Marvel Legends is a long-running brand spanning two companies and hundreds of characters and costumes over the course of more than a decade. Like any line, it will never be fully “complete” like many of us want, which means that all-important Gamecock figure may forever lie just out of reach.
However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some high-profile characters whose absence is surprising and egregious. This column will focus (thus the title) on those characters.
The inaugural character to receive his spotlight in this column is one who is enjoying one of his largest surges of popularity ever in recent years: Thanos.
Ever since that purple face gave us a profile shot in the final scenes of The Avengers:
Thanos has become a pop culture darling, breaking through to the mainstream in dozens of “who is” articles. As Marvel creeps its way into Phase two and three of its movie domination, Thanos is certainly going to become a larger part of the cinematic universe that Marvel Studios is creating, which will bring him exposure unlike any he has known before, even at the heyday of his Infinity business back in the ’90s.
But he has yet to appear in the Marvel Legends line. This cannot stand!
Sure, he has had plenty of figures in several lines, from two 5-inchers in the ’90s to a 4-inch Marvel Universe figure to the Marvel Select figure that everybody and their uncle says is good enough for their Marvel Legends displays. He probably has a mini-mate and a Superhero Squad figure. But Marvel Legends? Nothing.
Side-note: I know many of you will say the Marvel Select figure is fine. And I will repeat and repeat and repeat, that figure is in scale with Marvel Legends the same way that the Marvel Universe figure is: not at all. Oh yes, it’s a fantastic figure, and I own one, so I’ve been able to see how good it is in-hand, but it’s not a properly scaled Marvel Legends figure, and it was never intended to be.
Thanos is due a proper Marvel Legends figure. Among the ranks of villains, not having Thanos is akin to not having the Red Skull or Dr. Doom — not that we have a definitive Red Skull either, but that’s beside the point. If not for that Marvel Select figure, he no doubt would have made repeat appearances in Fwoosh’s own top ten. He’s a key villain who has fought pretty much everybody in the Marvel Universe. And that’s no exaggeration; he’s fought everyone. I’m sure he’s probably gone a round with Howard the Duck somewhere. If you’re not totally familiar with him, check out the Thanos Quest and the Infinity Gauntlet mini-series for some of the best work done with him.
A few years ago during the Annihilation fever that was sweeping the world, Thanos was hanging out in robes, and people wanted that. Luckily, that’s over, so forget robes and put him in his iconic costume. And soon, soon, before the movie design debuts and then gets shoved into the comics and everybody is panting and wetting themselves to get that one. Just look at the Marvel Select figure and shrink it. And while you’re at it, take a cue from the Marvel Select figure and do the swappable-hand thing. A Thanos figure needs an alternate Infinity Gauntlet.
I prefer Thanos to be around regular height, but thicker. There’s no base body out there suitable for him, so this would require a brand new sculpt. If Hasbro was smart and depending on the movie design, they could make one thicker base body that would work for both with some overlays.
C’mon Hasbro, do him justice. And while you’re at it, make his helicopter too.
That’s just adorable.