General Marvel Legends

[Thwiptster]

The transition for the legs looks like booty, but this is probably the reference.

 

[hmmberto]

Unfortunately the new tactic appears to be selling you the same figure you bought a few years ago slightly tweaked and a lot of us fall for it. I'm not saying I'm above it but it seems like they're pivoting somewhat to focus even more on A-listers and maybe a deep cut here or there with BAF's going out the window. I'm sure printing to a 1inx1in plastic comic book is more cost effective, and you're guaranteed to get a C-grip hand so they'll claim it's not bare bones accessories.

By my (very rough) count we're actually on track to get roughly the same number of new characters this year as we did last year.

2025: (19 total)
Champion
Dragon Man
Electro (Francine Frye)
Fabian Cortez
Feral
Gambit (AoA)
Husk
Kaine (technically made as Scarlet Spider)
Man-Wolf
Mephisto
Nightcrawler (AoA)
Phoenix
Rom
Sentinel (classic)
Shanna
Shuma-Gorath
Spider-Boy
Starfox
Warbow

2024: (18 total)
Baron Zemo
Beyonder
Bushwacker
Count Nefaria
Crystal
Crystar
Death's Head
Destiny
Dum Dum Dugan
Ikaris
Jack O' Lantern
Ka-Zar
Lilandra
Lockjaw
Odin
Titania
Wong
Zabu

Obviously some of these are debatable about what should count as a "new" character, or if non-616 figures (AoA specifically) should count. I think the ones included here (Baron Zemo, Ka-Zar-Shanna-Zabu, Dum Dum) are pretty fair to be on the list. And not everything on the 2025 list will necessarily come out before the end of the year (but likewise we haven't seen everything that's going to release, so...). My point being, at least from last year, there may not be an actual downward trend.

 

[Reno]

Thanks, @hmmberto!

If I remember correctly, 2023 was a year we got something like 50 new never before made characters. I remember my favorite wave that year was the Ch'od BAF wave with 6 new characters in that wave alone (Ch'od with Cr'reee, Corsair, M, Quentin Quire, Chamber, Fang). I'd have to go back and look to see if that overall # is really accurate (just going from memory), but would be a big difference from that last 2 years as shown above.

 

[hmmberto]

Thanks, @hmmberto!

If I remember correctly, 2023 was a year we got something like 50 new never before made characters. I remember my favorite wave that year was the Ch'od BAF wave with 6 new characters in that wave alone (Ch'od with Cr'reee, Corsair, M, Quentin Quire, Chamber, Fang). I'd have to go back and look to see if that overall # is really accurate (just going from memory), but would be a big difference from that last 2 years as shown above.

I enjoy doing this and I'm feeling like a slacker today, so what the hell!

Your instincts are right - 2023 does look a lot different than the last two years re: new characters. My current rough total is 47 - again, that is primarily focusing on comic-based/616 versions, with a somewhat arbitrary cutoff of what counts as new/unique. (For example, Ronan and Banshee both made the 2023 list, even though they technically have Hasbro dark age versions).

However, 2023 also has a larger total number of figures made: 2023-170 total, 2024-123 total. We are currently at ~100 in 2025.

I also realize that I'm missing a few characters from my 2024-2025 lists, and the criteria needs to be applied more consistently across the board. Either way, though, there's a big difference from 2023-now. If I can figure out how to export lists from Legendsverse I'll try to apply a more consistent review across a longer time period. It'd be interesting to map out the trends in the line, and bring in volumes of MCU figures, repeats, etc.

 

[altcunningham]

I thought fire legs would make him fly, just like when Johnny’s half flamed on below the waist. It makes sense on Super Skrull, but is executed poorly. It needs a more gradual transition.

Yeah in the art it looks better with actual fire around it. I guess I could do some custom with lighter fluid.

 

[TheSameIdiot]

However, 2023 also has a larger total number of figures made: 2023-170 total, 2024-123 total. We are currently at ~100 in 2025.

I wonder why we've seen the gradual decrease. I assume 2025 will reach 2024 numbers, but that's still a big drop. It's not like the economy was souring. Not yet, at least.

Did they think they flooded the market in 2023?

