Hot Toys

Few games have brought the world of Star Wars to life quite like Star Wars Battlefront. DICE's most recent entry in the franchise is arguably one of the most beautiful games of the past year, let alone one of the best-looking Star Wars video games. It's fitting then that Hot Toys, purveyor of some of the best-looking Star Wars figures, would take the chance on bringing some of those Battlefront characters to life in toy form. Rather than focus on the more familiar faces of the original Star Wars trilogy however, Hot Toys has honed in on crafting some of the best Stormtrooper figures money can buy. After already releasing a figure based on Battlefront's Shocktrooper, the Hong Kong company has now turned its detail-oriented eye to the Jumptrooper.

I did not particularly care for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. As a film I found it rather lacking, but there were elements that I would agree had some merit. Wonder Woman was cool, the fight choreography was solid, and some of the practical design work was very sharp. One element that I just never got on board with however was the new Bat-suit. I know it was more authentic to the version on the printed page, and wasn't quite as bulk or overly realistic like previous Bat-suits, but it just didn't work for me. It looked like it was cobbled together from duct tape and not befitting a superhero. With that in mind, it's still possible to appreciate the work that went into creating Batman's new look. That's just as true for the on-screen version as it is the miniaturized action figure versions that have been circulating since the film's release. This month, Hot Toys takes its pass at the Batfleck, and even though I'm still not sold on this particular design, it's arguably the most authentic version of Batman you'll get without stealing one of Ben Affleck's suits.

Just as a new Netflix Marvel hero is about to burst onto the scene --- well technically, I suppose Luke Cage already arrived in Jessica Jones, but this upcoming series is his own personal show now --- the first streaming super is getting his high-end action figure due. After two successful seasons, the Man Without Fear is officially a Hot Toys collectible. We saw a prototype at San Diego Comic-Con this year, but these new images give a much better idea of what to expect from the final product. Daredevil isn't often considered a man known for blazing paths, but his arrival at Hot Toys bodes well for Jessica Jones, Mr. Cage, and the rest of the supposed Defenders.

For the most part, Hot Toys doesn't stray off the path when it comes to its sixth-scale action figures. With the company's figures coming at such a premium, fans appreciate the attention to detail and screen accuracy Hot Toys offers. That's why, when something like this new Joker figure comes along, it's a bit of a surprise. Based on Batman's appearance in Suicide Squad and the Joker's latest cinematic incarnation, the Joker (Batman Imposter) figure is definitely a unique interpretation of the Dark Knight and his most famous of foils. It's also something that will haunt my dreams for weeks.

Oh, you didn't know? Like Hot Toys wasn't going to have new figures from Rogue One to show off during this most revealing of weeks for Star Wars toys. Of course, like The Force Awakens before it, we're being teased with Imperial forces before we're getting a glimpse at the actual Rebel stars of the film. This week, Hot Toys unveiled the first of what are sure to be numerous Death Trooper figures in its upcoming Star Wars Rogue One line-up. The Specialist comes fully stocked with all the tools he'll need to eliminate the Rebel forces, and has that snazzy new black armor to boot.

Every San Diego Comic-Con, Sideshow rolls out the blue carpet for its vast catalog. Though the booth is massive year after year, SDCC 2016 was a special exception to the rule. Not only was Sideshow's booth tremendously large, it was packed to the gills with new original statues, premium format figures and sixth-scale characters, along with licensed distribution partners like Hot Toys and Prime 1 Studio. There was more pop culture amazingness in one square foot of Sideshow's booth than there is at most minor conventions held throughout the year. Recounting what was there won't be an easy task, but it will be fun to revisit all the new hotness and dream of a world where we could afford any of it. From statues to 1/6 scale figures, you'd have an easier time telling someone what Sideshow Collectibles didn't have at its booth at this year's San Diego Comic-Con.

The first Rey figure from Hot Toys isn't even actually out yet, and already the company is lining up the next iteration of the newly beloved Star Wars hero. Though Rey spends almost the entirety of The Force Awakens in her desert scavenger couture, she opts to change into attire better suited for a Resistance fighter at the conclusion of the film. This outfit doesn't get nearly enough screen time (at least in Ep. VII), but it definitely rocks. Whether or not that means it's worth shelling out another $200+ for... ehhhh?

Despite not being an actual member of the Suicide Squad, the first Hot Toys figure from the upcoming film adaptation is none other than the Joker. Sure he plays a part, but just how large nobody can say for sure. We do know he's not one of the bigger pieces in the play, but his cameos throughout the film are clearly enough to generate more interest than the rest of the actual Squad members that star in the movie. At last insofar as Hot Toys is concerned. What's most curious about this Toy Fairs exclusive (Hot Toys' series of yearly convention offerings) is how specific it is, and how limited it is. And I don't mean the availability. I mean it's a really limited figure in how it can be posed. Sure, there supposedly 30 points of articulation hidden in there, but with the straitjacket constricting him, there isn't a whole lot this Joker can do. It's a pretty good Jared Leto though, so there is that.

Who has more Iron Man armors, Tony Stark or Hot Toys? With this latest entry in the Hot Toys' quarter-scale line, the Hong Kong company is certainly trying to go toe-to-toe with Tony Stark's very own Hall of Armor. We're well beyond the half-century mark with regards to the number of Iron Man pieces in Hot Toys' catalog, and that's only counting the actual sixth- and quarter-scale figures. We might be approaching nearly 100 different figures if we start throwing in the Cosbaby and Artist Mix lines as well. But I've since come to embrace Hot Toys' Iron Man favoritism. Iron Man sells, and if putting out another half-dozen Tony Stark figures over the course of the next year means we'll get more interesting characters from other licenses, so be it. It's not like they're bad figures either. This Iron Man 3 MK XLII is pretty damn impressive, even if it's a suit that's been done a few hundred times by Hot Toys and a number of other toy companies.

Thirty-nine years ago, Star Wars hit movie theaters. The world hasn't been the same ever since. That's particularly true when considering the toy industry, which owes quite a bit to the legacy of Lucasfilm's epic. While Hot Toys' latest Star Wars sixth-scale figure comes from the 1980 sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, that doesn't mean its arrival has any less impact. As the wisest Jedi from the original trilogy, Yoda has a special place in many fans' hearts. He's had a number of toys over the past few decades, but none quite so detailed and intricate as this latest collectible from the Hong Kong company.