3T 2008

Shaun came up with this idea to list down the best 10 toys purchased/obtained this year and invited fellow collectors to do the same. It sounded like fun so I made my very own list.

2008 has been a very fruitful year for me and my toy collection, picking up quite a number of items. Most of my figures this year were 12 inch figures so you have to forgive me if you see a number of them making it into my Top Ten.

The placings on the list does in no way reflect my favorism towards a particular figure so without further ado I proudly present The Pop Culture Junkie's Top Ten Toys of 2008.

Coming in at No.10 is Sgt. John Doe the Sniper Dude. I picked him up during my many visits to Singapore's CSC. I pretty much fiddle with this figure everyday cos it sits right beside my monitor. I would put him in different poses, pushing the posing capabilities as far as I could and so far it held up to the abuse. Even though he's not a high roller figure like the rest of my collection, his durability and my constant playing puts Sgt John Doe firmly at number 10.





My Mighty Muggs Movie Ironman and Commander Gree SDCC Exclusive comes in at number 9. During a 1:6 dry spell, I started a side project by collecting the Mighty Muggs line from Hasbro. I would hunt each one down, stopping by every TRU and departmental store just so I could score these puppies at retail prices (the toy stores were only selling them in sets and I wasn't keen on some of the figures). I was kinda frustrated that these two were only exclusive to patrons of the San Diego Comic Convention.

As luck would have it, I was wondering around Isetan looking for more Muggs to score, and hidden behind some Ironman figures were in fact the SDCC Ironman Exclusive! They had like 6 Muggs so I nabbed 2. As for the Commander Gree I scored him during a TRU raid.

The fact that I scored both SDCC Exclusives at retail price is worthy enough for me to put this two mini masked men on my Top Ten list.





Pior to this figure, all my other collections were either Star Wars, or movie related. I was always intrigued by soldier figures, deep down wanting to actually own one. The soldier figures were very detailed and when it comes to accessories, they would be armed to the teeth. But when it comes to armed units, the SWATs, the CIAs and the Black Ops rocked my boat.

Hot Toys had came out with a decent SWAT figure a couple of years back but were sold out. Other 1:6 manufacturers had their go on SWAT as well but this one definitely has to be IMHO one of the coolest looking SWAT/CIA/Black Ops figure (I think its the skull balaclava that sold me)

This is my very first figure venturing into other 1:6 genres, and I have to say that I am pretty happy with this one being my first. Thats why CIA SAD Night Ops sits nicely at number 8.





Lucky number 7 belongs to Brierios Hecatonchires of Appleseed fame. Standing at a whopping 14 inches from his feet to the tip his radar sensors, Brierios is one huge ass mother father. When I first saw this towering behemoth on Appleseed when the movie came out in 2004 ( I think) I was immediately hooked. Brierios was one of those strong silent type, but when it came down to kicking some tail, you know he's gonna bring out the big guns.

So when Hot Toys announced they were doing a 1:6 figure of this cybernetic super dude (based on the new 3d anime Appleseed Exmachina) I didn't think twice to purchase him. Big guns, big cannon, an even bigger body, Brierios Hecatonchires takes the number 7 spot with full authority!





From what has to be one of the best movies of 2008, an action figure based on the movie emerges from an unlikely source. The Bandai S.I.C line was very popular among Kamen Rider fans, coughing up cool Kamen figures and their even cooler bikes. Great articulation and highly detailed, Bandai's S.I.C line was way on top of the cool toys category.

When Bandai first announced that they were producing a Batman and Batpod, many of us collectors went gaga over the news. Me being a Bat-Fan, I picked up the figure. Most collectors weren't too thrilled about the suit Batman was wearing, especially the neck brace. The suit wasn't really movie accurate, Bandai opting for their own take on Batman. I think it's a combination of the new Batman suit from the movie and a bit from the Batman Gotham Knight anime (see Field Test). The detailing on the Bat Pod is pretty good as well. Overall it's one solid figure to have for any collector. The Movie Realization Batman and Bat-Pod sits comfortably at number 6.





