
Under the Radar’s 2022 Holiday Gift Guide Part 3: DC and Marvel Collectibles and Toys
Action Figures, Statues, and More From McFarlane Toys, Diamond Select Toys, Mondo, Fun.com, Spin Master, Fisher Price, Hasbro, and More
Dec 13, 2022 Photography by Mark Redfern
The Top 4 films at the domestic box office in 2021 were all superhero movies (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Black Widow). So far, some of 2022’s Top 10 films feature such comic book characters as Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Batman, Thor, and Black Adam. In fact one-third of the Top 100 domestic movies of all-time (not adjusted for inflation) are lead by superheroes or villains. For fans of all these iconic characters there is no shortage of collectibles and toys.
This year when prepping the collectibles portion of our annual Holiday Gift Guide we realized we were sent so many products related to DC and Marvel characters that we’ve decided to do a whole portion of the guide just focused on those collectibles and toys. Quite a few are connected to movies released in 2022. Most are gifts that would work for adults (or older kids/teenagers), but some would appeal to young children too. So if you know someone who was already a Black Adam fan before the movie was announced, who deeply mourned the recent loss of Kevin Conroy, and who makes sure to watch every new MCU show the moment an episode hits Disney+, then perhaps this guide will be of use.
Also check out the other parts of our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide: Part 1 on tabletop and board games and Part 2 on video games.


Black Adam 12”/30 CM PVC Statue (DC Direct/McFarlane Toys)
RRP: $39.99
Black Adam may have gotten a mixed response from critics, but Dwayne Johnson’s passion project certainly delivered on superhero action. Not only were die hard fans excited to see the titular character in his first movie, DC Comics devotees were just as eager to see various other DC heroes make their big screen debut, including Doctor Fate and Hawkman. With any big budget superhero comes the merchandising and Warner Bros. sent us various Black Adam collectibles and toys.
Let’s start with McFarlane Toys’ statue of Johnson as Black Adam. The 12-inch high statue features Black Adam in a dramatic pose, mid-flight or mid-hover (he didn’t spend a lot of time on the ground in the movie and also didn’t like to use doors), his cape blowing in the wind. The likeness for Johnson is very accurate and from other collectible companies a statue of this quality would likely go for double the price. (Buy it here.)

Black Adam – Black Adam with Cloak Action Figure (McFarlane Toys)
RRP: $19.99
If instead you want a Black Adam action figure, McFarlane Toys have you covered too. We were sent the Black Adam with Cloak variation, which features Johnson’s anti-hero with a cloak/hood on as he appears near the beginning of the movie, after emerging from thousands of years of forced slumber. Like many McFarlane figures it is seven inches tall and comes with a base. (Buy it here.)


Black Adam – Hawkman Action Figure (McFarlane Toys)
RRP: $19.99
Hawkman (aka Carter Hall) was one of the highlights of Black Adam. Aldis Hodge played the winged hero and incidentally this year he also played another DC superhero, providing the voice for the John Stewart version of Green Lantern in the direct-to-video animated film Green Lantern: Beware My Power. Hodge’s Hawkman is the no-nonsense leader of the Justice Society (which in the comics predates the Justice League by a couple of decades). While Hawkman has been around since 1940 and has appeared in such live action TV shows as Smallville, Legends of Tomorrow, and briefly in Stargirl, Black Adam marked the character’s big screen debut. Carter Hall’s interesting back-story wasn’t really explored, but there has been talk of a Hawkman spinoff movie (although much is in flux right now at Warner Bros. in regards to their future DC plans). McFarlane Toys’ seven-inch Hawkman action figure features impressive gold wings and an imposing silver mace. (Buy it here.)

Black Adam – Atom Smasher Action Figure (McFarlane Toys)
RRP: $19.99
Another DC character making their silver screen debut in Black Adam was Atom Smasher (aka Albert Rothstein). He is admittedly not as well known as some of the other heroes in the film, but Rothstein (as Nuklon) did debut way back in 1983 in the World War II/Earth 2 set comic All-Star Squadron, but in the ’90s became Atom Smasher and eventually joined the Justice Society. Noah Centineo plays him in Black Adam and the character (whose main superpower is to grow into a giant) is more played for comic relief, a rookie hero more interested in snacks than the mission. McFarlane Toys’ seven-inch action figure finds Atom Smasher in regular human size. (Buy it here.)

