Superhero toys

Over the past decade, superheroes are back in a big way over the last decade. And as a result, the demand for cool superhero toys is skyrocketing.

With the runaway success of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” “The Dark Knight,” “Wonder Woman,” and the myriad Avengers films, superheroes are back and more popular than ever. The box office success of these films – in some instances, surpassing $1 billion – has introduced these beloved heroes to new fans around the globe.

What used to be a pastime of only the most ardent comic book fans is now a hobby for moviegoers of all ages: collecting superhero toys.

But where does one begin? That’s where this superhero guide comes into play. We’ve compiled some of the best superhero toys from the following categories below:

1. Marvel superhero action figures

2. DC superhero action figures

3. Other comic book action figures

4. Female superhero action figures

5. Black superhero action figures

6. Vintage superhero action figures

7. LEGO superhero action figures

Bonus content: Ultimate List of Classic Action Figures

And what’s more – the golden age of e-commerce has made it easier than ever before to get your hands on just about every action figure imaginable. From Amazon and Walmart to GameStop and BigBadToyStore, online retailers have risen to the occasion to provide access to all the popular superhero toys.

Marvel superhero action figures

It’s hard to imagine a better place to start the list than on Marvel action figures. The current frontrunner in the race to get comic book characters to screen, Marvel currently has twenty-seven films within their cinematic universe; and that does not include, for the record, the dozens of other films outside the MCU (think Blade, The Punisher, and 2005 Fantastic Four).

So it’s no wonder that the demand is the highest for Marvel action figures; some of the most notable entries into this arenae include:

• Avengers

• Guardians of the Galaxy (Star-Lord with the Infinity Stone is one of our favorites)

• Hulk

• Iron Man

• Thor

and those are just to name a few! (Though, you can read our complete guide to Marvel toys here.)

DC superhero action figures

They might not be doing as well at the box office (yet), but DC superhero toys cannot be overlooked.

And, they’re time-tested. Over the years, DC characters have been given the action figure treatment by the likes of Mattel, Hasbro, and even Tamashii Nations.

In the 80s, DC Comics’ characters were produced by Kenner Products, (Amazon will occasionally have a few, but are otherwise harder to find), which resulted in some of the most memorable and highly sought-after DC figurines. Each action figure in this collection was styled on the comic books, had about as much articulation as you’d expect in 1984, and each had its own Power Action – Batman had the “Bat punch,” the Flash had “Lightning Legs,” etc.

Today, DC superhero toys continue to impress. Some of our favorites of all time include:

• The Dark Knight Joker (6″) action figure by Medicom

• DC Comics Dark Knight Returns Batman (Target carries this one)

• DC Multiverse Superman (7”) action figure by McFarlane Toys

• DC Collectibles Arrow action figure by Diamond Comic Distributors

• DC Collectibles Killer Croc

• Batman Timeless Bushido by Square Enix (Rare)

Additional reading: How to watch the DC movies in order.

Other comic book action figures

But what about those other comic book favorites that aren’t part of the DC or Marvel franchises?

1. The Boys (Wildstorm)

Garth Ennis’ series The Boys – as well as the Amazon original series – is an acquired taste to say the least; a NSFW cult-classic

While there’s not many action figures from this comic on the market (yet), here are a few of our favorites:

• Billy Butcher by Funko Pop!

• Homelander (7”) action figure by NECA

• Queen Maeve by Funko Pop!

2. Dredd (IPC Media)

Judge Joseph Dredd has made it into two mainstream films: first, the 1995 Sly Stallone version, and the 2012 reboot, the latter of which fizzles.

And two is exactly how many Dredd toys we know of, too. First, there’s the 4.5” vinyl figurine from 2002 AD Titans. It’s a black & white (literally) take on the Dredd character, though we haven’t actually had a chance to try this one out.

The other one is Judge Death, a ~4 inch mini action figure from Hiya Toys and, easily, our favorite. This undead punisher hails from Deadworld, one of four Dark Judges.

