Back when I was a kid, my dad used to get me issues of Quest magazine, a partworks magazine collection about science published by Marshall Cavendish. If you are unfamiliar with the term partworks, it basically means a written publication, released as a series of planned magazine-like issues over time. In the case of Quest, each issue can be separated into separate topics and stored inside binders with colour coded sections. The complete collection, consisting of 3 binders of collected issues, is somewhat like an encyclopedia on science.

I noticed a new partworks collection yesterday at the local Borders, called the DC Comics’ Super Hero Collection. It sounds tacky and while it comes with the pre-requisite magazine (and the binder is coming in Issue 2….I think), each issue comes with a hand-painted, lead-cast collector’s edition figurine of the featured superhero! In the case of Issue 1, which is on the newsstands now, the featured superhero none other than my favourite, Batman.

The magazine portions details the character, the greatest Batman stories, the supporting characters and the genesis of the idea in creating Batman, it’s nothing much if you have something like The Essential Batman Encyclopedia (which I do, having bought it for a song), but if you don’t it’s an OK primer to the Dark Knight. The star of the issue is definitely the figurine. I’m keeping in in-box (took off the shrink-wrapped, but never gone to the business of setting the little guy free from his plastic confines), and I think it’s pretty well worth the money.

DC Comics’ Super Hero Collection is a bi-weekly release. The first issue is now at an introductory price of RM 19.90, subsequent issues will have a price tag of RM 29.90.  If you were to ask me, I would say the magazine is worth buying for the figurine alone. Looks like I’ve to add this to the budget, in addition to the other two magazines that I buy on a regular basis, EDGE and Retro Gamer.

Did you know that Nintendo first started off as a company producing playing cards back in 1889? They still do and now they have just released several Mario-themed playing cards. There are three sets available, each going for USD 14.90. Each of these set depict Mario and gang through their various stages of evolution, from the dot-graphics era to that of the refined 3D look on the Nintendo Wii.

In each set, Mario plays the role of King, while King Koopa (Bowser) is the Joker, with many other popular characters are featured in the rest of the cards. Playing poker will never be the same again as I’ll be tempted to say 1UP instead of raise.

Check out the sets below as well as the product shots:

• Mario Trump Playing Cards – Dot Version ~ Click here for purchase information
• Mario Trump Playing Cards – Standard Version ~ Click here for purchase information
• Mario Trump Playing Cards – Neo Version ~ Click here for purchase information

This is just too cool, Kaiyodo has released its latest Revoltech Sci-Fi Series action figure and it’s no other than the Dark Knight himself, Batman! I saw this over the weekend at a toy store and while it’s going for USD 36.60, Play-Asia is actually selling it at a lower price of just USD 29.90. Interested? Click here to get him now!

Batman the Dark Knight has flown his way to the Revoltech studios. Modeled after the two newest movies, the hero of Gotham City is now an action figure ready to guard your collection of toys. With 16 joints installed in his body and 3 in his mantle, you can recreate many more scenes, such as the flying moves and all the fight poses.

The package comes with the Dark Knight’s handy tools: the grappling gun and the Batarang and optional face parts. Remove his mask part and put Bruce Wayne face onto the figure to create the scenes where Batman reveals himself.

These new Bioshock 2 Action Figures from Neca look to be pretty cool. There are even a pair of Little Sisters which in my book look like creepy little things from Children of the Corn:

So moving clockwise from the upper left corner:

• Bioshock Series 2 Action Figure: Little Sister and Young Eleanor (USD 19.90) ~ Comes with ADAM syringe and one small Big Daddy Doll ~ Click here for details
• Bioshock Series 2 7″ Action Figure:Ladysmith Splicer (USD 19.90) ~ Comes with a removable mask, tommy gun and a rolling pin ~ Click here for details
• Bioshock Series 2 7″ Action Figure: Exclusive Big Daddy Elite Bouncer (USD 24.90) ~ Click here for details
• Bioshock Series 2 7″ Action Figure: Big Daddy Rose (USD 24.90) ~ Click here for details

These took a while but the two Metroid Prime figurines or should I say collectibles by US-based First4Figures, are now out and are available for purchase. First you have the Metroid Prime – Zero Suit Samus Statue, a 24 cm, hand cast and hand painted limited-edition polystone figurine with just 2500 units released worldwide. Each of these comes individually numbered and comes with an Authenticity Card. Price tag? Just short of USD 100 at USD 99.90.

This version is based on the Zero Suit seen at the end of Metroid Prime 2 Echoes. First 4 Figures has used the official game files in order to create an extremely accurate recreation of the Zero Suit. She comes armed with her signature pistol and has curves in all the right places! I’ve got no doubt that this would be the star in an all-glass cabinet. Interested? Click here for details but not before seeing what’s next.

