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The Best Toys of 2024: Dave and Erik's Top 10 Lists
234 Plays8 days ago
Before we say hello to 2024 we must first scream into the fading void that was 2024 about our favorite toys from the year. That's right, we're back with our end of year lists, honorable mentions, and even some favorites submitted from you! Did your picks make OUR lists? Listen and find out!
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:03
Speaker
Are you ready, kids? Get your parents' permission, check your mailbox, and grab your shopping cart. It's time for the Adventures in Collecting podcast.
Reflecting on 2024's Collections
00:00:14
Speaker
I'm Eric. And I'm Dave. Welcome to Adventures in Collecting, where we talk toy news, culture, and halls, along with our journeys as collectors. Hello, everybody, and welcome back to Adventures in Collecting.
00:00:33
Speaker
Hello. Happy New Year, Dave. Happy New Year. It is 2025. And as is usually the case with us, before before we move on to the new year, we have to say so long and farewell to the um the previous year. And that's what we're going to do today with our our top 10, 20.
00:00:58
Speaker
Top 20, I guess. I guess and where' it's individual top 10s. Individual top 10s of 2024. um Once again, we are we are not sponsored by Liquid Death, but um hey, no if you're out there watching. Was that too loud me putting the can down or should I put it somewhere else?
00:01:17
Speaker
No, I mean, that is i I think that's okay. Just, you know, don't like slam it down and I think i think you won't scare everybody. um i i didn you know well As long as I'm enjoying my ah canned water. Yeah, yeah that's hydration's important. Stay hydrated.
00:01:34
Speaker
um So before we hop into our top 10s and kind of go through our our personal rule sets and whatnot, a little bit of adventures in collecting housekeeping.
Announcing Giveaway Winners
00:01:44
Speaker
So ah the winner was selected and announced for our 2024, our final giveaway of 2024, December, our holiday in a box is is headed off to ah to the the the Empire State ah to at Dr. Destroyo on Instagram. So congratulations.
00:02:06
Speaker
um And we have our a January giveaway is posted ah right now on Instagram at AIC underscore podcast. ah We are giving away a set of three biker mice from Mars sports bros the the previews world exclusive limited to 500 Black and white variants, so we're giving a set of of those away um Thanks for our good friends over at the ah the nacelle company and Great way to start off your year with some some exclusives that I don't think they've actually hit properly yet. So you might be among the first to get them. um And they also are the, like I said, the limited to 500.
00:02:49
Speaker
um Rules are really simple, pinned post over on Instagram. ah Read the whole post, follow the rules, and ah and potentially win yourself a really cool set of biker mice. And again, it is the sports bros and the the the um the black and white variants. So um as we head into, I think there's a football one in there. I forget which one is is decked out in football gear, but ah we're heading into post-season for the NFL. For you, not for me.
00:03:20
Speaker
Yes, you're you're not. Well, I mean, yeah, we clinched a spot. That's right. Let's go Ravens. And let's go yeah and bear down next year. Hey, we've got another top 10 pick, I guess. There you go. looks silver Silver line. no Let's go. New coaching and offensive line.
00:03:38
Speaker
burn it down and rebuild it. Um, yeah. So, uh, so yeah, uh, like I said, at AIC podcast and I'm wearing a Jersey of a soccer team who like spent too much money in their league and in the French league, it might get relegated. I'm a, I'm a sporting mess. It's a hot sporting mess. Um, yeah. So that, that, that's kind of it for our housekeeping. Um, thanks to everybody just kind of real quick throughout the year in 2024 that, uh, that entered in the giveaways. This is,
00:04:08
Speaker
Now we've gone on two full years of doing one of these givea at least one of these giveaways a month. um So we're hoping to continue that in 2025. It's just a fun way for us to give back. As ad revenue and things coming from the show, we we fold that right back in and and give that back out to you guys. so i Hope you hope you guys enjoy the giveaways and we have some some cool ones already kind of stockpiled and ready to go for a For the first few months in in 2025.
Community Collaborations and Rewind Projects
00:04:41
Speaker
Thanks. Thanks to everyone who's interacted Regardless whether it's a contest or yeah questions or what have you and then I just wanted to give one quick shout out to I'm actually gonna the TV is reflecting and it's bothering me. so
00:04:56
Speaker
keep going i' glad i'm and Our friend Kirk over at ah The Geek Effect um invited invited us to participate in ah the the figure rewind for 2024. So he's got a super cool ah YouTube channel and ah and he's he's a great photographer, a great content creator in the in the in the toy community. um So you will hear me talk about one of, or If you've already watched it, you'll know what one of my picks is likely going to be. um So I had a chance to to record a quick little video and a bunch of friends of the pod are on there. So you'll see Brian and Dan from the Hasbro Marvel Legends team. You'll see Kevin from Toying Around, a bunch of folks from around the community. So it was fun to participate in that. So shouts to Kirk. Thank you for for for shooting us the little invite there. All
Compiling Top Ten Lists
00:05:48
Speaker
right. So all that out of the way.
00:05:50
Speaker
um Let's talk lists. So if you have not watched our first half of 2024 list ah episode or listen to it, I don't think we were doing full video at that point. We were not video at the time. um This is now our end of year list. So Dave and I compiled our top tens for around June of 2024 to kind of you know signify the first half. And we have kept those lists. So you know we have them intact, and then you know we update them as as we kind of go along for the the back half of the year. So this could potentially include picks from that first half list.
00:06:35
Speaker
It might not. I don't know. It's been a very busy year. Lots of it's and toys. ah really I'm just looking at, like, not my top ten. Yeah. And it's wild. I will say this. My... let's see. One, two, three.
00:06:56
Speaker
I'm not gonna say how many I have on that are from the first half of the year that are still on my list because it would give away too much. I will say, I will go out and say that there are three picks from my my halfway list that that remained and none of them remained in the same spot. No. Yeah, they all got They all got bumped around and moved around to different places. um Okay. Yeah, none of them are in the same position that they were in in June of that year. So, so ah rules.
00:07:35
Speaker
um Personally, dave Dave and I set our own rules for these lists. I tend to change mine a little bit every year just to kind of keep it fresh and exciting. So I have, in the past, I have set myself um action figure line limits. So like if something from the Marvel Legends line makes the list, that's it. I can't add anything else from Marvel Legends. I've done things in the past where it has to be an individual figure. So if it's a two-pack, I have to decide like Is it just one of the figures from that two pack or if they both make the list that counts as two positions this year? I threw both of those rules out the window and I am doing like a normal person I'm doing um Just the top ten figures, you know line agnostic It actually ended up working out with a nice for a pretty even spread but um of the things I collect but ah yeah, so no no limits on on me from in terms of action figures from specific lines and And if it is a two-pack or a multi-pack of some kind, it counts as a single entry because that was a singular release, even though it contained more than one action figure.
00:08:43
Speaker
And then, of course, it had to be something that was released in 2024. So um you know even if it was something that I happened to pick up that was released from the year prior, ah from 2023 or earlier, even if it was new to me in 2024, if it was not released in 2024, it is not eligible for for my list. um and Those are my rules.
00:09:06
Speaker
so Yeah, I like to use the, um, previous version, um, an older version of the Dan Larson, uh, secret galaxy, year end toys list, um, rules, which is, um, if it was, I would, we'll have to have bought everything this year.
00:09:26
Speaker
with a release date of this year. um If it was something that was given to me, I would have will have had to have wanted to purchase it anyway. And um this list is mine and mine alone. And you may disagree, but I like what I like. And that's why it's on my list. I believe those are the three old Dan Larson rules. Okay, well, now they're the the day of Weinbrecht rules.
