Issue 70 : Saturday 6th January, 2018
The Doctor Who 5" figures have been in limbo for some time now. They were essentially stopped by Character back in 2014 when the scale was moved to a smaller 3.75" figure. While the smaller figures did well initially, they ended up warming pegs and soon began turning up at clearance. It was recently announced they were now finished. While 5" collectors have had a few sets since 2014 thanks to retailer exclusives, a lot of these were driven by Underground Toys in the US via the Character licence agreement. That avenue was pretty much closed when Underground Toys were purchased by Funko. So after a year without any new figures fans were probably thinking this was it for the whole Doctor Who line as we know it - and then this pops up on Christmas Day via Twitter posted first by Pearl Mackie (Bill Potts) and then by one of the Doctor Who fan sites. "Merry Christmas from the 5� Bill Potts action figure, who may be coming to a store near you soon... " @DWPageOFFICIAL
Lanard Toys, the company that brought us the 3.75" scale Kong : Skull Island figures, are producing a number of sets and figures from the 2018 monster movie Rampage, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The sets follow a similar vein as Kong with a monster creature packed with articulated 3.75" figures and vehicles and accessories. The figures themselves are more stylised than being representation of the characters and are very GI Joe inspired in terms of look and articulation. In the US these will be sold exclusively in Walmart. There may be a similar deal here for Asda, or they may well go to Smyths who were the retailer that took the Kong figures in the UK. The larger three sets are titled "Big City Brawl" and include George the albino Gorilla, Lizzie the Crocodile and Ralph the Wolf. There is then one small figure per set, and the George set then gets a small helicopter vehicle.
We then have two smaller sets called "Canister Contact" these are made up of a 3.75" figure and various accessories like roadblocks and weapons. There is then a smaller (unmutated) version of Ralph and Lizzie. There does not seem to be a smaller set for George at this point. Bill looks fabulous and the head sculpt looks to be one of the best yet from Character. And yet she does retain the look and articulation of the main 5" line so won't look out of place. Whether this is another single retailer exclusive, or something bigger remains to be seen. Intriguingly we did read about David Bradley (the 1st Doctor in this years Xmas Special) saying he had an Action Figure too (can't find source now) and that could mean a set from the Xmas special or the reboot of the 5" line ready for the Jodie Whittaker era? We await more news eagerly
Over the 2017 Christmas period NECA released a number of new annual checklist posters as downloadable Xmas treats. While most revealed nothing new, the Xmas Eve poster for Predator gave us a look at two new figures planned for the Predator line in 2018.
October saw NECA confirm a new Ultimate Jason figure would be released in 2018 based on his appearance in Friday the 13th Part II. At the time a box design was shown, based on the original movie poster. NECA have now teased some of the accessories that will be packed with Jason. As well as a number of weapons and accessories, there also seems to be a campfire accessory. NECA have said this is also "not everything" that will be included in the pack. "Loading Jason up to make sure he is truly Ultimate...only some of the contents shown" - Randy Falk, Twitter
We had seen hints at the Alien vs Predator Capcom Arcade Game Dutch, and we can now see the figure in all its glory. We are also getting another of the playable characters from the game - Lieutenant Linn Kurosawa. We await more details on these new figures.
NECA announced in October 2017 that they would be producing merchandise from Crash Bandicoot thanks to a new licensing deal with Activision Blizzard. We have just got out first glimpse at a Crash figure from this new licence. "Merry Crash-mas! Coming Spring 2018" - Randy Falk, NECA
When NECA launched the Alien X club they promised an end of year exclusive for those who purchased all the releases in 2017. As we reached the end of the year, that final exclusive has been revealed as a Purple Kenner Inspired Xenomorph warrior. This new figure looks to be using the Aliens Xenomorph Concept figure - Aliens 1986 Warrior with smooth dome - as seen most recently in the Hadleys Hope pack with Burke. Obviously he gets an all over paint job in bright purple. While this release won't be for everyone, it is going to be sought after by collectors - particularly as not everyone subscribed to the Alien X club or kept up purchases through the year. We now await the pricing and release details.
