Monday, January 01, 2018

The Twelfth Annual, Random Happenstance, Year in Toys!


The other day I was trying to look up when I was hit by a truck, and found an old post of mine referencing a Colbert Report on Americans' general low opinion of the year 2011. 2011, man. That seems like a happy daydream, if not an outright golden age compared to now. 2017 was an OK year personally but a dumpster fire in most other aspects. I've called my congressmen more this year than I have in my entire life, signed more petitions, been to more demonstrations. And it doesn't look like the flaming trash is quite finished. Yet. Still, we did get some action figures this year, let's go with that. It's the Twelfth Annual Year in Toys!

For new readers: For over ten years now, I have been keeping a running total of every action figure or toy I buy. Hopefully, each entry has the figure's name, the line, the price, and where I bought it; and possibly a link to a cartoon or strip that toy was used in. (Unless that figure's unloved or unphotogenic, I guess. Or I'm lazy...) Totals will usually include postage and tax. Usually. This is by no means a "Best of" list or anything, just what I bought. For reference, here's links for 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2006.

We have some prices this year in parentheses: those prices aren't added to the year-end total, but are listed for reference.

1-3 Funko Magic: the Gathering, Jace Beleron, $5.42, Ross.

Marvel Legends Nico Minoru, $6.50, Target.

1-19 ML Iron Fist, comic and astral Dr. Stranges, $15 each, $48.93 total, Wal-Mart.

1-25 ML Scarlet Witch (movie) $24.89, the Comic Book Shop.

Ghostbusters Ray Stantz, Peter Venkman, $5 each, Batman v. Superman Batcave, $25, total $38.05, Wal-Mart.

DC Mulitverse Suicide Squad Captain Boomerang, $7.95, Amazon.

2-2 DC Collectibles Supergirl (Darwyn Cooke) with Krypto and Streaky, $17.95, Amazon.

2-13 ML Symbiote Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Spider-UK, Shocker, Green Goblin, Jackal, Spider-Man 2099, (Build-a-Figure Sandman) $18.84 each, $143.57 total, Wal-Mart.

2-15 Marvel Select Destroyer, $24.99, the Comic Book Shop.



2-16 Star Wars Black Princess Leia, $19.56 shipped, Hasbro Toy Shop.

DC Multiverse Suicide Squad Joker, $11.05, Katana, $11.07, total $24.04, Amazon.

2-18 ML Angela, Darkhawk, $19.99 each, $43.30 total, Walgreens.

2-21 ML Sunfire, $21.73 total, Target.

2-23 ML Polaris, $21.73 total, Target.

DC Multiverse Batgirl, $22.00, the Comic Book Shop.

2-25 ML Dazzler, $21.73 total, Target.

3-1 ML Star-Lord, Yondu, $43.46 total, Target.

3-8 ML Vance Astro, Nova, Drax, $11.99 each; Star Wars Lego K-2SO, $12.99; total $53.02, Walgreens. (I really don't know how that total came out. Bought some snacks too, maybe?)



3-15 Star Wars Black Sgt. Jyn Erso, $10.97, GameStop.

3-25 Star Wars Black Captain Cassian Ander, Finn, $10 each, $21.61 Wal-Mart.

4-16 Star Wars Black Constable Zuvio, $10.80, Wal-Mart.

4-19 Gotham Victor Zsasz, $25.99, Amazon.

5-6 Catchup (missed entries somewhere) clearance ML Machine Man, Sharon Carter, Mockingbird, $5 each; $16.20 total, Wal-Mart. Wonder Woman Diana, Steve Trevor, Wonder Woman with coat, Hippolyta, (C&C Ares) $15 each, total $62.00, Toys R Us.


5-13 ML Groot, Toys R Us, $19.14.

DC Icons Static, $21.00, the Comic Book Shop.

5-19 ML Invisible Woman, $21.63, Walgreens.

5-22 Various Marvel Legends accessories, $22.77 shipped, eBay.

5-27 DC Multiverse Damian Robin, $16.31, Toys R Us.

5-30 Transformers Hot Rod, $16.99, Wal-Mart.

