for a much broader adventure yet to follow it does a great job at exposition and laying out the framework while keeping the pacing fast and true to the Indy film series that inspired it. All too often many of Indy's comic adventures have been filled with huge amounts of dialogue and little action, as if the writers were desperately trying create a tale that would be of equal or greater in scope to Raiders of the Lost Ark. Williams doesn't fall into that trap, and masterfully weaves in his character introductions, "MacGuffin" information, "cliffhanging" action and most of all humor with ease and grace. Best of all, we are told that this latest artifact is something that should be remain hidden and promises much despair for those who seek it just like the Ark was (or rather will be for Indy as this is a prequel to Raiders, after all). While I might be at a disadvantage than the average reader for having been told by the author what lies ahead for Indy in his quest for the "tomb of the Gods", I have to say this tale promises to be a character changing event for our favorite globe-trotting archaeologist. One that forces him to do some serious "soul" searching and why does he do the things he does. If you want to hear more on this check out my interview with Rob Williams on the Indy-Cast episode 27.

That is going to be it for this review of Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods #1 - do yourself a favor and run out and get it the book ends with a BANG that will bring a smile to any serial loving adventure tale!

Posted by the aging rapidly Mitchell Hallock

 

Indiana Jones at the San Diego Comic-Con
25/07/08, 2:07pm EST

While nothing can compare to the excitement of seeing Spielberg, Ford and the cast of Indy 4 on screen for a live broadcast from the set like last year's San Diego ComicCon, this year's mega-event is not Indy free! Starting with collectibles the good folks at Hasbro, Gentle Giant Sideshow and others will not disappoint Indy fans, though it may deplete their bank accounts. A great big thanks to Dan Curto and the gang at Cool Toy Review and other sites, like ComingSoon.net and Michael Crawford (Captain Toy), for showing fans around the net these great images and making everyone feel as if they were there in lovely San Diego.

Gentle Giant
Adding to their ever growing line of busts and statues, the gang at Gentle Giant are adding Indy and his Dad with Nazi motorcycle from the Last Crusade and adding a Short Round mini-bust to their collection which includes a Raiders and Temple Indy.

Sideshow Collectibles

more at Cool Toy Review
Belloq figure, photo by Cool Toy Review.

That "other man with the hat" is coming! That's right, the most evil man in white, Rene Belloq will be arriving in a 12" format from Sideshow Collectibles to torment their already released Indiana Jones figures. While the likeness to actor Paul Freeman is uncanny, only time will tell if this figure includes a pocket watch that could become priceless (like this figure), if buried in the sand for a thousand years.

Sideshow is also coming out with a great Indy accessory to stand alongside you Indy figure, namely the fertility idol and pedestal from Raiders, and another Indiana Jones figure!

Kotobukiya

Last Crusade statue at Entertainment Earth
Last Crusade statue.

While the ARTFX Theatre Scene of Raiders has been on the internet since the International Toy Fair, Indy fans can also see the new Temple of Doom and Last Crusade statues, and even better order them! Entertainment Earth has images and is taking pre-orders for the new Indy collectibles and they are great by combining key characters and scenes from Indy's classic adventures!

Hasbro

Photos by Michael Crawford
The jungle diorama.

Hasbro will be offering Indy fans to go on their own quests and track down exclusives as they have been doing to Star Wars fans for years. Images from the ComicCon of Indy Target exclusives featuring scenes from the films like the Cairo/Henchmen Chase with Indy, Marion, Monkey Man and Cairo baddies will be showing up as well as a Last Crusade Tank Chase boxed set. The folks at Hasbro are showing off their Indy wares with a giant Crystal Skull - jungle diorama that will be a one of a kind collectible and the envy of all Indy toy fans! There are more 12 figures coming like Indy in Nazi outfit with bazooka, and new vehicle boxed sets with figures.

LEGO
The mysterious LEGO ComicCon Exclusive has been revealed and quickly found its way to eBay! The set limited to only 500 was an Indy figure in a jeep (apparently identical to the Brickmaster Club exclusive) and two Ugha Warriors (found in the big Crystal Skull LEGO set) and a ramps to jump over a "jungle" cliff. While this was hard to get it is not that spectacular.

Indyfans on DVD
The long-awaited documentary on Indiana Jones fans from filmmaker Brandon Kleyla will be hitting store shelves on Oct. 7th as it was announced at ComicCon. Brandon and the gang of Indy fan-atics are on hand to talk about the film and meet the legion of fedora-wearing faithful at ComicCon.

Doc Savage coming to the silver screen
While this may not be a directly-related Indy news, it does have some Indy connection!. As pulp fans know the legendary pulp hero Dr. Clark Savage, the Man of Bronze, has inspired every hero from Superman, the Shadow and of course Indiana Jones. Now word comes from Batman uber producer, Michael Uslan, that Warner Brothers will be bringing the adventures of the man of action to the big screen. One hopes that this will be a serious treatment and nothing like that insipid, horrible piece of film crap from the 1970s starring TV Tarzan, Ron Ely, and also featured Magnum PI's Higgins in a supporting role. Appearing on G4's Attack of the Show hosted by the one and only, vision of beauty, goddess of geeks, dazzling damsel, luscious lovely, Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira, Uslan talked about what makes a good comic film, like The Dark Knight, and talked about bringing Doc Savage, the original he-man adventurer to the big screen. If anyone has ever read these stories or seen the gorgeous covers by super artist Bob Layton, you can see the Indy connection easily, especially in the early Indy concept sketches by comic artist legend, Jim Steranko.

There will be more Indiana Jones news from ComicCon so keep your eyes open and see what lies ahead!

Sources: Cool Toy Review, ComingSoon.net, Michael Crawford, Entertainment Earth & The Raven

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Lost Ark Found in the Mailbox
28/07/08, 8:33am EST

Arriving home from a day at the beach and emptying out tons of sand from my shoes, towels and everything else, I was stunned to find a box on the driveway that was designed to look like a small wooden crate. This cardboard oddity bore the Indiana Jones logo and the words; "Property of Dr. Jones" and a familiar serial number.

Lo and behold, it had arrived! My very own 12" Indiana Jones Exclusive Ark of the Covenant was now in my possession. Who would have thought that such an object would be mine and I would not have to face off against blood thirsty Nazis, thousands of snakes, endure all sorts of dangers or trek across the world. No, this plastic treasure was a simple matter of buying four 12" figures and sending in the stickers, plus nominal fee for shipping and handling and waiting patiently.

