Action Figures Summer 2008 - I Will Always Remember You By Randy Herkowitz Aug 16, 2008 - 8:37:34 AM

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When I think of the summer, I think of baseball, barbecue’s and bike riding.  In the past I find that starting in June the action figure shelves usually become stagnant with whatever they were filled with during the spring reset except perhaps with a smattering of action figures for the one or two summer popcorn movie related toys.  However, to my surprise, more new action figures are hitting the shelves this summer than I can ever remember.



Every week it seems like something new is being released.  It all started with the onslaught of summer movies.  First there was Iron-Man and then Indiana Jones quickly followed along with the Hulk and Wall-E.  I suppose that is normal for summer movie toys to be introduced to the action figure isle but this year there has been so many more and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.

Transformers are unloading new toys based on the new Transformers Animated show plus the new Transformers Universe series, which features updated versions of some of Transformers most beloved characters plus repaints of toys from the last couple years.  

G.I. Joe continues to celebrate their 25th anniversary of “A Real American Hero” with a plethora of new figures being released monthly and now vehicles are slowly trickling into stores.  Just recently, the official G.I. Joe convention revealed even more sets, single packs and vehicles to fill up store pegs and shelves.  Then Hasbro will be unleashing toys to go along with the G.I. Joe live action movie to be released in the summer of 2009.



Now that the Indiana Jones movie has pretty much come and gone, the figures have not.  The third series inspired by “The Last Crusade” are just hitting stores and the fourth series based on “The Temple of Doom” are expected to hit retail in August.

Now, Mezco Toys are trickling out their Hellboy 2 action figures in both a seven inch scale and 3 ¾” scale and they look nothing short of spectacular but you have to hit specialty stores to find these beauties.

If this was not enough, Mattel Toys is going Batman crazy to coincide with the eagerly anticipated Dark Knight film released in July 2008.  Mattel has released a regular series of figures marketed towards children and a collector’s line featuring more detail and articulation.  Mattel Toys have also released (what appears to be Target exclusives) Batman action figure two packs of the regular series figures shrunk down to a 3 ¾” scale.  Even DC Direct is producing higher end Dark Knight Merchandise to please the wealthier collectors with their 13” collector dolls plus other miscellaneous Dark Knight swag.



It seems like perhaps the assault of marketable films is helping keep the shelves fresh with new toys like Disney/Pixar’s Wall-E.  There are loads of toys to go along with that film as well which in my opinion seems to be a contradiction to the whole message of the film.

Star Wars will never seem to die either.  The Clone Wars CGI movie has come to the big screen and then a TV series to follow shortly after and Hasbro Toys has already released pictures of some of the action figures and vehicles to go along with the movie and television series.

Even if you got a chance to catch up on all of the toys being released this summer, beginning July 24th is the now infamous San Diego Comic-Con.  Every year companies produce more and more limited edition convention only figures plus reveal their figure line-ups for the rest of the year.  It can be very overwhelming.  Soon toy collectors will have to take out second mortgages on their houses just to keep up with their plastic loving hobby.  Expect to see new product release announcements from such toy companies as Hasbro Toys, Mattel Toys, Neca Entertainment, Shocker Toys, DC Direct, Mezco Toys and almost every other action figure manufacturer.



I find it so fascinating that with the decrease of the American economy, it seems as if we are getting more action figures and related products than ever before. The small companies continue to pump out cult favorites such as figures from the Conan films starring the Governor Arnold himself and finally a Skeksis from the Dark Crystal.  While the larger toy companies are revisiting toys from the past such as G.I. Joe and Transformers.  Mattel Toys is even giving Masters of the Universe another try.

It looks like the summer is no longer reserved for outdoor activities and summer blockbuster films but a blitz of new action figures.  The whole marketing of action figures is changing right before our eyes.   It seems to me that every year adult toy collector’s have more impact on the action figure market than the kids.  Is this a good thing?  I suppose that depends on your collecting habits and the size of your wallet.

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