Captain Toy Picks...
The Top Ten Licenses I Want in Sixth Scale

Introduction

I thought I'd do something a little different this week.  Rather than look at my favorites in a particular scale or line that already exists, I thought it would be interesting to discuss my favorite licenses that aren't currently being done in sixth scale.  And yes, sixth scale is the preferred route for me, although some folks might be more interested in statues or smaller figures.  For me, the format isn't as important as the licenses, but I still prefer sixth scale when possible.

You'll notice a lot of western and sci-fi themes here.  If you know me, that's not a surprise. There are some licenses that have moved off this list, thanks to the work of newer companies. Properties like Hateful 8, Princess Bride, Hunger Games, Kill Bill, The Thing, and the original Star Trek are getting the love they deserve, and can drop off my wish list.

And while you might think some of my choices impossible, remember that we all thought the Batman television show was impossible.  Determination, hard work, and an unwillingness to accept defeat can make wonderful things happen.

No, Willy Wonka isn't on the list - you know that by now, right?  But he was very, very close to making the cut.

Here we go!

10 - Historical Western
While historical figures were once the rave - and companies like Sideshow and Drastic Plastic gave us characters like Custer and Billy the Kid - they fell out of favor for movie and tv characters. The time has come to dip back into this well with the kind of production quality we have today. While I'm up for re-do's on Custer, Earp, Crazy Horse, and others, there's plenty of additional characters that have never gotten a reasonable shot. Let's not forget the obvious Geronimo, Tecumseh, Sitting Bull, or Pontiac.  How about Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, Grizzly Adams, Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill Hickok, or one of my personal favs, Kit Carson? It's not just their background that makes some of these characters perfect choices, but the intricate costumes and accessories that are possible. I'd be all in.

9 - Six Million Dollar Man
We've seen a few figures in smaller scales, but a great Steve Austin, Bigfoot, Jamie Summers, and Oscar Goldman would make for a terrific sixth scale display. And who doesn't want another Andre the Giant figure? I wouldn't complain if they did a Masketron or Fembot either...with a new movie in the works (that hasn't been cancelled yet, has it?) there's certainly a chance we could see a retro line as well. 

8 - Twilight Zone/Outer Limits/Night Gallery
This mix of three licenses is a cheat, I know, but their similarity begs for them to be combined. We've gotten some great figures from Sideshow in years gone by, but there's still a plethora of potential monsters.  We don't get enough 'man in a monster suit' characters any more, and all three of these series still have some excellent potential. You could group Lost in Space in here, and at one point I was going to give it a slot all by itself.  But with Executive Replicas still holding on to the license and producing a few of the characters, I figured it was an invalid choice.

While Sideshow hit on some of the big names, like the Gremlin, the Kanamit, Gwyllm, or the Doctor and Nurse from Eye of the Beholder, there are plenty of other great choices: the Venusian alien working the lunch counter; Satan from the Howling Man; the Thetan (yes, X-Play did a version, but he's too short for sixth scale); the Chameleon; the creatures from OL's Fun and Games; the bug eyed Mutant; 'Father' from Children of Spider County; the bird dude in Second Chance...you can go on and on.

7 - Zorro, television show
While my favorite film/tv version of Zorro is the old Tyrone Power character, I'd rather have a Guy Williams based line.  The Disney television show had a nice assortment of other characters, so you could get a villain or two to go with the main character, and the Williams Zorro wore a cape quite a bit more, something that the Tyrone Power version did not. Then again, if getting Tyrone Power meant you could also get a Basil Rathbone, I might be willing to change my mind...

6 - Deadwood
We're back to that western theme, and not for the last time. Deadwood helped make HBO (along with the Sopranos) what it is today, and was a mighty fine piece of television. Swearengen, Bullock, Tolliver, Calamity Jane, Charlie Utter...there's enough potential here considering the 1/6th market these days. Hell, I'd take a Mr. Wu!

5 - Clint Eastwood Collection
This choice - and the next one - are really collections centered around a real person and their work.  While he's turned into a crazy old man in his later years, Eastwood remains one of my favorite actors and directors. Some of these figures would obviously be western in nature - Blondie, Joe Kidd, Josey Wales, Preacher, William Munny - let's not forget other classic characters like Harry Callahan, Bronco Billy, Pvt Kelly, Gunny Highway...the list goes on. I'd be happy with just a couple of these, particularly if I could get Blondie and Harry. Pretty please?

4 - Stephen King Collection
He's not an actor, but he's had many movies made based on his books, and many of those feature unforgettable 'monsters'. I'm talking about movie versions here, not imagined characters based on the book descriptions. Obviously, you have to have a Pennywise, and a Jack Torrence wouldn't be far behind. The Spacek Carrie would be high on my list, as would a good Kurt Barlow. I'll take just about anything from the Mist, monster-wise, as well. C'mon, you know you have your own favorites.

3 - Rocky Horror Picture Show
Enough with the collections - let's talk another single property.  When it comes to outlandish costumes and characters, the first movie based on the Broadway play is an ideal choice.  From Tim Curry's Frank to O'Brien's Riff Raff, you have some amazing looking characters.  There's plenty of female figure potential as well, with Janet, Magenta, and Columbia, and there are at least nine characters with clearly unique costumes.  There's even the potential for variants!

2 - Blade Runner
Here's one of those 66 Batman situations. Fans of the classic science fiction thriller have long begged for merchandise, but the rights are convoluted and complicated.  But it's always doable, it just depends on how much effort and time someone wants to put in. The license has a great assortment of potential characters too, with Deckard, Batty, Rachael, and Pris absolutely required. Follow up with Sebastian, Leon, and Zhora, and make me very, very happy.

1 - Tombstone
One of my all time favorite movies is the Mark of Zorro, with Tyrone Power. Already mentioned that one.  Another is The Princess Bride, and we are getting figures based on that from Qmx.  That leaves just one other film in my all time favorite top three...Tombstone. I'm not asking for much here, just the four characters below.  I must have all four, not one, not two, but all four.  They went out of their way in costume design to give them each a unique look, and I want that on my shelf.  This is a true rarity too - I don't care about any of the antagonists. I wouldn't turn down a Johnny Ringo or a Curly Bill, but I could die happy with just the four outstanding actors/characters you see below.

In Closing...
I noticed that there are a couple actors - other than Clint Eastwood - that get mentioned in the above list more than once. I find it interesting that Powers Boothe gets a nod as a potential figure in both Deadwood and Tombstone, but I suppose you could say it's not that unusual, since they are both westerns and the two characters, while looking very different, are pretty much the same in terms of attitude. But I also call out two Tim Curry characters in Pennywise and Frank N Furter, and you couldn't have two movies or two characters that were more different.

While I'm betting you can nod your head in agreement with a few of my choices, you have plenty of others that you'd love to see. So what's your list look like?

If you're enjoying this concept of Captain Toy Picks, drop me a line and let me know!