Who do you think are the 10 greatest action figures of all time, or your ten favorites?



Reflector G1 - Transformers

Ram Man G1- MOTU

Soundwave G1- Transformers

Storm Shadow G1 - GI Joe

Tygra I G1 - Thundercats

Hawkman - Super Powers

Dr. Fate - Super Powers

Sludge G1 Dinobot - Transformers

Man At Arms G1 - MOTU

R2D2 G1 - Star Wars

It would take me days of weighing various pros and cons to come up with a list of what I think are the ten best figures. The ones from my childhood that I got the most enjoyment out of were Power Ram Terminator from the first Terminator 2 toyline put out by Kenner in the mid-90s, and Powerwing Batman from Kenner's Batman Returns line.

I want to answer, but am having the same problem. But I'm thinking about it...

yeah I mean the one I got the most play time with growing up was Evel Kinevil, a Vintage Stormtrooper, and even Luke and Bo Duke-- but I wouldnt put any of those in my top 10--- I would be hard pressed to put anything from the 80's for all time-- just beacuse most of them have been redone-- and made a 1000x cooler looking.. and although newer is not always better-- when it comes to action figures I think it really is true. Expecially since I value the sculpts so much...

A total shot in the dark, in no particular order:

G1 Powermaster Optimus Prime

1985 GI Joe Snake Eyes

MOTUC He-Man

DC Direct Brightest Day Green Arrow

Transformers Universe Prowl

1988 GI Joe Storm Shadow

G1 Soundwave

MOTUC Man At Arms

Thundercats Cheetara

Ben 10: Ultimate Echo Echo

Just off the top of my head. In no particular order and obviously powered by nostalgia.

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Warduke

Original Snake Eyes when they switched to swivel arm battle grip

Transformers G1 Jetfire

LJN Randy Macho Man Savage Bendie

Super Powers Batman. If I wanted to I could make the whole top 10 out of Super Powers

JLU Soloman Grundy

The Lone Ranger from the 1982 line

Marvel Legends Series 1 Captain America

Micronauts Space Glider

Crystar an awesome line that doesn't get enough love

I tend to disagree with a good deal of the 80's figures. Sometimes simple is better.
The way I see it, there hasn't been a DC line that can hold a candle to Super Powers, those sculpts are just great, and so little of them is just painted on, it's sculpted on.
Tranformers, they were partially made from die cast metal, I can't help but appreciate that.

Sure alot of the new toys look great, but there is so much less imaginiation once you take them out of the package.

See-- I just cant see that at all-- to me the sculpts are bad (great for their time)-- but pale to today.. I dumped all of my childhood vintage Star Wars once the new ones (the more recent not neccessarily POTF2)- started going in full swing- I loved them to death as a kid-- but if I could have had the new ones back then- I would have been in heaven-- For example the Hoth Luke back then-- was never really Luke to me - because he didnt look like Luke..If the toy doesnt look like who its supposed to-- it should never make the list..

The new GI joe line is superior to everything that has come before it-- I still dont like the modern designs-- but its tough to not pick them up because they are amazing figures...for example- the new Iron Grenadier-- I wasnt going to pick him up-- saw him in person for the first time today and couldnt help myself (same with the cobra trooper (who is 2x better than the 25th ann. version, who in turn was 5 x better than the vintage version)-- accessory wise, articulation wise, and sculpt wise.. I really think the only way to get this line any better at this point- is making them robotic- and being able to fight each other for me....

Granted I like the size of the Super Powers over Classics or DC Direct-- but to say that the sculpts are better than either of those lines (or to say that they are superior to the classics line as a toy- seems like an insane statement to me.)-- I wont defend DC Direct as a toy- because many of those fall apart if you look at them funny--

Guess we will just have to disagree---

I still dont think I can vote for a top ten-- because I mainly think I would be picking the characters I prefer in plastic-- and not the best toys ever-- for example-- Im sure Unicron or Omega Supreme or even the Darth Vader/Death Star Crossover Transformer should be on that list somewhere-- but since I really dont like transformers, I just wouldnt put them on my list

Yes, I agree totally.

The toys from decades past were just made better, and made out of better materials.

Today there is more articulation and detail, but the figures are made out of such cheap flimsy plastic that they start to bend and deform after awhile from just sitting on a shelf!

I guess it depends on which you value more, craftsmanship or articulation/detail?

I agree there was a lot more imagination back then too, both in terms of original lines being created and also "gimmicks" (which I happen to like). When I was a kid the first thing I looked for when I picked up an action figure was what it did. If it didn't do something, I didn't like it!

I honestly don't know if I can single out ten. Super Powers Green Lantern holds a special place in my heart. I also love my 12-inch GI Joe Navajo Code Talker. I like my vintage Micronauts Acroyear, and I like my 12-inch Army of Darkness Ash and Evil Ash figures. I also like some of my Japanese stuff, especially the Keroro Gunsou (Sgt. Frog) action figures and robots. And I think Transformers G1 Perceptor is one of the greatest Transformers ever. It's a freakin' microscope, for cryin' out loud. And it works. Sort of. And I don't know if we're even going to bring up vehicles, but...that first BTAS Batmobile is just excellent.

I can really only name one that would be on my top 10 list straight off and wouldn't change as time went on, and thats Vintage Snaggletooth (there was just something about him when I was a kid and now as an adult I still think he is the best Snaggletooth we have had), the other 9 would be very difficult for me to choose because as soon as I started the list I would have to keep altering it as more toys came back to me or new toys where added to the market.

Haha, vintage Snaggs FTW! Definitely a cool figure. Blue or maroon?

I prefer the maroon one, but that's only because I never had the blue one as a kid.

Since we're talking GREATEST, I think it';s appropriate to judge 80's toys anyway, since i have to judge them for play value, popularity, design, durability, Longevity of design, importance, etc, compared to other toys at the time. Just off the head for me:

Gen 1 Optimus Prime

Gen 1 Megatron

MOTU He Man

MOTU Skeletor

GI Joe-Snake eyes

Micronauts-Baron Karza

Vintage Alien figure (the big one)

Thundercats-Bengali

Vintage Darth Vader

Vintage Boba Fett


I made this list in like 5 minutes, just posted the first ones that came to mind. I hate leaving off Soundwave, Luke Skywalker, Gen 1 Bumblee Hordak, Stretch Armstrong (if he counts), Warduke, Bowmarc, Yoda, Gen 1 Jazz, Chewbacca, Super Powers Firestorm, Cyborg, Samurai or really any of them, Cobra Commander, JLU-Solomon Grundy, Adam Power, the Godzilla with the shooting fist, Secrect Wars Doom, Constrictor, M.U.S.C.L.E-Satancross, (or for a more common figure, the claw)
etc. etc.

hmm I'll throw in my 2 cents. Or I guess my personal favorites, as there's been too many toys I only coveted and never owned.

1. 1989 Batman (all black)
2. G1 Shipwreck
3. G1 Leonardo (Baxter Stockman is very close)
4. DCUC Joker
5. Captain Power
6. MOTUC He-Man
7. PoTF2 Scout Trooper (vehicles don't count, but man...that was a gnarly set. I'd love to have a platoon of those guys.)
8. Marvel Superheroes Silver Surfer
9. Movie Accurate Buzz Lightyear (tie-ins have never been more rewarding)
10. ----I'll come back to this one----

That wasn't an easy list.