Another year has passed, which means it’s been another year of having our wallets drained by the oodles of fantastic toys and collectibles that came out in 2024. Here’s just a few selections, from action figures to model kits to very, very large spaceships, that took pride of place in our collections this year.
The combination of Hot Toys and Heath Ledger’s Joker seems perfect. An instantly recognizable, legendary character, paired with the detail and care of a top-end collectibles company. But in 2024, that went a step further with the Batsuit Disguise release, which was a limited edition reimagining of the character that wasn’t from a movie. It was just inspired by fandom. Almost a DC Studios What If…?, Joker stuns in a purple and green Batsuit with all the devious weapons to match. It’s thrilling to look at and allows us to imagine what could’ve been had Ledger not tragically passed.
It might not shine as brightly as Lego’s grand return to Middle-earth with the Rivendell set, but Lego’s trip into Mordor is still a worthy follow-up. Sure, the scope of a spiky, 32-inch tall dark tower is grand, but the Lego Barad-Dur excels in ways a little closer to hobbit-size. Packed with a ton of great minifigures and some wonderful little details to break up all that villainous black structure, it’s a worthy addition to any Lord of the Rings collection… with the space for it, at least.
Bandai’s put out a lot of Spider-Men over the years, and the Spider-Verse movies have given it the chance to make even more ever-spindlier Spiders. So it says a lot that the cream of the crop (so far at least) isn’t Peter or Miles, but Hobie Brown. Based on his design in Across, the Figuarts Spider-Punk blends great articulation and killer accessories with some genuinely astonishing paint work. It captures Hobie’s gangly frame from the film perfectly, and it’s clear Bandai had a lot of fun going to town on Hobie’s messy, but intricately detailed jacket and suit.
When Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened at Disneyland, one of the coolest draws for collectors were the kyber crystals. These tiny collectibles offered both beauty and mystery in equal parts. And when a second series dropped recently, Disney decided to commemorate the original magic with a limited edition set of every single kyber crystal from the start—including the ultra rare black crystal, the only time it’s ever been sold on its own. The case also came with Jedi and Sith holocrons, which allow you to unlock the crystals, and a nifty display case. Sure, it’s super bulky, but it makes you feel like a Jedi (or Sith) relic hunter, proudly displaying your wares for everyone to see.
It’s been a long time coming—people have been begging Lego to work with Nintendo on a Legend of Zelda collab—but was it worth the wait? Absolutely. Lego juked where everyone expected it to jive with this wonderful tribute to both Breath of the Wild and Ocarina of Time, using their shared connections on the twisty-turny timeline of the franchise to anchor a set that celebrates two of the most beloved entries in the series through one location. It’s a little too much of a pain to easily swap between either version of the Great Deku Tree, but there’s still a ton of great detail and building techniques regardless—and, of course, some amazing minifigures.
Alien: Romulus was the first Alien movie that came preloaded with merch, so we got all kinds of cool action figures and books and whatnot. But our favorite was a piece Disney was so high on, it gave one to every single person at the Alien panel in Hall H at Comic-Con this year: a facehugger mask. Which is perfect, right? Facehuggers literally jump on someone’s face and hug it, like a mask, so making one into a mask is both a screen-accurate representation of the film, and a fun costume item. Whoever came up with the idea deserves a raise.
The release of an animated Transformers film this year, of course, came with lots of cool toys and merchandise. Transformers of all shapes, sizes, and even eras. And while we admit we didn’t play with them all, the one we keep coming back to is the Ultimate Energon Optimus Prime. At roughly 10 inches, it’s a perfect size that you can either play with it or display it—a nice balance for both adult collectors and their children. It’s got great details. It transforms (of course). It makes you feel like you’re once again watching the amazing movie.
It’s been a great year for the Black Series line, but its secret best strength came from an unlikely source: one of the figures released for The Acolyte, and not even one of the myriad Jedi. Instead, Mae slunk out of the shadows and into our hearts with a genuinely great little toy. It goes above and beyond the Black Series’ usual punching weight for accessories, and it feels like Hasbro finally nailed cloth elements with her hooded cloak fitting better than most Jedi robes. There’s just a ton of miniscule detailing that comes together to create a fantastic action figure
There were lots of cool Lego Star Wars this year—and every year, frankly—but we can’t stop thinking about the free gift. Fans who ordered Jabba’s Sail Barge got a Lego lightsaber set that just made us wonder why the heck doesn’t Lego do these ALL THE TIME? 1:1 props from Star Wars? In Lego? They’re so freaking cool. It’s an idea so good and simple we can’t believe it hasn’t happened before. Also, the set was crafted to perfection, even coming with its own kyber crystal.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
BandaiHasbroHot ToysLegoYear In Review
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The Best Tech Gifts of 2024 ➜
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