What a treasure this Ark is! It is much larger than I expected and after carefully unwrapping the packaging and putting in the carrying poles I looked at it in wonder and amazement wondering what to do with it. Considering its size, my wife suggested a pencil box or napkin holder!

click to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlarge

We will have to wait and see what to to do with this "lost" treasure! Now where's my Crystal Skull alien and Adventure Heroes Indy on Horse we sent for as well!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Harrison Ford To Sign Indy Photos For OfficialPix
20/08/08, 3:26pm EST

Official Pix, the only Lucasfilm approved and licensed autograph photo company in the world, is very proud to announce their next signing with blockbuster actor, Harrison Ford!

Mr. Ford will once again be signing Official Pix licensed Han Solo and Indiana Jones photographs!

Both the 11x14 inch signed Star Wars Han Solo and the 8x10 inch Indiana Jones images will be come bagged, boarded, and include our numbered certificate of authenticity (COA) and are expected to ship in late September. Both images will be limited to just 50 autographs!

Official Pix will begin this pre-order Thursday August 21st at 2pm Central Time at officialpix.com. Don't miss this last scheduled signing opportunity with Mr. Ford for 2008!

Special thanks to Ben Stevens for the news.

Posted by Gilles V

 

New Might Muggs at Indiana Jones Shop
28/08/08, 4:01pm EST

The IndianaJonesShop.com has not only added the pre-order for the Crystal Skull DVD and Blu-Ray but also has added some of those really creepy-looking Mighty Muggs including Tot, Young Indy Boy Scout, Satipo, Spalko and the ever dapper - Indy in Tuxedo!

Order before they roll away -- and they can - just look at their heads!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Marvel Indiana Jones Omnibus: Volume 1
10/09/08, 5:09pm EST

Great news for the fans of the Indy comic books. I've just been informed by 'Yodazone' that Dark Horse has released its solicitation for the Marvel Indy Omnibus Volume 1!
click to enlarge
Marvel Omnibus Vol. 1.

Written by Walt Simonson, John Byrne, Denny O'Neil, David Michelinie and Archie Goodwin, art by Byrne, Howard Chaykin, Klaus Janson, Terry Austin and others.

Join comics luminaries Walt Simonson, John Byrne, Archie Goodwin, and Howard Chaykin, among others, in the very first appearances of the esteemed professor on the comic-book page! Weighing in at a hefty three hundred and sixty-eight pages, this tome collects the first twelve issues of the 1980s ongoing series -- along with the adaptation of Raiders of the Lost Ark -- for the very first time. And David Michelinie, the writer who would go on to pen most of Indy's four-color adventures, begins his imaginative run here! Fans of the films won't want to miss these classic tales that extend the Indiana Jones mythos beyond the silver screen.

368 pages, $24.95, in stores on Feb. 18.

And don't forget that part two of Dark Horse's Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods adventure is out in comic book stores as of today.

Thanks to Yodazone for the news.

Posted by Gilles V

 

Review of Tomb of the Gods #2
18/09/08, 5:22pm EST

art by Tony Harris
Issue #3 cover art
by Tony Harris.
While it was nowhere near the nineteen year wait that Indyfans had to endure between Indy's big screen adventures, the second issue seemed to take as long to get here as the Grail Knight had to wait for someone to come along and challenge him! But Rob Williams' second issue of Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods was well worth the several month wait since we saw Indy back in four color printed glory in issue one back in June.

Without giving too much away, let's say that the story is quite clever in showing how Indy and Marcus survived their bombastic encounter at the end of issue one. Okay, on that note, Mr. Williams is staying true to the film serials that inspired Indy in the first place, as we see our heroes survive, but exactly how, is a mystery -- I guess we are like the kid viewers from decades ago that kind of forget all the details from the last episode.

Indy and Marcus meet up with Beresford-Hope's son in Tibet, and quickly take "flight" from more bad guys, and its not the Nazis -- (boy Indy has a lot of enemies). Thankfully, Indy and Marcus encounter a familiar face from Indy's big screen adventures and "take off" (have I given enough hints, yet) to Shanghi, China (no stops at the Club Obi Wan this time).

Then its off to the high seas where our hero encounters the sexy Miss Janice Le Roi, in pursuit of the clues that will take Indy on a soul-searching quest for the Tomb of the Gods. All this, and an ending that makes Indy get tangled up with a menace that is another tip of the fedora to a certain Spielberg film classic (and no it isn't Hook) and you have the makings of a great story.

Readers can raid the racks of their corner comic shop right now to get their hands on Tomb of the Gods #2 from Dark Horse Comics ($2.99 US). Let's hope issue3 # is here before year's end!

Special thanks to 'Yodazone' for the cover of the third issue, drawn by Tony Harris. The cover for issue #3 was first show at Tomb of the Gods writer Rob Williams' personal blog.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indiana Jones and the Army of the Dead
18/09/08, 5:51pm EST

StarWars.com just announced - out of the blue - that the Indiana Jones adventure will continue with a new, original novel from bestselling author Steve Perry. It will be available from Del Rey Books in May 2009.

There's no rest for the weary treasure hunter, but that's how Indiana Jones likes it. Fresh from spying for the Allies in the thick of World War II Germany, the globe-trotting archaeologist doesn't need much persuading to join his cohort "Mac" McHale in searching for one of the most coveted of artifacts: the fabled black pearl known as the Heart of Darkness. But the partners in adventure are not alone on their foray into the mysterious jungles of Haiti. German and Japanese agents are in hot pursuit, determined to possess the ebony artifact -- and its secrets -- for their own sinister purposes. And shadowing them all is an infamous voodoo priest, with powers of both diabolical science and black magic at his command.

On a treacherous odyssey across the Island of the Dead, where the legend of zombi looms large, spiders, snakes, and booby-traps will prove the least of Indy's challenges. And capturing the prize will be child's play compared with confronting an enemy unlike any other, whose numbers are legion and nearly impossible to kill -- because they're already dead...

Aha, we're getting our first post World War II Indy adventure co-starring "triple agent" George 'Mac' McHale. Should be fun!

Thanks to 'Skylover' for the article link.

Source: StarWars.com

Posted by Gilles V

 

Bearing with Indy
20/09/08, 4:40pm EST

If pocket watches die cast metal cars and big-eyed one coin figures bearing the name or likeness of Indiana Jones are your thing than I have something for you!. Found once again in the electronic marketplace that is eBay, I happened across some interesting figures from Kubrick, namely their Be@rbrick line, namely Indiana Jones and the Golden Idol.
click to enlarge
Kubrick's Indy boxed.

