As we bid sweet adieu to this year’s San Diego Comic Con, those of us who couldn’t make it to this year’s event are now scouring eBay and several other websites hoping to score many of the exclusive action figures from the show. Here are the top 10 action figure exclusives to be on the look out for:
10) Marvel Universe Sentinel by Hasbro
This bad boy stands 18-inches-tall, features electronic lights and sounds, a classic paint scheme and makes your 3.75-inch X-men figures look puny by comparison. The comic con version comes on a giant figure cardback, loaded into a special box with art by Joe Quesada. If you miss picking up this figure from the show, don’t sweat it. Another version of the Sentinel will be released to retail outlets in the fall with a different paint scheme and a 3.75-inch Wolverine figure. Also, HasbroToyShop.com will sell a limited number of these starting Tuesday (7/26). $59.99
9) 3.75-inch Dexter by Bif Bang Pow!
There was never a G.I. Joe whose main skills both involved blood spatter or serial killing. Thanks to Bif Bang Pow! your old-school Joe’s have reason to lay awake at night, terrified of that creepy looking dude that they now have to share a toy box with. This is the first figure from Bif Bang Pow! in the 3.75-inch scale and definitely won’t be the last. He features 10 points of articulation, a blood slide, his Dark Defender overcoat, trash bag and knife. It’s limited to 3,000 pieces. He can be pre-ordered over Entertainment Earth for $14.99, but for some reason, they won’t ship him until November.
8) ThunderCats “Classic Lion-O” from Bandai
Lion-O has a lot going against him as the headliner of one the 80’s greatest cartoons... 1) He sports one of the worst costumes in children’s television history. What’s up with those briefs and halter top? 2) He’s half-man, half- boy, and half-cat which usually adds up to all-lame. 3) If he didn’t have his weapon, the Sword of Omens, everyone on his team including Panthro, Tygra and Cheetara, WilyKit, WilyKat & maybe Snarf could of kicked his kitty ass. Luckily Bandai and Toys R Us have made classic Lion-O much cooler to look at with this set. It features 18 points of articulation, a metallic finish, the Sword of Omens (in two sizes), the claw shield and a sword stand. $40
7) Predator 2: Shadow Predator from Hot Toys
What was the best part of Predator 2? The skull of a xenomorph showing up in the Predators’ trophy case? Gary Busey’s lazy eye? Seeing multiple Predators together in the same scene? According to Hot Toys, it’s that last one. They have put together this deluxe ⅙ scale Shadow Predator with over 22 points of articulation, a newly developed head and body armor, an interchangeable expanded mouth, 3 pairs of interchangeable hands, a retractable spear, a shuriken, knife, a bone trophy, display stand and more. No big deal if you missed it at San Diego Comic Con, as Hot Toys will be selling this guy at other conventions internationally the rest of the year. No word yet when we’ll get an action figure of Gary Busey with the eye.
