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NYCC: Toy Trends And The Holy Grail

Brian Goldberg writes for Bleeding Cool:

Action figure collecting trends change with the seasons.  One day you're in and the next day you're out.

From con to con the vendors booths carry usually the hottest merchandise.  Shelf space is limited and toys are cumbersome, so decisions are made in the best way to allocate space to move goods for profit.

What's out?  Mattel DC figures, Marvel Universe 3.75" figures, 3.75" Star Wars figures definitely seem to be on the endangered species list. The smaller figures were a plus because they took up little space and more figures could be displayed per square foot than their larger counterparts.

6 inch Star Wars figures from the Hasbro "Black Series" seem very popular, more booths are carrying them, and I've heard of sell outs. Also in the 6 inch scale the Marvel Legends Infinite Series are taking the place of the smaller MU line which frankly was a placeholder.

Funko Pop figures are hot to trot. Fans are lining up for the variety of exclusives that are taken from Con to Con.  "Glow in the dark" is my favorite color.

The higher end collector can be seen seeking out Hot Toys figures.  For a figure that starts in the $200+ price range, this sports car of toys is very popular and taking up the top shelves in vendor booths.  Hot Toys are rarely displayed at eye level.

What's always in demand and never goes out of style?  Convention exclusives.  If a vendor was lucky to get his hands on something from SDCC or a comic con past, it's an eye catching toy that will draw a toy collectors eye to a booth.

I look at the peg warmers (toys that don't sell) that sit on the shelf.  Even if a toys time has come to pass it's like visiting an old friend.  Toybiz 5"?  I haven't seen you since I graduated high school but it was really nice running into you at our annual NYCC reunion.

I am an action figure collector.  More specifically I collect Marvel Legends.  Legends collectors are often obsessive, passionate, and determined when it comes to finding the right piece for their collection. Many Legends collectors have what they call "grails," a piece out of one's price range, very rare, and usually impossible to find.  Today thanks to Toytastik, booth #2544, I was able to finally get one of mine "in the wild" (in person and not over the Internet).  The Marvel Legends Ronan was finally mine!  I couldn't believe it was actually in my hands.  Throughlout the day I kept checking my swag bag to make sure it was really there.

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I was really impressed with how many Legends collectors grails could be found at this booth and at a decent price.  Legends figures are often bought at a low price and scalped at a high price by toy vendors.  This was not the case here.  Ralph, the proprietor, even had a Pitt build-a-figure.  If you like Funko Pop figures there are plenty to be found at booth #2544.  I was quite impressed by the exclusive Wolverine Pop that Con-goers seemed to be snatching up.  You may want to get one before they're all gone.

 


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Dan WicklineAbout Dan Wickline

Has quietly been working at Bleeding Cool for over three years. He has written comics for Image, Top Cow, Shadowline, Avatar, IDW, Dynamite, Moonstone, Humanoids and Zenescope. He is the author of the Lucius Fogg series of novels and a published photographer.
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