00:09:52
Speaker
if he changed his, I don't know if you're saying no. He changed his. Okay, so there you go. Yeah, now anything that's given to him is fair game. Yeah, I mean, that's the way I roll. If it's something that was given to me, I just, if it knocked my socks off enough to be on the list, then so be it.
Honorable Mentions
00:10:10
Speaker
Okay, so we did not do honorable mentions at the halfway point, but as we kind of alluded to this year, there has been a,
00:10:19
Speaker
deluge of releases and some of some of ah some of what you can argue might be these toy lines like best years ah if not ever but in a long time um i think i said on the enclosing of that episode something to the effect of don't be surprised if these lists are incredibly different because there are some bangers that are due out in the second half of the year. And then there were some just sheer surprises in here, too. So um with that being said, we are going to each do two honorable mentions along with our top 10. I'll start. I'm going to do both. okay I'm going to do both of my honorable mentions kind of at the same time here. Like I'll just I'll just kind of talk through them real quick. So in no particular order, um honorable mention number one is the ah the Jada Toys Street Fighter, Guile.
00:11:14
Speaker
um if you followed our ah our annual Archie tournament, which congrats to the Marvel Legends team for taking home their second- Yeah, congrats Marvel Legends, the first two time winner. Yeah, two time, two time winner.
00:11:30
Speaker
um and Hasbro four for four. Yeah ah Jada once again went super deep into that competent into the into that tournament um Racking up a ton of a ton of votes ton of percentages, but ah it's it's for good reason um and I wanted I I racked my brain and tried to figure out a way to get this figure on my top ten and there was just nothing on there that I was willing to ah sacrifice, but I did not want to um
00:12:01
Speaker
skip the opportunity to mention just how strong this Street Fighter line is. And this this pick could have been Dalsim. It could have been M. Bison. It could have been the big bad toy store exclusive M. Bison. That's the same colorway as like the old ah ah Kenner O-ring G. I. Joe. I'm sorry Hasbro G. I. Joe version. ah It's just this line is literally just banger after banger. um i mean Look he comes with a comb hand and he can hit the pose and that's an actual like metal dog tag that he's got on and this figure is a mass market figure that comes in at like 25 to 30 bucks depending on what retailer you're at it's just unbelievable like so good so that's that's honorable mention number one for me and then number two um
00:12:49
Speaker
is ah is Mando and Blerg. So Star Wars The Vintage Collection ah young is a great name continues to be my favorite toy line in existence of all time. I absolutely love um what what Hasbro is cooking with over there right now when it comes to The Vintage Collection.
00:13:10
Speaker
And the fun beasts and animals and aliens of Star Wars make Star Wars Star Wars to me. ah You know, it really helps with that world building. And this thing is just perfect. Like it's doofy looking just the way that it was on the show. You know, it's got that kind of like weird. It looks like half an animal. um It's just incredible. And the best part about this is We finally have a retooled um Mando figure. so i you know If you're unfamiliar with vintage collection, there are two types of hip hip joints on modern vintage collection figures. One is is kind of the old style where you have to twist them in order to get their legs to kick out.
00:13:57
Speaker
um And then these are just kind of like your new standard barbell hips. So really great to have a cloth goods cape and the new hips on on Mando, which means that you know future future releases of of yeah Din will have kind of those new hips, which is just you know really great news you know for for posing and for photography. but um banner year for the vintage collection super super cool releases we'll talk more about the vintage collection um as we go through my list but uh yeah shouts to an awesome deluxe shoe pack of uh of din and and blerg blerg so my my list has been kind of up until the 11th hour has been kind of maneuvering um
00:14:48
Speaker
And there's stuff on there that I thought was gonna be like that I'd be busting out today that I wouldn't or that I'm not, um which I feel like I'm happy we're doing the honorable mention because I get to show these. um They were figures when announced. It was kind of one of those like, oh yeah, this is gonna rule.
00:15:11
Speaker
um And you got here, I wanna say like, you know late fall. um And they beat out another similar two-pack, barely on my list. But I'm talking about the ringside, collectible exclusive, Steiner Brothers. um The varsity jackets, if you have the Elite Braun Chase, I believe it's the Chase, goes with the No, it's the so standard. The standard is the numbers. yeah The chase was like the multicolored one. Down they go. Yep, that's the thing I'm going to be doing for the rest of the night. We're not used to props. Yeah, we're not used to props and I am a clumsy person. But yeah, I think these are great figures. You know, you have the the headgear chin strap that's ah kind of open on there. That's like a low key awesome
00:16:12
Speaker
And it can feature, it it has a port, it can actually. Yeah, it's something that it can be connected. Yeah, it's really, um really great. Rick's got the two different size boots, like it's it's it's a really cool two pack and Ringside doing these Ultimate Edition two packs is great.
00:16:34
Speaker
um
00:16:37
Speaker
And they nailed the look of them too. So my second honorable mention It's going to be from a company that Eric talked about, but not the same line. And I think this is a severely underrated line on the market. um And, you know, it's going to be going into next year. I think this is going to this should low key get some some Archie love next year. um Now, granted, I'm not I think this is going to definitely make its way on.
00:17:07
Speaker
Yeah, no, I mean, I think we can say that now, that one of the relegated positions will definitely go to Mega Man. To Mega Man. It's just been a phenomenal line, like all six figures, even the second Mega Man figure, the second Rockman, the Bomb figure, is cool, but they got my two favorite villains out this year, and the first one,
00:17:37
Speaker
Well, I guess that's a little bit of a spoiler, but um Cutman is um who I'm gonna talk about now. And they even nailed the part where he can throw his is ah scissors that are on top of his head. He got the little like sly face, like the the kind of like cocky like subtle, like, yeah, I'm gonna throw this i'm go throw my headgear at you. yeah like I mean, they've just been these have been home runs. and
00:18:08
Speaker
you know ah You mostly have been able to order these online, just like all of Jada things. like I've never seen these in stores, and I think it's just been a phenomenal line. like I think it deserves way more love than it's gotten, because it's quietly been awesome. Yeah, and there's a lot to look forward to from Jada in 2025. We saw hints of stuff at at New York Comic Con.
00:18:36
Speaker
I'm excited to see what they bring to toy fair with them ah this year ah in March, which will be there. And there's so much from that Mega Man universe that they could go to if they want to continue. Yeah, for sure. Two great, two great picks for, uh, for all the legends. Same for you. Yeah. Those, those Steiner's are.
00:18:57
Speaker
I've been waiting for that one for a long time. All right, so let's get into our list proper.
Top Ten Toy Picks: Number 10
00:19:03
Speaker
So I'll since I started us off with honorable mentions, I'll keep us going here with ah with my number 10 pick. And I'm just going to reference my notes for a moment here. Are we going to have a 10 pop up on the screen? um If I have time to edit it? Yes.
00:19:16
Speaker
Yes, we'll do that. Okay. um So my number 10 pick is something that we actually got to reveal and an exclusive. ah We didn't get to reveal the figure.
00:19:29
Speaker
But we got to reveal the news that this figure was was confirmed and coming ah with our friends, Emily and and Lenny on the GIT team. ah This is a figure that I've wanted for a long time. you know since they've they Well, for a long time. That's all relative, right? like Days feel like months. ah But since the classified line has launched, this is one that I was really excited for. And and boy, did it deliver ah Road Pig.
