[Tarquinius]

As some of you know I've been a rabid MU collector (infact it's the first line I started to collect and the only one which I complete) and have been an active member on this forum for a few years.

Much like many of you, I was just as taken back about the rebranding of the MU line.In order, I felt angry then confused then concerned... that my favorite line would never be the same.

However, after some thinking I'm actually really glad they are making this change. I wanted to share the reasons why I think this rebranding will work out in our benefit.

1). MU has been on the decline for the last year or so.

Take this for what you will; distribution problems, character selection etc etc, but I choose to focus on two specific areas: number of waves per year and gimmicks within.

When the line first started we had the Fury Files gimmick along with different groupings (Shield, Hammer etc). We also were getting on average 7 waves a year with about 6 figures per wave. This year we will see about 4-5 waves this year with 4 or 5 figures a wave. This is not counting repeats (Rhino, Captain, Iron Man etc). We were also all angry that the Fury Files switched, when we gained and lost character stands.

Rebranding might usher in a new era of toy goodness where the newness of the line causes Hasbro to go "all in" and retailers being more open to it. Also, the newness of the line may allow for Hasbro to retry different gimmicks or ideas. Either way the rebranding throws out all the old rules and we have a clean slate in front of us.

2). Big toys....

Okay I will admit this next idea is a bit far fetch'd and skeptical but there may be something to it.

Going off my idea in the previous point, MU's decline has slowed down the special side of the line- Gigantic Battles, oversized figures and vehicles (or lack there of). Moreover Comic Packs are clearancing and 3 packs are ending. There are a lot of reasons that this could be but if I had to point to the main reason: MU's slowing momentum is making it harder to push bigger items (as most end up shelf warming and clearancing). This may be why Fing Fang Foom was cancelled (along with the ultimate rebranding).

With the new momentum that will come with this rebranding, it may allow for Hasbro to force some cooler toys, sets or vehicles on the market as well. The power behind a brand/name is powerful.

3).The great big unknown and I'm thankful for it, until 2020.

The general theme that I'm running with is that rebranding will breath life into MU. As like many of you, I love this line and I'd be devastated if it ended. So in some ways I'm happy that Hasbro is taking proactive steps to revitalize the line before it became beyond saving. This is even more important considering that Hasbro/Disney just got a continuance to do Marvel toys for another 6 years. As it stands MU has been around since 2006, so looking back on those 7 years, lets reflect on all the cool things we got out of this line. Imagine what another 6 more years could bring. Then think, what would it take to sustain such a major franchise?

Ultimately, this rebranding, along with the recent agreement with Disney, makes me hopeful that these next 6 years will bring about surprises which I can't imagine right now. I know we all like to pick on Hasbro, but they've pulled out some cool things these past 7 years (Deadpool Corps with floaties...come on thats something we would put on our dreamlists in the forum).

These are just my general thoughts. But I'd like to also hear other people's points of view.

[Exodus]

Mixed feelings like you, overall thought it was crap, but we'll see how they look like next year, until then we can only hope.

[DarthGzus33]

It will not have the same feel as MU to me, but I will roll with it. That new Red Skull looks pretty sweet, so I do have hope for the future. I would like to see playsets too (Like Doom's Castle, Avengers Tower, Banner's Lab) - that could make this line for me.

Please, PLEASE make Marvel Monsters at some point!!! Werewolf by Night and Dracula!!! And Morbius!!!

[kylactus]

Remember folks, Hasbro is bipolar... once the movies quit hitting 3 or 4 a year, and drawing the collective attention of the cattle like public, were libel to get our line back on track, the same thing happened with Legends. as far as my feelings on the direction there taking, who ever is in charge of decision making at Hasbro needs to have an American flag stapled to his ass and mail him to Iran! there is no way I can think of that they could have more thoroughly boffed up what is in my opinion one of the greatest ideas in toy history! And it blows my mind that it took so many years to attempt a 3.75 marvel line (not counting secret wars). To sum it up bluntly, Hasbro I love you like a criminally insane, slightly retarded brother with bladder control issues.... I want to beat you to death with a baseball bat for wrecking everything making crap decisions and pissing on my hobby, but your part of my family and I have to love you. and doses this mean that we once again are not getting Thor frog? I was really lookin forward to him... bogus

[DarthGzus33]

No Doubt, Me and a Buddy at work have been praying for an MU Thor Frog, maybe we will get lucky and he will be used in the AA Line...

