2013 has been a year of transition for 3 3/4-inch action figure collections. The cost of production has gone through the roof, and the question of value came into play. We saw Hasbro drastically scale back both the articulation and the retail price, leaving collectors both warm and cold. We saw Mattel address the production costs in the other direction by scaling back their DC offerings into a new 4-inch line that will debut later this year.

The most important milestone in the small scale action figure side of the spectrum is the line that Frank Supiot tirelessly worked to develop at Super7. Their ReAction Figure brand launched with meticulously created reproductions of Kenner's abandoned Alien action figure collection from 1979. Supiot uncovered every piece of known information, and an equal amount of unknown information, about the prototypes and put together a grass roots marketing campaign that allowed collectors to watch the line's development from concept to completion.

The 'Toyfair 1979 Advance Promotional Sample' two pack Super7 offered up was the first exclusive to sell out at last year's San Diego Comic-Con, and their Early Bird pre-order was the talk of the show. What people didn't know was at this time Funko aggressively went after the line, and seeing where they could take it, Super7 let them have it.

Funko x Super7 began shipping the first wave of ReAction Figures late last month, and everyone that got the agrees, this is how a 3 3/4-inch 5POA action figure collection should be done. Here's hoping every other company is taking notes. We know we're in for the long haul!