I'm sure if you know a toy collector, then they've probably been through quite a few "lines", sets of action figures, or a series of toys that they focus on. Many of us will shift multiple times from line to line over the course of our lives and may even go so far as to sell off our entire collection and start a "Collection 2.0" once we tire of one line, or something new and better comes out.
I'm sure if you know a toy collector, then they've probably been through quite a few "lines", sets of action figures, or a series of toys that they focus on. Many of us will shift multiple times from line to line over the course of our lives and may even go so far as to sell off our entire collection and start a "Collection 2.0" once we tire of one line, or something new and better comes out.
I haven't reached that point, but I've been trying to limit myself to a couple of lines (mainly Transformers and 1/12 scale Marvel figures) to limit my spending. It's been hard doing, especially now that the action figure industry has hit its stride in terms of sculpting and articulation. Hasbro continues to knock it out of the park with their mass-market figures in all their core properties with Star Wars Black, Marvel Legends, G.I. Classified, and the Power Rangers Lightning Collection. Their retail Transformers lines, though smaller, have never been more "toyetic" than they are now. Not to mention the fantastic stuff coming out of Japan and China right now. 3rd Party product has been so amazing recently, it's hard not to go all in. Frankly, there has never been a better time to be a fan of action figures!
Looking over my hauls in 2020, I wanted to document the best stuff I picked up last year. This isn't necessarily the best product, or the rarest, or the most recent. This is a list of the toys that have stayed on my desk the longest. It's a list of the toys that I personally purchased over 12 months that helped me stay sane during the pandemic.
10. Newage H19N Pizzeria (Set of 4)
I know that I said that I was trying to restrict myself to Transformers and Marvel figures, but this was one of those that happily crossed over. How could I possibly pass up a set of transforming ninja turtles?
Newage is relatively new to me, and I don't have the skinny behind the company's formation (I'm sure that there's some drama behind it), but they have been making damn fine transformers. Most of their figures are in the "Legends" scale, which is basically Transformers geek-speak for "small". Figures in their line usually only measure about 3" to 4" tall, but the level of detail and complexity of engineering they fit into that package is amazing.
These turtles are all built off their H19 Hogan (Brawn) body, but they've swapped out the heads, recolored each figure, and given them the turtles' signature weapons. It's a creative way to make more money off of the existing mold, and it is right up my alley.
9. Weijiang Robot Force Nuclear Warrior Engineering of War God set
Bought this set on a whim, but it's stayed out of storage since I got them. Fair warning, this is a knock-off of the "War in Pocket X07-X12 Hulkie" set which came out sometime in 2015. It's also not the first time that that set has been copied, with both MechFanToys making 1:1 scale versions of both the G1 (green) and G2 (orange) sets in 2017 and in 2018 there was the "Xingbianzhanshen 6 in 1 Alloy King Kong God" which was slightly bigger came out. The original was only about 7.5" tall, but the Weijiang version of the set is oversized by almost 50% so that it stands about 11" all combined, which makes it the perfect size for my desk.
There are some niggling issues with the design (that right foot is extremely fiddly) that persist in the knock offs, but the engineering gives you very respectable-looking vehicle, robot, and gestalt modes, and the transformation process is pretty intuitive. Despite the scaling issues with the rest of my collection, this is by far my favorite Devastator in my collection.
8. Weijiang Robot Force M02 Transformers Detective Hound
Another knockoff, this time of the Transformers: Age of Extinction (AOE) Hound that came out in 2014. There were several attempts to do the AOE Hound justice (he was the coolest part of that movie) as well as a few of the subsequent inferior Transformers: The Last Knight (TLK) Voyager Class figure, but none of them came close to M-02 Detective. This version came out maybe 2 or 3 years later and included quite a few improvements on the original. For instance, this version is again upsized so that it now stands at about 9", which makes him much more imposing than the original Voyager Class figure which topped out at about 6". I do own the original and it was one of the nicest Bay-verse figures that Hasbro ever produced with a vehicle mode that looked bad-ass, a robot mode that didn't look as if a spastic 5-year old had drawn it, and accessories up the wazoo.
The Weijiang version of the figure took the existing toy, improved the screen-accuracy by giving him a belly and a cigar, and swapped out the ugly hands and feet of the original with more articulated and cleaner-looking replacements. All the original weapons are included with the figure, with ports that allow him to store all of them in robot or vehicle mode, and they even added another rifle, grenades, and some dog tags. Not to mention that this one has all the paint that was missing on the original mass-market version, and you can also get him in desert deco if you wanted!