6) Iron Man Mark IV Secret Project from Sideshow Collectibles
Remember that scene in Iron Man (or was it Iron Man 2?) when Robert Downey Jr. worked on that “secret project” with the special Mark IV armor? No? Hmmmm... Must have been a deleted scene. Or not... Either way, Hot Toys created this figure and Sideshow Collectibles is distributing it. I think it-looks-AWESOME. Like the Shadow Predator, this one will be making the rounds at several other conventions through the rest of the year. $209.99
5) DC Universe Swamp Thing from Mattel
What makes this figure so cool? One word: ENDOSKELETON. It has an endoskeleton with an outer rubber covering to hide the points of articulation throughout its body. He comes packaged in a paper pulp mold of Swamp Thing’s head. The San Diego Comic Con version will also come with the un-men minifigures. For those who couldn’t make it to the big show, Mattel will put this Swamp Thing up for sale on August 1 at MattyCollector.com, sans un-men. $30
4) Marvel Legends Thor from Hasbro
Many action figure collectors have a strong love affair with the original Marvel Legends line from Toy Biz. After Hasbro obtained the license from Marvel back in 2007, the line ground to halt and collectors mourned the loss of their well-crafted, highly articulated, 6-inch heroes. Hasbro decided to give fans a taste of the new 2012 line of Marvel Legends with this special Thor. It comes in a box shaped like his mythical hammer, Mjolnir. Rejoice friends! Marvel Legends has returned! HasbroToyShop.com will have a limited number of these for sale on Tuesday (7/26). $24.99
3) Starscream Deco SkyStriker with Cobra Commander Pilot from Hasbro
The idea of Transformers and G.I. Joe’s sharing the same universe is enough to make the head of any self respecting geek that grew up in the 80’s explode... in a good way. The set features an oldschool Starscream piloted by Cobra Commander armed with a transformed Megatron. Starscream is a redo of the upcoming SkyStriker from the Joe line and won’t actually transform into robot form. The packaging is based off the original G.I. Joe/Transformers crossover comic series. I’m starting to get a headache. HasbroToyShop.com will have a limited number of these for sale on Tuesday (7/26).$49.99
2) Batman Begins: Batman/Bruce Wayne from Hot Toys
(Imagine the following section read in a deep gravely voice.) This Batman Begins figure features two interchangeable heads (the Batman head will have 3 interchangeable lower faces), 30 points of articulation, 7 interchangeable hands, the batsuit with cape, a detailed utility belt, a grapnel gun, bomb, two batarangs that clip on his belt, a climbing harness and belt, ninja mask, figure stand and much more. Like several other Hot Toys figures on this list, it will pop up at other international comic conventions this year.
John Ary is host of Articulation Times, a web show devoted to the action figure industry. Learn more about it at Youtube.com/ArticulationTimes.
10) Marvel Universe Sentinel by Hasbro
This bad boy stands 18-inches-tall, features electronic lights and sounds, a classic paint scheme and makes your 3.75-inch X-men figures look puny by comparison. The comic con version comes on a giant figure cardback, loaded into a special box with art by Joe Quesada. If you miss picking up this figure from the show, don’t sweat it. Another version of the Sentinel will be released to retail outlets in the fall with a different paint scheme and a 3.75-inch Wolverine figure. Also, HasbroToyShop.com will sell a limited number of these starting Tuesday (7/26). $59.99
9) 3.75-inch Dexter by Bif Bang Pow!
There was never a G.I. Joe whose main skills both involved blood spatter or serial killing. Thanks to Bif Bang Pow! your old-school Joe’s have reason to lay awake at night, terrified of that creepy looking dude that they now have to share a toy box with. This is the first figure from Bif Bang Pow! in the 3.75-inch scale and definitely won’t be the last. He features 10 points of articulation, a blood slide, his Dark Defender overcoat, trash bag and knife. It’s limited to 3,000 pieces. He can be pre-ordered over Entertainment Earth for $14.99, but for some reason, they won’t ship him until November.
Lion-O has a lot going against him as the headliner of one the 80’s greatest cartoons... 1) He sports one of the worst costumes in children’s television history. What’s up with those briefs and halter top? 2) He’s half-man, half- boy, and half-cat which usually adds up to all-lame. 3) If he didn’t have his weapon, the Sword of Omens, everyone on his team including Panthro, Tygra and Cheetara, WilyKit, WilyKat & maybe Snarf could of kicked his kitty ass. Luckily Bandai and Toys R Us have made classic Lion-O much cooler to look at with this set. It features 18 points of articulation, a metallic finish, the Sword of Omens (in two sizes), the claw shield and a sword stand. $40
7) Predator 2: Shadow Predator from Hot Toys
What was the best part of Predator 2? The skull of a xenomorph showing up in the Predators’ trophy case? Gary Busey’s lazy eye? Seeing multiple Predators together in the same scene? According to Hot Toys, it’s that last one. They have put together this deluxe ⅙ scale Shadow Predator with over 22 points of articulation, a newly developed head and body armor, an interchangeable expanded mouth, 3 pairs of interchangeable hands, a retractable spear, a shuriken, knife, a bone trophy, display stand and more. No big deal if you missed it at San Diego Comic Con, as Hot Toys will be selling this guy at other conventions internationally the rest of the year. No word yet when we’ll get an action figure of Gary Busey with the eye.
