[Redlantern161]

Hey there Arkers. Some of you may remember my old posts about Hasbro from years before. I'll start off by giving credit where it's really due. They've stepped up their Marvel Legends in terms of sculpts, character selections, themes & just overall quality control in the figures. This past year saw many people including me going nuts trying to get all the ML's of this past year with the movie centered releases. I loved the quality stuff especially from the Spider Man line & now with the GotG & Xmen lines. I was like a kid who died & went to heaven. This next year looks like they're going to rectify some mistakes as far as distribution. All that's left is for these ML's to come out & then comes the Marvel Universe figures of next year. The character selection was great & maybe only one of the sculpts needed work but then came THE LACK OF ARTICULATION. They took many steps forward in the other waves but these took it back to the Iron Man ASSemblers. At least those had a gimmick but they chose to not even do that. The other lines that are meant for kids are even somehow better but it didn't give us newer figures & see money, anticipation & time all go down the drain. I'm really upset especially with how we saw some names grace the lines lately. Feel free to respond & blow off steam below guys

[Nymesys Prime]

WHERE ARE THE FREAKIN EXCLUSIVES!! HTS..i am calling you out!!

[TheBlueMarvel]

BLAAAARRGGGGHH!! YEAH! AND THAT TOO!!!

On a serious note: the persistence of the Thor (now Odin and formerly Wrecking Crew) scale issue is really bugging me. Great sculpts, but the size and height should be closer to the Hyperion buck (if not simply a re-worked Hyperion buck).

[VashTS]

I am with you bro...I find to many people give toooooo much credit to Hasbro....they removed so much stuff.....my main thing is what have they added that was not there before to action figures?

They took away paint detailing, paint wash, toe joints, finger joints, and NOW they are using cheap plastic and keep increasing the prices.

They removed sculpted cuffs....at the end of a shirt or jersey they paint the jersey rather that sculpt one.

But what have they added that they have improved upon. THe anke pivots are nice, but around a 45 degree angle, the angle cannot bend as it should due to the design. No one brings it up.

Also because how close the ankles are to the foot, the ankle cannot bend upwards as they should in the front. Try it with the Windter soldier of Cap figures because of the boot designs.

Now with the Marvel SPSiderman wave yeah it's great they are giving extra hands...but shouldn't finger joints get rid of the need for extra hands. BTW, I am sure if they gave us a new Doc Ock, his tentacles would not bend because they took that away also(Constrictor).

I find fans are way to easy on Hasbro. I am not a universe fan, but a few years ago, their toys were no different than Happy Meal toys.

I find action figure evolution has stalled and we are in the dead era....prices shooting up and value going down. THe new cheap plastic is an insult, and I hate people that don't criticize the new Nova figure. All joints in now my 3 Nova's are loose and the head is VERY loose.

My THEORY is the new plastic shrinks differently and Hasbro hasn't figured out how to properly use the new CHEAPER plastic.

I will not get started on the BAF's but Hasbro has now "made" legends fans Happy to get an 8 inch BAF....ever since the Hit Monkey Baf debacle. Well played Hasbro. I think without fans being upset, nothing changes....

[ukmu]

They made improvements to ML after 33% increase in price. They gave us gold with the new MI line, but when the well ran dry on the end of the MU figures (MI wave 3) they gave us this limp new offering knowing that they were doing figures the fans wanted so they are doing it with the figures collectors have waited YEARS for. They know when and how to implement changes. Pretty much force feeding the MI wave 5 and 6 because they know people need them so they will still sell these lesser creations.

Happy for the ML guys, as an MU guy I feel ripped off.

[TheBlueMarvel]

VashTS:

I agree that consumers need to vocalize their displeasure with certain aspects of these figures to prompt change. However, it is equally important to praise the decisions that are sound ones (if only to encourage Hasbro to keep up the things we like). Hasbro is doing a much better job, as of late, in selecting characters. Additionally, I give Hasbro credit for doing a good job in not forsaking "comic canon" fans. When they announced that they were merging the movie and comic figs., I was shaken (I have zero interest in Movie figs). In spite of my fears, there has been a good deal of balance and I have had a pretty wide selection of comic based figs to get.

