Toy Fair 2017: NECA Starts Things Right In 2017

Whether it’s established franchises or all new properties, NECA’s 2017 Toy Fair showcase was filled with some awesome new collectibles.

NECA’s long-term winning streak promises to continue in 2017. Their killer Predator series is continuing with Series 17 (which was just released on their eBay Store), and a teaser of Series 18 with Broken Tusk, the notorious hunter featured in Dark Horse Comics.  In the meantime, NECA is celebrating Predator’s 30th Anniversary with a line which will re-release key variants of the Jungle Hunter and Dutch, along with the all new Jungle Demon deco, an excellent paint app which replicates the Predator’s appearance while using cloaking technology to blend into his jungle environment.

Aliens should be one of the biggest franchises of the year.  We’re going to see Series 11 released this spring, along with accessory packs based on Alien 3 and the Colonial Marines set (which will deliver a pair of badass Smart Guns to the 7″ toy line)… as well as several waves of Alien Covenant figures, which could not be shown publicly at Toy Fair.  While we all anxiously await those reveals, Alien die-hards can join the new NECA Club x Alien program, to preorder upcoming Aliens toys and score some sweet exclusive accessories and a special edition figure.

But the most exciting Alien/ Predator news from NECA was their incredible new “DC versus” series.  Through some impressive license-juggling, NECA has managed to produce three DC-Aliens-Predator two packs, to follow up on the recently released Muhammad Ali vs Superman box set.  These new sets, slated for Q3 of 2017, will include Batman vs. a Joker-colored Alien Warrior, Superman vs. a Xenomorph, and an armored Batman vs. a similarly-armored Predator.

These sets– based on some obscure comic book crossovers– looked fantastic.  It’s worth noting, these are the first traditional super hero toy sculpts ever attempted by NECA, and I think they nailed it.  Batman, in particular, promises to be a lot of fun, with a Simon Bisley-esque aesthetic, loads of articulation, and a great paint job.  I really think NECA’s Batman will become the new standard by which all other collector-oriented figures of the Dark Knight are measured.

NECA’s latest Q-Scale releases include Catwoman and Mayoral Penguin from Batman Returns, an excellent comic-style Daredevil, and Doctor Strange from the Marvel Studios’ hit movie.  And the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line will continue with Leonardo and Michelangelo, complete with their respective ninja weapons, pizza slices, an infant mutant turtle, and more great accessories.  I wish I had enough space to collect these perfect replicas of Jim Henson Studios’ TMNT designs… but as it stands I can only hope NECA somehow finds a way to release these great figures in a smaller scale somewhere down the line.

On the horror front, NECA had even more great new products on tap.  An Evil Dead 2 box set is slated for Q2 of this year, featuring some great new Bruce Campbell portraits and a great looking Deadite.  The Ash vs Evil Dead series will continue with more versions of our hapless hero from the Starz hit show, as well as some of the most iconic demons and creatures from Season Two.  And yes, an Ashy Slashy felt puppet replica is on the way… and he looks perfect.

We’re also going to see a Chucky retro figure, an ultimate Jason Voorhees from Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter, a Quarter Scale Freddy from Nightmare On Elm Street 3, and even several new additions to the Gremlins collection, including Mohawk and an ultimate Gizmo.  Elsewhere in the realm of cinema, NECA showcased their amazing Shin Godzilla figure, as well as an atomically charged variant of the 2001 Godzilla, retro figures based on A Christmas Story and a new Christmas Vacation Claramp urk Griswold, and the second wave of Rocky anniversary figures, which include Ivan Drago and Apollo Creed in his Rocky IV outfit.

“The Final Three” are on deck from NECA’s Team Fortress line, and new additions to the Heroes of the Storm collection were also on display.  And Jesse Custer and Cassidy from AMC’s Preacher TV series made another appearance, accompanied by box art for this upcoming series.

Despite this jam-packed showing, this is actually only the first half of NECA’s 2017 output.  They will reveal more products at San Diego Comic Con this summer… and they’re keeping some surprises close to the vest yet again, to dial up the fun and unpredictability which is so often lacking in modern toy collecting.  Look through the entire Toy Fair showcase from NECA below, and make your best predictions as to what their 2017 surprises will be in the comments below!