Next up is the Metroid Gunship Series Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Gunship model. The total height of this thing is 11.5 inches with the base included and like the Zero Suit Samus statue, this is a limited edition hand cast and hand painted item with just 750 units released worldwide. The model has been painstakingly recreated from original game files to bring about the most accurate representation of Samus Aran’s gunship from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

There are over 50 LED lights throughout the model. On the actual gunship, the windscreen and the four engines at the back all light up. When you turn off the lights, the LEDs very slowly turn off with a fading light effect. On the base, there are LEDs that create a circle light movement. Sounds pretty cool eh? Click here for further details

I like nice surprises, and one of them includes having 2 t-shirts arrive via mail today thanks to the kind folks over at WearYourBeer.com. The two t-shirts that arrived feature their latest video game related designs, one being God of War and the other, Pac-Man.

The God of War Cronos Red T-Shirt is an officially licensed t-shirt featuring yellow God of War designs on the front and back of the shirt. Likewise, the Pac-Man Rehab Ghosts Navy Tee Shirt is an officially licensed item featuring a distressed print on the front that says “Pac-Man Rehab Unit – Just say ‘no’ to ghosts’. Both t-shirts are 100% cotton and are part of a much wider range of “themed” clothing and merchandise available for sale at WearYourBeer.com

Having grown from stocking merchandise featuring their favourite beer logos (hence the name WearYourBeer), WearYourBeer.com offers a wide variety of pop-culture brands ranging from music and TV, to superheroes, video games and many more. Other than the cool designs, I also love the fact that these guys ship internationally. Here’s an interesting thing to note: Despite rising competition, WearYourBeer.com has the distinction of being the largest selection of beer gear on the Internet!

So be sure to check out WearYourBeer.com. Enter the code “NL10″ for 10% off on your next order (the code expires on the 31st July 2010)

Not everyday you get to see cool stuff like this. Reader FullMetalPiglet makes crochet sackboys dolls (like the one you see in LittleBigPlanet) out of video game and anime characters. These handmade dolls look really cool and I can imagine the amount of work that goes into them. Check out the pics below to get a better idea (these are just some of the dolls that she has made)

Assassin’s Creed 2′s Ezio:

Ico:

Group Shot:

She’s on YouTube as well and her videos provide explanations on how she created her individual sackboys and she provides tutorials as well for those who are interested. Do check out her work over at her website (http://jellybean83.wordpress.com/), YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/GoldenJellyBean) and follow her on Twitter (http://twitter.com/FullMetalPiglet). Here’s her giving a walkthrough on a 300 (the movie about Spartans, starring Gerard Butler) inspired sackboy doll, which is just simply awesome:

Have you checked out the latest issue of Retro Gamer? It has an extensive interview section with John Romero! Don’t know who this is? Think Commander Keen, Doom, Quake and of course, the one that he wanted to make you his bitch (and he recently apologised for that), Daikatana.

Anyways, talking about retro games, here’s something for Chrono Trigger fans out there. Square Enix is set to release the Chrono Trigger Formation Arts Pre-Painted Trading Figurines in July 2010. These official Chrono Trigger figurines come in 5 different diorama sets, featuring Luca and Robo, Chrono and the Demon King, Chrono and Marle, Chrono Aira, and Robo. Beautifully painted with detailed craftmanship, this is a must have and while each would shipped randomly, you can order a box of 6 to receive a factory-sealed container.

Interested? Check them out over here as they are now available for pre-order.

Looking at these action figures from Lost Planet 2 is enough to pique my interest in the game. Known as Bipedal Virtual Suits, these are the strongest and most interesting weapons in the Lost Planet world. In Lost Planet 2, there are even more varieties of these…mecha, with Capcom and Kotobukiya bringing you two of them. Each of these is available in two colour options. Check them out:

GTF-11 Drio ~ Click here to purchase:

GTF-11 Drio SR ~ Click here to purchase:

PTX-140 Hardballer Early Model ~ Click here to purchase:

PTX-140R Hardballer ~ Click here to purchase:

One Piece fans! This might be a NSFW (your boss might question why you are staring at the picture below…but trust me, it’s the mildest among the lot), but now you can take home 3D mouse-pads featuring three lady characters from the popular manga/anime One Piece. The three characters featured are Nami (pictured below), Nico Robin and Hancock. I have not seen the first two in the manga for quite some time, lets hope Eiichiro Oda doesn’t forget to reinstate them after the Ace storyline.

In any case, like I said, the Nami mousepad is the mildest of the three, while the 2 others feature err…more generous cleavage. Each of them are selling at a price of USD 19.90 each and you can get them over at Play-Asia. You can click here for further details.