Black Adam – Doctor Fate Action Figure (McFarlane Toys)
RRP: $19.99
Even Black Adam detractors have to admit that Pierce Brosnan was an inspired bit of casting as Doctor Fate (aka Kent Nelson). The former James Bond brought real gravitas to what is essentially two hours of fights and flights. The magical hero is much more than DC’s version of Doctor Strange (a character Fate predates by 23 years) and in the film he is tormented by visions of potential futures (including the potential death of a Justice Society member). Doctor Fate also makes his live action movie debut in Black Adam and the special effects display his powers in a thrilling manner, such as when there are multiple versions of the blue and gold hero attacking Black Adam at once. Here’s hoping Warner Bros. find some way to bring Brosnan back as Doctor Fate in a future movie or TV show. McFarlane Toys’ seven-inch Doctor Strange action figure comes with a clear stand that allows the illusion that the figure is flying or hovering. McFarlane also has two other Black Adam movie figures we weren’t sent: Cyclone and Black Adam without his cloak or cape. (Buy it here.)

Black Adam – Hawk Cruiser Patrol (Spin Master)
RRP: $34.99
McFarlane Toys aren’t the only ones to get in on Black Adam merchandise, Spin Master also has a line of toys aimed more for kids but adult collectors might appreciate them too. The centerpiece of Spin Master’s Black Adam line is the Hawk Cruiser Patrol vehicle. It’s modeled after Hawkman’s incredibly cool plane in the film that transports the entire Justice Society (think X-Men’s jet, but more bird-inspired in design). The Hawk Cruiser toy is 17 inches wide when considering its wingspan. It includes two four-inch figures, of Black Adam and of course Hawkman. Spin Master also has compatible four-inch action figures for Doctor Fate, Atom Smasher, and Cyclone that are sold separately. (Buy it here.)


DC League of Super-Pets Rev and Rescue Krypto (Fisher Price)
RRP: $29.99
Black Adam wasn’t the only DC Comics film Dwayne Johnson lent his talents to in 2022, he also starred in DC League of Super-Pets, providing the voice of Krypto in the delightful animated film. In the movie the Justice League is kidnapped and it’s up to some Super-Pets, led by Krypto (aka Superman’s dog and best pal) to save the day. I can attest that my nine-year-old daughter and all her friends adored the film, but the parents got a kick at many of the jokes aimed at adults. Fisher Price have some DC League of Super-Pets toys aimed at younger kids (as most of their toys are) and they sent us the Rev & Rescue Krypto. While the toy can stand on all four legs, you can also stretch out his legs to flying position and rev him up so that he speeds across the floor. He also talks (and sure sounds like Johnson or a voice actor good at copying him). (Buy it here.)

DC League of Super-Pets Figure Multi-Pack (Fisher Price)
RRP: $20.99
Fisher Price also sent us a Figure Multi-Pack featuring DC League of Super-Pets characters. It features six six-inch characters, including Krypto the Superdog, Ace the Bat-Hound, PB (in her Wonder-Pig costume), Chip (in Green Lantern mode), and the villainous hairless guinea pig Lulu. It also comes with some orange Kryptonite. These figures are recommended for age three and up. (Buy it here.)


Batman: The Animated Series – Batman One-Sixth Scale Collectible Figure (Mondo)
RRP: $220.00
One of the great losses of 2022 was Kevin Conroy. The actor died from cancer in November at the too young age of 66 and was best known for providing the voice of Batman (and Bruce Wayne) across many cartoons, animated movies, and video games. It all started with Batman: The Animated Series, which debuted in 1992 in the wake of the Tim Burton/Michael Keaton live action movies and even featured Danny Elfman’s theme in the opening titles. The show took the comic book source material incredibly seriously (as Burton did) and quickly found a fandom with adults, even though it was also beloved by kids at the time. Batman: The Animated Series morphed into The New Batman Adventures (essentially the same show, but with some redesign tweaks) and Conroy also voiced The Dark Knight in Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Static Shock, and Justice League Action, while also playing the character in various video games, including the Arkham and Injustice series and next year’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. And then there were various animated movies, starting with 1993’s acclaimed Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (which was released in theaters and was a spinoff of The Animated Series). In live action, he even played a twisted version of Bruce Wayne from an alternate universe in a 2019 episode of Batwoman as part of the Crisis on Infinite Earth event across the Arrowverse shows. Many long-time comic book readers (myself included) often hear Conroy’s voice in their heads when reading a Batman comic book, he so perfectly nailed the essence and cadence of the character.
The clever and cool folks at Mondo previously put out this amazing 12-inch Batman figure based on Batman: The Animated Series in 2019 and of course it sold out. But now they’ve made more of them, so get ‘em while you can. The thing is a real marvel. It comes with five different interchangeable heads, including a Bruce Wayne one and a H.A.R.D.A.C. variant where half his face is robotic. There are different hands and a bunch of gadgets, including Batarangs and grappling hooks. It will pair nicely with Catwoman figure from The Animated Series that Mondo sent us a few years back. (Buy it here.)


