Is Marvel the new Star Wars?
 

I remember when it was impossible to find anything new of SW, to the point where I'd see parents actually complain to store employees about it. While I haven't seen Marvel quite reach that level, the simple fact is I've never even seen half the Marvel figures on pegs. Meanwhile, I've had no problem finding Pre Vizsla or any of the vintage carded SW stuff.

Is it like that for anyone else?

I would guess Star Wars is still shipping in way smaller numbers than Star Wars, and it doesn't have as many media tie-ins or bigger vehicles and box sets like Star Wars, but the comparison does seem fair up to a point. My children have been asking for obscure Marvel characters the way I used to ask for cantina aliens (my daughter demanded a MODOK and an Abomination) and both properties have their own mythology.

I'd say where it falls apart is that ultimately Star Wars has a single continuity and is a multigenerational story, whereas Marvel is awkwardly frozen in time and keeps telling the same stories a different way. My children and I can talk about Star Wars because every new property adds another layer to the story, whereas Marvel is stuck repeating itself forever, then rebooting and starting again.

There will always be new Star Wars characters and there's enough room to let popular characters die and change. Twenty years after this round of Marvel movies, we aren't going to get an expanded story with new characters, we're going to get the same stories over again. Peter Parker will be bitten by a spider. Captain America will fight in World War II, Iron Man will build a suit of armor.

If any license has the depth of characters and story to become the next Star Wars, it's Marvel, but I don't think it will ever happen because they're making too much money by turning their big characters into commodities. Instead of selling and expanding a story, their giving us eight different origins for each of their main characters, teenage spin-offs, dead characters that don't stay dead, SUVs painted like Iron Man's armor, and Spider-Man in cargo pants and a ski hoodie.

Marvel licensing is so desperate to be loved that it will go home with anyone, and in the short term that works, but long term the property is going to be used up and saggy and no one's going to want to touch it after a while.

Marvel Universe has looooong way to go .....
 

As far as Marvel being the new Star Wars I believe its no way near the ballpark. Retailers still don't have complete confidence in non-movie related Marvel branded toys even though Marvel Universe has to get constantly restocked at the limited amount each stores ....

You make some very good points. Spectacular ones really. And after reading your statement I realize it's one of the reasons I bailed out of the Marvel Universe, and jumped ship to DC (Where they have a lot of the same problems as you cite with Marvel) where they do indeed allow many of their characters to grow, and pass mantels on to younger generations.

However, While I agree with everything you said, I believe the original poster was talking exclusively about the toys, and not the story/universe comparison.

To the original topic, I don't think it's quite the same thing. Why? I believe that it's POS that screws everything up with MU and makes things hard to find. it's the same thing that killed Transformers Alternators, ruined DCIH, and has convenced many retailers that DCUC is a failier of a line.
I don't think Star Wars has suffered as badly from the various POS that retailers use to order with.

dunno what you guys are talking about. lately I've seen all 3 of the last 3 waves in stores. I even saw Thanos wave today.

It depends on what stores are local to you and how big your community is... I don't have a target, or toysrus that's local just a Walmart, Zellers, few independant comic stores and then just the odd other place ie Sears, Winners, Jumbo Video... I always see the shelves near full of Star Wars ,Toy Story and Transformers,.... all the MU stock is the same peg warmers left week after week, and when I do find a new wave,.. it's already been raped and have only doubles remaining

I live in an area where, within a 15 mile radius, I have 2 ToysRUs's, 1 TRU Express(That I know of), 4 Walmarts, 3 Targets, 3 Meijers, and 1 specialty shop like BBTS. So yeah, I guess I got plenty of options available to me when it comes to finding figures. lately since the holiday season started, the pegs are flourishing. in the last 2 weeks, I've seen Mary Janes, Mystiques, Juggernauts, Yellowjackets, and more. and I can always trade in my doubles and such at the Specialty Shop to get the ones I cant find. guess I'm lucky. Still looking for 3-3/4 Carnage

As far as the marvel universe and where its going comic book readers should know better MU has been painting a huge canvas with its characters lately with comprhensive story arcs that involve everyone. House of M, Civil War, Secret Invasion, Seige, The Messiah complex to name a few. Each of those all built on each other.(sorry if I mixed up the order) While every character does have its own series for the most part with the exclusion of the xmen's alternate reading universe everthing is constantly tying back on itself and moving forward.
I dont think the movies represent the brand as a whole. The movies are just marketing tools to familiarize new people with the product and entertain the current fan. You cant really compare DC and Marvel and find huge differances, look at all the versions of Superman, GreenLantern, Batman, Wonderwoman, story arcs we've gone through. The same with their movies. Everything gets redone at some point to rope in new fans and more money.
Star Wars has the advantage because its always been one story, one universe that keeps building on itself. Its not doing anything differant than the other brands, in that Luca's team is constantly creating more material (the clone wars tv show, and extended universe brands) to market to people. Instead of retelling stories(like they should be with the prequel trilogy) they keep stretching the brand to its limits to fill in cracks that arent really there. Star Wars is whatever they make it into this point. On a linear path Id say its going sideways now instead of straight. Which is the same reason I started picking up Marvel books because its not fleshing out better than it has, ever.
As a toy line I think MU is going to become the next "it" line considering the demand for it, and with the awesome new kids show its going to continue to expand.