My 20 Favorite Figures of 2020

War Raiders – Mattel

I refuse to acknowledge these guys as Ivar and Erik of the Viking Raiders. This is Hanson and Rowe, these are War Raiders, and these figures from Mattel exceeded my expectations. The real scan tech that Mattel has been using lately has been such a game-changer when it comes to upping the quality of the WWE Elite series. I don’t know if there’s a better example of that than with these guys. 2020 was a strong year for wrestling figures, but these guys were my favorites. 

Casey Jones – NECA

NECA just continues to clean up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles license. It doesn’t matter if their figures are based on the films, the animated series, or the video games, these figures are always top-notch. It almost feels like a crime that these go for the retail price that they do. But finding them in-stock can also be one of the most frustrating parts of collecting. This Casey Jones from the first TMNT film hits a home run with a Jose Conseco ball bat. He is probably the hardest figure to keep standing up in my collection, but I love him so much that I’m always there to pick him up when he falls. Love this Casey. I bet NECA could do the unthinkable and release figures from Turtles III and we would still be throwing money their way.  

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers – Hasbro

Instead of singling out Jason, Billy, Trini, or Zack, I’m just going to go ahead and highlight the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Lightning Series as a whole. They may not look like much on their own; the head scans of the actors may be nightmare fuel; but, together, these Rangers look great on a shelf. 

Louis – Hasbro

I hope that the number of Ghostbuster figures that are on the pegs of your local retailer isn’t an indicator of the success of this line. I dig them. All of the figures in this series are pretty good, but this Hasbro Pulse exclusive Louis and Terror Dog are my personal favorite. I love that you can just look at this figure and hear Rick Moranis yelling “Let me in! Let me innnnnnnn!”   

Marvel Legends Rogue – Hasbro

I have to include Rogue on this list for the sheer satisfaction of seeing a bunch of pissed off scalpers. This isn’t the time for me to sit here and discuss the ethics of scalping, but if you’re going to charge $100+ for a Rogue figure then your ass deserves that eventual re-release. There were so many X-Men collections that were only missing a Rogue. I’m so happy that this re-release helps them out. 

Master Chief – Wicked Cool Toys

With social media nowadays, it’s easy to follow along with what figures are coming out and when something new is announced. But there’s a really great feeling that comes with walking down the toy aisle and seeing something that you have never seen before. For me, that was this random-ass Master Chief that I found at Target while trying to track down some Batman’s. With no fanfare and no hype, this figure was just sitting there on a peg. You have seen Master Chief figures before, but few of them are as good as this one. Even if Halo isn’t your thing, this guy belongs in your collection.

X-Men Logan and Professor X – Hasbro

You’re going to see a few entries on this list for Marvel Legends that are based on non-MCU films. I hope that trend continues into 2021 because they have turned out to be some of Hasbro’s best work of 2020. I don’t know what else you could ask for out of a Logan two-pack like this. It’s just awesome.

Dracula – Diamond Selects

I cannot recommend the Castlevania series on Netflix enough. Most of that comes from how captivating the show’s villain, Dracula, is throughout it. He’s not your standard bad guy. There’s depth there, and his desire to kill all the humans–while a bit dramatic–is kind of justified. This Diamond Selects figure captures that sleek animation of the series. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Concert Edition) 

The only figures on this list that I didn’t cop. While I don’t see myself adding these to my collection, I really do love that they exist. I was never able to get my parents to take me to the concert, but I did play the hell out of the audiotape that I got from Pizza Hut. 

MK11 Spawn – McFarlane

This Spawn is the best figure of 2020. God bless Ed Boon and Todd McFarlane for reminding us all of how damn cool the character of Spawn is. The grittiness of this figure is a throwback to the days of old, the detailing of the cape is so impressive, and there’s an aura about the character that makes it so badass. Wish that he would have come with guns, but I took care of that myself. Love this figure. What was meant to be throwaway DLC in Mortal Kombat 11 has revitalized the character of Spawn, and I’m psyched for it. 

On to 2021…

Here’s to hoping that we can go back to toy shows and hunting the local flea market in 2021 without the fear of disease. I feel like it’s going to be another big year for collectors. What’s NECA’s next step now that they have exhausted the TMNT line? Super 7 had a huge year in 2020, what’s next for them? I’m also excited to see what’s next from McFarlane’s DC and Jazwares AEW lines.

Oh, and so many Homelanders. I hope Homelander is the equivalent to the Mandalorian in 2021. 

It might also be the year that I finally cave and add a Hot Toy to my collection. The Worthy Captain America and Batman Beyond suit from Arkham Knight are going to really tempt me.