Best On The Block: April 2022

It's the last day of April, so it's time to show six of the best releases that were featured in various post during the month.

#1: '87 Ford Sierra Cosworth - 2022 Hot Wheels Mainline

Why I Picked It: I still can't believe how long it took me to find this release, but I guess people really liked it due to it technically being a replica of the Texaco sponsored Sierra Cosworth. Now, I actually didn't know that when I first added it to my want list. Initially, I thought this release featured an original design, but that's not what the designers did. For this release of the Sierra Cosworth, they basically did same thing they did for the Rothmans themed Porsche 962. It features the design from the Texaco livery, but they changed the decals. And I think this release looks just as good as the car it's based on.

#2: '76 Greenwood Corvette - 2022 Hot Wheels Red Edition

Why I Picked It: I was able to find all three latest Red Edition releases, and the BMW 3.0 CSL was my favorite. So why did I pick the Greenwood Corvette then? Well, to answer that question, it's because I feel this one stands out from two older releases that are also red. Both of the releases I'm talking about were finished in dark red, and they both have yellow designs on them. So I think you can understand why I like this one so much. Not only is it a much brighter red, it is red without any yellow designs on it.

#3: '85 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z - 2022 Hot Wheels Flying Customs

Why I Picked It: A certain exterior color is sometimes all it takes for me to really love a release, and this release's exterior color is why I picked it for this post. Now, I'd best describe it as being race yellow, and the last time they used it for this casting was back in 2013. Sadly, it was exclusive to the multi-packs, which is why I never got it. So I've spent many days hoping they'd use the it again because I feel it's a great color for this Camaro. 

#4: Raijin Express - 2022 Hot Wheels Mainline

Why I Picked It: I was very impressed by this casting when it made its debut last year, and I was hoping for another one with some nice artwork. Well, the designers gave me exactly what I wanted. I, for one, really like dragon artwork, and that's why this release might just be my favorite one for many years to come.

#5: Batplane - 2022 Hot Wheels Batman Series

Why I Picked It: Many fans of the Batman Animated Series might still think the debut release of this casting is the best one, and I can understand why one might feel that way. After all, it is a very accurate replica due to it being black with no designs on it. But I've come to like this one more. It might not be an accurate replica, but it's definitely the coolest one so far. Of course, that opinion is subjective, but I really like how it looks with a camouflage design. 

#6: 2018 Ford Mustang - 2022 Hot Wheels Stars & Stripes

Why I Picked It: I didn't completely like this year's Stars & Stripes set as much as I liked the previous sets, and it's all thanks to two specific releases. To be fair though, it wasn't the worst set they've ever put together, and it did have a few releases that stood out to me. And this is Mustang was one of them. In my opinion, this is a very impressive release. I especially like how they chose to also decorate its roof and trunk. Doing so created a very cool diecast model.

Okay, those are the six releases I picked for this month's edition of Best On The Block. Now that you know my favorites, go ahead and let me know down in the comments what your favorite releases were from this month.

White Booth Wednesday #133

It's once again time for another Wednesday showcase here on the boulevard. Here's this week's featured vehicle.

Vehicle: '69 Dodge Coronet Super Bee

Series: 2009 Hot Wheels Muscle Mania

Boulevard Rating: 9

How I Feel About This Release: Since its debut, there's been many good looking releases of this casting, and I really wish I had more of them. But as usual, I'm happy with the releases I have. I'm especially happy with this one, since it too has the Super Bee stripe. And it's thanks to this release that I have no interest in getting one of the debut releases. If I didn't have this one, then I would have picked one of my other ones for this post, and then I would have said that I had my eye on an older release. So that should tell you how much I like this particular release.

So how do you feel about this week's featured vehicle? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments. Till next time, happy collecting.

Today On The Boulevard: 2022 Hot Wheels Batman Set - I only Wanted One

Hello, and welcome to a new edition of Today On The Boulevard. As long as they continue to do new things with them, I will never grow tired of seeing Batman releases from Hot Wheels. Black might be considered the bast color for his vehicles, but I really like being able to have some that are finished in other colors. I especially like when they create different designs for them. That's why I look forward to the Batman mainline and store exclusive sets each year.

This year's store exclusive Batman set has made an appearance at my local stores, and it actually wasn't a store exclusive like it was in previous years. Before, I only saw Batman sets at Walmart, but this time I found them at Target as well. 

Now, to be honest, I really wasn't impressed with this year's set, and that is because there was only one release that was new. The rest of them are basically re-releases. So I was actually shocked at how long it took me to find a full set hanging on the pegs at both stores. It is also mentioning that I was extremely disappointed with the TV Series Batmobile. If you still haven't seen it, then don't worry because you are not missing out on anything new. The one from this set is the same as the one from last year's set. 

