I don’t really collect dolls.
The primary focus of my toy collecting is 1:12 (6-inch super poseable action figures), although I dabble here and there with the classic 1:18 and, even more rarely, 1:6.
This year had me purchase more dolls than any year prior. I have an IKEA Detolf that is home to my Hot Toys Christopher Reeve Superman, Iron Man MK 1-3 (and a custom RDJR Tony Stark), Babydoll from Suckerpunch (I’m a perv), ASM2 Spider-man, Medicom RAH Guts (Band of the Hawk version), Rocket Raccoon with potted little baby Groot (he’s actually 1:4 but looks good with Rocket), and the Heath Ledger DX 2.0 Joker. In just the past few months I’ve added ThreeZero Guts (Black Swordsman), Hot Toys Deadpool, and the Blitzway Fight Club Tyler Durden 2-pack (which might have been my pick if it wasn’t currently sitting in my unshipped BBTS POL ready to replace my custom). While I am pleased with all of the aforementioned dolls and do not regret purchasing any of them, the VTS Wasteland Ranger wins the coveted Best of 2016 pick from me.
As I mentioned above, I’m primarily a 1:12 collector. Marvel Legends took most of my money this year and I crossed quite a few names off my wish list. I also spent a load of dough on 6-inch Star Wars figures from Hasbro, Bandai, and Medicom without batting an eye. NECA continues to receive support from my pocketbook as well (still holding out hope for an Ultimate Conan). Diamond Select had some great offerings also (their Muppets being a personal favorite). Not to mention the random assortment of Figma, Figuarts and other imports that I picked up. Big props to Ori Toys Acid Rain line for keeping my childhood love of 1:18 toys alive.
So why is the VTS Wasteland Ranger my pick for Best of 2016? I think it’s due to a few different factors. When Mad Max: Fury Road came out in 2015, I think most of us were blown away by how good it was. Tom Hardy did a great job of capturing and updating the character, and the movie itself was just non-stop ridiculous fun in some of the best ways possible.
I immediately wanted toys. I would have LOVED a whole 1:18 line based on all of the new characters and vehicles introduced, even better if it also included some “legacy” stuff from the previous three films. I’m still holding out hope that NECA manages to get the license and puts out just a few figures.
So this dearth of product for such an awesome movie led to a few 3rd party companies throwing their hats into the ring. I’ve bought quite a few 3rd party Transformers (forgot to mention MP and 3P TF above, d’oh), but never a 3rd party doll before. While what I really and truly want is a shelf with Max Rockatansky, Imperator Furiosa, Immortan Joe, Rictus, and Nux (with swappable parts for army building War Boys). I knew I wasn’t going to be able to get that (ahem, or even afford that at any scale, let alone 1:6), so when Beardy AKA Craarl AKA Scott Akers showed me the VTS Wasteland Ranger, I convinced myself that I could be one and done with this not-Max (any maybe someday also a not-Furiosa).
And I was in no way disappointed in succumbing to the forbidden fruit offered up to me by Beardy (mine even arrived before his, haha). Sure, it took me just under two hours to fully assemble this doll with all of his little bits and pieces and pouches and ammo clips and individual bullets (I even had to make little tools out of paperclips to help me get some of the stuff in place). I think my only nitpick is that his exposed right forearm looks a little too toy-like and could use some paint/texture/better sculpting, but my eyes can easily overlook that as I take in all of the other cool little details that VTS has so faithfully recreated. One of my main concerns with 1:6 dolls is how the fabric or accessory overlays can potentially hinder the articulation. True, I am likely going to stand them in a more vanilla pose on my shelf but Articulation is the God that I worship (and statues are for nerds). With that, not-Max is a joy to play with, I find myself reposing him on a regular basis. I have come to refer to him as my 12-inch Tom Hardy boyfriend, and that is why he is my pick for Best of 2016.
