By Josh Wallen Posted on

Figure Friday: San Diego Comic Con Stand Outs

San Diego Comic Con delivered the goods for this figure collector! While I wasn’t able to make the cross-country trip to attend the convention, I was able to enjoy all the reveals and even scored my most coveted SDCC exclusive from the convenience of my couch. Let’s take a look at what stood out to me amongst the chaos at the con.

A gray cheerleader figurine with pom-poms, standing on a black base, showcasing articulated joints and a flowing hairstyle.
A gray action figure of a female character holding a megaphone, standing on a black base with a logo in the corner.
A detailed action figure of a male character dressed in a blue suit with a microphone, standing on a small stand against a dark background.
A gray action figure depicting a character in a cropped top and skirt, posing with both middle fingers raised. The figure stands on a black base with the logo 'NPC Non-Playable Characters' in the upper left corner.
A gray action figure of a man in a suit, holding a badge in one hand and a weapon in the other, standing on a black base.
Action figure of an FBI agent holding a firearm, dressed in a blue jacket with an FBI badge and beige pants, standing on a display base.
A monochrome action figure of a well-dressed character wearing a suit, tie, and fedora, posed with clenched fists, representing a non-playable character.
A grey action figure of a character in a suit and hat, holding a weapon in one hand and an object in the other. The figure stands on a black base with the logo 'NPC Non-Playable Characters' in the corner.
A detailed action figure of a man wearing a cap and vintage clothing, holding a revolver in one hand and a baton in the other. The figure is positioned on a black base, featuring a neutral expression.
A gray figurine of a man in a suit and hat, holding a submachine gun in one hand and a cane in the other, displayed on a pedestal.
A detailed action figure of a character dressed in a blue vest and gray trousers, holding a cross and expressing an intense emotion. The figure is displayed on a stand against a dark background.
A poseable grey action figure standing on a display base, featuring a detailed design with athletic clothing and a determined facial expression.
A gray action figure of a character in a long coat and bowtie, holding a gun to its head. The figure stands on a black base against a dark background, with the text 'NPC - Non-Playable Characters' at the top and a logo for 'Big Bad Workshop' at the bottom.
A detailed action figure of an anthropomorphic ape dressed in a gray suit and red trousers, holding a rifle, displayed on a black pedestal with a dark background.
A detailed action figure of a soldier with gray armor, holding a rifle, featuring a distinctive yellow and white knee pad, displayed on a stand.

Big Bad Workshop

Big Bad Toy Store’s in-house toy brand has been building a solid portfolio of 6-inch figure lines. Whether it’s Operation: Monster Force, The Naughty or Nice Collection or Soldiers of Fortune, their figures blend seamlessly with Marvel Legends, GI Joe Classified and most 1/12 scale figures. Versatility is a beautiful thing!

Sticking to that strategy, BBWS showed off their line of NPC figures: Fully articulated Non-Playable Characters that can fill the backgrounds of your figure photography. I absolutely love this concept. Need a priest to perform a wedding or an exorcism? Check. A cheerleader to run from a slasher or root for the home team? They’ve got you covered. Perhaps you’d prefer a stay-at-home mom or a punk rocker girl? Done and done. Why worry about securing a major IP license when there’s plenty of interesting subject matter just waiting to be made into action figures? I really hope this line takes off. There’s a lot of NPCs on my wishlist: Animal Control, an Elderly Couple, and Patients in Hospital Gowns, to name a few.

