Needless Things

Needless Things Podcast 48 – 2015 New York International Toy Fair Part 2 & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention

Phantom Troublemaker and the Needless Things Irregulars once again convene to discuss and review Toy Fair!

The 2015 New York International Toy Fair was held from February 13^th – 17^th so that toy manufacturers from all over the world could get retailers and journalists excited about their offerings for the upcoming year. Hasbro, Mattel, Funko, NECA, and many more all bring out their prototypes, concepts, and newest licenses to display in the biggest toy-oriented gathering of the year!

Some of the heavy hitters this year were Funko’s ReAction and Legacy lines, Hasbro’s Marvel Legends, and TWO huge announcements from DC Collectibles. The crew covers all of that and much more in this episode.

Join Phantom, Needless Things' Head Researcher Ryan Schweck, Jay Hornsby The Belligerent Monkey, Reverend Dan Wilson, and The Oncoming Josh as they take a look at the very best of this year’s toy exhibition!

Phantom also talks to Marten Jallad of Joelanta and The Great Atlanta Toy Convention about what's happening this weekend!

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com

Needless Things Podcast 47 – 2015 New York International Toy Fair Part 1: Masters of the Universe

Phantom Troublemaker and the Needless Things Irregulars once again convene to discuss and review Toy Fair!

The 2015 New York International Toy Fair was held from February 13^th – 17^th so that toy manufacturers from all over the world could get retailers and journalists excited about their offerings for the upcoming year. Hasbro, Mattel, Funko, NECA, and many more all bring out their prototypes, concepts, and newest licenses to display in the biggest toy-oriented gathering of the year!

Due to technical difficulties, the first recording of this episode is unlistenable. Fortunately the whole crew was willing to give it another go. Unfortunately we couldn't get everybody together again. Fortunately this means that certain aspects of Toy Fair will get more attention. Like Masters of the Universe Classics.

Join Phantom and his co-host Mr. Beau Brown as they look at not only the Toy Fair figure reveals and the new 200X mini-sub, but also the MASSIVE surprise that was revealed the day after we recorded the first time!

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com

 

This episode’s theme song is “Brunhilde” by The Mystery Men?

The Mystery Men? Online

The Mystery Men? On Facebook

Needless Things Podcast 46 - Batman ‘66

Phantom Troublemaker and the ESO Network’s “Howdy” Mike Gordon convene to discuss a common favorite topic – the live-action Batman television show, now commonly colloquialized as Batman ’66.

The recent release of the entire series as a deluxe Blu-ray box set prompted this episode. Both of the guys crammed in as much Bat-Viewing as they could to prepare for this look back at a critical point in not only the history of the Dynamic Duo, but at a very specific point in the development of television and American pop culture.

Mike and Phantom talk about discovering the show during childhood and the evolution of their enjoyment of it as time has gone on. From the colorful sets and costumes to the actors that inhabited them, every aspect of the show is examined. 

 

Atomic batteries to power. Turbines to speed. Fasten your Bat-safety harness and turn the volume dial on your Batcomputer to an audible but safe level as the Needless Things Podcast talks Batman!:

NeedlessThingsSite.com

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com 

 

This episode’s theme song is “She Screams” by The Casket Creatures

The Casket Creatures on Reverb Nation

The Casket Creatures on Facebook

Needless Things Podcast 45 – Christopher DePetrillo of Figures Toy Company

On today’s episode, Phantom Troublemaker talks to Christopher DePetrillo, the Chief Marketing Officer of Figures Toy Company!

Phantom talks to Christopher about the history of Figures Toy Company – from their Legends of Professional Wrestling line to their current robust roster of licenses, including The Three Stooges, Batman ’66, KISS, the characters of Robert E. Howard, and their newest acquisition – Ring of Honor wrestling!

The conversation ranges from personal preferences in toy collecting to marketing toys in a modern digital environment. Tune in as Phantom gets an education from a veteran of the toy business!:

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com 

 

This episode’s theme song is “Psycho Beach Party 3000” by Kill, Baby… Kill!

Kill, Baby… Kill! on Reverb Nation

Kill, Baby… Kill! on Facebook

Needless Things Podcast 44 – DC and Marvel: Comic Books on TV

Phantom Troublemaker, The Belligerent Monkey Jay Hornsby, and Needless Things’ Lead Researcher Ryan Schweck convene to look at the current state of comic book adaptations on television. Specifically – Agents of SHIELD, Agent Carter, Arrow, The Flash, Gotham, and Constantine.

The guys also get into the potential of Marvel’s Netflix series and interaction between the movie and television universes.

Listen in and find out how the Needless Things crew feels about each franchise and what they’re hoping for in the future!:

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com 

"Jet Black Heart" by Radio Cult

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Needless Things Podcast 43 - Masters of the Universe Classics: 2014 Year in Review

Phantom Troublemaker and Mr. Beau Brown reunite to take a look back at last year’s Masters of the Universe Classics releases from Mattycollector.com!

As it turns out, 2014 was the penultimate year of the Masters toy line and Mattel delivered big. While there wasn’t a big release like Castle Grayskull, the releases were more consistently good than they’ve ever been. With impressive toys like Modulok, Extendar, and the surprisingly good Eldor, there were more highs than lows. Mattel also offered the second vehicle in the line – the Battle Ram – and yet another specialty subscription – Club Etheria.

Beau and Phantom run down all of the releases of the regular line and Beau gives attention to the Battle Ram and Club Etheria, which Phantom passed on.

