Hey folks — Tony here, reporting from the madness and magic that is Comic-Con 2025 in sunny San Diego! Day 2 has been an absolute whirlwind. If you thought things were wild yesterday, today cranked the chaos up to eleven and then dropped a glowing action figure on top of it.
Let’s start with the exclusives — because I know that’s what you’re all here for. First up, NECA continues to dominate the horror toy space. Their Glow-in-the-Dark Retro Bride of Frankenstein figure is easily one of the hottest drops of the day. It’s beautifully sculpted, retro-carded, and yes, she glows like a gothic nightlight. The queue at the NECA booth wrapped around twice and security wasn’t letting anyone linger — that’s how in-demand this piece was.
But just when I thought the Bride stole the show, Surf’s Up Chucky slashed onto the scene. You heard that right — it’s the Good Guy himself, now in beach mode, board shorts and all. A twisted homage to a Child’s Play 3 concept that never made it to screen, this 7” action figure is as weird and wonderful as it sounds. Only at Comic-Con would a killer doll in flip-flops be one of the most coveted items of the day.
And then — boom — a curveball from Disney: the limited edition Nine Inch Nails vinyl single from the upcoming Tron: Ares. Pressed in translucent red, complete with a killer decal and pin, it’s a gorgeous slab of synth-heavy darkness. I was lucky enough to snag one just before they sold out for the day. Word on the floor is, these are already climbing in resale value — and let’s be honest, anything NIN and Tron deserves a place on the shelf.
Between all that chaos, I found myself rubbing shoulders with the stars. I caught a panel with the cast of Aliens, and let me tell you — seeing them all together again was nothing short of spine-tingling. Sigourney didn’t make it, but Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, and even Carrie Henn (yes, Newt) were there. Every time someone quoted “Game over, man,” the room lost it.
Later in the day, I caught a brief moment with Matilda Lutz, the new Red Sonja. In person, she’s absolutely magnetic. Confident, funny, and very clearly thrilled to be taking on such an iconic role. Fans swarmed her with questions about the sword training — apparently, she trained for months and did many of her own stunts. Respect.
Oh — and did I mention I came face to face with Galactus?
Well, not the real Galactus (obviously), but a towering display statue at the Hasbro booth that had fans stopping dead in their tracks. At nearly 4 feet tall, with light-up eyes and massive cosmic energy effects, it felt like the devourer of worlds was truly among us. I stood there for a good five minutes just taking it all in — then promptly got elbowed out of the way by a very determined Fantastic Four cosplayer.
And that’s the beauty of Comic-Con — whether it’s a giant cosmic god, a killer doll in beachwear, or a 90-year-old movie monster lighting up under UV, everything here feels alive. The energy is electric, the fans are fired up, and honestly, I don’t know how we’re only halfway through the con.
Stick with me — I’ll be back tomorrow with more chaos, collectibles, and cameos.
Until then, stay weird.
— Tony
Your on-the-ground Movie Merch guy at SDCC 2025