Another PulseCon is in the books, and no matter the prevailing opinion of what was shown off in terms of new reveals last week, the post-show time frame is typical to already being “on to the next!”
I will admit, the Marvel team showed off some fun stuff during their PulseCon panel (dig those VHS tape boxes!), but it wasn’t a lot in terms of quantity. I think they tried to prepare us for that, and since they are so prolific with their Fan First presentations, I wasn’t really expecting a ton of stuff. So, even though there is some good stuff to bask in right now, I am being a typical collector and am already looking toward what might be next.
I realize that I have not done a Marvel Legends Top Ten list in a bit, and while I totally admit they are usually just exercises in person preference, they are kind of fun to do. I will say that, during the PulseCon reveals of characters like Knull, and teases for characters like Maggot, my Legends collection is getting more pointed. I have to admit that, for the most part, I am enjoying the Retro figures more than anything right now because they typically include characters and looks I am most interested in collecting. I was actually just as stoked for the Retro Scarlet Witch reveal as anything else, so I am feeling good about my ML focus, rather than being lost in getting everything.
So, I hope these continue on in as regular fashion as they have become. Honestly, I think I should get a medal just for not making this ALL about the Fantastic Four. I seriously could have done that so easily. However, since I just got my beloved team in this execution, and while the build-a-figure concept is not a part of this sub-line, I appreciate everything from the characters to the packaging. I will let the new F4 series bask for now. For the most part.
These releases have made me a more patient Legends collector as well, and I will ofter wait out versions of characters in the mainline that I might not be to my normal preference. That focus is going to keep me to a Retro list for this Top Ten, and since Wanda and Vision look so great in their presentation, there seems to be a bit of an Avengers focus this time around, but I actually really like this list. So here goes!
Honorable Mentions
Yes, I have two, and they are honorable mentions because I feel like I might be asking too much for these to be purely Retro releases, even if it they fit for the form perfectly. So, the honorable mentions belong to Power Man and Iron Fist. Sweet Christmas, we need their classic looks updated in Marvel Legends. That is made even more apparent with Paul Harding’s “Marvel in the 70s” style coming into the line via various releases. I want these two BADLY, so I hope we get them in their iconic looks soon. Who knows? Maybe I am hedging too strongly and they are ripe for the Retro line, but we will see. I am ready to give you my money, honey.
Okay, on to the actual list:
QUICKSLIVER
This one seems the most obvious after all that talk about Wanda, yeah? Another member of the hilariously named “Family Matters” box set, Pietro is prime for a Retro release to join his sister. I am not asking for anything new here, really, just repaint that previous figure in green and we are good to go. I mean, if Hasbro wants to add a new head or something, I am all for it, but I am just as happy with the green version of that boxset release. I mean, it’s gotta happen, right?
US AGENT
Timing is important with releases like this as well, and I think that John Walker’s entry into the consciousness of the larger pop-culture audience makes him a prime choice. I hear you, we already have a classic US Agent figure in ML. We do, you are correct. However, and even though I don’t usually get too in a bunch about a body type being a bit off, that figure is totally the wrong body type. The “Bucky Cap” base is on its way out as it is, but for Walker, it was way too small to begin with. He should be a bigger than Steve, and I think every comic version of Steve Cap has been bigger than the Walker figure. Let’s get that cleaned up and get Walker back out there since he is now Jack Burton’s son.
PHOTON/CAPTAIN MARVEL
Oh, here is another cool Disney+ show character who deserves a take on her classic look. Yes, we have a Monica figure, but it was a modern look in a box set that has gotten very scarce and pricy over the years. Frankly, when I think of Monica Rambeau/Photon, that Bronze Age look is the only version that enters my mind’s eye. Well, the live action Monica is cool now, too, but that is not for here. She has a crazy costume and an iconic look that comes from an age that is perfect for the Retro Series.
