BAF Waves - Themed or Mixed?

Beamish

Beamish

Elections Officer
Joined
Apr 3, 2025
Messages
551
How do you prefer your BAF waves - a specific theme or a random selection of figures?
 
Personally, I'm in favor of eliminating the BaF marketing scheme altogether. However, if it has to be implemented, I absolutely prefer a themed wave. And that extends not only to character selection, but to eras as well.
And especially no mixing of comic book and MCU characters. That shiz drives me bananas!

Mmmmmm, bananas.
 
Prefer themed, but don't particularly care if it's something I really like. Would prefer an X-Men themed BAF from an all X-related wave.

I still enjoy the BAF model. It's not like removing it means we're getting all these extra accessories like hands and stuff. I'm looking at you Rachel Grey.
 
I think there's a place for both, which is where the line seems to be at the moment:

  • Skurge (2025) - mixed (debatable - maybe this is an Avengers wave as 5/8 characters easily fit that bill)
  • Nemesis (2025) - themed (X-Men)
  • Blackheart (2024) - themed (Strange Tales)
  • Void (2024) - themed (Avengers. Debatable, but 6-7/8 are Avengers characters)
  • Zabu (2024) - mixed
  • Ch'od (2024) - themed (X-Men)
  • Cosmo (2023) - themed (GotG3)
  • Mindless One (2023) - themed (Marvel Knights)
  • Puff Adder (2023) - themed (Avengers)
  • Hydra Stomper (2023) - themed (MCU What If..?)
  • Totally Awesome Hulk (2023) - mixed (comic Avengers and MCU)
  • Stature (2023) - themed (Quantumania)
Mileage may vary on which of these counts as themed vs mixed, but that's my take. The BAF waves seem heavily tilted towards themes nowadays. We haven't had a split MCU/comic BAF wave since 2023.
 
Mixed. I’m a big believer in the “Something for Everyone” approach. I don’t mind waves with a general theme. For example, an “X-Men” themed wave can support a broad range of characters, but an “Age of Apocalypse” themed wave is too “all or nothing” for my tastes.
 
I liked mixed waves, because I have a lot of different displays so I can usually find a place for most releases, be they MCU or comic based.
 
Long live the BAF! I wouldn't have some of my favorite figures if not for the BAF because they would have never gotten made otherwise. I'm fine with either themed or hodgepodge -- whatever it takes to get never before made characters! That's really the only thing I care about anymore after collecting this line for 20+ years.
 
I can see advantages to either themed or mixed waves. My mind says themed waves are the way to go. But the reality is many of the themes aren’t what I’m looking for. The Legends team leans heavily towards the X-men, Wolverine, Spider-man, and Deadpool. Other than the original Peter Parker Spider-man, those themes aren’t the main focus of my collection. In addition to that many waves are now animated or video game based. I just have no interest in that. Mixed waves are fun because usually there is something for everyone. The downside is when you really want the baf and don’t want most of the wave. I probably don’t ever need another Iron Man, black Spidey or Wolverine in my collection. But the baf got me this time. 😕

But the main thing I don’t want is comic and mcu waves. I loathe those!
 
Well, if 3 years can be used to establish a trend, then you BAF-haters may get your way.

2023 - 6 BAF waves
2024 - 4 BAF waves
2025 - 2 BAF waves

I still enjoy it as a concept, and I'm not sure we'll get the same variety of characters without it. But there's no doubt that rising prices make it a less attractive model when you end up with figures you're less interested in.
 
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