Standing almost twice the size of a standard Indy LEGO figure, this articulated Indy and his treasure are rather unique. Lets start with the Golden Idol Bearbrick, that "bears" a remarkable resemblance to the Chachaopyian fertility idol from Raiders of the Lost Ark or in this case "Raibears of the Lost Ark". it has the famed toothy grin and big eyes, and at the waist, a small child's (or cub) face peering out. The back includes details like the Indiana Jones logo and markings to give it the look of hair or rather "golden locks". In fact, if one removed the legs arms and ears it would look exactly like the statue from Raiders. But who would do such a "grizzly" thing to a collectible?

Now on to the papa bear in this set, Indiana Jones himself. Armed with Indy's tools of the trade, a removable fedora, whip, revolver and machete, this Kubrick is ready for action. Somewhat larger than the Star Wars Kubrick figures I own this figure does have the same detail and articulation one would expect from the Kubrick line. As with many Kubrick's Indy's hair is attached to the hat, so one can remove the fedora give Indy into more of a "Dr. Evil" look. The whip fits nicely, as does the machete but the revolver easily falls out and would be quickly lost in the wrong hands. Oh whom am I kidding this sucker is never leaving my Indy collection and into anyone's hands after I take some pictures of it. I wouldn't mine seeing the good folks at Kubrick do more Indy's and his supporting cast in the future though I Short Round would have to be scaled down. That is the only set back with this set, the Golden Idol is the same size as Indy. Perhaps if I purchased the 400% sized Kubrick Indy it would fit alongside it better.

All in all, this new addition to my collection will look fine alongside the Indy incarnations from LEGO, Kotobukiya, Hasbro, Kermit Indy, and even the Disney Mickey Mouse Indy I have.

click to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlarge

So if you are looking for one, head on over to Hong Kong or if you want to save on airfare, eBay is the way to go.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indiana Jones Masterpieces
23/09/08, 3:41pm EST

Photos at Throw Me The Idol
Masterpieces advert.
Topps has released the advertisements for their new Indiana Jones Masterpieces trading cards. The new Masterpieces collection features newly commissioned art, the best in Indiana Jones Comic Book art from Marvel and Dark Horse Comics, rare authentic autograph cards signed by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, and for the first time ever panoramic sketch cards.

You can view the advertisements online at Les David's Throw Me The Idol collectibles website.

The Indiana Jones Masterpieces trading cards will start shipping in November.

Posted by Gilles V

 

Indiana Jones: The Complete Soundtrack Collection
23/09/08, 4:25pm EST

On November 11th, Concord Records will release "Indiana Jones: The Complete Soundtracks Collection", a 5 CD limited edition boxed set including expanded editions of the Indiana Jones trilogy as well as the original soundtrack release of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull plus a bonus interview CD with composer John Williams on the making of this historic music.

Here follows the official press release:

For the first time ever all four Indiana Jones soundtrack albums are available in this limited edition collectible CD boxed set! Included are expanded and remastered versions of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and exclusive to this set: Indiana Jones & The Temple Doom, and Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade. This set also includes the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull soundtrack plus a bonus interview CD with composer John Williams on the making of this historic music. Housed in a handsome embossed slip case and presented with a full color booklet, this set reintroduces the iconic original Indiana Jones film scores by Oscar-winning composer John Williams - out of print since 1995! A must for fans and collectors alike, all will rejoice in having all these soundtracks presented together expanded with previously unreleased music - along with this summer's blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull available together for the very first time. Relive the musical adventure today!

And Concord Records is also planning to release the expanded and remastered edition of Raiders of the Lost Ark separately on October 14th.

- First time available on CD in 12 years!
- Digitally remastered from the original tapes.
- Booklet includes rare photographs.
- Original album artwork faithfully reproduced.
- Liner notes include a special note from Steven Spielberg.

For more information, visit the John Williams Fan Network.

Thanks to Don Zahorick, Journey Myers, David Strohmenger, and JWFan.com for the news.

Posted by Gilles V

 

Hasbro's Indy Toy Line Future Looks Dark
30/09/08, 3:57pm EST

News revealed during Q&A session with Cool Toy Review.

Hasbro recently mentioned in a Q&A session with Cool Toy Review that it is highly unlikely that their Indiana Jones line "will continue significantly beyond the holidays this year."

Here follows one of the Indy questions to Hasbro:

Cool Toy Review: Would you consider continuing the line as online exclusives with a higher per-figure price if it is not feasible to continue the line at stores like Wal-Mart and Target? In order to get figures like Oxley, Mac, Donovan, and Marcus collectors would be willing to pay more.

Hasbro: "It would not be possible to continue the line in this manner, since the size of the IJ collector base is not enough to sustain development work and production volumes by itself."

Visit Cool Toy Review to read the full Q&A session with Hasbro.

Thanks to Matt Foster for the heads up.

Posted by Gilles V

 

Tomb of the Gods Issue #3 Sneak Peak
05/10/08, 1:39pm EST

Tomb of the Gods
Issue #3 preview.
The good folks at Dark Horse Comics have let Indy comic fans see what lies ahead issue # 3 that is due in November. Check out the synopsis below and some preview artwork at Dark Horse Comics site as well!

Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods #3 will arrive in stores on Nov. 12 from Dark Horse Comics. The issue is written by Rob Williams, with art by Steve Scott.

"Once again, archaeologist and self-stated preserver of history Dr. Henry Jones Jr. is on the trail of something colossal. With exotic locations, natural disasters, wild animals, ever-pesky Nazis, and a beautiful fortune hunter, Indy's quest for the Tomb of the Gods could be his most amazing and historically disturbing escapade ever!"

Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods #3 will be 40 pages and will cost $2.99.

Source: Dark Horse Comics and Comics Continuum

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indiana Jones 4 DVD and Blu-ray Exclusives
10/10/08, 3:41pm EST

With the US release of the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull DVD and Blu-ray next week, five chains in the USA will each offer an exclusive bonus to the package!
  • Kmart & Sears will be giving away four Exclusive LEGO mini-posters. Each poster is a LEGO replica of an original Indiana Jones theatrical poster.
  • Circuit City will have two lithographs of concept art from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
  • Target is exclusively packaged with a hardcover book from Palace Press with 80 pages of behind the scenes photos, including many never-before-published images.
  • Trans World will have exclusive Steelbook Packaging.
  • Best Buy offers a gift set that includes a replica crystal skull from Sideshow Collectibles and a $25 gift card to Sideshowcollectibles.com.

Kmart & SearsCircuit City
TargetTrans WorldBest Buy
From left to right, the exclusives available at Kmart & Sears, Circuit City,
Target, Trans World, and the crystal skull replica at Best Buy.

