Collectors have definitely noted the shift in toys based on Marvel Comics since ToyBiz collapsed and Hasbro took over the creation and production of the once-popular Marvel Legends line. Hasbro has different ideas about what makes an action figure great, and those ideas don’t always sit well with collectors who’ve dedicated a whole bunch of money and time towards building a consistent collection. You want a Beast that will look right next to an Iceman and a Gambit on your X-Men shelf, and that’s all there is to it. Two She-Hulks in completely different sizes is just a little strange.
Hasbro, showing off their stuff at the Marvel booth, showed off their three main toy lines based on Marvel characters. The continuation of the 6” scale Marvel Legends line seems to be tapering away, with almost no new figures shown, and most future figures being distributed in 2-packs containing re-re-releases of characters that most collectors already have. Most of the future Marvel Legends are eschewing the classic Marvel characters that comic fans would genuinely appreciate (Inhumans, please!) and instead making figures from very current characters and comic situations. This is great if you’re into the strange synergy between seeing your favorite new character in plastic and perched on your desk, and it also sells well to newer collectors who actively read comics, but it lacks the history and endurance that Mattel’s DC Universe Classics hold.
I know that as a collector of goofy little plastic figures based on imaginary people, I enjoy ‘iconic’, not ‘popular’ – but I’m also an adult collector, not the kid who these are probably being sold to because he thinks they look neat. I understand my place in the collecting chain.
The common sentiment among many figure collectors is that Mattel spends a lot of time existing for the fans, and Hasbro is more about the profit. Anyone who’s witnessed the quality decline between past and current Marvel Legends will probably express the same idea. Hasbro’s fourth wave of Marvel Legends, a set of five with a giant ‘Nemesis’ buildable figure, is already months late and has dropped a figure from the lineup for unknown reasons. Stuff on display at last year’s NYCC has still not seen release.
Instead, Hasbro is focusing their energy on their new 3 3/4” scaled line, which is designed to fit right in with your GI Joes and Star Wars figures. While it’s awesome to be able to pit a properly-scaled Dr. Doom against Darth Vader, I’d almost prefer that we finally, at long last, get a 6” scaled Darth Vader. If you go back into toy history, the arbitrary 3 3/4” scale was created for the express purpose of saving money in the production process, and it’s hard to not see that happening here. On the positive side, Hasbro displayed a whole ton of characters, the look great, and variety is the key to any successful toy line. No one wants to collect the same character over and over again (unless said character is Batman or Iron Man, and your name is me), so the vast variety of characters that will soon be available will push the line forward. And there’s at least one Iron Man in there, so count me in… partially. It’ll be hard to beat the amazing Marvel Legends Showdown figures that ToyBiz made, though.
Finally, Marvel and Hasbro love their Mighty Muggs, and for good reason – they tap the urban vinyl toy craze at a much, much cheaper price that your average urban vinyl piece. They’re cheap to produce, as many figures are simply repainted decos of the same body. They’re cute and accessible, even if you’re not completely into every character. And somehow, despite the dark history of toy distribution and availability, they’re not hard to find. No one’s going online to rant about how they can’t find Iron Man at Target and why every Target should subsequently burn down and how Hasbro executive should walk in front of trains (which are common things said by some toy collectors when they can’t find what they want – spend some time on toy collecting forums!) Hasbro’s been spot on with creative, cartoonish and effective interpretations of classic characters onto the round, chunky canvas of the Mugg – and the only miss seems to be with the upcoming Phoenix figure.
Perhaps the Mugg form only can aesthetically coexist with the male form, but Hasbro cranked out a Princess Leia Mugg without such a negative reaction. Maybe it’s the hair, but something is funky. Hasbro had one big Marvel reveal at the Con, and that was the Target-exclusive Iceman and Magneto Muggs, which should hit sometime in the first half of this year. I’ve always like Iceman.
Marvel also has toys produced through Sideshow Collectibles, but unfortunately, Sideshow has begun to decline attending any conventions on the East Coast, as their home base is over in California, and the cost of safely shipping their museum quality (and very heavy) products is prohibitive. The stuff that Sideshow makes is exceptionally beautiful, but the company makes periodic reveals throughout the year on an irregular schedule, so NYCC wasn’t a time of anything new and spectacular.
Marvel and Hasbro, just give me some Inhumans figures, and I might come back on board. I have to say that as a collector, I’m a little out in the cold over here. I’m not feeling the collecting buzz after seeing the NYCC display, but maybe that’ll change after Toy Fair.
More NYCC awesomeness still on the way, including space vixens, space aliens and barely enough space to walk around.
March 10th, 2009 at 9:37 PM
If you are looking for collectable comics, there is a booksale in Princeton, NJ March 25-29 that just received a donation of 1,300+ Marvel (and some Dick Tracy) comics, all in plastic sleeves. Find out more about the sale at http://www.bmandwbooksale.com. Something like 140 book dealers attend the first few hours but they are mostly looking for books, not comics.