When it comes to creating my top 10 lists for the year I always do one featuring my 10 favorite lines as a whole and one that features individual figures. Sometimes a toyline is so small, possibly consisting of only a single release, and it just doesn't make sense to place it in the list of my 10 favorite toylines. Other times there's a figure which ends up being a real gem in an otherwise ho-hum line. Of course, there are also times when I only wanted one figure from a larger line and I was impressed by what I picked up. That's where this list comes in.
Like in my previous top 10 individual figures lists, remember that individual taste really determines what ends up winning in my awards. While I do try to include figures that are objectively really well done (detailed sculpted, neat paintwork, functional articulation, no issues with breakage), character selection and style play a huge part, too. To put it simply, I like what I like. One thing I do really make an effort to do is to look at a wide range of product. On this list you'll figures from low-end lines and high-end lines. You'll see standard mass market lines and lines you might have never heard of before. For this list, these winners are simply in alphabetical order.
Second, action figures from lines in my Top 10 Favorite Toylines of 2016 list are ineligible. There are some lines that could just come in and dominate half the slots on this list. That wouldn't be any fun, would it?
Ready for the fun to start? Then let's get going after the break:
1. Batgirl 1966 by Tonner
2. Batgirl (Batgirl of Burnside) from DC Comics Icons by DC Collectibles
3. Batman (Batman V. Superman) from One:12 Collective: DC Comics by Mezco
4. Gorelords Pack B by Violence Toy
5. Herbert West (ReAnimator) from Monstarz by Amok Time Toys
Here's another smaller release that crept up on me. While the faux retro action figure craze has cooled a bit, the companies putting out stuff currently are putting out some very desirable and creative product. One of the best releases this year was from Amok Time's MonStarz range. Dr. Herbert West was their only release this year (the cake-loving zombie from the Father's Day segment of Creepshow is coming out later this year) but he really shows the TLC that Amok Time puts into their releases. Herbert is a lot better than what you typically see in faux-retro lines with better sculpting, a bit more articulation, and some very cool accessories. Re-Animator is a property that doesn't get a lot of merchandising, so it's great to see a smaller company like Amok Time cater to fans.
Deadpool had a huge year in 2016, didn't he? Well, it turns out that the figure that made it on my Best of the Rest list for 2016 isn't Wade Wilson at all; it's Wanda Wilson! Kotobukiya's Lady Deadpool is the first (and so far, only) Marvel Comics Bishoujo figure I've owned, but darn is it sweet. Kotobukiya always puts out statues with incredible sculpts and paintwork in this series, but Lady Deadpool also has some really cool extra items that can be used to change the look of the statue. I love this!
Despite its flaws, I love the diversity of Jakks Pacific's World of Nintendo
line. While Bandai is offering some better figures in their S.H. Figuarts
product range (the cost is quite a bit higher), the diversity isn't nearly as good. Thus far most
everything Bandai has released has been released by Jakks as well. The somewhat generically named Playset E
is a whole different story, though. Featuring three classic Super Mario
Bros. villains (Latiku, a Spiny, and a Hammer Bro.), this set is
beautiful to look at (both Bandai and Jakks have done a great job
capturing the unique appearance of Nintendo characters) while also being
filled with some really cool little extras such as the ability to knock
Latiku off of his cloud or the ability to have the Hammer Bro.'s hammer
posed in mid-flight. There's no articulation here, but these guys look
so good and mesh so well with World of Nintendo that I just don't mind.
It's not every day that we get a never before released Batman villain in action figure
form, so that's already a plus for Professor Pyg. While DC Collectible's Arkham Knight line had some extremely disappointing releases this year, Professor Pyg from series 3 is a really well done action figure. He's
incredibly creepy, nicely sculpted and painted, and comes with some very cool accessories.
He's really an impressive and disturbing toy, and that always counts for
something around these parts. Who knows if we'll ever get another Professor Pyg figure? If we don't, I think DC Collectibles did him justice.
