New Figure Round Up

Just as a round up of the new figures seen so far in the various photos (and keep in mind, we're not counting previously announced but unreleased figures like Hulk Wave 3, the Collector's Pack 2, 4-Packs Wave 3, or Super Hero Squad Wave 10) we spotted the following figures that have either been mentioned only in Walmart SKUs or at conventions but have not been heretofore shown:

Dreadknight
Gargoyle
Iron Man (Movie)
Iron Monger (Movie)
Kang
Mandarin
Marvel Girl (Rachel Grey)
Mystique
Nick Fury
Nighthawk
Ronin
Shang Chi
SHIELD Agent
Skrull
Ultron

For a total of 15 previously unconfirmed characters, which, when added to the 107 other characters (counting movie and Ultimate versions separately from comic versions, but not counting separate variants, resculpts and repaints), we're up to a total of 122 separate characters! Now, take out movies and Ultimate versions and we're down a little bit, but imagine how high that number could be if we didn't have over 20 different Spider-Men sculpts and repaints.

Another piece of good news is the depth of character selection. Dreadknight is known as an Iron Man foe, having first appeared in that title, but he has tangled with Captain Britain, Black Knight and Spider-Man, and once tried to take over Latveria. His only previous action figure has been one for the Iron Man animated line back in the 90's.

Gargoyle, the fan-favorite Defender, has had his own mini-series, and important supporting roles in both the Earth X trilogy and the Defenders, but his most recent appearances have been as a background character in Avengers The Initiative 15 and during the Last Defenders mini-series, which also featured the slightly higher profile Nightwing who has been in the Defenders, the Initiative, the Squadron Sinister, and has worked with the Thunderbolts and many other assorted heroes. This will be the first action figure for either character.

Kang is a long-standing Avengers villain who has also menaced every major hero. His action figure history is long and proud, going back to the Secret Wars line during the 80's. His inclusion isn't hard to imagine considering his general prominence in the Marvel Universe, but his last major storylines were the year-long Avengers epic back in the Kurt Busiek days and his more recent visits to the modern day in Young Avengers.

Marvel Girl has been a member of the X-Men, Excalibur, and now the Starjammers, and has had a recent Marvel Legends figure. Since her return in X-Treme X-Men (there was a long story involving the Days of Future past timeline, Britanic, time-travel, forming the Clan Askani, helping Cable in the future) she has certainly had a higher profile.

Shang-Chi's most recent appearances were in the now-over Heroes For Hire and the Wisdom limited series, and while I think he had a late-90's Toy Biz figure (back when articulation meant your waist could swivel and your arm could go in a complete circle around your shoulder) he's been otherwise absent.

Edit: Just realized that we didn't put Black Widow, 616 Rhino, Avalanche and Tombstone up on the list. They were mentioned later in the convention, and they bring the list up to 19 previously unconfirmed/officially announced characters, or 127 different characters. Black Widow gets a heads up for her Mighty Avengers role, Rhino is a classic Spider-Man villain that has already had an Ultimate release during the Spider-Man line, but classic X-Villain and Brotherhood member Avalanche is an interesting choice no more obscure than any other old-school X-Men villain. Tombstone is perhaps this wave's Puma, but has received a public relations makeover due to his appearances in the Spectaclar Spider-Man animated series, so it's possible his role in that gave him an edge over the competition for creation.