7. Mattel Justice League Animated Series Batman 10" Vinyl Action Figure
Another figure that doesn't align with my aforementioned focus areas, but the 2001 animated Justice League series is my favorite cartoon of all time, even over The Transformers or Batman: The Animated Series. It was the first time that I could really relate to the DC superheroes and it became the bar with which I measure all comic book media.
At the time the show was out, I wasn't in the position to collect the plethora of associated toys that were on shelves at the time, but once I was making my own money I started tracking down the 10" giant figures that were released. Luckily, these have been re-released multiple times during the show's run, so they aren't all that rare, but I did want to get ones that were decently looked after. Batman was the last one that I bought to complete the 10 heroes that had been made, and although there isn't much in the way of articulation, he cuts a very dashing silhouette with his fancy black cape.
While there are still a few bad guys and variations that I don't have, I'm happy with the team I have standing in line on my shelf.
6. MechFansToys MS-19 Flame Commander
For Transformers, I don't focus on any one scale, so I have figures from the mainline (typically referred to as C.H.U.G.s - Classics, Henkei, Universe, Generations - in Transformers circles), the "Masterpiece" line (including the third party equivalents), as well as the third party "Legends" figures. I actually have a re-issued Takara-Tomy Masterpiece MP-09 Rodimus Prime as well as the Masterpiece MP-28 Hot Rodimus, both relatively high-end figures with a lot of engineering behind them, but neither of them can compare to the fun factor that this figure has going for it.
Unlike those more expensive figures, this little guy gives you two great looking vehicles in one set, as well as a smart robot mode, all with a fun, intuitive transformation scheme. Like the original G1 toy, you have the character's flashy Cybertronian "hot rod" mode before he gained the Matrix of Leadership and the cyberpunk trailer that can either attach to him to form a souped-up Winnebago or transform into a battle station with a large gun he can use to shoot down hijacked Autobot shuttles (like he did in the 1986 movie!). There are also a ton of accessories that come with the set to give you a lot of display options. And if you're a MechFanToys enthusiast, you'll also be glad to know there's a little Diaclone mech that is colored to match him.
You can even get him in a black deco and a porn 'stache; just search for the "Mechanic Studios MS-19B Flame Dark Commander".
5. Sugar Man build-a-figure (X-Men Marvel Legends 2020 Wave 1)
I was late picking up this set, waiting until the end of the year to bite the bullet; just so many fantastic figures that I had to prioritize. I had to get the last two figures off eBay in an auction. I'm glad I didn't sleep on it too long, and that I was able to get all 7 figures that are needed to complete the BAF (build-a-figure); the best villain from the Age of Apocalypse, Sugar Man.
Sugar Man was the main antagonist in 1995's short-lived Generation Next, the 4-issue miniseries that detailed the exploits of Colossus' team, Earth-295's version of the New Mutants. The end of that story is as heartbreaking as it was 25 years ago, and Sugar Man's evil presence as the big bad was a huge part of why it's stuck with me. Though his motives and desires were never really fleshed out in the original books, the design by Chris Bachalo was horrific enough for you to remember. He reminds me so much of the Boogeyman in The Real Ghostbusters, another childhood monster that fueled my nightmares.
The BAF toy gives you all of the four-armed, long-tongued action that you'd want, and despite the lack of articulation in anything but the arms, it's one of those figures that get a center spot on my shelves.
4. G.I. Joe Classified Series Snake Eyes Deluxe Figure
G.I. Joe Classified is another one of those detours that have happened despite my attempts to limit myself to Transformers and Marvel. Hasbro is just killing it with their 6" figures and it's hard to resist the delicious mix of articulation, sculpt, and accessories that they're offering for their various IPs. Having gotten my start in toy collecting with the 1:18th scale Joes as a kid, I just had to go in on versions that would now fit in with the main chunk of my superhero display. Imagine having a 6" Snake Eyes that can stand next to your Captain America!
The Hasbro Pulse Exclusive version of the Joe team's resident ninja features a different deco from the retail figure, with a more varied color palette. Though I prefer the all-black color of the retail version, he also has a buttload of extra ninja accessories and more realistic guns (a common complaint about the regular releases is firearms that look like Nerf guns), including his signature uzi. All of it makes this the definitive Snake Eyes for me (so far).
