- Good lord this holiday season went by fast. Just in case you somehow missed my endless shilling, be sure to check out the joint-blog project
- I’ve expressed my doubts about third-party toys in the form of licensed characters, but I have far fewer qualms  about third-part add-ons, which are awesome. There are some really cool third party projects going on for MOTUC right now, such as Kevin Kosse’s Horde Trooper helmets or the upcoming conversion kits by Mat Vige O’Toole, a.k.a. Zombihamma (who’s also a special effects make-up, prosthetics and storyboard artist with a pretty badass resume) – plus of course Joe Amaro‘s great stuff. Of course, it took a few years for any sort of third party add-ons to appear. What I’m trying to say is, where is the emergent third-party add-on market for Star Wars Black 6″? Let’s skip the 2-3 year delay and get going on that now. I’d like a 1/12th scale cantina environment for Han and Greedo to have their shootout (so that I can have Han shoot first again and again and again), a headset for Han to go with his pilot gloves, laser blast attachments for all the blasters, an alternate open left hand for the Sandtrooper so that he can hold the light repeating blaster properly, electrobinoculars for the Sandtrooper, Boba Fett’s concussion grenade launcher–actually you know what? This might need its own post.
- I haven’t received a new Toy Aisle Trolls submission in quite a while. Have the trolls actually gained a conscience? Have the stores caught on, at long last? Or are you all just lazy?
- BigBadToyStore has pre-orders for Bandai America toys from the 2014Â Godzilla. There’s mention of “MUTO (Winged)” and “MUTO (8 Legged)”. M.U.T.O. appears to be the name of an organization that the film’s marketing team has created a fake website for. We don’t yet know what MUTO stands for.
- NECA has released a great visual guide (warning: 1.4Mb) to every Predator figure they’ve released thus far.
- I think I want to collect a vintage set of Power Lords. This is going to take a while.
- Out of curiosity: what are your picks for the best action figures of the year?
Harrig
SWB Sandtrooper for me!
Agent 86
2013 Toy of the Year: Mantenna!
Jester
Speaking of third-party stuff for SWB6", a re-worked version of the Boba Fett figure's EE-3 would not go amiss, given that the stock version is actually too long from the grip to the butt for him to hold properly with too hands.
John Matrix
NECA Jungle Disguise Dutch
Frogster
My picks are:
NECA 18 inch Gipsy Danger
SWB6 Sandtrooper
SWB6 Boba Fett
Generations Metroplex
Rancor84
My #1 toy is down to 3. neca muddy dutch is just fantastic in every way. Then there’s the sw:b6 sandtrooper. He’s my favorite from both sw:b6 waves. Then my 3rd is the imaginext black manta & sub. What a fun toy! Anytime I see an Aquaman related toy, I’m just giddy!
AmericanHyena
Ah, I read it as action figure LINE.
Individual action figure? That’s a way more open field.
My (not) short list of candidates
–The standard NECA Xenomorph
–The two-pack Hicks (more weapons)
–Either of the first two Dutch figures
–Kwinn
–Ultimate Cobra Commander
–Generations Voyager Springer / Sandstorm
–Generations Metroplex
–Ram-Man
–Mantenna
–Hordetroopers
–Dactys
–Han Solo
–Sand Trooper
–SDCC Boba Fett
All worthy candidates in my book.
stack32
Dutch (pick your favorite) should definitely be a candidate. DCC Arkham Origins Batman and Marvel Select Venom would also be on my list.
barbecue17
Yeah, the Marvel Select Venom was really good. I'd also throw in the running:
MOTUC Ram-Man, NA He-Man, and Fang Man
The Dark Knight Returns Batman from Mattel
Hudson or Hicks from Aliens
Kwinn from G.I. Joe Retaliation
Any of the Dutch figures (particularly Disguise or Extraction)
SWB Sand Trooper
Play Arts Kai Lara Croft
Bioshock Infinite Elizabeth from NECA
nerdbot
I don't know about "best" of the year, but Marvel Select has continued to put out some great stuff recently – easily some of my favorites. Of what came out on this past year, let's see… Rhino? Ultron? Movie Wolverine? Winter Soldier? Venom?
AmericanHyena
Hrmm…Marvel Legends have been amazing figures but I’d probably have to DQ them for the absolutely royal “running change variants that never saw release cock-up.
Has MOTU had a lot of QC issues this year? I stopped paying attention. They certainly deserve some credit for getting Castle f***ing Grayskull out somehow.
You can’t properly count the Ravens cause they aren’t out yet, even though the kickstarter did gangbusters.
Transformers has been on a roll with their Generations line the past few months but most of the year was dominated with lackluster Beast Hunters and Fall of Cybertron stuff.
Mattel’s WWE Elite line is a VASTLY under appreciated line with a decent variety of tooling, great likenesses, and a ton of accessories and costumes. But it’s wrestling so most people will ignore it.
Star Wars Black is certainly a viable candidate. 8 great figures and counting so far. BUT…only 8 figures so far. Same for Necas Aliens but even less figures (and more parts re-use).
GI JOE only saw the early movie sequel crap actually hit stores for the most part, though a few gems snuck out near the end.
Club Infinite Earths is a joke.
I don’t know enough about Monster Arts or Revoltech to properly comment on that.
That leaves me with Predators which, in my book, is a pretty clear winner. You got Dutch (!!!) in pretty much any look you could want. You got fan film (!!!) Predators. You got what I would call ultimate versions of both the Jungle Hunter and City Hunter. You got the three rediculously fun Kenner Predators. And you got the big ass trophy room playset with monster skills to fill the entire thing. (Plus if you count Predatora and Aliens as two sides of the same coin you now have fully articulated Predators and Xenomorphs TO FIGHT EACH OTHER). No other line has touched that save MAYBE MOTUC.
So that’s my vote. Predators with MOTUC a very close second.
Bigbot
Jungle Disguise Dutch is my pick for action figure of the year.
Misterbigbo
Ditto
Misterbigbo
Oh crap, I need those custom He-Man vintage and Filmation heads RIGHT NOW.