The year is off to a controversial start for the long-running Hasbro Marvel Infinite Series (AKA Marvel Universe) toy line, as prices for the line are at an all-time high and articulation has been reduced to an all-time low. That said, the first wave of 2015 Marvel Infinite Series had some strong figures in it, and based off the case ratios and prototypes, the next wave will have some hot characters in it as well. Marvel Infinite Series Wave 7–including Shanna the She-Devil and the Vulture–is now up for order!
Hasbro looks to continue the trend of solid figures mixed with weaker figures with Marvel Infinite Series 2015 Wave 2 (Wave 7 overall), which has some long-requested characters in it and also an overdue reissue!
The Marvel Infinite Series Wave 7 Case Ratios are as follows:
- (2) Marvel’s Thunderstrike
- (2) Shanna
- (2) Doctor Octopus
- (2) Armored Daredevil
- (2) Vulture
- (2) Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man
Overall, I’m reasonably happy with what I see in this lineup.
Marvel Infinite Series Thunderstrike Figure
I really sprouted as a Marvel fanboy in the 90’s, so I’m psyched to see the Eric Masterson Thunderstrike version of Thor getting some love.
I believe that this is only the second Thunderstrike action figure ever made, after the neat Minimates Thunderstrike released by Diamond Select Toys in 2013.
Marvel Infinite Series Shanna the She-Devil
Well, here’s a bizarre choice. Shanna is a character who traditionally doesn’t do a whole lot, but gets a sizable amount of merch released. I’d like this figure a lot more if we already had Ka-Zar and Zabu figures in this scale (which I somehow doubt are ever coming), but the Marvel Universe Shanna figure looks pretty good (albeit an odd selection).
Marvel Infinite Series Doctor Octopus
I had to look it up to be certain, because I was absolutely flabbergasted to realize that an official Marvel Universe Doctor Octopus figure had never been released before! Poor Doc Ock has rather unique tooling requirements, but it was still a surprise that he’d never had a Hasbro 3 3/4″ figure in the main line before (Ultimate Spider-Man toys don’t count).
I’m not altogether thrilled with the looks of this Marvel Infinite Series Doc Ock, unfortunately. The articulation on the figure is clearly very limited, and the proportions (particularly the pin head) look weird to me. I’ll have to see this Doctor Octopus in person to decide if I want it or not.
Marvel Infinite Series Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man Figure
I may have to start calling 2015 “the year of Miles Morales”, because the Ultimate Spider-Man is all over the collectibles world this year!
I already have the Marvel Universe Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man variant released toward the end of the Marvel Universe line, but I know a lot of fans who missed out will be pleased to get another crack at him.
Marvel Infinite Series Armored Daredevil Figure
After appearing is his classic duds as part of the first wave of Marvel Infinite Series 2015 figures, Daredevil is back again for the second wave–in armored form!
I own a Bowen Designs statue and mini-bust of Armored Daredevil, so I’m a pretty big fan of this costume. Even so, the articulation is severely lacking on this figure–enough that it’s going to be a pass for me unless I see it in a store and am just blown away by it.
Marvel Infinite Series Vulture Figure
Finally, we come to another of Spider-Man’s greatest villains that’s been previously unreleased in this scale: the Vulture!
I was greatly unimpressed by the early prototype photos of this figure–but while he’s still missing some articulation points, he looks improved enough now that I plan to pick up this crucial Spidey villain.
The Marvel Infinite Series 2015 Wave 2 cases and sets of figures are now available for order, and are expected to ship out in April 2015 (yes, that’s this month!). I’m pretty thrilled with the even case ratios on these figures, so I’m going to pass on ordering a set or case for now and hunt only for the two figures that I really want at retail.
What do you think of this year’s second series of Hasbro Marvel Universe/Marvel Infinite Series 3 3/4″ figures, Marvel collectors? Have you warmed up to the line after seeing the first set at retail, or are you too unimpressed with the articulation (or other aspects of these figures) to want to make them your own?
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Nowadays I’m just happy to get a decent 3.75″ release. Not bad over all considering recent standards. I wish vulture would have came with the newer split/double falcon wings rather than the old MU wings but what ya gonna do? When does the emma frost/blue deadpool/korg series come out?
sadly I’m going to pass on this wave and probably sell off some of the older figures not completing a team or personal favorite.
Do you have a 3.75″ deadpool?
I like! This wave is better than the last IMHO.