Two Kingdom of the Crystal Skull DVD and Blu-ray reviews can be found at DVDBeaver.com and High Dev Disc News.

Thanks to Joshua Thomas, Christian Villarreal and Mitchell Hallock for the info.

Additional sources: /Film, IndianaJones.es, and ThrowMeTheIdol.com.

Posted by Gilles V

 

Whip Tooth Decay Away With the Indy Tunebrush
18/10/08, 10:44am EST

How many times have you hummed the Indy theme song when brushing your teeth? Well, modern technology has made that process a little easier with the introduction of Hasbro's Turbo Tooth Tunes singing toothbrush! That's right if teeth cleaning has a name it must be... Indiana Jones. I wish I had this when I was eating all those Indy snacks back in Springtime... maybe I would not have had that root canal!

Here's more info from Hasbro Toys Shop:

Rock your teeth clean - and encourage better brushing habits! - with this exciting toothbrush that lets you hear one of your favorite songs while you brush! Turbo-charged with improved sound technology, this cool toothbrush sends sound vibrations streaming from the bristles through your teeth - so you can actually hear music inside your head! Just press the button, wait for the beep and brush away! To increase the volume, simply increase your brushing pressure! If you brush well, you get great sound, and you'll actually hear two full minutes of exciting Indiana Jones music and classic movie phrases!

Now why hasn't there been a Jaws version of this musical toothbrush -- now that seems like a no brainer to me!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Noble Collection Unveils New Indy Treasures
28/10/08, 11:56am EST

The Noble Collection has offered the famed Indiana Jones bullwhip for several months, but now just before the holiday season gets into full swing they have added to their Indiana Jones line of products. Indyfans (or their friends looking for a special gift) can choose wisely from a wide array of high quality offerings such as the Headpiece to the Staff of Ra, Mutt's sword, Indy's machete, and a cool set of both those aforementioned items done as letter openers (or if you want to detail your 1/6 scale Indy figures).

These look great - the craftsmanship of the Noble Collection goes to extreme lengths - even the cases some of the pieces come in are fantastic! So, start dropping those holiday gift hints or better yet - buy it yourself!

Check out all the offerings and details at: The Noble Collection.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indy Toys Live On in LEGO Form
28/10/08, 11:58am EST

The great folks at LEGO are keeping Indy moving. 2009 will give Indy brick building fans a chance to create the famed Flying Wing battle from Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Shanghai Car Chase with Willie and Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Thanks to Les at Throwmetheidol.com for discovering these new finds and posting the box shots.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indy: Photographic Journal Review
29/10/08, 12:54pm EST

On a dreary, rainy fall day in Connecticut there was a ray of sunshine when I heard the sound of Mark the Mailman's truck outside. My dog, Indiana raced to the door looking for the treats that our mailman throws out to his four-legged fans, but I was the one who received a bigger treat from Amazon.com with the arrival of: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - A Photographic Journal by David James.

I opened the rain covered box and just gazed at the great shot of the silhouetted Indy looking down on the valley that holds Doomtown in the early morning desert sunrise. I then started to flip through the pages, stopping at a great shot of Spielberg and Shia taken at the nearby Essex Connecticut Steam Trainstation. Shia is busy playing with a yo-yo as Steven is deep in thought on th next shot - or catching some shut-eye! There is a Foreword by Harrison Ford, and though it wasn't as long and as wordy as Spielberg's preface piece, Ford sums up the genius of David James work in just a few words; "... David (James) was there ... discreet. squeezing in at the right moment for the right shot... and (you) never noticed he was there."

And that is what this collection is - great shots of the most talented team of filmmakers in the past 40 years coming together to have fun! Plus, it provides so many iconic shots of Ford as Indiana Jones done in shadows and silhouettes that it elevates the character to new heights of modern myth-making - he appears to be more like an American legend from the old West than a matinée movie hero. Fans will also get a smile at some of James's candid camera focused on the creators of Indy. Like the fun shot of Lucas and Spielberg driving down the New Mexican highway in a 50s hot rod. They look more like TV's Happy Days' Richie and Potsie having a joy ride rather than two billionaire filmmakers.

Some amazing imagery like the hubcap reflection of Spielberg in the desert with the actors and crew behind him, and a shot of David James taking the photo. Behind the scenes shots of Willie Scott herself (aka Mrs. Spielberg - Kate Capshaw) turning the camera on to Steven as they relax between shots. Amazing detail of Indy's classroom and pieces of his collection. An amusing shot of George Lucas standing in the Saint Anthony Mental Asylum set (he no nut, he's crazy). A series of Cate Blanchett photos as Irina Spalko that look like they came from a villian-esque issue of Vogue magazine rather than a rough and ready action film like Indy 4.

The book is simply a treat for the eyes, and one that no true Indyfan can be without. The only criticisms I have are just two - one minor and one major - the book states the crew landed at Bradley, Connecticut on their way to Yale in New Haven -- correction; it is Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. Okay, that was the minor, the major criticism is just this -- I want more and I mean that in the best way possible. Like the brilliant documentaries on the DVD of Crystal Skull, it is just fascinating to get glimpses of these film artists at work (and play). I enjoyed every page of this book, and cannot recommend it enough. Every photo is a treasure and the journal entries that go along with each section (broken down by set locations) are equally as entertaining.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - A Photographic Journal by David James is published by Insight Editions and is available now for $29.95 US.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indy Bank - A Place to Store Those "Bad Pennies"
30/10/08, 12:10pm EST

click to enlarge
Raiders Figural Bank.
Diamond Distributors and the Indiana Jones Shop are offering Indyfans a chance to save their money for a rainy day, or more Indiana Jones collectibles, and have fun doing it with the Indy Bank. This latest Indy collectible stands almost a foot high and has the famed adventurer in a classic pose with whip overhead ready to take on the bad guys -- or anyone trying to get your treasure. As a bonus, you can turn the knob and have the famed Fertility Idol do a "now you see it and now you don't" move without the fear of your roof caning in or a giant boulder to roll you over. The Indy Bank joins there other offering to keep your money safe, and that is a replica of the aforementioned Fertility Idol. With the ups and downs of the markets and the roller coaster of an economy, I can think of no safer place to keep your hard earned cash than the Indiana Jones Bank!

Available for order through Comic shops and at the Indiana Jones Shop.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Toy Review: Crystal Skull Adventure Projector
07/11/08, 11:39am EST

While the holidays are less than two months away, what better time to start looking at some of the cool new Indiana Jones toys that will surprise Indyfans young and old. The folks at Uncle Milton have been delighting kids with their creative toys that not only teach but are great to play with. Now these folks who in the past have brought ant farms, frog habitats and other such items to market have teamed up with the man of action, Indiana Jones, for four new offerings.