As far as buck-abuse, I'm right there with you. The only difference being that I don't necessarily blame this on Hasbro. Mattel sort of set the trend for this sort of thing with what the 4Horsemen were able to get DCU fans to tolerate (myself included). Great sculpts, but rampant overuse of the same bucks. I think McFarlane's line was the best with unque sculpts, but the articulation was often not there. ToyBiz had articulation and a good amount of variety, but sometimes the figures didn't seem to have continuity (i.e. some figs didn't seem to fit with others). To hit that sweet spot somewhere in the middle, these new legends could use 5 or 6 more bucks so that they can mix and match molds to create different characters (as they did with the AIM soldier and comic canon Starlord). I'm willing to give them (Hasbro) an opportunity to get valuable feedback from threads like these....

[warmachine6]

WOOO SPAM SPIDERMAN WAVES HERE IN THE UK We clearly don't want guardians of the Galaxy or x-men figures .....

[NoodleChow]

I will always advocate swappable hands over articulated fingers though since as cool as they are they never really looked good to me as fists, thwips, crawling, claws, open palm, or holding items.

[VashTS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoodleChow

I will always advocate swappable hands over articulated fingers though since as cool as they are they never really looked good to me as fists, thwips, crawling, claws, open palm, or holding items.

Some...some of those spiderman hands can do it all. The thing is we will never get swappable hands with others characters...most likely just spidey.

I do THINK swappable faces should be mandatory. Different expressions and unmasked versions would be nice at that is where we should be in action figure progression.

[VashTS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBlueMarvel

VashTS:

I agree that consumers need to vocalize their displeasure with certain aspects of these figures to prompt change. However, it is equally important to praise the decisions that are sound ones (if only to encourage Hasbro to keep up the things we like). Hasbro is doing a much better job, as of late, in selecting characters. Additionally, I give Hasbro credit for doing a good job in not forsaking "comic canon" fans. When they announced that they were merging the movie and comic figs., I was shaken (I have zero interest in Movie figs). In spite of my fears, there has been a good deal of balance and I have had a pretty wide selection of comic based figs to get.

As far as buck-abuse, I'm right there with you. The only difference being that I don't necessarily blame this on Hasbro. Mattel sort of set the trend for this sort of thing with what the 4Horsemen were able to get DCU fans to tolerate (myself included). Great sculpts, but rampant overuse of the same bucks. I think McFarlane's line was the best with unque sculpts, but the articulation was often not there. ToyBiz had articulation and a good amount of variety, but sometimes the figures didn't seem to have continuity (i.e. some figs didn't seem to fit with others). To hit that sweet spot somewhere in the middle, these new legends could use 5 or 6 more bucks so that they can mix and match molds to create different characters (as they did with the AIM soldier and comic canon Starlord). I'm willing to give them (Hasbro) an opportunity to get valuable feedback from threads like these....

McFarlane agreed////I love Neca, just wish they would add some more articulation to their lower bodies....btw love that they give tons of accessorues such as extra hands and weapons and Heads

Mattel is just attrocious at their products. Fwoosh did a nice review of the upcoming Ghostbusters 30th anniversary figures and they used the same buck it seems on Egon and got his lover body wrong....30 YEARS and they didn't care enough to get it right....so MAttel is a different beast all together. THey simply do NOT care about the fans....MATTEL DOES NOT CARE!

Hasbro cares a more than Mattel. Hasbro improves their products, but still always cutting corners. I really miss Toy Biz ankles and toe joints....especially series 5 and after.

ANd I think the reason is TOy Biz guys were actually fans of the comics unlike those Hasbro guys(that's mu impression I know people love Dwight_...to think how much different looking SPidermen(artist interpretations) we Had and Hasbro in 10 years basically given us THREE or so for legends collectors?

I remember SHartimus doing a interview with Dave Vonner, who was one of the Toy Biz sculptors and the guys at Toy Biz would come to Dave and show his different comics and would tell him, hey can you make the character look like this...I mean fantastic stories about how TOy Biz did/attempted those amazing figures.

[TheUncannyMike]

I was looking forward to the Jubilee BAF line and of course they cancel it. They get your hopes up and then screw you. I want that damn Tigershark figure!

