Here’s my top three “Best in Show” at SDCC this year!
3) Green Lantern Classics
I had not bought monthly comic books in a long time, but the Blackest Night storyline got me coming back every month when the series was still going on. Green Lantern has been on a roll lately, and with the movie coming out next year, it’s high time that Mattel finally gives this corner of the DC Universe it’s due. Seriously, the Green Lantern Corps alone could fill up a couple of waves, now that we have a rainbow spectrum of corps, there are lots more characters to choose from!
We got to see a double knee-jointed Kyle Rayner, Arkillo, Low(one of my favorite sculpts!), Maash, and Manhunters at the Con and boy do they look great. I can’t wait until they get to Atrocitus, Saint Walker and Arisia! Also this line is just full of potential army builders. You can expect collectors to pick up multiple Manhunters, and customizers to pick up multiple base bodies to create their own corps members. It’ll be an exciting time for Green Lantern toy fans next year! And woohoo for that preview Ch’p pic!
>> View the SDCC Green Lantern Classics gallery
2) Marvel Masterworks Sentinel
As much as I love my Marvel Legends BAF Sentinels, I sure am glad to see some more Sentinels coming our way! I think it’s great that Hasbro has chosen to mine the large figures department of the Marvel Universe. I know the price points might be too high for some people, but seriously, getting relevant large figures like these out is like pulling teeth from toy companies nowadays.
The Sentinel looks to have the right amount of articulation, and I thought the samples they brought at the Con looked awesome. It’s a great army builder for those who can afford it (I hope I can afford at least 2), and I have to say that putting the Marvel Universe line along with large figures like these make for a nice display. I think Hasbro is hitting the right buttons by doing the Gigantic Battles and Marvel Masterworks stuff, it’s a good way to bring out all these guys. Nothing makes a toyline more epic than the integration of large characters! Also, for Marvel Legends collectors, these guys can still fit in their collection!
>> View the SDCC Marvel Universe Masterworks and Gigantic Battles gallery
1) Toynami’s Naruto Shippuden Action Figures
I’m a big fan of the anime/manga and after being disappointed by Mattel’s attempt at making articulated Naruto toys a couple of years ago, we finally get some decent Naruto figures! I’ve already been playing with the SDCC Exclusive Sage Mode Naruto, and I have to say I really like it. I kinda wish I picked up two more to be his ” shadow clones “!
Toynami had Gaara, Kakashi and Itachi along with a regular Naruto on display at their booth, and I’m excited to pick all of them up! They pretty much nailed the head sculpts. I guess they had some practice with their larger, unarticulated Naruto figures. This 4-inch scaled line is pretty well articulated, enough articulation to be able to do some jutsu moves! I sure hope the line gets some support so we can also get a Rock Lee figure. Also, I hope they don’t shy away from the female characters!!
>> View the SDCC Toynami gallery
That’s my top three! Honorable mentions for me include the announcement of the return of Marvel Legends in 2012 (I know it is still a ways to go), Shocker Toys Grendel figures, Masters of the Universe Classics Bow, and the Square Enix stuff, which although a little bit on the high-end side, look awesome!
Lol Naruto
Are you sure that’s Ch’p? Mattel showed the Oa playset in the Imaginext line with a clearly marked “B’dg” squirrel Green Lantern character (he’s the current one – Ch’p has been dead for a long time).
Yes cocomonkeh, my #1 is Naruto. It’s kinda like the new Dragonball Z for me!
Actually Norsemeat, I don’t know if it is Ch’p, I guess I kinda just assumed it would be him, him being the classic one and all that. He could be very well be B’dg! Or maybe they can do a variant! Still, hooray for squirrelly Green Lanterns!
Watch, G’nort’ll be the SDCC exclusive next year!