Let's start with Indy's latest film for inspiring this cool new way of looking act archeology: Indiana Jones Crystal Skull Adventure Projector

Holding the detailed replica of the Crystal Skull I could feel the thrill of adventure begin to tingle, better yet, all my Indy senses were working because I could see and hear the adventures of Indiana Jones thanks to the folks at Uncle Milton's Toys.

The packaging is done in the banner packaging that has surrounded all of the Indiana Jones products this year, with the Indy/Struzan Last Crusade face looking out and the whip framing the familiar Indy logo. The Uncle Milton folks have transformed Indy's image on the Crystal Skull Adventure Projector to take the form of a younger Indy, as the box show's a fedora wearing boy gazing at the famed archeologist's adventures by using the power of the "crystal skull".

Not only can you use the three slides, each containing eight images of Indy's big screen adventures mixed in with real world archaeological finds, you can hear about them as well. Always, one to entertain as well as educate the folks at Uncle Milton are delivering a great Indy collectible and learning toy.

By inserting the special CD that is included with the projector you can its "mythical power" to hear Indiana Jones himself narrate the finds he has made in his career (fedoras off to the voice over actor who captures Harrison Ford's laconic cadence in his delivery), and learn about the real perils and treasures that have been found. From Indy's reminiscing about finding the Ark, Temple of Doom, Holy Grail and Crystal Skull, the viewer also learns about Aztecs, hieroglyphs, the Mitchell-Hedges crystal skull, tomb raiding, and more. The fun for me came when the sound of a whip crack is used as the indicator to move onto the next slide. If you are an old coot like me, you may recall the days in school watching slide shows and waiting for the "beep" to advance the slide (usually finding out at the end that you were a few slides behind).

The Indiana Jones Crystal Skull Adventure Projector is a great way to introduce younger adventurers (the box recommends it for ages 8 and up) to the world of Indiana Jones and archeology. Even older Indy fans will get a kick at possessing the projecting powers of the "Projecting Crystal Skull" and may learn a thing or two themselves - and best of all you learn it from the professor himself - just like you were a student in Archeology 101 at Marshall College!

click to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlarge

The Uncle Milton Crystal Skull Adventure Skull will make a great holiday gift for Indyfans is available now at Toys "R" Us, Target, Amazon and stores across the country. SRP: $39.99

To learn more, visit: Uncle Milton's Indiana Jones Toys

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Toy Review: Why did it have to be Giant RC Ants!
07/11/08, 11:41am EST

If you thought Colonel Dovchenko had a tough time with ants in this summer's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, wait until you see the size of the new Giant RC (Remote Control) Ant from Uncle Milton's Indy toy line.

The brown window box, done in the familiar Indiana Jones packaging, lets you see what you are going to get…and it's a doosie! This super-sized insect comes with a "crystal skull" remote control that allows you to rotate the direction with one eye button and send it forward with the other eye. In addition, as this six-legged terror scurries across your floor, its mandibles move back and forth for added realism.

Knowing the full test of this scariness of having a giant ant running around the house would involve bothering our Golden Retriever, the boys and I set out to do just that. Poor Indiana, just as he was settling in for his sixth nap of the day, he was forced awake when the giant ant started to head towards him with mandibles moving in for a pinching attack. This was followed by a chase around the house and ultimately ending with our dog barking a warning at this buggy intruder.

The Indiana Jones Giant RC Ant would not be a true learning toy without containing some cool facts about this bug's life. Included with the RC ant was a booklet from the "field notebook of Indiana Jones" written in Indy's own hand, centering on the subject of "Amazing Ant Facts". Inside these pages you will learn that the jaws of a Trap Jaw Ant shut at speeds approaching 45 MPH! Or that Army Ants can swarm in troops approaching 200,000! I won't even tell you what Indiana Jones did with a Honey-Pot Ant (hint: think Winnie-the-Pooh).

click to enlargeclick to enlargeclick to enlarge

What would be real cool is if Santa or someone you know would bring you about a hundred of these bad boys and you can recreate the ant scene from Crystal Skull! As with all the Uncle Milton toys this RC Ant is fun to play with and comes with some interesting facts that you can learn along the way. You never know, it might help you pass your next entomology exam or come in handy as you go on your own quest for a lost relic!

The Giant RC Ant from Uncle Milton is available now at fine stores near you and online.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Toy Review: Lost City Archeology Dig
07/11/08, 11:42am EST

Every dream of digging up lost artifacts? A mummy? Maybe even one of the famous Crystal Skulls? How about discovering a "lost city"? Well now you can without spending a fortune on airfare and worrying about deadly snakes, ants, rats or bad guys. Best of all you can find these items from the comfort of your tabletop with the Indiana Jones Lost City Archeology Dig from the gang at Uncle Milton Industries.

The box art shows an Indiana Jones looking character complete with whip, uncovering a "crystal skull" alongside some bones, a mummy and other assorted relics. Inside there is a somewhat heavy looking frame with detailed moldings. It looks like a cross between the Akator Temple and graveyard that Indy and Mutt visited in this year's Crystal Skull movie but is called "El Castillo" in this adventure. The set also contains a "field journal" from Dr. Henry Jones, Jr. himself, so that you can read about places like Stonehenge and the real El Castillo in the Yucatan, as well as the tools used in digs and write down what you dig up.

click to enlarge
Digging away!

But enough with the talk, I wanted to start searching for my "fortune and glory"! So armed with my handy-dandy scraping tool, I set out to find what lies beneath! The material you scrap away in your search for the lost city is like dried up "moon sand", anyone with children will know what I am talking about. After just a few scraps in the upper right corner, I began to uncover the goods. Was it a mummy? Gold coins? Forgotten treasure? A 1951 Mickey Mantle Rookie Baseball Card? My old car keys? Or better yet - a crystal skull - that lights up?

I wouldn't want to spoil the fun of discovery and tell you what I found in this "lost city" dig from the Indiana Jones toy line from Uncle Milton. Let's just say, it's a fun, and best of all I didn't get my fedora dirty and when the dig was finished, I had a cool plaque to hang on the wall. With it's cool details and small pieces of treasures and skulls, it fits in perfectly next to my Gentle Giant Indy busts, Indy action figures, Dr. Pepper cans, toy cars, Sideshow Crystal Skull, Lego Crystal Skull, Crystal Skull Projector, Crystal Skeleton action figure, and Crystal Head Vodka - (thanks Dan Aykroyd) - and all the other stuff.

