Arcade Sushi editor-in-chief Luke Brown is an experienced video game journalist who has contributed to Official Xbox Magazine and Games Radar. As ComicsAlliance's senior editor, he spends most of his time dishing on the latest action figures, collectibles, and gaming trends.
Luke Brown
This Millennium Falcon Is the Biggest LEGO Set in History
In addition to announcing a boatload of new LEGO Star Wars products coming to tie into Force Friday II, LEGO finally revealed the rumored revamp of its Ultimate Collector Series Millennium Falcon set. Originally released in 2007, the Millennium Falcon set was one of the most sought-after LEGO vehicles ever sold. In the last 10 years however, it's been impossible to find at a fair price. Now on the verge of the ninth proper Star Wars film release, LEGO is releasing an all-new take on the Falcon that is not only the largest set ever released, it's also frighteningly amazing.
LEGO Opens Up Force Friday With New ‘The Last Jedi’ Sets
Tonight at midnight, Star Wars fans around the globe will have the first opportunity to purchase all new toys and collectibles based on The Last Jedi during Force Friday II. The new retail tradition for Lucasfilm and Disney debuted in September 2015, and this year’s event promises to be even more of a spectacle given two years of additional build-up and hype for The Last Jedi. Partners like Funko and Hasbro will have their fair shares, but it’s LEGO’s offerings, including a massive BB-8, that have us lamenting looking at our bank accounts tomorrow morning the most.
Supergirl and Spider-Man Team For LEGO’s SDCC 2017 Exclusives
Last year, LEGO introduced Brick Headz to the world at San Diego Comic-Con, and the blockified-character building kits have been a staple of the company's release slate ever since. The line is still relatively small in comparison to LEGO's other vehicle and building playsets, but that Brick Headz are seeing continued support is great for LEGO fans working on a budget. This year's Comic-Con exclusives bring two more of the biggest heroes in the DC and Marvel universes to life in special two-packs focused on Supergirl and Spider-Man.
Madden NFL 18 Takes a Chance on a Longshot [Preview]
The annual release schedule for Madden NFL has typically left the development team at EA Sports with little room for improvements beyond technical adjustments to the way we play on the gridiron. However, with Madden NFL 18, the game isn't just switching engines from the sports-focused Ignite to the DICE-developed Frostbite, it's also taking some calculated risks with new gameplay elements. As much as the Madden-head in me is interested in the physics and football-related improvements Frostbite is bringing, it's the new single-player story mode that has my attention.
Hot Toys‘ ’Spider-Man: Homecoming‘ Figures Do Whatever a Spider Can
The action figure world has no shortage of Spider-Man toys, as the webslinger has been on shelves continually since the Mego era in the ‘70s. However, not all Spider-toys are created equal. For every figure you wouldn't mind your kid taking into the bath or on a play date, there is an opposing iteration that you’d rather keep secured in a windowed display case that children under the age of eight would have a hard time opening. That former category are the kind of Spider-Man figures these new Hot Toys pieces fall under.
Hasbro’s Steve Evans Reflects on 40 Years of ‘Star Wars,’ And Looks to The Black Series Future
We hit up Steve Evans, director of design and development for Hasbro's Star Wars series, to talk about Hasbro's 40th Anniversary figures, the return of the Vintage Collection, and what lies ahead for the Star Wars Black Series.
The Empire Strikes Back: Everything We Know About Star Wars Battlefront II
Nearly every major bit of media based in the Star Wars universe has focused on the Rebellion's fight against the evil Empire, or its successor, the First Order. This fall, EA studios DICE, Motive and Criterion will show us the other side of the coin in Star Wars Battlefront II. This fall's shooter sequel invites inside the inner ranks of the Empire as it attempts to push back against the Rebellion in the wake of the Battle of Endor.
Batman: Arkham VR Review (PlayStation 4)
Though Rocksteady Studios' Batman: Arkham series has already allowed us to feel how great it is to fight as Batman, Batman: Arkham VR literally puts you inside the cowl for the first time. It's so many dreams come true.
Harley Quinn and Joker Are Way Creepier as Nendroids Somehow
Somehow, Good Smile found a way to make Jared Leto's Suicide Squad Joker even more of a creep than he was on screen. I'm not even sure how that's possible considering all the ridiculous things we know about Leto and his Joker, but they did it. This is the kind of thing that happens when you try to chibi-fy deranged sociopaths though. They come out of the wash looking even weirder for wear.
While the Harley Quinn doesn't fare quite as poorly in her transition to Nendoroid form, it's still a little bit weird having a cutesy girl that looks like a cherubish child in hot pants and a belly shirt. Some things that works for more realistic action figures just don't make the leap as clearly for the Nendoroid form. That doesn't mean Good Smile won't try though.
Who Ya Gonna Find on Toy Shelves? The New Ghostbusters
Unless you stockpiled up on Real Ghostbusters toys back in the '80s when the cartoon first ran, it's been a challenge to lock down Ghostbuster toys. Mattel's efforts to celebrate the 30th anniversary with a new line was a great idea in theory, but the execution was supremely lacking. It was impossible to find most of the figures made available, and Mattel's subscription service to get the figures out wasn't exactly met with open arms by the masses. Other companies have jumped in to the fill the void for the classic film, but there was reason to be concerned about Mattel's plans for the all-female Ghostbusters reboot/remake arriving later this year.
That's why it came as such a surprise when director Paul Feig intimated there would indeed be action figures coming. It was even more of a surprise when he dropped the first picture of the four leading ladies rocking proton packs this week on Twitter. At a time when there's a bit of unease between consumers and manufacturers over the way female figures are made available and sold at retail, seeing this kind of support for Ghostbusters months in advance of the film's release bodes well. That is, if Mattel can actually deliver consistently this time around.