Pop Culture W2 : The Muppets

Disney's The Muppet by Hot Wheels Pop Culture series has arrived just days before the Chinese New Year Festive Holiday. The 2nd wave releases after Warner Bros's Looney Toons, which just hit specialty store weeks earlier. Speculation again as to whether if this series is making its local appearance anytime soon. As heard by now, local retail outlet is selling this series and they are moving fast. Guess i should have been more patient and waited for local release instead of getting from Online.

 Case code is X8308-956B (Wave 2). 

Contains 16 pcs per case, 

(2 complete set of 6 and 4 single extra)

Cars arrangement and assortments, 4 single extra consists of the 

59' Chevy, 34' Ford Sedan, Midnight Otto and Dairy Delivery.

The carded portrait, truthfully, the only character i knew from the Muppets is from the Saseme Street TV show. The rest are character unknown to me, and with a little "Google" from the internet, what is unknown become known. At least something bout Fozzie the Bear.

 

Back of the packaging, just as nice as before featuring cars appearing in this series alone. Since there is no number / sequential on the series, this will be a guide to buyer on what's available. Like the way the series is release and to theme.

Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog : 59' Chevy Delivery

Gonzo : Baja Breaker

Statler and Waldorf (w/white mustache) : 34' Ford Sedan Delivery

Animal : Midnight Otto

 The Swedish Chef : Super Van

 

=================================================================== Looking forward to Wave 3 : Comic Classic releases. Fingers cross

Retro & Pop Culture

Its about time Mattel hears us collectors but hope won't let us down along the ride. Am glad and happy that both adult collector series Retro Entertainment and Pop Culture has made its appearance in the local retail market. Heard rumors and such since December of 2012 that both these series might or might not appear in local market. 

Kudos to Mattel and Hotwheels to finally bring them in. At 1st the Pop Culture wave featuring the Looney toons appear in only selected specialty toy store (only 3 that i've known that sell those). Then early this month, the Muppets series made it ways to selected Hypermarkets and retail store. This week all hell break lose as Retro Entertainment wave 1 and 2 were release in as well. 

Thanks to collectors news and info, i've manage to score some nice pieces from both the series. Hopefully to find others in the series that i've miss out on. Oh, retail for both series is going for RM 19.90 each only. Good luck hunting.

Retro Entertainment wave 1 featuring..

KNIGHT RIDER : KITT

GHOST BUSTERS : ECTO-1

66' TV BATMAN : 66' BATMOBILE

SCOOBY DOO : MYSTERY VAN


Pop Culture: The Muppets - DAIRY DELIVERY  

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HW2013 - RETTUNGSWAGEN

One of the New model for 2013 mainline is an ambulance. An ambulance called SPEEDBOX. Found this few days back and totally like the design. At first, didn't thought of it as an ambulance cause it doesn't look like one. Then i did a google on the wording on the side which is "RETTUNGSWAGEN" which is in German that reads Ambulance. Clever Hot Wheels graphic designer, look closely at the rear "Hot wheels" logo with a vertical line, looks like a "+" ambulance indeed.

 

White plastic body and matte black plastic base.

Black and red deco with "17" and "Rettungswagen" and "Hot wheels" logo at side. 

Blue window and roof

Wheels either a PR5 or MC5?

Plastic chrome at Fenders and Grille with read bumper

Hope to see more of this release soon and in diecast. Lovin it.

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HW New Basic

Oh yeah after a dry season, here some interesting find on Hotwheels Basic cars. They look new to me, maybe not for some, so dun get your hope high. Some very nice new releases with some recolor on previous casting. Here we go..

Chevy Chevelle SS ("Gulf" tempo)

Chevy Bel-Air Gasser (Gold color variation) 2013 NEW MODEL

Ferrari 458 Challange (Team Hot wheels tempo)

Street Cleaver

62 Corvette (the Non-Superized version)

 Ratmobile (Black with gold base)

Lotus M250

SpeedBox  ( 2013 New Model)

71 EL Camino (also a 2013 New Model if not mistaken)

Canyon Carver ( Green color variation)

Porsche 911 GT3 Rs (a 2013 New Model if not mistaken)

F-Racer

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2013 HW Poster Booklet

Its Feb 2013, as usual everybody in the Hot Wheels world are waiting and anticipating the release of 2013 poster line up. Well for international collectors, rejoice for they have arrived. The 2013 series collector booklet (as is what its called since 2012). This year, Hot Wheels will release 2 booklet at separate release date. See photo and notes below, click on photo to see enlarged pic. cheers.