What’s happen to Northstar? He’s missing from this wave?
Give me a 3.75″ Superior Spider-Man and I might buy that and Doc Ock.
This is the wave 6 no? There are 4 waves in 2014 and this is the second of 2015.
(Sorry for my english, I’m from Spain).
Hasbro is calling this Wave 7. There must have been a case assortment of repacks or something that they’re considering Wave 5 or 6–I really have no idea, honestly.
@DABID, dude why such a Debi Downer? (Gloomy Gus?) So certain are you that it’s nigh all gloom and doom for Marvel Infinite Series/Marvel Universe?
Your adjectives to describe Shanna as “bizarre”and “odd” make me smile because those are the elements I love in Marvel creations. Don’t count this “pretty good looking” jungle girl’s beau Ka,Zar and friend Zabu out either. After all,these are the makers that brought you DEATHSHEAD, WHIRLWIND,A-BOMB, DARKHAWK, Red Guardian,Karnak, Silver Samurai…, so I’d say Ka-Zar and Zabu’ s “odds”are very good, dude. Highly probable. (Even in the face of the shifting tide of a few ship jumpers)
Doc Ock does have a figure in this scale from the Spider-Man line. NO.not ultimate Spidey(lol) THE 2010 Spiderman 3.75” MU line. I’ve got a Venom and Armored Rhino from that line,(self same Rhino figure was later packaged as a ToysRus exclusive in a two pack with Spidey under the MU banner) so I wasn’t surprised about this new sculpt of Doc Ock being his debut under the MIS/MU name. I’ve been trying to build the Sinister Six from the beginning,Dabid. Yes, it’s unbelievable Doc hasn’t been part of the Marvel main line until now-a Shocker right? 😉
I need a Shocker figure.
I digress. Let’s talk facts about the “clearly limited articulation”
Facts man! Not hyperbole and wild negative exaggerations.
Just the facts, man. Near as I can tell the arms and legs are the same(matter of fact those legs appear to be from Luke Cage/Absorbing Man) and the core/torso has lost 2 poa– 1.Abdominal(ab-crunch)
2.Waist pivot
OK, this is Doc Ock. A fat older out of shape type. Is he really going to use 88poa to fight the more limber and super agile wall-crawler? No! Okay.
IMHO,I agree that Doc seems to have pinhead syndrome.
That aspect is in the realm of relative judgement.
Adrianne Tomes THE VULTURE my childhood favorite member of the Six! (I won’t let that bias me tho)We agree he looks crucially valuable to the collection and warrants being bought. Those wings were a flight of fantastic awesomeness on the Falcon, and that remain so on this bird man as well.
I’m interested and impressed with infinite hot hands for this MIS wave,Dabid.
I think it’s ironic that 2 tweaks to the line has fanboy lynch mobs ready to throw in the towel and hate for any remaining faithful “Marvel Joes”. The vitriol is really ironic considering how good the case packs are. 😀
To each his own.
Are you talking about that crazy, goateed Mass Attack Doc Ock? I put that under the same umbrella as “Ultimate Spider-Man” for lines that don’t count. =P
Just to be clear, I’m buying that Shanna. I think she’s an odd choice because that character gets tons of merch despite being relatively minor, but I am in no way not pleased to see her.
Even so, all of the obscure characters that you mentioned were selected for the line by David Vonner. With him gone from Hasbro and basically every figure he planned now released, I won’t hold my breath for Ka-Zar (and much less Zabu). I’d love to be wrong and pleasantly surprised, but I doubt it’s in the cards.
As for Doc Ock… Ehn. I always call it like I see it, and his articulation IS clearly limited. He has the Cage legs, which give him double-jointed knees, but unfortunately it means he also has no ankle rockers. With no upper torso ab crunch, no ankle rockers and no waist swivel, it’s going to be a real pain getting Doc Ock to balance and do anything except stand straight up–much less pose dynamically.
The Black Cat figure can get away with the limited articulation because of her ankle rockers, great proportions and well-done head sculpt. Doc Ock has none of the above, unfortunately.
I appreciate the response,Dabid. I tend to agree with the obvious elements, however,I beg to differ on areas where compromise and innovation can be used to adapt and applied for a desired effect.
