NECA’s Mego-style 8-bit Jason Voorhees.
Remember last year’s SDCC exclusive Jason Voorhees figure? You know, the “8-bit” one? Of course you do.
…but unless you’re a serious Friday the 13th fan, here’s something you probably don’t know: That figure started a minor revolution. I touched on this in my last Monster-Mania report, but my friend John has the story in much greater detail. “8-bit Jason” has taken the horror world by storm, and as if from nowhere, seeing Jason Voorhees with a blue mask and purple skin has become nearly as common as seeing him the “right” way.
For years, Jason’s screwy look in the old Nintendo game was something people made fun of. How couldn’t they? Why did they make Jason blue and purple, anyway?
But these days? Forget it. As strange as it sounds, that look has become a beloved part of his lore.
So of course I was going to be all over this new figure, again from NECA. Everyone went berserk when the news broke a short while back. With nary a peep, NECA and Toys “R” Us teamed for another 8-Bit Jason figure, this time in a larger “Mego” style. (If you’re unfamiliar with Mego’s ancient exploits, the toys they made were essentially blends of “dolls” and “action figures.”)
This new Jason is a TRU exclusive, and after checking multiple stores multiple times on multiple days, I found zip. I’m not sure exactly how many of the figures were produced, but early on, they were obviously being gobbled up by dealers. Who could blame them? For the first week or so, the toys were selling for triple their retail price on eBay.
Eventually, TRU put the figures online. Never before had my fingers typed a credit card number so fast. (It’s sold out as of this writing, but since New Purple Jason doesn’t seem to be as rare as was initially feared, I’d advise against paying eBay rates. Just keep looking!) Read More…
I found some neat old Halloween JUNK.
One of my favorite Halloween activities is raiding old pharmacies and random variety stores, hoping to score some ancient spooky treasure. I’ve been running Halloween Countdowns since 2003, and lemme tell ya, a LOT of my material came from places like those.
Over the weekend, I hit the jackpot. An oddball bric-a-brac shop had tons of Halloween junk for sale. Just a huge variety at dirt cheap prices. In tonight’s video, I show off five of my favorite finds…
Enjoy.
(I had to shoot that video twice. Some kind of memory card error turned today into my personal hell. But I guess that’s Halloweeny in its own way?)
I’m sure most of you have similarly wackadoo stores nearby. If you never pay attention to them, this is the time of year to start. If you rely too heavily on the big chains, you’re just gonna end up with the same shit everyone else has. These weirder stores are your chance to build a truly unique collection of Halloween nonsense.
Thanks for watching! I’m going to collapse now! Read More…
Pumpkin Pie Toaster Strudel!
Posting content on Labor Day is instant internet death, but I can’t shake the feeling that there are exactly three of you dying to read 800 words about Toaster Strudel, now and now specifically. I won’t let you down!
So, let’s give a warm welcome to Pumpkin Pie Toaster Strudel! It’s a new flavor from Pillsbury, and just one of 2014’s billion new “Halloween foods” that pay tribute to pumpkins. (Seriously, it’s a huge year for pumpkins. Regular pumpkins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, pumpkin EVERYTHING. Nobody knows what the 2014 Halloween season will ultimately be remembered for, but judging by what we’ve seen so far, it’s gotta be the pumpkin invasion.)
I only notice Toaster Strudel when it gets wacky for the holidays, and in fact, the last time I purchased a box was around this time last year, when Pillsbury came out with that Caramel Apple flavor. I’ll beat this horse until its blue in the muzzle, but this is exactly why I love Halloween so much. For two full months, the mundane is made miraculous. All I did was buy Toaster Strudel, and here I am, feeling like I’m recounting the tale of some wild party. Read More…
The Bud Light Lime APPLE-AHHH-RITA!
We’re barely into the season, but if you look hard enough, many new Halloween edibles are already out there! With Halloween’s worth relying so heavily on spooky foods never seen before, it’s great to see so many different companies jumping on the skull train.
One of my early favorites is the brand new Bud Light Lime APPLE-AHH-RITA, an apple-infused “margarita with a twist” that will only be available during the fall. (And I guess the end of summer, too.)
Last year’s Cran-Brrr-Ritas were a big hit, and I’m happy to report that these continue the streak. Here’s a four minute video detailing everything you need to know about Bud Light Lime Apple-Ahhh-Ritas, along with some things you probably didn’t.
Remember to drink them cold. I can’t stress that enough. (Oh, and because a few of your asked, yes, these taste somewhere in the realm of “alcoholic cider.”) Read More…