The Dragoncast Podcast Episode 48 - The One with Tom Kalinske

Hey there. As a kid (or maybe even now), did you ever take a Flintstone vitamin, play with Barbie or Hot Wheels, play with He-Man or She-Ra (or watch the TV show), or spent hours on a Sega Genesis? If you have, then you owe a big thanks to the marketing genius of former CEO, of BOTH, Sega of America & Mattel, Tom Kalinske! The guy literally built my childhood... and he was gracious enough to spent some time on The Dragoncast! Take a listen as Tom shares with us some personal stories about his time at Mattel and what went on behind the scenes of the console war between Nintendo and Sega!

A Guide to the Original Spinning Toy: The YoYoGuide

Hey there friends.  Fidget Spinners are thing... or maybe they were a thing.  I think the craze may have died down some but there's no doubting that toys come and go through the years.  As innovative as they may seem, they always start off bright, and then dimmer down.  But only the truly great ones come back and experience that up and down type of life and there's no better embodiment of that than the classic yo-yo.  The yo-yo has seen it's fair of ups and downs (literally) and it seems that it gets better when the technology gets better.  Faster spins, greater bearings, aerodynamic body; whatever can be improved upon, the yo-yo has tried it.  And for those of use that are still in love with the yo-yo, our good friends at YoyoGuide has you covered. 

Rare Warner Bros. Exclusive! The Conjuring Annabelle Doll Giveaway

Hey there. Have you guys seen The Conjuring yet? If you haven't, you need to hurry and enter the giveaway I am running for the movie now! If you have seen the film or already own it, then you need to check out THIS giveaway! You see that? That's the Annabelle doll from the movie... and I'm giving one away to one of you fine Metallman readers! Our good friends at PartnersHub and Warner Bros. have provided me with a rare Warner Bros. Studio exclusive Annabelle doll to give away. How creepy is that doll? How creepy was it in the movie? And to think, the Annabelle doll in the film is inspired by an actual doll that is possessed! This is a must have for any horror fans out there. Now, on to a few fun facts about the film.

NECA to Release a Limited Edition Pack of Splicers from Bioshock 2

Hey there.  If you love Bioshock as much as I do, you'll be excited to know that NECA has released a Limited Edition 2 pack set of Splicers from Bioshock 2!  You can now pick up the Ladysmith Splicer and Crawler Splicer at Amazon for $34.99!  Both figures are 7" and are insanely detailed.  The Crawler Splicer comes with a hook and removable mask while the Ladysmith Splicer comes with a removable mask, a shotgun, a wrench, and a display stand.  They are perfect for the Bioshock fan in your life and the figures are so well made that you swear they took them right out of the game.  Click on the below for a better shot at the detailing.

NECA to Launch the Predator Limited Edition Trophy Skulls Pack This Summer

The Predator Limited Edition Trophy Skulls Pack

Hey there. I love NECA. Their collectible items are some of the best items made on the planet. That's why when NECA decides to release information on a limited edition item, the world listens.  Earlier today, NECA announced that a Predator Limited Edition Trophy Skulls Pack will be released this Summer!  NECA has some pretty awesome Predator action figures that have already been released, but these Predator skulls have previously been available in various retail and convention exclusives.  Now, these 10 skulls are available for only $17.95 and as a complete set for a limited time only.  And guess what...  They are ready for preorder on Amazon!  Check em out!

Are You Ready For Some UNO Roboto?

Hey there.  Who doesn't like to play the classic game of UNO?  I used to play this with my family and friends all the time.  When ever a deck of UNO cards were sitting around in someone's house, we'd all gather to play. Even today, it's one of the few games from my childhood that I enjoy playing.  It has it all, deception, unpredictability, strategy, and plenty of laughs!  So when the opportunity came knocking to try out UNO Roboto, I just had to jump on it.

Attention All Geeks! Use Geek Alerts for All Your Geeky Needs

Hey there friends.  I'm a geek at heart.  I love all things tech, I'm the "computer guy" of the family, I play video games, and I love geeky movies like the Cube series.  So when I stumbled across Geek Alerts, I knew I found a new home to satisfy my taste for all things geek.

The Green Latern Arrives in the Metallman Home

Hey there friends.  How awesome is it that I was chosen to participate in this great promotion!  I arrived one day from work only to find these 2 great toys waiting for me:

How awesome is that?! That is the Green Lantern Colossal Cannon and Kilowog!  The boys were definitely thrilled with receiving new toys.  They started playing with them immediately and that's when I knew that this is definitely a toy that they would bond over.

The Colossal Cannon definitely got more attention that the Kilowog action figure.  Even the though the action figure came with it's own Green Lantern Power Ring, it couldn't convince the kids to drop the cannon to play with it.  lol  The only problem that I had with Kilowog is that when you attach his green, glowing attachment to his arm, and raise it, there was no way for his to stand on his own.  That was a huge downer since it made him seem weak in the heat of "battle".  lol  My young one would use him to fight with his other action figures and by him standing without his power made him an easy target for defeat, or so he said.  

My boy:  "Dad, it sucks that Kilowog can't stand with his green power thing.  If he's the Green Lantern and can make anything with that ring, maybe he should have made a cane to keep him up."

Kids...  lol  Once we figured out that he can stand with the attachment if we keep his arms down, the kids started to line him and others up for target practice.  The Colossal Cannon is a great toy.  At first glance, I thought that it would be a projectile shooting gun with the potential to hurt people.  Thankfully, the discs that the cannon shoots seem to glide though the air as opposed to being blasted out.  That is a huge plus!  The gliding motion minimizes risk of injury and the cannon has enough power to send the discs a good 15 feet or so.  The discs are made of plastic but are not heavy at all.  As my oldest son practicing his shot, my youngest son would run around picking up the discs.  I even caught my youngest daughter taking aim at Kilowog!

Kilowog the action figure is just that, an action figure and would be a great addition to a child's army of heroes.  The Green Lantern Colossal Cannon is an awesome toy that will bring much fun and excitement to kids.  I greatly recommend you guys check them out!  To find out more about these and other great Mattel toys, head on over to Mattel.com For more information.  Thank you, Dad Central Consulting, for the opportunity!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Dad Central Consulting on behalf of Mattel and received Green Lantern toys to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.