1. They are in the Minimate style that we love

The first thing that drew my attention to Minimates over 13 years ago was the style. The balance between the head and body and limbs is very appealing. Vinimates keep those same proportions, along with the Minimate face style. It’s hard to explain, but when I have a Vinimate in my hands, it has the same charm as a Minimate. Even though the only articulation is in the neck joint, I am drawn to the style and the feel. Vinimates are easier to spot from across the room, and my small (but growing) collection makes me happy to see.

2. The paint apps are amazing

If you have collected Minimates for any period of time, you have probably found a figure with a bad paint job. So far (knock on wood), every Vinimate I have seen has a perfect paint job. Not only is it well done, but the level of detail is higher than other vinyl figures. I have consistently been impressed with the vibrance and quality of the paint apps across this entire line. They really pop!

3. They have the DC license!

Minimate collectors have been hoping for a return to DC Minimates for years. Even though we have Gotham and Watchmen, it still isn’t the main DC line that we all want. Well, Vinimates has that line! They are basically giant Minimates of the big name DC characters. And although the articulation isn’t there, the look and feel is. As of this writing I just opened my Batman and Green Lantern Vinimates, and I absolutely love them. The most recent word from Diamond is that DC Minimates are not going to happen, so these are the next best thing.

4. Larger characters are close to Minimate scale

Some Vinimates can be used as in-scale giant-sized Minimates. The ones that immediately come to mind are the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, Dr. Manhatten, and the Iron Giant. They might not be large enough to truly be in-scale with Minimates, but they are a lot larger than the Minimate versions! On my shelf, I have the Battle Damaged Stay Puft Man towering over my Ghostbusters Minimates, and it looks amazing. Soon I am going to do the same thing with Dr. Manhatten and my Watchmen Minimates. If you are on the fence about Vinimates, maybe one of these nearly-in-scale characters would be a good place to start?

5. They are an easy toy line to jump onboard

Vinimates are a relatively new toy line, and there have only been a few exclusives so far. This means that if you are the kind of collector who likes to complete a full line of toys, you won’t have to spend a fortune on rare figures - everything released so far is pretty easy to obtain. And at $10 per figure, they are comparable to other vinyl figures. I think they are much more unique looking than Funko Pops, and the paint apps are better. So for me, the $10 is much better spent on these. If you have not tried a Vinimate out of the package yet, I highly recommend it!

You can find all of our Vinimates in our Vinimates section.

Speculation is a natural part of being a collector. Which licenses could possibly become official Minimates some day? What if Diamond Select Toys could get any license? Today I am going to tell you about the 5 properties I would like to see as Minimates if licensing was not an issue. I think my first 4 choices are pretty common, and the last one is definitely out-there. Click Read More below to see the full list!

Iron Man has a lot of Minimates. 62 at last count, including three still to come out later this year. That puts him ahead of even Spider-Man. If it seems like every new series or box set has an Iron Man in it, that's because they usually do. The character's current popularity notwithstanding, his frequent redesigns make him a toy line planner's dream. No need to invent specious reasoning or comb back issues for a new Batman or Spider-Man; Iron Man's loaded with legitimate looks, often within the same comic or movie. But what's the best Iron Man? What's the one that you should absolutely have in your collection? And conversely, which ones should you stay away from? Click the Read More link below to find out!