 

[NORM]

I wonder why we've seen the gradual decrease. I assume 2025 will reach 2024 numbers, but that's still a big drop. It's not like the economy was souring. Not yet, at least.

Did they think they flooded the market in 2023?

Looking at the 2023 assortments, most of the waves have hit discount or clearance. Looking at the 2024 waves, most haven't hit clearance yet. Maybe 2023 just overrpoduced?

 

[Reno]

Oh, I agree that quantity produced (size of print run) definitely got adjusted in late 2023 or early 2024... no doubt... and not just by Hasbro. I've seen the same thing with McFarlane and others around that same time as an adjustment to all of the stuff hitting clearance and Ollies-like places.

I believe that the Avengers anniversary wave in the white windowless boxes and the Disney+ waves were likely a big part of that decision for Hasbro... but also the earlier Eternals, Multiverse of Madness and Bonebreaker waves..... all of that stuff hit deep clearance. Ollies will likely eventually have to put a bunch of those other waves I mentioned in the dumpster!

I bought so many Hawkeyes with the Sky-Cycle, Hulk/Banner and Skrull Queen / Illuminati Super Skrull 2-packs for 70% off at Target... Eternals figures can still be found for $5 some places.

 

[TheSameIdiot]

Does anyone have data going back to the start of Hasbro's tenure? I feel like it's ebbed and flowed. IIRC, they produced a fuckton of figures in 2019.

 

[PanchaMaestro]

Reissues get Hasbro execs going with their C grip hands.

 

[Beamish]

A case for Jack of Hearts...

Mini Comic Wave 1 - I'm guessing a lot of the budget/new sculpting/tooling went to ROM. Maybe Iron Man as well. Banshee, Daken, Miles, Warlock seemed pretty standard body-wise. I could be completely wrong, I just don't remember what the guys said about how much was new sculpting.
ROM is the crazy fun non-A lister here. The other 5 are A-listers or have MCU tie ins and have recognizable names for kids or the non-collector.

Mini Comic Wave 2 - I'm guessing a lot of the budget/new sculpting/tooling went to Rachel Summers and her spikes. Maybe Feral as well. Just in name alone, Daredevil, Surfer, Widow seem pretty standard body-wise with existing parts. Beast is the wild card if they made a new sculpt or if they are using an existing sculpt.
Rachel and Feral are longtime fan wants. DD, Surfer, Widow and Beast all have name recognition for kids and non-collectors.

Mini Comic Wave 3 - my perfect scenario:
Jack of Hearts gets the budget. Fan wanted, crazy fun non-A lister.
Fill in the next 5 slots with A-listers, MCU tie ins or name recognizable characters that have existing sculpts, parts, pieces, etc. to save on budget:
Green Goblin/Hobgoblin
Iceman
Wasp
Dracula - classic
Elektra

 

[altcunningham]

I wonder why we've seen the gradual decrease. I assume 2025 will reach 2024 numbers, but that's still a big drop. It's not like the economy was souring. Not yet, at least.

Did they think they flooded the market in 2023?

I remember they brought up flooding the market around 2021. The aftermath of covid. Which they couldn't have accounted for, and I think even now the problem is stuff is pipelined so far in advance that when they make these adjustments it doesn't pay out until years later and they aren't agile enough to keep correcting.

 

[hmmberto]

Does anyone have data going back to the start of Hasbro's tenure? I feel like it's ebbed and flowed. IIRC, they produced a fuckton of figures in 2019.

According to Legendsverse:

Year	Releases
2025	95
2024	127
2023	170
2022	172
2021	120
2020	112
2019	139
2018	142
2017	93
2016	63
2015	67
2014	44
2013	36

 

[altcunningham]

May also be important to note that they had Lightning Collection, Fortnite, etc going during the 2019-23 era.

Could these adjustments also be made in the face of self cannibalizing their own market, etc.

 

[EnigmaticClarity]

That Super Skrull is an almost complete downgrade from the BAF. I bet the colors won't even match to use the new heads on the BAF release.

The only place the BAF's skin shows is on the heads, isn't it? So there's no skin color to match if you used the new heads with it. Here's a pic of all of the BAF parts, and the only skin I see is on the heads: