I realize just by typing out that title I am inviting a rigorous volley of dissenting opinions on what classifies as “overdue.” It’s as amorphous a concept as what classifies something as “iconic” or not. And that’s not to mention the sticky sliding scale of when a costume stops being “modern” and suddenly decides to be “classic.”
Overdue is, at its core, a term that invites debate. Essentially it involves an “assumption of caring” that is unique to the individual. For instance, I could think Safari jacket Wonder Man is overdue (and I do think that), but someone who doesn’t give a flying ionic fart about Wonder Man might raise his eyebrow and scoff loudly in my direction. And that’s fine.
So what I’m goingto do is present a list that you don’t have to agree with. You can tell me to take this list and shove it. And I will. By criminey, I will print it out and I will shove it, because I think that’s in my contract. Mainly I’m hoping someone calls me an idiot, and takes me to task for my idiocy in no uncertain terms!
However, I think almost everybody will find one character out of these five presented here that they can agree with. And as we all know when you’re talking about random top 5 lists presented on the internet, if you can hit one out of five, you’re doing ok. And that is the measuring stick I’ll be using.
So without further mumbo jumbo and in no particular order, here are the top five most overdue marvel Legends figures:
First Appearance Storm
We’ve had Storms in the ML line. We’ve had them from Toybiz, and we’ve had them from Hasbro. We’ve had good ones, we’ve had bad ones. We’ve had a handful of different colors for the Jim Lee one, and we’ve had a few with mohawks. But we have never…NEVER…had a First Appearance Storm. FA Storm has not appeared since the old five-inch boxset. As an essential part of the Giant Size X-men team, her absence is going to become more and more glaring with each updated GS X-men figure they make. To me, that qualifies her as absolutely overdue.
Squirrel Girl
You just said nuh-uh, and to counter I say yuh-huh. Squirrel Girl is absolutely overdue, and I know a lot of people will disagree. But to me I think you absolutely have to factor in two things: cult appeal and quality. Squirrel Girl is a niche character who grew a cult following based around a handful of well-written appearances that played around with the idea of a character called Squirrel Girl. That cult appeal has been parlayed into a comic that is one of the most entertaining and well written comics that Marvel has produced in recent years. With characters such as Spider-Gwen, Ms. Marvel and Gwenpool receiving figures, it’s time for Squirrel Girl to get hers.
Ultron
We. Have never. Had. A Marvel Legends. Ultron. Figure. Toybiz made a random robot and called it Ultron, and then Hasbro has released both movie versions and random repaints of other figures. Marvel Select made an Ultron, but that is Marvel Select. Marvel Legends has never had a real, honest Ultron figure. This is a one of Marvel’s top-tier villains and he continues to get table scraps for action figures. Repainting a random armored figure silver does not make an Ultron. If yo’re good with the MS one, that’s cool and all, but a genuine classic Ultron for those of us who have waited for far far too long is overdue.
Toad
Waaaay back in Marvel Legends wave 1, we got Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk and…Toad. A strange inclusion, but the Toad we received in that initial wave was an archaic thing intended for an earlier line and was thrown in as a last minute replacement. It was Marvel Legends in name only, and of course went on to become somewhat of a rarity. But that doesn’t change the fact that it barely—if at all—qualifies as a Marvel legends figure. In that way, an actual Toad intended for the line is overdue. With the upcoming Magneto/Quicksilver/Scarlet Witch boxset looking to finally provide a good Magneto figure, this original member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants needs to be made more than ever. Just don’t put him on the Dr. Octopus body, because that’s not even remotely right for him.
Shang-chi
I know the pitchforks are out. There are so many figures that could take up this last slot. But I look at it like this: outside of licensed characters like Conan, Shang-Chi is (I think) the only character to have headlined his own comic for over 100 issues and not receive a Marvel Legend. At this point I’m not too bothered over whether it’s his classic or modern—I have a feeling it will be his modern if he is made—but he is long, long overdue for his time in plastic paradise.
Okay, that is my five. Even if you don’t care for any of them—and you don’t have to actually want any of them–you have to admit that at least one of them is logically overdue.