Arguably one of the most anticipated NECA figures of 2018 is going to be Pennywise from the 2017 reboot of Stephen King's It. NECA have teased the sculpting on the 7" scale figure - although only from the back - and what looks to be his iconic red balloon. "On Christmas Eve we all float..." - Randy Falk, NECA
NECA Club x ALIEN exclusive figure revealed! The classic Kenner Tribute Purple Warrior is the perfect match for the 6-piece Kenner Tribute Diorama that club members received earlier this year. Based on the card art illustration and coloration, it stands over 9� tall and features over 30 points of articulation and a bendable tail. Release date coming soon!
McFarlane have released the full details of their Walking Dead Ezekiel 7" figure, as announced back in October 2017. Ezekiel will have 15 points of articulation and is sculpted using a 3D scan of the actor, Khary Payton. He comes with his cane staff which actually works so that the sword can be removed. The usual display base will be included. The US RRP on Ezekiel is $19.99, around ÂŁ20 here in the UK once it makes its way over the pond. Release date is scheduled for February 2018
NECA have revealed the final packaging designs for their 7" Kratos, God of War figure. The figure is due to ship (in the US at least) in the next few weeks.
McFarlane have also released the full details of their Walking Dead Saviour Prisoner Daryl 7" figure, as also announced in October 2017.
From the upcoming game by Santa Monica Studio comes the first packing shots of our God of War (2018) 7" Scale Kratos Action Figure, which ships out in just 2 weeks! (NECA, Facebook)
Darrell will have 15 points of articulation. While the Ezekiel figure released at the same time has used 3D scan technology, Daryl is listed as being sculpted from photographs of actor Norman Reedus and that shows when you look at the two newly announced figures side by side. I guess there was some element of cost saving on Daryl by tweaking the existing head sculpt. Daryl will come with a mop accessory as well as the standard display base. The US RRP on Daryl is $19.99, around ÂŁ20 here in the UK once it makes its way over the pond. Release date is scheduled for February 2018
Over the month of December 2017, I revealed my favourite 24 figures of 2017, revealing one a day via our 2017 Advent Calendar. These figures were chosen from the figures I’ve bought and reviewed in 2017 and that come from my focus area of 6-7” Action Figures from TV and Movies.
Vasquez - the original Vasquez was shortlisted in 2016, and for me her 2017 tweaked figure in battle dress uniform was a step up from the original release. She may have lost her Smart Gun but there was more detail in the paint with the teardrop tattoo now in place. The working holsters were brilliantly designed and the figure overall is a sublime piece.
If you want to see our full 24 candidates, then click through our Advent Calendar below to see which figures made it to our shortlist. Walter Peck - for those of you who followed our Halloween countdown and our rush to finish the Diamond Select Ghostbusters Rooftop will know that Walter Peck was for me the least desirable figure in the whole series. Yet he has become one of my favourites. He shows that it isn’t just NECA who can sculpt expression onto a figure, and his smirking face is one of the best that Diamond have put out across all ranges - let alone the brilliant Ghostbusters series.
With a short list in place then came the difficult choice of choosing our Top 5 figures of 2017.
Doctor Strange - this early 2017 release from Diamond is one of the best sculpts in their entire Marvel Select line, capturing the likeness of Benedict Cumberbatch brilliantly - and with the bonus pack in of that diorama base! This figure will take some beating in the next few years - and of course with Strange’s role in Thor Ragnarok and Infinity War, I think this will become highly sought after.
Lambert - yes we have two NECA Alien figures in the Top 5. Lambert was a standout figure of 2017, scoring a 5+ on our rating. Everything about her was great - despite re-using lots of parts, but the icing was that terrified face sculpt that lifter her beyond neutral action figure to a thing of beauty amongst your Aliens display.
Choosing just 5 from the wealth of figures I have waded through reviewing in 2017 was tough. Nearly all of them are here on display watching me write this - so time for some honourable mentions.
Tusken Raider - the Star Wars Black Series really came of age in 2017 with the biggest percentage of entries on our Top 24. One stand out amongst these was the Tusken Raider who made his debut on the 40th Anniversary card backs and soon after in the main range. An awesome figure that shows how soft goods done right are really effective. There was also some careful thought around his accessories and the ability to army build with subtle changes to the weapons for each figure.