Batman: The Animated Series – Joker One-Sixth Scale Collectible Figure (Mondo)
RRP: $225.00
Just as Kevin Conroy is the ultimate Batman voice, no other voice actor has made the Joker his own as much as Mark Hamill has. Obviously Hamill was already well-known for playing Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy when he first voiced the Clown Prince of Crime in “Christmas with the Joker,” the second episode of Batman: The Animated Series to air. Like Conroy, Hamill has voiced the Joker in various other cartoons and animated movies (including Batman: Mask of the Phantasm) and even did an amusing thing where he read former President Donald Trump’s tweets in the Joker voice, making them sound even more evil.
Mondo have added a 12-inch Joker figure to their Batman: The Animated Series line and it is glorious. It comes with four different interchangeable heads, various hands, and several accessories, including three different Joker bombs, some playing cards, and two Joker fish. Mondo, please do Batgirl next. (Buy it here.)


X-Men: The Animated Series – Wolverine One-Sixth Scale Collectible Figure (Mondo)
RRP: $200.00
The same year that Batman: The Animated Series debuted, 1992, DC’s rival Marvel also had an acclaimed cartoon hit on their hands with X-Men: The Animated Series. Both aired on Fox Kids and both also appealed to adult comics fans as well as kids. While X-Men: The Animated Series didn’t lead to whole animated universe of interconnected shows the way Batman: The Animated Series, nor did it feature as iconic a voice cast, the show is being revived next year by Disney+ as X-Men ’97. It also helped ignite interest in producing a live action X-Men film in 2000, which led to many sequels, and when Patrick Stewart returned as Professor X in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness his look was modeled after the X-Men: The Animated Series version and the show’s theme tune was also used (and used again in the Disney+ MCU show Ms. Marvel when the title character discovered she was a mutant).
As with their Batman: The Animated Series range, Mondo have a very cool looking 12-inch Wolverine figure based on X-Men: The Animated Series. It includes four heads, two masked and two unmasked, various hands (some with claws, some without), dynamic looking claws that feature energy shooting between them, a Thanksgiving turkey leg for some reason (closer watchers of the show might know why), and a framed photo featuring fellow X-Men members Cyclops (aka Scott Summers) and Jean Grey in civilian clothes. Here’s hoping Mondo produce figures for other X-Men. (Buy it here.)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Doctor Strange PVC Gallery Diorama (Diamond Select Toys)
RRP: $49.99
In the hands of horror master Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was perhaps the scariest movie in the MCU thus far. It was still generally okay for family audiences, but certainly had its creepy moments (including a reanimated corpse of Doctor Strange from another universe and even some jump scares). It didn’t stop it from making close to a billion dollars worldwide, and that was without a release in China.
Doctor Strange returns to Diamond Select Toys’ wonderful Galley Diorama series with a new collectible inspired by Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It features Earth’s mightiest sorcerer as he comes through an inter-dimensional portal. The 10-inch tall statue was sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios and bears a striking resemblance to actor Benedict Cumberbatch. (Buy it here.)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Marvel Legends America Chavez 6-Inch Action Figure (Hasbro/Fun.com)
RRP: $49.99
America Chavez made her MCU debut Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (in fact it was also the character’s live action debut in film or TV). She’s a relatively new character, first debuting in comics in 2011. The dimension-hopping hero was a surprisingly big part of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as convincingly played by 16-year-old newcomer Xochitl Gomez. She’s in the film’s action-packed first scene and is by Doctor Strange’s side throughout the movie.
Hasbro’s long-running and popular Marvel Legends action figure line adds in America Chavez in her Multiverse of Madness likeness. Also available are various other characters from the film. Buy them all to build a Rintrah figure. (Buy it from Fun.com here.)