I really had high hopes for this year's set, but things don't always go as you'd hope they would. The previous Batman set featured some awesome looking releases, which is why I got all five. So I was hoping this year's set would also have many releases I'd want. I know it's not that big of a deal, but you do have to admit that it's disappointing to see the decisions made for this year's set. I guess there's always next year. Okay, now that I got that out of the way, it's time to focus on the Batplane, since it's the only one that's new.

This release is exactly what I was hoping to see after this casting made its debut. Not only did they paint it red, they also gave it a camouflage design. And I think it make this vehicle look amazing. Now, I'm going to assume that everyone likes matching releases. So I feel this release is a must-have because it matches the Animated Series Batmobile from last year's set. I really wasn't expecting to ever have a matching Batplane, since the Batmobile was released in a store exclusive set. But I can honestly say that I'm very pleased to have one.

You could argue that they don't match because one has pinstripes, while the other has a camouflage design, and I'll admit that is a valid point. But what I'm looking at are the colors used for both releases. And as you can see, the Batplane's camouflage pattern is the same color as the Batmobile's pinstripes. Besides the designs, both releases are finished in the same metallic red. So despite having different designs, I feel they match each other perfectly.

Looking at the Batplane makes me wonder why they couldn't also create something new for the other releases. But I guess repeats are great for those of you that missed out on getting this initial ones. And it's not like I haven't also benefited from sets having repeats. So I'm not going to make a huge stink.

The debut release of the Batplane is still a very good release, since it's the closest to the one that's seen in the cartoon. However, this latest release is definitely cooler than it. So this is actually my new favorite release. And it could possibly be my favorite for many more years, although... that could change next year.

So how do you feel about this latest Batman set? Did you also only get the Batplane or did you need the other ones too? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments section. Alright, that's all for this edition of Today On The Boulevard. Until next time, thank for reading, and happy collecting. And remember, these are just toys.

My Want List: 2022 Hot Wheels Case B And C - Better Late Than Never

Hello everyone! Welcome to a new edition of My Want List. Last month, I was able to get my hands on some of the releases I wanted from this year's case B, as well as case C. However, I wasn't able to find everything. Then case D started to show up at my local stores. Now, this wasn't the first time something like this has happened. In other words, this wasn't the first time I started to see newer releases when I still needed to find older ones. So the search continued for them, and as luck would have it, one of my local stores had many remnants of older releases. And that led to me finally being able to check some more releases off of my want list.

Now, before I get this post started, I thought I'd take a moment to say thank you. Obviously, these are old news now, so I appreciate you taking the time to see what I have to say about them. Okay, now it's time to go over what I got. And I'm going to start things off by talking about the case B releases first, then I'll move on to the ones from case C.

I love classic race cars from Hot Wheels, and that's why I really like the new Retro Racers mainline set. In fact, it will definitely be a set I look forward to each year. Now, case B featured the debut of a new retro racer, and it is the '87 Ford Sierra Cosworth. I actually didn't think I'd have that hard of a time finding it, since the Ford Race Team box set ended up becoming a peg warmer in my area. But I guess this casting is something people have been waiting for, and I think I might know why.    

Initially, I thought the Hot Wheels designers once again showed their ability to create a racing livery that looks like it's based on an actual one. Well, as it turns out, this release's livery is in fact based on an actual one. Upon looking this car up on the internet, I came across a picture of a Texaco sponsored one racing on a circuit. And I immediately spotted the similarities between the two. So basically, the designers did the same thing they did with the Rothmans themed Porsche 962. They used the overall theme, but changed the decals, and I think it looks just as good as the actual Texaco Sierra Cosworth. And I'm pretty sure most of you do too, which is why I had such a hard time finding it. 

Although I'd like to have a plain release of this casting, I do have to admit that I'm hoping to see another nice racing themed release. And I'd love to see one with a livery that matches the MK2 from the Ford Race Team box set. In my opinion, this car would look fantastic with that stripe. I also think it'd look great with the stripe design that was applied to the debut release of the RS200. Of course, those are just two of the ideas that instantly come to mind, and I'm sure the designers have something just as good if not better planned for this casting. 

The Track Manga is the next one I got, and it was a release that I ended up removing from my want list. But after a while, I started to have second thoughts about that decision. So I decided to add it back to my want list, and thankfully, it was extremely easy to find.

Although it's not a terrible looking release, the "SPOILER ALERT" decal is the reason why I chose to remove it from my want list. Personally, it just isn't something I'd put on the side of a car. But I can ignore a specific detail if I like the overall design. And I truly like the one they created for this release. So that's why I made the decision to add it to my collection. 

There's actually another reason why I chose to get it, and I think you might know what it is. I mean, do I even need to say it? Basically, it's blue! I know the debut release was also blue, but I definitely wasn't interested in the sports theme they gave it. So I've spent many days hoping to see another blue one that's better, and this is that release.

