[TheBlueMarvel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwyss234

1. I don't think standard priced figures will be going anywhere. While I definitely think there is a place for premium figures, I just don't think Hasbro will ever convince people to pay premium prices for lower tier characters like The Hood.
2. There are too many figures being released. BAF waves have gone from 6 figures per wave to 7 figures per wave. The number of BAF waves each year has also increased. Add on to that fan channel exclusives, store exclusives, retro carded waves, and premium waves. Heck, there are even three premium waves this year with ML 20th, SM 60th, and X-Men The Animated Series. And there could be a fourth if they do another MCU premium wave.
3. With the price increase, would people be more receptive to smaller wave? A 7 figure BAF wave at $25 per figure is $175 before tax. However a 4 figure wave would only be $100 before tax. Does the change in total price help any make a difference to anyone?
4. If folks are receptive to smaller assortments, do we even need BAFs anymore? Would eliminating the BAF pieces decrease the price any or at least allow for more accessories? We've seen that Hasbro can sell regular 6" figures with out BAFs as well as larger, deluxe figures on their own.
5. The premium figures aren't really "premium" anymore. Most of them look like they could be swapped out for a regular release from a BAF wave. For example, the Future Foundation Spider-Man costs more but only comes with a few accessories while the retro carded Ben Reilly Spider-Man costs less and comes with more accessories. The deco on the FF Spidey isn't advanced or more intricate so why is it in a premium line like the Spider-Man 60th Anniversary?
6. If Hasbro was going to make premium figures that can compete with Figuarts or Mafex, should each figure be given a unique sculpt or will it be more about paint and accessories? Or all three of those?
7. And finally, the character selection in these recent waves stinks. Going back to the Future Foundation Spider-Man, why is he even in the 60th anniversary wave? From what they've shown, he's not a premium figure worth $28. But that Armani suited Doc Ock that StuartGreen2019 has been asking for would be worth it. That particular look for Ock hasn't done much for me in the past but I would far more interested in a new Doc Ock than FF Spidey. Even looking at the upcoming BAF waves like the Bone Breaker wave, did they have to include Darwin, Vulcan, and Maggot in the same wave? Were those three really more popular than Banshee or the armored Psylocke people have been asking for? And I'm not saying those three should never get figures. I'm just asking why it was necessary to put Darwin, Vulcan, and Maggot in a wave with a skinny Sabretooth and a lackluster Wolverine.

I was tempered in my previous response, but I've since realized holding back for fear of aggravating people with blocks of text is really just silly as communication is the intention of spaces like this one. Additionally, contrary to the derisive screeds about these price hikes, which deserve fan excoriation, this dialogue revolves around paths forward for the line.

1) I agree that standard figures - $24.99 - likely won't be going away, but only provided sales don't crater as a result of hikes. If there is a mass exodus of support, panic will likely set in and Hasbro would be forced to scramble. It could get ugly quickly. My concern with the $24.99 price point is that I'm not accepting that as the new 'lowest tier'. I'd be upset if army builders and 6" retro figs, which are largely re-issues (outside of rare exceptions), were to hit that rate.

2) We are in complete agreement in that there are too many Marvel Legends being released and too many price points. It's confusing for me and I've been collecting since the very start. I can only imagine what the experience for a new convert might be waltzing into this quagmire and trying to create some rationale for the disparate costs.

3) & 4) I would be just fine with a smaller wave. I'd also be fine with no BAF. The actual "Deluxe" figs Hasbro has been testing have become my preferred method of delivery for oversized characters. Hulks, Venoms, Uliks have been working as singular releases and there is no reason why Venompool and Armadillo couldn't have received the same treatment. Getting rid of BAFs might feel like sacrilege, but once Hasbro started delivering normal sized (and small; Puck; Hit-Monkey) builds, the shark was jumped.

5) Agreed, again. The 30th Anniversary Iron Man wasn't deluxe even with the pack-ins. In fact, that old helmet should have been a pack-in itself and the color corrections should have been featured on the retro send-up. That's why I want a truly deluxe line that includes all that I mentioned: placid and expressive heads, hands/fists/splayed-hands, weapons, effects, and improved textures/sculpts.

6) THIS. And - all three. Unique sculpts seem to diminish as lines become larger and more prolific, this phenomenon is almost an industry standard for 'play-lines'. Shifting to direct competition with Mafex and Figuarts would provide cheaper options to fans of those lines and represent a bump up for ML enthusiasts. Win, win. Anyway, Mafex and Figuarts have been asking for it as they've been encroaching upon the Legends space for quite some time now.

7) Constricting the number of figures in waves and raising the price is going to also necessitate skillful character dial-ups. The days of relying on lazy Google searches are gone. Playtime...has ended. (heh-heh) No more 'close but not quite' efforts, be deliberate and accurate with the characters and looks. It's not enough to simply hire an MBA, Hasbro needs to put someone on their production team that is genuinely interested in comics, or, at least, was at some point in their life. It's not enough to hire a suit that read their older sibling's comics (on occasion) while growing up. Not saying that is what going on, that's just my impression based on flubs like Mr. Hyde.