MOCKINGBIRD
Hey, if we are going to get to one figure with crazy sleeves, we might as well get the other. You can blame that giant “West Coast Avengers” logo on the Scarlet Witch and Vision Retro cards for this, but it really is time. The modern take is fine, but even that figure is several years old at this point, and Bobbi is an essential member to build out that WCA line-up, which will be really fun to complete. Clint was a part of one of the early Retro Series, so let’s get Mockingbird to go with him.
COUNT NEFERIA
We cannot have all of these heroes without a classic villain, right? The High Evolutionary and Psycho Man are on my brain since they just arrived in the F4 series, and the Count seems like a similar pick for another Retro Series. He has never been in ML before, so that is definitely a draw, he has been a villain to many classic characters, and honestly, his figure would not be too complicated to put together in terms of new parts. This would be a great character to add to the shelf because hey, evil will always triumph over good, because good is dumb.
THE BEYONDER
Ooooo, if we are going to be assembling all of these classic characters in their classic looks, we need to put them all together and make them fight! Off to Battle World we go! The ML 3¾ has all kinds of Secret Wars nostalgia going for it, so let’s get some of that SW goodness in Retro Legends, too. Now, I get it, classic Beyonder has quite the costume, but I think we have more pieces already in the library that could be used for that, and it is a perfect look for this line. With some of the recent Retro Series figures we have gotten, coupled with entries on this list, I am totally ready for some Secret Wars battles, and you cannot have those without the Beyonder.
WONDER MAN
Poor, poor Simon. I mean COME ON. Yeah, the more modern Wonderman figure we got a bit ago was fine for that version. However, the only other WM in Legends was that awful TB version (that base body should have been shot into the sun), so this man is DUE. Again, Retro would be perfect for him (there is that WCA influence again), and honestly, I would be open to any of his classic looks. I know the safari jacket, and even the green version have their fans, but I have still never gotten that iconic outfit to my liking either, so let’s just pick one. The more plain classic look might be fun for this as it could include a standard head and an alternate mullet version, so maybe I am leaning that way now…
DR. DOOM
Doom? But he has had several figures recently, right? Heck, he even kicked off the Fantastic Four Retro series, right”? CORRECT. However, we can never have enough of DOOM, and personally, I think this version would be really, really fun. Not that Doom is interested in fun. Let’s get that Secret Wars version of Doom. You know, the one that could probably use a bit of Iron Man base pieces to build him? I mean, I have the Beyonder on this list already, so a Secret Wars Doom is just too good pass up. I know, this is probably more niche that most, but it is Dr. Doom for Pete’s sake, and this figure has the potential to be awesome and very unlike any other Doom in your Legends collection.
BEAST
X-Men fans, please take your seat for just a moment. The X-Men have enjoyed some pretty intense and amazing focus in Marvel Legends as of late, but I am not talking about an X-Men Beast here. Don’t forget, he has been an Avenger, too. I almost did not include Beast because of his previous Retro figure, but yes, I know we got a grey version of Beast with a pretty great George Perez-inspired head, but that was technically an X-Men release. Let’s get a blue version of that figure, and it can even include that smiling head. Maybe we can get a new alternate version, maybe modeled directly from the “Night of the Beast” cover? If you are saying we have gotten a lot of Beast figures, I totally get it, and I agree, but this a mostly inexpensive entry for the list, and I still feel we do NOT have a proper Avengers Beast.
CRYSTAL
This one, this one is for me. Here is real talk: my biggest beef with Marvel Legends right now is that there are not more Inhumans in the line. We have been stuck on Black Bolt and Medusa for such a long time now, and frankly, that is a crime. I hate it. I want this to be corrected, and Crystal is a stand-in for all of them. And FRANKLY, this list could have been entirely made up of Fantastic Four adjacent characters. I am not being cute about that. I would die if the Legends team recreated that entire 90s Toy Biz series from start to finish. Yeah, characters like Dragon Man and Annihilus might be a stretch for a Retro release, but damn it – we could sub in Crystal and Karnak for those and then get ALL the main Inhumans (not named Lockjaw). When the Galactus HasLab campaign ended, the Legends team mentioned more associated characters getting released around when Galactus actually ships, so since Firelord and Terrax were in that old F4 line, maybe a second Retro line will be shipping then, so let’s at least get Crystal in there. She is a simple figure and waaaaaaay overdue in plastic in any form.
