{"id":16101,"date":"2012-01-04T03:09:44","date_gmt":"2012-01-04T09:09:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=16101"},"modified":"2012-01-06T00:37:11","modified_gmt":"2012-01-06T06:37:11","slug":"2011-retrospective-our-five-favorite-figures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=16101","title":{"rendered":"2011 Retrospective:
Our Five Favorite Figures"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>This week, Vault & I will be looking back at the figures of 2011, what we enjoyed, and what we didn\u2019t. Today, we\u2019re kicking things off with a simple top ten. Vault and I have split the duties, each crafting a list of our five favorite figures released in 2011. <\/p>\n

When Vault and I decided to do an article that featured our favorite 2011 figures, we had a healthy back and forth on the ground rules: discussing whether high-end items should be included, should multiple figures from the same line be allowed, should vehicles or playsets be considered, etc. Ultimately, we decided to establish one simple rule: we had to actually own it. No rare releases or expensive products we admired from afar. Just simple toys we had to have in our collections. <\/p>\n

We also decided to keep things simple and split the Top Ten into a personal Top 5 for each of us. My choices are below, while Vault\u2019s are on page two<\/a>. Limited to only five choices, I quickly found myself in trouble. I bought a ton of great toys this year (and a few clunkers) and I really can\u2019t believe I\u2019m leaving some off this list. That in mind, I\u2019m going to cheat a tad (don’t tell Vault!) and dole out two Honorable Mentions<\/em> to Transformers Generation Scourge<\/a> & Marvel Universe Cable<\/a>. Both are figures that I greatly enjoyed, but ultimately just missed the cut. <\/p>\n

Noisy’s Picks<\/strong><\/p>\n

#5<\/strong> Crime Syndicate 5pk<\/a> (DC Universe Classics, Mattel)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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With DC Comics upending the universe and the Classics brand being put out to pasture, it\u2019s not been the best year to be a DC Comics fan. Still, there have been a handful of nice pieces in the DC Classics line this year, but few left me as satisfied as the Crime Syndicate 5pk. After a couple years of buying a DCUC 5pk and immediately tossing 40% or more into the extras box, it was refreshing to want<\/del> need to have all five figures out on the shelf after I opened the box. Even better, each figure in the set was a nice addition to the line. In particular, I was really drawn to the Morrison trio (above, center three) all of which received some great newly sculpted pieces. The only thing this set left me wanting was more CSA members to complete the team rosters. For more on the CSA, check out the review here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

#4 The Glyan (Glyos System, Onell Design)<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n

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For the fourth spot on my list, I have to go with a figure that I haven\u2019t gotten to reviewing yet (oops!). While I\u2019ve got a lot of favorite designs in the Glyos System (Sarvos, the Gobon<\/a>, etc.), the 2011-debuting Glyan really jumped out at me. Glyos collecting isn\u2019t usually a \u201cgotta get \u2018em all\u201d phenomenon, but the clean design, the customizing potential (there\u2019s 25 separate pieces packed into that tiny frame), and the great colorways won me over and the Glyan became the first Glyos figure where I strived to collect all the versions released so far (I\u2019ve got a white Glyan on the way, so a review is imminent!<\/em>). While the folks over at Onell Design leave the Glyos storyline a little more open so that we may conform it to our own needs, this guy is the equivalent of Stormtroopers or G.I. Joe Greenshirts. They\u2019re the gristle in the mill that makes everything go. With its more human-like features and the variety of colorways allowing for easy customization, the Glyan easily earns a spot in my 2011 favorites. For more Glyos reviews, check out the reviews here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

#3<\/strong> Vikor<\/a> (Masters of the Universe Classics, Mattel)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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You had to figure at least one MOTU Classics figure was going to be on my list, right? And what a MOTUC figure it is! While there was certainly a healthy selection of nice MOTU figures this year, choosing a favorite didn’t even require a second thought. Vikor was easily my favorite MOTUC figure of the year thanks in large part to the Four Horsemen turning an unused piece of concept art into a fantastic 3-D rendering with plenty of newly tooled pieces. On top of that, Vikor sported a fantastic complement of accessories, real chains, and some new articulation in his ankles. I love my vintage MOTU figures getting updates, but figures like Vikor make me desperate to see the line expand into every corner of the MOTU universe. For more on Vikor, check out the review here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