The number 5 spot goes to Sideshow's Bespin Luke Skywalker. As you might know, I am a big time Star Wars fan, anything related to the Original Trilogy (the only Star Wars trilogy in my book, the latest one didn't do the franchise justice). The first few Star Wars line from Sideshow were mostly based on the new Star Wars characters. So when they started churning out legendary characters like this one here, I was totally ecstatic.

I reaaaaahhhhhllyyy wanted the Exclusive version because this one came with the Auto-tourniquet Leia fitted onto his right arm after the big fight with daddy dearest went sour. Some items included in Sideshow's exclusive editions were so-so but this is a must have for me. Thats why Luke Skywalker Rebel Commander is sitting strong at number 5





Told ya I was a Star Wars fan! Of all the Star Wars figures I own, this has got to be one of my best, coming in a close second to Big Daddy Badass Vader. Sideshow finally got it right with this one. General Kenobi of Clone Wars fame is IMHO by far the best Sideshow Star Wars figure to date. The head sculpt, the armored suit, everything about this figure is well tailored (aside from the sometimes loose joints, something I hope Sideshow will fix).

If Sideshow could keep this momentum going I'd say they could monopolize the Star Wars market, blowing away the Prada of 1:6; Medicom Japan.





Second runner up goes to Takara Tomy's Jin Roh Kerberos Saga Kouichi Todome. I'm putting this figure waaaay up high the list for one reason and one reason only; sheer coolness! Need I say more? I mean just look at it, black suit, black armour, black gas mask, black ammunition barrel, black SMG, black this black that. All the cool characters in history were all black. Knight Rider, Airwolf, Street Hawk, Batman, Highwayman, Darth Vader, Shaft just to name a few.

I had to wait for quite some time before I finally had this figure in my possession. Steven had it specially ordered for me seeing as how I specifically wanted Kouichi Todome instead of Soichiro Toribe. Talk about being fussy. But yeah, this figure deserved its 3rd place spot. Black is the new Black.






First runner up in my Top Ten List is none other than Hot Toys' Bank Robber Joker. This figure is the epitome of quality, what Hot Toys can achieve with its 1:6 figures. Their first outing of Joker was less than impressive, having no real likeness to Heath Ledger's Joker (they had a good reason for this). So they redeemed themselves by including an extra head sculpt for their Bank Robber Joker, this time having an eerie resemblance to the late Heath Ledger.

The figure came packed with extra goodies, not holding back on the accessories department. The suit was tailored as though little 12 inch men had sewn them. Almost everything about this figure is top notch. Ever so deservingly Bank Robber Joker comes in at number 2.





And the numero uno, head honcho, big man on campus, top gun, head of the game, grand daddy of 2008 goes to Hot Toys The Dark Knight Batman New Suit! How can this figure not be number one on my list? The perils I had to go through in order to get this is reason enough why it sits on the throne. First there was the whole waiting game. I swear to God I had to wait for at least 2 months maybe even more, long after all my mates had played and posed with their figure only had I received mine. The agony of the wait was torture, not to mention the fear of me not actually getting the figure in the first place. The place I had pre-ordered the figure were sloooooooow! Late shippings and what not. Again, big thanks to Sam of XL Shop for keeping an extra figure for me, even though I couldn't pre-order the figure (I was too late).

All that, topped with just how amazing the figure looks and feel makes The Dark Knight my number one figure of 2008!



As a closing statement, I would just like to thank all my online buddies, for sharing your toy experiences, comments as well as welcoming me as your friend. Thank you all for visiting my toy blog.

A very special thanks goes to my beloved Cuteness. She is all for my passion for toys and figures , and has been one of my biggest supporters. She visits my blog daily so she can be a part of my world. Thank you sayang!

2008 has been one heck of a ride, and an exciting year for us toy collectors. It was a good year indeed. So here's to another year. May toy collecting prosper into the new year and more cooler figures be produced! Happy new year!!!