5 of the most heroic action figures (that aren’t for kids)
Because you’re never too old to escape from boring old real people and immerse yourself in a world of plastic wonder
5 of the most heroic action figures (that aren’t for kids)
Not all action figures are created equal. These decidedly kid-unfriendly models are a world away from the battered old plastic superheroes you chucked around the back garden as a nipper. Here are five of our favourites.
1. Lego Hulkbuster: Ultron Edition (£120)
Before you ask, three and a half hours. That’s roughly how long it’ll take to assemble this 1363-piece Lego replica of the Hulkbuster suit from Avengers: Age of Ultron and Infinity War. In the same amount of time you could fly from London to Morocco, or watch Paddington 2 twice. It’s worth it, though. The Hulkbuster has a light brick in its chest and 12 glow-in-the-dark elements to help you spot it when stumbling through the living room. Plus if you place its 9in tall frame on your desk with the interchangeable punching jackhammer arm aimed at your face, it’ll be the perfect procrastination deterrent.
2. Star Trek TNG Picard (£180)
To the uninitiated this is just a model of a bald bloke in a funny outfit, but to Trekkies it’s an impressively lifelike ⅙-scale facsimile of the captain of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation. With 30 articulation points and an authentically styled Starfleet uniform that includes a magnetic fastener for keeping his phaser holster attached to his space-slacks, it even comes with a Star Trek phaser, tricorder and PADD display device, plus a cup of the Captain’s beloved Earl Grey tea. Not with actual tea in it, obviously.
3. Transformers Masterpiece MP-36 Megatron (£170)
Back in the ‘80s, these things were pretty simple to transform: legs and arms folded out from under the car body and the head didn’t even need to move. It was already moulded into place, poor Bumblebee only ever able to look in one direction, with no way to check over his shoulder for Decepticons. This Masterpiece version, by the original makers Takara, would obliterate him as soon as you’ve completed the transformation into gun mode. Mind you, the process is so long and fiddly, little Bumbles might well have escaped by then.
4. Hot Toys Arkham Knight Batman (£285)
No action figure collection is complete without Batman, but should you go for wacky Adam West, grumpy Christian Bale, or even a classic comic-book iteration? This ⅙-scale figure is the spitting image of the Arkham Knight incarnation of the Caped Crusader and comes bundled with more gadgets than you could fit on a utility belt, from mini batarangs to a grapnel gun. To top things off, with a pair of interchangeable facial expressions, you can cycle through Batman’s entire emotional range: slightly angry and very angry.
5. Nintendo Amiibo (£10.99)
Nintendo’s Amiibo figures connect with your Switch to earn you a few cosmetic items, look cool and, erm, that’s about it. But despite their childish nature, rare Amiibos can go for serious money on eBay. Some of them are genuinely awesome; others go by names like Mr Game & Watch, R.O.B. the robot and Goomba, because it turns out there’s a limit to even Ninty’s heritage. That must be why Sonic, Mega Man and even Dark Souls’ Solaire of Astora have all got in on the act.
