Action Figure Blues Forum

So, what do you hope to see this February?

-Marvel Legends: As usual, I hope to see some surprise B and C Listers from the 70s and 80s.  Shang-Chi, Jack-of-Hearts, Ka-Zar, Count Nefaria, and the Swordsman are always high at the top of my Want list.

-DC Mattel/Whoever: Why bother?

-MOTC: I have completely mixed feelings about this line.  They are way too expensive and S7 has loads of QC issues.  There are a few more C List characters I still want, but can I count on S7 to deliver?  Doubtful.  I was a little more hopeful about the 5" vintage style line, but there seems to be issues there, too.  Sigh....

-Mega Construx Heroes: Fun, affordable little line to cherry pick from.  It'll be interesting to see whatever they have.

-Castlevania:  I think Diamond is doing these.  They could be pretty cool.  Fun to cherry pick.

-Mcfarlane Star Trek: They've already done a great looking Kirk, so I would love to see Scotty and Spock. 

-McFarlane Game of Thrones: I may cherry pick a few characters, depending on who gets made.  I can hardly believe McFarlane is doing decently articulated figures in Basic Vanilla Poses!!

As always, I'm hopeful for some cool, new Indy line that is actually affordable.

Marvel Legends

Same as it ever was:

Killraven, “Classic” GotG, Eternals, any Timely/Atlas pre FF #1 characters.  And Kung-Fu guys.  Shang-Chi et al. 

Indie Comic Line

Still waiting for a comprehensive non Marvel/DC line in six inch scale.  Only qualifier is that the character has to be born in an English speaking comic.  No licensed characters from other media.  So yeah, Judge Dredd.  But no Manga.

DC

Stand by...

I've loved comics since before I could read.  Marvel, DC, and Indie and all been on my reading list from time to time as well as the occasional licensed title.  In my "maturity" I've settled on DC.  It's the right decision for me in terms of being both manageable and affordable.  As well as in terms of my enjoyment.  DC has been firing on all cylinders since the Rebirth Special.  IMHO. 

I started collecting action figures as an adult 20 years ago.  And I started with Spawn.  I was big into a lot of the Indie titles of the day having fallen away from Marvel and DC and their mostly horrendous 90's output.  I switched back to DC in 2000.  Beckoned in large part by the new JSA title.  And I started picking up DCD figures.  See, comics and action figures have always been linked for me.  I collect no other types of figures.  And I gave up on DCD/DCC a very long time ago.   

In a perfect world, Mattel would be making a dedicated COMICS ONLY action figure line based on the entire DCU.  Dr. Occult to Naomi (Bendis' new character).  Superman to Scare Tactics.  Batman to 'Mazing Man.  1935-2019.  Everything.  Every character, every version, every era, every costume.  ALL OF IT.  As long as it's owned by DC.  Watchmen, Camelot 3000, Slash Maraud, Thriller, Nathanial Dusk, etc.  But it's not close to a perfect world.  So I'll take Rebirth.

All inclusive of Rebirth, I'd like to see some Dark Batmen.  I'd love Mime and Marionette.  I'll take the entire Shazam Family.  We need a new Cyborg and Martian Manhunter.  Red Hood is coming.  Gimme the rest of the Outlaws.  Young Justice is returning.  Both Titans and Teen Titans have been very good.  JSA is in the queue.  Legion should be too.  Need a Swamp Thing.  Desperately.  Pack in Bobo the Detective Chimp.  I could go on, but you get the idea.  Glass half full and all that.  Trying hard not to be cynical.  And I have come to realize that when Mattel does something I don't like, it's not personal.  It's just business. 

Leave the gun.  Take the cannoli.  ;)             

I'd still like to see the Pulp Heroes get a go in 6" scale. At this point I think Mezco 1:12 is my best chance seeing as how they're doing a Popeye.

Great idea fish.  Even though I can’t afford em.  ;)  I think it’s probably the best format for Shadow, Doc Savage, Avenger, Tarzan, and the rest.

And speaking of pulp characters, any inkling of what happens with the Conan license when he comes back to Marvel in Jan?

As in a possible future ML Conan figure?

Yep.  That’s what I was thinking.

Also for some reason, Red Sonja is still with Dynamite.  Dunno about Kull and the rest.

Simply,I want to see MASK and GI Joe return.And *cough cough* Rom(not as a 4 " figure though). 6 inch or 12 inch with electronic bells and whistles.

The thought of 6" GI JOE is pretty cool.

ML versions of Conan, King Conan, Red Sonja, Belit, and Kull would be great, but most of that can't happen. 

Last I knew, McFarlane had the Conan toy license.  Maybe he still has it.

Marvel Legends - A healthier mix of comic based figures in the movie waves.  Some more New Warriors, X-Men Gold, 90's X-Factor, and 90's X-Force to complete some teams now that we're riding the 90's.

DC Multiverse - Just get some product out this year.  If they're going to show anything new let's see Rebirth Martian Manhunter, Azrael, Orphan, and Bobo!

Star Wars Black - Looks like they're going Prequels this year.  Aside from what's been shown I'd buy Dooku and some of the alien-looking Jedi like Ki-Adi-Mundi and Aayla Secura.  I actually kind of hope they make stuff I can pass on for budget reasons.

Transformers: War for Cybertron: Siege -I think we've seen the whole list leaked at this point, but for the reveals I'm hoping some of the alt modes are a bit more cybertronian.  That's my only complaint so far on what looks like a phenomenal line.

Marvel Minimates - Some comic based figures at all?  There are no solicitations out there it seems like.  Hopefully the line isn't dying.

yeah im into transformers again. love getting all the G! versions.

I wouldn't mind seeing SPEEDBALL and THUNDERBIRD, but WARPATH would be my first choice. 