The Fantastic Four Minimates Box Set (Diamond Select Toys)
RRP: $49.99
The most talked about scene/sequence in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (and one of the most talked about in all of 2022) was the one with the Illuminati, a collection of heroes including Captain Carter, the aforementioned Professor X, and Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic of The Fantastic Four). The latter was played by John Krasinski, who had long been fan-cast in the role. It remains to be seen if Krasinski will play the role in the upcoming Fantastic Four MCU movie (the cast has yet to be announced). It will hopefully be the first great Fantastic Four movie after three disappointing ones made by 20th Century Fox.
Diamond Select Toys have brought The Fantastic Four to their Minimates range. Minimates are smaller collectible figures a little bit bigger than LEGO minifigures, but much more detailed. This box set celebrates the 20th anniversary of Minimates and features the core Fantastic Four: Mr. Fantastic, his wife The Invisible Woman (Sue Storm), her brother The Human Torch (Johnny Storm), and their friend The Thing (Ben Grimm). Also included is H.E.R.B.I.E., the robot, who first appeared in the 1978 The New Fantastic Four cartoon as a replacement for The Human Torch due to rights issues. Then there’s the team’s main antagonist, Doctor Doom, and their ally Silver Surfer (who looks more dark grey or black than silver). Each character includes a clear stand and most are accompanied by accessories (a surfboard, force fields, and in the case of stretchy hero Mr. Fantastic, extensions to his limbs). (Buy it here.)

What If? – Zombie Minimates Box Set – DCD 40th Anniversary Exclusive (Diamond Select Toys)
RRP: $50.00
Also in celebration of 20 years of Minimates, and of 40 years of Diamond Select Toys, there’s this box set featuring characters from the Disney+ animated show What If?, in particular the episode where many our favorite Marvel heroes are zombies. It includes zombie versions of Captain America, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Scarlett Witch, as well as zombie hunter Spider-Man with Doctor Strange’s cloak and the head of Ant-Man/Scott Lang in a jar. (Buy it here.)


Marvel Spider-Man Street Desk Lamp (Ukonic/Fun.com)
RRP: $59.99
Few collectibles are as functional as the Marvel Spider-Man Street Desk Lamp. It appears as though everyone’s favorite wall crawler is hanging from a street lamp, ready to take out a thief or villain, but this is also a working desk lamp. Spidey is free hanging, meaning you can swing him around, and the LED lamp is USB powered. It would be perfect for someone’s home office or a child’s bedroom. (Buy it from Fun.com here.)


Spider-Man Miles Morales PVC Gallery Diorama (Diamond Select Toys)
RRP: $49.99
The Miles Morales version of Spider-Man returns to the big screen next year with the much-anticipated animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the sequel to 2018’s Oscar-winning masterpiece Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. In between those two films was the unconnected video game Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and that’s where this Gallery Diorama from Diamond Select Toys pulls have. It features Miles in a dramatic pose, mid-action, with a venom blast at the ready from his left hand. Caesar designed the statue, which was sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios. (Buy it here.)


Black Widow Premier Collection Statue (Diamond Select Toys)
RRP: $175.00
Black Widow hasn’t always gotten the MCU respect she deserves. There have been three movies apiece for Iron Man and Captain America (with third films starring Ant-Man and The Guardians of the Galaxy due out next year) and Thor has now headlined four films. Scarlett Johansson’s Avenger finally got a solo film in 2021, but that was only after the character was killed off in Avengers: Endgame, meaning it took place earlier in the MCU timeline and it’s unlikely there will be any direct sequels to the film. Plus Black Widow was affected by the pandemic—its release date was pushed back a year and it was released on Disney+ (for an extra $30 fee) at the same time it was in theaters, which lowered its box office takings.
Regardless of all that, Black Widow was fun and introduced some promising new characters, ones that have already gone on to appear in other MCU movies and TV shows. Diamond Select Toys’ Black Widow Premier Collection Statue isn’t in Johansson’s likeness, but is impressive nonetheless. The 11-inch statue features the super-spy in motion, giving chase, gun at the ready. Only 3,000 were made of this limited edition collectible. (Buy it here.)


The Wasp PVC Gallery Diorama (Diamond Select Toys)
RRP: $49.99
The Wasp made her MCU debut in the first Ant-Man film and co-headlined the second Ant-Man film (as well as next year’s third one, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania). In those movies Evangeline Lilly plays the Hope Pym version of The Wasp, the daughter of the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and the original Wasp, Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer). Diamond Select Toys’ The Wasp PVC Gallery Diorama features the Janet Van Dyne version of the character. The statue has a retro vibe, featuring her original red costume from when she debuted in Tales to Astonish #44 in June 1963. Although the Hope Pym version has more visibility in the MCU, in the comics she’s only been around since 1999, exists in an alternate universe, and is the villainous Red Queen rather than The Wasp. To comics readers Janet Van Dyne is the definitive Wasp.
The Wasp PVC Gallery Diorama looks incredibly dynamic, with The Wasp flying over a battle-ravaged area, a bioelectric sting charging up in her hand. It’s 13 inches tall and the wings (which detach) look especially impressive. Nelson X. Asencio designed the statue, which was hand-sculpted by Jean St. Jean. (Buy it here.)
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