Marvel Universe figures

I started reading the comments here and blew them off thinking... huh, just a few months back everyone loved the figures, now these guys are complaining about the look?

But upon going to the actual pictures at Marvelous News the figures don't look nearly as impressive as the initial photos. It looks like the sculpt is intact, but compare the Bullseye uncarded and Bullseye promo shot, or the flaming Human Torch uncarded and promo shots. Some of these figures aren't translating well. Perhaps it's just the angles of the poses but the shoulder joints in some poses look unusual when they join the torso, some of the detail looks washed out. They just look... off.

On the plus side, Marvelous News has this as Wave 1, and they won't hit for a while so we've got time to fix it right?


The line up:

- Black Panther
- Bullseye
- Daredevil
- Human Torch
- Human Torch (variant powered down, or is the variant powered up?)
- Iron Man
- Iron Man (Stealth Armor)
- Punisher
- Silver Surfer
- Spider-Man

Marvel Universe Update

From Marvelous News's new Q & A:

MN: How is the 3 3/4" Marvel line coming along? Has there been any kind of updates, changes or additions made since Comic-Con that you can talk about?

Hasbro: The line is coming along great - we're finalizing the 4th wave of single carded figures right now and we're hard at work on the 5th wave for 2009. We're continuing to partner closely with Marvel Publishing to make sure that there is a tight relationship between comic and toy. We're also in the middle of nailing down the full year 2010 lineup, which is always exciting. The fan reaction has been tremendous for this new line and we're looking at all sorts of exciting new possibilities and ideas!

So in sum: at least 5 waves have been worked on for 2009, the lineup is planned through 2010, and they hope the line stays connected with the comics.

News Clips 8/26/08

For those not able to keep up with the couple dozen or so Marvel titles put out monthly, Marvel has put up a Marvel Universe Saga for a free read on their website. With one paragraph catch-up descriptions of most major events and characters, it brings you from Secret War through Secret Invasion.

And FOUR new 12 episode half hour anime series based on new versions of classic Marvel Comics characters? Good idea? Bad idea? Launching in Spring 2010, the press release talks of "a uniquely localized and cross-cultural adaptation of the Marvel Universe", "creating in essence a whole new character base for Marvel" and "a completely new character base, which will eventually cross-over into the current Marvel Universe" (Note: snippets out of order.) Although the press release talks about how original this concept is, Marvel has dipped its toes into the concept before with Spider-Man J, Spider-Man India, the agreement for Marvel and Del Rey to produce manga series together, the Marvel Mangaverse titles, the 1970's Hulk manga, and Spider-Man Manga, Marvel UK's Captain Britain... all attempts by Marvel to create localized and cross cultural versions of Marvel Comics characters (with the exception of Marvel's Mangaverse, which was made for and marketed to an American audience).

Maybe Marvel will take a cue from DC have have a Countdown Arena type series where the Ryoichi Ikegami Spider-Man, the Yamanaka Akira Spider-Man, the Sharad Devarajan and Jeevan J. Kang Spider-Man, Animated Spider-Men from the 60's, 80's, 90's, BOTH animated Spider-Men from the 2000's (MTV and the current Spectacular), the 70's live action Tokusatsu-style robot-fighting Spider-Man, the 70's "American" live action Spider-Man, the Mangaverse Spider-Man, and... what the heck, maybe even Ultimate Spider-Man can all fight to the death.

Hi-Res shots of Marvel Universe figures

Marvelousnews has some hi-res shots of the upcoming Marvel Universe 3 and 3/4" figures and they just keep looking better. These shots give some up-close detail of the articulation these figures have (chest pivots, ankle pivots, segmented kneecaps, pivoting leg/thighs) and hopefully give Mattel some ideas for the next generation of Infinite Heroes.

Speaking of Infinite Heroes, however, "Captain Toy" has a review of the first Infinite Heroes 3-packs. We don't necessarily agree with all his points (for instance, the grasping hand packaging which is actually a tie to the Infinite Crisis storyline with the giant hands rending apart the universe, and although design is in the eye of the beholder, we think the hand element makes the single packs stick out quite nicely from other similar toys. We also think that with the exception of Commissioner Gordon's slightly enlarged "paws" the hands are generally reasonable. Then again, we like the Super Hero Squad which is all about big hands. Your mileage varies...) he really sums up the highs and lows of the initial offerings.