Action figure of a green monster from the 'Operation Monster Force' series, featuring detailed scales, muscular structure, and a reptilian head.
A blue transparent figurine of a man in a tuxedo standing next to a sign that reads 'Agents of Omega: The Mystery at the Lincoln Library' on a black background.
A gray action figure of a character from The Rocketeer, holding a gun and posed dynamically on a base.
Action figure of a soldier with a mechanical arm, wearing a green uniform and medals, holding a gun.
A collectible figure of The Tick character, featuring a white costume and large rabbit-like ears, posed with clenched fists on a branded base.
A humorous action figure from 'The Tick' series, featuring a character with a chair as a head, dressed in a stylish purple suit, holding a gun and a cocktail glass against a dark background.
A colorful action figure of The Tick, a superhero character, with orange skin, a red spider logo on his chest, and holding a red shield in the shape of a crab, posed on a display base.
A collectible action figure of The Tick, standing next to a cow figure, holding a sign that says 'WORLD'S BEST EVIL GENIUS'.
Action figure of a Santa Claus character from The Tick, holding a baseball bat in one hand and a money bag labeled with a dollar sign in the other, dressed in a red and white Santa suit.
Action figure of a police officer from the 'COPS 'N Crooks' series, wearing a blue uniform and holding a futuristic weapon in one hand and a whip in the other.
A toy figure from 'Cops N' Crooks' depicting a character in a white outfit with purple gloves and shoes, alongside a robotic companion with various dials and features.
A green reptilian figure wearing a space helmet and a red suit, holding a futuristic weapon with a trident-like end, set against a dark background.
Action figure of a female character from Operation Monster Force, featuring short blonde hair, a red bandana, a cropped top, and tactical gear, holding a crossbow.
A detailed action figure of a female character dressed in a tactical outfit, featuring a mask and equipped with weapons including a sword and a gun.
A detailed action figure of a man in a formal outfit, holding a wand, displayed against a dark background. The figure is part of 'The Raven Society' collection.
A collectible figure of a man holding a raven and a candelabrum, with a skull on a stand beside him, against a dark background.

Other standouts from the BBWS booth included a Ghost of Abraham Lincoln, the Operation Monster Force take on The Creature From The Black Lagoon, The Rocketeer, The Tick and last year’s surprising return of the Cops n Crooks line. It all looked fantastic, and I can’t wait to see what Big Bad Workshop will be cooking up in five years.

Action figure of a armored character holding swords, with a purple cape, surrounded by other characters from a popular animated series.

Mondo’s 1/6 Scale TMNT

There’s one line I’ve been keeping a close eye on, and that’s Mondo’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Straight away, I was impressed with the first figure in the line: Donatello. My problem is that I don’t collect 1/6 scale, and I also somehow keep trying to convince myself I don’t collect Ninja Turtles. Mondo’s SDCC booth blew me away with all four Turtles and a Shredder figure that can only be described as breathtaking.

A close-up of a green humanoid turtle character wearing armor and a red mask, equipped with weapons and a belt, showcasing a muscular build.
Action figure of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, specifically Michelangelo, holding a skateboard and wearing a bandana, displayed in a showcase.
A detailed action figure of Leonardo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, dressed in armor with a blue bandana and wielding swords, displayed in a showcase.
A detailed action figure of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, featuring a character with green skin, wearing a brown and purple outfit, holding a staff and accessories, displayed with a small toy vehicle in front.
A detailed action figure of a warrior wearing ornate armor, a helmet, and a cape. The figure holds a staff and is displayed in a showcase.

I immediately began kicking myself for not going in on the line from the beginning. Mondo is the King of the Timed Release, which means they have some additional pack-ins if you buy the figure within the first run of pre-orders. I hesitated to pull the trigger from jump due to some questionable quality I heard about the Spider-Man animated figures. I decided to wait till they started to hit collectors’ hands so I could make sure I was getting my money’s worth. I’m happy to say that early indicators are good. There are no major issues that I’ve heard of, and everyone seems blown away with what Mondo is doing with the Turtles.

This is going to be an expensive rabbit hole. These Mondo pics came from Toy Ark. They did an excellent job covering SDCC. Make sure to check them out for more in-depth coverage.

Packaging for a collectible action figure set from 'Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers', featuring multiple character heads and accessories displayed on a clear plastic tray.

Jada Street Fighter You Lose! Accessory Pack

I mentioned this Heads and Hands pack a few weeks back. It was the only Exclusive I was after, and fortunately I secured one in less than a minute before they sold out of the first allotment. They went QUICK! Luckily, Jada secured additional products to offer another chance to collectors on Saturday. With both days selling out, I have to imagine more companies take note and offer more accessory packs like this in the future.

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