With plenty of new Marvel figures ready to be popped out of the toy factory womb, it’s time to step back and take an overview of what’s coming and see exactly what I’m excited for. With the shift to movie-centric waves, things are a bit different. The randomness is gone, replaced by a thematic similarity that still leaves room for some diversity. How this will play out as the waves go on is anybody’s guess, but there’s enough good stuff coming down the road that narrowing down just a top five wasn’t easy.
Then there’s the question of the Jubilee wave of Marvel Legends and when that will be showing up. I’m still counting that one as “upcoming,” though, because I’m not about to give up on it, so expect to find them on the list.
5. CARNAGE
Carnage is debuting in the upcoming Spider-Man Marvel Legends Infinite series. Man, this guy gets a lot of flack, and undeservedly. But I am completely a fan of Carnage. While that doesn’t mean I’m a fan of a lot of the stories written around him — symbiotes and the stories around symbiotes got a little nuts back in the ‘90s — I love Carnage. I love his aesthetics (red and black can never lose), I love his power set, and I love the idea behind him. I think a knee-jerk reaction pops up around him where people blame him as a poster boy for ‘90s excess and lazy writing, but that’s just using laziness to combat laziness. Now pardon me while I get off this soapbox.
4. A.I.M. SOLDIER
And this one’s debuting in the Captain America Marvel Legends Infinite Series. FINALLY! We’ve been denied these beekeeper-looking bastards ever since getting pringle-teased by that “Bring on the Bad Guys” wave of figures back in the primordial times of Marvel Legends. But thankfully that never went through because those would have been minimally articulated abominations that would have been more bittersweet than anything else. But now we’re getting full-fledged AIM dudes with all their superscience yellow badassery. We’re also getting brand new Hydra members to replace the super-crappy older ones Hasbro did, but the AIM wins out as most anticipated Marvel army-builder.
3. BLIZZARD
Supposedly part of an upcoming wave of Marvel Legends, Blizzard’s got a great-looking classic costume that gets the importance of minimal iconic details without going overboard on teched-out nonsense. Plus, he’s another important Iron Man villain to add to those ranks. There are plenty of these great streamlined uses of the stripped down Black Panther body ready and waiting to be pumped out.
2. BATROC
Another in the upcoming Marvel Legends wave that’s floating in oblivion somewhere. If these top three figures don’t come out, I will go mental. It will be the height of cruelty to dangle Batroc the Leaper over our collective heads and then snatch him away. Do you know how much of a badass you have to be in order to make your specialty leaping? OK, it’s more complicated than that, but he stuck it in his name! Not something like “Master of Savate” or “Mustache McKickass” or anything along those lines, but Batroc the Leaper. “Who are you, nefarious bad guy?” “Why, I’m none other than BATROC ZE LEAPER!”
And then he kicks you in the face as you laugh unsuspecting of the fact that Mustache McKickass is about to kick you in the face.
1. TIGER SHARK
And the last figure that’s intended for some wave of Marvel Legends somewhere, sometime. This wave seriously needs to find a way out, because these last three are killing me with their coolness. But Tiger Shark is one of those characters that made it to the 4-inch line, and there was this feeling of “sonnuvabitch, why aren’t you in Marvel Legends?” Well, finally, they announced him, and on the perfect body. I would have cried pure golden tears if they stuck him on any other body — like, somehow cramming him onto that Wrecking Crew abortion. I love the powerhouse guys, always have, and Tiger Shark is another great addition to the Masters of Evil, the greatest group of villains this side of the Injustice League.
Well, there it is. A top five that doesn’t even scratch the surface. There’s also a great-looking Black cat, Radioactive Man, Boomerang, Songbird, and a lot more to look forward to.