00:19:59
Speaker
So Roadpig comes in at my number 10. This absolute behemoth of a figure ah complete with some of the craziest accessories. I'm trying to see if I kept any of them nearby. I don't think I did. I think I just kept this. And and his wonderful, wonderful pit bull raucous, again, just like,
00:20:24
Speaker
the GI Joe team crushing it with the animals. ah But yeah, Road Pig is just, he's just fantastic. um And it's again, like super strong year for GI Joe classified. There were a ton of figures ah this year that that I loved that were, you know, among some of my favorite figures that I got, but ah but but Road Pig stands out. I mean, he beat out Nemesis Immortal. He beat out what I think is one of the coolest San Diego comic-con exclusives of all time and though the once a man Cobra commander, but uh, yeah, no road road pig number 10 for uh for Eric's list All right, so my number 10 is a figure that literally this is and one of those 11th hour figures um So I was anticipating putting something else here and it felt just short for me um
00:21:24
Speaker
But then i opd I was like, you know, let me just open this one and see what it's like. And it's one of the few that I actually have like open because I've had the ability to either see your figures or like, I know what.
00:21:38
Speaker
you know, elites look like, or you know, what ultimates look like, or what have you. um So this one though, I was like, you know what, let me, let me see this. And it wound up being more fun than everything else I had to open in order to try to get to where this list was going to settle out. And it is Marvel Legends, the weapon of vengeance, we call him Helvarine.
00:22:05
Speaker
um This figure is like... We call him Helvarim. I love that. Like, I put the the Fire Claws on him, the Hellfire Claws, because I just didn't want Fisk. Now, literally, this is a figure that comes with just two extra hands. So, like, you you everybody who's into accessories and whatnot, um you're not getting a lot with this. Everything else is towards that Blackheart and all the other characters that have a ton of accessories.
00:22:37
Speaker
but for what you, like, I don't own a Wolverine. I don't. um And that's not for a lack of loving Wolverine. It's just, I can't get everything, right? Like, so I've kind of made my choice with Marvel Legends to just be Ghost Riders and now like Midnight Sun's adjacent, but like 90s Midnight Sun's adjacent.
00:23:03
Speaker
um Just the fact that like I can make this figure look like really cool just by like posing him. like You don't have to do a lot, but just it's a cool looking figure. like So you need to preface this a little bit. fun It's fun. to like like i I literally put together Blackheart, looked at all the other figures, and like this is the one I've been playing with the most.
00:23:33
Speaker
The thing that you have to understand, ah viewers and and listeners, is this is Dave's first full wave of Marvel Legends ever. Yeah, I've never purchased a wave prior to this. Ever. So he is experiencing Marvel Legends articulation in hand for the first time in 2024.
00:23:54
Speaker
So take that in. like you Because you're you're probably sitting there going, like how's this man never held a Wolverine figure before? No, this is this is his first like proper hands-on with Marvel Legends. I can make him like crouch and like do. And this is why. This is why. And I have this figure is not on my list, but I can show you. um This is why Wolverine, Marvel Legends Wolverine, and Marvel Legends in general are some of the I mean, they won the Toy Line of the Year award this year. Yeah, like i have him I have him head up because it looks like he's like you know kind of like hellfire. It's amazing what you can do with the figures, right? like I mean, it's just it's one of those things that I think you know sometimes we we kind of take for granted. But awesome number 10. And if you like have them in the light the right way, it's those translucent claws. I get it with the these this figure specifically.
00:24:57
Speaker
Carefully leaning off frame to to grab my next pick. Alright, so number nine ah My number nine pick is this I have probably even though this is number nine. I Have probably played with this two-pack and by played of course I mean like just kind of sit here and pose over and over again I have probably played with this two-pack more than any other thing on my list this year and But we've got to go at number nine with the bane. Oh, man. I had it posed so perfectly too. There we go um We have to go with the bane and batman nightfall two-pack so um just just incredible um and I I can't stress enough how much
00:25:50
Speaker
Improved this bane is over the the first megafig release I mean you could not really get that bane into this position um That first bane he comes with the that build a figure one or not the the last night on earth one.
Top Ten Toy Picks: Number 9
00:26:07
Speaker
Yeah And it's just like it's not this bane. Yeah, but he's got um no the the the one that was the I don't remember what what they said it was from but like it it it has it has a different head connection and everything and um he's got the different hands this one doesn't just have the open hands he's got fisted hands too ah which is awesome the comic colorway on it with like the red the red eyes and like the hits of blue
00:26:40
Speaker
Not to mention, like the Batman that comes in this this two pack is no slouch. um You know, one of the big things for McFarland toys in 2024 has been, ah you know, including wired capes. um This wired cape is different than many of the others. It has this kind of sheen to it. It's double layered.
00:27:01
Speaker
So you can see it is, it is, uh, opaque. You can't really see through it. Um, Batman comes with the, you know, kind of like the hands that look like they're in, you know, in anguish. He's, he's battle damaged. He's beat up. He's, he's got blood on his, on his mouth. Um,
00:27:21
Speaker
you can pose them in that position from um from the the nightfall books and uh and and to me that's just that's perfect i mean that's that's bane that is oh that one that one says it's nightfall too but um but this this is this is my number nine pick so uh you can you can break your bat and uh without breaking your bank i guess you could say But ah yeah, the Bain and Batman Nightfall two-pack is my ah my number nine pick. Hey Eric, just for fun, just while I pick up my number nine, um are we putting out our top for individual companies? um We will do that for certain ones. We have to decide ah which ones we're gonna do that for, but I think we're definitely gonna do
00:28:12
Speaker
Excuse me, at least a WWE wwe and a um and a Marvel Legends one. Yeah, I think we could probably sneak into McFarland too, yeah I feel. Yeah, and maybe maybe McFarland. but ah But yeah, definitely definitely those two. um And those will be coming out. Those won't be episodes. Those will just be Instagram posts.
00:28:30
Speaker
Yeah, so um ah my picks will be, since I have everything open, um my picks will be, i I'll do and a little like collage photo, like a little class photo, and then um Dave will use ah we use ah studio shots just of you know like the mint and box you know picks of them.
00:28:54
Speaker
But yeah. So my next one um is my first indie toy on this list. And I'm pretty sure, and I'm just checking my first half list here real quick. Yeah, this was not out yet.
00:29:11
Speaker
um
00:29:16
Speaker
So ah first indie toy on here, I think I would count like about two. that are on here as as indie toys. okay ah
00:29:28
Speaker
This is a a two-pack for me. um And I think, you know, I like when things, it doesn't always have to have the best articulation. It doesn't always have to have the best, like, although I think the likenesses on this are are ridiculously good. um Sometimes, especially when it's about with when it's wrestling toys, it's about capturing a moment.
00:29:51
Speaker
Um, and I think this was well worth the wait. Um, this is definitely something that came out, um, longer than people it hope would hope, but I think it 1 million percent delivered. Um, and that is zombie sailor toys, wrestling, heels, and faces, uh, two pack from, um, from home, um, GCW homecoming.
00:30:21
Speaker
um night one Nick Gage and Matt Cardona very cool um yeah you know bloody Matt you got the light bloody light tubes um the pizza cutter you get a bloody head for gauge, you get the normal head for gauge. um And they are, because of this, still different from the regular releases. And, you know, there's an even bloodier mat that just came out yeah from the same match. um But even just the packaging showing the the pizza cutter part from the match, like, just, you know, home run for
00:31:04
Speaker
for our friend of the pod zombie. And you know the other thing that's cool too, and there've been other two packs that came out, um or another two pack that came out, the Pol Roma and Hercules one. But this like this is easily signable on the bubble. The other bubble is like a tight bubble. But I mean, it's just like,
00:31:28
Speaker
and rightly so because it's a perfect display piece but if you wanted to open this you could as well and you know be able to display these and have a great time with them yep there's a lot to play with there for sure and again it's it's that modern retro figure articulation where it's just our movement but you know you you got what you you know what you're getting heading to the party for these and So you're really just kind of living on the like, you know, what is this capturing and it it captures it perfectly. Yeah, it's fantastic. ah Continuing the trend of two packs. i'm My next pick for um number eight. ah More two packs than I do this year is another two pack. um And it's not my last two pack.
