Fingers numb after pumping gas, they led me to Salvation Army as if I didn't have a choice. I didn't plan on going but when you get one of those feelings, you gotta follow it. The place was packed, I actually had to park at KFC and walk over, as if my hands weren't cold enough out there in the single digits as it was. I headed straight for the toy section, like always, though I haven't been to Salvation Army in months. I immediately spotted the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Party Wagon Attack Van for only $2. I thought about grabbing it but wasn't sure if it was actually the 1988 model or one of the many later ones I see at every thrift store. The wheels looked vintage though. While thinking about it, on the floor, in a cardboard box with tape across the top, I spotted the eye and its purple lid. It took only a millisecond to figure out what I was looking at. My heart began pounding in my chest. Could it be? It couldn't. No. But it was. The motherf***ing Technodrome!
As a kid, my friend had it, he had all the cool playsets, in fact, it was the same friend who collected Power Rangers I mentioned in an earlier post. Even as I grew out of the Turtles, I still wanted that spherical piece of awesomeness on wheels. It's been one of my holy grail pieces for quite some time now, one I never thought I'd actually own. I grabbed that box so fast my hands practically burst through it, I think it's got burn marks now. Six dollars. Six. If you're not familiar, this thing is worth $150. I didn't care if it had its parts, all I really need is the shell for display. On top of that, there was a ziploc bag inside with what I assumed were some of the pieces but who cares. I went back and grabbed the Party Wagon too because why not. And this makes up for that time the redneck momma got her grubby little mitts on all those bags of vintage Ninja Turtles before I did. I got the freakin' Technodrome! I didn't even care that I had to wait in a long ass line. There's a possibility I ruined my underwear in all the excitement.
From there I made my way over to Goodwill but didn't find anything, almost couldn't get a parking spot there either. January and February used to be the quiet time around here but those days seem to be over. Then onto the Bangor Market Bazaar to hit up Northeast Collectibles again. I've been thinking about the WWE Classics Sunny and MOTU 200x Tri-Klops all week. Do I have them both? Yes, but I needed a second. Let me explain. Oh and I also picked up a vintage TMNT Bebop figure to go along with my other new Turtles toys.
So, first, Sunny. I got her WWE Classics figure the second it arrived at the store. I was working at Toys R Us at the time it came out. I would've grabbed two but the female figures were always short packed, sometimes every other case but luckily we got one. Since I only had one, I kept her in package. I think it's safe to say that Sunny is the first girl I ever, ahem, you know, to a picture of. And even though the figure is amazing, I was always disappointed she wasn't in her original Bodydonnas attire. So I later bought a second one back in my customizing years without her Legion Of Doom flame gear. Shortly after, I moved away from making customs so my out of package Sunny is just standing there in her black bra and panties, not that I mind. I now finally have her in her ring gear, and who knows, maybe I'll get around to painting my other one someday.
As far as Tri-Klops from the 200x Masters Of The Universe line goes, I have him in package and out, I even have the Snakemen series repaint. So what could I possibly need another one for? First of all, shut up, he was only $2 and he's in excellent condition so leave me alone. Second, I swear, I'll get back to making customs someday, and when I do, I'm going to be grateful I got him. Once upon a time, I had big plans for the 200x series, I wanted to do every character there was. I think I made about 10 but one day I'll get back to it. I also wanted to do a Beastmaster line of figures using the 200x MOTU toys. Not the movie, no, the TV show that ran for three seasons. My wife and I love that show and I planned on making all the main characters in plastic form. So, see, I actually need a few Tri-Klops's, which means next time I see one, I'll probably buy him again.
And on to Bebop, released in wave one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles back in 1988. I had the whole wave, plus most of the second, and the third, and the fourth. And then I got too old for them. They sat around in a bin for fifteen years until I eventually needed the money and sold them all. And then I regretted it. Good news is, I don't want all of the figures I once had, just my favorites. And all the main characters while we're at it. And hey, now he has a cool rolling globe with a giant eyeball to hang out in.
If you're anywhere near the Bangor area, you really need to check this place out. The guys at Northeast Collectibles are great and the amount of stuff they manage to cram into their two booths is incredible. A whole bin of Turtles, one of wrestling figures, MOTU, Thundercats, their $2 bins, comic books, Pop Vinyls, video games, sports cards, custom artwork, they have a little bit of everything. I didn't plan on going again next week but there's a few figures I can't stop thinking about and I have a feeling I'll be going back again.
I wanted to hit up Walmart but the area was just too busy and there's no way I'd be able to take a left out of there so I said screw it and headed on over to Brewer. First stop, Walmart. I was hoping the new set of WWE Retros would be out and maybe even the new Transformers Siege series Megatron I've been searching everywhere for. But I stepped into the toy aisle and spotted something I didn't expect to find, Masters Of The Universe Mega Construx series 4 Evil-Lyn. I never even saw series 3, I ended up finding my Faker figure at Goodwill right before Christmas. But there she was. And then, on the peg beside her, tucked away in the back, Man-At-Arms. Sweet! I had no clue they were even released yet. And already, that set was close to gone.
As I snapped a picture for the blog, I noticed something on the bottom shelf. The Wind Raider! The Wind Raider vehicle set that I was beginning to think would never hit the shelves! Oh my god, I grabbed it along with my two figures, happy as a pig in s**t. They had three pegs for the WWE Retros but they were all empty and I didn't even care, I got my MOTU Mega Construx. I think I just mentioned in one of my blog posts how I hadn't heard any more about the Wind Raider or the figure five pack and wondered if they were still coming out. No five pack but it is pictured on the back of the Wind Raider.
