SDCC 2015: On The Floor With NECA

From Aliens and Predator, to Home Alone and video game figures, NECA is demanding attention on the floor of Comic Con.

NECA never ceases to deliver when it comes to Comic Con, and they had lots of great new reveals this year.  Long running lines such as Predator and Aliens were well represented, with Predator Series 14 slated for September, featuring the Predators from AvP, the last characters NECA had yet to make from the movies.  Aliens Series 5 is coming in August, with Ripley from the final battle of Aliens, a torn-in-half Bishop, and Xenomorph warriors in both black and red (from the Genocide comic).  New Aliens reveals included Series 6, based on the video game Isolation, which will feature game star Amanda Ripley (Ellen’s daughter) in her crew uniform, a space suit variant, and a new Isolation-style Xenomorph.  Also on display was the Red Queen from the Genocide comics– coming for the Holiday– as well as the Power Loader, a companion piece to last year’s amazing Alien Queen, which hits in September.

2015 also sees NECA return to the world of Terminator in a big way.  The Genisys series, based on the new movie, will hit retail very soon, with a first series including Guardian T-800 and the new T-1000.  A second series will include Arnold Schwarzenegger from 2017, the “Pops” Terminator.  But the new Terminator expands beyond Genisys… the T2 Ultimate collection will deliver new, fully articulated figures based on the characters from the James Cameron classic.  T-800 is up first, followed by Sarah Connor (the first time NECA has tackled the character, and they nailed it– the likeness of Linda Hamilton is STUNNING), then the T-1000.  Each figure features three alternate heads, alternate hands and body parts, and multiple accessories and weapons.  This is going to be one of the most exciting lines of the year.

The Ultimate theme is expanding beyond Terminator, with Ultimate Leatherface slated for release later this year, as well as John Matrix from Commando, just in time for the 30th anniversary.  Matrix will include a rocket launcher, machine gun, rifle, pistol, and knife… while Leatherface pack in two heads(kitchen and classic masks), a chainsaw, a cleaver, a mallet, a meat hook and a removable vinyl apron.  Also on display was the prototype for Ultimate Part 6 Jason, due out this Halloween, who includes a gravestone, knife, machete, and removable mask.

Gremlins is making a comeback, as well, with the Bat Gremlin set for release this October as a deluxe figure, to be followed by Mohawk with his machine gun in early 2016.  A retro video game version of Mohawk will hit stores this year, along with retro game Godzilla (available now), Leatherface (based on an obscure Atari game from 1983), and Jason.  Yes, the impossible to find Comic Con exclusive NES Jason is coming back, sans glow in the dark features but with a brand new paint deco and the floating head of his mother.  The window box for the new version will even play the theme music from the game when it’s opened!

Pacific Rim is still going strong, with an Ultimate Striker Eureka on deck for the Jaegers.  This figure is all new, and a dramatic step up from the previous version… he’s amazing!  The new Striker features more detail, improved articulation, two alternate chests including one with its missile launchers at the ready, removable missiles, a removable Nuclear payload from the finale of the film, and a deluxe window box featuring schematics and blueprints from the movie.  Not to be outdone, the Kaiju are still here to menace humanity.  Mutavore, the beast that Striker faces in the beginning of the movie, is coming in October, followed by  Hardship late this year or in early 2016.

The Mego-inspired retro figures continue to impress, with Eddie from Iron Maiden in his “Two Minutes to Midnight” outfit, Part 6 Jason, an Interstellar two-pack, “Chest of Souls” Freddy, and one of the biggest buzz-worthy new reveals, the Home Alone series, featuring Kevin and both Wet Bandits, complete with alternate heads and loads of accessories.

The quarter scale figures NECA had on display continued to impress, as well.  In addition to Christopher Reeve Superman and Danny DeVito Penguin, the DC lineup will feature Christian Bale’s Batman and the caped crusader as he appears in Arkham Knight.  On the Marvel side, we’re going to see Age of Ultron Iron-Man– complete with light-up eyes and chest– as well as the massive, two foot tall Hulk, who will be available this Christmas at a retail cost of around $300.  This guy is a BEAST!

We saw the quarter scale 1979 Alien back at Toy Fair, and the figure looks fantastic.  It will be joined by a Warrior from Aliens in this scale in 2016, and in the meantime, NECA is also releasing a new quarter scale Jungle Hunter Predator later this year, complete with working lights in the mask and wrist gauntlet.

Whether you’re into video games, modern movies, or badass cinema classics, NECA has you covered with their 2015 lineup.  The best part is that their great sculpts and excellent engineering ensure that each figure they release is just as strong as the concept behind it.  Time to start making some more shelf space, I think…