League of Extraordinary Bloggers Weekly Theme: Things That Make You Go “Whoa.”

This week's topic: What media announcement had you throwing fist pumps and doing roundhouse kicks in the air? Did the final result live up to your dreams?

So, I sat here for a while trying to think about this week's theme, coming up empty, I then went about my day, occasionally checking in on the back burners of my noggin to see if anything was boiling yet, only to end up with zip.

As I thought back on my decades of fanboyism, one would think there is at least one time when I heel-clickingly jazzed about some upcoming comic, TV show, game or movie, but for the life of me, no moment particularly stood out. I mean, sure, as a kid I would work myself up into a frothing fervor over every little detail I could scavenge in the weeks before the releases of Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and I even remember a heart-thumping moment when that all-too familiar music kicked in on my first viewing of The Phantom Menace teaser, only to be quickly squashed as soon as I saw Jar Jar. 


But none of those moments had that certain punch that I was looking for. Then it hit me.

I do remember sitting in a theater one evening and feeling that jolt of electric excitement shoot right through my chest and pin me to my seat, to stare unblinking at the screen for a solid two minutes as I watched a familiar shadow place a fedora upon its head to the rising march of John William's score.

The thing that made me go "whoa", was the trailer to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Yes, yes... I can hear many of you groaning already. But hear me out.

I had been waiting for another Indiana Jones movie for 20 years, and like many fans, had given up all hope of ever seeing one. But the giant stone ball started rolling and I was on board immediately, and by the time I saw the trailer, I was poised to willingly go on whatever adventure Lucas and Spielberg had in store for us. That single teaser trailer was more exciting to me than all of the Star Wars prequels combined and I would end up watching it countless times in the weeks leading up to its release.

Now for the big question; Did it hold up?

Well, for me at least, it sure did.

I know all too well how the rest of the planet (or at least the pedantic pontiffs of internet nitpickery) hated every single second of the film, but I have to declare right here and now that I absolutely love this movie and as god as my witness, I honestly feel that this was a brilliant addition to the Indiana Jones mythos. It had everything that I expected; uniformed bad guys, musty crypts, supernatural artifacts, edge-of-your-seat chase scenes, sword fights, cracking bullwhips and, of course, fedoras.

I listened to all the hate towards this movie and for the life of me couldn't see that point of view. What did people expect? Alien skulls are no more far fetched than magical glowing stones or, for god's sake, the actual Holy Grail. And quite frankly, I thought Shia did a great job. He was a hell of a lot better, or at least less annoying, than Short Round. In fact, I defy anyone to prove to me that Temple of Doom was any less silly than Crystal Skull.

So there it is. My first viewing of this trailer knocked my socks off. And so did the movie and I don't care who knows it. In fact, I want nine more Indiana Jones movies! And when they eventually make Mutt Williams and the Mystery of the Sphinx's Nose, I'll be there, bullwhip in hand, slapping down my hard earned cash for a ticket, then carefully straightening my fedora before entering the theater.

Okay, I'm kidding about the fedora part. I look stupid in hats.

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Collection Dump! Kenner Indiana Jones Edition!

Next to Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark was pretty much the greatest movie I had ever seen. When my mom told me we were going to see it, I thought it was a movie about Noah's Ark, and I begged for her to not make me sit through some stupid bible movie. But she promised me there would be skeletons and snakes and sword fights (I guess she saw some previews) and that it had Han Solo in it and after that little tidbit of information, I was in.

Thank the gods. Because I just don't know what my life would have been like without that bullwhip wielding archeologist striking such a major chord in me and sparking a furious lust for adventure within my young, impressionable heart.

So it goes without saying that I loved the toys as a kid, too. However, I never had many of them. Just Indy and Toht, actually. But that didn't stop me from sending my Indy on tons of adventures usually involving digging up this plastic mummy sarcophagus I has with an awakened Warduke (from LJN's Dungeons & Dragons line) waiting inside. (But I've told that story over and over.)

A while back, I managed to score several mint figures in the original Kenner Indiana Jones collection, but never got around to showing off a couple of other, namely Salah and Toht, that I got from our good friend Colin from Super-Duper Toybox. Thanks Colin!

Anyway, since I was rearranging the Nerdatorium and taking pics of stuff in my collection, I thought I'd take a moment and post these pics for all to enjoy. So... you know... enjoy.

One of these days, I'll get around to getting the rest in this collection. But some of it is so rare, I'll probably have to coordinate a dig in Egypt to find them.

"Throw me the idol! I'll throw you the whip!" The Rest of My ROTLA Haul...

On Monday, I posted a video blog in which I revealed my new beloved, near-mint and complete 1982 Indiana Jones action figure. I also mentioned that I got him in a lot of four vintage ROTLA figures, and it's high time I showed them off (after all, this has turned into an impromptu "Indiana Jones Week" here on the blog). So, without further ado...

The fist figure in this lot, is the dreaded Cairo Swordsman! Made famous by his amazing sword twirling displays and his even more amazing getting shot abilities. I never had this one as a kid, and always wanted to re-enact the famous scene where Indy pops a cap in this chump, and now a life-long dream has come true.

Next up is the somewhat rare mail-away Belloq in Ceremonial Robes, from the infamous "I wouldn't open that if I were you" scene at the end of the movie. Looking at this figure, it strikes me that, for their time, these figures were astonishingly well made, with their cloth outfits and extra detailed accessories. Al of that, combined with a little extra articulation, made me wonder if the designers at Kenner had just a bit more love in their hearts for this line over the much more popular Star Wars figures.

Just look at Belloq bellow. For 1982, this was practically a work of art.

And the third, and most cherished, figure in this lot, is the lovely and courageous Marion Ravenwood. I had never even seen this figure in real life before, until it arrived in the mail last week. As a kid, desperate for ROTLA toys, which seemed to be impossible to find (despite many claims I have heard of these toys warming the pegs of toy stores all over the country and many being clearanced or destroyed due to low sales), I often wistfully gazed at a picture from a toy catalog of the Well of Souls playset, with Indy swinging on his whip, holding tight to Marion as they attempt their escape from the slithering floor of this musty tomb.

Alas, I never did get a Marion figure, and it's probably just as well. With her lacy dress and frilly panties (yes, I checked), this figure is dangerously close to a "doll" and having a doll-like girl figure back then could have been social suicide on my block.

But I have one now, and I don't care who knows it!

And of course, no Marion Ravenwood figure would be complete without her trusty (no he's not) and lively (not after eating that date) little monkey.

So, there they are; my budding collection of complete Raiders of the Lost Ark figures! I'm sure you will not be surprised to hear that I'm now considering getting the rest of the figures from this line. I mean, I've already got two of the hardest ones to find! So, now I have my own quest to go on. Which will probably call for far less tarantulas. I hope.

Thanks for reading and I hope you all enjoyed "Indiana Jones Week!"

Random Toy Pic #13

(So... it looks like this is going to be Indiana Jones week. Enjoy.)