The good? Solid toys, for the most part well sculpted, proportionate with other similar sized figures.

The bad? Certain oversights (the t-hips in particular) make posing possible only in limited situations. For instance, the Flash can't "run" because the butt-stop prevents proper extension. The characters can't "fight" because while they can turn at the waist, the legs won't pivot to allow standing in most positions that aren't straight standing. Compare that with Silver Surfer and you'll see what we mean.

He also mentions the lack of heavy hitters in the first round, and it's a valid point. If you want a Batman, you buy a movie Batman from the Dark Knight line. Superman is coming, but in a later box-set. Flash is the only Justice League representative. By the holiday season, however, the big names like Hal Jordan, Green Arrow, Hawkman and Superman should be available, with other big "names" like Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Robin held back so there isn't a "dry spell."

And finally on the Infinite Heroes front, Atom and Black Hand have started hitting eBay, so they'll hopefully be in stores soon.

Customizing Assist

Toycutter is filled with ideas, suggestions and assistance for Toy Customizers. The blog covers everything from Super Hero Squad figures to GI Joe type figures, miniatures, and more. Here's some of the more interesting ideas and links for fans of Super Hero Squad and 3.75 inch figures.

This Wargaming Terrain can easily by customized a little larger to be used as a display base for your Super Hero Squad figures.

Customized 3.75 Union Jack and Bishop, although an official Union Jack was shown at SDCC

Deadpool!

Marvel Ape?

And Tons of How Tos

So go, enjoy the sites and scenes, and maybe even make something cool.

Action-Figure.com has updated their gallery to reflect the new Marvel Universe 3.75 inch (or 3 3/4 or... someone should come up with a standard nomenclature) figures, with some really crisp up-close shots.

One of the interesting things is the number of snap-on weapons, like for instance Iron Fist's fist appears to disconnect from his hand for "powered down mode", and Spider-Man's web appears to disconnect as well for use with other characters, or if you have two webs, you can always have a web-slinging good time!

News Clips 7/27/08

New crisp photos of the 3 3/4 Marvel Universe line (the one Furyfiles.com, which is back up now, is promoting)? right here.

Want to see what the line looks like in action? right here

And just to explain how difficult our job is fighting rumors over here on this site, after months and months of speculation and mis-information we finally receive official word on the Collector's Pack last week. So we've got an official time (Late Fall), and an official place (Toys R Us), but what happens on one of the trading boards when someone asks when the set is coming out? He's told that it was officially confirmed to come out in August. At Wal-mart. Now, we thought that when that rumor started in April it was so silly nobody would fall for it, but apparently some did. To break it down once and for all:

Rumor: Collector's Pack 2 will be released in August, at Wal-Mart, and was delayed because characters in wheelchairs don't sell. Source: A guy that had a total of 5 posts to his name, posting on an out of the way thread on a random trading board about something a friend of his says he was told by someone else.

Truth: CP2 will be released in Late Fall, at Toys R Us. Source: an official Hasbro Q&A hosted by Raving Toy Maniac and thus slightly more believable than some guy who says he heard something from his friend who talked to a guy at a Hasbro booth

And finally, since a fair number of readers are interested in the DC Infinite Heroes, we hope to bring a few new surprises for them later this week.

Fury Files/Marvel Universe

While Furyfiles.com is down, there's still the following links available:

Spider-Man
Iron Man
Punisher
Silver Surfer

With more coming soon, as you can see at the SHIELD site while the video can be seen here

And Cool Toy Review has posted their shots of the Marvel Universe 3 and 3/4 inch (and more) toy previews. One of the best is this diorama

And from their coverage of the panel:

Q: How many Marvel Universe figures will there be?
A: 35 figures planned for 2009, possibly more. Maybe vehicles down the road.

Now, they showed pictures of roughly 25 figures during the slideshow, more if you count the Spider-Man/Iron Man/Human Torch/Ms. Marvel variants as separate characters, so that means we've seen a good chunk of the line for 2009 (and these things are planned out well in advance) unless response is strong enough to start a rush to fill the demand.

They're definitely going with the heavy hitters for this line, although they're a little X-Men light, and the women are woefully under-represented, but if they only produce 35 figures during 2009, while DC's Infinite Heroes should have roughly 45 out before 2009 even starts (ie, for that critical holiday shopping season) will that headstart make Marvel want to amp things up? 2009 is going to be fun, but expensive.