So, this is my list, and I am thinking I will probably dedicate a full feature to that old Fantastic Four line now, so maybe be on the lookout for that soon. I am all about the Retro Series now, so let’s keep it thriving.
If we were all making a top 10 most wanted again, I first want to complete my 90’s X-Teams with…
Wolvesbane from 90’s X-Factor as she is the only missing member of the team left to do and with the recent Tigra figure, I figure maybe some of her parts can be used to help make her.
Siryn from 90’s X-Force again, one of the last members of the team yet to be made, but seems like an easy figure to put out. Just a new head and the way they did 90’s Storm’s cape would work for her “wings”
Rachel Grey from 80s/90’s Excalibur in her Hound costume. Finishing the team up with the recent 3-pack…I imagine this one will take some new tooling for all the little spikes on her costume, but I can’t imagine we won’t get her at some point soon.
With those three figures the main X-teams would be complete for the most part…
For the rest though…I’m very X-Men focused… Let’s get that Brotherhood of the Evil Mutants complete with a new Blob, Toad, Avalanche, and finally get a figure of Destiny!
And then a Banshee in either his classic green/yellow costume or his Jim Lee/90’s blue/yellow costume with the big X buckle.
And I think Random would be cool too given he popped up a lot in the 90’s, especially X-Factor.
And for my final figure of the top 10 of my most wanted would probably be…Morph from the 90’s X-Men cartoon. He seems like a very possible thing now with those X-Men animated series figures they recently revealed. My only hope is they don’t make him super hard to get.
Count me in for Generation X!
A few I think would make good candidates for the retro line and would look good on the vintage card backs:
Domino – Toy Biz/Greg Capullo
Emma Frost – Generation X
Banshee – blue & yellow X-Men uniform
Feral – 90s X-Force
Magneto – classic re-release
Sabretooth – first appearance https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1587a6abc190d64f6257558ce3865efb7dd357df2ae6d56e4efd83f216b5b459.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/142996d0ca04586e6d7c0abab06ef0a135753c11b2910b5f51f58adf57559762.jpg
1960s Peter Parker, cub reporter (suit & tie, w/ camera accessory)
Aunt May
Attuma, Warlord of Atlantis
Lady Dorma
The Wizard
Blastaar (silver age)
The Mandarin (silver age)
Black Widow (early 60s black fishnets & mask look, soon after defecting and back when she was Hawkeye’s squeeze)
Space Phantom
Dr. Bruce Banner
Betty Ross
General Thunderbolt Ross (airforce blues)
Major Talbot
Jarella
Doc Samson
The Glob
Lady Clea
Warriors 3
The Yellow Claw
Lilith, Daughter of Dracula
I think Spiral was one of the best early Hasbro offerings.
Her arms had great flexibility and she had the best looking and functioning legs of the time.
Was her head a little small and unpainted? Sure- but I rarely had the helmet off her. Did they give her 5 fingers per hand; of course they did. (Although her spell-casting hand is dope and they need to reintroduce that to basically all of the female characters).
That being said, I am ready for an updated Spiral, especially considering how sturdy and appealing the new pinless limbs are (I’m specifically thinking of Shriek, because her knee joints are not grossly-sized and I feel zero wobbles when playing with her).
Spiral may need to be deluxe or BAF, because she deserves to be big and bold and well-accessorized.
I also wouldn’t say no to Freedom Force orange, Mojoverse blue and X-Force outfits all being produced.
