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Meet the real toy heroes: Tiny coronavirus frontline workers, Batman, and more
Welcome back to Important Toy News, the SYFY WIRE column that shows you all the best and coolest happenings in the world of amazing toys and collectibles for the week.
So keep your gloves and masks within reach (please), get ready to shop (online, due to the coronavirus), and get ready to jump back into that (very, very virtual) toy box with your resident, if not favorite, Toy Journalist.
Because today, my toy-collecting friends, things are about to get heart-warming and wholesome for this very specific time in our world’s history.
A DIFFERENT SORT OF HERO
New from Fisher Price’s Little People toy line is the launch of #ThankYouHeroes, a new, special-edition line of collectible action figures that honors the individuals leading the fight against COVID-19, as well as the everyday heroes who are working to keep communities up and running. According to a press release from Mattel, all net proceeds from the line will go to #FirstRespondersFirst, an initiative created to support first responder healthcare workers as they serve on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The #ThankYouHeroes assortment includes 16 different action figures featuring a selection of doctors, nurses, EMTs, and delivery drivers. The brand is also introducing a special five-character Little People set of a doctor, nurse, EMT, delivery driver, and grocery store worker.
THE CLOWN PRINT OF CRIME
Since we’re on the topic of unexpected collectibles, let’s take a moment to step away from toys and action figures (though I promise, we’ll be back) and take a look at some of the coolest non-toy collectibles of the week.
Kicking off with everyone’s favorite Clown Prince of Darkness, the awesome people over at Plush Art Club have released a super badass Batman: Arkham Asylum Joker print into the wild.
Illustrated by artist Chun Lo, this art print is celebrating both Batman’s 80th anniversary and Arkham Asylum from Rocksteady Games' 10th anniversary. This silkscreened art print, limited to 250 pieces, is available on Plush Art Club's website and costs $60.
BATPINS
Are art prints and toys eating up your wallet? Then give your pin collection a little love! Because this week, news of some awesome pop culture enamel pins is coming your way. And believe us, these are just too good.
Entertainment Earth and Loungefly are teaming up for an awesome (and exclusive) collaboration! Coming at us “The Rainbow Batman” Pop! enamel pin. Pulled from the pages of Detective Comics Volume 1, #241, where Batman infamously wore rainbow suits! You can collect all six colors — blue, purple, orange, pink, yellow, and green!
This item contains one randomly selected, individually blind-packaged pin, which means pin selections are subject to duplicates. And the gimmick is that the pins adorably replicate the rainbow Batman Funko Pop!
These Batman pins are available to order now from Entertainment Earth, and they cost $9.99.
MIGHTY MORPH-PIN POWER RANGERS
Go, go Enamel Rangers! Aren’t these pins just the best?
Lineage Studios created them to honor of the massively popular Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers toys of the '90s. Recreating the original form factors, proportions, and classic backer blister cards, these pin sets capture the look of the classic Auto Morphin’ action figures.
Each pin is on a blister card, and you get three pins with the set — the Ranger (as a pin), blaster, and a power weapon. The helmeted version is available now, and the civilian head pins will be released at a later date.
You can preorder your favorite character pin for $20 today directly from Lineage Studios.
TOP PIN
Do you remember last week, when we discussed the new Top Gun toys from Lanard? Well, it must be a license that is getting some love right now, because Icon Heroes is showing off the (pin) love with a Top Gun set of its own!
Ah, le sigh for the love of '80s movies. Icon Heroes presents this limited-edition (500 pieces) collectible set of three helmet enamel pins from the hit film, featuring Maverick, Goose, and Iceman! Each helmet pin measures 1 inch tall with a soft enamel nickel finish.
You can purchase this helmet pin set for $30 directly from Icon Heroes.
It’s always fun and refreshing to see what is happening in the collectibles world outside of toys and action figures, isn’t it? But with that in mind ... who is ready to see some more awesome toys and action figures?
THE FUNKOLORIAN
Funko is showing off 4 brand-new Pop! figures from the beloved The Mandalorian. Is there really such a thing as too much Baby Yoda? We think not!
This new wave includes a "Television Moment" display diorama with Mando and Baby Yoda, we have Baby Yoda nibbling his froggy snack, Baby Yoda drinking his soupy-soups, and Moff Gideon with his intimidating ... Did pop face gaze? All of these will be available in summer 2020, and you can preorder them today by clicking on each respective character’s name.
And don’t forget, the two originally announced Baby Yoda Funko Pop!s are shipping this month! You can get Baby Yoda in traditional Pop! size here for $10.99 or JUMBO 10-inch Pop! size for $34.99. With all of these options, there's no doubt that this Child is coming with you!
PREDATOY
Hiya Toys is showing off four amazing creations, all available for preorder today. I am patiently awaiting summer 2020 in order to get my hands on some of those classic RoboCop toys that were announced last year. I’ve seen the Hiya Toys Predator figures in person at conventions, and they are amazing. They stand at the 1:18 scale, so 4-4.5 inches, and are so articulated, carefully detailed, and painted with such incredible care that it’s really hard not to be awe-struck when admiring these pieces.
As always, Hiya continues to keep its action figures in the $20 range. And seriously, that translucent Predator is making me lose my mind.
The newest additions to the lineup (Alien Big Chap, Invisible Falconer Predator, AVP Scar Predator, and RoboCop 2014) cost $20, will ship January 2021, and are available for preorder by clicking the characters’ names.
TOY HIDDLESTON
Freshly announced from Bandai’s S.H. Figuarts line is the trickster Loki, as depicted in 2012’s The Avengers.
This articulated action figure comes with the handcuffs and mouth restraint from the captured scene, along with his staff — extended and stored — the Tesseract, and an interchangeable faceplate to show that signature smirk across his face. Loki can be posed with his 3 pairs of interchangeable hands to hold the Tesseract and his staff and with or without his signature helmet. He stands just under 6 inches, costs $89.99, will ship October 2020, and is available for preorder today.
INTO THE TOY-VERSE
Want to play a game called “How Many Accessories Come With This Figure?” Because if we were going to play a round of that, this Gwen Stacy/Spider-Gwen figure from Hot Toys would win.
Available for preorder for $255 from Sideshow Collectibles, Hot Toys is definitely giving you all the bang in the room for some of your bucks in exchange for this beautiful Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse figure.
Included in the box are: a Spider-Ham Sixth Scale Collectible Figure, a backdrop for Spider-Ham, a Spider-Gwen mask, a smartphone, a mirror case, a physics textbook, five strings of spider web in different shapes and lengths, an open spider web effect accessory, a specially designed character backdrop, a dynamic figure stand with movie logo and character name, and a pair of teal ballet slippers. She also comes with a pair of fists, a pair of open hands, a pair of hands for cobweb shooting, a pair of hands for holding accessories, a left hand for web-swinging, and a relaxed right hand.
As for the figure itself, it is 10.62 inches tall and has 28 points of articulation. Spider-Gwen will ship summer 2021.
MAGNETOY
We’ve reached the end, my quarantined friends, and we’re going to wrap this issue of Important Toy News up with Magento! Yes, we have another Superhero Toy, and another Japanese toy.
This time, Magneto is coming to us from Medicom Toy’s MAFEX line. Magneto, as he appeared in the X-Men: Age of Apocalypse comic, leaps into Medicom’s MAFEX action figure lineup! He stands over 6 inches tall and includes a fabric cape with poseable wires built in.
Magneto will be released first quarter 2021, costs $94.99, and can be preordered today.