Okay, I can finally say that I'm now done with this year's case B. I really can't believe how long it took me to find the Ford, but it's better late than never. With that said, it's now time to move on to the releases I got from this year's case C.

Case C also had a Retro Racers release I wanted, and unlike the Cosworth, I knew right away that it was going to be a little difficult to find because it featured the iconic Gulf Racing livery. So I'm not surprised that it took me this long to finally find this year's release of the '67 Ford GT 40 Mk.IV.

In my opinion, the Gulf livery on any Ford GT is a combination that's similar to raisins in oats. So I'm extremely pleased with their decision to use the livery for this particular one. And I really like how it matches the 2020 Race Day release of the GT-40. Now, unlike the aforementioned release, this one features an additional stripe along its sides. So I feel it looks a little better than the Race Day GT-40. 

Cars and pickup trucks aren't the only vehicles that are modified. As you know, there are folks out there that like their vans enough to modify them, and Hot Wheels has long since caught wind of that. And that is why we've gotten some rad custom van castings over the years. Now, America isn't the only place where you'd see a modified van. Over in Japan, the B-series Dodge Van has gained a following, and they don't just customize them either. These vans are also raced. So Hot Wheels making a "Dajiban" casting was inevitable, and I'm glad to finally have the second release of it. 

From what I've read, these vans were used by Motorcycle racers to transport their equipment. Now, instead of a motorcycle, Hot Wheels chose to make its interior piece feature a go-kart. So I'm really glad to have a release of this casting that has the appearance of being owned by a go-kart shop. And I feel they picked a magnificent exterior color for it. 

I also want to briefly put the spotlight on the additional decals because they contributed to how I feel about the shop theme. In case you didn't know, all of the aftermarket companies featured on this release have products for karting. So I feel they are a nice touch. 

You know, it' too bad they don't use their Go Kart casting anymore. If I was a part of their team, I would have suggested making a kart that somewhat matches this release. So I would have painted it the same color, and instead of a shop theme, I would have given it a Hoosier Tires livery. 

Was the Barbie Dream Camper on your 2021 want list? It was on mine, and I basically got it because I felt that it was a unique casting. Well, Hot Wheels has decided to release it again in this year's mainline, and I chose to add it to my want list. To be honest though, there's not a whole lot to say about this release. Sure, its exterior features a different design, but that's about it. The only other major difference is the base's color. Unlike the first release, this one's base was left unpainted.

I'm sure Hot Wheels is going to use this casting a few more times, however, this might just be the last one I get. I mean, the casting itself is fine, it's just I don't see them doing much with it. After all, pink is basically the main Barbie color. Of course, I could still end up getting a future release, but they'd have to make one that looks way better than this or the first release. 

As much as I like the Screen Time castings, they eventually become ones I no longer pay attention to. And that is because there isn't always anything different between the various releases of each casting. One such example of that is the recent release of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Of course, I completely understand why they don't make changes to certain replicas. After all, these vehicles do belong to different entities. So it's not like they can always do whatever they want, and that's fine. Fortunately, some of these castings are able to recolored, and to my surprise, the X-Jet is one of them.

From what I can gather, this casting is based on the one seen in the 90's cartoon, and it was blue. So for fans of the show, the debut release of this casting will be the best one. As for me, I kind of like this one more, and I guess it's because I was always fascinated by the SR-71 as a kid. At the end of the day though, both releases are great models to have. And since it looks like they can do whatever they want, I hope to see many different color releases, as well as some with designs. 

The next release I wanted from case C is the '19 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss, and I knew I'd have a difficult time finding it. Sometimes, a specific theme can turn a peg warmer into a must-have that everyone will go after. And I've noticed that Borla themed releases are starting to be like the Gulf themed ones. I remember when I used to see the Borla themed '16 Camaro SS sitting everywhere. Anyway, I'm very pleased with this release of the Silverado, and I think it's a great addition to the ever-expanding Hot Wheels Borla collection.

Similar to the this year's release of the Jeep Gladiator, this too features a decal that lets you know what exhaust system it has. And once again, I feel it was a nice addition to the overall design. 

I really like how they've given us multiple matching Borla themed releases that don't have the exact same design. And I hope they continue to do that going forward. I'm also still hoping to eventually see a Borla themed Team Transport hauler. 

Okay, that's all of the releases I found. Now, unlike case B, I'm still not entirely done with case C. There is still one more release I want to get, and I don't know if I'll ever see it. But if I do, I'll definitely make a post about. At the end of the day, I'm very happy with the releases I found, and I'm especially happy to have the two from the Retro Racers mainline set.

So how do you feel about the releases I talked about today? Go ahead and let me know down in the comment section. Alright, that's all for this edition of My Want List. Till next time, thanks for reading, and happy collecting. And remember, these are just toys.

