Yeah... I think the way to go if you actually wanted to the move the box set though would be to sell individual versions of the characters first... green costume X-Factor Jean (check), blue and yellow Scott (check), do red and white X Angel, blue and red human Beast, (good) Iceman... then you do a box set where you do the fall of the mutants cover...
blue and white Cyclops - but maybe with open top cowl and hair free to be different from the previous retro, Red and yellow Jean, Brown and Yellow human Beast, Iceman with the big Belt - and leave it at that 4 pack or do Death Archangel with the retracted mini wings maybe
That way you get two very different versions of the same team that are both comic accurate. I'd be in for something like that.
I think people are too quick to jump to the "they made it imperfect on purpose so they could sell it to you again!" line. Not saying they aren't guilty of making marginal improvements to string out certain characters, but green and yellow X-Factor Jean? Nah. I'd be shocked to see this costume get another figure. If there ever is an X-Factor box set it's almost certainly going to be what PC described.
But seriously, I agree about the lack of team multipacks - they really do seem like a no-brainer for things like the core X-Men teams especially,. They could do sets of all the major X-Teams they've been building, and include figures in different costumes, variations on the ones they've already made, or improved bodies.
Outback X-Men Psylocke in pink and Gateway as the big draws, plus shirtless Colossus, crop top Rogue, and some marginally improved brown costume Wolverine.
X-Force A new Feral alongside Shatterstar, Cannonball, and Boom Boom in their post X-Cutioner's Song outfits. Throw in a Cable to get the kids excited.
Astonishing X-Men A no brainer. Colossus, Beast, and Shadowcat. Repacks of Wolverine and Cyclops.
New X-Men Ok they haven't actually made any of these, I just want them to go ahead and jump to a box set and knock out the whole time. Even those who aren't wild about this run would probably snap them all up if they were together.
Obviously this isn't the ideal way to get these figures if you're only interested in one or two from the set, but it does seem to make sense to maximize releases and sales. Big multipacks do tend to go on sale pretty frequently, though they're usually filled with fewer a-listers than any given X-set would be.
So - I think the key to a box set is low tooling budget for Hasbro - high ticket price for the retailer, five figures in one go.
It's why something like the proposed X-Factor set would work well for them after they tooled and released a human Beast figure already. They've already recouped the cost for the Angel, Jean and Cyke aren't costing much but a new head.
And there's multiple re-use built in for the Beast body though - regular release in the X-Factor blue/red. Retro card release in the graduation costume blue/red; eventual original line-up school costume; so the brown and yellow costume in this set isn't a huge new cost.
I like the idea you float - I just don't think Hasbro would be down to invest in so much new tooling for high cost sets. I'd love to be wrong though.
Give me a Perez and/or Byrne Avengers set with slimmer Beast, classic Falcon, Yellowjacket, Wasp in the red/yellow and the inevitable Captain America or Iron Man... there's not even a new character in that set and I would kill for that.
New X-Men done with unique sculpts for all would be really cool. I really enjoyed some of those runs and some fond nostalgia of the time. Wolverine, Cyclops, Beast, Emma and Jean would be great. Nightcrawler, Iceman and Angel had pretty cool costumes then too.
If we get the New X-Men team before refresh Astonishing is completed...
I think people are too quick to jump to the "they made it imperfect on purpose so they could sell it to you again!" line. Not saying they aren't guilty of making marginal improvements to string out certain characters, but green and yellow X-Factor Jean? Nah. I'd be shocked to see this costume get another figure. If there ever is an X-Factor box set it's almost certainly going to be what PC described.
That's always been my favorite conspiracy theory in the toy collecting world. Jean has green boots because Hasbro either got cheap or they just figured it would turn out like crap if they painted it the way it needed to be. Hasbro made a compromise and now the buyer has to do the same or pass on it.
I think people are too quick to jump to the "they made it imperfect on purpose so they could sell it to you again!" line. Not saying they aren't guilty of making marginal improvements to string out certain characters, but green and yellow X-Factor Jean? Nah. I'd be shocked to see this costume get another figure. If there ever is an X-Factor box set it's almost certainly going to be what PC described.
That's always been my favorite conspiracy theory in the toy collecting world. Jean has green boots because Hasbro either got cheap or they just figured it would turn out like crap if they painted it the way it needed to be. Hasbro made a compromise and now the buyer has to do the same or pass on it.
One of those or they just plain messed it up. Either way it turned out wrong and you're right - it's up to people to decide if that's a deal breaker.
So - I think the key to a box set is low tooling budget for Hasbro - high ticket price for the retailer, five figures in one go.
It's why something like the proposed X-Factor set would work well for them after they tooled and released a human Beast figure already. They've already recouped the cost for the Angel, Jean and Cyke aren't costing much but a new head.
And there's multiple re-use built in for the Beast body though - regular release in the X-Factor blue/red. Retro card release in the graduation costume blue/red; eventual original line-up school costume; so the brown and yellow costume in this set isn't a huge new cost.
I like the idea you float - I just don't think Hasbro would be down to invest in so much new tooling for high cost sets. I'd love to be wrong though.
Give me a Perez and/or Byrne Avengers set with slimmer Beast, classic Falcon, Yellowjacket, Wasp in the red/yellow and the inevitable Captain America or Iron Man... there's not even a new character in that set and I would kill for that.
