The Hobbit: Toys and Customs

Hello all!

I am back! No game news, for the few of you that are interested. However, I walked into my local Big W, which I assume, is like a Wal-mart in the U.S.A. They had all the figures from the 3 3/4" line of the  The Hobbit from the Bridge Direct with the exception of the Goblin King and Thorin, Fimbul and Warg and Bolg and 'Battle Damaged' Gandalf. Since then I have aquired Bolg and Gandalf and am waiting for a Few Warg sets and the Goblin King from Bigbadtoystore. Oh I'm also waiting for the final three Voltron Lions, I'll put up a review when they arrive. If you want to see the previous reviews see behind the times.

Now I was going to do a Review of all of them (The Hobbit figures). However, I'm a little tired. I may do it another day. The few things I will say, is that:

Likes

-Great Detail
-Good Articulation, just as good or better as the first of the Toy Biz LOTR line. Still better, much, much better than Mattel's Voltron figures
-Removable weapons
-The scale, for years I wished that they would released LOTR figures in this scale!

Dislikes
- For some of them the 'clothes' are restrictive, which means that they can not use the articulation below, this is particularly true of Legolas and Kili, I had to make so 'strategic' cuts to remedy this
-Some of the paint application could be better
-a few of the accessories don't fit in their hands to well, again this is an issue with Legolas, his bow is too fat for his hands
-There aren't enough of them available at the moment!

Below you'll find some pictures of the figures themselves. However, what I am very happy about are some Goblin customs and Dol Guldur Orcs I've been working on. I purchased a few of the 'Grinnah' figures and decided to build up my Goblin army, I used some modelling putty to make a few changes, I modelled them after some images that I have seen online. The Dol Guldur orcs are based on Bolg and on a LOTR Sam in or amour. Keep in mind that the flash of the camera makes the figures look lighter than what they actually are: I would really appreciate some feedback as I'm not sure I'll be posting these any where else.

THE BRIDGE DIRECT STUFF

The Unexpected Party. Left to Right, Back to Front: Fili, Thorin, Kili (mini Aragorn), Dwalin, Bilbo, Gandalf and Balin

Legolas (see the chunky bow) and Tauriel

In battle

Riddles in the Dark

Invisible Bilbo (I'm told it's an OZ exclusive)

Two Bilbos and Two Gandalfs (battle damaged on the left)

THE CUSTOMS

GOBLINS

Now as far as I'm aware Tolkien pretty much stated that Goblins and Orcs were the same thing. I have always thought of them as different since my Warhammer days. I had hoped that the Goblins would look like those from The Fellowship of the Ring. But the more I see of these the more I like them. The Goblins below are all 'Grinnah' figures, I used some modelling clay and some paint to modify them, I added tumors and what not, where I could, some of them look really gross!

The Goblins! Note the one on the lower Left's head comes from a Toy Biz LOTR figure, I believe it came with Sam Gamgee.

Damaged ear and Tumors

DOL GULDUR ORCS

From what I've read on the web, the Orcs from Dol Guldur include Azog and Bolg. Oh the controversy this has caused! I'm actually looking forward to the whole Necromancer sub-plot. Anyway, so far these Orks (I think this is the plural form) are described as being pale. Now I've noticed that Orcs and Goblins in these films are on the 'lighter' side skin tone wise. I don't know if that's because of all the controversy of the Orcs being of 'darker' skin tone in the previous films. Either way, I like the idea of different types of Orcs existing in middle earth. When the Warg sets arrive I'll be making more customs. These Warg riders are confusing me, in the book they come from the Misty Mountain, so technically they should look like the goblins above, they set out to avenge their king. I think Jackson is making them servants of Azog, so they must come from Dol Guldur, even though Azog origninally ruled Moria and was replaced by Bolg when Dain Ironfoot decapitated him! See what I mean, confusing. I guess I'll have to wait 'til the film!

This Orc is based on Bolg (obviously)

The helmet is from the Sam in Orc Disguise figure

The body is from the Sam in Orc Disguise figure and the head is from a BBI Goblin figure

Well this is it for now, got a few more customs on the way, currently working on a Necromancer, not The Necromancer. Like I said before, I will appreciate feedback.