While we're starting to see more new intellectual properties in toys thanks to crowdfunding sources giving fans more control over what's produced, Super7's faux retro line The Worst is the one that stood out to me. Robot Reaper is such an incredible design and I couldn't leave him off the list. I know that not everyone appreciates this style but, channeling vintage toylines, heavy metal album covers, and Prime Evil from Filmation's Ghostbusters, this guy is a real gem and absolutely merits inclusion.
Mattel's work on the WWE license would have been the 11th line on my top favorite lines of the year list, and one of the main reasons was the incredible WWE Zombies subset. I love the concept as so many of the figures released had awesome
sculpting, great paintwork, and a cool take on the WWE Superstars. Triple H completely won me over, though as he is
without a doubt one of the best $13 dollar action figures on the market. Rather than just create a zombie version of Triple H, Mattel really went
all out and embraced the fantasy and skull influenced looks Triple H
has sported on a number of occasions. Pretty cool to have a brain eating
version of the Cerebral Assassin, don't you think?
So what do you think? Leave a comment below! And now, let's look at the bizarre stats I like to check out each year:
# of action figures from toylines that have appeared on a best of list before: 2 (Mattel's WWE appeared on the best of lists in 2014 and 2015 and DC Collectibles' Arkham Knight appeared on the 2015 list)
# of companies represented: 9 (DC Collectibles, Violence Toy, Super7, Bandai, Tonner, Mattel, Kotobukiya, Amok Time Toys, and Mezco)
# of Batman related lines: 4
# of figures from lines based on films from 2016: 1
# of toylines based on new intellectual properties (first appearing in 2016): 2
# of toys that I never saw hide nor hair of at Wal-Mart: 9 (The same number as last year! This year's lone mass market figure is Triple H from WWE Zombies)
# of toys based on R-rated films or Mature rated games: 3 (if you consider that BvS had an R-rated Director's Cut).
# of toys from lines that were available through Kickstarter or an online subscription method: 0
# of toys from lines in a 1/18th scale or smaller: 3
6. Lady Deadpool from Marvel Comics Bishoujo by Kotobukiya
Deadpool had a huge year in 2016, didn't he? Well, it turns out that the figure that made it on my Best of the Rest list for 2016 isn't Wade Wilson at all; it's Wanda Wilson! Kotobukiya's Lady Deadpool is the first (and so far, only) Marvel Comics Bishoujo figure I've owned, but darn is it sweet. Kotobukiya always puts out statues with incredible sculpts and paintwork in this series, but Lady Deadpool also has some really cool extra items that can be used to change the look of the statue. I love this!
7. Nintendo Playset E from S. H. Figuarts: Super Mario Bros. by Bandai
8. Professor Pyg from Batman: Arkham Knight by DC Collectibles
9. Robot Reaper (Midnight Special Version) from The Worst by Super7
While we're starting to see more new intellectual properties in toys thanks to crowdfunding sources giving fans more control over what's produced, Super7's faux retro line The Worst is the one that stood out to me. Robot Reaper is such an incredible design and I couldn't leave him off the list. I know that not everyone appreciates this style but, channeling vintage toylines, heavy metal album covers, and Prime Evil from Filmation's Ghostbusters, this guy is a real gem and absolutely merits inclusion.
10. Triple H from WWE Zombies by Mattel
So what do you think? Leave a comment below! And now, let's look at the bizarre stats I like to check out each year:
# of action figures from toylines that have appeared on a best of list before: 2 (Mattel's WWE appeared on the best of lists in 2014 and 2015 and DC Collectibles' Arkham Knight appeared on the 2015 list)
# of companies represented: 9 (DC Collectibles, Violence Toy, Super7, Bandai, Tonner, Mattel, Kotobukiya, Amok Time Toys, and Mezco)
# of Batman related lines: 4
# of figures from lines based on films from 2016: 1
# of toylines based on new intellectual properties (first appearing in 2016): 2
# of toys that I never saw hide nor hair of at Wal-Mart: 9 (The same number as last year! This year's lone mass market figure is Triple H from WWE Zombies)
# of toys based on R-rated films or Mature rated games: 3 (if you consider that BvS had an R-rated Director's Cut).
# of toys from lines that were available through Kickstarter or an online subscription method: 0
# of toys from lines in a 1/18th scale or smaller: 3
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