I’d buy a bunch off this list, since I like owning characters in their “classic” costumes as much as possible and also love seeing first appearance looks that have long since been left behind. Monica’s the one here I want the most but feel she needs to be placed in a normal BAF wave to ensure her costume tooling is done correctly.
If we’re doing a top 10 redeco/minor retool list?
Frightful Four Sandman
White Phoenix Jean Grey (this has seemed like a natural for a Marvel Unlimited release for a long time to me, it’s so easy)
Phoenix Rachel Grey (prefer this over her Hound look)
Future Foundation FF (Reed, Sue, Ben, Spidey, AND Doom)
Quicksilver (FA green or a more modern look)
Crystal (Avengers)
Sersi (Avengers)
Mad Thinker
Dr. Doom Kristoff Vernard
Incognito Thing (trenchcoat)
Honorable mention: 90s Black Tom Cassidy (in white), Ionic Wonder Man (seems like a natural for a Pulse exclusive variant like the clear Sue), Henry Peter Gyrich, Spot
-90s Kaine… we got Scarlet Spider and Ben Reilly Spider-Man… we NEED 90s Kaine…
-Longshot we have Dazzler and Shatterstar… we kinda need a Shatterstar.
-Spiral… since we’re talking Mojo-Adjacent characters on my list, a redo of Spiral would be welcome… since some of these retro waves are atoning for sins past, then Spiral needs a chance at redemption.
-Bruce Banner… Pre-Hulking out. The Stan Lee body would be a nice base. If they do the swappable arms from the retro Reed for Banner it would be perfect. (I’d eventually ask for a shirtless post-Hulk Banner)
-I second the Power-Man Iron Fist duo.
-Generation X Emma Frost… (the jacket look) it keeps the “exclusivity of HFC Emma” and it’s different enough from the Walgreens pegwarming Black King… also, she’s a gateway to more Generation X figures.
-Warbird… yes, it’s an excuse to rerelease the Carol Danvers from the old Target 3 pack. If they want to spice it up, they could add a pained face as if her powers were being drained by Rogue.
-Spot… easiest figure ever…
-Doc Samson… old figure was a mess, he needs redemption.
-Mephisto… The Marvel Select one is OK but we deserve better… or at least a more available version.
Staying with the “normal” retro card style offering: figure with one set of additional hands, an alternate head, and for the recent Avengers – either a completely new body or lots of tooling (Tigra) or minimal tooling/a lot of repaint. All standard body sizes – no potential big, bulky characters or BAF size, which eliminates characters like M’Baku and Skurge:
1) Moondragon – classic green costume which can be made from existing parts. Additional infinity gem head. Splayed finger hands and flying hands. Tooling goes to the high cape collar.
2) Mantis – human skin tone, green skin tone can be offered later. Stoic head and yelling head. Variety of martial arts-inspired hands. Tooling goes to the skirt and pointy shoulder costume.
3) Sersi (who should already have been made before her MCU debut) – classic green costume. Can be made from existing parts. Splayed finger hands and flying hands. Stoic and smiling heads. Maybe the spell casting circles we’ve all come to know and love.
4) Stingray – all tooling goes to the cape/wings. The figure itself is a standard buck. Additional unmasked head, fist hands and flying (swimming) hands.
5) Count Nefaria – standard buck, cape collar might be new. Stoic head and laughing crazy head.
6) Swordsman – standard buck that can probably be made from existing parts. Smiling head and stoic head.
7) Monica Rambeau – 1st appearance – which should have been made by now but it’s the sleeves that are probably holding this figure back. She has a few different hairstyles associated with this costume for at least two heads. A variety of hands, probably the spell circles in various colors.
8) Jack of Hearts – classic costume. Figure budget goes to the insane amount of deco, which Hasbro could make look absolutely glorious. Stoic and yelling heads. Fists and flying hands.
9) Firebird – if it’s the classic costume, Bonita can be made from existing parts. If it’s the newer costume with fringe, there’s some tooling involved. She probably only needs one head, but should come with a lot of flame effects.