Indyfans will have a great time digging around and humming the Raiders' march as they find the artifacts that belong in a museum with this cool toy.

You can find and the other Uncle Milton toys available at major stores, as online exclusives like: TRU.com, Amazon.com, Target.com and eToys.
You can see the Lost City and the other Indy at their website: www.unclemilton.com

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Toy Review: Room Booby Trap Set
10/11/08, 1:40pm EST

Every wish that you had an elaborate security system in your room that was like the Peruvian Temple from the opening in Indiana Jones first, and best big screen adventure; Raiders of the Lost Ark? Well, your wishes have been answered thanks to the creative minds at Uncle Milton Industries! The Indiana Jones Room Guard will make sure that any unwanted intruder who enters your inner sanctum will be met with flying projectiles and a host of spiders popping out at them (sorry, kids but there is no two ton, giant rolling boulder included with this set).

The presentation of this nifty novelty is great, just like the other items in the Uncle Milton Indy toy line. It depicts a would be Indiana Jones, albeit one who looks about nine years old, running from the devices set off by trespassing a room protected by the "room guard". The box artwork looks like it came right off a cover from a lost DVD episode of the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, but a lot more exciting than those shows were (ouch), The craftsmanship does not end with the packaging, but continues in the highly detailed moldings on the room guards themselves. These two pieces are just as detailed as anything that came from the props department at Lucasfilm's ILM. The stone idol heads, have the familiar Indy-esque look, reminiscent of the figures seen at the opening of Raiders that have birds flying out of the mouth when a guide hacks a vine off that was hiding it from view. The detail work goes as far as having small vines draped across the figures!

After a few turns of the clamps that hold these room guardians in place, I was ready to test it out on a unsuspecting intruder, in this case my wife. Let's just say that the devices worked perfectly as she triggered the spider-laden room guard that had the eight legged creepy crawlies come flying out and then banged right into the other room guard that shot projectiles from it's eye sockets. Needless to say the sounds of screaming heard at our home rivaled anything that came out of the mouth of Willie Scott, the Queen of Scream from Temple of Doom. In addition, there were other words that followed her fright that also were never heard in the Indy films!

The Indy room guard would not be an Uncle Milton toy if it did not include some educational aspect, and this one does as you can read pages and look at diagrams form the "field notebook" of Indiana Jones and learn all about the workings of levers, fulcrums and other such devices and how they are used to make booby traps work.

The Indiana Jones Room Guard set make a fine addition to any Indyfans collection, heck you can even set up to protect your collection! Even better, if you are feeling adventurous, you can put on your own fedora and whip and reenact Indy's daring escapes from booby traps in the privacy of your home. It's a great toy for kids and their parents, or any one that wants to walk, or rather run in the steps of the famous archaeologist, Indiana Jones!

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You can find the Room Guard and the other Indiana Jones/Uncle Milton toys available at major stores as online exclusives like: TRU.com, Amazon.com, Target.com and eToys.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Borders' Ultimate Fedora Collection Gift Set
12/11/08, 12:55pm EST

click to enlarge
The "Ultimate Fedora Collection" Box.
What's that you say, you have an Indyfan on your holiday gift list and can't think of a thing to buy him or her? Well, If gift giving has a name... it must be The Ultimate Fedora Collection exclusive DVD set and hat at Borders. I spied this baby at behind the checkout counter at my local Borders' today, and asked the kind clerk for a picture - sorry about the overhead glare - the box has the 4 disc Indy box set containing: Raiders, Temple, Crusade and Skull and comes with the Indiana Jones Fedora. Now the asking price on this was $109.00, and it had a 20% off sticker.

So just in case you don't have all the films yet on DVD (shame on you) and you want to watch them with a little extra head gear on... this Borders box set is just the ticket.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Review: Indiana Jones; The Soundtracks Collection
13/11/08, 1:50pm EST

John Williams is a genius.

Given that as a basis for listening to Indiana Jones: The Soundtracks Collection by Concorde Music Group prepares the listener by letting him/her know that everything that emerges from the speakers is a sheer pleasure. Having been a fan of Williams music since I was a kid in the summer of 1975 when the thought of going near any body of water whether it be a sink or a lake was always accompanied by the famed "Da-Dum-Da-Dum" of Jaws. The soundtrack of my mind has been populated by the famed Star Wars, Superman, Close Encounters, and so many other great collaborations between celluloid and sound by Mr. Williams that I cannot think of any movie going experience in the past thirty without instantly hearing a full orchestra. So, I was eager to unwrap the latest package from Amazon containing the great new collected soundtracks of all the Indy films, many not available on CD in years, and contains a great deal of unreleased pieces including a bonus interview disc with the Maestro, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.

Combine the energy of Williams with Indiana Jones and you have a match made in movie going heaven. As Williams explains on the great bonus CD that contains interviews conducted by Spielberg documentation, Laurent Bouzereau, the Indy films always felt like they were going "90 m.p.h. from beginning to end" and he rose to the occasion to create scores that match the Indy films scene for scene. Plus, discover the origins of the familiar "Raiders' March" that was a "two for the price of one" treat from John Williams to Steven Spielberg.

I took a few minutes to admire the great care and design that went into the packaging of this boxed set from the textured outer box with gold lettering to the fantastic CD artwork of each of the "MacGuffin" on their respective film scores. Each disc contains a booklet with images of the films, many not scene before, and a letter from Steven Spielberg talking about how Williams music drove that particular film, a list of all the musicians that performed on that soundtrack, and track listings. Any Indyfans will have a great time just flipping through the booklets and recalling the films and the scenes.

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Photos of the Indiana Jones: The Soundtracks Collection packaging.

Moving beyond the packaging, the big question is; "How do they sound?"

Fantastic. My favorite disc is the collection of previously unreleased material that is on the bonus interview disc that contains ten tracks, mostly from Temple and Crusade. With it cranked up to the number "11" button as I type this review, I am immersed in the world of Indiana Jones, albeit only in audio form, but what a world it is. From the complete otherworldly, and awe-inspiring music from the "Uncovering the Ark" to the pensiveness of "The Secret Passage" from Temple, I can almost feel the cool mist of the caverns that lie below Pankot Palace and the dread that waits around the next bend.