And then, a few feet down the aisle, Transformers Siege, The War For Cybertron. They arrived. And almost completely sold out. The pegs were almost bare, the shelves were practically empty. Except for one leader class figure. Megatron! They had him! And wow, what a thing of beauty he is. A little smaller than I'd expected but the packaging is phenomenal, I love the color scheme. I intended to take him out of package but now I'm not so sure. There were still a couple of the figures the next size down and a few of the small ones, based on the Action Masters sidekicks. But that section was wiped the hell out. I finally got my War For Cybertron Megatron. I took quite a few trips to Walmart and Target looking for this figure, he was worth the wait. What a thing of beauty.
On my way out I took a trip down the clearance aisle and came across a couple Mega Construx MOTU Beat Man figures for $2.50, so I picked up one of those too. Yes I already have him. And I have no excuses, I don't need a second one. I guess I'll take him out of package. He'll be alone though and then I'll have to get other duplicates to take out of package and... this isn't good, I think I just created a monster. So, four MOTU Mega Construx and a Megatron later, $60 worth of toys and a smile on my face, I was done at Walmart. Maybe it's a good thing the Retros were sold out already, or perhaps haven't arrived yet, because my total would have crept up another $20.
I stopped at the Brewer Goodwill but nothing I wanted there so it was on to my last stop of the day, Mardens. I've been wanting to go back since the last time I was there and picked up those MOTU and Thundercats Loyal Subjects blindbox figures for Christmas. This time I wasn't there minutes before closing so I got to take my time and look around. The amount of toys there right now is unbelievable. Nothing new since last time but wow. They had a Star Wars Tie fighter, the big black one, for $60. They had an endcap of Pop Vinyls. The modern Technodrome along with a bunch of Turtles, even those WWE / TMNT crossover figures. They had WWE basics and Elites, Star Wars, Marvel and DC figures, so much good stuff. They also just had a buyout of some book/movie/music store so they are loaded right now with tons of DVDs, CDs and books from childrens to young adult to adult novels and nonfiction, definitely worth checking out, 60% of retail price.
I ended up grabbing two of the MOTU Loyal Subjects. They're still $9, as are the Thundercats ones, which is kind of pricey considering you don't know who you're getting. One of them was opened, I peaked inside to see it was Man-E-Faces who I didn't particularly want so I didn't take that one. I grabbed my two and called it good, hating myself a little. I should wait until they drop in price but they may not drop in price, man I suck. Well, I ended up with a Man-E-Faces anyway, kinda knew that would happen. But you know what, this figure is pretty cool. The detail is amazing, his faces even turn just like the original toy. And I also got Man-At-Arms. Not the two I would have chosen but they both look amazing, my first good guys. That puts me at six total, for a series of figures I didn't plan on collecting. Oops.
When I got home, after eating a quick lunch because I was starving, I opened up the Salvation Army box to check out my holy grail piece, the Technodrome. It is as spectacular as I remember. And pretty close to complete too. When I opened it, I was surprised to find most of its parts inside, and even a Krang figure. Then I checked out the ziploc bag a little closer. It turned out to be one of the large size bags chock full of figures and accessories, it coulb barely close. Six figures to be exact, and tons of weapons. Weapons I needed for the figures I've recently added to my collection. It's crazy, I now have parts for General Traag, Slash, Tokka, Triceraton, Mutagen Man, even the Bebop figure I just got today. And on top of all the weapons for figures I don't need, I came across weapons for a few that I do, including all the original series 1 figures, I'm talking the Turtles, Splinter, Rocksteady, Foot Soldiers, plus some of the weapons for one of my all time favorites I still need, Chrome Dome. I really hit the jackpot here.
And the figures in the bag, oh man; Mutating Raphael and Donatello, Mutating Rocksteady, Road Ready Mutations Donatello. I've never been a fan of mutating/transforming figures but the Raph and Don ones are kinda cool, think I'll keep 'em until I get regular versions to replace them. But the real gems, aside from the Krang inside the Technodrome, are an original Shredder. He's in rough shape but that's fine, I was planning on making a custom out of him at some point so this beat-up one will be perfect. And the real prize, for me at least, Scale Tail. I never had him as a kid, but he looks insane. He was actually on my list of figures to get but I put him at the bottom because he goes for about $40 with his weapons. Which it turns out I have most of thanks to my big bag of treasures. I have his guns so I'm only missing his whip and backpack but honestly I don't care, I would have bought him without any accessories had I ever come across him in my travels. And considering I didn't even know I was getting any figures in this box, I am shocked I came across such a great find.
This might be my best haul ever, from the MOTU and Megatron at Walmart to the Technodrome and bonus Turtles at Salvation Army. Hands down, my best Salvation Army find ever. The $8 I spent is easily worth well over $200, not that I plan on selling most of it. And for Walmart, I think my level of excitement for the toys I found today rivals that of the time two years ago when I got all of the WWE Retro series 1 figures, and then a year later when I found series 2. I still can't believe I got all this stuff, I'm never lucky enough to be the one to find deals like that. The toy gods smiled down on me today. Really, they have been since Christmas, and I couldn't be happier.
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