Toy Fair 2016: Loyal Subjects

The makers of last year’s awesome hyper-stylized TMNT mini figures return with enough killer properties to send us all to blind box heaven.

Blind box mini figures are a dime a dozen in the toy world these days, so it takes something special to stand out among the white noise.  Loyal Subjects has been doing just that since the debut of their Super Defore Transformers, adding their unique stylized spin to the most iconic Autobots and Decepticons from the G1 era.  They followed up in 2015 with the awesome Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, with a fun aesthetic that managed to blend the Playmates toy line of yore, with the stylings of the Mirage comics, and even some hints of the 80’s cartoon show.  Not only were these toy totally cool looking minis, Loyal Subjects’ team managed to pack an impressive amount of articulation into their small bodies.

Now here we are in 2016, and Loyal Subjects is expanding again!  On display at Toy Fair were their latest offerings, including Masters of the Universe, GI Joe, How To Train Your Dragon, Power Rangers, and more TMNT and Transformers.

The MOTU figures are similar in overall aesthetic to the TMNT figures, once again mixing the Mattel toy and cartoon appearances into one distinct look for each cartoonish character.  These little guys go on step further, though, packing in action features which replicate the original toys’ play actions!  Trap-Jaw includes interchangeable weapon arms, Triklops and Man-E-Faces both sport twisting heads for alternate looks, and Skeletor even includes a hinged jaw.

We’re seeing variants of the brothers in the second wave of TMNT figures, as well as Splinter, Slash, and even some chaser figures like the Playmates Toys inspired Leatherhead.  The Power Rangers figures looked cool– with each Ranger sporting a removable helmet– and the Dragon assortment might be the most fun toys I have seen based on the hit Draemworks franchise.

I’ve been paying closer and closer attention to Loyal Subjects over the past year, as every new project they release is cooler, more fun, and displays more creativity than the one before.  But their showcase at Toy Fair really cemented it for me… when it comes to Loyal Subjects, I’m a loyal subject, for sure.