#2<\/strong> Low-Light<\/a> (GI Joe Pursuit of Cobra, Hasbro)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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A few years ago, I was crushed when some of my favorites Joes didn\u2019t get the 25th Anniversary treatment when the switch was made to Rise of Cobra product, but Hasbro turned that entire notion on its head in 2011. Figures like Low-Light, Steel Brigade, and Snake Eyes version 54 have left me wishing that Hasbro had skipped a few of my favorites the first go round so they could make them now instead. For the #2 spot on my list, I had to go with Low-Light. Admittedly, he does re-use almost all of Beachhead\u2019s body, but a few new key pieces make him a faithful Low-Light all the same. What really left me with such a high opinion of this figure were the accessories \u2013 all seventeen of them. Though I almost immediately lost one despite my best efforts not to a loose 1:18 scale bullet) , his gear really enhanced the figure both for my photo shoot and subsequent shelf display. He’s just a blast to own, no two ways about it. Also, Low-Light gets bonus points for being able to stow all of his gear on his person. That will always be one of the best things about the best Joes. I’m still mad about losing that bullet, but I love Low-Light. For more on Low-Light, check out the review here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

#1<\/strong> Scarabus<\/a> (Gothitropolis, Fantastic Exclusive, Four Horsemen Design)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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When the idea for this article came up, this was an immediate no-brainer. It should be no surprise to any IAT readers that I\u2019m primarily a nostalgia-based collector \u2013 I love getting figures of my favorite comic book characters and modernized versions of toys from my youth. Sometimes though, a figure comes along that doesn\u2019t need a bit of nostalgia to overlook a soft sculpt or a childhood memory to overcome poor quality control. Scarabus (and his eleven toy brothers) were that toy for 2012. Top-notch sculpting, smart engineering, great QC, plenty of articulation, and a nifty part-swapping system for the heads and faces all combined to easily make Scarabus my favorite figure of the year. The Four Horsemen knocked Scarabus out of the park and left the big toy companies in the dust. For more on Scarabus, check out the reviews here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Alright, those are my Five Favorites for 2011. Are you nodding along in agreement or have you lost all faith in me as a toy reviewer? Let me know in the comments section, but don\u2019t forget to check out Vault\u2019s Five Favorites on Page 2<\/a>! <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Vault’s Picks<\/strong><\/p>\n

#5<\/strong> Embo<\/a> (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Hasbro)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Between the extensive Clone Wars line and the highly detailed Vintage Collection line, I definitely had a hard time choosing which Star Wars figure was my favorite this year. I narrowed it down to Embo and the new Ahsoka<\/a>, but ultimately Embo won out. The miniscule details in his sculpt and paint job, along with a decent amount of articulation makes him a fantastic figure. But it\u2019s his many accurate accessories that make him fun to play around with. For more on Embo, click here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

#4<\/strong> NYCC Exclusive Arcee<\/a> (Transformers Prime, Hasbro)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Number four and three on this list are really a tie for me. The Transformers Prime cartoon isn\u2019t for everyone, but if nothing else it produced one of the best Transformers toy lines I\u2019ve ever seen. My first example of his is Arcee. Not only does her robot mode dwarf her vehicle mode, but her articulation is also on par with your average GI Joe or He-Man figure. Plus, this is the first time we\u2019ve gotten a truly feminine robot form. The sculptors\/engineers definitely put in the overtime here. For more NYCC Arcee, click here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

