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The Amazing, The Fantastic, The Incredible...
Stan Lee 8 inch Action Figure
from Figures Toy Company!
Greetings dear readers and to all of you I say; “Excelsior!”, one last time. That was Stan's word that he put into play to ensure his words couldn't be swiped by rivals. Now it will forever be as associated to the man as much as his creations. And you know what? To surrender just one word completely to the memory and legacy of the legendary Stan Lee is the least I feel we can do for all that he brought into our lives and imaginations.
As most are still nursing the sting that came from the news that we lost Stan to the great beyond on November 12, 2018, I too found it tough to be able to sum up my overall thoughts on this loss. Seriously, the man spent a lifetime bringing us entertainment that thrilled, touched, inspired and fueled so many imaginations and lives. For me it is mind numbing to think about his full impact on our culture. From the simple aspects of playtime, to education incentive for people to learn to read, to the massive economic boom his creations have generated. When Disney bought Marvel for $4 Billion that meant more than just money. It meant jobs for so many: Artists, film makers, toy licensors and all the hundreds of people attached to all of those folks let alone all of those prior to that big buy. I mean seriously, Stan not only put entertainment in our lives, he helped so many put food on the table. Amazing.
​That's yet another reason why I have so much respect for Mr. Stanley Martin Lieber. He's a perfect example of what we should all aspire to be and do with our time on the planet; Utilize and share your talents openly and unashamedly with the world. And that's where I'll pick up into talking about the official Stan Lee 8 inch action figure from Figures Toy Company, that I am truly proud to own and show off.
​Released in 2017, the Stan Lee action figure is one that I personally was absolutely tickled about. It just made so much sense to me. There had been another figure made of the man mass market with the 9 inch Famous Covers line back in the late 90's but I missed that one and there has been a custom, Mego scale head floating around for years but I knew I'd never get around to flushing him out. Oh, and I almost forgot the amazing, super detailed 12 inch figure from Sideshow toys. Outstanding effort but frankly a price tag I wasn't willing to cough up. But then comes FTC with the perfect rendition for my collecting needs. And they did an absolutely fantastic job!
I want to start with giving credit where credit is due. The figure was created under the direction of the incredibly talented Mohawk Crew, led by Tanner Monroe who is also the Creative Director for Figures Toy Company. Now, here's our Stan Lee action figure all stars:
Fashion designer:
Shanen "NenYao" Taylor
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Sculptor:
Danny Aniello.
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Graphic design:
Tanner Monroe and Richard Homer.
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Copywriter:
Tanner Monroe
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While they all did a fantastic job, Tanner's copy really jumped out at me. Especially this line: “Finally, Stan can stand tall next to some of his most beloved creations!!!” That so reasonated perfectly with me as a collector and fan. One thign that is a bit of a downer though is the shout out; “Look for variants & Alter-ego's developed by “The Man” himself!” As of this writing, outside of the sweater version, I'm not aware of any other figures released from that statement. But boy would I love to see them! But, having observed FTC for many many years now, I know anything is possible regardless of time frame.
From Top to Bottom
Starting at the head sculpt, Danny did a wonderful job at capturing Stan's likeness and the scale is perfect for the body. The glasses are a little bit of a sticking point. Far from a deal breaker but the way the lenses are made they give him a bit of a coke bottle look but I did attempt to try a pair of lens-less glasses and it didn't work at all. So I have to say they made the right call. They also fit and stay pretty well on the head. They have loosened up a bit since I've been playing with him quite a bit for this article and review. *To note once I'm done with this article, pics and video, I'll be adding a dab of hot glue to affix them to his face more pseudo-permanently. I'd loose my mind if I misplaced those. Collector OCD. Whatchagonnado?
The clothing designed by Nen Yao is about as perfect as you can get for the scale. The shirt and vest are just thin enough to look really good layered. And the fabric for the pants are also just the right thickness. To note you will have to play with getting the wrinkles out from around the ankles due to the twist ties that held him on the tray. Oh, and like other figures clothing, the real working zipper is a fantastic touch.
The shoes are great and appear to be unique to Stan. Comfy and casual footwear that I can't recall being used on any other figure in the FTC line up to date. With that said, it is clear to see that in acquiring this license the crew really took this one to heart and it shows in the overall craftsmanship. I can only speculate that came from respect for the subject. As it should have.
The backer card is a real beauty. Tanner and Richard did a fantastic job in it's color scheme and artwork. It really, really pops for me. Honestly, I've strayed away from being a multiples collector but I do intend to pick up a few more of these so long as they're available so I can have a set as a wall display as well as the loose ones to hangout with the Mighty Marvel Superheroes that Stan created. It's a law, or should be. And again I come back to the copy on the back of the card. I really appreciate what and how Tanner summed it up. When asked about he shared that he had a great time writing it and that shows in its smoothness when reading. In your head or out loud. As a copywriter myself, I can appreciate that so very much.
And like all of FTC's action figures, everything comes together perfectly in a resealable clamshell with the collector in mind. A little hack for you though. It is possible to remove the figure without cutting the zip tie. Just a little push and pull and he's free! Now going back in can get a little tricky as I've found the glasses LOVE to slip just to torque me off. Pretty sure that's some how Dr. Doom is at fault. Such a jerk.
In conclusion the amazing, the fantastic, the incredible Stan Lee action figure from Figures Toy Company is all that and more in my humble opinion. At $29.99 (plus shipping) this figure is one I can't imagine ANY 8 inch retro style action figure collector not having in their collection. Of course I wold recommend it to every toy and comic lover for all the aforementioned “Stan is awesome and we owe him a great deal of respect for, well, everything” but I understand tastes are individual and all but don't be a goof like me and miss an affordable opportunity to have a nice memento to remember “The Godfather of Comics. The King of Cameos. Or simply “The Man”. Stan Lee.
Now, GO PLAY!
Jim 11/22/18
P.S. As of this writing the figures are still available directly from Figures Toy Company via these links. I am not compensated in anyway for this suggestion however if you dropped an email to them to let them know this article and review encouraged your purchase, I would truly appreciate it.
Stan Lee in Vest
Deluxe Two-Pack with both vest and Sweater variants, custom packaging and certificate of authenticity and is autographed by Stan "The Man" himself!
