Action Figures and Heroes
Quick Picks for New Action Figures
Buying an Action Figure for a Child
Kids love to play -- and play they do. Age appropriateness is the key point to remember. A collector quality action figure 
is unsuitable for a young child because it is too easily broken, whereas a gift for a teenager who wants to collect them is another story. Most of the playthings sold for kids are made to last unlike collector's pieces that feature intricate designs and accessories made to impress. Toy action figures have solid, easy to move joints made of heavy duty plastic and the details are kept to a minimum.
When shopping, besides looking at brands or what's hot, be sure to consider the following points:
- Check the base of the action figure to determine whether or not it will be easy for a child to stand it up.
- Give it the blood, gore, and violence check. Is the toy depicting something you would rather not have your kid see? Don't buy that toy. Collectors and older children will love all those gory details, but often it's just too graphic for a little kid. If you are buying for someone other than a family member or close friend check with the parents to make sure that the toy you want to by is not too violent. For tips on buying action figures for young kids, see the selection of major brands below.
- Can the toy grow with the child? Most action figures are made to replicate popular characters from cartoons or movies, but will that allow the child to really use their imagination or will they be stuck playing Yoda vs. Darth every day?
- See if the toy has any special features, such as lights, sound, or moving parts. These extras can make a toy more exciting.
- Watch out for small parts when buying for a young child -- they can be choking hazards. Always check to see if a toy has any choking hazards and don't buy toys that exceed a child's age (recommended ages are usually clearly labelled on the packaging).
Major Brands
Looking to buy action figures or action heroes? Clicking on the links below will send you on a shopping search. If you know about buying any of the following items feel free to start a buying guide about them. For more information about creating a buying guide, click here.
Best Action Figures for Young Kids (3-5)
Best Brands for Older Kids (5-9)
Buying Collectible Action Figures
Since their initial sucess in the 1960s with Hasbro's creation of the G.I. Joe, action figures have captured the hearts of both children and collectors. They were initially made in a reaction to Barbie, but as soon as that can of worms was opened, there was no stopping the boy's toy market that would fuel children's imaginations for decades to come. Today there are hundreds of figures in each manufacturer's line, each with its own personality and following.
Choosing an action figure is mostly a matter of personal tastes, but for collecting there are some important things to note, especially if you are wanting to make an investment. If collecting is purely spawned by your love for toys, the best purchases are those that make you feel good about the toy and about getting to play with it.
Starting Off
For new collectors, start with a collection line that you want to stick with for at least a little while rather than just buying whatever you see. For example, say you want to collect Superman action figures, a very clearly defined direction to pursue. It gives you a starting point for getting to know the market: developments, demands, rarities, prices, and collector's communities. Then in the future you will have a better knowledge base to branch out into other lines. Another option for starting off is to focus on a particular year, time period, or even style of action figure. When initially considering which line of action figures to start collecting, keep in mind how many figures there are to collect in all, your interest in the character, and what meaning the collection will have for you.
When shopping, look out for any variations in a product you already own. Let's say you own a particular series of He-Man and you find one with a different set of accessories -- buy it! These and any figures with strange packaging (not damaged) are worth more than those that came off the production line with a million other look-alikes.
Collecting Tips
- Research -- Know what you are looking for before you start shopping, including what the going rates are for that particular item, any fluctuations in the price and/or value, and where you can find this item. Internet forums are a great place to get started. Also look into magazines and newsletters about collecting action fiures for a place to start. You might try:
- Relax -- Collecting takes time. It doesn't just happen overnight.
- Be persistent -- Check back in your local or Internet toy store frequently to be on top of any updates or new shipments.
- Be thorough -- When checking out stores for action figures be sure to look everywhere; behind products, on top or bottom shelves, anywhere that's far from reach. Usually there will be gems stashed there where the store employees would hope you wouldn't be looking.
Knowing the Basic Terminology
Collecting always has its own set of terms that people are familiar with in order to set standards across the board. Here are some of the most essential things to know about value of an action figure. You should also check out Raving Toy Maniac's Action Figure Collecting Glossary.
- A/O: "All original" is complete with all items and accessories included in the original box.
- NRFB: "Never removed from box" is the most valued type of all original collector's items.
- MIB: "Mint in the box" is a perfect condition action figure with the box.
- MIP: "Mint in package" means the accessories are still in their packages.
- Mint and Complete: Everything is together and it's all in good condition.
- MNB: "Mint no box" is valuable, but not as much as if it had the box.
- NM: Near mint. Good, but not perfect condition. Usually there is no box.
- Ratings for the quality of a given action figure are based on two scales.
- There is the C Scale (ranging from C1 to C10 with 10 being perfect and 1 being very poor quality) and the AFA (Action Figure Authority) percentage ratings based on a scale from 1 to 100.
- The only action figures that are thought to be valuable are those that have a C rating of nine or higher and/or an AFA rating of 85% or more.
- Other terms
- Prototypes: Never publically released to the consumer market because it didn't make production. Great care should be taken when considering whether or not to buy these as there are relatively few on the market and many people make replicas and try to pass them off as the real thing.
- Exclusives: Large quantities of a model sold to a large retailer.
- Semi-Exclusives: Exclusive to more than one store.
- Shortpacks: Either those produced in lower quantities due to higher production costs, limited demand, or to make them more valuable.
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External Links
To the action figures and beyond. Follow these links to find out more about the hottest action figures around, plus direct links to popular action figure brands.