Tune in and listen as two guys that genuinely love toys and He-Man have fun talking about the next-to-last year of what has turned out to be a legendary toy line worthy of the Most Powerful Man in the Universe!.

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com

Needless Things Podcast Episode 42 - 2015 (Life, the Universe, and Everything)

Phantom Troublemaker talks to himself and looks at 2015 month by month. 

 

From January’s Royal Rumble Party to the far-flung wilds of October’s Monsterama Con, our host discusses his plans for 2015 and does a little pontification on the side, brought to you by Angry Orchard Cider and Fireball Whisky.

Settle in and get ready for an episode that borders on rambling, but is snatched back from the brink by some actual, for-real notes. Here’s the list of topics that kept Phantom (sort of) on track:

January

• 1/25 - The Royal Rumble – The promised rules for the Rumble Game:

1. Determine how many entrants are in the Rumble.
2. Come up with a system to draw numbers (I use a bowl with ping pong balls in it) and number accordingly. You can get ping pong balls from your local Dollar Tree for – wait for it – a dollar. I think six come in a pack, so it should cost about five bucks to have enough. If you need me to tell you where to get a bowl then you might not be equipped to handle the rest of the Rumble Game. Go watch Uncle Grandpa and eat some ‘Nilla Wafers.
3. Each person in your group will draw numbers until there are none left. If anyone ends up with fewer numbers, they may select one of their drawn numbers to count double.
4. When the Rumble begins, each person must keep track of their number as the competitor enters the ring. Points are awarded thusly:

1. 1. 1 point for each elimination – if multiple contestants participate in a single elimination, each is awarded a point
   2. 2 points for each competitor that makes it to the Final Four
   3. 5 points for the winner of the Rumble

5. Whoever has the most points when the Rumble ends is the winner and has their dinner paid for or wins fabulous cash and prizes or whatever.

February

• 2/2 – Less Than Jake & Reel Big Fish at The Masquerade
• 2/6-8 – Days of the Dead

March

• 3/13-15 - The Great Atlanta Toy Convention
• 3/29 – WrestleMania 31

May

• 5/10 - Phantom’s Birthday and Also A Wedding
• 5/22-24 - TimeGate

June

• 6/19-21 - Heroes Convention

September

• 9/3-7 – Dragon Con

October

• 10/2-4 – Monsterama Con

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com

Needless Things Podcast Episode 41: The Atlanta Toy Meeting

Phantom Troublemaker has been trying to get in with the folks of the Great Atlanta Toy Convention for a while now.

Last year things didn’t work out due to his work schedule, but this year it looks like Needless Things will be well represented at the con in March. Before that happened, Phantom wanted to get to know the folks who run the show and they, rightly, wanted to know what they were getting into by working with us.

This is how Phantom ended up getting invited to one of the group’s secret meetings.

Every so often, a group of Atlanta toy enthusiasts meets in an undisclosed location at undisclosed intervals to talk toys. Today, for the first time ever, the outside world gets to listen in on one of these meetings and learn a little bit more about the folks who run the Joelanta toy convention and how they came together with the Atlanta Toy Convention to form one of the best toy shows in the Southeast; as well as how that combination of shows has continued to grow over the years. 

 

Listen in now and learn more about how a group of collectors and enthusiasts created the popular and rapidly expanding Great Atlanta Toy Convention!

To join the group and learn more about the show, check out their Facebook page:

Great Atlanta Toy Convention

Plus – Listen to today's episode and learn how you can win a Zenescope Entertainment prize pack consisting of an Alice in Wonderland action figure by Clayburn Moore, the Wonderland board game, and Wonderland trade paperback collections!

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com

“Big Time” by Webb Wilder

Needless Things Podcast Episode 40: Music and Black Friday with Joel Brody

Earlier this year Phantom Troublemaker became quite taken with the idea of Record Store Day.

If you don’t know, Record Store Day was started by a group of independent store owners as a way to draw attention to independent shops and create hype around the hobby of record collecting. For more information visit the website:

RecordStoreDay.com

We’re doing things a little backwards, as the actual Record Store Day occurs in April. The subject of today’s episode is Black Friday and what special Record Store Day releases will be hitting then. That’s why, just a few days from the event, Phantom Troublemaker recruited local expert Joel Brody to talk about the event, the releases, and music in general. Listen in and learn about this great event!

For the full list of releases go here and to find a store near you go here. 

 

Phantom and the rest of the Needless Things crew will be visiting Joel at his home base at CD Warehouse on Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth, GA. Check them out here.

Not all participating stores will be carrying all releases, so be sure to contact your local stores between now and then to find out who is getting what. 

 

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com

“The Maestro” by The Beastie Boys

Needless Things Podcast Episode 39: Jim Stacy

On this week’s Needless Things Podcast, Phantom Troublemaker sat down with Emmy winning television host, restaurateur, chef, artist, musician, writer, and comedian Jim Stacy of Offbeat Eats with Jim Stacy. 

 

Jim talks to Phantom about growing up in a hardworking Southern family, playing in bands like Greasepaint and Grand Moff Tarkin, and the long journey to opening his unique, freestanding restaurant Pallookaville. As always, Phantom is fascinated by such an impressive drive and work ethic, especially from a man like Jim with so many fields of expertise.

Listen in as the guys talk food, art, and rock n’ roll!

Offbeat Eats with Jim Stacy can be seen on The Cooking Channel on Thursday nights at 10:30 PM. Jim’s restaurant, Pallookaville, can be found in the Avondale Estates area of Metro Atlanta and has a website here and a Facebook page here.

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com

“Shake Appeal” by The Stooges