00:32:18
Speaker
looking at my list. Yeah, there's another two pack. So my first ah entry that is from the Marvel Legends line, one ah of the ah the ah entries on my first half list i is is sticks around and my feelings have not changed on it but I will recap them as we talk about Joe fix it and and patch so um the second Wolverine on on this uh mentioned on this on this list I guess you could say
00:32:53
Speaker
ah Yeah, so um I loved this set when it came out it recreates that iconic Wolverine comic book cover ah I'm a I'm a huge mark for the Hulk and ah And this is just like what I think of Joe fix it This is this is what I think of you know, I think of the white the white tux um and I love this whole body. It's just like it's it feels great. It's a it's an awesome size You know, I will once again pitch that I would love a Hulk with full butterfly joints So that way he could he could do a gamma clap. That's kind of the one thing that's that's missing um but ah but yeah, I love this two-pack and I love the the the expression on on patch that little like smirking ah Expressions perfect you get the alternate expression for for Joe fix it as well with you know with him yelling um Yeah, the other thing that you know I have to mention too is this has been part of one of two Capsules, I guess you could say programs sub programs of Marvel Legends so
00:34:01
Speaker
um celebrating the 50th anniversary of Wolverine. That's what this was. um And they also had the 85th anniversary, um which we will get into I think later, ah probably at least two more times, if not if not more. but um But yeah, so that is my my number eight. Shouts to to Archie Award-winning Marvel Legends line ah for for taking the eighth spot on my end of your list.
00:34:31
Speaker
So sometimes the best, um,
00:34:36
Speaker
the best purchases you make are things that you didn't think you'd wind up getting. Um, and this kind of like twofold because I still didn't know, I was still dipping my toe in the water here and now I've pretty much set like, set my guardrails for where I live in this, in this world, I'll say. Um,
00:35:02
Speaker
But also it was something like by the time I figured that out, my opportunity to get this was long gone. um Especially after having seen yours of this figure. But then New York Comic Con happened. And I walked to a booth and saw that this was for sale still.
00:35:26
Speaker
like from the manufacturer for retail. And I was like, yeah, I'm not passing this up this time. um So let's see if we can lift this up. This is this is a large fella here. um
00:35:43
Speaker
Ah, you jerk. Minus one. SH Monster Arts.
00:35:52
Speaker
You know, I saw yours, which is why I've, I've seen it. I've, you know, enjoyed it, which is why I still haven't opened this yet, but also I'm still like backlogged from Comic Con. Um, but I mean, what a figure like, and I saw that and I was like, you know what? I don't want the minus C as cool as, as minus C is like, I want the regular one. So like.
00:36:20
Speaker
you know, which is cool because the minus C is a minus C box and all that stuff. Yeah. Um, but the fact that I was still able to get this was cool because I was looking after market and it was, it was getting, it was scary. Um, but probably my favorite, its it was a great year for Godzilla for cinematically and for, uh,
00:36:47
Speaker
for just toys in 2023 and now, you know, toys in 2024.
00:36:58
Speaker
So Godzilla minus one, SH Monster Arts is my ah my number eight.
Highlighting Unique Figures and Purchases
00:37:04
Speaker
So um spoiler alert, this is my number two on my list. This is Godzilla minus one SH monster arts. Was my number one. Oh, you don't want to save that for two now? that ah No, no. we'll just I'll just talk about it now. We're already talking about it. um So that this is my my number two on the list. So I'm going to skip ahead a little bit here since we're just as a heads up. I'm not going to do this. OK.
00:37:31
Speaker
um Just just while we you know while we're talking about cuz this is the same exact figure say like, you know ah This was my number. Like I said was my number one and a half way everything that Dave said um You know, I I echo the same sentiment 70th anniversary this movie in particular is very special to Dave and I um You know, we got to see it that the Japan Society i We got to see the original 54 Godzilla there
00:38:02
Speaker
i Godzilla has never been bigger in my house right now. wait my ah My little ones love love the big guy. um But this movie...
00:38:13
Speaker
It was my favorite movie of the year when it came out in 2023. I got this figure when it when it dropped in January of 2024. So like it, it has been firmly on my list. It has been living on my desk. It is by far my favorite SH monster arts figure ever.
00:38:35
Speaker
um And I think I've gotten to the point where like, you know, the honeymoon period is over and I can, I can really comfortably say that this is my favorite version of Godzilla ever, you know, design, movie, everything. Uh, and the fact that something was able to unseat this as from number one on my list, I think speaks volumes to, uh, to what, what that thing will be when it, when it is revealed. But, um, but yeah, so yeah.
00:39:05
Speaker
Okay, same thing, Dave. But also shout out to the Godzilla Evolved from Godzilla X-Con. Godzilla Cross-Con. Because that's cool too. That's definitely a better second stab at that from the movie. It's really good. From the old Monarch series.
00:39:34
Speaker
I think there's only one thing else on our list that crossed that's going to cross over here. And I highly recommend, just so that way we're not talking about the same thing twice, that when I get to that thing, just it might even end up being on the same place in our list, which would be hilarious. Because you haven't mentioned it yet, and I haven't mentioned it yet. So we're moving along here. So my next pick is our number seven.
00:40:01
Speaker
if it's If it's what I think it is, Eric, I can't. We'll see. OK. We'll see. one ah I think I'm going to hit it probably before you will. But well we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. OK. Number seven is another figure that ah from a company I love. So our our good friends over at NECA and the the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle film line, this is a figure that I never thought in a million years that we would get.
00:40:30
Speaker
the story behind it is insane and one day I would love to have ah Trevor come on the show and talk about it but the short version is Trevor got on a plane went to somewhere in China and found the actor to get the approval to make the tattoo figure. um I have his Oni mask on here just for dramatics but uh What an insane likeness on this figure. um ah The Falk family just killing it over at NECA. i I think it's Michelle Falk is Randy's wife, but Mrs. Falk, amazing job on the tailoring on these these ah these soft goods, the way that they drape, the way that they move, ah the accessories he comes with. He comes with some some insane accessories. He's got like,
00:41:27
Speaker
a wrinkled up folded foot mask that he can he can he could like hold up in front of in front of Shredder. um The Oni mask being a really cool ah shout out to how this character operates in the comics.
00:41:42
Speaker
ah which is awesome you know as as kind of Shredder's right hand man. ah yeah Just absolutely insane. ah One of my favorite Ninja Turtle movie figures that they have ever done and they have done quite a few now. um and like It's also sort of a bittersweet figure because with the exception of I don't know, maybe like a Sam Rockwell, like a young Sam Rockwell foot soldier figure. i Or like in April from part two. um i think i'm I think I'm done with with movie Turtles figures. I think I have every everyone that I would want from from those first two movies. Did you ever happen upon a Danny?
00:42:27
Speaker
I don't have Danny. He was he was in that loot crate. The only way to get him was loot crate. And honestly, it's i don't I don't want to deal with that. um I could live without a Danny. i But i like in in terms of the things that they have put out ah for the movies, you know I have Kenu. I have all the... Keno. I don't know why I said Kenu. Keno.
