Marvel Legends MAXIMUM SERIES

I'm glad you're finally self actualising after spending weeks in some kind of frenzied collector induced mid life crisis!

I guess I wish we still had a block function so you could block me and enjoy your experience here more or something.   

I wish there was a block feature too because the general petty bitching of a certain Scarlet Witch-avatared poster is always a real mood killer.

Dan Yun has said he looks at this forum, so I usually assume some people are posting opinions they're hoping he or some other member of the team will see.  And that's completely fair for everyone to do to whatever extent they want as long as it isn't repetitively saying the same thing over and over, and I haven't seen someone try to drown out the other voices like that so it's all good.

@DarkXorn

I shouldn't get in the middle of this, but I feel compelled to say a couple of things.

PantherCult is a respected and valued member of this community and has been for years.  I've always enjoyed reading his well reasoned and articulate thoughts even when I don't agree with him.  The guy makes great points and that's why I'm glad he's here.

Honestly, the only person I see acting like a "snarling dog", acting "unstable", "unhinged" and "being in a collector induced mid-life crisis" is YOU.

Perhaps you should take your own advice.  Take a break from your computer.  It might do you a world of good.

All those kind words, just for me? You shouldn't have! And on Valentines day too. 😍 

I think PantherCult is worried about ripple effects, if so, those worries are probably valid. I have to assume Hasbro saw Mattel add butterflies, toe joints, drop down hips, and some extra accessories to their wrestling figures allowing them to bump up their price of their standard "collectible" figure by $10-$15. Hasbro was able to go further because they have the more desirable Marvel license. I kind of felt like the same thing happened in 1/6 scale. Hot Toys kept pushing up the price of their Marvel and Star Wars figures,  then the unlicensed companies started raising prices from the lower $100s to $200 or $250+.

I'm at the point in ML collecting where I'm more willing to pay $50 for certain A-listers because I've been recently forgoing lower level characters. I have no figures from the current Spidey retro wave (Fran's on preorder) and only Cyke, Marrow and Nightcrawler on preorder.

Unlike the arguments that happened around the Spirit of Vengeance - disagreements over the price and value of this Maximum figure are just that - disagreements, because this figure is coming regardless of what we think of the price. One side can vote with their wallet and not buy. The other can enjoy the figure without having to worry about a buy-in threshold. No one is forced to do anything, there's no "pay wall" if Most Wanted figures. 

For those who are upset over the price, brace yourselves - The Hulk will be even more. If the mainline figures go up dramatically because this signified that we can be gouged more on prices by Hasbro... justified outrage. If this line is maintained at premium prices, but does not impact core offering cost... who cares really. It's up to you if Maximum is worth it. You'll still get tons of other options at a lower price point for these popular characters. 

Other things that could become a real piss off are if you ONLY see these popular characters in the Maximum line - but we know that won't be the case because they anchor the main waves. Also, if these Maximum bodies are re-used for mainline releases - but that just confirms you could potentially save money by being patient. Those who wanted a McFarlane-specific version with loads of accessories still get something unique and premium (sorta). 

@mrboshek I'm happy to spend a bit more for 3-4 annual releases knowing I'm, in theory, getting the best and ultimate version of that character/costume. Most importantly for me, and I know this isn't the case for all, is that is skews even closer to an import, but with ML aesthetics. I can't mix my lines. I did buy the MAFX Spider-Man, and (for now) it is on one of my Legends shelves... but I don't love it. Articulation and body styles are quite different.

To me this scratches the more premium figure itch, while being a Legend. 

With painted webs I'm still at the decision stage.With sculpted webs I'd be absolutely out. That Anthill Custodian guy can high five a lawnmower with that nonsense.

@ibentmyman-thing There was a time where I absolutely preferred sculpted webs (indents) - during the Toy Biz days, where the deco application of the webs was veeeeery inconsistent. So much has changed since those days, and the painted web lines just match what the suit should be.

The ONLY Hasbro figure to do sculpted weblines justice was the latest Garfield Spider-Man. The lines were subtly raised and perfectly painted. If they could have done that for the Spider-Verse Peter Parker Spider-Men... you take Happy Meal quality toys and make them phenomenal. 

Every other sculpted webline figure from Hasbro has been pretty awful. The original ASM2 Spider-Man which then was used for the 6 arm comic Spidey, the Holland Spider-Men which only looked passable when they added a paint app as well, the Spider-Verse Parkers... even the new Tobey Spider-Man really messed up the paint. 

I haven't watched that video either. I probably will because why not? I'm working at my computer and have my personal computer open to YouTube a lot and I play all kinds of stuff to fill the silence. I'm also someone who doesn't like the sculpted web lines. I don't need or want that sort of texture on my figure. It's what turns me off of the MAFEX one. As long as they're cleanly applied and in the right shape and formation then that's all I ask of a Spider-Man figure. 

The price isn't the main issue, its what they're delivering on the supposition that this is the best they can do- I'd much rather less accessories that would, in any case, be chucked to the side, and instead give me better (and more innovative) articulation, better articulation cuts and definitely better paint work. I mean, even if that takes us up to $60, just give us something that actually feels premium. I'm not seeing anything that says that, if you put this guy on your shelf, he'll look the same as every other Marvel Legend.

I preferred the etched weblines for a long time, but I think the image was just burned into my brain by so many Toy Biz Spider-Man offerings. Now I don't really care. The painted weblines don't bother me.

Some folks here need to touch grass. I'm a big believer that life is what you make of it. If you want to wake up and enjoy your time on Earth, do it. If you want to be sulky and angry and pick fights with your fellow collectors—who, by the way, are not part of some grand conspiracy to ruin your hobby—I guess you can do that, too.

Whatever you choose, I think we can all agree Anthony's Customs is a miserable prick.

Posted by: @magnusprimal

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Posted by: @darkxorn

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Sold out, sold out, sold out.

I guess this is how it all ended after all.

 

https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Product/VariationDetails/304661?o=1

Still available for preorder. 

 

I went to grab it a few minutes ago in case I changed my mind about getting this guy vs. waiting for a classic repaint and it was sold out. So there you have it.

I watched a little of that video, but he's pretty whiny and annoying. He should have waited another hour to record it, because the figure sold out EVERYWHERE in a few hours (it aged poorly). I think he's trying to engagement farm a bit with rage baiting (prevalent during Spirit of Vengeance where these guys all probably saw huge numbers). He's trying to appear level-headed and encourage people to be respectful in comments, but he's pretty judgmental and insulting toward people who are OK with buying this. 

Verdict - he's kind of a tool.