I’ve been in the action figure world for about 20 years.  So, it’s safe to say I’ve got a fair bit of knowledge on the terms that tend to be thrown around by collectors with little or no explanation as to what they mean.  I generally try to explain a concept on its first appearance on this site, but much as Stan Lee once said to assume every comic book was somebody’s first, I too must assume that every review on this site might be the first to be read by a new visitor.  As such, I’ve decided to put together a guide to some of the more frequently used terms and names that might show up.

EXCLUSIVE

What is it?:

A figure only available from a certain place (first-hand, anyway).  Can be a specific store, such as Toys R Us or Wal-Mart, or possibly and event such as San Diego Comicon.  Usually a figure that is desirable to more hard-core fans, but not a general audience.  Store-exclusives are usually meant to be a sign of good faith to the store to encourage them to support the line.

Example:

Minimates have prominent Toys R Us exclusive waves, with brand new characters not seen elsewhere.