(Photo scan courtesy of YusoffHW @ Lyn HW forum.).Thanks mate.

Cover to the Gallery, Booklet 1 of 2.. 

notice the Tag line now is " GO FOR IT!" no more "Beat That, Take that"

1st page show the index of the Booklet. 

Only 5 segments was feature in booklet 1.

Short descriptions and each segment and the photo at next page.

Let the fun begins!! 

Please look carefully at the photo, this is the 1st time that Mattel offer model color variation into the booklet/posters. Never before this has offer before. Now collector know of what color variation the model will come out. 

Not sure if Mattel will include K-day exclusive color to the booklet / Poster

Back cover of the booklet... GO FOR IT!! What are you waiting for!

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Booklet 2 of 2 will release in mid year according to sources but can't confirm at the moment, once its out, it will be feature here. Cheers.

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Pop Culture W1 : LooneyTunes

My case of Hot Wheels' Looney Tunes Pop culture arrived in January 2013. Was wanting to wait it out till Mattel bring it in locally as rumor has it but not confirmed until it was too late. Just days after placing order online that i received news of Pop Culture availability in local market but only at specialties store (Toy shop). Will the series be complete thru the year with all wave release locally or will it simply be like the other incomplete series (Vintage Racing / Garage / Hot Ones / Nostalgia) due to bad sales and poor repeated distributions. Here am fingers crossing that it won't be the latter, but to keep it save, i will have to be on the look out for this series as future releases seem to be looking good for Pop Culture without Mattel screwing it up for local collectors. The Muppet will be coming in this week and a full review will followed after.

Case code is X8308-956A (Wave 1). 

Contains 16 pcs per case, 

(2 complete set of 6 and 4 single extra)

Cars arrangement and assortments, 4 single extra consists of the 

Dairy Delivery, Spoiler Sports, Pro stock Camaro and Dream Van.

Front Packaging is distinct to each Looney tunes Feature in the series and they are Awesome when display. Put them together with 2012 Nostalgia Hanna Barbara series and perfect.

Back of the packaging, looks the same as Nostalgia with all casting feature in the series. Since there is no number / sequential on the series, this will be a guide to buyer on what's available.

 Bugs Bunny : Dairy Delivery

 

 Tasmanian Devil : Funny Money

Wile E Coyote & Road Runner : Pro Stock Camaro

 Daffy Duck : VW SquareBack

 Marvin Martian : Spoiler Sport

 Bugs Bunny : Dream Van XGW

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Looking forward to future wave releases. Fingers cross

 

POP CULTURE : DC UNIVERSE

So another week passed by, another post for Pop Culture, gotta thanks Steve over at HWC for those sneak pics and am looking forward to their releases. This week sneak featuring Pop Culture wave 4 : DC comics Universe. 

As most collectors of Nostalgia knew, DC was feature in the Nostalgia line 2 times during it runs in 2011 and in 2012 respectively and in 2013, DC again was feature in Pop Culture series. What is disappointing to me is that, the character for that line will be the same as those feature in Nostalgia.

Batman, Catwomen, Joker, Bizarro and HarleyQuinn. Those 5 character was already feature and i dont see the need to showcase them again in Pop Culture series. There are so many more character in the DC universe to choose from namely GREEN LANTERN, SINESTRO, HAWKMAN, HAWKWOMEN, MARTIAN MANHUNTER, DOOMDAY,  BANE, AZREAL and So forth. Come on Mattel, gave us something new.

So here is this week Sneak for Pop Culture DC wave. 

8 Crate Delivery : Bizarro

Was feature in Nostalgia Wave 2 on Hiway Hauler. 

Combinations of Gold and Purple just doesn't click with me :(

  63' Studebacker Champ : The Joker

Was hoping for something new, Red with white is not something new.

 Austin Mini Van : Harley Quinn

Now this is awesome looking, with diamond shape all over the Van's body. Hope it wont be short pack.

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Looking forward to another sneak pics in the coming days, keep reading and i'll keep posting. Cheers and Happy Holidays :)