“Hot” figures. They’re nothing new. They’ve plagued Marvel Legends collectors for more than a decade now. Starting with the first chase figure inserted into series four, collectors have been forced with this choice: bite the bullet and pay an inflated price for these figures, or gamble and hope for their secondary market value to go down. So which of these is the better option? It turns out there are no easy answers.
Setting the Precedent
For Marvel Legends, it all began with Goliath in series four. A reissue of a previously released box set figure, his small size, dated sculpt, and limited articulation didn’t really fit with the rest of the figures in the series, and the figure was regarded as more a curiosity than a must-have. It was series five’s Red Skull where things really began to heat up.
Built on tooling developed for the movie Daredevil, the Skull is one of the earliest examples of reuse in the line. I actually paid $50 for this guy waaaay back in 2003 because: 1. I’d never seen him at retail, and 2. it seemed unlikely I ever would. While there was a big stink at the time about this figure being “controversial” due to its origins, it was all foofarah. After all, its not like ToyBiz sprang a secret Nazi figure on retailers — they knew full well the Red Skull was coming and said nothing. The figure’s aftermarket price was entirely artificial due to opportunistic scalpers. And you thought the Skull was evil!
The X Factor
Marvel Legends series six was under-ordered, which proved to be a problem as it contained some of Marvel’s most popular mutants: Wolverine, Juggernaut, Phoenix, and a throwaway character called “Deadpool.” Finding series six at retail was like stumbling across water in a desert — you couldn’t believe it, and you took all you could before it disappeared. To appease collector demand, ToyBiz briefly entertained the idea of reissuing a “best of” wave with slightly tweaked paints. This never happened, which kept the aftermarket prices for these pieces high.
Growing Pains
Sometimes it’s not the individual figures collectors are so hot for as much as the Build-a-Figures. I remember completely losing my $#!t in a comic book store in Florida because someone had taken a perfectly good Walmart series Giant-Man figure, splattered it in black paint and Dremal scars, and called it a “zombie custom.” When I protested, I was told that Florida was saturated with this wave and that building the figure had been “easy.” Now, the only figure I ever saw from this wave in my entire state was a stray Weapon X variant, so I was beside myself. It goes to show that with Marvel Legends it’s often feast or famine, with figures suddenly appearing mirage-like in a store that dropped Marvel Legends from their plan-o-gram months before, or vanishing from a location that has carried them for years.
Dollah Dollah Bill Y’All!
Back in the day, if I have the cash, I’ll buy it. It didn’t matter if they were characters I wasn’t familiar with or even from comics I actively disliked: if I found a peg full of X-Men, I’d grab ’em because my toy philosophy has always been the more, the merrier. This pays off when BAFs like the Sentinel appear. Unless the entire line suffers a serious downgrade, army-builders are always going to hold their value. These robotic adversaries of the X-Men continue to demand strong secondary market prices in spite of a larger and more modern version of the Sentinel being released a few years ago.
Dark Days
When the torch passed from ToyBiz to Hasbro, some of that Marvel magic seemed to be lost. I found the minimal paint apps and newly soft sculpts off-putting. While I still picked up the figures as they dribbled out, my “gotta catch ’em all” mentality began to wane. I left multiple Kree/Skrull packs behind because I just couldn’t muster enthusiasm for them. I passed on a Black Widow/Winter Soldier two-pack because it was the gray-suited version, a decision that cuts me to this day. Both of these sets command a handsome aftermarket price today, and my shelves are the poorer for it.
Of Panthers and Pucks
After a few spotty years, Hasbro seemed to find their feet. Unfortunately, now I couldn’t find their figures. Moving from a major metropolitan area to a small town meant I had fewer places to buy. Subsequently I missed out on figures like Black Panther. Like his namesake, the Panther slipped silently past me without a sign he’d ever been there, although I blame lousy distribution more than Wakandan science. This is one figure who demands big bucks on the secondary market. The old ToyBiz version can be had for roughly $25 loose, but this figure often triples that number. That’s a lot to drop on what is essentially a blank Bucky body. I mean, the guy doesn’t even have a face!
Going Forward
So how do we avoid getting fleeced on the aftermarket? The best way is to order your toys ahead of time from a reputable dealer. You may not get them as quickly as people who chance upon them at retail, but you can get what you want delivered right to your door for just a few extra bucks. Isn’t that worth side-stepping the scalpers and saving a tank of gas in the process?
If you missed out on a figure the first time, don’t despair. Join trading groups on social media or right here on the Fwoosh; you never know who might want that stuff you have sitting in your closet or fodder-box. Also make it a point to hit local toy and comic book shows — go where the toys are! When it comes to figures you want, don’t waffle; buy when the chance presents itself. You can always sell off what you don’t want to people less prepared than you later. Pay special attention to contemporary comics and cartoons — you never know where the next breakout star will come from, so its good to be prepared. Finally, if you have a favorite character, focus on them. Make sure you buy what you like and keep it fun. I mean, that’s why we collect in the first place, right?
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