White Booth Wednesday #132

It's once again time for another Wednesday showcase here on the boulevard. Here's this week's featured vehicle.

Vehicle: Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

Series: Hot Wheels Showroom (HW All stars)

Boulevard Rating: 10

How I Feel About This Release: It goes without saying that red is a very popular color for Ferrari's vehicles, and I'm sure a lot of you will prefer the red releases from Hot Wheels. Now, I'll admit that they do look great finished in red, but I also think they'll look just as good finished in other colors too. And that includes colors or finishes achieved by a car wrap. So with that being said, I feel this release depicts a Ferrari that has a brushed aluminum car wrap, and I think it looks absolutely stunning. That's why I had to give this release a ten out of ten. I also like how this release has chrome wheels. As you know, some of the Zamac releases have different colored wheels, and while there's nothing wrong with that, I do think chrome was the best choice for this Ferrari.

 

So how do you feel about this week's featured vehicle? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments. Till next time, happy collecting.

Today On The Boulevard: 2022 Hot Wheels Flying Customs - Two So Far

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Today On The Boulevard. As much as I don't like special sets, I do have to admit that they are great because they give collectors the chance to own a special release. Now what makes these releases so special? Well, it could be a certain exterior color, a certain design, or it could be a release with wheels that aren't often used. And it's usually all three of the aforementioned when it comes to the Flying Customs. I especially like the wheels that are used for these. I mean, they are given nice exterior colors and deigns, but for me, it's all about the wheels. Basically, there's a chance we wouldn't have seen certain castings with certain wheels. A perfect example of that is the '71 Dodge Demon. So far, the Flying Customs release of it is the only one with the old BW wheels. So that's why I'm excited to see another assortment of the series.

As expected, I wasn't able to get everything all at once. And as you can see from the title, I was only able to get two. Now, to be honest, I'm a little disappointed with one of the ones from this assortment. But I'll get to that one last because I want to focus on the one I like first. So with that being said, let's begin.

No matter what model year you're into, Hot Wheels has a Camaro casting for everyone. And I think we can all agree that they've done some nice releases of each one over the years. As for me, my favorites are the older Camaros. Of course, that doesn't mean I won't also happily add a release of the newer ones to my collection too. Anyway, this Flying Customs assortment has a '85 Camaro IROC-Z, and it is the one I like.

From what I can gather, this is the first release of the IROC-Z with the HO wheels, and I don't know about you, but I think this casting looks outstanding with them. 

The wheels aren't the only reason why I like this release though. Just look at what was done to its exterior. And no, I'm not just talking about the stripe design. What I'm also talking about is its exterior color, which I'd best describe as being a race yellow. The last time they used this color for this car was back in 2013, and it was released in a 9-pack. Now, as you might already know, I don't really trust those due to how altered I've seen them. That's why I never got the aforementioned release. So I'm glad they decided to use race yellow again because I think it's a great color for any Camaro. 

As for the stripe design, I honestly couldn't have asked them to create a better one than this, and I think they picked a nice combination of colors for it. Since we all have our own preferences, you might not like it, but I think red and orange combine well with yellow. So at the end of the day, this is truly a fantastic Flying Customs release. 

Okay, like I said, I was a little disappointed with one of the releases from this assortment. So it's now time for me to talk about it. 

The release in question is the '86 Monte Carlo SS, and I'm really disappointed with the design they gave it. Now, before I wrote this post, I decided to go through multiple boxes to find some of the older releases I have. And I took a picture of two that I want you to take a close look at. So start by looking closely at the latest release, which is depicted first, then move on to the next two. 

Did you notice anything? If you didn't, then take a close look at the designs they gave each of the three. In my opinion, these releases are starting to look a little too similar. I know there are some key differences between the designs, but all three of them start out thin. The design then widen as it nears the quarter panel. Furthermore, each of the three designs have what I'd describe as a zigzag section. 

Maybe you won't care, but I feel they could have created something a little different for this year's release, and it didn't have to be a stripe design either. What they could have done was create a cool looking flame design. 

So to be honest, I only got this release because it is currently the only one with the Retro Slot wheels. And for all we know, this could potentially be the only time they are used for this casting. Now, most likely there'll be another release of it with these wheels, especially since they've started to use them in the mainline. But you never know. So despite being disappointed with the design they created, this release is still worth getting.

Alright, those are the two I found from this latest Flying Customs assortment. Hopefully I'm able to find the rest of them because I'd really like to see what was done to the other ones. So whenever I find them, I will make a post about them. And it'll most likely be another edition of Today On The Boulevard, since I've already talked about these two. 

So what are your thoughts on the Monte Carlo? Do you also think they're starting to be too similar? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments section. Okay, that's all for this edition of Today On The Boulevard. Till next time, thanks for reading, and happy collecting.