Merchandising for a film was a relatively-new concept, popularized by the "Star Wars" film series. Kenner had attempted to release figures based on "Alien" in 1979. Only an alien action figure was released, which was quickly withdrawn when it was deemed too frightening for children. "Aliens" was considered a different prospect (despite its adult-oriented content), since it focused on action and featured marines (instead of ordinary workers) fighting a large number of aliens. The toys were intended to tie into "Operation Aliens" (a children's cartoon scheduled for release with "Alien 3" in 1992) and a series of mini-comics by Dark Horse Comics. Figures included Colonial Marines and alien hybrids. "Aliens" has appeared across a variety of merchandise, including action figures, punching bags, clothing and board games. The National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA) has released figures based on the film, including Newt, Burke and Cameron dressed as a Colonial Marine. NECA revived the original Kenner designs in 2019, releasing better-quality models.