I’m speaking of the hobby& craft aspect of this hobby. Paint, magic eraser, swabs, glue, brushes,etc. I know you have confessed to being too”cheap”to buy figure display products. Imo-they are mandatory. Quite a few of us have been frustrated with poa cutbacks. I’m over that because the most vexing cut to me was the loss of the vanity figure display stands! Like the Borg, I’ve adapted. Luke Cage is on the Hasbro sanctioned FDS pack-in. No ankle rockers needed. Otto will sit on FDS bought on action figure accessories web sites. I can’t trust ALL my figures to stand on their own ;-)(shelf dives can be expensive) especially if there’s a calamity of domino effect type proportions!)
I highly recommend FDS for 6″and,4″scale figures. Specifically if one wants those action poses you were talking about. Flight FDS support is needed, even if it’s just twist ties or fishing line from the ceiling.:-D
Thanks,capt.
Oh, yeah. I was admiring my Marvel masher figures and noticed that they Don’t Have Ab Crunches! I knew there was something about these figures I liked but couldn’t put a finger on until now! Ha-Ha-ha! There was a recent cut to the ankle poa, but it’s only a minor annoyance.:-)
I think that not attacking Hasbro for the choice of lowered articulation is really moronic. Why support a toy company with license to all powerful Disney products that has the ability to cut cost whenever they feel like they aren’t hitting the desired profit margins.
For all the Hasbro fan boys the company has put out enough shelf sitting 5 POA Iron men, wolverines, capt. America, spiderman and Thors in the 1:18 scale to rebuild the Hasbro great wall of china in recycled plastic. When this crap sits on shelfs the stores don’t want to stock it anymore.
SO the all powerful Hasbro reduces tooling cost and hides it behind the fan favorites to see if they can still cater to the market share that wants unique marvel characters and make an added profit?
They hire a 1:12 fan boy as director and the legends line and a new 1:12 starwars line are the hottest thing in the toy universe right now?
Do you think that is coincidence or the fact that marketing is focused on that?
I don’t see any BS articulation reduction or tooling cost reduction on the 1:12 line?
– fanboy lynch mob # 3082855
Uh oh, I think I’ve created a monster! LOL. I’ve something in common with Hank Pym/Tony Stark, and Dr.Victor Frankenstein 😀
Seriously, “FBLM”,Interesting points! Melodramatic, but very interesting! It’s come to my attention that Hasbro has been making cuts all over the place. Reduced size on deluxe transformers last year,
The duo legends class packs have been reduced to solo packs for same $10.
The 1st HMU loss was the vanity figure display stands.
Now the articulation cuts and price increase.
Star Wars Black Series 6 inch is making missteps by reducing weapons, and accessories(hand, heads, robes)
Possibly a price hike on the 3.75″ SWBS line?
Target has a mysterious peg price of $23.99 on GOTG Marvel Legends.
Indeed there is much stirring in the kingdom!
😀
Thanks, if Hasbro says this is the wave 7… it will be the wave 7 xD
Where is Northstar? Wasn’t he supposed to be with this wave?
I suspect that he may be in the later case shipments. Hasbro did this a few time before when it was marvel universe. The figures were numbered and often appeared for sale out of sequence.
No North Star!
Again, no Northstar. I knew they would pull him. I won’t be surprised when they pull Emma From the release as well.. I have no interest in these this wave now.
This is sad IMO, I can’t believe people are going to actually pay more for a figure that is now less than when it had more. Lol, what a joke. It’s funny because I’ll read post like the first post above me and the guy goes, oh well what you gonna do. You literally talk about the lack there of in these figures then, oh well, I guess I’ll give these idiots more money, lol. I dropped this line because of this crap. I waited and waited to get a blue beast and bishop and when they finally showed they were making them , I couldn’t believe that they chose to start cutting articulation on these two figs. Huge disappointment. I did still buy them because I waited so long but I only paid 7$ per figure, and that’s the most I will ever pay for this crap.
Wow,B. That’s quite the gambit of emotions you’re running there. Happy, sad glad, mad, you are a passionate dude about your toys. That is great. Truth is that consumers often “pay MORE for less.” It’s a standard practice in merchandising.
