NYCC: Go Back to the Future with an 11-Item Retro Roundup

While New York Comic Con (NYCC) might be all about discovering what’s to come, it’s also a place to celebrate fandoms from any era. Among the anime and action figures, nostalgia abounded at many exhibitor booths this year. We spotted some prime pop culture items, so keep scrolling for more information about 11 of our throwback faves and how to preorder or purchase them!

It’s time to introduce all the kids in your life to two epic franchises: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (MOTU) and the Garbage Pail Kids (GPK). And what better way to do that than in book form via Abrams Books’ middle-grade titles based on the long-standing characters? For $14.99 each, two hardcover titles are already available for MOTU (The Hunt for Mossman and I, Skeletor) and three for GPK (Welcome to Smellville, Thrills and Chills, and Camp Daze). Find them on the publisher’s website or at a variety of retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Turtle Power hasn’t waned since these radical reptiles made their way onto TV screens and store shelves in 1987 and they were out in full force at NYCC. To round out its more realistic offerings, Good Smile Co. debuted Nendoroid Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a series of palm-sized figures featuring a chibi design. Preorders will open up soon for these figures, which come with weapons and interchangeable face and mouth parts, so you can mix and match between normal, smiling, and fighting expressions. Collectors can learn more about the figures at the Good Smile Co. website.

For pony’s sake, it’s almost impossible to defy the cuteness of Mighty Jaxx‘s second series of Kwistal Fwenz x My Little Pony (MLP) figures. This blind box collection, which is $12.99 for one or $99.99 for tray of eight, is designed to mimic the look of crystals and let you feel the magic of MLP come alive. Available for purchase now directly from Mighty Jaxx, the second series features eight regular characters and one rare, including Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

To complement the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial BendyFig that The Noble Collection released for the film’s 40th anniversary, our fave little extra-terrestrial will take try his hand at plush, including this one inspired by the iconic “E.T. phone home” scene. Even though Elliot requested that Gertie give E.T. back his dignity, this disguise is too cute to pass up. It’s not even available for preorder yet, so keep your eyes on the company’s website to get access to this irresistible item.

Show off your allegiance to two of Mattel‘s oldest and still-popular properties with these licensed pins from Little Shop of Pins. Rev your engine with Hot Wheels pins priced $10-15 or get ready for next year’s premiere of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie — starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken — by grabbing a Barbie pin (pictured top), ranging in price from $10-20. All are available for purchase now at the Little Shop of Pins website.

Tamagotchi is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and, among offerings based on newer pop culture properties, the brand is shining a spotlight on the beloved Kingdom Hearts video game franchise, which happens to be celebrating its 20th anniversary. The game series features various Disney properties and has made its way to multiple gaming systems since its launch in March 2002. No date or price has been announced for these new eggs, but we were promised they are coming soon.

So no one told you that Hallmark was going to collaborate with Funko to release Pop! Friends ornaments? We can take care of that for you! Trim your tree with some of your favorite ladies — Monica Geller, Phoebe Buffay, and Rachel Green — dressed in their work duds (if, in this case, Phoebe makes more moolah as a musician than a masseuse). Get ahead of the holidays by purchasing each of these now for $10.99.

Reclaim some of that Neopian magic with new Neopets pins from What’s Your Passion Jewelry. To complement the Neopets pins and jewelry already available for purchase, the company released metallic NYCC exclusives of characters like Quiggle (left), Blumaroo (right), and Hissi. All of these pins cost $12.99, and they are available online for fans who didn’t attend NYCC in person. Withdraw some Neopoints from your National Neopian Bank account to pick these up today. Just make sure not to spend too much or the Skeith bank manager might be on your tail!

After Betty White passed away on New Year’s Eve 2021, The Golden Girls has been more popular than ever. This means the fandom marketplace has seen — and will continue to see — new items based on the 1985 TV series. One such offering is a coloring book featuring all four main characters. The first edition of this book from 2017 was such a high seller that Disney released a revised edition earlier this year. Originally $12.99, it’s available on Amazon for a slight discount.

Just like girls had their dreams come alive with My Size Barbie in 1992, you, too, can feel those same butterflies with a 3-foot-tall statue of Sanrio‘s Hello Kitty. From Kidrobot, this fiberglass cat combines home decor with Hello Kitty in the most charming way. At $1,000, it’s quite an investment, but she is so much more than just a piece of furniture — she’s a part of your history and could be a part of your family. Preorder this item now, with an estimated shipping date of early next year. You can preorder Hello Kitty from Kidrobot now and click here to learn more about this new, high-end collectible.

If E.T. isn’t your kind of extra-terrestrial, maybe this Alien Life Form (ALF) might be for you. NECA has immortalized this quirky 1980s character in action figure form with extremely appropriate accessories: an annoyed cat on a bun, a Hawaiian shirt, and a radio, among others. He’s up for preorder for $36.99 at retailers including Entertainment Earth, Zavvi, and ToyWiz. This 7-inch Alf will crash-land in your mailbox some time this month.