Daaaaamn.
I’ve been on Fwoosh a long time, and because of that I’ve had a virtual front row seat to a lot of Toyfairs. There have been some good ones, and there have been some mediocre ones. But this one? This one annihilated every previous Toyfair. It has set the bar so high that it’s almost impossible to imagine what would have to be revealed next year in order to top this one.
Hasbro decided to take this year, the 80th anniversary of Marvel Comics, and melt faces. They didn’t so much show off their new toys as unleash them. In short, it was a deluge of awesome that kept on delivering over and over.
There is plenty to talk about, so I’ll be as brief as I can. I’ll break them up into digestible chunks. Multi-figure comic packs are up first, then the 80th anniversary figures, then the singles from various lines, and then the MCU stuff.
Magneto/Quicksilver/Scarlet Witch
After a hard-to-find and less-than-impressive previous go at a classic Magneto, Hasbro is trotting him out once again in a three pack with his kids, and they did it mostly right this time. The expression might be the weakest element of him for me, but the fact that I’ll finally have a good classic Magneto to terrorize the X-men overshadows the weak areas. Quicksilver is yet another massive improvement over a previous Hasbro attempt at the character, correcting every perceivable flaw. Scarlet Witch may have been the least needed redo, but this time she brings along a very different and snazzy paintjob with some heightened sculpting differences to make this feel less like buying the same figure all over again. Of all the avenues we could have received these three figures, a three pack is the perfect choice. Finally, a good classic Magneto.
FA Wolverine/Hulk
Ok, that Wolverine is cool and all, I don’t want him to feel short-changed in the compliment department, but this set is Hulk Hulk Hulk. I just…my God that Hulk is full of stars. I want to marry this Hulk and have tiny weird plastic babies with this Hulk. From the excellent physique to the stature to the ripped purple pants, it is practically killing me not to have this Hulk right now so I can have him fight damn near every other toy I have. I could go on and on about this Hulk to the point where I’d have to end this article with a “To Be Hulkinued” in order to continue gushing. I’m in for a couple of these sets, and I hope I can stop at just three. Or four. Man, I need this Hulk.
Colossus/Juggernaut
Toyfair could have stopped at that damn near perfect Hulk and I’d have been sated, but then they trotted out this set. Colossus, my favorite X-man, and Juggernaut, my favorite villain, both in one set. While I do like the previous modern-leaning Colossus that we get, dick arrow and all, I have been waiting for this mostly classic (buckle notwithstanding) version to show up. Metal thighs, baby. It’s all about the metal thighs. Don’t look at me like that! I had the Toybiz version, I have the Marvel Select version, but this…this looks like the Colossus I’ve been waiting for every since I was a wee X-men reading lad.
Juggernaut is mostly the same except for a new improved helmet, alt head and ripped helmet piece. I am more than happy to buy him again for the new helmet alone. Again, this is a set I want a couple of, and I have no idea why other than I think this Toyfair might have given me a damn stroke.
Thor, Iron Man and Captain America
Speaking of “I want multiples because I lost my mind…” Classic Thor. Classic Cap. Classic Iron Man. Cap has scale mail. Iron Man has three heads. Thor has an ego. I’m so mindblown I haven’t taken the time to wonder if Thor is going to be too tall or not. I’ll assume based on hard-to-visualize pictures that he won’t be. I hope. While we’ve had a couple Caps already—one without scales, one with them painted one—this one is beautiful. I want a case of each, just to throw them in the air and let them rain down on me. Even better is this Iron Man pretty much cements an Iron Man 2020 for 2020. IT HAS TO. I’m not through with this article yet and I’ve got a Hulk, Colossus, Thor, Captain America and Iron Man that make every other version I’ve ever had stand in the corner and think about their shortcomings. I am going to have this Thor pound on that Hulk with Mjolnir and I will be so damn giddy while I do it I might actually turn 6 years old. CAN YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT?
I’m already spent, but now we head on to the singles. In no order because putting things in order is for wimps:
Spider-Woman
Yet another lousy Toybiz female can take a jump into obsolescence. We’ve received pretty much every other Spider-female except for this one, but you had to figure she was coming.
Rock Python
Ha! Hasbro pretty much spit in the eye of people who whine about obscure characters and pegwarmers by showing off a far lesser known Serpent Society member. Who saw this one coming? Nobody, that’s who. If you’re not on board with the Society, I can see where this is a headscratcher, but I am thrilled that they are slowly adding to their ranks, even if it’s with low-tooling characters. Rock Python! This is why I collect toys.