[kylactus]

Marvel Legends x Men Infinite Series Jubilee Series Stryfe | eBay

uh, I don't think the jubilee series was canceled...

[kylactus]

I can't help but feel like Hasbro is trying to sabotage all of there 3.75" offerings. Marvel, they bring back legends, and MU goes to hell trough poor distro, poor offerings, diminished packaging, Shit canning Vonner, and now reduced quality and articulation. Star Wars, like marvel once the 6" black series came out the offerings in the 3.75 style dropped way off, it seems they are only offering exclusives in 6" and pushing them way harder than the recent 3.75" stuff. G.I Joe... where the hell is it? there were a lot of offerings for t 25th series then even as movies abound the quantity fell off. I just get the vibe that Hasbro is no longer interested in the scale they invented! no new vehicles or playsets (which by the way are the driving reason for the 3.75 scale!) shit poor distribution! (I have no freeking clue how the hell they expect to sell something to a consumer base that may not know the product even exists!)Hasbro... TRY PUTTING YOUR SHIT IN A F**KING STORE! THAT IS THE PLACE PEOPLE GO TO BUY SHIT!
they can not bitch about sales numbers if they think average kids and there parents are going to do the research to hunt down figures on collectors sites! If all Hasbro is interested in are 20$ a pop 6" figures I wish they would kindly tell the MU fans to f*ck off rather than string us along on some cheapened half-ass version of a line that had a ton of potential. I hope someone restarts MEGO, and they crush Hasbro, buy out the rights to everything, hires Vonner, and makes him president... lastly, Hasbro go shove a Mr. Potato head up your collective pretentious asses.

[aefranci]

Dwight doesn't seem very supportive of the 3.75" line either, as was obviously shown during the panel. It really does suck for us 3.75" as they've offered us SO MUCH over these past few years. I mean that Future Foundation spiderman is REALLY articulated and the detail that these figures have were top notch! Now, we have bricks with semi-articulated limbs.

I don't agree with the statement that these new buck bodies is anything at all like toybiz when they were starting out, as Dwight has stated with his interview with Shartimus. I mean they have had YEARS of experience from the past MU lines to figure out which points of articulation to hash out and which ones to keep. Obviously they haven't done their research as most of the 3.75" movie figures don't sell, I mean NO TORSO joints?!

If these are the final products, then I'm afraid I'm really going to have to pick and choose only figs made with Vonner's articulation, cause these are just cheap plastic with no heart put into them. I'm going to customizers for my black cat, they deserve my money than Hasbro does.

And dear god, I hope Boss Fight studios gets a deal with Marvel so THEY can design the 3.75" line....

[Exodus]

Yeah they give us these hero smasher's that are loads of plenty And don't even stock the 3.75 and the ML's run out like crazy once you see them the next day their all gone if anything and never to be barely restocked again.

[ukmu]

@TheBlueMarvel... I had to google 'comic canon' but now I get it.

@Warmachine6... I have seen the GotG wave at THE ENTERTAINER stores.

@VashTS... I hope you were just kidding about "people love Dwight" because at least to half of us, he is PUBLIC ENEMY #1

@kylactus... Ditto, said by each and every one of us! I think we should do a kickstarter to raise 50k$ for a childrens charity and if we reach the goal, Vonner gets to punch Dwight in his face!!! I got $20 on that!!

@aefranci... I think BossFight is the future. If the line isnt going to be in stores anyway, then they could pull it off. Hasbro has the 3.75" rights until 2020, but BossFight could do it, they just couldnt do distribution. Also they would be $20 a figure, which wouldnt be so bad considering. And as for dickhead Dwight using the ToyBiz reference... it was 20 years ago. And Hasbro aint a small indy company like ToyBiz. That would be like XBOX getting a new guy in charge and coming out with pong 2 and saying just buy it, and it will get better. Hasbro is a FORTUNE500 corporation, why do they need to build steam to get better in an already established line?

@Exodus... As a corporation I can not understand their distribution for the life of me. There is demand but no supply. They blame everyone and never say sorry. Lame.

