I never got Secret Wars toys either. At that time, what was it, '84-86? I was more into the bigger toy lines like Star Wars, Masters of the Universe, GI Joe, Transformers, Voltron. Mostly because they were on TV. I had very little awareness of Marvel comics or characters, probably because their TV exposure was more limited. I remember Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, but wouldn't be able to tell you the difference between Marvel and DC characters back then.

I remember seeing Super Powers figures thanks to kids who played on my block, but didn't see any Marvel stuff from any of my friends. I really didn't become aware of Marvel comic book characters until the trading cards came out in the early '90s. Through those cards, I began to understand the relationships and origins of these characters, and recognize the ones I apparently did have exposure to.

I had Stretch Armstrong style toys of Spidey and Hulk. I had a Captain America t-shirt. I don't know where I recognized the Thing from, but I knew his face and design. I had a Mego of Superman, but NOPE he was DC! Then of course, things changed when Toy Biz started making the Marvel Superheroes and X-Men lines. So thanks to other interests and lack of exposure, Secret Wars was not on my radar.

This thread was inadvertently helpful.  I started looking at pics of Mattel Secret Wars figures and I completely forgot about some of the included accessories besides shields. I finally figured out who this little bird in my accessory box belongs to.

Reunited at last!

[img] [/img]

I have Wolverine's claws and Hobgoblin's glider.  I have to take a closer look in my boxes for other things like Iron Man's gun.  Unfortunately, I only have Cap and black suit Spidey's shield.  Possibly one other.

In the later 80's my friend and I each got a Daredevil from a Ben Franklin for cheap during a sidewalk sale. Every time you picked one of them up your hands would be red.

My Daredevil has no flesh colored paint left.  The other figures look pretty good considering they were played with by an 11 year old and a 6 year old about 40 years ago ago.

Posted by: @basil-elks

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What about a Thundersword figure?

I didn’t remember this character so I had to go look him up.  I’d take him.  His look is very reminiscent of DC’s Qward Weaponers.  

I feel like this wave is going to require Hasbro walking on a ton of eggshells in order to keep the fans happy with the first Secret Wars assortment. Sure there are a few characters that are in desperate need of a redo, but for the most part I feel like between the retro carded waves, the various Anniversary themed waves and some of the boxed sets we've gotten lately, we should be good on most of the characters and maybe dolling these figures out in a wave isn't the way to go. This feels like a situation where just like the Avengers Anniversary wave, all Hasbro has to do is couch a few boxed sets, exclusives and 2-packs in between mainline releases and call it a day.

I'm really not trying to burst anyone's bubble here, but I think all of us, myself included, should keep our expectations low until we actually see which figures make the cut.  I'll be honest.  I want pretty much everyone from the original three "Secret Wars" waves by Mattel to get made.  I want figures from the "Secret Wars" comic that didn't originally get figures to get made on the Retro box art, like Hulk, Thor, Colossus, Cyclops, Mr. Fantastic, Wasp, Absorbing Man, Titania, Volcana, Lizard, Enchantress, Molecule Man and Klaw.  But if it's true that Hasbro and Mattel made a deal to get this wave made, and it likely is, then Wave 1 is likely going to be characters from Wave 1 of the Mattel wave on the retro card back.  Also, if it's part of the agreement that the 40th anniversary Retro figures have to include characters from Mattel's first wave, then Hasbro probably has to release six of the eight original characters.  After all, the Marvel Legends 20th Anniversary wave was just the original four figures and I remember seeing fans wanting other figures made for it like Ghost Rider, Namor, Daredevil, Doctor Doom and the Fantastic Four and it never happened.

I can understand many fans' gripes over repeatedly getting Spider-Man, Wolverine and Iron Man, but those figures SELL and Hasbro needs to make figures that sell.  This is also a great way for brand new collectors to get their first-time figures for characters like classic Spider-Man, brown-and-tan suit Wolverine and classic Captain America.  If you made a first wave of figures that you knew would sell enough to make a second wave, why wouldn't you pick favorites like Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine and Doctor Doom that were in Mattel's first wave?  On the subject of Cap, if he doesn't make the "Secret Wars" wave, then we're still getting a rumored two-pack figure of him with Venom for the rumored Capcom Marvel figures.  For Doctor Octopus, I could see him getting released as a Deluxe-priced figure, which could be why Entertainment Earth's listing of all six figures was for $199.99 - five normal figures and a Deluxe.  Still, maybe the figures are $33 each due to having multiple accessories like the Marvel Legends 20th Anniversary figures.  At this point, who knows?

Also, let's not forget that this was listed by Entertainment Earth as "Wave 1".  It seems likely that there will be a "Wave 2", or else they wouldn't have listed it as "Wave 1".  Hasbro continued the Avengers anniversary wave and the "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" two-packs this year, so why not do the same for "Secret Wars"?  There's also the potential here for two-packs, Fan Channel releases, Deluxe figures and repaints/remakes of previous characters to put on the "Secret Wars" box art and have it sell out quickly.  It'd be a great way to get figures made of characters from all of Mattel's waves, like releasing Wolverine with Magneto, Iron Man with Kang, Daredevil with Hobgoblin, Baron Zemo with Falcon, etc.

Whatever happens, we'll finally know for sure this week.  I just don't want to see too many fans disappointed when the six figures revealed aren't the six they all wanted, is all.

We live for the disappointment.

Yeah, I've already prepared myself for these being tributes to the Mattel wave and will likely skip them all. I think that the best we could hope for is half and half (like Wolvie/Spidey/Cap and Beyonder/Titania/Volcana for example). However I fully expect it to be 6 of the original 8 Mattel Secret Wars characters (Wolverine, Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, Doctor Doom, Magneto, Kang, Doctor Octopus). I can't imagine personally being interested in any of those, especially at a potential $35 price tag, but they might sell well at Gamestop/Target/Walmart.

I can’t imagine being disappointed in a Secret Wars wave or two. I love all the characters who were in that story. 

Why is there talk of Hasbro and Mattel making a deal to get these figures out? Yes, I know the two companies made some sort of vague deal recently, but I can't imagine this is part of it. Marvel owns the name and logo for Secret Wars, and the old card back is just clouds and lightning. As long as they don't use the exact image, it won't be hard to create an homage to it. 

I doubt Hasbro/Marvel/Mattel worked out a deal just to replicate some very basic packaging.  Unless they're packing in some lenticular shields as well, but those are just a waste.   Hasbro could put a Secret Wars wave in any kind of packaging.  It's essentially just a way to get popular characters out again.  I know there's nostalgia for throwback packaging, but I'm not sure how necessary it is.  Just a basic blue backdrop and Secret Wars logo should be sufficient to stoke any nostalgia.

The listing of this as "wave 1" doesn't mean there will be a wave 2.  They throw "wave 1" on a lot of items.  Keeps the possibility open for additional waves, but it's not an indicator there will be more waves.  Just that this is the first one for this theme.

Wolverine, Symbiote Spider-Man, Iron Man, pinless Captain America with broken shield, Titania, and Beyonder, all with lenticular shields!

Titania is much more modest than usual with her lavender camisole...