2019 is not over yet, but it has been a hell of a year for toys. I know this because I’m currently wearing clothes made out of newspaper and I’m living in a refrigerator box underneath a bridge. But I’m surrounded by brand new toys, so I can’t complain. When Fwoosh’s inevitable “Best of 2019” article comes around I’m not sure how I’m going to choose. Among many other things, I bought a giant Omega Supreme, a bunch of kickass 80th Anniversary Marvel figures and a damn banana with a gun. These are the decisions that keep a man from blinking in bright lights.
I go into an article like this knowing that not everything that’s coming out in 2020 has been announced. In fact, we’ve barely scratched the surface of what will be coming out. There’s still a Toyfair on the horizon, and with it brings much stuff. There could be face-meltingly awesome things on the way that I should go ahead and get face insurance right now. But even with all the unknown out there there is still a bunch we do know, so it’s enough that I can squeeze out an article on what I do know.
It’s very hard to not fill this list solely with upcoming Marvel legends figures because there is a LOT coming up that I want. There are Squirrel Girls and Strong Guys and White Rabbits. But in the interest of diversity I decided to keep any choice from a specific toyline to only one. Therefore, I’ll start off the list with the one Marvel legend figure I’m looking forward to the most and that is…
Hasbro Marvel Legends Shang Chi
The undisputed Master of Kung fu is finally getting an action figure, and that is stupendous. After Marvel’s collected editions department recently released the entire Master of Kung Fu series in a series of omnibus collections, it has made ramped up my desire for just such a figure and it only took a couple of years to make it happen. With so many issues headlining his very own title under his belt, it would be a crime for Shang Chi to not get a figure. It takes a lot to overtake some of the other upcoming characters as most-anticipated, but Marvel’s answer to Bruce Lee does it. I hope as his multimedia presence grows over the course of the next few years we have more chances at some of his later costumes.
Storm Collectibles Lobo
I’m apparently incapable of not getting a good Lobo action figure when one comes out. I’ve been a fan since the 90s, when he first started lampooning all the over-the-top grim and grittiness by eviscerating, fragging, pummeling and defenetrating anyone and everyone he came across. He is not going to be one of those characters that will appeal to everyone, but I’ve always had a huge soft-spot for him and am always in the market for a good version. While I’m not a fan of many or most of the Injustice redesigns for the DC Universe characters, someho Lobo managed to come out of the redesign grinder unscathed, still looking mostly like himself. I can’t say if I will get any of Storm’s other Injustice figures, but Lobo is a must-have. Who among us doesn’t want to pit Mike Tyson versus Lobo in a no holds barred death match? No ear will survive.
Super7 Toxic Avenger
It never crossed my mind that I needed a Toxic Avenger figure from the Toxic Crusaders toyline based on the Toxic crusaders cartoon that was based on the R-rated Toxic Avenger movie boy the 90s were weird and this is a ridiculous run-on sentence. But apparently, I did. Toxie jumped out at me with his bold colors and his hideous face and demanded that I not only buy this figure, but that I must have a complete set of updated versions of the entire original toyline. Hopefully Toxie isn’t just a one and done and there is enough support to continue the line, if it’s even going to be a “line” at all. It will be a travesty if it isn’t. This figure is hideous and disgusting and beautiful. It already feels like I’ve been waiting forever for it.
Neca Triceraton
Sweet jeebles, Neca’s Turtle stuff is always high on my list, but they’re expanding to outside the boundaries of the main dudes and into some of the wackier stuff and I am all in. Metalhead and Leatherhead are sweet sweet crack right in the pipe, but Triceraton edges out the rest for his colorful dino-dudeness. Neca can keep putting out Turtles and Turtle-related product until the end of time and I’ll continue buying it right down to bad guy # 7 from the 1990 movie. I want it all.
Ev. Er. Y. Th. Ing.
And I know these are in no order, but my #1 most anticipated figure of 2020 by a laaaaarge margin is
Mafex Superman
Mafex has been absolutely killing it lately, leaving the quality control issues in the past where they belong. I’ve had nothing but a string of strong figures from them, and it seems like they’ve overtaken Figuarts in my list of foreign preorders. As they’re now tackling comic-styled versions of Marvel and DC figures, they’re getting even more of my money. While Hush is not my favorite storyline at all, and while I’m no devotee of Jim Lee, this Jim Lee Hush-styled Superman still looks like it will be the best 1/12 scale version of Superman ever, despite my issues with his head. But anything can get a new head. That doesn’t matter. If any of the Mafex I’ve been buying recently are any indication, this Superman should finally do everything I need a Superman figure to do. July of 2020 seems a long way off, but it will be here before I know it, and so will this figure.
And as a bonus, here are a couple of honorable mentions:
Most anticipated unannounced figure that absolutely has to be coming out in 2020, you know it and I know it:
Iron Man 2020
Most anticipated figures from a toyline I never thought I’d be buying but I am:
Any Fortnite figure from Jazwares. Quite possibly one of my favorite new lines of 2019.
Most anticipated Michael Jordan figure
Mafex’s Michael Jordan.
Most anticipated announcement for further characters from a resurrected toyline:
Super7’s Thundercats. Finish! The! Line!
Most anticipated ending to an article:
Right here.