Just look at your grocery bill for the last five years. Produce, dairy and even junk food have all gone up. Bigger price on a smaller box of Corn flakes. I recall when a Snickers was.45¢ it’s almost a dollar, and they’ve been cutting back on the NUTS! How droll. LoL. Indeed. Food is more important than toys, but the principles of economic are the same. There are ways of getting discounts and saving money available to us. Hey! You got your X-MEN for seven dollars! Happy dance! It’s a celebration,B! 😀
I understand your point about the principle of economics but still, this is a major blow and I don’t understand how they could cut out so much articulation and charge that much more, I think it has a lot to do with fueling the legends engine that Dwight stall is so passionate about. I could deal with the articulation cuts up until they took out the torso artic, the torso artic in the MU figs is what originally caught my eye to begin collecting these. Without it, the figures not only don’t move right but they do not look right either and that’s what is killing it for me. Unless they make more x men figures I am out of this line. There is still HTS which will be the only place I buy these as long as they are still 9.99 and I can use a coupon. No more case buys for me.
I still haven’t opened my Miles Morales variant figure from the later Marvel Universe line, thinking it would be more valuable,but I guess it’s safe to open, if it’s getting this release.
My non collector-uninitiated friends have often made the common mistake of thinking modern toys are an investment or a money making scheme. I let them know it’s a love thing,not a get some money thing. Get a job. Invest in stocks or an IRA if money is the goal. As for Miles Morales,the better thing would be to buy the re-issue,and keep the older one carded. That is my plan. I have mentioned here before that articulation isn’t of high priority to me as I am a on-card collector(33%) especially the variant figures. My Miles is the inverted variant,so I never planned on opening it. Rather using it for diorama style backdrop for the figures I DO display uncarded! The older MU stuff for simple terminology was beautifully packaged. Pretty art and graphics.
The new plain dark cards,not so much. But that is just my two cents.
Thanks for the comment about toy “investing”. I got back into collecting about ten years ago after I came across a yard sale early one morning. Seems a collector had died and the family was putting all his treasures out for $1 (figures), $5 (small vehicles), or $20 (playsets/larger vehicles). Doesn’t matter what your collection is worth if you never sell or your family doesn’t know.
It’s really annoying that the articulation is being cut back like this, and now I don’t even want to buy 3.75″ action figures anymore. I feel they don’t translate in photos, and the sculpts, especially the females have tiny arms, and can be lacking. I will only buy a Marvel Universe (or 3.75 Infinite series) figure if it is a character that has never been in figure form, or one that I absolutely love. I’m not sure if I should even buy these figures at all anymore, and just wait for them to come out in 6″ form, for example, the Grim Reaper AND Wasp figure came out in the very first wave of the 3.75″ figures, and are being released later in the Legends Infinite Ant-Man series. Maybe it’s better to wait? I need some help deciding guys.
Go for legends, that’s what I did to. I love marvel characters to much to give up 100 percent on hasbro, ( which is probably dirty Dwight’s master plan in the first place). Get all the 3.75 inch collectors to start buying legends instead, I love the legends but it feels wrong.
The”plan”is only half working. I buy Marvel Legends AND Marvel universe too.
Lmao–:-D I agree,B. I really like the Marvel characters way too much to give up( attempting to cover every corner of the Marvel multiverse.)also. I recently picked up marvel masher Whiplash, as there is not a Legends version of him.
There are 3.75″figures in this very article that Do NOT exist in legends form!
And vice versa: There STILL isn’t a MU Arnim Zola,FantomEx,MODOK,Mojo, Boomerang,Banshee,Hellcat,Thorbuster armour IM,Sasquatch….
Well hopefully if they do eventually make those characters they decide to bring back some articulation. It would be a huge disappointment to get those figures with the lack of movement they deserve. Sales cannot possibly be as good as they use to so hopefully that will reflect how collectors feel about the articulation cuts.
Lol. @1/18th scale most of these figures have tiny arms! I share and get how you feel about this: every so often I ponder retiring from the game of collecting completely. I’ve had friends who’ve collected since they were kids quit. For the same reasons I’ve been considering. Price. Affordability. I came in when 6″figures cost ten dollars and now they’ve doubled in price! I almost spit out a clone of myself when my friend told me legends used to cost $8!!!? Frak!
I’m still in it because I love it! I can currently still afford it(and I’m quite liberal with my taste for toys.) Marvel runs my display room, but I’ve got love for DC, Transformers, Star Wars, Joes,video game figures and anime characters!
You must do what YOU feel is right. For me that is Marvel Legends AND Marvel 3.75″! I AM a “Legendeer”and a “Marvel Joe”! Ha-ha! LOL..