00:42:56
Speaker
um I have all of the figures from the movies that I, that I would really want at this point. So it seems fitting that the one that we thought we would absolutely never get in a million years and is so kind of pivotal for all of those shredder and foot soldier scenes, uh, you know, uh, we've got them now. So that is my, what what did I say? That was number seven, right? we're on number Number seven. Number seven is NECA Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tattoo.
00:43:26
Speaker
And now, a word from our sponsors.
00:43:34
Speaker
This segment is brought to you by our friends at Chubsy Wubsy Toys. A traditional mom and pop toy store in Little Falls, New Jersey, Chubsy Wubsy Toys brings you the best new toys from the brands you love without the hassle of pounding the pavement searching for them at larger retail stores.
00:43:50
Speaker
Visit them in person at their brand new home at 101 Newark Pompton Turnpike Suite 1 in Little Falls, New Jersey, or online at ChubsyWubsy.com. That's C-H-U-B-Z-Z-Y-W-U-B-Z-Z-Y dot.com. And tell them that Adventures in Collecting sent you.
00:44:15
Speaker
And now, back to the show. So I am up to number seven and this is another um late edition. There were a lot of late editions. Stuff got shipped right around the holidays. Oh, yeah. um And this this is no exception. um This is one of those figures where I think this was announced, or set up for sale, day one of New York Comic Con. Like Comic Con Thursday, if I remember correctly. And I was there, but Eric couldn't be there, so I was like, dude, can you order me this?
00:44:51
Speaker
um And it came because I'm I'm familiar with the um Having another version of this character, but not a modern one um With the articulation and such but and we don't show it yet. Don't show it yet When this figure arrived because to Dave's point I ordered it he was out of pocket and When it arrived, I told him, it's like, you need to make arrangements to come get this because I think it's going to F up your list. And I guess I would say this is indie toy number two. OK, I think that's a little bit of a stretch, but yeah, I think they're still in that. i You could say they're borderline, borderline in that category.
00:45:43
Speaker
um But Vampiro, um Legends of Lucha Libre, Blaspite Studios. ah Cool little like description of Vampiro's career on the inner flap. Perfect for for autographing again if you're somebody who does that.
00:46:05
Speaker
um comes in a ah casket like it's amazing and you've got face painted vampiro and then you've got um no face paint vampiro we'll call them commentary vampiro um two extra hands you know four extra hands so two for each side the tattoo work is unreal um it's what a What a figure. And this is technically a deluxe fanaticos figure too. It's not even like the full blown, like super articulated figures. Yeah, because this isn't even like the the um yeah the deluxe one. this is There is a deluxe vampiro coming that's more ah late 90s, early 2000s WCW Wrestling Society X vampiro, which I am also very excited for.
00:47:03
Speaker
But um yeah, what ah what a figure. like if I think this is long sold out. Oh, yeah. But like. It was limited. Does it have does it have the the limited run number on it? It doesn't. It was. I want to say it was limited to maybe 10K. It was not a high run. It was know it was like 8 or 10. It was low. And it sold out quickly. And once it was gone, it was gone. um But what a figure. like super cool you got vamp on the back there but like you know iconic figure for for an iconic wrestler vampiro number seven all right number six so number six i'm gonna stick with the wrestling theme um this is my my my one of my two wrestling figures that is on this list is it somebody who feuded with vampiro it is
00:48:00
Speaker
It is in fact, um so i one of my favorite- Okay, so I'm wrong. I can tell you my number for this. Yeah, one of my favorite wrestlers ah ever. um Dave and I were fortunate enough at World's End last year, which I still can't believe that that was 2023. It feels like it was like six years ago. Right? But ah we got to see him wrestle in Long Island for the the last time.
00:48:27
Speaker
i It's the icon it's it's staying so ah supreme i Jazz wear supreme sting ah This figure number four on my list number four on Dave's list. So we're not far off on on placement here, but this this figure is Outstanding has one of the best soft goods um Executions on a wrestling figure I really think ever um there's like stamping on the the the leather material. um It's just gorgeous. Plus, this figure is a multiple in one figure. um You get three different heads with it, all with different expressions. I have it displayed with the the clean face paint, ah but the the screaming, like, you know, faded face paint is
00:49:22
Speaker
is unreal i think it's the best execution of the faded face paint oh definitely um you get this figure strikes a really cool middle ground where they gave you a body on it that doesn't look i don't want i i don't want this to come off the runway but like doesn't look like old sting it's like somewhere it's not 90s sting yeah it's it's somewhere in between which is which is great so you can have him in the singlet they give you a short sleeve shirt, they give you a long sleeve shirt, they give you the sting mask, which is hilarious. Because you never know who's behind that mask, but you would know who's behind that mask. um But really this this sting can can really effectively be
00:50:10
Speaker
DNA through retirement, really, um you know, for for the most part. i So it's it's just awesome. And it has it has that supreme, um you know, extra articulation. So it's got the full butterfly joints. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's the best jazz wears AEW figure. I agree.
00:50:31
Speaker
wholeheartedly um prior to this the supreme Kenny Omega the specifically the Walmart exclusive Supreme Kenny Omega that does like the three eras of Kenny in in one figure, um three eras of AEW Kenny in one figure, ah was was my what I thought to be the best ah figure up until this point, but this completely blows it away. And yeah, to Dave's point, I think this is singularly the best um AEW figure that Jazzverse has done to date, and i i'm I'm very happy to have it. and
00:51:09
Speaker
I will say, I'm very happy to say that we will be giving one of these away in 2025. So we have a brand new one um ready to rip for a free giveaway this year. So stay tuned a little bit later this year. um We will be giving one of these guys away.
00:51:25
Speaker
So that was my number four, so I need to remember to skip that later. um But I'm going to do my number six now, and I want to make sure I pick up the right one. Yes. So my number six, I kind of spoiled this a little bit earlier. um My favorite villain in the history of this video game series.
00:51:45
Speaker
um I don't know why. I think it's just the mask and the color scheme and the lightning bolts and all that stuff. um It is Jada Toy's Mega Man series at Lekman. I know it's like the easiest villain to beat in Mega Man. But i love her first and so so i love I loved getting that lightning power. It got you so it got you further along.
00:52:15
Speaker
um but he's even got like the lightning effect which is cool um and i love he's got a great smirk but he's also got like an excellent his alternate head his alternate um face profile is like the he's declaring oh are his like eyes off to the left ah right yes that's awesome yeah so he's looking to the side and declaring and you know you could see it you can envision him just plopping down that's been the best but like beaming into the game like that's been the best part of these figures is
00:52:52
Speaker
Kind of like the Street Fighter ones, but I think almost, I don't want to say better in a way, but I kind of do. Because we've seen a lot of Street Fighter figures before. We've seen a lot of video game figures. But I think that and with the Street Fighter as well, but with these specifically, Jane has really nailed like, let's pluck you out of this game. And here you go without it being like that pixelated 8-bit look, oh which could have been super easy to do.
00:53:22
Speaker
and they didn't. um it's I mean, it's just so good. these This is probably my favorite like new line of the year. Nice. Very, very cool.
00:53:37
Speaker
All right, so that takes us to my number five pick so we're halfway through my list here number five um There's not a whole lot to say about this figure.
Top Five Toy Picks
00:53:49
Speaker
It's just massive It's part of the 80th anniversary of our 85th anniversary of Marvel um It's the whole cluster i One of my favorite MCU mega figures, build a figures, you know, Deluxe figures, whatever you want to call it is the MCU Hulkbuster armor. But this design is just iconic. That big round dome, the vents off the back.