I am kind of sad that I never actually got to customize my Articulated Icons Solitaire into a Snake Eyes, however. Had a custom head and everything...
3. Voltron: Defender of the Universe Super Mini-Pla
I occasionally dabble in the world of Gunpla ("Gundam plastic model"). It's a fun thing to do to kill an afternoon once in a while. I'm not hardcore; no painting, or panel-lining for me. A light sanding of an occasional sprue nub is about as far as I'll go when it comes to assembling one of these things. I tend to focus on the mid-range kits as well, the HG stuff that only takes a couple of hours to put together. I tried a bigger set once and I couldn't feel my fingers afterward. I can't imagine what a Perfect Grade kit would be like.
Based on how much of my butt was asleep after I assembled this kit, a Super Mini-Pla is at about MG level of complexity, which is a little above my comfort zone, but this is VOLTRON, Defender of the Universe. Not only is it fun to put this together, but the resulting model feels so much more solid than the Gundams. It's amazing that you get 5 decent looking lion figures that can still combine to form the gestalt robot. Sure there's some parts-forming, and this isn't a $400 Soul of Chokogin, but the aesthetic and accessories are great for the price.
So great, in fact, that I'm considering getting a second kit so that I can have both lions and robots displayed together.
2. Lanard Walmart Alien Queen
This is a weird one.
I saw this on a toy forum at the start of the year and learned that it was a Walmart exclusive, not available locally in the Philippines. At the time, the Walmart Alien line (consisting of this figure, several smaller 4" xenomorphs, and a Marine APC) was very popular, and secondary market prices were pretty high. Thankfully, I was able to win an eBay auction for a loose figure lot that included all the aliens as well as the queen, just missing the egg and face-hugger. Score!
Since then, the 12" xenomorph queen hasn't left my shelves and is consistently acting as the big bad vs Transformers, G.I. Joes, He-Man, Batman, X-Men, Avengers, etc. on my desk. Though the kid-friendly colors are an odd choice, I can live with it. Even my nieces and nephews use the toy as the villain in their own playtime stories. Don't worry, this thing is so sturdily made, it will take a lot for them to break it. Though I am worried about them poking themselves in the eye with the tail...If you missed it and want to get one, Walmart just re-released it in red, now with "lights and sounds".
Honorable Mentions
Before I get to my number 1, there are some runners up that I wanted to mention. These were toys that were very fun to play with, but just not as high on the "time-on-desk" scale that I'm measuring them by.
If you'd like a quick idea of what each looks like, just click on the links.
- Transform Element TE-01C Optimus Prime Cell Shaded Version
- Marvel Legends Legendary Riders (Kill Krew) Punisher
- Paladone DC Comics Batwing Poseable Desk Lamp
- Transform Element TE-02 Metal Deformation Beetle
- Collect n' Connect King Shark (DC Comics Multiverse Wave 5)
- Transformers Generations War for Cybertron: Siege Deluxe Refraktor 3-Pack (G1 Toy Colors)
- NewAge H13 Lucifer et al. (Legends Seekers)
- Transformers Cyberverse: Battle for Cybertron Energon Armor Clobber
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Super Mini-Pla Megazord
- Marvel Legends Series Hellfire Club Collection boxset
Big Firebird BFB EX-01 Nicee
Last on my list is a Big Firebird's Nicee, a 3rd Party take on the Autobot, Arcee, but with strong ecchi overtones. It got a huge amount of backlash online due to the sexualization of the character, and I'll admit that it caught my attention because of it (hey, a lot of us Transformers geeks had a crush on Arcee, ok?), but when you get this in-hand, you will see that it is a FANTASTIC action figure.
Not only is the sculpt really good (your mileage may vary, but if you're attempting to make a robot anime waifu, then this is how you'd do it), the construction is solid, the articulation is unbelievably good, there are a fair amount of accessories that make sense. If you're not that particular, her scale can also easily slot in with your Masterpiece collection. I do wish they'd kept the more G1-esque head that the original promo shots had, but the pros of this figure really outweigh the cons.
Right now, I'm eagerly awaiting the PO notices for BFB's EX-02 Windblade, and I hope that they eventually release Nicee with an Elita-1 deco and head (and maybe throw us that G1 Arcee head as well).
So that's my list of the top 10 additions to my own collection. Here's hoping you had fun gathering your own hauls during the lockdown, and that this year is better than the last.
We'd love to hear about your own top 10 figures in the comments below!