[TheBlueMarvel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GizmoTron

Touché. But I think Doc Ock was just first, if these stay successful, we're likely going to see Smythe alongside Chameleon and Morbius in their show appearances.




See, if this were the regular Spider-Man retail wave, I'd agree with you. I'd rather see a Carrion before another version of Doc Ock (or two Ben Reillys and a Miles for the that matter, but such is fate).

But this is the animated series VHS line, there is no spot to take from a new character. Although, Aunt May IS a new character, but not really the point. The point is where Doc Ock in this costume belongs. And I also argue, that since as you said this is usually a low effort line for Hasbro, that the tooling budget saved and revenue generated from these sublines is a great thing. It will keep the line strong and bring in the funds to make more original offerings like Man Wolf someday.

Anyway I don't have poll numbers anymore than you have sales data, it's just based on what I've seen across the web ever since the retro cards for Spider-Man became a thing. People have been asking for this Doc Ock, they said as much on the Livestream, and now he's here. With some overdue new tentacles to boot.

And anyway, I don't defend Hasbro, they make plenty of missteps (the price of this set especially will be unpleasant). I just defend this release from being one of them.




Nah, just having a conversation. Forgive me for liking a Hasbro product I guess.

What's really weird, though, is how some people always go into threads on toy message board of all places trying to be funny by using terms like "Hasblow" and just generally being rude to others.

But I suppose it's like they say, "if it at first you don't succeed..."

Fair enough, I got what you were saying from the start. I used to try to make sense of the shell game Hasbro plays with slots and character selections while leveraging different fan wants. I did what you are doing until things didn’t make sense and it became obvious (to me) that these adjunct offerings - lines within a line – are a distinct part of the problem and creating schisms in overall vision.

There’s the canon line, the animated line (including 90’s animations for Spidey/X-men/FF/Iron Man and Disney Plus’ What IF?), the MCU/live action line (Films and TV), the retro line, a video game line, and an on/off again ‘riders’ line all under the ML banner. I imagine you might be thinking, “what’s the harm in this? – the more, the merrier.” Which I’d agree with if Hasbro maintained some sort of consistency throughout, but they’ve delivered these brainstorms in fits and starts and most of us (even well-heeled ML collectors) have no clue what’s going on. (FYI I’m pretty certain I’ve said this before in a similar discussion years ago)

Just as we get used to something, Hasbro disregards whatever logic they’ve established. We get animated in retro, canon anchoring MCU, and vice versa. Hasbro excited fans by reviving the legendary riders series only to deliver this highly anticipated Hawkeye three years after Punisher, Cosmic Ghost Rider, Ghost Rider, and Squirrel Gril – sorry, I’m not really excited now, especially with this feeling like an afterthought - and looking like one; please leave the soft goods alone, Hasbro.

Consistency and vision are even more important now with enduring supply chain disruptions due to the lingering pandemic and an MCU (the engine that drives the car) still struggling to regain its footing with movie goers. Cleaning up some of these muddied lines (maybe even ridding themselves of a couple) and locking in characters of consequence (which, to be fair, includes Otto) with high profile looks will be key moving forward as it’s canon collectors that are potentially driving the bus now that the films are floundering.