00:54:17
Speaker
The fact that you can you can pop the dome off and put the Tony Stark head on ah He's got armor that pops off and the the coolest thing about this figure aside from it's just like enormous size like here I'll hold it up next to Next to a Hulk's is just for anyone that was curious um He moves like no other large scale figure I have ever had in my life. He moves like any other Marvel legend. So, you know, he's got double jointed knees and he can get into like crazy positions and his torso movement in the way that the head is like on a ball joint. um And the pieces, I like the fact that they made it so that it is kind of like, because listen, every time Tony gets into this thing,
00:55:07
Speaker
the Hulk rips it apart it's in some form or fashion. So the fact that like, there are pieces that can come off and like, unclip and kind of show that there's, you know, guts under there. um Just rules but like,
00:55:22
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, that's that's my number five. and In a capsule that was really, really strong this year, or a program that was really, really strong, probably the strongest summer program um they have ever done, i there have been some bangers in that wave, you know whether it was the you know the the defenders to pack, whether it was Odin, whether it was something that's probably going to be brought up later in this video.
00:55:46
Speaker
um But yeah there there was ah there was a lot of really really good figures in the 85th wave but ah but this one as a Hulk fan um I now have a quintessential comic ah Hulkbuster so that's my number five. I think my favorite part of my list this year is it shows kind of the strength of the industry in the sense that there are many things from all over the place. um This is another one that showed up like late and I got it for a couple specific reasons and I'm working on a thing. I don't want to, I have to be able to do it, but I'm um putting together ideas for a thing and Eric will understand what that means in a moment. um But this is another one that,
00:56:35
Speaker
showed up late and I think you have a version of this but this is the version like I'm happy they made because it's my preferred version of this yep character. I know where you're going now. And it is Super 7 Ultimate Toxic Avenger movie version. um The first superhuman hero from New Jersey um definitely has a big kind of part of like I feel like it's it's a movie like everybody from New Jersey watched at some point um it's like kind of like a rite of passage horror movie and you could be like oh I know where that is like which we will get into hopefully at some point um but yeah I mean it's you know the original trauma character like it's
00:57:34
Speaker
It's perfectly nailed, you know like the even the muted colors, and it's just the tan and green and brown color palette. like you know I know the Toxic Crusaders figure is awesome, and I'm happy they made that, but like this is the Toxie I wanted. I wanted first movie Toxie. And just kind of knowing how the Ultimates live and how they work and you know all the stuff that kind of how they move and stuff, like this is gonna do everything that I need it to. And again, it's one of those ones where it's about, for me, the representation of Toxic Avenger. So, Toxic, number five. Yeah, awesome. And i I hope you are able to pull off the thing you are trying to pull off, and I will say no more.
00:58:28
Speaker
I'm gonna try. So two of my three picks that were on the first half of the list have been revealed at this point. um That was Joe Fixit and Patch, and and what what would have been my number two in the SH monster, it's Godzilla minus one. um This next pick is the third and final ah thing that was on my first half list.
00:58:54
Speaker
um I will so ah say that in terms of w WWE ah releases this year, i I would think you would it would be hard to argue to say that this hasn't been w WWE and Mattel's strongest year ever. Um, it just kind of seemed like they didn't miss at all. Um, I know there was, especially with the ultimate, I think there were some people that were complaining a little bit about some QC issues towards the end of the year. I didn't experience any of that. Um, you know, the, the Uso scans,
00:59:26
Speaker
Yeah, but ah in terms of- I see it. I get it in both ways. Yeah, and they are twins. It's hard. But um yeah, i this figure blew my doors off um when I first got it. It continues to blow my doors off. It continues to be my favorite Ultimate Edition figure they have ever done. She is my favorite female wrestler. I cannot wait for her to come back nice and healthy. ah Ultimate Edition, Asuka.
00:59:54
Speaker
So um again, everything that I said about this figure at the halfway point still stands. um The soft goods entrance cloak on this figure is just it's just insane. The fur, the crazy patterns, the way that the sleeves hang, the um the likeness, the face paint, the evil kabuki clown version of Asuka is just chef's kiss. so um Once again, shouts to Bill for absolutely crushing this and um and hopefully we're getting a we're getting soon to so that the empress of of tomorrow being being ready to come back to our TV screens and arenas around the world. so i Number four, Asuka.
01:00:46
Speaker
So my number four was Jazzwear as Supreme Sting. um So we're gonna go to my number three, back to back to my number three. um My only WWE wwe figure on on this list. um Usually there's more and I would agree with Eric. This is the strongest, I think, since we've been doing this.
01:01:10
Speaker
um year for Mattel for WWE wwe figures, um whether it's, you know, who they've announced that's come out, you know, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line, which rules getting greatest hits back out there, um and kind of, you know, almost redefining what a, a quote unquote rerelease would look like. um Although I don't consider those rereleases, they're, they're enhanced.
01:01:36
Speaker
um you know like I said, getting new Legends deals, but um you know we are a year, yeah we talk about like, oh, toys take about a year to to come out, right? Once they're in the pipeline. um And I would say even quicker in in this case, because um in the Mattel line, it was the year of of this individual. And Um, you know, this is one of those figures that got, I would say upgraded, but to an ultimate. So, you know, what does it look like when you make one of the more famous, like elite figures into an ultimate and it looks like this, um, ringside exclusive CM punk. It's the, you know, money in the bank, CM punk for money won the world title.
01:02:34
Speaker
debuted the new t-shirt, um, you know, the last night of this fire burns, or if you want to go first night of cult of personality, but it's, you know, they've, they put out the pipe bomb figure, got the straight edge society figure re-released as a vault. Um, but this was kind of the one that I feel like, like there was never a pipe bomb figure, but I feel like this is one that just needed Not only to be re-released, but done as an ultimate. um Because this was for when Punk was a title for that summer of Punk run, the iconic look that he had. um Bringing like the Chicago shirt in, all that good stuff. ah You get the spinner belts. You get the the great faces that you can use. He can do the go to sleep like life's good. It's, you know, I always say it's the best year to be a wrestling figure collector. And that continues this year. So,
01:03:33
Speaker
CM Punk Mattel Ultimate Edition is my number three. Yeah, that that ah that figure is the first of hopefully many. Yeah, it's it's out of this world good. um and And I will say it is. It is number three on my best of w WWE for the year, so I only have one thing between that and Asuka. It is clearly my number one, obviously. And that thing between him and Asuka is Paul Bearer.
01:04:04
Speaker
OK, which. Yeah, that's another really good one. All right, so um that takes us to my number three, and I'm going to try to carefully not knock this over.
01:04:19
Speaker
All right. So my number three.
01:04:27
Speaker
they don't actually port into the top. They're just like, they're balanced. They're just balanced. So I'm going to see if I can leave this here. Yeah. All right. Great. Um, so my number three is the San Diego comic con exclusive, um, S H figure arts, Goku and, uh, Gohan from dragon ball Z. Uh, they are specifically from the intro,
01:04:55
Speaker
to Dragon Ball Z. The thing that I watched countless times as a child and continue to watch and enjoy today, um having these figures together on Nimbus with the facial expressions and the posability to be able to hit those title card poses is just like my childhood in like a nice like warm wrapped in like a nice warm blanket. That's the way that these figures make me feel.
