When it comes to the world of high-end collectible action figures, there are few brands more popular than Hot Toys. Yet many people who first see these incredible figures for the first time often ask themselves exactly what are Hot Toys?
The simple answer is that Hot Toys are high-end collectible action figures developed by the Hong Kong based production company Hot Toys Limited. Not quite action figures and not quite a collectible statue, Hot Toys bridge the gap between toy and art. Each figure is hand painted and constructed from high-quality resin and a variety of fabrics. They also maintain 30 or more articulation points, allowing the figures to be posed in unique ways that would not be possible with a typical action figure.
Today, Hot Toys have exploded in popularity among collectors, with the company offering a variety of beloved characters from film, television and comic books, and featuring licenses such as Marvel, DC and Star Wars.
How Tall are Hot Toys Figures?
Most Hot Toys are known as “one sixth scale” figures, due to the fact that they are 1:6 the size of a real life human. This means that the average Hot Toys figure is approximately 12 inches in height. Certain figures, however, can be slightly taller (for example, the Hot Toys Thanos Infinity War figure is actually 16 inches in height). The vast majority, however, fall into the 12 inch category.
What are Hot Toys Made Of?
Each Hot Toys figure is made of a type of clay resin that is sculpted by hand and designed to harden into an extremely hard material when heated. Figures also often include additional accessories that can be made of various plastics and resins, and for clothing Hot Toys will use high-quality synthetic fabrics (for example, to simulate the blue jean jacket in this Spider-Punk Hot Toys figure).
(Learn more about the manufacturing process in our blog What Are Hot Toys Made Of).
Are Hot Toys Limited?
Yes, each Hot Toys figure has an extremely limited run. Typically, they produce between 1,000 – 3,000 copies, but in some cases may produce even fewer. This is because of the time and cost required to produce a single figure. In some cases, Hot Toys may produce additional figures after a run has sold out, but this is usually quite rare.
Does Sideshow Make Hot Toys?
There is a great deal of confusion around this question, but the answer is that while Sideshow Collectibles does produce a range of statues and collectibles, they do not make Hot Toys.
They are, however, the official distributor of Hot Toys action figures for North America, Europe and much of Asia, which likely explains this confusion. Ultimately though Sideshow and Hot Toys are two completely separate companies that simply work closely together.
(You can learn more in our blog Is Sideshow and Hot Toys the Same Company?)
Where to Buy Hot Toys
- Sideshow Collectibles: Sideshow is also the official distributor of Hot Toys for most of the world. You can buy directly from their website and they have a flexible layaway plan and solid customer service and shipping.
- Amazon: Amazon does offer a wide range of Hot Toys and they occasionally offer discounts. You can purchase directly from third-party retailers who also have Hot Toys inventory.
- Your Local Comic Shop: Hot Toys products are available in thousands of physical brick and mortar retail locations around the world (you can use the Sideshow store locator to find one near you)
(You can learn more in our blog Where to Buy Hot Toys Figures).
Final Thoughts
So there you have it. The answer to the question: what are Hot Toys? If you’re a fan of pop culture, film, television and comic books and looking for something a little more rare and unusual, then chances are you’ll love these unique collectible figures.
More About Hot Toys
Learn more at the links below or visit our Hot Toys Collectibles Guide.
Hot Toys Reviews & News
Check out our latest coverage below or visit our Hot Toys reviews page.
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