While the planet-eating Galactus is heralded by Silver Surfer, Marvel movies like Fantastic Four are heralded by merch. A lot of merch. Action figures, t-shirts, baseball caps, toys, pins, and more pour into every store to declare that your healthy bank balance has, like the film's version of Earth, been marked for death.
As with most movie tie-ins, these collectibles aren't all created equal – most are fun, but in an inoffensive, forgettable sort of way. Occasionally though, you get walloped by something special. For me, the Fantastic Four merch that had me reaching for my wallet was the Loungefly bag. Meet the H.E.R.B.I.E. Mini Backpack, which Disney threw my way via multiversal portal to check out.
Just look at him. This little guy is adorable, even as a backpack. To misquote the meme: I have known him for five minutes, but if anything happened to him, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself.
As with most Loungefly bags, the quality here is deeply impressive. Although these tend to be on the pricier end of the scale, you can feel where that money has gone immediately. The materials used to make it are clearly premium, the zips are pleasingly chunky to the point that I don't worry about them snagging or breaking, and the little metal plaque on the front lends an air of class. The bag's metallic, rainbow shimmering when you tip it this way or that only adds to this.
All the same, the primary reason he's stolen my heart is the fact that he looks so close to the design of H.E.R.B.I.E. in the movie. It's a bit like you're carrying the helpful 'bot around with you as a commuting buddy, which I'm all for.
More merch goodies
- View all Loungefly bags
- Fantastic Four merch: From $14.99 at Disney Store
- UK Fantastic Four merch: From £12 at Disney Store
Looking for other nerdy goodies? Don't miss the best Lego sets, which includes must-have Marvel kits.