01:05:23
Speaker
to the point where I will go out on a limb and say um that this is my favorite SH figure arts release of all time ever. um The colors on Goku, the deeper ball blues, the um more ah saturated oranges, the skin tones, the fact that you can swap the fact that he can hold Gohan on his shoulder with or without the little like hidden hook accessory that they give you You have the power pole you have the windswept hair, which is the way that I have them displayed um It's just amazing it's it's just it is season one Dragon Ball Z and it is it is damn perfect like
01:06:18
Speaker
ah when um When I saw that this was one of the exclusives that they were doing, I was initially super bummed that I was not going to San Diego Comic Con, and I, you know, proud, privileged, whatever, whatever honored um that Bandai and our friends at Bandai and Tamashi Nation sent us out a sample to take a look at prior to the show, ah along with the other um really great exclusives from San Diego Comic Con, but this is, a
01:06:49
Speaker
This is a really important release for me. I'm kind of getting a little emotional talking about it, so I'm gonna wrap it up here, but um i love I love that these two figures, I love the set. um This is what it's about for me, is recreating moments like this, and this nails it. So, number three, these two. All right, so number two for me. like i I think for a little bit for Toxi,
01:07:20
Speaker
definitely for Sting and Punk, like it's as close to a perfect figure as you can get. And I think this is right there for me too. Um, there have been a couple things that, you know, I get that have stuck out, you know, and, but for me it's, this is like borderline perfect. And it was one of those things where like any of the,
01:07:46
Speaker
The imperfections are things that for me almost didn't matter because I got this thing. um And it is just shy of being like... I think that number one is more perfect.
01:08:09
Speaker
but this is pretty, as close as it's gonna get. This was number one for a a little bit and I've gone back and forth and I've settled on this being number two. um And this for me is is something that, um I know you ordered one and I ordered one um for me and I am keeping both. One is going to stay exactly like what you're about to see um for,
01:08:35
Speaker
specific because of what it is um and it is Marvel Legends 85th anniversary Ghost Rider. um
01:08:46
Speaker
It's the Ghost Rider I grew up on. I'll help you out with the out of box one. There you go. Ghost Rider comic that I ever had. um You can pretty much nail that cover with this figure and with the stand. um It's, you know,
01:09:05
Speaker
It's, is Danny Ketch's head different? Yes. But it's Ghost Rider. Like that's, that's my answer. Like for me, it it does everything I needed to because like it's my, it's my favorite character. Um, as his chain goes, bye-bye. Um,
01:09:33
Speaker
It's my favorite comic book character. I was Ghost Rider. I was Danny Ketch for Halloween when I was a kid. um
01:09:43
Speaker
It's the bike that I grew up on. It's everything. Like this to me. And you can nail the cover. um I'm gonna try to pull it up real quick. I wasn't prepared.
01:09:59
Speaker
And while you're doing that, um, if you are a psychopath like me, you can take a little nail polish remover to his neck and you can get rid of that. Um, those like couple of vertebrae that are painted. And then he is just a floating head. So if you feel like it.
01:10:19
Speaker
Ghost Rider number 28 the first issue of Rise of the Midnight Suns um yes I just did a a Google search for it um but that like that cover to me was I saw that and I'm like what is this um and that was it it was it was over from that point forward and you know here we are now how many years later from what 1990 so literally like 34 years later, 35 years later. Like I now have an action figure. I have this that can do that. I told you that 85th anniversary series would come back up. um Definitely like a figure when I first held it got me a little like feeling a certain way. So um that's my number two.
01:11:20
Speaker
by this much. And now we've reached the point where I don't know what your number one is anymore. um Because the two things that I thought your number one was going to be, you've already talked about. Were two and three? Yeah. Well, do you remember what it was? Oh, yeah, no, now I know what it is. Now I know what it is. Okay. All right. All right. So my number one, I mentioned it during our our honorable mentions, but The Vintage Collection is my favorite toy line.
Crowning the Top Pick for 2024
01:11:53
Speaker
And while I wish I could bring the entire, my entire number one release over to this small area, um I'm going to represent it with just a piece of it. So um the Phantom from the Star Wars, the Vintage Collection has lab ghost release. um The figures are fantastic. So there's Hera.
01:12:19
Speaker
in there flying flying the Phantom, yeah the the addition of Chopper. ah it's just It's an amazing ship. It's way bigger than I anticipated it being. um It's probably forcing me into large ship retirement.
01:12:38
Speaker
um Only because I am totally out of space. I am super excited for the Cantina to come next year. um that will probably end up on this list too. Just, you know, it's just the way that it kind of goes for me. But um yeah, now that the ghost is beautiful, the detail, the weathering, the figures that came with it, the spaces inside the ship, the just the details, it's just, it's just incredible. And like, I'm at a point where it's kind of rare that I get to
01:13:14
Speaker
But like purchase something or if something is pre-order something it ships to me that I get to kind of open it immediately This was like I cleared my schedule schedule When I saw that that FedEx, ah you know, shipment was coming, I was like, I need i need at least two hours with this thing. um The build was really fun. It was easy. I love the packaging. It's so reminiscent of like the old Star Wars packaging, even like the... The boxes wound up being fun.
01:13:45
Speaker
Yeah, the two, it was shipped so well that it had two very large boxes that the actual like product box was in. I was able to turn those two boxes into playhouses for my kids. That's how big this freaking thing is.
01:14:02
Speaker
um But yeah, it really is incredible. Um, it is to me exactly what has lab should be. It is one of those dream projects, something that would never fly at retail in 2024, maybe, maybe in the nineties, um, or earlier, but, uh, but yeah, so my number one.
01:14:23
Speaker
Star Wars some vintage collection. Star Wars is like part of my DNA. It's part of who I am. And and I'm so happy to have the the Rebels crew um represented in a way that ah that is best suited for them. So ah yeah, it's my number one, the ghost. So I was very scientific about this year's list.
01:14:50
Speaker
um in the sense of as I was making it and I have a running total of like At least 40 items That are are listed and everything was is this better than this and I just kept going so You know I literally said, as I was making the list, is CM Punk better? I will use one that was later in the year. Is CM Punk better than this? Is CM Punk better than this? um And I just kept going. So you know this was, if you were listening along um to the first half, you know what this is. um I kinda said what it was before.
01:15:38
Speaker
Out of all the toys on the list of the first half from 2024, only one remains on my list. And it's this. um I talk about, like,
01:15:52
Speaker
two things are that you know hit me with figures is do I like it and how does it make me feel? Does it like take me to a place? Does it remind me of something? does it you know What does it do? like how Does it get it have an emotional connection with me? And this one does um because this represents um You know my kind of foray into liking a specific band um And the first time I saw them live so this is my version of this character that I've started with um and of course I'm talking about super 7 ultimate Papa emeritus the third
01:16:37
Speaker
um you know, seeing ghost in a terminal five, which is one of my least favorite venues in New York, sure um where it has no public transportation nearby. You have to walk forever to get there. And if you're in bad weather, best of luck to you. But I saw ghost there um for the first time during this, this era and yeah during that Meliora era and you know I was like yo this band rules like I already liked them for when um the proof went for the Papa 2 era I liked them but I never saw them like I was like okay I'm into this band this album to me like hit hard and
01:17:29
Speaker
You know, that's where I started to really get into the lore and all that. um And then after seeing them live, I was like, this is, this is, I'm i'm all in. Like, I really enjoy this. um But this, this to me, this was my first Papa. um You know, Papa one was a great figure. I did not love Papa two as much, but I knew like, if it nailed the live performance version, and then the, you know, when he first comes out on stage, the papal version,
01:17:58
Speaker
Like it's going to be pretty hard to beat and it did. Um, so chef, you know, props to super seven. Shout outs to super seven. Um, once again, I think this is like the third time, uh, a super seven ultimate's been my top toy of the year. Yeah. I think the only year that pa ah Papa two was on my list and not yours, the one, the one year, um, last year.
