Hasbro headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S. Without Hasbro's influence on G.I., the figure would not have existed as it is today. 1960's Joe. Their influence in the industry began in the 1980s when the new G.I. Joe's line and the introduction of Transformers.

With the eternal value of G.I. Joe and Transformers, Hasbro is best known for their licensed brands, including Star Wars and Marvel Comics. With these four brands, Hasbro figures not only already have a dominant presence in toys and board games, but they also make up a large part of all figure aisles today.

Major Lines

• Captain America Movie
  
  
• G.I. Joe
  
  
• Iron Man Movie
  
  
• Marvel Comics
  
  
• Star Wars
  
  
• Transformers

Founded:1923

Headquarters: Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S.

Website: corporate.hasbro.com

Mattel is best known for the Barbie phenomenon, but their presence in the figure world is growing. Mattel was known primarily among boys as a manufacturer of Hot Wheels until he entered the figure industry with He-Man and Masters of the Universe in the early 1980s. He-Man was one of the most popular figures of his time, and the line flourished over the years.

After He-Man disappeared into disgrace, Mattel's influence in the world of collectible figures was rather small until recently. The Masters of the Universe Classics lineup has been revamped and DC Comics, WWE Wrestling and Ghostbusters licenses have been acquired. Mattel once again became a major player in the collectible figure industry, gaining a share of the toy market.

Major Lines

• DC Comics
  
  
• Ghostbusters
  
  
• Masters of the Universe
  
  
• WWE Wrestling

Founded: January 1945

Website: www.mattel.com

Bandai is probably the biggest toy company you've ever heard of. After Mattel and Hasbro, Bandai is the third largest toy manufacturer in the world and also has a large presence in the action figure industry. The main difference is that Bandai is a Japanese company whose influence in the United States comes from Bandai America.

America's largest line of Bandai figures is the Power Rangers and their various incarnations. The many figurines that most collectors ignore when walking on toy strings are the manga and TV-based assets that have made Bandai thrive. Despite the fact that many of the brands aren't popular with collectors, Bandai's credibility has grown thanks to recent licenses from ThunderCats and star LionO.

Major Lines

• Ben 10
  
  
• Dragon Ball Z
  
  
• Power Rangers
  
  
• ThunderCats

Founded: 5 July 1950

Website: bandai.com

Todd McFarlane's popularity in the comic book world in the late 1980s and early 90s helped him find two major companies: McFarlane Toys. McFarlane Toys had an impact on the action figure industry, which is still perceived today in many ways. They were actually the first to make the figures look great. Sculpture and painting techniques have advanced to new heights, changing the direction of movement of figures. Finally, they are serious and grown up.

The one major criticism of McFarlane Toys' products is that they lacked the standard articulation that kids had become used to. That problem has been remedied with McFarlane's newest products, as can be seen with the widelypopular Halo line based on the hit video game. McFarlane Toys is not as prominent a company as it once was, though its impact is still felt across toy aisles.

Major Lines

• Halo
  
  
• Spawn
  
  
• The Walking Dead

Founded: 1994

Headquarters:Tempe, AZ, U.S.

Website: mcfarlane.com

Figures produced by the National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA) may not be plentiful in the toy section of medium to large stores, but technically for collectors they are widely available at toy and manga stores and the Internet. Although NECA is relatively new to the action figure space, it has become a major player with action figures licensed for use in video games and movies.

The importance of NECA to the entire industry should not be underestimated, as NECA's products include non-collectors in the figure world. Video game or movie fans who have never purchased a figure suddenly support the industry for the fantastic quality and similarity that NECA figures offer.

Major Lines

• Player Select
  
  
• Predator
  
  
• Twilight

Founded;1996

Headquarters: Hillside, New JerseyUnited States

Website: necaonline.com

Hong Kong-based manufacturer Hot Toys made this list for a very simple reason. They make absolutely the best figures in the world. Despite the fact that they are very expensive (1/6) and not many collectors collect, the figures produced by Hot Toys are some of the most beautiful and high quality on the market.

Most of the characters are based on the attributes of the film, and portray the protagonist in eerie realism, down to the actual cloth costumes the protagonist is wearing. If you have a lot of money and want the best, take a look at Hot Toys.

Major Lines

• The Dark Knight
  
  
• Iron Man
  
  
• Predator
  
  
• Star Wars

Founded: 2000

Headquarters: Kwun Tong, HK

Website: hottoys.com.hk