From the Black Series, my also ran was Snoke. A truly chilling head sculpt with soft goods that flow brilliantly and gold slippers - who could ask for more. From Diamond, the Homecoming Spider-Man ran Dr Strange close and this figure along with Daredevil show the progression Diamond are making on articulation for their Select figures. And from NECA, Rocky was a contender. While the range looks like it is now over, the fact we got the Rocky IV figure with flag was fantastic. And my only personal regret was I waited too long on Apollo Creed and missed out (I wonder if he would have made the top 5?)
After counting down my favourite figures of 2017, I wanted to take the opportunity in this New Year issue of #SatTOYday to start what I hope will be an annual occurence - the Mephitsu Archives end of year awards. There is no voting, no nominations and no golden envelopes. Just 7 categories and a winner in each chosen by myself with a little help from my son. I am sure my choices are not to everyone’s likings, and I guess they will be quite narrow in terms of choices considering the diversity of the overall market vs the items I tend to cover in depth that go into my own collection.
“The ones the kids love the most” As a father of a very opinionated 8 year old, I am often reminded that these items we hunt for, collect and display are in the main made for kids to play with. The children of today are the collectors of the future, and the items they love and play with today will shape the items they will hunt down and collect in 15-20 years time. This award is chosen by my son, and I simply asked him to choose the one item that he has received in 2017 that he loves the most... His choice was the Kylo Ren Tie Silencer from Hasbro’s 3.75” Last Jedi line.
“The figure that made me smile and ‘squee’ the most all year” I’ve pretty much said all I need to say about this wonderful figure from the team at NECA, it stood out across all the figures I bought and reviewed in 2017 in terms of sculpt, paint, articulation and most of all shelf presence with that wonderfully expressive head sculpt. My favourite figure of 2017 is Lambert from NECA Aliens range.
He loves the look of the ship, being a fan of Tie Interceptors, and what is brilliantly innovative and is giving him hours of fun is the Force Link feature which takes the ship to the next level when played with in conjunction with the wrist band.
“The big ones that cost you more and take up loads of shelf” When you are a 6” collector, the choices of larger vehicles or beasts are very limited and they are pretty pricey pieces and the decision to purchase often means giving up a chunk of shelf “real estate”. They are however real centrepieces to any display and 2017 saw a couple in particular get released that did steal the limelight. Usually we’d see NECA compete in this line having released items like the Alien Queen, Powerloader, ED-209 and the Predator Blade Fighter, but 2017 didn’t bring us any large goodies from NECA as they focused on other innovative items like the new creature and accessory packs. Instead it was Hasbro and their Star Wars Black Series team that pandered to our needs for vehicles, following up on their 2015 Tie Fighter with two smaller, but just as beautiful speeders complete with figure. Out of the two, my award for vehicle of the year goes to Rey’s Speeder from The Force Awakens - a lovely piece with some gorgeous decor and detail and a very well worked flight stand.
“The one that didn’t live up to the hype”
“Who hasn’t accepted mediocrity and is improving with every wave”
I was pretty lucky with all my purchases in 2017 that very few of them disappointed me massively. It took me a while to decide which figure would walk away with this award, and I have chosen to give it to the Star Wars Black Series Inferno Squad Agent. This figure didn’t get off to a great start being a Gamestop exclusive. Here in the UK we can (and did) order from Gamestop US only to get shafted with a huge bill for import fees - mainly the UPS admin charge - and then my (and many others) item was received damaged. Gamestop customer service is non-existent and it took 2-months for them to finally tell me to “read the return policy on the website”.
Like anything in the world, Action Figure technology advances at a phenomenal rate and with it we expect any product we buy to be better and more advanced than the last one. This award is one that recognises a line or company that has seen its product progress the most through 2017. I can’t look anywhere but the Star Wars Black Series by Hasbro for this award. As a line, I felt they were in trouble in 2015/16 with some ropey sculpts, poor quality accessories and distribution problems. In the last 18-months they have turned this around in the main and the recent Last Jedi figures are head and shoulders above anything we’ve had before. I suspect they may well hold this award for 2018 too with what we’ve seen so far of their face scan technology that launches this month.
We were also misinformed that this wouldn’t get a UK release - only for it to later show up in Game stores in the UK, which would have saved us UK collectors £££. The other big issue with the figure is the accuracy. It bares only a passing resemblance to any of the three Inferno Squad character in the Battlefront II game. It is a cheap repaint and that for a figure in a line that prides itself on screen accuracy is pretty unforgiveable.
