Top Five Current Action Figure and Collectible Companies

1. Sideshow Collectibles

Starting with classic movie monsters in the late nineties, Sideshow Collectibles has gone on to accumulate some of the most desirable licenses available, including Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Marvel Super Heroes, to name a few, producing everything from highly detailed 1:6 scale figures to bronze statues. They have also began importing high-end collectibles from Japan, making them more affordable for collectors in the United States. Perhaps the most important thing that they do is they design their products with edition sizes large enough to allow collectors a fair chance at getting them while also being small enough to retain their future collectability.

2. NECA

Initially a company that produced lunch boxes, snow globes, and various other collectibles for major licensees, NECA has become a leader in the specialty market, meaning that you won't find NECA action figures at your local Toys R Us. They've captured very desirable licenses, including Pirates of the Caribbean, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Hellraiser, and they've paid close attention to detail in their figures. NECA also pays close attention to their fans, giving them action figures of all of their favorite cult movie characters.

3. Mezco

Mezco isn't your typical toy company. They've become the leader in cartoon action figures in recent years with series based on popular shows like Family Guy and South Park. But they also specialize in uniquely styled and sculpted action figures, which has given rise to dynamic interpretations of licenses like The Warriors, Public Enemy, and Miami Vice. Once they begin a license, it often receives a fanatical following, and if you miss out on an earlier piece, you may be paying a lot for it down the line in order to complete your collection!

4. McFarlane Toys

With the release of the first Spawn figures in 1994, Todd McFarlane completely revolutionized action figures, and over a decade later, McFarlane Toys continues to be the toy industry's gold standard for producing quality action figures for collectors. What makes McFarlane Toys even more amazing is the sheer number of licenses that they have accumulated. McFarlane's Sports Picks have taken on a life of their own with a devout following of collectors, and they continue to push the boundaries of quality with their Military and Dragons lines.

5. Hasbro

Simply put, Hasbro holds pretty much all of the major action figure licenses, including Star Wars, Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Marvel Super Heroes. Though they produce toys that are meant for kids, they have become increasingly aware of the fanatical collector followings that their toy lines have. After a couple of years that didn't seem to connect with collectors at all, today's toys have sculpting, packaging, and character selection that are all massively appealing to collectors. When you see Hasbro action figures on the shelves, you become aware of just how influential collectors are in the toy market.