Bring On The Bad Guys: Xerxes, The Terminator, & Pulp Fiction

Egads! Another molotov cocktail that's served as a kids drink. Say it isn't so! Say we don't have to suffer the bad guys again! Yes, sad for all of those within hearing range... you will submit!  Your lethal injection of mean is back with this month’s rendition of “Bring on the Bad Guys,” and once again we show that we don’t discriminate because of race, sex, color, or creed. If you’re rotten, you qualify. And there are many ways to qualify. It might be that you enjoy kicking cats. It might be that you eat people. Or...maybe it’s because you’re one of Satan’s soldiers. In any event, we flip through the PREVIEWS catalog each month to see who needs to be called out as a deviant, and then we explain why these people … or things … or whatever they are … shouldn’t be helped if you see them bleeding in the middle of the street.

Let us begin.

Dark Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and The Rise of Alexander

How much fun is it to be a bad guy? That's a question that's been pondered probably since Cain first killed Abel. From there, murder's been a way of life for a lot of bad guys. Not too many thousands of years later one madamn sought to perfect the art of being a ruthless beast with earrings. His name was said to be that of a god of gods. A king of kings. See, the Persian King Xerxes set out to conquer the world to avenge his father Darius's defeat and create an empire unlike anything the world has ever seen. But you get to see it all play out in Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and The Rise of Alexander (FEB180011) by Frank Miller, a follow-up to the now-classic work he produced that we all know as 300. Want to know how much fun a bad guy takes in slaughter? Pick up this first issue in the Dark Horse section of the February PREVIEWS!

Thanos Annual #1

In talking about the Xerxes book above, we referred to the face-pierced megalomaniac as a "god" because that's how he saw himself. Delusions of grandeur will do that to a person. It makes one think that he or she is bigger then life. But that doesn't apply to Thanos. One can never say the towering terror of titan is anything short of death on two legs. His goal has always been pretty simple: he wants to crush everything under his boot because that gives him pleasure. Your pain is his alcohol. He's got such plans for the Avengers in an upcoming movie. That same plan figures into Thanos Annual #1 (FEB180865) where the cosmic Ghost Rider is your guide on a tour through the worst of the worst, and he reveals the most heinous deeds ever perpetrated by the Mad Titan. Look for this book from Marvel Comics in the February issue of Marvel PREVIEWS!

A Clockwork Orange Alex 6-Inch Stylized Roto Figure

Long before cool homies were pulling down their pants to their thighs to show off their sylish underwear, Alex was wearing his jock strap over his pants as a sign of rebelliion. Posers take note. If you're looking for a reference as to how an anarchist dresses for the party the right way, check out A Clockwork Orange Alex 6-Inch Stylized Roto Figure (OCT178467) because you'll see that oversized eye lashes are also part of the outfit. This figure that stands approximately 6" tall and features 12 points of articulation, showcases the leader of the Droogs for a whole new generation, and brings back true crime fashion complete with trademark bowler hat. Look for this super-deformed style figure from Mezco in the Toys/Statues/Models section of the February PREVIEWS catalog!

Terminator 2: Ultimate T-1000 7-Inch Action Figure

You saw how effective he is at clandestine crime in Terminator 2. Remember when he was able to disguise his voice so that he sounded like John Conner's mom on the phone? Or how about the time he morphed himself to look like one of the twin red-headed cops? There really isn't a shape that he can't assume as he's liquid metal at his core, and that means the Terminator 2: Ultimate T-1000 7-Inch Action Figure (AUG168114) is an enemy that you don't want to taunt, or owe money. He has this thing for giving pursuit, and not too much stands in his way. This figure is loaded with machine gun accessories, and also comes with a pistol, 3 heads, 3 pairs of hands, and a bladed arm. Complete with a fully articulated body, the figure's head sculpt also features the authorized likeness of actor Robert Patrick! Look for it in the Toys/Statues/Models section of the February PREVIEWS catalog!

Pulp Fiction Figures

C'mon. Scream with me: what does Marsellus Wallace look like?!? Or how about this one: Mmm-hmm. This IS a tasty burger! And of course, you have to follow it up with: you mind if I have some of your tasty beverage to wash this down? As you can see, in the photo above, Jules is holding the cup from Big Kahuna Burger that contains the gulps of Sprite he takes to wash down his bite of Brett's sandwich. Yeah. That's right. You know why they're here. They're business associates of Marsellus Wallace. They are Jules and Vincent, and they're back again as the Pulp Fiction Jules Winnfield (NOV178146) and Pulp Fiction Vincent Vega (NOV178147) hitmen. And you ain't talking your way out of this one. So tell us where the case is, ok? And look for these two iconic toys bearing the uncanny resemblances of Samuel Jackson and John Travolta in the Import Toys/Statues/Models section of the February PREVIEWS catalog!

And once again we've done our job for the month, showing you our list of irredeemables! Go out and pick up a copy of the February PREVIEWS, and let us know your favorite villains, and who YOU want to pit against each other in a fight to the death. Hit us up on Facebook or Twitter, and let us know about your favorite bad guys.

See you next time, fellow degenerates!