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.
Loungefly H.E.R.B.I.E. Mini Backpack | $80 at Loungefly
OK, this thing is adorable and I won't hear any word to the contrary. Based on the robot helper from the new Fantastic Four movie, it's a small but highly themed bag (complete with H.E.R.B.I.E.'s faceplate alongside layered appliques and metallic foil for a shimmering, '60s design) made to hold the essentials. If you're new to Loungefly, the company makes premium mini backpacks catering to a whole host of nerdy franchises from Disney to horror movies like Chucky.
Buy it if:
✅ You think FF 2025 looks like a vibe
✅ You already know you'll love H.E.R.B.I.E.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You'd prefer to wait until you've seen the film
UK price: £80 at Disney StoreView Deal
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.
However, the main reason I've fallen head over heels for this is the fact that it's actually very close to the design of H.E.R.B.I.E. from the Fantastic Four film. That makes it feel as if you're carrying him around with you, which is neat. A little robot buddy to take on your commute? Yeah, I can dig that.
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.