Agreed about box sets needing low tooling. Most of what I put forward I'd assume would fit that criteria (minus the fantastical New X-Men set). Maybe the Coipel X-Force costumes being the biggest mismatch between "high effort" and "low draw". The fact we see so many more 2-packs than bigger sets makes met think there's some sweet spot there, getting folks to pay the price of admission without committing to a huge set. Even a smaller team like Excalibur - it makes all the sense in the world to do the core team as a 5-pack, but we got the closest we could get was 3. And a forever wait for Phoenix.
I think people are too quick to jump to the "they made it imperfect on purpose so they could sell it to you again!" line. Not saying they aren't guilty of making marginal improvements to string out certain characters, but green and yellow X-Factor Jean? Nah. I'd be shocked to see this costume get another figure. If there ever is an X-Factor box set it's almost certainly going to be what PC described.
But seriously, I agree about the lack of team multipacks - they really do seem like a no-brainer for things like the core X-Men teams especially,. They could do sets of all the major X-Teams they've been building, and include figures in different costumes, variations on the ones they've already made, or improved bodies.
Outback X-Men Psylocke in pink and Gateway as the big draws, plus shirtless Colossus, crop top Rogue, and some marginally improved brown costume Wolverine.
X-Force A new Feral alongside Shatterstar, Cannonball, and Boom Boom in their post X-Cutioner's Song outfits. Throw in a Cable to get the kids excited.
Astonishing X-Men A no brainer. Colossus, Beast, and Shadowcat. Repacks of Wolverine and Cyclops.
New X-Men Ok they haven't actually made any of these, I just want them to go ahead and jump to a box set and knock out the whole time. Even those who aren't wild about this run would probably snap them all up if they were together.
Obviously this isn't the ideal way to get these figures if you're only interested in one or two from the set, but it does seem to make sense to maximize releases and sales. Big multipacks do tend to go on sale pretty frequently, though they're usually filled with fewer a-listers than any given X-set would be.
They're starting to have too many X-teams in various levels of almost complete. They need to finish off at least Feral from X-Force to have completed the early '90s X-teams (or at least their initial rosters).
I'm actually a little surprised they made green/yellow Banshee. I expected them to hold off onto him until they lost the license.
They're starting to have too many X-teams in various levels of almost complete. They need to finish off at least Feral from X-Force to have completed the early '90s X-teams (or at least their initial rosters).
I'm actually a little surprised they made green/yellow Banshee. I expected them to hold off onto him until they lost the license.
This is well-worn territory here, but it's fun to talk about - especially when the boards are so quiet.
Giant Size X-Men - Complete
Uncanny X-Men - An invented category for this grouping - in my mind this is the entire pre-90s, "classic" lineup of X-Men. Missing:
- Rachel Summers
- Psylocke
- Mimic
- Changeling
Outback X-Men
- Colossus
- Psylocke
- Gateway (debatable)
- Madelyne Pryor (debatable)
X-Men Blue & Gold (90s)
- Revanche?
X-Men - 90s members
- Cannonball
- Cecilia Reyes
- Joseph
Astonishing X-Men (ignoring their old figures)
- Beast
- Colossus
- Shadowcat
Excalibur (original)
- Phoenix
- Widget (she counts!)
X-Force
- Feral
X-Factor
- Angel (though Archangel works for later iterations)
- Beast
- Caliban
- Iceman
X-Factor v2
- Val Cooper (this is a stretch; I consider this team done)
New Mutants
- The entire classic lineup, minus Warlock
Generation X
- Banshee
- Jubilee
- Mondo
- Penance
- Skin
- Synch
- White Queen
Plenty I didn't include. A lot of this is debatable and up to personal preference. The 2-pack Colossus, for example, is technically not accurate to either Giant-Size OR 90s Gold team - but it's close enough for me, so I count him.
I'd argue at least Shard for X-Factor V2.5? And if we're stretching it a tad I could go for a Quicksilver repaint to put with them
Also, while technically not an X-Team they're X-adjacent enough that I want:
Alpha Flight:
Marrina
Box
Talisman
I'd say the classic pre-90s X-Men also need some more Kitty Pryde figures. Glad we got Shadowcat but her Sprite and Ariel costumes are pretty essential too.
I sorta would say the Giant Size era X-Men aren't really complete without a FA Kitty Pyrde. She was their last team member of that era.
I can't believe I forgot Alpha Flight! Definitely need them on my list.
Also completely agree about needing a classic Kitty Pryde. In my arbitrary categorization she'd go with "Uncanny" over "Giant-Size", but either one works. Training costume look would definitely be the priority for me. Between Kitty, the New Mutants girls, and first appearance Jean Grey they suuuure could get a lot of mileage out of just that one sculpt...
So, since we’ve been talking about human Beast, I’ve been trying to think of how big he should be. Like, built on which Buck.
I don’t want him huge like the furry Beast is or Venom. So I think the Omega Red Buck would be too big. But definitely bigger than the Vulcan Buck. Maybe the new Hyperion buck?
Thoughts?
Latest Post: Square Enix Bring Arts (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Kingdom Hearts, etc) Our newest member: RodneyPette Recent Posts Unread Posts