“If money and display space were no object” While my collection is quite narrow in terms of the lines and figures I purchase, I do try and cover the news and release details of other lines and figures in the 6-7” scale - many of which are more “premium” releases like Mezco and the SH Figuart figures from Japan. So if money were no object, which one of these would I have jumped on straight away in 2017. As a Darth Maul fan, the Bloodfin speeder bike from SH Figuarts is probably the item I would immediately think of. It is beautifully executed and is taken from one of the most underrepresented Star Wars movies.
“Who’s products made us smile the most in 2017 across all lines” My final accolade is Company of the Year, the brand that has given me the most joy over the full year. Diamond Select have had a brilliant year, and even with some setbacks in distribution (Guardians of the Galaxy) and criticism over scale (Daredevil) they have put out a select bunch of well excuted and well priced figures and many of these went on to score highly in our reviews. From Doctor Strange in January, through to Spider-Man in December and of course all the goodies in between from Ghostbusters, Gotham and many more. Not only are the figures great value for money, they are also getting better with every release - with some wonderful facial sculpts and expressions to rival NECA. Well done Diamond, I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us in 2018
After spending a good long while deciding on my 2017 awards, it is fun to speculate what the year ahead may bring for Action Figure collectors. In last years issue I predicted 8 figures I thought we would see in 2017. These were not just random wishes as I did base these on other figures released to date, the big movies due in 2017 a little bit of guesswork.
consultation
Looking back now 12-months later and I managed to get 6 out of 8 correct. In 2017 we saw the release of a 6” Jedi Master Luke, Select & Legends Netflix Daredevil, Homecoming Spider-Man and Ragnarok Hulk in Gladiator Armour. We also had announcements that Vigo would be part of Diamond’s 2nd phase of Ghostbusters figures based on the Ghostbusters II movie. And everyone’s favourite Grand Moff, Tarkin, was making his Black Series 6” debut - complete with Interrogation Droid.
Another TV series I think will get some more Action Figure love in 2018 is Star Trek. With McFarlane now having a licence to produce 7” figures and the first two figures of Kirk and Picard due in early 2018 it seems inevitable for the Toddfather and his team to confirm at least two more figures for late 2018. We will of course likely get to see the announced Star Trek Destiny figures, but I reckon we will see two more and I am putting my money on Spock to accompany Kirk and Mr Data to line up with Picard.
We sadly didn’t get Dillon from Predator, but did get the awesome Rocky IV Apollo Creed as a consolation. My dream of a ¼ scale Ant-Man was not realised either (come on NECA…. please). I don’t talk very much about Funko anymore, particularly as we thought their fledgling 6” realistic range of Legacy figures had been buried long ago after a couple of waves of Game of Thrones and some Firefly and video game related releases. And yet it was confirmed in 2017 that Funko had somehow convinced George Miller - who has been very protective of his creation - to allow them to create action figures from Mad Max. The licence applies to the 2016 Fury Road movie and we have to predict with some certainty that Tom Hardy’s Max and Charlize Theron’s Furiosa will be amongst the first releases.
Having had such a good hit rate on my 2017 predictions, I see no reason why I shouldn’t have another stab for 2018...
It will be interesting to see if Funko will just do a handful of releases - maybe a couple at a time - or if they will return to full waves of 6 figures like Game of Thrones.
2018 is going to see another raft of huge movie’s hit Cinema screens, starting with Black Panther in just under a month - and then a stream of blockbusters like the Han Solo movie, Infinity War, Aquaman and Ant-Man and the Wasp.
One thing is certain, the line will be short lived if they have not resolved the quality concerns that plagued Game of Thrones and resulted in many a broken Legacy figure being returned to retailers.
We will look at my predictions on some of these in a moment, but let’s start with the small screen and the regeneration of The Doctor into Jodie Whittaker and a new series of BBC’s Doctor Who starting in Autumn 2018. If we consider the tease over Christmas 2017 of the 5” Bill Potts figure we see on today’s cover - then it is a pretty safe bet to say Character Options have some new 5” scale Doctor Who figures planned for us and that has to include Jodie Whitaker’s 13th Doctor. My first prediction for 2018 is therefore the rebirth of the 5” Doctor Who line, and I suspect we will see an announcement at Toy Fair 2017 (UK or US) which has to include the Doctor as part of the line up.
