Those who know me sometimes refer to me as a "Manchild" or "Kidult", and I proudly wear those badges with honor. That being said, it should come as no surprise that I peruse the toy aisles every chance I get. Over the last year, I've noticed a trend of mega sized action figures hitting the toy shelves at an astounding rate.
Below are some snapshots of these action figures I've seen in the wild..
30" STAR WARS Darth Vader
This is the first super sized action figure I saw on toy shelves about a year or so ago. The figure albeit devoid of a light saber, is incredibly detailed and impressive.
20" STAR WARS Chewbacca
I'm
still troubled to this day that I never owned a 15" Chewbacca action
figure back when I was 8 years old. However, this toy blows the old
one out of the water. It's got a moveable head, removable Bandolier, and the paint is done quite nicely with multiple shades of brown. The only thing I can find wrong with this figure, is that it doesn't come with a crossbow. Nevertheless, the figure is so cool..
it's definitely on my "to buy" list this month.
STAR WARS 18" Figure 4-Pack
I like the idea of a four pack of figures so kiddies can immediately enjoy interactivity with other like scaled characters, but a price point of $79.99 might make these a bit out of reach for some. Luke Skywalker comes with a light saber that attaches to his belt. And while Darth Vader also has a saber, I don't believe it's removable. I really dig the Tusken Raider figure, but if it's not available to purchase by itself, chances are slim to none that I will be buying one for my collection.
18" STAR WARS Darth Maul
Another king sized Sith Lord with amazing detail. Unlike Darth Vader, Darth Maul comes with a double bladed light saber.
31" STAR WARS Stormtrooper
These are some good looking action figures, and look way cool in a group. I also like the fact that they actually come with a laser blaster.
20" DC Comics Batman
This Batman is also impressive, although a couple accessories like a grapple hook, or Batarang that could attach to his utility belt would've been nice. Now.. if a 20" figure was made and styled after DC artist Neal Adam's Batman, I would be stumbling over myself and and possibly small children to buy one!
20" DC Comics Joker
The suit on this figure looks great, but I'm not a big fan of the kidsy looking face sculpt. Again, if there was a Neal Adam's or Batman Animated Series inspired Joker, it would be an instant buy for me.
18" STAR WARS Tie Pilot and Scout Trooper
These are also some good looking figures with great detail. The Tie Pilot comes with a larger laser blaster, and the Scout trooper comes with a smaller pistol similar to the ones seen in the movie. To me, one thing that was a miserable fail on the Scout Trooper, was in regards to the boot holster for the laser pistol. It's simply a non functioning molded piece that serves no purpose. I guess I can overlook that however, due to the incredible attention to the costume detail.
18" Ezra Bridger and Inquisitor figures
20" Nintendo Super Mario
I love anything Mario related, and I'm seriously considering buying this happy little guy for my collection.
4 foot tall Michelangelo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
And last but certainly not least, the biggest action figure I've seen in stores to date. As you can see, the Mikey figure pushing my shopping cart is colossal! These figures made by Jakks, make great standalone display pieces in themselves, but look like they'd be a blast to play with as well. The shell even opens up for storage, making it a great receptacle for the kiddies other turtle actions figures and toys. It's got a price point just under $70.00, and seems like a good value for the money.
Weighing in at 20 pounds, small kids would definitely need to be supervised while playing with this figure (especially around babies, toddlers, or small animals). With life sized nunchuks included, rambunctious kiddos may need even more supervision. I believe Mikey is the only Mutant Turtle in the line so far, and am not sure is there are plans for any of the other boys to join the lineup.
Whether or not other toy lines try and step up their game to catch up with these truly giant sized figures remains to be seen. I however will be anxiously combing the toy aisles in the months to come, and will make sure to share any new and exciting giant sized finds right here.