6-2 Star Wars Black First Order Stormtrooper, $10.80, Tuesday Morning.

6-3 Lilac City Comicon! Loose ML Ultron, DCUC Medphyll, $8.00 total.

6-6 ML Old Man Logan, $21.61, Toys R Us.

6-7 ML Captain Universe Spider-Man, $20.50, Wal-Mart.

6-9 DC Multiverse Legends of Tomorrow Hawkman, Superheavy Jim Gordon Batman, $16.82 each, $33.64 total, Wal-Mart.

6-16 ML Spider-Man/Mary Jane two-pack, $38.07, Toys R Us.

6-25 Batman '66 Surf's Up Batman, $13.03, Toys R Us.

6-28 S.H. Figuarts Super Mario, $16.79+$8.00 shipping, total $24.79, GameStop.

ML Winter Soldier, $6.53, Wal-Mart.

7-4 DC Direct Hush, $6.66, EntertainMart.

7-9 ML Nebula, $29.16 shipped, Amazon.

7-11 ML Death's Head II, Rocket, Star-Lord, Ex Nihilo, $69.61 shipped, Hasbro Toy Store.

ML Adam Warlock, $21.67, Wal-Mart.

7-15 ML Gamora, $25.95 shipped, eBay.

7-20 ML Beetle, $16.23, Wal-Mart.

7-24 ML Warlock build-a-figure pieces, $22.97+$8.98 shipping, total $31.96, eBay.

7-27 ML Tombstone, $9.81, Wal-Mart.

7-29 ML Thor: Ragnarok, Hela, Netflix Punisher, $19.99 each, total $59.97, (2) Walgreens.

DC Multiverse Jay Garrick, DKR Joker, $16.82 each, total $33.64, Wal-Mart.

8-3 Hasbro SDCC exclusive Micronauts, $13.25 shipped, eBay.

8-7 DC Multiverse Zoom, $37.00 shipped, eBay.

8-12 ML Netflix Daredevil, Elektra, Jessica Jones, Blade, $19.99 each, total $86.07, Wal-Mart.

8-13 DC Multiverse DK2 Flash/Atom, $10.80, Walgreens.

8-24 Star Wars Black ESB Lando Calrissian, $21.61, Fred Meyer.

9-2 ML Ares, $16.80, Toys R Us.

ML Thor (Jane Foster), Odinson, $19.99 each, $43.29 total, Wal-Mart.

9-9 ML A-Force set (Sif, Loki, Singularity, She-Hulk, Elsa Bloodstone, Spectrum) $110.97, Toys R Us.

9-11 Masters of the Universe Classics Plundorr, $16.00 shipped, Jetpacks, More on Twitter.

9-15 DC Multiverse Batman, Reaper, Atom, Batwing, Duke Thomas, $103.99 shipped, Big Bad Toy Store.

9-28 ML Human Torch, $11.99, Walgreens.

10-10 DC Direct Legion of Super-Heroes Invisible Kid, $5.00, New Force Comics.

10-29 Marvel Select Lady Deadpool, ($22.20); 2000 AD Durham Red, ($6.99); Amazon.

10-31 Star Wars Black Director Krennic, $4.94, Target.

11-1 Star Trek Art Asylum Vina the Orion Woman, ($21.99); Amazon.

ML "Vintage" Wolverine, $21.62, Walgreens.

11-3 ML Medusa, $21.62, Walgreens.

11-5 DC Suicide Squad Harley Quinn (dress), ($4.04); Amazon.

11-7 Funko Pop plush Inhumans: Lockjaw, ($11.98); Amazon.

11-8 Star Trek Enterprise Art Asylum Nausicaan Captain, ($8.19); Amazon.


11-12 Star Trek Mezco 1:12 Mr. Spock/"The Cage" variant, ($33.75); Amazon.

11-16 Diamond Select The X-Files Scully, ($14.59); Amazon.

11-20 ML Deadpool (Back in Black), $24.99, GameStop.

Hasegawa 1/12 Capsule Toy Machine, ($12.40); Amazon.

11-30 Star Trek Mezco 1:12 Captain Kirk, ($74.13); Amazon.