A big FAN of the SMALL toys, regardless of the nay sayers or haters from whatever camp I won’t give up on 1/18th scale Marvel. You named exactly the rules I have had for years for purchases; 1.Debut or rare figures(Silver Samurai, Jubilee,Multiple Man,Blade,Mockingbird,etc.)
2.Favorites(Luke Cage,Archangel,Dr.Doom,Rogue,etc.)
Four of those have no ML@this time- 😉
Under articulated, mediocre sculpts, sloppy paint even in the prototype shots, and the same torso is reused for almost 90% of the wave.
And those are just a few issues that make me miss ToyBiz.
Kage to Kalpha; come in,captain! 😀
Standard articulation, and body reuse are common practice among toy makers. Mattel,Kenner,Art asylum,Dc Direct, Hasbro,Jazzwares, and yes even Toybiz does this. The solid torso use here reminds me of Toybiz’s Marvel Legends Nick Fury and Prince Namor.
It would cool to see some current comic characters mixed in like Superior Iron Man, Silk, Spider-Gwen etc. In some waves. I will get Doc Ock and Vulture for my Sinister Six display though. I don’t get why they just don’t use old molds with the usual articulation, wouldn’t that save money?
You would think. I would be fine with them using old molds rather then this new crap they have been using,
Yeah, its almost like they just don’t understand the consumer. If these were $7 to 8$ I would grab three of them at a time. But almost $13, you have to pick and choose. Its funny because Target has there own army action figure line that has more articulation and accessories at just $5. I know Marvel is a big name now, but I don’t get the price increase for less effort in the figures.
ELITE FORCE! I saw those and got one. Mainly cause it was $5. In the beginning the Marvel figures were $6 – 8. Success over time plus inflation and other factors lead to current price increases. I’ve looked for answers over the years to the rising costs and your conclusion of Marvel being a big company is part of why. It’s the 6 inch figures I’ve been collecting for almost ten years and seen the price double from$10 to $20 that motivated me to ask questions.(thus in accord MU was overdue for a price hike) The next curiosity I noticed was that even though the cost of petroleum products like plastic tend to increase,especially during wartime, that is not the whole truth as to rising toy prices. I occasionally collect my favorite wrestlers in 6″and have noticed that the price of WWE toys has remained stable at $10 for the same amount of time as the superheroes. Huh? Wtf? I am an artist and it occurred to me from work experience that it’s the many middle men and big hand of intellectual property rights that contribute to superhero figures doubling in price!
Please believe that they know what they are doing in regard to us consumers. I’m still looking into what kind of deal the wrestlers have in their contracts regarding their likenesses, but they must get a very tiny percentage from their figures since the price barely ever budges.
I’ll pick up a few of these just for the sake of completing the sinister six, only have cameleon to go now! I feel bad for comic store owners though, they have been getting these figures almost 2 to 3 weeks after places like superstore and wal mart. Then they are forced to sell variants for a jacked up price to compensate for all the peg warmers. I grabbed all of the last wave at 11 bucks a pop on sale from 15 before comic shops even got em
If there’s one thing I’m sure of it’s that so long as they can sell under articulated, poorly sculpted schlock to collectors, they’ll continue to produce it. I blame collectors as much as Hasbro at this point, because even when you guys know it’s just a repainted kitbash of figures we just got two waves ago, you go order a case from BBTS or wherever at $100 a pop.
Hmmm, sounds like a first world problem. 🙂 it’s all love friend. In the interest of fairness reuse,redeco, and kit bash methods are the status quo in toy production. Expensive DC direct to MarvelLegends all use it. I’ve got a Jade and G.L. Soranik Natu made on the same body, Legends Styrfe and Hyperion use the same head…etc.
I empathize with your passion and indignation,some of the wild cutbacks being made are just plain silly. However,I support the free will of the consumer to buy what he/she wants.
Due to the price hike I buy these at retail now, but if it becomes easier to buy the case,I shall, and donate the reissued figures to charity.
You are correct, sir. Long as it’s on sale and I desire to purchase it, they will keep making it. -Maybe. It is a numbers game.(I bought every original DCUC piece and the line still got cancelled.)
For all you collectors of the 3 3/4 line…Does anyone know any good stands i can purchase for these figs??? I’m tired of them falling over..and taking about 3 to 4 other figs down with them when the fall (and the two more i knock over while trying to pick the other ones up)
thanks
Try Small joes dot com, Entertainment Earth and collecting warehouse.
The entire Infinite Series appears to be garbage. As you previously stated, Happy Meal toys.