In just a couple more days, pop culture will descend on the San Diego Convention Center as SDCC prepares to dazzle us for another year (if everyone didn’t stop releasing their trailers before their panels, that is). But of course, among all the big news and astonishing cosplay, there’s going to be tons of fantastic merch to get your hands on exclusive to Comic-Con. Here’s our guide to some of the absolute coolest on offer.
100% Soft Galactus Vinyl
SDCC is taking place during Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ opening weekend, and one of our favorite artists, 100% Soft, is celebrating the marriage in style with this adorable, glittery 11-inch-tall vinyl figurine of the devourer of worlds ready to take another nibble out of Earth. Look how distressed that poor little planet is! Adorable. ($100, available at Booth #315)
Jazwares Pokémon Squirtle Squad Plushes
Jazwares has a ton of exclusives at the con this year, from Avatar: The Last Airbender to Stranger Thingsbut we can’t help but love this totally cool five-pack of Squirtle plushies, inspired by the arrival of the Squirtle Squad in the classic Pokémon anime. ($100, available at Booth # 3513)
Bandai S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla 2023
Godzilla is all over SDCC this year celebrating his 70th anniversary, but the cream of the crop has to be this exclusive take on the MonsterArts figure for the King of All Kaiju as he appeared in the seminal Godzilla Minus One. The new colorway depicts Godzilla’s back glowing with blue energy as he prepares to discharge his atomic breath (which is, of course, included as a similarly electric-colored FX piece). ($160, available at both Booth # 3329and # 3345)
Star Wars Unlimited Droid Blueprint Cards
Fantasy Flight Games is bringing its Star Wars TCG to SDCC in style with this special pack of convention-exclusive cards. The six-pack includes Unlimited cards for C-3PO, BB-8, Chopper, R2-D2, BD-1, and L3-37 in a special blueprint-style design variant, complete in a special card box designed to look like R2. ($100, available at Booth #2913E and other conventions throughout the year).
Mattel Jurassic World Tyrannosaurus Rex Convention Crasher
This brilliant homage to The Lost World‘s San Diego-set climax sees a T. Rex come calling, petrifying con-goers like the included human figure dressed in a perpetual convention cosplay staple: the inflatable dinosaur costume. And, of course, there’s even a convention banner for the T. Rex to menace, and the packaging itself is inspired by the design of the San Diego Convention Center! ($85, available at Booth #2945 and online from July 24)
World X-Men ’97 1/6 Savage Land Rogue
Inspired by its appearance in the Disney+ animated series explaining Rogue and Magneto’s backstory together, this take on Mondo’s animated Rogue figure gives Anna-Marie her torn-up Savage Land look, as well as a suitably forested jungle base, a staff, and other accessories, including several alternate heads with the most dramatically tousled hair possible. ($255, available at Booth #5045 and online from July 23)
Hasbro Star Wars Black Series Revenge of the Sith Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi 2-Pack
Hasbro has lots of exclusives at the con for its various toy lines, but the very best has to be its celebration of Revenge of the Sith‘s 20th anniversary this year. Two newly updated figures of Anakin and Obi-Wan (including alternate heads inspired by their appearance in the climax of the film’s duel on Mustafar) would be good enough, but the set is made remarkable by the massive display base recreating the lava platform the two cross sabers on briefly during the epic Battle of the Heroes sequence, raised to “float” atop licking flames. ($110, available at Booth #3213 and online at a later date).
Factory Entertainment Star Trek Desktop Viewer Scaled Prop Replica
This very cute 3-inch-tall replica of the personal computer interfaces from the original Star Trek includes multiple replaceable graphics for the viewscreen, including a technical readout of the Enterprise and stills from the TV show of Spock and Uhura. Just try not to crush it under your fist in a fit of Vulcan rage. ($70, available at Booth #2743 and online)
NECA Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bodacious Beach Bros Pack
NECA is bringing a suitably summery set of Ninja Turtles to the con this year, with a four-pack of Leo, Donnie, Mikey, and Raph inspired by their appearances across multiple episodes of the beloved 1987 cartoon. Each Turtle has a beachwear look, accessories like hats and sunglasses, and their own surfboards, which can be posed on an included wave display base for maximum ‘tude. Oh, and of course, there’s plenty of pizza included for post-surf snacking. ($150, available at Booth #3545)
Many, Many (Many) Funko Pops
It wouldn’t be a convention if Funko didn’t bring an absolute swath of special variant Pop Vinyls to ensure that its booth is perpetually packed with queues of con-goers. Highlights this year include celebrations of 15 years of the line, with special vinyls of Batman, Robin, and the Penguin replicating the original pop packaging; the X-Men’s Dazzler and Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ HERBIE representing Marvel; an adorably-eared Naruto; and so much more. (available at Booth #5341 and online from various retailers starting July 24—see the graphic above for more info!)
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