I'm not doing a DC Wishlist, but since WB is heavy-on-the-modern, I wouldn't mind seeing The SIGNAL.

That said, with the YOUNG JUSTICE cartoon returning, I wouldn't mind seeing a line based on that.  But will it happen?  I'll believe it when I see it.

Young Justice figures crashed and burned in both scales before.  I can’t see them returning to that well.  However, the Young Justice comic returns next month with a mix of new and traditional characters.  Looks like fun.  Rebirth continues to expand its footprint from before the New 52.  I hope this expansion includes more figures.

I have a huge Rebirth want (among many).  Shade.  He appeared early on in the Flash for a few issues.  After all this “Dark Matter” stuff, I’m surprised he hasn’t shown up again.  Seems he’d fit right in.  Then again, James Robinson is working on a secret project so who knows.  Mattel made Gentleman Ghost so why not Shade?

Damn.  I'm really out of touch with some things.  [runaway]

Kids cartoons are used to move merchandise.  Young Justice couldn’t do it.  It was part of the reason the show was cancelled in the first place

I lost Gentleman Ghost's flintlock pistol when I moved out of my ex's place.  One of my few regrets.

Ouch.  +1.

I hate when you see something like that on eBay, but the seller wants like....5 bucks for it.   :P

I guess that's exactly what happened to the new HE-MAN cartoon.

Not to sound stupid, but any theories as to why YJ figs didn't sell?  Price?  Style?  Distribution? 

Older-skewing show didn't move toys?

After some quick research, I think it may have been a combination of being a little too pricey, and the style being somewhere between animated and traditional DCUC. 

http://bravefortress.com/gallery/dc-young-justice-6-sportsmaster/

http://www.onepercase.net/2011/10/young-justice-red-arrow.html

Sorry to derail the thread.

These along with the Public Enemies figures didn’t quite fit with DCUC.  I pretty much ignored them all. 

I'm pretty sure it's dead and over now, but I would love to see some more BATMAN '66 from Funko.  They never did Joker, Riddler, Penguin and quite a few others.  It really started off strong.  Who would have ever expected action figures of KING TUT and BOOKWORM??

https://13thdimension.com/toy-fair-2018-hope-lives-for-funkos-batman-66-line/

I have to admit that I may be getting ahead of myself here, but I’m not going to be too shocked if Mattel shows up with some JSA at Toy Fair, or, more likely SDCC.

In the last few weeks several cast member have been announced for the Stargirl TV series which is starting to sound like a stealth JSA series.  It seems like casting is taking a more traditional route.  Meaning white male comic characters will be portrayed by white male actors.  And it doesn’t sound like they’ve been “Berlantied”.  Yet.  JSA appears on one of the covers for Doomsday Clock #10.  Hawkman and Dr. Fate are currently appearing all over the DCU in comics, and the most recent issue of Detective teed up the return of the Spectre.

I’m thinking we’re in for some JSA love very soon.  Long overdue. 

I've been disappointed by nearly all DC offerings ever since WB killed the Classics line.

I would love to see some JSA just for something different.  I'm not even sure how many characters I would want, if any.  But it would be cool to see something other than 'this months' version of Batman, Harley, and the Joker.

Hourman and Wildcat appeal to me, and I don't have the Mattel versions.  I would LOVE a new, well done GA Atom where he is very thick and squat.

Yes, I think the YJ figures were a bit too pricey - they did (very cool) diorama packs for the 6" figures which made them more expensive, not really the sort of stuff the "Moms and Dads" are likely to pick up on spec.

The figures themselves  - both scales - were really excellent though.

Disappointing year at Toy Fair:

Mattel is out.  Todd is in.  Things will surely change.  Possibly radically.  The DC license may never look the same.

Hasbro appears to be phoning it in on Marvel Legends.  Although they tend to show more fan fave stuff at SDCC.

DCC survives.  Still showing me nothing I’d spend money on.

No Indie comics figures (again). 

Coolest thing I saw was that BWS Conan from Super 7.

I'm super-excited about the ML showings.  I don't see how this massive effort can be shown as phoning it in.

Every year I find that the Marvel Legends reveals seem more and more repetitive. Juggernaut again -- this soon?! They do manage to eek out a few figures I want every year, something like 10 percent. There are just way too many classic characters that are not being represented.

I’m with you. I don’t recall ever being this excited for any line after an event as I am with ML right now. The Magneto family set, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Silver Samurai, Hydro Man, and a handful of others all look great and I really can’t wait to get all of them.

-Marvel Legends:  Silver Samurai looked great.  I really liked the Quicksilver/Scarlet Witch/Magneto set

-DC Mattel/Whoever: The McFarlane announcement is very interesting

-MOTC: I don't want them, but I was happy to see Movie figures.  Those will make a lot of folks happy

-Mega Construx Heroes: Thanks for not showing anything, Mattel!

-Castlevania: These looked great, but oddly, I'm not sure if I want them

-McFarlane Star Trek: Nothing?  Dang it

-McFarlane Game of Thrones:  A few cool figures, but no characters I really want

-Surprises:  Seeing Conan at SUPER 7, and learning that they will also be doing Ninja Turtles

Not really commenting on sculpt or costume choices.  They all look great as usual.  Just a dull bit of character selection.  IMHO.  YMMV.

Rock Python!  Yeah, it's admittedly a lot of re-do's this year - but a whole lot of them and they look great.

Same. There is no doubt that the figures look the best they have. Selection is where I am being let down.

At this point, DC figures are like hoping you find a hundred dollar bill on the sidewalk.  You really want it to happen, but the odds aren't likely.

That's just my personal experience.  I realize that a lot of that is because I'm looking for mostly B and C Listers, and lots of Never-Been-Dones.