The strings, percussions, wind instruments and vocals that combine to add that layer of sound that almost felt it had come from Ben Burtt's sound effects group is the real "musical miracle" that John Williams' scores for the Indy films is what makes this set so great. The quality is so vibrant and may I say, "alive" that it has become it's own being or "force" of sound that transcends so many other film scores. The listener almost is felled to start "moving", as Williams points out on the interview CD. You want to start to accelerate and start searching for some hidden treasures. On a personal note; I always credit Williams' Last Crusade "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra" that was playing on my car cassette player way back in May 1998 when I was driving my wife, who was in labor, to the hospital and miraculously avoided the typical bumper to bumper early morning commuter traffic heading towards New York! We made it in to the delivery room and her water broke five minutes later, I remember the nurse commenting that I was lucky to make it just in the "nick of time" -(Thanks. Mr. Williams!)

I could go on for pages to describe how wonderful it is to finally have all of these Indiana Jones soundtracks available, but any Indy fan can tell you that. Indiana Jones: The Soundtracks Collection is a wonderful gift to fans of soundtracks, action films, Indiana Jones, and of course great music. Just listening to the familiar the triumphant trumpets of the "Raiders' March" will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. So, do your self a favor and put this one on your wish list and in your music library. As George Lucas says in the interview; "... I just sat back and watched great artist at work, from great directing, great writing to especially the great music. I didn't have to do anything but say "that's fantastic".

And by George, he's right!

Indiana Jones: The Soundtracks Collection is available now from Concord Music.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indy and the Army of the Dead Cover Art
17/11/08, 2:18pm EST

Book cover
Book cover.
2009 may not give us a new Indy film, but it will give Indy fans the chance to see the Man with the Hat back in action.

The new Indiana Jones novel that takes place before the events of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, has Indy alongside George "Mac" MacHale in a new adventure by author Steve Perry. The cover for this new book which we hope is the start of a new series of Indy novels will be out next Spring.

Source: Amazon.com

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

New Indy Books Hitting Shelves
19/11/08, 12:49pm EST

It seems that Indiana Jones is alive in well in the literary world with several new books showing upon Amazon.com besides next Spring's Indiana Jones and the Army of the Dead. From Dark Horse's Indiana Jones Adventures #2 to the new book based on the Top Trumps playing cards it seems Indy fans will be adding to their library. One of the newer Indy books is already available, except only in the UK apparently. The book The Greatest Adventures of Indiana Jones details the life of everyone's favorite archaeologist through photos ands and souvenirs collected through his life. Like a companion piece to The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones this book even features the wedding invitation of Marion and Indy's nuptials! Hopefully, one of a copy of one of this book will make its way "across the pond" to the States so I have it "in my hands".

Here are some links to the forthcoming Indy books:

Thanks to The Raven member 'Walker' and Les at ThrowMeTheIdol for the heads up.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Last Crusade ARTFX Going the Way of the Dodo
19/11/08, 12:56pm EST

As they say at the end of Bernard Malmud's classic, The Natural; "say it ain't so..." It looks like Hasbro isn't the only Indy tie-in merchandiser to throw in the the towel. ThrowMeTheIdol reports that Kotobukiya is not going forward with its line of ARTFX statues, and ending after the Temple of Doom piece currently shipping. Here's what Les a ThrowMeTheIdol received:

To our valued customers,

We are sorry to inform you that due to various reasons we have decided not to release the INDIANA JONES ARTFX THEATRE LAST CRUSADE, initially planned to be released this December.
We sincerely apologize to all our fans, customers and distributors for any inconvenience that we may have caused.

Sincerely,
Kotobukiya Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
International Sales and Marketing

Here's to hoping that like a bad penny, Indy toys and products start turning up again soon! Maybe when Indy 5 comes around!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Sideshow 12" Toht Figure Coming Soon
23/11/08, 4:54am EST

With the Sideshow 12" Indiana Jones showing up on doorsteps this week, what else could be cooler? How about a 12" Arnold Toht! That's right the evil that actor Ronald Lacey brought to life and then melted away into movie history will be up for pre-order soon. Here's hoping a 12" Mola Ram is not far behind.

Source: Sideshow Collectibles

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indiana Jones Masterpieces Sketchards
23/11/08, 5:15am EST

Topps' Indiana Jones Masterpieces cards will arrive in stores during the first week of December. Just in time for Christmas shopping.

Artist Patrick Schoenmaker has posted images of his batch of 50 new amazing sketchcards for the upcoming Indiana Jones Masterpieces set online on his The Trumpet Parade blog. Definitely worth checking out!

Posted by Gilles V

 

Sideshow 12" Toht Figure up for Order
02/12/08, 12:15pm EST

Sideshow Collectibles
Exclusive Toht with 12" Ark of the Covenant.
The bad guy Indyfans love to hate is now out in 12" figure form from Sideshow Collectibles with the exclusive version coming with a replica of the Ark of the Covenant. Here's what else Herr Arnold Toht comes with:

The Toht 12 inch Figure features:

  • 12-inch Prometheus male body with 30+ points of articulation
  • Authentic likeness of Ronald Lacey as Major Arnold Ernst Toht
  • Shirt
  • Pants
  • Tie
  • Jacket
  • Trench coat with belt
  • Shoes
  • Hat
  • Glasses
  • Switch-out melted portrait
  • Interchangeable gloved and ungloved hands
  • Interchangeable right hand with medallion burn
  • Luger pistol
  • Hot Poker
  • Collapsable coat hanger with chain
  • Display base with Indiana Jones logo
  • Sideshow Exclusive: Polystone Ark of the Covenant accessory

So if you have any interste in getting one of these babies head over to SideshowToys.com NOW!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

New Exclusive Short Round Bust by Gentle Giant
08/12/08, 10:00am EST

Have no fear Short Round is here! A new Entertainment Earth exclusive Gentle Giant Mini-Bust of everyone's favorite orphan... and we ain't talking Little Orphan Annie. It's Indy's brave sidekick from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom -- Short Round -- and he is up for pre-order right now and limited to only 2000!

See full details at Entertainment Earth.

Hold on to you potatoes!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Indiana Jones Trading Card for just $20,000
11/12/08, 11:00am EST

What's that you say? You have all the Indiana Jones action figures? Had your fill of Indy Mighty Muggs? Read all there is about the Man with the Hat? Crystalized your Skull by watching the latest Indy film too many times? But still need that something special for your collection, well if you don't want to spend big bucks on Belloq's Mercedes that is still up for bid how about something a little smaller but still worth a lot. Head on over to eBay to see what the going rate is for the Topps Tri-signature autograph card - containing the autographs of George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford.