[cellardoor]

It may be damage control but the promise of the same articulation, "crazy" character selection all just indicates that this is a turn in direction. Not a stop and re-start.
I'm not as involved in collecting and don't have a strong opinion on Hasbro as a company so I may be naive but more toys is a good thing for me.

[Nexodusrex]

I think the next few years are going to be great for the 3 3/4 inch Marvel lines. Sure questions exist about where Fantastic Four and Spider-man characters will fit in the Avengers and X-Men themed years, but we'll see how that goes.

Several things to be excited about that are MU Related too.
Thor and Captain America will continue to have 3 3/4 inch waves for their new movies, so hopefully some comic characters will pop up in there. I know I'm getting Kurse and Malekith.
The Guardians of the Galaxy is going to be big. I am hoping for 3 3/4 inch figures, but the thing I am most excited about, and I can Guaran-Damn-Tee you this is going to happen, is B-A-F GROOT!! A Groot that will fit in both MU and ML!! We saw Star Lord so we know GOTG is getting a 6 inch ML line. Groot is the obvious choice. And if not, maybe an oversized Groot Figure? All I know is its the perfect time for Groot.

[Snowflakian]

I think the re-branding is smart.

I've been suggesting similar for awhile now here.

It'd allow them to get more on shelves per year thanks to it. We'd also see more characters we want covered. If they alternate between the teams and styles we could get more covered too.

I imagine it going something like this.

Marvel Universe: Avengers
Everyone that was an avenger, fought them, or is tangentially connected to a member of the Avengers. (Thunderbolts, villians, Songbird, red she-hulk, Secret Avengers Venom, White Tiger, Jocasta, Avengers Academy and so much more.)

Marvel Universe: X-Men
Any mutant, any costume. Finally could start seeing some Academy X/New X-Men like Rockslide, Pixie, Surge, Mercury, that X-23 costume, the Second Coming styled Lady Deathstrike, and more. Even Deathlok thanks to his usages in Uncanny X-Force.

Marvel Universe: Cosmic (Guessing)
Everything and anything from space. Like Darkhawk stuff, Nova Corps, Vulcan, Shi'ar, Kree, Super Skrull, Heralds of Galactus, and more.

Then just keep alternating between those 3 per year to force a refresh and to allow carryover from a previous year that may not have hit shelves(didn't make it this time, go next time's turn in the rotation).
This would keep shelves stocked and refreshed. It'd keep retailers ordering as they would always assume it's the next big line, and it'd give us figures we want.

My only concern with it is it'll get flooded with Mainstays. That should be alleviated with each time having 6 figure set of those mainstays. Then let the single carded have the fun stuff. The three packs can also have 2 new to ever 1 mainstay to help push them(like how the thor 3 pack does it).

This could also start working in Hasbro's favor as each line will also be akin to one of the toons on air. Avengers Assemble, Hulk and the Agents of Smash, Ultimate Spider-man, etc. They can also start swapping some figures around more to fit each. A re-release of Carnage, Anti-venom, Nova, or anything else that might fit.
This way they'll constantly have a comic version line on shelves, while the movie lines do whatever.

Though ideally, I hope they go all out for X-Men: Days of Future Past. So the MU avengers line if it slowly dwindles in the long turn can just be replaced by that line for the switch to MU:X, and then repeat the process for the next Avengers movie.

Honestly though.
I wish they would do this with the movie lines too. Throw each under their brand umbrella, and build from there. So spider-man movie toys cover(with real articulation) spider-man movies and toon stuff. Avengers movie line covers IM/Hulk/Cap/Thor/whoever else(rebrand it per who is in theaters when including the cosmic space avengers GotG), and have an X-Men movie line that covers classic and modern.

Then the comic series figures would constantly be on shelves to keep us happy with a focus on who is getting the most notice from media exposure, but we'd also have a constant flow of movie styled figures too without flooding too many of the named star. That seems to be the main problem overall. Too many "concept/Battle gears" not enough actual variations that matter. It seems that's getting better though. Tony Stark coming in a 6 pack is a nice touch, and avengers did it well by giving an unmasked Steve Rogers. There needs to be more like that, and less like scuba steve spidey.

Also while on the subject. They better be doing XOFP sentinels. Those things are looking bad ass!