McFarlane Toys One of the Best

By Michele Blandino

When it comes to sports collectibles, it's tough to beat the product put out by McFarlane Toys the company headed by Todd McFarlane, the brainchild behind the popular Spawn figures and other action heroes. Since the first release in 2001, McFarlane Toys has been delighting collectors with its ability to produce a product that not only looks like the player, but is accurate right down to the smallest detail.

All the Major Sports are Included

McFarlane Toys currently holds the official rights to all four major North American sports: baseball, basketball, football and hockey. According to information on the McFarlane Toys website, the number of figures available by the end of 2004 will include 80 NHL figures, 74 Major League Baseball figures, 70 NFL football figures, and 53 NBA basketball figures.

As would be expected, McFarlane Toys chooses the most popular players to depict in the figures. Among those in already the McFarlane Toys line are New York Giant Jeremy Shockey, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Yankee Bernie Williams and Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy.

In June, the latest release of Major League Baseball figures will include Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens clad in the uniform of their new team, the Houston Astros. And in July, collectors will be treated to the "Cooperstown Collection" which will include hall of famers Bob Gibson, Brooks Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Reggie Jackson, Tom Seaver and Yogi Berra.

Down to the Last Detail

Each 6-inch figure is action posed and comes with a display stand which is fashioned to look like the playing surface used in that particular sport. For example, the display stands for the hockey figures looks like a section of ice. The uniforms accurately depict the teams' colors and logos and even the logos of the applicable manufacturer. So authentic looking are these figures that some even have grass or dirt stains. And, to tempt the most avid collector, some players are also released in their alternate jerseys.

Great Quality at a Terrific Price

With all the detail and workmanship that go into creating these figures, one would assume that they would be expensive. Fortunately, this is not the case. Although as in most things, prices will vary among retailers, you can expect to pay anywhere from $7.99 - $14.99 for each figure, making these very affordable for most collectors. The figures can also be purchased in a set (each release consists of 4-9 figures, although 7 or 8 seems to be the most common number) for around $100.