As I mentioned in my “What I Want to See” article the other day, NECA was the company I would be really looking forward to when I was watching the SDCC Coverage. Even with just the Preview Night reveals alone, they didn’t disappoint!

The Dutch & Alien figures I reviewed for NECA Week are some of the best toys I’ve purchased this all year. So much so that I even bought a second, Muddy Dutch. I didn’t think I’d need two Dutch figures, but along comes Preview Night and I find myself wanting a third Dutch. I don’t know what to call it? I think I’ve read Thermal Image Dutch. Basically, it’s Dutch as seen through the Predator’s infrared mask. More to the point, it looks like a figure made entirely of Trix Yogurt and it’s a figure that really separates the fans who know how to have fun from those that don’t (and I sincerely hope there are more of us who know how to have fun)!

And don’t think we’re done with Dutch just yet, as a Dutch & Jungle Hunter 2pk is also on the way as a TRU Exclusive. The 2pk is pretty much a “Final Battle” 2pk and will featured bloodied decos of the two figures. Two more Predators rounded out the Wednesday night reveals including Wasp from Dead End and a Battle Armor Lost Predator.

After I calmed down from my Trix Yogurt Dutch high, there were also some new Aliens figures on display. Some we knew about previously like the Marine vs Alien 2pks which will feature the Marines and Battle-Damaged Xenomorphs (they look pretty cool to me). But we did see some new figures as well, a light-up egg with a bendy facehugger, a bluish-tinted Xenomorph repaint, an all-new figure based on the Alien from the original movie, and Colonial Marine Sgt. Craig Windrix. Er… who? In what is easily the best story from SDCC so far, this new Colonial Marine a tribute figure to NECA sculptor Randy Windrix’s brother, who is battling stage 4 stomach cancer. AFi is reporting that Aliens is Craig’s favorite movie and that NECA got special permission from Fox to included him in the line as a Colonial Marine. Is there any doubt left that the folks at NECA are amazingly cool?

Since next year is the 35th Anniversary of the original Alien film, we will see more product based solely on that classic. We already mentioned the all-new original Alien, but there was a teaser in NECA’s booth as well: Jonesy the cat. Who will Jonesy be included with? I’d hate to get my hopes up, and I’ll take just about any of the Nostromos crew, but I think we all knew who we’d like that cat to come up with. Hopefully, we’ll know before the weekend is up.

I’m going to skip ahead to one of my favorite things that I’ve seen so far at the con: the quarter-scale figures. NECA’s been doing a killer job with these oversized figures and this year’s crop is on different. Dutch & the Elder Predator are joining the group along with some new Avengers (Thor & Battle Damaged Iron Man), and I’m still ready to buy the Keaton Batman the first day he’s available! The real gem this time is the ’66 Batman though. I really want a nice version of the Adam West Batman on my shelves. I found out this week that I won’t be getting it from Mattel in 6″ form, so do I go Hot Toys or NECA’s quarter scale? Both are gorgeous and NECA would be better for my wallet..

Gremlins & Pacific Rim figures were also on display. I’m not as well versed on what NECA’s been working on for those two properties, but I can’t argue that the 18″ Gipsy Danger looks amazing. And if I were collecting Gremlins, I imagine I’d be a happy camper!

There was plenty more on display at the NECA booth that I’m not covering here, so here’s a list of links with some great NECA coverage!

Michael Crawford
Kastor’s Korner
TNI
ToyArk
Quarter Scale (via ToyArk)
AFI
Facehugger (via AFI)
Arkham Batgrapple Prop (via AFI)
Fwoosh