@Most Wanted.... you can't go wrong with a FLAME ON Johnny. Also, the Chinese eBay sellers have a nice one that is light blue. The perfect way is using Baghead Spider-Man and changing his feet and head for Reed and Johnny. A bit pricey though, but better since happyeverydaysales has him for cheap again.

Marvel Universe Human Torch Flame on Variant 3 75 034 Figure VHTF | eBay
http://m.ebay.com/itm/151312674055?nav=SEARCH

The Chinese blue one looks pretty cool. Are the Chinese figures fake bootlegs, or real stuff that they sell locally

Neither actually.... it is where they are manufactured. There is little to no retailing of them there. That being said,they are real. Usually factory seconds, rejects or most likely over production pieces. ALL the toy companies with factories there do the same thing. They sort their 'extra' (see above) by plastic colour. Sometimes they recycle them and use again by.grinding, melting and re-pelletizing the plastic, but the good ones they sell them off by weight.

Apparently, auction houses buy the bulk and hold auctions every Sunday. That is where the eBay resellers come in. I have been told this.by four different eBay sellers from China...I ask a lot of questions. Anyway, what you buy could be anything from sloppy paint to two left hands to a perfect figure. Kind of a gamble. For the most part, I have been happy with the purchases 95% of the time. Also, if something is wrong...the sellers work very hard to.correct it. Just take a pic and send it to them and they will ship.you another.

The sellers and the auction house know if they are terrible, no one will buy them. So generally, what the do sell is good stuff. Most of it is just over flow. Say your quota of production is 1000 pieces and then you hit 1000 with fifteen minutes until quitting time. It takes 15 minutes.to change the moulds out.... you just carry on and let the next shift deal with it. That is where most come.from, and they always want to make 4% extra for breakage. Easier to run extra while it is set up than have to go back and change it for a small run later.

The rare pieces, like the recent Starfox and Nebula SDCC pieces are stolen by employees and sold to resellers. After SDCC you MAY see a few pop up that were overproduction or rejected for what ever reason. Sometimes these "bins" where they sit (the different colours of plastic) at the factory can take two years to fill. That is why it isn't uncommon for an older figure to suddenly make an appearance on these sellers sites.

Is there any popular ebay China sellers?

Certain figures like mystique, gambit,rogue, jean, cyclops, Mr sinister sabretooth professor x, is there news of them being re released or do I just need to pay for them on ebay

Mr Sinister and Rogue have never been sold individually so they're possible to be repacked later like the Guardians figures apparently are. The only individual Sabretooth was XMO and that was caveman Sabretooth, but none of those characters (except for the upcoming heroic age Cyclops) are expecting any figures any time soon, so as of now look to online options.

Yes ill keep sesrching for deals, someare asking high dollars for them. I like the xmo sabretooth,
The Guardian giftset looks pretty good at walmart
those old retro toybiz figures I see on ebay are those same articulation as newer MU

HERE ARE SOME CHINABAY SELLERS...write them down.
happyeverdaysales, viperkingdom, yaksanagezhou, sinodolls, therock9000, uswrestlers, blueduff (aka jimmies toys) jiandan9966, thecrowgirl

are the ones I have saved in my sellers list. Best bet is to just search search search.

As for your list above.. Gambit is available from China, but you will have to make a stick, easy enough with a trip to a DIY shop. Cyclops san be found (but not the JIM LEE one you may be seeking) Rouge was but is no more... Professor Xavier is always around $20-$25 because of his suit he is in high demand for customs.Sinister is usually found from China or locally for cheap. Jean will cost you. Mystique, if you are persistent can be had for under $15, but we will have to keep at it. Sabretooth is up and down in price. From $15 to $30 sometimes...odd market for him, seems everyone wants him at once or no one wants him at once and changes frequently. Rouge is gonna cost you too, but some arkers may have her for you. Set up a B/S/T (buy sell trade) list and put it as your SIGNATURE for others to find easily. This hobby takes a long time mate. In two to three years time though you will be there. Just keep at it and get a few each month. Your idea of ' what you want ' may change vastly as your collection grows. You may find yourself getting more 'specialized' on your collecting and buying habits. Maybe you want them all, maybe certain teams, maybe an era. Just grow with your new hobby and be open minded (and wallet)and it will be rewarding. Listen and ask here to the great people. Stay focused, dont just buy random, unless you score for a deal.

