marvel showdown vs marvel universe
 

I've been looking at the older Marvel Showdown line, and comparing it to marvel universe, same scale, similar price, simlar characters released.. but on ebay you can buy Marvel Showdown for a fraction of the price.. some figures still ask big $$ but for the most part you can by a decent Wolverine figure for $2-4, etc.. I haven't bought any Marvel Showdown, but have tons of Marvel Universe, and I wonder who has has mixed the 2 series together? and how would you compare the 2 pros and cons.. The major pros I see for Marvel Universe is better package design and larger assortment... but after that not sure...

YouTube - Marvel Legends Superhero Showdown Action Figure Lot here's a youtube video I found of probably an old ebay aucton... but it shows a good example of what Showdown has,.. personally I'd love to get my hands on the jim lee style cyclops, mole man, beast,invisble woman and reed richards.. even the thing figure sculpt looks better then universe... also I rather like the Hulk's head on the showdown figure...

I only have a few Showdown figures, but the line can go from brilliant (the Beast is a masterpiece) to plastic pieces of crap (the Punisher looks like a knock off from Mexico). The arms and legs tend to come off easily on most of the figures, but they fit in well on my Marvel Universe shelf.

Also, where else are you going to get Namor in his green pants, riding a missile launching shark?

If the 5 showdown figures I have, Venom, Reed, Moleman, Daredevil and Dr Octopus, only Daredevil is any good. Mostly they are too flimsy, can't stand well, and their parts tend to fall off. I had to superglue Doc's leg back on. Reed's ankle had a spur and has two left hands. You really have to like the extra texture they've sculpted into the figures. It has gotten a bit stale over the years.

A major issue I have with MLSD figures is loose joints. Almost every figure I owned from that line had at least one joint that would flop around with the slightest movement. Very difficult to pose toy that drops its arm as soon as you let go.

But if the quality is there and the sculpt/mold isn't crap, then they are a very good suppliment to MU. The problem is there aren't that many in the line that fit both criteria.

Agree with trebleshot and Prem1x. The figures are just too damn flimsy and their limbs tend to fall off. Some of the sculpts are decent, some are absolutely hideous. If you are interested in them I would suggest only getting the figures that don't have MU counterparts, like Beast and Moleman. From my personal experience, the MU versions are far better overall. Toybiz just didn't know how to make super-articulated figures in this scale.

I've bought a few to supplement my MU universe and can say that they're inferior in many ways to MU. IMO they are only good as supplements. I have Doc Ock, Ghost Rider, Moleman, Reed Richards, Sue Storm, and Thing. Most have loose joints and Reed's arms fall off at the least posing. Thing is awesome though, to me he's better than the MU version. Moleman is fine for that character and I doubt we'll see him in MU anytime soon. Truthfully, MU is far advanced than Showdown but if you can't wait for a character in MU then yes, Showdown is worth it.

Wow! I know some of mine have loose joints but not to the extent some of you have surmised.
I setup an poll at my website to get a feel of which versions people prefer.
http://goldbug.yolasite.com/marvel-poll.php
TheFwoosh had started comparison reviews & polls when MU first came out. Unfortunately they haven't kept up.
Some Showdown versions are vastly better than their counterparts.
Daredevil is by far one of them that stand out. I know MLS Thor gets some pretty high marks from collectors.
On the other hand MLS Captain America just plainly sucks!
Plus don't forget the Wolverine Origins & Iron Man movie figures.

I love my Beast, Ghost Rider and Doc Ock SHS figures. They are incredibly durable and are awesome in every way. Moleman isn't bad either because is squat.

Reed Richards and my Jim Lee Cyclops are HORRIBLE. Cylcops has two left hands a deformed foot and half melted. That was in package.

SHS arent reallya ction figures. They are meant to be on stands 90% of the time and can't do anything else beyond that.

I'd recommend the top 3 though as they can withstand some wear and tear. I might try and get another Jim Lee Cyc and hope that is in better condition just to have the variant

yeh it's only really beast,cyclops, ghost rider that I would really like the rest are so so.. I'd get the iron man, just because he's a focal point of my collection

I found a Marvel Showdown gray beast at a small local collectible shop for $5; kinda wish it was the blue one, but the gray one has the better intelligent looking face so it evens out I guess. Plus, I was watching Wolverine & The X-men and in the first episode Beast looks kind of grayish blue, so I'll just pretend he is the Beast from that series. LOL.

And since MU is giving us Modern Beast I guess I like the ML Showdown 90's version better... I just need to figure out how to make a 1:18 custom soft goods labcoat for him now. LOL.

I love the Marvel SHS and have almost all of them. The first few waves are shotty Dr Doom comes to mind. The SHS figs that are better than there MU or equiv are Venom, Thor, Beast, Dare Devil, Blk Spiderman, Doc Ock, Colossus, Silver surfer, Thing, Bone claws Wolverine and the Juggernaut. All these figs are worth getting even the reg Spiderman if you like to pose him all curled up SHS is the way to go.

yes the joints pop off or come loose but several of these toys still hold up to me as being superior than there modern counterparts. I love to mix them in mt marvel/Joe Universe. Most of my SHS figs are custom military themed to mix in well with my Joes.

I think omega might have done some comparison shots recently. I know he has a lot of the MLS figures. I have a few and love them, but going from pictures, some look absolutely awful (Cap). I have a loose blue Beast that I'm probably going to put up for sale if anyone is interested, so check my sales/trade thread next week (I won't be giving it away though).

Yep, I had a bunch of comparison pictures on another thread a while ago. I actually just sold most of my MLS on eBay as of yesterday.
The only ones I kept were Beast, Magneto (with head from MU), Thing, Doc Ock, Mole-Man and the Ghost Rider bike I had. The rest I got rid of as I already had enough MU and wanted to slim down my collection a bit.
Here's a few pics of what I had for those that didnt see them.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1868.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1866.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1867.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1838.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1834.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1603.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1602.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1601.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1600.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1599.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1598.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1597.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1596.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1594.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1593.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1592.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1591.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1589.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/IMG_1511.jpg

This is what I was going to say.

1 of the comic shops in the area has Ghost Rider and his bike, and I've contemplated picking him up just for the bike.

Other than that I'd pass if I were you. (Or maybe I wouldn't, who's to say, I'm not you.)

I bet Hasbro will get around to making whomever from Showdown you're itching to pull the trigger on.

Who is it BTW, Moleman or Doc Ock?

Both Moleman & Doc Ock are very nice.
Ghost Rider's MLS bike really sucks though.