SDCC 2014: The NECA Report

NECA’s Comic Con showcase was so much awesome, jammed into a single booth!

One of the must-see booths for any toy collector at Comic Con is NECA.  They always showcase upcoming products that will see release over the next six or so months, and I have to say the back half of 2014 is shaping up to be a very, very exciting one for these guys.

One of the biggest reveals was the sculpt for not one, but TWO Ellen Ripley figures in NECA’s Aliens series.  I’ve been eager to see NECA’s take on Sigourney Weaver’s iconic hero since they landed her likeness rights earlier this year, and these sculpts do not disappoint.  The Nostromo space suit Ripley is a nice surprise (the third space suit figure we’re seeing after Dallas and Kane!)… but Ripley in her blue jumpsuit, complete with flame thrower and Jonesy, is just incredible.  The portrait is spot on, the figure is loaded with articulation and detail, and it’s great to know that not only are we getting a toy version of the most important character in Aliens mythology, but she is absolutely perfect.

NECA’s display also featured the upcoming Predator figures, with Series 12 getting ready for a September release and lucky 13– our second Kenner themed wave– hitting retail in December.  The First Blood: Part Two Rambo is another damn near perfect figure, with John Rambo in his most iconic look.

I really dig the NES-inspired 8-Bit collection, and both Rocky and Batman make nice additions to that cool, stylized set.  I’m a little bummed this beautiful Michael Keaton Batman can’t see release in his movie colors, but it should be a simple enough repaint… I know I’m buying two of this 8-bit figure for just that purpose.

The great new Planet of the Apes figures were also on display, including the awesomely huge gorilla Luca from Dawn, and the second wave of classic Apes including Zira, General Ursus and a second Dr Zaius, along with the retro Mego-style Taylor.  He was joined by the Mego-esque Snake Plissken, who features such a great likeness of Kurt Russell, it almost belies the retro aspect of the toy.

I would have loved to have seen the rumored Apes two-pack on display (I’m still holding out for an Ape on Horse deluxe set), but Pacific Rim more than made up for it, with tons of exciting new reveals.  Series 4 is slated for October and will include the all new, vastly improved Gipsy Danger, plus Tacit Ronin, the first non-cinematic Jaeger figure.  Axe Head will stomp into the Kaiju collection in October, followed by the glorious Otachi in November.  She was one of the coolest looking creatures in Pacific Rim, and I’m beyond thrilled to see her finally get the toy treatment.

The Pacific Rim display also featured a battle damaged Gipsy, from after the Knife Head fight, and two other unnamed Jaegers, who had a cool, clunky feel as if they were more Mark 1 robots (EDIT– they are Romeo Blue and Horizon Brave).

Rounding out the display were more Simpsons toys, still painstakingly in scale with the Playmates World of Springfield collection, a new wave of Mogwai from gremlins, and the reveal of an 18″ scale Danny DeVito Penguin joining the Michael Keaton Batman.  Penguin is featured in his onsie, which I guess makes sense since he wore it more than any other outfit in the movie, and the likeness to DeVito is just stunning.

All the cool new reveals almost took away from the other thing I love about NECA’s booth– their custom displays.  This year’s diorama was based on Aliens, showcasing the absolutely jaw-dropping Alien Queen figure, due in October.  From the size to the sculpt, this creature is absolutely perfect, and I cannot wait to add her to the collection.

Once again, NECA is really pushing the envelope, and they have developed an assortment of products that’s smart, fun and incredibly accurate to the source material.  My wallet may be a little pissed at NECA right now, but I could not be happier!