12-1 Star Trek Art Asylum Mr. Scott, ($19.99); DC Suicide Squad Captain Boomerang, ($4.82); Amazon.

Preacher TV Cassidy, Jesse; Prometheus Meredith Vickers, $4.99 each, $14.97 total, Forbidden Planet NY.



12-2 Star Trek Enterprise Art Asylum Sulik the Suliban, $3.99+$5.50 shipping, $9.49 total, eBay.

12-4 Star Trek: Deep Space 9 Warp Factor Dax, $.99+$5.30 shipping, $6.29 total, eBay.

12-7 Bandai Hobby Star Blazers Analyzer model kit, ($14.99), Amazon.

12-8 Suicide Squad Rick Flag, $3.99, Ross.

12-9 Battlestar Galactica: Razor Cylon Warrior, ($14.99) Amazon.

12-11 Farscape Ka D'argo, $6.00, eBay.

12-13 Suicide Squad Rick Flag, $4.31, Ross.

12-21 Star Wars Black Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, ($13.23), Amazon.

12-26 Star Trek: the Next Generation Governor Worf, ($5.95), Amazon.

12-29 Marvel Legends "Vintage" Spider-Man, $10.80, Walgreens.

12-30 NECA Ultimate Ash vs. Evil Dead, $27.06, Toys R Us.

12-31 Justice League Mera, ($8.83), Amazon.

Total: $1968.71. 2016: $1753.72. 2015: $1895.35. 2014: $1523.25. 2013: $1101.93. 2012: $706.32. 2011: $564.71. 2010: $966.10. 2009: $558.16. 2008: $555.16. 2007: $426.00. 2006: $620.00.


I mentioned in December, that there was a point in October when I thought I was pretty much done buying figures for the year, since I had completed the Marvel Legends Thor: Ragnarok and Netflix waves. Hmm, no, not so much. I had forgotten about the exclusives and the "Vintage" wave. Still, I spent a lot of time on Amazon the end of the year, and while I think they're by and large a terrible company, sometimes they are cheaper. I wonder if maybe I couldn't get some figures for less towards the end of the year. The total did climb a bit higher than I would like...

I'm still getting DC Multiverse, although I'm starting to ask myself why. Am I going to go all-in for the next one, the Clayface wave? Ordering it would probably be the way to go, since locally there's still a lot of old figures clogging the pegs.


I didn't log the not-Lego Nightcrawler I got off eBay; I haven't been logging little things like Legos or blind-bags. We might look at that later, though.

This was a pretty big year for female action figures, although the numbers weren't as close as I had thought. A quick head-count came up with 90 guys and 40 girls; although I didn't count build-a-figures or pack-ins. There's also some asexual figures like the Destroyer or the Cylon that get counted as "guys."

I did do something I had wanted to from last year's post: sprung for a couple of Mezco's One:12 Collective! We got Captain Kirk and the Mr. Spock variant from "The Cage". (The latter is, as I type this, cheaper than when I got it!) They're so fancy, I had a hard time playing with them at first! It's not something I plan on getting a bunch of, but if there's a character you really like, Mezco's well worth looking into for a special treat. (Their recent Superman is pretty tempting...)

What does next year hold? Probably more Marvel Legends and more nonsense! Thanks for sticking around, we'll get through it together.








2 comments:

SallyP said...

Words fail me, when it comes to describing how insanely magnificent these ALL are! My hysterical burst of snickering seriously discombobulated my dog. And my kids. Andmy husband.

Also...sticking Deadpool in with the ladies showing up for the Amazon shoot was sheer genius.

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

Ha ha! Those Aries/MK/Frank bits. You could definitely get a nice new mini-series of skits out of those you know. *Hint, Hint*

Well even if you take in account price inflation this year, it sure does look like you spent more this year than last year, but shit, isn't just how it normally goes for collectors like us?

I myself think I probably stayed pretty much even with last year's, but I'm guessing there. I defintiely see this year, 2018 being just like 2017, with a shit ton of ML waves coming out that I'll want. Well not the Black Panther movie one, but the Spider-Man and X-Men ones fo sho!