Dazzler
Having already been surprised by disco Dazzler making it into toy form first, I knew that the blue leotard look would be coming eventually. It had to be. I need this version as well, so this one is going to be more than welcome in the collection.
Hydro Man
That excellent Netflix Luke Cage just screamed to be turned into Hydro Man, and here he is. Man, I am so glad they didn’t decide to go oversized with Hydro Man the way they did with Sandman. I need a normal sized Sandman now. It has taken a long long time to get this unique villain, and it was done just right.
Boom Boom
Somewhere, Amsterdam is smiling. Old time Fwooshers will know what I’m talking about there. We’re slowly getting the X-force ranks filled in, and Boomer is necessary for that. I can’t tell if I’m surprised it’s taken this long or not, but I have nothing against her. The 90s nostalgia is strong. I welcome the representation of tiny feet and so many pouches.
Black Costume Wolverine
Gush time again. With so many Wolverines to be made, I didn’t know how much of a chance this version had. I figured he’d get overlooked in the mad dash to make so many other Logans. But here he is. Outside of the brown costume, this is easily my second favorite Wolverine costume. I like the Tiger Stripe and Astonishing and X-Force and all that, but above and beyond all of those I really dig this sleek, stripped down black deal with the odd fishnet-styled mask. I loved the stories it first appeared in, and it’s been my white whale among all the other Wolvie figures. So awesome.
Mr. Sinister
Another Toybiz update. The colors are a little odd, but it’s yet another great looking figure. I’ve always had a soft spot for Mr. Sinister, so I was hoping we’d get an updated version.
Scorpion
Again, a Toybiz update. I loved the TB scorpion, and appreciated that it incorporated the action feature while still maintaining a usable and playable toy, but this one looks more streamlined and “comicy.” I didn’t know what direction they’d go in a Scorpion, whether they’d choose one of the modern updates, but I’m ecstatic they went in this direction. And his tail bends!
Emma Frost
Emma in black instead of white is odd, and I haven’t read the stories featuring this costume, but it’s by far a better looking Emma than any previous Emma despite the color shift. I’m not against it.
Infamous Doom
I’ve only read one story featuring this version of Doom, and it was in Gwenpool. But it was well done, and I loved that comic so much I’ll take anything from it.
Cannonball
Well, there’s always one figure that causes a shitstorm, and Cannonball was it. Apparently legs and blast effect didn’t both cost out, so Cannonball will only have the blast effect and no legs. People only concerned with displaying him permanently blasting off like a shmuck are thrilled, people who want him to have legs like every other figure are not. I think this was a terrible decision that kind of ruins the figure for me, but I’m sure I can find a suitable pair of legs to give him. But this was a bad, bad decision. That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it. Don’t do that again.
Nightcrawler
Another excellent-looking update of a very very old figure. Nightcrawler is awesome, and has been deserving of an update for a very long while. That tail probably doesn’t bend, though.
Doppelganger
It uses the six arm Spidey body, so he’s limited in articulation. That kills a bit of the buzz for what could have been a far cooler figure. The bits and stuff look great, but that body is a buzzkill.
Cyclops
The first in a full X-factor lineup? Yes? No? Who knows? I dig it. But the permanent beam-spill is ill-advised.
Silver Samurai
Oh sweet merciful jeebus they made the good one. You know who will look great fighting Silver Samurai? That black suit Wolverine. I’ve been waiting for this dude since those old crappy prototype pictures on poorly articulated bodies, and he’s finally on his way. Hack! Slash! Stab!
Peggy Carter, Grandmaster, Skurge, WW2 Cap, Korg, Spidey/Michelle, Luis, Stealth spidey, Loki/Corvus Glaive, Ghost
I’m not going to go into all of these, because you all know how they’re kicking much ass on the MCU quality front. The MCU is not my primary collecting focus, but I still end up with almost all of them for one reason or the other. They’re just good, quality toys. They appear to be digging deep and pulling out some of the less marquee characters like Luis and Michelle, both of whom are fantastic little representations. And who among us doesn’t pine for a little sleazy Goldblum in our life? I’m most excited about the people like Korg or Corvus Glaive that can kind of double as comic versions, but these are all across the board excellent looking. I am glad the MCU Ghost is getting a figure, because my Ant Man and Wasp need something to do.
Can’t believe they’re making Luis. So left field.
Okay, as ever, that about wraps it up. I am just as sick of my own opinions as you are by now, so I will leave you to bask in the sweet sweet afterglow of one of the best Toyfairs I can remember.
