Z is for Zombies

OK - this is an easy one. And an easy way to finish. I used to hate zombie movies and shows. Now, thanks to Walking Dead, I can't get enough. I've also read World War Z three times. The movie was entertaining, but not like the book. I love the Call of Duty Zombie Building sets.

In order to focus this posting, I will focus on the Mega Bloks Call of Duty Zombie sets.

Brutus

Tranzit Farm

Hazmat Zombies Mob

Zombies Horde

Zombie Mob

Zombie Moon Mob (I need a Zombie Space Station)

Zombies Tranzit Diner

Zombies Office Mob - the latest, and my favorite - cause before coffee, this is us!

And with that, the A to Z Blogging Challenge is done. Thanks for supporting me during the month of April. And done with a day to spare.

And don't forget to check out Cool and Collected who also took the challenge and provided an outstanding array of awesome posts.

Y is for Y-Wing

Besides the Snowspeeder, this is my favorite Star Wars spaceship. Loved it more than the X-Wing. Kenner didn't release a 3-3/4 inch version until Return of the Jedi. Since then, there have been four versions released, as well as a Retro Kenner Vintage style.

Original Kenner

Power of the Force Release

Original Trilogy Collection

30th Anniversary Collection - Toys R Us Exclusive

Kenner Repro

Y-Wing Bomber - From Star Wars Clone Wars Cartoon

Clone Wars Y-Wing Bomber - Galactic Heroes

Last, but not least, the vintage Kenner Die Cast Y-Wing.

X is for Xavier

Might as well pay homage to the man who started the X-Men: Professor Charles Xavier. We all know him as the mind-reading, super intelligent, wheelchair blazing, bald professor who seeks out the world's mutants and teaches them to live with their powers among humanity.

Expertly portrayed by Patrick Stewart in the X-Men movies, and then James McAvoy (with hair), the professor has been immortalized by these two fine actors.

Toybiz, Hasbro, and Diamond Select have all made outstanding (and some weird) renditions of the Professor.

The first Professor X figure by Toybiz (1993). 

Marvel Legends with Galactus BAF Head

X-Men Movie figure

And the rest:

This is a weird one. 

This is something new. May have to check this out at 1/6th scale.

Of course, during my Ebay search for Xavier, I found numerous figures of this guy: Xavier Woods

Professional Wrestler - Wonder who would win the matchup?

W is for World War III

If you are a child of the Cold War, you may remember this two night, television special in 1982 called World War III. It stars Rock Hudson as the US President, and the only other famous actor was Kathy Lee Crosby from That's Incredible!  Well, there are some other well known actors but these are the only two I recognized at the time.

The story is simple - a crack company of Soviet commandos drop into Alaska to take over/destroy a part of the Alaskan pipeline in retaliation of a US imposed grain embargo. The Soviet paratroopers drop in before a storm, so no Naval, Air Force, or Army units can get up there to stop them. Lucky for the US, a National Guard platoon out on maneuvers (with live ammunition) is in the area, and a battle ensues at a pumping station.

The show is very realistic and I remember being mesmerized when I saw it. Of course, my friends and I went out to play in the snow and reenact it.

One of the key battles is at an oil pumping station where the Americans hide in pipes and ambush the advancing Soviets. I built a diorama of that using large foil tubing and several GI Joe Arctic troopers.

For decades it was very difficult to find this movie. I bought a VHS copy on Ebay for over $100 years ago. I was looking to transfer it to DVD when a quick look at Amazon showed me it was now easily available on DVD.

Soviet Paratroopers organizing their gear after landing.

They dropped in one all terrain command and control vehicle.

American troops in pipes wait for the ambush.

Farther perspective of the pipes in front of the pumping station. 

DVD case photo. Order it on Amazon

World War III DVD

My recreation converted into one of my early puzzles.