I am a huge fan of NECA and their 7” Action Figure lines where they are based on the big movie licences like Alien, Predator, Terminator, Robocop etc.
For my main Marvel predictions though I am going to look at Diamond Select Marvel offerings - the line I collect and review for the site.
Sadly, as we saw in 2017, it does seem that NECA are running out of figures they can produce from the movies and they have hit a period where they are giving us tweaked repaints or are moving to comic book or Kenner inspired releases in a lot of their big licences.
Diamond are limited to the number of the figures they can release each year and by movie - and we already know that Black Panther will take one spot with the release of T’Challa himself in late Spring.
While I know the guys at NECA will be working hard to negotiate new likeness rights and there could be a Burke level surprise in 2018 somewhere - I think 2018 will continue to be very comic book and Kenner focused across all lines.
I predict three slots for Infinity War which is consistent with previous Avengers movies. We may also see some re-releases in new Infinity War packaging to support the movie, and we could also get Disney Store exclusives. With just three slots, the only thing certain is that Vision is unlikely to be one of them based on comments by Diamond in a recent Q+A. I am going to predict Thanos as one of the slots - and I suspect the other two may well Cap and Iron-Man (the big sellers).
I also have a sneaking suspicion that Select will also give us another Netflix based Select figure to follow up the 2017 Daredevil. My gut tells me this will be The Punisher. From the Ant Man sequel I am going to go out on a limb and predict we will get an Evangeline Lilly Wasp figure. 2018 won’t see any more Rocky figures as that line has been confirmed as being rested (if not retired) and there seems little else NECA can feasibly do in Terminator and Robocop. We do have the Guillermo del Toro figures to look forward to, and I would assume NECA will have some new movie licences to have a bash at - akin to the limited figure releases we had in 2017 for Valerian and Blade Runner 2049. We do know that we have more Kenner Aliens coming in early 2018 and then we will see Alien Resurrection figures of Ripley and the Newborn - most likely accompanied in a 3 figure wave with a Resurrection Xenomorph. My other prediction is for NECA to continue their now annual release of an Alien Day figure in April (26th) and I think this year we will see them do an homage to the original Kenner Hicks figure.
So onto the big boys now, and we have another three Marvel Cinematic Universe movies coming in 2018 - Black Panther, Infinity War and Ant-Man and The Wasp. Marvel Legends from Hasbro will have every movie covered with numerous 6” release - with Black Panther figures already on shelves in the US. If I am going to make a Legends prediction it will be Thanos as a Build-A-Figure in the Infinity Wave. What will be interesting for Hasbro, most likely in late 2018 (probably more so in 2019), will be the option to perhaps produce movie Legends from the Fox side of the universe - now of course owned by Disney. With Deadpool 2, New Mutants and X-Men Dark Phoenix all due in 2018 here is a whole new avenue of figures for Hasbro to produce.
Let’s finish on the biggest licence out there - Star Wars. And 2018 will see the next Anthology stand-a-lone movie release in Solo. We know there are figures due in for this big May release - and these will include Han Solo, Lando Calrissian and a new Imperial Trooper. We would assume Chewie would be in there as well somewhere. But then we have a gap until December 2019 when Episode 9 arrives, and that will give Hasbro quite a large window to fill with figures without a new movie to base them on.. While they will have the returning 3.75” Vintage collection to contend with - that should mean a good run at older characters from the Prequels, Original Trilogy and Rebels. With my bet on Ezra (with or without Chopper) being this years Rebels release. Admiral Ackbar in his Return of the Jedi outfit seems a pretty obvious prediction to make for 2018 considering the head and arm sculpt is already done thanks to his Last Jedi exclusive figure. I also think the Bounty Hunter theme will be finalised and that Zuckuss will follow his partner 4-LOM to the 6” series. My other prediction is in the vehicle line for the 6” figures which seems to have found its mark with the two 2017 speeders. I am going to have a stab that we will see a Snowspeeder announced either at Toy Fair or at SDCC 2018.