The Ultimate Gift Guide | NECA 2022

Neca has turned up the heat this past year. With a steady stream of toys and license reveals that have the collector community buzzing.  Choosing this year’s top ten most wanted, was excruciating. So much good stuff. But that’s why you’re here, so let’s get to it.

Number 10: TMNT Universal Monsters Michelangelo as The Mummy

Who would of thunk that mixing licenses would have been such a good idea? Sounds like an SNL sketch, right? But the TMNT x Universal Monsters line was given so much love by the designers at NECA, that you’ll have to buy yourself a chin strap to keep your jaw from dropping every 5 seconds. This line is beautiful! My favorite of the bunch has to be Michelangelo. The utter detail they put into this makes me want it on my shelf.
The second head sculpt is a nod to the TMNT meme referencing the old screen-used costumes. Yes, they look that bad nowadays, the thing of nightmares it is. But the lineup is not. They are a collector’s dream.

Number 9: Universal Monsters Wolfman

Let’s keep the Universal Monsters theme going, shall we? The Universal Monsters line has added a couple of new old-school frighteners to its lineup this year. And since I am writing this under a full moon, it is only appropriate that the Wolfman make the list. Again, what NECA lacks in articulation they make up in spades with their design. The Wolfman is no exception. it looks great! The sculpt is superb. They capture the likeness as no other company can. The only downside to grabbing the Wolfman is you’ll have to go ahead and get the rest of the line. They are that good!

Number 8: Neca Accessory packs…

This is a bit of a weird pick. I didn’t just want to ignore these packs, but how do you choose one that would make a top ten list? You don’t. So I decided to combine them all. The reason being, they are a welcome sight to most collectors out there. But if you forced me to choose, the mummy’s accessory set is darn cool! These accessory sets are for the toy photographer in all of us. Nothing better than setting up your display and grabbing some terrific stills. Each line has had some sort of accessory pack added to it. Back to the future, gremlins, and TMNT, all get some accessory love from Neca. Keep them coming Neca!

Number 7: TMNT April O’Neal and Casey 2 pack.

Neca’s TMNT movie line has been a standout for me. Not only am I a fan of the movies, but these figures are some of the most sought-after figures on the market. This 2 pack is no exception. Again, the likenesses are uncanny. Elias Koteas has finally licensed his likeness to the line. And he looks phenomenal as Casey Jones! And when it comes to accessories, NECA does not disappoint! Both figures come with an alternate head. Casey with a masked option and without, the mask itself, two more sets of hands for each figure, some liquid containers, binoculars, a wrench, pencils, sketches of the turtles, a hammer, and a sword. This is a fun set for any TMNT fan!

Number 6: Elvira Mistress of the dark

If you’re a fan of Old Horror movies of any kind, then you must be a fan of the Elvira Mistress of the Dark. She has been a staple of the Horror movie genre for 4 decades. Her character soared to popularity in the early eighties. In part by her campy humor, mild sexual innuendos, and her sexy appearance.

This figure was a nice surprise when it was unveiled earlier this year. Celebrating 40 years of Elvira. The designers at NECA hit this one out of the park! She looks just like I remember her. I watched many an old horror movie because of her. Leading the way for shows like Creepshow, Tales from the Crypt, and Tales From The Dark Side. Oh, how I like to be scared!

Number 5: Gremlins 2 Ultimate Demolition Gremlin 2 pack

Gremlins. One of the first-holiday horror movies I can remember. As a kid, I wanted anything branded Gremlins. From the toys to the lunchboxes and the books. I had to have it all.

When Gremlins 2 came out, I was a little older, a little smarter, and enjoyed it differently. But it was still great. The licensed merch back then had a lot to be desired, at least when compared to NECA’s lineup today. These new figures are some of the best I have seen. And the lineup keeps growing. The Demolition 2 pack is a great example of providing great-looking figures and an abundance of accessories. A great set for the Gremlins fan you know. Just make sure these stay under the tree. You wouldn’t want them to jump out at you!

Number 4: Flash Gordon

Before He-Man, Thunder Cats, or Silver Hawks, there was Flash Gordon. The comic strip was first published in 1934. A space-action adventure featuring our hero Flash and his evil antagonist Ming The Merciless.  Did you know that Flash Gordon was created to compete against Buck Rogers? It also spawned a TV Series in 1954 which was a huge influence on George Lucas when he created Star Wars.

It is about time that such an influential character got a proper action figure like the one being produced by NECA. Again, this one look phenomenal! NECA’s Defenders of the Earth line is another testament to NECA picking properties, showing them some love, and producing amazing toys. No not toys, ART. This one is a strong 4!

Number 3: E.T. 40th anniversary

I saw this movie at the theater when I was a kid. And to say it influenced me would be an understatement. It was one of those movies you could rewatch on so many different levels. I would argue to say, it was the perfect movie. I think it was the first movie to make me shed a tear or two. Hey, I wasn’t the only one.

This set is fantastic. It comes with the mechanism he built to phone home. Remember? “E.T. Phone Home”. And on top of that, his heart lights up! I think I am starting to tear up again. I’m not crying, you’re crying…

This set is a must-have, not only for toy collectors but for anyone that enjoyed the movie as much as I did.

Number 2: Back to the Future 2 Griff Tannen

If E.T. was the perfect movie, Back to the future is as close as you are going to get to the perfect trilogy. About 10 years ago, Hot Toys released their 1/6th collectible Marty McFly and DeLorean. I wanted it so bad. But the price tag was just too much for me back then. Fast forward 10 years later and NECA does it again. The likenesses of the characters in this line are to be admired. They are so good! And as I mentioned before, NECA kills it when it comes to accessories. I mean look at the pitbull hoverboard!

I’ve been in on this line from the start. I am crossing my fingers that NECA can add the DeLorean to the lineup. That’s a tall order but they have surprised us in the past. In any case, Biff Tannen is a huge reason the movies worked. He was that bully we all knew growing up. I can’t imagine how the movies would have turned out without him.

Honorable mentions

• Alf
• American Werewolf in London
• Creepshow 40th anniversary
• Jaws Matt Hooper
• Predator Warrior
• The Last of us 2
• The Boys Black Noir
• TMNT – Oroku Saki & Hamato Yoshi
• The Thing – MacCready

Number 1: Robocop & Ed 209

I couldn’t help it. There are a few toys I always hoped we would get better versions of, and Robocop was at the top of the list. The ones that came out in the eighties were garbage. I remember thinking the same when I was a kid. He looked so sleek and futuristic in the movies, and the toys…well what can I say. They looked like toys. And bad toys at that. These, however, could be movie props they look so good. And I know I have two action figures as my number one. But how can you have Robocop without Ed 209? As I said about Biff Tannen in the number two spot I repeat that with Ed 209. He was such a badass antagonist, he made Robocop that much better.

Looking at the figures you can see all the details are here. Every robotic looking joint, the pneumatic systems, all look movie accurate.  I can hear the theme song playing in my head. NECA has been all about nostalgia lately, and these two figures hit all the right keys. I can’t wait to open these on Christmas day!

Thanks again for checking out this top ten. Did my pick match yours or would you shuffle things around? I would be very interested to know your opinion. Leave a comment below. But until then, Stay Safe, and catch you later.