My best advise.... get out now while you still can!!!! It is not called plastic crack because it breaks ya know! Don't say I didn't warn ya!!!! Only stay in if you enjoy being poor and like talking to strangers about toys.....

;)

The only old Toybiz in 3.75" scale were the super hero showdown figures, they have roughly the same articulation, but are definitely not as refined and smooth as MU, I find few of the SHS figures transition well (case in point: Punisher and Elektra, they were both pretty fugly) some do, user discretion.

Oh ok I actually have juggernaut and hulk in a trade coming to me thats SHS

Oh man...im been a TF Mp collection past 3 yesrs and recently got into 3 inch clone troopers. I bought all ones I want, found out marvel has 3 inch figures and nice ones too

welcome to the party!!!!

I am in the same boat as you. Multi collector! I am sure allot of us are at Toyark. It used to be just Star Wars for about 7 years bu since the 3.75 explosion of 2008 I could not resist.

I pretty much completed my clones in 4 months. Learned marvel has so much variety. My clones look pretty similar and no variety. With marvel I don't plan to do army building

Yeah, we are MU only here. Closing in on completing what we are wanting. Not completists by no means, just Avengers, 90's X-Men, AIM, Skrulls, S.H.I.E.L.D., and mostly HYDRA. A few other teams chucked in as well.

When we get close in on the end, my lad is wanting HORROR FIGURES, and Godzilla toys. I figure just one of each of the horror (what scale don't know or style) and grab a group of different Godzilla and his monsters.

He.wants some.basic Joe's and Cobras to fight, I think Christmas I will get a simple set of each loose from some arkers. It is a wonderful and varied place here. Looking.forward to expanding in the future!!!!

Well, technically Godzilla can fit with Marvel too.

I've been meaning to start sharing my collection. I'll be doing it piecemeal, one shelf at a time. I have two tall bookshelves with six levels each, including the top. These two sets occupy a bookshelf top together:

First appearances (the Hulk is a custom I made, as is the Namor water stand; and first appearance Spidey is being worked on ATM):

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...ps09c0550f.jpg

One of my favorite supergroups:

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6a6a07d0.jpg

Technically? How about AWESOMELY! Godzilla was the first series I collected completely, start to finish, and I bought each one on the old carousel comics stands!

http://blogs.evtrib.com/nerdvana/fil...odzilla_23.jpg

Definitely recommend NECA for horror figures, though they are adult collectibles and not actual playthings. I find almost no other company has NECA's detail and price efficiency, and the range is pretty great from: A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, ALIEN, Predator, and they also do games like Bioshock, Dead Space, TF2, etc. oh, and Godzilla, now NECA is doing Godzilla which compliments their Pacific Rim figures. Like I said: adult collectibles, not really playthings, but they do hold an awesome shelf presence.

Does Marshalls have the Fantastic Four sets. I got the Guardians set from Ross today

Possibly, I haven't been into a Marshalls since holiday-season, but worth checking out I'd say.

The set is cool but no gamora

We've got ourselves a mystery gang! Which Gamora would you want the figure to be: classic or Annihilation (not the lame new one)
http://www.artofjohnbyrne.com/galler.../mu_gamora.jpg
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...igh_Res%29.jpg

It depends. Do we get a Pip the Troll?

Second one is good

http://blogs.evtrib.com/nerdvana/fil...odzilla_23.jpg[/QUOTE]

IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Vision AND Godzilla...you had me at hello!

@En Sabah.... my lad is ok with adult sort of lines. He plays very well, but is looking for something to sit in a Detolf shelf. One shelf HORROR, the rest maybe playmobil knights, Dr. Who (11th Doctor Matt Smith) and Scooby Doo...mostly because he has large sets of them all. Weird but cool collection and throw in a Godzilla shelf next to it...

Change them out from time to time with other stuff too.....

About to watch a movie, so will post OUR ARMY NUMBERS on a quiet Sunday morning around here.... a little Dad time as I get up early.