Marvel Superhero Showdown, Superhero Factory

[Grayfox]

I don't know if you guys saw those two lines at Toy Fair, but I think they look pretty cool.

Marvel Superhero Showdown
69.93.119.2/photosSHTC/showgallery.php?cat=747

They're basically Marvel Legend figures that are scaled down to about 4 or 5 inches high. Thing is, they come with a 'battling' game. (That game look to be very simple to me. If anyone is into those kinds of games, could you enlighten me on how this one looks to be working?)

As I said before, If the game is the least decent and the figures are not too expensive, I may very well get into that line.

Marvel Superhero Factory
69.93.119.2/photosSHTC/showgallery.php?cat=745

This one I find very creative of Toy Biz. Creative in the sense that they're actually making these kind of "build'em yourself" statues for America. Usually, those come out in Japan and you gotta wait for companies like Diamond Distributing to pick them up and release them here. Thumbs up for Toy Biz on that move.

That said, these statues actually look very cool IMO. Again, if they're priced to my liking, I'm picking them up. I like how you know what figure you're buying. So no chance of getting unwanted multiples. But they're also including one 'mystery' figure. (Though you know that what you're buying in a mystery one).

Overall, I think it's Toy Biz who impressed me the most this year at Toy Fair.

[Randy13]

I like the factory idea, although I'm not a big enough comics fan to buy these. I'm hoping their success will spur more Japanese style capsule and 'candy' toys to start showing up here. There are some very cool dinosaurs and legendary monsters figs that I think would do well in the states, and appeal to collectors who aren't into the regular 'urban vinyl' aesthetic that dominates collector market here.

[Quiller-Bee]

When I first read the name "Marvel Superhero Factory" on one of the toy sites' web pages, you know what I immediately thought it might be/hoped it was? That's right . . . ToyBiz's version of Xevoz. Oh well.

[Grayfox]

Quiller-Bee said:

When I first read the name "Marvel Superhero Factory" on one of the toy sites' web pages, you know what I immediately thought it might be/hoped it was? That's right . . . ToyBiz's version of Xevoz. Oh well.

That would've rocked. Big time.

[Quiller-Bee]

No doubt, man. There would be so much to draw from in the Marvel Universe, so many possibilities. With the variety of action figure concepts that Marvel is willing to explore--from Art Asylum's "Mini-Mates" to the newer Mega Bloks "Super Tech Heroes", on through ToyBiz's own "Spider-Man & Friends" to their upcoming "Marvel Metamorphs"-- you'd think that Marvel might be willing to give interchangeable/ball & socket joint system action figures a shot. (Hmmm . . . . )

I could be wrong, but I'd be willing to bet good money that a Marvel "Build-A-Hero™" line would sell at least as well as Marvel Mini-Mates. In fact, I think that such a line would outsell Mini-Mates by a good stretch. One thing's for sure, I'd buy the hell outta somthing like that. ;D

[Grayfox]

Same goes for me. I picture these Marvel "Build-a-Hero" figures using the same "retro" look the Xevoz have. So that if you wanna mix and match parts from different kits it wouldn't look too bad you know.

Actually, I expect Toy Biz to be wiser and release such a line, while Hasbro sits on it's derriere and does nothing.

[Quiller-Bee]

In addition to simply looking cool as Hell to begin with, the more simplistic, retro/deco look also lends itself better to the mixing & matching required for kitbashing. (IMHO, that is.)

As you already know, Marvel does quite a bit of direct market merchandising in addition to their mass-market releases. Maybe we should put a bug in Marvel/ToyBiz's ear . . . . (Never hurts to try, anyway.)

[Grayfox]

Better yet, let's go to Diamond Distribution. They know mini mates and aren't afraid to try new things. Not saying Toy Biz is though.

[Lobsterman]

So they're Heroclix with articulation. That's kind of interesting...

[Grayfox]

Lobsterman said:

So they're Heroclix with articulation. That's kind of interesting...

These are Marvel Legends scaled down. Much better than the sculpting on some of the Heroclix characters if you ask me =)

By the way, is Marvel heroclix any fun to play at all? I bought the deluxe starter set a while back, but never got around to try, I got nobody to play

[Lobsterman]

Definitely. The sculpting on Heroclix was pretty much crap. I couldn't really get into the game. I had trouble figuring out where the "strategy" came in; it seemed like you just traded hits until the character with less hitpoints died.