[aefranci]

@ukmu: I couldn't agree more...at least BF has the fans in mind, and know the types of articulation and detail we're looking for, and at this rate nobody gets the MI/MU figures for retail anymore anyways. The cheapest I got them are at 12 a piece..i was lucky with wave 2 on HTS and had a coupon but that doesn't count..

Sad thing is, I think those mashers have a lot more detail and a little more articulation and a ton more plastic than our beloved line. I have no problem with mashers, I think they're awesome...if I was 6-9 I'd probably buy those and play with them or trade with my friends, but passed that age I'm probably going to the MU...but with such less articulation..meh

BF gets my money..it's just too bad their kickstarter is over. And focusing more on my figuarts for now...despite the fact that MU got me back into collecting AND marvel.

[TheBlueMarvel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukmu

@TheBlueMarvel... I had to google 'comic canon' but now I get it.

I suppose I could have simply said "comic costumes"...I'm a goof!

[Exodus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukmu

@Exodus... As a corporation I can not understand their distribution for the life of me. There is demand but no supply. They blame everyone and never say sorry. Lame.

Yeah no kidding, online retail seems to have a boatload of the cases of the figures yet brick n mortar trickles it in...

[Phantomcrow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kylactus

Marvel Legends x Men Infinite Series Jubilee Series Stryfe | eBay

uh, I don't think the jubilee series was canceled...

I think he meant the ORIGINAL Jubilee line that was announced last year and cancelled that had Tiger Shark, Blizzard, Songbird, Radioactive Man, Batroc, Agent Venom, Modern Thor, and others. WE are seeing some of these announced now like Thor, Radioactive Man, Agent Venom and the Jubilee BAF is out now. So hopefully we see the rest of the villains also someday.

[warmachine6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukmu

@TheBlueMarvel... I had to google 'comic canon' but now I get it.

@Warmachine6... I have seen the GotG wave at THE ENTERTAINER stores.

@VashTS... I hope you were just kidding about "people love Dwight" because at least to half of us, he is PUBLIC ENEMY #1

@kylactus... Ditto, said by each and every one of us! I think we should do a kickstarter to raise 50k$ for a childrens charity and if we reach the goal, Vonner gets to punch Dwight in his face!!! I got $20 on that!!

@aefranci... I think BossFight is the future. If the line isnt going to be in stores anyway, then they could pull it off. Hasbro has the 3.75" rights until 2020, but BossFight could do it, they just couldnt do distribution. Also they would be $20 a figure, which wouldnt be so bad considering. And as for dickhead Dwight using the ToyBiz reference... it was 20 years ago. And Hasbro aint a small indy company like ToyBiz. That would be like XBOX getting a new guy in charge and coming out with pong 2 and saying just buy it, and it will get better. Hasbro is a FORTUNE500 corporation, why do they need to build steam to get better in an already established line?

@Exodus... As a corporation I can not understand their distribution for the life of me. There is demand but no supply. They blame everyone and never say sorry. Lame.

Talking about marvel legends not universe

[ukmu]

Yeah I know you were mate, some of the others weren't though. Just jumping in to bash on Hasbro as well. That's why I broke it down to each like that. Anyway, I have seen that GotG set at Entertainer, also I have a friend here in UK that has a couple whole sets for sale cheaper than retail. PM if you want me to have him contact you. I know your a local (for us anyway) ML guy, just looking out for you.

[warmachine6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukmu

Yeah I know you were mate, some of the others weren't though. Just jumping in to bash on Hasbro as well. That's why I broke it down to each like that. Anyway, I have seen that GotG set at Entertainer, also I have a friend here in UK that has a couple whole sets for sale cheaper than retail. PM if you want me to have him contact you. I know your a local (for us anyway) ML guy, just looking out for you.

oh okay , cheers that's surprising although i mostly look online rather than looking in stores so to speak when i was in London i think last week i saw some spider-man ML's in hamleys but not on their site

[Redlantern161]

I would agree that swappables are a great thing to have. I'd love to have many characters with heads that are masked & unmasked. The 2 pack with the Jim Lee style x men shoeed the potential for having swappables. The articulated toes & fingers however may be ok if you like to have figures flipping off people but other than that they may hinder the ability to have figures hold weapons & the toe joints might loosen up over time & prevent the figure from standing