01:18:21
Speaker
And it wasn't for a lack of anything other than, like, that's not my favorite Papa. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, I know we're both super excited ah for Papa 4. For 4, yeah. um Yeah, I think he's probably, I mean, probably, he's my favorite. Mm-hmm. Both versions. Like, I love both both of his looks, but, like, I'm really excited for that um that. I want a Cardinal figure, like... That turquoise coat.
01:18:50
Speaker
Like, I'm just, I'm really excited. But yeah, this, like, you know, this is, this is square hammer. You know, this is, this is from the pinnacle to the pit. This is how you first saw them. Yeah. And, um, if you have ghosts. Yeah. So it's one of those, like, as much as I love Ghost Rider, you know, and no, I don't have ghosts, like the band tattooed on me anywhere or anything like that. But like, this was almost unbeatable to me.
01:19:20
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, it is really, it this is the way that I have him displayed like this next to, next to Papa two in the, the like papal, um, garb cloak. Yeah. One and two are going to stay in that three is going to be in the live performance version for me. Yeah. And so will four, four will also be, be like this. I might need two of those. I might need to, like if they do the the deluxe deluxe. Yeah. Um, great list Dave.
01:19:51
Speaker
Thank you. Very like, very me, but very not me list. Well, some new some new things. I think my list is probably ah very on brand for me, you in terms of what's on there. This is the least, it this year was less than half wrestling. Yeah, you only have three wrestling figures on it. Four in the top 10. Yes, four. As it goes down, like if you look at like 11, no, actually,
01:20:18
Speaker
If you go below 20 is where the wrestling really kicks in, interesting but 11-11-20 has a bunch of wrestling too. well i mean and makes It's all stuff that makes sense. um you know Like I said, great great picks. um Like we have said countless times, um it's been a hell of a year. ah And we did post on on the Instagram to see if anyone felt like sharing their favorite toys of the year. And we did not mention ah any of these. So I'm just going to shout them out real quick. All right. um So.
01:20:58
Speaker
ah at DL Okay, okay I'm pulling a you here at D. La Guerra 719 Said the the the first set of mezco turtles. So not the tune colored ones the comic color. Okay, so looks darker green ones um Spawn 2504 says the Punisher ah Marvel Legends. So again, part of that 85th anniversary, that two-pack where it was Punisher and Bushwhacker. Oh, okay. So that Punisher.
01:21:36
Speaker
um At Udi Hamudi, great, great username. um Udi Hamudi, Mattel Legends Ultimate Edition Vader.
01:21:49
Speaker
So that was that was not a really good one. I had a hard time leaving that off the list. Very good figure. um At nightmare 10880, Count Duckula. So I guess somebody put a Count Duckula figure out. Oh, I would love to see that. Yeah, I don't i don't know. I don't know who did that. I don't know that one. um Like, is it like the British cartoon? I guess. I don't remember any. Right? That is British, right?
01:22:18
Speaker
I mean, I can picture the character. It looks like Donald Duck with, uh, like it looks like it's part of that, um, you know, Donald Duck. Yeah, it was a, du it was a Danger Mouse spinoff. Yeah. Oh, I would love to see that. Yeah. So there's somebody put out a Count Duckula figure. Nightmare, Nightmare 10880. I always, I always see you in our, in our comments and likes. So if you're listening, tell us more about that figure, please.
01:22:48
Speaker
Um, for friend of the pod, best friend of the pod, uh, at Craig stuff, the rebel tech agent venom. So that's the, the amazing Yamaguchi. Um, and then here's a fun one, Dave, uh, at Sean to the max, uh, with two axes, cause everything is bigger in Texas. Uh, Jerry Lynn, the, uh, the ring of honor, Jerry Lynn figure, the ring of honor, Jerry Lynn is very good. Very, very good figure. So, um, some awesome, uh, again.
01:23:18
Speaker
what ah what a year What a year for for action figures. So let's ah let's say our official goodbyes to 2024 and look to the horizon of 2025 and all of the fun things that we have going on this year. um You know, in March we'll be at Toy Fair in New York, which is it's going to be super fun. um Yeah, lots of and lots of good things to look look forward to.
01:23:45
Speaker
ah Yeah, I guess, Dave, um, before we go, let our viewers, our listeners let them know, uh, where they can interact with us, uh, for future episodes. Should we be looking for questions for an upcoming guest or looking for, uh, you know, things that we want to, you know, a feedback engagement, where, where can they, where can they do that?
01:24:14
Speaker
Well, if you're watching this, thank you for watching, ah youtube dot.com slash AIC underscore podcast. And there should be like a bell and a subscribe and you hit that and hit both of those and the bell gives you notifications as to when there's new stuff. um And we'll always be working on new stuff. And we may even try to try some of that ah that live that's there.
01:24:39
Speaker
I think that's a thing that we might try. Certainly there's something coming out soon that I would like to try to do there. So, um we'll see. We'll see how that goes. But definitely subscribe, like. um you know We want to start doing more on YouTube, but you know we want to want you all to see it too. so um um On Instagram and everywhere else, I believe. I believe we're in in the skies as well. um And the threads and everywhere else at AIC underscore podcast. Now, um usually this week, a guestless episode because the year end is a long one. And um you know, we want to keep it around an hour.
01:25:25
Speaker
But ah you know more often than not, we will have a guest on and we will post that story days before we record, usually the weekend before. So you have time to really kind of think of questions. And when you see that story, send us a question. You may be the featured question of the week. um And if there's a lot of really good questions, we may have more than one featured question.
01:25:46
Speaker
um but give us a follow on there, like, share with friends, enter contests, interact with the show, we love when you interact. Hey, Eric, there's another way you can interact with the show. Oh, that's right, our hotline. So you can call us whenever you want to.
01:26:04
Speaker
um And I mean that you will never disturb us because it's gonna go right to voicemail No, no one the the phone will never actually ring. No one will ever pick it up But we do check it for voicemails So if you ever want to leave us a message you could leave us a message instead of responding to one of the stories on Instagram um you can leave us a message and to your heart's content. um And that is ah that is
01:26:40
Speaker
um you can Like I said, you can call that whenever you will get a voicemail and we will get your voicemail and we'll play it on the show. So like it's, you know, it's a phone number in New Jersey in the United States of America. So keep that in mind. Yes. ah But you could call it from your WhatsApp.
01:26:57
Speaker
Okay. You can do that. Um, just learned that you could do that. Yeah. So, uh, so cause, uh, and, and, and leave us a message and tell us what whatever's on your mind, whether it's toy related or not, you know, we'll potentially air it within reason.
01:27:18
Speaker
within reason. um like Just be cool. Yeah. yeah Don't be weird. Don't make it weird. ah Well, with that, Dave, I think it's it's it's time to go. um Yeah. Time to to to start ah working on our 2025 list. twenty Yeah, 2025 is here. So um everybody, happy new year. Yeah, happy new year.
01:27:42
Speaker
Thank you, dear listener, for hanging out with us today. Subscribe, rate, and review us wherever you listen, and then tell your friends to do it. Thanks also to Joe Azari, the golden voice behind our intro. Our music is Game Boy Horror by the Zombie Dandies. Find more about them both on our show notes. Follow us on social media at AIC underscore podcast on Instagram and Twitter. Stop by and say hi. Show us your toy hauls and share your toy stories. Maybe we'll talk about it in a future episode.
01:28:14
Speaker
don't try this at home void where prohibited in some assembly required each sold separately not a flying toy consult a physician if your toy run exceeds more than four hours
01:28:22
Speaker
This has been a non-productive media presentation. Executive producer, Franca Blaui. This program and many others like it on the non-productive network is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives license. Please share it, but ask before trying to change it or sell it. For more information, visit non-productive.com.