In 1986, Hasbro released Inhumanoids: The Movie, following a group of heroic scientists who accidentally released, and then attempted to recapture, the dastardly primaeval beings that had been held at the centre of the Earth. This movie eventually spawned a thirteen-episode series and a toy line, across which other ancient characters were introduced, from sentient trees to giant rock warriors.

Inhumanoids might not have been the smash success that Jem and the Holograms was, but it spawned a small but loyal fanbase nevertheless, who are still collecting the action figures today. Want to know where to start on your own Inhumanoids toy collection? Then read on.

Tendril – 14″ figurine

While you could be forgiven for thinking that the above monster is some kind of Man-Thing/Slitheen crossover, this is actually Tendril, an evil but somewhat brainless Inhumanoid with the ability to regenerate a whole new body from a single cut-off limb. His clumsiness and obliviousness mean he’s not the most fearsome of all the villains the Earth Corps face, but his immense strength and resilience do allow him to occasionally win the upper hand. On average, a boxed Tendril action figure will set you back $482 secondhand, while the figurine alone will still cost you $235.

Liquidator – 6″ figurine

While the name Liquidator might seem more appropriate for a skin-melting villain intent on destroying the world, it’s instead the nickname given to Dr. Jonathan M. Slattery, a master chemist with the ability to whip up everything from quick-set cement to acid-neutralising spray at the drop of a hat. While it’s the monsters of Inhumanoids that tend to be most in demand on the secondhand market, Liquidator is unpopular even by the good guys’ standard, with a resale price of $32 without the box or $99 with it.

D’Compose – 14″ figurine

D’Compose is an incredibly intimidating character. Not only is he undead, with visibly exposed ribs and rotting flesh, but he’s also incredibly intelligent and strategic, a fact that consistently surprises and unseats the Earth Corps. Making him most difficult to defeat is the fact that many attacks simply pass through his body and emerge on the other side. Want to add a 1986 14-inch D’Compose action figure to your collection? Be ready to set aside $588 plus shipping for one in boxed condition, or $399 on the action figure alone, a whopping price tag that exceeds that of almost any other Inhumanoids character.

Metlar – 14″ figurine

It’s fair to say that Metlar is the most hellish of all the Inhumanoids. Not only does he live in a fiery domain called Infernac at the centre of the Earth, but he also has an army of elemental soldiers forged from rock and magma at his beck and call. His only weakness is magnetism, which is why Magnokor, more so than the human Earth Corps, is able to bring him to his knees. Metlar is one of the big bads of Inhumanoids and his resale value reflects this, with his 14-inch action figure often selling for $799 in boxed condition alone.

Auger – 5″ figurine

Auger (otherwise known as Dr. Edward Augutter or simply “The Fist”) might be one of the good guys, but you’d be forgiven for not getting that impression upon watching the show. Throughout Inhumanoids, Auger can be seen constantly destroying televisions and throwing tantrums due to his animosity towards Hector Ramirez. Not only that, but he has the most aggressive and rudimentary weapon of any of the scientists: a giant drill. Augur’s lack of popularity within his own team extends into the real world, as a boxed Auger action figure has a relatively paltry resale value of $122.

Herc Armstrong – 5″ figurine

As is the case with many 80s cartoons with an ensemble cast, just because Inhumanoids’ Dr. Herman Armstrong is the leader of the Earth Corps and much of the series revolves around him, does not mean that his character is the most fleshed out. In fact, his most commonly seen personality trait is that he hates to be called Herman, and instead insists that everybody calls him Herc or Hooker (!). Herc’s protagonist proliferation hasn’t stopped his action figure from having a slightly higher-than-average resale price for heroes though, as secondhand Hercs in boxed condition often sell for around $199.

Dr Derek Bright – 5″ figurine

Logical to a fault, never hotheaded and with the refined tastes of an intellectual, Dr Derek Bright is Auger’s opposite in every way. Even his namesake weapon, a digger attachment, is less aggressive than Auger’s drill, which might be why Derek is the one to eventually begin dating superstar starlet Stella Blaze. Unfortunately, Digger can’t have everything and he seems to have lost out on audience popularity in particular, as evidenced by his measly secondhand price of around $18. In fact, Derek seems to be so disregarded by fans that it’s near impossible to find one of his action figures in boxed condition.