#3<\/strong> Starscream<\/a> (Transformers Prime, Hasbro)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Just to prove how good this line is, I\u2019m not even a Starscream fan and I had to buy this figure! Like Arcee, his robot mode towers over his vehicle. His articulation might even be better than hers, or maybe it\u2019s just that he can be posed with character accurate gestures that make him look devious. Even his facial expression is giving off a sly smile with a twinkle of an underhanded plan in his eyes. It\u2019s hard to ignore a figure with this much personality. For more Prime Starscream, click here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

#2<\/strong> Scarabus<\/a> (Gothitropolis, Fantastic Exclusive, Four Horsemen Design)<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/center><\/p>\n

Scarabus is a shining example of what a true \u201cAdult Collector\u201d line should look like from a U.S. toy company. Each of the twelve Scarabus figures has excellent sculpting, articulation, and quality control. But what really makes them shine is their innovative head\/face and hand swapping systems that has been limited to Japanese toy companies until recently. This is the type of novelty and quality that will sustain the toy industry into the future and allow for the growth of a real Adult Collector market. For more on the Dark & Light Talisman Scarabus figures, click here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

#1<\/strong> Skeleton Army<\/a> (Sci-Fi Revoltech, Kaiyodo)<\/strong> <\/p>\n

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Scarabus was so close to being my number one pick this year, but I ultimately had to give it to the figure based on the skeleton warriors from Ray Harryhausen\u2019s Jason and the Argonauts. Not only is this little guy an incredible portrayal of human anatomy, but he also has the articulation to move and pose in any position like a real person. An achievement most toys can only accomplish in a limited range, much less with such tiny feet. This skeleton is also the perfect army builder since each figure comes with enough accessories to arm three warriors. My Scarabus looks fantastic on display, but when I see one of my skeletons laying around I just can\u2019t help but to pick him up, pose, and play with him. For more on the Revoltech Skeleton, click here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Well, those are my Five Favorites for 2011. Let me know if agree or disagree in the comments section. And don\u2019t forget to check out Noisy\u2019s Five Favorites on Page 1<\/a>! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This week, Vault & I will be looking back at the figures of 2011, what we enjoyed, and what we didn\u2019t. Today, we\u2019re kicking things off with a simple top ten. Vault and I have split the duties, each crafting a list of our five favorite figures released in 2011.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[34,10],"tags":[1248,766,2557,981,2562,33,1316,2588,24,216,20,16,639,485,848,917,860,37,1294,2570,791],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pObc6-4bH","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":26415,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=26415","url_meta":{"origin":16101,"position":0},"title":"Vault\u2032s Top Ten Toys I Didn\u2019t Even Review in 2013!","date":"January 8, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"10","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/10.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":24576,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=24576","url_meta":{"origin":16101,"position":1},"title":"Vault Review: Adventure Time 3 Inch Figs","date":"August 20, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "Film & TV"","img":{"alt_text":"advt1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/advt1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":26326,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=26326","url_meta":{"origin":16101,"position":2},"title":"It’sAllTrue.net’s Top Ten Action Figures of 2013!","date":"January 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22011,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=22011","url_meta":{"origin":16101,"position":3},"title":"Vault Review: Transformers Prime Wheeljack & Dead End","date":"November 29, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019m trying to catch up on some of my 2012 reviews before the end of the year, so today I\u2019m doing two Transformers Prime figures in one review.\u00a0 Dead End and Wheeljack End may share the same body, but their unique head designs and paint apps make them very distinct\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/dewj01.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":26064,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=26064","url_meta":{"origin":16101,"position":4},"title":"Top Ten: Figures We Hope Are on NECA’s Radar","date":"December 12, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "Top Ten"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17868,"url":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=17868","url_meta":{"origin":16101,"position":5},"title":"Vault Review: Transformers Prime AM-06, Skywarp","date":"April 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"One of my favorite figures in the Transformers Prime line is the First Edition Starscream.\u00a0 His cocky expression and ability to formulate dramatic gestures make him extremely fun.\u00a0 When Takara announced they were doing a Skywarp repaint based on the FE, I had to have it. Takara did something interesting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/skyw1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16101"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16101"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16101\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16170,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16101\/revisions\/16170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}