3. Hellboy (Dark Horse Comics)

Interesting that no many people equate “Hellboy” with “superhero toys,” and yet the 2004 film and its 2008 sequel did a combined $250+ million at the box office. Huh. More popular than you thought, right?

Aside from being two amazing, jaw-dropping comic book adaptations (you can skip the 2019 reboot), there’s also some really sweet Hellboy superhero toys. Our favorites:

• Hellboy No Horns Collectible, by Funko Pop!

• Hellboy with BRPD T-Shirt, by Funko Pop!

• Abe Sapien (1:12 Scale) Action Figure, by 1000 Toys

Female superhero action figures

Fact: some of the strongest superheroes are female. Captain Marvel. Rogue. She-Hulk. Wonder Woman. These are some of the toughest, most kick**s characters ever to hit page & screen.

So don’t sleep on these girl superhero toys, from some of the top brands in the world. These are our favorites:

• Angela (“Spawn”) by McFarlane Toys

• Harley Quinn by DC Direct

• X-Men: Robot Fighters Storm action figure

• Hermoine Keychain action figure by Funko Pop!

• Beatrix Kiddo (from “Kill Bill, Vol.2”) action figure by NECA

Black superhero action figures

It’s no secret that the superhero genre has been disproportionately white.

With the introduction of Marvel’s Black Panther in the 1960s – decades before the 2018 blockbuster – we saw the rise of some new, iconic black heroes. And now, we’re seeing more and more inclusion – in both the theatrical adaptations and their comic book sources – of black superheroes.

With that, here are some of the coolest black action figures on the market:

• Marvel Legends Series Avengers: Infinity War Black Panther (6”) action figure

• Marvel Infinity War Titan Hero Series: Falcon action figure

• Marvel Legends Series Black Panther: T’Chaka figure (6”)

• Marvel Legends Series: Gamerverse Miles Morales/Spider-Man (6”) action figure 🔥

• Star Wars Lando Calrissian (6”) action figure

Vintage superhero action figures

Starting an action figure collection can be fun for anyone.

But for the discerning aficionado, the real thrill of the chase comes in finding those long-lost, vintage action figures. It can help you celebrate your childhood (or teenage) obsession with a graphic novel or TV series (Street Sharks, anyone?) and can be a fun hobby to display on shelves to boot.

Plus, if you are savvy enough, holding onto the right action figure for long enough can make your hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Here are some of our favorite superhero toys from the past:

• Alien vs Predator (Arcade Appearance)

• Marvel Thanos (1990s)

• Power Rangers

• Ra’s al Ghul Retro Action Figure (1966 Batman TV Series)

• Spawn (see above)

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

• Transformers Rescue Bots by Playskool

Sources: ToyWiz.com, Wikipedia

LEGO superhero action figures

The superhero X LEGOs characters collabs have been a godsend to collectors around the world. So far, dozens superhero favorites have gotten the LEGO makeover, not least of which: Batman, Deadpool, Hawkeye, Groot, Riddler, Thor, and many more.

The LEGO site has most of these available at any given time, but here are our top LEGO superhero action figures:

• LEGO DC Batman: Batman & Selina Kyle Motorcycle Pursuit #76179

• LEGO DC Batman: Batman vs. The Joker: Batmobile Chase 76180

• LEGO Marvel Iron Man Figure Building Kit #76206

• LEGO Marvel Avengers – ‘Iron Man Hall of Armor’

• LEGO Super Heroes Marvel Tri-Pack (Thor, Captain America, Spider-Man)

More great reading for LEGO fans: check out this list of the biggest LEGO sets on the market.

What’s next?

Start collecting! And if you think this list has any glaring omissions or missed opportunities, feel free to contact us today – we will usually respond to feedback same-day. And who knows, your comments could make their way into the next Gift Guide.

Additional reading:

• https://nerdable.com/tips-for-building-an-action-figure-collection/

• https://www.cardboardconnection.com/collecting-action-figures

• Reddit