Two of the biggest companies in the action figure industry were named to Fortune's 2012 "100 Best Companies to Work For" list. Both Mattel and Hasbro made it onto the exclusive list, showing once again just how great it is to work with action figures.

I find it particularly interesting that Mattel is a great place to work for, but many fans would argue it is not a great place to shop from. Mattel did recently post a "Msg" on their official Facebook page apologizing for some recent mistakes with the Masters of the Universe Classics line. Without getting too deep into the discussion, I find it interesting that they use a third-party website to post a poorly edited "msg" in an official capacity.

It's welcoming to see that both of these companies are being rewarded for their positive work environments, and I hope that influence continues to make its way into the great action figures they produce.

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Photo © Hasbro and Mattel

While on my weekly action figure hunt yesterday, I finally found the Lego Minifigures Series 6 in stores. There are lots of reports around the web of others finding them at retail as well. For anyone still hunting, you are bound to get lucky soon. I purchased three figures to start, and will be back for more soon.

If you're a traditional action figure collector unfamiliar with the line, take a look at the Lego Minifigures Checklist for some context and a rundown of the figures released so far. For those looking to jump into the line, be sure to read my Top 10 Lego Minfigures released through Series 5.

Lego minfigures are an action figure in every since of the word and this line is producing some of the most consistently well-made and eye-catching figures out there. I've yet to be disappointed in a release, and Series 6 looks to have some of the best figures produced yet.

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Photo © Corey Tincher

Lego Minifigures Series 6 should be finding its way into hands of collectors any day now. If you haven't been following the Lego Minifigures line, and you're curious what it has to offer, then you should take a look at some of my new Series 5 reviews. In particular, check out the Royal Guard and Detective reviews to see a couple great examples of an average figure in the line.

The wonderful thing about the Lego Minifigures line is that it's almost impossible to go wrong. Some figures definitely stand out as the best, but there aren't any terrible figures in the line so far. You're going to get a well-made and attractive figure no matter what you end up with, which is always a bonus to any collector.

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Photo © Lego

It has been a long time since Earthworm Jim fans have seen their video game hero in plastic, and Mezco is about to change that. With their new Earthworm Jim figure, which ships in July 2012, fans and collectors will finally have a chance to get one of gaming's most lovable heroes made to modern action figure standards.

The preview image Mezco provided shows a lot of promise. The figure looks fantastic. Jim is a hard character to realize in plastic because of his extremely thin legs and the balance issues that creates, but Mezco must have found a way to keep his legs extremely thin, without compromising the look or articulation of the figure.

Jim comes in at 6 inches, has eight points of articulation, include his classic plasma blaster, and has an alternate bendable worm body for the rare occasion he's not in his battle suit. I'm anxious to see what Mezco can do with this figure, as I loved the games and would love to have a modern Earthworm Jim.

Photo © Mezco