NECA used San Diego Comic-Con 2026 to bring one of horror's most enduring slasher-adjacent icons into the Ultimates lineup for the first time. The Fisherman from I Know What You Did Last Summer was shown at the con with full articulation and, notably, a real tailored fabric slicker instead of a molded plastic rain coat. As of Wednesday, August 5, 2026, this is the character's first appearance in NECA's premium Ultimate format, which immediately makes it a different kind of collector decision than a standard carded figure.
That distinction matters because the Ultimates line has built its reputation on treating cult and slasher horror characters with the same production values usually reserved for blockbuster franchises. A fabric-based costume element changes both the sculpt's realism and the way collectors need to think about long-term storage, since textile components behave very differently from painted plastic under dust, humidity, and shelf pressure.
NECA's SDCC 2026 showcase confirms the Fisherman as a fully articulated Ultimate release featuring a meticulously tailored fabric slicker with a poseable, wired capelet. That wired capelet detail is important on its own, since it means the costume is designed to hold a specific dramatic pose rather than hang flat and lifeless the way an unsupported fabric piece typically would. NECA has used similar wired-fabric techniques on past Ultimate releases to give cloaks and coats real movement, and applying that same approach to the Fisherman's iconic slicker gives the figure a strong silhouette straight out of the box.
Most NECA Ultimates rely entirely on sculpted, painted plastic for costume elements, which makes them relatively forgiving in storage since plastic doesn't wrinkle, fade from humidity, or attract dust the way fabric can. A genuine tailored slicker changes that equation. Collectors who want the figure to look as sharp in year three as it does on day one need to think about keeping the piece in a stable, enclosed environment rather than an open shelf where fabric can collect dust and lose its shape over time.
The Fisherman has spent decades as one of horror's most recognizable but under-toyed figures, largely because his design leans so heavily on that slicker and hook rather than an elaborate mask or makeup effect. That makes him a harder figure to translate into plastic convincingly at a budget price point, which is likely part of why it has taken this long for a premium version to exist. Now that NECA has committed to the character with the Ultimate format's traditionally higher accessory count and superior articulation, the release reads less like a gap-filler and more like a genuine event for slasher-era horror collectors who have been waiting for this exact character.
The Fisherman was one of several reveals from NECA's SDCC 2026 presence, alongside other genre properties across horror, kaiju, and pop culture lines. Seeing a deep-cut slasher character land alongside more mainstream reveals is a good signal for what NECA considers worth investing full Ultimate production values into. For collectors building a focused 1990s-revival horror shelf, that vote of confidence matters almost as much as the figure itself.
Because the appeal of this figure leans so heavily on the fabric slicker and wired capelet pose, a cluttered or overly tight display can undercut exactly what makes the release special. The costume needs breathing room to read properly, and a crowded shelf can crush or flatten the capelet's intended shape over time. Collectors who want the figure to keep its dramatic silhouette should plan for a display spot that doesn't force the coat against a wall or neighboring figure.
The NECA Ultimate action figure display case protector is purpose-built for this exact product line and is the strongest match for keeping the boxed figure clean before opening or for collectors who plan to display it carded. For opened display, an acrylic modular case gives the fabric slicker and wired capelet a dust-free environment with enough interior room to preserve the costume's pose.
Yes, NECA confirms this is the character's first appearance in the premium Ultimates lineup.
NECA confirms a meticulously tailored fabric slicker with a poseable, wired capelet, rather than a molded plastic coat.
NECA showed the figure at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, held in July 2026.
The Ultimate Fisherman is a strong example of NECA using its premium format to finally give a deep slasher-era character the treatment collectors have wanted for years. The fabric slicker and wired capelet are the whole story here, and protecting that costume construction properly from day one is the simplest way to keep this figure looking as intentional years from now as it does fresh out of the SDCC reveal.
If you want to learn more about NECA protection and display, these guides may also help:
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