Granites – 7″ figurine

While it’s easy to root for the human scientist heroes the Earth Corps, they are not the only ones tasked with defeating the evil Inhumanoids. Their most valuable assets in the fight against these beings of elemental malice are the Mutores, creatures of rock, plants and magnetism that have made it their mission to suppress the bad guys for aeons. Out of all the Earth Corps’ allies, the Granites are the most, well, dumb as rocks, and their resale price isn’t too sharp either. For a seven-inch Granite action figure in boxed condition, you’ll need to dig around for $96.

Granok – 7″ figurine

Granok is the leader of the Granites and, thanks to his size and might, he is a formidable opponent to the Inhumanoids. However, he doesn’t make his decisions alone, and is advised on occasion by both General Granitary and Granahue. He can be visually distinguished from the rest of the Granites by his cool-toned grey rock skin, which is different to the pale orange colouring of his foot soldiers. A boxed Granok in like-new condition will set you back $96, which is middling, but his out-of-the-box resale price is above average, with a seven-inch action figure alone selling for around $35.

Magnokor – 7″ figurine

Though all the Earth Corps and the Mutores are instrumental in keeping the threat of Metlar at bay, one Inhumanoids character is uniquely suited to the job. Magnokor is the combined form of Crygen and Pyre and has magnetic abilities that strike right at the heart of Metlar’s weaknesses. As such, he is able to defeat Metlar even when others cannot. Magnokor action figures have a more variable price than that almost any other Inhumanoids character, and so a boxed figure of similar quality could run you anywhere between $96 and $220.

Redlen – 7″ figurine

Of all the Mutores that are seen over the course of the Inhumanoids 1986 series, there’s no denying that the sentient trees are the most visually striking. Due to their advanced age, the Redwood species are the most distrusting of the Earth Corps, and the most upset when they realise that the humans have inadvertently helped to release the Inhumanoids. Redlen is the most popular Redwood amongst fans, and so has a slightly elevated resale price of $98 when in boxed condition. For a standalone seven-inch figure, you’ll need to set aside around $80.

Redsun – 7″ figurine

If you’re looking to differentiate between a Redlen and a Redsun action figure, you can do so by their colouring, as Redsun has a more golden skin tone than his ruddier counterpart. However, given that Inhumanoids toys have not been on shelves since 1986, natural yellowing and fading over time can make this distinction more difficult. As such, it’s best to purchase a boxed Redsun action figure if you want assurances that you’ve bought the right one, and that will set you back around $98.

Redwoods – 7″ figurine

Just like it’s possible to buy a generic Granite soldier instead of any of the named characters of that faction, it is also relatively easy to source a generic Redwood action figure, which can be quickly identified by its bright silver colour. Despite how visually interesting they are, generic Redwoods have a lower out-of-the-box resale value than most other Mutores, with a secondhand price of around $65. As for a boxed Redwood action figure, you’ll need to make room on your shelf by parting with between $98 and $249.

Terrascout Vehicle

No toy line, especially not one connected to an 80s action cartoon, could be complete without vehicles. The Earth Corps are constantly going on scouting missions that take them over dangerous terrain and even into the centre of the Earth, and they definitely couldn’t do that on foot! The Terrascout is specifically designed to allow the Earth Corps to venture underground and has room to fit two action figures, but it has a comparatively low resale price of just $70 out-of-the-box, or $127 for one in like-new condition.

Trappeur Vehicle

Trappeur Protection Vehicle is a three-man vehicle equipped with the capability for subterranean travel, as well as a super-grip claw, retractable grappling hook and detachable hovercraft. As you might have guessed from all these accessories, the Trappeur is designed with Inhumanoid capture in mind. Thanks in part to all its extra pieces, the Trappeur is the more valuable vehicle toy secondhand, with a comfortable resale price of $200 out-of-the-box, even if not every accessory is included. Unfortunately, complete and like-new examples are significantly harder to find.