Definitely something that will be the center point of any Indyfan collection.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Topps Tops Themselves with Indy Masterpieces Cards
16/12/08, 12:29pm EST

Indiana Jones Masterpieces
Advert for cards by
J. Scott Campbell.
If you every wanted to see what Indiana Jones and the classic scenes from the film series would look like when envisioned by the top illustrators in the field, your wait is over! Topps has just released their latest and the greatest of the Indiana Jones trading cards with a set that has Indy looking better than ever before. While previous sets included original sketch cards by the likes of Randy Martino, Joe Corroney and the cartoonish style of Jeff Chandler and Michael "Locoduck" Duron, those were randomly inserted and most fans were left searching eBay just to get a glimpse of the great art, and maybe even pay to own them.

This time the card set under the supervision of Topps "Top Man"; Creative Director; David Waldeck, is a full out celebration of great artwork by making every card have a depiction of Indy and his cast of characters. The set touches on depictions of key film scenes from the Indy tetralogy, and also expanded universe material from comic books, novels and even some video games. See Drew Struzan, such as the character portraits of Willie Scott, that was incorporated into the Temple of Doom B-Sheet, move onto Toht in the "Nazi Meltdown" to the whimsical "Where's Marion" by illustrator Laurie B. This set is not only a collection of great artwork, but produced on high quality, glossy card stock that enhances the colors in these images.

Indiana Jones Masterpieces
Indy Masterpieces cards.

In addition, what would a card set from Topps be without some specialty cards, and the Indiana Jones Masterpiece set doesn't disappoint with the aforementioned original sketch cards, a new type with a fold-out, panoramic sketch cards, and actor autographs. To see some of these without buying every case Topps put out, just take a search on eBay for "Indiana Jones sketch" and you will see hundreds of results -- many very pricey. One hopes that Topps will collect some, if not all of these sketches in a bound collection somewhere down the road, like they did years ago with the Star Wars Masterpieces/Visions set. At least an online checklist would be nice.The set also has printing plate cards and foil etched cards that can be combined to depict scenes from the Indy movies, rounding it all out is regular foil and parallel cards.

Each pack includes 7 cards per pack, I found them for 2.25 per pack, not a bad deal for seeing Indiana Jones in a whole new way!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Sideshow Premium Format Indiana Jones Figure
16/12/08, 12:34pm EST

When the call came from the United Parcel Service that I would be receiving a huge package, I knew it was time to clear the decks because the "Mother of All" Indiana Jones collectibles would be hitting my doorstep. Yes, since it's pre-order went up last April, and quickly had the exclusive version, limited to only 1000, disappear faster than a Nazca cemetery warrior, I had been waiting for this piece. Would it be worth the wait, more importantly, would it be worth the cost? After opening the box and taking off the packaging I can say in the words of Dr. Elsa Schneider, this Indiana Jones Premium Format Figure "doesn't disappoint".

The craftsmanship is simply amazing! If you were fortunate to see the prototype in person at a convention or maybe saw Brandon Kleyla's close-up inspection on his tour of Sideshow Collectibles in his documentary Indyfans, you knew this one was going to be something special. While I thought the Sideshow Indiana Jones 12" figure was something special when I saw all the accessories and the dead-on sculpt of Harrison Ford, I thought the Sideshow craftsman had hit their peak -- happily I was wrong.

At first glance when I opened the box and removed the Styrofoam packing the headless figure looked like Indy forgot that the Penitent man was humble before God (lost his head, get it?). But then I saw that there was two heads (hey I hear that's better than none -- some one stop the bad jokes). One with Fedora (not the guy from the Last Crusade -- I mean the hat) and one without. I put on Indy with hat, placed him on the pedestal modeled after the floor of the Chachapoyan Temple from the Peru scene at the opening of Raiders (this a Raiders version of Indy) and carefully added his coiled whip, placed the revolver in the holster (yes the detail even made sure the bullet holder on the revolver spins) and gave Indy his precious Idol. What Belloq once took away was now once again his!

The detail like I said is amazing from the teeth on the zipper to the wood grain on the handle of the gun. The material onthe leather jacket, shirt, pants and bag are all of top quality and don't seem thick and clunky because of their reduced size. Then there is the face sculpt, again detail down to the famous Harrison Ford scar. In fact, this statue/figure is so lifelike I almost expected it to ask me for a check for $25 million dollars for the rights to have it in my home.

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Both heads were sculpted by Trevor Grove.

Now the big question; "Is it worth the cost?"

Without a doubt this is the highlight of my collection and I am proud to display it all. In fact, if you had to choose a Gentle Giant Indy statue or mini-bust to this, hands down, spend the extra money and go the Sideshow route. Running a close second would be Sideshow's recent 12" figure, so if you are budget conscious - and who isn't in today's economy - I highly recommend the Premium Indiana Jones Statue from Sideshow Collectibles.

I have posted a bunch of images from the box to the close-up detail on my Photobucket album and some are featured along with this article. Also go to Sideshow's website and you can view some picture of the figure and a 360 degree Flash revolving display.

So, hopefully Santa or whatever particular gift-giving, or magical superstitious you hold dear, will be extra generous to the Indyfans out there and let them unwrap a very cool Indy this holiday.

Well done, Sideshow!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

Sallah and Shorty Together at Last
17/12/08, 1:06pm EST

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Shorty & Sallah Muggs.
If the arrival of the Sideshow Premium Indiana Jones statue wasn't impactful enough to my collection (and wallet - OUCH), along comes another package containing Indy goodies, this time from Entertainment Earth. It is the Entertainment Earth exclusive Sallah and Short Round Mighty Muggs from the now cancelled line of Indiana Jones Muggs from Hasbro. These two are great fun, though Short has his baseball cap (sans New York Yankee official logo - just an "N") is part of his head, while Sallah's fez comes off to reveal a receding hairline.

Priced as a set, this pair is a welcome sight to all those Indyfans who had hoped to see Indy's one time sidekicks back on screen, even if for a cameo at the wedding scene in this past summer's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Though Sallah is sculpted and bears no extra girth than the other figures, Short Round is appropriately shorter than the other Mighty Muggs, about the same size as my Yoda Mighty Mugg (I have to get out more).

So do yourself a favor and order these two guys and let Hasbro know there was still life left in the Indy Jones toy line!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

 

The Untold Adventures of Indiana Jones
22/12/08, 12:44pm EST

Young Indiana Jones fans now have something extra to look forward to next year as our hero makes a return in a series of "middle grade" fiction books named "Untold Adventures".
The books, due out in May, are named Indiana Jones and the Pyramid of the Sorcerer and Indiana Jones and the Mystery of Mount Sinai.

HarperCollins will be publishing them in the UK, and visit StarWars.com to check out the two novel covers. In the US, Scholastic will be publishing them with illustrated covers.

Thanks to Mitchell Hallock for the info.

Posted by Gilles V

 


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