If I wasn’t expecting Square-Enix to debut a Marvel Play Arts Kai variant figures line at New York Comic Con 2014 by unexpectedly showing off the Play Arts Kai Iron Man figure (and I was not), then I definitely wasn’t expecting the second figure from the line to be revealed as well.
Square-Enix oftentimes likes to take their dear sweet time, but I guess they were just too excited about Play Arts Kai Spider-Man to wait!
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Ordinarily, I absolutely can’t stand ruthless, pure evil villains that have no mercy and no soul. Those types of villainous characters typically evoke no sympathy at all and are flat-out boring to read about. Usually. But there’s an exception to every rule–and in this case, his name is Carnage! The 90’s are back in style, and Carnage is finally getting more long-deserved merch in 2015. And the most high-end and impressive Carnage collectible coming out is definitely the Kotobukiya Carnage Fine Arts Statue is now up for order!
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In the early days of the Disney Vinylmation figures line, the rarest blind-box figures out there were the Vinylmation Mystery Chasers that were packed at one-per-case. But things have changes in the last few years, and now there’s something even rarer: Vinylmation variants. Packed at far less than one per case, the Marvel Vinylmation variants from Series 1 of Phasing Vision and Bearded Thor have long been the most valuable Vinylmation Marvel figures. They now have some competition, though–Vinylmation Green Goblin and Mary Jane variants have now appeared and are selling for $150-$300 each!
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When Disney announced the lineup of figures in Vinylmation Marvel Series 2 last month, visions immediately began to dance in collectors’ heads of what spectacular, beloved character would be the “mystery chaser” that wouldn’t be revealed until the cases were released. The most popular theories were for a Vinylmation Carnage, Gwen Stacy or Doc Ock chaser. Well, the Vinylmation Spider-Man series was officially released yesterday, and now we know the chaser’s identity. Though the immediate response has been disappointment, the Marvel Vinylmation Kingpin Chaser has been revealed!
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I spent the months leading up to this year’s Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie lamenting the fact that we were getting so few quality action figures for the movie–particularly in the form of a Marvel Select Amazing Spider-Man 2 Electro figure. But fate has smiled upon me–it turned out that I utterly hated Amazing Spider-Man 2 and wouldn’t want another toy of that movie Electro anyway. But what I would still want is a classic version of Electro, wearing my favorite green-and-yellow spiky mask. And what do you know? Diamond Select Toys read my mind–the Marvel Shop exclusive Marvel Select Electro figure has now been revealed and put up for order!
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Something inside me snapped last week when I got my first Marvel Super Heroes Masher figure, Deadpool. Ever since, I’ve started having a craving for more stylized, kid-friendly Marvel Mashers action figures, and as such I’ve been watching the Marvel Super Hero Mashers section at my local stores like a predatory hawk. While the Marvel Mashers Iceman and Ghost Rider I’ve been on the prowl for haven’t turned up locally yet, the newest wave of Electronic Superhero Mashers have arrived: the Marvel Mashers Iron Spider-Man and War Machine are now available for order online and in some stores!
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At San Diego Comic-Con 2014, Funko surprised collectors by announcing and showing off a multitude of versions of the first-ever Marvel Funko Hikari Sofubi figure: Spider-Man! Funko didn’t give out a list of the official names for these Spider-Man variants at SDCC 2014, nor did they have release dates or edition sizes for any of them, but now we know who’s up first and it’s a biggie–as in “the largest Funko Hikari figure released to date!” The 10″ Funko Premium Blaze Spider-Man Hikari vinyl figure is now up for order!
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If anyone had ever wanted to bet me that I’d be writing four articles about Hasbro Marvel Titan Hero figures in a one-week span, I’d be paying up right now. I promised myself that I’m not buying any of these 12″ figures and I’m sticking to it, but it’s getting a bit more difficult when Hasbro keeps bringing out obscure favorites. And the latest carrot? One of the most dopey and lovable Spider-Man costumes ever–the 12″ Spider-Armor Spider-Man Titan Hero figure!
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With the release of the Marvel Legends Agent Venom Walgreens exclusive action figure, all of Hasbro’s Marvel Legends 2014 action figures have now hit stores (with the exception of the Target Marvel Legends Radioactive Man three-pack). But if you’re a diehard Hasbro Marvel figure collector, Hasbro still has quite a bit in store for you this year! They’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but a new four-figure box set containing three all-new Marvel Titan Hero figures has now been released, including the first-ever 12″ Titan Hero Venom, Green Goblin and Electro figures!
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One Marvel toy line that doesn’t get a lot of headlines here on Marvel Toy News is the Marvel Titan Hero figures. That’s for a couple of reasons, but primarily because the Hasbro Titan Heroes are aimed purely at children and I tend to dabble more in the collector-oriented, middle-to-high-end collectibles. That said, Hasbro has gotten my attention with their latest Ultimate Spider-Man Titan Hero figures released, because they made some very interesting character choices for a change–including the Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099!
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It’s been quite a journey for Agent Venom. Over the course of the past 13 months, Agent Venom has gone from one of the most-wanted modern Marvel characters for the Marvel Legends line, to the headliner of Marvel Legends Series 6, to another in a long line of “lost” Hasbro Marvel Legends figures, to a pre-sold out and potentially hard-to-find Walgreens exclusive. But at last, the 6″ Marvel Legends Agent Venom figure is on the verge of arriving, and we can take a look at the final production version of the figure…
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As far as Disney Vinylmation collection goes, 2014 has been the quietest year for me since Disney began the line. There haven’t been many enticing Vinylmation sets released this year, and as a result my interest has waned quite a bit. But just when I thought I might be out, Disney has pulled me back in–with a vengeance! As a sequel to last year’s best-selling Disney Vinylmation Marvel Series 1 (which now sells for a crazy $250 for a set of 12 on the aftermarket), Disney has just unveiled a new set: the Marvel Vinylmation Spider-Man Series!
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One of the hottest new collectible lines of 2014 thus far is the Funko Hikari line of Japanese style vinyl figures. The limited-edition Funko Hikaris appeared out of nowhere at the New York Toy Fair 2014 and instantly sold out across the internet. But Batman and He-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans got all the love with the first batch of Funko Hikari figures, while Marvel fans were left in the dust. The disappointment for Marvel fans is over, though–at SDCC 2014 this week, a small army of Funko Hikari Spider-Man figures debuted!
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San Diego Comic Con 2014 is officially underway, and the reveals are coming at a fast and furious pace–perhaps more so than any year I can remember ever! Though they’re not the biggest company at the convention and may be getting lost in the shuffle just a little bit, Kotobukiya has debuted some major Marvel statues at the show, including a Fine Arts Statue that hadn’t even been teased previously! Coming in 2015–Kotobukiya Maximum Carnage and Rogue Fine Arts Statues!
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Husbands will get up to all sorts of mischief and debauchery while their wives are away. Me? I went to the Hallmark Ornament Premiere. Twice. I went out yesterday afternoon specifically to see if my nearest Hallmart store had put out their ornaments early so that I could photograph the Marvel and LEGO ornaments. And while the 2014 Hallmark Ornaments were out early, I totally forgot to look at the Marvel ones–instead, I bought the Jawa Sandcrawler and Cantina Band ornaments. And so, today I journeyed back to Hallmark to check out the Hallmark Captain America & Spider-Man ornaments…
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