Harry Potter Year Two Box Set

At last a decent Richard Harris-era Dumbledore! No offense to Michael Gambone, but he does not have the distant congeniality or humor of Richard Harris that seems intrinsic to the character of Dumbledore in the books. The Michael Gambone Dumbledore always seems p----d and portentous. And those dirty sharp fingernails! Where did those come from? Besides the bowl-cut Harry with wand, there are also the most important accessories from The Chamber of Secrets: Fawkes the Phoenix, the Sorting Hat, and the Sword of Godric Gryffindor. Everything is beautifully sculpted, the figures are adequately articulated, and the whole package was about $30.00. Made by NECA Reel Toys.

As a side note, it won't be long until J. K. Rowlings' next little opus in the world of Harry Potter will be out: The Tales of Beedle the Bard. This is a slim collection of five "fairy tales" told in the wizarding world, as established in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It hasn't taken long for Rowling to re-visit her money maker, and it will be just in time to whip up a little furor for the next Potter movie.

Don't get me wrong: I've enjoyed the Potter books, but I don't think they are superior to any of half a dozen other "juvenile" fantasy series. They merely had better p.r. and merchandising. Perhaps now that the series is over and the mysteries are all explained, the mania can die down and a more just evaluation of her accomplishments can be achieved. But we'll probably have to wait for the last movie adaptation to come out before that will happen.

In the meantime we can hope for more great action figures. Where's the Professor McGonagall? Does Maggie Smith just not want her likeness reproduced? Or is it the prejudice against female action figures? Get cracking, NECA!