6) Iron Man Mark IV Secret Project from Sideshow Collectibles
Remember that scene in Iron Man (or was it Iron Man 2?) when Robert Downey Jr. worked on that “secret project” with the special Mark IV armor? No? Hmmmm... Must have been a deleted scene. Or not... Either way, Hot Toys created this figure and Sideshow Collectibles is distributing it. I think it-looks-AWESOME. Like the Shadow Predator, this one will be making the rounds at several other conventions through the rest of the year. $209.99
5) DC Universe Swamp Thing from Mattel
What makes this figure so cool? One word: ENDOSKELETON. It has an endoskeleton with an outer rubber covering to hide the points of articulation throughout its body. He comes packaged in a paper pulp mold of Swamp Thing’s head. The San Diego Comic Con version will also come with the un-men minifigures. For those who couldn’t make it to the big show, Mattel will put this Swamp Thing up for sale on August 1 at MattyCollector.com, sans un-men. $30
4) Marvel Legends Thor from Hasbro
Many action figure collectors have a strong love affair with the original Marvel Legends line from Toy Biz. After Hasbro obtained the license from Marvel back in 2007, the line ground to halt and collectors mourned the loss of their well-crafted, highly articulated, 6-inch heroes. Hasbro decided to give fans a taste of the new 2012 line of Marvel Legends with this special Thor. It comes in a box shaped like his mythical hammer, Mjolnir. Rejoice friends! Marvel Legends has returned! HasbroToyShop.com will have a limited number of these for sale on Tuesday (7/26). $24.99
3) Starscream Deco SkyStriker with Cobra Commander Pilot from Hasbro
The idea of Transformers and G.I. Joe’s sharing the same universe is enough to make the head of any self respecting geek that grew up in the 80’s explode... in a good way. The set features an oldschool Starscream piloted by Cobra Commander armed with a transformed Megatron. Starscream is a redo of the upcoming SkyStriker from the Joe line and won’t actually transform into robot form. The packaging is based off the original G.I. Joe/Transformers crossover comic series. I’m starting to get a headache. HasbroToyShop.com will have a limited number of these for sale on Tuesday (7/26).$49.99
2) Batman Begins: Batman/Bruce Wayne from Hot Toys
(Imagine the following section read in a deep gravely voice.) This Batman Begins figure features two interchangeable heads (the Batman head will have 3 interchangeable lower faces), 30 points of articulation, 7 interchangeable hands, the batsuit with cape, a detailed utility belt, a grapnel gun, bomb, two batarangs that clip on his belt, a climbing harness and belt, ninja mask, figure stand and much more. Like several other Hot Toys figures on this list, it will pop up at other international comic conventions this year.
1) Indiana Jones Lost Wave from Hasbro
Hasbro dug up it’s entire “lost wave” 2008 Indian Jones line as a Comic-Con special edition collector’s pack. This was to be the final wave in the Indiana Jones line of figures that helped promote the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but alas, poor sales of toys based on Mutt Jones (who could have guessed?) kept these from seeing the light of day. The highlight of the set is easily Toht. He comes with a medallion, hot poker, removable overcoat and a swappable melting head. The collection is displayed in a fancy box with each figure individually carded. HasbroToyShop.com will have a limited number of these for sale on Tuesday (7/26). $64.99
John Ary is host of Articulation Times, a web show devoted to the action figure industry. Learn more about it at Youtube.com/ArticulationTimes.
