A new series of action figure stands are now available from NECA. The mini stands are aimed at collectors who would like to display the additional head sculpts that are included with many collectible figures. With this simple 3-pack of stands, fans can easily place an extra portrait on the stand and sit it next to their figure for display, without taking up too much additional room. Each set includes three stands and multiple interchangeable pegs. This allows you to use the stands with not only NECA figures, but those from many other companies, such as McFarlane, Hasbro’s Marvel Legends, Storm Collectibles, Mezco, Diamond Select Toys and more. The NECA Action Figure Head Stands can be found at most online retailers now and they shouldn’t cost more than $7 for the 3-pack.
NECA sent along a set for us to test out. After the jump you can see my photos of the stands in action and read up on my thoughts of these unique display stands.
NECA Action Figure Head Stands
Pros
- Great value for the cost
- Multiple swap out pegs for use with different scales
- Works with NECA, Hasbro, DST, Mezco, Storm Collectibles, McFarlane and more
- Even works for Minimates scale figures
- Easy to change out pegs
- Heavier base prevents tipping over
- Stands don’t take up a lot of space
Cons
- Some noticeable scuffs from removal of excess mold flash
Overall
The NECA Action Figure Head Stands come packaged in a simple clamshell display. The packaging design is reminiscent of their larger action figure stands, with a retro 80’s vibe to it. Inside the packaging, you’ll find three stands sitting on a plastic tray. Each stand includes a total of five different interchangeable pegs.
The stands are cast in a strong, all-black plastic. The main base is filled with a heavier weight, which keeps the stands from tipping over when on display. The actual peg attaches near the top of the stand. To swap out the pieces, simply turn the top peg counter clockwise and remove. The pieces swap out easily, but lock in place without feeling loose. When attaching a head sculpt, simply match up the attachment that works best with each individual portrait. Even among NECA’s 7″ scale figures, you may be required to use a different peg depending on the line. I recommend having the peg attached to the stand when placing a head sculpt onto the stand, but I’d suggest disconnecting the peg before trying to remove the head sculpt. The spot where the peg attaches to the stand is actually a separate piece, which is glued to the main pole, so excess force with trying to pull a head sculpt off the peg may result in that spot snapping. Construction is solid throughout. The only issue I ran into were small damaged bits from the factory removing excess plastic flash (excess plastic you see around a seem) from the pieces. It can easily be hidden by turning the stand around, but it does break up the smooth, clean nature of the stand.
For testing purposes, I tried figures from NECA (7″ scale and 8″ Scale), McFarlane Toys (5″ Scale and 7″ Scale), Mezco Toyz (6″ Scale), Storm Collectibles (1/12 Scale) and Diamond Select Toys (2″ Scale). Overall, I tested about 12 head sculpts. I was surprised at how well the stands worked for non-NECA figures. It takes a moment to find the correct peg that works with the head sculpt, but I never ran into an issue finding one that worked. I couldn’t seem to find a head sculpt that worked with the angled peg, but I don’t own any Marvel Legends, DC Collectibles or Star Wars Black Series figures, so it may line up with one or more of those. The biggest surprise was finding that even the 2″ scale Minimates head sculpts worked with these. As you will see in the photos, you won’t necessarily have to be a NECA collector to be able to get use out of these. Making things even easier is the fact that these do not take up a lot of shelf space (one of the reasons I don’t use stands). You can fit these easily between two figure or directly in front of a figure without feeling like you’ll be displacing another figure on your shelf.
At just $7 per 3-pack, these are really easy to recommend to people who want to have their extra head sculpts on display. Many NECA Ultimate figures include two or more, and having to drag out the box from storage just to change up a figure display can get tiresome, and this negates the need for that. They’re nice looking stands, easy to use and are extremely versatile. check out some examples below and the full gallery after the jump.