10) Two-Gun Kid – he might be an all new sculpt, or the standard suit bucks legs might be able to stand in for jeans. Whichever way – he’d look amazing.
Beast? They just made him retro style blue AND grey😖! Definitely on Crystal, Count Nefaria, I’d like to see classic Wonderman innhis safari/adventure red vest.also definitely on Capt.Marvel/Photon, green Quicksilver, classic Cage in yellow outfit, and NAY to all the others. Why another Doom?!!!
Toybiz Marvel Superhero Cards:
Annihilus
Daredevil using the sculpt from the Man-Thing series Bullseye
X-Men Cards:
Stealth Wolverine
Animated Series Morph
Banshee
Sauron BAF retool on a deluxe card
Longshot
Street Clothes Wolverine
Spider-Man Cards:
Lizard BAF retool on a deluxe card
Scorpion repaint of the Molten Man series figure
Battle Ravaged Spidey
Animated series Mary Jane
Animated series Chameleon
I’m liking that list. Green costume Quicksilver I’ve wanted for awhile. I would want a classic Master Mind to go with him. First appearance X-Men or Year One X-Men have been wants too and I think they’d fit well with the retro series.
The new Ultron figure’s arms and legs could work well for a Secret Wars Dr Doom. That Wonderman figure is at the top of my most wanted list, so I really hope that happens. Isn’t the Caliban series Beast body is too large for a George Perez era Beast figure? I think the Jackal body would be much more suitable because ol Hank wasn’t that massive back then. Always thought it was a bit weird that Jackal got a dedicated sculpt, and I always thought it could easily be retooled into an Avengers Beast.
Terrific list! Avengers-version/ blue Perez Beast AND Wonderman (One vote for Safari Jacket version!) are a must for me!Also strongly agree with Photon, Power Man & Iron Fist. I also sympathise with the people who have been waiting for that update of green Quicksilver… If he comes with an alt head with a more retro style/ “hair horns”I am 100% buying it just for the head even.
They could do a wicked cool Quicksilver alternate head… https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ed78a0be837359ce2426e5cebe2fdeb42f67f8697e57b34ee6cc23c838ab0c5c.jpg
What makes this list great is the absolute maximum nostalgia factor combined with the potential to see the most obscure characters and outfits that we all made our own little attachments to as kids.
I want that Beyonder. With a side of Wizard. And an original Human Torch for dessert.
My #1 wants would be Mantis & The Swordsman (Jacques Duquesne) from the Celestial Madonna story arc.
Then there’s Rick Jones from the Kree-Skrull War.
If they’re doing Crystal, it’s gotta be in that white & black costume with the leather jacket that she wore when during her stint as an Avenger in the 90s.
Then with the same leather jacket look from the same period we also need Sersi in her red & black costume and the Black Knight (Dane Whitman). — Since they already made X-Men figs with the leather jackets on, maybe they could re-use some parts from those?
We really need a nice updated first appearance Yellowjacket (Hank Pym) too. The Toybiz one just doesn’t cut it.
And of course George Perez-era Beast & Wondy (safari jacket version) are a must!
As for villains, I’d like to see Living Laser & Power Man in their classic silver age costumes as well as Man-Ape to complete Grim Reaper’s Lethal Legion. And they could even do Wonder Man in his early costume when he was still a villain and just when he joined the team.
And we still don’t have Crimson Dynamo in his red costume in 6″ form. — It should loook like the Heroclix one.
Oh, and I want an Agatha Harkness (with her pet black cat) to go with Wanda & Quicksilver. Maybe a Bova to assist High Evolutionary too? (I love all that Wundagore stuff!)
3-D Man and the rest of the 1950s Avengers or GTFO.
Definitely would like Marvel Legends version of the X-Men Evolution figures from Toy Biz. Could also be a good time to FINALLY give us Rogue. I can’t believe so popular a design hasn’t ever been made in figure form.