So I recently got back in to TMNT comics and started looking for some toys to get. Wow, terrible timing.
The movie and cartoon figs look great, but looks like they are impossible to find. I see Super7 has some coming out, but after their MOTU line I am hesitant. I am getting the retro set coming out later.
Also looking at 1/6 scale and looks those are hell and gone too, with Mondo and DREAMEX. DREAMEX looks great and BBTS shows Leo and Donnie as a sold out pre-order for this year. But it also looks like those came out years ago? Are there any other 1/6 lines on the way?
The 1/4 movie figs look great and a good price point, but I don't have anything 1/4 in my collection.
So, any recommendations where to start?
NECA 7-inch, - No other company (besides maybe Super 7) will offer the wide array of characters from TMNT.
if you're patient, I would recommend just buying them direct from NECA as they slowly become available.
They're usually available at Target/Walmart first but as others have mentioned, nearly impossible to find - i have never seem them out on racks at my stores. NECA seems to release them at retail stores for a few months, then eventually some are available for direct to order in a small time window like during this month (i.e. Rat King/Vernon). Some figures are exclusive or available first at the NECA store (like diorama sets, accessory packs) - speculation is April O' Neil/Judith Hoag at the end of April.
NECA 1/4 - really good bang for the buck, especially the 1990 movie ones. When displayed in a nice case and posed well, they almost pass off as pricier polystone statues. Others mentioned there are some QC issues - i personally have not run into that but did notice the joints are really stiff. In retrospect, I do not regret passing on the $2,300 Prime 1 1990 movie statues considering the NECA set was less than $500 - the NECA ones are more movie accurate in some respects.
DREAMEX 1/6 - those BBTS listings you mentioned are probably re-issues of TMNT figures released many years ago at a sub $200 range. I had all of them except Raphael, which was going for ridiculous prices on the secondary market (triple or quadruple at one point) - luckily i resisted eBay, and finally was able to get Raph at MSRP to complete my collection, when the figures were reissued.
Super 7 - For someone who grew up with the original TMNT cartoon and Playmates, I collect this line because they are a good blend of nostalgia but also updated for the modern collector. I open all my other figures to display but keep Super 7 in the original box. Super 7 made a gigantic Thundertank for Thundercats so I'm hoping for a Turtle Van too!
PCS - I sort of gave up on NECA at one point and did not want to go on a weekly treasure hunt during COVID so I ended up getting the 7-inch PCS statues @Gamestop/BBTS - there are 8 of them based on the original cartoon (4 Turtles, Shredder, Krang, Rocksteady/Bebop). No articulation obviously but I thought these were a decent consolation prize since it was looking hopeless with NECA last year.
PCS also has some expensive $600 1/4 polystone statues based on the original animated series. They look nice but I had to draw the line somewhere due to space issues - you have to factor in the bases, which take up a lot of real estate.
ThreeZero 1/6 - I'm not well versed with the Bay-Verse movies nor do I collect. But from the pictures I've seen, these look like good figures by ThreeZero. Just was never a fan of the new designs from the Bay movies.
Bandai SH Figure Arts - not sure if these (based on the original cartoon) are still available but they were around $50 each and partially made of diecast metal, which gives the figures good heft.
Loyal Subjects 5-inch - these were just announced based on the original cartoon. Never heard of this company before, but the line will also include Beetlejuice, Buffy, Gremlins.
